Tag Archives: poverty

Fahrenheit 9/11

IMDB Rating: 7.70
50398 votes

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Storyline
In this film, muckraker Michael Moore turns his eye on George W. Bush and his War on Terrorism agenda. He illustrates his argument about how this failed businessman with deep connections to the royal house of Saud of Saudia Arabia and the Bin Ladins got elected on fraudulent circumstances and proceeded to blunder through his duties while ignoring warnings of the looming betrayal by his foreign partners. When that treachery hits with the 9/11 attacks, Moore explains how Bush failed to take immediate action to defend his nation, only to later cynically manipulate it to serve his wealthy backers' corrupt ambitions. Through facts, footage and interviews, Moore illustrates his contention of how Bush and his cronies have gotten America into worse trouble than ever before and why Americans should not stand for it.
Actors
HimselfMichael Moore
HimselfJeffrey Toobin
Himself - IntervieweeJack Cloonan

All or Nothing

IMDB Rating: 7.50
2497 votes

from $1.99

Storyline
Penny's love for her partner, taxi-driver Phil, has run dry. He is a gentle, philosophical guy, and she works on the checkout at a supermarket. Their daughter Rachel cleans in a home for elderly people, and their son Rory is unemployed and aggressive. The joy has gone out of Phil's and Penny's life, but when an unexpected tragedy occurs, they are brought together to rediscover their love. All or Nothing is set on a London working-class housing estate over a long weekend, and also tells the stories of a range of Phil and Penny's neighbors, some of whom become involved in the family's lives, and all of whom experience an emotional journey.
Actors
PhilTimothy Spall
PennyLesley Manville
RachelAlison Garland

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

Proof of Life

IMDB Rating: 6.10
13690 votes

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Storyline
In a mountainous South American country, drug-dealing rebels kidnap Peter Bowman, a US engineer who works for an oil company's subsidiary. The company calls in a negotiator, Terry Thorne, an Aussie ex-soldier based in London. When the subsidiary goes bankrupt, the oil company washes its hands of the matter and pulls Thorne. Bowman's wife Alice begs him to stay. She and Peter's sister cobble together some money, Thorne talks ransom terms with the cash-strapped rebels, and Peter, chained high in the mountains, is sustained by a photo of Alice. When the politics of the situation change, so must Thorne's strategy. And what can Alice and he do about the attraction growing between them?
Actors
Alice BowmanMeg Ryan
Terry ThorneRussell Crowe
Peter BowmanDavid Morse

Erin Brockovich

IMDB Rating: 7.20
33948 votes

from $1.99

Storyline
Erin Brockovich is an unemployed single mother, desperate to find a job, but is having no luck. This losing streak even extends to a failed lawsuit against a doctor in a car accident she was in. With no alternative, she successfully browbeats her lawyer to give her a job in compensation for the loss. While no one takes her seriously, with her trashy clothes and earthy manners, that soon changes when she begins to investigate a suspicious real estate case involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company. What she discovers is that the company is trying quietly to buy land that was contaminated by hexavalent chromium, a deadly toxic waste that the company is improperly and illegally dumping and, in turn, poisoning the residents in the area. As she digs deeper, Erin finds herself leading point in a series of events that would involve her lawfirm in one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history against a multi-billion dollar corporation.
Actors
Erin BrockovichJulia Roberts
Dr. JaffeDavid Brisbin
RosalindDawn Didawick

Sense and Sensibility

IMDB Rating: 7.60
19692 votes

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Storyline
When Mr. Dashwood dies, he must leave the bulk of his estate to the son by his first marriage, which leaves his second wife and three daughters (Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret) in straitened circumstances. They are taken in by a kindly cousin, but their lack of fortune affects the marriageability of both practical Elinor and romantic Marianne. When Elinor forms an attachment for the wealthy Edward Ferrars, his family disapproves and separates them. And though Mrs. Jennings tries to match the worthy (and rich) Colonel Brandon to her, Marianne finds the dashing and fiery Willoughby more to her taste. Both relationships are sorely tried. But this is a romance, and through the hardships and heartbreak, true love and a happy ending will find their way for both the sister who is all sense and the one who is all sensibility.
Actors
John DashwoodJames Fleet
Mr. DashwoodTom Wilkinson
Fanny Ferrars DashwoodHarriet Walter

Aladdin

IMDB Rating: 7.60
26391 votes

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Storyline
Aladdin is a street-urchin who lives in a large and busy town long ago with his faithful monkey friend Abu. When Princess Jasmine gets tired of being forced to remain in the palace that overlooks the city, she sneaks out to the marketplace, where she accidentally meets Aladdin. Under the orders of the evil Jafar (the sultan's advisor), Aladdin is thrown in jail and becomes caught up in Jafar's plot to rule the land with the aid of a mysterious lamp. Legend has it that only a person who is a "diamond in the rough" can retrieve the lamp from the Cave of Wonders. Aladdin might fight that description, but that's not enough to marry the princess, who must (by law) marry a prince.
Actors
AladdinScott Weinger
GenieRobin Williams
JasmineLinda Larkin

Curly Sue

IMDB Rating: 4.80
2481 votes

from $1.99

Storyline
Bill Dancer and his young companion Curly Sue are the classic homeless folks with hearts of gold. Their scams are aimed not at turning a profit, but at getting enough to eat. When they scam the rich and beautiful Grey Ellison into believing she backed her Mercedes into Bill, they're only hoping for a free meal. But Grey is touched, and over the objections of her snotty fiance, insist on putting the two up for the night. As they get to know each other, Bill becomes convinced that this is where Curly Sue belongs - in a home, cared for by someone that can give her the advantages that his homeless, nomadic existence lacks. He plans to leave the young girl in the care of Grey and take off.... but Curly Sue has other ideas!
Actors
Bill DancerJames Belushi
Grey EllisonKelly Lynch
Curly SueAlisan Porter

Overboard

IMDB Rating: 6.10
6025 votes

from $1.99

Storyline
Joanna Stayton (Hawn) is a rich snotty millionairess and Dean Proffitt (Russell) is a struggling carpenter trying to get by with 4 obnoxious children. After doing a job which Joanna is dissatisfied with, she tosses Dean overboard and refuses to pay him, then Joanna gets amnesia and Dean decides to get back at her by claiming her as his "wife" and mother of his 4 brats.
Actors
Joanna Stayton/Annie ProffittGoldie Hawn
Dean ProffittKurt Russell
Grant Stayton IIIEdward Herrmann

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
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