By Chris Kavan - 02/28/18 at 10:32 AM CT
Another week, another rather ho-hum update. I'm still waiting for the board to send me something with some meat on its bones - but this week I'll have to contend with an animated sequel and a should-eventually-get-a-wide-release upper class teen murder thriller. I guess I can't complain too much - two is better than none but I just keep hoping that one of these weeks brings me a really juicy update (c'mon, gimme Solo already!). In any case, hopefully there's enough to be content with this time around.
Up first, and even though it's technically just a limited release (though odds are it will expand) is the privileged teen turned potential murderer in Thoroughbreds. Anya Taylor-Joy (of Witch and Split fame) plays Lily, the seemingly perfect upper-crust teen who seems to have it all and she tutors Amanda (Olivia Cooke), who has some mental issues of her own. Lily doesn't have a perfect life, however, and she really wants to get rid of her step-father, Mark (Paul Sparks) and murder seems like it's a good option. This seems like a pretty dark and twisted little thriller that proves even a seemingly perfect life hides dark secrets. Thoroughbreds also happens to features the last performance from Anton Yelchin, before his all-too early death. Given the subject matter it's little surprise this one is rated R for disturbing behavior, bloody images, language, sexual references, and some drug.
Aside from the dark thriller about teens plotting murder, we have much lighter fare in the pun-tastically-titled Sherlock Gnomes. This film is actually a follow-up to the also cleverly-named Gnomeo and Juliet. The films follows the loving couple (voiced by Emily Blunt and James McAvoy) who must hire the world's greatest (gnome) detective (voiced by Johnny Depp) when other garden ornaments start to go missing. The film is filled with plenty more talent including Chiwetel Ejiofor as Watson, Maggie Smith as Lady Bluebury, Michael Caine as Lord Redbrick, Stephen Merchant as Paris and Mary J. Blige as Irene. The first film topped out at just under $100 million domestic and nearly $200 million worldwide. It wasn't an amazing hit, but it was obviously profitable enough that this sequel was greenlit and plenty of talent lined up for it too. It will be interesting to see how it plays with audiences and if it can top the original. Rated PG for some rude and suggestive humor.
Those are the only two films of note this week, but hopefully things pick up a little in the coming weeks. You can still check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
ALWAYS AT THE CARLYLE
Rated PG-13 for some suggestive content, drug references and brief partial nudity.
BAO
Rated G
DAMASCUS COVER
Rated R for some violence and language.
DAPHNE & VELMA
Rated G
DON'T GROW UP
Rated R for disturbing violence, language throughout including some sexual references, and teen drug and alcohol use.
THE ESCAPE OF PRISONER 614
Rated PG-13 for smoking throughout, and for language.
THE FORGIVEN
Rated R for disturbing/violent content, and language throughout including some sexual references.
FUTURE WORLD
Rated R for violence, sexual content/nudity, language and drug use.
HIGH STRUNG: FREE DANCE
Rated PG for some language.
KIN
Rated PG-13 for gun violence and intense action, suggestive material, language, thematic elements and drinking.
AN ORDINARY MAN
Rated R for language, some nudity, and brief violence.
RBG
Rated PG for some thematic elements and language.
SHERLOCK GNOMES
Rated PG for some rude and suggestive humor.
THOROUGHBREDS
Rated R for disturbing behavior, bloody images, language, sexual references, and some drug content.
