The Reel Dr. Bob

BOTH RECOMMENDED–

1) THE IMITATION GAME– 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.

12/31/14- This movie was very well done with excellent acting and a basically true story. I enjoyed it very much but why did they need to sprinkle the schmaltz late in the movie- it was doing fine without? TRDB.

2) THE CIRCLE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the turbulent cultural climate of 1950s Zurich, a naïve teacher and a transvestite cabaret artist — both members of a secret gay group — fall in love. But as they grapple with social and legal victimization, their future may prove even darker.”

11/21/14- Excellent professional reviews and audiences have liked it also. TRDB.

COMING TO NETFLIX ON TUESDAY, APRIL 7-

Recommended- ALL

1) VOICES– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Leading a quiet bachelor existence, factory employee Jerry develops a crush on the lovely Fiona from accounting but ends up killing her by accident. Luckily for Jerry, his suddenly verbal cat and dog are there to help him consider his next move.”2/6/15- Good reviews for this ridiculous sounding movie. TRDB.

2) MONK WITH A CAMERA– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This inspiring documentary charts the journey of photographer Nicholas Vreeland, grandson of fashion icon Diana Vreeland, who left behind the jet-set world he was born into and turned toward a spiritual path that led to his becoming a Buddhist monk.”

11/21/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3) A MOST VIOLENT YEAR– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Amid New York City’s crime-filled winter of 1981, immigrant Abel Morales and his wife try to operate a successful business, only to see their efforts threatened by the lawless atmosphere permeating the streets.

12/31/14- Excellent critical review. TRDB.

4) SALVATION ARMY- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Moroccan writer Abdellah Taïa directs this big-screen adaptation of his own largely autobiographical novel, telling the complex, coming-of-age story of a young, gay Arab man’s sexual awakening.”

1/23/15- OK reviews from the critics and weaker ones from audiences. TRDB.

5) HUMAN CAPITAL– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a tragic roadway accident, the fates of two families become intertwined as a result of the relationship between two of their children. Love, ambition and class all play a part in this piercing look at social climbers and the überwealthy.”

1/14/15- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. The NY Times did not like it. TRDB.

6) 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.

7) THE IMMIGRANT – 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “After arriving in New York, Polish immigrant Ewa must provide for her ill sister — and soon falls under the thumb of charming thug Bruno, who forces her into a life of prostitution. But when she falls for a magician, her fortunes may turn.”

5/16/14- Good critical review but audiences were just luke warm on this movie. TRDB.

6/18/14- The movie was OK but it did not move me as I thought it might, perhaps because it was so long and drawn out. The best part was the last 20 or so minutes but this should have come 30 minutes earlier. Also, a bit too Hollywoodish  at times for my taste. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX ON APRIL 14-

Recommended-

1) GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “From legendary auteur Jean-Luc Godard comes this allusive drama that puts an adulterous couple in the midst of a chorus of voices and kaleidoscopic images denouncing the ills of modern society.”

10/29/14- Good professional reviews and average audience ones. TRDB.

2) BESIDE STILL WATERS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Devastated by losing his parents in a car crash, Daniel Thatcher is upset when none of his friends attends the funeral. Looking for closure, he insists that they come to a memorial celebration in the family home, leading to a night of reminiscences.”

11/14/14- Mixed reviews from critics. Audiences have liked it a lot. TRDB.

3) GOD HELP THE GIRL- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This musical by Stuart Murdoch — of the indie band Belle and Sebastian — follows Eve, whose gift for songwriting sees her through a troubled life. Her talent takes her to Glasgow, where she finally meets others who share her passion.”

8/25/14- Good reviews. TRDB.

9/7/14- Reviews are mixed for this movie– from critics and from audiences alike. The NY Times did not care for it. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) MAPS TO THE STARS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Centering on a showbiz family desperate to maintain celebrity status, director David Cronenberg’s biting satire lampoons a host of Tinseltown stereotypes, including fading leading ladies, insufferable child stars and pushy stage mothers.”

2/27/15- Poor reviews and I’d suggest missing this one. TRDB.

2) 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.

3) BIG EYES– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This biopic tells the complex story of Margaret Keane, the American painter who came to prominence in the 1950s and was known for her pop art paintings that often featured children with large doe eyes.”

12/25/14- Good reviews. TRDB.

12/31/14– Lots of good reviews but I thought it was mostly a waste of time, ending in a ridiculous court scene. As predictable as Old Faithful. TRDB.

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OPENED ON FRIDAY, MARCH 27-

Recommended-

1) CUPCAKES– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When six friends gather in a Tel Aviv suburb to watch a televised song competition, little do they know that they’ll soon become celebrities. But that’s exactly what happens when the tune they record to cheer up a chum becomes Israel’s entry.”

3/27/15- Fairly good reviews for this Israeli comedy. TRDB.

2) 52 TUESDAYS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmed over the course of a year — and only on Tuesdays — this bittersweet coming-of-age drama charts a teenager’s struggle toward independence as her mother makes plans to transition from female to male.”

3/27/15– Fairly good reviews including some very good ones as well. TRDB.

3) THE MAN FROM RENO– 2015. Synopsis by IMDB. “A mystery outside of San Francisco brings together small-town sheriff Paul Del Moral, Japanese author Aki Akahori, and a traveler from Reno who soon disappears, leaving behind his suitcase and a trail of questions.”

3/27/15-  Good reviews but reviews in general were hard to find. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.

4) MY ITALIAN SECRET: THE FORGOTTEN HEROES– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Under the shadow of the Nazi crusade to exterminate European Jews, cycling champ Gino Bartali and an army of his compatriots went to perilous lengths to save thousands of Italian Jews from capture and death, as recounted in this moving documentary.”

3/27/15- I’ve seen just 2 reviews– one up and one down. Sounds interesting. TRDB.

5) WHITE GOD– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a cruel father dumps his daughter’s beloved dog, Hagen, out on the highway to fend for himself, Hagen not only survives the horrors of abandonment, dog fights and starvation, but rouses an angry army of mongrels out to exact vengeance.”

3/27/15- Very good reviews. The NY Times said it was liked nothing you have seen on screen before. TRDB.

6) WHILE WE’RE YOUNG– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Documentary filmmaker Josh Srebnick is up against a creative wall when he meets an attractive and quirky young couple, Jamie and Darby, who bring new vigor and energy to the lives of Josh and his wife — until a professional conflict arises.”

3/27/15– Mostly good professional reviews– the NY Times gave it a good review with some qualifications. Audiences have been luke warm to the film. TRDB.

7) A WOLF AT THE DOOR– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After 6-year-old Clarinha is kidnapped from school, parents Sylvia and Bernardo frantically look to the police for help rescuing their daughter. Reluctantly, Bernardo reveals to a detective that his mistress, Rosa, may have been the abductor.”

3/27/15- Very good reviews by both critics and audiences. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) THE BARBER– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Decades after his detective father committed suicide for failing to put serial killer Eugene Van Wingerdt behind bars, the lawman’s son resolves to bring him to justice — by posing as an aspiring murderer looking to become Eugene’s protégé.”

3/27/15- Awful reviews!! TRDB.

2) MARFA GIRL– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this sexually charged coming-of-age drama, growing up proves a complex job for Adam, who’s about to turn 16 in the border town of Marfa, Texas, when he meets a visiting artist with a lust for life — and for him.”

3/27/15- Poor reviews. TRDB.

3) THE RIOT CLUB– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Miles Richards and Alistair Ryle begin their studies at Oxford University, the notorious Riot Club wastes no time in recruiting them. But the night the pair attends the secret society’s annual dinner, the group’s rowdy antics take a vile turn.”

3/27/15- OK reviews for this stupid sounding movie. TRDB.

4) SERENA- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “As most of America is mired in the Depression, George Pemberton and his wife, Serena, build a booming timber business together. But the family legacy becomes a knotty issue after Serena learns that she’s barren — and George has an illegitimate son.”

3/27/15- Poor reviews all around. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) SHE’S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE’S ANGRY– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Taking middle-class U.S. culture by surprise, the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s was spearheaded in the media by a diverse collection of women. Their collaborative and individual struggles are chronicled in this illuminating documentary.”

12/5/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) A MOST VIOLENT YEAR–  2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Amid New York City’s crime-filled winter of 1981, immigrant Abel Morales and his wife try to operate a successful business, only to see their efforts threatened by the lawless atmosphere permeating the streets.

12/31/14- Excellent critical review. TRDB.

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HOTWIRE ON-DEMAND-

NEW-

1) THE HUMBLING– Fair reviews

REPEATS-

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) EFFIE GRAY Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Dakota Fanning stars as Euphemia Gray, whose unfulfilled (and unconsummated) marriage leads to her affair with a young painter. The love triangle intensifies when Gray requests a then-unheard-of annulment.”

4/1/15- Poor reviews!! TRDB.

2) WOMAN IN GOLD– Clearview 100, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk.  2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Six decades after World War II, Jewish octogenarian Maria Altmann begins a quest to reclaim the artwork confiscated from her family by the Nazis — including a famed Gustav Klimt masterpiece.”

4/1/15- Poor reviews!! TRDB.

REPEATS-

1)  THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL– Bethel, Clearview 100, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk.  2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a sequel to the Golden Globe-nominated film, hotel owner Sonny is overwhelmed with the task of finding a second property to accommodate the influx of new residents, while his upcoming wedding plans may be too much for the hotel’s staff to handle.”

3/3/15- Good reviews from critics and audiences but most of my friends called it “fluff.” TRDB.

2)  TIMBUKTU–  Bethel. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this piercing tale of oppression set in 2012 A, fear grips Timbuktu after the Malian city is seized by Islamic rebels determined to impose their extreme beliefs on the moderate Muslim populace.”

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB