At the Movies: ‘Pacific Rim,’ ‘Grown Ups 2′ and more
Charlie Hunnam, center left, and Rinko Kikuchi are pilots of giant robots that fight monsters in ‘Pacific Rim.’ –Warner Bros. Pictures
OPENS TODAY
‘Grown Ups 2′
The sequel to the popular buddy comedy of 2010 shows that Lenny (Adam Sandler) has relocated his family back to the small town where he and his friends — with growing kids of their own — grew up. Kevin James, Chris Rock and David Spade reprise their roles. (PG-13, 101 minutes)
‘Pacific Rim’
The latest film from sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast Guillermo del Toro takes place as a war between humans and monstrous sea creatures wages on. A former pilot and a trainee are paired to drive a seemingly obsolete giant robot in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse. (PG-13, 131 minutes)
Chris Rock, left, and Adam Sandler star as childhood friends in the buddy comedy sequel ‘Grown Ups 2.’ –Columbia Pictures
LIMITED RELEASE
’20 Feet from Stardom’
A documentary about the lives and dreams of a select group of backup singers whose crucial vocalizing lies just beyond the spotlight. At Kahala 8 (PG-13, 91 minutes)
‘Midnight’s Children’ 1/2
From a screenplay by Salman Rushdie, it’s the story of a pair of children, born within moments of India gaining independence from Britain, who grow up in a country that is nothing like their parents’ generation. At Kahala 8 (NR, 146 minutes)
‘Unfinished Song’
A grumpy pensioner honors his recently deceased wife’s passion for performing by joining the unconventional local choir to which she used to belong. Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave and Gemma Arterton star. At Kahala 8 (PG-13, 93 minutes)
Ryan Reynolds lends his voice to a garden snail, given the ability to move faster than a car, whose dream is to win the Indy 500 in ‘Turbo.’ –20th Century Fox
OPENS WEDNESDAY
‘Turbo’
A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream by winning the Indy 500. The latest feature from Dreamworks Animation stars the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Pena, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolph, Michelle Rodriguez and Samuel L. Jackson. (PG, 96 minutes)
NOW PLAYING
‘Despicable Me 2′
Steve Carell returns to voice the once-dastardly mastermind Gru, who is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal. The brilliantly animated sequel leans more on the humor than the heart, especially with a much-expanded role for the jabbering yellow Minions. The characters are pure silliness and that works beautifully. (Rick Bentley, Fresno Bee) (PG, 98 minutes)
‘The East’ 1/2
An operative for an elite private intelligence firm finds her priorities changing dramatically after she is tasked with infiltrating an anarchist group known for executing covert attacks upon major corporations. Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgard and Ellen Page star in this thriller co-written by Marling that is a dizzying cat-and-mouse game with all sorts of moral implications. (Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times) (PG-13, 116 minutes)
‘Four Sisters and a Wedding’
In this Filipino drama, a group of sisters reunite to dissuade their younger brother from marrying his fiancee. As they interact, they face the feelings and issues they have kept buried for a long time. (NR, 120 minutes)
‘The Heat’
An uptight FBI special agent is paired with a testy Boston cop to take down a ruthless drug lord. The movie relies on the tart chemistry shared by Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, and they and the largely game cast of supporting players riff on all sorts of ridiculousness. (Preston Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (R, 117 minutes)
‘Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain’
Filmed during a sold-out stint at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Hart throws jokes like he’s working a speed bag. Blending an elastic voice with a gift for visual mimicry, he evokes predecessors like Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock while setting himself apart. (Preston Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (R, 75 minutes)
Johnny Depp, left, and Armie Hammer star as Tonto and the Lone Ranger in ‘The Lone Ranger,’ a film directed by Gore Verbinski. –Disney
‘The Lone Ranger’
A Native American warrior recounts the untold tales that transformed a man of the law into a legend of justice. Gore Verbinski’s film is an overlong array of noisy, digitally assisted chases, shootouts, crashes and explosions, with the occasional flash of homage to the “real” Lone Ranger that suggests a better movie than the pricey, jumbled compromise Verbinski delivered here. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 149 minutes)
‘Man of Steel’
Yet another retelling of the Superman story, this time by director Zack Snyder with a cast starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams and Michael Shannon. A young journalist is forced to confront his secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race. The latest attempt to put the iconic superhero back into flight falls flat, as Snyder’s joyless film has nothing soaring about it. (Jake Coyle, Associated Press) (PG-13, 143 minutes)
‘Monsters University’ 1/2
Mike and Sulley return in this prequel to “Monsters Inc.,” looking back on their college days when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends. This Pixar feature is far more conventional, and not nearly as witty or clever as the original. The 3-D animation takes the art form to a new level, a few sentimental moments connect and the climax is a hum-dinger. But with the bar set so high by the first film, this can’t help but feel like a letdown. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (G, 110 minutes)
‘This is the End’
Six actor friends find themselves trapped in a house after a series of strange and catastrophic events devastate Los Angeles. James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogan, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson star in this often hilarious and generally irreverent comedy about the Biblical apocalypse as seen through the windows of a movie star’s mansion. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 107 minutes)
‘What Maisie Knew’
A little girl is caught in the middle of her New York City parents’ bitter custody battle in this loose, modern-day adaptation of the 1897 Henry James novel. Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgard and Onata Aprile star in this study of human nature at its most pathetic and how it affects the innocent. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 98 minutes)
‘White House Down’
While on a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a Capitol policeman springs into action to save his child and protect the president from a heavily armed group of paramilitary invaders. Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx star in this staggeringly implausible, cartoonishly comical and refreshingly dumb movie from director Roland Emmerich. (PG-13, 137 minutes)
‘World War Z’
A United Nations employee traverses the world in a race against time to stop the zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself. Brad Pitt stars in this big summer movie directed by Marc Forster that is actually scary — and not just scary, but relentless, because the zombies are strong and they run, determined in their attack. Structured as a succession of disasters, the movie is almost punishing to watch. It’s nerve-wracking and just keeps coming. (Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle) (PG-13, 116 minutes)
‘The Untold Story: Internment of Japanese Americans in Hawaii’
Ryan Kawamoto’s documentary about the little known story of the Hawaii internees and the confinement sites in the islands. (R, 100 minutes)
Hollywood-celebrity friends try to survive the apocalypse in ‘This is the End.’ –Columbia Pictures
FOR THE KIDS
Keiki Film Hui: ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’
10 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; Kapolei 16, Koko Marina 8, Koolau Stadium 8, Mililani Stadium 14, Pearlridge West 16, and Ward Stadium 16, $1
Summer Movie Express: ‘Racing Stripes’ and ‘Happy Feet Too’
10 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Dole Cannery Stadium 18 and Windward Stadium 10, $1
SPECIAL
‘Tattoo Nation’
5 p.m. Saturday at Ward Stadium 18 and 7 p.m. Saturday at Kapolei 16
The story of the ink revolution and the people who helped transform tattooing. Now one out of every three adults under 40 in the U.S. has one. With post-screening Q&A session with artist-author Ed Hardy at the Ward screening. (NR, 86 minutes)
Exhibition: Munch 150
2 p.m. Sunday at Kahala 8, $20
A celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Edvard Munch, best known for his “The Scream” paintings. (PG, 100 minutes)
‘Josh Groban: All That Echoes Artist Cut’
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dole Cannery Stadium 18, $15
An encore of the broadcast of Groban’s February concert from New York City’s Lincoln Center, including a behind-the-scenes look at the making of his latest album. (NR, 100 minutes)
The Met: Live in HD Summer Encores: ‘La Traviata’
7 p.m. Wednesday, Dole Cannery Stadium 18, $12.50
This innovative modern-dress 2012 production stars Natalie Dessay as the tragic courtesan Violetta Valery. (NR, 150 minutes)
Brad Pitt races to reunite with his family during a zombie pandemic in ‘World War Z.’ –Paramount Pictures
ARTHOUSE
DORIS DUKE THEATRE
Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S. Beretania St., entry on Kinau St. (532-8768): $10, $8 museum members (tickets also available online at www.honolulumuseum.org)
6th Annual Honolulu Surf Film Festival: ‘Endless Winter: A Very British Surf Movie’ with short ‘Beyond the Scars’
7:30 p.m. today
The evolution of surfing in unusual places, like Great Britain and in the freezing waters of the North Sea. (2012, 100 minutes total)
‘Discovering Mavericks’
1 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Thursday
An insider’s view of California’s most notorious big wave, its discovery and legend. (2012, 80 minutes)
‘Groundswell’ + ‘Stand’
7:30 p.m. Sunday
Two films that make their cases against a proposed pipeline tanker route that would transport tar sands oil through Canada at great environmental and aboriginal cultural risk. (2012, 68 minutes total)
‘Bending Colours’ + ‘Here and Now’
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
A double-bill pairing a candid look at world-class surfer Jordy Smith from South Africa with the attempt of more than 25 filmmakers and surfers to document the sport in a single 24-hour period. (2012, 81 minutes total)
‘Isolated’ with short ‘Water Warriors’
1 p.m. Wednesday
A documentary about a group of world-class surfers who travel to remote Papua New Guinea in search of undiscovered waves and end up finding more than they bargained for. Paired with a short about a bunch of girls who charge into a surf break like Amazons going to battle. (2012, 91 minutes total)
‘Waverider’ with short ‘Doze’
7:30 p.m. Wednesday
A profile of Fijian boatman and surfer Isei Tokovou who won the wildcard entry to the 2012 Volcom Fiji Pro contest, and a short about a Moldavian teenager who discovers surfing in Portugal. (2012, 80 minutes total)
Opera in Cinema: ‘The Magic Flute’
1 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday ($20, $18 museum members)
In a break from the surf film festival, this continuing series features an adaptation of Mozart’s popular opera by actor-director Kenneth Branagh with a libretto by actor-comedian-writer Stephen Fry. (2006, 134 minutes)
Kenneth Branagh directs the film adaptation of Mozart’s opera ‘The Magic Flute.’ –Revolver Entertainment
MOVIE MUSEUM
3566 Harding Ave. (735-8771): $5, $4 members; reservations recommended
‘Spring Breakers’
Noon, 4 and 8 p.m. today
Harmony Korine’s film about a group of college girls who land in jail after robbing a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation and find themselves bailed out by a drug and arms dealer who wants them to do some dirty work. James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson star. (2012, U.S., 94 minutes)
‘Goodbye Bafana’
1:45 and 5:45 p.m. today, and noon and 8:15 p.m. Saturday
The dramatization of the true story of a white South African racist whose life was profoundly altered by the black prisoner he guarded for 20 years, namely Nelson Mandela. Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haybert and Diane Kruger star. (2007, Europe/South Africa, 119 minutes)
‘Eternal First Love’
2:15, 4:15 and 6:15 p.m. Saturday
A divine event intervenes between a restaurant chef and a food writer, when the chef tries to declare his love of the writer when she gets engaged to a rival chef. (2010, Japan, 106 minutes)
‘Le Vilain’
Noon, 3 and 6 p.m. Sunday; and 1:30, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday
With gun-toting rivals on his tail, a daring bank robber takes refuge in the family house where his mother still lives, He hasn’t seen her in 20 years. (2009, France, 86 minutes)
‘Our Precious Children’
1:30, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday; and noon, 3:15 and 6:30 p.m. Monday
An ensemble romantic comedy that puts three 30-ish couples with kids and one bachelor in a spacious country vacation house. (2003, France, 86 minutes)
‘Home from Home’
1:30, 4:45 and 8 p.m. Monday
In this documentary, three Korean women return with their German husbands to their old homeland after more than 30 years of absence. (2009, Germany/South Korea, 99 minutes)
‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’
Noon, 3:30 and 7 p.m. Sunday
A couple of young terminal cancer patients decide to leave the hospital room they share, steal a car, and decide to go on a last trip to the sea, only to find out the car belongs to a bunch of mobsters. (1997, Germany, 87 minutes)
KIDS FIRST! FILM FESTIVAL
University of Hawaii-Manoa Art Auditorium, free
We are the World
3 p.m. Sunday
A project of the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media, a double-bill appropriate for children ages 5 and up. The animated short “I Wish I Went to Ecuador” with the Singapore feature “My Best Friend.” (78 minutes)
MONDAY MOVIE CAFE
TheVenue, 1146 Bethel St. (436-4326); $10, $5 students
‘The Singing Revolution’
7 p.m. Monday
A documentary about the nonviolent Singing Revolution in Estonia in which hundreds of thousands of people gathered publicly between 1986 and 1991, in an effort to end decades of Soviet occupation. (2006, 85 minutes)