Capsule reviews for Oct. 24

Hedda

Vibrant amber-hued visuals and a ferocious portrayal by Tessa Thompson drive this uneven yet sexually charged reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic stage play from director Nia DaCosta (Candyman). Thompson plays Hedda Gabler, an impulsive newlywed hosting a lavish party at the mansion she shares with her social-climbing husband (Tom Bateman). The guests include a friend (Imogen Poots) and an esteemed author (Nina Hoss) who each test Hedda’s commitment to her marriage and lifestyle as the evening spirals. The changes from the original play don’t necessarily add much, but the sharp dialogue and intriguing character dynamics still bite, enabling the film to overcome its slower stretches. (Rated R, 107 minutes).

In Our Blood

Amid dozens of examples of why found-footage gimmickry has run its course, this clever if contrived psychological thriller provides a breath of fresh air. It follows New Mexico documentary filmmaker Emily (Brittany O’Grady), who hires a cinematographer (E.J. Bonilla) to chronicle a reconciliation with her estranged mother (Alanna Ubach) after a decade apart. But after they arrive, Emily’s mom disappears, turning their film into a mystery — did she fall victim to her addictions, or was something more sinister responsible? In the narrative debut of documentarian Pedro Kos (Bending the Arc), the visual constrictions or obligatory genre tropes don’t overwhelm the story, characters, or grounded performances. (Not rated, 89 minutes).

Last Days

While examining the intersection of imperialism and religious zealotry, this hollow biopic of doomed American missionary John Allen Chau from director Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond) feels more embellished than insightful. It’s based on the fascinating true story of John (Sky Yang), an obsessive biblical scholar who undertakes a perilous voyage to proselytize on remote North Sentinel Island, hoping to become the first outsider to interact with its primitive and notoriously combative tribe. Trying to position John as an impetuous and misunderstood dreamer, the film lacks sufficient psychological depth and thematic complexity. Like its protagonist, it’s confused about how to move forward with its mission. (Rated PG-13, 121 minutes).

Mistress Dispeller

Examining commitment and connection through a culturally specific lens, this fascinating documentary from director Elizabeth Lo (Stray) is both an intimate look at a relationship plagued by infidelity and a broader glimpse into one country’s oddball effort to combat such behavior. Specifically, it tracks a real-life Chinese couple from the perspective of Wang, a woman hired by a wife suspicious about text messages in her husband’s phone. Wang’s job becomes to investigate the affair, befriend the mistress, and convince her to call it off, thus preserving the marriage. If you can get past the thorny ethical questions on both sides of the camera, it’s tender yet provocative. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

Shelby Oaks

A jumble of styles and tones that imitates more than it innovates, this low-budget thriller lacks sufficient incentive for emotional investment beneath its surface frights. It begins with the disappearance of four paranormal content creators near a rundown Ohio town, which prompts the sister (Camille Sullivan) of the show’s host to investigate, hoping to find her alive. She uncovers a possible sinister link between the mystery and her own past. While transitioning from a missing-persons procedural into a dark saga of paranoia and obsession, the screenplay by rookie director Chris Stuckmann indulges in genre cliches rather than subverting them. You see the terror without feeling it. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

This Too Shall Pass

More content to emulate than carve its own niche, this rambunctious Canadian coming-of-age comedy nevertheless provides an amusing dose of bittersweet nostalgia while transparently channeling John Hughes. It’s set in the late 1980s, when nerdy Simon (Maxwell Jenkins) seeks to escape the bubble of his overprotective religious parents in upstate New York. So Simon organizes an impulsive weekend trip to Canada with his angst-ridden teenage buddies, where they engage in drunken debauchery and other shenanigans, while also discovering themselves. Even if the characters are stereotypes, the young actors generate a winning rapport, and the screenplay by director Rob Grant offers a heartfelt tribute to adolescence. (Not rated, 106 minutes).