The Reel Dr. Bob

MAY 14, 2015

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) SONG ONE– Netflix

2) THE HUMBLING– Netflix Streaming

3) VIVA LA LIBERTA– Netflix Streaming

4) NIGHTCRAWLER– Netflix

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER- NONE

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) SONG ONE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. Fanny, desperate to reach her comatose brother Henry, gives a book of his song lyrics to James Forrester, Henry’s favorite singer, to set to music. As the project unfolds, it changes James’s and Fanny’s lives as neither could have expected.”1/23/15- Weak reviews all around. A few really liked it. TRDB. Netflix.

5/7/15- Panned by most of the critics, this movie starring Anne Hathaway and Mary Steenburgen was a bit weak at times but was blessed with some very good music. It was also refreshing to see an American movie that did not wrap up all of the subplots with the ending. I’ll give it an OK. TRDB. Netflix.

2) THE HUMBLING– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapted from a Philip Roth novel, this steamy drama follows an elderly, fading actor after he retires and moves to a farmhouse, where he develops a strange and intense relationship with a young woman.”

1/23/15- Weak reviews from critics and audiences. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.

5/10/15- I’m not an Al Pacino fan but in this movie he is great playing a washed up actor with all of the fear and desperation that goes along with it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

3) 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.

5/11/15- Weak reviews but I enjoyed the movie. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

4) NIGHTCRAWLER– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Eager for any work that will make ends meet, Lou Bloom joins the flock of camera crews prowling the nighttime streets of Los Angeles in search of scandal and crime. But before long, Lou finds himself caught in the tabloid limelight.”

10/31/14- Very good reviews with some notable exceptions including the NY Times and NY Magazine. TRDB.

5/12/15- I enjoyed this movie very much. Jake Gyllenhaal was great and totally believable as a sociopath and more. TRDB.

5) THE LAST FIVE YEARS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Telling their story through song, novelist Jamie and his actress wife Cathy retrace the blossoming and decay of their five-year romance from opposite ends of the timeline and meeting in the middle — with Jamie’s marriage proposal.”

2/13/15- Fair reviews from critics and audiences but the timelines here sound very interesting. TRDB.

5/14/15- Very creative but I just couldn’t get into this movie and I ultimately turned it off. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, MAY 19-

Recommended-

1) LEVIATHAN– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Living with his family in a village on Russia’s northern fringe, auto-shop owner Kolya finds himself in a jam when the corrupt mayor insists on acquiring his property. Loath to concede defeat, Kolya secures an attorney, and a battle of wills ensues.”12/25/14- Great reviews. TRDB.

2) BEFORE I DISAPPEAR– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “As he’s about to commit suicide, downcast Richie is interrupted by his estranged sister asking him to babysit her daughter. When events force Richie to spend more time with his niece than expected, she prompts him to reassess his dark views of life.”

11/28/14- Weak critical review but audiences have liked it quite a bit. TRDB.

3) THE BLUE ROOM– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the intimate confines of a hotel room, married Julien Gahyde and his paramour, Esther Despierre, meet regularly for erotic encounters — until he’s arrested for an unstipulated crime connected to their intense affair.”

10/3/14- Fairly good reviews although a few were very negative and several brought up the violence. TRDB.

4) GIRLHOOD- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set amid the projects of Paris, this absorbing depiction of a disaffected 16-year-old girl chronicles the transformation of her social identity after she falls in with a gang of female dropouts.”

1/30/15- Very good reviews from critics and fair reviews from audiences. The NY Times liked it. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

1) CAKE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Saddled with chronic pain, Claire Simmons has kept a sense of humor, even if it’s of the acidic, angry variety. Upset but gripped by curiosity when a member of her support group kills herself, Claire decides to excavate the truths behind the suicide.”1/21/15- Awful reviews. TRDB.

2) CYMBELINE– 2015.  Synopsis by Netflix. “Transplanted to small-town America, this modern-day take on William Shakespeare’s intricate play revolves around biker-gang leader Cymbeline and his second wife, who schemes to have her son wed Cymbeline’s daughter to get her out of the picture.”

3/13/15- Very poor reviews by the critics and just OK ones by audiences. TRDB.

3) ALL THE WILDERNESS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Keeping to himself in the wake his father’s death, James Charm finds refuge in solitary walks and creating morbid sketches — until a charismatic new friend and a quirky young woman begin to draw him out of his shell.”

2/20/15- OK critical review but terrible reviews from audiences. The NY Times seems to have liked it. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST WEEK-

1) 5 FLIGHTS UP– 2015.  Synopsis by Netflix. “Married for four decades, New Yorkers Ruth and Alex have had a wonderful life together — most of it spent in their cherished Brooklyn walk-up. But now that it’s time to sell, the universe seems determined to thwart them.”5/5/15- Reviews were more negative than positive but I did read a more extensive review and I will recommend the movie. TRDB.

2) NOBLE- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Having lived through an excruciating childhood in Ireland, Christina Noble finds her life’s true purpose in helping the huge numbers of orphaned children living on the streets of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.”

5/8/15- Very good reviews from professionals and from audiences. TRDB.

3) THE 100 YEAR OLD MAN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Allan Karlsson caps off his long and colorful life by escaping from his nursing home on his 100th birthday. In short order, he comes into a possession of a suitcase stuffed with cash. With his new friend Julius, Allan decides to take it on the lam.”

5/8/15- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

4) 1001 GRAMS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When newly divorced scientist Marie Ernst is tasked with transporting a perfect kilogram weight from Norway to a seminar in France, she soon finds herself being nudged out of her meticulously structured existence.”

5/8/15- Very good professional reviews but just so-so reviews from audiences. TRDB.

5) PIKU– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Family dynamics are on display in all their dysfunctional glory as Piku, a successful architect living in New Delhi, embarks on a road trip to Calcutta with her obstinate, aging father — and a cabdriver who gets caught in the middle.”

5/8/15- Just 2 reviews and both are positive. TRDB.

6) THE SEVEN FIVE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the 1980s and ’90s, cop Michael Dowd terrorized New York City’s drug dealers, shaking them down at gunpoint for cash and cocaine. This riveting documentary looks at his fall from grace and the biggest police corruption scandal in Gotham’s history.”

5/8/15- Good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.

7) FORBIDDEN FILMS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “This unsettling documentary focuses on a host of Nazi propaganda films produced during World War II, whose content underscores the abhorrent philosophy and rabid anti-Semitism fed to the German public under Adolf Hitler’s regime.”

5/13/15- Good early reviews.  TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) BRAVETOWN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After his accidental drug overdose, a court orders New York City DJ and party animal Josh Harvest to live with his estranged father in a tiny North Dakota town — where Josh acquires a new perspective on life.”

5/8/15- Dismal reviews including the NY Times that called the movie excruciating. Audiences have liked it very much. I’ll miss it.  TRDB.

2) THE D TRAIN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Being committee chairman for his high school class’s 20-year reunion provides perpetual loser Dan Landsman with a golden opportunity to prove his coolness. But it all hinges on persuading semifamous ex-classmate Oliver Lawless to attend.”

5/8/15- Weak reviews from critics and audiences although a few gave it fairly good reviews. TRDB.

3) INTREPIDO: A LONELY HERO– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Middle-aged Antonio has lived his life as a jack-of-all-trades, but has nothing to show for it now that his wife has left him to raise their son. His outlook gets an unexpected boost when a younger woman enters his life.”

5/9/15- The NY Times gave this a poor review in todays issue. TRDB.

4) SAINT LAURENT– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Spanning a decade in the life of couture designer Yves Saint Laurent — who left an indelible stamp on high fashion — this sleek biopic delves into a turbulent private life that was beset with drugs, romantic frustration and other personal crises.”

5/8/15- Weak reviews all around. TRDB.

5) TWO SHOTS FIRED– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Sixteen-year-old Mariano comes home after a night of clubbing to find a rusty gun, then impulsively shoots himself in the head and the stomach. He survives, but is blasé about the act and offers no explanation, confounding his family and friends.”

5/13/15- Fair reviews. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW-

1) THE SEVEN FIVE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the 1980s and ’90s, cop Michael Dowd terrorized New York City’s drug dealers, shaking them down at gunpoint for cash and cocaine. This riveting documentary looks at his fall from grace and the biggest police corruption scandal in Gotham’s history.”5/8/15- Good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.

2) 5 FLIGHTS UP– 2015.  Synopsis by Netflix. “Married for four decades, New Yorkers Ruth and Alex have had a wonderful life together — most of it spent in their cherished Brooklyn walk-up. But now that it’s time to sell, the universe seems determined to thwart them.”

5/5/15- Reviews were more negative than positive but I did read a more extensive review and I will recommend the movie. TRDB.

REPEATS-

RIDE

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1) 5 FLIGHTS UP– Bethel. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Married for four decades, New Yorkers Ruth and Alex have had a wonderful life together — most of it spent in their cherished Brooklyn walk-up. But now that it’s time to sell, the universe seems determined to thwart them.”5/5/15- Reviews were more negative than positive but I did read one interesting review and I will recommend the movie. TRDB.

2) THE 100 YEAR OLD MAN– Clearview 100. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Allan Karlsson caps off his long and colorful life by escaping from his nursing home on his 100th birthday. In short order, he comes into a possession of a suitcase stuffed with cash. With his new friend Julius, Allan decides to take it on the lam.”

5/8/15- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD-. Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this period drama based on Thomas Hardy’s classic novel, winsome Bathsheba Everdene wins the hearts of three disparate men: sheep farmer Gabriel Oak, dashing soldier Frank Troy and William Boldwood, a moneyed older man.”5/1/15- Very good reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

2) FELIX & MEIRA– Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After their lives intersect at a Montreal pizzeria, a stifled young Hasidic wife and an atheist grappling with his father’s demise embark on a tentative romance that must bridge their two disparate worlds.”

3) WOMAN IN GOLD- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, 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!! Everyone I know who has seen this has loved it!! TRDB.

4)  EX MACHINA– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After winning a chance to spend a week at his boss’s Alaskan compound, tech whiz Caleb Smith finds he’s been selected to help evaluate a sentient humanoid dubbed Ava — whose feminine wiles prove more formidable than expected.

4/10/15- Good reviews for this strange sounding movie. TRDB.

5/5/15- Surely a clever idea with very good reviews but I thought it was formulaic and somewhat trivial the longer it ran and, by the way, it ran too long. TRDB.

5)  IRIS– Jacob Burns, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “At 93, fashion legend Iris Apfel is clearly still at the top of her game — supervising the dress selections for a tour, advising models and negotiating with buyers — in this affectionate documentary by Albert Maysles, himself an octogenarian.”

4/29/15- Excellent reviews by all critics and by audiences as well. TRDB.

6) WELCOME TO ME– Jacob Burns. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When mentally unstable Alice Klieg hits the lottery, she uses her winnings to produce and star in an off-the-wall talk show. Ignoring her illness and skipping her medication, she uses the spotlight to work through her deep-rooted pain.”

5/1/15- OK reviews from critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

7) THE SALT OF THE EARTH– Jacob Burns. 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.

5/4/15- A wonderful documentary. I felt like I was in a photographic museum with the photographer speaking in the ear phones. TRDB.

BOB’S PICKS IN FLORIDA-

 

For Independent Films in Your Neighborhood go to- www.emergingpictures.com

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB