The Reel Dr. Bob

DECEMBER 25, 2014

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QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES SINCE LAST TIME-

1) BEYOND THE EDGE– Netflix Streaming

2) LILA, LILA– Netflix

3) LOVES HER GUN- Netflix

4) POINT AND SHOOT– At the Theater

5) WHEN I WALK– Netflix Streaming

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MOVIES I SAW SINCE THE LAST ISSUE- AT THE THEATER-

1) POINT AND SHOOT– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “How does a shy young American afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder become a man? In Matthew VanDyke’s case, it involves riding a motorcycle across North Africa and the Middle East, and joining the Libyan revolt to topple Muammar Gaddafi.”10/31/14- Mixed reviews by critics but audiences have liked it. TRDB.

12/22/14- Fascinating documentary but to be honest I don’t see the point of it all. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW SINCE THE LAST ISSUE- AT HOME-

1) BEYOND THE EDGE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Edmund Hillary’s 1953 ascent of Mt. Everest was an event that amazed the world and led to a new age of mountaineering and ambitious exploration. Hilary’s triumphant saga is retold using both modern footage, and recordings and photos from the time.”7/4/14- Mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. The NY Times liked it very much. TRDB.

12/11/14- A somewhat interesting documentary which was mostly reenacted. Some of the scenes seemed about as tedious as parts of the slow climb. The views were magnificent. TRDB.

2) LILA, LILA– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Popular German actor Daniel Brühl plays David Kern, a socially awkward waiter who works a dead end job in a chic cafe. One day he stumbles upon the biggest break of his life, an unpublished manuscript which he finds in a jammed nightstand drawer.”
5/23/14- Weak reviews. TRDB.

12/21/14- I enjoyed the movie. It certainly was not a great tale but very good acting made the movie. I especially liked the final book reading at the end. TRDB. Netflix.

3) LOVES HER GUN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Allie is attacked in New York, she picks up and moves to Austin. Paranoid and still haunted by the incident, she immerses herself in the city’s gun culture as a way to feel less vulnerable.”

1/10/14- A good review from the NY Times in today’s issue. Most other critics have liked it also. TRDB.

12/22/14- I liked this movie very much. My only problem with it is that Allie’s introduction to the gun may have taken place too late in the movie. TRDB.

4) WHEN I WALK– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When 25-year-old director Jason DaSilva was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006, he decided to document his struggles. In this wise and warm film, DaSilva explores the similarities we share as we each battle to overcome our individual problems.”

10/25/13- The NY Times liked this documentary and so did most critics. TRDB.

12/24/14- I liked this documentary very much and despite the topic the movie managed to balance the sadness with hope for the future. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, DEC. 30-

1) WHEN I WALK– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “When 25-year-old director Jason DaSilva was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006, he decided to document his struggles. In this wise and warm film, DaSilva explores the similarities we share as we each battle to overcome our individual problems.”10/25/13- The NY Times liked this documentary and so did most critics. TRDB.

12/24/14- I liked this documentary very much and despite the topic the movie managed to balance the sadness with hope for the future. TRDB.

2) PATEMA INVERTED– 2014.  Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “”Time of Eve director Yasuhiro Yoshiura is a perspective-twisting sci-fi adventure about two kids separated by opposite gravities. Patema lives in an underground world of tunnels, the long-abandoned ruins of a giant industrial complex.”

8/29/14- Excellent reviews for this animated feature. TRDB.

3) HONOUR– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “A story centered on a young woman named Mona (Aiysha Hart) is targeted by her family for an “honour killing” and the bounty hunter who takes the job. Starring Paddy Considine and Faraz Ayub.”7/11/14– Weak reviews in general but the NY Times liked it and a few gave it good reviews. Audiences were 50/50. TRDB.

4) KELLY & CAL– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Struggling with the challenges of parenthood, a dispirited young mother finds an unlikely friend and confidante in her paralyzed teenage neighbor. But when their relationship crosses the line, she starts to consider the consequences.”

9/7/14- Mixed reviews from professional and from audiences as well. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

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.”

8/5/14- Reviews are weak from most critics. I’ve seen the coming attractions and I’d have to agree. TRDB.

2) 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.

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OPENED DEC. 12-

1) 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.

2) SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS– 2014.  Synopsis by Netflix. “After hiring instructor Michael Minetti to teach her dancing, Lily Harrison has reason to regret her decision when they immediately clash. But as the lessons continue , the pair’s feelings about each other begin to evolve.”

12/12/14- Fair professional reviews but audiences have liked it. TRDB.

3) THE SALT OF THE EARTH– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “As this artfully crafted documentary proves, legendary Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado has created a spectacular body of work during his long career, capturing both the planet’s stunning beauty and humankind’s heartbreaking atrocities.”

12/12/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

4) MAIDAN– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This street-level documentary chronicles the dramatic tide of public unrest — beginning in 2013 — that led to massive demonstrations in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, resulting in a brutal response by the nation’s military police.”

12/12/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

5) LITTLE FEET– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “When one of their two pet fish dies, young Nico and his sister, Lana, stick the fishbowl in a shopping cart and embark on a noble quest to find a river so the survivor might find new friends and have a chance at happiness.”

12/12/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) WE ARE THE GIANT– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “The Arab Spring comes to life in these interviews with activists from across the region who experienced the uprisings firsthand. Among them are a man whose American-raised son fought against Gaddafi, and the daughters of a man imprisoned in Bahrain.”12/12/14- Weak reviews. TRDB.

2) SKATING TO NEW YORK– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “SKATING TO NEW YORK is the coming-of-age journey of five teenage boys who leave their small, Canadian town behind and risk skating across Lake Ontario to New York on the coldest day of the year.DB

12/12/14- Poor reviews. TRDB.

3) ISN’T IT DELICIOUS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, Joan Wheldon resolves to spend her remaining days repairing her troubled relationships with her family and best friend. But she soon discovers that her loved ones have their own perspectives to offer.”

12/12/14- Weak early reviews. TRDB.

4) INHERENT VICE – 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the counterculture world of 1970s Los Angeles, gumshoe Doc Sportello finds himself pulled into bizarre circumstances by his ex-girlfriend, who suspects that her new lover’s wife is intent on having him committed to a mental asylum.”

12/12/14- Sounds stupid but this film has some received some good reviews. TRDB.

5) THE COLOR OF TIME– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “The Color of Time is based on Pulitzer prize-winning poet CK Williams’ collection of the same name. The film blends together adaptations of 11 of the poems to create a poetic road trip through CK William’s life. The film takes us on a journey through several decades of American life from CK’s childhood and adolescence in Detroit in the 1940s and 50s to the early 1980s: CK and his wife Catherine are married with their son Jed.”

12/12/14- The worst reviews I’ve seen in a long time. TRDB.

6) THE CAPTIVE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Kidnapped at age 9, Cassandra Lane has spent eight years imprisoned by the icy and demented Mika — who continues to torment the girl’s distraught parents with enigmatic clues intimating that she’s still alive.”

12/12/14- Bad, bad reviews. TRDB.

7) AFTER THE FALL– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Rather than reveal to his family that he’s lost his job, family man Bill Scanlin decides that crime is the best antidote to his financial worries, buoyed by a stranger who inspires him to become a scofflaw.”

12/12/14- Poor reviews. TRDB.

OPENED DEC. 19-

1) WINTER SLEEP– 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Aydin, a former actor, runs a small hotel in central Anatolia with his young wife Nihal with whom he has a stormy relationship and his sister Necla who is suffering from her recent divorce. In winter as the snow begins to fall, the hotel turns into a shelter but also an inescapable place that fuels their animosities.”12/19/14- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. The NY Times did not like it. TRDB.

2) MR. TURNER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This incandescent biographical portrait of famed 19th-century painter J.M.W. Turner spotlights his artistic genius, along with the eccentric and frequently insensitive behavior that he exhibited in his private life.”

12/19/14 Excellent reviews by critics and just OK ones from audiences. TRDB.

3) A SMALL SECTION OF THE WORLD– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a rural coffee-growing region of Costa Rica, a group of female plantation workers successfully pushed for systemic changes — which sent ripples of hope to other oppressed laborers around the world, as chronicled in this inspiring documentary.”

12/19/14-  Just 4 critic reviews- 2 up and 2 down. Audiences have liked it very much. The NY Times called it a distressed company film blown up to feature length. I’ll give it a chance. TRDB.

4) SONG OF THE SEA– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This animated tale follows young Saoirse, the last of a magical race of beings who exist as seals in water but turn into humans on land. After she and her brother are sent to live in the city, they begin an epic quest to return to their seaside home.”

12/19/14- Excellent reviews for this animated feature. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) ANNIE- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapting the blockbuster Broadway musical for the big screen, this heartwarming tale charts the sad childhood of spirited little orphan Annie. But after tycoon Benjamin Stacks rescues her, Annie’s life is transformed in ways she never imagined.”12/19/14- Poor reviews. TRDB.

2) INSIDE THE MIND OF LEONARDO– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Leonardo da Vinci’s achievements in science and art represent the pinnacle of the Renaissance ideal. This fascinating portrait highlights the intellectual triumphs and deep frustrations that defined the life of one of history’s great geniuses.”

12/19/14- Terrible early reviews. TRDB.

3) LIFE OF AN ACTRESS: THE MUSICAL– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “While slinging hash at a New York City diner, a trio of struggling actresses — Hannah, Jen and Sandy — strives to follow their dreams. But when the eatery falls on hard times, they must choose between their ambitions and reality.”12/19/14– Really bad early reviews. TRDB.

4) SAGRADA: THE MYSTERY OF CREATION– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “One of the most iconic structures ever built, Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia is a unique and fascinating architectural project conceived by controversial genius Antoni Gaudi in the late 19th century. ”

12/19/14- Weak reviews from critics as well as audiences. TRDB.

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OPENED DEC. 24-

1) 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.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) HORSES OF GOD (LES CHEVAUX DE DIEU)- 2013. About a group of kids growing up in a shanty town just 5 miles outside of Casablanca.

6/5/13- One reviewer said that this movie was less about terrorism and more about what happens when kids grow up in a toxic atmosphere. I could not agree more. Well done and I liked it. TRDB. At the Arab Film Festival at Jacob Burns Film Center.

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.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW- NONE RECOMMENDED

REPEATS-

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) TOP FIVE– Danbury. 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.

REPEATS-

1) WILD– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “With the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her mother, Cheryl Strayed has lost all hope. After years of reckless, destructive behavior, she makes a rash decision. With absolutely no experience, driven only by sheer determination, Cheryl hikes more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone.”

12/3/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

2) FOXCATCHER– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Preparing for the 1988 Olympics, two sibling wrestlers cross paths with a paranoid schizophrenic millionaire in this drama based on a true story. The competitive Schultz brothers soon learn their new acquaintance is a dangerous distraction.”11/14/14- Very good reviews. TRDB.

12/1/14- I liked this movie very much and highly recommend it. TRDB.

3) BIRDMAN- Saw Mill Hawthorne, 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.

4) THE IMITATION GAME– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Chronicling mathematical wizard Alan Turing’s key role in Britain’s successful effort to crack Germany’s Enigma code during World War II, this historical biopic also recounts how his groundbreaking work helped launch the computer age.”11/29/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

5) THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING–  Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB