FILM REVIEWS #502
June 19th, 2014
6/18/14- The movie was OK but it did not move me as I thought it might, perhaps because it was so long and drawn out. The best part was the last 20 or so minutes but this should have come 30 minutes earlier. Also, a bit too Hollywoodish at times for my taste. TRDB.
6/15/14- Audiences did not like this movie and neither did I. I turned it off quickly. TRDB.
2) 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.
6/16/14– I liked this movie very much. More than dealing with his escapades this documentary got into the real man. TRDB. Netflix.
3) GOD LOVES UGANDA– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This powerful documentary examines the evangelical campaign to spread the values of America’s Christian right in Uganda, including a fierce fight against sexual immorality taken on by both American and Ugandan fundamentalist religious leaders.”
10/7/13- Just a few reviews and they are all good. TRDB.
10/11/13- The NY Times gave this documentary a very good review today. TRDB.
6/17/14- A well done documentary definitely worth seeing. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
4) 2 AUTUMNS, 3 WINTERS– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When lovelorn Arman literally runs into the icy Amélie, neither expects that they’re destined to meet again, with romance added into the mix. Meanwhile, Arman’s art school friend, Benjamin, falls for his nurse while recovering from a stroke.”
6/6/14- Fairly good critical review. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.
6/18/14-I really enjoyed this French drama, done in a very creative manner. TRDB.
5) THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his daughter announces her engagement, musician Robert tries to talk her out of it — convinced it will end up like his marriage to her mother. But when the now-divorced parents meet again, Robert begins to reconsider his own choices.”
9/14/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times but most critics and audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.
6/19/14- Great dialogue and acting made this movie very enjoyable. It reminded me of Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in their movies together. TRDB. Netflix.
4/2/14- A well acted and fascinating story. I enjoyed it very much and definitely recommend it. TRDB.
2) ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Still refreshingly caustic at 87, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch looks back on her life and career in this feature-length portrait composed of candid reflections, rare archival footage and testimonials from her dearest friends.”
1/21/14- Excellent reviews all around. TRDB.
5/10/13- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
5/14/13- A very good drama with especially good acting by the lead actor. Be advised that there are no sub-titles and the Irish English is a bit difficult to understand. TRDB.
8) 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.
9) VISITORS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Completely devoid of dialogue and backed by a soundtrack by Philip Glass, this description-defying cinematic showpiece explores humans’ reactions to technology and media in beautiful black-and-white clarity.”
1/24/14- The NY Times and most other critics were positive about this movie but it sounds very, very different as it consists solely of black and white images of faces. TRDB.
10) THE ROUNDUP (LA RAFLE)- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “This gripping drama based on a true story follows the fate of three carefree Parisian boys and their families as Nazi officials and corrupt French collaborators arrest them — along with thousands of other French Jews — in 1942. Shipped to a holding facility until they can be sent to concentration camps, the lads encounter a weary Jewish doctor (Jean Reno) and a kindly Christian nurse (Mélanie Laurent). Roselyne Bosch directs.” Good audience reviews.
4/11- A true and difficult film to watch, this well done docudrama portrays a piece of history that is unfortunately not well known. Recommended with a warning that this film will evoke a powerful emotional response. TRDB. At the Westchester Jewish Film Festival.
11/16/12- A mixed review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
11) THE MATCHMAKER- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “In an Israel still recovering from World War II yet also grappling with the tumultuous “Swinging Sixties,” teenager Arik (Tuval Shafir) works for matchmaker Yankele Bride (Adir Miller) as a “spy-guy” who investigates potential clients, and gets a master class in the art of love. Yankele, who operates in an unsavory area of Haifa, is in love with fellow Holocaust survivor Clara (Maya Dagan), while Arik finds romance with a wild American (Neta Porat).” A few good reviews.
8/17/12- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
12) NICKY’S FAMILY– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Prior to World War II, Briton Nicholas Winton masterminded the rescue of more than 600 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Prague. This emotional documentary recounts Winton’s selfless heroics as well as his 50-year silence about his efforts.”
7/19/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Not Recommended–
6/12/13- Today’s NY Times said that this movie was totally one-sided and failed as a documentary for that reason. TRDB.
2) SOME VELVET MORNING- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Pretty young Velvet is amazed when her ex-lover Fred shows up unannounced at her New York home with his suitcases, eager to rekindle their romance. What follows is a long emotional dialogue between the two, as Fred’s hopes are thoroughly dashed.”
12/13/13- Mixed reviews from critics but audiences have liked it. The NY Times did not care for it. TRDB.
3) I AM I- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “I AM I is the story of a young woman, Rachael (Jocelyn Towne), who meets her estranged father Gene (Kevin Tighe) at her mother’s funeral. Eager to get to know her father, Rachael later tracks him down at an assisted living home only to realize that Gene suffers from memory loss and thinks he is still a young man.”
6/13/14– This movie sounded interesting but has received awful reviews from critics. TRDB.
4) HELI- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After his father vanishes, young Heli searches for him in a part of Mexico where people work either at an auto plant or for the local drug cartel. Along the way, Heli comes face-to-face with drug trafficking, sexual exploitation and corrupt cops.”
6/13/14– Barely OK reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.
5) TABU- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Acclaimed director Miguel Gomes returns with a sumptuous, eccentric two-part tale centered on Aurora, shown first as an impulsive, cantankerous elderly woman in present-day Lisbon. When Aurora is hospitalized, she sends her neighbor, Pilar, to pass word of her grave condition to Gian Luca, a man of which no one has ever heard her speak. Pilar’s quest to fulfill her friend’s wish transports us to Africa fifty years earlier, before the start of the Portuguese Colonial War.”
12/26/12- Excellent reviews in general but a mixed review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
6/16/14– I heard that the first half of this movie was very slow. I couldn’t stay awake so I turned it off. TRDB.
2) A COFFEE IN BERLIN– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A Coffee in Berlin, which swept the 2013 German Oscar Awards, paints a day in the life of Niko, a twenty-something college dropout going nowhere fast. Niko lives for the moment as he drifts through the streets of Berlin, curiously observing everyone around him and oblivious to his growing status as an outsider.”
6/13/14- Fairly good reviews from most critics and audiences as well. TRDB.
3) POLICEMAN- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Yaron, an elite special operations squad leader, is the spiritual leader and alpha male among his peers, a small, highly trained team that is part of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Anti-Terrorism unit.”
6/13/14- Fairly good reviews by critics but weaker ones from audiences. TRDB.
4) EVERGREEN: THE ROAD TO LEGALIZATION– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Tracking the behind-the-scenes efforts of both the pro- and anti-initiative groups, the film serves as a case study for other states in determining how to reform their own drug policies, and examines the civic, economic and human impact of marijuana legalization.”
6/13/14- Just OK professional reviews but audiences have liked this documentary very much. TRDB.
5) MANUSCRIPTS DON’T BURN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This Iranian drama is based on a dark chapter in the nation’s history: the murder of more than 80 individuals seen as threats to order. In this fictionalized account, two security enforcers set out to execute a dissident writer and seize his memoirs.”
6/13-14- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.
6) IVORY TOWER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Spotlighting the upward spiral in college tuition fees since the 1970s, this sober documentary questions the true value of such costly education. Interviews with academic experts and online education pioneers bring to light emerging alternatives.”
6/13/14– Fairly good critical review but audiences have disliked this movie uniformly. TRDB.
7) LULLABY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Long after breaking ties with his family, Jonathan learns that his long-ill father has elected to take himself off of life support in two days. Drawn in by the dire news, Jonathan returns to face his kin in an intense emotional encounter.”
6/13/14- Poor critical review but audiences have enjoyed it. TRDB.
8) TEST– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “As the newest member of an exciting contemporary dance company in San Francisco, young Frankie navigates gay life in the big city as he grapples with a homophobic choreographer and develops an intense relationship with a fellow dancer.”
6/13/14- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.
9) VIOLETTE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Impoverished writer Violette Leduc finds a mentor in best-selling author Simone de Beauvoir, who champions her work and encourages her art. But while the two become lifelong friends, Violette yearns for something more.”
6/13/14- Fairly good reviews from critics but poor ones from audiences. TRDB.
10) THE ROVER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set in a chaotic future, this Outback saga follows loner Eric’s brutal ordeal when a criminal gang takes his car and leaves him nowhere with nothing. Soon, Eric decides to undertake a journey of vengeance, bringing along an injured gang member.”
6/13/14– Mixed reviews both from critics and audiences– more up than down. TRDB.
