The Reel Dr. Bob

JULY 20, 2011

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NY TIMES- At the Jacob Burns Theater

2) TERRI- At the Clearview 100 Theater

 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NY TIMES- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “Documentarian Andrew Rossi goes inside the New York Times to examine how the venerable paper and its reporters are responding to the massive changes in how news is gathered, analyzed and dispersed. Is there any future for newsprint? The creative process of journalism is also dissected, with journalists David Carr, Brian Stelter and many others providing insight into their writing processes and where they think the news business is headed.” At Sundance 2011. Fairly good audience reactions. TRDB.7/15/11- Excellent documentary that we all need to listen to as newspapers  with shrinking revenues fold right and left. TRDB.

2) TERRI- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Working with screenwriter Patrick Dewitt, filmmaker Azazel Jacobs crafts a poignant coming-of-age tale about Terri (Jacob Wysocki), an overweight orphan who, while struggling to find acceptance with his peers, forms an unlikely friendship with his vice principal (John C. Reilly). Turns out that both know all too well what it’s really like to be alone, which makes them ideal companions for each other.”

6/26/11- An article about this movie (not a review) in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

7/1/11-Good review in NY Times today. TRDB.

7/12/11- Very good professional reviews and OK audience ones. TRDB.

7/18/11- I saw this today, found it absorbing, and I’d definitely recommend it. TRDB. At the Theater.

 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) MOOZ-LUM- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Thanks to a strict Muslim upbringing that largely shielded him from the outside world, Tariq’s first year of college proves transformative. That is, until the 9/11 terrorist attacks invite growing suspicion and distrust from his angry classmates.” Good reviews. TRDB.7/16/11- A boring movie loaded with stereotypical screenplay and I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.

2) MIRAL- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “After she rescues dozens children who survived a massacre in Jerusalem in 1948, Palestinian Hind Husseini (Hiam Abbass) establishes an orphanage that helps thousands of other children left homeless by violence. But the success of her peace-through-education institution is tested when pupil Miral (Freida Pinto) gets a taste of radical politics in the region’s refugee camps. Julian Schnabel directs this film that co-stars Willem Dafoe.” Uniformly poor reviews but the film does sound interesting. TRDB.

This film stirred controversy when it’s opening was held at the UN as it was an unusual place for a film opening, particularly since it was felt by some to be anti-Israel. TRDB.

7/16/11- I feel that the movie was just fair and it absolutely portrayed the Israelis in a negative light including a torture scene. TRDB. Netflix.

3) 13 ASSASSINS- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “To stop a tyrant from murdering and exploiting innocent civilians, 13 samurai warriors unite and prepare to end his life. But to kill the evildoer, the assassins must contend with an army of deadly bodyguards who outnumber them by a wide margin. Directed by acclaimed and prolific Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, this action-packed samurai remake features Yusuke Iseya, Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada and Tsuyoshi Ihara.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

7/16/11- It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Samurai movie and now I remember why. Unbelievably bored and I turned it off quickly. Who cares? TRDB. Netflix.

4) BLOODWORTH- PROVINCES OF NIGHT- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Kris Kristofferson is E.F. Bloodworth, an impoverished aging musician who returns to his Tennessee hometown to make amends with the family he abandoned for 20 years of roaming, only to find their lives have disintegrated into a troubled mess. One bright spot, though, is E.F.’s grandson Fleming (Reece Thompson) and his budding romance with Raven (Hilary Duff.) Val Kilmer and Dwight Yoakam co-star as Bloodworth’s bitter and troubled sons.” Very good audience reaction so far. TRDB.

7/15/11- Can’t decide which was worse, the acting or the screenplay and I didn’t stick around to find out. TRDB. Netflix.

5) DESERT FLOWER- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Sherry Horman directs this drama based on the real-life story of Waris Dirie (Liya Kebede), a poor girl who flees an arranged marriage in Somalia, winds up in London and becomes one of the world’s most recognizable supermodels. As her star rises, Dirie speaks out against the practice of female genital mutilation, a trauma she experienced as a girl. Timothy Spall co-stars as the photographer who “discovered” Dirie working in a fast food joint.” Winner at Palm Springs Film Festival, 2011. Good review in NY Times on 3/18/11.

7/20/11- One reviewer said that this movie would have been better as a documentary and I agree. I feel that the screenplay was overly simplistic and even silly at times and the change in tone of the movie with the last scene did not sit right with me but I lasted the entire movie because I knew it was basically a true story. Recommended with some reservation. TRDB. Netflix.

 

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, JULY 26-

 

1) TRUST- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “After curious and vulnerable teenager Annie (Liana Liberato) falls into a trap set by an online sexual predator, her family begins to disintegrate, uncertain how to cope with such a devastating tragedy. Utterly consumed by rage, her father (Clive Owen) sets out seeking vengeance. Directed by David Schwimmer, this intensely emotional drama also stars Viola Davis, Thomas McCarthy and Catherine Keener.” Excellent reviews.  Just OK review in NY Times on 4/1/11. TRDB.

 

2) LIFE DURING WARTIME- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Filmmaker Todd Solondz revisits his Happiness characters in this tale about three sisters, Trish (Allison Janney) and Joy (Shirley Henderson), each married to degenerate men, and estranged Helen (Ally Sheedy), as they ponder the virtues of forgiving and forgetting. As Joy visits Trish to escape problems with her perverted, druggy husband, Trish is unaware that her own ex-husband, a pedophile whom she’s claimed is dead, is now out of prison.” Good reviews.8/10- This movie is so different than anything you’ve seen before. Good acting and an unusual way of handling some contemporary issues. TRDB.

3) HEARTBEATS- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Lush cinematography and poetic images highlight this coming-of-age tale about two best friends, Mary (Monia Chokri) and Francis (Xavier Dolan), who meet a charismatic wanderer named Nick (Niels Schneider) and suddenly find their longtime friendship tested to its limits. As the love triangle between the three intensifies, Mary and Francis vie for Nick’s affections in this intense story from Dolan, the Canadian prodigy who writes and directs.” Reviews more positive than negative and a few very good.

 

4) WINTER IN WARTIME- 2008. Premise by Netflix. “This sumptuously photographed drama focuses on 14-year-old Michiel (Martijn Lakemeier) as he wrestles with family loyalties, painful choices between safety and courage, and the harsh realities of war during the last, desperate winter of World War II. Michiel is forced onto the path of adulthood as he attempts to aid a wounded British pilot (Jamie Campbell Bower) in German-occupied Netherlands, despite his father’s apparent cooperation with enemy soldiers.” Mixed reviews, more positive than negative. Good review in NY Times on 3/18/11.4/11- I enjoyed this movie despite some obvious contrivances such as one or two chase scenes which were totally unnecessary. TRDB.

 

5) SOURCE CODE- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Jake Gyllenhaal portrays a soldier recruited for a time-bending government investigation that places him in another man’s mind and body, reliving the same traumatic event repeatedly in an effort to identify the perpetrators of a terrorist bombing. Vera Farmiga plays a communications specialist who provides the vital link to the soldier’s primary reality as he searches for critical clues within a recurring nightmare.” Very good early reviews and a good one in the NY Times on 4/1/11. TRDB.

 

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OPENING THIS WEEK REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY OR LOCALLY-

 

1) THE WOMAN WITH 5 ELEPHANTS- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Fyodor Dostoevsky’s five major novels — not a herd of pachyderms — are the elephants alluded to in the title of this well-crafted documentary about Svetlana Geier, an 85-year-old Ukranian woman who translates Russia’s literary classics into German. Geier’s work and her extraordinary life are closely bound up with Germany’s 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union, which first led her into serving as a translator for the invaders.” No reviews as yet. TRDB.

 

2) ANOTHER EARTH- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Shortly after a strange, Earth-like planet is discovered, gifted astrophysics student Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) accidentally slams her car into the vehicle of John Burroughs (William Mapother), killing his family. After some time, Rhoda and John begin an unlikely romance. But Rhoda starts to wonder what would happen if she could actually visit the new planet in director Mike Cahill’s romantic sci-fi drama.” At Sundance 2011. Sounds interesting and good early reviews as well. TRDB.

 

3) A LITTLE HELP- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “King of Queens” creator Michael J. Weithorn makes his feature-film directorial debut with this indie dramatic comedy starring Jenna Fischer (“The Office”) as a recently widowed single mom. Looking for solace anywhere she can find it, Laura (Fischer) reconnects with an old beau — perhaps not the wisest of choices, since he’s also her sister’s spouse. Chris O’Donnell and Lesley Ann Warren co-star.” Good audience reaction so far but no professional reviews as yet. TRDB.

 

4) THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “It’s the last night of summer vacation, and four high school friends face personal and interpersonal crossroads. As they wander the streets of suburban Detroit, each also takes the first tentative steps into the baffling world of adulthood. Recklessly chasing love and adventure, the teens end up with memories that will last a lifetime in this charming, thought-provoking debut feature from writer-director David Robert Mitchell.”6/26/11- An article (not a review) about this movie in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

No professional reviews and mediocre audience reaction. TRDB.

 

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FLORIDA- At the Lake Worth Playhouse Stonzek Theater-

 

1) PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES-  2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Documentarian Andrew Rossi goes inside the New York Times to examine how the venerable paper and its reporters are responding to the massive changes in how news is gathered, analyzed and dispersed. Is there any future for newsprint? The creative process of journalism is also dissected, with journalists David Carr, Brian Stelter and many others providing insight into their writing processes and where they think the news business is headed.” At Sundance 2011. Fairly good audience reactions. TRDB.

 

2) BRIDE FLIGHT- 2011- Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A forbidden love, an impossible choice, a secret pact. Eager to escape the damp and suffocating atmosphere of post-war Holland, Dutch beauties Marjorie, Ada and Esther meet each other on the immigration flight to New Zealand, en route to join their future husbands, who are already settled there.” Only fair reviews so far but the idea sounded interesting. Not to be confused with the 2008 movie with the same title. TRDB.

 

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

 

NEW-

 

1) THE LINCOLN LAWYER- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Matthew McConaughey stars in the big-screen adaptation of Michael Connelly’s best-selling novel about struggling lawyer Mickey Haller, who conducts business from his Lincoln Town Car. When Mickey finally lands a big case, it has deadly consequences. Tasked with defending rich lothario Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), who’s been charged with assault, Mickey finds himself and his family in danger when he deduces that the sinister Louis may be guilty.” Good review from NY Times on 3/18/11 and fairly good reviews in general. TRDB.3/11- A fun movie and I enjoyed it. TRDB.

 

2) MIRAL- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “After she rescues dozens children who survived a massacre in Jerusalem in 1948, Palestinian Hind Husseini (Hiam Abbass) establishes an orphanage that helps thousands of other children left homeless by violence. But the success of her peace-through-education institution is tested when pupil Miral (Freida Pinto) gets a taste of radical politics in the region’s refugee camps. Julian Schnabel directs this film that co-stars Willem Dafoe.” Uniformly poor reviews but the film does sound interesting. TRDB.This film stirred controversy when it’s opening was held at the UN as it was an unusual place for a film opening, particularly since it was felt by some to be anti-Israel. TRDB.

7/16/11- I feel that the movie was just fair and it absolutely portrayed the Israelis in a negative light including a torture scene. TRDB.

3) UNCLE BOONME WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Under the care of his dedicated sister-in-law (Jenjira Pongpas), terminally ill Uncle Boonmee (Thanapat Saisaymar) spends his final days reminiscing about his past lives with the recently arrived ghost of his dead wife (Natthakarn Aphaiwonk) and his long-missing son (Geerasak Kulhong). Directed by celebrated Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, this free-floating fantasy film took home the Palme d’Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.” Three reviews, all great. TRDB.7/12/11- Well, maybe it’s me but this well reviewed movie failed to move me except to think about turning it off, probably because of my expectations. Beautiful landscapes but the story was so esoteric and mysterious that I often failed to see his point and at some level I felt that this was another example of “the emperor’s new clothes.” TRDB.

