Category Archives: Drama
Drama
Flash Movie Review: She Said
TO MY HORROR, THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL told his secretary to go pull the students out of class and bring them down to the office. I had just finished telling him about the abuse I was experiencing from these students and now he wanted his secretary to bring them in while I was still sitting in his office; I wanted to run and hide somewhere. If the assistant principal thought he was making me feel better, when he said he would make them stop attacking me, it was not working because I knew it would only anger the students. They would only intensify their efforts in getting me. I stared at the wall clock wishing school was over for the day and I was safely back at home; my anxiety was increasing with each passing second. It was a five-minute wait until the office door opened with the secretary leading the students into the room. The assistant principal did not offer any of them a seat; he immediately went into his speech about respecting fellow students and their type of behavior was not acceptable. I could not even look at any of them; instead, I kept my gaze directed at the floor. Other things were mentioned but I did not pay any attention to them since I was suddenly feeling nauseous and just wanted to get out of there. I realized the assistant principal was finishing up when he told the students he did not want to catch them bothering me ever again. Yea, right. IT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS of “peacefulness” before I was pushed down a flight of stairs in school. I never saw who did it and luckily, I was able to grab a hold of the banister from tumbling all the way down the stairs. A few days later I was eating lunch in the lunchroom when a partially eaten apple hit me in the face. It came from somewhere across the room, but I had no idea who threw it. Well, let me say I did not see who threw it, but I knew who it had to be; one of the students who was called into the assistant principal’s office. Other incidents took place to the point I started skipping classes from time to time and always changing the way I went from class to class. Besides enduring the abuse, the hardest part was explaining the bruises that were visible on me or the stains on my clothing or the dirt covered books. I just had to find a way to get through the time until graduation and go far away to college. Me saying something did not bring me any relief which is one of the reasons why I could sympathize with the victims in this historical drama. FEELING LIKE THERE WAS A POSSIBLE story behind the little news they had heard about a big, powerful Hollywood producer; two reporters agree to work together to see if they could get to the truth. Their challenge would be to find a witness. With Carey Mulligan (The Dig, Promising Young Woman) as Megan Twohey, Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks, The Big Sick) as Jodi Kantor, Patricia Clarkson (Out of Blue, The Bookshop) as Rebecca Corbett, Andre Braugher (The Baytown Outlaws, Brooklyn Nine-Nine-TV) as Dean Baquet and Jennifer Ehle (A Quiet Passion, Zero Dark Thirty) as Laura Madden; this movie based on true story was riveting at times. Carey and Zoe were outstanding together, which added to the movie watching experience. I thought the pacing was better in the beginning and end than during the middle parts; however, because of the familiarity I had with the story, I stayed focused on the events. The story is frightening, horrific, and a variety of other emotions; even if you are not familiar with the news of this event, it is well worth watching this taut, suspenseful film.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Good Nurse
IT WAS NOT MY FINEST MOMENT, but I also had not slept for two days. My only time in a hospital was filled with torturous nights on an awful hospital bed. The bed looked like a jigsaw puzzle, where the pieces were poorly cut, leaving small gaps between the sections. It was capable of folding and bending in multiple positions; none of them provided any relief for me, since the so-called mattress was as thick as the foam you would find around a dinner plate that had been packed for shipping. It was beyond uncomfortable. Add in the nightly wakeup visits from the nurses to take my vitals and I was more like a zombie than a human being. On the third night I had had enough. I told the night nurse that I was making a bed for myself on the floor using the cushions from the sofa in the room. She said she could not approve it, but I did not care. I told her I did not want to be woken in the middle of the night, just to have my temperature taken; I needed sleep if I was expected to get better. Seeing my determination, she thought better of disagreeing with me. Well, at least that is what I assumed. After she left the room, I got ready for bed. Placing the couch cushions on the floor up against the sofa; I grabbed my pillow and blanket and settled on top of the cushions, in a fetal position. Sleep enveloped me in a matter of seconds. I FELT A HAND ON MY arm that was rousing me up from a deep slumber. As my eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the darkness, I saw the silhouette of a nurse kneeling next to me. She said I could not sleep on the floor, to please get back in bad so she could take my vitals. I asked her what time it was and when she said 4 am, I unleashed a volley of swear words that were fueled by a well of anger that had been stored inside of me ever since I was admitted into the hospital. The look on her face told me I was scaring her, but I could not stop myself. She quickly got up and raced out of the room, forgetting her clipboard that was still on the floor. I immediately felt bad, but it only lasted seconds before I rolled over and sunk back into a deep sleep. Later that morning, the day nurse walked in, asking if the ogre was receiving guests. I sheepishly looked up at her. For the next several minutes, she explained the importance of me sleeping in the bed and the need to monitor my fever. She offered I place the sofa cushions on top of the bed, but only if I lift-up the rail guards on the sides to prevent me from rolling off. She was being so kind to me after my poor behavior; she reminds me of the nurse in this crime drama. WHEN A COUPLE OF HER PATIENTS die unexpectedly, a nurse takes it upon herself to find out if there is something going on within the hospital that is contributing to these deaths. With Eddie Redmayne (The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Danish Girl) as Charlie Cullen, Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Molly’s Game) as Amy Loughren, Noah Emmerich (Little Children, The Americans-TV) as Tim Braun, Nnamdi Asomugha (Crown Heights, Sylvie’s Love) as Danny Baldwin and Devyn McDowell (Jerry and Margo Go Large, Annette) as Maya Loughren; this film based on a true story started out slow, but with the wonderful performances of Jessica and Eddie, kept picking up steam as the story unfolded. Having no recollection of the events that this story was based on only made this picture more gripping for me. However, there were several scenes that seemed awkward to me, deflating the building tension. Luckily, the actors worked well together to keep the story going. I only wished the writers would have injected more drama and depth for the actors to incorporate into their performances. Still, this was an incredible story to follow.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Blonde
IT WAS SO LONG AGO, WHEN I first saw her. Back then, I thought she had an odd voice. I think I was still in elementary school when I saw Marilyn Monroe for the first time. It was the movie “Some Like it Hot” with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon and it was being shown on television. Liking both Tony and Jack, the movie easily kept my attention. When I first heard Marilyn speak, I thought that could not be her real voice; it sounded like a cartoon voice. Because I could not recall seeing any other woman that looked like her, I thought her voice added another layer to her cartoonish size physique. In my mind, she did not look real. The characters Tony and Jack played drew more of my attention than Marilyn’s character. I remember laughing at the two men when they were dressed up as women. After seeing this film, it was some years later before I saw another film that Marilyn starred in. And that movie was Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Though Marilyn’s character had a familiarity to it, I was older now and better able to understand the work that went in to create her character. Her timing was impeccable along with her line deliveries. Her character became a classic in filmdom. IN ALL HONESTY, I HAVE NOT seen any other of Marilyn’s films except one or two. I have seen news stories and articles, along with documentaries. In fact, there was a documentary series about her that aired earlier this year and it was the best one I had ever seen. The talk in Hollywood was Jayne Mansfield was highly intelligent. Well after seeing this latest docuseries, Marilyn was much smarter than what she let people see. For that time, as an actress, she yielded a lot of power. She knew exactly what she was doing to keep her name front and center. I was impressed with the things she achieved despite all the hardships she had to endure. The attribute of hers that I could relate to the most was her determination. She truly was a fighter and would not give up until she reached her goal. The perfect example is the film she did with the British actor who had no use for her and made her time during the filming of their picture a living hell, from what I understand. Now with my heightened awareness of her abilities, I have been working on watching anything that has to do with Marilyn. This is the reason I chose to sit through and watch this long movie based on Joyce Carol Oates’s novel. DESPITE THE HARD CHILDHOOD, YOUNG NORMA Jeane, played by Lily Fisher (General Hospital-TV, Station 19-TV), had a determination in her that would help her succeed in a man’s world. With Ana de Armas (No Time to Die, The Gray Man) as Norma Jeane, Julianne Nicholson (Black Maps, August: Osage County) as Gladys, Tygh Runyan (Dark Harvest, Road to Nowhere) as Norma Jeane’s father and Michael Drayer (Claws-TV, Mr. Robot-TV) as Deputy Will Bonnie; this biographical romance drama had one outstanding thing going for it. It was Ana; she was amazing in her role. Unfortunately, I found the rest of this film to be exploitive and shallow. Maybe because I had watched the docuseries, I found the script for this picture to be disjointed. There were times where it felt like little snippets of time were being shown without any depth to back them up. I was disappointed with this picture; it did not provide anything new or anything entertaining. I think Marilyn would have been insulted by this movie.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Thirteen Lives
GRATEFULLY A RELATIVE OF MINE WAS okay after being at a public gathering where there was an active shooter. I never thought I would ever have to write about such a thing, but it has become part of our world. The gathering was a celebration for a national holiday; there were people who came from all areas around where the event was being staged. Horrifically there were fatalities and injuries. This tragic event was televised multiple times; the newspapers covered the story for many days. As one would expect, the news focused on the victims. All of it was so sad to see; the scenes showing the aftermath were especially hard to view. However, there was something out of this tragedy that struck me after hearing about it on a personal level, besides from the news. I was in awe of all the people who came together to help the survivors. Living at a time where there is so much divisiveness and polarization, where everything is turning into an extreme, it was heartwarming to see people from all levels of society coming together to help one another. The word that comes to mind is “hopeful.” Seeing such an act of kindness gives me hope that people can live a judgment free life together. I HAVE BEEN A WITNESS TO other acts of kindness like the fitness presenter I was assigned to drive around during our yearly convention. We were driving to a dinner event when we spotted a car crash. She had me pull over so she could run out and see if anyone needed any help. As it turned out, the driver was dazed and going into shock. She took her jacket off, wrapped it around him while checking his pulse as she had me dial #911 to report it. It was comforting to see how she dealt with the situation, unconcerned about getting her outfit dirty and bloody. Being in the fitness industry, I have seen other acts of kindness. For example, I had a friend who worked at a health center where he personally had saved five members because of his quick actions to start CPR on them. We used to joke about why members were only getting ill when he was on duty. I do not know what it is about my focus on finding/hearing about acts of kindness. Maybe because of all this anger and hatred I see on the news and that includes these political ads that mention nothing about policy, instead showing explosions and crime; it makes me sad. Having said this will help you understand why I found this dramatic, action adventure so inspiring. WHEN AN UNEXPECTED STORM TRAPS A boys soccer team inside of a cave, it would take more than a village to help keep the boys alive. With Viggo Mortensen (Green Book, A Dangerous Method) as Rick Stanton, Colin Farrell (The Batman, The Gentleman) as John Volanthen, Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased, The Gift) as Harry Harris, Tom Bateman (Death on the Nile, Cold Pursuit) as Chris Jewell and Paul Gleeson (The Thin Red Line, Home and Away) as Jason Mallinson; this film based on a true story was directed by Ron Howard, who created the perfect balance between tensions and emotions. I remember when this event happened and yet watching it play out in this movie felt like a new experience for me. The cast did a terrific job conveying the dangers, exhaustion, mental anguishes, and hopefulness from the script. Ron’s direction kept the story on a steady pace that allowed for the touching moments to shine in between the harrowing ones. I do not think it would make a difference whether you remember this event or not, that took place in Thailand; this was an exciting movie watching experience for me and I believe it could be for you as well.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Woman King
WHEN IT CAME TO HEROES IT did not matter to me whether they were male or female. In reality as long as they were decent and kind, it was all that mattered to me. As for the ones I would watch or read about, if they were a good and exciting character, I was all for them. One of my favorite superheroes was Superman; I remember I had a large collection of his comic books, along with Batman. One of the earliest female characters I remember was Catwoman. I loved cats and thought she was quite cunning; she was a perfectly evil nemesis to Batman. From television shows I had crushes on Honey West and Emma Peel. I thought both women were tough and could handle themselves in a fight, though I would have to say Emma was the toughest female character I had ever seen. I would not be lying if I told you I had a crush on her. Watching her in a fight with her martial arts ability, being able to take down a man who was double her size, filled me with