ATOMIC BLONDE. 2.5 stars. Charlize Theron is a rampaging British agent in Berlin as the wall collapses in 1989, teaming with another agent (James McAvoy) to help a defector and find a traitor. Works well as actioner, not so well as espionage thriller. 1 hr. 55. R (violence, nudity) _ Gary Thompson
BEATRIZ AT DINNER. 3 stars. A Mexican-American nurse ends up at a dinner among wealthy California swells (John Lithgow, Connie Britton) causing friction-filled conversation that crosses lines of class and culture. From director Miguel Arteta and writer Mike White. 1 hr. 23 R (adult themes, language, class warfare) _ Gary Thompson
THE BEGUILED. 2.5 stars. Sofia Coppola remakes a Clint Eastwood film and, no surprise, gives it a more feminine viewpoint. Colin Farrell plays an injured Civil War soldier taken in by a group of cloistered women (Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning) and ratchets up the sexual tension. 1 hr. 33 R (sexuality) _ Gary Thompson
THE BIG SICK. 3.5 stars. Based on comedian Kumail Nanjiani's life, a funny, touching comedy of a Pakistani American caught between his religious family and the American woman (Zoe Kazan) he loves. With Holly Hunter, Ray Romano. 1 hr. 59. R (sexual references) _ Gary Thompson
CARS 3. 2.5 stars. So-so Pixar outing has racer Lightning McQueen contending with younger rivals, helping another racer learn the ropes. Featuring the voices of Armie Hammer and Bonnie Hunt. Preceded by a top-notch animated short called "Lou." 1 hr. 47 G _ Gary Thompson
CHASING TRANE: THE JOHN COLTRANE DOCUMENTARY: 3 stars. John Scheinfeld's film probes the spiritual sources of Coltrane's ethereal jazz, with input from fans as diverse as Bill Clinton and Carlos Santana. 1 hr. 30 Unrated _ Gary Thompson
CITY OF GHOSTS. (Not previewed) Documentary goes behind enemy lines in Syria to follow the citizen journalist collective "Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently" as its members attempt to expose human-rights violations by ISIS and fight the terrorist group's misinformation campaigns in their home country. 1 hr. 32 R (disturbing content)
DESPICABLE ME 3. 2.5 stars. Gru meets his lost brother, Dru, and they team up for a heist, much to the delight of the bored Minions. Featuring the voices of Steve Carell and Kristin Wiig. 1 hr. 33 PG (action and rude humor) _ Gary Thompson
DUNKIRK. 3.5 stars. Christopher Nolan's visually sweeping, stirring account of the way ordinary citizens, in the early days of World War II, affected the massive evacuation of stranded British troops from a French port surrounded by Germans. With Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, and Harry Styles. 1 hr. 47 PG-13 (violence) _ Gary Thompson
THE EMOJI MOVIE (not previewed). Animated story set inside a smartphone where a misfit emoji (voice of T.J. Mill) embarks on a quest to be like everyone else. Featuring the vocal talent of James Corden, Anna Faris, Jennifer Coolidge, Patrick Stewart and Maya Rudolph. 1 hr. 26. PG.
A GHOST STORY. 2.5 stars. Oddball, occasionally effective independent film about a man (Casey Affleck) whose spirit haunts the home he once shared with his wife (Rooney Mara). Affleck spends most of the movie in a sheet with two eyes cut out, a low-tech but audacious visual stunt that sometimes pays off. 1 hr. 27 R (disturbing images) _ Gary Thompson
GIRLS TRIP. 3 stars. Malcolm Lee's vulgar but good-natured comedy about four women (Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish) reuniting for a wild weekend in New Orleans. Lots of star cameos, including Kevin Hart, for a split second. 2 hr. 2 R (nudity, obscene language) _ Gary Thompson
KILLING GROUND (not previewed). Aussie thriller about a vacationing couple (Harriet Dyer and Ian Meadows) who find a traumatized child at an abandoned campsite, before being set up on by rural weirdos. 1 hr. 28. No MPAA rating.
LADY MACBETH. 3 stars. Newcomer Florence Pugh makes a startling debut in this story, very loosely inspired by Shakespeare, about a young woman (Pugh) in 1865 England who rebels violently when she's forced to marry an older man. With Cosmo Jarvis. 1 hr. 28. R (violence) _ Gary Thompson
MAUDIE. 3 stars. Sally Hawkins plays Canadian artist Maud Lewis, who turned a loveless life into a career as a beloved painter of happiness and color. 1 hr. 55 PG-13 (adult themes) _ Gary Thompson
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING. 3 stars. Actor Tom Holland heads this upbeat, up-tempo reboot, awkwardly trying to fight crime (Michael Keaton is The Vulture) and date the beautiful captain of the debate team. With Robert Downey Jr. and Zendaya. 2 hrs. 13 PG-13 (some violence) _ Gary Thompson
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES. 3 stars. Top-notch special effects highlight this adventure story. Unusually inventive and effective score. 2 hrs. 20 PG-13 (violence) _ Gary Thompson
WONDER WOMAN. 2.5 stars. Surprisingly fun and energetic DC comic book movie that is welcome relief from recent dour Superman movies. Gal Gadot stars as the Amazon princess who leaves her island with WWI pilot Chris Pine to save the world. 2 hrs. 21 PG-13 (superhero violence) _ Gary Thompson
