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

“Captain America: Civil War”— Self-aware humor offsets the deficiencies in this lengthy Marvel comic book-inspired thriller about a split between the Avengers over political autonomy. Captain America (Chris Evans) goes one way. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) goes the other. Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen, Scarlett Johansson and others play the super delegates who must choose sides. (PG-13) V. 146 minutes.???

“The Conjuring 2”— James Wan directs an effective but conventional sequel to his 2013 supernatural hit. After tangling with the Amityville horror, married demonologists (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) investigate a malevolent force menacing a London house with a single mom and her four children. Well-done claptrap. (R) V. 133 minutes.?? ?

“Finding Dory”— Pixar’s fun, animated comic adventure, but lacking the imagination and creativity of “Finding Nemo” from 13 years ago. Dory the fish (Ellen DeGeneres) searches for her missing parents with help from an octopus (Ed O’Neill), Nemo (Aurora resident Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (Albert Brooks). Really, a car chase in an ocean movie? (PG) 100 minutes.???

“The Infiltrator”— Bryan Cranston’s excellent, immersive performance highlights this flawed, fact-based crime tale about the undercover drug agent who toppled a worldwide money laundering operation for Pablo Escobar. With John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger. (R) D, L, S. 100 minutes.?? ?

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”— Joyously humanistic, delightfully sweet and absurdly unlikely buddy road comedy about a preteen city orphan (Julian Dennison) and his crusty foster-dad (Sam Neill) surviving in the New Zealand bush while cops, hunters and social service workers give chase. From “What We Do in the Shadows” director Taika Waititi. (PG-13) L, V. 101 minutes.???½

“The Legend of Tarzan”— An updated take on the King of the Jungle character now played by Alexander Skarsgard as a British lord summoned back to the Congo where a villainous envoy (Christoph Waltz) plots to turn him over to an old enemy. With Margot Robbie as an Americanized Jane. (PG-13) L, V. 109 minutes.???½

“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”— Episodic, gross and periodically hilarious comedy based on the true story of two brothers (here Zac Efron and Adam Devine) who advertise on Craigslist for dates for their sister’s Hawaiian wedding. Two opportunistic women (Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza) get the jobs. Breakout performance by Canadian performer Sugar Lyn Beard as the sister. (R) D, L, N, S. 98 minutes.???

“The Purge: Election Year”— A scarifying political horror tale about a presidential candidate (Elizabeth Mitchell) trying to evade assassins in the streets of Washington the night of the Purge, when all American citizens can commit crimes without penalties. With Frank Grillo as the agent who tries to protect her. (R) L, V. 105 minutes.???

Passables

“The BFG”— Steven Spielberg directs a tepid but serviceable kid’s fantasy about a young London girl kidnapped by a Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance) and whisked off to Giant Country. Based on the book by Roald Dahl. (PG) 117 minutes.??½

“Captain Fantastic”— A nonconformist dad (Viggo Mortensen) raises his six kids in the wilderness, training them to be physically and intellectually at their full potential in Matt Ross’ intriguing but distanced domestic drama. At the Evanston Century 12, the River East 21 and ArcLight in Chicago. (R) L, N. 119 minutes.??½

“Central Intelligence”— Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart share comic chemistry in this wild buddy action comedy about two mismatched high school grads who save the U.S. the day of their 20th class reunion. All because of a single act of kindness. (PG-13) L, N, S, V. 114 minutes.??½

“Dough”— A London-based Jewish baker (Jonathan Pryce) reluctantly takes on a Muslim apprentice (Jerome Holder) who uses his job as a front for drug sales. It’s supposed to be a comedy, but director John Goldschmidt doesn’t treat it like one. (NR) L. 94 minutes.??

“Free State of Jones”— Stodgy, sloggy Civil War epic based on the true story of Newton Knight(Matthew McConaughey), a southern farmer who leads a revolt against the Confederacy with help from widows, runaway slaves and army deserters. (R) V. 139 minutes.??

