Never having seen the other Rocky movies, all I knew about them was a montage of images and music — the trumpet blast theme, the silhouettes against the Philadelphia skyline, the sleepy “Yo, Adrian!” mimicry. But I was intrigued by the universally positive reviews and rented the DVD.
All in Drama
Some multi generational films try to cram in too much and end up being disjointed and episodic. This film, based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel of the same name, is anything but.
Tony Bill's FLYBOYS
I love airplane movies, but Flyboys is just plain awful.
Joseph Sargent's "Something The Lord Made"
Very few movies accurately depict either research-based advances in life-saving surgery OR the deadeningly real impacts of racism on life, mind, and spirit. To see these two themes intertwined with such ferocious dramatic impact in a film is nothing short of amazing. Yet here it is.
The Illusionist
This is an intelligent, beautifully photographed and acted, and hugely satisfying romantic tale. Magic, love, and sleight-of-hand are at its core.
I have a confession to make.
I enjoyed this movie.
Ashutosh Gowariker's “LAGAAN: ONE UPON A TIME IN INDIA”
This 3-hour-plus historical-drama-cum-sports-extravaganza has something for everybody:
* Little guy against big guy
* Noble farmers vs. evil foreign conquerors
* The Big Game at the end where everything is decided
* Girl From The Country competes with Girl From The City for the same dashing hero
* Pleas for religious and social tolerance
* An intermission (!)
Shona Auerbach's DEAR FRANKIE
The story sounds like it could be a treacly tear jerker, but it’s not.
Wim Wenders' WINGS OF DESIRE
This is a personal movie. By that I mean that how you react to it is very much dependent on your personality and your outlook on life, plus your willingness to let a story unfold that has less linear direction and story than more declarative, plot-driven films.
This is the best "road picture" I've seen in years. What starts out as quirky and off-center ends up as thoughtful, almost elegiac.