La La Land

Winner of six Academy Awards, this musical drama follows an aspiring actress (Stone) and unsuccessful jazz musician (Gosling) who, over the course of several months, keep bumping into each other as they go about their day-to-day lives around Los Angeles. As their affection and attraction for each other builds, each inspires the other to reach for new heights in their creative careers, even as they fall ever more deeply in love. Both the film and music industries are tough to break into, though, and both struggle to find recognition despite the support that they provide one another.

Director: Damien Chazelle. Stars: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Finn Wittrock, Rosemarie DeWitt, J.K. Simmons. 2016. 128 min. Drama.

Underworld: Blood Wars

The next phase in the war between the vampires and Lycans unfolds in this new chapter of the Underworld franchise. With both species hunting Selene (Beckinsale) for their own purposes, vampire Semira (Pulver) lures her in under false pretenses, betraying her with the intention of stealing Selene's powers. After a daring rescue led by David (James), Selene is pursued by the villainous Marius (Menzies) and his Lycan allies. With both traitorous vampires and blood-thirsty Lycans after them, Selene and David prepare for war.

Director: Anna Foerster. Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Tobias Menzies, Lara Pulver, Charles Dance, James Faulkner. 2016. 91 min. Action.

Catfight

Many years since they last saw each other, former college frenemies Veronica (Oh) and Ashley (Heche) run into each other unexpectedly at a glitzy party. With Veronica now the trophy wife of a wealthy industrialist who profits from an ongoing war and Ashley an unsuccessful artist who is against said conflict, their lives couldn't be more different, and when they lay eyes on each other after so long apart, all of their old animosities come bubbling back up to the surface. As the party goes on, the two women's cutting words soon give way to physical blows.

Director: Onur Tukel. Stars: Sandra Oh, Anne Heche, Alicia Silverstone, Amy Hill, Damian Young. 2016. 96 min. Comedy.