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

Mary and Martha
Starring: Brenda Blethyn, Hillary Swank, and James Woods
Synopsis: This film — written by Richard Curtis, directed by Phillip Noyce and aired by HBO — is about two mothers who, after losing their children to malaria, decide to do everything they can to fight the disease. I wrote about the movie briefly on Monday, and you can probably tell from reading that post why I found it moving and inspiring. Curtis has done some incredibly moving comedic films, but this is a film born of passion. He was passionate about the subject after learning how many young people die each year and how easily it could be prevented. Swank — who has won two Academy Awards — and Blethyn — a decorated British actress — are great in this film. Their passionate portrayals anchor the film and help give it the raw emotion that makes it pack a punch. I thought this was one of the best HBO films in recent years, and is a film that everyone should see. If you don't have HBO, it will be released on DVD shortly. This is an inspiring and emotional film that is worth checking out.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Oblivion
Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, Andrea Riseborough, and Olga Kurylenko
Synopsis: Cruise isn't the Box Office draw he once was, but this is a moderately entertaining science fiction film. This is the first of two films this year that features a plot surrounding life on Earth after most people have left. This one follows the events of a team left to steward a mining operation following a war that nearly destroyed the planet. The problem is that Jack Harper (Cruise) isn't who he thinks he is, and he isn't working for who he thinks he's working for. When a series of dreams that are like repressed memories bubble to the surface, Jack is left with more questions than answers. When he starts to surmise that things aren't the way they seem, he begins to realize that his dreams are the key to unlocking the truth. The film takes some twists that are slightly unexpected — though it's obvious something is amiss and the trailers allude to their being more to the story. That being said, Cruise does a nice job in the lead role and the supporting cast holds up well too. There are some interesting visuals and the film is moderately entertaining. It's just that there is little special about it. Director Joseph Kosinski previously offered "Tron: Legacy." I thought that film had some nice visuals, but it was cold. Neither the story or characters really engaged you. The same could be said of "Oblivion." It's not a bad film, just not a particularly compelling film.
Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, brief strong language, and some sensuality/nudity.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Pain and Gain
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwyane "The Rock" Johnson, and Anthony Mackie
Synopsis: Michael Bay will never win any awards — at least awards that come from someone other than MTV. But he knows the kind of films he’s good at making, and he consistently delivers those films. Not everyone is a fan of Bay, and that’s OK. Personally, I have always loved them for what they are — light on character and plot and heavier on action and comedy. They aren’t deep, but they’re fun. With his latest film, “Pain and Gain,” it seems like Bay is trying to create his own “Fargo.” Based on a true story, on paper the film seems like a win. Bay directing an action comedy about a group of weight lifters in the mid-1990s who hatch a snatch and grab plot. It stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and the trailers made it seem like a lot of fun.The problem is that it’s a true story and the contents of that story. Both probably deserved a little more reverence. What I have always loved about Bay’s films is the stylized action and settings, the comedic beats and the fun of the films. Even films that have been a bit more serious — like “The Island” — have those lighter moments. “Pain and Gain” attempts to put in those lighter moments, too, but it feels off considering the plot of the film. The main characters of the film aren’t likeable, and what they’re doing is repugnant. What makes a movie like “Fargo” — which has a plot designed around a crime scheme gone wrong — work is the tone of the film. It’s a drama. There are black comedy moments, but it never treats the people doing the crimes like affable heroes. “Pain and Gain” does. You are meant to empathize and laugh with them, but what they are doing is terrible, immoral and cruel. Black comedy is a tough nut to crack. Clearly Bay is trying to go for a bit of black comedy with this story due to the outrageous elements of the crimes, but it just doesn’t work. The tone of this film is too light-hearted, which feels like a betrayal for the victims of this gang. After all, Daniel Lugo and Adrian earned the death penalty for their crimes. What they did was deplorable and serious, but this film goes out of its way to lift them up as bumbling heroes. These aren’t misguided men acting with good intentions, it’s a group of self-absorbed, self-destructive men acting out of greed and envy with terrible results. To me, that’s not something that should be laughed off.
Rating: R for bloody violence, crude sexual content, nudity, language throughout and drug use. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

The Place Beyond The Pines
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Rose Byrne, and Ray Liotta
Synopsis: This is a movie that looks fantastic in trailers. But if you think you know how it will go, you're wrong. While it looks like one, long, inner-connected narrative, it's really a series of three stories that happen over the course of 15 years. That's the problem. The first part of the film — which focuses on a small time loser named Luke (Gosling) — is the most interesting and compelling. As a short story, it works beautifully. Gosling gives a haunting performance that carries the first hour. The next hour and a half features the story of the cop (Cooper) who catches Luke, then forwards 15 years later to look at both their sons and how their lives turned out. I can see what they're trying to do with both those sections, but they just don't work. Cooper is also a fantastic actor, and he gives his all to the role, but it's just not as compelling as what came before it. And the coda tacked onto the end that focuses on the men's two sons is tragic, sad, and a bit dull. There is promise in this film, and there are elements of a compelling movie, it just doesn't all come together well in the end. Gosling is great, and his performance is the highlight of the film. It's just the 90 minutes without him that are a let down.
Rating: R for language throughout, some violence, teen drug and alcohol use, and a sexual reference. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, May 3 — "Iron Man 3"
Friday, May 10 — "The Great Gatsby," "Peeples"
Friday, May 17 — "Star Trek Into Darkness"
Friday, May 24 — "Fast & Furious 6," "The Hangover, Part III," "Epic"
Friday, May 31 — "Now You See Me," "After Earth," "The Purge"