The Reel Dr. Bob

MARCH 20, 2014

DEAR FRIENDS:

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

As many of you know, I was hacked yet again a few weeks ago. Sorry about the problem and I hope it didn’t affect too many of you. Thanks for writing me!!

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) THE PATIENCE STONE– Netflix

2) INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS– Netflix

____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER- NONE

_____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) THE PATIENCE STONE– 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. 

3/16/14- A marvelous, insightful movie that one critic called a cry from beyond the veil. Should be a must-see by anyone who cares about oppressed people.TRDB. Netflix.

2) INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS– 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.

3/19/14- A strange, sad kind of movie with a good portrayal of a slice of life. Worth seeing. TRDB. Netflix.

_____________________________________________________________________

COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, MARCH 25-

1) CAMILLE CLAUDET 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) GRAVITY– 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.

3) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET– 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.”12/15/13- No reviews as yet. TRDB.12/27/13- The NY Times liked this very much. TRDB.

12/29/13- Similar to American Hustle that I saw last week, this movie was way over the top and I enjoyed it. DiCaprio was great. TRDB.

4) VIOLA– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Viola, a bike courier in Buenos Aires, unexpectedly joins an all-female Shakespeare troupe that’s rehearsing for a production of “Twelfth Night.” As she grows comfortable with her fellow actresses, the line between life and art begins to blur.”7/12/13- A good review in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

5) THE PAST (LE PASSE)- 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.

1/28/14- From the same director who did “A Separation” this film is driven by the frank emotional talk between the characters. Just a bit slow but definitely a very good movie well worth seeing. TRDB.

6) THE PUNK SINGER– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker Sini Anderson chronicles the life of outspoken feminist musician Kathleen Hanna, including her mysterious and sudden retirement in 2005. New and vintage performance clips, spanning Hanna’s entire career, reveal her undeniable power.”11/20/13- I’ve seen 4 reviews– all very good. TRDB.11/29/13- A weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

7) THE GREAT BEAUTY– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “As charming 65-year-old journalist Jap Gambardella writes about Rome’s culture and social life, he reflects with bitterness on the passions of his lost youth, even as he paints a complex portrait of the lovely and ancient city.”11/15/13- Very good review in today’s NY Times and equally good reviews from most other critics. My friends have all hated it! TRDB.

8) FREE RIDE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Growing up with full exposure to her mom’s drug-smuggling activities, 7-year-old Shell willingly helps out with business despite the obvious perils. Once the operation attracts the attention of the law, though, Shell begins worrying about her future.”1/10/14- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

OPENED THIS WEEK-

1) THE ANONYMOUS PEOPLE– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Directed by Greg Williams, The Anonymous People features prominent people who are living publicly in long-term recovery, like former NBA star Chris Herren, award-winning actress Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock From the Sun, The Exes), Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, best-selling author William Cope Moyers, former congressmen Patrick Kennedy and Jim Ramstad – and many others. Their brave testimonies dispel long-standing clichés about addiction and recovery.”3/14/14- Audience reaction has been mixed but the NY Times definitely did not like it. TRDB.2) THE ART OF THE STEAL– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This heist comedy stars Kurt Russell as Crunch Calhoun, a daredevil motorcyclist and mostly reformed con artist who signs on for one last job: helping his brother Nicky steal a priceless antique book.”

3/14/14- Weak reviews in general and a just OK one in the NY Times. TRDB.

3) BAD WORDS– 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.

4) BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Unhappily married small-town pharmacist Douglas Varney has a predictable life. But when he hooks up with a hot customer, everything changes. Soon, he’s caught up in a web of fantasy sex, illegal pharmaceuticals and potential murder.”

3/14/14- Awful reviews all over. The NY Times called it “tepid but pleasant.”

5) BIG MEN- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Where oil flows, money follows. This documentary picks up the trail of that liquid gold as it streams through Western Africa. Shot over a four-year period, the film looks at the nascent oil industry in Ghana and the more established one in Nigeria.”

3/14/14- Excellent reviews all around. The NY Times liked it very much. TRDB.

6) THE COLD LANDS– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After his mother’s death, adolescent Atticus runs away and lives in the woods of the Catskill Mountains to avoid being taken by the authorities. When he meets quirky drifter Carter, the two form a tenuous alliance to help each other survive.”

3/14/14- Weak reviews in general. TRDB.

7) 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.

8) ENEMY– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When humdrum academic Adam Bell spots his double in a rented movie, he launches a search that leads him to a small-time actor who seems uncannily like him in every way — except for his personality.”

3/14/14- Good review from the NY Times and from most other critics as well. TRDB.

9) ERNEST & CELESTINE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapted from a popular children’s book series, this sweet animated drama portrays the friendship between an orphan mouse and a free-spirited bear. After persuading Ernest the bear not to eat her, Celestine the mouse ends up moving in with him.”

3/14/14- Very good reviews from everybody. The NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

10) EXPOSED– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “The stars of New York’s new underground cabaret scene take the stage in this over-the-top documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Beth B. The film captures outrageous performances at the Slipper Room, where gender bending is only the beginning.”

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

11) ON MY WAY- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Prompted by a post-midlife crisis, Bettie goes out for cigarettes and decides to keep on driving, abandoning the restaurant she owns. But the farther she gets from her previous life, the closer she gets to reinvention.”

3/14/14- Good reviews in general. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.

12) TEENAGE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “With narration by actors Jena Malone, Ben Whishaw, Julia Hummer and Jessie Usher, filmmaker Matt Wolf explores the origins of the modern-day “teenager” — a demographic that didn’t even exist until the mid-20th century.”

3/14/14- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

13) LE WEEK-END– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Returning to Paris long after their honeymoon there, a British couple hopes to rediscover the magical feelings of their early years together. There, they meet an old friend whose perspectives on love and marriage help them recover what was lost.”

3/14/14- Good reviews from critics– audiences so-so. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) WHEN COMEDY WENT TO SCHOOL–  2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A host of iconic comedians — including Jerry Lewis, Sid Caesar, Jackie Mason, Mort Sahl and Jerry Stiller — appear in this engaging documentary about the birth of modern stand-up comedy that occurred in the resorts of the Catskill Mountains.”11/8/13- Mixed reviews including some really poor ones. TRDB.

2) GRAND PIANO– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A pianist returning to the stage five years after a public meltdown learns that a sniper will shoot him and his wife if he plays just one wrong note. But the gunman’s twisted motives go far deeper than anyone suspects.”3/7/14- Good reviews all around including the one calling it fun in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW-

1) THE ART OF THE STEAL– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This heist comedy stars Kurt Russell as Crunch Calhoun, a daredevil motorcyclist and mostly reformed con artist who signs on for one last job: helping his brother Nicky steal a priceless antique book.”3/14/14- Weak reviews in general and a just OK one in the NY Times. TRDB.2) OUT OF THE FURNACE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Working-class siblings Russell and Rodney Baze are desperate to flee the Rust Belt and find better lives. But when a twist of fate lands Russell in jail, Rodney gets mixed up with a crime syndicate — and their brotherly bond is soon put to the test.”

3/15/14- Weak reviews. TRDB.

3) 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.

4) AMERICAN HUSTLE– 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.

5) INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS– 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.

6) MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Golden Globe-winner Idris Elba stars as Nelson Mandela in this in-depth biopic that portrays the groundbreaking South African leader from his rural childhood through his long imprisonment to his election as the country’s first black president.”

11/20/13- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

11/29/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

REPEATS-

_____________________________________________________________________

BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

REPEATS-

1) TIM’S VERMEER– Bethel. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Teller, of Penn & Teller fame, directs this absorbing film about inventor Tim Jenison’s quest to solve one of art’s greatest mysteries: How did Dutch master Johannes Vermeer paint so photo-realistically 150 years before the invention of photography?”1/31/14- Good reviews in general and the NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

2) DALLAS BUYER’S CLUB– Bethel, 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.

3) THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL– Bethel, 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.4) 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.

5) THE FACE OF LOVE– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

6) 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.

For Independent Films in Your Neighborhood go to- www.emergingpictures.comFor Independent Films in Palm Beach County go to www.lakeworthplayhouse.org

For Films everywhere go to- www.fandango.com

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB