The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #638

April 20th, 2017

APRIL 20, 2017

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

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

www.thereeldrbob.com

 

I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEND A NEWSLETTER NEXT WEEK AND/OR THE WEEK AFTER AS I TRANSITION TO NEW YORK FROM FLORIDA—

 

AGAIN, I’VE SEEN VERY FEW MOVIES LATELEY BUT I EXPECT TO GET BACK INTO ACTION SOON!!!

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) TONI ERDMANN– HotWire On-Demand

 

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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) TONI ERDMANN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Looking to reconnect with his buttoned-up executive daughter, incorrigible prankster Winfried Conradi sets off for Bucharest, Romania, to pay her a surprise visit — and soon turns her life upside down with his practical jokes.”

12/23/16- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

4/19/17-Very different than anything you’ve seen before this movie was well reviewed and deservedly so. I found it interesting, funny at times and touching as well. TRDB. HotWire on demand. 

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 25-

 

1) MEAN DREAMS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “After learning that new neighbor Casey is being abused by her corrupt lawman father- 15-year-old Jonas resolves to save her. Rashly stealing a bag of her dad’s dirty drug money, Jonas goes on the run with Casey as her father chases them relentlessly.”

 

3/17/17- Fairly good reviews for this drama although the synopsis is a bit of a turn-off. TRDB.

 

2) WE ARE X- 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Big hair and big drama have long been the hallmarks of glam rockers X Japan, whose music has thrilled fans for more than three decades. This absorbing documentary profiles the group in the lead-up to their 2014 Madison Square Garden performance.”

11/4/16- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

3) RIGHT NOW, WRONG THEN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Beginning with a chance meeting between film director Ham Cheon-soo and young painter Yoon Hee-jeong, this insightful drama plays out two versions of their romantic encounter, each with a very different conclusion.”

6/24/16– Very good early reviews from critics with one actually calling this movie the best one so far in 2016. Audiences haven’t been as enthusiastic. TRDB.

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OPENED THIS WEEK-

 

1) A QUIET PASSION– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Famously reclusive poet Emily Dickinson comes to life in this lush biopic that follows her from her days as a gifted but insecure student through her years as an introverted adult whose attachment to her family leads to self-imposed sequestration.”

4/14/17– Excellent reviews by the critics but only mediocre one from audiences. TRDB.

2) MY ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL SINKING NTO THE SEA– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a vision shared by any number of teenagers, this offbeat animated adventure charts the watery saga of Tides High School, which is suddenly disconnected from the rest of California by an earthquake and begins sinking into the ocean.”

4/14/17– Excellent reviews by the critics and weak ones from audiences. TRDB.

3) THE LOST CITY OF Z– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This absorbing tale of mystery recounts the story of real-life British explorer Percy Fawcett, who in 1925 embarked on a journey through the Amazon jungle to locate a fabled ancient city — and never returned.”

4/14/17- Very good reviews from the critics and only fair ones from audiences. I’d see it. TRDB.

4) TOMMY’S HONOUR– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Links legend Tom Morris works as greenkeeper at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews, Scotland — a position he expects his son to fill one day. But headstrong young Tommy has other plans, which include becoming golf’s first touring pro.”

4/14/17- Critics were mixed on this one. Audiences liked it, however. TRDB.

5) ALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Looking to experience life to the fullest, two young art-school friends embark on a circuitous odyssey of self-discovery through the nighttime streets of Warsaw, immersing themselves in a world of hedonism.”

4/14/17– Fair reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

6) MIMOSAS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “With his life waning, an elderly sheikh is carried into the Atlas Mountains to be buried near his family. But after he dies en route, the caravaners transporting the old man refuse to continue the arduous journey — except for a pair of scoundrels.”

4/14/17- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

7) BY THE TIME IT GETS DARK– Synopsis by Netflix. “This layered nonlinear drama follows the lives of several diverse characters loosely connected by a tumultuous history that includes the infamous massacre of student protestors in 1976 Bangkok.”

4/14/17- Fairly good reviews for this drama from Thailand. TRDB.

8) FINDING OSCAR– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “During Guatemala’s long civil war, government forces raided the village of Dos Erres and killed its residents. Thirty years later, a team seeking justice searches for a young boy who was spared and brought up by one of the killers.”

4/14/17- Fairly good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

9) LITTLE BOXES– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “When interracial couple Mack and Gina make the life-changing decision to move from New York City to a small, all-white Washington town, adjusting to suburban culture proves trickier than the couple and their 11-year-old son imagined.”

4/14/17- Fairly good reviews. TDRB.

10) NORMAN: THE MODERATE RISE AND TRAGIC FALL OF A NEW YORK FIXER- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “As a small-time “fixer” whose business involves arranging quiet deals among politicos and other power brokers, opportunistic Norman Oppenheimer makes a golden connection when a politician he once befriended later becomes Israel’s prime minister.”

4/14/17- Excellent reviews by the critics and fairly good ones by audiences. TRDB.

11) HEAL THE LIVING– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a surfer on his way home from a sunrise session is involved in a terrible car crash, his family faces the agonizing decision of whether to take him off life support. Meanwhile, a woman in Paris lies waiting for a desperately needed new heart.”

4/14/17- Excellent reviews by the critics and just OK ones from audiences. TRDB.

12) MAURIZIO CATTELAN: BE RIGHT BACK– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Charting the life and career of artist and provocateur Maurizio Cattelan, this fascinating documentary looks at the influences and vision that inform his artistic creations, which include a sculpture of Pope John Paul II being struck by a meteorite.”

4/14/14- Just 3 reviews noted and they are all positive. TRDB.

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HOTWIRE ON-DEMAND-

NEW ON HOTWIRE-

1) STRAY BULLETS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “For teenagers Ash and Connor, the dreary task of clearing out their dad’s old mobile home takes an unexpected turn when they discover that a trio of crooks is using the place to hide out from a hit man.”

2/10/17- Very good reviews by the critics and awful ones by audiences. TRDB. 

3/19/17– I really enjoyed this strange movie directed by a 16 year old boy. TRDB. 

2) TONI ERDMANN– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “Looking to reconnect with his buttoned-up executive daughter, incorrigible prankster Winfried Conradi sets off for Bucharest, Romania, to pay her a surprise visit — and soon turns her life upside down with his practical jokes.”

12/23/16- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

4/19/17-Very different than anything you’ve seen before, this movie was well reviewed and deservedly so. I found it interesting and touching as well. TRDB. HotWire on demand. 

3) 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 seemed ridiculous to me as was some of the petty conversation. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1)  ACTOR MARTINEZ- Very good reviews

2) 20th. CENTURY WOMEN- I liked it very much

3) BURN COUNTRY- Good reviews

4) CHRONIC- I liked it

5) CLAIRE IN MOTION- Back on the list– good reviews

6) DENIAL- A good movie

7) DYING LAUGHING- Fairly good reviews for this comedy

8)THE EAGLE HUNTRESS- Excellent

9) THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN- I liked this movie

10) FENCES- An excellent movie

11) FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS- Good reviews but I resisted seeing this one

12) THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS- Predictable but fun

13) HELL OR HIGHWATER- I enjoyed this movie quite a bit

14) JULIETA- I liked it very much. Sad though!

15) LOVING- An excellent drama and great acting

16) MANCHESTER BY THE SEA- I loved this movie

17) MOONLIGHT- A good movie but not as good as the critics said

18)MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE- Good reviews

19) SNOWDEN- OK but not nearly as good as the documentary “Citizenfour”

20) SULLY- I liked it very much

21) A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS- I liked it

22) TANNA- A wonderful movie

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS- NONE

REPEATS-

1) GIFTED- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100. Weak reviews.

2) THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Weak reviews.

3) THE LOST CITY OF Z- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Very good reviews.

4) THEIR FINEST- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Excellent reviews.

5) COLOSSAL- Jacob Burns, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Very good reviews.

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

1. A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) THE LOST CITY OF Z- Very good reviews

2) GIFTED- Weak reviews

3) THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE- Weak reviews

1. B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

Same as Lake Worth with the addition of TRUMAN. See below for a description.

1. C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) KEDI– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Experience daily life in the eyes of a cat in Istanbul, where hundreds of thousands of felines roam the streets freely. Many citizens of the Turkish metropolis regard themselves as guardians of these cats, which exist between the tame and the wild.”

2/10/17- Great reviews for this weird sounding documentary. TRDB.

2) LOVESONG–  2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “With her hubby constantly on the road, Sarah decides to hit the road herself and sets off with her young daughter and best friend, Mindy. Always close, the pals soon become something more — but when Mindy makes an abrupt exit, Sarah is left hanging.”

2/17/17- Fair reviews. TRDB.

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

1) THE LOST CITY OF Z- Very good reviews.

2) TRUMAN-2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Despite living far apart for much of their adult lives, boyhood pals Julián and Tomás have retained a deep connection. But when Julián is diagnosed with terminal cancer and Tomás arrives to urge him to continue treatment, tensions arise between them.”

3) TOMMY’S HONOUR– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Links legend Tom Morris works as greenkeeper at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews, Scotland — a position he expects his son to fill one day. But headstrong young Tommy has other plans, which include becoming golf’s first touring pro.”

4/14/17- Critics were mixed on this one. Audiences liked it, however. TRDB.

“THE WOMEN’S BALCONY” AND “FRANTZ” HAVE LIMITED SCREENINGS

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB

 

 

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