Film Focus: ‘Reading Lolita in Tehran,’ limited run of “Hadestown among the openings
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Film Focus: ‘Reading Lolita in Tehran,’ limited run of “Hadestown among the openings

The Editor0

Buffalo Movies: Your guide to what is showing and when

By M. Faust
(Image above: Golshifteh Farahani in ‘Readinging Lolita in Tehran’)

OPENING THIS WEEK:

CHENNAI LOVE STORY (NR) Telugu-language rom-com between an aspiring filmmaker and a woman unlucky in love. Starring Kiran Abbavaram and Sri Gouri Priya. Directed by Ravi Namburii. Regal Elmwood

HADESTOWN: THE MUSICAL (NR) Filmed recording of a live production of the long running Broadway show. Starring original cast members Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada, and Patrick Page. Directed by Brett Sullivan. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (all theaters through July 28 only)

HAUNTED HEIST (R) Horror parody with a title that sounds like it could have been used for a Bowery Boys movie. Starring Tiffany Haddish, King Bach, Karlous Miller and Lil Rel Howery, who also directed. Regal Walden Galleria

HER PRIVATE HELL (R) The distributor’s description: “When a mysterious mist engulfs a futuristic metropolis, unleashing a deadly and elusive entity, a troubled young woman searches for her father. Her quest collides with an American GI on a harrowing odyssey to rescue his daughter from Hell.” Starring Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Havana Rose Liu, Kristine Froseth, and Dougray Scott. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Only God Forgives). AMC Maple Ridge, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

ISHQNAMA (NR) In the early 1980s, young lovers are separated by tensions between India and Pakistan. Starring Shehnaaz Gill, Arvinder Kaur, and Jayy Randhawa. Directed by Arvindr S. Khaira. Regal Elmwood

JANA NAYAGAN (NR) This Tamil-language political thriller is the last film made by Indian superstar Vijay, who is now the leader of a center-left political party. With Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, and Mamitha Baiju. Directed by H. Vinoth. Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

MOTOR CITY (R) Nearly dialogue-free exercise in style set in 1970s Detroit, where an unjustly convicted man sets out for revenge. Starring Alan Ritchson, Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster, and Pablo Schreiber. Directed by Potsy Ponciroli. Dipson Capitol, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

PINOCCHIO UNSTRUNG (R) From the folk who gave us Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, another horror movie reimagining of a beloved children’s story. Starring Cameron Bell, Richard Blake, and Robert Englund. Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN (NR) Drama based on memoir by Azar Nafisi’s memoir about an Iranian professor who, in defiance of the revolutionary regime, secretly teaches a class in Western literature. Starring Golshifteh Farahani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, and Mina Kavani. Directed by Eran Riklis (The Syrian Bride). Regal Elmwood

ROSE OF NEVADA (NR) Art house fantasy about a long-missing ship that returns to port to take on new crew, only to take them back into the past. Starring George MacKay and Callum Turner. Directed by Mark Jenkin (Bait). Regal Transit

NOW PLAYING:

BACKROOMS (R) Horror film adapted from an internet webseries and creepypasta. (Look it up – I had to.) Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, and Mark Duplass. Directed by Kane Parsons. Regal Walden Galleria

DISCLOSURE DAY (PG-13) The secret is out about alien life on Earth in this new collaboration from Steven Spielberg and writer David Koepp (War of the Worlds, Jurassic Park). Starring Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Jane Blankenship, and Colman Domingo. Market Arcade, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

EVIL DEAD BURN (R) Producer Sam Raimi continues to cash in on the “Evil Dead” name with another unrelated sequel. Starring Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand. Directed by Sébastien Vaniček (Infested). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

THE INVITE (R) Olivia Wilde directed and stars in this comedy about a repressed couple who encounter their sexually liberated neighbors. With Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

JACKASS: BEST AND LAST (R) Old and new footage are combined for what is reportedly the last film in this franchise. Wanna bet we’ll be seeing Jackass: The Next Generation in a few years? With Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, and the other usuals. Directed by Jeff Tremaine. Regal Quaker

MINIONS & MONSTERS (PG) This year’s sequel to the spin-off series begun with Despicable Me. Director Pierre Coffin provides the voices of the leading characters, joined by Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, and Bobby Moynihan. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

MOANA (PG) The latest Disney live-action adaptation of one of its animated hits. Starring Catherine Laga’aia, Dwayne Johnson, and Rena Owen. Directed by Thomas Kail. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Hamburg Palace, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In

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). Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

THE ODYSSEY (R) Christopher Nolan’s epic 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. AMC Maple Ridge, Aurora, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Market Arcade, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In

SUPERGIRL (PG-13) DC steps up to the bat now that the Marvel franchises all seem played out. Starring Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa. Directed by Craig Gillespie (Cruella). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

TOY STORY 5 (PG) Sequel. The usual ensemble of voice actors (Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, et al.) is joined by Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Greta Lee, Shelby Rabara, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Craig Robinson. Directed by Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

ETC.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971, R) Stanley Kubrick’s fiercely controversial adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel set in a near-future England where a violent hooligan (Malcolm McDowell) is subjected to an experimental technique to end his anti-social behavior. Fri 10 pm. Market Arcade

THE GOONIES (1985, PG) and GREMLINS (1984, PG) This week’s drive-in retro double feature. Tues at dusk. Transit Drive-In

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 (Alfie). Sat, Sun 1 pm, Mon, Weds 7:30 pm. Market Arcade

THEATER LOCATIONS AND WEBSITES

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