Posts filed under 'Seen at the Theater'
ANOTHER YEAR- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Over the course of a tumultuous year, contented medical counselor Gerri (Ruth Sheen) and her geologist husband, Tom (Jim Broadbent), see their friends and relations through a series of happy events and heartbreaks — including a birth and a death. Imelda Staunton and Oliver Maltman co-star in this character-driven ensemble dramedy from writer-director Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky, Vera Drake, Secrets & Lies).”
12/10- Very good review in NY Times on 12/29/10.
1/11- A slice of life of a well adjusted and content older couple who spend time with family and friends over the course of a year. I liked it. TRDB. At the theater.
Tags: drama
May 20th, 2010
BIUTIFUL- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “When a love affair goes bitterly awry, Uxbal (Javier Bardem) must pick up the pieces of his broken heart while protecting his children and facing the powerful demons of his past. A run-in with a childhood friend proves pivotal. Acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel) is reunited with his ace cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto, for this probing Spanish drama shot in Barcelona, Badalona and Santa Coloma.” Good early reviews. OK review in NY Times on 12/29/10.
2/11- A very moving drama with a terrific Bardem. TRDB. At the theater.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 20th, 2010
SOLITARY MAN- Premise by Netflix. “Michael Douglas stars as a former car dealership owner who sees his personal and professional lives take a nosedive when the repercussions of years of shady business dealings and chronic womanizing finally catch up with him. Susan Sarandon, Mary-Louise Parker, Danny DeVito and Jenna Fischer co-star in this comedic drama written and co-directed by Brian Koppelman.” Good review in NY Times.
6/10- Very well acted and very interesting script make this movie a winner. TRDB.
Tags: drama
May 9th, 2010
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Inspired by a true story, director André Téchiné’s riveting drama centers on a young Parisian woman (Émilie Dequenne) who captures the attention of her country when she claims she’s been the target of a hate crime. International film legend Catherine Deneuve also stars in this ripped-from-the-headlines tale, which explores the power of prejudice and the diminishing credibility of modern-day media.” I liked the movie. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 6th, 2010
MOTHER AND CHILD- Premise by Netflix. “A stellar cast heads this emotional drama about motherhood, romance and self-fulfillment. Embittered matron Karen (Annette Bening) regrets having given up her daughter, Elizabeth (Naomi Watts), for adoption, and 35 years later, Elizabeth is questioning her own approach to life. Their stories intersect with that of Lucy (Kerry Washington), who hopes to fulfill her dreams of motherhood through adoption, even though her need for a child jeopardizes her marriage.” Very good early reviews.
6/10- I really enjoyed this well written and well acted drama about mothers and children. TRDB.
Tags: drama
April 25th, 2010
SAVIORS IN THE NIGHT- Directed by Ludi Boeken and starring Veronica Ferres. About a Christian family in a small town in Germany that sheltered and saved a Jewish family from being deported to a Nazi death camp.
4/10- Seen as part of the Westchester Jewish Film Festival this movie was actually a true docudrama and was terrific. Highly recommended if you can find it. TRDB.
Tags: docudrama
April 21st, 2010
KILLING KASZTNER- Here’s what Netflix had to say- “Gaylen Ross‘s compelling documentary explores the story of Dr. Israel Kasztner, a Hungarian Jew who saved more than 1,600 Jews during the Holocaust by buying their freedom from Nazi Adolf Eichmann. With important trial documents and witness interviews, Ross looks at Kasztner’s 1954 trial, which started as a libel case with him as a plaintiff, but ended as a war crime tribunal with him as a defendant.”
4/10- I saw this as part of the Westchester Jewish Film Festival and I thought it was a great documentary. There were so many layers of the story that I would even consider this documentary as a mystery as well. TRDB.
Tags: Documentary/History, Foreign
April 16th, 2010
CITY ISLAND- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “When he recognizes his son Tony (Steven Strait), whom he hasn’t seen in over 20 years, among a crop of new inmates in the jail he works at, Vince Rizzo (Andy Garcia) decides to bring the troubled young man home with him, much to the surprise of his wife and kids. Helmed by writer-director Raymond De Felitta, this offbeat comedy also stars Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer, Dominik Garcia-Lorido and Oscar winner Alan Arkin.” Generally good reviews.
4/10- It’s about people in families and the secrets they keep from each other. Know that this is a comedy despite some serious issues. I liked it. TRDB.
Tags: Comedy, drama
April 6th, 2010
WOMEN WITHOUT MEN- Premise by Netflix. “Amid the tumult of the American- and British-backed coup that reinstated the Shah in early-1950s Tehran, the heart-wrenching tales of five very different Iranian women converge in a lovely orchard garden, where they find both freedom and friendship. Director and acclaimed visual artist Shirin Neshat brings a striking aesthetic style to this stirring drama, an adaptation of the magical-realist novella by Shahrnoush Parsipour.” Good early reviews.
6/10- A wonderful film (the director’s first feature) with marvelous photography and a very interesting story. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
April 1st, 2010
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO- 2009. Sweden. Premise by Netflix. “Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and rebellious computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) team up to investigate the unsolved disappearance of wealthy Henrik Vanger’s (Sven-Bertil Taube) teen niece (Ewa Fröling), only to uncover dark secrets about Vanger’s powerful family. Niels Arden Oplev directs this Swedish thriller based on the first novel from Stieg Larsson’s best-selling trilogy.”
3/10- I found it a bit difficult to understand at times but enjoyed it a lot. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
March 29th, 2010
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