If it seems there has been an unusual number of PG-rated movies in local movie theaters lately, there has.
And, gasp, even a G-rated movie or two.
These days, a G or PG rating usually means a movie for kids.
If you want to see something aimed at moviegoers older than 12, but don't want to be assaulted by the kind of things you find in most R-rated movies, you probably lean toward someting rated PG-13.
And, unfortunately, too many of those should be rated R.
So if you enjoy movies but don't want to be assaulted or insulted, now's the time to head out to your friendly neighborhood theater.
There are some really good, some good and and some pretty good choices out there right now.
And, not too surprising, the best of these are period pieces, and they're also true stories.
Also — and this was surprising to me — most of them also feature a religious component, with people who actually attend church and exercise faith and pray. ...
Now if we could just convince Hollywood that there are still a lot of people like that in the 21st century, maybe we'd get some contemporary films on par with these.
But let's not complain. Rather, let's be grateful for what we've got.
And let's go see them, so that our entertainment dollars relay to Hollywood that we want more.
"Amazing Grace" (playing at several theaters around town) is at the top of the list, a smart, well-made look at what it took for 18th-century England to abolish slavery. It also explains the origins of the title song. The film is a bit talky, and the jumbled narrative gets a bit confused as it shifts back and forth in time. But those flaws are forgivable, thanks to the power of the story and the first-rate performances. Especially moving is Albert Finney in two key scenes.
"Miss Potter" (excuslively at the Regency Theatres in Trolley Square) stars an actress I'm not crazy about, Renee Zelwegger. But I am crazy about this movie, and she seems perfectly cast as children's author Beatrix Potter. The film unfolds with humor and heart, and it has something to say about the way we treat the people we love. Ewan McGregor and the rest of the supporting playeres are wonderful, and Zelwegger deserves kudos for her utterly charming performance, and for the effort she exerted to get this film made.
"Believe in Me" (several theaters) is an enjoyable, uplifting sports movie — the most common vehicle for upbeat family films these days ("Remember the Titans," "Miracle," "The Rookie," etc.). A high school boys-basketball coach in the early 1960s gets stuck in a small Texas town coaching a girls team. And great, albeit predictable, things happen. Another well-done true story.
"Pride" (several theaters) is yet another true — and predictable — sports story, this one about competitive swimming. Terrence Howard stars as Jim Ellis, who, in 1970s Philadelphia, gets a swim program going at a rundown rec center. The stereotypes are broad and the film is heavy-handed, but it's a generally enjoyable, well-acted effort.
Other PG films in local theaters include "The Astronaut Farmer," "Eragon," "Night at the Museum" and "The Work and the Glory III," and the children's films "The Last Mimzy," "Bridge to Terabithia," "TMNT," "Arthur and the Invisibles," "Happily N'Ever After" and "Happy Feet."
And the G-rated films "Meet the Robinsons" and "Charlotte's Web."
E-mail: hicks@desnews.com