Opening 5/3/13

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.

Iron Man 3 2D/3D/IMAX 3D [PG-13] 2 hrs. 10 min. Action Watch Preview Cast: Robert Downey Jr.,  Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale, Jon Favreau, Ben Kingsley, Wang Xuequi. Plot: Stark (Downey Jr.) finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, and embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 5/2/13

Derby Plaza - Scary Movie V, G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Movie Machine - Scary Movie V, Oz The Great & Powerful, G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Palace West - Hansel And Gretel, Mama, Good Day To Die Hard
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri, Sat
Warren East 13th - The Host, Evil Dead, Jurassic Park 3D, Admission
Warren Old Town - Evil Dead
Warren West 21st - The Call, Tyler Perry's Temptation, Admission, The Croods 3D, Evil Dead

Mud ***½

Jeff Nichols wrote and directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Reese Witherspoon. Rated PG-13 for some violence, sexual references, language, thematic elements and smoking. Running time is two hours and ten minutes.

Two boys (Sheridan and Lofland) find and help a man named Mud (McConaughey) hiding out on an island in the Mississippi who says he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him while he waits for his true love (Witherspoon).

 Frankly, I hadn't heard of this film until it arrived locally and I started reading glowing national reviews. After watching I can see what they were raving about. McConaughey isn't my favorite actor but in this film he shines as a man we're never sure about. The real stars, however, are the two boys, Sheridan and Lofland, who are simply both outstanding and believable as youngsters growing up on the Mississippi. It is their actions and adventures the film focuses on and they carry it off like seasoned professionals. The rest of the cast is purely secondary in importance. Production values are first rate and although the film was too long for me personally, it did a good job of holding my attention. You never know what to expect next although every thing seems plausible in the non-formulaic plot. As good as this is I don't expect it to be here for an extended run so plan on seeing this sooner rather than later.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. Screen size is likely to be small but that won't detract from the film. Theatre/Times.

The Company You Keep ***

Robert Redford directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Robert Redford, Julie Christie, Richard Jenkins, Susan Sarandon, Stephen Root, Sam Elliott, Brendan Gleeson, Terrence Howard, Anna Kendrick, Jackie Evancho. Rated R for language. Running time is two hours and one minute.

A public interest lawyer and single father's (Robert Redford) world is turned upside down,when a brash young reporter (Shia LaBeouf) exposes his true identity as a former 1970s antiwar radical fugitive wanted for murder.

My original thought was this plot looks about as old as Redford does now. But it turns out the setting wasn't as important as the story itself, which became increasingly interesting as the film progressed. The production values and direction are first class and this obviously has an excellent cast. The pacing is just a little slow but not enough to detract. A fair amount of time is spent espousing the thinking of the anti-Vietnam viewpoint of the era so arch conservatives may not find this to their liking as a surprising amount of it is still applicable to some of our current events. The film's denouement was a little unexpected but had little impact on the story as a whole.  My guess is this won't be here long so I wouldn't dally if you're interested.

There were no additional scenes once the final credits began. Screen size is unimportant. Theatre/Times.

The Big Wedding **½

Justin Zackham directed this Romantic comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Ben Barnes, Christine Ebersole, David Rasche, Patricia Rae, Ana Ayora. Rated R for language, sexual content and brief nudity. Running time is one hour and thirty minutes.

A charmingly modern family trys to survive a weekend wedding celebration that has the potential to become a full blown family fiasco.

I've read several fairly negative reviews about this film and if I reviewed based on artistic merit I'd come close to agreeing. But since I review on entertainment value I'm going to grade this a little higher than those other reviews. Is this a predictable film? Yes. Is this a plot you've seen several times before? Yes. Is it full of belly laughs? No, but there are amusing parts. What it does offer is a pleasant ninety minutes with a group of consummate professionals who know how to take even the weakest of plots and turn it into something enjoyable. The dialogue and a few visuals may be a little more risque than some would prefer but we've all gotten pretty used to that by now. You'll forget about this soon after leaving the theatre but I'm betting you'll have a good time while watching.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 4/26/13

MetaCritic indicates Mud (76) is the best picture this week followed by The Company You Keep (56), Pain And Gain (43) and The Big Wedding (28).  I watched two of these and thought one was more enjoyable than its score would indicate and the other surprisingly involving. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

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

Opening 4/26

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 Big Wedding [R] 1 hr. 30 min. Romantic comedy Watch Preview Cast: Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Ben Barnes, Christine Ebersole, David Rasche, Patricia Rae, Ana Ayora. Plot: a charmingly modern family trys to survive a weekend wedding celebration that has the potential to become a full blown family fiasco. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Company You Keep [R] 2 hr. 05 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Robert Redford, Julie Christie, Richard Jenkins, Susan Sarandon, Stephen Root, Sam Elliott, Brendan Gleeson, Terrence Howard, Anna Kendrick, Jackie Evancho. Plot: a public interest lawyer and single father's (Robert Redford) world is turned upside down,when a brash young reporter (Shia LaBeouf) exposes his true identity as a former 1970s antiwar radical fugitive wanted for murder. Showing at: Warren East.

