The Debt

Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson star in this suspenseful drama directed by John Madden. The film is actually a remake of a 2007 Israeli film of the same name.

The story shows both the past and present lives of three Mossad agents tasked with hunting down an accused Nazi war criminal. In the past they endured the sacrifices of their mission. In the present the trio were forced  to question the success of the mission that made them famous.

I found this film to be intriguing and with a great story line. The costuming and set design worked well with the locations throughout the film. Helen Mirren delivered another great performance, as did the rest of the cast.

My main criticism of this film is the pace. I'm not sure if it was the editing or the writing, but the film seemed to move at a choppy pace that made it feel awkward at times. It doesn't change my opinion of the film too much, just an observation for those reading who might not enjoy slower paced films.

I give The Debt 4 stars out of 5. 

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

In 2001 a young doctor named Andrew Bagby was murdered. All evidence pointed to his pregnant ex-girlfriend. In 2008 director Kurt Kuenne, Andrew's good friend memorialized this tragedy in this moving documentary. The film chronicles the events after Andrew's death as his parents fought for custody of their new grandson. Through evidence and interviews Kuenne shows not only the facts of the crime, but also the person who was lost. He took the time to interview friends of Andrew around the world. This is a dark and depressing film that shines a light on the problems with justice, not only in America but in Canada as well.

I would give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The third installment of the Harry Potter series was another first for me as I experience this set of films for the first time. It's important to remember that I've never read the books so I don't have any bias based on changes in the story line or anything like that.

This was a really enjoyable film to watch. Once again the characters were well written and the acting continued to improve from previous performances. The story itself was also interesting and kept me involved. The Harry Potter series could easily be milked dry if done poorly (remember Rocky Balboa?), so far this hasn't been my experience. They've managed to keep the running story line going while giving me a satisfying film that stands alone in it's conclusion.

This film has convinced me to move on to the fourth film in the series.

I would rank this film a 4 out of 5 stars.

Our Idiot Brother

This comedy is centered around an idealistic, yet incredibly dense man and how he affects the lives of his family. Paul Rudd stars as the main character Ned, while Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Emily Mortimer play his frustrated sisters.The comedy in this film is found in interaction and dialogue. The writing and the music were nice, and the cast did a good job portraying a family.

I think this is a film that underachieved when it came time to deliver on the premise. There was room for more funny moments in some of the situations. That being said, I enjoyed the film for what it was. The story had great moments but didn't come together. I suppose I also expected it to have a few more standout moments.

For anyone looking to see a light comedy that doesn't require much thinking, this is the film for you. It does have some strong words that should keep the kiddies away.

I give this one 2.8 stars out of 5.