La Chimera Credit: Courtesy of Neon

new in theaters

BACK TO BLACK: Marisa Abela plays Amy Winehouse in this biopic about the making of her best-selling album, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. With Eddie Marsan and Jack O’Connell. (122 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Savoy)

IF: What happens to imaginary friends when their people grow up? A kid finds out in this family comedy-drama written and directed by John Krasinski, who costars with Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming. (104 min, PG. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Star, Sunset)

I SAW THE TV GLOW: A supernatural late-night show alters two teens’ view of reality in this A24 horror drama from Jane Schoenbrun (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair), starring Justice Smith and Brigitte Lundy-Paine. (101 min, PG-13. Roxy)

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1: A couple make the mistake of taking refuge in a remote cabin in this prequel to the horror series about masked folks with an obscure agenda of terror. Renny Harlin directed. (91 min, R. Essex, Majestic)

currently playing

ABIGAIL ★★★ Criminals who kidnap a gangster’s cute ballerina daughter get a rude awakening in this horror flick. (109 min, R. Sunset)

CHALLENGERS ★★★★1/2 A love triangle among three tennis pros (Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor) makes sparks fly when two of them face off years later in this drama from Luca Guadagnino. (131 min, R. Big Picture, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Stowe; reviewed 5/1)

CIVIL WAR ★★★★ Journalists race toward a Washington, D.C., threatened by rebels in this dystopian action thriller from Alex Garland, starring Kirsten Dunst and Wagner Moura. (109 min, R. Roxy; reviewed 4/17)

DRAGONKEEPER: A girl must find a dragon’s egg to save ancient China from an evil emperor in this animation. (99 min, PG. Welden)

DUNE: PART TWO ★★★1/2 The saga of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and the spice planet Arrakis continues. (166 min, PG-13. Capitol; reviewed 3/6)

FALLEN LEAVES ★★★★ Two lonely working-class residents of Helsinki drift toward romance in this drama from Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki. (81 min, NR. Savoy; reviewed 1/17)

THE FALL GUY ★★★1/2 Ryan Gosling plays an injured Hollywood stuntman who must track down a missing movie star in this action comedy from David Leitch, also starring Emily Blunt. (126 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE ★★1/2 A new generation of ghostbusters joins the old one to fight an evil force that threatens Earth with a new ice age. (115 min, PG-13. Majestic, Star, Sunset)

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES ★★★1/2 On an Earth that has been ruled by apes for 300 years, a young chimp goes on a life-changing road trip in the latest series entry, directed by Wes Ball and starring Freya Allan. (145 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

KUNG FU PANDA 4 ★★★ Po (voice of Jack Black) must train his warrior successor in this animated adventure. (94 min, PG. Capitol, Majestic, Star, Welden)

LA CHIMERA ★★★★1/2 A young Englishman (Josh O’Connor) has a sixth sense for tomb raiding in this trancey drama set in Tuscany from director Alice Rohrwacher. (130 min, R. Savoy; reviewed 4/24)

THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE ★★★ British special ops fight the Nazis in this action flick loosely based on Operation Postmaster, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill. (120 min, R. Capitol)

NOWHERE SPECIAL ★★★★ A terminally ill single dad (James Norton) seeks a new home for his young son in this drama from director Uberto Pasolini. (96 min, NR. Roxy)

TAROT ★★ Those tarot readings you thought were an innocent and enlightening pastime? In this horror flick, they can unleash evil. (92 min, PG-13. Majestic, Sunset)

UNSUNG HERO ★★ This inspirational biopic tells the story of a family’s rise in the Christian music industry. Star Joel Smallbone codirected with Richard L. Ramsey. (112 min, PG. Essex)

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS ★★★ The women of a small town investigate to see who has been sending profane missives in this comic period piece with Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley. (100 min, R. Savoy)

older films and special screenings

ALIEN 45TH ANNIVERSARY (Sunset)

GHIBLI FEST 2024: NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (Essex, Sun & Mon only)

GHIBLI FEST 2024: CASTLE IN THE SKY (Essex, Mon only)

NORTH BY NORTHWEST 65TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Sun & Wed 22 only)

STAR WARS: EPISODE 1 — THE PHANTOM MENACE 25TH ANNIVERSARY (Majestic, Sunset)

open theaters

Catamount Arts’ theater is currently closed until further notice. (* = 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 May 15-21, 2024.

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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...