The Reel Dr. Bob

MAY 23, 2019

DEAR FRIENDS:

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) RAFIKI- At the Theater

2) THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM– At the Theater

3) THE IRAN JOB– Netflix Disc.

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) RAFIKI– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a conservative Nairobi neighborhood, forbidden same-sex love blooms between teenage girls Kena and Ziki, whose fathers are political rivals. But as suspicion swirls around them, Kena and Ziki are forced to make a painful choice.”

4/19/19- Very good to excellent reviews. TRDB.

5/16/19- Very well done and a very moving story. TRDB. 

2) THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Filmmaker John Chester and his wife, Molly, long dreamed of trading Los Angeles for a rural life. So, when the couple gets evicted from their apartment thanks to their barking dog, they jump at the chance to start a diversified farm outside the city.”

5/10/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

5/20/19- I liked it very much. Beautiful nature photography as well. TRDB. 

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MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME-

1) BIRDS OF PASSAGE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This well-crafted crime drama charts the roots of the Colombian drug trade as a tight-knit indigenous family discovers a golden opportunity to sell large quantities of marijuana to America’s hippie generation in the 1970s.”

2/13/19- Excellent reviews for this foreign drama. TRDB.

5/17/19- As far as I’m concerned this movie was like warring Mafia families and I found it boring. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

2) THE IRAN JOB– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “This eye-opening documentary follows American basketball player Kevin Sheppard during his 2008-09 season playing for a professional team in Iran. Although Kevin is nervous, he makes many friends, including several politically active Iranian women.”

10/12/12- A good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

5/22/19- I enjoyed the movie and in particular Sheppard’s relationship with the other players and several women he met while there. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT WEEK-

1) NEVER LOOK AWAY– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this absorbing drama based loosely on the life of visual artist Gerhard Richter, an art student trying to get past the trauma of growing up in Nazi Germany falls for a fellow student. But her father — an ex-Nazi — is bent on keeping them apart.”

1/25/19- OK reviews for this very long drama. TRDB.

2) NOTES ON AN APPEARANCE– 2018. Synopsis by Netflix. “David Hidell is excited about starting life anew doing research for his buddy, who’s writing a biography of a controversial philosopher. When David suddenly vanishes, his friends launch a search for him, combing through obscure circumstantial clues.”

8/17/18- Decent reviews but definitely NOT my kind of movie. TRDB.

3) GRETA- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “When young Frances returns a handbag she found on the New York City subway to its owner, lonely widow Greta, she gains a new friend. But their relationship begins to take a sinister turn as Greta becomes obsessed with Frances.”

2/27/19- Early reviews are really bad. TRDB.

4) CLIMAX- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “On the outskirts of Paris, 20 young dancers gather at a closed boarding school for three days of intensive rehearsals. But at the after-party, things descend into chaos when the punch bowl is spiked with LSD.”

3/1/19- Fair reviews from critics and audiences. TRDB.

5) HER SMELL– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Despite her stardom, punk rock singer Becky Something is living out a personal mission of destruction fueled by drugs and a volatile temperament that threatens to alienate everyone she knows, including her bandmates.”

4/12/19- Very good reviews in general with a few negatives as well. I’ll give it a try. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST WEEK-

Recommended-

1) THE SOUVENIR– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this romantic drama, film student Julie is struggling to find her voice when she falls for the charismatic but mysterious Anthony. As love blooms, so does her creativity, but her mother and friends fear that the relationship will destroy Julie.”

5/17/19- Great reviews by the critics and terrible ones from audiences. Friends hated it. TRDB.

2) THE WANDERING SOAP OPERA– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Through interconnected vignettes, this biting satire channels the quintessence of Chile’s soap operas to weigh in on the political, societal and economic turmoil occurring in the aftermath of Augusto Pinochet’s 17-year dictatorship.”

5/17/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

3) PHOTOGRAPH– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “For young photographer Rafi’s ailing grandmother, time is running out, and she wants to see her grandson married. To placate her, Rafi asks a stranger to pose as his bride-to-be — an arrangement that will transform them both.”

5/17/19- Good reviews and it sounds like my type of movie. TRDB.

4) ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Gensan and Ruby are eking out an existence on the edges of society when both suddenly lose their jobs, setting in motion a string of events that forces the desperate couple to take it on the lam.”

5/17/19- Mixed reviews– more positive than negative. TRDB.

5) WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After a poisoning kills several of their family members, sisters Merricat and Constance share their estate with an ailing uncle. But the trio’s reclusive existence is disrupted by a visit from a charming cousin intent on stealing the family fortune.”

5/17/19- OK reviews. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR– Danbury. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Born in Jamaica but now living in New York City, realist Natasha Kingsley is facing imminent deportation. As she looks for an eleventh-hour reprieve to remain in America, fate leads her to meet young dreamer Daniel Bae … and sparks fly.”

5/17/19- Really poor reviews. TRDB.

2) ANIARA- Sci-fi and not for me

3) TRIAL BY FIRE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this fact-based drama, Cameron Todd Willingham faces the death penalty when he’s convicted of murdering his children in a Texas house fire. But a caring Houston housewife believes the verdict was based on flimsy evidence — and fights to free him.”

5/17/19- Fair to poor reviews. TRDB.

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) BOOKSMART– Jacob Burns, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “On the eve of their graduation from high school, best friends Amy and Molly — both academic overachievers — realize they’ve missed four years of fun and set out to make up for lost time … all in one night.”

5/22/19- Excellent reviews for this comedy. TRDB.

2) PHOTOGRAPH- Bethel, Clearview 100. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “For young photographer Rafi’s ailing grandmother, time is running out, and she wants to see her grandson married. To placate her, Rafi asks a stranger to pose as his bride-to-be — an arrangement that will transform them both.”

5/17/19- Good reviews and it sounds like my type of movie. TRDB.

3) ALL IS TRUE- Bethel. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After the Globe Theatre burns down in 1613, master playwright William Shakespeare returns to his wife and two daughters in Stratford, seeking to renew ties with the family he neglected during his long stay in London.”

5/21/19- Fair reviews by the critics and poor ones from audiences. TRDB.

4) THE SOUVENIR– Jacob Burns. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this romantic drama, film student Julie is struggling to find her voice when she falls for the charismatic but mysterious Anthony. As love blooms, so does her creativity, but her mother and friends fear that the relationship will destroy Julie.”

5/17/19- Great reviews by the critics and terrible ones from audiences. Friends hated it. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM– Bethel, Clearview 100. I liked it very much

2) THE WHITE CROW– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Clearview 100. Reviews are mixed with more positives than negatives. TRDB.

3) RED JOAN– Clearview 100. Weak reviews but friends have liked it

4) THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR– Danbury. Weak reviews

5) NON-FICTION– Jacob Burns. Very good reviews and I’ll definitely try to see this, especially with Juliette Binoche in the movie.

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) PHOTOGRAPH- Good reviews

2) ALL IS TRUE– Fair to poor reviews

3) LONG SHOT– Good for a few laughs and that’s it

4) THE WHITE CROW– Mixed reviews

5) RED JOAN– Weak reviews but friends have liked it

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- Same as Lake Worth above

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) WOMAN AT WAR– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Believing that the aluminum industry is destroying the Icelandic environment, middle-aged Halla begins waging a secret eco-war to protect the landscape. But her crusade is interrupted when she gets a chance to fulfill her dream of adopting a child.”

3/1/19- Excellent reviews from all sources. TRDB.

3/15/19- Very different to say the least but interesting and very well acted. I recommend it. TRDB.

2) GLORIA BELL– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This English-language remake of director Sebastián Lelio’s Chilean drama charts the life of Gloria, an aging divorcée who meets the disarming Arnold at a singles bar. But baggage from his tangled family relationships may upend their romance.”

3/8/19- Excellent reviews by the critics and weak ones by audiences. I saw the original about 6 years ago and liked it very much. TRDB.

3/25/19- Great acting by Julienne Moore. I liked it but many of you may not. TRDB. 

D) THE LIVING ROOM THEATERS-

1) ALL IS TRUE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After the Globe Theatre burns down in 1613, master playwright William Shakespeare returns to his wife and two daughters in Stratford, seeking to renew ties with the family he neglected during his long stay in London.”

5/21/19- Fair reviews by the critics and poor ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) ASK DR. RUTH– Good reviews.

3) NON-FICTION– Very good reviews and I’ll definitely try to see this, especially with Juliette Binoche.

4) THE WHITE CROW-  Reviews are mixed with more positives than negatives. TRDB.

5) PHOTOGRAPH– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “For young photographer Rafi’s ailing grandmother, time is running out, and she wants to see her grandson married. To placate her, Rafi asks a stranger to pose as his bride-to-be — an arrangement that will transform them both.”

5/17/19- Good reviews and it sounds like my type of movie. TRDB.

ENJOY!!

THE REEL DR. BOB

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