The Reel Dr. Bob

JULY 5, 2018

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) BACK TO BURGUNDY– Netflix Disc.

2) HEARTS BEAT LOUD– At the Theater

3) TO EACH, HER OWN– Netflix Streaming

4) SUNDAY’S ILLNESS– Netflix Streaming

5) A WALK IN THE WOODS– Netflix Streaming

6) LES COWBOYS– Netflix Streaming

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) HEARTS BEAT LOUD– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “As Brooklynite Frank Fisher is getting ready to send his daughter, Sam, off to college on the West Coast, he can’t quite seem to let go of her. Knowing that the two share a love of music, Frank comes up with a ploy to keep Sam from leaving the nest.”

6/8/18- Excellent reviews by the critics and very good ones by audiences. TRDB.

6/30/18- A fun movie with excellent music as well. I liked it very much. TRDB.

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) BACK TO BURGUNDY– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Absent for more than a decade and now living in Australia, Jean returns to his native France when his dying father asks him to come home to help his siblings save the family winery. But first they’ll have to reconnect and repair their relationships.”

3/23/18- Fair reviews from the critics and much weaker ones from audiences. It does sound interesting to me and I’ll put it on the list of recommendations. TRDB.

6/28/18- What can I say? Despite the reviews I liked it very much. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

2) TO EACH, HER OWN– 2018. A French comedy about a young gay woman with a girlfriend and a male lover as well.

7/1/18- Fair reviews at best but I kind of enjoyed this far fetched French comedy. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

3) SUNDAY’S ILLNESS– 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Anabel abandoned her daughter Chiara when she was barely eight years old. Thirty-five years later Chiara returns with a strange request for her mother; she asks her to spend ten days with her. Anabel sees in that trip the chance to get her daughter back, but she does not know that Chiara has a hidden agenda and that she will have to face the most important decision of her life.”

7/1/18- This movie got rave reviews from some of the critics and very good ones from the rest. Audiences were much less praiseworthy. I thought it was just OK. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

4) A WALK IN THE WOODS– 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Returning to America after living abroad many years, aging travel writer Bill Bryson decides to focus on his native land by hiking the length of the Appalachian Trail with his long-estranged pal Stephen Katz — a tottering, wisecracking ex-alcoholic.

9/1/15- Reviews are 50/50 and the positive ones have qualifiers but despite the reviews I will probably see this movie. TRDB. 

7/2/18- Well, I liked the movie although Robert Redford is really miscast in this role. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

5) LES COWBOYS– 2016. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the midst of a country-western festival in Eastern France, a 16-year-old girl disappears into the sea of visitors who’ve descended on the area, prompting her father to begin an all-consuming search for the missing girl.”

6/24/16- Fairly good critical review but audiences are not as enthusiastic. TRDB.

7/4/18- The movie held my interest and I enjoyed it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY, JULY 10-

1) DIM THE FLUORESCENTS– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Neither aspiring actress Audrey nor her best friend, budding playwright Lillian, are getting far in their careers, so they take a job giving role-playing demonstrations at corporate training sessions. But the pressure to succeed may tear them apart.”

1/12/18- Very good reviews. TRDB.

2) A CIAMBA– In A CIAMBRA, a small Romani community in Calabria, Pio Amato is desperate to grow up fast. At 14, he drinks, smokes and is one of the few to easily slide between the region’s factions – the local Italians, the African refugees and his fellow Romani. Pio follows his older brother Cosimo everywhere, learning the necessary skills for life on the streets of their hometown. When Cosimo disappears and things start to go wrong, Pio sets out to prove he’s ready to step into his big brother’s shoes but soon finds himself faced with an impossible decision that will show if he is truly ready to become a man.”

1/18/18- Very good reviews. TRDB.

3) CHAPPAQUIDDICK– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this historical drama, the car accident that doomed Ted Kennedy’s presidential ambitions and resulted in the drowning death of 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne gets a fresh look, focusing on the cover-up that followed the crash.”

4/3/18- Fairly good reviews for this historical drama. TRDB.

4) A QUIET PLACE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “As a married couple and their son are enjoying their peaceful existence on a farm, a malevolent supernatural entity takes up residence in their home, forcing the family into a horrific and extended fight for their lives.”

4/4/18- Excellent reviews for this bloody horror movie. Not my kind of movie by a longshot. TRDB.

5) SWEET COUNTRY– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Australia’s dusty outback of the 1920s is the setting for this well-crafted Western about an aboriginal stockman who faces little chance of a fair trial after killing the racist white owner of a cattle station in self-defense.”

