OPENING THIS WEEK

HALLOWEEN

Director David Gordon Green and his co-writer Danny McBride are best known for arthouse films and broad comedies; here, they take on one of the most adored horror franchises in existence. Their effort, which pretends that no Halloween movies exist aside from the 1978 John Carpenter original, focuses on a grown-up, gray-haired Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), who has been preparing her whole life to face the masked murderer Michael Myers and exorcise the demons of her traumatic teen years. When he breaks out of his institution and resumes his killing spree, she gets her wish. Rated R. 106 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. (Not reviewed)

THE HATE U GIVE

Attending an affluent high school in a white neighborhood is already complicated enough for Starr (Amandla Stenberg). When her friend Khalil (Algee Smith) is shot by a police officer in front of her, it gets a lot harder. She decides to protest on Khalil’s behalf, and it sets off a series of events that not only threatens her community but her own future. Regina Hall plays her mother, while Anthony Mackie (Falcon in the Marvel films) plays a local drug dealer. George Tillman Jr. (Notorious) directs. Rated PG-13. 133 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. (Not reviewed)

SANTA FE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL

The 10th year of the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, which seeks to “advance independent, innovative, and cutting-edge cinema,” continues through Sunday, Oct. 21, with a wide array of films and events. As a late surprise, the festival added director Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner at the Center for Contemporary Arts at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. Screenings take place at venues throughout the city. Visit santafeindependentfilmfestival.com for more information.