Buffalo Movies: The Film Focus is your go-to guide for movies opening up in the WNY area

(Above: Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026). Image via IMDB.)

By M. Faust

OPENING THIS WEEK: 

ANIMAL FARM (PG) Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) wrote this new adaptation of George Orwell’s 1945 allegorical novel. With the voices of Seth Rogen, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Kathleen Turner, and Andy Serkis, who also directed. AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

CASA GRANDE (R) Feature sequel to the Amazon series about tensions between two neighboring ranchers. Starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Bruce Davison, John Pyper-Ferguson, and Christina Moore. Directed by Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz Regal Transit

DEEP WATER (R) Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley, and Angus Sampson are among the survivors when a plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean. Think there might be any sharks in the water? Directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard II). Dipson Capitol, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 (PG-13) Sequel. Starring Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci. Directed by David Frankel (Marley and Me). AMC Maple Ridge, Aurora, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Joylan, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

GAAYAPADDA SIMHAM (NR) Telugu comedy about a young Indian man who learns the hard way that 2026 was not the best time to emigrate to the United States. Starring Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam, Faria Abdullah, and Maanasa Choudhary. Directed by Kasyap Sreenivas. Regal Elmwood

HOKUM (R) Scary stuff with Adam Scott as a novelist in a haunted Irish B&B. With Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, and Austin Amelio. Directed by Damian McCarthy (Oddity). Dipson Capitol, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

JETLEE (NR) Telugu action comedy set about a plane carrying a fugitive billionaire and various folk who would like to have a word with him. Starring Satya, Rhea Singha, and Ajay. Directed by Ritesh Rana. Regal Elmwood

KARA (NR) Tamil language drama starring Dhanush as a recently paroled convict forced back into crime to fulfill his family obligations. With Mamitha Baiju and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Directed by Vignesh Raja. Regal Elmwood

THE LORD OF THE RINGS (PG) Animator Ralph Bakshi’s (Fritz the Cat) 1978 adaptation of the Tolkein novel. With the voices of Christopher Guard, Norman Bird, and John Hurt. North Park

MISTURA (NR) From Peru, a drama set in the 1960s about a divorced woman battling social elitism when she tries to open a restaurant. Starring Bárbara Mori, Cesar Ballumbrosio, and Christian Meier. Directed by Ricardo de Montreuil (My Brother’s Wife). North Park

PATRIOT (NR) Malayalam-language spy thriller. Starring Mammootty, Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, and Nayanthara. Directed by Mahesh Narayanan. Regal Transit

RAJA SHIVAJI (NR) From India, a historical drama based on the life of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Starring Riteish Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, and Mahesh Manjrekar. Directed by Riteish Deshmukh. Regal Elmwood

ONE SPOON OF CHOCOLATE (R) Quentin Tarantino lent his imprimatur to this action film starring Shameik Moore as a veteran failing to avoid trouble when he moves to a small town. With Paris Jackson, RJ Cyler, and Blair Underwood. Directed by RZA (The Man with the Iron Fists). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME THE MOVIE: TEARS OF THE AZURE SEA (PG-13) Anime. Wouldn’t you hate to be the guy who had to put this title up on a theater marquee? Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

TWIN PEAKS series 1, episodes 7 and 8 (NR) Continuing the series of theatrical screenings of David Lynch’s epochal 1990 television show. Starring Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sherilyn Fenn, Peggy Lipton, and of course Jack Nance. Fri 9:30 pm, Sat 11:30 am, 9:30 pm, Sun 8:45 pm, Mon 9:30 pm. North Park

NOW PLAYING:

THE DRAMA (R) Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a couple whose engagement may not survive a shocking revelation. Directed by Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker

FUZE (R) In London, efforts to detonate a WWII era bomb as used by a criminal gang as cover for a bank robbery. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Sam Worthington, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Directed by the dependably interesting David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water, Relay). Market Arcade

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). Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

I SWEAR (R) Docudrama about John Davidson (Robert Aramayo) and his struggle with the misunderstood disorder Tourette’s Syndrome. With Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, and Peter Mullan. Directed by Kirk Jones (Waking Ned Devine). Market Arcade, 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, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria 

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). Market Arcade

MICHAEL (PG-13) Jermain Jackson’s son Jaafar plays his most famous uncle in a biopic that only goes up to the late 1980s. With Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day). AMC Maple Ridge, Angola, Dipson Amherst, 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-Sun only)

MOTHER MARY (R) Anne Hathaway as a world-famous pop star whose return to the scene is stymied by an old friend (Michaela Coel). With Hunter Schafer, FKA Twigs, and Atheena Frizzell. Directed by David Lowery (A Ghost Story). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

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. Regal Quaker

OVER YOUR DEAD BODY (R) Unhappy couple Samara Weaving and Jason Segel address their issues at a rural cabin where each plans to kill the other. It’s a comedy. With Juliette Lewis and Timothy Olyphant. Directed by Jorma Taccone (MacGruber). Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

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-Sun 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, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun 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). Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only)

ETC. 

THE LOST BOYS (1987, NR)—The moment when horror movies got taken over by the Tiger Beat mentality. Starring Jason Patric, Dianne Wiest, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Alex Winter, and of course both Coreys, Haim and Feldman. Directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin). Fri 10 pm. Market Arcade 

PURPLE RAIN (1984, R)—The plot is a hair above ridiculous, but who cares when you have Prince at his youthful best? With Apollonia, Morris Day and Clarence Williams III. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria (Sun only)

NOW, VOYAGER (1942, NR)—Bette Davis’s Oscar-winning performance as a spinster who blossoms under the guidance of a psychiatrist, though her new life isn’t all she had anticipated. With Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Gladys Cooper, Bonita Granville and Franklin Pangborn. Directed by Irving Rapper. Sun 12:40 pm, Weds 6:40 pm. Market Arcade 

TORN CURTAIN (1966, NR)—Flawed but sometimes intriguing Alfred Hitchcock film starring Paul Newman as a nuclear physicist who pretends to defect to East Berlin. Julie Andrews is badly cast, and the plot is overly complicated, but there are some effective moments, particularly the ultra-realistic murder scene. Sat 12:40 pm, Mon 6:40 pm. Market Arcade

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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.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