AARDVARK. 2 stars. Misfired drama about a man (Zachary Quinto) with mental health issues who consults an incompetent therapist (Jenny Slate) about his delusional belief that his famous-actor brother (Jon Hamm) is "playing" the people he meets on the street. Not about aardvarks. 1 hr. 29 PG-13 (language) _ Gary Thompson
BEIRUT. 3 stars. Well-acted, well written thriller about a bitter, failed diplomat (Jon Hamm) recalled to Lebanon during its civil war to negotiate a hostage exchange, a dangerous and complex affair involving competing factions within the U.S. contingent (Rosamund Pike, Shea Whigham, Dean Norris), militia groups and Israeli intelligence. Written by Tony Gilroy, directed by Brad Anderson. 1 hr. 49 R (violence) _ Gary Thompson
BLACK PANTHER. 3.5 stars. Thoughtful, rousing new Marvel adventure from writer-director Ryan Coogler, who delivers the boilerplate blockbuster action components with a provocative story about a modern-day African king (Chadwick Boseman) dealing with threats (in the person of villain Michael B. Jordan) to his nation and his throne _ a story that resonates in the real world. Strong roles for Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright, and Danai Gurira. 2 hrs. 20 PG-13 (violence) _ Gary Thompson
BLUMHOUSE'S TRUTH OR DARE. 1.5 stars. A bunch of college students Lucy Hale, Violett Beane) return from Mexico with a curse that requires them to play a deadly game of truth or dare. Derivative combination of "It Follows" and "Final Destination," also bogged down by needlessly complex internal logic. 1 hr. 40 PG-13 (language) _ Gary Thompson
BLOCKERS. 3 stars. Very raunchy though ultimately semi-sweet gross-out comedy about parents (Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz) who finds their daughters have made a pact to hook up on prom night, and takes steps to disrupt it. Directed by Kay Cannon. 1 hr. 42 R (language) _ Gary Thompson
CHAPPAQUIDDICK. 3 stars. Sturdy docudrama about the events surrounding the 1969 death of Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara), killed when a car driven by Sen. Ted Kennedy (Jason Clarke) ran off the road was submerged in water. As Kennedy family fixers manage the news cycle, the movie becomes a relevant story of political power and its ability to impose narratives. With Ed Helms, Jim Gaffigan. 1 hr. 47 PG _ Gary Thompson
THE DEATH OF STALIN. 3.5 stars. Writer-director Armando Iannucci's caustic black comedy is set in 1953, in the days surrounding the death of the murderous Soviet tyrant, but the scramble for power depicted, with its competing factions and "false narratives," is very much in tune with the craven political age of alternative facts and fake news. The deft comic cast includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Michael Palin and Jason Isaacs. 1 hr. 44 R (language, violence) _ Gary Thompson
DEATH WISH. 2 stars. Clumsy remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson original. This one stars Bruce Willis as a wealthy Chicago physician who becomes a gun-toting vigilante after thugs attack his wife (Elizabeth Shue) and daughter (Camilla Morrone). Willis' character is meant to be grappling with rage and fury, but he's curiously subdued in the role, and the movie registers as wishy-washy exploitation. 1 hr. 47 R (violence) _ Gary Thompson
FINAL PORTRAIT. 2 stars. Writer-director Stanley Tucci's account of writer James Lord (Armie Hammer) and the tortured weeks he spent sitting for a portrait by Alberto Giocometti (Geoffrey Rush). A claustrophobic examination of the unpleasant artistic process. Literally watching paint dry. 1 hr. 30 R (language) _ Gary Thompson
GAME NIGHT. 3 stars. Forgettable but often funny and efficient comedy about a competitive couple (Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams) whose game night gets out of control when a fake crime-solving exercise goes haywire. Jesse Plemons has a funny supporting role, and Kyle Chandler co-stars. 1 hr. 33 R (language) _ Gary Thompson
ISLE OF DOGS. 3 stars. Droll stop-motion animation from Wes Anderson about a Japanese boy looking for his pet on an island full of trash and banished dogs. A bit of a shaggy dog tale, but the craftsmanship is first-rate. Featuring the voices of Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton and Liev Schreiber. 1 hr. 32 PG-13 _ Gary Thompson
