The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Blake Lively star in a scene from the movie “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.” (CNS photo/Warner Bros.) By John Mulderig Catholic News Service Overcrowded but mostly enjoyable romance sequel updating the lives of four friends (Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively and Alexis Bledel) as they pursue disparate adventures during the summer after their first year in college. While director Sanaa Hamri’s lightweight adaptation of Ann Brashares’ novels promotes youthful self-confidence, it also takes a somewhat permissive view of teen sexuality. Implied nonmarital sexual activity, condom use, suicide theme, a couple of profanities, and one crude and a few crass words; acceptable for older adolescents. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Warner Bros.)

Pineapple Express

James Franco, Danny McBride and Seth Rogen star in a scene from the movie “Pineapple Express.” (CNS photo/Sony) By John Mulderig Catholic News Service A pot-smoking process server (Seth Rogen) and his pusher (James Franco) go on the lam after he accidentally witnesses a rub-out by a drug lord (Gary Cole) and a corrupt policewoman (Rosie Perez) and leaves a joint of the rare titular breed of marijuana at the scene. A muted anti-drug message and an over-the-top celebration of friendship fail to redeem director David Gordon Green’s frenzied, vulgar and excessively violent action comedy. Graphic mayhem, including mutilation, drug use, sexual humor, pervasive rough and crude language, and several profanities. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O – morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (Columbia/Relativity)

Frozen River

Melissa Leo stars in a scene from the movie “Frozen River.” (CNS photo/Sony Pictures Classics) By John Mulderig Catholic News Service Two cash-strapped women in upstate New York – one (Misty Upham) a widowed Mohawk, the other (Melissa Leo) a white working-class mother of two sons (Charlie McDermott and James Reilly) abandoned by her gambling-addicted husband – are driven to smuggle undocumented aliens from Canada across the ice-bound St. Lawrence River into the United States for pay. Writer-director Courtney Hunt’s somber, understated but dramatically effective feature debut is an unflinching study of hard times, racial divisions, the plight of migrants and the lure of fast money, though it also ultimately celebrates barrier-transcending friendship, rediscovered decency and quiet, self sacrificing heroism. Human trafficking theme, some rough and crude language, and a brief strip club scene without nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (Sony Classics)

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Maria Bello and Brendan Fraser star in a scene from the movie “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.” (CNS photo/Universal) By John Mulderig Catholic News Service Lavish but lightweight adventure sequel in which an archaeologist (Luke Ford) joins forces with his explorer father (Brendan Fraser) and scholar mother (Maria Bello) to prevent the titular resurrected ruler (Jet Li) from reviving his terracotta legions to tyrannize the world, while falling for the immortal maiden (Isabella Leong) who holds the secret to the monarch’s destruction. Director Rob Cohen’s breathlessly paced epic is long on special effects and battle sequences and, though short on wit or convincing emotion, does feature respectable family values and a positive image of a marital partnership. Moderate action violence, brief innuendo, some crass language and a couple of profanities. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Universal)

Swing Vote

Kevin Costner and Madeline Carroll star in a scene from the movie “Swing Vote.” (CNS photo/Touchstone) By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service Smartly made if unabashedly formulaic comedy about a beer-chugging, slovenly single father (Kevin Costner) whose civically minded child (Madeline Carroll) surreptitiously tries to vote on his behalf, leading to an anomaly where his vote will determine the U.S. presidential race between the incumbent Republican (Kelsey Grammer) and his Democratic rival (Dennis Hopper). Costner and Carroll have good chemistry, though his character’s predictable reformation takes annoyingly long, but the important messages of director and co-writer Joshua Michael Stern’s film – the importance of every vote and the integrity of the political process – are entertainingly conveyed, and the script wisely takes a nonpartisan position. Much crude language, profanity and crass expressions; heavy drinking; brief irreverence; and some domestic discord. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Touchstone)

Brideshead Revisited

Hayley Atwell stars in a scene from the movie “Brideshead Revisited.” (CNS photo/Miramax) By John Mulderig Catholic News Service Well acted and lushly outfitted, but substantially re-imagined, screen version of Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel about a middle-class 1920s Oxford University student (Matthew Goode) who becomes entangled with an aristocratic Catholic dynasty through his almost romantic friendship with its younger son (Ben Whishaw), subsequently clashing with its misguided matriarch (Emma Thompson) and pursuing an adulterous affair with her elder daughter (Hayley Atwell). Director Julian Jarrold’s sweeping period drama transforms a Catholic convert’s meditation on God’s grace into a cautionary tale about the negative effects of guilt-inflicting religious fundamentalism. Nongraphic adulterous sexual activity, brief rear nudity, a passing same-sex kiss, and occasional crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Miramax/BBC)

Step Brothers

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star in a scene from the movie “Step Brothers.” (CNS photo/Sony) By John Mulderig Catholic News Service Frantic confrontational comedy in which two middle-age but immature stay-at-home sons, one a would-be singer (Will Ferrell), the other an aspiring drummer (John C. Reilly), become unwilling roommates and violent rivals after their respective single parents (Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins) wed, later bonding as friends based on their common hatred of the former’s smarmily successful younger brother (Adam Scott). Affirmations of familial loyalty and enduring idealism lose out, in director and co-writer Adam McKay’s film, to all manner of distasteful excess. Nongraphic premarital and adulterous sexual activity, frontal male nudity, pervasive sexual and scatological humor, drug and pornography references, pervasive rough and crude language, and some profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O – morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson star in a scene from the movie “The X-Files: I Want to Believe.” (CNS photo/20th Century Fox) By John Mulderig Catholic News Service Second big-screen version of the long-running TV series in which two former FBI agents, one now a full-time doctor (Gillian Anderson) and the other a fugitive (David Duchovny), are recruited by a current bureau official (Amanda Peet) to work with a purportedly psychic disgraced priest (Billy Connolly) to solve a kidnapping. Director and co-writer Chris Carter’s rather ordinary film touches on issues of faith, forgiveness and medical ethics, but treats them only superficially as it pursues an unlikely, somewhat ghoulish plotline. Action violence, surgical gore including severed limbs and body parts, implied nonmarital relationship, sexual references, occasional crude and crass language and a profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Fox)

Boy A

Katie Lyons and Andrew Garfield star in a scene from the movie “Boy A.” (CNS photo/Weinstein) By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service Achingly sad and touching story of a sensitive young man (stunning work by Andrew Garfield) – released from prison after 14 years for a dreadful crime in which he took part as a child – who, with the help of a concerned caseworker (Peter Mullan), tries to start anew with an assumed name working at a delivery company where he bonds with one co-worker (Shaun Evans) and falls in love with another (Katie Lyons). Director John Crowley’s adaptation of John Trigell’s novel is bleak, heart-wrenching, morally complex and thought-provoking in its themes of forgiveness, redemption, the negative influence of the media and the human tendency to judge without knowing the facts. Rough language and profanity, crude expressions, nongraphic sexual situations and frank discussion, fleeting upper female nudity, bodily violence, off-screen murder, suicide and brief drug use. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (Weinstein)

The Dark Knight

Christian Bale, back, and Heath Ledger star in a scene from the movie “The Dark Knight.” (CNS photo/Warner Bros.) By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service Tumultuous, technically dazzling – if overlong and excessively complex – sequel to “Batman Begins” as the chiropteran crusader (Christian Bale) is challenged by the anarchic Joker (Heath Ledger) to reveal his true identity or else scores will die, while a romantic rival for his ex-girlfriend’s (Maggie Gyllenhaal) affections – the upstanding district attorney (Aaron Eckhart), working in tandem with the city’s crime unit chief (Gary Oldman) – strives to bring integrity to corrupt Gotham. Ledger is electrifying in his last completed performance, while director and co-writer Christopher Nolan brings consummate polish to the creation of a chaotic and brutal milieu, albeit one relieved by underlying decency. Bloodless but intense action violence including shootings, explosions and vehicular mayhem, but virtually no objectionable language or sexual elements. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Warner Bros./Legendary)