Movie Reviews

It has taken more than half a century, but at long last “Mary Poppins Returns” (Disney). The result is a delightful sequel to the 1964 classic that will divert all but the youngest and most skittish members of the family.

Old people are inherently cute and Drug Enforcement Administration agents reflexively racist in “The Mule” (Warner Bros.).

The phrase “a city on the move” is usually just an expression. Not so in “Mortal Engines” (Universal), director Christian Rivers’ screen version of Philip Reeve’s novel for young adults.

Somebody over at 20th Century Fox — or, perhaps, someone in Marvel Comics’ real-life universe — came up with the following idea: Let’s slightly rework this year’s “Deadpool 2” in order to have it qualify for a less restrictive rating from the Motion Picture Association of America than the original R, let’s market it to a broader audience over the holidays and let’s give away a portion of the proceeds to charity.

This innovative but noisy and frenetic animated take on the Marvel Comics saga features one novice web-slinger and a quintet of alternate versions of the title character who arrive on Earth from other dimensions. The resulting adventure is not for the easily jangled or the littlest tots. But it is otherwise suitable for a wide audience.

To reinforce the proposition that Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were, and still are, sacred icons of film comedy, the pitch-perfect, affectionately nostalgic “Stan & Ollie” (Sony Classics) reproduces their 1953 arrival in Cobh, Ireland, during what would be their last tour of British music halls.

If you take a job working the night shift at a morgue, the least you can expect is a little peace and quiet. According to the dreary horror tale “The Possession of Hannah Grace” (Screen Gems), however, such tranquility is not necessarily guaranteed.

Moviegoers under 33 take note: You had yet to be born when “Rocky IV,” the 1985 film that hovers in the background of the sports drama “Creed II” (MGM), was released.