1945. 3 stars. Hungarian director (the movie is subtitled) Ferenc Torok borrows "High Noon" imagery and structure to tell this story of a post-war Hungarian village that goes into a panic when Jewish men arrive on a train, evoking guilt at the way Jewish families were treated during the war. 1 hr. 30 No MPAA rating _ Gary Thompson
A QUIET PLACE. 2.5 stars. Generally effective horror movie about a farm family (John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds) trying to survive killer aliens that attack anyone who makes a sound. Easy to poke holes in the premise, but writer-director Krasinski makes the most out of the horror-movie hook. 1 hr. 30 PG-13 (violence) _ Gary Thompson
RAMPAGE. 2 stars. When a DNA experiment causes his prized gorilla to become a supersized menace to Chicago, primatologist Dwayne Johnson takes action, along with a helpful scientist (Naomie Harris) and a government agent (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Bland effects movie, even with the addition of giant wolf and alligator. 1 hr. 47 PG-13 (language) _ Gary Thompson
READY PLAYER ONE. 2.5 stars. Steven Spielberg adapts the Ernest Cline novel about renegade gamers (Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke) who go up against foes backed by a wealthy corporation to compete in a virtual reality game that rewards players fluent in 1980s pop culture. Some laughs, and decent action, but the movie is heavily animated, and the movie relies too much on special effects, which displaces acting and emotion. 2 hrs. 20 PG-13 _ Gary Thompson
RED SPARROW. 2 stars. Lays an egg. Jennifer Lawrence is a Russian woman who washes out as a ballerina and so is trained as a spy/seductress. Her training involves sexual abuse and other forms of brutalization, taking the edge off the movie's claim to female empowerment. Joel Edgerton is the CIA man she's assigned to manipulate. Co-starring Jeremy Irons, Ciaran Hinds and Matthias Schoenaerts. 2 hrs. 19 R (violence) _ Gary Thompson
THE SHAPE OF WATER. 3 stars. Adult fable from Guillermo del Toro, set in Cold War Baltimore in 1962, about a lonely woman (Sally Hawkins) working on the cleaning staff in a government lab who falls in love with the amphibious creature (Doug Jones) brought there for study. Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer have charming roles as the woman's friends and co-conspirator in a plot to save the creature. Michael Shannon _ surprise _ is the heavy. Full of strange ideas and twists, unified by first-rate visual presentation that maintains the movie's tone of enchantment. 2 hrs. 5 R (nudity) _ Gary Thompson
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI. 3.5 stars. From writer-director Martin McDonagh, a timely if scabrous story about a small-town woman (Frances McDormand) taunting the cops (Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell) who have failed to solve her daughter's murder. Contains the brutal violence, savage humor, and surprising moments of warmth that comprise McDonagh's unique voice and good performances as well from McDormand and Rockwell in complex roles, playing complex people. With Peter Dinklage, Lucas Hedges, and John Hawkes. 1 hr. 55 R (violence, language) _ Gary Thompson
UNSANE. Claire Foy inadvertently signs papers that commit her to a mental institution, where she tries to convince the staff, and ultimately herself, that she is sane. The movie evolves into a violent and sometimes silly thriller, but Foy's performance is strong, and the movie ends up having some startlingly timely angles relevant to out Time's Up times. With Jay Pharoah, Joshua Leonard. 1 hr. 36 R (Violence) _ Gary Thompson
YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE. 2.5 stars. Lynne Ramsay directs Joaquin Phoenix in this gruesome story of a former serviceman hired to find a politicians daughter (Ekaterina Samsonov) kidnapped and held as a sex slave for wealthy men. Phoenix tries, but the movie's agitated visual style and jangled narrative do not invite emotional engagement. 1 hr. 28 R (violence) _ Gary Thompson
