home pageNews Viewpoints Spirituality Liturgy Entertainment Calendar Sports
Google
at google.com
at the-tidings.com
THIS WEEK'S
HIGHLIGHTS
News
Vatican: New norms will strengthen efforts against abusive priests
Vatican fills in blanks on history of sex abuse procedures
'Welcome' addition: St. Andrew's prepares for new piazza
Papal Honors awarded to religious, laity of archdiocese
bullet Quiet on the set: Prayer comes before filming for priest and crew
Bishops celebrate Mass near Mexican border to pray for end to violence
Cardinal praises HHS for reiterating abortion exclusion in health plans
Obituaries
bullet St. Dorothy School in running for $20,000 technology prize

Viewpoints
bullet Pursuing self-evident truth: A call to end racial discrimination
bullet Lord, have mercy
Liturgy
Ask, seek, knock --- don't be shy
Spirituality
bullet Happily ever after
bullet The triumph of appearance
shim
Entertainment
Local deacons author book for third millennium faithful
Sports
CYO promotes PLC 'sports as ministry' program

 

 

 


Friday, January 15, 2010
Movie reviews

text only version

The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Daybreakers (Lionsgate)
This potentially intriguing, but excessively violent tale, set in a futuristic world where a mysterious plague has transformed the vast majority of the population into vampires, and where the blood supply drawn from the few remaining mortals is rapidly dwindling, follows the efforts of a conscientious undead researcher (Ethan Hawke) to develop a viable substitute, his conflict with the greedy chief (Sam Neill) of the conglomerate sponsoring his work and his eventual partnership with two fugitive humans (Willem Dafoe and Claudia Karvan) who may have discovered an alternative solution to the crisis. Co-writers and directors Peter and Michael Spierig effectively conjure a society where blood-suckers are the norm and use it to make satiric points about corporate excess and environmental irresponsibility, but the intermittently gory proceedings move toward a climactic scene of orgiastic bloodletting. Graphic gruesome violence, including decapitation, dismemberment and exploding bodies; upper female nudity; at least three uses of profanity; and some rough and crude language. (O, R)

Leap Year (Universal/Spyglass)
Likable romantic comedy in which a controlling Boston real estate consultant (Amy Adams) follows her commitment-shy live-in boyfriend (Adam Scott) to Ireland, where he's attending a cardiologists' convention and where she hopes to take advantage of a national tradition allowing women to propose on Leap Day, but bad weather derails her plans, forcing her to rely on a laidback rural innkeeper (Matthew Goode) to get her to Dublin in time. Though the background details are closer to 1952's "The Quiet Man" than to the post-Celtic Tiger contemporary reality, the central opposites-attract relationship in director Anand Tucker's Hibernian idyll is old-fashioned in the best sense, with physical restraint allowing room for a dexterously acted, if somewhat formulaic, portrayal of deepening emotional engagement, and helping to make this --- despite the elements described below --- probably acceptable for older teens. Implied cohabitation, some mildly sexual humor, at least two uses of profanity and one of the S-word, and a few crass terms. (A-III, PG)

Youth in Revolt (Dimension)
Sometimes witty but consistently sex-focused coming-of-age comedy about a lonely California teen (Michael Cera) whose sophisticated cultural tastes make him a fish out of water in his divorced parents' (Jean Smart and Steve Buscemi) lowbrow world, and his obsessive love for a like-minded girl (Portia Doubleday) he meets on vacation at a trailer park. Director Miguel Arteta's adaptation of "Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp" --- the first in C.D. Payne's series of novels about the titular adolescent --- sees Cera developing a suave but amoral alter ego willing to cause mayhem to help his timid original reunite with, and lose his burdensome virginity to, the object of his desire. Explicit animated images of intercourse, nongraphic premarital (and probably underage) sexual activity, masturbation, drug use, at least one profanity, much sexual humor and considerable rough and crude language. (O, R)

USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classifications: A-I --- general patronage; A-II --- adults and adolescents; A-III --- adults; L --- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling; O --- morally offensive.



copyright The Tidings Corporation ©2004
Contact us at: info@the-tidings.com




give us your comments




past issues