Popcorn & Candy is DCist’s selective and subjective guide to some of the most interesting movies worth trudging through an inch two feet of snow to see.

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Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings in an incongruously uplifting moment. (Nicola Dove/Sony Pictures Classics)

The Lady in the Van

A homeless woman (Maggie Smith) takes up residence in the driveway of writer Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings). Director Nicholas Hytner (The Madness of King George) has adapted Bennett’s memoir about an unusual arrangement that lasted 15 years, and for the most part avoids the kind of maudlin sentimentality that you might fear from such a project. (Pictured: the life-affirming exception.) Jennings appears in a dual role as a writer split in two parts that don’t always coincide: the Alan Bennett writing about his life and the Alan Bennett living his life. The reliable Smith doesn’t try to make her role too sympathetic, so don’t expect a simply pleasant character study. However competently directed and acted, the film lacks a spark that may be more evident on the printed page.

What to watch if you can’t make it to the theater: It doesn’t star Maggie Smith, but you could watch the slasher homage Creep Van currently streaming on Amazon Prime. [DCist bears no responsibility for the aesthetic quality of this suggestion.]

Watch the trailer for The Lady in the Van
Opens tomorrow at Landmark Bethesda Row, AMC Shirlington and Angelika Mosaic.

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Donnie Yen (Well Go USA)

Ip Man 3

Mike Tyson (yes, that Mike Tyson) co-stars as a ruthless real estate developer in the latest installment of the celebrated Ip Man series, about the man (Donnie Yen) who founded the Wing Chun school of martial arts. The film is set in Hong Kong in 1959, as Master Ip faces down evil thugs, a potential rival (Jin Zhang), and, in a real-life plot development that makes this the Rocky II of the series, the illness of his wife (Lynn Hung). I haven’t seen the other films in the series, but if this one is any indication I want to see them all. Director Wilson Yip balances an emotional back story with thrilling fight scenes. They were choreographed by Yen with the help of legendary action director Woo-Ping Yuen, and Kenny Tse’s fluid camerawork keeps an eye on the action at all times. This would look great on the big screen and is well worth hunting down after the big thaw.

What to watch if you can’t make it to the theater: Ip Man and Ip Man 2 are streaming on Netflix Instant. I’ll be catching up with them this weekend. Will you?

Watch the trailer for Ip Man 3
Opens tomorrow at Angelika Pop-up, AMC Hoffman, AMC Loews Rio, AMC Owings Mills, Angelika Mosaic and Cinemark Egyptian

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(FilmRise)

Monster Hunt

A baby monster is born to a human father and a monster queen in this CGI/live action fantasy film that’s the highest-grossing film of all time in China. I haven’t had a chance to preview the movie, and the buzz has been mixed. The New York Post’s Sara Stewart calls it an “agreeably bonkers, occasionally disturbing cinematic ride.” But the Village Voice’s Sherilyn Connelly writes that it is “hindered by its overlong running time and often mawkish sentimentality.”

What to watch if you can’t make it to the theater:: 1973 exploitation film The Baby, starring Ruth Roman as a mother who keeps her teenage son in diapers and a crib. Streaming in full on YouTube.

Watch the trailer for Monster Hunt.
Opening tomorrow at AMC Rio and Regal Rockville

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Traci Lords and friends.

The Nutt House

Call ahead to confirm, but if you’re ready to stagger out of the house in search of human flesh companionship, and you happen to live in Mt. Pleasant or Columbia Heights, stagger no further than Acre 121, where the Washington Psychotronic Film Society screens a film about twins (Stephen Kearney) separated at birth. It was written by Sam Raimi under the pseudonym Alan Smithee, so you know it has to be good!

What to watch if you can’t make it to the theater: Spandau Ballet’s Gary and Martin Kemp starred as The Krays, the first and by all accounts superior cinematic portrayal of the infamous crime-lord brothers recently played by Tom Hardy in Legend. The Krays is streaming on Netflix Instant.

Watch the trailer for The Nutt House.
Monday, January 25 at 8 p.m. at Acre 121.

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Note: Any repertory screenings originally scheduled for this weekend are likely to be rescheduled. At press time, I can confirm two rescheduled screenings:

• The screening of Chappaqua that I was to host at the Library of Congress Friday night will be postponed; the rescheduled date is Friday, February 12 at 7 p.m.
• The Rosebud Film Festival honoring work by local filmmakers, originally scheduled for this weekend, will instead take place January 30-31. I’ll post more details on that next week.

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Also opening this week: Charlotte Rampling (nominated for an Oscar for her performance) and Tom Courtenay star in 45 Years. We’ll have a full review tomorrow.