FILM REVIEWS #510
August 21st, 2014
8/16/14- I found this movie confusing at first. The acting was great and propelled the movie which was more ordinary. This was Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last completed film before his untimely death. TRDB.
2) CALVARY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “An anonymous man comes to Father James in confession and vows to kill him in one week, simply because the priest is himself a good man. The father spends the week contemplating good and evil, viewing his small Irish community with new eyes.”
7/27/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
8/20/14- A wonderful drama with enough tension to keep you on edge. See it! TRDB.
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8/15/14- A very clever story that works for the most part. Also a bit tedious at times trying to figure out who is who but overall I liked it. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
2) 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.
8/17/14- Excellent acting is at the core of this movie that deals with a theme we’ve all heard before. I enjoyed it never-the-less. TRDB. Netflix.
3) THE SHORT GAME– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “This documentary follows eight of the world’s best 7-year-old golfers, who convene in Pinehurst, N.C., to compete for a championship. Their interweaving stories provide a charming look into the unconventional, ultracompetitive world of junior golf.”
9/4/13- Few early reviews but they are very good. TRDB.
9/20/13- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
8/19/14- As much of a documentary about the parents as the kids and well done. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Not Recommended–
1) ROAD TO PALOMA– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After meting out his brand of justice to avenge his mother’s rape and murder, biker Robert Wolf goes on the lam, with the FBI in pursuit. As Wolf heads to the Grand Tetons to scatter his mom’s ashes, he faces some unexpected bends in the road.”
7/11/14- Good reviews. TRDB.
8/16/14- I can’t believe that this trash actually got good reviews. I turned it off after the obligatory 18 minutes. TRDB. Netflix.
2) GO FOR SISTERS– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Just out of prison, Fontanye discovers that her parole officer is Bernice, a former friend. Bernice takes it easy on Fontanye, and in turn, the ex-con promises to help find Bernice’s son Rodney, who disappeared near the Mexican border.”
10/16/13- A few reviews and they are mixed. TRDB.
11/8/13- The NY Times said that this movie had good characters and poor story. TRDB.
8/20/14- As the Times said– weak story saved by the characters. You can skip it. TRDB. Netflix.
4/29/14- An interesting movie that’s worth seeing but certainly not one of Francois Ozon’s best. TRDB.
2/15/14- I was thoroughly engrossed and on the edge of my seat for the entire movie. TRDB.
Not Recommended-
5/9/14- This movie seemed more like a creative bad dream than anything else. I did watch the whole thing. TRDB.
2) AGE OF UPRISING: THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL HOHLHAAS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Michael Kohlhaas, a horse merchant and family man in 16th-century France, is betrayed by a nobleman and decides to fight back. Against impossible odds, he gathers an army to battle the French status quo and restore his honor.”
6/2/14- Fair reviews noted on IMDB only– weak reviews elsewhere. TRDB.
2) ABUSE OF WEAKNESS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this semi-autobiographical tale from helmer Catherine Breillat, Isabelle Huppert plays a director who returns to her craft after suffering a debilitating stroke. Regrettably, the con man she casts in her film comes to see her as his biggest mark.”
8/15/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
3) THE ADMIRAL: ROARING CURRENTS– 2014. “Bringing to life the heroic saga of Korean admiral Yi Sun-shin, this seagoing thriller recounts his remarkable battle against a massive Japanese armada in 1597. With the odds clearly stacked against him, Yi devises a deadly trap for the enemy.”
8/15/14- Just 2 reviews as of now– 1 up and 1 down. Audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.
4) DINOSAUR 13– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “While fossil-digging in South Dakota, dinosaur expert Peter Larson and his team made a find that would transform paleontology. This engrossing documentary details the legal fights that followed their discovery of the first complete Tyrannosaurus rex.”
8/15/14- Good reviews for this documentary from critics and audiences as well. TRDB.
5) JEALOUSY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Clothilde is consumed with jealousy when Louis, her actor boyfriend and father of their 8-year-old daughter, leaves her for Claudia. When Claudia inevitably begins cheating on Louis, Clothilde tries hard to find some satisfaction in the irony.”
8/15/14- Good reviews by critics. Audiences have been mixed. TRDB.
6) LEVEL 5- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In Chris Marker’s futuristic reverie, game-developer Laura creates a video game based on the WWII Battle of Okinawa. Laura searches the Internet for information on the battle, and interviews Japanese experts and witnesses.”
8/15/14- Very good reviews including the one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
7) MOEBIUS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Mother, father and son take dysfunction to a new level in this dialogue-free film that focuses on the calamity that occurs in the wake of an affair. When Mom decides to cut off her son’s penis to punish her cheating husband, chaos and violence bloom.”
8/15/14- This movie has actually received good reviews. Go figure! TRDB.
8) RED HOLLYWOOD– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Film essayist Thom Andersen (Los Angeles Plays Itself) collaborated with film historian/theoretician Noël Burch on Red Hollywood, a documentary adaptation of their essay “Les Communistes de Hollywood.” Andersen and Burch examine the work of the “Hollywood Ten,” and other filmmakers and artists impacted by the infamous House Committee on Un-American Activities.”
8/15/14- I’ve seen just 3 reviews– 2 up including the NY Times and 1 down. TRDB.
9) THE TRIP TO ITALY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Following in the footsteps of the great romantic poets, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon traverse the Italian countryside musing about life and love. Work enters the conversation as well in this largely improvised sequel to the roadtrip comedy “The Trip.”
8/15/14– Good reviews including the one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
10) WE ARE MARI PEPA– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A teen punk garage band suffers its first crisis when their real lives intervene and they have problems conceiving of a follow-up to their first song. Problems with girls, parents and jobs threaten to squelch their raucous rock ‘n’ roll attitude.”
8/15/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
11) A WILL FOR THE WOODS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this affecting documentary, a man suffering from terminal lymphoma makes plans for a “green” burial, eschewing the traditional funeral-industry practices of interment and cremation to help preserve the environment.”
8/15/14- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.
Not Recommended–
1) COLDWATER- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This stark drama follows troubled teen Brad Lunders after he’s spirited away — at his parents’ behest — to a remote juvenile reform camp, where he finds himself in a dehumanizing situation that results in a battle for mental and physical survival.”
8/15/14- Poor reviews in general but a few good ones mixed in. TRDB.
2) THE GIVER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a future society called The Community, pain, war and disease have been eradicated, as have individuality and free will. When a teenager named Jonas learns the truth about the real world, he must decide whether to reveal all or remain quiet.”
8/15/14- Poor reviews. TRDB.
3) I AM HAPPINESS ON EARTH– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “From director Julián Hernández comes this erotic drama about a love triangle involving a famous filmmaker who blurs the line between reality and the process of artistic creation — and soon finds himself on both sides of the camera.”
8/15/14- Awful reviews. TRDB.
4) 37: A FINAL PROMISE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Guilt-ridden for years over his brother’s death, rock musician Adam Webb decided long ago to end his life on his 37th birthday. But his resolve begins to ebb when he falls in love with a terminally ill woman harboring a secret of her own.”
8/15/14- Poor reviews!! TRDB.
5) THE WORD– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The film follows a single father, Tom Hawkins (Kevin O’Donnell) whose life is destroyed when his son is kidnapped and murdered. When informed by the FBI, led by agent Mike Sheehy (Naughton), that the homicide appears to be part of a string of crimes carried out by an enigmatic, religious sect, Tom decides to take matters into his own hands.”
8/15/14- Terrible reviews. TRDB.
2) K2: SIREN OF THE HIMALAYAS– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “This breathtaking film follows an historic attempt to summit the world’s most challenging peak on the 100-year anniversary of the Duke of Abruzzi’s landmark K2 expedition in 1909. World-class alpinists Fabrizio Zangrilli and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner team up with veteran climbers Jake Meyer and Chris Szymiec in a dangerous foray of high altitude mountaineering.”
8/12/14- Just 2 reviews but both were very good. TRDB.
3) KABBALAH ME- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Kabbalah Me is a personal journey into the esoteric spiritual phenomenon known as Kabbalah. In Kabbalah Me, director Steven Bram embarks on a spiritual investigation that leads him to reunite with the Hasidic branch of his family and connect to the community of Judaic scholarship. ”
8/12/14- Only 1 review and she called it “sweetly odd” but it sounds interesting to me. TRDB.
4) LOVE IS STRANGE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After 28 years together, Ben and George finally get hitched. But when the marriage raises controversy at the school where George works, he’s fired. Unable to afford their New York City apartment, the couple is forced to live apart.”
8/12/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
5) THE ONE I LOVE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Confronted with the potential end of their marriage, Ethan and Sophie take off for a weekend together, hoping to negotiate their future. When they reach their idyllic destination, however, the couple strolls into a bizarre new brand of trouble.”
8/12/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
6) WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “The journey of legendary football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel), who took the De La Salle High School Spartans from obscurity to a 151-game winning streak that shattered all records for any American sport.”
8/12/14- No reviews to judge by but it could be an interesting docudrama. TRDB.
2) 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.
3) THE ONE I LOVE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Confronted with the potential end of their marriage, Ethan and Sophie take off for a weekend together, hoping to negotiate their future. When they reach their idyllic destination, however, the couple strolls into a bizarre new brand of trouble.”
8/12/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
8/15/14- A very clever story that works for the most part. Also a bit tedious at times trying to figure out who is who but overall I liked it. TRDB.
Not Recommended-
8/15/14- Poor reviews in general but a few good ones mixed in. TRDB.
7) DECODING ANNIE- Good reviews
Time Warner Link- www.twondemand.com
2) BOYHOOD- Jacob Burns, Bethel, 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.
3) MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT– Jacob Burns,Bethel, 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.
4) CALVARY- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “An anonymous man comes to Father James in confession and vows to kill him in one week, simply because the priest is himself a good man. The father spends the week contemplating good and evil, viewing his small Irish community with new eyes.”
7/27/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.
5) A MOST WANTED MAN– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100. 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.
8/16/14- I found this movie confusing at first. The acting was great and propelled the movie which was more ordinary. This was Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last completed film before his untimely death. TRDB.
6) CHEF– Saw Mill Hawthorne. 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.
7) WHAT IF– Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Wallace meets Chantry an animator and form an instant connection, striking up a close friendship. There is no denying the chemistry between them, leading the pair to wonder, what if the love of your life is actually your best friend?”
8/8/14- The movie sounds corny but has received good reviews. The NY Times didn’t care for it. TRDB.
8) 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 (the director) 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 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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