By Chris Kavan - 07/13/16 at 11:05 AM CT
Boldly going where we've gone several weeks before, we have another ratings bulletin. The biggest get has to be the latest Star Trek film but we also have a long-in-the-making documentary from auteur Terrence Malick and yet another film looking to capitalize on religion (albeit in a very misleading representation - but more on that later). This is the biggest update in quite awhile, but only a few films make the wide-release cut. Oh well, there's always next week.
First up is the third film in latest reboot of the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek Beyond. I admit, I have my misgivings - first, J.J. Abrams has moved on to a different sci-fi franchise and Justin Lin (best known for directing several of the Fast and Furious films) has taken over. I just hope they finally move beyond re-hashing the earlier films and move on to some originality. If anything, I hope it's a fitting sendoff for the late Anton Yelchin - who certainly died far too soon. Oh, and apparently Sulu is totally gay you guys. Anyway, the film has almost been overshadowed by the headlines, but I just hope it turns out decent. Once again, all the main cast are back (Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho and Yelchin) and they are joined by Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella this time around. The plot essentially follows the Enterprise and crew on their first mission to uncharted space and, of course, they run into a violent alien species who threatens the Federation to its core. Anyways, this one is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence.
Now, I won't say I'm the biggest fan of director Terrence Malick. His films are an acquired taste, better suited to big-city critics than standard cinema-goers. Still, I did catch Tree of Life - and wasn't exactly impressed. However, one scene in the film, depicting essentially the creation of the world (and a quick history of Earth) was apparently just a short part leading up to Malick's Voyage of Time. This documentary is a big labor of love - seeing as it took the better part of 30 years to be finalized. I don't know how it will turn out other than to say it follows the birth and death of the universe and that Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are the narrators. This could be big, bold and beautiful or it would be an utterly confusing mess. Ambitious doesn't even scratch the surface, though I don't know how this will appeal to the everyday film-goer. Still, much like Boyhood, this is a huge project and shows a lot of dedication. We'll see how it turns out for Malick. Rated PG-13 for a sequence of nudity, and some disturbing images.
That leaves me to talk about a film I really don't even want to acknowledge is even coming out, but because it's a wide release, I have to at least make some mention of I'm Not Ashamed. Religious films tend to fall into two camps - those that use religion as a supporting player, and yet manage to integrate it into the story with some decency and films that use religion as a sledgehammer and pander to the masses with subtlety of Sharknado in 3D. I'm Not Ashamed is certainly among the latter crowd. It takes a very real and tragic event (the Columbine Shootings) and attempts to frame it as some deep religious experience. It follows Rachel Joy Scott - the first person killed in the shootings but it seems just about everything else in the film is essentially framed to inject Christianity into the mix no matter how much they have to change the facts. This includes portraying Joy as an outcast for her religious leanings (by all accounts she was quite popular) and making Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold into atheists (they were church-goers themselves). But who cares about the real story when you can push your agenda using a true human tragedy as your backdrop. Sorry - I'll usually let most drivel like God's Not Dead 2 get by with an eye-roll, but something like this actually makes me pretty angry. It's propaganda, clear and simple and I'm ashamed this ever got green-lit. Rated PG-13 for thematic material, teen drinking and smoking, disturbing violent content and some suggestive situations.
That's the big movies coming out in the near future, but be sure to check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
ARLO: THE BURPING PIG
Rated G
AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY
Rated R for language throughout, sexual content, some drug material and violent images.
BILAL: A NEW BREED OF HERO
Rated PG-13 for violence/warfare and some thematic elements.
THE BLEEDER
Rated R for language throughout, drug use, sexuality/nudity and some bloody images.
THE BROOKLYN BANKER
Rated R for violence and language.
COLONIA
Rated R for language and some violence/torture.
FREE FIRE
Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, sexual references and drug use.
GLEASON
Rated R for language.
I'M NOT ASHAMED
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, teen drinking and smoking, disturbing violent content and some suggestive situations.
IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE
Rated R for bloody violence and language throughout.
THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK
Rated PG for some suggestive material and brief smoking images.
MY BLIND BROTHER
Rated R for language, some sexuality and drug use.
PHANTOM BOY
Rated PG for thematic elements, violence and a suggestive situation.
STAR TREK BEYOND
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
Rated R for sexual content, violence, some language, and brief partial nudity.
VOYAGE OF TIME
Rated PG-13 for a sequence of nudity and some disturbing images.
