Capsule reviews for Nov. 23

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

The convergence of art and activism is given a sense of vivid urgency in this fascinating documentary portrait of New York photographer Nan Goldin by filmmaker Laura Poitras (Citizenfour). As the film tracks Goldin’s grassroots effort to hold the Sackler family — pharmaceutical entrepreneurs and art philanthropists — responsible for its role in perpetuating the opioid crisis, it splices in flashbacks from her hardscrabble life filled with tragedy and addiction from her upbringing to her relationships. As it provides insight into the process behind Goldin’s sexually provocative collections and slideshows, the film doesn’t wallow in bleakness or cynicism, rather conveying an inspiring sense of passion and cultural relevance. (Not rated, 122 minutes).

Fantasy Football

Video games these days are more lifelike than ever, which is taken to extremes by this innocuous comedy that doubles as an adolescent wish-fulfillment fantasy. Journeyman NFL running back Bobby (Omari Hardwick) receives an unlikely boost from his daughter Callie (Marsai Martin), whose Madden mastery has magically given her the ability to control her dad’s movements on the actual field through the game. But their secret also threatens her friendships in the robotics club. Martin (“Black-ish”) is charming as the film generates some laughs from its goofy concept. But by the fourth quarter, it becomes strained and predictable, ultimately fumbling before reaching the goal line. (Not rated, 98 minutes).

Leonor Will Never Die

There’s a difference between hoping that moviegoers will suspend their disbelief and providing incentive for them to do so. So although this wild ride of a Filipino meta-comedy from rookie director Martika Ramirez Escobar is audacious and heartfelt, its thin premise lacks sufficient emotional depth to sustain itself at feature length. It centers on a retired filmmaker (Sheila Francisco) who falls into a coma after a freak accident, then lands in an alternate reality where she becomes the star of her own unfinished campy 1980s action yarn. This playful tribute to throwback Filipino genre movies conveys nostalgic charm but its own narrative rambles arbitrarily. (Not rated, 99 minutes).

Memories of My Father

Combining wistful nostalgia with edgy political drama, this hybrid period piece from Spanish director Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque) is heartfelt if uneven, with solid performances elevating a mediocre script. It’s set in the 1980s, when aspiring writer Hector (Juan Pablo Urrego) returns from college in Italy to his hometown of Medellin, Colombia, where his dad (Javier Camara) is retiring as a university professor. The abundant flashbacks to a decade earlier — illustrated in vivid colors as opposed to brooding black-and-white — recalls when Hector was taught valuable lessons while dad fought against cartel violence and social upheaval. While it’s overall convoluted, the film features some powerfully intimate moments. (Not rated, 136 minutes).

Nanny

A deeply felt portrayal by Anna Diop (Us) propels this atmospheric, character-driven thriller about maternal instincts and the immigrant experience. Diop plays Aisha, a Senegalese nanny for the young daughter (Rose Decker) of a troubled New York mother (Michelle Monaghan). As Aisha grows closer to the girl in her care — and to the doorman (Sinqua Walls) in their building — she’s haunted by increasingly vivid nightmares and hallucinations recalling the separation from her own child halfway around the world. Some of the horror elements feel forced, but the screenplay by rookie director Nikyatu Jusu conveys a suspenseful yet quietly perceptive examination of regret and fractured family bonds. (Rated R, 98 minutes).

The Swimmers

Much more than just a sports underdog story, this inspirational crowd-pleaser shines a spotlight on two deserving athletes while lacking the nuance to make a bigger splash as an immigration drama. Sibling swimmers Sara (Manal Issa) and Yusra (Nathalie Issa) were forced to flee war-torn Syria for Europe in 2014 after their home was destroyed. Eventually settling in Berlin, they meet a new coach (Matthias Schweighofer) who reignites their training in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympics. While the film stumbles in its broader sociopolitical strokes, director Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil) brings a confident visual style to enhance the powerful true-life source material. (Rated PG-13, 134 minutes).