Downsizing, Den of Thieves, 15:17 to Paris and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

By Chris Kavan - 12/06/17 at 06:59 PM CT

After last week's near disaster of not having a thing to talk about, this week returns to normal with a trio of decent releases. Leading the charge is the latest from auteur Alexander Payne about going small to live big. There is also showdown between the law and an elite bank robbing crew with, of course, someone caught in the middle and finally we have a suitably topical drama about a terrorist plot on a Paris train (that happens to be directed by Clint Eastwood). In general, this is a solid update, just the kind I like and a trend that I hope continues.

MPAA Official Logo

Nebraska is about as far from Hollywood as you can get, but we have one ace up our sleeve and that ace is currently Alexander Payne. Payne has been nominated for several Oscars, as has several of the actors in those films. While his films often deal with broken relationships and always drama, I also have great respect for him - and not just because he makes Nebraska look good. Thus, I have little reason to doubt his latest film Downsizing, will be any different. Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig plays husband and wife Paul and Audrey Safranek, who take part in a revolutionary new technology that helps save the world while greatly increasing their social status. By shrinking themselves to four inches, they will help cut down on resource use while turning their meager savings into a kingly sum. Billed as a social satire, the film has been earning positive reviews on the festival circuit and could very well be an awards season contender. Rated R for language including sexual references, some graphic nudity and drug use.

If you want a bit more action in your life, don't worry, Christian Gudegast has got you covered with Den of Thieves. A huge cast including Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O'Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent, Evan Jones, Cooper Andrews, Maurice Compte, Jordan Bridges and Brian Van Holt play two sides of a gritty coin. One group comprises an elite group in the L.A. County detectives office, while the other is the most successful bank robbery crew. Their lives often intersect but things come to a head when the robbery crew decides to pull off the seemingly impossible task of taking down the Federal Reserve. It's got everything a good crime drama should - high stakes, big action and larger-than-life characters. Granted, I'm not sold that it will be enough to stand out in the crowd, but it should satisfy that basic need. Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality/nudity.

Last we have a timely drama from Clint Eastwood, who has had his hits and misses, but has given two great efforts in his most recent films American Sniper and Sully. The upcoming The 15:17 to Paris follows a group of American soldiers on a train bound for Paris who uncover a terrorist plot. Jenna Fischer, Judy Greer, Jaleel White, Tony Hale help headline the cast. There aren't a lot of details on this one yet, but Eastwood is usually solid, so I have a feeling this will play well with audiences. Sorry I don't have more, but we'll have to wait this one out as more details emerge. Rated R for a sequence of violence and bloody images.

There are plenty more films getting their due this week, so be sure to check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:


THE 15:17 TO PARIS

Rated R for a sequence of violence and bloody images. (Rating set for Appeal - stay tuned for further updates).


DEEP BLUE SEA 2

Rated R for creature violence and gore, and for language.

DEN OF THIEVES

Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality/nudity.


DOWNSIZING

Rated R for language including sexual references, some graphic nudity and drug use.


FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual material, language throughout, some violence and drug content.


FLOWER

Rated R for crude sexual content and language throughout, graphic nude drawings, some drug content and a brief violent image.


LORDS OF CHAOS

Rated R for strong brutal violence, disturbing behavior, grisly images, strong sexuality, nudity and pervasive language.


THE NEIGHBOR

Rated R for language, sexual content, brief violence and drug use.


REPLICAS

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, violence, disturbing images, some nudity and sexual references.


SPINNING MAN

Rated R for some language including sexual references.


STILL/BORN

Rated R for disturbing images, some violence and language.


TREW CALLING

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some language.

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