In the last week IFCO, the Irish Film Classification Office, has classified 9 upcoming films that will be released in Irish cinemas shortly in the coming weeks.
Beautiful Creatures – 12A
The Richard LaGravenese directed film is based on the three-book series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The film tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers: Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich), a young man longing to escape his small town, and Lena (Alice Englert), a mysterious new girl. Together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their town. IFCO rate the film 12A based on moderate supernatural type threat and violence, and brief moderate sex references.
Given that the film is aimed at a teen audience the IFCO rating concurs with the US MPAA’s PG-13 and the BBFC’s identical 12A, meaning that the film is suitable for mature children and teens. Beautiful Creatures opens nationwide on February 14th.
Bullhead (Rundskop) – 15A
The Belgian film, directed by Michael R. Roskam, is an emotionally driven tale of revenge, redemption and fate set against the backdrop of the Belgian bovine hormone mafia. IFCO rate the film 15A for strong violence and some strong sexual content.
The IFCO rating is slightly softer than the BBFC’s 15 and MPAA’s R rating, which is inline with general rating of violent subject matters. Bullhead opens with a limited release on February 1st.
Run for Your Wife – 12A
The British comedy, directed by Ray Cooney and John Luton, is the story of John Smith a man happily involved in a bigamous marriage for five years. He lives with Stephanie in Finsbury and Michelle in Stockwell. Fortunately, for John, he’s a taxi driver which involves varying shift work! Simple? Well, when John unwittingly becomes a have-a-go hero and the Finsbury and Stockwell police forces discover something suspicious in their paperwork, John’s happy bubble is about to be burst. IFCO rate the film as 12A for moderate language and sex references.
The subject matter would indicate that the 12A is correct, with the BBFC agreeing. Run for Your Wife opens with a limited release on February 14th.
Sammy’s Great Escape – G
The sequel to Sammy’s Adventure this animated film, directed by Vincent Kesteloot and Ben Stassen, sees the titular turtle and his friends end up in captivity in a huge underwater aquarium in the Middle East. IFCO rates the film as G for infequent very mild scary scenes.
Given the nature of this film, and the fact that it is aimed at children, the G is appropriate. The BBFC’s U rating concurs. Sammy’s Great Escape opens nationwide on February 15th.
Stoker – 18
The Chan-wook Park directed supernatural-thriller follows India, a young girl whose father dies in an auto accident. Soon her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her emotionally unstable mother, and she comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives, but instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless girl becomes increasingly infatuated with him. IFCO rate the film as 18 for brief very strong violence, Sexual violence and a strong sex scene.
Strong sex scenes usually guarantee an 18 rating and given the threat throughout the 18 would appear justified. The BBFC and MPAA both concur with 18 and R ratings respectively. Stoker opens nationwide on March 1st.
Stolen – 15A
The Simon West directed action thriller stars Nicholas Cage as a former master thief who only has a few hours to find his daughter when she is kidnapped and locked in the trunk of a New York taxi cab. IFCO rate the film as 15A for strong violence and threat and infrequent strong language.
The menace level in this film is obviously high as IFCO have rated the film above the BBFC’s 12, closer to the MPAA’s R. Stolen opens nationwide on March 22nd.
Suspects in Love (Podejrzani Zakochani) – 15A
The Polish film, directed by Sylwester Krynsk, follows two deceitful internet daters whose online exaggerations end up embroiling them in a hotel jewel heist. IFCO rate the film as 15A for strong language, and brief strong nudity.
The later is an automatic 15A rating, with IFCO judging that the scene(s) are short enough not to warrant the bump to 16. Suspects in Love opens with a limited release on February 8th.
To The Wonder – 12A
The Terrence Malick directed drama sees Olga Kurylenko as a woman who travels to Oklahoma to be with the man she loves only to discover that their relationship isn’t as strong as they previously thought. IFCO rates the film as 12A for moderate sex scenes with very brief nudity.
The BBFC concurs with IFCO on the 12A certification, with the US MPAA feeling that the sex scenes and nudity warrant a R rating. The US is generally more prudish, but it is at parental discretion as to whether under 12s should be allowed see this. To The Wonder opens nationwide on February 22nd.
Vishwaroopam – 15A
The Indian film, directed by Kamal Haasan, is a thriller in the Hindi and Tamil languages about a woman unsuspectingly married to one of India’s top secret agents. IFCO rates the film as 15A for strong bloody violence and gore.
The BBFC has a lighter 12A rating on this deeming the violence as moderate. As with all A ratings children and teenagers may attend at parental discretion. Vishwaroopam opens with a limited release on February 1st.