Project Almanac **½

Dean Israelite directed this Thriller. Watch Preview Cast:.Allen Evangelista, Sam Lerner, Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Ginny Gardner. Rated PG-13 for language and sexual content. Running time is one hour and forty-six minutes.

A brilliant high school student (Weston) and his friends uncover blueprints for a time-travel device with limitless potential, inadvertently putting lives in danger.

For me this was an extremely annoying film to watch because of its 'found footage' conceit but with a fast paced, interesting plot. Production values are fine as is the cast, although I'm not familiar with any of them. The story is basically concerned with the unexpected consequences that occur if you tamper with events in the past. I don't think the ending makes much sense but that didn't seem to matter when considering the film in its entirety. This a relatively low budget production that's been sitting on the shelf for a year. Teens will find this one far more interesting than will adults.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 1/30/15

MetaCritic indicates A Most Violent Year (80) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Black Sea (62), Project Almanac (45), and Black Or White (45).  The Loft had no reviews. I saw one of these and think teens are its most probable audience. For national 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 1/30/15

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.

Black Or White [PG-13] 2 hrs. 1 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast:.Anthony Mackie, Kevin Costner, Jennifer Ehle, Andre Holland, Gillian Jacobs, Octavia Spencer, Bill Burr, Jillian Estell. Plot: a grandfather (Kevin Costner) who suddenly must care for his granddaughter fights with her paternal grandmother (Octavia Spencer) over custody.Showing at: Warren East,  Warren West.

Black Sea [R] 1 hr. 54 min. Adventure Watch Preview Cast:.Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, David Threlfall. Plot: a rogue submarine captain (Jude Law) pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. Showing at: Warren East

Game Of Thrones [R] 2 hrs. 6 min,. Watch Preview featuring the last two episodes from season four of Game of Thrones followed by the worldwide debut of the series’ season five sneak-peek preview, created exclusively for IMAX. Showing at: Warren West.

The Loft [R] 1 hr. 49 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast:.James Marsden, Karl Urban, Rachael Taylor, Rhona Mitra, Isabel Lucas, Wentworth Miller, Eric Stonestreet, Matthias Schoenaerts. Plot: five guys who secretly share a penthouse loft in the city discover the dead body of an unknown woman in the loft, and realize one of the group must be involved. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

A Most Violent Year [R] 1 hr. 53 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast:.Albert Brooks, Alessandro Nivola, David Oyelowo, Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain. Plot: one immigrant’s determined climb up a morally crooked ladder, where simmering rivalries and unprovoked attacks threaten his business, family, and - above all - his own unwavering belief in the righteousness of his path. Showing at:  Warren East

Project  Almanac [PG-13] 1 hr. 46 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast:.Allen Evangelista, Sam Lerner, Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Ginny Gardner. Plot: a brilliant high school student and his friends uncover blueprints for a mysterious device with limitless potential, inadvertently putting lives in danger. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 1/29/15

Movie Machine - Night At The Museum, Blackhat
Palace West - Nightcrawler, Horrible Bosses 2
Starlite Drive-In - closed for the season
Warren East 13th - Night At The Museum, Spare Parts, Blackhat
Warren West 21st - Big Hero 6, Selma, Nighth St The Museum, Woman In Black 2, Blackhat, American Sniper IMAX
Warren Old Town - Into The Woods, Blackhat

Mortdecai *½

David Koepp directed this Action comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Ewan McGregor, Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Jeff Goldblum, Olivia Munn. Rated R for some language and sexual material. Running time is one hour and forty-six minutes.

A debonair art dealer and part time rogue (Depp) must traverse the globe in a race to recover a stolen painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold.

I think what this film is trying to be is a reincarnation of Inspector Clouseau. Instead, it's dead after the first few minutes, and it stays that way. This is a first rate cast and the production values are very good, but there's just nothing to work with here. Depp's character isn't debonair, he's stupid, and stupid ceases to be funny rather quickly. Paltrow is too stiff to be in a comedy of this type and Goldblum and Munn basically have walk on parts. The only group that might have found this funny won't be able to attend due to the rating. I suspect this will disappear rather quickly, and we can all be thankful for that.

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

Cake **

Daniel Barnz directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Felicity Huffman, Sam Worthington, Anna Kendrick, Camille Mana, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Chris Messina, William H. Macy. Britt Robertson, Lucy Walters, Manuel Garcia Rulfo. Rated R for language, substance abuse and brief sexuality. Running time is one hour and forty-two minutes.

A woman (Aniston) in constant pain is traumatized by the suicide of a fellow sufferer.

The main draw of this film is seeing Aniston in a straight dramatic role. She's quite believable as a woman wracked with pain and hooked on pain killers as a consequence. But, even though you may feel sorry for her, you don't like her, and that's a problem because it keeps the viewers uninvolved. The rest of the cast, capable as they are, are relatively unimportant. Huffman and Macy are easy to miss entirely if you blink at the wrong time. This feels like a film vehicle designed to show Aniston's acting range without much consideration for the audience. If you're into heavy drama, so be it. But for me, this was just depressing, and I find it hard to recommend.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 1/23/15

MetaCritic indicates Cake (49) is the top ranking film this week, followed by The Boy Next Door (31), Mortdecai (25), and Strange Magic (22).  Clearly the national critics were not impressed with this week's offerings. I saw two of these and can't recommend either. For national 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 1/23/15

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 Boy Next Door [R] 1 hr. 31 min. Psychological Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Kristin Chenoweth, John Corbett, Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman. Plot: after her divorce, a woman falls for a younger man, but their torrid affair takes a dangerous turn. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Cake [R] 1 hr. 42 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Felicity Huffman, Sam Worthington, Anna Kendrick, Camille Mana, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Chris Messina, William H. Macy. Britt Robertson, Lucy Walters, Manuel Garcia Rulfo. Plot: a woman (Aniston) in constant pain is traumatized by the suicide of a fellow sufferer. Showing at: Warren East

Mortdecai [R] 1 hr. 47 min. Action comedy Watch Preview Cast: Ewan McGregor, Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Jeff Goldblum, Olivia Munn. Plot: a debonair art dealer and part time rogue (Depp) must traverse the globe in a race to recover a stolen painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Strange Magic [PG] 1 hr. 39 min. Animated Watch Preview Voices: Alfred Molina, Kristin Chenoweth, Maya Rudolph, Peter Stormare, Evan Rachel Wood, Elijah Kelley, Alan Cumming, Sam Palladio, Meredith Anne Bull, Bob Einstein. Plot: a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 1/22/15

Movie Machine - nothing
Palace West - Beyond The Lights
Starlite Drive-In - closed for the season
Warren East 13th - Inherent Vice, Woman In Black 2, Homesman
Warren West 21st - Selma
Warren Old Town - Selma, Into The Woods

American Sniper ***

Clint Eastwood directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Sienna Miller, Bradley Cooper. Rated R for strong and disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual references. Running time is two hours and twelve minutes.

The most lethal sniper (Cooper) in U.S. military history comes home to his family and discovers he can't leave the war behind.

While the cast list above only shows two names there are actually a lot of actors here. It's just that the film is all Bradley Cooper with the rest of the cast severely minimized. Cooper does an impressive job and production values are fine. Even though it's over two hours long, the pacing is such that I was never bored or impatient for the ending. The use of flashbacks was overdone and the ending seems oddly disjointed, with his obvious PTSD being almost completely glossed over. I think almost everyone will find this to be an interesting picture but I don't personally think it's up to Oscar standards.

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

The Wedding Ringer **

Jeremy Garelick co-wrote and directed this Comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Cloris Leachman, Jenifer Lewis, Kevin Hart, Olivia Thirlby, Mimi Rogers, Josh Gad, Ken Howard, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting. Rated R for crude and sexual content, language throughout, some drug use and brief graphic nudity. Running time is one hour and forty-one minutes.

A socially awkward groom-to-be (Josh Gad) is referred to the owner (Kevin Hart) of a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need.

I'm not a Keven Hart fan. His style of humor, fast/loud talking, generally leaves me cold. But this time he's been reined in slightly. I don't know why or how, but I appreciate it. This film was slightly better than I'd expected. I actually laughed a few times at the sight gags. The rest of the cast is fine, with Gad being note perfect in his role as a social misfit. I don't think older viewers will be overly impressed with this film but younger viewers should enjoy it.

There are two short clips at the very end of the credits but they're hardly worth waiting for. Screen size is relatively unimportant. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 1/16/15

MetaCritic indicates Foxcatcher (82) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Paddington (77), American Sniper (73), Blackhat (49), Spare Parts (46) and The Wedding Ringer (30).  I saw two of these and found one of them slightly better than expected and the other not quite as good as hoped for. What I am positive about is the ratings this week will have no relationship to attendance figures. For national 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 1/16/15

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.

American Sniper [R] 2 hrs. 14 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Sienna Miller, Bradley Coope. Plot: the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history comes home to his family and discovers he can't leave the war behind. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West

Blackhat [R] 2 hrs. 13 min. Action/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Viola Davis, Tang Wei, Chris Hemsworth, Wang Leehom. Plot: a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners hunt a high-level cybercrime network. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West

Foxcatcher [R] 2 hrs. 14 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Steve Carell, Sienna Miller, Vanessa Redgrave, Channing Tatum, Anthony Michael Hall. Plot: the story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers. Showing at: Warren East

Paddington [PG] 1 hr. 35 min. Family Drama Watch Preview Cast: Jim Broadbent, Nicole Kidman, Ben Whishaw, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville. Plot: the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) who travels to the city in search of a home. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West

Spare Parts [PG-13] 1 hr. 55 min. Family Drama Watch Preview Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Marisa Tomei, George Lopez, Esai Morales, Jose Julian, Alessandra Rosaldo, Carlos Pena, David Del Rio, Oscar Gutierrez, Alexa PenaVega. Plot: a true life story about four Hispanic high school students who form a robotics club that goes up against MIT. Showing at: Warren East

The Wedding Ringer [R] 1 hr. 41 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Cloris Leachman, Jenifer Lewis, Kevin Hart, Olivia Thirlby, Mimi Rogers, Josh Gad, Ken Howard, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting. Plot: a socially awkward groom-to-be (Josh Gad) is referred to the owner (Kevin Hart) of a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West

Leaving 1/15/15

Movie Machine - Woman In Black 2, Annie, Hobbit 3
Palace West - The Equalizer, Guardians Of The Galaxy
Starlite Drive-In - closed for the season
Warren East 13th - Big Eyes, The Gambler, Big Hero 6, Exodus, Penguins Of Madagascar, Interstellar, Horrible Bosses 2
Warren West 21st - Big Eyes, The Gambler, Annie, Horrible Bosses 2, Penguins Of Madagascar, Exodus, Hobbit 3 3D
Warren Old Town - Woman In Black 2, Unbroken, Hobbit 3

Taken 3 **

Olivier Megaton directed this Action/Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Famke Janssen, Liam Neeson, Dougray Scott, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Sam Spruell. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for brief strong language. Running time is one hour and forty-nine minutes.

An ex-covert operative's (Neeson), reconciliation with his ex-wife (Janssen) is tragically cut short when she is brutally murdered. Framed for the crime, he must use his "particular set of skills," to track down the real killers, exact his unique brand of justice, and protect the only thing that matters to him now – his daughter (Grace).

There is a fair amount of action in this third rendition of the Taken franchise, but thrills are lacking. This appears to be a series that has simply run out of steam. In the first two films Neeson was trying to rescue someone, first his daughter and second his ex-wife. This time around he's trying to rescue himself from a jail cell, and that isn't as exciting. Production values and cast are all fine, it's just the plot that falls short. Action fans will be entertained but others will not find this a 'must see'.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. A larger screen is preferable for an action film. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 1/9/15

MetaCritic indicates Selma (90) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Inherent Vice (82) and Taken 3 (30).  I saw Taken 3 and while certainly not great it will be satisfying for action fans. For national 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 1/9/15

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.

Inherent Vice [R] 2 hrs. 28 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Jena Malone, Owen Wilson, Martin Short, Katherine Waterston, Joanna Newson. Plot: private eye Doc Sportello's (Phoenix) ex-old lady suddenly shows up with a story about her current billionaire boyfriend, and a plot by his wife and her boyfriend to kidnap the billionaire and throw him in a loony bin. Showing at: Warren East.

Selma [PG-13] 2 hrs. 8 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Tim Roth, Tom Wilkinson, Giovanni Ribisi, Martin Sheen, Oprah Winfrey, Alessandro Nivola, Cuba Gooding Jr., David Oyelowo, Common , Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint. Plot:chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Taken 3 [PG-13] 1 hr. 49 min. Action/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Famke Janssen, Liam Neeson, Dougray Scott, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Sam Spruell. Plot: an ex-covert operative's (Neeson), reconciliation with his ex-wife is tragically cut short when she is brutally murdered. Framed for the crime, he must use his "particular set of skills," to track down the real killers, exact his unique brand of justice, and protect the only thing that matters to him now – his daughter. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Imitation Game [PG-13] 1 hr. 54 min. also starts a run at Warren West.

Leaving 1/8/15

Movie Machine - Unbroken
Palace West - nothing
Starlite Drive-In - closed for the season
Warren East 13th - Birdman
Warren West 21st - Interstellar
Warren Old Town - The Gambler, Night At The Museum 3

Worthwhile (or not) 1/2/15

MetaCritic indicates The Woman In Black 2: Angel Of Death (49) is the top ranking film this week, because it's the only new film this week. I don't consider horror films entertaining so I didn't watch it.  For national 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.