The Company You Keep

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(2012)

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Director: Robert Redford

Writers: Lem Dobbs, Neil Gordon

Producers: Nicolas Chartier, Craig J. Flores, Bill Holderman, Robert Redford, Jonathan Shore, Shawn Williamson

Synopsis: A wanted man and former member of the revolutionary militant group the Weather Underground goes on the run after a journalist discovers his identity. -- (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Robert Redford
• Shia LaBeouf
• Brit Marling
• Stanley Tucci
• Nick Nolte
• Julie Christie
• Susan Sarandon
• Chris Cooper
• Terrence Howard
• Richard Jenkins
• Anna Kendrick
• Brendan Gleeson

IMDb - The Company You Keep

Maid in Manhattan

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(2002)

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: Wayne Wang

Writers: John Hughes, Kevin Wade

Producers: Richard Baratta, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina, Charles Newirth, Paul Schiff, Deborah Schindler

Synopsis: Marisa Ventura is a single mother born and bred in the boroughs of New York City, who works as a maid in a first-class Manhattan hotel. By a twist of fate and mistaken identity, Marisa meets Christopher Marshall, a handsome heir to a political dynasty, who believes that she is a guest at the hotel. Fate steps in and throws the unlikely pair together for one night. When Marisa's true identity is revealed, the two find that they are worlds apart, even though the distance separating them is just a subway ride between Manhattan and the Bronx. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Jennifer Lopez
• Ralph Fiennes
• Natasha Richardson
• Stanley Tucci
• Tyler Posey

IMDb - Maid in Manhattan

Margin Call

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(2011)

Genre: Drama

Director: J.C. Chandor

Writer: J.C. Chandor

Producers: Sean Akers, Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Joshua Blum, Mishka Brown, Michael Corso, Kirk D'Amico, Neal Dodson, Cassian Elwes, Rose Ganguzza, Anna Gerb, Anthony Gudas, Daniel Hendler, Joe Jenckes, Lawrence M. Kopeikin, Susan Leber, Randy Manis, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto, Laura Rister

Nominee

Synopsis: Set in the high-stakes world of the financial industry, Margin Call is an entangling thriller involving the key players at an investment firm during one perilous 24-hour period in the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis. When an entry-level analyst unlocks information that could prove to be the downfall of the firm, a roller-coaster ride ensues as decisions both financial and moral catapult the lives of all involved to the brink of disaster. Writer/director J.C. Chandor's enthralling first feature is a stark and bravely authentic portrayal of the financial industry and its denizens as they confront the decisions that shape our global future. -- (Written by Roadside Attractions)

Cast:

• Kevin Spacey
• Paul Bettany
• Jeremy Irons
• Zachary Quinto
• Penn Badgley
• Simon Baker
• Demi Moore
• Stanley Tucci
• Aasif Mandvi
• Mary McDonnell

IMDb - Margin Call

The Hunger Games

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(2012)

Genre: Action/Drama/Sci-Fi

Director: Gary Ross

Writers: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, Billy Ray

Producers: Diana Alvarez, Robin Bissell, Suzanne Collins, Chantal Feghali, Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik, Aldric La'auli Porter, Louise Rosner, Bryan Unkeless

Synopsis: Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. -- (Written by Lionsgate)

Cast:

• Jennifer Lawrence
• Josh Hutcherson
• Liam Hemsworth
• Stanley Tucci
• Wes Bentley
• Elizabeth Banks
• Woody Harrelson
• Lenny Kravitz
• Donald Sutherland

IMDb - The Hunger Games

Julie & Julia (jhunterfilmreview)

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(2009)

Genre: Biography/Drama/Comedy

Director: Nora Ephron

Writer: Nora Ephron, Julie Powell, Julia Child, Alex Prud'homme

Synopsis: Julia Child and Julie Powell - both of whom wrote memoirs - find their lives intertwined. Though separated by time and space, both women are at loose ends... until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible. (Written by Columbia Pictures)

Cast:

• Meryl Streep
• Amy Adams
• Stanley Tucci
• Jane Lynch

 

IMDb - Julie & Julia

jhunterfilmreview: Julie & Julia is based on Julie Powell's Blog which was later published as the novel Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, as well as Julia Child's novel My Life in France. After watching the film for a second time, I really came to appreciate almost every aspect of it - the acting especially. I'm going to start with Meryl Streep - I think she's absolutely superb as Julia Child, however, looking through several Julia Child YouTube videos and comparing the voices, it can be seen that Streep exaggerates the character slightly. I sense that the exaggeration of Child's fluting voice could be rather annoying for some viewers, but for myself and others, it does quite the opposite - it is quite amusing and brings out a few laughs. Adams' performance is also quite good, but certainly not award-worthy. Streep and Adams are book-ended by two excellent supporting roles by Tucci and Messina, who really compliment these iconic female characters. What I also like, is the way the film uses original quotes from Child's television shows and Powell's original blog, to ensure that the characters are portrayed true to their form. Something in this film that was really entertaining for me was seeing the depiction of Child's life in Paris, and the hilarious scenes of her working up the ladder of the cooking world.

I give this film 7 stars.

What Just Happened

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 (2008)

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: Barry Levinson

Writer: Art Linson

Synopsis: Two weeks in the life of a fading Hollywood producer who's having a rough time trying to get his new picture made. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Robert De Niro
• Sean Penn
• Catherine Keener
• John Turturro
• Robin Wright
• Stanley Tucci
• Kristin Stewart
• Bruce Willis

IMDb - What Just Happened

Easy A

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(2010)

Genre: Comedy

Director: Will Gluck

Writer: Bert V. Royal

 Nominee

Synopsis: After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne's in "The Scarlet Letter," which she is currently studying in school - until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing. (Written by Sony Pictures)

Cast:

• Emma Stone
• Penn Badgley
• Amanda Bynes
• Patricia Clarkson
• Lisa Kudrow
• Stanley Tucci
• Alyson Michalka

 

IMDb - Easy A