Movie Reviews: 'The Wolverine', 'The Conjuring', 'Despicable Me 2' and More

By Megan Verhelst

Movie information aggregated from moviefone.com

The Wolverine

• Run Time: 136mins.
• Starring: Hugh Jackman , Will Yun Lee , Hiroyuki Sanada , Hal Yamanouchi
• Director: James Mangold
• Trailer

"Until a third act that collapses in a harebrained heap, the director largely succeeds in keeping the more cartoonish aspects at bay, roughing up the surface with organically staged fight scenes and, crucially, raising the stakes by stripping his hitherto indestructible hero of his self-healing powers." The Hollywood Reporter. Full Review

"The flat hammerblows of The Wolverine bear little relation to the zing and pop of Matthew Vaughn's colourful treatment. Inconsistency is inevitable in a world that's constantly being dug up and done over, but it leaves us no time to fall in love with anything being flung at us." Henry Barnes, The Guardian. Full Review

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Red 2

• Run Time: 116mins.
• Starring: Bruce Willis , John Malkovich , Helen Mirren , Mary-Louise Parker , Lee Byung-hun
• Director: Dean Parisot
• Trailer

"The best thing about RED 2, like its predecessor, is its lightness of tone. Too many movies with comic-book roots come on too seriously, even when the comics themselves have a loose, fast, jocular wit about them." Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly.

"Not that it isn’t entertaining, but the film's premise is certainly well past its “use by” date, resulting in another passably palatable sequel distinguished by a lack of narrative and stylistic coherence that could potentially underpin a really viable franchise." Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter.

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R.I.P.D.

• Run Time: 96mins.
• Starring: Jeff Bridges , Ryan Reynolds , Kevin Bacon , Mary-Louise Parker , Stephanie Szostak
• Director: Robert Schwentke
• Trailer

No reviews are available at this time.

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The Conjuring

• Run Time: 112mins.
• Starring: Vera Farmiga , Patrick Wilson , Ron Livingston , Lili Taylor , Hayley McFarland
• Director: James Wan
• Trailer

"Like the wood-grained farmhouse itself — a beautiful piece of production design by Julie Berghoff — The Conjuring has an analog solidity that makes the terror to come almost unbearable." Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York. Full Review

"Though The Conjuring claims to be based on a true story, in truth it's based on every horror film that's come before it." Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine. Full Review

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Grown Ups 2

• Run Time: 101mins.
• Starring: Adam Sandler , Kevin James , Chris Rock , David Spade , Salma Hayek 
• Director: Dennis Dugan
• Trailer

“The party’s over, fellas,” says Adam Sandler’s character, Lenny, to his buddies in “Grown Ups 2.” “We’re irrelevant.” And though the box office may disagree, his words aren’t far from the truth. The first “Grown Ups,” in 2010, grossed more than $271 million worldwide; the sequel will probably rival that amount, reaping lavish dividends for Mr. Sandler and his co-stars, many of them his fellow “Saturday Night Live” alumni. Once again Mr. Sandler milks middle age for lucre, nostalgia and clunky, ham-fisted humor. But he has cause for concern." ~ Andy Webster, New York Times

In that sense, “Grown Ups 2” may be the ultimate Adam Sandler film. It ain’t high art, as the running gag with the burpsnarts — better not to ask — deftly illustrates. But for what it is, gosh darn it, it works." Adam Graham, The Detroit News

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Despicable Me 2

• Run Time: 98 mins.
• Starring: Voices of Steve Carell , Russell Brand , Miranda Cosgrove , Steve Coogan
• Director: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
• Trailer

"The minions give good mayhem and the twig-armed animation’s lovely. Despite the coolest submarine-car since Bond’s Lotus Esprit, though, Despicable Me 2 is light on gadgets – and surprises, too." Total Film. Full Review

"It falters in the middle and hesitates unnecessarily in setting up the love story, but Gru still has charm and kids will adore the Minions." Helen O'Hara, Empire. Full Review
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The Heat

• Run Time: 117mins.
• Starring: Sandra Bullock , Melissa McCarthy , Kaitlin Olson
• Director: Paul Feig
• Trailer

"A bawdy and belligerent comedy, meant mostly for folks looking for nothing more than to enjoy a few laughs." Jeremy Legel, Film.com

"Give it up for Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. You’ll never see them work harder at a comedy than in The Heat, a stumbling, aggressively loud and profane cop buddy picture where they struggle to wring “funny” out of a script that isn’t." Roger Moore, Movie Nation.

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Any of these spark your interest? College Square in Cedar Falls will be showing all these flicks. Showtimes and ticket cost can be found on the theater's website.

Check out the Moviefone widget for showtimes and additional theater locations.