Posts filed under 'Seen at the Theater'
THE GHOST WRITER- Premise by Netflix. “A writer (Ewan McGregor) stumbles upon a long-hidden secret when he agrees to help former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) complete his memoirs on a remote island after the politician’s assistant drowns in a mysterious accident. In director Roman Polanski‘s tense drama, the author realizes that his discovery threatens some very powerful people who will do anything to ensure that certain episodes from Lang’s past remain buried.”
3/10- A political thriller and fairly good at that. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Mystery
March 23rd, 2010
VINCERE- Directed by Marco Bellocchio. Premise by Netflix. “Ida Dalser (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) falls for young Benito Mussolini (Filippo Timi) in Milan and sells everything she has to help the future dictator fund his newspaper, Popolo d’Italia. But when World War I separates the newly wedded couple, Mussolini marries another woman. Ida demands to retain her rights as Mussolini’s wife and the mother of his son, but the Fascists have other plans for the dictator’s dark secret in this gripping biopic.” Just opened nationally and has received great reviews.
3/10- I saw this and felt that the acting was superb. Mezzogiorno passionately portrayed a women with an obsession for Il Duce and was probably a metaphor for the country at the time. The film itself was enjoyable if a bit too long and I understand that the director played with the facts a bit. TRDB.
Tags: docudrama
March 22nd, 2010
MOTHER- Premise by Netflix. “A murder rocks a South Korean town and suspicion quickly falls on a reclusive, mentally challenged — and alibi-free — young man (Bin Won). When an inept public defender botches the boy’s case, his mother (Hye-ja Kim) sets out to prove her son’s innocence. Acclaimed director Joon-ho Bong (Memories of Murder) explores the lengths a mother will go to protect her child in this atmospheric crime thriller.” OK review in NY Times.
3/10- While a bit slow, the wonderful acting and the story itself made this a very good movie. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
March 15th, 2010
SOMERS TOWN- Premise by Netflix. ” After leaving his Nottingham hometown for the big city of London, brash young Tomo (Thomas Turgoose) befriends introverted Polish immigrant Marek (Piotr Jagiello). The mismatched teens bond as they each develop a crush on Maria (Elisa Lasowski), a French waitress. Director Shane Meadows‘s black-and-white coming-of-age film follows the teens as they experience their first summer in London. Ireneusz Czop co-stars as Marek’s hard-drinking father.
3/10- I could NOT understand the dialogue which is unusual for me. There should have been sub-titles. At the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
March 14th, 2010
ONE TOO MANY MORNINGS- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “After learning his longtime girlfriend has been unfaithful, devastated Peter (Anthony Deptula) arrives at the church where his estranged high school friend, Fischer (Stephen Hale), lives in exchange for locking up at night. But he soon discovers Fischer’s issues are bigger than his. As Peter and Fischer forge a new relationship and seek common ground, Peter’s girlfriend (Tina Kapousis) arrives on the scene. Michael Mohan directs this indie comedy.
3/10- The movie was shot on a shoestring, on weekends. Quite amateurish but very clever and I liked it. I saw this at the Martha’s Vineyaerd Film Festival. TRDB.
Tags: drama
March 14th, 2010
HARLAN: IN THE SHADOW OF JEW SUSS- Premise by Netflix. “Documentarian Felix Moeller profiles one of Nazi Germany’s most notorious — yet largely forgotten — filmmakers in this penetrating biographical portrait of Veit Harlan, best known for directing the anti-Semitic 1940 propaganda film Jew Süss. Rare footage sheds light on Harlan’s method and motivations, but interviews with his descendents reveal conflicted emotions about his tainted cinematic legacy.”
4/10- I saw this as part of the Westchester Jewish Film Festival and I thought it was fairly well done. TRDB.
Tags: Documentary/History
March 10th, 2010
TRUCKER- 2008. Directed by James Mottern and starring Michelle Monaghan. About a woman, a long distance truck driver, who is unable to make lasting relationships. She is suddenly given her 11yr. old son who has always lived with his father and who she has never met. The story is about their evolving relationship. Very good reviews. 10/09
2/10- Great acting and a very good story. I liked it very much. TRDB.
Tags: Drama/Romance
February 17th, 2010
FISH TANK- Premise by Netflix. “The life of hot-tempered teen outcast Mia (Katie Jarvis) takes an unexpected turn when her mother (Kierston Wareing) brings home a handsome and mysterious boyfriend named Connor (Michael Fassbender), who pledges to bring sweeping positive changes to the household. For her sophomore feature, British writer-director Andrea Arnold draws upon the same themes from her Oscar-winning short “Wasp.”
1/28/10- I liked the movie and thought that Katie Jarvis’ performance was better than the movie itself. TRDB.
Tags: drama
January 2nd, 2010
POLICE, ADJECTIVE- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Undercover cop Cristi (Dragos Bucur) trails suspected pot dealer Victor (Radu Costin) through the decrepit streets of Vasliu, but when he learns that the suspect is just a teen who sometimes gets high with his pals, he refuses to make an arrest. Unfortunately, Cristi’s boss (Ioan Stoica) isn’t quite as forgiving. The Romanian New Wave rolls on strongly with this complex drama from writer-director Corneliu Porumboiu.”
1/10- I found this movie to be incredibly boring. The “climax” of the movie is when the cop’s superior chews him out for not following his orders, except he lectures him with the use of a dictionary. The movie spent loads of time on the most mundane of chores, like eating alone, and perhaps that was what the author was trying to show, the mundane life in post Communism Romania. Despite a very good review from A.O. Scott of the NY Times, I’d miss it. Comcast On-Demand. 12/09
Tags: drama, Foreign
January 2nd, 2010
ADAM- Premise by Netflix. “When beautiful teacher Beth (Rose Byrne) moves into a nearby apartment, strangely awkward Adam (Hugh Dancy), who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, breaks through his limited social abilities and flirts with the young woman in this moving romance. Beth responds to Adam’s unusual courtship, and as they overcome the obstacles to intimacy, they learn how to face life’s other challenges. Max Mayer directs, while Peter Gallagher and Amy Irving co-star.”
12/09- I liked the film and it stimulated lots of conversation among the people who saw it. Very good acting as well. TRDB.
December 31st, 2009
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