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VIDEO AND DVD PREVIOUSLY
REVIEWED
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Here is a list of videocassette releases of theatrical movies
that the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops has rated on the basis of moral suitability.
These classifications do not take into account DVD releases, whose extra
content has not been reviewed.
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. |
A
“Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House
Divided" (2003)
Writer-director David Grubin offers an intimate portrait of the frontier
farmer's son as well as his aristocratic wife in the comprehensive and
compelling three-part series, which originally aired on PBS' "The American
Experience" series. The first episode entertains with its presentation of
personal details. Although Mary, a learned woman, was an incredible flirt, she
waited a year and a half for Lincoln to propose a second time, after he had
callously broken off their initial engagement. She saw in him the dogged
ambition that would lead him to be president, and she wanted to be by his side
when it happened. From his first term as president, the bloody Civil War and the
Emancipation Proclamation through Lincoln's re-election and assassination, the
next two episodes emphasize the human story behind the historical facts.
Archival photos and lively dramatizations as well as scenes shot in the Mary
Todd Lincoln House in Kentucky and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in
Illinois are interspersed with historians and biographers' commentary. Narrated
by David McCullough. Parents should be aware that the documentary contains
gruesome images of Civil War victims unsuitable for younger viewers. However,
the program is a thorough and engaging presentation that could serve as a
psychological history lesson for adolescents.
"The Abyss"
(1989)
Derivative sea adventure tracking
the attempt to rescue a U.S. nuclear
submarine which has sunk in waters
inhabited by mysterious, benign
alien creatures. Writer-director
James Cameron drowns the fantasy in
a sea of dopey interpersonal
distractions and technological
razzle-dazzle. Intense underwater
action with drownings,
resuscitations and locker-room
language. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting 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. (20th Century
Fox Home Entertainment)
"A Christmas Story"
(1983)
Adapted from Jean
Shepherd's nostalgic
piece of whimsy, "In God
We Trust, All Others Pay
Cash," the movie
re-creates what it was
like to be a boy (Peter
Billingsley) yearning
for a genuine Red Ryder
air rifle for Christmas
in the Midwest of the
1940s. Director Bob
Clark gets some good
performances from Darren
McGavin and Melinda
Dillon as the
understanding parents
and the period
atmosphere is nicely
conveyed in what is
essentially a warm
celebration of a more
innocent, less
sophisticated America. A few vulgar
syllables. Spanish
titles option. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
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. (Warner Home
Video)
"Across the Universe"
(Deluxe Edition) (2007)
At once spectacular and
schizophrenic, this musical
tribute to the Beatles
chronicles the adventures of
a Liverpool dockworker (Jim
Sturgess) as he travels to
America, befriends a
rebellious preppy (Joe
Anderson), falls in love
with the preppy's sister
(Evan Rachel Wood), pals
around with his Janis
Joplin-like singer-landlady
(Dana Fuchs), her Jimi
Hendrix-like bandmate
(Martin Luther McCoy), and a
former cheerleader turned
bohemian (T.V. Carpio). As
conceived and directed by
Julie Taymor, the film is a
highly imaginative, visually
stunning fantasia, employing
the music of the Fab Four to
elucidate the 1960s, though
its contrived story line too
often leaves both cast and
audience bogged down in a
mire of cliches. Partial,
rear and upper female
nudity, cohabitation, a
sexual embrace, a
disrespectful sequence with
a priest, drug use,
occasional rough and much
crude and crass language.
The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Sony Pictures
Home Entertainment)
"A Dennis the Menace
Christmas" (2007)
Innocent but mostly unfunny holiday outing in which the titular terror (Maxwell
Perry Cotton) wreaks havoc on his grouchy neighbor, Mr. Wilson (Robert Wagner),
and his kindly wife (Louise Fletcher), thus causing damages that threaten to
ruin his parents (Kim Schraner and George Newbern) financially, a problem that
only the intervention of an angel (Godfrey) may be able to resolve. Director Ron
Oliver's comedy, when not ripping off Dickens or Frank Capra, indulges in the
most predictable kind of destructive slapstick, though along the way it does
manage to promote some positive values. One mild oath and a sight gag involving
a brassiere. Added features on the DVD include a behind-the-scenes look at the
making of the film, brief blooper and outtake reels, an audio commentary with
Oliver and Wagner, a picture-in-picture video commentary by Cotton, and Spanish
and Portuguese dubbing and subtitle options. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is G -- general audiences. All ages admitted.
(Warner Home Video)
"Adventures
from the
Book of
Virtues:
Adventures
in Faith"
(1996)
Inspiring
animated PBS
adaptation
of former
U.S.
Secretary of
Education
William J.
Bennett's
"The Book of
Virtues"
features two
youngsters,
Zach and
Annie, who
are told a
series of
classic
moral tales
by a group
of animal
friends led
by a wise
bison named
Plato. In
the two
half-hour
episodes
devoted to
faith, the
parable of
the good
Samaritan,
the story of
the prophet
Daniel, the
exploits of
anti-slavery
activist
Harriet
Tubman (c.
1820-1913)
and the
legend of
Androcles
and the lion
are
recounted as
Annie copes
with the
sudden death
of a
friendly
older
neighbor and
Zach
hesitates to
help an
immigrant
schoolmate
left
homeless by
a fire. Also
released are
companion
volumes on
"Honesty"
and
"Courage."
Full-screen
DVD. Spanish
language
option. (PorchLight
Home
Entertainment)
"The
Adventures of Mark Twain" (1986)
Combining elements of the author's life and times with excerpts from his
writings, this animated fantasy will engage youngsters while providing
older viewers with some insights into Twain's complex character. Will
Vinton's use of clay animation, with fully modeled characters in
imaginative sets, is a visual treat. Several scenes may be frightening
for the very young but otherwise it's unusually fine family
entertainment. The no-frills DVD issue offers a good-looking
anamorphic (offering maximum resolution) widescreen image. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G --
general audiences. All ages admitted. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
"The
Adventures of the Little Prince: The Greatest Gift"
(1983)
Three episodes from the gentle 1980s Nickelodeon series -- endorsed
by the National Education Association -- inspired by the character
created by Antoine de Saint-Exupery about the wise child who rules
the distant asteroid B-612, and in this series comes to earth for
various adventures, learning (and imparting to young viewers)
various life lessons in the process. The DVD includes three
22-minute episodes. In the titular story, the Little Prince wants to
see what Christmas is all about but lands on a tropical isle where a
self-centered rich man, reminded of his own lost child, wants to
adopt him, caring little for anyone else until the Prince teaches
him about generosity and the true meaning of season. "Too Big for
This World" and "The Winning Ride," concerning a giant and a jockey,
respectively, follow the same pattern. All in all, these are very
nice stories for preschoolers, and if the animation is simplistic,
it does capture some of the spirit of Saint-Exupery's beloved work.
Print quality is a little soft, but colorful enough for the kids.
Five other DVDs in the series are available, along with a boxed set
of the entire series (Koch Vision).
"The Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl in 3-D"
(2005)
Entertaining family fantasy about a picked-on 10-year-old (Cayden Boyd) with a
fertile imagination who finds himself recruited by the superheroes he created in
his daydreams and blasts off on a mission to save a distant world from the
sinister machinations of Mr. Electric (George Lopez). Directed by Robert
Rodriguez, this kid-friendly film is full of whimsical visuals but the gimmicky
3-D effects distract from what is otherwise a genial tale about the importance
of imagination and fostering creativity. Some light comic book violence and
mildly rude humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is
A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating
is PG -- parental guidance suggested. (Buena Vista)
"The Adventures of Ociee Nash"
(2004)
Family-friendly drama set in 1898 which follows the modest adventures of
a tomboyish 9-year-old (Skyler Day), who, leaving behind her widowed
father (Keith Carradine), travels from rural Mississippi to
North Carolina to live with an aunt (Mare Winningham) set on teaching
her to become a "proper young lady." Along the way, she rubs elbows with
such historical personalities as President McKinley and the Wright
brothers. Directed by Kristen McGary from Milam McGraw Propst's
children's novel, "A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street," the film scores
points for its disarmingly old-time-values tone but, sadly, neither its
homespun charm nor its refreshingly wholesome message can fully mask its
flat writing and performances. The DVD includes both wide- and
full-screen versions, though trailers and TV spots are the only
significant extras on a good-looking DVD. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences. (Fox)
"Adventures of Walker
and Ping Ping"
(2008)
Two half-hour episodes
of an educational
animated series designed
to introduce children
ages 3-8 to the
language, history and
culture of China. In the
first, a boy named
Walker, whose family has
recently moved to Hong
Kong, befriends local
girl Ping Ping, and
under the guidance of
Ping Ping's Grandpa Joss
the two set out to
explore the Great Wall.
Lessons learned along
the way include basic
geography and some
essential words and
phrases, the latter
frequently repeated and
spelled out on-screen in
both Chinese and
English. These
vocabulary terms are
reinforced and added to
in the second episode,
during which the trio
visits a market. This
widescreen DVD provides
a valuable first glimpse
at the life of an
ancient and vastly
influential nation.
(Little Emperor;
www.walkerandpingping.com)
"An Affair
to Remember: 50th Anniversary
Edition" (1957)
Lush sentimental melodrama begins as
light comedy with a shipboard
romance between a wealthy bachelor
(Cary Grant) and a former nightclub
singer (Deborah Kerr), then plunges
into heavyweight soap opera when
their rendezvous in New York is
prevented by an accident. Director
Leo McCarey's remake of his 1939
"Love Affair" manages to keep the
lumbering romance afloat with an
old-fashioned mix of smiles and
tears, a charming cast and plush
settings. Starry-eyed romance. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-II -- adults and
adolescents. Not rated by the Motion
Picture Association of America.
(20th Century Fox Home
Entertainment)
"After
Hours"
(1985)
A
bored
yuppie
(Griffin
Dunne)
from
Manhattan's
fashionable
East
Side
ventures
into
a
dangerous
part
of
town
to
meet
an
eccentric
date
(Rosanna Arquette)
only
to
encounter
a
series
of
life-threatening
misadventures
before
escaping
back
to
the
safety
of
his
own
turf
in
the
dawn's
early
light.
Director
Martin
Scorsese's
black
comedy
lacks
satiric
bite,
preferring
instead
to
wring
laughs
out
of
mental
instability
and
bizarre
sexual
practices.
Sophomoric
nihilism
and
some
brief
nudity.
The USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-IV
--
adults,
with
reservations.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Warner
Bros.)
"After the Sunset"
(2004)
Lackluster caper directed by Brett Ratner about a master thief (Pierce Brosnan)
who, after calling it quits and retiring to a tropical island with his sexy
accomplice (Salma Hayek), is tempted to steal a priceless gem aboard a cruise
ship docked in port while being watched by an FBI agent (Woody Harrelson)
gunning to nail him. Despite good cat-and-mouse chemistry between Brosnan and
Harrelson, the film's warmed-over premise doesn't really contribute anything new
to the heist genre and in making light of the felonies committed suggests that
crime pays handsomely. A glamorized portrayal of larceny, crime without
consequence, brief violence, several implied sexual encounters and some racy
images, as well as an instance of rough language and intermittent crude
language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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
are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under
13. (New Line)
"Against the Ropes"
(2004)
Leaden drama about a brassy female fight
fan (Meg Ryan) who tosses her hat and her hopes
into the ring when she decides to manage a
promising young boxer (Omar Epps). Based loosely
on the life of boxing manager Jackie Kallen, the
film, directed by Charles S. Dutton, has little
chance of scoring a knockout at the box office
thanks to lightweight performances and a script
that doesn't pack much of a punch. Boxing action,
brief violence and drug content, and recurring
crude sexual language and humor.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III - adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 --
parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may
be inappropriate for children under 13. (Paramount)
"Air Bud"
(Special Edition; 1997)
Thin but likable story of a
lonely boy (Kevin Zegers)
who befriends a stray dog he
names Buddy, then discovers
the dog's talent for putting
a basketball through the
hoop which is good enough
for his team's coach (Bill
Cobbs) to use Buddy as a
substitute player in the big
game. Directed by Charles
Martin Smith, the
proceedings are cheerfully
manipulative in alternating
heartwarming scenes with
ones of slapstick silliness,
though some threatening
moments are provided by an
abusive coach and the cruel
master who wants his runaway
dog back. Some scenes of
menace and a few
vulgarities. The DVD
includes commentary (uh,
dog-u-mentary, from the
Buddies, the pups considered
the offspring of the
original Buddy who have
starred in sequels). Spanish
language and titles options.
The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Walt
Disney Studios Home
Entertainment)
"Air Buddies" (2006)
Straight-to-video fifth installment in the live-action "Air Bud"
series in which the sports-playing golden retriever, Air Bud,
and his mate are dognapped by a flamboyant animal dealer,
leaving it up to their litter of five "talking" puppies to
undertake a rescue mission, while evading capture themselves by
the poacher's bungling henchmen. The pups are adorable, but
director Robert Vince's lightweight effort is padded with
frivolous slapstick that may keep very young children adequately
amused, but have older kids pawing for the remote. Don't be
fooled by the DVD's cover art; there's hardly any of the
doggy-sports antics of the previous four films. And while you
could do worse for clean, family-friendly entertainment, if
you're expecting "101 Dalmatians" -- which this movie references
-- you're barking up the wrong tree. Bonus features include a
cute "interview" with the pooch stars, an instructive segment on
how to train your dog, and more. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for
children (Disney Home Entertainment).
"Akeelah
and the Bee" (2006)
Irresistible story about a South Los Angeles 11-year-old loner (Keke
Palmer) who reluctantly competes in a national spelling bee under the
tutelage of an emotionally fragile English professor (Laurence Fishburne)
and against the initial wishes of her hard-working mother (Angela
Bassett). Writer-director Doug Atchison handles Akeelah's journey of
self-discovery deftly and builds suspense along the way to a satisfying
conclusion, helped by his first-rate leads, and inspiring messages about
conquering fears, winning by honest means, the strength of community
and, above all, the beauty and potency of words. A few crass expressions
and a single use of a four-letter word can't detract from an overall
warm endorsement for all audiences. The film has been given the deluxe
anamorphic DVD treatment with seven brief but enjoyable deleted scenes,
three lively featurettes and more. Highly recommended. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance
suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children (Lions Gate
Home Video).
"A Knight's Tale"
(Extended Cut) (2001)
Rollicking action adventure story about a young squire (Heath Ledger) in
14th-century France who assumes his deceased master's identity and works
his way up the jousting circuit to foil a nasty villain (Rufus Sewell).
Inspired by Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," director Brian Helgeland
deftly blends contemporary attitudes, dialogue and rock music into an
entertaining period piece, although the movie's length is a bit
indulgent. Intermittent action violence, some rear nudity and fleeting
crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification
is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material
may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Aladdin"
(1992)
Vibrant
animated
"Arabian
Nights"
tale
of
a
genie
(voice
of
Robin
Williams),
a
commoner
in
love
with
a
princess
and
an
evil
vizier
who
connives
to
capture
the
genie
and
marry
the
princess.
Directed
by
John
Musker
and
Ron
Clements,
the
Disney
production
has
a
sweet
story
and
delightful
animation,
and
Williams'
wisecracks
wedded
to
lightning-fast
sight
gags
should
hold
adult
interest.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-I
--
general
patronage.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
G
--
general
audiences.
(Buena
Vista)
"The
Alamo"
(2004)
Sweeping
historical
drama
set
in
1836
about
the
famous
last
stand
of
a
handful
of
Texans
--
led
by
Jim
Bowie
(Jason
Patric)
and
Davy
Crockett
(Billy
Bob
Thornton)
--
who,
though
overwhelmingly
outnumbered,
valiantly
held
the
besieged
fort
for
13
days
before
falling
to
the
Mexican
army
under
the
command
of
Gen.
Santa
Anna
(Emilio
Echevarria),
rallying
the
cause
of
Texan
independence.
Despite
its
sweeping
scope,
the
film,
as
directed
by
John
Lee
Hancock,
is
less
concerned
with
bloody
battles
and
flag-waving
patriotism
than
it
is
with
the
relationships
of
the
men
involved,
resulting
in
an
intimate,
character-driven
tale
about
courage
and
sacrifice.
Extended
battlefield
violence
and
some
crude
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG-13
--
parents
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(Buena
Vista)
"All Dogs Go to Heaven 1 & 2" (Double Feature) (1989 and 1996)
The two Don Bluth animated features are repackaged in two slim-line DVD
cases, full screen, and with no extras. Adequate print quality on both.
(Sony)
"All
Dogs Go To Heaven 1"
(1989)
Dark, disappointing animated feature, set in 1930s Louisiana, charts the
death and redemption of a rogue German shepherd (voice of Burt Reynolds)
who, after being bumped off by a crooked business partner, cons his way
from heaven back to earth where he is reformed by his love for an
adorable orphan (voice of Judith Barsi). The orphan proves the only
shining light in director Don Bluth's predictable, derivative fantasy
with forgettable music and unappealing lead characters. Some cartoon
menace and intense moments of mortal danger. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences. All
ages admitted.
"All
Dogs Go To Heaven 2" (1996)
Animated musical sequel in which two canine angels (voices of Charlie
Sheen and Dom DeLuise) in San Francisco to retrieve Gabriel's horn help
a runaway boy return home while outwitting a devilish duo. Directed by
Paul Sabella and Larry Leker, the result features some sprightly songs
but the busy animation often looks washed out. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences. All
ages admitted.
"All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series"
(1996-1999)
Canine guardian angel Charlie and his scrappy sidekick, Itchy, are back,
getting into all sorts of mutt mischief while trying to earn their wings
and halos by helping out people and dogs in need here below. Originally
airing on cable's Fox (now ABC) Family Channel 1996-99, the animated
series features the voices of Steven Weber, Dom DeLuise, Sheena Easton,
Ernest Borgnine, Charles Nelson Reilly, and Bebe Neuwirth as Anabelle,
the pair's celestial handler who keeps them on a short leash. Each of
the two discs (sold separately) contains four episodes grouped according
to themes, and each pooch parable imparts a life lesson. Volume 1,
"Friends to the Rescue," is comprised of stories dealing with
friendship: "Field Trip," "Cyrano De Barkinac," "Mutts Ado About
Nothing" and "Heaventh Inning Stretch." Volume 2, "Dogs Undercover,"
contains a quartet of adventures: "La Doggie Vita," "Magical Misery
Tour," "Fearless Fido," and the "The Big Fetch." With their teaching
story lines, lively animation and positive messages, these collections,
while pleasing parents, should keep the pups wagging their tails. (Sony)
"Almost Heroes" (1998)
Comedy clunker about inept explorers Chris Farley and Matthew Perry
starting out from St. Louis in 1804 to beat the Lewis and Clark
expedition to the Pacific Ocean. It's a one-joke comedy whose witless
wilderness proceedings go from crude to cruder. Slapstick violence,
sexual innuendo, outhouse humor and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
(Warner Bros.)
"Alexander" (2004)
Ambitious historical epic which explores the life of Alexander the Great (Colin
Farrell), the fabled fourth-century B.C. Macedonian conqueror, chronicling his
rise to power, stunning military victories and empire expansion, with breaks in
the sword-and-sandal action for some Freudian forays into his bisexuality and
estranged relationship with his conniving mother (Angelina Jolie) and rough-hewn
royal father (Val Kilmer). Though this "Alexander" is far from great, director
Oliver Stone's visually impressive film features spectacular, though graphic,
battles and lavish re-creations of antiquity that somewhat balance its epic
flaws, which include campy acting and dialogue, a plodding pace and an
interminable running time of three hours. Strong battlefield violence and
associated gore, an attempted rape, several implied gay sexual situations, one
involving shadowy rear nudity, an explicit straight bedroom scene and
generalized background debauchery. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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. (Warner Bros.)
"Alfie"
(2004)
Successfully competing with fond memories of the 1966 Michael Caine English
film, this new version, set in Manhattan, features a superb Jude Law as the
womanizing cad whose callous ways eventually catch up with him. Charles Shyer's
beautifully crafted remake -- an exceedingly moral film even as it features a
most amoral anti-hero -- follows the titular Cockney limo driver as he makes his
amorous way through his best friend's girl (Nia Long), a wealthy older society
matron (Susan Sarandon), a married woman (Jane Krakowski), a free-spirited party
girl (Sienna Miller) and a single mom (Marisa Tomei), before feeling the
emptiness of his self-centered life. Some rough and crude language, strong
sexual content, nudity and recreational drug use. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Paramount)
"Alice
Doesn't
Live
Here
Anymore"
(1975)
A
widow
(Ellen
Burstyn)
takes
her
young
son
(Alfred
Lutter)
on
a
sojourn
across
the
Southwest
trying
to
pursue
her
dream
of
a
singing
career
but
winds
up
as
a
waitress
in
a
greasy
spoon
where
she
is
courted
by
a
local
rancher
(Kris
Kristofferson).
Director
Martin
Scorsese's
somewhat
ambiguous
picture
of
a
single
parent
in
contemporary
America
also
offers
some
interesting
insights
on
the
condition
of
women
in
a
male
chauvinistic
society.
Several
sordid
situations
and
rough
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-IV
--
adults,
with
reservations.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG
--
parental
guidance
suggested.
(Warner
Bros.)
"Alice in
Wonderland" (1985)
Lavish two-part television adaptation of Lewis Carroll's evergreen
children's story with an incredible all-star cast including Red
Buttons (the White Rabbit), Sammy Davis Jr. (the Caterpillar), Roddy
McDowell (the March Hare), Robert Morley (the King of Hearts),
Anthony Newley (the Mad Hatter), Donald O'Connor (the Lory Bird),
Martha Raye (the Duchess), Shelley Winters (the Dodo Bird) , Carol
Channing (the White Queen), Ernest Borgnine (the Lion), Karl Malden
(the Walrus), and Ringo Starr (the Mock Turtle), plus many more.
Irwin ("The Poseidon Adventure") Allen produced, and Harry Harris
directed Paul Zindel's reasonably faithful adaptation for which
Steve Allen (who also appears) provided some pleasant songs, and the
accents are mostly American, including cute Natalie Gregory as
Alice. The DVD features a fullscreen image, and the color quality
of the film is excellent. Kids should love it, while adults will
appreciate the parade of stars (Sony Home Entertainment).
"Alien vs. Predator"
(2004)
Sci-fi actioner about a team of scientists (including Sanaa Lathan) hired by a
wealthy industrialist (Lance Henriksen) to explore a mysterious ancient pyramid
discovered beneath the Antarctic who become live bait in a battle royal between
the two space species of the title slugging it out for bragging rights in the
galaxy. Cross-pollinating two popular franchises, the extraterrestrial face-off,
directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, while peppered with some mild shivers and creepy
atmospherics, is devoid of substance or style, its repellent cavalcade of slimy
special effects drowning out any real suspense and testing the boundaries of its
PG-13 rating. Gory action violence, an instance of rough language and scattered
crude expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is
A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 --
parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children
under 13. (Fox)
"All the King's Men" (2006)
Uneven remake of Robert Penn Warren's 1946 Pulitzer Prize winner set
in the 1950s, about a rabble-rousing everyman (Sean Penn) who rises
from obscurity, railing against political corruption, and is elected
governor of Louisiana, only to be polluted by power once he's in
office; and the idealistic journalist (Jude Law) who falls under his
spell. Written and directed by Steven Zaillian, the handsomely
crafted morality tale -- loosely based on the life of Depression-era
Louisiana Gov. Huey P. Long -- explores the means and ends of power,
but Penn's passionate and committed performance is undermined by an
opaque script. A violent shooting, implied adultery, a suicide, a
bedroom encounter with shadowy side nudity, a provocative nightclub
performance, some mildly crude language, profanity and racial slurs.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 (Sony Pictures).
"All the
President's Men" (1976)
The investigation by two Washington Post reporters (Dustin Hoffman and
Robert Redford) of the facts behind the 1974 Watergate break-in has been
dramatized with restraint and objectivity. Director Alan Pakula's
deliberately low-keyed, well-acted and comprehensive account of a
political scandal emphasizes the painstaking work involved in
investigative journalism. Though it uses a few coarse words in a
realistic context, the movie is one that older teenagers would benefit
from seeing. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is
A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG
-- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for
children. (Warner Bros.)
"Almost Famous"
(2000)
Poignant drama set in the 1970s about an aspiring rock journalist (Patrick
Fugit) who lands a freelance assignment at age 15 with Rolling Stone magazine to
interview a hot new rock band (led by Billy Crudup) as they tour the United
States. Director Cameron Crowe's semiautobiographical coming-of-age story
skillfully reflects the era, yet remains on a largely superficial level. Implied
sexual encounters, fleeting nudity, an extramarital affair, some drug use
including an overdose and intermittent rough language. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. (DreamWorks)
"Along
Came
Polly
"
(2004)
Stale
romantic
comedy
about
a
tightly
wound
New
York
insurance
risk
assessor
(Ben
Stiller)
who,
after
being
jilted
by
his
newlywed
bride
(Debra
Messing)
on
their
honeymoon,
has
his
play-it-safe
lifestyle
turned
topsy-turvy
when
he
falls
for
a
bohemian
former
high
school
classmate
(Jennifer
Aniston).
In
lieu
of
a
smart,
witty
farce
about
the
emotional
perils
of
modern
mating,
director
John
Hamburg
has
strung
together
a
series
of
crude
bathroom
sight-gags
and
stock
sex
skits
which
are
made
more
painful
by
his
love-shy
leads'
total
lack
of
on-screen
chemistry.
A
few
sexual
encounters,
much
crass
humor,
some
rear
nudity,
recurring
crude
language
and
profanity.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
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
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(Universal)
"A Mighty Heart"
(2007)
Tense recounting of the 2002 kidnapping of and frantic search for Wall Street
Journal reporter Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman) in Karachi, Pakistan, as seen
through the eyes of his pregnant wife, Mariane (Angelina Jolie), also a
journalist. Director Michael Winterbottom superbly captures the tumult, and
without histrionics (except for one searing outpouring of grief), deftly
embodies the courageous Mariane Pearl who, after the tragic events, refused to
succumb to bitterness or vengeance. Several uses of the f-word under duress, and
a few other crude or crass words, fleeting newsreel footage of bombings and some
dead bodies including a grim morgue image, a discreet torture scene, a brief
nongraphic bedroom scene and a verbal description of Pearl's gruesome death. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17
requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
"Amazing Grace" (2007)
Compelling historical biography about William Wilberforce (a dynamic Ioan
Gruffudd), the great 18th-century British abolitionist, who with the help of the
young British Prime Minister William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch), and other
like-minded friends in Parliament and elsewhere (Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon,
Albert Finney and Youssou N'Dour), managed -- after tireless and courageous
struggle -- to pass an anti-slave trade bill in Parliament. With its solid
performances, accessible script and handsome production design, director Michael
Apted's film recalls some of the best historical dramas from Hollywood's golden
age, and is all the more admirable for its unabashed portrait of a passionate
man of God. The DVD includes commentary by Apted and Gruffudd, a making-of
documentary with much historical detail, a tour of the National Underground
Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, a music video of the title song with
Chris Tomlin, and various interactive study guides. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Twentieth Century Fox Home
Entertainment)
"American Dreamz" (2006)
Fairly amusing satire of fame and politics as a would-be
terrorist (Sam Golzari) enamored of American show tunes winds up
on an "American Idol"-like talent show, where his Afghan
superiors expect him to kill the U.S. president (Dennis Quaid)
who is appearing as a celebrity judge to boost his image, while
the show's host (Hugh Grant) falls for a "white trash"
contestant from Ohio (Mandy Moore). The performances, including
those of Marcia Gay Harden and Willem Dafoe, are good, and
director-writer Paul Weitz carefully avoids most of the pitfalls
of such a premise with a surprisingly sweet-natured story with
no real villains, though the salvos about today's vapid pop
culture, the public's misplaced priorities, the need for
understanding of our "enemies," and the obscenity of war could
sometimes be more sharply focused. Scattered instances of
four-letter words, profanity, sexual and crass expressions,
an implied premarital coupling and a suicide. The anamorphic DVD
includes about 12 minutes of deleted scenes, commentary by Weitz
and Golzari, and a couple of lightweight featurettes. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 (Universal).
"America's Heart and Soul" (2004)
Captivating documentary in which filmmaker Louis Schwartzberg traverses the
country interviewing a colorful assortment of folks who are passionate about
what they do, including a blind mountain climber, a musically inclined dairy
farmer, an aerobatic pilot and cliff dancers, to name only a few. Combined with
breathtaking, panoramic cinematography, the film's personal vignettes are as
emotionally involving as the documentary is spiritually uplifting in celebrating
individual diversity and the love of liberty that Americans share. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance
suggested. (Columbia/TriStar)
"American
Harvest"
(2008)
Filmmaker
Angelo
Mancuso's
informative
90-minute
documentary
travels to
Florida,
Arizona,
Delaware and
New York to
explore the
indispensable
role
Hispanic
migrant
workers and
immigrants
play in
sustaining
the U.S.
agricultural
industry.
Mancuso
interviews
farmers and
produce
brokers who
underscore
the fact
that few
native
Americans
are willing
to engage in
the picking,
cleaning and
packaging of
the fruits
and
vegetables
that keep
our
supermarket
shelves
full. For
Mexicans and
other Latin
Americans,
on the other
hand, a
field job in
this country
can offer
the chance
to earn in
an hour what
they would
earn in a
day at home.
Given that
agribusiness
would grind
to a halt
without such
workers,
those
providing
them with
support,
like
Caroline
Isaacs of
the Tucson,
Ariz.,
branch of
the American
Friends
Service
Committee,
plead for
sensible and
humane
immigration
law reform.
Mancuso also
visits Our
Lady of
Guadalupe
Catholic
Church in
Immokalee,
Fla., which
serves the
spiritual
needs of the
area's
Hispanic
laborers.
Barry
Moreno,
librarian
and
historian of
the Ellis
Island
Immigration
Museum in
New York
Harbor,
places the
contemporary
immigrant's
experience
within a
broader
historical
context. (www.americanharvestmovie.com)
"An
American
Werewolf
in
London"
(1981)
Trashy,
sardonically
muddled
horror
show
by
writer-director
John
Landis
attempts
to
combine
comedy
and
fright
with
a
dash
of
steamy
sex.
The
result
is
a
squalid
mess.
Contains
violence
and
explicit
sex.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
O
--
morally
offensive.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Universal)
"A Mighty Heart"
(2007)
Tense recounting of the 2002 kidnapping of and
frantic search for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel
Pearl (Dan Futterman) in Karachi, Pakistan, as seen
through the eyes of his pregnant wife, Mariane (Angelina
Jolie), also a journalist. Director Michael Winterbottom
superbly captures the tumult, and without histrionics
(except for one searing outpouring of grief), deftly
embodies the courageous Mariane Pearl who, after the
tragic events, refused to succumb to bitterness or
vengeance. Several uses of the f-word under duress and a
few other crude or crass words, fleeting newsreel
footage of bombings and some dead bodies including a
grim morgue image, a discreet torture scene, a brief nongraphic bedroom scene and a verbal description of
Pearl's gruesome death. The good-looking DVD includes a
30-minute making-of documentary, and short pieces on the
Daniel Pearl Foundation and the Committee to Protect
Journalists. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III --adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under
17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
(Paramount Home Entertainment)
"Annapolis"
(2006)
Diverting but derivative drama about a scrappy shipyard worker (an
appealing James Franco), who, after being accepted to the U.S. Naval
Academy, must prove his mettle while training for the school's boxing
tournament against his no-nonsense drill instructor (Tyrese Gibson).
However, director Justin Lin's "An Officer and a Gentleman" retread is
hollow and formulaic. Brutal boxing sequences, an attempted suicide,
some sexually crude language and humor, as well as profanity. The
anamorphic DVD includes seven deleted scenes with audio commentary; a
"making of" featurette; and another on the boxing sequences. Audio
commentary by Lin and others from the creative team. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting 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
(Touchstone Home Entertainment).
"An
Awfully Big Adventure"
(1995)
Dark, muddled tale of backstage romances set in
1947 Liverpool where
a dramatic troupe, headed by a cruelly arrogant director (Hugh Grant), is joined
by a starry-eyed adolescent (Georgina Cates) who's seduced by the lead actor
(Alan Rickman), with devastating consequences. Directed by Mike Newell, the
unappealing story of manipulative adults and vulnerable adolescents offers a
poorly focused mix of strained drama and mean-spirited comedy. Brief bedroom
scenes with nudity, frequent sexual innuendo, fleeting violence and an instance
of rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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.
"Amistad"
(1997)
Uneven
dramatization of the 1839 legal battle over the fate of 53 Africans who massacre
the crew of a Spanish slave ship, then are captured by an American naval vessel
and put on trial for murder and piracy in a case that ultimately reaches the
Supreme Court, where former President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins)
defends their right to freedom. Director Steven Spielberg's ambitious attempt to
re-examine the contradictions of a society which proclaimed the equality of all
and yet accepted slavery succeeds in dramatizing the obvious injustices done the
enslaved Africans (led by Djimon Hounsou), but the legal and political issues
argued in the lengthy case are treated in stiff historical tableaus. Some gory
violence, brutalizing conditions of slavery and brief frontal nudity. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. (DreamWorks)
|
"An American Haunting: Unrated
Edition" (2006)
Spookily atmospheric, well-acted thriller based on the "true
story" of the "Bell Witch" case, the only documented case in
the U.S. of a spirit causing the death of a person, as the
Bells, an 1818 Tennessee couple (Donald Sutherland and Sissy
Spacek) battle ghostly horrors in their home and the
possession of their daughter (Rachel Hurd-Ward), after a
woman thought to be a witch curses the family.
Writer-director Courtney Solomon builds up an atmosphere of
heady suspense that never lets up, and although there's lots
of generalized demonic violence, there's little bloodshed.
Some intensely violent episodes including a hair-raising
wolf attack, an attempted suicide, the questioning of God's
existence and omnipotence, and subtle sexual revelations of
an adult nature. The anamorphic DVD contains more than
the usual number of deleted scenes, including several
versions of a spectacular horse and carriage crash, and four
lengthy alternate versions of the ending, which bring the
aforementioned revelations into sharper focus and
crystallize the adult nature of the story; interviews with
Spacek and Solomon; and on-screen feature-length commentary
by Solomon. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America theatrical rating is PG-13 -- parents
strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13. The DVD, however, is unrated (Lions Gate
Home Entertainment). |
|
|
"Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"
(2004)
lame spoof set in the era of 1970s'
male-dominated TV newscasts in which a pompous San Diego anchorman (Will
Ferrell) loses his heart and then his job to a more competent blonde newcomer
(Christina Applegate) set on becoming a network anchor. Writer-director Adam
McKay's underperforming comedy mocks chauvinist behavior but the slack script's
exaggerated stereotypes are dopey without being funny. An implied affair,
several sexual references and crude expressions, occasional profanity and an
instance of rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be
inappropriate for children under 13. (DreamWorks)
"Anna
Karenina"
(1997)
Opulent
adaptation
of
Leo
Tolstoy's
19th-century
novel
of
czarist
Russia
contrasts
the
hard-won
love
story
of
an
eventually
happy
couple
(Alfred
Molina
and
Mia
Kirshner)
with
the
doomed
romance
of
a
married
woman
(Sophie
Morceau)
who
forsakes
husband
and
child
to
run
off
with
a
wealthy
officer
(Sean
Bean).
Screenwriter-director
Bernard
Rose's
elaborate
period
piece
is
visually
lush
in
portraying
the
hypocrisy
of
class
distinctions
and
exploring
characters
who
question
the
morality
of
their
actions.
Brief
violence,
fleeting
bedroom
scene
and
a
suicidal
character's
drug
dependency.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG-13
--
parents
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(WGBH)
"Angels
in
America"
(2003)
An
ambitious,
compelling
and
stirring
television
adaptation
of
Tony
Kushner's
award-winning
theatrical
production,
originally
on
Broadway
in
1993
and
1994.
Well-written,
timely
and
poignant,
the
play
hit
upon
many
controversial
themes
as
the
new
millennium
approached:
the
gay
lifestyle
and
the
advent
of
AIDS
in
America,
the
Reagan
era,
apocalyptic
fears,
religion
and
a
time-worn
human
quest
to
define
heaven
while
grappling
with
mortality.
Directed
by
Mike
Nichols,
the
television
film
is
true
to
the
play,
with
excellent
production
values
and
a
superb
cast.:
Patrick
Wilson,
Mary-Louise
Parker,
Justin
Kirk,
Al
Pacino,
Emma
Thompson,
Meryl
Streep
and
Jeffrey
Wright.
One
cannot
write
off
a
play
that
presents
such
affecting
physical
and
spiritual
anguish,
yet
"Angels
in
America"
has
flaws
and
numerous
troubling
aspects
that
would
make
many
Catholic
viewers
unable
to
endure
it.
An
unqualified
recommendation
is
therefore
difficult,
but
there
is
value
in
such
a
spectacularly
mounted
production
that
presents
much
thought-provoking
fodder.
(HBO)
"Annie
Get
Your
Gun"
(1950)
Big
and
brassy
version
of
the
Irving
Berlin
musical
in
which
rustic
Annie
Oakley
(Betty
Hutton)
gets
some
polish
working
with
Frank
Butler
(Howard
Keel)
in
a
sharpshooting
act,
then
finds
fame
and
finally
gets
her
man
(Butler)
after
Buffalo
Bill
(Louis
Calhern)
makes
her
a
star
in
his
Wild
West
Show.
Directed
by
George
Sidney,
this
show
has
lots
of
stunt
riding,
staged
Indian
attacks
and
shoot-outs
which
make
a
suitable
backdrop
for
Hutton's
overcharged
performance,
with
the
result
memorable
chiefly
for
its
songs
ranging
from
the
romantic
"The
Girl
That
I
Marry"
to
the
comedic
"Doing
What
Comes
Naturally"
and
"Anything
You
Can
Do,"
and
the
signature
tune,
"There's
No
Business
Like
Show
Business."
Romantic
complications.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
Not
rated
by
the
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America.
(Warner
Bros.)
"Annie Hall"
(1977)
Director Woody
Allen's romantic
comedy about an
on-again, off-again
relationship between
a Jewish comedian
from New York
(Allen) and a WASP
from the Midwest
(Diane Keaton).
Although the movie
is frequently very
funny and has a
touch of humanity
lacking in Allen's
earlier work, it
falls far short of
its more ambitious
intention of making
a serious statement
about human
relationships.
Some rough language
and much humor
derived from sexual
matters. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
classification is
A-III -- adults. The
Motion Picture
Association of
America rating is PG
-- parental guidance
suggested. Some
material may not be
suitable for
children. (United
Artists)
|
"The Ant Bully" (2006)
Whimsically entertaining computer-animated fable about a young boy
(voiced by Zack Tyler Eisen) who, in response to havoc wreaked on an
anthill in his front yard, is magically shrunk to bug size by an ant
wizard (voiced by Nicolas Cage), put on trial and sentenced to
remain miniaturized until he makes amends, which he does by saving
the lawn's insect population from annihilation at the hands of a
gung-ho exterminator (Paul Giamatti). Written and directed by John
A. Davis from the John Nickle children's book, the pixilated parable
wraps its might-doesn't-make-right moral and agreeable life lessons
in vibrantly imaginative visuals, though the performances of the
A-list voice talent (including Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep, in
addition to Cage) are bland and the writing is less than sharp. A
few instances of mildly crude language and humor and a menacing
sequence that may be scary for very young children. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage.
The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children
(Warner Bros.). |
"Anthony: Warrior
of God"
(2006)
Well-intentioned,
visually impressive
but dramatically
overwrought life of
early Franciscan and
Portuguese-born St.
Anthony of Padua
(1195-1231),
portrayed by Jordi
Molla, as he
survives a
shipwreck, befriends
and reforms a thief
(Paolo De Vita),
travels to Assisi to
meet St. Francis
(Michele Melega),
settles in the
northern Italian
city with which he's
now associated and
delivers stirring
religious
exhortations.
Director and
co-writer Antonello
Belluco's portrait
focuses on the
saint's role as
champion of Padua's
poor and vociferous
critic of the city's
ruling oligarchy
whose wealth was
based on usury.
In Italian.
Subtitles. Images of
blood and
mutilation, a
suicide, passing
prostitution
references, an
attempted seduction
and one crass term.
The widescreen DVD,
which also includes
an English-dubbed
version, includes a
half-hour making-of
featurette. The
USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting
classification is
A-II -- adults and
adolescents. Not
rated by the Motion
Picture Association
of America. (Xenon
Pictures/Lionsgate
Home Entertainment)
"Antwone Fisher"
(2002)
Inspirational true-life story of a troubled naval recruit (Derek Luke) who with
the help of a Navy psychiatrist (Denzel Washington) learns to cope with the
emotional devastation wreaked by childhood rejection and physical abuse. Despite
a sometimes predictable narrative, Washington's directorial debut is a moving
account of strength and survival, as well as a testament to the nobility of
spirit inherent in every person. Some violence including depictions of child
abuse, an implied sexual encounter and minimal rough language and profanity. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Fox)
"Antz"
(1998)
Computer-animated
tale
of
an
ant
colony
in
which
a
whiny
worker
ant
(voice
of
Woody
Allen)
sets
his
sights
on
the
ant
queen's
sassy
daughter
(voice
of
Sharon
Stone)
and
defies
his
lowly
status
by
becoming
a
warrior
ant
out
to
save
the
colony
from
the
machinations
of
its
dictatorial
General
(voice
of
Gene
Hackman).
Directors
Eric
Darnell
and
Tim
Johnson
provide
the
animation
with
a
three-dimensional
look,
but
the
story
about
following
one's
dreams
is
on
the
bland
side.
Some
crude
expressions
and
fleeting
cartoon
violence.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG
--
parental
guidance
suggested.
(Universal)
"Antwone
Fisher"
(2002)
Inspirational
true-life
story
of
a
troubled
naval
recruit
(Derek
Luke)
who
with
the
help
of
a
Navy
psychiatrist
(Denzel
Washington)
learns
to
cope
with
the
emotional
devastation
wreaked
by
childhood
rejection
and
physical
abuse.
Despite
a
sometimes
predictable
narrative,
Washington's
directorial
debut
is
a
moving
account
of
strength
and
survival,
as
well
as
a
testament
to
the
nobility
of
spirit
inherent
in
every
person.
Some
violence
including
depictions
of
child
abuse,
an
implied
sexual
encounter
and
minimal
rough
language
and
profanity.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG-13
--
parents
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(Fox)
"Anything But Love"
(2003)
Modestly charming tale of a struggling cabaret singer (co-writer Isabel Rose)
torn between her corporate lawyer fiance (Cameron Bancroft) and a destitute
musician (Andrew McCarthy) who shares her love of a bygone musical era.
Co-written and directed by Robert Cary, the film's romantic predictability is
balanced by its low-budget plucky spirit, colorful production design and
appealing follow-your-dream theme. Occasional profanity and fleeting homosexual
innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II --
adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is
PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13. (Wellspring)
"Anything Else"
(2003)
Romantic comedy about an aspiring New York writer's (Jason Biggs)
rocky love affair with a sexually free-spirited ingenue (Christina Ricci).
Though frequently funny, the film, written and directed by Woody Allen (who also
appears in a supporting role), retreads material from many of Allen's earlier
movies, and its observations about interpersonal relationships are undermined by
the filmmaker's angry, fatalistic cynicism. A nihilistic view of morality,
several sexual encounters, recurring sexually crude and religiously irreverent
humor, an instance of drug abuse, as well as a few instances of profanity. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with
reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R --
restricted. (Universal)
"Anything Goes"
(1956)
So-so musical in which a veteran performer (Bing Crosby) agrees to team
with a rising newcomer (Donald O'Connor), then each signs a different
leading lady (Mitzi Gaynor and Jeanmaire, respectively) while
vacationing in Europe, but they resolve the mix-up on the voyage home.
Directed by Robert Lewis from Sidney Sheldon's leaden adaptation of the
Broadway classic, the result lumbers along with stilted production
numbers, surprisingly few laughs and even the few Cole Porter songs from
the original seem flat. Romantic complications and some sexual innuendo.
The DVD features a terrific looking letterboxed print, but no extras.
Strangely, there are no chapter stops for the musical numbers, only for
the dramatic scenes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the
Motion Picture Association of America. (Paramount)
"Apollo 13 (Imax Format)"
(2002)
The
rerelease of the 1995 Academy Award-winning movie is changed only in that the
screen image is up to eight stories high, allowing for some startling vistas and
close-ups, although panning shots look momentarily blurry. The original capsule
review follows: Fact-based story of the April 1970 moon launch aborted on its
third day in space after an incapacitating problem diminished the oxygen, power
and computer systems, making the safe return of the three astronauts (Tom Hanks,
Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon) an almost insurmountable problem for Houston Mission
Control. Director Ron Howard keeps emotional tensions taut and suspense levels
high throughout this salute to the courage and perseverance of all involved in
the dicey rescue mission. Fleeting sexual innuendo and minor profanity. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and
adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. (Universal)
"Apocalypto"
(2006)
Visually bold but extremely bloody
action-adventure set in 15th-century Central America about the
desperate odyssey of a jungle tribesman (Rudy Youngblood) to get
back to his pregnant wife (Dalia Hernandez) and child after he
and other members of his tribe are taken captive by the ruling
Mayans following the massacre of his village. In what is
essentially a chase movie, director Mel Gibson impressively
re-creates the world of the Mayans -- the sights, sounds and
savagery -- using an indigenous cast speaking entirely in Mayan
dialects, but the intoxicating imagery and human drama are
undermined by so much gore that, even if historically accurate,
the cumulative result registers as gratuitous. Intense and
graphic violence, including scenes of slaughter, human
sacrifice, beheadings and a man being mauled by a jaguar,
disturbing images, some sexual humor and innuendo, a suggested
marital encounter, partial nudity, an instance of rough language
and a few crude expressions.
The sharp DVD has good-natured,
interesting commentary by Gibson and writer and co-producer Farhad Safinia, an informative 25-minute making-of documentary,
and a brief deleted scene (though "snippet" would be more
accurate). The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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 (Touchstone
Home Entertainment).
"Apostolic Fathers: Handing On
the Faith" (2007)
Energetic 90-minute examination
of the lives, teachings and
ultimate martyrdoms of five of
the earliest Fathers of the
Church. Born into the first or
second generation to receive the
Gospel message, the so-called
"Apostolic Fathers" learned the
faith from the apostles
themselves, bore witness to it
in their writings -- many of
which survive -- and offered the
ultimate sacrifice for it by
laying down their lives under
pagan persecution. Affable,
anything-for-a-laugh host Steven
Ray (given to pratfalls and
silly hats), whose own
conversion to the Catholic faith
was heavily influenced by the
writings of the fathers, takes
viewers on a journey around the
Mediterranean, from the Holy
Land through Turkey to Italy and
southern France. As he tells the
stories of Sts. Clement,
Ignatius, Polycarp, Irenaeus and
Justin Martyr, the documentary
journeys to the ruins of the
Roman world in which these holy
men lived, enters the arenas
where they were executed, and
visits their tombs in ancient
churches. It is one installment
of a 10-part video series
entitled "The Footprints of God:
The Story of Salvation From
Abraham to Augustine." DVD
extras include excerpts from an
interview with spiritual writer
Father Benedict Groeschel, a
Franciscan Friar of the Renewal,
a 25-minute making-of film and a
brief blooper reel. Also
included is a print study guide.
Spanish subtitles. (Ignatius
Press/St. Joseph Productions) (www.ignatius.com)
"Appaloosa" (2008)
Well-acted throwback to the
Westerns of yore as a city
marshal (Ed Harris) and his
deputy (versatile Viggo
Mortensen) try to bring order to
the titular fictional New Mexico
town by daring to take a
powerful rancher and gang leader
(Jeremy Irons) into custody,
while the sheriff's fickle
fiancee (Renee Zellweger) brings
minor triangular complications
to the men's rock-solid
alliance. Harris also co-wrote
and directed this overlong but
quality production adapted from
a Robert B. Parker novel, and
though it falls short of truly
gripping there's much to admire.
Moderate gun violence, vigilante
justice, brief long-shot rear
nudity, implied nonmarital
relationships, some innuendo,
one use of the F-word, and some
other crude words and profanity. The DVD, which offers both
the widescreen and full-screen
versions, includes commentary by
Harris and writer Robert Knott,
additional scenes and four
featurettes. Spanish titles
option. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting
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. (Warner Home Video; also
available on Blu-ray)
"Aquamarine" (2006)
Sweetly told modern-day fairy tale about two 13-year-old best friends --
Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (Joanna "JoJo" Levesque) -- who help a
mermaid (Sara Paxton), washed ashore during a storm, experience true
love in the hopes that the magic wish rewarded them will undo Hailey's
impending move to Australia. With a delightful mix of fantasy, comedy
and romance, director Elizabeth Allen's wholesome and warmly
sentimental, if admittedly lightweight, effort scores points for
admirably showing that authentic love can express itself in varied ways.
Some mild sensuality and suggestiveness, a few crass expressions and
innuendo. The widescreen DVD contains deleted scenes and three "making
of" featurettes, as well as audio commentary by the director and cast
members. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II
- adults and adolescents. Motion Picture Association of America rating,
PG -- parental guidance suggested (Fox Home Entertainment).
"Are We There
Yet?" (2005)
Leaden road comedy about a smooth-talking
skirt-chaser (Ice Cube) with no patience for kids who gets more than he
bargained for when he falls for a pretty divorcee (Nia Long) and volunteers to
taxi her two mischievous children (Philip Daniel Bolden and Aleisha Allen) from
Portland, Ore., to Vancouver, British Columbia, where she is staying on
business, so they can all be together on New Year's Eve. Directed by Brian
Levant, this film runs out of gas early, leaving viewers to endure a bumpy ride
of scatological sight gags and mean-spirited mishaps (making it unsuitable for
younger adolescents) which, unfortunately, dampens its sincere, albeit
sentimental, message about the importance of family and parenthood. Recurring
crude humor and comic violence, and some mildly crass language. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The
Motion Picture Association of
America rating is PG -- parental guidance
suggested. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Arguing the World''
(1998)
Feature documentary on the life and times of writers Irving Kristol, Nathan
Glazer, Daniel Bell and the late Irving Howe, all of whom attended New York's
City College during the 1930s, then
went their different ways in the political ferment of postwar America.
Writer-director Joseph Dorman uses vintage newsreel footage as well as
interviews with the writers and others in providing a nostalgic look at the
urban culture from which they came as well as a lively chronicle of how their
views grew increasingly conservative over the years. Deals with matters beyond
the experience of youngsters. The DVD release includes an interview with Dorman.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and
adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. (First Run
Features)
"The Aristocats:
Special Edition"
(1970)
Animated Disney feature
directed by Wolfgang
Reitherman follows the
adventures of a family
of felines after they
inherit the estate of
their millionaire
mistress, then are
catnapped and ditched in
the country but then
rescued by a pair of
bumbling hounds, a
couple of giggling
geese, a rodent named
Roquefort and an alley
cat named O'Malley.
Enhanced by the voices
of Eva Gabor, Phil
Harris, Hermione
Baddeley and Sterling
Holloway, with four
songs thrown in for good
measure, the result,
while not purr-fect, is
plentifully pleasing.
DVD extras include "The
Great Cat Family,"
hosted by Walt Disney
from his old TV show in
1956; a piece on the
Sherman brothers, Disney
tunesmiths who wrote the
film's amiable songs; a
scrapbook you can
navigate with the
remote; and the cartoon
short "Bath Day."
There's also a charming
deleted song introduced
by Richard Sherman (and
sung by Baddeley), an
option to play the
film's four songs only,
and kid-friendly games
and activities.
Spanish language option.
The Motion Picture
Association of America
rating is G -- general
audiences. All ages
admitted. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
classification is A-I --
general patronage.
(Buena Vista Home
Entertainment)
"Around the Bend"
(2004)
Offbeat but appealing story of intergenerational bonding as ex-con grandfather
(Christopher Walken), single dad (Josh Lucas), and young son (Jonah Bobo) travel
to Albuquerque spreading the ashes of great-grandfather Henry (Michael Caine).
Though writer-director Jordan Roberts's film -- which, at its core, is all about
reconciliation and forgiveness -- is not without its flaws, he has fashioned a
winning film with excellent performances, touching sentiment, considerable
humor, an eclectic soundtrack and pretty scenery to counterbalance what could
otherwise have been a downbeat story. Some rough and crude language, brief
bloody images, and an irreligious dispersal of ashes. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is R -- restricted. (Warner Bros.)
"Around
the
World
in
80
Days"
(2004)
Entertaining
extravaganza
set
in
Victorian
times
about
an
eccentric
English
inventor
(Steve
Coogan)
who,
along
with
his
trusty,
chop-socky
valet
(Jackie
Chan),
embarks
on
a
globetrotting
steam-age
adventure
in
order
to
win
an
outrageous
wager
that
they
can
do
what
the
title
says.
Based
on
the
classic
yarn
by
Jules
Verne,
the
film,
directed
by
Frank
Coraci,
combines
lavish
action
sequences,
romance
and
madcap
comedy
in
serving
up
a
family-friendly
spectacle
that
is
both
campy
and
clever
--
and,
as
an
added
attraction,
quite
fun
for
all
but
the
youngest
viewers.
Recurring
action
violence,
some
mildly
crude
language
and
humor,
and
brief
drunkenness.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG
--
parental
guidance
suggested.
(Buena
Vista)
"Arthur 2: On the Rocks"
(1988)
Comedy
sequel about the perpetually drunk millionaire wastrel (Dudley Moore) whose
marriage to a perky waitress-shoplifter (Liza Minnelli) is threatened by a
tycoon (Stephen Elliott) and his daughter (Cynthia Sikes). Though director Bud
Yorkin adds some weight with a subplot about the couple's adoption of a baby,
alcoholism is no laughing matter. Some vulgar language. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. (Warner
Bros.)
"The Astaire and Rogers Collection: Volume One"
Long-awaited collection of Fred and Ginger's best films, featuring sparkling
prints of arguably their best films, cogent feature-length commentary on three
of them, and a vintage musical short, a cartoon and a featurette for each, with
everything beautifully restored and packaged. Excellent family viewing. (Warner
Bros.)
The collection includes:
"The Barclays of Broadway" (1949)
When
illness forced Judy Garland out of this MGM Charles Walters-directed film,
Astaire teamed with old partner Rogers after 10 years. It was the last one
they'd make together (and the only one in color), playing a married musical
comedy team, with the wife having aspirations to break up the act and be a
"tragic" dramatic actress. Entertaining musical numbers, though not the equal of
their earlier work at RKO. No commentary. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the
Motion Picture Association of America.
"Follow the Fleet" (1936)
Sturdy musical about an easygoing sailor (Astaire) trying to win back his former
hoofing partner (Rogers) while her schoolteacher sister (Harriet Hilliard) pines
for his shipboard buddy (Randolph Scott). Directed by Mark Sandrich; the
appealing characters make the thin plot worth following, helped by some wry
humor, delightful dance routines and lively Irving Berlin songs. Romantic
complications. No commentary. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture
Association of America.
"Shall We Dance" (1937)
Thin
musical about ballet dancer (Astaire) and musical revue star (Rogers) who team for a Broadway show, then get
married in name only to avoid a scandal, but true love predictably wins out in
the end. Directed by Mark Sandrich, the story creaks with contrived
complications but the song-and-dance numbers are first-rate. Commentary by
pianist Kevin Cole and Tin Pan Alley tunesmith Hugh Martin. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the
Motion Picture Association of America.
"Swing Time" (1936)
Down-on-his-luck hoofer (Astaire) rides the rails to New York, teams with a
comely dance instructor (Rogers) and they score as the town's top dancing duo in
such numbers as "Waltz in Swing Time" and Astaire's solo showstopper, "Bojangles
of Harlem." Director George Stevens keeps the pair's romantic misunderstandings
light and lively, gets strong comic relief from Victor Moore and Helen
Broderick, and effortlessly stages such songs as "A Fine Romance" and "The Way
You Look Tonight." Elegant entertainment. Commentary by Astaire expert John
Mueller and a featurette. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture
Association of America.
"Top Hat" (1935)
Stylish musical romance between a hoofer (Astaire) and a socialite (Rogers)
starts with comic misunderstandings in London, then goes on to ever more zany encounters in
Venice. Director Mark Sandrich keeps the lightweight
proceedings on the boil, with the dance routines and Irving Berlin songs
providing substance. Sexual innuendo and frivolous treatment of marriage. The
DVD has interesting commentary by Astaire's daughter, Ava Astaire McKenzie, and
dance film historian Larry Billman, plus a featurette, a Bob Hope short and the
cartoon "Page Miss Glory." The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion
Picture Association of America.
"Astaire
& Rogers Collection: Volume 2"
(1933-1939)
The screen's all-time greatest dance team -- Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers -- get their second boxed set, bringing their complete output
to DVD. Each title includes shorts and animated material, and as
each of the films is classified either A-I -- general patronage or A-II --
adults and adolescents, they make good family viewing, despite some occasional
innuendo, which is mild by today's standards. Beautiful print quality for
all, including some of the early Technicolor shorts. None have been rated by the
Motion Picture Association of America. The set was released by Warner Home
Video.
"Carefree" (1938)
Wacky musical comedy about a psychiatrist (Astaire) whose
best friend (Ralph Bellamy) asks him to treat his
marriage-shy girlfriend (Rogers) but matters get complicated
when the patient falls for the doctor. Directed by Mark
Sandrich, the thin plot takes some very giddy turns, with
the added bonus of appealing Irving Berlin tunes, including
"I Used to Be Color Blind" danced in slow motion by Rogers
and Astaire, as well as Astaire's standout syncopated solo
on the golf links (A-I).
"Flying Down to Rio"
(1933)
Wacky musical comedy in which a bandleader (Gene Raymond)
takes a job in Rio de Janeiro where he unknowingly romances
the fiancee (Dolores Del Rio) of a pal (singer Raul Roulien).
Directed by Thornton Freeland, the proceedings are dominated
by a genial pair of hoofers (Astaire and Rogers) who stage
the show-stopping finale with showgirls performing on the
wings of biplanes. Stylized violence, romantic complications
and innuendo (A-II).
"The Gay Divorcee"
(1934)
Comic misunderstandings abound in this dated musical fluff
about an American (Rogers) whose lawyer (Edward Everett
Horton) hires a professional co-respondent to obtain a
divorce in England, then mistakes an unwanted admirer (Astaire)
for the unseen hireling. Director Mark Sandrich turns the
farcical situation into a lighthearted musical comedy with
charming songs and dances, notably "The Continental," and
creaky comic routines. Comic treatment of the war between
the sexes with divorce as a plot device (A-II).
"Roberta" (1935)
Adaptation of composer Jerome Kern's Broadway hit, here
starring Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott as a Russian
princess and an American football player who inherits a
Parisian fashion business. William A. Seiter directs, and
look closely and you'll spot a blonde Lucille Ball as a
model. Songs include "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "I Won't
Dance," and though Astaire and Rogers have only supporting
roles they steal the picture (A-I).
"The Story of Vernon and Irene
Castle" (1939)
Nostalgic musical biography of a vaudevillian (Astaire) and
his bride (Rogers) who in 1911 team as ballroom dancers and
become international favorites before Vernon's tragic death
as an aviator in World War I. Director H.C. Potter's warm
portrait of a loving couple is paced by elegant dance
numbers, period songs and occasional comic relief (Edna May
Oliver, Walter Brennan and Lew Fields). Old-fashioned family
fare (A-I).
"Arctic Tale"
(2007)
Queen Latifah
delightfully narrates an absorbing story
charting the parallel journeys of a
polar bear cub and a walrus pup in the
Arctic Circle from birth to maturity and
showing how they manage to survive a
changing environment with
ever-decreasing ice seriously impeding
both their natural habitat and their
ability to obtain food. Co-directors and
cinematographers Adam Ravetch and Sarah
Robertson have fashioned an impressively
photographed "fable" out of the
challenges facing these creatures in
light of global warming, rendering the
film a vivid animal counterpart to Al
Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth." Though
restrained in its presentation, the film
includes some images of animal violence
and death, perhaps precluding viewing by
the very young. The DVD edition includes
both a making-of featurette, and another
kid-friendly one on polar bear spotting.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is G --
general audiences. All ages admitted.
(Paramount Home Entertainment)
"Art School Confidential" (2006)
Oddball story that can't decide if it's a touching coming-of-age
story, gross-out frat movie, murder mystery or mordant black comedy,
though it does make some sharply satiric points about the art world.
Director Terry Zwigoff's sporadically amusing film adapted by Daniel
Clowes from his comic strip concerns a sensitive art school student
(Max Minghella), smitten with an attractive artist's model (Sophia
Myles) and struggling to find his artistic voice amid loutish
roommates, colorful teachers (John Malkovich and Angelica Huston),
and an embittered and alcoholic failed artist (Jim Broadbent),
against the backdrop of a mysterious strangler killing off the
students. Pervasive profanity, rough language and vulgarity,
full-frontal male and partial female art-model nudity, much sexual
banter and innuendo, a couple of minor gay characters, and a
stylized strangling. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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 (Sony Pictures Home
Entertainment).
"The Assassination
Bureau"
(1969)
Tongue-in-cheek British comedy set in the
early 1900s about an international organization of
killers-for-hire that is commissioned by a
neophyte reporter (Diana Rigg) to kill their own
leader (Oliver Reed). Good cast, marvelous
settings but Basil Dearden's direction is rather
uncertain in its mixture of slapstick and satire.
Comic violence. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of America rating
was M -- parental guidance suggested, but all ages
admitted. (Paramount)
"The Assassination of Jesse
James by the Coward Robert
Ford" (2007)
Unusual and compelling
Western dramatizing the
circumstances that lead up
to the shooting of notorious
outlaw Jesse James (Brad
Pitt) by Robert Ford
(Oscar-nominated Casey
Affleck), a member of his
own gang, and the publicity
generated afterward.
Writer-director Andrew
Dominik tells the story
intelligently at a leisurely
but controlled pace with
penetrating close-ups of the
excellent cast -- Affleck is
particularly outstanding --
to probe psychological
motivations, while the
relatively restrained
violence is presented with
an admirable realism devoid
of glamorization. Some
crude language and
profanity, innuendo, a
nongraphic sexual encounter,
several shooting deaths with
blood and scenes of physical
violence, suicide and brief
rear male nudity. The
standard DVD contains no
extras but the picture
quality is fine, while the
HD/DVD combo edition
contains a 30-minute
documentary. Spanish titles
available. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III
--adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America
rating is R -- restricted.
Under 17 requires
accompanying parent or adult
guardian. (Warner Home
Video)
"Assault on
Precinct 13"
(2005)
Brutal and violent -- though reasonably gripping
-- story of a desolate Detroit police precinct under siege by crooked police who
are out to silence a criminal (Laurence Fishburne) incarcerated there, to cover
up what he knows about corruption within their ranks, effecting an unusual
alliance between the police and criminals within the station house who must
unite to defend themselves. Jean-Francois Richet's remake of the 1976 film
features good performances by Fishburne, Ethan Hawke and Brian Dennehy, but the
bloodshed and violence seem unnecessarily explicit, and the improbable story
calls for major suspension of disbelief. Graphic and bloody violence and related
gore, much rough, crude and profane language, and some sexual innuendo. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (Universal)
"Assisted
Living" (2005)
Poignant docudrama that follows a 27-year-old, pot-smoking slacker
(Michael Bonsignore) through his final day as a janitor at a nursing
home, during which he gains deeper maturity through an unlikely
friendship he develops with an elderly resident (Maggie Riley) who is
suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and mistakes him
for her absent son. Incorporating footage of real residents and staff at
the facility where it was shot into the fictional story, this modest
film by first-time director Elliot Greenebaum manages despite its
no-frills look to offer a moving meditation on loneliness and the human
need for contact and compassion. Some recreational drug usage and
brief crude expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture
Association of America. (Hart Sharp)
"August
Rush" (2007)
Unabashedly romantic fable in
which an 11-year-old musical
prodigy (Freddie Highmore)
embarks on a search for the
cellist mother (Keri Russell)
and rock-singer father (Jonathan
Rhys Meyers) from whom he was
separated at birth. Director
Kristen Sheridan's warm-hearted
tribute to the power of music
blithely eschews all connection
to reality, and will likely
strike some as charmingly poetic
and others as merely naive. An
implied premarital sexual
encounter, one use of profanity,
one use of the s-word and one
crass expression. The
double-sided DVD (widescreen and
full-screen) includes additional
worthy scenes (though one
contains an additional
profanity). Spanish-language,
subtitle options. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting
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. (Warner Home Video;
also available on Blu-ray)
"Aurora Borealis"
(2006)
Unmotivated Minnesota man (an appealing Joshua Jackson) takes on a
maintenance job at an assisted living facility to be near his ailing
grandfather (Donald Sutherland) and falls in love with his
granddad's home health aide (Juliette Lewis). James Burke's downbeat
film scores points for its compassionate portrayal of the elderly
and their need for care and the acting is generally good. The script
goes beyond empathizing with the grandfather's fervent wish to be
spared a debilitating decline into almost making a case for
euthanasia, despite a morally sound ending on all fronts. Pervasive
rough and crude language, euthanasia theme, adultery, acceptance of
premarital sex, some heavy groping and innuendo, a couple of violent
brawls and a drug reference. The good-looking anamorphic DVD
includes interviews with the actors, writer Brent Boyd, Burke and
the producers. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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 (Liberation
Entertainment/Regent Releasing).
"Australia"
(2008)
Sprawling, generally
entertaining three-hour epic
set just before and after
the bombing of Pearl Harbor
as a starchy English widow
(Nicole Kidman) takes over
her late husband's cattle
station down under, and
falls in love with a
rough-hewn drover (Hugh
Jackman) whom she hires to
help drive cattle to sale
ahead of a rival magnate's
(Bryan Brown) villainous
henchman (David Wenham).
Despite some fanciful plot
contrivances, director Baz
Luhrmann's lavish homage to
classic epics and Westerns
brings back old-style
Hollywood romance, courtesy
of its magnetic leads, and
carries an admirable message
about racial tolerance.
Moderate action violence, a
mostly implied nonmarital
relationship including a
very brief sexual encounter
without nudity, mild
innuendo, one use of the
F-word and some Aboriginal
mysticism; acceptable for
older teens. Spanish
language and titles options.
The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (20th
Century Fox Home
Entertainment; also
available on Blu-ray)
"Autumn Spring"
(2003)
Tender, bittersweet comedy about an old man (famed Czech actor Vlastimil
Brodsky) who invents various colorful personalities in order to come to terms
with his own mortality. Despite its at times heavy-handed fatalism, director
Vladimir Michalek elicits virtuoso performances from his cast in this minor gem,
resulting in a poignant meditation on life's fragility and fleetingness.
Subtitles. Minimal rough language, as well as emotionally complex themes. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (First
Look)
"The Aviator"
(2004)
Absorbing and
entertaining epic detailing the dramatic glory days of legendary billionaire
Howard Hughes, in his myriad roles as aviation innovator and visionary,
daredevil pilot, Hollywood producer and airline tycoon, while charting his
well-publicized relationships with Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner, and
ultimately his appearance before the Senate on charges of defrauding the public
through wartime airplane contracts. This film is a career high point for both
director Martin Scorsese and star Leonardo DiCaprio, who is onscreen almost
every minute and gives a highly charismatic performance; and the supporting cast
is mostly first-rate. Recurring profanity and intermittent crude expressions,
and an instance of rough language, as well as implied sexual situations and
innuendo, a violent plane crash and brief rear nudity. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may
be inappropriate for children under 13. (Warner Bros.)
B
"Babel"
(2006)
Quietly powerful film charting three interconnected stories: an
American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) stranded in
Morocco; the deaf-mute teenage daughter (Rinko Kikuchi) of a
widower father (Koji Yakusho) in Tokyo; and a Mexican governess
(Adriana Barraza) and her nephew (Gael Garcia Bernal) who take
her two young charges across the border. Director Alejandro
Gonzalez Inarritu's somber film imparts an admirable message
about a shared global humanity and the senselessness of violence
has superbly empathetic performances by an international cast,
and ultimately packs an emotional wallop. Partially subtitled.
Some rough language and profanity, crude expressions, some
violence including a killing, full female nudity, some discreet
sexual elements, and alcohol and drug use. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting 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 (Paramount Home Video).
"Baby Geniuses" (1999)
Comic misfire in which a
megalomaniacal doctor (Kathleen Turner) intent on raising brilliant toddlers in
a secret underground lab is outsmarted by 2-year-old twins who wreck her
elaborate plans. Director Bob Clark's insipid take on babies as miniature,
wise-cracking adults is unappealing, dull and overacted by both Turner and her
clueless assistant, Christopher Lloyd. Some cartoon violence and mayhem and a
few crude remarks. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is
A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating
is PG -- parental guidance suggested. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Backbeat"
(1994)
Tragic,
fact-based
story
of
Stu
Sutcliffe
(Stephen
Dorff),
one
of
the
original
Beatles
and
close
friend
of
John
Lennon
(Ian
Hart),
who
left
the
band
to
remain
in
Hamburg
with
his
fiancee
(Sheryl
Lee)
and
hopes
of
a
painting
career,
but
died
months
later
of
a
brain
hemorrhage.
Director
Iain
Softley's
downbeat
movie
is
little
more
than
a
routine
buddy
story
which
fails
to
capture
the
quirky
energy
of
the
Beatles
as
they
first
burst
onto
the
international
scene.
Restrained
bedroom
scenes,
intermittent
nudity,
brief
violence
and
drug
use
and
much
rough
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Universal)
Backdraft" (1991)
Deep-rooted conflicts boil over when a rookie Chicago firefighter (William Baldwin) is placed under
the command of his estranged brother (Kurt Russell) during the
investigation of a string of arson-related murders. With the terrifying
nature of fire emerging as the real star of the movie, director Ron
Howard ambitiously tackles a relationship story, a murder mystery and a
special-effects action movie with modest success. Some grisly shots
of charred bodies, very brief nudity, fleeting sexual innuendo,
occasional fisticuffs and intermittent rough language. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. (Universal)
"Bad
Boys
II"
(2003)
Mindlessly
violent
action
flick
in
which
Miami
narcotics
cops
(Will
Smith
and
Martin
Lawrence)
must
bring
down
a
Cuban
drug
lord
(Jordi
Molla)
smuggling
millions
of
dollars
worth
of
Ecstasy
pills
into
the
United
States
while
protecting
an
undercover
DEA
agent
(Gabrielle
Union)
in
over
her
head.
Director
Michael
Bay's
protracted
sequel
visually
assaults
with
its
senseless,
slow-motion
gunplay
and
explosions
while
the
strained
plot
is
a
pastiche
of
extraneous
scenes.
Relentlessly
stylized
graphic
violence,
a
sexual
encounter,
recreational
drug
abuse
and
constant
rough
language
with
some
profanity.
The USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
O
--
morally
offensive.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Columbia/Tristar)
"Bad Education"
(2004)
Triangular drama
set in Spain about a young, gay filmmaker (Fele Martinez) who, after
encountering a former classmate (Gael Garcia Bernal) -- now a struggling actor
-- with whom he had once been enamored, decides to make a movie about their
youthful experiences at a Catholic boarding school, in particular the pederast
predations by their priest-headmaster (Daniel Gimenez-Cacho). Stylishly directed
by Pedro Almodovar, the plot takes classic film-noir conventions and gives them
a homoerotic twist. In touching on sexual abuse by the clergy, an unflattering
-- and unbalanced -- picture of Catholic priests inevitably emerges; even if
Almodovar's intent was to use the crimes as a catalyst for the story rather than
as a weapon to target the church for condemnation. Subtitles. The film has been
issued in its original NC-17 version, and an R-rated version that modifies some
of the sexual content that earned the film its O classification. Almodovar
provides full-length commentary in Spanish, but with English translation of his
insightful remarks. A few unremarkable deleted scenes are included as a bonus,
as well as red-carpet footage of the American Film Institute Film Festival with
Bernal, Almodovar and Penelope Cruz, and a brief making-of featurette. Several
intense homosexual encounters, implied pedophilia, murder without consequence,
recurring drug content, transvestism, two boys masturbating, brief nudity,
fleeting violence, instances of irreverent humor and frequent rough and crude
language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O --
morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is NC-17 --
no one 17 or under admitted. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Bad Santa" (2003)
Abrasive
black comedy about a self-loathing safecracker (Billy Bob Thornton) who, along
with his dwarf accomplice (Tony Cox), poses as a department store Santa to rob
shopping malls of their holiday loot -- that is, until a friendless, overweight
boy (Brett Kelly) stirs his booze-soaked conscience. Director Terry Zwigoff
should expect coal in his stocking for assaulting viewers with a nonstop barrage
of obscenities and vulgar raunchiness that leave Santa's red suit soiled -- in
more ways than one. By taking the "merry" out of Christmas and portraying its
sleazy St. Nick stand-in as a foul-mouthed, drunken, chain-smoking, suicidal
sexual predator, the film undermines its tacked-on redemptive message. Excessive
rough and crude language and profanity, recurring lewd sexual encounters, much
crass humor, pervasive alcohol abuse, an attempted suicide and some violence.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally
offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.
(Buena Vista)
Bait"
(2000)
Insubstantial
seriocomic
actioner
in
which
a
bumbling
petty
thief
(Jamie
Foxx)
is
used
by
the
government
to
trap
a
computer
mastermind
(Doug
Hutchison)
who
stole
gold
bullion
worth
millions
from
the
Federal
Reserve.
It's
style
over
substance
in
director
Antoine
Fuqua's
slick
flick
which
starts
off
promisingly
then
fizzles
with
a
scrambled
script,
one-note
characters
and
a
too-neat
Hollywood
ending.
A
sexual
encounter,
intermittent
violence
and
recurring
rough
language
with
fleeting
profanity.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-IV
--
adults,
with
reservations.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(BFS)
"The Ballad of Jack & Rose" (2005)
Offbeat, slow-moving film about a nonconformist with a bad heart
condition (Daniel Day-Lewis) who lives alone with his teenage daughter
(Camilla Belle) on a former island commune, but then brings the woman
(Catherine Keener) he has been dating into the house, along with her
teenage sons, disrupting the delicate balance. Written and directed by
Rebecca Miller, the film features an accomplished performance by
Day-Lewis, but the vaguely incestuous undertones between father and
daughter and a scene where the daughter invites one of the boys to
deflower her make for fitfully distasteful viewing. Some rough and
crude language, sexual situations and innuendo, a brief incestuous kiss,
some talk of suicide, partial nudity, some drug material. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (IFC)
"The Ballad of the Sad Cafe"
(1991)
Disappointing adaptation of Carson McCullers' twisted love story of a strong,
independent woman (Vanessa Redgrave) living in the rural South during the
Depression whose downfall is engineered by the dwarfed hunchback (Cork Hubbert)
she takes into her home and the husband (Keith Carradine) she threw out on their
wedding night. Directed by Simon Callow, the narrative is slow and portentous,
the characters unappealing and the conclusion heavy-handed and unenlightening.
Brutalizing fistfight between the protagonists and minimal rough language. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Home
Vision)
"Ballets Russes" (2005)
Superb dance film about the trendsetting troupe that began with the
legendary choreographer Serge Diaghilev (and the participation of
great artists like Picasso, Nijinsky and Stravinksy), and after his
death came under the leadership of autocratic Russian Col. Wasily de
Basil with the name Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo, and how, after
some internecine struggle, splintered into two troupes, one keeping
that name, the other calling itself the Original Ballet Russes.
Having interviewed many of the great dancers at a Ballets Russes
reunion in 2000, filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine have
juxtaposed priceless footage and still photographs of the great
dancers in their youthful primes, making an incredibly poignant
contrast. The various rivalries between the companies, and
individual choreographers like Leonide Massine and George Balanchine
give the narrative heightened dramatic interest. Pitch-perfect
narration by actress Marion Seldes. The anamorphic DVD features
numerous extras, including additional footage, stills galleries and
a 12-page booklet by New York Times dance writer Jack Anderson. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I --
general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of
America (Zeitgeist Video).
"Bambi" (1942)
Walt Disney's classic animated feature conveys the simplicity, charm and
excitement of Felix Salten's novel, especially in its appealing characterization
of Thumper, Flower and all the others who inhabit the young deer's forest world.
The story has some intense moments, notably the forest fire sequence and the
death of Bambi's mother, though in a context not beyond the resources of most
young viewers. The DVD premiere of "Bambi" is all you could wish for: a pristine
print with a more accurate color palette than even on the film's ballyhooed
laserdisc incarnation, restored soundtrack (as well as alternate French and
Spanish tracks), and multitudinous features spread over two discs. There are
aural re-enactments of Walt Disney's story meetings -- lasting more than an hour
-- wherein you can hear how the final film so closely mirrored the original
concept. This, like the "Restoring Disney" feature on the second disc, is hosted
by Patrick Stewart, who will play Bambi's father in the upcoming sequel, which
gets its own plug in "The Legacy Continues" feature. There's a 53-minute "Making
of Bambi" documentary; Walt Disney explaining on his television show how some of
the film's effects were achieved; a look at the vast Disney archives where
seemingly every scrap of Disney material is lovingly kept; a look at the actors
who voiced the characters, including Thumper; and a couple of deleted scenes,
though those are storyboard reconstructions rather than fully animated scenes.
Add to all these a 1937 "Silly Symphony" that presaged some of Bambi's animation
techniques, a 1942 time capsule, and a plethora of games and activities for the
kids, and you have first-rate family entertainment. But even if there were no
extra features, this is one of the true Disney masterpieces, and a must-have for
the family library. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is
A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G
-- general audiences. (Buena Vista)
"Bambi II"
(2005)
Touching, surprisingly good follow-up to the highly revered Disney
classic "Bambi," with the story focusing on the period following the
death of Bambi's mother. Here Bambi's father, The Great Prince (voice of
Patrick Stewart), reluctantly agrees to nurture his offspring after no
surrogate mother can be found, taking a "tough love" approach at first.
Bambi (voice of Alexander Gould) is unsure of his father's love, but the
inevitable bonding that ensues has echoes of "The Lion King." The plot
is sound, and though the artwork is far less detailed than the richly
designed original, it's still eye-filling, and the main characters --
including Bambi's friends Thumper (now with sisters), Flower and Faline
-- are well-drawn. Strains of the original score and a couple of the
songs hearken back to the beloved original, only slightly marred by some
bland contemporary ballads. This coming-of-age story is almost good
enough to have been released in theaters rather than direct to video.
The DVD includes a making-of featurette with the animators paying due
homage to the original, and the usual games and activities. Apart from
the reference to the mother's death, and some scenes of peril from human
hunters and their voracious dogs, which might frighten toddlers, this is
fine entertainment for the kids and Disney buffs in general. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G --
general audiences. All ages admitted. (Walt Disney Home Entertainment)
"The Band Wagon"
(1953)
Classy backstage musical in which a Hollywood hoofer (Fred Astaire) tries to
revive his flagging career by starring in a Broadway musical written by pals
(Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant), but the production fails after its
pretentious director (Jack Buchanan) adds a serious Faustian theme and a
temperamental ballet dancer (Cyd Charisse). Director Vincente Minnelli's loving
spoof of show business serves up a delightful mix of Howard Dietz-Arthur
Schwartz songs. Mild romantic complications. The deluxe two-DVD set includes an
excellent documentary on the making of the film, a vintage one on Minnelli, a
Cyd Charisse deleted number, a Jack Buchanan musical short, and commentary by
Liza Minnelli and Michael Feinstein. Beautifully restored picture and sound. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and
adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. (Warner
Bros.)
"Bangkok Dangerous"
(2008)
Grim shoot-'em-up about a
solitary hit man (Nicolas
Cage) who travels to the
titular city to carry out
four contract killings for a
local crime boss (Nirattisai
Kaljareuk), but finds his
emotional isolation thawed
by his friendship for the
petty thief (Shahkrit
Yamnarm) he hires as an
assistant and his feelings
for a pretty pharmacy clerk
(Charlie Young) who can
neither hear nor speak. As
directed by brothers Danny
Pang Fat and Oxide Pang
Chun, this remake of their
1999 Thai film features
considerable violence and
muddled moral values, with
its hero instructing his
protege in the art of
killing even while
ostensibly reassessing his
own viciousness. Brief
graphic sexual activity,
upper female nudity, intense
action violence with gore,
suicide, and occasional
rough and crude language.
Spanish titles option. The
USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Lionsgate Home
Entertainment; also
available on Blu-ray)
"Barbra
Streisand: The Television Specials" (1965-1973)
So why shouldn't a "nice Jewish girl" like Barbra Streisand be singing
the ultimate Christian hymn in Central Park on a balmy summer night?
Indeed, her heart-stopping version of "Silent Night" is only one of many
transcendent moments on this most welcome boxed set of the lady's five
acclaimed television specials which have finally made it to DVD. Critics
in 1965 rolled out the superlatives when her first program (in
black-and-white) -- revolutionary for the time, a one-person
extravaganza with no guest stars -- first aired, and five Emmy Awards
and a Peabody followed. The color follow-up, "Color Me Barbra," was
scarcely less lauded. "The Belle of 14th Street," a vaudeville send-up,
which added the novelty of guest stars (Jason Robards Jr. and John
Bubbles, the original Sportin' Life in "Porgy & Bess," no less), was
thought back then to be a bit of a misfire, though the songs are
marvelous, and there's a priceless sequence with Streisand as an
operatic diva dueting with herself as a young Irish boy in the audience
on that old chestnut "Mother Machree." Critics were in her corner again
when a one-hour distillation of that memorable Central Park concert was
televised the following year. And, in her final hour, "Barbra Streisand
... and Other Musical Instruments," she performed with Ray Charles,
kabuki woodblocks, and washing machines in a tuneful smorgasbord. All
five specials have been splendidly restored, and provide ample proof of
a prodigiously youthful talent that lives up to the oft-misused moniker
of "God-given." (Warner Strategic Marketing/Rhino)
"Barbershop"
(2002)
Set
in
Chicago's
South
Side,
the
enjoyable
ensemble
comedy
has
the
owner
(Ice
Cube)
of
a
local
barbershop
selling
it
to
a
sinister
loan
shark
(Keith
David),
but
then
trying
to
buy
it
back
once
he
realizes
the
shop's
worth
as
a
gathering
place
for
the
community.
As
directed
by
Tim
Story,
the
film
is
flawed
by
silly
stereotypes
and
predictability,
but
manages
to
be
endearing
as
it
touches
on
racism,
the
black
man's
place
in
society
and
the
importance
of
fellowship.
Some
sexual
innuendo,
fleeting
drug
content
and
sporadic
crass
expressions
and
profanity
with
an
instance
of
rough
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG-13
--
parents
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(MGM)
"The
Batman: The Complete First Season" (2006)
The Bat is back in this action-packed animated series (currently airing
on Kids' WB and cable's Cartoon Network). Departing from the vintage
film noir moodiness of its lauded predecessor "Batman: The Animated
Series" (1992-95), the newer series combines retro elements with a
bolder, more vibrant look, strongly influenced by Japanese animation
known as "anime" and less brooding in tone. It also reimagines several
of the comic book's key characters. The slickly packaged collection
contains all 13 episodes, charting the early years of billionaire Bruce
Wayne's vigilante war on crime as the caped crusader. It also introduces
many of the dark knight's colorful adversaries, including the Joker,
Catwoman, the Penguin and Mr. Freeze, as well as lesser known villains
like Bane and the Ventriloquist. Bonus features include a
behind-the-scenes look, including interviews with creators and
animators, two interactive "Batman Junior Detective Challenges" and a
DVD-ROM for printable Gotham City Police badges and profiles of Batman's
foes. The episodes contain some stylized violence. (Warner Home Video)
"Batman
Begins" (2005)
Dark and brooding prequel that explains how Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale)
became the costumed crimefighter and reveals the "hidden years,"
detailing his training as a member of a clandestine order of ninja-like
vigilantes, leading up to his donning the cape and cowl to become Gotham
City's self-appointed guardian. Director Christopher Nolan goes for a
more gritty "reality-based" approach, focusing on the psychological
dimension of Bruce/Batman's inner conflict rather than comic-book
heroics. Intense action violence, some frightening images and mature
thematic elements, as well as a few crude expressions and an instance of
profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is
A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is
PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be
inappropriate for children under 13. (Warner Bros.)
"Battle of
Britain"
(1969)
With the fall of
France in 1940,
Great Britain stood
alone against the
might of the German
air force. The movie
pays tribute to the
smaller number of
British fighter
pilots who, in the
months that
followed, downed so
many planes that the
Luftwaffe was unable
to mount its massive
raids. Laurence
Olivier, Michael
Redgrave and Trevor
Howard star in this
huge and impressive
British production
directed by Guy
Hamilton. Wartime
violence. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
classification is
A-I -- general
patronage. The
Motion Picture
Association of
America rating is G
-- general
audiences. All ages
admitted. (20th
Century Fox Home
Entertainment)
"The Beach" (2000)
A
dissatisfying
thrill-seeking
drama
about a
restless
American
traveler
(DiCaprio)
who
convinces
a French
couple
(Guillaume
Canet
and
Virginie
Ledoyen)
to
journey
with him
to an
idyllic,
remote
island
off
Thailand,
but once
there,
they
must pay
a deadly
price to
keep the
perfect
beach a
secret.
Director
Danny
Boyle's
visually
beautiful
but
chaotic
film
becomes
muddled
as the
beach's
bohemian
residents
realize
that
evil
exists
even in
paradise.
Some
gory
violence
including
a
suicide,
a few
shadowy
sexual
encounters
with
frontal
nudity,
some
recreational
drug
abuse
and
recurring
rough
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for Film
&
Broadcasting
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.
"Because of Winn-Dixie"
(2005)
Gentle and disarming
story based on Kate DiCamillo's award-winning best-seller about a Baptist
preacher (Jeff Daniels) and his little girl, Opal (AnnaSophia Robb), who move to
a small Florida town, and the dog they take in. The dog becomes the catalyst for
Opal to make friends with several of the town's outcasts: an ex-alcoholic
recluse (Cicely Tyson), a fearful, spinsterish librarian (Eva Marie Saint) and a
guitar-strumming pet store manager with a prison record (Dave Matthews). Wayne
Wang's film is beautifully acted all around, and imparts a heart-tugging message
about people's loneliness and need to connect, making satisfying entertainment
for adults as well as children. The two-sided DVD -- which offers both wide and
full screen versions-- includes detailed and amusing feature-length commentary
by Daniels and producer Trevor Albert; scene-specific commentary by Robb to
which children will respond; a brief gag reel; and two featurettes. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance
suggested. (Fox)
"Basic" (2003)
Unsatisfying military thriller in
which an ex-Army Ranger (John Travolta) and a prickly Army captain (Connie
Nielsen) must try to unravel the truth behind the Panama jungle deaths of a
hated Special Forces sergeant (Samuel L. Jackson) and four trainees under him,
while two survivors spin an elaborate series of stories about what happened.
Director John McTiernan's macho action flick takes a "Rashomon"-like approach to
the narrative, but the dozen characters, murky visuals and constant plot twists
eventually become tedious. Recurring violence, much rough language and
intermittent profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification
is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is R -- restricted. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Beauty Shop" (2005)
Amiable comedy about a widowed mother (Queen Latifah) working as a
hairdresser who, after a falling-out with the shop's owner, flamboyant
Jorge (scene-stealing Kevin Bacon), opens her own establishment in the
ghetto and, thanks to her styling prowess and warm-hearted people
skills, overcomes myriad obstacles to success. Bille Woodruff's engaging
film is a perfect showcase for the likable Latifah, the eclectic
ensemble cast (including Alfre Woodard, Alicia Silverstone, Djimon
Hounsou and Andie MacDowell) makes for interesting watching and, despite
some salty street language and salon sex chatter, the movie imparts
solid messages about loyalty, friendship and parenting. Some
profanity, crude language and crass expressions, sexual innuendo and
suggestive dancing. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material
may be inappropriate for children under 13. (MGM)
"Becoming Jane"
(2007)
Interesting speculative
drama, based on only a
few known facts, about
the bittersweet romance
between writer Jane
Austen (Anne Hathaway)
and an Irish lawyer
(James McAvoy), and how
the experience might
have influenced her
writings. Julian Jarrold
directs with an
authentic 18th-century
feel, performances are
good (with American
Hathaway holding her own
reasonably well among
such British stalwarts
as Maggie Smith, Julie
Walters and the late Ian
Richardson) and though
the film is somehow not
entirely satisfying it
nonetheless holds your
interest up to its
bittersweet ending.
Though possibly
acceptable for older
teens, this film
contains a couple of
boxing sequences, a
frisky but nongraphic
husband and wife
encounter, some
prostitutes, an implied
premarital sexual
encounter, mild innuendo
and brief sexual
allusions. Copious DVD
extras include
commentary by Jarrold,
writer Kevin Hood and
producer Robert
Bernstein, a whopping 13
deleted scenes, a
making-of featurette,
and a feature allowing
viewers to watch the
film with educational
pop-up facts and
footnotes. Spanish
language and titles
option. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting
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.
(Buena Vista Home
Entertainment)
"Be Cool"
(2005)
Flat follow-up to
the 1994 comedy "Get Shorty" in which mobster-turned-movie producer Chili Palmer
(John Travolta) -- having grown disenchanted with the film industry -- sets his
streetwise sights on the music business, and agrees to manage a promising young
singer (Christina Milian) who is tied in with shady record producers (Harvey
Keitel and Vince Vaughn). Based on the Elmore Leonard novel and directed by F.
Gary Gray, the stale sequel lacks the sharpness and satirical edge of the far
superior "Shorty," resulting in a film that, despite a charismatic if retread
performance by Travolta, is contrary to its title only lukewarm. The movie
contains recurring violence, an implied sexual encounter, images of smoking,
drug content, some vulgar gestures, and much rough and crude language and humor.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (MGM/UA)
"Bee Movie"
(2007)
Generally
delightful
animated feature
about a scrappy
bee (voice of
Jerry Seinfeld)
who decides to
sue the human
race for
stealing the
honey
manufactured by
his hard-working
bee brethren and
brings the case
to court, with
the help of a
sympathetic
florist (Renee
Zellweger). An
often very funny
script (by
Seinfeld and
others),
terrific voice
work from a cast
including John
Goodman, Chris
Rock, Kathy
Bates and many
more, and
ultimately a
valuable
ecological
lesson, make
this film --
directed by
Simon J. Smith
and Steve
Hickner --
above-average
family fare.
Mild innuendo.
The USCCB Office
for Film &
Broadcasting
classification
is A-I --
general
patronage. The
Motion Picture
Association of
America rating
was PG --
parental
guidance
suggested. Some
material may not
be suitable for
children.
(DreamWorks)
"Be Kind, Rewind"
(2008)
Zany, warmhearted comedy
about a New Jersey video
store worker (Mos Def)
who comes up with a
scheme to create amateur
video versions of
classic films when his
bungling friend (Jack
Black) accidentally
erases all the tapes
after the manager (Danny
Glover) leaves town to
investigate saving the
building from
demolition. Despite its
intentionally
rough-hewn, indie
ambience, a wildly
improbable plotline, and
too much low-comedy
shtick, writer-director
Michel Gondry's
valentine to filmmaking
ultimately delivers a
touching story of
friendship, with a
strong affirmation of
community and good
fellowship, as the
townspeople rally to the
aid of the threatened
business. Some vulgar
humor, brief sexual
references and mild
comic violence. The
USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting
classification is A-II
-- adults and
adolescents. The Motion
Picture Association of
America rating is PG-13
-- parents strongly
cautioned. Some material
may be inappropriate for
children under 13.
(Warner Home Video)
"Bee
Movie" (2007)
Generally delightful animated
feature about a scrappy bee
(voice of Jerry Seinfeld) who
decides to sue the human race
for stealing the honey
manufactured by his hard-working
bee brethren with the help of a
sympathetic florist (Renee
Zellweger). An often very funny
script (by Seinfeld and others),
terrific voice work from the
cast, and ultimately a valuable
ecological lesson make this film
-- directed by Simon J. Smith
and Steve Hickner --
above-average family fare.
Mild innuendo. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is
PG -- parental guidance
suggested. Some material may not
be suitable for children.
(Paramount Home Entertainment)
"Bee
Season" (2005)
Gently involving drama about a sixth-grade spelling prodigy (Flora
Cross) whose father (Richard Gere), an academic who believes that words
and letters "hold the secrets of the universe," obsessively tutors her
for a national spelling bee to the detriment of his mentally unstable
wife (Juliette Binoche) and religiously rebellious teenage son (Max
Minghella). Co-directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel couple domestic
dysfunction and Jewish mysticism, thoughtfully crafting an intelligent,
finely acted and visually imaginative, but emotionally muted,
exploration of faith and family. A sexual encounter, a scene
involving a questionable distribution of Communion, and minimal rough
and crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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. (20th Century Fox Home
Entertainment)
"Being Julia"
(2004)
A few
bright spots in an otherwise tedious adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's novel,
"Theatre," about a larger-than-life English stage actress (Annette Bening) who
has an open marriage with her producer husband (Jeremy Irons), and takes up with
an earnest young American accountant (Shaun Evans) in her husband's employ.
Hungarian director Istvan Szabo is no stranger to period drama, but was perhaps
the wrong choice for a film that doesn't quite ring true in its depiction of the
1938 period or very English locale. Nor is American Bening completely convincing
either, in spite of some effective moments. A few instances of crude language,
casual depiction of extramarital sex and an instance of rear nudity. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Bella" (2007)
Sweetly sentimental story
about an unmarried New York
waitress (an especially fine
Tammy Blanchard) who loses
her job after becoming
pregnant, and her
restaurant's empathetic chef
(Mexican soap favorite
Eduardo Verastegui) -- an
ex-soccer star whose career
ended after his car fatally
struck a child -- who gives
the young woman emotional
support, takes her to visit
his loving family and gently
tries to persuade her to
keep the baby. Director and
co-writer Alejandro
Monteverde's impressive
feature film debut is
sometimes dramatically slack
and implausible, but the
sensitive performances,
positive depiction of the
chef's warm Latino family
and, most of all, its
affirmative pro-life message
-- along with themes of
self-forgiveness,
reconciliation and
redemption -- should
resonate with Catholic
viewers. Partially
subtitled. A couple of crass
words, a child's death, a
drug reference, and the
out-of-wedlock theme aside,
the film is admirably free
of objectionable elements.
The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification
is A-II -- adults and
adolescents. The Motion
Picture Association of
America rating is PG-13 --
parents strongly cautioned.
Some material may be
inappropriate for children
under 13. (Lionsgate)
"Bells Are Ringing"
(1960)
Faithful
adaptation of Broadway musical about an overly helpful telephone answering
service operator (Judy Holliday) who gets involved with her customers' lives,
and falls in love with one of her clients, a composer (Dean Martin) struggling
with writers' block, while fending off the police who think service is a front
for illegal activities, including a bookie operation. Director Vincente Minnelli
failed to open the movie up cinematically and the result is rather static, but
Holliday's performance is treasurable and the Jule Styne-Comden & Green songs
top notch. The DVD release includes three rare cut numbers, including one each
for Holliday and Martin, and one with an almost unrecognizable Hal Linden, then
making his film debut, and a short documentary about the making of the film,
hosted by Linden. Excellent print quality. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the Motion
Picture Association of America. (Warner Bros.)
"Beneath the Planet
of the Apes"
(1970)
Lame sequel has an
astronaut (James
Franciscus) reaching the
bombed-out earth, where
the ape people are
warring with the
subterranean remnants of
the human race -- a
colony of skinless
people who worship "the
Holy Bomb'' and these
deformed humans destroy
the planet in the final
scene. Directed by Ted
Post, it lacks the wit,
excitement and ingenuity
of the original's
warning to warmongering,
damage-prone humanity. Spanish titles
option. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III
-- adults. The Motion
Picture Association of
America rating is G --
general audiences. All
ages admitted. (20th
Century Fox Home
Entertainment; also
available on Blu-ray)
"Benji Off the
Leash!"
(2004)
Family-friendly
drama which finds the eponymous mutt teaming up with a shaggy stray and a young
boy (Nick Whitaker) to save an ailing dog from a squalid backyard puppy mill run
by a greedy breeder (Chris Kendrick). As directed by "Benji" creator Joe Camp,
neither the film's heartwarming message nor its adorably scruffy stars can hide
the doggone awful script and acting -- four-legged performers excluded. Some
mildly crude expressions, implied spousal abuse and images of animal cruelty.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II - adults and
adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. (Goodtimes)
"Ben-Hur" (Collector's Edition) (1959)
Director William Wyler's classic Hollywood epic follows the Jewish prince of the title
(Charlton Heston) after he's betrayed by his Roman boyhood friend (Stephen Boyd)
and subjected to much misery until finally achieving retribution for all his
suffering. The narrative's melodrama is transformed by the grand scale of its
spectacle, especially the chariot race, and by the stirring performances of its
principals. The handsomely packaged four-disc collector's edition is a must have
for any home film library. Discs one and two contain a glorious digital transfer
that restores the lavish movie to its original grandeur and proper widescreen
format (too narrow for some tastes), with audio commentary by Heston and film
historian T. Gene Hatcher. The box set also includes a beautifully remastered
transfer of the 1925 silent version starring Ramon Novarro. Worth the price
alone, disc four contains two documentaries tracing the history of the film --
from the strongly religious Lew Wallace novel (subtitled "A Tale of the Christ")
through its earlier stage and screen adaptations -- while examining its
cinematic importance and influence on moviemaking (including interviews with
current Hollywood directors like Ridley Scott and George Lucas), vintage
newsreels of the film's star-studded New York and Hollywood premieres -- as well
as its Japanese debut, attended by then-Emperor Hirohito -- highlights from the
1960 Academy Awards ceremony where it won an unprecedented 11 Oscars (including
Wyler accepting his Best Director statuette from John Wayne), theatrical
trailers, and rare screen tests (including -- believe it or not -- a young
Leslie Nielsen auditioning for the role of Messala, which eventually went to
Boyd.) The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general
audiences. (Warner Bros.)
"Ben
Hur"/"King
of
Kings"
"Ben
Hur"
(1959).
Director
William
Wyler's
classic
Hollywood
epic
follows
the
Jewish
prince
of
the
title
(Charlton
Heston)
after
he's
betrayed
by
his
boyhood
Roman
friend
(Stephen
Boyd)
and
subjected
to
much
misery
until
finally
achieving
retribution
for
all
his
suffering.
The
narrative's
conventional
melodrama
is
transformed
by
the
grand
scale
of
its
spectacle,
especially
the
chariot
race,
and
by
the
stirring
performances
of
its
principals
who
manage
to
overcome
the
story's
cliches
and
stereotypes.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-I
--
general
patronage.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
G
--
general
audiences.
"King
of
Kings"
(1961).
Stolid
screen
spectacular
presents
the
life
of
Christ
within
the
historical
context
of
Jewish
resistance
to
Roman
rule.
Uncomfortably
cast
in
the
title
role
is
Jeffrey
Hunter,
though
more
effective
are
Siobhan
McKenna
as
his
mother,
Robert
Ryan
as
John
the
Baptist,
Hurd
Hatfield
as
Pilate,
Rip
Torn
as
Judas
and
Harry
Guardino
as
Barabbas.
Directed
by
Nicholas
Ray,
the
script
is
preoccupied
with
the
period's
political
unrest
but
treats
the
Gospel
account
reverentially,
if
with
more
dramatic
license
than
some
might
find
acceptable.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-IV
--
adults,
with
reservations.
Not
rated
by
the
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America.
(Warner
Bros.)
"Beowulf & Grendel" (2006)
Grim and tepid, if ruggedly beautiful, retelling of the
eighth-century Anglo-Saxon saga of the Norse hero Beowulf (Gerard
Butler), who leads a troop of warriors across the sea to help the
long-suffering Danish king Hrothgar (Stellan Skarsgard) rid his
lands of a murderous troll, Grendel (Ingvar Sigurdsson), who is
exacting revenge on Danes for an earlier wrong. Stripping the epic
of both its fantasy and Christian elements while remaining faithful
to its outline, director Sturla Gunnarsson does a good job at
establishing the dark and brutish world of the poem, breaking up the
overall broodiness with savage swordplay and severed limbs. But what
the film gains in pathos by humanizing the monster, and a
contemporary feel by modernizing the dialogue (including frequent
use of the f-word), it loses in mythic luster. Assorted bloody
violence including dismemberment, some gruesome images, a rape
flashback, an implied sexual encounter, a crass scene of urination,
and recurring rough and crude language. The widescreen DVD's paltry
bonus features include some deleted scenes and interviews with cast
and crew members, none particularly interesting. (Some of the
interviews and outtakes also contain expletives.) There's also a
short featurette of extracts from a longer behind-the-scenes
documentary. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 (Union
Station Media).
"Beowulf" (2007)
Generally impressive 3-D
animated reworking of the
Beowulf legend, dramatizing
the warrior's (Ray Winstone)
vanquishing of the tortured
Grendel (Crispin Glover),
his encounter with the
demon's mother (Angelina
Jolie) and his later
troubled kingship. Director
Robert Zemeckis has taken
some dramatic license with
the venerable but sketchy
original narrative, but
writers Neil Gaiman and
Roger Avery's intelligent
screenplay has remained
faithful to the essentials,
including its mix of
Christian and pagan
elements, while several of
the action sequences,
including the climactic
battle with a flying dragon,
are excitingly done. Nearly
full male and female nudity,
sexual references and
innuendo, period bawdiness,
adultery, implied nonmarital
encounters, intense violence
with gore and a suicide.
Possibly acceptable for
older teens. The vivid
anamorphic DVD -- minus the
3-D effects, of course --
contains six not fully
animated deleted scenes and
an interesting making-of
documentary that shows how
the performance-capture
animation was done, and
other background features on
the production and legend
itself. The writers contend
they put back earthy
elements that the monks who
preserved the legend
presumably excised from
their manuscripts.
Spanish language and title
options. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting
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. (Paramount Home
Entertainment)
"Bernadette"
(1987)
The story of St. Bernadette and her visions of "a beautiful lady in white" at a
grotto near Lourdes, France, in 1858 is reverently
rendered in this 1989 French production by veteran film director Jean Delannoy
("Mary of Nazareth," "The Eternal Return"). American actress Sidney Penny
portrays the eponymous 15-year-old peasant girl with graceful down-to-earth
innocence, humility and youthful awkwardness. Her honest performance shows
Bernadette as a normal teenager caught up in circumstances beyond her
understanding, but who refuses to wilt under local pressure. Having been
previously unavailable in the United States, the movie has some fine period
details and on-location photography, but the overall film is compromised by
extremely poor dubbing into English and falls short of Henry King's superior
"Song of Bernadette" (for which Jennifer Jones won the best actress Oscar in
1943 in the title role). The miraculous apparitions are handled discreetly,
without resorting to cheesy special effects. Praised by the Vatican as "a
sensitive portrayal of a very moving story that deserves a wide audience" and
selected to screen daily at the shrine in Lourdes, the film is simple and
historically accurate, as well as faithful to the religious drama of the events
without the usual slushy piety. The result is a straightforward, but spiritually
moving, picture of a young woman's faith, a story that still has relevance for
contemporary viewers. Dubbed into English. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.
"Between the Walls" (2006)
Low-budget Christian-themed drama about an embittered,
unemployed steelworker (Patrick Midgley) whose resentment of
his dead father (Scott Davis) -- a stern, Bible-quoting
tyrant -- is fueled when he uncovers a stash of audio tapes
on which his father had secretly recorded everything that
happened within the family's unhappy walls. The discovery
further disillusions him about religion, until his boyhood
best friend (Eli Jared), a born-again Christian, leads him
back to faith. Written, directed and produced by twin
brothers Chris and Nick Staron, the well-intentioned film is
competently crafted despite uneven performances. The
melodramatic, allegorical script is preachy and its take on
personal salvation as a one-time decision is simplistic,
but, overall, it imparts redemptive messages about
forgiveness, letting go of anger and relying on God. The DVD
also includes deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes video
journal, an amusing animated "Pint Size Parable" and three
instructional segments on producing and shooting a movie. Some mature thematic elements. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and
adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of
America. (Glowing Nose, www.glowingnose.com)
"Beverly Hills Chihuahua"
(2008)
A pampered pooch (voice of
Drew Barrymore) is kidnapped
by a Mexican dog-fighting
ring while on a junket in
the custody of her doting
owner's (Jamie Lee Curtis)
self-absorbed niece (Piper
Perabo), escapes with the
help of a protective
ex-police dog (voice of Andy
Garcia) and discovers life
on the streets while the
ardent Chihuahua (voice of
George Lopez) she once
spurned leads the search for
her. Along with entertaining
adventures, director Raja
Gosnell's sprightly
live-action canine quest
offers lessons about ethnic
prejudice and class
distinctions while also
portraying the
personality-warping effects
of materialism. Mild
menace. The DVD includes a
new animated short, "The
Legend of the Chihuahaus,"
three deleted scenes,
bloopers and audio
commentary by Gosnell (but
only on the widescreen
edition). Spanish language
and titles options. The
USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification
is A-I -- general patronage.
The Motion Picture
Association of America
rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. Some
material may not be suitable
for children. (Walt Disney
Studios Home Entertainment;
also available on Blu-ray)
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"Bewitched: The Complete Fourth
Season" (1967-1968)
Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) and Darrin (Dick York)
return for 33 more episodes in another nicely slim-lined
package with excellent print quality that make the shows
look as though they were made yesterday. Episodes include
"Business, Italian Style," where Darrin learns Italian to
clinch a business deal; "Humbug Not to Be Spoken Here,"
where Samantha reforms a skinflint on Christmas Eve; and "A
Prince of a Guy" in which Tabitha conjures up Prince
Charming. Agnes Moorehead, Paul Lynde and Marion Lorne
provide deft support for a series that makes good family
viewing. The discs are equipped with Spanish and
Portuguese options (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).
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"Beyond the Gates" (aka "Shooting Dogs") (2007)
Gripping dramatization about the 1994 siege of
a Rwandan secondary school at the height of the genocide, as a
dedicated Catholic priest (John Hurt) and an idealistic young
British teacher (Hugh Dancy) -- both fictional characters --
attempt to protect some 2,500 Tutsi citizens from the
machete-wielding Hutus hovering just outside the school gates.
Director Michael Caton-Jones has filmed this powerful film at
the actual locations of the horrific events with survivors among
the cast and crew. This important film is acceptable for mature
teens. Much disturbing if discreetly handled violence,
description of atrocities, images of the dead and wounded, some
rough language and mild profanity uttered under duress, and a
childbirth scene. The widescreen DVD has been issued in both its
original and a "clean-language version," widening its
suitability for younger viewers, and comes with a substantial
40-minute making-of featurette and an International Rescue
Committee public-service announcement. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is A-III --adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under
17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (20th Century
Fox Home Entertainment)
"Beyond the Rocks" (1922)
Superb restoration of a film thought lost for 80 years, starring two
of the silent era's biggest stars, Rudolph Valentino and Gloria
Swanson. In England, the daughter (Swanson) of a retired guardsman
(Alec Francis) is pressured into marrying a wealthy older man
(Robert Bolder) to help her impoverished father and stepsisters. She
dutifully complies, but falls in love with a handsome earl
(Valentino) who had earlier rescued her from drowning. The couple
endeavor to do the right thing and not act on their feelings.
