The Reel Dr. Bob

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

DEAR FRIENDS:

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

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) WHIPLASH- At the Theater

2) A FIVE STAR LIFE– Netflix

3) GABRIELLE– Netflix

4) STOLEN SEAS– Netflix Streaming

5) TEDDY BEAR– Netflix Streaming

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) WHIPLASH – 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Driven by his demanding music teacher, drummer Andrew is determined to succeed as a jazz musician — even if it destroys his personality. Under the shadow of his father’s failed artistic attempts, Andrew practices until his hands bleed.”10/10/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

11/7/14- Great acting, great music and a very good story. I liked the movie a lot despite a bit of Hollywood at the end. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME-

1) A FIVE STAR LIFE– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A Five Star Life is the sophisticated and delightful story of one woman’s quest for personal and professional fulfillment set against some of the most stunning cities and opulent hotels of the world. Stylish and independent, Irene (Margherita Buy) is a single career woman in her forties with a job to die for. As a luxury hotel critic, she checks into the world’s finest establishments incognito to assess their standards.”7/18/14- Professional reviews and audience reaction are mixed. TRDB.

11/8/14- A delightful light drama. This movie will not win any awards but I liked it very much. TRDB. Netflix.

2) GABRIELLE– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Musicians Gabrielle and Martin fall in love and want to begin a relationship, which is against the rules at the home for the disabled where they live. Refusing to part with Martin, Gabrielle is determined to prove that she can live independently.”

4/14/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

11/10/14- This movie was beautiful– great characters and a very interesting story. TRDB. Netflix.

3) STOLEN SEAS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Utilizing exclusive interviews and unparalleled access to real pirates, hostages, ship-owners, pirate negotiators and experts on piracy, Stolen Seas presents a chilling exploration of the Somali pirate phenomenon. Stolen Seas is an eye opening refutation of preconceived ideas on how or why piracy has become the world’s most frightening multi-million dollar growth industry.”

1/18/13- This movie was one of the “best of the fest” at the Palm Springs International Film Festival this year and was praised in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/11/14- An excellent documentary that tries to change your concept of ship hijacking by showing the customs and life of the Somali pirates, the ship companies AND the governments involved. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

4) TEDDY BEAR– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “A shy and socially inept 38-year-old Danish bodybuilder travels to Thailand, where he learns some unexpected lessons about life and love.”

11/12/14- A very good drama with a sensitive touch and some interesting family dynamics. I’d recommend it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

 

Not Recommended–

1) WRECKERS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Dawn and David return to his hometown, an unexpected visit from David’s unbalanced brother makes Dawn question how well she knows her husband.”

11/11/14- A very dark movie, most of it very slow. About family secrets. You can skip it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, NOV.18-

1) LOU– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “This poignant drama follows Lou, an 11-year-old Australian coping with having been abandoned by her father when her estranged grandfather, Doyle, comes to live with the family. Much to Lou‘s surprise, she develops a deep bond with the ailing Doyle.”8/15/11- An average drama that did keep my interest and I saw it through. I think you won’t be sorry if you sign on. TRDB.

2) BOUND BY FLESH– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Perhaps the most famous conjoined twins of all time, the Hiltons became a vaudeville sensation before falling on hard times and dying in poverty. This absorbing documentary follows their unique life, which was fraught with exploitation and hardship.”

6/27/14- Very good reviews by critics and OK ones by audiences. TRDB.

3) 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. I enjoyed it. TRDB.

4) FOR A WOMAN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though 35-year-old Anne knows little about her parents’ past, the old photos and letters she examines after her mother’s death hint at a buried secret. As Anne digs deeper, she uncovers a hidden affair and other surprises in her family history.”

5/2/14- A good review in today’s NY Times and fairly good reviews in general. TRDB.

