Buffalo Movies: A variety of movies from different cultures hit local theaters this weekend. Here’s what they are and where to see them.

(Above: Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel in The Christophers (2025). Photo via IMDB).

By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK: 

BHOOTH BANGLA (“Haunted Mansion”) (NR) Hindi-language horror comedy based on Indian mythology. Starring Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Jisshu Sengupta. Directed by Priyadarshan Regal Elmwood

BRIDESMAIDS (R) 15th anniversary re-release of the comedy written by and starring Kristen Wiig. The ensemble cast also features Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Jon Hamm, and Chris O’Dowd. Directed by Paul Feig (“Freaks and Geeks”). Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

BUSHIDO (NR) In this classically styled Japanese drama, a disgraced samurai lives in shame for years before getting a chance for revenge. Starring Masachika Ichimura, Kaya Kiyohara, and Kyôko Koizumi. Directed by Kazuya Shiraishi (The Blood of Wolves). North Park

CHAO (NR) Anime about an ecologically concerned shipyard worker who meets and falls in love with a mermaid. Directed by Yasuhiro Aoki. North Park

THE CHRISTOPHERS (R) Ian McKellen stars as a painter past his glory days whose new assistant (Michaela Coel) has a hidden agenda in this comedy-drama directed by Steven Soderbergh (Black Bag). Dipson Amherst

EGYBEST (NR) Egyptian comedy based on the true story of the Arab world’s most popular source for pirated movies. Directed by Marwan Abdelmoniem. Regal Elmwood

EXIT 8 (PG-13) In this Japanese video game adaptation, a man inexplicably becomes trapped in a subway station. Directed by Genki Kawamura. AMC Maple Ridge, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria 

FANTASY LIFE (R) Matthew Shear wrote and directed this comedy in which he stars as an unemployed paralegal who takes a job as a babysitter, only to fall in love with his married employer. With Amanda Peet, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Andrea Martin, Bob Balaban, and Jessica Harper. North Park

KHUSHKHABRI (“Good News”) (NR) Punjabi feel-good comedy about a couple whose first child is switched at birth. Starring Binnu Dhillon, Payal Rajput, and Nirmal Rishi. Directed by Laddi Ghuman. Regal Elmwood

A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA (R) Plans are underway for an American remake of this hit French comedy about a pair of criminals forced to hide out at a summer camp for young adults with disabilities. Starring Clovis Cornillac, Alice Belaïdi, Marc Riso, and Artus, who also wrote and directed. Regal Quaker

LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY (R) It’s never a good idea when a film maker insists on inserting his name into the title. Starring Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, and May Calamawy. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

LORNE (R) Documentary about Saturday Night Live creator and all-around comedy guru Lorne Michaels. Directed by Morgan Neville (Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain). Regal Quaker

MILE END KICKS (R) “Euphoria”’s Barbie Ferreira stars as a fledgling music critic during the glory days of Montreal’s indie scene in this Canadian comedy-drama. With Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, and Jay Baruchel. Directed by Chandler Levack. Regal Transit

MR. X (NR) The search for a missing nuclear device exposes a wider conspiracy in this Tamil-language spy thriller. Starring Arya, Gautham Ram Karthik, and Manju Warrier. Directed by Manu Anand Regal Elmwood

NORMAL (R) Bob Odenkirk reunites with his Nobody co-writer Derek Kolstad for this action film. A high level of mayhem is to be expected from British auteur Ben Wheatly, director of the most gun-soaked movie ever, Free Fire. With Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, and Reena Jolly Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria 

ORU DUROOHA SAAHACHARYATHIL (“In a Suspicious Circumstance”) (NR) The placed life of a health care worker is amped up by the arrival at his house of a mysterious stranger in this Malayalam language action comedy. Starring Kunchacko Boban, Dileesh Pothan, and Sajin Gopu. Directed by Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval. Regal Elmwood

PAPAM PRATHAP (“Pitiful Prathap”) (NR) An entire village gets involved after a marriage breaks up after only three days in this Telugu comedy. Starring Thiruveer, Payal Radhakrishna Shenoy, and Ajay Ghosh. Directed by SP Durga Naresh. Regal Elmwood

NOW PLAYING:

BEAST (R) A retired MMA champion is forced to back in the ring with a fighter who wants to steal his glory. Starring Daniel MacPherson, Luke Hemsworth, and Russell Crowe, who co-wrote the script. Directed by Tyler Atkins (Ocean Boy). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

BONOLOTA EXPRESS (NR) Bangladeshi adventure-comedy about the diverse passengers on an overnight train journey. Starring Mosharraf Karim, Chanchal Chowdhury, and Sariful Razz. Directed by Tanim Noor. Regal Elmwood

DACOIT: A LOVE STORY (NR) A man imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit seeks revenge on the ex-lover who set him up in this Hindi thriller. Starring Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur. Directed by Shaneil Deo. Regal Elmwood

THE DRAMA (R) Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a couple whose engagement may not survive a shocking revelation. Directed by Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario). AMC Maple Ridge, Aurora, Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In (Fri-Sat only)

FACES OF DEATH (R) A serial killer recreates the gruesome deaths from the infamous 1978 shockumentary. Starring Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Jermaine Fowler, and Charli XCX. Directed by Daniel Goldhaber (How to Blow Up a Pipeline.) Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

