African-American entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker creates and markets a line of hair care products designed for black women -- and becomes America's first female self-made millionaire. Based on a true story. [ Self Made credits: Octavia Spencer, Tiffany Haddish, Carmen Ejogo/ 191 min/ Biography, Drama, History/ Creator As Hero/ 2020] Available now on Netflix. External … [Read more...]
Balloon | Film News
Two East German families make a daring escape to the West via a homemade hot-air balloon. Based on a true story. [ Balloon credits: Dir: Michael Herbig/ Friedrich Mücke, Karoline Schuch, David Kross/ 125 min/ Action-Adventure, Drama, Family, Foreign, Thriller/ Escape From Socialism/ Germany/ 2020] Now available on Amazon streaming. External Reviews "Balloon revels in … [Read more...]
Mr. Jones | Film News
Gareth Jones, a Welsh journalist, tries to warn the world about communist atrocities -- and dies for it. Based on a true story. [ Mr. Jones credits: Dir: Agnieszka Holland/ James Norton, Vanessa Kirby, Peter Sarsgaard/ 141 min/ Biography, Drama, Thriller/ Free Press As Hero, Democide, Anti-Socialism/ Poland / 2019] External Reviews "The story of Gareth Jones is such a … [Read more...]
Richard Jewell | Film Review
Security guard Richard Jewell saves hundreds of lives from an exploding pipe bomb at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, only to be railroaded as the prime suspect by an incompetent FBI and cynical press. Based on a true story. [ Richard Jewell credits: Dir: Clint Eastwood/ Paul Walter Hauser, Kathy Bates, Sam Rockwell/ 131 min/ Drama/ Incompetent government, Government as bigot, Law … [Read more...]
Pad Man | Film Review
An heroic and independent entrepreneur creates a low-cost sanitary pad for the world’s poor, but must overcome cultural shame associated with menstruation to get his invention accepted. Based on a true story. [ Pad Man credits: Dir: R. Balki/ Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte, Sonam Kapoor/ 140 min/ Biography, Comedy, Drama/ Creator-as-Hero, Individualism/ India/ 2018/ aka Padman … [Read more...]
Lord Jeff | Film Review
An orphan boy is saved from a criminal gang and reformed by a private charity. [ Lord Jeff credits: Dir: Sam Wood/ Freddie Bartholomew, Mickey Rooney, Charles Coburn/ 85 min/ Family, Drama/ Voluntarism/ 1938] No trailer available. Lord Jeff is a delightful, uplifting classic film that also highlights one of the greatest private charities of all time: the “National … [Read more...]
Bitter Harvest | Film Review
A young Ukrainian fights for his freedom, and to survive, as occupying Soviet troops deliberately starve his country into submission during the infamous Holodomor holocaust. [ Bitter Harvest credits: Dir: George Mendeluk/ Max Irons, Samantha Barks, Terence Stamp/ 103 min/ Drama, Romance, History/ Democide, Anti-socialism/ 2017] “The land belongs to the State. You, your … [Read more...]
Kinky Boots | Film Review
When a young man inherits a failing shoe factory, he discovers that the only way to save it is to abandon its traditional product and manufacture…custom boots for transgenders?! Based on a true story. [ Kinky Boots credits: Dir: Julian Jarrold/ Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joel Edgerton, Sarah-Jane Potts/ 107 min/ Comedy, Drama/ Creator-as-hero, Individualism, Social … [Read more...]
The Death of Stalin (2017)
When socialist dictator Joseph Stalin dies unexpectedly, a chaotic power struggle between surviving Soviet officials ensues. [ The Death of Stalin credits: Dir: Armando Iannucci/ Jason Isaacs, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko/ 106 min/ Comedy, Drama/ Anti-socialism/ 2017] External Reviews "This delightfully silly movie is an intelligent, hilarious circus crammed full of … [Read more...]
The Stranger (1946)
A post-WWII war crimes official hunts down a little-known escaped Nazi: the man who secretly planned and managed the Holocaust. [ The Stranger credits: Dir: Orson Welles/ Orson Welles, Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young/ 95 min/ Drama, Thriller/ Democide] What makes Hitler’s extermination of six million Jews “The Holocaust” isn’t just the sheer number murdered, horrifying … [Read more...]