One for the Money (2012)

When it’s over, go see this film only if you’re a Stephanie Plum fan, and even if you enjoy reading the Janet Evanovich mystery series, be aware that the character may be much more different than from the book, so prepare to be disappointed.  Otherwise, save your time and skip this awful film.  Unemployed and divorced, Stephanie Plum (Katherine Heigl) takes on the job of bounty hunter for her cousin’s bail bond business.  Her first case is an old flame (Jason O’Mara) who claims he was wrongly accused, and as Plum starts to believe in his innocence, the body count rises.  Still more disappointing is Heigl as the smart-talking heroine, who doesn’t fit the role, like squeezing a square into a circle.  Her whole get up is wrong.  She’s not the saucy badass that’s in the book.  Instead, she comes off as trashy chic.  Is there such a thing?  The film is completely forgettable in every sense.  It was a mish-mash of bad dialogue, poor acting, and uninteresting characters.  A complete waste of time. 

My rating: 1.5 out of 5

The Lucky One (2012)

When it's over, High School Musical (2006) alumni, Zac Efron, has definitely grown up from teen heartthrob into a marine veteran named Logan. Logan stumbles upon a faded photograph of a woman while on tour in Iraq.  The photo ends up being his lucky charm as he escapes death on several missions.  Upon finishing his third tour of duty, Logan vows to find the woman in the picture, so he may thank her. Although many actors could have portrayed Logan, Efron carried the role well enough to make me think twice on his turn to becoming a dramatic actor.  I think this role was his coming out role, into bigger, more serious characters.  I'm not saying Efron was perfect in the film, because he wasn't, and he still has a lot of growing to do as an actor.  There were scenes in the film where a more experienced actor would have been more convincing, bringing the viewers one step closer to understanding the personal and emotional journey Logan was on. The Lucky Ones stayed close to Nicholas Sparks's book, and because of that, it was enjoyable.  The only noticeable change was having a younger Logan as opposed to an older one.  The film didn't try to expand on the original story nor exaggerate it.  Instead, it brought the book into living color.   Still, if I had to compare this film with The Notebook (2004) (also written by Sparks), The Lucky One still isn't lucky enough, but Efron certainly was.

My rating: 3 out of 5

ParaNorman (2012)

When it’s over, with the big trend in zombies on the big and small screens, it’s about time a film came out for children.  ParaNorman is that film.  From the producers of Coraline (2009), Laika's second feature film is about a boy named Norman Babcock, who can speak to the dead.  He uses his abilities to save his town from ghosts, zombies, and even adults from an old witch’s curse.  The story may be simple and predictable, but it has all the themes children can relate to on a daily basis - courage, self-esteem, friendship, and forgiveness. The most appealing thing about ParaNorman is the stop-motion animation.  There’s something very nostalgic about this medium, reminding me of the films by stop-motion masters, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, widely known for Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (1964) and Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1970).  I like how the stop-motion allows for more texture in the characters - their clothing (fabrics), hairstyles, and physical shapes (pot bellies, curves, double chins, etc).  Even more interesting are the characters' eyes (blinking motion), which resemble old fashion dolls.  It's a bit creepy sometimes, and that certainly adds to the mood.  Generally, ParaNorman is a lot of fun and there are some good laughs for the adults.  It's a perfect matinee show with the kids.  I'd recommend this film for viewers 6 years and up and for anyone who can't get enough of all things zombies. 

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

 

Whistleblower (2010)

When it’s over, no justice can ever be found in a story about human trafficking, and as a viewer, there’s never any closure.  The film is based on the true story of Kathryn Bolkovac, an American cop who takes on the role of peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia.  Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) arrives in Bosnia with the excitement and hope of rebuilding a country, but soon discovers the corruption that surrounds her.  I’m not too sure how accurate the film was to Bolkovac’s actual experiences, but I’m almost certain the themes were all right on - truth, justice, trust, betrayal.  I’ve seen my fair share of sexual exploitation films, and somehow, I’m never satisfied as the film fades to black.  There’s never any real resolution to the problem, leaving the characters frustrated and angry, and the viewer, myself, wishing I could don the Charles Bronson persona from Death Wish (1974), and take matters into my own hands.  Of course that would be morally wrong, but it sure would feel satisfying.  I thought Weisz did a terrific job bringing to life a character that desperately wanted the law to work in the victims’ favour, but eventually had to accept the flaws in her organization and the power of diplomatic immunity.  Whistleblower, like many other films similar in story, mirror the real world, and until the world can solve the problem, the films serve as voices begging to be heard.  David Strathairn had a small role, but shined as one of the very few “good guys” in a pool of dirty men.   Newcomer, Roxana Condurache as Raya, managed to give a face and a voice to countless girls who are forced into prostitution every day.  She had several difficult scenes, and in each one, she was convincing and unflinching, bringing to the surface a realistic portrayal of damaged women at the mercy of corruption.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Total Recall (2012)

When it’s over, not as good as the original, but definitely entertaining with lots of wonderful visuals that shouldn’t be missed on the big screen.  It’s been more than a decade since viewers went to Mars with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall (1990), and with this remake, Director Len Wiseman is behind the camera and Colin Farrell takes on the role of Douglas Quaid – aka Hauser.  When Quaid begins to question his memories and his reoccurring dreams, he decides to visit Rekall, a virtual memory implant company.  But, when the procedure becomes compromised, Quaid discovers that he is actually a double agent on a secret mission.  There’s plenty of well choreographed action sequences overlapping fantastic visuals of an alternate future where cars fly and elevators criss-cross, zooming at high speeds.  Wiseman has definitely taken advantage of the full potential of CGI, resulting in bringing to life a believable society that’s seedy, corrupt, and extremely crowded.  Surprisingly, the cast was a good fit.  I think Farrell should have kept his Irish accent, and don’t know why he dropped it to play Quaid, but he still passes for a convincing secret agent and a man who’s struggling to decipher what is real and what is implanted memory.  Kate Beckinsale takes on the role of Lori, Quaid’s wife, and she’s good at playing bad, kicking some serious butt.  Jessica Biel is in top form as the resistance fighter and Hauser’s lover, Melina.  She holds her own with both Farrell and Beckinsale.  Having said all the things I like about the film, I can’t help but compare this film to the original.  This new version’s storyline is weaker, lacking the compelling human story in which Verhoeven’s version had – the idea of releasing oxygenated air into Mars’s atmosphere in order to save the lives of thousands of humans/mutants is far more engaging than a story of stopping an invasion of droid troops.  Plus, where’s Kuato?  I miss Kuato.  And gone are the memorable lines that made the original Recall so memorable, such as “Consider this a divorce,” when Arnie kills Lori (played by Sharon Stone in 1990) and “Baby, you make me wish I had three hands,” referring to the prostitute with three breasts. Even with limited special effects, Verhoeven’s Recall still managed to be creative, innovative, and eye-popping.  Wiseman’s version is certainly exciting, but if you stripped away all the CGI, the story wouldn’t hold, wouldn’t stand on its own. 

My rating: 3.5 out of 5