Capsule reviews for Jan. 9

Beloved Sisters

As speculative history inspired by a true story, this epic period melodrama would have made for some juicy 18th-century German tabloid fodder. It follows famed poet Friedrich Schiller (Florian Stetter), whose modest upbringing causes friction when he falls for aristocratic sisters Charlotte (Henriette Confurius) and Caroline (Hannah Herzsprung), setting in motion a love triangle that spans decades, against a backdrop of shifting class structure, impending international conflicts, and advances in the printing industry. The over-the-top approach becomes a bit tiresome, especially when coupled with monotonous narration. Yet the script by director Dominik Graf (The Invincibles) manages some depth and poignancy amid the dysfunctional family dynamics. (Not rated, 170 minutes).

Black November

Admirable more for its effort than its execution, this low-budget thriller opens with a terrorist attack by Nigerian rebels in Los Angeles demanding restitution from an oil executive (Mickey Rourke) whose company has profited from drilling in an impoverished region in their home country, then conspired with corrupt government officials to cover up the resulting pollution. Most of the film is told in flashback, about an uprising led by a young woman (Mbong Amata) trying to promote peace. The well-intentioned screenplay by director Jeta Amata — the star’s husband — raises some compelling true-life sociopolitical issues but lacks the subtlety or focus to become suitably provocative. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

Dark Summer

This low-budget psychological thriller jettisons any chance of consistent suspense pretty quickly in favor of cheap frights and generic supernatural nonsense. It chronicles Daniel (Keir Gilchrist), a troubled teenager who spends the summer on house arrest while his mother is away. We soon learn that his crime is related to stalking an ex-girlfriend (Grace Phipps) who later committed suicide, and that she’s not willing let her death end the relationship. The twist here, of course, is that he can’t leave the house that’s being haunted, but that somewhat provocative concept isn’t explored with any urgency, despite some occasional visual flair from director Paul Solet (Grace). (Not rated, 81 minutes).

Predestination

Based on a Robert Heinlein short story, this suspenseful and moderately provocative time-travel thriller follows a small-town bartender (Ethan Hawke) whose conversations with an androgynous loner (Sarah Snook) prompt flashbacks to their intertwined story of a “temporal agent” who travels through time to prevent killers from committing crimes. Although their script is convoluted and chronologically jumbled, and contains some logical gaps primarily related to the rules of time travel, sibling directors Michael and Peter Spierig (Daybreakers) generate some striking imagery and refuse to settle for cat-and-mouse clichés. Hawke and Snook are excellent, and the tightly wound script requires attention but pays off with some clever twists. (Rated R, 97 minutes).

The World Made Straight

There’s an authenticity to the characters and the atmosphere in this deliberately paced drama about Travis (Jeremy Irvine), a troubled drifter in the Appalachian foothills who becomes the unlikely protégé of a resourceful history buff (Noah Wyle). As he becomes obsessed with a family tragedy from the Civil War, Travis also is targeted by a local drug dealer (Steve Earle). The film, based on a Ron Rash novel, captures the sights and sounds of its setting, where family feuds run deep and generational bonds shape culture and behavior. Rookie director David Burris, a North Carolina native, conveys that even if the second half turns more conventional. (Rated R, 119 minutes).