Opening 12/4/15

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.

Krampus [PG-13] 1 hr. 47 min. Comedy/Horror film Watch Preview Cast: Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Emjay Anthony, Allison Tollman, David Koechner, Conchata Ferrell, Stefania Owen, Krista Stadler. Plot: a young boys learns his lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a demonic force of ancient evil intent on punishing non-believers. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Letters [PG] 1 hr. 20 min.Biography Watch Preview Cast: Juliet Stevenson, Max Van Sydow, Rutger Hauer. Plot: Mother Teresa's story is told from the point of view of a Vatican priest charged with the task of investigating acts and events following her death. He recounts her life’s work, her political oppression, her religious zeal and her unbreakable spirit. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 12/3/15

Movie Machine - nothing
Palace West -  The Visit
Warren East 13th - nothing
Warren West 21st - nothing
Warren Old Town - nothing

Worthwhile (or not) 11/25/15

MetaCritic indicates Brooklyn (87) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Creed (80), The Good Dinosaur (75), Trumbo (60), and Victor Frankenstein (34). Due to holiday time restraints this week I didn't get a chance to watch any of these, so no reviews. 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 11/25/15

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.

Brooklyn [PG-13] 1 hr. 51 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters. Plot: lured by the promise of America, a young Irish girl (Ronan) departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother’s home for the shores of New York City in the 1950's. Showing at:  Warren East.

Creed  [PG-13] 2 hrs. 9 min. Sports drama Watch Preview Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Anthony Bellew. Plot: the son of Apollo Creed (Jordan) asks Rocky (Stallone) to be his trainer. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Good Dinosaur 2D/3D  [PG] 1 hr. 51 min. Animated adventure Watch Preview Voices: Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Maleah Nipay-Padilla. Plot: what if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Trumbo [R] 2 hrs. 4 min. Biographical drama Watch Preview Cast: Bryan Cranston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Louis C.K., Elle Fanning, John Goodman, Diane Lane, Alan Tudyk, Michael Stuhlbarg, Helen Mirren. Plot: tells the story of a screenwriter's (Bryan Cranston) fight against the U.S. government and studio bosses in a war over words and freedom, which entangled everyone in Hollywood from Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) and John Wayne to Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Victor Frankenstein [PG-13] 1 hr. 50 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott, Freddie Fox. Plot: a dynamic and thrilling twist on a legendary tale about an experiment gone too far. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 11/24/15

Movie Machine - Goosebumps, Spectre
Palace West -  Walk In TheWoods, Minions,  The Perfect Guy
Warren East 13th - Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, The Intern, Goosebumps, My All American, Hotel Transylvania 2, Maze Runner 2, Suffragette, The 33
Warren West 21st - Goosebumps, Last Witch Hunter, Woodlawn, My All American, The Intern, Hotel Transylvania 2,  The 33
Warren Old Town - The 33, Love The Coopers

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 ***

Francis Lawrence directed this Sci-Fi drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Natalie Dormer, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for some thematic material. Running time is two hours and seventeen minutes.

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown.

I've seen all the films in this series although I wouldn't call myself a fan. Nonetheless, this is a fitting ending to the series and I expect it will be enjoyed by all who've been anxiously awaiting its arrival. Production values are very good and the cast acquits themselves well. The CG effects are good without being overwhelming. It is, as are so many films these days, too long, which means you're going to be constantly interrupted by those who need to use the restroom. I'm a little surprised this isn't being shown in 3D since it was filmed in that process (and is being shown in 3D in the rest of the world), but the cynic in me has a feeling this will show up in a few months in that process here so additional ticket sales can be garnered. Adults will have to fight their way in for the first few days but this will be around for some time so you're not going to miss it if you choose to wait awhile.

There are no additional scenes once the credits begin. A large screen is a must. Theatre/Times. IMAX Times.

Secret In Their Eyes **

Billy Ray wrote and directed this Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts. Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving disturbing violent content, language and some sexual references. Running time is one hour and fifty-one minutes.

Thirteen years after an investigator's (Roberts) daughter was murdered,  a new lead is uncovered that can permanently resolve the case, nail the vicious murderer, and bring long-desired closure, but no one is prepared for the destructive effects of personal vengeance.

Thriller would not be my description of this film. Plodder/downer is more like it. I was astonished I was so totally uninvolved in a plot with a cast this good. Roberts pulls out the stops on this one, even managing to look thirteen years older at the appropriate times. Ejiofor and Kidman are fine but not particularly believable in their roles and I never bought for a minute their supposed romantic feelings for each other. The ending provides a little twist but it wasn't enough to offset the earlier tepidness. If you want to see these stars in their latest film, fine. But don't expect to leave the theatre feeling wowed! This will not last through the holidays.

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

The Night Before *½

Jonathan Levine directed this Comedy. Watch Preview Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell, Michael Shannon, Mindy Kaling. Rated R for drug use and language throughout, some strong sexual content and graphic nudity. Running time is one hour and forty-one minutes.

Friends since childhood (Gordon-Levitt, Rogen, Mackie) set out to find the Nutcracka Ball – the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.

For adults over thirty-five, this barely qualifies as a comedy. It consists of about ninety percent absolutely stupid behavior and maybe ten percent action that's funny. But, the ninety percent is so bad it completely negated the effect of the rest. The cast is fine but capable of much better and the production values are acceptable. Michael Shannon pretty much steals the good parts as the mysterious drug dealer. I'm guessing 18-35 audiences will find more to laugh at than I did but for the rest, this is pretty much a Christmas lump of coal. It won't be here long so you'd better hurry if you want to see it.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 11/20/15

MetaCritic indicates Spotlight (93) is the top ranking film this week, followed by The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (66), The Night Before (58), and Secret In Their Eyes (47). I watched three of these and found one good and two basically forgettable. 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 11/20/15

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.

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 2D/IMAX 2D [PG-13] 2 hr. 16 min. Sci-Fi drama Watch Preview Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Natalie Dormer, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland. Plot: with the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Night Before [R] 1 hr. 51 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell, Michael Shannon, Mindy Kaling. Plot: friends since childhood (Gordon-Levitt, Rogen, Mackie) set out to find the Nutcracka Ball – the Holy Grail of Christmas parties. Showing at:  Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Secret In Their Eyes [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts. Plot: thirteen years after an investigator's daughter was murdered,  a new lead is uncovered that can permanently resolve the case, nail the vicious murderer, and bring long-desired closure, but no one is prepared for the destructive effects of personal vengeance. Showing at:  Warren East, Warren West.

Spotlight [R] 2 hrs. 8 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d'Arcy James, Billy Crudup. Plot: when a team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston's religious, legal, and government establishment. Showing at:  Warren East.

Leaving 11/19/15

Movie Machine - Last Witch Hunter, Hotel Transylvania 2
Palace West -  Jurassic World
Warren East 13th - Last Witch Hunter, Paranormal Activity, Woodlawn, Burnt, Peanuts Movie 3D
Warren West 21st - Crimson Peak, Paranormal Activity, Peanuts Movie 3D, Spectre IMAX
Warren Old Town - Bridge Of Spies, The Martian

Love The Coopers **½

Jessie Nelson directed this Comedy/drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, Marisa Tomei, Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Ed Helms. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some sexuality. Running time is one hour and forty-five minutes.

Four generations of the Cooper clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, where a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down.

I can see why they released this film a couple of weeks ahead of the holiday movie season. It isn't good enough to make it through that onslaught. I'm guessing it will be doing well to make it much past Thanksgiving. It's not that it's bad, it just isn't what you expect at this time of year. It's much more a drama than a comedy, although it did have its laugh-out-loud moments. The film spends the majority of it's length examining the problems of the various Cooper clan members and waits until the end to give us an upbeat finale. The cast is terrific, but this story doesn't match their talent. I'm a logic oriented person so the holes in the story were pretty glaring and off putting. Those who are more emotionally oriented will find a lot to like, even if it is predictable. This is an acceptable couple's movie but if you're rushed for time you won't have missed a major film.

There are some minor scenes after the credits begin but nothing really worthwhile. Screen size is unimportant. Theatres/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 11/13/15

MetaCritic indicates Suffragette (67) is the top ranking film this week, followed by The 33 (55), My All American (44) and Love The Coopers (24). Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is unrated at this time. I watched one of these and found it pleasant but not what I expected. 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 11/13/15

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 33 [PG-13] 2 hrs. Biographical drama Watch Preview Cast: Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips. Plot: based on the 2010 mine collapse in Chile, where 33 miners were buried alive by the catastrophic explosion of a 100-year-old gold and copper mine. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Love The Coopers [PG-13] 1 hr. 46 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, Marisa Tomei, Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Alan Arkin. Plot: four generations of the Cooper clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, where a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

My All American [PG] 1 hr. 58 min. Biographical drama Watch Preview Cast: Finn Wittrock, Sarah Bolger, Robin Tunney, Aaron Eckhart. Plot: awarded a scholarship and a chance to play for the Texas Longhorns, Freddie Steinmark (Finn Wittrock) sets off to Austin where he leads the team to a championship season. Then, he suffers an injury that leads to a shocking diagnosis and the biggest challenge he will ever face. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo [NR] 2 hrs. 51 min. Romantic drama Watch Preview Cast: Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh. Plot: Bollywood (Indian) version of the novel The Prince and the Pauper. In Hindi with English subtitles. Showing at: Warren East.

Suffragette [PG-13] 1 hr. 46 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai, Natalie Press, Meryl Streep. Plot: drama about the women who were willing to lose everything in their fight for equality in early-20th-century Britain. Showing at: Warren East.

Leaving 11/12/15

Movie Machine - Burnt
Palace West -  Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Pixels
Warren East 13th - Our Brand Is Crisis, Scout's Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse, Crimson Peak
Warren West 21st - Our Brand Is Crisis, Scout's Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse, Burnt, Maze Runner 2
Warren Old Town - Steve Jobs, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

Spectre ***

Sam Mendes directed this Action film. Watch Preview. Cast: Christoph Waltz, Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Léa Seydoux. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, sensuality and language. Running time is two hours and twenty-eight minutes.

While M (Fiennes) battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond (Craig) peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE and its leader (Waltz).

I think I've seen all the Bond movies, which means this is the 24th one I've watched. Bond has been portrayed by different actors but the plots are all similar so they all tend to blur together for me. They have gotten longer over the years, which is not a good thing in my opinion. Two and a half hours is stretching my attention span, no matter how good the film is. This one starts off with an exciting action sequence and then segues into a long list of credits. That will give you plenty of time to visit the concession stand or restroom if you were in a hurry when you arrived. After that, we're treated to the usual Bond action sequences and another love interest. Basically, if you've enjoyed the previous Bond episodes, you should like this one as well, even if you do get restless toward the end. I saw this in IMAX which was good as usual, although this is not a full screen height feature.

There are no additional scenes once the end credits begin. You want to see this on a large screen for maximum action impact. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times. 

Worthwhile (or not) 11/6/15

MetaCritic indicates The Peanuts Movie (67) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Spectre (61). I watched one of these and found it good but a little long for my taste. 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 11/6/15

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 Peanuts Movie 2D/3D [G] 1 hr. 28 min. Animated family film Watch Preview Voices: Bill Melendez, Francesca Capaldi, Hadley Belle Miller, Noah Schnapp. Plot: Charlie Brown, the world’s most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Spectre 2D/IMAX 2D [PG-13] 2 hrs. 15 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Christoph Waltz, Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Léa Seydoux. Plot: while M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 11/5/15

Movie Machine - Jem And The Holograms, Scout's Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse
Palace West -  nothing
Warren East 13th - Jem And The Holograms, Steve Jobs, Rock The Kasbah, Pan, Sicario, Truth
Warren West 21st - Jem And The Holograms, Steve Jobs, Rock The Kasbah, The Martian IMAX 3D
Warren Old Town - Steve Jobs, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension