The Reel Dr. Bob

DECEMBER 24, 2015

DEAR FRIENDS:

YOU CAN ACCESS THIS NEWSLETTER AND PAST REVIEWS AT MY WEBSITE- www.thereeldrbob.com

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) WOLF AT THE DOOR– Netflix Streaming

2) SCHWEIZER HELDEN (UNLIKELY HEROES)- At the Theater

3) RUN BOY RUN– At the Theater

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) SCHWEIZER HELDEN (UNLIKELY HEROES)- 2014. Synopsis by IMDB. “In order to win the respect of her friends and family, divorced housewife Sabine decides to perform Wilhelm Tell with a group of Asylum seekers in the Swiss mountains.”

12/18/15- Good reviews for this film. TRDB.

12/18/15- I enjoyed this movie very much. TRDB.

2) RUN BOY RUN– 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “On the run after fleeing the Warsaw ghetto during World War II’s dark days, an 8-year-old Jewish boy is by no means out of danger as he must scrounge for food and shelter — and disguise his faith if he’s to survive.”

3/21/15- No reviews in English but friends have told me that this movie is great. TRDB.

12/19/15- I enjoyed this Polish film that depict.ed the resourcefulness of this youth and his instinct for survival.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) WOLF AT THE DOOR– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After 6-year-old Clarinha is kidnapped from school, parents Sylvia and Bernardo frantically look to the police for help rescuing their daughter. Reluctantly, Bernardo reveals to a detective that his mistress, Rosa, may have been the abductor.”

3/27/15- Very good reviews by both critics and audiences. TRDB.

12/10/15- I liked this movie very much. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, DEC. 28-

Recommended-

1) AMERICAN MISTRESS – 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Feeling disconnected from and underwhelmed by New York City, misfit college freshman Tracy is plodding through life until Brooke, her spirited future stepsister, sweeps her into a heady world — and a crazy scheme.”

8/10/15- Very good reviews for this comedy. TRDB.

8/23/15- I liked many of the scenes more than I liked the entire movie but it’s well worth seeing. It reminded me of a Woody Allen movie. TRDB. 

2) BONE TOMAHAWK– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a band of cave-dwelling, cannibalistic savages abducts several settlers from the Old West town of Bright Hope, Sheriff Franklin Hunt forms a small posse to mount a rescue. But they’re up against an enemy whose barbarity is limitless.”

1023/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.

3) DESERT DANCER– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this uplifting drama based on real events, Afshin Ghaffarian defies the government’s prohibition against dancing in modern Iran and founds an underground dance company, with help from some courageous friends.”

4/10/15- Poor reviews from critics and good ones from audiences. The premise is interesting enough that I’ll probably see it. TRDB.

4) A WALK IN THE WOODS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Returning to America after living abroad many years, aging travel writer Bill Bryson decides to focus on his native land by hiking the length of the Appalachian Trail with his long-estranged pal Stephen Katz — a tottering, wisecracking ex-alcoholic.

9/1/15- Reviews are 50/50 and the positive ones have qualifiers but despite the reviews I will probably see this movie. TRDB.

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OPENED ON DEC. 11-

1) THE GIRL IN THE BOOK– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “As 29-year-old Alice Harvey is working hard to find herself as a writer, a secret she’s kept buried in the past resurfaces in the form of aging novelist Milan Daneker — who seduced Alice 15 years earlier.”

12/11/15- Very good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.

2) BOY AND THE WORLD– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. ” In this beautifully animated tale, young Cuca sets out to find his dad, who’s gone to the city looking for work. But the farther Cuca wanders from his remote village, the more baffling the world becomes with its proliferation of people and machines.”

12/11/15- Very good reviews for this animated film. TRDB.

3) SUNDAY BALL– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In Brazil, soccer is the sport of the masses — and nowhere is it more evident than in this engrossing documentary celebrating the competition among 14 favela teams playing just down the road from the site of the World Cup matches.”

12/11/15- I’ve seen just 3 reviews and they are all excellent. TRDB.

4) THE BIG SHORT– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Before the housing and credit bubble of 2007 triggers an international economic meltdown, a handful of financial outsiders sees the crash coming and bets against the big banks in a daring play that could reap them huge profits.”

12/11/15- Very good reviews for this Wall Street drama. TRDB.

5) STINKING HEAVEN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “At a suburban New Jersey commune for recovering addicts, the arrival of a recalcitrant young woman disrupts the precarious equilibrium as her presence ferments paranoia and pushes matters to the breaking point.”

12/11/15- Mixed reviews but some sounded fairly interesting. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) DON VERDEAN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Offered a golden opportunity, biblical archaeologist Don Verdean travels to the Holy Land in search of religious relics on a trip financed by an evangelist. When the expedition fails to turn up artifacts, Don decides to manufacture some of his own.”

12/11/15- Poor reviews by most critics and audiences as well. TRDB.

2) AMERICAN HERO– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Melvin is a different kind of superhero — one with a host of bad habits that includes drugs and skirt-chasing, in addition to his awesome powers. But after realizing that he may lose custody of his son, Melvin vows to clean up his act.”

12/11/15- Poor reviews by critics but audiences have liked it. I’ll skip it. TRDB.

3) DIXIELAND– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Fresh out of jail, Kermit returns home vowing to stay on the straight and narrow. But after falling for the pretty girl next door, Kermit finds himself agreeing to pull off one last job — which may provide the couple’s only chance at a better life.”

12/11/15- Terrible reviews by critics but audiences have liked it. Sounds bad to me. TRDB.

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OPENED ON DEC. 18-

1) NOMA: MY PERFECT STORM– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this gastronomic documentary, Chef René Redzepi — the father of modern Nordic cuisine — seeks to redeem himself by reclaiming the title Best Restaurant in the World for his Noma eatery, an honor it had retained for three years running.’

12/6/15- No reviews as yet but it sounds good. TRDB.

2) DREAMS REWIRED– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Tilda Swinton narrates this documentary that uses footage from nearly 200 films made between the 1880s and 1930s to explore the history of connectivity as well as the anxiety it has provoked — both then and now.”

12/16/15- Mixed reviews with more positive than negative. TRDB.

3) SISTERS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Forced to clean up their childhood bedroom one last time, adult sisters Maura and Jane return to the family home. As long as they’re there, they decide to return to high school as well — throwing the party to end all parties for their ex-classmates.”

12/18/15- Just fair reviews and the positives were related to the actors and not the movie. Still, I’ll recommend it. TRDB.

4) SON OF SAUL- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Amid the horrors of Auschwitz, prisoner Saul Ausländer has the grim duty of transporting corpses from the camp’s gas chambers to the crematoria. But when he thinks he recognizes his son’s body, Saul sets out to save the boy from incineration.”

12/18/15- Excellent reviews for this Holocaust movie. Sounds grueling, however. TRDB.

5) THOSE WHO FEEL THE FIRE BURNING– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Through the spectral observations of an old man who drowns after falling off a smuggler’s boat full of refugees bound for Europe, this unconventional documentary captures the plight and hardscrabble existence of those who survive the crossing.”

12/18/15- Just 2 reviews so far– 1 up and 1 down. I’d try this one. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

1) THE GENITAL WARRIORS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Confined to a mental hospital, 70-year-old Frank spends his days writing a movie script about two former lovers, Lena and Barbara. After the women happen to meet, they travel into the past and take revenge on the two-timing Frank.”

12/18/15- Just 2 reviews- 1 up and 1 down (The NY Times). I think I’ll pass on this comedy. TRDB.

2) HE NEVER DIED– Synopsis by Netflix. “Cursed with immortality and a hunger for human flesh, Jack lives a cloistered life, feeding his appetite by purchasing blood from a hospital intern. But Jack’s life is upended when some gangland thugs and his long-lost daughter enter the picture.”

12/6/15- Sounds awful but has received several good reviews. I will not plan on seeing this movie. TRDB.

3) POLYFACES– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Armed with their life savings and a vision of farming’s future, William and Lucille Salatin moved from Australia to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley in 1961. Today, their eco-friendly farm feeds more than 6,000 families within a three-hour “foodshed.””

12/18/15- Just 2 reviews and both seem to praise the effort but not the movie. TRDB.

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OPENING ON FRIDAY, DEC. 25-

1) CONCUSSION– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Dr. Bennet Omalu’s autopsy studies lead him to conclude that multiple concussions could be the underlying cause of the brain disorders suffered by many U.S. football players, he encounters harsh resistance from the NFL establishment.”

12/19/15- Fair reviews at best. TRDB.

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HOTWIRE ON DEMAND-

Hotwire is not nearly as extensive as Comcast for On-Demand movies but it is much better than last year.

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

PLAYING IN THE BURBS-

1) STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS- Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Extending the Star Wars epic’s historical arc and set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, this full-throttle adventure features familiar faces and new characters, including planetary scavenger Rey and incomparable X-wing pilot Poe.”

12/21/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.

2) THE DANISH GIRL-  Jacob Burns, Clearview 100, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1930, Danish painter Einar Wegener elects to have gender-reassignment surgery, with the blessing of his wife, Gerda. This true-life narrative of personal courage also sheds light on the medical origins of transsexual surgery.”

11/24/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.

3) CONCUSSION– Bethel, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Dr. Bennet Omalu’s autopsy studies lead him to conclude that multiple concussions could be the underlying cause of the brain disorders suffered by many U.S. football players, he encounters harsh resistance from the NFL establishment.”

12/19/15- Fair reviews at best. TRDB.

4) CAROL– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Living in a 1950s society that considers lesbian romance taboo, two women from disparate backgrounds — young store clerk Therese Belivet and wealthy socialite Carol Aird — develop an attachment to each other that ultimately turns passionate.”

10/18/15- Excellent reviews for this drama starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. TRDB.

5) JOY– Bethel. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After 10 years of trying to mass-market the revolutionary floor mop she had invented, housewife Joy Mangano strikes gold with a personal pitch on QVC that turns her Miracle Mop into an overnight marketing miracle.”

12/22/15- Mixed reviews so far. TRDB.

6) THE BIG SHORT– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Before the housing and credit bubble of 2007 triggers an international economic meltdown, a handful of financial outsiders sees the crash coming and bets against the big banks in a daring play that could reap them huge profits.”

12/11/15- Very good reviews for this Wall Street drama. TRDB.

7)  YOUTH– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “On vacation in the Alps, two friends on the verge of turning 80 look to each other for support as both rush to face potentially momentous career landmarks, realizing that time is no longer on their side.

12/4/15- Fairly good reviews for this film starring Sir Michael Caine . TRDB.

8) BROOKLYN– Jacob Burns, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After emigrating from Ireland, Eilis Lacey readily adapts to the vastly different New York City, where she falls for a young Italian. But when tragedy pulls her back to her hometown, she finds her loyalties divided between two nations — and two men.”

10/28/15- Great reviews. TRDB.

11/14/15- I really liked this movie very much. Great acting and a very interesting story with some humor thrown in as well. TRDB. 

9) TRUMBO– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Bryan Cranston stars as famed 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, whose refusal to testify before the congressional House Un-American Activities Committee resulted in a prison sentence and being blacklisted as a communist.”

11/6/15- Not to be confused by the movie from 2007 with the same name, this drama got fair to good reviews. TRDB.

11/28/15– I enjoyed this movie very much and would not be surprised at a nomination for best actor for Bryan Cranston. TRDB.

10) SPOTLIGHT– Jacob Burns, Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Revealing a string of cover-ups stretching back decades, a team of “Boston Globe” reporters exposes the Catholic Archdiocese’s history of keeping reports about child molestation and other priest-initiated abuse under wraps.”

10/28/15- Great reviews for this drama. TRDB.

11/13/15- The great reviews were well deserved. A very good drama and very realistic as well. TRDB.

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FLORIDA-

BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH AND DELRAY–

 1) STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Extending the Star Wars epic’s historical arc and set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, this full-throttle adventure features familiar faces and new characters, including planetary scavenger Rey and incomparable X-wing pilot Poe.”

12/21/15- Very good reviews. TRDB.

2) THE BIG SHORT– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Before the housing and credit bubble of 2007 triggers an international economic meltdown, a handful of financial outsiders sees the crash coming and bets against the big banks in a daring play that could reap them huge profits.”

12/11/15- Very good reviews for this Wall Street drama. TRDB.

3) THE DANISH GIRL– Very good reviews

4) CONCUSSION- Fair reviews

5) SPOTLIGHT- An excellent movie

6) TRUMBO- I liked this one very much

B) STONZEK THEATER AT LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) JANICE: LITTLE GIRL BLUE- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this insightful portrait of 1960s rock legend Janis Joplin, private letters and interviews with her family, friends and colleagues reveal a fragile soul whose overpowering voice made her a superstar before her death from a drug overdose at age 27.”

11/24/15- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

2) TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “While he was one of Hollywood’s most bankable romantic stars during the 1950s, Tab Hunter was also gay. This candid showbiz biography reveals the pressures of Hunter’s double life — and his eventual decision to step out of the closet.”

10/16/15- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

C) LIVING ROOM THEATER AT FAU IN BOCA

1) TRUMBO– I liked this one very much

2) RUN BOY RUN– I enjoyed this movie but it was really difficult to watch

3) LABYRINTH OF LIES– Very interesting and highly recommended

4) A BALLERINA’S TALE– I saw this documentary about Misty Copeland and liked it

5) HEART OF A DOG– Good reviews and I’d like to see it.

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB