The Reel Dr. Bob

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

YOU CAN ACCESS THIS NEWSLETTER AND OLDER REVIEWS AT- www.thereeldrbob.com

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) I KILLED MY MOTHER– Netflix

2) KON-TIKI– Netflix

3) SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS– Netflix Streaming

4) IN A WORLD…- At the Theater

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) IN A WORLD…- 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Lake Bell (“Children’s Hospital”) stars in In a World…, a hilarious romantic comedy about a struggling vocal coach who strikes it big in the cutthroat world of movie-trailer voiceovers, only to find herself in direct competition with the industry’s reigning king-her father. Written and directed by Bell, who won the Sundance 2013 Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for the script.”8/9/13- Good reviews from today’s NY Times and from other critics as well. TRDB.

9/2/13- The movie was fun but nothing great. There were some funny situations that reminded me of early Woody Allen and I did enjoy the various relationships. TRDB. At the Theater.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) I KILLED MY MOTHER– 2009. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Hubert Minel, a brash 17 year old, dislikes his mother intensely. He gauges her with contempt, only seeing her out-of-date sweater, her kitschy décor and the vile bread crumbs that lodge in the corners of her noisy mouth. Below the surface of these irritating traits, lie the ingrained mechanisms that his mother has always cultivated so dearly – manipulation and guilt. Hubert, confused and torn by a love-hate relationship that obsesses him more and more each day, wanders in and out of an adolescence that is both marginal and typical, combining artistic discovery, openness to friendship, ostracism, and sex. All the while, he is consumed by his all encompassing contempt for this woman he somehow once loved.”3/13/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. Other critics have liked it as well. TRDB.

8/29/13- Very difficult to watch the conflict between mother and son but the movie was well done and I enjoyed it. TRDB. Netflix.

2) KON-TIKI– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “With five loyal friends in tow, explorer Thor Heyerdal sails a fragile balsa wood raft along an ancient path some 4,300 miles across the Pacific. Along the way, they’re attacked by tidal waves, sharks and all the dangers the ocean can muster.”

4/19/13- Fairly good early reviews. TRDB.

4/26/13- A really poor review in today’s NY Times but other critics seemed to have liked it. TRDB.

8/30/13- This movie was and had to be limited by the monotony of cruising powerlessly on a raft for nearly 4 months but they did manage to inject some suspense into it and at the same time recognize the symbolic importance of the undertaking. Worth seeing. TRDB.

3) ON THE ROAD– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “At the height of the Beat era, New York writer Sal Paradise, his freewheeling buddy Dean, and Dean’s wife set out on a journey of self-discovery. Their cross-country quest for answers reflects the American character, attitudes and values of the time.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

12/21/12- A weak review in today’s NY Times and elsewhere as well. TRDB.

8/31/13- Incredibly boring and I turned it off. TRDB.

4) SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Technology is second nature to digitally adept Sarah Sparks, but pregnancy is alien ground, and in this quirky road movie, the mom-to-be unearths her maternal instinct while crossing a desert to reach her own estranged — and phone-free — mother.”

5/11/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

9/1/13- I found the story interesting, believable and I enjoyed it. The quirky characters, each a caricature, were fun as well. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, SEPT. 10-

 

1) WISH YOU WERE HERE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Searching for answers about what happened to their friend who vanished while they vacationed in Cambodia together, Steph, Alice and Dave discover a shocking truth — and must deal with the consequences as more secrets are revealed.”5/25/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

6/7/13- A mixed review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED is directed by Golden Globe (R) and Oscar (R) winning filmmaker Susanne Bier, written by Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen and starring Pierce Brosnan and Trine Dyrholm. Philip (Brosnan), an Englishman living in Denmark, is a lonely, middle-aged widower and estranged single father. Ida (Dyrholm) is a Danish hairdresser, recuperating from a long bout of illness, who’s just been left by her husband for a younger woman, Thilde. The fates of these two bruised souls are about to intertwine.”

4/21/13- Fairly good early reviews. TRDB.

