June 11, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • Page 25 Liam Neeson stars in tale of mystery and suspense by Dennis Seuling “Non-Stop” (Universal) falls into the well-traveled cinematic category of “melo- drama in the air.” Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) is an air marshal with a serious drinking problem. Shortly after takeoff, a text mes- sage blinks onto his phone from an unknown party on the plane threatening that someone on board will die every 20 minutes unless a $150 million ransom is paid. To avoid panicking the 150 passengers on board, Marks must discreetly determine the sender’s identity. He gets help from flight attendant Nancy (Michelle Dockery, “Downton Abbey”) and a passenger, Jen (Julianne Moore), who has won his confi- dence. He is also in contact with his superi- ors on the ground. Of late, Neeson has made a career play- ing the mild-mannered man who trans- forms into action hero when circumstances necessitate it. Unlike the earlier “Taken” or “Unknown,” however, “Non-Stop” restricts his derring-do with a claustrophobic set- ting. Director Jaume Collet-Sera, in keeping with whodunit tradition, throws suspicion on as many people as possible to keep the viewer guessing. Unfortunately, the final third of the movie is a let-down. Once the guilty party is revealed and the motivation explained, the drama falters. Neeson deliv- ers a solid performance and the movie is entertaining enough, but it could have been much richer had the resolution made better sense. “Non-Stop” plays like an in-flight Agatha Christie yarn with suspense mount- ing as the clock ticks down to impending death. Bonuses on the two-disc Blu-ray/ DVD combo pack include a featurette show- casing the tube-like set used to represent a plane in flight. There is also a making-of mini-documentary and a digital HD Ultra- violet copy. “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” (Para- mount) is based on a character created by the late Tom Clancy. Chris Pine is the fourth, and youngest, actor to play the title character, following Alec Baldwin, Harri- son Ford, and Ben Affleck. Ryan’s adven- tures and misadventures are shown early on. They range from serving as an officer in Afghanistan, piloting a helicopter that is blown out of the sky, and recuperating from his injuries in a Washington hospital. Keira Knightley plays Cathy Muller, the woman in his life. Russian super-spy Viktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh), channeling every col- orful James Bond villain, is determined to get the attention of the world through a financial and terrorist attack on the United States. Ryan has to stop him. The movie draws on the 007 movies, “Mission: Impossible,” and the Bourne series, but fails to carve out its own identity. Pine is fine, given the uninspired material, and the action scenes are elaborately staged. The movie, however, feels like something viewers have seen before. Extras on the two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack include deleted and expanded scenes, commentary from director Kenneth Branagh, a profile of Jack Ryan, several making-of featurettes, and a digital HD copy. “Alan Partridge” (Magnolia) is based on a British television character played by Steve Coogan (“Philomena”). Coogan rec- reates the role in this feature film. Alan is a 55-year-old DJ whose small Norwich radio station has just been taken over by a con- glomerate. The new owners have brought in some young talent to do the morning show. Senior radio personalities Alan and his friend Pat (Colm Meaney) begin to feel Liam Neeson stars in ‘Non-Stop.’ their own jobs are shaky. Comic madness escalates when the station comes under siege and its employees are held hostage. There are elements here of Paddy Chayef- sky’s “Network,” “The Colbert Report,” “Saturday Night Live” sketch comedy, with a sprinkling of “Dog Day Afternoon” for dramatic measure. Since Coogan has played the role for 20 years, he completely inhab- its Alan and is extremely funny in both his quieter and more manic moments. Special features on the Blu-ray release include a making-of featurette and a profile of Alan Partridge. “Amen” (Cohen Media Group), a film by Costa-Gavras, is an exploration of the Cath- olic Church’s failure to speak out against the Holocaust. Kurt Gerstein (Ulrich Tukur) was a scientist whose eyewitness report (continued on Crossword page)