Movie Review - Northern Lights

Northern Lights

2009

Stephanie Germain Productions / Mandalay Television / Alberta Film Entertainment / Nora NL Productions : Lifetime Television / Tandem Comunications

6.25 / 10

The surprising thing about this movie is the quality of the cast and the acting within.  I was mostly surprised by Leann Rimes who can hold her own in the female lead here and fits in well.  I've heard her superb vocal ability and never knew she has thespian talents also, based on this film I would quite happily watch anything else she's done.

The only cringeworthy scene was when Meg Galligan (Leeann Rimes) tells her mother Charlene (Rosanna Arquette) that her father, Charlene's true love, is dead.  Arquette goes way over the top at this news and totally wrecks the scene; though to be fair, Mike Robe who directed should've stepped in to give her some better direction and tone down the theatrics a little - sometimes less can be better.

That said, the rest of the film is very well acted by all, though I have to say Jayne Eastwood who portrays Mayor Hopp is on top form.  I first saw her in Haven as the no-nonsense coroner, and she has the same kind of believable tenacity in this role also, a joy to watch as she brought a smile to my face.

Robe does a decent job of keeping the mystery and suspense rolling as the story of the new Cheif Of Police Nate Burns (Eddie Cibrian) in Lunacy, Alaska finds he has a fifteen-year-old murder case to solve; worse yet, the murder victim is his love interests, father; worst still, it seems that most of Lunacy could be the potential killer.  You're never too sure as the viewer as not many clues are given, in fact, you have to be pretty observant and quick-sighted to spot and remember a certain scene to work out the killer's identity before the Chief of Police.  The resolve of the story is quick, it may have been better to slow this section down and create a little more tension.

Not having read the Nora Roberts novel I cannot say how well it's been adapted, though in its own right Janet Brownell the Teleplay writer does give the audience one hell of a story filled with believable and interesting characters.

If you like murder mysteries then you should like this one, it is definitely a curl-up with your loved one on a Sunday afternoon movie, while the world passes by outside.  Worth at least one viewing.

Movie Review - The Collector

The Collector

2009

The Cast

What you have here is a high-tension psychological thriller with horrific scenes and not a horror film as labelled.  This is based in the real world and not that of the supernatural or paranormal.  Though there is an air of dread throughout the film, which is very palpable at exactly the right times, thanks to the great direction.  So horror fans would love this film also.

This is the story of a thief, with a heart and conscience, agreeably portrayed by Josh Stewert (who I hadn't rated as a good actor before this film), and his mission to steal for his wife to help get her out of trouble, as regular work doesn't make enough money.  The only trouble for Arkin is that a psychopath has also marked the family, but for a more grisly reason.

This is an underrated and largely missed film though I would highly recommend this if you like edge-of-your-seat tension as the director, Marcus Dunstan, does a splendid job building the tension from the moment Arkin breaks into the house, right to the end of the film.  Not once does the tension falter or drop, unless the story dictates it.

All of the actors are above average and do a great job of adding power to the film, though there are times I would like have had a little more building of the Chase family just so you cared a little more about what happens to them.  Though to keep it to the one and a half hour runtime the writers, Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, do a good job of making the Chase family come out as "Normal" though.

The one and only drawback to the whole movie, and the reason for the low score is The Collectors traps.  These are ingenious and deadly by conception and utilisation.  But just by their design, there wouldn't have been any way to set all the traps without the house-holders knowledge.  Should they have been constructed and set after he had caught the family, then there wouldn't have been enough time before Arkin arrived.  This is the one continuity error that perturbs me the most.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes action and does not mind a more than a little gore, to at least watch once.  This is the second time I've viewed this and enjoyed it more the second time around.

I give this tortuous collection an 8.25 out of 10.

The Trailer