Actor Sean Penn (1960)

The  biographical drama film The Professor and the Madman (2019), directed by Farhad Safinia and written by Safinia and Todd Komarnicki, is based on Simon Winchester’s 1998 book The Surgeon of Crowthorne. Set in 1872 London, the movie follows retired United States Army surgeon William Chester Minor, who suffers from hallucinations where he is persecuted by a soldier he had branded for desertion. In one of these episodes, he accidentally kills an innocent man ...

The American epic experimental coming-of-age drama film, The Tree of Life (2011), written and directed by Terrence Malick, follows the O’Brien family during two pivotal periods. In the 1960s, the family is thrown into turmoil upon learning of the death of their 19-year-old son, R.L. In contrast, in 2010, eldest son Jack struggles with his life as an architect in Dallas, Texas, feeling disillusioned and disappointed. Throughout the film, Mrs. O’Brien asks God why R.L. had to die while visuals show the creation of the universe and Earth’s beginnings. At one point, a compassionate dinosaur chooses not to ...

This Must Be the Place (2011), an Italian-French-Irish drama directed and written by Paolo Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello respectively, tells the story of Cheyenne. The former wealthy rock star has been living a mundane and uninspired life in Dublin for the past two decades. His retirement was prompted by the tragic suicides of two of his teenage fans. Seeking some sort of redemption, he makes the journey to New York to make amends with his dying father, only to arrive too late. His justification for not being in contact for 30 years was due to his father’s rejection when he began experimenting with goth ...

Fair Game (2010) is a biographical political drama film directed by Doug Liman and starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. Valerie Plame, employed by the Central Intelligence Agency, keeps her job secret from everyone outside of her husband and parents. She is an intelligence officer involved in numerous sensitive and potentially hazardous undercover operations abroad. Her husband, Joseph C. Wilson, formerly served as the U.S. ambassador to Gabon with a previous diplomatic history in Niger. Plame’s colleagues at the CIA ...

Mystic River (2003) is an American neo-noir crime drama film helmed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood. Set in Charlestown, Boston, the film follows three childhood friends, Jimmy Markum, Sean Devine, and Dave Boyle as they play street hockey one day in 1975. While writing their names on a patch of wet concrete, Dave is taken by two men posing as police officers and subjected to four days of abuse before finally managing to escape. Fast forward twenty-five years and we find Jimmy, now a former inmate running a local convenience store; Sean, a detective for the Massachusetts State Police facing marital issues after his ...

21 Grams (2003) is an American psychological drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu from a screenplay by Guillermo Arriaga, based on a story by Arriaga and Iñárritu. The narrative is presented in a non-linear format. Here is an overview of the storyline: Jack Jordan, a former convict, finds solace in his newfound faith after battling drug addiction and alcoholism. Paul Rivers, a mathematics professor, has a devoted wife named Mary and suffers from a fatal heart ...

Sweet and Lowdown (1999), a American comedy-drama mockumentary by Woody Allen, tells the story of jazz guitarist Emmet Ray. Inspired by Federico Fellini’s La Strada, the film follows Ray’s rise to fame in the 1930s with his recordings for RCA Victor. However, after his sudden disappearance from the public eye, Ray’s personal life takes a turn for the worse. He struggles with alcoholism and often shows up late or even misses performances with his quintet. In addition, he indulges in lavish spending, womanizing and pimping. When he’s not focused on music or women, Ray spends his time shooting rats ...

The Thin Red Line (1998), an American epic war film by Terrence Malick, is the second adaptation of James Jones’ 1962 novel. Private Witt of the United States Army goes AWOL in 1942 and lives amongst Melanesian natives in the South Pacific. However, he is eventually discovered and confined on a troopship by First Sergeant Welsh. Due to his actions, Witt is not allowed to rejoin his unit and is instead assigned as a stretcher bearer for an upcoming campaign. C Company, led by Capt. James Staros, has been called to Guadalcanal to reinforce the efforts in securing ...

The American comedy drama film, Hugo Pool (1997), helmed by Robert Downey Sr., follows a day in the life of Hugo Dugay. As the owner of a small company, also named Hugo Pool, she is responsible for maintaining swimming pools in drought-stricken Los Angeles. Juggling her usual pool cleaning duties with managing eccentric clients like mobster Chick Chicalini and filmmaker Franz Mazur, Hugo also has to tend to her dependent parents Minerva and Henry. To add to her plate, there may be a romantic spark between Hugo and Floyd Gaylen, one of her ALS-stricken customers.

U Turn (1997) is a neo-noir crime thriller directed by renowned filmmaker Oliver Stone. The plot follows the story of Bobby Cooper, a struggling drifter who finds himself in a tough spot when his red 1964½ Ford Mustang Convertible breaks down in Superior, Arizona. Penniless and stranded, Bobby crosses paths with Jake and Grace McKenna, a married couple also facing their own financial struggles. Both Jake and Grace separately offer Bobby money to kill the other, leaving him desperate and filled with fear. Eventually, Bobby decides to pursue Grace’s proposition and eliminate Jake in order to start a new life ...

The American mystery thriller film, The Game (1997), directed by David Fincher, follows the story of Nicholas Van Orton – a self-absorbed investment banker in San Francisco. On his 48th birthday, Nicholas meets with his estranged younger brother, Conrad, who surprises him with a unique gift – a voucher for a ‘game’ offered by Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Despite being skeptical at first, Nicholas decides to apply for the game at the CRS office. However, the extensive psychological and physical examinations he must undergo only serve to irritate him. Eventually, he is informed that his ...

Carlito’s Way (1993) is an American crime drama film helmed by Brian De Palma and written by David Koepp. The screenplay is based on the novels Carlito’s Way (1975) and After Hours (1979) written by Judge Edwin Torres. Set in 1975 New York, the story follows Carlito Brigante’s release from prison after serving five years of a thirty-year sentence. His close friend and lawyer, Dave Kleinfeld, uses a legal loophole to get him out. Despite his initial plans to leave behind his criminal ways, ...

Casualties of War (1989) is an American war drama film directed by Brian De Palma and written by David Rabe. It is primarily based on an article written by Daniel Lang for The New Yorker in 1969, which was later published as a book. The story is told through the eyes of Max Eriksson, a Vietnam veteran, as he reflects on past events. Leading his platoon on a nighttime patrol is Lieutenant Reilly, with Eriksson among the soldiers. During this mission, they are suddenly attacked by the Viet Cong (VC) after being discovered by ...

Taps (1981), an American thriller starring George C. Scott, features Cadet Brian Moreland dining privately with General Harlan Bache at Bunker Hill Military Academy. During their meeting, Moreland is promoted to the highest cadet rank of Cadet Major by Bache. The following day, it’s announced that the school will be sold to real estate developers, but will remain open for one more year to allow seniors to graduate and underclassmen to find new schools. Bache and the cadets are hopeful that this decision will save their beloved academy. After commencement, a dance is held at the academy, during which local ...