The Hangover - Part 2 (2011)

When it's over, the cast of the original Hangover return for another night of drug induced amnesia. The film feels like a horror film that's had too many sequels.  Instead of trying to invent new ways to kill people, the Hangover Part 2 tries to find new ways to be more crude, more obnoxious, more "over the top."  There's nothing original or fresh about this film.  It's the same stuff rejigged, and the only difference is the setting.  Instead of Las Vegas, it's Thailand.  I was disappointed the producers didn't take advantage of the returning cast by giving them new material to work with which would have developed their characters making the film a true sequel.  I think it would be interesting to see the characters pay for their stupidity, instead of having everything end "fine and dandy." However, the film is first and foremost, a comedy, so while the Hangover was fun the first time around, the second time's just redundant. 


My rating: 1.5 out 5

Maria Full of Grace (Colombia - 2004)

 

When it’s over, at what price are you willing to pay for a better life?  For Maria Alvarez, the price is to risk her life and the life of her unborn child.  Maria Full of Grace centers on the life of a 17 year old who finds herself pregnant, unemployed, and without hope of a future in rural Colombia.  In order to support her family, Maria becomes a drug mule by smuggling 62 pellets of cocaine in her stomach to the USA.  This award winning film touches on both human and social issues, and I think Writer/Director Joshua Marston does a fantastic job blending the two elements, but he never forgets that the story is first and foremost a human drama about a girl with dreams and hopes who makes some bad decisions along the way.  He doesn't stray from Maria's story and takes great care to tell her story with honesty and conviction.   The character of Maria feels very real and it was easy for me to empathize with her.  I thought Actress Catalina Sandino Moreno did a beautiful job bringing Maria to life and showing her coming of age amidst the dangerous world of drug trafficking.  Finally, Marston's choice of shooting the film in documentary style definitely added to the realism, tension, and suspense of the film.  Great film to watch.  No special effects.  No eye candy.  Just pure drama.

My rating: 4 out of 5

 

Johnny English Reborn (2011)

When it’s over, Johnny English Reborn offers good clean humour suitable for all ages.  I can’t remember the last time I sat through a comedy as funny and entertaining as this spoof on James Bond and the secret service.  Rowan Atkinson, aka Mr. Bean, returns as the bumbling secret agent, Johnny English, from MI5.  In this sequel, English must prevent the assassination of an international leader while exposing a mole from within the British Secret Service.  Atkinson’s silent slapstick humour truly is the gem of this film.  There’s plenty of visual gags, and the pacing is perfect, never dwelling too long on any scene and just long enough to make the comedy work.  If you like the comedy of Mr. Bean, then this film is definitely worth a viewing.   Some memorable scenes include English at the Tibet Monastery, the wheelchair chase, and the MI5 boardroom – all to guarantee some fun laughs. 


My rating: 4 out of 5

All Good Things (2010)

When it's over, the film has "creepy" written all over it.  The thing about watching a film based on a true life unsolved murder is that you are almost guaranteed to be unsatisfied, because there's no real ending, only possible conclusions, and that can be frustrating, as I was with the ending of All Good Things.  Ryan Gosling stars as David Marks, who is heavily scarred by witnessing his mother's suicide early in his childhood. When his marriage to Katie (Kirsten Dunst) starts to crumble, David transforms from a loving husband to a mentally disturbed individual.  He was suspected, but never tried for killing Katie after her disappearance in 1982.  Director Andrew Jarecki used pieces from trial records to help tell what might have happened and how the plan was executed, and I think he does a well-layered job of it; however, the ending seems unfinished, but not by fault of the director.  Gosling was very convincing at playing creepy, especially in disguise as a woman, and Dunst was believable as the carefree wife who was slowly tormented by her husband. 

My rating: 2.5 out of 5



The Flowers of War (China - 2011)

When it's over, Actor Christian Bale delivers another solid performance, and with renowned Chinese Director Yimou Zhang leading the way, The Flowers of War is so much more than just a historic war movie.  Certainly, the film features many themes that are associated with war, but Zhang has gone deeper into those themes to extract the essence of how those themes are played out through the characters.  Heroism is prevalent throughout the film, but is not defined by someone waving a gun or performing kung fu.  Zhang clearly shows that heroism comes from within;  it's internal; it's silent.  It's the sacrifices we make to protect others and the hope and humanity we offer others through our sacrifices.  In a time of war, despair and loss are inevitable, and hope can become the farthest thing within our reach.  The film shows that hope is something greater than ourselves and that it's worth fighting for and dying for.  Bale plays John, the mortician, who is sent to Nanking, China, during the early years of the Japanese occupation to bury a Catholic priest.  When caught in the crossfire of Japanese soldiers, John takes refuge in a church with a group of women consisting of convent school girls and prostitutes.  Posing as a priest, he plans to smuggle the girls out of the city.  I really liked how the film successfully blended cultures (the Chinese and the Japanese), social classes (the prostitutes and the students) and languages (English, Chinese, and Japanese).  Some films become lost with too much blending, but Zhang keeps a secure rein on the film and does a fantastic job at seamlessly fusing the English, Chinese, and Japanese dialogue.  I never felt confused, lost, or distracted by the subtitles as the dialogue jumped from one language to another.   Finally, this was one film that lacked character development, but didn't suffer because of it.  It would have been insightful to learn more about the main characters, but I didn't find the lack of development damaging to the overall film, because the film's mainly driven by the theme.


My rating: 4 out of 5