The Reel Dr. Bob

MAY 18, 2011

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) THE DOUBLE HOUR- Theater

2) INCENDIES- Theater

 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) THE DOUBLE HOUR- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this constantly twisting Italian thriller, Sonia (Kseniya Rappoport) is a newly arrived Slovenian immigrant who is in the wrong place at the wrong time during a violent art robbery. Surviving a bullet in the head, Sonia is haunted by visions after the crime. Her mysterious past, meanwhile, comes to light under the watchful eye of a suspicious policeman. Rappoport won the Best Actress award at the 2009 Venice Film Festival for her turn as Sonia.” Very good professional reviews but only average audience reaction. TRDB.5/11/11- A real thriller and I’d like to watch it again to figure out what actually happened. It’s fun and recommended. TRDB.

2) INCENDIES- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “When their mother’s (Lubna Azabal) will implores them to deliver letters to the father they thought was dead and a brother they never knew about, twins Jeanne (Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin) and Simon (Maxim Gaudette) journey to the Middle East and attempt to reconstruct their family’s hidden history. Adapted from a Wajdi Mouawad play, director Denis Villeneuve’s drama flashes back to intense scenes set during the Lebanese Civil War in the 1970s.” Showed at HIFF 2010. Great professional reviews and very good audience response as well. TRDB.

5/15/11- This movie was done in a most realistic fashion with great acting and superb direction. While it was often difficult to watch I thought that it was a great movie. TRDB. 

3) OCTOBER (OCTUBRE)- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “While trying to track down the missing prostitute who left her newborn at his doorstep, solitary loan shark Clemente (Bruno Odar) forms unexpected attachments to the baby — which might be his — and Sofia (Gabriela Velasquez), the single neighbor helping him care for the child. Written and directed by brothers Daniel and Diego Vega, this bittersweet Peruvian drama also stars Carlos Gasols, Maria Carbajal and Sheryl Sánchez Mesco.”

5/16/11- As far as I’m concerned this movie was like a character study of a man with NO character. No emotion and no dialogue. Miss it! TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “At an isolated science station in the Arctic, meteorologist Sergei and young intern Pavel face the impending closure of the now-irrelevant base. While Sergei eagerly anticipates returning to his family, Pavel still hopes for a grand adventure. Time is distorted so far north, where the never-setting summer sun can make a day stretch into weeks, and this engrossing thriller examines how altered perceptions affect the two men.” Mostly good reviews.5/15/11- Way too long but still an interesting story. I’d rate it as OK. TRDB. Netflix.

2) FAREWELL- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “In this thinking man’s spy thriller, KGB agent Sergei Grigoriev (Emir Kusturica) plans to hand over hard evidence that proves the depth of his agency’s penetration of U.S. intelligence, in a one-man crusade to bring down the Soviet empire. French engineer Pierre Froment (Guillaume Canet) is drawn into this web of espionage against his will, but proves a surprisingly resourceful operative in the process.” Mostly good reviews.

5/16/11- A fairly good spy thriller. TRDB. Netflix.

 

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, MAY 24-

 

1) EVEN THE RAIN- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “In this provocative film-within-a-film, director Sebastián (Gael García Bernal) heads to Cochabamba, Bolivia, to shoot a film about Christopher Columbus’s trespasses in the New World, only to find the locals protesting present-day exploitation of the poor. Sebastián is sympathetic to the cause, but realities collide when lead actor Daniel (Carlos Aduviri), cast as a rebel against the Spanish, becomes a key figure in the current demonstrations.” Winner at 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival.3/11- An excellent depiction of the moral conflicts involved in this type of situation. Well acted and I loved the movie. TRDB.

 

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OPENING THIS WEEK REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY OR LOCALLY-

 

1) BEAUTIFUL BOY- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “This heartrending drama stars Michael Sheen as Bill Carroll, who is contemplating separating from his wife, Kate (Maria Bello), when the unimaginable happens: Their 18-year-old son, Sam (Kyle Gallner), commits mass murder at his university before killing himself. While coping with their grief, Bill and Kate must deal with the insatiable media, other parents furious at them for their son’s actions and their own questions about their culpability.” Good early reviews. TRDB. 

 

2) MIDNIGHT IN PARIS- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this bittersweet dramatic comedy, legendary director Woody Allen focuses his lens on a young engaged couple whose experiences traveling together in Paris make them begin to question the kind of life they want to live as a couple.” Very good audience reviews but no professional reviews as yet. TRDB.

 

3) RANCHERO- 2010. Premise by Zap2it. “A former ranch hand confronts the realities of drug addiction and runs afoul of a local gangster after he moves to Los Angeles.” Netflix had this to say–“Harboring dreams of becoming a professional photographer, Mexican American cattle rancher Jesse Torres (Roger Gutierrez) packs up and moves to Los Angeles, where he reconnects with childhood pal Tom (Brian Eric Johnson), now a drug-addled loser. As Jesse loses steam in his shutterbug career, he finds fresh purpose in helping a neighbor (Christina Woods) escape the clutches of a vicious thug (Danny Trejo).” No reviews yet. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Lake Worth Playhouse Stonzek Theater-

 

1) CARANCHO- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “A car accident on the streets of Argentina brings Luján (Martina Gusman) and Sosa (Ricardo Darín) together: she’s a doctor caring for the critically wounded driver, he’s a smooth-talking ambulance chaser with an eye on the dying man’s money. Passion draws them together, but in a nation rife with such accidents, love alone may not conquer their differences. Pablo Trapero’s thoughtful film is an Official Selection of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.” Very good early reviews.

 

2) QUEEN TO PLAY- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Intrigued by a pair of vacationing lovers playing chess, hotel maid Hélène (Sandrine Bonnaire) sets her sights on mastering the game. With some coaching from a doctor (Kevin Kline) who employs her services, Hélène hones her chess skills and begins to notice big changes in her life. Written and directed by Caroline Bottaro, this charming French drama also stars Jennifer Beals and Francis Renaud.” Good review in NY Times on 4/1/11. TRDB.

 

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

 

NEW-

 

1) BLUE VALENTINE- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Once crazy about each other, Cindy (Michelle Williams) and David (Ryan Gosling) have now grown apart. Cindy is bored and disenchanted with her life while David languishes in the emotional emptyness of their sexless, routine life in rural Pennsylvania. As they muddle through their marriage, they hearken back to the golden days when life was filled with possibility and romance. Derek Cianfrance writes and directs this drama.” Very good reviews and good review in NY Times on 12/29/10.

1/11- About the dissolution of a relationship in about as raw a form as I’ve seen in a while. Great movie. TRDB.

2) THE BUTCHER’S SON (LA SOGA)- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Making his screenwriting debut, Manny Perez stars in this tough chronicle of Luisito, a young man walking the line between honesty and the corruption he sees all around him in the Dominican Republic. As a child he was called “sensitive” by his butcher father, but as an adult, Luisito has been hardened by the brutal life on the streets — and by his obsessive thirst to avenge his father’s murder. Denise Quiñones co-stars in this gritty actioner.” Good early reviews.5/7/11- An interesting movie with very good acting and screenplay. I enjoyed it despite the contrived romance included. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

 

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 THE SUBURBS-

 

NEW-

 

1) L’AMOUR FOU- Clearview 100. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Yves Saint-Laurent — synonymous with Le Smoking suit, the safari jacket and Studio 54 — met Pierre Bergé in 1958, and this intimate documentary pays tribute to their extraordinary 50-year friendship. The pair were lovers, then partners in fashion and in art collecting, and when they weren’t rocking haute couture with prêt-à-porter or the first black runway models, they were acquiring the objets d’art from which the designer drew inspiration.” Poor early reviews. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

1) EVERYTHING MUST GO- Bethel, Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director-writer Dan Rush makes his film debut with this dramedy based on a Raymond Carver short story about Nick (Will Ferrell), a good-hearted but relapsed alcoholic who decides to live on his front lawn after losing his job and being thrown out by his wife. Needing money and wanting to shed the past, Nick holds a yard sale to get rid of his possessions, but after befriending some lonely neighbors and reevaluating his life, he tries AA again.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

 

2)  WATER FOR ELEPHANTS- Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this captivating Depression-era melodrama, impetuous veterinary student Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson) joins a celebrated circus as an animal caretaker but faces a wrenching dilemma when he’s transfixed by angelic married performer Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). An affinity for elephants brings together the young pair, but the warmth between them sends Marlena’s cruel husband, animal trainer August (Christoph Waltz), into a frightening fury.” Mediocre professional reviews  but good audience reactions. TRDB. 4/11- A soap opera type movie with a weak screenplay that was a disappointment for me. TRDB.

3) INCENDIES- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “When their mother’s (Lubna Azabal) will implores them to deliver letters to the father they thought was dead and a brother they never knew about, twins Jeanne (Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin) and Simon (Maxim Gaudette) journey to the Middle East and attempt to reconstruct their family’s hidden history. Adapted from a Wajdi Mouawad play, director Denis Villeneuve’s drama flashes back to intense scenes set during the Lebanese Civil War in the 1970s.” Showed at HIFF 2010. Great professional reviews and very good audience response as well. TRDB.

5/15/11- This movie was done in a most realistic fashion with great acting and superb direction. While it was often difficult to watch I thought that it was a great movie. TRDB. 

4) BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK- Bethel. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Living simply and using a bicycle to get around New York, 80-year-old photographer Bill Cunningham tirelessly records what people are wearing in the city — both out on the sidewalk and in the salons of the wealthy. Through his “Evening Hours” and “On the Street” photo columns in the Sunday New York Times, Cunningham has faithfully chronicled the city’s fashions and sparkling nightlife while maintaining his own unassuming charm.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

5)  BRIDESMAIDS- Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Kristen Wiig leads the cast as Annie, a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), and a group of colorful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to matrimony.” Fairly good reviews so far but a fair number of negative ones as well. TRDB.

6) CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS- Jacob Burns. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Celebrated documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog offers this unprecedented examination of Chauvet Cave, a cavern in southern France that contains the oldest human-painted images yet to be found on Earth. Besides presenting stunning cinematography of the exquisite paintings themselves, Herzog interviews experts who describe the context and reflect on the existential meaning of this artwork, which is some 30,000 years old.” Very good professional reviews and poor audience ones. TRDB.

7) THE DOUBLE HOUR- Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this constantly twisting Italian thriller, Sonia (Kseniya Rappoport) is a newly arrived Slovenian immigrant who is in the wrong place at the wrong time during a violent art robbery. Surviving a bullet in the head, Sonia is haunted by visions after the crime. Her mysterious past, meanwhile, comes to light under the watchful eye of a suspicious policeman. Rappoport won the Best Actress award at the 2009 Venice Film Festival for her turn as Sonia.” Very good professional reviews but only average audience reaction. TRDB.

5/11/11- A real thriller and I’d like to watch it again to figure out what actually happened. It’s fun and recommended. TRDB.

8)WIN WIN- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Paul Giamatti stars as bush-league lawyer Mike Flaherty, who agrees to become an aging client’s legal guardian as a way to pay the bills. But his visions of an easy stipend begin to fade when the man’s teenage grandson suddenly appears on the scene. Just when the attorney thinks he’s found a way to make this new development work for him, the boy’s mother shows up and puts Flaherty’s dreams of a big score in jeopardy.” Very good reviews. Good review in NY Times on 3/18/11. TRDB.

4/11- Well acted, very funny at times and very poignant at times as well. I liked it a lot. TRDB.

9) THE CONSPIRATOR- Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Robert Redford directs this gripping historical drama that follows the efforts of young lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) as he defends Mary Surratt (Robin Wright Penn), a Confederate sympathizer accused of conspiring to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Realizing that Surratt may in fact be innocent, Aiken defies public opinion and risks everything to get her acquitted. The stellar cast also includes Tom Wilkinson, Kevin Kline and Alexis Bledel.” Very good audience reviews. TRDB.

 

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

 

For all films go to- www.fandango.com