By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK

KADAISI ULAGA POR (NR) Science-fiction thriller set in the near future as India resists economic sanctions imposed by China in its attempts to force a new world order. In Tamil. Starring Hiphop Tamizha, who also wrote and directed. Regal Elmwood.

KAHAN SHURU KAHAN KHATAM (NR) A wedding crasher falls in love with the bride in this Bollywood comedy. Starring Dhvani Bhanushali and Aashim Gulati. Directed by Saurabh Dasgupta Regal Elmwood.

NEVER LET GO (R) Halle Berry stars in this horror drama as a mother trying to protect her family from an evil presence that has confined them to their house. Directed by Alexandre Aja (Oxygen). AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria.

THE SHADE (NR) Psychological horror film starring Chris Galust as a young man trying to hold his family together in the face of a crippling depression that also plagued his father and brother. With Laura Benanti, Dylan McTee, Mariel Molino and Brendan Sexton III. Directed by Tyler Chipman. Regal Transit.

THE SUBSTANCE (R) Horror film starring Demi Moore as an aging celebrity who takes a black-market cell-replicating drug to make her appear younger. Gee, do you suppose there could by any negative side effects? Co-starring Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid. Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat (Revenge). AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria.

SUCHA SOORMA (NR) Punjabi language drama. Regal Elmwood.

TRANSFORMERS ONE (PG) Animated origin story, because that’s how they keep these franchises pumping away. With the voices of Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson and Keegan-Michael Key. Directed by Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Aurora, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-in (Fri-Sun only).

 WHIPLASH (R) Re-release of the 2014 drama featuring J. K. Simmons’s Oscar-winning performance as a music teacher who makes life hell for student Miles Teller. Directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria. Read M. Faust;’s original, 2014 review with trailer here.

YUDHRA (NR) Hindi-language action movie about a cop Yudhra dealing with anger issues as he tries to down a powerful drug syndicate. Starring Raghav Juyal, Malavika Mohanan, Siddhant Chaturvedi. Directed by Ravi Udyawar. Regal Elmwood.

NOW PLAYING 

ALIEN: ROMULUS (R) Reboot or remake? Leave that to the fanboys. Starring Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson. Archie Renaux and Isabela Merced. Directed by Fede Alvarez, who also helmed the reboots of Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. AMC Market Arcade, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria.

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (PG-13) Sequel. Read M. Faust’s review here. Starring Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, Danny DeVito and Burn Gorman. Directed by Tim Burton. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Joylan, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-in (Fri-Sun only). Read M. Faust’s review with trailer here.

BLINK TWICE (R) Zoë Kravitz makes her directorial debut with this mystery about a social climbing waitress (Naomie Ackie) who wangles an invitation to a party at the island resort of tech billionaire Channing Tatum. Co-starring Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan, and Alia Shawkat. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria.

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (R) The MCU answer to Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Leslie Uggams and a whole buncha superhero cameos. Directed by Shawn Levy (The Adam Project). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria.

DESPICABLE ME 4 (PG) The usual gang is joined by Gru Jr. With the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Will Ferrell, Sofía Vergara, Steve Coogan, Stephen Colbert and Laraine Newman. Directed, as usual, by Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Transit Drive-in (Fri-Sun only).

INSIDE OUT 2 PG) In this sequel to the 2015 Pixar hit, the now-pubescent Riley adds a whole new slew of emotions to the horde rumbling around in her head. With the voices of Kensington Tallman, Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Diane Lane, and Kyle MacLachlan. Regal Elmwood

IT ENDS WITH US (PG-13) Romantic drama with a dark edge, based on the best selling book by Colleen Hoover. Starring Blake Lively, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj and Justin Baldoni, who also directed. AMC Maple Ridge, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria.

THE KILLER’S GAME (R) Tired of action comedies about professional assassins yet? Well, here’s another one. Starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews and Ben Kingsley. Directed by J. J. Perry (Day Shift). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria.

MATHU VADALARA 2 Telugu language sequel. Starring Sunil, Vennela Kishore and Rohini. Directed by Ritesh Rana (Happy Birthday). Regal Elmwood.

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE (PG-13) Prequel. No, none of it was shot in Buffalo. Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou. Directed by Michael Sarnoski (Pig). Transit Drive-in (Fri-Sun only).

SPEAK NO EVIL (R) Two couples who met on vacation have a less enjoyable time when they meet up at home in this Blumhouse adaptation of the 2022 Danish film. Starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, and Scoot McNairy. Directed by James Watkins (The Woman in Black). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-in (Fri-Sun only).

TWISTERS (PG-13) The non-stop score of country music and the glaring absence of the phrase “climate change” say everything about the intended audience for this big-budget reboot. The special effects may be better than in the original Twister, but they’re also less effective, sorely lacking the iconic images of mile-high spinning storms that the 1996 movie used so effectively. And are Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell (whose perpetual smirk is the visual equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard) really what passes for movie stars these days? (MF) Directed by Lee Isaac Chung (Minari). Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Quaker, Transit Drive-in (Fri-Sun only)

ETC.

7 KILLS, 3 SONGS & A BANANA—Premiere of a microbudget feature shot in Niagara Falls, described as a satirical slasher movie with a dusting of LGBT+ community and musical numbers. It will he presented by filmmaker Richard Fysh. Fri 7:30 pm. The Screening Room.

SHREK 2 (2004)—The big green ogre and his new bride journey to a place that looks an awful lot like Hollywood to meet her parents, who were expecting the heir to their kingdom to be rather more svelte and blonde. With less crude humor than the original but an equal dose of “Be Happy To be What You Are” for the kids, and enough gags aimed at adults to keep them happy. With the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, John Cleese, Julie Andrews, Rupert Everett, Jennifer Saunders, and Larry King. Directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, and Conrad Vernon. Sat-Sun 111:30 am. North Park.

THEATER LOCATIONS AND WEBSITES

AMC Maple Ridge, 4276 Maple Road, Amherst www.amctheatres.com

AMC Market Arcade, 639 Main Street, Buffalo www.amctheatres.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 McKinley, 3701 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg www.dipsontheatres.com

Dunkirk Multiplex, 10520 Bennett Road, Dunkirk

Flix, 4901 Transit Road, Depew www.dipsontheatres.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/

Regal Elmwood, 2001 Elmwood Avenue., Buffalo www.fandango.com

Regal Quaker Crossing, 3450 Amelia Drive, Orchard Park www.fandango.com

Regal Transit, 6707 Transit Road. Williamsville www.fandango.com

Regal Walden Galleria, Galleria Mall, Cheektowaga www.fandango.com

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

Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, 23 S Main Street, Warsaw www.thespotlighttheaters.com/

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