STUCK- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Following the fates of four orphans from around the world, this earnest documentary argues that international adoption laws are deeply flawed. The film reveals the maze of regulations that prospective parents must navigate to take a child home.”
2/22/13- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment February 23rd, 2013
SNITCH- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Suburban father John Matthews is hit hard when his teenage son is sentenced to 30 years in federal prison under mandatory minimum drug laws. In order to reduce his son’s sentence, John goes undercover to take down a violent drug dealer.”
2/23/13- Fair at best review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment February 23rd, 2013
THE JEFFREY DAHMER FILES- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Stripping away the headlines and hype, this documentary spotlights the people who surrounded serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer during and after his arrest. Comments by neighbors and police create a portrait of Dahmer that’s disturbingly normal.”
2/15/13– A fairly good review for this documentary in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment February 17th, 2013
SHANGHAI CALLING- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When attorney Sam Chao’s bosses send him to dreary Shanghai on a three-month assignment, it sets him steaming in this comedy about cultural biases. But once the lawyer arrives in the city, he quickly becomes immersed in romance and business turmoil.”
2/15/13- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment February 17th, 2013
THE BERLIN FILE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When an illicit arms deal goes bad, North Korean spy Pyo Jong-seong finds himself targeted not just by the South Koreans but also his own bosses. After taking over North Korea’s Berlin embassy, his pursuers try using Pyo’s wife to flush him out.”
2/15/13- A weak review in today’s NY Times and from most other critics as well. TRDB.
Add comment February 17th, 2013
SAVING LINCOLN- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This real-life historical drama profiles the eventful life of U.S. Marshal Ward Hill Lamon, who served as Abraham Lincoln’s personal bodyguard. The filmmakers produce unique visual images by digitally mixing archival photos with live-action staging.”
2/15/13- A barely OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment February 17th, 2013
LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This meditative drama focuses on an encounter between two strangers in Tokyo: a young woman working as a call girl and a retired college professor. The two soon form a bond beyond their initial meeting, which begins to confuse the girl’s boyfriend.”
2/15/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
3/24/13- This latest work by Abbas Kiarostami, the Iranian director, is what one reviewer called the cinematic equivalent of a short story. Well acted and leaving most everything to the viewer to interpret. I enjoyed it but it is clearly not for everyone. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
Add comment February 17th, 2013
ALMOST IN LOVE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Two shots — each consisting of a single 40-minute take — tell the entire story in this indie tale chronicling a love triangle among New Yorkers. What starts at a sunset Staten Island barbecue ends 18 months later during a sunrise in the Hamptons.”
2/15/13- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment February 17th, 2013
THE WE AND THE I- 2012. Synopsis by IMDB. “A look at the lives of a group of teenagers who ride the same bus route, and how their relationships change and evolve on the last day of school.”
3/8/13- Today’s NY Times liked it but in general there have been weak early reviews. TRDB.
Add comment February 15th, 2013
GREEDY LYING BASTARDS- Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Hurricane Sandy. Wildfires in the West. “Brown-Outs” in the East. Farmers losing crops to the worst drought since the Dust Bowl. Climate change is no longer a prediction for the future, but a startling reality of today. Yet, as evidence of our changing climate mounts and the scientific consensus proves human causation, there continues to be no political action to thwart the warming of our planet. “Greedy Lying Bastards” investigates the reason behind stalled efforts to tackle climate change”
3/8/13- A fairly good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment February 15th, 2013