Buffalo Movies: What’s showing in WNY

(Above: Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another.” Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures – © Warner Bros. Pictures)

By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK: 

BALTI (NR) Action drama centering on star kabaddi players in a small town. “Kabaddi” is a popular South Asian sport that sounds like tag with tackling. Starring Shane Nigam, Shanthnu Bhagyaraj and Shiva Hariharan. Directed by Unni Sivalingam. Regal Elmwood

DEAD OF WINTER (R) Thriller starring Emma Thompson as a woman lost while driving in remote Minnesota who becomes involved in a kidnapping plot. With Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca and Laurel Marsden. Directed by Brian Kirk (21 Bridges). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

ELEANOR THE GREAT (G) Scarlett Johansson makes her directorial debut with this drama starring June Squibb as an elderly woman who resorts to lying about her past in order to make friends. With Chiwetel Ejiofor, Erin Kellyman and Jessica Hecht. Dipson Amherst, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE (G) Feature adaptation of a Netflix series that you’re unlikely ever to have heard of unless you have very young children. Starring Laila Lockhart Kraner, Carla Tassara and Kristen Wiig. Directed by Ryan Crego (Shrek Forever After). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Angola (no shows Tues-Weds), Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Joylan, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

GIRL CLIMBER (R) Documentary on the efforts of professional climber Emily Harrington to scale Yosemite’s El Capitan. Directed by Jon Glassberg. Regal Transit

HOMEBOUND (R) Indian drama about two childhood friends (Vishal Jethwa, Ishaan Khatter) who hope to rise about their station in life by becoming police officers. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan Regal Elmwood

KARAM (R) Malayalam action drama about a disgraced army officer who tried to rescue an ex-girlfriend from a human trafficking ring. Starring Shweta Menon, Noble Babu Thomas and Reshma Sebastian. Directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan. Regal Elmwood

LOOKING THROUGH WATER (R) Three generations of men from a troubled family bond through the love of fly fishing. Starring Cameron Douglas, Michael Stahl-David, Walker Scobell, Michael Douglas, David Morse. Directed by Roberto Sneider. North Park

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (R) Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s widely anticipated adaptation of the Thomas Pynchon novel Vineland, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a former 60s radical who tried to summon up his former fire when a friend’s daughter is kidnapped. Co-starring Sean Penn, Benecio del Toro and Regina Hall. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, 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-Sun only)

THE LOST BUS (R) Docudrama specialist Paul Greengrass (United 93, Captain Phillips) helmed this thriller set against Northern California’s 2018 Camp Fire (you remember, the one caused by defective Pacific Gas and Electric power lines) starring Matthew McConaughey as a school bus driver trying to get two dozen kids to safety. With America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez and Ashlie Atkinson. Regal Quaker

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 (R) Horror sequel. With Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath. Directed by Renny Harlin (The Adventures of Ford Fairlaine). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

THEY CALL HIM OG (R) In Mumbai, a long-vanished mob boss returns to wreak vengeance on his enemies. Starring Pawan Kalyan, Emraan Hashmi and Priyanka Arulmohan. Directed by Sujeeth and Ashwin Neal Mani. Regal Elmwood

NOW PLAYING:

A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY (R) Fantasy starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie as strangers who meet at a wedding and are given a chance to relive their earlier lives. Somone really should have changed that title. With Jennifer Grant, Hamish Linklater and Kevin Kline. Directed by Kogonada (After Yang). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

CAUGHT STEALING (R) Austin Butler as a NYC bartender who gets into trouble with competing gangsters after agreeing to watch his neighbor’s cat. Co-starring Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Bad Bunny, Griffin Dunne, and Carol Kane. Directed by Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Mon only)

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES (R) Sequel. Starring Vera Farmiga Patrick Wilson and Elliot Cowan. Directed by Michael Chaves (The Nun II). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA INFINITY CASTLE (R) Proof, if there was any doubt, that anime has gone mainstream. Directed by Haruo Sotozaki and Hikaru Kondô. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (PG) “Finale”? I’ll bet money that Julian Fellowes is already working on a reboot and/or a prequel series. For the time being, Paul Giamatti and Joely Richardson join the usual cast: Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, Robert James-Collier, Dominic West, Penelope Wilton, et alia. Directed by Simon Curtis (Downton Abbey: A New Era). Read M. Faust’s review here. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Hamburg Palace, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (PG-13) The beginning of Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Which either means something to you or it doesn’t. Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss‑Bachrach and Julia Garner. Directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision). Regal Quaker 

FREAKIER FRIDAY (PG) Sequel to the 2003 remake of the 1976 Disney comedy. Reportedly the cast all play age-appropriate roles. Starring Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chad Michael Murray, and Mark Harmon. Directed by Nisha Ganatra (Late Night). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

HIM (R) To the best of my knowledge, the first football horror movie, starring Tyriq Withers as an injured young player who submits to a desperate new training regimen. With Marlon Wayans, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, and Jim Jeffries. Directed by Justin Tipping. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

THE LONG WALK (R) Adaptation of Stephen King’s first and grimmest novel, set in a dystopian future where young men chosen by lottery compete on a walk in which the last one alive wins. Starring Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Charlie Plummer and Judy Geer. Directed, appropriately enough, by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In (Fri-Sun only)

THE ROSES (R) Reimagining of the classic 1988 divorce comedy The War of the Roses. Starring Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate McKinnon, Andy Samberg and Allison Janney. Directed by Jay Roach (Meet the Fockers). Aurora

THE SENIOR (PG) Michael Chicklis as a 59-year-old man determined to finish the college football career that was sidelined decades earlier. With Mary Stuart Masterson and Brandon Flynn. Directed by Rod Lurie. AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES (R) It only took 41 years! The original cast—Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner (who also directed), with Fran Drescher and Paul Shaffer—is joined by cameos from Elton John, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, and Lars Ulrich. Read M. Faust’s review here. Regal Transit

WEAPONS (R) A community slowly unravels after all the local third graders except one disappear overnight. Starring Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Alden Ehrenreich. Directed by Zach Cregger (Barbarian). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In (Fri-Sun only)

ETC:

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZAKABAN (PG, 2004) and HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (PG, 2005)—Entries 3 and 4 of the film adaptations of the popular books. With Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, John Cleese, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, John Cleese and Julie Walters. Directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone). Fri-Sat 8 pm. Transit Drive-In

IT IS UP TO US —Stephen McKinley Henderson co-directed (with Stephen Rosenthal) this new documentary about the history of racism in America. Henderson will be present for the screening. Sat 11:30 am. North Park

THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (NR, 1976)—Live concert (mixed with filmed fantasy sequences) from Madison Square Garden in 1973 of the band that exemplifies everything there is to be said about 70s music, for better or worse. Directed by Peter Clifton and Joe Massot. Fri-Tues 7:30 pm. Screening Room

THEATER LOCATIONS AND WEBSITES

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

AMC Market Arcade, 639 Main Street, Buffalo www.amctheatres.com

Angola Theatre, 72 N. Main St., Angola, NY

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

Dipson McKinley, 3701 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg www.dipsontheatres.com CLOSED

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/

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

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

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