The Reel Dr. Bob

APRIL 21, 2016

DEAR FRIENDS:

YOU CAN ACCESS THIS NEWSLETTER AND PAST REVIEWS AT MY WEBSITE-

I’M BACK IN NY NOW AND MY “ON-DEMAND” SELECTIONS WILL BE FROM COMCAST INSTEAD OF FROM HOTWIRE THAT I USE IN FLORIDA. THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF OVERLAP

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) PRETTY WOMAN– Netflix.

2) THE GRUNINGER FILE– At the Theater

3) I AM YOURS– Netflix Streaming

4) THE DECENT ONE- Netflix

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) THE GRUNINGER FILE– 2016.”On August 19, 1938, the Swiss Federal Council ordered the closing of their border to refugees from the Third Reich, constituting a death sentence for many Jews. But not all Swiss officials obeyed the ruling. Swiss Police Commander Paul Grüninger—known by many as the “Oscar Schindler of the Swiss-German border region”—used bureaucratic loopholes to allow more than 3,000 Austrian Jews to enter the country. This drama, based on the true story, unfolds like a suspense thriller as we witness the war of wits between the commander and his superiors in the police force of officially neutral Switzerland.”

4/18/16- A good history lesson as few people know who this man was. The movie was a little difficult to follow early on but was well worth seeing. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) PRETTY WOMAN– With Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. Still a great movie. TRDB. Netflix.

2) I AM YOURS– 2013, Synopsis by Netflix. “Single mom Mina, a Pakistani expat in Norway, is determined to be an actress, although she routinely fails auditions and the rest of her life is crumbling. But even a potential lead is overshadowed by her mother, who disapproves of Mina’s every move.4/19/16- A great performance by the lead actress who portrayed the falling apart of a loving mother so well. TRDB. 

3) THE DECENT ONE– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “One of the prime architects of the brutal Nazi regime, Gestapo commander Heinrich Himmler was also a dedicated family man, as this documentary illustrates with items from a newly discovered cache of his personal diaries, correspondence and photos.”

10/1/14- Fair professional reviews but audiences have uniformly disliked this documentary. TRDB.

4/21/16- Not many answers to the fundamental question here but still an amazing movie based on the newly discovered cache of Himmler’s personal papers. TRDB. Netflix.

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COMING TO NETFLIIX NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 26-

1) PHOENIX- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a reconstructive facial operation, concentration-camp survivor Nelly Lenz tracks down her husband, Johnny, who believes she’s dead. Unrecognizable to Johnny, Nelly befriends him to find out whether he betrayed her to the Nazis.”

7/24/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

8/9/15– Another beautifully done German movie, this one post Holocaust with yet a new twist. TRDB. 

2) 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.

2/10/16– Grueling was not quite descriptive enough. The movie describes a class of concentration inmates very well and tells a story at the same time. I don’t think that I liked this film as much as the critics did. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

1) JANE GOT A GUN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “When her husband barely survives a murder attempt by an outlaw gang he once belonged to, steely Jane Hammond takes the law into her own hands to defend her homestead and protect injured spouse — with help from a former lover.”

1/29/16– Poor reviews but I like Natalie Portman so I’ll probably see this movie. TRDB.

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OPENED FRIDAY, APRIL 15-

1) CLASS DIVIDE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Focusing on a specific block of 10th Avenue in the West Chelsea district, this documentary studies the social impact of gentrification in New York, using the expensive private school across the street from a low-income housing project as one example.”

4/13/16- I’ve seen just 1 review (from the NY Times) and it’s good. TRDB.

2) ABOVE AND BELOW– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Scattered across the vast reaches of America’s Western desert, five eccentric exiles from modern civilization pursue their private obsessions in this offbeat and artfully filmed social documentary.”

4/15/16- Good reviews for this odd sounding documentary. TRDB.

3) BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this off-the-wall addition to the “Barbershop” franchise, Calvin, J.D., Eddie and the whole cast of bizarre neighborhood characters stumbles through a new set of comical misadventures.”

4/15/16- Good reviews for this comedy by audiences and critics. Not my kind of movie, however. TRDB.

4) ECHO PARK– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After suddenly leaving behind her fiancé and their sumptuous Beverly Hills life, discontented Sophie relocates to the bohemian neighborhood of Echo Park, where she strikes up a relationship with her British neighbor, Alex.”

4/15/16- Just 3 reviews so far and all are good– including the review from the NY Times. TRDB.

5) THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Art and fashion collide — and the debate over whether fashion is art reignites — when New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art holds its annual Met Gala and accompanying exhibition. This film offers a look at 2014’s “China: Through the Looking Glass.”

4/15/16- Fairly good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

6) THE JUNGLE BOOK– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Inspired by the animated Disney classic, this live-action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s beloved novel follows young Mowgli as he navigates a jungle full of wonder and peril with his animal allies Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear.”

4/15/16- Great reviews. TRDB.

7) THE MEASURE OF A MAN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After his long and humiliating search for employment — while scrambling to feed his family — Thierry Taugourdeau lands a job at a megamarket catching shoplifters. But he faces a moral quandary as he begins to sympathize with those he apprehends.”

4/15/16- Excellent reviews and I’ll try to see this one. TRDB.

8) NEW YORK, NEW YORK– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In post-World War II New York City, aspiring saxophonist Jimmy Doyle (Robert De Niro) takes an orchestra gig to be with up-and-coming chanteuse Francine (Liza Minnelli). They wed soon thereafter, but the stress of two artists struggling to succeed spells romantic disaster. Mary Kay Place and Lionel Stander co-star in director Martin Scorsese’s sparkling homage to the Big Band era, which features one of the most recognizable theme songs of all time.”

4/15/16- Just 3 professional reviews so far– 2 up and 1 down. Audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.

9) OUR LAST TANGO– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Maria Nieves Rego and Juan Carlos Copes fell in love as teenagers, neither imagined that it would mark the beginning of a stormy 50-year relationship during which they would become the world’s most celebrated tango dancers.”

4/15/16- Great reviews by the critics– just fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

10) SING STREET– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Grappling with a difficult home life, 14-year-old Conor faces more woes when financial problems force his parents to transfer him from a private school to an inner-city public school. Looking for an escape, he forms a band with a group of classmates.”

4/15/16- Great reviews from all! TRDB.

11) WEDDING DOLL– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Mildly mentally challenged, Hagit works at a toilet-paper factory by day and crafts wedding dolls with the leftover materials by night. Longing for romance, she finds it with the plant owner’s son — to the dismay of her fiercely protective mother.”

4/15/16- Very good reviews from the critics and excellent ones from audiences for this Israeli film. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) THE ADDERALL DIARIES– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After publishing a memoir about his abusive childhood, drug-addicted author Stephen Elliott fights writer’s block by becoming immersed in a lurid murder case. Meanwhile, his estranged father arrives to confront Stephen about the details of his book.”

4/15/16- Weak reviews from critics and audiences as well. TRDB.

2) AN EYE FOR BEAUTY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “During a business-related trip to Toronto, married architect Luc Sauvageau — who appears to have it all — begins a torrid liaison with an unhappily wed woman. But when the affair upsets his well-ordered domestic life, he must decide what he wants.”

4/15/16- A common theme and awful reviews doom this one. TRDB.

3) GREEN ROOM– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hired to play a club in the Oregon boondocks, a punk band finds the venue crawling with white supremacists. When the rockers discover a murder victim in the green room, they barricade themselves in as the skinheads aim to dispose of all witnesses.”

4/15/16- Excellent reviews but I’m sure I will NOT see this as it’s in the horror category. TRDB.

4) MY BIG NIGHT– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “On the set of a New Year’s Eve special for a variety show, tension, envy and tedium create conflicts among the stars, crew and extras — and with a group of protestors outside demanding the producer’s arrest, comic bedlam soon ensues.”

4/15/16– Good reviews from the critics, much less so from audiences. TRDB.

5) SKY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Parisians Romy and Richard are vacationing in the United States when fissures in their marriage finally erupt, leading Romy to turn her back on her former life and head into the unknown to explore her newfound independence.”

4/15/16- Mixed early reviews from critics but audiences have not liked this at all. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

BEGINNING WITH THIS ISSUE I WILL BE USING COMCAST AS A SOURCE FOR ON-DEMAND MOVIES INSTEAD OF HOTWIRE THAT I USED IN FLORIDA. YOU WILL NOTICE SOME OVERLAP—

1) 4th MAN OUT- I’ll see this soon

2) 99 HOMES- Very good including an interesting premise

3) ALL MISTAKES BURIED- Good reviews- haven’t seen it yet

4) ANOMALISA-  Very creative and I liked it very much

5) BEGIN AGAIN- A good movie

6) THE BIG SHORT- Excellent movie

7) BRIDGE OF SPIES- Very good

8)BROOKLYN- I liked it very much

9) CAROL- Enjoyable

10) CITIZENFOUR- A fascinating movie

11) CREED- Good reviews despite Sly Stallone

12) THE DANISH GIRL- A good movie– not great

13) THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL- I liked it

14) FASTBALL- Very good reviews

15) GRANDMA- Very good and not a comedy despite Lilly Tomlin

16) HAVANA MOTOR CLUB- Very good reviews

17) HER- Enjoyable

18)INFINITELY POLAR BEAR- Very good

19) JOY- I liked it

20) LAMB- OK reviews

21) THE LAST MAN ON THE MOON- Good reviews- haven’t seen it yet

22) MAN UP- Good movie

23) THE MARTIAN- I did not care for this

24) MR. HOLMES- Enjoyable enough

25) ROOM- Fascination

26) SOUTHPAW- I enjoyed this movie

27) SPOTLIGHT- Very, Very good

28) STEVE JOBS- I liked it

29) STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE- I liked it a lot

30) TRUMBO- Great movie with great acting

31) TRUTH- I liked it

32) WHAT OUR FATHERS DID: A NAZI LEGACY- I’ll report on this movie next week

33) WOMAN IN GOLD- A very good movie

34) YOUTH- I liked this very much

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) ELVIS & NIXON– Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Among the many strange episodes that took place in Richard Nixon’s presidential administration, one of the most bizarre was Elvis Presley’s surprise visit to the White House, followed by a secret meeting with the nation’s commander-in-chief.”4/19/16- Fairly good reviews for this comedy. TRDB.

2) MILES AHEAD– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Recounting his emergence from a five-year artistic hiatus, this ambitious biopic chronicles a slice in the life of renowned jazz trumpeter Miles Davis as he tries to recover a recording stolen from his house, aided by a “Rolling Stone” reporter.3/31/16- Fairly good reviews for this drama. TRDB.

3) THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY– Clearview 100. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Art and fashion collide — and the debate over whether fashion is art reignites — when New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art holds its annual Met Gala and accompanying exhibition. This film offers a look at 2014’s “China: Through the Looking Glass.”

4/15/16- Fairly good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

4) A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Synopsis by Netflix. “Teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, U.S. businessman Alan Clay tries to reverse his fortunes by landing a lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia. As Alan attempts to navigate his way through an unfamiliar culture, he unexpectedly finds romance.”

4/19/16- NO reviews at all yet. TRDB.

5) SING STREET–  Jacob Burns. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Grappling with a difficult home life, 14-year-old Conor faces more woes when financial problems force his parents to transfer him from a private school to an inner-city public school. Looking for an escape, he forms a band with a group of classmates.”

4/15/16- Great reviews from all! TRDB.

6) FRANCOFONIA– Jacob Burns. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Spotlighting the legacy and priceless art collection of the Louvre Museum, this vivid docudrama recounts many dramatic moments in the institution’s history, including the hasty caching of its treasures when German forces occupied Paris in 1940.”

3/31/16- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

Repeats-

1) EYE IN THE SKY– Jacob Burns, Bethel. I didn’t care for it

2) HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS– Bethel, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Good reviews but I haven’t seen it yet

3) LOUDER THAN BOMBS- Garden Cinema Norwalk. Good reviews

4) EVERYBODY WANTS SOME– Jacob Burns, Danbury. Very good reviews for this comedy

5) BORN TO BE BLUE– Jacob Burns. Very good reviews

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY

A) MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH AND DELRAY-

1) EYE IN THE SKY- I didn’t care for it

2) HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS– Good reviews

3) REMEMBER– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “As lifelong friends Zev and Max move into their last years, they make a solemn pact to hunt down and take revenge on the Nazi commander who was responsible for slaughtering their families during World War II.”3/11/16– Fairly good reviews especially by audiences. TRDB.

B) STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) CITY OF GOLD–  2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “From behind the wheel of his green pickup truck, acclaimed food writer Jonathan Gold sets off on a journey to explore the panoply of regional cuisines and trademark dishes to be found within the vast urban sprawl of Los Angeles.”3/11/16- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

2) MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART–  2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Offering a glimpse of China’s past, present and potential future, this epic drama unwinds in three parts, beginning with a Chinese beauty choosing between two suitors and ending in Australia with her 18-year-old son detached from his roots.”2/13/16- Good reviews. TRDB.

C) LIVING ROOM THEATER AT FAU IN BOCA RATON

1) A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING– NO reviews at all

2) BORN TO BE BLUE– Very good reviews by critics and audiences.

3) DOUGH- Limited Screenings

4) EYE IN THE SKY– I didn’t care for it

5) HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS– Good reviews. Limited Screenings

6) REMEMBER– Fairly good reviews

7) TAKE ME TO THE RIVER– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “At a family reunion in rural Nebraska, gay teen Ryder becomes a target of suspicion as a result of a bloodstain on his 9-year-old cousin’s dress. When a flood of accusations begins to fly, dark family secrets come to the surface.”3/18/16- Fair at best critical review. Audiences have not liked this movie at all. TRDB.