Capsule reviews for Nov. 19

Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn

Through a scattershot collection of rants and tangents both hilarious and harrowing, this offbeat satire from Romanian director Radu Jude (Aferim) is frequently as outrageous as its title. The loosely constructed story follows a mild-mannered schoolteacher (Katia Pascariu) facing community backlash and public scandal after a private sex tape with her husband was somehow uploaded online. Along the way, Jude throws plenty of other barbs at the lack of pandemic-era civil discourse that resonate beyond geographic boundaries, pointing out hypocrisies and absurdities in a way that invites knee-jerk confrontation. While not for all tastes, this wild ride goes beyond shock value while avoiding heavy-handed stridency. (Not rated, 106 minutes).

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road

Like many of the songs in Wilson’s diverse catalogue, this documentary about his life and career finds its rhythm on multiple levels. The limitations presented by the former Beach Boys founder’s lifelong battles with mental illness and personal demons are mitigated by journalist Jason Fine, a Wilson confidant who enables him to reminisce about influential locales and collaborators. We also get a glimpse into Wilson’s ongoing passion for recording and performing into his 70s, along with on-camera praise from Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, and Jakob Dylan. While the overall insight is modest, the film astutely connects past, present, and future to provide a fresh perspective. (Not rated, 93 minutes).

Captains of Za’atari

The Hoop Dreams formula translates from basketball courts in Chicago to soccer fields in Jordan in this inspiring documentary about two Syrian teenagers hoping to use their favorite sport to escape their challenging life in a refugee camp. When Fawzi and Mahmoud are given an opportunity that brings their goals closer to reality, it also brings their past and future into perspective. While a lack of context compromises the broader impact, the boys’ charisma and compassion generates an easy rooting interest. Using a gritty verité style, rookie director Ali El-Arabi finds a humanity in their resilience that enables us to identify with their plight. (Not rated, 77 minutes).

Hide and Seek

Although it conjures some haunting imagery, this slick remake of a 2013 Korean psychological thriller from actor-turned-director Joel David Moore (Youth in Oregon) struggles to maintain consistent suspense. Noah (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) inherits his father’s real-estate empire at the expense of his troubled brother, who lives in a rundown apartment building populated by creeps and lowlifes. When guilt prompts an attempt at reconciliation, it triggers a downward spiral of hallucinations and paranoia, not to mention appearances by a shadowy figure in a motorcycle suit. The concept is moderately intriguing, but the payoff is lacking amid an incoherent maze of jump scares and silly misdirection. (Rated R, 83 minutes).

India Sweets and Spices

Mildly amusing but mostly familiar, this breezy coming-of-age romance features some heartfelt charm but not enough narrative ingenuity to match its vibrant cultural backdrop. It centers on Alia (Sophia Ali), a New Jersey teenager who has developed a rebellious streak during her freshman year at college, away from the watchful eye of her Indian American parents. When she returns home and falls for a local grocer (Rish Shah), her assertive nature clashes with her family’s more traditional values. As secrets are revealed, the screenplay by director Geeta Malik explores some intriguing dynamics without much depth or complexity. However, Ali (Truth or Dare) offers an engrossing portrayal. (Rated PG-13, 101 minutes).

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time

Both a thorough glimpse into the famed writer’s life and work, and a bittersweet portrait of enduring friendship, this documentary should touch more than just Vonnegut fans. It’s told from the perspective of director Robert Weide (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), whose 25-year bond with the author and activist began at the start of a film four decades in the making. That relationship provides a jumping-off point for a deep-dive into Vonnegut’s early struggles and eventual stardom in literary circles, and everything in-between. Affectionate without turning blatantly hagiographic, the film uses extensive archival footage and a fresh perspective to capture the spirit of its subject and his legacy. (Not rated, 127 minutes).

She Paradise

While it too often downplays its unique cultural angle in favor of coming-of-age cliches, this gritty drama set in the world of underground soca dancing nevertheless finds an appealing rhythm. Sparkle (Onessa Nestor) is a timid, cash-strapped teenager in Trinidad who becomes enamored with a female dance crew. Showing natural talent, she joins their ranks, only to become lured into a dark yet lucrative maze of sex and drugs that prompts her to question whether the rewards are worth the risks. The film immerses us in its setting but shortchanges the dance sequences. Still, Nestor’s expressive performance earns sympathy, even if Sparkle’s story feels familiar. (Not rated, 74 minutes).

So Late So Soon

The simplest of ideas yields a profound dignity in this quietly powerful documentary about aging, mortality, and the value of companionship. It follows Chicago artists Don and Jackie Seiden, who have been married for 50 years and have lived in the same cramped house filled with eccentric creations and wacky colors. But the film is more about their relationship — she’s an impulsive chatterbox and he’s a more reserved animal lover — taking a verité approach to chronicling their mounting health concerns, their petty bickering, and through it all, their unwavering devotion to one another. Day by day, these wise and witty subjects are a work of art. (Not rated, 71 minutes).

Zeros and Ones

There might be some profound musings on the overall troubled state of the world beneath its muddled and incoherent surface, but the latest low-budget oddity from provocateur Abel Ferrara (Pasolini) never feels fully realized. It’s a post-apocalyptic story set in Rome, where Ethan Hawke plays a conflicted American soldier on an undercover mission to stifle a rumored terrorist conspiracy that targets the Vatican and more. The committed Hawke plays along with Ferrara’s typical array of quirks and indulgences, which scrutinize targets such as Catholicism and the COVID-19 pandemic with a sense of defiant ambiguity. But while avoiding genre tropes, the film is more frustrating than captivating. (Rated R, 86 minutes).