Kansas City, MO —
- 1. JUPITER ASCENDING (PG-13)
Warner Brothers
RUSS
Filmmakers Andy and Lana Wachowski certainly have a flair for the visual. After all, they gave us “The Matrix” trilogy and “Cloud Atlas.” Their latest big budget sci-fi entry, “Jupiter Ascending,” looks amazing on the big screen. It’s too bad that their story is a spacey jumble.
SHAWN
No the story is flat out stupid but it is a joy to watch. It’s a visual stunner but a total head-scratcher in the ‘make sense’ department. Trippy sci-fi fairy tale best describes “Jupiter Ascending” but you’ll need a score card to keep track of things and the characters. There is a lot going on.
RUSS
Will princess Mila Kunis get her intergalactic birthright? Will she fall for soldier Channing Tatum? Will you care? While it isn’t nearly as bad as the buzz would have you believe, the eye-popping “Jupiter Ascending” slowly DE-scends into mediocrity.
SHAWN
“Jupiter Ascending” could actually benefit from being tone downed. And more focus. It’s space mythology guided by filmmkakers who exist in a cinematic black hole.
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RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
2) SEVENTH SON (PG-13)
Universal
RUSS
“Seventh Son” is an action fantasy set in medieval times that seems like it’s been setting of the distribution shelf since medieval times. Ben Barnes, Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore star in the overblown but mildly involving story about the apprentice of a witch fighter. Eye Candy: A. Script: D.
RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: DID NOT SCREEN
3) THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER (PG)
Paramount Pictures
RUSS
“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” is a part animated, part live-action 3-D farce about the adventures of the famed aquatic fry cook both undersea and on land. These antics work best in short doses, so this feature length version often seems forced. Still, it’s goofy fun for the whole family.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: DID NOT SCREEN
4) TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT (PG-13)
IFC Films
Another strong performance from Marion Cotillard is the main attraction of the social drama “Two Days, One Night.” Cotillard plays a struggling Belgian factory employee who must talk her co-workers into relinquishing their yearly bonus money in order for her to keep her job. She must accomplish this task over one weekend. This humanistic movie is very slow moving, but shows a strong compassion for the working class.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
Also opening this week:
“Alien Outpost” is a low budget sci-fi entry about an invading force from space. “The Search for General Tso” is an acclaimed documentary about the beloved Chinese dish.
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