Opening Friday

Becoming Nobody It: Chapter 2 Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool Official Secrets Tigers Are Not Afraid After the Wedding This is the American version of the Danish film, which stands as one of the best European films of the millennium. The American version lowers the stakes and makes everyone nicer, and the result is a lot less drama. It also reverses the sexes of the protagonists, which also doesn’t quite work. Still, any movie that brings together the powerhouses that are Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams can’t be all bad. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes. — M. LaSalle Angel Has Fallen The third in the series finds Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) wanted for attempting to kill the president (Morgan Freeman). While the whole nation is looking for him, he has to find the real culprits before he is captured, in this enjoyable, well-paced and pleasingly far-fetched thriller. Rated R. 120 minutes. — M. LaSalle The Angry Birds Movie 2 A tonal whipsaw that doesn’t have conviction to invest in its own premise. “The Angry Birds Movie 2” is bereft of originality, bereft of laughter, bereft of heart, and bereft of soul. Rated PG. 99 minutes. — Z. Hasan Aquarela Viktor Kossakovsky’s documentary about the power of water is impressively shot in an enhanced high-def format, with sequences that range from glaciers breaking off into the sea in Greenland to Hurricane Irma in Miami. Unfortunately, the filmmaker refuses to provide context or even basic information, and the movie becomes a monotonous series of images. Rated PG. 89 minutes.

— G. Allen Johnson

The Art of Racing in the Rain A wet, sloppy kiss of a movie about a race-car driver (Milo Ventimiglia) and his dog, who narrates the story (voice of Kevin Costner) of his life with the driver and his family, including wife Amanda Seyfried. Sappy, yes, but assured adaptation of Garth Stein’s bestselling novel. Rated PG. 109 minutes.

— G. Allen Johnson

Blinded by the Light Full of joyless joy, this is the very personal story of a young man from Pakistan, living in England in 1987, who discovers Bruce Springsteen’s music and starts listening to a lot of it. That’s about it. It’s a measure of the movie’s failure that it doesn’t send you out wanting to listen to Springsteen albums. Rated PG-13. 117

minutes. — M. LaSalle

Brian Banks This is the real-life story of a high school student who was about to go to college on a football scholarship until his life was derailed by a completely false rape accusation. A lot of it is filler and the treatment is often melodramatic, but the core story of Banks’ attempt to prove his innocence is undeniably compelling. PG-13. 99 minutes.

— M. LaSalle

Brittany Runs a Marathon An inspiring, well-written and funny comedy-drama, based on a true story, about an obese woman who tries to change her life and sets out on a journey to physical and emotional health. Jillian Bell is excellent and appealing as the lead character. Rated R. 103 minutes.

— G. Allen Johnson

Buñuel in the Labyrinth of

Turtles Animated drama about how surrealist director Luis Buñuel made one of his early masterpieces, “Land Without Bread” (1933). Not reviewed. Not rated. 80 minutes.

Don’t Let Go This time travel cop drama by Jacob Aaron Estes has a supernatural plot, but it succeeds because of its writing and acting — beginning with the lead performances of David Oyelowo (“Selma”) and Storm Reid (“A Wrinkle in Time”). It’s a good sign for the intelligence of your science fiction movie, when it’s easy to imagine the story working as a stage play with just two actors. Rated R. 107 minutes.

— P. Hartlaub

Dora and the Lost City

of Gold: While the notion of a “grown-up” Dora the Explorer reboot sounds like something out of a sketch comedy show or YouTube parody, this film exists precisely to disperse that cynicism. So joyful and confident in its own premise that it practically dares you not to walk out of not to walk out of the theater with a smile on your face. Rated PG. 102 minutes. —

Z. Hasan

The Fanatic John Travolta plays an autistic man who stalks a movie star to obtain an autograph. While “The Fanatic” isn’t doing anything particularly new, it knows exactly the movie it wants to be. There’s a trashy, pulp energy powering us through the efficient 88minute runtime. R. 88 minutes.

