May 16
Movie Mom | ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’
Information for parents deciding which movies are best for kids ages 2 to 18,
May 15
Writer/producer uses an alternative universe to spice up ‘Star Trek’
When Alex Kurtzman was growing up, he loved a franchise with the word “Star” in it, but it wasn’t the one with Captain Kirk. “I was much more of a ‘Star Wars’ guy,” he said in a recent phone interview.
May 16
‘Star Trek’ actors’ friendship spills off the bridge into real life
‘Star Trek’ plots and actors’ friendship go beyond the movie.
May 13
J.J. Abrams boldly going from 'Trek' to 'Star Wars'
J.J. Abrams is master of one universe - and he's about to try conquering another.
May 12
'Gatsby' gives 'Iron Man 3' a run for its money
Gatsby looks almost as great as a superhero at the weekend box office. Leonard DiCaprio's "The Great Gatsby" partied like it was the Roaring '20s with a $51.1 million debut that made it a surprisingly strong runner-up to comic-book blockbuster "Iron Man 3."
May 12
Will Disney's new Tonto be any better?
The Hollywood image of Tonto once had the Lone Ranger's sidekick wearing a thin headband and lots of dangling fringes. The latest Disney version has a shirtless Johnny Depp adorned with feathers, a face painted white with black stripes, and a stuffed crow on his head.
May 9
The pretty good ‘Great Gatsby’ | 2½ stars
Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann orchestrates a breakneck rave of machine-gun edits, swooping camera moves, lavish costumes, eccentric art direction and anachronistic soundtrack. But things slow down during the more satisfying second act, giving the characters and story a chance to breathe. “The Great Gatsby” becomes quite conventional, almost melodramatic, but it also becomes more human.
May 9
‘Peeples’: That old Fockers formula | 2½ stars
“Peeples” is an African-American “Meet the Parents” that slips funnyman Craig Robinson into the Ben Stiller role. And, formulaic or not, it’s funny.
May 9
‘No One Lives’ through this spatter film — or do they? | 1½ stars
In a remote roadhouse on a rural back road, the young couple (Laura Ramsey and Luke Evans), towing all their worldly possessions in a trailer for their crosscountry move, are just settling in for dinner when the thugs arrive. And they’re accosted. “We don’t want any trouble.” When has that line ever dissuaded anyone from doing their worst? Never.
May 9
‘Ice Station Zebra’gets a remake; Cruise gets a fifth ‘Mission: Impossible’
Who can blame Howard Hughes for holing up in his darkened mansion and watching 1968’s “Ice Station Zebra” over and over?
May 9
‘He’s Way More Famous Than You’
A self-referential, insider farce about the hunger for Hollywood stardom, “He’s Way More Famous Than You” is — like its leading lady — as unhinged as it is hilarious.
May 9
‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’: An immigrant’s dream unravels | 3½ stars
There’s a double meaning to the title of “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” filmmaker Mira Nair’s gripping and complex drama based on the 2007 novel by Mohsin Hamid about the roots of extremism.
May 9
‘Renoir’: A muse for father and son | 3 stars
“Renoir” is a lush, involving film that deals not with one Renoir but two, as well as the strong-minded woman who was a key player in both their lives.
May 9
Movie Mom | ‘ The Great Gatsby,’ ‘Peeples,’ ‘Reluctant Fundamentalist’
Information for parents deciding which movies are best for kids ages 2 to 18,
May 8
Filmmaker Kevin Willmott wins the battle for ‘Bunker Hill’ distribution
“You would normally say raising money was the most difficult part, but now the really hard part is getting your movie out there so people can see it,” says director Willmott. While “Bunker Hill” will not be released in domestic theaters, it can soon be found on Google Play, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube Movie Rentals, Android, etc.
May 6
Joplin woman calls father’s portrayal in ‘42’ unfair
The daughter of a pitcher portrayed in the new movie about famed baseball player Jackie Robinson says the movie unfairly characterizes her father as a racist. “There is nothing I can do now but try to set the record straight,” Duesterhaus said. “My father was a good pitcher. He was a good man. You know, it's hard to defend yourself while you are no longer here. I'm just a daughter trying to defend her dad.”
May 3
Movie Mom | ‘Iron Man 3,’ ‘To the Wonder’
Information for parents deciding which movies are best for kids ages 2 to 18,
May 3
Independent films get KC previews
New York and Los Angeles seem to always get the buzzed-about independent films long before KC. But now the weekly Gathr Preview Series brings some of those films here for one-night showings before their big-city openings.
May 3
Making ‘Gatsby’ modern again: The new film blends old and new ideas
Eighty-eight years after its publication, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘Great Gatsby’ has inspired another generation to capture its spirit and express its modern voice on film.
May 3
Promoting a new perspective on Pakistan
It seems far-fetched that “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” Mohsin Hamid’s 2007 best-selling novel, would be turned into a movie. And yet the movie is opening May 10, directed and co-written by Mira Nair, who may also seem an odd choice — “an Indian director making a Pakistani film in America,” as she puts it.
