The Reel Dr. Bob

NOVEMBER 29, 2018

DEAR FRIENDS:

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) GREEN BOOK– At the Theater

2) WHITNEY– Netflix Disc.

3) BOY ERASED– At the Theater

_____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) GREEN BOOK– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “This fact-based drama follows black jazz pianist Don Shirley as he sets off on a concert tour that takes him through the Deep South in 1962. After he hires an Italian-American bouncer as his driver, the two forge a unique bond along the way.”

11/16/18- Good reviews in general and I enjoyed the trailer as well. TRDB.

11/24/18- I really liked this movie. The acting was terrific and I loved the screenplay. TRDB.

2) BOY ERASED– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Nineteen-year-old Jared is far from ready to tell his parents that he’s gay, but they find out anyway, forcing him to make a choice: attend a “conversion therapy” program or be shunned by his family and Baptist community.”

11/2/18- Very good reviews by the critics and fairly good ones from audiences. TRDB.

11/28/18- Another good movie about what it’s like being gay and the folly of “conversion therapy.” TRDB. 

_____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) SORRY TO BOTHER YOU– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Losing faith in his persuasive skills, telemarketer Cassius Green takes a co-worker’s advice and finds that he suddenly has a gift for selling that elevates him to the executive echelon — where he discovers the chilling secret of his bosses.”

7/5/18- Fairly good reviews for this comedy that didn’t sound so good to me. TRDB.

11/25/18- I did not like the movie and turned it off. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

2) WHITNEY– 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.

11/27/18- I think that this was a beautifully done documentary and I enjoyed it very much. Loved the music too. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

_____________________________________________________________________

COMIING TO NETFLIX NEXT WEEK-

1) McQUEEN– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “One of the most innovative fashion designers of his day, Alexander McQueen had a brilliant career that ended tragically with his suicide at age 40. This revealing documentary details McQueen’s achievements in couture and his emotional woes.

7/19/18- Uniformly good reviews but nowhere did I see “excellent.” TRDB.

2) OPERATION FINALE- 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Set 15 years after the end of World War II, this historical drama follows an Israeli Mossad agent and his team of operatives as they embark on a covert mission to capture Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, the architect of the Holocaust.”

8/28/28- Mediocre reviews at best. Most of my friends who saw this movie did not care for it. TRDB.

3) PICK OF THE LITTER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “This engaging documentary follows the two-year progress of five pooches trained from puppyhood to serve as guide dogs for the blind. The film also looks at the human devotion needed to help the canines learn a complex set of behavioral skills.

8/31/18- Great reviews. TRDB.

4) POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Offering an unprecedented look into the life of Pope Francis, this engrossing documentary also features the pontiff speaking directly to believers about the issues that concern him most, particularly the environment and social justice.”

5/15/18- Fair reviews– more positive than negative but none glowing. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

OPENED LAST WEEK-

1) THE FAVOURITE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Amid the hornet’s nest of rivalries and intrigue that define the court of mercurial Queen Anne in 18th-century England, cousins Abigail Masham and Sarah Churchill battle to gain the favor of the monarch and her court.”

11/23/18- Excellent reviews for this drama. I saw the trailer and it looked stupid to me. TRDB.

2) BECOMING ASTRID– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “This coming-of-age biopic focuses on the formative years of famed author Astrid Lindgren — creator of the beloved character Pippi Longstocking — and a seminal event that will turn her into a titan of children’s literature.”

11/23/18- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3) FAMILY IN TRANSITION– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Amit Tsuk, the patriarch of a family living in a conservative Israeli town, announces his wish to become a woman, his wife and children are shocked but get used to the idea in time. Meanwhile, Amit’s spouse begins a personal journey of her own.”

11/23/18- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

4) INVISIBLE HANDS– 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “INVISIBLE HANDS exposes child labor and child trafficking within the supply chains of the world’s biggest corporations, which produce some of our most loved items.”

11/23/18- Just 2 reviews noted and they are both good. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

1) WRITE WHEN YOU GET WORK– 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Write When You Get Work is a thorny romantic comedy set in New York City — at a private school for girls, and in the world outside its exclusive walls. It’s a story of money, access, and mischief, of who gets in through doorways and how.”

11/23/18- Weak reviews at best. TRDB.

 _____________________________________________________________________

HOTWIRE ON-DEMAND- I recommend these movies

1) PUZZLE– I loved this movie

2) WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR– An excellent documentary about Fred Rogers

3) THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS– I liked this documentary very much

4) RBG– Excellent documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsberg

5) JULIET, NAKED– I liked this very much

____________________________________________________________________

BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) THE WORLD BEFORE YOUR FEET– Clearview 100. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. Genial Matt Green is a man with a singular purpose: to walk every block of New York City. This personal documentary follows Green as he pursues his endless trek, chatting with residents while exploring local history and flavor along the way.”

11/27/18- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) SHOPLIFTERS– Jacob Burns. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Earning only meager incomes, Osamu and his wife supplement their wages by shoplifting, with help from son Shota. While heading home on a winter night, father and son come across a freezing young girl and make a fateful decision to take her home.”

11/23/18- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) BEAUTIFUL BOY– Bethel, Clearview 100. Good reviews.

2) BOY ERASED– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100. Very good reviews and I liked it very much.

3) CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?- Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100. Excellent reviews for this drama/comedy.

4) MARIA BY CALLAS– Bethel. Very good reviews.

5) WIDOWS– Bethel, Danbury. Good reviews but friends have not liked it.

6) THE FRONT RUNNER– Danbury, Clearview 100. Really poor reviews although I might see it eventually for history sake.

________________________________________________________________________

BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) GREEN BOOK– Great movie– I liked it very much

2) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY– Weak reviews but all of my friends have liked it

3) BOY ERASED– Very good reviews and I liked it

4) WIDOWS– Good reviews but friends have not liked it.

5) INSTANT FAMILY– Good reviews from the critics and excellent ones from audiences.

6) THE FRONT RUNNER– Really poor reviews although I might see it eventually for history sake.

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

1) GREEN BOOK– Great movie

2) WIDOWS- Good reviews but friends have not liked it.

3) THE FRONT RUNNER– Poor reviews

4) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY– Weak reviews but all of my friends have liked it

5) BOY ERASED– Very good reviews and I liked it

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) BORDER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “With her strong sense of smell, customs officer Tina literally sniffs out smugglers and other miscreants. But when she encounters a man with a scent she can’t identify, she feels an attraction and a strange bond that leads to a shocking revelation.”

10/26/18- Excellent reviews for this drama/mystery. TRDB.

2) SEARCHING FOR INGMAR BERGMAN– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “To mark the centennial of legendary director Ingmar Bergman’s birth, noted German filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta revisits the settings, scenes, people and themes key to the auteur’s creative cinematic legacy.”

11/2/18- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

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

1) BECOMING ASTRID– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “This coming-of-age biopic focuses on the formative years of famed author Astrid Lindgren — creator of the beloved character Pippi Longstocking — and a seminal event that will turn her into a titan of children’s literature.”

11/23/18- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

2) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY– Friends have liked it despite weak reviews.

3) FREE SOLO– I saw this documentary and I liked it (limited screenings)

4) MARIA BY CALLAS– Very good reviews.

5) MIRAI– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Delighted at first with his newborn sister, Mirai, 4-year-old Kun quickly grows jealous of the attention she’s getting from their parents — until a magical trip to the future enables Kun to see the person Mirai will become.”

11/27/18- Very good reviews. TRDB.