Page 6 The Skanner May 18, 2016
Arts & Entertainment
Kam’s Kapsules: Movies Opening Friday, May 20, 2016
BIG BUDGET FILMS
The Angry Birds Mov-
ie (PG for action and
rude humor) Animated
adventure, inspired by
the video game series of
the same name, set on
an island inhabited by a
flock of flightless birds
with anger management
issues whose patience
is suddenly tested by an
overwhelming pig inva-
sion. Voice cast includes
Jason Sudeikis, Kate
McKinnon, Josh Gad,
Danny McBride, Maya
Rudolph, Sean Penn,
Keegan-Michael Key, Pe-
ter Dinklage, Hannibal
Buress and Bill Hader.
Neighbors 2: Sorority
Rising (R for crude sex-
uality, brief graphic nu-
dity, pervasive profanity
and drug use) Teensploi-
tation sequel finds young
marrieds Mac (Seth
Rogen) and Kelly (Rose
Byrne) expecting their
second child just as the
out of control fraternity
next door is replaced by
a sorority full of party
animals. With Zac Efron,
Chloe Grace Moretz,
Selena Gomez and Lisa
Kudrow.
The Nice Guys (R for
Kam
Williams
Kam’s
Kapsules
Movie
Reviews
violence, profanity, sex-
uality, nudity and brief
drug use) Unlikely-bud-
dies crime comedy, set in
L.A. in ‘77, about a pair of
private eyes (Ryan Gos-
ling and Russell Crowe)
who grudgingly join
forces to investigate a
fading porn star’s appar-
ent suicide. Support cast
includes Kim Basinger,
Keith David, Matt Bomer,
Yaya DaCosta and Hanni-
bal Buress.
INDEPENDENT &
FOREIGN FILMS
Art Bastard (Unrated)
Reverential biopic about
maverick artist Robert
Cenedella, an inveterate
iconoclast who has man-
aged to enjoy an endur-
ing career without com-
promising his rebellious
spirit.
Hard Sell (Unrated)
Dysfunctional
family
dramedy, set on Long Is-
land, about a poor, prep
school student (Skyler
Gisondo) who comes to
the aid of his unstable
single-mom
(Kristin
Chenoweth) by fleecing
spoiled-rotten rich kids
with the help of a debu-
tante classmate (Katrina
Bowden) With Kevin Kil-
ner, Amy Rutberg and
Hannah Marks.
Holy Hell (Unrated)
Mind control documen-
tary revisiting The Bud-
dhafield, an ill-fated, reli-
gious sect located in L.A.
in the Eighties which was
run by a charismatic cult
leader called Michel.
Ma Ma (R for some
nudity and brief sexu-
al references) Charac-
ter-driven drama, set in
the Canary Islands, re-
volving around a young
mother (Penelope Cruz)
recently diagnosed with
cancer who forges a
friendship with a soccer
scout (Luis Tovar) who
just lost his wife and
daughter in a car acci-
dent. With Asier Etxean-
dia, Teo Planell and Anna
Jimenez. (In Spanish with
subtitles).
Maggie’s Plan (R for
profanity and sexuality)
Greta Gerwig plays the
‘Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising’
title character in this ro-
mantic comedy about a
woman who has second
thoughts about having
a baby with a married
professor (Ethan Hawke)
three years after stealing
him from his wife (Juli-
anne Moore). Support
cast includes Travis Fim-
mel, Bill Hader and Maya
Rudolph.
A Moment of Silence
(Unrated) “A Man of the
People” documentary re-
visiting the 2005 election
of Evo Morales, Bolivia’s
first President of indig-
enous extraction. (In
Spanish with subtitles)
Marsalis’ big band. (In
Urdu with subtitles)
The Other Side (PG for
mature subject matter
and mild epithets) Polit-
ical science documenta-
ry examining how the
American people have
become more Balkanized
than ever before.
Weiner (R for profani-
ty and sexuality) Warts-
and-all
documentary
chronicling
disgraced
Congressman
Antho-
ny Weiner’s second fall
from grace when caught
sexting during the 2013
campaign for Mayor of
New York. Featuring
Weiner’s wife Huma
Abedin, his spokesper-
son Barbara Morgan, and
his text message recipi-
ent, aspiring porn star
Sydney Leathers.
Song of Lahore (PG for
mature themes, smok-
ing and violent images)
Cross-cultural
docu-
mentary chronicling the
musical collaborations
of a Pakistani classical
orchestra and Wynton
FILM REVIEW: ‘Money Monster’ a
High-Octane Hostage Thriller
By Kam Williams
For The Skanner News
K
yle Budwell (Jack
O’Connell) was a
working-class guy
from Queens who
never had enough cash
in the bank to play the
market until his moth-
er died and left him
$60,000. Against his bet-
ter judgment, the rough-
edged truck driver put
every penny of that in-
George Clooney and Julia Roberts in ‘Money Monster’
heritance into Ibis Clear
Capital, a security being
bursed their $800 million in losses.
promoted by TV money guru Lee Gates
Meanwhile, the police descend on
as “safer than a savings account.”
the set, led by patient Captain Powell
Gates is the glib host of “Money Mon-
(Giancarlo Esposito) who summons a
ster,” an investment advice show on the
hostage negotiator. During the ensu-
mythical FNN Network. The clownish
ing standoff, the truth about Ibis slowly
character played by George Clooney
emerges in front of millions of viewers,
was obviously inspired by bombastic
and the company’s CEO, Walt Camby
Jim Cramer of CNBC’s “Mad Money.”
(Dominic West), becomes implicated in
Anyhow, in less than a month, Gates’
a shady manipulation of his stock.
“stock pick of the millennium” goes
So unfolds “Money Monster,” a
bust, leaving Kyle frustrated, broke
high-octane thriller directed by Jodie
and at the end of his rope. Next thing
Foster. This movie is also a modern mo-
you know, he shows up at the television
rality play which levels some serious
station with a gun looking for answers.
accusations at Wall Street. Credit goes
He crashes the set of Money Monster
to George Clooney and Julia Roberts
during a live airing, and proceeds to
for committing fully to a production
place a vest filled with explosives on
resting on a farfetched premise that
Lee. Producer Patty Fenn (Julia Rob-
could’ve very easily proved unconvinc-
erts) gives in to Kyle’s demand that the
ing in less talented hands.
show continue to broadcast.
A riveting thriller featuring classic
Finger on the trigger, he proceeds to
screen chemistry coming courtesy of
grill Lee about the stock collapse while
bankable Clooney and Roberts!
ranting and raving about how “The sys-
tem is rigged!” Kyle’s sure that Gates
Excellent HHHH
must have been aware that the stock
Rated R for pervasive profanity, brief
was going to tank, and he demands that
violence and some sexuality
all of the Ibis shareholders be reim-