Heleno (2011)
Biography | Drama
A biography of the tragic life of one of Brazil's greatest soccer players, Heleno de Freitas.
Starring: Rodrigo Santoro
Director: José Henrique Fonseca
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Biography | Crime | Drama | History | Western
'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' delves into the private life and public exploits of the United States' most notorious outlaw. As the charismatic and unpredictable Jesse James plans his next great robbery, he wages war on his enemies, who are trying to collect the reward money – and the glory – riding on his capture. But the greatest threat to his life may ultimately come from those he trusts the most.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Schneider
Director: Andrew Dominik
Casino (1995)
Biography | Crime | Drama
Sam "Ace" Rothstein, the consummate bookie who can change the odds merely by placing a bet, has risen through the ranks of the Midwestern mob to be picked by the bosses to front their entree into Vegas. Ace lives and breathes the odds. He eventually doubles the mob's take and changes the rules of how the casinos are run. But he can't control the odds when it comes to Ginger McKenna, the chip-hustling vamp who charms Ace and becomes his wife. His infatuation with Ginger turns to obsession as she rises with him to the upper crust of society, then turns to the bottle and pills for consolation in her gilded cage. The third member of this triangle of greed and obsession is Nicky Santoro, Ace's best friend and fellow graduate of the city streets. Together, they run the perfect operation, with Ace in charge and Nicky providing the muscle. But as Nicky expands his interests and each man gains power, their lives become entangled in a story of hot tempers, obstinacy, money, love and deception.
Starring: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods, Don Rickles, Alan King
Director: Martin Scorsese
Goya's Ghosts (2006)
Biography | Drama | War
Goya's Ghosts is a sweeping historical epic, told through the eyes of celebrated Spanish painter Francisco Goya. Set against the backdrop of political turmoil at the end of the Spanish Inquisition and start of the invasion of Spain by Napoleon's army, the film captures the essence and beauty of Goya's work which is best known for both the colorful depictions of the royal court and its people, and his grim depictions of the brutality of war and life in 18th century Spain. When Goya's beautiful muse is accused of being a heretic, renowned painter Francisco Goya must convince his old friend Lorenzo, a power-hungry monk and leader of the Spanish Inquisition, to spare her life.
Starring: Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård, Randy Quaid, José Luis Gómez
Director: Milos Forman
IMDb Info
My Way Home (1978)
Biography | Drama
Douglas's magnificent, award-winning Trilogy is the product of an assured, formidable artistic vision. These are some of the most compelling films about childhood ever made. Presented here in a High-Definition restoration, the Trilogy follows Jamie (played with heart-breaking conviction by Stephen Archibald) as he grows up in a poverty-stricken mining village in post-war Scotland. This is a cinematic poetry: Douglas contracted his subject matter to the barest essentials – dialogue is kept to a minimum, and field, slag heaps and cobbled streets are shot in bleak monochrome, yet with its unexpected humour and warmth, the Trilogy brims with clear-eyed humanity, and affection for an ultimately triumphant young boy.
Starring: Stephen Archibald, Paul Kermack, Jessie Combe
Director: Bill Douglas
IMDb Info
My Ain Folk (1973)
Biography | Drama
Douglas's magnificent, award-winning Trilogy is the product of an assured, formidable artistic vision. These are some of the most compelling films about childhood ever made. Presented here in a High-Definition restoration, the Trilogy follows Jamie (played with heart-breaking conviction by Stephen Archibald) as he grows up in a poverty-stricken mining village in post-war Scotland. This is a cinematic poetry: Douglas contracted his subject matter to the barest essentials – dialogue is kept to a minimum, and field, slag heaps and cobbled streets are shot in bleak monochrome, yet with its unexpected humour and warmth, the Trilogy brims with clear-eyed humanity, and affection for an ultimately triumphant young boy.
