Gire's movie guide: What's out now and what's coming

Coming Friday: Some wildly different movies hit local screens this weekend. “The Big Short” breaks down the complex, complicated collusion of corrupt corporate contrivances that led to the mortgage market collapse of 2008, plunging the U.S. into a fiscal crisis. Ron Howard takes on the Moby-Dick-inspired maritime survival adventure “In the Heart of the Sea.” And Michael Fassbender gives a masterful performance as the title madman in Shakespeare's “Macbeth.” Check out reviews in Friday's Time out! and read on for recaps of movies in theaters now.

Ratings: Four stars: superior. Three stars: good. Two stars: average. One star: poor. D (drug use), L (language), N (nudity), S (sexual situations, references), V (violence). Ratings by Dann Gire, Daily Herald Film Critic, unless otherwise noted.

Picks

“Bridge of Spies” — Steven Spielberg directs Tom Hanks in the fact-based story of a Brooklyn attorney who negotiates for the Soviet release of captured U.S. spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers during 1962. A splendid drama emulating the spirit of Frank Capra and exploding with 1960s vibes. (PG-13) L, V. 141 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ★

“Brooklyn” — Sincere, unabashedly tender coming-of-age tale that never gives in to sentimentality or maudlin theatrics. An Irish woman (Saoirse Ronan) leaves home for a job in Brooklyn. Reviewed by Ann Hornaday, Washington Post. (PG-13) L, S. 111 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ★

“Chi-Raq” — Spike Lee's messy cinematic Molotov cocktail explodes with anger against Chicago street violence in a clever update of Aristophanes' ancient play “Lysistrata.” A woman from Englewood (Teyonah Parris) leads a “no-sex” ladies' strike against South Side men until they stop the shooting and killing. With Nick Cannon, John Cusack and Wesley Snipes. (R) D, L, N, S, V. 124 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ½

“Creed” — Retired boxer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) mentors the talented but inexperienced son (Michael B. Jordan) of his late rival Apollo Creed in a touching, affectionate and undeniably thrilling continuation of the almost 40-year-old saga. Reviewed by Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post. (PG-13) L, S, V. 133 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ½

“The Good Dinosaur” — Pixar's 3-D animated comic drama isn't exactly in the “Inside Out” track, but its gorgeous, hyper-realistic landscapes are eye-boggling and the story is sentimental if not shopworn. A lovable dino named Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) teams with a canine-like boy (Jack Bright) to find his family and home after a devastating flood. (PG) 100 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ½

“James White” — Performances by Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon give Josh Mond's slices-of-life mother/son drama tenderness and toughness and truth. Reviewed by Ann Hornaday, Washington Post. At Chicago's ArcLight and Evanston's Century 12. (R) D, L, N, S. 85 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ½

“The Martian” — Ridley Scott's fact-based science-fiction space survival thriller blasts off, pushing us down with tremendous G-force, and never lets up until the end. An astronaut (Matt Damon), presumed dead and left behind on Mars, is still alive. How can he survive on 31 days worth of food and oxygen when it will take four years to rescue him? With Jessica Chastain and Jeff Daniels. (PG-13) L, N. 134 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ★

“The Peanuts Movie” — Charles Schulz's adored characters empower this 3-D, computer-generated animated comedy that recycles many scenarios from the original comic strip and 1960s TV shows, movie and musical. Diversity-wise, the movie doesn't bother to keep up with the times. (G) 85 minutes. ★ ★ ★

“Room” — A taut, engrossing drama about the resilience of the human spirit, exemplified by a young mother (Brie Larson) caring for her 5-year-old son (Jacob Tremblay) while trapped in a single 10-by-10 room. (R) L. 113 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ★

“Spotlight” — True story of how Boston Globe reporters uncovered the Catholic Church's systemic harboring of pedophile priests. An electric and lively investigative reporter procedural that's now the gold standard for journalism dramas. Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo star. (R) L. 127 minutes. ★ ★ ★ ★

“Trumbo” — Bryan Cranston's sharp performance highlights this biopic about Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, blacklisted during the 1940s and '50s for being a communist. Shaky and simple in spots, but still politically relevant. With John Goodman, Diane Lane and Helen Mirren. (R) L. 124 minutes. ★ ★ ★

Passables

“Goosebumps” — Innocuous, generic, CGI-crammed horror comedy about noted author R.L. Stine (Jack Black) whose monstrous creations escape from his books to menace a small town high school dance. (PG) 103 minutes. ★ ★

