Opening 5/2/14

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.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [PG-13] 2D/3D/IMAX 3D 2 hrs. 22 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field, B.J. Novak. Plot: with the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield)  must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, he realizes all his enemies have one thing in common: Oscorp. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 5/1/14

Movie Machine - Transcendence
Palace West - Monuments Men, RoboCop
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - Dom Hemingway
Warren Old Town - Haunted House 2, Draft Day, Oculus
Warren West 21st - Transcendence IMAX, Captain America IMAX 3D, Haunted House 2

The Other Woman **½

Nick Cassavetes directed this Comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kate Upton, Taylor Kinney, Nicki Minaj. Rated PG-13 on appeal for mature thematic material, sexual references and language. Running time is one hour and forty-nine minutes.

After discovering her boyfriend is married, a woman (Cameron Diaz) tries to get her ruined life back on track. But when she accidentally meets the wife he's been cheating on (Leslie Mann), she realizes they have much in common, including another woman the husband is cheating with (Kate Upton).

This is an enjoyable comedy with attractive stars. Its one problem is poor editing, which makes the film a good twenty minutes longer than it should be. There are entire sequences that could be deleted with no negative impact on the story but which would dramatically improve the pacing. I watched this with my wife who likes this type of picture more than I do but even she felt it was unnecessarily long.  As far as new couples  movies go this week, though, this is your best bet.

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

Dom Hemingway **½

Richard Shepard wrote and directed this Comedy/Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Jude Law, Richard E. Grant, Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke. Rated R for sexual content, nudity, pervasive language, some violence and drug use. Running time is one hour and thirty-three minutes.

After twelve years in prison a safecracker (Jude Law) sets off with his partner in crime (Richard E. Grant) looking to collect what he's owed for keeping his mouth shut and protecting his boss (Demian Bichir).

I found this film very entertaining but due to its severe profanity and over-the-top style, I'd have trouble recommending it to anyone I didn't know very well. This is black British humor and those who like that genre should find this at least interesting. The cast is excellent and I was interested in seeing Clarke in a non-Game Of Thrones role. It appears she can sing as well as displaying the other talents she possesses.  Bichir will be familiar to those who watched The Bridge on TV last season. This will have limited appeal and won't be here long, so if you're one of the few who will enjoy it...don't wait.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 4/25/14

MetaCritic indicates Dom Hemingway (55) is the top rated film this week followed by The Quiet Ones (49),  The Other Woman (44), and  Brick Mansions (40). I watched two of these and found one entertaining although hard to recommend and one that would have been very entertaining if only better edited. 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 4/25/14

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.

Brick Mansions [PG-13] 1 hr, 29 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Paul Walker, David Belle, RZA, Gouchy Boy, Catalina Denis, Carlo Rota. Plot: an undercover Detroit cop (Walker) navigates a dangerous neighborhood surrounded by a containment wall. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Dom Hemingway [R] 1 hr, 33 min. Comedy/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Jude Law, Richard E. Grant, Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke. Plot: after twelve years in prison a safecracker (Jude Law) sets off with his partner in crime (Richard E. Grant) looking to collect what he's owed for keeping his mouth shut and protecting his boss. Showing at: Warren East.

The Other Woman [PG-13] 1 hr, 49 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kate Upton, Taylor Kinney, Nicki Minaj. Plot: after discovering her boyfriend is married, a woman (Cameron Diaz) tries to get her ruined life back on track. But when she accidentally meets the wife he's been cheating on (Leslie Mann), she realizes they have much in common. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Quiet Ones [PG-13] 1 hr, 33 min. Horror film Watch Preview Cast: Jared Harris, Sam Claflin, Erin Richards, Rory Fleck-Byrne, Olivia Cooke. Plot: a university student (Sam Claflin) and some classmates are recruited to carry out a private experiment and are soon confronted with a terrifying reality: they have triggered an unspeakable force with a power beyond all explanation. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 4/24/14

Movie Machine - Draft Day
Palace West - About Last Night
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - Muppets Most Wanted, Mr. Peabody And Sherman, Bad Words, Non-Stop, Captain America 3D
Warren Old Town - Noah, Divergent, Captain America 3D
Warren West 21st - Muppets Most Wanted, Mr. Peabody And Sherman, Non-Stop, Captain America 3D, Son Of God, The Lego Movie, Rio 2 3D

Worthwhile (or not) 4/18/14

MetaCritic indicates Bears (69) is the top rated film this week followed by Heaven Is For Real (47),  Transcendence (43), and  A Haunted House (20). I watched two of these and find myself in disagreement with the national reviewers (imagine my surprise). 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.

