Fact-inspired story of a newlywed husband whose wife wakes from coma with no memory of him.

Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams try to find her way back / Photo: Screen Gems

Here’s the test: if you love the work of Nicholas Sparks, or love a love story but run for daylight at the mention of his name, then stop reading now and just start making arrangements to see The Vow. It has all the elements you’re looking for, and you’ll come away very well pleased. Enjoy!

Still reading? Then perhaps you’re dreading the Valentine’s Day Movie Date… but not to worry. Though starring Rachel McAdams and trailer-positioned for the season to invoke evoke The Notebook, The Vow actually more resembles Love and Other Drugs with all the sweet affection of Letters to Juliet.

Actually less the story of the romance itself, The Vow more tells the story of a man showing up with grace, maturity, and genuine love for his partner, and putting her well-being above his own ease without forgetting himself in the process (both true stories, by the way, go Gentlemen go). Here we see love in its highest form.

There are some questions left hanging, it’s true (for example, why doesn’t she start from a place of trust ~ however intellectual ~ given the evidence of her decisions, and then question and piece from there?, etc.), and to the extent they go unacknowledged it does undermine. However, it’s clear that the movie is the “lite” version of the actual events (hence more Letters and less Drugs), with the answers ultimately moot and The Vow’s lingering impression being one of substance and inspiration. (If we were to get the full dramatic version, it would be Love and Other Drugs plus the all the fearsome anguish of The Doctor, complete with Wendy Crewson.)

Though McAdams gets along as per usual on her good looks, Channing Tatum trades on that and a good bit more, actually doing quite a fine job indeed ~ one that actually earns a closer following, even. Fun tip for his scene at a wedding sharing a drink with Sam Neill as his father-in-law: if you have any interest in Safe House at all, pay close attention to Sam Neill’s instruction. You’ll be glad you did. *

See it if: You enjoyed Letters to Juliet, Love and Other Drugs, or yes, The Notebook. Or if you hated One Day or yes, The Notebook.

Skip it if: You don’t want your heart tugged on. Not to say you don’t enjoy being moved by something genuinely touching, but that you resist being pulled on to feel it whether the film’s earned it or not. The Vow does earns it, but you’ll need grant it the space to do so.

* SPOILER ALERT: In Safe House, our hero is told, “Remember: if anyone ever says, ‘We’ll take it from here, you’re scr**ed.’” Hilarious.

An untested CIA cog finds himself charged with custody of a rogue agent who is also the world’s most notorious ~ and tenaciously hunted ~ turncoat.

Ryan Reynolds attempts to direct Denzel Washington / Photo: Universal PIctures

Despite some heavy-handed direction, Safe House shows up well in its genre, offering plenty of expertly-executed action, strong principal performances, and pacing that never allows one to become complacent (and that is all I have to say about that). Vibing on the same wavelength as Unknown, Safe House will take the edge off a craving for Jack Ryan or Jason Bourne and satisfy action fans looking for an enjoyable weekend get-together.

Sporting characters well-rendered yet formulaic, with the exception of Ryan Reynolds any solid actor could fulfill any role (though Denzel Washington de facto tops the short list for our anti-hero). Sadly, this leaves our stellar supporting cast at CIA headquarters just a tad squandered, relegated to “over-emotive irritated authority figure” vs. true performance (the consistency of this can only be due to direction). In a perfect world, Safe House would have been a spectacular opportunity for lesser known actors to demonstrate their chops, much as Renner did in The Hurt Locker. Ah well… (But keep your eye on Fares Fares, case in point.)

Despite any shortcomings, it’s an early effort for director Daniel Espinsoa, and his being able to pull this level of talent and handle this level of wide-angle action bodes very well for our future. With a bit of box office support and script enhancement, we could be seeing the next Jack or Jason (or George!). Time will tell. In the meantime, just enjoy Washington doing what he does best, Reynolds adding Action/Adventure to his repertoire with aplomb, and the gritty dazzling battles, and you’ll come away pleased.

See it if: You enjoy Reynolds and/or Washington themselves (can’t go wrong there of course), and extended action sequences for their own glorious sakes (the car chase even showed some shades of Friedkin ~ Espinosa might be finding his calling…).

Skip it if: A ratio of 85% Fun Formula, 20% Insight & Intrigue is too imbalanced for you (it’s rather the polar opposite of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).

The true story of the collective effort to save a family of grey whales trapped under a rapidly advancing ice cap in the Arctic circle. 

Above the ice, the world mobilizes to save the family / Photo: Universal Pictures

A glorious true story of teamwork, compassion, and nobility, Big Miracle is the perfect outing, family or otherwise ~ and plan on a bite to eat afterward for the animated discussion to follow.

Were one to focus only on the effort itself, Big Miracle would be eminently engaging, but considering the attendant elements of ethics, stewardship, cultural tradition, politics, foreign relations, technological innovation, professional ambition, interpersonal relationship, life and death, devotion, and spirituality, and it becomes a must-see.

All sides of every issue emerge naturally from the task at hand, affording viewers the opportunity without lecture to experience what drives each viewpoint, as well as observe people of radically different and adamantly held beliefs working cooperatively yet without compromising who they are. Finally, it even shows youngsters a wide range of professional possibilities that might inspire them, from environmental protection to broadcasting to military service to entrepreneurship.

Or you know what, just pull for the whales and enjoy the movie. Big Miracle is a rich, life-affirming, must-see. (Note to parents and sensitive viewers: The opening sequence may seem a rough introduction, but it stops short in time and is necessary to the telling.)

See it if: You want to be thrilled and inspired, seek a fabulous illustration of collaboration despite ideological animosity (hello Congress), or want something that an entire group can gather around for fun and conversation that’s light yet substantive.

Skip it if: You’re a kiddo under, say, nine years old ~ the tiny tots became restless about halfway through, when to them it probably turned into a bunch of “grownups talking.” Additionally, the whales might be a bit difficult to conceptualize, meaning there wasn’t as much to keep them visually occupied to offset this effect, as in Dolphin Tale.

A 19th-century Irish woman, successfully passing as a man in order to survive on her own, glimpses the possibility of there being much more available in life than she imagined, and sets about pursuing it.

Mia Wasikowska and Glenn Close contemplate their versions of happiness / Photo: Roadside Attractions

With humor perfectly placed, performances never letting us forget the true nature of the people behind the behavior, and direction making us genuinely concerned for them, Albert Nobbs deserves the attention of every drama fan. And every awards-watcher. And everyone who loves a love story.

You’ll notice no mention of anyone interested in the mechanics of hiding a huge secret, or of What It Means to be doing so. Such elements merely occasion our conversation. Instead, Albert Nobbs establishes the facts and circumstances and moves immediately into its own true nature ~ that of exploring what comprises a safe, authentic, hopeful, and perhaps even fulfilled life, and the various ways in which we go about creating that. Though ostensibly about a woman’s experience of passing as a man (and secondarily the various reasons one might do so), Albert Nobbs is less about gender power issues and who pairs up with whom, and more about identifying what one deems to be a good life for oneself and working to arrange that ~ via good or ill toward others as one’s nature dictates…. No matter our gender, class, orientation, aspirations, or histories, we can all spot ourselves in Albert Nobbs, and gain a glimpse into what is going on all around us. It also leaves several elements open for question, allowing room for additional reflection, but does so without leaving us hanging. Truly a superb production.

Glenn Close’s performance astonishes of course, deserving every nomination and win ~ and for the record, not simply for portraying against gender. Keep The Stepford Wives in your mind as things proceed, and prepare to be dumbstruck.

A young woman pursuing a dream of becoming a beauty queen finds herself at the wrong place at the wrong time and swept involuntarily into the machinations of a powerful Mexican drug gang.

Stephanie Sigman realizes who just stormed into her life / Photo: 20th Century Fox

American public policy states that it’s better that ten guilty people go free than one innocent go to prison. Not for some lofty ethical standard, but because an innocent is temperamentally unequipped to cope with being surrounded by hardened criminals. The damage to the innocent would be incalculable. And where the drug trade rages rampant, such an innocent is usually not a suspect undergoing due process of law, but rather simply the person on Main Street living out their day.

Miss Bala makes this salient point with iron fist, illustrating the desperately precarious nature of life in a country dominated by organized crime. About how capriciously one can utterly lose control of one’s life when nothing stands between the powerful and the ordinary individual … about how easily one can become a tool, completely subsumed by that element, no longer oneself … about making decisions to try to turn certain death into a fighting chance to live. About how such a war zone offers no succor of purpose or nobility, promises no end in sight.

Miss Bala: eminently worth one’s time, truly sobering. And leaving us with as many questions as awarenesses, not the least of which being, “How on earth do we as a community ~ of people, of nations ~ address such a thing?” Of course the politicians and pundits would love to sit us down and tell us the so-called answer to that. But better, Miss Bala gives us a foundation to begin discerning the answers for ourselves.

Update: The day or two after this post, the Houston Chronicle reported a governmental plan under discussion whereby border agents would be assigned in time-limited rotations, reducing the opportunity for being seduced or coerced into cooperation with drug runners. Encouraging!

Former cop Nick Cassidy escapes from prison and seeks to secure a hearing to clear his name by threatening to jump from a 25th-floor ledge.

Sam Worthington and Elizabeth Banks discuss his immediate future / Photo: Summit Entertainment

A light caper flick that wants to be The Italian Job when it grows up, Man on a Ledge offers a enough tension to engage yet without so much as to be tiring (think the under-appreciated The Next Three Days, as it happens). However, it’s not as intricately woven as either of the other two. So is that an endorsement or an indictment? You decide ~ it depends on what you want from your movie.

Think back (if you’re old enough, otherwise just trust me) to Ellery Queen vs. Agatha Christie. With Ellery, all the clues are present, so if you’re shrewd enough, you’ll solve the case right along with him; the final suspect gathering is all about watching the reactions and seeing if you got it right. With Agatha, her detectives often show up announcing offside activity: “I just came from the hall of records, and this document is the smoking gun!” The story holds, but we can’t play along; the suspect gathering reveals everything to us as well. So it is with Man on a Ledge. If you like Ellery,
you’ll feel dissatisfied; if you like Agatha, you’re golden.

Enough characterization to keep it moving, not enough to make you work, and plenty of action, minimal stress ~ you can “enjoy enjoying it.” Fun to see Jamie Bell, would definitely catch Genesis Rodriguez again, Mackie was underutilized, Worthington and Banks are a nice pairing.

Four seasons in the life of a happily married couple and the comings and goings of their family and friends.   

Nancy Sheen and Jim Broadbent listen to their friends' travails / Photo: Sony Pictures Classics

Okay, upon further reflection (arguably the necessity for which could be a strike against the script/direction), I’m afraid I must say they really do seem to be supremely smug, obnoxious snobs…

When the hapless brother-in-law of retired smuggler Chris Farraday botches a job, he returns to work to settle the debt, lest the brother-in-law’s vicious boss begin exacting payment down the family line, eventually reaching Farraday’s wife and children.

Giovanni Ribisi demands payment / Photo: Universal Pictures

A retelling of the Icelandic Reykjavik-Rotterdam, Contraband could have been a pleasing complement to Gone in 60 Seconds and The Italian Job (even borrowing from the casting!); as it stands, it’s more their lethargic love child.

Given the strength of the underlying story (despite its familiarity) and its ability to attract the talent, it seems that Contraband was, quite literally, lost in translation. Burdened by woefully pedantic dialogue early on, it would appear that the “show, don’t tell” principle was missed during film school, but more likely the conversion into English required more skill. It truly felt as though a fair way in, but not too far for redemption, a writer ceded defeat and turned the script over to a fluent English speaker, who finished the script yet without enough time for a rewrite.

Though hobbled, Contraband manages fairly well after that and provides a couple of nice turns before we’re through. A strong cast saves the day; Foster is largely squandered, but Ribisi enjoys a chance to shine.

Vibes on about the same wavelength as Unstoppable (itself the lethargic love child of Runaway Train…).

A young woman travels to Italy to visit her institutionalized mother, who brutally murdered three people during her own exorcism twenty years earlier.

Bonnie Morgan desperately awaits deliverance / Photo: Paramount

The Devil Inside wasn’t for me a complete train wreck, though I’m sure my reason for granting it an extra star is one the filmmakers would consider to be what’s referred to as “an unintended consequence.”

Let me start by saying that if you’re going to see this one at all (and that’s a big if), do so only if you’ve seen The Rite first. In that case, you’ll have context and background that brings some necessary dimension to The Devil Inside ~ specifically, why an exorcism can take months, and what’s actually going on for the afflicted during this time. Or, if you haven’t seen The Rite, but girl/boyfriend is going to drag you to The Devil Inside, just take its word for it that they’re truly suffering.

And therein lies the reason Inside is merely Disappointing, and not actually Accursed. So graphic is the footage (fictional or not, irrelevant) of what according to multiple reports actually happens, Inside quite powerfully makes us feel for these people. I’m unconvinced it actually means to, but there you have it.

While in this narrative mode, Inside holds its own well ~ if you can get past the atrocious hand-held camera effect (and that’s a big if). Yes yes, we get it, it’s an amateur capturing of the heroine’s journey, but a) one would think she’d enlist a buddy who can actually handle a camera, and b) you don’t need to scream the concept at us. Truly awful and literally painful to watch (I kept my eyes closed during the conversational parts!)

Still it holds its own ~ until things actually start happening, at which point the film utterly decompensates. Characters fall completely to pieces (best example: someone becomes possessed, and the experienced, heretofore skilled exorcist starts screaming, “I don’t know what to do!!”), and then the entire proceeding wraps about fourteen minutes later. As the screen went dark, I thought, “Oh, the next thing better not be credits. Oh no you don’t. No. Nonono.” Yes.

Those who know me know that once I decide to see a film, I go into blackout lest I trip over a spoiler (I absolutely loathe trailers). Thus, were Inside true, that would put a different spin on things. People have foibles, they freak out when things hit too close to home, and events often leave one grasping. So I refrained from a rush to judgment, slept on it, and checked out if there were any bases in truth (other than general anecdotal reports of exorcism). A true story covers a multitude of sins.

But Inside is not, rendering it a lazily constructed, uninspired copycat of The Blair Witch Project. Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but flattery also gets you nowhere. Especially where a tale is fictional, it must be crafted well. (Gee, did I just feel the need to verbalize that? I guess I did. >sigh<) Were it shot like Catfish, structured like Blair Witch, and inspired by Fallen, it coulda been a contender.

If the topic piques your interest, try The Exorcist and The Exorcism of Emily Rose, as well as The Rite for background on what it takes to be an exorcist and what goes into becoming one. All three are based in verifiable fact, and Emily Rose is the one that covers every base. Then if you feel so inclined, rent Inside and watch through the emergency room for illustration purposes. Otherwise, consider taking a pass.