Abigail
Blue Grass Drive-in, Blue Grass IA
Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Davenport IA
FilmScene, Iowa City IA
The Last Picture House, Davenport IA
Marcus Sycamore Cinema, Iowa City IA
Putnam Museum & Science Center, Davenport IA
Voy 61 Drive In Theatre, Delmar IA
(Hyperlinked titles take you to Reader reviews; IMDb hyperlinks take you to the films’ Internet Movie Database pages or other sites with film information.)
***
Abigail (R; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - IMDb listing.
Arctic: Our Frozen Planet (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - IMDb listing.
Bob Marley: One Love (PG-13; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - This musical bio-pic may not be a great movie, but it is a pretty great time, and Kinglsey Ben-Adir is a margical Marley. IMDb listing.
Challengers: Early Access Screening (R; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX: Monday, April 22, 7:50 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
Civil War (R; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, The Last Picture House, FilmScene on the Ped Mall, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - Alex Garland's rather astonishing dystopian provocation may be exciting, but it's exciting in the way a near-death experience is – which is to say terrifying, and no fun at all. IMDb listing.
Dazed & Confused (R; The Last Picture House: Saturday, April 20, through Tuesday, April 22) - You could do loads worse than spend an hour-and-a-half with the jocks, cheerleaders, freaks, nerds, bullies, hangers-on, and unexplainable whack-jobs populating Richard Linklater's thrillingly verbal ode to the joys of doing absolutely nothing. IMDb listing.
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World (not rated; FilmScene on the Ped Mall) - IMDb listing.
Dune: Part Two (PG-13; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - A bit more redundant than Part One, but it's hard to imagine another offering this year matching or bettering this sci-fi sequel's levels of scale, scope, and bone-deep, only-in-the-movies satisfaction. IMDb listing.
Fantastic Fungi: Fifth Anniversary (not rated; Marcus Sycamore Cinema: Saturday, April 20, 4:20 p.m., and Monday, April 22, 7 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
The First Omen (R; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - All told, this isn't a bad attempt at rebooting a long-defunct fright-flick franchise through an unasked-for prequel. IMDb listing.
Flight of the Butterflies (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - A bit pokey, but the slow, unspeakably beautiful explosion that is the butterflies' mass exodus is enough to make you believe in God - or, at the very least, in the gods of nature docs. IMDb listing.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (PG-13; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - I just sighed at the experience, and slumped into my seat further and further as the film continually struggled, and failed, to deliver anything approximating the zippy good times of Ivan Reitman's '80s blockbusters. IMDb listing.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (PG-13; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Voy 61 Drive-in Theatre, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - While I'd hardly consider this monster mash on par with the Oscar-winning genius of Godzilla Minus One, but I actually managed to stay awake, and even have a bit of fun. IMDb listing.
Housekeeping for Beginners (R; FilmScene on the Ped Mall: Sunday, April 21, 12:30 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
Hundreds of Beavers (not rated; FilmScene at the Chauncey) - I have to applaud this grainy, black-and-white homage to century-ago silent comedies for staying consistently clever through its run time, and for boasting numerous slapstick gags that, unlike the norm, actually get more hilarious through repetition. IMDb listing.
In the Name of God (not rated; FilmScene at the Chauncey: Tuesday, April 23, 7 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
Into America's Wild (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - IMDb listing.
The Iron Giant (PG; FilmScene at the Chauncey) - IMDb listing.
Jerusalem (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - This visually spectacular, 45-minute edu-tainment on Israel's "cradle of civilization" is really quite a glorious piece of work. IMDb listing.
Jolly Roger (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - Putnam.org.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (R; FilmScene at the Chauncey: Saturday, April 20, 10 p.m.) - With its true-crime clichés given a hysterically lurid spin, this is a terrifically energetic and inventive entertainment. IMDb listing.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (PG; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Voy 61 Drive In Theatre, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - This third animated sequel is hardly a debacle, but it's definitely a series low point, and all but indistinguishable from a 90-minute yawn. IMDb listing.
La Chimera (not rated; FilmScene at the Chauncey) - IMDb listing.
Lost in Translation (R; The Last Picture House: Saturday, April 20, through Monday, April 22) - There's so much going on in Bill Murray's and Scarlett Johansson's portrayals, and in Sofia Coppola's assured, fluid direction, that the film emerges as a devastating work, strong and funny and stunningly detailed. IMDb listing.
Market Mahalakshmi (not rated; Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - IMDb listing.
The Met Opera: La Rondine (not rated; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema: Saturday, April 20, 11:55 a.m., and Wednesday, April 24, 1 & 6:30 p.m.) - TheMetOpera.org.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (R; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - IMDb listing.
Miracles at the Movies: Locke + Signorelli (not rated; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema: Tuesday, April 23, 7 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
Monkey Man (R; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, FilmScene at the Chauncey) - While the action scenes may be energetic, they leave no residue; an hour after seeing the film, I couldn't recall a single instance of inventive choreography. IMDb listing.
The Mummy: 25th Anniversary (PG-13; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX: Thursday, April 25, 5 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
Museum Alive! (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - Putnam.org.
National Parks Adventure (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - This expectedly gorgeous edu-doc is also unexpectedly, even thrillingly, varied in presentation: sensationally informative, joyfully inspiring, and even laugh-out-loud funny. IMDb listing.
National Theatre Live: Vanya (not rated; FilmScene at the Chauncey: Saturday, April 20, 3:30 p.m.) - I can't imagine two hours better spent than watching Andrew Scott, in front of director Sam Yates' live (recorded) audience, delivering theatrical magic, and magic that, despite the stunt of the project, doesn't feel remotely self-congratulatory. IMDb listing.
Oceans (G; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - The movie's 85 minutes occasionally crawl by as deliberately as its sea-floor denizens, but it's hard to be too disappointed by a film that provides so many extraordinary sights. IMDb listing.
The People's Joker (not rated; The Last Picture House) - IMDb listing.
Robinson Crusoe (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - Putnam.org.
Sasquatch Sunset (R; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, FilmScene at the Chauncey) - IMDb listing.
Shrek 2: 20th Anniversary (PG; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX) - It should easily satisfy the fan base that adored the original, but for the unconverted among us, this sequel - its moments of inspiration aside - will be just as irksome. IMDb listing.
Someone Like You (PG; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - IMDb listing.
Spider-Man 2: 20th Anniversary (PG-13; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX: Monday, April 22, 7 p.m.) - Despite its flaws, Sam Raimi's followup is almost ridiculously enjoyable, a rare sequel that manages to leave you craving even more. IMDb listing.
Spy x Family Code: White (PG-13; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema) - IMDb listing.
SUGA Agust D Tour 'D-Day' the Movie (not rated; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX) - IMDb listing.
Superpower Dogs (G; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - We're given just enough information on how the heroic pups pull off their feats of derring-do to wholly appreciate them in practice, with the duties of the stunningly well-trained Ricochet proving especially moving. IMDb listing.
Tomb Racers (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - IMDb listing.
Unsung Hero: Early Access Screening (PG; Davenport 53rd 18 + IMAX, Marcus Sycamore Cinema: Wednesday, April 24, 6 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
Up in Smoke (R; The Last Picture House: Saturday, April 20, through Monday, April 22) - IMDb listing.
Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation (not rated; Putnam Museum & Science Center) - I might've left this edu-doc just as satisfied if it were a silent film, or at least one wholly free of words, given that the 3D sights on display left me less fascinated than thunderstruck. IMDb listing.
WarGames (PG; FilmScene at the Chauncey: Monday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
Wicked Little Letters (R; FilmScene on the Ped Mall: Saturday, April 20, 12:30 p.m.) - Potty language aside, this is pure Brit-com, overflowing with easy stereotypes, pleasant period trappings, and a heavy-handed social message delivered with the lightest of touches. IMDb listing.
The Wind Will Carry Us (not rated; FilmScene at the Chauncey: Sunday, April 21, 3:30 p.m., and Wednesday, April 24, 6:30 p.m.) - IMDb listing.
