THE GUIDE
Entertainment: Movies opening this week, now playing and special screenings.
MOVIES
Openings
WEDNESDAY
Faith of Our Fathers
A quarter-century after the Vietnam War, two men guided by battlefield letters from their fathers journey to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. With Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Downes and David A.R. White. Written by Harold Uhl. Directed by Carey Scott. (1:33) PG-13.
Magic Mike XXL
Three years after bowing out of the stripper life, an ex-dancer hits the road with his former colleagues for one last blowout performance in Myrtle Beach, S.C. With Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello. Written by Reid Carolin. Directed by Gregory Jacobs. (1:55) R. Story on Page E1
Terminator Genisys
When a soldier from the future is sent back in time to protect the eventual leader of humanity’s war against sentient machines, an unexpected turn of events fractures the timeline and alters his mission. With Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. Directed by Alan Taylor. (2:05) PG-13.
FRIDAY
Amy A documentary about the late singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, including her rise to fame and her struggles with relationship troubles, media attention and substance abuse. Directed by Asif Kapadia. (2:08) R.
A Borrowed Identity
A Palestian Israeli boy tries to fit in at a prestigious Jewish boarding school in Jerusalem, develops a friendship with another outsider and falls in love with a Jewish girl. With Tawfeek Barhom, Ali Suliman and Yael Abecassis. Written by Sayed Kahua. Directed by Eran Riklis. In Hebrew with English subtitles. (1:44) NR.
In Stereo
A self-destructive photographer and a stalled TV actress rekindle their relationship 18 months after breaking up. With Beau Garrett, Aimee Mullins and Maggie Geha. Written and directed by Mel Rodriguez III. (1:35) NR.
Jackie and Ryan A traveling
musician and a former singer at a crossroads in her marriage have a fateful encounter and find strength in each other. With Katherine Heigl, Ben Barnes and Clea DuVall. Written and directed by Ami Canaan Mann. (1:26) NR.
Jimmy’s Hall
Returning to his native Ireland a decade after in the U.S., a political activist reopens his old dance hall, which becomes a controversial community center. With Barry Ward, Simone Kirby and Jim Norton. Written by Paul Laverty. Directed by Ken Loach. (1:46) PG-13.
A Murder in the Park
A documentary asserting that Anthony Porter, a former death-row inmate whose conviction was overturned thanks to the efforts of a college journalism program, was actually guilty. Directed by Shawn Rech and Brandon Kimber. (1:33) PG-13.
Stung
A colony of mutated wasps preys on a posh garden party. With Matt O’Leary, Jessica Cook and Clifton Collins Jr. Written by Adam Aresty. Directed by Benni Diez. (1:27) NR.
The Third Man
A new restoration of the 1949 film noir about an American pulp novelist who travels to Allied-occupied Vienna for a job offer and finds himself investigating the death of an old friend. With Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli and Orson Welles. Written by Graham Greene. Directed by Carol Reed. (1:44) NR. Story on Page E6
Critics’ Choices
Eden French director Mia Hansen-Love is an assured and naturally empathetic filmmaker who specializes in making us care more about her characters than seems likely at the outset, and she does that her with the story of two decades in the life of a French electronic music DJ. (K.Tu., June 19) In French and English, with English subtitles. (2:11) R.
The Farewell Party
This Israeli film not only thinks the unthinkable, it laughs at the unlaughable. Nominated for 14 Israeli Academy Awards, this is a gentle but pointed work, a warm and comic film about an unmistakably serious subject, the end of life itself. (K.Tu., June 5) In Hebrew with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.
Inside Out
Simple and sophisticated, made with visual magic and emotional sensitivity, this examination of the mind of an 11-year-old girl typifies the best of Pixar productions. It goes not only to places other animation houses don’t dare, but also to places the rest of the pack doesn’t even know
exist. (K.Tu., June 19) (1:35) PG.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Words are not really the point when it comes to dealing with this barn-burner of a postapocalyptic extravaganza in which sizzling, unsettling images are the order of the day. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are the leads, but the real star is filmmaker George Miller. (K.Tu., May 15) In 3-D. (2 hrs.) R.
Spy
reteams writer-director Paul Feig with his “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat” star Melissa McCarthy in an affectionate sendup of globe-hopping espionage movies. With strong support from Jason Statham and Rose Byrne, “Spy” may not be a great movie, but it is great fun. And at times it will have you wondering if there’s that much of a difference. (M.O., June 5) (2 hrs.) R.
Testament of Youth
Star Alicia Vikander sweeps you away in this passionate World War I romantic drama based on Vera Brittain’s celebrated memoir. Unapologetically emotional and impeccably made in the classic manner, it tells the kind of potent, many-sided story whose unforeseen complexities can only come courtesy of a life that lived them all. (K.Tu., June 5) (2:09) PG-13.
The Wolfpack
is very much the documentary of the moment, showered with all kinds of media attention. And
no wonder. Winner of Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize, it tells the emotionally potent story of six brothers raised on movies and rarely let out of their New York apartment. (K.Tu., June 19) (1:29) R.
Also in Theaters
31⁄2 Minutes, Ten Bullets A documentary about the murder trial of Michael Dunn, a white man who fired on a car of unarmed black teenagers in Florida, killing one, during an altercation over the volume of their music. Directed by Marc Silver. (1:38) NR.
7 Minutes
Three desperate men are forced by circumstance to commit a brazen robbery. With Luke Mitchell, Jason Ritter and Zane Holtz. Written and directed by Jay Martin. (1:32) NR.
Batkid Begins
A documentary Miles Scott, the young leukemia patient who captured national attention when he donned a mini-batsuit and defended San Francisco from supervillains during a Make-a-Wish event in 2013. Directed by Dana Nachman. (1:29) PG.
Big Game When
Air Force One crashes in the Finnish countryside, the president teams with an intrepid 13year-old boy to evade terrorists. With Samuel L. Jackson, Onni Tommila and Ray Stevenson. Written and directed by Jalmari Helander. (1:26) PG-13.
Bound to Vengeance
A young woman escapes a kidnapping and decides to turn the tables on her captor. With Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson and Bianca Malinowski. Written by Rock Shaink and Keith Kjornes. Directed by Jose Manuel Cravioto. (1:20) NR.
Dope
has its own trafficking problem: tired stereotypes, shallow humor and lip service to the complexities of racial identity and expectation. Writer-director Rick Famuyiwa’s movie, though inspired by his own Inglewood childhood, is such a pandering mess, it raises the question: Whom is this for? (Robert Abele, June 19) (1:43) R.
Escobar: Paradise Lost
A surfer is pulled into a dangerous world when he falls for the niece of the drug lord Pablo Escobar. With Benicio Del Toro, Josh Hutcherson and Claudia Traisac. Written and directed by An-
drea Di Stefano. (2 hrs.) R.
Fresh Dressed
A documentary examining hip-hop’s influence on the fashion world, and vice versa. Directed by Sacha Jenkins. (1:22) NR.
Gabriel
In the wake of his father’s suicide, a troubled young man becomes obsessed with tracking down his first love. With Rory Culkin, David Call and Dierdre O’Connell. Written and directed by Lou Howe. (1:30) NR.
Glass Chin
A down-and-out ex-boxer starts collecting debts for a corrupt businessman and ends up framed for murder. With Corey Stoll, Billy Crudup and Yul Vazquez. Written and directed by Noah Buschel. (1:27) NR.
Gone Doggy Gone
A couple stuck in a lackluster marriage have their lives upended when their beloved pet is dognapped. With Kasi Brown, Brandon Walter and Shaina Vorspan. Written and directed by Brown and Walter. (1:29) NR.
I’ll See You in My Dreams
There is something about Blythe Danner’s onscreen essence that is perfect for the gently aged widow she plays in her first leading role in years. The 72-yearold actress uses her mix of flinty, flighty and fragile to draw us into a story and a life shaken and stirred by a death. It is a film that gets to the heart of things like loss and love without patronizing or parody. (Betsy Sharkey, May 15) (1:35) PG-13.
Infinitely Polar Bear
Recalling her 1970s childhood, screenwriter Maya Forbes makes her directorial debut with a work of fond nostalgia about a difficult time in “Infinitely Polar Bear,” which views the fallout of mental illness through the bright prism of family resilience and good humor. Though the film is choppily told and its episodic rhythm never gathers momentum, it contains well-observed moments and astute performances by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana. (Sheri Linden, June 19) (1:28) R.
Into the Grizzly Maze
When a grizzly bear wreaks havoc on a small Alaskan town, the local sheriff heads into the wilderness to find his ecologist wife but instead crosses paths with his estranged ex-con brother. With James Marsden, Billy Bob Thornton and Thomas Jane. Written by Guy Moshe and J.R. Reher. Directed by David Hackl. (1:29) R.
Jurassic World
This revisiting of the dinosaur haven theme park turns out to be a family film with teeth, lots of them, mostly belonging to a genetically modified hybrid called Indomius rex. A solid effort, but without the first-love jolt of the original. (K.Tu., June 12) In 3-D. (2:04) PG-13.
L.A. Slasher
A sociopath abducts a series of reality-TV stars, prompting the media and public to question their value to society. With Mischa Barton, Drake Bell and Brooke Hogan. (1:26) NR.
La Sapienza
An architect plagued by doubt embarks on a quest of artistic and spiritual renewal guided by his study of Borromini. With Fabrizio Rongione, Christelle Prot and Ludovico Succio. Written and directed by Eugene Green. In French and Italian, with English subtitles. (1:40) NR.
A Little Chaos
A strong-willed landscape designer chosen to build a garden at King Louis XIV’s new palace at Versailles challenges gender and class barriers. WIth Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts and Alan Rickman. Written and directed by Rickman. (1:56) NR.
The Little Death
A look at the secret lives of five suburban couples living in Sydney. With Josh Lawson, Bojana Novakovic and Damon Herriman. Written and directed by Lawson. (1:37) PG-13.
Love & Mercy
Paul Dano and John Cusack do fine work playing Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys at two different times in his life, but they are not enough to rescue this uneven biopic. (K.Tu., June 5). (2 hrs.) PG-13.
Max When
his handler is killed on the frontlines in Afghanistan, a troubled military dog is shipped back to the U.S. and taken in by the soldier’s family, and both begin to heal. With Josh Wiggins, Lauren Graham and Thomas Haden Church. Written by Boaz Yakin and Sheldon Lettich. Directed by Yakin. (1:51) PG.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
is a weaselly liar of a movie. (It’s also good.) It comes on full of self-deprecating bluster, professing no interest in jerking tears a la “The Fault in Our Stars,” as it lays out its tale of a Pittsburgh high school senior’s friendship with a fellow classmate diagnosed with cancer. But gradually, as the narrator-protagonist learns to lower his emotional guard, the film lunges, sensitively, for the jugular. (Michael Phillips, June 12) (1:44) PG-13.
The Midnight Swim
When their mother goes missing in a lake, three half-sisters travel home to settle her affairs and get drawn into a mystery. With Lindsay Burge, Jennifer Lafleur and Aleksa Palladino. Written and di- rected by Sarah Adina Smith. (1:28) NR.
The Overnight
is a kind of latter-day “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” but with a bit more envelope-pushing. Yet like that hit 1969 comedy, this engaging, funny and frank new film also proves something of a cop-out, especially given the bullet train of a narrative concocted by writer-director Patrick Brice. (Gary Goldstein, June 19) (1:20) R.
Poltergeist
Directed by Gil Kenan, this remake is a disconcertingly uneven outing, not quite connecting in the manner of the 1982 original while also never standing firmly on its own two feet. The new “Poltergeist” is a pleasant enough diversion, better as a low-simmer suspense story than a full-blown effects extravaganza. (M.O., May 23) In 3-D. (1:31) PG-13.
San Andreas
Woefully by-the-numbers from a dramatic point of view, this story of a massive quake flattening California knows how to make the most of its 1,300 visual-effects shots. (K.Tu., May 29). In 3-D. (1:54) PG-13.
Saugatuck Cures
A cancer-stricken woman’s gay son and his straight best friend pose as ex-gay ministers to raise money for her treatment. With Max Adler, Danny Mooney and Judith Chapman. Written by Jay Paul Deratany. Directed by Matthew Ladensack. (1:30) NR.
The Strongest Man
In Miami, a Cuban American construction worker sets out to find his spirit animal and his stolen BMX bike and tries to win over his neighbor’s niece. With Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain and Ashly Burch. Written and directed by Kenny Riches. (1:38) NR.
Ted 2
A potty-mouted teddy bear that’s been magically brought to life wages a legal battle to prove his humanity in this sequel to 2012’s “Ted.” With Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried and the voice of Seth MacFarlane. Written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild. Directed by MacFarlane. (1:48) R.
The Tribe
In this film devoid of dialog and subtitles, a new student at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf is initiated into a teenage gang. With Grigoriy Fesenko and Yana Novikova. Written and directed by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy. (2:12) NR.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
A documentary about the maverick soul singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone, told through concert footage, interviews, diaries and letters. Directed by Liz Garbus. (1:42) NR. All movies are in general release unless noted. Also included: the film’s running time and ratings. MPAA categories: (G) for general audiences; (PG) parental guidance urged because of material possibly unsuitable for children; (PG-13) parents are strongly cautioned to give guidance for attendance of children younger than 13; (R) restricted, younger than 17 admitted only with parent or adult guardian; (NC-17) no one 17 and younger admitted.
Events & Revivals
Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 461-2020 Films for the 4th The American Cinematheque celebrates independence with screenings of “Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Celebration,” “Jaws” and “The Shining.” (Through July 5.) Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m. Billy Wilder Theatre, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 206-8013. William A. Wellman, Hollywood Rebel The UCLA Film & Television Archive’s retrospective on the WWI flying ace turned director concludes with a double feature of “Track the
Cat” and “The Ox-Bow Incident.” Petrine Mitchum and William Wellman Jr. will also sign copies of their respective books “Hollywood Hoofbeats: The Fascinating Story of Horses in Movies and Television” and “Wild Bill Wellman: Hollywood Rebel.” Today, 7 p.m.
Bing Theater at LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 8576010. Tuesday Matinees Robert Aldrich’s 1955 film noir “The Big Knife,” starring Jack Palance as a successful Hollwyood actor who is blackmailed by an unscrupulous studio boss (Rod Steiger) and his minions into signing a new contract. Tue., 1 p.m.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 221-3343. Cinespia The alfesco screening series continues with Richard Donner’s preteen adventure “The
Goonies” and Tony Scott’s 1986 action flick “Top Gun,” with fireworks after each show. Fri.-Sat., 9 p.m.
Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 473-8530. George Miller’s post-apocalyptic sequel “The Road Warrior,” starring Mel Gibson as Mad Max, screens Friday, and Jim Sharman’s cult comedy
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” screens weekly. Fri.-Sat., midnight.