The Reel Dr. Bob

MARCH 27, 2014

DEAR FRIENDS:

I WILL BE IN TRANSIT FOR A WHILE AND MY PLAN IS FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER TO COME OUT ON OR ABOUT APRIL 10. THIS ISSUE WILL BE FOR 2 WEEKS WHENEVER POSSIBLE

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

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) ILO ILO– At the Theater

2) GLORIA- At the Theater

_____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) ILO ILO– 2013- Synopsis by Netflix. “Leaving the Philippines to work in Singapore, Teresa is hired as a maid by a couple whose spoiled son delights in bullying and belittling her. Over time, the household dynamic shifts as the son comes to revere Teresa — much to his mom’s annoyance.”

3/20/14- Good early reviews. TRDB.

3/21/14- A moving drama with very interesting characters and wonderful acting. Really a story about how one person can influence your life and its often not family. TRDB.

2) GLORIA- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A middle-aged divorcée looking to fill the void in her life sees an opportunity for a permanent relationship when she meets a charming former naval officer. But baggage from the past may derail their romance.”

1/24/14- Great reviews in general and also from the NY Times in today’s review. TRDB.

3/26/14- Wonderful acting by the leading lady and an interesting story make this Chilean movie definitely worth seeing. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME-

1) JOBS– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Ashton Kutcher delivers a tour de force performance as Apple founder Steve Jobs in this biopic that spans three decades of the entrepreneur’s life. The story follows Jobs from the obscurity of a Palo Alto garage to global fame as a technology icon.”8/6/13- Early reviews are weak. TRDB.

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

3/20/14- The poor reviews are well deserved. Stupid movie and I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.

2) RUSH- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This dramatic portrayal of the intense 1970s rivalry between race drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt captures the contrasts between the two champions. While Hunt was a charming and handsome ladies’ man, Lauda was a loner with a single goal: victory.”

9/4/13- Very good reviews. TRDB.

9/20/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3/24/14- Despite all of the good reviews I felt that this movie was stupid, full of cliches and juvenile. I’d forget it if I were you. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

COMING TO NETFLIX ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1-

1) AT MIDDLETON- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When uptight surgeon George and free-spirited retailer Edith accompany their teenagers on a tour of Middleton University, their initial dislike of each other turns into a possible romance as they split from the group on their own adventures.”2/5/14- Mixed reviews. TRDB.

2) 12 YEARS A SLAVE- 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.

_____________________________________________________________________

COMING TO NETFLIX ON TUESDAY, APRIL 8-

1)  I AM DEVINE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Get an inside look at the captivating story of Divine, aka Harris Glenn Milstead, who grew up as a chubby bullied Baltimore kid and rose to become filmmaker John Waters’s muse and an internationally celebrated drag superstar.”3/17/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

 2) EVERYDAY– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “With her husband imprisoned on drug charges, young mother Karen tries to raise four kids alone in this documentary-style drama filmed over five years. As Karen awaits her husband’s release, the trials of everyday life test her endurance.”11/22/13- Very good although the NY Times commented that it was difficult at times to understand the Scottish accent. TRDB.

3) THE BOOK THIEF– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Young Liesel steals books to teach herself to read, giving her refuge from the horrors of Nazi Germany and her cold foster parents. When not reading, she forms a bond with the Jewish man her adoptive family is hiding in their home.”11/8/13- A really bad review in today’s NY Times and from most critics as well. TRDB.

4) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY– 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) BASTARDS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Family troubles bring tanker captain Marco Silvestri back to Paris: His sister’s husband has killed himself, and the family company is bankrupt. Holding sleazy tycoon Edouard Laporte responsible for their ruin, Marco devises a plan for vengeance.”9/28/13- An OK rating on IMDB and mixed reviews in general. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.

