By Chris Kavan - 03/27/19 at 10:57 AM CT
It's a very healthy bulletin this week with a robust four big films getting their ratings due. Now, personally, I can't say any of these really excite me - but I get what I can take and I guess as long as they continue to give me something to write about, more is better. The best of the bunch has Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling teaming up for a comedy about a late night host losing her touch. There is also an animated film about an abominable snowman, a romance based on a best-selling novel and yet another inspirational faith-leaning film. So, one film I might consider watching in the future and three I will probably never see. Yay?
Starting with the one film that looks the best in my eyes, Late Night. The film follows long-time talk show host Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompso), considered a pioneer - as well as someone who seems to abhor other women. In order to appease her critics, she hires Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling) to join her other-wise all-male writing team. But this move to save face may be too little too late as Newbury realizes her job is finally on the chopping block but Patel, unwilling to be just the token woman, makes it her goal to not only save the show - and Newbury's career, but spark even bigger changes in the process. While this film seems like it may be trying to hard to appeal to the MeToo crowed, Thompson and Kaling are both hugely talented and if they can elevate this, while still being funny, it has promise. Plus the supporting cast looks pretty good: Ike Barinholtz, John Lithgow, Hugh Dancy, Amy Ryan and Denis O'Hare lead the charge. Director Nisha Ganatra has a bigger body of work in television (including episodes of Transparent, The Mindy Project, Dear White People and Brooklyn Nine-Nine), but also has the food-theme Cake and Chutney Popcorn on her resume. I'm sure this will appeal to a mostly female crowd but has the potential to branch out given the talent involved. Rated R for language throughout and some sexual references.
Next on the list is a genre I tend to mostly avoid - romance - and especially the teen-centric kind. I don't care if it's based on some world-wide phenomena, I'm pretty sure that After isn't going to be on my to-watch list. Apparently the reason the series became so popular was that originally author Anna Todd based the main male characters on beloved One Direction members Harry Styles and Zayn, with innocent Tessa Young becoming embroiled in a love affair. When she switched from online publishing to landing a book deal, Harry Styles was changed to Hardin Scott, but the relationship remained the same. It was a huge hit online and quickly became a best-seller when hitting book form. Thus we get to follow the big-screen version with Josephine Langford portraying Tessa, Hero Fiennes Tiffin (what a name!) as Hardin Scott (aka the "bad boy") and Selma Blair as her strict mother. Peter Gallagher, Jennifer Beals, Meadow Williams, Samuel Larsen, Dylan Arnold and Inanna Sarkis are also on board. People who like this sort of thing will surely rush out - though in reading up this seems to be 50 Shades of Grey - teen edition - so I'm no sure what kind of message it's going for. In any case, another one for the women out there. Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some college partying.
There is no shortage of animated films coming out this year, but I don't think that Abominable is going to wind up as one of the more memorable ones. The Dreamworks film doesn't have a lot to go on right now - I guess it follows a young, magical yeti trying to find a way back to his family. I mean, okay, I guess? Cast information is also a bit lacking - Albert Tsai is apparently voicing the wayward yeti with Sarah Paulson on as a doctor of some sort along with Chloe Bennet and Tenzing Norgay Trainor voicing other yetis. Wish I had more to share, but things are a bit sparse at the moment, which is also why I'm not giving this much of a chance at major success - but animated films (even those that come out in the fall) can surprise. Rated PG for some action and mild rude humor.
Last I guess I have to talk about Overcomer, which looks like it falls into my least favorite genre, that of the faith-based variety. I know this because it comes from Affirm Films, behind Miracles from Heaven, Heaven is for Real and War Room among many others. And the plot follows the trials of Coach John Harrison (Alex Kendrick) who watches as the largest manufacturing plant in his town shuts down - and hundreds of families leave for greener pastures. It also decimates the school's basketball team, leaving Coach Harrison to an uncertain future, as her reluctantly switches to coach cross-country instead. But both he and his wife, Amy (Shari Rigby) find themselves rooting for the most unlikely of athletes, one who will change their lives. I mean, not all faith-based films are bad (Affirm Films also has Soul Surfer on their list), but nothing about this screams anything but generic, feel-good story with a bit of faith thrown in for good measure. There are no huge names here - Ben Davies, Priscilla C. Shirer, Elizabeth Becka and Cameron Arnett round out the cast - but it should play well with its target audience as do most faith-based films. Rated PG for some thematic elements.
Those are the big films getting their ratings due this week, but be sure to check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
ABOMINABLE
Rated PG for some action and mild rude humor.
AFTER
Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some college partying.
ANASTASIA
Rated PG for brief violence.
FINDING JULIA
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, sexuality, violent/bloody images and language.
HAUNT
Rated R for horror violence/gore, and language throughout.
IN FABRIC
Rated R for strong sexual content including a scene of aberrant behavior, and some bloody images.
THE LAST BLACk MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
Rated R for language, brief nudity and drug use.
LATE NIGHT
Rated R for language throughout and some sexual references.
MAIDEN
Rated PG for language, thematic elements, some suggestive content and brief smoking images.
MAKE AMERICA WHITE (GREAT) AGAIN
Rated R for language and sexual references.
OVERCOMER
Rated PG for some thematic elements.
SKIN
Rated R for disturbing violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality and brief drug use.
THE SOUVENIR
Rated R for some sexuality, graphic nudity, drug material and language.
THE THIRD WIFE
Rated R for sexual content.
TRINITY SEVEN: HEAVENS LIBRARY & CRIMSON LORD
Rated R for sexual content/nude images.
