By Chris Kavan - 07/01/20 at 12:00 PM CT
With Covid cases on the rise and Tenet getting pushed back (again), once again the fate of theaters opening remains in limbo. So who knows if anything is going to come to a theater near you anytime soon or if drive-ins and streaming is going to be the best option through the rest of summer and fall. No matter, the ratings board still has a job to do and this week we get two big sequels - one to a much-beloved dynamic duo that is still excellent after all these years and the other a popular animated series featuring a bunch of little yellow dudes and a supervillain-in-training. Now the only thing that remains to be seen is how long it takes to see them in person.
It has been a long time since we last saw Bill and Ted in action. And it was long before Keunu Reeves took on the roles of Neo or John Wick. That is why Bill & Ted Face the Music should be so much fun. Because, as we know, at the end of Bogus Journey the Wyld Stallyns were set to change the world, Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Reeves) had married a pair of princesses and even managed to escape Death (William Sadler) itself. But now, the hard rockers are middle-aged husbands and fathers - and still in search of the hit song that will supposedly unite the world. A visitor from the future tells them they will have to work with daughters Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Thea (Samara Weaving), recruit some more historical figures and maybe some musical legends in order to craft this mystical hit. Sadler returns as Death with Erinn Hayes and Jayma Mays taking over as the wives/princesses. The film also stars Hal Landon Jr., Kid Cudi, Beck Bennett, Kristen Schaal, Holland Taylor and Jillian Bell among others. This looks like a lot of fun and I'm sure Reeves and Winter had a ball and a half filming it. This has been pushed to the end of August (for not) so we'll see how this ultimately plays out but with a mix of headliners and nostalgia, it has a lot going for it. Rated PG-13 for some language.
Not happy with just a single sequel this week, families aren't going to miss out with Minions: The Rise of Gru. Set in the 70s, little Gru (voiced again by Steve Carell) grows up in awe of the supervillain group known as the Vicious 6 - led by Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin) and, in turn, seeks out the help of his Minions, including Bob, Kevin, Stuart and Otto (Pierre Coffin - reprising his Minion roles) to help become a supervillain himself. When Knuckles is thrown out of the group, Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson) takes over the group and leaves an opening. But Gru's audition doesn't go as planned and he finds himself in even more trouble when he one-ups the sinister pantheon turning his former heroes into his mortal enemies. He gets an unexpected boost from Wild Knuckles and learns that even supervillains need some friends to lean on. The cast looks great with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Danny Trejo, Dolph Lundgren voicing other members of the Vicious 6 - Julie Andrews as Gru's mother, Russell Brand as a younger Dr. Nefario with Michelle Yeoh and RZA rounding out the cast. I have enjoyed all the Despicable Me/Minion films - they are smart, fun and are great for adults and their children alike. Despite the fact this has been delayed until well into next year, hopefully by then all this madness will be cleared up and we can firmly enjoy movies in theaters once again - where I'm sure it will dominate the charts. Rated PG for some action/violence and rude humor.
There you have it - a decent update once again with a the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
THE AMITYVILLE HARVEST
Rated R for horror violence/bloody images, and language.
BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC
Rated PG-13 for some language.
MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU
Rated PG for some action/violence and rude humor.
NOBODY
Rated R for strong violence and bloody images, language throughout and brief drug use.
NOMADLAND
Rated R for some full nudity.
PALM SPRINGS
Rated R for sexual content, language throughout, drug use and some violence.
SUMMERLAND
Rated PG for thematic content, some suggestive comments, language, and smoking.
THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS
Rated PG-13 for some strong language.
Because there are no new wide releases - here are the four movies from the 7-7-20 Bulletin (and since I forgot to post this last week, I might as well just add on):
THE DOORMAN
Rated R for violence throughout, language and brief teen drug use.
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
Rated PG for mild thematic elements.
ROGUE
Rated R for strong violence, bloody images and language throughout.
WE CAN BE HEROES
Rated PG for mild action/violence.