6) A TOUCH OF SIN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Weaving together four stories of people living in different Chinese provinces, this drama follows a miner protesting corruption, a migrant worker with a gun, a factory drone always drifting to a new job and a receptionist who’s been assaulted.”10/4/13- Excellent reviews all around. The NY Times liked this movie very much and so did audiences. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

OPENED THIS WEEK – (MARCH 21)

1) AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Philosopher and social activist Grace Lee Boggs has been a fervent crusader for equality — not just in the United States but around the globe. This documentary captures Boggs at age 97, still promoting a new American Revolution.”3/21/14- Good reviews so far. The NY Times liked it too. TRDB.

2) ANITA- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Anita Hill galvanized the nation with her appearance before the U.S. Senate in the hearings related to Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. This film documents the subsequent controversy and landmark event in the struggle for women’s rights.”

3/21/14- Fairly good reviews and the NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

3) AWAKENED- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Samantha returns to her hometown seeking to solve the mystery surrounding her mother’s death, and finds no shortage of friends and relatives to help. But not everyone’s who they seem, and a few aren’t pleased to see Samantha poking around.”

3/21/14- I’ve seen a few professional reviews— all negative. Audiences have liked it so far. TRDB.

4) A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “The day before his widowed father’s wedding, a 15-year-old bird-watching fanatic impulsively sets off on a road trip with three friends in an effort to locate the extinct Labrador duck he may have spotted.”

3/21/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

5) THE FRENCH MINISTER– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Alexandre Taillard de Vorms is tall and impressive, a man with style, attractive to women. He also happens to be the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the land of enlightenment: France. With his silver mane and tanned, athletic body, he stalks the world stage, from the floor of the United Nations in New York to the powder keg of Oubanga.”

3/21/14- Mediocre reviews in general but the NY Times liked it. TRDB.

6) FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AEGEAN– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This moving documentary recounts the deportation of Greeks and Turks from each other’s nations in 1922-1924, the result of brutal regional politics. Vivid personal recollections of the tragedy are combined with newly discovered photographic archives.”

3/21/14- Just a few reviews and they are mixed. TRDB.

7) IT FELT LIKE LOVE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Determined to explore her budding sexuality, 14-year-old Lila develops romantic delusions about an older guy that soon turn to obsession. Soon, her string of lies leads her down a dark path that transforms her from predator to prey.”

3/21/14- Very good reviews and the NY Times liked it very much. TRDB.

8) JODOROWSKY’S DUNE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the mid-1970s, director Alejandro Jodorowsky was determined to make a film version of Dune, Frank Herbert’s landmark science-fiction novel. This documentary recounts Jodorowsky’s efforts to gather a crew and find funding for the project.”

3/21/14- Very good reviews for this movie. The NY Times liked it also.  TRDB.

9) NYMPHOMANIAC: VOLUME 1– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A self-diagnosed nymphomaniac reveals a lifetime of sexual experiences to a man who saves her from being beaten in an alley. As the aging but charming bachelor tends to the woman, she shares erotic details of encounters from her youth to her present.”

3/21/14- Very good reviews for Lars von Trier’s latest. The NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

10) JUST A SIGH– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “During a break between performances in Calais, French theater actress Alix meets an enigmatic English man on the train to Paris — and the two wind up having a passionate encounter that may change both their lives.”

3/21/14- Awful reviews but the movie sounds interesting. The NY Times did like it. TRDB.

11) STAY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Ex-professor Dermot and his girlfriend, Abbey, are forced to reevaluate their feelings about family when she becomes pregnant. Facing an uncertain future, Abbey revisits her roots in Canada, while Dermot forges a tentative bond with a local boy.”

3/21/14- Poor reviews in general but it did sound interesting to me. The NY Times was “so-so” on this one. TRDB.

12) ROB THE MOB– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Looking for easy money, a criminal couple sticks up New York City’s top mobsters at their gun-free social clubs. In the process, the pair comes across a complete list of Mafia members — and promptly becomes targets of the gangsters and the FBI.”

3/21/14- Good reviews and the NY Times liked it. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) 7 BOXES– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In an outdoor Paraguayan market, a butcher offers a 17-year-old delivery boy $100 to transport seven sealed boxes to a drop-off point — a task that seems simple until he finds himself pursued by a rival and his gang, thieves and the cops.”2/7/14- Good reviews from the NY Times and from most other critics. TRDB.

2) JOURNEY TO THE WEST– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Stephen Chow’s unique take on a Chinese literary classic boasts eye-popping effects and wicked humor as Chen Xuanzang, who fights evil with love and nursery rhymes, clashes with Duan, a showy female warrior who’s in it for the thrill of the hunt.”3/7/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW-

1) 12 YEARS A SLAVE– 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.

2) THE DEN– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “While spending time investigating webcam chat habits, a young woman accidentally witnesses a gruesome murder online. Now the killer has decided to pursue her — and those she loves — to be his next victims.”3/14/14- Good reviews and the NY Times liked it. TRDB.

3) THE FRENCH MINISTER– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Alexandre Taillard de Vorms is tall and impressive, a man with style, attractive to women. He also happens to be the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the land of enlightenment: France. With his silver mane and tanned, athletic body, he stalks the world stage, from the floor of the United Nations in New York to the powder keg of Oubanga.”3/21/14- Mediocre reviews in general but the NY Times liked it. TRDB.

4) NYMPHOMANIAC: VOLUME 1– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A self-diagnosed nymphomaniac reveals a lifetime of sexual experiences to a man who saves her from being beaten in an alley. As the aging but charming bachelor tends to the woman, she shares erotic details of encounters from her youth to her present.”3/21/14- Very good reviews for Lars von Trier’s latest. The NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

5) STAY- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Ex-professor Dermot and his girlfriend, Abbey, are forced to reevaluate their feelings about family when she becomes pregnant. Facing an uncertain future, Abbey revisits her roots in Canada, while Dermot forges a tentative bond with a local boy.”3/21/14- Poor reviews in general but it did sound interesting to me. The NY Times was “so-so” on this one. TRDB.

REPEATS-

____________________________________________________________________

BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) THE LUNCHBOX– Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Mumbai’s eerily reliable lunchbox delivery service erroneously sends a meal prepared by a young housewife to a lonely widower on the brink of retirement, the mistake ignites an exchange of notes and mutual fantasy between them.”2/28/14-Very good reviews in general. I’ll see it. TRDB.

2) NOAH- Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This ambitious adaptation of the story of Noah depicts the visions that led him to voice dire prophesies of apocalypse and to build an ark to survive. As he labors to save his family, Noah asks for help from a band of angels called the Watchers.”3/26/14- Fairly good reviews for this “Bible” story. TRDB.

3) PARTICLE FEVER– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “The creation of the Higgs boson particle, an elusive key to unlocking secrets of the universe, unfolds on camera in this landmark documentary. Scientists discuss the race to create the particle and its potential to explain the origin of all matter.”

3/26/14- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

4) BAD WORDS– Danbury. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Blessed with a photographic memory but no high school education, Guy Trilby discovers that he’s eligible to enter spelling bees intended for children. As Guy steamrolls his pre-teen competition, a journalist tries to find out what motivates him.”

3/14/14- Good reviews in general and the NY Times liked it as well. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Between the world wars, Gustave H, the concierge at a prestigious European hotel, takes a bellboy named Zero as a trusted protégé. Meanwhile, the upscale guests are involved in an art theft and a dispute over a vast family fortune.”

3/7/14- Good reviews all around. TRDB.

2) THE FACE OF LOVE– Clearview 100. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Years after the death of her husband, Garrett, Nikki begins a romance with Tom, a great guy who looks almost exactly like Garrett. As their relationship unfolds, fate seems to be delivering Nikki both a new start and a second chance.”

3/7/14- Weak reviews all around. The NY Times said that the actors held whatever there was together. TRDB.

3) BETHLEHEM– Clearview 100. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “An informant for Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence service, Palestinian Sanfur is torn when his brother becomes an agency target. His tragic choice is complicated by his relationship with Razi, the boss, mentor and father figure who hired him as a teen.”

3/10/14- Very good reviews in general. The NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

3/10/14- I saw this today and liked it very much– just a few too many characters. Definitely worth seeing. TRDB.

4) AMERICAN HUSTLE– Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2003. 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.

12/20/13- Way over the top in every way but lots of fun and I liked it. TRDB.

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB