drama/romance

  • Blood Diamond — Wow. What an amazing and scary movie. I would have never known that a little clear stone could cause so much devastation and corruption. I feel sorry for anyone that has had to suffer so a woman could have a beautiful wedding ring. This movie is gripping, powerful, and amazing. A must see.
  • Boogie Nights — A movie about porn that is not really a porn? Cool! But seriously, I really liked this movie because of the story behind the porn actors. Seeing what these people go through and what brings them to where they are was interesting. While they aren’t representing real people, it was definitely an interesting look into the industry. Also, the guy that directed Magnolia directed this, and it has a similar feel and style, which I loved.
  • The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe — The first offering from CS Lewis’s Narnia series, as interpreted to screen by Disney; and I have to say, that it is definitely a good job. The visuals are great, and the story is pretty true to the book. I really liked it!
  • The Constant Gardener — This is one of those movies that you are watching wondering how in the hell they ever made it; not because of the special effects or anything like that, but because of the subject matter. This highly political and ethical thriller is exciting and intense; but still calm and a little slow. Ralph Fiennes loses his wife, and he searches to find out how she was killed. Very well acted, and very interesting story. I won’t give anything away, but if you believe that there is conspiracy, ethical manipulation, and down right genocide going on in Africa, this movie poses a different perspective on one possible reason; whether it is real or not.
  • Crossroads — I love you Britney…LOVE YOU
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon — I know many people would ask, why not in action?? I say this: the love stories are more of a focus than walking in the treetops. Word.
  • Donnie Darko — Not only do you get to watch Jake Gyllenhaal be the cutest crazy kid you have ever imagined, you sit and ponder the meaning of a series of events, and wonder how they effect everyone around you. AND there is a creepy-as-hell bunny that makes me get the shivers every time he is on screen. This movie was one of the weirdest I have seen, but it was great.
  • Donnie Darko (Director’s Cut) — Motherfucking Whoa. I didn’t think that this movie could get any better, and then I saw the Director’s Cut. Hands down, completely awesome, and well worth getting. Seriously, tons of people complain about not knowing what is going on, but if you see this version, I doubt you will say that again. A must have.
  • The Family Stone — I honestly thought this was a comedy, and while it does have its moments, it certainly qualifies much more as a drama. It is actually quite sad, but it is honestly fantastic. I want Diane Keaton as my mom… NOW. I love this family; too bad they aren’t mine! Great movie, very touching.
  • Goal!: The Dream Begins — A truly inspirational story of a guy that is spotted by a make-shift soccer scout, and follows his dreams all the way to England. If you like soccer and stories of people following and working for their dreams, then this is the movie for you. Great film.
  • Georgia Rule — I went into this movie thinking it was going to be a family fun type comedy, but it turned out to have some serious, and even dark, family issues. The result was, a great movie that looked at family bonds, and how time can test and even break them. The acting in this movie is very good, and it is definitely a great movie. I really enjoyed seeing a family that was able to come together and confront demons; especially considering the demons that prevent my family from doing the very same thing.
  • Hollywoodland — This is the story of George Reeves, the man that played TV’s Superman, who was found in his home after committing suicide. The only problem, is that things didn’t add up, and people still don’t know what really happened for 100% fact. In this movie, a detective investigates, shining more and more suspicion behind his death, and the true cause. It was really well done, and it will definitely have you questioning what really happened.
  • House of Flying Daggers — YES YES YES YES. YES!!!!! This was, hands down, one of the best movies I saw in all of 2004. It was simply breathtakingly wonderful. It was like combining Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and then making them better. Like Crouching Tiger, it belongs here, because of the focus on the love story. This movie was fantastic, and will captivate anyone who enjoys stunning visuals.
  • Interview with the Vampire — Homoerotic vampire discovery starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, AND Antonio Banderas?? Count me in…
  • Jackie Brown — It rocks, totally. Pam Grier is awesome, awesome, awesome! The plot twist in this is the best, and it keeps you guessing from beginning to end. I love the part where Samuel tells him to go out to his car, push the button, it will go EET-ERRT-EET, and then he can open the door. And it does. There is something really funny about that, that even I don’t understand. Oh and let us not forget… "Lewis, where is the car, Lewis… Lewis!!!".
  • Jarhead — I wrote a really long and in-depth review for my blog, which can be accessed by looking through the blog (yes, I am that lazy!). If you just want the quick and dirty version, the movie is a depiction of one soldier’s experience during Desert Shield/Storm, and speaks to the build up a soldier gets in training, and the let down he receives in the field. Not really an action movie, more of a war movie about what happens to soldiers in a war that they are not truly involved with. And Jake Gyllenhaal is in it. Definitely worth watching; multiple times.
  • Lady In The Water — While not a fan of his other movies, I thought this was a very sweet fairy tale about the people that live in the water who are trying to help us; only they sometimes need our help. Definitely fun to watch, and Paul Giamatti is absolutely wonderful in this; so genuine and cute.
  • The Lake House — While it is completely implausible (talking to a man in the past via a mail box at a lake house?!), it seriously speaks to the hopeless romantic in me. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and generally liked the premise, even though, again, it isn’t plausible. But doesn’t love transcend time? Hopefully.
  • Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring — This movie was really good, but I am not the biggest fan. I did like it though, shut up.
  • Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers — Okay, this one was good too, but not as good as the first in my mind. The first has more story, and this one focuses on that kick ass fight scene. Still cool, and isn’t Gollum cute and cuddly? We certainly think so, yes.
  • Lord of the Rings: Return of the King — So I know that there are tons of people out there that totally disagree with my ratings of this trilogy, but look people, this is my rating. I really liked these movies, but a big part of my ratings was the length. That said, I think that the third was by far the best, and totally represented the best portion of the story. All said and done, these should probably be rated higher, but I doubt that I will be reaching for them to watch them every time I want to watch a movie, hence the lower rating. Stop crying, they are good. Crybaby.
  • Magnolia — The people who brought us Boogie Nights now WOW us with this wonderful movie. There are three reasons to see this movie: the opening scene (it rocks), Julianne Moore’s performance (enough said), and the awesome story and ending. Okay, that was four things… Just see it.
  • Mansfield Park — This is also a Jane Austen adaptation, but it happens to be one of my favorite movies of all time. It is very well done, and tells the story of a poor girl moving the country, and her life at Mansfield Park… I love the ending. LOVE the ending.
  • Marie Antoinette — Kirsten Dunst is flawless as teen queen of France. The use of modern rock music and flagrant costumes are sinful. I loved it. It gets better every time I see it!
  • Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — Show the Doll some respect, she might show you her candy… Here’s hoping!
  • Mommie Dearest — I really could go on and on about this movie, but I won’t. This movie is awesome, just because it is so messed up. “Helga, when you polish the floor, you have to move the tree. See Carol Ann, you have to stay on things every single minute… If you can’t do something right, don’t do it at all.” There you go… now watch it.
  • Moonlight Mile — Sometimes you watch a movie, and not only do you come away feeling sorry for the people in it, but you realize that in an instant, they could be you, and that scares the hell out of you. This movie is about people dealing with the death of a loved one, each learning how to grow and cope; using their current situations in life to help them along. The main character, Joe, has just lost his fiancée, and is just trying to figure out where he fits in all of this, and most importantly, is trying to figure out where to go next. Should he try and get on with his life, or does he need to stay, and do what he thinks his fiancée’s parents need? The drama is real, and the acting powerful. This is a movie that will definitely make you feel something.
  • The Notebook — While the story was definitely there, the movie does lack a bit in the method of transition and editing. That being said, that is probably my only complaint about this movie. (Upon watching it again, that is less apparent). I thought that this was going to be some sappy love story, and what it actually is, is a romantic tale of two people who love each other so much, that nothing stands in between it. I can’t say much more, because I don’t want to tell you every single thing that will happen in the movie, but Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling are perfect in this movie. Very enjoyable to watch, and make you believe that they actually love each other.
  • Notes On A Scandal — What a deliciously scandalous movie!! Oh how I love Judy Dench!!! This movie was way more than I was expecting, and I ended up loving it. I highly recommend that you see it if you love stories of manipulation, betrayal, and a trashy, trashy twist that shakes up these otherwise “high class” Brits.
  • October Sky — I am not kidding at all when I say that this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is all about Homer, a kid who is inspired by the launch of Sputnik to do something other than work in the coal mine, like everyone else in his town. The movie, based on true events, follows Homer and his friends, as they struggle to find their niche and achieve their goals through science and rocket building. The boys do everything they can to escape a future in the mine, by working hard and focusing on their education and a science fair. This is definitely a movie that will encourage you to believe that you can accomplish anything, as long as you put your mind to it. It also highlights the struggle that many people face that attempt to break out of a shell, and do something they truly love, even if it goes against what their parents think. I absolutely loved this movie, and you will definitely be inspired. AND, Jake Gyllenhaal is super cute in it.
  • Pan’s Labyrinth — I am normally not a fan of subtitles, but you don’t even really notice them, because the story is so amazing. It is all about a little girl, who finds herself in fascist Spain, because her mother has wed a vicious military leader. What happens, is she escapes to a magical place, and finds a faun that requests three tasks of her. If she completes these tasks, she can take her rightful place as the princess of the underworld. This is an excellent fairytale for adults, and is both creepy and beautiful at the same time. If you enjoy movies that require imagination, creativity, and a sense of adventure, then this is the film for you. What a wonderful masterpiece!
  • Possession — This is a great Gwenyth Paltrow movie where she plays a British professor who joins a fellow academic on the pursuit of a possible affair that happened between two famous poets almost a century ago. It is very romantic.
  • The Prestige — This is the story of two rival magicians, both of which carry a grudge, and an insatiable desire to one up the other. The story has a lot of drama, and the twist is, in my opinion, revealed far too early. Other than that, it was neat that they put so much in about Tesla, because he was actually pretty amazing. Overall, I liked this a lot, and I have to say Christian Bale is HOT. That is all.
  • Proof — First of all, let me get this out of the way; I love Jake, I love Gwenyth. Alright, this movie is about the daughter of a famous mathematician, who goes crazy early in his life, and as the film begins dies. The audience experiences their relationship through flashbacks and memories of Gwenyth’s character. Through the flashbacks, we learn about her character, and how important her father was to her, and even more, her fear that she will end up crazy like he was. The result is a great drama about how people cope with what they are given in life, and how they deal with what they don’t and can’t understand. The acting is superb; Gwenyth makes you really believe she is a slightly crazy 27 year old prodigy, and Jake Gyllenhaal is fantastic as her friend and possible love interest. Hope Davis is simply wonderful as the overbearing sister, who obviously doesn’t have everything perfect, even though she tries so hard to make sure she does. This movie is just great; enough with my ramblings.
  • Romeo and Juliet (Baz Luhrmann style) — This is one of the most classic love stories to have ever been told. I love it, especially with Claire Danes on board. I cried, and still cry every time I see it. GREAT!
  • Schindler’s List — This movie is visually and emotionally stunning. I am fascinated with the events of the Holocaust. I am fascinated simply because of my disbelief that human beings could be so cruel and hateful. This movie tells the story of one man who used his pull with the Nazi powers that be to save many, many lives. He is a hero, and this movie is a wonderful and shocking portrayal of the events of his life. This movie is a must see for everyone, because we must never forget that such an even occurred. Forgetting history allows it to come again, and we can never, ever let that happen again. This story will touch you and make you cry, and make you wonder why more people do not risk their lives to help save others.
