Now Playing in Theaters: December 21-27 

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• Courtesy Of Searchlight Pictures
• Olivia Colman in Empire of Light

new in theaters

BABYLON: Two young people set out to succeed in 1920s Hollywood in this ensemble epic from Damien Chazelle (La La Land), starring Diego Calva, Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and Jean Smart. (188 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Roxy, Stowe)

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH: Antonio Banderas again voices the titular cool cat in this animated adventure in which Puss seeks to restore his nine lives. With Salma Hayek. Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado directed. (100 min, PG. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Star, Stowe, Welden)

ROLAND AND MARY: A WINTER OF TOWING IN THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM: Vermont filmmaker Dillon Tanner profiles a pair of St. Johnsbury-based tow-truck owners in this documentary. (62 min, NR. Catamount)

WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY: This biopic from Kasi Lemmons (Eve's Bayou) traces the R&B singer's rise to megastardom in the 1980s. With Naomi Ackie as Houston, Stanley Tucci and Ashton Sanders. (146 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Roxy, Star)

WILDCAT: A British war veteran finds solace from his depression when he fosters an abandoned baby ocelot in this documentary from Trevor Frost and Melissa Lesh. (106 min, R. Savoy)

currently playing

2ND CHANCE ★★★1/2 This documentary from Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger) tells the story of the man who invented the modern bulletproof vest — by testing it on himself. (89 min, NR. Savoy)

ALL THAT BREATHES ★★★★1/2 Two brothers in Delhi devote themselves to protecting a bird species in Shaunak Sen's documentary, winner of a slew of prestigious festival awards. (97 min, NR. Savoy)

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER ★★★1/2 Director James Cameron returns to Pandora for this sequel in which Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family face a new threat. (192 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden)

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN ★★★★1/2 The end of a long friendship has unintended consequences in this drama from writer-director Martin McDonagh. (114 min, R. Palace; reviewed 12/21)

BLACK ADAM ★★ The villain (Dwayne Johnson) of the D.C. Comics film Shazam! gets center stage in this showcase for his anti-heroism. (124 min, PG-13. Majestic)

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER ★★★1/2 In Marvel Comics' fictional African kingdom, the Wakandans mourn King T'Challa and protect their nation from new threats. (161 min, PG-13. Majestic, Palace)

DEVOTION ★★★1/2 This fact-based drama tells the story of the friendship between two U.S. Navy fighter pilots (Glen Powell and Jonathan Majors) during the Korean War. (138 min, PG-13. Majestic)

EMPIRE OF LIGHT ★★★ Olivia Colman plays the manager of a movie theater in the early '80s who finds romance with a young immigrant (Micheal Ward) in Sam Mendes' drama. (115 min, R. Roxy, Savoy)

THE FABELMANS ★★★★ A teen in midcentury Arizona sets out to become a filmmaker in Steven Spielberg's acclaimed autobiographical drama, starring Michelle Williams and Gabriel LaBelle. (151 min, PG-13. Essex, Roxy; reviewed 12/14)

HOLY SPIDER ★★★1/2 An Iranian journalist (Zar Amir-Ebrahimi) hunts a serial killer who targets sex workers in this acclaimed fact-inspired thriller from Ali Abbasi. (116 min, NR. Savoy)

THE MENU ★★★1/2 A culinary adventure goes awry in Mark Mylod's horror comedy. Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes star. (106 min, R. Majestic, Palace, Welden)

STRANGE WORLD ★★★1/2 A family of explorers ventures into an alien landscape in this Disney family animation. With the voices of Jake Gyllenhaal and Jaboukie Young-White. (102 min, PG. Majestic)

VIOLENT NIGHT ★★★ Santa Claus (David Harbour) defends a rich family from a gang of mercenaries in this holiday action comedy. (101 min, R. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace)

older films and special screenings

ELF (Savoy, Fri only)

THE POLAR EXPRESS (Savoy, Fri only)

RUSHMORE (Catamount, Wed 28 only)

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS PRESENTS: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, CELEBRATING 75 YEARS (Essex, Wed 21 only)

THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES (Catamount, Wed 21 only)

THE TRAVERSE (Catamount, Thu 29 only)

open theaters

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

• 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
• WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com