The Reel Dr. Bob

11/14/14- Liked by many critics but not one gave it a very good review. Audiences were mixed.  I’ll recommend it but it’s up for grabs. TRDB.

1/14/15- Interesting and unpredictable and I liked this movie about a few people in a small town. TRDB. Netflix.

17) HET VONNIS (THE VERDICT)- 2013. This movie is about a man whose wife and daughter are killed together and about his quest for justice in Belgium.

1/16/15- An excellent movie with a power packed beginning. Don’t come late and plan to talk about it afterwards. TRDB. At the Theater.

18) SELMA– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1965 civil rights march from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery, this stirring historical drama highlights the courage of the marchers as they withstand racist and violent attacks by the police.”

12/25/14- Excellent reviews from critics and very good ones from audiences.  TRDB. 

1/17/15- An excellent depiction of Martin Luther King, warts and all, and a good reminder of how far we have come as a nation. TRDB.

19) TWO NIGHT STAND– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After an ill-considered one-night stand, two young New Yorkers are obliged to extend their time together when a paralyzing snowstorm strikes the city, confining the pair to a small cramped apartment.”

9/26/14- Weak reviews but it did sound interesting. TRDB.

1/19/15- Conventional in many ways but the acting and the frank dialogue kept me interested. TRDB.

20) WETLANDS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Antisocial teen Helen’s only interest in other people is reuniting her divorced parents, and a freak shaving accident may hold the answer. During a short hospital stay, she uses her outsized personality to unite the staff in her mission.”

9/7/14- Very good reviews for what sounds like a foolish story. The NY Times liked it as well. TRDB.

1/21/15- While the plot may be somewhat familiar I can guarantee you that the film is NOT. Very creative, vulgar at times and  very original!!TRDB.

21) CLOSER TO THE MOON- 2013. Synopsis by IMDB. “A Romanian police officer teams up with a small crew of old friends from the World War II Jewish Resistance to pull off a heist by convincing everyone at the scene of the crime that they are only filming a movie.”

1/20/15- One of the more unusual films you will see, I found the movie entertaining and original. Hard to believe it’s taken from a true story. Seen as part of the 2015 Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival. TRDB.

22) 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.

1/23/15– Fairly predictable and weak but Maclaine and Plumer make it passable. TRDB. Netflix.

23) THE LAST SUMMER OF LA BOYITA- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Luciana is becoming a teenager and has little time or patience for her younger sister, Jorgelina. For summer vacation, the girls part ways, and Jorgelina travels to the countryside, where she befriends a young ranch hand with an unusual secret.”

1/26/15- The drama held my interest despite the worst set of sub-titles I have ever encountered. TRDB.

24) APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “As a bisexual Iranian-American, Shirin doesn’t quite fit in to her perfect Persian family — and she can’t make a relationship work. So she goes on a journey of self-discovery and sexual adventure in an effort to come to terms with her identity.”

1/16/15- Excellent reviews from critics and very good ones from audiences as well. TRDB.

1/25/15- I found this movie enjoyable and very different from other break-up gay stories. TRDB. Hotwire On-Demand.

25) WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “When 17-year-old Kat Conners’s mom, Eve, vanishes, the teen relishes her newfound freedom — until the reality of her loss sets in. While on break from college, Kat returns home and learns the strange facts behind Eve’s disappearance.”

10/24/14- Reviews are evenly divided for this movie but it sounds interesting to me and I’ll try to see it. TRDB.

1/28/15- Half of the movie is predictable and the other half is contrived but, believe it or not, the movie is not without merit. That’s the best I can do. TRDB.

26) THE NOTEBOOK– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “During the maelstrom of World War II, two twin boys are exiled from their urban home and sent to the country to live with their grandmother. Soon after their arrival, the boys find out that their alcoholic granny is loathed by her entire village.”

8/25/14- Just 2 reviews– both positive. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.

