The Reel Dr. Bob

DECEMBER 13, 2018

DEAR FRIENDS:

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN ACCESS ANY OF MY NEWSLETTERS AT MY WEBSITE– www.thereeldrbob.com

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) THE CHARMER– At the Theater at a private showing

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) THE CHARMER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix “Desperate to avoid deportation by securing Danish citizenship, Iranian migrant Esmail is looking for a woman who can expedite his plan. But when he falls for Sarah — who sees through his charms — Esmail’s past comes back to haunt him.”

12/5/18- Very good reviews for this Iranian drama. TRDB.

12/11/18- I found the movie both interesting and suspenseful. Definitely worth seeing. TRDB. 

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME-

1) DUMPLIN’– 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Dumplin’ (Danielle Macdonald) is the plus-size, teenage daughter of a former beauty queen (Jennifer Aniston), who signs up for her mom’s pageant as a protest that escalates when other contestants follow her footsteps, revolutionizing the pageant and their small Texas town.”

12/8/18- I started watching this but soon turned it off. A waste of time. TRDB.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT TUESDAY-

1) THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Teenager Cameron Post sees her life turn topsy-turvy when she’s caught having sex with another girl on prom night and is packed off to a conversion-therapy facility to be “cured.” Instead, she forms a bond with the two renegades in the group.”

8/3 18- Good reviews for this drama. TRDB.

8/15/18- An interesting portrayal of life in one of these religious conversion therapy programs. Be prepared for a sad movie. TRDB.

2) SCARRED HEARTS– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Suffering from bone tuberculosis, 20-year-old Emanuel moves into a sanatorium, where he faces torturous therapy and years of confinement in bed. Despite his situation, he finds love and camaraderie — and inspires his fellow patients to embrace life.”

7/27/18- Fairly good reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.

3) ACTIVE MEASURES– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Offering a gallery of alarming facts and implications regarding Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, this in-depth documentary details a program of divisive political messaging intended to benefit Donald Trump’s candidacy.”

8/31/18- Decent reviews from the critics and just passing ones from audiences. TRDB.

4) FIVE FINGERS FOR MARSEILLES– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Director Michael Matthews transports the Hollywood Western to South Africa’s rugged Eastern Cape province, recounting the tale of a freedom fighter turned outlaw who returns from exile to find his postapartheid township under a new kind of threat.”

9/7/18- Very good reviews. TRDB.

5) A SIMPLE FAVOR– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Single mom Stephanie finds her small-town life upended when best friend Emily asks Stephanie to pick up her son from school — and promptly vanishes. Bent on solving the mystery, Stephanie joins forces with Emily’s husband.”

9/11/18- Not really my type of movie but it did get pretty good reviews. TRDB.

6) FAHRENHEIT 11/9– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In June 2016, director Michael Moore predicted that Donald Trump would win the U.S. presidency and was proved correct five months later. This documentary tries to answer two key questions of the Trump era: How did we get here, and how do we get out?”

9/21/18- Very good reviews. TRDB.

7) ASSASSINATION NATION– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “High school senior Lily and her three best friends live in a world of selfies, emojis, snaps and sexts. But when their town of Salem is besieged by a massive data hack, resulting in half the citizens’ private info spewed into the public view, the community descends into anarchy. Lily is targeted after being falsely blamed for the hack—and bands together with her friends to survive a long, blood-soaked night.”

12/7/18- Violent and bloody reviews and I’d skip it if I were you. TRDB.

8) LITTLE WOMEN– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this contemporary adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s immortal novel, sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy look to their beloved mother and to one another for support as they navigate the rocky path to adulthood in a rapidly changing world.”

9/26/18- Reviews by the critics were awful but audiences have liked it very much. TRDB.

9) IN A RELATIONSHIP– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though Hallie and Owen can’t agree on how many years they’ve been a couple, they agree that it’s time for a break when Owen balks at the idea of living together. Meanwhile, new love blooms between Owen’s best friend and Hallie’s heartbreaker cousin.”

11/9/18- Fair reviews but it sounded interesting to me.  TRDB.

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OPENED LAST WEEK-

1)  AMAZING GRACE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “More than 40 years after Aretha Franklin delivered two spellbinding nights of gospel music at a Baptist church in Los Angeles, this documentary — long shelved because of technical problems — takes viewers back to the legendary concerts.”

12/7/18- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

2) DIVIDE AND CONQUER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “From producing “The Mike Douglas Show,” Roger Ailes moved on to became a top Republican strategist and the head of Fox News before being derailed by sexual harassment accusations, as chronicled in this revealing documentary.”

12/7/18- Very good reviews. TRDB.

3) VOX LUX– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. ” After a classroom shooting leaves teenage Celeste with a spinal injury, she performs a tribute ballad at the memorial service and suddenly becomes a pop megastar. But 18 years later, her career has crashed and burned — and it’s time for a comeback.”

12/7/18- Fair reviews from the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

4) ASHER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Aging hit man (and former Mossad agent) Asher never lets emotion hamper his work, but when he meets beautiful Sophie on a botched job, he breaks his rule about mixing business and pleasure. To ensure their future, however, he must bury his past.”

12/7/18- Fair reviews. TRDB.

5) THE GREAT PRETENDER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “To exorcise her past, French theatrical director Mona comes to New York City to stage her new play, which draws on her affair with ex-beau Nick. But complicated romantic entanglements soon spring up among Mona, Nick and the production’s cast.”

