Monthly Archives: June 2015
Flash Movie Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Maybe it takes a passage of time for one’s perceptions to evolve out of a wider base of experiences. Now when I look back at my school years, though some of them were brutal, I see there were parts of it where I was fortunate. Having gone to school at a time when students were not considered bull’s-eyes I can only recall one incident where a student had died. He was the brother of a classmate who was 1 year behind us in school. There were rumors about what happened to him but it appeared as if he had killed himself. Outside of that the only thing that came close was one student who was an epileptic who had a seizure in the middle of a class and another who was a hemophiliac. I remember when the teacher spent half of the morning explaining to us what it meant to be a hemophiliac; we were told to be very careful around her, especially during PE class and recess. As you are probably guessing this was before the HIPAA law came into effect. In regards to these 3 individuals, it was the only time where the different factions (it is the only word that does justice to what my school was like) in the school came together. Whether one actively sought out a faction or was judged and placed in one; after seeing this stellar film, I think all schools have the same factions. FORCED by his mother to go visit a classmate recently diagnosed with cancer Greg, played by Thomas Mann (Project X, Beautiful Creatures), had no idea what to say to Rachel, played by Olivia Cooke (The Signal, Ouija). Not interested in his pity Rachel and Greg had nothing in common except not being part of a particular group in school. Her journey through her illness would blur the lines. This film festival winning comedic drama was this generation’s coming of age story. With cast members like Nick Offerman (We’re the Millers, Parks and Recreation-TV) as Greg’s dad, Molly Shannon (Analyze This, Life After Beth) as Denise and newcomer R J Cyler as Earl; everyone was believable and gelled so well together. The bond between everyone was cemented by the intelligent script that had street smarts. As I sat in the theater watching this movie, I had various school memories popping up that were similar in theme to what I was seeing on screen. With the outstanding directing that beautifully blended in the absurd, sad, happy and uncomfortable scenes; I was swept into the story of this film and enjoyed nearly every minute being involved with these students. Wow, I wish I could have said the same thing about my time spent during my school years.
3 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Jurassic World
The clanking metal sound still reminded me of an anchor being pulled up ship. Looking over at the roller coaster I recalled how that first steep drop took my breath away; literally, I was so tensed up I forgot to breathe as we dropped into what felt like a free fall down the tracks. Today there would be no way I would go on that ride again. As I have gotten older I no longer find heights attractive. I did go on the virtual spaceship ride, noticing the seat seemed smaller with my knees now reaching the back of the seat in front of me. Though I still enjoyed the ride I knew now when to brace myself before the ship engaged in a pretend aerial dogfight in outer space. Walking through the amusement park that I had last visited years ago, I still enjoyed going on the rides and attractions. Some of the larger rides had been freshened up with new parts or simply just a coat of paint. There was one ride where the computer graphics finally looked futuristic compared to the ones they had previously. I think part of the fondness I still had for the park was the memories from my previous visits that accompanied me during the day. There was no need to run from ride to ride, I could take my time and be more selective since the surprise factor was gone for me. OVER twenty years have passed since the tragic ending to Jurassic Park. Updated and marketed to a new generation, Jurassic World park attendance had been strong. However market research had shown for the park to remain profitable it needed to come up with a bigger and better attraction to keep people coming back. Its newest attraction had something else in mind. This action adventure film had incredible special effects; the dinosaurs seemed like actual live creatures being filmed alongside the actors. Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Parks and Recreation-TV) as Owen and Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help, The Village) as Claire were the main characters, both did a good job. I did not mind any of the actors to tell you the truth, even though the script did not give them any room to grow; they were pretty much two dimensional. If you are not familiar with Jurassic Park, then I believe you will get more out of this science fiction film than I did. I found it predictable, especially when some scenes were similar to ones in the previous movie. With that being said, there is no doubt in my mind that you will find this picture fun to watch and even exciting in parts. It was marketed to be a summer blockbuster and it will succeed. Wait a second, wasn’t that the same marketing idea the park had for their newest attraction?
