Movie Reviews
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (IFC)Spellbinding 3-D documentary on the 32,000-year-old paintings in the Chauvet cave of southern France. Director Werner Herzog includes frank discussions of paintings and sculptures of nude women, making this better appreciated by mature adolescents, just as with any other visit to an art museum. Herzog uses the 3-D technology to expertly capture the paintings in the depth they were meant to convey when they were created in the Paleolithic Era. What does the artwork mean? Several authorities offer theories, although — since the caves were never used as homes — it's generally assumed that the art holds spiritual meaning. (A-II, G)
The Hangover Part II (Warner Bros.)
This joke is so over. Identical plot to its predecessor with a darker tone, considerably more Asian stereotyping in a Thailand setting, and ugly sexual humor. The "We were so stoned that ..." epic, directed by Todd Phillips and written by Craig Mazin and Scot Armstrong, reunites Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis to reconstruct a violent debauch in Bangkok. Full-frontal male and female nudity, pervasive crass, crude and profane language, considerable drug use, and references to sexual acts. (O, R)
Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks)
Perfunctory if unobjectionable animated sequel follows rotund martial arts warrior Po (voice of Jack Black) as he learns about his origins and confronts the power-hungry peacock (Gary Oldman) responsible for his parents' demise. Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson keeps the action moving along at a brisk pace, overseeing by-the-numbers visuals and imparting an anodyne message concerning the path toward inner peace: Move beyond the past and focus on the present. Mild fantasy violence. (A-I, PG)
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Disney)
In the adequate fourth movie inspired by the amusement park ride, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) leads various seafarers — his nemesis Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), an old flame (Penelope Cruz) and the evil pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane) — to the Fountain of Youth. Applying a Broadway musical sensibility, director Rob Marshall ("Chicago") cannot dispel the feeling that the franchise has grown long in the tooth. Although admirably straightforward, the picture lacks visual grandeur and the jolly, swashbuckling energy that has made the series so popular. Recurring action-adventure violence and peril, including nongraphic knife play and swordplay; some lightly suggestive humor and innuendo; several scary sequences; one rude expression; and frequent alcohol consumption. (A-II, PG-13)
—CNS
Catholic News Service 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. More reviews online: www.usccb.org/movies.
Directories
Vida Nueva
Past issues
PayPal Donation
Archdiocese
Member Login
Latest Events
May
- Via Lucis (Way of Light)
General
May 24, 2013 (7:30 PM)
- The New Evangelization
General
May 25, 2013 (9:00 AM - 3:30 PM)
- Life in the Spirit
General
May 25, 2013 (9:00 AM - 6:00 PM)