The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #383

September 7th, 2011

9/1/11- I just could not get into the characters and felt that the film was overly dramatic at times. I was also surprised at how naive the lead character was. The NY Times called the screenplay choppy and fumbling and trying to deal with too many characters and I agree. This is an important topic and would have been better as a documentary. The 3 friends that I went with all liked the film. TRDB.

2) HIGHER GROUND- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “Vera Farmiga stars in and directs this sensitive and searching chronicle describing a woman’s lifetime journey of faith — one that initially leads her to join a fundamentalist sect and then leave it again years later. Adapted from the spiritual memoir This Dark World by Carolyn Briggs, the film looks deeply into human doubt and certainty, and the challenge of trying to match our lives with our spiritual beliefs.” Mentioned on 1/22/11 in NY Times re Sundance. 

8/23/11- I’ve seen just a few reviews and they are weak. TRDB.

9/2/11- Just saw this film and liked it very much. Farmiga is great and also did a wonderful job directing this movie. I’d recommend it to you. TRDB.

2) VIVA LALDJERIE (VIVA ALGERIA)- 2004. Synopsis by Netflix. “Three urban Algerian women face an uncertain future in this drama set during times of increasing fundamentalism. Twenty-something Goucem (Lubna Azabal), her traditional mother, Papicha (Biyouna), and prostitute Fifi (Nadia Kaci) must steer clear of the local terrorists yet still make enough money to survive. Liberated Goucem refuses to give up her freedom by continuing to work and hitting the nightclubs, while her mom longs for happier times.” Few reviews and they are OK. TRDB.

9/5/11- An OK story coupled with a travelogue of Algiers make this film worthwhile. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

3) ME, TOO- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Proving everyone is equal in their need for — and ability to feel — love, Daniel (Pablo Pinedo), a thirtysomething office worker with Down’s syndrome, embarks on a romance with Laura (Lola Dueñas), a neurotic but “normal” co-worker. Despite their apparent differences, Laura is attracted to Daniel, who is the first European with Down’s to graduate from a university. Álvaro Pastor and Antonio Naharro co-directed this touching, thoughtful drama.” Good early reviews. NY Times liked it- 11/19/10.

9/6/11- A wonderful movie about people accepting people for who and what they are. TRDB. Netflix.

2) SOMETHING BORROWED- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When successful single lawyer Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) learns that her best friend, Darcy (Kate Hudson), is engaged to Dex (Colin Egglesfield) — the same guy she’s pined after for years — she’s determined to maintain her loyalty. But things don’t go quite as planned. Instead, she and Dex wind up in bed on the night of her 30th birthday party. Not surprisingly, the fallout from their romantic “slip” generates awkwardness for all concerned.” Awful reviews. TRDB.

3) JANE EYRE- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “Driven from her post at Thornfield House by her brooding employer Edward Rochester’s (Michael Fassbender) impenetrable personality, young governess Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) takes time to reflect on her childhood and the events that led her to the misty moors. Little does she know that Rochester’s mood is largely due to a dark secret. Judi Dench, Jamie Bell and Sally Hawkins co-star in this artful adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

4) LOVE, WEDDING, MARRIAGE- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a newly wedded marriage counselor learns that her seemingly happy parents are serious candidates for divorce, she throws all the rules out the window to repair their fractured relationship.” Very good audience reviews but no professional ones yet. TRDB.

6/3/11- Awful review in NY Times today. TRDB.

5) HESHER- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Struggling to accept the death of his mother, T.J. (Devin Brochu) befriends Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a twentysomething misfit who becomes both a mentor and a bad influence on the lost and awkward teen. Hesher soon invites himself to live with T.J. and his self-medicating dad (Rainn Wilson). Their bizarre relationship is tested when T.J. develops a crush on a supermarket checkout girl (Natalie Portman) who rescues him from a gang of bullies.” Fairly good early reviews but awful review in NY Times on 5/13/11. I’ll skip it. TRDB.

6) LE QUATTRO VOLTE- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “This visual poem brings to life Pythagoras’s theory that the soul moves from human to animal to vegetable to mineral in its evolutionary journey. Wordlessly, the film follows an elderly Italian goat herder as he makes the remarkable transition. Director Michelangelo Frammartino captures the essence of everyday life in the Italian countryside as the man transforms into a baby goat, a giant tree and a lump of coal.” Many terrific reviews. TRDB.

