Posts filed under 'All Reviews'
ALL YOUR DEAD ONES- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “When he finds a heap of dead bodies hidden on his land, poor Colombian farmer Salvador rushes to report the grim massacre, but he soon learns that — because it is election day — none of the authorities wants to be troubled with his discovery. The rotting corpses, however, have their own way of reminding the living of their fate. Alvaro Rodriguez, Martha Márquez and Jorge Herrera star in this darkly comic satire from director Carlos Moreno.” At Sundance 2011.
Tags: drama
January 30th, 2011
THE LIE- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Sometimes, you reeeeally don’t want to go to work. And sometimes that feeling is so strong that you’ll do anything to get out of it — even if that means telling a lie that has the power to completely change the trajectory of your life. Joshua Leonard (who co-starred in the indie breakout hit The Blair Witch Project) makes his directorial debut with this indie drama based on a short story by T.C. Boyle.” Winner at Sundance 2011.
A few good early reviews. TRDB.
11/18/11- An excellent review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
2/24/12- A very well acted and interesting story about relationships, particularly spousal, and mid- course corrections in life. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: drama
January 30th, 2011
BUCK- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Buck Brannaman, inspiration for “The Horse Whisperer,” is revealed as a complex figure in this documentary by Cindy Meehl. The master horseman reveals details of his troubled childhood and his dawning awareness of new ways that humans and horses might work with one another. As Buck learns more about horses, he finds that the ways we communicate with our animal companions offer lessons on how we relate to fellow human beings.” At Sundance 2011.
7/8/11- An excellent documentary where we see the man in action and we learn about life events that made him what he is. Definitely recommended. TRDB. At the Theater.
Tags: documentary
January 30th, 2011
HELL AND BACK AGAIN- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this unvarnished documentary set on the Afghan front line, U.S. Marine Sgt. Nathan Harris is wounded by Taliban machine-gun fire, then returns to his North Carolina home to grapple with the stress of civilian life. Embedded with Harris’s company on the battlefield, filmmaker Danfung Dennis discovers that for the 25-year-old veteran, recovering from a bullet to the head is no tougher than regaining a foothold in an apathetic homeland.” At Sundance 2011. Fair audience reviews and a few professional reviews– all good. TRDB.
1/24/12- Another reminder that war is hell. Very well done and highly recommended. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: doc, documentary
January 30th, 2011
SENNA- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “This fast-paced documentary profiles Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula One racing, and a hero in his native Brazil. Using only archival footage, director Asif Kapadia examines the idealistic Senna‘s inspiring legend. Charismatic, compassionate and a dedicated risk-taker, Senna was known for his integrity in a sport often fraught with cutthroat politics, and also for the deep religious faith that gave him purpose.” At Sundance 2011.
A good (not great) review in the NY Times on 8/12/11. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
January 30th, 2011
WAITING FOR FOREVER- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Contentedly jobless, wanderer Will Donner (Tom Sturridge) decides to focus his energies on reconnecting with the girl he loved as a child, Emma Twist (Rachel Bilson) — who is now a 20-something television actress living in Hollywood — and spending the rest of his life with her. Directed by James Keach, this romantic drama co-stars Blythe Danner, Richard Jenkins, Jaime King and Nikki Blonsky.” Poor review in NY Times on 2/4/11.
Tags: drama, Romance
January 30th, 2011
AROUND JUNE- 2008. Premise by RottenTomatoes. “A love story set in the shadow of the shipyards of San Francisco. A young woman (JUNE) living with her much adored (UNCLE HENRY) and domineering, abusive father (MURRY), meets a penniless illegal immigrant (JUAN DIEGO), whose love gives her the insight and courage to finally break free and live her own life.” No reviews.
Tags: drama
January 30th, 2011
INTO ETERNITY- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Filmmaker Michael Madsen directs this documentary that chronicles the construction of Finland’s underground Onkalo nuclear waste repository, the world’s first permanent disposal zone for radioactive waste generated by nuclear power plants. As it examines the technology designed to keep the waste safely sequestered for 100,000 years, this film also explores strategies for convincing future generations to leave the lethal material undisturbed.” Very good review in NY Times on 2/2/11.
Tags: documentary
January 30th, 2011
UNCLE KENT- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “Kent (Kent Osborne), a pothead cartoonist working from his Los Angeles home, invites Kate (Jennifer Prediger), a New York journalist he met on a chat site, for a weekend visit. He’s sure that they’ll end up sleeping together, but Kate seems to have other things on her mind. Sexual escapades — even a threesome — abound, but the matchup of Kent‘s dreams is always just out of reach. Writer-director Joe Swanberg co-stars.” At Sundance 2011.
8/11/11- I found the movie remotely interesting but the main character should have outgrown this lifestyle years ago. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: drama
January 29th, 2011
THESE AMAZING SHADOWS- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Fueled by exclusive interviews and dazzling archival footage, filmmakers Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton shine a light on the work of the National Film Registry and the art of preserving aesthetically, culturally and historically significant cinema. Highlights in this Sundance selection include input from the likes of Christopher Nolan, John Waters, Rob Reiner, Debbie Reynolds, Tim Roth and George Takei.” At Sundance 2011.
11/26/11- This documentary is a must-see for anybody seriously interested in movies and their influence on our culture. Quotes I loved are “movies are a window to the world” and “movies are a time capsule of our society.” Great Documentary. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
January 29th, 2011
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