new in theaters
AFRAID: That’s actually AfrAId, because a digital assistant becomes a family’s worst nightmare in this horror flick from Chris Weitz, starring John Cho and Katherine Waterston. (84 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Star, Sunset)
CITY OF DREAMS: A young Mexican hoping to play soccer in LA finds himself trafficked to a sweatshop in this drama from Mohit Ramchandani, starring Jason Patric and Ari Lopez. (96 min, R. Roxy)
GOOD ONE: A 17-year-old takes a trip in the Catskills with her dad and his recently divorced friend in this drama from writer-director India Donaldson, starring Lily Collias and James Le Gros. (89 min, R. Savoy)
REAGAN: Dennis Quaid plays the actor turned president in this biopic that takes him from childhood to Washington, D.C. Penelope Ann Miller is Nancy; Sean McNamara directed. (135 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy)
currently playing
ALIEN: ROMULUS ★★★ Young colonists get a nasty surprise when they explore an abandoned space station. Fede Alvarez directed the sci-fi horror “interquel.” (119 min, R. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden; reviewed 8/21)
BLINK TWICE ★★★1/2 Zoë Kravitz directed this psychological thriller in which a dream vacay on a tech billionaire’s island turns sinister, starring Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum. (102 min, R. Big Picture, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Stowe)
BORDERLANDS ★1/2 A motley crew (including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart and Jamie Lee Curtis) races to save a missing girl in this sci-fi action flick based on the video game. (102 min, PG-13. Majestic)
THE CROW ★1/2 A man defies death to save his soulmate in this “reimagining” of the 1994 urban fantasy cult film, starring Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs. Rupert Sanders directed. (111 min, R. Essex, Majestic)
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Two superheroes — one unkillable, one un-shut-up-able — team up in the latest Marvel flick, starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and Emma Corrin. (127 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)
DESPICABLE ME 4 ★★1/2 Gru Jr. joins the lovable villain’s family in the fourth installment of the animated family franchise. (95 min, PG. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Sunset)
DIDI ★★★★ Sean Wang’s coming-of-age comedy-drama follows a Taiwanese American boy in his last month before the start of high school. Izaac Wang and Joan Chen star. (93 min, R. Roxy)
THE FORGE: A high school grad faces big choices in this family drama from Alex Kendrick, starring Aspen Kennedy and Karen Abercrombie. (123 min, PG. Essex)
HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON ★1/2 This “sequel” to the beloved picture book imagines the adult life of a boy who can draw things into reality. (92 min, PG. Majestic)
INSIDE OUT 2 ★★★1/2 The anthropomorphized emotions from Pixar’s animated hit are back. With Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith and Lewis Black. (96 min, PG. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Star, Sunset)
IT ENDS WITH US ★★1/2 Blake Lively plays a florist struggling to avoid repeating her family’s pattern of abusive relationships in this adaptation of the Colleen Hoover bestseller. (130 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)
LONGLEGS ★★★1/2 An FBI agent (Maika Monroe) chases a serial killer with disturbing connections to her in this horror film, with Nicolas Cage. (101 min, R. Sunset; reviewed 7/17)
MY PENGUIN FRIEND ★★★1/2 A rescued penguin brings new joy to the life of a disenchanted fisherman in this family drama, starring Jean Reno and Adriana Barraza. (97 min, PG. Savoy, Welden)
SING SING ★★★★ An unjustly incarcerated man finds release in a prison theater group in this drama based on an Esquire article, starring Colman Domingo and directed by Greg Kwedar. (107 min, R. Roxy, Savoy)
TOUCH ★★★1/2 A widower searches for the lover he lost 50 years ago in this romantic drama from Baltasar Kormákur (Everest). Egill Ólafsson and Kôki star. (121 min, R. Catamount)
TRAP ★★★ Attending a pop star’s concert can be murder in this serial killer thriller from M. Night Shyamalan, starring Josh Hartnett. (105 min, PG-13. Majestic; reviewed 8/7)
TWISTERS ★★★ Storm chasers harness their ambitions to Oklahoma’s tornados. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell star. (117 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star, Sunset; reviewed 7/31)
older films and special screenings
THE CAT RETURNS (Essex, Wed 28 only)
CATVIDEOFEST 2024 (Savoy)
KITCHEN STORIES (Catamount, Wed 28 only)
A QUIET PLACE (Bethel)
REAR WINDOW 70TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Wed 28 only)
TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Bethel)
open theaters
(* = 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 (closed through Sept. 4)
MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net
PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com
PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com (closed through Sept. 5)
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
This article appears in Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2024.
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