The Reel Dr. Bob

MARCH 15, 2012

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

YOU CAN ACCESS THIS NEWSLETTER AND OBTAIN PAST REVIEWS AT- www.thereeldrbob.com

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF LAST WEEK-

 

1) DETACHMENT– Comcast On-Demand

2) ANSWERS TO NOTHING– Netflix

3) THE SALT OF LIFE– Theater

4) FRIENDS WITH KIDS– Theater

5) OBSELIDIA– Netflix Streaming

 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) THE SALT OF LIFE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Rather than living the good life he’d imagined, newly retired Gianni spends his days running errands for those around him. Bemoaning his fate, he decides to take a mistress — a task that proves easier said than done in this wistful comedy.” Very good reviews including the NY Times. TRDB.3/11/12- A delightful comedy with a cute story. TRDB.  

2)  FRIENDS WITH KIDS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Best friends Jason and Julie decide that the way to have kids without sacrificing their social lives or careers is to raise a child together platonically. But romance and other complications interfere with their perfect plan.” Mixed reviews. TRDB.

3/9/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3/13/12- An OK romantic comedy, definitely better than what else is out there now. I enjoyed it. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) DETACHMENT– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An emotionally detached substitute teacher floats from class to class without forming any bonds. But when he takes a new assignment at an inner city school, he unexpectedly finds himself becoming involved in the lives of his colleagues and students.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.3/8/12- A great movie. Very difficult to watch at times– a tribute to great acting and a terrific screenplay. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.

2) LONDON BOULEVARD– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Golden Globe winner Colin Farrell (In Bruges) stars in this gritty crime drama as Mitchell, a recently paroled ex-con whose attempt at straight life includes taking a job as a handyman for a reclusive young starlet (Keira Knightley). Based on author Ken Bruen’s critically acclaimed novel, this adaptation marks the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed).” Bad reviews. TRDB.

3/10/12- Just awful!! I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.

3) ANSWERS TO NOTHING– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This gripping ensemble drama follows a philandering husband, a depressed Hollywood screenwriter, a vigilante schoolteacher and other citizens of Los Angeles as their daily lives intersect an LAPD detective’s search for a missing child.”

12/2/11- Good review in today’s NY Times but miserable reviews in general. TRDB.

3/11/12- I agree with the Times on this one. I found it interesting and insightful. TRDB. Netflix.

4) IN TIME– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a near future where aging stops at 25, time is the new currency and the wealthy can live forever. When Will Salas inherits decades of life from a wealthy murdered man, he’s pegged as the suspect by the corrupt Time Keepers, who enforce the law.”

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

3/11/12- An interesting premise is about all I can say for this ridiculous movie. I lasted 25 min. hoping it would get better. It didn’t. TRDB. Netflix.

5) 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.

7/29/11- Good review in the NY Times today. TRDB.

3/12/12- A meaningful documentary about a system to interdict the cycle of  violence in a Chicago neighborhood but as one reviewer put it– “great access to the subjects but the movie was repetitive and depressing.” TRDB. Netflix.

6) OBSELIDIA– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this earnest indie romance, a librarian who believes that love is an obsolete concept meets a projectionist who believes just the opposite amid the vast and silent landscapes of Death Valley.” Fair reviews at best. TRDB.

3/14/12- A bit preachy at times but still interesting, quirky, and I liked it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

 

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COMING TO NETFLIX ON TUESDAY, MARCH 20-

 

1) LOUDER THAN A BOMB– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Capturing the combined creative spirit of more than 600 Chicago-area teenagers who are participating in what’s billed as the world’s largest youth poetry slam, this documentary highlights the joy of language and the power of collaboration.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

 

2) MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “After escaping from a violent cult in rural New York, Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) tries to reconnect with her estranged sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson), and Lucy’s well-to-do husband, Ted (Hugh Dancy), but the brainwashing she endured continues to prevent her from forming an identity of her own. Overwhelmed with paranoia, guilt and shame, Martha isolates herself until Lucy begins to suspect her sister’s emotional trauma has deeper underlying causes.” Winner at Sundance 2011.10/21/11-  Only a fair review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/8/11- An interesting and very well acted psychological thriller and I liked it. TRDB.

3) CARNAGE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this comic drama from director Roman Polanski, two sets of parents meet in the aftermath of an incident in which one of their children bullied the other. As the evening progresses, the adults confront each other in increasingly hostile ways.”

9/25/11- An article (not a review) about this movie in today’s NY Times. It will be shown at the NY Film Festival. TRDB.

11/23/11- Great reviews. TRDB.

12/16/11- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) ROADIE– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this taut drama, middle-aged Jimmy Testagross loses his gig as roadie for a has-been rock band and moves back in with his ailing mother. With no job or skills, Jimmy must find a way to let go of his overextended adolescence and become his own man.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

1/6/12- Review is fair at best in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

5) THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a young computer hacker is tasked with investigating a prying journalist, their separate missions become entangled amid a decades-old conspiracy. David Fincher directs this English adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s novel.” Very good reviews for this remake only 2 years after the 1st. one. TRDB.

6) GAINSBOURG: A HEROIC LIFE– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Eric Elmosnino stars as Serge Gainsbourg in this foreign-language biopic about the life and career of the famed French singer-songwriter who, as a young Jew, survived the Nazi occupation of Paris and went on to create controversial music. Laetitia Casta and Lucy Gordon co-star.” Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

 

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OPENING THIS WEEK-

 

1) CASA DE  MI PADRE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Will Ferrell stars as a Spanish-speaking cowboy in this comedy about a Mexican clan trying to rescue their ranch from greedy creditors. When his brother can’t save the day, the simple but noble ranch hand takes on a powerful drug lord.”  Very good early reviews. TRDB.

 

2) DETACHMENT– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An emotionally detached substitute teacher floats from class to class without forming any bonds. But when he takes a new assignment at an inner city school, he unexpectedly finds himself becoming involved in the lives of his colleagues and students.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

  

3) SEEKING JUSTICE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his wife (January Jones) is savagely attacked, a humble English teacher (Nicolas Cage) is forced to make a tough choice: Should he leave the investigation up to the police, or should he entertain an offer from a vigilante gang with the skills to retaliate? Of course, if he chooses the latter, the service won’t come free; he’ll have to pull a job for them in return. Guy Pearce co-stars in this thriller directed by Roger Donaldson.” Awful early reviews. TRDB.

  

4) THE KID WITH A BIKE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “After being abandoned by his father, preteen Cyril fills with rage, and when good-hearted hairdresser Samantha tries to help him, the disillusioned boy is torn between his need to lash out at the world and his desire for love and stability.” Great early reviews. TRDB.

 

5) NATURAL SELECTION– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Asked by her dying husband to locate a boy he fathered through a sperm donation decades ago, repressed housewife Linda White sets out on a wild road trip, shedding her strict morals and making an unlikely connection with her husband’s troubled son.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

 

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

 

1) 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.2/10/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) THE WOOLGATHERER– This is a LIVE, two character theater production– not a film! The play has won many awards. TRDB.

 

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

 

NEW-

 

1) THE DECOY BRIDE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a Hollywood actress travels to a tiny Scottish island to get married, the paparazzi follow her, prompting her to flee in frustration. Her handlers decide to stage fake nuptials to dupe the press and hire a local girl to play the bride.”3/9/12- Poor reviews in general but an OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) YOUNG ADULT– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Taken aback when she receives a letter from an old boyfriend announcing that he’s just had a baby with his wife, divorced fiction writer Mavis Gary decides to return to her small hometown and reconnect with her former lover.” Great audience reviews but no professional ones as yet. TRDB.

12/9/11- Great review in today’s NY Times and very good ones elsewhere– both professional and audience. TRDB.

12/16/11- Great, no. But an OK comedy/drama that almost makes us like an unlikable character. TRDB.

3) THE DISH & THE SPOON– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Reeling with rage after learning of her husband’s infidelity, Rose departs for Delaware to find the other woman. But once she arrives, she shifts her focus to an unexpected romance with a teenage boy.”

2/10/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times but weaker ones in general. TRDB.

4) THE DESCENDANTS– 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) THE WOMEN ON THE 6th FLOOR- 2010. Synopsis by IMDB. “In 1960s Paris, a conservative couple’s lives are turned upside down by two Spanish maids.”

10/7/11- Fairly good reviews in general but a poor one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

10/18/11- The synopsis doesn’t do the film justice. I loved the characters, the screenplay, the music and basically everything else. A must see!! TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) ANONYMOUS- Fair reviews at best and I didn’t like it

 

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 IN THE BURBS-

 

1) BEING FLYNN– Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “A young man employed at a Boston homeless shelter comes upon his long-lost, destitute and alcoholic father while at work one evening in this subtle, emotionally charged drama based on the acclaimed memoir by poet and playwright Nick Flynn.” 3/2/12- Good audience reaction but somewhat weak professional reviews. A fair review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Siblings Jay and Mark Duplass direct this stoner comedy focusing on two brothers — one a moderate success, the other still living with Mom. A trip to the store for glue, however, turns into an encounter with destiny for the stay-at–home slacker.” Mostly very good reviews. TRDB.

3) SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN– Jacob Burns. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “A sheik with a love for the sport hopes to introduce fly-fishing to the Middle East and turns to uptight fisheries expert Fred Jones for help. Buoyed by the sheik’s enthusiasm (and his comely English aide), Fred sets out to achieve the impossible.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

3/9/12- Fairly good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

REPEATS-

 

1) FRIENDS WITH KIDS– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Best friends Jason and Julie decide that the way to have kids without sacrificing their social lives or careers is to raise a child together platonically. But romance and other complications interfere with their perfect plan.” Mixed reviews. TRDB.3/9/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3/13/12- An OK romantic comedy, definitely better than what else is out there now. TRDB.

2) WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN– Bethel. 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.

3) IN DARKNESS– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

4) A SEPARATION– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

2/26/12- Just won Best Foreign Film Oscar. TRDB.

 

5) THE DESCENDANTS– Bethel. 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.

6) THE ARTIST– Saw Mill Hawthorne, 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.

2/26/12- Just won Best Picture Oscar. 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