Posts filed under 'Foreign'
SAIGON ECLIPSE- 2007. Synopsis by Netflix. “Beautiful, talented Kieu (Truong Ngoc Anh) is starring in a movie directed by Kim (Dustin Nguyen), a Vietnamese American who’s returned home to further his film career. But the production hits major obstacles when funding runs out and Kieu falls in love with Kim. Kieu’s family, who’s producing the film, must use dishonest means to get money, leading Kieu to reexamine her priorities. The story was inspired by a 19th-century Vietnamese epic poem.” Poor reviews. TRDB.
Tags: drama
July 21st, 2011
THE WAVE- 2008. Synopsis by Netflix. “To give his students a real-world example of how dictatorships can grow powerful, high school teacher Rainer (Jürgen Vogel) starts a social experiment that assigns some of his students a strong advantage while leaving others subservient and powerless. The classroom exercise spreads to the rest of the school, where it mushrooms into violence, discrimination and the abuse of power.” Some great reviews, some OK and a few poor. TRDB.
11/29/11- A very powerful movie that gave me the creeps. Important to see! TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
July 11th, 2011
AURORA- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Internationally acclaimed Romanian filmmaker Christi Puiu writes, directs and stars in this slow-burn drama as 42-year-old Viorel, a distraught engineer who takes drastic measures to end his emotional suffering after enduring a devastating divorce. Co-starring Clara Voda, Catrinel Dumitrescu and Luminita Gheorghiu, this film juxtaposes long, deliberately paced scenes with short but intense bursts of excitement.” OK review in NY Times on 6/29/11 and good reviews in general. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 30th, 2011
SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Noted director Wayne Wang helms this adaptation of Lisa See’s best-selling novel about two young girls in 19th-century China who are pledged as lifelong companions through an ancient ritual, although their friendship is sorely tested as they mature. Paralleling the story of Snow Flower and Lily, who communicate by writing on the folds of a white fan, are the modern-day tribulations of Sophia and Nina, who struggle to maintain their relationship.” No reviews yet. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 29th, 2011
THE NAMES OF LOVE- 2011. Synopsis by RottenTomatoes. “Young extrovert Baya Benmahmoud lives by this classic motto: “Make love, not war.” In order to convert them to her cause, she sleeps with her political enemies – which means a lot of men, because every conservative is her enemy.” A quirky French movie with a good review in the NY Tims on 6/24/11. TRDB.
Good audience reaction so far but average professional reviews. TRDB.
7/11/11– I saw this in NY today and after a fairly slow first half hour the movie grew on me and my friend Marty and we both liked it. Quirky it is and I loved the main character. TRDB. At the Theater.
Tags: Comedy, drama, Foreign
June 29th, 2011
LIFE, ABOVE ALL- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a tiny village near Johannesburg, 12-year-old Chanda (Khomotso Manyaka) is left to care for two younger siblings when her infant sister dies and her mother becomes gravely ill. But this isn’t the only challenge she faces; the town has turned against her. Rumors that her family carries a deadly disease have made Chanda a pariah. This indictment of small-town gossip was an Official Selection of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.” Great professional reviews but only average viewer responses. TRDB.
12/9/11- I liked this movie very much and I think that the young girl who plays Chanda is magnificent. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 29th, 2011
LEAP YEAR- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Journalist Laura Lopez (Mónica del Carmen) leads an isolated life in Mexico, her only social interactions being sexual encounters with strangers. With February 29th mysteriously circled on her calendar, Laura uses wild sex with Arturo (Gustavo Sánchez Parra) to hasten her unspoken goal. The questions of who is controlling whom and for what purpose loom large as Laura and Arturo’s encounters grow increasingly more violent and depraved.”
6/24/11- OK review in today’s NY Times and not to be confused with the comedy of the same name from last year. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 25th, 2011
AGRARIAN UTOPIA- 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Anthology presents a week-long run of Uruphong Raksasad’s ravishing documentary/fiction hybrid, which portrays two rural families who, facing the seizure of their lands, come together to work the same rice paddy for a season, using pre-industrial farming methods. Its serenely beautiful imagery – golden fields, time-lapse skies – bespeaks a nostalgia for a simpler time, but Agrarian Utopia is also clear-sighted and tough-minded in its assessment of the present-day economic and political realities.” Good review in NY Times on 6/10/11 and a few other positive reviews as well. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
June 21st, 2011
THE TRIP- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, the stars of the 2005 comedy Tristram Shandy, reunite with director Michael Winterbottom for this mockumentary about a pair of actors — handily named Steve and Rob — who embark on a foodie road trip across England. Mostly improvised and highlighting the duo’s penchant for dueling impressions of famous actors, the film follows them as they test their friendship while sampling the best restaurants in Northern England.” Good review in NY Times on 6/10/11. TRDB.
6/26/11- Great scenes of the countryside and enjoyable bantering between 2 old friends make this film worth watching. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
Tags: Comedy, Foreign
June 21st, 2011
SUBMARINE- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When he learns that his mother is on the verge of deserting his father for a dance instructor, young Welsh teen Oliver (Craig Roberts) resolves to do whatever it takes to save his parents’ marriage before the end of summer. Meanwhile, the offbeat lad also schemes to seduce pushy pyromaniac Jordana (Yasmin Paige) with nothing but the power of his mind. Richard Ayoade directs this quirky coming-of-age comedy based on a novel by Joe Dunthorne.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
10/16/11- A somewhat different coming of age story and I liked it. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 20th, 2011
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