Beyond Borders

3 pipes out of 4

Clive Owen is known for his action films and not acting films. But put him with Angelina Jolie and you have both an action film and wonderful acting. Now it’s not the action you might expect from Owen but action none the less. Beyond Borders follows an epic love story across three continents. The story begins with Dr. Nick Callahan’s (Clive Owen) desperate plea for help at a fundraiser for fighting hunger where Sarah Jordan (Angelina Jolie) is stricken by his plea and uses all of her savings to bring supplies to Callahan’s camp in Ethiopia. She is driven by what she sees to make it her life mission to help those struck by famine and war. Jordan eventually reunite with Callahan a camp in Cambodia where things go wrong and they are forced to flee but they realize their love for each other. They are again separated but Callahan has realized that relief always comes with a price and he eventually must pay it. With Nick in trouble Sarah must go and find him. The movie has a couple locations where there are either plot holes or it is unrealistic but it remains mostly true to form. It is incredibly realistic with gruesome scenes of famine and war throughout. This film attempts to get the viewer to realize that people are suffering and politics are causing a lack of funding for help. You may want to pay attention to the details in the movie because there are several spots where there is foreshadowing to what will happen later in the movie. Don’t worry if you miss them for you will be reminded of them when the event actually happens. Be forewarned that this is quite a depressing movie and gave me an unexpected ending but also gives you a small grain of hope.

The Adjustment Bureau

3 pipes out of 4

If you are heavily religious person and not comfortable with seeing movies that question or are about god do not see this movie. Everyone else should defiantly see it. Matt Damon has done it again giving his adoring public another thriller. But don’t go expecting another Bourne because this one focuses more on the relationship between a New York congressman and a ballet dancer. The story follows David Norris (Matt Damon), a prominent bad boy New York congressman who chance runs into the girl of his dreams Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) in a men’s bathroom. Was it Chance or fate? David has a checkered past and has lost both his parents and his brother before even getting to high school. He has become the youngest New York Congressman at age 24 and is now running for a Senate seat. Once after bumping into Elise, a group called the adjustment bureau says they are never supposed to see each other again which poses David and Elise with the question do they want to fight fate to stay together? At first glance, The Adjustment Bureau looks like an action packed thriller but actually is more of a romantic drama with big thrills thrown in throughout with a big finish. I have not found a movie that Damon has attached himself to that has not either done very well had a powerful message. He reunites with The Bourne Ultimatum screenwriter George Nolfi who makes his directing debut with this wonderful film.  Nolfi has shown that he is a talented screenwriter with such screenplays as The Bourne Ultimatum, The Sentinel and Oceans Twelve and he delivers again. This movie will leave you with thoughts in your head that you didn’t even know existed and question whether life is predestined or if we have a choice.