The Reel Dr. Bob

FEBRUARY 23, 2024-

DEAR FRIENDS:

QUICK LOOK AT MY FAVORITES OF THE WEEK-

1) THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP– NETFLIX

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MOVIES I SAW THIS WEEK-

1) THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP– On January 25, 1985, dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a studio in Los Angeles, checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history. The Greatest Night in Pop chronicles the massive undertaking to assemble the world’s most impressive supergroup in a world before cell phones and email. That group of artists — led by the song’s co-writers and two of the most significant musicians of the 20th century — Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie — came from different worlds but united to record “We Are the World.”

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NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS AND/OR STREAMING-

1) THE ARC OF OBLIVION– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “THE ARC OF OBLIVION explores a quirk of humankind: in a universe that erases its tracks, we humans are hellbent on leaving a trace. Set against the backdrop of the filmmaker’s quixotic quest to build an ark in a field in Maine, the film heads far afield — to salt mines in the Alps, fjords in the Arctic, and ancient libraries in the Sahara — to illuminate the strange world of archives, record-keeping, and memory.”

2/18/23- Excellent reviews by all for this documentary. TRDB. In Theaters

2) MONOLITH– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “While trying to salvage her career, a disgraced journalist begins investigating a strange conspiracy theory. But as the trail leads uncomfortably close to home, she is left to grapple with the lies at the heart of her own story.”

2/18/24- Very good reviews. TRDB. In Theaters and on Prime

3) ONLOOKERS– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “ONLOOKERS offers a visually striking, immersive meditation on travel and tourism in Laos, reflecting on how we all live as observers. Traversing the country’s dusty roads and tranquil rivers, we watch as elaborate painterly tableaus unfold, revealing the whimsical and at times disruptive interweaving of locals and foreigners in rest and play. Drawn to spectacle, tourists swarm to magnificent Buddhist temples, the ordered rituals of monks, and sites of dazzling natural beauty, then recede like a passing tide, leaving Laotians to continue with their daily lives.”

2/18/23- Weak reviews in general but it may appeal to some. TRDB.

4) GOD & COUNTRY– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “GOD & COUNTRY looks at the implications of Christian Nationalism and how it distorts not only our constitutional republic, but Christianity itself. Featuring prominent Christian thought leaders, GOD & COUNTRY asks this question: What happens when a faith built on love, sacrifice, and forgiveness grows political tentacles, conflating power, money, and belief into hyper-nationalism?”

2/18/24- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB. In Theaters and  on Vudu

5) BLEEDING LOVE– Terrible reviews but I can’t miss a road trip.

6) THE SPACE RACE– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “THE SPACE RACE” weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others. In THE SPACE RACE, directors Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Captain Ed Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest.”

2/18/24- Very good reviews from the critics and weak ones from audiences. TRDB. On Hulu

7) UPGRADED– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Ana (Camila Mendes) is an ambitious intern dreaming of a career in the art world while trying to impress her demanding boss Claire (Marisa Tomei). When she’s upgraded to first class on a work trip, she meets handsome Will (Archie Renaux), who mistakes Ana for her boss–a white lie that sets off a glamorous chain of events, romance and opportunity, until her fib threatens to surface.”

2/18/23- Fair reviews for this romantic comedy. TRDB. On Prime

8) THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP– On January 25, 1985, dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a studio in Los Angeles, checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history. The Greatest Night in Pop chronicles the massive undertaking to assemble the world’s most impressive supergroup in a world before cell phones and email. That group of artists — led by the song’s co-writers and two of the most significant musicians of the 20th century — Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie — came from different worlds but united to record “We Are the World.”

I enjoyed this movie very much. ON NETFLIX

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MOVIES PLAYING IN WESTCHESTER Co., NY AT JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER-

1) PERFECT DAYS–

2) THE TASTE OF THINGS–

3) THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE–

4) DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, this comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.”

2/23/24- Fair to poor reviews for this comedy/drama. TRDB.

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MOVIES PLAYING AT THE AMC THEATER IN DANBURY-

1) DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS– 2024. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, this comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.”

2/23/24- Fair reviews for this comedy/drama. TRDB.

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MOVIES PLAYING AT THE GREENWOOD FEATURES IN BETHEL-

1) AMERICAN FICTION– I liked it

2) THE ZONE OF INTEREST– I did not like it

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MOVIES PLAYING IN PALM BEACH Co.

1) THE MOVIES OF LAKE WORTH-

a) Same as Delray below-

2) THE MOVIES OF DELRAY-

a) ORIGIN– 2023. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “While grappling with tremendous personal tragedy, Isabel sets herself on a path of global investigation and discovery. Despite the colossal scope of her project, she finds beauty and bravery while crafting one of the defining American books of our time.”

12/14/23- Fair reviews for this drama. TRDB.

b) THE ZONE OF INTEREST–

c) DRIVING MADELEINE– I liked it very much

d) THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE–

3) THE STONZEK THEATER IN DOWNTOWN LAKE WORTH-

a) THE ZONE OF INTEREST—

I DID NOT LIKE THIS MOVIE

(www.thereeldrbob.com)