Mary Poppins Returns
directed by Rob Marshall,
(PG, 2 hours, 10 minutes)
Well-intentioned, nicely acted, and competently assembled, this musical reboot has its moments of fun but never manages to achieve an emotional connection with its audience. In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael's three children, are visited by Mary Poppins following a personal loss. With Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Ben Whishaw, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Julie Walters, Dick Van Dyke and Colin Firth.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (PG, 1 hour, 57 minutes) A fresh, lively approach (with energetic animation) on the Spidey franchise happens when Spider-Man crosses parallel dimensions to join with other Spider-Men in preventing a threat to reality. Animated with voices of Shameik Moore, Liev Schreiber, Lily Tomlin, Jake Johnson, Nicolas Cage, John Mulvaney, Chris Pine, Oscar Isaac, Mahershala Ali; directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman.
Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us (not rated, 1 hour, 37 minutes) More a Pokemon product showcase than a film, this colorful cartoon concerns a young athlete whose running days might be behind her, a liar, a shy researcher, a bitter old woman, and a little girl with a big secret, who have in common a passion for the annual Wind Festival in seaside Fula City. Animated with voices of Rica Matsumoto, Ikue Otani; written by Aya Takaha, Eiji Umehara; directed by Tetsuo Yajima.
On Her Shoulders (not rated, 1 hour, 35 minutes) A compassionate and compelling documentary about Nadia Murad, a seemingly ordinary 23-year-old Yazidi who survived genocide and sexual slavery committed by ISIS in northern Iraq to become the voice of her people (and a Nobel Peace Prize winner). Directed by Alexandria Bombach.
The Final Wish (not rated, 1 hour, 35 minutes) Gory and eventually full of suspense, this low-budget psychological horror tale involves Aaron, who returns home to help his grief-stricken mother and to confront his past after the death of his father. When going through his dad's belongings, he comes across a mysterious item that is more than it seems. With Lin Shaye, Michael Welch, Melissa Bolona, Tony Todd; directed by Timothy Woodward Jr.
Being Rose (not rated, 1 hour, 29 minutes) Too contrived to be effective, this alleged romance follows wheelchair-bound former cop Rose Jones (Cybill Shepherd), who goes on a road trip in search of her estranged son, a journey that includes meeting handsome, troubled cowboy Max (James Brolin). With Pam Grier, Cindy Pickett, Amy Davidson; directed by Rod McCall.
Big Kill (R, 2 hours, 6 minutes) A throwback to TV westerns of the 1950s -- complete with an episodic story that would be best served with a shorter running time and commercial breaks -- Big Kill involves an inept city slicker from Philadelphia, some gamblers on the run, and an outlaw preacher who have a violent encounter in a former boomtown. With Jason Patric, Lou Diamond Phillips; directed by Scott Martin.
MovieStyle on 03/22/2019