Adrian LeDuc (Colin Firth) is a cash-strapped loner eking out a living running
a revival cinema in modern-day Buenos Aires. With interest in classic films waning,
he’s forced to rent out his insane mother’s room to a seemingly harmless stranger,
Jack Carney (Hart Bochner). They quickly become friends, but as Adrian displays
the same problems that plagued his mother, he also begins to suspect his roommate
is a killer. Is he right, or is he just plain mad?
NetFlix suggested “Apartment 0” to me. Since Colin Firth has been good in every one of his movies that I have seen, I gave it a try. Once again Colin Firth comes through well as a very disturbed person. I had not seen Hart Bochner before (or at least never noticed). He has an impressive resume in IMDB. However, I could not decide if his acting was acceptable. The setting is Argentina. Colin Firth speaks an impeccable British. But the American accent of Hart Bochner really grated on me and sounded cheap. Do we really sound that way ? Colin lives in an apartment building inhabited by a strange assortment: transvestites, etc. (If any one of you is a transvestite, my apology). This is one strange, possible flawed film. But its strangeness and the plot forced me to sit through to the really unexpected ending.
Psychologist Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse) decides to help one of her patients out of a gambling debt. Margaret finds the person to whom the money is owed: slick-talking Mike (Joe Mantegna). Mike, who runs poker games, persuades Margaret to help him look for “tells,” or telltale body language, in a game. She falls for the con and for Mike, becoming deeply involved in his world. David Mamet wrote and directed this psychological thriller.
I was reading an Italian lawyer novel in which the lawyer protagonist mentions that “House of Games” is one of his favorite films. So I gave it a try.
Lindsay Crouse was married to David Mamet. She is a good stage actress. As soon as the film starts you realize that all the actors speak as though they are on a stage, not at all what you expect to hear in a film.
The plot is everything. At the very least you get to learn a few good “cons” just in case you were thinking of going into the business. Eventually it comes down to who is conning whom.
I enjoyed the film, but you are warned that it is very different.
Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie, in an Oscar-nominated role) is overjoyed when her young kidnapped son Walter is brought back home. But when Christine suspects that the Walter who was returned to her isn’t her actual child, the police captain (Jeffrey Donovan) has her committed to an asylum. John Malkovich co-stars as the crusading reverend who comes to Christine’s rescue in this gripping, 1920s-set drama helmed by ace director Clint Eastwood.
As soon as the movie began I stayed on the edge of my seat. It’s one of those films where the injustices are almost too much to believe. In fact only the script kept me glued because I was quickly disappointed in Angelina Jolie’s acting. Could it be that her forte is slithering almost naked out of the water with a long tail as she did in Beowulf ? Even John Malkovitch seemed to be reading his lines.
Read in Wikipedia about the true Wineville Chicken Coop Murders which the film follows carefully. At the end of the film there are follow-up lines saying what happened to the various characters in real life. Unfortunately, I was unable to read them. If any of you can read those lines, I would appreciate knowing what they said.
Not for children because of scenes of serial murdering and forced electric shocks used as torture by the psychiatrist in the pay of the LAPD. Tell me, has the LAPD ever cleaned up its act ?
A corruption scandal fractures a family of New York City cops
in this generational drama about homicide detective Ray Tierney
(Edward Norton), who’s tasked with investigating a precinct run
by his brother (Noah Emmerich). As if that weren’t enough, Ray’s
fellow officer and best friend (Colin Farrell) may turn out to
be dirty. Directed by Gavin O’Connor, the film features a
high-octane supporting cast that includes Jon Voight and Jennifer
Ehle.
At first this film seemed ho-hum, another corrupt cop story. But stay
with it! The ensemble work and acting are powerful. Colin Farrell has
often played a crook or murderer with a conscience, but this time he
is corrupt with no turning back. Hereafter I will remember the name
Noah Emmerich (Yale, NYU Film School, Law and Order, etc). Since I
first saw Jon Voight in “Midnight Cowboy” he has changed a bit. How
time flies.
Location, location, location. A loving couple (Dennis
Quaid and Sharon Stone), along with their son and daughter,
relocate from the city to the country, where they put the
down payment on their dream home — a sprawling farmhouse.
But home sweet home quickly becomes a nightmare when the
house’s previous owner (Stephen Dorff) returns from
prison … and wants his house back badly. Directed by
Mike Figgis.
The trailer to this film misled me to expect a horror film.
It is not horror, but rather a suspense film. The acting is
good throughout. The beginning is well done. Unfortunately
the ending in my opinion is weak. I give this film a B. It
is fun to watch despite its imperfections. There is a lot of
sometimes scary violence, and one not-too-explicit sex scene.
Probably not for children. Do you like snakes ?
When two brothers turn to crime to solve their money troubles,
they soon find themselves over their heads and pitted against
each other in this thriller from Oscar-winning writer-director
Woody Allen. Meanwhile, one brother (Ewan McGregor) becomes smitten
with a beautiful young actress (Hayley Atwell), while his sibling
(Colin Farrell) struggles with mounting gambling debts. Tom
Wilkinson and Sally Hawkins co-star.
Woody Allen’s “Cassandra’s Dream” is nothing special. The beginning of the film offers no
tension except Colin Farrell’s addiction to gambling. But when Colin loses big-time and his
uncle Tom Wilkinson arrives on scene, things begin to turn ugly. By then I was hooked and
had to see how the film ended. Colin Farrell portrays a distraught young man with a conscience.
Retired FBI director Terry McCaleb (Clint Eastwood), feeble from a
recent heart transplant, is hired by Graciela Rivers (Wanda De Jesus)
to investigate the death of her sister, Gloria — coincidentally, the
donor of McCaleb’s new heart. McCaleb soon deducts that Gloria was
murdered by a serial killer he was trailing for years while in the
FBI but can the elderly agent muster the strength to hunt down the
killer and stop him for good?
This film could have been an hour-long TV detective show. Clint should not have made this one
because it is definitely ersatz Eastwood. Choose an episode of “Law and Order” instead.
So why did I watch it ? The plot is acceptable. Some of the supporting characters aren’t
bad (although the villain is not a great actor). And I feel good because I guessed who the killer was.
Besides, I have something like the flu and there was nothing on television.
When their little girl is abducted by a kidnapper (Pierce Brosnan) with
an elaborate scheme, Neil (Gerard Butler) and Abby’s (Maria Bello)
perfect life is instantly turned upside down. With the clock ticking on
their daughter’s life, the couple is forced to comply with the whims of
a madman. Directed by Mike Barker (A Good Woman, Best Laid Plans), this
white-knuckled thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.
What kept me watching were the really clever and unexpected plot twists. Let me know if you
guess anything significant while you are watching. I haven’t seen this plot before, so call it
original. I gave the movie a B because I wasn’t sure how good the acting was. Let me know
if you have an opinion in this matter.
Not the worst way to waste the time it takes to watch.
When principal Joe Clark ( Morgan Freeman) takes over decaying
Eastside High School, he’s faced with students wearing gang colors
and graffiti-covered walls. Determined to do anything he must to
turn the school around, he expels suspected drug dealers, padlocks
doors and demands effort and results from students, staff and
parents. Autocratic to a fault, this real-life educator put it all on
the line to give kids a chance.
At first I was not taken with the film. Morgan Freeman seemed just too
much the tough guy. But the movie makes sense (and is based on
reality). There is suspense toward the end of the film.
Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) manages El Caribe, a hot New York City nightclub, while estranged brother Joseph (Mark Wahlberg) has followed in their policeman father’s (Robert Duvall) footsteps. The two are reunited by dealings with the Russian mafia, which has a foothold in Bobby’s business. As Joseph puts pressure on the mob, its members turn the screws on Bobby. Eva Mendes and Tony Musante co-star in writer-director James Gray’s action-drama.
More than the above I will not write, because the plot has some original developments. Joaquin Phoenix once again does not disappoint. Similarly Eva Mendes, Mark Wahlberg, and Robert Duvall do a great job. The movie is violent but not especially so. More important are the personalities and how they change, some for better, some for sadder.
By the way, if you have not seen Joaquin Phoenix in “Walk the Line” (a movie for everyone), don’t miss it!
