Capsule reviews for Jan. 30

Arco

While this delightful hand-drawn French animated adventure is set in the future, its gentle social and ecological lessons resonate in the present. Arco is a 10-year-old boy with magical time-traveling abilities who accidentally transports himself back to 2075. He befriends Iris, a young girl who shields him both from the harsh realities of her time and from the bumbling trio of brothers trying to capture him. They bond as outcasts but know their friendship must eventually end when Arco seeks a way home. Within its relaxed rhythm, his coming-of-age fantasy features striking imagery combined with a simple yet charming story rooted in real-world emotions. (Rated PG, 88 minutes).

Islands

The sun-drenched Spanish scenery adds to the allure of this twisty if thematically familiar psychological thriller about a misfit romantic triangle that spirals into obsession. It follows Tom (Sam Riley), a washed-up tennis pro giving lessons at a declining beach resort when he meets Anne (Stacy Martin), who’s vacationing with her family. Tom becomes drawn to Anne possibly because of a past encounter, and becomes their tour guide. But when her husband (Jack Farthing) disappears, Anne’s nonchalance gives the authorities pause. As it probes each character’s desire to escape, the deliberately paced film rewards patience by steadily building suspense through an ambiguity that rarely feels forced. (Not rated, 121 minutes).

The Love That Remains

There’s an elegiac quality to the romantic overtures in this thoughtful if uneven Icelandic drama, which offers a fresh exploration of familiar relationship themes. Without providing much context, it chronicles a year following the sudden marital breakup between a commercial fisherman (Sverrir Gudnason) and an artist (Saga Gardarsdottir), who has custody of their three children. She triggered the separation to his apparent dismay, and the film uses their subsequent interactions to fill in past details and suggest a path forward. The melancholic screenplay by director Hlynur Palmason (Godland) is heavily fragmented, yet there’s a tenderness and intimacy to the storytelling that deepens its emotional impact. (Not rated, 109 minutes).

The Moment

If you’re not already attuned to the whole vibe that is Charli XCX and the British singer’s recent “Brat Summer” phase, you shouldn’t bother with this mockumentary that’s a hollow exercise in fan service. The film fictionalizes her preparations for the world tour in support of her breakthrough album, as she grapples with fame and expectations from listeners, sponsors, and herself. Fortunately, there’s a breezy satirical approach to the way Charli navigates corporate interests and dealings with an obnoxious director (Alexander Skarsgard) hired to chronicle her life on the road. It’s both self-deprecating and self-indulgent, without enough laughs to satisfy anyone but the most ardent devotees. (Rated R, 103 minutes).

My Sister’s Bones

Just as the protagonist mostly wanders around in a daze, the same is true of this slow-burning British thriller probing grief and fractured families. It centers on Kate (Jenny Seagrove), a journalist who returns home after witness a tragedy in warn-torn Iraq, coupled with her mother’s mysterious death. Still at odds with her sister (Anna Friel) due to a childhood incident, she’s experiencing hallucinations while deciphering whether strange noises next door are real or imagined. Aside from a ridiculous series of late twists, this adaptation of Nuala Ellwood’s novel doesn’t generate much tension as a contemplative study of residual trauma that’s more muddled than insightful. (Not rated, 81 minutes).

Natchez

The sociological themes resonate beyond the boundaries of the titular Mississippi riverfront city in this fascinating documentary about generational shifts and historical reckonings. Natchez is a former cotton capital known for its lavish antebellum homes and Southern belles. However, as its tourism business has dwindled in recent years, the locals have been forced to more openly acknowledge its links to slavery and the Jim Crow era — and forge a more inclusive path forward. As she lets generational homeowners, tour guides, business owners, and socialites share their own perspectives, the observational approach of director Suzannah Herbert (Wrestle) strikes a tone that’s both confrontational and hopeful. (Not rated, 86 minutes).

Pike River

Two deeply felt performances galvanize this true-life Kiwi drama that powerfully chronicles a legal fight for working-class justice without turning excessively trite or sentimental. It begins in 2010, following a tragic New Zealand coal mine explosion. The prolonged aftermath yields little in the form of corporate accountability, government assistance, or personal closure, so a grieving widow (Melanie Lynskey) and anguished mother (Robyn Malcolm) demand answers for the victims in the face of a suspected cover-up. Although the film’s underdog trajectory is familiar, focusing on the emotional journey of the two persistent yet otherwise unassuming crusaders at its core keeps its righteous indignation from feeling heavy-handed. (Not rated, 131 minutes).

A Poet

Plenty of starving artists might relate to the title character’s plight in this witty Colombian comedy that’s both heartfelt and amusing in depicting the struggles of channeling creativity into commerce. Oscar (Ubeimar Rios) is an aging writer in Medellin whose poetic pursuits have yielded a lifetime of financial hardships without a breakthrough. He finds purpose in mentoring a promising teenager (Rebeca Andrade) but seems reluctant to steer her down the same path while Oscar cannot shake his own demons and bitterness. Ultimately, the screenplay by director Simon Mesa Soto (Amparo) examines self-destructive obsession while effectively shifting tones between poignant character study and absurdist art satire. (Not rated, 123 minutes).

Worldbreaker

Recombining characters and genre elements we’ve seen before, this dystopian thriller from director Brad Anderson (The Machinist) feels overall more familiar than fresh. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where survivors must contend with vicious mutant monsters. A father (Luke Evans) flees to a remote island with his teenage daughter (Billie Boullet), hoping to train her to become a warrior like her mother (Milla Jovovich) before the danger inevitably hits close to home. The action is underdeveloped and relegated largely to bookend sequences, perhaps due to budget constraints, turning the film into a coming-of-age empowerment story that struggles to forge new territory or generate consistent suspense. (Rated R, 94 minutes).