5) STOLEN SEAS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Utilizing exclusive interviews and unparalleled access to real pirates, hostages, ship-owners, pirate negotiators and experts on piracy, Stolen Seas presents a chilling exploration of the Somali pirate phenomenon. Stolen Seas is an eye opening refutation of preconceived ideas on how or why piracy has become the world’s most frightening multi-million dollar growth industry.”

1/18/13- This movie was one of the “best of the fest” at the Palm Springs International Film Festival this year and was praised in today’s NY Times. I saw this Streaming but it’s coming in DVD format. TRDB.

6) IN BLOOM– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In post-Soviet Georgia, teen pals Eka and Natia live with their families in decaying high-rises and a social landscape rife with crime and despair. Sticking together in this bleak world, the girls use their nascent sexuality to gain the upper hand.”

Very good reviews. TRDB.

7) THE WORLD IS BIG AND SALVATION LURKS AROUND THE CORNER– 2008. Synopsis by Netflix. “Decades after moving with his parents from Bulgaria to Germany, Alex (Carlo Ljubek) loses his memory in a terrible car accident. But by embarking on a tandem bicycle adventure with his quirky grandfather (Miki Manojlovic), Alex begins to reconnect with his forgotten past. Based on Ilija Trojanow’s autobiography, this touching drama explores such powerful themes as family, loyalty and cultural identity.”

11/11/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST FRIDAY, NOV. 7-

1) PELICAN DREAMS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This engaging documentary chronicles the journey of a California pelican named Gigi, who starts a new life at a seabird rescue facility after landing in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge, causing a major traffic tie-up.”11/7/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) ACTRESS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Shelving a burgeoning small-screen career, actress Brandy Burre settles down to motherhood and domesticity but eventually grows restless. This engaging documentary chronicles the conflicts and complications she faces as she tries to make a comeback.”

11/7/14- Excellent professional reviews. One critic called this the best documentary she had ever seen. TRDB.

3) BHOPAL: A PRAYER FOR RAIN– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This heartrending portrait of a disastrous 1984 chemical leak in Bhopal, India, chronicles events leading up to the tragedy and the shattering repercussions that turned the city into a nightmarish landscape strewn with more than 10,000 corpses.”

11/7/14- Critics are evenly divided on this movie but audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.

4) THE INVISIBLE FRONT– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Through archival footage and interviews, this illuminating documentary recounts the story of the Forest Brothers, a Lithuanian resistance movement formed in 1944 to fight the Soviet occupation and communist rule.”

11/7/14- Just a few professional reviews so far and they are all positive. Audiences have loved the movie. TRDB.

5) THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “With his body progressively ravaged by ALS, world-famous physicist Stephen Hawking must rely on his wife, Jane, to continue his life’s work as he faces various challenges. This affecting biographical drama centers on the couple’s fertile partnership.”

11/7/14- Good reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

6) VIRUNGA– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Determined to protect the last population of Africa’s mountain gorillas, Congolese wildlife officials must contend not only with outlaw poachers but the effects of fierce combat between government forces and die-hard insurgent groups.”

11/7/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

7) THE WAY HE LOOKS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Overprotected by his mother and smitten best friend Giovana, blind teenager Leonardo dreams of being independent. But the arrival of new classmate Gabriel complicates matters when the two boys’ friendship deepens into something more.”

11/8/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

8) WARSAW UPRISING– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Warsaw Uprising” is probably the world’s first war documentary film made entirely from original archive materials. It tells the story of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 through the eyes of US airman and two young reporters, witnesses to insurgent fighting. It uses authentic newsreels filmed in August of 1944.”

11/7/14- Excellent reviews from critics and audiences as well. TRDB.

9) WEST- 2014- Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “East Germany. Summer, late 70’s. Three years after her boyfriend Wassilij’s apparent death, Nelly Senff decides to escape from behind the Berlin wall with her son Alexej, leaving her traumatic memories and past behind. Pretending to marry a West German, she crosses the border to start a new life in the West.”

