Kansas City Star: Movies

Holiday movie guide | Here's something for everyone

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:15 CST

For young to old, funny to serious, our holiday movie guide is stuffed with gifts for all sorts.

‘2012': With special effects it's not a total disaster | 2 stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

Now we know how the world ends — with a whimper, a very loud whimper. That’s the conundrum of “2012”: We’re so bored by the human characters we end up rooting for the apocalypse.

Robert Altman biographer speaks here Monday

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Mitchell Zuckoff, author of the newly published “Robert Altman: The Oral Biography,” will discuss the life and career of the Kansas City-born film director in a free presentation Monday. For the book, Zuckoff interviewed more than 200 of Altman's friends, co-workers, enemies and family members.

FIRST LOOK | "The Road" opens Nov. 25

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:25 CST

Photos | 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon'

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:34 CST

"Twilight" World Tour | The stars of "New Moon" hit France and Great Britain

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:35 CST

Photos | '2012'

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:34 CST

'Disney's A Christmas Carol,' starring Jim Carrey

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:58 CST

Michael Sheen vamps it up in ‘New Moon'

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

It’s a crisp May morning on the set of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” and Michael Sheen strides into an elaborate reconstruction of an Italianate marble hall. He’s in costume as Aro, the head of the Volturi, a menacing group of age-old vampires that metes out justice in the realm of the supernatural. Dressed in a cloak, he’s sporting long, black locks, bright red lips and matching tinted contact lenses that give him a distinctly malevolent look.

Cold War movie classics that still thrill

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Did you ever think you might actually miss the Cold War? Feel a twinge of nostalgia for a time when we knew exactly whom our enemies were? Yearn for those glory days when we didn’t question whether we were the good guys, even if we should have? I never expected to and yet as we mark the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s fall, I’ve been hit by a wistful wave, especially for the heroes and villains of cinema past who roamed the Eastern Bloc with wits sharp and weapons at the ready.

Roland Emmerich's latest big-budget doomsday extravaganza is his ‘darkest film' to date

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

CANCUN, Mexico | Roland Emmerich has an ongoing project: destroying the world. In 1996’s “Independence Day,” the German director sent aliens to wipe out the White House. In 1998, he unleashed “Godzilla” to wreak havoc on the streets of New York. In 2004’s “The Day After Tomorrow,” he froze the planet in a new ice age. But in his new film, “2012,” to be released Friday the 13th and already the eye of a vast promotion storm, things get really bad. Emmerich, who has earned the unofficial title of “Master of Disaster,” admits having searched Google for a doomsday scenario even more spectacular than his previous destructions of Earth. He came up with the Mayan calendar, which abruptly expires Dec. 21, 2012 — the end of the world, some theorists believe.

Movie Mom | ‘2012,' ‘The Box'

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Information for parents deciding which movies are best for kids ages 2 to 18: ‘2012’

Butler's Top Five

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

BUTLER’S TOP FIVE The top five movies now showing, according to Star movie editor Robert W. Butler:

Free films, special screenings Nov. 13-19

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

FREE FILMS “CALIFORNIA SPLIT” Gambling addicts Elliott Gould and George Segal are desperate for a winning streak in this Robert Altman effort. 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Film Vault, KC Central Library.

Now showing | Nov. 13-19

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Face it, animators: Give up on your 'realistic' humans

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Like medieval alchemists struggling to transmute lead into gold, filmmakers seem determined to create a 100 percent believable animated human character.

'Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry' draws on life of a tattoo legend

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Fun” isn’t a word usually associated with documentaries, but “Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry” will leave you grinning like a drunk.

‘Ten9Eight': An uplifting documentary with KC connections | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

“Ten9Eight” is basically an industrial film. A very slick, carefully crafted and sometimes emotionally engaging industrial film that was in effect paid for by the very program whose virtues it extols.

‘A Christmas Carol': Jim Carrey is a memorable miser | 3 stars

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

There are a few moments in Disney’s computer-animated “A Christmas Carol” when director Robert Zemeckis seems bent on re-imagining the yarn as a theme park thrill ride. But despite these lapses into unnecessary and unwelcome audience pandering, this “Carol” delivers. And Jim Carrey gets most of the credit.

‘The Men Who Stare at Goats': Funny parts don't add up to a whole | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

“The Men Who Stare at Goats” is a handful of hilarious scenes looking for a movie. Based on Jon Ronson’s nonfiction book about attempts by the CIA and the military to “weaponize” the occult, Grant Heslov’s directing debut offers plenty of New Age silliness and yet another memorable performance from George Clooney, this time as a paranoiac convinced he’s a Jedi warrior.

‘The Fourth Kind': Only kind of scary | 2 stars

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

The Fourth Kind” is a “found footage” horror movie with a few new tweaks, though not enough to escape a certain clunkiness. At the onset of Olatunde Osunsanmi’s film, actress Milla Jovovich addresses the camera to announce that she’ll be playing real-life Alaska psychologist Abigail Emily Tyler in re-enactments of actual events.

‘Coco Before Chanel': One actor steals the show | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

Waifish Audrey Tautou is the main selling point of “Coco Before Chanel,” a look at the early years of the woman who would become the 20th century’s greatest fashion icon. And yet we cannot take our eyes off Belgian actor Benoît Poelvoorde, a nondescript, slightly balding fellow who plays young Coco’s first lover and benefactor.

‘The Box' fails to deliver anything worth watching | 1 star

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Have you ever actually tried watching paint dry? A sloth walk? Grass grow? You can have all the “thrills” with none of the chills courtesy of “The Box,” the painfully sluggish new sci-fi morality play from “Donnie Darko” creator Richard Kelly.

'This Is It' shines a light on Jackson's genius | 3 1/2 stars

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:15 CDT

In “This Is It,” the man who turned the music video into an art form and propelled it into the mainstream stratosphere uses the same medium to eulogize himself.

‘A Serious Man' shows suffering is good for the funny bone | 3 stars

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:15 CDT

The biblical story of Job — whose devoutness was tested by just about every misfortune God could devise — gets a modern spin in “A Serious Man.” Of course, God is not an active participant here. After all, this is a Coen brothers film.

'Amreeka' is a subtle, sweet story | 3 1/2 stars

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:15 CDT

Low-key and lived-in, the immigrant tale “Amreeka” at first feels like a this-will-be-good-for-you movie. You can try to resist it, but by the time Cherien Dabis’ writing/directing effort is over, you’ll be completely sucked in.

‘Amelia' never gains altitude | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15 CDT

No borders, just horizons,” enthuses aviator Amelia Earhart in the new biopic “Amelia.” “Who wants a life imprisoned in safety?” And yet this film, coming 72 years after Earhart vanished — plays it awfully safe.

‘Saw VI': A bit of message behind the mayhem | 2 stars

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:15 CDT

“You have seen the errors in your policy,” Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) hisses in the latest “Saw” movie. And, kids, he's hissing a pun at Big Insurance when he does, the profiteers who determine “who lives and who dies.”

‘Good Hair': Chris Rock's straight talk | 3 stars

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15 CDT

Good Hair” is an hourlong documentary passing itself off as a 90-minute documentary. Despite the padding, there’s enough interesting sociological digging here — not to mention the easygoing presence of comic Chris Rock — to keep us entertained and even enlightened.

‘Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant' sucks the life out of the story | 1 ½ stars

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15 CDT

With its impressive pedigree, “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” should have been a show dog. Instead it’s a mutt.

‘Astro Boy' never takes flight | 2 stars

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15 CDT

The animated “Astro Boy” is a shiny hodgepodge of “Pinocchio,” “WALL-E,” “Oliver Twist,” “Gladiator” and “Superman,” with some obvious visual touches taken from “The Iron Giant.” As its own entity, though, it’s forgettable.

‘Where the Wild Things Are': Monstrous moping | 2 stars

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:15 CDT

The children’s classic “Where the Wild Things Are” is sneakily deceptive. With few words and marvelous illustrations Maurice Sendak evoked an entire universe of fantastic creatures, imbued with evocative ideas about childhood and responsibility. It worked because it was simple. Our imaginations filled in the gaps.

‘Law Abiding Citizen': Sadistic mayhem | 2 stars

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:15 CDT

The temptation is to laugh the revenge melodrama “Law Abiding Citizen” right off the screen. We don’t, thanks to some tense pacing, a couple of jump-out-of-your-seat moments and a cast of pros who perform as if this weren’t preposterous.

‘The Stepfather': No gimmicks, minimal suspense | 2 stars

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:15 CDT

Finally, a horror thriller served up straight. No werewolves, Lycans or jerks named Jigsaw. But the best you can say about the remake of “The Stepfather” is that it efficiently goes about its business.

