Tag: 1990’s


Trainspotting

September 6th, 2010 — 3:00am

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Trainspotting
– nf – After hearing Danny Boyle, Director of the big hit Slumdog Millionaire in person at our film course, we decided we wanted to see this picture which was his earlier hit. It is a raw, realistic but yet empathic depiction of heroin addiction in England/Scotland with a mainly a cast of young men played by accomplished actors who interact extremely well. The scenes are creative and at times quite vivid. . You will especially appreciate this film if you are within memory of your twenty’s or if you can get yourself in the mindset of that time of life. If you see this film, it will probably be through Netflix which will give you the opportunity to listen to the discussion by the director, writer and producer in the special feature section. This will add to your appreciation of this excellent fil. 1996

Comment » | 4 Stars, Drama

Sliding Doors

September 6th, 2010 — 2:20am

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Sliding Doors
– nf – Did you ever consider what would have happened if you didn’t do one thing, which led to something else, which put your life on a particular path? That is the premise of this movie as it follows two different but parallel universes of the Gweneth Paltrow’s character. We see two paths that her life could follow if she had made a train or just missed it. It is a romantic tale with ups and downs, which is engaging but somewhat fluffy. It is set in England so the autos drive on the “wrong” side of the street, which fits in with the viewer’s task of orienting oneself with the two possible lives of the main character. 1998

Comment » | 3 Stars, Comedy, Drama, Romance

Election

January 16th, 2010 — 2:49am

Election* *
Election
– nf – We recently had a Netflix viewing of this 1999 movie which is a period piece set to take place 20-25 years earlier. It starred Reese Witherspoon as an ambitious determined high school student bound for the student council presidency and Matthew Broderick as her high school teacher who thinks he is a happy dedicated person doing just what he was meant to do. The story based on a novel by Tom Perotta with an Oscar winning screen play by the director Alexander Payne is seen mostly through the eyes of the teacher although pieces of narration are shown through the view of some of the other characters. The main plot deals with the high school election when two other students are drawn into a very contentious race with the preexisting favorite, each having their own motivation. However, in a somewhat comedic and satiric way the film shows how this teacher makes a complete mess of his life and ultimately has to try and reinvent himself. The movie was shot in the Omaha area of Nebraska near where the director grew up. A typical high school was used for most of the scenes with real students playing the extras and some parts including the male student lead who ran for president. Witherspoon and Broderick captured their characters quite well and Witherspoon actually won the Teen Choice Award for the best “hissy hit”. It was fun to watch and done well but at this point in time we can’t recommend that you put it very high in your Netflix queue, as there are much better films available out there. (1999)

Comment » | 2 Stars, Comedy, Drama

Ghosts of Mississippi

January 16th, 2010 — 1:56am

Ghosts of Mississippi* * * *
Ghosts of Mississippi
– nf – Michael stumbled on this movie on HBO which is available on Netflix. Initially I thought it was another Law & Order or Cold Case TV program. I may have seen before but am very glad I came across it. This 1996 stunning movie directed by Rob Reiner is the story of the persistence of a Jackson Mississippi Assistant District Attorney, played by Alec Baldwin, to retry white supremacist Bryon De La Beckwith played by James Woods who received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of this despicable man who assassinated civil rights activist Medgar Evers in 1963. Whoopie Goldberg plays Myrlie Evers the widow who never gave up her quest to see justice served for this crime and actually was a consultant for this film. The cast also included James Nelson, William Macy and Virginia Madsen. The film was made two years after the front-page courtroom drama, which rectified the failure of two previous trials 30 years previously. It is a reminder of the racism, which existed in the south, at that time and how there are persistent remnants of it. But it also showed how there was change in an evolving south and in our justice system. The American Film Institute in 2008 chose the courtroom scene to be included in its all time list of best courtroom movie scenes. The entire film should be mandatory viewing for new law graduates and probably even for all high school students. The movie certainly touched my emotions. (1996)

Comment » | 4 Stars, Crime, Drama

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