Krampus PG-13
Perturbed by the gathering of his dysfunctional family for Christmas, young Max (Emjay Anthony) rejects the holiday—an act inciting the wrath of Krampus, the anti-Santa. Grandma (Krista Stadler) warns that Krampus takes rather than gives, but Max’s parents (Toni Collette and Adam Scott) are ill prepared to confront a horned, cloven-footed beast meaning to wreak holy havoc upon their family. Mining thousand-year-old Alpine folklore that casts Krampus as the punisher of misbehaving children, director-cowriter Michael Dougherty cranks up the creep factor with a soundtrack that goes bumpity-bump. Personally, I’d try soothing the savage beast with a big glass of milk and a plateful of cookies. (Lisa Miller)
A Murder in the Park PG-13
A convicted murderer, Chicagoan Anthony Porter had already been measured for his coffin and asked about his last meal when a stay of execution saved his life. Investigations by a Northwestern University journalism class prompted an eyewitness to recant and coaxed a confession from another man. And then their investigation began to implode under the weight of misconduct and deceit. A Murder in the Park is a fascinating documentary on the ensuing crossfire of allegations. (David Luhrssen)
7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, UW-Milwaukee Union Cinema.
