San Andreas ***

Brad Peyton directed this Action Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Alexandra Daddario, Carla Gugino, Colton Haynes, Dwayne Johnson, Ioan Gruffudd, Kylie Minogue, Paul Giamatti, Hugo Johnstone-Burt. Rated PG-13 for intense disaster action and mayhem throughout, and brief strong language. Running time is one hour and fifty-four minutes.

After a magnitude 9 earthquake hits California, a search and rescue helicopter pilot (Dwayne Johnson) and his estranged wife (Carla Gugino) attempt to save their only daughter (Alexandra Daddario).

While this is pretty much an "all destruction/all the time" film it does manage to add a few romantic and family scenes to break up the devastation. The clear star is the CGI effects which are very impressive and realistic. The three leads are believable and the rest of the cast is also good. It was nice seeing actors I've been watching in other series (Gruffudd and Johnstone-Burt) and seeing how effective they were in a different series. Daddario is a real standout and looks to have a promising career ahead of her. I could have done without the opening sequence which added a few unnecessary minutes but nothing of plot importance to the show, but the pacing and action of the film never really let it drag. Men will enjoy the action and there's enough romance and family drama to keep the women in the audience relatively happy. Even though there are many deaths, none of them are particularly messy. This was filmed in 3D and I saw the IMAX 3D version, which was some of the best and most effective 3D I've seen, although the film does not take up the full IMAX screen.

There are no additional scenes once the final credits begin. For maximum visual impact you want to see this on the largest possible screen. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times. IMAX 3D Times.

Aloha **½

Cameron Crowe wrote and directed this Comedy/Romance. Watch Preview. Cast: Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, John Krasinski, Rachel McAdams. Rated PG-13 for some language including suggestive comments. Running time is one hour and forty minutes.

A military contractor (Bradley Cooper) returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs in Hawaii – and reconnects with a long-ago love (Rachel McAdams) while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog (Emma Stone) assigned to him.

Those looking for a laugh-fest will be somewhat disappointed with this film but find it enjoyable nonetheless.  It's hard to go wrong with such a personable group of actors, but this plot doesn't do them any favors, as it throws logic out the window and goes for emotional manipulation instead. As much as I like Emma Stone (and I liked her here), her character doesn't really suit her personality. The plot seems filled with scenes that don't really add anything to the story, with all the Hawaiian spirit mumbo jumbo heading the list. The final scene is clearly a contrived one designed to elicit tears, but it makes no logical sense whatever. However, I did find the wordless scene between Cooper and Krasinski both innovative and amusing. All that being said, if you ignore the plot contrivances, the personalities of these actors are capable of providing you with a pleasant couple of hours.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 5/29/15

MetaCritic indicates San Andreas (42) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Aloha (39).  I saw both of these and found them more enjoyable than the MetaCritic numbers indicate. 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 5/29/15

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.

Aloha [PG-13] 1 hr. 45 min. Comedy/Romance Watch Preview Cast: Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, John Krasinski, Rachel McAdams. Plot: a celebrated military contractor (Bradley Cooper) returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs in Hawaii – and reconnects with a long-ago love (Rachel McAdams) while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog (Emma Stone) assigned to him. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.
 
San Andreas [PG-13] 2D/3D/IMAX 3D 1 hr. 54 min. Action Drama Watch Preview Cast: Alexandra Daddario, Carla Gugino, Colton Haynes, Dwayne Johnson, Ioan Gruffudd, Kylie Minogue, Paul Giamatti. Plot: after a magnitude 9 earthquake in California, a search and rescue helicopter pilot (Dwayne Johnson) and his estranged wife (Carla Gugino) attempt to save their only daughter (Alexandra Daddario). Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 5/28/15

Movie Machine - Mad Max: Fury Road
Palace West - It Follows
Warren East 13th - Poltergeist 3D, Mad Max: Fury Road 3D
Warren West 21st - Paul Blart 2, Poltergeist 3D, Mad Max: Fury Road 3D
Warren Old Town - nothing

Tomorrowland **½

Brad Bird co-wrote and directed this Sci-fi Family film. Watch Preview. Cast: George Clooney, Judy Greer, Tim McGraw, Hugh Laurie, Kathryn Hahn, Thomas Robinson, Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Keegan-Michael Key. Rated PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and peril, thematic elements, and language. Running time is two hours and ten minutes.

A former boy-genius (Clooney), and a bright, optimistic teen (Britt Robertson)  embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as "Tomorrowland" after being recruited by a young girl (Raffey Cassidy).

Families will enjoy this film far more than will sci-fi fans as its emphasis is far more on relationships than it is on futuristic adventure. It's a nice looking picture but perhaps a bit long and slowly paced, especially for the younger crowd. Clooney does well in his role and Robertson (The Dome) does equally well. For me, however, the standout was young Cassidy, who looks to have a bright future in films (this is her third) if she so chooses. Fans of Kathryn Hahn will have trouble recognizing her with both her appearance and voice being substantially altered. It was nice to see Laurie again as the leader of the futuristic community. Conservative families will probably not appreciate the fact that global warming and its dire consequences are featured prominently, and the blame for those consequences are directed at global businesses. I saw this in IMAX, and while it was a full screen picture, I think any large screen presentation will be just as effective.

