Drama: 385

While We’re Young (2014) is an American comedy-drama film by Noah Baumbach. The film follows Josh and Cornelia Srebnick, a married couple and filmmakers living in New York City. Josh has been working on his documentary about leftist intellectual Ira Mandelstam for the past decade, without allowing his producer wife to assist. After giving a lecture at the college where he teaches, Josh meets Jamie and Darby Massey – a young couple who invite him and Cornelia to dinner. Jamie admires Josh’s work and that of his father-in-law, esteemed documentary filmmaker Leslie Breitbart. As they spend more time with ...

Pasolini (2014) is an internationally co-produced drama, directed by Abel Ferrara and written by Maurizio Braucci, that delves into the final days of Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. At fifty-three years old, Pasolini lives in the chaotic Rome of the 1970s. He has recently wrapped up filming his controversial piece, Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, which has sparked outrage among critics and viewers alike. The public’s disapproval towards Pasolini’s homosexuality and his bold approach to showcasing reality only grows stronger. As he prepares to ...

Time Out of Mind (2014) is an American drama film written and directed by Oren Moverman. Set in the bustling cityscape of New York, the story follows George, a mild-mannered but confused man who is kicked out of an apartment by Art. However, it turns out he was just staying at a friend’s place, known as ‘Sheila’, who had been evicted. From the beginning, it’s clear that George has fallen on hard times, claiming his wallet was stolen and struggling to get assistance through phone calls. He ends up sleeping on the streets and eventually finds himself seeking warmth in a hospital emergency room, where staff nurse Maire shows him compassion. ...

Calvary (2014) is an Irish drama film written and directed by John Michael McDonagh. In the film, Father James is confronted with a troubled soul who confesses to him about suffering sexual abuse from a priest in his childhood. Shocked by this revelation, Father James offers sympathy for the man’s pain. However, things take a dark turn when the man reveals his plan to murder Father James as revenge for the indifference towards priestly child abuse. In a twisted logic, the man believes that killing an innocent priest will spark more outrage than punishing a guilty one. He gives Father James one week before carrying ...

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) is an American black comedy-drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and co-written by Nicolás Giacobone, Armando Bó, and Alexander Dinelaris Jr. The film follows the story of Riggan Thomson, a former superhero actor who is haunted by the voice of his past self as Birdman. He struggles to make a name for himself again by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver’s short ...

Men, Women & Children (2014) is an American comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and co-written with Erin Cressida Wilson. It is based on the novel of the same name by Chad Kultgen, and focuses on online addiction. The movie follows a group of high school teenagers and their parents as they navigate the ways in which the internet has affected their relationships, communication, self-image, and love lives. Social issues such as video game culture, anorexia, infidelity, fame hunting, and access to inappropriate content are explored. As each character’s ...

Whiplash (2014), an American indie psychological drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle, follows jazz drummer Andrew Neiman as he attends the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in hopes of achieving the same success as his childhood hero Buddy Rich. The conductor of the Studio Band, Terence Fletcher, recruits him to play for the ensemble as an alternate for core drummer Carl Tanner. However, Andrew soon discovers that Fletcher is exceedingly strict and abusive towards his students. This becomes apparent when Fletcher throws a chair at Andrew and then physically and verbally assaults him for not keeping tempo ...

The Turning (2013) is an Australian anthology drama that debuted at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 3 August 2013. It is based on a collection of short stories by Tim Winton published in 2005. The film was recognized with a nomination for Best Feature Film at the 2013 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and also screened as part of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival’s Berlinale Special Galas selection. The Turning delves into the lasting effects of the past on our present. It shows how the unexpected events that alter and mold us can never be evaded or ...

August: Osage County (2013), a film directed by John Wells, is a tragicomedy based on Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Set in the scorching month of August in rural Pawhuska, Oklahoma, the story centers around Beverly Weston, a once-famous poet struggling with alcoholism. He hires Johnna, a young Cheyenne woman, to work as a live-in cook and caregiver for his wife Violet. Violet is battling oral cancer and a narcotic addiction. After Beverly disappears, Violet turns to her sister and daughters for help. Along with her husband Charles Aiken, Violet’s ...

Ismael (2013), a Spanish drama directed by Marcelo Piñeyro, follows the journey of eight-year-old Ismael Tchou as he travels by train from Madrid to Barcelona. Initially, fleeing home in search of Felix Ambros, whom he believes is his father, Ismael’s only clue is a letter addressed to his mother and an apartment’s location. Upon arriving at the address, Ismael is greeted not by his father but by Nora, an elegant woman in her fifties who turns out to be Felix’s mother and therefore Ismael’s grandmother. This unexpected encounter sets off a chain of events as each character grapples with their ...

Director John Lee Hancock created the biographical drama film, Saving Mr. Banks (2013). The screenplay was written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. At this time, Diarmuid Russell, a agent in London, urges Pamela ‘P. L.’ Travers to travel to Los Angeles and meet with Walt Disney. For the last twenty years, Disney has been pursuing the film rights to her Mary Poppins stories after promising his daughters he would make a movie based on them. Despite her financial struggles and dwindling book royalties, Travers has ...

Locke (2013), a psychological drama film written and directed by Steven Knight, follows the story of a construction foreman named Ivan Locke. Tom Hardy stars in the title role as he navigates through a series of speakerphone conversations while preparing for a major concrete pour in Birmingham. However, when he receives news that Bethan, someone he had a one-night stand with seven months ago and who is now pregnant, has gone into premature labor, Locke makes the decision to drive to London to be with her during childbirth. Despite his job responsibilities and the fact that his wife and sons are waiting for him at home ...

Behind the Candelabra (2013), an American biographical comedy drama television film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Richard LaGravenese, is based on the book of the same name by Scott Thorson and Alex Thorleifson. In 1977, 18-year-old Scott, an animal trainer for movies, meets Hollywood producer Bob Black in a gay bar in Los Angeles. Encouraged by Black, he leaves his adopted home in search of better job opportunities. Black introduces him to Liberace, who ...

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) is a biographical film, directed by Justin Chadwick and penned by William Nicholson. Starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris, the movie is based on the autobiography of anti-apartheid activist and former South African President Nelson Mandela. It follows Mandela’s journey from his youth to his time in prison and eventual presidency, as he works to rebuild a country torn apart by the oppressive system of Apartheid. Nelson Mandela, a ...

Lucky Them (2013), an American comedy-drama film by Megan Griffiths, follows Ellie Klug, a music critic in her 40s at Stax, a dying underground magazine. For her next assignment, Giles, her editor, tasks Ellie with writing about Matthew Smith’s mysterious disappearance and assumed suicide on its 10th anniversary. While most people believe he is dead, Ellie, who was Matthew’s childhood sweetheart and last remained with him before he vanished, remains hopeful of finding him. After an online tip leads her to a potential lead on Matthew’s whereabouts, Giles gives Ellie a thousand dollars to pay the source. ...

Blue Jasmine (2013), a film from writer and director Woody Allen, follows the story of Jasmine Francis as she arrives in San Francisco from her flight from New York City. Upon arriving at her sister Ginger’s apartment, it is revealed that despite claiming to be broke, Jasmine traveled first class. This revelation disappoints Ginger, who soon learns that Jasmine has suffered a nervous breakdown and sought refuge with her sister due to heavy debts. In a series of flashbacks, it is uncovered that Jasmine’s husband, Hal Francis, was arrested for defrauding his clients. Among his victims were Ginger and her ...

House of Cards (2013–2018), an American political thriller streaming television series, was created by Beau Willimon and is based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Michael Dobbs. It is also an adaptation of the 1990 BBC series, which was based on the novel by Andrew Davies. The first season, consisting of 13 episodes, premiered on February 1, 2013, exclusively on Netflix. This marked the first time a TV series had been produced by a studio for the streaming service. House of Cards received rave reviews and garnered ...

Paolo Sorrentino’s film, The Great Beauty (2013), is a thought-provoking art drama co-written and directed by the Italian filmmaker. It begins with a quote from Louis-Ferdinand Céline’s novel, Journey to the End of the Night, which highlights the power of imagination in travel. The story follows Jep Gambardella, a 65-year-old journalist and theater critic known for his enigmatic charm and love for the vibrant social scene in Rome. He navigates through a city steeped in rich history but defined by its superficial inhabitants, creating a striking ...

The film Fruitvale Station (2013), directed and written by Ryan Coogler, explores the events leading up to the death of 22-year-old Oscar Grant III from Hayward, California. The movie opens with actual footage of Oscar and his friends being held by BART Police at the Fruitvale station in Oakland on January 1, 2009 at 2:15 a.m., moments before the fatal shooting. Throughout the day, Oscar faces challenges such as infidelity in his relationship, losing his job at Farmer Joe’s grocery store, and considering returning to drug dealing before ultimately deciding to get rid of his stash. In the evening, he joins his ...

Labor Day (2013) is an American drama film written and directed by Jason Reitman, adapted from the 2009 novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard. Set in 1987, it tells the story of Adele Wheeler, a despondent single mother living with her 13-year-old son, Henry, in a rural home. While out shopping, they encounter a man who convinces them to take him back to their house. The man is later revealed to be Frank Chambers, an escaped convict wanted by the authorities. As the film unfolds through flashbacks and imagery, we learn that Frank is a Vietnam War veteran who had married ...