new in theaters
MEG 2: THE TRENCH: Erstwhile experimentalist Ben Wheatley (Kill List) directed this sequel to the summer hit in which Jason Statham aids deep-sea researchers as they battle various menaces, including prehistoric sharks. With Jing Wu and Cliff Curtis. (116 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Sunset)
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM: Cowriter Seth Rogen and directors Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears reboot the comic-based series about four crime-fighting brothers raised in the New York sewers by a rat in this animated adventure. With the voice talents of Shamon Brown Jr., Micah Abbey and Jackie Chan. (99 min, PG. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Star, Sunset, Welden)
currently playing
BARBIE ★★★★ Margot Robbie plays the Mattel toy as she experiences her first-ever existential crisis. With Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera. Greta Gerwig directed. (114 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden; reviewed 7/26)
ELEMENTAL ★★★ Pixar’s latest family animation takes place in a city where people embody different elements — and fire and water meet cute on the subway. (103 min, PG. Bethel, Essex)
HAUNTED MANSION ★★1/2 In Disney’s horror-comedy based on its theme park ride, a single mom (Rosario Dawson) assembles a motley team of specialists to help her exorcise her new home. Justin Simien directed. (122 min, PG-13. Bethel, Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Roxy, Star, Sunset)
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY ★★★ The intrepid archaeologist (Harrison Ford) battles Nazis in both 1944 and 1969 in the fifth installment of the adventure series. James Mangold directed. (154 min, PG-13. Majestic)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — DEAD RECKONING PART ONE ★★★★ Tom Cruise returns as secret agent Ethan Hunt in the seventh installment of the action franchise. (163 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Palace, Stowe, Sunset)
NO HARD FEELINGS ★★★ A down-on-her-luck woman (Jennifer Lawrence) is hired by a 19-year-old’s parents to bring him out of his shell before college in this comedy. (103 min, R. Sunset)
OPPENHEIMER ★★★★★ Director Christopher Nolan tells the story of the man (Cillian Murphy) who played a key role in creating the atomic bomb. With Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. (180 min, R. Big Picture, Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden; reviewed 8/2)
SOUND OF FREEDOM ★★1/2 Jim Caviezel stars in this action thriller based on the life of Tim Ballard, a former federal agent who founded an organization to fight human trafficking. (135 min, PG-13. Essex, Palace)
TALK TO ME ★★★★ A group of friends learns that using an embalmed hand to conjure spirits is a very bad idea in this horror thriller from Australia. (94 min, R. Majestic, Palace, Roxy)
older films and special screenings
GKIDS PRESENTS STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2023: PRINCESS MONONOKE (Essex, Sat.-Tue. only)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (Catamount, Thu. only)
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (Sunset)
open theaters
The Capitol Showplace, Catamount Arts and Savoy Theater are currently closed until further notice. (* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)
- BETHEL DRIVE-IN: 36 Bethel Dr., Bethel, 728-3740, betheldrivein.com
- BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info
- BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com
- *CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com
- CATAMOUNT ARTS: 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-2600, catamountarts.org
- ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: 21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com
- MAJESTIC 10: 190 Boxwood St., Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com
- MARQUIS THEATER: 65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com
- MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net
- PALACE 9 CINEMAS: 10 Fayette Dr., South Burlington, 864-5610, palace9.com
- PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com
- PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com
- *SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com
- STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com
- *STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com
- SUNSET DRIVE-IN: 155 Porters Point Rd., Colchester, 862-1800, sunsetdrivein.com
- WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com
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 Aug 2-8, 2023.


