BAD MOMS. 2.5 stars. Mila Kunis stars as a stressed-out working mother who teams with two similarly overtaxed women (Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn), rebelling against a hissy PTA prez (Christina Applegate) in a mildly amusing, moderately raunchy, mostly schematic comedy from the writers of "The Hangover" franchise. 1 hr. 41 R (profanity, sex, nudity, adult themes) _ Steven Rea
THE BIRTH OF A NATION. 3.5 stars. Nate Parker's Sundance sensation lives up to the hype: A powerful work of history and myth alike, it depicts Nat Turner's transformation from a preacher who taught his fellow slaves to submit to white ownership into a firebrand and rebel who led a bloody, if short-lived, mutiny in 1831. Parker, who also wrote and directed, gives a rousing, controlled performance as Turner, and he's ably backed up by Aunjanue Ellis, Aja Naomi King, and Armie Hammer. 2 hrs. R (disturbing, violent content, and some brief nudity) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
BLAIR WITCH. 2 stars. Writer Simon Barrett and director Adam Wingard, who are arguably the best filmmaking team in horror with a body of works that includes "You're Next" and "The Guest," are wasted on this revisitation of the 1999 low-budget marvel "The Blair Witch Project." It's 17 years after doc filmmaker Amanda Donahue and her crew of two disappeared in Black Hills forest, victims of a witch. When a vid crops up suggesting she's still alive, her brother and a group of friends grab fancy film and tracking equipment and go after her. Will the witch get 'em too? 1 hr. 29 R (profanity, terror and some disturbing images) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC. 3.5 stars. Viggo Mortensen stars, with an amazing group of young actors, as a radical hippie dad who has raised his kids way off the grid, way outside the norms of "the real world." When events force them to leave their rustic retreat and deal with modern-day America, the experience is jolting _ and funny, moving, meaningful. 1 hr. 58 R (profanity, nudity, adult themes) _ Steven Rea
COMMAND AND CONTROL. 3.5 stars. A brilliant, terrifying PBS documentary about the mishaps and accidents that nearly led to the detonation of several nuclear weapons on American soil during the Cold War. Director Robert Kenner's adaptation of journo Eric Schlosser's book skillfullly uses archival material and interviews to provide an in-depth, minute-by-minute analysis of one such "Broken Arrow" incident from 1980. 1 hr. 32 No MPAA rating (adult themes, footage of nuclear detonations, disturbing subject matter) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
DEEPWATER HORIZON. 3 stars. One of the most effective action directors in the biz, Peter Berg recounts the April 20, 2010, explosion that englufed the massive Deepwater Horizon oil rig with rare grace and style. Featuring Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Kate Hudson and Gina Rodriguez, this is a film of great economy and elegance, a no-nonsense recreation of a tragedy that's thrilling, suspenseful, heart-stopping. Yet one can't help but wonder if the story would not have been better served with a more thoughtful drama that captured its long-term consequences. 1 hr. 47 PG-13 (prolonged intense disaster sequences and related disturbing images, and some profanity) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
DEMON. 3 stars. An eerie horror pic and a sharply funny satire at the same time, the last film by late Polish director Marcin Wrona is a superb surrealist fable about the legacy of the Holocaust in Poland, which lost virtually its entire Jewish population. Israeli actor Itay Tiran plays a young groom who is invaded by the spirit of a dead woman on his wedding day. 1 hr. 34 R (Profanity, sexuality, some nudity) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
DON'T BREATHE. 3 stars. Horror director Fede Alvarez follows up his fresh take on Sam Rami's "Evil Dead" with a lean, mean, twisted home invasion thriller about three young thieves who break into the house of an aging blind man (Stephen Lang) who turns out to be vengeful, violent and bloodthirsty. One of the most suspenseful and frightening horror pics of the year, this ingenious thriller is filled with delightful twists. 1 hr. 28 R (terror, violence, disturbing content, and profanity including sexual references) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
DON'T THINK TWICE. 3.5 stars. A love letter to the art of improv comedy from writer, director and actor Mike Birbiglia ("Sleepwalk with Me"). Featuring a superb cast of comics including Key & Peele's Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs (Netflix' "Love"), "Inside Amy Schumer" writer Tami Sagher and Garfunkel and Oates' Kate Micucci, the showbiz satire is about an improv group that is torn apart when one of the members wins a big TV role. 1 hr. 32 R (profanity and some drug use) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS 3.5 stars. Meryl Streep is achingly good in "The Queen" director Stephen Frears' latest piece de resistance as Florence Foster Jenkins, an heiress and amateur singer who was dubbed the world's worst singer. Simon Helberg all but steals the show as her pianist, while Hugh Grant is lovely as her husband. Set in the 1940s when Florence was in her mid-70s, the film follows her preparations to hold her first performance at Carnegie Hall. 1 hr. 50 PG-13 (brief suggestive material) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN. 2.5 stars. Emily Blunt will set your teeth on edge as a self-hating alcoholic divorcee in this surprisingly enjoyable murder mystery with a quasi-feminist twist. Told entirely from the point of view of its three heroines (including Rebecca Ferguson and Haley Bennett), the thriller aspires to Vertigo-like perfection. But it's no Hitchcock classic. Costars Justin Theroux and Luke Evans provide a virile male element. 1 hr. 52 R (violence, sexual content, profanity and nudity) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
