Opening 4/4/14

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 America: The Winter Soldier [PG-13] 2D/3D/IMAX 3D 2 hrs. 20 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Georges St-Pierre, Hayley Atwell, Toby Jones, Emily VanCamp, Maximiliano Hernández. Plot: when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Captain America (Chris Evans) becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 4/3/14

Movie Machine - The LEGO Movie, Need For Speed
Palace West - Her
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - Son Of God, Ride Along, The Monuments Men
Warren Old Town - Non-Stop, Need For Speed
Warren West 21st - Frozen, 3 Days To Kill, Ride Along, Single Mom's Club, Noah IMAX

Noah **½

Darren Aronofsky directed this Biblical Drama Watch Preview Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, Logan Lerman, Nick Nolte. Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and brief suggestive content. Running time is two hours and eighteen minutes.

The story of a man chosen by God for a great task before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world.

If you're going to see this I assume it's because you have an interest in the Biblical story. If that's not the case, if you looking for a big budget entertainment film, you should consider passing on this one. It has a very good cast and looks expensive on the screen, with lots of CGI effects. But it's also a very long, slowly paced, bleak, depressing film without a shred of entertainment value. After the first hour my overriding thought was, 'is this never going to end?' My final reaction was only of relief that it was finally, finally over. I saw this in IMAX and it was a full screen presentation, unlike most recent IMAX releases that use only part of the screen.

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

Sabotage **

David Ayer directed this Action/Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Olivia Williams, Mireille Enos, Sam Worthington, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Max Martini, Josh Holloway. Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity and drug use. Running time is one hour and forty-nine minutes.

After a DEA team successfully executes a high-stakes raid on a cartel safe house, one-by-one, the ten members mysteriously start to be eliminated.

This is exactly what you'd expect it to be, an extremely bloody, violent action film. Fans of the genre should be happy enough. Schwarzenegger is looking a little old for this type of thing but this is pretty much what he's limited to. The actor that brings a little life to this tired plot is Enos, who does a pretty good drug addled crazy. You'll hardly recognize her if you're used to her role in The Killing. Production values are fine but the plot has some major holes. You'll just have to ignore them and go with the flow. This is not a film that would ever be considered for an award or be remembered for long after watching, but it will provide an immediate action 'fix' if that's what you're looking for.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 3/28/14

MetaCritic indicates The Grand Budapest Hotel (87) is the top rated film this week, followed by Noah (71), Bad Words (58), Cesar Chavez (53), Sabotage (39) and  God's Not Dead (22). I watched two of these films and found one a predictable action film and the other a long, long slog. 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 3/28/14

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.

Bad Words [R] 1 hr. 29 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Jason Bateman, Rohan Chand, Kathryn Hahn, Allison Janney, Phillip Baker Hall, Rachael Harris. Plot: a 40-year-old (Bateman) finds a loophole in the rules of The Golden Quill national spelling bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. Showing at: Warren East.

Cesar Chavez [PG-13] 1 hr. 38 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Michael Pena, Rosario Dawson, America Ferrera, Jacob Vargas, Yancey Arias, Wes Bentley, John Ortoz, John Malkovich. Plot: the story of the famed civil rights leader and labor organizer torn between his duties as a husband and father and his commitment to securing a living wage for farm workers. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

The Grand Budapest Hotel [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson. Plot: recounts the adventures of a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Noah [PG-13] 2D/IMAX 2 hrs. 18 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, Logan Lerman, Nick Nolte. Plot: the story of a man chosen by God for a great task before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Sabotage [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Action/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Olivia Williams, Mireille Enos, Sam Worthington, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Max Martini, Josh Holloway. Plot: after a DEA team successfully executes a high-stakes raid on a cartel safe house, one-by-one, the ten members mysteriously start to be eliminated. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 3/27/14

Movie Machine - nothing
Palace West - Winter's Tale, Vampire Academy, Philomena, Catching Fire
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - Gloria, Need For Speed 3D, Frozen, 3 Days To Kill, Lone Survivor
Warren Old Town - The Monuments Men
Warren West 21st - Need For Speed 3D, The Monuments Men

Divergent ***

Neil Burger directed this Sci-Fi/Action film Watch Preview Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoё Kravitz, Miles Teller, Tony Goldwyn, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, Kate Winslet. Rated PG-13 for intense violence and action, thematic elements and some sensuality. Running time is two hours and nineteen minutes.

Based on the best-selling book series by Veronica Roth, set in a future world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues and where being divergent can get you killed.

As I've mentioned before, I like good Sci-Fi films. However, I don't care for films that are much in excess of ninety minutes. So, I was somewhat surprised to find I really enjoyed this film, despite its length. The story was interesting enough and the pacing fast enough that the film never felt too long. This is not a film about CGI effects but rather one where plot and character carries the day. In fact it features the perfect trifecta for a hit film: a good story, plenty of relatively bloodless action, and romance. The production values are good and the cast is excellent. I don't recall seeing Woodley before but she is very good in her role...you really care about what's happening to her.  Of course, what I think about this film is absolutely meaningless since it has a huge built in audience of teenaged girls who can hardly wait to see it. The other two films of the trilogy are already in production and are due to be released in 2015 and 2016. I don't know whether this will do Hunger Games business but it's certainly a far better film than any of the Twilight series. I saw this in the IMAX theatre but since it isn't in 3D I  think any large screen will be just fine.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. A large screen will be best but not essential. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 3/21/14

MetaCritic indicates Gloria (83) is the top rated film this week, followed by Muppets Most Wanted (61) and Divergent (50). God's Not Dead evidently wasn't screened for the national critics and has no rating. I watched one of these films and found it enjoyable in spite of its length. 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 3/21/14

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.

Divergent [PG-13] 2D/IMAX 2 hrs. 23 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoё Kravitz, Miles Teller, Tony Goldwyn, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, Kate Winslet. Plot: based on the best-selling book series by Veronica Roth, set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues and where being divergent can get you killed. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Gloria [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Comedy/drama Watch Preview Cast: Paulina García, Sergio Hernández. Plot: a free-spirited older woman has a whirlwind relationship with a former naval officer. Showing at: Warren East.

God's Not Dead [PG] 1 hr. 53 min. Family comedy/drama Watch Preview Cast: Willie Robertson, David A.R. White, Shane Harper, Kevin Sorbo, Korie Robertson, Marco Khan, Dean Cain, Jay Caputo. Plot: a college freshman is told by his philosophy professor to disavow, in writing, the existence of God on the first day of class, or face a failing grade. Showing at: Warren West.

Muppets Most Wanted [PG] 1 hr. 52 min. Family comedy Watch Preview Cast: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey. Plot: when the Muppets gang goes on a global tour they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World's Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 3/20/14

Movie Machine - 300: Rise Of The Empire, Non-Stop
Palace West - Hobbit 2, Walking With Dinosaurs, Thor: The Dark World
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - RoboCop, Pompeii, About Last Night, Mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D, 300: Rise Of The Empire 3D
Warren Old Town - Ride Along, Need For Speed 3D
Warren West 21st - RoboCop, Mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D, 300: Rise Of The Empire IMAX 3D

Need For Speed **

Scott Waugh directed this Action film. Watch Preview. Cast: Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots, Dominic Cooper, Ramon Rodriguez, Rami Malek, Harrison Gilbertson, Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi, Michael Keaton, Dakota Johnson. Rated PG-13 for sequences of reckless street racing, disturbing crash scenes, nudity and crude language. Running time is two hours and ten minutes.

Captures the thrills of the best selling video game in a real-world setting as a struggling blue-collar garage mechanic (Paul) undertakes a near-impossible cross-country race against time that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption.

I'm neither a car person or a computer games player so this film really isn't something I'm likely to wax rhapsodically about. Still, it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, although it's clearly a good forty minutes too long and has a plot arc that's completely obvious as soon as the film begins. The length problem could have been partially solved by doing away entirely with the Michael Keaton parts since they added nothing worthwhile to the plot. The car stunts appear to be very well done, which is to be expected since the director has only been responsible for stunts for most of his film career. The cast is fine although I found it a little odd that two of the three leads are Brits. I'm guessing that was more for salary considerations than anything else, but it may also be because the cars will be the main attraction. I wouldn't worry about the nudity part since that consists of a very brief view of a male backside. If you're really into cars and speed you should be fine with this film. Otherwise, I'd look for something a little more substantial. I saw this in the 2D version so I have no idea as to the 3D quality.

