Movies

New this week

Furious 7 (PG-13)

The seventh installment in the popular franchise pits a vengeful Jason Stratham against our gang of pedal-to-the-metal heroes, including Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Michele Rodriguez and the late Paul Walker. Prolonged frenetic sequences of violence, action and mayhem, suggestive content and brief strong language. Not reviewed.

Chateau, Galaxy, Hollywood, Austin, Winona

Continuing

American Sniper (R)

Clint Eastwood directs a powerful, intense portrayal of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, hardly the blueprint candidate to become the most prolific sniper in American military history. And yet that's what happened. In maybe the best performance of his career, Bradley Cooper infuses Chris with humanity and dignity. And vulnerability. Strong and disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual references. Three and a half stars.

Galaxy

Cinderella (PG)

Disney's live-action "Cinderella" movie is an enchanting, exhilarating romantic adventure with gorgeous scenery, terrific sets, stellar cinematography and Oscar-worthy costumes. Lily James sparkles in the title role, and Cate Blanchett makes a deliciously terrifying evil stepmother. Instead of a re-imagined reboot, it's old-fashioned, and that's kind of refreshing. Mild thematic elements. Three and a half stars.

Chateau, Galaxy, Hollywood, Austin, Winona

The Divergent Series: Insurgent (PG-13)

The second installment in the film franchise based on Veronica Roth's best-selling young adult novels pits the heroine Tris (Shailene Woodley) against increasingly powerful enemies. With Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts and Kate Winslet. Intense violence and action throughout, some sensuality, thematic elements and brief language. Not reviewed.

Chateau, Galaxy, Hollywood, Austin, Winona

Do You Believe? (PG-13)

When a pastor is shaken by the visible faith of a street-corner preacher, he is reminded that true belief always requires action. Miro Servino, Sean Austin, Ted McGinley. Thematic elements, an accident sequence and some violence. Not reviewed.

Galaxy

Fifty Shades of Grey (R)

The film adaptation of the first of E.L. James' inexplicably popular "Fifty Shades" trilogy is a tedious exercise in dramatic wheel-spinning that doesn't have the courage to explore the darkest elements of the characters and doesn't have the originality to stand on its own merits. Strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and language. One and a half stars.

Chateau

Focus (R)

Will Smith gets his cool back with his charismatic performance as an experienced con man showing the ropes to a newbie (Margot Robbie). This is just sheer escapist entertainment from start to finish. Language, some sexual content and brief violence. Three and a half stars.

Chateau

Get Hard (R)

A racist moron convicted of fraud (Will Ferrell) hires the guy who washes his car (Kevin Hart) to prepare him for prison. The stars have terrific chemistry, but this tired and unimaginative comedy relies too heavily on rape jokes and racial and gay stereotypes. Pervasive crude and sexual content and language, some graphic nudity, and drug material. Two stars.

Chateau, Galaxy, Hollywood, Austin, Winona

Home (PG)

A little Jim Parsons goes a long way, and he grates on your nerves voicing an alien on the run with a smart seventh-grader (Rihanna). Kids will probably enjoy the colors and the music, but anyone over 10 will see the plot twists a mile away. Mild action and some rude humor. Two stars.

Chateau, Galaxy, Hollywood, Austin, Winona

It Follows (R)

The buzz is strong on this horror movie about a young girl who starts getting stalked by a supernatural force after she contracts a sexually transmitted disease. Disturbing violent and sexual content including graphic nudity, and language. Not reviewed.

Galaxy, Hollywood

Kingsman: The Secret Service (R)

In a very violent and very silly movie, Colin Firth gives a disciplined, serious performance as a spy from a super-secret British agency. "Kingsman," a relentless, hardcore spoof of the old-school James Bond movies, is the craziest movie I've seen in a long time. Sequences of strong violence, language and some sexual content. Three and a half stars.

Chateau, Galaxy

McFarland, USA (PG)

An oft-fired coach (Kevin Costner) guides impoverished students to cross-country greatness. "McFarland USA" follows the comfortable rhythm of the inspirational sports movie that almost always works, even when we're fully aware of how we're being manipulated every step of the way. Thematic material, some violence and language. Three stars.

Galaxy

Red Army (PG)

This documentary pulls back the Iron Curtain surrounding the Soviet hockey dynasty to examine the Red Army team that dominated the game before and after its "Miracle on Ice" loss to the U.S.A. in 1980. What a story they have to tell. Thematic material and language. Three and a half stars.

Chateau

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG)

I actually enjoyed this second chapter about British pensioners who move to a ramshackle retirement hotel in Jaipur, India, more than the first, because I was revisiting all those wonderful, cheeky characters. It's shamelessly, unapologetically sentimental, but that's just fine because we're rooting for everyone here. Some language and suggestive comments. Rating: Three and a half stars.

Chateau, Galaxy

Still Alice (PG-13)

At times maddeningly overwrought and heavy-handed, "Still Alice" tells the story of a 50-year-old professor and mom who has an idyllic life until she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. What makes it worth the journey is Julianne Moore's brilliant and delicately calibrated lead performance. Mature thematic material and brief language including a sexual reference. Three stars.

Chateau

Reviews by Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times, unless otherwise noted.