1. PAIN & GAIN (R)
Paramount
SHAWN
“Pain and Gain” is like “Transformers” without the robots. “Goodfellas” without Scorsese’s sauce. “Scarface” without Oliver Stone’s Reagan-era pulp. But wait. Wait. These aren’t negatives. Because director Michael Bay, and yes, I’m a Mike Bay fan, does the impossible and makes an ugly story and unlikable characters watchable by remixing those elements.
RUSS
For me and for many viewers, there will be more pain than gain from this grisly and violent comedy that wants desperately to be the next “Fargo.” Mark Wahlberg and Duane “The Rock” Johnson head a terrific cast in this true story about a crime ring led by bodybuilders who are dumber than their dumbbells.
SHAWN
Think of “Pain and Gain” as “Dumb and Dumber” as serious prose. This is a story about stupid criminals who do bad things as Michael Bay pimps this humorous crime drama with his signature style — colorful cinematography, lots of slow motion and music video style camera angles that dance on screen. And The Rock. He steals it.
RUSS
I can’t go there with you. Bay, the man behind the “Transformers” franchise, employs his usual camera tricks and slow-mo gimmickry, and the resulting movie is overblown and overlong. Bay’s cinematic excesses overshadow the effort of the strong acting ensemble.
RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
2. OBLIVION (PG-13)
Universal
SHAWN
“Oblivion” is daring, bold and highly entertaining. This hardcore Sci-Fi movie gets a bit trippy but never derails. And Tom Cruise more than proves why he’s a true movie star. He carries this baby like a first time mom. And he’s good. Solid in fact.
RUSS
“Oblivion” has plenty of eye candy and occasionally effective action scenes, but the convoluted plot seems like it was cobbled together from other, better sci-fi flicks.
SHAWN
Visually “Oblivion” is stunning and the effects are a futuristic A-plus. The movie is a mixed bag of ideas. Mostly ideas you’ve seen before but nicely remixed. Not gonna lie it gets weird in spots. But never dumb or goofy.
RUSS
The movie’s pace is erratic at best and screeches to a complete halt more than once. This is an incident of a gifted special effects man who directed features before he was completely ready.
SHAWN
“Oblivion” flirts with masterpiece status. And could maybe use a second watch for clarification. But the end results are satisfying unless you are a Morgan Freeman fan. He’s hardly in the movie. And parents this is not for kids. This one is for you.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
THE BIG WEDDING (R)
Four Oscar winners, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams go slumming in “The Big Wedding,” a vulgar comedy about an annoyingly dysfunctional family. These rock-solid stars are joined by Amanda Seyfried, Katherine Heigl, Topher Grace and Ben Barnes in a terrific ensemble. They do the best they can to breathe life into a graceless script, but their efforts come up short. Like too many contemporary comedies, “The Big Wedding” mines laughs through lurid sex antics and tries to make it palatable by pouring on the sentiment.
RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
Also opening this week::
-Robert Redford stars in and directs a social drama “The Company You Keep.”
-“The Angels’ Share” is an award winning Scottish comedy from filmmaker Ken Loach.
-“Mud” is a romantic drama that stars Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon.
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