4/6/18- Excellent reviews from the critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

6) LEAN ON PETE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Passing his teen years largely neglected, Charley Thompson finds a part-time job with a slightly shady horse trainer and develops a strong bond with worn-out racehorse Lean on Pete — whom Charley resolves to save from the slaughterhouse.”

4/6/18- Excellent reviews for this movie. TRDB.

7) HITLER’S HOLLYWOOD– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Between 1933 and 1945, Germany produced more than 1,000 films, only a few of them openly Nazi propaganda. This insightful documentary examines how stereotypes of the enemy and fascist ideology were seeded in audiences’ psyches via the cinema.”

4/12/18- Very interesting and positive reviews. TRDB.

8) THE LEISURE SEEKER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “The Leisure Seeker stars Academy Award-winner® Helen Mirren and two-time Golden Globe-winner® Donald Sutherland as a runaway couple going on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker, travelling from Boston to The Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West. They recapture their passion for life and their love for each other on a road trip that provides revelation and surprise right up to the very end.”

6/28/18- Generally I will not miss a road movie but I may make an exception for this movie with terrible reviews. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST FRIDAY-

1) WINTER BROTHERS– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a small town in rural Denmark, laidback Johan works at a limestone mine, as does his oddball brother, Emil — who steals chemicals from the site to make moonshine. When his hooch is suspected of sickening a co-worker, the community ostracizes him.”

6/28/18- Very good reviews for this movie. TRDB.

2) ROCK RUBBER 45s– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Hip-hop promoter and performer Bobbito Garcia lets loose in this autobiographical documentary tracing his rise from New York City’s streets and basketball courts to the airwaves and beyond, spreading sneaker and hip-hop culture worldwide.”

6/28/18- Just a few reviews noted and they are all positive. TRDB.

3) CUSTODY– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Caught in the middle of his parents’ bitter divorce, Julien Besson finds his life ruled by the terms of a shared custody order, forcing him to navigate the competing perspectives of his warring parents and to try to keep the worst from happening.”

6/28/18- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

4) THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS– 2018. “This riveting documentary charts the twisty story of identical triplets separated at birth, who reconnect by chance at age 19. But what starts as a happy reunion soon sets off a series of events that lead to shocking and sinister secrets.”

6/28/18- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

5) LEAVE NO TRACE-2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “For survivalist Will and his teenage daughter, living off the grid means residing in a nature reserve on the edge of a city — a lifestyle that suits them until they’re discovered and forced into the social services system.”

6/28/18- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

6) IDEAL HOME– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. ” Celebrity chef Erasmus and his life partner, Paul, are used to doing what they want, when they want. But their lifestyle is thoroughly disrupted when Erasmus’ 10-year-old grandson turns up on their doorstep in the wake of his father’s arrest.”

6/28/18- OK reviews for this comedy. TRDB.

7) RECOVERY BOYS– 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In the heart of America’s opioid epidemic, four men attempt to reinvent their lives and mend broken relationships after years of drug abuse. Recovery Boys, from Academy Award nominated director Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Heroin(e)), is an intimate look at the strength, brotherhood, and courage that it takes to overcome addiction and lays bare the internal conflict of recovery. In an effort to break the cycle of generational addiction and trauma, the young men let go of painful pasts as they live in the present, and build a new community in a farming-based rehab.”

6/18/18- Just a few reviews noted and they are all positive. Audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.

8) WOMAN WALKS AHEAD–  2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “When artist Catherine Weldon leaves her Brooklyn, New York, home in 1889 and travels to the Dakota Territory to paint a portrait of Lakota Sioux leader Sitting Bull, she becomes immersed in the Plains Indians’ struggle over land rights.”

6/29/18- Poor reviews for this movie starring Jessica Chastain.

9) LOVE, CECIL– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “A photographer, set and costume designer, and writer, Cecil Beaton takes his own turn in the spotlight in this engaging documentary that draws on personal diaries, archival footage and photos to profile one of the 20th century’s great tastemakers.”

6/29/18- Good reviews from the critics but poor ones from audiences. TRDB.

10) THIS IS CONGO– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, conflict has raged for more than two decades. This eye-opening documentary puts a human face on the struggles by profiling four survivors: a mineral dealer, a tailor, a whistle-blower and an army colonel.”

6/29/18- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

11) THE CAKEMAKER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Thomas, a young German baker, is having an affair with Oren, an Israeli married man who has frequent business visits in Berlin. When Oren dies in a car crash in Israel, Thomas travels to Jerusalem seeking for answers regarding his death. Under a fabricated identity, Thomas infiltrates into the life of Anat, his lover’s newly widowed wife, who owns a small Café in downtown Jerusalem. Thomas starts to work for her and create German cakes and cookies that bring life into her Café. Thomas finds himself involved in Anat’s life in a way far beyond his anticipation, and to protect the truth he will stretch his lie to a point of no return.”

6/29/18- Excellent reviews from the critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

12) DARK RIVER-2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the wake of her father’s death, Alice returns to her hometown in Yorkshire after 15 years away to settle the inheritance of the family farm with brother Joe. But a bitter quarrel between the two soon brings traumatic memories to the surface.”

6/29/18- Fairly good reviews from critics and audiences alike. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND-

NEW ON COMCAST–

1) WOMAN WALKS AHEAD–  2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “When artist Catherine Weldon leaves her Brooklyn, New York, home in 1889 and travels to the Dakota Territory to paint a portrait of Lakota Sioux leader Sitting Bull, she becomes immersed in the Plains Indians’ struggle over land rights.”

6/29/18- Poor reviews for this movie starring Jessica Chastain.

1) UNSANE- Fairly good reviews for this drama/mystery

2) BEIRUT- Good reviews

3) WONDER- Very good reviews

4) I, TONYA– I liked this movie very much

5) THE SHAPE OF WATER– My favorite movie of 2017

6) CALL ME BY YOUR NAME- I enjoyed this movie

7) A KID LIKE JAKE- OK reviews

8) JOURNEY’S END- Very good reviews

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100. 2018. “This riveting documentary charts the twisty story of identical triplets separated at birth, who reconnect by chance at age 19. But what starts as a happy reunion soon sets off a series of events that lead to shocking and sinister secrets.”

6/28/18- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

2) WHITNEY– Jacob Burns, Danbury, Bethel. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Whitney Houston’s stunning voice made her a pop-world icon and spawned a career that lasted from the mid-1980s through her tragic death in 2012. This comprehensive documentary charts the singer’s triumphant career and turbulent private life.”

7/4/18- Very good reviews by the critics and fairly good ones from audiences as well. TRDB.

3) BOUNDARIES– Bethel, Clearview 100. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “With her teenage son in tow, single mom Laura embarks on a road trip she knows will be hellish: picking up her pot-dealer dad from the nursing home he’s been kicked out of and driving him cross-country to her sister’s house.”

6/19/18- Weak reviews but I love road movies and I will try to see this one, starring Christopher Plummer. TRDB.

4) DAMSEL– Clearview 100. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this loopy take on the classic Hollywood Western, Samuel Alabaster journeys deep into the frontier — with a miniature pony in tow — to find and wed his beloved Penelope. But the trek turns out to be more complicated than Samuel imagined.”

6/26/18- Very good reviews for this Western. TRDB.

REPEATS-

BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH–

1) BOUNDARIES– 6/19/18- Weak reviews but I love road movies and I will try to see this one, starring Christopher Plummer. TRDB.

2) WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR– Excellent reviews for this documentary.

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY–

1) BOUNDARIES-

6/19/18- Weak reviews but I love road movies and I will try to see this one, starring Christopher Plummer. TRDB.

2) WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR– Excellent reviews for this documentary

3) RBG- Excellent documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) BREATH- 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In small-town Australia, teenage “Pikelet” and his best friend, “Loonie,” find an escape in the ocean and a mentor in reclusive professional surfer Sando — who exhorts them to take chances that will has profound and enduring effects on them.”

5/31/18- Good reviews. TRDB.

2) ON THE SEVENTH DAY- 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. ” Bicycle delivery guys, construction workers, dishwashers, deli workers, and cotton candy vendors, they work long hours six days a week and then savor their day of rest on Sundays on the soccer fields of Sunset Park. José, a bicycle delivery worker, is the team’s captain–young, talented, hardworking and responsible. When José’s team makes it to the finals, he and his teammates are thrilled. But his boss throws a wrench into the celebration when he tells José he has to work on Sunday, the day of the finals.”

7/3/18- Excellent reviews by the critics and just fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

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

1) A BAG OF MARBLES– Great reviews

2) ALWAYS AT THE CARLYLE– Weak reviews

3) AMERICAN ANIMALS– Poor reviews

4) BOUNDARIES– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “With her teenage son in tow, single mom Laura embarks on a road trip she knows will be hellish: picking up her pot-dealer dad from the nursing home he’s been kicked out of and driving him cross-country to her sister’s house.”

6/19/18- Weak reviews but I love road movies and I will try to see this one, starring Christopher Plummer. TRDB.

5) WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR– Excellent reviews

6) DISOBEDIENCE– Good reviews– limited screenings

7) SUMMER 1993– Excellent reviews– limited screenings

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB