The Reel Dr. Bob

1) PELICAN DREAMS– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This engaging documentary chronicles the journey of a California pelican named Gigi, who starts a new life at a seabird rescue facility after landing in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge, causing a major traffic tie-up.”

11/7/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

5/21/21- A great documentary with magnificent photography. TRDB

2) THE FATHER– 2020. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Led by stellar performances and artfully helmed by writer-director Florian Zeller, The Father presents a devastatingly empathetic portrayal of dementia.”

3/11/21- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

5/23/21- A good portrayal of dementia by Anthony Hopkins. Not for the squeamish. TRDB.

1) THE WORLD TO COME– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “As two neighboring couples share the hardships and isolation of life in the tough landscape of 1856 New York, the wives develop a deep bond that grows into romantic love, hurling the women into unknown territory.”

2/16/21- Fair reviews at best. TRDB.

1) WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this fact-based drama, 9-year-old Anna Kemper is living in 1933 Berlin when her Jewish family is forced to flee the Nazis. As they make their way to Zurich, Paris and eventually London, Anna faces a life of challenges and hardships as a refugee.”

5/21/21- Fair to good reviews by the critics and weak ones by audiences. I’ll try to see it.  TRDB. In Theaters

2) TWO GODS-2020. Synopsis by IMDB. “The story of Hanif, a Muslim casket maker and ritual body washer in Newark who take two young men-Naz and Furquan-under his wing to teach them how to live better lives.”

5/22/21- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB. On Virtual Cinemas

3) FINAL ACCOUNT– 2020. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “FINAL ACCOUNT is an urgent portrait of the last living generation of everyday people to participate in Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich.”

5/19/21- Fairly good reviews for this documentary. TRDB. In Theaters

4) INTO THE DARKNESS– 2020. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Through a family and the relation between father and son, the film describes the dilemmas of the Danish population during World War II.”

5/21/21- Fair reviews. TRDB. In Theaters and many streaming platforms

5) SPRING BLOSSOM– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Bored by her peers, 16-year-old Suzanne finds herself attracted to a much older actor named Raphaël. But after the two embark on a relationship, Suzanne starts to wonder whether she’s trying to grow up too fast.”

5/21/21- Very good reviews. TRDB. In Theaters

6) TWO LOTTERY TICKETS– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Three men from a small town have to recover their winning lottery ticket after it is stolen.”

5/21/21- Mixed early reviews. TRDB. In Theaters and Virtual Cinemas.

SKIP-

1) NEW ORDER– Extremely  violent and definitely not for me

A) DREAM HORSE– 2020. Synopsis  boy Rotten Tomatoes. “The film tells the inspiring true story of Dream Alliance, an unlikely race horse bred by small town bartender.”

5/19/21- Very good reviews for this drama/comedy. TRDB.

B) FINAL ACCOUNT– 2020. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “FINAL ACCOUNT is an urgent portrait of the last living generation of everyday people to participate in Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich.”

5/19/21- Fairly good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

C) FOUR GOOD DAYS– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In an emotional journey based on a true story by Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post writer Eli Saslow, 31-year-old Molly begs her estranged mother Deb for help fighting a fierce battle against the demons that have derailed her life.”

5/4/21- Awful reviews by the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

D) THE PERFECT CANDIDATE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After being prevented from attending a medical conference in Dubai, a female Saudi doctor becomes a candidate in a municipal council election, with an eye toward repairing the road that leads to her clinic.”

5/16/21- Excellent reviews from the critics and fair one from audience. TRDB.

E) THE DRY– 2020. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A federal agent investigates the decades-old death of a teenage girl in his drought-stricken hometown.”

5/19/21- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

1) STEVE JOBS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Everyone knows about the products Steve Jobs designed, but few people really knew the man behind the technology. This revealing biopic focuses on a few key incidents and relationships to tell the story of a digital visionary who changed the world.”

10/8/15- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.

10/21/15- I enjoyed this movie very much and I think I got a good picture of the creative genius of this man who to many was a real son-of-a-bitch. TRDB. Netflix

1) HOPE– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “ANJA lives with TOMAS in a large family of biological children and stepchildren. For a number of years the two adults have grown independent of each other, with creative jobs in parallel worlds. When Anja gets a terminal cancer diagnosis, their modern life breaks down and exposes neglected love.”

4/17/21- Very good reviews from audiences and excellent ones from the critics. TRDB. In Theaters

2) BILL TRAYLOR: CHASING GHOSTS– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “This illuminating documentary explores the life of a unique American artist, a man with a remarkable and unlikely biography.”

4/17/21- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB . In Theaters and Virtual Cinemas platforms

3) WE BROKE UP– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Lori and Doug have been together for 10 years. But when Lori reacts badly to Doug’s surprise proposal just before her little sister’s wedding, he dumps her. Not wanting to steal the spotlight, Doug and Lori pretend they’re still together.”

4/17/21- Sounds stupid but it did get fair reviews including a few very good ones. TRDB. In Theaters

4) DOWNSTREAM TO KINSHASA– 2020. Synopsis by Netflix. “Twenty years after the city of Kisangani becomes the center of fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Six-Day War, victims of the conflict travel down the Congo River to the nation’s capital to demand compensation for their suffering.”

4/17/21- Good early reviews and it sounds interesting. TRDB On Virtual Cinemas

5) OUR TOWNS– 2020. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A panoramic yet intimate view of small towns across the United States, based on the bestselling book “Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America,” by journalists James and Deborah Fallows.”

4/17/20- Very good reviews by the critics and poor ones from audience. TRDB. On HBO platforms

5) WHY DID YOU KILL ME?- 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After her daughter is killed, a mother uses the social networking site MySpace to investigate the people she believes are responsible, resulting in reverberations for multiple families.”

4/19/21- Poor reviews by the critics and worse ones from audiences. TRDB.

1) FRENCH EXIT– 2020. Synopsis by Netflix. “With her husband long dead and his fortune running out, New York City socialite Frances Price decides to relocate to a friend’s vacant Paris apartment. Boarding a cruise ship with her cat and aimless adult son in tow, Frances heads for a new life.”

2/14/21- Weak reviews by the critics and by audiences as well. It sounds quirky enough that I would give it a try. TRDB. Limited screenings

2) MINARI- 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. ”

Netflix had this to say– The patriarch of a Korean family living in Michigan during the 1980s wants to be a farmer in Arkansas, but his family experiences severe culture shock as they try to assimilate and become part of the community.

2/11/21- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.  Limited screenings

3) SLALOM- 2020. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this timely tale from the world of elite sports, 15-year-old Lyz Lopez is accepted to a ski club known for developing future star athletes. But when she realizes she’s being groomed for more than skiing, Lyz faces increasingly tough choices.”

4/11/21- Excellent reviews for this French drama. TRDB.

4) THE COURIER– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “During the Cold War, an English businessman is tapped to help execute a covert operation for the CIA and MI6, acting as a messenger to pass leaked information from a senior Russian intelligence officer to prevent a nuclear war.”

3/17/21- Fair to good reviews. TRDB.

5) SHIVA BABY– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “While at a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student has an awkward encounter with her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend.

4/9/21- Excellent reviews by the critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

6) THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set in Northern Italy, this fascinating documentary focuses on a cadre of aging men and their trained canine companions, who search the forest at night for the white Alba truffle — an elusive delicacy that’s impossible to cultivate.”

3/6/21- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.