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The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005) 2007-09-12 23:56:42 I have not seen a descent movie come out of Romania in decades. The best movies I’ve seen was 1976 “Toate pînzele sus”, 1988 “Morometii” (Moromete Family”) and a very nice 1981 fairytale “Maria, Mirabella”, with most of the credit for latter belonging to USSR. I had crossed over the Romanian cinematography long time ago. But in the recent years it seems to emerge as a new bleep on the radar.
“The Death of Mr. Lazarescu” has won 5 awards at 2005 Transylvania International Film Festival (is that a surprise?), a Special Mention at Cannes in 2005 for director Cristi Puiu, a nomination for best foreign film in 2006, a nomination for 2007 best foreign film from Online Film Critics Society (oh, I gotta be careful now not to turn all online critics against me!) - 25 wins and nominations in total for the film, director and actors! There’s also a new 2007 Romanian movie that’s a favorite at this year’s festivals) - &
Flushed Away (2006) 2007-09-11 12:36:00
“Flushed Away” did not make me laugh, just a forced smile here and there. It’s not entirely bad, but not exciting either. I watched this 3D animated feature on DVD, so I don’t know if children will like it.
Rody (Hugh Jackman) is a pet mouse who lives in a golden cage in an upper-class penthouse in Kensington. His posh life in intruded upon by a sewer rat Sid (Shane Richie - all I know about him is that he invested about half a million pounds into a movie that holds all-time lowest box-office record), who just popped up from the sink and believes he found a goldmine, hit the jackpot. Rody tries to get rid of the unwelcome guest in “his” apartment by flushing him down the “whirlpool”, but himself ends up being flushed by Sid. After a standard going-down-the drain rollercoaster, Rody finds himself in the world he could not even imagine: an entire underground rat civilization: Ratropolis - an incredibly detailed copy of London made entir
3:10 to Yuma (2007) 2007-09-10 04:59:51
It’s nice to see the revival, or a come back, of the Western genre. I have seen the 1957 version, and not 50 years later this remake brought Elmore Leonard’s short story back to the screen. Watch the trailer.
The plot: one-legged civil war veteran Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is in dire straits as powerful landlord tries to push him out of his Arizona ranch to use his land for railroad. But when the “beddest” gangster Ben Wade (Russel Crowe) is caught, Dan volunteers to escort him to the 3:10 train to Yuma prison for a fee of $200. But the rest of the gang are after them to get their boss back.
When the guns go blazing the movie becomes most entertaining. Movie was slow at times and made me look at my watch at least trice, but for the most part the pace of the movie is just fine. The scenery and props were not that exciting: in many ways they were a lot like old Hollywood westerns where everything was shot in the pavilion or stage set - seems to me everything was
Frida (2002) 2007-09-07 00:00:11
I saw this 6-Oscar nominated, 2-Oscar-winning movie on DVD several years ago, and now I watched it again on HD cable channel.
The film directed by Julie Taymor shows what kind of people were Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) and Frida
, how they came out to be what they are, what kind of people have surrounded them, how two artists lived and worked together and how they took the art world by storm! It very well conveys the atmosphere of the ’20s and ’30s, the wind of change when the world was crazy about revolutions, communism and socialism, which artists all over the world were picking up and lifting above their heads like a banner. It shows how Frida met Diego Rivera, how two artists have connected, how she set herself up for a life of misury with a guy who’s incapable of loyalty by marrying him, how complex this relationship was and how the world around them changed. The movie shows many aspects of Frida’s character and life: sometimes she is fiery and provocati
The Last King Of Scotland (2006) 2007-09-05 03:08:58
*** May contain spoilers ***
The plot: Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), Scott, graduated from medical school and randomly picked Uganda to practice his skills. He arrived in the poor, but beautiful country just in time for Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) to take over the country from deposed president Milton Obote after a military coup. To Nicholas it appeared that population is in celebratory mood and believes that Amin is going to be great for the country. Although most of the people preferred their shamans, Nicholas’s hands are full in his clinic. Soon after he saw Amin at a political rally, he met him face to face when Amin was slightly injured in some sort of accident, probably his car colliding with a cow. Both men were genuinely interested in each other. Amin and Nicholas traded t-shirts. Next day Amin’s health minister, who was also Amin’s closest adviser, met Nicholas at his clinic and invited him to the capital and Amin offered him to be his personal physic Read more:Scotland
After the Sunset (2004) 2007-09-03 02:07:29
I‘ve seen this movie in theatre couple of years ago, and now it was again on TNT in HD. I remember from the first time I saw it that there was a lot of confusion because at the same exact time there was a movie called “Before Sunset
”.
Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek play a couple of diamond thieves, Max and Lola. And Woody Harrelson plays FBI agent Stan Lloyd, who is obsessed with catching and frustrated with consecutive failures. Even after Stan is suspended from FBI service, he still follows Max and Lola to the place of their retirement on a tropical island resort. He is so miserable, Max begins to help him out of pity. Even though Max is now retired, Stan tries to seduce him into stealing another, bigger diamond from a cruise ship where it’s on display. To complicate Max’s life, a local crime-lord (Don Cheadle) forces Max to steal the diamond for himself. A third preasure point is Lola, who is jealous that her beloved Max wants the diamond more then he
Stardust (2007) 2007-09-02 16:24:18 Went to see it late last night with friends. I did not know what the movie is about. I heard from completely forgettable commercials that the movie has Michelle Pfeiffer and De Niro in it, so I thought it might be worth a look. Well, it’s one of the strangest movies I’ve seen. For the first five minutes I thought I am in the wrong theatre. So many surprises! This movie is “adult Harry Potter meets Princess Bride with Pirates of the Caribbean”. I am saying “Harry Potter” and “Pirates” because of all the magic, talking through mirrors, structure of dialogs, flying sail-ships and grotesque costumes and acting. I am saying “Pirates” because of the action scenes with fencing and chases, accompanied by a similar music score. Princess Bride - for one reason only: combination of humor with fairytale in the background.
The plot: in a village isolated from outside world with a wall (try to read it in a crunchy voice) lives an 18
Cold Summer of 1953 (1987) 2007-09-02 15:23:11 I think I have seen this grim movie once about 20 years ago. It’s the last role and last film starring Anatoli Papanov, one of the greatest and beloved Soviet actors.The plot is quite simple. In 1953, after Stalin’s death, Nikita Khruschev became secretary general of the Communist Party, and denounced Stalin as a murderous dictator. The country was not ready for it because people warshiped Stalin for more then three decades. Shock! Later it turned out to be of of the reasons for Khruschev’s demise and a little conspiracy organized by Brejnev to replace him, but no matter. Lavrenty Beria, who was an all-powerful Minister of Interior and primarily responsible for “repression” of some 7-50 million people (historians differ here a lot), declared amnesty in commemoration of comrade Stalin’s death. Beria, however, was also denounced by Khrustchev, arrested and executed by gun squad as a traitor and enemy of the State and People. Amnesty was completely indi Read more:Summer
Charlotte’s Web (2006) 2007-09-02 10:50:32
The plot: Wilbur (voiced by 9 year old Dominic Scott Kay) is a pig who dreads the Christmas because he’s afraid he’s going to be served on the farmer’s table, and he creates a plan to prove to the farmer that he is more valuable alive. Despite their differences, animals on the farm need to work together with Charlotte
the spider to save Wilbur. Have your read this E.B. White’s book? I haven’t.
Basically this is yet another Nickelodeon movie for kids 4-12 with talking animals and a lot of encyclopedic information about spiders. It’s a lot like Disney’s ”Home on the Range” released in 2004, but instead of animation it’s got animals and live actors: Dakota Fanning plays Fern, the girl who saved Wilbur from being killed at birth by her farmer father by pleading to him that killing piglets is “unfair and unjust!”. She was also letting the pig sleep in her bed… ehm… have you ever lived on the farm? Woul
Wordplay (2006) PG 94min 2007-09-28 23:52:24
An OK documentary about Will Shortz, a famous “puzzle-master” from The New York Times, and his fans. If you listen to NPR on the weekends or solve puzzles, this movie may work well for you. It’s not particularly gripping, but it’s fine as a background noise while writing a post for your blog. It’s a lot like “Trekkies”, which was a horrible documentary, a real pain to watch. “Wordplay” is somewhat better, mostly thanks to appearance of Bill Clinton, Bob Dole and Jon Stewart. I especially enjoyed the interviews related to crossword published in New York Times the day after elections (William Jefferson Clinton vs Bob Dole) - very inventive puzzle. It was also funny somewhat that Shortz majored in puzzles. They are interesting characters and really lit up this film. There’s a lot of footage from Crossword competitions and interviews with contestants, and it’s pretty amazing that there are people who can solve those cros
The Italian (2005) 2007-09-27 01:49:13 An Italian
family wants to adopt a child from a Russian orphanage, and six-year-old Vanya (Kolya Spiridonov) is their pick. Which is why kids at the orphanage immediately gave him name “Italianets” (The Italian). The couple is very nice, but Vanya is yearning for his birth mother. Determined to find her, he runs away from his orphanage to the house where he was left and lived until he was assigned to the orphanage.
This is an incredibly moving drama, and received many international awards. Not a tearjerker, but almost. Director Andrei Kravchuk has done an excellent job creating this very authentic, realistic drama. It was released in United States in 2007. All the orphan kids were acting like professional actors - so good I felt like I was among them and like I knew them all my life. A 5-start movie.
The orphanage is a realy poor condition. Kids have to work on the worst kind of job for peanuts to make ends meet. The director of the orphanage is not a bad man. He’s
The Road to Guantanamo (2006) R 95min 2007-10-03 12:54:46
This movie was a big hit in Europe. I was on vacation in Paris at the time it came out in theatres, and every Parisian movie theatre that I passed by was showing it. I have not seen this movie advertised in Prague or Riga: either it hasn’t reached Eastern Europe by then (they do
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La Petite Jérusalem (2005) 96min 2007-10-02 12:20:21 This is a beautiful and gentle drama that looks at several issues that are as old as the World itself. The first one is “Romeo and Juliet” story of love across borders of the clans, or religious borders in this case. The second is even older: can people be rational or logical about things like love and god. The third issue is how can people achieve freedom: by renouncing the law or by following it religiously.
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Good Night And Good Luck (2005) PG 93min 2007-10-12 23:22:29 Great film directed by George Clooney and starring himself and David Strathairn as CBS reporter Edward R. Morrow, who stood up to senator McCarthy, who was using fear to erode civil liberties, which makes it a very important movie of our time, when people who criticize the administration are accused of being unpatriotic and terrorist-huggers.
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The Heartbreak Kid (2007) R 115min 2007-10-14 02:51:45 It may not be worth the price of movie tickets. You can safely wait for DVD release and rent it. Do not take your date to see it. It’s an OK gross-out comedy, but by no means does it compare to this year’s great comedies like “Superbad” and “Knocked up”.
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Satya (1998) 2h 51min 2007-10-19 19:34:13 Good memorable gangster drama from Bollywood. Could’ve been shorter though..
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Annie Hall (1977) PG 93min 2007-10-19 14:05:47 A charming, clever and though-provoking movie that beaten Star Wars at the 1977 Oscars for best film. Not very exciting or gripping, even boring at times, but enjoyable romantic comedy.
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The Good Shepherd (2006) R 161 min 2007-10-24 01:16:50 This is the story of creation of CIA through the eyes of one of the agents, who through his loyalty and patriotism quickly raises to the top. Directed by Robert De Niro, his first attempt at directing since 1993 A Bronx Tale, and starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, John Torturro, De Niro himself, Joe Pesci and others. In the end his limitless loyalty and blind patriotism destroyed his life and his family.
