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How to read the
CNS Classifications
Ratings
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Movie Reviews
WHAT'S PLAYING AT THE MOVIES
THIS WEEK?
Information is provided by
the Catholic News Service |
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 "Big
Miracle" (Universal)
Rated "PG"
In 1988 Barrow, Alaska, a television reporter (John
Krasinski) stumbles on a hole in the offshore ice and discovers
a family of gray whales. Trapped five miles from open water,
they'll drown unless something is done to free them. The story
of their plight is broadcast around the world, and soon a varied
host of people -- including a Greenpeace activist (Drew
Barrymore), an oil magnate (Ted Danson), a local Inupiat boy (Ahmaogak
Sweeney) and even President Reagan (Quinn Redeker) -- join in
offering assistance. Director Ken Kwapis' screen adaptation of
the real-life events recounted in Thomas Rose's 1989 book
"Freeing the Whales" makes an inspiring and uplifting feature
suitable for all but the youngest viewers. A few mild oaths,
one semi-profane expression. The Catholic News Service
classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance
suggested.
Some material may not be suitable for children. |
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 "Chronicle"
(Fox)
Rated "PG-13"
Reasonably original, curiously dark exploration of the
troubling results that ensue when mere mortals obtain godlike
powers. After stumbling on a mysterious object, a trio of
Seattle teens (Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan)
find themselves endowed with telekinesis and the ability to fly.
Though initially they do no more with their newfound gifts than
goof around and play pranks, darker emotions and more serious
consequences soon come to the fore, especially for DeHaan's
character, who's struggling to cope with an alcoholic father
(Michael Kelly) and a dying mother (Bo Petersen). Director Josh
Trank conveys all this in the pseudo-found footage style of "The
Blair Witch Project." Though it feels more than a little
overused, that conceit nonetheless contributes to an atmosphere
of realism and lends urgency to the moral debates in which the
principals engage -- discussions which, for viewers of faith,
will likely represent the film's main appeal. Limited action
violence, scenes of physical abuse, an implied premarital
encounter, a scattering of profanity, at least one rough term,
pervasive crude language and an obscene gesture. The Catholic
News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents
strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13. |
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 "Extremely
Loud & Incredibly Close" (Warner Bros.)
Rated "PG-13"
Devastated by the sudden loss of his devoted father (Tom Hanks),
a victim of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, an introverted grade
schooler (Thomas Horn) sets out to identify the purpose of a
mysterious key he discovers among his dad's belongings. His
quest gains him the friendship of the traumatized German
immigrant (Max von Sydow) who lodges with his grandmother and
ultimately brings him closer to his seemingly grief-paralyzed
mom (Sandra Bullock). Director Stephen Daldry's grim drama,
adapted from the best-selling novel by Jonathan Safran Foer,
focuses on community, shared suffering and familial solidarity
as it upholds positive, humanistic values. But the main
character's eccentricities -- he may or may not have a mild form
of autism -- and the diffuse nature of his search, which brings
him into contact with a whole series of strangers, makes it
difficult for viewers to establish a sense of connection with
his plight, and renders his story, for the most part, more
emotionally trying than cathartic. Mature themes, some
disturbing images, a transvestite character, a couple of crude
terms, occasional vulgar wordplay. The Catholic News Service
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under
13.
Jan. 20, 2012 |
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 "The
Grey" (Open Road)
Rated "R"
Survival story set in the Alaskan wilderness has an oil-rig
worker (Liam Neeson) struggling to lead six other victims of a
plane crash in their battle against marauding wolves. As
directed and co-written by Joe Carnahan, the chases, killings
and feats of courage are brisk but routine while the script
(written in collaboration with Ian Mackenzie Jeffers, and based
on Jeffers' short story "Ghost Walker") includes attempts at
profundity and spiritual reflection that are wildly uneven.
Given the meager rewards of trekking through it, even most
adults would be well advised to decline this grueling cinematic
journey altogether. Troubling themes -- including suicide and
one character's blasphemous expression of despair -- frequent
gory animal attacks, at least one use of profanity, pervasive
rough, crude and crass language. The Catholic News Service
classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose
problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under
17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Jan 26,
2012 |
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 "Haywire"
(Relativity)
Rated "R"
Fairly suspenseful but frequently brutal espionage thriller
about a lethal operative (played by mixed martial arts fighter
Gina Carano) who becomes a fugitive after being betrayed during
an assignment. Trying his hand at yet another cinematic genre,
director Steven Soderbergh deploys a novice lead actress and a
clutch of seasoned supporting players (including Ewan McGregor,
Michael Douglas, and Antonio Banderas) with his usual stylistic
aplomb, although the result is neither substantive nor original.
Moreover, the protagonist's merciless reaction to her situation
is morally culpable, even after allowing for the life-and-death
nature of international spying and covert military operations.
Much fierce hand-to-hand violence and gunplay, brief gore, an
implied nonmarital encounter, at least one use of profanity and
of rough language, some crude terms, an obscene gesture. The
Catholic News Service classification is L -- limited adult
audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find
troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R
-- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult
guardian.
Jan. 19, 2012 |
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 "The Iron Lady" (Weinstein)
Rated "PG-13"
Touching dramatization of the life of Margaret Thatcher (a
glorious Meryl Streep), Britain's first female prime minister,
and arguably its most important post-World War II politician.
Shuttling between the present day, with Thatcher suffering from
dementia and short-term memory loss, and flashbacks recounting
significant passages in the handbag-wielding ex-leader's life --
including her romance with future husband Denis (Jim Broadbent)
-- director Phylidda Lloyd's film is sympathetic yet fair,
Despite a few historical inaccuracies and moments of
overemotional fluff, her portrait is both intimate and
educational. Viewers of faith will appreciate its explicitly
pro-family celebration of Thatcher's successful marriage as well
as its implicitly pro-life vindication of her dignity (and
enduring perceptiveness) despite mental frailty. Two scenes
of terrorist attacks, documentary footage of real-life violence,
a glimpse of upper female nudity, a few instances of crass
British slang. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III
-- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is
PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be
inappropriate for children under 13. |
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 "Man
on a Ledge" (Summit)
Rated "PG-13"
Tedious thriller about an ex-cop (Sam Worthington) wrongly
convicted of stealing a fabulously valuable diamond from a
morally stained millionaire (Ed Harris). His convoluted plan to
vindicate himself involves distracting a crowd of New Yorkers --
as well as the police negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) who's trying
to coo him down -- while his brother (Jamie Bell) and his
brother's girlfriend (Genesis Rodriguez)
crack open the moneybags' vault and prove the putatively
purloined jewel is still in situ. As director Asger Leth's
wronged-innocence caper piles conspiracy on top of collusion,
with dull consequences, the Lord's name is under constant
assault in screenwriter Pablo F. Fenjves' risibly bad dialogue.
Occasional action violence, an implied premarital situation,
much profanity, at least two uses of the F-word, considerable
crude and crass language. The Catholic News Service
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under
13.
Jan. 26, 2012 |
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 "One
for the Money" (Lionsgate)
Rated "PG-13"
Forgettable fish-out-of-water comedy in which an
unemployed New Jersey department store saleswoman (Katherine
Heigl) takes a job as a bail bondsman, and an old high
school boyfriend (Jason O'Mara) for whom she still carries a
torch -- despite his having spurned her -- becomes her first
target for recapture. As the two go from rivalry to
cooperation in trying to solve the crime of which he's
accused, she gains the protection of a formidable colleague
(Daniel Sunjata) and encounters representative denizens of
the wrong side of town (most prominently John Leguizamo and
Sherri Shepherd). Director Julie Anne Robinson's slack
adaptation of the first of Janet Evanovich's popular series
of mystery novels -- which also features Debbie Reynolds as
the protagonist's breezily eccentric grandmother -- tries to
get by on jauntiness but fails to charm. An attempt to
capitalize on sexual tension, and such gags as an elderly
exhibitionist that the heroine takes into custody, and a
surfeit of profane dialogue are further deficits. Some
action violence, brief rear and partial nudity, an instance
of blasphemy and at least 20 uses of profanity, much sexual
humor, frequent crude and crass language, a couple of
obscene gestures. The Catholic News Service classification
is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some
material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Jan. 27, 2012 |
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 "Underworld:
Awakening" (Screen Gems)
Rated "R"
In this fourth installment of the horror-fantasy series,
Kate Beckinsale squeezes into the black vinyl tights again as
Selene, avenging warrior of the Vampire clan. She battles
werewolves called Lycans as well as predatory human scientists,
and learns she has a daughter (India Eisley). Co-directors Mans
Marlind and Bjorn Stein serve up a familiar and somewhat dreary
formula of neck-bitings,
stabbings, martial-arts kicks and more gunfire than Custer's
last stand. Stylized gun, knife and martial-arts violence,
brief, shadowy upper female nudity. The Catholic News Service
rating is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires
accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Jan. 20, 2012 |
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 "The
Woman in Black" (CBS)
Rated "PG-13"
This big-screen version of Susan Hill's popular 1983 horror
novel -- previously adapted for radio, television and the London
stage -- headlines Daniel Radcliffe as a British barrister
struggling to unravel the mysteries of a remote mansion and
battling the vengeful ghost (Liz White) who inhabits it.
Director James Watkins aims for a classic horror feel. But a
high body count and a story line involving kids taking their own
lives make his chillfest unsettling in all the wrong ways.
Numerous scenes of suicide by children and occasional gore. The
Catholic News Service classification is L -- limited adult
audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find
troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is
PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be
inappropriate for children under 13. |
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HOW TO
READ THE CLASSIFICAIONS
The first symbol after each title is the USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification. The second symbol is the rating of the Motion
Picture Association of America.
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classifications:
A-I -- general patronage
A-II -- adults and adolescents
A-III -- adults
A-IV -- adults, with reservations (this indicates films that, while not
morally offensive in themselves, are not for casual viewing because they require
some analysis and explanation in order to avoid false impressions and
interpretations)
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults
would find troubling (succeeded the A-IV classification as of Nov. 1, 2003)
O -- morally offensive
MPAA ratings:
G -- general audiences, all ages admitted;
PG -- parental guidance suggested, some material may not be suitable for
children; PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be
inappropriate for children under 13;
R -- restricted, under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian;
NC-17 -- no one 17 or under admitted.
NR - Not rated |
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