NEW YORK.  Although the horror sequel “The Exorcist: Believer” (R, Universal) gets off to a reasonably promising start, it degenerates quickly. In fact, it ends up being a muddle both dramatically and, more significantly, in its treatment of religion.

NEW YORK.  “A Haunting in Venice” (PG-13, 20th Century) is the third in a series of Agatha Christie adaptations, all featuring her famed sleuth Hercule Poirot, on which director and star Kenneth Branagh has collaborated with screenwriter Michael Green. Yet, in at least two related respects, the newcomer is noticeably distinct from its predecessors.

NEW YORK.  More than 20 years ago, Greek Canadian actress and author Nia Vardalos penned the script for a screen adaptation of a one-woman play she had written and performed exploring the mores and foibles of the immigrant community in which she had been raised. The result was a sleeper box-office hit that was also well received by critics.

NEW YORK.  The resilience of the indestructible loving family, in this case, a Mexican American clan, forms the heart and soul of “Blue Beetle” (PG-13, Warner Bros.). Even as the DC Comics-derived adventure occasionally lapses into cliches, moreover, this solid core endures — and helps to make the film built around it acceptable for a fairly broad audience.

NEW YORK. In a timely move, the folks behind the slick, vibrant espionage thriller “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” (PG-13, Paramount) have added an experimental Artificial Intelligence project run amok to their roster of villains. So if moviegoers weren’t afraid of AI before seeing the picture, they may well be afterward.