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A Tale of Love and Darkness Natalie Portman wrote, directed and stars in this adaptation of Amos Oz’s memoir of life in Jerusalem in the aftermath of World War II. Conscientious and well acted, it’s also an achingly slow film, full of similar scenes all in a similar tone and lacking in emphasis. In Hebrew with English subtitles. PG-13. 95 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie Somehow “Ab Fab,” very funny on television, just can’t succeed the big screen, because the characters are static, and if you force them to grow, they must become self-aware, which will kill the comedy. Most of the laughs that the principals (Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley) manage to get are in the first few minutes. Rated R. 91 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Anthropoid This World War II drama focuses on the real-life plot to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi general who was the main architect behind the Final Solution. The film generates real excitement once the plan goes into action, but the long setup is marred by stilted dialogue and situations and clumsy accents. With Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy. Rated R. 120 minutes.
— W. Addiego
Café Society Woody Allen’s latest, about a young man (Jesse Eisenberg) who goes west to get into the movie business, circa 1936, is like a long and complicated anecdote, without much of a point. But it holds interest and features a terrific performance from Kristen Stewart. Rated PG-13. 96 minutes. — M. LaSalle Captain Fantastic This is an interesting and thought-provoking drama, with Viggo Mortensen as a leftist survivalist raising a family of six in the woods. They’re called back into the
world with compelling results. Rated R. 119 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Don’t Breathe This home-invasion horror chiller, directed by Fede Alvarez (2013’s “Evil Dead”), is a throwback to the scary ’70s heyday of Wes Craven. Three young adults break into the house of a blind veteran seeking a large stash of cash, and he brutally turns the table on them. The movie is for viewers who like their thrills in strong doses. Rated R. 88 minutes.
— W. Addiego Eva Hesse This documentary about artist Hesse is based on her own words, in diaries and letters, as well as still and moving images. The film explores her personal fears and uncertainties ... and professional self-assurance. Directed by Marcie Begleiter. Not rated. 108 minutes.
— L. Garchik
Florence Foster Jenkins The real-life story of the 1940s N.Y. socialite who thought she could sing opera, but in fact was the worst singer on Earth, becomes the subject of a sporadically engaging but ultimately unsatisfying comedy-drama, which begs the
audience’s sympathy in place of finding any richness or point in Jenkins’ story. Meryl Streep’s sentimental performance in the lead role doesn’t help. PG-13. 110 minutes. — M. LaSalle Rated PG-13. 110 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Ghost Team Comedy about a group of misfits who conduct an investigation into the paranormal. Not reviewed. Rated PG-13. 83 minutes.
Hands of Stone This Roberto Duran biopic embraces the point of view of the boxer to extremes, always telling his story with the Panamanian flag up front and the American flag looking a little more ominous in the distance. But beyond that bold approach, and a few good performances, this is a thoroughly mediocre sports movie. In boxing terms, the filmmakers throw a lot of haymakers that don’t connect. Rated R. 105 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Hell or High Water An exceptionally good modern Western, focusing on two bank-robbing brothers (Chris Pine, Ben Foster) pursued by a pair of Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham) across dusty and economically depressed West Texas. Weighty themes are examined here — the law, racial issues, American history, family loyalty, institutional responsibility — but there are some very humorous moments, as well. Directed by David Mackenzie. Rated R. 102 minutes. — W. Addiego
Hunt for the Wilderpeople The New Zealand comedy-drama, directed by the gifted Taika Waititi (“What We Do in the Shadows”), stars Sam Neill as a gruff mountain man who inadvertently inherits a juvenile delinquent. During a monthslong wilderness trek, they become the subject of a nationwide manhunt. The movie is oddball on the outside, warm and fuzzy on the inside and gives Neill his best role in years. Rated PG-13. 101 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson
Ixcanul This drama, about a Guatemalan girl caught between modernity and tradition, is a lyrical meditation, before it turns on its afterburners in the final half-hour. The effect is powerful. Not rated. 93 minutes. In Kaqchikel and Spanish with English subtitles.
