The Reel Dr. Bob

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)

AUGUST 22, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) DIDI– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.”

7/29/24- Excellent reviews for this movie from Taiwan. TRDB.

8/19/24- I don’t know what the critics were thinking. Except for two short scenes- 1 in the beginning and one at the end I found the movie boring. TRDB.

2)  THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and math teacher, starts her first job at a high school. She stands out among the new staff because of her idealism. When a series of thefts occur at the school and one of her students is suspected, she decides to get to the bottom of the matter on her own. Carla tries to mediate between outraged parents, opinionated colleagues and aggressive students, but is relentlessly confronted with the structures of the school system.”

2/8/24- Excellent reviews by the critics and weak ones from audiences. From Germany. TRDB.

8/23/24- I liked this movie and recommend it, especially for new young teachers. TRDB.

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) RED ISLAND– Weak reviews

2) THE GOOD HALF– Poor reviews by the critics and excellent ones by audiences

3) IN THE REARVIEW–

4) CLOSE TO YOU– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Academy Award Nominee Elliot Page (Juno, The Umbrella Academy, Inception) stars as a trans man who returns to his hometown for the first time in years. On his journey, he confronts his relationship with his family, reunites with a first love, and discovers a newfound confidence in himself. A Toronto International Film Festival premiere.”

8/17/23- Fair reviews at best. TRDB.

5) CALIGULA- THE ULTIMATE CUT. 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Now, 43 years after the 1980 release of historical epic CALIGULA, producer and reconstructionist Thomas Negovan has realized the creators’ original vision with CALIGULA: THE ULTIMATE CUT, a version comprised of entirely never-before-seen footage shot in 1976.

8/17/23- Good reviews. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE-

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. TRDB.

2) SING SING–

3) TWISTERS-

4) GOOD ONE-

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES–

2) MY PENGUIN FRIEND–

3) IT ENDS WITH US–

4) DIDI–

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

a) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES-

b) TOUCH–

C) IT ENDS WITH US–

d) MY PENGUIN FRIEND–

MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH Cc NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) MY PENGUIN FRIEND–

b) IT ENDS WITH US–

c) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES–

d) THE FORGE– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Isaiah Wright has some growing up to do. A year out of high school with no plans for his future, Isaiah is challenged by his single mom and a successful businessman to start charting a better course for his life.”

8/22/24- Very early reviews are mixed. TRDB.

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

a) MY PENGUIN FRIEND–

b) IT ENDS WITH US-

c) DIDI-

d) BETWEEN THE TEMPLES–

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWTOWN LAKE WORTH-

a) DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD–

THE REEL DR. BOB–

(www.thereeldrbob.com)

AUGUST 15, 2024:

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) IT ENDS WITH US– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “IT ENDS WITH US, the first Colleen Hoover novel adapted for the big screen, tells the story of Lily Bloom, a woman who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life in Boston and chase a lifelong dream of opening her own business.”

8/13/24- Poor reviews from the critics but excellent ones from audiences and I liked it very much. TRDB.

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) IT ENDS WITH US– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “IT ENDS WITH US, the first Colleen Hoover novel adapted for the big screen, tells the story of Lily Bloom, a woman who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life in Boston and chase a lifelong dream of opening her own business.”

8/13/24- Poor reviews from the critics but excellent ones from audiences and I liked it very much.TRDB.

2) THE INSTIGATORS– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Rory ( Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to rob a corrupt politician’s ill-gained earnings. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos.

8/13/24- Poor reviews by the critics and fair reviews by audiences. TRDB.

3) GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE–Hit producer Frank Farian (Matthias Schweighöfer) takes on unknown dancers Rob Pilatus (Tijan Njie) and Fab Morvan (Elan Ben Ali) for his next music project. A meteoric rise ensues that exceeds all bounds.

8/11/24- Excellent reviews for this movie. On Prime Vidio and Apple TV

4) GOOD ONE– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In India Donaldson’s insightful, piercing debut, 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias) embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris (James Le Gros) and his oldest friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy). As the two men quickly settle into a gently quarrelsome brotherly dynamic, airing long-held grievances, Sam, wise beyond her years, attempts to mediate.”

8/11/24- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER Pleasantville, NY

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.

2) GOOD ONE– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In India Donaldson’s insightful, piercing debut, 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias) embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris (James Le Gros) and his oldest friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy). As the two men quickly settle into a gently quarrelsome brotherly dynamic, airing long-held grievances, Sam, wise beyond her years, attempts to mediate.”

