FILM REVIEWS #572
December 10th, 2015
6/26/15- Weak reviews from critics and OK ones from audiences. TRDB.
12/3/15- I found it interesting and very different. Worth seeing. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
2) A BALLERINA’S TALE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Chronicling prima ballerina Misty Copeland’s long and dramatic ascent to stardom, this intimate documentary examines the African-American dancer’s unique impact on the rarified world of classical ballet.”
10/28/15- Mixed reviews– more positive than negative. TRDB.
12/7/15- Enjoyable, especially the dancing. Also done well was the description of her emotions as she wrestled with the idea of being different than her peers and predecessors. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
3) THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When one of Nira’s kindergarten students reveals himself to be a gifted poet, she urges the 5-year-old to develop his talent. But as the young bard produces ever-more sublime verse, Nira’s relationship with him grows increasingly obsessive.”
7/29/15- Fairly good reviews from critics and audiences alike for this Israeli drama. TRDB.
12/9/15- A bit weird but an engaging movie and I liked it. TRDB. Netflix.
4) XENIA– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When gay teen Danny loses his mother, he travels from his home in Crete to Athens to meet up with his older brother. Together, they set out on a surreal journey to find the Greek father they’ve never met — stopping for a talent show along the way.”
10/8/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
12/10/15- This movie is the Greek entry for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The movie was very different but very interesting and well done. I liked it very much. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
9/9/15- Fairly good professional reviews for this drama starring Richard Gere. Weak reviews from audiences so far. TRDB.
9/18/15- A very good portrait of what it’s like to be homeless and desperate. The movie grew on me after an initial period where I had trouble understanding the mumbled dialogue. TRDB.
2) FINDERS KEEPERS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In an episode amplified and enabled by the media, Shannon Whisnant finds an amputated leg in the grill he purchased at auction. Sucked into a mass-media whirlpool, Whisnant decides to make the most of his moment — but then the limb’s owner shows up.”
9/19/15- Generally positive reviews with a few critics calling this the funniest documentary ever. TRDB.
3) WOLF TOTEM– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Sent from Beijing to the wilds of Inner Mongolia to educate the children of nomadic shepherds, young Chen Zhen instead learns about the bond between the herders and the region’s wolves — a relationship being endangered by a government official.”
11/29/15- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.
4) XENIA– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When gay teen Danny loses his mother, he travels from his home in Crete to Athens to meet up with his older brother. Together, they set out on a surreal journey to find the Greek father they’ve never met — stopping for a talent show along the way.”
10/8/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
8/24/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
8/31/15- Great acting. You feel that you are in the head of Catherine and it does not feel good. I can’t say that the movie was terrific but I did enjoy it. TRDB.
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.
Not Recommended-
1) WAR ROOM– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “From the outside, the lives of Tony and Elizabeth Jordan appear perfect, but their marriage is in shambles. After seeking counsel from a wise older woman, Elizabeth realizes it will take a deep commitment to prayer to keep her world from crumbling.”
12/3/15- Poor reviews from critics but audiences have liked this movie. TRDB.
12/3/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
2) ALMOST THERE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Dan Rybicky and Aaron Wickenden met Peter Anton, they were more taken with the man than his art. But a visit to his home revealed a trove of collage diaries that left them awestruck. This film reveals their efforts to get the work seen.”
12/4/15- Excellent reviews from audiences and I’ve seen just 4 professional reviews and they are all very good. TRDB.
3) ARABIAN NIGHTS, THE RESTLESS ONE VOLUME 1- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Applying the episodic motif of Scheherazade and the Arabian Nights to Portugal’s modern history, director Miguel Gomes uses a sequence of satirical stories to portray the nation’s ongoing economic crisis and its roots.”
12/4/15- I’ve seen 4 professional reviews and 3 were positive– the outlier was the NY Times. TRDB.
4) BIKES VS. CARS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Gas-powered transportation has long dominated the landscapes of most major American cities, creating air pollution and chronic traffic congestion. This compelling documentary argues that the broader use of bicycles could be part of the solution.
12/4/15- Mixed professional reviews but audiences have liked it. TRDB.
5) CHI-RAQ– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on the classical Greek play “Lysistrata,” this biting satire follows a group of fed-up women who organize a crusade against the daily violence that surrounds them in the gang-ridden South Side of Chicago.
12/4/15- Good reviews from critics and just fair ones from audiences. TRDB.
6) DREAM/KILLER– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his 19-year-old son, Ryan, is wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to 40 years, Bill Ferguson begins a 10-year crusade to prove Ryan’s innocence. This gripping crime documentary traces Ferguson’s tireless battle with the judicial system.”
12/4/15- Just 1 professional review and it’s positive. Sounds interesting. TRDB.
7) THE LADY IN THE VAN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this touching human drama adapted from writer Alan Bennett’s bestselling memoir, he befriends the elderly Miss Shepherd, who’s living in a van that’s been parked in his driveway for 15 years.”:
12/3/15- Very good reviews from audiences and critics. TRDB.
8) LIFE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After “Life” magazine hires him to shoot pictures of a not-yet-famous James Dean, freelance photographer Dennis Stock takes a train trip with the enigmatic actor before capturing what would become an iconic image of Dean in Times Square.
12/4/15– Just OK reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.
9) MACBETH- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director Justin Kurzel gives a full-bodied treatment to this inspired retelling of William Shakespeare’s classic tale about an ambitious Scottish nobleman thirsting for power, who’s egged on by his conniving wife.
12/4/15- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.
10) THE MESSENGER– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Since ancient times, the sounds of songbirds have fascinated humans. But as this eye-opening documentary reveals, environmental changes — including the effects of pesticides — may spell extinction for hundreds of songbird species around the world.”
12/4/15- I saw just 4 reviews but they were all very good. TRDB.
11) MY FRIEND VICTORIA- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Years after spending a night at the sumptuous home of a wealthy Parisian family, a young woman, now fully grown, meets one of the family’s sons. Soon, the two begin a relationship — and end it … but not before she becomes pregnant.”
12/4/15- Mixed reviews but I’ll try to see this one. TRDB.
12) NIGHT OWLS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “A seemingly casual hookup with the ravishing Madeline turns into a much more complex and awkward situation for naïve nice guy Kevin when he learns that she’s his boss’s jilted — and suicidal — former mistress.
12/4/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.
13) A ROYAL NIGHT OUT– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “While the life of a princess may sound exciting, it’s often anything but, so it’s with great excitement that young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret join the partying crowds on V.E. Day 1945 for a night neither will ever forget.
12/4/15- OK reviews by critics and less so by audiences. TRDB.
14) YOUTH– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “On vacation in the Alps, two friends on the verge of turning 80 look to each other for support as both rush to face potentially momentous career landmarks, realizing that time is no longer on their side.
12/4/15- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.
15) THE WORLD OF KANAKA– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Alcoholic and emotionally unstable, ex-cop Akikazu Fujishima is estranged from his family and working security when his daughter vanishes. Seeing a chance for redemption, he begins a search — and uncovers the shocking truth about his offspring.
12/4/15- Fairly good reviews by the critics. TRDB.
16) ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adding another chapter to the late Elvis Presley’s legacy, this engrossing documentary recounts the life of Jimmy Ellis, whose Elvis-like voice enabled him masquerade as the King after his demise, spawning the enduring folk legend that he never died.”
12/4/15- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
1) DEMENTIA– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When aging World War II vet George Lockhart begins suffering from dementia, he bends to family pressure to hire a live-in nurse. Before long, however, George begins to realize there’s something ominous about his new caregiver.”
12/4/15- This movie actually got a 100% rating from critics and a 0% rating from audiences. I don’t think I’ve seen that before. It sounds like a horror movie and I’ll pass on it. TRDB.
2) EVERY THING WILL BE FINE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “While driving in a snowstorm, struggling novelist Tomas Eldan accidentally hits and kills a child. His guilt about the tragic incident lingers for years, sending him into an emotional tailspin and prompting an agonizing reassessment of his life.
12/4/15- Uniformly terrible reviews. TRDB.
3) RIVER OF FUNDAMENT– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Loosely based on Norman Mailer’s “Ancient Evenings,” the author’s sprawling opus set in the age of Egyptian pharaohs, this surreal drama transforms a modern-day wake into a trip down a river of excrement, taking Mailer through two rebirths.
12/4/15- I’ve seen just 2 reviews and they are negative. TRDB.
4) THE WANNABE– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hell-bent on becoming a big-shot gangster, Thomas will do anything to get in good with the Mafia. But when his inept efforts fall flat, he and his wife set out to rip off the mobsters Thomas was hoping to impress.
12/4/15- Weak reviews. TRDB.
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12/6/15- Excellent reviews for this drama that sounds more like a documentary. TRDB.
2) BLEEDING HEART– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “May’s peaceful life is turned upside-down when her long-lost sister, Shiva, shows up at her door. Appalled by the abusive treatment Shiva is enduring from her boyfriend, May decides to step into Shiva’s world to rescue her.”
12/6/15- Mixed early reviews but enough good to recommend it. One critic said “good movie, bad title.” TRDB.
12/4/15– Just OK reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.
12/4/15- Fairly good reviews. TRDB
2) CAROL-Jacob Burns. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Living in a 1950s society that considers lesbian romance taboo, two women from disparate backgrounds — young store clerk Therese Belivet and wealthy socialite Carol Aird — develop an attachment to each other that ultimately turns passionate.”
10/18/15- Excellent reviews for this drama starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. TRDB.
3) CHI-RAQ– Jacob Burns. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on the classical Greek play “Lysistrata,” this biting satire follows a group of fed-up women who organize a crusade against the daily violence that surrounds them in the gang-ridden South Side of Chicago.
12/4/15- Good reviews from critics and just fair ones from audiences. TRDB.
4) IN THE HEART OF THE SEA– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. Synopsis by Netflix. “Revisiting the incredible true tale of the whaling ship Essex, which was rammed and sunk by a sperm whale in 1820, this historical drama chronicles the crew’s horrific 90-day struggle to survive amid storms, hunger and despair.”
12/9/15- Fair reviews so far. TRDB.
10/28/15- Great reviews for this drama. TRDB.
11/13/15- The great reviews were well deserved. A very good drama and very realistic as well. TRDB.
2) TRUMBO– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Bryan Cranston stars as famed 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, whose refusal to testify before the congressional House Un-American Activities Committee resulted in a prison sentence and being blacklisted as a communist.”
11/6/15- Not to be confused by the movie from 2007 with the same name, this drama got fair to good reviews. TRDB.
11/28/15– I enjoyed this movie very much and would not be surprised at a nomination for best actor for Bryan Cranston. TRDB.
3) BROOKLYN- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After emigrating from Ireland, Eilis Lacey readily adapts to the vastly different New York City, where she falls for a young Italian. But when tragedy pulls her back to her hometown, she finds her loyalties divided between two nations — and two men.”
10/28/15- Great reviews. TRDB.
11/14/15- I really liked this movie very much. Great acting and a very interesting story with some humor thrown in as well. TRDB.
4) ROOM– Bethel, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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. TRDB.
5) BRIDGE OF SPIES– Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “At the height of the Cold War in 1960, the downing of an American spy plane and the pilot’s subsequent capture by the Soviets draws Brooklyn attorney James Donovan Tom Hanks) into the middle of an intense effort to secure the aviator’s release.”
10/11/15- Excellent reviews for this drama/mystery. 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.
6) THE MARTIAN– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Abandoned on the surface of Mars after his crew concludes that he perished in a dust storm, astronaut Mark Watney must find a way to survive the planet’s harsh environment — despite having only 28 days of supplies left.”
10/2/15- Very good reviews but it sounds like a crowd pleaser to me. I’ll probably give it a chance, however since most of my friends have liked it very much. TRDB.
12/1/15- I’ve seen a single review and it was OK. TRDB.
12/1/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
Showing from Dec. 18–Dec. 24
1) ROOM- 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. TRDB.
2) 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.
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