1/30/15- Overall, I enjoyed the movie but it was, as one reviewer said, a relentless grind. A few reviews said that it covered material that had been covered before but I think there was enough original for the movie to stand alone. TRDB.

27) ROCK THE CASBAH– 2015.

This movie is about a unit of Israeli soldiers assigned to patrol the Gaza Strip. The movie makes very real the trials and tribulations of doing the job in a war torn hostile environment and the soldiers’ attempt to bring some sense of normalcy to their everyday life. TRDB. Seen at the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival.

28) THIS IS MARTIN BONNER– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Eschewing his old East Coast life, Martin Bonner moves to Nevada and goes to work for a program that prepares prisoners for life on the outside. But when he meets ex-convict Travis Holloway, they forge a bond that surprises them both.”

6/7/13- Just a few reviews as of now but they are very good. TRDB.

8/14/13- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2/4/15- Very realistic, interesting and worth a viewing for sure. TRDB.

29) TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “On the verge of losing her job, Sandra comes up with a last-ditch strategy: get her workmates to give up their bonuses so that she can stay on. With a single weekend to make it work, Sandra and her husband take her crusade for sympathy all over town.”

12/24/14- Excellent reviews for this drama starring Marion Cotillard. TRDB.

1/31/15- I liked this movie very much and highly recommend it. TRDB.

30) DEAR WHITE PEOPLE- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A racially themed bash thrown by white Ivy League students sparks four black classmates to reflect on their identity in this knowing satire. Inspired by helmer Simien’s popular Twitter feed, the comedy skewers the idea of a “post-racial” America.”

10/17/14- Great reviews from critics and mixed reviews from audiences. TRDB.

2/8/15– No matter how hard I tried, and I did try, I could not get into this movie and I turned it off. TRDB.

31) VIC AND FLO SAW A BEAR– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When newly paroled Victoria Champagne returns home to rural Quebec, her parole officer, a former lover and a menacing stranger disrupt her attempt to begin life anew. As she struggles to find normality, signs of looming peril start to grow.”

2/7/14- Very good reviews including the review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2/9/15- The movie was quite different and it held my interest. NOT for everybody!! TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

32) ARCADIA– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A coming-of-age story set in a vast, cross-country landscape, Arcadia begins when twelve-year-old Greta’s dad Tom (Academy Award nominated actor John Hawkes) wakes her up before dawn and crams her and her two siblings into a dented station wagon. They set off on a 3,000 mile journey from the New England woods to the California desert. On the way, Tom tells enchanting stories, paints pictures of a California paradise, and assures the kids that Mom will soon join them.”

4/12/13- A good review in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.

2/12/15- I enjoyed this coming of age road trip movie. I especially liked the relationship between the siblings. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

33) GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM- 2005. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this intense courtroom drama, Viviane Amsalem faces an uphill five-year battle as she seeks a divorce from her intractable spouse, who opposes the dissolution of the marriage — and holds all the cards under Israeli law.”

2/13/15- Great reviews from everybody. TRDB. 

2/13/15- A very well done drama/expose of the Gett system and the basic denial of woman’s rights that is truly an embarrassment for Israelis. TRDB. At the Theater.

34) 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.

2/19/15- One of the most boring movies I’ve seen in a long time. I turned it off quickly. TRDB.

35)  A TALE OF WINTER– 1992. Synopsis by Netflix. “A young couple, Félicie and Charles, meet while on holiday and fall deeply in love. In a fatal slip, she gives him the wrong address, and, as a result, he disappears from her life. Five years later, at Christmas time, Félicie is a hairdresser in the Paris suburbs with a daughter (Charles’) and two lovers. The plot centers on Félicie’s shifting allegiances to the three men in her life, in a roundabout journey that finally brings her face to face with the most basic issues of destiny and faith.”

2/12/15– Great reviews for this movie. TRDB.

2/21/15- Part of Eric Rohmer’s collection, this movie has a good premise and good acting but I found the movie way too long. Several scenes could have been eliminated and more could have been shortened. It seemed endless. TRDB.

36) STILL ALICE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “When 50-year-old linguistics professor Alice Howland begins having trouble remembering words, her symptoms ultimately lead to a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s — which forces Alice and her family to make radical changes in their lives.”

12/5/14- Mostly very good reviews but a few really did not like it at all calling it a TV type movie. TRDB.

2/23/15- I thought that this was an excellent movie with very good acting and a really special screenplay. Very scary!! TRDB.

37) 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.

2/23/15- A great performance by Eddie Redmayne helped this drama immensely. I think that the movie couldn’t decide if it should stress the character or his theories and may have gotten a bit lost trying. I did, however, like the movie. TRDB.

38) THE HOMESMAN- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a frontier town in the Nebraska Territory, self-reliant spinster Mary Bee Cuddy is tasked with escorting a trio of deranged women to a sanctuary in Iowa. Joining her on the arduous trek is George Briggs, an Army deserter Mary rescued from hanging.”

11/14/14- Good professional reviews and weak audience ones. I’d see anything with Hilary Swank. TRDB.

2/26/15- I didn’t find this movie particularly interesting and that’s with some top talent performing. I did watch the whole thing, however. TRDB.

39) FELONY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “When police officer Malcolm Toohey hits a young boy while driving drunk, he makes the fateful decision to conceal his crime. But while one senior officer is willing to support the cover-up, that officer’s new partner feels differently.”

10/17/14- Good professional reviews and average audience reaction. The NY Times did not care for it. TRDB.

3/1/15- A fair suspense story with very little new and suspenseful. TRDB.

40) THE JUDGE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After attending his mother’s funeral in rural Indiana, defense attorney Hank Palmer heads home to Chicago, only to be called back when his senile father is charged with murder. But when Hank takes the case, he uncovers some shocking family secrets.”

10/14/14- Weak professional reviews but audiences have enjoyed this movie. TRDB.

3/2/15- I’m with the critics on this one. A few nice scenes but the movie in general left lots to be desired, even with Robert Duvall and Vera Farmiga. TRDB.

41) ST. VINCENT- 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.

3/4/15- I’m with audiences on this one. A delightful if somewhat predictable drama. TRDB.

42) MR. KAPLAN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Depressed by his advancing age, Uruguayan transplant Jacob Kaplan is lamenting his irrelevance when he becomes convinced that a local bar owner is an ex-Nazi — and promptly embarks on a quest to expose the old German.”

3/2/15- No reviews as yet but it sounds interesting. TRDB.

3/8/15- A bit slow and sad but an interesting premise and excellent acting contribute to make this well worth seeing. TRDB.

43) FOUR– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “As a middle-aged black man goes on a date with a young white man he met on the Internet, his teen daughter spends an evening with an ex-basketball star. But their attempts to make intimate connections are hindered by the secrets each holds.”

9/13/13- A very good review in today’s NY Times and elsewhere as well. TRDB.

2/27/15- This movie was enjoyable primarily because of the acting but also because of the story itself. TRDB.

44) LAGGIES– 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.

3/13/15- A drama about a woman who is lost between stages of her life. I’d say it’s marginal and worth seeing just for Keira Knightley’s performance. Netflix.

45) FURY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “During the waning days of World War II in Europe, U.S. Army Sgt. Wardaddy leads his tank crew against overwhelming German forces. As both sides prepare for a last bloody battle, Wardaddy embarks on a mission behind enemy lines.”

10/17/14- Mixed reviews– more positive than negative  but even the positive ones had qualifications. TRDB. 

3/14/15- A very realistic war movie until the end when it took on a Rambo personality. Subtract 45 minutes and it would have been better. TRDB.

46) CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD– 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Argentina, 1979. After years of exile, Juan (12) and his family come back to Argentina under fake identities. Juan’s parents and his uncle Beto are members of the Montoneros Organization, which is fighting against the Military Junta that rules the country. Because of their political activities they are being tracked down relentlessly, and the threat of capture and even death is constant. However, Juan’s daily life is also full of warmth and humor, and he quickly and easily integrates into his new environment. His friends at school and the girl he has a gigantic crush on, Maria, know him as Ernesto, a name he must not forget, since his family’s survival is at stake. Juan accepts this and follows all of his parents’ rules until one day he is told that they need to move again immediately, and leave his friends and Maria behind without an explanation. This is a story about militancy, undercover life, and love. The story of a clandestine childhood.”

1/11/13- Mixed reviews in today’s NY Times and in general. Some were very good and some were just fair. TRDB.

3/16/15– I enjoyed this movie. The effects on the young boy were heartbreaking. TRDB.

47) WILD TALES– 2015. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Inequality, injustice and the demands of the world we live in cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of a reality that shifts and suddenly turns unpredictable, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line that divides civilization and barbarism.” TRDB.

2/16/15- An article in yesterday’s NY Times about this movie sounds very interesting. The film just won a Golden Bear in Berlin. TRDB.

2/26/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3/22/15– I enjoyed this movie very much. Like nothing you’ve seen before, it crosses the line and goes over-the top frequently. TRDB.

48) ’71– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a young British soldier is separated from his unit in Belfast at the height of Northern Ireland’s Troubles, he must survive the night alone in a city that’s swarming with would-be enemies.”

2/27/15- Excellent reviews from nearly everybody. TRDB

3/20/15- Excellent reviews but NOT from me. One reviewer said-  “If you are in the mood for a confusing and thoroughly depressing immersion into Irish history, you can’t do better.” I AGREE!! TRDB.

49) JOHN WICK– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After the son of a Russian gang boss steals John Wick’s classic car and kills his dog, the former hit man returns to his lethal specialty in a quest for vengeance — and soon finds that he has a price on his head.”

10/24/14- Sounds ridiculous but this movie has received lots of good reviews from both professionals and audiences. TRDB.

3/21/15- A ridiculous Rambo style movie that had value only for the well choreographed scenes when the lead actor did all of his killing. I couldn’t finish it. TRDB.

50) WHEN I SAW YOU– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Displaced to a Jordanian refugee camp with his mother in the wake of the Six-Day War, a restless 11-year-old Palestinian has trouble adjusting. Yearning to reunite with his missing father, the headstrong boy sets out on a life-changing journey.”

1/15/14-A very good  review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3/23/15- An interesting and thought provoking Palestinian movie. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

51) LISTEN UP PHILIP– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A self-absorbed New York writer juggles the pressures of promoting his second book, watching his relationship deteriorate and living in an unforgiving city. His literary hero offers him an escape in the form of a summer home.”

10/17/14- Widely divergent reviews. Some liked it a lot and some hated it. Probably worth a try. TRDB.

3/26/15- I’m glad I saw it but I’m not sure if I liked it or not– Professional critics seemed to feel the same way. TRDB. Netflix.

52) TOP FIVE- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Written, directed, and starring Chris Rock, TOP FIVE tells the story of New York City comedian-turned-film star Andre Allen, whose unexpected encounter with a journalist (Rosario Dawson) forces him to confront the comedy career—and the past—that he’s left behind.”

12/12/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

3/31/15- I’m not a Chris Rock fan but I did enjoy most of this movie– less comedy than drama. TRDB.

53) THE MAFIA ONLY KILLS IN SUMMER- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Covering two turbulent decades in Sicilian history, this sorrow-tinged comedy recalls the Mafia’s iron grip on the region as seen through the eyes of Arturo, who grows up in Palermo during the mob’s infamous campaign of bombings and assassinations.”

3/6/15– No reviews as yet but I’d give it a try. TRDB.

4/6/15- I enjoyed this movie quite a bit– both humorous and serious at the same time. TRDB.