ESCAPE FIRE: THE FIGHT TO RESCUE AMERICAN HEALTHCARE- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This documentary starkly outlines the crises the United States faces in its quest to provide affordable medical care to the nation’s citizens. In response to these problems, the filmmakers propose lower-cost alternatives to high-tech medicine.”
No reviews as yet and I hope that this isn’t a campaign advertisement. TRDB.
10/5/12- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment September 18th, 2012
PITCH PERFECT- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Beca (Anna Kendrick) is that girl who’d rather listen to what’s coming out of her headphones than what’s coming out of you. Arriving at her new college, she finds herself not right for any clique but somehow is muscled into one that she never would have picked on her own: alongside mean girls, sweet girls and weird girls whose only thing in common is how good they sound when they sing together, in the new out-loud comedy Pitch Perfect. When Beca takes this acoustic singing group out of their world of traditional arrangements and perfect harmonies into all-new mash-ups, they fight to climb their way to the top of the cutthroat world of college a cappella.”
Fairly good reviews. TRDB.
9/28/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment September 11th, 2012
THE WAITING ROOM- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This disquieting documentary relates the stories of medical patients, many of them uninsured, as they wait to be seen at a California hospital. The film also portrays the efforts of hospital professionals to cope with a drastically strained system.”
Excellent review all around. TRDB.
Add comment September 11th, 2012
BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Get to know Wayne White, one of America’s most unusual and arresting artists, with this snappy documentary that traces the ups and downs of his career. The jovial White discusses his art, strums the banjo, plays with puppets and simply enjoys life.”
9/7/12- Very good professional reviews and mediocre audience reaction. TRDB.
Add comment September 7th, 2012
THE EYE OF THE STORM- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “A woman recently divorced from a French prince and her washed-up actor brother return home to Australia, hoping to reconcile with their dying mother. But neither is prepared for the ensuing drama that brings the dread of their childhood back to life.”
Rotten Tomatoes had this to say– “In the Sydney suburb of Centennial Park, two nurses, a housekeeper and a solicitor attend to Elizabeth Hunter as her expatriate son and daughter convene at her deathbed. But in dying, as in living, Mrs Hunter remains a powerful force on those who surround her. Based on the novel by Nobel Prize winner Patrick White, The Eye of the Storm is a savage exploration of family relationships – and the sharp undercurrents of love and hate, comedy and tragedy, which define them.”
9/7/12- Poor reviews for this movie but it sounds interesting and I’ll probably see it eventually. TRDB.
Add comment September 7th, 2012
NO- 2012- Synopsis by Netflix. “In this engaging drama from Chile, Gael García Bernal portrays René Saavedra, a hot-shot ad executive who creates a controversial media campaign opposing military dictator Augusto Pinochet during the referendum on his presidency in 1988.”
Very good reviews so far. TRDB.
2/15/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
3/12/13-I enjoyed the basic premise of voter impowerment and of course the history lesson but I felt that the movie was a bit tedious at times and I also agree with one critic who called the movie “gimmicky.” TRDB.
Add comment September 5th, 2012
THE WORDS- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “After finding a brilliant unpublished book in an old briefcase, wannabe writer Rory Jansen decides to claim it’s his work — but his choice sets events in motion that have him facing an ethical quandary he could never have expected.”
9/7/12- Weak reviews in general and in today’s NY Times as well. TRDB.
9/18/12- Despite the weak reviews a few critics liked it very much. I thought it was done in an interesting manner with an unusual premise and I did like it. The scene at the end with Jeremy Irons I could have done without. TRDB.
Add comment September 4th, 2012
WAR OF THE BUTTONS- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Set in occupied WWII France, War of the Buttons tells the tale of pre-teen rebel Lebrac (newcomer Jean Texier) and the “war” he leads between two rival kid gangs from neighboring villages. Once Lebrac falls for Violette (Ilona Bachelier), a young Jewish girl who is new in town and in danger of being exposed by the Nazis, the children are faced with putting their own conflicts aside to protect her and confront the very real war happening around them.”
8/26/13- Very poor reviews in general but a few critics liked it very much. There are several other movies with the same name, some of which have gotten much better reviews. TRDB.
10/12/12- Poor review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment September 4th, 2012
END OF WATCH- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Officers Taylor and Zavala patrol the streets of South Central Los Angeles, an area of the city ruled by gangs and riddled with drug violence. Their perilous beat is captured on security footage and with the HD cameras of cops, criminals and victims.”
Great reviews. TRDB.
9/21/12- I think that today’s review in the NY Times was a mixed one, the review undoubtedly more difficult to explain than the movie. TRDB.
Add comment September 4th, 2012
DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This intimate and loving portrait of the legendary arbiter of fashion, art and culture illustrates the many stages of Vreeland’s remarkable life. Born in Paris in 1903, she was to become New York’s “Empress of Fashion” and a celebrated Vogue editor.”
Excellent reviews. TRDB.
9/21/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment September 4th, 2012