new in theaters

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX: Gotham City's notorious institutionalized spree killer (Joaquin Phoenix) finds love in Todd Phillips' comic-book-adjacent musical sequel, also starring Zazie Beetz and Lady Gaga. (138 min, R. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset)

THE OUTRUN: Saoirse Ronan plays a woman who returns to her Orkney Island birthplace to confront her past in this festival fave drama from Nora Fingscheidt, with Stephen Dillane and Saskia Reeves. (188 min, R. Savoy)

WHITE BIRD: A boy learns life lessons from his grandmother's story of escaping Nazi-occupied France in this family drama directed by Marc Forster, starring Ariella Glaser, Armando Schwerdt and Helen Mirren. (120 min, PG-13. Majestic)

currently playing

AM I RACIST? Matt Walsh goes undercover to discredit diversity, equity and inclusion experts in this comic documentary. Justin Folk directed. (101 min, PG-13. Bijou)

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE ★★★1/2 A grown-up Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) must save her daughter in this Tim Burton fantasy sequel, partially shot in Vermont. (104 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden; reviewed 9/11)

THE CRITIC ★★1/2 In the 1930s, a powerful London theater critic and an actress get embroiled in a blackmail plot in this thriller from director Anand Tucker, starring Ian McKellen, Lesley Manville and Gemma Arterton. (101 min, R. Roxy)

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Two superheroes team up in the latest Marvel flick, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. (127 min, R. Majestic)

DEVARA PART 1: A man and his smuggler brother become enemies in this Telugu-language action epic, directed by Koratala Siva. (176 min, NR. Majestic)

LEE ★★★ Kate Winslet plays fashion model and Man Ray protégée turned World War II correspondent Lee Miller in this biopic directed by Ellen Kuras. (116 min, R. Capitol, Roxy)

MEGALOPOLIS ★★★ "New Rome" is the setting for Francis Ford Coppola's science fiction epic about the clash between an idealistic architect (Adam Driver) and the mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) who obstructs his dreams. (138 min, R. Big Picture, Essex, Majestic, Savoy)

MY OLD ASS ★★★1/2 A teen (Maisy Stella) learns life lessons from her older self (Aubrey Plaza) during a mushroom trip in this comedy from director Megan Park. (88 min, R. Capitol, Majestic; reviewed 10/2)

NEVER LET GO ★★★ A woman (Halle Berry) raises her sons in isolation from a world ruled by evil spirits — or so she says — in this horror thriller from Alexandre Aja (High Tension), also starring Anthony B. Jenkins. (101 min, R. Essex)

NOTICE TO QUIT: It's a bad day for an out-of-work actor when his young daughter shows up at his eviction in this indie drama from Simon Hacker, starring Michael Zegen (91 min, PG-13. Roxy)

SPEAK NO EVIL ★★★1/2 A family's weekend stay with new friends doesn't go well in this psychological thriller directed by James Watkins. James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis star. (110 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Sunset)

THE SUBSTANCE ★★★★1/2 Coralie Fargeat (Revenge) wrote and directed this horror drama about a celebrity (Demi Moore) seeking the fountain of youth, also starring Margaret Qualley. (140 min, R. Essex, Roxy; reviewed 9/25)

SUGARCANE ★★★★★ This searing documentary from Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat delves into the legacy of abuse at a Canadian residential school for Indigenous children. (107 min, R. Catamount; reviewed 8/28)

TRANSFORMERS ONE ★★★ This animated adventure tells the origin story of how Optimus Prime and Megatron became enemies. With the voices of Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry. (104 min, PG. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Stowe, Welden)

THE WILD ROBOT ★★★★1/2 A shipwrecked robot becomes caretaker to an orphaned gosling in this animated family adventure from Chris Sanders, with the voices of Lupita Nyong'o and Pedro Pascal. (101 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

older films and special screenings

HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE 20TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Wed 2 only)

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Sunset)

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (Roxy)

MEAN GIRLS 20TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Thu & Sun only)

METROPOLITAN OPERA: LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN (Essex, Sat only)

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Sunset)

VIY (Catamount, Wed 2 only)

open theaters

(* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)

• BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info
• *BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com
• CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com
• CATAMOUNT ARTS: 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-2600, catamountarts.org
• *ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: 21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com
• MAJESTIC 10: 190 Boxwood St., Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com
• MARQUIS THEATER: 65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com
• *MERRILL'S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net
• PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com
• PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com
• SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com
• STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com
• *STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com
• SUNSET DRIVE-IN: 155 Porters Point Rd., Colchester, 862-1800, sunsetdrivein.com
• *WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com