In the ever-expanding “Star Trek” universe — which next year enters its seventh earthly decade — there’s room for all kinds of celestial phenomena, including the occasional underwhelming dwarf star. That status is claimed by “Star Trek: Section 31,” the franchise’s first feature since “Beyond” nine years ago, and the first going directly to home […]

The first time 15-year-old Ahmet (Arif Jakup) smiles broadly on-screen lives up to the cliché that someone’s infectious grin can light up a room. Amid the bright colors of an EDM festival happening in the middle of the forest, the teen with wistful eyes surrenders to an upbeat tune and to the crowd of young […]

Bad decisions — the kind that can be, if not reversed, at least remedied — are an essential part of adolescence: lapses that teach us about our desires, our impulses, our weaknesses, our essential character, and leave us with no greater damage than a throbbing hangover or a small, smudgy tattoo. Doe and Muna, the […]

Of all of the phrases that could begin a light-hearted animated film, the Serenity Prayer popularized by Alcoholics Anonymous is surely among the least likely. But “The Colors Within,” which opens with that plea for God to grant “the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,” is no ordinary animated film. It is directed […]

Four years ago, Oscar winner Marlee Matlin experienced the magic of a Sundance premiere virtually when the heartfelt indie “CODA” made its debut at the fest (it then sold for $25 million to Apple on the way to winning the Oscar for best picture). But this year, Matlin gets to enjoy Sundance in-person with the […]

Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg’s “Flight Risk” is facing no traffic on the runway, lifting off to an easy No. 1 opening in what is turning out to be another sleepy weekend at the January box office. The Lionsgate thriller carried on $4.4 million from 3,161 locations across Friday and preview screenings. A three-day opening […]

With an agrarian lineage, Brittany Shyne always knew she wanted to make a film about Black land ownership, so she made “Seeds,” her doc feature debut that premieres Jan. 25 in the U.S Documentary Competition at Sundance. Shyne originally developed the subject as her MFA thesis film, “Seeds” follows the everyday life of Black generational […]

Paris-based sales outfit MPM Premium has acquired international rights to “Cactus Pears” (Sabar Bonda), the feature directorial debut from India’s Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, ahead of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it is in the world cinema dramatic competition. The Marathi-language film follows Anand (Bhushaan Manoj), a 30-something city dweller compelled to […]