New in Theaters for January 19, 2018 "Forever My Girl" and "12 Strong"

Forever My Girl

Starring: Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe

Rated PG 

After 10 years, a country music star returns to his hometown and the girl he left at the alter.

Although “Forever My Girl” tries to pull at your heartstrings, the ruth is the film just never does much to connect with its audience in a real way. The story along with the acting feel like tired plots from the Lifetime Network or Hallmark Channel.

Nothing in this film is original or riviting.

Pass it by.

“Forever My Girl” gets a D and is rated PG.

12 Strong

Starring: Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon

Rated R 

“12 Strong” tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.

“12 Strong” is a fast-paced action film showcasing the bravery and dedication that is the American Soldier. The story pits our modern fighting men against a ruthless enemy and ups the ante by putting our heroes on horseback to fight a modern war.

However “12 Strong” falls short of its goal by never fully explaining the odds our special forces team were facing, nor did the film build the empathy needed for the audience to fully realize what was at stake.

In essence, although the film gave us tremendously well filmed battle and action scenes, the movie felt dry and detached from the subject matter, leaving the audience in a kind of lukewarm involvement with the plot.

All in all “12 Strong” was entertaining but, unlike the book on which its based, missed the opportunity to really tell this story in a deeper and more moving way.

It gets a C and is rated R.