The Reel Dr. Bob

APRIL11, 2013

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) RENOIR- At the Theater

2) STARBUCK- At the Theater

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) RENOIR- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1915, elderly painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir is crippled by both loss and arthritis, but when vibrant teenager Andrée brightens his life, he finds new purpose — as does his son Jean, a wounded soldier who is inspired by Andrée’s love of cinema.”3/18/13- A few early reviews and they are very good. TRDB.

3/29/13- A good review in today’s NY Times emphasizing the visual aspect of the film. TRDB.

4/5/13- I enjoyed the story, the acting and the beautiful photography. TRDB.

2) STARBUCK– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “A fortysomething slacker’s life is turned upside down when he learns that his many sperm donations have resulted in more than 500 children — 100 of whom are now suing to meet their father, who’s desperate to keep his identity a secret.”

Friends saw this at the Palm Springs Film Festival and loved it. TRDB.

3/22/13- Today’s NY Times gave this an OK review. TRDB.

4/7/13- A fun screenplay with very good acting made this movie most enjoyable. I liked it very much. TRDB.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) SKYFALL- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a serious menace threatens MI6, James Bond is on the case — putting aside his own life and personal issues to hunt and obliterate the perpetrators. Meanwhile, secrets arise from M’s past that strain Bond’s loyalty to his longtime boss.”Great reviews!! TRDB.

4/7/13- Despite the wonderful reviews I’ll go with the reviewer who called this movie a “crushing bore.” TRDB.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 16-

 

1) DJANGO UNCHAINED– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Accompanied by a German bounty hunter, a freed slave named Django travels across America to free his wife from a sadistic plantation owner. Quentin Tarantino directs this modern-day spaghetti Western.”Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) SAVE THE DATE– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After an ill-timed and very public marriage proposal, fiercely independent Sarah breaks up with her overeager boyfriend Kevin. Sarah turns to her sister Beth for support, but Beth is too busy obsessing over the details of her own wedding to Kevin’s band mate, Andrew. When Sarah suddenly finds herself caught up in an intense rebound romance with the adorable Jonathan, she is forced to examine her own fears of commitment and vulnerability. With honesty, heart, and humor, all five struggle with the trials, happiness, and pain of modern love. In the end Sarah must decide – is it better to stay safely single or to risk it all on love?”

Netflix had this to say— “Sisters Beth and Sarah are a study in contrasts, but both are also involved with men who are best friends and members of the same rock band. When Sarah leaves her lover, Kevin, and starts another intense affair, Beth grows furious with her sibling.”

12/14/12- Fair review in today’s NY Times– others were mixed. TRDB.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

OPENED LAST WEEK (APRIL 5) IN ADDITION TO THE MOVIES I WROTE ABOUT ON APRIL 4-

 

1) BERT STERN: ORIGINAL MADMAN– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “After quickly rising from mailroom boy at Look Magazine to an internationally sought-after photographer in the 1950s, visual pioneer Bert Stern has led a fascinating, tumultuous life and photographed many of the world’s most beautiful women.”4/5/13- A weak review in today’s NY Times and weak reviews in general. TRDB.

2) DOWN THE SHORE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After Susan (Maria Dizzia) dies from a terminal illness in Paris, her tour guide journeys to New Jersey to deliver Susan’s ashes and a letter to her brother, Bailey (James Gandolfini). The letter triggers revelations of dark secrets, murder and betrayal. The shocking news shakes up the lives of Bailey, his old friend, Wiley (Joe Pope), and Wiley’s wife — and Bailey’s ex-lover — Mary (Famke Janssen) in this gritty drama.”

4/5/13- Fair professional reviews in general and in today’s NY Times but audiences have liked this film very much. TRDB.

3) 6 SOULS– 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this eerie thriller, a forensic psychiatrist who has spent her career exposing false cases of multiple personality disorder must think outside the box when she takes on a patient whose various personas are those of murder victims.”4/5/13- A weak review in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

4) SIMON KILLER- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Young and heartbroken, a New Yorker travels to Paris to escape his romantic woes but soon falls into another all-consuming attraction. Hopelessly smitten with a young prostitute, he finds himself drawn into her dark and alien world.”

4/5/13- A good review in today’s NY Times and from other critics as well. TRDB.

5) STRANGER THINGS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This incisive indie tale centers on Luke, an autistic 25-year-old who lives with his grandparents — until his grandmother dies. Though the world expects little from him, he resolves to meet the challenge of finding a job and looking after himself.”

4/5/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times and from other critics as well. TRDB.

6) SMYRA: THE DESTRUCTION OF A COSMOPOLITAN CITY– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Archival photos and film reveal the glorious Greek city of Smyrna, a pinnacle of cultural tolerance until its destruction in 1922. Historians and descendants from the region discuss Smyrna’s legacy and the efforts to ensure it’s never forgotten.”

4/5/13- An OK review in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

________________________________________________________________________________________

 

OPENING THIS WEEK (APRIL 12)-

 

1) 42– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This biopic focuses on the relationship between baseball icon Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey, who signed Robinson and in 1947 made him the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era.”3/30/13- No reviews as yet but I can’t wait to see this movie. TRDB.

2) THE ANGELS’ SHARE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “After avoiding jail, Robbie vows to turn his life around for his newborn son. He has a talent for discerning fine whiskeys, and he and his community service cohorts hatch a plan to lift a few expensive bottles to buy themselves a better future.”

3/30/13- Very good reviews so far. TRDB.

3) DISCONNECT– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This drama about the thrills and perils of seeking fulfillment online focuses on a male escort, an outcast schoolboy and a married couple in trouble. Each of the characters is fated to find out just how badly their secrets and desires can undo them.”

