The following capsule reviews of recent releases, long runs and revivals come from various wire services, as noted:

RATINGS: G - Suitable for all ages. PG - Parental guidance recommended. PG-13 - Parental guidance strongly suggested. R - Restricted; anyone under 18 must be accompanied by adult. NC-17 - No children under 17.

Excellent Good Fair Poor

Abominable

Animated. A teen and her two friends embark on an epic quest to reunite a Yeti with his family. There's a Yeti that belches a lot, evil scientists, plucky kids and animals that look as if they were conjured up by toy merchandising executives. Even the sidekicks seem to have sidekicks. For a film that often seems to be working off a checklist, it ends up being a memorable time at the movies. "Abominable" delivers all the notes you expect from family-friendly animation these days. And, thankfully, a little bit more. (PG for some action and mild rude humor) 1/2 (Peter Hartlaub, Hearst Newspapers)

Ad Astra

Drama. Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) undertakes a mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father and his doomed expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the universe. "Ad Astra" is a probing, searching movie by one of the medium's best American directors whose reach, like his protagonist's, exceeds his grasp. Still, director James Gray reaches, and his visually striking movie is mostly a success despite a dud of an ending. It's a fascinating movie that aspires to the level of not "2001: A Space Odyssey," as it has been compared by some, and more like Andrei Tarkovsky's great Soviet sci-fi head-scratcher "Solaris." (PG-13 for some violence and bloody images, and for brief strong language) (G. Allen Johnson, Hearst Newspapers)

The Addams Family

Animated. An animated version of Charles Addams' series of cartoons about a peculiar, ghoulish family, with the voices of Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg and Bette Midler. Through its various media incarnations, from a campy 1960s TV series to a couple of very good movies by Barry Sonnenfeld, "The Addams Family" is really adult humor. In the new animated "The Addams Family," it's dumbed-down for kids. Charles Addams should be rolling in his grave right now. (PG for macabre and suggestive humor, and some action) (G.A.J.)

Downton Abbey

Drama. The continuing story of the Crawley family, wealthy owners of a large estate in the English countryside in the early 20th century, based on the PBS series. "Downton Abbey," an enjoyable but uneven film adaptation of the beloved PBS series, seems designed to give fans what they want. Having allowed most characters hard-won happy endings when the show ended in 2016, series creator (now screenwriter) Julian Fellowes simply lets most of them continue to be happy for two hours. But the big-screen treatment also serves as a kind of white-glove test that the film sometimes fails. The actors appear to mug more often than they did on TV. But perhaps this is less a reflection of format than of Fellowes assigning them more broadly comic moments. (PG for thematic elements, some suggestive material, and language) 1/2 (Carla Meyer, Hearst Newspapers)

Gemini Man

Action. in director Ang Lee's latest film, an over-the-hill hitman (Will Smith) faces off against a younger clone of himself (also Will Smith). Co-stars include Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Clive Owen. Technologically, "Gemini Man" is borderline miraculous. We might think we're watching two Smiths, one regular and one de-aged. That's remarkable, but as with everything that's technologically remarkable, you can only say wow for five minutes. Then you get used to it, and you're back to watching a particular story with a particular actor. Mostly, the presence of two Smiths just gives us scenes of them shooting at or fighting each other, but you know that no one will get seriously hurt. (PG-13 for violence and action throughout, and brief strong language) 1/2 ( M.L.)

Hustlers

Drama. Inspired by the viral New York magazine article, this comedy-drama follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Cardi B, Lizzo, Lili Reinhart and Keke Palmer. If Scorsese had been born female, he might have made a film like "Hustlers," a based-on-truth crime story unlike any other. Given that the film stars Jennifer Lopez in a powerhouse performance and comedy star Constance Wu, one might be forgiven for thinking that this will be a comedy, maybe a light-hearted heist film like "Oceans 11," or a titillating piece of trash like "Showgirls." But then writer-director Lorene Scafaria's film gets darker by the minute, becoming a tough-as-(acrylic)-nails noir, complete with morally challenged femme fatales. Although the film is filled with strong female characters, this isn't a triumph of female empowerment, nor is it really a feminist film. It is a film of anger and sadness at the stacked decks of our social and economic structures. But "Hustlers" belongs to Lopez, a Bronx-born force of nature who turned 50 this year. She dominates the film she co-produced with energy and emotion, and hopefully she has a shot at getting her first Oscar nomination. (R for pervasive sexual material, drug content, language and nudity) 1/2 (G.A.J.)

It: Chapter Two

Horror. Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back. Like the homicidal shape-shifting clown from the movie posters, "It Chapter Two" is more concerned with style than always making sense. The sequel feeds off the goodwill of the first movie, one of the most satisfying blockbusters of 2017. At nearly three hours, it's hard to tell whether this movie needs a 40-minute trim, or if the filmmakers should have added five more hours and put it on Netflix. The first "It" had a strong "Stand By Me" vibe, and would have worked even without the killer clown. "It Chapter Two" is a messier production, that barely seems coherent even with the first film as a primer. But even without the cohesive story and Spielberg-ian charms of the first film, the sequel still delivers ample shock and awe. (R for disturbing violent content and bloody images throughout, pervasive language, and some crude sexual material) 1/2 (P.H.)

