The Reel Dr. Bob

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

DEAR FRIENDS:

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

I’M HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH E-MAIL SO IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO READ THE NEWSLETTER DIRECTLY FROM THE WEBSITE AT LEAST ONCE IN ORDER TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH IT

I’M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE LAST 2 WEEKS-

1) MUDBOUND- Netflix Streaming

2) CUBA AND THE CAMERAMAN– Netflix Streaming

3) KEEP THE CHANGE– At the Boston Jewish Film Festival

4) LADY BIRD– At the Theater

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MOVIES I SAW IN THE THEATER-

1) KEEP THE CHANGE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this offbeat romantic comedy, David is wealthy, charismatic and autistic. When an inappropriate comment lands him in a court-mandated support group, he meets quirky young Sarah — and love begins to blossom.’

11/22/17- I LOVED the movie– starring my niece Samantha Elisofon. TRDB.

2) LADY BIRD– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In her senior year of high school in Sacramento, teenage Lady Bird is set on making her way east to attend college in New York City. With help from her adopted brother, Miguel, she begins putting together a plan for her great escape.”

11/3/17- Excellent reviews by all. TRDB.

11/28/17- I liked it very much. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW AT HOME-

1) MUDBOUND– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1940s Mississippi, two families come into conflict after the white McAllan clan acquires the cotton farm lived on by the Jacksons, black tenant farmers who have tilled the land for generations.”

11/17/17- Excellent reviews from the critics and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

11/18/17- I enjoyed this movie very much. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

2) LADY MACBETH– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Stifled by her arranged marriage to a middle-aged husband, young Victorian wife Katherine begins an affair with a brash groom who works on the family estate. When scandal erupts, she’s prepared to take drastic steps to continue their illicit liaison.”

7/14/17- Excellent reviews from the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

11/22//17- Boring as hell and I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

3) SHOT CALLER– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Recently released from prison and back on the streets of Southern California, an ex-con receives orders from his gang leaders to put together plans for committing an audacious crime with a rival gang.”

8/18/17- Fairly good reviews– somewhat better from audiences than the critics. TRDB.

11/21/17- I could not get into this movie and eventually turned it off. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

4) CUBA  AND THE CAMERAMAN– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Reflecting on Cuban history and the effects of Fidel Castro’s long rule on three Cuban families, this absorbing documentary incorporates candid interviews with Castro, collected over more than four decades by director Jon Alpert.”

11/23/17- Few reviews and they are very good. TRDB.

11/25/17- I enjoyed this wonderful documentary even though Jon Alpert- the writer/director- frequently got on my nerves. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

5) 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 including a few very good ones. I’d try it. TRDB.

11/29/17- Really boring and I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, DEC. 5

1) OF HORSES AND MEN– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “This action drama lets viewers imagine the world of humans through a horse’s eyes, spotlighting the ancient two-way bond between the species. Deep in the wild, events unreel that will test both the horses and their complex human partners.”

3/12/15- Great reviews from the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) LOGAN LUCKY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Amping up the adrenaline with film shot during the real race, this pedal-to the-metal comedy revolves around an impossible heist attempted by two brothers during the Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.”

8/16/17- Very good reviews for this crime caper movie. TRDB.

3) THE WOMEN’S BALCONY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “As an Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem is celebrating the bar mitzvah of one of its members, the balcony that holds the women collapses. When an ultraconservative new rabbi takes charge of the repairs, he incites a gender war in the process.”

3/13/17- Very good reviews and I really enjoyed this movie. TRDB.

4) INGRID GOES WEST– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “After getting out of a mental hospital, Ingrid Thorburn becomes fixated on making friends with Instagram star Taylor Sloane, going to great lengths to get close to her. But when Taylor’s brother enters the picture, Ingrid’s behavior turns dangerous.”

8/11/17- Very good reviews by critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

5) A GRAY STATE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “When David Crowley and his family turn up dead in their Minnesota home, conspiracy theories abound thanks to Crowley’s in-process film depicting a federal government run amok. But what really happened? This fascinating documentary seeks to find out.”

11/3/17- Great reviews by the critics and just fair ones  by audiences. TRDB.

6) DREAM BOAT- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Once a year the Dream Boat sets sail for a cruise exclusively for gay men. Far from their families, political restrictions and internal boundaries, we follow five men from Poland, Palestine, India, France and Australia on a quest to live an authentic life. The cruise promises seven days of dancing, sunshine, sex, and freedom — but the men are also faced with loneliness, doubt and insecurity. In the search for a satisfying future, how many hopes will the DREAM BOAT fulfill?”

11/3/17- Just 4 reviews so far– 3 positive and 1 negative. TRDB.

7) CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Once a key technology in business and literature, manual typewriters are viewed by most people as quaint 20th-century artifacts. But as this engaging documentary reveals, hard-core typewriter fans are ensuring that these predigital marvels live on.

8/18/17- Great reviews. TRDB.

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OPENED ON FRIDAY, NOV. 17-

1) MUDBOUND– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1940s Mississippi, two families come into conflict after the white McAllan clan acquires the cotton farm lived on by the Jacksons, black tenant farmers who have tilled the land for generations.”

11/17/17- Excellent reviews from the critics and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

11/18/17- I enjoyed this movie very much. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

2) A FANTASTIC WOMAN– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “The sudden death of her boyfriend, Orlando, devastates Marina, who in the midst of grieving is subjected to a hostile police interview. Subsequently shunned by Orlando’s family because she’s transgender, Marina is determined to exert her rights.”

11/17/17- Great reviews including an extraordinary one from the NY Times. TRDB.

3) JIM AND ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Eighteen years after playing oddball comedian Andy Kaufman (and his lounge singer alter ego) in the biopic “Man on the Moon,” Jim Carrey reflects on behind-the-scenes footage showing a profound connection between actor and subject.”

11/17/17- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

4) WONDER- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Entering fifth grade will be momentous for Auggie — because at last, he’ll get to be ordinary. While his facial deformity has previously kept him from attending regular schools, Auggie is determined to make his classmates see beyond his face.”

11/17/17- Good to excellent reviews for this movie. TRDB.

5) ON THE BEACH AT NIGHT ALONE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the wake of a failed relationship with a married man, South Korean film star Young-hee travels to Germany to put some space between herself and her former lover, hoping to clear her head. But leaving the past behind proves difficult.”

11/17/17- Excellent reviews by the critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

6) BIG SONIA– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Throughout her adult life, Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski has used hard work and inspirational speaking to eradicate the darkness of years spent in concentration camps. But with her tailor shop about to close, past trauma bubbles to the surface.”

11/17/17- Very good reviews from the critics and excellent ones from audiences. TRDB.

7) THE BREADWINNER– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this animated tale based on Deborah Ellis’ best-selling novel, life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan is already hard for 11-year-old Parvana, but with her father in jail, she’s forced to don male clothing and become the family breadwinner.”

11/17/17- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

8) SWEET VIRGINIA– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Just after a triple homicide takes place in his small Alaskan town, former rodeo star Sam Rossi — now the owner of the local motel — unwittingly strikes up a friendship with the sociopathic contract killer behind the crimes.”

11/17/17- Good reviews from the critics and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

NOT RECOMMENDED-

1) ROMAN J. ISRAEL ESQ.- 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “For defense attorney Roman Israel, protecting the rights of society’s most vulnerable is a personal crusade. Drafted by a top law firm after his partner dies, Israel learns that the firm uses nefarious tactics, putting him in a tight ethical corner.”

11/17/17- Poor reviews for this movie with Denzel Washington.

2) PORTO– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “A single encounter can haunt a life forever, as American expatriate Jake Kleeman and French archaeology student Mati Vargnier come to discover when they look back wistfully on their passionate one-night stand in the Portuguese city of Porto.”

11/17/17- Weak reviews in general with a few very good ones. TRDB.

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OPENED ON NOV. 24-

Recommended-

1) CALL ME BY YOUR NAME– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the summer of 1983, romance blooms in the sumptuous setting of the Italian Riviera when a 17-year-old boy becomes involved with the 24-year-old American scholar living at the family villa and working for the youngster’s professor father.”

11/23/17- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) DARKEST HOUR– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Winston Churchill’s stirring defiance of the Nazi threat is the focus of this historical drama that depicts his fearless refusal to surrender Britain to Adolf Hitler and his relentless army during World War II’s early days.”

11/23/17- Fairly good reviews with some notable poor ones. Audience reviews were fair. TRDB.

3) BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMAR STORY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Remembered as one of the most ravishing stars of her day, screen legend Hedy Lamarr had brains and beauty — which are on full display in this illuminating documentary that spotlights her World War II-era coinvention of wireless communication forms.”

11/23/17- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

4) MR. ROOSEVELT– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix “Texas native Emily is trying to make it as a comic in Los Angeles when she gets word from her ex that the cat they once shared is ailing. Hightailing it back to Austin, Emily finds the feline dead — and a new girlfriend ensconced in her former home.’

11/23/17- Very good reviews. TRDB.

5) BRIMSTONE & GLORY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “This documentary captures the Mexican town of Tultepec (whose main industry is fireworks) amid its annual festival, following the revelry as the night sky is set ablaze with kaleidoscopic pyrotechnics, while papier-mâché bulls explode in the streets.”

11/23/17- Very good reviews for this documentary with some notable exceptions. TRDB.

6) ERIC CLAPTON: A LIFE IN 12 BARS– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Legendary guitar god Eric Clapton — whose mastery of electric blues expanded rock music’s horizons beginning in the mid-1960s — is profiled in this revealing documentary that includes candid interviews with his friends, family and peers.”

11/23/17- Just a few reviews and they are mixed. I’ll keep you posted. TRDB.

7) KEEP THE CHANGE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this offbeat romantic comedy, David is wealthy, charismatic and autistic. When an inappropriate comment lands him in a court-mandated support group, he meets quirky young Sarah — and love begins to blossom.’

11/22/17- I LOVED the movie– starring my niece Samantha Elisofon. TRDB.

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HOTWIRE ON-DEMAND-

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) 1945- Clearview 100. 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the days after the end of World War II, a Hungarian village is set to celebrate a wedding when two Orthodox Jews arrive, igniting residents’ fears that the men have come to reclaim property divvied up among their neighbors during the war.”

REPEATS-

1) THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100. Excellent reviews.

2) LADY BIRD– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Excellent reviews.

I saw it and liked it very much.

3) NOVITIATE– Garden Cinema Norwalk. Fairly good reviews.

4) JANE– Jacob Burns. Very good reviews. Limited Screenings.

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) WONDER– Very good reviews

2) THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI– Excellent reviews

3) MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS– Fair reviews

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

1) WONDER– Very good reviews

2) THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI- Excellent reviews

3) LADY BIRD- Very good reviews and I enjoyed it

4) MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS– Fair reviews

C) THE STONZEK THEATER  AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

Closed for renovations!!

D) THE LIVING ROOM THEATERS AT FAU IN BOCA RATON

1) THE DIVINE ORDER– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Young Nora lives a serene life in a Swiss village, but in 1971 the reverberations of feminist movements elsewhere prompt her to begin campaigning for women’s suffrage. The residents’ reaction to Nora’s advocacy, however, is surprisingly hostile.”

10/27/17- Mostly very good reviews. TRDB.

2) LADY BIRD- Good reviews and I liked it

3) LBJ– Weak reviews but friends have liked it

4) NOVITIATE– Very good reviews

5) THE FLORIDA PROJECT– Good reviews but friends have hated it.

6) LOVING VINCENT– Good reviews. Limited screenings.

E) THE REGAL SHADOWOOD THEATERS 16 and 18 ARE SHOWING “THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI”— HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB