Buffalo Movies: Film Focus is your guide to new film releases opening in theaters across WNY and where to see them

(Above: Kasia Smutniak in Diamonds (2024). Image via IMDB).

By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK: 

AAKHRI SAWAL (NR) Hindi language political drama tracking the right wing paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from its founding in 1925. Starring Sanjay Dutt, Namashi Chakraborty, and Sameera Reddy. Directed by Abhijeet Mohan Warang. Regal Elmwood

DIAMONDS (NR) European box office hit about women who work designing costumes for an Italian film studio. Starring Luisa Ranieri, Jasmine Trinca, Stefano Accorsi, and Luca Barbarossa. Directed by Ferzan Özpetek (Facing Windows). North Park

I DON’T SPEAK ENGLISH (NR) Comedy about an immigrant bashing radio talk show host who finds after an accident that he can now only speak Spanish. Starring Nathan Smith Jones, Jorge Cervera Jr., and Graciela Beltrán. Directed by Jorge Ramirez Rivera. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

IN THE GREY (R) A team of elite operatives is hired to retrieve a billion dollar fortune stolen by a ruthless despot. Staring Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, Eiza González, Kristofer Hivju, and Rosamund Pike. Directed by Guy Ritchie (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare). Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

IS GOD IS (R) Aleshea Harris directed this adaptation of her play about two sisters tasked by their mother to kill their abusive father. Starring Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Janelle Monáe, and Vivica A. Fox. Regal Walden Galleria

KARUPPU (BLACK) (NR) In this Tamil language action drama, a village lawyer moonlights as a costumed superhero seeking justice for his neighbors. Starring Suriya, Trisha Krishnan, RJ Balaji, and Yogi Babu. Directed by RJ Balaji. Regal Elmwood

LIFEHACK (NR) British screenlife (look it up—I had to) thriller about young hackers working to rip off a cryptocurrency tycoon. Stars Georgie Farmer, Yasmin Finney, and Roman Hayeck-Green. Directed by Ronan Corrigan. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM HATHAWAY: THE SORCERY OF NYMPH CIRCE (PG-13) Anime. Wouldn’t you hate to be the guy who had to put this title up on a theater marquee? Dipson Capitol, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

OBSESSION (R) In a new variant on the classic story The Monkey’s Paw, a nerd is granted his wish for his childhood crush to become madly in love with him. Starring Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, and Cooper Tomlinson. Directed by Curry Barker (Milk & Serial). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

PATI PATNI AUR WOH DO (Husband, Wife and the Other Part Two) (NR) A little marital misunderstanding leads to a lot of trouble in this Hindi rom-com. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh. Directed by Mudassar Aziz. Regal Elmwood

SHREK (PG) 25^th anniversary re-release. With the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. Dipson Capitol, Market Arcade, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN (R) A Russian reality TV producer becomes Vladimir Putin’s aide in sowing international confusion in this fictionalized drama apparently inspired by a real operative. Starring Paul Dano, Jude Law, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, and Jeffrey Wright. Directed by Olivier Assayas (Irma Vep). Dipson Amherst, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

NOW PLAYING:

BILLIE EILISH – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR (PG-13) What James Cameron does with all that 3D technology in between working on Avatar sequels. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Mulltiplex, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 (PG-13) Sequel. Starring Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci. Directed by David Frankel (Marley and Me). AMC Maple Ridge, Aurora, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Joylan, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

HOKUM (R) Scary stuff with Adam Scott as a novelist in a haunted Irish B&B. With Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, and Austin Amelio. Directed by Damian McCarthy (Oddity). Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

MICHAEL (PG-13) Jermaine Jackson’s son Jaafar plays his most famous uncle in a biopic that only goes up to the late 1980s. With Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In (Fri-Sun only)

MORTAL KOMBAT II (R) Sequel. Starring Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, and Karl Urban. Directed by Simon McQuoid. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In

NEGLECTED (NR) A serial killer buries the son of a detective alive with limited oxygen in order to force him to investigate a series of unsolved murders. Starring Josh Duhamel, Dylan Sprouse, Til Schweiger, and Elena Sanchez. Directed by David Lipper (Murder at Hollow Creek). Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

PROJECT HAIL MARY (PG-13) Science fiction adventure starring Ryan Gosling as an astronaut who wakes up on a spaceship light years from Earth with no memory of who he is. Which is gonna make it hard for him to save the world. With Sandra Hüller. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse). AMC Maple Ridge, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In (Fri-Sun only)

THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (PG) If there was an award for the most adorable trailer of the year, it would surely go to this British comedy about murder mystery-loving sheep who decide to investigate the death of their shepherd (Hugh Jackman). Co-starring Nicholas Braun, Molly Gordon, and Emma Thompson, with the voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, and Patrick Stewart. Directed by Kyle Balda (Minions). AMC Maple Ridge, Angola (Fri, Sun only), Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (PG) The all-star voice cast features Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, Issa Rae, Luis Guzman, Kevin Michael Richardson, Brie Larson, and Glen Powell. Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In (Fri-Sun only)

ETC. 

ALMOST FAMOUS (1951, R)—Writer-director Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical account of his years as a teenage writer for Rolling Stone magazine. By modern movie standards, the conflict isn’t much: the young journalist must resist the temptation to pal around with the mid-level band he’s supposed to write an incisive critique of. Mostly the film is a celebration of getting to indulge a love of music so great that you feel you could live on it and nothing else. Excellent performances from Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Philip Seymour Hoffman (surprisingly low-key as the immortal Lester Bangs) and newcomer Patrick Fugit. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Thurs only)

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951)—Winner of six Oscars including Best Picture, a George Gershwin jukebox musical with a minimal plot that does its best to stay out of the way of the songs. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, and Nina Foch. Directed by Vincente Minelli (Gigi). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Mon only)

ANNIHILATION—If David Cronenberg, the master of biological horror, had been inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, the result might have looked like this. Natalie Portman stars as a cellular biologist who joins a team of scientists sent by the military to investigate what they are calling “the shimmer,” a region in the southeastern US that is bound by unusual lights. From within that area, no communications have been possible, and no team sent into it has emerged. And it’s growing. The less you know the better, other than that writer-director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) spent his production funds wisely with a crew that was capable of bringing to life a unique vision. Co-starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Benedict Wong, and Oscar Isaac. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Weds only)

ARRIVAL—A linguist (Amy Adams) and a mathematician (Jeremy Renner) are recruited by the government to try to communicate with the occupants of 12 alien spacecraft that have landed around the globe, hopefully before the rulers of any other country decide that the ships are a threat and attack them. This speculative fiction movie by Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) is short on action but long on process, and all the more engrossing for it. Co-starring Michael Stuhlbarg and Forest Whitaker. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Tues only)

BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II (1989, PG)— The creators of the original Back To The Future push their ideas much further in this sequel that has Marty McFly dealing with his children’s problems in 2015, an alternate version of 1985, and himself when he revisits 1955. Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, Elisabeth Shue, and Joe Flaherty. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Used Cars). Sun 12:30 pm Market Arcade

BLUE VELVET (1986, R)—While walking home, all-American youth Kyle MacLachlan finds a severed ear in a vacant lot, and his life will never be the same. Nor was American cinema after this, the movie that made David Lynch a household name. With Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Dean Stockwell and of course Jack Nance. Fri-Sat 10 pm. Market Arcade

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1978, PG)—Richard Dreyfuss sets a bad example for every kid who was ever told not to play with his food. With Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François Truffaut. Directed by Steven Spielberg (The Sugarland Express). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Sun only)

HAIRSPRAY (2007, PG)—John Waters goes mainstream, or at least as mainstream as he could, with this 1950s musical (remember, the 50s ended in 1962) about a dance-crazed teen (Ricki Lake) who leads a movement to desegregate a popular TV dance show. Co-starring Ruth Brown, Divine, Debbie Harry, Sonny Bono, Jerry Stiller, Ric Ocasek, and Pia Zadora. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Fri only)

MEN IN BLACK (1997, PG-13)—Barry Sonnenfeld’s endlessly entertaining comic book adaptation starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as Reservoir Dogs-suited government agents on the alien beat. With Linda Fiorentino, Rip Torn, Tony Shalhoub, and Vincent D’Onofrio, who steals the movie as an alien-possessed corpse. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Sat only)

MOULIN ROUGE (2001, PG-13)—As concocted by Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom), with a lot of help from his wife, set and costume designer Catherine Martin, this fairy tale set in the fabled Parisian night club of 100 years ago is as relentlessly fast-moving as any Jerry Bruckheimer action flick, but a lot more entertaining. The song-and-dance numbers featuring a variety of tunes from throughout the 20th century are as spectacular as anything since Busby Berkeley: my favorite is “Roxanne” refashioned as a tango. Nicole Kidman stars as the showgirl suffering from courtesan dualism as she tries to satisfy both her heart and her pocketbook after falling in love with penniless composer Ewan McGregor. Co-starring Jim Broadbent, John Leguizamo, and Richard Roxburgh. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Weds only)

SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003, PG-13)—Like John Belushi, Jack Black is a smart guy in the body of a Tasmanan devil, though Belushi never got a vehicle to cement a mass-market audience like this. As a heavy metal guitarist with more passion than talent who finds himself turning a class of 10-year-old preppies into a rock band, Black takes every possible chance to go over the top, with just enough socially redeeming plot to keep it palatable for Aunt Sara. The too-little-seen Joan Cusack offers priceless support as a repressed principal. Directed by Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Sat only)

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)—The one Hollywood musical that everyone likes, even people who hate musicals. A story parodying the movies’ transition from silents to sound is the backdrop for some still astonishing dance numbers featuring Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor (whose “Make ‘Em Laugh” sequence is one of the most amazing things you’ll ever see.) With Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Rita Moreno and Cyd Charisse. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Tues only)

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THEATER LOCATIONS AND WEBSITES

AMC Maple Ridge, 4276 Maple Road, Amherst https://www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/buffalo/amc-maple-ridge-8

Angola Theatre, 72 N. Main St., Angola, NY https://angolatheatre.com/

Aurora Theater, 673 Main Street, East Aurora https://theauroratheatre.com/

Dipson Amherst, 3500 Main Street, Buffalo. www.dipsontheatres.com

Dipson Capitol Theater, 720 Builders Way, Niagara Falls www.dipsontheatres.com

Dipson Flix, 4901 Transit Road, Depew www.dipsontheatres.com

Dunkirk Multiplex, 10520 Bennett Road, Dunkirk https://www.dunkirkmultiplex.com/

Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center Cinema, 431 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo https://www.hallwalls.org/

Hamburg Palace, 31 Buffalo Street, Hamburg www.hamburgpalace.com

Joylan, 11 W. Main Street, Springville https://joylantheater.com/

North Park, 1428 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo https://northparktheatre.org/

Market Arcade, 639 Main St., Buffalo https://www.btmcinemas.com/our-locations/g0fz6-scene-one-market-arcade-cinemas/

Regal Elmwood, 2001 Elmwood Avenue., Buffalo https://www.regmovies.com/

Regal Quaker Crossing, 3450 Amelia Drive, Orchard Park https://www.regmovies.com/

Regal Transit, 6707 Transit Road. Williamsville https://www.regmovies.com/

Regal Walden Galleria, Galleria Mall, Cheektowaga https://www.regmovies.com/

Riviera Theater, 67 Webster Street, North Tonawanda https://rivieratheatre.org/

The Screening Room, Boulevard Mall Amherst www.screeningroom.net 

Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, 23 S Main Street, Warsaw https://www.spotlighttheater.com/movie-theater/warsaw

Squeaky Wheel, Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main Street, Suite 310, Buffalo https://squeaky.org/

Transit Drive-In Theatre, 6655 S. Transit Road, Lockport https://www.transitdrivein.com