Good Drama
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- DirectorJonathan KaplanStarsKelly McGillisJodie FosterBernie CoulsonAfter a young woman suffers a brutal gang rape in a bar one night, a prosecutor assists in bringing the perpetrators to justice, including the ones who encouraged and cheered on the attack.For this role Jodie received bunch of nominations and six awards, including her first Oscar. In my opinion, her role of Nell deserves an Oscar much more than this one or her role in "Silence of the Lambs" and this is far from being her best movie, but it has really strong story and it's worth watching.
7/10 - DirectorSpike LeeStarsDanny AielloOssie DavisRuby DeeOn the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence."It ain't never too hot or never too cold for fuckin'!"
On the hottest day of the year, in some street in Brooklyn, people are becoming more and more nervous, until prejudice and hatred accumulated in them start to emerge to the surface and culminate in violence.
The film is written and directed by Spike Lee, and the scenario is deservedly nominated for an Oscar. It tells the story of quite ordinary people and how easily ordinary everyday life turns into an extreme situation. There is not a lot of action here, the film is low budget, and the only thing that stands out is the excellent characterization and the good actors able to convincingly present it. If you do not have too high expectations, this humorous drama will entertain you, but also give you a reason for reflection.
Fun fact - the word "fu-ck" is mentioned about 250 times, which, given the duration of the film, is an average of two times every minute.
7/10 - DirectorPhilip KaufmanStarsFred WardUma ThurmanMaria de MedeirosAnaïs Nin meets American writer Henry Miller in Paris in 1931. She keeps a diary of her sexual awakening, which includes Henry and his wife June."Abnormal pleasures kill the taste for normal ones"
Henry & June is a biographical erotic drama about Henry Miller, writer of the cult "Tropic of Cancer", and his wife, June, from the pen of his mistress Anaïs Nin. "Tropic of Cancer" is gathering dust on my bookshelf for decades, but after watching this movie I had to read it. Frankly, halfway through the book, I was on the verge of giving up reading, but the movie is good. Especially the performances of Fred Ward, Uma Thurman and Maria de Medeiros. And to spice things up, there is also brilliant Kevin Spacey.
7/10 - DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungReluctantly retired from fighting, Rocky takes charge of Mickey's gym and agrees to train a young protégé who's hungry for success.Refreshing change
He finally gave up on four times repeated pattern and made a completely different story. This is not the story of a boxer who has to fight a bigger and bigger opponent in every sequel anymore, this is an emotional drama of a man who started from nothing, reached the stars and hit the bottom once again. A movie about being able to distinguish true values in life from current goals that blur the mind. The movie is not excellent in any aspect, but the story is the most interesting so far. Rocky's son is portrayed by Stallone’s son, which gives this father-son relationship more credibility. Music is not bad, but it cannot be compared with prequels, except for fantastic "The Measure of a Man" by Alan Menken, performed by Elton John. Definitely worth watching.
7,5/10 - DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsDustin HoffmanRene RussoMorgan FreemanA team of Army doctors struggle to find a cure for the deadly Motaba virus that was transported from Africa to North America by a white-headed Capuchin monkey and is now spreading quickly throughout a small California town.There is a pandemic of an extremely infectious and fast-acting virus with a hundred percent fatal outcome. While virologists are trying to curb the spread and save the sick, the army is preparing to bomb the affected area to prevent anyone from finding out it was a biological weapon they lost control of. Pretty tense and very well done with a fantastic cast - Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Donald Sutherland, Patrick Dempsey.
8/10 - DirectorRupert WainwrightStarsPatricia ArquetteGabriel ByrneJonathan PryceWhen a young woman becomes afflicted by stigmata, a priest is sent to investigate her case, which may have severe ramifications for his faith and for the Catholic Church itself."The kingdom of God is within you and all around you. It is not within buildings of wood or stone. Split a piece of wood and you will find me. Look beneath a stone and I am there."
"Stigmata" deals with religious themes of stigmata and the "Gospel of Thomas," the oldest known gospel, which is considered to be the closest to the teachings of the historical Jesus. It is not included in the "New Testament", and the church considers it to be heretical. Although the film makes some historical and factual mistakes, it is not a documentary but fiction, so we can regard them as artistic freedoms, which, even if they do not contribute to the quality of the film, certainly do not diminish its strength. Patricia Arquette excellently portrays the role of a young atheist whose life is headed upside down by the inexplicable appearance of wounds similar to crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, and Gabriel Byrne plays a priest sent from the Vatican to investigate her case. The chemistry between them is good and is the backbone of the film, and the powerful explicit scenes of stigmata appearance spice it up with horror atmosphere, although I would describe this movie as a drama rather than a horror.
7,5/10 - DirectorJames MangoldStarsWinona RyderAngelina JolieClea DuVallA directionless teenager, Susanna, is rushed to Claymoore, a mental institution, after a supposed suicide attempt. There, she befriends a group of troubled women who deeply influence her life.Role of her life
I was amazed by this movie when it was released. Two decades later I run into it and decided to watch it again. I must admit I have no idea why was I so thrilled back when I was 20. It is undeniably good, but it does not break into "required reading". The cast is excellent. Angelina Jolie inviolably dominates the movie and, although she is in supporting role, I think this was the role of her life. She deservedly took Academy Award and a dozen more first places on various film festivals. Winona is Winona, I was never able to form a coherent opinion about her. There are also Jared Leto, Whoopi Goldberg, Brittany Murphy, Elisabeth Moss, Vanessa Redgrave... Surely this movie is worth watching, if for no other reason than for really good acting.
7/10 - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsMarisa ParedesEduardo NoriegaFederico LuppiAfter Carlos - a 12-year-old whose father has died in the Spanish Civil War - arrives at an ominous boys' orphanage, he discovers the school is haunted and has many dark secrets which he must uncover.Not as good as Pan's Labyrinth, but definitely worth watching.
- DirectorCarlos CarreraStarsGael García BernalAna Claudia TalancónSancho GraciaPolitics and sexual passions threaten to corrupt a young, newly-ordained priest in a small Mexican town."I made you the priest's whore"
"The Crime of Father Amaro" tells a story about a young Mexican priest who is lost in a world of romance and politics, a world that is completely new for him. With this theme and justified R classification, there were numerous controversies and attempts to ban it, but instead it became a big hit, earned more than any other Mexican film before it, and was nominated for the Best Foreign Film Oscar. Personally, I think it is overrated and I do not see the quality that deserves an Oscar nomination, but I quite liked it and warmly recommend it.
7/10 - DirectorAdrian LyneStarsRobert RedfordDemi MooreWoody HarrelsonA billionaire offers $1,000,000 to a young married couple for one night with the wife."If you want something very badly, set it free. If it comes back to you, it's yours forever. If it doesn't, it was never yours to begin with."
Terribly underrated movie. Although the basic premise is somewhat unrealistic, consequences are something many couples, if not the majority of them, can relate to. Almost everyone at least once had essentially similar situation, regardless of the fact that specific circumstances were different. If nothing else, Woody, Demi, and Robert are enough reason to see this film.
8/10 - DirectorPeter MullanStarsEileen WalshDorothy DuffyNora-Jane NooneThree young Irish women struggle to maintain their spirits while they endure dehumanizing abuse as inmates of a Magdalene Sisters Asylum.You're not a man of God
Magdalene Asylum were institutions funded by the Catholic Church in Ireland in which young girls served a "prison sentence" for moral dangers for themselves and others. Moral offenses in the form of pregnancy outside of marriage, flirting with boys, and even being a victim of rape, brought these young girls to these laundries, with the legal consent of their fathers or family. The girls were brought without trial and were sentenced to forced labor for the rest of their lives. They suffered a barbaric treatment from the nuns and priests who led these institutions, justified by a conservative hysteria about sex. Magdalene Laundries destroyed about 30,000 women, and the last of these perverse institutions was closed only in 1996.
7/10 - DirectorLaurence DunmoreStarsJohnny DeppSamantha MortonJohn MalkovichThe story of John Wilmot, a.k.a. the Earl of Rochester, a 17th century poet who famously drank and debauched his way to an early grave, only to earn posthumous critical acclaim for his life's work.Sex, drugs and rock and roll in the 17th-century style
This is the story of John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester, playwright and poet of the 17th century, the man who led a bohemian life to the extreme and drove himself to an early grave at 33. This role brought Johnny Depp award for the most offensive male role (Women Film Critics Circle Awards), and there are also fantastic John Malkovich, funny Richard Coyle, and beautiful Rosamund Pike. Sex, drugs and rock and roll in the 17th-century style.
