Harbor Theater

‘A House of Dynamite’

(R; 1 hour, 52 minutes)

Playing out a nightmare scenario with nerve-wracking plausibility, director Kathryn Bigelow’s (“Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty”) masterfully constructed “A House of Dynamite” is a hyperrealistic political procedural that embeds the increasingly tense viewer in the situation rooms and military outposts and presidential helicopters where the action unfolds.

The film portrays what could happen if a nuclear weapon is fired from a submarine in the Pacific corridor towards continental United States and how the chain of command would respond in the 18 minutes it takes for it to strike a major city.

Focusing on how the morning unfolds for a handful of characters whose job it is to be armed with knowledge and preparation if the United States is faced with a hostile action, the film’s tension mounts to an almost unbearable level.

It’s an ensemble cast (Rebecca Ferguson, Jared Harris, Jason Clarke, Gabriel Basso, and Idris Elba) in the truest sense because every actor is a piece in the puzzle in the same way that each of the roles they play, and their real-life counterparts, have a specific function in the event of a nuclear attack. Everything everyone does is to serve the only person empowered to make any decisions, the president.

Final showings Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.

Exhibition on Screen

‘Caravaggio’

(NR; 100 minutes)

Join us for “Caravaggio,” co-directed by David Bickerstaff and produced by Phil Grabsky. Mystery, intrigue, beauty, passion, and murder all come to light in this extraordinary and dramatic biography of one of art history’s most revolutionary figures.

Five years in the making, this is the most extensive film ever produced about Caravaggio, featuring firsthand testimony from the artist himself on the eve of his mysterious disappearance. Through masterpieces, expert commentary, and a deep exploration of the hidden narratives behind his work, the film uncovers the man behind the myth.

Known for his masterful use of light, realism, and emotional intensity, Caravaggio’s paintings remain some of the most captivating in history, revealing not just his artistic genius, but also the turmoil and mystery that defined his life.

Plays for two shows only Friday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 for members and $12 for nonmembers and may be purchased at the door. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

‘Frankenstein’

(R; 2 hours, 29 minutes)

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s incredibly influential 1818 Gothic novel “Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus” – the classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is a story about stories, about fathers and sons, innocents and monsters, and the madness of creation, letting both Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) and the creation (Jacob Elordi) tell their sides of the tale. The film opens in the desolate Arctic, where Victor has chased his creation, and flashes back as Frankenstein relates his life’s story.

Aptly, this screen rendition is composed of stitched-together subgenres. It’s part fairy tale, part dark fantasy, and part body-horror. But it’s perhaps best tagged as Gothic romanticism. Every frame is filled with burnished images, elaborate symbolism, ornate production design and a lyrical score. It’s resolutely performed by all, dazzles with craft, and throbs with the passion of its creator.

Showing Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

‘Blue Moon’

(R; 1 hour, 40 minutes)

Richard Linklater’s excellent “Blue Moon” tells the story of legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart bravely facing the future as his professional and private life unravel. Confined almost entirely to a single location, “Blue Moon” unspools at Sardi’s, the legendary midtown New York restaurant, immediately following the opening of former partner Richard Rodgers’ “Oklahoma!”

The date is March 31, 1943, and there’s a war on, although it’s a cold one between the former songwriting duo. Linklater captures the heart of the writer through one of the last nights in the life of Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), who was once one of the most acclaimed Broadway songwriters on the scene before fame and passion stopped returning his calls. He’s now the drunk at the end of the bar, the guy who gets there first and leaves last, and the one who can barely hide the pain behind his nonstop commentary on film, Broadway, and everything else around him.

Working from a script by Robert Kaplow, Linklater has crafted one of his finest dramedies, a consistently fascinating exploration of the frailty of the artist, buoyed by one of Hawke’s most remarkable performances.

Showings Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.

‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962)

(PG; 3 hours, 48 minutes)

A sweeping epic, “Lawrence of Arabia” follows British officer T.E. Lawrence on his mission to unite the Arab tribes in their revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. As he becomes a charismatic and almost mythic figure in the fight for Arab unity, his inner turmoil begins to threaten his accomplishments.

Directed by David Lean and written by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson, this cinematic masterpiece remains one of the most celebrated films ever made.

Join us for this Lunch with the Classics film, featuring a themed meal at 12:30 p.m. followed by the feature presentation at 1 p.m. Tickets are $15 for members and $19 for nonmembers. Film-only tickets are available for regular prices.

Plays for one show only Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Finally

Harbor Theater is open for 2 p.m. matinees on Wednesday and Sunday and at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The theater is closed Monday and Tuesday from October through May. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children. Member prices are $8 for adults and $6 for children under 18. For more information about the theater, memberships, and other upcoming films, go to boothbaycinema.org or facebook.com/boothbaycinema, or call 633-0438. Harbor Theater is a nonprofit cinema located at 185 Townsend Ave., at the junction of Routes 27 and 96, in Boothbay Harbor, across from Hannaford Supermarket.