8/11/24- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3) TWISTERS–

4) DIDI- 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.”

7/29/24- Excellent reviews for this movie from Taiwan. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) MY PENGUIN FRIEND–

2) ROB PEACE-

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) MY PENGUIN FRIEND–

2) IT ENDS WITH US–

3) TOUCH–

MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH, FL NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) MY PEGUIN FRIEND-

b) IT ENDS WITH US–

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

a) MY PENGUIN FRIEND– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A sweeping family adventure, My Penguin Friend is a triumphant tale of friendship between a lonely father and a little lost penguin who recharges his spirit and heals his family with an unshakable, ocean-crossing loyalty. Humble fisherman Joa?o (international star Jean Reno) has turned away from the world in the wake of tragedy.”

8/14/24- No reviews as yet. TRDB.

b) IT ENDS WITH US–

c) DIDI- 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.”

7/29/24- Excellent reviews for this movie from Taiwan. TRDB.

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

a) FEMME– 8(16–8/18) Skip This One!!

(www.thereeldrbob.com)

AUGUST 9, 2024

DEAR FRIENDS-

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Based on David Grann’s broadly lauded best-selling book, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.”

8/5/24- Excellent reviews by most. I thought the acting was great but the movie was way to long.TRDB.

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NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) TRAP– Poor Reviews

2) ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES–  2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes- ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES offers an unprecedented exploration into the life of Elizabeth Taylor, Hollywood’s quintessential star. With extraordinary access to Taylor’s personal archives and 40 hours of newly unearthed, intimate audio interviews with journalist Richard Meryman, audiences are invited to rediscover, not just a mega star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, but a complex woman who navigated lifelong fame, personal identity, and public scrutiny on a global stage from early childhood.”

8/7/2024- Excellent reviews by all for this documentary. TRDB.

3) WAR GAME– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “War Game sweeps audiences into an elaborate future-set simulation that dramatically escalates the threat posed by the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The film follows a bipartisan group of US defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations as they participate in an unscripted role-play exercise.”

8/5/24- Fair to good reviews. TRDB.

4) ROB PEACE– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Directed, adapted by, and starring Academy Award® nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 YEARS A SLAVE), ROB PEACE follows the true story of a brilliant young man (Jay Will) torn between his father’s shadowed past and his own promising future.”

8/5/23- Good reviews. TRDB. In Theaters 8/16

5) SEBASTIAN— 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Max (Ruaridh Mollica) is a 25-year-old aspiring novelist, living in London and paying dues working at a literary magazine. Frustrated by his own ambitions and the pressures to succeed, Max begins moonlighting as a sex worker with the pseudonym Sebastian, secretly meeting men via an escorting platform and using his experiences to fuel his stories.”

8/7/24- Fair reviews. TRDB.

6) PEAK SEASON– 2023. “New York yuppies Amy and Max arrive in the wealthy resort town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a summer vacation. Amy wants to enjoy a romantic getaway with her fiancé. But Max neglects Amy to spend the week working, leaving her to wander town alone. Amy finds a friend in Loren, a local wilderness guide who takes her fly fishing.”

8/5/2003. Excellent reviews by all. TRDB.

7) COUP!- 2024. “Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A mysterious grifter appears on an isolated seaside estate claiming to be a wealthy family’s new chef. When a plague descends on the island, the mischievous cook rouses his fellow staff to rebel and take over the mansion. The servant becomes the master in this devious class-war comedy starring Peter Sarsgaard.”

8/7/24- Fair reviews from the critics and excellent ones from audiences. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER-

1) TWISTERS–

2) WIDOW CLICQUOT–

3) KNEECAP–

4) DIDI–

5) HOW TO COME ALIVE WITH NORMAN MAILER–

____________________________________________________________________________

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

a) THE LAST FRONT– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In a Belgian village during the tumultuous start of World War I, the Lambert family finds themselves thrust into the heart of the conflict in THE LAST FRONT. At the center is Leonard Lambert (Iain Glen), a devoted husband and father who grapples with protecting his family amidst the chaos of war as German forces advance to their village.”

8/8/24- Fairly good early reviews. TRDB.

___________________________________________________________________________

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

a) THE LAST FRONT– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In a Belgian village during the tumultuous start of World War I, the Lambert family finds themselves thrust into the heart of the conflict in THE LAST FRONT. At the center is Leonard Lambert (Iain Glen), a devoted husband and father who grapples with protecting his family amidst the chaos of war as German forces advance to their village.”

8/8/24- Fairly good early reviews. TRDB.

MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH COUNTY NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH- Nothing I can recommend

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Nothing I can recommend

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

a) GREEN BORDER–  2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In the treacherous and swampy forests that make up the so-called “green border” between Belarus and Poland, refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the European Union are trapped in a geopolitical crisis cynically engineered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.”

(www.thereeldrbob.com)

AUGUST 2, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS-

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK- NONE

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) SWAN SONG– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “An immersive, behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s leading ballet companies as it mounts a new production of Swan Lake. Ballet icon Karen Kain, on the eve of her retirement, directs the National Ballet of Canada. The film weaves together intimate scenes of the creative process and the dancers’ personal lives.”

7/29/24- Good reviews for this documentary. TRDB. On Prime, Fandango and Apple + and in Theaters

2) ONLY THE RIVER FLOWS– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “1990s small town China. A woman’s body washes up in the local river. The chief of p. olice, Ma Zhe, is tasked with heading up the investigation.”

7/29/23- Fair reviews. TRDB. In Theaters

3) CIRCQUE- DU SOLEIL: WITHOUT A NET– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “When Cirque du Soleil moves to reboot its flagship production, O, more than a year after an abrupt global shutdown, both performers and crew members face uncertainty as they work to return to their world-class standards in time for the (re)opening night curtain in Las Vegas. With unprecedented access, filmmaker Dawn Porter captures the dramatic personal highs and lows of the world’s most famous circus act on its journey back from the existential brink.”

7/29/2023- Good early reviews for this documentary. TRDB. On Prime

4) DIDI– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.”

7/29/24- Excellent reviews for this movie from Taiwan. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER–

1) TWISTERS-

2) KNEECAP-

3) DIDI–

4) WIDOW CHILQUOT–

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) TWISTERS-

2) KNEECAP-

MOVIES PLAYING AT THR GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL

1) TWISTERS–

2) TOUCH-

MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH CO. NEAR ME-

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) TWISTERS–

b) WIDOW CHILQUOT–

c) FLY ME TO THE MOON–

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

a) TWISTERS–

b) WIDOW CHILQUOT–

c) FLY ME TO THE MOON–

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

a) THE BEAST– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely “erase” their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by their past-life romances, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) continually falls in love with different incarnations of Louis (George MacKay).

8/1/24- Very good reviews by the critics and poor ones from audiences. TRDB. Aug 2.–Aug 4

(www.thereeldrbob.com)

JULY 26, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS:

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) WIDOW CLICQUOT– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After her husband’s untimely death, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot flouts convention by assuming the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured together. Steering the company through dizzying political and financial reversals, she defies her critics and revolutionizes the champagne industry to become one of the world’s first great businesswomen.”

7/19/24- Fairly good reviews for this drama and I liked it.  TRDB.

________________________________________________________

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) FIND ME FALLING– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After a failed comeback album, a rock star retreats to a cliffside home on Cyprus, only to find his new life complicated by visitors, and an old flame.”

7/23/2024- Awful reviews from the critics and weak ones from audiences. TRDB but I liked  this simple romantic comedy. On Netflix

2) WIDOW CLICQUOT– See above

3) CROSSING– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “From acclaimed director Levan Akin (And Then We Danced), CROSSING is a moving and tender tale of identity, acceptance and unlikely connection that transcends borders and generations. Lia, a retired school teacher living in Georgia, hears from a young neighbor Achi that her long lost niece Tekla, a transgender woman, has crossed the border into Turkey.”

7/23/2024- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB, On Fandango.

4) GREAT ABSENCE– 2034. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A father and son who’ve been estranged for a long time finally reconcile among lost memories and dispersed pieces of lives.”

7/23/24- Good reviews for this drama. TRDB.

______________________________________________________________

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER-

1) FLY ME TO THE MOON

2) TWISTERS-

3) WIDOW CLICQUOT–

4) SEVEN SAMURAI-

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY, CT

1) TWISTERS–

2) FLY ME TO THE MOON–

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL, Ct-

1) TWISTERS–

_____________________________________________________________

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) WIDOW CLICQUOT-

2) FLY ME TO THE MOON–

3) TWISTERS–

4) THELMA-

5) THE FABULOUS FOUR– Awful early reviews

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Same as Lake Worth

MOVIES PLAYING AT THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

1) EVIL DOES NOT EXIST–  (July 26–July 28)

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB

(www.thereeldrbob.com)