Category Archives: Drama
Drama
Flash Movie Review: The Last of Robin Hood
I can only imagine what it must have been like to sit in one of those old movie palaces with the etched terra cotta walls, marble countertops and various sculptures plus murals adorning its grand lobby. Settled into one of the plush velvet covered seats with the wooden armrests that were polished to a high gloss, there had to be an electric energy in the air when this actor was up on the large movie screen. The reason I say this is because I remember seeing his movies on television when I was a little boy. Whether he played a pirate who was secretly conspiring with Queen Elizabeth I to pick off Spanish ships or robbing from the rich to give to the poor; to me he was the ultimate hero. I remember one Halloween I wore a pirate costume but at each house I visited I would tell them I was Errol Flynn (The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood). During his lifetime there was no social media or reporter frenzy like there is today. Scandals may have been reported via word of mouth, but with Errol his outrageousness went beyond any behind the back whispers. KEVIN Kline (Last Vegas, Wild Wild West) portrayed Errol Flynn in this dramatic biography that focused on the movie star’s last years. The story focused on Errol’s infatuation with a young girl named Beverly Aadland, played by Dakota Fanning (Man on Fire, The Runaways). With a celebrity obsessed mother named Florence, played by Susan Sarandon (Tammy, Thelma & Louise), the young starlet wannabe and older actor would set off a controversy that would rock Hollywood. Since I was not familiar with this story I did ask a couple of people if they remembered this chapter of Errol’s life. They in fact did remember the incident, confirming parts of this film for me. Kevin Kline did an admirable job playing Errol. He may not have had the same suave golden charm of Errol but he was still able to pull it off. As for Dakota I was surprised how much I did not care for her in this role. Her acting was bland and lifeless to me. Compared to Kevin and Susan she stood out as a joke; though I have to say, I did not think Susan was all that great either. For such a character from the golden age of actors, this movie fell flat; I was periodically bored as I would glance at my watch to see if the film was almost over. It is never a good sign if I have to look at my watch during a picture. Such a poorly written script, this film did not put the life into an actor who was larger than life.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Identical
LIving a life filled with “what ifs” is like driving a car with filthy windows; you may get to your final destination but will not have seen where you have been going. I understand this concept on an intellectual level, but it has always been a challenge for me emotionally. It is easy for me to fall into this “what if” trap for example by standing in a checkout line where a customer in front of me suddenly needs a price check on one of their items. I will immediately think I should have chosen that other line that did not look busy. Maybe it was the environment I grew up in or lack of confidence, but a life spent wondering what would have happened if I had done something different is a waste of time. I cannot reverse time or change the results; so why devote energy to something that is out of my control? It would be similar to going out to dinner and after the meal wishing you had chosen your other choice. You would not go and purge yourself of the meal to start over; you could only gain the knowledge not to order it again. Now in the field of entertainment I see nothing wrong with the “what if” scenario being used as a meaningful plot device. WHAT if Elvis Presley’s stillborn twin borther had lived? Though this dramatic musical film does not mention Elvis in any of its advertisements; it was obvious to me if the character looks like Elvis, sings like Elvis and moves like Elvis then the writers were using Elvis’ birth as the catalyst for this story about identical twins who were separated at birth. Both roles played by newcomer Blake Rayne, the one named Drexel Hemsley would grow up to be a rock superstar while the one named Ryan Wade grew up being groomed to follow in his father Reece’s, played by Ray Liotta (Identity, Smokin’ Aces), footsteps in the ministry. I did not have a problem with the idea for this story per se; however, having to sit through this film with its ridiculous cliches and pandering to faith based viewers was torturous for me. It stunned me to see Ashley Judd (High Crimes, Divergent) as Louise Wade trying to do something with the horrible script. I would say the same for Ray; but after seeing his name listed as a producer, one has to wonder what he was thinking, agreeing to this mess of a movie. The only reason this film received as a high rating as it did from me was due to the musical numbers. After seeing this picture you would be justified in wondering what would have happened if you had gone seen some other film.
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Cantinflas
A majority is defined as being the largest segment or party of a larger group. Being part of the majority gives one some added liberties or shall I say freebies in life. Whether in government or a condominium association when you are part of the majority you get to set the rules. I believe each of us at some point in our life has been part of both a majority and a minority. Having grown up in a large city, when I went to summer camp I was in the majority of fellow campers who came from the city as opposed to the suburbs. However, when I was in college I had a class where I was the only person who came from the city; all the other classmates had grown up on farms. I am well aware in the scheme of things this example is a minor issue. There are some huge hurdles to overcome when one is considered as a member of a minority based on skin color, religion, gender or body shape; along with a multitude of other various factors. Decades ago Hollywood was even less diverse than it is presently. For someone who was not part of the majority it was tough to break-in and be part of the moviemaking magic. STRUGGLING as a young man Mario Moreno had a gift for making people laugh. From modest beginnings he would eventually become the most popular comedic actor in Mexico, known as Cantinflas. Could he accomplish that feat in Hollywood, however? I had no idea what this movie was about until I was told which roles Cantinflas played in American films. As soon as I heard the moive titles, “Around the World in 80 Days,” and “Pepe,” I immediately remembered this actor. This biographical drama showed what Cantinflas encountered as he stayed focused on doing what he loved to do–make people laugh. Oscar Jaenada (The Losers, Pirates of the Caribeean: On Stranger Tides) portrayed Cantinflas and I have to say I thought he did a wonderful job of acting. Along with Michael Imperioli (The Lovely Bones, The Sopranos-TV) playing producer Michael Todd and Ilse Salas (Gueros, Locas de Amor-TV) as Valentina Ivanova, the acting overall was believable and enjoyable to watch. The main issue I had with this film was the script; it seemed as if the viewer was only getting snippets of Cantinflas’ life, never getting deep down into the emotional aspects about the occurrences in his life. Though I was mostly entertained by this picture, I left the theater wishing I had seen “Around the World in 80 Days” again; it would have been more entertaining. Portions of the movie had Spanish dialog with English subtitles.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Love is Strange
They are two of the most powerful words one could ever utter in their entire life. Each word represents a profound, deep commitment from an individual; neither should ever be taken lightly. One word is love, the other one is sorry. Though I use both words cautiously, each one represents a deep core value that is permanently embedded inside of my being. The reason I do not freely use these words is because I want them to retain their specialness, so when I say either of them to a person, they know they are getting the true fullness of my heart and soul without any conditions. There is another word that carries almost as much weight as the word love; however, I do not feel it is as strong. The word is hate. It certainly can strike a person as deeply as the word love, but from my experiences I feel it takes less effort to be hateful than loving. Hate to me means one closes themselves off from experiencing feelings, like an old item that one would store up in an attic. A person hates something so they may walk away from it, never allowing themself to explore and see if they can look at it through a different set of eyes. For me love is a full-time commitment that one nourishes, allowing it to continually flourish. TOGETHER nearly 40 years Ben and George, played by John Lithgow (Leap Year, Cliffhanger) and Alfred Molina (An Education, Chocolat), decided to get married. Their celebrating with friends and family did not last long once George’s employer heard about the union; they terminated him. Forced to find cheaper housing the couple would have to live apart after living together for the majority of their adult life. The story in this drama was straight forward without embellishing the situation for dramatic purposes. The acting by John and Alfred was outstanding; in fact, along with Marisa Tomei (Parental Guidance, The Wrestler) as Kate and Charlie Tahan (Blue Jasmine, Charlie St. Cloud) as Joey, the acting was the major force of this movie. What dragged this movie down was the ponderous script. I felt the additional story lines took away from what was the heart of the story. The directing was of no help because there were times where the film seemed to drag a bit for me. With a story that could have been plucked out from current news, this dramatic picture handled the subject matter honestly and with sensitivity. Believing love is one of the most powerful acts a person can commit, it was the underlying theme in bringing this story to life.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: When the Game Stands Tall
