The Reel Dr. Bob

JUNE 23, 2016

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) THE TREASURE– Netflix Streaming

2) THE GOLDEN DREAM– Netflix

3) NORMAN– Netflix

4) THE DINNER– Netflix Streaming

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER- NONE

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) THE TREASURE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Family man Costi finds his life turned upside down after a neighbor convinces him that there’s treasure buried in his dead grandfather’s garden. But when Costi agrees to help dig up the cache, bureaucratic entanglements and other complications ensue.”1/8/16- Very good reviews from critics but not so good from audiences. TRDB.

6/16/16- Interesting if a bit slow with an unusual ending. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

2) THE GOLDEN DREAM– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Guatemalan teenager Juan decides to hop a train to make the long journey to the U.S. border, which he hopes to cross to find work. Along the way, he and his companions, Sara and Samuel, must navigate through a world filled with danger.”

9/4/15- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

6/17/16- A very good drama capturing the physical and psychological trauma that these immigrants have to deal with. TRDB. Netflix.

3) ALREADY TOMORROW IN HONG KONG– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a chance urban encounter, U.S. expatriate Josh and Chinese-American Ruby, on her first visit to Hong Kong, soon find their way into each other’s hearts as they wander together through the city’s exotic and mysterious neighborhoods.”

2/12/16- Very good reviews. TRDB.

6/19/16- A very weak screenplay but a fine travelogue of Hong Kong kept me with this one. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

4) NORMAN– 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Norman Long is a high school loner, a self-aware and darkly funny teen who’s just trying to handle his daily existence. In the wake of his mother’s sudden death, Norman must now also deal with the reality that his father is starting to lose his battle with stomach cancer. A few just OK reviews. TRDB.

10/21/11- An OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

6/20/16- An OK coming of age story with only fair reviews but with an interesting central character that made the movie. TRDB. Netflix.

5) THE DINNER– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Two reputation-conscious couples’ nightmares become reality when closed-circuit camera footage shows their teenage children brutally attacking a homeless woman. When the video goes viral, the couples must choose their moral course.”

6/22/16- I liked this Italian drama very much. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, JUNE 28-

1) AFERIM!- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this passionate historical drama, 19th-century Romanian policeman Constadin is hired by a local nobleman, Boyar Iordache Cindescu, to track down the Gypsy slave Garfin. The constable soon learns Garfin has been intimate with Iordache’s wife.”1/22/16- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) RAMS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Despite the fact that they live next door to each other, brothers and fellow sheep farmers Gummi and Kiddi have gone 40 years without speaking to each other. When a deadly virus attacks both their herds, the brothers are forced to communicate again.”

3/1/16- Very good reviews for this foreign drama. TRDB.

3/7/16- I can’t rave as much as the critics have but I did enjoy the movie. TRDB.

3) WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Based on reporter Kim Barker’s memoirs about her experiences covering the Afghanistan war, this satirical look at a hopelessly confused conflict also chronicles the obstacles encountered by female journalists in a rigidly conservative region.”

3/4/16- Just fair reviews. TRDB.

4) RACE– 2016.  Synopsis by Netflix. “While Hitler saw the 1936 Berlin Olympics as an opportunity to demonstrate Aryan supremacy, one African-American man — Jess Owens — shattered that dream with a display of athleticism that resulted in four gold medals. This film tells his story.”

2/19/16- Fair reviews from critics (even the positives had something negative to say) and OK reviews from audiences. My friends who have seen it have liked it. TRDB.

5) FRANCOFONIA– 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.

6) CEMETERY OF SPLENDOR– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In Northeast Thailand, soldiers with a mysterious sleeping sickness lie bedridden in a school turned clinic, where doctors and volunteers tend to them. When a volunteer nurse forms a bond with a patient, she begins to experience odd hallucinations.

6/15/16- Not my kind of movie but this film received excellent reviews so I’d give it a try. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) RABIN, THE LAST DAY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Twenty years after the killing of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, filmmaker Amos Gitai revisits the incident with this riveting docudrama that examines not only the shooting but the cultural conditions that allowed the tragedy to take place.”1/29/16- Unfortunately, there were poor reviews for this movie. TRDB.

2) EYE IN THE SKY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Leading an operation to nab a terrorist and her collaborators in Kenya, Col. Katherine Powell ends up in a political and moral quagmire as the mission changes and a drone strike is ordered, putting a young girl at risk of becoming collateral damage.”

3/11/16- Very good reviews. TRDB.

4/7/16- Long and drawn out and with little to add after seeing the trailers, this movie should have been a short instead of a full length movie. TRDB. 

3) FASTBALL– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Kevin Costner narrates as a gallery of baseball greats — including Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan and Derek Jeter — explain the mythos and mechanics of the fastball: what it’s like to throw one and what it’s like to face one at the plate.”

3/25/16- Very good reviews from critics and great ones from audiences for this documentary. TRDB.

4/25/16- Excellent reviews as noted and I did like this documentary. My only complaint was that it was too long and began getting a bit boring. One critic said it should have been a one hour made for TV show. TRDB.

4) ELSTREE 1976- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though working on the production of “Star Wars” in 1976 brought only fleeting fame for the masked bit-part actors and extras, it became a life-changing experience for them, as chronicled in this engaging documentary.”5/6/16- Critics liked this movie but audiences have not. I’ll miss it. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST FRIDAY, JUNE 17-

1) ARGENTINA– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “This effusive musical documentary invites viewers to experience the rich contours of traditional Argentinean music, which is combined with dance movements to portray both regional tales and passionate love stories.”6/17/16- Fair to good reviews. I’ll definitely plan to see it. TRDB.

2) COSMOS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Looking for a few days of rest and relaxation, a would-be writer and a fashion maven arrive at a family-run rural guesthouse, only to find themselves obsessed with unraveling a macabre mystery involving a hanged sparrow.”

6/17/16- Some weird reviews but most professional critics liked it. Audiences not so much. TRDB.

3) LAND AND SHADE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Returning home after a long absence to care for his ailing son, an elderly farmer finds the landscape ravaged by toxic smoke as the sugarcane fields are burned during the harvest. But despite the life-threatening situation, his wife refuses to leave.”

6/17/16- Very good reviews from all. TRDB.

4) MY LOVE, DON’T CROSS THAT RIVER– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this affecting documentary about human love and mortality, an ailing 98-year-old man and his 89-year-old wife reluctantly recognize that their time together is drawing to a close after 76 years of marriage.”

6/17/16- Very good reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

5) PARCHED– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Amid the male-dominated environment of a rural Indian village, four women — who long to be free from lives of servitude and abuse — begin to challenge the patriarchal status quo that’s keeping them subjugated.”

6/17/16– Very good reviews for this Indian drama. TRDB.

6) RAIDERS! THE STORY OF THE GREATEST FAN FILM EVER MADE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Three Mississippi boys share a unique obsession: They want to film their own version of their favorite film, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” This affable documentary chronicles the 30 years it took the friends to finally realize their cinematic goal.”

6/17/16- Excellent reviews from most critics and audiences as well. TRDB.

7) SEOUL SEARCHING– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set in 1986, this engaging teen comedy follows a boisterous group of high schoolers of Korean descent who travel to a summer camp in Seoul to learn about their motherland and cultural heritage — and to hook up with one another.”

6/17/16- Very good reviews from all sources. TRDB.

8) TICKLED– 2016. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After stumbling upon a bizarre “competitive endurance tickling” video online, wherein young men are paid to be tied up and tickled, reporter David Farrier reaches out to request a story from the company.”

6/17/16- Excellent reviews for this documentary by the critics and OK ones from audiences. TRDB.

 

Not Recommended–

1) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a career accountant reconnects with a former classmate who now works as a CIA operative, the mild-mannered number-cruncher soon finds himself waist deep in a lethal counterespionage operation.”

6/17/16- Reading the reviews, this one sounds pretty stupid. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW ON DEMAND- NONE RECOMMENDED

REPEATS-

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) MUSIC OF STRANGERS– Bethel. 2016. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Founded by famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble includes more than 50 musicians, composers and other artists. Touring the globe, the group collaborates with local performers in a quest to broaden the world’s musical horizons.”6/10/16- Very good reviews from critics and fair ones from audiences for this documentary. TRDB.

2) PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW– Jacob Burns. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “With the Internet awash in millions of videos by musicians seeking notice, few such artists have much success. But singer-songwriter Samantha Montgomery becomes an exception after drawing the attention of Ophir Kutiel, a master mixer of viral videos.”5/27/16- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

3) TICKLED– Jacob Burns. 2016.  2016. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After stumbling upon a bizarre “competitive endurance tickling” video online, wherein young men are paid to be tied up and tickled, reporter David Farrier reaches out to request a story from the company.”6/17/16- Excellent reviews for this documentary by the critics and OK ones from audiences. TRDB.

5) MY LOVE, DON’T CROSS THAT RIVER– Jacob Burns. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this affecting documentary about human love and mortality, an ailing 98-year-old man and his 89-year-old wife reluctantly recognize that their time together is drawing to a close after 76 years of marriage.”6/17/16- Very good reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

6) THE FITS– Jacob Burns. 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Captivated by a dance drill team known as the Lionesses and yearning for social acceptance, insecure tomboy Toni tries out for the squad and lands a spot. But just as she starts to gain confidence, inexplicable episodes of fainting plague the group.”6/3/16- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

REPEATS

1) MAGGIE’S PLAN– Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. I liked this movie very much

2) LOVE & FRIENDSHIP– Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Good reviews but I’ll skip this one

3) GENIUS- Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Very poor reviews from critics and audiences alike

4) DE PALMA– Bethel. Great reviews for this documentary

5) WEINER– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Painful to watch but an excellent documentary with unusual access

6) THE LOBSTER– Garden Cinema Norwalk. I did not like this movie at all

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) FREE STATE OF JONES– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “As the Civil War rages on, Mississippi farmer Newton Knight, his neighbors and a ragtag group of slaves band together and lead Jones County to secede from the Confederacy, establishing a mixed-race free state in the heart of the South.”6/21/16- Terrible reviews, most critics calling a boring history lesson. TRDB.

2) GENIUS- Weak reviews

3) WEDDING DOLL– Very good reviews from the critics and excellent ones from audiences for this Israeli film. TRDB.

4) MAGGIE’S PLAN– I liked this one very much

B) STONZEK THEATER AT LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Exploring issues of race, religion and wartime conscientious objection, this documentary gives viewers an inside look at Muhammad Ali’s biggest battle: his struggle to overturn a five-year prison sentence after refusing to fight in Vietnam.”8/23/13- Good reviews in general and in today’s NY Times as well. Audiences have liked this film very much. TRDB.

2) APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Steam power is still the main engine of civilization in this fantasy that imagines a 1941 in which progress has been slowed by the steady disappearance of the world’s scientists. The daughter of two such top minds sets off to find them.”6/21/16- Excellent reviews for this animated film. TRDB.

C) LIVING ROOM THEATERS AT FAU IN BOCA RATON-

1) 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.

2) WEDDING DOLL– Very good reviews from the critics and excellent ones from audiences for this Israeli film. TRDB.

3) MAGGIE’S PLAN– I liked this one very much

4) THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY– Fair to good reviews

5) WEINER- Painful to watch but a very good documentary with unusual access

6) DHEEPAN– Very good reviews (limited screenings)

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB