Opening 8/3/12

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.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild [PG-13] 1 hr. 34 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry. Plot: cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, a six-year-old girl exists on the brink of orphanhood. A fierce storm changes her reality and she must learn to survive unstoppable catastrophes of epic proportions. Showing at: Warren East.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days [PG] 1 hr. 34 min. Family Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, Devon Bostick, Steve Zahn. Plot: Greg's worst summer ever beginning with Greg Heffley and Rowley Jefferson going to Rowley's country club after school closes for the summer, but Greg is kicked out because he complained of even the smallest predicaments. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren West.

Total Recall [PG-13] 2 hrs. 1 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, John Cho, Bill Nighy. Plot: a factory worker decides to visit Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. When the procedure goes horribly wrong, he becomes a hunted man. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 8/2/12

Derby Plaza - The Amazing Spider-Man
Movie Machine - The Amazing Spider-Man, Brave
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - For Greater Glory, What To Expect When You're Expecting
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - People Like Us, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Amazing Spider-Man 3D
Warren Old Town - The Amazing Spider-Man
Warren West 21st - Moonrise Kingdom, The Amazing Spider-Man 3D

The Watch *½

Akiva Schaffer directed this Sci-Fi comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, Will Forte. Rated R for some strong sexual content including references, pervasive language and violent images. Running time is one hour and thirty-eight minutes.

A suburban "neighborhood watch" group serves as a front for dads to get some male-bonding time away from their families. The group finds itself in over its head when it uncovers a plot to destroy the world.

Several members of this cast are perfectly capable of being very funny. I know they can do it. I've seen it. But for some reason this time around they just babble nonsensically and obscenely and we're supposed to think it's funny. I'm very seldom offended by language, and I wasn't this time, but neither was I in any way entertained. There's  a kernel of a decent sci-fi plot and some decent cgi effects, but not a whiff of funny dialogue. I think younger males may be the only audience that would find this even remotely entertaining, but everyone else should take a pass on this one.

There  are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. Screen size and sound quality are meaningless for this film. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not)

MetaCritic indicates The Intouchables (57) is the best picture this week followed by The Watch (42) and Step Up Revolution (39). I've seen one of these and found it dull and unfunny.  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 The Watch (*½) will be on the site by 4:30 p.m, Friday. Here are national reviews of this week's films:

WASHINGTON POST review of The  Intouchables.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS review of  Step Up Revolution.
Roger Ebert review of The Watch.

Opening 7/27/12

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.

The Intouchables [R] 1 hr. 42 min. Comedy/Drama Watch Preview Cast: François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot, Clotilde Mollet, Alba Gaïa Bellugi, Cyril Mendy, Christian Ameri. Plot: a wealthy, physically disabled risk taker's world is turned upside down when he hires a young, good-humored, black Muslim ex-con as his caretaker. Showing at:Warren East.

Step Up Revolution 2D/3D [PG-13] 1 hr. 39 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Ryan Guzman, Kathryn McCormick, Misha Gabriel, Peter Gallagher. Plot: the daughter of a wealthy businessman, arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer, but soon falls in love with a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Watch [R] 1 hr. 39 min. Sci-Fi comedy Watch Preview Cast: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, Will Forte, Billy Crudup. Plot: a suburban "neighborhood watch" group serves as a front for dads to get some male-bonding time away from their families. The group finds itself in over its head when it uncovers a plot to destroy the world. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 7/26/12

Derby Plaza - Magic Mike
Movie Machine - Ted
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - Prometheus, Chimpanzee
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - To Rome With Love, Katy Perry: Part of Me, Snow White And The Huntsman
Warren Old Town - Savages, Amazing Spider-Man 3D
Warren West 21st - Katy Perry: Part of Me,

The Dark Knight Rises ***

Christopher Nolan directed and co-wrote this Action/Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language. Running time is two hours and forty-four minutes.

The epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. Eight years after his self-imposed exile, Batman (Bale) returns along with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar (Hathaway) with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane (Hardy), a masked terrorist with ruthless plans for Gotham. Even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

As I've mentioned before, I'm not a comic book fan or action hero fan-boy. And, I'm really not fond of movies in excess of two hours. That said, this is a moderately entertaining if gloomy action drama that will best be enjoyed by a younger crowd while an older crowd may be better served with something shorter and more light hearted. You won't see a lot of Batman and not much more of Alfred (Caine) but there is a lot of action and plenty of explosions. Much of this was filmed in the IMAX process and if you watch it in that theatre, as I did, you can readily see the difference between it and standard 35mm technology. There is a lot of the first half of this film that's superfluous, and it would have been much better if edited to a shorter length, but the time does pass fairly quickly and I think you'll feel you got your money's worth should you attend.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. Your enjoyment will be enhanced by a large screen and good sound. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 7/20/12

