The Reel Dr. Bob

NOVEMBER 21, 2019

DEAR FRIENDS:

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) ECHO IN THE CANYON– Netflix Streaming

2) TEL AVIV ON FIRE– Netflix Disc.

3) EARTHQUAKE BIRD– Netflix Streaming

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) FORD V FERRARI– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Fed up with the Ferrari team’s routine domination of the annual Le Mans race, Henry Ford II tasks design prodigy Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles with a mission: build a car that can defeat the Italians in the 1966 competition.

11/13/19- Excellent reviews from most of the critics. TRDB.

11/20/19- Friends and critics have liked this movie. I didn’t. TRDB. 

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK AT HOME-

1) TEL AVIV ON FIRE- 2019. Synopsis by IMDB. “Salam, an inexperienced young Palestinian man, becomes a writer on a popular soap opera after a chance meeting with an Israeli soldier.”

8/2/19- Very good reviews. TRDB.

11/16/19- I enjoyed this comedy/drama from Israel. TRDB. Netflix Disc.

2) EARTHQUAKE BIRD– 2019. Synopsis by IMDB. “Swedish expatriate Lucy Fly has spent the past five years in Tokyo trying to fit in. But she finds herself at the center of a murder investigation when newly arrived American Lily Bridges disappears after making a play for Lucy’s boyfriend.”

11/8/19- Early reviews are weak at best along with a few fairly good ones. I liked it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

3) ECHO IN THE CANYON– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the mid-1960s, Laurel Canyon in the Hollywood Hills became the creative nexus for a generation of young musicians who would become rock ‘n’ roll icons. This affectionate documentary looks at that famous scene’s history and ongoing influence.”

5/31/19- Excellent reviews by the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

11/15/19- So much fun sitting back and listening to the music of the 60’s. A very good documentary. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

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COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT WEEK-

1) A TUBA TO CUBA– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this engaging documentary, New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band heads to Cuba to explore the sounds that gave rise to the Big Easy’s musical style. Collaborating with Cuba’s best musicians, the band discovers a deep connection with the nation.”

2/15/19- Great reviews. TRDB.

2) HOTEL BY THE RIVER– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Five lives intersect at a provincial hotel on the Han River when an aging poet — convinced that death is near — summons his two estranged sons. As he waits for them, a pair of beautiful hotel guests attracts his attention.”

2/15/19- Excellent reviews by the critics and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

3) MASTERPIECE: THE CHAPERONE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the early 20th century, two women take the trip of a lifetime when they travel from conservative Kansas to cosmopolitan New York City. While young Louise seeks fame as a dancer and actress, her chaperone, Norma, wants to reconnect with her past.”

3/29/19- Weak reviews. TRDB.

4) WHERE’D YOU GO BERNADETTE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After eccentric architect Bernadette Fox vanishes without explanation, her 15-year-old daughter, Bee, is determined to find her. But while searching for clues to Bernadette’s whereabouts, Bee uncovers her mother’s troubled past.”

8/13/19-  Weak reviews by the critics and fair ones by audiences. TRDB.

5) OFFICIALSECRETS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this fact-based political thriller, British intelligence translator Katharine Gun leaks a secret National Security Agency memo that proposes blackmailing smaller U.N. Security Council states into ratifying the 2003 Iraq invasion.”

9/2/19- Good reviews by a few critics but most were mediocre. I’ll see it, however. TRDB.

6) SLACK BAY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “With tourists vanishing from the shores of Channel Coast, famed sleuths Malfoy and Machin are bought in to work the case. Their investigation leads to two clans on opposite ends socially: the rabble-rousing Bréforts and the bourgeois Van Peteghems.”

4/21/17- Weak reviews from audiences and critics. TRDB.

7) HAROLD AND LILLIAN: A HOLLYWOOD LOVE STORY– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “Rarely credited on-screen for their work, storyboard artist Harold Michelson and his wife, film researcher Lillian, nonetheless had a profound impact on 60 years of filmmaking. This documentary spotlights their professional and romantic partnership.”

4/28/17- Excellent reviews by the critics and very good ones from audiences. TRDB.

8) 78/52- HITCHCOCK’S SHOWER SCENE– 2017. Synopsis by Netflix. “With one two-minute shower scene in “Psycho,” Alfred Hitchcock changed the face of cinematic horror. In this absorbing documentary, filmmakers and movie  dissect the scene’s 78 setups and 52 cuts, revealing the film’s elaborate symbolism.”

10/16/17- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

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OPENED LAST WEEK-

Recommended–

1) SCANDALOUS- 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “When Generoso Pope Jr. bought the “National Enquirer” in 1952, he rebranded the racing publication as a mass-market tabloid. Through interviews with ex-staffers and media observers, this documentary examines the scandal-filled paper’s influence.”

11/17/19- Fair to good reviews in general for this documentary. TRDB.

2) EVERYBODY’S EVERYTHING– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This in-depth documentary charts the meteoric rise of Gustav Åhr — aka Lil Peep — who brought a jolt of fresh energy to rap by incorporating punk, emo and trap into his sound before dying of a drug overdose at age 21.”

11/16/19- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

3) THE HOTTEST AUGUST– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “During New York City’s hottest summer on record, climate change is the unnamed elephant in the room as Big Apple residents — from an air-conditioner repairman to a fisherman dealing with rising sea levels — discuss their anxieties about the future.”

11/16/19- Fair to good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

4) ATLANTICS– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In Dakar, a group of construction workers abandon their work on a sky-scraper in response to months of withheld wages. The group then seeks better opportunities as they take to the sea. At the heart of the narrative are lovers Suleiman and Ada who must contend with Ada’s betrothal to another man.”

11/16/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

5) ERNIE & JOE: CRISIS COPS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This immersive documentary follows officers Joe Smarro and Ernie Stevens — partners in the San Antonio Police Department’s Mental Health Unit — whose job is to assist people in crisis who might otherwise become part of the jail population.”

11/16/19- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

6) WAVES– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Set against the vibrant landscape of South Florida, and featuring an astonishing ensemble of award-winning actors and breakouts alike, Waves traces the epic emotional journey of a suburban African-American family–led by a well-intentioned but domineering father–as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the aftermath of a loss.”

11/16/19- Excellent reviews from the critics and audiences. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) RADIOFLASH– Some of the worst reviews I’ve seen in a long time

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BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS-

1) A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury.

REPEATS-

1) JOJO RABBIT– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Cinema 100

2) FORD V FERRARI– Bethel, Danbury, Cinema 100

3) MARRIAGE STORY– Jacob Burns, Cinema 100

4) PARASITE– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Cinema 100

5) PAIN AND GLORY– Cinema 100

6) THE IRISHMAN– Cinema 100

7) THE GOOD LIAR– Bethel, Danbury

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BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD– Excellent reviews

2) THE GOOD LIAR– Fair reviews

3) FORD V FERRARI– Excellent reviews

4) HARRIET- Fair reviews but several friends have liked this movie very much

5) MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN– Fair reviews at best

6) THE IRISHMAN– Excellent reviews

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

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) LIGHT FROM LIGHT– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “When mysterious events occur at a Tennessee farmhouse owned by recently widowed Richard, he believes the spirit of his deceased wife may be haunting the property and asks paranormal researcher Shelia to investigate the case.”

11/1/19- Lots of positive reviews but none are really excellent. TRDB.

2) BY THE GRACE OF GOD– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Molested as a boy by a priest, Alexandre Guérin — now a husband and dad — is dismayed to find that his abuser still works with minors. Determined to expose the church’s complicity, Alexandre joins forces with two of the clergyman’s other victims.”

10/18/19- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

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

1) FRANKIE- 2019.. Synopsis by Netflix. “After learning that she has just months left to live, famed actress Frankie gathers three generations of her family in the picturesque town of Sintra, Portugal, for an emotionally charged final holiday.”

10/25/19- Fair reviews but it sounds interesting to  me. TRDB.

2) PARASITE– I didn’t care for this movie

3) THE REPORT– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this fact-based drama, Daniel Jones heads the Senate investigation into the CIA’s post-9/11 Detention and Interrogation Program. But when he learns of the agency’s enhanced interrogation techniques, the powers that be are intent on stifling him.”

11/12/19- Fairly good reviews for this movie.

4) THE IRISHMAN– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “This biographical crime thriller follows Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) as he recalls his past years working for the Bufalino crime family. Now older, the WWII veteran once again reflects on his most prolific hits and, in particular, considers his involvement with his good friend Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance in 1975.”

11/29/19- Excellent reviews. TRDB.

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