The Normal Heart by Ryan Murphy, 2014 (R)

This adaptation of Larry Kramer's riveting stage drama is a love story set against the dark background of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, centering on a gay activist who tries to raise public awareness but encounters myriad obstacles.

A powerful story that beyond the political struggle to be heard is a very human story, with impressive performances from all the cast, through frustration, despair, incomprehension, loss, and vague moments to beauty and hope. This movie is sad, the tragic following and the nowadays situation make the story even more powerful.

from the director of Eat Pray Love
with Mark Ruffalo (Marvel's Avengers, Margaret, The Kids Are All Right, Shutter Island), Matt Bomer (Magic Mike, In Time), Taylor Kitsch (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Julia Roberts (August: Osage County, Duplicity, Mirror Mirror Snow White, Eat Pray Love, Larry Crowne, Fireflies in the Garden), Alfred Molina (Raiders of the Lost Ark, An Education, Chocolat, Rango), Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, Denis O'Hare (Dallas Buyers Club, True Blood, Milk, Duplicity, Michael Clayton), Stephen Spinella (Milk), Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris, House of Cards), Finn Wittrock, B.D. Wong

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Dallas Buyers Club by Jean-Marc Vallée, 2013 (R)

Nominated for the Oscars 2014 for the following categories: Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Writing Original Screenplay

Loosely based on true events, this drama follows Ron Woodroof, who refuses to accept he'll die in 30 days when he's diagnosed with AIDS in 1986. He extends his life and eventually helps many other AIDS patients by smuggling medications from abroad.

Yes, McConaughey and Leto's transformations are impressive. And it helps understand the drastic situation the characters are in, so close to death. The time that is portrayed is an important one in the fight against AIDS but also the fight the people with AIDS had to do to confront homophobia, fear of all kinds in the matter of how that illness is transmitted, but most of all, the fight against the thin line between government and pharmaceutical companies, once more (see Puncture).

with Matthew McConaughey (Mud, Magic Mike, The Paperboy), Jared Leto (Mr. Nobody), Jennifer Garner (Juno, Valentine's Day, Deconstructing Harry), Denis O'Hare (True Blood, Milk, Duplicity, Michael Clayton), Steve Zahn (Out of Sight), Griffin Dunne (Broken City), Michael O'Neill (The Legend of Bagger Vance), Dallas Roberts (The Grey), Kevin Rankin

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