The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #346

October 19th, 2010

  OCTOBER 19, 2010

DEAR FRIENDS:  

YOU CAN READ THIS NEWSLETTER ON MY WEBSITE AT- www.thereeldrbob.com  

 I will be away from “my desk” for 2 weeks and so, when possible I will include information now for those weeks as well. While I’m away you can check the links at the bottom to find out what’s playing near you.   QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES FOR THE WEEK- See descriptions below.  

1) CATFISH- Theater

2) YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER- Theater   ________________________________________________________________________________________   MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-  

1) CATFISH- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman document the strange series of events that unfolds when a gifted 8-year-old artist named Abby contacts Nev, a 24-year-old photographer (and Schulman’s brother), through Facebook. After Abby sends Nev a remarkable painting based on one of his photos, Nev begins corresponding with her family — including her seductive 19-year-old sister. Realizing that something’s not quite right, Nev sets out to uncover the truth.” Good reviews.

10/10- A very unusual human drama involving privacy and identity on the Internet. I liked it a lot. This movie is a sleeper. TRDB. At the Theater.

2) YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “When a woman (Naomi Watts) consults a fortune-teller to learn what fate has in store for her, she’s told she’ll meet a tall, dark stranger who will become the love of her life in this quirky romantic dramedy from iconic writer-director Woody Allen. But the not-yet-lovestruck heroine isn’t the only character in search of answers. The ensemble cast includes Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch and Anna Friel.” Sad for me to say, this film has received many poor early reviews.

10/10- Pleasantly surprised with this latest Woody film. I liked the characters, the acting, and a few very creative aspects of the film. TRDB. At the Theater.

  _________________________________________________________________________________________   MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-  

1) TOKYO STORY- 1953. Premise by Netflix. “Director Yasujiro Ozu focuses on an elderly couple (Chishu Ryu and Chieko Higashiyama) in post-World War II Japan who travel to Tokyo to visit their children but are received rather coldly by their offspring; in fact, the only one happy to see them is their widowed daughter-in-law (Setsuko Hara). In an attempt to get them out of the way, the children shuttle their aging parents off to a health spa, a decision that could come back to haunt them.”

10/10- A sad story about family relationships. Well done and I liked it. TRDB. Netflix.

2) PUPPY- 2008. Premise by Netflix. “Soon after the manipulative Liz (Nadia Townsend) is tossed out by her angry sister, she’s “rescued” by Aiden (Bernard Curry), a guy with serious issues who thinks she’s actually his runaway wife. Liz is willing to play along — for a while. But her knack for getting what she wants is no match for Aiden’s powerful delusions. Self-taught filmmaker Kieran Galvin shot this independent drama, which marks his feature film debut, in just 20 days.” OK audience awards but no professional ones as yet.

10/10- Weird movie with little to show for it when it’s done. I watched it but you shouldn’t. TRDB. Netflix.

3) HOLY ROLLERS- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Inspired by a true story, director Kevin Asch‘s film tells the story of Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg), a young Hasidic Jew from Brooklyn who breaks with Orthodox tradition when he becomes an intercontinental Ecstasy smuggler for an Israeli drug cartel. A blend of neurotic coming-of-age dramedy and tense crime thriller, the film features Justin Bartha (“National Treasure”) as Sam’s pal Yosef and hip-hop recording artist Q-Tip in a supporting role.” Fair reviews.

10/10- I agree- I thought that the movie was fair. Netflix.

_________________________________________________________________________________________   COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, OCT. 26-  

1) WINTER’S BONE- Premise by Netflix. “In this noir drama set deep in Ozark territory, resilient teenager Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) goes on the trail of her missing drug-dealing father when his absence jeopardizes the safety of their family. The deadbeat dad has a critical court date pending, and Ree is determined that he make it — despite the objections of the insular Dolly clan. Director Debra Granik‘s unflinching drama won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.” Great reviews.

6/10-Very good acting in this Appalachian slice of life but I was disappointed in the film. I felt that not enough happened and what did seemed contrived to me. A friend who I saw this with spent a year in Missouri and felt that it was indeed realistic. TRDB.

2) OCTOBER COUNTRY- 2009. “In their sensitive portrait of the Mosher family, who live in Mohawk Valley, N.Y., filmmakers Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher explore how people whose voices go unheard move through life like ghosts, unable to change their circumstances. Filmed over the course of a year, from one Halloween to the next, the film follows three generations as they struggle with poverty, an unplanned pregnancy, a custody battle and the lingering trauma of war. Premise by Netflix. ” Very good reviews.

3) DANCING ACROSS BORDERS- 2010. Premise by Netflix. ” Art enthusiast and philanthropist Anne Bass makes her first foray into filmmaking with this moving documentary that traces the journey of a talented young Cambodian man in his transformation from street performer to classically trained ballet dancer. Discovered by Bass in his native land, Sokvannara “Sy” Sar must learn to assimilate to the rigid structures of Western ballet to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional dancer.” Reviews just more positive than negative.”

4) SOUTH OF THE BORDER- Premise by Netflix. “Eager to investigate how the U.S. media has depicted Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, director Oliver Stone journeys south to interview the man himself and speaks with several other South American presidents in the process. Among the distinguished subjects in Stone’s probing and controversial documentary are Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Brazil’s Lula da Silva, Argentina’s Nestor Kirchner and Cuba’s Raúl Castro.” Poor reviews.

5) WILD GRASS- Premise by Netflix. ” WILD GRASS- Premise by Netflix. “When the bag of amateur pilot Marguerite Muir (Sabine Azéma) is stolen and its contents are strewn over a parking lot, fate sets into motion an intriguing sequence of events involving the pilot, a dentist and a mysterious man (André Dussollier) who finds her wallet. French new wave pioneer Alain Resnais adapts the Christian Gailly novel into a stirring drama, which screened in competition at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.” Fair reviews.

6) THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE- Premise by Netflix. “Disaster hits Millennium magazine when publisher Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) launches an exposé of the Swedish sex trade, leading to the deaths of two staffers and then to the police pursuit of a third — tech expert Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) — as the prime suspect. In Part 2 of the trilogy, based on the action novels of Stieg Larsson, the vampiric Salander vanishes as Blomkvist digs deep into a possible conspiracy.” Mostly good reviews.

7/10- I was bored as hell. It was initially hard to tell who was who and I never recovered. See “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” twice instead. TRDB.

7) KISSES- Premise by Netflix. “In this incisive Irish import, best friends Dylan (Shane Curry) and Kylie (Kelly O’Neill) find urban beauty — and peril — when they flee their dysfunctional homes in a squalid housing project after Dylan has a terrible row with his tosspot father. Arriving in Dublin to hunt for Dylan’s older brother, the youngsters embark on a shopping spree using cash Kylie stole from her sister. But as night falls, the city takes on a menacing air.” Very good reviews.

8)A MOTHER’S COURAGE- Premise by Netflix. “Icelandic filmmaker Fridrik Thór Fridriksson follows Margrét Dagmar Ericsdóttir’s quest to find answers about autism, a condition that confounds traditional medical practitioners and renders her 11-year-old son, Keli, unable to communicate. Across the United States and Europe, Ericsdóttir encounters autism experts exploring promising new methods and meets autistic “miracle patients” who eventually found their voices. Kate Winslet narrates.” OK review in NY Times 9/24/10.

9) THE INFIDEL- Premise by Netflix. “When his mother dies, Muslim business owner and family man Mahmud Nasir (Omid Djalili) uncovers the two biggest surprises of his life: he was adopted as a baby, and his birth parents weren’t Muslim — they were Jewish. As he scrambles to get a handle on his existential identity crisis, Mahmud turns to boozy Jewish cab driver Lenny (Richard Schiff) for a little spiritual counsel. Josh Appignanesi directs this indie comedy.” OK review in NY Times. Fair reviews in general.

10) EVERYONE ELSE- Premise by Netflix. “In director Maren Ade‘s complex drama about gender roles, power and desire, Chris (Lars Eidinger) and Gitti (Birgit Minichmayr) find their relationship tested when a brief encounter with a seemingly perfect couple prompts Chris to emulate the other man’s dominance. Gitti is game for the role-playing experiment, until submission gives way to suffocation and both partners feel their true selves slipping away.” Good early reviews.

_________________________________________________________________________________________   COMING TO NETFLIX ON TUESDAY, NOV. 2-  

1) WINNEBAGO MAN- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “This entertaining documentary explores the phenomenon of Jack Rebney, who became an Internet sensation after a grainy, nearly 20-year-old video of him furiously swearing up a storm while filming a Winnebago sales video made the rounds online. Traveling to a mountaintop, filmmaker Ben Steinbauer tracks down Rebney — who’s become known in underground circles as the “Angriest Man in the World” — and tries to discover what makes the loner tick.” Very good reviews.   _________________________________________________________________________________________   COMING TO NETFLIX ON TUESDAY, NOV. 9-    

1) LOVE RANCH- Premise by Netflix. “Inspired by the story of the couple who introduced legalized prostitution to Nevada with the opening of their Mustang Ranch brothel, this Taylor Hackford-directed drama focuses on the devastating consequences of infidelity in the land of sex for pay. Helen Mirren stars as Grace Botempo; Joe Pesci plays her husband, Charlie; and Sergio Peris-Mencheta plays the boxer who, on entering their world, sets into motion a violent chain of events.”  I’ve seen two reviews so far and they’re both negative. TRDB.  

2) THE DRY LAND- Premise by Netflix. “American soldier Raymond Gonzales (Wilmer Valderrama) returns home to Texas after his tour of duty, unsure how to reconcile what he’s seen and experienced with the everyday mundanities of home and family life. This drama, from first-time writer-director Ryan Piers Williams, takes a head-on approach to confronting the conflicted emotions of the modern warrior. The stellar cast includes America Ferrera (“Ugly Betty”), Melissa Leo and Ethan Suplee.” No reviews so far.  

3) LOVELY, STILL- 2008. Premise by Netflix. “When his beautiful new neighbor Mary (Ellen Burstyn) asks him out on a date, elderly bachelor Robert (Martin Landau) suddenly finds himself swept up in the excitement and panic of new love. But as romance blossoms between the couple, an unexpected challenge arises that threatens to undermine the fledgling relationship. Nicholas Fackler directs this touching drama that also stars Adam Scott and Elizabeth Banks.” Excellent reviews in general. Only a fair review in NY Times 9/10/10.

9/10- I saw this in Florida and I thought it was excellent. Great story with great acting. TRDB.

  _________________________________________________________________________________________   OPENING REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY OR LOCALLY THIS WEEK-  

1) 11/4/08- Premise by Netflix. “On November 4, 2008, the drama of Barack Obama’s victory in the U.S. presidential election transfixed the world. Weeks before, director Jeff Deutchman asked filmmakers living around the globe to record their experiences on that fateful day. Using footage shot in Chicago, St. Louis, Geneva, New Delhi, Berlin and more, the documentary provides a sweeping, emotional look at peoples’ hopes and concerns about the historic moment as it unfolded.” No reviews yet.  

2) THE COMPANY MEN- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Written, directed and produced by John Wells (“The West Wing”), this indie drama stars Ben Affleck as a successful businessman who comes face-to-face with America’s downsizing epidemic when he loses his job and is forced to take a construction gig. Rounding out the all-star cast are Kevin Costner as Affleck’s brother-in-law, Tommy Lee Jones as a conflicted corporate bigwig and Chris Cooper as a struggling blue-collar worker.” No professional reviews yet but enjoyed by audiences so far.   ________________________________________________________________________________________   OPENING REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY, OR LOCALLY IN THE NEXT 2 WEEEKS-  

1) WELCOME TO THE RILEYS- Premise by Netflix. “Devastated by their daughter’s death eight years ago, Doug (James Gandolfini) and his guilt-ridden wife, Lois (Melissa Leo), lead depressing lives without much meaning. But by forming an unconventional relationship with teen call girl Mallory (Kristen Stewart), the couple begins to rediscover hope. Directed by Jake Scott, this compelling family drama also stars David Jensen, Kathy Lamkin and Lance E. Nichols.” Only fair reviews by most.  

2) 127 HOURS- Premise by Netflix. “Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) re-teams with writer Simon Beaufoy and producer Christian Colson to tell the harrowing story of real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston (James Franco), who literally cut himself loose from danger — and lived to tell about it. When sliding rock pinned his right forearm under a boulder during a climb in the Utah mountains, Ralston resorted to his basest survival instincts to stay alive.” Very good early reviews.  

