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American Ultra This stoner action comedy benefits from its endof-summer timing. Jesse Eisenberg is a constantly stoned late-night market manager who transforms, Hulk-like, into a super-capable CIA agent who can kill two enemies with a cup of ramen and a spoon. Director Nima Nourizadeh sets a good pace and the dialogue is sharp, even though little care is paid to back story and logic. Rated R. 96 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Amy The short, sad life of Amy Winehouse is compellingly told in a new documentary that sidesteps sensationalism and dime-store psychologizing and lets archival footage do much of the work. Rated R. 128 minutes. — W. Addiego
Ant-Man This is smaller scale and more human than most of the Marvel Comics superhero movies and therefore better, with Paul Rudd as a newly released prisoner who takes on the burden of saving humanity. Michael Douglas co-stars. PG-13. 117 minutes. Rated PG-13. 117 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Best of Enemies A top-notch documentary about the tele- vised debates between conservative William F. Buckley and liberal Gore Vidal during the 1968 U.S. political conventions. The often heated nature of the exchanges and the men’s mutual dislike reflected the nation’s growing division. The movie is expertly crafted to lead us to consider the parallels between then and now. Rated R. 88 minutes.
— D. Wiegand
The Diary of a Teenage Girl This is the story of a 15-year-old girl who has a sexual affair with her mother’s 35-year-old boyfriend. Hardly the most enjoyable film experience, but it captures the atmosphere and the moral and psychological landscape of its era, the 1970s. It’s a pretty daring portrait of how a teenage girl sees the world. Rated R. 102 minutes. — M. LaSalle The Gift Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall are a normal upscale couple who are menaced by a friend from the husband’s past, played by Joel Edgerton, who also wrote and directed. It’s a nice variation on the psycho-terrorizes-a-family genre, with some interesting turns. Rated R. 107 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Grandma In the best role of her career, Lily Tomlin plays a grandmother trying to help her granddaughter get an abortion. The dramedy is a funny, beautifully observed character study. Rated R. 80 minutes.
— D. Lewis
Hitman: Agent 47 This German-American co-production, about a genetically engineered human killing machine (Rupert Friend), combines the somber austerity of Euro-action with the mindlessness of Hollywood. The result is the worst of both worlds. Rated R. 96 minutes. — M. LaSalle
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Kind of a mess, by the standards of most action movies, this is “Citizen Kane” by Guy Ritchie standards, a mediocre film version of the 1960s TV series that loses momentum throughout but has a few amusing moments. Rated PG-13. 116 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Meru A suspenseful extreme-sports documentary that will have you reaching for the Dramamine, it is about three climbers — led by noted mountaineer Conrad Anker — who attempt to summit the 20,000-foot Shark’s Fin peak of Meru in the Himalayas. It has never been done. The eye-popping visuals are courtesy of Jimmy Chin, one of the three climbers, who totes along a high-def camera. But the most dramatic footage isn’t as much as the view as the men themselves and their challenges. Rated R. 90 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson
Minions This spin-off from the “Despicable Me” films (which were bad enough) is a tired yet frenetic and pointless exercise, about little yellow guys who arrive in England in 1968, intent on stealing the queen’s crown. Just dreadful from beginning to end. Rated PG. 91 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Tom Cruise, who hasn’t aged in 20 years, delivers again in this very entertaining, relentless action movie, in which agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) finds himself fighting a terrorist group committed only to spreading mayhem throughout the world. Rated PG-13. 131 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Mistress America A weird mix of sweet and sour, the movie is a character study of a flighty, industrious woman that the movie admires but simultaneously can’t resist judging. Greta Gerwig plays the titular character, and she’s engaging enough to carry most of the movie. She also co-wrote the screenplay with director Noah Baumbach, and the temptation is to imagine she wrote all the good parts. Rated R. 84 minutes. — M. LaSalle Mr. Holmes Mr. Holmes: Ian McKellen stars as Sherlock Holmes in extreme old age — at 93 and suffering the beginnings of memory loss—as he struggles to remember the details of his last case. Directed by Bill Condon, the film is very good at melding this Holmes with our memories of Conan Doyle’s Holmes, and the result is an insightful, well-acted film. Rated PG. 105 minutes. — M. LaSalle
No Escape Owen Wilson as an action hero? Interesting idea, but this thriller, about an American family abroad trying to elude hordes of murderous rebels, has lots of tension but also lots of hokum. The movie does not rank high on the plausibility scale. Pierce Brosnan is a welcome sight in a modest role. Rated R. 103 minutes.
— W. Addiego
The Perfect Guy Thriller about a young professional woman (Sanaa Lathan) who gets involved with a man who seems to good to be true. Not reviewed. Rated PG-13. 100 minutes.
