Movies: New and Noteworthy

COMING THIS WEEK

By Gary Thompson

Get Out Key and Peele star Jordan Peele goes behind the camera to direct this horror movie about an African-American man (Daniel Kaluuya) who meets the parents (Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener) of his girlfriend (Allison Williams) at their posh country home, where his racial paranoia turns out to be gruesomely justified. Peele does not appear in the movie, which is not a comedy. R

Rock Dog Animated movie about Tibetan mastiff (voice of J.K. Simmons) who, with the help of his music-loving son (Luke Wilson) protects sheep from the local wolf (Lewis Black). More vocal talent from Eddie Izzard. PG

Kedi A documentary about the thousands of cats that roam Istanbul, wandering in and out of people's lives, and between the worlds of the wild and the tamed. No MPAA rating

Bitter Harvest

An artist battles famine, imprisonment, and torture to save his sweetheart from Stalin's death-by-starvation program that ultimately killed millions of Ukrainians.

Reviewed by critics Tirdad Derakhshani (T.D.), Molly Eichel (M.E.), Steven Rea (S.R.), and Gary Thompson (G.T.). W.S. denotes a wire-service review.

I Am Not Your Negro A stunning documentary about James Baldwin's work as an artist and civil rights activist by celebrated Haitian-born director Raoul Peck (It's Not About Love, Lumumba). The film has an ambitious goal: to use footage and narration (read by Samuel L. Jackson) to reconstruct Baldwin's unfinished opus Remember This House, a study of the life and death of assassinated civil rights activists, including Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1 hr. 35 PG-13 (disturbing violent images, thematic material, profanity and brief nudity) - T.D.

La La Land Some kind of transcendent magic happens in Damien Chazelle's starry-eyed musical, with one foot (in tap shoes) firmly planted in the past, and the other (in taps, too, of course) planted in a me-first, modern-day world. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are the struggling Los Angelenos who fall in love despite a mutual wariness, walking and talking, singing and dancing, amid a swirl of classic Hollywood references. Not quite perfect, but its imperfections, and its embrace of passion over cynicism, are part of the charm. 2 hr. 8 PG-13 (profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Moonlight A true American masterpiece, the sophomore feature from Barry Jenkins (Medicine for Melancholy) is a heady mix of brutal social realism and poetry as it tells the coming-of-age story of a young black gay man from a Miami ghetto. Divided into three parts, it tells the story of Chiron as a 10-year-old, a high school student, and a 20-something professional as he wrestles with external forces he can't control, including poverty and drug crime and internal desires he cannot ignore. Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes give memorable performances as Chiron. With André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali. 1 hr. 50 R (some sexuality, drug use, brief violence, and profanity throughout) - T.D.

Paterson One of Jim Jarmusch's most accomplished films, this extraordinary visual poem is a wry, gently comic celebration of the creative spirit as it manifests itself in everyday life. Inspired by the works of American modernist William Carlos Williams, Jarmusch's film follows seven days in the life of a Paterson bus driver named Paterson who spends his free time writing poetry. (Composed for the film by Ron Padgett). Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) is revelatory in the title role as the mild-mannered driver-poet while Golshifteh Farahani is radiant as his madly eccentric wife, a would-be country singer. 1 hr. 58 R (profanity) - T.D.

Toni Erdman Writer-director Maren Ade's stun gun of a comedy-drama is a bizarre, brilliant, and madly original story about an aging German hippie man-child (Peter Simonischek) and amateur comedian who pulls every trick in his book to reconnect with his estranged yuppie daughter (Sandra Hüller), who works in Romania as a corporate consultant hired by struggling companies to lay off workers by the hundreds. He's retired and lonely, so he pops up in her life unannounced - and in disguise as a life coach to CEOs. Their encounter takes them on a bizarre tour of Bucharest. The comedy is out of this world, the emotional journey deeply authentic and affecting. In German and Romanian with English subtitles. 2 hrs. 42 R (strong sexual content, graphic nudity, profanity, and brief drug use) - T.D.

20th Century Women Masterpiece of mother-child dynamics from director Mike Mills (Beginners) follows attempts by a single mom (Annette Bening, who's fantastic) to tutor her son (played by Lucas Jade Zumann) in the ways of manhood. The setting is the late 1970s, so Our Bodies Ourselves, the Talking Heads, and President Jimmy Carter's malaise speech all factor in. With Billy Crudup, Greta Gerwig, and Elle Fanning. 1 hr. 58 R (sexual material, some nudity, obscenity, brief drug use) - W.S.

Fences

August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece about a working-class African American family in the 1950s is transformed into a compelling, searing film in the hands of producer, director, and star Denzel Washington. He plays a charismatic, funny, energetic but embittered Pittsburgh garbage collector who derides anyone - including his wife, Rose (Viola Davis), and his best friend (Stephen Henderson) - who suggests life has improved for African Americans since the Civil War. Once a star baseball player forced by segregation to play in the Negro League, the aging patriarch is harshest on his sons (Russell Hornsby, Jovan Adepo), whose optimism disturbs him deeply. 2 hrs. 18

PG-13

(thematic elements, profanity, and some suggestive references)

- T.D.

Manchester by the Sea Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me, Margaret) proves once again he's one of America's finest dramatists with this working-class drama about loss, grief, and family obligations. Casey Affleck is sensational in an Oscar-worthy performance as a self-hating melancholic who has lived a miserable life as a janitor since an accident. When his older brother (Kyle Chandler) dies, he must return to his tiny hometown and assume responsibility for his teenage nephew (Lucas Hedges). Costars Michelle Williams, Matthew Broderick, and Gretchen Mol.2 hrs. 17 R (profanity throughout and some sexual content) - T.D.

The Salesman Nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film, Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi's latest domestic masterwork is about a pair of young husband-and-wife actors (Shahab Hosseini and Taraneh Alidoosti) rehearsing for a production of Death of a Salesman whose world falls apart when an intruder almost assaults the wife. Her husband becomes possessed by rage and vengeance and loses his humanity. 2 hrs. 5 PG-13 (mature thematic elements and a brief bloody image) - T.D.

A United Kingdom David Oyewolo and Rosamund Pike shine in this true story about the remarkable marriage of African tribal prince Seretse and London office girl Ruth Williams. They met in 1947 and wed less than a year later, an event which sparked an international diplomatic crisis. Seretse was set to lead his people - under the guidance of Britain. Instead, the British exiled him. Shot on location in Botswana, the film shows how the couple's commitment to each other and to democratic ideals allowed them to triumph against all odds. 1 hr. 51 PG-13 (some language, including racial epithets and a scene of sensuality) - T.D.

A Cure for Wellness *1/2

Dane DeHaan plays a crooked corporate hustler sent to the Alps to retrieve his AWOL boss from a sinister health spa. Would-be horror movie from Gore Verbinksi offers few chills, fewer thrills, and is punishingly long. 2 hrs. 22

R

(disturbing violence, graphic nudity) -

G.T.

A Dog's Purpose ** Hokey family drama about the reincarnated spirit of a dog who comes back to life in different bodies for different humans, looking to discover his purpose. Some of the segments work better than others, but the film is mostly forgettable. Dennis Quaid stars. 2 hrs. PG (thematic elements and some peril) - W.S.

Fifty Shades Darker ** Dull sequel to the smash-hit original, adapted from the E.L. James novels about a woman (Dakota Johnson) and her on-again, off-again romance with a billionaire playboy (Jamie Dornan) who is into S&M. The title to the sequel is a bit misleading, since the two get along just fine in this installment, which owes as much to "Cinderella" as it does to erotica. With Kim Basinger and Marcia Gay Harden. 1 hr. 55 mins. R (strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language) - G.T.

Fist Fight ** Charlie Day plays a teacher who gets a colleague (Ice Cube) fired, leading to a showdown brawl in the parking lot after school. The fight is unexpectedly epic, but the comedy leading up to it is not. WIth Jillian Bell, Tracy Morgan. and Dean Norris. 1 hr. 31 R (language, sexual content, drugs) - G.T.

The Founder *** Michael Keaton is brilliant as Ray Kroc, the man who created the McDonald's fast-food empire, in this revelatory biopic that starts off as a sunny story about an underdog who makes it big but shifts halfway into a cautionary tale about corporate greed. The film's oddball twists and turns may alienate some viewers, but the cast is superb throughout, including Laura Dern and Linda Cardellini as Keaton's love interests and John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman as the McDonald brothers whom Kroc pushed out of the business after franchising the restaurant they started. 1 hr. 55 PG-13 (strong brief profanity) - T.D.

Hidden Figures *** Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe are terrific in this feel-good family movie about a group of black female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the 1960s. The true story is about overqualified scientists who could only get jobs crunching numbers for their white male bosses, but who overcame prejudice to make their own mark on the space program. What it lacks as serious history it makes up for with an empowering social message. The ensemble cast includes Kevin Costner, Glen Powell, Mahershala Ali, and Aldis Hodge. 2 hr. 7 PG (thematic elements and some profanity) - T.D.

John Wick: Chapter Two **1/2 Action-packed sequel again starring Keanu Reeves as the underworld's most fearsome hit man, this time squaring off against the world's most adept assassins (including Common) in scenes of highly stylized violence that build to crescendos of comic absurdity. At better than two hours, though, the movie feels overstretched. With Ian McShane and Laurence Fishburne, reunited with his co-star from The Matrix. 2 hrs. 2 R (strong violence throughout, nudity, language) - G.T.

The Lego Batman Movie *** Witty animated sequel to the surprise hit original, with Will Arnett providing the voice of lonely recluse Batman, who changes for the better when he falls for the police commissioner's daughter (Rosario Dawson) and adopts an orphan (Michael Cera) who becomes Robin. Fast-paced, full of jokes that draw from the long history of Batman comic books, movies, and television shows. Also featuring Zach Galifianakis as the voice of the Joker. 1 hr. 30 PG (rude humor and some action) - G.T.

Lion *** Australian TV director Garth Davis (Top of the Lake) makes his feature debut with this heartbreaking, if sometimes maudlin, true story told in two parts. In the first, a 5-year-old boy in India becomes separated from his impoverished family and ends up adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham). In the second part, the boy has grown up to be a young man (Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire) who goes back in search of his lost family. 1 hr. 48 PG-13 (thematic material and some sensuality) - T.D.

Oscar-Nominated Short Films (Not previewed) The Ritz at the Bourse has two separate programs of short films nominated this year for Academy Awards: Live-action and animated shorts. Each features five short films, including "Pear Cider and Cigarettes," a wild animated film with a graphic novel feel, and "Timecode," a live-action pic from Spain about two parking garage attendants working opposite shifts who leave each other video messages to pass the time. Not rated

Passengers ** 1/2 Norwegian director Morten Tyldum follows up his brilliant features Headhunter and The Imitation Game with a disappointing entry that tries to graft a solid love story onto a weak, badly conceived sci-fi adventure. Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt have great chemistry as two passengers on a 120-year intergalactic flight whose hypersleep pods malfunction. The only two people awake on a ship of 5,000, they embark on a troubled romance that gets all wonky when they have to save the ship from blowing up. 1 hr. 56 PG-13 (sexuality, nudity, and action/peril) - T.D.

Sing **1/2 The team behind Minions brings you an animal-populated reality singing competition – a Zootopia Idol, if you will. Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Nick Kroll, Seth MacFarlane, and John C. Reilly are among the celebs who voice the song-and-dance menagerie. Peppy, good-natured, and full of good tunes. 1 hr. 48 PG (some rude humor and mild peril) - W.S.

Split *** M. Night Shyamalan, who made something of a comeback with the small-budget found-footage horror pic The Visit, continues the trend with this intensely creepy, engaging, and entertaining psychological thriller featuring a virtuosic performance by James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, the X-Men series) as a deranged killer with 23 distinct personalities who abducts three teenage girls he plans to feed to a demonic beast he believes is emerging as his 24th personality. Anya Taylor-Joy (Morgan) is terrific as one of the hostages, the strong-willed, disturbed outcast Casey. 1 hr. 57 PG-13 (disturbing thematic content and behavior, violence, and some profanity) - T.D.

xXx: Return of Xander Cage 1/2* The third entry in Vin Diesel's popular series about an extreme sports enthusiast turned secret agent is an empty-brained, soulless, and loud collection of fight scenes, CGI explosions, and flat jokes interspersed with equally soulless scenes of beautiful men and women standing around half-naked or in designer duds. Covered from start to finish with a wall of loud, up-tempo music, this sad waste of money and talent costars Donnie Yen, Tony Jaa, and Deepika Padukone. 1 hr. 47 PG-13 (extended sequences of gunfire and violent action, sexual material, and profanity) - T.D.