 

4) THE WAVE- 2008. Synopsis by Netflix. “To give his students a real-world example of how dictatorships can grow powerful, high school teacher Rainer (Jürgen Vogel) starts a social experiment that assigns some of his students a strong advantage while leaving others subservient and powerless. The classroom exercise spreads to the rest of the school, where it mushrooms into violence, discrimination and the abuse of power.” Some great reviews, some OK and a few poor. 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- Westchester and Fairfield Counties

 

NEW IN THE BURBS-

 

1) A BETTER LIFE- Bethel. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This candid social drama tracks the relationship and conflicts between Mexican immigrant gardener Carlos and his teenage son Luis, whom he’s trying to interest in earning an honest living rather than drifting into the East L.A. gang scene.” Poor early reviews. TRDB.6/24/11- Fairly good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) BEATS RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker Michael Rapaport goes behind the scenes with this documentary to chronicle the tumultuous group dynamics that have driven influential, genre-bending hip-hop sensations A Tribe Called Quest to the heights of success. Filmed during a 2008 reunion tour, this movie includes candid input from band members, including Q-Tip, along with testimonies by other artists such as Kanye West to Tribe‘s enduring musical legacy.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

1) BUCK- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Buck Brannaman, inspiration for “The Horse Whisperer,” is revealed as a complex figure in this documentary by Cindy Meehl. The master horseman reveals details of his troubled childhood and his dawning awareness of new ways that humans and horses might work with one another. As Buck learns more about horses, he finds that the ways we communicate with our animal companions offer lessons on how we relate to fellow human beings.” At Sundance 2011.7/8/11- An excellent documentary where we see the man in action and we learn about life events that made him what he is. Definitely recommended. TRDB.

2)  MIDNIGHT IN PARIS- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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. Fair review in NY Times from Cannes on 5/13/11. TRDB.

Good review in NY Times on 5/20/11. I’ll definitely see it. TRDB.

6/3/11- A good story, good acting and of course great Paris. Not one of Woody’s best but it was good and I enjoyed it. TRDB.

3) PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NY TIMES- Jacob Burns, Bethel. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Documentarian Andrew Rossi goes inside the New York Times to examine how the venerable paper and its reporters are responding to the massive changes in how news is gathered, analyzed and dispersed. Is there any future for newsprint? The creative process of journalism is also dissected, with journalists David Carr, Brian Stelter and many others providing insight into their writing processes and where they think the news business is headed.” At Sundance 2011. Fairly good audience reactions. TRDB.

7/15/11- Excellent documentary that we all need to listen to as newspapers  with shrinking revenues fold right and left. TRDB.

4) TERRI- Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Working with screenwriter Patrick Dewitt, filmmaker Azazel Jacobs crafts a poignant coming-of-age tale about Terri (Jacob Wysocki), an overweight orphan who, while struggling to find acceptance with his peers, forms an unlikely friendship with his vice principal (John C. Reilly). Turns out that both know all too well what it’s really like to be alone, which makes them ideal companions for each other.”

6/26/11- An article about this movie (not a review) in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

7/1/11-Good review in NY Times today. TRDB.

7/12/11- Very good professional reviews and OK audience ones. TRDB.

7/18/11- I saw this today, found it absorbing, and I’d definitely recommend it. TRDB.

5) TREE OF LIFE- Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Synopsis by Netflix. “Brad Pitt and Sean Penn star in Terrence Malick’s 1950s adventure about a confused man named Jack, who sets off on a journey to understand the true nature of the world. Growing up in the Midwest with two brothers, Jack has always been torn between his mother’s guidance to approach everything he encounters with an open heart and his father’s advice to look after his own interests. Now, Jack must find a way to regain purpose and perspective.” Good audience reviews so far but no professional ones as yet. TRDB. The movie won best picture at Cannes 2011.

6/6/11- While grand in scale I felt that I was watching a series of coming attractions, each lasting 1 or 2 minutes. What  a waste of time. My friend Sue said it well– “Judging by the award of Best Picture at Cannes I feel like I am watching “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” I agree. TRDB.

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