Capsule reviews for Nov. 22

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt

The earth, water, and trees deserve equal billing alongside the human cast in this gorgeously evocative and compassionately contemplative character study about how our lives are shaped by the natural world around us. More specifically, the loosely constructed story provides a nonlinear, impressionistic look at Mack as she grows up in rural Mississippi, unburdened by technology or urban sprawl. She learns to fish alongside her father, falls in love with her best friend, experiences grief and loss, and forges her own path. Spanning several decades, the deliberately paced debut of director Raven Jackson rewards patience with a vivid and quietly powerful chronicle of a simple life. (Rated PG, 92 minutes).

The Boy and the Heron

Highlighted by sumptuous hand-drawn visuals and a deeply personal mythology, the latest enchanting animated adventure from legendary Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) strikes a winning balance between playful whimsy and bittersweet contemplation. It follows Mahito, an adolescent boy still grieving his mother’s death when his father begins a new relationship. Then tragedy strikes again, and Mahito meets a mysterious heron who claims to hold the key to reuniting their family, if he can survive a magical trip through a strange fantasy realm. From the imaginative world-building to the quirky creatures, the deliberately paced film is somewhat convoluted yet quietly affecting. Miyazaki devotees will be delighted. (Rated PG-13, 124 minutes).

Bye Bye Barry

Young athletes could benefit from watching this documentary about their father’s favorite football player. But you don’t have to be a fan to appreciate this salute to Barry Sanders, the Detroit Lions running back who became one of the greatest in history during the 1990s before abruptly retiring at age 31. Investigating the mystery behind his sudden departure from the sport — without much of a definitive answer — the film nevertheless provides a nostalgic kick with a parade of highlights that coincided with the Lions’ brief resurgence during his career. Contrasting his brash father, Sanders’ humble and selfless nature made him an uncommon and universally beloved superstar. (Not rated, 92 minutes).

Cypher

Tierra Whack is a whole vibe, as they say. This profile about the Grammy-nominated Philadelphia rapper and performance artist starts out as a straightforward documentary about her life and career before transitioning — after introducing a subplot about a fan surveilling Tierra and her entourage — into a low-key thriller about privacy and fame, the proliferation of media content in the social-media age, and conspiracy theories in hip-hop circles regarding secret societies. It’s all a cleverly constructed ruse that’s a promotional piece first and foremost, but this playful hybrid experiment drums up some decent suspense and Tierra is an engaging subject, whether or not you’re an established fan. (Rated R, 81 minutes).

Dream Scenario

For those on the same absurdist wavelength, this captivating satire from Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself) is a sharply amusing takedown of cancel culture, social-media paranoia, and corporate opportunism. Paul (Nicolas Cage) is an ordinary college professor who becomes an unlikely celebrity when he starts passively appearing in the dreams of acquaintances and complete strangers alike. But then the unexplained phenomenon takes a dark turn, turning Paul into an outcast and sending he and his wife (Julianne Nicholson) into a downward spiral. Amid the film’s misanthropic worldview, Cage’s superb performance provides a compassionate emotional anchor, even when Paul’s nightmarish predicament loses its head. (Rated R, 102 minutes).

Due Justice

Cliches overwhelm any meaningful suspense in this formulaic vigilante thriller that’s more familiar than fresh. Max (Kellan Lutz) is a Seattle attorney with a military background whose wife and brother are murdered, and his young daughter abducted, by gangsters led by Ellis (Jeff Fahey), whose operation includes links to organ harvesting and child trafficking. They’re both tracked by a detective (Efren Ramirez) with personal issues that hinder the investigation, so Max decides to take violent revenge into his own hands. A few compelling twists are offset by uneven performances — although Fahey amusingly chews the scenery as the chief heavy — along with languid pacing and generic confrontations. (Rated R, 97 minutes).

Genie

Melissa McCarthy’s charisma brings some zany comic energy to this otherwise innocuous and predictable tale of holiday redemption from screenwriter Richard Curtis (Love Actually). It follows Bernard (Paapa Essiedu), whose tireless devotion to a Scrooge-like antiques dealer (Alan Cumming) leads to questions about commitment from his wife and young daughter. Desperate to reconnect, he discovers a genie (McCarthy) in an old jewelry box whose wish-granting gifts might provide the magic he needs to reset his priorities. The film generates some intermittent laughs with its assortment of genie-out-of-bottle gags. However, it’s essentially only a slight twist on a sappy formula as stale as recycled fruitcake. (Rated PG, 92 minutes).

Monster

Confronting fractured relationships and childhood innocence with clear-eyed humanity, this multilayered drama from Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters) is an uneven but stylish variation on familiar themes. It unravels from various perspectives the details of a fight between boys at a suburban elementary school that leaves a student (Soya Kurokawa) behaving erratically, his mother (Sakura Ando) frantically seeking answers from administrators, and a new teacher (Eita Nagayama) forced to defend his disciplinary style. The mystery behind what sparked the bullying incident isn’t as compelling as the evolving dynamics of the characters involved, as the film balances a nuanced exploration of social issues with heartfelt sentiment. (Rated PG-13, 126 minutes).

Smoke Sauna Sisterhood

Water cleanses the bodies of the women in the ritualistic darkness of the smoke sauna, but perhaps more important to them, and this compelling Estonian documentary, is the conversation that cleanses their souls. The approach of rookie director Anna Hints is simple — observing and absorbing the intimate discussions among women who discuss their innermost secrets with candid honesty. For them, the shared vulnerability results in lifting a spiritual and emotional burden. For moviegoers, these anecdotes are a window into the lives of these women willing to bare their minds and bodies without reservation, finding moments both hilarious and heartbreaking that feel specific yet universal. (Not rated, 89 minutes).