Movies in the Drama genre

It would be fair to characterize writer/director Paul Schrader as someone who's fascinated by the seamier side of human nature. Some of his best known screenplays, including Taxi Driver and Raging Bull for Martin Scorsese, have plumbed the depths ...

One phrase - perhaps the best-known one from any 1987 release - encapsulates a critical component of '80s culture that once again crept to the fore in the late-'00s. I am, of course, referring to Gorden Gekko's "Greed… is good." A vice transfor...

There are times when iconic characters should be left alone to bask in the glory of a single appearance and, unfortunately, that's the case with Gordon Gekko. The supremely charismatic, magnetically villainous central figure from Oliver Stone's 19...

There are countless ways a motion picture can address themes of loss and grief. While one can at least give Tara Miele’s Wander Darkly props for trying something different, the film’s success is questionable at best. In trying to blend a T...

The problem with War Dogs isn’t the dark humor nor is it the cynically accurate deconstruction of military procurement and corruption. The lack of dynamism and depth in the characters is what hamstrings this production. There’s little dou...

Over the last 20 years of his career, Steven Spielberg has often coupled a crowd-pleasing would-be blockbuster with a more serious-minded project. Thus, in 1993, he released Jurassic Park in tandem with Schindler's List. In 1997, there were The Los...

Note to readers: this review contains spoilers. While I do not believe the revelation of certain plot points will in any way compromise the viewing experience, those who wish to see The War Zone without having previous knowledge of a key element w...

I don't know much about Mixed Martial Arts except that it appears to be an extreme form of regulated fighting, with combatants using a variety of tactics to bring their opponent to heel. In Warrior, Gavin O'Connor's surprisingly elegiac drama about...

Wassup Rockers could easily be seen as an attempt by maverick director Larry Clark to approach the mainstream. With Kids, Clark began his directorial career mired in scandal. (The Weinsteins had to spin off Excalibur Films because Miramax was prohib...

Water, a meditative drama that evokes the movies of the great Satyajit Ray, brings Deepa Mehta's "Elemental Trilogy" to a close. (The previous two films were Fire and Earth.) A film that takes a long, hard look at the second-class status of widow...