The Shunning (2011) USA

Time to step out of the box!

Genre:

TV Movie, Drama.

Length:

Approximately 3-minute read.


Part-I review:
     This is the first film, based on the Beverly Lewis' 'The Heritage of Lancaster County' trilogy. It is a television film series that was telecasted in the Hallmark. This channel is good at this kind of story narration. I have seen many similar films and one of those was 'Love Comes Softly'. The same filmmaker directed this as well.

     The film is about a young Amish woman. I've never met one in my life, nor knew anything about them, until I'd learned everything through watching the films. So I've no good or bad impression on them. But watching the film, especially the first half did not show them in a good light. Until the storytelling ends, there's nothing to judge. And as expected, it'd given a good reason in the later part.

     It was suspenseful at the opening. An English woman who has just landed in Lancaster county, looking for a particular person. Not everybody is interested in helping her. But somehow the message reaches the other end. Soon they are terrified and prepared for the bad thing. It's all linked to their daughter Katie. The truth always finds its way out and that's how Katie gets involved in it. Besides her instinct was always been on her side. The rest is about her expedition to unlock more truth.

 No matter where god puts us, it's up to us how we choose to live. 

     This is good for literature. But for screen adaptation, it does not have any chance to deliver a similar success. Not in the current generation. Would have been great half a century ago. Though for a television, it all makes sense. Because television audience is different. Consists mainly families, and that too as well women. So most of the television films are women oriented themes. On that aspect, this is a wonderful film. I too sometimes enjoy watching them. So I consider it a decent find, to watch in between the mainstream films.

     I knew this filmmaker would deliver, but the cast as well been wonderful. The story did not reveal much. It played hide and seek, but it had enough contents the whole first instalment to carry on with. As well as the curiosity it puts in us about what might follow in the sequel is a good thing. It had enough depth in characters to take on a ride. Other than that, the story is yet to come out with an explanation to cover all the bases. In a way, it does not matter if it heads forward only to focus on the future developments.

     A simple 90 minute drama, it does not have much topic to discuss. I've said everything I'd wanted to. So now I'm an inch closer to check out the next part. I hope it maintains the same rhythm. But I'm not liking it already as I'm finding something unfamiliar in the cast. I'll let you know what that's all about in the next review once I finished watching it. Meanwhile, it is not bad for once watching, but the original target audience should be watching it than anybody else.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Love Comes Softly, When Calls the Heart, The Ultimate Life, Letter to God.


External link(s):

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Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost (2011) USA

Who is this Cindy the Jesse is fond of?

Genre:

Crime, Drama, Mystery, TV Movie.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.


Part-VII review:
     The seventh film in the Jesse Stone series and not based on any book. Seems that's it, the adaptations are over. I thought it was a temporary diversion, but after the third straight film with no sign of going back, somewhat clear that it won't in the future as well. So only the characters from the book by Robert B. Parker was used to take the series forward with the original screenplays.

     Jesse is preoccupied with new of him. He stopped talking to his ex-wife since the phone line he cut off. But it could be the reason a teen girl's death. I mean he's not responsible, but when she needed him the most he was unreachable. So he's kind of in guilt for her death and trying to find the real reason behind it. The police department closed the case with a simple statement, but Jesse knows there's something or someone to blame. Like usual, he goes after with the clues he got and also gets some help from his frenemy Mr Fish. Where it takes him and how he solves it comes in the last quarter.

     In the opening credit, it was a different look, particularly the Jesse character was transformed into something new. When the rest of the film was in progress, there's nothing like that, just the old Jesse we all knew. He's trying to be close with Reggie, but it is not working. He's not in the force which is not looking good. Not just for him, but also for the film. Because he is a cop, a best one the paradise has ever seen, but his exit from the force was uninteresting the new development in the series. They are trying with the different things since it left the book, but not paying off with the success the series saw from the initial three films.

 What are you looking at? 

     The director for this sequel has changed. This is the first time and I was not expecting that, because I thought that's the best thing about this series. I know the last couple of films were not up to the standards, but seems it's good that they wanted a fresh perspective, still, I don't think the new attempt worked out so well. I won't blame the director completely, first of all the story was pretty bad. This is surely the worst film in the series and it came in the time when the series needed a serious uplift. I don't know, from this position where it will head in the future.

     It's not about the film is bad, but it does suit to be a part of the Jesse Stone franchise and that's the issue here. Because I felt it was out of the sync with the series. Those new characters, especially what they told us the dead girl Cindy was a close friend of Jesse is somewhat unacceptable. We have never seen her before and you can't just bring her in saying that's a very important person in Jesse's life. Because we know Jesse since he got to Paradise, so this girl is a mystery. Sorry, it did not work for me, maybe a prequel to that might do the fixing job all the damage done in this part. But I'm not confident about that would happen.

     For the filmmakers, this installment is a bad dream. How could the writers did not think to include the flashbacks to cover up the flaws. I feel they should have sticked with the Robert B. Parker's book series. Other than the messed up story, as an individual film, it can be enjoyable. Many Jesse Stone fans upset with this one, though I hope the next one gets better. I'm saying that since last few films, but it is only going down and seems not recovering.

     Like Selleck is the only reason this film still watchable. He was wonderful with a good supporting cast. So let's see what's going to happen to the film characters, looks some of the main ones useless here. With the wonderful characters, the makers are not developing the interesting story. I almost lost interest in this, but there are just a couple of films left, so I'm going to finish it off. I hope they can be what I'm expecting.



Followed by:
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):
    

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Wetlands (2011) Canada

Life as a farmer in the global warming era.

Original title:

Marécages (French)

Genre:

Drama.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.


Review:
     This is a Canadian French language film written and directed by a newcomer. I have seen lots of films about the farmers and it is not just one of them to get over with after a watch. It was thoroughly analysed and presented to us. I mean the urban people, we cause all kinds of pollutions and it is affecting the natural world thousands of miles away. I know industries are the main source of the pollutions, but they're operating because of our demand. The film was about a family, but the storyline had a slight influence on these topics.

     The film sets in somewhere in the remote place of the Quebec province. Centres on a dairy farm couple and their teen son during one summer season. It was not like the previous year, severe drought already claimed one of the members of a family in the village and now this little family is about to go bankrupt. With the troubles ahead, how they're going to manage, especially after an unexpected accident that shattered their peaceful life.

     The main focus was on the mother and her son. Those two actors played their characters wonderfully. But I thought they were real farmers, because there is a scene involving a cow giving birth to a calf and I was totally stunned for it. That looked so real to me, but there might be some tricks like CGI. Considering it a low cost film, that idea can be ruled out. Anyway, it was not all about the farm, most of the film was about their personal life. As a family working together to keep the dairy farm get going and individually theirs different interests.

 Farming wasn't the life I wanted. 

     This is widely unnoticed great drama and the reason is it is a small budget film, involving not so famous actors, the theme and of course the unknown director. But it has everything and even more than that, what a rural based subject should focus. Especially in the current world status as the global warming is a big concern, it committed to reveals why the agriculture is shrinking, and how those who are depending on them are directly affected was boldly told.

     You know, like the title says, how precious the wetlands are for the dairy farm animals. It was not intended as a message film, but quite understandable if we use our common sense. Those people work hard, but sometimes theirs hard effort goes unpaid. Besides struggling to make a living, they too have a life and desires to fulfill.

     Regarding the narration, the introduction was very casual and had no end twist. But simply displayed the film characters as what the real rural people do when they're in such situation. Especially those mourning parts were well detailed, and as there's no other way, they fight to recover from the tragedy. Besides, a few other stuffs like finding sexuality, affair, drinking, smoking are all covered in it.

     The film had almost the two hour run, but well developed and filled with quite unpredictable scenes. Film length is always a concern when it is a pure drama, because drama elements won't bring excitements, so one must have patience to watch them. But for this, I think everything worked out so well. I didn't find any boring parts, there's always something developed in the gaps to keep the viewers alive. The screenwriter must me praised for that. This film is worth a watch, but that does not mean a must see. Whatever, surely it needs the audience to spread the words around, how good it is.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
The Auction, Sunset Song, Rams, An Unfinished Life, Love Comes Softly, That Evening Sun.


External link(s):
    

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Love's Christmas Journey (2011) USA

The story of Ellie & Aaron Davis: Getting ready for the festival.

Genre:

Drama, Family, Western, TV Movie.

What's in:

As always on-topic, Not a bit off-topic, Very less spoilers, Dialogues.

Length:

Approximately 7-minute read.

Part-XI review:

     The eleventh and the final one in the Hallmark's 'Love Comes Softly' movie series. Inspired by the characters from Jannete Oke's original book. Only the eight titles were the adapted screenplay and remaining two were original, but prequels. So all the ten films had connections, but was not in the chronological order. Prior to this watch, I was wondering where this one would fit in the series. Technically, it is neither a sequel nor a prequel, but my guess is it sets in a parallel timeline to the fifth movie with the characters those derived from the previous films.

     Patently, I was eager for this, at a time it was very sad that no more movies after this one in the series. These were the beautiful family drama episodes, obviously had ups and downs, but certainly it maintained the quality and context as it promised. This was a two part movie and each 90 minutes long. It looks natural these days a final movie in the series to split into two equal parts. The silver-screen films are done for the commercial purpose, but I don't know the reason behind this television film. Surely it was not a small story that stretched to nearly a 3 hours long. Quite well developed characters and plot under the original theme to match with a par.

     We know Aaron, the little boy from 'Love's Enduring Promise', whose parents were Marty and Clark Davis. Missie is his half sister, but the question remains who's Ellie? Actually Ellie was not introduced so far in the series who was born after Aaron, but the story was proceeded with Missie who got married Willie and moved away. Thus, it had no time to launch Ellie, in fact, she was unnecessary until now. But the thing is the filmmakers failed to make sure the viewers get the proper clarification. These series' so called cliche is, the deaths, that continued here as well. Almost all the films open with a similar fashion, except I think one or two movies.

 I didn't grow old by making mistakes.

     In the first part, it was a bit slow to start, but strongly ended with spilling some suspense to carry going to the next part. I went with so much curiosity, then I ended with a little disappointment. The story was neat in order and clearly explored all the corners, though slightly the theme was overused or maybe jumps off the line. Felt like I was watching some kind of Christmas carol movie. You are religious or not, that does not matter here, because of the praiseworthy subject about human life. To me it was one of the best in the series, except that Christmas miracle thingy which turned it from realistic to a fantasy.

     We can learn so many things from these films. Like today we easily contact with our dear ones from the halfway across the world through texts and video calls. But where this story set in the latter half of the 19th century, earning money, the food, getting shelter, long journeys, even it lets us know the struggles in life in the un-advanced medicinal world. I admit like I said I have usually seen plenty of western films that associated with action, adventure, crime, thriller. But it was very occasional to get a pure family enjoyable western drama. I think 'As I Lay Dying' was the last time I saw one which was severely underrated.

     Like I mentioned the Love saga ended with the previous film, this one was simply an extra piece attached to the series somewhere in the middle. Especially targeted for the festival season audience to watch with their families who are supposed to be the fans of this original series. I had a wonderful time the last few days with this series. I suppose I said it in all the previous reviews and again saying that it is a feel good movie series, about love, faith, society, struggles, friends, family and many more good and bad stuffs. Overall, it was the fine movies for the families, except a few technical flaws (that is common in the television movies), which are acceptable to the television standards. Finally, the time has come to me to put an end to the Love saga reviews.

Similar movies:
Love Comes Softly movie series.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):