KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
1) THOR: THE DARK WORLD
(PG-13)
Walt Disney/Marvel
RUSS: It`s hammer time once again. Chris Hemsworth returns as Marvel Comic`s interplanetary Norse god in ‘Thor: The Dark World.’ Thor recruits the aid of his villainous brother Loki to help repel an invasion by an enemy that tries to bring annihilation to the known universe.
The eye candy is impressive and Hemsworth is a worthy superhero. But ‘Thor: The Dark World’ delivers no more and no less than you`d expect. Still, it’s a notch below the Iron Man and Avengers flicks.
Shawn said it, “Starts way too slowly. Finally picks up but never thrilling. Much like Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Loved Kat Dennings. Brought up the energy every time on screen. Natalie Portman could have stayed home.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
2) DIANA
(PG-13)
Eone Films
RUSS: Naomi Watts does the best she can with an insipid script in ‘Diana,’ a film that deals with the last two sad years in the life of the late Princess of Wales. The focus is on her romantic relationship with a Pakistani Brit, Dr. Hasnat Khan, a heart surgeon, played by Naveen Andrews from TV’s “Lost.”
Princess Diana was a spirited and warm personality. In contrast, the movie is dull and lifeless. You can`t blame Naomi Watts, but ‘Diana’ is a royal downer.
Shawn says, “Naomi Watts delivers an engaging performance that gets swallowed whole by an awfully dull movie that should have been 100 times more interesting.”
RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 2 Popcorn Bags
3) ALL IS LOST
(PG-13)
Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions
RUSS: Robert Redford is likely to receive an Oscar nomination for his solo performance in the suspenseful thriller, ‘All is Lost.’ It plays like an Earth-based variation of ‘Gravity.’ Redford is sailing in the open ocean when his boat is disabled and his radio is busted. He must rely on his ingenuity and survival instincts in order to meet the insurmountable challenge he`s faced with.
Like ‘Gravity,’ it`s a deceptively simple story that forces audience members to consider the value of a single human life.
Shawn says, “It’s “Gravity” in a boat but you can’t deny Robert Redford’s compelling performance.”
RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
4) THE PRIME MINISTERS: THE PIONEERS (Not Rated)
RUSS: “The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers” is part one of a two-part documentary produced by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, based on the best-selling book by Yehuda Avner. Avner, who was a chief aide and speechwriter for Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin and Shimon Peres, is the talking head who tells the history of Israel’s first 30 years from his insider’s perspective.
Leonard Nimoy, Sandra Bullock, Michael Douglas and Christoph Waltz provide the voices of Avner, Meir, Rabin and Begin…with mixed results.
While Avner is an affable and knowledgable host who occasionally peppers his narrative with amusing anecdotes, the film is often a very dry affair that will appeal mostly to history buffs.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
ALSO OPENING THIS WEEK:
The Human Scale” is a documentary about the increasing population shift from rural areas to urban areas and its impact on behavior and interaction. “Gangland Wire” is a locally made documentary about the Kansas City Mafia. “We the People” is an IMAX documentary about the founding of the U.S., produced and directed by Kansas City’s Aimee Larrabee. “How I
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