Film Focus: Jan. 3-9, 2025
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Film Focus: Jan. 3-9, 2025

M Faust0Tagged , ,

By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK: 

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (NR) New adaptation of the classic tale, reportedly the most expensive French film of 2024. Starring Pierre Niney, Bastien Bouillon, and Anaïs Demoustier. Directed by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte. Regal Quaker

THE DAMNED (R) In this psychological horror film from Iceland and Ireland set in the 19th century, the residents of a remote fishing village face a difficult choice when a ship sinks close to them. Starring Odessa Young, Joe Cole, and Lewis Gribben. Directed by Thordur Palsson (The Valhalla Murders). AMC Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

MARCO (NR) Sequel to the 2019 Indian film Mikhael, focusing on that story’s villain. Starring Unni Mukundan, Yukti Thareja, and Kabir Duhan Singh. Directed by Haneef Adeni. Regal Transit

SE7EN (R) IMAX re-release of David Fincher’s 1995 thriller starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as detectives hunting a serial killer whose crimes are based on the seven deadly sins. With Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, Richard Roundtree and John C. McGinley. Regal Transit

TEL VISA (NR) A Nepalese family struggles with cultural differences when they emigrate to the United States. Directed by Shankar Ghimire. Regal Quaker

NOW PLAYING:

BABY JOHN (NR) Hindi-language action thriller film. Starring Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh and Wamiqa Gabbi. Directed by Kalees. Regal Elmwood

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). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria Read M. Faust’s review here. 

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). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria Read M. Faust’s review here. 

THE FIRE INSIDE (PG-13) Ryan Destiny as Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields, the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. Co-starring Brian Tyree Henry, Oluniké Adeliyi and De’Adre Aziza. Directed by Rachel Morrison. AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

GLADIATOR II (R) Sequel. Starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi. Directed by Ridley Scott (Napoleon). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria Read M. Faust’s review here

KRAVEN THE HUNTER (R) This looks like standard action movie fare, but it gets at least some cred for being directed by J.C. Chandor, who has some very good films to his credit—All is Lost, Margin Call, A Most Violent Year. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBosek, Alessandro Nivola and Russell Crowe. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM (PG-13) Animated prequel. With the voices of Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Miranda Otto and Luca Pasqualino. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 the Last Human). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

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. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Joylan, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

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, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

NOSFERATU (R) Writer-director Robert Eggers (The Northman) inches toward the mainstream with this adaptation of the 1922 German horror film based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Starring Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw Read M. Faust’s review here. 

RED ONE (PG-13) Big-budget CGI holiday movie starring Dwayne Johnson as a North Pole security agent tracking a kidnapped Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons). Co-starring Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Bonnie Hunt, and Nick Kroll. Directed by Jake Kasdan (Jumanji: The Next Level). Regal Quaker Read M. Faust’s review here

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. 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

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). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria Read the review by Mia Ciechalski here

WICKED: THE SING-ALONG EDITION (PG) If you gotta sing along, make sure you’re in the right theater. Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

ETC.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998)—The Coen Brothers’ patently oddball take on the Raymon Chandler genre has aged into a genuine cult classic, one that rewards multiple viewings. The endlessly quotable dialogue is delivered by a once in a lifetime cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, John Turturro, Sam Elliott, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Jon Polito, Flea and Ben Gazzara. Fri Jan 3 8 pm Screening Room

THE THING (1982)— John Carpenter’s remake of the 1950s horror thriller in which the crew at an Antarctic research station uncover a long-frozen alien being. Some of Rob Bottin’s creature effects haven’t dated well, but otherwise Carpenter amps up the story’s paranoia to ferocious levels. The cast includes Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Richard Dysart, Richard Masur and Donald Moffat.  Sat, Tues, Fri Jan 10 7:30 pm Screening Room

THEATER LOCATIONS AND WEBSITES

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