ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[southendmd]

Michelle Pfeiffer played Elvira Hancock.

Plot:  In 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug empire while succumbing to greed.

[Fran]

Maggie Gyllenhaal played Elaine in "Trust the Man."

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SGXGki_rSU[/youtube]

Trailer (2:23)

[memento]

Robert Redford was executive producer and played himself in this documentary and costarred with Michelle Pfeifer in "Up Close and Personal."



IMDB: This film premiered at Austin's SXSW Film Festival after its initial showing a few months ago at Sundance. The Unforeseen is one of the most cinematically beautiful documentaries to appear in a long time. There are stunning sequences of Barton Springs. One could certainly feel the influence of producers Robert Redford (particularly A River Runs Through It) and Terrence Malick. The nature shots were spectacular. The story that is told is particularly powerful to those who know and love Austin, but the broader conflicts between land development and environmental protection are universal and can be well-understood, although perhaps in a less personal way, by those who have never visited Austin.

[southendmd]

Uma Thurman starred with Gérard Depardieu in this film.

Plot:  In 1671, with war brewing with Holland, a penniless prince invites Louis XIV to three days of festivities at a chateau in Chantilly. The prince wants a commission as a general, so the extravagances are to impress the king. In charge of all is the steward, Vatel, a man of honor, talent, and low birth. The prince is craven in his longing for stature: no task is too menial or dishonorable for him to give Vatel. While Vatel tries to sustain dignity, he finds himself attracted to Anne de Montausier, the king's newest mistress. In Vatel, she finds someone who's authentic, living out his principles within the casual cruelties of court politics. Can the two of them escape unscathed?

[Fran]

Maggie Gyllenhaal played Allison Jimeno, the wife of a trapped Port Authority officer, in this film.

From IMDb:  In the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster, hope is still alive. Refusing to bow down to terrorism, rescuers and family of the victims press forward. Their mission of rescue and recovery is driven by the faith that under each piece of rubble, a co-worker, a friend a family member may be found. This is the true story of John McLoughlin and William J. Jimeno, two of the last survivors extracted from Ground Zero and the rescuers who never gave up. It's a story of the true heroes of that fateful time in the history of the United States when buildings would fall and heroes would rise, literally from the ashes to inspire the entire human race.

[Meryl]

Kim Basinger plays Celeste Martin in this movie.

[memento]

Ellen Burstyn played the role of Shirley Cooperberg in this film and appeared in "The King of Marvin Gardens" with Jack Nicholson who costarred with Kim Basinger in "Batman."


IMDB: This film combines the realistic and the surreal into a delicious, yet quite believable family drama, with just enough sharp humor to satisfy your funny bone. Ellen Burstyn, always fantastic, is smashing as the mother hen of the brood, with very convincing performances by Amanda Plummer as her confused Bohemian daughter, Mary McDonnell as Burstyn's daughter-in-law, and the wonderful Genevieve Bujold as Joselle, the mysterious nun. The film is set in Montreal and nearly all the scenes take place either in a hospital room as the Cooperberg family awaits results from the patriarch's surgery, or in visits to the family's various therapists. A fabulous psychological comedy and superb performances by all.

[southendmd]

Le Zebre starred Thierry Lhermitte, who was in Le divorce with Glenn Close, who starred with Michelle Pfeiffer in Les lliaisons dangereuses.

Plot:  Can one ensure immortal love? Hippolyte, an eccentric notary, sees his marriage to Camille as his one great success. He also believes that love doesn't last, and this flummoxes him as they approach their 15th anniversary. To test her love for him, he promotes her seduction by an anonymous stranger, behaves badly to guests, makes love clumsily, sleeps in the guest room. All this breaks her spirit, and she asks him to move. It's devastating to Hippolyte, Camille, and their two sweet children, but he persists; he can't seem to shake this humour. Then, they reconcile and depart on a second honeymoon. Is this a renewal of domestic bliss or a an interlude in Hippolyte's mad design?

[southendmd]

The Money Round!

Films about money, winning it, losing it, stealing it, laundering it, what have you...

[Fran]

From Wikipedia: 

A genius of criminal finance, Anthony Zimmer is wanted by police forces all around the world. No one knows what he looks like, but in the race opposing all those who want to nab him, Akerman (Sami Frey), an exceptional cop, is ahead of the others: he knows that Zimmer will risk everything to see Chiara (Sophie Marceau) again.

While the young woman is waiting for the uncatchable crook, she receives a message from him. To mislead all those following him, Zimmer asks her to go up to a stranger and make his enemies believe he is the one they're looking for. Chiara chooses François (Yvan Attal), a rather bland man who, fascinated by the young lady, will quickly fall into a living nightmare.

In between manipulations and shams, everyone will discover that beyond the appearances, they are only the pieces of a chess game which is being played while awaiting the master's arrival....