Capsule reviews for Oct. 2

Addicted to Fresno

A talented comic ensemble is squandered in this low-budget farce that’s as unpleasant as it is unfunny. It follows sex-addicted Shannon (Judy Greer) and her lesbian sister, Martha (Natasha Lyonne), who work together as maids at a Fresno hotel, where their actions indirectly lead to the death of a guest, and therefore, the need to quietly dispose of his body. Plenty of embarrassing shenanigans ensue, as well as opportunities for bonding between the bickering siblings. There’s a mean-spirited tone to the screenplay, which can’t reconcile its broad slapstick antics with attempts at deeper emotional resonance. The cast includes Ron Livingston, Molly Shannon and Aubrey Plaza. (Not rated, 84 minutes).

He Named Me Malala

Powerful yet unfocused, this documentary from director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) shines a worthy spotlight on Malala Yousafzai, a precocious Pakastani teenager who gained worldwide fame for her recent efforts to promote education for girls under the oppressive Taliban regime, which responded by trying to murder her. As her family relocates to London, the film follows Malala’s global advocacy efforts and her desire to return to her homeland. It’s a provocative and insightful look at topical issues such as equality and religious extremism, and despite the film’s manipulative tendencies, the courage and compassion of its subject is inspirational as it crosses geographic and cultural boundaries. (Rated PG-13, 87 minutes).

Labyrinth of Lies

Although the intentions might surpass the execution, this period thriller provides some provocative insight into an unsettling true-life tale of German apologists who resist attempts to prosecute Nazi war criminals. That’s the obstacle encountered by an ambitious young Berlin attorney (Alexander Fehling) who takes up the challenge in 1958 of bringing Auschwitz murderers to justice. Yet the more dirt he digs up, the more he finds an institutional conspiracy still exists to shield the perpetrators. Rookie director Giuilo Ricciarelli resorts to some heavy-handed clichés, but Fehling conveys some spunky appeal and the script gradually develops tension while telling a story that deserves to be exposed. (Rated R, 124 minutes).

Northern Soul

It’s best to not quibble with the details and just enjoy the sights and sounds of this period drama that recalls the titular underground music movement in northern England during the 1970s. Specifically, the film follows John (Elliot James Langridge) and Matt (Josh Whitehouse), rebellious types whose friendship forms around their mutual appreciation for black soul music of the time from across the pond, and fuels their dreams of becoming club deejays at an American club. Some of the ensuing plot developments follow melodramatic formula, but rookie director Elaine Constantine conveys an evocative sense of time and place, and the soundtrack finds the right groove. (Rated R, 102 minutes).

Shanghai

The true-life historical background is more compelling than the fictional melodrama at the center of this period piece set in the titular city in 1941 during unrest with Japan. That’s when American expatriate Paul (John Cusack) poses as a journalist as part of a government investigation before becoming entangled with a duplicitous Chinese diplomat (Chow Yun-fat) and his alluring wife (Gong Li) who might have connections to Paul’s murdered colleague. It’s a stylish but narratively flat attempt at wartime noir — with laughably pedantic narration and a cliched romantic subplot — from Swedish director Mikael Hafstrom (Escape Plan) that fails to develop much suspense or international intrigue. (Rated R, 104 minutes).