June 6-12, 2025

By M. Faust
(Image above: (L-R) Benicio Del Toro and Mia Threapleton in The Phoenician Scheme)

OPENING THIS WEEK

AABHYANTHARA KUTTAVAALI (NR) Malayalam-language comedy-drama film about a man whose life unravels after he is falsely accused of domestic abuse. Starring Asif Ali, Thulasi and Jagadish. Directed by Sethunath Padmakumar.  Regal Elmwood

BALLERINA (R) Ana de Armas as a trainee assassin in this John Wick spin-off. With Anjelica Houston, Gabriel Byrne, Ian McShane, Norman Reedus, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Keanu Reeves. Directed by Len Wiseman. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In

DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE (R) Anime feature bridging series one and two of Dan Da Dan. Which either means something to you or it doesn’t. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

DANGEROUS ANIMALS (R) The film that “pairs the serial killer genre with sharksploitation,” trumpets once-respectable distributor IFC. Starring Jai Courtney, Hassie Harrison, and Josh Heuston. Directed by Sean Byrne (The Devil’s Candy). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

HOUSEFULL 5 A (NR) Hindi-language comedy sequel about the complications on a cruise ship after a billionaire is murdered. Like Clue, this was filmed with several different endings—the other version is Housefull 5 B. Starring Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani. Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU (R) Horror comedy starring Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells as a married couple whose Italian vacation takes a turn for the worse when they are stranded in a rural area and unable to speak the language. Co-starring Morgan Spector, Eleonora Romandini, Amanda Seyfried, and Nunzia Schiano. Directed by Brian Crano and David Joseph Craig. Regal Quaker, Regal Walden Galleria

PAVEMENTS (2024) (NR) Documentary about the indie band Pavement, combining scripted and documentary scenes with songs from its 35-year history. Regal Transit

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME (PG-13) Benicio del Toro as a repentant arms dealer trying to reconnect with his daughter, a novice nun, amid numerous other problems. The cast includes Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray—geez, this must be a Wes Anderson movie. Dipson Amherst, North Park, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE RITUAL (NR) Al Pacino, age 85, as an exorcist in a horror film supposedly based on a true story. With Dan Stevens and Abigail Cowen. Directed by David Midell. Dipson Capitol, Regal Quaker

THUG LIFE (NR) Tamil gangster drama following the career of a powerful gang leader. Starring Kamal Haasan, Simbu, Trisha, and Joju George. Directed by Mani Ratnam. Regal Elmwood, Regal Transit

NOW PLAYING

BRING HER BACK (R) Children battle their foster mother in a house-bound horror film. The word used most often in reviews is “extreme”: caveat emptor. Starring Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, and Sally Hawkins. Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou (Talk to Me). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES (R) Horror sequel. Starring Tony Todd, Brec Bassinger, and Richard Harmon. Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

FRIENDSHIP (R) Tim Robinson as a suburban father whose attempts to build a friendship with his new neighbor (Paul Rudd) lead to disaster. With Kate Mara and Jack Dylan Grazer Directed by Andrew DeYoung. Dipson Amherst, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria Read M. Faust’s review here. 

KARATE KID: LEGENDS (PG-13) Another go at the perennial formula, this time with both Jackie Chan (from the 2010 remake) and Ralph Macchio (from the 1984 original). With Ben Wang and Joshua Jackson. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In

LILO & STITCH (PG) Another live-action remake of a Disney animated. Didn’t they learn anything from Snow White? Starring Sydney Elizabeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On). AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Aurora, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Joylan, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Spotlight Theater of Warsaw, Transit Drive-In

A MINECRAFT MOVIE (PG) Video game adaptation. Starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Sebastian Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge. Directed by Jared Hess (Nacho Libre). Regal Quaker

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING (PG-13) Sequel. Expect Tom Cruise to show off his peculiar running stance a lot. With Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales and Angela Bassett. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Aurora, Dipson Amherst, Dipson Capitol, Dipson Flix, Dipson McKinley, Dunkirk Multiplex, Hamburg Palace, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

ON SWIFT HORSES (R) Old fashioned Hollywood romantic epics were the model for this sweeping drama centering on a woman, her husband and his brother in 1950s Las Vegas. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, and Diego Calva. Directed by Daniel Minahan. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

SINNERS (R) From director Ryan Coogler (Creed), a genre-mixing big budget movie starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers in the Jim Crow south who return to their Mississippi Delta hometown to open a juke joint. With Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, and Delroy Lindo. AMC Maple Ridge, AMC Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In

THE LAST RODEO (PG) Inspirational drama about an retired rodeo star who enters a bull-riding competition in an attempt to mend family problems. Starring Neal McDonough, Mykelti Williamson and Sarah Jones. Directed by Jon Avnet. Regal Quaker, Regal Transit

THUNDERBOLTS (PG-13) The 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, concluding Phase 5. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, you can probably skip this. Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour and Wyatt Russell. Directed by Jake Schreier (Robot & Frank). AMC Maple Ridge, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive In

ETC.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) and DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993)—This week’s Retro Drive-In Tuesday double feature. The Coen Brothers’ patently oddball take on the Raymond Chandler genre has aged into a genuine cult classic that rewards multiple viewing. Richard Linklater’s look at teenagers in 1976 is another free-form ensemble piece, anything but nostalgic about high school: as one character puts it, “If these are the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself.” Tues at dusk. Transit Drive-In

THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984)—Kermit and friends try to get their show on Broadway. With appearances by Art Carney, Brooke Shields, Dabney Coleman, Elliott Gould, Gregory Hines, James Coco, Joan Rivers, John Landis, Linda Lavin, and Liza Minnelli.  Directed by Frank Oz. Sat-Sun 11:30 am. North Park

NIAGARA (1953)—Marilyn Monroe’s last film before becoming a major star in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was this not-too-suspenseful thriller in which she plays a wife scheming to murder her husband (Joseph Cotton) while vacationing just a few miles north of Buffalo. With Jean Peters and Richard Allen. Directed by Henry Hathaway. Fri, Tues, Sat June 14 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

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

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