Capsule reviews for Sept. 29

Literally, Right Before Aaron

The man fitting the titular description in this annoying romantic comedy is Adam (Justin Long), a geeky loser who can’t get over his break-up with his ex-girlfriend (Cobie Smulders). Improbably, she invites him to her wedding to the aforementioned upgrade Aaron (Ryan Hansen), and pathetically, he accepts, then makes a mess of things because of his unresolved feelings. As this far-fetched scenario plays out, the primary characters lack both sympathy and charm, not to mention logic. And the screenplay by rookie director Ryan Eggold — who expanded his short film to feature length — tries to channel The Graduate yet doesn’t provide many laughs along the way. (Not rated, 103 minutes).

Lucky

You get the feeling that the late Harry Dean Stanton wasn’t that much different from the title character he plays in this offbeat examination of spirituality and mortality. Lucky plays by his own rules while living alone in a rural house. He drinks milk, he does yoga, he watches game shows, he smokes a pack of cigarettes, and he visits the same diner and bar every day, where he interacts with the quirky townsfolk. The bittersweet film moves and speaks deliberately, like its protagonist, while allowing Stanton to explore Lucky’s vulnerabilities and insecurities hidden beneath an irascible shell. Both humorous and heartwarming, it’s a lovely showcase. (Not rated, 88 minutes).

The Sound

Some intriguing concepts become lost amid all the supernatural nonsense in this thriller about a blogger (Rose McGowan) whose skepticism about ghosts brings her to an abandoned Toronto subway station, where she looks to debunk rumors of a haunting by using a technique involving low-frequency sound waves. But her cynicism turns to fear after she meets some weird folks and begins hallucinating amid the silence. The film tries to convey a sensory horror experience but manages only intermittent tension. It’s more worthwhile for its scientific theories than its formulaic chills — neither of which are exciting enough to carry the flimsy premise to feature length. (Not rated, 92 minutes).

Super Dark Times

Familiar elements are recombined into a compelling blend of horror and comedy in this coming-of-age throwback about nerdy teenage buddies Zach (Owen Campbell) and Josh (Charlie Tahan), whose mischief leads to the accidental death of a classmate (Max Talisman) and then to a downward spiral of guilty conscience and paranoid hallucinations when they try to cover it up. Beneath the surface, there’s a sincere exploration of friendship and loss of innocence, delivered with conviction by a sharp young cast. Rookie director Kevin Phillips takes a stylish approach to the material, even if the script sometimes struggles to avoid genre conventions and awkward shifts in tone. (Not rated, 104 minutes).

Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton

As with other surfing documentaries, this portrait of the legendary big-wave daredevil has its best moments on the water, with some breathtaking shots of its subject in action in exotic locales around the globe. Yet this compelling if straightforward effort from director Rory Kennedy (Last Days in Vietnam) doesn’t drown during its sequences on the shore, when it examines Hamilton’s upbringing, his innovative techniques, his critics, and his sometimes volatile personal life. The glossy film certainly focuses on his achievements more than his shortcomings, and it’s probably best suited for aficionados who will appreciate this salute to the legacy of a pioneer more than outsiders. (Not rated, 118 minutes).

Te Ata

As good as the intentions might be, this earnest biopic of a pioneering Chickasaw actress and musician could use more subtlety and deeper context. Te Ata was the adopted stage name for Mary Thompson (Q’Orianka Kilcher), who had Broadway dreams growing up in Oklahoma (then called Indian Territory) during the early 1900s. With encouragement from drama professor (Cindy Pickett) but against the wishes of her pragmatic father (Gil Birmingham), she begins touring the country with a one-woman show to promote stories from her tribal heritage. She’s a worthwhile subject, although this dry and deliberately paced cinematic treatment hardly does justice to her talent or legacy. (Rated PG, 105 minutes).