‘The English Teacher’ has a class of underachievers | 2 stars
Rated R | Time: 1:33
A picturesque ‘Poppy Hill’ | 3 stars
Just about every animated film from an American studio these days is nonstop manic to the point of exhaustion. Exiting the theater can be a relief. Thus the gentleness of a Studio Ghibli film from Japan, with its hand-drawn, 2-D throwback look and irresistible colors, is always welcome.
‘Fast & Furious 6’: Dumb fun in the summer time | 2 stars
Bad movies are rarely as much fun as these “Fast and the Furious” pictures. And make no mistake about it — they’re bad.
‘Epic’ isn’t epic, but it is gorgeous | 3 stars
The action sequences are frequent and exceptional, from zooming aerial battles to comedic chases involving Bomba’s three-legged pet pug. It’s also one of the year’s most visually distinctive movies. All this is thrilling enough to divert viewers from the formulaic elements.
‘The Hangover Part III’: Still hanging in there | 2½ stars
“The Hangover Part III” brings a little mystery back to the franchise by reinventing the formula. There’s no wedding nor missing groomsman this time. No actual hangover from which to recover. Instead, the film is more a caper than a comedy.
‘In the House’: Obsession fuels a page-turner | 3 stars
French director Francois (“Potiche”) Ozon’s latest is an adaptation of a play, a satire of talent presented to those who don’t have it but recognize it, a spoof of mores and the writer’s craft, and a “bildungsroman” (coming-of-age tale) with hints of a creepy stalker-thriller about it.
‘The Iceman’ remains in a deep freeze | 2½ stars
Michael Shannon has basically rewritten the book on how to portray dark, volatile men in film with his unerring way of channeling rage and repression. But even Shannon has his work cut out for him in the new crime drama “The Iceman.”
‘33 Postcards’ not worth sending | 1 star
The dependable Australian actor Guy Pearce is always welcome, even in a well-meaning dud like “33 Postcards.”
‘Erased’ never sketches in a decent villain | 2 stars
“Erased” is a run-of-the-mill “Bourne” imitation in which covert operatives are desperate to tidy up a scheme in which American expat Ben Logan may be the only witness.
‘Kon-Tiki’: Old-fashioned adventure | 3 stars
This old-fashioned film provides a glorious cinematic display of man vs. nature — although from Thor Heyerdahl’s perspective, he was more caught up in man vs. the scientific community.
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ puts phasers on stun
“Into Darkness” picks up shortly after J.J. Abrams’ 2009 “Star Trek” prequel, as Captain James T. Kirk tries to balance his new authority aboard the Enterprise with his natural propensity for rule-breaking. It’s not going well.
The pretty good ‘Great Gatsby’ | 2½ stars
Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann orchestrates a breakneck rave of machine-gun edits, swooping camera moves, lavish costumes, eccentric art direction and anachronistic soundtrack. But things slow down during the more satisfying second act, giving the characters and story a chance to breathe. “The Great Gatsby” becomes quite conventional, almost melodramatic, but it also becomes more human.
‘He’s Way More Famous Than You’
A self-referential, insider farce about the hunger for Hollywood stardom, “He’s Way More Famous Than You” is — like its leading lady — as unhinged as it is hilarious.
‘Renoir’: A muse for father and son | 3 stars
“Renoir” is a lush, involving film that deals not with one Renoir but two, as well as the strong-minded woman who was a key player in both their lives.
‘No One Lives’ through this spatter film — or do they? | 1½ stars
In a remote roadhouse on a rural back road, the young couple (Laura Ramsey and Luke Evans), towing all their worldly possessions in a trailer for their crosscountry move, are just settling in for dinner when the thugs arrive. And they’re accosted. “We don’t want any trouble.” When has that line ever dissuaded anyone from doing their worst? Never.
‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’: An immigrant’s dream unravels | 3½ stars
There’s a double meaning to the title of “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” filmmaker Mira Nair’s gripping and complex drama based on the 2007 novel by Mohsin Hamid about the roots of extremism.
‘Peeples’: That old Fockers formula | 2½ stars
“Peeples” is an African-American “Meet the Parents” that slips funnyman Craig Robinson into the Ben Stiller role. And, formulaic or not, it’s funny.
‘Filly Brown’: A Latina star is born | 2½ stars
Music’s School of Hard Knocks produces another alumna in “Filly Brown,” a gritty and well-acted Latin hip-hop variation of a long reliable formula.
‘Lore’: War rages within a young Nazi | 3 stars
“Lore” finds a fascinating new perspective by telling its story of wartime danger and deprivation through the eyes of an adolescent poster child for the Hitler Youth.
‘No Place on Earth’: A real Nazi drama revisited | 3 stars
“No Place on Earth,” a riveting documentary about a band of Ukrainian Jews who hid for 18 months in caves to escape the Nazis, makes you wonder how this extraordinary tale could have gone untold for more than half a century.
