Director: Jonathon Glazer (this was his first film, he has since directed something called Birth, which I haven't seen)
Stars: Ray Winstone (The Departed, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)
Ben Kingsley (The Wackness, The Love Guru)
YesNoSoso: 1
This movie was entirely different than I was expecting. I suppose its a lack of sample size or plain old American naivity, but when I hear English gangster movie I think quick cuts, non-linear storylines and comic book like characters. Sexy Beast contains some amazingly in depth characters (Ben Kingsley was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar) but they are developed through good old fashion conflict and dialogue (mind you, I have NOTHING against the gimmicky style of, say, Guy Ritchie). Ray Winstone plays Gal, a former safe-cracker retired with his wife in Spain. Ben Kingsley plays a recruiter from the London underworld come to sign Gal up for one last job. A surprising amount of the movie centers around Kingsley's character trying to recruit Gal. Some of the best dialogue and scenes in the movie take place just as Kingsley asks him to do the job and Gal refusing.
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Showing posts with label Foreign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreign. Show all posts
6/28/10
5/14/10
The Lives of Others (2006)
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (some German stuff you've never heard of)
Stars: Ulrich Muhe (some German stuff you've never heard of, Sharp Shooter)
Sebastion Koch (some German stuff you've never heard of)
YesNoSoso: 2
An amazing movie depicting the clash of humanistic behavior in the socialistic regime of East Germany. A truly original plot, superbly acted through many twists and turns returns an incredibly engrossing film full of personality. I'm always amazed when a director is able to establish a connection between the characters and the audience without the aid of a common language. I was fully invested in the welfare of the main characters in The Lives of Others and because of that will be back for a second viewing. At least.
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Wikipedia
Stars: Ulrich Muhe (some German stuff you've never heard of, Sharp Shooter)
Sebastion Koch (some German stuff you've never heard of)
YesNoSoso: 2
An amazing movie depicting the clash of humanistic behavior in the socialistic regime of East Germany. A truly original plot, superbly acted through many twists and turns returns an incredibly engrossing film full of personality. I'm always amazed when a director is able to establish a connection between the characters and the audience without the aid of a common language. I was fully invested in the welfare of the main characters in The Lives of Others and because of that will be back for a second viewing. At least.
IMDB
Wikipedia
6/17/09
Y tu Mama Tambien (2001)
Director: Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Great Expectations)
Stars: Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros, The Science of Sleep [both pretty awesome flicks])
Diego Luna (The Terminal [which was OK], Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights)
YesNoSoso: 2
DISCLAIMER: If you are homophobic at all, or just plain uncomfortable with homosexuality, this movie will be a YesNoSoso 0. I usually think about what I'm going to write for my review while I'm watching the movie. This one started off with: "If you don't mind the homosexual undertones..." and then those undertones turned into overt overtones. I hate to imply that homosexual motiffs make a movie less enjoyable so lets just lay this all on the table. I would consider myself to be about as socially liberal as you get, but I still don't like watching 2 dudes make out. I'm sorry, I guess that makes me a bad person, but I really enjoyed this movie so thats gotta count for something.
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Wikipedia
Stars: Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros, The Science of Sleep [both pretty awesome flicks])
Diego Luna (The Terminal [which was OK], Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights)
YesNoSoso: 2
DISCLAIMER: If you are homophobic at all, or just plain uncomfortable with homosexuality, this movie will be a YesNoSoso 0. I usually think about what I'm going to write for my review while I'm watching the movie. This one started off with: "If you don't mind the homosexual undertones..." and then those undertones turned into overt overtones. I hate to imply that homosexual motiffs make a movie less enjoyable so lets just lay this all on the table. I would consider myself to be about as socially liberal as you get, but I still don't like watching 2 dudes make out. I'm sorry, I guess that makes me a bad person, but I really enjoyed this movie so thats gotta count for something.
IMDB
Wikipedia
4/13/09
Let the Right One In (2008)
Director: Tomas Alfredson (Some Swedish shit I've never heard of)
Stars: Kare Hedebrant (Nothing else)
Lina Leandersson (Nothing else)
YesNoSoso: 1
I heard a lot of really good things about this Swedish vampire movie, but mostly it was a disappointment. Perhaps I built it up in my mind too much, but I just thought it didn't bring enough of a new spin to a very well traveled path. Don't get me wrong, it was a good movie, but its more of a tween love story than a vampire movie, and not a very entertaining one at that. Still as far as vampire/monster movies go, its certainly in the upper echelon and worth checking out.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Kare Hedebrant (Nothing else)
Lina Leandersson (Nothing else)
YesNoSoso: 1
I heard a lot of really good things about this Swedish vampire movie, but mostly it was a disappointment. Perhaps I built it up in my mind too much, but I just thought it didn't bring enough of a new spin to a very well traveled path. Don't get me wrong, it was a good movie, but its more of a tween love story than a vampire movie, and not a very entertaining one at that. Still as far as vampire/monster movies go, its certainly in the upper echelon and worth checking out.
IMDB
Wikipedia
3/11/09
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (2007)
Director: Christian Mungiu (some Romanian shit you've never heard of)
Stars: Anamaria Marinca (Youth Without Youth [Coppola's latest movie, havent' seen it], some Romanian shit you've never heard of)
Laura Vasiliu (some Romanina shit you've never heard of)
YesNoSoso: 1
A movie about obtaining an abortion in Soviet Bloc Romania in the 80's and its about as horrible as that sounds. In a country where the only place you can buy cigarettes is on the Black Market, imagine how unsanitary and horrific it is trying to get an abortion. Honestly the worst part of the movie wasn't the graphic as fuck shot (when you see it, you'll know what I'm referring to), or the actual procedure, but the "doctor" explaining what the procedure entails. I have a feeling that was the point. Definitely worth checking out, but is incredibly slow in parts.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Anamaria Marinca (Youth Without Youth [Coppola's latest movie, havent' seen it], some Romanian shit you've never heard of)
Laura Vasiliu (some Romanina shit you've never heard of)
YesNoSoso: 1
A movie about obtaining an abortion in Soviet Bloc Romania in the 80's and its about as horrible as that sounds. In a country where the only place you can buy cigarettes is on the Black Market, imagine how unsanitary and horrific it is trying to get an abortion. Honestly the worst part of the movie wasn't the graphic as fuck shot (when you see it, you'll know what I'm referring to), or the actual procedure, but the "doctor" explaining what the procedure entails. I have a feeling that was the point. Definitely worth checking out, but is incredibly slow in parts.
IMDB
Wikipedia
1/7/09
In Bruges (2008)
Director: Martin McDonagh (Only directed something called Six Shooter that I've never heard of)
Stars: Colin Farrell (Minority Report, S.W.A.T.)
Brian Gleeson (Gangs of New York, Lake Placid)
YesNoSoso: 2
An entirely original English gangster movie. Not as highly stylized as Snatch, but with an extremely inventive storyline. Colin Farrell and Brian Gleeson play hitmen hiding out in the Belgium city of Bruges. After a hit Farrell was ordered to commit goes wrong both characters have to deal with their hyperactive boss, Ralph Fiennes, and their inner demons. I know that sounds relatively standard, but you're just going to have to trust that I left things out to keep it fresh. I'm just sweet like that.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Colin Farrell (Minority Report, S.W.A.T.)
Brian Gleeson (Gangs of New York, Lake Placid)
YesNoSoso: 2
An entirely original English gangster movie. Not as highly stylized as Snatch, but with an extremely inventive storyline. Colin Farrell and Brian Gleeson play hitmen hiding out in the Belgium city of Bruges. After a hit Farrell was ordered to commit goes wrong both characters have to deal with their hyperactive boss, Ralph Fiennes, and their inner demons. I know that sounds relatively standard, but you're just going to have to trust that I left things out to keep it fresh. I'm just sweet like that.
IMDB
Wikipedia
12/1/08
Oldboy (2003)
Director: Chan-Wook Park (first movie I've seen by him)
Stars: Min-sik Choi (some Korean shit)
Je-tae Yu (some other Korean shit)
YesNoSoso: 2
Incredible. Seriously get off your fat ass and rent this movie now. I think its fair to say that part of my excitement about this movie is that it is a diamond in the rough and Speilberg and Will Smith are rumored to be planning a remake. Apparently when it previewed @ Cannes, Tarantino was the head judge and wanted to give it the Palm D'or, but the other judges couldln't be swayed away from Farenheit 9/11. Not really sure where I was going with that, but fuck you if it wasn't an amusing enough anecdote.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Min-sik Choi (some Korean shit)
Je-tae Yu (some other Korean shit)
YesNoSoso: 2
Incredible. Seriously get off your fat ass and rent this movie now. I think its fair to say that part of my excitement about this movie is that it is a diamond in the rough and Speilberg and Will Smith are rumored to be planning a remake. Apparently when it previewed @ Cannes, Tarantino was the head judge and wanted to give it the Palm D'or, but the other judges couldln't be swayed away from Farenheit 9/11. Not really sure where I was going with that, but fuck you if it wasn't an amusing enough anecdote.
IMDB
Wikipedia
11/19/08
Maria Full of Grace (2004)
Director: Joshua Marston (nothing else really)
Stars: Catalina Sandino Moreno (Fast Food Nation, Che)
Some other Latino people
YesNoSoso: 2
Drug Mules and Jesus references? SOLD! The film tells the story of a 17 year old Colombian who becomes a drug mule. Its subtitles so if reading ain't your strong suit you may want to skip it, but for those of you with a 3rd grade education this movie will provide a solid dose of entertainment.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Catalina Sandino Moreno (Fast Food Nation, Che)
Some other Latino people
YesNoSoso: 2
Drug Mules and Jesus references? SOLD! The film tells the story of a 17 year old Colombian who becomes a drug mule. Its subtitles so if reading ain't your strong suit you may want to skip it, but for those of you with a 3rd grade education this movie will provide a solid dose of entertainment.
IMDB
Wikipedia
10/30/08
Layer Cake (2004)
Director: Matthew Vaughn (Stardust [awesome and his only other film as of 2008])
Stars: Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, I Dreamed of Africa)
Tom Hardy (Marie Antoinette, Star Trek: Nemesis)
YesNoSoso: 1
Pretty solid action flick. Sienna Miller in her lingerie getup make it more than worth a YesNoSoso 1. Word has it, this was the film that landed Daniel Craig his role in Bond. And after looking over his Bio on IMDB I would just like to say Kudos. He was real good in a number of real good movies before hitting it big with Bond and I like to see actors grind it out and finally make it. Definatley worth checking out.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, I Dreamed of Africa)
Tom Hardy (Marie Antoinette, Star Trek: Nemesis)
YesNoSoso: 1
Pretty solid action flick. Sienna Miller in her lingerie getup make it more than worth a YesNoSoso 1. Word has it, this was the film that landed Daniel Craig his role in Bond. And after looking over his Bio on IMDB I would just like to say Kudos. He was real good in a number of real good movies before hitting it big with Bond and I like to see actors grind it out and finally make it. Definatley worth checking out.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet (The City of Lost Children, Alien: Resurrection)
Stars: Audrey Tautou (Dirty Pretty Things, The DaVinci Code)
Mathieu Kassovitz (Munich, I've never heard of anything else he's done)
YesNoSoso: 2
I like to pride myself on being able to enjoy a good movie regardless of its genre. Amelie is one of the movies I examples I use to prove this point. Its a total chick flick, romantic and sappy. But it is awesome. Incredible cinematography, captivating plot and just overall entertaining. One of a very select few chick flicks that I will gladly rewatch.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Audrey Tautou (Dirty Pretty Things, The DaVinci Code)
Mathieu Kassovitz (Munich, I've never heard of anything else he's done)
YesNoSoso: 2
I like to pride myself on being able to enjoy a good movie regardless of its genre. Amelie is one of the movies I examples I use to prove this point. Its a total chick flick, romantic and sappy. But it is awesome. Incredible cinematography, captivating plot and just overall entertaining. One of a very select few chick flicks that I will gladly rewatch.
IMDB
Wikipedia
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Director: Ingmar Bergman (Jungfrukallan, stuff you've never heard of)
Stars: Max Von Sydow (The Exorcist, Judge Dredd)
Some other Swedish actors
YesNoSoso: 2
This movie is not for everyone. As the tag says, its existential, which roughly translates to arty. If you can tolerate leaving a movie with more questions than answers and enjoy the challenge of figuring out meaning in obscure references, than you will find this movie an unparalleled work of art. Von Sydow is a knight returning from the Crusades to his plague ravaged homeland only to find Death waiting for him. In order to delay his death and see his wife one more time after 10 years away he challanges Death to a chess match. The film's exploration of the ideas of religion, athiesm and death are still fascinating and relevant today.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Max Von Sydow (The Exorcist, Judge Dredd)
Some other Swedish actors
YesNoSoso: 2
This movie is not for everyone. As the tag says, its existential, which roughly translates to arty. If you can tolerate leaving a movie with more questions than answers and enjoy the challenge of figuring out meaning in obscure references, than you will find this movie an unparalleled work of art. Von Sydow is a knight returning from the Crusades to his plague ravaged homeland only to find Death waiting for him. In order to delay his death and see his wife one more time after 10 years away he challanges Death to a chess match. The film's exploration of the ideas of religion, athiesm and death are still fascinating and relevant today.
IMDB
Wikipedia
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