By Chris Kavan - 10/26/16 at 11:01 AM CT
I was worried as I started this list this week as the first few movies on the MPAA Ratings Bulletin either didn't have a release date at all or only had an international date set up. Luckily, things picked up and this wound up being a solid week. We have the sci-fi adventure/romance with Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, a coming-of-age tale that doesn't shy away from the tough issues and an uplifting drama about a very important group of women that, until now, were relegated to a footnote in history. All in all, it looks like a very promising week - just the kind I like.
By far one of the more promising sci-fi films on the horizon looks to be Passengers. In essence a two-person drama, the film follows a colony ship launched far in to space - and what happens when the sleep pods malfunction and two people, Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) and James Preston (Chris Pratt) wake up 90 years too early. Of course they get to know one another, maybe even fall in love but that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of drama as the trailers make it look like there are more serious issues to deal with than a couple of sleep pod malfunctions. This film will either solidify Pratt as a leading man (Lawrence is already well and truly a star) or fall flat if the leads don't have the right chemistry. I think it's going to work but even if it's not as good as advertised, it's certainly looks like one of the more unique movies coming out at the end of the year. Rated PG-13 for sexuality, nudity and action/peril.
There have seemingly been a million coming-of-age films that have come out of Hollywood. Some are bland, some are weak but others find the right balance between strength and emotion and when you find that spot you truly have something special. While the trailer paints Edge of Seventeen as being somewhat bleak for a teen drama, I still think it looks like one of the better offerings simply because it doesn't pull its punches. Hailee Steinfeld hasn't been offered enough meaty roles in my opinion. She broke out True Grit, but hasn't landed that signature role in my opinion. This movie could change all that. It looks like she finally has a real chance to shine and with Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, Blake Jenner, Haley Lu Richardson and Alexander Calvert on board - the supporting cast looks just as good. The story follows Nadine (Steinfeld) who has enough drama in her life without having her best friend, Krista (Richardson) dating her ever-so-perfect older brother (Jenner). The movie earns an R for for sexual content, language and some drinking - all involving teens - so it's not afraid to go the realistic route. I hope this movie does well, I'm rooting for all involved.
Too often history forgets to acknowledge those that deserve the most recognition. Sometimes people wind up on the wrong side of history (as the winners do write the history) but, other times, it simply comes down to simple factors that shouldn't matter but so often do: race and gender. In the case of Hidden Figures, a group of African-American women, great mathematicians all, give NASA critical data to launch the first successful space mission but, and stay with me here, I bet you can't name a single on of them without going to Google. I guess that's why we need movies like Hidden Figures - to remind us that white males aren't the only important people on this planet. And what a cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Mahershala Ali, Kirsten Dunst, Kevin Costner, Aldis Hodge and Jim Parsons all lend their considerable talent to a true-story that has gone overlooked for far too long. Sure, I'm guessing certain liberties are going to be taken and it may be too sweet for its own good - but I'm glad Hollywood can still find stories to tell that are worth paying attention to. Rated PG for thematic elements and some language.
Those are the big three for the week, but make sure to check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
ALONE IN BERLIN
Rated R for brief violence.
BAD KIDS OF CRESTVIEW ACADEMY
Rated R for bloody violent content, sexual material, nudity, language throughout, drug and alcohol use-all involving teens.
BELIEVE
Rated PG for some violence, thematic elements and brief mild language.
THE DUELIST
Rated R for strong violence and some sexuality/nudity.
THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN
Rated R for sexual content, language and some drinking - all involving teens.
HIDDEN FIGURES
Rated PG for thematic elements and some language.
I AM BOLT
Rated PG for language and mild thematic elements.
LONDON TOWN
Rated R for some sexual material and language.
OFFICER DOWNE
Rated R for brutal bloody stylized violence throughout, a strong prolonged sex scene with nudity, and pervasive language.
PASSENGERS
Rated PG-13 for sexuality, nudity and action/peril.
THE BEAUTIFUL FANTASTIC
Rated PG for some thematic material and language.
TINI: THE MOVIE ( TINI: EL GRAN CAMBIO DE VIOLETTA )
Rated G.
