Movie Reviews

The good news about the drama “The 15:17 to Paris” (Warner Bros.), as well as the real-life events on which it’s based, is that, given the right circumstances and motivations, ordinary people can achieve great things.

That rustling sound you hear is famed children’s author Beatrix Potter spinning in her grave, distressed at what has been done to her beloved characters in “Peter Rabbit” (Columbia).

There are many interesting things to know about the life of arms heiress Sarah Winchester (c. 1840-1922). For one, she was fabulously wealthy. For another, she believed she was cursed.

“The Shape of Water” (Fox Searchlight), which evenly splits elements of romantic fantasy, classic horror and musical nostalgia, makes the case for girl meets gills. And without Old Bay seasoning, no less.

The dramatic power and serious artistic intent that mark writer-director Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (Fox Searchlight) are too obvious to be denied.

The spotlight shines brightly on British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour” (Focus), a historical drama about political leadership and backroom intrigue during a pivotal moment of World War II.

Classical statuary forms a recurring visual motif in the coming-of-age drama “Call Me by Your Name” (Sony Classics).

“Bilal: A New Breed of Hero” (Vertical Entertainment) is an animated adventure story about seventh-century Arabian hero Bilal ibn Rabah, who eventually became a companion of the prophet Muhammad and is considered the first muezzin — the prayer caller at a mosque.