Monthly Archives: December 2012
Flash Movie Review: Generation P
I never quite understood the reasoning behind hiring celebrities for advertising campaigns. My passion for the movies does not transfer to an actor selling hair shampoo or breakfast cereal. Just because they can act doesn’t mean actors have some inside knowledge of a consumer item, let alone world affairs. Granted, I can enjoy a fun commercial that has an entertainer in it, but that is as far as it goes for me. Based on Viktor Pelevin’s novel, I found this off centered movie to be an unusual mix of comedy, drama and satire with a touch of science fiction added in for good measure. The movie told the story about the birth of the advertising industry in newly formed Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Vladimir Epifantsey (Home, Fartovyy) played Babylen Tatarsky a former sales clerk who found himself thrust into the explosive world of commercials and product placements. Also starring Mikhail Efremov (9th Company, The House of Sun) as Leonid Azadovsky, I found some scenes thought provoking as I compared the Russian style of commercials to the ones here in the United States. One of the most interesting aspects of the movie was the scenes that dealt with the digitalization of popular figures into commercials. I found the idea disturbing to tell you the truth and still thought about it after I left the movie theater. On the other hand, these scenes I have mentioned were not enough to continue my interest in the story. Not sure what type of movie it wanted to be, I found myself periodically getting bored and confused. I could not tell if they were trying to mimic the times of the 1980’s or it was just poor cinematography in the way the movie was filmed. With a tighter focus, I think this could have been a better movie. It was that damn trailer I bet, that sucked me into seeing this film. Russian with English subtitles.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Patch Adams
Everyday I have to remind myself I cannot control things that are out of my control. You would think after all these years I would have learned this lesson by now. I do not know if I would call it a defense mechanism; but whenever I find myself in an uncontrollable situation, humor has always been my immediate reaction. This is something my brothers and I have always done, getting it from our father. Just before I was about to go under for a medical procedure, I asked the doctor if I would be able to play the guitar afterwards. When he said absolutely, I told him I was excited since I always wanted to be able to play the guitar. This is why I was fond of the main character in this heartwarming comedy. Robin Williams (Dead Poets Society, Jumanji) was the perfect actor to play in this movie based on the true story of Hunter “Patch” Adams. After having committed himself to a mental institution, Hunter realized he wanted to be a doctor. Seeing how patients were being treated more like numbers than as human beings, he believed humor would be an important factor in the patient’s well being. The problem was his idea was contrary to established practices. Having seen Robin Williams perform in concert early in his career, I cannot say he was even acting in this role; he was just playing himself. If you are not a fan of his then you will not care for this movie. The supporting actors did a good job, such as Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master, A Late Quartet) as Mitch, Michael Jeter (The Green Mile, Jurassic Park III) as Rudy and Monica Potter (Along Came A Spider, Parenthood) as Carin. I found the story predictable and far-fetched in spots. However, since Patch Adams and I believe laughter is important to a person’s health; I enjoyed watching this DVD. I do not know about you; but as far as I am concerned, I never want to have a grumpy doctor touching me.
2 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Playing for Keeps
I am more comfortable with diversity, whether it is in my classes or in my neighborhood, than everyone being the same. There is more opportunity for learning with a diverse group in my opinion. For example, I am uncomfortable with a group of people who all act as if they are part of the Stepford Wives. This is one of the reasons why I lost interest with the characters in this predictable movie. I found the soccer mom characters to be simply icky. The message coming across was that soccer moms were unsatisfied, desperate to find physical affection. Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago, The Terminal) as Denise and Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction, Gattaca) as Patti would be examples of the poorly developed characters in this dull film. Gerard Butler (Chasing Mavericks, Law Abiding Citizen) played George, a former soccer star who was down on his luck. Divorced and having been an absentee dad to his son, George decided to coach his son’s soccer team in hopes of getting back into his son’s life again. Jessica Biel (The Illusionist, Total Recall) played George’s ex-wife Stacie who had moved on with her life and was about to get remarried as George came back into her life. Besides the story being silly, I felt the characters were one dimensional. Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow, Pandorum) was ridiculous as smarmy character Carl, cheating husband to Patti. The acting was not memorable and came across as being stilted. I could appreciate the idea of Gerard’s character wanting to be a responsible father to his son, but the writers veered off from it by filling scenes with silly filler. Relative newcomer Noah Lomax was very good playing the son Lewis. I felt bad for this character; not as much for having an absentee father as for being stuck in this loser of a movie.
