Capsule reviews for Nov. 4

Calendar Girls

We’ve seen plenty of stories about spunky seniors making the most of their golden years, although the subjects of this lively documentary can’t help but elicit smiles. The title refers to a dance troupe of women over 50 in southwestern Florida that raises money for charity with each performance or parade. As we meet the dancers, we get a sense for how camaraderie shapes their craft, which isn’t a novelty act or sideshow. The film also explores sisterhood, aging and health, and reclaiming your retirement years with fresh insight. The result might not be a toe-tapper, yet the exuberance of its subjects is infectious. (Not rated, 84 minutes).

Good Night Oppy

Perhaps tugging too aggressively at the heartstrings, this crowd-pleasing documentary from director Ryan White (Ask Dr. Ruth) is most effective as an insider look at NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission. After some stumbles, engineers and scientists struck gold with Spirit and Opportunity, two resilient rovers launched successfully in 2004 with an intended 90-day lifespan that wound up transmitting data for many years, forging an emotional bond with their creators on Earth. The film maximizes that poignancy through animated re-enactments and interviews, prescribing human characteristics to its mechanical hero (which resembles the fictional WALL-E). The result inspires a sense of wonder, especially for astronomy buffs. (Rated PG, 105 minutes).

I’m Totally Fine

That might not be true after watching this latest quirky exploration of grief and catharsis, which never musters much emotional impact alongside its scattered laughs. It follows Vanessa (Jillian Bell), who retreats for a weekend of solitude after her best friend and business partner died suddenly. But her quiet reflection is interrupted by a string of intrusions, not to mention a curious extraterrestrial (Natalie Morales) who has inhabited the body of the deceased. Will the craziness provide Vanessa with closure? Despite Bell’s efforts, the thin and somewhat creepy premise rarely resonates as intended, mostly because it sugarcoats Vanessa’s sorrow rather than seriously confronting it. (Not rated, 83 minutes).

The Minute You Wake Up Dead

Any meaningful suspense is compromised by formulaic execution in this low-budget thriller from director Michael Mailer (Heart of Champions), which is immersed in Deep South redneck stereotypes. It’s set in small-town Mississippi, where a stockbroker (Cole Hauser) returns home after a real-estate deal goes bad, and leads to an insurance scam, some threatening phone calls, and multiple murders. Meanwhile, he’s gotten close to a neighborhood waitress (Jaimie Alexander) as the local sheriff (Morgan Freeman) pieces together evidence to find out the truth. Through all the subsequent twists and red herrings involving shady operators, the central mystery — and any rooting interest — can’t overcome genre cliches. (Rated R, 90 minutes).

Next Exit

The performers are appealing and the science-fiction concept is intriguing in this uneven supernatural drama that addresses big existential questions while its emotional payoff remains relatively inconsequential. It begins with a research scientist (Karen Gillan) announcing she’s found a way to connect the living to the afterlife and is launching an experiment to prove it. Two eager subjects are bickering strangers Rose (Katie Parker) and Teddy (Rahul Kohli), who travel cross-country hoping to find catharsis. The screenplay by rookie director Mali Elfman funnels into a conventional road-trip framework, yet even if this is a road we haven’t traveled before, the film’s ambition surpasses its realization. (Not rated, 106 minutes).

Nocebo

With chills coming from arbitrary twists more than sustained tension, this psychological thriller from Irish filmmaker Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium) is more intriguing in its concept than its execution. Christine (Eva Green) is a once-prominent fashion designer whose hallucinations and memory loss might be attributable to a strange incident years ago. When a Filipino caregiver (Chai Fonacier) experiments with faith healing, she also infiltrates the family in other ways, which frustrates Christine’s skeptical husband (Mark Strong). As secrets are revealed, the film gets into the head and under the skin of Christine, but the same might not be true for moviegoers. It’s unsettling but rarely frightening. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

1-800-Hot-Nite

Trying to capture a contemporary Stand by Me vibe, this wildly uneven coming-of-age comedy conveys the impulsive essence of adolescent brotherhood, when the past and future take a backseat to one night that will live on forever. A call to a phone-sex operator leads 13-year-old Tommy (Dallas Dupree Young) and his wayward friends (Gerrison Machado and Mylen Bradford) on a wild night of mischief that includes eluding authorities and hooking up with girls at the swimming pool. Despite funneling its rambunctious energy into narrative detours and outrageous contrivances, the bittersweet film is bolstered by the authentic rapport of its expressive and charming young actors. (Not rated, 95 minutes).

On the Line

We can only hope the paycheck that Mel Gibson cashed from this outrageously contrived thriller is used to fund more prestigious and ambitious projects. In this stain on his filmography, Gibson stars as Elvis, the controversial host of an overnight radio show gets a call from a random listener claiming to have kidnapped Elvis’ family. Apparently the only way to avoid harm to his family and fellow station staff members is for Elvis to decipher the caller’s identity. Any tension in the screenplay by French director Romauld Boulanger is undermined by the progressively incoherent plot twists. As for the dialogue, a dial tone would be better. (Rated R, 104 minutes).

Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams

While paying tribute to its subject, this compelling documentary from director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) explores the convergence of fashion extravagance and film history. Specifically, it traces the life and career of Salvatore Farragamo, an Italian pioneer in women’s footwear who emigrated to Hollywood, where he became best known for his designs for stars of the silent film era, and later for launching his namesake luxury brand. It lacks depth in certain segments, yet through interviews and archival footage, Guadagnino affectionately charts his subject’s enduring legacy while providing a unique perspective on the intertwined allure of high fashion and movie stars. (Rated PG, 108 minutes).

Utama

The title translates to “our home,” around which everything revolves in this evocative Bolivian drama exploring universal themes with rich cultural specificity. In a rural village, the population is dwindling along with the natural resources, but an elderly Quechua llama farmer (Jose Calcina) in failing health would rather die than be driven from his home and work, even if it threatens his relationships with his wife (Luisa Quispe) and visiting grandson (Santos Choque). With expressive performances and visually striking landscapes, the deliberately paced film rewards patience with a quietly profound look at aging, mortality, tradition, environmental shifts, fragile family dynamics, and the inevitable passage of time. (Not rated, 87 minutes).