Movies in Tampa Bay theaters: ‘The Current War,’ ‘Black and Blue,’ ‘The Lighthouse’ – Tampa Bay Times

WEDNESDAY ONLY

MISS VIRGINIA

An inner-city mom launches a movement to see that her young son and others like him have access to a decent education. With Uzo Aduba, Matthew Modine, Aunjanue Ellis. Written by Erin O’Connor. Directed by R. J. Daniel Hanna. (102 minutes, NR)

THURSDAY

BLACK AND BLUE

A black female rookie cop in New Orleans witnesses fellow officers committing a murder. With Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo, Mike Colter, Reid Scott, Beau Knapp, Nafessa Williams. Written by Peter A. Dowling. Directed by Deon Taylor. (108 minutes, NR)

COUNTDOWN

A mysterious phone app claims to predict the moment a person will die. With Elizabeth Lail, Jordan Calloway, Talitha Bateman, Tichina Arnold, P.J. Byrne, Peter Facinelli. Written and directed by Justin Dec. (90 minutes, PG-13)

THE CURRENT WAR: DIRECTOR’S CUT

Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse and Nikolai Tesla square off in a race to illuminate the modern world. With Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Katherine Waterston, Tom Holland, Tuppence Middleton, Matthew Macfadyen. Written by Michael Mitnick. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. (107 minutes, PG-13)

THE LIGHTHOUSE

Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe play lighthouse keepers on an isolated island in New England in the 1890s in this fantasy tale. With Valeriia Karaman. Written by Robert Eggers, Max Eggers. Directed by Robert Eggers. (109 minutes, R)

ONE PIECE: STAMPEDE

Pirates from around the world seek a lost treasure in this anime tale. Written by Takashi Otsuka, Atsuhiro Tomioka; story by Eiichiro Oda. Directed by Otsuka. In Japanese with English subtitles. (101 minutes, NR)

FRIDAY

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

Eddie Murphy portrays off-color comic turned 1970s blaxploitation star Rudy Ray Moore in the Netflix biopic. With Keegan-Michael Key, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Wesley Snipes, Craig Robinson. Written by Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski. Directed by Craig Brewer. (117 minutes, R)

THE GREAT ALASKAN RACE

A champion musher and his team of sled dogs race to deliver medication to combat a diphtheria outbreak in 1920s Nome, Alaska. With Brian Presley, Brad Leland, Treat Williams, Henry Thomas, Brea Bree, Bruce Davison. Written and directed by Presley. (87 minutes, PG)

FLORIDA HORROR: SPOOKTACULAR SCREAMFEST

Check out Halloween-inspired horror flicks from dozens of Florida filmmakers at the Spooktacular Screamfest. A costume party accompanies the all-ages showings in the beer garden as well as their 21-and-up compatriots next door at Webb’s City Cellar. 7-11 p.m. Saturday. Green Bench Brewing Co., 1133 Baum Ave. N, St. Petersburg. (727) 800-9836. filmfreeway.com.

PREMIERE: THE BLACK STRING

Frankie Muniz of Malcolm in the Middle fame stars in this creepy movie from Tampa resident Andy Warrener, who teamed up with director and co-writer Brian Hanson and producer and co-writer Richard Handley to create their first feature. The Black String tells the story of a directionless man whose life starts to unravel after he meets a mysterious woman. Last month, it took home its most recent accolades, Best Feature and Best Director, from the Atlanta Horror Film Festival. Catch the film at 10 p.m. Saturday at Tampa’s Villagio Cinemas, 11778 N Dale Mabry Highway, or at 10 a.m. Sunday as part of the Halloween Horror Picture Show at Safety Harbor social club and screening room Gigglewaters, 737 Main St. Warrener plans to attend both screenings. Prices vary.

SPOOKY SEQUEL: GOOSEBUMPS 2

In conjunction with its series of family-friendly outdoor films, the City of New Port Richey Parks and Recreation Department presents Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. The movie is last year’s stand-alone sequel to Goosebumps, released in 2015 and based on the popular children’s book series by R. L. Stine. Bring chairs or blankets, plus snacks (though some may be for sale on site). The first 150 kids receive a mask, fin or Rogue One: A Star Wars Story giveaway. Free. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Sims Park, 6341 Bank St.

CRITICS’ PICKS

The Peanut Butter Falcon: A man with Down syndrome (Zack Gottsagen) runs away from his adult-care home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler and finds help from an unexpected source in this affecting, appealing piece of Americana. Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson also star.

Downton Abbey: In this big-screen adaptation of the TV series, excitement runs high when the Crawley family and the Downton Abbey staff learn that the king and queen will be stopping by for a visit. Screenwriter Julian Fellowes, the creative soul of the show, has delivered a knottily plotted story as tasty (and probably as nourishing) as a Pimm’s Cup.

Brittany Runs a Marathon: A hard-partying woman (Jillian Bell) gets a wakeup call from her doctor and begins running, with the ultimate goal of entering the New York City Marathon. Sometimes, it’s more about going the distance than winning.

UPCOMING RELEASES

All dates subject to change.

Nov. 1: Arctic Dogs; Harriet; Motherless Brooklyn; Terminator: Dark Fate

Nov. 8: Doctor Sleep; Jojo Rabbit; Last Christmas; Midway; Playing With Fire; Primal; Racetime

Nov. 15: All Rise; Charlie’s Angels; Ford v Ferrari; The Good Liar; The Report

Times staff writer Meaghan Habuda and Times wires

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