Movie Reviews

Faith, forgiveness and healing were some of the central topics that emerged during a recent panel discussion about the forthcoming abortion-themed film “Unplanned” at New York City’s Sheen Center for Thought & Culture.

In his 1922 book “What I Saw in America,” the great Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton reflects on how beautiful New York’s Times Square would be for someone who couldn’t read. Similarly, the animated adventure “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” (Universal) would benefit from being shown without sound.

You can’t judge a book by its cover — or, in this case, a film by its title. “Fighting With My Family” (MGM) turns out to be an entertaining comedy-drama despite its off-putting name.

Everything viewers need to know about the futuristic action adventure “Alita: Battle Angel” (Fox) is summed up in the line of dialogue that describes its young heroine, played by Rosa Salazar, as having “the face of an angel and the body of a warrior.”

In satirizing the conventions of contemporary romantic comedies — “Isn’t It Romantic” (Warner Bros.), provides a love story of its own — director Todd Strauss-Schulson’s upbeat film delivers laughs aplenty.

Nashville filmmaker Chris Foley, inspired by the story of Father Tolton’s life, has written and directed a short film, “Across,” about the Tolton family’s escape from slavery.

Like its 2017 predecessor, “Happy Death Day 2U” (Universal) is all about being trapped in time.

Outstanding movies suitable for a wide variety of ages ranged from new iterations of classic stories to fact-based tales about the struggles of a famous veteran and the waning career of a beloved comedy team.