Movies opening in L.A. this week: ‘1917,’ ‘Little Women’ and more

Dec. 23

Humberto Mauro
The pioneering Brazilian filmmaker is remembered in this documentary. Directed by André Di Mauro. In Portuguese with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.

Dec. 25

IP Man 4: The Finale
Donnie Yen reprises his role as the real-life martial-arts master who famously counted Bruce Lee among his pupils. With Scott Adkins, Kwok-Kwan Chan. Written by Hiroshi Fukazawa, Edmond Wong. Directed by Wilson Yip. In Cantonese with English subtitles. (1:45) NR.

Just Mercy
Michael B. Jordan portrays Bryan Stevenson, the real-life civil-rights activist and criminal defense attorney famed for fighting for justice for wrongly convicted. With Brie Larson, Jamie Foxx, Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Karan Kendrick. Written by Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Lanham; based on Stevenson’s memoir. Directed by Cretton. (2:16) PG-13.

Little Women
Writer-director Greta Gerwig adapts Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel about the four determined March sisters coming of age in in Massachusetts during the Civil War. With Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Louis Garrel, Tracy Letts, James Norton, Bob Odenkirk. (2:14) PG.

1917
Two young British privates during WWI must cross through enemy territory to warn their fellow soldiers of an impending ambush in director Sam Mendes’ real-time thriller. With George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch. Written by Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns. (1:50) R.

The Song of Names
A British man discovers that his childhood friend, a Polish-Jewish refugee and violin prodigy who disappeared on the eve of his London debut concert in 1951, might still be alive. With Tim Roth, Clive Owen, Catherine McCormack, Magdalena Cielecka, Eddie Izzard, Saul Rubinek, Marina Hambro. Written by Jeffrey Caine; based on Norman Lebrecht’s novel. Directed by François Girard. (1:53) PG-13.

Spies in Disguise
A secret agent is transformed into a pigeon with the help of a nerdy scientist in this animated comedy. With voices of Will Smith, Tom Holland, Rashida Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Reba McEntire, Rachel Brosnahan, Karen Gillan, DJ Khaled, Masi Oka. Written by Brad Copeland (screenplay by), Lloyd Taylor; based on a short film by Lucas Martell. Directed by Troy Quane, Nick Bruno. (1:42) PG.

Dec. 27

Clemency
A weary prison warden makes a connection with an inmate scheduled for execution. With Alfre Woodard, Aldis Hodge, Wendell Price, Richard Schiff, Danielle Brooks. Written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu. (1:53) NR.