GOAT (PG) Animated comedy with an all-animal cast headed by a goat who wants to be a star in the manic sport of roarball. With the voices of Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Stephen Curry, Nick Kroll, and Patton Oswalt. Directed by Tyree Dillihay and Adam Rosette. Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

HOPPERS (PG) This year’s Pixar entry borrows heavily from Avatar for an ecologically conscious story about a girl trying to save an animal habitat from being razed for a new highway. With the voices of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Jon Hamm, and Meryl Streep. Directed by Daniel Chong (We Bare Bears). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

LIK: LOVE INSURANCE KOMPANY (NR) Tamil-language sci-fi rom-com about users of a dating app. Starring Pradeep Ranganathan, S. J. Suryah and Krithi Shetty. Directed by Vignesh Shivan. Regal Elmwood

A MAGNIFICENT LIFE (PG-13) The French novelist and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol looks back on his life in this hand-drawn animation created by Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville). North Park

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, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME (R) Sequel to the most recent film to steal the plot device from 1932’s The Most Dangerous Game. Starring Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood, and David Cronenberg. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Scream VI). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

REMINDERS OF HIM (PG-13) Adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel (It Ends with Us, Regretting You), so expect the equivalent of a Lifetime movie with dark patches. Starring Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham, and Bradley Whitford. Directed by Vanessa Vaswill (Love at First Sight). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

SCREAM 7 (R) Kevin Williamson returns as writer and debuts as director for the latest in this endless horror series. Starring Neve Campbell, Isabel May, Courteney Cox, and Joel McHale. Regal Transit, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat 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, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Joylan, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

THEY WILL KILL YOU (R) People never heed such warnings in horror movies, even the black comic ones. Starring Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Paterson Joseph, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette. Directed by Kirill Sokolov (Why Don’t You Just Die). Regal Elmwood, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

YOU, ME & TUSCANY (PG-13) A young woman squatting at a Tuscan villa claims to be the owner’s fiancée when his mother unexpectedly shows up. Starring Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page and Nia Vardalos. Directed by Kat Coiro (Marry Me). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

ETC. 

THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998, R)—The Coen Brothers’ patently oddball take on the Raymond Chandler genre has aged into a genuine cult classic. 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. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Fri only)

DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993, R)—Richard Linklater’s free-form ensemble piece about high school kids in 1976. Despite the time setting and the wealth of riff-heavy rock tunes on the soundtrack, this is anything but nostalgic about high school: as one character puts it, “If these are the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself.” The cast, almost all at the beginning of their careers, includes Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, Adam Goldberg, Matthew McConaughey, Nicky Katt, Joey Lauren Adams, Rory Cochrane, and Anthony Rapp. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Mon only)

DEATH BECOMES HER (1992, R)—Robert Zemeckis’ pitch black satire of Hollywood’s infatuation with appearances stars Meryl Street and Goldie Hawn as frenemies who stumble on the fountain of youth. With Bruce Willils and Isabella Rosselini. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Sat only)

FIGHT CLUB (1999, R)— I’d tell you what it’s about, but that would be breaking the first rule. Starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Jared Leto, and Meat Loaf. Directed by David Fincher. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Weds only)

THE FIRST WIVES CLUB (1996, R)—Social comedy starring Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton star as divorcées out for revenge after their husband leave the for younger women. With Stockard Channing, Dan Hedaya, Victor Garber, Stephen Collins, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elizabeth Berkley, Marcia Gay Harden, Maggie Smith, Bronson Pinchot, Rob Reiner, Eileen Heckart and Philip Bosco. Directed by “WKRP in Cincinnati” creator Hugh Wilson. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Tues only)

HOT FUZZ (2007, R)—The creators of Shaun of the Dead turn their parodic gaze to overamped American cop movies in this comedy about an overachieving cop sent to a dull British town where nothing ever seems to happen. Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Billie Whitelaw, and Paddy Considine. Directed by Edgar Wright. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Thurs 4/23 only)

KAPODISTRIAS (“The Governor”)—From Greece, an epic biography of that country’s first governor, who in the early 1800s fought to establish central power in a land filled with independent powers. Starring Antonis Myriagos, Finbar Lynch, and Nikorestis Chaniotakis. Directed by Yannis Smaragdis (Cavafy). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Weds only)

THE LORAX (2012, PG)—Dr. Seuss’s environmental fable, brought to computer animated life by the creators of the Despicable Me movies. With the voices of Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Betty White. This special Earth Day screening is free and open to the public. Sat 10 am. 

THE MASK (1994, PG-13)—The movie where Hollywood finally figured out what to do with Jim Carrey: turn him into a live action Tex Avery cartoon. Co-starring UB graduate Peter Riegert, Peter Greene, Amy Yasbeck, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Directed by Chuck Russell (The Blob). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Sun only)

WAKING NED DEVINE (1998, PG)—Comedy about the inhabitants of a tiny Irish town scheming to cash a winning lottery ticket after the neighbor who bought it dies of a heart attack. Starring Ian Bannen, David Kelly, Susan Lynch, Fionnula Flanagan, and James Nesbitt. Directed by Kirk Jones (I Swear). Free and open to the public. Sat-Sun 11:30 am. North Park

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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/

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

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

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

Regal Walden Galleria, Galleria Mall, Cheektowaga https://www.fandango.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