The Good Shepherd (2007)

Genre: Drama, Thriller
Starring: Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie

Rotten Tomatoes: 54%
IMDb: 6.8
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:

One man bears witness to the secret history of America during the Cold War in this drama directed by celebrated actor Robert De Niro. In 1939, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) is a young man with a bright future ahead of him -- he's a top student at Yale and the protégé of one of the school's leading English professors, Dr. Fredericks (Michael Gambon). But Wilson's life changes dramatically when he's invited to join Yale's powerful secret society, Skull and Bones. Through his Skull and Bones connections, Wilson meets Sam Murach (Alec Baldwin), an mysterious FBI agent who asks Wilson to investigate charges that Fredericks is a Nazi sympathizer working with the German government. Later, at a Skull and Bones party, Wilson is introduced to Clover Russell (Angelina Jolie), the sister of one of his classmates and the daughter of a powerful politician; their one-night stand leaves Clover pregnant, and Wilson must leave the woman he loves, Laura (Tammy Blanchard), to wed Clover and give their child a name. Shortly after their wedding, thanks to his work with Murach, Wilson is invited to join the Office of Strategic Services, a military intelligence organization organized by Bill Sullivan (Robert De Niro), and Wilson accepts. Through World War II, Wilson serves with the OSS, and learns he can trust no one in the game of international espionage, which helps make him little more than a stranger to his wife, his son, and his few friends. As the OSS evolves into the Central Intelligence Agency after the war, Wilson becomes party to America's darkest and most dangerous secrets, and in the wake of the futile Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, Wilson is forced to make a terrible choice between the security of his nation and the safety of his family. Inspired by the true-life story of CIA founder James J. Angleton, The Good Shepherd boasts an impressive supporting cast, including William Hurt, John Turturro, Billy Crudup, Joe Pesci, and Timothy Hutton.

My Thoughts:

This is a CIA movie that is not for everyone. The score on RottenTomatoes reflects this, but if you like slower type thrillers then you may enjoy it. It is packed with stars, including director Robert De Niro, and starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, and Joe Pesci. At a length of just over three hours, some will not want to watch it, but I encourage you to give it a shot. As this blog tends to be more about less-known films, this one probably made the most amount of money compared to the amount of people who have never heard of it ($59.8 million). 

RocknRolla (2008)

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Starring: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson

Rotten Tomatoes: 59%
IMDb: 7.3
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director Guy Ritchie heads back to the London underworld for this hyperkinetic crime comedy concerning a shady land deal that leaves every schemer in the city determined to get rich or die trying. When a Russian mobster orchestrates a lucrative real estate scam, every criminal in London wants a piece of the action. Greed is the universal language, and everyone from unrelenting crime boss Lenny Cole (Tom Wilkinson) to street-smart criminal One Two (Gerard Butler), corrupt accountant Stella (Thandie Newton), and unpredictable punk rocker Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell) seem to speak it fluently. As the bullets start to fly and the double crosses multiply, there's no telling who will walk away with the fortune after the gun smoke has cleared. Jeremy Piven, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Quantum of Solace Bond girl Gemma Arterton co-star.

My Thoughts:

Most British movies seem to be very good, for some reason. Out of all the British films out there, Guy Richie is by far the best when it comes to action movies. If you have seen Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels then I guarantee you'll like this. Guy Richie also did the Sherlock Holmes movies, but this one, and the other two I just mentioned are much better than those. So if you haven't seen it and like action/crime movies, then you should give it a shot.

Matchstick Men (2003)

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
IMDb: 7.3
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:

Ridley Scott directs the crime comedy Matchstick Men, based on the novel of the same name by Eric Garcia. Neurotic con man Roy (Nicolas Cage) suffers from several emotional problems, including obsessive-compulsive disorder. He and his partner Frank (Sam Rockwell) swindle people out of money by posing as money collectors who promise things like tax refunds, package vacations, and other fabulous prizes (which they never get). Frank wants to pull a really big job, but Roy is too consumed with fear and panic attacks to join him. Only cigarettes and his trusty illegal prescription drugs seem to keep him going. When Roy finds himself in desperate need of more pills, he is forced to see legitimate psychotherapist Dr. Klein (Bruce Altman). Roy ends up talking about his emotional damage from a troubled marriage and divorce, which results in the discovery of a child whom he has never met. Dr. Klein suggests that he spend a weekend with the kid, so in walks teenaged Angela (played by twentysomething Alison Lohman). Reluctant to develop his role as a father, Roy also gets heavily involved in Frank's ambitious swindle.

My Thoughts:

Matchstick Men is a very good movie if you're into movies about con men. Nicolas Cage is really funny in this, with his weird character that has major obsessive compulsive disorder. It came out nine years ago and made a fairly decent amount of money, but it's very underrated. The plot is very good and there is a surprise ending, as you would guess in a con movie. Check it out!

Changeling (2008)

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich

Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
IMDb: 7.9
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:

Los Angeles, 1928: On a Saturday morning in a working-class suburb, Christine said goodbye to her son, Walter, and left for work. When she came home, she discovered he had vanished. A fruitless search ensues, and months later, a boy claiming to be the nine-year-old is returned. Dazed by the swirl of cops, reporters and her conflicted emotions, Christine allows him to stay overnight. But, in her heart, she knows he is not Walter. As she pushes authorities to keep looking, she learns that in Prohibition-era L.A., women don't challenge the system and live to tell their story. Slandered as delusional and unfit, Christine finds an ally in activist Reverend Briegleb, who helps her fight the city to look for her missing boy.

My Thoughts:

Since most of my movies on this blog have been action or violent, I decided to pick a different genre. Changeling is a true story and was directed by Clint Eastwood. At a little over two hours, Changeling takes you through the mystery of Christine Collin's missing son. Like most Clint movies, the acting is superb. Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich both do a fantastic job of capturing the true events that went down in 1928. This is a drama, and is kind of a depressing story, but if you can get past that, the movie is definitely worth watching. 

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2011)

Genre: Comedy, Horror
Starring: Tyler Labine, Katrina Bowden

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
IMDb: 7.6
On Netflix Streaming: Yes






Summary:

Tucker & Dale vs Evil is a hilariously gory, good-spirited horror comedy, doing for killer rednecks what Shaun of the Dead did for zombies. Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count. Tucker & Dale vs Evil has been a hit on the festival circuit, debuting at Sundance, and winning the Midnight Audience Award at SXSW, the Jury Prize for First Feature at Fantasia, the Best Director award at Fantaspoa, and the Best Motion Picture Award at Sitges.

My Thoughts:

I got convinced to watch this movie a couple of weeks ago, and I must say I really enjoyed it. It had a limited release and at the time it came out not too many people saw it. As it got out there a bit, more and more people started seeing it and it became a hit. It is most similar to Shaun of the Dead, for those of you who have seen that. IMO, it is equally as good and has the same genres of comedy and horror. It is really not scary at all, the horror part is just for the gore and (funny) violence. Check this movie out! It's on Netflix streaming.

Boiler Room (2000)

Genre: Thriller, Drama, & Crime

Starring: Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi

Rotten Tomatoes: 67%

IMDb: 6.9

On Netflix Streaming: No

Summary:

In this drama that explores greed and corruption in American business, Giovanni Ribisi plays Seth Davis, an intelligent and ambitious college dropout who runs a casino in his apartment. Eager to show his father that he can succeed, Seth lands a job with a small stock brokerage firm. He is given a space in the company's "boiler room," where he makes cold calls to prospective clients. As it turns out, Seth has a genuine talent for cold calling, which gains him the approval of his superiors, the admiration of his father, and the attentions of one of his co-workers, Abby Hilliard (Nia Long). However, the higher up the ladder Seth rises, the deeper he sinks into a quagmire of dirty dealings, until he's breaking the law in order to keep his bosses happy and his paychecks coming. The Boiler Room also features Tom Everett Scott, Scott Caan, Jamie Kennedy, Nicky Katt, and Ben Affleck in a cameo as the headhunter who brings Seth into the firm. Ribisi and Scott also appeared together in That Thing You Do; Ribisi was the drummer replaced by Scott, who then led The One-Ders to fictional pop stardom.

My Thoughts:

I first saw this movie when it came out 12 years ago. Since then I've watched it probably 5 or 10 times. It has a very unique plot and anyone interested in crime movies, or drama, should find this movie enjoyable. Ben Affleck is the director, and if that sounds like a joke, he recently directed "The Town," which was beyond a great film. This was one of Vin Diesel's first movies and it is one of the few good ones he's starred in, in my opinion. As most of the people reading this are probably business majors, the movie will interest you even more, since it's about a rogue brokerage firm. If you've been following the other films I've blogged about, this one is most similar to In Bruges. 

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)

Genre: Drama, Mystery & Suspense

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%

IMDb: 6.8

On Netflix Streaming: No

Summary:

In the aftermath of the Katrina, in New Orleans, Sergeant Terence McDonagh has a severe damage in his column rescuing a prisoner in the flooded jail. He becomes addicted in painkillers and cocaine to relief his incurable pain and is promoted to lieutenant. When an African family of smalltime drug dealers and their two children are executed, the abusive Terence is assigned to be in charge of the investigation. He depends on the testimony of a reluctant fifteen year-old boy that had witnessed the crime to open a case against the powerful drug lord Big Fate; however the teenager escapes from his custody to England and Big Fate is released. The frantic drug and gambler addicted lieutenant seeks illegal means to get drugs for him and for his girlfriend prostitute Frankie Donnenfeld and to pay his increasing debts. Despite the surveillance of the internal affairs, he associates to Big Fate and his gang providing inside information about apprehension and shipment of drugs and living his life on the edge.

My Thoughts:

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Genre: Drama, Biography
Starring: Don Cheadle, Joaquin Phoenix

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
IMDb: 8.2
On Netflix Streaming: No





Summary:

Hotel Rwanda tackles one of the most horrifically ugly events in recent history, when the Hutu extremists of Rwanda initiated a terrifying campaign of genocide, massacring hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsis (who had been given power by the departed Belgian colonists), while the rest of the world looked on and did nothing. Don Cheadle stars as Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager at the fancy Les Milles Collines hotel in Kigali. Paul is a Hutu, and a very successful businessman who smoothly greases the wheels, making powerful connections in all strata of Rwandan life. His wife, Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo of Aeon Flux), is a Tutsi. She urges Paul to use his influence to help local Tutsis, who are being harassed and beaten with increasing frequency, but Paul will only use the political capital he's built up to help his own family, if and when they need it. Soon enough, the violence escalates, and the Hutus begin their genocide of the Tutsis. European guests and staff at the hotel are flown out of the country, and Paul is left in charge. He finds that his conscience won't allow him to watch as the innocent are slaughtered, and before long, the hotel has become a well-appointed refugee camp. Paul is seen as a traitor by some, putting his life in danger, and the predicament of his "guests" grows more precarious every day, but despite good intentions on the part of a journalist (Joaquin Phoenix) and a UN peacekeeping colonel (Nick Nolte), the rest of the world is not eager to intervene and stop the massacre.

My Thoughts:

I'm not into too many genocide movies, but I will say, Hotel Rwanda managed to make a genocide worth watching. Don Cheadle's character is a very likeable person and it is by far his best performance. You do have to enjoy drama films in some way to like this. The fact that it is a true story makes it even better in my opinion. I also liked that the film was about Africa, since not too many films do today. The movie reminded me a little bit of Lord of War, because of the geography. I would encourage you to at least watch the trailer.

In Bruges (2008)

Genre: Drama, Comedy
Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
IMDb: 8.0
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:
London based hit men Ray and Ken are told by their boss Harry Waters to lay low in Bruges, Belgium for up to two weeks following their latest hit, which resulted in the death of an innocent bystander. Harry will be in touch with further instructions. While they wait for Harry's call, Ken, following Harry's advice, takes in the sights of the medieval city with great appreciation. But the charms of Bruges are lost on the simpler Ray, who is already despondent over the innocent death, especially as it was his first job. Things change for Ray when he meets Chloe, part of a film crew shooting a movie starring an American dwarf named Jimmy. When Harry's instructions arrive, Ken, for who the job is directed, isn't sure if he can carry out the new job, especially as he has gained a new appreciation of life from his stay in the fairytale Bruges. While Ken waits for the inevitable arrival into Bruges of an angry Harry, who feels he must clean up matters on his own, Ray is dealing with his own problems, not only with Harry, but with a Canadian couple and a half-blind thief named Eirik. Ray hopes he can count on both Chloe and Ken to help him carve out a new life for himself. In the end, Harry, involved in an incident with Jimmy, may have to keep to his own principles.

My Thoughts:

In Bruges is one of those movies I can watch over and over. Despite some people's views on Colin Farrell, he is actually very good in this movie. The movie has a genius blend of comedy, action, and drama. I can't even describe how well done this film is; I try to get all my friends to see it, and none of them have regretted watching it. Although the trailer below is a good summary of the film, you really need to watch it to find out how good it is. If you are a college student I can almost guarantee you will love this movie, and I won't be saying that with most of the movies I list on this blog.

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

Genre: Docementary
Starring: Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Thierry Guetta, Space Invader

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDb: 8.1
On Netflix Streaming: Yes




Summary:
Exit Through the Gift Shop marks the feature-film debut of notorious street artist Banksy. The documentary's focus is French-born L.A. thrift-shop owner Thierry Guetta, whose apparent compulsion to videotape every moment of his life led him to document the phenomenon of contemporary street art. Guetta's cousin, a street artist known as Space Invader, allowed the avid cameraman to tape him as he illegally spread his artwork, and Space Invader also introduced him to other street artists, whose work Guetta captured on tape. Eventually, Guetta hooked up with Shepard Fairey, who was best known (before he created an iconic Barack Obama campaign poster) for his widespread stickers featuring an image of the late wrestler Andre the Giant over the word "OBEY." Guetta soon hears about the mysterious street artist/prankster Banksy, and becomes obsessed with finding him and videotaping his exploits. Thanks to Guettta's growing reputation among street artists, the two eventually meet and form a sort of partnership. Guetta even videotapes Banksy's infamous "Gitmo" prank at Disneyland, wherein a handcuffed, hooded figure in an orange jumpsuit is placed beside one of the rides. They get along quite well until Banksy suggests that Guetta stop shooting, take the countless hours of footage he's accumulated, and start assembling them into a documentary. Banksy eventually takes over the documentary project, and inadvertently pushes Guetta's creative energy in a new direction, as Guetta becomes a kind of street artist himself, with shocking results. Exit Through the Gift Shop, narrated by Rhys Ifans, had its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. While it was very well received, there was much speculation as to the documentary's veracity and the provenance of Guetta, his videotape, and his artwork. Given Banksy's reputation, that should not come as a surprise.


My Thoughts:
If you are someone who enjoys any type of art (which is most of us), chances are you will take a liking to this movie. I had heard of Banksy before I watched this film, but never knew just how "cool" he really is. Inconspicuous Banksy lives perhaps one of the most interesting lives and takes you behind the life of a street artist. It also goes behind the scenes of a few other street artists who are very interesting, to say the least. Although the beginning of the film seems like it starts off kind of slow, it quickly picks up and draws you into it. If you are reading this and saying "I hate documentaries" that's too bad, because that's what my original thoughts were, and then I watched it.