Posts with the tag 'Foreign'
SUBMARINE- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When he learns that his mother is on the verge of deserting his father for a dance instructor, young Welsh teen Oliver (Craig Roberts) resolves to do whatever it takes to save his parents’ marriage before the end of summer. Meanwhile, the offbeat lad also schemes to seduce pushy pyromaniac Jordana (Yasmin Paige) with nothing but the power of his mind. Richard Ayoade directs this quirky coming-of-age comedy based on a novel by Joe Dunthorne.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
10/16/11- A somewhat different coming of age story and I liked it. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 20th, 2011
VIVA RIVA!- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hustler Riva (Patsha Bay) hopes to make a fortune by smuggling large quantities of gasoline and selling it for high prices in fuel-starved Kinshasa, but he’s not the only one with his eye on the lucrative prize. Riva’s plan gets complicated when he falls for Nora (Manie Malone), the girlfriend of local crime kingpin Azor (Diplome Amekindra), but the stunning Nora is also scheming for a big payday in this sleek thriller.” Fair review in NY Times on 6/10/11 but good reviews in general. TRDB.
10/31/11- I can’t believe anyone gave this a good review. Awful and I turned it off. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 20th, 2011
CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director Chuan Lu pulls off a rare feat by providing a clear-eyed drama about an event in Chinese-Japanese history — the 1937 Rape of Nanking following that city‘s capture by Japan — that still casts a shadow over relations between the countries. Shot in black and white, the film chronicles the six-week period through the eyes of multiple characters — including a Japanese soldier, a refugee camp supervisor, a resistance fighter and others.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
11/15/11- Brutal to watch! A brisk reminder that war is hell or worse. I think the movie is making a statement by all of the brutality but I would have related to it more if there was more dialogue, more character development and a bit less random killing. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
June 3rd, 2011
PUZZLE- 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “On her 50th birthday, an unassuming housewife (The Headless Woman’s Maria Onetto) receives a present and discovers she’s an ace at puzzles. Without telling anyone, she takes on a training partner and begins to compete. But her new passion quickly threatens her old life, and she must decide where her true self lies.”
Fair reviews in general but good review in NY Times on 5/27/11. TRDB.
9/9/11- I found this movie very interesting and enjoyed it very much. I saw it at the 2011 Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 29th, 2011
LEAP YEAR (ANO BISIESTO)- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Journalist Laura Lopez (Mónica del Carmen) leads an isolated life in Mexico, her only social interactions being sexual encounters with strangers. With February 29th mysteriously circled on her calendar, Laura uses wild sex with Arturo (Gustavo Sánchez Parra) to hasten her unspoken goal. The questions of who is controlling whom and for what purpose loom large as Laura and Arturo’s encounters grow increasingly more violent and depraved.” Very good early professional reviews but only fair audience reaction. TRDB.
10/15/11- I found this film about a very lonely and detached women trivial at best. Miss it. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 17th, 2011
R- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “After committing a vicious crime, Rune (Johan Philip Asbæk), a career criminal even though he is only in his mid-twenties, is sentenced to two years in the harshest of Danish prisons. Although he wants to do his time quietly, prison gangs make his life a living hell. He is soon befriended by a Muslim prisoner named Rashid, who is also at the mercy of the hardcore criminals. Rune appears to appease one of the gang leaders, but is he really safe?”
11/19/11- A well done movie. Very cold, stark and realistic. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 13th, 2011
MYSTERIES OF LISBON- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a 14-year-old orphan (João Luís Arrais) asks the loving priest (Martin Loizillon) who raised him about his unknown origins, he settles in for a sweeping tale of forbidden passion and bitter disappointment involving a beautiful countess, a wealthy businessman and a life of piracy. Raúl Ruiz directs this sumptuous adaptation of a 19th-century Portuguese romance novel penned by Camilo Castelo Branco.” Good early reviews. TRDB.
An article about this movie appears in the NY Times on 7/31/11. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 13th, 2011
LA TETE EN FRICHE- 2011. Synopsis by Zap2it. “A barely literate laborer undergoes a personal transformation through his friendship with an old woman who introduces him to the world of books.” No reviews but sounds interesting.” TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 13th, 2011
SOCIALISM (FILM SOCIALISME)- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Listen in on the insightful musings of a war criminal, a famous philosopher (Alain Badiou), an American singer (Patti Smith), a former spy and other compelling characters as they travel together aboard a Mediterranean cruise ship, visiting Egypt, Palestine, Odessa and Naples. Directed by legendary French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, this multifaceted drama also stars Catherine Tanvier, Christian Sinniger and Jean-Marc Stehlé.” Poor early reviews but it did sound a bit different and interesting. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 11th, 2011
KORKORO- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on the real-life experiences of a Gypsy family living in Nazi-occupied France, this poignant drama explores the broader definition of freedom through the eyes of characters who see permanency as punishment.” Fairly good reviews. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
May 4th, 2011
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