8/10 - DirectorSylvester StalloneStarsSylvester StalloneAntonio TarverMilo VentimigliaThirty years after the ring of the first bell, Rocky Balboa comes out of retirement and dons his gloves for his final fight against the reigning heavyweight champ Mason 'The Line' Dixon.Rounds up the Rocky story
There are so many Rocky movies one gets a feeling he's watching TV series. And when series is good we tend to emotionally tie to characters and now I'm sorry it's over. I thought, after 16 years since the last Rocky movie, this will be just another cheap attempt to squeeze more money out of the ancient franchise, but I was wrong. "Rocky Balboa" very nicely rounds up and closes this dear franchise. The story is emotional, has depth and it's very convincing, more than its prequels. I enjoyed every moment of this movie.
7,5/10 - DirectorDeborah KampmeierStarsDakota FanningDavid MorsePiper LaurieA drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.I saw Elvis, and he blew a kiss just for me!
I think this is a great drama, but I'm not really sure because I was crying most of the time...
8,5/10 - DirectorJames IvoryStarsAnthony HopkinsEmma ThompsonJohn HaycraftA butler who sacrificed body and soul to service in the years leading up to World War II realizes too late how misguided his loyalty was to his lordly employer."If you have a normal 21st century attention span, you won't get it."
8/10
P.S. Hannibal Lecter as Superman's butler :D - DirectorChristopher CainStarsJon VoightTrent FordTamara HopeA love story set during a tense encounter between a wagon train of settlers and a renegade Mormon group.Religious fanaticism at its worst
9/11, but century and a half before the recent one. Back in 1857, in Utah, a group of settlers was killed by local Mormons. This movie tells a story about more than a hundred men, women, and children who lost their lives in the horrifying massacre. It's not a masterpiece of cinema, but it is definitely worth your time.
7/10 - DirectorNeil JordanStarsJodie FosterTerrence HowardNaveen AndrewsStruggling to recover emotionally from a brutal assault that killed her fiancé and left her in a coma, a radio personality begins a quest for vengeance against the perpetrators that leaves a bloody trail across New York City.Brutal drama
The story is similar to "I Spit on Your Grave", but instead of a brutal horror manner, it's done as a mainstream drama. Jodie Foster is expectedly excellent. The movie blurs the line between good and evil in a way that will appeal both to mainstream audience and fans of brutal horrors.
8/10 - DirectorTomas AlfredsonStarsKåre HedebrantLina LeanderssonPer RagnarOskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl.I prefer the remake
Finally, I watched the Swedish version and I have to say that I prefer the American remake. This one is maybe a bit more realistic and more complete in some aspects, but I could not connect with characters on a deeper level, while remake blew me away emotionally. The movie is pretty good but I definitely wouldn't watch it again, while remake entered my list of favorite movies of all time after first watching. However, I recommend both, because although it is basically the same story, movies are very different.
7/10 - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsLubna AzabalMélissa Désormeaux-PoulinMaxim GaudetteTwins journey to the Middle East to discover their family history and fulfill their mother's last wishes.Overall impression + spoilers + my ideas to improve the story
Warning: Spoilers
Great idea but a weak realization. The story has strength and depth and, if it was made by the book, the book probably kicks ass, but the movie left me indifferent. I cannot say what is the issue, if it is acting or directing or music or what... but until just a few minutes before the end I had absolutely no emotions towards what I was watching and I was bored. For the idea and the very end of the movie... 9/10, but the overall impression is about 5/10.
!!! SPOILER ALERT !!!
Christian girl gets involved with a Muslim refugee and gets pregnant. Christian police kill the Muslim and her child is taken away at birth and sent to an orphanage. Many years later she gets revenge for the tragedy of her youth by killing the leader of Christian police. She ends up in prison where she is raped by the cruelest guard. She gets pregnant again and gives birth to twins. After she is released from prison, she takes her children to Canada.
After she died her testament sends her children in a quest to find their father and brother and deliver letters from her. The daughter goes to search for the father and the son searches for the brother and they both find the same person.
The orphanage was destroyed in the war and the child was adopted by attackers and trained to be a killing machine. He ends up as a prison guard where he rapes a female prisoner, not knowing it was his mother.
Twins first get to know that their father is not killed in the war, as they were told. They find out that they are a result of their mother being raped in prison while she was serving sentence for murder. Then as icing on the cake, they find out that she was raped by the long lost son. So, in adult age, you find out that your whole life was a lie. Your mother is a murderer, you are a rape child, the rapist is your older brother, and you are just a side effect of sadistic, incestuous rape, and now you are expected to continue with your life as a mentally stable person... yea, right, like it is possible...
So, I would like to improve this already sick movie by adding some epilogue to it:
a) Father/brother receives both letters and, when his brain finally realizes shocking truth, he drops letters on the floor and jumps through the window (shoot himself in the head), while twins end up in a closed section of a sanitarium.
or, for those who root for a happy ending...
b) Twins cry in embranchment, which ends up "horizontally", and father/brother accepts his newfound family and joyfully awaits the birth of his grandchild/nephew and they lived happily ever after.
P.S. Yup, I know, I'm sick.
7/10 - DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsNatalie PortmanMila KunisVincent CasselNina is a talented but unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her artistic director and a seductive rival, Nina's grip on reality slips, plunging her into a waking nightmare.Overrated
Natalie did deserve her Oscar, but the movie overall is extremely boring. The first hour is agonizing, and then, after some 65 minutes, something finally begins to happen and the finale is great. But I was at the edge of giving up ten times and missing that good ending, because it takes real effort to go through the first hour.
Natalie: 9/10
Overall: 6/10 - DirectorDerick MartiniStarsChloë Grace MoretzBlake LivelyRory CulkinA Nebraska teen gets more than she bargained for when she sets out for the bright lights of Las Vegas.Chloë saved it
"Hick" is a drama about a white trash teenage girl who abandons her alcoholic parents and the violent redneck environment she grows up in and, with determination and a gun, she leaves for Las Vegas. The story of an unhappy childhood, the struggle for survival and the desire for adventure from the perspective of a teenage girl, mediocrely written but brilliantly presented by then-thirteen-year-old Chloë Grace Moretz, followed by a supporting cast that does not lag behind. At times humorous but overwhelmingly heavy and painful, this film is, in my opinion, unfairly underrated.
7/10 - DirectorJacques AudiardStarsMarion CotillardMatthias SchoenaertsArmand VerdurePut in charge of his young son, Alain leaves Belgium for Antibes to live with his sister and her husband as a family. Alain's bond with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, grows deeper after Stephanie suffers a horrible accident.Alain: Do you want to fuck?
Stephanie: Huh?
Alain: You want to know if it still works? So, let's fuck!
Stephanie: Just like that?
Alain: Yeah!
Stephanie: I don't know if I can do it just like that.
Alain: When you feel like it, tell me.
Alain and his son move from Belgium to the French Riviera, where he meets Stephanie, a girl who trains killer whales. After she experiences an accident and remains disabled, their relationship begins to deepen. "Rust and Bone" is a bit morbid but realistic and essentially beautiful love drama, which will tie you to its protagonists and keep you focused from the beginning to the end. The movie is nothing spectacular, but it is quite a refreshment within the genre and I warmly recommend it.
7/10 - DirectorDavid FincherStarsBen AffleckRosamund PikeNeil Patrick HarrisThe husband of a missing woman becomes the chief suspect in her disappearance."We have each other. Everything else is background noise."
The idea is great and well developed. At first glance, it seems predictable, but in fact, it is not. It has unexpected... not exactly twists or turnovers, let's say unexpected situation development. Unfortunately, in a manner of many movies these days, a fantastic 90 minutes story was stretched and raped to 150 minutes and the final blow to the quality of this movie inflicts Ben Affleck who is lousy by default. I never saw a movie where Affleck gives a stunning performance and even my favorite "Chasing Amy" is partially ruined by his sleaziness. All in all, replace Affleck and cut it under 2 hours and you'll get strong 9/10. But this way... 7, maybe
7,5/10 - DirectorJean-Marc ValléeStarsJake GyllenhaalNaomi WattsChris CooperA successful investment banker struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. With the help of a customer service rep and her young son, he starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.After 15 minutes I was at the edge of giving up on it... It's good that I didn't. Movie starts a bit slower and it takes some time for viewer to connect with main character and understand what is that all about... and then this movie blows you away. It is not for action fans that seek adrenaline fun, but drama fans will love it.
8/10 - DirectorSteve McQueenStarsChiwetel EjioforMichael Kenneth WilliamsMichael FassbenderIn the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.Excellent, but somehow, not powerful enough
Excellent story, excellent choice of actors, excellent acting, excellent directing, excellent everything. However, the story this powerful should have blown me away, so that I cannot come to my senses for quite some time after seeing it. But it did not. I don't know why. I cannot find any flaws in this movie, yet, it did not leave an impression strong enough for 10/10. I am aware that I just saw a great movie, but I'm not thrilled. Therefore, here's one completely unsubstantiated
8/10