Buffalo Movies: Several films are set to open this weekend across WNY. Here’s your guide for where to see them and what they are about.

(Above: Ralph Fiennes in The Choral (2025). Photo by Courtesy of Sony Pictures – © Sony Pictures via IMDB).

By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK: 

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE (R) New entry in the zombie series that began in 2002. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams and Jack O’Connell. Directed by Nia DaCosta (the Candyman remake). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL (R) Dystopian anime about a woman in a Japan devastated by an alien flower who is caught in a time loop where she is killed every day. Directed by Ken’ichirô Akimoto and Yukinori Nakamura Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

ANAGANAGA OKA RAJU (NR) Telugu-language vehicle for the popular comedian Naveen Polishetty. Co-starring Meenakshi Chaudhary and Rao Ramesh. Directed by Maari. Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit

BHARTHA MAHASAYULAKU WIGNYAPTHI (NR) Telugu-language rom-com. Starring Ravi Teja, Ashika Ranganath, and Dimple Hayathi. Directed by Kishore Tirumala.  Regal Elmwood

CHARLIE THE WONDERDOG (PG) Family animation with Owen Wilson as the voice of a dog who becomes a superhero after he is captured by aliens. Directed by Shea Wageman (Young Jedi Adventures). Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE CHORAL (R) Writer Alan Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner (The Madness of King George, The History Boys) reunite for this drama set in 1916 about a Yorkshire town trying to mount a production of Elgar’s oratorio The Dream of Gerontius despite so many of the town’s men being off at war. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong, Robert Emms, and Simon Russell Beale. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

DEAD MAN’S WIRE (R) Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy) directed this drama based on the true 1977 story of a disgruntled business developer who held hostage the mortgage broker who he believed cheated him. Starring Bill Skarsgård Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha’la, Colman Domingo, and Al Pacino. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

MANA SHANKARA VARA PRASAD GARU (NR) A federal officer poses as a school gym teacher in order to re-connect with his estranged wife and children in this Telugu-language action comedy. Starring Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh, Nayanthara and Catherine Tresa. Directed by Anil Ravipudi. Regal Elmwood

NARI NARI NADUMA MURARI (NR) Yet another Telugu rom-com, plot unavailable. Starring Sharwanand, Samyuktha, and Sakshi Vaidya. Directed by Ram Abbaraju. Regal Elmwood

NIGHT PATROL (R) LA cop teams up with gang members to take down a squad of vampire cops. Starring Jermaine Fowler, Justin Long, Dermot Mulroney, and Flying Lotus. Directed by Ryan Prows. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

NO OTHER CHOICE (R) In this Korean adaptation of Donald Westlake’s novel The Ax, an industrial manager fired from his longtime position determines that the only way he can get the one job suitable to his qualifications is to kill the other candidates. Starring stars Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, and Lee Sung-min. Directed by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy). Dipson Amherst, Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

SHEEPDOG (R) A combat veteran with PTSD struggles to regain his life with the aid of a trainee VA therapist. Starring Steven Grayhm, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Virginia Madsen. Directed by Steven Grayhm. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

SIGNING TONY RAYMOND (NR) An assistant football coach travels to Alabama to try to sign a talented high school senior. Starring Michael Mosley, Mira Sorvino, and Rob Morgan. Directed by Glen Owen. Regal Quaker 

NOW PLAYING: 

ANACONDA (PG-13) Paul Rudd and Jack Black as aspiring filmmakers (from Buffalo!) who go to the South American jungle to remake their favorite bad 1990s horror movie. With Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, and Ice Cube. Directed by Tom Gormican (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent). Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH (PG-13) Number three of five. With Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin and David Thewlis. Directed by James Cameron, the pride of Chippawa, Ontario. AMC Maple Ridge, Angola, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2 (PG-13) Video-game based horror sequel. Starring Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lail, Matthew Lillard, and Wayne Knight. Directed by Emma Tammi. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION (PG-13) Gerard Butler and family emerge from their underground bunker to see what is left of the world after a comet strike. With Morena Baccarin, Amber Rose Revah, and Roman Griffin Davis. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh (Angel has Fallen). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

HAMNET (PG-13) Fictional story about William Shakespeare and his wife that asks what effect the death of their young son might have had on his work. Starring Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, and Joe Alwyn. Directed by Chloé Zhao (Nomadland). Read M. Faust’s review here. Dipson Amherst, Regal Transit

THE HOUSEMAID (R) A troubled woman tries to clean up her life by taking a job as a housemaid for a wealthy family. Trouble, of course, ensues. Starring Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Elizabeth Perkins. Directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

I WAS A STRANGER (PG-13) Five interwoven stories about people escaping from battle-scarred Syria into an uncertain future. Starring Yasmine Al Massri, Yahya Mahayni, Ziad Bakri, Omar Sy, Jason Beghe and Constantine Markoulakis. Directed by Brandt Andersen. Regal Quaker 

IS THIS THING ON? (R) Will Arnett and Laura Dern as a couple contemplating divorce in a drama written by Arnett and directed by Bradley Cooper (Maestro). Read M. Faust’s review here. Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

MARTY SUPREME (R) Timothée Chalamet as a character loosely based on 1950’s ping pong hustler Marty Reisman. With Odessa A’zion, Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Directed by Josh Safdie (Uncut Gems). Read M. Faust’s review here. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

PARASAKTHI (NR) Tamil-language historical drama set against the 1965 Anti-Hindi Imposition agitations in Tamil Nadu. Starring Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa and Sreeleela. Directed by Sudha Kongara. Regal Elmwood 

PRIMATE (R) Young women on vacation in Hawaii are attacked by an enraged chimpanzee. Starring Johnny Sequoyah, Troy Kotsur and Gia Hunter. Directed by Johannes Roberts (The Strangers: Prey at Night). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE RAJASAAB (NR) A young man’s search for his grandfather leads him to a haunted mansion in this Telugu-language horror comedy. Starring Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt, and Boman Irani. Directed by Maruthi. Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

SONG SUNG BLUE (PG-13) True story of a Milwaukee couple of the 1990s who found local success performing Neil Diamond songs. Starring High Jackman, Kate Hudson, Ella Anderson, Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens and Jim Belushi. Directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name). Read M. Faust’s review here. Angola, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Hamburg Palace, Joylan, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (PG) Number four of who knows how many. With the voices of Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Regina Hall, and Mark Hamill. Directed by Derek Drymon. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Joylan, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

WICKED: FOR GOOD (PG) Sequel. Actually, more of the same film, they just broke it up into two parts to get you to spend twice as much to see it. Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. Directed by Jon M. Chu. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

ZOOTOPIA 2 (PG) Ten years is a long time in coming for a sequel to a children’s film, but here it is anyway. With the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, and Danny Trejo. Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

ETC.

MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (England, 1975)—Restored version of the cult classic about pornographic moose dentistry. Directed by 40 specially trained Ecuadorian mountain llamas, six Venezuelan red llamas, 142 Mexican whooping llamas, 14 North Chilean guanacos (closely related to the llama), Reg Llama of Brixton, 76,000 battery llamas from “llama-fresh” farms ltd. near Paraguay, and Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones. Fri, Tues 7:30 pm. Screening Room

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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

AMC Market Arcade, 639 Main Street, Buffalo CLOSED PERMNENTLY

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 CLOSED UNTIL SPRING