L.A. movie openings Sept. 21

Sept. 21

American Dresser

A Vietnam vet and his best friend set out on a country motorcycle trip to confront the past. With Tom Berenger, Keith David, Carmine Cangialosi, Gina Gershon, Penelope Ann Miller, Bruce Dern. Written and directed by Cangialosi. (1:37) NR.

Antonio Lopez: 1970 Sex Fashion & Disco

Documentary on the influential fashion illustrator. Directed by James Crump. (1:35) NR.

Assassination Nation

Falsely accused of a data hack that plunges the town of Salem into a night of horror, a high school girl and her three besties fight to survive. With Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef, Abra Anika, Noni Rose, Colman Domingo, Maude Apatow, Bill Skarsgard, Joel McHale, Bella Thorne. Written and directed by Sam Levinson. (1:50) R.

Beyond the Sky

A UFO debunker checks his skepticism after he meets a young woman who claims to have been abducted every seven years on her birthday. With Ryan Carnes, Jordan Hinson, Peter Stormare, Dee Wallace. Written by Rebecca Berrih, Marc Porterfield, Fulvio Sestito, Rob Warren Thomas. Directed by Sestito. (1:22) NR.

Colette

Keira Knightley stars as the mononymous writer who overcame patriarchy and sexism to become one of France’s most acclaimed literary figures. With Dominic West, Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, Robert Pugh, Eleanor Tomlinson. Written by Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland, Rebecca Lenkiewicz. Directed by Westmoreland. (1:51) R.

Fahrenheit 11/9

Provocative filmmaker Michael Moore explores the Trump era of American politics in this documentary. R.

Hale County This Morning, This Evening

Documentary follows five years in the lives of two African American men from rural Alabama. Directed by RaMell Ross. (1:16) NR.

A Happening of Monumental Proportions

Career Day at an elementary school triggers a series of darkly comic events for an accountant, his family, co-workers. With Common, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Rob Riggle, Storm Reid, Anders Holm. Directed by Judy Greer. R.

The House With a Clock in its Walls

A quiet town is magically shaken when a young boy unleashes a secret world of witches and warlocks. With Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sunny Suljic, Kyle MacLachlan. Written by Eric Kripke; based on the children’s book by John Bellairs, illustrated by Edward Gorey. Directed by Eli Roth. (1:44) PG.

Jane Fonda in Five Acts

Documentary on the life and nearly 60-year career of the two-time Oscar-winner. Featuring Tom Hayden, Robert Redford. Directed by Susan Lacy. (2:13) NR.

Life Itself

The romance, marriage and parenthood of a young New York couple affects generations and spans continents. With Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Olivia Cooke, Annette Bening, Laia Costa, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Mandy Patinkin and Antonio Banderas. Written and directed by Dan Fogelman. (1:58) R.

Little Italy

Romantic comedy set against the backdrop of warring pizzerias. With Hayden Christensen, Emma Roberts, Alyssa Milano. Written by Steve Galluccio, Vinay Virmani. Directed by Donald Petrie. (1:42) R.

Love, Gilda

Documentary on the late “Saturday Night Live” comedian. Featuring Melissa McCarthy, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader. Directed by Lisa D’Apolito. (1:28) NR.

Painless

Thriller about a man born without the ability to feel physical pan and his quest to find a cure. With Joey Klein, Evalena Marie, Kip Gilman, Pascal Yen-Pfister. Written and directed by Jordan Horowitz. (1:21) NR.

Quincy

Documentary on music industry stalwart Quincy Jones. Directed by his daughter Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks. (2:04) NR.

Science Fair

Documentary on teens from around the world competing at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster. (1:30) PG.

The Sisters Brothers

Siblings are hired to kill a prospector in this comedic western. With Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed. Written by Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, based on a novel by Patrick Dewitt. Directed by Audiard. (2:00) R.

The Song of Sway Lake

Unexpected romance foils a plot to steal a valuable jazz record. Written by Ari Gold, Elizabeth Bull. Directed by Gold. (1:34) NR.

The Storyteller

A troubled family is restored by the arrival of a magical girl and the fairy only she can see. With Samantha Colburn, Brooklyn Rae Silzer, Cassidy Mack. Written and directed by Joe Crump, Rachel Noll. (1:30) NR.

Strange Nature

Grotesquely mutated frogs terrorize a Minnesota town. With Stephen Tobolowsky, John Hennigan, Lisa Sheridan, Tiffany Shepis. Written and directed by James Ojala. (1:40) NR.

When You Read This Letter

Juliette Gréco plays a young woman who leaves the convent to care for her sister and run the family business in Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1953 drama. With Philippe Lemaire, Daniel Cauchy, Irène Galter. Written by Jacques Deval. In French with English subtitles. (1:44) NR.

White Rabbit

Dramatic comedy about an L.A.-based Korean American performance artist. With Vivian Bang, Nana Ghana, Nico Evers-Swindel, Tracy Hazas, Elizabeth Sung, Michelle Sui. Written by Daryl Wein and Bang. Directed by Wein. (1:11) NR.

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