Buffalo Movies: Film Focus is your guide to new movies opening and what’s currently showing in theaters around WNY.

(Above: Yuval Abraham in Naza (2026). Image via IMDB).

By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK:

418 (NR) The reopening of a long-sealed village hospital leads to no good for the locals in this Telugu horror movie. Starring Chaithra J Achar, Surya Raj Veerabathini, Charan Lakkaraju, and Preethi Pagadala. Directed by Kirtan Nadagouda. Regal Elmwood

CLAYFACE (R) Tom Rhys Harries as the DC Comics villain, in this version an actor whose disfigured face is rebuilt by a surgery that warps his personality. With Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan. Directed by James Watkins (Speak No Evil). 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 (Fri-Sat only)

KLARA AND THE SUN (PG-13 Adaptation of the Kazuo Ishiguro novel about an outmoded companion android who attempts to bond with a sick teen. Starring Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Aran Murphy, Steve Buscemi, and Natasha Lyonne. Directed by Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

KUNG FU SOCCER (PG-13) Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow directed this follow up to his 2001 hit Shaolin Soccer. Starring Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang.  Regal Transit

PEHLA PYAAR DOOSRI BAAR (NR) In this Hindi romcom, three best friends reunite a decade after graduating and decide to confess their feelings to their first crushes. Starring Alisha Chopra, Sparsh Walia, Sakshi Vaidya, and Kunal Aryan Vaid. Directed by Anuj Saini. Regal Elmwood

A TALENT FOR MURDER (NR) Helen Mirren stars as writer Patricia Highsmith, visited late in life by a fan who wants her to write one more Ripley novel. With Alden Ehrenreich, Juliet Stevenson, and Olivia Cook. Directed by Anton Corbijn (The American). Dipson Capitol, Market Arcade, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

UDTA TEER (NR) Spy comedy, another one of those Hindi movies where I can’t find any information about the plot. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan, Rahul Bose, and Ram Kapoor. Directed by Aakash Kaushik. Regal Elmwood

WICKER (R) Olivia Colman as a medieval fisherwoman who spurns marriage until a local weaver builds her a husband (Alexander Skarsgård) out of wicker. Too bad the title The Wicker Man was already taken. With Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan, Richard E. Grant, and Peter Dinklage. Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. Dipson Amherst, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

WILDWOOD (PG-13) Stop-motion animated feature from the creators of Coraline, based on the novel by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis about the adventures of two teens in a mystical forest. With the voices of Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Jemaine Clement, Len Cariou, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant. Directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings). AMC Maple Ridge, Aurora, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Joylan, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

NOW PLAYING:

CRAWLERS (R) Residents of a quarantined apartment building fight off an infestation of poisonous spiders. Starring Matilda Lutz, Gregg Sulkin, William Miller and Melina Matthews. Directed by Angel Gómez Hernández. Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

THE DEVILS (1971, NC-17) The long suppressed full cut of director Ken Russell’s controversial historical drama starring Oliver Reed as a libertine priest in 17^th century France and Vanessa Redgrave as the repressed nun who accuses him of witchcraft. Market Arcade, Regal Quaker

DIGGER (R) The weirdly ageless Tom Cruise gets into old age drag to portray a rich industrialist trying to prevent a world-shattering disaster that he caused. With Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons. Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman). Regal Transit

FORGOTTEN ISLAND (PG) From DreamWorks Animation, a fantasy based on Philippine mythology about two friends trapped on an island that will slowly consumer their memories. With the voices of H. E. R. , Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, and Jenny Slate. Directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

HEART OF THE BEAST (PG-13) Brad Pitt as a retired Army Special Forces veteran who must travel across 58 miles of Alaskan wilderness to safety with his dog after a plane crash. With J. K. Simmons. Directed by David Ayer (End of Watch). Dipson Flix, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

JAILER 2 (NR) Rajinikanth reprises his role as a retired corrections officer in this Tamil sequel. With Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, Mirnaa and Rithvik. Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar. Regal Elmwood

NAZA (NR) Documentary built around interviews with 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers who describe how AI systems were used in the mass killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival. Directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (No Other Land). Market Arcade

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). Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

THE ODYSSEY (R) Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of the Greek epic detailing the return voyage of King Odysseus after the Trojan War. Starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Regal Transit

OTHER MOMMY (R) From Blumhouse, another horror movie featuring a grotesquely grinning monster. Thought that had been played out by now. Starring Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, and Karen Allen. Directed by Rob Savage (The Boogeyman). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 (PG-13) Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, and Stockard Channing return in this sequel to the 1998 film. Directed by Susanne Bier (In a Better World). Regal Transit

