ELF RATING: PG STARRING: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Edward Asner, Zooey Deschanel, and Bob Newhart DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau PRODUCERS: Jon Berg, David B. Householter, Todd Komarnicki, and Shauna Weinberg EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jim Miller and Julie Wixon WRITER: David Berenbaum DISTRIBUTOR: New Line Cinema GENRE: Comedy INTENDED AUDIENCE: All ages SUMMARY: In Elf, a very tall elf must leave the North Pole and travel to earth to find his real parents, and, in the process, he creates quite a stir! This cute, funny Christmas comedy has, regrettably, no mention of the Christ of Christmas. Elf stars funnyman Will Ferrell as Buddy, an orphaned human boy raised by elves at the North Pole. Though his life at the North Pole has taught him to be simple and kind, his size and comparative slowness of speed at making toys makes him an oddity. Overhearing two elves talking about him being a "human," his adopted father must tell him the truth, and Santa advises him to go to New York to find his real father, and himself. His real father is a typical Scrooge. "Buddy the elf" shows up, wants to live with them and turns their world upside down! CONTENT: Pagan worldview portraying a Christmas movie with no mention of God or Christ, but with a subtle portrayal of a Menorah, a Jewish icon; no cursing but reference to bad-smelling asparagus pee; mild comedic violence with a store Santa fighting an irate elf, though nobody is hurt; very subtle sexual innuendo with protagonist saying his tongue swells and his heart beats faster to a girl he likes; some alcohol effects portrayed as protagonist accidentally gets drunk with another worker; and, miscellaneous immorality shown with protagonist’s half brother, a cynical boy, showing disrespect to a group of people in a boardroom. ANYTHING BUT LOVE RATING: PG-13 STARRING: Isabel Rose, Andrew McCarthy, Cameron Bancroft, and Eartha Kitt DIRECTOR: Robert Cary PRODUCERS: Aimee Schoff and Isen Robbins WRITERS: Robert Cary and Isabel Rose DISTRIBUTOR: Samuel Goldwyn Films GENRE: Romantic Musical INTENDED AUDIENCE: Teenagers and adults SUMMARY: Anything But Love stars Isabel Rose as Billie Golden, a lounge singer with dreams of cabaret. With a love for the era of the 1950s, Billie gets an opportunity to follow her dreams with cynical piano man Elliot, played by Andrew McCarthy, or her handsome lawyer boyfriend Greg, played by Cameron Bancroft. Billie has always wanted to live the fantasy that she memorizes from old movie musicals, but she can’t believe her luck when love and success begin to knock on her door. Eventually, however, Billie must face reality and see that real life doesn’t always work out as we want. Written by and starring Isabel Rose as the charming Billie, Anything But Love will be a delight to a true musical aficionado. Ultimately, Anything But Love needs a bit more reality and depth for the script, and more money to do a better job of editing and direction. Though not a horrible film, Anything But Love is easily forgettable and somewhat amateurish. CONTENT: Strong Romantic worldview where main character is completely guided by her emotions and sometimes takes drastic measures to support those emotions, with light Christian element as wedding is performed in a church, and some homosexual references including men attracted to each other, as well as anti-capitalist implication that lawyer sold out from the job he loved to make more money and tries to influence his girlfriend to do the same; five strong obscenities and four strong profanities; no violence; some passionate kissing and innuendo; no nudity.
