Genre: Drama, Music, Romance

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Jeff Bridges, James Keane, Anna Felix, Paul Herman, Tom Bower

Director: Scott Cooper

My Review: A drama about an aging country music singer. Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake - An alcoholic, four times divorced, down on his luck, once-headlined, country and western legend. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays small-time reporter Jean Craddock. The story revolves around the changes in Bad Blake's life after he connects with the single mom reporter, Jean Craddock. Bad Blake laments the sorry affairs of his life, looks forward to a possible future with Jean, and harbors a bit of ill will towards the up-and-comer he tutored in the music biz. The story is very well written, but it's something we've all heard before. While the acting was good, the direction and writing weren't as well executed as that in 'The Wrestler'. The locations were great, and the music exceptional, but I can't muster more than a 3 out of 5 for this achy, breaky, hard-luck, country western, relationship, story. Did this really win two oscars?

Summary: Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can't help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician.

Genre: Adventure, Drama, History

Year: 1983

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Fred Ward

Director: Philip Kaufman

My Review: Before America's journey to the moon (The Apollo missions), there were the Mercury missions - The extremely dangerous frontier of early space travel. The sound barrier, test pilots, rockets, and the brave men that breeched new frontiers. Torn from the headlines of history's most ambitious endeavors, this epic movie spans those early days of the space race. America against the Soviets, in a race to put the first man in space. From the mid 40s to the early 60s, this movie illustrated the space race, the beginnings of the U.S. space program and those pilots and astronauts that made it happen. A fantastic cast portrays the first seven Mercury astronauts. Depicting the public and private moments that clearly illustrated the dedication, risk and sense of adventure that proved they were made of the right stuff. Excellent acting, direction and historical set production mark this academy award winning (won 4 oscars in 1983) movie as a must see. The 3+ hours literally flew by in this totally engrossing film. 5 out of 5.

Summary: Tom Wolfe's book on the history of the U.S. Space program reads like a novel, and the film has that same fictional quality. It covers the breaking of the sound barrier by Chuck Yeager to the Mercury 7 astronauts, showing that no one had a clue how to run a space program or how to select people to be in it. Thrilling, funny, charming and electrifying all at once.

Genre: Comedy, Thriller

Year: 2010

Country: India

Rating:

Starring: Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone, Ram Kapoor, Vivan Bhatena, Vipin Sharma

Director: Vijay Lalwani

My Review: A fantastic psychological thriller from Bollywood. Keeping it's Bollywood feel, the film (primarily in Hindi) contains a few dance numbers, a light touch of humor and a smoking hot female co-star. In this movie, Karthik (played by Farhan Akhtar) is stuck in a miserable dead-end job as a clerical worker. He's secretly in love with one of his co-workers, but he's unable to assert himself at work or in love. Until… Karthik starts receiving phones calls at 5am. The caller provides advise that soon transforms Karthik into a successful mover and shaker. Soon he's in the corner office, dating Shonali (played by Deepika Padukone) and living life large. Until… He defies his 5am advisor. The plot/writing was amazing. It kept me guessing throughout and the twist was quite good. The music was excellent, and the acting fair. The only let down are the completely predictable characters. 4 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Drama, Fantasy

Year: 1971

Country: Italy, France

Rating:

Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Romolo Valli, Mark Burns, Nora Ricci, Marisa Berenson

Director: Luchino Visconti

My Review: A disappointment from Luchino Visconti (a Director I'm quite fond of). Here is an adaptation from a Thomas Mann novel. Well directed, well acted, but incredibly slow and plodding. The story. Gustav Aschenbach, an aging gay composer (played by Dirk Bogarde) goes on vacation ti Venice. He's looking for a sabbatical away from failed personal and professional relationships. In Venice he becomes obsessed with an ideal of youth and physical beauty. The embodiment of that ideal is a young boy on vacation with his family. Gustav lusts after and fantasizes a growing affection over this young boy. The only break in this languid staring and stalking comes after nearly two hours. Eventually, an illness begins sweeping through the resort. This pestilence threatens both charters. Inevitably, tragic consequence follow. Superbly shot and directed, but the pacing, music and incredibly dull story conspired to put me to sleep on more than one occasion. I caught myself dozing on at least two occasions, but didn't bother rewinding. This snoozer gets a 2 out of 5.

Summary: In this adaptation of the Thomas Mann novel, avant-garde composer Gustave Aschenbach (loosely based on Gustav Mahler) travels to a Venetian seaside resort in search of repose after a period of artistic and personal stress. But he finds no peace there, for he soon develops a troubling attraction to an adolescent boy, Tadzio, on vacation with his family. The boy embodies an ideal of beauty that Aschenbach has long sought and he becomes infatuated. However, the onset of a deadly pestilence threatens them both physically and represents the corruption that compromises and threatens all ideals.

Genre: Drama, Romance, War

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Ben Foster, Jena Malone, Eamonn Walker, Woody Harrelson, Yaya DaCosta

Director: Oren Moverman

My Review: Another entry in the 'War on Terror' genre - This one brings us closer to refinement beyond the 'them vs US' theme. Here is a war movie set in suburbia. Where everyone's a victim. Subtly making it's anti-war point. This movie portrays the damage here at home. The damage most of us don't see. The damage you'll never see on the late night news. Ben Foster plays Will montgomery, a wounded 'war hero' returned from Iraq after an IED ended his ambiguity about combat. Woody Harrelson plays Tony Stone. A by the book, conflicted, recovering alcoholic, Captain in the US Army. The two are teamed up together on a Casualty Notification Team. It's their job to notify next-of-kin about the demise of their loved one. It's a thankless job that takes it's toll on everyone in the movie. The only bright spot in the movie comes when Will breaks the 'No Contact' rule, and begins a relationship with a recently widowed mother and her young son (Olivia Pitterson - played by Samantha Morton). Extremely well written, poignant, and authentic. Excellent performances by all actors. 4 out of 5.

Summary: While on a recent deployment to Iraq, US Army Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery is injured when an improvised explosive device goes off within close proximity to him. He is back in the States recovering from the more serious of those injuries, including one to his eye and leg. He has resumed a sexual relationship with his long time girlfriend Kelly, despite the fact that she is now engaged to another man who Will knows. With the few months Will has left in his enlistment, the army assigns him to the Casualty Notification Team in his area. Not having a background in counseling, psychology or grief management, he is unsure if he is well suited to this job. He is partnered with a career soldier, Captain Tony Stone, who teaches Will the precise protocol involved in the job. Tony tells Will, who quickly learns by on the job experience, that this job has its own dangers. As Will learns to adapt to the range of emotions of the next of kin, he is unprepared for the reaction of Olivia Pitterson, whose husband was killed in Iraq. His initial encounter with Olivia leads to him wanting to get to know her better, which may not be in either her or his best interest. Despite being a recovering alcoholic, the more experienced Tony tries to guide Will as best he can under their collective circumstances.

Genre: Action, Thriller

Year: 1990

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, William Atherton, William Sadler, Reginald VelJohnson

Director: Renny Harlin

My Review: The second movie in the Die Hard series. This one brings Bruce Willis back as New York cop, John McClane. The smart mouthed detective who puts the hammer down on international terrorists. This movie has a certain amount of déjà vu, as we return a year later to find McClane's wife traveling to New York this time around. While Holly is stuck in a plane circling the airport, John is fighting terrorists on the runways of Washington Dulles International. A team of high tech mercenaries take advantage of a big storm to launch an audacious plan. They take over the airport's control systems and hold the whole thing hostage; along with all those planes circling overhead. What's they're goal? Liberate the Central American dictator General Ramon Esperanza from the clutches of American authorities. When the airport calls in their S.W.A.T. team the action heats up considerably. While John does battle with obnoxious obstructionists on the ground, Holly has to put up with annoying reporters in the air. The action is Die Hard classic, and Bruce Willis gives a fantastic performance in his role as John McClane. Excellent action, perfect pacing, and fine direction. The only thing that would have made this movie better? Plugging the weather dependent plot hole. 4 out of 5.

Summary: After the terrifying events in LA, John McClane (Willis) is about to go through it all again. A team of terrorists, led by Col. Stuart (Sadler) is holding the entire airport hostage. The terrorists are planning to rescue a drug lord from justice. In order to do so, they have seized control of all electrical equipment affecting all planes. With no runway lights available, all aircraft have to remain in the air, with fuel running low, McClane will need to be fast.