12/7/18- Just fair reviews. TRDB.

6) BEN IS BACK– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “As troubled as he is charming, 19-year-old Ben Burns surprises everyone when he returns home for Christmas. Although his mother cautiously welcomes Ben’s arrival, he soon begins to disrupt the family.”

12/8/18- Excellent reviews for this movie starring Julia Roberts. TRDB.

7) MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Political intrigue abounds in this historical drama recounting the life of Mary Stuart, who returns to Scotland from her reign as the queen of France after her husband’s death and challenges her cousin Elizabeth’s claim to the English throne.”

12/8/18- Fair reviews at best. TRDB.

8) THE PARTY’S JUST BEGINNING– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “When her best friend commits suicide, 24-year-old Liusaidh turns to alcohol and sex to fill the void. As she continues in a downward spiral, she attempts to begin a relationship with an out-of-towner — who’s grappling with his own crisis.”

12/8/18- Mediocre reviews from the critics and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

9) BITTER MELON– 2018. About an extended family of Filipino-Americans.

12/8/18- The NY Times liked the first hour of this movie but said that it went downhill from there. Sounded interesting to me. TRDB.

Not Recommended-

1) SWIMMING WITH MEN– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Midlife has hit accountant Eric Scott hard: He hates his job and fears his wife is two-timing him. For solace, he heads to the municipal swimming pool — where he finds confidence and a new sense of purpose with an all-male synchronized swim team.”

12/7/18- Poor reviews by the critics and slightly better ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) DUMPLIN’– 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Dumplin’ (Danielle Macdonald) is the plus-size, teenage daughter of a former beauty queen (Jennifer Aniston), who signs up for her mom’s pageant as a protest that escalates when other contestants follow her footsteps, revolutionizing the pageant and their small Texas town.”

12/8/18- I started watching this but soon turned it off. A waste of time. TRDB.

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HOTWIRE ON-DEMAND-

1) BLACKkKLANSMAN–

2) COLETTE-

3) RBG-

4) THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS–

5) WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) VOX LUX– Danbury, Clearview 100. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. ” After a classroom shooting leaves teenage Celeste with a spinal injury, she performs a tribute ballad at the memorial service and suddenly becomes a pop megastar. But 18 years later, her career has crashed and burned — and it’s time for a comeback.”

12/7/18- Fair reviews from the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) SHOPLIFTERS– Jacob Burns, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. 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.

3) THE MULE– Danbury. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In his 80s, Earl Stone is facing business foreclosure when he’s offered a job that merely involves driving a truck. But what he doesn’t know is that he’ll be smuggling huge loads of cocaine for Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.”

12/11/18- No reviews at time but I’ll definitely see this at some point. TRDB.

4) ROMA- Garden Cinema Norwalk. 2018. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. ” ROMA follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City.”

11/22/18- Great reviews. TRDB.

5) MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS– Jacob Burns. 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “Political intrigue abounds in this historical drama recounting the life of Mary Stuart, who returns to Scotland from her reign as the queen of France after her husband’s death and challenges her cousin Elizabeth’s claim to the English throne.”

12/8/18- Fair reviews at best. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) THE FAVOURITE– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Good reviews

2) GREEN BOOK– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury. An excellent movie and a must-see

3) AT ETERNITY’S GATE– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100, Garden Cinema Norwalk. Fair to good reviews

4) CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?- Clearview 100. Good reviews.

5) INSTANT FAMILY– Danbury. Good reviews.

6) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY– Danbury. Poor reviews but everyone has liked it

7) A STAR IS BORN– Danbury. I liked this movie very much

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) THE MULE– No reviews yet

2) GREEN BOOK– Loved the  movie- a must-see

3) AT ETERNITY’S GATE– Good reviews but friends have not liked it

4) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY– Weak reviews but everyone has liked it

5) THE FRONT RUNNER– Poor reviews

6) THE WIFE– I liked this movie very much

7) BOY ERASED– I liked this movie very much

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

1) THE MULE– No reviews yet

2) THE FAVOURITE– Good reviews

3) GREEN BOOK– Loved the  movie- a must-see

4) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY– Weak reviews but everyone has liked it

5) BOY ERASED– I liked the movie

6) THE WIFE– I liked this movie very much

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) BURNING– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “As he’s out on the job, shy deliveryman Jong-soo bumps into his former classmate Hae-mi, and the two quickly become lovers. But complications arise after Hae-mi travels to Africa and brings home a mysterious rich boyfriend.”

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

2) DIVIDE AND CONQUER– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “From producing “The Mike Douglas Show,” Roger Ailes moved on to became a top Republican strategist and the head of Fox News before being derailed by sexual harassment accusations, as chronicled in this revealing documentary.”

12/7/18- Very good reviews. TRDB.

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

1) BECOMING ASTRID– Very good reviews

2) CHEF FLYNN– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this compelling documentary, filmmaker Cameron Yates trains his lens on the bourgeoning career of self-taught chef Flynn McGarry, a 19-year-old culinary megastar navigating his sudden celebrity and family drama.”

11/9/18-  Mostly good reviews. TRDB.

3) FREE SOLO– I saw this and liked it

4) MARIA BY CALLAS– Very good reviews

5) SHOPLIFTERS– Very good reviews