Pain And Gain [R] 2 hr. 10 min. Action/Crime Drama Watch Preview Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Ed Harris, Rob Corddry, Tony Shalhoub, Bar Paly, Rebel Wilson, Ken Jeong, Yolanthe Cabau. Plot: based on a true story about a group of bodybuilders who engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Mud [PG-13] 2 hr. 10 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Reese Witherspoon. Plot: two boys find a man named Mud hiding out on an island in the Mississippi who says he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 4/25

Derby Plaza -
Movie Machine - Nothing
Palace West - The Impossible, Wreck-It  Ralph, Argo
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri, Sat
Warren East 13th - The Call, Trance, The Croods 3D, G.I. Joe: Retaliation 3D
Warren Old Town - G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Olympus Has Fallen, Scary Movie 5
Warren West 21st - Camp

Oblivion ***½

Joseph Kosinski directed this Sci-Fi Adventure. Watch Preview. Cast: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo. Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, brief strong language, and some sensuality/nudity. Running time is two hours and six minutes.

On a future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, a drone repairman's (Cruise) confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of discovery as he battles to save mankind.

Sci-Fi fans should find this very enjoyable while those who aren't in that category are likely to be confused. Production values are first rate and while it's a little longer than I normally like the pacing didn't seem to suffer. This is Cruise's pic all the way. The actresses are definitely subordinate and Freeman isn't integral for that long. I've read some complaints about the voice-over prologue but it's important to the story since it tells you what Cruise's character thinks is the truth. You'll want to pay careful attention to the last twenty minutes if you're to have any chance of understanding what's really happened. The ending makes perfect sense only when you have that understanding. I saw this in the IMAX presentation and think it made a decided difference in the film's visual impact.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. The largest screen possible is recommended. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 4/19

MetaCritic indicates Oblivion (53) is the best picture this week. Home Run has not received any national reviews.  I watched one of these and thought it was very good if you're a Sci-Fi fan. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

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

Opening 4/19

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.

Home Run [PG-13] 1 hr. 53 min. Sports drama Watch Preview Cast: Scott Elrod, Dorian Brown, Vivica A. Fox. Plot: hoping to save her client’s career and reputation after a DUI and a team suspension, a major leaguer’s agent sends him back to the small town where he grew up for rehabilitation. Showing at: Warren East.

Oblivion [PG-13] 2D/IMAX 2D 2 hrs. 5 min. Sci-Fi Adventure Watch Preview Cast: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo. Plot: on a future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, a drone repairman's (Cruise) confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of discovery as he battles to save mankind. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 4/18

Derby Plaza - The Host
Movie Machine - Olympus Has Fallen, The Host
Palace West - The Last Exorcism II
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri, Sat
Warren East 13th - Oz Great And Powerful 3D,
Warren Old Town - Jurassic Park 3D and 2D
Warren West 21st - Jurassic Park IMAX 3D, G.I. Joe 3D

42 ***

Brian Helgeland directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie, Christopher Meloni, Andre Holland, Lucas Black, Hamish Linklater, Ryan Merriman, T.R. Knight. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including language. Running time is two hours and eight minutes.

The story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson (Boseman) and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey (Ford)—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball.

As a rule, baseball movies don't do well at the boxoffice so it will be interesting to see how this one fares. It's a well made film with an excellent cast. Ford is almost unrecognizable in his character, due to his appearance and voice quality. Boseman is relatively unknown but is excellent in his portrayal of the legendary baseball player. The film is too long and the pacing suffers accordingly. I also felt a lot of the race problems were glossed over although there are a few scenes that indicate the tensions that existed. The film ends well so you'll leave the theatre feeling good.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. A  large screen is not particularly necessary. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not)

MetaCritic indicates The Place Beyond The Pines (66) is the best picture this week, closely followed by 42 (63) and Trance (61). Scary Movie 5 and Camp have not received any national reviews.  I watched one of these and thought it was OK but a little slow. Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

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

Opening 4/12

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.

42 [PG-13] 2 hrs. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie, Christopher Meloni, Andre Holland, Lucas Black, Hamish Linklater, Ryan Merriman, T.R. Knight. Plot: the story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson (Boseman) and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey (Ford)—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Camp [PG-13] 1 hr. 51 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Miles Elliot, Grace Johnston, Gianna Gomez, Meredith Thomas. Plot: a 12-year-old foster child (Elliot) finds himself at summer camp. Showing at: Warren West.

The Place Beyond The Pines [R] 2 hrs. 21 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ray Liotta, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Ben Mendelsohn. Plot: a motorcycle stunt rider (Gosling) turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover (Mendes) and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop (Cooper) navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective (Liotta). Showing at: Warren East.

Scary Movie 5 [PG-13] 2 hrs. 02 min. Horror/Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Ashley Tisdale, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Snoop Dogg, Katt Williams, Molly Shannon, Terry Crews, Simon Rex, Jerry O'Connell, Sarah Hyland, Katrina Bowden, Tyler Posey, Shad Moss aka Bow Wow, Kate Walsh, Heather Locklear, Mac Miller, Mike Tyson. Plot: lampoons of "Paranormal Activity," "Mama," "Sinister," "The Evil Dead," "Inception," "Black Swan" and pop culture. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Trance [R] 1 hr. 41  min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson. Plot: a fine art auctioneer (McAvoy), in league with a gang led by an underworld boss (Cassel), plots the audacious theft of a masterpiece by Goya. But, after being knocked unconscious he's unable to remember where he hid the painting. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 4/11

Derby Plaza - Oz Great And Powerful
Movie Machine - nothing
Palace West - Dead Man Down, Django Unchained
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri, Sat
Warren East 13th - Spring Breakers, Burt Wonderstone, Identity Thief, Emperror
Warren Old Town - The Host, Oz Great And Powerful
Warren West 21st - Safe Haven Identity Thief, Oz Great And Powerful 3D

Jurassic Park 3D ***

Steven Spielberg directed this Sci-Fi Adventure. Watch Preview. Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Samuel L. Jackson, BD Wong, Wayne Knight. Rated PG-13 for intense science fiction terror. Running time is two hours and seven minutes.

A remastering of the twenty-year-old epic into a state-of-the-art 3D format as well as IMAX 3D. During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok, putting the previewers and park staff in mortal danger.

Like millions of others I saw this film when it was first released, and I was very impressed. I don't normally watch films a second time but made an exception in this case to see how it looked in IMAX 3D. I'm pleased to report it holds up very well. Even with the state-of-the-art CGI effects we enjoy these days, the effects in this film don't look dated at all. About the only thing showing their age are the computers, which look large and boxy compared to today's models. The actions of the children look a bit more staged than I'm used to seeing now but basically this is still a first class movie experience that hopefully some of the younger generations will experience for the first time. The 3D is very good although I'm not sure it adds that much to what is already a top notch adventure.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. By all means see this on the largest possible screen for maximum impact. 2D Theatre/Time. 3D Theatres/Times. IMAX 3D Times.

Worthwhile (or not)

MetaCritic indicates Jurassic Park (68) is the best picture this week, followed by Evil Dead (59). Of course, Jurassic Park is twenty years old but it's been remastered in 3D and for IMAX 3D. I watched it and thought the 3D was effective and the film didn't look dated at all (well, perhaps the computers). Check out the MetaCritic website for additional comments on each film.

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

Opening 4/5

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.

Evil Dead [R] 1 hr. 31 min.Horror Watch Preview Cast: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore. Plot: five friends holed up in a remote cabin unwittingly summon dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left to fight for survival. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Jurassic Park 3D/IMAX 3D [PG-13] 2 hrs. 7 min. Sci-Fi Adventure Watch Preview Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Samuel L. Jackson, BD Wong, Wayne Knight. Plot: a remastering of the epic into a state-of-the-art 3D format. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 4/4

Derby Plaza - Oz Great And Powerful 3D
Movie Machine - nothing
Palace West - Lincoln, Parental Guidance, Beautiful Creatures, Les Miserables
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri, Sat
Warren East 13th - Jack The Giant Slayer, Stoker, Snitch
Warren Old Town - The Call, Admission, G.I. Joe: Retaliation 3D
Warren West 21st - Jack The Giant Slayer, Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Spring Breakers, G.I. Joe: Retaliation IMAX 3D