New movies, the best and the rest: ‘The Forty-Year-Old Version,’ ‘Dick Johnson Is Dead’ and more

A weekly look at new movie releases in theaters and drive-ins and via streaming services, virtual cinemas and video-on-demand platforms. Click the titles to read full reviews by Justin Chang (J.C.), Kevin Crust (K.C.), Michael Ordoña (M.O.), Katie Walsh (K.W.) and Noel Murray (N.M.).

Critic’s Choice

Dick Johnson Is Dead Following her powerful 2016 visual memoir “Cameraperson,” documentary filmmaker Kirsten Johnson laughs into the abyss with this intensely personal, sometimes mordantly funny ode to her ailing father. (J.C.) PG-13. Netflix

The Forty-Year-Old Version Writer-director-star Radha Blank won a major prize at Sundance for this sharp, funny and moving film, beautifully shot on black-and-white film and loosely drawn from her own experience as a Harlem playwright and rapper. (J.C.) R. Vineland Drive-In, City of Industry; Paramount Drive-In, Paramount; also in limited release where theaters are open; available Oct. 9 on Netflix

Recommended

Kingdom of Silence A compelling profile not just of Khashoggi, but of the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia, Rick Rowley’s documentary charts a quixotic path, from young reporter to self-exiled critic of his homeland. (K.C.) TV-MA. Showtime

More reviews

Blood on the Wall Directors Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested’s dense dive into the failed policies, political corruption and economics that drive both immigration and narco-trafficking in Mexico doesn’t always coalesce and may have benefited from a longer format as it struggles to maintain a throughline. (K.C.) TV-14. National Geographic Channel

The Boys in the Band Director Joe Mantello reunites Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto and Matt Bomer, the cast of his Tony-winning 2018 Broadway revival of Mort Crowley’s landmark 1968 drama, for a film that is is both dated and eternal, a period piece that still has something urgent to say. (Charles McNulty) R. Netflix

A Call to Spy A different approach to the espionage genre, it follows three women who were real-life pioneers in England’s intelligence efforts in Nazi-occupied France. What it sometimes lacks in urgency and atmosphere, it makes up for in its interesting subjects. (M.O.) PG-13. VOD

The Glorias Though Gloria Steinem was often self-effacing, she deserves a grand biopic, and does she ever get one in Julie Taymor’s surrealist, 2½-hour cinematic treatment in which four different actresses (including Julianne Moore and Alicia Wickander) portray the famous feminist, sometimes all at once. (K.W.) R. Amazon Prime and VOD

On the Rocks Bill Murray reunites with his “Lost in Translation” director, Sofia Coppola, in this sweet, diverting if undernourished New York comedy about a writer (Rashida Jones) who looks to her man-about-town dad for marital advice. (Justin Chang) R. Vineland Drive-in, City of Industry; Mission Tiki Drive-in, Montclair; and in limited release where theaters are open; available Oct. 23 on Apple TV+

Possessor Andrea Riseborough is at her peak in writer-director Brandon Cronenberg’s violent, visionary science-fiction/horror hybrid, playing a ruthless assassin who works for a shadowy organization with cutting-edge murder tech. (N.M.) NR. Vineland Drive-in, City of Industry; Rubidoux Drive-in, Riverside; in limited release where theaters are open; also available Nov. 6 on VOD

Save Yourselves! Co-writers/co-directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson could not have known just how eerily and specifically prescient their comedy about hipsters at the end of the world would be. (K.W.) R. Vineland Drive-in, City of Industry; and in limited release where theaters are open; available Oct. 6 on VOD

Other new releases

Alien Addiction Sci-fi comedy with Jimi Jackson, Thomas Sainsbury and Jojo Waaka. VOD

American Murder: The Family Next Door True-crime documentary directed by Jenny Popplewell. Netflix

The Antenna Turkish techno-horror thriller directed by Orçun Behram. Virtual cinemas; available Oct. 20 on VOD

The Call Horror with Lin Shaye, Tobin Bell, Chester Rushing, Erin Sanders, Judd Lormand. Theaters and drive-ins

The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw Folklore horror with Catherine Walker, Jared Abrahamson, Hannah Emily Anderson, Geraldine O’Rawe, Don McKellar, Sean McGinley and Jessica Reynolds. Theaters; available Oct. 6 on VOD

Death of Me Horror/thriller directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. With Maggie Q, Luke Hemsworth, Alex Essoe. Theaters; also on VOD

The Devil to Pay Appalachian crime thriller directed by Ruckus Skye, Lane Skye. Drive-ins; available Oct. 6 on VOD

Do Not Reply Horror with Amanda Arcuri, Jackson Rathbone, Kerri Medders. Theaters; also on VOD

Eternal Beauty Rom-com with Sally Hawkins, David Thewlis, Billie Piper. Written and directed by Craig Roberts. VOD

The Great American Lie Documentary about social and economic immobility directed, produced and written by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. VOD

Herb Alpert Is??? Documentary profiles the trumpeter and A&M Records cofounder. Theaters; also on VOD

Hosts Horror with Neal Ward, Samantha Loxley. VOD

Inez & Doug & Kira Romantic mystery with Michael Chernus, Tawny Cypress and Talia Thiesfield. VOD

The Keeper A love story between a young English woman and a German prisoner of war, who together overcome prejudice, outrage and personal tragedy. Directed by Marcus H. Rosenmüller. Theaters and virtual cinemas

Money Machine Filmmaker Ramsey Denison’s portrait of the role of corruption in 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting. VOD

My Name Is Pedro Lillian LaSalle’s documentary on South Bronx Latino educator Pedro Santana. Virtual cinemas

Once Upon a River Coming-of-age fable written and directed by Haroula Rose. Virtual cinemas

Rising Hawk Action adventure with Robert Patrick, Tommy Flanagan, Poppy Drayton, and Alex MacNicoll. VOD

Scare Me Horror comedy with Aya Cash, Josh Ruben, Chris Redd. Written and directed by Ruben. Shudder

Sno Babies Drama about suburban teen heroin addicts with Katie Kelly, Paola Andino. VOD

Spontaneous Teen-themed rom-com/horror mashup with Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Piper Perabo. Written and directed by Brian Duffield Drive-ins; available Oct. 6 PVOD

Tar Horror with Aaron Wolf, Timothy Bottoms, Graham Greene, Max Perlich, Tiffany Shepis Theaters and drive-ins; available Oct. 20 on VOD

Then Came You Rom-com set in Scotland with Craig Ferguson, Kathie Lee Gifford (who also scripted), Elizabeth Hurley, Ford Kiernan. VOD

12 Hour Shift Comedy/horror directed by Brea Grant. With Angela Bettis, Chloe Farnworth, Nikea Gamby-Turner, Kit Williamson, Tara Perry, David Arquette. Theaters; also on VOD

2067 Sci-fi thriller with Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ryan Kwanten, Leeanna Walsman. Theaters; also on VOD

White Riot Documentary on 1970s British punk featuring the Clash, Steel Pulse, Tom Robinson and more. Directed by Rubikah Shah. Virtual cinemas

Wives of the Skies Drama about 1960s stewardesses with Rachel Alig, Maddison Bullock. VOD