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 July 21, 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
“The Blind Side” (2009; Netflix)
Inspirational family drama, based on real events, in which a wealthy white couple (Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw) in Memphis, Tenn., offer shelter to a homeless black student (Quinton Aaron) from their children’s (Lily Collins and Jae Head) school and, as he becomes an increasingly integral part of their clan, help him to hone his football skills while also hiring a determined tutor (Kathy Bates) to raise his academic standing. Driven by Bullock’s field-sweeping performance as the feisty, religiously motivated adoptive mother, writer-director John Lee Hancock’s unapologetically Christian tale of human solidarity across racial and class divides, adapted from Michael Lewis’ 2006 best-seller “The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game,” is funny, shrewd and ultimately uplifting. Brief nongraphic marital lovemaking, at least one profanity, a few sexual and drug references, a half-dozen crass terms. 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.
“Courage Under Fire” (1996; Hulu)
Returning from the Gulf War, an Army commander (Denzel Washington) feeling guilty over his part in a friendly fire incident doggedly pursues discrepancies in the recommendation of a posthumous Medal of Honor for a Medevac pilot (Meg Ryan). Director Edward Zwick blends the differing versions of the pilot’s actions under fire with compelling characters as a series of flashbacks gradually reveals how all concerned behaved under the stress of mortal combat. Intense battlefield violence, a suicide, substance abuse and frequent rough language as well as profanity. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
“Lawrence of Arabia” (1962; Amazon Prime)
Set within the frame of a grand adventure is this interesting study of British hero-author T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), whose World War I exploits in leading the Arabs against the Turks made his literary works popular in the 1920s. Director David Lean focuses on the diverse aspects of the man with an ambiguity suitable to the mystery still surrounding this mythic figure. Bloody wartime battles and implications of a homosexual incident. The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Looking Ahead
Sunday, July 21, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. EDT (EWTN) “National Eucharistic Congress.” Event coverage concludes with the final keynote speeches and the Closing Mass, beginning at 10 a.m. The liturgy will re-air 6:30-9 p.m. EDT (TV-G – general audience).
Tuesday, July 23, 10-11 p.m. EDT (PBS) “Two American Families: 1991-2024.” Filmed over 34 years, this episode of the series “Frontline” looks at the economic fate of two working-class families. Hosted by Bill Moyers.
Wednesday, July 24, 9:30-11:15 p.m. EDT (TCM) “Paths of Glory” (1957). The terrible slaughter of World War I is re-created in this fact-based story of a French colonel (Kirk Douglas) who tries to save his men from being court-martialed for cowardice in a failed attack that should never have been ordered. Director Stanley Kubrick’s anti-war classic contrasts the horrors of trench warfare at the front with the indifference and incompetence of the generals (Adolphe Menjou and George Macready) safely quartered in the rear. Graphic battlefield violence and a harrowing execution by firing squad. The OSV News classification of the theatrical version was A-II — adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association.
Thursday, July 25, 8-10:15 p.m. EDT (TCM) “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” (1966). Inspired farce built around the accidental grounding of a Russian submarine off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Producer-director Norman Jewison ably handles a fine cast including Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Jonathan Winters and Paul Ford. The movie’s satire can be appreciated on several levels and will be enjoyed by the whole family. The OSV News classification of the theatrical version was A-I — general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association.
Saturday, July 27, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. EDT (AMC) “The Last Samurai” (2003). An embittered Civil War veteran (Tom Cruise), retained by the emperor of Japan to train a newly formed conscript army in the ways of modern warfare, finds himself torn between duty and honor when he befriends the man he has been hired to destroy, a Samurai general (Ken Watanabe) who is leading a band of renegade warriors against the imperial forces in an attempt preserve their fading traditions and halt the encroachment of Westernization into the country. Lavishly shot with painstaking attention to historical detail, director Edward Zwick’s epic 19th-century costume drama is, at its center, an intimate tale of one man’s search to reclaim his soul. Unfortunately, despite lofty platitudes about honor, the film’s romanticized portrayal of the samurai’s militaristic lifestyle results in an at times exalted view of war. Strong battlefield violence. The OSV News classification of the theatrical version was A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating was R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Saturday, July 27, 5:12-8 p.m. EDT (HBO) “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012). 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. 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.
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