FilmFlashes.com Blog

A feel good film that energizes audiences with the stamina and vigor of the most famous race horse in history and his exemplary owner, Penny Chenery (played by classic favorite, Diane Lane).

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More plot, less character development would have salvaged Clint Eastwood’s revelations about a reticent psychic (terrific performance by Matt Damon) who is trying to live a normal life.

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A well crafted dramatization of the origins of Facebook that may not flatter the developers (Jesse Eisenberg playing Mark Zuckerberg and Armie Hammer playing the Winklevoss twins), but provides chow for chatter about the state of social networking.

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Manhattanites, Kate (Catherine Keener) and her husband Alex (Oliver Platt) divide their time between buying up estate sales, interacting with their elderly neighbor (Ann Morgan Guilbert) and her two dramatically different granddaughters/heirs, Mary and Rebecca (Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall) and trying to be proper parents to their 15-year-old, needy but independent daughter. Commendable performances and [...]

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Even top performances by the likes of Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett can’t redeem complex transitions and confusing historical references from this ill-fated intro to the Sherwood Forest expatriate.

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The Rizzo family secrets are bountifully entertaining due in large part to the great casting (Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Ezra Miller, Dominik García-Lorido, Emily Mortimer) and the scenic locale (City Island).

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Matt Damon adds credibility to this Iraq war film as an Army officer who must figure out a way to combat the constant stream of bad intelligence.

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Katherine Bigelow’s precision direction brings home the tension and energy of Bravo Company, the elite bomb diffusing unit in Iraq.   With the focus on the adrenaline driven staff seargeant (Jeremy Renner) and his explosive techies (Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty) viewers are given a gritty glimpse of the personal and mechanical dynamics of war in [...]

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Pedro Almodovar once again charms and beguiles audiences with his intriguing characters (Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar, Blanca Portillo, José Luis Gómez, Rubén Ochandiano) and finely layered storyline that focuses on a blind writer/director (Homar) who must address his past in order to move on with his life.

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Sandra Bullock scores a touchdown in bringing to life the story of Leigh Anne Tuohy and her husband, Sean Tuohy (Tim McGraw) who rescued a homeless Afrcian-American teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) and gave him an opportunity to achieve academically & athletically.  There’s enough inspiration in this faith-based film to cover an entire football field.

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A roving employee terminator Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is forced to change his flight patterns when his company mandates his mentoring of a new ivy league junior executive Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) just as he’s beginning to enjoy the company of another frequent flyer   Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga).

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Audiences might have gained a better appreciation of regal routines with a bit more detail and historical perspective.  However the majestic costuming, noble venues, and striking characters (notably Emily Blunt as Victoria and Rupert Friend as Albert) allowed audiences to get a flavor for the period.

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Infidelity, academic tenure, undisciplined children, family dyfunctionality and spiritual searches for answers to universal questions become the focus of the latest Coen brothers dark comedy set in 1967 suburbia.  Michael Stuhlbarg, embodies the role of the mid-western University professor who becomes victimized by his daily routine and outlook with strong supporting roles by Sari Lennick [...]

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Nora Ephron flashes back and forth between Julia Childs’ (Meryl Streep) early entrée into the male dominated world of French cuisine and Julie Powell’s (Amy Adams) modern day blog that chronicles her attempt to find focus in her life by cooking up every recipe in Julia Childs’ French cookbook.  The highlight of this film is [...]

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A hard-hearted editor (Sandra Bullock) engages her hard-working assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to put in overtime on a scheme that will prevent her deportation to her native Canada.  While the plot holds few surprises, a warm emotive cast boosts ratings and happy feelings throughout (Betty White, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T Nelson, Oscar Nunez).

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Michelle Pfeiffer radiates as the classy prostitute who takes up with the son (Rupert Friend) of one of her collegues (Kathy Bates); not without consequences.

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Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is called to the Vatican to rescue four preferrati Cardinals from a death threat  by the Illuminati (a secret underground organization with a 400 year old revenge motive against the Catholic Church).  An attractive scientist (Ayelet Zurer), a charismatic priest (Ewan McGregor), a stalwart Swiss guard (Stellan Skarsgård), and [...]

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Real life Los Angeles Times journalist, Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) befriends a homeless man/schizophrenic/musical prodigy (Jamie Foxx) and gains a new perspective on the plight of the homeless as he writes a series of articles and eventually a book. While the relationship and personalities are inspiring, the time spent is tedious as [...]

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A journalist’s credibility and life are on the line when he (Russell Crowe) and a young colleague (Rachel McAdams) investigate two seemingly unrelated deaths. Crowe’s relationship with an up and coming congressman (Ben Affleck) and his wife (Robin Wright Penn), pressure from his editor (Helen Mirren), and pursuit of the truth at all costs [...]

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First time actor, Algenis Perez Soto breathes life into the young Dominican baseball player, Miguel “Sugar” Santos, a character created by critically acclaimed writer/director team, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.  They coach audiences through the obstacles at a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic,  spring training in Arizona, and minor league games in Iowa, while [...]

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Sayra, a young Central American girl (Paulina Gaitan) confronts peril when she joins her father on his journey back to the US where he has made a life with a new family.  While audiences are struck by the cinematic ride across Central America, Sayra is captivated by a young gang member (Edgar Flores), running from his past.  The portrait of violence [...]

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Five stories with unhappy endings are splayed out on the screen, directed by Italian director, Matteo Garrone, and based upon journalist Roberto Saviano’s best selling book detaling the far reaching tennacles of the Camorra, (Naples mafia).

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The latest installment in the Tyler Perry franchise features amusing confrontations (including a frustrated Dr. Phil) with the anger management deficient Madea (Tyler Perry) and her clan. The humor offsets the serious relationship issues that are tackled amongst a group of young attorneys (Derek Luke, Ion Overman, RonReaco Lee) working their way up [...]

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Swedish filmmaker, Jan Troell delivers an emotional portrait (based upon Troell’s wife’s relative) of a 1900’s Swedish, working class woman (Maria Heiskanen).  With the mentoring of a local photographer (Jesper Christensen) she discovers her gift for capturing beauty and calm amidst the social unrest, abusive behavior by her husband (Mikael Persbrandt), poverty, and child-rearing that engulf her.

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“Banking” is the bad guy in this globe trotting action caper involving an Interpol agent (Clive Owen), an assistant Manhattan district attorney (Naomi Watts) and various nefarious financiers (Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ulrich Thomsen).

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Compatible star-power (Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansson, Ginnifer Goodwin, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Connelly, and  Justin Long) helps to propel the misguided relationships in this introspective narrated comedy.

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A destitute woman (Melissa Leo) living in a trailer with her two kids is a reluctant accomplice In a US/Canadian border smuggling operation when she is approached by an equally destitute Native American woman (Misty Upham).

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A washed up wrestling star (Mickey Rourke) and an aging stripper (Marisa Tomei) force you to feel their pain with gritty performances and strong direction (Daniel Aronofsky).

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Israeli writer/director, Ari Folman explores the psychological impact of Israeli participation in the first Lebanese war through original, repetitive animated drawings.

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Considering the scarcity of new releases at this time of the year, Liam Neeson’s one-man demo squad manages to keep audiences engaged as he tackles the Albanian thugs who have kidnapped his daughter (Maggie Grace) in Paris.

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Acclaimed, Philippine director, Brillante Ma. Mendoza explores the decaying society and surroundings through the Pineda family who operates a local movie theater which also doubles as a “service” center for male prostitution.

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Kate Winslet and Leonardo DeCaprio play passionate against  volatile, as a Connecticut couple raising two young children in the mid 1950’s, frustrated by their entrappment in suberbia.  Sam Mendes (Winslet’s husband) directs the reunited stars (from the 1997 film ”Titanic”) in Justin Haythe’s adaptation of the 1961 novel by Richard Yates.
 
 

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Audiences are challenged  to consider what level of certainty is morally acceptable before accusations are made  and lives are twisted by the turmoil.   Writer, John Patrick Shanley directs strong performances by Meryl  Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams  and Viola Davis, set in a Bronx Catholic school in the mid 1960’s.

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Korean War vet, Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a man who has his own way of dealing with increased crime and ethnic diversity in his deteriorating Detroit neighborhood. Eastwood’s direction is flawless as he takes you through the emotionally charged events that revolve around Walt’s relationship with his Hmong neighbors (Bee [...]

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Harvey Shine, an under-appreciated jingle writer (Dustin Hoffman) arrives in London for his daughter’s wedding, only to learn that his role as “father of the bride” has been usurped by his ex-wife’s (Kathy Baker) new husband (James Brolin). A chance meeting with an unlucky-at-love Brit (Emma Thompson) rekindles a spark in Harvey, [...]

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Screenwriters, Eric Roth and Robin Swicord bring to life this magical adaptation from the F. Scott Fitzgerald story about a man who ages backwards. Director, David Fincher guides the cast, including Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Julia Ormond, through Benjamin Button’s (Brad Pitt) lifetime of [...]

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Careful casting and attention to detail boosts the credibility of this fictionalized account of the political rise and assassination of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office.  A straight-up performance by Sean Penn as Milk  and uncanny resemblances of actors to their characters;  Josh Brolin (Dan White), James Franco [...]

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If your feet boggie to the beat of the blues, you’ll thrill to the tempo of Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Little Walter (Columbus Short), Chuck Berry (Mos Def) Willie Dixon (Cedric the Entertainer), Howlin’ Wolf (Eamonn Walker), and Etta James (Beyonce Knowles) showcased in the order they were discovered by record promoter/producer Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody).  [...]

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 Will Smith delivers an incredible performance as a suicidal man who uses his IRS credentials to scrutinize seven perspective beneficiaries, including Woody Harrelson and Rosario Dawson.   To reveal more detail would detract from the drama and intrigue that keeps you captivated.

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Sweeping cinematography and scintilating chemisty between mega stars, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman created the potential for a great pre-WWII, Aussi adventure.  However Baz Luhrmann’s unfocused presentation of cattle herds, Abornigines mystique, and rancher’s greed never draws audiences in, let alone keeps you engrossed for the lengthy (close to 3 hours) epic.

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