Room ***

Lenny Abrahamson directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, William H. Macy. Rated R for language. Running time is one hour and fifty-eight minutes.

A unique and touching exploration of the boundless love between a mother (Larson) and her child (Tremblay). Based on the novel.

My goal is finding films that entertain, which is why my rating of this film is lower than you might expect. After all, it has been nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress. And, it is a superb film, with two top notch actors and a great supporting cast. So why only three stars? I just didn't find it entertaining. I greatly appreciated it and thought the performances by both Larson and Tremblay were spot on. Tremblay especially is fantastic for someone only eight years old. But for me the film is too long and I found my attention drifting during the second half. This is really a two part film: life in the room and life out of the room. And that second half isn't quite what you'd expect. Do I recommend it as a very good film? Yes. Do I think you'll find it entertaining? All I can tell you is that I didn't. My guess is this will have limited appeal so I don't expect it to be here for an extended period.

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

The Finest Hours **½

Craig Gillespie directed this Action/Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, Eric Bana. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of peril. Running time is one hour and fifty-seven minutes.

The remarkable true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history.

This is a reasonably exciting sea rescue saga set off the coast of New England in 1952. There's plenty of watery action intermixed with a love story I suspect was inserted to make it more enjoyable for women. Frankly, I thought that just got in the way and extended the length of the film unnecessarily. For those of us who lived through the 50s, a lot of the scenes will bring back memories of those years. The action is split between those on the shattered oil tanker (Affleck) and the small Coast Guard crew (Pine) attempting to rescue them. While the rescue does have action it's repetitive in nature and starts to lose its impact after awhile The end credits are interesting in that they show you pictures of the actual crews alongside the actors who portrayed them in the film. I saw this in the 2D version so I can't attest to the 3D quality, although it was not filmed in the 3D process.

There are no additional scenes once the credits begin. A large screen is a must. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times.

Jane Got A Gun **

Gavin O'Connor directed this Western. Watch Preview. Cast: Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Noah Emmerich, Rodrigo Santoro, Boyd Holbrook, Ewan McGregor. Rated R for violence and some language. Running time is one hour and thirty-eight minutes.

A woman (Portman) turns to her former fiancé (Joel Edgerton) for help in defending her family against a gang of outlaws.

Set in the years following the Civil War, this is a fairly traditional Western, but with a female hero (or heroine, take your pick). Production values are good as is the cast. I have a problem with Portman as the lead, however. Supposedly, the reason the outlaw gang is after her and the father of her child is they want her to be a prostitute in the town they've started. I've seen my share of Westerns and the women who portray prostitutes in them, and Portman, attractive as she is, does not fit the image of a buxom Wild West loose woman! If they needed working girls for the town I don't think they needed to send the gang scouring all over the West, risking life and limb, for a particular one. I also prefer a linear plot rather than one like this where we keep being sent back and forth before the parts come together. Other than those quibbles,Western fans should be right at home. I have to hope Europe is really fond of Westerns because they've fallen out of favor here and I doubt this will be around long enough to come close to earning its production costs.

There are no additional scenes once the credits begin. A large screen is preferable although all you're going to see in the expansive vistas is scrub brush and cactus. Theatre/Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 1/29/16

MetaCritic indicates Room (86) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Kung Fu Panda 3 (65), The Finest Hours (58), Jane Got A Gun (43) and Fifty Shades Of Black (27).  I saw three of these and am sure the most watched film will not be the highest rated film. For national reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

A minute here, a minute there, and you have your own business.

Opening 1/29/16

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.

Fifty Shades Of Black [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Marlon Wayans, Kali Hawk, Mike Epps, Andrew Bachelor, Affion Crockett, Jane Seymour, Fred Willard, Florence Henderson. Plot: an erotic spoof comedy that takes you through a maze of hard and rough, encounters from inside Mr. Black's playroom. Showing at:Warren East, Warren West.

The Finest Hours 2D/3D [PG-13] 1 hr. 54 min. Action/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, Eric Bana. Plot: the remarkable true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

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Jane Got A Gun [R] 1 hr. 37 min. Western Watch Preview Cast: Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Noah Emmerich, Rodrigo Santoro, Boyd Holbrook, Ewan McGregor. Plot: a wife (Portman) turns to her former fiancé (Joel Edgerton) for help in defending her family against a gang of outlaws.  Showing at: Warren West.

Kung Fu Panda 3 2D/3D [PG] 1 hr. 50 min. Animated Family Film Watch Preview Voices: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim, Bryan Cranston, J.K. Simmons, Kate Hudson. Plot: when Po's long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise.  Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Room [R] 1 hr. 58 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, William H. Macy. Plot: a unique and touching exploration of the boundless love between a mother and her child. Based on the novel. Showing at: Warren West.

Leaving 1/28/16

Movie Machine - The Revenent, Norm Of The North, Daddy's Home
Palace West -  The Intern, Krampus
Warren East 13th - Norm Of The North, Sisters, Hateful Eight
Warren West 21st - Alvin And The Chipmunks, Creed, Carol, Hateful Eight, The Big Short
Warren Old Town - Nothing

There are real advantages to owning your own business.

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Worthwhile (or not) 1/22/16

MetaCritic indicates 13 Hours: The Boy (46) is the top ranking film this week, followed by The Fifth Wave (34), and Dirty Grandpa (17).  I wasn't feeling well this week so I didn't see any of these. For national reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

Check it out.

http://www.TheOneMinute Business.com

Opening 1/22/16

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 5th Wave [PG-13] 1 hr. 54 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Ron Livingston, Maggie Siff, Alex Roe, Maria Bello, Maika Monroe, Liev Schreiber. Plot: after four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth decimated, a girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) teams up with a young man who may become her final hope – if she can only trust him. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Boy [PG-13] 1 hr. 37 min. Horror/Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, James Russell. Plot: a nanny (Lauren Cohan) is shocked her new family's boy is actually a life-sized doll. But she soon begins to believe the doll is really alive. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Dirty Grandpa [R] 1 hr. 42 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Aubrey Plaza, Zoey Deutch, Julianne Hough, Jason Mantzoukas, Danny Glover, Adam Pally, Dermot Mulroney. Plot: an uptight young lawyer (Zac Efron) is one week away from marrying his boss’s uber-controlling daughter, when he's tricked into driving his foul-mouthed grandfather (Robert De Niro), a perverted ex-Army general, to Daytona for spring break, putting his  nuptials in jeopardy. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Own your own business.

http://www.TheOneMinute Business.com

Leaving 1/21/16

Movie Machine - Alvin And The Chipmunks, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Palace West -  to be determined Tuesday
Warren East 13th - Mockingjay Part 2, Joy, Alvin And The Chipmunks, Concussion
Warren West 21st - Mockingjay Part 2, Concussion, Good Dinosaur, Spotlight, Joy, Carol
Warren Old Town - The Forest, Sisters

There are real advantages to owning your own business.

http://www.TheOneMinute Business.com

Spotlight ****

Tom McCarthy directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d'Arcy James, Billy Crudup. Rated R for some language including sexual references. Running time is two hours and eight minutes.

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.

Even though this film is over two hours long, it will hold your attention throughout. Featuring a stellar cast in a true detective story, with pacing that keeps everything moving right along, I was actually sorry to see it draw to a close. I know the subject matter may prove uncomfortable for some, but it is what it is, and for the most part is handled as tastefully as possible. In case you haven't been paying attention to the Oscar nominations, this film has been nominated for six, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Film Editing, and Best Director. Also,  Mark Ruffalo was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Rachel McAdams was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. This is back as an encore presentation so don't expect it to stay around long. This is one of last year's best films and I recommend you catch it if at all possible.

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

Brooklyn ***½

John Crowley directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters. Rated PG - 13 for a scene of sexuality and brief strong language. Running time is one hour and fifty-one minutes.

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. After a bout of homesickness, she finds romance and a sense of belonging, but a tragedy in Ireland forces her to make difficult life choices.

I don't normally care for dramas of this type but I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Ronan is excellent as the young woman in a strange land and she's aided by a strong supporting cast, although Broadbent will probably be the only familiar face. I found it interesting to revisit the 50s, with the familiar cars and lifestyles of that time. The characters are well drawn, the story is interesting, the production values are very good, and the pacing is such that you're never bored. I don't know that a younger audience will find this as interesting, but I feel confident in recommending this film strongly to senior film patrons. Don't put off seeing this, however, as I can't imagine this encore presentation will be here long.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 1/15/16

MetaCritic indicates 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi (49) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Ride Along 2 (32), and Norm Of The North (24). There are also two encore presentations this week: Brooklyn (87) and Spotlight (93). I saw both of the encores and thought each was far above average. 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 1/15/16

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.

13 Hours: Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi [R] 2 hrs. 25 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Pablo Schreiber, John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, David Denman, Max Martini, Dominic Fumusa. Plot: the true account of the events of September 11, 2012, when terrorists attacked the US State Department Special Mission Compound in Benghazi, Libya and a U.S. ambassador was killed. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Norm Of The North [PG-13] 1 hr. 26 min. Animated Comedy Watch Preview Voices: Rob Schneider, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, Gabriel Iglesias, Loretta Devine, Michael McElhatton, Colm Meaney, Bill Nighy. Plot: when a maniacal developer threatens to build luxury condos in his own backyard, Norm does what all normal polar bears would do…he heads to New York City to stop it. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Ride Along 2 [PG-13] 1 hr. 50 min. Action/Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Ken Jeong, Benjamin Bratt, Olivia Munn, Bruce McGill, Tika Sumpter, Sherri Shepherd. Plot: a groom-to-be and his soon-to-be brother-in-law head to Miami to bring down a drug dealer. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The following two films opened originally in late November, 2015, but are being shown again, this time in Warren West. Since I didn't review these two originally, I will do so this week for the West side patrons.

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. 

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.

Leaving 1/14/16

Movie Machine - The Hateful Eight
Palace West -  Pan, Maze Runner 2
Warren East 13th - Point Break, Creed
Warren West 21st - The Masked Saint, Point Break
Warren Old Town - The Big Short, Point Break

The Revenant **

 Alejandro G. Iñárritu directed this.Historical Adventure film. Watch Preview. Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter. Rated R for strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity. Running time is two hours and thirty-six minutes.

An 1820s explorer (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, he endures a vicious winter in a relentless effort to survive long enough to find those who abandoned him.

This is a beautifully photographed, realistic looking frontier adventure whose pacing is so slow it eventually becomes a bore. Those willing to sit through its excessive length should have a strong stomach because when I say realistic, that's what I mean. You get to see a horse gutted to provide shelter from a blizzard. You get to watch a freshly caught fish eaten squirming and raw, and you get to see an animal's flesh hacked from its body and eaten raw. I'm sure that probably happened during that era, but I don't personally find it entertaining to watch. The whole film is gloomy and downbeat without a single bit of laughter to break the depressive atmosphere. This may well end up winning some awards, but it's sure no fun to watch.

There are no additional scenes once the credits begin. A large screen is best. Theatres/Times.

Carol **

 Todd Haynes  directed this Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy, Cory Michael Smith. Rated R for a scene of sexuality/nudity and brief language. Running time is one hour and fifty-eight minutes.

Two women (Blanchett, Mara) from very different backgrounds find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York.

Basically, this is an artsy soap opera. It's nice to look at and features two top actresses. I enjoyed hearing the music of the 50s and seeing the cars of that era. But the plot moves at a snail's pace and there's so little happening it's hard to stay interested.. This could easily been cut to ninety minutes, which would have made it much more palatable. Lest you think this is just a male's reaction to a female love affair, my wife watched this with me and she was as unimpressed as I was. If you enjoy art films or soap operas, fine. But if it's entertainment you're seeking, look elsewhere.

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

Worthwhile (or not) 1/8/16

MetaCritic indicates Carol (95) is the top ranking film this week, followed by The Revenant (77), and The Forest (35). The Masked Saint was not reviewed which is not unusual for a film of this type. I saw two of these and think the national critics are far too complimentary. 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 1/8/16

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.

Carol [R] 1 hr. 58 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy, Cory Michael Smith. Plot: two women from very different backgrounds  find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. Showing at: Warren West.

The  Forest [PG-13] 1 hr. 33 min. Horror film Watch Preview Cast: Natalie Dormer, Taylor Kinney, Eoin Macken, Yukiyoshi Ozawa. Plot: a young American woman (Natalie Dormer) journeys into a Japanese forest where people go to commit suicide in search of her twin sister, who has mysteriously disappeared. Showing at: Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Masked Saint [PG-13] 1 hr. 45 min. Religious biography Watch Preview Cast: Brett Granstaff, Lara Jean Chorostecki, T.J. McGibbon, Diahann Carroll. Plot: a former professional wrestler retires and settles down as a small town pastor, but finds himself moonlighting as a masked vigilante fighting the injustice he witnesses. Showing at: Warren West.

The Revenant [R] 2 hrs. 36 min.Historical Adventure film Watch Preview Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter. Plot: an 1820s explorer (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, he navigates a vicious winter in a relentless effort to survive. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 1/7/16

Movie Machine - Point Break
Palace West -  nothing
Warren East 13th - 1/4: Brooklyn, Good Dinosaur, In The Heart Of The Sea, Danish Girl, Star Wars 3D
Warren West 21st - Point Break 3D
Warren Old Town - Concussion