Monthly Archives: December 2012
Flash Movie Review: Away from Her
As if all the memories of the mind were black and white photographs, that were fading away to only blank snowy white, is how I look at Alzheimer’s disease. Besides a few relatives, my mother dealt with it for several years until her death. Gratefully, the sweetness in her intensified as the disease slowly polished away everything that was inside of her. Taking her to a restaurant, my mother would blow kisses to each table of patrons she passed. I remember there was an elderly couple who often frequented the same restaurant. The wife was nearly catatonic from Alzheimer’s disease. When my mother would come into this woman’s line of vision, the woman would come to life, insistently holding onto my mother’s hands. The two would smile at each other as if they were sharing a secret that no one else could possibly know. Julie Christie (Finding Neverland, McCabe & Mrs. Miller) was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Fiona Anderson, a woman who was aware her memory was starting to slip away. Gordon Pinsent (The Shipping News, The Old Man and the Sea) played her husband Grant Anderson. After some rockiness in the beginning, the couple settled into an easy, comfortable life together. Their closeness made it only harder when the time came for Fiona to move into a long term care facility. Making the change difficult for Grant was watching the woman he loved receding from him as she slowly began a different life at her new residence. The acting was outstanding from the whole cast. Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck, Look Who’s Talking) did a beautiful job as Marian, a woman traveling on a similar path as Grant. Though this was hard for me to watch due to personal reasons; this film told a thoughtful, tender story. It reminded me of the quote, “If you love someone, let them go…” The mother I knew left me long before she died; however, I have kept my memories of her safe, hanging them on the walls of my heart.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Bon Voyage
If you only look through the viewfinder of your camera, you may miss out on experiencing a beautiful sunrise. What I am trying to say and remind myself of, is to look at the big picture. When I am visiting a new place, I get so wrapped up in making sure I shoot the perfect pictures, I sometimes forget to look around and see everything around me. It is like being self-absorbed to the point, shall we say, where one is so focused on what color to paint the walls of their house, that they are not focusing on the cracked foundation which is about to make the building fall down. It was this type of mentality of centering on one’s self that added the humor to this war story. Crazy as it may sound, this movie was able to take Nazis, heavy water for nuclear reactions, a dead body, infatuation and turn out a crazy, fun film. Isabelle Adjani (Queen Margot, Subway) was wonderful playing actress Viviane Denvers; who indignantly slapped a man in the face for being fresh with her. He immediately died. From that moment a chain of events was put into place where government official Jean-Etienn Beaufort, played by Gerard Depardieu (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Man in the Iron Mask), followed Miss Denvers as she made her way to Bordeaux, France. With the country on the verge of becoming Nazi occupied, it was imperative that Camille, played by Virginie Ledoyen (The Beach; Farewell, My Queen), kept the only containers of heavy water out of enemy hands. Into this great cast add Peter Coyote (A Walk to Remember, Bitter Moon) as mysterious Alex Winckler and try to keep up with the thrills and zaniness in this Cesar Award winning movie. I especially enjoyed Isabelle in her role, looking perfect as a movie star from the 1940’s. What a great antidote to unwind and watch a group of self-absorbed characters missing the big picture taking place around them. French, German, Italian with English subtitles.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Invisible
An ideal life would be one with no regrets from one’s choices. I still struggle with some of the decisions I have made; telling myself to stop it, I cannot change something that was out of my control. It does not always work. The answer may be to realize there was a reason for that choice, though it may not make sense at the time. As I started watching this movie, I began comparing some of the aspects of these high schoolers’ lives to my own school experiences. Funny how people can portray a particular persona, that covers up the true reality of their life. A remake of the Swedish film “Den Onsynlige,” this film had an interesting story line. After being brutally attacked by Annie Newton, played by Margarita Levieva (The Lincoln Lawyer, Adventureland), and her buddies; Nick Powell, played by Justin Chatwin (War of the Worlds, Taking Lives), was left for dead. But on the next day of school Nick showed up to his class, yet no one could see him. He would have to piece together clues about his disappearance before it would become a life or death conclusion. Does that sound confusing to you? Let me just say I found this intriguing dilemma to be a fascinating idea. I thought the set up to Nick’s attack was an excellent example of what type of consequences could befall a person based on their choice of action. Marcia Gay Harden’s (Mystic River, Into the Wild) portrayal as Nick’s mother Diane was well done, using her appearance to cover up her true feelings. The one character I had trouble with was Nick’s best friend Peter Egan, played by Chris Marquette (Fanboys, The Girl Next Door). His role did not come across as being real to me. The foundation of the story was solid; my issue was I felt the writers were inconsistent. Where some scenes were tight with levels of tension, others were loose and unrealistic. Though I liked the idea behind this movie, it did not make as big of an impact as I expected. Then again, one could say I chose to elevate my expectations. Either way, I did not regret seeing this film. A couple of scenes with blood shown.
2 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Hyde Park on Hudson
The challenge in reviewing this movie based on true events was not letting my belief in faithfulness bias my observations. Unfaithfulness is a foreign concept to me. Whether I am called old-fashioned or traditional, I believe loving a person unconditionally incorporates being faithful to them. Once I am in a committed relationship I only have eyes for them, no matter how corny that may sound. I was surprised by this movie; I had no idea one of the story lines was concerned with President Roosevelt’s love affairs. The object of his affection was his distant cousin Margaret “Daisy” Stuckley, played by Laura Linney (The Savages, The Truman Show). From the trailers I thought this film was all about the first visit of a reigning British monarch to America. Samuel West (Van Hesling, Notting Hill) and Olivia Colman (The Iron Lady, Tryannosaur) played the King and Queen of England. In the summer of 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth came to visit President Franklin D. Roosevelt, played by Bill Murray (Lost in Translation, Moonrise Kingdom), at his home in upper state New York. Fearing Britain would be pulled into the war waging across Europe, the King hoped to persuade the President in becoming an ally. If the story would have stayed with this part, the film would have been much better. The scenes with the President and King together were well acted and wonderful. At the start of the movie we were presented Daisy with little back story, as she became the narrator of the film. However, as the story continued she became more of a secondary character, blatantly showing the poor quality of the under developed screenplay. It was a shame because I was curious to see more of the cultural differences between the two countries. Those scenes had a gentle, sweet humor to them. Laura Linney who I have always enjoyed was sadly wasted in this film; granted she did not have much to work with in her role. This movie was like being on a bad date; I was not attracted to it, but did not want to appear rude by leaving early.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Invincible
I am the least likely person to review a football movie. Having been an overweight, unconfident boy; there was never a time I felt safe to play the game. In high school an aunt of mine insisted I try out for football because of my size. She must have been confusing my body mass with muscle mass. If I had not already felt like I did not belong on any of the high school sports teams, my gym class confirmed it for me. When a student was exceptionally brutal to another student in any competitive way, our gym teacher would only smile with a soft chuckle. This P.E. teacher took my fearfulness, absenteeism and various doctor notes to be excused from class as a sign of weakness. I always felt he chose to ignore the truth, that I was being abused and bullied in the class and locker room. That experience back then was what spurred me on to become a group fitness instructor. It took heart and determination for me to overcome all of my insecurities. Watching the same drive in 30 year old Philadelphian Vince Papale, played by Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter, Boogie Nights), kept bringing me to tears. This movie inspired from a true story was less about football and more about the heart and soul of a man. After his wife left him and he was cut from his substitute teaching job, Vince had no reason not to try out for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles football team when new coach Dick Vermeil, played by Greg Kinnear (Flash of Genius, Little Miss Sunshine), decided to have open tryouts. Despite being harassed, Vince would not give up, pushing himself beyond anything he had ever done before. One need not know anything about football to be inspired by this satisfying story. This was the type of role that Mark Wahlberg is best suited for, a working class easterner. Both he and Greg Kinnear were well matched in this drama. Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games, People Like Us) also fit well in her role as Janet Cantrell, a new bartender at the same bar Vince worked at a couple of nights a week. I love a story that allows the viewer to root for the underdog and after watching this great film I surprised myself by wishing I could have been a fan in the football stadium.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
