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The
following are movie reveiws of "Catch That Kid," "The Dreamers,"
"Miracle," and "You Got Served."
These moviews recently were reviewed by the Office for Film
& Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Catch
That Kid"
(20th
Century Fox)
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 flick'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.
"The
Dreamers"
(Fox Searchlight)
Insufferably pretentious and gratuitously explicit film about
a quiet American student (Michael Pitt) studying in Paris,
whose love of old movies leads to an unwholesome triangular
relationship with a brother (Louis Garrel) and sister (Eva
Green) left alone to turn their apartment into a sexual playground
while their parents are away on holiday during the tumultuous
summer of 1968. Based on the ironically titled novel "Holy
Innocents" by Gilbert Adair, director Bernardo Bertolucci's
soft-core erotic tale, though clearly the product of a man
in love with movies, says about as much about sex and politics
as his controversial "Last Tango in Paris" said about sex
and alienation -- which is absolutely nothing. Graphic sexual
encounters with extended full frontal nudity, an incestuous
relationship, an attempted suicide, some mob violence, as
well as recurring 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 and under admitted.
"Miracle"
(Disney)
Inspirational crowd-pleaser which tells the real-life Cinderella
story of the U.S. Olympic hockey team's against-all-odds victory
over their much-vaunted Russian rivals at the 1980 Winter
Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., and the coach (Kurt Russell) whose
uncompromisingly winning attitude helped lift the sagging
patriotism of a nation and give it something to believe in.
Director Gavin O'Connor scores a cinematic hat trick, with
good writing, good acting and good direction, resulting in
a movie that transcends sports and should take home box-office
gold. Minimal mildly crude language and some rough sports
action. 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.
"You
Got Served"
(Screen Gems)
Slight hip-hop musical that follows a dancing crew led by
two friends (Omari Grandberry and Marques Houston) who must
put aside their recent feuding to triumph at the biggest dance
competition of the year. High-energy, acrobatic dance scenes
and all-the-rage pop singers may attract a young crowd, but
the boilerplate script and the shoddy direction of Christopher
B. Stokes misses a step and falls flat. A few crude dance
moves, minor drug content, brief violence and some crass words.
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.
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