Friday’s openings: a doomed princess and superheroes

Above : Kristen Stewart stars as the late Princess Diana in “Spencer,” which opens Friday. (Photo/Neon)

This country fought a couple of wars to free itself from the United Kingdom. Yet we still seem to be obsessed with British royalty.

Want some examples? The Netflix series “The Crown” won a number of Prime Time Emmy Awards. Helen Mirren won an Oscar for portraying Queen Elizabeth II in the aptly titled “The Queen.”

And now Kristen Stewart is portraying the late Princess Diana in the feature film “Spencer,” which opens Friday in Spokane.

Directed by Pablo Larrain, the Chilean-born filmmaker who made 2016’s portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis titled “Jackie,” “Spencer” exolores the story behind Diana’s fateful decision to leave her husband Prince Charles.

You can’t get much more contrasting opinions than those offered by the two following reviewers:

Brian Truitt , USA Today: “With a stellar performance from Kristen Stewart, director Pablo Larraín’s supremely brilliant ‘Spencer’ is an enlightening glimpse into the mind of Princess Diana that doubles as an effective horror film.”

Mick LaSalle , San Francisco Chronicle: “It takes one of the most promising screen actresses of her generation and casts her out to sea with nothing to hold onto but a hideous script that’s all attitude without depth or understanding.”

Other of the week’s mainstream openings:

“Eternals” : Another Marvel Comics production, this one focusing on a race of superheroes who, over the eons, have been tasked with protecting the human race from harm.

Tribune New Service critic Katie Walsh wrote, “ ‘Eternals’ is a strange film, both within context and on its own. But in the lookalike, soundalike and corporately synergistic MCU, perhaps that’s not such a bad thing.”

“Sooryavanshi” : A Hindi-language action film, fourth in the “Cop Universe” series, “Sooryavanshi” is the name of the Indian policeman who joins a task force intent on stopping terrorists from attacking Mumbai. At AMC River Park Square exclusively.

No review available.

And at the Magic Lantern , two openings:

“Beans” : Writer-director Tracy Deer sees the 1990 Quebec struggle between Mohawk tribes and the government through the eyes of a teenage girl.

Variety’s Guy Lodge wrote: “ ‘Beans’ is a thoughtful, stirring reflection by someone who survived it all, quietly demanding acknowledgement not just of her land, but of her life.”

“Passing” : Based on Nella Larsen ’s 1929 novel, Rebecca Hall directed this study of two women whose contrasting experiences explore the issues of race and social class.

Time critic Stephanie Zacharek wrote: “A good director can make you feel the vibrating summer heat, the hushed tranquility of a winter night, and the deepest feelings of a person who is seemingly nothing like you. Rebecca Hall does all of those things in ‘Passing.’ “

That’s all for the moment. So go, see a movie. And enjoy.