The Reel Dr. Bob

DECEMBER 16, 2021-

DEAR FRIENDS:

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK

1) THE UNFORGIVABLE– Netflix

2) SIR– Netflix

3) PRIME– Netflix

4) THE FIRST 2 EPISODES OF ” A PLACE TO CALL HOME”- AMAZON PRIME

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1)  THE UNFORGIVABLE- 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime, Ruth Slater (Sandra Bullock) re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past. Facing severe judgment from the place she once called home, her only hope for redemption is finding the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind.”

12/10/21- Poor reviews by the critics and fairly good ones from audiences. TRDB. On Netflix

12/11/21- A real tearjerker but well done and I liked it. TRDB.

2) SIR- 2018. This movie was enjoyable and handled the subject of class(caste system) in India very well. TRDB.

3) PRIME– 2005. Synopsis by Netflix. “Rafi Gardet (Uma Thurman) is a 37-year-old divorced Catholic businesswoman falling for David (Bryan Greenberg), a 23-year-old Jewish artist. With the help of her therapist, Dr. Lisa Metzger (Meryl Streep), Rafi tries to overcome her insecurities and accept the age difference between her and David. But when Lisa learns more about her client’s new love, she realizes that David is her son.”

12/14/21- Weak reviews but I liked it, especially Meryl Streep. TRDB.

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MOVIES COMING TO NETFLIX ON A DISC-

1) THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this big-screen prequel to the long-running TV series “The Sopranos,” the action takes place during the 1960s in Newark, New Jersey, as hostilities reach a fever pitch between the black and Italian-American communities.”

9/28/21- Fair to good reviews. TRDB.

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NEW MOVIES IN THE THEATER AND/OR STREAMING-

1) WEST SIDE STORY– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.”

12/8/21- Excellent reviews for this re-make. TRDB. In Theaters

2) BEING THE RICARDOS– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Chronicling a week of filming the beloved 1950s sitcom “I Love Lucy,” this biopic follows stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as they experience personal and professional crises that could end their relationship onscreen and off.”

12/8/21- Just fair reviews for this drama/biopic. TRDB. In Theaters

3) A SON (UN FILS)– 2019. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A SON (UN FILS) is an intense family drama about 11 year old Aziz who needs a liver transplant after being seriously injured during a terrorist ambush while on holiday in 2011. At the hospital, a family secret will be revealed.”

12/10/21- Excellent reviews for this drama from Tunisia. TRDB. In Theaters

4) BACK TO THE OUTBACK– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Tired of being locked in a reptile house where humans gawk at them like they’re monsters, a ragtag group of Australia’s deadliest creatures plot a daring escape from their zoo to the Outback, a place where they’ll fit in without being judged for their scales and fangs.”

12/10/21- Good reviews in general for this animated movie. TRDB. On Netflix

5) NATIONAL CHAMPIONS– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Three days before the college football national championship game, star quarterback LeMarcus James (Stephan James) and teammate Emmett Sunday (Alexander Ludwig) ignite a player’s strike declaring they won’t compete until all student-athletes are fairly compensated. With billions of dollars at risk and legacies on the line, the stakes could not be higher.”

12/10/21- Reviews are just fair. TRDB. In Theaters

6) BEIJING SPRING– No info on this movie. In Theaters

7) THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “From the award-winning creative team behind Notes On Blindness and Listen To Me, Marlon comes a contemporary take on cinema’s most iconic figure. In an innovative blend of newly-unearthed audio recordings, dramatic reconstructions and personal archive, the film traces Charlie Chaplin’s meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to the heights of Hollywood superstardom, before his scandalous fall from grace.”

12/10/21- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB. Showtime

8) JOY WOMACK: THE WHITE SWAN. 2021.- Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The film follows several years in the life of Joy Womack, the first American to graduate from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s main training program, and the first American woman to sign a contract with the Bolshoi Ballet. Joy grew up in a typical American family. She always wanted to be a ballet dancer and moved to Russia when she was 15 to follow her dream. Without a word of Russian, not completely fit for the physical requirements of Russian ballet dancers, Joy shows her strength and dedication to ballet and accomplishing her dreams.”

12/11/21- I’ve seen just 3 early reviews and they are excellent. TRDB. On many streaming platforms

9) LAST AND FIRST MEN– 2020. Synopsis by IMDB. “Two billion years ahead of us, a future race of humans finds itself on the verge of extinction. Almost all that is left in the world are lone and surreal monuments, beaming their message into the wilderness.”

12/11/21- Great reviews for this documentary. TRDB.

10) FATAL DISTRACTION– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The story of the high-profile murder trial of Justin Ross Harris following the death of his toddler son in the hot summer of 2014.”

12/11/21- Just 1 review- from the NY Times- and it’s good. TRDB. In Theaters and various pjlatforms

11) THE UNFORGIVABLE- 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime, Ruth Slater (Sandra Bullock) re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past. Facing severe judgment from the place she once called home, her only hope for redemption is finding the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind.”

12/10/21- Poor reviews by the critics and fairly good ones from audiences. TRDB. On Netflix

12/11/21- A real tearjerker but well done and I liked it. TRDB.

12) FRANCE– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In FRANCE, a satirical drama set in contemporary Paris, Léa Seydoux stars as France de Meurs, a seemingly unflappable superstar TV journalist whose career, home life, and psychological stability are turned upside down after she carelessly drives into a young delivery man on a busy street.”

12/10/21- Awful reviews for this French movie but it sounded OK to me. TRDB. In Theaters

13) RED ROCKET– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The audacious new film from writer-director Sean Baker (The Florida Project, Tangerine), starring Simon Rex in a magnetic, live-wire performance, Red Rocket is a darkly funny and humane portrait of a uniquely American hustler and a hometown that barely tolerates him.”

12/10/21- Good reviews by the critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB. In Theaters

14) THE LADY OF HEAVEN– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The heart-wrenching journey of Lady Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad. Separated by 1400 years, an Iraqi child, in the midst of a war-torn country at the hands of ISIS, learns the importance and power of patience. After losing his mother, the child finds himself in a new home, where a loving grandmother narrates the historical story of The Lady and how her suffering as the first victim of terrorism spun out of control into the 21st century.”

12/10/21- Just 2 reviews so far and they are both very good. TRDB. In Theaters

SKIP THESE–

1) AGNES– Sounds like lots of horror. In Theaters and pay per view

2)  ENCOUNTER– Terrible reviews. In Theaters and Amazon Prime Video

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MOVIES SHOWING IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY

A) JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER IN PLEASANTVILLE, NY

NEW THIS WEEK-

1) NIGHTMARE ALLEY– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this remake of a noir classic, wily hustler Stanton Carlisle finds the carnival the perfect place to ply his trade. Setting himself up as a spiritual guru, Carlisle wastes no time in parting the wealthy from their money.”

12/15/21- Good reviews for this mystery/thriler. TRDB.

2) THE LOST DAUGHTER– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “During a coastal holiday in Greece, middle-aged Leda develops a fascination with a mother and daughter after seeing them repeatedly at the beach. But when Leda’s obsession leads her to commit an irrational act, she has to face her unsettled past.”

12/15.21- Excellent reviews for this drama. TRDB.

REPEATS-

1) HOUSE OF GUCCI– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “House of Gucci is inspired by the shocking true story of the family behind the Italian fashion empire. When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.”11/24/21- Fair reviews from the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

2) WEST SIDE STORY– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.”

12/8/21- Excellent reviews for this re-make. TRDB.

3) DRIVE MY CAR– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Two years after his wife’s unexpected death, Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima), a renowned stage actor and director, receives an offer to direct a production of Uncle Vanya at a theater festival in Hiroshima. There, he meets Misaki Watari (Toko Miura), a taciturn young woman assigned by the festival to chauffeur him in his beloved red Saab 900. As the production’s premiere approaches, tensions mount amongst the cast and crew, not least between Yusuke and Koji Takatsuki, a handsome TV star who shares an unwelcome connection to Yusuke’s late wife.”

11/27/21- Excellent reviews for this Japanese drama. TRDB. (limited screenings)

 MOVIES SHOWING IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CT

A) AMC IN DANBURY, CT

1) NIGHTMARE ALLEY– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this remake of a noir classic, wily hustler Stanton Carlisle finds the carnival the perfect place to ply his trade. Setting himself up as a spiritual guru, Carlisle wastes no time in parting the wealthy from their money.”

12/15/21- Good reviews for this mystery/thriler. TRDB.

2) BEING THE RICARDOS– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Chronicling a week of filming the beloved 1950s sitcom “I Love Lucy,” this biopic follows stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as they experience personal and professional crises that could end their relationship onscreen and off.”

12/8/21- Just fair reviews for this drama/biopic. TRDB.

3) WEST SIDE STORY– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.”

12/8/21- Excellent reviews for this re-make. TRDB.

4) HOUSE OF GUGGI– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “House of Gucci is inspired by the shocking true story of the family behind the Italian fashion empire. When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.”11/24/21- Fair reviews from the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

5) JULIA- limited screenings

MOVIES SHOWING IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL

A) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH- Fri– Sun

1) WEST SIDE STORY– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.”

12/8/21- Excellent reviews for this re-make. TRDB.

2) NIGHTMARE ALLEY– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this remake of a noir classic, wily hustler Stanton Carlisle finds the carnival the perfect place to ply his trade. Setting himself up as a spiritual guru, Carlisle wastes no time in parting the wealthy from their money.”

12/15/21- Good reviews for this mystery/thriler. TRDB.

3) BEING THE RICARDOS– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Chronicling a week of filming the beloved 1950s sitcom “I Love Lucy,” this biopic follows stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as they experience personal and professional crises that could end their relationship onscreen and off.”

12/8/21- Just fair reviews for this drama/biopic. TRDB.

4) DON’T LOOK UP– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), an astronomy grad student, and her professor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) make an astounding discovery of a comet orbiting within the solar system. The problem: it’s on a direct collision course with Earth. The other problem? No one really seems to care.”

12/25/21- Poor reviews from the critics and fair ones from audiences. TRDB.

5) HOUSE OF GUCCI– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “House of Gucci is inspired by the shocking true story of the family behind the Italian fashion empire. When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.”11/24/21- Fair reviews from the critics and good ones from audiences. TRDB.

B) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY- SAME AS LAKE WORTH ABOVE

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

1) BEING THE RICARDOS– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Chronicling a week of filming the beloved 1950s sitcom “I Love Lucy,” this biopic follows stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as they experience personal and professional crises that could end their relationship onscreen and off.”

12/8/21- Just fair reviews for this drama/biopic. TRDB.

2) C’MON C”MON– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together in this delicate and deeply moving story about the connections between adults and children, the past and the future, from writer-director Mike Mills.”

12/1/21- Very good reviews for this drama. TRDB.

3) WEST SIDE STORY– 2021. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.”

12/8/21- Excellent reviews for this re-make. TRDB.

4) THE NOVICE– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though college freshman Alex Dall is a novice rower, she’s determined to earn a spot on the varsity team. Pushing herself beyond her mental and physical limits, Alex alienates everybody in her orbit as her enthusiasm turns into obsession.”

12/15/21- Very good reviews for this drama/mystery. TRDB.

D) THE STONZEK THEATER AT THE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE-

1) THE NOVICE– 2021. Synopsis by Netflix. “Though college freshman Alex Dall is a novice rower, she’s determined to earn a spot on the varsity team. Pushing herself beyond her mental and physical limits, Alex alienates everybody in her orbit as her enthusiasm turns into obsession.”

12/15/21- Very good reviews for this drama/mystery. TRDB. Fri– Sunday