MAID IN MANHATTAN
RATING: PG-13
STARRING: Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Bob Hoskins, Natasha Richardson, and Stanley Tucci
DIRECTOR: Wayne Wang
PRODUCERS: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Deborah Schindler and Paul Schiff
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Charles Newirth and Benny Medina
WRITER: Kevin Wade
DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia Pictures/Sony
GENRE: Romantic Comedy
INTENDED AUDIENCE: Teenagers and adults
SUMMARY: In Maid In Manhattan, Jennifer Lopez plays Marisa, an intelligent maid and single mother who works at a fancy hotel in New York City. Marisa is good enough to start management training. Just when she gets her chance, however, a case of mistaken identity throws her into a growing affair with Chris Marshall, a rich, eligible bachelor played by Ralph (Rafe) Fiennes (Fine). Chris plans to run for U.S. senator in the Republican primary. He and Marisa immediately hit it off, and Chris tries to continue the relationship. Marisa intends to tell him the truth, and tries to break off the relationship, but circumstances, and the desires of her own heart, conspire against her. Can Marisa’s career goals survive the romantic entanglement in which she finds herself?
Maid In Manhattan is a light romantic comedy involving a case of mistaken identity regarding a hotel maid and a rich, handsome bachelor who’s thinking of running for the United States senate. It is pleasantly diverting, but contains lots of mostly light foul language and some sexual and politically correct elements. The actors do a good job, but the characters are weak and the direction uninspired. MOVIEGUIDE ® advises caution, therefore, for older children.
CONTENT: Romantic worldview with some environmentalism and some politically-correct elements favoring the politics of envy and praising and blaming Richard Nixon for the wrong things, plus some Christian elements, including references to forgiveness; no violence.
THE STAR OF CHRISTMAS
RATING: Not Rated
RELEASE: Now on video
TIME: 45 minutes
STARRING THE VOICES OF: Mike Nawrocki, Lisa Vischer and Phil Vischer
DIRECTOR: Tim Hodge
PRODUCER: David Pitts
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Phil Vischer and Terry Botwick
WRITER: Phil Vischer
DISTRIBUTOR: Big Idea Productions
GENRE: Animated/Comedy/Drama
INTENDED AUDIENCE: All ages
SUMMARY: The Star of Christmas is set in 1880s London, where two talking vegetables learn the true meaning of Christmas. This wonderful feature video is extremely well constructed and animated, and it tells the Christmas story with great care and warmth.
Cavis Appythart, played by Bob the Tomato, and Millward Phelps, played by Larry the Cucumber, are putting on a spectacular new musical in London. To be a hit, they need to get the Crown Prince to be present for the opening, but the Prince decides to attend a Christmas pageant at a church to see a rare, priceless relic, called "The Star of Christmas." Cavis and Millward try to steal the star, but they end up in jail. Just then, the pastor of the church shows up with his little boy, and Cavis and Millward learn the true meaning of Christmas.
This wonderful feature video is so well constructed that it should be a feature film. The acting is incredible! The animation is some of the best that VeggieTales ® has done. Of course, the heart of any drama is the story, and the VeggieTales ® folks know how to tell great stories. It is a powerful testimony to Jesus Christ, with the whole Gospel presented clearly and succinctly. It’s movies like this that make reviewing worthwhile. All we can say is, "God bless VeggieTales ®!"
CONTENT: Great presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with many great moral and spiritual lessons; some very mild slapstick violence.
