By Chris Kavan - 11/15/17 at 11:01 AM CT
There's a lot to cover this week as it looks like the ratings board is going to pile on the ratings before filling up on Thanksgiving. Besides giants robots and a universe-spanning adventure, we have high-stakes poker, Taliban fighting roughnecks, business complications in Mexico and... uh, crazy rich Asians. There's a lot to soak in, for once, and I don't mind having my work cut out for me - nothing like spreading things out, huh guys? Well, feast or famine, rarely anything in between, so let's not beat around the bush anymore.
The original Pacific Rim had everything going for it - big robots fighting big monsters, Guillermo del Toro, Idris Elba - but despite this seemingly perfect alignment, the film really was underwhelming - $411 worldwide on a $190 million budget. That's why it's kind of surprising we're getting Pacific Rim Uprising. We still have giant robots fighting giant monsters, but Del Toro is out and Steven S. DeKnight is in. Scott Eastwood, Adria Arjona and John Boyega are joining some familiar faces from the original - Charlie Day and Rinko Kikuchi, as a new generation of Jaeger pilots, who face a new threat of even bigger and badder kaiju after thinking the war was over. The trailer makes this one look much like the original, which may be both a good and bad thing. I'm thinking they dialed down the budget on this one a bit. Still, you just can't beat robots beating on monsters and I have a feeling this is going to be a lot of fun. Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and some language.
Truth is always stranger than fiction. No matter how crazy people think they can get - real life always provides something infinitely more outrageous. Hence, Mollys's Game, which follows the true story of Molly Bloom (played by Jessica Chastain), an Olympic-class skier who also happened to run one of the most exclusive high-stakes poker games in the world and ran afoul of the FBI when the Russian mob took an interest in her game. While the tabloids and media had a field day, she found an ally in her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) who learned there was much more to Molly than what was widely reported. This has all the hallmarks of an awards season favorite - true story, big names, high drama - and, because of the Kevin Spacey scandal, Molly's Game now has the prime spot at closing out the AFI Fest after All the Money in the World was scrapped. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a few nominations thrown its way. Rated R for language, drug content and some violence.
I admit that I didn't realize that Crazy Rich Asians was even a thing before I saw it pop up on movies coming soon. But it is an incredibly popular trilogy by Kevin Kwan and looks to bring a much-needed boost to one of the most marginalized groups (at least in the U.S.). I mean, really, besides Fresh Off the Boat, there isn't a lot of Asian representation out there. Crazy Rich Asians boasts a fantastic cast - Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Ronny Chieng, Gemma Chan, Harry Shum Jr., Sonoya Mizuno and Jimmy O. Yang - for starters. The film follows Rachel Chu (Wu), an American-born Chinese economics professor who is dating Nick (Golding), and accompanies him back to his home town in Singapore for his best friend's wedding. Once there, she learns the truth - Nick is from one of the wealthiest families in the country and is considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Asia, meaning that everyone in his rarefied social circle wants him - and will do everything in their power to bring Rachel down. If the film can bring in more than an Asian audience, it could blow up huge. Rated PG-13 for some suggestive content and language.
One of the most beloved young adult novels is getting another makeover. Based on the book from Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time follows Meg Murry (Storm Reid) on an adventure to find her missing scientist father (Chris Pine) that spans time and space. A trio of peculiar beings, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which (Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Oprah Winfrey) facilitate this journey to space. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Peña, Levi Miller and Will McCormack round out the cast. Ava DuVernay (who also directed the hard-hitting Selma) looks to bring justice to this much-loved novel and considering the amount of talent involved, I would say it's in good hands. Rated PG for thematic elements and some peril.
If war is more your thing, don't worry because 12 Strong has got your back. Also based on a true story, the film follows the Special Forces team sent to Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks. Under the leadership of a new captain, the team must join forces with a local warlord in order to take down the Taliban threat in the area. Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Taylor Sheridan, Michael Peña, Rob Riggle and Elsa Pataky lead the cast in what is sure to be a rousing story - and did I mention these soldiers go in on horseback? Whatever the case, war movies can play big (thing American Sniper or Act of Valor or Lone Survivor) or they can be largely forgotten (like the recent Thank You for Your Service) - let's hope this group makes their mark in a good way. - Rated R for war violence and language throughout.
Finally we have the high stakes world of pharmaceutical business dealings with Gringo. Things are a little sparse when it comes to this action/comedy that follows a businessman with a stake in said pharmaceutical company that is about to go public but has other things to worry about after an incident in Mexico throws his life into turmoil. This boasts an impressive cast as well - Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton, Amanda Seyfried, Sharlto Copley, Michael Angarano, Kenneth Choi, Alan Ruck and even Paris Jackson (yes, daughter of the late, great Michael Jackson) are all in on the fun. Should be a riot! Rated R for language throughout, violence and sexual content.
Thanks for sticking through this major update - you've made it this far, may as well check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
12 STRONG
Rated R for war violence and language throughout.
ACTS OF VIOLENCE
Rated R for violence, language throughout, sexuality/nudity and drug material.
BIG FISH & BEGONIA
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief nudity.
CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Rated PG-13 for some suggestive content and language.
THE DEATH OF STALIN
Rated R for language throughout, violence and some sexual references.
DOWN A DARK HALL
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, terror and violence, some language including a sexual reference, and smoking.
FOXTROT
Rated R for some sexual content including graphic images and brief drug use.
GRINGO
Rated R for language throughout, violence and sexual content.
MOLLY'S GAME
Rated R for language, drug content and some violence.
MONSTERS AT LARGE
Rated PG for some action and rude humor.
PACIFIC RIM UPRISING
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and some language.
STRATTON
Rated R for strong violence, and language.
A WRINKLE IN TIME
Rated PG for thematic elements and some peril.
