MOViES
F R I D AY O C T O B E R 3 1 — T H U R S D AY N O V E M B E R 6 Movie summaries by M at t hew St af fo r d Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (1:21) Disney version of Judith Viorst’s classic children’s tale about a singularly crappy day in the life of an 11-year-old boy stars Dick Van Dyke, Jennifer Garner, Steve Carell and young Ed Oxenbould. l Art and Craft (1:29) Documentary focuses on embarrassingly successful art forger Mark Landis, whose faux masterpieces can be found incognito in many an American museum. l Awake: The Life of Yogananda (1:27) Biodoc of Paramahansa Yogananda, the Indian yogi who brought meditation and yoga to the West in the 1920s; Krishna Das and Deepak Chopra share insights. l Before I Go to Sleep (1:32) Trauma victim Nicole Kidman suffers zero recall whenever she awakes, making her understandably suspicious of the biographical details hubby Colin Firth has been feeding her ... l The Best of Me (1:58) Nicholas Sparks tearjerker abut high school sweethearts who reunite, reignite and regress. l Birdman (1:59) Offbeat comedy from 21 Grams director Alejandro González Iñárritu about a onetime movie superhero (Michael Keaton) trying to get himself some thespian cred by starring in a Broadway play. l The Book of Life (1:25) Dazzlingly colorful Latinaccented, Day of the Dead-themed animated musical features vocals from Zoe Saldana, Hector Elizondo, Cheech Marin, Plácido Domingo and other luminaries. l The Boxtrolls (1:40) Stylish yet quirky stop-motion bonbon from LAIKA animation about a boy raised by trolls who tries to fit into human society. l Boyhood (2:44) Richard Linklater’s intimate epic, filmed with the same cast over the course of 12 years, focuses on one boy’s evolving life from age 6 to 18; Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette star. l Citizenfour (1:54) Documentary follows investigative filmmaker Laura Poitras across the globe in search of budding whistleblower Edward Snowden. l Dear White People (1:46) Bitingly satirical Sundance sensation about racial identity in the Obama era follows four black students at the sort of Ivy League college where white students host African-Americanthemed frat parties. l Diplomacy (1:28) Gripping true story of the battle of wills between Swedish diplomat Raoul Nordling and German commandant Dietrich von Choltitz over the fate of occupied Paris. l Dracula Untold (1:40) Prequel stars Luke Evans as a peace-loving Transylvanian count whose deal with the devil turns him into the bloodthirsty vampire we all know and love. l The Equalizer (2:11) The 1980s TV series hits the big screen with Denzel Washington as a former commando who comes out of hiding to take on the Russian Mafia; Antoine Fuqua directs. l Fury (2:14) WWII action flick about a Sherman tank, its five-man crew and their impossible mission behind the German lines; Brad Pitt leads the charge. l Gone Girl (2:28) David Fincher filmization of Gillian Flynn’s best-seller stars Ben Affleck as a seemingly stable family man who becomes a murder suspect when his wife goes missing. l The Good Lie (1:52) A young orphaned refugee from Sudan’s brutal civil war finds a home in the U.S. with no-nonsense hausfrau Reese Witherspoon. l Interstellar (2:49) Spacey Christopher Nolan sci-fi drama follows a troupe of hungry astronauts through a newly discovered wormhole to the far reaches of the galaxy; Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey are among the crew. l John Wick (1:41) Retired hit man Keanu Reeves goes gunning for the punks who ruined his life, wreakl
