The Guard ***½

John Michael McDonagh wrote and directed this Dramedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Mark Strong, Liam Cunningham, Fionnuala Flanagan, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Pat Shortt, Katarina Cas. Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, drug material and sexual content. Running time is one hour and thirty-six minutes.

An unorthodox Irish policeman (Brendan Gleeson) joins forces with a straitlaced FBI agent (Don Cheadle) to take on an international drug-smuggling gang.

To say Gleeson's character is unorthodox is putting it mildly. In America, he would have been suspended in short order. But in Ireland and it's culture, it works. The rating's "pervasive language" should be taken literally as I don't think I've heard the 'F' word used so much, ever. However, after a while it gets to be funny since it's such an integral part of how the characters speak. What really makes this an excellent film is Gleeson's character's likeability. He has his flaws but underneath he's a good cop, a good son, and a likeable man. I probably wouldn't have seen this pic had it not been recommended to me but I'm really glad I did. I enjoyed it as much as anything I've seen all  summer.

Screen size and theatre  sound are unimportant to the enjoyability of this film. There are no additional scenes once the credits start, although I was hoping there would be (you'll just have to see it to understand why). Theatre/Times.

What's Your Number **

Mark Mylod directed this Romantic Comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Anna Faris, Chris Evans, Ari Graynor, Blythe Danner, Joel McHale, Dave Annabelle, Andy Samberg, Zachary Quinto, Tom Lennon, Aziz Ansari, Anthony Mackie, Martin Freeman, Mike Vogel. Rated R for sexual content and language. Running time is one hour and forty-six minutes.

A woman (Faris) embarks on a quest to find the best "ex" of her life when she reads a magazine article warning that people who have had 20 or more relationships have missed their chance at true love and she realizes she's already hit that number.

Faris is an attractive actress who used to be known as the "scream queen" for her roles in thrillers. Here she's trying to move to light comedy, a genre she clearly has the talent for. In this case, however, she's so severely limited by a poor quality script there's not much she can do to salvage the film. Her character is all over the place, from sweet and talented to completely ditsy. Consequently, you never get a feel for the character and never care what happens to her. The script is clearly oriented to a very young crowd with it's constant sexual comments but many of them will be unable to attend due to the clearly deserved R rating. There are occasional funny moments, but not enough to make it worth your while.

Screen size and sound quality are inconsequential. There are no extra scenes once the credity start. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 9/30/11

MetaCritic indicates THE GUARD (78) is the best of the new films this week, followed by 50/50 (73), COURAGEOUS (38), WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? (37), and in last place, DREAM HOUSE (00, No national reviews). The national critics and I agree on THE GUARD and DREAM HOUSE. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

Check out Monday's Opening section to see the previews and synopses.

My reviews of  WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER (**) and THE GUARD (***½) will be available today (Friday) at 4:30 p.m. If you can't wait that long for reviews, see the reviews below.

James Berardinelli review of 50/50.
Orlando Sentinel review of Courageous.

MovieWeb review of Dream House.
Empire review of The Guard.
Arizona Republic review of What's Your Number?.

Opening 9/30/11

For Wichita show times select a theatre at the end of each synopsis. For most other cities, select any theatre below a synopsis or review and enter other town/state below "Change Location", press enter. Next times, just press change. Friday times appear Wednesdays.

50/50 [R] 1 hr. 39 min. Dramedy Watch Preview Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston, Philip Baker Hall. Plot: a man (Gordon-Levitt) diagnosed with cancer  decides to use humor in helping fight against the disease. Showing at:  Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Courageous 2 hrs. 10 min. Religious Drama Watch Preview Cast: Alex Kendrick, Kevin Downes, Ben Davies, Matt Hardwick, Ken Beve. Plot: four law enforcement officers make a decision that changes all of their lives. Showing at: Northrock 14 ?, Warren East,  Warren West.

Dream House [PG-13] 1 hr. 50 min. Suspense/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz, Marton Csokas, Elias Koteas, Jane Alexander. Plot: a family unknowingly moves into a home where several grisly murders were committed...only to find themselves the killer's next target. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Guard 1 hr. 36 min. Dramedy Watch Preview Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Mark Strong, Liam Cunningham, Fionnuala Flanagan, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Pat Shortt, Katarina Cas. Plot: an unorthodox Irish policeman (Brendan Gleeson) joins forces with a straitlaced FBI agent (Don Cheadle) to take on an international drug-smuggling gang. Showing at:  Warren East.

What's Your Number [R] 1 hr. 46 min. Romantic Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Anna Faris, Chris Evans, Ari Graynor, Blythe Danner, Joel McHale, Dave Annabelle, Andy Samberg, Zachary Quinto, Tom Lennon, Aziz Ansari, Anthony Mackie, Martin Freeman, Mike Vogel. Plot: a woman embarks on a quest to find the best "ex" of her life when she reads a magazine article warning that people who have had 20 or more relationships have missed their chance at true love. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 9/29/11

Derby Plaza - I Don't Know How She Does It, Drive

Movie Machine - I Don't Know How She Does It

Northrock 14 -

Palace West - Kung Fu Panda 2, Bad Teacher, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Bridesmaids, The Change Up

Starlite Drive-In - open weekends only

Warren East 13th - Warrior, The  Debt, Straw Dogs

Warren Old Town - Drive, Straw Dogs, Contagion

Warren West 21st - The Debt, Harry Potter 7.2, Straw Dogs, Warrior, I Don't Know How She Does It

Moneyball **½

Bennett Miller directed this Drama Watch Preview Cast: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright, Stephen Bishop, Kathyrn Morris, Chris Pratt. Rated PG-13 for some strong language. Running time is two hours and thirteen minutes.

The general manager of the Oakland A's (Brad Pitt) teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games.

The national reviews mostly seem high on this film but I found it to be too long and too slowly paced to be really entertaining. It's at least thirty minutes too long and there's clearly a lot that could have been dispensed with. I also had a hard time ever getting in sync with Pitt's character and as a result I didn't really care what happened to him. There is a very fine sequence toward the end of the film where the team is attempting to break a record that really caught my interest, but that was the only one. Baseball fans will no doubt be far  more impressed than I was.

No real reason to worry about the size of the screen or the quality of the sound. This is mostly about sitting around and talking. There are no extra  sequences once the film credits start. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 9/23/11

MetaCritic indicates MONEYBALL (88) is the best of the new films this week, followed by DOLPHIN TALE (66), SARAH'S KEY (59), THE KILLER ELITE (43), and in last place, ABDUCTION (32).  The national critics and I certainly disagree on MONEYBALL although if you're a hard core baseball fan you may agree with them. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

Check out Monday's Opening section to see the previews and synopses.

My review of MONEYBALL (**½) will be available today (Friday) at 4:30 p.m. If you can't wait that long for reviews, see the reviews below.

USA Today review of ABDUCTION.
Orlando Sentinel review of DOLPHIN TALE.
Rolling Stone review of KILLER ELITE.
San Francisco Chronicle review of MONEYBALL.
Roger Ebert review of SARAH'S KEY.

Opening 9/23/11

For Wichita show times select a theatre at the end of each synopsis. For most other cities, select any theatre below a synopsis or review and enter other town/state below "Change Location", press enter. Next times, just press change. Friday times appear Wednesdays.

Abduction [PG-13] 1 hr. 46 min. Action Watch Preview Cast: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello, Denzel Whitaker, Michael Nyqvist, Sigourney Weaver. Plot: a teenage boy (Lautner) has long had the uneasy feeling he's living someone else's life. When he stumbles upon an image of himself as a little boy on a missing persons website he realizes his parents are not his own and his life is a lie, carefully fabricated to hide something mysterious and dangerous. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Dolphin Tale 2D/3D [PG] 1 hr. 53 min. Family Watch Preview Cast: Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson, Nathan Gamble, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Austin Stowell, Morgan Freeman. Plot: true story of a brave dolphin and the compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life after her tail is lost in a crab trap. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren West.

Killer Elite [R] 1 hr. 54 min. Action Watch Preview Cast: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro, Yvonne Strahovski, Dominic Purcell, Aden Young, Ben Mendelsohn, Lachy Hulme, Firass Dirani, Grant Bowler, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Plot: an ex-special ops agent (Jason Statham) is lured out of retirement to rescue his mentor (Robert De Niro). To make the rescue, he must complete a near-impossible mission of killing three tough-as-nails assassins with a cunning leader (Clive Owen). Showing at:  Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Moneyball [PG-13] 2 hr. 13 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright, Stephen Bishop, Kathyrn Morris, Chris Pratt. Plot: the general manager of the Oakland A's (Brad Pitt) teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Sarah's Key [PG-13] 1 hr. 51 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Kristin Scott Thomas, Melusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup, Frederic Pierrot, Michel Duchaussoy, Dominique Frot, Natasha Mashkevich, Gisele Casadesus, Aidan Quinn. Plot: sixty seven years later, a young holocaust prisoner's story intertwines with that of an American journalist investigating the roundup. In her research, she stumbles onto a trail of secrets that link her to the prisoner, and to questions about her own romantic future. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 9/22/11

Derby Plaza - The Help, Apollo 18, Shark Night, The Smurfs

Movie Machine - The Help, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, The Smurfs, Spy Kids 4D

Northrock 14 -

Palace West - Super 8, Green Lantern, On Stranger Tides

Starlite Drive-In - open weekends only

Warren East 13th - The Trip, Apollo 18, Spy Kids 4D, Our Idiot Brother, The Change Up, Bucky Larson, Warrior, Colombiana, Captain America,  Cowboys & Aliens

Warren Old Town - I Don't Know How She Does  It, Our Idiot Brother, The Help, The Debt

Warren West 21st - Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Apollo 18, Colombiana, Our Idiot Brother, The Smurfs, Cowboys & Aliens, Shark Night

Drive ***

Nicolas Winding Refn directed this Drama. Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac, Albert Brooks. Rated R for strong brutal bloody violence, language and some nudity. Running time is one hour and forty minutes.

A Hollywood stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway driver-for-hire finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor (Carey Mulligan).

This certainly wasn't what I expected and I think you'll be surprised also. I thought it would be a fast paced, non-stop action film. Instead it's a very slowly paced film with acting so laconic as to approach stupor. There are some driving scenes but they are few and far between. What there is,  unexpectedly, amidst the desultory acting, are brief scenes of extreme brutality that may cause many to cringe. They remind me of something the late Sam Peckinpah would have made. It's not that I don't think this is a good film, I do...but it's one where I'd have to know you well  before Id suggest you see it. What I liked is that it's different, without a cookie cutter plot where you can see the ending coming a mile away.

A large screen isn't necessary since there's really not much action. And, there are a couple of places where you might appreciate having a little lower quality sound (have you ever heard a skull being crushed?). There are no extra scenes once the credits start. Theatres/Times.

Straw Dogs **½

Rod Lurie directed thisThriller. Watch Preview Cast: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard, Dominic Purcell, Laz Alonso, Willa Holland, James Woods. Rated R for strong brutal violence including a sexual attack, menace, some sexual content, and pervasive language. Running time is one hour and fifty minutes.

A Hollywood screenwriter and his actress wife (James Marsden, Kate Bosworth), return to her small hometown in the deep South to prepare the family home for sale after her father's death. When her old boyfriend (Alexander Skarsgard) enters the picture, things start going badly.

