OPENING THIS WEEK
ARCTIC
Mads Mikkelsen stars in this survival thriller as a man who survives a plane crash in the Arctic circle. He tries to make do until help arrives, but his companion (Maria Thelma Smáradóttir) is severely injured. Once it becomes clear that nobody is coming, he makes the hard decision to brave the unforgiving elements and use his resourcefulness to make it to safety. Rated PG-13. 98 minutes. Violet Crown. (Not reviewed)
DONNYBROOK
Not rated. 101 minutes. Jean Cocteau Cinema. See review, Page 29.
FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY
Writer and director Stephen Merchant, who is most famous for his British TV work on The Office, takes his biggest swing yet at a feature-length film with this comedy about a family obsessed with wrestling. Zak (Jack Lowden), the oldest son, and his younger sister Saraya (Florence Pugh) have both been training for their whole childhood to become professional wrestlers. When opportunity arrives in the form of a WWE tryout (headed by a rep played by Vince Vaughn), only Saraya is selected. Saraya must now keep her family happy while pursuing her dreams; fortunately, the Rock (Dwayne Johnson, playing himself) is on hand with advice. Rated PG-13. 108 minutes. Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. (Not reviewed)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD
The third film in this animated series finds the dragon Toothless reaching the age when romantic feelings begin to develop. As luck would have it, he meets a potential mate named Light Fury, who is a member of the same species — one thought to be extinct. They and Toothless’ dragon rider Hiccup (again voiced by Jay Baruchel) strive to find the Hidden World, a safe haven for dragons, while being pursued by the dragon hunter Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham). Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, and Kristen Wiig also provide voicework. Rated PG. 104 minutes. Screens in 3D and 2D at Regal Stadium; Violet Crown. Screens in 2D only at Regal Santa Fe 6. (Not reviewed)
INDIAN HORSE
Not rated. 101 minutes. Violet Crown. See review, Page 28.
THE INVISIBLES
Set between 1943 and 1945, director Claus Räfle’s retelling of the story of 7,000 Jews who hid in Berlin during the final years of World War II is told through reenactments, documentary footage, and interviews with actual survivors. But it suffers from too much polish and not enough authenticity, especially in the re-enactments, which play like television dramas. The interviewed survivors — Ruth Arndt, Cioma Schönhaus, Eugen Friede, and Hanni Lévy — are compelling enough to make you question why the dramatizations were needed in the first place. Still, the stories it tells deserve to be told. Only 1,700 Jews remained in the city when the war ended. Their desperate attempts at survival would make for stronger viewing as either a full-on historical drama or a straight documentary. Not rated. 110 minutes. In German with subtitles. The Screen. (Michael Abatemarco)
YOUNG PICASSO
Not rated. 90 minutes. Center for Contemporary Arts. See review, Page 30.
NOW IN THEATERS ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL
Director Robert Rodriguez and co-writer James Cameron lend science-fiction and action pedigree to this adaptation of a 1990s manga series. Set in a dystopian future, the story centers on a big-eyed cyborg (Rosa Salazar) who is discovered in a junkyard and rebuilt by a scientist (Christoph Waltz). She has no memories but displays incredible combat skills, and through stints as a Motorball athlete and a bounty hunter, as well as romance (with a scavenger played by Keean Johnson), she slowly discovers who she is. The European-looking urban setting, the eclectic cyborg characters, and the kinetic action scenes lend an air of originality to a blockbuster era burdened by excessive retreads and endless franchises, and this novelty goes a long way. Any chance of this film kickstarting a new blockbuster franchise, however, is dashed by often clunky dialogue, a labored setup, and syrupy music. There’s also a degree of violence and body horror that may be refreshing for those who grew up on anime or the work of 1980s movies such as Total Recall, but may be too much for kids accustomed to Disney’s all-ages Marvel movies. Rated PG-13. 122 minutes. Screens in 3D and 2D at Regal Stadium 14; Violet Crown. Screens in 2D only at Santa Fe 6. (Robert Ker)
CAPERNAUM
Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki cuts to the bone in this Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film. In a remarkably astute performance by twelve-year-old newcomer Zain al-Rafeea, his character, also named Zain, must rely on his wits and an intelligence beyond his years to navigate the slums of Lebanon. Living in squalor with his