Posts filed under 'Foreign'
THE EYE OF THE STORM- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “A woman recently divorced from a French prince and her washed-up actor brother return home to Australia, hoping to reconcile with their dying mother. But neither is prepared for the ensuing drama that brings the dread of their childhood back to life.”
Rotten Tomatoes had this to say– “In the Sydney suburb of Centennial Park, two nurses, a housekeeper and a solicitor attend to Elizabeth Hunter as her expatriate son and daughter convene at her deathbed. But in dying, as in living, Mrs Hunter remains a powerful force on those who surround her. Based on the novel by Nobel Prize winner Patrick White, The Eye of the Storm is a savage exploration of family relationships – and the sharp undercurrents of love and hate, comedy and tragedy, which define them.”
9/7/12- Poor reviews for this movie but it sounds interesting and I’ll probably see it eventually. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 7th, 2012
NO- 2012- Synopsis by Netflix. “In this engaging drama from Chile, Gael García Bernal portrays René Saavedra, a hot-shot ad executive who creates a controversial media campaign opposing military dictator Augusto Pinochet during the referendum on his presidency in 1988.”
Very good reviews so far. TRDB.
2/15/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
3/12/13-I enjoyed the basic premise of voter impowerment and of course the history lesson but I felt that the movie was a bit tedious at times and I also agree with one critic who called the movie “gimmicky.” TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 5th, 2012
BARBARA- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1980 East Germany, Barbara, a doctor, is reassigned to a small rural hospital as punishment for trying to find work in the West. Biding time until her lover can help her defect, Barbara begins to suspect that her new boss knows of her plans.”
12/21/12- Great review in today’s NT Times and elsewhere too. TRDB.
3/4/13- I saw this movie today and liked it despite it’s slow moving plot. Not for everybody however. TRDB. Theater.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 5th, 2012
WAR OF THE BUTTONS- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Set in occupied WWII France, War of the Buttons tells the tale of pre-teen rebel Lebrac (newcomer Jean Texier) and the “war” he leads between two rival kid gangs from neighboring villages. Once Lebrac falls for Violette (Ilona Bachelier), a young Jewish girl who is new in town and in danger of being exposed by the Nazis, the children are faced with putting their own conflicts aside to protect her and confront the very real war happening around them.”
8/26/13- Very poor reviews in general but a few critics liked it very much. There are several other movies with the same name, some of which have gotten much better reviews. TRDB.
10/12/12- Poor review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Tags: drama
September 4th, 2012
17 GIRLS- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on true events, this drama tells the story of 17 teenage girls from the same school in small-town France who get pregnant at the same time, baffling the adults — and the boys — in their lives.”
Most reviews are OK. TRDB.
10/2/12- Somewhat interesting primarily because it’s a true story. Mostly about a group of girls, almost cult-like, who suffer from boredom, depression and a sense of being better than their parents. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 3rd, 2012
THE BULLET VANISHES- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “When a young girl at a bullet factory dies under mysterious circumstances, two detectives must investigate the reasons for her death — and the strange occurrences that follow — as they themselves become the target of the phantom killer.”
8/31/12- Good review in today’s NY Times and by most other critics as well. TRDB.
August 31st, 2012
STEP UP TO THE PLATE- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Acclaimed French chef Michel Bras passes the torch (in this case his namesake restaurant) to his son Sébastien in this intimate documentary. The eatery, its mouth-watering cuisine and Michel’s mammoth reputation are all virtual co-stars.”
Very early reviews are a bit weak. TRDB.
9/14/12- OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Tags: documentary, Foreign
August 29th, 2012
HERMANO- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Brothers Daniel and Julio love soccer, but while Julio focuses on providing for their family, Daniel dreams about playing professionally. When a pro scout comes to watch them play, they face an agonizing choice between family and their sport.”
8/24/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times. Mixed professional reviews in general but audiences have liked it a lot. TRDB.
2/11/13- I’ll give this movie a mixed review. A bit contrived, a bit formulaic but still has enough going for it for a recommendation. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
August 24th, 2012
NEIGHBORING SOUNDS- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “A disparate group of upper-middle-class neighbors, including a lonely housewife and a proud grandfather, fear that their apartment building will be overrun by criminals and hire a private security firm, but the watchmen only heighten the problem.”
Here’s what IMDB had to say– “Life in a middle-class neighborhood in present day Recife, Brazil, takes an unexpected turn after the arrival of an independent private security firm. The presence of these men brings a sense of safety and a good deal of anxiety to a culture which runs on fear. Meanwhile, Bia, married and mother of two, must find a way to deal with the constant barking and howling of her neighbor’s dog. A slice of ‘Braziliana’, a reflection on history, violence and noise.”
Very good reviews for this Brazilian movie that was described (not reviewed) in the Arts and Leisure section of the 8/19/12 NY Times. TRDB.
8/5/13- A good cross section of life in Recife, Brazil and the movie was enjoyable if not great. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
August 18th, 2012
BREATHING- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “A probationary job at a morgue leads a rootless teen delinquent to question his origins and launch a search for the mother he never knew. It all begins with the lifeless body of a woman who shares his family name but turns out to be a stranger.”
8/31/12- Excellent reviews in general and in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
12/4/14- I really enjoyed this movie. Acting was excellent and the story was an original way of handling a topic that has been worked before. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
August 16th, 2012
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