Queen of Katwe (PG)
four stars
Dir: Mira Nair
With: Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo
Runtime: 124 minutes
THIS true-life tale of a young Ugandan woman finding respite from poverty through chess might be a Disney picture, but it disnae shy away from telling it like it is. Madina Nalwanga plays teenager Phiona Mutesi. Phiona’s widowed mother is struggling to keep the family’s heads above water and doesn’t feel, despite the protestations from teacher Robert Katende (David Oyelowo), that chess will get her daughter anywhere. But who knows how the pieces will move in life? Mira Nair’s picture is too long, but you can forgive such an inspiring tale a lot, especially when it is so clear-eyed about poverty in modern Africa. Be sure to stick around for the end credits.
Trolls (U)
three stars
Dirs: Walt Dohrn, Mike Mitchell
Voices: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Runtime: 92 minutes
WHEN you hire Anna Kendrick, the star of Pitch Perfect, to play a troll princess charged with saving her kind from ogres it can only mean one thing. Singing. Lots and lots and lots of it, which is exactly what you get from Walt Dohrn and Mike Mitchell’s animated adventure. You also get a lot of other famous names in the voice cast, including Russell Brand and Justin Timberlake. Though it comes with a heavy reliance on Cinderella for a plot, it’s fun, silly, and busy. You will need a high tolerance for disco, though.
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