dreams that maybe I could become a martial arts fighter. But then, I saw Bruce Lee as Kato and in Fist of Fury and realized I was too overweight to be able to move as quickly as him. DURING MY YOUTH THERE WERE SEVERAL strong females who showed me there was no difference between men and women when it came to toughness. I had a relative who was a sergeant in the military, who had the strongest handshake I had ever felt. She did not back down from expressing herself and would call out anyone who she thought was not acting properly or doing their job. I remember one time we were at a store and the salesperson waiting on us was talking down to her, trying to get her to buy a different item that was more expensive than the one she had in her hand. She firmly expressed her feelings and told him to stop trying to sell her “crap” she had no use for. I may have mentioned this before, but in school there was a girl who was tougher than most boys. Granted she was one of the tallest students in our grade, but she was the first girl I saw throw a punch at a boy that made him cry and run away. I knew immediately to never get on her bad side. Though I have no idea what became of her, I must wonder if the true events that inspired this film had been taught to us in school, what kind of an effect would it have had on her and the other girls. KNOWING THEIR ENEMY HAD HORSES AND guns at their disposal, the general of an all-female unit of warriors was convinced her fighters would prevail. They had to if their kingdom were to survive. With Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Unforgivable) as Nanisca, Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad-TV, Shuga-TV) as Nawi, Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die, Captain Marvel) as Izoogie, Sheila Atim (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Bruised) as Amenza and John Boyega (Star Wars franchise, Attack the Block) as King Ghezo; this historical action drama starred a bulked up Viola Davis who was still able to deliver an amazing character with emotional depth. The movie started out slow for me; however, as it continued playing, I found myself sitting there in awe as the director beautifully laid out strong and memorable scenes, filled with intense fights and emotional depth. Yes, there were a couple of scenes that seemed too far-fetched to have been real; but I still found myself buying into the story. And just from an historical perspective, I am now fascinated about this African kingdom in the 18th/19th century who had this army battalion of women warriors. There were several scenes of blood and violence and an extra scene during the middle of the ending credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: End of the Road
SHE WAS TOUGH ON ALL OF us; there was nothing we could get away with when we were around her. My friend’s mother was a single parent who worked a full-time job and still was able to keep the household and her children in shape. When I say she was tough, believe me. I remember anytime we would go out after dinnertime, she had a curfew set for my friend that was earlier than the city’s stated time. No one was allowed to wear shoes inside the house. She would tell us she did not need any extra work vacuuming up after us. One of my strongest memories was the sound of her voice when she would yell out for my friend to come to her. Because she was short, she would call my friend to come into the kitchen and grab some item from one of the higher cabinet shelves. Despite her tough exterior she had a good sense of humor, accompanied by deep belly laughter. Even at my young age, I admired her because I knew it could not be easy being single with four children. And none of her kids ever got in trouble at school, which looking back now, was a major accomplishment. FOR MOST OF MY YOUTH, I only had strong female figures around me. Maybe it was due to the times, but both with my friends and family it was always the women who made the daily decisions. They would be the ones to decide what the family would be doing on the weekend; or whose house we would go visit for the holiday. This was not just my perceptions because my friends were experiencing the same thing. Most of the dads in the neighborhood had 9-5 jobs. So, I understand the mother taking responsibility during the week, but it seemed as if it always continued through the weekends. There was this one time where there was a small group of parents visiting at someone’s house. All the women were sitting around the kitchen table discussing current events, politics, upcoming trips and such while the men were sitting in the den watching television. This image has stayed with me all these years due to one of my early sociology classes. In class the discussion was about matriarchy and patriarchy, defining and identifying them. I realized I had grown up in a matriarchy. Sure, the men for the most part were the major breadwinners, but it was the women who sat on the seat of power. If you are curious to see how a strong woman acts, then feel free to see the main character in this action, crime drama. WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN easy road trip to their new