Opening this week:
Bombshell Yeah, sexual harassment in the workplace is a terrible thing. And sure, Roger Ailes was a nightmarish pseudohuman whose name deserves to be dragged through the mud for all time. But when it comes to my need for righteous on-screen heroines, how far down the list do I have to go until I can feel genuine sympathy for a bunch of wingnut bimbos who spent years polluting the body politic with all manner of racist culture-war doggerel? Even if they're played by the likes of A-listers Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie? Let's just say it's pretty far. (R)
Cats The distinctly unconvincing trailers for this high-profile Broadway adaptation have inspired 2019's most frenzied feline-related social-media activity that doesn't involve a white lady pointing and screaming. The reaction, in fact, has been so resoundingly negative that director Tom Hooper had to take the risky step of reassuring the press that the finished film is going to look a whole lot better. Man, I'm so old I remember when Ang Lee was saying the same thing about the Hulk. So I guess that means that, a decade from now, Bustopher Jones will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe and all will finally be right with the world. Except with Megyn Kelly, who'll still be out here sayin' black cats aren't real. (PG)
Fantastic Fungi Time-lapse cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg has made his name meticulously documenting the doings of living things that seem inert but are actually moving almost imperceptibly. Like flowers, and forests, and Bill Murray. In his latest doc, Schwartzberg turns his attention to the fungus among us – the spores, molds and stuff that, as it turns out, you don't have to be Egon Spengler to appreciate. (Two Ghostbusters references in two sentences? I'm positive hell when a trailer drops!) (NR; tentatively scheduled to open Friday at Enzian Theater, Maitland)
A Hidden Life Speaking of things that move so slowly you almost don't even notice, Terrence Malick has a new film. It tells the true story of a Nazi resister in World War II-era Austria, and sure enough, it runs three hours. Things weren't exactly a sprint behind the camera, either: Editing took a full two years, in which time co-stars Michael Nyqvist and Bruno Ganz both passed away. Yeah, you know what? When post-production turns into post-mortem, I peace out. (PG-13)
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Better hope they had time to cram that baby into it. (PG-13)
Also playing:
Mickey and the Bear Actor Annabelle Attanasio dropped out of CBS' Bull to write and direct her first feature, which tells the story of a young woman navigating a difficult relationship with her dad. Interestingly, Attanasio's own father, Paul, is a writer for Bull. So I'm betting she was just trying to get away from him. (R; playing at Regal Winter Park Village & RPX)
– This story appears in the Dec. 18, 2019, print issue of Orlando Weekly. Stay on top of Central Florida news and views with our weekly Headlines newsletter.
