The following are home video capsule reviews from the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
‘The Caine Mutiny’ (Blu-ray Edition; 1954)
Involving drama from the Herman Wouk novel in which young Navy officers (Fred MacMurray and Robert Francis) take control of their ship from a veteran captain (Humphrey Bogart) seemingly in a funk during a typhoon, then are defended in a court-martial by an officer (Jose Ferrer) who doesn’t relish proving the captain’s instability. Director Edward Dmytryk gets a powerful performance from Bogart as the shell-shocked Captain Queeg but does less well with the theme of military discipline and questionable commands. Psychological problems. The CNS classification is A-I--general patronage. Not rated by the MPAA. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
‘Come Have Coffee With Us’ (1973)
Italian black comedy about a middle-aged man (Ugo Tognazzi) who decides to settle down and marries an aging, grotesque heiress. His virile prowess eventually extends to her two equally unattractive sisters but, when the maid catches his eye, nature strikes him down in an ending that is both fitting and hilarious. Directed by Alberto Lattuada, the rise and fall of this figure of smug satisfaction will not please those who object to earthy humor. The CNS classification is L--limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. Not rated by the MPAA. (Raro Video USA)
‘Cowboys & Aliens’ (2011)
Genre bender in which a posse of perplexed Old West townsfolk--led by an amnesic ex-outlaw (Daniel Craig), a ruthless local cattle baron (Harrison Ford) and a mysterious stranger (Olivia Wilde)--track the extraterrestrials who attacked their ramshackle village and kidnapped numbers of its citizens. Interludes of harsh violence and dubious--though inconsequential--theologizing by the community’s resident preacher (Clancy Brown) restrict the appropriate audience for director Jon Favreau’s sometimes clever, but ultimately unsatisfying, adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg’s graphic novel. Intense, sometimes gory violence, including torture, brief partial nudity, ritual drug use, about a half-dozen uses of profanity, a few crude and some crass terms. Spanish titles option. The CNS classification is L--limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The MPAA rating is PG-13--parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Universal Studios Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray)
‘The Debt’ (2011)
This stylish--though frequently violent--remake of the 2007 Israeli spy thriller of the same name is a game of cat-and-mouse across two time periods as three Mossad agents (Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson and Ciaran Hinds) track down and capture a Josef Mengele-like Nazi war criminal (Jesper Christensen). Their feat--told in flashback by their younger selves (Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas and Sam Worthington)--has made them national heroes. But it seems there’s more to their exploit than the official story recounts. While suitable only for mature viewers open to challenging material, as directed with flair by John Madden, this gritty drama will certainly keep them guessing right up to the end. Considerable bloody violence, a disturbing portrayal of anti-Semitism, brief nongraphic premarital sexual activity and some rough language. Spanish titles option. The CNS classification is L--limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The MPAA rating is R--restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (Miramax Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray)
‘The Help’ (2011)
This warm, deftly acted drama compellingly portrays the efforts of a rebellious white Southerner and would-be journalist (Emma Stone) to write a book documenting the lives of group of black housemaids (most prominently Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer) in her hometown of Jackson, Miss., in the early 1960s. To complete this secret and potentially dangerous project, the novice reporter braves the opposition of her good-hearted but traditionally minded mother (Allison Janney) and the wildly racist thinking of her privileged peers (personified most viciously by Bryce Dallas Howard). Writer-director Tate Taylor’s adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling novel uses vivid characterizations to bring the Civil Rights-era struggle for human dignity alive. But a harsh scatological plot development marks this as off-limits for younger viewers, who might otherwise benefit from its generally uplifting story, and will even be off-putting for many adults. Graphic scatological theme, brief violence and medical gore, veiled sexual references, a half-dozen uses each of profanity and crude language, a few racial slurs. The CNS classification is A-III--adults. The MPAA 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)
‘The Lady Vanishes’ (Blu-ray Edition; 1938)
Mystery classic in which a kind old lady (Dame May Whitty) abruptly disappears from a train traveling through Central Europe without anyone noticing until a frantic search by fellow passengers (Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave) uncovers a ring of secret agents (led by Paul Lukas). Director Alfred Hitchcock leavens the mystery’s suspense with some keen humor (notably Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne as woolly English travelers) and rich characterizations by a fine British cast (not least of which is Catherine Lacey as a counterfeit nun). Stylized violence and menacing situations. The CNS classification is A-II - adults and adolescents. Not rated by the MPAA. (Criterion Collection)
‘Medea’ (1971)
Italian dramatization of the Medea myth, going beyond the confines of Euripides’ tragedy by sketching in some of the background of a violent time and place. The focus, however, is on the title character and as performed by Maria Callas, the evil of this witch-goddess figure becomes increasingly palpable. Though some may fault the film for its departures from the classic tradition, few will deny the power of director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s visualization of the ancient Greek world. The CNS classification is A-III--adults. Not rated by the MPAA. (Entertainment One)
‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ (2011)
The arrival on his doorstep of a half-dozen live penguins--a bequest from his father, a world traveler and arctic explorer--turns the life of a work-obsessed Manhattan real estate developer (Jim Carrey) upside down. Though their antics threaten to derail a deal (with Angela Lansbury) vital to his career, his growing bond with the unruly creatures also change his outlook, inspiring him to repair frayed ties to his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) and two young kids (Madeline Carroll and Maxwell Perry Cotton). Director Mark Waters’ routine comedy--loosely adapted from Richard and Florence Atwater’s award-winning children’s classic--is gooey with guano, but otherwise unproblematic while its hopeful theme of marital reconciliation is gratifying. A mostly pleasant distraction for undemanding tots. Several scatological sight gags, a single adult reference, at least one mild oath. Spanish titles option. The CNS classification is A-I--general patronage. The MPAA rating is PG--parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray)
Forbes is director and Mulderig is on the staff of the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting. More reviews are available Online at www.usccb.org/movies.