HANDS OF STONE. 2 stars. An uneven, disappointing attempt to tell the fascinating story of Panamanian boxer Roberto Duran, who won world titles in four weight classes but who was lambasted when he walked out in the middle of a fight with Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980. The film moves in too many directions and never really coheres despite great performances by Edgar Ramirez (Carlos) as Duran, Robert De Niro as his trainer Ray Acel and singer Rusher Raymond as Leonard. 1 hr. 45 R (profanity, some sexuality/nudity) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
HELL OR HIGH WATER. 4 stars. Jeff Bridges is a soon-to-retire Texas Ranger, teamed with his Native American partner (Gil Birmingham) as they crisscross West Texas on the trail of two desperate bank-robbing brothers (Ben Foster, Chris Pine). A contemporary Western that goes way beyond being simply satisfying genre fare. Written by Talor Sheridan, directed by David Mackenzie, a soulful, jolting, sharp-eyed affair. 1 hr. 42 R (violence, profanity, adult themes) _ Steven Rea
THE HOLLARS. 2 stars. Actor-director John Krasinski ("The Office," "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men") delivers an uneven, exasperating mess of a story with his sophomore directorial effort, an endlessly life-affirming dramedy about the love that helps a middle-class Ohio family rise above its many dysfunctions. Stuffed with plot twist after plot twist and enough themes to fill a library, the film flounders despite a fine cast that includes Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley and Anna Kendrick. 1 hr. 28 PG-13 (brief profanity and some thematic elements) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE. 3.5 stars. The fourth collaboration between writer-director Hans Petter Moland and fellow Scandinavian, master thesp Stellan Skarsgard, this brilliant, violent and absurdist black comedy features Skarsgard as a bereaved snow plow truck driver who avenges his son's murder with a bloody campaign to wipe out Norway's entire underworld, one corpse at a time _ using the tools of his trade as his weapons. 1 hr. 56 R (bloody violence and profanity throughout) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
JASON BOURNE. 2.5 stars. "I remember everything," says the formerly amnesiac spy guy played by Matt Damon in his return _ along with director Paul Greengrass _ to the Bourne series. His CIA cohort Julia Stiles is back, too. Alicia Vikander signs on to show off her tradecraft, too. The movie spans the globe and has the great action scenes you'd expect, but now that Bourne knows who he is, the existential underpinnings of the great franchise concept are MIA. 2 hrs. 03 PG-13 (violence, action, profanity, adult themes) _ Steven Rea
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS. 3.5 stars. American animator Travis Knight's directorial debut is a gorgeous, memorable 3-D animated saga made with a mix of computer animation and stop-motion photography. Set in feudal Japan, it's about a little boy who goes on a quest to avenge his father's death. The great voice cast includes Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara and Matthew McConaughey. 1 hr. 41 PG (thematic elements, scary images, action and peril) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS. 2 stars. Set in a staggeringly beautiful Down Under at the end of the First World War, a tragic romance by way of Derek Cianfrance, adapted from the M.L. Stedman bestseller. Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander are the star-crossed pair in this epic weepie about fate and forgiveness, guilt and rage, and the timeless allure of handknit woolens. 2 hrs. 12 PG-13 (adult themes) _ Steven Rea
LITTLE MEN. 3.5 stars. The fast friendship between two New York City 13-year-olds is threatened when their parents start squabbling over a piece of Brooklyn real estate. Ira Sachs' follow-up to "Love Is Strange" is keenly observed, intimate, and anchored by the performances of newcomers Michael Barbieri and Theo Tapliz. With Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, and Paulina Garcia. 1 hr. 25 PG (adult themes) _ Steven Rea
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. 2 stars. Good turns by Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio can't save "Training Day" director Antoine Fuqua's star-studded remake of John Sturges' masterpiece. It's fun, exciting and diverting enough. It's also entirely forgettable. 2 hrs. 12 PG-13 ( extended and intense sequences of Western violence, and for historical smoking, some profanity and suggestive material) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