At the time no one had heard the term politically correct. I grew to dislike team sports from my physical education classes in elementary and high school. Those classes had nothing to do with health I discovered once I was in college. Except for twice a year where we were tested to see how many sit-ups and chin-ups we could do, the majority of the time was spent being picked for a team and being told we had to try and crush the other team. There were a couple of gym teachers who could have been on the “before” posters regarding the benefits of exercising. One in particular always had the stench of cigarette smoke wafting out of his pores. He was the most inappropriate person to be a teacher. When teams were formed he would give us a pep talk, telling us we had to slaughter and beat our opponents. There could only be one winner and one loser; he would verbally abuse the players during the game. I did not want to be a part of those classes, so I focused on individual sports activities outside of school. COMPLETELY opposite from my high school instructor was the teacher in this dramatic sports film inspired by a true story. Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line, Person of Interest-TV) played the inspirational teacher and football coach Bob Ladouceur. Working with his team, the De La Salle High School Spartons, Coach Ladouceur along with his assistant Coach Terry Eidson, played by Michael Chiklis (Fantastic Four franchise, The Shield-TV), led the players to an unheard of record-breaking streak of 151 wins. This movie had the perfect story to tell for both the sports and non-sports minded viewer. For someone who does not follow football, I knew their winning streak was unheard of with any professional sports team. The game scenes were actually exciting throughout the film. What was a total disservice to the story was the horrible script; it was dull, lifeless and filled with cliches that were meant to move the viewer. The cast which also included Laura Dern (The Fault in Our Stars, The Master) as Bev Ladouceur, Alexander Ludwig (The Hunger Games, Lone Survivor) as Chris Ryan and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Trooper) as Chris Ryan all did a decent job of acting with their characters. How the writers took what was an incredible story and put out this poor version was beyond me; especially when they showed clips of the actual people at the end of the film. Even I wanted to be part of that team, not the one depicted in this film.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: If I Stay
You know it is a real love when the person looks past your perceptions of yourself and focuses on what they see in you. It may have started as an infatuation but as time lengthened the love inside of you branched out to form a bond with the other person. The connection taps into each of your reservoirs of dreams and hopes, where the common ones blend together as the single ones wait for that spark of support that will fire them up towards reality. Love brings a person startling powers. Alone, individuals would not willingly place themselves in a situation that would be painful or harmful. However, when in a relationship love spurs the person to take on or at least try to take on their significant other’s pain or suffering. I have had a couple of relationships where the person had an accident or became ill and had to be hospitalized. It was awful to see them incapacitated and in pain. I felt helpless, wishing there was something I could do to ease their agony. It was during those times that I discovered love grows stronger in a health crisis. TRAGEDY would not change the feelings Adam, played by Jamie Blackley (The Fifth Estate, Snow White and the Huntsman); had for Mia, played by Chloe Grace Moretz (Carrie, Hugo). A gifted cellist, Mia was on course to follow her dreams when an automobile accident occurred, placing her in a coma. Adam could only hope his love would bring her back. Based on the novel, this dramatic movie had several elements that had the potential to create a moving story. The cast which included Mireille Enos (Gangster Squad, World War Z) as Mia’s mother Kat, Joshua Leonard (Higher Ground, Men of Honor) as her father Denny and Stacy Keach (Nebraska, American History X) as Gramps did the best they could with the script. Ultimately it was not enough because this picture fell flat as the scenes seemed forced and manipulative. The chemistry between Chloe and Jamie never felt strong to me; it only made things worse. One of the big issues I had was the way the story jumped from current time to past memories. They never provided an opportunity for the characters to become more than one dimensional. Compared to this past summer’s movie, “The Fault in Our Stars,” this film was a poor alternative. What made this a less enjoyable experience was the crowd at the theater; it was predominately 13-15 year old girls who were vocal throughout the movie. Geared towards them I just sat in my seat and wondered what would happen to them when they grew up and discovered love in the real world.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Step Up All In
It was the type of conversations where we blended in each of our hopes, some fantasizing and part of our dreams toward a future together. We would get an apartment in the city, somewhere close to public transportation; so we both could easily get to our jobs. Nothing was written in stone, we pretty much were talking out loud about the direction we wanted to go. As time rolled past us I started to put things in place to step closer to our shared plan. I can still remember the day with the sunlight streaming into their apartment; their roommate’s plants hanging in the windows were throwing creeping grotesque shadows across the floor. When I brought up the subject about when we should start looking for a place; they momentarily hesitated before telling me there was a change in plans. Without going into the dramatic details, I was told they did not think it was a good idea to move in together. It seemed my intense personality would be too much to handle on a constant basis and they did not want to endanger the relationship. Other things were discussed but I was angry and hurt. Back then I was less mature; okay, I was very immature. So I was more angry than hurt and showed every bit of it. It took time for me to appreciate the honesty they showed instead of going through with the move and letting our relationship suffer. FRIENDSHIP was at stake when close friends Sean and Eddy, played by Ryan Guzman (Beyond Paradise, April Rain) and Misha Gabriel (Boogie Town, Clerks II), had different ideas about which direction their dance crew should be headed. With a national dance contest looming, Sean’s dream of becoming a winning dancer was put into serious jeopardy. The central driver to this latest installment in the movie franchise was the dancing. It was amazing to see what the choreographers came up with for the dancers. The movements and theatrics were pretty incredible, backed by a strong soundtrack. Included in the cast were Briana Evigan (Sorority Row, She Loves Me Not) and Izabella Miko (Coyote Ugly, Clash of the Titans); whose roles for the most part were just as generic as the others in the cast. However, I did think Izabella had the most fun character of all. The story was just as generic; it was part drama and romance. I found the whole movie was cheesy and easy to figure out. To be honest I did not plan on seeing this film since I had seen the previous ones and they all followed the same formula. This latest one was the only thing I had not seen when I arrived at the movie theater; so, I was somewhat stuck watching it. In addition, I would not want to tarnish my relationship with anyone who reads this review by recommending they go see this film.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Calvary
From the news to lyrics of a song one eventually comes across the saying: The good die young. There is some truth in those words. Not that I want to get into a political debate here; but when one hears about a person guilty of a crime who died or will be dying, the sympathy is slightly different for them than an innocent individual. Hearing recently about innocent children being killed by stray bullets or just yesterday about the mother who was allegedly murdered and stuffed into a suitcase by her daughter, one’s heart has to go out for these people whose lives were taken away from them. Under those types of circumstances you feel it in the pit of your stomach. I will be the first to admit that I tend not to be sympathetic towards a person who makes the conscience choice to take the life away from another individual. I vividly recall the trial where a friend of mine was picked to be part of the jury, where a mother hung her 2 year old son out the dining room window until he died. She was found guilty for reasons of insanity. HOWEVER, in this dramatic movie the killer appeared to be totally rational. During confession a man sat and explained why he was going to kill the priest listening to him, Father James who was played by Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter franchise, Troy). After explaining his reasons, the announced killer told the priest he had 7 days to get his affairs in order. In this film festival winning picture Brendan was utterly outstanding in his role. Written and directed by John Michael McDonagh (The Guard, Ned Kelly), I found the script to be intelligent and mature. The pacing was well suited for this story, building a slow steady tension to the very end. I felt the camera work beautifully displayed the gorgeous landscapes, besides creating memorable images throughout the film. Everyone in the cast from Kelly Reilly (Flight, Heaven is for Real) as Fiona Lavelle to Chris O’Dowd (Cuban Fury, Bridesmaids) as Jack Brennan did their part to push this movie to excellence. The reason why this story worked for many reasons was due to the fact that the audience was immediately told the circumstances. With this knowledge I could not imagine someone not feeling sadness and dread on a deep level; it really was a brilliant idea from John Michael McDonagh. This film made a strong connection to the audience and the only thing it was guilty of was tugging at our hearts. A couple of scenes had blood in them.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Hundred-Foot Journey
