Editor’s note: Ratings by the Motion Picture Association of America are: (G) for general audiences; (PG) parental guidance urged because of material possibly unsuitable for children; (PG-13) parents are strongly cautioned to give guidance for attendance of children younger than 13; (R) restricted, younger than 17 admitted only with parent or adult guardian; (NC-17) no one 17 and younger admitted.
Opening in Hollywood this week
“25 to Life” — A documentary following William Brawner, a man who kept his HIV-positive status a secret for more than 25 years, as he seeks redemption for his promiscuous past. Directed by Mike L. Brown. (1:20) NR.
“Antarctica: A Year on Ice” — A documentary chronicling the day-to-day life of the people stationed on Antarctica, including base workers, chefs, technicians and tradespeople. Directed by Anthony Powell. (1:31) PG.
“The Babadook” — Six years after the violent death of her husband, a single mother struggles to control her out-of-control son, whose dreams are plagued by a monster. With Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman and Daniel Henshall. Written and directed by Jennifer Kent. (1:33) NR.
“Flamenco, Flamenco” — A performance documentary showcasing the Spanish folk music and dance style of flamenco. Directed by Carlos Saura. In Spanish with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.
“Horrible Bosses 2” — Hoodwinked by a slick investor, three wannabe entrepreneurs try to regain the upper hand by kidnapping and ransoming their adversary’s adult son. With Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis. Written by Sean Anders and John Morris. Directed by Anders. (1:48) R.
“The Imitation Game” — A biopic about the British mathematician and cryptologist Alan Turing, who helped the Allies crack Nazi Germany’s Enigma Code during World War II but was persecuted by his own government for being gay. With Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode. Written by Graham Moore. Directed by Morten Tyldum. (1:54) PG-13.
“Jal” — In western India, a willful young water diviner joins a European orinthologist to confront a drought. With Purab H. Kohli, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Kirti Kulhari. Written by Girish Malik and Rakesh Mishra. Directed by Malik. In Hindi with English subtitles. (2:06) NR.
“Little Hope Was Arson” — A documentary about a string of 10 church fires in 2010 that ignited one of the largest criminal investigations in East Texas history. Directed by Theo Love. (1:14) NR.
“Once Upon a Time Veronica” — Fresh out of medical school, a young woman navigates tough career choices, a chaotic love life and a close relationship with her ailing father. With Hermila Guedes, Maeve Jinkings and Joao Miguel. Written and directed by Marcelo Gomes. In Portuguese with English subtitles. (1:31) NR.
“Penguins of Madagascar” — A quartet of penguins team with an undercover inter-species task force to stop a villainous cephalopod. With the voices of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Chris Knights and Benedict Cumberbatch. Written by Michael Colton, John Aboud and Brandon Sawyer. Directed by Simon Smith and Eric Darnell. In 3-D. (1:31) PG.
“Viva la Liberta” — When a floundering politician vanishes in the run-up to a national election, his party’s leadership seeks out his identical twin, an author and philosopher fresh out of an insane asylum, to fill in for him. With Toni Servillo, Valerio Mastandrea and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. Written by Roberto Ando and Angelo Pasquini. Directed by Ando. In Italian with English subtitles. (1:34) NR.
“Women Who Flirt” — A woman sets out to save her longtime platonic male friend and co-worker from his manipulative new girlfriend. With Xun Zhou, Huang Xiao Ming and Sui Tang. Written by Pang Ho-cheung, Luk Yee Sum and Zhang You You. Directed by Pang Ho-Cheung. In Mandarin, with English and Chinese subtitles. (1:37) NR.
Also in theaters
“All Relative” — With the help of dating tips from a seductive divorcee, a New York City grad student successfully courts a sunny young woman, but he’s in for a shock when he meets her parents. With Connie Nielsen, Jonathan Sadowski and Sara Paxton. Written and directed by J.C. Khoury. (1:25) NR.
“Beyond the Lights” — This romance from the writer-director of the beloved “Love &Basketball,” Gina Prince-Bythewood, seems like it will follow the tried-and-true celebrity-and-commoner formula seen in “The Bodyguard” and “Notting Hill.” But the film also delivers social critiques, taking the record industry to task for selling sex and debasing women, and heralds the superstardom of lead actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw. (Martin Tsai, Nov. 14) (1:56) PG-13.
“Brahmin Bulls” — When an Indian man makes a surprise visit to his estranged son in Los Angeles, the two begin to mend their relationship, until it comes out that the father had an ulterior motive for his trip. With Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth and Justin Bartha. Written by Anu Pradhan and Mahesh Pailoor. Directed by Pailoor. (1:36) NR.
“Dumb and Dumber To” — What felt fresh in the original “Dumb and Dumber” feels strangely old-fashioned now. Hollywood wasn’t specializing in stupidity so much in 1994. (B.S., Nov. 14) (1:49) PG-13.
“Extraterrestrial” — Young friends vacationing at a cabin head out to investigate a fireball that lands in the nearby woods, with unfortunate results. With Gil Bellows, Jesse Moss and Michael Ironside. Written and directed by the Vicious Brothers. (1:47) NR.
“Food Chains” — A documentary investigating the systemic abuse of farm laborers in the U.S. Directed by Sanjay Rawal. (1:22) NR.
“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” — A lone female vampire stalks the streets of an Iranian ghost town and crosses paths with a local greaser. With Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi and Dominic Rians. Written and directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. In Farsi with English subtitles. (1:47) NR.
“Happy Valley” — A documentary about the circumstances behind and the reaction to the sexual abuse scandal that rocked Penn State beginning in November 2011. Directed by Amir Bar-Levy. (1:38) NR.
“The Homesman” — This ambitious yet fractious frontier drama based on Glendon Swarthout’s novel stars Hilary Swank and Tommy Lee Jones. The story revolves around three wives and mothers who have gone mad. (B.S., Nov. 14) (2:02) R.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1” — The reluctant revolutionary Katniss Everdeen fights to save a dear friend and lead a nation against an authoritarian regime in the opening chapter of a two-part finale. With Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson. Written by Danny Strong and Peter Craig. Directed by Francis Lawrence. (2:03) PG-13.
“The Invisible Front” — A documentary about Lithuania’s resistance against Soviet occupation in 1944. Directed by Vincas Sruoginis and Jonas Ohman. In Lithuanian with English subtitles. (1:26) NR.
“National Gallery” — A documentary going behind the scenes of the National Gallery in London. Directed by Frederick Wiseman. (3:01) NR.