I still remember the 70's version of this title with Dustin Hoffman and Susan George. I hated the ending of that film so much it's still vivid in my memory. This version has been set in the current deep American South rather than England and could be subtitled Harvard vs. Hillbillys. The wife is still the problem, although in a different way as she is the one responsible for fomenting the trouble between the old local boyfriend and the current Harvard educated, screenwriter husband. There are some strong characterizations for the lead actors, Marsden, Bosworth and Skarsgaard and especially Woods. This is a good film for action fans although I doubt it will stick with you like the earlier Sam Peckinpah version (that's a good thing in my opinion). I should warn you this is brutal and not my idea of a good date or couples movie.

Pretty standard visuals and sound so a large screen isn't  going to add much if you can't find one. Theatres/Times.

The Trip *

Michael Winterbottom directed this Comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Steve Coogan, Margo Stilley, Rob Brydon. Not rated by the MPAA. Running time is one hour and forty-seven minutes.

Tapped by The Observer to review fine restaurants throughout the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, two men (Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon) go on an acerbically witty, largely improvised ride through the English countryside.

I need to say first that I'm a huge fan of British TV and movies and generally find them more entertaining than their American counterparts. This production, however, is the exception. This is dry British wit with the emphasis on dry, to the point all I could muster throughout was the occasional weak giggle. It does feel improvised and the film is almost all about the conversations these two men have, most of which are only marginally interesting. Stilley is on the screen for such a limited time I'm surprised she got a credit. I did enjoy the views of the English countryside they traveled through but there was far too little of that and far too much talk to make the film worthwhile. I think the reason this film didn't try to get an MPAA rating is because the producers felt not enough Americans would want to see it to justify the cost. I think the producers were right.

Screen size or sound quality will have virtually no bearing on your appreciation of this film but I'm betting you won't find it on any screen in Wichita after one week. Theatre/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 9/16/11

MetaCritic indicates DRIVE and THE TRIP (82) are the best of the new films this week, followed by STRAW DOGS (46), and I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT (41). THE LION KING had a rating of 83 when it was first released. The national critics and I certainly disagree on THE TRIP which I think is a cure for insomnia and they loved. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

Check out Monday's Opening section to see the previews and synopses.

My reviews of STRAW DOGS (**½) and THE TRIP (*) will be available today (Friday) at 4:30 p.m. If you can't wait that long for reviews, see the reviews below.

Roger Ebert review of  DRIVE.
The New York Times review of I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT.
No 3D version review of THE LION KING.
Rolling Stone review of STRAW DOGS.
Hollywood Reporter review of THE TRIP.

Opening 9/16/11

For Wichita show times select a theatre at the end of each synopsis. For most other cities, select any theatre below a synopsis or review and enter other town/state below "Change Location", press enter. Next times, just press change. Friday times appear Wednesdays.

Drive [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Action Watch Preview Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac, Albert Brooks. Plot: a Hollywood stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway driver-for-hire finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor (Carey Mulligan). Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

I Don't  Know How She Does It [PG-13] 1 hr. 29 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Munn, Seth Meyers, Kelsey Grammer, Christina Hendricks, Jane Curtin. Plot: a successful finance executive and mother of two (Parker) gets handed a major new account that will require frequent trips away from home at the same time her husband (Kinnear) finds his dream job. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Lion King 2D/3D [G] 1 hr. 29 min. Animated Watch Preview Voices of: Matthew Broderick, Niketa Calame, Jim Cummings, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jeremy Irons, Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Moira Kelly, Whoopi Goldberg, Zoe Leader, Cheech Marin, Madge Sinclair, Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Plot: Simba, Mufasa, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa are back and better than ever when Disney's "The Lion King" roars into theaters in 3D to celebrate it's diamond anniversary. Showing at: Derby Plaza,  Warren East, Warren West.

