Movies MOVIES NOW SHOWING courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Gal Gadot plays the comic-book super hero “Wonder Woman.”
Movie reviews (continued from previous page) hard-won hard truths about so-called “mankind” to a heroic purpose with promise of future adventures. When American spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes his plane in the waters around the “paradise island” of Themyscira, he must answer for mankind to the Amazons who live there. Princess Diana (a.k.a. Wonder Woman) has trained for the contingency of invaders but couldn’t fully prepare for the horror of war. Diana
determines to accompany Trevor into the outside world, where he plans to put the kibosh on the chemical weapons program while she intends to put an end to war with a swing of the “Godkiller” sword. The film has its failings — it falls into a few bland narrative stretches, fumbles over its cardboard villains, and ends with the usual dull clash of titans — but the very existence of “Wonder Woman” makes a much-needed feminist statement in the crowded superhero space. Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content. Two hours, 21 minutes. — P.C.
47 Meters Down (PG-13)
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
A Quiet Passion (PG-13)
Aquarius Theatre: Fri. - Sun.
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Alien: Covenant (R) All Eyez on Me (R) Century 16: Fri. - Sun.
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Band Aid (Not Rated)
Aquarius Theatre: Fri. - Sun.
Baywatch (R)
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (PG) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
The Court Jester (1955) (Not Rated) Stanford Theatre: 7: 30 p.m., Fri.- Sun., 3:35 p.m., Sun. & Sat. Dean (PG-13)
Aquarius Theatre: Fri. - Sun.
El Dorado (1967) (Not Rated)
It Comes at Night (R) Century 16: Fri. - Sun.
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Megan Leavey (PG-13)
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
The Mummy (PG-13) +1/2 Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. My Cousin Rachel (PG-13)
The Book of Henry (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Cars 3 (G) +++ Century 16: Fri. - Sun.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PG-13) ++1/2 Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Century 20: Sunday
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Paris Can Wait (PG)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. Rough Night (R) Century 16: Fri. - Sun.
Century 20: Fri. - Sun. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) (Not Rated) +1/2 Stanford Theatre: 5:30 & 9:25 p.m., Fri. - Sun. The Wedding Plan (PG)
Guild Theatre: Fri. - Sun.
Wonder Woman (PG-13) +++ Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
+ Skip it ++ Some redeeming qualities +++ A good bet ++++ Outstanding
Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (For recorded listings: 327-3241) tinyurl.com Aquariuspa Century Cinema 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View tinyurl.com/Century16 Century 20 Downtown: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City tinyurl.com/Century20
CineArts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto (For information: 493-0128) tinyurl.com/Pasquare Guild: 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (For recorded listings: 566-8367) tinyurl.com/Guildmp Stanford Theatre: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (For recorded listings: 324-3700) Stanfordtheatre.org
Find trailers, star ratings and reviews on the web at PaloAltoOnline.com/movies Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 001/2 Courtesy of Marvel/Disney
A goofy cast of characters joins together in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”
Don’t think too hard about “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” although there’s probably little danger of that. It’s exactly what you’d expect writerdirector James Gunn to deliver as a sequel to the 2014 Marvel space adventure he likewise spearheaded. Everything that made the first film well received is back: the goofy cast of characters, arch jokes, lively interstellar action, and a rainbow-sherbet color
scheme. The mercenary Guardians (including Zoe Saldana’s dead-serious Gamora, Dave Bautista’s belly-laughing dum-dum Drax, and cute lil’ twig Baby Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel) start out on a job, get themselves in trouble, and wind up rescued by a mystery man who claims to be the father of rogue space orphan Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), a.k.a. Star Lord. Since the mystery man introduces himself as Ego (and he’s played to the hilt — is there any other way?— by Kurt Russell), it’s
a fair bet he’s telling the truth. After a story that occasionally succumbs to bits straight out of Looney Tunes, anything resembling feeling is kind of an impressive pivot. And the pivotal realization—that, in the end, using your heart beats using your head — works as a pithy instruction manual for this diverting but disposable adventure. Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive content. Two hours, 16 minutes. — P.C.
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PAULA MOTAS AT PAULA.MOTAS@CITYOFPALOALTO.ORG, OR CALL (650) 463-4916. Page 22 • June 16, 2017 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com