Opening 11/1/13

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.

Ender's Game 2D, IMAX [PG-13] 1 hr. 54 min. SciFi Drama Watch Preview Cast: Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Viola Davis, Nonso Anozie, Stevie Ray Dillmore, Andrea Powell, Moises Arias, Conor Carroll, Aramis Knight, Brandon Soo hoo, Jimmy "Jax" Pinchak, Suraj Parthasarathy, Khylin Rhambo. Plot: in the near future, a hostile alien race has attacked Earth. In preparation for the next attack, a highly esteemed Colonel (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young minds to fight the next battle. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Free Birds 2D/3D [PG] 1 hr. 25 min. Animated Comedy Watch Preview Voices: Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, Dan Fogler, Lesley Nicol, George Takei, Colm Meaney, Keith David, Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo, Dwight Howard. Plot: two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history - and get turkey off the Thanksgiving menu. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Last Vegas [PG-13] 1 hr. 44 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen, Jerry Ferrara, Romany Malco, Roger Bart. Plot: best friends since childhood, four men head to Las Vegas with a plan to stop acting their age and relive their glory days. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 10/31/13

Derby Plaza - Carrie, Escape Plan
Movie Machine - Carrie, Escape Plan, Gravity
Palace West - Turbo, Red 2
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri-Sat
Warren East 13th - Runner Runner, Insidious Chapter 2, Pulling Strings
Warren Old Town - Escape Plan, Gravity
Warren West 21st - The Fifth Estate, Prisoners, Runner Runner

The Counselor **

Ridley Scott directed this Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, Brad Pitt. Rated R for graphic violence, some grisly images, strong sexual content and language. Running time is one hour ans fifty-seven minutes.

A respected lawyer's (Fassbender) dalliance with drug trafficking spirals out of control.

What a disappointment! I've been looking forward to this one since it features a first class director and a cast of very accomplished actors. But, instead of a taut thriller, we get an extremely slow paced two hours of meandering, meaningless scenes where those actors spend their time mouthing what can only be classed as psychobabble. Everything and everyone looks good but there's no depth to their characters, making us indifferent to whatever befalls them. There are a couple of extremely graphic scenes involving heads (and the loss thereof) that may satisfy fans of gore but the rest are going to be extremely bored, constantly checking their watches and wondering whether this film will ever end.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin (thank God!). Screen size is relatively unimportant. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 10/25/13

MetaCritic indicates Bad Grandpa (53) is the best picture this week (that's really hard for me to comprehend) followed by The Counselor (49).  I saw one of these films this week and was really, really disappointed. For all the reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

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

Opening 10/25/13

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.

The Counselor [R] 1 hr. 51 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, Brad Pitt. Plot: a respected lawyer's dalliance with drug trafficking spirals out of control. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa [R] 1 hr. 32 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Jason "Wee Man" Acuña, Chris Pontius, Preston Lacy, Dave England, Ehren McGhehey. Plot: Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) and Billy (Jackson Nicholl)  take movie audiences along for an insane hidden camera road trip. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 10/24/13

Derby Plaza - Prisoners
Movie Machine - Insidious Chapter 2
Palace West - Turbo, Red 2
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri-Sat
Warren East 13th - Baggage Claim, Romeo & Juliet, Machete Kills, Don Jon
Warren Old Town - Machete Kills, Runner Runner, Prisoners
Warren West 21st - Machete Kills, The Family, Rush

Escape Plan **

Mikael Håfström directed this Action/Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Vinnie Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio, Amy Ryan. Rated R for violence and language throughout. Running time is one hour and fifty-six minutes.

After being deceived and wrongly imprisoned, one of the world's foremost authorities on structural security (Stallone) becomes determined to break out of the ultra-secret, high-tech facility and partners with another inmate (Schwarzenegger) to do so.

I'm not much for emotionalism in films but watching these two as the leads made me wish for just a little on occasion. As the old line goes, 'their acting range goes from A to B'. But when brute force is required, they're just the ticket. This is pretty much what you'd expect if you've seen the trailer, and for action fans that will be enough. There was a little twist at the end I wasn't expecting but there's no way you'd say this film breaks any new ground. I doubt this will be around long so I'd catch it while you can if you're so inclined.

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

Carrie **

Kimberly Peirce directed this Horror/Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday, Alex Russell, Gabriella Wilde, Ansel Elgort, Julianne Moore. Rated R for bloody violence, disturbing images, language and some sexual content. Running time is one hour and forty minutes.

A shy girl (Moretz), outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother (Julianne Moore), unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom.

There's nothing really wrong with this film as far as thrillers of this type are concerned. It has two very good actresses in the lead roles and an interesting Stephen King plot. But, if you're of a certain age and saw the original 1976 version with Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek, there's not much different either. Oh, the CGI effects are better this time around and perhaps it's a little bloodier, but it's pretty ho hum otherwise when you already know how it's going to end. If you've never seen the original and you like films of this nature you'll probably be well satisfied if you want to get out of the house. Otherwise, check out NetFlicks or Amazon for the original.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 10/18/13

MetaCritic indicates Carrie (53) is the best picture this week with The Fifth Estate and Escape Plan tied at (49).  I saw two films this week and thought neither a 'must see'. For all the reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

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

Opening 10/18/13

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.

Carrie [R] 1 hr. 1 hr. 39 min. Horror/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday, Alex Russell, Gabriella Wilde, Ansel Elgort, Julianne Moore. Plot: a shy girl (Moretz) outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother (Julianne Moore), unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West

Escape Plan [R] 1 hr. 56 min. Action/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Vinnie Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio, Amy Ryan. Plot: after being deceived and wrongly imprisoned, one of the world's foremost authorities on structural security becomes determined to break out of the ultra-secret, high-tech facility. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West

The Fifth Estate [R] 2 hr. 8 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Anthony Mackie, David Thewlis, Alicia Vikander, Peter Capaldi, Carice van Houten, Dan Stevens, Stanley Tucci, Laura Linney. Plot: reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned WikiLeaks into the 21st century's most fiercely debated organization. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West

Leaving 10/17/13

Derby Plaza - Runner Runner
Movie Machine - Runner Runner, Prisoners
Palace West - nothing
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri-Sat
Warren East 13th - Parkland, Instructions Not Included, The Butler, The Family
Warren Old Town - We're The Millers
Warren West 21st - Instructions Not Included, Don Jon

Captain Phillips **

Paul Greengrass directed this Action/Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Max Martini, Yul Vazquez, Michael Chernus, Chris Mulkey, Corey Johnson, David Warshofsky, John Magaro, Angus MacInnes. Rated PG-13 for sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody images, and for substance use. Running time is two hours and fourteen minutes.

The story of Captain Richard Phillips (Hanks) and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

I find myself at odds with the national critics on this one. They seemed to like it and I thought it too long and with pacing that made sections quite dull. The film spends too much time on the background of the pirates (I realize there's not a lot to do there, but still...) and the final thirty minutes is a long, slow slog. Hanks is fine as usual but the rest of the cast spent the rest of the time screaming and being quite unpleasant (yes, I know, they were unpleasant, but a little of that goes a long way). I also found the Phillips character somewhat disconcerting, especially in the final scenes when he seems to lose all emotional control. Younger crowds may like this better than I did but I suspect older patrons are going to be spending a lot of time looking at their watches.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. A large screen will provide more impact. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 10/11/13

MetaCritic indicates Captain Phillips (81) is the best picture this week followed by  Parkland (51), and tied in last place, Machete Kills (43) and Romeo & Juliet (43).  I saw just one film this week and wasn't nearly as impressed as the national critics. For all the reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

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

Opening 10/11/13

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.

Captain Phillips [PG-13] 2 hrs. 14 min. Action/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Max Martini, Yul Vazquez, Michael Chernus, Chris Mulkey, Corey Johnson, David Warshofsky, John Magaro, Angus MacInnes. Plot: the true story of Captain Richard Phillips (Hanks) and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. Showing at: Derby Plaza?, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Machete Kills [R] 1 hr. 48 min. Action/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Carlos Estevez, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Demián Bichir, Alexa Vega, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding, Jr., William Sadler, Marko Zaror, Mel Gibson. Plot: an ex-Federale agent (Trejo) is recruited by the President of the United States for a mission to take down a madman revolutionary. Showing at: Derby Plaza?, Starlite Drive-In, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Parkland [PG-13] 1 hr. 32 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Zac Efron, Marcia Gay Harden, Billy Bob Thornton, Jacki Weaver, Paul Giamatti, James Badge Dale, Jackie Earle Haley, Colin Hanks, David Harbour, Ron Livingston, Jeremy Strong, Tom Welling. Plot: based on the book "Four Days In November," by renowned author and former prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi concerning the events surrounding the JFK assassination. Showing at: Warren East.

Romeo & Juliet [PG-13] 1 hr. 58 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Stellan Skarsgard, Paul Giamatti, Ed Westwick, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Christian Cooke, Tom Wisdon, Damian Lewis, Natascha McElhone, Tomas Arana, Laura Morante. Plot: an ageless story from the world's most renowned author is reimagined yet again. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 10/10/13

Derby Plaza -
Movie Machine - nothing
Palace West - The Conjuring, 2 Guns
Starlite Drive-In - Open Fri-Sat
Warren East 13th - Riddick, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 3D
Warren Old Town - Rush, Don Jon
Warren West 21st - Baggage Claim, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 3D

Gravity****

Alfonso Cuarón co-wrote and directed this Sci-Fi thriller Watch Preview Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney. Rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language. Running time is one hour and thirty minutes.

A brilliant medical engineer (Bullock) on her first shuttle mission, and a veteran astronaut (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring are faced with disaster when space debris strikes their space station.

As you know, I watch a lot of  movies, and I'd be hard pressed to think of one I've seen in the past few years better than this one. It starts fairly normally but within a few minutes the action starts and never lets up. It features edge-of-your-seat intensity, and photography so stunning you'll swear it was actually shot in orbit. Although Clooney has his moments, this is Bullock's film from start to finish and she is absolutely outstanding. I knew she was very good in light comedy roles but I had no idea she could pull something like this off. Additionally, the pacing is spot on and I guarantee you won't be looking at your watch during this film. I saw this in IMAX 3D and want to point out if you've been thinking about attending an IMAX feature and haven't yet done so, this is the one to see on that giant screen. The 3D is breathtaking without feeling in the least contrived. If Bullock doesn't get a Best Actress nomination for this it will be a real travesty.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. This is a film I highly recommend you see in IMAX. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times. IMAX 3D Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 10/4/13

MetaCritic indicates Gravity (97) is the best picture this week followed by Enough Said (79), Pulling Strings (56), and in last place, Runner Runner (35).  Grace Unplugged wasn't reviewed by any of MetaCritic's reviewers so it has no score. I saw just one film this week and found it outstanding. For all the reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

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