Movies opening this week: ‘Ben-Hur,’ ‘War Dogs,’ ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’

“Ben-Hur”

Opens at 7 p.m. Thursday

“Racing is a blood sport,” says a dreadlocked Morgan Freeman, adding that, “if you lose, you die.” But Jack Huston, as Judah Ben-Hur, is planning to win, climbing into the chariot that Charlton Heston once rode to glory. Rated PG-13. Time: 2:04.

“War Dogs”

Opens at 7 p.m. Thursday

This fact-based comedy by Todd Phillips (“The Hangover” trilogy) was inspired by an article in Rolling Stone about a former Miami massage therapist (Miles Teller) and his weed-smoking pal (Jonah Hill) who somehow won a $300 million contract with the U.S. government to supply arms to our allies in Afghanistan. Rated R. Time: 1:54.

“Kubo and the Two Strings”

Opens at 6 p.m. Thursday

Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara and Ralph Fiennes provide the voices for this animated Japanese fantasy about a boy, his magical string instrument and the enchanted creatures who aid him as he attempts to reunite his family. Rated PG. Time: 1:41.

“Hell or High Water”

Opens Friday

In this modern-day Western, two brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) stick up banks to settle a grievance, and Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham) are in pursuit. Rated R. Time: 1:42.

“Don’t Think Twice”

Opens Friday

Comedian Mike Birbiglia wrote and directed this tale of the members of a New York City improv comedy troupe who are all out for their big break. Rated R. Time: 1:32.

“Imperium”

Opens Friday

A young FBI agent (Daniel Radcliffe) goes undercover to take down a radical white supremacist terrorist group. Toni Collette and Tracy Letts co-star. Rated R. Time: 1:49.

This story was originally published August 16, 2016 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Movies opening this week: ‘Ben-Hur,’ ‘War Dogs,’ ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’."