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DVD/VIDEO REVIEWS week of January 18, 2010
This week's DVD and Blu-ray releases
The following are capsule reviews of new and recent DVD and Blu-ray releases from the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Theatrical movies have a USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating. These classifications refer only to the theatrical version of the films below, and do not take into account the discs' extra content.
August Rush
Unabashedly romantic fable in which an 11-year-old musical prodigy (Freddie Highmore) embarks on a search for the cellist mother (Keri Russell) and rock-singer father (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) from whom he was separated at birth through the machinations of his grandfather (William Sadler), encountering along the way a Fagin-like ex-musician (Robin Williams) who seeks to exploit him and a social worker (Terrence Howard) who tries to help him. Director Kristen Sheridan's warm-hearted tribute to the power of music blithely eschews all connection to reality, and will likely strike some as charmingly poetic and others as merely naive. An implied premarital sexual encounter, one use of profanity, one use of the S-word and one crass expression. Spanish language and titles options. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) (Warner Home Video; also available on Blu-ray.) 2007
Fort Apache, The Bronx
Paul Newman stars as a tough but compassionate police officer striving to do his job in a precinct that has the highest crime rate in New York City. Director Dan Petrie's standard urban melodrama is marked by excellent acting and fine cinematography but, though it has occasional insights, it tends to exploit a serious and tragic subject. Some tough scenes involving sex and violence. Spanish titles option. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) (HBO Home Video) 1981
Just Friends
Leaden romantic comedy about a former overweight "loser" (Ryan Reynolds) turned suave and successful ladies man, who, while waylaid in his New Jersey home town, pursues the affections of his high-school best friend and crush (Amy Smart), who back then only saw him through platonic eyes. Despite ending on an admirably sentimental note, director Roger Kumble's film is full of forced and witless humor that alternates between staggeringly unfunny and mean-spirited. Much cruel slapstick violence, some lewd sexual situations and humor, an erotic image, a crass sight gag, a brief same-sex kiss, an instance of rough language and some sexually crude remarks. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) (New Line Home Video) 2005
Kingdom of the Spiders (Special Edition)
Complacent community in Arizona finds itself suddenly besieged by a horde of hungry mutant tarantulas. Director John Cardos' camp chiller features William Shatner and Tiffany Bolling trying to stop the revolt-of-nature nightmare in a fairly routine but mindless entertainment for the undemanding. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) (Shout Factory) 1978
No Impact Man
Thought-provoking documentary charting a yearlong experiment by a New York City couple, author Colin Beavan and his journalist wife, Michelle Conlin, during which they gradually give up every aspect of their lifestyle that could cause a negative environmental effect, a formidable list of sacrifices that eventually includes all motorized transport, even elevators, all food not grown locally, disposable diapers for their toddler daughter, air conditioning, heating and electric lights. While their undertaking obviously carries conscientiousness to an extreme unlikely to be imitated by many, as captured by filmmakers Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein, the pioneering experience does have its potentially inspiring rewards in the form of increased exercise, improved diet and intensified family life, though the incidental portrait of a real-life marriage mixes mutual commitment with sometimes misguided reproductive values. Some rough and crude language, a half-dozen crass terms and birth control references. A-III --adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. (Oscilloscope Laboratories) (www.oscilloscope.net) 2009
Pandorum
Complex and deeply cliched sci-fi horror excursion in which two astronauts (Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster) awaken from an eight-year hypersleep to learn that their spacecraft, a sort of Noah's Ark designed to keep life from earth in existence, has a balky power plant and a violent past. Director Christian Alvart serves up a heaping helping of pesky mutants with ninja skills, but the largely routine proceedings are somewhat redeemed by a surprisingly upbeat double-twist ending. At least one rough term, occasional profane and crass language, and some martial arts and knife violence. Spanish language and titles options. A-III --adults. (R) (Starz/Anchor Bay; also available on Blu-ray) 2009
Streamers
Screen version of David Rabe's play about barracks tension exploding into violence during the early days of the Vietnam War creates sympathy for its characters (Matthew Modine, Michael Wright and Mitchell Lichtenstein), though the presentation itself remains too stagebound. Directed by Robert Altman, the essential problem with the movie, as with the play, is the attempt to load melodrama with heavy philosophical significance. Admirable intentions but disappointing results. Some violence and rough language. A-III --adults. (R) (Shout Factory) 1983
Whiteout
Lackluster thriller in which a federal marshal (Kate Beckinsale) and a U.N. official (Gabriel Macht) investigate a series of murders in Antarctica, assisted by a government medic (Tom Skerritt). Though there are some suspenseful snow-blinded confrontations with the killer, logic is among the casualties in director Dominic Sena's often grisly adaptation of Greg Rucka's graphic novel. Frequent gory images, brief streaking scene with full male nudity, partial female shower nudity, suicide, a few uses of profanity, and occasional rough and crude language. Spanish language and titles options. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) (Warner Home Video; also available on Blu-ray) 2009
Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic
merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating,
the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief
synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- A-IV**
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.