Monthly Archives: November 2015
Flash Movie Review: Heneral Luna
It can be frustrating when you know something is right but someone else does not believe you. We were driving on a stretch of road that was quite familiar to me, since it was part of my daily commute to work. I knew it so well that I could tell you where every pothole was on the road. For those of you not familiar with potholes, think of them as piranha that are swimming through the pavement, hungry for your car’s tires. So I told my friend who was driving to be careful as we were coming up to a treacherous part of the road. They insisted they knew what they were doing and told me I did not need to worry. I tried again, explaining how I took this road every day and knew where to avoid the potholes. By now you probably know what happened; they drove into a pothole that blew out one of the car’s front tires. Part of me wanted to say, “I told you so;” however, I kept quiet as they were cussing the entire time it took them to take off the flat tire and put on the spare one. There was a time where I would put up a better fight to prove I was right about something; but over time, I seem to either not have or choose not to spend so much energy to change someone’s mind, who doesn’t want to listen or consider what I have to say. Don’t you find this type of thing frustrating? Gratefully this occurrence did not turn out to be a life or death situation, unlike what was taking place in this historical movie. AFTER years of Spanish rule Filipino General Antonio Luna, played by John Arcilla (Metro Manila, Compound), did not feel any better about the United States taking control of the Philippines. Based on a true event this action film had the elements to make it a blockbuster type of picture. With Arron Villaflor (Maalaala Mo Kaya-TV, Paraiso-TV) as Joven Hernando and Mon Confiado (Faces of Love, Manila Skies) as Emilio Aguinaldo; there were bloody battle scenes, dramatic flair and intense emotional scenes. However, I found many scenes to be over the top; in other words, they were either overdramatic or excessive on the violence. I can appreciate the significance of the story since it took place during an important time in Philippines’ history; but I thought the execution of the story came across more like a soap opera. One possibility could have been the language barrier for me; I did not find much range in the actor’s acting skills. The funny thing about it though, I found the basic story line to be easily relatable to current times. Coming strictly as a movie reviewer I was frustrated that this picture did not do a better job in telling its story. Violent and bloody scenes were shown; Filipino, Tagalog, Spanish was spoken with English subtitles.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Peanuts Movie
Just as the rhythm section returns after the bridge in a song, so do the beats between long term friends whenever they get together. Preludes and introductions to events are never necessary because the bond between such friends has been seasoned and aged to perfection. Because I grew up with music and use it in my fitness classes, I am attuned to listening for the rhythm in almost any sound; so conversation to me has its own unique rhythms. Being with long term friends feels like a symphony because we are so comfortable in sync with each other, we can flow right into each other’s lives. The beauty of this is it does not matter how different we are from each other. When a group of us gets together one may be laid back, another high strung and someone else could be a bit scattered; no one cares since we have been part of each other’s life for so long. I have a close friend who lives out of state. We may not talk for months but when we finally do we fall right into step with each other as we share stories. Hopefully they are not reading this but I know they can be bitter or pessimistic but it is who they are and I would not change them for anything. The memories we have together are plentiful and they seem to soften any of the rough edges that may have formed on each of us. You know, it simply feels like home and that is how I felt with this animated comedy. THE Peanuts gang, which has been absent from the big screen for over 30 years, return with some subtle changes in this adventure film. Only viewers who grew up with the characters like Charlie Brown, voiced here by Noah Schnapp (Bridge of Spies) and Lucy, voiced here by Hadley Belle Miller (Branson the Sitcom-TV movie), would even notice a difference. For example Lucy looked the same except her hair had more depth to it. The CGI effects were used gently as the animators stayed true to each character’s look. The reason this film succeeded was due to the memories most people have about the Peanuts gang. At the showing I attended the majority of viewers were older. The story was very basic, incorporating past actions and events into the script. There were some new elements; I especially enjoyed Snoopy’s adventures through the picture. Though I will have to say it took time for me to get used to the look of the movie. I found myself wondering at times if I was looking at hand drawn scenes or computer enhanced ones. Credit has to go to the Schulz family and the people who worked on preserving the essence of the Peanuts comic strips into this picture. The enjoyment I felt from this film came from reliving my memories of these old friends.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Spectre
As I walked in the odor of old rubber was still there minus the cigarette smoke. To the left the bar had been enlarged with a small variety of craft beers. When I was younger they only served 2 brands from 2 spigots. There were familiar sounds playing out though some of them seemed more muted than what I remembered. However one particular sound still stood out whenever a ball was rolled down the bowling lane. It was the sound of hope and anticipation for the initial smack against the standing pins that would then scatter out of the way. The old bowling alley I used to go to had gone under renovation. Across all the lanes now hung TV monitors that kept everyone’s scores automatically, accented with colorful animations for each ball thrown. I did miss the fan vent in the middle of the ball return carousel that would blow cool air on the bowlers’ outstretched hand. It never occurred to me that it was used to keep a bowler’s hands dry; I assumed it was to keep one’s palm clean from dust or dirt. Just as I wrote that sentence it dawned on me how odd that must be because after every game my hands always had a dull black residue over them from the ancient bowling balls. It took me no time at all to get into the swing of things and have a good time in this updated place; I had enough memories to mix in with the new things done to the bowling alley. I had similar feelings with this action thriller. KEEPING a promise he made James Bond, played by Daniel Craig (Cowboys & Aliens, Defiance), would discover a trail of events that were created especially for him but had major consequences for everyone else. This latest adventure story in the movie franchise had a big budget to film in various locations around the world which were fun to see. Pretty much the story followed the requirements for what we all expect in a James Bond movie: intense fight scenes, hi-tech gadgets, a love interest and a diabolical enemy. But with a running time of 2 hours 28 minutes, the story was bloated with scenes that were predictable and felt like the actors were going through the motions. I thought Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color, The Grand Budapest Hotel) as Madeleine Swann and Ben Whishaw (I’m Not There, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) as Q were exceptionally good in their roles. What bugged me was casting the skilled actor Christoph Waltz (Carnage, Django Unchained) as Oberhauser then giving him such a poorly written role. This was par for the course since there were fun parts to this movie that played off my fond memories of the older Bond films, but then they had to deal with lackluster scenes. I had read Daniel said he would rather slit his wrists then do another Bond film which explained him looking tired. This is not the way I wanted to remember this James Bond.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Truth
They were not just a nightly dinner guest, they were more like family as we ate dinner in front of them. I remember the television being on while I would be sitting at the dining room table or sometimes directly in front of the TV with a snack tray in front of me, so I could watch the news. This is how we would learn what was taking place around the world besides in our city. Every night it was the same newscaster, who we trusted and believed, explaining events that made no sense initially, along with showing us parts of the world I knew I would never visit. Some of you may have never experienced this method of getting the news; but I have to tell you, once trust was established with our newscaster we never doubted what they had to say. Our confirmation was always the next day’s daily newspaper. Now I can still recall news stands that were set up at various locations around the city, manned by individuals who would be hawking the latest editions of the city’s daily newspapers. These people sounded like sirens stuck on repeat as they kept announcing their wares. The papers always reiterated what the newscaster said the night before. It only seems to be a recent phenomenon where newscasts have taken more of a personal agenda slant on the news. To tell you the truth even with the news no further than our fingertips these days I never know who to trust. TRUSTED newscaster Dan Rather, played by Robert Redford (A Walk in the Woods, All is Lost), and his long time producer Mary Mapes, played by Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings franchise, Cinderella), felt they did a good job with their latest story airing on CBS’ 60 Minutes program. The story would not only shake the foundation of the TV network but also change the way people looked at the news. This film festival winning drama was fortunate to have Cate as part of the cast. She was by far the most engaging actor with her wonderful acting skills. This is not to say other actors such as Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point, The Day After Tomorrow) as Lt. Colonel Roger Charles and Topher Grace (Playing it Cool, Interstellar) were bad; they just did not evoke their feelings as well as Cate. I thought the script inspired by a true event focused more on the drama instead of telling a compelling story; there were scenes that needed more detail to explain the situation that was taking place at the moment. If it wasn’t for the acting on a whole, I would have found myself more disengaged than I already was during this biographical movie. By the end of the story I still had unanswered questions and that is the truth.
2 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Suffragette
Even after so many years I still find myself being stunned by what was said during that conversation. There was a group of people at a party talking about their school years. One of them mentioned they still remembered the year when girls were finally allowed to wear pants to school. I just sat there in disbelief. Why in the world couldn’t girls wear such an everyday item of clothing? On top of it, this was a public school. I can understand if private schools require uniforms but I could not think of any reason why in a place of learning there should be such discrimination. Maybe it is due to my experiences growing up but I honestly never understood this division between women and men. I always felt whoever had the soundest mind and heart would always be the best candidate for any situation. Unfortunately I realize not everyone shares such thinking. Here is an example; when some people hear my primary doctor is a woman they ask my why I would go to a female doctor. I just say because she is good. Maybe it has something to do with the way I was raised; I am aware we live in a more puritanical country. Though I do not understand this divide, I have studied enough history to realize there have been many people who had to dominate others to feel good about themselves. This historical movie is just one example of what was taking place around the world. HAVING spent her entire life working in a laundry Maud Watts, played by Carey Mulligan (Far From the Madding Crowd, An Education), never learned to stand up for herself. That started to change once she met Violet Miller, played by Anne-Marie Duff (Nowhere Boy, Before I Go to Sleep). This film festival winner’s strength was due to the cast. Besides Carey being amazing in this role, there was Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech, Alice in Wonderland) as Edith Ellyn and Brendan Gleeson (Calvary, The Guards) as Inspector Arthur Steed. Inspired by true events the story may not be an easy watch for some viewers. I am simply referring to the injustices that had to be endured during that time period. The sets and costumes added value to this dramatic film, but I was not a big fan of the direction. I felt there was not enough time devoted to character development, besides feeling some scenes were given too much dramatic flair. It seemed as if the goal was to make the viewers cry instead of telling a good story about the feminist movement in England. Nonetheless the acting was super, though Meryl Streep fans will be disappointed that her role was more of a cameo. For me this story seemed like it happened a long, long time ago. However, based on our entire history this really wasn’t that long ago and I am aware it is still happening today.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
My version of scouting and the scouts has not been updated for many years. So please understand I mean no disrespect or ill will towards them. When I think of the scouts, images form in my mind of boys and girls helping elderly people across busy streets or carrying grocery bags out to shoppers’ cars. The other thing that comes to mind is scouts sitting around campfires that were started by rubbing two sticks together or a single scout tying intricate knots out of a piece of rope. During my childhood I was asked at one point if I would like to join the scouts and I remember replying no. There was something about their uniforms that creeped me out. I did not like the idea of everyone wearing the same outfit like a military unit. Now you would think that is odd for someone who loved playing with toy soldiers, but my soldiers were not only trained for combat but they had the ability to fly. Scouts to me just looked like an ordinary group that enjoyed camping which I never liked even as a small boy. The idea of sleeping on the ground in a bag in a tent used to gross me out. So you can imagine how digging a hole and covering up my waste products, whether it was true or not, would make me feel. Putting these memories aside, what remains are wholesome scenes of exploring forests, canoeing down streams and making s’mores. It is because of these thoughts I especially found the idea for this comedic horror film funny. WITH their small town being taken over by zombies childhood friends and scout mates Ben, Carter and Augie; played by Tye Sheridan (Mud, The Tree of Life), Logan Miller (Deep Powder, I’m in the Band-TV) and newcomer Joey Morgan; would have to use what they learned in the scouts to defend their town. This film festival nominee appeared at first to be a fresh take on the zombie genre. I thought the actors played their roles perfectly to reflect the feelings and antics of teenage boys. There were a few scenes that produced a chuckle or smile in me; however, shortly into the film the story fell apart and became a cliched run of the mill zombie story. Sarah Dumont (Don Jon, Playing it Cool) was the female eye candy as Denise and David Koechner (Get Smart, Paul) played nerdy scout leader Rogers who had a secret; they were standard characters in my opinion. I really wished this movie would have taken more risks because I think it could have been fun to watch, though there wer several gross scenes filled with blood and violence. In addition, I understand the movie studio is testing a new formula by releasing this picture early for home viewing. Maybe they would be better off not resurrecting it. Lots of blood shown in this film and the R rated trailer.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Our Brand is Crisis
