New movies: Ghost story 'Winchester,' Middle East animation 'Bilal,' premieres at UWM

'Winchester' 

Whether it actually was the world's most haunted house, the Winchester place certainly had reason to be. 

Built outside San Francisco by the heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune, the seven-story house is in an unending state of construction, with rooms upon rooms upon rooms being added on — not for for guests, but for ghosts. 

RELATED:How you can watch this year's Oscar-nominated movies

That's the "inspired by true events" story, anyway, behind "Winchester," directed by twin brothers Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig. The supernatural thriller stars Helen Mirren as the spooky heiress, Sarah Winchester; Saran Snook as Winchester's niece; and Jason Clarke as a doctor with issues who's been brought to the house to keep other demons at bay. 

"Winchester" is rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, drug content, some sexual material and thematic elements. It runs for 99 minutes.  

'Bilal: A New Breed of Hero' 

Once upon a time, a boy who dreams of becoming a warrior is stolen with his sister into slavery, and taken to a land where greed rules over faith and family. 

Based on the life of Bilal Ibn Rabah, an African slave who became one of the early followers of Muhammad, "Bilal: A New Breed of Hero" is ambitious animation; at the time it was first released in 2016, it was considered the biggest animated feature ever made in the Middle East. 

The computer-animated epic has a contemporary voice cast, including Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ian McShane and Milwaukee native Jacob Latimore as teenage Bilal. 

At the time it first appeared, "Bilal" received solid reviews. Reviewing for The Hollywood Reporter, Deborah Young called the movie "a strong story well told that creates plenty of emotional momentum." 

"Bilal: A New Breed of Hero" is rated PG-13 for violence and some thematic elements. It runs for 105 minutes. 

'Have a Nice Day' 

We definitely don't get enough animated Chinese film noir in Milwaukee. Fortunately, UWM Union Cinema is here to help. 

In "Have a Nice Day," a driver desperate to bankroll his fiancée’s plastic surgery steals a bag of cash from his boss. But when news of his theft races through town, the driver becomes a wanted man. 

Made by Chinese animation auteur Liu Jian, "Have a Nice Day" has drawn comparisons to Quentin Tarantino, John Woo and thoughtful grown-up animated films like "Waltz With Bashir." 

In his rave review for The Wrap, Robert Abele called Liu's tone "a mix of realism and punky attitude, with a punishing grayness to the animation that gives the whole shebang the feeling of a cosmic joke." 

"Have a Nice Day" has its Milwaukee premiere Friday at 7 p.m. and shows again Saturday at 5 p.m. at UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Ave. Admission is $5, free for UWM students and members of the Union Cinema. 

"Have a Nice Day" is not rated but contains violence and mature content. It's in Mandarin with English subtitles, and runs for 77 minutes. 

'Thelma' 

A shy student named Thelma (Eili Harboe) leaves her small-town home in Norway to go to university in Oslo. She begins suffering violent seizures, even as she becomes attracted to a young woman at the university; as their connection intensifies, so do her seizures — as does the certainty that she has some unexpected supernatural abilities. 

A coming-of-age horror story, "Thelma" is co-written and directed by Joachim Trier, the Norwegian filmmaker behind such contemplative dramas as "Oslo, August 31st" and "Louder Than Bombs." 

In her 3-star review, Seattle Times critic Moira Macdonald called "Thelma" "a cool Norwegian twist on 'Carrie.' "

The movie has its Milwaukee premiere at UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., at 9 p.m. Friday, and is showing again at 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5, free for UWM students and members of the Union Cinema.  

"Thelma" is not rated, but includes sexuality and some intense scenes. It's in Norwegian with English subtitles, and runs for 116 minutes. 

More movies off the grid 

"42": The 2013 Jackie Robinson biopic starring Chadwick Boseman — who'll be taking over theaters Feb. 16 in the title role of the latest Marvel movie, "Black Panther" — gets a return engagement at Marcus Theatres' Bistroplex Southridge, Majestic Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, North Shore, Ridge and South Shore cinemas at noon Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday. Admission is $5. Info: marcustheatres.com. 

More from UWM Union Cinema: Also showing at UWM this week:

• "Canyon Cinema 50 Film Tour: Decodings," a program of 16-millimeter shorts from the Canyon Cinema experimental filmmakers cooperative. 7 p.m. Tuesday. Free admission. 
• "Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story," a documentary about the exotic movie star whose life included a role as the co-inventor of the technology behind Bluetooth. 7 p.m. Wednesday. $5, free for UWM students and members of the Union Cinema. 
• "Marshall," another Chadwick Boseman biopic, this time the story of civil rights lawyer (and future Supreme Court justice) Thurgood Marshall. 6 p.m. Thursday. Free admission. Info: cinema.uwm.edu. 

"My Lucky Star": The Movie Time series at Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave., continues its Winter Olympics-connected Sonja Henie salute with this 1938 musical, co-starring the skating star, Cesar Romero, Richard Greene and Buddy Ebsen. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. $7, $5 for students and seniors, free for museum members. Info: charlesallis.org. 

"The Wiz": The 1978 musical updating "The Wizard of Oz," with Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow and Richard Pryor as the Wiz, gets a rare big-screen showing. 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Avalon Theater, 2473 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. $5. Info: avalonmke.com.