3) CLIENT 9: THE RISE AND FALL OF ELIOT SPITZER- Premise by Netflix. “Director Alex Gibney turns the spotlight on the life and career of politician Eliot Spitzer, the New York governor whose potential to become the first Jewish president of the United States was thwarted by his indiscretions. Supporters and opponents opine about Spitzer, who was a well-respected attorney general before becoming governor. Spitzer’s career crashed and burned with the revelation that he was involved with prostitutes.” Good audience ratings so far, none professional.  

4) FAIR GAME- Premise by Netflix. “After her husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn), writes op-ed columns accusing the Bush administration of misleading the public to justify invading Iraq, Valerie Plame Wilson’s (Naomi Watts) status as a covert CIA agent is leaked by administration officials. Based on events described in Plame Wilson’s memoir, this drama explores the political scandal that led to the conviction of Lewis “Scooter” Libby.” Bad, bad reviews in NY Times.  

5) GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Black-and-white verité meets the charm of the classic Hollywood musical in writer-director Damien Chazelle’s romantic drama about a jazz trumpeter named Guy (Jason Palmer) who’s perennially falling in and out of love. After connecting with the shy Madeline (Desiree Garcia), Guy embarks on a quest for a more gregarious paramour, but through a series of twists and turns punctuated by an original score, the two lovers reunite in the end.” Mixed reviews but a few said it was very interesting and very different.   _________________________________________________________________________________________   FLORIDA- At the Emerging Cinemas of Lake Worth   OCT. 22–28  

1) IN SEARCH OF MEMORY- Premise by Netflix. “Filmmaker Petra Seeger present a fascinating portrait of neuroscientist Eric Kandel — who won a Nobel Prize in 2000 for his groundbreaking research — and illuminates his work on the brain and memory in this documentary. While examining Kandel’s discoveries about the brain’s function in chronicling and preserving memory, Seeger also explores his life, beginning with his childhood in Nazi-occupied Austria, through interviews and archival footage.” Very good professional reviews.  

2) LEBANON- Premise by Netflix. “In this claustrophobic drama by first-time director Samuel Maoz — a veteran of the early ’80s Israel/Lebanon conflict in which the film is set — four Israeli soldiers command a tank in a situation that becomes increasingly tense and chaotic. Like Das Boot before it, most of the action is confined to the stark interiors of that tank, as the men wrestle with fear, anger and their own consciences in the face of possible death and worse.” Very good early reviews.

9/10- Yet one more piece of evidence that war is definitely hell, this time involving a bunch of very frightened Israeli soldiers fighting in the confined space of the tank. I liked it very much but be aware that this is not for the faint of heart. TRDB.

  OCT. 29–NOV. 4  

1) ANIMAL KINGDOM- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “When his mother dies suddenly, a 17-year-old boy (James Frecheville) finds himself drawn into the clutches of a diabolical criminal family, until a good-hearted detective (Guy Pearce) makes a concerted effort to change the boy’s fate. Australian writer-director David Michôd‘s first feature-length drama won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.” Great reviews.

9/10- Violent, poignant and very well acted. I liked it. TRDB. At the Theater.

2) THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO- 2009. Sweden. Premise by Netflix. “Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and rebellious computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) team up to investigate the unsolved disappearance of wealthy Henrik Vanger’s (Sven-Bertil Taube) teen niece (Ewa Fröling), only to uncover dark secrets about Vanger’s powerful family. Niels Arden Oplev directs this Swedish thriller based on the first novel from Stieg Larsson’s best-selling trilogy.”

3/10- I found it a bit difficult to understand at times but enjoyed it a lot. TRDB.

  3) THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE- Premise by Netflix. “Disaster hits Millennium magazine when publisher Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) launches an exposé of the Swedish sex trade, leading to the deaths of two staffers and then to the police pursuit of a third — tech expert Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) — as the prime suspect. In Part 2 of the trilogy, based on the action novels of Stieg Larsson, the vampiric Salander vanishes as Blomkvist digs deep into a possible conspiracy.” Mostly good reviews.

7/10- I was bored as hell. It was initially hard to tell who was who and I never recovered. See “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” twice instead. TRDB.

    ________________________________________________________________________________________   COMCAST ON-DEMAND-   NEW-  

1) UNTITLED- Premise by Zap2it. “Adrian is an avant-garde music composer whose poorly attended concerts contrast wildly with his brother Josh’s great success as a commercial artist. Adrian’s luck appears to change when Josh introduces him to Madeleine, an art dealer who sells Josh’s work. Adrian and Madeleine begin a torrid affair, but when Josh learns about the relationship and Madeleine stops exhibiting his artwork, the stage is set for a showdown between siblings.” Very few reviews but mixed so far. Sounds interesting to me. TRDB

11/4/09- I just saw this movie and for the first time in years I walked out. Miserable, attempted farce of the art industry but the movie itself was a farce. Thank me for this review now. TRDB

  2) CLIENT 9: THE RISE AND FALL OF ELIOT SPITZER- Premise by Netflix. “Director Alex Gibney turns the spotlight on the life and career of politician Eliot Spitzer, the New York governor whose potential to become the first Jewish president of the United States was thwarted by his indiscretions. Supporters and opponents opine about Spitzer, who was a well-respected attorney general before becoming governor. Spitzer’s career crashed and burned with the revelation that he was involved with prostitutes.” Very good early reviews.  

REPEATS-  

 1) AJAMI- Well received Israeli award winner but I was disappointed

2) A PROPHET- Good reviews but I thought it was tedious

3) A SINGLE MAN- Recommended

4) AVATAR- Haven’t Seen It

5) BABIES- Very good reviews

6) CAIRO TIME- I was disappointed but others liked it

7) CHANGE OF PLANS- Mixed reviews

8)CHLOE- Back again. I liked it

9) CITY ISLAND- I’d recommend it

10) GHOST WRITER- Recommended

11) GREEN ZONE- Recommended

12) HEARTBREAKER- I liked it

13) I AM LOVE- Great movie

14) INVICTUS- Just OK

15) JOHN RABE- I did not like this well reviewed film

16) KISSES- Good reviews

17) LETTERS TO JULIET- OK reviews.

18) LIFE DURING WARTIME- Very different but I’d recommend it

19) LOSS OF A TEARDROP DIAMOND- I did not like this

20) MAKING PLANS FOR LENA- I haven’t seen it but very mixed reviews

21) MAP OF THE SOUNDS OF TOKYO- I haven’t seen this yet

22) ME AND ORSON WELLES- I didn’t care for this

23) MID-AUGUST LUNCH- Well reviewed but I found this just OK

24) MULTIPLE SARCASMS- Bad!

25) SOLITARY MAN- I liked the film

26) SOUL KITCHEN- Fair reviews

27) THAT EVENING SUN- I liked it

28) THE CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION- I liked the film

29) THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO- Just OK

30) YOO-HOO, MRS. GOLDBERG- I liked it

 31) YOUTH IN REVOLT- I liked 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

_________________________________________________________________________________________

BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS-

NEW-

1) HEREAFTER- 2010. Bethel. Premise by Netflix. “Clint Eastwood directs this supernatural thriller about three very different people and their responses to death, including a hesitant American psychic named George (Matt Damon) who may be able to help the others find answers and peace. Marie (Cécile De France) is a French journalist caught up in the aftereffects of the devastating 2004 tsunami, while in London, young Marcus (Frankie McLaren) seeks to contact his deceased twin brother.” Fair early reviews.

 

2) CARLOS- 2010. Jacob Burns–On Sunday, Oct. 12 only so far. Premise by Netflix. “Édgar Ramírez stars as Ilich Ramírez Sánchez — aka Carlos the Jackal — an elusive Venezuelan terrorist who executed scores of assassination plots, kidnappings and bombings across Europe and the Middle East. Olivier Assayas’s gripping biopic follows Sanchez from 1973 to 1994, as he and his cohorts wreak havoc on Paris’s Left Bank, storm OPEC headquarters in Vienna and carry out other devastating acts of politically motivated violence.” Good reviews.

REPEATS-

1) IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY- 2010. Saw Mill Hawthorne, Bethel, Danbury. Premise by Netflix. “Being a teenager is too much for 16-year-old Craig (Keir Gilchrist), who shocks his parents (Lauren Graham and Jim Gaffigan) by checking himself into a mental health clinic for a little R & R. But when the youth ward is unexpectedly closed, he’s forced to live among the adult patients. Zach Galifianakis, Viola Davis, Emma Roberts and Aasif Mandvi co-star in this quirky drama written and directed by the screenwriters of Half Nelson.” Just 50/50 early reviews. OK review in NY Times 10/8/10.

2) NEVER LET ME GO- 2010. Bethel.. Premise by Netflix. “While retracing her experiences attending a boarding school for special children, Kathy (Carey Mulligan) reconnects with her former classmates, Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield), in an effort to determine exactly what sets them apart from other people. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s highly acclaimed novel, this sci-fi thriller from director Mark Romanek also stars Sally Hawkins, Charlotte Rampling and Andrea Riseborough.” Just OK reviews.

 

3) NOWHERE BOY- 2010.  Bethel, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Premise by Netflix. “Raised by his aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) since he was a young boy, charismatic 15-year-old John Lennon (Aaron Johnson) is suddenly reunited with his mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff), which ignites a bitter battle between the two sisters for John’s affections. Along the way, John inherits his mother’s love of music and befriends fellow Liverpool lad Paul McCartney (Thomas Sangster) in this biopic of the music icon’s formative years.” Very good early reviews. Fair review in NY Times 10/8/10.

4) YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER- 2010. Saw Mill Hawthorne, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Premise by Netflix. “When a woman (Naomi Watts) consults a fortune-teller to learn what fate has in store for her, she’s told she’ll meet a tall, dark stranger who will become the love of her life in this quirky romantic dramedy from iconic writer-director Woody Allen. But the not-yet-lovestruck heroine isn’t the only character in search of answers. The ensemble cast includes Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch and Anna Friel.” Sad for me to say, this film has received many poor early reviews.

10/10- Pleasantly surprised with this latest Woody film. I liked the characters, the acting, and a few very creative aspects of the film. TRDB. At the Theater.

5)  WAITNG FOR SUPERMAN- 2010. Garden Cinema Norwalk. Premise by Netflix. “Dynamic documentarian Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) weaves together the stories of students, families, educators and reformers to shed light on the failing public school system and its consequences on the future of the United States. In this Sundance Audience Award winner for Best Documentary, Guggenheim deftly examines the options to improve public education and provide America’s teachers and students with the help they need.” Very good reviews.

6) MAO’S LAST DANCER- 2009. Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Premise by Netflix. “A delegation from Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy selects 11-year-old peasant villager Li Cunxin to study ballet in far-off Beijing, where he trains for seven grueling years to become one of China’s greatest dancers. His efforts win him the opportunity to dance in America, opening his eyes to a new love and the possibility of a dramatic defection from China in this remarkable true story based on Cunxin’s autobiography.” Fairly good reviews but a few said the movie was too timid. TRDB.

8/10- Great dancing makes up for a somewhat weak story. I enjoyed the movie despite all the schmaltz. TRDB.

7) CATFISH- 2010. Clearview 100. Premise by Netflix. “Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman document the strange series of events that unfolds when a gifted 8-year-old artist named Abby contacts Nev, a 24-year-old photographer (and Schulman’s brother), through Facebook. After Abby sends Nev a remarkable painting based on one of his photos, Nev begins corresponding with her family — including her seductive 19-year-old sister. Realizing that something’s not quite right, Nev sets out to uncover the truth.” Good reviews.

10/10- A very unusual human drama involving privacy and identity on the Internet. I liked it a lot. This movie is a sleeper. TRDB.

8)THE SOCIAL NETWORK- 2010. Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. Premise by Netflix. “David Fincher‘s biographical drama chronicles the meteoric rise of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from Harvard sophomore to Internet superstar, examining his relationships with co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and founding president Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Aaron Sorkin penned the screenplay based on Ben Mezrich’s best-seller The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook.” Reviews just OK.

10/10- I liked this movie a lot even though there was probably a good deal of artistic license given to the story. Well acted (Eisenberg was great) and truly a success story. TRDB.  

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

For all films go to- www.fandango.com

THAT’S IT FOR NOW-
THE REEL DR BOB
The Reel Dr. Bob

Entry Filed under: All Reviews,Old Newsletters