This is a movie with focus on story and credible characters, on universal truths and human struggle. Such is the power of Life, Above All, a tale of courage and conviction that bonds with the viewer like an intimate friendship. The story takes place in modern South Africa and involves …
A National Geographic production presented by the Scotts (Ridley, Tony), spliced from short videos made by amateurs in many countries on one day (July 24, 2010). There are some remarkable shots and events (a giraffe’s birth, a boy’s first shave, a storm, sky diving, a lethal crush of fans at …
A loosely tossed romance, with hand-held camera work almost trying to hold our hands. Felicity Jones is the young Brit student in L.A., Anton Yelchin the aspiring furniture maker wowed by her. Their love hits a snag with her visa problems and other issues, but director Drake Doremus keeps it …
A preening, fairly addictive movie about addiction. Bradley Cooper is Eddie, a blocked New York writer who takes mystery pills from an untrustworthy man. They give him fabulous powers, and Manhattan becomes the cracked mirror of Eddie’s rise to power. Of course, his real drug is ego, and Cooper achieves …
As a smart, dressy, but not upscale lawyer whose main office seems to be his Lincoln (a very L.A. touch), Matthew McConaughey has a career high. He defends a pretty-boy heir (Ryan Phillippe, having his own peak) who is into sordid kinks with prostitutes. That torques into an old murder …
Autobiographical tale by writer-director Elgin James stars Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker as a pair of teenage runaways lured from the Salton Sea to L.A. — and an uncertain fate — by a gang of unprincipled sk8er punks.
Laura (Jenna Fischer) has always been pretty and dreamy, but now she drinks too much in her weak marriage to Bob (Chris O’Donnell). As change shocks her drifting life, she must find a way forward with her son (Daniel Yelsky, often stone-cold funny). Michael J. Weithorn’s film flirts with sitcom …
Colin Farrell, all grown up and polished smooth, plays a roughneck ex-con trying to escape the unsavory associations of his past (greasy Ben Chaplin) and embrace the associations of his decidedly brighter future (reclusive actress-in-need-of-protection Keira Knightley). The story? Hoary. But the cast is masterful, especially Ray Winstone as a …
A Russian family comedy! In Russian!
Tanaz Eshaghian's documentary follows "select cases of inmates at Badam Bagh women's prison in Kabul, Afghanistan, where half are jailed for moral crimes." In Dari and Pashto with English subtitles.
Director Jill Andresevic presents five real-life romantic relationships, in various states of progression, played out against the backdrop of five New York neighborhoods. From the teenage couple experiencing romance for the first time to 79-year-old Albert coming to terms with his wife's dementia and many relationships in between, the results …
The newly married Molly (Gretchen Lodge) goes back to her dad's old home and is freaked by old memories that have turned supernatural. The low-budget spooker was directed by Eduardo Sánchez.
Richard and Mildred Loving married in Virginia in 1958. Because the marriage was interracial, it was illegal. The Lovings took their case to court. Some nine years later, the Supreme Court got involved. This is that story.
Gerard Butler plays the life-based Sam Childers, an ex-con hellraiser who catches some gospel piety from his wife (Michelle Monaghan). He hauls the family to Sudan, where children are being brutalized (or doing the brutalization), and in the name of God he puts his violent skills to work as a …
Latest installment of big, bossy Madea’s sitcomical life from director, star, and indie-film mogul Tyler Perry. He has made it clear that TV can be profitably packaged as a movie franchise for predominantly black and church-going fans. With Loretta Devine, Cassi Davis, Bow Wow.