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
As children there usually was one adult figure who provided us a sense of wonder and magic. For me it was an uncle who had a garage full of samples to new, soon to be released toys and gadgets. Anytime my family and I visited my aunt and uncle, he would let me go exploring in his garage. Sometimes he would even let me keep one of the items. For every new school year my uncle always had the best school supplies ready to give to me and my cousins. The magic adult in this warm fuzzy fantasy was certainly Caractacus Potts, played by Dick Van Dyke (Mary Poppins, The Dick Van Dyke Show-TV). Caractacus was a struggling inventor of little means. But what he had in abundance was a good heart and love for his two children. When there was an opportunity for Caractacus to buy the old automobile the kids loved playing on, he found a way to get the money and purchased the car for them. Of course being an inventor, he had something in mind to make the jalopy extra special. Working diligently, Caractacus turned the comatose vehicle into a magical car. It was christened Chitty Chitty Bang Bang due to the sounds that came out of the engine. But when news of a flying car made its way to the kingdom of Vulgaria (great name!), the dictator Baron Bomburst was determined to use whatever means to get his hands on the special vehicle. This was a wonderful movie from a different era. So what if some of the songs were a little goofy or mushy; I have to say it was refreshing to witness that sense of wonder and excitement again. There was a simple innocence throughout the movie. It goes without saying, Dick Van Dyke was incredible in this role; getting an additional boost from Sally Ann Howes (Dead of Night, Brigadoon) as the character Truly Scrumptious and Lionel Jeffries (Camelot, Cream in My Coffee) as Grandpa Potts. A great film where you get to unplug from the present world, sit back and let a smile spread across your face.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Collection
The first clue on whether a film will be good or not is when the movie studio does not release it for critics to review. It is not because the editing department was trying to clear up a fuzzy looking scene or the sound department wanted to dub in a better sounding scream; the studio wants to make a quick buck before film reviewers bury the picture. Since I do not want to disappoint any of my followers, let me say I took a bullet for you by seeing this atrocious film. Not being my favorite genre and not realizing it was a sequel, I at least expected to be scared. On the contrary, I found nothing surprising or suspenseful in this movie. You may be asking yourself how I would know if I do not usually attend screenings of horror movies. The answer would be I at least can experience suspense and tension on a physcial level and this bloody film did not provide it. What it did offer was enough blood to shut down the American Red Cross for a month and enough dead bodies to keep a tristate region of universities stocked with cadavers for several semesters. Emma Fitzpatrick (The Social Network, In Time) played Elena, a daddy’s girl who sneaked out of the house one night. You know what that meant; she had to be the victim for going against the wishes of her father, played by Christopher McDonald (Requiem for a Dream, Happy Gilmore). Josh Stewart (The Dark Knight Rises, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) reprised his role of Arkin, the only individual who knew where the killer set up shop. Surprisingly I liked the elaborate contraptions created to capture and kill innocent victims; they would make Rube Goldberg proud. Rounding out the cast was the muscle guy, the woman of ethnic background, the character of unknown allegiance and several easily disposable actors. In conclusion I will just say this movie was so bad, I did not get upset with the guy next to me who kept texting throughout the film.
1 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Roxanne
An act of cruelty to me is when someone discards a person based on their looks. I have experienced it both professionally and personally. At a health fair where I was a presenter, a participant left after my introductions. Physically I am not a chiseled, large muscled human found in fitness magazines. On a personal level, I have experienced blind dates that lasted under 15 minutes. Was there food stuck in my teeth or an odor wafting off of me I was not aware of? It has always puzzled me when someone gets judged solely on their outer appearance. This dilemma was humorously handled in this sweet comedy. The story was an updated version of the classic novel Cyrano de Bergerac. Steve Martin (It’s Complicated, The Jerk) wrote the screenplay and starred as fire chief C.D. Bales. The lovable chief was sensitive about his unusually large nose. Though he agreed to help his new employee Chris, played by Rick Rossovich (The Terminator, Pacific Blue), woo astronomer Roxanne, played by Daryl Hannah (Splash, Kill Bill: Vol. 1), C.D. secretly had a crush on her. How could he compete against the strapping big fireman for Roxanne’s affections? Could she ever see past his nose? The way the story played out with humor and gentleness, made for an enjoyable time. The cast did an exceptional job with their characters, including Shelley Duvall (The Shining, Annie Hall) as Dixie and Michael T. Pollard (Bonnie & Clyde, Scrooged) as Andy. More than a light hearted romp; I felt this film was a wonderful testament for anyone who has held themselves back from taking a chance, solely due to the fear of what people will think of their looks. Allow me to share with you something I have always told my friends: The body is rented, changing every day. It is constantly gaining and losing things; but, what takes place inside of it is the important stuff.