Straw Dogs [R] 1 hr. 50 min.  Thriller Watch Preview Cast: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard, Dominic Purcell, Laz Alonso, Willa Holland, James Woods. Plot: a Hollywood screenwriter and his actress wife (James Marsden, Kate Bosworth), return to her small hometown in the deep South to prepare the family home for sale after her father's death. When her old boyfriend (Alexander Skarsgard) enters the picture, things start going badly. Showing at: Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Trip [NR] 1 hr. 52 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Steve Coogan, Margo Stilley, Rob Brydon. Plot: tapped by The Observer to review fine restaurants throughout the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales two men ( Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon) go on an acerbically witty, largely improvised ride through the English countryside. Showing at:  Warren East.

Leaving 9/15/11

Derby Plaza - Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, 30 Minutes Or Less

Movie Machine - Apollo 18

Northrock 14 -

Palace West - nothing

Starlite Drive-In - open weekends only

Warren East 13th - Creature, The Devil's Double, Shark Night, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark

Warren Old Town - Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Apollo 18, Shark Night

Warren West 21st - Spy Kids 4D, Creature, Shark Night

Contagion ***

Steven Soderbergh directed this Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Sanaa Lathan, Jennifer Ehle. Rated PG-13 for disturbing content and some language. Running time is one hour and forty-five minutes.

When an international traveler (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns to Minneapolis from business in Hong Kong, what she thought was jet lag takes a virulent turn. Two days later, she's dead in the ER and the doctors tell her shocked and grieving husband (Matt Damon) they have no idea why.

As you would expect from a director of Soderbergh's stature, this is a very well made film. It contains a top notch cast and an interesting story. The pacing is fine and kept me interested throughout (never looked at my watch). But, to my taste this is less a thriller and more a documentary style film. Though sold as a thriller, I was never on the edge of my seat nor did I ever get invested in this film. Those with medical backgrounds will probably be more interested than I was as it appears to be medically detailed and accurate.

I saw this in the IMAX presentation but there's no reason for you to spend the extra money unless you just love the giant screen. A large screen simply isn't necessary for the story being told. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 9/9/11

MetaCritic indicates WARRIOR (73) is liked best by the national reviewers this week, followed by CONTAGION (67), and THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE (52). BUCKY LARSON and CREATURE didn't receive enough reviews to achieve a score. I've seen one of these films and thought it good although perhaps a bit dry. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

Check out Monday's Opening section to see the previews and synopses.

My review of CONTAGION (***) will be available today (Friday) at 4:30 p.m. If you can't wait that long for reviews, see the reviews below.

Roger Ebert review of CONTAGION.
Los Angeles Times review of CREATURE.
The Washington Post review of THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE.
USA Today review of WARRIOR.
There are no reviews available for BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR.

Opening 9/9/11

For Wichita show times select a theatre at the end of each synopsis. For most other cities, select any theatre below a synopsis or review and enter other town/state below "Change Location", press enter. Next times, just press change. Friday times appear Wednesdays.

Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star [R] 1 hr. 36 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Nick Swardson, Christina Ricci, Don Johnson, Stephen Dorff. Plot: a small town grocery bagger (Nick Swardson) discovers his conservative parents were once adult film stars! Armed with the belief that he has found his destiny, he packs up and heads  to LA, hoping to follow in his parents' footsteps. Showing at: Warren East.

Contagion [PG-13] 2D and IMAX 1 hr. 47 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Sanaa Lathan, Jennifer Ehle. Plot: when an international traveler (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns to Minneapolis from business in Hong Kong, what she thought was jet lag takes a virulent turn. Two days later, she's dead in the ER and the doctors tell her shocked and grieving husband (Matt Damon) they have no idea why. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Creature [R] 1 hr. 33 min. Horror Watch Preview Cast: Mehcad Brooks, Serinda Swan, Amanda Fuller, Dillon Casey, Lauren Schneider, Aaron Hill, Daniel Bernhardt, Sid Haig. Plot: ex-Navy seal (Mehcad Brooks), his girlfriend (Serinda Swan) and their friends head out on a road trip to New Orleans. They decide  to stop at a convenience store owned by Chopper (Sid Haig), who tells them the tale of Lockjaw, a fabled god-like creature who is half-man, half-alligator. But, Lockjaw turns out to be more than a myth and they realize the locals are hiding a horrifying secret that jeopardizes them all. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

The Devil's Double [R] 1 hr. 48 min. Biography/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Dominic Cooper, Ludivine Sagnier, Raad Rawi. Plot: an Iraqi army lieutenant (Dominic Cooper) is ordered to become the 'fiday' - or body double - to Saddam's son, the notorious "Black Prince" Uday Hussein (also Dominic Cooper). Showing at: Warren East.

