NOW IN THEATERS
THE ACCOUNTANT
Ben Affleck plays a mathematics savant with a lethal streak in this combination of the cerebral and the visceral. Plot threads twist, flashbacks flash, exposition unfolds, and bullets fly. Affleck’s “high-functioning autistic” is at the center of it all, reliving memories of a childhood with his tough-love dad and his kid brother, as well as a prison stint where he learned skills from his mob accountant cellmate (Jeffrey Tambor) that he uses to launder money for international arms dealers. Meanwhile, he’s unraveling financial chicanery at John Lithgow’s corporation while shyly romancing its in-house whistle-blower (Anna Kendrick) and staying a step ahead of treasury agents (J.K. Simmons and Cynthia Addai-Robinson). On a parallel track, a hit man named Brax (Jon Bernthal) keeps up a steady related stream of assassinations. Bill Dubuque’s screenplay is a complex, sometimes exasperating puzzle, but director Gavin O’Connor manages to gather in the reins and keep things entertaining. Rated R. 128 minutes. Regal Stadium 14. (Jonathan Richards)
ALLIED
In this World War II thriller by director Robert Zemeckis, Brad Pitt plays a Canadian intelligence officer in 1942 North Africa who falls in love with a French resistance fighter (Marion Cotillard). After they are married in London, he is told that she is suspected of being a German spy. If proof is found, he is charged with the task of killing her. As his suspicions grow, the global conflict spills into their happy domestic life. Rated R. 124 minutes. Regal DeVargas; Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown; DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
ALMOST CHRISTMAS
Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps, Mo’Nique, and Jessie T. Usher play members of a dysfunctional family who reunite for the holidays for the first time since the matriarch passed away. They attempt to make it through the gathering with excessive drinking, rough touch football games, flirting, and trying to fix each other up with single friends of the family. Rated PG-13. 113 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
AQUARIUS
Clara has lost a lot. Her youth is long gone, her husband is long dead, her nest is empty, her right breast is a distant memory, and now they’re coming for her home. But she has a lot left, too. She has plenty of money, an indomitable attitude, an unquenchable beauty, and a lust for life — and she has the great Sonia Braga to play her. A developer wants to tear down the seaside Aquarius apartment building, in which Clara is the lone remaining tenant; as she digs in her heels, things get ugly. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho has built this story around a number of themes that include family, class, sex, dignity, and predatory business practices. Braga is the main event here — her imperious, stylish, gutsy Clara is the primary reason to see this movie, but not the only one. Not rated. 142 minutes. The Screen. (Jonathan Richards)
ARRIVAL
Rising director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario), adapting Ted Chiang’s story about large spacecrafts that have landed all over Earth, offers a quiet thriller that plays like an arthouse version of Close Encounters of the Third
Kind. Amy Adams stars as a brilliant linguist who, along with a physicist (Jeremy Renner), is charged by an Army colonel (Forest Whitaker) to communicate with the aliens. This thematically rich story unfolds slowly, often without music, but never feels slow. It offers philosophical questions about how we experience life and emphasizes the importance of language and togetherness — the story’s biggest barriers are not between people and aliens but between Earth’s nations. Expect a few big plot twists, which not only dazzle you with their cleverness but also add renewed emotional heft to everything that has come before. Rated PG-13. 116 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. (Robert Ker)
BAD SANTA 2
Billy Bob Thornton reprises his 2003 role as Willie, a crude and slovenly Santa Claus. Director Terry Zwigoff isn’t back (he’s replaced by Mark Waters, director of Mean Girls), and two of the original film’s co-stars (Bernie Mac and John Ritter) are no longer with us. The sequel offers a lot of raunchy humor, a plot about the attempts by Willie and his “elf” Marcus (Tony Cox) to rip off a Chicago charity, and a cast that includes Kathy Bates and Christina Hendricks. Rated R. 92 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown; DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
BENHUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST 1925
This silent film starring the dashing Ramon Novarro paved the way for what we know today as the epic cinematic experience. Directed by Fred Niblo and having opened to rave reviews and eager audiences, it was at its time the most costly movie ever shot. The film remains respected as a summit of early cinematic achievement. Not rated. 183 minutes. Screens at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Violet Crown. (James M. Keller)
BILLY LYNN’S LONG HALFTIME WALK
Director Ang Lee tells a contemporary war story about young private Billy Lynn (Joe Alwyn), who took part in a successful campaign in the Iraq War and is temporarily sent back home for a victory tour. During the halftime performance of a Thanksgiving Day football game, Lynn flashes back to the experience, which is more harrowing than glorious. Vin Diesel, Steve Martin, and Kristen Stewart also star. Rated R. 110 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. (Not reviewed)
BLEED FOR THIS
To date, Miles Teller (Whiplash) has primarily played the types of roles that don’t exactly require him to be muscle-bound. This time out, he hits the gym to embody former world champion boxer Vinny Pazienza, who in the early 1990s suffered a broken neck in a car accident and was told he might never walk again. This film recounts the story of his comeback from that injury to reclaim his boxing career. Aaron Eckhart also stars. Rated R. 116 minutes. Regal DeVargas. (Not reviewed)
DENIAL
This courtroom drama, based on Deborah E. Lipstadt’s book History on Trial: My Day in Court
With a Holocaust Denier, recounts the legal battle that occurred in the late 1990s when infamous Holocaust denier David Irving (Timothy Spall) sued Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) for libel — a result of her calling him a Holocaust denier. She and her lawyers then had to prove that the Holocaust actually happened and that Irving intentionally falsified his historical writing to argue otherwise. This no-frills film focuses on the trial and leaves small bits of character development to the superb cast (which also includes Andrew Scott and the ever-charming Tom Wilkinson). It’s not a terribly stylish movie, but the court case is compelling, as is the concept of having to prove in court that a widely known truth is true. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes. Regal DeVargas. (Robert Ker)
DOCTOR STRANGE
The eminently watchable trio of Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, and Chiwetel Ejiofor ushers audiences beyond the veil in this expertly pitched adaptation of the trip-o-delic comics created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Cumberbatch’s Dr. Stephen Strange, an arrogant surgeon who enrolls at a metaphysical dojo after sustaining injuries to his hands, is a flawed but likable hero and a reluctant convert to the “mystic arts.” Though there are tidbits for the Marvel faithful, the movie refreshingly keeps references to the brand’s endless tie-in products to a minimum. It’s also the rare film that truly benefits from computer animation and 3-D cinematography, which are well suited to its pandimensional settings. Cumberbatch and company keep things lively, delivering the snappy dialogue with precise comic timing. Perhaps the most entertaining character — a magical cloak — has no lines at all. Rated PG-13. 115 minutes. Screens in 2-D only at Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. (Jeff Acker)
THE DRESSMAKER
Kate Winslet stars as Tilly Dunnage, a dressmaker who in the 1950s returns to her hometown in the Australian Outback. She and her sophisticated haute-couture designs invigorate the rural town with new energy. However, she also harbors a secret and is looking to exact sweet revenge. Based on the novel by Rosalie Ham. Rated R. 119 minutes. Regal DeVargas. (Not reviewed)
THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN
As if high school weren’t hard enough for Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), she suddenly becomes even more isolated when her big brother (Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson). Her fortunes turn, however, when she strikes up a friendship with a boy (Hayden Szeto) who, like her, is a bit of a social outcast. Woody Harrelson plays the sarcastic history teacher who serves as Nadine’s mentor in this foul-mouthed coming-of-age film. Rated R. 104 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown; DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
J.K. Rowling’s screenwriting debut expands the world of wizardry she created in the Harry Potter books to 1920s New York, centering on the author of a reference guide to magical creatures. The plot is convoluted, and the computer-animation department gets carried away, indulging in protracted cartoonish chase sequences as Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and a trio of companions (Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, and Dan Fogler) attempt to herd a menagerie of escaped beasties. Portions of the movie are too scary for younger kids, while the sentimentality and occasional corniness may test adults’ patience. But Rowling’s core themes — respect for diversity, the value of learning and open-mindedness, and the importance of supportive friendships — infuse the scrambled narrative with warmth, and there is comic chemistry between the actors. Rated PG-13. 133 minutes. Screens in 3-D and 2-D in Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. Screens in 2-D only at DreamCatcher. (Jeff Acker)
HACKSAW RIDGE
Mel Gibson returns to the director’s chair for the first time since 2006’s Apocalypto to tell this World War II tale about an Army medic named Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), who refuses to fight or kill people. Doss is derided for his pacifism by his peers, but when he saves many of their lives and becomes the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor, he earns their respect. Vince Vaughn, Hugo Weaving, and Sam Worthington co-star. Rated R. 131 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
THE HANDMAIDEN
Chan-wook Park’s erotic thriller is a devilish delight and an immensely satisfying cinematic experience. A con man posing as a Japanese count (Jung-woo Ha) in 1930s Korea has a plan to obtain the fortune of a Japanese heiress named Lady Hideko (Min-hee Kim), who lives a sheltered existence on her oppressive uncle’s secluded estate. The count recruits a pickpocket named Sookhee (Tae Ri Kim) to pose as her handmaiden and aid the count in his efforts to seduce her, marry her, and then declare her insane and steal her fortune. But Sookhee soon finds herself drawn to Hideko, and her own feelings overtake her. The film has more plot twists than you can shake a stick at, but most are masterfully handled by Park, who employs his usual fetishistic zeal. It’s a stylish foray into eroticism that revels in the gradual discovery of secrets and desires. Not rated. 144 minutes. in Korean and Japanese with subtitles. Center for Contemporary Arts. (Michael Abatemarco)
HELL OR HIGH WATER
New Mexico doubles for Texas in this film about two brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) who take to robbing banks while a pair of experienced lawmen (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham) doggedly pursue them. As a heist-action film, the story offers little that’s new, but Taylor Sheridan’s insightful script and David Mackenzie’s deft direction transform the tale into an involving drama about the bonds of love and loyalty and the lengths to which modern-day outlaws and lawmen will go to uphold their respective codes of the West. Rated R. 102 minutes. Regal DeVargas. (Robert Nott)
MOANA LOVING
As late as a half century ago, in Virginia and a number of other states where the “peculiar institution” had flourished, it was still against the law for a man and a woman to marry if one was white and the other black. This is the painfully recent world writer-director Jeff Nichols revisits to tell the true story of the appropriately named Loving family, Richard (Caucasian) and Mildred (part African American, part Cherokee), sensitively played by Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga. This quiet, unassuming film, short on courtroom theatrics, makes a moving statement about the legal right to marry interracially, established by 1967’s Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court decision, which swept aside centuries of miscegenation laws. Rated PG-13. 123 minutes. Violet Crown. (Jonathan Richards)
A MAN CALLED OVE
The rewards of this Swedish film about a curmudgeonly old man — well, he’s fifty-nine, but he’s an old fifty-nine — are in the execution, not the concept. Very little here reaches beyond the clichés of the old grouch gradually softened by exposure to children, cats, and other heartwarming elements. But Rolf Lassgård, in the title role, does his best, and his best is almost good enough. Ove’s repeated suicide attempts as he tries to join his recently deceased wife Sonja (Ida Engvoll) provide an opportunity for flashbacks, as we explore how he got this way. “Fate is the sum total of our stupidity,” he observes. The old saws that drive this film may be no more than we deserve, but their sum total is appealing and sometimes funny, and they have propelled this movie into Sweden’s Foreign Language Oscar nomination. Rated PG-13. 116 minutes. In Swedish with subtitles. Center for Contemporary Arts. (Jonathan Richards) Disney’s holiday-season animated offering is this colorful fable of a young Polynesian girl (Auli’i Cravalho) who is chosen to save her people. She seeks out the demigod named Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and together they set sail for a mystical island, where adventure awaits. Rated PG. 113 minutes. Screens in 3-D and 2-D at Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. Screens in 2-D only at DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
MOONLIGHT
Writer-director Barry Jenkins has crafted a powerful, moving Oscar contender with his three-part story of an African-American boy growing up sensitive and sexually uncertain in the macho jungle of a Miami slum. We see his central character, Chiron, as a child (Alex Hibbert), a teenager (Ashton Sanders), and a man (Trevante Rhodes). He has a drug-addicted mother (Naomie Harris), no father, a crack dealing mentor (Mahershala Ali), a gang of tormenting bullies, and one friend, Kevin, played in succession by Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, and André Holland. With upclose visuals and hand-held camera work, Jenkins enhances the sense of a claustrophobic world with no escape. He gets great work from his tag team of actors as Chiron moves from childhood to the adult world. It’s a sensitive, moving story of growing up, coming out, and self-realization in a macho, desperate world. Rated R. 110 minutes. Center for Contemporary Arts; Violet Crown. (Jonathan Richards)
RULES DON’T APPLY
Writer-director Warren Beatty returns with this ensemble romantic comedy set in 1950s Hollywood. The story centers on an aspiring actress (Lily Collins) and her ambitious driver (Alden Ehrenreich), who are both in the employ of the billionaire filmmaker and aviator Howard Hughes (Beatty). Both new to Hollywood, they find themselves slipping into a strictly forbidden romance while also negotiating the eccentricities of their boss. Annette Bening, Alec Baldwin, Matthew Broderick, Martin Sheen, Ed Harris, and Oliver Platt also star. Rated PG-13. 126 minutes. Regal DeVargas; Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown; DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
SEED: THE UNTOLD STORY
The earth’s food supply is in danger, largely owing to agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology companies like Monsanto patenting seeds that have existed for thousands of years and legally restricting farmers from growing them. These practices limit biodiversity and put the nourishment of humanity in the hands of big business. This beautifully made, inspiring film documents the heroic efforts of seed savers and organic farmers who are trying to regain control of their land and livelihoods. Not rated. 94 minutes. Jean Cocteau Cinema. (Jennifer Levin)
SHUT IN
Naomi Watts plays a child psychologist who repairs to rural New England after a car accident kills her husband and paralyzes her son (Charlie Heaton). She starts providing therapy, and eventually room and board, for a grief-stricken young boy (Jacob Tremblay). While in her care, however, the boy disappears in a snowstorm and is presumed dead. After a series of scary events, she soon suspects that he — or his ghost — is actually in her house. Rated PG-13. 91 minutes. DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)
A STREET CAT NAMED BOB
In 2007, James Bowen was a recovering addict and formerly homeless man in London, busking on the streets for a small income and living in supported housing. One day, a cat showed up at his door and wouldn’t go away. He tried to find an owner, and when that failed, he took the cat with him everywhere. He got notice in the media and spun that into a book deal. The result, A Street Cat Named Bob, became a bestseller and eventually spawned this film adaptation, in which Bowen is played by Luke Treadaway. Not rated. 103 minutes. Regal DeVargas. (Not reviewed)
TROLLS
For those who have hoped that the wide-eyed, crazy-coiffed, multicolored troll dolls would get an animated movie run through with radio hits, your wait is over — Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani are among the actors providing both voice work and music here. Anna Kendrick voices the cheerful Poppy, who teams up with Branch (Timberlake) to save their friends from giant monsters. Zooey Deschanel, John Cleese, and Russell Brand also lend their voices. Rated PG. 92 minutes. Screens in 2-D only at Regal Stadium 14; DreamCatcher. (Not reviewed)