Movie
Reviews
The Holiday
By Harry Forbes
Catholic News Service
NEW YORK — “The Holiday” (Columbia/Universal) is a generally
appealing romantic comedy about a transatlantic house swap.
In England, wedding columnist Iris (Kate Winslet) is secretly in love
with her colleague, Jasper (Rufus Sewell), who merely considers her his
best friend. She is despondent when she learns he now plans to marry another.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Amanda (Cameron Diaz) a successful movie-trailer
producer, learns that her boyfriend, Ethan (Edward Burns) has been cheating
on her, and she is equally bereft.
Their failed romances lead the women to an online house-swapping site,
where the charms of Iris’ simple cottage in Surrey and Amanda’s
luxurious digs in Brentwood sound like just the ticket, as they enthusiastically
agree to trade places over Christmas.
Iris can’t believe her good fortune when she gets a gander at Amanda’s
plush spread, but admirably, she reaches out to Arthur (Eli Wallach) a
frail old man down the street who turns out to be a legendary Hollywood
screenwriter. Besides inviting him to dinner and hosting a Hanukkah party
for him and his friends (Shelley Berman and Bill Macy) she decides to
get him in shape for a testimonial in his honor. At the same time, she
meets Miles (Jack Black) a film composer and colleague of Ethan. Though
Miles is dating someone else, we realize they are true kindred spirits.
Amanda, for her part, is awakened one night by a knock on the door, which
turns out to be Iris’ brother, Graham (Jude Law) who, not knowing
that Iris has sublet the cottage, hopes to crash on the couch after drinking
too much at the local pub. Naturally, they fall in love, and it’s
clear that ladies’ man Graham has found someone for whom he can
really care.
Writer-director Nancy Meyers has created some very sympathetic characters,
and she elicits heartfelt performances from her cast. Refreshingly for
a contemporary film, there’s a minimum of overt sexual content,
a strong affirmation of family and concern for the elderly. Though there’s
a regrettable assumption, as in most of today’s films, that it’s
acceptable to sleep together, the characters here show relative restraint,
and in any case ultimately do the right thing.
Winslet’s transformation from rejected wallflower to radiant independence
is expertly conveyed, while Law — never more appealing — exudes
much of the same charm as Cary Grant in his heyday. Diaz proves a deft
comedienne, and touchingly etches a Type A personality who’s not
even able to shed a tear, but finds herself falling truly in love for
the first time in her life. Even the casting of Black in a rare serious
role pays off with an appealing performance.
The film contains some rough and crude words, implied premarital relationships,
light innuendo and banter, and mild domestic violence. The USCCB Office
for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents
strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under
13.
Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online
at www.usccb.org/movies.
Blood
Diamond
By Harry Forbes
Catholic News Service
NEW YORK — Here’s that rare bird: an action-adventure film
with a solid social conscience.
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.) is set in Sierra Leone, where
three people join forces against a backdrop of bloody civil war and plundering
of the country’s natural resources. The three are: Danny Archer
(Leonardo DiCaprio), a Zimbabwean mercenary who trades diamonds for arms
(which, in turn, ultimately find their way to rebels who terrorize the
populace); Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) a crusading American reporter,
and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) an African fisherman who’s been
separated from his family and is now frantic to find them.
After being wrenched from his family and forced to work in the diamond
fields, Solomon manages to bury a rare pink diamond in the jungle, an
action that thereafter propels the narrative.
Solomon’s deed is observed by the sadistic overseer who later accuses
him of the act publicly. That is overheard by the ever-opportunistic Danny,
who offers to help Solomon find his family in return for splitting the
profits of the diamond, thereby initiating an unlikely alliance.
Meanwhile, Maddy has almost immediately identified Danny as a diamond
smuggler, and hopes he’ll give her a scoop on the masterminds behind
the illegal diamond trade.
Danny has no interest in cooperating, but eventually realizes he needs
Maddy to help locate Solomon’s wife and children. And, of course,
they begin to fall in love. All the while, she works to open his eyes
to the toll in human suffering brought about by the illegal trade.
Solomon’s 12-year-old son, Dia (Kagiso Kuypers), has been captured
and brainwashed by the rebels — led by a particularly vicious Captain
Poison (David Harewood) — who train all the young boys to be ruthless
killers. Eventually, there will be a confrontation between Solomon and
his newly hardened son, one of the film’s best scenes.
Edward Zwick — director of the highly underrated “The Last
Samurai” — again masterfully balances the action sequences
with the more intimate ones. DiCaprio (with an especially good accent)
and Hounsou give strong performances as the reluctant buddies. Only Connelly
strikes a false note in her too unruffled portrayal.
The film, though long, delivers on entertainment value, but at the same
time imparts worthy messages about the immoral origin of the diamonds
— smuggled out of countries engaged in warfare — and the exploitative
use of child soldiers. And, of course, there’s a strong affirmation
of family in Solomon’s single-minded determination to be reunited
with his wife and children.
It’s also worth mentioning that the DiCaprio-Connelly romance is
refreshingly devoid of overt sexual elements, apart from one offhanded
comment.
The film contains much violence and bloodshed, though admirably restrained
in presentation, murder, rough language and profanity, crude expressions,
threat of rape, and underage drinking and smoking. The USCCB Office for
Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The Motion
Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17
requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online
at www.usccb.org/movies.
Recent releases
NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently
reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops.
“Apocalypto” (Touchstone)
Visually bold but extremely bloody action-adventure set in 15th-century
Central America about the desperate odyssey of a jungle tribesman (Rudy
Youngblood) to get back to his pregnant wife (Dalia Hernandez) and child
after he and other members of his tribe are taken captive by the ruling
Mayans following the massacre of his village. In what is essentially a
chase movie, director Mel Gibson impressively re-creates the world of
the Mayans — the sights, sounds and savagery — using an indigenous
cast speaking entirely in Mayan dialects, but the intoxicating imagery
and human drama are undermined by so much gore that, even if historically
accurate, the cumulative result registers as gratuitous. Intense and graphic
violence, including scenes of slaughter, human sacrifice, beheadings and
a man being mauled by a jaguar, disturbing images, some sexual humor and
innuendo, a suggested marital encounter, partial nudity, an instance of
rough language and a few crude expressions. The USCCB Office for Film
& Broadcasting classification is L — limited adult audience,
films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The
Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted.
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
“National Lampoon’s Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj”
(Bauer Martinez Entertainment)
Sophomoric sequel to 2002’s “Van Wilder” with American
college student Taj Mahal Badalandabad (played again by Kal Penn) continuing
his academic and partying pursuits at a prestigious English university
where he inspires a group of campus outcasts (Glenn Barry, Anthony Cozens,
Steve Rathman and Holly Davidson) to take on some snooty bluebloods in
a fraternal competition. Director Mort Nathan offers a witless syllabus
of raunchy frat-house humor that depicts college life as little more than
an opportunity for sex and booze. Pervasive vulgar sexual humor, crass
sight gags, partial frontal nudity, much crude language and an instance
of profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification
is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America
rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent
or adult guardian.
“Unaccompanied Minors” (Warner Bros.)
Yuletide clunker about an early teen (Dyllan Christopher) and his little
sister (Dominique Saldana) separated while waylaid at an airport during
a Christmas Eve blizzard, with the former recruiting several other stranded
juveniles (Gina Mantegna, Tyler James Williams, Brett Kelly and Quinn
Shephard) to reunite them, while evading the airport’s Scrooge-like
security chief (Lewis Black). Full of mayhem and slapstick silliness and
capped with a contrived sentimental payoff, this inane comedy —
directed by Paul Feig — insults the intelligence of youngsters and
will be a chore for grown-ups “accompanying” their minors.
Some mildly crude language and humor, as well as divorce themes. The USCCB
Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults
and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG
— parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable
for children.
Catholic
publishers introduce
computer games for religious education
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) — Two Catholic publishers have announced
the launch of new educational video and computer games designed to make
learning about the Catholic faith and the Bible more fun.
“Classroom Jeopardy! Catholic Edition” — developed in
cooperation with the makers of the award-winning television show —
is now available from the Pflaum Publishing Group, a division of the Peter
Li Education Group.
“Gospel Champions,” a new series of educational computer games
based on the Gospel readings, resulted from a partnership of the Catholic
publisher Silver Burdett Ginn Religion and Third Day Games.
Game cartridges available for “Classroom Jeopardy! Catholic Edition”
include a Catholic Basics Level 1 and a Catholic Basics Level 2, as well
as language arts and math for grades three, four and five. All of the
games ($28 each) play on the “Classroom Jeopardy” base unit
($499), which is also distributed by Pflaum.
The games may be used in traditional Catholic classrooms or in parish
religious education, catechist formation and confirmation programs, or
for retreats, community events, family game nights, church festivals and
fundraising activities.
“With the launch of ‘Catholic Jeopardy,’ Pflaum brings
a level of interactivity and enthusiasm to religious education tools that
we’ve never seen before,” said Bret D. Thomas, president and
publisher, in a statement. “Yet ‘Catholic Jeopardy’
is consistent with our vision of providing sound catechetical materials
to help children learn about our faith.”
“Gospel Champions,” with three skill settings for children
from kindergarten to eighth grade, links Sunday Mass readings to the daily
lives of students by integrating action/adventure game play with sequenced
elements of Bible stories.
For an annual Web site license fee of $125, “Gospel Champions”
may be incorporated into the educational program of any parish or school.
A new Gospel story is unlocked each month for students to play on their
home computers.
The game software also enables parishes and schools to send personalized
messages to children each time they play the game.
“The ‘Gospel Champions’ games will provide a parish
or school with a low-cost, high-impact resource for connecting the home
to the Gospel proclaimed at our Sunday Eucharist,” according to
Deacon Raymond Latour, president of Silver Burdett Ginn Religion.
Brian Mitchell, president of Third Day Games and a religious education
teacher, said the partnership with Silver Burdett Ginn Religion “is
a significant step in realizing our goal of using the popularity of games
to keep our children connected to the Catholic faith in their daily lives.”
More information and a sample game of “Catholic Jeopardy”
are available online at www.pflaum.com/jeopardy. Additional information
and a demonstration of “Gospel Champions” are available online
at www.GospelChampions.com.