That decision — credited in the film’s production notes to its director, RaMell Ross, and his co-writer, Joslyn Barnes, who’s also a producer on the film — certainly helps “Nickel Boys” stand out even ...

The astonishingly beautiful opening moments of RaMell Ross’ “Nickel Boys” signal that this is no ordinary movie. The screen format is an unexpectedly old-school square, and what we see in ...