Parents' Guide to Richard III

Packed full of impressive names and receiving plenty of awards nods, this cleverly adapted Shakespeare classic makes a strong impact from start to finish. Sticking to the original script, but cutting just enough to keep the run time manageable, director Richard Loncraine confidently walks the line between honoring the original version of Richard III and creating something unique to the screen. Plenty of action, a few new locations, and a powerhouse performance from McKellen keep the film entertaining throughout, without pausing for the kind of self-indulgent reverie that sometimes accompanies The Bard's name. Even the famous "Winter of our discontent" speech is taken apart and performed in two halves, both perfectly fitting what's happening around them. McKellen has played a number of Shakespeare greats—including Hamlet and King Lear—but as co-writer here, he seems to make the role even more his own. He's never afraid to revel in the darkness, yet impish asides breathe plenty of light. Elsewhere, Annette Bening, Maggie Smith, Robert Downey Jr., Kristin Scott Thomas, Nigel Hawthorne, Dominic West, and Jim Broadbent are among an all-star cast that really elevates this above its peers. That they're adorned with Oscar-nominated costumes and stood among Oscar-nominated sets doesn't hurt either—the use of London's iconic Battersea Power Station making the perfect location for an equally iconic battle scene toward the end of the film. This is innovative filmmaking that really brings the Shakespeare classic to bold, modern life.