The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. Netflix, IMDB Director: Francis Ford Coppola STC Genre: Institutionalized “Group” – the Family “Choice” – whether Michael joins family business or not “Sacrifice” – will Michael sacrifice his family or his soul? I don’t think it requires […]
Posts in category Movie Reviews
My rants on movies I’ve watched
Sideways (2004)
Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California’s wine country, just as one is about to get married. Netflix, IMDB Director: Alexander Payne STC Genre: Rites of Passage (mid-life crisis) “Life Problem” – Miles can’t get over his divorce “Wrong Way” – […]
King’s Speech (2010)
Britain’s King George VI (Colin Firth) struggles with an embarrassing stutter for years until he seeks help from unorthodox Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Netflix, IMDB Director: Tom Hooper STC Genre: Rites of Passage “Life Problem” – an embarrassing stutter “Wrong Way” – denying the deep psychological roots and trying to solve it […]
Red (1994)
In this meditation on the need for passion and human connection — the final film in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s “three colors” trilogy — an accident brings together two very different people: Valentine (Irene Jacob), a model, and Joseph (Jean-Louis Trintignant), a retired judge. Netflix, IMDB Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski STC Genre: Out of the Bottle “Wish” – […]
Sin City (2005)
Ex-con Marv (Mickey Rourke) avenges a hooker’s (Jaime King) death, Detective Dwight (Clive Owen) gets involved with hazardous vixens and a rogue cop (Bruce Willis) becomes hell-bent on saving a stripper (Jessica Alba) from a rapist (Nick Stahl) in interlaced stories adapted from Frank Miller’s graphic novels. Netflix, IMDB Directors: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez STC Genre: […]
Sliding Doors (1998)
A complex romantic story unfolds in two parallel worlds that split apart by a seemingly unimportant event of Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow) catching or missing a subway train. In one, she comes home early and finds her boyfriend cheating on her, but not in the other. The two stories dance together all the way to the […]
Cast Away (2000)
After FedEx systems engineer Chuck Noland’s (Tom Hanks) plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean, he finds himself fighting to survive on a deserted island with nothing but a painted volleyball — a silent partner he names Wilson. Netflix, IMDB Director: Robert Zemeckis STC Genre: Golden Fleece (Solo) – according to Blake “Road” – Starting as […]
Romancing the Stone (1984)
When a reclusive romance writer (Kathleen Turner) — whose humdrum life in no way resembles the exploits of her fiery fictional heroines — learns her sister’s been kidnapped, she’s soon embroiled in a wild adventure involving hidden treasure and a dashing mercenary (Michael Douglas). Netflix, IMDB Director: Robert Zemeckis STC Genre: Golden Fleece (Buddy) “Road” […]
Idiocracy (2006)
To test its top-secret Human Hibernation Project, the Pentagon picks the most average Americans it can find — an Army private (Luke Wilson) and a prostitute (Maya Rudolph) — and sends them to the year 2505 after a series of freak events. But when they arrive, they find a civilization so dumbed-down that they’re the […]
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Local teenagers are being haunted and killed in their dreams by a monster Freddy Krueger. Nancy is the only survivor who has a chance and willing to face the monster. Netflix, IMDB Director: Wes Craven STC Genre: Monster In The House (Supra-Natural) – obviously “Monster” – Freddy Krueger “House” – in this case the local […]