Posts filed under 'Foreign'
HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “At an isolated science station in the Arctic, meteorologist Sergei and young intern Pavel face the impending closure of the now-irrelevant base. While Sergei eagerly anticipates returning to his family, Pavel still hopes for a grand adventure. Time is distorted so far north, where the never-setting summer sun can make a day stretch into weeks, and this engrossing thriller examines how altered perceptions affect the two men.” Mostly good reviews.
5/15/11- Way too long but still an interesting story. I’d rate it as OK. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 8th, 2010
IF I WANT TO WHISTLE, I WHISTLE- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Just days before his scheduled release from a reformatory, teenage delinquent Silviu (George Pistereanu) takes a pretty social worker (Ada Condeescu) hostage and threatens to kill her unless his estranged mother (Clara Voda) promises not to separate him from his younger brother. Will Silviu’s desperate act to protect his sibling cost him his freedom? Marian Bratu also stars in this engrossing drama from director Florin Serban.” Fair reviews on average but including a few very good ones. TRDB.
4/11- Very slow Romanian drama that I thought was just OK. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 8th, 2010
A SCREAMING MAN- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Adam (Youssouf Djaoro) was a security guard at a posh Chad hotel until its new owners replaced him with his son (Dioucounda Koma). In this nation torn apart by civil war, citizens are called upon to help. But Adam only has one thing to give, forcing him to make a devastating choice. Emile Abossolo M’bo and Djénéba Koné co-star in this powerful drama, winner of the Jury Prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.” Great professional reviews and average audience reviews. TRDB.
8/3/11- A very slow but very moving drama about the effects of war on one family in particular. Definitely recommended. TRDB. Netflix Streaming and available on DVD very soon.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 8th, 2010
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN- 2007. Premise by Netflix. “When his father accidentally kills a prostitute, Nejat Aksu (Baki Davrak) seeks out her 27-year-old daughter, Ayten (Nurgül Yesilcay), to make amends. Nejat focuses his search in Turkey, but Ayten, who’s part of a closely watched activist group, has fled to Germany. The lives of four Turks and two Germans are soon entwined as a result of circumstances beyond their control in this compelling drama, which earned Best Screenplay honors at Cannes.”
3/11- I saw this movie 2 years ago and liked it very much. I saw it again yesterday (3/24/11) and enjoyed it even more. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 7th, 2010
MID-AUGUST LUNCH- 2008. Premise by Netflix. “As the Italian holiday of Pranzo di Ferragosto approaches, cash-strapped Gianni (Gianni Di Gregorio) gets help from his landlord, his friend and his doctor, who offer financial relief in exchange for Gianni looking after their elderly relatives over the holiday. Four mismatched Italian mamas at the same table make for an awkward, hilarious and touching mid-August lunch in this film festival favorite from Di Gregorio, who also writes and directs.”
5/10- Very good reviews for this film that I found just OK. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: Comedy, Foreign
September 7th, 2010
A FEW DAYS IN SEPTEMBER- 2006. Premise by Netflix. “On Sept. 1, 2001, 10 days before the events that shook the world, CIA agent Elliott (Nick Nolte) disappears. With the help of Elliott’s son David (Tom Riley), French agent Irène Montano (Juliette Binoche) scours Venice and Paris to find him, with a bizarre, poetry-reading assassin (John Turturro) on their trail. The clock ticks toward the fateful day, as the information Elliott holds threatens to keep him hidden permanently.”
9/10- I enjoyed the movie and appreciated Juliette Binoche much more than usual. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: drama, Foreign, Mystery
September 6th, 2010
HAPPILY EVER AFTER- 2005. Premise by Netflix. “Writer, director and actor Yvan Attal trains his lens on the vicissitudes of love, marriage and monogamy in this crisp romantic comedy. Married with children, Vincent (Attal) is cheating on his wife, Gabrielle (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who’s having thoughts of infidelity herself. Meanwhile, Georges (Alain Chabat) dreams of release from his constrictive marriage, and bachelor playboy Fred (Alain Cohen) longs for a committed relationship.”
9/10- Well acted comedy/drama with a message. One great scene when Gainsbourg and her husband have an unusual fight. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 4th, 2010
1981- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “After his working-class family moves to a more affluent town, anxious 11-year-old Ricardo (Jean-Carl Boucher) tries to impress the popular kids at his new school by spinning an intricate web of lies, which he frantically struggles to defend. Inspired by writer-director Ricardo Trogi‘s own life, this humorous Canadian coming-of-age tale also stars Claudio Colangelo, Sandrine Bisson and Gabriel Maille.”
11/10- Excellent French-Canadian coming of age story. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: drama
September 3rd, 2010
WHITE WEDDING- Premise by Netflix. “The chances that groom-to-be Elvis (Kenneth Nkosi) will make it to his wedding on time dwindle with each passing hour as he and best man Tumi (Rapulana Seiphemo) experience car trouble, meet up with a strange British hitchhiker and run into other obstacles en route to Cape Town. Meanwhile, Elvis’s lovely fiancée, Ayanda (Zandile Msutwana), faces a crisis of her own. Jodie Whittaker co-stars in this comedy from South Africa, directed by Jann Turner. Good review in NY Times 9/3/10.
Tags: Comedy, drama
September 3rd, 2010
A WOMAN, A GUN AND A NOODLE SHOP- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Master director Yimou Zhang tackles an adaptation of the Coen brothers’ classic Blood Simple in this period dramedy full of slapstick and plot twists. When the owner of a Chinese noodle shop attempts to kill his adulterous wife, the fireworks fly. The proprietor also hopes to eliminate his wife’s woebegone lover, but complications and high-flying action arise courtesy of a rampaging band of feudal soldiers and the shop’s wacky employees.” Good review in NY Times 9/3/10. Friends did not like this film.
2/11- Slapstick remakes don’t inspire me but I did watch it to the end. Beautiful scenery and lots of color kept me involved. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
September 3rd, 2010
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