The Reel Dr. Bob

AUGUST 7, 2014

DEAR FRIENDS:

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

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) LUCY- At the Theater

2) ON MY WAY– Netflix

3) MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT– At the Theater

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) LUCY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this action-thriller set in Taiwan, a young woman forced to become a drug mule for the mob develops superhuman abilities when the narcotics she’s carrying in her stomach accidentally leak into her system.”7/25/14- Weak reviews but I’ll see it anyway because I like Luc Besson and Scarlett Johansson. TRDB.8/3/14- Science fiction is not my thing but all in all this movie was OK. Some interesting effects and some eye candy (Scarlett Johansson) brought the movie up a few notches. TRDB.

2) MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Exposing a phony soothsayer proves harder than expected when the debunker (an Englishman) becomes smitten with the purported fraud (a French beauty). This deft romantic comedy unwinds amid the gilt and glamour of the French Riviera in the 1920s.”

7/25/14- Woody’s latest has gotten poor reviews from most critics. I’m certain to see it anyway. TRDB.

8/4/14- As mentioned above, there have been many negative reviews of this movie but I found it a delightful drama obviously NOT meant to be  a comedy. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) 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.8/1/14- I don’t know what all of these critics were thinking. This film was about as shallow as can be with not a single original thought. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

2) NYMPHOMANIAC: VOLUME 2- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “The second half of Lars von Trier’s epic follows self-diagnosed nymphomaniac Joe as she chronicles her adult years to the man who saved her from a beating. Her tales include new conquests, both male and female, in her search for fulfillment.”

4/4/14- Mixed reviews– more positive than negative. TRDB.

8/3/14- After saying that Volume 1 was so bad that I would never see Volume 2 someone convinced me to see it. I turned this one off too. TRDB. Netflix.

3) 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.

8/4/14- A charming French drama made more charming by the great Catherine DeNeuve. TRDB. Netflix.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, AUG. 12-

1) LOCKE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Over the space of 90 minutes, Ivan Locke’s life spins out of control via a series of phone calls made while he drives down the highway to London. On the brink of a career-making moment, Ivan faces a personal decision that could cost him everything.”4/25/14- Very good reviews all around. TRDB.5/5/14- A very good thriller with an unconventional ending. TRDB.

2) THE RAILWAY MAN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Decades after his brutal captivity under the Japanese during World War II, Eric Lomax still has nightmares about the ordeal. But when he unexpectedly meets and falls for Patti, a bizarre coincidence brings his past back into focus.”

4/11/14- Mixed reviews for this war related movie, more good than bad. TRDB.

4/18/14- A good movie that dealt well with revenge and reconciliation. I could have done well without the amount of torture portrayed. TRDB.

3) DANCING IN JAFFA– Synopsis by Netflix. “Confident that dance will dissolve political and cultural differences, celebrated ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine returns to his hometown of Jaffa, Israel, after years abroad and teaches 11-year-old Jewish and Palestinian Israelis to dance together.”

4/11/14- Good reviews all around although the NY Times was not as enthusiastic as others. TRDB.

4/17/14- A very good documentary that offers a meager glimmer of hope for the future of the region. TRDB.

4) HATESHIP LOVESHIP– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hired to look after an elderly man and his teenage granddaughter, a dowdy caretaker finds herself drawn to the girl’s ne’er-do-well father, never realizing that the subversive teen has been sending her tender e-mails in her father’s name.”

4/11/14- Poor reviews in general but the NY Times liked it very much. TRDB.

5) BREATHE IN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Music teacher Keith has his mind focused on the past when he and his wife agree to welcome a foreign exchange student into their household. But the arrival of a British girl who’s the same age as their daughter has a way of shaking up the present.”

3/28/14- An OK review in today’s NY Times and mixed reviews from others and from audiences as well. TRDB.

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OPENED ON AUGUST 1-

1) FINDING FELA– 2014. “Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney explores the life of Fela Kuti, whose seminal Afrobeat sound made him a music icon and political lightning rod. Performance footage and interviews are interspersed with scenes from the hit Broadway bio Fela!”8/1/14- OK but mixed reviews– more positive than negative. TRDB.2) RICH HILL– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Two filmmaker cousins return to their decaying hometown of Rich Hill, Mo., to film this affecting documentary about the lives of three local boys. Each of the youngsters reveals his hopes and dreams amid a landscape of poverty and desperation.”

8/1/14- Fairly good reviews although the NY Times did not like it. TRDB.

3) THE STRANGE LITTLE CAT– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this quirky drama, three generations of a middle-class clan gather in a Berlin flat during the course of a day. A series of unspectacular moments, as the family cat comes and goes, sheds light on the world of a typical family.”

8/1/14– Fairly good critical reviews but audiences have been luke warm. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.

1) THE ALMOST MAN– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Henrik is 35, but he still parties with his high-school buddies like they were in they’re 20s. His mother cares for him like he’s still a child. And he’s in a relationship that’s based on goofing around. Now, his girlfriend Tone is pregnant and Henrik has taken a serious job, moved into a prefab duplex, and he’s trying to calm down the partying and start behaving like a father-to-be. But as he feels the pressure to mature, and to do it quickly, Henrik’s frustrations surface in unforeseen-and outrageously inappropriate-ways.”8/1/14- I can’t believe that this stupid sounding movie actually got OK reviews. The NY Times included. I think I’ll skip it. TRDB.2) CHILD OF GOD– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “First parentless, then homeless, poor Lester Ballard never had much of a chance. Now, as a violent, anti-social adult, he has even less of one. Simultaneously shunned and pursued, Lester retreats to a cave and descends into his own dark fantasies.”

8/1/14- Awful reviews in general although NY Times liked it. TRDB.

3) RABINDRANATH TAGORE: THE POET OF ETERNITY– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The film develops Rabindranath Tagore’s (1861-1941) genius and his contribution in arts, music, literature, philosophy, education. It exemplifies the poet’s impact on world leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and prolific thinkers such as Albert Einstein and Bertrand Russell.”

8/1/14- I’ve seen just 3 reviews– 2 down and 1 up. TRDB.

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DUE TO OPEN ON AUGUST 8-

1) THE DOG– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This up-close documentary surveys the life of John Wojtowicz, whose botched robbery of a Brooklyn bank in 1972 inspired the film Dog Day Afternoon. After serving his time, Wojtowicz became an active figure in New York’s gay liberation movement.’7/28/14– Good early reviews although one of the positive critics said that it was entertaining but wondered why anyone would care if it was made or not. TRDB.UNDECIDED- Not enough reviews

1) THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Relocating from India to a quiet village in the south of France, chef Hassan Kadam and his family open a restaurant called Maison Mumbai. But when their business starts to thrive, a competing restaurateur launches a war between the eateries.

7/28/14- I found just 2 reviews– one up and one down. TRDB.

2) STEP UP- ALL IN- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Continuing the Step Up street dance series, competitors gather in Las Vegas for the ultimate dance-off, including champions from the previous films. In addition to the dance action, romance and rivalries abound among the determined contestants.”

7/28/14- Just one review and it’s good. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) TO KILL A MAN– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “The thugs that have taken over Jorge’s middle-class neighborhood push the mild-mannered family man to the brink when they mug him and shoot his son. Infuriated by his own helplessness and the law’s impotence, Jorge takes matters into his own hands.”8/6/14- No reviews as yet. TREB.

2) LIFE ITSELF– 8/8–8/21. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Follow Roger Ebert from his school newspaper days to his status as America’s premier film critic in this documentary drawn from his memoir.”6/23/14- Great reviews. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW-

1) 4 MINUTE MILE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “4 MINUTE MILE is the inspirational story of a high school track star who falls on hard times. A new coach puts him on the right path but his resolve is threatened as tragedy strikes, forcing him to confront everything that has been holding him back.”8/1/14- Poor reviews in general and from the NY Times as well. It’s new but NOT RECOMMENDED. TRDB.

REPEATS-

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Relocating from India to a quiet village in the south of France, chef Hassan Kadam and his family open a restaurant called Maison Mumbai. But when their business starts to thrive, a competing restaurateur launches a war between the eateries.”

REPEATS-

1) BOYHOOD- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After divorcing, a mother and father continue to share the task of guiding their young son through youth and adolescence, and finally to adulthood. As the years roll by, the relationships among the three characters continue to evolve as well.”7/11/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.2) A MOST WANTED MAN– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A half-Russian, half-Chechen man, brutalized by torture, arrives in Hamburg, where he seeks a British banker’s help in recovering his father’s estate. But the man may not be all he seems to be in this riveting adaptation of John le Carré’s novel.”

7/8/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

3) MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT– Jacob Burns, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Exposing a phony soothsayer proves harder than expected when the debunker (an Englishman) becomes smitten with the purported fraud (a French beauty). This deft romantic comedy unwinds amid the gilt and glamour of the French Riviera in the 1920s.”

7/25/14- Woody’s latest has gotten poor reviews from most critics. I’m certain to see it anyway. TRDB.

8/4/14- As mentioned above, there have been many negative reviews of this movie but I found it a delightful drama obviously NOT meant to be  a comedy. TRDB.

4)  CHEF– Saw Mill Hawthorne, 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.

5) GET ON UP– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This powerhouse biopic traces the legendary James Brown’s rocky road from humble origins to superstardom as the Godfather of Soul. The film also reveals the demons — drugs, violence and near-bankruptcy — that haunted Brown on his rise to fame.”

7/31/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

6) LUCY– Danbury. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this action-thriller set in Taiwan, a young woman forced to become a drug mule for the mob develops superhuman abilities when the narcotics she’s carrying in her stomach accidentally leak into her system.”

7/25/14- Weak reviews but I’ll see it anyway because I like Luc Besson and Scarlett Johansson. TRDB.

8/3/14- Science fiction is not my thing but all in all this movie was OK. Some interesting effects and some eye candy (Scarlett Johansson) brought the movie up a few notches. TRDB.

For Independent Films in Your Neighborhood go to- www.emergingpictures.com

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR BOB

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