I WISH- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When he learns that a bullet train will soon connect the city where his mother lives to the city where his estranged father resides, young lad Koichi and his kid brother hatch a wildly imaginative plan to use the new train to reconnect their parents.”
5/11/12- Fairly good reviews in general and in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment May 11th, 2012
ON THE OUTS- 2004. Synopsis by Netflix. “This hard-hitting drama follows three young women struggling with the challenges of inner-city life. Pregnant teen Suzette (Anny Mariano), single mother and crack addict Marisol (Paola Mendoza) and tough drug dealer Oz (Judy Marte) meet in a juvenile detention center, where each girl is forced to take a long, hard look at her life and the choices she’s made. This film’s script was based on real stories from troubled teens in a detention center.” Good reviews. TRDB.
Add comment May 10th, 2012
PORTRAIT OF WALLY- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This fascinating documentary examines the historic court battle over Egon Schiele’s Portrait of Wally, a Nazi-looted painting that was stolen from a Jewish art dealer fleeing Vienna and wound up in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.
5/11/12- NY Times review today was non specific. I could not even guess if the reviewer liked it or not. TRDB.
Add comment May 6th, 2012
GIRL IN PROGRESS- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “While single mom Grace is distracted by her own work, life and romantic issues, her teen daughter, Ansiedad, adopts her own plan for growing up. Patricia Arquette stars as the English teacher who inspires Ansiedad to declare her early freedom.” Good early audience reviews. TRDB.
5/11/12- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment May 6th, 2012
COMPLIANCE- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on a true incident, this tense drama unfolds as a prank caller pretends to be a cop and convinces a restaurant manager to interrogate her teenaged employee about a supposed theft from a customer — a situation that soon spins out of control.” Very good early reviews. There is an article in the NY Times on 5/6/12 about this movie and about the lead actor, Ann Dowd, and about the controversy when it was shown at Sundance this year. TRDB.
8/17/12- An interesting and intriguing review in today’s NY Times that details the controversy regarding this movie at Sundance 2012. TRDB.
Add comment May 6th, 2012
POLISSE- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This French drama presents a fictionalized but well-researched portrait of the juvenile protection division of the Paris court system, following a documentarian as she films the employees in the department and the children under its authority.” Good early reviews. TRDB.
5/18/12- Good review in today’s NY Times and very good reviews by almost all critics. Audiences have liked it too. TRDB.
11/6/12- Although this movie was difficult to watch at times it was very realistic and portrayed well the stress that the police men and women are under while trying to protect children from predators. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Add comment May 5th, 2012
YOUR SISTER’S SISTER- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Jack, who is mourning the death of his brother, has a complicated relationship with his best friend, Iris, who used to date his brother. Their chaotic situation becomes even more tangled when Jack has a drunken tryst with Iris’s flighty sister.” Excellent reviews. TRDB.
An article about the director in the NY Times on 5/6/12. TRDB.
6/15/12- Mixed review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
6/26/12- I liked this movie, especially the relationship between the sisters. TRDB. At the Theater.
Add comment May 5th, 2012
HEADHUNTERS- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Living way beyond his means, corporate recruiter Roger Brown steals rare artworks to maintain his lavish lifestyle. But when he plans to boost an especially valuable painting, he targets a man who has headhunting skills of a different variety.”
4/27/12- Very good reviews in general but a weak one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment April 27th, 2012
HICK- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Small town teenager Luli (Chloe Grace Moretz) escapes to Las Vegas, leaving behind her alcoholic and abusive parents. Armed with her smarts, a pistol and pocket money, she hitchhikes her way west. Along the way, Luli crosses paths with Eddie (Eddie Redmayne), an unstable rebel with questionable motives and Glenda (Blake Lively), a cocaine-snorting drifter on the run. Adapted from the critically acclaimed novel by Andrea Portes, this powerful story pulls you into a provocative world of drugs, seduction and murder.”
5/11/12- Several good audience reviews but awful professional reviews. Bad review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment April 26th, 2012
SURVIVING PROGRESS- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This bracing documentary considers whether human “progress” stemming from the Industrial Age could be paving the way for civilization’s collapse. The film asks a range of thinkers whether the modern world might be headed for a “progress trap.”
Very good reviews with a few distinct negatives as well. TRDB.
Add comment April 26th, 2012