The Reel Dr. Bob

OCTOBER 11, 2024

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) WILL & HARPER– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Three years ago, Will Ferrell was filming a movie when he received a most surprising email: his? dear friend of nearly 30 years was coming out to him as a trans woman.”

10/6/24- Excellent reviews by the critics and good ones from audiences. It is more a story of friendship then anything else.

2) OUR SOULS AT NIGHT– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though widow Addie Moore and widower Louis Waters have been next-door neighbors for decades, they’ve scarcely had any contact since their spouses died. But everything changes when Addie, looking to make a connection, pays Louis a visit.”

This is what I wrote 7 years ago when I saw this movie for the first time. TRDB.

9/29/17- Very good reviews from the critics and OK ones from audiences. TRDB.

9/29/17- Jane Fonda and Robert Redford were great together and the movie was enjoyable as well. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

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NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) FOOD AND COUNTRY– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Trailblazing food writer and best-selling memoirist Ruth Reichl examines the precarious state of America’s food system. Reaching across political and social divides, she meets with small farmers, ranchers, and chefs risking it all to survive. Through Reichl’s eyes, we see the humanity and struggle behind the food we eat.”

10/7/24- Weak early reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

2) BLINK– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “When three of their four children are diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare and incurable disease that leads to severe visual impairment, the Pelletier family’s world changes forever. In the face of this life-altering news, Edith Lemay, Sébastien Pelletier and their children set out on a trip around the world to experience all its beauty while they still can.”

10/8/24- Good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

MOVIES SHOWING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE, NY

1) SATURDAY NIGHT–

2) THE OUTRUN

3) MY OLD ASS–

4) THE WILD ROBOT–

5) PIECE BY PIECE-

MOVIES SHOWING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) SATURDAY NIGHT

2) THE WILD ROBOT

MOVIES SHOWING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) SATURDAY NIGHT

2) THE WILD ROBOT–

3) THE OUTRUN–

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MOVIES SHOWING IN PALM BEACH CO. NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) BLINK–

b) WHITE BIRD–

c) LEE–

d) SATURDAY NIGHT–

e) THE WILD ROBOT–

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Same as Lake Worth

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

(www.thereeldrbob,com)

FILM REVIEWS #1020-

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) HIS THREE DAUGHTERS– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “From writer-director Azazel Jacobs (French Exit, The Lovers) comes this bittersweet and often funny story of an elderly patriarch and the three grown daughters who come to be with him in his final days.”

9/19/23- Excellent reviews and I liked it very much. TRDB. Netflix

NEW MOVIES-

1) WILL & HARPER– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Three years ago, Will Ferrell was filming a movie when he received a most surprising email: his? dear friend of nearly 30 years was coming out to him as a trans woman.”

10/6/24- Excellent reviews by the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB. Netflix

2) WHITE BIRD– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “From the best-selling author of Wonder, the book that sparked a movement to “choose kind,” comes the inspirational next chapter. In White Bird: A Wonder Story, we follow Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman. To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage — during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy shelters her from mortal danger.”

10/4/23- Good  reviews from audiences. TRDB.

3) THE OUTRUN– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Rona, fresh out of rehab, returns to the wild Orkney Islands after more than a decade away. As she reconnects with the dramatic landscape where she grew up, memories of her childhood merge with the more recent challenging events that have set her on the path to recovery.”

10/6/24- Fair reviews.TRDB.

MOVIES SHOWING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE, NY

1) SATURDAY NIGHT–

2) MY OLD ASS–

3) MEGALPOLIS-

4) THE WILD ROBOT–

5) A DIFFERENT MAN–

MOVIES SHOWING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) WHITE BIRD– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “From the best-selling author of Wonder, the book that sparked a movement to “choose kind,” comes the inspirational next chapter. In White Bird: A Wonder Story, we follow Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman. To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage — during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy shelters her from mortal danger.”

10/4/23- Fair reviews but it sounds interesting to me. TRDB.

2) MEGALAPOLIS–

3) THE WILD ROBOT–

MOVIES SHOWING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATUREWS IN BETHEL-

1) THE OUTRUN–

2) THE WILD ROBOT–

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MOVIES SHOWING IN PALM BEACH NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) LEE–

b) WHITE BIRD–

c) THE WILD ROBOT–

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Same as Lake Worth

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

a) A DIFFERENT MAN– 10/18–10/20)

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) A MISTAKE– 2024. Synopsis by RottenTomatoes. “Elizabeth is a gifted surgeon–the only female consultant at her hospital. But while operating on a young woman, something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of a new scheme to publicly report surgeons’ performance, her colleagues begin to close ranks, and Elizabeth’s life is thrown into disarray.”

9/22/24- Generally good reviews and I liked it very much. TRDB.

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/STREAMING-

1) A MISTAKE– see above

2) IN THE SUMMERS– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Siblings Violeta and Eva live in California with their mother, but every summer they travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to spend time with their loving but unpredictable father.”

9/24/24- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

3) THE FEATHERWEIGHT– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Set in the mid-1960s in Hartford, Connecticut, The Featherweight presents a gripping chapter in the true-life story of Italian-American boxer Willie Pep the winningest fighter of all time–who, down and out in his mid-40s. ”

9/23/24- Good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

4) EUREKA– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Traversing time, space and genre, Argentinian filmmaker Lisandro Alonso (Jauja) presents an elliptical meditation on the experiences of indigenous communities across the Americas.”

9/23/23- Fair to good reviews. TRDB.

5) ALL SHALL BE WELL– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Angie and Pat are a couple living in Hong Kong who have been together for over four decades. After Pat’s unexpected death, Angie finds herself at the mercy of her extended family as she struggles to retain both her dignity and the home that they shared for over thirty years.”

9/23/24- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING IN THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE, NY

1) MEGALOPOLIS– Poor early reviews and lots of publicity.

2) THE WILD ROBOT– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The epic adventure follows the journey of a robot–ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short — that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.”

9/24/24- Excellent reviews for this family drama. TRDB.

3) MY OLD ASS– 2023. “In this fresh coming-of-age story, an 18th birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). But when Elliott’s “old ass” starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn’t do, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what’s becoming a transformative summer.”

9/17/24- Very good reviews. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) THE SUBSTANCE–

2) MY OLD ASS-

3) THE WILD ROBOT-

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) THE WILD ROBOT

2) TOKYO–

3) THE FEATHERWEIGHT–

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THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

!) PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS: ONE HAND CLAPPING

2) LEE-

3) MANHATTAN SHORT

4) MEGALOPOLIS–

THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

1) OMNI LOOP– 9/27–9/29

SEPTEMBER 21, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) WINNER–

2 GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In a strict boarding school nestled in the Himalayas, 16-year-old Mira discovers desire and romance; but her sexual, rebellious awakening is disrupted by her mother who never got to come-of-age herself.”

9/17/24- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

3) THE 4:30 MOVIE 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Writer-director Kevin Smith presents his most personal film to date with this coming-of-age story — set in the summer of 1986 — that follows three sixteen-year-old friends who spend their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local cineplex. When one of the guys invites the girl of his dreams to see an R-rated film, all hilarity breaks loose, as a self-important theater manager (Ken Jeong) and teen rivalries interfere with his best-laid plans.”

9/17/24- Fair reviews by the critics but audiences liked it very much. TRDB.

4) MY OLD ASS– 2023. “In this fresh coming-of-age story, an 18th birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). But when Elliott’s “old ass” starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn’t do, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what’s becoming a transformative summer.”

9/17/24- Very good reviews. TRDB.

5) .THE FEATHERWEIGHT– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Set in the mid-1960s in Hartford, Connecticut, The Featherweight presents a gripping chapter in the true-life story of Italian-American boxer Willie Pep the winningest fighter of all time–who, down and out in his mid-40s and with his personal life in shambles, decides to make a return to the ring, at which point a documentary camera crew enters his life. Painstakingly researched and constructed, the film is a visceral portrait of the discontents of twentieth-century American masculinity, fame and self-perception.”

9/19/24- Excellent early reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

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MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE NY-

1) GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In a strict boarding school nestled in the Himalayas, 16-year-old Mira discovers desire and romance; but her sexual, rebellious awakening is disrupted by her mother who never got to come-of-age herself.”

9/17/24- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) NEVER LET GO–

2) THE SUBSTANCE–

3) AM I RACIST–

4) SUPERMAN:- THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) TOKYO COWBOY–

2) THE FEATHERWEIGHT– See above

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MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH Co NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) THE GOLDMAN CASE–

b) THE SUBSTANCE–

c) A MISTAKE- 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Elizabeth is a gifted surgeon–the only female consultant at her hospital. But while operating on a young woman, something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of a new scheme to publicly report surgeons’ performance, her colleagues begin to close ranks, and Elizabeth’s life is thrown into disarray.”

9/22/24- Generally good reviews. TRDB.

d) THE CRITIC–

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Same as Lake Worth

(www.thereeldrbob.com)

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK- NONE-

1) SING SING– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer (Clarence Maclin), in this stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art, starring an unforgettable ensemble cast of formerly incarcerated actors.”

7/16/23- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

9/14/24- I enjoyed this unusual movie although I missed a significant amount of the dialogue. I’d definitely recommend it, however. TRDB.

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) HOLDING BACK THE TIDE– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Holding Back the Tide is an impressionistic hybrid documentary that traces the oyster through its many life cycles in New York, once the world’s oyster capital.”

9/10/2024. No reviews as yet for this documentary. TRDB.

2) LOVER OF MEN– 2024. “Lover of Men examines the intimate life of America’s most consequential president, Abraham Lincoln. As told by preeminent Lincoln scholars and never before seen photographs and letters, the film details Lincoln’s romantic relationships with men.”

3) HOARD– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Seven-year-old Maria and her mother live in their own loving world built on sorting through bins and collecting shiny rubbish. One night, their world falls apart, and we join Maria a decade later, living with her foster mother.”

9/10/23- Excellent reviews by the critics and weak ones from audiences. TRDB,

4) I’LL BE RIGHT THERE– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Wanda has her hands full: her 8-month pregnant daughter wants a wedding which her ex-husband is flaking on paying for, her mother thinks she’s dying, her wayward son is either going into rehab or the army, her long-time boyfriend doesn’t excite her.”

9/9/24- Fair reviews for this comedy. TRDB.

5) APOLLO 13 SURVIVAL– Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Just nine months after Neil Armstrong’s historic moon landing, NASA faced the greatest crisis in its history. On the night of April 13th 1970, a catastrophic explosion rocked the Apollo 13 spacecraft, stranding three astronauts halfway to the moon.”

Most of us remember the joy we felt when the 3 men returned safely. TRDB

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE, NY

1) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES-

2) THE GOLDMAN CASE–

3) HIS THREE DAUGHTERS

4) WILL & HARPER–

5) BEETLEJUICE–

6) SING SING– See review above

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) BEETLEJUICE–

2) THE FRONT ROOM–

3) IT ENDS WITH US–

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) THE CRITIC–

2) BEETLEJUICE–

3) TOKYO COWBOY–

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) BEETLEJUICE=

b) ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THETREES–

c) THE GOLDMAN CASE– Good reviews

d) THE CRITIC– Poor reviews

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Same as Lake Worth

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN, LAKE WORTH-

a) SING SING- See review above

THE REEL DR. BOB–

(thereeldrbob.com)

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES

SEE BELOW FOR REVIEW!

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NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES- Set in Italy during WWII, American Army Col. Richard Cantwell, is a bona fide war hero who faces news of his terminal illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend his weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate what is likely a final duck hunting trip and visit to his old haunts in Venice. As Cantwell’s plans begin to unravel, a chance encounter with a young countess begins to kindle in him the hope of renewal. Based on the last full-length novel Hemingway published in his lifetime, Across The River and Into The Trees captures a fleeting moment of immortality where time stands still. The story contains the great Hemingway themes of love, war, youth and age.

8/30/24- Just a few early reviews and they are very good. I liked it and Schreiber is great as usual. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATERS IN DANBURY-

1) BEETLEJUICE–

2) THE FRONT ROOM

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) BEETLEJUICE=

2) TOKYO COWBOY–

3) GOOD ONE–

4) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES–

MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH Co. NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) BEETLEJUICE–

b) ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES–

c) REAGAN–

d) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES–

e) I’LL BE RIGHT THERE– Weak reviews for this comedy

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Same as Lake Worth

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

a) RED ROOMS– 2023. “The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the puzzle: the missing video of a murdered 13-year-old girl, to whom Kelly-Anne bears a disturbing resemblance.”

9/6/24- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.( 9/6–9/8)

(www.thereeldrbob.com)

AUGUST 29, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1)  BETWEEN THE TEMPLES– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In BETWEEN THE TEMPLES, Ben (Jason Schwartzman) is a forty-something cantor losing his voice and possibly his faith. Struggling to meet the expectations of his rabbi, congregation, and not one but two Jewish mothers (Caroline Aaron and Dolly De Leon), Ben finds his world turned upside down when his grade school music teacher re-enters his life as an adult bat mitzvah student.”

8/20/24- Very good early reviews but I did not like this movie at all. TRDB.

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) I LIKE IT HERE– 2022. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “People talk or laugh about aging, its irritations and relentless progression, but rarely confront the reality of dying or being left alone. Nor do they consider the lightness and calmness that can come when the race seems not so crucial. I LIKE IT HERE is about all those things and, finally, about the pleasures of being alive.”

2) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In BETWEEN THE TEMPLES, Ben (Jason Schwartzman) is a forty-something cantor losing his voice and possibly his faith. Struggling to meet the expectations of his rabbi, congregation, and not one but two Jewish mothers (Caroline Aaron and Dolly De Leon), Ben finds his world turned upside down when his grade school music teacher re-enters his life as an adult bat mitzvah student.”

8/20/24- Very good early reviews. TRDB. See above.

3) MOUNTAINS- 2024. (Atibon Nazaire) makes a living as a demolition worker while his wife Esperance (Sheila Anozier) holds down two jobs to sustain their cozy household. Their routine is tested when their son Junior (Chris Renois) returns home after dropping out of college. Xavier and Esperance struggle to relate with Junior, who is no longer interested in speaking Creole with them and harbors ambitions of an artistic career path they do not understand.”

8/25/24- Excellent early reviews. TRDB,

6) DAUGHTERS-  2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Four young girls prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C. jail. A generation of youth bare the weight of mass incarceration on their childhoods.”

8/25/2024. Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

7) ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Set in Italy during WWII, American Army Col. Richard Cantwell, is a bona fide war hero who faces news of his terminal illness with stoic disregard.”

8/30/24- No reviews as yet. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE, NY-

1) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES-

2) SING SING-

3) GOOD ONE-

4) CLOSE YOUR EYES-

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY

1) CITY OF DREAMS- Fair early reviews at best

3) IT ENDS WITH US- I liked it

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) GOOD ONE-

2) MY PENGUIN FRIEND-

3) CITY OF DREAMS-

4) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES-

MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

THE REEL DR. BOB–

(www.thereeldrbob.com)