Film Focus: Feb. 14-20, 2025
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Film Focus: Feb. 14-20, 2025

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By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK: 

ARMAND (R) In Norway’s Oscar submission for the Best International Feature Film category, a fight between two six-year-olds causes waves of other problems for their parents and teachers. Starring Renate Reinsve, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Endre Hellestveit. Written and directed by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, grandson of Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann. Regal Transit

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD (PG-13) Captain American versus a giant, bellowing, incoherent mass of limitless anger colored red. Are we actually getting a political allegory from, of all places, Disney/Marvel? Starring Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Giancarlo Esposito and Carl Lumbly. Directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

CHHAAVA (NR) Hindi-language historical drama based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Starring Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, and Rashmika Mandanna. Directed by Laxman Utekar. Regal Elmwood

LAILA (NR) Telugu language cross-dressing comedy. Starring Vishwak Sen, Abhimanyu Singh, and Akanksha Sharma. Directed by Ram Narayan. Regal Elmwood

NE ZHA 2 (NR) If you can believe what you read on imdb.com, this Chinese animated fantasy is the first non-American film to earn more than a billion dollars at the box office. Which I guess guarantees there will be a Ne Zha 3. Directed by Yu Yang. Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

OSCAR NOMINATED ANIMATED SHORTS (NR) Annual program with a wholly explanatory title. Regal Quaker

OSCAR NOMINATED LIVE ACTION SHORTS (NR) See above. Regal Quaker

PADDINGTON IN PERU (PG) The return of the epitome of politeness, and god, do we need him now. Directed by Dougal Wilson. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Jessica Hynes, Hayley Atwell, Julie Walters, Olivia Colman, Jim Broadbent, Antonio Banderas, Hugh Grant and the voices of Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Aurora, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Joylan, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

NOW PLAYING:

BABYGIRL (R) Nicole Kidman as a CEO who risks her family and career for an affair with an intern. With Harris Dickinson, Sophie Wilde, and Antonio Banderas. Directed by Halina Reijn (Bodies Bodies Bodies). Regal Quaker Read M. Faust’s review here. 

BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN (PG-13) Documentary chronicling the early days of the band that was originally called the New Yardbirds. Directed by Bernard MacMahon. Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

COMPANION (R) Thriller/sci/fi movie whose makers say the less you know about it going in the better. So who am I to go against their wishes? Starring Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Rupert Friend and Harvey Guillén. Directed by Drew Hancock. AMC Maple Ridge

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (R) Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in a biography that culminates with his appearance with an electric band in 1965. Co-starring Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, and Scoot McNairy. Directed by James Mangold (Walk the Line). Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Regal Transit Read M. Faust’s review here. 

DOG MAN (PG) In this animated adaptation of a series of graphic novels, an injured cop and his police dog are merged by a surgeon into one body. With the voices of Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Poppy Liu, Stephen Root, and Ricky Gervais. Directed by Peter Hastings (The Country Bears). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

HEART EYES (R) Horror comedy about two co-workers stalked by a killer who thinks they’re a romantic item. Remember when we used to get romantic comedies on Valentine’s Day? Starring Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, and Devon Sawa, Directed by Josh Ruben (Werewolves Within) AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

I’M STILL HERE (PG-13) Oscar nominee for Best Feature and Best Actress based on the true story of a Brazilian woman (Fernanda Torres) who fought for years to find out what happened to her husband after he was “disappeared” by the military dictatorship in 1971. Directed by Walter Salles (Central Station). Dipson Amherst, Read M. Faust’s review here

LOVE HURTS (R) Action comedy starring Ke Huy Quan as a onetime hit man pulled out of his new life as a Milwaukee realtor by old ties. With Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu and Sean Astin. Directed by former stunt man Jonathan Eusebio. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

MOANA 2 (PG) Animated sequel. With the voices of Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Tudyk, and Nicole Scherzinger. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller. Dunkirk Multiplex

MUFASA THE LION KING (PG) Animated sequel, or prequel or whatever. With the voices of Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Tiffany Boone. Directed by Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson McKinley, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

ONE OF THEM DAYS (R) Comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA as roommates struggling to come up with the month’s rent. With Vanessa Bell Calloway, Katt Williams and Maude Apatow. Directed by Lawrence Lamont. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria 

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 (PG) Sequel. A live action Jim Carrey joins a voice cast including Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, and Keanu Reeves. Directed by Jeff Fowler. Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

WICKED (PG) Adaptation of the long running musical that tells the story of The Wizard of Oz from the point of view of the Wicked Witch. N.B.: This is only part one. Starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Dinklage. Directed by John M. Chu (G.I. Joe: Retaliation). Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria Read the review by Mia Ciechalski here

ETC.

CHARADE (1964)—As slick and sophisticated as you’d expect from a movie starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Hepburn’s recently deceased husband swindled a lot of money out of some men who want it back; Grant offers to help keep them off her tail, but is he after the loot too? Co-starring Walter Matthau, James Coburn and Ned Glass. Directed by Stanley Donen (Singin’ in the Rain). Fri Feb 21 7:30. Screening Room

ERASERHEAD (1977)—Even by his standards, David Lynch’s first feature film is sui generis. The indescribable plot was summarized by Lynch as “a dream of dark and troubling things.” Starring Jack Nance and Charlotte Stewart, both later in the cast of “Twin Peaks.” Sat 11:30 am, 9:40 pm; Sun 11:30 am. North Park

Love Bites Vampire Double Feature: GANJA AND HESS (Bill Gunn, 1973) andTHE ADDICTION (Abel Ferrara, 1995)—Double feature of off-kilter vampire movies presented as a benefit for the Buffalo International Film Festival. Tickets (which include wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks and Valentine’s day candy) are $20 (in advance), $25 (at the door) and can be purchased here. Fri 7 pm. Hallwalls. 

THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)—Rob Reiner’s fractured fairy tale, adapted by William Goldman from his own novel, with a cast of comedians poking fun at children’s fantasy stories. Starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Billy Crystal, Robin Wright Penn, Peter Falk, Peter Cook, Mel Smith, and Carol Kane. Fri 5 pm, 8 pm. Screening Room

SCARLET STREET (1945)—Fritz Lang’s prototypical film noir starring Edward G. Robinson as an unhappily married bank teller whose artistic abilities are exploited by a young woman (Joan Bennett) and her lover (Dan Duryea). Tues 7:30 pm. Screening Room

THEATER LOCATIONS AND WEBSITES

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