The Reel Dr. Bob

FILM REVIEWS #661

October 4th, 2017

OCTOBER 5, 2017

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

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

 

BEGINNING NEXT WEEK I WILL BE PREPARING THE NEWSLETTER ON ANOTHER COMPUTER, BEFORE GOING TO FLORIDA, SO THAT THE FORMAT MIGHT LOOK A BIT DIFFERENT

 

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

 

1) LONG SHOT– Netflix Streaming

2) OUR SOULS AT NIGHT– Netflix Streaming

3) BATTLE OF THE SEXES– At the Theater

 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

 

1) BATTLE OF THE SEXES– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1973, Billie Jean King, the world’s No. 2 female tennis player, took on 55-year-old ex-champ Bobby Riggs in a match hyped as the Battle of the Sexes. This sports dramedy delves into the battles being played out in their lives beyond the spotlight.”

9/22/17- Very good reviews by the critics and 50/50 by audiences. TRDB.

10/1/17- I liked the movie very much. It was much more than a tennis match. Love Emma Stone. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

 

1) A NIGHT IN OLD MEXICO– 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After losing his longtime home to property developers, rancher Red Bovie decides to take a road trip to Mexico, accompanied by his grandson. But their adventure turns dangerous after the pair unwittingly drives off with a drug dealer’s money.”

5/16/14- Poor reviews by most critics– the NY Times liked it. TRDB.

9/27/17– Even Robert Duvall couldn’t save this movie. Skip it and save yourself 2 hours. TRDB.

2) LONG SHOT– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Dodgers fan Juan Catalan is wrongly accused of killing a young woman, he turns to an unlikely source to help prove he was at a baseball game with his daughter at the time of the murder: footage from the HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm, whose crew was filming an episode at Dodger Stadium that day.”

9/29/17- Very interesting and another example of how persistence by someone who believes in you, in this case an attorney, is the key to success. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

3) OUR SOULS AT NIGHT– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though widow Addie Moore and widower Louis Waters have been next-door neighbors for decades, they’ve scarcely had any contact since their spouses died. But everything changes when Addie, looking to make a connection, pays Louis a visit.”

9/29/17- Very good reviews from the critics and OK ones from audiences. TRDB.

9/29/17- Jane Fonda and Robert Redford were great together and the movie was enjoyable as well. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, OCT. 10-

 

1) MAUDIE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This affecting biopic charts the story of Maud Lewis, who rises above the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that made her a social outcast and finds a passion for painting, becoming a beloved Canadian folk artist in the process.”

6/16/17- Good to excellent reviews. TRDB.

8/2/17- A real love story between 2 characters who provided the strength for each to overcome his handicaps. TRDB.

2) PILGRIMAGE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “When a small band of monks in 13th-century Ireland is charged with transporting their monastery’s holiest relic to Rome, they embark on a dangerous journey that brings them into conflict with warring clans, conquering Normans and one another.”

8/11/17- Mixed reviews at best with a few very good ones thrown in. I’d try it. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST FRIDAY-

 

Recommended-

 

1) OUR SOULS AT NIGHT– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though widow Addie Moore and widower Louis Waters have been next-door neighbors for decades, they’ve scarcely had any contact since their spouses died. But everything changes when Addie, looking to make a connection, pays Louis a visit.”

9/29/177- Very good reviews from the critics and OK ones from audiences. Available on Netflix Streaming. TRDB.

9/29/17- Jane Fonda and Robert Redford were great together and the movie was enjoyable as well. TRDB.

2) LUCKY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This wry character study follows Lucky, a lonely 90-year-old living in a dusty desert town, as he meditates on his inevitable death. Despite his strong belief that God does not exist, Lucky isn’t ready to make the jump into nothingness.”

9/29/17- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3) AMERICAN MADE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “To avoid jail time for smuggling drugs into the United States from South America, pilot Barry Seal turns informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration — and soon finds himself in the midst of one of the largest covert operations in U.S. history.”

9/29/17- Very good reviews by most critics. Audiences have enjoyed it as well. TRDB.