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Love & Mercy
I feel very fortunate that I was introduced to a variety of music genres at an early age. For anyone who can put two musical tones together, they have my respect. Music has a way of clearing the fuzz off of our daily life, allowing us to experience emotions in a pure way. One of the first composers that made a strong connection with me was Ludwig van Beethoven. There were 2 things that grabbed my attention about him. The first was his place in history; he was a trendsetter, leading music from the baroque period to the romantic era. Next, his ability to continue writing music after he had become deaf amazed me. Beethoven was the first artist where I realized there could be a connection between great art and human suffering. Walk through any art museum and you are bound to experience breathtaking art done by an artist who had to deal with their own demons or tragedies. Cutting off an ear or dying from a horrible disease and yet these artists created something of lasting beauty; I have to wonder what came first, the ability or the suffering. Someone had once told me that when a person cannot use one of their 5 senses, the other ones acquire a heightened ability. An example for me would be Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles. Look at how many musical artists we have seen who died early or experienced some type of deficiency, yet produced music that not only moved us but stayed with us. CREATING a whole new sound for a song took more than stringing a group of musical notes together for Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. He would have to battle against the voices in his head. No matter when you were born, more than likely you have heard at least one song by the Beach Boys. This film festival winning biography, not to be funny, blew my mind. Getting a glimpse of what was taking place during the time the Beach Boys were producing their hits, it was incredible to see what was happening to their major songwriter Brian. With the dual story lines Paul Dano (Prisoners, Ruby Sparks) played the younger Brian and John Cusack (Maps to the Stars, The Raven) played the older one. The 2 of them were excellent and I thought it was a great idea to have 2 actors play Brian as the script took us back and forth between the different eras. Also part of the cast in this musical drama included Elizabeth Banks (Every Secret Thing, Pitch Perfect franchise) as Melinda Ledbetter and Paul Giamatti (San Andreas, Cinderella Man) as Dr. Eugene Landy. Due to the story being so compelling, the minuses to this film were minor compared to the pluses. Once again here was an example of artistic genius coming out of painful darkness.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Tony Manero
Each of us in the neighborhood had one special individual we wanted to be. For me it was Batman; for my friend, they wanted to be Superman. There was a girl down the street who idolized Wonder Woman. She would wear a metal bracelet on each of her wrists and pretend she was blocking any type of projectiles. During those years everyone’s idol was a superhero; no one wanted to be the neighborhood’s butcher or tailor. As far as I can remember there was only one real person I used to be somewhat obsessive about, wanting to be them. It was Bruce Lee; how I used to wish I was just like him. Seeing him as the sidekick Kato in the Green Hornet series, I was fascinated with his dual identities of being a chauffeur but also having the capabilities to take down a villain with his bare hands. Then there were his martial arts movies where I would study all of his moves and try to reproduce them in the safety of my bedroom when no on was nearby. I took a jump rope, knotting it in the center to shorten its length, so I could use it as nunchakus. My idea was to blend into a crowd but if I was ever threatened I could immediately subdue the perpetrator. Now in my adult life there has not been anyone I have wanted to be, unlike the character in this film. UNEMPLOYED Raul Peralta, played by Alfredo Castro (Post Mortem, No), was convinced he could be Tony Manero from the movie Saturday Night Fever. When he found out a contest was going to be held to find the Chilean Tony Manero, Raul would not let anyone or anything stop him from winning the prize. This film festival winner from Chile was a bit freaky for me. There was a mix of drama, comedy, nudity, with some intense violence; it took me by surprise to tell you the truth. Part of the cast included Hector Morales (Super, My Last Round) as Goyo, Elsa Poblete (A Cab for Three, No) as Wilma and Amparo Noguera (Post Mortem, A Thief and his Wife) as Cony; each of them did a good job in portraying characters who were lost, broken individuals. I do not know if it was the script or maybe just the whole concept to the story, but it kept me engaged in a warped type of way. This could be attributed to the darkness that played a part in several scenes. I would bounce from being amused to being horrified based on what was taking place in a particular scene. Obsession is not thought of as a positive thing; I can see why based on this movie. Spanish was spoken with English subtitles.
2 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Entourage
As the totals rise in one’s bank account, the chances of arrogance and entitlement increase as well. Now I am not saying this applies to everyone who saves money or becomes wealthy; but I have come across many, shall we say, well-off individuals who feel they are better than other people, who pontificate and brag to anyone who will listen to them because they have money. There is nothing I find more irritating than someone unsolicitedly telling me what I should be doing. I knew this person who came into a lot of money. The change in them was amazing as they went from this friendly unpretentious person to a big blowhard. They would always be flashing their money around; taking small groups of people out to dinner, to bars and stores so they always had a willing audience around them. I got a real taste of them at a party which we both happened to be attending and let me tell you, it was not pretty. I came across them right in the middle of a heated discussion with someone about some type of profession. It was startling how this braggart would utter offensive statements, discarding the other person’s opinion on the subject. There is one thing I always say: no person has control over another person, nor can they tell you how you should feel. THINGS have changed for the group of friends from the hit television series. Ari Gold, played by Jeremy Piven (Old School, Serendipity), was now the head of a movie studio that was funding a picture for his actor friend Vince, played by Adrian Grenier (The Devil Wears Prada, Drive Me Crazy), who was directing and starring in it. Over budget with producers complaining, everyone’s reputation was at stake; this film needed to be a huge success. I have never seen the series. This was my first time seeing Ari and Vince along with Eric, Turtle and Johnny Drama; played by Kevin Connolly (The Notebook, Antwone Fisher), Jerry Ferrara (Think Like a Man, Lone Survivor) and Kevin Dillon (Platoon, The Doors). This comedy as far as I was concerned was barely funny. I thought the script was such a mess; except for the cars, I would have thought this story took place in the 1980s because of the women’s roles and excessiveness shown throughout the film. Most of the female actresses were relegated to minor characters. With a variety of cameo appearances and the over the top acting; I felt everyone was trying so hard to make this story relevant. I was bored throughout most of the film and am still not sure if there was supposed to be some point to this movie. Sitting through this was like being lectured by a pompous jerk.
1 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Insidious: Chapter 3
On the very fringe of the neighborhood there sat an old sagging house. Painted a long time ago in dark colors, it now looked like it was freckled and wrinkled. All the kids who lived around the area had heard an old witch lived in the house. When I would have to walk by the place I always did so at a faster pace. There were some kids who had a defiant streak in them. They would run a stick along the rungs of the long metal front gate, letting the staccato clanking noise talk for them. I had heard some kids late at night would throw stones at the front door then take off running before the witch would storm out to scream at them. As far as I could remember she was the only occupant of the house, though there were rumors that some unsuspecting children who lingered too long by the property were never found again. As time went by and I began high school, all the stories and rumors I had heard about the owner of the haunted house went to sleep in my mind. Years later I found myself at a party and struck up a conversation with a another guest who was familiar with my old neighborhood. As we were talking she mentioned her grandmother used to live near where I grew up. You know what I am going to say; it turned out her grandmother was the witch who lived in that old house that us kids were afraid to go near. I really wished I knew how the story about her grandmother being a witch had started in my old neighborhood. HOPING to make contact with her deceased mother; a young Quinn Brenner, played by Stefanie Scott (No Strings Attached, A.N.T. Farm-TV), paid a visit to psychic Elise Rainier, played by Lin Shaye (Take Me Home, There’s Something About Mary). Elise had to explain why she no longer gave readings and warned Quinn what could happen if one tried to contact the dead on their own. This third installment’s story in the horror film franchise was a prequel, before the Lambert family’s time. With Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding, About Schmidt) as Sean Brenner, this film festival winner did not have the same impact like the 1st one did for me. Lin was the strongest character out of the cast; it was understandable since she was reprising her role. Except for a couple of good fright scenes, I did not find this movie particularly scary. There were scenes that had stereotypical horror tricks like a sudden sound or quick appearance. The directing was okay, but I found the script somewhat generic with its plot. I was more afraid of that old woman from my childhood than this film.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Spy
It sometimes starts with a kind word or gesture that plants a seed inside of you. This seed only needs your hopes and desires for it to flourish into a full emotional relationship that is only in your mind. You take their considerate manners as a sign that there could be something forming between the two of you. Some of the things they say can be taken two ways; you always assume the more romantic version. I have had my share of these types of situations; where you are trying to get a read on the other person, trying to figure out if what you are feeling is just as real for them. Maybe it is the fear of rejection that makes us go slow, where we drop subtle hints to see if they take the bait, so to speak. I recently had a conversation with a friend about this very thing. They asked me why I thought this particular person I was attracted to was not interested in me. I explained how I suggested getting together with them on Memorial Day but they already had previous plans. If they were interested, I explained to my friend, they would have made an alternative suggestion to me by now. So for the moment I sit in my fantasy world just like the character Susan in this movie. RUNNING the logistics for her partner Bradley Fine, played by Jude Law (Black Sea, Anna Karenina); CIA analyst Susan Cooper, played by Melissa McCarthy (St. Vincent, The Heat), would do anything for him because she felt they made the perfect team. It was a team Susan wanted to see expand outside of the office. When the CIA’s field agents’ identities were compromised, Susan agreed to leave her office and go undercover to save the mission. The first thing I want to say is I have not been a fan of Melissa’s recent films except St. Vincent. The reason for this is because I found the stories were set up to get laughs by humiliating a large person; if the character was thin there would have been no laughs and I find this offensive. So now that I have said my piece, this was Melissa’s best role to date. Her comedic timing was perfection and I so appreciated the writer giving this character room for Melissa to go with it. The whole cast, including Rose Byrne (Neighbors, Adult Beginners) as Rayna Boyanov and Jason Statham (Furious Seven, The Transporter franchise), were outstanding in this action comedy spoof of past spy films. I laughed out loud more than once, admiring writer and director Paul Feig’s (Bridesmaids, The Heat) wonderful broad strokes for the fun action scenes. This crime picture was the real thing and I loved it. There was strong language used and there was a brief extra scene at the end of the credits.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Good Kill
I always watch the way their fingers move like spider’s legs weaving a web. There is a rhythm to it that is not familiar to me. These fingers always belong to a younger person, even those all the way down to 5 year olds. When I see them playing their video games my focus is more on their dexterity than the actual game, especially if the game is filled with guns and violence. I see enough of that in our everyday life. This is the reason why I will not teach any aerobic classes that involve punching and kicking, with titles like aerobic combat or fitness war. I have seen enough people playing video games that I sit and marvel how we created this whole new generation of humans who have this incredible eye and hand coordination; besides video games, where else could they apply this skill? My years of playing piano have given me a certain control over my fingers, but I do not come close to those individuals referred to as gamers. There is one aspect of the video game experience that I am curious about that concerns the long term effects of playing violent games. Will a person become less shocked or even oblivious to seeing violence? Seeing war footage from the various news services, will it only be perceived in a video game context? These are things I think about and this movie could be used as an example for it. AFTER serving several tours of duty as an air force pilot Major Thomas Egan, played by Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Training Day), found himself sitting in a metal box looking at a video screen all day as a drone pilot. As the level of targets increased something was starting to eat away at his conscience. This film festival nominee was a chilling thriller. I was riveted to the movie screen because I could not tell if I was watching reenacted or real military scenes. The cast which also included January Jones (Unknown, Mad Men-TV) as Molly Egan, Zoe Kravitz (Divergent franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road) as airman Vera Suarez and Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek franchise, Deja Vu) as Lt. Colonel Jack Johns only added to the dramatic tension throughout this film. There was some predictability to the story which slowed the pace down; however, I found Ethan’s performance exceptional enough to power through any of the negatives I had about the script. I really was stunned or maybe I should say enlightened by this whole other world filled with drones. It really gave me food for thought, where I had to wonder what qualifications were needed to become a drone pilot. Do you think military experience will be necessary or will it be more important for the person applying to list gamer on their resume?
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Red Dog
Walk down my street and you cannot help but hear a dog barking or a cat meowing. Within my block there are close to a dozen cats and dogs, granted six of them live next door to me. The interesting thing about my next door neighbors is how everyone on the street knows their three cats and 3 dogs. Davidson is still a puppy, but he is a very big puppy that is over 60 pounds so far. If he is in the backyard when I pull into the garage, he settles down onto the ground like a Sphynx from ancient Egypt and waits for me to come out from the garage door. Once I call out his name he bounds up like he was in starter blocks for a race and runs to the fence between our properties. I have to give him a rub down his back as he leans into the fence. Two out of the 3 cats are always outside; they prefer eating al fresco if you know what I mean. I do not know which one but for some horrifying reason Becker or Mercury have the need to leave their leftovers right in the middle of my sidewalk, to make sure I will see what they had for dinner. It drives me crazy. When I come home late at night I not only have to watch where I am stepping; but before I open my front door, I have to look down and make sure Becker is not around because he will quickly try to run inside. I feel like the animals are part of my family since they are always hanging around my house. Everyone on the block knows them and keeps an eye out to make sure the animals do not get in trouble. WHEN the red furred dog arrived he would listen to no one in the small Australian community; but that all changed when John, played by Josh Lucas (A Beautiful Mind, Poseidon), became a resident. This film festival winning comedic drama was based on a true story and what a story it was for me. Avoiding the cliched sentimentality associated with the usual animal driven stories, I thought the script did a great job in telling this remarkable story. With cast members Rachael Taylor (Transformers, The Darkest Hour) as Nancy, Rohan Nichol (Fool’s Gold, South Solitary) as Jocko and John Batchelor (Danny Deckchair, Sea Patrol-TV) as Peeto; I thought this eclectic mix of characters kept things exciting. One would think with the boozing and betting, hard driving guys, this would not be a family film; but it certainly was one. I had no trouble with the flashbacks in the picture; this DVD was a real treat. Afterwards I had to go out and pet my next door 4 legged buddy.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Felix and Meira
Silence is something I yearn for in a movie theater, not in a relationship. I have always felt silence aka non-communication was a hurtful act. If someone needs to gather their thoughts or calm down before speaking, I totally understand it. However, if a person does not want to talk about an issue, what do you do and where do you go with that? I remember working with an employee a long time ago who by herself was bubbly with an outgoing personality. When she was accompanied by her husband to any of the company events, her eyes looked dead and she was always low key; it was like being with a completely different person. It turned out her husband was always going out with his friends, leaving her home alone. He also was heavily involved with some hobby that kept him out in their garage for hours. It was apparent to me that if the two of them continued the way they were going something was bound to happen to end their marriage. I have seen and been in enough relationships to know people sometimes evolve out of them or worse, go into a relationship thinking they can change the other person. It is tough once a person starts thinking they do not belong or feel they are missing something. I have stated in past reviews that love is a powerful force and even with this film I still stand by my statement. MEIRA, played by Hadas Yaron (Fill the Void, Out of Sight), was a Hasidic Jewish wife and mother who felt lost within their tight knit community. Her husband Shulem, played by Luzer Twersky (Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish, Where is Joel Baum?), did not understand what could possibly be wrong. After bumping into the stranger Felix, played by Martin Dubrevil (7 Days, L’Affaire Dumont), at the bakery one day; Meira started thinking more about her life. This film festival winning dramatic movie was one made up of subtleties. With a quiet slow pace the story took its time to let the scenes soak in. I thought the acting was excellent as the characters evolved with the aid of gentle nuances and gestures. Some viewers may find this romantic film slow going and I have to say it came close to feeling like that for me. However, what kept me involved in the characters was the interesting way their emotions would come out; I think the appropriate term here would be: the way the characters wore their hearts on their sleeves. An interesting thing to note here; I do not suffer from claustrophobia but throughout this movie I felt a heaviness closing in on me at times. I think that says something about the film. There was French, Yiddish, Hebrew and Italian spoken with English subtitles.
3 stars
moviejoltz 