Movie guide

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

“Beauty and the Beast”— Faithful, old-fashioned (read: conventional) live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1991 animated fairy tale classic, now starring a luminous Emma Watson as Belle. Good (but not great) musical as visual effects dominate characters and story, stretched to 129 minutes (from its 84-minute original). Dan Stevens is the Beast. Kevin Kline is Belle’s eccentric father. Luke Evans makes a perfect, narcissistic villain Gaston. Josh Gad’s LeFou is gay. A shocker. (PG) 129 minutes.???

“Boss Baby”— Alec Baldwin brings his vocal skills to play a talking, walking newborn with a plan to unite babies against a common enemy: cute dogs! His 7-year-old brother (Miles Christopher Bakshi) intends to expose him in what turns out to be a sweet tale of brotherhood. (PG) 97 minutes.???

“The Case for Christ”— Fact-based drama based on former Daily Herald and Chicago Tribune editor Lee Strobel (Mike Vogel) and his attempt to prove to his believer wife (Erika Christensen) that Jesus Christ and Christianity are frauds. He fails. With Robert Forster and Faye Dunaway. (PG) 112 minutes.???

“Free Fire”— When an illegal gun deal goes bad in Ben Wheatley’s morbid black comedy, the bullets fly and the blood sprays in a nonstop symphony of violence orchestrated to sublimely gruesome effect. Brie Larson, Armie Hammer and Sharlto Copley lead the cast of moving targets. (R) L, V. 90 minutes.? ??

“Get Out”— Jordan Peele’s horror comedy about a black man’s visit to the home of his white girlfriend’s parents masks a sharp, timely analysis of racism in America. Funny, scary and thought-provoking. With Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener. (R) L, S, V. 103 minutes.?? ??

“Going in Style”— Three geezer pals (Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Alan Arkin) decide to rob a bank after their pensions dry up in Zach Braff’s breezy remake of Martin Brest’s 1979 version. (PG-13) D, L, S. 97 minutes.???

“Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent”— A fascinating documentary that proposes master chef Jeremiah Tower is no less an artist than Picasso for his personal vision and impact on American culture and cuisine. A bit heavy on the dramatic re-enactments, but the insights into what drives Tower make riveting viewing. From director Lydia Tenaglia. At the Century Centre, Chicago. (R) L. 102 minutes.? ??½

“Kong: Skull Island”— Fleetly edited, old-fashioned monster movie stuffed with superb effects and numerous surprises. In 1973, U.S. military helicopters raid an isolated South Pacific island and go ape when confronted by creepy crawly things and a really big gorilla. Chicago’s John C. Reilly’s Cubs fan steals the show! With Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Hiddleston. (PG-13) L, V. 118 minutes.???½

“Life”— A wad of chewed-up gummy bears turns into a squid-like thing straight out of H.R. Giger’s head and starts culling a herd of astronauts in this “Alien”-esque tale. Cool effects, real suspense and a sweet twist. Reviewed by Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post. With Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson. (R) L, V. 103 minutes.???

“Logan”— In 2029, an alcoholic, ailing Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) agrees to escort a mysterious 11-year-old girl (Dafne Keen) to a supposedly mythical mutant refuge called Eden while a nasty guy (Richard E. Grant) tracks them down. A reinvented “X-Men” Western directed with melancholy dispatch by James Mangold. Co-starring Patrick Stewart as a 90-year-old Professor X. (R) L, N, V. 135 minutes.???

“The Lost City of Z”— Beautifully photographed, fact-based adventure about a British explorer (Charlie Hunnam) charged with mapping out the border between Bolivia and Brazil in 1914. A tribute to exploration, but not good parenting as he leaves his family behind for years. With Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller. (PG-13) L, N, V. 140 minutes.? ??

“Their Finest”— A charming, witty and romantic gem from director Lone Scherfig. Call it “Shakespeare in Love” in World War II, an appealing take on the creative process, laced with humor and insight as Gemma Arterton and Sam Claflin play Brits working on a propaganda movie during the war. Reviewed by Lindsay Bahr, Associated Press. (R) L, S. 117 minutes.? ??½

“The Zookeeper’s Wife”— In German-occupied Poland during World War II, a zookeeper (Johan Heldenbergh) and his wife (Jessica Chastain) save hundreds of Jews in Niki Caro’s formulaic, simplified story of good vs evil. Reviewed by Stephanie Merry, Washington Post. (PG-13) N, S, V. 124 minutes.???

Passables

“Born in China”— Walt Disney’s doc follows a doting panda bear mother, a golden monkey and a mother snow leopard on an epic journey into the wilds of China. John Krasinski narrates. Reviewed by Jane Horwitz, Washington Post. (G) 79 minutes.??

“The Circle”— A woefully underused Tom Hanks plays the head of a powerful social media firm that might be skirting the edges of ethics and privacy laws in this adaptation of a 2013 Dave Eggers novel. Emma Watson gets hired to push the corporate agenda forward. This overworked technological thriller becomes less convincing as the story plays out. Patton Oswalt and John Boyega are wasted in thin roles. With the late Bill Paxton. (PG-13) D, L, S.??

