Kam's Kapsules for Movies Opening November 18, 2016

 
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

by Kam Williams

OPENING THIS WEEK

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Bleed for This (R for profanity, sexuality, nudity and violent images) Inspirational biopic chronicling Junior Middleweight Boxing Champ Vinny Pazienza's (Miles Teller) incredible comeback after a near-fatal car accident which left him with a broken neck. Cast includes Aaran Eckhart, Katey Sagal, Christine Evangelista and Ciaran Hinds. (In English and French with subtitles)

The Edge of Seventeen (R for sexuality, profanity and underage drinking) Coming-of-age dramedy revolving around an awkward teen (Hailee Steinfeld) whose life gets even harder after her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her big brother (Blake Jenner). With Hayden Szeto, Woody Harrelson and Kyra Sedgwick.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (PG-13 for action violence) Screen adaptation of a textbook mentioned by J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, set in 1926 and chronicling the adventures of a wizard (Eddie Redmayne) who ventures from Great Britain to New York City. Support cast includes Carmen Ejogo, Johnny Depp, Zoe Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight and Ron Perlman.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Hunter Gatherer (Unrated) Character study highlighting a recently-paroled convict's (Andre Royo) adjustment back to society without the support of his girlfriend (Ashley Wilkerson) or family members who moved on with their lives while he was behind bars. Support cast includes Kellee Stewart, Jeannetta Arnette and Trayvon Williams.

I Am Not Madame Bovary (Unrated) Battle-of-the-sexes comedy about a woman (Bingbing Fan) who sues her ex-husband (Zonghan Li) for refusing to remarry after they filed for a supposedly fake divorce in order to purchase a home reserved for singles. With Wei Fan, Tao Guo and Hua Liu. (In Mandarin with subtitles)

Life on the Line (R for violence, grisly images and brief profanity) John Travolta stars in this action thriller about the unsung electricians who risk their lives working hundreds of feet in the air to maintain the grid.

The Love Witch (Unrated) Horror comedy about a witch (Samantha Robinson) who resorts to casting spells on potential suitors during her desperate quest to find Mr. Right. Cast includes Jeffrey Vincent Parise, Laura Waddell and Gian Keys.

Magnus (Unrated) Reverential biopic about Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, child chess prodigy who became world champion at the age of 22. Featuring commentary by Gary Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand.

Manchester by the Sea (R for sexuality and pervasive profanity) Character-driven drama about a janitor (Casey Affleck) who becomes the guardian of his teenage nephew (Lucas Hedges) following the untimely death of his older brother (Kyle Chandler). With Gretchen Mol, Michelle Williams and Heather Burns.

Nocturnal Animals (R for menacing, violence, profanity and graphic nudity) Screen adaptation of "Tony and Susan," Austin Wright's suspense thriller about an art gallery owner (Amy Adams) haunted by dark truths revealed in a novel written by her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal). Ensemble cast includes Michael Shannon, Isla Fisher, Laura Linney, Michael Sheen and Armie Hammer.

Off the Rails (Unrated) Obsessive compulsive documentary about Darius McCollum, a black man suffering from Asperger's syndrome who has been arrested 32 times for impersonating engineers, conductors, track repairmen and token booth clerks in order to hijack subway trains.

Officer Downe (R for sexuality, nudity, pervasive profanity and graphic violence) Kim Coates plays the title character in this adaptation of the sci-fi comic book about a reincarnated cop who repeatedly returns from the dead every time he gets shot to patrol the mean streets of L.A. With Tyler Ross, Lauren Luna Velez and Alison Lohman.

A Street Cat Named Bob (Unrated) Heartwarming biopic recounting the real-life story of a recovering drug addict (Luke Treadaway) whose life was transformed by a stray cat that crossed his path. With Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt, Anthony Head and Darren Evans.

The Take (R for violence, profanity and nudity) Action thriller about a pickpocket (Richard Madden) recruited by a CIA agent (Idris Elba) to help thwart a terrorist mission. Charlotte Le Bon, Kelly Reilly and Jose Garcia. (In English and French with subtitles)