“Ghostbusters”— Plainfield’s Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon take over the job of saving New York City from supernatural entities in Paul Feig’s bold but noisy, unscary, witless remake of Ivan Reitman’s comedy. But hey, it has its funny moments and original cast cameos to keep us amused. (PG-13) supernatural action, crude humor. 105 minutes.??

“Independence Day: Resurgence”— Alien invaders once again target planet Earth in this effects-laden sequel to the 20-year-old action film. Will Smith is gone, but Liam Hemsworth joins returning stars Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum in the kind of mindless summer flick film fans have been waiting for. Reviewed by Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press. (PG-13) L, V. 119 minutes.??

“Life, Animated”— Roger Ross Williams’ documentary tells how movies — specifically Disney cartoons — helped an autistic child named Owen process his emotions and life experiences. Reviewed by Ann Hornaday, Washington Post. At Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. (R) L. 90 minutes.??½

“Love & Friendship”— Whit Stillman directs a romance adapted from Jane Austen’s unfinished novella “Lady Susan.” It’s a talky tale centered on the manipulative ways of an attractive young widow played by Kate Beckinsale. Chloë Sevigny and Tom Bennett star. Reviewed by Sandy Cohen, Associated Press. (PG) 93 minutes.??½

“Me Before You”— A wealthy, handsome paralyzed Londoner (Sam Claflin) wants to end his life. Then his mother hires a spunky small-town English woman (Emilia Clarke) to lift his spirits. Can she persuade him to take a more positive view of life? Adapted from the best-selling novel by Jojo Moyes. Reviewed by Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press. (PG-13) S. 110 minutes.??

“Now You See Me 2”— Preposterously ridiculous, digitally enhanced “tricks” and too many hypnotists propel this sequel about the Four Horsemen magicians who jump down an escape hatch in Las Vegas and wind up in China. What? (Repeat this many times.) Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson and Lizzy Caplan (replacing Isla Fisher) star. (PG-13) L, V. 115 minutes.??

“The Shallows”— Blake Lively stars as a surfer trapped 200 yards off shore by a great white shark that would like to make her Blake Lifeless. Reviewed by Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post. (PG-13) V, L. 87 minutes.??½

“Wiener Dog”— Todd Solondz’s curiously engrossing drama consisting of disjointed shorts connected by a worried-looking brown dachshund. Tracy Letts and Greta Gerwig star. Reviewed by Stephanie Merry, Washington Post. At Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. (R) L. 90 minutes.??½

“X-Men: Apocalypse”— An eternal mutant resurrected in 1983, Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) wants to wipe out humans and restore themutants to a deified status. Professor X (James McAvoy) leads a team of X-Men against him in a movie with grand scope and great special effects. Reviewed by Sandy Cohen, Associated Press. (PG-13) L, S, V. 147 minutes.??½

Pits

“The Secret Life of Pets”— Engaging animated comedy about what pets do all day while their owners are out working. If it didn’t condone bullying and violence as effective and efficient ways to solve problems, it would be a much better kids movie. Two canine rivals (Louis C.K. and Eric Stonestreet) must depend on each other to survive New York’s mean streets and animal control officers. Voices by Kevin Hart, Albert Brooks, Dana Carvey. (PG) 90 minutes.?½

Unpreviewed

“Sultan”— A drama about a wrestling champion with dreams of representing India at the Olympics. In Hindi with subtitles. (NR) 143 minutes.

“Udta Punjab”— The stories of a rock star, a migrant laborer, a doctor and a policeman highlight this drama about substance abuse in Punjab. India’s Censor Board reportedly demanded references to Punjab be deleted and another 89 cuts. In Punjabi and Hindi with subtitles. (NR) 148 minutes.

“Undrafted”— A comedy about how a men’s ordinary summer intramural baseball game evolves into the most important game of their lives. With Joseph Mazzello and Tyler Hoechlin. (NR) 100 minutes.