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Reviews

Ratings:

**** Excellent

*** Good

** Fair * Poor

Reviewers: S.R., Steven Rea; D.D., Dan DeLuca; T.D., Tirdad Derakhshani; M.E., Molly Eichel; G.T., Gary Thompson; W.S., Inquirer wire services.

Closer to God See Steven Rea's review on Page 6.

Eden See Molly Eichel's review on Page 5.

Infinitely Polar Bear See Steven Rea's review on Page 4.

Magic Mike XXL See Gary Thompson's review on Page 7.

Manglehorn See Steven Rea's review on Page 5.

Rebels of the Neon God See Tirdad Derakhshani's review on Page 4.

Terminator: Genisys See Gary Thompson's review on Page 9.

Avengers: Age of Ultron 1/2 The action in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe installment - and there's plenty - is just what you'd expect: giant-screen CG-driven thwacking, thumping, throwing SUVs into the air, the titular A.I. bad guy looking invincible - until he isn't. It's state-of-the-art, it's videogamelike, it's sort of cool. It's also sort of boring. It's the between-the-mayhem moments that work best, when the gang of avenging superheroes are just sitting around, jawing and joshing. 2 hrs. 01 PG-13 (violence, intense action, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Dope *** The comic story of a bright kid named Malcolm (Shameik Moore) whose eclectic interests (punk, vintage hip-hop, academics, Harvard) make him a protruding nail in a neighborhood full of eager hammers. He ends up with a bag of drugs, and, knowing the cops aren't an option, starts a scheme to unload it. The story is a mess - but the themes of a misfit kid trying to carve out his own space in a world that wants to limit his options are on point. 1 hr. 55 R (language) - G.T.

Entourage Let sleeping bros lie. Eight seasons of the HBO series were more than enough, but that hasn't stopped blue-eyed pretty boy Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his posse from reuniting for a new big screen episode. "E," "Drama," "Turtle," and Ari Gold are all back - and Hollywood narcissism and sexism runs wild. 1 hr. 44 R (sex, nudity, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Ex Machina Alex Garland's forward-looking, brilliantly unsettling sci-fi thriller stars Oscar Isaac as the billionaire inventor of a sentient robot, Domhnall Gleeson as the whiz-kid programmer invited to run the 'bot through a series of tests, and Alicia Vikander as Ava, the cyber-creature in question. Is she true A.I.? And if she is, what does that mean for humankind? 1 hr. 48 R (violence, profanity, nudity, adult themes) - S.R.

Far From the Madding Crowd *** The most recent adaptation of Thomas Hardy's proto-feminist novel is stately, handsome, appeallingly old-fashioned. 1 hr. 59 PG-13 (Some sexuality and violence) - M.E.

Fresh Dressed *** Ego Trip founder Sacha Jenkins explores the history of fashion and hip-hop in this entertaining documentary, featuring interviews from the likes of Nas, Kaney West and P. Diddy. 1 hr. 30 No MPAA rating - M.E.

I'll See You in My Dreams Blythe Danner stars as a longtime widow whose life of quiet routine is upended by the appearance of two men: the young pool guy (Martin Starr), who becomes her drinking buddy, and an old charmer of a Texan (Sam Elliott), who enters into a serious courtship. A poignant character study, tinged with sadness. And Danner, at its center, shines. 1 hr. 35 PG-13 (profanity, drugs, adult themes) - S.R.

Inside Out The central characters in Pixar's propulsively inventive animated adventure aren't talking toys, or cars. They're emotions: Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness, jockeying for control in the mind of a pre-teen girl. The first psychological thriller that's fun for the whole family. Really psychological. And really fun. From the director of Up, with the voice talents of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader. 1 hr. 34 PG (scary corners of the mind, adult themes) - S.R.

Jurassic World The genetically spliced mega-beast that runs amok in the third Jurassic Park sequel is trumpeted by its theme park creators as "bigger, scarier, cooler." The movie is bigger and it is pretty scary. But it's not cooler, or smarter, than the original. Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt lead a cast whose main job is to run for their lives. A lot of them don't make it. 2 hrs. 04 PG-13 (intense action, dino violence, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Love & Mercy 1/2 Breathtaking psychological biopic of Brian Wilson, the songwriting savant behind the Beach Boys, toggling back and forth between the mid-'60s and the band's landmark Pet Sounds album and the '80s, when Brian, wrongly diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, was under the despotic care of a psychologist. Paul Dano is brilliant as the young Brian, John Cusack brings the middle-aged and broken Brian to life. Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti co-star. 1 hr. 52 PG-13 (drugs, violence, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Mad Max: Fury Road Never mind Furious 7, really. George Miller's mega-reboot of his '80s franchise plays like Fast and Furious - The Thermonuclear Edition, a turbocharged chase across a toxic wasteland with Vin Diesel and pals replaced by Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, who are certainly not pals at all. Post-apocalyptic heavy-metal mayhem. 2 hrs. R (extreme violence, intense action, adult themes) - S.R.

Max ** A dog returns from war to the family of the deceased soldier who used to care for him. Family-style sentimentality ensues between hero dog Max and troubled Justin (Josh Wiggins). Max goes off the rails when he goes from canine to James Bond-style foiler of crimes. 1 hr. 51 PG (action violence, peril, brief language) - M.E.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl ***1/2 The title characters are high school boys who make impish movie shorts that riff on the film classics they watch during lunch so they don't have to hang out with other kids (some of their masterworks: "Eyes Wide Butt," "Senior Citizen Kane"). They are forced to befriend a girl dying of leukemia in this gut-punch of a film that avoids cliche. 1 hr. 44 PG-13 (sexual content, drug material, profanity and some thematic elements) - G.T.

The Overnight **1/2 Alex and Emily get in over their heads when their attempt to make friends with another couple (Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche) leads to copious drinking, weed-smoking, skinny dipping, and other dalliances. 1 hr. 30 R (strong sexuality, graphic nudity, language and drug use) - G.T.

Pitch Perfect 2 *** The Barden Bellas are underdogs once more in the sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit. After a humiliating incident in front of the president, the all-female a capella powerhouses attempt to make their way to the world championships. It's pretty much the same movie as the first, but that's not a bad thing. 1 hr. 55 PG-13 (innuendo and language) - M.E.

San Andreas Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is an LAFD helicopter pilot who has a lot of searching and rescuing to do when ther Big One rocks not only SoCal, but the entire state as well, including San Francisco, which just happens to be where his daughter is trapped beneath the rubble. Quite literally the blockbuster of the year, an awesomely fun disaster pic. 1 hr. 54 PG-13 (action, carnage, rubble, adult themes) - S.R.

Spy 1/2 The unabashed and unapologetic Melissa McCarthy stars as a desk-bound CIA officer unexpectedly sent into the field - Paris, Rome, Budapest - in this lunatic cloak-and-dagger farce, directed by Bridesmaids' Paul Feig. Allison Janney, Miranda Hart, Jude Law, and a very funny Jason Statham also star, with Rose Byrne and her piles of hair as the villain of the tale. 2 hrs. R (profanity, raunch, violence, adult themes) - S.R.

Ted 2 **1/2 Seth MacFarlane's talking bear returns to smoke a lot of weed, hang on the couch with his buddy John (Mark Wahlberg), and fight the power by reimagining the Dred Scott decision so that they his wife can have a baby. 1 hr. 55 R (profanity) - G.T.

Testament of Youth ***1/2 The moving, mournful Testament of Youth features lush visuals seeking to find some of the poetry inspired by war in the memoir of Vera Brittain, brought to life with improbable power in this well-judged adapation by James Kent, featuring Alicia Vikander as Brittain. 2 hrs. 09 PG-13 (adult themes) - G.T.

Tomorrowland 1/2 Disney's retro-futuristic, time-toggling adventure aspires to Back to the Future thrills and Wizard of Oz magic, but doesn't quite make the grade. Britt Robertson, as the brainy daughter of a NASA scientist, teams with George Clooney, playing a disgruntled inventor, while flashbacks to the kid version of the Clooney character - at the 1964 World's Fair - try to make sense of it all. 2 hrs. 10 PG (action, violence, adult themes) - S.R.

The Wolfpack *** Six teens isolated from society in their Lower East Side apartment by their allegedly abusive father learn about the world through movies they meticulously recreate in Crystal Moselle's stranger than fiction documentary. 1 hr. 20 R (profanity) - G.T.