PG-13, 1:47, drama
Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” is a unique waterboarding of a film experience. Somewhere between 340,000 and 400,000 Allied soldiers were rescued from the titular coastal city. There are three interlocking stories. In “The Mole,” a soldier in British uniform (Fionn Whitehead) comes upon the beach as the Germans are closing in. The young man joins a desperate fray awaiting naval rescue, while Kenneth Branagh’s naval commander eyes the skies for the enemy. Story two, “The Sea,” features Mark Rylance as a sailor diving into the rescue effort, by way of a craft called Moonstone. Story three: “The Air,” where Tom Hardy leads as a Royal Air Force Spitfire pilot. —
PG, 1:26, animated
The truth is that “The Emoji Movie” is exactly what you expect. When malfunctioning “meh” emoji Gene starts a glitch in Alex’s phone, he goes from app to app, hoping to reprogram himself to only express one emotion, the way emojis should. But, of course, what makes him different, his “malfunction,” is what makes him unique. Every step of the journey is to prevent Alex from restoring the phone to factory settings, destroying the world of Textopolis, where emojis live. Most laughs come from app recognition — it’d be the better choice to spend these 86 minutes outside or talking to another human being’s face. Because “The Emoji Movie” could not be more meh. —
R, 2:02, comedy
“Black-ish” writer Kenya Barris co-wrote the “Girls Trip” script, and that influence comes through in the friend group known as the “Flossy Posse.” Oprah-in-training Ryan (Regina Hall) has invited her crew along for a trip to New Orleans, where she’s giving a speech and launching her brand. Making up the Flossy Posse are Jada Pinkett Smith as worrywart mom Lisa, Queen Latifah as blogger Sasha and Tiffany Haddish, who breaks out as the wildly funny Dina. Ryan starts to come loose at the seams, especially when the posse discovers photos of her husband stepping out with a model. “Girls Night” reflects that in its ability to balance potty humor with empowerment. —
R, 1:55, action
“Atomic Blonde” is a marriage of material and star. Charlize Theron is perfect as the titular blonde, MI-6 agent Lorraine Broughton, on a mission in the shadow of the falling Berlin Wall. She has been sent to Berlin to retrieve a microfilm with a list of foreign agents that was taken from the body of a dead British agent by the KGB operative who murdered him. She is to connect with British agent Percival (James McAvoy) and secure the list at all costs. “Atomic Blonde” is a film that’s all dressed up with just nowhere to go. —
PG-13, 2:13, action
Tom Holland once again slips into the suit to lead his own Spidey film, which starts with a callback to “Captain America: Civil War,” when Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) gave the high schooler a chance to tag in with the Avengers. And remember those aliens that destroyed New York in “The Avengers”? Their exotic and powerful detritus has been scooped up by a working class contractor, Toomes (Michael Keaton). Directed by Jon Watts, “Spider-Man: Homecoming” slots right into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. —
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