2) THE SIGNAL– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “During their drive across the country, college pals Nick and Jonah — accompanied by Nick’s girlfriend — run into major trouble in the Nevada desert. Duped into a setup by an evil-minded hacker, the trio soon become the demented techie’s prisoners.”
6/13/14- Weak reviews from both critics and audiences. TRDB.
3) WITCHING AND BITCHING– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this heist film turned horror fest, director Álex de la Iglesia’s love of mayhem is on full display as a gang of gold thieves lands in a coven of witches who are preparing for an ancient ritual — and in need of a sacrifice.”
6/13/14- Even with good reviews I can’t recommend this “horror” movie. TRDB.
4) PING PONG SUMMER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “It’s 1985, and 13-year-old Rad is a quirky kid obsessed with two things: ping-pong and hip-hop. But thanks to a life-changing summer vacation, he also fends off bullies, makes unexpected allies and develops his first real crush.”
6/13/14- Poor reviews all around. TRDB.
OPENING ON 6/20- See more listings for 6/20 next week
1) VENUS IN FUR- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway play by David Ives, which itself was based on Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s groundbreaking novella, VENUS IN FUR is the latest film from master filmmaker Roman Polanski. Alone in a Paris theater after a long day of auditioning actresses for his new play, writer-director Thomas (Amalric) complains that no actress he’s seen has what it takes to play the lead female character: a woman who enters into an agreement with her male counterpart to dominate him as her slave.”
6/16/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
2) CODE BLACK– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Doctor and filmmaker Ryan McGarry takes viewers inside the world of a public hospital — his own — for a close-up look at the ailing medical system.”
6/18/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
3) THE LAST SENTENCE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “As the Nazis near the Swedish border, journalist Torgny Segerstedt defies his nation’s complacency and speaks out against the growing menace.”
6/18/14- Weak reviews but this movie sounded interesting to me. TRDB.
4) NORTE, THE END OF HISTORY– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In the northern Philippine province of Luzon, a law-school dropout commits a horrific double murder; a gentle family man takes the fall and receives a life sentence, leaving behind a wife and two kids.”
6/18/14- I’ve seen just 2 reviews and they are both very good. TRDB.
5) A SUMMER’S TALE– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The third part in Eric Rohmer’s ‘Tales of the Four Seasons’, CONTE D’ETÉ charts the summer vacation of Gaspard (Melvil Poupaud), a young man who claims nothing ever happens in his life. But as it turns out, nothing could be further from the truth. In Dinard, a seaside resort in rural Brittany, Gaspard is waiting for Lena, a classmate with whom he believes he is in love. While he’s waiting he meets Margot who takes him to a party, where another girl, Solène also finds herself attracted to Gaspard. To complicate things further, Lena turns up…
6/18/14- Very good reviews. I saw this movie about 8 years ago and liked it. TRDB.
6) THIRD PERSON– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A trio of relationship stories set alternately in New York, Paris and Rome explore the range of human emotion when it comes to love — and love lost.”
6/18/14- Weak early reviews but a more complete description did sound interesting. TRDB.
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5/23/14– Difficult to watch at times but a very interesting story. Definitely recommended. TRDB.
7) DANCING IN JAFFA- I liked this one very much
8)DECODING ANNIE- Good reviews
Time Warner Link- www.twondemand.com
5/2/14- Excellent reviews all around including the one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
5/23/14– Difficult to watch at times but a very interesting story. Definitely recommended. TRDB.
2) THE IMMIGRANT– Clearview 100. 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.
3) CHEF– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, 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.
6/8/14- A Hollywoodish feel good movie that made me feel good. TRDB.
4) BELLE– 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.
5) THE FAULT IN OUR STARS– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Teenager Hazel, who has pushed people away since her cancer diagnosis, reluctantly joins a support group, where she bonds with a boy named Gus. Together, they face the challenge of building a relationship under the shadow of terminal illness.”
6/6/14- Very good reviews even though a few reviewers called it schmaltzy. TRDB.
6) WORDS AND PICTURES– Jacob Burns, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “A picture is worth a thousand words — or is it? That’s the question prep school students must answer as their teachers egg them on in this diverting romantic comedy starring Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche as the instructors who spark the debate.”
5/23/14- Weak reviews. 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
Entry Filed under: Old Newsletters
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