Capsule reviews for March 10

Chang Can Dunk

While showcasing a predictable array of crowd-pleasing underdog cliches, this wholesome and innocuous coming-of-age drama is more impactful off the basketball court. Chang (Bloom Li) is overshadowed by his rival (Chase Liefeld) both in the gym and with the new girl in school (Zoe Renee). His revenge involves a bet that he can slam-dunk a ball after just a few weeks with a fledgling trainer (Dexter Darden). But the episode also strains Chang’s relationship with his single mother (Mardy Ma). It’s breezy and mildly amusing, but also a welcome opportunity to delve deeper into themes of parental expectations, culture clashes, and the perils of viral fame. (Rated PG, 107 minutes).

Confession

After an intriguing start, some progressively far-fetched twists render this procedural thriller as generic as its title. It centers on Jillian (Clark Backo) who insists on pursuing a closed case involving a small-town florist (Sarah Hay) with a troubled past who accused three men of raping her at a party. Jillian’s ambition is countered by a grizzled sheriff (Michael Ironside) who’s adamant the evidence doesn’t add up. But can she expose a cover-up? The film probes some provocative themes including sexual politics in law enforcement, the influence of wealth and power on the justice system. However, it lacks the subtlety and tension to be more provocative. (Rated R, 89 minutes).

The Magic Flute

Ambition surpasses execution in this imaginative yet awkward adaptation of Mozart’s opera, repositioning it as a coming-of-age fantasy with a more contemporary take on themes of acceptance and self-esteem. Tim (Jack Wolfe) is a British teenager who struggles with an overbearing headmaster (F. Murray Abraham) and his snooty classmates at an Austrian boarding school where he chases his ambitions as a tenor. But then he discovers a secret passageway into the sumptuous world of The Magic Flute. Juggling the parallel storylines, rookie director Florian Sigl incorporates some visual flourishes into a film that waters down the source material — both narratively and musically — into an effects-laden jumble. (Not rated, 124 minutes).

The Ritual Killer

The suspense dwindles as the contrivances mount in this laughably incoherent crime thriller from director George Gallo (Vanquish). It chronicles a small-town Mississippi sheriff (Cole Hauser) haunted by a past tragedy when he begins investigating a series of murders possibly linked to African tribal rituals. So he turns to an anthropology professor (Morgan Freeman) for help deciphering the evidence, only to be lured into a dark web of secrets and sadistic criminal activity extending around the world. The result, which takes itself too seriously while becoming progressively less plausible, rendered more unfortunate given the involvement of the esteemed Freeman. The central mystery isn’t worth any emotional investment. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

Therapy Dogs

The best way to capture the essence of contemporary teenagers — their hopes, fears, dreams, and insecurities — is to walk among them, as this captivating guerrilla documentary from filmmaker Ethan Eng illustrates. It roughly follows Eng and classmate Justin Morrice through their senior year at a suburban Toronto high school, focusing as much on observing others (under the guise of a “yearbook video”) as chronicling their own mischievous antics. Although some segments feel staged, the film conveys a raw authenticity that digs beneath the goofy surface with genuine insight and poignancy about adolescent angst and an uncertain future that resonates beyond geographical and generational boundaries. (Not rated, 83 minutes).

Unwelcome

Intriguing characters and concepts give way to a blood-soaked barrage of genre tropes in this uneven British horror exercise from director Jon Wright (Robot Overlords). After a violent attack at their London home, a pregnant woman (Hannah John-Kamen) and her husband (Douglas Booth) move to the rural Irish countryside. But they can’t find tranquility after starting a feud with a local roofer (Colm Meaney) and discovering evidence of a past tragedy that continues to haunt the property. Uneasy tension accentuates some solid laughs and frights, with nods to Celtic folklore along the way, before the film’s moderately clever twists are overwhelmed by third-act supernatural nonsense. (Rated R, 104 minutes).