11/7/14- Just 3 professional reviews– 2 up and 1 down (the NY Times).  Audience reviews are mixed as well. Sounds interesting to me and I’ll try to see it. TRDB.

10)  GETTING TO THE NUTCRACKER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “As revealed in this behind-the-curtain documentary, staging a production of the annual holiday favorite “The Nutcracker” takes a colossal collective effort, from auditioning ballet dancers to grueling rehearsals to the live performance.”

11/7/14- I found just 2 reviews- 1 up and 1 so-so. I’ll go with it. TRDB.

1) VIVA LA LIBERTA– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In this elegant and chilling story about world politics, the great Toni Servillo defies expectations playing two roles, imbuing each character with brilliant nuance and astonishing attention to detail. In the first, he personifies political failure in the role of the disgraced ideologue and party leader, Enrico Oliveri. In the second, he embodies the shrewd genius of a madman as Oliveri’s unhinged twin brother who seizes control of the nation amidst the void of his brother’s disappearance.”11/7/14- I’ve seen just 4 reviews and they are all poor. TRDB.

2) THE BETTER ANGELS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Revisiting the many hardships of Abraham Lincoln’s youth, this biographical epic also highlights the influences that helped shape his personality — including the role played by Lincoln’s stepmother, Sarah, in developing his beliefs.”

11/7/14- Weak professional reviews– audiences have been a bit more generous. TRDB.

3) ELSA & FRED– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “ELSA AND FRED is the story of two people who, at the end of the road, discover that it’s never too late to love. After losing his wife, Fred (Christopher Plumer) feels disturbed, confused and alone, so his daughter (Marcia Gay Harden) helps move him into a small apartment where he meets Elsa (Shirley Maclaine).”

11/7/14- Awful professional reviews but audiences have given this movie average reviews. TRDB.

4) FUGLY!- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Fame proves elusive for comic Jesse Sanchez, who reflects on life from the bottom of a bathtub in this film based on John Leguizamo’s one-man show. The story that unfolds has it all: love, loss, mistakes, adventure and redemption.”

11/7/14- Poor reviews from audiences and from the few professional reviews I’ve seen. TRDB.

5) 21 YEARS: RICHARD LINKLATER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Independent film godfather Richard Linklater and his oeuvre are profiled in this survey of the first 21 years of the director’s career. Revealing interviews with his collaborators round out the picture of a cinematic artist who follows his own muse.”

11/7/14– Weak professional reviews but audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.

6) THE TOWER– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A searing look at Communist East Germany in its final decade, The Tower reveals the intimate realities of life behind the Berlin Wall. Based on Uwe Tellkamp’s acclaimed novel The Tower: Tales from a Vanished Land, which won the 2008 German Book Prize and was heralded by Die Zeit as “one of the most important books of European post-War literature”, this riveting series introduces viewers to respected senior surgeon Richard Hoffmann, his wife Anne, their teenage son Christian, and their community of privileged intellectuals in suburban Dresden.”

11/7/14- Just 3 professional reviews, including the NY Times and they are all negative. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) FORCE MAJEURE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “At a ski resort in the Alps, the sudden and terrifying approach of an avalanche opens a deep fissure in the lives of a vacationing Swedish family when the patriarch flees to save himself instead of protecting his wife and children.”10/24/14- Very good reviews and I’ll plan on seeing this movie. TRDB.

11/2/14- I enjoyed this movie very much and it led to lively discussion. TRDB.

2) WATCHERS OF THE SKY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Paying tribute to four pioneers of the global campaign to end genocide, this feature-length documentary details their efforts to protect the powerless. Blending cinema verité with interview footage, the film highlights their successes and failures.”10/17/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW-

1) ELSA & FRED– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “ELSA AND FRED is the story of two people who, at the end of the road, discover that it’s never too late to love. After losing his wife, Fred (Christopher Plumer) feels disturbed, confused and alone, so his daughter (Marcia Gay Harden) helps move him into a small apartment where he meets Elsa (Shirley Maclaine).”11/7/14- Awful professional reviews but audiences have given this movie average reviews. TRDB.

REPEATS-

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) ROSEWATER- Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. ” The film marks the directorial debut of “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, and stars Gael García Bernal. Rosewater follows the Tehran-born Bahari, a broadcast journalist with Canadian citizenship. In June 2009, Bahari returned to Iran to interview Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who was the prime challenger to president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As Mousavi’s supporters rose up to protest Ahmadinejad’s victory declaration hours before the polls closed, Bahari endured personal risk by sending footage of the street riots to the BBC.”9/17/14- Very good reviews in general. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) BIRDMAN– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Michael Keaton delivers a winking performance in this dark comedy about a cinematic superhero trying to forge a comeback with a Broadway play. With none of the super-powers of his former character, the actor struggles to rebuild his career and life.”10/17/14- Excellent reviews from nearly all critics and audiences have liked it as well. The NY Times loved it. TRDB.

10/31/14- Very original and interesting mixing fact and fantasy. Keaton was excellent and I enjoyed the movie. Labeled a comedy, it surely isn’t. TRDB.

2) FORCE MAJEURE– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “At a ski resort in the Alps, the sudden and terrifying approach of an avalanche opens a deep fissure in the lives of a vacationing Swedish family when the patriarch flees to save himself instead of protecting his wife and children.”10/24/14- Very good reviews and I’ll plan on seeing this movie. TRDB.

11/2/14- I enjoyed this movie very much and it led to lively discussion. TRDB.

3) WHIPLASH– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Driven by his demanding music teacher, drummer Andrew is determined to succeed as a jazz musician — even if it destroys his personality. Under the shadow of his father’s failed artistic attempts, Andrew practices until his hands bleed.”10/10/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

11/7/14- Great acting, great music and a very good story. I liked the movie a lot despite a bit of Hollywood at the end. TRDB.

4) ST. VINCENT– Bethel, Danbury. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “With his parents preoccupied with their divorce, lonely 12-year-old Oliver strikes up a friendship with his war-veteran neighbor Vincent. A hard-drinking gambler with a fondness for hookers, Vincent finds his life changed by the boy’s presence.”

10/10/14- Just fair professional reviews but audiences have liked it more. Most said that Bill Murray made the movie. TRDB.

5) LAGGIES– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “While her friends are starting families and advancing their careers, 28-year-old Megan clings to youthful irresponsibility. After agreeing to attend a professional-development retreat, she instead spends the time with a teenager she’s befriended.”

10/24/14- Mixed reviews, slightly more positive than negative. TRDB.

6) CITIZENFOUR– Jacob Burns on 11/16 and 11/18 only. Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This tension-fueled documentary from filmmaker Laura Poitras follows her 2013 journey to Hong Kong to meet with whistleblower Edward Snowden as he was preparing to release a wealth of classified government documents.”

10/24/14- Great reviews all around. I can’t wait to see this one. TRDB.

11/1/14- Watching this movie I felt like I was watching history being made. Very well done and again brings up the big question for us as to whether Snowden is whistle-blower or a traitor but clearly the movie has its own agenda. TRDB.

7) THE GREEN PRINCE– At Jacob Burns on 11/20 only. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a top leader in Palestine’s militant Hamas movement, spends a decade working as a mole for Israeli intelligence. In this gripping true-life drama, Yousef lives each day in immediate danger of torture and execution.”

8/25/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

10/22/14- I liked this documentary very much. TRDB.

8) GONE GIRL– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name, this unsettling thriller follows the mercurial Nick Dunne, who finds himself dogged by police and caught in a media maelstrom after he becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance.”

9/26/14- Very good reviews. The NY Times did not like it. TRDB.

10/9/14- Very well done mystery with interesting characters. A bit too long but I liked it. TRDB.

 

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB