CAPSULES
By Catholic News Service
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The following
are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.
The American
(Focus)
A professional assassin (George Clooney) flees to Italy in search of healing
and a better life, only to discover that it's hard to shake his past.
He falls for the proverbial prostitute with a heart of gold (Violante
Placido), and receives moral advice from the flawed but sympathetic local
priest (Paolo Bonacelli), but must ultimately find his own way. Although
the serious intent of the filmmakers is clear, director Anton Corbijn's
adaptation of Martin Booth's novel A Very Private Gentleman makes for
a dark, brooding and lethargic film that features graphic sexuality and
an insubstantial treatment of Christian morality, only skirting the implications
of its main character's profoundly sinful situation. Bloody violence including
multiple shootings, full-frontal female and partial male nudity, and explicit
scenes of nonmarital sex. The Catholic News Service classification is
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults
would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating
is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Flipped (Warner
Bros.)
A heartwarming coming-of-age story, based on the Wendelin Van Draanen
novel, that chronicles the relationship of two kids, Juli Baker (Madeline
Carroll) and Bryce Loski (Callan McAuliffe), over a six-year period. At
seven years old, Juli has "flipped" over Bryce, but her puppy
love is not returned. Amid the ups and downs of their friendship, the
film examines family life in baby boom-era suburbia, challenging stereotypes
and prejudices with a surprisingly strong pro-life message. As directed
by Rob Reiner, everything about Flipped feels right and genuine, with
a prevailing atmosphere of innocence and sensitivity, making this uplifting
film probably acceptable for older teens. A handful of profane and crass
expressions and scenes of family discord. The Catholic News Service classification
is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is
PG -- parental guidance suggested.
The
Last Exorcism (Lionsgate)
Middling fright fest about an evangelical minister and self-confessed
charlatan (Patrick Fabian) who brings a film crew (led by Iris Bahr) along
to document his final faked exorcism. But he gets more than he bargained
for when the Louisiana farm girl (Ashley Bell) whose father (Louis Herthum)
summoned him shows signs of genuine possession. While the gore factor
is kept comparatively low in director Daniel Stamm's gothic outing --
which toys cleverly with the modern presumption that all phenomena can
be explained scientifically -- the preacher's corrosive cynicism and the
occult atmosphere by which he unexpectedly finds himself surrounded make
this inappropriate for all but well-grounded and judicious adult viewers.
Complex treatment of religion, sacrilegious activity, some gruesome images,
at least two uses of profanity, brief sexual talk, and references to incest
and homosexuality. The Catholic News Service classification is L -- limited
adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find
troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 --
parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children
under 13.
Copyright (c) 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops
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