KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
1) HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2 (R)
Paramount
RUSS
The ultra-raunchy comedy “Hot Tub Time Machine” opened in 2010 to low expectations. It wound up taking in nearly $65 million at the box office. That can only mean one thing: “Hot Tub Time Machine 2.”
Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke return as ethically challenged stoners who used their time traveling skills to become fabulously wealthy. But, when one of them is nearly murdered, they have to get back into the tub to track down the assassin…who came from the future. Just like “Terminator,” right? Well, not exactly. The plot doesn’t make a lick of sense, of cours. It simply serves as an excuse for some sordid behavior played for laughs.
The ‘raunch-factor’ has been amped up a few more notches in this shamelessly crude and lewd feature. I reluctantly admit that it has its funny moments, but far too few to justify its length and the barrage of vulgarity you have to endure to get to them. I wanted to hop in the hot tub, go back in time and skip the screening.
Shawn calls it, “…way more over-the-top and way more vulgar than the original, but twice the laughs and twice the fun in a guilty pleasure sort of way.
RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
2) SONG OF THE SEA (PG)
StudioCanal
RUSS
From the other end of the cinematic universe comes “Song of the Sea,” a charming, old-fashioned, hand-drawn animated feature that’s been nominated for an Academy Award.
The story deals with the ancient Celtic legend of a selkie, a being that is human on land and a seal in the water. A young Irish lad must muster all of his heroism to save his little sister from an enchantment.
The art direction is beautiful, the music is engaging and the voice talent is first rate. It all may be a bit too esoteric for very young children, but “The Song of the Sea” is an unusually heartwarming bit of folklore told with genuine artistry.
RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags
ALSO OPENING THIS WEEK:
Kevin Costner is back with yet another sports movie, “McFarland USA,” a true story from Disney about a California track coach. “The DUFF” is a teen comedy about a, “Designated Ugly Fat Friend.”
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