home, turned into a ride of terror for this single mom and her two kids. With Queen Latifah (Chicago, Hairspray) as Brenda, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (The Ride, Fast & Furious franchise) as Reggie, Mychala Lee (The Greatest Inheritance, Truth Be Told-TV) as Kelly, Shaun Dixon (Velvet Jesus, Dhar Mann-TV) as Cam and Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Descendants) as Hammers; this was all Queen Latifah’s movie. Channeling her Equalizer character, she was the mother who needed to protect her family. I liked the idea to the story and appreciated the effort the writers put in to make this film an intense thriller; however, so much of what was shown was generic pablum. At times, I felt the scenes were ridiculous because they seemed too far-fetched. It was too bad because the injustice aspect was a decent message to convey, but the script got bogged down into standard fare with no flair. I will say I did appreciate the fast pace and the well-orchestrated fight scenes. If one wants to see an example of a tough woman, that might be enough reason to watch this picture. However, do not expect much in the story.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Meet Cute
I COULD ONLY SIT THERE AND listen to my friend list the reasons why he did not think he wanted to do another date. We had met for lunch so we could catch up with each other. He had been busy going out on several dates with different women. Some of the women he had just met for the first time, the rest were repeat dates. From my past experiences, I knew the first date was just an introductory one, where the two of us would be barely scratching the surface of a meaningful conversation. I always considered it an exploratory time, where one learns about the likes and dislikes, along with a touch of historical information. My friend was describing a recent first date, where they met at a restaurant for lunch. He thought the conversation went easy for both because there was never an awkward lull. Not having a lot in common was not necessarily an issue for him; but what bothered him the most was the fact she would talk with her mouth full of food. He said it was hard to look at her while she was talking with food getting mashed up inside her mouth. Honestly, as I sat there with an image of her full mouth in my mind, I do not know if I could have handled it either. THE NEXT DATE MY FRIEND TALKED about was someone he had gone out with twice. From what he was telling me, it sounded like they had an enjoyable time; however, he mentioned how he disliked her hair. I asked if it looked dirty or unwashed, but he said no. He did not like the fact it was cut super short. I did not know how to reply to him. For me, hair is a non-issue; I do not care whether it is short or long, only if it is dirty and greasy would it ever be an issue for me. I queried my friend about the short hair, so I could get a better understanding because everything else sounded like the two of them were clicking together. What I wanted to say was, “What is wrong with you?!?!” However, I tried in my own way to express how unimportant the length of a person’s hair is when it comes to compatibility. It is funny and I am sure I mentioned it before; a big turn off for me was always if they had dirty fingernails and/or food stuck in their teeth. Outside of that, everything else was easily navigated in the getting to know process. The thing I learned that I felt was important was the fact one cannot go into a relationship with a mindset that you would be able to change the other person. Just see what can happen in this comedic drama when one party thinks they can change the other one. HAVING HAD THE PERFECT FIRST DATE Sheila, played by Kaley Cuoco (The Wedding Ringer, The Big Bang Theory-TV) only wanted to repeat the perfection of their first date over and over. She could only do this because she had a time machine at her disposal. With Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island, Bodies Bodies, Bodies) as Gary, Kevin Corrigan (Unstoppable, The Departed) as Phil the bartender, Deborah S. Craig (A Nice Girl Like You, The Outfield) as June and Rock Kohli (Law & Order-TV, Inside Amy Schumer-TV) as Amit; this action crime movie had a perfect pairing with Kaley and Pete. They were so enjoyable to watch; I felt they were really into their characters. I liked the idea of the story, and it started out on a good note; but as time went by, I felt the script was in a repetitive loop that got boring for me. It truly felt as if the film was in a rut. I would have liked to have seen some changes taking place earlier in the plot. When all is said and done, I am glad I got a first date with this picture; but there would be no reason to have a second.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Orphan: First Kill
