According to the new film “Soul Surfer,” Bethany Hamilton was a born surfer. Her parents were both diehard surfers so it seemed natural when she started surfing herself. As a teenager, her potential seemed limitless until a shark attack cost her an arm and put her dreams in jeopardy. ”Soul Surfer” tells the true story of how Bethany overcame that attack with the help of her family, her optimism and an unwavering faith in God.

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Bethany (Anna Sophia Robb) begins the story as a young surfer aiming to win local competitions against her rival, Malina Birch (Sonya Balmores). The plot starts out slow as it introduces Bethany’s family, who regularly attend Church together and who love to spend time riding the waves. Along with her two brothers, the family includes Bethany’s mother Cheri (Helen Hunt) and her father Tom (Dennis Quaid). After a few surfing scenes that feel like false alarms for what’s to come, Bethany is attacked by a shark while out surfing with her friends. The shark bites off one of her arms and leaves her questioning her surfing career.

The scenes surrounding the shark attack are some of the weakest scenes in the story. Before the attack, the surfing scenes are directed in anticipation of the big attack. Like in “Jaws,”  there are several shots of Bethany surfing while something seemingly lurks underneath the water. These seem out of place in a story that should be more focused on Bethany’s recovery, not on the attack itself. When the shark finally attacks, it’s anti-climactic. The story continues to stumble right after the attack. The director doesn’t seem to know where the camera should be and has it bouncing around and then cutting to close-ups of the actors as they bring Bethany to safety. After that, the camera thankfully slows down and lets the story unfold. 

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During a recent episode of the new NBC show “Parenthood,” the patriarch of the family was jokingly reminiscing with his wife about a family trip they had taken years earlier when one of their children got sick and vomited on her. His wife painfully recalls the situation in a far more serious tone noting that she was washing out the vomit from her hair in a dirty disgusting gas station bathroom and her husband was amused. As she talks about the experience, her husband slowly realizes that he had hurt her by his casual response to the situation and that the memory was a painful one for her to recall. It was a subtle, small and powerful scene that showcases how NBC’s great new program ”Parenthood” is able to capture real relationships and complicated people.

“Parenthood,” a television drama inspired by the 1989 film of the same name, focuses on a large, eclectic family like the film did. However, instead of going for laughs as the film did, the show focuses on the drama that come from being a parent. I watched the film “Parenthood” for the first time several weeks ago and enjoyed it. However, I am liking the television show a lot more because it’s less concerned with creating comedy and more interested in developing strong characters and great storylines.

The show revolves around the Braverman family, which is headed by a a strong couple: Zeek (played by Craig T. Nelson) and Camille (Bonnie Bedelia). The Braverman family includes Zeek and Camille’s children and their numerous grandchildren. One of the major storylines focuses on one of the grandchildren, Max, who was recently diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Max’s parents have a difficult time adjusting to the realization that their child is different than the other kids but ultimately they learn to adapt their life for him — to give him an environment where he can grow. (more…)

“Two Weeks Notice” hit theatres way back in 2002, which means a full seven years have passed since Sandra Bullock’s starred in a vehicle built around her that’s been at all appealing. And yet, she’s such an endearing star and the rare one whose private behavior has yet to diminish her public goodwill, that you can’t help but root for her. Unfortunately, when it comes to choosing projects all the goodwill in the world can’t change the fact that she needs better management.

Well, maybe she’s found some.

On paper, “The Proposal” sounds like more of the same; another concept-driven, fish-out-of-water romantic comedy. And that it is, but thanks to a solid script and winning performances from Bullock and co-star Ryan Reynolds, this coming weekend offers one of the better romantic comedies of the last few years.

“The Proposal” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but built around the expected are a number of entertaining, very well written and performed scenes which create a believable central relationship you root for. The laughs are consistent, and though some are milked from contrived situations, most are earned honestly through realistic reactions from well-developed characters. Beneath it all beats a heart of the best kind; the kind that sneaks up on you in the end as if to say, “Who knew I cared this much?” (more…)