There are no further scenes once the final credits begin. The few futuristic scenes will be better on a large screen. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 5/22/15

MetaCritic indicates Far From The Madding Crowd (71) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Tomorrowland (60) and Poltergeist (51).  I saw one of these and found it acceptable for families but of limited interest for anyone else. 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 5/22/15

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.

Far From The Madding Crowd [PG-13] 2 hrs. 22 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Michael Sheen, Juno Temple, Tom Sturridge, Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts. Plot: based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy, the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan), who attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching willfulness; Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge), a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), a prosperous and mature bachelor. Showing at: Warren East.

Poltergeist 2D/3D [PG-13] 1 hr. 33 min. Horror Drama Watch Preview Cast: Sam Rockwell, Jared Harris, Rosemarie DeWitt, Saxon Sharbino, Jane Adams. Plot: classic tale about a family whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces who escalate their attacks and hold the youngest daughter captive. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.
 
Tomorrowland 2D/IMAX 2D [PG]  2 hrs. 10 min. Sci-fi Drama Watch Preview Cast: George Clooney, Judy Greer, Tim McGraw, Hugh Laurie, Kathryn Hahn, Thomas Robinson, Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Keegan-Michael Key. Plot: a former boy-genius (Clooney), and a bright, optimistic teen (Britt Robertson)  embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as "Tomorrowland." Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 5/21/15

Movie Machine - Hot Pursuit, Paul Blart 2
Palace West - Run All Night, Lazarus Effect
Warren East 13th - Wild Tales, Cinderella, Get Hard, Insurgent, Longest Ride, Avengers 2 3D
Warren West 21st - Water Diviner, Longest Ride, Unfriended, Get Hard, Avengers 2 IMAX
Warren Old Town - Hot Pursuit, Mad Max: Fury Road 3D

Pitch Perfect 2 **½

Elizabeth Banks directed this Musical/Comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: Brittany Snow, Anna Kendrick, Katey Sagal, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Adam DeVine, Hailee Steinfeld, Ester Dean, Kelley Jakle, Hana Mae Lee, John Michael Higgins, Elizabeth Banks. Rated PG-13 for innuendo and language. Running time is one hour and fifty-five minutes.

The Barden Bellas are back, but in trouble after an unfortunate onstage mishap by Rebel Wilson. In an attempt to redeem their reputation, they enter an international competition no American group has ever won.

I think director Banks has tried to reach too wide an audience with this pic. The music numbers are great and should be appreciated by all ages. But the humor, well, that's something else again. A lot of it is the raunchy/smutty variety that younger audiences will find funny but will be cringe inducing for older patrons. And some of the asides I personally found amusing I suspect will go right over the heads of the younger crowd. Perhaps some find Rebel Wilson humorous, but I personally don't, so I thought she took up too much screen time. Kendrick is fine as usual although a little more in the background than in the previous version. Steinfeld is a nice addition and acquits herself well. The comments between Higgins and Banks throughout the film are very funny and will be most appreciated by adult patrons.

There is some extra footage during the first part of the credits, but nothing important. Screen size is unimportant. Theatres/Times.

Mad Max: Fury Road ***½

George Miller co-wrote and directed this Sci-Fi Action Film. Watch Preview. Cast: Charlize Theron, Megan Gale, Tom Hardy, John Howard, Nathan Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Richard Carter, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Courtney Eaton, Josh Helman, Jennifer Hagan, iOTA , Angus Sampson, Joy Smithers, Gillian Jones, Melissa Jaffer, Melita Jurisic. Rated R for intense sequences of violence throughout, and for disturbing images. Running time is two hours.

Max (Tom Hardy) becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland from the Warlord in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa (Charlize Theron). He joins with her and together they battle the Warlord and his army as well as a couple of other armies in an attempt to start a new home with plentiful water.

The action starts right from the beginning and just never lets up in this bleak, futuristic sci-fi film. The underlying plot didn't make a lot of sense to me (how do they get all these vehicles, gasoline, tires, etc.) but the non-stop action more than makes up for the lack of a reasonable plot. This is really Theron's film as she has a lot more to do than does Hardy. I don't know how much of the action was CGI but it all looked very realistic and never detracted from the forward momentum. Trivia fans may want to check out one of the maidens who happens to be Elvis Presley's oldest granddaughter. I saw the 3D version and found the image acceptable if not outstanding. This was was not shot in the process but was converted later into 3D . Frankly, I don't think it added a lot. The pacing was excellent and even at two hours the film didn't feel too long. During the film you really begin to like and care about some of the characters which is definitely unusual in an action pic but adds to your involvement.

There are no additonal scenes once the final credits begin. To really appreciate the action you should see this on the largest screen possible. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 5/15/15

MetaCritic indicates Mad Max: Fury Road (91) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Wild Tales (77) and Pitch Perfect 2 (65). Where Hope Grows is not rated which often happens on films of this type which usually have low attendance. I saw two of these and found one entertaining and the other a very mixed bag. 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 5/15/15

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.

Mad Max: Fury Road [R] 1 hr. 55 min. Sci-Fi Action Film Watch Preview Cast: Charlize Theron, Megan Gale, Tom Hardy, John Howard, Nathan Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Richard Carter, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Courtney Eaton, Josh Helman, Jennifer Hagan, iOTA , Angus Sampson, Joy Smithers, Gillian Jones, Melissa Jaffer, Melita Jurisic. Plot: Max (Tom Hardy) becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland from the Warlord in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa (Charlize Theron).
Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Pitch Perfect 2 [PG-13] 1 hr. 55 min. Musical/Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Brittany Snow, Anna Kendrick, Katey Sagal, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Adam DeVine, Hailee Steinfeld, Ester Dean, Kelley Jakle, Hana Mae Lee. Plot: the Barden Bellas are back and enter an international competition that no American group has ever won. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Where Hope Grows [PG] 1 hr. 38 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Kerr Smith, Kristoffer Polaha, Danica McKellar. Plot: a film about finding redemption through faith, hope and love. Showing at: Warren West.

Wild Tales [R] 2 hrs. 1 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Ricardo Darín, Rita Cortese, Nancy Dupláa. Plot: six short stories involving distressed people, in Spanish with English subtitles. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 5/14/15

Movie Machine - Furious 7
Palace West - Fifty Shades Of Grey
Warren East 13th - The D Train, Unfriended, Monkey Kingdom, Little Boy
Warren West 21st - Little Boy, The D Train, Cinderella, Monkey Kingdom, Insurgent, Ex Machina
Warren Old Town - Avengers 2 3D, Age Of Adaline, Furious 7

Hot Pursuit *½

Anne Fletcher directed this Action comedy. Watch Preview. Cast: John Carroll Lynch, Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, Richard T. Jones, Rob Kazinsky. Rated PG-13 for sexual content, violence, language and some drug material. Running time is one hour and twenty-seven minutes.

An uptight and by-the-book cop (Reese Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Sofia Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.

Unfortunately, the only positive thing I can say about this one is it's less than an hour-and-a-half long. That strikes me as a really missed opportunity since the two leads, especially Witherspoon, are capable of much better. The fundamental problem is this is basically action only, there's no witty dialogue to savor and laugh about later. And, action only gets tiresome way earlier than the end of this film. There are  also odd plot jumps that indicate to me the director had no idea how to get from scene A to scene B. While they made the film blessedly shorter, they were disconcerting. What laughter there is you'll find in the outtakes that are shown during the first credits.

There are outtakes once the credits begin but nothing else of importance once they stop. Screen size is unimportant. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 5/8/15

MetaCritic indicates The D Train (56) is the top ranking film this week, followed distantly by Hot Pursuit (29). I saw one of these and was disappointed. 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 5/8/15

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 D Train [R] 1 hr. 37 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: James Marsden, Jack Black, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Nat Faxon, Kathryn Hahn, Henry Zebrowski, Kyle Bornheimer, Adria Tennor, Russell Posner. Plot: a guy who's never been 'cool' (Jack Black) attempts to convince the most popular guy from his high school (Marsden) to show up with him to their class reunion. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Hot Pursuit [PG-13] 1 hr. 27 min. Action comedy Watch Preview Cast:John Carroll Lynch, Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, Richard T. Jones, Rob Kazinsky. Plot: an uptight and by-the-book cop (Reese Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Sofia Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 5/7/15

Movie Machine - Home
Palace West - Jupiter Ascending
Warren East 13th - True Story, Kingsman
Warren West 21st - nothing
Warren Old Town - Get Hard

Avengers: Age Of Ultron **½

Joss Whedon directed this Sci-Fi Action Film. Watch Preview. Cast: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Thomas Kretschmann, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, Stellan Skarsgård, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Cobie Smulders, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, James Spader, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments. Running time is two hours and twenty-one minutes.

When Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance.

I am perfectly aware it makes no difference what any reviewer has to say about this film...it will do a ton of business in any event. But most of that business will be with those under the age of 35 and more specifically, probably still in school. That crowd will enjoy this film immensely. It has a good cast, a plethora of action, and no silly plot to get in the way. The rest of us will find it mildly interesting, well done but far too long and with a plot you can sum up in one sentence: Tony Stark creates a robot that wants to kill all humanity and we're all going to die if he and the gang can't stop it. As bloated as this one felt to me, it's hard to imagine what the next one will be like as I understand it's even more bloated, to the extent it will be split into two films!. I'm sure the IMAX 3D was superlative but I saw this in the 2D version and didn't feel as if I'd missed anything.

There is one brief scene after the initial cast credits. You really need to see this on a large screen. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times. IMAX 3D Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 5/1/15

MetaCritic indicates Avengers: Age Of Ultron (66) is the top ranking film this week, which isn't really hard since it's this week's only release. I saw it and think the younger crowd will enjoy it much more than those closer to mine. 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.