Though it has the relationship between a teen girl and a cuddly creature at its core, The Legend of Ochi (A24) is not a sunny children’s movie. In fact, this fantasy tale is a sort of infernal machine of confounding dark imagery, threats of violence and a mixed moral about honouring your parents while respecting nature.

If the pure spectacle of noisy, balletic action sequences, fighter jets in combat, and, needless to say, that indestructible red, white and blue shield, constitute diverting entertainment – and, for some at least, they always seem to – that’s sufficient.

At the heart of the narrative is the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857, a tragic and historically complex event involving the deaths of more than 100 emigrants at the hands of a Mormon militia and their allies.

Two double lives provide the context for some good one-liners in the generally enjoyable espionage comedy “Back in Action” (Netflix). Unfortunately, however, the quality of the humor flags as the film’s plot progresses and some of the ma-terial viewers encounter along the way makes this production an apt choice for grown-ups only.

With D. J. Caruso’s new film “Mary” streaming on Netflix ahead of Christmas, two Marian scholars shared with OSV News that “Filmmakers face many difficulties in portraying Mary, particularly because of the four Marian dogmas”.

Wicked’s basic message about the need to stand up against prejudice and persecution is obviously congruent with Gospel values.

Disorganised horror-comedy sequel in which the teen occupant of the haunted house of the 1988 original, now a widowed mother (Winona Ryder), is once again bothered by the mischievous demon of the title (Michael Keaton) while her disaffected adolescent daughter (Jenna Ortega) finds first love with a beau (Arthur Conti) who is not what he initially seems.