Film Reviews

Italy is usually cited as the anchor of the neo-realist movement in cinema, but Mikio Naruse's Ginza Cosmetics (1951) is a reminder that Japan had its own output equally rooted in realism. Set in Tokyo's Ginza district, this low-key, lyrical unassuming account of a few days in the life of a luckless geisha (Kinuyo Tanaka), as she struggles to make a living for herself and her young son, has few dramatic highs or artificial moments, but possesses a startlingly vivid power in its slice-of-life texture.

A man against capital punishment is accused of murdering a fellow activist and is sent to death row.

At an exclusive country club, an ambitious young caddy, Danny Noonan, eagerly pursues a caddy scholarship in hopes of attending college and, in turn, avoiding a job at the lumber yard. In order to succeed, he must first win the favour of the elitist Judge Smails, and then the caddy golf tournament which Smails sponsors.

El Bola, a 12 year old boy a.k.a. "Pellet" is a 12 year old boy raised in a violent and sordid environment. Embarrassed by his family life, he avoids becoming close to classmates. The arrival of a new boy at school changes his attitude towards his classmates, and friendship. The heart of the story is the change in El Bola's life, at almost all levels, after befriending this new classmate. Written by ElianaM

Small-farmer Pasi shoots four policemen who have come to arrest him for raged drunkenness. Rest of the movie is a long flashback examining the events that finally leads to the tragic shooting. As time goes by, Pasi sinks gradually deeper and deeper into the poverty, gets into trouble with both police and tax officials while family arguments grow more and more serious. Based on a true story,

Union general William T. Sherman said, "War is all hell." He might easily have been referring to the conflict in Kosovo. Director Daniel Calparsoro lenses a tense drama that revolves around a platoon of Spanish soldiers, following the innocent young men as they step from the training field into a hell for which nothing could have prepared them.

Kitano plays Murakawa, a Tokyo yakuza tiring of gangster life. Along with a few of his henchmen, he is sent by his boss to Okinawa to help end a gang war, supposedly to mediate between two warring clans. He finds that the dispute between the clans is insignificant and whilst wondering why he was sent to Okinawa at all, Murakawa's headquarters are bombed and he and his gang are ambushed in a bar.

On the surface, 'A Genius Leaves The Hood-The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z' chronicles how hip-hop's most successful rapper of the past two decades reached the top; but at its core, the film attempts to divulge the savvy and cunning business acumen of a mogul who decided that being at the top of the charts wasn't enough. This 60-minute unauthorized biography explores the mind of a man who never played by the rules and admits it. This film uncovers the price Mr. Carter paid for his success through recent controversies including the racial debate of the Barneys deal, feud with Harry Belafonte and clashes with community activists over the construction of the Barclay Center. The film also explores rumors of association with the Illuminati, a highly publicized separation from the Roc-A-Fella crew, his estranged relationship with rapping mentor Jaz-O and break up with business partner Damon Dash.

Three women set out to find eligible millionaires to marry, but find true love in the process.

A teenage runaway attempts to readjust to home and family life in Minnesota after returning home after years of working on the streets of New York City as a hooker and tries desperately to regain her parents' understanding and love.

A college student unexpectedly finds that she has inherited a derelict house. Accompanied by a group of friends...

Troy (Zac Efron), the popular captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), the brainy and beautiful member of the academic club, break all the rules of East High society when they secretly audition for the leads in the school's musical. As they reach for the stars and follow their dreams, everyone learns about acceptance, teamwork, and being yourself. And it's all set to fun tunes and very cool dance moves!

A convicted racketeer becomes prison trustee when an inmate whom he persuaded to escape is killed.

When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men and The Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organized under Xavier's former ally, Magneto.

The story of seven scholars (including Danny Kaye and Benny Goodman) in search of an expert to teach them about swing music. They seem to have found the perfect candidate in winsome nightclub singer Honey Swanson (Virginia Mayo). But Honey's gangster boyfriend doesn't want to give her up.