The Reel Dr. Bob

NOVEMBER 28, 2019

DEAR FRIENDS:

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD– At the Theater

_____________________________________________________________________

MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT THE THEATER-

1) A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this heartwarming drama, journalist Lloyd Vogel sets out to profile the host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”: the iconic Fred Rogers. After approaching his subject with skepticism, Vogel changes his outlook when he forms a friendship with Rogers.”

11/22/19– Excellent reviews from everybody. TRDB.

11/24/19- The critics are correct– an excellent, sensitive movie. TRDB. 

________________________________________________________

`MOVIES I SAW LAST WEEK AT HOME- NONE

______________________________________________________________________

COMING TO NETFLIX NEXT WEEK-

1) ADAM– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Before finishing high school, teenage Adam spends the summer with his sister, an activist in New York City’s LGBTQ community. When Adam meets pretty lesbian Gillian — who mistakes his gender identity — he falls for her despite the mismatch.”

8/14/19- Fair to good reviews. TRDB.

2) BENNETT’S WAR– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. ” Wounded by an improvised explosive device, Army Ranger Marshall Bennett receives a medical discharge and comes home to find his dad in dire economic straits. To earn money, Marshall returns to motocross racing — but it comes with a huge health risk.”

8/27/19- No reviews as yet but it sounds like it could be interesting. TRDB.

3) EDIE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “When 83-year-old Edie’s husband dies, her daughter is ready to pack Mom off to an assisted-living facility. But Edie has other plans: Pursuing a lifelong dream, she heads to the Scottish Highlands to climb Mount Suilven.”

9/3/19- Almost all of the critics liked the movie but none thought that it was excellent. I’d give it a try. TRDB.

 4) RAISE HELL: THE LIFE & TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This entertaining documentary profiles trailblazing journalist and political commentator Molly Ivins, who passed away in 2007. But her views — including her fear that partisanship would destroy democracy — remain as relevant as ever.”

9/5/19- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

5) LOW TIDE– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “As Jersey Shore townies Red, Alan and Smitty are spending the summer on the boardwalk and robbing vacation homes, Alan and his younger brother, Peter, stumble on a bag of gold coins. But trouble erupts when they try to hide the loot from the others.”

10/4/19- Fair reviews at best but it does sound interesting to me. TRDB.

6) THE GOLDFINCH– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his mother dies in a bomb attack at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, young Theodore Decker’s life is profoundly altered — especially after he steals a priceless painting from the debris and ends up involved in the art underworld.”

9/10/19- Terrible reviews for this movie based on a novel. TRDB.

_____________________________________________________________________

OPENED LAST WEEK-

1) HALA– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Dutiful daughter and straight-A student Hala is the pride of her Pakistani immigrant parents. But as she approaches graduation, her blossoming romance with a high-school classmate threatens to derail her father’s plans for an arranged marriage.”

11/22/19- I found only 1 review, and it’s wonderful, in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) DARK WATERS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this legal drama based on a “New York Times Magazine” story, lawyer Robert Bilott — whose specialty is defending chemical companies — takes on DuPont when one of his grandmother’s neighbors accuses the corporation of killing his cattle.”

11/22/19- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

3) VARDA BY AGNES– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “An unpredictable documentary from a fascinating storyteller, Agnès Varda’s new feature documentary sheds light on her experience as a director, bringing a personal insight to what she calls “cine-writing.”

11/22/19- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

4) A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD– 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this heartwarming drama, journalist Lloyd Vogel sets out to profile the host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”: the iconic Fred Rogers. After approaching his subject with skepticism, Vogel changes his outlook when he forms a friendship with Rogers.”

11/22/19– Excellent reviews from everybody. TRDB.

5) MR. TOILET: THE WORLD’S #2 MAN– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “This illuminating documentary follows activist Jack Sim’s crusade — through his World Toilet Organization — to raise awareness about the need for proper sanitation. With potty humor as a weapon, Sim uses unorthodox methods to get the message out.”

11/23/19- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

Not Recommended–

1) THE COURIER- 2019.Terrible reviews and I’d skip it

 2) 21 BRIDGES– Awful reviews!!

____________________________________________________________________

BOB’S PICKS IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES-

NEW IN THE BURBS- NONE

REPEATS-

1) A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury. Excellent reviews and I liked it very much

2) FORD V FERRARI– Bethel, Danbury.

3) THE GOOD LIAR– Bethel, Danbury. Very good reviews

4) JOJO RABBIT– Jacob Burns, Danbury. Excellent reviews.

5) KNIVES OUT– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Danbury. 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In a sprawling old mansion, the members of an eccentric, quarrelsome clan gather to celebrate the patriarch’s birthday. But the party is cut short when he’s murdered — and the remaining family members soon begin to turn on one another.”

_____________________________________________________________________

BOB’S PICKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY-

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

1) A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD– I very much enjoyed this movie

2) KNIVES OUT– Excellent reviews

3) THE GOOD LIAR– Very good reviews

4) FORD V FERRARI– Good reviews but I didn’t care for it

5) THE IRISHMAN– Very good reviews

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

C) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) SYNONYMS– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this well-crafted drama inspired by director Nadav Lapid’s experiences, a young Israeli lands in Paris determined to speak only French in order to shed his national identity. But assimilation proves tough until a bourgeois couple offers to help.”

10/25/19- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

2) IN MY ROOM– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “After spending much of his adult life in nightclubs, Armin knows it’s time for a change. But the notion becomes moot when he awakens one day to find that everyone has inexplicably vanished — except for a single female stranger.”

10/11/19- The description of this film sounds weird but it received very good reviews. I’ll try to see it. TRDB.

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

1) FRANKIE-10/25/19. 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) HONEYBOY– 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “Shia LaBeouf drew from his childhood to pen the screenplay for this powerful drama about the relationship between Otis Lort — a TV star at age 12 — and his father, a former rodeo clown who controls and abuses his son.”

11/8/19- Most of the reviews were very good for this drama with a few poor ones tossed in. TRDB.

3) MARRIAGE STORY– Excellent reviews.

4) SYNONYMS- – 2019. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this well-crafted drama inspired by director Nadav Lapid’s experiences, a young Israeli lands in Paris determined to speak only French in order to shed his national identity. But assimilation proves tough until a bourgeois couple offers to help.”

10/25/19- Fairly good reviews. TRDB.

5) PARASITE– I didn’t care for this movie. (limited screenings)