— Z. Hasan

The Farewell Lulu Wang has a triumph with this fact based comedy-drama about a family that comes together following their matriarch’s being diagnosed with a fatal illness. Funny, heartfelt and real, this is a film with magic about it. PG. 98 minutes. — M. LaSalle

Fiddler: Miracle of

Miracles Fantastic documentary about the origins and meaning of “Fiddler on the Roof,” its development leading to its 1964 Broadway debut and its popularity over the past 55 years. What’s great is not the stars — from archival footage to commentary from Lin-Manuel Miranda and others, but the emotional meaning of the musical, and why it has universal

appeal. Rated PG-13, 92 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson

47 Meters Down: Uncaged Four teen divers exploring an underwater city find themselves trapped and under attack by deadly sharks. Not reviewed, Rated PG-13. 89 minutes.

Give Me Liberty Comedy about a medical transport driver and who decides to break the rules and convey a group of obstreperous seniors and a Russian boxer to a funeral. Not reviewed. Not rated. 110 minutes.

Good Boys This wannabe “Superbad” about 12-year-olds isn’t funny or outrageous but sentimental and unimaginative, a complete waste of time. Rated R. 89 minutes. — M. LaSalle Hobbs & Shaw This spin-off of the “Fast & Furious” series is a total blast, pairing Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham and Vanessa Kirby in the funniest, most exciting and most inventive action movie since “Mission: Impossible — Fallout.” PG-13. 136 minutes.

— M. LaSalle Honeyland What started out as a documentary about a beekeeper in Macedonia becomes a fascinating story about human nature versus the environment, when the beekeeper gets neighbors, who want to make money as fast as possible and don’t care what they’re doing to the natural balance. Not rated. 87 minutes.

— M. LaSalle The Kitchen When their husbands are sent to prison, three mob wives (Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss and Melissa McCarthy) take over the Hell’s Kitchen Irish mafia, in the rough New York of the late 1970s. It’s a terrific actress showcase and a strong debut from director Andrea Berloff. Rated R. 102 minutes. — M. LaSalle The Last Black Man in San Francisco San Francisco native Joe Talbot’s directorial debut is a strikingly immersive movie, a slow burn filled with subtleties and nuance, with its message nestled in the details as much as the greater story. Jimmie Fails stars in the film. While other filmmakers have effectively captured San Francisco’s landmarks and topography, story co-writers Fails and Talbot seem to be filming the city’s streets with a microscope. Rated R. 120 minutes.

— P. Hartlaub The Lion King The photo-realistic computer graphics make this latest version of Simba’s saga look like a wildlife documentary, but somehow the realism of the visuals renders the songs inappropriate, ridiculous and unwelcome. PG. 118 minutes.

— M. LaSalle Luce An interesting thriller — a former boy soldier from Africa, adopted by white Americans, becomes a high school honor student and starts showing sociopathic symptoms — breaks its leg at the finish line, with a weak, aimless last 10 minutes. Still it’s interesting, and Octavia Spencer is terrific as a teacher who thinks the young man is not what he seems. Rated R. 109 minutes.

— M. LaSalle Midsommar Writerdirector Ari Aster’s talent is undeniable, but this horror film, about a group of Americans who travel to Sweden and become engulfed by strange cult activity, is a mix of brilliance and awfulness, a disgusting self-indulgent provocation with some good moments all the same. But everything good in it is over by the first hour, leaving another 80 minutes to slog through. Rated R. 140 minutes.

— M. LaSalle Mike Wallace Is Here An entertaining blastfrom-the-past documentary composed entirely of found footage which attempts to build a psychological portrait of the late “60 Minutes” newsman. Director Avi Belkin almost sabotages the film with a completely intrusive and inappropriate music score, but fans of history and journalism should be able to get past this. PG-13. 90 minutes.

— G. Allen Johnson The Nightingale Filmmaker Jennifer Kent’s follow-up to her excellent 2014 horror film “The Babadook” is a revenge drama, set in colonial Australia, that offers nearly two hours of great filmmaking that unfortunately is book-ended by several minutes of bad ideas. Early scenes are unnecessarily horrific, and the final scenes falter from a disconcerting shift in tone. But this still leaves a very long stretch filled with beautiful acting, tense, thoroughly engaging action, and still-vital lessons about the brutality on which supposedly some civil societies were built. R. 136 minutes. — C. Meyer Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Quentin Tarantino’s latest film is his freest, most discursive and warmest to date, the story of a fading Western star and his best friend/stuntman over the course of several days in 1969 — days that coincide with the Manson family’s height. Everyone’s terrific — Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate. It’s a loving look back on a lost time. R. 161 minutes. — M. LaSalle One Child Nation A harrowing documentary about the cruel fallout of China’s decadeslong campaign to limit its population growth. A balanced examination of the policy is of no interest to the filmmakers: this is a work made in sorrow and anger. Some of the content is quite disturbing. In English and Mandarin with English subtitles. Rated R. 85 minutes. — W. Addiego The Other Story Absorbing Israeli family drama about an estranged father who returns from America to help his ex-wife prevent his daughter from marrying a music star with a shady who has turned to religion, but becomes embroiled in dysfunctional family dynamics. Not rated. 112 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson

Overcomer Faith-based drama about challenges facing a high school basketball coach when his town’s largest manufacturing plant shuts down, prompting many families to move elsewhere. Not reviewed. Rated PG. 119 minutes. The Peanut Butter Falcon A sweet but rather aimless film, it’s the story of a young man with Down syndrome, on the run from an institution, and a good-for-nothing young fisherman who end up together on an attempt to find a new life. On the plus side: It’s never exactly boring. Starring Zack Gottsagen and Shia LeBeouf. PG-13. 93 minutes.

— M. LaSalle Ready or Not Lame horror-action picture about a bride (Samara Weaving) who must survive the night while being hunted around a creepy mansion by her new in-laws. Watchable in parts, but poorly directed and written, with a heroine who is more can’t do than can-do. Rated R. 95 minutes.

— G. Allen Johnson Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Based on a book of horror stories for young people, this is a movie in which the villain is, in fact, a book. In 1968, a group of teens enter an abandoned mansion and find a volume of scary tales written by an abused girl. The consequences are deadly. Rated PG-13. 111 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson Spider-Man: Far From Home The new “Spider-Man” is a necessary return to Earth, or at least earthbound concerns, for a series that had reached for the stars. It feels rushed at times, especially with the Mysterio character played with low energy by Jake Gyllenhaal. But the smaller scenes with Spider-Man’s return to school are handled well. A fun movie that successfully hits the reset button for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rated PG-13. 129 minutes. — P. Hartlaub Tel Aviv on Fire This delightfully satiric take on the Israeli-Palestinian quagmire revolves around a third-rate soap opera and a border checkpoint where creativity — and helpings of hummus — trump ethnic conflict. It’s a well-acted movie with both a funny bone and a sense of humanity. In Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles. Not rated. 97 minutes. — D. Lewis

This Is Not Berlin In this coming-of-age drama set in 1986, a sensitive teenager discovers the underground nightlife scene in Mexico City. Directed by Hari Sama. Not reviewed.

Not rated. 112 minutes. Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am This touching and expansive documentary, produced for PBS’ American Masters label, is unreserved and unflinching in its praise for its subject, the late Nobel-winning Toni Morrison. Among those singing her praises: Oprah Winfrey, Walter Mosley, Fran Lebowitz, Angela Davis. Rated PG-13. 119 minutes. — Z. Hasan Toy Story 4 The toys in “Toy Story 4” are the most loving, purehearted beings on the planet, and they’re all ultimately heading for the garbage pail. This makes them touching figures, and sets the stage for a story that introduces new characters, new dangers and new possibilities for toys like Woody and Buzz Lightyear. There’s a serious undercurrent running through it about the inevitability of change and the loss that goes with it. Rated G. 100 minutes. — M. LaSalle Vision Portraits: This experimental yet accessible documentary centers on a visually impaired filmmaker forging ahead with his craft despite considerable obstacles. It’s a moving meditation about the unwavering need for creativity, and finding ways to express it. Not rated. 78 minutes.

— D. Lewis Where’d You Go, Bernadette Cate Blanchett is dazzling as an angry woman who left her architectural career 20 years ago and has no outlet for her outsize energy. But the movie, which is essentially a comedy, is a weird housing for Blanchett’s grandscale performance. Something is off — is it Blanchett or everything else? — but it’s a Richard Linklater film, and the movie benefits from his emotional intelligence all the same. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes.

— M. LaSalle Yesterday This latest from Danny Boyle, about a struggling musician who wakes up in an alternate universe in which the Beatles never existed, features winning performances from Himesh Patel and Lily James, and allows audiences to share vicariously in the experience of hearing Beatles songs as if for the first time. Funny and at times touching. Rated PG-13. 116 minutes. — M. LaSalle

Elisabeth Moss, Tiffany Haddish and Melissa McCarthy in “The Kitchen.”