The Reel Dr. Bob

JANUARY 23, 2014

DEAR FRIENDS:

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

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES SINCE JAN. 9-

1) CUTIE AND THE BOXER- Netflix Streaming

2) THE PERFECT STRANGER- Netflix Streaming

3) HER- At the Theater

4) THE BEST OFFER- Comcast On-Demand

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) HER- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this sci-fi romantic comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, love comes to a lonely young writer in the sleekest of packages when he finds himself falling for the advanced operating system he purchased to run his life.”12/18/13- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

1/12/14- One of the most creative movies I’ve seen in a while, this film is definitely worth seeing but I have trouble actually recommending it. It did stimulate a lot of discussion. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) CUTIE AND THE BOXER– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Explore the work and marriage of Ushio and Noriko Shinohara, who took America’s art scene by storm after leaving Japan for New York. Each has created their own unique space, both in style … and in their 40-year relationship.”8/6/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

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

1/8/14- A very interesting documentary seen both as about the art and about a love story between the two artists. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

2) THE PERFECT  STRANGER– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “The arrival of a foreigner causes a stir in a small Mediterranean village when it’s rumored that he will be reopening an old shop. The stranger’s arrival brings hope to the locals, but the language barrier obscures his intentions for being there.”

1/10/14- I enjoyed this slow moving drama very much. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

3) THE BEST OFFER- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “An auction house owner who lives in seclusion amid a collection of female portraiture is hired by a woman who refuses to meet in person. But as his business relationship with his enigmatic client grows, so does his dormant libido.”

1/1/14- The NY Times gave this movie a very good review in today’s issue.  Other reviews have been mixed. TRDB.

1/17/14- I liked this movie very much and would definitely recommend it. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.

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CAME TO NETFLIX ON JAN. 14-

1) THE LONE RANGER- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this reboot of the 1950s television series, Native American warrior Tonto rescues wounded lawman John Reid and restores him to health, thus creating an often-contentious but effective partnership as they attempt to rid the Old West of corruption.”

1/9/14- Poor reviews all around. TRDB.

2) PORTRAIT OF WALLY- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This fascinating documentary examines the historic court battle over Egon Schiele’s Portrait of Wally, a Nazi-looted painting that was stolen from a Jewish art dealer fleeing Vienna and wound up in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

5/11/12- NY Times review today was non specific. I could not even guess if the reviewer liked it or not. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, JAN. 28-

1) I USED TO BE DARKER- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When runaway Taryn seeks help from her aunt and uncle in Baltimore, she discovers a family in crisis and a marriage in ruins — and finds herself in the middle of the emotional fallout between everyone involved.”9/25/13- Mixed early reviews. TRDB.

10/4/13- Mostly good reviews. The NY Times gave it a mixed but good review in today’s issue. TRDB.

2) LAST VEGAS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Four sixtysomething pals — Billy, Paddy, Archie and Sam — gather in Las Vegas to celebrate Billy’s upcoming nuptials with the intention of running wild for four straight days. But Sin City has gotten a lot crazier than they could’ve ever imagined.”

11/1/13- Awful reviews. TRDB.

3) DON JON- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Jon Martello’s romantic exploits are legendary among his friends, but his obsession with online porn is starting to sap his enthusiasm for real sex. As he tries to regain his hunger for intimacy, Jon meets two women with vital lessons to teach him.”

9/15/13- Fairly good reviews so far. TRDB.

9/27/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

4) CONCUSSION- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a blow to the head with a baseball prompts lesbian housewife Abby to shake up her suburban life — and her dull marriage — she buys a fixer-upper in Manhattan and seeks excitement by becoming a prostitute.”

9/25/13- Sounds a bit odd but this film has received lots of good reviews. TRDB.

10/4/13- Today’s NY Times gave this movie a weak review. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.

10/21/13- A bit different but I liked it. TRDB.

5) A PERFECT MAN- 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “On the cusp of their ninth anniversary, James and Nina seem to have the perfect marriage and ideal lives – an affluent life in Amsterdam, lucrative jobs and adoring friends. Yet when Nina discovers James’s infidelity with a mutual friend of theirs after a long line of extramarital affairs, it’s the final straw, shattering whatever illusions they’ve created about their relationship and leaving them separated. Heartbroken about their separation, a stroke of luck leads Nina to impersonate James’s chatty travel agent on the phone, and he’s soon pouring his heart out and unwittingly falling for his wife all over again as they discuss the uncertainty of love and the eternal misunderstanding between men and women.”

11/1/13- A really poor review in today’s NY Times. I’ve seen one other professional review and it was good. Audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.

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OPENED ON FRIDAY, JAN. 10 IN ADDITION TO THE MOVIES I WROTE ABOUT ON JAN. 9-

Some of the movies opening today got miserable reviews so I’m just going to list those without a review–

1) DUMBELLS

2) COLD COMES THE NIGHT

3) DIVORCE CORP.

4) CHANDER PAHAR

5) THE GROUNDED

6) THE SUSPECT

7) RAZE

8) TRUTH

9) THE TRUTH ABOUT EMANUEL

THE FOLLOWING MOVIES FARED BETTER-

1) HAMLET-2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This retelling of the classic strips it to its core story of murder and betrayal and centers it over one night in a post-World War II London hotel room. The result remains true to the original while adding provocative new dimensions.”

1/10/14- Poor review in today’s NY Times and from everybody else as well. TRDB.

2) LOVES HER GUN- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Allie is attacked in New York, she picks up and moves to Austin. Paranoid and still haunted by the incident, she immerses herself in the city’s gun culture as a way to feel less vulnerable.”

1/10/14- A good review from the NY Times in today’s issue. Most other critics have liked it also. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST FRIDAY, JAN. 17, IN ADDITION TO THE MOVIES I WROTE ABOUT ON   JAN. 9-

1) GENERATION WAR- (Opened Jan. 15) 2013. Synopsis by IMDB. “Berlin, 1941. Five friends eager to become heroes in an adventure that will change the face of Europe – and that will forever change them as well.1/15/14- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) WHEN I SAW YOU- (Opened Jan. 15) 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Displaced to a Jordanian refugee camp with his mother in the wake of the Six-Day War, a restless 11-year-old Palestinian has trouble adjusting. Yearning to reunite with his missing father, the headstrong boy sets out on a life-changing journey.”

1/15/14-A very good  review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON- 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Ryota (Masaharu Fukuyama) is a successful Tokyo architect who works long hours to provide for his wife, Midori (Machiko Ono) and six-year-old son, Keita. But when a blood test reveals Keita and another baby were switched at birth, two very different families are thrown together and forced to make a difficult decision while Ryota confronts his own issues of responsibility and what it means to be a father. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON extends the Japanese cinema tradition of familial exploration to deliver a gentle and moving story of personal redemption that playfully navigates its way through the drama.”

1/17/14- An excellent review in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

4) BAND OF SISTERS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This inspiring documentary illustrates the turbulent journey of Catholic nuns in the U.S. following Vatican II in the early 1960s, when they began to leave behind their sheltered lives and become vocal advocates for social justice and civil rights.”

1/17/14- The NY Times gave this a fair at best review. Audiences have liked it. TRDB.

5) WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW?- 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In this madcap and lighthearted comedic romp, introverted optometrist Weichung begins to question his marriage with his wife Feng, upon learning of her desire to have another baby. At his sister’s engagement party, Weichung bumps into an old friend, Stephen, a wedding photographer who, though also married, is living the high life of a younger, single gay man. When Stephen teases Weichung for his newly straight-laced lifestyle, dormant emotions are awakened in Weichung, setting him off on a quest for true romance and desire.”

9/13/13- This movie showed at the Martha’s Vineyard Int. Film Festival and has received some good early reviews. TRDB.

1/17/14- An OK review in today’s NY Times- mixed reviews from others. TRDB.

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OPENING THIS WEEK- JAN. 24-

1) GIMME SHELTER- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After running away from her abusive mother, streetwise teen Apple locates her father, who’s never been part of her life, but he rejects her when he learns that she’s pregnant. Desperate and alone, Apple seeks help from a compassionate priest.”1/6/14- No reviews as yet. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) THE SELFISH GIANT- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Two teenage boys band together to steal copper wire from power stations and railway lines to sell to a local scrap dealer in this dour drama. Their friendship sours when Kitten, the scrap dealer, begins to favor one of the boys over the other.”12/20/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

1/5/14- This movie got very good reviews but frankly I just can’t understand it. One negative reviewer said that she checked her watch several times and that about says it for me. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.

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.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW-

1) FRUITVALE STATION- I liked this one very much

2) LEE DANIELS: THE BUTLER- Good reviews but I didn’t really like it

3) THE SPECTACULAR NOW- I enjoyed this one

REPEATS-

1) 20 FEET FROM STARDOM- Good reviews

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW-

1) THE INVISIBLE WOMAN- Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Ralph Fiennes directs and stars in this drama about the affair Charles Dickens began with a teen actress while at the height of his career. Felicity Jones plays the young thespian who catches Dickens’s eye, and Kristin Scott Thomas plays her mom.”12/3/13- Mixed reviews but more good than bad. TRDB.

2) THE PAST (LE PASSE)- Jacob Burns, Clearview 100.  2013. Synopsis by Netflix. When Iranian Ahmad returns to France after a four-year separation from his French wife, Marie, he discovers that she now has a boyfriend — and that behind her difficult relationship with their daughter lies a secret from the past.”

12/3/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

12/20/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS- Bethel. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “The Coen Brothers helm this chronicle of struggling musician Llewellyn Davis, set during the height of the folk era in the early 1960s. The drama follows Davis through a week of creative highs and lows amid a bleak New York winter. 11/21/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

12/6/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) HER- Bethel. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this sci-fi romantic comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, love comes to a lonely young writer in the sleekest of packages when he finds himself falling for the advanced operating system he purchased to run his life.”12/18/13- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

1/12/14- One of the most creative movies I’ve seen in a while, this film is definitely worth seeing but I have trouble actually recommending it. It did stimulate a lot of discussion. TRDB.

3) AMERICAN HUSTLE- Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This fictionalization of the “Abscam” scandal of the early 1980s follows con man Irving Rosenfeld and his lover, Sydney Prosser, as they help an eccentric FBI agent expose corruption among several members of Congress in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.”

12/13/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times and from most other critics as well. TRDB.,

4)  AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury.  2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When their father disappears, three strong-willed women return to their childhood home and to their equally strong-willed mother. As they search for their patriarch, the dysfunctional family members wind up facing difficult truths about themselves.”

12/3/13- Mixed reviews but more positive than negative. TRDB.

12/27/13- The NY Times gave this movie a poor review in today’s issue. TRDB.

5)  PHILOMENA- Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

6)  NEBRASKA- Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

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 movie. TRDB.

7) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET- Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Martin Scorcese’s high-rolling Wall Street drama is based on the memoirs of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, whose giddy career — involving audacious scams and confrontations with the FBI and other agencies — ended in federal prison.”

12/27/13- The NY Times liked this very much. TRDB.

12/29/13- Similar to American Hustle that I saw last week- way over the top but I liked it. TRDB.

8)  DALLAS BUYERS CLUB-  Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

9) HER- Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this sci-fi romantic comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, love comes to a lonely young writer in the sleekest of packages when he finds himself falling for the advanced operating system he purchased to run his life.”

12/18/13- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

1/12/14- One of the most creative movies I’ve seen in a while, this film is definitely worth seeing but I have trouble actually recommending it. It did stimulate a lot of discussion. TRDB.

10) 12 YEARS A SLAVE– Saw Mill Hawthorne , Danbury. 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- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

10/18/13- A glowing 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.

11) GRAVITY- 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.

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

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB