Category Archives: Drama
Drama
Flash Movie Review: The Bikeriders
MY FRIEND KNEW HOW MUCH I enjoy looking at photo albums which is why she asked me over to her place one day. After I arrived and showed me her latest art project, she led us into the dining room. I thought it was odd since most other times we spend time together in her studio or den. When we entered the room, I immediately understood her reasons; there placed in the middle of the dining room table was an old-fashioned photo album. I am not talking about the kind that has that sticky heavy stock paperboard, where you simply press the photo anywhere on it and it will stick; though as time goes on the photos can become permanently attached. I could tell this was an incredibly old album, even if it did not have its cracked and worn cover, along with a couple of loose pages sticking out. This album had black construction type paper pages where the photos were held in place by four little corners that were glued onto the pages. She must have seen the expression on my face because she said she thought it would be better lighting in the dining room, with the light fixture hanging above the table and the amount of sunlight coming through the windows, to look at the photos. I agreed with her. WE SAT DOWN AND SHE MOVED the album towards me. I did not even ask if she was sure about it, that maybe she wanted to turn the pages. Opening the cover, the first page had eight black and white photographs attached in a grid pattern. Most of the photos were standard size, but there were a couple of wallet sized ones as well. They were all people; one of a little boy bundled up in what looked like a wool and fur lined coat, with a fur hat. I asked where it was taken and who he was, but she had no idea. There were not any labels anywhere on the page. She added she looked on the back and nothing had been written there. I continued looking at the photos and turning the pages. The variety of photographs impressed me; there were outdoor activity shots mixed in with portraits and candid shots. Anytime I asked her about a photo, she could not provide any sort of details; she did not know anyone in the book. By the end of the book, I was disappointed because though the photos had the potential to tell a historical story I could not connect to any of them. As a result, I was a little bored just looking at random photos. I felt the same way while watching this crime drama. AFTER SEEING EACH OTHER AT A local bar, the soon-to-be couple see a change taking place around them and the motorcycle club where her boyfriend is a member. It could go either way on where the boy’s loyalty ends up. With Jodie Comer (The Last Dual, Free Guy) as Kathy, Austin Butler (Elvis, Dune: Part Two) as Benny, Tom Hardy (Venom franchise, The Dark Knight Rises) as Johnny, Michael Shannon (The Flash, A Little White Lie) as Zipco and Mike Faist (West Side Story, Challengers) as Danny; this film festival winning movie had a nearly perfect cast to tell the writers’ story. However, the script given to them had lifeless passages in it. There were times where I felt I was watching a short vignette or someone’s home movies without any sound or explanation. It left me feeling bored. I did like the sets and the filming of this picture and thought the actors did as good of a job with their acting as they could. I wanted to know more about the characters and what motivated them to be part of their motorcycle club. Without knowing it, the scenes felt lifeless at times. The mix of good and bad parts to this film never added up for me; I felt I was watching someone’s home movies.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Greatest Hits
WHILE LISTENING TO THEM, I WAS getting excited. Having dinner with younger relatives, a couple were talking about their experiences recently at a popular arena concert that had stopped in the city. Every show had sold out in minutes, and they just happened to be lucky enough to get tickets. They told us what they wore then had to explain to the rest of us that it was proper concert attire. Back when I was going to concerts, my standard outfit was jeans and comfortable shoes because many times we would be standing through the entire show, and let me tell you, it is not easy wearing new cowboy boots while standing on a folding chair for over two and a half hours. The two relatives took public transportation down to the stadium. It seemed as if everyone on the train and bus was going to the concert because all the way down into the city the riders were singing the artist’s songs. I experienced the same thing with a couple of the shows I had seen in the past, so I could easily relate to what they were feeling. Inside the stadium, my relatives’ first line of business was to buy concert T-shirts. This was my thing at all the concerts I attended, getting a T-shirt was like getting a badge of honor; I loved wearing my T-shirts when I was out and about. AFTER LISTENING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AT the concert, I was recalling mine as I was driving home from the restaurant. The thing that moved me the most about concerts was feeling connected to so many people who were all there for the same thing. It was like an electric current that we all tapped into at the same time that kept us on a steady high through the performance. There was a sense of belonging that was nurturing to me. When I would tear up to a song, the people around me were doing the same thing; collectively we were all of one heart and I loved that feeling. Music has always had a special effect on me. The way a song plays and can immediately transport me to a different time and place; it is like magic. For every breakup I experienced I have a song, along with every loving relationship. Seeing myself sitting in the restaurant booth, with a fake stained-glass ceiling above us, listening to what became our favorite song over the speaker system and you telling me for the first time you loved me, is a memory that is always with me whenever I hear that song. Hearing how music had an affect on the main character in this romantic music drama intrigued me enough to sit down and watch this movie. AFTER A TRAGIC LOSS HARRIET GIBBONS, played by Lucy Boynton (Bohemian Rhapsody, Murder on the Orient Express), hears a song, and gets transported back to the time of a memorable event where she had heard the song originally. When she meets a man who shows interest in her, how could she explain her situation. With Justin H. Min (Shortcomings, The Umbrella Academy-TV) as David Park, David Corenswet (Look Both Ways, The Politicians-TV) as Max Enders, Austin Crute (Booksmart, They/Them) as Morris Martin and Retta (To the Bone, Parks and Recreation-TV) as Dr. Evelyn Bartlett; I liked the idea behind the story. Unfortunately, I felt the script could have done a better job of offering something new and fresh in a theme that is familiar. Lucy did a respectable job and I enjoyed how she related to the other characters. With a great soundtrack, there were times I really enjoyed this film, but as I said, it kept close to a standard easy format without delving deeper into the characters and surprising the viewer more. For a lazy afternoon, where one is undecided whether to listen to music or watch a movie, this picture could fill both needs.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Beautiful Game
RECENTLY, I WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE to find a particular box of cookies. This box of cookies was something special to me when I was a young boy. The cookies were simple, buttery, and just slightly more crisp than soft in texture. As I found the cookie and snack aisle at the store, I slowly made my way down to see if I could spot these cookies. I realized my memories could be of what would be now their old packaging, but I hoped I could still locate them. The first thing that took me by surprise was the number of different cookies on the shelves. And not only the amount of different cookie brands, but the amount of variety there was for specific cookies. One type of cookie was positioned on multiple shelves in a section. Besides the original type I remembered, there were ones in assorted flavors; some of them did not sound appealing to me. They also came in varied sizes now, where some were extra thick, and others were being called crispy thin. It made me wonder what was ever wrong with the original ones because I thought they were terrific. I continued down the aisle, amazed by all the different choices most brands offered. Sadly, after looking at every shelf, I never found the cookies I used to eat during my childhood. ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE store, I was remembering other foods I enjoyed as a kid. I do not know if other people feel the same way as I do about food, but there are certain foods that trigger a warm, happy memory for me. Besides the food, there is a place I associate with the food. I remember going to an older relative’s house when I was small, where she would always have on hand homemade fruit bars. The apartment was not air conditioned, the furniture was old and sagged whenever you sat in it, but it did not matter to me. Sitting at her kitchen table with a couple of fruit bars and a glass of chocolate milk, I felt like I was eating like a king. It was cozy, comfortable, and safe; time felt like it had slowed down so I could remain seated in the vinyl kitchen chair that would be a little sticky in summer. This is the feeling I was trying to recreate from my cookie shopping experience. There are times where I do not want any complicated, fancy, new and improved food item; I simply want to sit down and eat something that just feels good. I am the same way with movies; I am not always looking for the biggest spectaculars or greatest special effects. I want something that makes me feel warm and good, and gratefully this sports drama gave me those feelings. HOPING TO BRING A WINNING SOCCER TEAM to the championship games in Rome, the manager of the team brings in a new player just before the tournament. A player that does not want to be around his teammates. With Michael Ward (Empire of Light, The Book of Clarence) as Vinny, Daniel Attwell (Brothers of War, 1917) as Mark, Bill Nighy (Living, The First Omen) as Mal, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Avengers franchise, The Infiltrator) as Kevin and Kit Young (The School of Good and Evil, Out of Darkness) as Cal; this movie inspired by true stories was a feel-good experience. Already a fan of Bill Nighy, I enjoyed watching this film that was about an event I had never heard of before. The acting was decent from the cast, and it was easy at times to figure out what was going to happen in the scenes, but it did not matter to me. The feelings of easy comfort and joy I was experiencing made up for any of this film’s flaws. It was good to sit back and watch a story being told simply and directly with no added frills. In other words, just a good old-fashioned story.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Iron Claw
IF I HAD BEEN THE REFEREE and had seen the parent yelling at his son after the game, I would have banned him from all future games. I have been to enough sports games to watch the children of friends and family, and there is always at least one parent who is the aggressive one close to the action. This one father was yelling at his kid throughout the game but did throw out a couple of barbs at the umpires. For me, it simply makes the experience of watching the game uncomfortable. I do not know about you, but I do not want to hear parents reprimanding their children during a game. Even after the game, what could their child have done that warranted such ugly behavior. It is only a game and if the kid is trying their best then that is all that matters, at least to me. It is not like there are scouts in the audience or television deals waiting to bestow riches upon the young child. The dad was tugging at the boy’s jersey while telling him what he did wrong; I found it disgusting. I mean really, talk about an embarrassing moment in one’s life. That father should be ashamed of himself. As you would imagine, it looked like tears were rolling down the boy’s face. I USED TO WORK WITH A woman who pushed her daughter into theater, because it was something she started to do when she was young but could not sustain it. It always made me wonder if there are many parents who try to live their lives through their children. Was that father yelling at his child during and after the game, wanting his son to be just like him; or even better? The person I worked with was constantly driving her daughter to various auditions, photo shoots, and a multitude of stores to find unique items for her to wear so she would stand out. I can still remember the day she told me her daughter decided she did not want to act anymore; this woman was despondent. She walked around the office with such a sad face and as if she had nothing left to live for (my own observation). There was a time afterward where her daughter was in the neighborhood and wanted to take her mother out to lunch. I was hoping in a way that there would have been a moment I could ask the daughter if she had grown up wanting to be an actress, but I decided it was not my place to ask her. I am afraid I do not understand this desire or need for parents to live out their dreams/fantasies through their children. And this dramatic sports biography certainly proves my point. HAVING A SET OF SONS WAS all former wrestler Fritz Von Erich, played by Holt McCallany (Fight Club, Nightmare Alley), needed to finally reach his wish of building a legacy. His desires, unbeknownst to him, also set up a separate more emotional legacy. With Zac Efron (Ricky Stanicky, The Greatest Showman) as Kevin Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White (Fingernails, The Bear-TV) as Kerry Von Erich, Harris Dickinson (Beach Rats, Where the Crawdads Sing) as David Von Erich and Maura Tierney (Beautiful Boy, ER-TV) as Doris Von Erich; this film based on a true story was riveting to me. I had never heard about this family until I saw this movie. I thought the acting was excellent and felt this was one of Zac’s best roles. I still do not know if his body was real, or CGI enhanced; it was so bulked up. The story was an emotional one; I, at times, could not believe some of the scenes I was watching because they had that same air of uncomfortableness I was talking about earlier in this review. After seeing this picture, I am curious to find clips of the actual wrestling family that made a name for themselves in the early 1980’s.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Suncoast
SOME INDIVIDUALS MAY THINK I HAVE an unusual take on death, but from where I have stood it makes sense to me. When someone suddenly dies, their death hits their loved ones harder. For example, when someone dies from a massive heart attack. When an individual suffers a prolonged process towards death, such as untreatable cancer or Alzheimer’s disease, by the time the person perishes the loved ones around them are relieved the suffering is over. I have experienced both methods of dying and despite the sudden death being such a shock, I felt it was an easier way to leave this world for the deceased. To see someone wilt or be eaten away towards their death is a painful process for all concerned. When I was younger, I remember visiting a relative who had to reside in a nursing home. Their mind was deteriorating, where they did not recognize family members or keep up with hygiene. It was sad and painful to watch how a little more of their life was being snuffed out each time I went to visit. It was during that time that I formulated my belief that there are times where it would be better if the person were dead than having to lose their quality of life and brain capacity. A relative of mine thought I was horrible for thinking such things, but after an extended period watching this individual lose everything that represented who they were, this other relative came up to me and said I was right about the option of dying. IN SCHOOL, WE WERE TAUGHT THE natural order of things meant grandparents would die before parents, who would die before children. I cannot remember what grade I was in when this was a topic for discussion. It made sense to me that the oldest individuals would die before the younger ones. I can see it for myself; when someone dies at the age of ninety-five or older, many people are sad but not heartbroken because that person lived a long, full life. When things go out of order and a parent loses a child, they are stricken with such a deep pain that can nearly incapacitate them. I have seen this for myself on more than one occasion. At a cemetery, I saw a couple whose 2-year-old child had died. The parents came to the cemetery every weekend to swap out the old flowers for new ones and sit down and have a picnic lunch with their deceased child. It was hard for me to see them suffer so. I also understand death is a topic that some people find hard to talk about. The same goes for seeing it on film; though I have to say, I thought the writers did an admirable job in this drama that was inspired by a true story. THE TIME HAD COME TO PLACE her brother in a specific healthcare facility. It happened to be the same place where a protest was taking place regarding one of the patients. With Nico Parker (Dumbo, Reminiscence) as Doris, Laura Linney (The Savages, The Miracle Club) as Kristine, Woody Harrelson (Champions, Triangle of Sadness) as Paul Warden, Daniela Taylor (Grown-ish-TV, Knight Squad-TV) as Laci and Ella Anderson (The Boss, The Glass Castle) as Brittany; I found this film to be a touching and moving experience. The performances from Nico, Laura and Woody were outstanding, with their emotions on full display. Overall, I appreciated what the script was doing, but I did feel a sense of disconnect with the characters because there was not much back story to them. The scenes with Doris and her new friends had a lesser impact on me, despite Nico’s performance standing out in them. The subject matter is a tough one to capture, but I felt the writers came close to what it feels like to experience such a situation. Because no one can escape death, it is up to us to enjoy every day of living.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Shirley
I WAS AWARE SHE WAS THE only girl in the class, but I thought nothing else about it. However, the boys in the class had a problem with it. I was signed up for day camp because I refused to go to an “away” camp during my elementary school’s summer vacation. There was a list of different activities I could sign up for that would then be spread across the weeks I was attending. The camp was at our community center; I could either ride my bicycle on good days or get a ride from a group of neighborhood parents that volunteered for carpooling duty. Some of the activities I attended, like swimming, only had boys in the class; others, like archery, had both boys and girls. I never thought anything about it. Any swimming lessons I attended always had boys participating, and campfire skills class always had a mix of boys and girls. This woodworking class was different because there was only one girl in it. Either the classes were filled with one gender or a mix; there never was only one or two in class that were of the opposite gender. I wondered if woodworking was supposed to be a boy’s activity. The boys in the class did not interact with her or help her out like they did with each other. I was stationed too far away, so had little contact with her myself; but I felt sad for her. LATER IN LIFE WHEN I STARTED working in the fitness industry, I discovered men were a minority. At one private club, they did not even have a locker for me to change outfits; I had to do it in the bathroom. I cannot honestly say if I experienced any prejudices because I was a man. If a female member did not want to be taught by a man, she simply would not come to class. After I went back to school for yoga, I was the only male instructor, sometimes the only instructor who was teaching yoga classes in the fitness centers where I worked. I did feel not only a sense of responsibility but a pressure because I was laying down the foundation for what members would be expecting out of a yoga class. It was an exciting and thrilling time for me as I saw how yoga was affecting the participants. Though the classes started out with females being the majority, as word spread, I started seeing more and more men trying it out. I do not want to say I was a trailblazer, but I can honestly say I changed many people’s perceptions of yoga. There is something about being the first and seeing how one’s actions can change the minds of many people, just like the main character did in this biographical historical drama. SHE WAS ALREADY THE FIRST BLACK woman to be elected to congress; and with her record and the things she had seen, why couldn’t she run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination? With Regina King (The Harder They Fall, Flag Day) as Shirley Chisholm, Lance Reddick (John Wick franchise, White House Down) as Wesley McDonald, Terrance Howard (Cardboard Boxer, Hustle & Flow) as Arthur Hardwick Jr., Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea, Boy Erased) as Robert Gottlieb and Michael Cherrie (She Paradise, Limbo) as Conrad Chisholm; Regina King gave it her all in creating a powerful character based on a true person. Soon into this film, I lost track of Regina and thought I was following Shirley. I understood the story focused on her presidential run, but I never really got a sense of the characters and what their relationships were to each other. A better script could have helped because several scenes felt like short video clips of Shirley’s life, instead of digging deeper into what was taking place inside of her and the people around. Because the story is so remarkable, I maintained interest all through the picture. In a case like this, I would enjoy seeing a prequel and sequel to what I had just seen.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
THE RULES WERE THERE FOR A REASON, and I was one who followed them “to a T.” This is how I acted through my youth, especially when it came to any type of games. Whenever I received a boardgame as a gift, I would have to first sit and read all the rules until I was familiar with them, before attempting to play the game. I was a huge fan of boardgames and could play them for hours. One of my fondest childhood memories was playing checkers with an elderly relative of mine. When I think about it, games played a prevalent part of my childhood and early adult life. To this day, I enjoy a good word game or even charades. I would play a game with anyone; however, I started to realize around the latter years of elementary school, not everyone cared to follow the rules of a game. The first time I witnessed this was during a boardgame, when a friend of mine decided, he was going to change the rules in the middle of us playing. I will add, he was losing at that point. We got into an argument, with the other players joining in and I ultimately won by us continuing to play by the rules. After that time, I was cautious whenever this friend joined a game. MY COMMITMENT TO PLAYING BY THE rules stayed with me until I entered the workforce. It was at a well-established company, where the first time in my life I altered the rules. Part of my job involved inventory and the procedures I was trained in was something they had been doing the same way for decades. There was nothing wrong with that method, but I saw there was a better way with less work to achieve the same results. I did not alert anyone to the change I was making, turning in my reports the same way; the only difference I was not spending the same amount of time creating the report. It was not until months later when my boss came over to my desk and saw what I was doing; he complimented me and said I was doing an excellent job. It was at this company where I came to realize, after having lived my life in a black or white world, that there was a gray area of possibilities that could easily work to produce the same results. It is a good thing others realized the same thing, otherwise the incredible undertaking that took place in this dramatic, action thriller may have never taken place, possibly causing us to live in a completely different world. AT A CRITICAL TIME DURING THE war, the British military must depend on a small group of highly skilled individuals who were so unconventional, that if they got caught, Great Britian would deny everything about them. With Henry Cavill (Enola Holmes franchise, Man of Steel) as Gus March-Phillips, Alan Richardson (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Reacher-TV) as Anders Lassen, Alex Pettyfer (Back Roads, In Time) as Geoffrey Appleyard, Eliza Gonzales (Baby Driver, Godzilla vs. Kong) as Marjorie Stewart and Babs Olusanmokun (Dune franchise, The Book of Clarence) as Heron; this Guy Ritchie directed film inspired by true events was entertaining. The fact that it was on circumstances that were recently revealed from declassified British documents, boosted the story for me. There were patches of humor mixed in with the various levels of action and suspense. I thought the script was weak, taking the easy way out with lame dialog and undeveloped characters. Honestly, it did not matter because I still enjoyed watching this little taste of history play out on the big screen. There were certainly elements of fun and cheekiness. After the film was over, I thought about how the outcome could have been so different if the band of soldiers had followed the rules.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Lost King
TO USE THE CLICHÉ “LIFE IMITATES ART” does not apply here; it would be life imitates life. I knew a close friend of mine had been digging and investigating through his family tree, using online tools as well as government agencies and local municipalities. The past several months I have heard about the successes and roadblocks he encountered as he tried to find connections between his deceased relatives. Recently, he was having a tough time trying to confirm the location of where his great, great grandparents were buried. His grandfather had a common name that was found in two different family trees from his. He had to research multiple listings on other non-related individuals’ family trees to confirm if these people shared DNA with his family. At one point, he got so frustrated he called different government record departments to request copies of death certificates, to see if there was a clue. It was the right call because of a middle name listed, he was able to eliminate some erroneous entries. With a little more work my friend was able to establish who were his great, great grandparents; he was beyond excited and devoted a solid block of time to figuring out where the two were buried. He was certain they had to have been buried in the city where his ancestors grew up. IT TURNS OUT THE BURIAL LOCATION of his great, great grandparents was a mystery, the further he dug into it. From items he gained from the internet, he called a cemetery to verify if they were there, but there was no record. He decided to look for any siblings to these individuals and miraculously he found an entry listing his great, great grandfather’s sister. With this clue and some deep detective work, he discovered where she was buried. I remember him talking to me about the chances had to be good if the sister was buried at this one cemetery, then maybe her brother as well. Going with that thought he called the cemetery. According to them they had the name of his great, great grandfather but a different spelling. My friend had seen that spelling on one of the other internet family trees. Again, with more detective work and copies of obituaries and death certificates, he drove down to the cemetery. After discussing the situation with the office help, an employee took him to the site of his great, great aunt. There was one headstone for her and her husband. Weirdly, behind them were two unmarked graves. Going back to the office and digging through their records, with the help of a longtime employee, my friend confirmed the unmarked graves were his great, great grandparents. He paid to have a headstone made for them. I was happy he solved the mystery and a week after seeing for myself the grave, I saw this comedic drama based on a true story. FEELING A KINDRED CONNECTION, AN AMATEUR historian was determined to find where King Richard III was buried, despite every expert disagreeing with her. If she wanted to prove them wrong, she would have to go back 500 years. With Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, Blue Jasmine) as Philippa Langley, Steve Coogan (Stan & Ollie, Philomena) as John Langley, Lewis Macleod (Love Monster-TV, Spitting Image-TV) as Tony, Helen Katamba (River City-TV, Wild Rose) as Awusi and Harry Lloyd (The Theory of Everything, The Iron Lady) as Richard III; this film was a charmer. Sally was perfect for the role, and she proudly portrayed the character. The story was incredible; I had no idea it was based on true events. I would have preferred less of the family unit story line because, for me, it took away from the excitement of Sally’s character being on the “hunt” so to speak. Plus, it diminished the believability factor at times. Despite this one thing, I enjoyed everything about this fascinating tale about history, determination, and respect.
3 1/3 stars
moviejoltz 