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American Made The movie’s light tone doesn’t quite seem right — or even make sense — for this story of a TWA pilot turned drug smuggler in the 1980s. Still, Tom Cruise is his own quality control, so the movie is brisk and entertaining anyway. Rated R. 115 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Battle of the Sexes This dramatic feature about the 1973 tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King and the events leading up to it is a well-acted, breezy immersion into another time and consciousness, with Steve Carell especially brilliant in the way he captures Riggs strange, vulnerable appeal. Rated PG-13. 121 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Bending the Arc This rousing documentary concerns medical students who went on to redefine health care on a global scale. It’s a feel-good story about how to overcome barriers — poverty, lack of medical access — even when the challenges are inherently bleak. Not rated. 102 minutes.
— D. Lewis
Better Watch Out Horror “comedy” about a deranged 12-year-old boy features a script that feels like it was written by a deranged 12-year-old boy. He (Levi Miller) ties up his babysitter (Olivia DeJonge) for torture and revenge on Christmas Eve while mom and dad (Virginia Madsen, Patrick Warburton) are at a party. If this is how you get your jollies, then ho ho ho. Rated R. 88 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson
Blade Runner 2049 Long and slow but never boring, this sequel to the 1982 sci-fi staple is a somber rumination on what it means to be human, with a story of a replicant LAPD officer (Ryan Gosling) charged with finding and destroying older, disobedient replicants. Harrison Ford co-stars. Rated R. 164 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Blood Money John Cusack essentially plays Nicolas Cage in this C-grade would-be thriller in which Cusack’s oddball criminal character chases a trio of young people through the woods. Cusack lacks Cage’s manic gleam and irrepressible sense of play. He comes off as morose and a bit lost, negating his character’s power as boogeyman. Rated R. 89 minutes. Reviewed by C. Meyer
Brawl in Cell Block 99 Action drama about a drug runner required to break into a prison to assassinate an inmate. With Jennifer Carpenter, Vince Vaughn. Not reviewed. Not rated. 132 minutes.
Breathe This is the story of Robin Cavendish, an active 28-year-
old man who, in the 1950s, was stricken with such a awful case of polio that he was completely incapacitated from the neck down and couldn’t breathe without a respirator. Not the most cheerful subject for a mostly cheerful movie, the film is watchable and even likable, though the happy gloss it puts on things seems far-fetched. Starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy. Rated PG-13. 117 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Chavela This wonderful documentary pays tribute to Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, who became a queer icon and challenged gender stereotypes in her country. It’s a complex portrait and a nuanced look at Mexican society. Not rated. 91 minutes.
— D. Lewis
Dina This compelling documentary follows the marriage preparations, and working out of potential marital issues, of a middle-aged couple, both of whom are on the autistic spectrum. It’s a well-made piece, neither precious nor exploitative, that gets us rooting for the pair’s success. The film won the U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year Not rated. 101 minutes. — W. Addiego
Dolores This Peter Bratt documentary about labor leader Dolores Huerta is always solid. But the film soars when it shows the cost of the activist’s dedication, exacerbated by what now can be clearly seen as thick-skulled men. A fitting companion to the Chavez-focused 1997 PBS documentary “The Fight in the Fields.” It also makes a fine double feature with “Wonder Woman.” Not rated. 96 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Flatliners Horror drama about medical students who experiment with briefly stopping their hearts so they can experience the afterlife. With Ellen Page and Diego Luna. Not reviewed. Rated PG-13. 108 minutes.
The Florida Project This has a strong opening and a terrific finish, with 40 dead minutes in the middle. But it’s so original and so well-done when it’s working — a brilliant portrait of childhood as experienced inside a poverty motel in Orlando — that it’s hard to imagine anyone forgetting it. Rated R. 115 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
The Foreigner Jackie Chan is ideally cast as a little aging fellow, living in London, whose daughter’s death turns him into a somersaulting, fist-flying killing machine. This is one of the most satisfying action movies since “Taken.” Co-starring Pierce Brosnan. Rated R. 114 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Geostorm Sci-fi thriller about a network of satellites launching an attack against Earth by creating a worldwide storm. With Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish. Not reviewed. Rated PG-13. 109 minutes.
