By Chris Kavan - 03/09/16 at 12:33 PM CT
While the overall update this week is light on quantity, it is certainly looking better on quality. There are some anticipated ratings on my part at least, including another film that got in by the skin of its teeth. We have a movie short entirely in the first-persona perspective, a horror spinoff/ maybe sequel in a confined space, another horror title that has been in production for seemingly ages and a fantasy sequel going ahead without its main star. All that, plus a few other odds and ends and we have a legitimate bulletin.
Coming up first is the movie that is coming up first - this weekend brings us the horror film 10 Cloverfield Lane. Originally titles simply "The Cellar", the film starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher Jr. takes place mostly in the confines of an underground shelter. Goodman plays Howard, who saves Michelle (Winstead) following a car crash and holds her in his underground shelter/prison as he is convinced the topside has suffered a major chemical attack and any attempt to leave would result in death. At first I was wary of the setup, but I have to say the more I thought about the premise, the more intrigued I became. The claustrophobic aspect and mainly relying on the three actors to play out the story has me further convinced this could work. I'm interested to see how they work in the original Cloverfield to this film, but even if it's just a casual acquaintance, I'm still willing to take the chance. The film is rated PG-13 for thematic material including frightening sequences of threat with some violence, and brief language.
When I first saw the trailer for Hardcore Henry (simply titled Hardcore at that time), I was hooked. A lot of movies have been based off of video games (and the vast majority of them are terrible - many average at best) but this is the first film I can say looks exactly like a video game. For a lot of people, that may be a turnoff, but the whole first-person perspective - running, gunfights, car chases, explosions, fights - looks exhilarating and simply kind of awesome. Essentially the audience plays Henry who is rescued from death by a woman claiming to be his wife - augmented to the the extreme, only to see her shortly after kidnapped by a warlord and he then starts fighting through an army of enemies to get her back. Co-stars Tim Roth, Sharlto Copley, Haley Bennett and Cyrus Arnold. The film looks bonkers - in a good way - and I, for one, am looking forward to see how this craziness plays out. Rated R for non-stop bloody brutal violence and mayhem, language throughout, sexual content/nudity and drug use.
When I first heard that Kristen Stewart wasn't coming back for the Snow White and the Huntsman sequel, my first thought was, how can there be a sequel without the main character? Turns out they're giving Chris Hemsworth the chance to shine with The Huntsman: Winter's War. He returns, along with the Charlize Theron as the evil (ex) queen Ravenna and at least a couple of the dwarfs (Nick Frost and Sam Claflin). They are joined by Emily Blunt as Ravenna's sister, Freya, the Ice Queen as well as Jessica Chastain as the Huntsman's female partner, the kickass Sara. Essentially Freya saves her sister and the two plot to dominate the land, no matter who they have to take out and it comes down to the Huntsman and Sara to stop them. Hardly original and kind of suspect, but it may be worth catching on streaming some day. This was earns a PG-13 for fantasy action violence and some sensuality.
Finally we have Amityville: The Awakening. This film has been in production for awhile - back when it was first known as Amityville: The Lost Tapes. It has gone through a few different date changes and has now been pushed to Jan. 2017 (we'll see if it stays there). It was originally rated R but has since been revised to a PG-13 for for disturbing horror violence and terror, suggestive images, brief language and thematic material. The film seems to follow a family moving into the infamous haunted house where at first things seems to be going well - but malevolent forces, of course, soon become known. Stars Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bella Thorne, Jennifer Morrison, Cameron Monaghan, Kurtwood Smith and Thomas Mann. As far as horror films go, January seems a safer bet, but I don't hold out much anticipation for this reboot or re-imagining or whatever you want to call it.
That's your main entries, but be sure to check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
Rated PG-13 for thematic material including frightening sequences of threat with some violence, and brief language.
AMITYVILLE: THE AWAKENING
Rated PG-13 for disturbing horror violence and terror, suggestive images, brief language and thematic material.
NOTE: EDITED FOR RE-RATE. PREVIOUS "R" RATING, BULLETIN NO. 2372 (5/1/15) VOIDED. ONLY THIS EDITED VERSION IS RATED.
The film was previously submitted under the title Amityville: The Reawakening and was rated R for strong horror violence and for language.
HARDCORE HENRY
Rated R for non-stop bloody brutal violence and mayhem, language throughout, sexual content/nudity and drug use.
THE HUNTSMAN WINTER'S WAR
Rated PG-13 for fantasy action violence and some sensuality.
THE LAST FACE
Rated R for strong bloody violence including disturbing images of war atrocities, language, and brief sexuality.
LIFE ON THE LINE
Rated R for some violence/grisly images and brief strong language.
QUACKERZ
Rated PG for rude and suggestive humor, and some action.
THE RENDEZVOUS
Rated PG-13 for violence including some bloody images, and for brief language.
SATANIC
Rated R for bloody horror violence, language throughout, brief nudity and some drug use.
SPACE DOGS: ADVENTURE TO THE MOON
Rated G
