LIFE OF RILEY- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Romantic chaos abounds in this satire of love and manners inspired by a character named George Riley, who’s constantly spoken of but never seen. When Kathryn learns that her ex-lover George doesn’t have long to live, she’s drawn to him anew.”
10/24/14- Fair reviews at best. The NY Times did not like it. TRDB.
Add comment October 28th, 2014
ALGORITHMS- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “An intriguing look into the lives of three sightless Indian chess players, this observational documentary follows the youngsters as they compete in blind chess tournaments, led by an unflagging mentor who also happens to be blind.”
10/24/14- Very mixed reviews including some pretty bad ones but the subject is fascinating and I’ll probably see this one eventually. TRDB.
Add comment October 28th, 2014
WATCHERS OF THE SKY- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Paying tribute to four pioneers of the global campaign to end genocide, this feature-length documentary details their efforts to protect the powerless. Blending cinema verité with interview footage, the film highlights their successes and failures.”
10/17/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
Add comment October 18th, 2014
YOUNG ONES- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “As Earth withers in drought, farm owner Ernest defends his property and his children, Mary and Jerome, from the harsh frontier. But Mary’s manipulative suitor plots to take Ernest’s land for a devious scheme, and Jerome is forced to fight back.”
10/17/14- Very weak reviews but a few critics really liked it including the NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment October 18th, 2014
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Legendary Studio Ghibli cofounder Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko) revisits Japan’s most famous folktale in this gorgeous, hand-drawn masterwork, decades in the making. Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter (James Caan) and his wife (Mary Steenburgen), a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady (Chloë Grace Moretz). The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her – but ultimately she must confront her fate.”
10/17/14– Great reviews. TRDB.
Add comment October 18th, 2014
SUMMER OF BLOOD- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After he foolishly turns down a marriage proposal from his girlfriend, New Yorker Erik Sparrow sees his life suddenly turn sour. What he needs is fresh blood — and a fresh perspective — but it will take a vampire to make that happen.”
10/17/14- Early reviews are mixed but I’ve seen my last vampire movie and I’ll skip this one. TRDB.
Add comment October 18th, 2014
RUDDERLESS- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Devastated over his son’s death, former ad exec Sam removes himself from society to drink away his grief. When he summons the will to perform his son’s songs at a local bar, the music gains popularity and Sam claims to have written the tunes himself.”
10/17/14- A few positive reviews but most did not care for it and one called it manipulative and infuriating. TRDB.
Add comment October 18th, 2014
A REQUIEM FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this potent documentary, Syrian civil war refugees detail the desolate lives forced on them by the seemingly endless conflict. Interspersed among the tales of misery are stories of redemption and hope, all scored to Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem.”
10/17/14- Just 3 reviews– all good including the one in today’s NY Times. All said that it was difficult to watch this heavy documentary but that we have to. TRDB.
Add comment October 18th, 2014
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: IT’S COMPLICATED- 2014. About a guy who is about to be married and re-unites with an old flame.
10/17/14– I found just a single review- from the NY Times- and while the reviewer “sort of” liked it he felt that it could have been much better. TRDB.
Add comment October 18th, 2014
THE HACKER WARS- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Ripped from international headlines, The Hacker Wars takes you to the front lines of the high-stakes battle over the fate of the Internet, freedom and privacy. The Hacker Wars tells the tales of the anarchic troll provocateur Andrew “weev” Aurenheimer, prodigy hacker hero Jeremy Hammond, and incendiary watchdog journalist Barrett Brown – three larger than life characters whose separate quests to expose the secrets of empire hurled them into a fateful collision course with shadowy corporations, the FBI, and ultimate betrayal by one of their own.”
10/17/14- I’ve seen just 3 reviews– 2 up including the NY Times and 1 down. TRDB.
Add comment October 17th, 2014