L.A. film openings, Sept. 22

The spy sequel “Kingsman The Golden Circle,” the animated brick adventure “The Lego Ninjago Movie” and the horror film “Friend Request” square off in wide release. Emma Stone and Steve Carell in “Battle of the Sexes,” Jake Gyllenhaal in “Stronger” and Judi Dench in Victoria & Abdul” highlight the limited releases.

Sept. 22

Battle of the Sexes

In 1973, 55-year-old “chauvinist pig” Bobby Riggs challenges top women’s pro Billie Jean King, 29, to a tennis match that captivated the world while each deals with personal issues. With Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Elisabeth Shue, Bill Pullman, Alan Cumming. Written by Simon Beaufoy. Directed by Jonathan Drayton and Valerie Faris. (2:01) PG-13.

Big Bear

A bachelor party takes a criminal turn when a jilted groom’s friends kidnap the guy who stole his fiancée. With Pablo Schreiber, Adam Brody, Tyler Labine, Joey Kern. Written and directed by Kern. (1:28) NR.

Boston

Documentary chronicles the long, storied history of the city’s marathon, from its humble beginnings to the 2013 terror attack and the race’s place in the distance running pantheon. Narrated by Matt Damon. Directed by Jon Dunham. (1:54) NR.

Elizabeth Blue

Schizophrenia plagues a young woman after she is released from a mental hospital and moves in with her fiancé. With Anna Schafer, Ryan Vincent, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kathllen Quinlan. Written by Vincent Sabella and Alfred D. Huffington. Directed by Sabella. (1:35) PG-13.

Ex Libris: The New York Public Library

Veteran filmmaker Frederick Wiseman takes a deep dive into the venerable 92-branch institution’s complex role in the life of the city in this documentary. (3:17) NR.

The Force

Documentary explores the Oakland Police Department’s challenges with reform, the Black Lives Matter movement and a damaging scandal. Directed by Peter Nicks. (1:30) NR.

Friend Request

A social media interaction turns deadly for a popular college student and her friends. With Alycia Debnam-Carey, William Moseley, Connor Paolo. Written by Matthew Ballen, Philip Koch, Simon Verhoeven. Directed by Verhoeven. (1:32) R.

Gaga: Five Foot Two

Documentary portrays eight months in the life of multifaceted performer Lady Gaga. Directed by Chris Moukarbel. (1:40) NR.

Happy Hunting

A drunk going through withdrawal lands in a desolate desert town where the local sport is using drifters as prey. With Martin Dingle Wall, Ken Lally, Kenny Wormald. Written and directed by Joe Dietsch & Louie Gibson. (1:31) NR.

The Houses October Built 2

Five friends face their fears and again terrorized by the extreme haunting group Blue Skeleton. With Brandy Schaefer, Zack Andrews, Mikey Roe, Bobby Roe. Written by Andrews, Bobby Roe. Directed by Bobby Roe. (1:41) NR.

Kingsman The Golden Circle

Sequel to the 2014 hit finds the secret organization teaming with U.S. spies to thwart a common enemy. With Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges. Written by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn; based on a comic book by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. Directed by Vaughn. (2:21) R.

Last Rampage

A convicted murderer and his cellmate escape and terrorize Arizona in 1978. With Robert Patrick, Heather Graham, Bruce Davison. Written by Alvaro Rodriguez and Jason Rosenblatt; based on the book by James W. Clarke. Directed by Dwight Little. R.

The Lego Ninjago Movie

Lloyd and his ninja friends move to the big screen to battle his father, the evil warlord Garmadon. Voices by Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Olivia Munn, Kumail Nanjiani. Directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, Bob Logan. PG.

Machines

Documentary on a massive, unregulated textile factory in Gujarat, India and the human laborers who work long hours for little money. In Hindi and English with English subtitles. Directed by Rahul Jain. (1:11) NR.

Motherland

Documentary focuses on the experiences of three women in a busy maternity hospital in the Philippines. Directed by Ramona Diaz. In Filipino with English subtitles. (1:34) NR.

1 Buck

A dollar bill passes through the hands of the desperate citizens of a downtrodden Louisiana town in this crime thriller. With John Freeman, Katie Ryan, Will Green. Written and directed by Fabien Dufils. (1:30) NR.

Scareycrows

A young woman in an English seaside town discovers a terrifying secret as her friends disappear one by one. With Tom Child, Alice Maguire, April Hughes. Written by Diana Townsend, David Hardie. Directed by Lucy Townsend. (1:13) NR.

Shot

Wounded by a random bullet, a man clings to life as the teenage neighbor who accidentally fired a handgun struggles with his guilt. With Noah Wyle, Sharon Leal and Jorge Lendenborg Jr. Written by Anneke Campbell and Will Lamborn; story by Jeremy Kagan. Directed by Kagan. (1:29) NR.

Slipaway

An elderly woman with a sailboat befriends a struggling musician with a criminal past. With Elaine Partnow, Jesse Pepe. Written and directed by Julia Butler, Daniel Mentz. (1:29) NR.

Stronger

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jeff Bauman, a man severely injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, who helped identify one of the suspects and battled back against physical and emotional adversity. With Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Clancy Brown. Written by John Pollono, based on the book by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter. Directed by David Gordon Green. (1:56) R.

The Tiger Hunter

A young Indian man struggles to become an engineer in Chicago in the 1970s and joins a group of eccentric friends. With Danny Pudi, Rizwan Manji, Jon Heder. Written by Sameer Asad Gardezi, Lena Khan. Directed by Khan. (1:34) NR.

Time to Die

A gunslinger is released from prison and hopes to live a quiet life, but the sons of a man he killed have other ideas in this restoration of the 1966 Arturo Ripstein film. With Marga López, Jorge Martínez de Hoyos, Enrique Rocha. Written by Carlos Fuentes, Gabriel García Márquez. Directed by Arturo Ripstein. In Spanish with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.

Victoria & Abdul

The Queen of England develops a deep and trusting friendship with an Indian clerk. With Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Adeel Akhtar, Simon Callow, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard. Written by Lee Hall; based on the book by Shrabani Basu. Directed by Stephen Frears. (1:52) PG-13.

Welcome to Willits

Campers and a pot farmer in Northern California are terrorized by mysterious creatures. With Dolph Lundgren, Karrueche Tran, Rory Culkin. Written by Tim Ryan. Directed by Trevor Ryan. (1:22) NR.

Woodshock

Tormented from within and troubled by the effects of a powerful drug, a young woman loses her grip on reality. With Kirsten Dunst, Joe Cole, Pilou Asbæk. Written and directed by Kate & Laura Mulleavy. (1:40) R.

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