Posts filed under 'Drama/Romance'
TOKYO SONATA- Premise by Netflix. “From Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa comes a drama about the Sasakis, an ordinary Japanese family living a bucolic life — until the father is abruptly laid off from his job and decides to keep the news from his wife and kids. Soon, the father’s sense of shame, and the indignity he faces while passing each day in the park in his suit and tie, quickly turns into a rage that proves to hold irrevocable consequences for all concerned.” Excellent reviews.
5/10-An interesting and also very poignant family study. Worth seeing. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
April 24th, 2010
A SIMPLE CURVE- Premise by Netflix. “Torn between continuing as the woodworking partner of his father, Jim (Michael Hogan), and striking out on his own, Caleb (Kris Lemche) sees an opportunity when Jim’s old buddy (Matt Craven) comes to their small town with a proposition. But Jim’s stubborn idealism may quash the deal. A new relationship with single mom Lee (Pascale Hutton) also complicates things for Caleb in this moving drama set in the mountains of British Columbia.”
4/10- A bit preachy at times but I still enjoyed it. TRDB. Netflix.
April 19th, 2010
STORM- Premise by Netflix. “As prosecutor Hannah Maynard (Kerry Fox) builds a war crimes case against former Yugoslavian army commander Goran Duric (Drazen Kühn), the key witness’s suicide threatens to let the atrocities go unpunished — unless she unearths new evidence. At the funeral, she meets the victim’s sister, Mira (Anamaria Marinca), who harbors the damning secrets Hannah needs for a conviction. But a cover-up in the ranks may stand in the way of justice.”
4/10- I saw this and liked it a lot. Very realistic and pulled no punches. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
April 17th, 2010
LA FRANCE- Premise by Netflix. “When her husband writes her from the frontlines of World War I and insists that she forget him about him, Camille (Sylvie Testud) disguises herself as a young soldier and joins the ranks, determined to track down her long-lost love. Writer-director Serge Bozon’s drama chronicles Camille’s epic journey, as her dogged search for answers leads her from the peaceful countryside existence she once enjoyed to the blood-soaked battlefields of war.” Very good reviews.
4/10- A World War 1 movie without a single battle. Testud gets in with a group of French soldiers who desert from the war and the story is about the group. I liked it. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
April 17th, 2010
PIRATE RADIO- Premise by Netflix. “In 1966, hard-partying British DJs have the time of their lives running a radio station on a ship in the North Sea, broadcasting generation-defining (but banned) music to millions.”
4/10- OK if you don’t take it too seriously. Great cheesy ending. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: Comedy, drama
April 17th, 2010
BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS- Premise by Netflix. “Corrupt Det. Terence McDonaugh (Nicolas Cage) — whose bad habits include pain drugs, reckless sports gambling and accepting sexual bribes — investigates the murder of five Senegalese illegal immigrants in New Orleans. Co-starring Val Kilmer as McDonaugh’s partner, Xzibit as drug supplier Big Fade and Eva Mendes as prostitute Frankie Donnenfield, director Werner Herzog’s action drama is a loose update of Abel Ferrara’s 1992 film, Bad Lieutenant.”
4/10- Great Cage, only fair movie. TRDB.
Tags: drama
April 17th, 2010
XXY- Premise by Netflix. “Inés Efron plays Alex, an intersexed 15-year-old, in this compelling tale. Though she’s living as a girl, Alex and her family begin to wonder whether she’s emotionally a boy when another teenager’s sexual advances bring the issue to a head. As Alex faces a final decision regarding her gender, she meets both hostility and compassion. Director Lucía Puenzo‘s sensitive drama co-stars Valeria Bertuccelli, Martín Piroyansky and Ricardo Darín.
4/10- Good depiction of what he/she must confront through the teenage years.TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
April 17th, 2010
NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “What do you do when you can’t play music in your homeland, but you can’t leave your country to play it abroad either? This is the dilemma faced by an Iranian guy and gal who, fresh on the heels of their prison release, decide to form a rock band. Despite having drive and ambition to spare, the wannabe rockers are stymied by lack of passports, lack of funds and lack of musicians who’re willing to leave Iran in this drama from Bahman Ghobadi.” Great early reviews.
4/10- A film worth seeing that shows us what life can be like in Iran today for people who don’t conform to the repressive rules. While the street scenes of downtown Tehran and the music were very good I was only mildly entertained by the story itself as it seemed repetitive and predictable and I think more of a political statement than a great movie. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
Tags: drama, Foreign
April 16th, 2010
35 SHOTS OF RUM- Premise by Netflix. “This heartfelt slice-of-life drama by filmmaker Claire Denis tells the story of widower Lionel (Alex Descas), a train driver, and his grown daughter, Sophie (Mati Diop). The two spend most of their time together, but change is in the cards. A neighbor (Grégoire Colin) becomes attracted to Sophie, a family friend retires and Lionel tries to maintain a friendship with his ex-girlfriend (Nicole Dogue).”
4/10- This film got uniformly excellent reviews but I can not see why. Boring as hell and I would have turned it off if not for the reviews. Nothing of significance happens. TRDB.Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
April 16th, 2010
CITY ISLAND- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “When he recognizes his son Tony (Steven Strait), whom he hasn’t seen in over 20 years, among a crop of new inmates in the jail he works at, Vince Rizzo (Andy Garcia) decides to bring the troubled young man home with him, much to the surprise of his wife and kids. Helmed by writer-director Raymond De Felitta, this offbeat comedy also stars Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer, Dominik Garcia-Lorido and Oscar winner Alan Arkin.” Generally good reviews.
4/10- It’s about people in families and the secrets they keep from each other. Know that this is a comedy despite some serious issues. I liked it. TRDB.
Tags: Comedy, drama
April 6th, 2010
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