2 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Chasing Ice
Perched at the edge of the railing all we could see was the ocean’s slow rolling exhale along its surface. Walls of cold white ice surrounded us as they tried catching our eyes with a spark of reflective bright sunshine. In the still quiet I heard the sound of something cracking. It grew louder into an echoing rumble. Before me I saw a huge slab of white wall snap apart and slide into the ocean below, leaving a trail of icy crumbs. This was the experience I had in Glacier Bay, Alaska; witnessing the calving of a glacier. The idea that I may never see this part of nature again saddens me. Watching this documentary was breathtaking. I am a product of the creative left side of my brain working in tandem with the scientific right side; as I result, I had a deeper appreciation for the way this film handled the subject matter. National Geographic photographer James Balog founded the Extreme Ice Survey in 2007. Its mission has been to record the shrinkage of glaciers. There are 34 cameras stationed at 16 glaciers, taking photographs every hour year round. In this movie there was amazing, exquisite footage of James’ hiking along several glaciers, looking for the perfect setting for a photo shoot. As a visual experience I was enthralled seeing places I would never have the opportunity to visit on my own. Helping James in his endeavors were Svavar Jonatansson and Adan LeWinter. Director Jeff Orlowski did an admirable job just based on the working conditions alone. Once the photographs were compiled into a time-lapsed video it was startling to see the change in the glaciers’ sizes. There was no political agenda being fostered on the viewer; in fact, James used to be a skeptic of global warming. This film festival winner left me and the other viewers in the theater stunned. Something so simple as taking a picture made a profound impact on all of us.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Mozart’s Sister
First born children are revered in some cultures, while the number of children is important in others. For some parents it matters if their child is male or female and then there are couples who do not want any children. I have been a witness to parents favoring one child over another, oblivious to their actions. Then there is the whole realm of sibling rivalry. Gratefully I never experienced it since I was much younger than my brothers. To this day I remember when my nephew talked about an acquaintance of his, who was a top fashion model with a twin sister. He said you would think the twin sister was beautiful until her model twin walked into the room and then you would pay no attention to the other. I wondered how she handled her sister’s fame and looks. I know this film had to take major liberties to make a “good” story for the viewer, but I still enjoyed it. Marie Feret (L’enfant du pays, Madame Solario) played Maria Anna “Naneri” Mozart, the older sister to Wolfgang, played by newcomer David Moreau. A gifted musician and composer in her own right, her father favored Wolfgang. She just wanted some recognition for her abilities. Traveling to the royal courts of Europe Leopold Mozart, played by Marc Marbe (Calm at Sea, La Vie en Rose), put his boy prodigy on display for everyone to marvel, with Naneri left to be her brother’s accompanist. I was intrigued by the story, imagining what life must have been like for both children. Spending days in a horse drawn coach, through all kinds of weather, just to be exhibited like a circus act; it had to be grueling on some level. There was also the issue of gender roles to consider based on what was shown in this movie. What would have happened if Naneri was born male; how would that have changed the dynamics? The film was flawed but entertaining nonetheless. I found the ending abrupt and unsatisfying. However, it was interesting to see what factors place us into our station in life. French with English subtitles.
2 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Killing Them Softly
Here is a film that movie critics can sit down and discuss among themselves into the early hours of dawn. They can debate the merits on using slow motion photography for an execution scene versus the quick kill method or any other such topic. Since I see myself more as a consumer instead of a reviewer; I have to say from where I was sitting no one in the theater cared. We just wanted to be entertained. Judging by the amount of people who kept getting in and out of their seats, I think they were finding better entertainment at the concession stands. Have you ever read a restaurant review that made you immediately go to that place, with bib attached, only to find out the meal was nothing like the review? This is how I felt sitting in the theater. With such a powerful set of actors, I thought I was going to see a rugged intense crime film. Instead I was bored, wondering what kind of black magic was used to turn scenes into lengthy debates that sucked the life out of the actors. In the movie’s favor there were some scenes that shined; but they were few and far between. Based on George V. Higgins’ novel Cogan’s Trade, Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Moneyball) was the enforcer Jackie Cogan, brought in to clean up after a mob controlled gambling place was robbed by a couple of petty thieves. Jackie hired former big time hit man Mickey, played by James Gandolfini (Welcome to the Rileys, The Sopranos-TV), to help him out. If the obscenities were eliminated from James’ lines he would have been speechless. As good as Ray Liotta (Identity, Smokin’ Aces) was as gambling host Markie Trattman, that is how bad Richard Jenkins (The Cabin in the Woods, The Visitor) was as the mob’s spokesman. Sadly, this movie was a waste of good talent and time. Violent scenes with blood.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Nature of Existence
For whatever reason, I never gave much thought to the how and why humans exist. If anything, I always thought I was an accident since my two brothers were eleven and eight years older than me. The big joke I used to tell my friends in defense of my thinking was saying, after having to deal with my graffiti spraying, story telling brothers; my mother waited eight years and decided she wanted to continue the madness by having me. I know each religion has their own definition on the nature of existence. Some believe in the ashes to ashes, dust to dust way of thinking; others believe in reincarnation. I only know there is no right answer or wrong answer. In this documentary, director Roger Nygard (Trekkies, Suckers) traveled the globe interviewing religious leaders, spiritual figureheads, scholars, artists and scientists among others, to seek out answers to some of life’s profound questions. Before you think this documentary sounds heavy and ponderous, let me tell you it was nothing like it. Roger handled the scenes with a light, humorous spin; keeping the story moving forward. Maybe an easier way of describing this documentary would be to say some of you should think of it as the CliffsNotes for religion; to others it can be thought of as Religion for Dummies book. Personally, I found this an interesting film. My curiosity with other cultures was piqued by the different locales and variety of interviewees. Can I say I found the answers to the meaning of life, to my existence from this movie? The answer would be no; however, I did gain a deeper understanding of people’s beliefs and reaffirm my own belief that there is no such thing as a right or wrong religion.
2 2/3 stars — DVD
moviejoltz 