Capsule reviews for June 19

Burying the Ex

Rather than fear of commitment, it’s fear of breaking up that dooms the protagonist in this lackluster low-budget comedy from director Joe Dante (Gremlins). It follows Max (Anton Yelchin), who loves horror-movie culture more than he cares for his eco-obsessed vegan girlfriend (Ashley Greene). But she dies in a freak accident before he can break up with her, then returns from the grave even more determined to keep the relationship strong. Despite some endearing performances and an amusing throwback vibe, the film runs predictably through a threadbare concept that isn’t consistently funny or scary, and doesn’t bring anything new to the big-screen zombie canon. (Rated R, 89 minutes).

The Face of an Angel

The intriguing complexities of a true-life murder case are reduced to muddled melodrama in this tedious thriller from versatile director Michael Winterbottom (A Mighty Heart). It tracks a documentary filmmaker (Daniel Bruhl) sent to Italy to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of a college student and the American roommate who stands accused of the crime. Among his allies are a freelance journalist (Kate Beckinsale) and a waitress (Cara Delevingne) who might know some secrets. It’s mildly compelling, but the film’s perspective drains most of the suspense by downplaying the whodunit aspect of the case in favor of a heavy-handed procedural about media ethics. (Not rated, 101 minutes).

Infinitely Polar Bear

The heartfelt effort to convey the volatility of bipolar disorder surpasses the greater narrative impact of this autobiographical directing debut of screenwriter Maya Forbes. Her real-life daughter, Imogene, plays Forbes as a child in 1980s Boston, where she and her younger sister were raised by a manic-depressive father (Mark Ruffalo), who tried to hold the dysfunctional family together by coping with a combination of alcohol, cigarettes and lithium while his beleaguered wife (Zoe Saldana) attends business school in New York. Ruffalo finds a terrific balance between humor and poignancy, although the film tends to emphasize lighthearted eccentricities instead of providing meaningful insight into his character’s affliction. (Rated R, 87 minutes).

The Overnight

Size might matter to the characters, but it doesn’t diminish the laughs in this low-budget comedy about infidelity and inhibitions. Indeed, director Patrick Brice puts a fresh spin on those familiar themes in his script that focuses on a Seattle couple (Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling) eager to make friends after moving to Los Angeles. So they strike up a friendship with a free spirit (Jason Schwartzman) who sets up a dinner party at his posh estate that winds up descending into debauchery. There’s not a lot of depth or relationship insight, but the lead actors effectively keep the proceedings both amusing and unsettling. (Rated R, 79 minutes).

Phantom Halo

There might be some good ideas within this wildly uneven debut from director Antonia Bogdanovich, but they’re buried beneath layers of heavy-handed melodrama and macho posturing in this story about siblings Samuel (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Beckett (Luke Kleintank), trying to distance themselves from their abusive father (Sebastian Roche) by panhandling and pursuing hobbies ranging from Shakespeare to comic books. Yet the family can’t escape a ruthless collection of gangsters and loan sharks. Along the way, there’s some shocking violence and the filmmaker employs some gritty style, but all of the disparate ideas and visual conceits never adds up to much in terms of emotional payoff. (Rated R, 87 minutes).