‘Couples Retreat': Paradise lost | 2 stars

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:15 CDT

Couples Retreat” must have been a blast to make. Wish more of the fun had rubbed off on the movie. This hit-and-miss (mostly miss) comedy sends four Midwestern couples off to a tropical paradise (spectacular Bora Bora) for a vacation that doesn't play out quite as planned.

‘Paranormal Activity': Low budget, high fear | 3 stars

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:15 CDT

The time to tell your significant other that an evil force has been stalking you since childhood is long before you've moved in together. A demon/ghost/ whatever needn't be a deal breaker, but it should at least get a mention.

‘Zombieland': Night of the laughing dead | 3 stars

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:15 CDT

You could forgive the survivors of the zombie apocalypse if they were to sink into a morass of angst and self-pity. But where is the fun in that?

Lauren Bacall, Roger Corman to get early Oscars

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:10 CST

The Academy Awards won't be presented until March, but the first Oscar statuettes of the season are set to be handed out Saturday night at a private, black-tie dinner in Hollywood.

Antichrist'

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:00 CST

Sex and death. Guilt and psychosis. Witchcraft and mutilation. Beauty and obscenity. Lars von Trier's "Antichrist" exists in an orbit all its own, where conventional judgments don't apply. It is a challenge, not an entertainment. To watch the Danish provocateur's new film is to experience unrelenting pain, shading into revulsion, while being inspired by his virtuoso command of the medium and sharp intelligence.

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men'

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:00 CST

Not brief enough, "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" purports to offer a candid and illuminating examination of male views on women, on sex, on relationships.

10 anticipated movies: Mayhem, a musical and a bit of mirth

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:00 CST

Human endurance has long been the movies' supreme subject. Already, with the release of the wrenching new feature "Precious," we have traveled to hell and back with a 16-year-old incest survivor. More sexual violence is coming our way, with director Peter Jackson's adaptation of "The Lovely Bones," which promises a poetic vision of the afterlife as experienced by a young girl raped and murdered by a neighbor. Happy holidays!

Ohio schools sorry for movie-shoot bus diversion

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:53 CST

Ohio parents who say their children endured long, complicated walks home are panning the disruption of school bus service for a Hollywood movie shoot.

What's opening in theaters next week

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:00 CST

Opening Nov. 20:

Kristen Stewart is trying her best to tune out the Twilight'-obsessed tabloids

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:00 CST

LOS ANGELES - Kristen Stewart was a bundle of nerves talking about "Twilight" a year ago. She's far more confident these days as "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" gets ready to rise in movie theaters Nov. 20.

Clint Eastwood made Legion of Honor commander

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:36 CST

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is making American actor and director Clinton Eastwood a commander in the prestigious French Legion of Honor.

IRS papers say Zsa Zsa Gabor has $118,321 tax bill

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:40 CST

Zsa Zsa Gabor's lawyer blames convicted swindler Bernard Madoff for a hefty tax bill owed by his client.

Precious'

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:00 CST

"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" follows a teenager named Claireece 'Precious' Jones struggling with incest, illiteracy, physical abuse, poverty and obesity in 1980s Harlem. The movie is harrowing and unforgiving - a two-hour pile-on that leaves poor Precious (not to mention the audience) with no room to breathe.

Movie poll | What 'Twilight' team are you on?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:53 CST

In "New Moon," Bella is torn between Edward the vampire and Jacob the werewolf. Which would you pick?

‘Pirate Radio' makes an occasional comic splash | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

All windup and no delivery, “Pirate Radio” puts a bunch of eccentric characters in a confined space and hopes that will be enough. It isn’t, but the film has its moments.

‘The Damned United': Quite the team of actors | 3 stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

Some actors are so much fun you’ll even watch them in a film you didn’t care about. Michael Sheen is one of those performers.

‘Streetballers': Many (too many?) balls in the air | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

First features don’t get much more ambitious than the St. Louis-shot “Streetballers,” which comes to the Tivoli after racking up kudos on the festival circuit. Matt Krentz’s debut reminds a bit of Edward Burns’ “The Brothers McMullen.” In both cases a multiple-threat filmmaker (Krentz wrote, directed, produced and stars) handles material with which he is familiar and comfortable.