FILM REVIEWS #612
October 20th, 2016
10/13/16- Now being shown at festivals I saw this dramatic documentary on Netflix Streaming and it sends a powerful message about our society. Highly recommended. TRDB.
2) THE PHENOM– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Playing in the big leagues is as much a mental game as a physical one. So when rookie ace Hopper Gibson suddenly loses his stuff and is sent to the minors, he’s also sent to a psychologist, who pushes the hurler to get to the root of his problems.”
6/24/16- Fair reviews from the critics and weak ones from audiences. TRDB.
10/13/16- I watched the first 18 minutes (my chai rule) and couldn’t bare to watch this ridiculous movie any longer. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
3) LONDON HAS FALLEN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this follow-up to the thriller “Olympus Has Fallen,” the U.S. president learns of a planned terrorist attack at the funeral of Britain’s prime minister — an event that will be attended by nearly every Western head of state.”
3/4/16- Awful reviews. TRDB.
10/16/16- I watched this while away- there was nothing better to watch. The special effects and some chase scenes were OK but very little else for this totally predictable action drama. TRDB.
4) SWISS ARMY MAN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Stranded alone on a deserted island, forlorn Hank has lost any hope of getting back to civilization. But as he’s about to end his life, a gaseous corpse washes ashore — giving Hank an idea that may just take him home.”
6/24/16- Fair reviews at best. The NY Times found it incredibly creative. I like Paul Dano and I will see this movie. TRDB.
10/18/16- Creative it is but boring as hell and I just could not continue to watch. TRDB. Netflix DVD.
5) JOSHY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though he’s still reeling four months after his fiancée’s death, Josh elects to go ahead with a backwoods bachelor party — which soon turns into a wild weekend binge complete with booze, drugs and hookers.”
8/12/16- Sounds like trash but this movie has received fairly good reviews from the critics so I expect that it has more to offer than the synopsis would imply. TRDB.
10/18/16- Just as I imagined— part frat-boy antics and part meaningful conversation. Judge for yourself. TRDB. Netflix Disc.
2) AQUARIUS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “As the last remaining occupant of an old building in Recife, Brazil, 65-year-old Clara is determined to hang on to the home that has defined her life — despite generous offers from a developer who wants to clear the site for new construction.”
10/14/16- Excellent reviews by the critics and fairly good ones by audiences. TRDB.
3) CHRISTINE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this fact-based drama, TV reporter Christine Chubbuck struggles to deliver issues-based journalism in the face of her boss’s demands for ever-more salacious and exploitative stories — a conflict that takes its toll on her emotionally.”
10/14/16- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.
4) THE DAVID DANCE– 2016. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “David, the host of a local gay radio show in Buffalo, New York, struggles with self-doubt when his single sister asks him to be the father figure for her soon to be adopted Brazilian child. This story explores the exceptionally colorful relationship between a brother and sister, and the impact of the spoken word on the human spirit.”
10/14/16- Reviews were hard to find for this movie but the few I read sounded very interesting- the NY Times did not like it. TRDB.
5) COMING THROUGH THE RYE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1969, 16-year-old Jamie Schwartz finds a beacon of light beyond prep school when he falls in love with the book “The Catcher in the Rye” and its protagonist, Holden Caulfield — inspiring Jamie to run away to track down its reclusive author.”
10/14/16- Excellent reviews by all. TRDB.
6) HUNTWATCH– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “This ardent partisan documentary surveys the decades-long controversy between wildlife preservation activists and commercial interests regarding the long-established practice in Canada of hunting baby seals for their pelts.”
10/14/16- I’ve seen just 2 reviews and both are very good. TRDB.
7) KEVIN HART: WHAT NOW?- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Kevin Hart returns to his hometown and shares his trademark manic wisdom with 53,000 delirious fans at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, marking the first time a stand-up comedian filled an NFL stadium to capacity.”
10/14/16- Mostly good review for this documentary. TRDB.
8) LITTLE SISTER– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Upon learning that her brother has returned from the Iraq War, novitiate nun Colleen heads home, only to find herself struggling to reconnect with her disfigured, emotionally scarred sibling — and with the rest of her troubled family.”
10/14/16- Very good reviews from the critics and really poor ones from audiences. TRDB.
9) MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “This well-crafted documentary traces the remarkable life and work of actor, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, who rose from poor Southern roots to become an artist of national acclaim and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
10/14/16- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
10) MISS HOKUSAI– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “As the daughter of master Japanese woodblock print maker Hokusai, O-Ei is herself a skilled painter. The girl’s talent may even surpass her father’s, as she creates exquisite artwork that she passes off as his, and which provoke powerful responses.”
10/14/16- Excellent reviews for this animated film by the critics but just fair ones by audiences. TRDB.
11) SKY LADDER: THE ART OF CAI GUO– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Best known for the pyrotechnic displays that opened and closed the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Cai Guo-Qiang has been obsessed with fireworks since boyhood. This documentary follows him across the world as he turns explosives into art on a massive scale.”
10/14/16- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
Not Recommended-
1) THE ACCOUNTANT– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Offering two very different skills to his clients, a financial forensics expert and trained assassin goes to work for a tech mogul who’s determined to eliminate those responsible for secretly manipulating the company’s financial records.”
10/14/16- Poor reviews by the critics and OK ones by audiences. Sounds like a rock-em sock-em to me and I’ll skip it. TRDB.
2) ASURA: THE CITY OF MADNESS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Playing both sides of the law gets tough for Det. Han Do-kyung when the mayor he’s doing dirty work for comes under investigation. Caught between his unscrupulous employer and a slimy prosecutor, Han must decide which one to betray.”
10/14/16- Reviews are generally very good by critics and audiences but apparently a few said that the movie was way too long and that you have to be prepared for lots of blood. I’m not and I’ll miss it. TRDB.
4) ORDINARY WORLD– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Perry (Billie Joe Armstrong of the band, Green Day) is a happily married father of two living a comfortable but sedate life in the suburbs. On the occasion of his 40th birthday, he seeks to revisit his former life as the lead singer in a popular punk band though his middle-aged reality quickly (and hilariously) clashes with the indulgences of his youth.”
10/14/16- Generally weak reviews. TRDB.
2) CERTAIN WOMEN– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this quiet drama, three Montana women try to find their way when life throws them curveballs. As lawyer Laura deals with a hostage crisis, Gina clashes with an elderly neighbor, and ranch hand Jamie becomes smitten with an adult education teacher.”
10/14/16- Excellent reviews by the critics but poor ones by audiences. TRDB.
3) AMERICAN PASTORAL– Jacob Burns. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Living a seemingly charmed life, Seymour Levov sees his family and once-idyllic world begin to crumble after his rebellious young daughter joins a violent band of Vietnam War protesters.”
10/19/16– Terrible reviews for this movie adapted from Philip Roth’s novel. TRDB.
Repeats-
1) DENIAL– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the 1990s, well-known Holocaust denier David Irving sued historian Deborah Lipstadt — issuing a complaint under British law requiring the American academic to prove that the greatest atrocity of World War II actually took place. ”
9/30/16- Decent reviews from critics and audiences. The NY Times did not like it. TRDB.
2) A MAN CALLED OVE– Jacob Burns (limited showings), Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Despite being deposed as president of his condo’s resident association, 59-year-old misanthrope Ove continues to plague his neighbors with dictatorial demands. But when Ove’s new neighbor runs over his mailbox, the old crank finds he’s met his match.”
9/30/16- Very good reviews by critics and audiences. TRDB.
3) THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN– Bethel, Danbury. Weak reviews.
4) AMERICAN HONEY– Garden Cinema Norwalk. Good reviews.
5) THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK- THE TOURING YEARS- Jacob Burns, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Good reviews.
2) ONCE IN A LIFETIME– Synopsis taken from the official website. “A dedicated history teacher at a French high school, Anne Gueguen (Ariane Ascaride), is determined to give the best education she can to her underprivileged inner-city pupils. Overcoming their apathy, however, is proving to be more difficult than expected. Frustrated but undaunted, Anne tests her multicultural classroom with a unique assignment: a national competition on the theme of child victims of the Nazi concentration camps. The project is initially met with extreme resistance, until a face-to-face encounter with a Holocaust survivor changes the students’ attitudes dramatically. Despite their long-shot odds of winning, these once-rebellious teens soon begin to see one another – and themselves – in a whole new light.”
3) DENIAL– Fair reviews.
4) THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN– Weak reviews.
9/25/16- An excellent movie with a real slice of what life is like for these indigenous Guatemalans. TRDB.
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