Ritu Arya in Polite Society Credit: Courtesy of Focus Feature

new in theaters

ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET.: Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen) directed this adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic about a tween (Abby Ryder Fortson) puzzling over the mysteries of spirituality and puberty. With Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates. (105 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Star)

BEAU IS AFRAID: Joaquin Phoenix plays a troubled man processing his mother’s death in an unclassifiable epic that has divided audiences. With Patti LuPone and Amy Ryan. Ari Aster (Midsommar) directed. (179 min, R. Essex, Savoy)

BIG GEORGE FOREMAN: THE MIRACULOUS STORY OF THE ONCE AND FUTURE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD: Khris Davis plays the boxer in this inspirational biopic from director George Tillman Jr. (The Hate U Give) (129 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace)

POLITE SOCIETY: A martial artist in training (Priya Kansara) plans a “wedding heist” to save her younger sister from the wrong marriage in this action-comedy from director Nida Manzoor, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. (103 min, PG-13. Majestic, Savoy)

currently playing

AIR ★★★1/2 Matt Damon plays the salesman who convinced then-rookie Michael Jordan to wear Nikes in this drama directed by Ben Affleck. (112 min, R. Bijou, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Playhouse [ends Thu], Stowe, Welden)

CHEVALIER ★★★1/2 Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays 18th-century Black French composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George, in this biopic from director Stephen Williams. (107 min, PG-13. Roxy)

COCAINE BEAR ★★1/2 Elizabeth Banks directed this comedy-thriller about a bear that terrorizes the countryside after going on a coke binge. (95 min, R. Sunset; reviewed 3/8)

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES ★★★1/2 Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez play adventurers in the world of the fantasy role-playing game. (134 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Welden [ends Thu])

EVIL DEAD RISE ★★★1/2 In the horror series’ fifth installment, two estranged sisters (Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland) learn the true meaning of family by fighting off demons. (97 min, R. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Star, Sunset, Welden)

GUY RITCHIE’S THE COVENANT ★★★ An Afghan interpreter (Dar Salim) helps an injured American sergeant (Jake Gyllenhaal) survive a trek in this war thriller directed by Ritchie. (123 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Palace, Star)

HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE ★★★★ Environmental activists plot to disrupt the flow of oil in this thriller from Daniel Goldhaber (Cam), starring Ariela Barer and Kristine Froseth. (103 min, R. Roxy)

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 ★★★★ Keanu Reeves once again plays a hitman battling a global organization in Chad Stahelski’s stylized action flick. (169 min, R. Majestic)

MAFIA MAMMA ★★ A soccer mom (Toni Collette) discovers that she’s the heir to an Italian mafia family in this fish-out-of-water comedy. (101 min, R. Palace)

PAINT ★★1/2 Owen Wilson plays “Vermont’s No. 1 public television painter” facing a new rival in this comedy from Brit McAdams (Triviatown). (96 min, PG-13. Catamount, Roxy; reviewed 4/12)

THE POPE’S EXORCIST ★★ Russell Crowe plays the Vatican’s chief exorcist in this horror flick inspired by real case files. Julius Avery directed. (103 min, R. Palace)

RENFIELD ★★1/2 Dracula’s henchman (Nicholas Hoult) tries to get out from under the thumb of his master (Nicolas Cage) in this horror comedy. (93 min, R. Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Stowe)

SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS ★★★ Ray Romano directed this comedy in which he plays the overbearing dad of a high school basketball star. (106 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Palace)

THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE ★★1/2 Chris Pratt voices a Brooklyn plumber in the Mushroom Kingdom in this animated adaptation of the Nintendo game. (92 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

SUZUME ★★★★1/2 In this animated adventure from Makoto Shinkai (Your Name.), two young people try to close mysterious doors that are unleashing disasters on Japan. (122 min, PG. Palace, Roxy; reviewed 4/19)

older films and special screenings

THE FARM BOY (Playhouse, Sun only)

FLASHDANCE 40TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Wed 26 & Sun only)

GKIDS PRESENTS STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2023: SPIRITED AWAY LIVE ON STAGE (Essex, Thu only)

METROPOLITAN OPERA: CHAMPION (Essex, Sat only)

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (Catamount, Fri only)

NUCLEAR NOW (Savoy, Mon only)

PARIS (Catamount, Wed 26 only)

RESCUED BY RUBY (Marquis, Wed 26 only)

SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (Sunset)

TOY STORY 4 (Catamount, Thu only)

open theaters

(* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)

Note: These capsule descriptions are not intended as reviews. Star ratings come from Metacritic unless we reviewed the film (noted at the end of the description). Find reviews written by Seven Days critic Margot Harrison at sevendaysvt.com/onscreen-reviews.

This article appears in Apr 26 – May 2, 2023.

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Margot Harrison is a consulting editor and film critic at Seven Days. Her film reviews appear every week in the paper and online. In 2024, she won the Jim Ridley Award for arts criticism from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. Her book reviews...