Rango

2 Paws

Seen recently at Rave Motion Pictures Westroads 14

This is no movie for kids. I don't think the mom, dad and passel of youth who sat in front of us knew that going in, based on the amount of time different configurations of them spent in the lobby during the screening. A lot of it was creepy and downright gross - who needs to hear about conjunctivitis while they're eating Jujubes? The cast of characters reminded me of a cross between those in that famous bar scene from Star Wars and the townspeople in the George Bailey-less section of It's A Wonderful Life, just dirtier. (I didn't get the shout-out to Chinatown until it was pointed out to me.) I also thought Bill Nighy was miscast as the voice talent for Rattlesnake Jake - perhaps James Earl Jones and Alan Rickman were busy with other projects.

It's a must-see for those who admire the art of animation, though, and the owl Mariachi band was - yes, I'm going to say it - a hoot.

Bonus Bones: 0

I guess the desert is too hot for dogs.

The Adjustment Bureau

2 Paws
Seen recently at Rave Motion Pictures Westroads 14

Great hats, great building architecture, great chemistry between the two leads. Not so great - the hokey plot (I would have preferred magic beans as a transport device), the hokey performance by the guy from Mad Men (who also dated Carrie Bradshaw in several Sex in the City episodes - he's the one who wanted Carrie to, well, relieve herself on him), the hokey ending. I'd like to see Matt Damon and Emily Blunt meet again in a better film. Better yet, I'd like to see Nebraska produce a political candidate with the brashness and honesty of Damon's David Norris. He or she would get my vote.

Bonus Bones: 0
No dogs? In a city of more than eight million? I don't think so.

Cedar Rapids

3 Paws
Seen March 12 @ Rave Motion Pictures Westroads 14

Aaaaaaah, Cedar Rapids. I think I went to a party there once when I was in college, but the details are a bit sketchy now. With a film title like this, I was prepared for a series of sight and sound gags based on the usual Midwestern stereotypes - we dress funny, we're confounded by the miracle of modern transportation, we view the world as black or white, no in-between hues allowed.

Truth be told, there was a bit of that. But it didn't matter, thanks to a cast of characters that make you feel better about the world and your place in it. It was like "Rudy" minus the football stuff. You just don't get any better than John C. Reilly, who can gross you out, make you laugh and get you all verklempt in the same scene. I dare you not to love Ed Helm's Tim Lippe, and Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s Ronald Wilkes is a scene stealer - look for him when they retrieve Tim from (insert stereotypic redneck accent here) one a' them dangerous backwoods Iowa house parties. The film was filled with lots of great one-liners - I'll be using the "I'm from Omygod, Nebraska" one from here on out. Chalk one up for the rubes.

Bonus Bones: 0
People without dogs in the Midwest? Nah.