USCCB - (Film & Broadcasting) - DVD/VIDEO REVIEWS week of January 4, 2010

DVD/VIDEO REVIEWS week of January 4, 2010

This week's DVD and Blu-ray releases

The following are capsule reviews of new and recent DVD and Blu-ray releases from the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Theatrical movies have a USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating. These classifications refer only to the theatrical version of the films below, and do not take into account the discs' extra content.

Cheaper by the Dozen 2

Agreeably entertaining sequel to the 2003 comedy which finds the Baker brood -- Mom (Bonnie Hunt), Dad (Steve Martin) and their 12 children -- vacationing at a lakefront cabin where their summer holiday unravels into a battle for bragging rights against a rival clan headed by a hypercompetitive blowhard (Eugene Levy). Director Adam Shankman serves up a similar helping of mildly amusing slapstick and heart-tugging sentiment, slightly more satisfying this time around, while again affirming a strong family-values message. Much comic mayhem, and some mildly crude humor, language and innuendo. Spanish language and titles options. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray.) 2005

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Loosely based on the 1978 children's book, this animated fantasy concerns a previously ridiculed young inventor (voice of Bill Hader) who fashions a machine that makes food fall from the sky, and who finds a kindred spirit in a rookie weather reporter (voice of Anna Faris) assigned to cover the bizarre climactic phenomenon. Serving to warn against overindulgence and extol the virtues of persistence and ingenuity, the film boasts dazzling 3-D visuals deployed to entertaining, if not always appetizing, effect by co-writers and directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord. Considerable cartoon violence, some rude expressions, a scatological reference and a few moderately scary action sequences. Spanish titles option. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray.) 2009

Jarhead (Combo Pack Edition)

Intermittently arresting war movie based on Anthony Swofford's memoirs of his experiences in the first Gulf War, which follows a unit of Marines from boot camp to deployment in Iraq -- seen through the eyes of a team of snipers (Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard) -- where they battle scorching heat, boredom and each other as airpower wins the war. Director Sam Mendes' absurdist, obscenity-laced meditation on modern warfare is by turns surreal and sardonic, but despite solid performances and some striking visuals, the film's familiar depiction of grunt life feels warmed-over, presenting a morally ambiguous view of war and its desensitizing psychological effects on combatants. Combat-related violence, including disturbing images of charred bodies, a few graphic sexual encounters with partial nudity, scenes of masturbation and urination, shadowy shower nudity, excessive sexually explicit language and humor, and profanity. Spanish titles option. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) (Universal Studios Home Video; also available on Blu-ray.) 2005

The Rundown (Combo Pack Edition)

Sporadically entertaining action comedy about a brawny bounty hunter (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) with a conscience, who signs up to bring his kingpin boss' son (Seann William Scott) back from the Amazon, and along the way gets entangled in a search for a priceless ancient Mayan artifact. Despite the on-screen buddy chemistry between Johnson and Scott, the film, directed by Peter Berg, suffers from a limited repertoire of jokes, all leading to the same, tired, gratuitously violent punch line. Recurring action violence and some crude language. Spanish language and titles options. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) (Universal Studios Home Video; also available on Blu-ray.) 2003

10 Things I Hate About You (10th Anniversary Edition)

Crude high school comedy in which a surly senior (Heath Ledger) is paid to take out a hostile student (Julia Stiles) so that her younger sister (Larisa Oleynik) will then be allowed to date as well. As lamely directed by Gil Junger, adults are hapless or horrible and adolescents have only one thing on their minds. Brief violence, some crass sexual references and some underage drinking. Spanish language and titles options. 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. (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray.) 1999

These movies have been evaluated for artistic merit and moral suitability by the media reviewing division of Catholic News Service. The reviews include the CNS rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

A-I -- general patronage;
A-II -- adults and adolescents;
A-III -- adults;
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
O -- morally offensive.

Note: Some movies previously were designated A-IV. Older films with this classification should be regarded as classified L.