LOW TIDE- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “As Jersey Shore townies Red, Alan and Smitty are spending the summer on the boardwalk and robbing vacation homes, Alan and his younger brother, Peter, stumble on a bag of gold coins. But trouble erupts when they try to hide the loot from the others.”
10/4/19- Fair reviews at best but it does sound interesting to me. TRDB.
Add comment October 4th, 2019
LUCY IN THE SKY- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “For astronaut Lucy Cola, living in space was easy compared with returning to Earth, where her disconnection from family and friends leads her to begin an affair with a fellow astronaut as she slowly loses her grip on reality.”
10/4/19- Weak reviews but it sounds interesting to me and Natalie Portman
( who I like ) stars. I’ll see it! TRDB.
Add comment October 4th, 2019
DIEGO MARADONA- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Considered by many to be the best footballer ever, Diego Maradona led Napoli its first national championship. But off the field, the charismatic athlete’s life took a darker turn, as chronicled in this comprehensive documentary.”
9/21/19-
Add comment September 21st, 2019
DOWNTON ABBEY- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set in the period between world wars, this big-screen adaptation of the beloved British TV series continues to follow the lives of the patrician Crawley family and those of the servants who keep the sprawling estate running.”
9/17/19- Fair to good reviews. TRDB.
Add comment September 17th, 2019
1) LUCE– 2019. “A married couple is forced to reckon with their idealized image of their son, adopted from war-torn Eritrea, after an alarming discovery by a devoted high school teacher threatens his status as an all-star student.”
8/2/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
8/9/19– I enjoyed this movie very much despite what I thought was some ambiguity. Some reviewers really panned it. TRDB.
1) A KID LIKE JAKE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Progressive parents Alex and Greg have always accepted their 4-year-old son Jake’s penchant for dolls and dresses. But the couple finds themselves at odds when his preschool director suggests the boy’s preferences may signal gender-identity issues.”
5/31/18- Mixed reviews– slightly more positive than negative. TRDB.
8/10/19- I liked it. TRDB.
2) A SIMPLE FAVOR– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Single mom Stephanie finds her small-town life upended when best friend Emily asks Stephanie to pick up her son from school — and promptly vanishes. Bent on solving the mystery, Stephanie joins forces with Emily’s husband.”
9/11/18- Not really my type of movie but it did get pretty good reviews. TRDB.
8/11/19- Enough twists and turns to give you whiplash. While I enjoyed many of the scenes I did have trouble following the plot. TRDB. Netflix Disc.
1) THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker John Chester and his wife, Molly, long dreamed of trading Los Angeles for a rural life. So, when the couple gets evicted from their apartment thanks to their barking dog, they jump at the chance to start a diversified farm outside the city.”
5/10/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
5/20/19- I liked it very much. Beautiful nature photography as well. TRDB.
2) THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Born in Jamaica but now living in New York City, realist Natasha Kingsley is facing imminent deportation. As she looks for an eleventh-hour reprieve to remain in America, fate leads her to meet young dreamer Daniel Bae … and sparks fly.”
5/15/19- No reviews as yet but it sounds interesting. TRDB.
3) TOMORROW MAN– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Retiree Ed Hemsler is focused on the future, specifically on the disaster he’s certain is just around the corner. But in the midst of his doomsday preparations, he meets shopaholic Ronnie Meisner, and the two quirky characters develop a bond.”
5/24/19- Poor reviews with most critics saying that great acting kept this movie alive at all. TRDB.
4) BLAZE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “A little-known “outlaw” country artist, Blaze Foley gets his due in this affecting biopic that interlaces three narratives — recounting his final show, his relationship with girlfriend Sybil Rosen and a radio interview — to tell his story.”
9/7/18- Directed by Ethan Hawke this movie has received excellent early reviews. TRDB.
1) ONE CHILD NATION– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “From 1979 to 2015, the Chinese government strictly enforced a one-child policy. In this eye-opening documentary, director (and first-time mother) Nanfu Wang looks at the history, social ramifications and personal costs of that draconian measure.”
8/9/19- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
2) ODE TO JOY– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Middle-aged librarian Charlie tries to maintain an even keel because extreme emotions cause him to lose control of his muscles and pass out. But Charlie finds his coping methods tested when he falls for the spirited Francesca.”
8/9/19- Fair to OK reviews. TRDB.
3) THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING is a feature-length documentary that uncover what is beneath one of the most confounding dilemmas in the entertainment industry — the under-representation and misrepresentation of women.”
8/9/19- Good reviews from the critics and excellent ones from audiences. TRDB.
4) THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “A lively 22-year-old with Down syndrome, Zak lives at a nursing home because he has nobody to care for him — but it doesn’t stop him from dreaming. Breaking out to pursue his goal of becoming a pro wrestler, he gets help from a fisherman on the lam.”
8/9/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
6) BRIAN BANKS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this real-life tale, high school gridiron star Brian Banks is offered an athletic scholarship to play at the University of Southern California. Dreaming of a professional career, he sees his aspirations crumble when he’s falsely convicted of rape.”
8/9/19- Weak reviews from the critics but substantially better ones from audiences. TRDB.
7) LIGHT OF MY LIFE– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A girl (Anna Pniowsky) and her father (Casey Affleck) journey through the outskirts of society a decade after a pandemic has wiped out nearly all the world’s female population. As a father struggles to protect his daughter’s innocence, shielding her from newfound dangers, their bond and the character of humanity is tested.”
8/9/19- Fair reviews. TRDB.
9) LOVE, ANTOSHA– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Russian-born actor Anton Yelchin made an indelible mark on Hollywood with a spate of TV and movie roles before his death in a freak accident at age 27. This documentary paints a moving portrait of Yelchin via film clips and co-stars’ reminiscences.”
8/9/19- Excellent reviews by the critics and fair ones by audiences. TRDB.
1) AFTER THE WEDDING– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Calcutta orphanage manager Isabel is summoned to New York City to meet a potential donor, she’s surprised to find herself invited to the wedding of the benefactor’s daughter — where Isabel comes face to face with her past.”
8/9/19- Really bad reviews for this re-make– too bad because the original, with the same name, was excellent. TRDB.
2) THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN – Awful reviews.
3) THE KITCHEN– Poor reviews
4) SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK– Decent reviews but it is all “horror.”
1) WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After eccentric architect Bernadette Fox vanishes without explanation, her 15-year-old daughter, Bee, is determined to find her. But while searching for clues to Bernadette’s whereabouts, Bee uncovers her mother’s troubled past.”
8/13/19- No reviews as yet. TRDB.
2) ONE CHILD NATION– Clearview 100. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “From 1979 to 2015, the Chinese government strictly enforced a one-child policy. In this eye-opening documentary, director (and first-time mother) Nanfu Wang looks at the history, social ramifications and personal costs of that draconian measure.”
8/9/19- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
4) DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME– Jacob Burns. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this illuminating documentary, trailblazing rocker David Crosby shares — with brutal candor — a slew of personal observations and reminiscences from a 50-year musical career that’s far from over.”
7/19/19- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
1) BLINDED BY THE LIGHT– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1987 England, 16-year-old Pakistani Javed feels constrained by his blue-collar town and his father’s rigid views. But things change when a friend lends Javed some Bruce Springsteen tapes — and he starts to find his voice through the Boss’ lyrics.”
8/13/19- Excellent reviews from audiences and critics. TRDB.
1) TONI MORRISON:THE PIECES I AM– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This in-depth documentary looks at the life and works of Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Toni Morrison, who gives voice to the African-American experience through fiction that exposes a point of view counter to the establishment.”
6/21/10- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
2) MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Documentarian Nick Broomfield chronicles the relationship between writer turned musician Leonard Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen, who met in 1960 on the Greek island of Hydra — where they found love and Cohen began to find his artistic voice.”
7/5/19- Very good reviews. TRDB.
Add comment August 14th, 2019
THEM THAT FOLLOW- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a remote Appalachian community, the daughter of a snake-handling Pentecostal preacher is about to enter an arranged marriage with a member of her father’s flock. But she’s harboring a secret: She’s carrying a nonbelieving local boy’s child.”
8/2/19- Fair reviews at best. TRDB.
Add comment August 2nd, 2019
1) YESTERDAY– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “While he’s still looking for his big break, musician Jack Malik gets hit by a bus during a global blackout. But when he wakes up to find he’s the lone person on Earth who knows of the Beatles and their songbook, Jack has a huge chance at stardom.”
6/25/19- Weak reviews for this comedy/drama. TRDB.
7/21/19- Fluff with lots of Beetles music. You can safely skip it. TRDB.
1) NEVER LOOK AWAY– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this absorbing drama based loosely on the life of visual artist Gerhard Richter, an art student trying to get past the trauma of growing up in Nazi Germany falls for a fellow student. But her father — an ex-Nazi — is bent on keeping them apart.”
1/25/19- OK reviews for this very long drama. TRDB.
7/20/19- I enjoyed this movie- both the characters and the story. Some reviewers said it reminded them of a mini-series. TRDB. Netflix Disc.
2) THE HATE U GIVE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though Starr Carter lives in a lower-income black neighborhood, she attends a largely white prep school. When she sees a longtime friend shot by a white police officer, Starr finds herself caught between two worlds as she tries to do the right thing.’
10/4/18- Excellent reviews!! TRDB.
7/23/19- I enjoyed this movie very much. Comcast On-Demand.
1) LONG SHOT– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Like many a child, journalist Fred Flarsky had an unrequited crush on his baby sitter. Years later, after she’s become one of the most famous and respected women in the world, Fred decides to make his move.”
5/1/19- Very good reviews for this comedy. TRDB.
5/3/19- Good for a few laughs and that’s about it. TRDB.
2) MEETING GORBACHEV– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Co-directed by prolific filmmaker Werner Herzog, this admiring documentary takes a look at the Soviet Union’s last leader, Mikhail Gorbachev — a charismatic statesman who initiated reforms that led to the end of the Cold War and changed the world.”
5/3/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
1) DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this illuminating documentary, trailblazing rocker David Crosby shares — with brutal candor — a slew of personal observations and reminiscences from a 50-year musical career that’s far from over.”
7/19/19- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
2) THE LION KING– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this photorealistic reworking of the 1994 classic, lion cub prince Simba flees his African kingdom after falling prey to his Uncle Scar’s treachery. But years later, Simba must return to take his place as the leader of the Pride Lands.”
7/19/19- Poor reviews by the critics but audiences have enjoyed it. TRDB.
3) A FAITHFUL MAN– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After reconnecting with Marianne — who left him nine years ago to marry his best friend — Parisian journalist Abel finds his suspicions aroused as her scheming young son plants the idea that the now-widowed Marianne poisoned her hubby.”
7/19/19- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.
4) I DO NOT CARE IF WE GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS BABARIANS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This dark satire follows ambitious theater director Mariana Marin as she attempts to stage an elaborate re-enactment of the tragic 1941 Odessa massacre. But she quickly encounters opposition from a municipal bureaucrat and a rebellious cast.”
7/19/19- Excellent reviews for this foreign drama. TRDB.
5) TINY: THE LIFE OF ERIN BLACKWELL– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Thirty years in the making, Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell continues to follow one of the most indelible subjects of Streetwise, a groundbreaking documentary on homeless and runaway teenagers.
7/19/19- Just 1 review noted and it is very good. TRDB.
6) BOTTOM OF THE 9th.- Synopsis by Netflix. “Once a promising baseball player with a bright future and a beautiful girlfriend, Sonny Stano instead ended up in prison paying for a deadly mistake. Out of jail 18 years later, he’s ready to take another shot at a professional baseball career.”
7/19/19- Mixed reviews at best. TRDB.
7) CASSANDRO THE EXOTICO– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This biographical documentary about Mexican wrestler Cassandro — known as the “Liberace of lucha libre” — captures the flamboyant, openly gay legend in the sunset of his career, as his body flags but his spirit continues to soar.”
7/19/19- Few reviews noted now but they are mostly very good. TRDB.
8) ROSIE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Already having trouble making ends meet, Rosie and John Paul are left homeless when their landlord sells their rented house. Over the next 36 hours, the couple struggles to find shelter for their family while trying to retain some sense of stability.”
7/19/19- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.
Not Recommended–
1) SHE’S JUST A SHADOW– Miserable reviews.
2) LUZ– Not my kind of movie and probably not yours either.
1) ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Actor Rick Dalton once starred in a hit TV Western, but six years after the show’s demise, his career has faded. As Rick and his stunt double, Cliff Booth, try to reinvent themselves, all hell is about to break loose at neighbor Sharon Tate’s house.”
7/16/19- Very good reviews for this comedy/drama by Quentin Tarantino. TRDB.
2) THE OTHER STORY– Clearview 100. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Raised a secular Jew, Anat Abadi seems to be on the path to ultra-Orthodox zealotry when she joins a seminary and announces her upcoming marriage to a devout musician. But her relatives are having none of it, especially her grandfather.”
6/28/19– Fair to good reviews. TRDB.
1) THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Having spent his early years in a San Francisco house his grandfather built — and which the family later lost — Jimmie yearns to return to that home. So, when the residence becomes vacant, he hatches a plan to reclaim it.”
6/7/19- Great reviews from everybody. TRDB.
2) AMAZING GRACE- 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “More than 40 years after Aretha Franklin delivered two spellbinding nights of gospel music at a Baptist church in Los Angeles, this documentary — long shelved because of technical problems — takes viewers back to the legendary concerts.”
12/7/18- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
4) THE SILENCE OF OTHERS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Thanks to an amnesty law passed in Spain in 1977, the perpetrators of atrocities committed during Gen. Francisco Franco’s despotic reign have gone largely unpunished. This documentary follows a six-year quest to find justice for some of the victims.”
5/8/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
Add comment July 24th, 2019
ALL IS WELL- 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A woman sexually assaulted by a family member of her new boss tries to move on with her life, but it continues to weigh on her body and mind.”
7/15/19- Excellent reviews for this German movie and I couldn’t agree more. Very powerful. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Add comment July 15th, 2019
YESTERDAY- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “While he’s still looking for his big break, musician Jack Malik gets hit by a bus during a global blackout. But when he wakes up to find he’s the lone person on Earth who knows of the Beatles and their songbook, Jack has a huge chance at stardom.”
6/25/19- Weak reviews for this comedy/drama. TRDB.
7/21/19- Fluff with lots of Beetles music. You can safely skip it. TRDB. At the Theater.
Add comment June 25th, 2019
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker John Chester and his wife, Molly, long dreamed of trading Los Angeles for a rural life. So, when the couple gets evicted from their apartment thanks to their barking dog, they jump at the chance to start a diversified farm outside the city.”
5/10/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
5/20/19- I liked it very much. Beautiful nature photography as well. TRDB. At the Theater.
Add comment May 12th, 2019