A crisis of faith can certainly serve as the basis for a compelling drama. In the case of the Evangelical film “God Bless the Broken Road” (Freestyle), though, the cards feel stacked, albeit for the right outcome, with the result that the protagonist’s doubts themselves seem unconvincing.
Remember the proverbial admonition not to take candy from strangers? Well, that warning applies in spades to director Pierre Morel as he tries to hand out “Peppermint” (STX), a gory, over-the-top revenge fantasy that sets Jennifer Garner on the rampage.
“The Nun” (Warner Bros.) is an ambitious undertaking with an immense budget and lush special effects the aim to rank as the “That’s Entertainment!” of Catholic-themed horror films.
Those on the lookout for an above-average thriller boasting both surprising plot developments and upright basic values will probably be pleased with “Searching” (Screen Gems).
A few flaws notwithstanding, “BlacKkKlansman” (Focus) represents an effective — and, strange as it may sound, often entertaining — look at the vicious racism lurking at the fringes of American life and perpetually aspiring to enter its mainstream.
As scripted by Daniel Casey and directed by brothers Jonathan and Josh Baker, “Kin” (Summit), a gritty but somewhat intriguing crime thriller with an overlay of science fiction, explores shades of right and wrong via a road trip through seamy swaths of Rust Belt and rural America. It’s a thoughtful film but one that can only be endorsed for a minority of grown-ups.
For parents and comic fans weary of the adult nature of many modern superhero films, a safe refuge can be found in the “Lego DC Super Heroes” movies. Arch, colorful and free of violence and profanity, these animated direct-to-video adventures often offer what more self-serious comics-based titles don’t, namely, fun.
OK, so there’s this experimental robotic war dog, very high tech, that’s been developed for the military by an evil (of course) corporation.
