By Chip Chandler — Producer
In Amarillo theaters this week: Caveman's best friend, Mark Wahlberg in action mode, and more. Check here for all of your movie options through Aug. 23!
New in theaters
Alpha
A young Ice Age-era man (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is stranded after his first hunt with his tribe. He tames a lone wolf, and the pair must rely on each other to survive in the dangerous wilderness. Initial reviews of this prehistoric adventure are surprisingly strong. “Alpha, set on the plains and mountains of Europe 20,000 years ago ... is no prettified travelogue. Its most potent moments depict the gnashing war of man and nature: lions leaping from the shadows, a fellow wriggling up a dead tree to escape a pack of wolves, the astonishing opening sequence (a drop-dead marvel if you see it, as it was made to be seen, in IMAX), in which a row of hunters, dressed in fur and bones, hurl spears at a herd of bison, who rage forward and then, confronted by a fence formed by the spears, turn around and gallop the other way, plunging off a vertical cliff as dizzyingly high as any mesa you’ve ever seen," writes Variety's Owen Gleiberman. (PG-13 for some intense peril; click here for showtimes at United Artists Amarillo Star 14, 8275 W. Amarillo Blvd., and Cinemark Hollywood 16, 9100 Canyon Drive)
Mile 22
Director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg reteam (after Lone Survivor, Patriots Day and Deepwater Horizon) for this action-adventure tale about a CIA operative who, with his crack team, must protect an asset in what the filmmaking duo hopes to be the kick off of a new action franchise. No reviews are out yet. (R for strong violence and language throughout; click here for showtimes at Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16)
Special engagements
Elvis '68 Comeback Special
The iconic televised concert in which Elvis Presley relaunched his singing career will be seen again in a 50th anniversary reissue with behind-the-scenes footage and more. It'll screen at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16 and 20 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
American Graffiti
Head down to Sandell Drive-In for a classic car show and screening of the beloved film. The party will begin at 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the drive-in, 12 S. Center Drive in Clarendon. Tickets are $8 adults, $6 for children and free ages 2 and younger. Call 806-874-0685.
An Interview with God
In this faith-based drama, young reporter (Brenton Thwaites, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) struggles with his dying faith after covering the Afghanistan war, then meets a mysterious man (David Strathairn) claiming to be God. The film will screen at 7 p.m. Aug. 20 to 22 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Western Film Event
The Center for the Study of the American West will host a two-day screening event focused on iconic Western films —John Ford's The Searchers on Aug. 22 and John Huston's The Unforgiven on Aug. 23. Films will screen at 7 p.m. each night in the Amarillo College Concert Hall Theatre on the Washington Street campus. Admission is free. Call 806-651-5238.
2001: A Space Odyssey
The sci-fi classic will screen (for at least a week) beginning Aug. 23 in a 50th anniversary celebration at Amarillo Star 14.
RiffTrax Live: Krull
The RiffTrax crew will take on the notoriously awful sci-fi film in a live screening at 7 p.m. Aug. 23, followed by an encore at 12:55 p.m. Aug. 25, at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Upcoming
Aug. 23: Advance tickets are now on sale for dark puppet comedy The Happytime Murders at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Aug. 24: Family adventure A.X.L. and thriller Searching is scheduled to open, but advance tickets are not yet on sale.
Aug. 26 and 29: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with a 60th anniversary presentation of the Rogers & Hammerstein musical South Pacific at 2 and 7 p.m. Aug. 26 and 29 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Aug. 28: A 25th anniversary screening of inspirational football drama Rudy will screen at 2 and 7 p.m. Aug. 28 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Aug. 31: Sci-fi action film Kin and Spanish-language dramedy Ya Veremos are scheduled to open, but advance tickets are not yet on sale.
Aug. 31 to Sept. 6: Immerse yourself in all things Potter with Wizarding World XD Week at Hollywood 16. All eight Harry Potter films and Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them will screen at various times throughout the week. Festival pass is $25, and individual admissions are $5 each.
Sept. 7: Inspirational family drama God Bless the Broken Road, horror film The Nun and action thriller Peppermint are scheduled to open nationally, but advance tickets are not yet on sale.
Sept. 9 and 12: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with a presentation of the Rogers & Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music at 2 and 7 p.m. Sept. 9 and 12 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Sept. 13: Advance tickets are on sale now for action-adventure remake The Predator and inspirational drama Unbroken: Path to Redemption at Hollywood 16. Amarillo Star 14 should follow.
Sept. 13 and 15: Biblical stage drama Moses will feature massive sets, special effects and live animals in a production filmed before a live audience. It'll screen at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 and 12:55 p.m. Sept. 15 at Amarillo Star 14.
Sept. 14: Thriller A Simple Favor and crime drama White Boy Rick are scheduled to open nationally, but advance tickets are not yet on sale.
Sept. 15: The highly anticipated rematch between boxers Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin will stream live at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at Amarillo Star 14.
Sept. 15 and 17: Anime feature Dragon Ball Z: Broly — The Legendary Super Saiyan will screen (English-dubbed) at 12:55 p.m. Sept. 14 and 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Sept. 20: Anime feature Digimon Adventure tri: Future will screen (English-dubbed) at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Sept. 21: Incendiary political documentary Fahrenheit 11/9, children's fantasy film The House with a Clock in Its Walls and drama Life Itself are scheduled to open nationally, but advance tickets are not yet on sale.
Sept. 23 and 26: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with a presentation of the seminal teen angst drama Rebel Without a Cause at 2 and 7 p.m. Sept. 23 and 26 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Sept. 27: Sir Ian McKellen stars in a West End production of Shakespeare's classic drama King Lear, filmed live and streamed one night only at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at Amarillo Star 14.
Sept. 27: The 1986 animated feature Transformers: The Movie returns to the big screen for one night at 7 p.m Sept. 27 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Sept. 28: Horror film Hell Fest, a modern-day retelling of Little Women, comedy Night School and animated feature Smallfoot are scheduled to open nationally, but advance tickets are not yet on sale.
Sept. 29 and Oct. 3: The Discovery documentary Above and Beyond celebrates NASA's 60th anniversary with screenings at 12:55 p.m. Sept. 29 and 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
Sept. 30 to Oct. 3: The Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 continues with fantasy adventure My Neighbor Totoro at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16. An English-dubbed version will screen at 12:55 p.m. Sept. 30 and 7 p.m. Oct. 3, with a subtitled version screening at 7 p.m. Oct. 1.
Listings at a glance
Click on titles for my review and on theaters for showtimes.
Alpha (AS-14, H-16); Ant-Man and the Wasp (H-16); Avengers: Infinity War (Premiere Cinemas Westgate Mall 6, 7701 W. Interstate 40); BlacKkKlansman (H-16); Christopher Robin (AS-14, H-16); Crazy Rich Asians (H-16); The Darkest Minds (H-16 and WM-6); Deadpool 2 (WM-6); Dog Days (AS-14, H-16); The Equalizer 2 (AS-14, H-16 and Tascosa Drive-In, 1999 Dumas Drive); Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (AS-14, H-16); The Incredibles 2 (AS-14, H-16); Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (AS-14); Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (AS-14, H-16); The Meg (AS-14, H-16 and Tascosa); Mile 22 (AS-14, H-16); Mission: Impossible — Fallout (AS-14, H-16); Ocean's 8 (WM-6); Pandas (AS-14); Slender Man (AS-14, H-16); Solo: A Star Wars Story (WM-6); The Spy Who Dumped Me (AS-14, H-16); Tag (WM-6); and Upgrade (WM-6).
Chip Chandler is a producer for Panhandle PBS and a member of GALECA. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and on Facebook.