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Gone Baby Gone (2007) R 114min 2007-10-22 13:07:01 Pretty good movie, with a lof of similarities to Mystic River - a novel also written by Denis Lehane. I recommend to see it. It could be the “Crash” of 2007.
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The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection (1919-1931) NR 2007-10-27 19:54:31 A great collection of Harrold Lloyd
, the genious of silent comedy, films. They was popular and funny then and they are funny now. Don’t watch them alone - get an audience.
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Films to see on Friday, November 2 2007-11-01 23:54:12
American Gangster (2007) - Russel Crowe and Denzel Washington star in a movie based on the life story of notorious drug-king-pin-turned-informant Frank Lucas. But don’t wait until tomorrow: BET has a same-name special on Wednesdays.
Bee Movie (2007) - an animated feature film produced by Steven Spielberg et al about a bee who sued the Human race for stealing the honey from bees.
Martian Child (2007) - John Cusack stars in a semi-sci-fi comedy about a fiction writer who forms a relationship with his friend’s adopted child, who claims to be from Mars.
Darfur Now (2007) - a documentary starring Don Cheadle and George Clooney about the tragedy in Sudan that follows six individuals and shows how actions of one person may affect lives of millions.
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Mr. Brooks (2007) R 120min 2007-10-31 22:50:04 The plot: Mr. Earl Brooks
(Kevin Costner) is a successful businessman, a husband and a father, dedicated to his family. But he has a problem: hunger to kill. He knows about his problem and tries to control his hunger. Mr. Brooks is obsessed with killing and perfectly planned and setup murders, although he knows he’ll be caught some day and wonders if dying from a lethal injection was be a good way out of his addiction. He attends meetings of “Alcoholics Anonymous” and pretends to be an addict, because it helps him to stay in control of his addiction. He’s been on sabbatical for two years until now, when his alter ego Marshall (William Hurt) talks him into murder of a couple in their bed, which Earl meticulously plans and executes and leaves his victims’ bloody thumbprints on the lamp - his signature. But he is seen at the crime scene by an “amateur photographer” from a building across the street, Mr. Smith (Dane Cook), who is often watching the
Cars come out on Blu-Ray on Nov 6 2007-10-30 17:43:02 Disney/Pixar animated feature is coming out on Blu-Ray disk on November 6 - same date that Disney also chose to release Ratatouille on. BD features include deleted scenes, Pixar animated shorts, behind the scenes experience and more.If you liked this post, buy me a beerShare This
Related reviews and articlesOctober 30, 2007 -- Ratatouille comes out on DVD on Nov 6, 2007 (0)June 30, 2007 -- Ratatuille (2007) (0)
Ratatouille comes out on DVD on Nov 6, 2007 2007-10-30 13:45:26 The Disney/Pixar animated feature comes
out on DVD and Blu-Ray Disk next Tuesday, November 6.
Read the film review and stand by for DVD release review.
Cool Blu-Ray features include 1080p High Definition 5.1 surround sound with English, French and Spanish dubbing and subtitles, Gusteau’s Gourmet Game, behind-the-scenes look, deleted scenes, several animates shorts.If you liked this post, buy me a beerShare This
Related reviews and articlesOctober 30, 2007 -- Cars come out on Blu-Ray on Nov 6 (0)June 30, 2007 -- Ratatuille (2007) (0)September 28, 2007 -- Wordplay (2006) PG 94min (2)
Mr. Brooks is out on DVD 2007-10-30 13:04:58 Kevin Costner is playing a bad guy for once, and Demi Moore co-stars. It’s out on DVD. Stand by for my review!If you liked this post, buy me a beerShare This
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We Own The Night (2007) R 117min 2007-11-05 02:03:21 Writer-director James Gray made a new variation of the same film he had done before: “Little Odessa” and “The Yards”, all about family members on different sides of the law, living in the immigrant communities of New York. The presence of stars-producers Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg (both starred in “Yards”) helps, but since the theme has been explored before by so many directors there’s no place left for innovation.
