Hereditary R
Ellen’s lifelong fascination with the occult damaged her daughter Annie (Toni Collette), so when Ellen dies, Annie hopes to feel freed. Instead, Annie’s mind, along with the minds of her children, are attacked by Ellen’s spirit. Morose teenager Peter (Alex Wolff) sees terrible visions, while his gawky younger sister, Charlie (Milly Shapiro), spouts evil proclamations. Annie’s trauma ripples through her children, so they have few defenses from the attack by supernatural forces. Hereditary creates a distressed, unsettling environment devoid of comfort. Even the dollhouses Annie creates are yet another place where evil manifests. By imbuing his characters with real-life problems and fears, writer-director Ari Aster tracks how darkness creeps within and overtakes us. (Lisa Miller)
Hotel Artemis R
Jean Thomas (Jodie Foster) is a registered nurse running Hotel Artemis—a members’ only secret hospital for crooks. We meet her when Hotel Artemis is inundated with customers, thanks to a high-tech robbery gone wrong. Certain patients want to kill other patients, which just so happens to be against Thomas’ rules. With her hospital under attack by crime kingpin Niagra (Jeff Goldblum), Thomas relies upon her musclebound healthcare professional, Everest (Dave Bautista), to ward off trouble. Wearing spectacles, a threadbare wig and frumpy scrubs, Foster’s Thomas may look feeble, but she’s nobody’s fool. (L.M.)
Ocean’s Eight PG-13
When George Clooney called the franchise quits following Ocean’s Thirteen, it seemed the party was over. However, not even Clooney can keep a popular series down—especially with so much female talent waiting in the wings. Here, Sandra Bullock appears as Danny Ocean’s estranged sister, Debbie. Fresh out of prison, Debbie plots to steal a $150 million diamond necklace from helpful Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) during New York City’s annual Met Gala. Cate Blanchett portrays Debbie’s partner-in-crime, while five other actresses play co-conspirators, totaling the titular eight. Like Frank Sinatra before him, Clooney created a party atmosphere around a little light-hearted larceny; with the ladies up to bat, I’m hoping for a more involving, detailed heist. (L.M.)
The Seagull PG-13
Anger erupts over the course of a summer at the country estate of a culturally active family and their circle in director Michael Mayer’s nicely furnished adaptation of Anton Chekhov. In an acute examination of human psychology, The Seagull’s characters display jealousy, envy and ennui—the struggle to find meaning, to discover new forms of expression and survive midlife crises. Annette Benning stars as a grand dame of the theater and a clueless mother to her aspiring author son. Some of the cast are overly aware of the text’s theatrical origins, but Saoirse Ronan shines as Nina, a country girl with dreams. (David Luhrssen)
Opens June 8, Oriental Theatre.
