By Chris Kavan - 11/20/18 at 10:55 PM CT
As a lot of us prepare to gorge ourselves and have a family gathering of various sizes - the MPAA Ratings Boards isn't laying down. The update this week is a bit on the light side, but given the upcoming holiday, I guess a little is better than none at all. We're getting another version of Spider-Man - this one very much animated and we're also getting yet another heart-warming canine caper about a wayward pup finding her way home. It's kind of a family affair all around, with a few other films thrown in for you wild limited release fans.
Superheroes aren't just live-action affairs, but it has been awhile since we've been gifted a true animated superhero film in theaters (Teen Titans aside). It will be interesting to see how Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse does with fans, but if early reactions are any indication, it's going to be a big hit. In fact, many are reporting this is not just the best Spider-Man movie, but the best superhero movie of the year (you know, a year which gave us Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Deadpool 2). The film doesn't have anything to do with the MCU and follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) who finds himself crossing several parallel dimensions and teaming up with various other versions of Spider-Man to stop a threat that could destroy all realities. Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) voices an older version of the classic hero, who acts a mentor for Miles. The film also boasts a lot of other talent including Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacey (and Spider-Gwen), Liev Schreiber as Kingpin, Mahershala Ali as Aaron Davis, Lily Tomlin as Aunt May, John Mulaney as Spider-Ham (or Spider-Pig as I like to call him), Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis, Kimiko Glenn as Peni Parker (aka SP//dr) and even Nicolas Cage as Noir Spider-Man (because, why not?). And that animation - it looks damn slick - one of the best-looking animated films out there - it certainly stands out among the typical Pixar/Illumination films. I know early reactions don't always pan out, but I have a feeling this is going to play well not just among its target audience, but general audiences as well. It's tough to call if it will do as well as a traditional super-hero film, but I wouldn't count it out. Rated PG for frenetic
sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild language.
If an animated super-hero isn't up your alley, maybe your family can appreciate a really cute dog tale. Bryce Dallas Howard is here to voice Bella in the next heart-warming classic A Dog's Way Home. Based on the novel (by the same author who wrote A Dog's Purpose) the film follows Bella, who is inadvertently left behind by her owners, and embarks on a 400-mile journey to find them again. I mean, can I just say... Baaaaaaaw - if you can't get behind such a sweet movie, you are a monster. Granted, I know I'm not going to watch this in theaters, but I won't deny your family this cuteness overload of a movie. Alexandra Shipp, Ashley Judd, Edward James Olmos, Barry Watson, Wes Studi, Chris Bauer and Jonah Hauer-King round out the human cast. This looks just like the sweetest film - and as long as it has a little meat to go with that heart, it will probably attract plenty of attention. Rated PG for thematic elements, some peril and language.
While those are the big films for the week, be sure to check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
THE ADVENTURES OF JURASSIC PET
Rated PG for mild action.
ALL IS TRUE
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, suggestive material and language.
COMPTON'S FINEST
Rated R for language throughout, violence, drug content and some sexual material.
THE CURRENT WAR
Rated PG-13 for some disturbing/violent images, and thematic elements.
A DOG'S WAY HOME
Rated PG for thematic elements, some peril and language.
MAKING THE FIVE HEARTBEATS
Rated PG-13 for suggestive material and thematic elements.
NON-FICTION (aka DOUBLE LIVES)
Rated R for some language and sexuality/nudity.
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Rated PG for frenetic sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements and mild language.
