Posts filed under 'Seen On Netflix'
THE DESERT OF FORBIDDEN ART- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Trace the incredible story of defiant visionary Igor Savitsky, an artist and museum curator who cunningly acquired more than 40,000 banned Soviet Union paintings and hid the illegal collection from the KGB in Uzbekistan’s Nukus Museum. In addition to rare archival footage and interviews with the artists’ children, this absorbing documentary also features letters and diary entries read by Ben Kingsley, Sally Field and Edward Asner.” Good reviews. TRDB.
6/27/11- I have to admit that I’m a bit too hyper to sit through a documentary of this type. I was very interested in the concept, what had been done to preserve the works but not really in the movie per se. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
March 11th, 2011
MONAGAMY- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Miserable shooting weddings for a living, Brooklyn photographer Theo (Chris Messina) starts up a cool new business, taking surveillance-style photos of clients. But when an alluring female (Meital Dohan) hires his services, the shutterbug falls into a world of lust and jealousy. Co-starring Rashida Jones as Theo’s fiancée, this tense drama explores how intimacy and inadequacy coexist in the modern world.”
3/11 Good review in NY Times ON 3/11/11. TRDB.
6/26/11- I found this movie interesting although a lot of it was predictable. A classic case of “cold feet” as well. TRDB.
Tags: drama
March 11th, 2011
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “A congressman (Matt Damon) who’s a rising star on the political scene finds himself entranced by a beautiful ballerina (Emily Blunt), but mysterious circumstances ensure that their love affair is predestined to be a non-starter. Screenwriter George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum) makes his directorial debut with this romantic adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic sci-fi short story “Adjustment Team.” Fair to poor professional reviews. TRDB.
8/7/11- Unbelievably silly film and I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, sci-fi
March 1st, 2011
MAKING THE BOYS- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Revered by some for breaking new ground and reviled by others for reinforcing stereotypes, The Boys in the Band was the first gay-themed film to reach a mainstream audience. This documentary paints a vivid picture of how it got there. Through interviews with Tony Kushner, Edward Albee and more — plus wonderful period footage of Hollywood’s gay past (think Roddy MacDowell and Sal Mineo) — the film reveals The Boys in the Band’s enduring legacy.” Very good reviews. TRDB. Good review in NY Times on 3/11/11.
12/17/11- Well done but I lost interest about halfway through. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
March 1st, 2011
ORGASM INC.- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “With humor and a wealth of research, director Liz Canner examines how drug companies promote and profit from the myth of female sexual dysfunction as they compete to produce the first FDA-approved “cure” for this condition. The provocative documentary features enlightening interviews with a passionate sex shop owner and a vintage-vibrator collector who argue that it’s society — not women’s bodies — that needs fixing.” Fairly good reviews.
7/1/11- An unusually candid documentary that makes it’s points well and exposes the drug industry yet one more time. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
March 1st, 2011
BOY- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Filmed in his native New Zealand, this comedy from writer-director Taika Waititi (Eagle vs. Shark) follows 11-year-old Boy and his younger brother, Rocky, whose rich fantasy lives are stopped cold when their father returns home after years away. Although Boy has imagined that his father (Waititi) is a dashing, accomplished hero who is related to Michael Jackson, in reality he is a failed gangster seeking to restore his family’s faith in him.” Good audience reviews. TRDB.
3/2/12- Excellent review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
6/26/14– I enjoyed this film much more than the premise would indicate. Great acting by the kid (Boy). TRDB.
Tags: drama
February 27th, 2011
CRIME AFTER CRIME- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Convicted of killing her brutally abusive boyfriend in 1983, Deborah Peagler languished in prison for 20 years. When California legislation allowing incarcerated domestic-violence survivors to reopen their cases becomes law, a pair of novice attorneys agree to take on her case. Armed with evidence of their client’s innocence, the two encounter a bewildering maze of bureaucratic procedures and political corruption as they seek justice.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.
5/28/12- I enjoyed this movie that was helped by making the attorneys as much of the story as this prisoner. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
February 27th, 2011
THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Nearly 20 years after Gabriel (Lou Taylor Pucci) ran away from home, his father, Henry Sawyer (J.K. Simmons), and mother, Helen (Cara Seymour), discover that the no longer young man is now living in a hospital due to a brain tumor that blocks him from recording fresh memories. Desperate to connect with his son, Henry soon realizes that the best way to do so is through music — specifically the classic rock tunes Gabe loves and he despises.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
8/5/11- One reviewer said that this movie rose above the schmaltz but I disagree. As it was based on a true story I watched the whole thing but you shouldn’t. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
February 27th, 2011
CRACKS- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Jordan Scott — daughter of helmer Ridley Scott — makes her directing debut with this thriller set at a British all-girls boarding school between World War I and II and starring Eva Green as a popular teacher and coach of the swim team. When a new girl arrives at the cliquish and hormonally charged institution, jealousies erupt, obsessions arise and, eventually, a student disappears in this film that also stars Juno Temple and María Valverde.” Mainly poor reviews so far. OK review in NY Times on 3/18/11. TRDB.
7/23/11- A distinctly strange movie that was mildly enjoyable at times. An all female cast as well in this film. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
February 27th, 2011
ILLEGAL- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Olivier Masset-Depasse directs this drama that follows the story of Tania (Anne Coesens) and her teenage son, Ivan (Alexandre Gontcharov), Russian immigrants who are in Belgium illegally. Tania lives in fear of being found out — and one day, her worst nightmare becomes a reality. During a routine police check, Tania is apprehended — but she refuses to accept the fact that she’ll be deported and separated from her son.” Reviews not so good so far but it did sound interesting. TRDB.
7/12/11- A very depressing look at the plight of illegal immigrants, this time in Belgium, but could be anywhere. Well acted, this film received very good professional reviews but mediocre audience reaction, probably because it was so down-beat. I enjoyed the film and would recommend it but not if you’re in a bad mood. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
February 26th, 2011
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