There  is one brief, unimportant scene after the credits begin. A large screen will add to the action impact. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 3/14/14

MetaCritic indicates Need For Speed (38) is the top rated film this week only because Single Mom's Club wasn't screened for the national critics. I watched one of these films and found it acceptable for speed and car fans. 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 3/14/14

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.

Need For Speed [PG-13] 2 hrs. 4 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots, Dominic Cooper, Ramon Rodriguez, Rami Malek, Harrison Gilbertson, Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi, Michael Keaton, Dakota Johnson. Plot: captures the thrills of the best selling video game in a real-world setting. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club [PG-13] 1 hr. 51 min. Comedy/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Tyler Perry, Nia Long, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Amy Smart, Zulay Henao, Cocoa Brown, Ryan Eggold, William Levy, Terry Crews, Eddie Cibrian. Plot: five struggling single moms put aside their differences to form a support group. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 3/13/14

Movie Machine - Son Of God
Palace West - Anchorman 2, Labor Day, War Of The Worlds: Goliath, Legend Of Hercules, I Frankenstein, Saving Mr. Banks
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - The Wind Rises, Frozen Singalong Version
Warren Old Town - 3 Days To Kill
Warren West 21st - Endless Love,  Stalingrad, Lone Survivor, Frozen Singalong Version

300: Rise Of An Empire *

Noam Murro directed this Action film. Watch Preview. Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro, Igal Naor, Callan Mulvey, Jack O'Connell, Andrew Tiernan. Rated R for strong sustained sequences of stylized bloody violence throughout, a sex scene, nudity and some language. Running time is one hour and forty-two minutes.

Greek general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), and Artemesia (Eva Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

I have no problem with the cast or production values of this film. They're all fine. What I do have a problem with is the deplorable amount of non-stop, extremely bloody, violence which is carried to the point of caricature. I imagine somewhere someone has posted a count of the beheadings and skull splittings and perhaps even an estimate of the gallonage of fake blood that drenches virtually every scene. The film is non-stop carnage from beginning to end and I don't personally find that entertaining. I'm well aware there are the "fan boys" who will absolutely love this but I wouldn't want to spend much time with any such individuals...just don't think it would be safe. I understand it's all fake and I'm not in the least squeamish, but this is simply not entertainment for any well balanced individual. There's a little bit of female nudity and one sex scene but the film is pretty mild in that regard. I saw this in the 3D IMAX version and the presentation was excellent as usual.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. The size of the screen and whether or not you choose to see it in 3D should probably be determined by how revolted you are by continual, graphic blood letting. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times. 3D IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 3/7/14

MetaCritic indicates Mr. Peabody & Sherman (57) is the top rated film this week followed by 300: Rise Of An Empire (48).  I watched one of these films and found it deplorable even though well made. 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 3/7/14

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.

300: Rise Of An Empire [R] 2D/3D/IMAX 3D 1 hr. 43 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro, Igal Naor, Callan Mulvey, Jack O'Connell, Andrew Tiernan. Plot: Greek general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), and Artemesia (Eva Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.


Mr. Peabody And Sherman [PG] 1 hr. 37 min. Animated comedy Watch Preview Voices: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Allison Janney, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, Stanley Tucci, Patrick Warburton, Lake Bell, Zach Callison, Dennis Haysbert. Plot: when Sherman takes The Wabac out for a joyride to impress his friend Penny, they accidentally rip a hole in the universe, wreaking havoc on the most important events in world history. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 3/6/14

Movie Machine - RoboCop, Frozen
Palace West - Devil's Due, Chance Of Meatballs 2
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - The Nut Job, That Awkward Moment, American Hustle, The Wolf Of Wall Street, Endless Love, The LEGO Movie 3D, Anchorman 2 Supersized
Warren Old Town - Anchorman 2 Supersized, About Last Night
Warren West 21st - Catching Fire, Pompeii, Stalingrad IMAX 3D, Anchorman 2 Supersized, About Last Night, LEGO Movie 3D