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Mostly drama, though maybe some humor here or there
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- DirectorRoland JofféStarsSam WaterstonHaing S. NgorJohn MalkovichA journalist is trapped in Cambodia during tyrant Pol Pot's bloody 'Year Zero' cleansing campaign, which claimed the lives of two million 'undesirable' civilians.An enrapturing but horrific watch. Phenomenal acting from Dr. Haing S. Ngor and stellar cinematography. I had been shamefully ignorant of most of the horrors inflicted on the Cambodian people during the Vietnam War and Khmer Rouge regime, and while this was admittedly not a documentary, it was nonetheless very informative on the subject.
Watched August 22nd, 2019 - DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsAdrien BrodyThomas KretschmannFrank FinlayDuring WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.This told a tale of pure survival. It was very interesting seeing the perspective of a Polish Jew during World War II, as most films are about military conflict in some shape or form. Brody did a great job, and it deeply depresses me that this is a true story. Nonetheless, a fascinating and worthwhile watch
Watched January 18th, 2019 - DirectorTom McCarthyStarsMark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdamsThe true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.A riveting, true story about a small journalism team taking on the Catholic church's rampant sexual abuse. Very satisfying tale of justice with solid acting throughout
Watched December 3rd, 2016
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsDavid Alan BascheOlivia ThirlbyLiza Colón-ZayasA real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on September 11th, 2001 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot.A visceral experience. I appreciated the attention to accuracy (as best as possible), the use of several real people (mostly in the air traffic control scenes) and the ambitious decision to have the hijacking in real time. Showcased the passengers' brave heroism and sacrifice, and I can only wish they and the others that lost their lives in 9/11 could have had a happier ending.
Watched February 22nd, 2019
Also Thriller - DirectorVincent ParonnaudMarjane SatrapiStarsChiara MastroianniCatherine DeneuveGena RowlandsA precocious and outspoken Iranian girl grows up during the Islamic Revolution.This painted a picture of life as an immigrant and also highlighted life in Iran pre- and post-oppressive regime (I don't remember it much anymore). Fantastic animation and a captivating personal/coming-of-age/family drama.
Also French, but I think we watched it in English with French subtitles (in class for French 100), so I'm just gonna leave it in this list and have this note as a reminder in case I somehow forget
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsCillian MurphyEmily BluntMatt DamonA dramatization of the life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who had a large hand in the development of the atomic bomb, thus helping end World War 2. We see his life from university days all the way to post-WW2.This was better than I expected. I had mostly only seen it as the warmup for the Barbenheimer double feature, but this was a tense and anxiety-inducing watch despite its length. The star-studded cast performed well, and its dramatization of history and focus specifically on scientific theory was interesting given the very real ramifications of the bomb's usage. I was glad it wasn't glorifying the bomb dropping but thought it could have been a bit more visceral in some of its depictions to make its point a bit stronger. This has one of the best scores that I can think of in recent memory that amps up the tension in nearly every scene, even something as seemingly mundane as a kangaroo court closed meeting.
Watched July 22, 2023 - DirectorSpike LeeStarsJohn David WashingtonAdam DriverLaura HarrierRon Stallworth, an African American police officer from Colorado Springs, Colorado, successfully infiltrates the local Ku Klux Klan branch aided by a Jewish surrogate who eventually becomes its leader. Based on actual events.The parallels between the late '70s setting of the movie and the unfortunately not yet eradicated racist values were handled tastefully yet with an acerbic tone, lamenting the lack of victory over racism. Entertaining as a whole, with fantastic performances by its cast.
Watched November 8th, 2018 with family - DirectorArthur PennStarsWarren BeattyFaye DunawayMichael J. PollardBored waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.Apparently extremely influential for its depiction of graphic violence, I enjoyed the film but didn't have much to note other than the stellar performance from Dunaway and (to a lesser extent) Beatty.
Watched in multiple sittings, finished April 6th, 2019 - DirectorF. Gary GrayStarsO'Shea Jackson Jr.Corey HawkinsJason MitchellThe rap group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes hip-hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.Stellar soundtrack and really solid acting throughout, but I didn't realize until afterwards how much they snubbed MC Ren.
Watched in theaters
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorScott HicksStarsGeoffrey RushArmin Mueller-StahlJustin BraineDavid Helfgott, a gifted pianist, struggles through childhood as his dysfunctional father abuses him and his siblings. Years later, he suffers a mental breakdown but manages to return as a legend.A suffocating portrayal of an abusive father and a man pushed to such extremes that he suffers a mental break. Rush is phenomenal in this, though I had trouble believing David really inspired such a magnetism as portrayed in the film.
Watched May 26th, 2019 - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroCathy MoriartyJoe PesciThe life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it.I think this is significant in cinematic history for pushing De Niro, Scorsese and Pesci into national spotlight, but I can't say I enjoyed the movie much. There were some cool shots and cinematographic choices (black and white, close-ups during boxing shots, etc.), but I feel like the tragic story of a talented but insecure man has been done in other films to greater effect (at least for me).
Watched April 30th, 2019 - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJonah HillMargot RobbieBased on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.All I remember was the quaalude scene and DiCaprio selling penny stocks. It was entertaining but I think overhyped
Also Black Comedy
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorBryan SingerStarsRami MalekLucy BoyntonGwilym LeeWith his impeccable vocal abilities, Freddie Mercury and his rock band, Queen, achieve superstardom. However, amidst his skyrocketing success, he grapples with his ego, sexuality and a fatal illness.This was certainly entertaining and obviously had a fantastic soundtrack. The acting was really solid (particularly from Malek and Lucy Boynton, but everyone was good). The plot itself played out a bit too much like a stereotypical rockumentary, but it was a really fun watch regardless.
Watched November 9th, 2018 with family in theaters - DirectorJames MarshStarsEddie RedmayneFelicity JonesTom PriorStephen Hawking gets unprecedented success in the field of physics despite being diagnosed with motor neuron disease at the age of 21. He defeats awful odds as his first wife Jane aids him loyally.I was thoroughly impressed with Redmayne's portrayal, and Felicity Jones was great as Jane Hawking as well. It was an informative view of one of the smartest, most innovative men in the world, but I appreciated that it focused heavily on the domestic side of things, delving into the difficulties of being a caretaker for the spouse.
Watched January 1st, 2019 - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCate BlanchettKate BeckinsaleA biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes' career from the late 1920s to the mid 1940s.While this told the tale of a fascinating individual, I couldn't help but feel like there could have been more of interest throughout. His relationship with Hepburn was interesting and I liked John C Reilly but I didn't like the ending
Watched in multiple sittings
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorShaka KingStarsLaKeith StanfieldDaniel KaluuyaJesse PlemonsOffered a plea deal by the FBI, William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton.I had hoped this would delve more into Black Panther history and the relationship between Fred Hampton and Bill O' Neal, but the performances were solid. The parallels between police brutality then and now were particularly poignant.
Watched June 26, 2021 with family - DirectorDanny BoyleStarsJames FrancoAmber TamblynKate MaraA mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.Surprisingly captivating for essentially being stuck with James Franco in a gulch for an hour and a half. A thrilling tale of survival
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorSean PennStarsEmile HirschVince VaughnCatherine KeenerAfter graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness.A movie with a lot of heart and some poignant moments of friendship, spirituality and loving fellow man. I find it difficult to understand McCandless' mindset but I think the movie did a good job portraying his fearlessness and desire to be out in untouched nature. Much too long of a film in my opinion though
Watched May 8, 2021 - DirectorJim SheridanStarsDaniel Day-LewisBrenda FrickerAlison WhelanChristy Brown, born with cerebral palsy, learns to paint and write with his only controllable limb - his left foot.Daniel Day-Lewis gave an amazing performance in this and I appreciated that the movie wasn't as "feel-good" as I had anticipated. The plot itself was fairly slow and I felt didn't really touch on Christy's talents, which were more interesting to me than the family dynamics. A decent watch nonetheless
Watched February 12th, 2020 - DirectorJohn Lee HancockStarsQuinton AaronSandra BullockTim McGrawThe story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.This was extremely popular when it came out but I can't remember much about it now. I liked Bullock a lot at the time
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorAlfred E. GreenStarsLarry ParksEvelyn KeyesWilliam DemarestThis movie shows the idealized career of the singer Al Jolson, a little Jewish boy who goes against the will of his father in order to be in showbiz. He becomes a star, falls in love with a non-Jewish dancer, and marries her. In the end he chooses success on the stage.I liked the music for than I expected to but the plot was fairly generic and a bit too idealistic for me to take seriously. The blackface was also cause for discomfort, and while I can understand it was portraying a different time period, it certainly doesn't make the trend any more acceptable. I was also not a fan of Jolson's aggressive pursuit of Julie Benson's character.
Watched July 26th, 2019 with family - DirectorFielder CookStarsPaul BenjaminDiahann CarrollRuby DeeBased on writer Maya Angelou's childhood, this story is about a young girl in the South who is sent to live with her grandmother after her parents divorce.This was a pretty harrowing introduction to sexual assault (though I was exposed to Law and Order: SVU shortly after) and I appreciated it at the time for tackling real issues. Gave nice context to Maya Angelou's work, but the movie itself was fairly underwhelming as far as I remember
Watched in English 8 XL
Written 4/9/19 - DirectorJeff TremaineStarsDouglas BoothIwan RheonColson BakerBased on the bestselling autobiography from Mötley Crüe, the film is an unflinching tale of success and excess as four misfits rise from the streets of Hollywood to the heights of international fame.Considering I had known nothing about Motley Crue prior, this served as a good introduction into the band's wider catalogue. There were several unnecessary gross-out moments, but I generally appreciated the darker, real-life tragedies that were tackled (albeit a bit ham-fisted).
Watched September 30, 2020 - DirectorStephen FrearsStarsHelen MirrenMichael SheenJames CromwellAfter the death of Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II struggles with her reaction to a sequence of events nobody could have predicted.Perhaps just not my era, this had horrible tonal consistency where cliche scenes were meant to be taken seriously while others were replete with dry sarcasm.
Watched August 9, 2020 with family