Movie & Television Reviews

Long ago, when the world was young, B-52s frontman Fred Schneider warned his listeners to stay away from “a pool fraught with danger.” The virtually bloodless but uneven horror yarn “Night Swim” (Universal) – which is possibly acceptable for older teens as well as grown-ups – offers a similar caution.

Nostalgic evocations of a simpler era or intimate love stories may qualify as the kind of comforting fare that will help to make a dreary January afternoon go by in a more enjoyable way.

A cautionary tale unfolds in “The Iron Claw,” (A24) based on the true story of the rise and fall of an all-American wrestling family.

An endearing piece of entertainment awaits audiences in the animated adventure “Migration” (Universal).

In the musical drama “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.), author Alice Walker’s account of one woman’s survival skills and self-esteem in the face of grinding poverty and cruel patriarchal oppression finds its perfected ritual form.

Although the script, penned by director Will Gluck and Ilana Wolpert, draws on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” the mores on display are all-too-modern.

This rousing sports drama promotes positive values and showcases a sweetly innocent romance.