Watch Online Hollywood Documentary Movie Mine Download Free Trailer Review Photos Cast Crew

Mine Hollywood Documentary Movie 2010

Cast and Crew

Director: Geralyn Pezanoski
Producer: Erin Essenmacher
Language: English
USA : 2009
Running Time: 81 Minutes
Genre: Documentary
Winner : Audience Award for Best Documentary
Available to the public: May 2010

The best movie I saw during the week-long Weekly

Synopsis

Hailed as "absorbing," "a must see," "Oscar material" and "the best movie at SXSW," MINE is a documentary about the essential bond between humans and animals, set against the backdrop of one of the worst natural disasters in modern U.S. history: Hurricane Katrina. This gripping, character-driven story follows New Orleans residents as they attempt the daunting task of trying to reunite with their pets who have been adopted by families all over the country, and chronicles the custody battles that arise when two families love the same pet. Who determines the fate of the animals—and the people—involved? A compelling meditation on race, class and the power of compassion, MINE examines how we treat animals as an extension of how we view and treat each other.

Movie Story:

MINE is the powerful story about the essential bond between humans and animals told against the backdrop of one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. MINE explores how tragedy intensifies that bond and is told from the perspective of original guardians, rescuers, and adoptive parents of the voiceless victims of Katrina. These individuals are all connected by two things, the tragic aftermath of Katrina and their love of animals. In response to an unprecedented crisis, thousands of pets needed to be transported around the country and adopted even when their displaced guardians still desperately wanted them. Meanwhile, many adoptive guardians have forged strong bonds with their new pets, nurturing them back to health from the traumas they suffered during and after the storm. When two families love the same pet, conflicts inevitably arise over who is the rightful "owner" and what is right for the animal. At the center of this tension are pets who are loved like family, but by law are considered property. This begs the question, who is looking out for the best interest of the animals? Set in a post-Katrina landscape of poverty, loss and moral uncertainty, MINE presents the complexity of an intensely emotional situation that has no simple answers. A tragedy of this scale reveals the worst and brings out the best in humankind and presents an opportunity for us to bring about meaningful social change. MINE is a compelling, character-driven story that challenges us see the way we treat animals in our society as a reflection of how we treat ourselves - and each other.

Film Movements

Film Movement has announced a theatrical day-and-date iTunes movie release with Geralyn Pezanoski’s doc “MINE.” The film will be released in theaters nationwide kicking off with its San Francisco theatrical premiere concurrent with its iTunes premiere on January 8th, 2010. MINE’s San Francisco theatrical release will be followed by New York and New Orleans runs with a national 20 US city release to follow. MINE is available for pre-order at the iTunes store now.



“It has always been important to Film Movement to bring the very best in independent and art-house film to as wide an audience as possible, without being held prisoner by traditional distribution windows,” said Film Movement’s President Adley Gartenstein in a statement. “We are very proud to announce this theatrical day-and-date iTunes movie release and are confident that it will open the door to a successful new arena of film distribution, enabling a wider audience.”

Movie Reviews: Coming Soon

Watch Online Hollywood Family Comedy Movie The Paranoids Download Free Trailer Review Photos Cast Crew

The Paranoids Hollywood Comedy Movie 2010

Cast And Crew

Cast ::Daniel Hendler, Jazmín Stuart,
Walter Jakob, Martin Feldman, Miguel Dedovich
Director :Gabriel Medina
Distributor : Oscilloscope
Genres : Comedy
Opens: 01/08/2010
Runtime :104 min.

The Paranoids Film Synopsis:

A loser with a successful friend discovers his luck might change as long as he doesn't mind betraying his buddy in this edgy comedy from Argentina. Luciano (Daniel Hendler) is a neurotic and accident-prone children's entertainer who is struggling to launch a career as a screenwriter
when he's not fretting about his health. After Luciano accidentally puts his performing partner Sherman (Martin Feldman) in the hospital, he's unable to do shows for a few weeks and is wondering what to do when his old friend Manuel (Walter Jakob) returns to Buenos Aires for a visit. Manuel is the star of a popular television show in Spain, and he's dating a beautiful woman, Sophia (Jazmin Stuart), who comes along for the ride. Manuel helps Luciano land a writing assignment, but it's uncomfortably obvious he's only helping his pal out of a sense of obligation and doesn't believe in his talent. As Luciano struggles to meet his deadline, Manuel is called away on business for a few days, and Sophia, a stranger in town, spends some time with Luciano while her boyfriend is away. Sophia finds Luciano's eccentricities endearing rather than annoying, and he soon realizes he has the opportunity to steal his friend's lover away. Los Paranoicos (aka The Paranoids) was an official entry at the 2008 Buenos Aires Film Festival.

Plot Summary :

Luciano works in birthday parties and writes his first feature when friend Manuel returns from Spain to repeat his TV show, "The Paranoids", together with his girl Sofia. Manuel is everything he is not and his trying to be helpful in his career and with women, only worsens the conflict.

Story Of The Film The Paranoids:

A loser with a successful friend discovers his luck might change as long as he doesn't mind betraying his buddy in this edgy comedy from Argentina. Luciano (Daniel Hendler) is a neurotic and accident-prone children's entertainer who is struggling to launch a career as a screenwriter when he's not fretting about his health. After Luciano accidentally puts his performing partner, Sherman (Martin Feldman), in the hospital, he's unable to do shows for a few weeks and is wondering what to do when his old friend Manuel (Walter Jakob) returns to Buenos Aires for a visit. Manuel is the star of a popular television show in Spain, and he's dating a beautiful woman, Sophia (Jazmin Stuart), who comes along for the ride. Manuel helps Luciano land a writing assignment, but it's uncomfortably obvious he's only helping his pal out of a sense of obligation and doesn't believe in his talent. As Luciano struggles to meet his deadline, Manuel is called away on business for a few days, and Sophia, a stranger in town, spends some time with Luciano while her boyfriend is away. Sophia finds Luciano's eccentricities endearing rather than annoying, and he soon realizes he has the opportunity to steal his friend's lover away. Los Paranoicos (aka The Paranoids) was an official entry at the 2008 Buenos Aires Film Festival.



Reviews: Coming Soon

Watch Online Italian Family Comedy Movie Io e Marilyn Download Free Trailer Review Photos Cast Crew

Io e Marilyn Italian Comedy Movie 2010

Cast And Crew

Cast: Massimo Ceccherini, Francesco Guccini, Biagio Izzo,
Suzie Kennedy, Luca Laurenti, Francesco Pannofino,
Rocco Papaleo, Leonardo Pieraccioni
Director : Leonardo Pieraccioni
Script: Leonardo Pieraccioni, Giovanni Veronesi
Camera: Mark Melville
Production: Alessandro Calosci
Distributor: MFD Morandini Film Distribution Sagl
Producer: Levante Film
Release date: 07.01.2010 (German part)
Country: :Italy
Language: Italian
Runtime: 96 min
Genre: Comedy

Io e Marilyn Italian film PLOT :

Ci si potrebbe innamorare di Marilyn Monroe se la bella attrice si presentasse sotto forma di un fantasma? E' quello che accade nell'ultima fatica


di Leonardo Pieraccioni, che torna con un film diNatale scoppiettante e pieno di sorprese. Watch online Movie Trailer free Io e Marilyn Italian film.The film Directed by Leonardo Pieraccioni .

Io e Marilyn Reviews:

Se nel 1972 Woody Allen si faceva aiutare da Humphrey Bogart in Provaci ancora, Sam, nel 2009 Leonardo Pieraccioni si fa aiutare dal fantasma di Marilyn Monroe a riconquistare l’ex moglie. Ma questa volta l’idea (non originalissima) del regista toscano si perde un po’ per strada.
Firenze. Durante una seduta spiritica fatta per gioco Gualtiero Marchesi, da poco divorziato dalla moglie Ramona, richiama il fantasma di Marilyn Monroe. Lei, allora, si piazza nella vita dell’uomo e finisce per consigliarlo sul come riconquistare Ramona che nel frattempo si è legata a Pasquale, un “magnetico” lanciatore di coltelli. Non tutti i consigli della “old star” però, si riveleranno efficaci…
Gradevole commedia romantica che potrebbe dare del filo da torcere ai consueti cinepanettoni annuali. Quest’anno Pieraccioni appare più malinconico del solito e, forse, è proprio la natura dolce amara della pellicola a convincere maggiormente. Il regista toscano non rinuncia alla cifra stilistica fatta specialmente di divagazioni all’acqua di rose sulla vita e sull'amore, ma realizza al contempo un film che fila via leggero leggero, delicato, quasi impalpabile. Io e Marilyn strappa via così più di un sorriso ed è merito anche del cast: da Biagio Izzo a Rocco Papaleo, da Francesco Pannofino a Luca Laurenti, fino a Francesco Guccini, tutti affiatati a mai invasivi. La scena dello spettacolo è lasciata tutta al capocomico che fa largo uso delle proprie capacità istrioniche. Spassosa, a riguardo, la guerra dei dialetti con Biagio Izzo.
Tirando le somme. Pieraccioni realizza un film quindi certamente modesto, ma migliore delle ultime sue pellicole perché più ironico e surreale. Peccato che non sia riuscito a sfruttare fino in fondo l’idea originale.



La Marilyn di Pieraccioni infatti, a differenza del Bogart di Allen, non darà nessun vero consiglio risolutore al protagonista, e invece di essere "musa ispiratrice" finisce per perdersi nell’identità di un mero meccanismo comico.

Watch Online Hollywood Family Comedy Movie The Tooth Fairy Download Free Trailer Review Photos Cast Crew

The Tooth Fairy Hollywood Family Comedy movie 2010
Cast And Crew

Cast : Julie Andrews,Ashley Judd,Billy Crystal,
Stephen Merchant,Ryan Sheckler,Dwayne Johnson
Director : Michael Lembeck
Producers : Gordon Gray, Jason Blum, Mark Ciardi
Screenwriters: Babaloo Mandel,Jeff Ventimilia,
Josh Sternin,Lowell Ganz,Randi Mayem Singer
Year: 2010
Runtime:98min
Country: USA
MPAA Rating:Category: Feature
Produced by: Blumhouse,Mayhem Pictures
Release: January 22, 2010 (USA)
Distributeby: 20th Century Fox

Synopsis :

20th Century Fox presents this family comedy following a star hockey player's (Dwayne Johnson) temporary transformation into a full-fledged tooth fairy as penalty for discouraging a young fan. Director Michael Lembeck (The Santa Clause 2 and 3) helms the family comedy, based on a screenplay by veteran comedic writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, with additional writing provided by Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia. Ashley Judd and Julie Andrews co-star in the Blumhouse and Mayhem Pictures production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
Dwayne Johnson is 'The Tooth Fairy,' also known as Derek Thompson, a hard-charging minor league hockey player whose nickname comes from his habit of separating opposing players from their bicuspids. When Derek discourages a youngster's hopes, he's sentenced to one week's hard labor as a real tooth fairy, complete with the requisite tutu, wings and magic wand. At first, Derek "can't handle the tooth" - bumbling and stumbling as he tries to furtively wing his way through strangers' homes...doing what tooth fairies do. But as Derek slowly adapts to his new position, he begins to rediscover his own forgotten dreams.


Starring The Rock are pretty low on my to-do lists, there is one thing and one thing only that I care about in The Tooth Fairy: Julie Andrews. Playing the head Tooth Fairy, Mary Poppins/Maria is bound to make the movie watchable pretty much no matter what happens. And given that this is a movie about a hockey player assigned to be the Tooth Fairy for a week, that's a tall order. We have a brand new exclusive clip from Dwayne Johnson's brand new film Tooth Fairy.which will be released in theaters everywhere on January 22. We also have a brand new exclusive photo to show you as well. You can click on our exclusive clip below to watch this new video, which features Dwayne Johnson and Billy Crystal, or you can click on the new image to access our photo gallery from the film. Make sure you check below the clip and photo as well, though, as we have some information on a brand new application that makes web browsing even more interesting than before.

Clips On Movie Tooth Fairy:

Twentieth Century Fox and the Tooth Fairy are providing movie fans and web-surfers the ultimate post-holiday gift: magic powers on the internet. Thanks to the Tooth Fairy's Amazing Magic Tools, available now at Toothfairy-movie.com you can take the magic to your favorite internet and social networking destinations.
The essential tricks of the tooth fairy trade can be "injected" into your favorite websites. Erase a pesky photo, blog, talkback...anything...via the Invisible Spray - or cut it down to size via the wondrous Shrinking Paste. Want to show everyone who's boss, or maybe vent during your stressful day? Then, employ the Hockey Slam and enjoy some slam-bang action on your monitor. Not a cat person? Then, shoo off Kitty (a top T. F. hazard) with the Cat Away clarion.
Then, follow all the action via the key social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter, through the release of Tooth Fairy in theaters everywhere January 22. Dwayne Johnson is the Tooth Fairy also known as Derek Thompson, a hard-charging hockey player whose nickname comes from his habit of separating opposing players from their bicuspids. When Derek discourages a youngster's dreams, he's sentenced to one week's hard labor as a real tooth fairy, complete with the requisite wings and magic wand. At first, Derek "can't handle the tooth" - bumbling and stumbling as he tries to furtively wing his way through strangers' homes...doing what tooth fairies do. But as Derek slowly adapts to his new position, he begins to rediscover his own forgotten dreams.



Tooth Fairy stars Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Julie Andrews, Chase Ellison, Billy Crystal and will be released in theaters everywhere on January 22.

Watch Online Hollywood Horror Thriller Movie LET THE RIGHT ONE IN Download Free Trailer Review Photos Cast Crew

Let the Right One In Hollywood Swedish Horror Thriller Movie (2010)

Cast And Crew

Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Richard Jenkins,
Cara Buono, Sasha Barrese, Elias Koteas
Director :Matt Reeves
Production::Nigel Sinclair, John Ptak ,Guy East,
Philip Elway, Simon Oakes, Tobin Armbrust
Writer: Matt Reeves
Theatrical Release: 1/15/2010
Genre: Horror, SciFi/Fantasy,Suspense/Thriller
Distributor: Overture Films

Plot Summary of The Flim:

Let Me In, the American remake of the Swedish vampire flick Let the Right One In, began production in November and is set to finish sometime this month, meaning that the original release date of January 15, 2010 would inevitably be pushed back. The movie's newest release date was just announced on its American remake of Let The Right One In earlier in the week and today we are treated to a new posterSpecial thanks to HorrorBid member 'Brandywine' for sending this to us. We are unsure if this is an official poster or fan made, either way it has us excited to see if this film can live up to the original....

Movie News:

This lucid Swedish indie gem, adapted for the screen by John Ajvide Lindqvist from his novel and directed with imagination and restraint by Tomas Alfredson, releases the vampire movie from overwrought conventions like close-ups on trembling bosoms and bloody fangs, offering instead a coolly balanced and utterly compelling examination of alienation and love. Let the Right One In follows the burgeoning relationship between Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), a pale 12-year-old tormented by bullies and ignored by adults, and his new neighbor, Eli (Lina Leandersson), who is “more or less” 12 years old and, though less pale, a vampire (albeit one who needs her “father” to bring her blood). Eli enters the friendship reluctantly, but it becomes apparent that each offers what the other lacks—Oskar gets strength to face down the bullies, while she gains acceptance, love, and maybe a new blood supplier. Set in a wintry Stockholm suburb, the film is lit like a Renaissance painting. In addition, the audacious sound design—the silence of snow broken by faint sounds of a child breathing or eyelashes fluttering; the dense, vividly impressionistic noises of the vampire feeding—and wise performances from Hedebrant and (especially) Leandersson infuse the film with a low-key naturalism that allows for maximum believability. Right One returns to the archetype of the immortal its poetic cohesiveness and the power of myth

Swedish Horror Flim Reviews:

Even after the dust settled I still think the Swedish horror film, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, is one of the best vampire movies to date. To be honest I did make a scowl the first time I read about an American remake titled LET ME IN. Hollywood forces other cultures to watch our films in subtitles and dubs so why do we have to remake already fantastic movies? sorry about the German slip up. I fully meant to type swedish, but had been looking up German horror films at the same time...thanks for the call out on that one.
the genital shot didnt shock me at all. It played its part in the movie. There is no way that was the actual girl body anyway...so no biggie to me...
i just cannot say enough about this film......outstanding in pretty much every way...
this film was supposed to be sent in for running in the best foreign film division...but.....here is the kicker. The country the film is from has to nominate it and send it in...and Sweden refused to do it.......because it was a horror film and dealt with children....
Please do yourself a favor and DON'T read beyond this until you see the film. Set in 1982 Sweden, a vampire named Eli moves in next door to Oskar (a bullied 12 year old). Oskar begins to fall in love with the bizzar Eli and even though he slowly begins to realize who or what she is . . . he's too far in to turn back.
That climactic scene at the pool . . . boy was that done well. This movie does have blood and violence but you hardly see the actually attacks and you hardly see the money shot of gore . . .which actually make it THAT much better. It leaves it up to your imagination. The cinematography is really good and the use music and absence of music in key scenes compliments the film that much more. We watch this film through Oskar's eyes and you kind of perceive the adults in this film through a child's eyes . . . very unique script.
The only thing I honestly didn't like (beside that shot mentioned in the post above) was the cgi cats . . . there were a few shots I didn't think looked real and kind of took me out of the story for a sec but these can be EASILY over looked. It was more of a split second annoyance than anything else. I didn't hurt the film in my eyes.
I have to say that what completely went over my head was Eli's relationship with the older man during the first part of the film. At first I couldn't figure out why he was helping Eli and murdering for her, perhaps he was her father? It wasn't until that last resolution scene where Oskar is tapping moris code to Eli on the train that I realized that Oskar would one day become that man. "LET THE RIGHT ONE IN" has a really complicated yet dynamic ending. On the one hand you see Eli as a protagonist and you some how relate to her (even though she's killing people . . .killing so she could live) but then again she is a killer and a vampire so in a sense she's the evil. I think we forget how bad she might be because she's in the form of a 12 year old girl and I think us (the audience) falls in love with her as Oskar does (since we are following him along this journey). We only see what Oskar sees. So we now realize that Oskar has ran away from home to live his life serving Eli helping to keep her alive. Well, we know what happened to the older man helping her in the beginning and you wonder if he met Eli when he was just a boy also . . . . and since we know what Eli did to him . . .. makes me think she could have just seduced Oskar and she'll discard him when he has no further use. The film doesn't just come out and say this, it's all kind of buried under the surface of the child like innocence we are presented.
However, I watched this film last night. I've been looking forward to it for it seems like at least a year. I have to say, I wasn't the least bit disappointed and it actually exceeded my expectation (which were extremely high). Absolutely in my top 3 best Vampire films of all time and definitely in my top horror films.

Watch Online Italian Comedy Movie Natale a Beverly Hills Download Free Trailer Review Photos Cast Crew

Natale a Beverly Hills Italian Comedy Movie 2009

Cast And Crew

Full Cast: Christian De Sica, Michelle Hunziker, Sabrina Ferilli,
Paolo Conticini, Jeanene Fox, Gianmarco Tognazzi, Alessandro Gassman,
Vittorio Emanuele Propizio, Michela Quattrociocche, Amanda Van Annan,
Jo Champa, Tyler Conner, Carlo Corbellini, Leonardo Foti, Chris Gann,
Director: Neri Parenti
Script: Neri Parenti
Camera: Tommy Maddox-Upshaw
Production: Giuseppe Cioccarelli, Nicole Colombie,
Aurelio De Laurentiis, Luigi De Laurentiis Jr., Maurizio Amati, Effie
Distributor: MFD Morandini Film Distribution Sagl
Producer: Filmauro, Fast Lane Productions
Release date: 24.12.2009 (German part) 18.12.2009 (Ticino)

Natale a Beverly Hills Italian Film Plot :

Dopo diciassette anni Cristina incontra


, per un caso fortuito a Los Angeles, Carlo, il mascalzone che l'aveva abbandonata incinta di sette mesi e che oggi, cinquantenne, vive ancora come un gigolo insieme a una donna molto più vecchia di lui. Cristina non si lascia sfuggire l'occasione di... Watch online Movie Trailer free Natale a Beverly Hills Italian film.The film Directed by Neri Parenti .
Sabrina Ferilli nasce a Fiano Romano, nei pressi della capitale.




Per completare inizialmente il suo percorso di formazione professionale ha dovuto superare numerosi ostacoli e reticenze. Attiva politicamente sul fronte della sinistra, ha tentato invano di frequentare il Centro Sperimentale di...
Figlio del grande Vittorio De Sica e Maria Marcader, Christian, esordisce nel 1968 in un film di produzione francese dal titolo "'Pauline 1880" di Jean Louis Bertuccelli. Seguono molto presto altre interpretazioni come nel film "Vita di Blaise Pascal" (1969,regia di Roberto Rossellini) e, nel 1976, "Bordella" (regia di Pupi Avati). Dopo l'esperienza con Salvatore Samperi nel film "Liquirizia", nel 1979 vince il 'David di Donatello' come attore rivelazione in



"Giovannino", di Paolo Muzi. Con il cognato Carlo Verdone gira nel 1982 "Borotalco" e, sei anni più tardi,

Watch Online Hollywood Biography Drama Movie The Last Station Download Free Trailer Review Photos Cast Crew

The Last Station Hollywood Movie 2010

Cast and Crew

Cast: James McAvoy ,Christopher Plummer ,Paul Giamatti, Helen Mirren
Director: Michael Hoffman
Producer: Bonnie Arnold, Chris Curling, Jens Meurer
Music Director: Sergei Yevtushenko
Release Date: 15 Jan 2010
Genre: Biography Drama
Language: English
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics

The Story:

The Last Station is a German biographical film about Leo Tolstoy, based on a 1990 biographical novel of the same name by Jay Parini. The Countess Sofya (Mirren), wife and muse to Leo Tolstoy (Plummer), uses every trick of seduction on her husband's loyal disciple (McAvoy), whom she believes was the person responsible for Tolstoy signing a new will that leaves his work and property to the Russian people.

Synopsis:

The final year of Russian Socialist writer Leo Tolstoy comes to the screen with Christopher Plummer in the lead role and Helen Mirren portraying his wife, Sofia.


Paul Giamatti, James McAvoy and Anne-Marie Duff co-star in the Warner Bros. production, directed by Michael Hoffman from the novel by Jay Parini.

The Last Station Hollywood Movie Reviews:

Circa 1910, Lev Tolstoy was the most renowned writer and thinker in Russia. The man was so worshipped that he spawned his own political and philosophical movement – Tolstoyanism – that won over scores of fanatically devoted adherents who followed Tolstoy in rejecting notions of private property, condemning sexual intercourse, and embracing what can be described as an idiosyncratic form of communism, with a somewhat creepy religious bent. "I don't believe that Tolstoy is Christ," says one particularly revolting character in The Last Station, a fictionalized chronicle of Tolstoy's last days. "Christ is Christ. But I believe that he is a prophet."
I've read enough Tolstoy to know that the guy was essentially a crackpot. The main problem with The Last Station is that the movie – which wants badly to portray the man as sympathetic – spends most of its running time madly equivocating on this score. Certainly its depiction of his politics does Tolstoy no favors: his worldview appears as illogical and fanatical as it apparently was in real life.



At the urging of his advisors, the man robs his wife of 48 years of the rights to his bestsellers, which he is convinced "belong to the people." When asked why his family shouldn't profit from what is, after all, his work, he says that if peasants had money, they wouldn't spend it on footservants – to which his wife, Countess Sofia Andreevna Tolstoya, reasonably replies that they would probably spend it on liquor.
The movie's solution to this is to suggest that Tolstoy himself – played by an Ian McKellen-esque Christopher Plummer – himself wasn't any sort of True Believer, but rather just a genial, eccentric old codger whose well-intentioned (if admittedly radical) politics were transformed into a cult-like phenomenon by his crazy acolytes, led by one Valentin Chertkov (Paul Giamatti). Indeed, Tolstoy readily tosses away his professed celibacy ("I say a lot of things," he shrugs) to carouse with Sofia Andreevna (Helen Mirren), which includes letting out an enthusiastic "cock-a-doodle-doo." And though he responds with a luddite scoff when one of his friends gifts him a newfangled phonograph, he promptly comes around once the phonograph starts playing some opera he likes.
Indeed, in the eyes of The Last Station, Tolstoy was a sort of harmless proto-hippie, standing for little more than peace and love, man, with a dose of freedom and social justice thrown in for good measure. And whatever the historical merits of that position, it isn't terribly interesting. Why tackle a subject as legendary as Tolstoy if you're just going to turn him into a doddering coot?
Tolstoy actually isn't The Last Station's protagonist; that would be Valentin Bulgakov (James McAvoy), a comically enthusiastic Tolstoyan who arrives at the leader's estate to act as his personal secretary – but really as a spy for Chertkov, who worries about the bad influence exerted by the decidedly non-believing Sofia Andreevna. Instead, Bulgakov finds himself sympathetic to Sofia Andreeva, while still worshipping Tolstoy and "the movement." And he shacks up with a fellow Tolstoyan who has a tendency to flout the strict rules of their colony – like the no-sex rule – 'cuz it's not about rules, don't you know. It's about love.
Bulgakov is too frustratingly non-committal to ground the film, which really has no center. Sofia Andreevna, whom The Last Station wants not just to admire but to lionize, spends a lot of time in full-on hysterics, and while it is sort of magnificent to watch Helen Mirren really swing away at a role, all the screaming soon becomes ridiculous. Aside from Chertkov, who's quickly established as the villain of the piece, the other supporting characters sort of float in and out of the movie aimlessly. There's not a lot to latch onto. The film, frankly, is a bit of a bore.



The Last Station's strong suit is its emphasis on the relative unimportance of abstract causes. Tolstoy, and his wife, and his kids, may have believed – truly, deeply believed – and number of things about social justice, property, religion, et cetera. In the end, these heady ideals didn't much matter. What mattered to Tolstoy were the people to whom he clung and with whom he chose to spend his life. This comes through well in the movie's strong conclusion, but by then it's too little too late. The Last Station appeared to reduce much of the audience here to tears, but at best I could take it or leave it. For the most part, it is frustrating, and disappointingly gutless.