Tag Archives: coming of age

White Oleander

IMDB Rating: 7.00
7632 votes

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 Storyline
Astrid Magnussen is a 15 year old girl, living in California. Her mother, Ingrid, is a beautiful, free-spirited poet. Their life, though unusual, is satisfying until one day, a man named Barry Kolker (that her mother refers to at first as "The goat man") comes into their lives, and Ingrid falls madly in love with him, only to have her heart broken, and her life ruined. For revenge, Ingrid murders Barry with the deadly poison of her favourite flower: The White Oleander. She is sent to prison for life, and Astrid has to go through foster home after foster home. Throughout nearly a decade she experiences forbidden love, religion, near-death experiences, drugs, starvation, and how it feels to be loved. But throughout these years, she keeps in touch with her mother via letters to prison. And while Ingrid's gift is to give Astrid the power to survive, Astrid's gift is to teach her Mother about love.
Actors
Miss MartinezAmy Aquino
ParamedicJohn Billingsley
Girl In FightElisa Bocanegra
Also posted in 2002, Drama, High IMDB rating | Comments (1)

The Count of Monte Cristo

IMDB Rating: 7.40
22633 votes

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 Storyline
'The Count of Monte Cristo' is a remake of the Alexander Dumas tale by the same name. Dantes, a sailor who is falsely accused of treason by his best friend Fernand, who wants Dantes' girlfriend Mercedes for himself. Dantes is imprisoned on the island prison of Chateau d'If for 13 years, where he plots revenge against those who betrayed him. With the help of another prisoner, he escapes the island and proceeds to transform himself into the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo as part of his plan to exact revenge.
Actors
Edmond Dantes/Count of Monte CristoJames Caviezel
Fernand Mondego, Count of MorcerfGuy Pearce
Abbé Faria, Edmond's d'If MentorRichard Harris
Also posted in 2002, Action, Adventure, Drama, High IMDB rating, Thriller | Comments (15)

City of God

IMDB Rating: 8.80
37754 votes

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 Storyline
Cidade de Deus (City of God) is a housing project built in the 1960's that—in the early 80's—became one of the most dangerous places in Rio de Janeiro. The tale tells the stories of many characters whose lives sometimes intersect. However, all is seen through the eyes of a singular narrator: Busca-Pé, a poor black youth too frail and scared to become an outlaw but also to smart to be content with underpaid, menial jobs. He grows up in a very violent environment. The odds are all against him. But Busca-Pé soon discovers that he can see reality differently than others. His redemption is that he's been given an artist's point of view as a keen-eyed photographer. As Busca-Pé is not the real protagonist of the film—only the narrator—he is not the one who makes the decisions that will determine the sequence of events. Nevertheless, not only his life is attached to what happens in the story, but it is also through Busca-Pé's perspective of life that one can understand the complicated layers and humanity of a world, apparently condemned to endless violence.
Actors
Buscapé - RocketAlexandre Rodrigues
Zé Pequeno - Li'l ZéLeandro Firmino
Bené - BennyPhellipe Haagensen
Also posted in 2002, Crime, Drama, High IMDB rating, Thriller | Comments (0)

Hearts in Atlantis

IMDB Rating: 6.70
9800 votes

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 Storyline
This is a gentle, innocent film about the reflections of an aging man (David Morse), who returns to his home town after the death of his best friend. Memories of life at age 11 floods back as it was a magical time that changed his life. Three 11 year old children (Anton Yelchin as Bobby, Mika Boorem as Carol, and Will Rothaar as Sully) share their lives. Carol & Bobby have a special affection for one another including sharing a kiss "by which all others will be measured". Bobby lives with his mother (Hope Davis), a bitter, vain woman who looks for pleasures for herself without sharing much with her son. Into their lives comes a mysterious new boarder (Anthony Hopkins), who befriends the boy but generates distrust from the mother. As time passes, the man and boy share confidences and special powers are revealed. The man warns the boy to be on the lookout for the "lowmen", who were seeking him. The two share a summer's adventures and come to love one another before the inevitable happens. A confrontation with a school bully (Timothy Reifsnyder) also changes everyone.
Actors
Ted BrautiganAnthony Hopkins
Robert 'Bobby' GarfieldAnton Yelchin
Elizabeth 'Liz' GarfieldHope Davis
Also posted in 2001, Drama, High IMDB rating, Mystery | Comments (6)

The Man Without a Face

IMDB Rating: 6.40
5847 votes

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 Storyline
The story of a relationship between a teacher and his troubled pupil. Justin McLeod is a former teacher who lives as a recluse on the edge of town. His face is disfigured from an automobile accident and fire ten years before in which a boy was incinerated and for which he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He is also suspected of being a pedophile. He is befriended by Chuck, causing the town's suspicion and hostility to be ignited. McLeod inculcates in his protege a love of justice and freedom from prejudice which sustains him beyond the end of the film.
Actors
Justin McLeodMel Gibson
Charles E. 'Chuck' NorstadtNick Stahl
Catherine PalinMargaret Whitton
Also posted in 1993, Drama, High IMDB rating | Comments (0)

Young Guns II

IMDB Rating: 5.80
6688 votes

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 Storyline
The movie begins with the aging Brushy Bill Roberts narrating his story to a young historian. His claim? He claims that he is the famous outlaw William H. Bonney, alias Billy the Kid, who was supposedly shot and killed by Patrick Floyd Garrett in 1881. The old man gives a very convincing story on how he and Garrett, along with Arkansas Dave Rudabaugh, Chavez y Chavez, Doc Skurlock, and a few others led the outlaw life and avoided the law, as they were wanted men. Garrett, a friend of Billy's, was paid by John Chisum, a cattle king, to eliminate Billy the Kid. So, Garrett and Ashmun Upson set out on a journey to find Billy the Kid.
Actors
William H. 'Billy the Kid' BonneyEmilio Estevez
Josiah Gordon 'Doc' ScurlockKiefer Sutherland
'Jose' Chavez y ChavezLou Diamond Phillips
Also posted in 1990, Action, Western | Comments (0)

Empire of the Sun

IMDB Rating: 7.50
12089 votes

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 Storyline
An aristocratic British youth is seperated from his family at the start of World War II after the Japanese Army invades British controlled areas of China. Reduced to living on the street and fighting for food, the youth is eventually interned in a Japanese POW camp for British civilians. Here, admiration quickly develops both for captured American pilots and the Japanese themselves. When the war ends, the boy torn from everything he knew attempts to again find his parents.
Actors
Jim 'Jamie' GrahamChristian Bale
BasieJohn Malkovich
Mrs. VictorMiranda Richardson
Also posted in 1987, Drama, High IMDB rating, War | Comments (1)

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

IMDB Rating: 7.70
27548 votes

from $1.99

 Storyline
Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who is barely able to support his family, is fortunate to be chosen as one of the 5 people to go inside the most popular and powerful chocalate factory in the world: The Willy Wonka Chocalate Factory. But a stranger, named Arthur Slugworth, tempts the kids to steal a piece of candy and give it to him. In exchange, he will make them rich. Willy Wonka, played by 'Gene Wilder'(qv), soon introduces them to the factory, and starts the grand tour around the factory. Once inside, the 5 winners start to run amuck. One by one, the 5 kids start to disappear, until it is only Charlie that remains. At this point, Wonka starts to ignore Charlie, and then tells him why: because Charlie and Grandpa Joe, played by 'Jack Albertson' (qv), drank some forbidden product without permission. Will Charlie turn against Wonka? Or will he discover that he was wrong and make up what he has done?
Actors
Willy WonkaGene Wilder
Grandpa JoeJack Albertson
Charlie BucketPeter Ostrum
Also posted in 1971, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, High IMDB rating, Musical | Comments (0)
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