Heaven Is For Real **½

Randall Wallace directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Connor Corum, Margo Martindale, Thomas Haden Church. Rated PG thematic material including some medical situations. Running time is one hour and forty minutes.

The true story of a small-town father (Kinnear) who must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience, with the world. Inspired by the #1 New York Times best-selling book of the same name.

This is not the kind of film I'd normally review since I limit myself to entertainment films and avoid message films like the plague. Still, my wife read this book and wanted to see the film, so I went along for the ride. Basically, it turned out to be not as bad as I had supposed it would be. It has a better than average cast than your average message pic does. It's hard not to like Kinnear in whatever role he's in and I hadn't seen Haden Church for awhile. I am surprised they used British actress Reilly as the wife since I'm used to seeing her in English mystery shows. She had none of her usual accent although I felt she was a little out of her comfort  zone. And no matter what film she's in next, never, ever let her do a solo vocal again! As for the story itself, if you're a 'believer', you'll believe in this film's story. If you're a skeptic, this will have marginal effect on that view. I will give the film credit for not being as 'preachy' as  I thought it might be, but rather a dramatization of a best selling novel.

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

Transcendence ***½

Wally Pfister  directed this SciFi Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Morgan Freeman, Cole Hauser, Cillian Murphy. Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, some bloody images, brief strong language and sensuality. Running time is one hour and fifty-nine minutes.

The foremost researcher (Depp) in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine, becomes one after terrorists murder him.

You can count me as one of the few reviewers who really, really liked this film. While it has an excellent cast, that isn't what made this a good movie for me. It's the ideas and extrapolation of those ideas that piqued my interest. This technology isn't that far off and while I'm unlikely to see it occur, my children and certainly my grandchildren could. If you have friends you like to discuss movies with, this would be an excellent film to watch and then discuss. If new ideas don't excite you much, this film probably won't do it for you either as the actual pacing is rather slow. But sci-fi fans and futurists should find plenty of excitement in this one. I saw this in the IMAX theatre but it isn't an IMAX film so all you're getting there is an extra large 'scope feature. One of the larger regular theatres will do almost as well.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. Screen size will only be minimally important. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times.

Opening 4/16, 18/14

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.

Opens Wednesday 4/16/14

Heaven Is For Real [PG] 1 hr. 50 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Connor Corum, Margo Martindale, Thomas Haden Church. Plot: the true story of a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience, with the world. Inspired by the #1 New York Times best-selling book of the same name. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Open Friday 4/18/14

Bears [G] 1 hr. 17 min. True Life Adventure Watch Preview Plot: a year in the life of two mother bears as they impart life lessons to their impressionable young cubs. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

A Haunted House 2 [R] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy/Horror film Watch Preview Cast: Marlon Wayans, Gabriel Iglesias, Jaime Pressly, Ashley Rickards, Essence Atkins, Affion Crockett, Dave Sheridan. Plot: inspired by the latest supernatural horror movie franchises, this time… it's not just the house that's haunted! Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Transcendence [PG-13] 2D/IMAX 2D 1 hr. 50 min. SciFi Drama Watch Preview Cast: Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Morgan Freeman, Cole Hauser, Cillian Murphy. Plot: the foremost researcher (Depp) in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine, becomes one after terrorists murder him. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 4/17/14

Movie Machine - Noah, Divergent
Palace West - Pompeii, That Awkward Moment
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - Rio 2 3D, The Raid 2, Captain America 3D
Warren Old Town - nothing
Warren West 21st - The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Raid 2, Captain America 3D, Need For Speed

Draft Day ***

Ivan Reitman directed this Sports drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Ellen Burstyn, Denis Leary, Frank Langella, Chadwick Boseman, Sean Combs. Rated PG-13 on appeal for brief strong language and sexual references. Running time is one hour and forty-nine minutes.

On the day of the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver (Costner) has the opportunity to save football in Cleveland when he trades for the number one pick.

I am not a football fan, but this film easily had the best cast this week so I decided to give it a try. Imagine my surprise when I found myself enjoying the film. To be fair, that's partly because there's hardly any football in it. Rather the film is about the personal interplay between the manager, his mother, his girl friend, the team owner, the coach, and a few of the players. This is a very good cast with a well written script that moves right along. Younger audiences will probably consider it too "talky" and lacking in action, but I found myself interested in the characters and their problems. It's slightly longer than I would have preferred but I didn't feel the need to check my watch, which is a good thing.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 4/11/14

MetaCritic indicates The Raid 2 (71) is the top rated film this week followed by Oculus (61),  Draft Day (52), and  Rio 2 (50). I watched one of these and found it entertaining, although probably only for older viewers. 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 4/11/14

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.

Draft Day [PG-13] 2 hrs. Sports comedy Watch Preview Cast: Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Ellen Burstyn, Denis Leary, Frank Langella, Chadwick Boseman, Sean Combs. Plot: on the day of the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver (Costner) has the opportunity to save football in Cleveland when he trades for the number one pick. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Oculus [R] 1 hr. 45 min.Horror film Watch Preview Cast: Karen Gillan, Katee Sackhoff, Brenton Thwaites, James Lafferty, Rory Cochrane, Annalise Basso, Garretty Ryan, Kate Siegel, Katie Parker, Miguel Sandoval. Plot: the lives of teenage siblings are forever changed by a malevolent supernatural force­­ unleashed through an antique mirror. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The  Raid 2 [R] 2 hrs. 30 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Iko Uwais, Arifin Putra, Tio Pakusadewo, Oka Antara, Julie Estelle, Ryuhei Matsuda, Kenichi Endo, Kazuki Kitamura. Plot: after fighting his way out of a building filled with gangsters and madmen, rookie Jakarta cop Rama thought it was done and he could resume a normal life. He couldn't have been more wrong. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Rio 2 [G] 2D/3D 1 hr. 41 min. Animated comedy Watch Preview Voices: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, will.i.am, Jemaine Clement, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Jamie Foxx, Andy Garcia, Rita Moreno, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth. Plot: it’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids after they’re hurtled from that magical city to the wilds of the Amazon. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 4/10/14

Movie Machine - Muppets Most Wanted, Mr. Peabody And Sherman
Palace West - Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, American Hustle, 12 Years A Slave
Starlite Drive-In - open Fri/Sat
Warren East 13th - Sabotage, Cesar Chavez, Need For Speed, 300: Rise Of An Empire, Single Mom's Club, The Lego Movie
Warren Old Town - Sabotage, 300: Rise Of An Empire
Warren West 21st - Cesar Chavez, Sabotage, 300: Rise Of An Empire

Captain America: The Winter Soldier ***

Anthony Russo and Joe Russo  directed this 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. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, gunplay and action throughout. Running time is two hours and sixteen minutes.

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 and finds himself fighting a friend from his past, The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan).

I've never been particularly enthusiastic about either comic books or Marvel movies. This film, however, is very entertaining and far better than most of those I've seen previously. For one thing, it has a plot, a real story with some substance and a modicum of believability. It also has an excellent cast and CGI effects that should have the fan boys swooning. While there is a lot of violence, it's not the realistically bloody variety so no one should be 'grossed' out. Fans of the Marvel movies will be interested in how this film lays out what's coming in the next Marvel franchise film. I saw this in IMAX 3D which was good, but I should point out this is not a full screen IMAX feature and the 3D was added later. I don't know that I felt the 3D added much to my enjoyment, although it did not distract.

There  are two additional scenes once the final credits begin, one in the middle of the credits and a preview of the next film at the very end. A large screen will definitely be beneficial to your enjoyment. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times. 3D IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 4/4/14

MetaCritic indicates Captain America: The Winter Soldier (69) is the top rated (and only) film this week. I watched it and found it surprisingly good. 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.