KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Does “Moana” stay afloat? What about “Jackie” and “The Eyes of My Mother?” FOX 4’s Russ Simmons and Shawn Edwards have the answers in this week’s Popcorn Bag Home Video reviews!
1) MOANA (PG)Walt Disney
RUSS
“Moana” is throwback Disney, yet another fantastical fairy tale, but this time set in ancient Polynesia. A spunky island girl goes on an oceanic adventure with a demigod in order to return a god’s heart and save her dying homeland.
RUSS
The lush computer animation and snappy music help to overcome some of the script’s formulaic elements. While second-tier Disney, “Moana” is still a likable family diversion.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
2) JACKIE (R)
Fox Searchlight
RUSS
Natalie Portman’s eerily spot-on impersonation of Jackie Kennedy is the main draw of “Jackie,” a film about the immediate aftermath of the assassination of JFK.
RUSS
While the period detail is great, the film “Jackie” seems very speculative, never quite giving real insight into the former First Lady.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
3) THE EYES OF MY MOTHER (R)
Magnet Releasing
RUSS
“The Eyes of My Mother” is an elegantly shot, genuinely unnerving black-and-white horror film about a disturbed girl whose rural farmhouse becomes the site of some grisly crimes. This well-executed creep-fest is ONLY for those with a tolerance for truly ghoulish material.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
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