Sterling K. Brown and Jodie Foster in terrific sci-fi ‘Hotel Artemis’

“Hotel Artemis” is the first feature film from Drew Pearce, who also wrote the screenplay. He was a co-writer on “Mission Impossible — Rogue Nation” (good) and “Iron Man 3” (so so), but this is his first solo feature credit, and the first chance he’s had to put his vision onto celluloid without another director acting as middle-man. It turns out that that’s a very good thing. It turns out that maybe no one should ever get in Pearce’s way again.

This is the time of year when movies tend to get big and lousy, with a steady barrage of superhero clamor relieved only by a handful of worthy foreign films and obscure independents that will make 12 cents at the box office.