By Chris Kavan - 09/02/20 at 12:12 PM CT
Another somewhat underwhelming week on the ratings front, which, honestly, I'm expecting for awhile as things are still uncertain on the future of theatrical releases. Streaming is still and option as well, so I'll be keeping my eyes out for any titles of note. Thus I bring you the only film of note this week, Judas And The Black Messiah, which doesn't even come out until next year, but looks to be a powerful release. Otherwise a bunch of should-be-released-sometime-in-the-near future titles and smaller films. As always, one can only hope for bigger and better in the upcoming weeks.
True stories can make for a powerful impact at the box office and Judas And The Black Messiah, in the tradition of the likes of BlacKKKlansman and 12 Years a Slave, focuses on the life a black man in extraordinary circumstances. In this case, that man is Fred Hampton (played by Daniel Kaluuya), an activist and revolutionary socialist who became head of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers, eventually starting his own Rainbow Coalition - to help unite multicultural groups (including Chicago's gangs) in order to push for positive change. But Hampton's radical views became the focus of the FBI who ultimately placed a counterintelligence operative in his group, William O'Neal (played by LaKeith Stanfield) who reported on his activities. Everything culminated in a raid on Hampton's Chicago apartment resulting in his death, the death of another Black Panther member and several wounded. At the time the deaths were ruled a justifiable homicide but time and deeper investigation has shown this was a political hit - an assassination if you will that came from the highest offices. Given the current BLM movement and protests in the streets, a film like this will resonate even deeper. The film also stars Martin Sheen, Jesse Plemons, Lil Rel Howery, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders and Algee Smith among others. The film is Rated R for violence and pervasive language.
That is your big film for the week, but you can check out the Full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
BLUE BAYOU
Rated R for language throughout and some violence.
BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY
Rated R for violence, sexual content, language and some nudity.
CHICK FIGHT
Rated R for language and sexual material throughout, some violence and brief drug use.
AN IMPERFECT MURDER
Rated R for some language and brief drug use.
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Rated R for violence and pervasive language.
THE LITTLE PENGUIN PORORO'S DINOSAUR ISLAND ADVENTURE
Rated G
LOCKDOWN
Rated R for violence, pervasive language, and crude/violent sexual content.
LOVE AND MONSTERS
Rated PG-13 for action/violence, language and some suggestive material.
THE PROM
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some suggestive/sexual references and language.
