Love Birds (2011)
Doug (Rhys Darby) is dumped by his longtime girlfriend and falls into a tailspin of depression. When he finds an injured duck and nurses it to health, he emerges from his depression and falls in love with veterinarian Holly (Sally Hawkins). This New Zealand romantic comedy is not very imaginative, but Rhys Darby is so charming it’s hard not to like the film.
Best known as Murray, the bumbling band manager in Flight of the Conchords, Darby’s comic persona somehow combines the awkwardness of Ricky Gervais and the likability of Jimmy Fallon.
Sally Hawkins is an unconventional romantic lead, but matched with Darby it somehow works. Their awkward chemistry reminds of Steve Carell and Amy Ryan from The Office.
Doug loves Queen, and the band’s signature songs provide a constant, hummable soundtrack. The film begins with the perfect romantic comedy song, “Somebody to Love,” Doug chases a car on his bike while “Bicycle Race” underscores the action, and the film closes with the cast lip-synching “Princes of the Universe” as the credits roll.
It’s a straightforward romantic comedy with an obvious plot and plenty of saccharine sweetness, but what it lacks in originality, it makes up for with personality. It’s not trying to say anything grand or big, just entertain you and bring a smile to your face; on that front, it’s a rousing success.
A Hijacking (2012)
When a cargo ship is hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, the CEO of the company responsible for the boat assembles a team of lawyers and negotiates for the release of the crew.
These advisers view the lives of the hostages in dollar signs and convince the CEO to treat this as a business deal, but when contrasted with the starvation, fear, and death on the boat it’s difficult to justify their cold logic.
Ultimately, the negotiators are able to secure the hostages release. While those involved in the negotiations celebrate their hard-earned victory, the boat’s cook returns home a changed man, unable to take solace in the loving family welcoming him home.
Most films about hostages focus on the survivors, or their daring rescue. This movie suggests the actual business of rescue people is not be as glamorous as it appears, and the rescuers don’t view the hostages any differently than the kidnappers did.