Screening Room Movies at Home: “Gravity,” “Nebraska,” “Thor: The Dark World”

KANSAS CITY, Mo—

1) GRAVITY (PG-13)
Warner Brothers

RUSS
While best seen on the big screen, the medium for which it was made, “Gravity” on the home theatre is still an impressive achievement.

SHAWN
Watching this movie at home is pointless. I don’t care how good you think your set-up is “Gravity” fails. This was a ‘true’ see on the big screen movie because it’s all effects and zero story.

RUSS
An expertly crafted and brilliantly realized space adventure, “Gravity” is an edge-of-your-seat thriller, an immersive movie experience that stands as one of the most impressive examples of purely visual storytelling that you’re likely to see.

SHAWN
It’s visually cool but after a while it just becomes a snoozer. Sandra Bullock does her best to keep things afloat but there is only so much she can do. Props to director Alfonso Cuaron for his technical wizardy but no accolades on the dumb script. Interesting bonus material including a short film by Jonás Cuarón which is incredible and a surprise from Sandra Bullock and no she won’t be starring in “Speed 3.”

RUSS: 5 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags

2. NEBRASKA (R)
Paramount Pictures

RUSS
Strong performances and sly sentiment abound in Alexander Payne’s black and white road movie, “Nebraska.” Funny and sad in equal amounts, “Nebraska” is an affectionate and melancholy salute to Payne’s home state and its aging populace.

SHAWN
The family drama, “Nebraska” got nominated for six Academy Awards – including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best Cinematography. But how ow many times is Alexander Payne going to make the same movie? At least the characters in “Nebraska” were charming in an odd corn husker sort of way. Much funnier than you would expect and humorous at all the right moments. The acting is the saving grace and saves a story that really didn’t have much of a prayer at succeeding. Boring extras.

RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags

3.THOR: THE DARK WORLD (PG-13)
Walt Disney/Marvel Studios

RUSS
It’s hammer time once again. Chris Hemsworth returns as Marvel Comic’s interplanetary Norse god in “Thor: The Dark World.”

SHAWN
Thor has to be the most boring dude in the comic universe. And these Thor movies have both been dreadfully dull.

RUSS
The eye candy is impressive and Hemsworth is a worthy superhero. While “Thor: The Dark World” delivers no more and no less than you’d expect, it’s still a notch below the “Iron Man” and “Avengers” flicks.

SHAWN
A notch? “Thor: The Dark World” is even a tenth as good as those two movies. Save for Kat Denning who tries everything but selling her soul to the devil to try to save this movie by interjecting much needed humor and energy. The extras are loaded with a ton of interesting stuff including never-before-seen extended and deleted scenes.

RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 2 Popcorn Bags