Capsule reviews for Oct. 5

A Crooked Somebody

While poking fun at a broad target, this thriller from director Trevor White (Jamesy Boy) maintains a moderate level of suspense before falling apart in the convoluted final act. It tracks a charlatan psychic medium (Rich Sommer) traveling around the country to demonstrate his “craft” and peddle his book. Behind the scenes, however, his life is a mess even before a volatile fan (Clifton Collins Jr.) kidnaps him for the purpose of communicating with a murder victim whose killing is under investigation. The resulting downward spiral leads to various uneven plot twists that eventually become tedious, while the film never fully capitalizing on its satiric potential. (Rated R, 102 minutes).

The Great Buster

Peter Bogdanovich is a huge Buster Keaton fan, and he’s hardly alone. The venerable filmmaker doesn’t try to disguise that fact in this breezy and affectionate documentary tribute to the comedy legend, which he also narrates. Bogdanovich traces Keaton’s life and career in straightforward fashion while garnering an impressive roster of interview subjects to discuss Keaton’s legacy. But the film’s chief asset is its treasure trove of archival footage, including plentiful clips from his silent masterpieces and his more obscure works, many of which still hold up. The result should please Keaton devotees while perhaps also introducing his work to a younger generation of film buffs. (Not rated, 102 minutes).

Loving Pablo

Missing an opportunity to bring a new cinematic perspective to the life of notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, this stylish but melodramatic biopic instead feels more familiar than fresh. It’s told through the eyes of a journalist (Penelope Cruz) who in the 1980s becomes the mistress of Escobar (Javier Bardem) as his political influence in Colombia builds along with his cocaine empire. Then an American drug-enforcement agent (Peter Sarsgaard) solicits her help to bring him down. The awkwardly structured English-language screenplay lacks sufficient depth and insight beyond what many moviegoers already will know about Escobar’s rise and fall, saddling its talented performers with subpar material. (Rated R, 123 minutes).

Ride

The whole concept of ride-sharing is fraught with potential concerns, of course, lending a relevance to the concept for this fast-paced thriller. However, any cautionary-tale suspense is obliterated by a series of ridiculous twists. It follows a driver (Jessie T. Usher) who connects with a flirty passenger (Bella Thorne) before they both become threatened by a mysterious rider (Will Brill) with a shady past. The performers are engaging and the set-up is compelling. But the screenplay by rookie director Jeremy Ungar feels completely detached from reality and runs out of gas even at its abbreviated length. By the end, you’ll want to call a cab instead. (Not rated, 76 minutes).

Studio 54

Forty years after its demise, this amusing documentary about the Manhattan nightclub known as the epicenter for disco-era glamour and debauchery brings a fresh perspective to its cultural significance and some new behind-the-scenes insight into its remarkable 33-month rise and fall. Rather than shallow celebrity interviews, director Matt Tyrnauer (Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood) instead gets the story from Studio 54 staff and especially co-founder Ian Schrager, who divulges some secrets and provides context regarding the club and his own resulting legal issues. For those who never were chic enough to get in the club’s door, this might be the next best thing. (Not rated, 98 minutes).

Viking Destiny

Even those needing a fix while awaiting the next season of “Game of Thrones” or “Vikings” won’t find many rewards in this threadbare fantasy saga that feels like a cheap knockoff. It centers on a tough-minded princess (Anna Demetriou) who inherits the throne of her Nordic kingdom from her father, except she’s forced into exile after her megalomaniacal uncle (Timo Nieminen) frames her for murder. She seeks guidance from a wise god (Terence Stamp) in her quest for redemption. Several bloody battle sequences ensue, which generally lack excitement and visual flair yet are far superior to the wooden dialogue and amateurish acting that bridge them together. (Rated R, 91 minutes).