By Chris Kavan - 03/16/16 at 10:17 AM CT
Welcome back to another exciting weekly update - well, maybe that's overstating things. There are a couple of big films, a couple of limited release films and... the rest. Even though I think Angry Birds peaked about four years ago, we're still getting a movie based on everyone's favorite mobile (well, it once was anyway). Then we've got a the latest parody from Andy Samberg, which has the potential to become the latest cult comedy. I can't say I'm overly excited for either film, but that's what we've got - so deal with it.
In terms of missing the boat, The Angry Birds Movie ranks right up there with Flappy Bird and Four Loco - all three enjoyed a brief moment in the sun before everyone just moved on. That's why I find it so strange that we're getting this film (in theaters) at all. Granted, the voice talent looks decent: Peter Dinklage, Jason Sudeikis, Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Josh Gad, Kate McKinnon, Keegan-Michael Key and Blake Shelton are all on board. That's quite a lineup, but I have a feeling that's just not going to be good enough to elevate this film beyond mediocre. It's animated, it's coming out in May so the only thing it has going for it is the family crowd looking for a fix around the Memorial Day period. It has the potential to do decent business but the whole thing just feels too dated to make a huge impact - we'll see. Angry Birds gets a standard PG for rude humor and action.
Coming from the demented mind of Andy Samberg (who acted as writer, producer and actor) we get the awesomely-titled Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. The film follows a pop/rap artist who finds his latest album tanking forcing him to do everything in his power to turn things back around... well, everything but reuniting with his old boyband The Style Boyz. Granted, the premise to me sounds absolutely terrible, but if the music is anything like what he came up with for The Lonely Island, well, this could be comedic gold. I don't know how this will translate to a full-length film, and comedy is by far (for me) the hardest sell for a theater-worthy film, but Samberg just might pull this off - if for cult status alone. This one is rated R for some graphic nudity, language throughout, sexual content and drug use.
That is it for the major releases this week, but be sure to check out the full MPAA ratings bulletin below.
THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE
Rated PG for rude humor and action.
THE CONGRESSMAN
Rated R for some language and brief sexual material.
THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.
GERNIKA
Rated R for war violence, brief nudity and language.
LAST MAN CLUB
Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and language.
MEET THE BLACKS
Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual material, violence and drug use.
POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING
Rated R for some graphic nudity, language throughout, sexual content and drug use.
SOUTHBOUND
Rated R for bloody horror violence, language throughout and brief drug use.