— D. Lewis
Jason Bourne The poorly structured story is only part of the problem. The other part is the smeary, jittery cinematography that makes this latest installment in the series, starring Matt Damon as a rogue CIA operative, the worst yet. Rated PG-13. 123 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Kubo and the Two
Strings A visually impressive animated fantasy from Laika (“Coraline”) set in ancient Japan about a boy’s magical quest for the sword, helmet and armor of his late father, a renowned warrior. There are some impressive adventures as the youngster and his companions are pursued by the wicked daughters of the moon god. But the film relies on too many familiar plot turns, and some of the humor clashes
with its attempts to establish a mood of mystery and otherworldliness. Rated PG. 101 minutes. — W. Addiego
Little Men The latest from Ira Sachs is a compressed and truthful drama, about how a conflict between parents affects a burgeoning friendship between two boys. There are strong performances throughout, including that of Paulina Garcia (“Gloria”) as a Chilean dressmaker and Greg Kinnear as a struggling actor. Rated PG. 85 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World German-born filmmaker-philosopher Werner Herzog aims to give us not a history of the Internet, but a portrait of how completely it has taken over our lives and what it means for the future of humankind. There are only two possible paths, it seems: It will destroy us or liberate us. Folks such as Tesla and Space X kingpin Elon Musk and Stanford professor and A.I. expert Sebastian Thrun help us understand. Rated PG-13. 98 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson
Morris From America This is a mixture of coming-of-age story and fish-out-of-water tale as a 13-year-old African American boy tries to cope with his new life in Heidelberg, Germany. The usual teen issues are exacerbated by his racial outsider status, in this nice but predictable film that sometimes seems to be pulling its punches. Rated R. 91 minutes.
— W. Addiego
The People vs. Fritz Bauer A gripping drama about Fritz Bauer, the German who hunted down Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. Not rated. 105 minutes. In German with English subtitles. — L. Hertz
Pete’s Dragon This remake of the 1977 movie musical plays like a lost movie from Carroll Ballard (“The Black Stallion”) that Hollywood released by mistake, not realizing that it wasn’t filled with smartmouthed kids and bodily function jokes. “Pete’s Dragon” is like a warm cup of cocoa with Robert Redford at the end of the summer. The worst thing you can say about it is that moviegoers on the younger side of adulthood might find it slow. Rated PG. 102 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub
Sausage Party Groceries learn the truth of what happens when they’re taken out the door in this very rude — and surprisingly thoughtful — comedy for adults. Voices include Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig. Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon. Rated R. 89 minutes.
— M. Ordoña The Secret Life of Pets The story is weak in this pet-saturated animated comedy, but the characters are strong, benefiting from sharply written humor. Louis C.K. highlights a series of good casting moves, voicing a Jack Russell terrier who panics when a Newfoundland (Eric Stonestreet) moves on his turf. It’s likely no one will remember this movie in 50 years. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it now. Rated PG. 91 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub Southside With You Michelle and Barack Obama’s first date, in 1989, is the subject of this fictional but fact-based dramatization, a charming film if you like Obama and are starting to miss him already. Parker Sawyers gradually becomes the Obama we know over the course of the film. Rated PG-13. 81 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Star Trek Beyond The latest episode in the rebooted series is a routine entry, which is a disappointment given the quality of the two previous installments. Kirk (Chris Pine) and the crew are captured and stranded on a rocky island and have to get free and save civilization. You know, the usual. The film has its moments, thanks to the interaction of the characters. Rated PG-13. 122 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Suicide Squad Movies don’t get worse than this sci-fi action comedy from writer-director David Ayer, who until now has done impressive work. This superhero consortium film, from DC Comics, is a confusing jumble, full of flashbacks and flash forwards, dead-on-the-screen action sequences and a soundtrack in which pop song lyrics compete against dialogue. Just awful. Rated PG-13. 123 minutes.
— M. LaSalle