There is a certain beauty in nature’s untouched landscapes. Having traveled across the United States, visiting 47 out of the 50 states to date, I have been incredibly grateful for what I have seen. I felt I was on a different planet while trekking through Badlands National Park and when I was at Yellowstone National Park, I finally understood the line “purple mountain majesties” when I saw them with my own eyes. Without special effects or being touched by man, earth can provide us an unbelievable movie set. Sitting in the movie theater with my 3D glasses on, I felt I was watching a PBS special. Scene after scene after scene of fantastical landscapes filled with soaring mountains and unfurling waterfalls, I did not know where to look first. If this was only a travelogue then this would be wonderful in its own right. But this was a movie, so I wanted a story to connect the beautiful and exciting images before my eyes. It felt to me as if the special effects were thought of first and then the writers put a story to them. Starting a new trilogy, I understood there would have to be a groundwork of explanations laid down to get the movie audience on the same page; however, it made for a slow pace in the beginning. Martin Freeman (Love Actually, Hot Fuzz) played Bilbo Baggins, a hesitant Hobbit who went along with a band of Dwarves to reclaim their mountain home from the dragon Smaug. Richard Armitage (Frozen, Robin Hood) was the Dwarf King Thorin who with the wizard Gandalf, played by Ian McKellen (X-Men franchise, Stardust) lead their group through perilous lands filled with goblins, giant spiders and other deadly creatures. Where the beginning of this movie was disappointing, the last half of this 2 hour and 49 minute film came together for me. Director Peter Jackson and his special effects team did an amazing job, bringing a new and improved Gollum, played by Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Prestige) to the screen. The facial expressions on Gollum and the other fanciful beings were truly realistic. With the excitement ratcheted up, the steadier pacing and deeper chemistry between characters; I thoroughly enjoyed the movie by its conclusion. If only more attention had been given to the story as the special effects this would have been a masterpiece. As I was leaving the theater, if they had been selling postcards of the movie’s landscapes, I would have bought several to mail out to my friends.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Guardian
Making something look easy is a real art form. It can be quite hard to pull off. In my yoga classes I strive to make the poses available to all fitness levels. When teaching cycle class the members do not know, while I am giving out movie reviews and news tidbits, I am watching their body alignment, posture, signs of fatigue, anything that may be detrimental to their health. My goal is not to let anyone feel intimidated in my class; I do everything I ask the class to do and never leave someone behind. While watching this DVD my impression of the coast guard was blown out of the water, so to speak. I never gave much thought to the United States Coast Guard. My only exposure was seeing them on television rescuing pets or drunk people out on the water. I have to tell you how surprised I was with this film. The story took place at one of the USCG’s training centers for their rescue swimmer’s team. Kevin Costner (Waterworld, Dances with Wolves) played Ben Randall, an elite rescue swimmer who was offered a teaching job after a rescue mission turned deadly. Ashton Kutcher (No Strings Attached, The Butterfly Effect) played hot shot high school swimming champ Jake Fischer, who joined the coast guard to escape a mysterious past. The chemistry between the two actors was better than I expected; they were believable, sympathetic characters. The physical requirements the trainees had to achieve were daunting; I had no idea how rigorous and dangerous it was for them. Sela Ward (The Fugitive, Sisters-TV) played Ben’s wife Helen; I would have preferred more scenes with her than the filler love interest inserted into the story. This dramatic action film had similar elements to the movie An Officer and a Gentleman, which I did not mind in the least. After sitting anxiously through the exciting action scenes I wished the writers would have spent more time on the ending; it seemed rushed and predictable. My impression of coast guard personnel has been totally altered by this hardy movie. I will never underestimate how they make things look easy.
2 2/3 stars — DVD
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