Your Weekend in Film

Brush off the work week’s dust with a dash to the movies and remind yourself of the good things that come with being resilient. In the (incredible) case that no new films here strike a chord, don’t forget that still playing are Kingsman: The Golden Circle and the box-office juggernaut It.

This Week’s Pick: Battle of the Sexes

Emma Stone and Steve Carell, as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, pick up their tennis racquets for a match that can decide where the genders stand. Steve Davis: “As neatly framed by the feel-good Battle of the Sexes, much was at stake for the two participants in this hyped-up contest staged in Houston’s cavernous Astrodome, a venue aptly hearkening back to the days when Roman gladiators faced off against each other in a rounded Coliseum.” 3.5 stars.

Also Reviewed

Stronger. Adaptation of the eponymous book from Jeff Bauman, survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Danielle White: "Bauman became a reluctant, even unwilling hero once a photo taken of him amidst the carnage made national news." 3 stars.

American Made. TWA pilot flies for the CIA, and the drug cartel, in the 1980s. Marc Savlov: "Cruise, still effortlessly oozing charm after all these years, makes Seal into something of a naive chump." 3 stars.

Gook. Friendship between two Korean-American brothers and an 11-year-old black girl blooms during the first day of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. Marjorie Baumgarten: "With clear nods to Clerks and Do the Right Thing, Chon’s film is imbued with a strong sense of the slack experienced by bored storekeepers as well as the ways in which a neighborhood’s racial tensions can escalate in a mere heartbeat." 3 stars.

Woodshock. After a tragic loss, a woman takes drugs to alleviate the grief. Marc Savlov: “On the other hand, given its subject matter, it might be a helluva lot of fun on cannabis, but the first impression is definitely one of all style, and precious little substance.” 2 stars.

Friend Request. Death comes to a woman on social media. Josh Kupecki: “Do yourself a favor and unsubscribe.” ½ star.

Also Opening

Victoria and Abdul. Shrabani Basu’s book about Queen Victoria’s friendship with an Indian clerk comes to the big screen.

Flatliners. Sequel to (or maybe remake of) the 1990 horror film sees medical students attempting to discover what is there when we die.

Special Screenings

Director Drew Xanthopoulos' documentary The Sensitives, which screens Friday night, is an empathetic and day-to-day look at people affected by chemical and eletromagnetic elements. Xanthopoulos will also attend the screening.

This weekend sees the return of two classics in a whole new light. First up is a restored version of The Shining, screening throughout the week. Of the seminal horror film, Marjorie Baumgarten writes: "Who would have ever thought to pair up Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King? But weird as it sounds, this creepy thriller works.” Then there is The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride double-bill that screens Friday and Saturday, which is also a black-light party.

Cult Classic Convention. Spanning over three days, the event courts celebrities, comedy, live music, and a special screening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Edwin Neal and Sid Haig will also attend.

Discovery: A Celebration of Women in Art & Film. ATX Gals and AFS team up to show 15 selected works of up-and-coming women filmmakers this Saturday. A portion of proceeds will go to GEN and Safe Austin.

Paris, Texas. See the late Harry Dean Stanton again when the film, written by Sam Shepard, screens this Saturday and Sunday.

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