The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #582

February 25th, 2016

FEBRUARY 25, 2016

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

YOU CAN ACCESS THIS NEWSLETTER AND PAST REVIEWS AT MY WEBSITE- www.thereeldrbob.com

 

SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED SOME OF MY OLD SAVED EMAILS DUE TO A COMPUTER GLITCH (ME). SORRY FOR THAT!!

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) WELCOME TO LEITH– Netflix.

 

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

I HAVE SEEN MOST OF WHAT’S OUT THERE SO NO NEW ONES FOR ME!!

 

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) 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.

2/21/16- I’m with the audiences on this one– did not like it at all and turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.

2) WELCOME TO LEITH– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Planning to take over the city government, white supremacist Craig Cobb moved to tiny Leith, N.D., and began terrifying residents with armed patrols and a neo-Nazi rally. This unsettling documentary charts the community’s fight to reclaim the town.”

9/8/15- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

2/23/16- Truly an excellent documentary that should be required viewing. Very scary. TRDB. Netflix.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, MARCH 1-

 

Recommended-

 

1) SUNSHINE SUPERMAN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Obsessed with skydiving since childhood, Carl Boenish pioneered foot-launched human flight — aka BASE jumping — as chronicled in this fascinating documentary. Footage of Boenish’s earliest feats includes his famed leap from Yosemite’s El Capitan.”

5/22/15- Generally good reviews with a few noted exceptions. TRDB.

2) 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.

3) BRIDGE OF SPIES– 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. 

4) SUFFRAGETTE- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Dreaming of the right to vote, working-class Maud eagerly joins the early feminist movement. But when the peaceful protests of the suffragettes accomplish nothing, they’re driven to more radical methods of effecting change.”

10/20/15- Fairly good reviews from most critics. TRDB.

5) MISS YOU ALREADY– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Best friends forever, Milly and Jess are confident they’ll weather all of life’s struggles together, no matter how different their worlds become. But their relationship is tested when Milly is diagnosed with cancer just as Jess finally gets pregnant.”

11/6/15- OK reviews from critics and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) BIG STONE GAP– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “While living an uneventful existence with her mother in a Virginia coal-mining community, pharmacist Ave Maria Mulligan comes upon information that eventually transforms not only her life but the life of the town.”

10/8/15- Just a few reviews but they are generally negative and call the movie a corny rural romance. TRDB.

2) 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.

3) DON VERDEAN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Offered a golden opportunity, biblical archaeologist Don Verdean travels to the Holy Land in search of religious relics on a trip financed by an evangelist. When the expedition fails to turn up artifacts, Don decides to manufacture some of his own.”

12/11/15- Poor reviews by most critics and audiences as well. TRDB.

 

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OPENED LAST FRIDAY, FEB. 19-

 

Recommended-

 

 

1) DIAMOND TONGUES– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “For aspiring actress Edith Welland, the path to stardom proves steep and rocky — especially when her ex-boyfriend, who is a complete amateur, stumbles into acting and threatens to pass her by on the road to success.”

2/19/16- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) RACE- 2016.  Synopsis by Netflix. “While Hitler saw the 1936 Berlin Olympics as an opportunity to demonstrate Aryan supremacy, one African-American man — Jess Owens — shattered that dream with a display of athleticism that resulted in four gold medals. This film tells his story.”

2/19/16- Fair reviews from critics and OK reviews from audiences. TRDB.

3) RISEN- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this biblical drama, Roman tribune Clavius is ordered to find the missing body of Jesus in the weeks after the Nazarene’s crucifixion in order to refute rumors of his Resurrection and prevent unrest in Jerusalem.”

2/19/16- Fair reviews from critics and much better ones from audiences. TRDB.

4) ROLLING PAPERS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Responding to Colorado’s 2014 legalization of cannabis, The Denver Post hired its own columnist on the topic, Ricardo Baca. This pot-friendly documentary follows Baca as he pioneers the dawn of modern marijuana journalism.”

2/19/16- Fair reviews from both critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

1) FORSAKEN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Civil War veteran John Henry Clayton tires of the life he’s made for himself as a renowned quick-draw gunfighter, he returns to his hometown hoping to mend fences with his estranged father. But a gang of baddies soon tests John Henry’s patience.”

2/19/16- Really poor professional reviews but audiences have liked it. Starring both Keith and Donald Sutherland. TRDB.

2) WE ARE TWISTED F***ING SISTER– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Glam-rock legends Twisted Sister labored for a decade in the suburban clubs surrounding New York City before achieving national fame. This engaging documentary fondly recalls the band’s long and colorful history.”

2/19/16- Good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

3) THE WITCH– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this unsettling tale of horror set in the 17th century, a family of devout Christian homesteaders on the edge of the New England wilderness faces hardships so extreme that they begin to fear the devil is lurking among them.”

2/19/16- Good reviews but not my kind of movie. TRDB.

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HOTWIRE ON-DEMAND-

 

1) 4^th. MAN OUT- Good reviews

2) 99 HOMES- I liked it

3) ALL MISTAKES BURIED- Mixed reviews

4) AMY- I liked this documentary about Amy Winehouse

5) BRIDGE OF SPIES- I liked this movie very much (new last week)

6) DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL- Very good reviews and I liked it a lot

7) THE END OF THE TOUR- Great movie!!

8)INFINITELY POLAR BEAR- I enjoyed this movie

9) LABYRINTH OF LIES- A very good movie

10) LAMB- Good reviews and I plan on seeing it

11) MAN-UP- Good reviews and I enjoyed it as well

12) THE MARTIAN- Excellent reviews and many awards- I didn’t care for it

13) MISSISSIPPI GRIND- I liked this movie

14) MISTRESS AMERICA- I enjoyed this movie

15) MR. HOLMES- I enjoyed it but was a bit disappointed

16) PAWN SACRIFICE- Just a so-so movie about the chess player Bobby Fisher

17) ROOM- An excellent movie

18)RUN BOY RUN- I enjoyed this very much

19) SAMBA- I enjoyed it

20) SOUTHPAW- I enjoyed this movie despite its predictable plot

21) SPOTLIGHT- An excellent movie

22) THEEB- Excellent reviews and I hope to see this one soon

23) TRAINWRECK- I liked the movie

24) TRUMBO- Excellent movie- don’t miss it

 

Cablevision Link– http://www.optimum.net/VOD/movies?cat=Movies+On+Demand%2FIndependent+Films%2FIFC+In+Theaters

DirecTV- www.directv.com/DTVAPP/listing/ppvMovies.jsp

Time Warner Link- www.twondemand.com

 

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

 

NEW IN THE BURBS-

 

1) EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Through parallel story threads set 40 years apart, this absorbing odyssey follows two Western scientists who travel deep into the Amazon jungle looking for a rare plant that possesses healing powers, with enigmatic shaman Karamakate as their guide.”

2/23/16- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) A WAR– Jacob Burns. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “With his family back at home in Denmark, Claus Pedersen has another family to look after: the soldiers under his command in the Afghan province of Helmand. When his troops get caught in crossfire, he makes a decision with far-reaching consequences.”

2/13/16- Very good reviews. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

1) BROOKLYN- Bethel, Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. I enjoyed this a lot.

 

2) HAIL CAESAR– Bethel. I doubt if I’ll see this one.

 

3) THE LADY IN THE VAN– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. A waste of time as far as I’m concerned.

 

4) SON OF SAUL– Jacob Burns, Bethel. Very difficult to sit through– a fair movie in general.

 

5) THE BIG SHORT– Bethel, Danbury. I liked it very much.

 

6) WHERE TO INVADE NEXT?- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100. Don’t bother.

 

7) TOUCHED WITH FIRE– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Committed to a mental hospital after going off their medications, bipolar patients Carla and Marco — who share a passion for poetry — soon fall in love. But the feelings that connect them fuel their volatility, and starts to spin out of control.”

2/13/16- Mixed reviews by the critics but audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.

8) SPOTLIGHT- Danbury, Clearview 100. I liked it very much.

9) ROOM- Clearview 100 Garden Cinema Norwalk. An excellent movie and I highly recommend it.

10) 45 YEARS– Garden Cinema Norwalk. Great movie that promoted lots of discussion later.

11) MUSTANG– Jacob Burns. I enjoyed this movie very much. Limited screenings.

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

 

1. A) MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH (AND DELRAY)

 

1) 45 YEARS- I liked it very much– promoted lots of discussion.

2) DOUGH– Looked silly to me but reviews have been good

3) THE LADY IN THE VAN– I didn’t care for it.

4) SPOTLIGHT- Liked it very much.

5) THE PRIME MINISTERS: SOLDIERS AND PEACEMAKERS- Just fair reviews.

 

1. B) STONZEK THEATER AT LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

 

1) EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Famed Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein traveled to Mexico in 1931 to make a film about that nation and its history. His experiences while working on Que Viva Mexico would forever alter his life and his art, as chronicled in this provocative biopic.”

2/5/16- Weak reviews. TRDB.

2) 45 YEARS–  2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Geoff and Kate Mercer’s plans for a 45th anniversary party are upset by some unexpected news: A body found in the Swiss Alps has been identified as Geoff’s long-ago love Katya, who perished in an accident 50 years earlier.”

12/23/15- Great reviews. TRDB.

1/30/16- I enjoyed this movie very much and also found it terribly sad. One reviewer said that the story proved that good marriages need patience and GUTS. Another said “45 Years exposes the paradoxical balance of the successful marriage, one that requires a sentimental suspension of disbelief on the one hand and a hard-headed ability to deal with the everyday on the other.” TRDB.

 

1. C) THE LIVING ROOM THEATER AT FAU IN BOCA RATON-

 

1) 45 YEARS–  2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Geoff and Kate Mercer’s plans for a 45th anniversary party are upset by some unexpected news: A body found in the Swiss Alps has been identified as Geoff’s long-ago love Katya, who perished in an accident 50 years earlier.”

12/23/15- Great reviews. TRDB.

1/30/16- I enjoyed this movie very much and also found it terribly sad. One reviewer said that the story proved that good marriages need patience and GUTS. Another said “45 Years exposes the paradoxical balance of the successful marriage, one that requires a sentimental suspension of disbelief on the one hand and a hard-headed ability to deal with the everyday on the other.” TRDB.

2) DOUGH- Good reviews but it looked silly to me.

3) IN THE SHADOW OF WOMEN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Despite being happily married to his creative partner, filmmaker Pierre finds himself mired in a love triangle when he falls for a young intern. Unable to choose between the two women, Pierre tries to keep them both as his lovers.”

1/15/16- Very good reviews. TRDB.

4) SON OF SAUL– Very difficult to watch. The movie was OK. Limited Screenings.

5) THE CLUB– Good reviews.

6) THE LADY IN THE VAN– I didn’t care for it.

7) MUSTANG– A very good drama from Turkey. Limited Screenings.

 

 

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

 

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB

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