Capsule reviews for Aug. 11

Aporia

Although it doesn’t withstand intense logical scrutiny, this thoughtful morality tale about decisions and consequences carries provocative weight for those on the same offbeat wavelength. It follows Sophie (Judy Greer), whose relationship with her teenage daughter (Faithe Herman) has deteriorated since her husband (Edi Gathegi) was killed by a drunk driver. When a family friend (Payman Maadi) constructs a rudimentary time-bending machine, it offers a chance at revenge with unforeseen costs. Bolstered by strong performances, the screenplay by director Jared Moshe (The Ballad of Lefty Brown) maintains emotional investment in its what-if scenario while keeping its science-fiction concept about playing God rooted in bittersweet reality. (Rated R, 104 minutes).

Between Two Worlds

Juliette Binoche shines in an otherwise muddled probe of gender politics and socioeconomic inequality from director Emmanuel Carrere (The Moustache). Binoche plays a successful author whose latest project requires research on working-class oppression in northern France. While working undercover as a cleaning lady on a ferry boat, she bonds with some of her co-workers and sympathizes with their difficult circumstances, forcing her to re-examine her own views on privilege and perception. As it straddles a line between sincere and sanctimonious, the film conveys some powerfully intimate moments through the eyes of a character whose intentions seem genuine. But predictability inhibits a deeper emotional impact. (Not rated, 106 minutes).

The Eternal Memory

Inevitably destined for a downbeat ending, this powerful Chilean documentary about a couple coping with Alzheimer’s disease finds moments of inspiration and poignancy amid the heartbreak. It chronicles the deterioration of Augusto, an author and former broadcast journalist in Santiago during the pivotal days of political upheaval against the Pinochet regime. His wife, former public official Paulina, comforts him and treasures the memories they made both individually and collectively. By focusing intimately on Augusto and Paulina, rather than doctors or the affliction itself, this deliberately paced yet moving portrait of devotion and companionship from director Maite Alberdi (The Mole Agent) conveys a universal emotional resonance. (Not rated, 84 minutes).

Jules

Ben Kingsley’s quietly powerful performance drives this slight yet affecting crowd-pleaser from director Marc Turtletaub (Puzzle) that puts a lighthearted science-fiction twist on its exploration of aging, mortality, regret, and loneliness. Kingsley plays Milton, a small-town eccentric showing signs of dementia as he’s dismissed as a wacko by family and neighbors. When an alien crashes his spaceship into Milton’s backyard garden and needs a place to stay, it empowers him and two nosy neighbors (Harriet Sansom Harris and Jane Curtin) with a sense of purpose. The film effectively blends quirky humor with an underlying message about appreciating our seniors into a silly yet warm-hearted package. (Rated PG-13, 87 minutes).

Love Life

Examining guilt and grief with sincerity and compassion, this melodrama from Japanese director Koji Fukada (A Girl Missing) is a contrived yet perceptive glimpse into fractured relationship dynamics. It chronicles Taeko (Kimura Fumino), who is remarried with a child before their family suffers a tragedy. That enables Taeko’s Korean ex-husband (Sunada Atomu) — now deaf and homeless — to re-enter her life, forcing her to navigate complex emotions and revealing some cracks in her marriage. The deliberately paced film is downbeat but finds a fresh angle to examine familiar themes such as commitment and reconciliation, which resonates regardless of which word you choose to emphasize in the title. (Not rated, 123 minutes).

Medusa Deluxe

Strong-willed hairdressers and their creative coifs highlight this amusing whodunit that’s both visually extravagant and tightly constructed. Set in the subculture of competitive hairstyling, it revolves around a grungy London salon where news is circulating among the obsessive stylists that a fellow competitor has been scalped to death. With a major competition and a police investigation both looming, the ensuing blame game provides a distraction nobody needs. Although the narrative momentum wavers in the second half, the screenplay by rookie director Thomas Hardiman provides enough diverting twists and colorful if unsympathetic characters without becoming overwhelmed by its single-take gimmickry or taking itself too seriously. (Rated R, 101 minutes).

Operation Napoleon

From the wintry landscapes to the speculation about global sociopolitical secrets from the past, this conspiracy thriller doesn’t translate its intriguing backdrop to consistent suspense. It’s set in Iceland, where a wrecked Nazi war plane is discovered on a glacier, having been buried for decades. A local lawyer (Vivian Olafsdottir) investigates due to a family connection to the expedition, but learns she’s not alone in the quest for answers — as an American intelligence official (Iain Glen) wants to keep the truth hidden forever. The characters lack depth or complexity, and the bilingual screenplay’s conventional cat-and-mouse structure shifts the focus away from the more compelling central mystery. (Not rated, 112 minutes).

The Pod Generation

There’s an app for everything else, so why not pregnancy and childbirth? That’s the premise of this uneven if mildly provocative mix of romantic comedy and science-fiction cautionary tale. In the near future, a New York tech executive (Emilia Clarke) and her botanist husband (Chiwetel Ejiofor) decide to conceive their child in a “smart” womb introduced by a firm to provide a safer and more controlled incubation environment. But as the due date approaches, the couple has second thoughts. As it explores the intriguing and inevitable convergence of artificial intelligence and corporate greed, the film lacks conviction as a progressive satire beneath the slick futuristic surface. (Rated PG-13, 109 minutes).

Red, White and Royal Blue

Requiring an outrageous suspension of disbelief in its contrived fairy-tale premise, this romantic comedy can’t muster enough laughs or heart to pay off any emotional investment. With the American president (Uma Thurman) seeking re-election, her clumsy son (Taylor Zakhar Parez) ignites a feud with a British prince (Nicholas Galitzine), causing an international incident. But that’s nothing compared to the potential scandal simmering behind the scenes after their public apology sparks romantic feelings between them. It’s a well-intentioned, sugary fantasy with some intermittent amusement. Yet any attempts at political or social satire are downplayed in favor of shallow characterizations and superficial observations about celebrity and queer identity. (Rated R, 118 minutes).