THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS

H1/2 PG, 99 minutes. Through today only at Niantic, Mystic Luxury Cinemas. Still playing at Waterford, Stonington, Westbrook, Lisbon. “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms”? What in the cuckoo Christmas blasphemy is this? Disney, continuing on its death march to add more war to soft and beautiful classic childhood stories, has plucked all the feathers from Tchaikovsky and Petipa’s holiday ballet and tossed a bunch of glitter and circus clowns at its quivering carcass. This is your warning that if you have any affinity for the ballet, avoid this at all costs. — Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN

PG-13, 93 minutes. Through tonight only at Niantic. A career criminal who robbed banks long after other thieves were out of the game — his last arrest came just short of his 79th birthday — Forrest Tucker had one thing going for him: movie star charm. “You got to hand it to the guy,” a juror who voted to convict Tucker told journalist David Grann about the desperado, who died in 2004. “He’s got style.” So it’s completely fitting that “The Old Man & the Gun,” based on Grann’s New Yorker profile, succeeds wonderfully well in part because of the effortless movie star charisma of its old school stars, Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek. — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times R, 135 minutes. Through today only at Madison Art Cinemas, Mystic Luxury Cinemas. Still playing at Niantic, Waterford, Stonington, Westbrook, Lisbon. With pop superstar Lady Gaga as his muse, legendary cinematographer Matthew Libatique behind the camera, and a well-worn, beloved Hollywood fable to work with, the cards are stacked in favor of star/co-writer/director Bradley Cooper for his directorial debut, “A Star is Born.” And yet, his film is frankly startling in how assured, artful and emotionally authentic it is. — Katie Walsh, Tribune News Services

VENOM

1/2 PG-13, 112 minutes. Through today only at Waterford. Still playing at Stonington, Westbrook, Lisbon. The Superhero fatigue got you down? Tired of the same old bland Marvel Cinematic Universe offerings? A dose of “Venom” could be just the right antidote. This dark, wacky MCU-associated outing combines one of the most interesting contemporary leading men with a daring director who has a hit-or-miss track record. Throw an outlandish alien organism into the mix, shake well with a healthy serving of irreverent humor and you’ve got “Venom.” It’s a mess, but wow, is it ever a fun, fascinating mess. — Katie Walsh, Tribune News Services