Movie & Television Reviews

Small-time retail investors take on some of the titans of Wall Street in the wry fact-based blend of comedy and drama “Dumb Money” (Sony). Although the David vs. Goliath aspect of director Craig Gillespie’s film is appealing, the relentless vulgarity of its dialogue gives his retrospective a hard edge and renders it acceptable for few.

First-person shooter games don’t often involve fantasy. But the visually pleasing “Immortals of Aveum” (Electronic Arts) — which also boasts a talented voice cast and quickly paced action — combines these elements to good effect.

Science fiction is often used as an allegorical vessel within which to explore real-life current events, and such is the case with “The Creator” (20th Century). Although primarily set in the year 2070, this thinking person’s war drama takes for its main topic the timely subject of artificial intelligence.

A decade after premiering on Nickelodeon and two years out from their film debut, the titular group of canine first responders, led by a preteen boy called Ryder (voice of Finn Lee-Epp), returns for another round of derring-do and some fresh life lessons.

With “Expend4bles” (Lionsgate), director Scott Waugh extends a franchise that dates back to 2010 and that has always been fueled by mindless machismo. The latest blood-soaked entry in the series maintains that lunkheaded outlook.

In adapting Hernández’s memoir “Reaching for the Stars,” Abella traces his remarkable journey from child migrant farm worker to NASA engineer and candidate for a place on the space shuttle.

“A Haunting in Venice” (20th Century) is the third in a series of Agatha Christie adaptations, all featuring her famed sleuth Hercule Poirot, on which director and star Kenneth Branagh has collaborated with screenwriter Michael Green.