FILM REVIEWS #567
October 29th, 2015
10/26/15- A splendid movie with wonderful acting and a great screenplay. The movie is fiction but there is ample precedent for this scenario. BE FOREWARNED THAT THIS MOVIE IS NOT EASY TO WATCH. TRDB.
10/28/15- Put me in the positive column– I liked it. TRDB. Netflix.
2) FIVE STAR– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Putting gang culture under the microscope, this potent drama follows John, a teen tempted by thug life, and Primo, an ex-con trying to escape it. With his father dead from a gunshot, John looks to street veteran Primo for life lessons.”
8/7/15- Good reviews from critics and audiences as well. TRDB.
10/28/15- I liked this movie very much. I feel that it portrayed the characters very realistically and I think that I understood the push and pull of the streets in a way that I never have before. My friend Norm’s son Daryl produced this movie and deserves credit for a very good one. TRDB. Netflix.
3) A BORROWED IDENTITY– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Brought up in Israel, a bright young Arab admitted to a top-tier boarding school in Jerusalem struggles to blend in with his Jewish classmates. Finding himself pulled in two directions, he faces a life-altering choice regarding his identity.”
6/29/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
10/29/15- I liked this movie very much. In a way it is a coming of age story with some twists related to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Well acted and a great screenplay. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
8/26/15- All of the excellent reviews were, as far as I’m concerned, well deserved. Great screenplay and great acting. TRDB.
2) ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Cruising through his senior year, high schooler Greg Gaines spends his free time making parody versions of famous films with his pal Earl. But when Greg’s mother asks him to befriend Rachel, a leukemia patient, his blithe outlook begins to change.”
6/11/15- Very good reviews for this drama. TRDB.
7/1/15- Very well done and even funny at times, the movie handles a complex situation with finesse. TRDB.
3) THE GIFT- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “As Simon and his wife, Robyn, are trying to revitalize their relationship, a string of encounters with someone from Simon’s high school days and a shocking 20-year-old secret threaten to unravel the couple’s lives.”
8/7/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
4) MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Bringing the modern legacy of hostility toward gays into sharp and searing focus, the uniquely cruel murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998 had a stunning effect on the American public. This poignant documentary recounts his brief life and grisly death.”
2/6/15- Great reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.
5) SEYMOUR: AN INTRODUCTION– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Tracing the artistic path of a singular man, this affectionate documentary examines the life and times of revered piano teacher Seymour Bernstein, who chose teaching and composition over the chance to pursue a career as a concert pianist.”
3/13/15- Excellent reviews from critics but only fair ones from audiences. TRDB.
6) DO I SOUND GAY– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Seeking to explore his self-doubt and curious about other men’s discomfort with “sounding gay,” journalist David Thorpe helms this candid documentary about his research into the matter, which includes interviews with a host of gay celebrities.”
7/10/15- Good reviews by the critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB.
7) BATKID BEGINS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “On November 15, 2013, young leukemia patient Miles Scott got his wish to become Batman when San Francisco transformed itself into Gotham City to become Miles’s playground — a singular act of charity that became an Internet sensation.”
6/26/15- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
2) SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “New York City is the backdrop for this farcical romp that centers on a randy theater director who offers a call girl a tidy sum to quit the profession — and soon finds her auditioning for his latest production … starring his wife.”
8/18/15- Weak reviews and I think I’ll skip this one. TRDB.
2) CRUMBS- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Eking out a living in a poverty-stricken region of Ethiopia, Candy obsessively contemplates the huge mystery vessel that has been hovering in the sky overhead for months. In time he becomes certain that the object holds the key to his fate.”
10/23/15- This sounds weird but it has received some very good reviews and until further notice I’d give it a try. TRDB.
3) INDIA’S DAUGHTER– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Shining a light on the sexist attitudes that persist in modern Indian culture, this disturbing documentary recounts the savage gang rape and murder of medical student Jyoti Singh in 2012, and the wave of public outrage that followed”
10/23/15- Four reviews and they are all very good. TRDB.
4) THE LOOKING GLASS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After her mom’s death, 13-year-old Julie is sent to Indiana to live with her Grandmother Karen, who’s in the first stages of Alzheimer’s. Stuck in an unfamiliar environment, Julie repeatedly clashes with Karen — until they discover a mutual talent.”
10/23/15- I’ve seen 4 reviews– 2 very good and 2 very bad. For now, I’d recommend it. TRDB.
5) NASTY BABY– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Fixated on having a baby, bohemian artist Freddy enlists his best friend, Polly, to bear a child for him and his boyfriend. But the trio’s happy lives are disrupted when a deranged neighbor begins to torment them.”
10/23/15- Most critics gave this movie positive reviews but along with the good comments came a whole lot of negative comments. Still, worth a try. TRDB.
6) HEART OF A DOG- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “While her rat terrier Lolabelle provides the focus for Laurie Anderson’s meditation on love and remembrance, her lyrical essay also touches on topics as far-ranging as Buddhism’s concept of the hereafter and surveillance in the wake of Sept. 11.”
10/28/15- Great reviews by critics and OK ones by audiences. TRDB.
Not Recommended-
1) I SMILE BACK– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “On the surface, Laney Brooks has the life that many covet: two adorable kids, a beautiful home and a successful husband. But behind the façade, she’s headed for crisis, tortured by self-doubt and medicating herself heavily with drugs and alcohol.”
10/23/15- Generally poor reviews, one critic saying that the movie was just one more about suburban ennui. TRDB.
2) THE WONDERS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “At age 12, Gelsomina is being groomed to inherit a beekeeping kingdom in rural Italy. But despite her family’s efforts to preserve their pastoral existence, modern life intervenes by way of a TV contest and the arrival of a juvenile delinquent.”
10/23/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
3) HENERAL LUNA– 2015. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Set during the Philippine-American war, Heneral Luna follows the life of one of Philippine history’s most brilliant military men, General Antonio Luna, as he tries to lead his countrymen against colonial masters new and old, and to rise above their own raging disputes to fulfill the promise of the Philippine Revolution.”
10/23/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
4) THE ARMOR OF LIGHT- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Taking a hard look at the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in America, this thoughtful documentary follows Rev. Rob Schenck, a conservative activist crusading to end the damage inflicted by his countrymen’s long love affair with firearms.”
10/23/15– I’ve read 5 reviews- 4 good and 1 not-so good . TRDB.
2) DANCIN’ IT’S ON– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Jennifer and Ken may come from different worlds, but when it comes to dance they’re always on the same beat in this musical that finds the posh beauty and the dishwasher falling in love as they prepare for a dance contest.”
10/23/15- No reviews as yet. TRDB.
2) BONE TOMAHAWK– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a band of cave-dwelling, cannibalistic savages abducts several settlers from the Old West town of Bright Hope, Sheriff Franklin Hunt forms a small posse to mount a rescue. But they’re up against an enemy whose barbarity is limitless.”
1023/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
3) MEADOWLAND– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Anguished by their son’s disappearance, Sarah and Phil struggle to keep their bearings. But as months pass without word of their child, Sarah’s desperate search for answers drives her to take increasingly greater risks.”
10/16/15- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.
DirecTV- www.directv.com/DTVAPP/listing/ppvMovies.jsp
Time Warner Link- www.twondemand.com
3) NASTY BABY– Jacob Burns. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Fixated on having a baby, bohemian artist Freddy enlists his best friend, Polly, to bear a child for him and his boyfriend. But the trio’s happy lives are disrupted when a deranged neighbor begins to torment them.”
10/23/15- Most critics gave this movie positive reviews but along with the good comments came a whole lot of negative comments. Still, worth a try. TRDB.
4) GOODNIGHT MOMMY– Jacob Burns. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After plastic surgery, a mother returns home to her 10-year-old identical twin sons with her face swathed in bandages. But as she recovers, her increasingly odd behavior fuels the boys’ fears about the identity of the woman behind the gauze.”
9/11/15- Fairly good reviews from audiences and critics. TRDB.
5) OUR BRAND IS CRISIS– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After leaving the bruising world of Washington, D.C., politics, expert campaign consultant Jane Bodine finds herself lured back into the fray when she agrees to help a reviled Bolivian president hang on to his job in the next election.”
10/23/15- Generally poor reviews for this drama with Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton. TRDB.
10/17/15- I enjoyed this cold war spy thriller, even with the few touches of Hollywood thrown in by Steven Spielberg. Also, I read that the Tom Hanks character, portrayed as a novice, actually had been involved in the Nuremberg trials. TRDB.
10/21/15- I enjoyed this movie very much and I think I got a good picture of the creative genius of this man who to many was a real son-of-a-bitch. TRDB.
3) LABYRINTH OF LIES– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1958, prosecutor Johann Radmann follows up on a reporter’s tip and uncovers a trail of evidence connecting a host of public-sector employees to atrocities perpetrated at the Auschwitz concentration camp during Germany’s murderous Nazi regime.”
10/13/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
4) EXPERIMENTER– Clearview 100. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on true events, Yale researcher Stanley Milgram’s psychological experiments reveal troubling findings on test subjects’ conscience and ethics when lab “technicians” request they deliver theoretically deadly electric “shocks” to total strangers.”
10/16/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
5) SICARIO– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Recruited to assist in an undercover operation targeting a Mexican drug lord, federal agent Kate Macy finds her moral standards put to the test when she’s plunged into the middle of a plan that goes beyond the boundaries of the law.”
9/15/15- Great reviews. TRDB.
6) THE INTERN– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Agreeing to participate in a community outreach program, e-commerce entrepreneur Jules Ostin hires a 70-year-old intern — who ends up bringing his special brand of business savvy to her fashion enterprise.”
10/6/15- Just barely more positives from critics than negatives but audiences, including many of my friends, really liked this movie. TRDB.
7) ROOM– Jacob Burns. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After being abducted, raped and imprisoned in a small windowless room, a young woman gives birth and is forced to raise her son, Jack, in the same improvised space. But after five years, Jack’s mother begins planning their escape.”
10/11/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
10/26/15- A splendid movie with wonderful acting and a great screenplay. The movie is fiction but there is ample precedent for this scenario. BE FOREWARNED THAT THIS MOVIE IS NOT EASY TO WATCH. TRDB.
8) TAXI (JAFAR PANAHI’S TAXI)– Jacob Burns. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Donning a disguise, director Jafar Panahi goes in front of the lens, masquerading as a Tehran taxi driver. As he shuttles a procession of idiosyncratic fares across the bustling city, a dashboard camera captures their candid conversations.”
9/19/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
9) ALL THINGS MUST PASS: THE RISE AND FALL OF TOWER RECORDS– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After dominating the retail music market for decades, Tower Records ultimately fell victim to the Internet and free streaming sites, providing an object lesson for businesses that fail to evolve in the face of changing marketplace realities.”
10/28/15- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
10) PAWN SACRIFICE– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set during the height of the Cold War, this compelling biopic charts the tumultuous life of chess wunderkind Bobby Fischer, from his formative years to his epic world championship match against Soviet archrival Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland.”
9/15/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
9/15- Overall OK but a trivial screenplay. I’ve always been fascinated with this event and the movie left me somewhat cold. TRDB.
11) GRANDMA– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Urgently in need of $600 to pay for an abortion, 18-year-old Sage seeks help from her acerbic grandmother, Elle Reid — who has no extra money. Setting off to raise the cash from Elle’s erstwhile friends and exes, the two instead dredge up the past.”
8/18/15– Excellent reviews for this comedy. TRDB.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
FLORIDA– BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-
A) MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH AND DERAY-
1) BURNT– Mixed reviews- more negative than positive
2) BRIDGE OF SPIES– I saw this one and enjoyed it
3) TRUTH– Fairly good early reviews
4) STEVE JOBS– I saw it and liked it (more than the critics)
5) LABYRINTH OF LIES– Very good reviews
6) THE MARTIAN-Good reviews
B) STONZEK THEATER AT LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-
1) MISSISSIPPI GRIND– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Deeply in debt because of his compulsive gambling, 44-year-old Gerry hopes to change his luck by teaming with a slick young poker ace and heading to New Orleans to buy into a renowned high-stakes poker game.”
9/22/15- Very good reviews by critics and ok reviews by audiences. TRDB.
10/16/17– I found the movie generally interesting, particularly the relationship between the two guys. I had some trouble understanding their speech, especially at the beginning of the movie. It’s worth seeing. TRDB.
2) THE ASSASSIN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this action epic set in 9th-century China, Nie Yinniang is abducted at age 10 and trained to become an assassin who uses her skills to get rid of corrupt public officials — until she’s ordered to kill her beloved cousin.”
10/16/15- Generally good reviews but the reviewers stressed the beauty of the film rather than the plot. We’ll see what that means. TRDB.
C) LIVING ROOM THEATER AT FAU IN BOCA-
1) LABYRINTH OF LIES– Very good reviews and I expect to see it
2) RUN BOY RUN– No reviews in English but friends have told me that this movie is great
3) TRUTH– Fairly good early reviews
For Independent Films in Your Neighborhood go to- www.emergingpictures.com
For Independent Films in Palm Beach County go to www.lakeworthplayhouse.org
For Films everywhere go to- www.fandango.com
Entry Filed under: Old Newsletters
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