MetaCritic indicates The Dark Knight Rises (80) is the best picture this week closely followed by Safety Not Guaranteed (72). Obviously, action and Batman fans will want to see the first but those who aren't interested in that film should find the second enjoyable. I've seen one of these and found it entertaining, but far too long.  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 The Dark Knight Rises (***) will be on the site by 3:30 a.m. Here are national reviews of this week's films:

Roger Ebert review of The Dark Knight Rises.
James Berardinelli review of  Safety Not Guaranteed.

Opening 7/20/12

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.

The Dark Knight Rises [PG-13] 2D/IMAX 2hrs. 45 min. Action/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman. Plot: the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. Eight years after his self-imposed exile, Batman returns along with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist with ruthless plans for Gotham. Even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Safety Not Guaranteed [R] 1 hr. 26 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Kristen Bell, Jenica Bergere, Jeff Garlin, Karan Soni, Lynn Shelton, Mary Lynn Rajskub. Plot: an unusual classified ad inspires three cynical magazine employees to interview a mysterious, likable but paranoid supermarket clerk, who believes he's solved the riddle of time travel and intends to depart again soon. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 7/19/12

Derby Plaza - Savages, Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D
Movie Machine - Madagascar 3, Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - 21 Jump Street, Mirror Mirror, The Dictator
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - Madagascar 3, Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D
Warren Old Town - Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Warren West 21st - Men In Black 3

Ice Age: Continental Drift **½

Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier directed this Animated comedy. Watch Preview. Voices of: Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Peter Dinklage, Wanda Sykes, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Heather Morris, Joy Behar, Nicki Minaj, Josh Gad, Alan Tudyk, Nick Frost, Kunal Nayyar, Alain Chabat, JB Smoove. Rated PG for mild rude humor and action/peril. Running time is one hour and thirty-four minutes.

The story of Scrat, Manny, Sid and Diego, navigating an ever-warming world as it geographically shifts to the continental Earth we know now. In the wake of these upheavals, Manny is separated from this family and Sid reunites with his cantankerous Granny. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures as they explore a new world. while encountering a ragtag menagerie of seafaring pirates determined to stop them from returning home.

The enjoyable thing about previous Ice Age films is that they've been equally entertaining for both children and adults. This time, not so much. While children will find this enjoyable, parents are going to be bored with this saga. The plot feels like a rewrite rather than something innovative, causing me to start looking at my watch within minutes of the opening. I did like the musical number in the middle, but that wasn't enough to overcome the rest. The ending credits do give you a visual look at the actors voicing the parts, which many may find interesting. The Simpsons cartoon that runs before the film, set at the Ayn Rand School for Tots, was the highlight of the screening for me. I watched a 2D version but animated films are usually impressive in 3D if you enjoy that process.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. Screen size is relatively unimportant unless you're watching in 3D, where smaller will be brighter. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not)

MetaCritic indicates Ice Age: Continental Drift (50) is the best picture this week, which really isn't hard since it's the only new film this week.  I saw it but didn't think it was as good as previous films in the series.   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 Ice Age: Continental Drift (**½) will be on the site by 4:30 p.m. Here is a national reviews of this week's film:

USA TODAY review of Ice Age: Continental Drift..

Opening 7/13/12

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.

Ice Age: Continental Drift [PG] 2D/3D 1 hr. 34 min. Animated comedy Watch Preview Voices of: Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Peter Dinklage, Wanda Sykes, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Heather Morris, Joy Behar, Nicki Minaj, Josh Gad, Alan Tudyk, Nick Frost, Kunal Nayyar, Alain Chabat, JB Smoove. Plot: the story of Scrat, Manny, Sid and Diego, navigating an ever-warming world as it geographically shifts to the continental Earth we know now. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 7/12/12

Derby Plaza - Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Movie Machine - nothing
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - The Dictator, The Lucky One, Mirror Mirror
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - Rock Of Ages, Bernie, Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Men In Black 3
Warren Old Town - nothing
Warren West 21st - Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Men In Black 3,  Snow White And The Huntsman, Rock Of Ages, Prometheus

Savages **½

Oliver Stone directed this Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Emile Hirsch, Demian Bichir. Rated R for strong brutal and grisly violence, some graphic sexuality, nudity, drug use and language throughout. Running time is two hours and ten minutes.

Based on Don Winslow's best-selling crime novel which was named one of The New York Times' Top 10 Books of 2010. A peaceful and charitable Buddhist (Johnson), and his closest friend Chon (Kitsch), a former Navy SEAL and ex-mercenary, run a lucrative, homegrown industry—raising some of the best marijuana ever developed. They also share a one-of-a-kind love with the extraordinary beauty, Ophelia (Lively). Things go South when the Mexican Baja Cartel (Hayek and Del Toro) decides to move in and demands the trio partner with them and kidnaps the girl friend.  Several ex-military buddies step in to help get her back and a corrupt drug official (Travolta) may be helping, also.

I can't say I'm a wild fan of Stone's work but here he provides us with a craftsman-like effort, if not particularly enjoyable cinema. Violent movies don't bother me that much but this one carries the violence to an extreme, although it's probably in keeping with what really happens. The film is too long, a lot of the prelude could have been edited without destroying the story. My big problem is I didn't really care for any of the characters. The two guys have a working relationship that just doesn't feel right and Lively's character appears to have partaken in too much of their product, making me wonder why the two guys find her so irresistible. It is basically just a crime drama, well made but not exceptional. This should be an acceptable film for the 18-35 crowd but it's not much of a dating movie, and I think under 18 will find it too intense, as will many of the older than 35 crowd.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits start. Screen size is basically unimportant. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not)

MetaCritic indicates The Amazing Spider-Man (66) is the best picture this week, followed by Savages (61), Katy Perry: Part Of Me (57), and To Rome With Love (56).  I saw two of them and enjoyed one, but all are aimed at different audiences and the reviewers seem to consider them all basically even.   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 The Amazing Spider-Man (***), and Savages (**½) will be on the site by 4:30 p.m. Here are national reviews of this week's new films:

CHICAGO TRIBUNE review of Katy Perry: Part Of Me.
WASHINGTON POST review of Savages.
MIAMI HERALD review of The Amazing Spider-Man.
USA TODAY  review of To Rome With Love.

The Amazing Spider Man ***

Marc Webb directed this Action film. Watch Preview. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, Sally Field. Rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence. Running time is two hours and sixteen minutes.

Peter Parker's (Garfield) story begins with him as an outcast high school-er,  abandoned by his parents, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Things start to look up when he meets his first love (Stone) but get a little strange when he visits the lab of his father's former partner (Ifans) and gets bitten by a spider.

I must admit I'm not a huge fan of the comic book hero films. Perhaps it's because I never was a comics fan or because the movies based on them seem a lot silly to me. This one is a cut above average, with a fast paced plot and two leads who look as though they could be in high school (although Garfield is 29 and Stone is 24). They do have good on-screen chemistry and the rest of the cast supports their efforts well. The CGI effects are well done and I suspect they would look good in 3D, although I can't guarantee that since I saw the 2D version. Small children may find the lizard man/spider man fighting a little scary but most will be entertained.

There is an additional scene in the middle of the final credits that indicates more is to come. The special effects will seem even more special on the largest possible screen. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times. IMAX 3D  Times.

Opening 7/6/12

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.

Opens 7/5/12

Katy Perry: Part Of Me [PG] 3D 1 hr. 35 min. Musical Documentary Watch Preview Cast: Katy Perry, Shannon Woodward and Lucas Kerr. Plot: a first-ever big-screen look at the international superstar’s life both on- and off-stage.Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren West.

Opens 7/6/12

Savages [R] 1 hr. 25 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Emile Hirsch, Demian Bichir. Plot: based on Don Winslow's best-selling crime novel that was named one of The New York Times' Top 10 Books of 2010. A peaceful and charitable Buddhist (Johnson), and his closest friend Chon (Kitsch), a former Navy SEAL and ex-mercenary, run a lucrative, homegrown industry—raising some of the best marijuana ever developed. They also share a one-of-a-kind love with the extraordinary beauty, Ophelia (Lively). Things go South when the Mexican Baja Cartel (Hayek) decides to move in and demands the trio partner with them. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock 14, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

To Rome With Love [R] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Ellen Page. Plot: written and directed by Woody Allen, a story about a number of people in Italy -- some American, some Italian, some residents, some visitors -- and the romances and adventures and predicaments they get into. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 7/4,5/12

Derby Plaza - 7/4 Abe  Lincoln Vampire Hunter; 7/5 That's My Boy
Movie Machine - 7/4 Abe  Lincoln Vampire Hunter
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - 7/5 Think Like A Man, The Raven, Chernobyl Diaries
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - 7/4 Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World
Warren Old Town - 7/5 Snow White And The Huntsman
Warren West 21st - 7/4 Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World, That's My Boy