Movie Reviews
The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.
Abduction (Lionsgate)
Humdrum romantic adventure in which a party-loving Pittsburgh teen and the neighbor he'd like to make his girlfriend get caught up in international intrigue after the lad discovers that the couple who raised him are not his real parents. On the plus side, director John Singleton's far-fetched expedition mostly eschews gore, while the central couple successfully resists the temptation to turn their unexpected journey into a premature honeymoon. Possibly acceptable for mature adolescents. Considerable, but largely bloodless, violence; brief nongraphic sensuality; at least one use of profanity and of rough language; and about a dozen crude or crass terms. (A-III, PG-13)
Dolphin Tale (Warner Bros.)
The true story of "Winter," a dolphin that received the first artificial tail, is brought to the screen in a family-friendly film that offers lessons in faith, perseverance and respect for persons — and animals — with disabilities. An inspirational film about a perky mammal who, against mighty odds, overcomes her disability with the support of her loyal human friends, it has a refreshing motto for a Hollywood film — "Family is Forever" — and sends a rare but powerful pro-life message. A refreshing diversion for the entire family. (A-I, PG)
50/50 (Summit)
Ultimately touching but frequently crude tale of a young radio producer whose diagnosis with a rare form of cancer leads him to reassess his relationships with his live-in girlfriend, his longtime best and his overprotective mother. Though its underlying values are strong, director Jonathan Levine's sometimes courageous blend of drama and comedy, drawn from the real-life experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser, nonetheless showcases one of its main characters' debased view of sexuality and winks at using pot. Brief graphic nonmarital sexual activity, cohabitation, drug use, much sexual humor, about a half-dozen uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude language. (L, R)
Machine Gun Preacher (Relativity)
Harrowing true story about a Pennsylvania who finds God and goes from drug-dealing and committing mayhem as a member of a Pennsylvania biker gang to protecting Sudanese children orphaned during a bloody civil war. Director Marc Forster glosses over the protagonist's spiritual journey, and triggers cognitive dissonance and contravening basic Catholic teachings about peace and social justice,. Frequent graphic violence in the context of war; disturbing images of child victims of burnings, mutilations, beatings, and gunplay; pervasive crude language; one instance of marital lovemaking and another of marital foreplay, some heroin and alcohol use; profanity and several racial epithets. (O, R)
Moneyball (Columbia)
Based on the book by Michael Lewis, this enjoyable, thinking person's sports movie centers on the real-life general manager of baseball's Oakland Athletics who, together with a young statistician, gambles on a new approach to the game and fields a team with a comparatively miniscule payroll. Director Bennett Miller has crafted a mature, humorous and modest film that will appeal to aficionados and nonfans alike. Respectful of America's pastime yet eager to spur positive change, it relays a timeless, double-headed piece of wisdom: Money can't buy baseball pennants or happiness. Two uses of rough language, some crude and crass language, an instance of sexual banter, a few sexist remarks and a scene in which a player's religiosity is treated in a sarcastic manner. (A-III, PG-13)
What's Your Number? (Fox)
Working from Karyn Bosnak's novel "20 Times a Lady," director Mark Mylod attempts to mine laughs from sexual promiscuity and a central character who is far too coarse and self-centered to win sympathy. Acceptance of casual sex, fleeting upper female and rear nudity, a few uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude language, frequent sexual references. (O, R)
—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.
Abduction (Lionsgate)
Humdrum romantic adventure in which a party-loving Pittsburgh teen and the neighbor he'd like to make his girlfriend get caught up in international intrigue after the lad discovers that the couple who raised him are not his real parents. On the plus side, director John Singleton's far-fetched expedition mostly eschews gore, while the central couple successfully resists the temptation to turn their unexpected journey into a premature honeymoon. Possibly acceptable for mature adolescents. Considerable, but largely bloodless, violence; brief nongraphic sensuality; at least one use of profanity and of rough language; and about a dozen crude or crass terms. (A-III, PG-13)
Dolphin Tale (Warner Bros.)
The true story of "Winter," a dolphin that received the first artificial tail, is brought to the screen in a family-friendly film that offers lessons in faith, perseverance and respect for persons — and animals — with disabilities. An inspirational film about a perky mammal who, against mighty odds, overcomes her disability with the support of her loyal human friends, it has a refreshing motto for a Hollywood film — "Family is Forever" — and sends a rare but powerful pro-life message. A refreshing diversion for the entire family. (A-I, PG)
50/50 (Summit)
Ultimately touching but frequently crude tale of a young radio producer whose diagnosis with a rare form of cancer leads him to reassess his relationships with his live-in girlfriend, his longtime best and his overprotective mother. Though its underlying values are strong, director Jonathan Levine's sometimes courageous blend of drama and comedy, drawn from the real-life experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser, nonetheless showcases one of its main characters' debased view of sexuality and winks at using pot. Brief graphic nonmarital sexual activity, cohabitation, drug use, much sexual humor, about a half-dozen uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude language. (L, R)
Machine Gun Preacher (Relativity)
Harrowing true story about a Pennsylvania who finds God and goes from drug-dealing and committing mayhem as a member of a Pennsylvania biker gang to protecting Sudanese children orphaned during a bloody civil war. Director Marc Forster glosses over the protagonist's spiritual journey, and triggers cognitive dissonance and contravening basic Catholic teachings about peace and social justice,. Frequent graphic violence in the context of war; disturbing images of child victims of burnings, mutilations, beatings, and gunplay; pervasive crude language; one instance of marital lovemaking and another of marital foreplay, some heroin and alcohol use; profanity and several racial epithets. (O, R)
Moneyball (Columbia)
Based on the book by Michael Lewis, this enjoyable, thinking person's sports movie centers on the real-life general manager of baseball's Oakland Athletics who, together with a young statistician, gambles on a new approach to the game and fields a team with a comparatively miniscule payroll. Director Bennett Miller has crafted a mature, humorous and modest film that will appeal to aficionados and nonfans alike. Respectful of America's pastime yet eager to spur positive change, it relays a timeless, double-headed piece of wisdom: Money can't buy baseball pennants or happiness. Two uses of rough language, some crude and crass language, an instance of sexual banter, a few sexist remarks and a scene in which a player's religiosity is treated in a sarcastic manner. (A-III, PG-13)
What's Your Number? (Fox)
Working from Karyn Bosnak's novel "20 Times a Lady," director Mark Mylod attempts to mine laughs from sexual promiscuity and a central character who is far too coarse and self-centered to win sympathy. Acceptance of casual sex, fleeting upper female and rear nudity, a few uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude language, frequent sexual references. (O, R)
—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.
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