Opening 3/4/16

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.

London Has Fallen [R] 1 hr. 39 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Alon Moni Aboutboul, Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, Jackie Earle Haley, Melissa Leo, Radha Mitchell, Sean O'Bryan, Charlotte Riley, Waleed F. Zuaiter. Plot: after the British Prime Minister passes away, his funeral becomes a target of a terrorist organization to destroy some of the world’s most powerful leaders, devastate the British capital, and unleash a terrifying vision of the future. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

The Other Side Of The Door [R] 1 hr. 36 min. Horror drama Watch Preview Cast: Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto, Javier Botet. Plot: after a tragic accident takes the life of her young son, his inconsolable mother learns of an ancient ritual that will bring him back to say a final goodbye. Showing at: Warren West.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot  [R] 1 hr. 52 min. War comedy Watch Preview Cast: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, Billy Bob Thornton. Plot: an adaptation of journalist Kim Barker’s wartime memoir, "The Taliban Shuffle," which recounts her experiences covering conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Zootopia 2D/3D  [PG] 1 hr. 48 min. Animated action film Watch Preview Voices: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba. Plot: a fugitive con artist fox and a rookie bunny cop must work together to uncover a conspiracy. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Leaving 3/3/16

Movie Machine - Risen, Zoolander 2
Palace West -  Hotel Transylvania 2, Spectre, Sisters
Warren East 13th - The Forest, Norm Of The North
Warren West 21st - Zoolander 2, 13 Hours, Dirty Grandpa, Finest Hours, Busco Novio Para Mi Mujer
Warren Old Town - Deadpool, Dirty Grandpa

Consumer confidence falls. 

Triple 9 **

John Hillcoat directed this Thriller. Watch Preview. Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Clifton Collins Jr., Norman Reedus, Teresa Palmer, Michael K. Williams, Gal Gadot, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet. Rated R for strong violence and language throughout, drug use and some nudity. Running time is one hour and fifty-five minutes.

A crew of dirty cops is blackmailed by the Russian mob into executing a virtually impossible heist.

The majority of the characters in this film are bad people...really, bad people. And, because of that fact, this is in no way a feel good film. The Russians are blackmailing a group of already dirty cops into working for them because one of the cops has a child with one of the mob members, and he's trying to maintain a relationship with the child. But, that attempt doesn't make you feel any better about him, as he's ready to kill another cop in order to draw the entire force's attention away from a heist. The title is the police code for "officer down". The only two good cops we spend any time with, Affleck and Harrelson, are so overpowered by the bad cops it's hard to come away with a good feeling about any police. Winslet is so far into her character, a Russian mob leader, she's hardly recognizable. I have to wonder if that wasn't her intent after reading the script. If you're into really gritty, violent police drama you may find this to your taste. But, I'm guessing most won't be entertained at all.

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

Gods Of Egypt *½

Alex Proyas directed this Action film. Watch Preview. Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Chadwick Boseman, Elodie Yung, Courtney Eaton, Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush. Rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and action, and some sexuality. Running time is two hours and seven minutes.

Inspired by the classic mythology of Egypt, the survival of mankind hangs in the balance as an unexpected mortal hero (Brenton Thwaites) undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love.

The thought that kept occurring to me as I slogged through this was: "these actors must really have needed this salary to be willing to be associated with this film". The one good thing I can say is it does have very good CG effects. But, the plot is so silly and the action is so boringly repetitious that all we have is two hours of glittery drivel. The only group I can think of who might enjoy this are adolescent boys, who will be attracted to the busty actresses and constant fighting. Most everyone else will not be entertained. I watched the 2D version of this so I can't comment on the 3D quality.

There are no additional scenes once the credits begin. A large screen is requisite if you are to get anything at all from this film. 2D Theatres/Times. 3D Theatres/Times. 3D IMAX Times.  

Worthwhile (or not) 2/26/16

MetaCritic indicates Eddie The Eagle (55) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Triple 9 (53), and Gods Of Egypt (26). I saw two of these and thought one was silly and the other too dark to be really enjoyable. For national reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

Employment report shows hiring slower.

Opening 2/26/16

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.

Eddie The Eagle [PG-13] 1 hr. 46 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Taron Egerton, Christopher Walken, Hugh Jackman. Plot: about an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself – even as an entire nation was counting him out. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Gods Of Egypt 2D/3D/IMAX 3D [PG-13] 2 hrs. 7 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Chadwick Boseman, Elodie Yung, Courtney Eaton, Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush. Plot: inspired by the classic mythology of Egypt, the survival of mankind hangs in the balance as an unexpected mortal hero (Brenton Thwaites) undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Triple 9 [R] 1 hr. 55 min. Thriller Watch Preview Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Clifton Collins Jr., Norman Reedus, Teresa Palmer, Michael K. Williams, Gal Gadot, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet. Plot: a crew of dirty cops is blackmailed by the Russian mob into executing a virtually impossible heist.  Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 2/25/16

Movie Machine - How To Be Single
Palace West -  Hotel Transylvania 2, Spectre, Sisters
Warren East 13th - Zoolander 2, The Choice, The Boy, Ride Along 2
Warren West 21st - Brooklyn, Hail, Caesar!, Deadpool IMAX,
Warren Old Town - Zoolander 2, Hail, Caesar!, Dirty Grandpa

Global markets continue sliding as fears drag down financial stocks

Worthwhile (or not) 2/19/16

MetaCritic indicates The Witch (83) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Risen (60), and Race (57). Busco Novio Para Mi Mujer did not receive any reviews. I didn't find anything I really wanted to see so there are no reviews this week. For national reviews take the link to the MetaCritic website for each film by clicking on the titles above.

Employment report shows hiring slower.

Opening 2/19/16

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.

Busco Novio Para Mi Mujer [PG-13] 1 hr. 32 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Arath de la Torre, Sandra Echeverría, Jesús Ochoa. Plot: a henpecked husband comes up with an ingenious plan to end his unhappy union: by hiring a professional seducer to whisk his wife off her feet and out of the marriage. In Spanish with English subtitles. Showing at: Warren West.

Race [PG-13] 2 hrs. 14 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons, Carice van Houten, Shanice Banton, William Hurt. Plot: based on the incredible true story of Jesse Owens (James), the legendary athletic superstar whose quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrust him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics. Showing at: Warren East, Warren West.

Risen [PG-13] 1 hr. 48 min. Drama Watch Preview Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, Cliff Curtis. Plot: the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

The Witch [R] 1 hr. 32 min. Horror film Watch Preview Cast: Anya Taylor Roy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, Lucas Dawson. Plot: set in New England circa 1630, a farmer gets cast out of his colonial plantation and is forced to move his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of an ominous forest rumored to be controlled by witches. Showing at: Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 2/18/16

Movie Machine - The Boy, The Choice
Palace West -  The Night Before, In The Heart Of The Sea
Warren East 13th - Pride And Prejudice And Zombies, Dirty Grandpa, 13 Hours
Warren West 21st - Pride And Prejudice And Zombies, The Boy, Ride Along 2, The Room
Warren Old Town - Pride And Prejudice And Zombies, Ride Along 2

Residual income is much better than wage income.

Deadpool **½

Tim Miller directed this Sci-fi/Action film Watch Preview Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, Ed Skrein, Brianna Hildebrand. Rated R for strong violence and language throughout, sexual content and graphic nudity. Running time is one hour and forty-eight minutes.

The story of  a former Special Forces operative turned mercenary (Reynolds) who, after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, hunts down the man  (Skrein) who nearly destroyed his life.

I've never been a real fan of the Super Hero genre, finding them to more silly than exciting. But, here is a film for those of us who feel that way. You can tell it's not going to be taking itself seriously right from the opening credits and it maintains a tongue-in-cheek approach throughout the film. There's a little something for everyone. Lots of action, a love story and plenty of (mostly crude) one liners that will cause you to chuckle. Production values are very good as is the cast, especially Reynolds and Baccarin. The running time is just a little long but the pacing is good enough you won't really notice. I saw this in the IMAX version which is not full height so any large screen should work.

There are additional snippets of Reynolds at the end of the credits which are funny but add nothing to the plot. This will be best enjoyed on a large screen. Theatres/Times. IMAX Times.

Worthwhile (or not) 2/12/16

MetaCritic indicates Deadpool (65) is the top ranking film this week, followed by How To Be Single (52), and Zoolander 2 (36).  I saw one of these this week and found it amusing. 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 2/12/16

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.

Deadpool 2D/IMAX [R] 1 hr. 44 min. Action film Watch Preview Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, Ed Skrein, Brianna Hildebrand. Plot: the story of  a former Special Forces operative turned mercenary who, after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

How To Be Single [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Damon Wayans Jr., Anders Holm, Alison Brie, Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, Jason Mantzoukas, Leslie Mann. Plot: New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, be it a love connection, a hook-up, or something in the middle. And somewhere between the teasing texts and one-night stands, what these unmarrieds all have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-evolving definitions of love. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Zoolander 2 [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Penelope Cruz, Billy Zane, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Jonah Hill, Fred Armisen, Christine Taylor, Cyrus Arnold, Justin Bieber, Kyle Mooney. Plot: a dimwitted male super-model turned wannabe spy is back, 10 years later. Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

 U.S. stock indexes take another dive.

Leaving 2/11/16

Movie Machine - The Finest Hours, Ride Along 2
Palace West -  Point Break, The Peanuts Movie, The Martian, Joy
Warren East 13th - Fifty Shades Of Black, The 5th Wave, Kung Fu Panda 3D
Warren West 21st - Fifty Shades Of Black, The 5th Wave, Kung Fu Panda 3D, Star Wars IMAX 3D
Warren Old Town - The Finest Hours, The Revenant

Residual income is much better than wage income.

Worthwhile (or not) 2/5/16

MetaCritic indicates Hail, Caesar (74) is the top ranking film this week, followed by Pride And Prejudice And Zombies (46), and The Choice (NR).  I was a little under the weather 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.

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

Opening 2/5/16

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 Choice [PG-13] 1 hr. 51 min. Romantic Drama Watch Preview Cast: Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Maggie Grace, Alexandra Daddario, Tom Welling, Brett Rice, Tom Wilkinson. Plot: a poignant and life-affirming celebration of love, marriage and family that explores the most heart-wrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive? Showing at: Movie Machine, Warren East, Warren West.

Hail, Caesar [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Comedy Watch Preview Cast: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum. Plot: a comedy set during the latter years of Hollywood's Golden Age follows a single day in the life of a studio fixer who is presented with plenty of problems to fix. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Pride And Prejudice And Zombies [PG-13] 1 hr. 48 min. Action/Drama Watch Preview Cast: Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, Lena Headey. Plot: a zombie outbreak falls upon the land in Jane Austen’s classic tale. Showing at: Warren East, Warren Old Town, Warren West.

Leaving 2/4/16

Movie Machine - The 5th Wave
Palace West -  Goosebumps, Bridge Of Spies
Warren East 13th - The Big Short, Daddy's Home,
Warren West 21st - Norm Of The North, The Forest, Sisters, Jane Got A Gun
Warren Old Town - The 5th Wave, 13 Hours: Benghazi, The Force Awakens

Residual income is much better than wage income.

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.