Posts filed under 'All Reviews'
MARGIN CALL- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An all-star cast shines in this engrossing drama about a critical 24-hour period at a high-profile investment bank in the early days of the 2008 financial crisis, when young analyst Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) uncovers information that could destroy the firm. When he alerts upper management to the precarious position of their risky investments, an emergency meeting is held to decide if they should alert clients or abscond with the profits.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.
10/21/11- Excellent review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
10/31/11- A good “financial thriller” and although I enjoyed it I could have used a bit less of Kevin Spacey’s lessons. Jeremy Irons as the head honcho was great. TRDB.
Tags: drama
March 23rd, 2011
HARVEST- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “When college student Josh (Jack Carpenter) returns to his Connecticut home for a weekend visit, his mother, Anna (Victoria Clark), convinces him to stay for the summer to spend time with his cancer-stricken grandfather, Silvio (Robert Loggia). As the season wears on, Anna’s brothers Benny (Arye Gross) and Carmine (Peter Friedman) also come home, renewing old family conflicts. Marc Meyers directs this touching drama.” Good review in NY Times on 5/6/11. TRDB.
7/9/11- A good drama that I enjoyed despite being drawn out about 20min. too long. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
March 22nd, 2011
JANE EYRE- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “Driven from her post at Thornfield House by her brooding employer Edward Rochester’s (Michael Fassbender) impenetrable personality, young governess Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) takes time to reflect on her childhood and the events that led her to the misty moors. Little does she know that Rochester’s mood is largely due to a dark secret. Judi Dench, Jamie Bell and Sally Hawkins co-star in this artful adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
10/2/11- An excellent portrayal of the classic and definitely worth a viewing. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Romance
March 22nd, 2011
MOTHERLAND- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “With his writing career tanking and his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) casting him off, ex-druggie Eddie Morra’s (Bradley Cooper) fortunes finally turn around when he’s given a mysterious drug that provides astonishing mental powers — but its deadly side effects threaten his sanity. Adding to Eddie’s misery are shadowy businessman Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro), who wants to exploit his new genius, and the other users willing to kill for his stash.” Just OK review in NY Times on 3/18/11.
Tags: drama
March 18th, 2011
LIMITLESS- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “With his writing career tanking and his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) casting him off, ex-druggie Eddie Morra’s (Bradley Cooper) fortunes finally turn around when he’s given a mysterious drug that provides astonishing mental powers — but its deadly side effects threaten his sanity. Adding to Eddie’s misery are shadowy businessman Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro), who wants to exploit his new genius, and the other users willing to kill for his stash.” Mixed reviews with an OK one from the NY Times on 3/18/11. TRDB.
8/22/11- An OK sci-fi that generally held my interest with an interesting premise that carried the movie more than some of the schlock scenes with the Russians. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, thriller
March 18th, 2011
WHITE IRISH DRINKERS- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “In a blue-collar Irish section of 1970s Brooklyn, brothers Danny (Geoff Wigdor) and Brian Leary (Nick Thurston) come of age in a family dominated by their longshoreman father, Patrick (Stephen Lang), whose hard-drinking leaves them scrambling for a way out. As delinquent Danny and dejected mom Margaret (Karen Allen) take the brunt of Patrick’s assaults, aspiring artist Brian hides his dreams. But desperate acts will threaten them all.” A few reviews and they’re OK. TRDB.
8/5/11- An ethnic family drama that you’ve seen before but to tell the truth the movie did have some appeal to me. Not enough to fully recommend it however. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
March 17th, 2011
PEEP WORLD- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “When four siblings gather to celebrate their father’s 70th birthday, the proverbial you-know-what hits the fan because one of them has penned a novel populated by characters who strongly resemble his nearest and dearest. How will this dysfunctional family keep it together after everyone has seemingly been hung out to dry? Barry W. Blaustein’s ensemble-cast comedy stars Rainn Wilson, Ron Rifkin, Michael C. Hall and Sarah Silverman.” OK reviews at best. TRDB.
7/20/11- I liked this movie very much as it combined comedy with a very serious topic, i.e. working through a dysfunctional family. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
March 17th, 2011
MIRAL- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “After she rescues dozens children who survived a massacre in Jerusalem in 1948, Palestinian Hind Husseini (Hiam Abbass) establishes an orphanage that helps thousands of other children left homeless by violence. But the success of her peace-through-education institution is tested when pupil Miral (Freida Pinto) gets a taste of radical politics in the region’s refugee camps. Julian Schnabel directs this film that co-stars Willem Dafoe.” Uniformly poor reviews but the film does sound interesting. TRDB.
This film stirred controversy when it’s opening was held at the UN as it was an unusual place for a film opening, particularly since it was felt by some to be anti-Israel. TRDB.
7/16/11- I feel that the movie was just fair and it absolutely portrayed the Israelis in a negative light including a torture scene. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
March 17th, 2011
TROUBADOURS- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “This engrossing documentary offers a loving look at the music scene in Los Angeles in the 1970s, focusing on superstars James Taylor and Carole King, and how their careers were tied in to the evolution of the world-famous Troubadour club. Interviews and archival footage highlight the examination of how the highly political music of the 1960s transformed into the more intimate songs made popular by the increasingly predominant singer-songwriters.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
March 15th, 2011
THE DESERT OF FORBIDDEN ART- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Trace the incredible story of defiant visionary Igor Savitsky, an artist and museum curator who cunningly acquired more than 40,000 banned Soviet Union paintings and hid the illegal collection from the KGB in Uzbekistan’s Nukus Museum. In addition to rare archival footage and interviews with the artists’ children, this absorbing documentary also features letters and diary entries read by Ben Kingsley, Sally Field and Edward Asner.” Good reviews. TRDB.
6/27/11- I have to admit that I’m a bit too hyper to sit through a documentary of this type. I was very interested in the concept, what had been done to preserve the works but not really in the movie per se. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
March 11th, 2011
Newer Posts
Older Posts