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Emma.
*** Jane Austen fans, rejoice! In Autumn de Wilde's adaptation of Emma.—yup, that's a full-stop period on purpose—the meddling matchmaker is back in a cheerful, gentle work of art. The 1815 novel might not be everyone's favorite Austen comedy of manners, but the movie, which is kinder to its characters than the source material, is made with such exquisite detail even cynics will have a blast watching it. This latest retelling does still very much stick to the classic narrative: The title character (Anya Taylor-Joy) is more interested in meddling with her friends' love lives—particularly that of bestie Harriet (Mia Goth)—than finding a suitor for herself. When not engaged in social engineering, the privileged, and sometimes snobbish, Emma spends her days wandering the grounds of her splendid estate in elaborate period attire, creating a decadent tableau. Eventually, coming to terms with the consequences of her actions helps our heroine mature, and that's when de Wilde gives the story an updated twist before the final resolution. That small tweak and the lavish sets make this a period piece you'll want to visit not just because it's brimming with visual beauty; Emma still holds relevance two centuries and dozens of versions later. PG. ASHER LUBERTO. Dine-In Progress Ridge 13, Vancouver Mall 23, Cedar Hills, Clackamas, Eastport, Fox Tower.
The Call of the Wild
*** As should be expected, this umpteenth iteration of Jack London's immortal tale of the Yukon treads familiar tundra. We once more follow the journey of an adorably overgrown St. Bernard-collie pup stolen from a kindly judge's Santa Clara estate and shipped north to serve as Alaskan sled dog under masters both good (Omar Sy's cheerily daft postal envoy) and bad (Dan Stevens' sniveling prospector dandy), before joining up with a wayward hermit (Harrison Ford) on a sort of freelance basis. In a weird flourish of cosmic synchronicity, this current adaptation will be the first 20th Century Studios release post-Disney takeover, just as the 1935 Clark Gable version became Twentieth Century Pictures' last gasp prior to the company's merger with Fox. Weirder still, the decidedly 21st century treatment of this Victorian-era yarn strikes gold. With Ford's gnarled presence grounding the narrative, animation vet Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) takes full advantage of his photo-realistic CGI lead to glide Buck through a succession of increasingly improbable adventures—including an airbrushed virtual Iditarod—that sustains the whiff of nature while actually learning a few new tricks. PG. JAY HORTON. Dine-In Progress Ridge 13, Mill Plain 8, Vancouver Mall 23, Bagdad, Beaverton, Cedar Hills, Clackamas, Cornelius, Eastport, Milwaukie, Oak Grove, Bridgeport, Cascade, Cinema 99, City Center, Division, Evergreen Parkway, Lloyd, Pioneer Place, Sherwood, Tigard, Vancouver Plaza, Roseway, Scappoose, St. Johns Twin Cinema & Pub, Studio One.