Drama

Is This Thing On?

  • Title: Is This Thing On?
  • IMDb: link

Loosely inspired by the life of British comedian John Bishop, Will Arnett stars as a newly-separated fortysomething who discovers a way to talk through his issues by doing stand-up comedy. At times the film is a little cute for its own good such as how Alex (Arnett) falls into comedy while high, the manner in which his secret is discovered, and the unavoidable kid performances and parties all movies like this seem contracted to contain.

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The Secret Agent

  • Title: The Secret Agent
  • IMDb: link

Set during the two-decade Brazilian military dictatorship, Wagner Moura stars as a former professor in hiding who returns to his home town to reconnect with his son (Enzo Nunes) and father-in-law (Carlos Francisco) and get the help of the local resistance to eventually flee the country. Filmed in location in both Recife and São Paulo, cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova used vintage cameras and equipment to help recreate the look of the 1970s in which the story unfolds.

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Parthenope

  • Title: Parthenope
  • IMDb: link

Writer/director Paolo Sorrentino‘s film examines the life of a young woman (the stunning Celeste Dalla Porta) in Naples, highlighting various moments in her life (some of which sequences work better than others). Jumping forward in bursts, the film begins with Parthenope’s birth, then jumping forward to her flirtateous and incestuous relationship with her brother (Daniele Rienzo) and his best friend (Dario Aita), her years in college, various romantic troubles, a short acting stint, and a return to academia.

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It Was Just an Accident

  • Title: It Was Just an Accident
  • IMDb: link

Featuring a similiar setup to Death and the Maiden, writer/director Jafar Panahi‘s film focuses on a small group of former Iranian political prisoners who believe they have found their man responsible for their torture during their captivity. Filmed in secret without approval from the Iranian government, It Was Just an Accident offers a harsh look at the scars left by an authoritative regime while questioning what justice may be found in revenge.

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Ella McCay

  • Title: Ella McCay
  • IMDb: link

In a world where everyone is neurotic, but only in the cutest possible ways, Emma Mackey stars as Lt. Governor Ella McCay who gets promoted to become Governor when her boss (Albert Brooks) gets tapped for a Federal position. Hardworking and dedicated but lacking the people skills to smooth over her rougher edges, Ella is also dealing with the return of her estranged father (Woody Harrelson), the demands of her idiot of a husband (Jack Lowden), concerns over her sort of agoraphobic younger brother (Spike Fearn), and the tamest sex scandal ever seen in politics.

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