LORENZO'S OIL - 1992
RATING - PG-13 for a child's life threatening ordeal. Some language. Very intense emotionally.
RATED - 57 Amazon (5/5), 189.877 Netflix (3.7/5), 7,755 IMDB (7/10).
STARRING - Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte.
AWARDS - 1993 Academy Award Nominations for BEST ACTRESS (Sarandon) and BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY.
THEMES - Relationships, justice.
STORY - Based on the real life story of the Odones whose son Lorenze began to suffer from a number of neurological symptoms about age five. It was diagnosed as the rare disease ALD with the medical community giving him no hope of a cure and a limited life expectancy. The Odones would not accept the verdict. They were determined, at any cost and against extreme odds, to find a cure. They became self-educated about the disease and the science behind a potential cure. They mortgaged their home, took leave of their jobs and did everything humanly possible, racing against the clock, to save Lorenzo's life. Part heart breaking drama and part medical mystery this is an extremely well written and well acted film. Nolte and Sarandon are outstanding. It is also a fascinating look behind the scenes as to how medical research is done and how decisions are made as to which projects get priorities. How would we react in a similar situation? Are there areas, perhaps not always life and death, where we have just accepted the 'professional' diagnosis and settled for something less than what could have been. This is an inspiration not to take 'no' for an answer when our instincts tell us otherwise. This is an extremely well done film well worth watching. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 12-05-2010,
LINKS - AMAZON, NETFLIX, IMDB/TRAILER
Sunday, December 5, 2010
THE STONING OF SORAYA M.
THE STONING OF SORAYA M. - 2008
RATED - R for a disturbing sequence of cruel and brutal violence, and brief strong language. The scene is very bloody and brutal.
RATINGS - 65 Amazon (4.5/5), 197,128 Netflix (4.2/5), 3,223 IMDB (8/10).
STARRING - Academy Award Nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo and Jim Caviezel.
AWARDS - 4 WINS & 4 NOMINATIONS including Los Angeles Film Festival AUDIENCE AWARD for BEST FEATURE.
STORY - Based on a true story in 1986 about a French-Iranian journalist (Caviezel) whose car broke down while passing through a remote Iranian village. At the risk of her own life, the aunt of Soraya M. made contact with the journalist to tell the story of her niece in hopes that it would make it to the outside world. It reveals a dark side of Islamic culture and the deep prejudice against women and the double standard they allow for men against women. As horrific as this story is, it is too easy to sit in judgment of these people for what they did. This is a difficult film to watch on the order of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST for its brutality to an innocent person. We end up asking the same questions - how could, family, friends and neighbors allow this, let alone take part in this horrific act? Yet, we look at our society and the racial discrimination that produced equally violent acts towards fellow Americans. How is that societies end up dehumanizing certain segments of the human race, whether by gender, race or religious belief? How do ordinary people end up being murderers and incredibly violent? For sure, this is a story about Iran and Islam and their dark sides but if we don't go any further than that we have missed an opportunity to see where perhaps we have our ugly sides. This is a powerful film with an incredible visual impact.
LINKS - AMAZON, NETFLIX, IMDB/TRAILER
RATED - R for a disturbing sequence of cruel and brutal violence, and brief strong language. The scene is very bloody and brutal.
RATINGS - 65 Amazon (4.5/5), 197,128 Netflix (4.2/5), 3,223 IMDB (8/10).
STARRING - Academy Award Nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo and Jim Caviezel.
AWARDS - 4 WINS & 4 NOMINATIONS including Los Angeles Film Festival AUDIENCE AWARD for BEST FEATURE.
STORY - Based on a true story in 1986 about a French-Iranian journalist (Caviezel) whose car broke down while passing through a remote Iranian village. At the risk of her own life, the aunt of Soraya M. made contact with the journalist to tell the story of her niece in hopes that it would make it to the outside world. It reveals a dark side of Islamic culture and the deep prejudice against women and the double standard they allow for men against women. As horrific as this story is, it is too easy to sit in judgment of these people for what they did. This is a difficult film to watch on the order of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST for its brutality to an innocent person. We end up asking the same questions - how could, family, friends and neighbors allow this, let alone take part in this horrific act? Yet, we look at our society and the racial discrimination that produced equally violent acts towards fellow Americans. How is that societies end up dehumanizing certain segments of the human race, whether by gender, race or religious belief? How do ordinary people end up being murderers and incredibly violent? For sure, this is a story about Iran and Islam and their dark sides but if we don't go any further than that we have missed an opportunity to see where perhaps we have our ugly sides. This is a powerful film with an incredible visual impact.
LINKS - AMAZON, NETFLIX, IMDB/TRAILER
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