It seems no sooner do I leave the voting booth that another election campaign revs up its marketing machine. I finally throw away my homework on the candidates (I’m not a political junkie but I do want to know something about the person I am voting for in an election) and I am supposed to startup with a whole new batch? The political landscape has changed so much from what I remember years ago. Facts it seems are no longer important or less important than the amount of money in the candidate’s coffers. If I were ruler for a day I would make election day a national holiday, restrict all advertising to start only 90 days before the election, make all candidates hold at least a dozen town hall meetings across the country and do away with a majority of the super PAC funds that seem to have been set up to sway the candidate to be sympathetic to one particular interest group. What I find most troubling is the use of smear campaigns to discredit an opponent. I can handle it if an opposing campaign discovers something that actually happened in a politician’s past; however, the use of innuendo or implication without having proof appears to be more prevalent today and I find it ugly. Overall I do not like negative campaigns; I feel if a person wants to run for office then they must explain how they would do it without knocking down one of their opponents. If what was shown in this comedic drama is anywhere close to true then I am more naive than I imagine myself to be. DOWN in the polls a Bolivian presidential candidate, played by Joaquim de Almeida (Fast Five, Behind Enemy Lines), hired an American strategist with killer instincts nicknamed Calamity Jane, played by Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side, The Heat). She would quickly discover she was in a race against her arch nemesis Pat Candy, played by Billy Bob Thornton (Sling Blade, The Man Who Wasn’t There), who was working for the leading candidate. With Ann Dowd (Side Effects, Compliance) as Nell and Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Real Steel) as Ben, the cast was well rounded for the story line. However, the script got more dysfunctional as the story progressed in this drama. There were several scenes that seemed so ridiculous that I could not imagine they came anywhere close to actually happening, since this picture was a fictionalized story based on a past event. I was left with bored feelings as if I was watching a live version of the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons, with each of them taking turns on the receiving end. The dramatic parts that could have been effective were glossed over making them more like an afterthought. On the other hand, maybe this story was closer to reality than I realized which in this case would make me feel more disturbed about the modern election process.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Burnt
Between the two of us we had gained and lost enough weight to equal the amount of five adults sitting comfortably in a full-sized sedan automobile. I was having lunch with this old friend of mine who was recently in town for a visit. We both grew up being part of the large sized kids of the neighborhood. As we were waiting for the waitress to return with our food order, we talked about how our feelings had changed about food. Our tastes were always different; where she was attracted to creamy and buttery, soft types of food I was all about the carbs and chocolate. I was not fussy; I could be satisfied with a loaf of bread as well as a box of chocolate chip cookies. What we had in common was our mutual desire to seek out different types of comfort foods. Her favorite was macaroni and cheese and mine was banana bread. Neither of us ever had a desire to eat at a fancy restaurant. I know one of my reasons for not going was because their portions always looked too small based on the pictures I saw in print or on food shows. The two of us discussed how food had lost its importance to us as we got more in touch with our feelings. These days food was looked upon as a fuel source instead of a reward; though each of us admitted we did like to splurge from time to time on a favorite treat. The food looked amazing in this comedic drama, but there were very few things that interested me enough to want to eat them. OVERCOMING the addictions that brought him and his famous Parisian restaurant down Adam Jones, played by Bradley Cooper (Aloha, The Place Beyond the Pines), was determined to create a Michelin 3 star rated restaurant in London. It would become his new addiction. Because I am not that familiar with high rent food, I was fascinated with the food preparation scenes in this film. If any of it was true then I am stunned how stressful it must be in the kitchens of these types of eating establishments. The cast which also included Sienna Miller (Foxcatcher, American Sniper) as Helene and Daniel Bruhl (Rush, Woman in Gold) as Tony were okay but the script was only half cooked (sorry I could not resist). I did not feel there was much chemistry between the actors, besides not feeling much sympathy towards them. The script was strange since there were a couple of other story lines besides the main one that could have been important if they had been developed properly; however, it would have been too much to cover in one film. There just wasn’t much to enjoy here; I prefer my movies well done.
1 3/4 stars
moviejoltz 