AQUAMAN. 2 stars. Aquaman (Jason Momoa) reluctantly returns to Atlantis to battle his half brother (Patrick Wilson) for control of the kingdom. A bright, wacky, wise-cracky change of pace from the usual D.C. Universe mope-fest, and Momoa brings some levity to the proceedings, but the movie is way to long, and over-reliant on animated effects. With Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman. 2 hrs. 23 PG-13 (violence) _ Gary Thompson
BEN IS BACK. 3 stars. As a mother (Julia Roberts) prepares for the Christmas holiday, her addicted son (Lucas Hedges) returns unexpectedly from a stint in drug rehab. Events transpire to shatter the family's peace, leading mother and son on a dangerous trip during which both are forced to confront aspects of the young man's past. Movie can be manipulative, but it's well-acted throughout. With Courtney B. Vance. 1 hr. 43 R (drug use) _ Gary Thompson
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. 2.5 stars. Brian Singer directs this tame, cliched biopic on Freddy Mercury and Queen. With Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton and Gwilym Lee. 2 hrs. 15 PG-13 (suggestive material, profanity, drug content) _ Dan DeLuca
DESTROYER. 3 stars. Nicole Kidman is a burned-out detective on a murder case with links to a botched investigation from her past. Kidman takes burned out a little too far, and is a bit wooden in the title role, but the rest of Karyn Kusama's movie is a cleverly arranged, well-done example of noir-ish, hard-boiled procedural, with the novelty of a woman in the role of rogue cop. Strong supporting cast includes Tatiana Maslany, Sebastian Stan and Tony Kebbell. 2 hrs. 3 R (violence) _ Gary Thompson
THE FAVOURITE. 3 stars. A new servant (Emma Stone) makes a favorable impression on the woman (Rachel Weisz) running early-18th-century England while Queen Anne suffers from a series of ailments. 1 hr. 59 R (sex, profanity) _ Gary Thompson
GREEN BOOK. 3.5 stars. A working-class bouncer bonds with an African-American classical pianist while they travel the South together during the early 1960s. 2 hrs. 10 PG-13 (profanity) _ Gary Thompson
MARY POPPINS RETURNS. 2.5 stars. Very stylish continuation of the P.L. Travers story, with Emily Blunt in the title role, coming back to take care of the Banks children (Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer) now grown, and in danger of losing their family home. Professional throughout _ songs, choreography, special effects _ but missing some of the magic of the original. With Lin-Manuel Miranda. 2 hrs. 10 PG _ Gary Thompson
THE OATH. 3 stars. Ike Barinholtz directs and stars as a combative political junkie who hosts his family for Thanksgiving and has no intention of letting the evening pass peacefully. 1 hr. 33 R (profanity, violence) _ Gary Thompson
THE UPSIDE. 2.5 stars. Competent if pat remake of the French hit "The Intouchables" about a streetwise guy (Kevin Hart) who bluffs his way into a job as caregiver to a wealthy man (Bryan Cranston) who paralysis has left him depressed. The story is predictable, but the two leads work well together, and Hart gets to add emotional sincerity to his brand of antic comedy. With Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies. 2 hrs. 6 PG-13 (language) _ Gary Thompson
WELCOME TO MARWEN. 2.5 stars. After he's nearly beaten to death, an artist (Steve Carell) starts to heal by building a miniature WWII Belgian town, using toy figures to create stories that help him understand his assault. Director Robert Zemeckis creates fantasy sequences to bring those narratives alive. Erratic, ambitious film, based on the true story of Mark Hogancamp, actually works best in live-action scene featuring plain old acting. Costarring Merritt Wever, Leslie Mann, Janelle Monae. 1 hr. 56 PG-13 (violence) _ Gary Thompson
