The Reel Dr. Bob

JANUARY 26, 2017

DEAR FRIENDS:

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

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) HIDDEN FIGURES– At the Theater

2) 20th. CENTURY WOMEN– At the Theater

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) HIDDEN FIGURES– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the race to space between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, three black female mathematicians play a key role in launching astronaut John Glenn into outer space, making him the first American to orbit Earth.”

12/23/16- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

1/21/17- Despite the rave reviews I felt that the movie was most valuable in relation to the true-ish story that it told rather than the movie itself. Kevin Costner’s acting was ridiculous to me as was some of the petty conversation. Still, it is worth seeing but I’d rather see a documentary about this remarkable lady. TRDB. 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) AMERICAN HONEY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Throwing caution to the wind, runaway teen Star joins a crew of traveling magazine sellers and soon embraces their rambunctious lifestyle, which consists of knocking on doors by day and morphing into drunken miscreants by night.”

9/30/16- Good reviews by critics and audiences. TRDB.

1/20/16- I could not get into this movie and with a 3 hour duration I decided to quit. Interestingly enough, 2 of the NY Times critics rated this movie in their top 5 for the year. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT WEEK AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK-

JAN. 31–

1) DENIAL- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the 1990s, well-known Holocaust denier David Irving sued historian Deborah Lipstadt — issuing a complaint under British law requiring the American academic to prove that the greatest atrocity of World War II actually took place. ”

9/30/16- Decent reviews from critics and audiences. The NY Times did not like it. TRDB.

10/22/16- While I liked the movie I felt that it was too Hollywoodish on many occasions and lacked the passion that I would have expected. TRDB.

FEB. 7-

1) LOOK AT US NOW, MOTHER!- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Candidly recalling the abusive treatment she received from her carping mother in childhood, filmmaker Gayle Kirschenbaum turns the lens on herself and her family, trying to gain insight into and resolve the issues that made them bitter adversaries.”

4/8/16- Good to excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) THE TENTH MAN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After years of living in New York City, middle-aged Ariel returns to his native Buenos Aires to see his father, who runs a Jewish aid organization. But Ariel quickly finds that reconnecting with his roots and his distant dad won’t be easy.”

8/5/16- Very good professional reviews but audiences have not cared for it. TRDB.

3) THE BIRTH OF A NATION– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set in 1831 Virginia, this compelling biopic charts the story of slave and preacher Nat Turner, whose owner exploits his preaching skills to subdue rebellious slaves. But after witnessing the scope of slavery, Nat leads a revolt to free his people.’

10/4/16- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

4) KEVIN HART: WHAT NOW?- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Kevin Hart returns to his hometown and shares his trademark manic wisdom with 53,000 delirious fans at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, marking the first time a stand-up comedian filled an NFL stadium to capacity.”

10/14/16- Mostly good review for this documentary. TRDB.

1) BLEAK STREET– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Re-creating a bizarre real-life tale, this black-and-white drama follows the fate of dwarf twins working as masked mascots for professional wrestlers. But during a post-victory celebration, the siblings fall victim to a pair of aging hookers.”

1/20/16- Poor reviews. TRDB.

2) COME WHAT MAY– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After Nazi forces rout the French army in May 1940, the denizens of a threatened village abandon their homes and head west. Traveling together are a German dissenter in search of his son, and a Scottish officer whose entire unit has been slaughtered.”

9/9/16- This movie sounds interesting but unfortunately received poor reviews. TRDB.

3) THE ACCOUNTANT– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Offering two very different skills to his clients, a financial forensics expert and trained assassin goes to work for a tech mogul who’s determined to eliminate those responsible for secretly manipulating the company’s financial records.”

10/14/16- Poor reviews by the critics and OK ones by audiences. Sounds like a rock-em sock-em to me and I’ll skip it. TRDB.

4) LITTLE SISTER– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Upon learning that her brother has returned from the Iraq War, novitiate nun Colleen heads home, only to find herself struggling to reconnect with her disfigured, emotionally scarred sibling — and with the rest of her troubled family.”

10/14/16- Very good reviews from the critics and really poor ones from audiences. TRDB.

5) AMERICAN PASTORAL– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Living a seemingly charmed life, Seymour Levov sees his family and once-idyllic world begin to crumble after his rebellious young daughter joins a violent band of Vietnam War protesters.”

10/19/16– Terrible reviews for this movie adapted from Philip Roth’s novel. TRDB.

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HOTWIRE ON-DEMAND-

NEW ON HOTWIRE– NONE

REPEATS-

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OPENED LAST WEEK-

1) THE RED TURTLE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Without dialogue, this meditative animated fable chronicles the story of a man who washes up on a remote desert island, where he builds a makeshift raft to escape but is repeatedly turned back by an enormous red turtle.”

1/20/17- Excellent reviews from the critics for this animated film and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) THE SUNSHINE MAKERS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “During the counterculture era of the 1960s, young chemists Nick Sand and Tim Scully set up a makeshift lab to produce massive amounts of LSD — including the legendary “Orange Sunshine” brand — while trying to fly under the radar of authorities.”

1/2017- Excellent reviews for this documentary. Otherwise I would not be interested in this type of movie. TRDB.

3) SAVING BANKSY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In April 2010, renowned graffiti artist Banksy composed one of his masterpieces on the wall of a Haight Street building in San Francisco — giving rise to a flood of controversy and an art dealer’s campaign to acquire the work.”

1/20/17- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

4) STAYING VERTICAL– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his amorous encounter with free-spirited shepherdess Marie results in a baby, wandering filmmaker Léo is content to let her raise the child. But months later, she runs off after depositing the baby with Léo, who’s unprepared for fatherhood.”

1/20/17- OK reviews by the critics and poor ones by audiences. Sounds interesting to me and I’ll try to see it. TRDB.

5) MY FATHER DIE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Left deaf and mute 21 years ago by a violent attack that killed his brother, Asher Rawlings is preparing to exact revenge against the monstrous perpetrator. But the murderer, just released from prison, happens to be Asher’s father.”

1/20/17- Very good reviews from the critics and mixed reviews from audiences. TRDB.

6) STARLESS DREAMS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Convicted of crimes ranging from theft to murder, the female inmates at an Iranian juvenile detention center have developed strong communal bonds — and for many, being locked up is preferable to returning to their oppressive former lives.”

1/20/17- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

7) ANTARCTICA: ICE AND SKY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This engaging documentary centers on the life and pioneering work of Claude Lorius, an Antarctic explorer and glaciologist who used evidence extracted from deep beneath the ice sheet to connect man-made greenhouse gases and global warming.”

1/20/17- Great reviews from the critics and just fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

8) THEY CALL US MONSTERS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Juvenile justice is the subject of this documentary, which examines the consequences of doling out adult sentences to teenage criminals — focusing on three young men in a screenwriting class collaborating on a film about their lives behind bars.”

1/20/17- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

9) THE FOUNDER– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “The concept and expansion of McDonald’s global fast-food empire represent one of the great success stories of American business. This meaty documentary profiles company founder Ray Kroc, whose canny instincts turned McDonald’s into a golden brand.”

1/18/17- Good reviews. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

1) SPLIT– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this supernatural thriller, a man already shattered by a personal loss finds his world increasingly haunted by four young women, all of whom are after the same thing: his mortal identity.”

1/20/17– Some fairly good reviews and some fairly poor ones also. I’ll skip this one. TRDB.

2) TRESPASS AGAINST US– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Born into a clan of outlaws, Chad Cutler would like nothing more than to escape their life of crime — much to his father’s dismay. As the police close in on the family, Chad is torn between his children’s welfare and allegiance to his dad.”

1/20/17-Weak reviews for this drama. TRDB.

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) PATERSON– Clearview 100. 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Unspooling over the course of a week, this nuanced indie drama chronicles the ebb and flow in the unassuming lives of Paterson, a New Jersey bus driver and part-time poet, and his flighty but supportive wife, Laura.”

1/25/17- Excellent reviews by the critics and fairly good ones from audiences. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) 20th. CENTURY WOMEN- Jacob Burns, Bethel. Danbury Clearview 100. Very good reviews and I enjoyed it.

2) HIDDEN FIGURES– Bethel, Danbury. I liked it but it was too Hollywood for me to really like it.

3) LION- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. I liked it but not great

4) MOONLIGHT– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. I liked it but not as much as the critics did

5) MANCHESTER BY THE SEA– Jacob Burns, Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. I liked this movie very much

6) ELLE– Jacob Burns. Great acting but violent enough that I can’t recommend it

7) LA LA LAND– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury. I really enjoyed this movie

8) ARRIVAL– Jacob Burns. Good reviews but I haven’t seen it yet

9) FENCES– Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. An excellent movie

10) JACKIE– Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. A fair movie with a very good Natalie Portman

11) SILENCE– Clearview 100. Good reviews but I haven’t seen it yet

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) 20th CENTURY WOMEN– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1979 Southern California, bohemian single mom Dorothea Fields looks to a pair of women from different generations to help teach her teenage son lessons about love and life. But he gets another perspective after Dorothea takes in a male boarder.”

1/11/17-  Very good reviews for the movie and for Annette Bening. I liked the movie and Annette Bening was great in the role.  TRDB.

2) GOLD- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this epic crime caper based on real-life events, an out-of-luck gold prospector and a willing geologist pull off a brazen scam. Falsely claiming to have located a major gold deposit in Indonesia, the duo proceeds to hoodwink the experts.”

1/24/17- Generally poor reviews. TRDB.

3) THE FOUNDER– Good reviews

4) HIDDEN FIGURES– Good story but too much Hollywood for me

5) MOONLIGHT– I liked it but not as much as the critics did

6) LA LA LAND– I liked it very much

7) LION- I liked it but not great

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY

THE SAME AS ‘MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH’ EXCEPT “MOONLIGHT” IS NOT SHOWING AND “PATRIOTS DAY” IS!!

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) FIRE AT SEA– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “An island halfway between Sicily and Libya has become the vortex of Europe’s immigration struggles, as observed in this documentary on Lampedusa, where more than 150,000 Africans each year make their first contact with European soil.”

10/21/16- Excellent reviews from the critics and fairly good ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) OFF THE RAILS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Diagnosed with Asperger’s, young Darius McCollum found refuge from bullies in New York City’s subway. Taught to drive the trains, Darius later began commandeering them — which became an uncontrollable obsession that’s landed him in lockup 32 times.”

11/18/16- Very good reviews for this odd sounding documentary. TRDB.

D) THE LIVING ROOM THEATERS AT FAU IN BOCA RATON-

1) NERUDA– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Neruda (2016) – In 1948 Chile, an arrest warrant is issued for acclaimed poet and communist politician Pablo Neruda when he publicly criticizes the government. After failing to flee the country, Neruda and his wife become fugitives, hunted by a relentless policeman.”

12/16/16- Great reviews by everybody. TRDB.

2)  THE TENTH MAN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After years of living in New York City, middle-aged Ariel returns to his native Buenos Aires to see his father, who runs a Jewish aid organization. But Ariel quickly finds that reconnecting with his roots and his distant dad won’t be easy.”

8/5/16- Very good professional reviews but audiences have not cared for it. TRDB.

3) A MAN CALLED OVE– I liked the movie– a very good adaptation of the book.

4) ELLE- Great acting but violent enough that I can’t recommend it

5) JULIETA– The new movie by Pedro Almodovar and I liked it very much. Also, very sad.

6) MANCHESTER BY THE SEA- An excellent movie and I liked it very much.

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB