“Faces Places” (France, documentary, 89 min., Rated PG for brief nude images and thematic elements). The 89-year-old French director, Agnès Varda and 34-year-old photographer JR travel through the small towns of France, meeting, interviewing and photographing the locals, and turning those photos into large murals. “Ms. Varda and JR, who is tall and stylish and never takes off his sunglasses, are a charming pair. Their subjects are happy to chat, and touched (if also sometimes a little embarrassed) to behold their likenesses turned into large-scale public art installations. The film works just fine as an anthology of amiable encounters and improvised collaborations. But it’s a lot more than that. Despite its unassuming, conversational ethos, ‘Faces Places’ reveals itself as a powerful, complex and radical work. Ms. Varda’s modesty is evidence of her mastery, just as her playful demeanor is the expression of a serious and demanding aesthetic commitment. Almost by stealth, but also with cheerful forthrightness, she communicates a rich and challenging array of feelings and ideas” New York Times