USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Jack Frost Nips at this Week's 1-800 Movie Line

Jack Frost Nips at this Week's 1-800 Movie Line

WASHINGTON (November 6, 1998) -- The 1-800-311-4CCC movie line reviews Jack Frost for the week of November 6-12. Also included on the toll-free line is a review of A Christmas Carol, this week's suggested home video for family viewing.

The 800 movie review line is a project of the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC).

The November 6-12 list includes the following theater releases and their classifications according to moral suitability. Movies are evaluated according to artistic merit and moral suitability by the U.S. Bishops' Office for Film and Broadcasting.

Jack Frost -- because of some menacing situations and a fleeting profanity, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Jack Frost is about a deceased dad (played by Michael Keaton) who returns to life as a snowman in order to bond with his glum 12-year-old son. The emotions look about as real as the manufactured snow in this trite fantasy meltdown.
Star Trek: Insurrection -- Because of intermittent fantasy violence, romantic complications and a few coarse words, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Star Trek: Insurrection is a lively addition to the series as Captain Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) and the Enterprise crew defy their superiors in order to save an endangered race on a distant planet. The briskly told story alternates sci-fi action with humorous and romantic subplots for modestly entertaining results.
Shakespeare in Love -- Because of brief comic violence, some sexual encounters with nudity and occasional double entendres, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Shakespeare in Love is a spirited farce in which young Will Shakespeare has problems writing Romeo and Juliet until he falls for a passionate beauty masquerading as a boy to play the role of Romeo. The result is a zesty concoction of mistaken identities, outsized egos and doomed romance served up with contemporary humor.
The Prince of Egypt -- Because of some emotionally intense scenes, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. The Prince of Egypt retells the biblical story of Exodus in a beautifully crafted animated feature that focuses on Moses' conflicts with having been raised as the Pharaoh's adopted son, then leading his oppressed people from bondage in Egypt. The result is an impressive animated spectacle told in compelling fashion, though younger children may find it an overwhelming experience with some harrowing scenes.
You've Got Mail -- Because of implied affairs and an instance of profanity, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. You've Got Mail is a breezy romantic comedy with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as rival Manhattan booksellers unaware they are falling in love with each other through anonymous e-mail messages. It's a romantic trifle, enjoyable mostly for the winning chemistry between its appealing stars.
A Simple Plan -- Because of intermittent violence, fleeting nudity, some profanity and recurring rough language, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.
In A Simple Plan two brothers and a buddy stumble upon a snow-covered private plane with four million dollars inside and decide to keep it, then grow suspicious of one another as they try to hide their guilty secret from the police. Both a character study and an edgy thriller, the cautionary tale points to how ordinary Joes become increasingly corrupted by the desire for immense wealth.

The family video of the week is A Christmas Carol -- The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. The 1951 British version of this Dickens classic has worn well over the years principally because of Alistair Sim's zestful performance as Scrooge, the old humbug whose transformation into a loving human being is still a pleasure to behold. Done simply but with considerable spirit, this one is dandy seasonal fare, especially for the younger members of the family.

The classifications are A-I - general patronage; A-II - adults and adolescents; A-III - adults; A-IV - adults, with reservations (an A-IV classification designates problematic films that, while not morally offensive in themselves, require caution and some analysis and explanation as a safeguard against wrong interpretations and false conclusions); O - morally offensive.

The movie reviews are produced by the U.S. Catholic Conference (USCC) Office for Film and Broadcasting, which each week provides full length movie reviews, brief capsules and film classifications of new theater releases.

Reviewers include Henry Herx, Director, and Gerri Pare, Associate Director, of the Film and Broadcasting Office, which is funded by the CCC.

The capsule reviews are available on the World Wide Web. They can be found on two sites: http://www.nccbuscc.org and http://www.CatholicDigest.org/stops/movies/movies1.html.

Full-length reviews of the above and other movies are available through America Online at the Catholic News Service site on AOL, and can be accessed by AOL members using the keyword, "CNS."