• A24 Films
• Jeremy Pope and Raúl Castillo in The Inspection

THE INSPECTION
Telling a fictionalized version of your own life story is a tricky business for a filmmaker, but first-time feature director Elegance Bratton has such a unique experience to draw from that in some ways, he only needs not to screw it up. His circa-2005 counterpart here is Ellis French (Jeremy Pope), a gay Black man experiencing homelessness for years after being thrown out by his mother (Gabrielle Union). Determined to find a new start, Ellis decides to enlist in the Marines, but immediately finds himself in conflict with the "don't ask, don't tell"-era military ethos exemplified by his drill sergeant Laws (Bokeem Woodbine). There's more than a whisper of similarity between the boot camp in The Inspection and that of Full Metal Jacket, plus a hint of Platoon in the dueling authority figures of Laws and a kinder superior officer (Raul Castillo). But while it might be inevitable to compare The Inspection to other movies about the cruel process of turning men into killing machines, Bratton effectively captures the experience of someone uniquely set up to fail within that process, anchored by a powerful performance by Pope. Bratton also finds his own visual style within this genre, particularly in a sequence where filtered light snaps us into Ellis's fantasy world. The filmmaker's feelings about his military experience are understandably complex, and his story captures that complexity with a distinctive voice. Available Dec. 2 at Broadway Centre Cinemas. (R)

SALVATORE: SHOEMAKER OF DREAMS
You learn a few things when you watch a documentary made by a filmmaker best known for fiction features—like whether or not he really has a grip on what makes an interesting documentary. Director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, the current Bones and All) profiles Salvatore Ferragamo, the celebrated Italian shoe designer who emigrated to America in the early 20th century and began providing footwear both for movies of the early California film industry and for the stars that industry created. Guadagnino provides insight from the obligatory talking heads—including members of Ferragamo's family, film historians and fashion-industry notables like Manolo Blahnik—while leaning heavily on Ferragamo's own words, both recorded in his own voice or narrated by actor Michael Stuhlbarg from Ferragamo's autobiography. Yet in the course of bouncing through Ferragamo's experiences, Guadagnino loses track of what would clearly be of greatest interest to a viewer, namely the shoemaker's role in early Hollywood. And despite some snippets that emphasize Ferragamo's unique determination—including using his recovery from a serious car accident to engineer a more effective traction apparatus—it too rarely feels like we get a sense of the man's personality. Guadagnino has the visual sensibility to convey both the beauty and practicality of Ferragamo's creations, but this documentary doesn't do the necessary work to make us interested in learning more about its subject. Available Dec. 2 at Broadway Centre Cinemas. (PG)

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES
The live-action versions of Jeff Kinney's popular book series a decade ago never really worked at capturing their peculiar mix of goofy humor and keen observation of adolescent angst; Disney+'s animated adaptations are getting closer. This one finds the protagonist, anxious middle-schooler Greg Heffley (Brady Noon) dealing with family drama when his older brother Rodrick (Hunter Dillon) constantly seems more interested in pushing Greg's buttons than being a role model or buddy—until Greg finds a way to blackmail Rodrick into serving as his mentor. The humor stays on the light-hearted side, with a couple of higher-energy sequences and a recognition that humiliation remains a constant as the fundamental fear of tweens. The CGI has the rudimentary style of the books' illustrations, which does little for visual interest but allows for the slapstick to play out with some charms. Mostly, Kinney's own screenplay keeps a focus on the contentious dynamic between brothers, even introducing a history for Greg and Rodrick's dad that suggests how easy it is for estrangement to become permanent. The result is something that may not have all the imagination in the world—it uses an actual needle scratch to stop the action, for crying out loud—but has enough earnest emotion to capture something honest about the world of being young, confused and wishing for a relationship that could show you the way. Available Dec. 2 via Disney+. (PG)