“Colossal”— Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo directs Anne Hathaway in a clunky sitcom/monster tale mashup about a boozer writer and a giant creature attacking Korea — and it possesses her mannerisms! With Jason Sudeikis and Tim Blake Nelson. Reviewed by Jake Coyle, Associated Press. (R) L. 110 minutes.??

“The Devil’s Candy”— Writer/director Sean Byrne’s visually sophisticated horror tale stars Ethan Embry as a heavy-metal-loving artist and shirt-deprived dad (Is he a Christ metaphor? We get crossed signals.) influenced by Satan to paint ghastly scenes. With Pruitt Taylor Vince as the devil’s advocate, a child killer who provides the Dark One with his “candy.” A ridiculous finale with provocative but muddled subtexts about the connection between evil and art. At the Music Box Theatre, Chicago. (NR) L, V. 80 minutes.??½

“The Fate of the Furious”— No. 8 in the cartoony “Furious” franchise turns Dom (Vin Diesel) into a slave drone for a super cyberterrorist (a narcotized Charlize Theron) determined to detonate a few nukes to teach the world a lesson. The stunts range from inspired to silly, the acting from stilted to really stilted, and the dialogue from perfunctory to embarrassing. In short, everything that makes a “Furious” film popular. (PG-13) L, S, V. 136 minutes.??½

“The Ghost in the Shell”— Scarlett Johansson stars in a live-action remake of the 1995 sci-fi adventure based on the popular Japanese Manga. She plays a cyber-enhanced soldier created to stop terrorists. Then she discovers an erased past she didn’t know she had. With Michel Pitt. (PG-13) S, V. 105 minutes.??

“Gifted”— An appealing cast, tart dialogue and genuine emotion trump manipulative plot points in this drama about a custody battle between an uncle (Chris Evans) and a controlling grandmother (Lindsay Duncan) over a young math prodigy (Mckenna Grace). Reviewed by Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post. (PG-13) L, S. 101 minutes.??½

“Norman”— Richard Gere stars as a none-too-bright New York “fixer” who befriends influential people to augment his own sense of self-worth. A provocative character, but one so mysterious that we can’t truly identify with him. With Michael Sheen and Hank Azaria. At the River East 21 and Century Centre in Chicago and the Evanston Century 18. (R) L. 118 minutes.??

“The Promise”— An emotionally distanced romantic triangle set against the epic backdrop of the Armenian genocide of 1915-17. An impressively visual, yet surprisingly impersonal drama starring Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale and Charlotte De Bon. (PG-13) S, V. 134 minutes.? ?

“Tommy’s Honour”— Well-crafted but restrained historical drama about Tom and Tommy Morris (Peter Mullan and Jack Lowden), father-and-son Scotsmen who shaped the popularity and personality of modern golf. Directed with reserve by Jason Connery, Sean Connery’s golf-enthusiast son. (PG) 112 minutes.??½

“Unforgettable”— This forgettable thriller borrows elements from film noir, Lifetime movies and slasher flicks. A miscast Katherine Heigl goes off the deep end when her ex-husband (Geoff Stults) becomes engaged to a new woman (Rosario Dawson) threatening to usurp her role as mother. Directed by longtime Hollywood producer Denise Di Novi. Reviewed by Pat Padua, Washington Post. (R) L, N, S, V. 101 minutes.??

Pits

“Power Rangers”— Five high school students wield their newly found superpowers to save the world, or at least stop Elizabeth Banks’ Rita Repulsa (in zombie makeup) from eating every piece of gold she finds. A too-serious reboot of the popular Saturday morning TV show. Reviewed by Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press. (PG-13) L, V. 124 minutes.?½

“The Shack”— A grieving father (Sam Worthington) meets three people identified as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Octavia Spencer, Avraham Aviv Alush and Sumire Matsubara) who teach him about the nature of God. Based on William Paul Young’s self-published 2007 book. Reviewed by Alan Zilberman, Washington Post. (PG-13) V. 132 minutes.?½

“Smurfs: The Lost Village”— Smurfette goes on a journey of self-discovery to a Lost Village of all-female Smurfs. Voiced by Julia Roberts, Michelle Rodriguez and Mandy Patinkin. Anyone taller than a Smurf may turn blue long before its 81 minutes are over. Reviewed by Pat Padua, Washington Post. (PG) 81 minutes.?½

Unpreviewed

“How to Be a Latin Lover”— An aging gigolo (Eugenio Derbez) is forced to move in with his estranged sister (Salma Hayek). He attempts to woo a wealthy widowed grandmother (Raquel Welch) to be his sugar momma. With Rob Lowe and Kristen Bell. (PG-13) N, S. 115 minutes.

“Phoenix Forgotten”— A found footage thriller about three teens who use camcorders to document their investigation of mysterious UFO lights over Phoenix, Arizona, in 1997. Starring a cast of unknowns. (PG-13) L, V. 87 minutes.