FOR SEVERAL YEARS ALL I HEARD her talk about was her “dream” car. She did talk about other topics, but if we were walking down the street and her “dream” car was driving by, she had to stop walking and watch the car as it passed her by. Yea, it was a bit obsessive, but who was I to judge; I had my own fixations. The car, I must admit, was sharp looking. It had sleek lines with a large distinctive grill that had the automaker’s logo smack in the middle of it. I particularly liked the colors I had seen it in; each one appeared to alter slightly, depending on how the light was hitting it. After hearing my friend talk so long about this car, she finally had saved up enough money to put a large down payment down for it. I was thrilled for her. Lucky for her, she found an auto dealer who had the exact car she wanted, both in color and features. She was approved for the loan and with all the paperwork signed, she had a short wait before she could pick up her new vehicle. I looked forward to getting a ride in it and see things for myself. THE CAR WAS EVERYTHING SHE IMAGINED; I could not be happier for her. She picked me up and we went tooling around the neighborhood before heading out on the highway. I must admit, the car was impressive. It was not until after the first time she had to drive in the rain, when I got the call. She was besides herself, sobbing into the phone. When she went to turn the windshield wipers on, the radio came on instead. Without the wipers working, she had pulled off to the side of the road to ride out the showers. I offered to come keep her company, but she declined. Instead, she planned on driving straight to the dealer once the weather lightened up. Later in the day after the storm had passed us, she called to tell me the wiper malfunction was fixed, she was going back home. Over the span of the next few months, she had other issues with the car. There was a recall concerning possible brake failure, the door locks did not always lock, and her sunroof had a leak. She was horribly upset, and I could tell her dream of owning this car was deflating. It was when she received the second recall notice that she had had enough and decided to get rid of the “lemon” car. I was sad for her because I knew how much the car meant to her, but the reality did not match up with her dream. It was a similar situation for some of the main characters in this dramatic, crime horror movie. A MOTHER AND FATHER COULD NOT believe it when they received the phone call that their missing daughter had been found. Upon rushing to meet her, it did not trouble them that their daughter was now talking with a heavy accent. With Isabelle Fuhrman (The Hunger Games, The Novice) as Esther, Julie Stiles (Save the Last Dance, Silver Linings Playbook) as Tricia Albright, Rossie Sutherland (Hyena Road, The Expanse-TV) as Allen Albright, Hiro Kanagawa (The Age of Adaline, The Man in the High Castle-TV) as Detective Donnan and Matthew Finlan (My Fake Boyfriend, Jingle Bell Princess-TV movie) as Gunnar Albright; this prequel surprised me. I could not remember much from the previous film, but it turned out it did not matter. As long as one suspends belief, the story was suspenseful and tense. It was so good to see Julie Stiles and to see her in this role. I felt Julie and Isabelle made this film exciting to watch and that is despite the scenes of violence and blood. From the slight memories I have of the original film, I believe I enjoyed this one more.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Emily the Criminal
WHAT IS THAT BREAKING POINT THAT pushes a person to partake in illegal activities? I have been curious about it for a long time due to two experiences I witnessed. Many years ago, I worked at a retail business that was privately owned. The president was the son of the owner, who had died a few years before I was hired for the shipping and receiving department. The vice-president was the president’s brother-in-law. From what I saw, they seemed to be good friends who worked well together. Each one could easily fill in for the other, anytime one was out of the office; they both knew all aspects of the business. Or at least I thought so. After working there for a couple of years and getting promoted, I became more involved in the mechanics of the business. I would work a couple of Saturdays a month and it was not unusual for either of the men to stop by the store. One Saturday the president came in and asked me to join him in his office. I was perplexed, wondering if I had done something wrong. Once in his office he told me he fired his brother-in-law for stealing. I was completely in shock. How in the world could a relative, who had been working there for years, steal from his sister’s husband?!?! I wondered if that is how he was able to pay for his expensive clothing and cars? I STILL THINK ABOUT THAT VICE-PRESIDENT from time to time, curious whatever happened to him. It was never shared with us at the store whether the president took the vice-president to court or if there was any jail time involved. Since I had never encountered anything like it before, my mind swirled with scenarios that were originally created on television shows. Did the vice-president have to give everything back? Did he steal because of some drug habit? Did one of them plot to kill the other? It was hard for me to make any sense out of it. I wanted to know, when was that moment when the vice president decided, he was going to steal merchandise or cash from the business and his relative. I remember back in school we had a