Capsule reviews for July 25

A.J. Goes to the Dog Park

Even for those attuned to its goofy lo-fi charms, this offbeat comedy feels like an abbreviated sketch stretched to feature length. As such the laughs are sporadic in this thin story of the canine-loving title character (A.J. Thompson), whose beloved neighborhood dog park in Fargo, North Dakota, has been turned into a “blog park” where pooches are banned. That prompts him to fight city hall, triggering a surreal adventure that involves various oddball characters and voyages into the unknown. You can admire the film’s playful conviction in its rudimentary approach (think children’s television) and affection for its setting, although the egregiously corny gags aren’t for everyone. (Not rated, 79 minutes).

Diciannove

Offering a fresh perspective on familiar coming-of-age themes, this loosely structured Italian portrait of disaffected youth transitioning into adulthood is provocative if uneven. Leonardo (Manfredi Marini) is a lonely Sicilian teenager struggling to adjust to traditional college life. While drawn to literature, he refuses attempts to make friends, rebels against professors, and navigates violent thoughts in his head. Just as Leonardo seems to be searching for a way to define himself, so does the film from rookie director Giovanni Tortorici, which is evocative and deeply felt yet also fragmented and difficult to embrace. Fortunately, while he’s not always sympathetic, Leonardo’s aloofness conveys a fascinating authenticity. (Not rated, 108 minutes).

Folktales

The canines steal the show alongside their human companions in this crowd-pleasing documentary from directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp) about the bond between troubled teenagers and sled dogs at a remote Norwegian school. The campus gives high school graduates a chance to reset and learn primitive skills in the wild prior to leaving for college or adulthood. That includes bonding with sled dogs who provide an unexpected path to healing for the wayward adolescents, such as those struggling with insecurity or lingering trauma. Set against a vibrant visual backdrop, the film gains emotional power through catharsis, even when it lacks depth and subtlety. (Not rated, 106 minutes).

Four Letters of Love

Despite a scenic visual backdrop, this bittersweet Irish romantic drama is a dreary look at artistic inspiration, fractured families, and healing through creativity. It tells intertwining stories set in 1971, one involving a civil servant (Pierce Brosnan) who feels a religious calling to become a painter before eventually reconciling with his son (Fionn O’Shea). The other follows a self-loathing poet (Gabriel Byrne) and his wife (Helena Bonham Carter) whose daughter (Ann Skelly) might have married the wrong man. A modestly affecting exploration of grief, regret, rebirth, spirituality, and unrequited love, the awkwardly structured film is too introspective and disjointed to resonate as deeply as intended. (Not rated, 109 minutes).

House on Eden

Essentially an update of the Blair Witch template for the viral-video age, this DIY found-footage horror exercise is mildly unsettling but rarely as scary or suspenseful as intended. It crafts a faux-documentary storyline around real-life content creators Kris Collins (who also directed) and Celina Myers, who set out to investigate rumored paranormal activity at an abandoned house in the woods. However, their discovery turns into a quest for survival once they learn the sinister truth. The film is most successful in spoofing how influencers willingly subject themselves to shameless humiliation to boost their following. Yet while they’re engaging enough, the result feels amateurish and self-indulgent. (Rated R, 78 minutes).

Monk in Pieces

Capturing the defiantly avant-garde spirit of its subject, this illuminating documentary offers a fresh perspective on the life and career of New York multimedia artist Meredith Monk without resorting to hagiography. It consists of several chapters, some more cohesive and compelling than others, recalling the performances that often replaced traditional dialogue and songs with dissonant and ethereal sounds, dividing critics and confounding traditionalists. As her fame grew, her talent clashed with her overbearing personality. Inviting moviegoers to reassess Monk’s artistry through a contemporary lens, the film makes a persuasive case that she was misunderstood during her heyday, while also acknowledging that appreciation is an acquired taste. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

Oh, Hi

Although it admirably subverts genre tropes with an edgy millennial playfulness, this dark romantic comedy from director Sophie Brooks (The Boy Downstairs) can’t decide whether we should castigate its desperate and abrasive characters or sympathize with them. During a weekend getaway at a lakeside cabin, Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) are at a crossroads. When he reveals — foolishly while handcuffed to the bed — that he doesn’t want to commit long-term, she’s devastated, and willing to take extreme measures to change his mind. Despite some scattered big laughs and a few audaciously zany twists, as the film stretches credibility, it loses any relatable emotional grounding. (Rated R, 94 minutes).

Shoshana

A period piece with obvious contemporary resonance, this well-acted romantic thriller from prolific director Michael Winterbottom (A Mighty Heart) is a compelling origin story of sorts for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that’s both harrowing and insightful. It’s set during the 1930s, prior to Israel’s independence, when the simmering conflict between Arabs and Jews began to boil over as British colonial attempts failed. Caught in the middle is Morton (Douglas Booth), an officer based in Tel Aviv who inadvertently escalates the hostility by falling for a local woman (Irina Starshenbaum). Although dry in stretches, the film skillfully navigates tricky thematic territory without turning sentimental or heavy-handed. (Not rated, 121 minutes).

Star People

Perhaps aliens abducted this science-fiction drama and returned it as a heavy-handed immigration saga. Regardless, the narrative strands never quite connect in this earnest story of strangers seeking fulfillment and healing. An epileptic photographer (Kat Cunning) is lured to the Arizona desert during a heat wave by a tip, hoping to resolve her own curiosity 27 years after the true-life Phoenix Lights phenomenon. Her investigation is threatened by her addict brother (McCabe Slye) and a border-crossing migrant (Eddie Martinez) looking for a fresh start. As their subplots overlap, the characters aren’t as compelling as the broader concepts surrounding them, leaving the film lost in the cosmos. (Not rated, 103 minutes).