Mr. Turner — Mike Leigh’s most ambitious film to date — is also his most ponderous. In the time it takes to check out this 150-minute biopic of singular British artist, J.M.W. Turner, one could paint an entire apartment — two coats! — and walk away with a greater sense of accomplishment (and narrative enlightenment). Timothy Spall is spectacular in the lead and credit cinematographer Dick Pope and art director Suzie Davies with a triumph of painstaking period recreation, but damn if this isn’t a schlep. Wait for it to play PBS and get a sound night’s sleep. (2014) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.