The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #390

November 3rd, 2011

2) LE HAVRE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This comedic drama relates the poignant tale of a young immigrant African boy arriving destitute in the French port of Le Havre, where he’s eventually taken under the wing of a former Bohemian writer who now chooses to shine shoes for a living.” Good audience reaction and OK professional reviews so far. TRDB.

10/21/11- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/1/11- I found this movie interesting, in particular the characters of the neighborhood. Also, the love between the two principal characters was portrayed beautifully. TRDB.

2) VIVA RIVA!- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hustler Riva (Patsha Bay) hopes to make a fortune by smuggling large quantities of gasoline and selling it for high prices in fuel-starved Kinshasa, but he’s not the only one with his eye on the lucrative prize. Riva’s plan gets complicated when he falls for Nora (Manie Malone), the girlfriend of local crime kingpin Azor (Diplome Amekindra), but the stunning Nora is also scheming for a big payday in this sleek thriller.” Fair review in NY Times on 6/10/11 but good reviews in general. TRDB.

10/31/11- I can’t believe anyone gave this a good review. Awful and I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.

3) MARGIN CALL– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An all-star cast shines in this engrossing drama about a critical 24-hour period at a high-profile investment bank in the early days of the 2008 financial crisis, when young analyst Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) uncovers information that could destroy the firm. When he alerts upper management to the precarious position of their risky investments, an emergency meeting is held to decide if they should alert clients or abscond with the profits.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

10/21/11- Excellent review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

10/31/11- A good “financial thriller” and although I enjoyed it I could have used a bit less of Kevin Spacey’s lessons. Jeremy Irons as the head honcho was great. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.

4) THE HIGH COST OF LIVING– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Well-to-do housewife Nathalie (Isabelle Blais) eagerly awaits the birth of her first child, while elsewhere in Montreal, small-time drug dealer Henry (Zach Braff) plans his next score. One night, their contrasting lives become intertwined when Henry hits Nathalie with his car. He flees the scene but later tries to make amends — without revealing his culpability. As their friendship grows, the remorseful Henry fears Nathalie will learn the truth.”

9/9/11- Fair review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/1/11- Somewhat predictable, especially the ending but I enjoyed elements of this film and I can recommend it with qualifications. TRDB. Netflix.

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

Good review in NY Times on 7/1/11. TRDB.

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

2) GREAT DIRECTORS– Synopsis by Netflix. “New York-based businesswoman and filmmaker Angela Ismailos offers this collection of in-depth interviews with David Lynch, John Sayles, Catherine Breillat, Bernardo Bertolucci and six other internationally acclaimed film directors. Touching on everything from the creative process and the history of cinema to the necessity of balancing art and commerce, Ismailos’s interviews also include sit-downs with Liliana Cavani, Ken Loach and Agnès Varda.” Decent professional reviews and only fair audience reaction. TRDB.

3) THE TREE OF LIFE– 2011. 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.

4) LIFE IN A DAY– 2011.  Synopsis by Netflix. “On July 24, 2010, thousands of people around the world joined together to document mundane and remarkable everyday life in a single day. Filmmaker Kevin MacDonald led a team of editors to condense more than 4,500 hours of footage and 80,000 clips into a portrait of life as it is lived on Earth. From dense cities to remote and forbidding landscapes, the myriad varieties of human experience are celebrated and revealed.” Fairly good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

5) THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER– Synopsis by Netflix. “This beautifully shot film combines comedy and tragedy in the tale of a workaholic human resources manager (Mark Ivanir) who neglects his family to further his career. But when an employee at his bakery is killed, he begins an odd journey toward self-realization. Offering to escort the woman’s body from Israel back to her Eastern European homeland, the manager is puzzled by eccentric characters along the way but begins to understand the importance of family.”

1/11- A bit far fetched but still an interesting road trip that I enjoyed. At the Palm Springs Int. Film Festival. TRDB.

6) PUTTY HILL– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a vacant house in Baltimore’s skid row, a young man named Cory dies of a heroin overdose. As his friends and family unite for his funeral, their reflections reveal as much about the condition of the city as their tragic loss. Filmed over just a few days and largely improvised, this moving drama by director Matthew Porterfield was an official selection of the 2010 South By Southwest Film Festival.” Very good professional reviews and average audience reaction. TRDB.

10/14/11- Very well done and I liked this movie very much. TRDB.

10/31/11- A good “financial thriller” and although I enjoyed it I could have used a bit less of Kevin Spacey’s lessons. Jeremy Irons as the head honcho was great. TRDB.

4) MAN ON THE TRAIN– 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A mysterious criminal (Mullen Jr.) rolls into a small town planning to knock off the local bank, assuming it will go off without a hitch. But when he encounters a retired poetry professor (Sutherland), his plans take an unlikely turn. With no place to stay, the professor generously welcomes him into his home. As the two men talk, a bond forms between these two polar opposites, and surprising moments of humor and compassion emerge. As they begin to understand each other more, they each examine the choices they’ve made in their lives, secretly longing to live the type of lifestyle the other man has lived, based on the desire to escape their own.” Good early reviews from both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB. TRDB.

5) MELANCHOLIA– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This inventive drama charts the disintegrating relationship between newly married twentysomething Justine and her melancholy sister, Claire, just as Earth hurtles toward certain collision with a newly discovered planet.”

9/18/11- An article (not a review) about this in today’s NY Times. Starring Kirsten Dunst. TRDB.

10/11- Great reviews! TRDB.

2) THE SKIN I LIVE IN– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Robert Ledgard, a brilliant plastic surgeon, seeks to overcome the grief of his late wife’s disfigurement in a fiery car crash by inventing skin that is impervious to injury, but his experiments on a living woman hasten his descent into madness.”

10/14/11- By Almodovar, this film got a weird but great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

10/31/11- A good “financial thriller” and although I enjoyed it I could have used a bit less of Kevin Spacey’s lessons. Jeremy Irons as the head honcho was great. TRDB.

2) THE WAY– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his son dies while hiking the famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in the Pyrenees, Tom (Martin Sheen) flies to France to claim the remains. Looking for insights into his estranged child’s life, he decides to complete the 500-mile mountain trek to Spain. Tom soon joins up with other travelers and realizes they’re all searching for something. Emilio Estevez writes and directs this drama about self-discovery.” Very good professional reviews but so far only poor audience reaction. TRDB.

9/18/11- An article (not a review) in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

10/7/11- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) TAKE SHELTER– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) stars in this Sundance-selected thriller as Curtis LaForche, a small-town family man who’s determined to protect his wife (Jessica Chastain) and deaf daughter (Tova Stewart) from impending disaster. Fueled by disturbing visions of a terrible storm, Curtis sets out to prepare for the future by building an impenetrable storm shelter in the safety of his own backyard.”

9/30/11- Great review in today’s NY Times and great reviews in general. TRDB.

10/15/11- Reviews have been great AND accurate. You should see this movie. TRDB.  

4) THE IDES OF MARCH– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Dirty tricks stand to soil an ambitious young press spokesman’s idealism in a cutthroat presidential campaign where “victory” is relative. The film is inspired by the real-life experiences of an aide who worked on Howard Dean’s failed 2004 run.” Very good early reviews. I saw the coming attractions and it looked good. TRDB.

10/7/11- Only a fair review at best in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

10/10/11- A very good political drama, especially George Clooney as the candidate. TRDB.

5) MONEYBALL– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An all-star cast brings to life the true story of Billy Beane, a former jock turned general manager who uses unconventional methods to bring the best players to the Oakland A’s, a major league baseball team struggling against financial hardship.”

9/23/11- Good review in today’s NY Times and very good reviews in general. TRDB.

10/3/11- I liked this movie very much and I thought that Brad Pitt did a wonderful job playing Beane. TRDB.

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