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Amelia | 2009 | PG | - 4.3.3
Biopic with Hilary Swank staring as the renowned mid-20th century aviator, Amelia Earhart, who made the first solo flight across the Atlantic and endeavored to circumnavigate the globe but was lost at sea. Also with Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, Joe Anderson, Cherry Jones, Mia Wasikowska and Aaron Abrams. Directed by Mira Nair. [1:51]
SEX/NUDITY 4 - A husband lifts his wife's skirt and caresses her bare thigh (we see stocking tops, and her garter and bare thigh); they kiss and it is implied that they have sex.
► A man and a woman kiss passionately in an elevator, he caresses her bare back and it is implied that they have sex. A woman goes to a man's hotel room, they dance close together, she drops her coat on the floor (we see her wearing pajamas), they hug and kiss passionately and it is implied that they have sex (we see a rumpled bed the next morning). A woman wearing a low-cut negligee sits at a desk and a bare-chested man lies in a bed behind her; she moves to the bed, he caresses her and they talk.
► A husband and his wife kiss at their wedding ceremony. A man kisses a woman. A woman kisses a man on the cheek. A husband and his wife hug in bed (both clothed).
► A husband and his wife talk lovingly over a radio. A man makes an unwelcome sexual advance toward a woman (she rebukes him and leaves). A boy asks a woman to marry his father and when she tells him that she is already married, he wonders why she cannot be married to two men. A woman admires another woman's beauty and remarks about her legs. A man tells a woman that she is "much prettier than her photographs." A man tells a woman that "pretty girls attract attention."
► A woman wears a towel wrapped around her after a shower and her bare shoulders and upper back are visible. A woman singing on stage wears a low-cut dress with a skirt that is slit up to the thigh (cleavage, shoulders and thighs are visible). A woman wears a low-cut negligee that reveals cleavage and bare shoulders in a couple of scenes. A woman wears low-cut tops in several scenes that reveal cleavage. Women wear low-cut evening gowns that reveal cleavage, bare shoulders and backs in a couple of scenes.
VIOLENCE/GORE 3 - A plane is unable to lift off, its wheels break off, its wings drag on the asphalt, sparks fly, it spins out and off the runway, the pilot and navigator escape and we see the navigator with blood on his forehead. A plane crashes and tumbles on the ground (the pilot is pulled out unharmed).
► A plane in flight dips violently throwing a woman to the floor; a man trying to help her up falls against the door that opens and he struggles, with her help, to pull himself back in the plane, while the woman then falls toward the open door, but the man pulls her in and they are both safe.
► A plane flies into a thick storm cloud, rain pelts the windshield, lightning flashes and thunder crashes around it, the pilot appears concerned, ice forms on the windshield and wings, and the pilot dives out of the clouds and the ice breaks off and away. A woman flies a plane straight up, and it then flips and spirals toward the ground appearing out of control (she regains control and continues to fly).
► A plane flies over the ocean searching for an island where it can refuel, but are unable to make radio contact for coordinates (it shows on the faces of the pilot, navigator and ground control that everyone knows the inevitable fate of the flight).
► We read that contact with a missing plane was never made and that wreckage was never found. A man and a woman argue about whether or not to fly in a monsoon. A man reports that head winds will cause an increase in fuel consumption putting a plane at risk of running out of gas. A man remarks that people are concerned that planes will crash into mountains unless a route is altered. We hear that an air control station has lost contact with a plane. A man speaks to a young woman and appears to be threatening that her plane will be sabotaged if she tries to win a race. A man makes disparaging remarks about a woman's ability to get a plane off the ground. A husband confronts his wife about a relationship she is having with another man. A woman talks about her father disappointing her repeatedly.
► A boy calls out for help in his sleep, a woman goes to him and we see wallpaper with images of thick jungles and tigers.
► A man appears to have a hangover after a night of drinking.
LANGUAGE 3 - 2 anatomical terms, 2 mild obscenities, name-calling (boring, sanctimonious, prude, stupid, idiot, reckless, stubborn), 2 exclamations (hooey), 1 religious profanity, 3 religious exclamations.
SUBSTANCE USE - Several men in a bar toast with glasses of alcohol, a man drinks alcohol, people drink alcohol at a party, people drink a toast with champagne at a dinner, a champagne bottle is opened and glasses are poured (we do not see people drinking), a man drinks in a bar, a woman talks about her father having been a drunk, and a man talks about having a drinking problem. A man smokes cigarettes in a few scenes, a man lights a pipe and holds an unlit pipe in a couple of scenes, and a man talks about a woman authorizing an advertisement for Lucky Strike cigarettes (she is reluctant since she doesn't smoke).
DISCUSSION TOPICS - Amelia Earhart, mid-20th century women aviators, long distance flights, the pursuit of dreams, ambition, greed, the Great Depression, fraud, perception of women's roles in society, gender inequality, competition, publicity, infidelity, marriage, risk, success, adventure, fear, facing your fears, hope, jealousy, wanderlust, sabotage, arrogance, foolhardy endeavors, records.
MESSAGE - Don't let anyone tell to you not to pursue your dreams, for whatever reason.
CAVEATS
Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.
We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.
Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.
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