Viewers’ reaction to “Shaft” (Warner Bros.), the fifth movie in a series dating back to 1971 and ultimately derived from the novel by Ernest Tidyman, will largely depend on how seriously they take its title character’s tainted personal and professional morality.
With “Men in Black: International” (Columbia), director F. Gary Gray serves up an amusing and stylish reboot of the sci-fi comedy franchise that kicked off in 1997.
The decidedly improbable and scattershot comedic elements of “Late Night” (Amazon) give the film the look of something that had its dents hammered out in the editing room.
Documentary filmmaker Brian Ivie, together with executive producers Viola Davis and Stephen Curry, bring us “Emanuel” (Arbella), a movie that celebrates the lives of the “Charleston Nine,” as they are called, as well as the faith and forgiveness of the survivors and family members.
Lessons about overcoming fear and helping those in need are featured in “The Secret Life of Pets 2” (Universal).
Though somber in tone, the Marvel Comics-based sci-fi adventure “Dark Phoenix” (Fox) has a fundamentally moral outlook and features a more relationship-driven story than many similar films.
he musical fantasy “Rocketman” (Paramount), which recounts the early life of rock star Elton John, is a polished and generally appealing film. But it deals with its subject’s homosexuality in a way that puts it at odds with scriptural values.
If there were an Academy Award for the most aurally annoying film of the year, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (Warner Bros.) would certainly be a strong contender.