Directed by Sam Wood, the story traverses the Swiss Alps, London,
and Paris, and the two stars radiate a "rare, almost spiritual
intensity," according to Martin Scorsese, who introduces the film.
The handsome DVD -- some imperfections in the original damaged print
aside -- contains bountiful extras: Valentino's 1919 film "The
Delicious Little Devil" co-starring Mae Murray; an 85-minute audio
recording of Swanson's reminiscences; Valentino trailers; featurettes on the film's discovery and reconstruction by the
Nederlands Filmmuseum; and the recording of a new orchestral score
by Henny Vrienten. As if that weren't enough, the DVD-ROM
features include the original Elinor Glyn novel (196 pages), the
continuity script, original press clippings, and much more. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II --
adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association
of America (Milestone). |
"The Bette Davis Collection"
Three
beautifully packaged and restored classics, which contain interesting 10-minute
"featurettes" about the film, and other assorted features, join the
already-issued and excellent restorations of "The Letter" and "Now Voyager."
"Dark Victory" (1939)
Classic tear-jerker in which an energetic socialite (Bette Davis) is felled by a
brain tumor, then falls in love with the surgeon (George Brent) who saved her
life but knows she has only a few months to live. Directed by Edmund Goulding,
the emotional manipulation of the plot is shamelessly transparent, but what
still holds interest today is Davis' spunky, smiling-through-the-tears
performance. Also, look for Ronald Reagan and a miscast Humphrey Bogart. The DVD
features a fully restored print, perceptive commentary by film historian James
Ursini and CNN film critic Paul Clinton, and the short, "1939: Tough Competition
for Dark Victory," detailing how the film was overshadowed by "Gone With the
Wind," "Wuthering Heights" and the year's other classics. Romantic complications
and tense discussions of death. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion
Picture Association of America. (Warner Bros.)
"The Letter" (1940)
In a
Singapore courtroom, the wife (Bette Davis) of a rubber plantation owner
(Herbert Marshall) stands trial for killing a man she claims tried to assault
her but his Eurasian widow (Gale Sondergaard) turns up with a letter proving it
was an act of murder. Under William Wyler's moody direction, Davis gives a
chilling performance in the coldly unsympathetic role as the faithless wife who
ruins her life and the happiness of those around her. The DVD features a
restored print, two Lux Radio Theater broadcasts with Davis and Marshall, and an
alternate ending (with the famous retribution for the wife's crime intact).
Restrained treatment of infidelity and its consequences. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion
Picture Association of America. (Warner Bros.)
"Mr. Skeffington" (1944)
Bette
Davis received her eighth Oscar nomination for her spectacular performance as
Fanny Skeffington, a beautiful New York socialite surrounded by suitors before
and after marriage, but who loses her looks because of diphtheria. Claude Rains
plays her devoted husband whom she ultimately comes to appreciate, and Franz
Waxman composed the lush score. The DVD features invaluable commentary by
director Vincent Sherman, and the interesting short, "Mr. Skeffington: A Picture
of Strength." The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II --
adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
(Warner Bros.)
"Now,
Voyager" (1942)
Classy
tear-jerker follows a repressed Bostonian spinster (Bette Davis) from a
sanatorium where she gains some self-confidence to an ocean cruise where she
falls for an unhappily married man (Paul Henreid) but sublimates her love for
him by giving a home to his love-starved preteen daughter. Directed by Irving
Rapper, Davis's transformation from milksop to socialite is winning, Gladys
Cooper makes a fine ogre as her domineering mother and Henreid's routine in
lighting two cigarettes is classic Hollywood schmaltz. The DVD includes several
audio-only Max Steiner scoring session music cues. The doomed love affair is
handled most discreetly. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification
is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association
of America. (Warner Bros.)
"The
Star" (1952)
After
three years without a job, a former movie star (Bette Davis) gets a chance at a
supporting role but her ego gets in the way. In the film directed by Stuart
Heisler, Davis runs the gamut of emotions, lacerating her agent (Warner
Anderson), charming a veteran producer (Minor Watson), smothering her child
(Natalie Wood) and scorning the man (Sterling Hayden) who loves her, but the
melodramatic results are hardly worth the effort. The DVD includes a new
featurette, "How Real Is the Star?" which insist the star's character was not
based on Davis, but actually on Joan Crawford. Actress Carol Kane is among those
interviewed. Romantic complications, sexual innuendo and delusional behavior.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. Not
rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. (Warner Bros.)
"The Beverly Hillbillies: Ultimate Collection -- Vol. 1"
(1962-1963)
The 1960s television classic from sitcom genius Paul Henning was an
instant hit and ran for nine years, often in first place. The series
comes to DVD with its first season of 26 episodes in glistening black
and white. The amusing premise had Ozark mountaineer Jed Clampett (Buddy
Ebsen) striking oil and, along with Granny (Irene Ryan), animal-loving
daughter Elly May (Donna Douglas) and Cousin Jethro (Max Baer), then
moving to Beverly Hills, where they were sitting ducks for every kind of
con artist. The humor holds up surprisingly well, thanks to the
engaging, perfectly cast leads who played with conviction. The superbly
produced 50-minute documentary "Paul Henning & the Hillbillies" puts the
show in historical context, shows how the series was created, and even
includes rare footage of a baby-faced Henning in his singing days,
crooning "Star Dust." Hennings' daughter, Linda Kaye Henning, is a
gracious host, and rightly extols her dad's "clean but funny" humor.
Ultimately, CBS canceled the series along with all of its other "rural"
shows, deciding to cater to a more urban audience. Other features
include an interesting interview with Baer; Ebsen doffing his overalls
for top hat and tails on "The Hollywood Palace" TV show; and Ryan
improbably belting "I'm a Woman" on another episode. Good, wholesome
comedy for the whole family. (MPI)
"Bewitched:
The Complete Third Season" (1966-67)
The latest installment in season-by-season release of that popular 1960s
television staple features 33 episodes -- all in color, unlike the
earlier seasons -- with Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha (with her
magically twitchy nose), Dick York as beleaguered husband Darrin and the
great Agnes Moorehead as Samantha's mother. It was in this season that
baby Tabitha's magical powers were discovered. Though there are no
extras or commentary, the print quality is excellent and the slimline
casing for the four discs continues the admirable space-saving trend of
these television boxed sets. And it's good to be reminded of the charms
of the original after the recent disappointing big screen version of the
property. (Sony)
"Beyond the Gates of Splendor"
(2005)
Absorbing and inspirational feature-length documentary chronicling the
efforts of five married Protestant missionary couples to establish
contact with the Waodani Indians, a primitive tribe dwelling in
Ecuador's Amazon rain forest feared throughout the region for their
savagery. Based on the best-seller by Elisabeth Elliot and narrated by
an adult son of one of the couples, the film details the group's story
from their college years to their arrival in Ecuador in 1952, their work
among the more friendly Quicha tribe, their initial encounters with the
fierce Waodani, the brutal slaying of the five male missionaries in
1956, and the courageous decision of the martyred men's widows to remain
among the Waodani, who eventually turned away from their ancestral
legacy of violence. Though marked by tragedy, the story is ultimately
one of redemption, as several of the missionaries' children continue
their parents' work, educating and empowering the impoverished Waodani,
some of whom were responsible for their fathers' deaths. Beautifully
crafted, with moving interviews with surviving family members, the film
is a stirring testament to the power of faith and forgiveness, and
witnesses the shared humanity of all people. The video contains some
violent descriptions of death and brief disturbing images, as well as
native nudity. (Fox Home Entertainment)
"Big Daddy"
(1999)
Insipid comedy in
which an irresponsible 32-year-old (Adam Sandler) temporarily takes custody of a
motherless 5-year-old boy (twins Cole and Dylan Sprouse) to impress a
girlfriend, but in the process learns parenting is more than just hanging out
and goofing off. Director Dennis Dugan's dopey movie rarely moves beyond toilet
humor, blatant product placements and sappy sentiment as Sandler's character
predictably matures after initially being a terrible role model. Implied
affairs, coarse expressions and gestures, some profanity and fleeting violence.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Bird"
(1988)
Biography of
troubled jazz
saxophonist Charlie
"Bird" Parker
(Forest Whitaker)
follows his last
years on the road
and with his
common-law wife
(Diane Venora). He
died in 1955 at age
34 after ravaging
his body with years
of heroin and
alcohol addiction.
Directed by Clint
Eastwood, there's
not a false note in
this
expressionistic,
moody look at the
jazz subculture of
the 1950s.
Realistic view of
the consequences of
Parker's addiction,
a graphic suicide
attempt, sexual
promiscuity and an
offhanded acceptance
of out-of-wedlock
pregnancy. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
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.
(Warner Home Video)
"Birth"
(2004)
Unconventional
love story about a New York widow (Nicole Kidman) who comes to believe that her
dead husband has been reincarnated as a 10-year-old boy (Cameron Bright), much
to the dismay of her new fiance (Danny Huston). Director Jonathan Glazer has
crafted an elegiac meditation on love, loss and mortality, buttressed by
exceptional performances from the assembled ensemble, hauntingly evocative
visuals and a disquietingly plaintive score, but the film contains several
controversial scenes between Kidman and Bright -- including one in a bathtub --
that many viewers may find extremely troubling. Suggestive situations involving
an adult and a minor, and an explicit sexual encounter between adults with
nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally
offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.
(New Line)
"The
Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania" (2005)
A beauty pageant in a rural Pennyslvania mining community serves as a
microcosm of small-town America in directors David Hunt and Jody
Eldred's warmhearted documentary. To mark the pageant's 50th
anniversary, organizers invited the previous winners, including 1972's
Sarah Rush, an actress now living in Hollywood who serves as the film's
tour guide. Interviews with the high school-age contestants and local
personalities provide a charming, often humorous, window into a
vanishing slice of Americana. The film contrasts the anxious
preparations of the hopefuls with conversations with the rough-hewn
miners who give the town its fierce sense of identity. The wholesome
film can be enjoyed by all and celebrates the kind of traditional values
that even city slickers can appreciate. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by
the Motion Picture Association of America (available only through
Netflix, www.netflix.com).
"Black
Beauty" (1971)
British version of the classic tale of a boy (Mark Lester) and his horse
comes to the screen under the direction of James Hill. It is lovely to
look at but is unfortunately flawed by stilted scripting and wooden
performances which, one hopes, will not spoil it for younger audiences.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I --
general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G
-- general audiences. All ages admitted. (Koch)
"The Black Hole" (1979)
Disney science fiction movie with some fine special effects and a
mediocre plot about a maverick scientist (Maximilian Schell) and his
mysterious space laboratory. Unfortunately, director Gary Nelson has
made the experience no more intriguing than a ride at Disneyland.
Incidental violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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. (Buena Vista Home
Entertainment)
"Black Snake Moan" (2007)
Extremely lurid, but ultimately redemptive, melodrama
set in rural Tennessee about an aging blues singer
(Samuel L. Jackson) who nurses a badly beaten
nymphomaniac (Christina Ricci) back to health, and gets
her to overcome her drug and sexual addictions,
conquering his own inner demons in the process.
Writer-director Craig Brewer pulls out the stops with an
intentionally florid style, while the impressive
performances of the leads -- as well as those of John
Cothran as a benevolent preacher, S. Epatha Merkerson as
an empathetic friend and Justin Timberlake as an
emotionally damaged soldier who loves the young woman --
overcome the more outrageous plot elements. The high
quotient of sex, violence and foul language -- which
walks the finest of lines between morally objectionable
and dramatically valid -- will seriously limit the
film's appeal to audiences, Catholic and otherwise.
Pervasive rough and crude language and profanity, racial
epithets, strong sexuality including a couple of graphic
encounters without nudity, premarital situations, upper
female nudity elsewhere, violence and drug use. The
widescreen DVD features intelligent commentary by
Brewster who describes the themes of the film as "sin
and salvation." Among several interesting deleted scenes
is a moving one with Jackson reading the "mustard seed"
passage from Matthew to Ricci, and three informative
featurettes which confirm the movie's serious intent.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 (Paramount Home Entertainment).
"Blade: Trinity"
(2004)
Violent and vacuous fantasy action sequel, based on the titular Marvel
Comics' character, a brooding half-mortal, half-vampire slayer (Wesley Snipes),
who in this third go-round must join forces with a team of vampire hunters
(Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds) and battle an army of bloodsuckers (led by
Parker Posey) bent on resurrecting the granddaddy of all undead, Dracula
(Dominic Purcell) -- here re-imagined as an ancient Sumerian demon -- to spawn a
vampiric master race. Directed by David S. Goyer, this bloodfest dishes out the
same tedious gore and cheesy dialogue as the first two installments, and
hopefully this one will drive a stake through any future films in this
forgettable franchise. Excessive violence, much profanity and rough language.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally
offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.
(New Line)
"Blades of Glory" (2007)
Fitfully amusing buddy comedy about rival skating
champions -- a macho ladies' man (Will Ferrell) and
a former child prodigy (Jon Heder) -- banned from
the world championships after fighting on the ice,
who reluctantly become a team when they learn it's
the only way they'll be allowed back to compete,
while a jealous brother-sister act (Will Arnett and
Amy Poehler) attempt to sabotage the duo. Will Speck
and Josh Gordon direct the sophomoric proceedings
capably, the skating stunts are well handled, the
leads are well paired, and there are apt satirical
barbs at the skating industry. The pervasive
low humor and vulgarity preclude the younger viewers
who would most appreciate the humor, even as
predictable affirmations of friendship and good
sportsmanship eventually prevail. Crude language,
crass expressions, mild profanity, a couple of brief
nongraphic sexual encounters, innuendo, comic
violence and mayhem, including a decapitation, brief
comic suggestion of incest and drug use. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (Paramount Home Video)
"The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi" (2004)
Stylish but
gory revenge tale set in 19th-century Japan about a wandering, blind
blade-master (Beat Takeshi) who uses his lethal sword skills to rid a small
farming village of a gang of ruthless bandits. Incorporating cross-genre
elements as diverse as vaudevillian slapstick and hip-hop dance, Takeshi -- who
also wrote and directed the film under the name Takeshi Kitano -- gives the
classic samurai tale a jazzy makeover, which, though chock full of
blood-splattered swordfights, is not without moments of beauty, emotion and
humor. Stylized action violence with associated gore, brief suggestion of child
prostitution, a suicide, cross-dressing references and some crude language and
humor. Subtitles. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (Buena Vista)
"Blue Crush"
(2002)
Average story about a young woman (Kate Bosworth) training to win the
prestigious Pipe Masters surf competition who falls for a professional
quarterback (Matthew Davis) staying at the hotel where she and her friends
(Michelle Rodriguez, Sanoe Lake) are chambermaids, forcing her to re-evaluate
her lifelong goals. As directed by John Stockwell, the skimpy story about
overcoming fears and self-doubt while staying true to one's dreams despite the
distractions of love is an afterthought to the awe-inspiring shots of surfing
expertise and huge Hawaiian waves curling and smashing down on the shore. An
implied sexual encounter and some sexual suggestiveness, brief underage
drinking, a scene of fisticuffs and sporadic crass language and expressions. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Universal)
"Blood Diamond" (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2006)
Compelling action-adventure set in Africa's Sierra Leone as a
mercenary (a superb Leonardo DiCaprio), a crusading U.S.
reporter (Jennifer Connelly) and a frantic African fisherman (Djimon
Hounsou) who's been separated from his family join forces
against a backdrop of bloody civil war and plundering of the
country's natural resources. Director Edward Zwick masterfully
balances the action sequences with the more intimate ones. The
film, though overly long, delivers on entertainment value, while
imparting a worthy message about the immoral origin of conflict
diamonds and the exploitation of child soldiers, and delivers a
strong affirmation of family, while the DiCaprio-Connelly
romance is refreshingly devoid of overt sexual elements. Much
violence and bloodshed though admirably restrained in its
presentation, murder, rough language and profanity, crude
expressions, threat of rape, underage drinking and smoking. The
film is presented in sharp anamorphic widescreen with commentary
by Zwick on the first disc, while the second platter is loaded
with feature material: a 50-minute documentary on conflict
diamonds, a profile of DiCaprio's training for the role, a look
at women journalists at war, and how Zwick filmed the siege of
Freetown. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17
requires accompanying parent or adult guardian (Warner Home
Video).
"Bobby
Jones:
Stroke
of
Genius"
(2004)
Handsomely
crafted
biopic
set
in
the
1920s
about
the
life
of
legendary
golfer
Bobby
Jones
(Jim
Caviezel),
who,
though
getting
off
to
a
sickly
start,
defied
the
odds,
overcoming
physical
hardships
and
personal
demons
to
rise
to
the
pinnacle
of
the
sports
world.
Though
the
unfocused
narrative
spends
too
much
time
in
tedious
tournament
sequences,
the
well
acted
film,
directed
by
Rowdy
Herrington,
is
an
inspirational
celebration
of
the
ability
of
the
human
spirit
to
triumph
over
adversity
and
succeed
without
abandoning
personal
principles.
Sporadic
crude
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG
--
parental
guidance
suggested.
(Columbia/TriStar)
"Bogie & Bacall: The Signature Collection"
(1944-48)
The four classic films made by Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall,
who would marry after their first film, "To Have and Have Not," have
been gathered in this new box set. The print quality is excellent on
all. All except "The Big Sleep" are classified A-II -- adults and
adolescents. None were rated by the Motion Picture Association of
America (Warner Home Video).
"The Big Sleep" (1946)
Classic hard-boiled crime caper with Raymond Chandler's private eye,
Philip Marlowe (Bogart), taking a routine blackmail case that turns
into a convoluted murder mystery involving a millionaire's
bewildering daughters (Bacall and Martha Vickers). Director Howard
Hawks keeps the plot complications simmering with plenty of rugged
action, colorful tough guys, much sardonic humor, snappy dialogue
and the promise of romance. Stylized violence and sexual innuendo.
The DVD contains both the unreleased 1945 version, and the 1946
theatrical version with many scenes reshot to show Bacall to better
advantage than in the first version. Archivist Robert Gitt of the
University of California-Los Angeles explains the differences, large
and small.
"Dark Passage" (1947)
Offbeat crime melodrama about a man (Bogart) who escapes prison, is
sheltered by a woman (Bacall) who believes him innocent and has a
plastic surgeon change his face so he won't be recognized as he
tries to find the culprit who framed him. Directed by Delmer Daves,
the film has some interesting plot twists, with fine use of San
Francisco locations and a good gallery of intriguing characters. The
DVD features a making-of featurette and a Bugs Bunny cartoon with a
Bogart-Bacall connection.
"Key Largo" (1948)
High tension melodrama from Maxwell Anderson's play in which a
hardened war veteran (Bogart) arrives at a Florida Keys hotel to
find its owner (Lionel Barrymore) and his daughter (Bacall) being
held prisoner by gangsters (headed by Edward G. Robinson), then is
forced to take them to Cuba by boat after a hurricane leaves them
stranded. Directed by John Huston, the desperate proceedings are
given conviction by a fine cast, including Claire Trevor's aging gun
moll, with the outcome hinged on the veteran's regained idealism in
the riveting climax. Stylized violence, menacing situations and
muted sexual innuendo. No extra content on the DVD.
"To Have and Have Not" (1944)
Lively adventure from Ernest Hemingway's novel set in the Caribbean
where the American captain (Bogart) of a charter fishing boat throws
in with the Free French resistance after being pushed around by
Vichy agents in 1940 Martinique, while managing to find romance
along the way with a slim adventuress (Bacall). Directed by Hawks
from a script by Jules Furthman and William Faulkner, the
melodramatic action is secondary to the romantic subplot and
interesting cast of stereotypes, notably Walter Brennan's
drink-addled seaman and his recurring question: "Was you ever bit by
a dead bee?" Stylized violence and sexual innuendo. The DVD contains
a making-of featurette, a cartoon in which "To Have and Have Not"
figures, and a radio version with Bogart and Bacall.
"Body of
Lies"
(2008)
Taut and
engrossing
Middle East
thriller about a
conscientious
U.S.
intelligence
agent (Leonardo
DiCaprio) who --
in an
environment of
deception and
betrayals --
seeks out an
Osama-like
terrorist leader
while taking
orders from his
longtime
colleague, a
hard-nosed CIA
chief (Russell
Crowe) back in
Virginia.
Director Ridley
Scott maintains
a good pace, and
there are
intelligent
performances by
all, including
Mark Strong as
the agent's
Jordanian
liaison, while
the culturally
enlightened
script
encourages
humanistic
understanding of
the politically
and socially
volatile region. Relatively
brief but
graphic images
of violence,
torture, and
medical
procedures,
pervasive rough
language and
profanity, and
some blunt
sexual
expressions.
Spanish language
and titles
options. The
USCCB Office for
Film &
Broadcasting
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.
(Warner Home
Video; also
available on Blu-ray
and a 2-Disc
Digital Copy
Special Edition,
each with bonus
features)
"Boogeyman"
(2005)
Hokey horror flick
about a young man (Barry Watson) who has been haunted all his life by memories
of a traumatic incident he "witnessed" in his bedroom as a boy -- he is
convinced the eponymous evil specter snatched his father -- and who is advised
by his psychologist that in order to salvage his sanity he must prove that the
fearful episode was nothing more than a figment of his troubled imagination by
spending a night alone in his creepy childhood home. Though not without some
mild suspense and popcorn-tossing jolts, the movie, directed by Stephen Kay, is
a muddled mess of failed frights, horror-movie cliches and backend-heavy special
effects pieced together by a mostly incoherent script. Several sequences of
menace, which involve horror-style violence as well as some sexually suggestive
scenes, one of which contains partial nudity. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may
be inappropriate for children under 13. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Born
on
the
Fourth
of
July"
(1989)
Emotionally
wrenching
story
of
an
idealistic
youth
(Tom
Cruise)
who
returns
from
Vietnam
a
crippled
war
hero,
grows
increasingly
disillusioned
and
alienated
from
family
and
friends,
turns
to
alcohol
and
sex
but
then
rediscovers
a
purpose
in
life
as
part
of
the
anti-war
movement.
Adapted
from
Ron
Kovic's
book
by
Kovic
and
director
Oliver
Stone,
the
movie
captures
the
period
in
which
the
nation
became
polarized
by
the
war
and
provides
some
insight
into
the
problems
of
Vietnam
veterans,
but
Stone's
overly
graphic
depiction
of
violence
and
a
sequence
in
a
bordello
are
not
for
the
faint-hearted.
Disturbing
depiction
of
violence,
a
scene
with
nudity
in
a
sexual
context
and
much
rough
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-IV
--
adults,
with
reservations.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Universal)
"The
Bourne
Supremacy"
(2004)
Frenetic
follow-up
to
"The
Bourne
Identity,"
about
amnesiac
CIA
assassin
Jason
Bourne
(Matt
Damon),
pursued
around
Europe
by
CIA
operatives
and
a
Russian
hit
man,
while
struggling
with
disturbing
memories
of
a
violent
incident
in
which
he
may
have
played
a
part.
Fine
performances
by
Damon
and
a
supporting
cast
including
Joan
Allen
and
Brian
Cox,
though
extremely
fast
editing
and
episodic
storytelling
take
this
a
couple
of
notches
below
the
excellence
of
the
first
film.
Scenes
of
intense
action
violence
and
a
brief
instance
of
crude
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG-13
--
parents
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(Universal)
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
(2007)
This lightning-paced, globe-trotting follow-up to "The Bourne Identity" and "The
Bourne Supremacy" wraps up Bourne's (Matt Damon) quest to discover his true name
and history even as CIA project head (David Strathairn) orders his immediate
termination, but is continually stymied by Bourne's lethal skills at evasion and
unexpected help from female CIA operatives (Joan Allen and Julia Stiles).
Director Paul Greengrass orchestrates sustained and eye-popping
action-excitement throughout, while top-notch cast members (including a
climactic appearance by Albert Finney) manage to flesh out their characters,
resulting in a satisfying if somewhat exhausting thriller. Much intense and
fierce violence and intermittent profanity. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Universal Studios Home Video)
"Bordertown"
(2006)
Worthy if necessarily bleak
investigative drama in which, at
the behest of her editor (Martin
Sheen), a Chicago reporter
(Jennifer Lopez) travels to
Juarez, Mexico, to uncover the
truth about a series of rapes
and murders committed against
female factory workers and,
uniting with a former colleague
and old flame (Antonio Banderas)
as well as a wealthy local
humanitarian (Sonia Braga),
tries to protect the young
survivor (Maya Zapata) of one
such attack. Writer-director
Gregory Nava's film, inspired by
true events, is absorbing,
despite some melodramatic
elements and an over-simplified
indictment of globalization.
Brutal rape and attempted rape,
nonmarital sexual activity, rear
and upper female nudity, graphic
images of blood and corpses,
some rough, crude and profane
language, and occasional crass
language.
The full-frame DVD
features a making-of sequence
including interviews with Nava,
Lopez and Zapata, as well as two
15-minute documentaries about
the factual background, one of
which has an especially touching
testimonial from a female
factory worker struggling to
educate her children so they can
avoid exploitation. Spanish
subtitles. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting
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. (THINKFilm)
"Boynton
Beach Club" (2006)
Touching story about widowed and divorced seniors in Florida adult
community who meet in a bereavement group and come to learn that
life is far from over, as they forge friendships and romantic
relationships. Director and co-writer Susan Seidelman has gathered a
first-rate cast including Joe Bologna, Dyan Cannon, Len Cariou,
Sally Kellerman, Michael Nouri, Renee Taylor and Brenda Vaccaro and
has, for the most part, avoided hackneyed treatment, and with good
messages about recovery from grief, finding unexpected love and
rebuilding self-esteem. Casual view of premarital sex including
condom use and pornography, acceptability of divorce, mild innuendo,
nongraphic sexual encounters, partial female nudity, a few instances
of rough and crude words, a nonsexual encounter with a prostitute
and drug use. The anamorphic DVD features personable commentary by
Seidelman. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification
is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many
adults would find troubling. Not rated by the Motion Picture
Association of America (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).
"Boys Don't
Cry" (1999)
Disturbing fact-based story of a
confused young woman (Hilary Swank)
posing as a guy in rural Nebraska
where she fools some tough yokels
with her male impersonation, and
even romances one of their gals
(Chloe Sevigny) before the ruse is
discovered, with deadly
consequences. Directed by Kimberly
Pierce, the story of a woman's
attempt to switch genders is
convincingly portrayed as a
dangerous obsession ultimately
exploding in vengeful violence by
unstable macho males in the tragic
conclusion. Stylized violence
including a graphic rape scene,
sexual situations and references,
brief nudity, drug abuse, occasional
profanity and rough language. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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. (20th Century Fox Home
Entertainment)
"The
Boys
of
St.
Vincent"
(1994)
Fictional
dramatization
of
fact-based
events
in
Canada
centers
in
a
Catholic
orphanage
run
by
religious
brothers
who
sexually
molest
the
youngsters
in
their
care
but,
because
of
a
cover-up,
are
not
brought
to
trial
until
15
years
later.
Shown
originally
as
a
four-hour
TV
program,
the
1992
Canadian
production
directed
by
John
N.
Smith
is
a
powerful
indictment
of
those
who
abuse
positions
of
trust
as
well
as
a
sensitive,
nonexploitational
portrayal
of
the
damage
done
to
their
victims
and
the
community,
with
convincing
performances
by
a
fine
cast
headed
by
Henry
Czerny
as
the
tormented
chief
offender.
Strong
fare
but
responsibly
treated,
relying
on
suggestion
rather
than
graphic
depiction
of
the
sexual
abuse
of
minors,
with
much
pent-up
emotional
churnings,
some
outbursts
of
violence
and
occasional
profanity.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
Not
rated
by
the
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America.
(New
Yorker)
"The Bourne Identity"
(2002)
Well-crafted thriller in which a highly
trained CIA agent (Matt Damon) suffering from
amnesia after a botched secret operation must
figure out who he is and why fierce assassins are
after him as he is aided by a German woman (Franka
Potente) whom he has taken into his confidence.
Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum, director Doug
Liman's film is both an engaging character study
and a fast-paced espionage yarn as the ongoing
chase scenes and chilling close calls provide
suspense and deflect attention from the story's
predictable spots. Recurring harsh violence and
some profanity with an instance of rough language.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-IV -- adults, with
reservations. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13. (Universal)
"Bozo, the
World's Most Famous Clown: Collection #1"
Thirty episodes spread over four discs comprise the
first in a promised series of the beloved TV clown. The
squeaky-clean episodes are culled from the series that
aired in Boston in the 1960s with Frank Avruch as the
titular funnyman, and with a studio audience of
well-dressed children that would get low points on a
diversity meter today. Fairly low-tech by today's
standards, the color episodes nonetheless look
remarkably good. Each episode includes a five-minute
Bozo cartoon, too. The format is comfortingly
straightforward: some slapstick involving riding Zany
Zebra, a balloon game and some water antics in a
bathtub. But all this should appeal to very young
children and even some adults who fondly remember this
icon from childhood (Infinity Entertainment./Falcon
Picture Group/Larry Harmon Pictures Corp.).
"Breach" (2007)
Interesting, though by its nature downbeat dramatization
about the case of FBI agent Robert Hanssen (a compelling
Chris Cooper), who was revealed to be a spy for the
Russians, called the worst breach in the history of U.S.
intelligence, and how he was entrapped by young undercover
agent Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe), assigned to work with
him. Writer-director Billy Ray's gray-toned film is
deliberately paced, but ultimately delivers on suspense.
There is secondary interest for Catholic viewers in
Hanssen's commitment to Catholicism, though given the
unsavory aspects of his personality (not only treasonous,
but an alleged sexual deviant as well) the connection is
more unfortunate than not. Candid discussion of sexual
matters, some crude language and profanity, a brief image of
a pornographic video, domestic discord and mild violence.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 (Universal Home
Video).
"Breaker
Morant" (1980)
During the Boer War, three officers
of an Australian unit (led by title
character Edward Woodward) are
court-martialed for shooting
prisoners. Despite uniformly fine
performances and well-staged action
scenes, Australian director Bruce
Beresford's fact-based courtroom
drama never quite comes to grips
with the issues raised about the
irregular nature of combat against
guerrilla forces as well as the
defense of following orders. Mature
themes and battlefield violence. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. Some material
may not be suitable for children.
(Image Entertainment)
"Breakfast at Tiffany's"
(Centennial Collection;
1961)
Bright romantic comedy from
Truman Capote's tale of Holly
Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), a
bubble-headed beauty whose kooky
behavior wows Manhattan's social
set and bowls over an earnest
young writer (George Peppard)
despite complications involving
a well-to-do woman (Patricia
Neal). Director Blake Edwards
lances the bogus glitter of the
big city and paces the action
with humor (notably Mickey
Rooney's broad performance as an
irascible Japanese neighbor) but
the movie's main attraction is
Hepburn's ability to portray the
innate innocence of the
free-spirited Holly. Mature
themes. The generously filled
DVD includes several new
features, including some
carry-overs from the last
release in this format, as well
as commentary by producer
Richard Shepherd. Spanish
language and titles options. The
USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is
A-III -- adults. Not rated by
the Motion Picture Association
of America. (Paramount Home
Entertainment)
"Breakin
All
the
Rules"
(2004)
Lukewarm
romantic
comedy
about
a
magazine
executive
(Jamie
Foxx)
who
writes
a
best-selling
guide
to
breaking
up
after
getting
dumped
by
his
fiancee,
only
to
wind
up
in
an
awkward
affair
with
his
cousin's
(Morris
Chestnut)
girlfriend
(Gabrielle
Union).
Fueled
by
moldy
mistaken-identity
plot
twists,
the
formulaic
farce
directed
by
Daniel
Taplitz
offers
a
mixed-bag
message
which,
while
espousing
commitment,
places
little
value
on
chastity.
A
recreational
view
of
sex,
several
implied
sexual
encounters
and
recurring
crude
language
and
humor.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-III
--
adults.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG-13
--
parents
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(Columbia/TriStar)
"Breaking the Da Vinci Code"
(2005)
Well-presented and intelligent refutation of claims made by author Dan Brown in
his novel "The Da Vinci Code." The hourlong program is comprised mostly of
interviews with biblical scholars and art historians, many of whom have written
books debunking Brown's best seller. While acknowledging Brown's effective
storytelling, they take issue with his assertions of historical accuracy. The
production contends that many of Brown's "facts" are gross misrepresentations or
outright inventions based on fanciful speculation and unsupported by historical
evidence. Citing early church fathers, as well as first-century Jewish and pagan
sources, the program makes a strong case that Brown's novel, however
entertaining as fiction, is bad history. Unfortunately, the program takes a
broad stroke approach and doesn't allow for a detailed examination of every
inaccuracy. Still, it does provide viewers with a good overview of the more
spurious claims put forward by the novel. Among the topics covered: the question
of Christ's divinity; Mary Magdalene and her relationship to Jesus and his
apostles; the Gnostic gospels; and Opus Dei. The DVD bonus features include
extended interviews, a short documentary on Leonardo da Vinci, a tour of the
Rosslyn Chapel, featured prominently in the novel, as well as a Spanish-language
track. (Grizzly Adams Family Entertainment)
"Breakfast
at Tiffany's" (Anniversary Edition) (1961)
Bright romantic comedy from Truman Capote's tale of Holly Golightly
(Audrey Hepburn), a bubble-headed beauty whose kooky behavior wows
Manhattan's social set and bowls over an earnest young writer (George
Peppard) despite complications involving a well-to-do woman (Patricia
Neal). Director Blake Edwards lances the bogus glitter of the big city
and paces the action with humor (notably Mickey Rooney's broad
performance as an irascible Japanese neighbor) but the movie's main
attraction is Hepburn's ability to portray the innate innocence of the
free-spirited Holly. The sharp-looking widescreen DVD includes
commentary by producer Richard Shepherd; a 15-minute, behind-the-scenes
featurette with Shepherd, Edwards and Neal as well as Hepburn's
"companion," Robert Wolders, her son Sean Ferrer, the casting director
and several extras, including some surprising revelations, such as
Edwards regretting the casting of Rooney and Peppard. There are other
short features on Hepburn's sense of style; the famed store Tiffany's
itself; and the background on an adulatory letter from Hepburn extolling
the store's virtues. Mature themes. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion
Picture Association of America.
"Breaking &
Entering" (2007)
So-so drama about a London architect (Jude Law) --
living with a Swedish-American divorcee (Robin Wright
Penn) and her autistic 13-year-old daughter -- who has
an affair with the widowed Bosnian mother (Juliette
Binoche) of a troubled boy who has broken into the
architect's inner-city office, prompting a re-evaluation
of his life and relationships against the city's
evolving cultural landscape. Writer-director Anthony
Minghella's film features good performances, but
interweaves its themes of immigration, motherhood and
economic disparity into a plot that's not terribly
compelling, though its moral resolution involves
forgiveness and reconciliation. Some rough and crude
language and profanity, upper female nudity, a
prostitute character, a couple of nongraphic sexual
encounters, some sexual banter, infidelity and a condom
reference. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under
17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
(Weinstein).
"Breakout"
(1975)
Down-on-his-luck pilot (Charles Bronson) contracts to fly a wrongly accused
American out of a Mexican prison and finds himself involved with a rogue CIA
operation. Directed by Tom Gries, it's an old-fashioned adventure yarn with the
emphasis on action rather than violence, except for a grisly depiction of a
villain being killed by an airplane propeller. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. (Columbia/TriStar)
"The Break-Up" (2006)
Tepid but fitfully affable romantic comedy charting the
deterioration of the relationship of an art gallery assistant
(Jennifer Aniston) and a loutish Chicago tour bus operator
(Vince Vaughn) who ultimately learns to be a more considerate
person. Director Peyton Reed draws good work from the stars,
especially the effortlessly appealing Aniston and a
scene-stealing Judy Davis, though the protagonists from the
start seem distinctly incompatible. Underneath the
not-very-funny funny business, there are some universal truths
about relationships, but the setup never quite rings true, and
the script should be way sharper. Considerable profanity and
crude language and an instance of rough language, some crass
sexual banter, partial nudity and a permissive view of a
premarital relationship. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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 (Universal).
"Brick" (2006)
Gritty low-budget murder mystery set in Southern California about a
high school loner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) whose obsessive search for
his missing ex-girlfriend (Emilie de Ravin) leads to danger and
deception, with a list of suspects that includes her junkie
boyfriend (Noah Segan), a manipulative socialite (Nora Zehetner), a
drug dealer (Lukas Haas) and a volatile thug (Noah Fleiss). Inspired
by the crime novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett,
director Rian Johnson cleverly gives the high school movie a noir
twist, combining the teen and classic detective genres, resulting in
a hard-boiled hybrid that proves intriguing despite its modest
trappings, though its slangy dialogue may take some getting used to. Some violence, including several rough beatings and a shooting,
recurring drug content, unflattering portrayal of authority figures,
underage drinking and smoking, and sporadic crude language. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III
--adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R --
restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
(Universal Home Video).
"Bridget Jones's Diary"
(2001)
Fitfully
entertaining
comedy
about
a
single,
thirtysomething
British
woman
(Renee
Zellweger)
who
obsesses
about
her
weight
and
her
bad
habits
in
her
diary
as
she
searches
for
the
perfect
man.
Witty
dialogue
and
an
appealing
cast
in
director
Sharon
Maguire's
film
help
to
overcome
one-dimensional
characterizations
and
a
predictably
structured
plot,
yet
its
atmosphere
of
promiscuity
is
troublesome.
Fleeting
and
implied
sexual
encounters,
recurring
rough
language
and
some
profanity.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-IV
--
adults,
with
reservations.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Buena
Vista)
"The
Bridge of San Luis Rey" (2005)
Visually sumptuous remake of Thornton Wilder's 1927 Pulitzer
Prize-winning book about the efforts of a clergyman (Gabriel Byrne) to
piece together the lives of five strangers who perished when a bridge
collapsed in 18th-century Peru at the time of the Inquisition, so he can
determine whether the accident was pure chance or God's predetermined
plan. Writer-director Mary McGuckian has assembled an A-level -- though
wildly uneven -- cast (including F. Murray Abraham, Robert DiNiro, Kathy
Bates, Geraldine Chaplin and Harvey Keitel), but despite the compelling
story, moral themes and fine production values, the results are
dramatically static. The letterboxed DVD looks great, and at least
provides a visual feast. Some adult thematic material makes this
suitable for adults and older adolescents. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. (New
Line)
"Bridge to Terabithia" (2007)
Coming-of-age fantasy based on Katherine Paterson's
children's novel about a young loner (Josh Hutcherson)
who befriends a new girl in school (AnnaSophia Robb)
who's also an outcast, and together they create a
magical world -- Terabithia -- where they can escape
their real-life troubles. The young leads are charming
and the sweet story gently imparts worthy messages about
friendship, family and the power of imagination, but
director Gabor Csupo's faithful adaptation is a bit
underwhelming, as the anticipated fantastical elements
are minimal. Still, despite a plot twist that may upset
sensitive young children, the movie is family-friendly. Mature thematic elements, including the death of a
child, some minor peril and mildly crude language. The
well-packaged DVD includes two audio commentaries, one
with Csupo, writer Jeff Stockwell and producer Hal
Lieberman; the other with Hutcherson, Robb and producer
Lauren Levine, and featurettes on the themes of the book
and the film's production. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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 (Walt Disney
Home Entertainment).
"Brideshead Revisited"
(2008)
Well-acted and lushly outfitted,
but substantially re-imagined,
screen version of Evelyn Waugh's
1945 novel about a middle-class
1920s Oxford University student
(Matthew Goode) who becomes
entangled with an aristocratic
Catholic dynasty through his
almost romantic friendship with
its younger son (Ben Whishaw),
subsequently clashing with its
misguided matriarch (Emma
Thompson) and pursuing an
adulterous affair with her elder
daughter (Hayley Atwell).
Director Julian Jarrold's
sweeping period drama transforms
a Catholic convert's meditation
on God's grace into a cautionary
tale about the negative effects
of guilt-inflicting religious
fundamentalism. Nongraphic
adulterous sexual activity,
brief rear nudity, a passing
same-sex kiss, and occasional
crass language. The handsome
DVD contains seven deleted
scenes (one with partial
nudity), audio commentary by
Jarrold, producer Kevin Loader,
and writer Jeremy Brock, and a
featurette, "The World of
Brideshead." Spanish titles
option. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting
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. (Miramax Films Home
Entertainment)
"Brigadoon"
(1954)
Based on
classic Lerner and Loewe Broadway musical about vacationing Americans (Gene
Kelly and Van Johnson) lost in the Scottish countryside where they stumble upon
an 18th-century village that appears only for a day every 100 years. Kelly's
love for village lass Cyd Charisse isn't strong enough to keep director Vincente
Minnelli's colorful fantasy from falling disappointingly flat, though the songs
that remain from Broadway are lovely and Kelly's choreography worth watching.
Beautiful transfer, and three interesting -- if less than scintillating --
deleted musical numbers. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification
is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is
G -- general audiences. (Warner Bros.)
"Bright Young Things"
(2004)
Overly
frenetic but generally successful adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's "Vile Bodies," a
morality tale about hedonistic Jazz Age sophisticates who party their lives away
in wild abandon until they're caught short by reality. Actor-writer Stephen Fry,
making his directorial debut, shows an overfondness for rapid camera pans, and
lays on the Twenties soundtrack pretty heavily, but he elicits fine performances
from a stellar cast, and as the story takes a serious turn the film slows down
to a thoughtful pace as well. Recreational drug and alcohol use, implied
promiscuity, generalized decadence, amoral behavior and a suicide. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (New Line)
"Bringing Up Baby"
(1938)
Classic screwball comedy in which a serious-minded paleontologist (Cary Grant)
gets mixed up with a zany socialite heiress (Katharine Hepburn) whose pet
leopard, Baby, is mistaken for an escaped killer leopard as confusions multiply
until girl gets boy. Howard Hawks directs the hilarious proceedings with flair
and style; he is aided by a playful plot, madcap performances by Hepburn and
Grant and a great supporting cast. The DVD is given a two-disc packaging, loaded
with extras including the documentary "Cary Grant: A Class Apart," and Richard
Schickel's "The Men Who Made the Movies" documentary on Hawks. Print quality is
a bit faded but, alas, the best available. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the Motion
Picture Association of America. (Warner Bros.)
"Broadway:
The
American
Musical"
(2004)
How
do
you
compress
more
than
a
century
of
musical
comedy
into
six-hours?
That's
the
daunting
task
producer
Michael
Kantor
has
had
to
face
on
this
panoramic
series,
and
he
succeeds
far
better
than
anyone
could
have
hoped
in
telescoping
the
history
of
such
a
bountiful
period.
Narrated
and
hosted
by
the
ever-gracious
Julie
Andrews,
the
series
offers
an
overview
of
this
uniquely
American
art
form,
from
the
"Ziegfeld
Follies"
through
Rodgers
&
Hammerstein,
Sondheim,
the
British
invasion
of
Andrew
Lloyd
Webber,
right
up
to
today,
and
from
performers
like
Fanny
Brice
and
Ethel
Merman,
through
today's
Nathan
Lane
and
Kristin
Chenoweth.
The
first
three
hours
cover
roughly
40
years,
while
the
second
half
covers
60.
Understandably,
there
were
many
unavoidable
omissions
when
the
series
was
broadcast
on
PBS,
but
this
DVD
version
promises
five
hours
of
bonus
footage,
which
may
compensate.
Kantor
has
structured
the
series
to
demonstrate
how
the
Broadway
musical
mirrored
societal
and
cultural
changes,
and
the
connections
he
draws
are
undeniably
persuasive.
There
are
marvelous
film
and
video
performances
on
display.
Where
clips
didn't
exist,
there
are
striking
montages
from
still
photographs,
and
indeed
much
of
the
archival
black-and-white
photo
material
is
presented
in
eye-catching
3-D
relief.
All
the
talking
heads
are
insightful
and
well-chosen:
Al
Hirschfeld,
Tommy
Tune,
Susan
Stroman,
Ben
Vereen,
Jerry
Orbach,
June
Havoc,
Tim
Robbins,
Jerry
Herman
and
many
others.
The
occasional
missteps
are
rare.
This
is
a
beautifully
constructed
series
that
offers
almost
as
much
pleasure
as
the
genre
it
so
winningly
celebrates.
(The
DVD
edition
includes
a
wealth
of
additional
material:
performances
and
interviews,
and
a
special
featurette:
"Wicked:
The
Road
to
Broadway.")
(Paramount/PBS)
"Broadway:
The
Golden
Age"
(2004)
A
feast
for
theater
lovers,
as
filmmaker
Rick
McKay
set
out
to
discover
whether
there
really
was
a
"golden
age"
on
the
Great
White
Way,
by
interviewing
(over
a
five-year
period)
more
than
100
stars
who
describe
how
they
first
fell
in
the
love
with
theater,
what
it
was
like
to
come
to
New
York
during
the
1940s
and
'50s,
how
they
got
their
first
breaks,
the
thrill
of
opening
night,
and
their
opinions
on
the
great
performers
of
the
era
like
Marlon
Brando
and
Kim
Stanley,
etc.
Logically
and
brilliantly
complied
into
themed
sections,
those
interviewed
are
remarkably
consistent
in
their
recollections
of
the
era,
as
when
each
in
turn
thrillingly
recalls
how
Laurette
Taylor's
performance
in
"The
Glass
Menagerie"
was
the
greatest
they
had
ever
seen.
The
gorgeous
archival
film
clips
of
Broadway's
theater
district
(most
in
color)
are
quite
fascinating,
as
is
the
(truly)
rare
performance
footage
of
landmark
performances,
such
as
"Cat
on
a
Hot
Tin
Roof,"
"Bus
Stop"
and
"Damn
Yankees,"
which
makes
fascinating
comparisons
to
their
better
known
film
versions.
With
Carol
Burnett,
Ben
Gazzara,
Fay
Wray,
Gwen
Verdon,
Angela
Lansbury
and
dozens
more.
In
addition
to
director's
commentary,
the
DVD
contains
extensive
footage
of
the
New
York
and
Los
Angeles
premieres
of
the
documentary,
more
interviews
and
a
generous
chunk
of
footage
from
the
proposed
sequel,
"Broadway:
The
Next
Generation."
(RCA
Victor)
"Broadway's
Lost Treasures Collection" (2003-2005)
Highly recommendable boxed set comprising three PBS specials,
"Broadway's Lost Treasures I, II, and III," all culled from past Tony
Awards shows, the annual event which honors the theater's best. How can
you go wrong with Julie Andrews, Angela Lansbury, Carol Channing and the
like? Many of the clips show the performers in their prime during the
actual year their respective shows were on Broadway (and you'll be
amazed at how long those segments were allowed to run in the old TV
days!); clips include Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin in "Evita," Joel
Grey in "Cabaret" and Jerry Orbach in "42nd Street." Other clips capture
the stars in later years, re-creating their great moments, such as
Robert Preston in "The Music Man," Julie Andrews in "My Fair Lady" and
Alfred Drake in "Kiss Me, Kate." The three discs each come with generous
bonus material, in some cases numbers less "popular" than the main
items, but no less entertaining, among them a lengthy excerpt of
Katharine Hepburn's improbable musical outing in "Coco," Robert Goulet
and David Wayne in a terrific number from "The Happy Time," and an aging
Desi Arnaz recalling his breakthrough role in Rodgers & Hart's "Too Many
Girls." There's a bonus CD devoted to nonmusicals, featuring such gems
as James Earl Jones in "The Great White Hope," Maggie Smith in "Lettice
and Lovage," and Art Carney in "Lovers," along with choice bits of
Annette Bening, John Lithgow, Kevin Kline and Gary Sinise showing what
they can do in front of a live audience. (Acorn Media)
"Broken
Flowers" (2005)
World-weary womanizer (Bill Murray), deserted by his latest amour (Julie
Delpy), receives an anonymous letter from a long-ago flame informing him
he has a 19-year-old son, leading his neighbor (Jeffrey Wright) to
suggest he look up ex-girlfriends (Sharon Stone, Frances Conroy, Tilda
Swinton, Jessica Lange) and determine which one might have sent the
letter. Writer-director Jim Jarmusch's quirky film is a telling
commentary on relationships and human interconnection, the performances
are fine, and Murray is effortlessly luminous. Scattered uses of
rough language, brief full-frontal female nudity, implied premarital
sex, underage drinking and brief drug use. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Universal)
"Broken Trail" (2006)
A grizzled cowboy (Robert Duvall) and his estranged nephew
(Thomas Haden Church), on a horse drive from Oregon to Wyoming,
find purpose after rescuing five young Chinese women sold into
prostitution. Greta Scacchi plays an older frontier prostitute
who becomes a surrogate mother to the women and Chris Mulkey is
a ruthless hired gun paid to bring them back. Director Walter
Hill evokes the classic Westerns of John Ford with his sweeping
cinematography and a production quality that can stand tall with
feature films. The performances are first-rate -- especially
Duvall, who delivers perhaps his finest work since "Lonesome
Dove" -- and the textured script by Alan Geoffrion (based on his
novel) has a strong redemptive undercurrent. The three-hour
movie originally was an AMC miniseries. The two-disc anamorphic
DVD also includes a "making-of" featurette. The film contains
some bloody period violence, including shootings, beatings, a
nongraphic hanging, and a scene where a horse is put down, a
brutal rape, prostitution, a suicide, vigilante justice,
fleeting partial nudity, some sexual banter and innuendo, and
scattered crude language (Sony Home Entertainment).
"Brother Bear 2" (2006)
Sequel to the 2003 animated fable, based on native American
folklore, which finds boy-turned-bear Kenai (voiced by Patrick
Dempsey) traveling with his childhood love (Mandy Moore) to a sacred
spot to destroy an amulet that will free her to marry a member of
his former tribe. Old feelings are rekindled, forcing him to choose
between remaining a bear and becoming human again, thus sacrificing
his big-brother relationship with mischievous cub Koda (Jeremy
Suarez). Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas once again provide laughs as
daffy moose duo Rutt and Tuke. Directed by Ben Gluck, the visually
lovely follow-up is funny and tender, with stirring songs by Melissa
Etheridge. While some parents may have problems with the story's
shamanistic elements, others will enjoy it as a fairy tale that
warmly affirms family bonds, the wonder of creation and the
permanence of love. The film contains some mild innuendo and minor
peril. Bonus features include a behind-the-scenes look at scoring
the movie. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification
is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is G -- general audiences. All ages admitted (Buena
Vista Home Entertainment).
"The
Brothers Grimm" (2005)
Visually inventive, highly atmospheric adult fantasy that presents the
fairy-tale authors -- Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm (Matt Damon and Heath
Ledger, with credible English accents) -- as con-artist characters in a
story as fantastical as anything they might have written, incorporating
familiar elements of many of their stories, as an autocratic French
occupier (Jonathan Pryce) orders them to get to the bottom of strange
happenings in a German forest involving missing children. Director Terry
Gilliam gets high marks for creating an evocative, 19th-century world,
and whipping up a good deal of excitement as the story races to its
conclusion, but the film is marred by a slow start and an uneven
screenplay by Ehren Krueger. Intense action violence, frightening
images, many involving insects, torture scenes, scattered profanity and
crude language, brief sexual situations and brief irreligiosity. The
DVD version features informative commentary by the soft-spoken Gilliam;
several deleted scenes for which he professes great fondness; and
featurettes on the making of the film and the production design. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (Buena Vista)
"Bruce Almighty"
(2003)
Be-careful-what-you-wish-for
comedy about a
frustrated TV news
correspondent (Jim
Carrey) whose life
is changed when God
(Morgan Freeman)
entrusts him with
divine power after
the reporter angrily
accuses the Almighty
of being asleep at
the wheel. Despite
its lighthearted
irreverence,
director Tom Shadyac
uses humor to
explore such issues
as free will, and
offers a positive
image of personal
faith rare in
Hollywood flicks.
An instance of rough
language, minimal
profanities, some
crass humor and an
implied sexual
encounter. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
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.
(Universal Studios
Home Video; also
available on Blu-ray)
"The Bucket List"
(Warner Bros.)
Rated "PG-13"
Unremarkable, formulaic, only mildly entertaining story of
two cancer patients -- a wealthy, womanizing tycoon (Jack
Nicholson) and a middle-class garage mechanic (Morgan
Freeman) -- who decide to hit the road and experience all
their wildest dreams in the time they have left, that is,
until they "kick the bucket." We've seen all this before,
and except for seeing the two stars in standard reliable
form, director Rob Reiner's film is predictably routine,
though some problematic elements aside, imparting a positive
message about finding the joy in life and bringing joy to
others. An instance of the f-word; some crude expletives,
crass expressions and scattered profanity; a vulgar gesture;
an implied nonmarital sexual encounter; sexual references
and innuendo; and domestic discord. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting 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.
"Bug
Rangers: Hairy Situation" (2006)
Formerly called "Roach Approach," the computer-animated series uses the
zany cartoon adventures of a clan of cockroaches to teach Bible lessons.
In "Hairy Situation" -- the fourth installment -- scrawny egghead Cosmo
doesn't think he has what it takes to earn his Bug Rangers "Bulging
Muscles Merit Badge," only to discover that underneath his thick glasses
he's a physical dynamo. His newly realized prowess -- which he
mistakenly attributes to a merit badge he happens upon -- makes him
popular with a local jock, but leaves old pals Squiggz and Flutter in
the cold, providing an opportunity for Grandpa Lou to recount the Old
Testament story of long-locked strongman Samson. Created by Bruce Barry,
the Christian-flavored series, with its vibrant animation, conveys
positive faith-based messages -- including the moral that God is the
source of all our talents and that we must use our gifts -- in a way
that's fun for kids. Bonus features include a look at the episode's
storyboard process and a drawing lesson with cartoonist Barry (Fox Home
Entertainment).
"Bugtime Adventures: A Giant Problem"
(2005)
Whimsical second video in what will be a 13-episode animated series (from the
Christian based Lightning Bug Flix) which teaches Bible lessons through cartoon
fun. Each episode follows the adventures of a group of likable bugs who learn
important lessons at the feet (literally) of some of the Good Book's most
beloved figures. The parallel plots of the insect and human characters sometimes
intersect, allowing the zany insects to apply insights gained to solve their own
dilemmas. In "A Giant Problem: The David Story," the creatures' village is
threatened with total destruction when a water dam springs a leak. Above their
tiny tragedy the army of the Israelites is in equally dire straits as it face
off against the Philistines. Inspired by the heroics of the young shepherd boy
David in overcoming seemingly impossible odds and slaying the Philistine's
champion Goliath, an adorable ant named Meghan finds the courage and faith to
save the day. TV-savvy kids probably won't be wowed by the rudimentary
animation, but the series conveys positive moral messages while providing a fun
and accessible way for young viewers to learn about the Bible. Narrated by
Willie Aames. Bonus features include puzzles and games involving the bug
characters. (CNI Distribution/Willowcreek Marketing, (905) 984-3168, ext. 224)
"Bullets Over Broadway" (1994)
Prohibition-era comedy in which a high-minded playwright (John Cusack) accepts
backing for his latest work from a gangster (Joe Viterelli) who wants his
showgirl mistress (Jennifer Tilly) in the cast, then during rehearsals falls for
the play's fading star (Dianne Wiest) and rewrites his script in collaboration
with the mistress' hard-boiled bodyguard (Chazz Palminteri). Directed by Woody
Allen, the lightweight period proceedings are intermittently amusing and the
exaggerated performances are fun for awhile but the theme's skewering of
pretentiousness is heavy-handed and the philosophical asides lack wit and
originality. Occasional stylized violence, some sexual situations and references
as well as a few instances of profanity. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is R -- restricted. (Buena Vista)
"Bullitt"
(1968)
When an underworld informer is killed while in the protective custody of a San
Francisco police detective (Steve McQueen), the detective sets up a ruse to
smoke out those responsible. Under the direction of Peter Yates, the action
thriller displays a convincing degree of realism thanks to close attention to
details of police work, harrowing car chases through city streets and McQueen's
tight-lipped performance. Some graphic violence and sexual references. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some
material may not be suitable for children. (Warner Home Video)
"Bunny
Lake Is Missing" (1965)
Suspenseful
thriller about a child who appears to have been abducted but who, in fact, may
never have existed. Otto Preminger directs Keir Dullea and Carol Lynley as a
properly mysterious couple with Laurence Olivier as a quietly effective London
policeman. Mature themes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association
of America. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (The Ultimate Collector's Edition)
(1969)
Stylish seriocomic Western set at the end of the 19th century when a pair of
outlaws, Butch (Paul Newman) and the Kid (Robert Redford), realizes that
civilization has overtaken their profession and head for the Bolivian frontier.
Director George Roy Hill brings off the action scenes with gusto and humor
though there are enough realistic scenes to show that their criminal exploits
have serious consequences. Much stylized violence and a sexually suggestive
situation. The handsome DVD package contains bountiful features: two commentary
tracks, one by screenwriter William Goldman, another by Hill, lyricist Hal
David, documentary director Robert Crawford Jr., and cinematographer Conrad
Hall; a 1994 "making of" documentary and others detailing the production and the
true story; and interviews with the cast and production team. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some
material may not be suitable for children (Fox Home Entertainment).
"The Butterfly" (2003)
Entrancing
French
tale
of
a
neglected
8-year-old
Parisian
(Claire
Bouanich)
who
hides
in
the
car
of
her
crusty
elderly
neighbor
(Michel
Serrault)
headed
to
the
Alps
in
search
of
a
rare
butterfly,
a
trip
which
brings
the
lonely
twosome
unexpected
emotional
dividends.
Writer-director
Philippe
Muyl
delicately
explores
the
discovery
of
nature
through
a
child's
eyes
as
the
old
man
reluctantly,
then
with
genuine
caring,
embraces
the
role
of
grandfather
figure.
Subtitles.
Brief
sexual
references
and
occasional
profanity.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
Not
rated
by
the
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America.
(First
Run
Features)
C
"Cache"
("Hidden") (2005)
Superior allegorical French thriller -- with political underpinnings --
about a talk-show host (Daniel Auteuil) and his wife (Juliette Binoche)
who receive ominous videotapes indicating that they are under
surveillance. Director-writer Michael Haneke eschews melodramatics for
understated suspense and psychological tension. Scattered rough and
crude language; an instance of profanity; two violent, if dramatically
valid, episodes including the beheading of a rooster, with images of
blood; a suicide, with blood; brief shadowy nudity. The exceptionally
sharp anamorphic DVD includes an illuminating 25-minute interview with
Haneke, who underscores the film's theme as being about "guilt" though
he demurs at explaining the film's ambiguous ending, and a half-hour
"making of" documentary. Good, easy-to-read subtitling. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17
requires accompanying parent or adult guardian (Sony Home
Entertainment).
"Cadence" (1990)
An Army private (Charlie Sheen) confined in the post stockade
infuriates his racist jailer (Martin Sheen) by bonding with the
black prisoners and rejecting favored treatment. Director Martin
Sheen turns out a subtle, understated film about bigotry, mixing
humor with drama and fleshing out the characters without resorting
to empty stereotypes. Brief violence, some racial epithets and a
fleeting sexual reference. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly
cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13
(Republic Entertainment).
"The Camden 28"
(2007)
Anthony Giacchino's sensitive and intriguing
documentary follows the story that began in August 1971, at the
height of the Vietnam War controversy, when 20 people were
arrested in the Federal Office Building in Camden, N.J., as they
attempted to destroy or carry off written records belonging to
the local draft board. Within days, another eight people were
arrested and charged with helping to organize the break-in.
Their trial in early 1973 would mark a turning point in the
struggle between the government -- in particular the FBI -- and
the anti-war movement. All but one of those arrested were
practicing Catholics who believed that their faith compelled
them to oppose the war. Some footage of wounded soldiers and
injured civilians, including a scene in which a naked soldier
receives medical treatment, may preclude young viewers. Added
features on the DVD include interviews with lawyers from both
sides, a brief interview with anti-war movement historian
Michael S. Foley, who places the Camden 28's role in the larger
context of the Vietnam protests, and more footage of the group's
2002 reunion. (First Run Features)
"Can't Hardly
Wait"
(10th
Anniversary
Edition) (1998)
Failed
coming-of-age
comedy in which
various couples
at an
unsupervised
high school
graduation party
break up, make
up or attempt to
act wild and
crazy.
Co-directed by
Harry Elfont and
Deborah Kaplan,
the tiresome
proceedings
feature
stereotyped
characters
lurching
uneasily between
looniness and
loneliness.
An implied
sexual
encounter, some
underage
drinking and
verbal crudity
with minimal
profanity and
rough language.
The USCCB Office
for Film &
Broadcasting
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. (Sony
Pictures Home
Entertainment;
also available
in Blu-ray)
"Cape
Fear"
(1991)
Violent
remake
of
the
1962
thriller
has
a
Bible-spouting
psychopath
(Robert
De
Niro)
imprisoned
for
viciously
violating
a
woman
returning
to
terrorize
his
former
lawyer
(Nick
Nolte)
and
to
rape
the
man's
wife
and
teenage
daughter
(Jessica
Lange
and
Juliette
Lewis).
Director
Martin
Scorsese
loses
the
atmospheric
terror
of
the
original
in
favor
of
graphic
brutality
and
a
relentlessly
ugly
vision
of
the
law
as
powerless
to
protect
the
innocent.
Excessive
violence,
perverse
sexual
innuendo,
adult
endorsement
of
teen
drug
abuse
and
minimal
rough
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
O
--
morally
offensive.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Universal)
"Capote"
(2005)
Gripping chronicle of writer Truman Capote (a superb Philip Seymour
Hoffman) getting the inspiration to write his acclaimed "nonfiction
novel," "In Cold Blood," after a Kansas farm family is brutally
murdered; his probing interviews with the townspeople and the killers
walk a fine line between calculation and compassion. Director Bennett
Miller's sobering film masterfully re-creates the early 1960s as Capote
travels back and forth from the superficial New York social scene to the
bleak aura of death row at Leavenworth, with fine performances by
Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins Jr., Chris Cooper and Amy Ryan. Brief
violent images, an implied homosexual relationship, scattered profanity
and rough language, crude expressions, a vulgar anecdote, sexual
reference and a hanging. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent
or adult guardian. (Columbia/TriStar)
"Captain January" (1936)
Rated "G"
Formula sudser with loveable orphan Shirley Temple cared for by
lighthouse keeper Guy Kibbee until the loss of his job forces
him to seek out the child's rich relatives. Director David
Butler covers the bases with occasional song-and-dance numbers,
some playful humor and a capable supporting cast (Slim
Summerville, Buddy Ebsen and Jane Darwell). Easy-going,
unpretentious family fare. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general
audiences. All ages admitted (Fox Home Entertainment).
|
|
"Carandiru"
(2004)
Raw
and
rambling
prison
drama
about
life
in
an
explosively
overcrowded
Latin
American
penitentiary
as
seen
through
the
eyes
of
a
humanitarian-minded
doctor
(Luis
Carlos
Vasconcelos)
brought
in
to
implement
an
AIDS-prevention
program.
Based
on
actual
events
which
occurred
at
Brazil's
notorious
Sao
Paulo
House
of
Detention,
the
film,
directed
by
Hector
Babenco,
conveys
an
almost
palpable
sense
of
confinement
and
tinderbox
volatility,
but
falls
short
of
compelling,
in
large
part
due
to
an
unfocused,
episodic
script,
and,
despite
an
underlying
theme
of
redemption,
the
doctor's
nonjudgmental
acceptance
of
the
inmates'
aberrant
behavior.
Strong
bloody
violence
including
an
intense
riot
sequence,
several
sexual
encounters
with
partial
nudity,
a
casual
attitude
toward
homosexuality,
recurring
drug
content
and
much
rough
and
crude
language.
The USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
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.
(Columbia/TriStar)
"The Cardinal"
(1963)
Sprawling melodrama from Henry Morton Robinson's novel about the ecclesiastical
rise of an Irish-American priest (Tom Tryon) from 1917 Boston to a post in the
Vatican in 1924, who then becomes a bishop after tangling with the Ku Klux Klan
in 1934 Georgia and is made a cardinal after tangling with the Nazis in 1938
Austria. Directed by Otto Preminger, the movie makes good use of the religious
backgrounds and clerical roles (dying pastor Burgess Meredith, Boston cardinal
John Huston and Vatican prelate Raf Vallone), but the central figure is pure
cardboard and his moral crises unconvincing. Stylized violence, racial epithets
and such moral issues as saving the life of the infant rather than the mother in
a troubled childbirth and the temptation to leave the priesthood for the love of
a woman. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III --
adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. (Warner Bros.)
"The Care Bears Movie" (25th
Anniversary Limited Edition) (1985)
The Care Bears are sweet little pastel-colored creatures who
inhabit a gentle world called Care-a-Lot. Unless they teach the
world to care, Care-a-Lot will fall into ruin. Very young
children should appreciate this sentimental film with its catchy
songs and admirable messages about love and compassion. The
full-screen DVD looks very nice indeed, and features one of the
first Care Bears television specials, "Professor Cold Heart and
the Freeze Machine." More of the Care Bears TV series can be
seen in "Care Bears: Care-a-Lot Adventures" and "Care Bears:
Forest of Feelings," released simultaneously with the film. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I --
general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is G -- general audiences. All ages admitted (MGM Home
Entertainment).
"The Carol
Burnett Show -- Let's Bump Up the Lights!" (2004)
The much-loved comic's TV special features a reunion with the series'
original stars: Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Tim Conway and Lyle
Waggoner, with an emphasis on the Q-and-A with the audience that opened
each episode, including a slew of vintage clips. They're all here: the
requests for Carol's Tarzan yell or ear-pulling, kissing Lyle, requests
for the restrooms, and other humorously mundane matters, all testament
to the comforting, just-folks environment Burnett fostered. There's an
OK new song for Burnett by her longtime writers Ken and Mitzi Welch
about how posterity will remember her only for that Tarzan
impersonation. Good entertainment overall, some mildly risque quips
notwithstanding. The only criticism is that at 42 minutes, it's a shame
some extra material couldn't be added, but all in all this is a
delightful trip down memory lane. (CBS DVD/Paramount Home Entertainment)
"Carrie"
(1952)
Elaborate
sudser from the Theodore Dreiser novel about a country girl (Jennifer Jones) who
gets a job in turn-of-the-century Chicago, is seduced by a salesman (Eddie
Albert), then runs off with a married man (Laurence Olivier) to New York where
she leaves him flat while finding fame on the stage. Director William Wyler's
studied period piece arouses little interest in the characters and their woes,
though Olivier's descent into penury gains some sympathy. Mature theme and
treatment. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III --
adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. (Paramount)
"Cars"
(2006)
Delightful computer-animated movie set in a world of anthropomorphic
autos about a cocky racecar (voiced by Owen Wilson) which, while en
route cross-country to compete in a prestigious championship, is
unexpectedly detained in a neglected desert town, where his growing
friendship with the town's four-wheeled residents (Paul Newman and
Bonnie Hunt, among them) effects a change of heart regarding fame in the
fast lane. Co-directed by John Lasseter and Joe Ranft, the film has a
full tank of humor and emotions -- not to mention bar-raising visuals --
while its solid storytelling imparts a charming message about taking the
time to appreciate what really matters in life. The colorfully
packaged DVD contains deleted scenes, two animated shorts and more. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G --
general audiences. All ages admitted (Buena Vista Home Entertainment).
"Casablanca"
(Ultimate
Collector's Edition)
(1942)
Classic romantic
melodrama set in the
refugee crossroads
of French North
Africa, where an
American expatriate
(Humphrey Bogart)
helps the woman who
broke his heart
(Ingrid Bergman) and
her husband (Paul
Henreid), an
underground leader,
escape the Nazi
dragnet. Directed by
Michael Curtiz, the
story is replete
with World War II
intrigue, sardonic
humor, punchy
dialogue ("Here's
looking at you,
kid!"), a great
cast, including
Claude Rains as a
suave Vichy police
officer, and Dooley
Wilson's rendition
of "As Time Goes
By." Time stands
still for this one,
though the wartime
atmosphere may be
too menacing for the
children. Spanish
titles option. The
USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting
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. (Warner
Home Video; also
available on Blu-ray)
"Casanova"
(2005)
Handsome but leisurely paced period piece about history's most famous
lover (Heath Ledger), focusing on a fictitious "secret" episode in his
life: his incognito love affair with an 18th-century Venetian beauty
(Sienna Miller) who writes feminist tracts under a male nom de plume. On
the plus side, Lasse Hallstrom's film is well-acted, farcical without
overdoing the slapstick, remarkably restrained in sexual matters, and
even has a reasonably moral ending, but there's a surfeit of troublesome
Inquisition-era jibes at the Catholic Church (including a comically
villainous bishop played by Jeremy Irons), and an episode involving the
seduction of a novice. Brief sexual episodes without nudity, innuendo,
some crude expressions, pervasive anti-clerical view and a mild torture
scene. Hallstrom provides the leisurely commentary on the handsome
anamorphic widescreen DVD, which also includes a making-of featurette,
and additional ones on the costume and production design, and an
"extended" sequence from the film. The baroque soundtrack sounds
especially good. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
"Casino Royale" (2-Disc
Widescreen Edition) (2006)
Adrenaline-charged adaptation of Ian Fleming's first James Bond
novel (spoofed in a 1967 film of the same title) in which the
iconic British superspy (Daniel Craig in his 007 debut) must
infiltrate a high-stakes card game organized by a banker (Mads
Mikkelsen) to international terrorists. Director Martin
Campbell's addition to the franchise (the 21st overall)
jettisons the campy elements of past films for a grittier, more
serious return to the harder-edged tone of the books --
especially with regard to the violence -- blending virtuoso
action sequences and substantial character development to show
the origins of the Bond mythology. Virile yet vulnerable,
Craig's secret agent is less the sophisticated playboy -- though
there is the usual womanizing -- and more a brash and brooding
assassin. Recurring strong action violence, including an intense
torture scene, adultery, partial nudity, sexual situations and
some mildly crude language. The anamorphic DVD looks good with
the film on disc one, and the extras -- featurettes on the stunt
work and action sequences, Craig's assumption of the role, and
the reminiscences of former "Bond girls" such as Halle Berry,
Ursula Andress and Honor Blackman -- on disc two. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 (Sony Pictures Home
Entertainment).
"Cassandra's Dream"
(2008)
Fairly interesting but
ultimately unconvincing
London-based drama about
two financially needy
brothers (Ewan McGregor
and Colin Farrell) asked
by their rich uncle (Tom
Wilkinson) to kill a
business associate for
pay. The two leads are
excellent, but
writer-director Woody
Allen's Hitchcockian
script fails to avoid a
sense of contrivance,
and Allen's nihilistic
worldview, as espoused
here by McGregor's
character, is beginning
to grow tiresome. An
off-screen murder, brief
violence, much
conversational
profanity, drug
references, some brief
sexual banter and
nonmarital
relationships. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
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.
(Genius Productions,
Inc.)
"Catch and Release"
(2007)
Dour, slow-moving romantic comedy about a woman (Jennifer
Garner) whose fiancee is killed shortly before their wedding
who learns that he fathered a child with an out-of-town
massage therapist (Juliette Lewis) who eventually comes to
town with the child in tow, moving in with her and her
fiance's buddies (Kevin Smith, Sam Jaeger and Timothy
Olyphant) with ensuing romantic complications.
Writer-director Susannah Grant's formulaic chick flick
strains for credibility, the acting is bland (especially
Olyphant as her principal love interest), and is unredeemed
by the overall message of forgiveness and a reasonably moral
wrap-up.
Permissive sexual mores, intimate encounters
(one intense but fully clothed, the other gauzily
photographed with no actual nudity), sexual banter and
innuendo, some crude language and expressions and profanity,
a suicide attempt and drug use. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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 (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).
"The Cave"
(2005)
Schlocky horror action movie about a team of expert cave explorers (led
by Cole Hauser and Eddie Cibrian) trapped miles beneath the surface,
who, while struggling to find a way out, fall prey to an unknown
subterranean species of ravenous creatures. Despite its creepy
claustrophobic setting, Bruce Hunt's directorial debut provides few
(even B-movie) jolts, resulting in a formulaic and forgettable
group-peril flick that caves in under the weight of its illogical and
hackneyed script. Recurring monster menace and bloody gore, as well
as scattered crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Columbia/TriStar)
"The
Celestine Prophecy" (2006)
Spiritual action-adventure based on James Redfield's best-seller about
an American teacher (Matthew Settle) who journeys into the Peruvian
jungles, where he becomes involved in a high-stakes search for nine
ancient scrolls of unknown origin that contain "insights" revealing
steps to a higher mystical self-awareness -- or "God experience" -- and
that prophesy an imminent next phase in mankind's spiritual evolution
that will supersede organized religion. He is aided by an international
group of initiates working to translate the scrolls, including a
schismatic Catholic priest (Joaquim De Almeida), while a shadowy
archeologist (Jurgen Prochnow), the country's military brass, and a
nervous Catholic prelate (Hector Elizondo) conspire to thwart their
efforts and suppress the scrolls' message. While the concept of the
interconnectedness of reality, the underlying beauty and mystery of
creation and the soul-nourishing power of love are ostensibly good, this
is just typical New Age mysticism packaged as a grade-B action film,
clumsily directed by Armand Mastroianni. The DVD also contains a
standard "making of" featurette. Some action violence and theological
views are incompatible with the Catholic understanding of reality. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children (Sony
Pictures Home Entertainment).
"Chandni Chowk to China"
(2009)
In this flavorful yet prolix
fusion of Bollywood cinema
and Hong Kong martial arts,
a clownish cook (Akshay
Kumar) from Delhi travels to
China to vanquish a gangster
exploiting villagers near
the Great Wall. He crosses
paths with a set of female
twins and is transformed
into a fighter by their
father, a kung fu master.
Director Nikhil Advani
blends music and melodrama,
cartoonish humor and
stylized action into a
colorful spectacle that
proves to be too much of too
many things, destined to
test the patience of
uninitiated moviegoers as
well as ardent fans of both
genres. Frequent martial
arts violence that is
occasionally intense, and
pervasive broad, if
generally chaste, humor
characteristic of the
Bollywood idiom. In Hindi.
English and Spanish titles
options. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting
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. (Warner Home
Video)
"Charlie
Wilson's War" (2007)
Adept, sophisticated political
drama, based on real events,
recounting how an obscure,
high-living Texas congressman (Tom
Hanks) united with a wealthy,
ostensibly pious political supporter
(Julia Roberts) and a gifted but
volatile CIA agent (Philip Seymour
Hoffman) to defeat the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan. Director
Mike Nichols' rollicking film revels
in the comic divide between its
central character's disreputable
lifestyle, which is portrayed at
times quite graphically, and his
historic achievement, with perhaps
an invitation to excuse or even
celebrate the one in light of the
other. Sustained upper female and
rear nudity, implied nonmarital sex,
drug use, sexual humor, irreverent
dialogue, pervasive rough and some
crude and crass language, and scenes
of wounded children. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is R -- restricted.
Under 17 requires accompanying
parent or adult guardian. (Universal
Studios Home Entertainment)
"Cheaper By the Dozen 2"
(2005)
Agreeably entertaining sequel to the 2003 comedy which finds the Baker
brood -- mom (Bonnie Hunt, dad (Steve Martin) and their 12 children --
vacationing at a lakefront cabin where their summer holiday unravels
into a battle for bragging rights against a rival clan headed by a
hypercompetitive blowhard (Eugene Levy). Director Adam Shankman serves
up a similar helping of mildly amusing slapstick and heart-tugging
sentiment, slightly more satisfying this time around, while again
affirming a strong family-values message. Much comic mayhem, and some
mildly crude humor, language and innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Fox Home
Entertainment)
"The Christmas Toy"
(1986)
This is puppeteer par
excellence Jim Henson's
delightful hourlong
fable, set on Christmas
Eve, in which Rugby
(voice of Dave Goelz), a
self-centered stuffed
tiger, leaves the safety
of the playroom he
shares with a collection
of other toys and risks
being "frozen" if
spotted out of place to
relive the glory of the
previous Christmas when
he was his young owner's
favorite gift, forcing
his underappreciated
sidekick Mew (voice of
Steve Whitmire), a cat
toy, and sensible
redheaded doll Apple
(voice of Kathryn
Mullen) to follow on a
rescue mission.
Directed by Eric Till,
this children's musical
television special --
targeted for 2- to
8-year-olds -- though
inevitably somewhat
dated looking,
emphasizes the enduring
values of hospitality,
openheartedness and
selfless friendship.
Full-screen DVD. (Lionsgate/HIT
Entertainment)
"Christmas at Maxwell's"
(2005)
Ohio-based wine merchant
(Andrew May) copes with the cancer-related
illness of his wife (Jack Hourigan), while
raising their two children (Charlie and
Julia May), and struggling with profound
guilt about the past, until an elderly
nursing home resident (Angus May) changes
their lives at Christmastime in this
Ohio-set tale. Inspired by personal
experience, director-writer William C.
Laufer (who also plays a priest) has made a
heartfelt film with admirable messages about
God's forgiveness, the strength of family
and being a good Samaritan, and features a
touching conclusion, but the picturesque
film is handicapped by languid pacing, an
episodic script and mostly colorless
performances, except for a reasonably
convincing Hourigan. Mild profanity, crass
expressions, mild sexual innuendo and mature
thematic material. The DVD includes a
behind-the-scenes featurette, a
director-producer commentary track and one
deleted scene. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting 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. (Laufer
Film) (www.lauferfilm.com)
"A Christmas Story"
(1983)
Adapted from Jean
Shepherd's nostalgic
piece of whimsy, "In God
We Trust, All Others Pay
Cash," the movie
re-creates what it was
like to be a boy (Peter
Billingsley) yearning
for a genuine Red Ryder
air rifle for Christmas
in the Midwest of the
1940s. Director Bob
Clark gets some good
performances from Darren
McGavin and Melinda
Dillon as the
understanding parents
and the period
atmosphere is nicely
conveyed in what is
essentially a warm
celebration of a more
innocent, less
sophisticated America. A few vulgar
syllables. Spanish
titles option. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
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. (Warner Home
Video)
"The Christmas Toy"
(1986)
This is puppeteer par
excellence Jim Henson's
delightful hourlong
fable, set on Christmas
Eve, in which Rugby
(voice of Dave Goelz), a
self-centered stuffed
tiger, leaves the safety
of the playroom he
shares with a collection
of other toys and risks
being "frozen" if
spotted out of place to
relive the glory of the
previous Christmas when
he was his young owner's
favorite gift, forcing
his underappreciated
sidekick Mew (voice of
Steve Whitmire), a cat
toy, and sensible
redheaded doll Apple
(voice of Kathryn
Mullen) to follow on a
rescue mission.
Directed by Eric Till,
this children's musical
television special --
targeted for 2- to
8-year-olds -- though
inevitably somewhat
dated looking,
emphasizes the enduring
values of hospitality,
openheartedness and
selfless friendship.
Full-screen DVD. (Lionsgate/HIT
Entertainment)
"Christy" (The Complete
Series) (1994-1995)
Four double-sided discs feature all 19 episodes of the CBS
series based on Catherine Marshall's best-selling 1967 novel, in
which a plucky girl of 19 decides to teach impoverished
youngsters in 1912 Appalachia. Inspired by Quaker missionary
Miss Alice (Tyne Daly), idealistic Christy Huddleston (Kellie
Martin) leaves behind her comfortable urban family for remote
Cutter Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee, where
in the one-room church-schoolhouse she is to teach children of
all ages who are hungry, shoeless, bookless and, in the case of
one little girl, mysteriously mute. Handsomely shot on location
in the panoramic Great Smokies, the drama reflects Marshall's
mother's real-life experiences teaching in just such a spot.
Martin's expressive face conveys Christy's alternating
determination to make a difference in the lives of her young
charges as well as the frequent discouragement that tries her
faith. With its above-average production values, "Christy" is
quality family fare, and the title character is a potential role
model for young viewers. DVD quality is fine (Fox Home
Entertainment).
"The
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" (Special Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (2005)
Captivating live-action fantasy adventure based on C.S. Lewis' beloved
children's classic set in World War II-era England about four siblings (Georgie
Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell), who,
having been evacuated from London to the home of an eccentric professor
(Jim Broadbent), stumble through a magical wardrobe into the enchanted
realm of Narnia, where they help the wise and noble lion Aslan (voiced
by Liam Neeson) defeat the evil White Witch (Tilda Swinton), who holds
the land under an icy spell of eternal winter. Seeded with Christian
symbolism and subtext, director Andrew Adamson's faithful adaptation
balances spectacle with storytelling while exploring themes of good and
evil to capture the childlike wonder that underscores Lewis' tale. Some battlefield violence, intense scenes of child
peril and menace, and several frightening sequences. The
anamorphic widescreen DVD features two commentaries: a rollicking
reminiscence with Adamson and the four kids, and another informative one
with Adamson, the producer and production designer, plus a short blooper
reel. If you choose, you can watch the film with on-screen "pop-up
facts" about the magic land. The second disc includes background
documentaries on the director and the children, a look at how the C.S.
Lewis work finally made it to the screen, and further information on
Narnia, its characters and creatures. Highly recommended family viewing.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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. (Walt Disney Home Entertainment)
"Cinderella III: A Twist in Time"
(2007)
Remarkably good second sequel to the 1950 Disney animated
classic has Cinderella's (voiced by Jennifer Hale) evil
stepmother Lady Tremaine (Susanne Blakeslee) getting hold of the
Fairy Godmother's magic wand one year after our heroine marries
her prince (Christopher Daniel Barnes), and causing time to
reverse so that the fateful slipper will fit her gawky daughter
Anastasia (Tress MacNeille) instead. Cinderella must now -- with
the help of her mouse friends Gus and Jac and those resourceful
bluebirds -- get to the prince (under an amnesiac spell),
convince him he's been duped and prevent a second wedding from
taking place. Directed by Frank Nissen, the film -- replete with
some pleasant (if contemporary-sounding) songs -- recreates the
ambience of the original with remarkable fidelity, though Disney
purists may argue otherwise, and the tightly plotted script
includes some warmly sentimental stretches among the suspenseful
and action-packed ones, imparting a solid message about the true
meaning of love, and a touching conclusion involving sacrifice
on the part of one character. The anamorphic DVD looks great,
and features a music video with Hayden Panettiere, a game, and
several DVD-ROM features with myriad activities. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G
-- general audiences. All ages admitted (Walt Disney Home
Entertainment).
"City of Ember"
(2008)
Imaginative futuristic tale
about a doomed underground
city whose inhabitants know
nothing of the world above,
and a brave girl (Saoirse
Ronan) and resourceful
inventor's son (Harry
Treadaway) who try to
discover the secret way out
before the city's failing
generator breaks down
completely. With an
intricate and clever
production design, and an
interesting cast including
Bill Murray, Tim Robbins,
Martin Landau and Toby
Jones, first-time feature
director Gil Kenan's
well-paced adaptation of
Jeanne DuPrau's novel
imparts good values and
makes excellent family
entertainment for all but
the youngest viewers who
might be frightened by a
particularly scary monster
and some other scenes of
peril. The DVD has no extra
material. Spanish language
and titles options. The
USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification
is A-I -- general patronage.
The Motion Picture
Association of America
rating is PG -- parental
guidance suggested. Some
material may not be suitable
for children. (Twentieth
Century Fox Home
Entertainment)
"CJ7"
(2008)
Generally
enchanting
though
somewhat
flawed comic
fable about
an
impoverished,
shunned
Chinese
schoolboy (Xu
Jiao) whose
life is
transformed
when his
hardworking,
widowed
father
(Stephen
Chow) brings
a toy home
from the
garbage dump
that turns
out to be a
doglike
alien
critter with
supernatural
powers.
Chow, who
also wrote
and
directed,
hits the
mark both
humorously
and
dramatically,
and his film
offers a
telling
critique of
cutthroat
materialism,
though its
positive
message and
humane, even
specifically
Christian,
values are
undercut by
a few
distasteful
scenes
focused on
the alien's
doggy poop.
Occasional
crude
language,
comic-book
violence and
scatological
humor,
though
probably
acceptable
for older
teens. Added
features on
the
widescreen
DVD include
commentary
by the cast
and crew and
two
making-of
featurettes.
The USCCB
Office for
Film &
Broadcasting
classification
is A-III --
adults. The
Motion
Picture
Association
of America
rating is PG
-- parental
guidance
suggested.
Some
material may
not be
suitable for
children.
(Sony
Pictures
Home
Entertainment)
"Cleopatra"
(1963)
Lumbering Hollywood epic of suds
along the Nile as Egypt's queen
(Elizabeth Taylor) makes a conquest
of Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison),
then after his assassination
ensnares his avenger, Mark Antony
(Richard Burton), but both commit
suicide when cornered by the legions
of Octavius (Roddy McDowall).
Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz
manages to hold interest for the
first hour, chiefly in Harrison's
portrayal of a man consumed by his
ambitions, but the next three seem
interminable as the gassy love story
bogs down in tedium and the visual
spectacle wears thin, save for the
sea battle at Actium. Stylized
violence, sexual situations and much
sexual innuendo. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults.
Not rated by the Motion Picture
Association of America. (20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment)
"Click"
(2006)
Fitfully compelling fantasy about a workaholic architect (Adam
Sandler) who receives a remote-control device from a mysterious
inventor (Christopher Walken) allowing him to fast-forward through
life. Frank Coraci's uneven and predictable film begins as a comedy
(and a fairly crude one at that), then turns almost tragic when the
protagonist gets a chance to see into the future, leading him to
regret his all-consuming work habits and coming to the profound
realization that family comes first. Sandler's performance, too, is
a mix of his old-style lowbrow antics and impressive growing
maturity, but the script for this "It's a Wonderful Life" retread
could have been better. Unneeded vulgar humor including
flatulence, innuendo, and sexual sight gags, crude language and
expressions, profanity, promiscuity, ethnic stereotyping,
transgender character and drug references. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting 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
(Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).
"Cloverfield"
(2008)
Skillful, effective horror exercise
in which the amateur videotaping of
a going-away party for a young
executive (Michael Stahl-David)
hosted by his brother (Mike Vogel)
and attended by the girl who has
awakened his interest (Odette
Yustman), as well as a number of
other friends (Lizzy Caplan, Jessica
Lucas and T.J. Miller), is
interrupted by the arrival in
Manhattan of a rampaging monster.
Director Matt Reeves' film cleverly
contrasts the intimate feel of the
ubiquitous camcorder with the vast
scale of the havoc being unleashed
and also benefits from believable
characters and a script rich in
deadpan humor. Some graphic
images of the wounded, two uses of
the f-word, pervasive crude and
frequent profane language, and
sexual references. The DVD includes
commentary by Reeves, a making-of
backgrounder and other featurettes,
a few so-so deleted scenes and two
moderately alternate endings. The
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
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. (Paramount Home
Entertainment)
"The Color
Honeymooners: Collection One" (1966-67)
This three-DVD boxed set represents the first season of Jackie Gleason's
return to his role as bus driver Ralph Kramden, expanded to 60-minute
length, in color and with full-fledged musical numbers inserted
throughout. Art Carney was back to re-create his inimitable sewer worker
Ed Norton, but the wives were different. Blonde Sheila MacRae made a
likable Alice -- ditto Jane Kean as Ed's mate, Trixie -- but neither
could quite erase memories of Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph in the
1950s' version. There are some pearly moments, and the results are
enjoyable, but the magic of the original isn't quite there. The songs
and some interesting guest stars like comedian Louis Nye, Christopher
Hewitt ("Mr. Belvedere"), and legendary Gilbert & Sullivan star Martyn
Green, among others. There's an interesting feature on the production's
highly publicized move to Miami. Good family viewing (MPI).
"Cranford"
(2008)
First-rate
adaptation of three Elizabeth Gaskell novels -- "Cranford," "My Lady
Ludlow" and "Mr. Harrison's Confessions" -- which aired recently on
PBS's "Masterpiece" series. An all-star cast, including Dame Judi Dench,
Sir Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Eileen Atkins, Alex Jennings, Julia
McKenzie and Francesca Annis, plays the residents of the small English
town in the 1840s whose lives are about to change with the arrival of
the railway and a handsome new doctor (Simon Woods). Simon Curtis
directed the five-part series. The DVD includes a nice half-hour
making-of featurette. (BBC Video)
"Crossing
Ways" (2005)
Well-intentioned drama about a motor-cross racer (Tom Swaida) whose
Catholic faith strengthens him to overcome a painful family secret and
mend emotional fences with his embittered alcoholic father (Joe Valle).
Written and directed by Swaida, the low-budget digital film is
handicapped by flat performances, poor sound quality and an amateur
look. Yet the its redemptive ending imparts a heartfelt Gospel message
about the healing power of forgiveness and reconciliation. The
two-disc set includes a movie trailer, behind the scenes footage,
bloopers, interviews and a music video, among other bonus features.
Scenes of alcohol abuse and some mild domestic violence, involving
shoving and shouting. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the
Motion Picture Association of America. (Christian Film Brotherhood)
(www.christianfilmbrotherhood.org, or (508) 398-7344)
"Cry Wolf" (2005)
Modestly involving teen thriller set in a posh prep school where,
following an off-campus murder, a group of students (including Lindy
Booth and Jared Padalecki) initiate a new arrival (Julian Morris) into
their clique and, as a prank, concoct a story about a masked killer only
to find themselves menaced by a real stalker -- eerily echoing their
fabrications -- with no one to believe them. Directed by Jeff Wadlow,
the low-budget film's "Ten Little Indians" story line is reasonably
suspenseful despite genre cliches, and its better-than-average script --
littered with red herrings and capped with a surprise twist --
emphasizes psychological tension over slasher gore. Some bloody
violence, sexual humor and suggestiveness, and sporadic crude language.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting 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 are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13. (Universal)
"Castle
Keep"
(1969)
Screen
version
of
novelist
William
Eastlake's
surrealistic
satire
on
the
absurdity
of
war
is
set
in
a
Gothic
chateau
with
its
priceless
art
treasures
where
an
American
major
(Burt
Lancaster)
and
a
company
of
infantrymen
prepare
to
make
a
stand
against
the
German
army's
offensive
at
Bastogne.
Regrettably,
director
Sydney
Pollack
fails
to
incorporate
a
convincing
human
and
moral
dimension
to
counterbalance
the
senseless
heroics
and
casual
sexual
relationships
that
result.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
O
--
morally
offensive.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
R
--
restricted.
(Columbia/TriStar)
"Catch
That
Kid"/"Like
Mike"
"Catch
That
Kid
"(2004).
Cleverly
conceived
but
morally
misguided
kiddie
caper
about
a
12-year-old
girl
(Kristen
Stewart)
and
her
two
best
friends,
rival
suitors
(Max
Thieriot
and
Corbin
Bleu),
who
decide
to
break
into
a
high-security
bank
in
order
to
steal
enough
money
to
pay
for
her
dad's
costly,
life-saving
surgery.
Despite
a
smart
script
and
a
fresh-faced
cast
that
gives
the
film's
shopworn
heist
plot
a
youthful
twist,
director
Bart
Freundlich
uses
an
end-justifies-the-means
attitude
to
rationalize
his
improbable
premise,
which,
though
ultimately
discredited,
makes
it
difficult
to
wholeheartedly
applaud
this
otherwise
entertaining
movie.
An
ambiguous
attitude
toward
larceny,
minimal
mildly
crude
humor
and
some
action
violence.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG
--
parental
guidance
suggested.
"Like
Mike"
(2002).
Sweet
story
about
an
orphaned
boy
(Lil
Bow
Wow)
with
dreams
of
being
a
famous
basketball
player
who
dons
an
old
pair
of
Michael
Jordan's
sneakers
and
is
suddenly
able
to
lead
a
struggling
NBA
team
to
victory
with
his
amazing
hoop
skills.
Although
director
John
Schultz's
fantasy
flick
is
predictable,
the
endearing
underdog-turned-hero
plot
and
nifty
special
effects,
as
well
as
the
idea
that
every
child
deserves
a
family,
are
a
winning
combination.
Although
likely
suitable
for
preteens,
there
are
a
few
menacing
moments
and
brief
crass
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG
--
parental
guidance
suggested.
(Fox)
"Catwoman"
(2004)
Slick but
soon-to-be-forgotten tale, loosely inspired by the comic-book character, about a
mousy graphic artist (Halle Berry) working for a cosmetic conglomerate (headed
by Lambert Wilson and Sharon Stone) who is killed for happening upon a corporate
coverup, only to be reborn with superpowers, including catlike agility and
stealth, which she uses to unleash her feline fury on her murderers. As directed
by Pitof, neither slick visual effects nor Berry strutting her stuff in
revealing skintight shredded leather can distract viewers from the film's
shallow characterizations, clumsy dialogue and moral ambiguities. Recurring
stylized violence and an implied sexual encounter. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may
be inappropriate for children under 13. (Warner Bros.)
"Cellular"
(2004)
Somewhat
satisfying fast-paced thriller about a kidnapped woman (Kim Basinger) whose life
-- along with that of her young son -- hangs on the tenuous connection to a
stranger's (Chris Evans) cell phone. Giving the old damsel-in-distress formula a
wireless twist, director David R. Ellis' slim story about a good Samaritan
slacker trying to save a woman he has never met is full of predictable popcorn
thrills -- including high-octane car chases -- which, taken as a whole, add up
to more than the sum of its B-movie parts. Recurring violence, some gore and
terror situations, an instance of rough language, a crude gesture and some
sexual humor, as well as crass language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may
be inappropriate for children under 13. (New Line)
"Champions of Faith:
Baseball"
(Special Edition) (2007)
Handsomely shot hourlong
documentary featuring
interviews with six
outstanding
practitioners of
America's pastime --
catcher Mike Piazza,
shortstop David
Eckstein, pitcher Jeff
Suppan, first baseman
Mike Sweeney, manager
Jack McKeon and coach
Rich Donnelly -- during
which they discuss the
role the Catholic faith
has played in shaping
their lives and careers.
Along with narration by
sportscaster John
Morales, director Tom
Allen's film includes a
host of briefer
faith-based affirmations
from other field and
clubhouse figures. (TLA
Releasing)
"Chaos Theory"
(2008)
Passable, though
somewhat far-fetched,
romantic tale in which
an uptight efficiency
lecturer (Ryan Reynolds)
uncovers a devastating
secret about his wife
(Emily Mortimer) and
becomes recklessly
adventurous, despite
grave concerns by the
wife and his best friend
(Stuart Townsend).
Director Marcos Siega's
uneven film is part
character study, part
family melodrama, but
its emphasis on loyalty,
love and forgiveness
compensates for some
dramatic unsteadiness.
The DVD includes both
widescreen and
full-screen formats and
three unremarkable
deleted scenes.
Spanish titles option.
Adultery, implied
nonmarital and
premarital sex, sexual
humor, permissive
reference to birth
control, one use of the
f-word, some crude
language and a few
profanities. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
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.
(Warner Home Video)
"Charley's
Aunt" (1941)
Rarely seen version of Brandon Thomas' classic with
Jack Benny playing Lord Babberly, an Oxford student,
who impersonates the aunt of one of his chums
(Richard Haydn) in a scheme to help the friend woo
the girl he loves (Anne Baxter), until the real aunt
(Kay Francis) shows up and complications ensue.
Director Archie Mayo's film takes some liberties
with the original plot, and Benny, though amusing as
the aunt, is too American for this very English
story, but the handsome production and solid
supporting cast including Edmund Gwenn, Laird Cregar
and Reginald Owen counterbalance some overdone
slapstick. The DVD includes lively, informative
commentary by film historian Randy Skretvedt, and
"Three of a Kind," a promotional short for the film
from the period. The USCCB Office for Film &
Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general
patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture
Association of America (Fox Home Entertainment).
"Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory" (2005)
Entertaining and stylish remake of 1971's "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory," as sweet-natured young Charlie (Freddie Highmore), along with
four bratty children, wins a visit to a mysterious emporium, run by the
reclusive candy-maker Wonka (Johnny Depp). Tim Burton's take on the
Roald Dahl tale is predictably darker than the bright Gene Wilder
version, but it's hugely inventive, combining Dickensian atmospherics
with mordant wit and featuring an understated, slyly humorous
performance by Depp, who seems at times to be channeling Michael
Jackson's Neverland persona. The plot contains positive messages about
family, loyalty and unselfishness, and only a few scenes of
tongue-in-cheek peril that might upset the very youngest viewers. The
DVD print looks great, though there's no commentary. The second disc is
filled with extras: a feature about the fabulous squirrel attack scene,
a biography of Dahl, a look at actor Deep Roy's transformation into all
the Oompa Loompas, and other background features, plus a host of
activities for the kids. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.
(Warner Bros.)
"Chicago"
(2002)
Zesty musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago finds two rival song-and-dance gals
(Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones) each jailed for murder using the same
unscrupulous attorney (Richard Gere) to exploit their celebrity and get them off
the hook. Adapted from Bob Fosse's 1975 Broadway show, director Rob Marshall's
spirited black comedy weaves fantasy and reality together for a naughty,
razzle-dazzle take on the corrupting power of greed and fame. Brief violence, a
fleeting sexual encounter, double entendres, intermittent profanity and an
instance of rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be
inappropriate for children under 13. (Buena Vista)
"Chicago:
The Razzle Dazzle Edition" (2002)
Zesty musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago finds two rival
song-and-dance gals (Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones), each
jailed for murder, using the same unscrupulous attorney (Richard Gere)
to exploit their celebrity and get them off the hook. Adapted from Bob
Fosse's 1975 Broadway show, director Rob Marshall's spirited black
comedy weaves fantasy and reality together for a naughty, razzle-dazzle
take on the corrupting power of greed and fame. Brief violence, a
fleeting sexual encounter, double entendres, intermittent profanity and
an instance of rough language. The second DVD issue of the Oscar-winning
film is a two-disc special edition, with far more extras than the
no-frills first issue. The audio commentary by Marshall and writer Bill
Condon is carried over from that version, along with the cut number,
"Class" (but be warned the lyrics are vulgar, if satiric). The second
disc includes extended versions of the musical numbers, though in some
cases, this means only extra rehearsal footage, a look at a young Liza
Minnelli reminiscing about her stint in the Broadway production, an
interview with original star Chita Rivera and more. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting 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.
(Miramax)
"Chicken
Run"
(2000)
Delightful
clay
animation
feature
about
a
plucky
chicken
(voice
of
Julia
Sawalha)
and
her
hen
pals
cooped
up
in
a
British
egg
farm
who,
with
the
help
of
a
flying
Yankee
rooster
(voice
of
Mel
Gibson),
must
escape
the
cruel
clutches
of
the
egg
farmer
(voice
of
Miranda
Richardson)
before
she
turns
them
into
chicken
pies.
Though
the
story
lags
in
parts
and
some
jokes
may
go
over
children's
heads,
fantastic
anthropomorphized
features
and
the
narrative's
witty
details
make
directors
Peter
Lord
and
Nick
Park's
first
full-length
feature
both
visually
pleasing
and
cleverly
amusing
despite
a
few
intense
moments.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-I
--
general
patronage.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
G
--
general
audiences.
(Universal)
"The Chronicles
of Narnia: Prince
Caspian"
(Three-Disc
Collector's Edition)
(2008)
Exciting and
well-crafted if less
emotionally
absorbing follow-up
to 2005's "The Lion,
the Witch and the
Wardrobe" has the
Pevensie siblings
(William Moseley,
Anna Popplewell,
Skandar Keynes and
Georgie Henley)
returning to Narnia
to help the title
character (Ben
Barnes) stage a
revolt against his
evil uncle. The
bellicose nature of
the proceedings and
uneven attempts by
director and
co-writer Andrew
Adamson to inject
humor and romance
don't prevent this
faithful adaptation
of the second volume
in C.S. Lewis'
classic series from
being salubrious
entertainment.
Battlefield violence
and deadly
hand-to-hand combat,
an implied
decapitation, a
brawl involving
schoolchildren, some
intense scenes of
child peril and
several frightening
sequences. The
generously packed
DVD includes
commentary by
Adamson and the
cast, 10 deleted
scenes, bloopers,
bounteous feature
material and a
digital copy of the
film. Spanish
language and titles
options. The USCCB
Office for Film &
Broadcasting
classification is
A-II -- adults and
adolescents. The
Motion Picture
Association of
America rating is
PG-13 -- parents
strongly cautioned.
Some material may be
inappropriate for
children under 13.
(Walt Disney Studios
Home Entertainment;
also available on
Blu-ray)
"The
Chronicles
of
Riddick"
(2004)
Bloated
sci-fi
tale
in
which
an
escaped
convict
(Vin
Diesel)
is
called
upon
to
save
what's
left
of
humanity
from
a
ruthless
megalomaniac
(Colm
Feore)
and
his
virtually
indestructible
army
of
former-humans-turned-robots.
Aside
from
an
impressive
production
design,
writer-director
David
Twohy's
special-effects-laden
action
film
remains
grounded
by
its
murky
narrative,
dull
characters
and
leaden
pacing.
Recurring
stylized
violence,
minimal
profanity
and
an
instance
of
rough
language.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG-13
--
parents
are
strongly
cautioned.
Some
material
may
be
inappropriate
for
children
under
13.
(Universal)
"The Chorus (Les
Choristes)" (2005)
Glossily sentimental and heart-tugging French
film about a failed musician (Gerard Jugnot) who takes a teaching job at a
boarding school for troubled boys in the late 1940s and helps them overcome
their delinquent and violent ways by forming a choir, under the disapproving eye
of the school's autocratic principal (Francois Berleand). Christophe Barratier's
film about the healing power of music features first-rate performances, and
heavenly singing by the boys -- once they get going -- making this a surefire
audience pleaser even as the setup is transparently manipulative. Some crude
language, a brief verbal suggestion of sexual impropriety and a few violent
episodes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II --
adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is
PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13. (Buena
Vista)
"Cinderella
Man" (2005)
Moving true-life story of Depression-era boxer Jimmy Braddock (Russell
Crowe in top form) who -- after several years out of the ring, working
on the docks -- took up fighting again to support his loving wife (Renee
Zellweger) and their three young children, and against all odds made a
tremendous comeback, eventually going up against the notorious Max Baer
(Craig Bierko). Director Ron Howard has made an absorbing film with
first-rate performances (including that of Paul Giamatti as his manager)
and authentic period flavor; though the boxing sequences are strong
they're far less graphic than similarly themed films, and the human
story of Jimmy's devotion to his family is paramount. Much period
profanity, some crude language and ring violence with blood. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III - adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are
strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children
under 13. (Universal)
"A
Cinderella
Story"
(2004)
Light
but
lackluster
teen
romantic
comedy
set
in
Southern
California
about
a
slaving
high
school
senior
(Hilary
Duff)
whose
hopes
of
happily-ever-after
with
a
quarterback
Prince
Charming
(Chad
Michael
Murray)
are
stymied
by
her
wicked
stepmom
(Jennifer
Coolidge).
Director
Mark
Rosman
gives
the
familiar
fairy
tale
a
contemporary
makeover,
stripping
its
fantasy
elements,
while
retaining
its
sweet
sense
of
storybook
romance.
Some
mildly
crude
language,
humor
and
innuendo.
The
USCCB
Office
for
Film
&
Broadcasting
classification
is
A-II
--
adults
and
adolescents.
The
Motion
Picture
Association
of
America
rating
is
PG
--
parental
guidance
suggested.
(Warner
Bros.)
"Cinderella III: A Twist in Time"
(2007)
Remarkably good second sequel to the 1950 Disney animated
classic has Cinderella's (voiced by Jennifer Hale) evil
stepmother Lady Tremaine (Susanne Blakeslee) getting hold of the
Fairy Godmother's magic wand one year after our heroine marries
her prince (Christopher Daniel Barnes), and causing time to
reverse so that the fateful slipper will fit her gawky daughter
Anastasia (Tress MacNeille) instead. Cinderella must now -- with
the help of her mouse friends Gus and Jac and those resourceful
bluebirds -- get to the prince (under an amnesiac spell),
convince him he's been duped and prevent a second wedding from
taking place. Directed by Frank Nissen, the film -- replete with
some pleasant (if contemporary-sounding) songs -- recreates the
ambience of the original with remarkable fidelity, though Disney
purists may argue otherwise, and the tightly plotted script
includes some warmly sentimental stretches among the suspenseful
and action-packed ones, imparting a solid message about the true
meaning of love, and a touching conclusion involving sacrifice
on the part of one character. The anamorphic DVD looks great,
and features a music video with Hayden Panettiere, a game, and
several DVD-ROM features with myriad activities. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general
patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G
-- general audiences. All ages admitted (Walt Disney Home
Entertainment).
The
anniversary version of 'Cinderella' on DVD: Try it on for size
By Harry Forbes Catholic News
Service
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Leave it to Disney to throw a red-carpet premiere for
an animated movie that's 55 years old!
And the glittering event at New York's Ziegfeld Theatre Oct. 2 --
which brought out everyone from Star Jones Reynolds to Molly Shannon --
was not even to celebrate a theatrical reissue of a classic film, but
rather to promote a DVD release.
However, the film in question is one of Disney's most beloved:
1950's "Cinderella," and even though, yes, it was once available on VHS,
and then again on laserdisc (does anyone remember laserdiscs?), its
release in a handsomely packaged two-disc "platinum edition" DVD from
Buena Vista Home Entertainment is something to get excited about. As
it's from an era where children's entertainment had an innocence sadly
lacking today, and Disney was the gold standard, it's a must for any
home library.
Though from an artistic perspective, the film is less detailed than
the Disney films of a decade before, and there's too much of the mice
and the mean cat Lucifer, these are quibbles. For most people, these
iconic images are what makes "Cinderella." This is, moreover, a superb
restoration, where picture and sound are all you could ask for. The
film's dialogue and songs can be heard in French and Spanish. The two
discs are loaded with nearly all of the essential material previously
released on the jam-packed laserdisc, but with a good deal more as well.
We could live without the perfectly awful disco-music video of "A
Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and the well-produced but utterly
gratuitous Cinderella sports stories from ESPN, hosted by Joe Namath,
but the second disc is loaded with the goodies that Disney fanatics and
film buffs will crave: two never-used musical sequences re-created with
storyboards, "The Work Song" and "Dancing on a Cloud"; seven demo
recordings of songs that didn't make it; three radio segments with the
delightful voice of Cinderella, Ilene Woods, then a young mother with a
3-year-old; and body double Helene Stanley's appearance on a Disney TV
show.
There are several interesting documentaries, including a 45-minute
history of the film "From Rags to Riches" featuring cogent commentary by
film historians such as John Canemaker and Christopher Finch, several of
the animators, and voice stars Woods and Mike Douglas (the future talk
show host who was the singing voice of the Prince); along with
featurettes about earlier plans to film the fairy tale; the so-called
"Nine Old Men," Disney's core animators; and artist Mary Blair, whose
designs permeated the Disney films of that era. And did we mention a
plethora of games and activities for the kids?
The digital image on the screen of the Ziegfeld Theatre was
amazingly sharp and the colors were richly saturated -- as they also
are, it goes without saying, on the DVD. Along with the little
princesses dressed to the nines, there was June Foray -- the voice of
Lucifer the cat, and later Rocket J. Squirrel and Natasha from "Rocky &
Bullwinkle" -- along with the Fairy Godmother from the TV musical
version: Celeste Holm, looking radiant even without her wand.
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