Capsule reviews for Aug. 3

The Forest of the Lost Souls

More concerned with atmosphere than plot, this black-and-white psychological thriller from rookie director Jose Pedro Lopes feels more like a workshop in style and technique than a fully realized feature. The slow-burning story begins in a Portuguese forest known for its high suicide rate, where a depressed man (Jorge Mota) meets a mysterious young woman (Daniela Love) who asks about his family for reasons that become clear later, when things become considerably more violent. There’s always moderate tension bubbling beneath the surface, yet the low-budget exercise also feels amateurish at times. The lack of narrative momentum and emotional aloofness eventually become too frustrating to overcome. (Not rated, 71 minutes).

40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie

You likely haven’t heard of Magic Music, the obscure post-Woodstock jam band profiled in this crowd-pleasing documentary. But its biggest fan might be director Lee Aronsohn, a TV producer and classmate at the University of Colorado in the early 1970s, when the band was on the cusp of fame only to see their popularity fizzle out. So Aronsohn sets out to reunite the group for a concert to help preserve its legacy. The folksy music might not fit everyone’s taste, but the film shines a worthwhile spotlight while providing a quirky and endearing glimpse into music’s power to create lasting relationships between performers and fans. (Not rated, 99 minutes).

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Familiar coming-of-age themes are given a fresh twist in this amusing yet also provocative satire about intolerance that effectively modulates between comedy and drama. It follows teenage lesbian Cameron (Chloe Grace Moretz), who’s sent to a Christian conversion facility after her mother catches her during an intimate moment. There, Cameron reluctantly bonds with a ragtag group of fellow enrollees, unsure whether to rebel against the brainwashing tactics of the headmaster (Jennifer Ehle). Even if the central premise is somewhat gimmicky, the character dynamics feel mostly authentic, and the young cast generates sympathy. The film’s subtle, low-key approach conveys a worthwhile message without turning heavy-handed. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

Never Goin’ Back

Girls can be irresponsible, Harold and Kumar-style slackers and stoners, too. That seems to be the impetus for this crude low-budget comedy that follows drugged-out BFFs Angela (Maia Mitchell) and Jessie (Camila Morrone) as they cling to waitress jobs trying to save up enough money for an upcoming beach vacation. When that fails, they turn to petty crime out of desperation. The screenplay by rookie director Augustine Frizzell manages some inspired moments of lunacy along the way, and might have worked if it was consistently fresher or funnier, or if the audience could muster a shred of sympathy for its characters. Unfortunately, neither is true. (Rated R, 86 minutes).

Nico 1988

Trine Dyrholm (In a Better World) shines in the title role of this stylish if uneven biopic about the German ingénue who became best known for her collaborations with Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground during the 1960s. This film, however, dramatizes the final years of her life, when Nico is a washed-up diva and heroin addict clinging to her past fame. Even while it’s destined for a tragic end, her life has some bright spots, including her passion for music and a reconciliation with her estranged son (Sandor Funtek). Perhaps appropriately unfocused, it nevertheless captures the eccentric spirit of both the period and its subject. (Rated R, 93 minutes).

Night Comes On

Although its ambition sometimes exceeds its grasp, this evocative low-budget character drama from rookie director Jordana Spiro skillfully navigates some tricky emotional territory. It follows a Philadelphia teenager (Dominique Fishback) struggling to restart her life after being released from a juvenile detention facility. As she tries to protect her younger sister (Tatum Marilyn Hall), both siblings must come to terms with a past tragedy that tore their family apart. It’s an understated and quietly perceptive look at reconciliation, sexuality, the juvenile justice system, and the bonds of sisterhood that overcomes some choppy stretches by capturing its setting and characters with tenderness and raw authenticity. (Not rated, 86 minutes).