‘The Invite’
Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde star as Joe and Angela, a married couple whose stale relationship receives a jolt from a dinner party with their neighbors in this dramedy directed by Wilde.
From our review:
“The Invite” hits some false notes here and there — occasionally Wilde’s performance feels strung too tight, and certain signifiers of banality in Joe and Angela’s marriage seem a little too pat. … But for the most part, it’s a romp, rhythmically enjoyable and cleverly directed, with subtle flourishes that build out the characters’ quirks and anxieties.
In theaters. Read the full review.
She’s super; the movie is not.
‘Supergirl’
Milly Alcock stars as the title superhero in the latest addition to the DC Extended Universe directed by Craig Gillespie.
From our review:
The strain shows in different ways in “Supergirl,” which is derivative if altogether watchable, largely on account of its star. … That Alcock manages to rise above the fray with a performance that never feels like borrowed goods is at once a surprise and a gift.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Growing older but never up.
‘Jackass: Best and Last’
The crew of pranksters returns for the final entry in this series directed by Jeff Tremaine, this time combining past footage with new stupidity.
From our review:
For better and worse, though, “Jackass: Best and Last” leaves a sense of a full-fledged send-off avoided — of boundaries left unpushed. Rachel Wolfson, the first female member of the main team, is somehow given even less to do than in the preceding film. But it’s hard to begrudge the founders this ultimate opportunity to navel gaze. They’ve looked in every other orifice.
In theaters. Read the full review.
These coyotes are toothless.
‘Bouchra’
This animated meta-drama made by Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani centers on the title character, a coyote who is working things out with her mom while making a movie.
From our review:
Stories of family hurt have a way of working you over, and “Bouchra” has its moments. Yet the more the filmmakers focus on the mother-daughter relationship, all while also embracing narrative self-reflexivity, the more drearily familiar — and toothless — this movie becomes.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A fashion faux pas.
‘Couture’
Angelina Jolie plays a filmmaker preparing for fashion week alongside three other women in this drama directed by Alice Winocour.
From our review:
Like tulle that tears at the faintest touch, “Couture” offers a gauzy glimpse into the world of high fashion. Precious little occurs, and what does is tinged with sentimentality and stretched gossamer thin.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A new circle of hell.
‘In the Hand of Dante’
In this drama directed by Julian Schnabel about Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy,” Oscar Isaac and Gerard Butler play two roles each across two time periods.
From our review:
Both actors dial it up to 11, and the movie’s black-and-white sections look gorgeous, but nothing can stop this overlong and disastrously ill-judged project from flying off the rails.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
A rude awakening from a dream.
‘Drunken Noodles’
Over two summers, Adnan (Laith Khalifeh) experiences isolation and connection with the men he encounters in this dreamy drama directed by Lucio Castro.
From our review:
“Drunken Noodles” is at its best when it drifts into flights of fancy that subvert expectations. … But with every stilted line of dialogue delivered, I wondered: How far could Castro’s latent imagination have taken the film, and us, had he fully committed to those hushed dreamscapes?
In theaters. Read the full review.
“Step Brothers” for a new era.
‘Little Brother’
John Cena and Eric André star in this crude comedy directed by Matt Spicer about an uptight real estate agent who encounters a chaotic man he once mentored for a charity program.
From our review:
“This is crude humor,” André ad libs in the end credits gag reel. It sure is, throughout, but the good-natured performers commit to their bits so much one can’t help but smile.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
Period thriller with dated sensibilities.
‘Lucky Strike’
An American World War II soldier must survive in enemy territory in this action flick directed by Rod Lurie.
From our review:
It’s quite possible to appreciate the kill-or-be-killed action, starring Scott Eastwood as a man caught behind enemy lines, even as its Greatest Generation patriotism feels preserved in amber from another era in cinema and history.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Naturalism meets fantasy.
‘Romería’
This semi-autobiographical drama directed by Carla Simón follows Marina (Llúcia Garcia), whose parents died from AIDS-related illnesses, as she reunites with her extended family.
From our review:
The slowly building drama between Marina and her extended family plays with lovely (if somewhat generic) naturalism. But as these tensions subtly reveal the enduring stigma of her parents’ disease — with Marina representing an uncomfortable reminder of that past — a separate, thrilling experiment plays out that eventually dives into spectral fantasy.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Striking some camp chords.
‘Strung’
A violinist (Chloe Bailey) gets a job tutoring a child in a mansion full of secrets in this thriller directed by Malcolm D. Lee.
From our review:
“Strung” doesn’t exactly unravel, but it delivers more of the pleasures of a near-camp mash up than the emotional stakes of a psychological thriller.
Watch on Peacock. Read the full review.
Compiled by Kellina Moore.
