Mark Umbers Movies
- 2008
- R
Nearly 40 years after Che Guevara's execution in Bolivia, director Steven Soderbergh retraces the life of the iconic Cuban revolutionary in this nearly four-and-a-half-hour saga. Part 1 begins on November 26, 1956, as Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir) sails into Cuban waters with 80 rebels in tow. Among those rebels is Argentine doctor Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio Del Toro), a man who shares Castro's dream of overthrowing corrupt dictator Fulgencio Batista. As the struggle gets under way, Guevara proves an indispensable part of the revolution due to his firm grasp on the concepts of guerilla warfare. Guevara is heartily embraced by both his comrades and the Cuban people, and quickly rises through the ranks to become first a commander, and ultimately a revolutionary hero. Part 2 of the saga begins with Guevara at the absolute peak of his fame and power. Disappearing suddenly, Guevara subsequently resurfaces in Bolivia to organize a modest group of Cuban comrades and Bolivian recruits in preparation for the Latin American Revolution. But while the Bolivian campaign would ultimately fail, the tenacity, sacrifice, and idealism displayed by Guevara during this period would make him a symbol of heroism to followers around the world. Part 1 and Part 2 were screened together as Che at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, and also received a limited theatrical release under that same title in U.S. theaters later that same year. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Benicio Del Toro, Demián Bichir, (more)
Part 1 of Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevara saga stars Benicio Del Toro as the legendary Argentine revolutionary. The film opens with Che as one of the important figures in the growing Cuban rebellion led by Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir). The movie charts how the two successfully built an underground army large enough to successfully overthrow the government of Fulgencio Batista. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Benicio Del Toro, Javier Bardem, (more)
Director Woody Allen continued to work in the dark mold of his 2005 thriller Match Point with this suspenseful tale of two brothers (Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor) transformed into mortal enemies after scheming to alleviate their financial difficulties by turning to crime. Ian (McGregor) and Terry Blaine (Farrell) are two Cockney siblings whose lives seem to have simply fallen apart. While hard-drinking auto mechanic Terry lives with his girlfriend, Kate (Sally Hawkins), and suffers all the financial hardships that go with being a chronic gambler, his slightly more respectable sibling Ian helps their father maintain the family restaurant. Thanks to the steady income that the restaurant provides and the occasional help of their wealthy uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) the family has always managed to scrape by, but when Ian learns of a potentially lucrative California real estate deal, he can't help but dream about moving on to bigger and better things. One day, Terry wins big at the tracks by betting on a speedy greyhound named "Cassandra's Dream," and promptly uses his winnings to purchase a small yacht that he names after the winning dog. Right around the same time, things also start looking up for Ian -- who falls under the seductive spell of ambitious actress Angela (Hayley Atwell). But the brothers' good-luck spell doesn't last long, because when Terry winds up owing a tidy sum to some violent local loan sharks, he's given the option of promptly paying up or suffering some particularly painful consequences. Just then, Uncle Howard shows up in London looking to settle the score with a whistle-blowing business associate. While agreeing to take part in Uncle Howard's diabolical revenge scheme could easily earn Terry the cash needed to pay off his substantial debt, the consequences -- should he get caught -- will be far greater than those of any small-time scam he has ever resorted to in the past. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hayley Atwell, Colin Farrell, (more)
An aspiring West End actress intent on maintaining her famous mother's legacy finds her dreams suddenly clouded by the warplanes that buzz overhead in this bittersweet war drama from director Julia Taylor-Stanley. Diana (Zoe Tapper) is a London actress who knows deep within that she has what it takes to become a true star of the West End stage. Faced with constant rejection but eternally optimistic that her day will soon come, Diana enters into a passionate love triangle with talented playwright Robin (David Leon) and powerful director Christopher (Andrew Lincoln). Later, when Diane is finally cast in a headlining role, the drums of war begin beating as Hitler's army prepares for their devastating London Blitz. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
In the three-hour period television miniseries Blackbeard, Angus MacFadyen (Braveheart, Jason and the Argonauts) assumes the title role of the dreaded marauder who spent 1716-1718 terrorizing the Caribbean Sea. Born Sir William Teach, the mariner rechristens himself Blackbeard, and subsequently builds a legend around himself as the most merciless and loathsome pirate in world history by plundering as many ships and murdering as many seafarers as he can lay his dirty mitts on. Directed by Kevin Connor (Motel Hell, The Land That Time Forgot), Blackbeard co-stars big screen vets Rachel Ward, Stacy Keach, and Richard Chamberlain. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angus MacFadyen
The strange 15th Century disappearance of two European royals - 12-year-old Edward V and his 10-year-old brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, lingers as one of the most enigmatic and bizarre incidents of the Middle Ages. In 1483, the two little boys stood in line as heirs to the British throne, but their father's early death preceded official accusations of regal bigamy and the judicial decision that the children were in fact illegitimate sons. As a result, the little boys were promptly removed from sight and placed in the Tower of London - a royal residence that doubled as a prison - never to be seen again. For centuries, historians have speculated about the actual fade of these children. Justin Hardy's historical drama Princes in the Tower recreates these events, providing one possible explanation for their fates. The film then moves ahead in time to 1491, when a teenager turned up, seemingly from out of nowhere, claiming that he was in fact Richard and that he wished to reclaim his birthright and rule the country. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Umbers
One of Oscar Wilde's most popular plays is given a new screen interpretation in this period comedy. In New York in the early '30s, Mrs. Erlynne (Helen Hunt) is a widow who lives comfortably through the largesse of several married men, and when she runs out of wealthy suitors in Manhattan, she decides to find greener pastures among the wealthy elite of Italy's Amalfi coast. Mrs. Erlynne sets her sights on Robert Windermere (Mark Umbers), a wealthy Englishman who is married to the young, innocent and very beautiful Meg (Scarlett Johansson). Mrs. Erlynne gingerly tries to separate Robert from his wife and his money, fueling suspicions within Amalfi society as well as the audience that they are involved. Humiliated and ready to beat him at his own game, Meg begins to consider the advances of the handsome Lord Darlington (Stephen Campbell Moore), one of her husband's close friends. In the midst of all the attempted infidelity, the genially eccentric Tuppy (Tom Wilkinson) struggles to win Mrs. Erlynne's hand, while only one of the interconnected parties know that she carries a shocking secret. A Good Woman was based on Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, with its title drawn from that show's subtitle, "A Play About a Good Woman." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, (more)
A sheltered prince learns valuable lessons of love while attending Cambridge University. Fortunately, his wise bodyguard is there to help him study. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rupert Penry-Jones, Judy Cornwell, (more)
