MATADOR- 1986. By Pedro Almodovar. With Antonio Banderas, Assumpta Serna and Nacho Martinez. About a bullfighter who can no longer fight because of an injury in the ring. He becomes obsessed with death and a love triangle. I liked the movie. Netflix. 12/09
Add comment December 21st, 2009
UP IN THE AIR- Premise by Zap2it. “When a new co-worker wants to put an end to corporate downsizing expert Ryan Bingham’s frequent travel, he offers to take her on a tour to demonstrate the importance of face-to-face meetings. As he mentors his colleague, he also arranges a series of hookups with a fellow frequent traveler, and unexpectedly finds he’s developing true feelings for her. Also unexpectedly, Ryan begins to see the people he routinely fires in a new light.” Very good early reviews.
Netflix had this to say– “Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) racks up major miles flying around the country firing employees on behalf of companies. But he faces losing the job he savors to Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) — and losing the ability to escape emotional ties to anything. A connection he builds with Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), however, might change his outlook on the future. Jason Reitman‘s smart comedy also stars Jason Bateman as Bingham’s boss, Craig.
12/23/09- I saw this today and liked it– some depth, some funny parts and also some poignant moments. TRDB.
Add comment December 8th, 2009
BROKEN TRAIL- 2006. Made for TV movie. Directed by Walter Hill and starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church. They are driving a herd of horses to Montana and rescue five Chinese girls who have been sold into sexual slavery. Conflicts ensue when their “owner” hires some nasty guys to get them back. OK western. Netflix. 12/09
Add comment December 7th, 2009
A SINGLE MAN- Premise by Netflix. “Based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood, this touching 1960s-era drama centers on a day in the life of George (Colin Firth), an English-born, Los Angeles college professor reeling from the recent death of his lover of 16 years. Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Ginnifer Goodwin and Nicholas Hoult also star in this directorial debut from former Gucci fashion designer Tom Ford.” \
12/26/09- I liked this movie very much. Be ready to enjoy a very sad movie. TRDB.
Add comment December 7th, 2009
TAKING WOODSTOCK- Premise by Netflix. “A twentysomething man (Demetri Martin) finds his life forever changed in the summer of 1969 when he offers up his parents’ motel in the Catskills as a home base for Woodstock organizers and helps the show go on by donating an all-important music festival permit. Ang Lee directs this fresh take on 1960s counterculture based on Elliot Tiber’s memoir by the same name. Eugene Levy, Imelda Staunton, Emile Hirsch and Jeffrey Dean Morgan co-star.” I had little interest in seeing this movie at the theater but I’ll catch it now.
Add comment December 3rd, 2009
THE HEADLESS WOMAN- Premise by Netflix. “After she runs over something with her car — maybe a dog, maybe a human — affluent dentist Verónica (María Onetto) suffers a strange breakdown and finds she can’t recognize familiar faces in her rural Argentine town. Director Lucrecia Martel‘s third feature, a loosely structured, visually complex reflection on grief, guilt and class relations, was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. Another film with an interesting premise and decent reviews.
12/21/09- Just saw this movie and did NOT like it at all. Way too ambiguous and so little dialogue from the main character that the movie seemed ODD at best. TRDB.
Add comment December 3rd, 2009
I’LL COME RUNNING- 2008. Co-written and directed by Spencer Parsons. Starring Melonie Diaz as a young Texan woman who has a brief romantic fling with a young man from Denmark shortly before he is due to return home. Tragic circumstances compel her to visit Denmark shortly after. Very good acting, an interesting story and I liked it. Comcast On-Demand. 11/09
Add comment November 30th, 2009
ANGRY HARVEST- Premise by Netflix. “Oscar nominated as Best Foreign Language Film, this unsettling character study set in World War II stars Armin Mueller-Stahl as Leon Wolny, a simple but thriving Polish farmer torn between his scruples and sexual desire. When Leon happens upon a Jewish woman (Elisabeth Trissenaar) who’s jumped from a train bound for a Nazi death camp, he takes her in and shelters her in his cellar. But everything changes once his long-suppressed libido surfaces.”
11/29/09- I saw this and liked it a lot. In particular the way their relationship changed as time went on from her being totally dependent on him to one of mutual dependency. TRDB.
Add comment November 29th, 2009
JULIE AND JULIA- Premise by Netflix. “Play Preview Amy Adams stars in this truth-inspired tale as Julie Powell, a disenchanted government secretary who decides to enliven her uneventful life by cooking all 524 recipes outlined in Julia Child’s culinary classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Based on Powell’s book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, director Nora Ephron‘s heartwarming dramedy also stars Meryl Streep as legendary chef Child.” This film got mixed reviews- VERY mixed. I plan to see it.
12/10/09- I just saw this wonderful movie and I liked it a lot. Very good script carried the day. TRDB.
Add comment November 28th, 2009
LION’S DEN- Premise by Netflix. “After waking to find her apartment a bloody mess, with her ex-lover Nahuel dead and her ex-lover Ramiro (Rodrigo Santoro) wounded, Julia (Martina Gusman) finds herself pregnant and in prison. Incarcerated with other mothers, she gives birth and tries to raise her son behind bars. As she continues to push for a new trial, Julia also deals with her formerly estranged mother, Sofía (Elli Medeiros), who now wants to take her son from her.” Good reviews for this odd sounding movie.
12/8/09- I just saw this movie and liked it a lot. Great acting and very realistic. At points I was riveted to the screen. Highly recommended. TRDB.
Add comment November 28th, 2009