4) ABUNDANT ACREAGE AVAILABLE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “For siblings Tracy and Jesse, their dad’s recent death has forced them to deal with his legacy and issues related to his property. But the situation changes when three brothers whose family once owned the land arrive — and stake their claim.”

9/29/17- Very good reviews. TRDB.

5) AUTUMN, AUTUMN– 2017. Synopsis by IMDB. “Jihyun travels to Seoul for an interview before taking a train back to his hometown of Chuncheon. On the return home, he sits next to a middle-aged couple. The film soon separates into two stories about Jihyun and the couple.”

9/29/17- Just 1 review (the NY Times) but it sounds interesting. TRDB.

6) THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This affectionate documentary traces the singular life of social diarist Armistead Maupin, whose serial novel “Tales of the City” wittily captured the spirit of San Francisco’s gay community in the 1970s while helping foster the gay rights movement.”

9/29/17- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

7) BLOOD STRIPE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “With her mind rattled by post-traumatic stress disorder after her third combat tour in Afghanistan, a U.S. Marine sergeant struggles to relate to family life. Seeking refuge, she flees to a summer camp, where she tries to put her life back together.”

9/29/17- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

8) DIFFERENT FLOWERS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a shocking turnabout, Millie Haven gets cold feet at the altar and flees the scene for the sanctuary of her grandmother’s farmhouse. But Grandma has far less sympathy for Millie’s plight than she had expected.”

9/29/17- Very few reviews– slightly more positive than negative. TRDB.

9) LET’S PLAY TWO– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “During the 2016 baseball season that saw the Chicago Cubs win their first World Series championship in 108 years, Windy City native Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam play two high-energy shows at Wrigley Field in front of a fevered crowd.”

9/29/17- Fairly good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

10) REALIVE- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Marc is diagnosed with a disease and is given a short time to live. Unable to accept his own end, he decides to freeze his body. Sixty years later, in the year 2084, he becomes the first cryogenically frozen man to be revived in history. Marc discovers a startling future, but the biggest surprise is that his past has accompanied him in unexpected ways.”

9/29/17- Very good reviews by the critics and weak ones by audiences. Available on Netflix Disc. on 10/3/17. TRDB.

11) SUPER DARK TIMES– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “An innocent lark in the park turns tragic when teenagers Zach and Josh are party to an accident that kills their friend Daryl. In a panic, the two hide his body under some leaves, but their hastily made decision soon begins to haunt them.”

9/29/17- Very good reviews. TRDB.

 

Not Recommended-

1) MARK FELT: THE MAN WHO BROUGHT DOWN THE WHITE HOUSE- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This fact-based biopic charts the life of FBI informant Mark Felt, aka “Deep Throat” — the principal unnamed source for reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein as they begin writing exposés that will blow the lid off the Watergate scandal.”

9/29/17- Awful reviews but it might be at least somewhat interesting to people who lived through this scandal. TRDB.

2) LITERALLY, RIGHT BEFORE AARON– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “For Adam, the pain of his breakup with longtime girlfriend Allison is still raw when he learns a year later that she’s engaged. To make matters worse, he receives an invitation to the wedding — where he’s forced to confront his lingering feelings.”

9/29/17- Terrible reviews!!! TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND–

 

NEW ON COMCAST-

 

REPEATS-

 

1) BEATRIZ AT DINNER- I enjoyed this movie very much

 

2) THE BIG SICK- A very good movie– liked it very much

 

3) CHUCK- Good reviews and I liked it

4) THE DINNER- I liked it

5) GET OUT- I liked it

6) GIFTED- Just ok reviews but friends have liked it very much and so did I

7) THE GOOD CATHOLIC- Weak reviews by critics but good ones from audiences

8)MANCHESTER BY THE SEA- I loved this movie

9) MEGAN LEAVY- I enjoyed this movie. A bit of a tearjerker

10) THE SALESMAN- An excellent movie from Iran

11) THE SENSE OF AN ENDING- I liked the movie and Jim Broadbent in particular

12) SHOT CALLER- Good reviews

13) SNOWDEN- I liked it– the topic is still in the news

14) THE TRIP TO SPAIN- Fair reviews at best for this 3rd. movie of its type. If you’re desperate!

15) THE UNKNOWN GIRL- I liked it

16) VICEROY’S HOUSE- Fairly good reviews

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

 

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US– Bethel, Danbury. 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “After bad weather halts their commercial flight, surgeon Ben Payne and writer Ashley Knox hop a charter plane. But it crashes, leaving the strangers injured and alone atop a snow-covered mountain — forcing them to embark on a long journey for help.”

10/3/17- Fair reviews at best. Even some of the positive reviews had several negative things to say. TRDB.

2) LUCKY– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This wry character study follows Lucky, a lonely 90-year-old living in a dusty desert town, as he meditates on his inevitable death. Despite his strong belief that God does not exist, Lucky isn’t ready to make the jump into nothingness.”

9/29/17- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3) FACES PLACES– Jacob Burns. 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “A key figure in the emergence of French New Wave cinema in the 1950s, director Agnès Varda’s career continues more than 60 years later as she joins photographer and muralist JR for a road trip through France, making art as they go.”

10/3/17- Uniformly excellent reviews. TRDB.

4) LOVING VINCENT– Jacob Burns. 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This animated biopic recounts the life and last days of tormented Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, with each frame of the film consisting of an oil painting executed in the master’s style and a plot based on letters he penned.”

9/22/17- Fairly good reviews by the critics and excellent ones by audiences. TRDB.

 

REPEATS-

 

1) STRONGER– Bethel, Clearview 100. Very good reviews

2) BATTLE OF THE SEXES– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury. I liked the movie on many levels, including Jane Fonda and Robert Redford

3) VICTORIA & ABDUL– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Fair reviews at best- I’ll skip it for now

4) BRAD’S STATUS– Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. I liked this very much

5) WIND RIVER- Garden Cinema Norwalk. I liked it

6) VICEROY’S HOUSE– Garden Cinema Norwalk. Good reviews

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

 

1) BATTLE OF THE SEXES– I liked this movie on many levels

 

2) STRONGER– Very good review and I want to see this movie

 

3) REBEL IN THE RYE– Weak reviews

 

4) BRAD’S STATUS– I enjoyed this very much

 

5) VICEROY’S HOUSE– Good reviews

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

 

1)  THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “After bad weather halts their commercial flight, surgeon Ben Payne and writer Ashley Knox hop a charter plane. But it crashes, leaving the strangers injured and alone atop a snow-covered mountain — forcing them to embark on a long journey for help.”

10/3/17- Fair reviews at best. Even some of the positive reviews had several negative things to say. TRDB.

2) BATTLE OF THE SEXES– I liked this movie on many levels

3) VICTORIA & ABDUL– I’ll skip it

4) STRONGER– Very good review and I want to see this movie

5) REBEL IN THE RYE– Weak reviews

6) VICEROY’S HOUSE- Good reviews

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

 

1) EX LIBRIS: NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY-

 

D) THE LIVING ROOM THEATERS-

 

1) MANOLO, THE BOY WHO MADE SHOES FOR LIZARDS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1970, fashion designer Manolo Blahnik met style maven Diana Vreeland, who recommended he focus on shoes. Within a few years, Blahnik’s imaginative styles made his name the gold standard in tony footwear, as chronicled in this in-depth documentary.”

9/27/17- Fair reviews from the critics but excellent ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) THE UNKNOWN GIRL- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “After young physician Jenny closes her office for the day, she refuses to see an unfamiliar woman who’s looking for treatment. Upon learning that the woman died soon thereafter, Jenny becomes obsessed with finding out the stranger’s identity.”

9/7/17- OK reviews from the critics and weak ones from audiences. Sounds interesting to me and the NY Times liked it very much. TRDB.

9/11/17- Certainly not a great movie, this new film did hold my interest throughout. The lead actress was very good. TRDB.

3) REBEL IN THE RYE– Poor reviews

 

4) STRONGER– Very good reviews

 

5) VICEROY’S HOUSE– Good reviews and I’ll see it

 

“INGRID GOES WEST” AND “SCHOOL LIFE” ARE BEING SHOWN HERE WITH LIMITED SCREENINGS

 

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB

Entry Filed under: All Reviews,Old Newsletters