“Wind River” (Crime/Mystery: 1 hour, 47 minutes)

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Kelsey Asbille and Graham Greene

Director: Taylor Sheridan

Rated: R (Strong violence, rape, disturbing images, and profanity)

 

Movie Review: “Wind River” is a solid mystery inspired by actual events. It offers plenty of intrigue and danger for its characters. These aspects give audiences a riveting screenplay aptly directed and written by actor Taylor Sheridan.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent Cory Lambert (Renner), FBI agent Jane Banner (Olsen) and local Tribal Police Chief Ben (Greene) team up to solve the murder of 18-year-old Natalie Hanson (Asbille). 

The young native woman found dead in the snow apparently ran for miles with no shoes. Lambert, Banner and Chief Ben explore the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming tracking those responsible for Hanson’s murder.

The screenplay is actor-turned-screenwriter Taylor Sheridan’s second movie as a director. He is better known for writing the screenplays for “Hell or High Water” (2016) and “Sicario” (2015) and acting in several television series such as “Sons of Anarchy” and “Veronica Mars.”

Sheridan’s style is precise. He makes all of his characters poignant personas. His people affect effectively because the plots of his screenplays offer crucial stories in which the cast exists. The same is true with “Wind River,” a well-done mystery, even if the movie plays a like subtle Western.

At the heart of the story is Renner as Lambert. Renner has a unique manner of making his characters real. Far too often, movie stars appear to be a celebrity pretending to be someone else. Renner easily makes himself the person he plays. The noteworthy are “The Hurt Locker” (2008), “The Town” (2010) and “Kill the Messenger” (2014).

Of course, Renner is good also because Sheridan provides a nice world for his character to exist. Despite multiple snowy scenes, Sheridan provides a warm invitation to explore life and problems on a Native American reservation.

Grade: B+ (A worthy stream.)

“Birth of the Dragon” (Action/Biography/Drama: 1 hour, 43 minutes)

Starring: Philip Ng, Yu Xia and Billy Magnussen

Director: George Nolfi

Rated: PG-13 (Violence, language and thematic elements)

 

Movie Review: A 1960s San Francisco serves as the setting for this martial arts movie about the most famous man during his lifetime Bruce Lee. 

The movie, however, feels like a movie pretending about the life of Bruce Lee. While it is good to see a martial-arts film again on the big screen, some scenes appear comedic and not worthy for the talented Bruce Lee.

A sifu, Bruce Lee (Ng) instructs classes in kung-fu in San Francisco. As a master of the martial-arts form, Lee is also an actor, starring in several movies. His teaching of kung-fu to the Western world creates resentment from some in the east. 

Enter kung fu master Wong Jack Man (Xia), a Shaolin monk seeking penitence. Lee believes Man is in town to chastise him about teaching kung-fun to the west. Lee and Man, along with their eager student, Steve McKee (Magnussen), band together to stand up to a crime syndicate. To do so, Lee and Man agree to an epic fight that causes Lee to establish a new form of martial arts.

Much exists to like about this action-oriented movie. The martial arts displayed are engaging and energetic. On the other hand, the movie also presents the story with a bit of cheesy flair. Such material detracts from what has potential.

Nolfi (“The Adjustment Bureau,” 2011) directs the movie. It is intriguing. It boasts neat action sequences, but the script’s portrayal of Bruce Lee may not capture the legend many adoring fans have to come to appreciate.

Grade: C+ (Enter the Dragon, but do not expect a critical biography.)

“Leap!” (Animation/Family: 1 hour, 29 minutes)

Starring: Elle Fanning, Dane DeHaan and Carly Rae Jepsen

Director: Éric Summer and Éric Warin

Rated: PG (Violence and some impolite humor)

 

Movie Review: “Leap!” is a predictable animated movie. Its characters are endearing, yet the story is a Cinderella one.

The color-by-numbers adventure features two orphans. Felicie (Fanning) dreams of becoming a ballerina. Victor (DeHaan) dreams of becoming a famous inventor, the first to create a flying machine. 

The two flee their orphanage in rural Brittany for Paris. There, Felicie impersonates a well-off girl to gain a prestigious position at the Grand Opera house.

Again, Felicie and Victor are endearing characters. They easily win audience affection. Sympathy for them is easy. They are poor kids who dream big.

Conversely, the story consists of feminine catfights and overly blown action sequences. That is the problem. The story does not go beyond the typical for a girl-empowerment screenplay. Despite likable characters and nice animated views of a late 1880s Paris, “Leap!” does not make a jump to something more cerebral or at least atypical.

Grade: C (It is not a major leap.)

“All Saints” (Drama: 1 hour, 48 minutes)

Starring: John Corbett, Nelson Lee, Cara Buono and Barry Corbin

Director: Steve Gomer

Rated: PG (thematic elements and brief violence)

 

Movie Review: Based on the inspirational real-life events of the Rev. Michael Spurlock, “All Saints” is an engaging movie for those wanting something pleasant.

It follows the Rev. Spurlock (agreeably portrayed by Corbett). He revives a small congregation after the church diocese orders him to shut down the place. Spurlock, less than a dozen longtime members and a group of refugees from Southeast Asia work together to save the church by becoming farmers. They quickly learn planting seeds is easier than growing them.

Steve Gomer is primarily a television director. His movies are usually family oriented and entertaining yet mild. Gomer lets his cast be tangible people — people who appear to be everyday Americans.

“All Saints” is a religious drama that scores by showcasing people as part of a community. People and their treatment of each other are at heart of this feature. It does not go overboard with comedy or become overly preachy. It maintains a decent message throughout via its inspirational story.

Grade: B- (Humanity at one of its better moments.)