Posts filed under 'Drama'
THE BAY- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Two million fish washed ashore. One thousand blackbirds dropped from the sky. On July 4, 2009 a deadly menace swept through the quaint seaside town of Claridge, Maryland, but the harrowing story of what happened that Independence Day has never been told – until now. The authorities believed they had buried the truth about the tragedy that claimed over 700 human lives. Now, three years later, a reporter has emerged with footage revealing the cover-up and an unimaginable killer: a mysterious parasitic outbreak. Told from the perspective of those who were there and saw what happened, The Bay unfolds over 24 hours though people’s iPhones, Androids, 911 calls, web cams, and whatever else could be used to document the nightmare in Claridge”
11/2/12- OK reviews in general and in today’s NY Times but this movie is definitely not for me. TRDB.
Tags: horror
November 4th, 2012
THE UNDERSTUDY- 2008. Synopsis by Netflix. “Perennially unemployed actress Rebecca thinks that her luck is finally changing when she’s hired to understudy for a movie star making her theatrical debut — but it’s only when a mysterious “accident” sidelines the lead that Rebecca takes the stage.”
11/2/12- A “just OK” review in today’s NY Times. This movie was made 4 years ago but is just now being released. TRDB.
November 4th, 2012
NORTH SEA TEXAS- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. Pim, an introverted child, occupies his time drawing and fantasizing while keeping his emerging desires a secret. As a teenager, he grows infatuated with Gino, the handsome boy next door. When a hunky young man from the local fair starts living with Pim and his mother, he seizes the opportunity to leave home and move in with Gino’s family. His plan backfires as Gino departs, romancing and living with a girl from across the border. It seems like Pim’s dreams will never come true, but then one rainy day Gino returns home.”
11/2/12- A good review in today’s NY Times. Other critics and audiences have liked it also. TRDB.
8/28/14- A coming of age story that was OK, more because of the acting than because of the story. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: drama, Foreign
November 4th, 2012
JACK AND DIANE- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Jack and Diane, two teenage girls, meet in New York City and spend the night kissing ferociously. Diane’s charming innocence quickly begins to open Jack’s tough skinned heart. But when Jack discovers that Diane is moving she pushes her away. Unable to grasp her new feelings, Diane’s emotions begin to cause unexplainable violent changes to her body. Through these awkward and insecure feelings, the two girls must struggle to turn their first love into an enduring one.”
11/2/12- Very weak reviews in the NY Times and elsewhere as well. TRDB.
Tags: drama
November 4th, 2012
A LATE QUARTET- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Tempers flare, old jealousies reignite and new passions are sparked when the members of a world-renowned string quartet are preparing to celebrate their 25th anniversary and learn that their leader must step down due to a grim medical diagnosis.”
11/2/12- A fairly good review in today’s NY Times, especially for the actors. Other critics have liked it as well and so have audiences. TRDB.
11/11/12- I enjoyed this movie very much. Great acting and a good story with a touching screenplay. A bit of schmaltz at the end was unnecessary. TRDB. At the Theater.
Tags: drama
November 4th, 2012
THE LONGEST DAY- 1962. Synopsis by Netflix. “This Oscar-winning war epic chronicles World War II’s harrowing D-Day invasion. Shot on the beaches of Normandy, France, the ambitious film attempts to cover the historic day from all perspectives, focussing on both sides of the conflict.”
Rotten Tomatoes had this to say– “The Longest Day is a mammoth, all-star re-creation of the D-Day invasion, personally orchestrated by Darryl F. Zanuck. Whenever possible, the original locations were utilized, and an all-star international cast impersonates the people involved, from high-ranking officials to ordinary GIs. Each actor speaks in his or her native language with subtitles translating for the benefit of the audience (alternate “takes” were made of each scene with the foreign actors speaking English, but these were seen only during the first network telecast of the film in 1972). The stars are listed alphabetically, with the exception of John Wayne, who as Lt. Colonel Vandervoort gets separate billing. Others in the huge cast include Eddie Albert, Jean-Louis Barrault, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Gert Frobe, Curt Jurgens, Peter Lawford, Robert Mitchum, Kenneth More, Edmond O’Brien, Robert Ryan, Jean Servais, Rod Steiger and Robert Wagner. Paul Anka, who wrote the film’s title song, shows up as an Army private. Scenes include the Allies parachuting into Ste. Mere Englise, where the paratroopers were mowed down by German bullets; a real-life sequence wherein the German and Allied troops unwittingly march side by side in the dark of night; and a spectacular three-minute overhead shot of the troops fighting and dying in the streets of Quistreham. The last major black-and-white road-show attraction, The Longest Day made millions, enough to recoup some of the cost of 20th Century Fox’s concurrently produced Cleopatra.”
10/29/12- Truly the classic movie on the subject. TRDB.
Tags: drama
October 30th, 2012
A ROYAL AFFAIR- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 18th-century Denmark, the unstable King Christian IV neglects his young queen, Mathilde, who falls in love with his German physician, Struensee, an intellectual whose advocation of reform transforms the country but brings about his own downfall.”
Great early reviews!! TRDB.
11/9/12- A weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Tags: Drama/Romance
October 27th, 2012
STARLET- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Jane, a 21-year-old slacker, finds $10,000 stashed in a thermos she buys at a garage sale. Unsure what to do with the money, she begins spending time with Sadie, the elderly widow who held the garage sale, and an unlikely friendship develops.”
Fairly good reviews so far. TRDB.
11/9/12- Excellent review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
5/15/13- With the exception of the scenes involving the star’s despicable roommates I enjoyed this movie. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
October 27th, 2012
LINCOLN- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director Steven Spielberg takes on the towering legacy of Abraham Lincoln, focusing on his stewardship of the Union during the Civil War years. The biographical saga also reveals the conflicts within Lincoln’s cabinet regarding the war and abolition.”
11/9/12- The NY Times gave this a great review today. TRDB.
11/18/12- There have been many critics raving about this movie. Day-Lewis gave a wonderful performance but I found the movie uninspiring and I felt that it was too long, too preachy and that there were too many characters to keep track of. TRDB. At the Theater.
Tags: drama
October 27th, 2012
IN ANOTHER COUNTRY- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Isabelle Huppert plays three women, each named Anne, in this contemplative drama set at a small hotel in the beachside town of Mohang, South Korea. All three characters subtly affect their hosts and other townspeople, including the local lifeguard.”
Very good early reviews. TRDB.
11/9/12- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
4/11/13- I found the movie interesting, especially after deciding not to parse each and every detail. Isabel Huppert is wonderful as usual. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
October 27th, 2012
Newer Posts
Older Posts