Warrior [PG-13] 2 hr. 19 min. Action Watch Preview Cast: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Nick Nolte, Maximiliano Hernandez, Frank Grillo, Erik "Bad" Apple. Plot: two estranged brothers (Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy) face the fight of a lifetime in a winner-takes-all mixed martial arts event. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 9/8/11

Derby Plaza - Spy Kids, Cars 2

Movie Machine - nothing

Northrock 14 -

Palace West - Winnie The Pooh, The Hangover 2

Starlite Drive-In - open weekends only

Warren East 13th - Harry Potter 7.2, Horrible Bosses, Cars 2, One Day, The Smurfs, Another Earth, Attack The Block

Warren Old Town - Columbiana

Warren West 21st - Cars 2, Captain America, Transformers 3 (IMAX), The Dark Knight (IMAX), Conan The Barbarian, Spy Kids 4D

Apollo 18 *

Gonzalo López-Gallego  directed this Sci-Fi Thriller Watch PreviewCast: Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen. Rated PG-13 for some disturbing sequences, and language. Running time is one hour and twenty-eight minutes.

Three American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon in 1974. While NASA denies this, others say it's the real reason we've never gone back to the moon.

This another of those "found footage" film which purports to be real film, long lost. Think "Blair Witch Project", and you'll have some idea of what you're going to see. It isn't as bad as that film but it isn't very good, either. The producers of this 5 million dollar (that's about the cost for coffee on a mainline film) epic tried their best to build interest by giving only the barest of plot outlines and indicating real actors weren't involved. Of course, they are. If you watch Alphas you'll recognize Christie and you can find the rest on IMDB if you look for them. This is a waste of money and you should be able to see it soon on the SyFy channel in a late night slot. Theatres/Times.

The Debt **

John Madden directed this Spy Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, Jesper Christensen, Marton Csokas, Ciarán Hinds, Tom Wilkinson. Rated R for some violence and language. Running time is one hour and fifty-four minutes.

Shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds) in this espionage thriller spanning two different time periods.

Both time periods covered in this drama feature excellent casts portraying the same characters. Unfortunately, the story is too slow and dull to use those talents fully. I'm getting tired of the time jump genre, start now, move back, return to now. It isn't necessary and just makes the story more confusing than it needs to be. Frankly, even though this is being sold as a thriller, there just aren't many thrills to be experienced. It's a decent story but something I'd expect to see on a pay movie channel and not in a theatre. A large screen or fantastic sound won't add anything to your enjoyment. If you want to see it in a theatre I'd wait for a discount showing...you'll be a lot happier with the cost, assuming this even makes it to a discount house. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 9/2/11

You know you shouldn't expect much in a week where two of the five releases weren't considered for screening by the national critics.  MetaCritic indicates ATTACK THE BLOCK (75) is liked best by the national reviewers this week, followed by THE DEBT (66), and SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA (35). APOLLO 18 and SHARK NIGHT 3D weren't screened for reviewers. I've seen two of these films and didn't think much of either one. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

Check out Monday's Opening section below to see the previews and synopses.

My reviews of THE DEBT (**) and  APOLLO 18 (*) will be available today (Friday) at 4:30 p.m. If you can't wait that long for reviews, see the reviews below.

No national critics review of  APOLLO 18.
Roger Moore review of ATTACK THE BLOCK.
No national critics review of  SHARK NIGHT 3D.
Boxoffice Magazine review of  SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA.

Roger Ebert review of THE DEBT.