MASTERMINDS. 2.5 stars. Zach Galifianakis is wonderfully odd as a bumbling thief in the latest slapstick comedy from "Napoleon Dynamite" writer-director Jared Hess. Based on a real-life 1997 armored car company heist, the admittedly uneven film is filled with goofy turns by a terrific comic cast including Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudekis and Kate McKinnon. 1 hr. 34 PG-13 (crude and sexual humor, some profanity and violence) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. 2.5 stars. Tim Burton's tween adventure fantasy tries to replicate the immensely successful mix of arthouse cool and blockbuster power that made "Alice in Wonderland" such a huge blockbuster. The effort backfires. Eva Green stars as the headmistress of a mysterious school for paranormally gifted kids who are hunted down by murderous monsters. Asa Butterfield is the misfit Florida teen who finds himself at the school and Ella Purnell of "Never Let Me Go" the remarkably charming girl he falls for. Samuel L. Jackson, Terence Stamp and Judi Dench costar. 2 hrs. 07 PG-13 (intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and peril) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
MORRIS FROM AMERICA. 3.5 stars. Newcomer Marquees Christmas owns the title role as a 13-year-old African-American taken to live in Germany by his recently widowed dad. Craig Robinson, from "The Office" and those "Hot Tub Time Machine" pics, delivers a wonderfully pitched performance as the father, struggling with his own grief, his own sense of alienation, and his parental responsibilities, too. Winner of two Sundance awards, Chad Hartigan's little indie is a big deal: a charming, true-hearted coming-of-age tale. 1 hr. 30 R (language, drugs, adult themes) _ Steven Rea
QUEEN OF KATWE. 3 stars. A deely moving, inspirational true story from director Mira Nair ("Monsoon Wedding," "The Namesake") this family drama features a terrific turn by newcomer Madina Nalwanga as Phiona Mutesi, a teenage chess prodigy from one of the poorest slums in Uganda who became a world-class competitive player. David Oyelowo is terrific as the coach who discovers her talents. 2 hrs. 04 PG (thematic elements, an accident scene and some suggestive material) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
SAUSAGE PARTY. 3 stars. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg follow up their vicious satire "The Interview" with an even more extreme, explicit, offensive and obscenely funny comedy, an animated actioner about the products in a supermarket who rebel against their human consumers. The all-star voice cast includes Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Salma Hayek, Paul Rudd, Edward Norton, Jonah Hill and Craig Robinson. 1 hr. 39 R (strong crude sexual content, profanity and drug use) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS. 3 stars. Directed by the "Dispicable Me" franchise's Chris Renaud, a pet lovers' loving salute to the domesticated animals we rely on to bring us comfort, companionship, and triple-digit veterinary bills. Louis C.K. gives voice to a needy Jack Russell, and Kevin Hart is a white bunny named Snowball (talk about color-blind casting!). An extremely animated animated romp. 1 hr. 30 PG (some scares for little kids) � Steven Rea
SNOWDEN. 3 stars. Oliver Stone's best political film, this fascinating, exciting biopic about NSA contractor turned whistleblower Edward Snowden is a sober, serious affair that isn't hampered by the histrionics that hobbles earlier Stone efforts such as "Platoon" and "JFK." While it features an amazing large ensemble cast, including Melissa Leo, Tom Wilkinson, Zachary Quinto and Shailene Woodley, the film belongs to star Joseph Gordon-Levitt who is mesmerizing as Snowden. 2 hrs. 14 R (profanity, sexuality, nudity) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
STAR TREK BEYOND. 2.5 stars. "Fast & Furious: director Justin Lin takes over from rebooter J.J. Abrams, but while the action is turbocharged, the storyline _ Enterprise crew stranded on hostile planet ruled by reptilian warlord (Idris Elba) _ feels less epic than episodic. With Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, and company. 2 hrs. PG-13 (intense sci-fi action, violence, adult themes) _ Steven Rea
SUICIDE SQUAD. 2.5 stars. Superman is dead. To protect America, a Defense Department guru (Viola Davis) forces a group of condemned metahuman killers to join a special forges team. Jared Leto and Margot Robbie steal the show as the Joker and his lover. A schizoid animal that's absurdly dark one minute, ridiculous funny the next, the movie also features Will Smith, Common and Joel Kinnaman. 2 hrs. 03 PG-13 (sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and profanity) _ Tirdad Derakhshani
SULLY. 3.5 stars. Tom Hanks stars as veteran airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger in this deftly executed account of the amazing emergency landing of a US Airways passenger jet in the middle of the Hudson River _ the so-called "Miracle on the Hudson." A true-life drama about heroism and people working in harmony under exceptional conditions _ and a sobering deconstruction of the flight's aftermath: Second-guessing, self-doubt, an administrative body _ the National Transportation Safety Board _ that appears on the hunt for a scapegoat. Clint Eastwood directs. 1 hr. 35 PG-13 (profanity, adult themes) _ Steven Rea
