CNS photo/Disney

NEW YORK (CNS)—Better think twice before squashing that insect invader at your summer picnic—it could be “Ant-Man” (Disney), the diminutive superhero of the Marvel Comics universe.

Shrunk to bug size by means of a special suit, Ant-Man, a.k.a. Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), acquires super-human strength and a nifty ability to control his fellow invertebrates, who bow before their leader.

Ridiculous, yes, but “Ant-Man” is nonetheless great fun, with swarms of creepy-crawlies rendered in glorious 3-D.

Ant-Man technology was invented by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), a genius connected to the elite “Avengers” superhero team. Years ago Pym himself wore the suit and crawled around fighting baddies. But age has caught up with him, and Pym seeks a successor.

Just why Pym chooses Scott, an ex-con, is uncertain, although this cat burglar’s knack for breaking and entering certainly comes in handy.

Freshly sprung from prison, Scott is determined to reform his life and earn the respect of his young daughter, Cassie (Ryder Fortson).

“Second chances don’t come around all that often,” Pym tells Scott. “This is your chance to earn that look in your daughter’s eyes, to become the hero that she already thinks you are.”

There’s no time to lose. Pym’s former protegee Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), wants to steal the technology to develop the ultimate weapon to bring peace to our time.

Needless to say, beneath Darren’s flashy version of the suit—nicknamed “Yellowjacket”—lies the beating heart of a megalomaniac bent on world domination—de rigueur for comic book movies.

Hoping an ant can stop a fly, the chase is on. At Scott’s side is Pym’s comely daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). When she’s not making eyes at Ant-Man, Hope dreams of wearing the suit herself.

Along for the wild ride are Scott’s jive-talking buddies, led by Luis (Michael Pena). They are amazed by his heroic transformation and likewise inspired to turn away from the dark side.

Part of the charm of “Ant-Man” is its scale and tone. Director Peyton Reed keeps tongue firmly in cheek as he downsizes the usual over-the-top violence of a Marvel film in favor of a clever heist picture, seasoned with plenty of humor and nice messages about honor and redemption.

The climactic battle, featuring a backyard bug zapper and a Thomas the Tank Engine train set, is a far cry from the apocalyptic destruction in this year’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” And that’s a good thing.

The film contains cartoonish but bloodless violence, brief innuendo, and a few mild oaths. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II—adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13—parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Trainwreck (Universal)

In this raunchy romantic comedy, stand-up comedienne Amy Schumer plays a promiscuous New York City magazine writer who falls for a nerdy sports doctor (Bill Hader) she’s assigned to profile. Schumer, who also wrote the screenplay, is known for combining X-rated humor and a satirical take on gender issues. But her fondness for obscenity and self-debasement renders her material a dubious form of empowerment, feminist or otherwise. While trying to dilute the smut with sentiment, director Judd Apatow allows the momentum to flag and both the novelty of Schumer’s persona and her tweaking of the romantic comedy formula wear thin, exposing her as a one-trick pony. Many fairly graphic sexual encounters between unmarried men and women; frequent sexual banter, much of it extremely explicit; pervasive rough, crude and crass language; frequent profanity; some rear male nudity; several racially insensitive comments; and much alcohol and drug use. The Catholic News Service classification is O—morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R—restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Minions” (Universal)

Bright 3-D animated comedy co-directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda in which background characters from the “Despicable Me” franchise come to the fore for an ever upbeat, though not always tightly crafted, adventure set primarily in 1960s London. A trio of the yellow, capsule-shaped creatures (all voiced by Coffin), whose natural inclination is to serve a villainous master, gets mixed up with a famed criminal (voice of Sandra Bullock), her mad scientist husband (voice of Jon Hamm) and their wild scheme to steal the British crown from Queen Elizabeth II (voice of Jennifer Saunders). Narrated by Geoffrey Rush, and interspersed with familiar hippie-era musical standards, the freewheeling plot follows its own logic down curious courses, some of which feel like detours. But the consequences of selfishness and disloyalty are clearly portrayed while genuinely objectionable material is absent. Even so, loud scenes of mayhem may be too much for small fry, and some parents may not appreciate the brief comic hay that’s made of a mustachioed bystander whose enthusiasm for Bullock’s character leads him to dress exactly like her. Occasional cartoonish violence, fleeting anatomical sight gags, a touch of scatological humor. The Catholic News Service classification is A-I—general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG—parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Faith of Our Fathers” (Pure Flix)

Well-intentioned but awkwardly uneven drama about evangelical Christianity’s impact on two generations of families. In 1997 California, a God-fearing postman (Kevin Downes) sets out to uncover the truth about his father’s (Sean McGowan) death in the Vietnam War. Together with the ornery son (David A.R. White) of one of his dad’s platoon mates (Scott Whyte), he travels to Washington to visit the Vietnam Memorial. Along the way, the duo gets into all sorts of trouble while debating big-ticket topics like forgiveness and destiny. Despite hokey dialogue and contrived situations, director Carey Scott’s film deserves some credit for its godly and patriotic outlook. Brief scenes of mostly bloodless combat. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II—adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13—parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“The Gallows” (Warner Bros.)

A haunted high school provides the setting for this inept found-footage horror tale co-written and directed by Chris Lofing and Travis Cluff. Two decades after a student there suffered a violent and mysterious death during the performance of a play, four teens (Reese Mishler, Pfeifer Brown, Ryan Shoos and Cassidy Gifford) involved in a staging of the same drama discover that reviving it may not have been such a good idea. Though little blood flows as this panic-fest unfolds, making it possibly acceptable for mature teens, there’s not much brainpower on display, either. Considerable stylized violence, some gruesome images, at least one use each of profanity and rough language, occasional crude and crass terms. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III—adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R—restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.