Capsule reviews for Nov. 17

Dashing Through the Snow

A more culturally inclusive family-friendly holiday movie seems like a worthwhile venture, but in the case of this silly and predictable comedy from director Tim Story (Barbershop), it’s also a missed opportunity. Still traumatized by bad childhood memories, divorced social worker Eddie (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) is a non-believer whose outlook is transformed when he and his young daughter (Madison Skye Validum) who have different degrees of skepticism when meeting Nick (Lil Rel Howery), who claims to be the real Santa. Will a wild adventure on Christmas Eve change his mind? Lacking seasonal charm, the formulaic script provides little incentive to care. And there’s barely any snow! (Rated PG, 90 minutes).

The Disappearance of Shere Hite

Feminist author and researcher Shere Hite might have faded into obscurity, but this compelling documentary lends a fresh and timely relevance to her controversial work examining gender politics. She broke through with a series of 1970s New York-based books called The Hite Report, which used anonymous surveys to reveal startling theories about sex, relationships, and female empowerment during the height of the women’s liberation movement. But when her methods were questioned by conservative activists, she was forced into exile. The title is a bit misleading, and the film tends to become unfocused and disjointed, but it also shines a deserving spotlight through a contemporary lens. (Rated R, 116 minutes).

Fallen Leaves

A fresh twist on the simple idea of two lost souls falling in love, this Finnish romantic comedy is slight yet amusing as it combines deadpan quirks with offbeat charm. Interspersed randomly with musical interludes and radio reports about the war in Ukraine, the story follows unemployed strangers Ansa (Alma Poysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) who meet in a karaoke bar. But despite an immediate attraction, their subsequent meetings are derailed by increasingly absurd circumstances. By the end, we know more about the characters than they do about each other. The touching screenplay by director Aki Kaurismaki (Le Havre) is steeped in evocative working-class geniality. (Not rated, 81 minutes).

Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story

There’s much to celebrate about the life and career of multihyphenate media mogul Tyler Perry, from overcoming a troubled childhood to creating a massive Atlanta-based entertainment empire to becoming an activist and mentor to inspire those following in his footsteps. But its approach in saluting those successes renders this documentary an example of hero worship that’s more hagiographic than even-handed. There are segments of genuine insight into his inspirations — particularly regarding his deep-seeded faith and his titular mother — and artistic process, how his business sense has burgeoned from knowing and catering to his devoted fanbase. Some moments feel candid and intimate, while too many seem guarded. (Rated PG-13, 115 minutes).

The Stones and Brian Jones

An intimate glimpse into the troubled mind of a musician and a broader exploration of the perils of celebrity, the latest from veteran music documentarian Nick Broomfield (Kurt and Courtney) is insightful and moving. It traces the life of the late Rolling Stones founder and guitarist — rebelling against his disapproving parents, struggles in coping with the pressures of fame, drugs and womanizing, and eventually infighting that threatened to derail the band in its early years. His downward spiral lends a melancholy resonance to this glimpse into a dynamic era of rock history, as well as the formative years for one of the world’s most enduring acts. (Not rated, 93 minutes).

Trolls Band Together

Even by the standards of its predecessors, this animated sequel emphasizes quantity over quality with regard to its rapid-fire barrage of bright colors, pop-music medleys, and dance montages featuring the titular big-haired dolls. This installment tackles major issues of cultural significance — the fallout after a boy band breaks up — through the continuing adventures of Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) when they’re forced to confront a past secret that tests their courage. Straining to be hip and relevant for its target demographic of preteens with short attention spans, the film’s scattered laughs are overwhelmed by the familiar and exhausting sense of nonstop mayhem. (Rated PG, 92 minutes).