When a mother commits suicide by parking her car on the train
tracks, an unlikely bond forms between her son Davey (Miles
Heizer) — who’s wracked with guilt — and the tormented
engineer (Kevin Bacon) who was driving the train that fateful
day. Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden co-stars as the engineer’s
wife in the directorial debut of Alison Eastwood (Clint’s
daughter).
I can’t remember if I have ever seen Kevin Bacon or Marcia Gay Harden in a bad film. “Rails & Ties” is a sad feel-good. It offers universal human values. The son Davey could have been a bit better. Sometimes the film seems to solve problems too easily. I think adolescents could watch this despite a sad scene in which Marcia Gay Harden inspects her breasts (one already disfigured by a cancer operation). The less hard-hearted of you might even shed a few tears.
Two lost souls, Nina (Tammy Blanchard), a pregnant, unmarried waitress,
and Jose (Eduardo Verástegui), an introspective yet troubled cook with
a mysterious past, find solace in each other as their lives become
unpredictably linked throughout the course of one incredible day.
An uplifting story of love, hope and forgiveness, this remarkable
tale is co-written and directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde
This “feel-good for everyone” is 98% in English. But most of the characters are Latinos in New York City. Any Spanish is subtitled. This is really a warm film with lots of good human values. It is just a tad corny. The ending seems too good to be true. But just watching the interactions in the Latino family made me feel good all over. The mother is great. And yes, I found myself wishing I had grown up in a family like that.
In this Rob Reiner dramatization of Stephen King’s novella, The Body,
a writer ( Richard Dreyfuss) tells the story of how he and three other
boys sought adventure and heroism. In the 1950s, in the woods of
Oregon, the boys set out to find a missing teen’s dead body. What
they find out about themselves along the way, though, means even
more in this coming-of-age tale co-starring River Phoenix,
Corey Feldman, Wil Wheaton and Jerry O’Connell
Beautiful, nostalgic, at times sad. You can just feel Richard Dreyfuss’
wave of sad long-lost memories while sitting in that car.
This Stephen King novel is a sweet classic.
After losing his hearing during the Vietnam War, Richard
Pimentel (Ron Livingston) returns to America, where he falls
in with an unlikely circle of friends and finds a new calling as a
spokesman for the disabled. His efforts as an activist eventually
lead to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This
inspiring and entertaining true story won the Audience Award
at the 2007 AFI Dallas International Film Festival
It’s not Hollywood but more Hollywood than an Indie. Ron Livingston
comes across as a real person. His relation with his friend with
cerebral palsy is a treat. The language is VERY earthy but is
absolutely appropriate and downright funny. Did you know that
in many cities it was against the law for a disabled person
to appear in public because they were an insult to the eyes
of the other citizens ? I guess I’m a sucker for stories about
real people with their ups and downs. Despite the language, why
shouldn’t kids see it ?
Big energy threatens to move in and disrupt life in the small English
mining town of Grimley, but its brass band conductor refuses to hang
up his baton. Recognizing Grimley’s last chance to shine, Danny
( Pete Postlethwaite) perfects his band for their last chance at national
competition. Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald) tries to perform flawless flugelhorn
as she wrestles resentment for her part in the mine’s closure and falls
for Andy (Ewan McGregor).
Similar to Full Monty. Feel-good. Even my mom would like this one.
As I recall, OK for kids.
Attempting to piece her life back together after losing her husband
(David Duchovny) in a tragic incident, grieving widow Audrey (Halle Berry)
turns to an unlikely ally: her husband’s childhood friend Jerry
( Benicio Del Toro), an emotionally wrecked heroin addict. As the troubled
two struggle to bear their heavy respective burdens, by leaning on each
other, they discover they possess unexpected resources in this moving drama.
I usually don’t cry at a movie. However, this one did it for me. The subtle use
of eyes and faces reminded me of a French film. Benicio Del Toro shines
like I have never before seen him do.
Anyone who’s ever been in a classroom will be touched by this
moving, mostly-true story of famed East L.A. math teacher Jaime
Escalante ( Edward James Olmos), who finds himself in a classroom
of rebellious remedial-math students. He stuns fellow faculty members
with his plans to teach AP Calculus, and even more when the mostly
Hispanic teens (including Lou Diamond Phillips as Angel Guzman)
overcome the odds and eventually go the distance.
NetFlix provides reviews by its viewers, all of whom really liked
this feel-good A movie for everyone. Not at all sappy.
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.
Small-town single mom Sammy Prescott (Laura Linney) is preoccupied
with raising her son Rudy (Rory Culkin), who’s become sullen — and
curious about his missing dad. Amid romantic and work troubles,
Sammy’s wayward brother Terry (Mark Ruffalo) appears, instantly
bonding with Rudy and instigating a perilous father-son reunion.
Director Kenneth Lonergan’s intimate, Oscar-nominated drama
won the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize.
MarkRuffalo does a great job. Ends with a scene that for me was
very sad. Nevertheless, a real feel-good.
The tables are turned when straight-laced Bessie (Diane Keaton) —
who devotes her life to caring for her chronically ill father (Hume Cronyn) —
must ask her estranged, bohemian sibling (Meryl Streep) for help after
Bessie suffers a health catastrophe. The film is a first-class adaptation of
Scott McPherson’s play, with a young Leonardo DiCaprio holding his
own among a heavyweight cast that includes Robert De Niro and Gwen Verdon.
The ensemble work is good. I laughed out loud in spots. It’s amazing to see formerly
sexy red-headed Gwen Verdon (Damn Yankees!) as “dotty old Aunt Ruth”. The
character transformations (especially Meryl Streep) are convincing.
And yes, it was one of those “#$%^# Chick Flick Tear Jerkers”.
