Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened: Director Lonny Price’s nostalgic theater-world documentary chronicles Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince’s famous flop, the musical “Merrily We Roll Along.” Not rated. At the Clay.
The Brand New Testament: In Belgian filmmaker Jaco Van Dormael’s religious satire, God exists, is a jerk, and is living in a high-rise apartment in Brussels. Not rated. At the Opera Plaza.
Collateral Beauty: Friends of a New York ad executive intervene to halt his descent following a tragedy in the film starring Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Michael Pena, Naomie Harris, Jacob Latimore, Kate Winslet and Helen Mirren. Rated PG-13.
Frisky: Claudia Pickering’s comedy — “a truly underdog film created by a group of Bay Area local independent filmmakers with no budget” about two twenty-something women who move to San Francisco as they embark on their seemingly attainable dream to build a marketing company together — premieres in a single screening at 2 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Roxie. Not rated.
La La Land: Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star in Damien Chazelle’s acclaimed musical about an aspiring actress and dedicated jazz musician struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Rated PG-13.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Before “A New Hope,” a ragtag group of rebels set out to steal the plans to the Death Star; the movie stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Rated PG-13.
Theo Who Lived: The documentary by David Schisgall is about American journalist Theo Padnos, who was kidnapped by Al-Qaeda in Syria. Not rated. At the Roxie.
