The ’80s, in big hair and deed
‘Red Oaks,’ a new show on Amazon, tries to tell a nostalgic coming-of-age tale true to the decade.
HARRISON, N.Y. — The air was thick with the smell of freshly cut grass and hair spray.
As dozens of extras clad in madras pants and popped-collar Lacoste shirts tried to stay cool in the sweltering July heat, director David Gordon Green conferred with actors Craig Roberts, Ennis Esmer and Paul Reiser on a sun-drenched tennis court. On the set of the Amazon comedy “Red Oaks,” presentday Westchester County was standing in for suburban New Jersey in the summer of 1985 — those heady days of “Back to the Future,” Live Aid and Just Say No.
After a few minutes’ deliberation over the upcoming scene, a cli-
Black Mass The bleak, violent story of Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger and his FBI-sanctioned reign of terror gives star Johnny Depp one of the best roles he’s had in years. With Joel Edgerton and Benedict Cumberbatch. Written by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth. Directed by Scott Cooper. (K.Tu., Sept. 18) (2:02) R.
Breathe Mélanie Laurent’s second feature, adapted from a novel by Anne-Sophie Brasme, is precisely woven together, from script to performance to execution, and the result is a chilling study of emotional annihilation and its aftermath. (Katie Walsh, Sept. 18) In French with English subtitles. (1:31) NR.
Captive Based on the true story of a 2005 crime spree in Atlanta, the performance-driven drama starring David Oyelowo and Kate Mara manages to take the high road, mostly, in depicting a sensational kidnapping story. (Katie Walsh, Sept. 18) (1:37) PG-13.
A Christmas Horror Story In a small, seemingly ordinary town, the holiday season is terrorized by supernatural evil. With William Shatner, George Buza and Zoe de Grand’Maison. Written by Jason Filiatrault, James Kee, Sarah Larsen, Doug Taylor and Pascal Trottier. Directed by Steven Hoban, Grant Harvey and Brett Sullivan. (1:47) NR.
Coming Home Chinese star Gong Li’s exquisitely doleful face is one of cinema’s treasures, and it’s the only special effect that director Zhang Yimou needs to make his latest film feel like a return to social-realist intimacy after a stretch in the world of razzle-dazzle epic melodrama. Zhang and his sterling actors have made something fairly unforgettable about the tragedy of forgetting. (Robert Abele, Sept. 9) In Mandarin with English subtitles. (1:49) PG-13. Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon A documentary about the rise and fall of the humor magazine that became an empire and launched the careers of John Belushi, Bill Murray, John Hughes, Chevy Chase and others. Directed by Douglas Tirola. (1:35) NR.
Endgame A Brownsville boy, taught chess by his abuelita, strives to lead his team to the Texas state finals. With Rico Rodriguez, Efren Ramirez, Ivonne Coll, Jon Gries and Justina Machado. Written by Hector Salinas and Carmen Marron. Directed by Marron. (1:30) NR.
Everest The visuals are out and out spectacular in this IMAX 3D version of tragic 1996 events on the world’s highest mountain, but the drama remains stubbornly earthbound. With Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin and John Hawkes. Written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy. Directed by Baltasar Kormakur. (K.Tu., Sept. 18) (2:01) PG-13.
Freeheld A fact-based drama about a New Jersey police officer diagnosed with terminal cancer who fights to ensure that her pension benefits can be passed on to her domestic partner. With Julianne Moore, Ellen Page and Michael Shannon. Written by Ron Nyswaner. Directed by Peter Sollett. (1:36) PG-13. Story on Page E1 The Gift A disturbing drama that twists its outsider-from-hell story into something more unique and unexpected than its marketing campaign might imply. Written and directed by Joel Edgerton. (Gary Goldstein, Aug. 7) (1:48) R. (Aug. 7)
Godspeed: The Story of Page Jones The son of auto-racing great Parnelli Jones suffers a life-threatening traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a near-fatal accident that challenges him and his family in this biographical documentary. With Parnelli Jones, Page Jones and PJ Jones. Written and directed by Luann Barry. (1:04) NR.