“We own the night” was a slogan used by NYPD’s street crime unit in the 80s. Apparently the struggle of NYPD with organized crime back then was very hard. NYPD officers were being killed at the rate of two a month. Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) is a manager of a Russian night club in Brighton Beach owned by his mentor Marat Buzhayev (Moni Moshonov), who is very happy wit
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Related reviews and articlesNovember 4, 2007 -- American Gangster (2007) R 157min (2)O Read more:Night
American Gangster (2007) R 157min 2007-11-04 12:21:22 This new classic in the gangster genre was directed by legendary director and producer Ridley Scott. Denzel Washington plays Manhattan drug-king-pin-turned-informer Frank Lucas, who was a driver, bodyguard and confidant for one of the Harlem’s crime bosses, and replaced him after boss died in the late 60s. Frank Lucas came up with a novel way to import and distribute heroin. Russel Crowe plays a NYPD officer Richie Roberts. Both men have something in common: each one are religeously following their ethical code, but on opposite sides of the law.
All performances were really strong, from main characters to every last supporting actor. Very entertaining film despite 2 hours 40 minutes run time. Soundtrack was awesome.
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Related reviews and articlesNovember 5, 2007 -- We Own The Night (2007) R 117min (0)October 22, 2007 -- Gone Baby Gone (2007) R 114min (0)October 19, 2007 -- Satya (1998) 2h 51min (0)October 5, 2007 -- The Fall Of F Read more:American
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Deja Vu (2006) PG-13 128min 2007-11-11 03:21:58 Déjà Vu was directed by Tony Scott, producer and director of such films as The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Tristan and Isolde, In Her Shoes, Man on Fire, Big Time, Spy Game, Enemy of the State, True Romance, Top Gun and many many more including TV series NUMB3RS. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
The plot: Middle-aged ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) who investigates a car-bomb explosion on a ferry boat in New Orleans, which is linked to a murder of a young woman, Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton). If he can solve her murder, he’d be able to solve the terrorist act as well. He is invited by FBI Agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) to join the surveillance team leaded by Jack McCreedy using a time-window and Einstein-Rosen bridge (worm-hole) trough seven satellites to go back in time by four and a half days. Using this unbelievable super cool technology they try to follow her last moments to solve the crime. During the investigation Doug falls in love
Lions For Lambs (2007) R 88min 2007-11-10 01:04:56 Since this movie was most expected movie of the week, considering all the marketing, I was surprised to see that the movie theater on the opening night was half empty.
Lions
For Lambs is directed by Robert Redford. It’s a movie with three parallel contemporary stories happening at the same time in the span of several hours of a morning. One story is about a progressive UC political science professor, also played by Robert Redford, trying to inspire his talented student Todd (Andrew Garfield) to… visit his classes. Second story is about a congressman (Tom Cruise) who gives one-on-one interview to a news channel reporter (Meryl Streep) about the new strategy in Afghanistan, where two wounded soldiers, former students of the professor mentioned above, who volunteered to go to Afghanistan, are being directly affected by the new strategy.
Considering the cast and the reputation of the director, I was disappointed to see less then strong performances for very strong actors
Movies to see this weekend (Nov 9, 2007) 2007-11-08 23:47:38 It’s the time of year for two kinds of movies now: Christmas-themed movies and ones that wish they won an Oscar nomination.
Lions for Lambs. A widely advertised political thriller directed by Robert Redford and starring himself, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Michael Pena about how lives of different people (congressman, journalist, an idealistic professor who tries to inspire a student, two wonded soldeirs in Afghanistan) become inter-connected and affect eachother and the rest of the world. You can depend on Redford and Streep to deliver good performances, but will the story be good as well?
War/Dance. Limited-release documentary about three children living in refugee camp in Uganda compete in the music and dance festival during that country’s 20-real-long war. Won Best Documentary at Wisconsin Film Festival and Best Documentary Director for Sean Fine and Andrea Nix.
No Country for Old Men. Tommy Lee Jones stars in the western/triller/drama about aman with a suitcase of
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