Phoenix In this German drama, a disfigured concentration camp survivor seeks out her questionable husband, who doesn’t recognize her but concocts a plan with her to make money. It’s sometimes implausible yet always engaging. Rated PG-13. 98 minutes. In German with English subtitles. — D. Lewis
Ricki and the Flash This is a decent family drama larded with mediocre musical sequences, with Meryl Streep, who can do everything but sometimes shouldn’t, fronting a bar band. The supporting cast is strong, with Streep’s real-life daughter, Mamie Gummer, playing her screen daughter, and Rick Springfield terrific as Ricki’s friend and lead guitarist. Rated PG-13. 100 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Rosenwald In the early 20th century, a hugely successful Jewish businessman millionaire reached out to support impoverished rural blacks and their education, as well as their artistic endeavors. This documentary, directed by Aviva Kempner, focuses on the inspiring deeds and largesse of Sears, Roebuck executive Julius Rosenwald, but falls a little short in describing him as a living breathing person. Not rated. 100 minutes. — L. Garchik
The Second Mother A live-in Brazilian maid, who thinks she knows her place, must cope with the new social order when her estranged daughter arrives for a visit and captivates her employer’s upper-crust family. A stand-out performance by veteran Brazilian comedian and TV host Regina Casé as Val, the maid, who has an easier time mothering her boss’ kid than her own. Written and directed by Anna Muylaert. Rated R. 110 minutes. In Portuguese with English subtitles. — S. Rubenstein
Shaun the Sheep Movie Aardman Animations’ beloved sheep and his barnyard pals take a wild trip to the big city in this entertaining feature. The film is a nearly wordless avalanche of slapstick and sight gags. It’s the usual Aardman style of stop-motion animation, and very nicely done. Rated PG. 85 minutes.
— W. Addiego
Sinister 2 Horror sequel about the dire consequences of a mother and her twin sons moving into a rural house. Not reviewed. Rated R. 97 minutes.
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine This is a no-punches-pulled documentary from Alex Gibney about Apple’s superman. Steve Jobs’ accomplishments are given their due, but the film makes it clear that he could also be a hardhearted and self-centered S.O.B. — not exactly news, but an essential part of the story. Gibney wonders at the strange combination of ’60s-era visionary and cutthroat tycoon. Rated R. 127 minutes. — W. Addiego Straight Outta Compton The timing is right for this biopic of N.W.A., and director F. Gary Gray provides an entertaining and reflective exploration of the groundbreaking rap group’s 1980s and early 1990s run. The drama has more in common with “The Social Network” than “Menace II Society,” although it earns its R rating with scenes of violence and sex. O’Shea Jackson Jr. is a standout, playing his real-life father Ice Cube. Rated R. 157 minutes. — P. Hartlaub Time Out of Mind This meditation on homelessness, featuring Richard Gere as a drifter on the streets, is authentic, but the lack of drama will test even the most sympathetic viewers. Rated PG. 120 minutes. — D. Lewis
Trainwreck Amy Schumer, in her starring debut, is too little of a train wreck (not outrageous or shocking) and not enough of one (just obnoxious) in this comedy, written by Schumer and directed by Judd Apatow. She needed a director who didn’t endorse her completely, who could guide her — or he needed another lead actress. It’s funny, but not funny enough. Rated R. 122 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
The Transporter Refueled Prequel to the Jason Statham series finds Ed Skrein behind the wheel, getting duped into all kinds of stuff — then beating people savagely. Stars Ed Skrein and Ray Stevenson. Directed by Camille Delamarre. Rated PG-13. 96 minutes. Rated PG-13. 96 minutes.
— M. Ordoña
The Visit M. Night Shyamalan’s return to twist-dependent horror is flawed but interesting — a much more enjoyable film to watch in real time than to think about on the way home. Shyamalan doesn’t reach “The Sixth Sense” heights with this play on the Little Red Riding Hood story, but his scriptwriting is livelier than we’ve seen in years, and there’s a sense of humor that was missing in even his best work. Rated PG-13. 94 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub
A Walk in the Woods Robert Redford and Nick Nolte offer a predictable, yet mostly pleasing, addition to the curmudgeon buddy movie genre. Redford is Bill Bryson, a travel writer who tries to tackle the Appalachian Trail with an alcoholic friend (Nolte). Some light physical comedy and deep thought ensue. There are few surprises, but it’s nice to see Redford having some fun. Rated R. 104 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Wolf Totem Adventure story set during China’s Cultural Revolution. A young urban man is sent to live with Mongolian herders, where he adopts a wolf cub. Not reviewed. Rated PG-13. 118 minutes.