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
“After the Fall” — An ordinary family man loses his job and turns to a life of crime in desperation. With Wes Bentley, Jason Isaacs and Vinessa Shaw. Written by Saar Klein and Joe Conway. Directed by Klein. (1:50) R.
“Annie” — A hard-nosed tycoon running for mayor of New York City takes in a down-on-her-luck orphan in a bid to boost his popularity in this update of the Depression-set stage and screen musical. With Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhane Wallis and Rose Byrne. Written by Will Gluck and Aline Brosh McKenna. Directed by Gluck. (1:58) PG.
“Anything for Alice” — A 30-year-old slacker who has made a fortune on the Internet risks his wealth on a ruse to win over the girl he fell in love with in college. With Max Boublil, Aissa Maiga and Patrick Timsit. Written by Laurent Turner. Directed by Nicholas Cuche. In French with English subtitles. (1:39) NR.
“The Barefoot Artist” — A documentary portrait of Lily Yeh, a Philadelphia-based artist who has created community-based art projects in some of the world’s most troubled areas. Directed by Glenn Holsten and Daniel Traub. (1:23) NR.
“The Captive” — The kidnapping of a young girl inflicts long-lasting torment on the victim, her family and the police called on to investigate the case. With Ryan Reynolds, Mireille Enos and Rosario Dawson. Written by Atom Egoyan and David Fraser. Directed by Egoyan. (1:52) R.
“The Circle” — A hybrid narrative and documentary film about a shy teacher who becomes a member of the gay organization Der Kreis, whose publication unites the fragile but vibrant post-World War II gay community in Switzerland. With Matthias Hungerbuhler, Sven Schelker and Marianne Sagebrecht. Written by Christian Felix, Urs Frey, Ivan Madeo and Stefan Haupt. Directed by Haupt. In French and German, with English subtitles. (1:40) NR.
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” — The hobbit Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions battle the dragon Smaug and the forces of the dark lord Sauron. With Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Evangeline Lilly. Written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro. Directed by Jackson. In 3-D, Imax and HFR. (2:21) PG-13.
“Inside the Mind of Leonardo” — A dramatized documentary about the life and work of the inventor, philosopher and painter Leonardo Da Vinci. Directed by Julian Jones. NR.
“Life of an Actress: The Musical” — Three actresses struggle to balance their dreams, careers and personal lives. With Orfeh, Taylor Louderman and Allison Case. Written and directed by Paul Chau. (2:04) NR.
“The King and the Mockingbird” — A newly restored version of the lost-and-found animated film about a heartless tyrant who comes into conflict with a shepherdess, a chimney sweep and a loud-mouthed bird. With the voices of Jean Martin, Pascal Mazzotti and Raymond Bussieres. Written by Jacques Prevert and Paul Grimault. Directed by Grimault. In French with English subtitles. (1:25) NR.
“Mr. Turner” — A biopic chronicling the last 2½ decades of the eccentric 19th century British painter J.M.W. Turner. With Timothy Spall, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey. Written and directed by Mike Leigh. (2:29) R.
“Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” — A museum security guard travels the globe on a quest to save the magic of an ancient artifact that brings history to life. With Ben Stiller, Robin Williams and Owen Wilson. Written by David Guion and Michael Handelman. Directed by Shawn Levy. (1:37) PG.
“PK” — A good-natured oddball shakes up the lives of those he encounters. With Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma and Boman Irani. Written by Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani. In Hindi with English subtitles. (2:30) NR.
“Poker Night” — A young detective is kidnapped and tormented by a masked serial killer, and his only hope of surviving is to use the wisdom imparted to him by senior officers on their regular poker night. With Ron Perlman, Giancarlo Esposito and Beau Mirchoff. Written and directed by Greg Francis. (1:50) R.
