The Reel Dr. Bob

FILMS I’VE SEEN LATELY

December 6th, 2013

11/11/13- I didn’t like it but managed to watch almost half before turning it off. TRDB.

616) 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.

11/11/13- Reviews may have been good but I found the movie to be incredibly boring and I turned it off quickly. TRDB.

617) FLIGHT– 2012- Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In this action-packed mystery thriller, Academy Award winner, Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot, who miraculously crash lands his plane after a mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly every soul on board. After the crash, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, more questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault and what really happened on that plane?”

Very good reviews. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

11/2/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/11/13- A ridiculous screenplay and I turned it off shortly after the plane crash. TRDB.

618) LOVELACE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Amanda Seyfried stars as adult film icon Linda Lovelace, a woman coerced into and abused by the porn industry before taking charge of her life. The supporting cast includes all manner of Hollywood A-listers stepping into meaty roles.”

8/9/13- A mixed review in today’s NY Times and from other critics as well. TRDB.

11/12/13- A fairly realistic movie that presented well the seedy nature of the industry. I liked it. TRDB.

619) 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.

620) 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.

621) 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.”

OK reviews so far from audiences but nothing yet from professionals. 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. TRDB.

623) 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.

624) 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.

11/21/13- I enjoyed this movie very much as it presented a very realistic picture of what it’s like to be poor with little hope of improvement. I was rooting for the couple. TRDB.

625) DALLAS BUYERS CLUB- 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.

11/23/13- Very good reviews but not from this guy. I felt that the movie was predictable at every stage and the acting from Jennifer Gardner was weak. The story however could have been more interesting if anyone other than McConaughey showed any interest. TRDB.

626) WHICH WAY IS THE FRONT LINE FROM HERE? 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this moving documentary, Sebastian Junger pays tribute to Tim Hetherington, his co-director on the Oscar-nominated film Restrepo, a talented and compassionate photojournalist who was killed while covering the war in Libya in 2011.”

11/22/13- Excellent reviews by everybody. TRDB.

11/23/13- An excellent documentary about the man who, unfortunately, was killed doing his job as a photo journalist in Libya. Plenty of footage of war but also plenty of Hetherington speaking directly to the camera about his views of life. TRDB.

627) THE SQUARE- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This intimate documentary filmed in the midst of the Egyptian revolution follows its subjects on a life-changing journey through the euphoria of victory into the uncertainties and dangers of a “transitional period” under military rule.”

10/25/13- A good review in today’s NY Times and from everyone else as well. TRDB.

11/24/13- An excellent documentary about the political changes in Egypt over the last 2 years with an emphasis on the realities involved in a popular revolution. TRDB.

628) HANNAH ARENDT- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “After fleeing Nazi Germany for the United States, a Jewish-German philosopher accepts an assignment from the New Yorker to cover the trial of an infamous war criminal, resulting in an article that ignites controversy all over the world.”

8/6/13- Good reviews all over. TRDB.

11/25/13- I think that the movie gave a good description of the character and what she was about but as for the movie it felt a bit Hollywoodish and overacted. TRDB.

629) 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.”

11/22/13- Excellent reviews all around including the NY Times. TRDB.

11/29/13- I liked this movie very much. Great and true story with great acting and very realistically done. Sad beyond sad at times. Everybody should see this. TRDB.

630) THE WAY WAY BACK- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A stifled teen finds his voice with encouragement from the manager of a local water park, where he takes a summer job to escape his unbearable home life with his mom and her overbearing boyfriend.”

7/5/13- Uniformly good reviews but just an OK one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

12/3/13- The worst!! TRDB.

631) NEBRASKA- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a cantankerous old boozer thinks he’s won a magazine sweepstakes prize, his son reluctantly takes a road trip with him to claim the fortune. As they drive from Montana to Nebraska, they visit friends and relatives to whom the dad owes money.”

11/15/13- Good reviews in general and a good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

12/4/13- Basically I enjoy almost every road movie I see and this was no exception. An interesting story about families. Dern was great. TRDB.

632) WEST OF MEMPHIS- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “After the 1994 conviction of three troubled teens for the murders of three younger boys, questions began to arise about the prosecution of the case, with numerous legal experts and celebrities demanding that previously ignored evidence be examined.”

Excellent reviews. TRDB.

12/6/13- An extremely well done documentary that held my interest despite its two and a half hour length. It should be required viewing for all lawyers. TRDB.

THIS IS THE LAST MOVIE ENTERED BEFORE LEAVING FOR FLORIDA

Entry Filed under: All Reviews