CAPSULES
By Catholic
News Service
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The following are capsule
reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.
MacGruber (Rogue)
Juvenile, tasteless action spoof in which a cocky but disastrously incompetent
special agent (Will Forte) is called out of retirement by his former
commander (Powers Boothe) to foil a plot by an evil arms dealer (Val
Kilmer) to nuke Washington, gaining the aid of an Army lieutenant (Ryan
Phillippe) and an undercover operative-turned-pop-singer (Kristen Wiig)
along the way. Director and co-writer Jorma Taccone's expansion of a
recurring "Saturday Night Live" skit is consistently vulgar
and intermittently gruesome. Much gory violence, graphic premarital
sexual activity, upper female and rear nudity, frequent sexual and scatological
humor, more than a dozen uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude
language. The Catholic News Service classification is O -- morally offensive.
The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Prince of Persia: The Sands
of Time (Disney)
Plodding adaptation of the eponymous video game series pits a heroic
orphan (Jake Gyllenhaal) against his adopted royal uncle (Ben Kingsley)
as he helps a princess (Gemma Arterton) safeguard a time-altering dagger
that has the potential to destroy humankind. Hyperactive camerawork
and frenetic special effects squash any authentically human elements
that director Mike Newell might have brought to the loud, flashy proceedings,
while the script's presentation of religion involves an uneasy mix of
pagan mythology and vague monotheism. Frequent, moderately intense violence,
a number of frightening images, some sexual innuendo. The Catholic News
Service classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material
may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Sex and the City 2 (New
Line)
Romantic-comedy sequel, based on a long-running cable-TV series, recounting
the further adventures of a New York-based columnist turned author (Sarah
Jessica Parker), her husband (Chris Noth) and her three best friends
(Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon) as they confront the
challenges of married life, parenthood and career changes, pressures
only temporarily relieved, for the quartet of pals, by a luxurious vacation
in Abu Dhabi. Writer-director Michael Patrick King's morally unmoored
follow-up to his 2008 feature confuses promiscuity with feminist empowerment,
caricatures Muslims and showcases an extended celebration of same-sex
marriage. Graphic nonmarital sexual activity with nudity, benign view
of casual sex and homosexual acts, adultery theme, constant sexual humor
and references, some rough and crude language. The Catholic News Service
classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying
parent or adult guardian.
Shrek Forever After (Paramount)
Heartwarming, decidedly less raucous animated riff on fairy tales brings
the blockbuster franchise full circle as the titular ogre (voiced by
Mike Myers) experiences a midlife crisis and is tricked by an evil wizard
(voice of Walt Dohrn) into living a different version of his past, during
which he must win his wife's affections (voiced by Cameron Diaz) all
over again and learn to appreciate his current good fortune. Director
Mike Mitchell and colleagues downplay the previous installments' cheeky
idiom of pop-culture parody and affirm the values of love and fidelity
in a manner that should gladden parents, who can err on the side of
being inclusive when judging whether to bring the kids. A few mild action
sequences, occasional toilet-related humour. The Catholic News Service
classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is PG - parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be
suitable for children.
Copyright (c) 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops
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