Arbitrage (2012)

 Written/Directed by Nicholas Jarecki

Starring Richard Gere, Tim Roth, Susan Sarandon and Brit Marling

Runtime 100min. - Rated R

3.5 Stars (out of 4)

"Arbitrage" is now in theaters and on VOD including Amazon Instant and Vudu.

Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. The love of money is the root of all evil. Robert Miller (Gere) is a man who knows and loves money more than any person should. He calls himself an oracle and tells the media his powers allowed him to predict the 2008 financial crisis and prepare accordingly. Miller runs his hugely successful business in conjunction with his son and daughter making him a true white-collar family man. Richard Gere plays this character with an armored confidence and unshakeable faith in his own superiority.

LGBT Film Recommendations

This is a copy of the page at (http://www.dustyonmovies.com/p/lgbt-film-recommendations.html). Reposted here for those subscribing to my feed.

I have become aware of the fact I don't review enough LGBT films. Hopefully this page will help rectify that mistake. I have seen many LGBT related films, these are some that I would recommend in no particular order. If you haven't heard of some of these it's because distributors and producers tend to shy away from the material. It's a shame to think that any of these films are controversial (except "The Gift"). Hopefully society will eventually stop distinguishing between "LGBT films" and simply "films". For now, here are some films you should check out. - Dusty

The Charles E. Cullen Story (2005)

Directed by Janet Lubas

Starring Charles E. Cullen and friends

Not Rated (For adults)

3.5 Stars (out of 4)

This film along with the rest of Cullen's work is available in the Cullen Studios Amazon store. You can find movie trailers, clips from his show, songs and tons of other info at the Cullen Studios official site.

I'm going to make a comparison here that may shock some people. Charles E. Cullen is like Leonardo Da Vinci. Cullen might not be on the cutting edge of scientific invention, but like Da Vinci he has managed to channel his mind into many different areas. This guy has released multiple full-length music albums, many feature-length films, and has been making TV shows for more seasons than M.A.S.H. He's also written a book and been a newspaper columnist. It's not covered in the film, but he's been painting for a while and doing numerous other art projects. Even if I mention his love of raising chickens, it all still seems pretty normal when written out. He sounds like your basic eccentric local artisan. You have to actually see the man in action to understand what makes his material so memorable.

The Black Belle (2010)

 Directed by Brian McGuire

Starring Natasha Alam and Terry Wayne

Runtime 84min. - Not Rated (Obscene)

3 Stars (out of 4)

The Black Belle is now available over on the IndieRights YouTube channel for $2.99.

Duval and Wayne out of character

"The Black Belle" opens with Franklin (Wayne) sitting on a park bench. He's approached by James Duval (playing himself) who sits next to him. Apparently Duval has been getting some sexual healing from Franklin's girlfriend Belle (Alam). Franklin restrains from violence but makes many threats. He explains that Belle is more than a girlfriend. He says that they have a spiritual bond due to a rich history which he divulges in full detail. Duval is extremely apologetic. "Absolutely never would I have intercourse with a woman who's involved with another man." pleads Duval. I wasn't sure it was a comedy until a particular line was spoken by Duval on the topic of his indiscretion: "My personal feelings about shit like this?" - long pause - "Is that it's fucked up."

Shuffle (2011)

 Directed/Written by Kurt Kuenne

Starring T.J. Thyne and Paula Rhodes

Runtime 82min. - Rated PG-13

2 Stars (out of 4)

"Shuffle" is an V.O.D release available on Google Play and VUDU.

Available on DVD through Amazon.

"Shuffle" promises an interesting concept. Also, it's shot in black and white. Sadly, those are the only two reasons I need to watch a film. Being widely available and inexpensive doesn't hurt either.

Lovell Milo (Thyne) is often told that his name sounds like it's out of order and that Milo Lovell sounds more natural. When we first meet him, the order of his name is a trivial concern. Every time he falls asleep, he wakes up at a different time, or perhaps I should say in a different time. One moment he might be 30 years old and the next he's a teen. Sometimes he's in elementary school and other times he's in his 90's. In addition to this bizarre condition, Lovell is also narcoleptic. That means he can rapidly fall in and out of sleep at random times. You could see how that would exacerbate an already awkward situation. Instead of waking up in a new place each day, the narcolepsy means he may experience several different decades within a few hours.

Where I Begin (2011)

Directed by Thomas L. Phillips

Starring Alex Walters, Candice Michele Barley and Bo Keister

Runtime 75min. - Not Rated

3 Stars (out of 4)

Screener provided by a cast member. "Where I Begin" is coming soon to DVD.

They say time heals all wounds. They also say life is short. If a wound is big enough, is there enough time for it to heal while we're still alive? That's the question at the center of "Where I Begin". It takes in a small unnamed town that has largely been forgotten by time. You know the type; one of those little towns that contains a factory to which every citizen is connected in some way. When the factory closes, the town dies. Most of the townsfolk have retreated to a trailer park just outside of town. The few that remain have definite ties to the plot. It may seem like a shortcut to keep the cast small and the costs down, but it makes sense when viewed in context. The story is all about people who can't let go of the past. They live in a ghost town where they are constantly reminded of events that unfolded there a decade ago.