Movie reviews

The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.

The Amazing Spider-Man (Columbia)
The legendary web-swinger is back, battling teen angst by day and catching crooks at night in this 3-D reboot of the classic Marvel comic book character, directed by Marc Webb. A high-school science geek (Andrew Garfield) is bitten by a radioactive spider and undergoes the familiar transformation. As he impresses a comely classmate (Emma Stone), he neglects his family, resulting in the death of his uncle (Martin Sheen). When genetic engineering run amok turns a scientist (Rhys Ifans) into a monster, however, the once-arrogant lad finds his inner hero. The style and vision of Webb's version are darker than those of director Sam Raimi's trilogy. Still, amid the action and thrills lies an inspirational tale about accepting responsibility and using one's gifts for the greater good. Intense action violence, including gunplay, some rough language. (A-III, PG-13)

The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros.)
The lavish conclusion to director and co-writer Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy will not disappoint dedicated Batman fans. But casual viewers may find its 164-minute running time bloated and unwieldy. Set eight years after the events of 2008's "The Dark Knight,” the latest adventure finds billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) injured, exiled and grief stricken. Yet, inevitably, he and his chiropteran alter ego find themselves pulled out of retirement. Initially, that's due to the arrival on the scene of a morally ambiguous cat burglar (Anne Hathaway). But it's a terrorist mastermind (Tom Hardy) who really forces the Caped Crusader to don the cowl once more. Nolan's script evinces a surprising amount of humanity and emotion — especially so as it shows us Wayne's touching relationship with his long-serving butler (Michael Caine). While the bone-breaking nature of the mayhem on display excludes the youngest batfans, some parents may deem this acceptable fare for older adolescents. Frequent and intense action violence, including gunplay, an implied nonmarital encounter, a few uses of profanity, some crass terms. (A-III, PG-13)

Ice Age: Continental Drift (Fox)
Modestly entertaining 3-D animated sequel in which the sudden sundering of the once-united continents separates the goodhearted father of a family of mammoths from his levelheaded wife and headstrong teenage daughter. Dad's determined efforts to reunite his clan are aided by his two closest friends, a sloth and a tiger. But he's temporarily stymied when the trio of pals is taken prisoner by a band of pirates led by a bellicose orangutan. Though other comic elements are beginning to feel worn, lessons in loyal friendship and family solidarity are more durable. Mild menace, a bit of scatological humor. (A-I, PG)

Katy Perry: Part of Me (Paramount)
Though she attracts a youthful following, the campily costumed central figure of this concert film sings lyrics ranging from the suggestive to the blatantly sexual that parents will almost certainly find unsuitable for their kids. The mildly entertaining but overlong proceedings, moreover, are characterized by an ambiguous outlook on the pop diva's Pentecostal Christian upbringing and a message promoting individualism without limit that at least implies acceptance of a gay lifestyle. Some suggestive outfits and dancing, mature references, including to homosexual behavior, obvious double entendres, childish scatological humor, at least one mild oath and a censored crude term, a bit of crass language. (A-III, PG)

Moonrise Kingdom (Focus)
Pretentious, deadpan whimsicality overwhelms a core story about adults trying to do the best for two troubled pre-teens (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward). Director Wes Anderson, who co-wrote with Roman Coppola, portrays the grownups (Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis and Edward Norton among them), along with a troop of young scouts, as caring and sensitive, if occasionally clueless. But one scene involving the two leads teeters queasily on the edge of sexual exploitation. An instance of underage sensuality, a reference to an extramarital affair, fleeting crass language. (A-III, PG-13)

Savages (Universal)
Directed and co-written by Oliver Stone from the 2010 novel by Don Winslow, this vicious, blood-soaked saga of drug lords glorifies primal urges, vulgarity and man's inhumanity toward man. Perverted values; pervasive brutal and grisly violence, including gunplay, torture and rape; graphic nonmarital sex with rear and upper female nudity; off-screen aberrant sexual activity; suicide; a benign view of drug use; and frequent rough language. (O, R)

Step Up Revolution (Summit)
Top-notch choreography gets lost amid half-baked political posturing and self-indulgent sentimentality in first-time director Scott Speer's dance sequel. The hackneyed plot of this fourth installment in the franchise — which began with 2006's "Step Up" — focuses on a Miami urbanite (Ryan Guzman) who, together with his best friend since childhood (Misha Gabriel), leads a dancing flash mob that's on its way to fame and fortune. After he falls for an equally fleet-of-foot hoofer (Kathryn McCormick), they join the whole troupe in protesting her millionaire father's (Peter Gallagher) plans to redevelop local land and raze their downscale neighborhood in the process. Risque routines — as well as a few turns of phrase too salty for the youngsters who would otherwise probably enjoy this outing the most — dampen the fun still further. Much highly suggestive dancing, a single censored rough term, occasional crude and crass utterances. (A-III, PG-13)

To Rome With Love (Sony Classics)
Woody Allen writes, directs and stars in this picturesque but morally misguided romp through the Eternal City, featuring a confusing quartet of stories about the search for romance, happiness and — all too frequently — sin. A retired opera director (Allen) discovers a potential star in the person of an undertaker (Fabio Armiliato) who only sings in the shower. A honeymoon couple (Alessandra Mastronardi and Alessandro Tiberi) face twin temptations: he at the hands of a sexy prostitute (Penelope Cruz), she at those of a sleazy movie star (Antonio Albanese). A famous architect (Alec Baldwin) takes on a protege (Jesse Eisenberg) who reminds him of himself in youth, and coaches the lad in the art of seduction. An ordinary man (Roberto Benigni) becomes a media sensation for no apparent reason, only to find his life turned upside down. A benign view of adultery and nonmarital sex, much sexual innuendo, some uses of profanity and of rough language. (L, R)

The Watch (Fox)
After the night watchman at the Costco store he manages is mysteriously murdered, an earnest suburbanite (Ben Stiller) forms a ragtag team of neighborhood guardians (Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade) to investigate. But the quartet of bumbling sleuths gets more than they bargained for when clues begin to suggest that the culprits were other than human. Director Akiva Schaffer's potentially interesting blend of comedy and science fiction founders under an endless stream of juvenile sex jokes. Brief but gruesome violence and an orgy scene played for laughs sink it still further. Demeaning view of human sexuality, including the frivolous treatment of aberrant sex acts with gratuitous nudity, fleeting but horrific gore, about a dozen uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude language. (O, R)

—CNS

Catholic News Service classifications: 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; O — morally offensive. Full-length reviews: www.catholicnews.com/movies.htm.