Three films arrive in Portland

Three new titles hit local screens and digital platforms this week.

KJ Apa stars as the Hollywood legend in the biopic Jimmy, which opens in theaters on November 6. The film examines Stewart’s World War II service in the U.S. Army Air Corps. At age 33, Stewart was already a major star when he enlisted as a combat pilot. He flew 20 missions and received promotions that weighed heavily on him due to the deaths of his crew members. The narrative explores his reluctance to discuss this period publicly or with family. It also covers his difficult transition back to civilian life. Frank Capra, played by Max Casella, persuades Stewart to take the lead role in It’s A Wonderful Life. The production serves as a cathartic release for the actor. The two-hour runtime features Sarah Drew, Jason Alexander, Christopher McDonald, Rob Riggle, and Neal McDonough in supporting roles.

Martin McDonagh directs the comedic thriller Wild Horse Nine, also arriving in theaters on November 6. Set in the 1970s, the plot centers on CIA international political operations. John Malkovich plays Chris, a 72-year-old operative. His partner, Lee (Sam Rockwell), joins him on an assignment in South America. The pair take an impromptu vacation to Easter Island during a lull in operations. Their handler, MJ (Steve Buscemi), views their actions with skepticism. This suspicion grows because Chris intends to write his memoirs. Lee also struggles to manage phone calls with his angry wife, Parker Posey. The cast navigates a dynamic where trust erodes among the characters.

The French film Everyone Calls Me Mike is available on IndiePix DVD and VOD. Director Guillaume Bonnier depicts a sailing adventure for Jean, Isabelle, and her young son. The couple leaves France to escape aspirational frustrations. A poster of Gauguin in the galley hints at their destination. In the seaport of Djibouti, near Somalia, they meet a shy local refugee named Mike. He asks them to take him along. When a pirate speedboat approaches their vessel, Mike draws a gun. The film contrasts the bourgeois constraints of the French couple with the poverty-driven flight of the refugee. One pirate character asks who the real pirates are, referencing the wholesale looting of his country.

The three releases offer distinct perspectives on travel, memory, and institutional power. Each title provides a specific lens on human interaction under pressure.