'Saturday Night' and 'The Apprentice' are among the new movies in Milwaukee this week

Reality intrudes in some unexpected ways at the movies this week — including using Legos.

Here’s what’s new in Milwaukee-area theaters starting Friday, as well as some of the new movies available on streaming and on demand this week.

‘Saturday Night’

Short version: On Oct. 11, 1975, the first episode of what became “Saturday Night Live” aired and changed, well, everything. Writer-director Jason Reitman (who years ago worked for one week on “SNL’s” writing staff) recreates the 90 minutes leading up to that telecast in real time in this biopic of sorts. The ensemble cast includes Cooper Hoffman, Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O’Brien, Finn Wolfhard, J.K. Simmons, Matthew Rhys, Lamorne Morris and Appleton native Willem Dafoe.

Where you can see it: ACX Cinema/Bayshore; AMC Mayfair Mall; Downer Theatre; Marcus Theatres’ Bistroplex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas; Silverspot Cinema.

‘The Apprentice’

Short version: Sebastian Stan plays mogul-in-the-making Donald Trump in this controversial (Trump himself tried to block its theatrical release) portrait of the president as a young man. Jeremy Strong plays Trump adviser and Mephistopheles, Roy Cohn.

Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

‘Piece by Piece’

Short version: Singer-musician-composer Pharrell Williams joins with Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville (“20 Feet From Stardom”) to tell his life story. The wrinkle? They do it using Lego animation.

Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

‘Terrifier 3’

Short version: The survivors of Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre try to put their lives back together in time for Christmas, but it turns out the Clown isn’t finished with them in the third installment in the cult slasher-horror series.

Where you can see it: ACX Cinema/Bayshore; AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas; Silverspot Cinema.

‘Average Joe’

Short version: A retired Marine becomes a high school football coach, but he winds up at the center of controversy when he gets fired for praying after games. Eric Close, Paul Rae and Amy Acker (whose first acting after college was with American Players Theatre in Spring Green) star in this faith-fueled drama, inspired by a true story.

Where you can see it: ACX Cinema/Bayshore; AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

‘My Hero Academia: You’re Next’

Short version: In the fourth feature film spun off the hugely popular Japanese manga series, a high school student out to help the fighters battling injustice squares off against a villain who imitates a former hero. (It’s showing in both dubbed and subtitled versions.)

Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival kicks off at Oriental Theatre

The four-day Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival begins at 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Oriental Theatre with “Pain and Peace,” a documentary following the journey of a Bangladeshi immigrant who, after being attacked in a hate crime after Sept. 11, begins a campaign of forgiveness for his attacker. The Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival, presented by the Muslim Women’s Coalition and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, runs through Oct. 20 at the Oriental. Tickets are $13. Info: mkefilm.org/milwaukee-muslim-film-festival-2024.

RELATED 5 film festivals to check out in Milwaukee in fall 2024

Original ‘Phantom of the Opera’ with organ accompaniment at the Oriental Theatre

You can see one of the definitive horror movies of the silent era — “The Phantom of the Opera,” with the legendary Lon Chaney — the way it should be seen, with live organ accompaniment in an old-time movie palace, at the Oriental Theatre at 7 p.m. Oct. 11. Tickets are $30. Info: mkefilm.org/oriental-theatre.

Lost Tom Petty documentary ‘Heartbreakers Beach Party’ resurfaces

In 1982-’83, Cameron Crowe made a documentary about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ tour that, after shown on MTV, was shelved for being too experimental and considered lost. Rediscovered this year, the footage for "Heartbreakers Beach Party" has been restored for a limited release, with archival bonus footage and Crowe’s commentary added. It’s showing at 7:15 p.m. Oct. 17 and 4 p.m. Oct. 20 at Marcus Theatres’ Majestic, North Shore, Ridge and South Shore cinemas. Tickets are $14. Info: marcustheatres.com.

‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ in wide release

After a two-night stop in theaters in September, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” the documentary about the “Superman” star whose paralysis after an accident led to a very different second act, is getting a full rerelease in theaters starting Oct. 11. It’s showing multiple times daily starting Oct. 11 at AMC Mayfair Mall and Marcus Theatres' Majestic and Ridge cinemas. Info: amctheatres.com , marcustheatres.com.

‘Bunny Lake Is Missing,’ found at Oriental Theatre

“Bunny Lake Is Missing,” the confounding 1965 mystery/melodrama with Laurence Olivier, Carol Lynley and Keir Dullea, gets a rare big-screen showing at 6 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Oriental Theatre. Tickets are $13. Info: mkefilm.org/oriental-theatre.com .

Vampire movies at Oriental Theatre

The Oriental's "Bite Club" series takes a vampire-centric approach to Halloween in October. Showing this week: Oct. 11, "The Hunger" at 9:15 p.m.; Oct. 12, "Monster Squad" at 3:30 p.m. and "Blade" at 8:30 p.m.; Oct. 13, "Ganja and Hess" at 3:30 p.m.; Oct. 17, "Daughters of Darkness" at 9 p.m. Tickets are $13. Info: mkefilm.org/bite-club .

RELATED: More than 75 horror movies you can see in Milwaukee theaters from now till Halloween 2024

Shocktoberfest movies at Avalon Theater

The Avalon’s horror-centric movies this week include: Oct. 11, "Mandy" at 6 p.m.; Oct. 12, "Ghostbusters" (1984) at 3 p.m. and "The Lost Boys" at 6 p.m.; Oct. 13, "The Addams Family" at 3 p.m. and “Evil Dead 2” at 6 p.m.; Oct. 16-17, "Talk to Me" at 6 p.m. Tickets are $6. Info: ntg-wi.com .

Shocktoberfest movies at Times Cinema

The Times reopens weekends in October for its own horror lineup. This week: Oct. 11, "X" at 6 p.m. and "Pearl" at 8:45 p.m.; Oct. 12, "MaXXXine" at 6 p.m. and "Late Night With the Devil" at 8:45 p.m. Tickets are $6. Info: ntg-wi.com .

Halloween movies at Milky Way Drive-In

The Milky Way Drive-In, next to Franklin Field in Ballpark Commons, fills its screen with horror and other Halloween-centric movies for the next month. Showing this week: Oct. 11, "Beetlejuice" at 6:30 p.m. and "Annabelle" at 9:15 p.m.; Oct. 12, "Ghostbusters" (1984) at 5 p.m., "Talk to Me" at 7:15 p.m. and "A Quiet Place: Day One" at 10 p.m.; Oct. 13, "Casper" (1995) at 5 p.m. and "Paranormal Activity" at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 17, double feature of "Bodies Bodies Bodies" and "Night Swim" at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $35 per carload. Info: milkwaydrivein.com .

Hispanic Heritage Month movies at the Oriental Theatre

Milwaukee Film marks Hispanic Heritage Month with several screenings reflecting the Latino American experience. Showing at 7 p.m. Oct. 14: “Hail to the Breadsticks!”, a documentary following a father and son across the country as they talk to Native Americans about the implications of sports team nicknames, including the Washington, D.C, NFL team. Tickets are $13. Info: mkefilm.org/oriental-theatre .

What’s showing at UWM Union Cinema

Highlights at the UWM Union Cinema, inside the student union at 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., include: two new European dramas — “Music” at 6 p.m. Oct. 11 and 7 p.m. Oct. 12, and “Something You Said Last Night” at 8 p.m. Oct. 11 and 5 p.m. Oct. 12 ($5 each); and “Direct Action,” a documentary following a militant activist community in France, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 (free). Info: uwm.edu/union/cinema.

New movies on demand

“Bad Genius”: A scholarship student creates a scheme to help people cheat on their exams. Callina Liang, Jabari Banks and Benedict Wong star. Available Oct. 11.

“The Silent Hour”: After an injury leaves him with permanent hearing loss, a Boston cop (Joel Kinnaman) is assigned to interpret for a deaf witness (Sandra Mae Frank ) to a gang murder — and they find themselves targeted for death by killers who they can’t hear. Available Oct. 11.

“9 Windows”: Paralyzed in the car accident that killed her parents, a young woman trolling the internet stumbles on videos of murders that mimic grisly serial killers. This thriller, which co-stars Michael Forsythe and Michael Pare, claims to be the first “feature-length, live-action film shot entirely on an extended reality film stage." Available Oct. 15.

“Depravity”: Three people discover their neighbor is not only a serial killer, but has a fortune in stolen art. But when they break into his house, they become trapped in a brutal game of wits with the murderer. Victoria Justice, Devon Ross, Taylor John Smith and Dermot Mulroney star. Available Oct. 15.

Recent releases newly available on demand: "Never Let Go," Oct. 11; “Alien: Romulus,” Oct. 15; “Reagan,” Oct. 15.

New movies on streaming services

"The Last of the Sea Women": This documentary, a film festival circuit favorite, chronicles the lives and work of the haenyeo divers of South Korea’s Jeju Island, who dive to the ocean floor to harvest seafood. Most of the women are in their 60s, 70s and 80s, and there aren’t enough young women following them. On Apple TV+ Oct. 11.

“Lonely Planet”: An author (Laura Dern) on a writing retreat in Morocco forms a friendship with a young man (Liam Hemsworth) that turns into something more. Diana Silvers co-stars in this romantic drama written and directed by Susannah Grant (“In Her Shoes,” “Erin Brockovich”). On Netflix Oct. 11.

“Brothers”: Criminal twin brothers (Peter Dinklage, Josh Brolin) join forces, one of them reluctantly, on a road trip for a heist that could implode as quickly as their relationship. On Prime Video Oct. 17.

“Mr. Crockett”: A mother has to save her son from a kids’ TV show host who’s been kidnapping children. On Hulu Oct. 11.

“Louder: The Soundtrack of Change”: This documentary, produced by Selena Gomez and Stacey Abrams, tells the story of female music activists. On Max Oct. 17.

Recent releases newly available on demand: “Tuesday,” Max Oct. 11; “Sting,” Hulu Oct. 11; “Asteroid City,” Peacock Oct. 11; “The Three Musketeers — Part I: D’Artagnan” and “Part II: Milady” (2023), Hulu Oct. 15; “Monkey Man,” Prime Video Oct. 15; “Butterfly Tale,” Hulu Oct. 17.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Saturday Night' and 'The Apprentice' are among the new movies in Milwaukee this week