Capsule reviews for Aug. 29

The Congress

Some provocative ideas are left unfulfilled in this visually dazzling indictment of Hollywood and technology, and exploration of the volatile relationship between art and commerce, from director Ari Folman (Waltz With Bashir). The film mixes live action and animation in its story of a fledgling middle-aged actress (Robin Wright) who agrees to trade in her career for an ageless, animated lookalike that becomes a major star in the digital realm. The animated sequences feature an eclectic mix of styles, which helps compensate for an ambitious yet uneven screenplay that’s more pretentious than profound. The cast includes Harvey Keitel, Paul Giamatti and Jon Hamm. (Not rated, 122 minutes).

The Notebook

The haunting effect of war on childhood innocence is a common big-screen topic that’s examined again in this adaptation of an Agota Kristof novel about teenage twin boys who flee their small Hungarian town during a Nazi occupation in 1944 to live with their cold-hearted grandmother (Piroska Molnar), then chronicle their feelings in separate diaries that reveal their developing evil tendencies. The intent here is to go beyond the battlefield and explore the unseen horrors of conflict. But while some sequences are powerful and even shocking, the cumulative effect lacks emotional punch, due in part to the uneven performances and the familiarity of the material. (Rated R, 112 minutes).

Starred Up

This uncompromising British prison drama follows a loose-cannon teenager (Jack O’Connell) transferred to an adult prison, where his violent tendencies earn him both allies and enemies among his fellow inmates, and get him branded as hopeless by authorities. Among those encouraging him to reform are a volunteer group counselor (Rupert Friend) and a longtime prisoner (Ben Mendelsohn) with secret ties to his past. O’Connell’s performance is riveting, and director David Mackenzie (Young Adam) refuses to let the gritty and unpredictable material succumb to clichés. The violence is brutal but never exploitative, and the rendering of hard-core prison life is heartbreaking without feeling totally hopeless. (Not rated, 105 minutes).