Capsule reviews for Sept. 16

Finding Altamira

While the setting is early 19th century Spain, some of the melodramatic contrivances feel right out of contemporary Hollywood in this story of Marcelino (Antonio Banderas), a scientist who accidentally discovers the Altamira cave paintings. As he asserts their archaeological importance, however, he winds up being accused of fraudulence by the local Catholic church in an argument of evolution versus creation that extends to his devout wife (Golshifteh Farahani). Veteran director Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire) knows how to stage a convincing period piece, but the script too often detours into silly subplots that minimize the moral complexity and trivialize the fascinating true-life source material. (Not rated, 93 minutes).

Kicks

The title references a valuable pair of vintage Air Jordans, but this powerful coming-of-age drama isn’t just about sneakers. On the rough streets of Oakland, a pint-sized skateboarder (Jahking Guillory) has his kicks stolen by thugs, then goes to dangerous lengths to get them back, learning lessons about courage, loyalty and maturity along the way. That might sound simplistic, but despite a handful of contrivances, rookie director Justin Tipping takes a more subtle approach within an evocative backdrop of urban decay. The film’s raw authenticity demonstrates with heartfelt conviction how innocent youngsters become caught in cycles of inner-city poverty and violence, and it doesn’t offer easy answers. (Rated R, 84 minutes).

Operation Avalanche

The conspiracy theory about Stanley Kubrick helping to fake the moon landing is given another fresh twist in this found-footage Cold War satire, in which a pair of young CIA agents (Matt Johnson and Owen Williams, essentially playing themselves) posing as documentary filmmakers in order to infiltrate NASA and investigate rumors of a Soviet mole leaking secrets about the space program. Along the way, their scheme involves a plan to stage moon-landing footage amid doubts about the Apollo missions. The concept requires significant suspension of disbelief and a tolerance for Johnson’s smugness, but the result — shot in nostalgic amber hues — is a clever and amusing lark. (Rated R, 94 minutes).

Silicon Cowboys

We’ve seen the story of Apple, but this documentary chronicles the similar grassroots beginnings of Compaq, the Houston computer company that started with a sketch of a portable computer on the back of a placemat. During the 1980s, its three founders took on industry giant IBM with innovative ideas and shrewd marketing. The film takes a broader look at the rise of the PC frenzy, with an impressive array of interviews and archival footage assembled by director Jason Cohen with some visual flair. The result is a tribute to underdog entrepreneurs with some amusing nostalgic touches for more than just “Halt and Catch Fire” aficionados. (Not rated, 77 minutes).