The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #437

November 23rd, 2012

  NOVEMBER 22, 2012

DEAR FRIENDS:  

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

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-  NONE   _________________________________________________________________________________________  

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-  

1) LINCOLN– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director Steven Spielberg takes on the towering legacy of Abraham Lincoln, focusing on his stewardship of the Union during the Civil War years. The biographical saga also reveals the conflicts within Lincoln’s cabinet regarding the war and abolition.”

11/9/12- The NY Times gave this a great review today. TRDB.

11/18/12- There have been many critics raving about this movie. Day-Lewis gave a wonderful performance but I found the movie uninspiring. I felt that it was too long, too preachy and that there were too many characters to keep track of. TRDB.   _________________________________________________________________________________________  

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-  

 1) LOLA VERSUS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “When her fiancé dumps her right before the wedding, 29-year-old Lola finds herself single for the first time in almost a decade. Desperate to figure out where her life goes next, quirky Lola seeks advice from her two best friends and hippie parents.”

An article about the actress Greta Gerwig in the NY Times on 5/6/12. TRDB.

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

11/19/12- Poor reviews as noted and I totally agree. I turned it off fairly quickly. TRDB. Netflix.

2) OCTOBER BABY– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “As the curtain rises, Hannah hesitantly steps onto the stage for her theatrical debut in college. Yet before her first lines, she collapses. Countless medical tests all point to one underlying factor: Hannah’s difficult birth. This revelation is nothing compared to discovering that she was actually adopted . . . after a failed abortion attempt. Bewildered, angered and confused, Hannah embarks on a journey with Jason, her oldest friend. In the midst of her incredible journey to discover her hidden past and find hope for her unknown future, Hannah sees that life can be so much more than what you have planned.”

Fairly good early audience reviews but awful professional ones. TRDB.

3/23/12- Poor review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/21/12- This movie really tried but didn’t quite make it. I did see it through, however. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, NOV. 27-  

1) RUBY SPARKS– 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.

2) LAWLESS– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This true-to-life action saga profiles Virginia’s bootlegging Bondurant gang, whose exploits during the Prohibition era made them outlaw heroes. The three Bondurant brothers tussle with the law and each other as they try to survive changing times.”

Mixed reviews by critics but audiences have liked this one very much. A few called it a bad gangster movie. TRDB.

3) 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.

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 OPENED LAST WEEK IN ADDITION TO THE MOVIES I WROTE ABOUT ON NOV. 15-  

1) MEA MAXIMA CULPA– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker Alex Gibney explores the scourge of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, highlighting the story of five deaf men who spoke out about a priest who molested more than 200 children between 1950 and 1974.”

Rotten Tomatoes said “In MEA MAXIMA CULPA: SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, Oscar (R)-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney examines the abuse of power in the Catholic Church through the story of four courageous deaf men, who in the first known case of public protest, set out to expose the priest who abused them. Through their case the film follows a cover-up that winds its way from the row houses of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, through the bare ruined choirs of Ireland’s churches, all the way to the highest office of the Vatican.”

11/16/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times and everywhere else as well. TRDB.

2) FIRST WINTER– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “A group of young Brooklynites moves into a rural farmhouse together, filling their days with sex, art and yoga until a blizzard knocks out the power. As food runs low and tensions run high, they begin to give in to their baser instincts.”

11/16/12- The NY Times liked this film but others have not. TRDB.

3) THE ROUNDUP (LA RAFLE)- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “This gripping drama based on a true story follows the fate of three carefree Parisian boys and their families as Nazi officials and corrupt French collaborators arrest them — along with thousands of other French Jews — in 1942. Shipped to a holding facility until they can be sent to concentration camps, the lads encounter a weary Jewish doctor (Jean Reno) and a kindly Christian nurse (Mélanie Laurent). Roselyne Bosch directs.” Good audience reviews.

4/11- A true and difficult  film to watch, this well done docudrama portrays a piece of history that is unfortunately not well known. Recommended with a warning that this film will evoke a powerful emotional response. TRDB. At the Westchester Jewish Film Festival.

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

4) 16 ACRES– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The rebuilding of the World Trade Center is the most architecturally, politically, and emotionally complex urban renewal project in American history. From the beginning, the rebuilding effort has been fraught with controversy, drama, delays and politics. The struggle has encompassed eleven years, nineteen government agencies, a dozen projects, and over $20 billion.”

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

5) TURNING- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “TURNING, based on a critically acclaimed tour of Europe by Antony and Charles Atlas, is a music documentary that explores the heart of that performance. Through its synthesis of Antonys songs and unfurling video portraiture of the 13 remarkable women who performed on stage, TURNING creates an intimate and cinematic experience exploring themes of identity, transcendence and the revelation of essence.”

11/16/12- A somewhat weak review in today’s NY Times. Mostly good reviews from others.  TRDB.

6) WHO BOMBED JUDI BARI?- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A news anchor reports while graphic news coverage of a terrorist car bomb attack in 1990 in Oakland, CA is shown. Two Earth First! activists are immediately blamed by the FBI for bombing themselves. We learn that the victim/suspects Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney have later sued the FBI and Oakland Police and that Judi Bari is now dying of cancer before her case goes to trial. Weak though defiant, she gives her deposition, on camera, just a month before she dies.”

11/16/12- A so-so review in today’s NY Times. Mixed reviews elsewhere. TRDB.

7) HABIBI- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Habibi, a story of forbidden love, is a fiction feature set in Gaza. Two students in the West Bank are forced to return home to Gaza, where their love defies tradition. To reach his lover, Qays grafittis poetry across town. Habibi is a modern re-telling of the famous ancient Sufi parable Majnun Layla. The full Arabic title is Habibi Rasak Kharban, which translates as “darling, something’s wrong with your head.”

11/16/12- A weak review in today’s NY Times and elsewhere. TRDB.

8)GENERATION P- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Ginzburg brings author Victor Pelevin’s popular cult novel to the screen in this confrontational, occasionally hallucinogenic social satire. The film centers around a cynical Russian poet, Babylen Tatarsky (Vladimir Yepifantsev) found working in a drab sidewalk convenience shop. A chance run-in with an old friend reveals an exciting career opportunity. With Communism now a thing of the past, Moscow is quickly moving into the future. That means Western products will soon be flooding into stores, and in order to sell them Russian advertisers must dream up campaigns with local flavor. Babylen quickly climbs the ladder of success alongside virtual politicians, gangsters, politicians, freshly minted millionaires, brands and advertising gurus. Babylen turns to LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, cocaine, vodka and spiritual communication for creative inspiration. Summoning the spirit of Che Guevara with a Ouija board, Babylen gets an unexpected education that completely alters his perspective of the media and leadership.”

11/16/12- A very good review in today’s NY Times and by most other critics as well. TRDB.

9) THE COMEDY– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Aging hipster Swanson is inured to his life of privilege in New York, where he will inherit his father’s wealth. Instead of doing anything meaningful with his time, Swanson engages in meaningless games of casual cruelty with his equally numb friends.”

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

10) PRICE CHECK– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “For Pete, settling down with a wife and son meant giving up his unstable musical career to work for a third-rate supermarket chain. A reform-minded new boss plans to make an executive out of Pete, who realizes he still harbors dreams of music fame.”

Fair early reviews. TRDB.

11/16/12- Today’s NY Times described a strong beginning and a weak ending for this movie. TRDB.

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OPENING THIS WEEK-  

1) GOTTFRIED HELWEIN AND THE DREAMING CHILD– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Gottfried Helnwein and The Dreaming Child offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the creation of The Child Dreams, an opera designed by world-famous Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein for the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv in 2010. Based on the play written by Israel’s most celebrated playwright, Hanoch Levin, the libretto portrays the hopes and dreams of children in search of freedom and peace.”

Very good early reviews. TRDB.

2) RED DAWN– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Chinese military forces invade American soil and try to pacify citizens in one community, Marine Jed Eckert (Chris Hemsworth) and a group of his local teenage pals elude capture and go underground to organize a resistance. But their uprising soon faces a ruthless adversary determined to stomp out their grass-roots rebellion. Dan Bradley directs and Josh Peck and Adrianne Palicki co-star in this remake of the hit 1984 drama of the same name.”

Awful reviews. TRDB.

3) LIFE OF PI– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel, this coming-of-age tale recounts the adventures of Pi, an Indian boy who is the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with only some zoo animals for company.”

Excellent reviews. TRDB.

4) RUST AND BONE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “To support his young son, faded boxer Ali takes a job as a bouncer and meets the free-spirited Stéphanie, who trains whales at a water park. After Stéphanie suffers a devastating accident, Ali begins a poignant and unexpected relationship with her.”

Great early reviews. TRDB.

5) HITCHCOCK– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Iconic filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock struggles with his marriage, the censors and the financiers of his 1960 film Psycho in this biopic. Driven to prove he still has an edge, Hitchcock crafts what would become one of the greatest thrillers of all time.”

Good early reviews. TRDB.

6) THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This piercing documentary examines the case of five teenagers, all African-American or Latino, who were convicted of the brutal rape of a white woman in Central Park in 1989. Years later, the confession of the real rapist set the jailed men free.”

Excellent reviews. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-  

1) STEP UP TO THE PLATE– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Acclaimed French chef Michel Bras passes the torch (in this case his namesake restaurant) to his son Sébastien in this intimate documentary. The eatery, its mouth-watering cuisine and Michel’s mammoth reputation are all virtual co-stars.”

Very early reviews are a bit weak. TRDB.

9/14/12- OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

 2) THE ROLLING STONES: CHARLIE IS MY DARLING– 2012. Synopsis by IMDB. “A documentary on the Rolling Stones that was shot in 1965 on a two-stop tour of Ireland, just as “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was becoming a worldwide sensation.”

Great reviews. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-  

NEW-  

1) THE COMEDY– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Aging hipster Swanson is inured to his life of privilege in New York, where he will inherit his father’s wealth. Instead of doing anything meaningful with his time, Swanson engages in meaningless games of casual cruelty with his equally numb friends.”

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

2) PRICE CHECK– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “For Pete, settling down with a wife and son meant giving up his unstable musical career to work for a third-rate supermarket chain. A reform-minded new boss plans to make an executive out of Pete, who realizes he still harbors dreams of music fame.”

Fair early reviews. TRDB.

11/16/12- Today’s NY Times described a strong beginning and a weak ending for this movie. TRDB.

3) SAVE THE DATE– 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After an ill-timed and very public marriage proposal, fiercely independent Sarah breaks up with her overeager boyfriend Kevin. Sarah turns to her sister Beth for support, but Beth is too busy obsessing over the details of her own wedding to Kevin’s band mate, Andrew. When Sarah suddenly finds herself caught up in an intense rebound romance with the adorable Jonathan, she is forced to examine her own fears of commitment and vulnerability. With honesty, heart, and humor, all five struggle with the trials, happiness, and pain of modern love. In the end Sarah must decide – is it better to stay safely single or to risk it all on love?”

Mixed early reviews. TRDB.

  REPEATS-  

1) ALL TOGHETHER- Fairly good reviews

2) ARBITRAGE- I liked this movie a lot

3) BABYMAKERS- The NY Times liked it. Most critics did not!

4) BACHLORETTE- Fair reviews at best

5) BACKWARDS- Awful reviews

6) BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO- A fairly good documentary that could have been better

7) BEING FLYNN- I thought it was “so-so”

8)BUTTER- Good reviews

9) CASA DE MI PADRE- Just fair reviews but I liked it

10) CRAIGSLIST JOE- Good early reviews

11) ESCAPE FIRE: THE FIGHT TO RESCUE AMERICAN HEALTHCARE-  Good reviews

12) FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT- OK reviews

13) THE FLAT- I liked this movie

14) FOR ELLEN- Weak reviews

15) FRIENDS WITH KIDS- Very good

16) GREEN WAVE- Good reviews

17) HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE- Good reviews

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

19) LIBERAL ARTS- I liked this romantic movie.

20) THE LONLIEST PLANET- Some bad reviews

21) MOONRISE KINGDOM- I liked it

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

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

24) NOBODY WALKS- Reviews are weak

25) OCTOBER BABY- Awful professional reviews

26) PEOPLE LIKE US-  I enjoyed the movie despite some light fluff. Some good dialogue as well

27) THE PUSHER- OK reviews but critics said the original was better

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

29) A SEPARATION- Most liked this- I found it just OK

30) SLEEPWALK WITH ME- I found this one disappointing- it was just OK

31) WOMAN IN THE FIFTH- I liked 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- (Westchester and Fairfield Counties)  

NEW IN THE BURBS-  

1) ANNA KARENINA– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Oscar winner Tom Stoppard penned this adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel, which stars Keira Knightley as the titular 19th-century Russian aristocrat who enters into a passionate and forbidden love affair with the well-heeled Count Vronsky.”

OK early reviews in general but a few miserable ones as well. TRDB.

11/16/12- Basically a good review in today’s NY Times. I think the Times was disappointed. Others gave it mixed reviews, more good than bad. TRDB.

2) LIFE OF PI– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel, this coming-of-age tale recounts the adventures of Pi, an Indian boy who is the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with only some zoo animals for company.”

Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3) SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a four-year stay in a psychiatric institution, former teacher Pat Peoples has no choice but to move back in with his mother. While he’s trying in vain to reunite with his wife, Pat meets another woman fated to change his life.”

Very good reviews. TRDB.

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

REPEATS-  

1) THE SESSIONS– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “After spending years in an iron lung, a man decides he wants to explore his sexuality for the first time, and hires a surrogate to aid the goal. Through their intensifying relationship, this indie drama illustrates the many forms love can take.”

Very good early reviews. TRDB.

10/19/12- Excellent review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

11/3/12- I found this movie alternately touching, sad, funny and very moving. TRDB.

2) ARGO– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1979, when Iranian militants seize the American embassy, six Americans slip into the Canadian embassy for protection, prompting the CIA to concoct an elaborate plot to rescue them by pretending that they are filmmakers rather than diplomats.”

Excellent reviews. TRDB.

10/25/12- A fascinating and apparently true story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. TRDB.

3) LINCOLN– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director Steven Spielberg takes on the towering legacy of Abraham Lincoln, focusing on his stewardship of the Union during the Civil War years. The biographical saga also reveals the conflicts within Lincoln’s cabinet regarding the war and abolition.”

11/9/12- The NY Times gave this a great review today. TRDB.

11/18/12- There have been many critics raving about this movie. Day-Lewis gave a wonderful performance but I found the movie uninspiring and I felt that it was too long, too preachy and that there were too many characters to keep track of. TRDB.  

4) A ROYAL AFFAIR–  Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 18th-century Denmark, the unstable King Christian IV neglects his young queen, Mathilde, who falls in love with his German physician, Struensee, an intellectual whose advocation of reform transforms the country but brings about his own downfall.”

Great early reviews!! TRDB.

11/9/12- A weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

5) THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER- Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this engaging coming-of-age tale based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, a shy freshman struggling with depression deals with his best friend’s suicide and his first love — and finds help from two seniors who take an interest in him.”

Mixed reviews, mostly good. TRDB.

9/21/12– Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

6) A LATE QUARTET– Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “Tempers flare, old jealousies reignite and new passions are sparked when the members of a world-renowned string quartet are preparing to celebrate their 25th anniversary and learn that their leader must step down due to a grim medical diagnosis.”

11/2/12- A fairly good review in today’s NY Times, especially for the actors. Other critics have liked it as well and so have audiences. TRDB.

11/11/12- I enjoyed this movie very much. Great acting and a good story with a touching screenplay. A bit of schmaltz at the end was unnecessary. TRDB. 

7) THE OTHER SON– Clearview 100. – 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “”The Other Son” is the moving and provocative tale of two young men — one Israeli, the other Palestinian — who discover they were accidentally switched at birth, and the complex repercussions facing them and their respective families. Joseph (Jules Sitruk), an 18-year-old musician preparing to join the Israeli army for his mandatory military service, lives at home in a comfortable suburb of Tel Aviv with his parents, France-born physician Orith (Emmanuelle Devos) and Israel-born army commander Alon Silbers (Pascal Elbé). A blood test for Joseph’s military service reveals that he is not their biological son. During the Gulf War Joseph was evacuated from a clinic along with another baby, and the pair were given back to the wrong families. While Palestinian Joseph went to Tel Aviv with the Silbers, their actual Jewish son, Yacine (Medhi Dehbi), was brought to the West Bank by an Arab couple, Said (Khalifa Natour) and Leila (Areen Omari). The revelation turns the lives of the two families upside-down, forcing them to reassess their respective identities, values, and beliefs.”

10/26/12– A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

10/28/12- I liked this movie very much. Great acting and a different slant on a premise that has been done before. The film was very well done especially and dealing with the sensitivities regarding this region of the world. Highly recommended. TRDB.

8)SKYFALL– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a serious menace threatens MI6, James Bond is on the case — putting aside his own life and personal issues to hunt and obliterate the perpetrators. Meanwhile, secrets arise from M’s past that strain Bond’s loyalty to his longtime boss.”

Great reviews!! 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: Newsletter from 2 weeks ago