Posts with the tag 'drama'
WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Trader Jake (Shia LaBeouf) tries to mend the broken relationship between his fiancée, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), and her father, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), while avenging the fate of his mentor, Lou (Frank Langella), by getting close to Wall Street’s new megalomaniac, Bretton James (Josh Brolin). Centered on the 2008 financial crisis, director Oliver Stone’s follow-up is a modern-day ode to unfettered capitalism and, of course, greed.” Fair reviews at best.
1/11- I watched for 18min.- way too long. Garbage! TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
January 18th, 2011
AFTERSHOCK- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Caught in the cataclysmic Tangshan earthquake of 1976, a mother is forced to choose which of her twin children — her son or her daughter — a rescue worker should save as they flee the collapsing ruins of her home. The film dramatizes the arduous struggle of the survivors — including the little girl left for dead — as families must learn to rebuild their lives in the wake of a natural disaster that left nearly 250,000 people dead.” Winner at 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival. Great reviews in general. TRDB.
11/21/11- An epic drama about one of the families devastated by the Tangshan earthquake and their quest for emotional peace living with the ramifications of the destruction. I liked it. Netflix. TRDB.
Tags: drama, Foreign
January 17th, 2011
SOUND OF NOISE- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “This intriguing comedy follows six renegade musicians trying to fill their Swedish hometown with sound, even if they have to wreak a little havoc to hit the right notes. But hot on their trail is tone-deaf, music-hating policeman Amadeus Warnebring (Bengt Nilsson). While the six percussionists appropriate public areas and items to make their music, Warnebring wrangles with his demanding family and a boss intent on arresting every local musician.”
3/9/12- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Tags: Comedy, drama
January 17th, 2011
NOTHING’S ALL BAD- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “In the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, a group of mostly self-taught musicians assembles in the capital city of Kinshasa to play in Central Africa’s only orchestra, founded and conducted by pilot Armand Diangienda. Filmmakers Martin Baer and Claus Wischmann follow the Kinshasa Symphony as it rehearses for an Independence Day celebration the musicians hope will inspire their countrymen to share in their creative and collaborative spirit.” Winner at 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival.
Tags: Comedy, drama
January 17th, 2011
THE WHISTLEBLOWER- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Sent to Bosnia to train cops in the aftermath of that country’s brutal civil war, American policewoman Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) uncovers evidence that U.N. peacekeepers are complicit in a flourishing sex-trafficking trade. But when she brings her allegations to light, she discovers that her foes are more powerful than the law. Based on a true story, this thriller from director Larysa Kondracki co-stars Monica Bellucci and David Strathairn.” Winner at 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival.
7/21/11. I saw the coming attractions recently and I plan to see it. TRDB.
9/1/11- I just could not get into the characters and felt that the film was overly dramatic at times. I was also surprised at how naive the lead character was. The NY Times called the screenplay choppy and fumbling and trying to deal with too many characters. This is an important topic and should have been a documentary. TRDB. At the theater.
Tags: drama
January 17th, 2011
LOOSE CANNONS- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “This fiery comedy from director Ferzan Ozpetek finds young Tommaso (Riccardo Scamarcio) about to reveal to his large, frenetic Italian family that he’s gay. But he’s beaten to the punch by his older brother, who is promptly disinherited by their furious father. Tommaso is then put in charge of the family’s pasta factory, and while he tries hard to be a successful businessman, it’s difficult for him to hide his true feelings.”
Winner at 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival.
10/31/14- I liked this movie very much. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
January 17th, 2011
EVEN THE RAIN- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “In this provocative film-within-a-film, director Sebastián (Gael García Bernal) heads to Cochabamba, Bolivia, to shoot a film about Christopher Columbus’s trespasses in the New World, only to find the locals protesting present-day exploitation of the poor. Sebastián is sympathetic to the cause, but realities collide when lead actor Daniel (Carlos Aduviri), cast as a rebel against the Spanish, becomes a key figure in the current demonstrations.” Winner at 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival.
3/11- An excellent depiction of the moral conflicts involved in this type of situation. Well acted and I loved the movie. TRDB. Theater.
Tags: drama, Foreign
January 17th, 2011
KABOOM- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Lovelorn college student Smith (Thomas Dekker) spends his days hanging with his friend Stella (Haley Bennett) and his nights lusting after his straight roommate Thor (Chris Zylka), until one wild party shatters his world in this comic thriller from edgy director Gregg Araki. After eating drug-laced cookies, Smith witnesses the murder of an enigmatic woman who has haunted his dreams, and he begins a bizarre journey that will determine his future.” Only fair reviews. At Sundance 2011.
6/3/11- Awful movie and I turned it off quickly. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
January 16th, 2011
A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN- Premise by Netflix. “With revenge on his mind, a gangster (Stellan Skarsgård) who spent 12 years in prison for murder sets out to kill the man (Henrik Mestad) who put him there. But the promise of a normal life — and news that he’s on the brink of becoming a grandfather — proves a tempting distraction. Suddenly, seeking vengeance doesn’t seem nearly as important. Hans Petter Moland directs this Norwegian drama about sons and second chances.” Good review in NY Times on 1/14/11.
5/10/11- An OK dark comedy with a wonderful Skarsgard. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama, Foreign
January 14th, 2011
EVERY DAY- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Ned (Liev Schreiber) is fed up with his unfulfilling work as a writer on a flawed television show and his stagnant marriage to wife Jeannie (Helen Hunt). Just when he thinks life can’t get worse, his teenage son announces he’s gay and his ailing father-in-law (Brian Dennehy) moves in. Ned’s relationship with an amorous co-worker (Carla Gugino) adds even more tension, but despite the setbacks, the rewards of everyday family life overcome.” OK review in NY Times on 1/14/11.
3/11- A weak story with no life in it at all. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: drama
January 14th, 2011
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