Category: Movie Review

ALENA (2005)

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alena-jpg

 

Directed By: Daniel Di Grado
Written By: Daniel Di Grado, Kerstin Gezelius & Alexander Onofri
Based on the Graphic Novel By: Kim W. Andersson
Cinematography By: Simon Olsson
Editor: Linda Jildmalm 


Cast: Amalia Holm, Molly Nutley, Felice Jankell, Rebecka Nyman, Fanny Klefelt 


When Alena arrives at her new elite boarding school, Filippa and the other girls start to harass her. But Alena’s best friend Josefin won’t let her take anymore beating. If she won’t strike back, Josefin will do it for her. Hard.

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SELAH & THE SPADES (2020)

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selah

Written & Directed By: Tayarisha Poe
Cinematography: Jomo Fray
Editor: Kate Abernathy 

Cast: Lovie Simone, Jharrel Jerome, Celeste O’Connor, Ana Mulvoy Ten, Jesse Williams, Gina Torres, Nekhebet Kum Juch, Evan Roe, Francesca Noel, Henry Hunter Hall 


Five factions run the underground life of the prestigious Haldwell boarding school. At the head of the most powerful faction – The Spades – sits Selah Summers. By turns charming and callous, she chooses whom to keep close and whom to cut loose, walking the fine line between being feared and loved.

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JEZEBEL (2019)

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jezebel
Written & Directed By: Numa Perrier
Cinematography: Brent Johnson
Editor: Brittany Lyles 

Cast: Tiffany Tenille, Numa Perrier, Stephen Barrington, Bobby Field, Zoe Tyson, Rockwelle Dortch, Charlie Taylor 

In the last days of her mother’s life, 19 year old Tiffany crashes with five family members in a Las Vegas studio apartment. In order to make ends meet, her older sister, a phone sex operator, introduces her to the world of internet fetish cam girls. Tiffany becomes popular as the only “live black model” at the new adult site and soon becomes too close to one of her frequent callers. Dynamics shift in the sister relationship as each woman explores and exploits their sexuality, using their created fantasy worlds as an escape from the realities of their challenging real life circumstances. This bizarre coming of age story depicts sisterhood in a most unusual way.

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IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (2018)

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if-beale-street-could-talk

Written & Directed By: Barry Jenkins
Based on the Novel By: James Baldwin
Cinematography: James Laxton
Editor: Joi McMillon & Nat Sanders
Music By: Nicholas Britell 


Cast: Stephen James, KiKi Layne, Regina King, Michael Beach, Teyonah Parris, Colman Domingo, Aunjaune Ellis, Diego Luna, Dave Franco, Brian Tyree Henry, Ed Skrein, Emily Rios, Finn Wittrock, Ebony Obsidian 


African-American teen sweethearts Fonny and Tish are ripped apart when Fonny is wrongly arrested for the rape of a Puerto Rican woman because of the machinations of a racist cop. While seeking justice for Fonny, a pregnant Tish relies on her Harlem community, including her sister, mother Sharon and future mother-in-law.

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BLACK SWAN (2010)

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blackswan

Directed By: Darren Aaronfsky
Written By: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin
Based On A Story By: Andres Heinz
Cinematography By: Matthew Libatique
Editor: Andrew Weisblum

CAST: Natalie Portman, Barbara Hershey, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassell, Winona Ryder

Nina is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica  who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily, who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side – a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

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SPORK (2010)

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spork

Written & Directed By: JB Ghuman Jr.
Cinematography By: Bradley Stonesifer
Edited By: Phillip J. Bartell

Cast: Savannah Sthelin, Sydney Park, Rachel G. Fox, Rodney Eastman, Beth Grant, Elaine Hendrix, Keith David, Yeardley Smith, Chad Allen, Richard Riehle

A colorful and foul-mouthed feature musical comedy. A film about a frizzy-haired, pink-cheeked outcast named Spork who is trying to navigate her way through the annals of junior high. When a school dance show provides a chance for Spork to show up a mean girls gang, her trailer-park neighbor steps up to coach her with some “booty-poppin” moves. Featuring a vintage ’90s soundtrack (that includes 2-Live Crew, JJ Fad’s “SuperSonic,” Dimples T’s “Get It Girl”), a score by Casey James and the Staypuft Kid; and extended school hall dance sequences, Spork is a film about standing out and fitting in.

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SEED OF CHUCKY (2004)

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seed-of-chucky

Written & Directed By: Don Mancini
Based On Characters Created By: Don Mancini
Cinematography By: Vernon Layton
Editor: Chris Dickens 


Cast: Jennifer Tilly, Redman, Hannah Spearritt, Brad Dourif, Jason Flemyng, Billy Boyd, John Waters 

Chucky and Tiffany are resurrected by their innocent son, Glen, and hit Hollywood, where a movie depicting the killer dolls’ murder spree is underway.

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10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (1999)

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10-things-i-hate-about-you

 

Directed By: Gil Junger
Written By: Karen McCullah & Kirsten Smith
Cinematography: Mark Irwin
Editor: O. Nicolas Brown 


Cast: Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Julia Stiles, Larisa Oleynik, Gabrille Union, David Krumholtz, Allison Janney, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt, Daryl Mitchell, Larry Miller, David Leisure, Kyle Cease 


Adapted from William Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew,” A pretty, popular teenager can’t go out on a date until her ill-tempered older sister does.

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SHE’S ALL THAT (2000)

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shesallthat

 

Directed By: Robert Iscove
Written By: R. Lee Flemming Jr.
Cinematography: Francis Kenny
Editor: Casey O. Rohrs 


Cast: Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachel Leigh Cook, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Paul Walker, Dule Hill, Tamara Mello, Gabrielle Union, Matthew Lillard, Kevin Pollak, Anna Paquin, Kieran Culkin, Elden Henson, Usher Raymond, Kimberly “Lil’ Kim” Jones, Clea Duvall, Debbi Morgan, Tim Matheson, Chris Owen, Ashlee Levitch, Vanessa Lee Chester, Carlos Jacott, Alexis Arquette, Katherine Towne, Brandon Mychel Smith, Milo Ventimiglia, Sara Rivas, Flex Alexander 


A high school jock makes a bet that he can turn an unattractive girl into the school’s prom queen.

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WHATEVER IT TAKES (2000)

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Directed By: David Raynr
Written By: Mark Schwahn
Cinematography: Tim Suhrstedt
Editor: Ronald Roose 

Cast: Shane West, James Franco, Marla Sokoloff, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Aaron Paul, Kip Pardue, Julia Sweeney, Colin Hanks, Richard Schiff, Vanessa Evigan, David Koechner, Nick Cannon, Christine Lakin, Manu Intiraymi, Scott Vickaryous

 

A modern-day remake of the Cyrano DeBergerac tale.

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