Starring: Stephen Archibald, Hughie Restorick, Jean Taylor Smith
Director: Bill Douglas
My Childhood (1972)
Biography | Drama
Douglas's magnificent, award-winning Trilogy is the product of an assured, formidable artistic vision. These are some of the most compelling films about childhood ever made. Presented here in a High-Definition restoration, the Trilogy follows Jamie (played with heart-breaking conviction by Stephen Archibald) as he grows up in a poverty-stricken mining village in post-war Scotland. This is a cinematic poetry: Douglas contracted his subject matter to the barest essentials – dialogue is kept to a minimum, and field, slag heaps and cobbled streets are shot in bleak monochrome, yet with its unexpected humour and warmth, the Trilogy brims with clear-eyed humanity, and affection for an ultimately triumphant young boy.
Starring: Stephen Archibald, Hughie Restorick, Jean Taylor Smith
Director: Bill Douglas
IMDb Info
L'ennemi public n°1 / Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 / Mesrine: Part 2 – Public Enemy #1 (2008)
Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller
Second installment of the two-part film based on the true story of France's infamous public enemy during the 70s, Jacques Mesrine. He lead a life of bank robberies and high-profile kidnappings, escaped from prison twice, and was said to have killed at least 39 people.
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Mathieu Amalric, Gérard Lanvin, Samuel Le Bihan
Director: Jean-François Richet
IMDb Info
L'instinct de mort / Mesrine: Killer Instinct / Mesrine: Part 1 – Killer Instinct (2008)
Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller
Mesrine: Killer Instinct introduces us to Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel), a loyal son and dedicated soldier back home and living with his parents after serving in the Algerian War. Soon he is seduced by the neon glamour of sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido (Gerald Depardieu) Mesrine turns his back on middle class law-abiding and soon moves swiftly up the criminal ladder. After pulling off an audacious heist he and his lover Jeanne (Cecile de France) flee to Canada where the opportunity of one big payout lures him out of hiding and propels his towards international notoriety.
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Cécile De France, Gérard Depardieu, Roy Dupuis, Gilles Lelouche
Director: Jean-François Richet
Vysotsky: Thank God I'm Alive / Vysotskiy. Spasibo, chto zhivoy (2011)
Biography | Drama
Russian poet, singer and actor Vladimir Vysotsky was an idol of the 1970s and '80s. In 1980, at the age of 42, he passed away during the Moscow Olympic Games. This is the story of his last great love as handed down to his son from a family friend.
Starring: Sergey Bezrukov, Oksana Akinshina, Andrey Smolyakov, Ivan Urgant, Maksim Leonidov
Director: Pyotr Buslov
Marley (2012)
Biography | Documentary | Music
A documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley.
Starring: Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Rita Marley, Cedella Marley
Director: Kevin Macdonald
The Straight Story (1999)
Adventure | Biography | Drama
Tells the true story of 73-year-old Alvin Straight who went from Laurens, Iowa, to Mt. Zion, Wis., in 1994 while riding a lawn mower (as his driver's license had been revoked) The man undertook his strange journey to mend his relationship with his ill, estranged, 75-year-old brother Lyle.
Starring: Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Jane Galloway Heitz, Dan Flannery, Everett McGill
Director: David Lynch
IMDb Info
We Children from Bahnhof Zoo / Christiane F. / Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (1981)
Biography | Drama
This movie portrays the drug scene in Berlin in the 70s, following tape recordings of Christiane F. 14 years old Christiane lives with her mother and little sister in a typical multi-storey apartment building in Berlin. She's fascinated by the 'Sound', a new disco with most modern equipment. Although she's legally too young, she asks a friend to take her. There she meets Detlef, who's in a clique where everybody's on drugs. Step by step she gets drawn deeper into the scene.
Starring: Natja Brunckhorst, Thomas Haustein, Jens Kuphal, Rainer Woelk, David Bowie
Director: Uli Edel
Che: Part Two / Guerrilla (2008)
Biography | Drama | History | War
In 1965, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara resigns from his Cuban government posts to secretly make his latest attempt to spread the revolution in Bolivia. After arriving in La Paz, Bolivia late in 1966, by 1967, Che with several Cuban volunteers, have raised a small guerrilla army to take on the militarist Bolivian movement. However, Che must face grim realities about his few troops and supplies, his failing health, and a local population who largely does not share his idealistic aspirations. As the US supported Bolivian army prepares to defeat him, Che and his beleaguered force struggle against the increasingly hopeless odds.
Starring: Demián Bichir, Rodrigo Santoro, Benicio Del Toro, Catalina Sandino Moreno
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Che: Part One / The Argentine (2008)
Biography | Drama | History | War
The Argentine, begins as Che and a band of Cuban exiles (led by Fidel Castro) reach the Cuban shore from Mexico in 1956. Within two years, they mobilized popular support and an army and toppled the U.S.-friendly regime of dictator Fulgencio Batista.
Starring: Julia Ormond, Benicio Del Toro, Oscar Isaac, Rodrigo Santoro
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)
Biography | Comedy | Drama | History | Romance
A dashing officer of the guard and romantic poet, Cyrano de Bergerac falls in love with his cousin Roxane without her knowing. His one fault in his life, he feels, is his large nose and although it may have been a forming influence in his rapier-sharp wit, he believes that Roxane will reject him. He resorts to writing letters to her on behalf of one of his cadets, Christian, who is also in love with Roxane but just doesn't know how to tell her. She falls for the poetic charm of the letters but believes that they were written by Christian.
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Anne Brochet, Vincent Perez, Roland Bertin
Director: Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island / Miyamoto Musashi kanketsuhen: kettô Ganryûjima (1956)
Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History
A humble and simple Takezo abandons his life as a knight errant. He's sought as a teacher and vassal by Shogun, Japan's most powerful clan leader. He's also challenged to fight by the supremely confident and skillful Sasaki Kojiro. Takezo agrees to fight Kojiro in a year's time but rejects Shogun's patronage, choosing instead to live on the edge of a village, raising vegetables. He's followed there by Otsu and later by Akemi, both in love with him. The year ends as Takezo assists the villagers against a band of brigands. He seeks Otsu's forgiveness and accepts her love, then sets off across the water to Ganryu Island for his final contest.
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada, Koji Tsuruta, Kaoru Yachigusa, Daisuke Katô
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki
IMDb Info
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple / Zoku Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijôji no kettô (1955)
Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History
After years on the road establishing his reputation as Japan's greatest fencer, Takezo returns to Kyoto. Otsu waits for him, yet he has come not for her but to challenge the leader of the region's finest school of fencing. To prove his valor and skill, he walks deliberately into ambushes set up by the school's followers. While Otsu waits, Akemi also seeks him, expressing her desires directly. Meanwhile, Takezo is observed by Sasaki Kojiro, a brilliant young fighter, confident he can dethrone Takezo. After leaving Kyoto in triumph, Takezo declares his love for Otsu, but in a way that dishonors her and shames him. Once again, he leaves alone.
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada, Koji Tsuruta, Kaoru Yachigusa, Akihiko Hirata
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki
Lion of the Desert (1981)
Biography | Drama | War
This movie tells the story of Omar Mukhtar, an Arab Muslim rebel who fought against the Italian conquest of Libya in WWI. It gives western viewers a glimpse into this little-known region and chapter of history, and exposes the savage means by which the conquering army attempted to subdue the natives.
Starring: Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, Rod Steiger
Director: Moustapha Akkad
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto / Miyamoto Musashi (1954)
Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History
With his closest friend, Matahachi, Takezo (the town's wild, orphan kid) leaves his village to join an army on its way to battle. After their side loses, they seek shelter in the isolated home of a widow, Oko, and her daughter, Akemi. Oko seduces Matahachi, who forgets his betrothal to the virtuous Otsu. Oko, Matahachi, and Akemi go to Kyoto, but Takezo returns to the village. Matahachi's family rejects Takezo's report and has him arrested for treason. A monk rescues him from death and sentences him to the study of the samurai code. Otsu and Takezo fall in love, and she promises to wait for him when he sets off on the road as a knight errant.
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada, Rentarô Mikuni, Kaoru Yachigusa, Akihiko Hirata
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki
