Film Listings, 11/7/19 – 11/14/19 

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All theater listings are as of Friday, Nov. 8

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

What's it rated? PG

What's it worth? Stream it

Where's it showing? Bay, Park, Stadium 10

Co-directors Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon helm this animated comedy about a peculiar and macabre family. Despite the talent, the story is too blah to elicit much interest. (105 min.)

—Glen Starkey

ARCTIC DOGS

What's it rated? PG

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park

Aaron Woodley directs this animated adventure comedy about Swifty the Arctic Fox (voiced by Jeremy Renner), who enlists his friends to stop a villain who plans to melt the Arctic and rule in the world. (93 min.)

—Glen

CLIMB ON FILM FESTIVAL

What's it rated? Not rated

Where's it showing? Saturday, Nov. 9, in the SLO Mission Plaza (7 p.m.; all ages; $20 presale; $25 at the door)

NewSLOMotion presents an evening of climbing films at this mini film festival to be held outdoors and under the stars in the SLO Mission Plaza. Dress warm and bring a blanket or low-back chair. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

"I grew up here in San Luis Obispo, and I started this company SLOMotion Film," explained Hayley Nenadal. "I've worked in the film industry for some time and wanted to come back here and do something different. We really want to show films, have guests, and have a conversation afterwards—really have films make a difference in society. On Saturday, Nov. 9, we're showing a night of climbing films with several film guests, and we're raising money for the first climbing gym in Puerto Rico, which has been built out of the aftermath of Hurricane Maria hitting the island—it's a symbol of community resilience in the middle of climate change. The main climber in the film is coming from Puerto Rico to talk about the state of things down there."

See Climbing Out of Disaster, Creek Sessions, Cracked Out, Life Coach, and The Last Honey Hunter.

Presale tickets are available at The Mountain Air or online at slomotionfilm.com. Proceeds benefit El Bloque. Expect "musical performances and conversations about getting outside, climbing culture, and discussions of climate change," according to the SLOMotion website.

—Glen

COUNTDOWN

What's it rated? PG-13

What's it worth? Rent it

Where's it showing? Stadium 10

In this horror-thriller, writer and director Justin Dec (Rolling) shows us just how spooky technology can be, when several doomed characters download an app that predicts—down to the very last second—exactly when its users will die. A few cheap scares can't make up for the fact that this movie was bad. Still, it's spooky season, so I think it's worth a watch. Happy Halloween! (90 min.)

—Kasey Bubnash

DOCTOR SLEEP

What's it rated? R

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10

New

Writer-director Mike Flanagan (Gerald's Game, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Before I Wake) helms this film based on Stephen King's novel about Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor), the little boy with the ability to see ghosts from King's earlier novel The Shining. Now an adult, Dan meets a tween girl, Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), who's got the strongest "shining" he's ever seen. Unfortunately, she's being stalked by The True Knot, a group of quasi-immortal people who sustain themselves with "steam," the energy those with "the shining" give off when they're slowly tortured to death. Can Danny save Abra before it's too late? (151 min.)

—Glen

FANTASTIC FUNGI

What's it rated? Not rated

What's it worth? Matinee

Where's it showing? The Palm

Pick

In this time-lapse filled nature doc, director Louie Schwartzberg (Mysteries of the Unseen World, Wings of Life) dives into the world of mushrooms and all the potential held by our favorite fungal friends to regenerate, treat disease, and sustain life.

And because we humans only really care about ourselves, the film also delves into all the ways in which mushrooms are being used to improve human health. That includes research into the use of psilocybin mushrooms, aka magic mushrooms, aka shrooms, aka yes, finally! This is why we all came to this movie.

Psilocybin are proving to be effective in reducing end-of-life anxieties in terminally ill patients, according to the film, in regenerating damaged brain cells, and are thought to help fight symptoms caused by Alzheimer's. Some theorists even think magic mushrooms could have partially caused the rapid evolution of the human brain in prehistoric times. That's right. We were all just stoned apes once. (81 min.)

—Kasey Bubnash

THE GODFATHER: PART II

What's it rated? R

What's it worth? Full price

Where's it showing? Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 12 and 13, at 7 p.m., Downtown Centre

New/PickFrancis Ford Coppola directs this excellent 1974 sequel to his excellent 1972 film The Godfather, about the Corleone crime family. In Part II, we skip through time, seeing the early life and career of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) who gets his start in 1920s New York. Meanwhile in the 1950s-present, Vito's son Michael (Al Pacino) tightens his grip on the crime syndicate.

It's outstanding filmmaking and acting and pulls off the impossible: a sequel that may actually be better than the original. (202 min.)

—Glen

HARRIET

What's it rated? PG-13

What's it worth? Full price

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Stadium 10

Pick

Kasi Lemmons (Talk To Me, The Caveman's Valentine) directs Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman, a small but fierce abolitionist hero who defied authority and worked to liberate more than 300 slaves in 1849.

Harriet is more than just a film highlighting a historical figure, it's a slightly dramatized but powerful film that tells the story of one woman's determination for freedom and selfless work to share that freedom with others. It's the first film to respectfully bring this African-American woman to life who we would otherwise only know from our school textbooks.

The film opens up with Harriet—she was referred to then as Minty—lying in a field with her eyes closed. She's having what she feels is a message from God. When Harriet was 13, an overseer threw a 2-pound weight at another slave that struck her instead. She suffered a severe head injury and had seizures the rest of her life—in her eyes, the seizures were messages from God.

When her late master's son, Gideon Brodess (Joe Alwyn), is left with his father's debt, he mercilessly plans to sell Harriet and separate her from her family for money. Just as a man steps foot near the Brodess plantation to retrieve her for vending, she gets a "message" and knows she must run.

This is when things get a little dicey and my hands get very sweaty, which happens several times during the film. Don't get me wrong, I know Harriet Tubman's story. I remember learning about the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad, but the scenes are intense.

In order to shield her husband from danger, Harriet leaves him behind and travels 100 miles by foot without anything but the clothes on her back. When she finally makes it to Philadelphia with the prospect of a new free life and a new name, Harriet isn't satisfied knowing that her friends and family are still enslaved. Ignoring the protests of antislavery activists William Still (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Marie Buchanon (Janelle Monáe), Harriet goes back to Maryland to retrieve her husband.

John believed she didn't make the journey and had remarried, but a devastated Harriett saves her siblings and their wives instead. She single-handedly guides nine people to safety, a milestone that enlists her as a conductor of the Underground Railroad. Harriet becomes known as "Moses" among the people she liberates and often takes them right off the plantation. When Gideon finds out she's behind the liberation movement, his distain for her grows, and he begins working with a black "slave catcher" in order bring her back to the plantation.

Lemmons goes beyond the norm of portraying the true story of historical cruelty and good versus evil—it's a straightforward story. Instead of just telling the audience about it, she subtly shows it on Harriet's face and on the bodies of the enslaved.

The violence in the film is somewhat restrained, the opposite of what's seen in Steve McQueen's Twelve Years a Slave, which I believe was purposefully done to engage a younger audience.

Erivo creates an amazing depiction of Harriet by not just acting the part but bringing this tactful, swift, and courageous individual to life. (125 min.)

—Karen Garcia

JOHN FOGERTY: 50 YEAR TRIP—LIVE AT RED ROCKS

What's it rated? Not rated

Where's it showing? Monday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m., in Galaxy

New

Fifty years ago, John Fogerty—then with Creedence Clearwater Revival—played Woodstock. Now Fathom Events, BMG, and Northstar Media bring the legendary artist to the big screen for a one-night-only concert event. (110 min.)

—Glen

JOJO RABBIT

What's it rated? PG-13

Where's it showing? Galaxy, The Palm

New

Writer-director Tailka Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows) helms this adaptation of Christine Leunens' satirical novel about a young boy (Roman Griffin Davis) in Hitler's (Waititi) army who discovers his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home. (108 min.)

—Glen

JOKER

What's it rated? R

What's it worth? Full price

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10

Pick

Co-writer Todd Phillips (Old School, The Hangover, War Dogs) directs this character study and origin story of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), who after being rejected by society becomes Joker, Batman's future archnemesis.

Like a mirror on contemporary society, Joker reflects our problems back to us—the widening gap between the haves and have-nots, paternalistic politician-"saviors" who believe they know best for the "misguided" underclass, and the dismantling of the social safety net by a government that abandons its marginalized. It's a dark and depressing film, and it reminds me of the old saying, "Society gets the criminal it deserves." (121 min.)

—Glen

LAST CHRISTMAS

What's it rated? PG-13

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10

New

Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat, A Simple Favor) directs this rom-com—co-written by Emma Thompson, who also co-stars—about Kate (Emilia Clarke), a young woman who's really good at making bad decisions. She works as Santa's elf at a year-round Christmas store, where she meets Tom (Henry Golding), taking her life in an unexpected direction. (102 min.)

—Glen

THE LIGHTHOUSE

What's it rated? R

What's it worth? Full price

Where's it showing? The Palm

Pick

Co-writers and Robert and Max Eggers, with Robert (The Witch) directing, have created a psychological fantasy-horror film about two lighthouse keepers—Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) and Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson)—stuck together on a remote New England island as they slowly descend into madness

This is a weird one. As director Robert Eggers said in interviews, "Nothing good can happen when two men are trapped alone in a giant phallus." Yes, there's a lot of gay subtext, a lot of raw comic moments, and a lot of gross-out moments. Am I glad I saw The Lighthouse in the theater? Absolutely! Would I recommend it? Yes, to people who are cinephiles and who are open to unusual filmgoing experiences. Will you like it? I honestly don't know, but you'd be hard-pressed to find more careful filmmaking or more committed performances. (B&W; 109 min.)

—Glen

LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE

What's it rated? PG-13

What's it worth? Full price

Where's it showing? The Palm

Pick

Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman direct this documentary about singer Linda Ronstadt, who in her 20s burst into the '60s folk scene and went on to be one of the biggest music stars of the 20th century. The film, features interviews with Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Maria Muldaur, and many more.

Whether you're a longtime fan or one of the uninitiated, you'll find a lot to love here, from Ronstadt's amazing voice to her inspirational life. Deeply moving, the film will have you clamoring for more of her music. (95 min.)

—Glen

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

What's it rated? PG

What's it worth? Matinee

Where's it showing? Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10

Pick

Disney's reimagined black-horned villainess, potentially gone soft, graces the big screen once again. With director Joachim Rønning at the helm (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Maleficent: Mistress of Evil tells the story of how pending nuptials could tear not only Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora's (Elle Fanning) lives apart, but the human and magical worlds as well.

While the film as a whole was entertaining, it just lacked a flow in the story. Not to mention the fact that it's predictable. There were too many side stories that of course somehow come together in the end. But I don't blame Jolie for a second; her portrayal of the character, down to the deep villainous voice she uses, is amazing. She was ruling the screen, and the other characters were peasants in comparison. (118 min.)

—Karen

MIDWAY

What's it rated? PG-13

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10

New

Roland Emmerich (Stargate, Independence Day, The Patriot, White House Down) directs this historical action-drama about World War II's Battle of Midway, told by those who fought it: Lt. Richard "Dick" Best (Ed Skrein), Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson), Lt. Cmdr. Wade McClusky (Luke Evans), Adm. Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson), and Vice Adm. William "Bull" Halsey (Dennis Quaid). This pivotal June 4 through 7, 1942, battle between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy was the Pacific Theater's turning point. (138 min.)

—Glen

MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN

What's it rated? PG-13

What's it worth? Full price

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Stadium 10

See Split Screen.

PAIN AND GLORY

What's it rated? R

Where's it showing? The Palm

New

Auteur Pedro Almodóvar (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Talk to Her, Volver, The Skin I Live In) helms this semi-autobiographical story about a film director (Antonio Banderas) reflecting on his life and choices as his past and present converge. (in Spanish; 113 min.)

—Glen

PLAYING WITH FIRE

What's it rated? PG

Where's it showing? Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In

New

Andy Fickman (She's the Man, Race to Witch Mountain (2009)) directs this family comedy about a crew of firefighters who rescue three rambunctious kids. The film stars Judy Greer, Keegan-Michael Key, and John Cena. (96 min.)

—Glen

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE

What's it rated? R

What's it worth? Matinee

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In

Pick

Tim Miller (Deadpool) directs this next installment into the Terminator franchise. This time around, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and a "retired" T-800 Terminator going by the name Carl (Arnold Schwarzenegger) join forces with enhanced soldier, Grace (Mackenzie Davis), who's been sent from the future to protect Daniella "Dani" Ramos (Natalia Reyes), who if she lives will give birth to a Resistance leader who will stop an A.I. called Legion, who like Skynet hopes to destroy humankind. They're being pursued by Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna), an advanced Terminator that's able to split in two.

If it all sounds a little familiar, it's because it is, but it's also nice to see Hamilton and Schwarzenegger from the original 1984 film and the equally good sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) back together again. Yes, it's essentially the same plot about time travelers battling to either kill or save a future mother who will give birth to the leader who will save humanity, but it's a lot better than, say, Terminator Salvation (2009) and Terminator Genisys (2015).

Tripling down on the original, the film features not one but three strong female characters, who bring a lot of power to the story. It doesn't really surpass the first two films, but it definitely resets a franchise deeply in need of being reset. (128 min.)

—Glen

ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP

What's it rated? R

What's it worth? Full price

Where's it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Stadium 10

Pick

Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Gangster Squad) directs this sequel to his 2009 comedy horror film, Zombieland, about four survivors—Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin)—navigating a zombie apocalypse wasteland. In this follow-up, they slay a whole lot of zombies and encounter other survivors such as Madison (Zoey Deutch), Nevada (Rosario Dawson), Berkeley (Avan Jogia), Albuquerque (Luke Wilson), and Flagstaff (Thomas Middleditch). Somehow, Bill Murray—slain in the original—returns to play himself. (99 min.) Δ

—Glen

New Times movie reviews were compiled by Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey. Contact him at [email protected].