Opening Friday

The Aspern Papers this is a shallow-end DC movie. Rated PG-13. 139 minutes. — P. Hartlaub

MAt Eternity’s Gate An inspired and heartfelt performance by Willem Dafoe as Vincent van Gogh raises this movie far above the Versace: American Crime Story”; Benedict Cumberbatch, “Patrick Melrose”; Hugh Grant, “A Very English Scandal.”

Actress, supporting role, series, limited series or movie made for television: Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; Patricia Clarkson, “Sharp Objects”; Penelope Cruz, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”; Thandie Newton, “Westworld”; Yvonne Strahovski, “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Actor, supporting role, series, limited series or movie made for television: Alan Arkin, “The Kominsky Method”; Kieran Culkin, “Succession”; Edgar Ramirez, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”; Ben Whishaw, “A Very English Scandal”; Henry Winkler, “Barry.”

standard biopic. With Oscar Isaac as Paul Gauguin and Rupert Friend as Vincent’s brother, Theo. Directed by Julian Schnabel. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes. — W. Addiego

MBathtubs Over Broadway Amusing documentary about the hidden world of industrial musicals — live, elaborate productions put on by Broadway theatrical professionals meant as both pep rally and private entertainment at national corporate conventions. With Martin Short, Florence Henderson, Chita Rivera and David Letterman. Rated PG-13. 87 minutes.

— G. Allen Johnson

KBeautiful Boy Drug addict stories are repetitious and hence, they tend to be undramatic. This one, based on the memoir by David Sheff, about his son’s struggle with addiction, is worse than most, in that the father (Steve Carell) becomes the sympathetic focus and the son (Timothee Chalamet) becomes the inadvertent object of the audience’s disdain. Rated R. 112 minutes.

— M. LaSalle

LBecoming Astrid This Swedish-made biopic of “Pippi Longstocking” author Astrid Lindgren traces her tumultuous early life, in slow and loving detail, without ever getting to her years of achievement. It’s a bit of a slog, but benefits from Alba August’s lively performance in the title role. Not rated. 123 minutes. In Swedish with English subtitles.

NBen Is Back Writerdirector Peter Hedges delivers an effective, surprising, gripping film about addiction, which compresses the action into a single day, in which a young man (Lucas Hedges) leaves rehab and goes home to see his mother (Julia Roberts). Rated R. 103 minutes. — M. LaSalle

K— M. LaSalle

Bird Box After an intense opening 20 minutes, this apocalyptic horror thriller, starring Sandra Bullock, confines itself to a single house and becomes mostly a dull chamber drama. It’s not worth the time. Directed by Susanne Bier. Rated R. 124 minutes. — M. LaSalle