Also in theaters
“100 Days” — A cold-hearted telecom executive returns to his small island hometown for his estranged mother’s burial and learns about a local tradition that mandates him to marry within 100 days so his mother’s spirit can rest in peace. With Johnny Lu, Tracy Chou and Soda Voyu. Written by Megi Hsu. Directed by Henry Chan. In Mandarin with English subtitles. (1:44) 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.
“The Book of Life” juxtaposes overwrought visual imagery with an undernourished, familiar story — regrettable flaws in one of the few animated films to focus on Latino characters and the rich heritage of Mexican folk culture. (Charles Solomon, Oct. 17) (1:35) PG.
“The Color of Time” — An experimental biopic about the life and work of Pulitzer-winning poet C.K. Williams. With James Franco, Mila Kunis and Jessica Chastain. Multiple writers and directors. (1:25) R.
“Difret” — In rural Ethiopia, a tenacious young lawyer from Addis Ababa comes to defend a 14-year-old girl who was abducted for a forced marriage and killed her would-be husband while trying to escape. With Meron Getnet and Tizita Hagere. Written and directed by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari. In Amharic with English subtitles. (1:40) NR.
“Do You Know What My Name Is?” — A documentary about a six-month Alzheimer’s treatment based on research by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima and Kumon and implemented at a Cleveland elder-care facility. (1:22) NR.
“Exodus: Gods and Kings” — The defiant leader Moses rises up against the Pharaoh Ramses and leads his people out of plague-stricken Egypt toward freedom. With Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton and John Turturro. Written by Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine and Steven Zaillian. Directed by Ridley Scott. (2:30) PG-13.
“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. Swank’s religious Mary Bee and Jones’ old coot George Briggs team up to return them to an Iowa minister’s wife (Meryl Streep) for recovery. “The Homesman” may sound like a title conferred on a man and George Briggs may be driving the wagon, but it is Mary Bee’s persistence and prayers that carry the women, and the film, flawed as it sometimes is, home. (B.S., Nov. 14) (2:02) R.
“Horrible Bosses 2” — In this sexually inappropriate and politically incorrect comedy, the bumbling workplace underdogs played by Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day try their hand at being in charge. At times, they are horribly funny, especially with a nasty new nemesis in Chris Pine, whose eyebrows and sense of entitlement are completely out of control. Make no mistake, despite some well-earned laughs, “Bosses 2” is not what qualifies as a good movie or even a particularly good R-rated comedy. But there is more to laugh at this time than the first, so let’s go with less horrible, shall we? (B.S., Nov. 26) (1:48) R.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1” — Though everyone tries their hardest to make it otherwise, this is by definition a place-holder film, a movie that exists not so much for itself but to make the transition from its hugely successful predecessors to a presumably glorious finale one year hence. (K.Tu., Nov. 21) (2:03) PG-13.
“The Immortalists” — A documentary about two very different scientists who are both seeking to unlock the secret to eternal life. Directed by David Alvarado and Jason Sussberg. (1:20) NR.
“Inherent Vice” — In psychedelic 1960s Los Angeles, a pot-smoking private investigator is enlisted by his ex to investigate a plot involving her billionaire boyfriend. With Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin and Katherine Waterson. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. (2:28) R.
“Isn’t It Delicious” — The controlling matriarch of an upper-middle-class New England family discovers she is dying of lung cancer and sets out to reconcile her dysfunctional relationships with her three children, husband and former best friend. With Kathleen Chalfant, Keir Dullea and Alice Ripley. Written by Kathleen J. Kiley. Directed by Michael Patrick Kelly. (1:44) NR.
“Magician: The Astonishing Life &Work of Orson Wells” — A documentary about the enigmatic life and career of Hollywood star and filmmaker Orson Wells. Directed by Chuck Workman. (1:34) PG-13.
“Monk With a Camera” — A documentary about Nicholas Vreeland, the grandson of Vogue editor Diana Vreeland who walked away from a life of privilege to become a Tibetan Buddhist monk in 1972. Directed by Guido Santi and Tina Mascara. (1:30) NR.