The Reel Dr. Bob

FEBRUARY 9, 2012

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) CATERPILLAR– Netflix Streaming

2) TOAST- Netflix

3) TINY FURNITURE– Netflix Streaming

4) 50/50– Netflix

5) ANOTHER HAPPY DAY– Netflix

6) WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN– Theater

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “The strained relationship between a mother and her teenage son turns tragic when the boy engineers a massacre at his high school, and the mother is forced to ask how much blame she deserves for the heartbreaking event.” Great early reviews. TRDB.12/9/11- Excellent review in today’s NY Times and very good ones elsewhere. TRDB.

2/8/12- This movie was extremely difficult to watch and was very depressing at many levels but was very well done with great acting and really packed a punch. Call me before you see it!!! TRDB.  

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) RESTLESS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “After she is diagnosed with a disease that will soon claim her life, a young girl (Mia Wasikowska) strikes up an unusually strong friendship with a boy (Henry Hopper) who deals with the problems in his own troubled family by attending funerals. As their relationship deepens into love, the two discover a curious connection to the spirit of a World War II kamikaze pilot (Ryo Kase). Gus Van Sant directs this touching drama.”9/16/11- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2/2/12- The weak reviews were pretty accurate. I’m not sure why I saw the entire movie– I guess hoping it would get better and some interest in the quirkiness. TRDB. Netflix.

2) CATERPILLAR– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1940, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the people of a rural Japanese village eagerly await a hero’s return. But Lt. Kurokawa’s wife, Shigeko, receives a horrifying shock: Her husband has lost his arms and legs. Nevertheless, the villagers depend on Shigeko to do her duty to her country by caring for her mutilated husband. Shinobu Terajima, Keigo Kasuya and Emi Masuda star in this historical drama about the grim aftermath of war.” Average audience reviews and excellent professional reviews including a few great ones. TRDB.

2/2/12- Another message that war is truly hell, this well done movie will shock you. See it but have a strong stomach!! TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

3) TOAST- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapted from famed food writer Nigel Slater’s memoir, this drama centers on young Nigel (Freddie Highmore), who struggles with his mother’s death, a troubled relationship with his father (Ken Stott) and a new stepmother (Helena Bonham Carter) even as he pursues his passion for cooking. When the family moves to the country, the now-teenaged Nigel finds new doors opening — to exciting culinary opportunities as well as sexual awakening.”

9/23/11- A review in today’s NY Times that I couldn’t decipher but good reviews in general. TRDB.

2/4/12- The first half hour was difficult to watch but the movie definitely improved and I enjoyed it. Knowing that the story was basically true helped as well. TRDB. Netflix.

4) TINY FURNITURE– 2010. Premise by Netflix. “When twenty-something film theory major Aura (Lena Dunham) returns home after college to live with her artist mother in TriBeCa, she confronts a long list of personal and professional failures and wonders whether her dismal past will become her future. It’s an early midlife crisis for sure, but there’s hope on the horizon if Aura can figure out who she is and what she’s really meant to do. Dunham also wrote and directed this wry comedy.” OK review in NY Times on 11/12/10. Some friends hated it.

2/4/12- I liked the characters and the scritpt and enjoyed the movie. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

5) 50/50– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An otherwise healthy twentysomething has a comically early midlife crisis when he gets slapped with a cancer diagnosis — and a 50-50 chance of survival. But what’s the meaning of life when you’re not sure how long yours will last?” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

9/28/11- Just an OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2/6/12- Cheesy and often predictable but fun never-the-less despite the heavy premise. TRDB. Netflix.

6) ANOTHER HAPPY DAY– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Upper-crust family dysfunction takes center stage in this drama, which stars Ellen Barkin as a divorcée attending the highbrow wedding of the son she barely knows and trying to hold her own against a family that couches judgment in every smile.”

11/18/11- Mixed review in today’s NY Times- as many “up” as “down.” TRDB.

2/6/12- I thought that this movie was excellent and the many pros who thought it was unrealistic don’t know that much about family dynamics. Out on a limb but I think you should see it. TRDB. Netflix.

7) 3– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Berliners Hanna (Sophie Rois) and Simon (Sebastian Schipper), a couple in their 40s, have grown restlessly comfortable in their marriage. Independently, each meets and romances Adam (Devid Striesow), a handsome younger man. When Hanna becomes pregnant, all three must face what they’ve tried to ignore. Each man has reasons for staying with Hanna — and staying together. Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) helms this entry in the 2010 Venice Film Festival.”

9/16/11- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2/7/12- If the truth is stranger than fiction this movie must be true. Interesting, weird and well acted. Certainly not for everyone. TRDB. Netflix.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, FEB. 14-

 

1) TAKE SHELTER– 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.

2) HOW TO DIE IN OREGON– 2011. Premise by Netflix. “Director Peter Richardson’s documentary takes you into the lives of terminally ill men and women as they consider availing themselves of physician-assisted suicide, which is legal in Oregon under the state’s 1994 Death with Dignity Act. As patients discuss their wishes with families, friends and doctors, Richardson examines all sides of this weighty issue and even documents an assisted suicide as it occurs.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

3) URBANIZED– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “The third part of Gary Hustwit’s design film trilogy, Urbanized looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders and thinkers. By exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, Urbanized frames a global discussion on the future of cities.”

10/28/11- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) THE RUM DIARY– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Eager to flee his humdrum life in 1950s New York, booze-loving journalist Paul (Johnny Depp) moves to Puerto Rico and begins writing for a local rag, but his life becomes unhinged when he falls for a gorgeous woman (Amber Heard) and clashes with her shifty fiancé (Aaron Eckhart). Written and directed by Bruce Robinson, this adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s early novel also stars Richard Jenkins as Paul’s editor.”

10/28/11- Barely OK review in today’s NY Times. I think I’ll miss it. TRDB.

5) TINY FURNITURE– 2010. Premise by Netflix. “When twenty-something film theory major Aura (Lena Dunham) returns home after college to live with her artist mother in TriBeCa, she confronts a long list of personal and professional failures and wonders whether her dismal past will become her future. It’s an early midlife crisis for sure, but there’s hope on the horizon if Aura can figure out who she is and what she’s really meant to do. Dunham also wrote and directed this wry comedy.” OK review in NY Times on 11/12/10. Some friends hated it. Already available on Netflix Streaming (see above). TRDB.

6) THE INTERRUPTERS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This powerful documentary follows a group called CeaseFire, which is dedicated to wiping out urban violence. Begun by epidemiologist Gary Slutkin, CeaseFire treats violence like an infection and seeks to eradicate the root cause before it can spread. Based in Chicago and staffed by many former gang members, “the interrupters” attempt to prevent the shootings and assaults that are prompted by tit-for-tat retaliation, despite the personal dangers.” Good early reviews. TRDB.

7) MOZART’S SISTER– 2011. Synopsis by RottenTomatoes. “A speculative account of Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart (Marie Feret), five years older than Wolfgang (David Moreau) and a musical prodigy in her own right. Originally the featured performer, she has given way to Wolfgang as the main attraction, as their strict but loving father Leopold (Marc Barbe) tours his talented offspring in front of the royal courts of pre-French revolution Europe. Approaching marriageable age and now forbidden to play the violin or compose, Nannerl chafes at the limitations imposed on her gender but a friendship with the son and daughter of Louis XV offers an alternative.”

8/19/11- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

9/25/11- A bit slow but a very interesting film about gender issues, music and independence. I liked it. TRDB. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

OPENING THIS WEEK-

 

1) CHICO & RITA– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director Fernando Trueba and artist Javier Mariscal collaborate on this animated celebration of Cuban music that features pianist Bebo Valdés and other jazz greats in an epic story of romance, ambition and glamour set in the 1940s. Chico (voiced by Eman Xor Oña) is a gifted pianist and composer who falls in love with Rita (Limara Meneses), an equally talented singer, but her rise to success in America tears their romance apart.” Great professional reviews but so-so audience reaction so far. TRDB.

 

2) IN DARKNESS– 2011. Synopsis by RottenTomatoes. “From acclaimed director Agnieszka Holland, In Darkness is based on a true story. Leopold Socha, a sewer worker and petty thief in Lvov, a Nazi occupied city in Poland, one day encounters a group of Jews trying to escape the liquidation of the ghetto. He hides them for money in the labyrinth of the town’s sewers beneath the bustling activity of the city above. What starts out as a straightforward and cynical business arrangement turns into something very unexpected, the unlikely alliance between Socha and the Jews as the enterprise seeps deeper into Socha’s conscience. The film is also an extraordinary story of survival as these men, women and children all try to outwit certain death during 14 months of ever increasing and intense danger.”12/4/11- An article (not a review) about this movie in the NY Times today. TRDB.

12/9/11- Fair review in today’s NY Times but excellent ones from others. TRDB.

3) THE TURIN HORSE– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hungarian director Béla Tarr helms this black-and-white drama about an aging farmer, his daughter and his horse, which picks up just after famed German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche shields the animal from the farmer’s whip.” Good early reviews. TRDB.

4) SAFE HOUSE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “When men bent on eliminating dangerous criminal Tobin Frost attack the safe house where the CIA has squirreled him away, young operative Matt Weston must find a way to get Frost out alive and relocate him to another, securer location.” No professional reviews yet but audiences have liked it. TRDB.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

 

NEW-

 

1) A BETTER LIFE– 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.

7/24/11- I think that this is a wonderful movie with a real life glimpse into the plight of the illegal immigrant and the extraordinary measures taken by some parents to protect their children in this situation. TRDB.

2) DECLARATION OF WAR– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix.  “Fatefully named actors Roméo and Juliette fall in love and have a baby. But the stars in their eyes are dimmed when their son falls gravely ill. As they desperately cling to their image of the perfect family, they can’t ignore the devastating truth.” Average audience reviews and no professional reviews as yet. TRDB.

1/27/12- Fairly good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) DRIVE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this thriller, Driver, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver, is lured from his isolated life by a lovely neighbor and her young son. His newfound peace is shattered, however, when her violent husband is released from prison.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

9/16/11- Good review today in the Times but at one point they did say that the movie was saved from tedium by the supporting cast, whatever that means. TRDB.

9/22/11- A thriller and I agree with the comment above that the acting, particularly from Gosling, made the movie. Don’t go if you’re squeamish! TRDB.

4) POETRY– 2010. Premise by Netflix. “A poetry-writing class inspires serenely self-possessed grandmother Mija (Jeong-hie Yun) to open her senses to her suburban surroundings, but in rushes an array of unsettling discoveries in this lyrical South Korean melodrama. Along with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease comes information that Mija’s teenage grandson was party to a horrific incident, and it is left to Mija to compose order from the untidy emotional consequences.” Great reviews in general– also in NY Times on 2/11/11.

3/11- This movie was like a poem itself. Well acted and an interesting story. Slow at times but I enjoyed it. TRDB.

5) NEWLYWEDS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “The honeymoon is short-lived for newlyweds Buzzy and Katy. His wild younger sister drops in unannounced, and her ex keeps asking to borrow money. Meanwhile, they watch helplessly as their best friends’ marriage of 19 years starts to come undone.” Better than average reviews– a few very good ones also. TRDB.

6) BLACK SNAKE MOAN– 2007. Synopsis by Netflix. “In writer-director Craig Brewer’s Southern-fried drama, which draws unexpected inspiration from the classic novel Silas Marner, blues musician Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) finds sex-addicted Rae (Christina Ricci) beaten and near death, and acts as a father figure to help redeem her. But before saving anyone else, Lazarus — whose wife deserted him — must face his own demons. Pop star Justin Timberlake co-stars.”

2/12- I saw this years ago and liked it very much– it never got critical acclaim but I recommend it. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS- (Westchester and Fairfield Counties)

 

NEW IN THE BURBS-

 

1) PINA– Bethel. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Wim Wenders uses 3D technology to arresting effect in this performance documentary about Pina Baussch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal dance company. Performing in the streets and parks of Wuppertal, Germany, the troupe’s pieces include “The Rite of Spring.”12/23/11- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

1) THE ARTIST– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This modern-day silent film artfully recounts the poignant end of the silent-movie era in the late 1920s. The story contrasts the declining fortunes of a silent-screen superstar with his lover’s rise to popularity as a darling of the “talkies.”11/26/11- Great reviews including one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

12/24/11- I liked this movie very much. Very creative, well acted and an interesting story as well. TRDB.

2) ABERT NOBBS– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Having for decades disguised herself as a man while working as a butler in a posh 19th-century Dublin hotel, a woman calling herself Albert Nobbs reconsiders her charade when a handsome painter arrives on the scene.” Weak professional reviews but good audience reaction. TRDB.

3) THE IRON LADY– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Meryl Streep provides a subtle and nuanced portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of Britain, whose political career and determination changed the rules that had limited women’s opportunities for leadership.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

12/30/11- A weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) THE DESCENDANTS– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his wife is killed in a Waikiki boating accident, distant father Matt King (George Clooney) begins an iffy journey to repair his fractured relationship with his two daughters. But he’s also trying to decide whether to let go of some valuable family real estate. Judy Greer, Beau Bridges and Matthew Lillard co-star in this tragic-comic tale of legacy and unexpected loss based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

11/26/11- A very thoughtful and well acted family drama. Humor intersperced with all of the serious material lightened up an otherwise overwhelming drama. Recommended highly. TRDB.

5) MY WEEK WITH MARILYN– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “While filming a movie in England, Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe slips away with a young Brit for a week of self-discovery and frivolity. The story that ensues is based on the real-life memoirs of Colin Clark, once assistant to Sir Laurence Olivier.” Good audience reaction and mixed professional reviews. TRDB.

11/28/11- I liked the movie, loved Michelle Williams as the breathless Monroe but the screenplay was just mediocre. TRDB.  

6) EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Believing that his father left him a message before dying in the September 11 attacks, young Oskar Schell embarks on an emotional odyssey through New York City to find the lock that matches a key he found among his father’s belongings.” Weak reviews in general but several friends have enjoyed this movie. TRDB.

7) A SEPARATION– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An Iranian husband and wife split up over his decision to stay and care for his aging father instead of leaving the country with his family. But his fateful choice to hire a stranger to do most of the caretaking breeds unexpected consequences.” Very good reviews and indeed on the top ten list of at least one reviewer I’ve read. TRDB.

12/30/11- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

1/13/12- I saw this at the Palm Springs Film Festival 2012 and liked it but not as much as most of my friends. TRDB.