DVD/VIDEO REVIEWS week of October 19, 2009
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.
Easy Rider Anniversary Edition
Two drifters (Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper), with a wad of cash from a drug transaction, motorcycle through the Southwest encountering a disparate variety of Americans (standout is Jack Nicholson as a small-town lawyer) on their way to a tragic end in New Orleans. Also directed by Hopper, the journey may lead nowhere but the beauty of the natural landscape provides a lyrical context for this excursion through the troubled byways of American life at the time. Thoughtful and provocative, it is marred by some graphic violence, a foggy mixture of sex and religion and a benign view of drugs. Spanish titles option. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; this edition Blu-ray only) 1969
Monsoon Wedding
Exuberant ensemble comedy set in present-day India follows several subplots which spin out from the central story of the days leading up to an arranged marriage ceremony in the Punjabi culture. Modernity and tradition jostle to find common ground in director Mira Nair's intoxicating and vibrant film which positively depicts a close-knit, loving family, some of whom finally let loose long-suppressed secrets. Subtitles. An implied sexual encounter, an extramarital affair, some sexual references and sporadic rough and crass language. A-III --adults. (R) (Criterion Collection; also available on Blu-ray) 2002
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Steve Martin plays a hapless traveler trying to get from New York to Chicago in time to have Thanksgiving with his family but, among other disasters and discomforts, planes are grounded, trains break down and even automobiles catch fire. Adding to the disagreeable experiences of the journey is fellow traveler John Candy in director John Hughes' comedy which, though uneven, does have its truly hilarious moments. Some very rough language and sexual references. Spanish language and titles options. A-III --adults. (R) (Paramount Home Entertainment) 1987
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Overlong, mindlessly violent action adventure sequel in which a college freshman (Shia LaBeouf) and his girlfriend (Megan Fox) assist a group of friendly, shape-shifting alien robots as they battle to defend humanity against the designs of a hostile horde of similar creatures. Derived from the back story of a line of Hasbro toys, director Michael Bay's globe-trotting explosion fest offers only a modicum of human interest amid the thunderous special effects. Pervasive action violence, brief rear nudity, brief nongraphic nonmarital sexual activity, drug use, occasional rough and crude and some crass language, and frequent sexual references. Spanish language and titles options.
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) (DreamWorks Home Entertainment; 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.
** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.