L.A. movie openings, Jan. 29-Feb. 1: ‘Miss Bala’ with Gina Rodriguez, ‘Velvet Buzzsaw’ with Jake Gyllenhaal and more

Jan. 29

For Now

Four young friends take a road trip around California. Written by and starring Hannah Barlow, Kane Senes, Katherine Du Bois; story by Barlow. Directed by Barlow, Senes. (1:20) NR.

Jan. 30

The Gandhi Murder

Police uncover a conspiracy to assassinate the Indian leader. With Stephen Lang, Vinnie Jones, Om Puri. Directed by Karim Traidia, Pankaj Sehgal. (2:18) NR.

Hunter X Hunter: The Last Mission

Warriors channel a cosmic force in this anime tale. Written by Nobuaki Kishima, Yoshihiro Togashi. Directed by Keiichirô Kawaguchi. In Japanese with English subtitles. (1:37) NR.

Jan. 31

Café Con Leche

A human-trafficking case reveals a surprising connection between an ATF agent and a Mexico City defense attorney. With Martin Santander, Gerardo Taracena. Written by Santander, Wesley Adkins, Ray Gallardo. Directed by Gallardo. NR.

Feb. 1

Arctic

Two plane-crash survivors are stranded in a frozen wasteland. With Mads Mikkelsen, Maria Thelma Smáradóttir. Written by Joe Penna, Ryan Morrison. Directed by Penna. (1:37) PG-13.

Braid

Two women play a twisted game from their childhood as part of a scheme to rob a mentally disturbed friend. With Madeline Brewer, Sarah Hay, Imogen Waterhouse. Written and directed by Mitzi Peirone. (1:22) R.

A Breath Away

Parents try to save their infirm daughter as a mysterious dust cloud engulfs Paris. With Romain Duris, Olga Kurylenko. Written by Guillaume Lemans, Jimmy Bemon, Mathieu Delozier. Directed by Daniel Roby. In French and English with English subtitles. (1:29) NR.

Daughter of Mine

A young girl is torn between her biological mother and the woman who raised her. With Valeria Golino, Udo Kier. Written by Laura Bispuri, Francesca Manieri; based on a memoir by A.M. Homes. Directed by Bispuri. In Italian with English subtitles. (1:40) NR.

The Golem

A Jewish woman conjures a mystical creature to protect her village from invaders. With Hani Furstenberg, Ishai Golen. Written by Ariel Cohen. Directed by Directed by Doron Paz, Yoav Paz. (1:35) NR.

Great, Great, Great

A young couple’s engagement threatens to split them apart. With Sarah Kolasky, Daniel Beirne. Written by Kolasky and Adam Garnet Jones. Directed by Jones. (1:20) R.

Jihadists

Documentary about Islamic extremism in North Africa. Written and directed by Francois Margolin, Lemine Ould Salem. In French with English subtitles. (1:15) NR.

Miss Bala

A young woman is caught between a Mexican criminal gang and U.S. law enforcement. With Gina Rodriguez, Anthony Mackie, Thomas Dekker. Written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke. (1:44) PG-13.

Outlaws Rival biker gangs in Australia head for a showdown. With Ryan Corr, Abbey Lee. Written by Matt Nable. Directed by Stephen McCallum. (1:32) R.

Piercing

A married father has murderous plans for a young prostitute. With Mia Wasikowska, Christopher Abbott. Written and directed by Nicolas Pesce; based on a novel by Ryû Murakami. (1:21) R.

Sharkwater Extinction

Documentary about illegal shark fishing. Written and directed by Rob Stewart. (1:28) NR.

St. Bernard Syndicate

Two Danish men try to launch a business selling St. Bernard dogs in China. With Frederik Cilius Jørgensen, Rasmus Bruun. Written by Laerke Sanderhoff. Directed by Mads Brügger. In Danish and English with English subtitles. (1:40) NR.

Then Came You

A young hypochondriac is befriended by a terminally ill British teen. With Asa Butterfield, Maisie Williams, Nina Dobrev, Peyton List, Tyler Hoechlin, Sonya Walger, Ken Jeong, David Koechner, Tituss Burgess, Margot Bingham. Written by Fergal Rock. Directed by Peter Hutchings. (1:37) NR.

Tito and the Birds

A young boy seeks avian assistance to help stop a pandemic in this animated tale. Written by Eduardo Benaim, Gustavo Steinberg. Directed by Steinberg, Gabriel Bitar, André Catoto. In Portuguese with English subtitles. (1:13) NR.

The Unicorn

A long-engaged couple decide to try something sexually adventurous. With Lauren Lapkus, Nick Rutherford, Lucy Hale, Beck Bennett, Beverly D’Angelo, Kyle Mooney. Written by Will Elliott, Kirk C. Johnson, Nicholas Rutherford; story by Robert Schwartzman. Directed by Schwartzman. (1:28) NR.

Velvet Buzzsaw

Various art-world types meet grisly ends thanks to a deceased artist’s haunted paintings. With Jake Gyllenhaal, John Malkovich, Toni Collette, Rene Russo. Written and directed by Dan Gilroy. (1:49) R.

Who Will Write Our History

Documentary uses dramatic recreations to tell the true story of Polish Jews who catalogued Nazi atrocities in the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII. With Piotr Glowacki. Written by Roberta Grossman; based on a novel by Samuel Kassow. Directed by Grossman. In English, Polish and Yiddish with English subtitles. (1:35) NR.