‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD’: A heaving red brute froths and seethes behind a podium marked with the presidential seal before tearing through the Rose Garden and leaving a swath of wreckage through the White House. As he rips through the Washington Monument, the only person standing in his way is a winged Captain America, notably, the first Black Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who received the iconic star shield at the end of “Avengers: Endgame.” His journey was later expanded upon in the Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” but “Captain America: Brave New World” is his first stand-alone movie. “Captain America: Brave New World” proves itself to be a decent political thriller with something culturally resonant to say that exceeds mere comic book particulars. 1:58. 2 1/2 stars. — Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service

‘DOG MAN’: Never fear, “Dog Man” is here. The popular children’s books by Dav Pilkey (a spinoff of the “Captain Underpants” series) are adapted with a silly, self-referential charm by writer-director Peter Hastings, the result a cutely frenetic but somewhat narratively flimsy animated feature. “Dog Man” feels like a bedtime story made up by a dad, then rendered in a sweetly kiddie aesthetic. The character’s origin story is told in a quick introduction: Ohkay City police Officer Knight and his trusty dog Greg make a great team (Greg’s the brains of the operation), but when they’re injured in an explosion, doctors have to attach Greg’s head to Officer Knight’s body, resulting in Dog Man, Supa Cop. Dog Man’s success chagrins his boss, Chief (Lil Rel Howery), and delights the local TV reporter, Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher). Dog Man’s nemesis is an evil orange tabby named Petey (Pete Davidson), who loves nothing more than to dream up wilder and wilder robots to take down his rival. Dog Man, for his part, is continually throwing Petey in Cat Jail, from which he keeps escaping. But everything changes when Petey, fed up with his assistant, Butler (Poppy Liu), clones himself and out pops an adorable orange kitten, Li’l Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon). The film barely stretches to its 89-minute run time, and there’s not enough to the conceit to pad out more of the story and lore. However, the lessons of compassion and empathy are profound and remind us that tales of good triumphing over evil are evergreen, even when it doesn’t seem to be reflected in the world around us. 1:29. 3 stars. — Katie Walsh

‘HEART EYES’: “Heart Eyes” is a fun and irreverent seasonal slasher from director Josh Ruben. Every good rom-com has to have killer chemistry at the center. Fortunately, “Heart Eyes” has Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt, two veterans of recent teen horror hits. The pair have a crackling charm together, and while there’s a certain winky-ness to these kinds of self-referential genre exercises, they know to play straight the flirtation and the fright. Grand declarations and life-or-death pathos are just as much a part of these high-stakes narratives as the sparkling banter and longing looks. Love and death are inextricably intertwined in a symbiotic relationship, and “Heart Eyes” makes that manifest, with wit, good cheer and plenty of blood. 1:37. 3 stars. — Katie Walsh

‘THE MONKEY’: Oz Perkins’ latest film, “The Monkey,” based on a Stephen King short story, is about how siblings might handle generational trauma, family curses and the horrific randomness of death. “The Monkey” is a horrific fable in King’s signature style in that children endure terrifying events in the state of Maine, and a sense of unyielding sadness is streaked throughout this tale (Perkins balances that sorrow with dry humor). Twin brothers Hal and Bill (played as children by Christian Convery; Theo James as adults) find a wind-up toy monkey in the effects of their long-lost pilot father, who has abandoned them and their mother Lois (Tatiana Maslany). Bill winds the monkey up, it plays its drum, and then very, very bad things start happening, such as their babysitter dropping dead before their eyes. In an attempt to direct the monkey’s ire at his bullying brother, Hal turns the monkey’s key; soon they are orphans, living with their Aunt Ida and Uncle Chip (Perkins — he saves the worst death for his own character). The true curse of winding the monkey is that you’ll never be harmed, it’s just everyone around you who will, resulting in a life of isolation and loneliness; a secretive cloud of shame hanging over Hal and Bill in adulthood. The message is clear: “Everybody dies,” as Lois tells her boys, and that’s something we have to learn to live with. Generational trauma can be contained if it is acknowledged. The randomness of death is not something anyone can control. Executed with panache, “The Monkey” is a droll and stylish expression of these sentiments, yet there is still something about this gory fable that feels a bit like an exercise, rather than an epic. It’s too glib to fully penetrate, but sometimes, all you can do is laugh in the face of death. 1:38. 3 stars. — Katie Walsh

‘PADDINGTON IN PERU’: Two is the sweet spot for this trilogy of movies based on the beloved books by Michael Bond about a Peruvian British bear in a blue overcoat and red hat. “Paddington 2” is the high point of the series, hailed by many as a masterpiece, so the third film, “Paddington in Peru,” was always going to be a bit of a let down. Director Paul King has been replaced by Dougal Wilson, making his feature film debut (though King has a screen story credit), and co-star Sally Hawkins has been replaced by Emily Mortimer as Mary, the matriarch of Paddington’s English family, the Browns. “Paddington in Peru” remains a charming, heartfelt and beautifully designed film, and the trilogy is still a gold standard in children’s entertainment, foregrounding themes of family and fun. But there’s just something about “Paddington in Peru” that doesn’t quite connect. It’s still touching in its story of acceptance from found family and birth family. It’s still amusing, with a childlike innocence and purity of heart that appeals to kids and adults. It still pays homage to film history in a way that will delight cinephiles. But having seen the heights of “Paddington 2,” this third installment could only pale in comparison. 1:46. 2 1/2 stars. — Katie Walsh

‘THE UNBREAKABLE BOY’: First, the good news about “The Unbreakable Boy,” a family drama based on the memoir by Scott LaRette: star Zachary Levi is acting his age. After a few high-profile childlike roles in the past few years in the “Shazam” movies, and “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” it’s a relief to see him as an adult. The film is also a belated confirmation of co-star Meghann Fahy’s absolutely bulletproof star power. Shot in winter 2020, the film was originally slated for release in March 2022. Why it has been aging on a shelf at Lionsgate is a mystery, but the faith-based film finally hits theaters with the story of the LaRette family and their specific, if not unique, challenges about raising a child, Austin (Jacob Laval), born with both autism and a genetic brittle bone disease. The real struggle here is trying to connect with this film beyond a wan appreciation that a father finally learned how to love his son for who he is. Good for them, I guess? 1:49. 1 1/2 stars. — Katie Walsh

RATINGS: The movies listed are rated according to the following key: 4 stars, excellent; 3 stars, good; 2 stars, fair; 1 star, poor.