PRIMETIME (R) Robert Pattison as Chris Hansen, host of the 2000s reality crime show “To Catch a Predator. ” With Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, and Bokeem Woodbine. Directed by Lance Oppenheim (You Can See Everything). Regal Elmwood, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

RESIDENT EVIL (R) Second reboot of the zombie video game. Starring Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser. Directed by Zach Cregger (Weapons). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (PG) Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, George MacKay, and Fiona Shaw star in a new adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. Directed by Georgia Oakley (Blue Bird). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE SOCIAL RECKONING (R) Adam Sorkin’s follow-up to The Social Network, focusing on revelations that Facebook ignored evidence that its product was harmful to its users. Starring Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Bill Burr, Betty Gilpin, and Billy Magnussen. Hamburg Palace, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (PG-13) Tom Holland’s fourth appearance as the perennial Marvel comics superhero. With Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, and Marisa Tomei. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). Regal Transit

STREET FIGHTER (PG-13) Third live-action adaptation of the video game series. Starring Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Jason Momoa. Directed by Kitao Sakurai (Bad Trip). 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 (Fri-Sat only)

VERITY (R) Best known for comedies like Wet Hot American Summer, director Michael Showalter moves into psychological horror for this story of a writer hired to ghost write the uncompleted novel of a famous author. Starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

WHALEFALL (PG-13) A scuba diver (Austin Abrams) looks for an escape route after he is swallowed by a sperm whale. With Josh Brolin, Elisabeth Shue, and John Ortiz. Directed by Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sat only)

YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING (R) Documentarians Lance Oppenheim (Some Kind of Heaven) and Nathan Fielder (the HBO series “The Rehearsal”) team up for this critically lauded look at Elizabeth Holmes in the month before she entered prison for defrauding investors. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER (R) Mahershala Ali as a pious Muslim assassin who has to tend to his children after the unexpected death of his wife. With John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, and Abubakr Ali. Directed by Bassam Tariq. Market Arcade, Regal Walden Galleria

ETC.

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999, NR) It isn’t really the first “found footage” horror movie – the Italians were doing that with zombie movie in the 80s – but it’s the one that kicked of the endless wave of inferior copies. Starring Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard. Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. Sun only – see individual theaters for show times) Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

CHRISTINE (1983, R) From the era when every Steven King novel became a movie, and every noteworthy horror director had to tackle at least one. Here John Carpenter deals with a killer automobile. Starring Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky and Harry Dean Stanton. Thurs only – see individual theaters for show times) Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

CONSTANTINE (2005, R)  Keanu Reeves as a dark-souled urban warrior against satanic forces threatening to overwhelm the world, or at least Los Angeles.. With Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Djimon Hounsou, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Gavin Rossdale, Tilda Swinton and Peter Stormare. Directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games). Mon only – see individual theaters for show times. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

IT FOLLOWS (2014, NR) — In a suburb of Detroit teens are stalked by a murderous entity that can assume any form and is only visible to the person it is currently stalking. The climax makes no sense but what’s good in this arthouse horror movie (from The End of Oak Street director David Robert Mitchell) is so good that you can almost forgive it. Starring Maika Monroe Keir Gilchrist and Daniel Zovatto. Weds only – see individual theaters for show times) Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

MIDSOMMAR: DIRECTOR’S CUT (2019, NR)—Ari Aster’s pastoral horror movie with an additional 30 minutes of footage, bringing it to nearly 3 hours. That’s too long for any horror film not directed by Stanley Kubrick, IMHO. Starring Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor. Fri only – see individual theaters for show times. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE SHINING (1980, R) Family man Jack Nicholson goes nuts while working as a winter watchman in a remote hotel. A lot of people consider this the best film adaptation of any Steven King story, though King himself is not among them. Possibly best understood as director Stanley Kubrick’s chance to play with a then-new toy, the Steadicam, or as his homage to Last Year at Marienbad. With Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers. Fri 10 pm. Market Arcade

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977, PG)—Roger Moore as James Bond, Curd Jurgens as the supervillain, and Barbara Bach and Caroline Munro as Bond girls. Directed by Lewis Gilbert. Mon 7 pm. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE WORST WITCH (1986, NR) British television adaptation of the children’s book set at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches. (This was years before Hogwarts.) Starring Fairuza Balk, Charlotte Rae, Diana Rigg, and Tim Curry. Directed by Robert W. Young (Jeeves and Wooster). 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/

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, 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