Positive priest characters are certainly a rarity in contemporary films. So Catholics will welcome the uplifting fact-based biography “Father Stu” (Columbia).
Movie: ‘Father Stu’
Movie: ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’
The makers of “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” (Paramount), which follows up the screen franchise’s 2020 kickoff, rely on a pretty simple formula: Intersperse chase sequences with wisecracks.
Movie: ‘Ambulance’
Along with presenting high-stakes action, director Michael Bay’s tense crime drama “Ambulance” (Universal) seeks to explore the psychology of a fundamentally humane character caught up in criminal mayhem.
‘Julia,’ streaming, HBO Max
Beloved chef Julia Child (1912-2004) long ago secured her place in the history of television as well as in that of American culture, at least insofar as cuisine is concerned.
‘Turning Red,’ streaming, Disney+
The animation wizards at Disney and Pixar have often tackled big subjects, mixing sunshine with shadows, laughter with tears.
Movie: ‘Morbius’
Fans of the “Twilight” franchise know that, according to its particular lore, vampires are lustrous and shiny. “Morbius” (Columbia), a Marvel Comics-based adventure with a bloodsucker at the heart of its story is, by contrast, downright drab.
‘Benjamin Franklin,’ April 4, PBS
Honest, yet sympathetic, the biographical film “Benjamin Franklin” gives viewers the opportunity to rediscover a Founding Father many may not have studied since elementary school.
Movie: ‘Windfall’
There’s a certain irony in describing “Windfall” (Netflix) as a character-driven thriller, if only because none of the people on screen are given names in Justin Lader and Andrew Kevin Walker’s script.