Capsule reviews for Oct. 18

Cyrano, My Love

Fans of Shakespeare in Love should respond favorably to this breezy crowd-pleaser that speculates on the creation of the French classic Cyrano de Bergerac. In late-19th century Paris, author Edmond Rostand (Thomas Soliveres) is a family man struggling with mounting debt and writer’s block. His desperation leads him to promise an actor (Olivier Gourmet) a lead role in his next production — except that he hasn’t written it yet. As Cyrano takes shape, plenty of lighthearted backstage melodrama ensues, although the screenplay by rookie director Alexis Michalik isn’t too concerned with historical accuracy or insight into the creative process. Still, the endearing ensemble cast makes it work. (Rated R, 109 minutes).

The Elephant Queen

Splendid nature cinematography distinguishes this documentary that follows an elephant herd for several seasons across the East African savanna. Specifically, it tracks a 50-year-old matriarch named Athena — a member of the endangered “big tuskers” — as she leads her family across the desert, then must make some difficult decisions when severe drought forces them to flee their homeland and their beloved watering hole. There are also some more playful segments involving other characters from the ecosystem, from giraffes to frogs to dung beetles. Although some of the emotions feel calculated along their journey, the film’s intimate visuals prove both captivating and insightful. Narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor. (Rated PG, 96 minutes).

Greener Grass

For those on the same offbeat wavelength, this deadpan suburban satire provides some big laughs amid the weirdness. It’s set in a country-club subdivision where social order rules — families obsessively color-coat their outfits, everyone wears braces despite having immaculate teeth, and over-the-top generosity masks deep-seeded jealousy and resentment. Among the chipper residents is Jill (Jocelyn DeBoer), a mother whose impulsive decision to give her infant daughter to her downtrodden neighbor (Dawn Luebbe) sends both families reeling. The uneven screenplay by DeBoer and Luebbe, who also co-directed, emphasizes the absurdities in its quirky characters and surreal setting. The subversive result is amusing, unsettling, and certainly confounding. (Not rated, 95 minutes).

Miss Virginia

Uzo Aduba (“Orange Is the New Black”) shines in the title role of this otherwise predictable true-life drama. It chronicles a 2003 grassroots effort to reform public education by a single mother in Washington, D.C., whose teenage son (Niles Fitch) is being bullied and underperforming academically. With private school not a viable long-term option for low-income families like hers, Virginia finds an unlikely ally in a conservative congressman (Matthew Modine) sympathetic to the cause who can cut through corruption and bureaucratic obstacles. However, what should be an inspiring look at a blue-collar heroine fighting for a worthwhile cause instead finds its message undercut by melodramatic embellishments. (Not rated, 102 minutes).

Zombieland: Double Tap

Not much has changed in the decade since we last spent time with the quartet of irreverent drifters surviving the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. That’s to the detriment of this uninspired sequel, which again follows the misadventures of the amusingly named Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), as the surrogate family meets new friends both alive and undead, and occupies the remnants of the White House and Graceland. The film manages some big laughs — including some inside jokes for fans — and revives its playful visual style. But amid the mischievous mayhem, it feels more familiar than fresh. (Rated R, 99 minutes).