5/3/13- A poor review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) FRANKENSTEIN’S ARMY– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “As they push into Germany near the end of World War II, Russian troops discover that the Nazis have used the research of legendary scientist Victor Frankenstein to create monstrous new soldiers that are pieced together from body parts of the dead.”

7/16/13- Some good reviews including the review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) CHASING ICE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This mesmerizing and beautifully shot documentary from National Geographic photographer James Balog offers a clear vision of climate change as time-lapse cameras across the Arctic reveal glaciers melting and disappearing over a period of years.”

Just a few professional reviews and they are all good. TRDB.

11/9/12- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

5) WAR WITCH– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In sub-Saharan Africa, 12-year-old Komona is kidnapped by rebel soldiers who force her to kill her parents and join their ranks. Over the next two years, Komona clings to life despite her horrific experiences and tries to pacify her parents’ ghosts.”

3/1/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3/6/13- Very difficult to watch this moving drama of a girl who amazingly survives war and superstition but it should be a “must-see.” TRDB.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

OPENED LAST FRIDAY, AUG. 30 IN  ADDITION TO THE MOVIES I WROTE ABOUT ON AUG. 29-

 

1) PASSION– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Christine, an ad exec whose veins run with ice water, has no qualms about taking the credit for a plum idea dreamed up by her mousy assistant, Isabel. But the incident sparks shy, passive Isabel to undertake a campaign of revenge against her boss.”8/30/13- Poor reviews in general but the NY Times liked it in today’s review. TRDB.

2) ABIGAIL HARM– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Echoing the theme of a Korean folk tale, this mysterious drama focuses on solitary New Yorker Abigail, who’s granted a wish by a mysterious stranger. Unfortunately, the granting of that wish brings consequences Abigail failed to consider.”

8/30/13- Poor reviews al around, including the one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) AFTERNOON DELIGHT– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Although 30-something wife and mother Rachel appears to have the perfect life, she’s being driven crazy by boredom. While attempting to spice up her marriage, Rachel befriends a stripper named McKenna who educates her about being true to herself.”

8/30/13- This movie received poor reviews in general but the NY Times liked it in today’s movie review. TRDB.

4) THE LIFEGUARD– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After hitting a rough patch, 29-year-old Leigh abandons her journalism career, moves back in with her parents and gets a job as a lifeguard. Soon, she begins an affair with a teenage boy she meets at the pool.”

8/30/13- Awful reviews from almost everybody and from the NY Times as well. TRDB.

6) GETAWAY– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When washed-out race car driver Brent Magna’s wife is kidnapped, he partners with a sexy, enigmatic hacker known only as The Kid to track her down. But the figure behind the abduction is calling the shots, and is watching their every move.”

8/30/13- ALL reviews have been awful– NO easy task. TRDB.

7) THE LAST CHRISTEROS– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This minimalistic film chronicles the little-known war of a band of Christeros, rural Christian rebels, against the Mexican government in the 1930s. The character-driven narrative focuses on the periods between skirmishes rather than conflict itself.”

8/30/13- Only 3 reviews so far– 1 down (Today’s NY Times) , 2 up. TRDB.

8) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Award-winning documentarian Morgan Spurlock turns his camera on boy band phenomenon One Direction in this combination concert film and backstage pass. The film follows the multiplatinum group as they prepare for their 2013 world tour.”

8/3/13- An OK review in today’s NY Times and mixed reviews from others. TRDB.

9) WAMPLER’S ASCENT– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Wampler’s Ascent documents Steve Wampler as he attempts to become the first person with a disability to climb the biggest rock face in the world, El Captain in Yosemite National Park.”

8/30/13- Mixed early reviews. The NY Times gave it a qualified positive review today. TRDB.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

OPENING THIS WEEK (FRIDAY, SEPT.6)-

 

1) BEST KEPT SECRET– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “High school teacher Janet Mino has dedicated herself to helping a group of autistic students overcome obstacles and plan for normal lives. This documentary follows Mino as she prepares her kids — and their families — for the challenges ahead.”8/23/13-  No reviews yet but this sounds interesting and I’ll probably see it. TRDB.

2) FIRE IN THE BLOOD– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker Dylan Mohan Gray delves into Africa’s AIDS crisis to put a human face on those caught in the battle over inexpensive, generic HIV drugs. Gray reveals the power of American pharmaceutical companies in the global market and what’s at stake.”

8/23/13- Very good early reviews. TRDB.

3) GOOD OL’ FREDA– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Freda Kelly was just a shy Liverpudlian teenager when she was asked to work for a local band hoping to make it big: the Beatles. In Good Ol’ Freda, the band’s former secretary tells her personal stories for the first time in 50 years.”

8/23/13- No reviews as yet. TRDB.

4) OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Directed by a family member of one of the victims, this gripping documentary tells the story of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, which took the lives of 658 of the company’s employees.”

8/23/13- No professional reviews as yet but audiences have liked it. TRDB.

5) RED OBSESSION– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Russell Crowe narrates this sobering study of how the tastes of China’s nouveau riche are driving up wine prices in France’s Bordeaux region — and pushing out Western customers who can no longer afford it.”

8/23/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

6) SALINGER- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Interviews with 150 of J.D. Salinger’s friends and colleagues shed light on the reclusive author in this absorbing documentary. High-profile writers and actors, including Martin Sheen, Gore Vidal and John Cusack, discuss how Salinger influenced them.”

8/23/13- Mostly poor reviews. TRDB.

7) THE ULTIMATE LIFE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Blessed with the treasures that came to him in The Ultimate Gift, Jason Stevens inherits family conflicts and copes with his wife’s extended trip abroad. Once again Jason must rethink his life values, and his grandfather’s journals provide a path.”

8/23/13- No reviews as yet. TRDB.

8)ADORE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this seaside drama adapted from a novella by Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing, two lifelong friends who fall in love with each other’s teenage sons must carry out their affairs in relative secrecy.”

8/24/13- I’ve seen just 4 reviews– 2 up, 1 down and 1 neutral. TRDB.

9) LA MAISON DE LA RADIO– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Taking his cameras inside Paris’ Radio France, filmmaker Nicolas Philibert spotlights the personalities behind the station’s diverse programming and portrays them as a microcosm of the world at large.”

9/4/13- Mixed reviews from critics and audiences as well. The NY Times didn’t care for it. TRDB.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

 

1) COMPUTER CHESS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This comedic period piece set before PCs became commonplace centers on a 1980s chess tournament in which human competitors get their first crack at testing their skills against a machine.”7/3/13- Just a few reviews and they are good. TRDB.

2) AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After escaping prison, Bob Muldoon begins a search for his girlfriend and young daughter, but their reunion doesn’t go as planned: He took the rap for a crime she committed, but now she’s involved with a lawman from their past.”8/6/13- Mixed reviews with some very good ones and some really poor ones too. TRDB.

8/16/13- A negative review in today’s NY Times saying that the film was unconvincing. TRDB.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

 

NEW-

 

1) THE ICEMAN–  2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This thriller based on a true story follows Richard Kuklinski, who killed more than 100 people for the mob — and his own pleasure — between 1964 and 1986. Despite his prolific violence, Kuklinski was a devoted husband and father of two daughters.”Early reviews look good for this docudrama including a NY Times review on 5/3/13. TRDB.

5/1/13- A riveting performance by Michael Shannon as the contract killer Richard Kuklinski places this movie at a suspenseful level and keeps it there. TRDB.

2) STORIES WE TELL– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Using a mix of interviews and sly home movies, Sarah Polley creates an intriguing profile of her family, especially her mother, Diane, who died when Polley was 11 years old. In a family of storytellers, does the truth depend on who does the telling?”4/29/13- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

5/10/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

5/21/13- An interesting documentary about family relationships and specifically what Sarah Polley learned about her family by letting people tell the story. Done in a creative manner- could have been a bit shorter. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS- (WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES)-

 

NEW IN THE BURBS-

 

1) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Award-winning documentarian Morgan Spurlock turns his camera on boy band phenomenon One Direction in this combination concert film and backstage pass. The film follows the multiplatinum group as they prepare for their 2013 world tour.”8/3/13- An OK review in today’s NY Times and mixed reviews from others. TRDB.

2) THE PATIENCE STONE– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes said- “Author Atiq Rahimi’s adapts his own bestselling novel about a Muslim woman whose paralyzed husband unconsciously assumes the role of a magical force, which shields her from the sorrows of life in her war-torn village. Her unnamed Middle Eastern country caught up in an insurrection, the loyal, thirtysomething wife faithfully sits watch over her vegetative husband, who has been all but forgotten by his brothers and fellow Jihadists. Over time, she gathers the courage to tell her husband all of the things she had remained silent about during their 10 years of marriage. Throughout the course of these missives, she speaks frankly of the disappointments, sorrows, and sacrifices that have made her life so difficult throughout the previous decade. Only weeks later, when the isolated wife enters into a relationship with a young soldier, does she begin to reveal the woman who she had kept locked up deep inside ever since the day she was married.”

8/6/13- Very good early reviews and I’ll definitely try to see this one. TRDB.

8/14/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

1) CLOSED CIRCUIT– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Martin and Claudia, top-flight lawyers who happen to be former lovers, become targets when they’re teamed up to defend a notorious terrorist. As the trial unfolds, the danger causes the pair to reevaluate their allegiance to justice.”8/27/13- Poor reviews. TRDB.

2) BLUE JASMINE– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “The high life leads to high anxiety for a fashionable New York City homemaker in crisis who finds herself forced to live a more modest lifestyle in San Francisco. Woody Allen directs an ensemble cast that includes Cate Blanchett and Alec Baldwin.”

7/26/13- A great review in today’s NY Times and excellent reviews all around. TRDB.

3) LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker delivers a powerful performance as Cecil Gaines, who served as the White House butler under eight presidents. His three decades of service unfold against a backdrop of unparalleled change in American history.”

8/6/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

8/16/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

8/25/13- Although I did enjoy parts of this movie, I was disappointed with the film as a whole. I thought it was a lackluster story about the butler used as a vehicle for a very powerful piece of history and it just didn’t seem to fit for me. The acting carried the movie. TRDB.

4) THE SPECTACULAR NOW– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When high school loner Aimee Finicky finds her classmate Sutter Keely passed-out drunk on a lawn, it marks the start of an unlikely friendship. After deciding to help Aimee raise her social confidence, Sutter finds himself falling for his creation.”

7/15/13- Very good early reviews. TRDB.

8/2/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

8/23/13- Overall I enjoyed this movie but I felt that the first 45min. was too long and the second 45min. a bit too short. TRDB.   

5) THE GRANDMASTER– Danbury, Clearview 100. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “As the Japanese invasion looms, Chinese kung fu master Ip Man’s world changes when rival master Gong Er and her father arrive in his village. As her father ceremoniously retires, Gong Er finds love with Ip Man, who’s conflicted by his feelings.”

8/23/13- A good review in today’s NY Times for this martial arts film and positive reviews in general. The Wall St. Journal said that you had to be a martial arts fan to like this movie and sight unseen I would agree. TRDB.

6) IN A WORLD…- Jacob Burns, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Lake Bell (“Children’s Hospital”) stars in In a World…, a hilarious romantic comedy about a struggling vocal coach who strikes it big in the cutthroat world of movie-trailer voiceovers, only to find herself in direct competition with the industry’s reigning king-her father. Written and directed by Bell, who won the Sundance 2013 Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for the script.”

8/9/13- Good reviews from today’s NY Times and from other critics as well. TRDB.

9/2/13- The movie was fun but nothing great. There were some funny situations that reminded me of early Woody Allen and I did enjoy the various relationships. TRDB.

 

For Independent Films in Your Neighborhood go to- www.emergingpictures.com

For Independent Films in Palm Beach County go to www.lakeworthplayhouse.org  

For Films everywhere go to- www.fandango.com