Jexi

Comedy. A man's (Adam Devine) new cellphone turns into a technological nightmare when the AI program (voiced by Rose Byrne) tries to control him. It's a testament to the comedic chops of star Adam DeVine that "Jexi" isn't worse than it is. Whatever small bits of amusement arise from the laborious "smart phone gone haywire" comedy come from the "Workaholics" star working overtime mugging, shrieking, whatever it takes to wring laughs from a pretty thankless script. And "thankless" is about as good a summation as any for what a tough slog this one was to get through. If the movie was going to lean fully into the surreality of its own premise, that'd be one thing, but it wants to keep one foot grounded in some semblance of the "real" world, making for a frustrating mix. "Jexi" feels hopelessly out of step with the moment. Despite its subject matter, it's a flip phone movie in a smart phone world. (R for strong/crude sexual content and language throughout, some drug use and graphic nudity) (Zaki Hasan, Hearst Newspapers)

Joker

Drama. Failed comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) encounters violent thugs while wandering the streets of Gotham City dressed as a clown. Disregarded by society, he begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker. Also stars Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy and Zazie Beetz. "Joker" is hard to talk about. So right off the top, let's just state two easy and obvious things we can say about it: It's a very good movie, and it features a blood-curdling performance from Joaquin Phoenix, in the most frightening portrayal of a violent maniac in decades. "Joker" is not without dull spots, for the simple reason that, with a movie like this, it's hard to find a second act. You haven't seen the movie, but you know how it ends of course you do. And I already told you how it starts. The middle is just some space that needs to be filled in, which the movie does competently, sometimes eerily, but not so masterfully that there are no doldrums. Fortunately, there's always Phoenix, who never lets up always horrifying and always horribly human. (R for strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images) (M.L.)

Judy

Drama. Legendary performer Judy Garland (Renee Zellweger) arrives in London in the winter of 1968 to perform a series of sold-out concerts. A great movie was within reach with "Judy," but they made an epic mistake: They didn't use Garland's actual vocals. Instead, they let Zellweger pinch hit for Babe Ruth and ended up spoiling the movie. Otherwise, Zellweger is terrific. In all the offstage scenes, it's possible to believe you're looking at Judy Garland. But the second she opens her mouth to sing, the entire illusion is broken. And it gets broken over and over again. If this were merely a movie about Garland's private life, with perhaps a song and bits of songs scattered throughout, it might not matter at all. But "Judy" is a performance-heavy film. What makes this doubly maddening is that "Judy" is, otherwise, quite good. There's a lot here to admire and savor. There are a handful of lovely scenes and, throughout, there's a real feeling for Garland's way of speaking, her incisive sensitivity and the peculiar twist of her humor. (PG-13 for substance abuse, thematic content, some strong language, and smoking) 1/2 (M.L.)

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice

Documentary. Ronstadt is our guide through her early years of singing Mexican canciones with her family, her folk days with the Stone Poneys and her reign as the "rock queen" of the '70s and early '80s. The irony of such a beautiful voice being stilled by Parkinson's disease floats over the entire 90 minutes of the new documentary, where none of the procession of associates and other commentators make the case for her greatness better than Ronstadt herself, captured in vintage clip after vintage clip, singing the hell out of everything she does. Filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Freidman lay out a dizzying cavalcade of incredible vocal performances, woven into a tapestry of her associates telling her story. (PG-13 for brief strong language and drug material) (Joel Selvin, Hearst Newspapers)

Lucy in the Sky

Drama. Astronaut Lucy Cola (Natalie Portman) returns to Earth after a transcendent experience during a mission to space, and begins to lose touch with reality in a world that now seems too small. The movie's one big idea that seeing Earth from the heavenly reaches can provoke a crisis is an interesting one. But though the screenplay flogs the idea, with various characters discussing the phenomenon and referencing it, the movie never exactly develops it. It remains an airy poetic conceit, one that ultimately feels a bit lofty for the ultimately tawdry and farcical trajectory of the story. If it really is true, for example, that space travel is metaphysically discombobulating, why aren't other astronauts discombobulated? Not only does "Lucy in the Sky" not address that question, but it doesn't really explain why Lucy herself starts to come apart at the seams. Or, if it does try explaining it, nothing in the screenplay or the direction makes us believe it. (R for language and some sexual content) 1/2 (M.L.)

Monos

Drama. On a faraway mountaintop in South America, eight kids with guns watch over an American hostage and a conscripted milk cow. Director and co-writer Alejandro Landes says that he wanted to make a film about war, the kinds of guerrilla, shadow wars that play out for decades on end. His film is philosophically, and physically, occupied with violence and conflict, but on an intimate, human scale. Moiss Arias and Julianne Nicholson, two American actors making their Spanish language debuts, give transformed, deeply instinctual performances as two opposing forces. (R for violence, language, some sexual content and drug use) (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service)

Official Secrets

Drama. True story of a British whistleblower (Keira Knightley) who leaked information about an illegal spy operation designed to push the U.N. Security Council into sanctioning the 2003 Iraq invasion. Knightley, with that combination of fragility and intensity that has become her signature, plays it as a kind of journey toward moral clarity. Director Gavin Hood, who also co-wrote the screenplay, is a specialist in the strain that international politics places on individual morality. (R for language) (M.L.)

See the rest here:

Movies in Brief - Albany Times Union