Category: Drama
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The Beaver shows that nobody wants to be alone
The Beaver – 2011 Directed by Jodie Foster Starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence Written by Kyle Killen I have never pretended to understand depression. Not many people lately have tried to understand Mel Gibson. I have been quite interested in understanding him since his groundbreaking directorial début so many years ago in Braveheart.…
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Soul Surfer is an inspirational true story for the family
Soul Surfer – 2011 Directed by Sean McNamara Starring AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood, Kevin Sorbo, Craig T. Nelson Written by Sean McNamara, Deborah and Douglas Schultz, Michael Berk based on the book by Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk, Rich Bundschuh Faith-based films have been a force in the movie world for the…
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Everything Must Go is a soft landing for a hard lesson
Everything Must Go – 2011 Directed by Dan Rush Starring Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, Michael Peña, Laura Dern, Christopher Jordan Wallace, Stephen Root Written by Dan Rush based on the short story “Why don’t you dance?” by Raymond Carver My first experience with Raymond Carver stories was in the Robert Altman near masterpiece Short Cuts, which joined…
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Forgotten Gems: Jerry Maguire is Love, Love, Love
Jerry Maguire – 1996 Written and Directed by – Cameron Crowe Starring – Tom Cruise, Renée Zellweger, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Kelly Preston, Jay Mohr, Jerry O’Connell, Regina King, Bonnie Hunt, Jonathan Lipnicki Listening to the podcast Mohr Stories earlier in the week and I was reminded of this movie. In describing his auditions with himself and…
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Something Borrowed is one long reason why
Something Borrowed – 2011 Directed by Luke Greenfield Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, John Krasinski, Colin Egglesfield, Steve Howey, Ashley Williams Screenplay Jennie Snyder Urman based on the book Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin Deception, by another name, is the good girl’s revenge. Something Borrowed is the bookworm’s fantasy. Rachel (Goodwin) has been afflicted by…
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Win Win shows the epic heart of Giamatti
Win Win – 2011 Written and Directed by Thomas McCarthy Starring Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Jeffrey Tambor, Bobby Cannavale, Burt Young, Alex Shaffer, Melanie Lynskey, Margo Martindale, David W. Thompson Win Win is a movie so effortlessly amazing that it makes you happy to be alive just long enough to have viewed it. Each performance…
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Jumping The Broom: From Payton Place to in your face
Jumping the Broom – 2011 Directed by Salim Akil Starring Angela Bassett, Paula Patton, Laz Alonso, Loretta Devine, Mike Epps, Meagan Good, Tasha Smith, Gary Dourdan, Julie Bowen, DeRay Davis, Brian Stokes Mitchell, T.D. Jakes, Valarie Pettiford, Screenplay by Arlene Gibbs, Elizabeth Hunter A whirlwind romance between a young couple, each from a different side…
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The Lincoln Lawyer: Straight formula, no chaser
The Lincoln Lawyer – 2011 Directed by Brad Furman Starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, William H. Macey, Josh Lucas, Ryan Phillipe, John Leguizamo, Michael Pena, Bryan Cranston, Michael Pare, Trace Adkins, Frances Fisher Written by Jeff Romano, based on the novel by Michael Connelly There is a feeling one gets while watching The Lincoln Lawyer is that…
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Forgotten Gems: Flipped is Reiner’s sweetly realistic view of young love
Flipped – 2010 Directed by Rob Reiner Starring Maddy Carroll, John Mahoney, Callan McAuliffe, Aidan Quinn, Rebecca DeMornay, Anthony Edwards, Penelope Ann Miller Written by Reiner and Andrew Scheinman based upon the book by Wendelin Van Draanen Rob Reiner has quietly put together one of the greatest directorial resumes of the last 30 years. The style and category…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 