“Hotel Transylvania 2” — Under gross-out humor lurks surprisingly relevant messages about tolerance, acceptance and identity. Reviewed by Sandie Angulo Chen, Washington Post. (PG) 89 minutes. ★ ★

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2” — Jennifer Lawrence's stellar performance as Katniss keeps this long, meandering last chapter afloat as she vows to assassinate the evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and make rebel leader Coin (Julianne Moore) the new boss of Panem. (PG-13) V. 135 minutes. ★ ★ ½

“The Intern” — Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway are charming in Nancy Meyers' way-too-long, treacle-dripping comedy about a perfect 70-year-old retiree saving a frazzled young woman's personal life as well as her fashion website upstart. Some good laughs in this quicksand of cloying sentiment and terminal cuteness. (PG-13) L. 121 minutes. ★ ★

“The Night Before” — Gross, derivative arrested development comedy about three guys (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie and Seth Rogen) who party hardy every Christmas Eve until the metaphorical ghost of growing-up arrives. Reviewed by Stephanie Merry, Washington Post. (R) D, L, N, S. 101 minutes. ★ ★ ½

“A Royal Night Out” — Tepid telling of the time Princesses Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) and Margaret (Bel Powley) partied with the British folks, undercover as it were, after World War II ended in 1945. Reviewed by Stephanie Merry, Washington Post. (PG-13) D, S. 97 minutes. ★ ★ ½

“SPECTRE” — Daniel Craig's fourth tour of duty as 007 feels dramatically inert despite a spectacular opening sequence and slavish adherence to Bondian conventions. Bond tracks down a shadow international organization run by a mystery man (Christoph Waltz) with ties to the agent's past. A waste of Monica Bellucci and Waltz. (PG-13) L, S, V. 130 minutes. ★ ★ ½

“The 33” — Antonio Banderas and Juliette Binoche star in this fact-based drama about the 2010 collapse of a Chilean mine and the rescue of the 33 miners trapped for 69 days. Reviewed by Mark Jenkins, Washington Post. (PG-13) L, V. 120 minutes. ★ ★ ½

Pits

“Love the Coopers” — Love the Coopers, hate the film. Derivative family reunion holiday comedy with all the Hollywood clichés nicely wrapped up just for us. Diane Keaton, John Goodman and Olivia Wilde lead a cast of talented actors stuck with material way below their pay grade. (PG-13) L, S. 105 minutes. ★

“Secret in Their Eyes” — Thirteen years after a cop (Julia Roberts) loses her daughter to a murder, her partner (Chiwetel Ejiofor) uncovers clues to a horrible discovery. An incredibly silly story wasting a committed performance by Roberts. Reviewed by Stephanie Merry, Washington Post. (PG-13) L, S, V. 111 minutes. ★ ½

“Victor Frankenstein” — Mary Shelley's classic horror tale becomes a Guy Ritchie-wannabe action movie when Dr. Frankenstein (a more than game James McAvoy) teams with a circus clown named Igor (Daniel Radcliffe) to create the perfect man. It might have worked better as a comedy. (PG-13) V. 109 minutes. ★ ½

Unpreviewed

“By the Sea” — Angelina Jolie Pitt writes and directs a drama about a married couple (Pitt and her husband, Brad) who arrive in Malta where they move into a room to repair their damaged marriage. (R) L, N, S. 132 minutes.

“Krampus” — A good cast (Toni Collette, Adam Scott) stars in this horror tale about a dysfunctional family attacked by a demonic force of ancient evil out to punish those who fail to catch the Christmas spirit. Not screened for critics, so caveat emptor. (NR) 98 minutes.

“The Letters” — A Vatican priest finds the letters written by Mother Teresa (Juliet Stevenson) during the past 40 years. (PG) 114 minutes.

“Life” — A Life magazine photographer (Robert Pattinson) gets an assignment to shoot an up-and-coming Hollywood star named James Dean (Dane DeHaan). With Ben Kingsley as Jack Warner and Lauren Gallagher as Natalie Wood. (R) L, N, S. 114 minutes. Not screened for critics.

“Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” — An Indian production inspired by the story “The Prince and the Pauper.” A king switches places with his doppleganger commoner. In Hindi. (NR) 146 minutes.