Posts filed under 'Seen On Netflix'
TRISHNA- 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Self-effacing British auteur Michael Winterbottom sets his unique spin on Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles against a contemporary Indian backdrop. Freida Pinto stars as the titular Trishna, a young woman who is seduced by the wealthy son of a property developer. As the romance develops, their relationship also becomes increasingly sordid and volatile.”
Good early professional reviews but weaker audience ones. TRDB.
7/17/12- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
11/8/12- This movie was more Bollywood than I expected and for me was just fair. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: drama
June 30th, 2012
BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “This compelling documentary, narrated by John Leguizamo and executive produced by Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, is a gritty and never before seen look inside the world of Major League Baseball (MLB) training camps in the Dominican Republic. Miguel Angel and Jean Carlos are two of the top prospects and they are both about to turn 16, which means they can be signed to an MLB farm team and ultimately move up to the majors. Ballplayer: Pelotero filmmakers Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jonathan Paley take you inside this never before seen world for an up close and personal look at the cost of the American dream.”
Excellent reviews in general and a good one in the NY Times on 7/14/12. TRDB.
9/21/12- I liked the movie, a very good expose but I feel that the movie lacked the passion you’d expect with this type of exploitation of minors. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
June 30th, 2012
THE IMPOSTER- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In 1994 a 13-year-old boy disappeared without a trace from his home in San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later he is found alive thousands of miles away in a village in southern Spain with a horrifying story of kidnap and torture. His family is overjoyed to bring him home. But all is not quite as it seems. The boy bears many of the same distinguishing marks he always did, but why does he now have a strange accent? Why does he look so different? And why doesn’t the family seem to notice these glaring inconsistencies? It’s only when an investigator starts asking questions that this strange tale takes an even stranger turn.”
Excellent reviews!! TRDB.
2/24/13- An intriguing documentary done very well and I liked it very much. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
June 30th, 2012
A BURNING HOT SUMMER- 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Loosely evoking Godard’s Contempt, A Burning Hot Summer examines the once-happy marriage between brooding painter Frédéric (Louis Garrel) and his movie-star wife Angèle (Bellucci) as it hits the rocks. When another young couple-actors Paul (Jérôme Robart) and Elisabeth (Céline Sallette)-joins them on a Roman holiday, tensions and passions flare. The film features a score by the Velvet Underground’s John Cale, with the legendary Maurice Garrel (the director’s father) in his final role.”
6/29/12- Poor reviews in general but a good one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
10/17/14- Boring for most of the film but I stuck it out. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 29th, 2012
UNFORGIVABLE- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Francis (André Dussollier) is a successful crime writer who moves to Venice to work on his next novel. When he meets model-turned-real-estate-agent Judith (Carole Bouquet), he is instantly infatuated. Francis and Judith eventually marry and move to a remote house on Torcello Island but Francis’ newfound happiness hinders his writing. Obsessing over what Judith does while at work, he hires a young ex-convict to investigate. As Judith’s sexual past is revealed both men become increasing fixated on the mysterious woman. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Venice, Unforgivable examines the consequences of unresolved past relationships and their far-reaching effects into the future.”
6/29/12- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
2/4/13- I found this movie very interesting and thought provoking. To be honest, I can’t really dislike a movie with great scenes of Venice. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 29th, 2012
NATE & MARGARET- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this quirky comedy, the odd-couple friendship between Nate, a young, gay film student, and Margaret, a 50-something eccentric, takes center stage. Trouble arrives in the form of Nate‘s first lover, who doesn’t quite “get” Margaret.”
6/22/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times and elsewhere. TRDB.
9/30/12- A good movie about friendship between two people who on the surface appear very different. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
June 22nd, 2012
PEOPLE LIKE US- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Sam flies home for his estranged father’s funeral, the reading of the will reveals a sister he never knew he had — and an order that Sam must bring his alcoholic sibling and her young son their inheritance.”
Very good early reviews. TRDB.
6/29/12- Only a fair review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
11/7/12- An interesting drama that was a bit soap-opera-ish but there was some very good writing embedded in this story about family. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
June 16th, 2012
THE LAST RIDE- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “A young college student agrees to drive volatile country music star Hank Williams to a concert, never guessing he’ll be the last one to see him alive. Along the way, he gets a glimpse into the mind of a troubled legend.”
OK reviews so far from audiences but nothing yet from professionals. TRDB.
6/22/12- Poor review in today’s NY Times- they said that you need to be a Hank Williams fanatic to enjoy this one. TRDB.
11/19/13- I enjoyed the music and basically we learned nothing about what the star Hank Williams was all about, but still there was something about the movie that was appealing. TRDB.
Tags: drama
June 16th, 2012
AMERICANO- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Following the death of his dynamic mother, grieving Frenchman Martin travels to Los Angeles to settle her estate, and learns the true meaning of family while tracking down Lola, his childhood friend who seems to have meant a great deal to his mother.”
6/15/12- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
12/24/12- A large waste of time. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 15th, 2012
PAUL WILLIAMS STILL ALIVE- 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “He won Grammys and an Academy Award; wrote many #1 songs; starred in a Brian DePalma movie; put out his own hit records and albums; was a guest on The Tonight Show fifty times; and is the president of ASCAP…and you might not have heard of him. In the 1970’s, Paul Williams was the singer / actor / songwriter that emotional, alienated teenage boys all over the world wanted to be, a sex symbol before MTV, when sex symbols could be 5″2 and sing songs about loneliness with the Muppets. A wistful musical journey that will re-introduce a new generation to Williams’ soulful classics, Paul Williams: Still Alive is the charmingly self-narrated story of Stephen Kessler’s lifelong obsession with the former superstar-and what happens when the nostalgic filmmaker finally catches up with him.”
Good review in the NY Times on 6/8/12 despite a negative reaction to the director who may have taken advantage of the subject more for personal gain. TRDB.
7/28/16- An excellent documentary with great access to the subject. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
June 13th, 2012
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