transfer student who was friendly, who never got in trouble at first. Fast forward two years, and he turned into this student who would steal cigarettes and smoke them behind the school. It was not long before he got caught stealing clothes. Once again what was going on in his environment that made him steal. Though I am not condoning it, I at least got a glimpse of the process in this dramatic, crime thriller. WITH THE AMOUNT OF DEBT WEIGHING her down, a caterer was offered a business proposal that sounded too good to be true, to make decent money. All she would have to do is go shopping. With Aubrey Plaza (Safety Not Guaranteed, Happiest Season) as Emily, Theo Rossi (Army of the Dead, Sons of Anarchy-TV) as Youcef, Bernardo Badillo (Sully, Revival) as Javier, Jonathan Avigdori (Snowfall-TV, Fauda-TV) as Khalil and Gina Gershon (Cagefighter, American Dresser) as Alice; I cannot remember being more impressed than I was watching Aubrey in this role. She was incredible with acting, going through a variety of emotions and actions. There were times I could feel what she was feeling in the scene; that is how good she performed. The script was original and current; I did not find any unnecessary dialog. Plus, I enjoyed the way the separate story lines were able to intermingle without missing a beat. After the movie was done and I was driving home, I kept thinking about Emily’s story and wondered what I would have done in a similar situation. There were a couple of scenes with blood and violence.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Beast
IT WAS DIFFICULT NOT TO SEE the news reports concerning a youth and the police. Like most others, I saw the video clips of the police officers subduing the young man. He was running away from them after the vehicle he was in was stopped by the officers. I am not familiar with the tactics police personnel use to restrain/apprehend an individual. One officer was punching the outer thigh of the young man who was on the ground, another kneeled on his chest, and a third one was trying to restrain the fists that were trying to land on anyone of them. I am going to do my best not to get into a discussion on whether it was right or wrong; I was not there and am not familiar with all the circumstances. As can be expected the family was outraged and the mother was interviewed multiple times by various news sources. She wanted the officers fired for the “abuse” they inflicted on her boy. Now let me give you one more detail about this story; the boy was 17 years old, riding with a friend at 2 in the morning (on a weeknight) and in his knapsack, after the police restrained him, they found a loaded handgun. My question to the outraged and distraught parents is, why was their underage son out past curfew, carrying a gun? THROUGHOUT THE COVERAGE OF THIS INCIDENT, where protesters joined the parents in demanding justice for their son, the news people always mentioned the loaded gun and the police officers’ concerns. I do not deny the scenario is troubling all the way around, but I am troubled about an underage person having a gun. Does blame fall on the parents? It reminded me of the parents who took their children to the zoo. One of the parents climbed over the barrier to a gorilla’s pen for a photo opportunity. Who would think of such a thing and what are they teaching their children? As you would imagine, the gorilla attacked the parent and had to be darted with a tranquilizing drug. When it comes to parenting, I am nowhere near an expert; but I do know there is no handbook that prepares a parent for what will be in store for them with the birth of a child. However, I have said this for years: We need a license to drive a car; I feel a person should be licensed to have a baby. It is such a crucial factor in life, and I have seen many events of extraordinary parenting as well as poor. In this dramatic, horror adventure film, I am not yet sure how I feel about the main character’s parenting skills. HOPING THE EXPERIENCE WILL BE POSITIVE and memorable, a father takes his daughters on a trip to visit their deceased mother’s childhood village in Africa. It would be memorable but not for the reasons the father was hoping for. With Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation, No Good Deed) as Dr. Nate Samuels, Martin Munro (Moffie, Warrior-TV) as Kees, Leah Jeffries (Empire-TV, Rel-TV) as Norah Samuels, Iyana Halley (Licorice Pizza, This is Us-TV) as Meredith Samuels and Thapelo Sebogodi (The River-TV, Our Girl-TV) as Camo; this thriller was lucky to have Idris Elba lead the cast. He was good, but the script did not provide anyone with a decent story to tell. The script was not believable; there were scenes that I found to be ridiculous in their phoniness. There were times I was sitting in my seat staring in disbelief due to the characters’ actions. The other issue I had was the fact that I was able to easily figure out how the story was playing out. It was not like there was an original thought used to create this story in the first place. Besides Elba, I also enjoyed the special effects used to create his wild adversary. There were several scenes with blood and violence.
2 ½ stars
moviejoltz 