Nick and Judy must navigate a swampy section of their city in “Zootopia 2.” Courtesy Disney
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Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story (R) This film suffers from lackluster performances and a disjointed presentation, which ultimately obscures its intended message. Rayven Symone Ferrell stars as Nicole P. Bell, a real-life figure whose fiancé (Bentley Green) was shot and killed by NYPD officers during his bachelor party in 2006, just hours before their wedding. After the officers were acquitted, Bell’s protests helped spark the Black Lives Matter movement, or so the film suggests. However, director and co-writer Alesia Glidewell fails to imbue the narrative with urgency, leading to a dull viewing experience for a story that deserves more excitement. The film features Richard Lawson, Essence Renae, Frank Adkinson, Miles Stroter, Myles Grier, Jazsmin Lewis, Byron Kenneth Brown Jr., Kevin Jackson, Malik Barnhardt, Michael Rubenstone, Anthony Darrell, and Richard T. Jones. (Opens Friday at AMC Grapevine Mills)
Andhra King Taluka (NR) This Indian comedy features Ram Pothineni as an avid fan of a movie star (Upendra). Additional cast includes Bhagyashri Borse, Rao Ramesh, Murali Sharma, Rajeev Kanakata, and VTV Ganesh. (Opens Friday)
Another Sweet Christmas (NR) Starring Candace Cameron Bure and Cameron Mathison, this comedy revolves around a couple whose real-life romance inspires a film. Also features Stephanie Bennett, William MacDonald, and Marnie Mahannah. (Opens Friday at Premier Cinemas Burleson)
Gustaak Ishq (NR) In this Indian romance, Vijay Varma plays an aspiring writer mentored by a celebrated poet (Naseeruddin Shah). The cast also includes Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sharib Hashmi, and Rohan Verma. (Opens Friday at AMC Grapevine Mills)
Hamnet (PG-13) Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, Chloé Zhao’s drama explores William Shakespeare’s (Paul Mescal) grief following the death of his son. The film features Jessie Buckley, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, Olivia Lynes, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, David Wilmot, Freya Hannan-Mills, Noah Jupe, and Emily Watson. (Opens Wednesday in Dallas)
Neelofar (NR) This Pakistani romance tells the story of a writer (Fawad Khan) who falls in love with a woman who is visually impaired (Mahira Khan). Additional cast includes Madiha Imam, Samiya Mumtaz, Faisal Qureshi, Behroze Sabzwari, Rashid Farooqi, and Gohar Rasheed. (Opens Friday at AMC Grapevine Mills)
Revolver Rita (NR) Keerthy Suresh stars in this Indian crime comedy about a village woman whose family becomes entangled in organized crime. Other cast members include Radhika Sarathkumar, Sunil, Redin Kingsley, Sendrayan, Super Subbarayan, and Ajay Ghosh. (Opens Friday at AMC Grapevine Mills)
Tere Ishk Mein (NR) This Indian romance features Dhanush, Kriti Sanon, Prakash Raj, Maahir Mohiuddin, Sushil Dahiya, and Redin Kingsley. (Opens Friday at AMC Grapevine Mills)
The Thing With Feathers (R) Benedict Cumberbatch stars in this drama about a grieving man who experiences haunting visions following his wife’s unexpected death. The film also features Richard Boxall, Henry Boxall, Sam Spruell, and Jessie Cave, with a voice performance by David Thewlis. (Opens Friday)
Zootopia 2 (PG) Unfortunately, this sequel does not live up to the charm of its predecessor. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman) face a new case involving a family of snakes who were cheated out of their inheritance by the mammals. While some jokes hit their mark, the metaphors fall flat, and the new supporting characters lack the depth of those in the original. The film does have a humorous subplot involving a TV actor stallion (voiced by Patrick Warburton) who becomes Zootopia’s new mayor, but it isn’t enough to elevate the overall experience. Additional voices include Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Quinta Brunson, Danny Trejo, Nate Torrence, Don Lake, Bonnie Hunt, CM Punk, Stephanie Beatriz, Alan Tudyk, Macaulay Culkin, Brenda Song, Tiny Lister Jr., John Leguizamo, Tommy Chong, Auli’i Cravalho, Tig Notaro, Ed Sheeran, Cecily Strong, June Squibb, Michael J. Fox, Josh Gad, Idris Elba, and Jenny Slate. (Opens Wednesday)
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Black Phone 2 (R) This film is muddled and confusing. Mason Thames reprises his role from the original film as a traumatized teenager who has visions of the serial killer (Ethan Hawke) he killed, while his younger sister (Madeleine McGraw) experiences visions of children murdered long ago at a Christian youth camp in the Rockies. Set in 1983, the film deliberately evokes classic horror movies but struggles with pacing and internal logic. The series seems to have lost its direction. The cast also includes Jeremy Davies, Miguel Mora, Arianna Rivas, James Ransone, Anna Lore, and Demián Bichir.
Bugonia (R) Emma Stone delivers another standout performance in this remake of the Korean film Save the Green Planet! She plays a pharmaceutical CEO kidnapped by a conspiracy theorist (Jesse Plemons) who believes she is an alien in human disguise. Despite director Yorgos Lanthimos’ reputation for eccentric storytelling, this film initially provides the thrills of a kidnapping narrative, showcasing the dynamics between captor and captive. Plemons shines as a character grappling with his sanity, while Stone’s portrayal of a clever woman who ultimately takes control is memorable. Other cast members include Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone.
Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc (R) This anime adaptation fails to engage newcomers. The story follows a half-human who transforms into a chainsaw demon (voiced by Kikunosuke Toya in the original Japanese and Ryan Colt Levy in the English dub) as he falls for a café waitress (voiced by Reina Ueda and Alexis Tipton) who has hidden motives. While the film features creative visuals, it ultimately lacks substance and originality. Additional voices include Tomori Kusunoki, Suzie Yeung, Shôgo Sakata, Reagan Murdock, Farouz Ai, Sarah Wiedenheft, Natsuki Hanae, Derick Snow, Yuya Uchida, Josh Bangle, Eri Kitamura, and Reshel Mae.
De De Pyaar De 2 (NR) This sequel to the 2019 romantic comedy sees Ajay Devgn reprising his role as a businessman seeking to marry his much younger girlfriend (Rakul Preet Singh). The film also features R. Madhavan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Gautami Kapoor, and Sanjeev Seth.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (PG-13) This film provides entertaining moments if you don’t scrutinize it too closely. The original magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, and Woody Harrelson) return to mentor a trio of younger illusionists (Ariana Greenblatt, Dominic Sessa, and Justice Smith) targeting a South African diamond mogul (Rosamund Pike). The new cast injects fresh energy into the series, and director Ruben Fleischer keeps the pacing brisk, helping to overlook plot inconsistencies. The film also stars Lizzy Caplan, Andrew Santino, Thabang Molaba, Morgan Freeman, and an uncredited Mark Ruffalo.
Nuremberg (PG-13) This slow-moving historical drama focuses on Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), a U.S. Army psychiatrist who interviews Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe) before his 1946 war crimes trial. Crowe effectively portrays a charismatic villain, but Malek struggles to convey the psychiatrist’s tragic perspective. The film features a strong supporting cast, including Michael Shannon, Colin Hanks, Leo Woodall, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, Andreas Pletschmann, Mark O’Brien, John Slattery, and Richard E. Grant.
One Battle After Another (R) In one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s more enjoyable films, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a former anti-ICE revolutionary trying to
