The Reel Dr. Bob

MAY 22, 2014

DEAR FRIENDS:

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

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK- NONE

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER- NONE

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

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.

5/19/14- A ridiculous movie that somehow managed to get good reviews. I gave up at about half way. TRDB.

2) STRANGER BY THE LAKE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this gay murder thriller, young Franck notices the middle-aged Henri sitting on a beach by himself and starts a conversation. Their dialogue continues over several days, in between Franck’s repeated trysts with a seductive killer named Michel.”

1/24/14- Very good reviews in general and in today’s NY Times as well. TRDB.

5/20/14- This movie was trivial and poorly acted and went from boring to downright weird. I turned it off. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, MAY 27-

1) CHILD’S POSE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When her son Barbu kills a child with his car, wealthy Romanian Cornelia hopes that spreading money around will make Barbu’s problem go away. But bribing the witnesses and even the dead boy’s parents won’t repair her fractured family.”3/28/14- I saw this movie today and enjoyed it despite it being very sad. Great acting by the female lead. TRDB.

2)  RUN & JUMP– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Struggling to support her family after her husband, Conor, is fundamentally changed by a stroke, Vanetia accepts a grant from a brain researcher named Ted. As Ted studies Conor, he and Vanetia form an unexpected bond.”

1/24/14- A very good review in today’s NY Times and from most other critics as well. TRDB.

1/31/14- Despite the sadness of the basic topic I liked this movie very much.

3) CHEAP THRILLS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Humiliation and pain are the name of the game in this offbeat drama whose hero, Craig, takes on a strange series of dares in exchange for cash. When the wealthy couple paying for the high jinks invites him home, Craig’s degradation only worsens.”

3/28/14- A fairly good review from the NY Times and from other critics as well. 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) PLIMPTON! STARRING GEORGE PLIMPTON AS HIMSELF– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This captivating documentary about George Plimpton celebrates the rich and eclectic life of the man who worked and played as a writer, lion tamer, pro football quarterback, actor, musician, literary journal editor, trapeze artist and more.”

5/19/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

6) A FIELD IN ENGLAND– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set in 17th-century England, this black-and-white drama portrays the strange and psychedelic ordeal faced by two deserters from a battle. Captured by a demented alchemist and forced to dig for hidden treasure, the men unearth horror instead.”

2/7/14- Fairly good reviews– the NY Times liked it also. TRDB.

NOT RECOMMENDED–

1) 24 EXPOSURES– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “For Billy, photographic fantasy and real-life lust have always blurred, which proves dangerous when one of his models ends up dead. Even if he’s cleared of the murder, Billy must face the wreckage in his life that this wake-up call has revealed.”

1/24/14- A weak review from today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

2) ZERO CHARISMA– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A grouchy role-playing game fanatic finds his real-life world spiraling out of control when an appealing hipster joins his game, the grandmother who cares for him becomes ill, and his estranged mom appears with a fiancé in tow.”

10/7/13- Sounds a bit silly but it has received some very good reviews. TRDB.

10/11/13- A weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

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OPENED THIS WEEK-

1) AI WEIWEI: THE FAKE CASE– 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After 81 days of solitary detention world famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is put under house arrest. He suffers from sleeping disorder and memory loss, 18 cameras are monitoring his studio and home, police agents follow his every move, and heavy restrictions from the Kafkaesque Chinese authorities weigh him down.”5/16/14- Uniformly positive views from critics and uniformly negative reviews from audiences. TRDB.

2) THE AMERICAN NURSE– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The American Nurse Project aims to elevate the voice of nurses in this country by capturing their personal stories through photography and film. In early 2012, photographer Carolyn Jones and her team began a journey across the United States, recording the unique experiences of nurses at work. The photographs and narratives aim to inspire audiences to think about nurses in a way that they may never have before, with a newfound appreciation for this indispensable figure on the front lines of health and healthcare today.”

5/16/14- Excellent reviews from everybody. TRDB.

3) CHINESE PUZZLE– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A 40-year-old father of two, still finds life very complicated. When the mother of his children moves to New York, he can’t bear them growing up far away from him and so he decides to move there as well.”

5/16/14- Fairly good reviews from critics including the NY Times and mostly good reviews from audiences. TRDB.

4) COLD BLOOM– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This moving drama centers on young married couple Shiori and Kenji, workers at the same plant in a town hit hard by Japan’s 2011 tsunami. After Kenji dies in a workplace mishap, Shiori tries to forgive the man whose error led to her husband’s death.”

5/16/14- Good reviews including the one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

5) CYBER-SENIORS– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A humorous and heartwarming documentary feature, CYBER-SENIORS chronicles the extraordinary journey of a group of senior citizens as they discover the world of the Internet through the guidance of teenage mentors.”

5/16/14- Good reviews from critics and terrible ones from audiences. TRDB.

6) THE DISCOVERERS– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Washed-up history professor Lewis Birch (Oscar and Emmy nominated Griffin Dunne) takes his begrudging teenage kids – Zoe (Madeleine Martin, “Californication”) and Jack (Devon Graye, “American Horror Stories”) – on a road trip to a conference in hopes of putting his career back on track. But, when Lewis’s estranged father Stanley (Emmy Award-winning Stuart Margolin) goes AWOL on a Lewis and Clark historical reenactment trek, Lewis is forced to make a family detour.”

5/16/14- Critics liked this movie very much and audiences have loved it. TRDB.

7) HALF OF A YELLOW SUN– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Anika Noni Rose) are glamorous twins from a wealthy Nigerian family. Upon returning to a privileged city life in newly independent 1960s Nigeria after their expensive English education, the two women make very different choices.”

5/16/14- Basically weak reviews but it did sound interesting. I’ll probably try this one. TRDB.

8) HANNA RANCH– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “At once intimate and epic, HANNA RANCH tells the story of four generations of a cattle ranching family who suffer the tensions that threaten to destroy their land and their way of life in today’s American West.”

5/16/14- I’ve seen only 4 critical reviews but they were all good. TRDB.

9) THE IMMIGRANT– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After arriving in New York, Polish immigrant Ewa must provide for her ill sister — and soon falls under the thumb of charming thug Bruno, who forces her into a life of prostitution. But when she falls for a magician, her fortunes may turn.”

5/16/14- Good critical review but audiences were just luke warm on this movie. TRDB.

10) NEXT YEAR JERUSALEM– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This moving documentary follows eight senior citizens, all nursing home residents, as they embark on a life-affirming journey to Israel. More than a travelogue, the film reveals the remarkable results when such a trip is taken late in life.”

5/16/14- Only 1 critical review (The NY Times) and it’s good. Audiences have liked it a lot. TRDB.

11) A PEOPLE UNCOUNTED– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A People Uncounted tells the true story of the Roma, commonly referred to as Gypsies-a people who have been both romanticized and vilified in popular culture and who have endured centuries of intolerance and persecution in Europe, including an estimated 500,000 who were murdered in the Holocaust. A People Uncounted documents their colorful but often difficult lives, including how their present state has been shaped by the tragedies of the past.”

5/16/14- Very good reviews all around. TRDB.

12) A SHORT HISTORY OF DECAY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “With his future as a writer in ruins and his girlfriend gone, Nathan Fisher travels to Florida to help take care of his ailing parents. There, Nathan meets a manicurist who may be able to help him put things in perspective and step up to the plate.”

5/16/14- Fairly good reviews for this comedy. TRDB.

NOT RECOMMENDED-

1) A NIGHT IN OLD MEXICO– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After losing his longtime home to property developers, rancher Red Bovie decides to take a road trip to Mexico, accompanied by his grandson. But their adventure turns dangerous after the pair unwittingly drives off with a drug dealer’s money.”

5/16/14- Poor reviews by most critics– the NY Times liked it. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) THE GALAPAGOS AFFAIR: SATAN CAME TO EDEN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Reading from letters, journals and memoirs, Cate Blanchett, Diane Kruger and others help narrate this little-known tale of a handful of European dreamers whose relocation to the Galapagos Islands in the 1930s took a tragic turn.”4/4/14- Reviews have been mixed but more positive than negative. TRDB.

2) PARTICLE FEVER- 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.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW- NONE RECOMMENDED

REPEATS-

1) 12 YEARS A SLAVE- I didn’t like this film as much as the critics

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) CHEF– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “When chef Carl Casper’s plans for opening a restaurant in Los Angeles fail to pan out, he returns home to Miami and debuts a food truck instead. While trying to regain his zest for cookery, Carl also tries to mend his fractured family ties”5/9/14- Very good professional and audience reviews. TRDB.

2) FED UP– Bethel. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Childhood obesity has become an ever-more serious medical issue in the United States. This eye-opening documentary examines the underlying causes behind the epidemic, including the marketing strategies of major U.S. food producers.”5/9/14- Good reviews from both critics and audiences. TRDB.

3) THE IMMIGRANT– Bethel, Clearview 100, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After arriving in New York, Polish immigrant Ewa must provide for her ill sister — and soon falls under the thumb of charming thug Bruno, who forces her into a life of prostitution. But when she falls for a magician, her fortunes may turn.”5/16/14- Good critical review but audiences were just luke warm on this movie. TRDB.

4) PARTICLE FEVER- Jacob Burns. 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.

REPEATS-

1) BELLE– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This period drama based on fact traces the life of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a biracial girl born in 1761 to a British admiral father and an African mother. Raised by her great-uncle, Dido finds her place in society despite her mixed ethnicity.”5/2/14- Fairly good reviews and the NY Times liked it. TRDB.

2)  IDA– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Raised in a Catholic orphanage during the Nazi occupation of Poland, Anna is poised to join the order when she learns she has a surviving aunt. But visiting the woman before taking her vows uncovers some inconvenient truths about her heritage.”

5/2/14- Excellent reviews all around including the one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3)  FADING GIGOLO– Clearview 100. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Middle-aged Fioravante and Murray are an unlikely gigolo and pimp in this farce about two cash-strapped friends who turn to the sex trade to make ends meet. Their new enterprise is fruitful, but things get complicated when romance enters the picture.”

4/12/14- Mixed reviews but more positive than negative. I’ll see it just to see Woody Allen in a movie that’s not his. TRDB.

4/18/14- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

5/1/14- I really liked this movie which was written by John Turturo and had to be written with Woody Allen in mind. TRDB.

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB