Four stars: superior. Three stars: good. Two stars: average. One star: poor. D (drug use), L (language), N (nudity), S (sexual situations, references), V (violence). Ratings by Dann Gire, Daily Herald Film Critic, unless otherwise noted.
Picks
“The Accountant”— A high-functioning autistic CPA (Ben Affleck) moonlights as a hitman in Gavin O’Connor’s quirky, character-driven action thriller seemingly inspired by the comic book superhero genre. (R) L, V. 128 minutes.???
“Arrival”— It’s Terrence Malick meets Steven Spielberg in Denis Villeneuve’s slow, but stylish and thoughtful sci-fi tale of a linguist (Amy Adams) enlisted by the military to decipher the language of aliens who’ve landed around the earth. Reviewed by Ann Hornaday, Washington Post. (PG-13) L. 116 minutes.???
“Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk”— Ang Lee directs a problematic, technically well-crafted drama about a heroic U.S. soldier (charismatic newcomer Joe Alwyn) joining his fellow fighters to be honored at a 2004 Thanksgiving Day football game in Texas. Originally shot in 3-D, 4K digital format and run at five times normal film speed. With Kristen Stewart and Steve Martin. (R) D, L, S, V. 110 minutes.???
“Doctor Strange”— One of the top-tier Marvel Comics transfers, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as a brilliant, arrogant surgeon forced by a car wreck to make a career switch into wizardry so he can protect the world from the Dark Dimension. Mind-boggling visual effects, witty script and bald Tilda Swinton’s quirky performance as The Ancient One highlight this action epic. (PG-13) V. 130 minutes.???½
“The Edge of Seventeen”— A dialogue delight as teenager Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) navigates the minefields of adolescence and learns a few hard lessons of adulthood. Smart, insightful and painfully funny. With Woody Harrelson and Kyra Sedgwick. (R) D, L, S. 98 minutes.???½
“Hacksaw Ridge”— With rage and passion, Mel Gibson directs this powerful, if flawed, fact-based World War II drama about a Seventh-day Adventist (Andrew Garfield) who joins the U.S. Army but refuses to touch a weapon. A driving tale of personal convictions. With former Buffalo Grove’s Vince Vaughn and chameleonic sparkler Teresa Palmer. (R) V. 139 minutes.???½
“Loving”— Jeff Nichols’ tender, graceful drama celebrates the real-life courage of an interracial couple, Richard and Mildred Loving (Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga), who married and spent nine years fighting for the legal right to live as a family in their Virginia hometown. Reviewed by Jake Coyle, Associated Press. (PG-13) thematic elements. 123 minutes.???½
“Manchester by the Sea”— Casey Affleck’s tight performance as a withdrawn handyman/janitor highlights Kenneth Lonergan’s piercing character study of loss, grief and survival. He doesn’t want custody of his teen nephew (Lucas Hedges), even though his deceased brother (Kyle Chandler) put it in his will. (R) L, S. 135 minutes.???
“Moana”— Walt Disney’s lushly visualized animated musical tells the story of a feisty teen Polynesian princess (Hawaiian actress Auli’l Cravalhol) and her quest to break a long-standing curse, with assistance from an egocentric demigod (Dwayne Johnson) and his giant hook. Fun without romance. (PG) 103 minutes.???½
“Moonlight”— Raw, yet gentle cutting-edge drama about an African-American kid in Florida glimpsed in three stages of life: as a shy little boy, a troubled teen and a ripped neighborhood drug dealer. An evocative tribute to the power of forgiveness from filmmaker Barry Jenkins. (NR) D, L, S, V. 110 minutes.??? ?
“Sully”— Clint Eastwood directs a thrilling account of the “Miracle on the Hudson” with a stellar Tom Hanks as the US Airways captain, Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, whose critical thinking skills and sheer cool save the day and make this a perfect movie for our time. With a wasted Laura Linney and a well-cast Aaron Eckhart. (PG-13) L. 96 minutes.???½
“Trolls”— Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake lead an animated cast in this musical tale of grumpy creatures who eat colorful little trolls for a happiness boost. Can Princess Poppy (Kendrick) sing something sweet enough to stop them? Reviewed by Sandie Angulo Chen, Washington Post. (PG) 100 minutes.???
Passables
“Allied”— Even the chemistry between Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard can’t prevent Robert Zemeckis’ grandly mounted World War II romantic thriller from feeling stiff and hollow. A Canadian spy (Pitt) marries a French agent (Cotillard), only to be later given 72 hours to prove she’s not a Nazi plant. Reviewed by Jake Coyle, Associated Press. (R) D, L, N, S, V. 124 minutes.??½
“Almost Christmas”— A warmhearted holiday family gathering comedy flubbed by a cloying score, sketchy story and an ill-considered gun incident that deviates from the movie’s earnest vibe. With Danny Glover, Kimberly Elise, Mo’Nique, Gabrielle Union and Omar Epps. (PG-13) D, L, S. 120 minutes.??½
“Bleed for This”— Halfhearted attempt to tweak the boxing-movie formula, with vague characters and no new moves. The fact-based story of boxer Vinny Paz (Miles Teller) who stages a comeback after he breaks his neck in a car accident. Reviewed by Stephanie Merry, Washington Post. (R) L, N, S, V. 117 minutes.??
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”— It’s not exactly Harry Potter, but it’ll do. A Brit magizoologist (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in 1926 NYC, loses a suitcase full of mischievous critters, deals with an arresting agent (Katherine Waterston), befriends a charming baker (Dan Fogler) and battles a murderous wizard. Teeming with busy visual effects and an unwieldy running time. (PG-13) V. 133 minutes.??½
“Inferno”— The professor (Tom Hanks once more) races to stop a plague that will wipe out half humanity. Visually opulent, but overwritten, exposition-dense and too frantic. With Felicity Jones as a doctor who helps Langdon deal with memory loss and a bullet graze to his head. (PG-13) L, S, V. 121 minutes.??
“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”— Retired military man Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise again) helps Army Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) deal with false charges of espionage in this plot-challenged sequel. Directed by Chicago’s Edward Zwick. Reviewed by Sandy Cohen, Associated Press. (PG-13) L, V. 118 minutes.??
“Rules Don’t Apply”— Erstwhile Hollywood sex symbol and Oscar-winning filmmaker Warren Beatty directs, co-writes and stars as billionaire Howard Hughes in a flawed yet amusing tale about 1958 Hollywood. With Annette Bening, Matthew Broderick and Martin Sheen. Reviewed by Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press. (PG-13) D, L, S. 126 minutes.??½
Pits
“Bad Santa 2 ”— An intelligence-insulting sequel reuniting Billy Bob Thornton with elf Tony Cox in a comedy about a lecherous, amoral lush who plots to steal $2 million from a charity. Kathy Bates plays Thornton’s foul mother (and she’s only seven years older than he). Unfortunately set in Chicago. Reviewed by Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post. (R) D, L, N, S, V. 87 minutes.?
“The Girl on the Train”— Dreary, dull, muddled murder mystery about an alcoholic commuter (Emily Blunt) who becomes obsessed with watching a young woman (Haley Bennett) every day from a train. Based on the book that “shocked” the world. Tate Taylor’s movie won’t. (R) L, N, S, V. 112 minutes.?½
Unpreviewed
“Dear Zindag”— A cinematographer named Kaira learns happiness is all about accepting life’s imperfections, thanks to a freethinker named Jug. (NR) In Hindi with subtitles. 150 minutes.
“Force 2”— A cop and a RAW agent combine forces to bring down a mastermind terrorist. In Hindi with subtitles. (NR) 88 minutes.
“A Man Called Ove”— An aging, angry old man (Rolf Lassgård) gets his life changed when a lively young family moves in next door. (PG-13) L. 116 minutes.
“Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life”— Two middle school students plot to violate every rule in the principals’ Code of Conduct book. With Lauren Graham. (PG) 92 minutes.
