A game cast isn't quite enough to keep the submarine thriller "Hunter Killer" afloat. Gerard Butler plays Captain Joe Glass, the square-jawed leader of an American nuclear sub that is called upon to fulfill a unique mission: To save the leader of Russia from an internal military coup. There are so many improbabilities in "Hunter Killer" that audiences are forced to suspend disbelief more than for a Harry Potter movie. And why did Gary Oldman choose to follow up his Oscar-winning role as Churchill with this goofy enterprise? As a military thriller, the submarine flick "Hunter Killer" is sub-par. The one good thing you can say about the goofy spy spoof sequel "Johnny English Strikes Again" is that it's more believable than "Hunter Killer." British comic Rowan Atkinson, best known as Mr. Bean, returns as a bungling secret agent in this sequel to his 2003 comedy. English is called upon to save the world from an evil computer entrepreneur who's bent on world domination. Peter Sellers in "The Pink Panther" movies is the obvious template for this character, but "Johnny English" lacks the inspired lunacy of those comic hits.   “Free Solo” is a documentary about mountain climber Alex Honnold and his…

It’s been 40 years since the masked killer Michael Meyers slashed his way into movie infamy in the horror classic “Halloween,” but there was one victim who got away. After decades in an asylum, Michael escapes to finally finish things with Laurie Strode in the reboot of “Halloween.” Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie and Nick Castle is back as Michael. Filmmaker David Gordon Green’s film dispenses with storylines from all nine of the other bloody sequels and remakes but retains the grisly elements for fans of this violent, morally dubious genre. While the reimagined version doesn’t add much that’s new, the revamped “Halloween” is creepy, unnerving and considerably better than any of the other follow-ups.   “The Oath” is a pitch-black comedy that takes a poke at America’s deep political divide. Comedian Ike Barinholtz wrote, directed and stars in this edgy farce about an insufferably self-righteous liberal whose rigidly right-wing family members come over for Thanksgiving dinner just as the President requires every citizen to sign an oath of loyalty to him. The caustic banter between these relatives quickly devolves into violence. The strong cast includes Tiffany Haddish, John Cho and Carrie Brownstein who make the grating dialogue a…

Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle goes from “La La Land” to outer space with “First Man.” Ryan Gosling plays the ultra-reserved astronaut Neil Armstrong and Claire Foy is his devoted wife, Janet. It’s beautifully produced, but like Armstrong himself, “First Man” …

Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle goes from “La La Land” to outer space with “First Man.” Ryan Gosling plays the ultra-reserved astronaut Neil Armstrong and Claire Foy is his devoted wife, Janet. It’s beautifully produced, but like Armstrong himself, “First Man” is emotionally aloof.   “Bad Times at the El Royale” is half of a great movie. This slick and violent grindhouse exploitation flick is involving and features a great cast, but it wears out its welcome in the bloated second half. It’s overdone and overlong but will be a guilty pleasure for some.   Amandla Stenberg gives a star making performance “The Hate U Give,” a YA offering about an African American teen walking a tightrope between her poor black neighborhood and the upscale white prep school she attends. This social drama has a lot more meat on its bones than most teen movies.   “Colette” is a decadent biopic about the infamous French writer. Keira Knightley plays the author of the semi-autobiographical novels about her bohemian lifestyle that scandalized early 20th century Paris. “Colette” may lack inspiration, but it’s never dull.   “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” is a sequel to the 2015 hit horror movie for kids inspired by…

There are two words that best describe the fourth big screen version of the old Hollywood chestnut, “A Star is Born”: Oscar bait. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are impressive in this tragic romance about an alcoholic musician on the …

There are two words that best describe the fourth big screen version of the old Hollywood chestnut, “A Star is Born”: Oscar bait. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are impressive in this tragic romance about an alcoholic musician on the downslide and his protégé who’s on the rise. Cooper directed and co-wrote this update, his first foray behind the camera. He also provides his own songs. In her movie debut, Lady Gaga displays solid acting chops to go along with her radio-ready original music. Even though you know the outcome, the story is still affecting thanks to the realistic treatment and the chemistry between the stars. “A Star is Born” doesn’t just refer to Lady Gaga, it also refers to Cooper as a talented budding filmmaker.   A Spider-Man supervillain gets his own feature film in Marvel’s “Venom.” Tom Hardy plays an investigative reporter who becomes the unwitting host for an alien parasite that provides him with amazing shape-shifting abilities, super strength and an intense hunger for human organs. When the Venom parasite starts making small talk with his host, however, the movie becomes unintentionally funny. The tone of this movie shifts shape more often than the title character. While…

The themes in the animated goof “Smallfoot” may be a bit heavy-handed, but it’s still a modestly amusing musical lark. Channing Tatum provides the voice of Migo, a giant yeti living in an isolated village atop a hidden mountain in …

“The House with a Clock in its Walls” is an atmospheric PG-rated horror movie for kids based on John Bellairs’ novel. Jack Black and Cate Blanchett star in this story about witchcraft, a young kid and a particularly spooky house. …

The themes in the animated goof “Smallfoot” may be a bit heavy-handed, but it’s still a modestly amusing musical lark. Channing Tatum provides the voice of Migo, a giant yeti living in an isolated village atop a hidden mountain in Nepal. He’s banished when he claims to have seen a smallfoot…that is, a human… which is believed to be mythical. The voice cast includes Common, Zendaya, LaBron James and James Cordon. The mixture of slapstick humor and social commentary doesn’t always work, but “Smallfoot” has its small charms.   If you think actress Emma Thompson can do no wrong, you’ll find more ammo for your argument in “The Children Act.” This sturdy British drama is about a judge, played by Thompson, whose marriage to professor Stanley Tucci is on the rocks. At the same time, she’s presiding over a touchy trial that pits the healthcare of a minor against the concept of religious freedom. The story has an air of artificiality, particularly in the pivotal relationship between the judge and a 17-year-old boy involved in the case. But Thompson ably carries the film on her very British shoulders.   The potentially incendiary comic combo of Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish…

“The House with a Clock in its Walls” is an atmospheric PG-rated horror movie for kids based on John Bellairs’ novel. Jack Black and Cate Blanchett star in this story about witchcraft, a young kid and a particularly spooky house. Fans of “Harry Potter,” “Goosebumps” and “Lemony Snicket” will find much that’s familiar here, but this adaptation isn’t quite as successful as any of them. Plus, “The House with a Clock in its Walls” is likely too scary for very young kids. Blanchett and Black are fun together, though.   Are you in the mood to be hammered with bubblegum philosophizing in an emotionally manipulative multigenerational drama? When then, “Life Itself” is the four-hankie weeper for you. Written and directed by Dan Fogelman, the creator of TV’s tearjerker, “This is Us,” “Life Itself” has an outstanding cast that includes Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde and Anette Bening in a tale about love, loss and the human condition. These fine actors lend some gravitas to the proceedings, but the story is so packed with tragedy that it seems downright sadistic. Also, one of the characters drones on about her thesis on “The Unreliable Narrator.” It’s as if Fogelman were going for self-parody,…