KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
1) BIG HERO 6 (PG-13)
Disney
RUSS:
“Big Hero Six” is a zippy and charming animated Disney flick loosely based on the Marvel comic. A teen brainiac, his inflatable healthcare companion and some nerdy science students become unlikely crime-fighters when a masked villain threatens the city.
While plot points may be derivative, the execution is very fresh. If you loved, “The Incredibles,” then “Big Hero Six” is the animated adventure for you.
Shawn calls it, “…a creative and imaginative animated feature with fun characters and a great story.”
RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
2) HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 (R)
Warner Brothers
RUSS
KC Homeboy Jason Sudeikis re-teams with Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jennifer Aniston for “Horrible Bosses 2,” the sequel to their bawdy 2011 hit. Instead of banding together to knock of their evil employers, Sudeikis, Bateman and Day conspire to kidnap the son of an investor who is trying to bankrupt their fledgling business.
To say that this movie is vulgar is a gross understatement. The goofy action is punctuated with blue ad-libs that are, like the first film, designed to shock. Is it distasteful? Yes, but if you enjoyed the first movie, there’s a chance you’ll laugh yet again. At least you’ll know exactly what you’re in for.
Shawn disagrees. He says, “I loved the first movie but hated this sequel. Unfunny, unfocused and uneven. A complete waste of time.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 2 Popcorn Bags
3) WHIPLASH (R)
Sony Pictures Classics
RUSS
Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons give riveting performances in the intense and unsettling drama, “Whiplash.” Teller plays a student studying jazz drumming at a noted New York college. He’s tormented by a bullying music professor who seems to have learned his teaching skills from a sadistic drill sergeant.
Writer/director Damien Chazelle uses sharp editing to give the movie the feel of a blistering Buddy Rich solo, a violent drive that jazz lovers will appreciate.
Shawn calls “Whiplash,” “…a well written performance driven movie that’s all about J. K. Simmons and not much else.
RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
4) BEYOND THE LIGHTS (PG-13)
Relativity Media
RUSS
“Beyond the Lights” is a romantic drama set against the backdrop of the LA music business. I didn’t get a chance to screen it, but Shawn calls it, “Nothing more than ‘The Bodyguard’ for millennials. But actress Gugu-Mbatha Raw is terrific.
Shawn 3 Popcorn Bags
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