Movie Reviews
Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer — A-III (PG-13)
“Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer” is a powerful dramatization of the Philadelphia police investigation and state prosecution that finally ended the infamous, decades-long career of abortionist Kermit Gosnell.
First Man — A-III (PG-13)
By turns the intimate portrait of its elusive subject’s inner life and a lavish look back at the sometimes tragic, ultimately triumphant race to the Moon, “First Man” (Universal), director Damien Chazelle’s multidimensional profile of astronaut Neil Armstrong (1930-2012), is a splendid piece of moviemaking.
Venom — A-III (PG-13)
Whatever you do, don’t call that alien who has taken up residence in your body a parasite. The polite term, it seems, is symbiote.
A Star Is Born — A-III (R)
The third remake of that sturdy warhorse “A Star Is Born” pays occasional homage to its forebears, particularly the 1954 version starring Judy Garland and James Mason, which only serves to indicate that its formulaic “stand by your man” story is somewhat tattered and dog-eared.
The Nun — L (R)
“The Nun” is an ambitious undertaking with an immense budget and lush special effects. The apparent aim: to rank as the “That’s Entertainment!” of Catholic-themed horror films. The movie doesn’t, therefore, ask the audience for a whole lot other than attention to all the classic tropes of the genre.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom — A-III (PG-13)
Apparently, it’s time to check in again with everybody’s favorite prehistoric era, because here comes “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.”
Solo: A Star Wars Story — A-III (PG-13)
Before he grew up to be Harrison Ford, intergalactic freebooter Han Solo was Alden Ehrenreich — or so at least the folks behind “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” the pleasing but insubstantial latest addition to the blockbuster franchise, would have you believe.
Book Club — L (PG-13)
“Can we please stop saying sex?” a character asks in the ensemble romantic comedy “Book Club.” The answer, in a word, is no.
Pope Francis: A Man of His Word — A-II (PG)
Veteran filmmaker Wim Wenders respectfully profiles the current successor of St. Peter in the well-crafted, sometimes moving documentary “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word” (Focus). Though Wenders also provides some narration, as his title suggests, he largely lets the pontiff speak for himself.
Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash — A-I
Combine familiar comic book figures with the memorable time-warp premise of 1993’s “Groundhog Day,” and you’ve got the delightful direct-to-video feature “Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash.”
Traffik — L (R)
A series of onscreen statistics at the end of “Traffik” (Lionsgate) are meant to alert viewers to the extent of the very grave real-world problem of human trafficking with which the film deals. They’re also there, perhaps, to reinforce the idea that writer-director Deon Taylor has approached his dramatization of this blight with only the best and most serious intentions.
Avengers: Infinity War — A-III (PG-13)
Strong pro-life values are embedded in the towering, richly complex Marvel Comics-based adventure “Avengers: Infinity War.” While this often-dazzling, sometimes-dizzying epic is safest for grown-ups, its positive moral lessons may lead at least some parents to deem it acceptable for older teens as well.
Social Networks