RETURN TO PARADISE (1998)

Directed By: Joseph Rueben 
Written By: Wesley Strick & Bruce Robinson 
Based on the original Screenplay FORCE MAJEURE by: Pierre Jolivet & O. Schatzky Cinematography By: Reynaldo Villalobos 
Editor: Craig McKay & Andrew Mondshein 


Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jada Pinkett Smith, Anne Heche, Joaquin Phoenix, David Conrad, Vera Farminga, Nick Sandow, David Zayas, Richard Yang, Elizabeth Rodriguez 


Three friends share an exciting vacation in Malaysia, full of fun, drinks, women and hash. When the vacation is over, each have dreams of continuing their lives, and they all go their separate ways. One of them remains on the tropical paradise to fulfill a dream of working with apes for research. Two years later, a lawyer comes to New York and hunts down the other two friends to give some sad news. A few days after they left the island, police raided their camp and found amazingly large quantities of hash left about. Phoenix was still residing there, so he had to take the blame. He is set to be put to death in 8 days, and the only way the charges can be decreased is if the two friends come back to paradise and take their share of the responsibilty. If they do, they both will spend three years in prison. If only one does, he will spend six years behind bars.

THE CONJURING (2013)

Directed By: James Wan 
Written By: Chad Hayes & Carey Hayes 
Cinematography By: John R. Leonetti 
Editor: Kirk M. Morri 

 Cast: Vera Farminga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor,Ron Livingston, Joey King

SOURCE CODE (2011)

Directed By: Duncan Jones
Written By: Ben Ripley
Cinematography By: Don Burgess
Editor: Paul Hirsch

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farminga, Jeffrey Wright, Russell Peters

Army Captain Colter Stevens finds himself working on a special program where his consciousness can be inserted into another human being. The only catch is can only be there for 8 minutes at any given time. That morning, a bomb exploded on a commuter train just outside Chicago. He occupies the body of teacher going to work on that train and is confused as to what he is doing or why he is there as his last memory is of flying his helicopter on a combat mission in Afghanistan. Those in charge of the program explain to him that there is a bomb on the train, and that he must locate it. More importantly, he must identify the bomber as another bombing is expected later that day. He is also told however that he cannot change the past and can only gather information. As he develops a liking for his traveling companion Christina, he sets out to test that theory

ORPHAN (2009)

Directed By: Jamie Collet-Serra
Written By: David Johnson
Story By: Alex Mace
Cinematography By: Jeff Cutter
Editor: Tim Alverson

CAST: Vera Farminga, Peter Sarsgaard, CCH Pounder, Isabelle Fuhrman, Karel Roden, Margo Martindale, Jimmy Bennett

The film succeeds in a lot of ways until you get to the third act which I know disappointed a lot of people with it’s ridiculousness. I think it is because the film so far plays but logical realistic rules so far and then you have this twist that belongs in a crazier movie. Especially since all the advertisements say “you’ll never figure out the ending” they are right you won’t no one could have. It’s like those mysteries where they give you all this evidence and clues to suspect one of the characters you know about up to this point is the murderer then they bring out a character out of the blue making all that came before it null and void fully knowing you were never really meant to figure it out.

For the most part the film is entertaining it starts off with a gory scene but hardly rises to that level of violence again. The rest of the film is more diabolical. It set’s a dark tone as all of the scenes and surroundings seem drained of color. So there is a lack of vitality yet a polished look that is supposed to be laid back but really tries to cover the trouble that is down deep.

The film is about a couple that has two children who lost a child at childbirth that the mother has never fully gotten over so they decide to adopt after she has gone to therapy for a few years. They decide to adopt a seemingly perfect intelligent little girl. Soon after is when all of the trouble starts soon there are many violent accidents. Which the mother soon suspects is committed by the girl we know only because we are witnesses to it. Which could have made this film a totally different type of thriller if we don’t know if she is actually commiting these acts or is it really just the other going crazy. But then the film would have been more of a slow moving psychological thriller insead of a more traditional thriller with more action.

I have to give the director credit it shows more skill and is better then his previous Film HOUSE OF WAX. The film intrigued me from the beginning and I was never bored.

It’s interesting that Vera farminga stars in this film which is a bit similar to a thriller she made last year named JOSHUA. Only in that film it was her son who was evil and driving her crazy but his real challenge was his father. Here it is her really versus the little girl.

This Film goes best with a Demented kids Film Festival with THE BAD SEED, WHO CAN KILL A CHILD, THE GOOD SON, JOSHUA, and this film. This is a good rental. It has the requisite thrill factor and the shocking I can’t believe they just did what they did. Especially since children are imperil more then the adults in this film.

SPOILER. The alternate ending where she survives could have been done many different ways she walks downstairs the cops don’t believe she is dangerous and she kills them all. Or they don’t believe she is the killer so they let her slip through there fingers only to show up later at another orphanage. Or leave it open ended where she just escapes leading to more sequels.

GRADE: C+