ing havoc on the borough of Manhattan in the process. l The Judge (1:42) Courtroom dramedy finds usedup lawyer Robert Downey Jr. defending small-town judge/estranged father Robert Duvall against a murder charge; Billy Bob Thornton co-stars. l The Maze Runner (2:00) Sci-fi nightmare about a group of teenage boys trapped in a maze and the fragmented memories that sustain them. l The Metropolitan Opera: Carmen (3:40) Bizet’s sexy saga of a saucy, spirited señorita is presented direct from New York in glorious big-screen high definition. l Muscle Shoals (1:51) Documentary look at the fabled Alabama recording studio and the musicians who made it great; Mick Jagger, Aretha Franklin, Gregg Allman and other legends bear witness. l My Old Lady (1:47) Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott Thomas as expat Parisians who refuse to be ejected from their beloved apartment by ugly American Kevin Kline. l National Theatre London: Frankenstein (2:30) Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle stages a spectacular version of Mary Shelley’s horror classic, broadcast from London on the big, big screen; Benedict Cumberbatch stars. l National Theatre London: Of Mice and Men (2:30) Steinbeck’s gripping tale of friendship and dashed dreams in Depression-era Salinas stars James Franco as George and Chris O’Dowd as Lenny. l Nightcrawler (1:57) Lean and hungry Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a Weegee-type tabloid photographer specializing in crime and catastrophe; Rene Russo costars as a seen-it-all TV newshound. l The Nightmare Before Christmas (1:15) Strikingly executed Tim Burton cartoon about a Halloween pumpkin who discovers the joys of Joyeux Noël. l Ouija (1:30) Clueless girl fools around with Ouija board, dies mysteriously, posse of friends investigates, Ouija board gets mad. Duh. l Pelican Dreams (1:20) Documentary follows a brown pelican from capture on the Golden Gate Bridge to rehab at San Rafael’s WildCare; Judy Irving (The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill) directs. l Pride (1:59) Feel-good true story about a group of gay and lesbian London activists who supported a tiny Welsh chapter of the National Union of Mineworkers during a nationwide strike. l St. Vincent (1:42) Unwitting single mom Melissa McCarthy leaves her 12-year-old son in the questionable day-care of neighbor Bill Murray, who mentors the kid in the art and science of playing the horses, tipping the strippers and shooting the whiskey. l Saw (1:43) 2004 horror flick about a fiendishly inventive serial killer and his hapless victims. l The Skeleton Twins (1:31) Estranged twins Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader reconnect after both survive neardeath experiences on the same day and try to come to terms with their out-of-control lives. l Terminator 2: Judgment Day (2:30) The Arnold is (indeed) back as a futuristic cyborg sent backwards to the 20th century to preserve, protect and defend humanity’s savior-to be; thrills and wit galore. l A Thousand Times Good Night (1:57) Juliette Binoche stars as a war correspondent torn between her duty to her profession and the love and safety of her family. l The Two Faces of January (1:38) Patricia Highsmiths’s classic thriller hits the big screen with Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortensen as American tourists caught up in a web of intrigue in Greece and Istanbul. l Whiplash (1:46) Indie sleeper about the edgy, ferocious mentor-pupil relationship between a gifted young jazz drummer and his exacting taskmaster.
k New Movies This Week Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (PG)
Fairfax: Fri-Sat 12, 2:15, 4:25, 6:45, 9 Sun-Wed 12, 2:15, 4:25, 6:45 Northgate: Fri-Wed 12:20, 2:35, 4:50, 7:05, 9:20
Art and Craft (Not Rated)
Lark: Tue 3:30
Awake: The Life of Yogananda (Not Rated)
Rafael: Fri 4:30, 6:45, 8:45 Sat-Sun 2, 4:30, 6:45, 8:45 Mon-Wed 6:45, 8:45 Thu 8:45
k Before I Go to Sleep (R)
Marin: Fri 4:20, 7:30, 9:50 Sat 1:10, 4:20, 7:30, 9:50 Sun 1:10, 4:20, 7:30 Mon-Wed 4:20, 7:30 (times may change Sat and Wed) Northgate: FriWed 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 9:50
The Best of Me (PG-13)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 7:40, 10:30
k Birdman (R)
Cinema: Fri-Wed 1:10, 4, 7, 9:50 Thu 1:10, 4 Regency: Fri-Sat 10:30, 11:50, 1:25, 2:50, 4:25, 5:50, 7:25, 10:25 Sun-Thu 10:30, 11:50, 1:25, 2:50, 4:25, 5:50, 7:25 (times may change Fri-Sun and Wed-Thu)
The Book of Life (PG)
Fairfax: Fri-Sat 12:10, 2:20, 4:35, 7, 9:20 Sun-Wed 12:10, 2:20, 4:35, 7 Larkspur Landing: Fri, Mon-Wed 7; 3D showtime at 9:30 Sat-Sun 11:30, 7, 9:30; 3D showtimes at 2, 4:30 Northgate: Fri- Wed 11:15, 1:40, 4:15, 6:45, 9:15; 3D showtimes at 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8, 10:30 Playhouse: Fri 5, 7:15, 9:30 Sat-Sun 12:15, 2:30, 5, 7:15, 9:30 Mon-Wed 5, 7:15 Rowland: Fri-Wed 12:10, 5:05; 3D showtimes at 2:40, 7:30
The Boxtrolls (PG)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:55, 2:20, 4:45
Boyhood (R)
Lark: Thu 3:45
k Citizenfour (R)
Rafael: Fri 4, 6:30, 9 Sat-Sun 1:30, 4, 6:30, 9 Mon-Thu 6:30, 9
Dear White People (R)
Regency: Fri-Sat 10:50, 1:40, 4:20, 7:10, 10 Sun-Thu 10:50, 1:40, 4:20, 7:10 (times may change Fri-Sun and Wed-Thu)
Diplomacy (Not Rated)
Rafael: Fri-Sun 4:15, 8:15 Mon-Wed 8:15
Dracula Untold (PG-13)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:35, 5:05, 10:30
The Equalizer (R)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 1:55, 7:25
Fury (R)
Fairfax: Fri-Sat 12:30, 3:50, 6:50, 9:45 Sun-Wed 12:30, 3:50, 6:50 Larkspur Landing: Fri, Mon-Wed 6:45, 9:50 Sat-Sun 12:35, 3:40, 6:45, 9:50 Marin: Fri 4:05, 7:15, 10:15 Sat 12:55, 4:05, 7:15, 10:15 Sun 12:55, 4:05, 7:15 MonWed 4:05, 7:15 (times may change Sat and Wed) Regency: 12:30, 3:45, 7 (times may change Fri-Sun and Wed-Thu) Rowland: Fri-Wed 1, 4, 7, 10
Gone Girl (R)
Fairfax: Fri-Wed 1, 4:30, 7:45 Larkspur Landing: Fri, Mon-Wed 6:30, 9:45 SatSun 12, 3:15, 6:30, 9:45 Marin: Fri 3:50, 7, 10:10 Sat 12:40, 3:50, 7, 10:10 Sun 12:40, 3:50, 7 Mon-Wed 3:50, 7 (times may change Sat and Wed) Northgate: Fri-Wed 12:25, 3:45, 7, 10:15 Playhouse: Fri, Mon-Wed 3:50, 7:30 Sat-Sun 12:30, 3:50, 7:30 Rowland: Fri-Wed 12:40, 3:55, 7:10, 10:30
k The Good Lie (PG-13)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:20, 2, 4:40, 7:20, 10
k Interstellar (PG-13)
Northgate: Thu 8 Rowland: Thu 8
John Wick (R)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:50, 2:25, 4:55, 7:35, 10:10 Rowland: Fri-Wed 12:20, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50, 10:20
The Judge (R)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 11, 2:10, 5:20, 8:30
The Maze Runner (PG-13)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:05, 1:50, 4:30, 7:10, 9:55 Rowland: Fri-Wed 9:50
k The Metropolitan Opera: Carmen (Not Rated)
Lark: Sat 9:55am Wed 6:30 Marin: Sat 9:55am Wed 6:30 Regency: Sat 9:55am Wed 6:30 Sequoia: Sat 9:55am Wed 6:30
Muscle Shoals (PG-13)
Lark: Tue noon (lunch, film and discussion with music critic Paul Liberatore, Studio D president Joel Jaffe and a lineup of roots-pop musicians)
My Old Lady (PG-13)
Lark: Sat 2:30 Mon 6
National Theatre London: Frankenstein (R)
Lark: Fri 8:30
k National Theatre London: Of Mice and Men (PG-13)
Lark: Thu 7:30 Regency: Thu 7
k Nightcrawler (R)
Fairfax: Fri-Sat 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 9:50 Sun-Wed 1:15, 4:15, 7:15 Larkspur Landing: Fri, Mon-Wed 7:15, 10 Sat-Sun 1:25, 4:20, 7:15, 10 Northgate: FriWed 11, 12:15, 1:45, 3:05, 4:30, 5:50, 7:15, 8:40, 10:05 Playhouse: Fri 4, 7, 9:45 Sat-Sun 1, 4, 7, 9:45 Mon-Wed 4, 7 Rowland: Fri-Wed 11:05, 1:50, 4:35, 7:25, 10:10 Sequoia: Fri 4, 7, 10 Sat 10, 1, 4, 7, 10 Sun 1, 4, 7 Mon-Wed 4, 7 Thu 4
k The Nightmare Before Christmas (PG)
Regency: Fri 7 Sun 2 Wed 2, 7
Ouija (PG-13)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:10, 1:25, 3:40, 5:55, 8:10, 10:25 Rowland: Fri-Wed 11, 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8, 10:25
Pelican Dreams (G)
Rafael: Fri, Mon-Thu 6:15 Sat-Sun 2:15, 6:15
Pride (R)
Lark: Fri 3 Sat 5 Sun 5:30 Mon 12:35 Wed 3:30
St. Vincent (PG-13)
Fairfax: Fri-Sat 1:10, 4:05, 6:55, 9:40 Sun-Wed 1:10, 4:05, 6:55 Regency: Fri-Sat 11:30, 2:15, 4:55, 7:45, 10:25 Sun-Thu 11:30, 2:15, 4:55, 7:45 (times may change Fri-Sun and Wed-Thu) Rowland: Fri-Wed 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:15, 9:45 Sequoia: Fri 5, 7:30, 10 Sat 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10 Sun 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30 Mon-Tue 5, 7:30 Wed 3:45 Thu 5
k Saw (R)
Northgate: Fri-Wed 12:10, 2:45, 5:15, 7:50, 10:20 Rowland: Fri-Wed 11:55, 2:30, 5, 7:40, 10:15
The Skeleton Twins (R)
Lark: Fri 5:45 Sun 8:15 Thu 8:30
k Terminator 2: Judgment Day (R)
Rafael: Thu 7 (special effects expert Dennis Muren in person)
k A Thousand Times Good Night (Not Rated)
Lark: Fri 2:15 Mon 3:20 Tue 5:45 Thu 1
Two Faces of January (PG-13)
Lark: Sat 7:45 Mon 8:30 Wed 1:10
Whiplash (R)
Regency: Fri-Sat 11:20, 2, 4:45, 7:35, 10:20 Sun-Thu 11:20, 2, 4:45, 7:35 (times may change Fri-Sun and Wed-Thu)
Showtimes can change after we go to press. Please call theater to confirm schedules. CinéArts at Marin 101 Caledonia St., Sausalito • 331-0255 | CinéArts at Sequoia 25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley • 388-4862 | Cinema 41 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera • 924-6505 | Fairfax 9 Broadway, Fairfax • 453-5444 | Lark 549 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur • 924-5111 | Larkspur Landing 500 Larkspur Landing Cir., Larkspur • 461-4849 | Northgate 7000 Northgate Dr., San Rafael • 800-326-3264 | Playhouse 40 Main St., Tiburon • 435-1234 | Rafael Film Center 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael • 454-1222 | Regency 80 Smith Ranch Rd., Terra Linda • 479-5050 Rowland 44 Rowland Way, Novato • 800-326-3264
OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 6, 2014 PACIFIC SUN 17