Goodnight Mommy Beginning with a gentle lullaby and ending with a tightly packed wallop, this is one viscerally chilling, seriously unsettling horror film. Written and directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz. (Michael Rechtshaffen, Sept. 11) In German with English subtitles. (1:39) R.
Grandma The chance to see Lily Tomlin in a starring role is the prime attraction of this dizzyingly uneven comedy-drama written and directed by Paul Weitz. (Michael Sragow, Aug. 21) (1:18) R.
Gravy On Halloween night, three costumed misfits with unique dietary requirements seize a Mexican cantina and force the staff to engage in a night of gluttony. With Michael Weston, Jimmi Simpson and Sutton Foster. Written by James Roday and Todd Harthan. Directed by Roday. (1:30) NR.
The Green Inferno A band of student activists travels to the Amazon jungle only to be taken prisoner by the indigenous tribe they came to save. With Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy and Daryl Sabara. Written by Guillermo Amoedo and Eli Roth. Directed by Roth. (1:40) R.
He Named Me Malala A documentary portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who survived a brutal attack by the Taliban to become a leading women’s rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Directed by Davis Guggenheim. (1:27) PG-13.
Hell and Back Two friends travel to the underworld and battle demons, Greek legends and the devil himself to save their friend in this animated comedy. With the voices of Nick Swardson, T.J. Miller and Rob Riggle. Written by Hugh Sterbakov and Zeb Wells. Directed by Tom Gianas and Ross Shuman. (1:26) NR.
Hotel Transylvania 2 Sequel reunites the cast of monsters and humans from the 2012 animated feature, although the tone is more sentimental and less raunchy. With Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez. (Charles Solomon, Sept. 25) (1:29) PG.
The Intern It’s every inch a Nancy Meyers film, for better and for worse. The writer-director-producer has made another bright, contemporary American comedy with a lot on its mind — and works hard to make it look effortless. With Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. (M. O., Sept. 25) (2:01) PG-13.
The Keeping Room An intriguing premise never finds a dramatic pulse in a self-consciously artsy depiction of female grit during the final days of the Civil War. (Sheri Linden, Sept. 25) (1:34) R.
Labyrinth of Lies The historical backdrop for this German legal thriller is morally fascinating and little-explored: A late-1950s Germany, on the economic rebound, is hesitant to bring to justice the aging Nazis still living in its midst. The movie, however,
is as mechanical and schematic as a court proceeding. (Robert Abele, Sept. 30) In German with English subtitles. (2:03) R.
Learning to Drive Providing a welcome, grown-up escape from all that summer escapism, this is a richly observed, cross-cultural character study that coasts along pleasurably on the strengths of its virtuoso leads. With Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley. Directed by Isabel Coixet. (Michael Rechtshaffen, Aug. 21) (1:30) R.
Lost in Hong Kong A thematic sequel to 2010’s “Lost on Journey” and 2012’s “Lost in Thailand,” director-star Xu Zheng’s action-packed misadventure is a rollicking crowd-pleaser that might just be smart and substantive enough to be one of the year’s best. (Martin Tsai, Sept. 25) In Mandarin with English subtitles. (1:54) NR.
Manhattan Romance A documentary filmmaker struggles to complete his latest work on contemporary relationships, while navigating his own romantic complications. With Tom O’Brien, Caitlin FitzGerald, Katherine Waterston and Gaby Hoffmann. Written and directed by O’Brien. (1:34) NR.
The Martian Separated from his crew and presumed dead after a massive storm, an astronaut is stranded on the Red Planet and does everything he can to survive until he’s rescued. With Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara and Kristen Wiig. Written by Drew Goddard. Directed by Ridley Scott. In 3-D. (2:10) PG-13.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials The breathless second chapter of the young adult fantasy series cannily exploits pop mythologies of the moment. If you’re up for an end-of-theworld adventure done with brio, take the film’s own advice and “Go!” (Michael Sragow, Sept. 18) (2:12) PG-13.
Mississippi Grind A down-on-hisluck gambler hits the road with his new lucky charm. With Ryan Reynolds, Ben Mendelson and Sienna Miller. Written and directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden. (1:48) R.
Movement and Location A time-traveling immigrant from 400 years in the future establishes a life in present-day Brooklyn, only to have it disrupted by two others from the future. With Bodine Boling, Catherine Missal and Brendan Griffin. Written by Bodine Boling. Directed by Alexis Boling. (1:33) NR.
Narcopolis In the future, when recreational drugs are legal, a police officer discovers an unidentified corpse is at the center of a bigger mystery. With Elliot Cowan, Elodie Yung and Jonathan Pryce. Written and directed by Justin Trefgarne. (1:36) NR.
The New Girlfriend Although at times amorphously told and genre non-specific — Dark comedy? Soapy drama? DePalma-esque thriller? — French filmmaker François Ozon’s latest holds interest as it often defies expectation and juggles its bold, complex emotions. (Gary Goldstein, Sept. 18) In French with English subtitles. (1:45) R.
99 Homes In order to reclaim his house, a single father is forced to work for the ruthless businessman who evicted him. With Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon and Noah Lomax. Written by Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi and Bahareh Azimi. Directed by Bahrani. (1:52) R. Story on Page E1
Northern Soul In 1970s northern England, an awkward teen and his DJ friend discover American soul music and dream of escaping their workingclass town. With Elliot James Langridge, Joshua Whitehouse and Lisa Stansfield. Written and directed by Elaine Constantine. (1:42) R.
Olvidados Haunted by his role in CIA-sponsored plans that led to the disappearance of thousands of opponents to South America’s military dictatorships in the 1970s and ’80s, a Bolivian general confesses all to his son after suffering a debilitating heart attack. With Damián Alcázar, Rafael Ferro, Carla Ortiz, Tomas Ronzi. Written by Ortiz, Elia Petridis and Mauricio Davis. Directed by Carlos Bolada. In Spanish with English subtitles. (1:52) NR.
Pawn Sacrifice With star Tobey Maguire ably supported by Peter Sarsgaard, Liev Schreiber and Michael Stuhlbarg, this Bobby Fischer biopic’s straight-ahead approach matters less than the complete and utter strangeness of the true story it convincingly tells. Directed by Edward Zwick. (K.Tu., Sept. 16) (1:56) PG-13.
The revenge Perfect thrillerGuy A about glossy, the cliché-ladenperils of meeting Starring SanaaMr. Too Lathan, Good Michaelto Be True.Ealy and Rechtshaffen,Morris Sept. Chestnut.11) (1:39) (MichaelPG-13.
Saving Mr. Wu Ticking clock crime thriller in which a Beijing celebrity is kidnapped and police have less than 24 hours to locate him before he is killed by his captors. With Andy Lau, Wang Qianyuan and Liu Ye. Directed by Ding Sheng. In Mandarin with English subtitles. (1:46) NR.
Shanghai An American spy arrives in Shanghai during winter 1941 and discovers his friend has been killed. With John Cusack, Gong Li, Chow YunFat, David Morse, Ken Watanabe, Franka Potente. Written by Hossein Amini. Directed by Mikael Håfström. In English and Mandarin with English subtitles. (1:44) R.
Shark Lake When a black-market exotic-species dealer accidentally looses a shark in Lake Tahoe, he has to team up with a local policewoman to keep the town safe. With Dolph Lundgren, Sarah Malakul Lane and James Chalke. Written by David Anderson and Gabe Burnstein. Directed by Jerry Dugan. (1:28) NR.
Sherpa A documentary crew was present on April 18, 2014, when a 14million-ton block of ice crashed down on the Himalayan mountain’s climbing route, killing 16 sherpas. Directed by Jennifer Peedom. (1:35) NR.
