Home Viewing Roundup for Sept. 30, 2024
NEW YORK (OSV News) The following are capsule reviews of theatrical movies available now for streaming or scheduled for broadcast on network or cable television during the week of Oct. 13, as well as notes on TV programming for the same week. Televised films may or may not be edited for language, nudity, violence and sexual situations while the programs listed have not been reviewed and therefore are not necessarily recommended by OSV News.
Streaming Now:
"Paddington 2" (2018; Amazon Prime)
This endearing blend of animation and live action finds the much-loved talking bear of the title (voice of Ben Whishaw) far from his roots in the Peruvian jungle, having settled into a cozy domestic life with the very British human family (led by Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins) that adopted him in the first film. But his routine of munching on marmalade sandwiches and helping his neighbors in small but thoughtful ways is rudely interrupted when he is wrongly convicted of stealing an antique book. Though imprisoned, he still manages to exert his trademark charm on his fellow inmates, including the jail's initially ferocious hardened criminal of a cook (Brendan Gleeson). Writer-director Paul King's follow-up to his 2015 original, which also features Hugh Grant as the egotistical actor who makes himself Paddington's nemesis, is once again based on a series of books by Michael Bond. The warm goodness and jaunty joking are only slightly marred by some ridiculous wordplay that may have a few parents frowning momentarily, while the smallest members of the family may be scared by a few action scenes. Perilous situations, brief childish anatomical humor. The OSV News classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011; Hulu)
This iteration of the successful screen franchise based on the science fiction of French novelist Pierre Boulle is a prequel set in modern-day San Francisco. James Franco plays a master geneticist who believes he's found the cure for Alzheimer's disease using primate test subjects. When the apes run amok, however, the project is canceled and the animals are put down. Yet one chimp survives, with ultimately disastrous consequences for mankind. While this is primarily a special effects-driven action film, as directed by Rupert Wyatt, it's also a cautionary tale about human hubris and misguided science out to achieve a good end through morally unmoored means. As such, its real-life resonance is all too easy to recognize. Intense and bloody action violence, including animal attacks, gunplay and moments of terror, implied premarital sexual activity. The OSV News classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 - parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
"Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" (2005; Netflix)
Frolicsome clay-animated adventure about a cheese-loving inventor (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his faithful pooch, who are hired by a batty blueblood (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter) to catch a monstrous rabbit terrorizing neighborhood gardens before it jeopardizes the town's annual vegetable competition. Co-directed by Nick Park and Steve Box (based on characters created by Park), the disarmingly whimsical and visually delightful film is an amusing family treat, despite a few "naughty" jokes that will go over the heads of most children. Some double entendres and a brief, mildly irreligious sight gag. The OSV News classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association rating is G -- general audiences. All ages admitted.
Looking Ahead:
Sunday, Oct. 13, noon-3 p.m. EDT (EWTN) "Holy Mass in Honor of Our Lady of Fatima." Mass and the blessing of the sick from the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, followed by the familiar "Adeus" farewell wave of white handkerchiefs (TV-G -- general audience).
Sunday, Oct. 13, 8:01-10:30 p.m. EDT (ABC) "Haunted Mansion" (2023). Set in New Orleans, director Justin Simien's adaptation of a theme park attraction features an ensemble cast (led by LaKeith Stanfield as a skeptical scientist) most of whose characters are united by the fact that, having visited the titular dwelling, one or another of its various ghosts has followed them home, eventually compelling them to return to the structure. Owen Wilson as a sketchy priest takes charge of the search for a solution, teaming with Tiffany Haddish's sassy medium in what seems an unlikely partnership. They're helped by the house's current owner (Rosario Dawson) and her socially awkward preteen son (Chase W. Dillon) as well as by a local historian (Danny DeVito). While any potential offense given by Wilson's dodgy clergyman is ultimately canceled out by an explanation of his true identity, the generally congenial tone of this production, the comic element of which is far more successful than its by-the-numbers horror ingredients, has to be balanced against its nonscriptural take on supernatural events. Mature teens may be as apt to shrug this viewpoint off as grown-ups. But the film, the second based on the Disneyland ride, is not a good fit for smaller, more impressionable kids. Occult themes, about a dozen mild oaths, brief irreverent humor. The OSV News classification of the theatrical version was A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association rating was PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Sunday, Oct. 13, 9:45 p.m.-12:15 a.m. EDT (TCM) "Wings" (1927). Silent screen epic about two young men (Buddy Rogers and Richard Arlen), in love with the same girl (Jobyna Ralston), who wind up in the same flying squadron during World War I where their rivalry turns to friendship until one of them is accidentally killed by the other. Clara Bow is the girl-next-door who follows Rogers to France as a nurse. Directed by William Wellman, it's a classic adventure film with a refreshing sense of innocence unembarrassed by any doubts about the justice of the actions of the principals. Stylized violence and romantic complications. The OSV News classification of the theatrical version was A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association.
Monday, Oct. 14, 10-11:30 p.m. EDT (PBS) "Twice Colonized" Filmmaker Lin Alluna's documentary profiles Inuit lawyer Aaju Peter and chronicles her ongoing battle to protect the human rights of Indigenous peoples. A "POV" presentation.
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 8-10:30 p.m. EDT (TCM) "Sense and Sensibility" (1995). Splendid adaptation of Jane Austen's tale of two devoted but emotionally dissimilar sisters (Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet) who endure unexpected heartbreak only to eventually triumph in securing suitable husbands. Director Ang Lee's spirited period piece offers frequent subtle humor in its wry observation of the characters and social conventions of the day. Romantic complications. The OSV News classification of the theatrical version was A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating was PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Saturday, Oct. 19, 8-10:02 p.m. EDT (Cinemax) "Everest" (2015). Formidable fact-based drama about the disastrous 1996 ascent of Mount Everest by two mountaineering teams: one led by the New Zealand climber (Jason Clarke) who pioneered commercial expeditions in the Himalayas, the other by a freewheeling American guide (Jake Gyllenhaal). Aided by a terrific ensemble and first-rate production team, Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur does an excellent job of conveying the human saga as well as the natural spectacle. The result is a sensitive and powerful movie that declines to apportion blame or pass judgment on anyone. Additionally, the absence of any genuinely objectionable material makes this meditation on humanity's struggle against the elements suitable for a broad range of age groups. The sacrifices of the local Sherpa guides and the perspective of the Nepalese people as a whole, however, should have warranted greater recognition. Frequent scenes of peril, some gruesome images. The OSV News classification of the theatrical version was A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating was PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.- - - John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @JohnMulderig1.