Margin Call

Wednesday, 26 October 2011 17:07 Written by Ruth J. Morrison

Margin Call

Released: October 21, 2011

Stars: Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto

Directed by: J.C. Chandor

Plot: Set in the high-stakes world of the financial industry, MARGIN CALL is a thriller entangling the key players at an investment firm during one perilous 24-hour period in the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis. When entry-level analyst Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) unlocks information that could prove to be the downfall of the firm, a roller-coaster ride ensues as decisions both financial and moral catapult the lives of all involved to the brink of disaster. Expanding the parameters of genre, Margin Call is a riveting examination of the human components of a subject too often relegated to partisan issues of black and white.

Ides of March

Monday, 10 October 2011 14:27 Written by Ruth J. Morrison

Released: October 7, 2011

Stars: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei

Directed by: George Clooney

Plot:  Ryan Gosling stars as Stephen Myers, an idealistic deputy campaign manager for Governor Mike Morris (Clooney) who is in a major political battle in Ohio that could be the key to winning the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. When the opposing candidate's campaign manager (Paul Giamatti) offers Stephen a job on his staff, Stephen neglects to inform his boss (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Just as that omission is revealed, Stephen uncovers a dirty personal secret that could sink Morris' political career.

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Moneyball

Monday, 10 October 2011 14:18 Written by Ruth J. Morrison

Released:  September 23, 2011

Stars: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright Penn, Stephen Bishop

Directed by: Bennett Miller

Plot: Moneyball stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, a one-time phenom who flamed out in the big leagues and now works as the GM for the Oakland Athletics, a franchise that's about to lose their three best players to free agency. Because the team isn't in a financial position to spend as much as perennial favorites like the Yankees and the Red Sox, Beane realizes he needs to radically change how he evaluates what players can bring to the squad. After he meets Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), an Ivy League economics major working as an executive assistant for scouting on another team, Beane realizes he's found the man who understands how to subvert the system of assessing players that's been in place for nearly a century. However, as the duo begin to acquire players that seem too old, injured, or inept to play major-league baseball, they face stiff resistance from both the A's longtime scouts and the team's manager Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who outright refuses to allow Beane's more-nontraditional acquisitions to play.

Genre: Drama, Sports, Comedy

Dolphin Tale

Monday, 10 October 2011 14:14 Written by Ruth J. Morrison

Released: September 23, 2011

Stars:  Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Harry Connick, Jr., Kris Kristofferson, Nathan Gamble
 
Directed by:  Charles Martin Smith
 
Plot: 'Dolphin Tale' is inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life. Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail.  She is rescued and transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. But her fight for survival has just begun. Without a tail, Winter's prognosis is dire. It will take the expertise of a dedicated marine biologist, the ingenuity of a brilliant prosthetics doctor, and the unwavering devotion of a young boy to bring about a groundbreaking miracle--a miracle that might not only save Winter but could also help scores of people around the world. The real Winter, who plays herself in 'Dolphin Tale,' today serves as a symbol of courage, perseverance and hope to millions of people--both able and disabled--who have been touched by her remarkable story of recovery and rehabilitation.

Genres:  Family