Goodbye Christopher Robin This is a beautiful and sometimes painful movie about the creation and consequences of “Winnie the Pooh,” a grand success that ended up disturbing the childhood of its inspiration, Christopher Robin Milne, son of “Pooh” author A.A. Milne. Directed by Simon Curtis (“My Week With Marilyn”). Rated PG. 107 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Happy Death Day “Halloween” meets “Groundhog Day” in this tame slasher movie about an obnoxious sorority sister who must re-live the day of her murder. Lots of so-so joshery about college life, a big mawkish moment and a redemptive theme make this strictly mall fodder. Rated PG-13. 96 minutes. — W. Addiego
Human Flow Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei doesn’t break any new ground in his documentary about the global refugee crisis, but he manages, in simple, artistic terms, to vividly illustrate the scale of the problem. Rated PG-13. 140 minutes. — D. Lewis It Even if it didn’t have the homicidal clown and sink spewing blood and missing children getting yanked into sewers, what remains here would still be an engaging movie. This horror remake based on Stephen King’s book is smart and funny and makes great effort to capture not just a time and place, but the specific feelings of being on the verge of adulthood and thinking the world is against you. Rated R. 135 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
The King’s Choice This is a stirring, well-made, old-school historical drama about the Norwegian king’s response to German military aggression in April, 1940. The film sees the king, nicely played by Jesper Christensen, as a heroic figure, and there are a couple of impressive battle scenes. Not rated. 135 minutes. In Norwegian with English subtitles.
— W. Addiego
Kingsman: The Golden Circle For all its breathless action, mind-boggling gadgets and stylized fight sequences, nothing much happens in this belabored comic-book spy caper. It’s a sequel trying to set up the next sequel. Rated R. 141 minutes. — D. Lewis
The Lego Ninjago Movie “Lego Ninjago” is its best — and funniest — when it centers on the absurd human drama between the two main characters, ninja Lloyd and his oblivious and evil father, Lord Garmadon. Much of the rest of the film feels like an effort to sell toys. Still amusing, but the Lego movies are suffering from diminishing returns. Rated PG. 100 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub
Loving Vincent This animation tells a story about the aftermath of Vincent Van Gogh’s death through the visual idiom of his paintings, and for 10 or 15 this is one of the greatest animated films ever made. But it goes on for another 80 minutes, and the movie suffers from a weak, flat narrative. Rated PG-13. 95 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Lucky This is an affecting love letter to the late character actor Harry Dean Stanton,
who portrays the title character, a cantankerous nonagenarian living in a tiny desert town who shuffles through his daily routine while coming to terms with his mortality. With appearances by David Lynch, Ron Livingston, Ed Begley Jr., Tom Skerrit, Beth Grant and James Darren. Not rated. 88 minutes. — W. Addiego
Marshall Chadwick Boseman plays the coolest guy in the world, who just happens to be future U.S. Justice Thurgood Marshall, shown here as a young man in one of his earliest cases. This is a terrific courtroom drama and also a satisfying buddy movie, with Josh Gad as Marshall’s cocounsel and temperamental opposite. Rated PG-13. 118 minutes. — M. LaSalle
The Meyerowitz Stories Noah Baumbach’s (“The Squid and the Whale,” “Frances Ha”) study of a dysfunctional family headed by a selfcentered artist (Dustin Hoffman) is his warmest film yet. Adam Sandler’s open-hearted performance as the brother trying to keep things together shows he can be serious, and wonderful, on screen. Hoffman and Ben Stiller — as the younger son — craft memorable characters as well. Not rated. 110 minutes. Reviewed by C. Meyer
The Mountain Between Us Idris Elba and Kate Winslet are in a plane crash that strands them in the snowy mountains with little hope of rescue, and that’s kind of how the audience feels. The actors are appealing, but the movie drags, though the last 20 minutes almost redeem the experience. Rated PG-13. 109 minutes. — M. LaSalle
My Little Pony: The Movie This rainbowhued animated pony movie is well-intentioned, but filled with low production values. Putting the words “The Movie” in the title turns out to be a necessary reminder. The film looks like the cable network cartoon, simply expanded to larger physical dimensions for the big screen. Rated PG. 99 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub
Only the Brave The ensemble drama rises to challenges it never knew it was going to face — solidly honoring front-line firefighters like the ones who battle the North Bay fires, while detailing the risks they take. The film is mainstream entertainment, but it’s also boldly staged, with an inventive and informative approach to action filmmaking. Jennifer Connelly and Miles Teller stand out in the solid cast. — P. Hartlaub Rated PG-13. 133 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub
The Pathological Optimist Documentary about Andrew Wakefield, a former British doctor who lost his license over a fraudulent paper he published linking MMR vaccine and autism. Not reviewed. Not rated. 93 minutes.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women The unconventional lives of the people behind the creation of Wonder Woman are the focus of this satisfying three-way romantic drama, about Professor Marston (Luke Evans) and his long relationship with his wife, Elizabeth (a brilliant Rebecca Hall) and a former student (Bella Heathcote). Rated R. 108 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Rebel in the Rye Writer-director Danny Strong profiles “Catcher in the Rye” author J.D. Salinger (Nicholas Hoult) during the writer’s formative years, from dating Oona O’Neill (Eugene’s daughter), getting advice from writing mentor Whit Burnett (Kevin
Spacey), fighting in World War II and publishing an instant American classic. Interesting film with many pleasures, but Strong never arrives at an understanding of a man who didn’t want to be understood. Rated PG-13. 106 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson
The Snowman Crime thriller about a detective who investigates the murder of a woman whose scarf is found wrapped around a snowman. With Michael Fassbender. Rated R. 119 minutes.
Stronger The story of Boston Marathon bombing victim Jeff Bauman runs screaming in pain from the kind of simplistic inspirational storytelling that might be expected from the subject matter. Jake Gyllenhaal as Bauman focuses his performance on what you can’t recover during your recovery, and how much a good support network matters on the way back. Rated R. 119 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton
This documentary doesn’t exactly wade deep into the psyche of the legendary surfer, but his spectacularly filmed exploits on the water are awfully fun to watch, even for those not immersed in the sport. Not rated. 118 minutes. — D. Lewis
Tom of Finland This Finnish film about the renowned gay artist who helped create the leather culture and empower the gay community in the 1950s and ’60s is sensitively told. Fascinating figure. The film, while solid, is something you could take your straight grandmother to. Not rated. 116 minutes. In Finnish and English with English subtitles.
— G. Allen Johnson
Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween The latest of Tyler Perry’s Madea comedies is a follow-up to last year’s “Boo! A Madea Halloween.” Not reviewed. Rated PG-13. 101 minutes.
Victoria and Abdul An unknown chapter of history is brought to light in this story of the elderly Queen Victoria’s friendship with an Indian clerk and the jealousies this provoked in the royal household. The motives of the clerk remain obscured, but the movie is very good at illuminating the inner life of a queen in her final days. Rated PG-13. 112 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Wasted! The Story of Food Waste Entertaining, even hopeful documentary hosted by Anthony Bourdain about massive food waste in the world. It’s a breezy, informative globe-hopping look at food systems, from farming to distribution to home consumption. Several chefs are interviewed, including Danny Bowien, who started San Francisco’s Mission Chinese Food. Not rated. 85 minutes.
— G. Allen Johnson
Wild Drama about a woman’s strange encounter with a wild wolf. Written and directed by Nicolette Krebitz. Not reviewed. Not rated. 97 minutes. In German with English subtitles.