KANSAS CITY, MO —
RUSS
You may need an atlas to navigate your way through the labyrinth called “Cloud Atlas,” a wildly ambitious sci-fi epic from the makers of “The Matrix” movies and “Run Lola, Run.” Four Oscar winners -Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon and Jim Broadbent- are among the stars of this daring and visually arresting movie. Adapted from the novel by David Mitchell, “Cloud Atlas” intertwines stories from the past, present and future to relate a theme of reincarnation…and the universality of human nature. It’s just as pretentious, silly and overreaching as it sounds as these actors play the same soul in various bodies at differing times and places. While often frustratingly vague, the movie is engaging and exciting enough to keep most viewers’ interest for three hours. In fact, the sharp editing of “Cloud Atlas” is Oscar-worthy. The production values are stunning and it has both the best and worst makeup effects of the year. But for all of it’s virtues, and there are many, “Cloud Atlas” is the very definition of a “mixed bag.”
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
FUN SIZE (R)
RUSS
The makers of the Nickelodeon comedy “Fun Size” obviously have no clue about the makeup of their audience. “Fun Size” is too raunchy for the Nickelodeon crowd and too juvenile for teenagers. Really…a PG-13 rated movie for 6-year-olds? Victoria Justice from Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101” stars in this tale of the misadventures of some Cleveland kids on Halloween Night. What could have been a sweet and funny coming of age story is, instead, an obvious and awkward slapstick farce. It’s like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” but with sex jokes. There’s very little ‘fun’ in the derivative and clichéd “Fun Size.”
RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
Also opening this week, “Silent Hill: Revelation 3D” is a sequel to the 2006 horror flick based on the Playstation games. “Chasing Mavericks” is a surfing flick starring Gerard Butler, and “The Paperboy” is a murder mystery starring Zach Efron, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman. Lee Daniels of “Precious” fame directs. The Glenwood Arts is featuring two winners from the Kansas International Film Festival, the top documentary “Dave” and the narrative winner, “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X.”
