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WASHINGTON --The 1-800-311-4CCC movie line reviews Double Jeopardy for the week of September 24-30. Also included on the toll-free line is a review of Anne of Green Gables, this week's suggested home video for family viewing.
The 800 movie review line is a project of the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC).
The September 24-30 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.
- Double Jeopardy -- Because of some violence, a shadowy sexual encounter, and intermittent profanity and rough language, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Double Jeopardy is a sleek thriller in which probation officer Tommy Lee Jones chases parolee Ashley Judd across country to prevent her from murdering the two-timing husband who framed her. The straightforward fugitive story maintains suspense without relying solely on the expected revenge motive.
- Blue Streak -- Because of its justification of a major crime, some violence, coarse sexual references, occasional profanity and an instance of rough language, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned that some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Blue Streak is a routine action-comedy in which thief Martin Lawrence passes himself off as an LAPD detective in order to get access to headquarters where he's stashed a 17 million-dollar diamond. Numerous cliches and Lawrence's comic mugging don't improve a movie where the thief is seen as a hero who deserves his instant millionaire status after escaping with police complicity.
- Jakob the Liar -- Because of some violence, suicides and an implied pre-marital relationship the U.S. Catholic Conference, classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned that some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. In Jakob the Liar, Robin Williams brings hope to despairing fellow Jews fearful of being shipped from their Polish ghetto to Nazi concentration camps by pretending he hears BBC radio reports that Russian liberators are almost at hand. Although well intended, the tragicomedy strains for poignancy amidst bouncy music, forced humor and a halting pace.
- Mumford -- Because of its depiction of sexual fantasies with nudity, a character's prior drug addiction, some rough language and minimal profanity, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Mumford is a quirky tale of a bogus psychologist (played by Loren Dean) whose talent for listening actually spurs his smalltown patients to have insights into their own problems while he struggles with the ethics of becoming romantically involved with an especially vulnerable patient (played by Hope Davis). The gentle ensemble comedy is sweet but slight in exploring a well-meaning quack who eventually comes to terms with his own shortcomings in a responsible way.
- For Love of the Game -- Because of an implicit sexual affair, angry outbursts, some course language and occasional profanity, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned that some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. For Love of the Game follows aging pitcher Kevin Costner on the mound at the close of the baseball season as he confronts not only the batters but himself pondering his future with the club, his all-consuming passion to excel in the sport, and the loss of the woman he loves (played by Kelly Preston) because she feels unneeded. The pitcher's thoughts are shown in flashbacks which mirror mounting tension in the stadium as batter after batter is retired along the way to a possible perfect game -- with equally satisfying results for both baseball fans and romantics.
- Dog Park -- Because of several bedroom scenes, sexual innuendo, brief rear nudity and some rough language as well as profanity, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-IV adults, with reservations, The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Dog Park is a thin romantic comedy about young singles falling in and out of relationships while searching for true love. The situations are tiresomely repetitive, the humor is woefully weak and the unconvincing plot develops a bad case of sentimentality.
The family video of the week is The 1934 version of Anne of Green Gables -- The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture-Association of America. Anne of Green Gables is a charming children's classic about a spunky teenaged orphan (played here by Anne Shirley) who wins the hearts of a taciturn farmer and his domineering sister on Canada's Prince Edward island at the turn of the century. The story of a lonely waif finding the loving home of her dreams has special appeal for young viewers while reminding older ones of youth's yearning for unconditional love. Fine family fare.
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.usccb.org and http://www.CatholicDigest.org/stops/movies/index.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."