7) CONAN O’BRIEN CAN’T STOP- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Following his unplanned and highly publicized departure from NBC, exiled talk show host Conan O’Brien decides to take his show on the road. This documentary captures that uproarious tour as well as O’Brien‘s dramatic break with his ex-employers.” Mostly good reviews. TRDB.

8)NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Two distinct activities are underway in Chile’s Atacama Desert: While astronomers study distant stars through a giant telescope, local people sift through the soil looking for graves of family members killed during the nation’s brutal political past. The region’s uniquely dry, clear air encourages both pursuits and inspires director Patricio Guzmán to draw metaphorical links between them in this thoughtful, heartfelt documentary.” Good review in NY Times on 3/18/11. TRDB.

9) LOURDES- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Confined to a wheelchair for most of her life, lonely Christine (Sylvie Testud) devises a plan to change her circumstances by journeying to Lourdes, the small town in the foothills of the Pyrenees, where many flock to be healed. The journey yields startling results for our isolated hero in director Jessica Hausner‘s Austrian drama, an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.” Great reviews.

10) MEEK’S CUTOFF- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set in 1845, this drama follows a group of settlers as they embark on a punishing journey along the Oregon Trail. When their guide leads them astray, the expedition is forced to contend with the unforgiving conditions of the high plain desert. Inspired by a true story, this effort from director Kelly Reichardt (Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy) illustrates the harsh difficulties, monotony and desperation endured by covered-wagon travelers.” Good review in NY Times on 4/8/11. TRDB.

11) COLD FISH- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “After befriending charming Murata (Denden), a fellow tropical fish dealer, unhappy family man Shamoto (Mitsuru Fukikoshi) sends his rebellious daughter to live and work with him. But when Murata reveals his conniving, murderous nature, Shamoto suddenly finds himself trapped. Inspired by the true story of a prolific serial killer, this shocking horror movie effectively blends dark humor with intense drama.”

8/5/11- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

9/2/11- Just saw this film and liked it very much. Farmiga is great and also did a wonderful job directing this movie. I’d recommend it to you. TRDB.

5) SARAH’S KEY- Clearview 100, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the midst of researching an article about the roundup of Jews that took place in Paris in 1942, American-born journalist Julia Jarmond (Kristin Scott Thomas) uncovers a sobering connection between her story and the home she shares with her boorish French husband (Frederic Pierrot). Gilles Paquet-Brenner directs this gripping drama based on a bestselling novel of the same name that was inspired by actual events.” Excellent professional reviews and average audience reaction. TRDB.

8/15/11- Great script and wonderful acting make this Holocaust movie different from others and I highly recommend it. TRDB.

6) MIDNIGHT IN PARIS- Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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. 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.

7) THE WHISTLEBLOWER- Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Sent to Bosnia to train cops in the aftermath of that country’s brutal civil war, American policewoman Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) uncovers evidence that U.N. peacekeepers are complicit in a flourishing sex-trafficking trade. But when she brings her allegations to light, she discovers that her foes are more powerful than the law. Based on a true story, this thriller from director Larysa Kondracki co-stars Monica Bellucci and David Strathairn.” Winner at 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival.

7/21/11. I saw the coming attractions recently and I plan to see it. TRDB.

9/1/11- I just could not get into the characters and felt that the film was overly dramatic at times. I was surprised at how naive the lead character was. The NY Times called the screenplay choppy and fumbling and trying to deal with too many characters and I agree. This is an important topic and would have been better as a documentary. The 3 friends that I went with all liked the film. TRDB.

8)RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES- Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “James Franco headlines the reboot of the immensely popular Planet of the Apes franchise, a prequel which boasts cutting-edge CGI effects and a gripping story set in modern-day San Francisco, where scientists are conducting genetic research on apes. The evolved primates, including Caesar (Andy Serkis), develop advanced intelligence and revolt against being used as lab rats, unleashing a war for dominion over Earth.”

8/14/11-Despite not liking  James Franco and not liking sci-fi I thoroughly enjoyed this movie that my friends Don and Sue dragged me to. Great special effects, good story and boy, you have to love those apes. TRDB.

9) CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE- Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) discovers that his wife (Julianne Moore) wants to end their marriage, he reluctantly faces the unwelcome prospect of single life with the counsel of the younger and smoother super-bachelor Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). Meanwhile, Cal’s adolescent son, Robbie (Jonah Bobo), has formed an unquenchable crush on his 17-year-old babysitter (Analeigh Tipton) — but is she more interested in Robbie’s recently unwed father?” Good early reviews. TRDB.

8/6/11- Crazy and stupid but lots of fun. Poignant as well. TRDB.

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