Capsule reviews for Aug. 28

The Prophet

An exhilarating sense of visual imagination mostly compensates for the uneven structure of this animated adaptation of the new-age poetry of Lebanese essayist Kahlil Gibran from director Roger Allers (The Lion King). It weaves together the rather pedestrian story of an exiled artist (voiced by Liam Neeson) who is returning home after being jailed for his outspoken ideas, with intermittent interpretations of some of Gibran’s prose from different artists incorporating various styles. The esoteric result is an acquired taste but a frequently powerful examination of spirituality and relationships for those in the right mood. The voice cast includes Salma Hayek, Quvenzhane Wallis and Frank Langella. (Rated PG, 84 minutes).

Queen of Earth

Some complex performances service a shallow script in this brooding low-budget chamber drama about a young woman (Elisabeth Moss) trying to find healing after a bad breakup, so she retreats to a lakeside cabin with a friend (Katherine Waterston) with whom she’s also had a rocky relationship. Along the way, of course, flaws and secrets are exposed on both sides. Despite some sharply observed dialogue, director Alex Ross Perry (Listen Up Philip) is mostly interested in pretentious gimmicks and calculations. He throws acid on his off-putting characters and their hopeless situations and rubs moviegoers’ faces in it rather than offering any substantial insight or depth. (Not rated, 90 minutes).

Seven Chinese Brothers

There are no Asian siblings anywhere to be found in this excessively quirky comedy that provides a meandering vehicle for Jason Schwartzman (and his real-life bulldog) and offers some solid laughs without much regard for narrative coherence. He plays Larry, a single and unemployed slacker whose days consist of visits with his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) and her nursing-home caretaker (Tunde Adebimpe) who has a free supply of pills. Then he scores a job at a Jiffy Lube that threatens his lack of ambition. The project is more of a sketchy workshop than a fleshed-out feature, but at least Schwartzman’s freewheeling banter provides some modest amusement. (Not rated, 76 minutes).

When Animals Dream

A haunting atmosphere drives this Danish thriller that generates some modest frights without relying on gratuitous gore. It follows Marie (Sonia Suhl), a teenager in a seaside village who is dealing with harassment from her male coworkers at a fish processing plant. With few allies, her attempts at revenge are met with bizarre physical changes – and a series of mysterious deaths – that might be tied to her mother’s terminal illness. The climactic confrontation should satisfy the horror crowd, but this visually striking debut from director Jonas Arnby otherwise lacks bite as it tries to tackle issues such as workplace politics and female empowerment. (Rated R, 84 minutes).

Zipper

This tawdry erotic thriller masquerades as a topical probe into political scandals and judicial corruption, but instead it too often resembles one of those steamy cheapos that used to run on late-night cable. The story chronicles the rise and fall of Sam (Patrick Wilson), a successful prosecutor preparing a run for public office whose downward spiral begins after a series of hotel rendezvous with escorts. But his wife (Lena Headey) becomes suspicious just as the FBI and a journalist (Ray Winstone) start poking around. It’s a muddled tale of sexual obsession that’s both predictable and ridiculous, although Wilson brings some depth to his performance. (Rated R, 112 minutes).