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KANSAS CITY, Mo —
1) RUSH (R)
Universal Pictures
 
RUSS: Director Ron Howard brings his slick, workmanlike style to “Rush,” an engaging action flick about the fierce rivalry between 70s-era Formula One race drivers James Hunt, played by Chris Hemsworth, and Niki Lauda, played by Daniel Brühl. 

While formulaic, “Rush” manages to add some considerable horsepower to a predictable story.

Shawn says, “It’s visually stimulating and an interesting story. “Rush” is highly watchable, although it is terribly cliched.”

RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags

SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags

2) JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA (R)
Paramount Pictures
 
RUSS: From the other end of the cinematic spectrum comes “Bad Grandpa.” Johnny Knoxville dons elaborate old age makeup to play an 86-year-old man who goes on a cross-country journey with his 8-year-old grandson, played by Jackson Nicoll. Along the way, they prank unsuspecting people with their inappropriate R-rated behavior, and the video is captured, “Borat-style.” 

This movie is wrong in every conceivable way, but thanks to the genuine reactions of the people who get punked, it’s often very funny. My three Popcorn Bag rating is only for those who aren’t easily offended.

Shawn says, “More funny than not. An actual comedy unlike “American Hustle” and ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.” Sometimes a bit too raunchy which says a lot because the DVD offers an unrated version.”

RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags

SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags

 
3) THE FIFTH ESTATE (R)
Walt Disney Pictures
 

RUSS: The fascinating story of Julian Assange, the founder of the whistle-blower site Wikileaks, will make a great movie someday. Unfortunately, “The Fifth Estate” isn’t it. 

Benedict Cumberbatch captures Assange’s arrogance and ego that, in a Greek Tragedy, would be his heroic flaw. But the attempts at even-handedness come off as ambivalence and the resulting portrait seems incomplete. Still, “The Fifth Estate” brings up some important points about accountability in the age of the Internet. 

Shawn says, “So boring. So dull. So poorly constructed. But to be fair the subject is actually too massive, complicated and very difficult to visualize. Which the filmmakers prove.

RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags

SHAWN: 2 Popcorn Bags

 
4) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (PG)
Sony Pictures Animation
 
Shawn says, “The movies’ new element, the Foodimals, are cool and a lot of fun. But overall, the movie is missing the charm and originality of the first.”
 
RUSS: Did not screen
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags

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