We the Animals,
directed by Jeremiah Zagar
(R, 1 hour, 34 minutes)
We the Animals invites viewers into a specific world, that of the youngest of three close-in-age brothers living a near-feral existence seemingly on the rural edge of civilization, in a working-class home in upstate New York in the 1980s.
Their parents -- white Ma (Sheila Vand) and Puerto Rican Paps (Raul Castillo) -- met in high school in Brooklyn. Now she works in a beer bottling plant while he, with his tattoos, his lean dark depressive mien, and his anger, can't keep anything screwed together for too long.
There's not much in the way of narrative drama; a series of dreamy vignettes, some of which seem naturalistic and rooted in specific incidents. A terrifying swimming lesson, parents shaking the kids awake late at night, car rides reminiscent of Lucinda Williams' evocative song "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road."
All children are confused, accepting of their lots, and unreliable narrators. Some people will recognize in 10-year-old protagonist Jonah (Evan Rosado) a member of their tribe and be encouraged to see a character like him on a cinema screen. Others may think that movies are big explosive things that have little to do with the way real people live, that they're all about superheroes and spies.
Yet some movies are a way to experience community, where strangers can gather to forget themselves and receive connection. This is one of them.
Mile 22 (R, 1 hour, 34 minutes) Frenetic action and overworked brutality do not add up to a coherent adventure in this scatterbrained thriller. Mark Wahlberg stars as James Silva, an operative of a valued CIA unit who's tasked with transporting an informant who holds crucial information. With Ronda Rousey, Lauren Cohan, John Malkovich; directed by Peter Berg.
Alpha (PG-13, 1 hour, 36 minutes) Set against the brutal splendor of the last ice age, this imaginative (if not factual) and scenic adventure drama imagines one of the first encounters between man and the creature who's commonly known as man's best friend. A young hunter, who loses contact with his tribe when he's injured, learns to survive on his own in the wilderness with the help of a wolf that was abandoned by its pack. With Kodi Smit-McPhee, Natassia Malthe, Priya Rajaratnam; directed by Albert Hughes.
Juliet, Naked (R, 1 hour, 37 minutes) Annie (Rose Byrne) is all too miserably aware that her partner Duncan (Chris O'Dowd) is a dedicated fan of none-too-famous American singer-songwriter Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). When the aging subject of Duncan's obsession unexpectedly scores a hit, it changes the lives of all of them. Lurching along in fits and starts, it's ultimately all about intimacy, regret, taking chances, and moments of unexpected comedy. With Lily Newmark, Megan Dodds, Jimmy O. Yang; directed by Jesse Peretz. Based on a 2009 novel by Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy, Fever Pitch).
The Family I Had (not rated, 1 hour, 17 minutes) A challenging, fact-driven documentary that allows the audience to consider responses to difficult questions, this complex and emotion-producing film concerns Charity Lee, whose daughter Ella was murdered in 2007 by her son Paris, now in prison. Ten years later, Charity is struggling with figuring out Paris' chances of redemption and her ability to forgive. Directed by Katie Green and Carlye Rubin.
MovieStyle on 11/16/2018