Calvin Wilson

The film is hard to watch, but its timeliness is impossible to ignore. Still, a case could be made that Bigelow dwells on the violence a bit too obsessively.

Director Matthew Heineman (“Cartel Land”) sticks with the group as it moves from strategy meetings to safe houses, documenting not only its political commitment but also intimate moments of reflection.

A rebuke to the genteel period costume dramas that have long reigned as arthouse staples. Working from a screenplay by Alice Birch, director William Oldroyd turns the genre on its head, penetrating the pretty exteriors that conceal wild and dangerous emotions.

A stylish but empty spy flick, redeemed only by well-executed action sequences.

Working from his own screenplay, director David Lowery (“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”) delivers a risky, challenging film that unfolds with a spellbinding momentum. Just what it all means is left to the viewer to contemplate.

Seldom has a film so eloquently captured the craziness, brutality and arbitrariness of war. Dunkirk just might be Nolan’s masterpiece.

Valerian has some cool visuals. But there’s more to science fiction than pretty pictures.

Maudie is a work of art.

The Big Sick has a lot of charm. Just don’t expect the revolution in romantic comedy that its aggressive hype would suggest.

Perhaps the only reason to see it is Elliott, who’s terrific as a man who’s desperate to make amends for his shortcomings. It’s one of his finest and most memorable performances. Unfortunately, the script fails to rise to the level of Elliott’s artistry.

Baby Driver zooms onto the screen with an exhilarating combination of smarts and style.

Deftly balances subtle humor with sharp observations about class, wealth and power.

As a performer, Lister-Jones acquits herself well on both the comedic and melodramatic fronts. And the scruffily charming Pally comes across as a hybrid of Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd. But Armisen’s weirdo shtick is way past its sell-by date.

Mara, perhaps best known for her stint on the Netflix series “House of Cards,” isn’t entirely persuasive as a Marine. But she’s appealing as a young woman who takes control of her life with a little help from an unlikely companion. If you have a soft spot for dogs, this is a love story you’ll find irresistible.

It doesn’t help that Weisz and Claflin have zero chemistry, and both come across as miscast. She lacks the aura of mystery that her character requires, and he’s woefully low on the charisma required of a romantic hero.

Working from her own screenplay, director Robin Swicord (“The Jane Austen Book Club”) delivers a film that balances wry humor and sly introspection.

The franchise has sadly devolved into a cynical cash grab.

The Lovers is the rare film that acknowledges that romance isn’t limited to people in their 20s and 30s. It’s also a smart, quirky comedy that moviegoers of any age should find eminently appealing.

Reportedly, at least two more “Alien” prequels are planned. If they’re half as good as this one, prepare to tremble.

Perhaps best known for the HBO series “Sex and the City,” Nixon deftly balances wit and melancholy. And Ehle is empathy personified. This is a film of subtle beauty.

Taylor-Johnson — who earned high praise for his performance in last year’s “Nocturnal Animals” — is riveting as a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Pratt is engagingly rascally as Quill, and Saldana brings a sassy charisma to the no-nonsense Gamora. But as might be expected, Baby Groot steals the film.

In a first-rate cast, Titieni turns in a brilliant performance as a man who sacrifices long-held values to bow to the expediency of the moment.

The film is a criminal waste of an ensemble cast that should have found something better to do than lend their names to such a pointless exercise. Free Fire is a misfire.

If you long for a film in the tradition of such grown-up entertainments as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “The English Patient,” this is one to get lost in.

An engaging comedy-drama that avoids becoming too much of a tearjerker.

Diesel and Johnson are at their testosterone-charged best. Theron, who seems to be auditioning to become the next Bond villain, is ruthlessness personified.

Delivers a feel-good film that nonetheless allows for genuine moments of working-class anger.