The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #421

July 27th, 2012

7/19/12- I concur– very interesting, well acted and I liked this movie very much. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

2) THE HUNTER– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Willem Dafoe stars as a mercenary sent to Tasmania to track down the last living Tasmanian tiger and obtain its genetic material. Once he reaches the tiger’s wild habitat, the hunter poses as a scientist to begin his search.”

Good early reviews. TRDB.

4/6/12- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

7/20/12- An interesting story and good acting made this film OK for me. Netflix. TRDB.

3) MY PERESTROIKA– 2010. Premise by Netflix. “An intimate look at five longtime friends who grew up shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, this documentary sheds light on how Russians have adapted to post-Soviet society and their nation’s continually shifting political landscape. Interweaving decades-old home movie footage with captivating tales of contemporary life, director Robin Hessman’s enlightening movie illustrates the stark contrast between Moscow then and now.” Very good reviews and this one sounds interesting. TRDB.

7/26/12- This movie got excellent reviews so I watched the entire film but I found it incredibly boring. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

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

2) LAST DAYS HERE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this poignant documentary portrait, an aged and gaunt Bobby Liebling — the former lead singer of the heavy metal act Pentagram — rallies to restart his life after decades of disappointment and drug addiction.”

3/2/12- An OK review in today’s NY Times and very good reviews from most other sources. TRDB.

3) LULA, THE SON OF BRAZIL– 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapted from a biography by journalist Denise Paraná, this big-budget epic chronicles the formative years of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — aka Lula — who overcame formidable obstacles to become the president of Brazil in 2003. Lula and his six young siblings live in poverty and are sent to work early; an accident on the job drives the adult Lula (Rui Ricardo Diaz) into union activism, planting the seeds for a future in politics.” Fair  reviews at best. TRDB.

4) THE HUNTER– 2012. This is NOT the same movie as “The Hunter” that I saw this week!! Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Recently released from prison, Ali (writer-director Rafi Pitts) attempts to make the most of his return to Tehran, amidst much talk of the upcoming elections and promises of change. Forced to work nights, he still tries to spend as much time as he can with his wife and their young daughter, escaping the stress of urban life through hunting trips to the secluded forest north of the city. But one day, Ali’s family goes missing-and after a long and fruitless experience with the police, Ali’s own search for his missing daughter ends in horror, pushing him over the edge into an act of terrible violence. He flees the city, pursued by the police, but soon the line between hunter and hunted becomes difficult to define.”

1/4/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times but otherwise only average reviews. TRDB.

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2) KLOWN- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Two wildly inappropriate pals run amok through the countryside plowing through social taboos, unspeakable debaucheries and absurd sexual encounters. Kidnapping, canoeing and cathouses all factor into this riotous escapade where chaos rules the day.”

No professional reviews as yet and OK audience reaction. TRDB.

3) FALLING OVERNIGHT– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “The day before Elliot is scheduled for a life-threatening surgery, his path intersects with Chloe, a young photographer. Elliot welcomes the distraction as Chloe, unaware of his condition, takes him on an exhilarating journey through the city.”

No professional reviews as yet but good audience reaction. TRDB.

4) SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Decades after Detroit singer-songwriter Rodriguez disappeared following the failure of his two critically praised records in the 1970s, two fans from South Africa, where Rodriguez was a huge hit, try to track down their idol, with intriguing results.”

Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

7/17/12- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) BURNING MAN–  2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Tom, a charismatic but moody chef at a chic Australian restaurant, has trouble controlling his temper — an issue that finally comes to a head when an angry outburst at his son’s birthday party draws the police.”

Fair reviews. TRDB.

5/25/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times, but good reviews in general.  TRDB.

6/28/12- Despite a few good scenes I was very disappointed by this movie. It proves that Hollywood can slide effortlessly into Paris. TRDB. 

2)  MOONRISE KINGDOM– Bethel, Clearview 100, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Wes Anderson’s quirky drama follows the frantic search that ensues in a small New England town when two 12-year-olds fall in love and run away together. As the townsfolk hunt for the vanished kids, a storm causes even more profound communal upheaval.”

Very good early reviews, especially from the professionals. TRDB.

6/11/12- A sweet, charming, quirky love story. See it!!! TRDB.

3) BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD–  Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, a six-year-old girl exists on the brink of orphanhood. Buoyed by her childish optimism and extraordinary imagination, she believes that the natural world is in balance with the universe until a fierce storm changes her reality. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive unstoppable catastrophes of epic proportions.”

6/11/12- Great review in the NY Times last week. TRDB.

4) TO ROME WITH LOVE– Bethel, Clearview 100, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Woody Allen plays a father meeting his daughter’s Italian in-laws to-be in this ensemble comedy that interweaves four tales set in Rome. Other cast members include Roberto Benigni as a man mistaken for a film star.”

6/22/12- Good review in today’s NY Times but only fair critical reviews in general. TRDB.

7/2/12- While there was no magical excitement in this movie I found it funny, clever and a great travelogue of the Eternal City. TRDB.  

5) BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL– Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “To make the most of their meager retirement savings, a group of British seniors relocates to India to live out their golden years at the Marigold Hotel. But upon arrival, they discover that the once-lavish resort has wilted considerably.”

Rotten Tomatoes said– “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel follows a group of British retirees who decide to “outsource” their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic India. Enticed by advertisements for the newly restored Marigold Hotel and bolstered with visions of a life of leisure, they arrive to find the palace a shell of its former self. Though the new environment is less luxurious than imagined, they are forever transformed by their shared experiences, discovering that life and love can begin again when you let go of the past.

Very good early reviews called this film a bit schmaltzy but well done. TRDB.

6) SAVAGES- Danbury. 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Laguna Beach entrepreneurs Ben (Johnson), a peaceful and charitable Buddhist, and his closest friend Chon (Kitsch), a former Navy SEAL and ex-mercenary, run a lucrative, homegrown industry-raising some of the best marijuana ever developed. They also share a one-of-a-kind love with the extraordinary beauty Ophelia (Lively). Life is idyllic in their Southern California town…until the Mexican Baja Cartel decides to move in and demands that the trio partners with them. When the merciless head of the BC, Elena (Hayek), and her brutal enforcer, Lado (Del Toro), underestimate the unbreakable bond among these three friends, Ben and Chon-with the reluctant, slippery assistance of a dirty DEA agent (Travolta)-wage a seemingly unwinnable war against the cartel.”

7/6/12- Good review in today’s NY Times but only average reviews in general. Audiences have liked it. TRDB.

7/9/12- Generally this is not my kind of movie as the film was way over the top in violence, blood and gore but I actually was surprised at how I got sucked into the different personalities involved. A qualified recommendation.  

7) NEIL YOUNG JOURNEYS– Jacob Burns. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Following rocker Neil Young to his Toronto hometown, Jonathan Demme captures the artist live in concert at Massey Hall and on the road in Ontario. This film is the third in Demme’s Neil Young concert trilogy, following Heart of Gold and Trunk Show.”

Mediocre early reviews. TRDB.

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