The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #423

August 9th, 2012

  AUGUST 9, 2012

DEAR FRIENDS:  

YOU CAN ACCESS THIS NEWSLETTER OR OLDER REVIEWS AT- www.thereeldrbob.com  

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-  

1) ORANGES AND SUNSHINE– Netflix

 2) THE ASSAULT– Netflix

3) MAKE BELIEVE– Netflix Streaming

4) THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES– Theater   ________________________________________________________________________________________  

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-  

 1) THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Directed by lauded filmmaker and photographer Lauren Greenfield, who won the U.S. Directing Award for Documentary Film at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for this film, The Queen of Versailles is a character-driven documentary about a billionaire family and their financial challenges in the wake of the economic crisis. With epic proportions of Shakespearean tragedy, the film follows two unique characters, whose rags-to-riches success stories reveal the innate virtues and flaws of the American Dream. The film begins with the family triumphantly constructing the biggest house in America, a 90,000 sq. ft. palace. Over the next two years, their sprawling empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis. Major changes in lifestyle and character ensue within the cross-cultural household of family members and domestic staff.”

Very good reviews in general and in the NY Times on 7/20/12. TRDB.

8/8/12- A very good and insightful documentary that also revealed the psycho-social history of the characters to better understand their reaction to adversity. TRDB.  

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-  

 1) MAKE BELIEVE– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “This illuminating look at the lives of young magicians follows six hopefuls from the United States, Japan and South Africa as they vie for the title of Teen World Champion at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. On one hand, their adolescence is extraordinary, but they also share the same problems as many ordinary teens, from poverty to overbearing parents to struggling to fit in. J. Clay Tweel directs this Best Documentary Feature at the L.A. Film Festival.” Good review in NY Times on 5/13/11. TRDB.

8/7/12- Very good documentary!! Really got to know the kids and what “magic” means to them.  TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

 2) ORANGES AND SUNSHINE– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on real events, this stirring drama follows British social worker Margaret Humphreys (Emily Watson) as she uncovers a shocking deportation scandal involving thousands of children and risks her personal life to draw global attention to this grave injustice. An adaptation of Humphreys’s book Empty Cradles, this inspiring story of courage and conviction also stars Hugo Weaving, David Wenham and Tara Morice.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

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

8/2/12- I liked this movie very much. Difficult to watch at times because of the abuse that befell many of these migrant children, the movie also portrayed the conflict for the heroine of this story both in terms of her relationship with her own family and in terms of what she felt she could not do for these grown kids even now. TRDB. Netflix.

3) THE FLOWERS OF WAR– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1937, as the Japanese army brutally invades the Chinese city of Nanking, an American mortician is trapped inside a western cathedral and vows to protect a group of young schoolgirls and 13 courtesans who are seeking refuge from the soldiers.” Awful professional reviews but audiences appear to like it. TRDB.

8/3/12- Ridiculous movie that seemed “made for TV only worse.”  I turned it off fairly quickly. TRDB. Netflix.

4) THE ASSAULT– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on the 1994 attack on an Air France plane, this dramatization tells the story of the stunning response to this globally televised act of terrorism. Incorporating real footage, the film explores personalities from all sides of the conflict.”

OK early reviews. TRDB.

4/6/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times and by many other critics as well. TRDB.

8/6/12- I found this movie interesting primarily because it was based on a true story. There was some original footage as well. It was worth seeing for the historical information especially leading up to the storming of the aircraft. By the way, this was the first dubbed movie I’ve seen in a long time and it was poorly done. TRDB. Netflix.

5) RED TAILS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “The 332nd Fighter Group, an all-black World War II unit made up of the best escort pilots and known as the Red Tails, fights racism at home while fighting the Nazis abroad in this action-packed drama based on the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen.”

1/20/12- Excellent audience reviews, poor professional ones and a “just OK” review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

8/6/12-An awful movie replete with every generalization you’ve heard of on this topic. I turned it off quickly. TRDB. Netflix.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, AUG. 14-  

1) PROJECT X– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Deciding to throw a party when their parents go out of town, three high school geeks hope to lure chicks to their revelries by posting an invitation online. But the invite goes viral, and before long the party escalates into a frenzied free-for-all.”

3/2/12- This ridiculous sounding movie got awful professional reviews but the NY Times seemed to like it. I’m not sure what to say! TRDB.

2) THE SNOWTOWN MURDERS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This grisly thriller is based on the true story of John Bunting — Australia’s worst serial killer — and the people he convinced to help him. One of them is teenager Jamie, whose entire family eventually falls under Bunting’s dark spell.

3/2/12- Very good reviews including today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) HICK– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Small town teenager Luli (Chloe Grace Moretz) escapes to Las Vegas, leaving behind her alcoholic and abusive parents. Armed with her smarts, a pistol and pocket money, she hitchhikes her way west. Along the way, Luli crosses paths with Eddie (Eddie Redmayne), an unstable rebel with questionable motives and Glenda (Blake Lively), a cocaine-snorting drifter on the run. Adapted from the critically acclaimed novel by Andrea Portes, this powerful story pulls you into a provocative world of drugs, seduction and murder.”

5/11/12- Several good audience reviews but awful professional reviews so far. Bad review in today’s NY Times. I’d skip it! TRDB.

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 OPENED LAST WEEK IN ADDITION TO THOSE I WROTE ABOUT ON 8/2-  

 1) THE BABYMAKERS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Devoted married man Tommy grows increasingly distressed by his failure to impregnate his wife, Audrey. In a desperate bid to have a child of their own, Tommy assembles an oddball group of thieves to steal his long-ago sperm bank donations.”

8/3/12- Sounds stupid and vulgar but the NY Times liked it in today’s review. Most critics did not!! TRDB.

2) FREE RADICALS: A HISTORY OF EXPERIMENTAL FILM– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Avant-garde director Pip Chodorov offers viewers an intimate tour of experimental film and its creators with this fascinating documentary that features rare interviews, historical analysis, clips and in some cases, entire movies. Along with pioneer Stan Brakhage’s last interview, Chodorov presents discussions with Michael Snow and Robert Breer, and examines the influence of transformative artists such as Jonas Mekas and Andy Warhol.”

8/3/12- A good review in today’s NY Times. No others available at this time. TRDB.

3) DREAMS OF A LIFE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker Carol Morley tells the strange story of Joyce Vincent, whose body was found in her tiny studio flat three years after she died. How did an outgoing 38-year-old with no shortage of friends and family just disappear from the world?”

8/3/12 A weak review in today’s NY Times but other critics have liked it. The Times called it frustrating and that it left too many blanks in the story. TRDB.

4) MOSQUITA Y MARI– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Neighbors but by no means friends, high schoolers Yolanda and Mari discover a bond and an attraction when they‘re made study partners. One a star student, the other more focused on work — both are rocked to the core by their growing connection.”

8/3/12- Great review in today’s NY Times and by others as well. TRDB.

5) DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “During his summer vacation, “Wimpy Kid” Greg Heffley, the hero of the phenomenally successful book series, hatches a plan to pretend he has a job at a ritzy country club – which fails to keep him away from the season’s dog days, including embarrassing mishaps at a public pool and a camping trip that goes horribly wrong.”

8/3/12- An OK review in today’s NY Times but weak professional reviews in general. Audiences have liked it. TRDB.

6) SUSHI: THE GLOBAL CATCH– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Sushi, a cuisine formerly found only in Japan, has grown exponentially in other nations, and an industry has been created to support it. In a rush to please a hungry public, the expensive delicacy has become common and affordable, appearing in restaurants, supermarkets and even fast food trailers. The traditions requiring 7 years of apprenticeship in Japan have given way to quick training and mass-manufactured solutions elsewhere. This hunger for sushi has led to the depletion of apex predators in the ocean, including bluefin tuna, to such a degree that it has the potential to upset the ecological balance of the world’s oceans, leading to a collapse of all fish species.”

8/3/12- A fair review in today’s NY Times and by other critics as well. Audiences have not liked it. TRDB.

7) GIRLFRIEND BOYFRIEND– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “When three rebellious students leave their hometown to pursue their lifelong dreams in the big city, their relationships start to face the pressures of real life as the 1980s Taiwanese sociopolitical reformation movement unfolds in the background.”

8/3/12- Great review in today’s NY Times but just OK reviews by other critics. Audiences have loved it. TRDB.

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 OPENING THIS WEEK-  

1) HOPE SPRINGS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Feeling disconnected in her decades-old marriage, Maeve convinces her skeptical husband to attend a marriage therapy week with a celebrated relationship expert — but now they must shed their inhibitions and learn some new sexual and emotional moves.”

8/8/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times. Audiences have liked it a lot. TRDB.

2) MEET THE FOKKENS– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Louise and Martine Fokkens are 69-year-old identical twins, working residents of Amsterdam’s notorious red light district for the past 50 years. Today Louise is retired (citing arthritis: “I couldn’t get one leg over the other”), but Martine still works in the window. Dressed in the world’s most endearing dominatrix outfit, she solicits men, young and old, and seems to have no dearth of customers. Brash, funny, racy stories punctuate their conversations: one laughs at the naivety of young prostitutes who are ignorant of the secrets of the trade; the other recalls a client who was a chaplain: “Don’t you remember, we even had a little confessional!” The sisters also have scary stories to tell, but in the main they recall their clients with compassion and affection. The Fokkens are a wonderfully amusing cultural mix: one part beloved grandma, one part Xaviera Hollander, times two.

Very good early reviews. TRDB.

8/8/12- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

3) 2 DAYS IN NEW YORK– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Marion and Mingus live cozily-perhaps too cozily-with their cat and two young children from previous relationships. However, when Marion’s jolly father (played by director Delpy’s real-life dad), her oversexed sister, and her sister’s outrageous boyfriend unceremoniously descend upon them for a visit, it initiates two unforgettable days that will test Marion and Mingus’s relationship. With their unwitting racism and sexual frankness, the French triumvirate hilariously has no boundaries or filters…and no person is left unscathed in its wake.”

Mixed reviews, both audience and professional. TRDB.

 4) THE GREEN WAVE– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “THE GREEN WAVE is a powerful film documenting the populist protests in Iran following the suspicious victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over progressive candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi in the Iranian presidential elections on June 12, 2009. Cell phone videos posted on the internet, Twitter messages, as well as animated blog posts and interviews with prominent human rights advocates and exiled Iranians bear witness to the brutal attacks by government militia in their efforts to squelch the protests that followed. THE GREEN WAVE is a highly contemporary chronicle of the Green Revolution, and a memorial for all of those who believed in freedom and lost their lives for it.”

Very good early reviews. TRDB.

5) RED HOOK SUMMER– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Flik’s summer vacation is upended when he’s sent from suburban Atlanta to stay with his preacher grandfather in the projects of Brooklyn. As the old man tries to get religion into his grandson, Flik befriends a mischievous girl from the congregation.”

Fairly good reviews so far for this new Spike Lee movie. TRDB.

6) LET GO– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “A disheartened parole officer struggling to find happiness in a ho-hum marriage finds inspiration from an unlikely source: his own parolees. As his slightly loopy ex-cons play out their dramas, the parole officer works to resolve his own.”

Very good early reviews. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-  

1) SING YOUR SONG– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hoping to inspire a new generation of activists, entertainer Harry Belafonte allows director Susanne Rostock intimate access to his life to document his many decades as a performer and as a tireless advocate for human rights around the world. As a supporter of Martin Luther King Jr. and the victim of racism during his tours of the South, Belafonte was deeply committed to social change in the U.S. and later worked to end apartheid in South Africa.” Great audience reaction. TRDB.

1/13/12- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

6/3012- A very well done film about a very interesting man and I highly recommend it. TRDB.

2) TAKE THIS WALTZ–  2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmed in Toronto, this intimate, unflashy romantic drama portrays a happily married woman who experiences a sudden and strong desire for another man. Further complicating the situation, the object of her desire resides just across the street.”

Very good early reviews. TRDB.

6/29/12- Great review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

7/2/12- Great acting by Michelle Williams and if you can suspend a bit of reality I think you can enjoy this film. I did. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-  

NEW-  

 1) THE BABYMAKERS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Devoted married man Tommy grows increasingly distressed by his failure to impregnate his wife, Audrey. In a desperate bid to have a child of their own, Tommy assembles an oddball group of thieves to steal his long-ago sperm bank donations.”

8/3/12- Sounds stupid and vulgar but the NY Times liked it in today’s review. Most critics did not!! TRDB.

2) CRAIGSLIST JOE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Setting out to explore whether America still has a sense of community, with people helping each other through hard times, 29-year-old Joseph Garner spends a month depending on the goodness of Craigslist posters for his survival.”

Good early reviews. TRDB.

  REPEATS-  

1) 50/50- I liked it- a fun movie despite the heavy premise

2) THE ARTIST- I liked this movie very much

3) BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO- Very good reviews

4) BEING FLYNN- Mediocre reviews

5) BURNING HOT SUMMER- Poor reviews in general but the NY Times liked it

6) BURNING MAN- Fair reviews

7) CASA DE MI PADRE- So-so reviews

8)DESCENDANTS- I liked it very much

9) EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE- Just fair

10) FRIENDS WITH KIDS- Very good

11) HUGO- A fun movie for ALL ages

12) THE IRON LADY- Weak movie but worth seeing just for Meryl Streep

13) LAST RIDE- I liked the movie

14) MAGIC OF BELLE ISLE- Good reviews

15) MY WEEK WITH MARILYN- I liked this very much

16) NESTING- Audiences have liked this more than the critics

17) PARIAH- Good reviews

18)PEACE, LOVE & MISUNDERSTANDING- Poor reviews all around

19) POLISSE- Good reviews

20) RED TAILS- I disliked this movie and turned it off

21) SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN- Most liked this a lot but I found it full of Hollywood

22) STELLA DAYS- Poor early reviews but I like Martin Sheen and I plan to see this one

23) TAKE THIS WALTZ- I liked this movie very much

24) TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY- Fair reviews at best

25) TRISHNA- Good reviews

26) WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN- Very good movie

27) WOMAN IN THE FIFTH- I liked it

28) YOUNG ADULT- I thought this was good but not nearly as good as the critics said  

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- (Westchester and Fairfield Counties)  

NEW IN THE BURBS-  

1) HOPE SPRINGS– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Feeling disconnected in her decades-old marriage, Maeve convinces her skeptical husband to attend a marriage therapy week with a celebrated relationship expert — but now they must shed their inhibitions and learn some new sexual and emotional moves.”

Very good  professional and audience reviews . TRDB.

8/8/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) RUBY SPARKS– Danbury, Clearview 100. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In an effort to conquer his writer’s block, a young novelist — who’s having trouble duplicating the success of his earlier work — jots down all the attributes of his dream girl. But things get weird when she suddenly comes to life.”

Mixed early reviews but more good than poor. Audiences have liked it. TRDB.

An article about the movie in the NY Times on 7/22/12. TRDB.

  REPEATS-  

1) THE INTOUCHABLES– Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this compelling story based on true events, affluent quadriplegic Phillipe hires Driss — a young Parisian petty criminal — to be his caregiver, and the two form an unexpected bond that changes both their lives.” Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

5/6/12- An article in today’s NY Times talks about the movie and the lead actor. Apparently this has become a “hot” topic in France. 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, Saw Mill Hawthorne. 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– Jacob Burns, 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.

7/30/12- I’ll start off by saying that I enjoyed the film except for the dialogue which was realistic but difficult to understand on many occasions. The acting and the individual scenes of this movie were unforgettable but I felt that the sum total of these scenes far outweighed the movie itself. Still, I’d recommend seeing it. TRDB.

4) TO ROME WITH LOVE– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100, 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) THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES- Jacob Burns, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Directed by lauded filmmaker and photographer Lauren Greenfield, who won the U.S. Directing Award for Documentary Film at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for this film, The Queen of Versailles is a character-driven documentary about a billionaire family and their financial challenges in the wake of the economic crisis. With epic proportions of Shakespearean tragedy, the film follows two unique characters, whose rags-to-riches success stories reveal the innate virtues and flaws of the American Dream. The film begins with the family triumphantly constructing the biggest house in America, a 90,000 sq. ft. palace. Over the next two years, their sprawling empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis. Major changes in lifestyle and character ensue within the cross-cultural household of family members and domestic staff.”

Very good reviews in general and in the NY Times on 7/20/12. TRDB.

8/8/12- A very good and insightful documentary that also revealed the psycho-social history of the characters to better understand their reaction to adversity. 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

  ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB

Entry Filed under: Old Newsletters