  • Sense and Sensibility — Based on the book by Jane Austen. This movie is great, it also qualifies as a romantic comedy, but don’t all of Austen’s novels?
  • Sideways — I truly believe that if I watch this movie a couple of more times, the rating will go up, but we will start here, for now (update: I did, and it did). This story focuses on a guy that has very low self-esteem (thanks to his divorce) and tries to do something nice for his friend, who wants nothing more than to have sex with anyone (in my opinion) before he gets married. The result is a week-long trip up to wine country, and calamity ensues. While this movie is funny, it does focus more on the lives of its players, which makes me want to classify it more as a drama. It does a really good job of making you care about the characters, and you end up feeling. Much like other Alexander Payne movies, it is just damn good. But like I said, I am going to watch it again before I up the rating. So there. And it does indeed make you want to drink lots of wine, and even teaches you something about it in the process.
  • Shortbus — I really didn’t know where to put this, because it definitely has a huge gay storyline, but that isn’t all there is to it, so I wanted to drop it in drama, hoping it would have a better fit. This is the ultimate look into what happens when people are dealing with sex, relationships, orgasms, and feelings, all of which collide and make life either better, or harder, depending on the person. Sometimes, you may have issues that are different than others. Sometimes you may express yourself in different ways. The point is, we are all human, and we all “get it in the end”. I thought this was a wonderful film. Lots of fun, drama, sex, and life. There is full on sex in this movie, though, so if that isn’t your thing, steer clear. If you are still on board, check it out, I thought it was wonderful.
  • Stardust — I am really surprised this movie didn’t do better in the theaters; not only is the story fantastic, but it is really well made, and totally entertaining!!! The elements of fantasy and magic are so well balanced with a true love story; it is such a great film. After I watched it, I instantly wanted to watch it again. Claire Danes is amazing as the fallen star, and watch out of excellent performances from both Robert Deniro and Michelle Pfeiffer. This movie is a fantastic journey, and a well made fantasy for adults!
  • Stranger Than Fiction — OOO! Will Farrell in a serious role? Well, sort of. I bet you are wondering why this isn’t in comedy, as it is definitely funny, right? Well, as I watched this movie, I started to realize that it was much more of a drama than a comedy. It also has a large romance element to it, which honestly surprised me. This film is an honest look at what life would be like, if we knew that our death was going to occur at a certain instant, and what we would choose to do, knowing that we could prevent it. It shows you how connected we all are, and how every action has a consequence. Kind of darker than I was expecting, but definitely a great movie.
  • Tristan + Isolde — Passion, love, feeling, and of course, damn duty had to go and get in the way. The classic love story of Tristan, and Englishman, and Isolde, an Irish woman, torn between love, battle, duty, and tragedy. This is a fantastic love story that is not to be missed. Beautifully shot, lots of action and also lots of tender, wonderful love right there on the screen. A life without love, truly is no life at all.
  • Vanity Fair — This movie is right up my alley, in that it focuses on how bitchy the upper class can be to those that are not "a part" of their society. This movie is all about Reese’s character Becky, trying to make it into high society; at pretty much all cost. But, it is really witty, has great interchange between the characters, shows an excellent acting ability in Ms. Witherspoon, and is just down right beautiful to watch. I am going to have to watch this movie again and again, in order to catch all of the delectable bitchy comments that are passed like the wine at every dinner party Becky shows up at.
  • Zodiac — Want to see a really creepy, really well done, almost horror story, about a serial killer and the events that were spawned by his sick games; all of which really happened? Well, then this is for you. Jake Gyllenhaal does a fantastic job in this one, as a paper illustrator who investigates, and actually nails, the killer. The only thing is, he might have gotten a little too close. Definitely sends chills up your spine, knowing that all of this stuff really happened.

0 Responses to “drama/romance”

Feed for this Entry
  1. No Comments

Leave a Reply

    categoricalness

    achivalness