There are few things in the world that can provide both an intimacy and a passion to a person the way food can. With a subdued power, food can catapult us to a blissful state as our taste buds herald the trip. The quickness in the way food affects us is astounding. I can personally attest to the fact that food has a calming affect on me. Not one to eat at high end fancy places; I am attracted to restaurants that provide easy comfort. Sitting down with someone to share a meal is so personal for me. The experience can provide a fond memory, joyfulness, a sense of kinship; any and all of these can be shared between the diners. I think that is one of the reasons why I thoroughly enjoy having people over to my place for dinner. The energy that forms in the house when people are present is usually one of peacefulness. The dining room table is a wonderful place to ignite and foster ideas when individuals are seated around it. FOOD can be the common denominator between people from all over the world; however, it was not the case in this caloric drama. Helen Mirren (The Queen, Hitchcock) played Madame Mallory, the owner to one of the finest restaurants in the south of France. When a family from India decided to open up a restaurant directly across the street from her establishment, Madame Mallory took it upon herself to be the savior of French cuisine by eliminating, in her opinion, the poor competition. Even if I was not a fan of Helen Mirren, I would still say she was just perfect in this role. She oozed with the haughty, better than thou attitude one would expect in such a fine restaurant; she was worth the price of admission to see this beautiful film. While the exterior scenes were gorgeous to watch, the interior scenes filled with food made me hungry. I read somewhere the director Lasse Hallstrom (Dear John, Chocolat) used real food for all the scenes and it certainly looked good to me. Along with Helen the important characters in the cast were Manish Dayal (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, White Frog) as Hassan, Om Puri (Gandhi, Colour it Yellow) as Papa Kadam and Charlotte Le Bon (Mood Indigo, La Marche) as Marguerite. Though I enjoyed watching this movie, the story did not offer anything new for me; it was very predictable. There were a few amusing parts, but a couple I found bordered on being offensive due to their stereotyping. If it was not for the cast I do not think this film would have been as enjoyable to watch, even though it was certainly fun seeing all the food preparations.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Get on Up
Music provides the means to describe one’s life with a different set of adjectives. Songs are the milestone markers during the journey. I cannot remember a time where I did not have music in my life. Anytime I hear Beethoven’s 5th Symphony I am transported back to the time I was 4 years old and taken to my 1st outdoor concert, where we sat on long brown painted benches in the cool autumn air. How many of us hear a particular song that squeezes a small tear out of our heart, reminding us of a love long gone? There are so many songs in the jukebox of my mind that bring a specific date in time to the forefront of my thoughts. I cannot imagine there being a person who does not experience an emotion or feeling when they hear music. Besides the personal aspects of music there is another side that becomes political. Throughout history songs have been used to define significant moments; such as a protest, a battle, a rally or even defining a generation. One of the things I love most about musicians is the fact they can be classically trained or simply be born with the gift of music. GODFATHER of Soul was the label given to the man in this biographical film and aptly so, for his raw talent was something that came with him when he was born into this world. Chadwick Boseman (Draft Day, 42) portrayed the iconic performer James Brown. This dramatic musical movie covered James from a childhood of extreme poverty through the time where he was called the “Hardest Working Man in Show Business.” The cast included Viola Davis (Ender’s Game, Prisoners) as his mother Susie Brown, Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale Station, The Help) as Aunt Honey, Nelsan Ellis (Secretariat, True Blood-TV) as Bobby Byrd and Dan Aykroyd (Trading Places, Behind the Candelabra-TV) as his manager Ben Bart. All of them were strong with their characters; they needed to be since Chadwick was outstanding as the sweating, fleet-footed James Brown. Familiar with a good portion of James’ life, this film tried to cover the different aspects of it but skimmed over the darkest chapters. The main issue with this film was the way the story jumped around chronologically. I felt I never got the chance to absorb the full effect of what I was watching on the screen. With things jumping back and forth, the film started to feel like a series of quick vignettes. Since I am fond of music, the musical numbers were outstanding in this picture or maybe I should say groovy. Whether or not one is a fan of James’ music; the fact remains this man was monumental in paving the way for future generations to get their groove on.
2 3/4 stars
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