Doctor Strange PG-13
In this Marvel comic book adaptation, Benedict Cumberbatch appears as Dr. Strange, a renowned neurosurgeon robbed of his craft when his hands are damaged in a car accident. Sought out by “The Ancient One” (Tilda Swinton), who seeks to tutor him in the mystic arts, Strange soon acquires a host of new abilities. He will need these to battle the villain Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), who has stolen a text that is key to understanding the dangerous Dark Dimension. Jumping back and forth through time and space while bending the laws of physics, the film incorporates elements of Jumper and Inception to deliver its unique take on mind-bending realities. Bravo! (Lisa Miller)
Hacksaw Ridge R
Director Mel Gibson chronicles events in the life of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), the first conscientious objector to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Set during World War II, the Seventh Day Adventist refuses rifle training and receives a severe beating from fellow soldiers convinced he’s a coward. Recovering at Lynchburg Hospital, Doss falls for a nurse (Teresa Palmer), who becomes his gal and staunch supporter. After a military tribunal grants Doss the right to serve as a weaponless medic, he ships out to the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. His platoon takes heavy casualties, prompting Doss to repeatedly put his own life on the line rescuing dozens of wounded soldiers. Everyone, Doss’s detractors included, is wowed by his bravery. (L.M.)
Here, There & Everywhere
Warren Miller Entertainment has produced innovative action sports cinematography since 1949. The latest installment, Here, There & Everywhere, is a film that follows several gifted skiers and snowboarders as they set out to look for new terrain and new adventure. These world-famous athletes travel everywhere from across the U.S. and Canadian Rockies to Greenland and the Swiss Alps. Showcasing progressive snowsports, pushing boundaries and testing the athletes’ talents, this film presents snowsports from all angles. If there is any way to get excited about the upcoming winter season, it’s by seeing Here, There & Everywhere. (Angelika Villafuerte)
Moonlight R
In Moonlight, writer-director Barry Jenkins tells the emotionally complicated, often painful story of an African American male in three parts: childhood, high school and young adulthood. As a boy, Chiron is lonely and picked on for being “soft”; in high school, he continues to run the gauntlet of bullying until striking back lands him in prison. He emerges hard-faced and tough—a drug dealer like the man who mentored him (and helped him survive) a fatherless childhood with a mother sinking into crack addiction. Chiron is gay and Jenkins’ thoughtful, elliptical film repeatedly asks: “Who is you?” (David Luhrssen)
Trolls: 3D PG
Drawing inspiration from the troll dolls popularized during the 1960s, the film’s voice cast features Anna Kendrick as irrepressible Poppy and Justin Timberlake as pessimistic Branch. Together, this mismatched troll pair seeks to rescue other trolls from the Bergens (troll-eating giants). The film augments its rainbow-colored CGI with felt textures, facial glitter and rivers of cascading troll hair. While a portion of the dialog hits its mark, the script is short on inventively staged situations and relatable characters. The story utilizes 20- and 30-year-old top 40 pop tunes to create emotional touchstones. (L.M.)
