This week at the movies: Our beloved Dory from the blockbuster hit Finding Nemo returns to the big screen to embark on her own adventure to find her long-lost family; and The Rock and Kevin Hart team up to deliver some big laughs.
Finding Dory
Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is a wide-eyed, blue tang fish who suffers from memory loss every 10 seconds or so. The one thing she can remember is that she somehow became separated from her parents as a child. With help from her friends Nemo and Marlin (Albert Brooks), Dory embarks on an epic adventure to find them. Her journey brings her to the Marine Life Institute, a conservatory that houses diverse ocean species. Dory now knows that her family reunion will only happen if she can save mom and dad from captivity. Also starring the voices of Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Ed O’Neill, Eugene Levy, and Idris Elba.
Perfect for: All ages; Disney Pixar and Finding Nemo fans.
What the Critics Say: Like all Disney Pixar productions, Finding Dory will steal your heart. The Guardian especially complements Ellen DeGeneres’ adorable performance as Dory: “Pixar doesn’t just pluck the heartstrings, they throttle them until they vibrate into higher dimensional space… DeGeneres’s vocal performance is extraordinary, effortlessly shifting from jokes to self-perpetuated anxiety attacks.” The Verge also praises Dory’s remarkable character, and the film’s first-class artistic animation: “Finding Dory's real emotional power comes from Dory's relationship with her memory condition. And here, the film is exceptionally smart and careful, both about dealing with disability personally, and about dealing with other people… The film's quick pace and vivid visuals help keep the story buoyant and kid-friendly. The animation is complicated and beautiful… “
Our Take: We LOVE Dory (who doesn’t?), and we’ve been waiting ever so patiently for this one to finally come out – we can’t wait to swim over to the theater this weekend!
Central Intelligence
Bullied as a teen for being overweight, Bob Stone (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) shows up to his high school reunion looking fit and muscular. While there, he finds Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart), a fast-talking accountant who misses his glory days as a popular athlete. Stone is now a lethal CIA agent who needs Calvin's number skills to help him save the compromised U.S. spy satellite system. Together, the former classmates encounter shootouts, espionage, and double-crosses while trying to prevent worldwide chaos. Also starring Aaron Paul and Bobby Brown.
Perfect for: Crime film/action-comedy enthusiasts; fans of Kevin Hart and The Rock.
What the Critics Say: Kevin Hart and The Rock are hilarious together on screen, and the action sequences aren’t bad either. Newsday says: “Hart and Johnson make a terrific team, though it’s the latter who really shines in this action-comedy. Fun cameos ice the cake… there are moments of real camaraderie between the two stars.” Variety weighs: “Central Intelligence goes back to basics: Kevin Hart, as talented a funnyman as he is, squawks and rails and goes scaredy-cat on cue, while Dwayne Johnson, as the undercover agent, plays a pumped-up friendly giant who’s too sensitive for his own good. The joke of both characters is right on the surface, and it stays there for an hour and 45 minutes. The movie, in other words, serves up just enough of the standard microwaved meat and potatoes of action comedy to have the potential to be a medium-size hit.”
Our Take: If you enjoy exciting action with a generous side of jokes (like the Ride Along movies and Spy), this funny flick is definitely for you.