3/30/13- No reviews as yet. TRDB.

4) INTO THE WHITE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the early days of World War II, two military airplanes — one British and one German — are shot down over Norway. Now, the crews of both aircraft are forced to work together in a desperate attempt to survive the harsh winter conditions.”

3/30/13- Mixed reviews but none said that it was very good. TRDB.

5) TO THE WONDER– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Soon after returning to his native Oklahoma with a beautiful woman he met in Paris, Neil finds himself drifting toward an old friend. Meanwhile, the woman he brought back with him has unfinished business with her first husband.”

3/30/13- Weak reviews in general. TRDB.

6) NOT TODAY– 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Traveling with his friends to Hyderabad, India on a whim, Caden’s expectations of a never-ending party crash hard. But not as hard as his conscience when he refuses to help a starving man and his little girl. Haunted by the images of Kiran and Annika, Caden attempts to right his wrong – only to discover Kiran has been forced to sell his own daughter.”

3/30/13- No reviews as yet. TRDB.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

 

1) CAESAR MUST DIE–  2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Brothers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani take their cameras inside Rome’s Rebbibia Prison as its inmates stage a production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The film reveals the Bard’s power to enlighten as the men connect the play to their own lives.”2/6/13- Good reviews in general and in today’s NY Times as well. TRDB.

2) 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-

 

NEW- NONE

 

REPEATS-

 

 

Cablevision Link– http://www.optimum.net/VOD/movies?cat=Movies+On+Demand%2FIndependent+Films%2FIFC+In+Theaters

 

DirecTV- www.directv.com/DTVAPP/listing/ppvMovies.jsp

Time Warner Link- www.twondemand.com

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS- (Westchester and Fairfield Counties)

 

NEW IN THE BURBS-

 

1) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Luke is a professional motorcycle rider who turns to bank robberies to support his newborn son, but when he crosses paths with a rookie police officer, their violent confrontation spirals into a tense generational feud.”3/28/13- A mixed review in today’s NY Times but  better reviews from other critics. TRDB.

 

2) TRANCE– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Danny Boyle directs this psychological thriller about an art heist gone wrong and the hypnotist who’s hired to ferret out the missing masterpiece. Everything is a jumble after an auctioneer gets hit in the head while double-crossing some art thieves.”4/5/13- A good review in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

3) 42- Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This biopic focuses on the relationship between baseball icon Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey, who signed Robinson and in 1947 made him the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era.”

3/30/13- No reviews as yet but I can’t wait to see this movie. TRDB.

4) NO PLACE ON EARTH– Clearview 100. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This documentary sheds light on a long-untold story of World War II: the 18-month sanctuary of 38 Jewish refugees in a Ukrainian cave. Five surviving members discuss their ordeal, as the film chronicles the accidental discovery of the cave in 1993.”

3/21/13- Just a few reviews and they are all very good. TRDB.

4/5/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

REPEATS-

 

1) RENOIR- Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1915, elderly painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir is crippled by both loss and arthritis, but when vibrant teenager Andrée brightens his life, he finds new purpose — as does his son Jean, a wounded soldier who is inspired by Andrée’s love of cinema.”3/18/13- A few early reviews and they are very good. TRDB.

3/29/13- A good review in today’s NY Times emphasizing the visual aspect of the film. TRDB.

4/5/13- I enjoyed the story, the acting and the beautiful photography. TRDB.

 

2) THE SAPPHIRES– Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “The spirit and vitality of 1960s soul music are at the core of this film about a real-life Australian aborigine singing group and their bumpy career. Three sisters and a cousin are brought together as the Sapphires by a talent scout with a plan”3/14/13- Excellent reviews all around. TRDB.

3/22/13- A poor review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3)  ADMISSION– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “While scouting applicants at an experimental high school, Ivy League admissions officer Portia Nathan discovers that the school’s founder is her former college classmate John Halsey — and that she may have a connection to one of his students.”

3/14/13- Mixed reviews at best. TRDB.

3/22/13- A barely OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) EMPEROR- Bethel. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “As World War II ends, Gen. MacArthur oversees Japan’s surrender, an act that dispels the nation’s centuries-old beliefs about its emperor. With the eyes of the world — and history — upon them, MacArthur and his protégé will change Japan forever.”

3/8/13- Weak review in today’s NY Times and elsewhere as well. My friends have enjoyed the historical portion of the movie but nothing else. TRDB.

5) NO– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

6) STARBUCK– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “A fortysomething slacker’s life is turned upside down when he learns that his many sperm donations have resulted in more than 500 children — 100 of whom are now suing to meet their father, who’s desperate to keep his identity a secret.”

Friends saw this at the Palm Springs Film Festival and loved it. TRDB.

3/22/13- Today’s NY Times gave this an OK review. TRDB.

4/7/13- A fun screenplay with very good acting made this movie most enjoyable. I liked it very much. TRDB.

7)  QUARTET-  Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A trio of retired opera singers’ annual celebration of Verdi’s birthday sours when their estranged fourth member shows up but refuses to sing. Tensions rise and diva drama erupts — will personal problems prevent the show from going on?”

Early reviews are very good. TRDB.

3/3/13-  A good, if somewhat predictable, movie with lots of good music to boot. TRDB.

8)SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK– Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a four-year stay in a psychiatric institution, former teacher Pat Peoples has no choice but to move back in with his mother. While he’s trying in vain to reunite with his wife, Pat meets another woman fated to change his life.”

Very good reviews. TRDB.

11/16/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

12/4/12- A very enjoyable piece of fluff that had a few lessons about life as well. TRDB.

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB