KANSAS CITY, MO —
**PACIFIC RIM (PG-13)**
RUSS
Do you love “Godzilla” movies? How about “Transfomers?” If so, then “Pacific Rim” is the machine…I mean movie…for you.
SHAWN
“Pacific Rim” is a ginormous dream come true for lovers of high end sci-fi action and over the top monster mashing.
RUSS
Admittedly, Guillermo del Toro’s $200 million monster flick looks great on the big screen, especially in IMAX 3-D. But the gears all show in this sometimes-clunky vehicle cobbeled together from parts of a lot of other sci-fi movies. Plus, at 132 minutes, even the breathtaking eye candy gets a bit tiresome.
SHAWN
“Pacific Rim” is awesome. Big giant robots. Scary monsters. Idris Elba becoming a star and Charlie Hunnam leading the charge.
RUSS
For the 7-year-old in all of us, there’s much to like in this goofy throwback that ranks a notch above the Michael Bay spectacles it sometimes emulates. Put your brain on autopilot, channel your inner fanboy nerd, and enjoy “Pacific Rim’s” bumpy ride.
SHAWN
You don’t have to do all that. It’s the summer’s first true summer movie. Incredible and unforgettable. So have fun with it. Dig it. And let the movie magic smack you in the face.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
**GROWN UPS 2 (PG-13)**
RUSS
What did America ever do to deserve a sequel to “Grown Ups?” The original 2010 ensemble comedy was one of the worst films that year. No matter. It still made $162 million at the box office, so I guess we’re getting exactly what we asked for.
SHAWN
A funny thing happened while watching “Grown Ups 2.” It proved that “Grown Ups” wasn’t officially the biggest waste of the talent in the history of movies.
RUSS
Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock and David Spade return as old chums who get hassled by some obnoxious college kids on the last day of classes. It’s utterly insipid with the emphasis on potty humor, but “Grown Ups 2” manages to extract a few gross out laughs with the bodily functions.
SHAWN
There needs to be serious legislation that Adam Sandler not be allowed to make anymore movies. I don’t think a movie could be anymore uninspired or unfunny.
RUSS: 1 Popcorn Bag
SHAWN: 0 Popcorn Bags
**ALSO OPENING THIS WEEK**
“Fill the Void” is an acclaimed Israeli film that won several Israeli Academy Awards and the “Best Actress” prize at the Venice Film Festival. It deals with the struggles of an 18-year-old woman, a member of the ultra-Orthodox community in Tel Aviv, who is manipulated into marrying her deceased sister’s husband. Written and directed by Rama Burshtein, “Fill the Void” is reportedly the first movie ever made by an Orthodox Jewish woman to be seen by audiences outside of the Orthodox community.
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