Shout Gladi Gladi A documentary about Scottish philanthropist Ann Gloag’s efforts to improve maternal health in Africa. Narrated by Meryl Streep. Directed by Adam Friedman and Iain Kennedy. (1:40) NR.
Sicario Directed by Denis Villeneuve from a script by Taylor Sheridan, the film depicts the border between the United States and Mexico as a zone of anxiety and often violent transformation, and manages to somehow be sleek and sprawling, focused and cagey at the same time, often in the same scene. With Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin. (M.O., Sept. 18) (2:01) R.
Sleeping With Other People Standard
rom-com contrivance, stretched past the breaking point by writer-director Leslye Headland’s resolve to inject the genre with a sex-forward edginess. Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie star. (Sheri Linden, Sept. 11) (1:41) R.
Stonewall As a fact-meets-fiction snapshot, Roland Emmerich’s look at the 1969 Stonewall riots is a vital, evocative reminder of a turbulent time that paved the way for hardfought freedoms. For older moviegoers, the movie may feel simplistic and overly familiar. (Gary Goldstein, Sept. 25) (2:09) R.
Straight Outta Compton Alternately riveting and wearying, up to the minute relevant as well as self-mythologizingly self-indulgent and as much of a heroic origins story as anything out of the Marvel factory, this biopic about the group N.W.A ends up juggling more story lines and moods than it can comfortably handle. (K.Tu., Aug. 14) (2:22) R.
This Is Happening An estranged brother and sister hit the road to track down their fugitive grandmother when she bails on their attempt to
put her in an assisted-living facility. With James Wolk, Mickey Sumner and Cloris Leachman. Written and directed by Ryan Jaffe. (1:24) NR.
Veteran Despite a few decent fight sequences and a bonkers climactic car chase, the movie remains an unremarkable crime tale, one whose plot often feels more the stuff of a brash one-hour TV procedural than a twohour feature film. (Gary Goldstein, Sept. 25) In Korean with English subtitles. (2:04) NR.
The Visit In M. Night Shyamalan’s ramshackle attempt to bounce back from the debacle of “After Earth,” he veers haphazardly from brutal slapstick to heartbreak and lets his ending dribble into anticlimax. (Michael Sragow, Sept. 11) (1:34) PG-13.
The Visit Documentary tracks researchers from around the world as they prepare for the first contact with extraterrestrials. Written and directed by Michael Madsen. (1:23) NR.
The Walk Writer-director Robert Zemeckis’ re-creation of aerialist Philippe Petit’s 1974 walk between the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center is all it should be, but the drama surrounding it is resolutely earthbound. With Joseph GordonLevitt and Charlotte Le Bon. (K.Tu., Sept. 30) (2:03) PG.
A Walk in the Woods This adaptation of Bill Bryson’s memoir is based less in ideas and dialogue than in shtick and busy business, with Nick Nolte uncomfortably overplaying and Robert Redford desperately trying to bring an amused urbanity to his performance as counterbalance. Directed by Ken Kwapis. (M.O., Sept. 2) (1:44) R.
War Room Preachy doesn’t begin to describe this long-winded and wincingly overwrought domestic drama. Directed by Alex Kendrick. (Michael Rechtshaffen, Aug. 28) (1:20) PG. 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
Billy Wilder Theatre, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 206-8013. UCLA Film & Television Archive presents a Cary Grant screwball comedy double bill with Howard Hawk’s
His Girl Friday (1940), with Rosalind Russell, and Leo McCarey’s The Awful Truth (1937), with Irene Dunne. (Sun., 7 p.m.)
Egyptian Theatre, 7612 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 466-3456. America Cinematheque presents a Beyond Fest L.A. Spotlight screening of director Karyn Kusama’s new thriller, The Invitation (2015). Kusama chose Philip Kaufman’s Invasion
of the Body Snatchers (1978) to accompany her film. (Mon., 7:30 p.m.)
Silent Movie Theater, 611 N Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 655-2510. The Cinefamily presents a Spectrefest double feature premiere of Hack-OLantern (1988) and Slime City (1988). (Fri., 7:45 p.m.)