OUT OF THE FURNACE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Working-class siblings Russell and Rodney Baze are desperate to flee the Rust Belt and find better lives. But when a twist of fate lands Russell in jail, Rodney gets mixed up with a crime syndicate — and their brotherly bond is soon put to the test.”
3/15/14- Weak reviews. TRDB.
Add comment March 17th, 2014
LE WEEK-END- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Returning to Paris long after their honeymoon there, a British couple hopes to rediscover the magical feelings of their early years together. There, they meet an old friend whose perspectives on love and marriage help them recover what was lost.”
3/14/14- Good reviews from critics– audiences so-so. TRDB.
4/7/14– I enjoyed this ultimately sad movie about people’s relationships with their spouses. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014
TEENAGE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “With narration by actors Jena Malone, Ben Whishaw, Julia Hummer and Jessie Usher, filmmaker Matt Wolf explores the origins of the modern-day “teenager” — a demographic that didn’t even exist until the mid-20th century.”
3/14/14- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014
EXPOSED- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “The stars of New York’s new underground cabaret scene take the stage in this over-the-top documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Beth B. The film captures outrageous performances at the Slipper Room, where gender bending is only the beginning.”
3/14/14- Fairly good reviews and the NY Times liked it. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014
ERNEST & CELESTINE- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapted from a popular children’s book series, this sweet animated drama portrays the friendship between an orphan mouse and a free-spirited bear. After persuading Ernest the bear not to eat her, Celestine the mouse ends up moving in with him.”
3/14/14- Very good reviews from everybody. The NY Times liked it also. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014
THE COLD LANDS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After his mother’s death, adolescent Atticus runs away and lives in the woods of the Catskill Mountains to avoid being taken by the authorities. When he meets quirky drifter Carter, the two form a tenuous alliance to help each other survive.”
3/14/14- Weak reviews in general. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014
BIG MEN- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Where oil flows, money follows. This documentary picks up the trail of that liquid gold as it streams through Western Africa. Shot over a four-year period, the film looks at the nascent oil industry in Ghana and the more established one in Nigeria.”
3/14/14- Excellent reviews all around. The NY Times liked it very much. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014
BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Unhappily married small-town pharmacist Douglas Varney has a predictable life. But when he hooks up with a hot customer, everything changes. Soon, he’s caught up in a web of fantasy sex, illegal pharmaceuticals and potential murder.”
3/14/14- Awful reviews all over. The NY Times called it “tepid but pleasant.”
Add comment March 15th, 2014
THE ART OF THE STEAL- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This heist comedy stars Kurt Russell as Crunch Calhoun, a daredevil motorcyclist and mostly reformed con artist who signs on for one last job: helping his brother Nicky steal a priceless antique book.”
3/14/14- Weak reviews in general and a just OK one in the NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014
THE ANONYMOUS PEOPLE- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Directed by Greg Williams, The Anonymous People features prominent people who are living publicly in long-term recovery, like former NBA star Chris Herren, award-winning actress Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock From the Sun, The Exes), Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, best-selling author William Cope Moyers, former congressmen Patrick Kennedy and Jim Ramstad – and many others. Their brave testimonies dispel long-standing clichés about addiction and recovery.”
3/14/14- Audience reaction has been mixed but the NY Times definitely did not like it. TRDB.
Add comment March 15th, 2014