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Here's a look at the movies I saw this week!

Contraband

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Giovanni Ribisi, Ben Foster, and Lukas Haas

Synopsis: And we've launched into a new year with a fairly standard action film. Wahlberg is a good guy, a family man, and a former criminal who's trying to go strait. When his brother-in-law gets in too deep, he has to dive back into the life to protect his family. Wahlberg is great in these types of roles, and he does a nice job here. The film is buoyed by a strong supporting cast. Beckinsale plays Wahlberg's wife, Haas plays one of his co-horts, Ribisi is sufficiently creepy as a hood and drug dealer threatening Wahlberg's domestic bliss, and Foster plays a friend who's possibly working his own angle. The action sequences work well and the film moves along at a decent pace. It is fairly predictable and lacking in any real sense of drama in terms of the story. Additionally, aspects of the story require an incredible amount of suspension of disbelief. That being said, if you can look past those typical flaws of the genre, this is a pretty decent ensemble piece.

Rating: R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use. Enter with caution.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.

The Iron Lady

Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, and Olivia Coleman

Synopsis: Streep already won a Golden Globe for this role and is among the front runners for the Academy Award. She is, without a doubt, the greatest actress working, and she brings her all to this role. Streep plays Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minster in England. Streep captures a unique mannerism and speaking voice while bringing her incredible emotional range to the role. That being said, "The Iron Lady" is a bit of a disappointment as a film. In much the same way I praised Leonardo DiCaprio's performance but panned the film "J. Edgar," it was hard to like "The Iron Lady." The film is a biopic of an important historical figure that the average American likely doesn't know much about. Instead of a moving piece that gets you into the head space and mindset of Thatcher during key periods of her life, the film offers a muddled focus. It bounces back and forth and seemed to focus on aspects of the story that minimized Thatcher as a historical figure, which is unfortunate. Streep is a consummate professional, and the supporting cast does fairly well, especially Broadbent, but this is a tough film to watch. It feels like a missed opportunity.

Rating: PG-13 for some violent images and brief nudity.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Joyful Noise

Starring: Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan, Courtney B. Vance, and Jesse L. Martin

Synopsis: So, if you wanted to see a Christian version of "Glee" featuring Dolly Parton, you're in luck. "Joyful Noise" is certainly a film that seems to be trying to capture on a couple demographics — Christian families and fans of "Glee" style musical entertainment. The film does a fairly decent job with both. Of course, some of the theology in the film is questionable and some of the musical selections leave something to be desired, but the film is mostly entertaining and harmless. Latifah is a fine performer and does a great job in a somewhat complex role. Parton brings a certain charm to the role that rounds out the film, and the other actors do a decent job as well. Palmer and Jordan are asked to carry a good deal of the plot and the tough scenes. They do a passable job, but with better actors it's possible that this could have been a more compelling film. "Joyful Noise" is entertaining and will certainly appeal to a certain demographic, but it's not overly compelling or memorable.

Rating: PG-13 for some language including a sexual reference.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Synopsis: Documentaries aren't wildly popular or widely seen, but they usually shed light on an important subject. That's certainly the case with "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," which is the third film in a series on HBO following the strange case of the West Memphis 3. The West Memphis 3 is the name given to Jason Baldwin, Jesse Miskelly, Jr., and Damien Echolls, three teens accused of killing and abusing a trio of 8-year-old boys. A strong faction of people, including the filmmakers who've worked on these three films, felt there was a miscarriage of justice in the case. Thanks to the passionate support of a core group of followers and some celebrities, the three were able to get new lawyers, conduct new tests, and bring evidence to light that proved their innocence. Of course, that didn't mean the people in Arkansas would let them out of prison. This third film chronicles the entire saga, including original interviews and footage from 1993 all the way through the legal conclusion. This is one of the best films I've seen in a long time. It doesn't leave you feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside, and it doesn't make you feel great about the state of justice in this country, but it's a fascinating and compelling story. Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky do a great job of putting the whole thing together and capturing the heart of the story. This is a film that everyone should see, if only to see the state of justice in this country. It was eye opening for me, and a little frightening. That, of course, is one of the reasons that a film like "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" is so important.

Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, Jan. 20 — "Haywire," "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "Underworld: Awakening," "Red Tails"

Friday, Jan. 27 — "We Need to Talk About Kevin," "Albert Nobbs," "The Grey," "One For The Money," "Man on a Ledge"