The Reel Dr. Bob

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

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

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) THE MOTEL LIFE– Comcast On-Demand

2) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES– Netflix

3) THE LAST RIDE– Netflix

4) CRYSTAL FAIRY– Netflix Streaming

 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) FREE BIRDS– 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In this irreverent, hilarious, adventurous buddy comedy, directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history – and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.”11/18/13- I saw this yesterday in Boston with my grandchildren. A cute animated movie for kids that they both enjoyed. I found it clever as well. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) THE MOTEL LIFE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this affecting indie drama, two luckless brothers — inseparable because of a pledge they made to their dying mother — are forced to take it on the lam after one of them is involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident.”11/8/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times and from most other critics as well. TRDB.

11/14/13- I liked this movie very much. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.

2) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES– 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.

11/18/13- A very interesting and well acted drama that is multigenerational in scope. TRDB.

3) THE LAST RIDE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “A young college student agrees to drive volatile country music star Hank Williams to a concert, never guessing he’ll be the last one to see him alive. Along the way, he gets a glimpse into the mind of a troubled legend.”

Just OK reviews from most.  TRDB.

6/22/12- Poor review in today’s NY Times- they said that you need to be a Hank Williams fanatic to enjoy this one. TRDB.

11/19/13- I enjoyed the music but basically we learned nothing about what the star Hank Williams was all about. Still, there was something about the movie that was appealing. TRDB.

4) CRYSTAL FAIRY– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A self-absorbed young American traveling in Chile plans a journey with his pals to find a legendary hallucinogenic cactus. But when he invites the free-spirited Crystal Fairy along, they find themselves locked in a battle of wills.”

7/12/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. Others have liked it as well. TRDB.

11/20/13- Very different but I liked it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, NOV. 26-

 

1) 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.

9/6/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) THE CANYONS– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “While calculating young movie producer Christian makes films to keep his trust fund intact, his actress girlfriend, Tara, hides an affair. But a chance meeting thrusts them into a violent, sexually-charged tour through the dark side of human nature.”

8/2/13- A weak review in today’s NY Times and similar reviews elsewhere. TRDB.

3) APPLAUSE- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “After a long stint in rehab, legendary actress Thea Barfoed (Paprika Steen) seeks to reconnect with her two young sons in this drama from Denmark. Now, the headstrong Thea must prove to her ex-husband, Christian (Michael Falch) — and to herself — that she’s truly reformed. Meanwhile, her nightly performances as overbearing wife Martha in the play “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” lead her to face some painful truths.”

Poor review in NY Times on 1/21/11.

4) INFORMANT– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “What turned Brandon Darby from an outspoken radical to a right-wing FBI informant in only three years? This doc gets the story from the man himself. Darby explains the shift in his allegiances that made him one of activism’s most maligned figures.”

9/13/13- Excellent reviews all around with a somewhat weaker review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

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OPENED ON NOV. 15 IN ADDITION TO THE MOVIES I WROTE ABOUT ON NOV. 14-

 

1) SEX, LOVE & SALSA– 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The story of Julian Suarez, 29 going on 30, who loves women so much he can’t have just one. Three in particular have caught his eye at the moment, Genny, voluptuous, rambunctious, romantic; Ingrid, posh, daring, sophisticated, and Maria, artful, salsa dancer, and it seems Mr. Suave might have just met his match with this Maria… makes him wonder when is it really the right time to settle down?11/15/13- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) LONG ISLAND RAILROAD MASSACRE– 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “On December 7, 1993, a coward stepped onto a crowded train and committed the worst crime in Long Island history. Go in-depth with director Charlie Minn as he interviews witnesses and families of victims, adding to the tension of this intense and emotional film.”

11/15/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set 13 years after the events of The Best Man, this comedy sequel picks up as the story’s original characters — whose lives have taken some odd turns since — gather for a mirthful reunion.”

11/15/13- OK reviews from most critics including the review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) 12-12-12- 2013. Synopsis by IMDB- “A behind-the-scenes look at the televised benefit concert to raise relief funds for victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.”

11/14/13- Mixed reviews, more good than bad including a fair review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

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OPENING THIS WEEK (NOV. 22)-

 

1) PHILOMENA- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Floundering BBC journalist Martin Sixsmith and aging Irishwoman Philomena Lee form an unlikely bond when they pair up to find the son Philomena was forced to give up for adoption 50 years ago.”11/12/13- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) NARCO CULTURA– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Exploring the lives of a Mexican crime scene investigator and a Mexican American narcocorrido singer, this documentary examines how the culture of narcotics trafficking has become a twisted new version of the American Dream.”

11/12/13- I’ve seen just 2 reviews and they are both good. TRDB.

3) DELIVERY MAN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After learning that he’s fathered hundreds of children, former sperm donor David Wozniak discovers that dozens of his offspring now want to meet him. Meanwhile, David’s current girlfriend is also pregnant and uncertain about their future together.”

11/12/13- This movie has no reviews as yet but it sounds an awful like the movie Starbuck. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

 

1) CAMILLE CLAUDEL 1915– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When gifted sculptress Camille Claudel, once the lover of Auguste Rodin, falls prey to mental illness, her family commits her to a psychiatric clinic. This subdued drama follows Camille’s thoughts and moods as she waits for redemption to arrive.”10/16/13- Mixed reviews. The review in today’s NY Times was favorable. TRDB.

2) M- 1931. Synopsis by Netflix. ” German-American director Fritz Lang presents his first “talkie” — and cinema’s first serial killer — in this 1931 classic whose central villain was later used in Nazi propaganda films to illustrate the evils of sexual deviance. Propelled by a compulsion he can’t control, plump pedophile Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre) escapes the eye of the law — but not the wrath of the Berlin underworld being blamed for his crimes. Otto Wernicke co-stars.”

 

11/21/13-The Classic!! TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

 

NEW-

 

1) GEOGRAPHY CLUB– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Looking for a haven from the social hell of high school, the teens in this dramedy form a social club they know no one else will join. Here, it doesn’t matter that Min and Terese are more than just friends, or that the quarterback is seeing a guy.”11/15/13- Weak reviews in general but an OK one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) SUNLIGHT JR.- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hard times befall an already struggling convenience-store clerk and her paraplegic boyfriend when they’re evicted from the seedy motel they call home, and she loses the job that barely supports them.”

11/15/13- Very good reviews in general but the NY Times review today was barely OK and said that the actors were not convincing. TRDB

3) DEAR MR. WATTERSON– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Nearly two decades after the last original “Calvin and Hobbes” was published, this documentary examines the comic strip’s enduring legacy. Fans and cartoonists such as Berke Breathed of “Bloom County” discuss the strip’s impact and timeless appeal.”

11/15/13- Fairly good reviews but a weak one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

 

 

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

 

NEW IN THE BURBS-

 

1) THE ARMSTRONG LIE– Clearview 100. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filming cyclist Lance Armstrong as he trained for the 2009 Tour de France, director Alex Gibney had intimate access to the racer’s team. Gibney’s cameras were also rolling for Armstrong’s startling 2012 confession of performance-enhancing drug use.”10/16/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

11/8/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

REPEATS-

 

1) 12 YEARS A SLAVE– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. ” 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “The autobiography of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was abducted from New York state and sold into slavery in the mid-1800s, serves as the basis for this historical drama. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Northup, and Brad Pitt plays an abolitionist.”9/29/13- Very good reviews from all critics. TRDB.10/18/13- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/6/13- Overall I enjoyed this movie as this is clearly a story needing to be told. The acting was wonderful. Throughout the movie I couldn’t help thinking about this as another Holocaust movie with the dehumanizing, the oppression, the splitting of families and the often random nature of the violence inflicted on the victims, in this case Blacks. My only objection was that too many scenes seemed the same to me, each showing the difficult daily life on the plantation in one form or another. TRDB.

2)  CAPTAIN PHILLIPS– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this exciting adventure based on true events that made international headlines, Tom Hanks portrays Capt. Richard Phillips, who is taken hostage by Somali pirates after they hijack his cargo ship, and the U.S. Navy’s efforts to rescue him.”

10/11/13- This movie, starring Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips, has received excellent reviews but one critic said that it was a Hollywood style “A Hijacking”, a movie that I saw a few months ago that had a similar theme and was excellent. The NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

10/11/13- The movie was well done and helped along by the knowledge that it was taken from a true story. Tom Hanks did his usual good job. I enjoyed the last 15min. the most. TRDB.

3) ALL IS LOST– Bethel. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this harrowing drama — which has no dialogue — Robert Redford portrays a man stranded alone at sea, courageously battling a ferocious storm as he struggles to survive with just a sextant and maritime maps to guide him.”

9/29/13- Very good reviews from all critics. TRDB.

10/18/13- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) DALLAS BUYERS CLUB– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Loosely based on true events, this drama follows Ron Woodroof, who refuses to accept he’ll die in 30 days when he’s diagnosed with AIDS in 1986. He extends his life and eventually helps many other AIDS patients by smuggling medications from abroad.”

10/16/13- Very good reviews for this Indie drama. TRDB.

11/1/13- The review in today’s NY Times gave this movie an OK review but said that it lacked passion and “played it safe.” TRDB.

5) ENOUGH SAID– Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini star in this charming comedy about a divorced woman venturing into a relationship with a sweet man. But things get tricky when she discovers the man she’s dating is the hated ex-husband of her new best friend.”

9/24/13- Excellent reviews from nearly everyone. TRDB.

9/29/13- With a very good script, very good acting and with great chemistry between the two main actors this movie seemed like real life with all of  its conflicts. TRDB. 

6) ABOUT TIME– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A young man who comes from a family of time-travelers changes history for the better in this romantic comedy from director Richard Curtis. During one of his trip to the past, he falls for a woman played by Rachel McAdams.”

10/29/13- A poor review in today’s NY Times and mediocre reviews at best from everyone else. TRDB.

7) GRAVITY– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “As a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission embarks on a space walk with a seasoned astronaut, debris strikes their craft and destroys it — leaving the two floating through space tethered together, with no connection to Earth.”

10/2/13- Very good reviews and this film has been well received at festivals too. TRDB.

10/4/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

10/11/13- Kind of a weak story but the special effects are definitely worth the price of admission. TRDB.