Category Archives: Drama
Drama
Flash Movie Review: The White Countess
It has been said that outside of divorce, moving is the most stressful thing in one’s life. I remember gaining 15 pounds on my last move. Having lived in the same area my whole life, I cannot imagine how much more anxiety ridden it would be, to move out of state. There was a time when I was planning to move out of state; the saving grace being it was my choice, for a happy reason. It has to be awful when one is being forced out of their home. And what must it be like if you had to leave the country of your birth? Set in Shanghai, China during the 1930’s; Russian Countess Sofia Belinskya, played by Natasha Richardson (The Parent Trap, Maid in Manhattan), was the sole income earner for her displaced family. She worked at a bar, entertaining the male clientele. One day she noticed Todd Jackson, played by Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter franchise, The Reader), a blind American ex-diplomat. When Countess Sofia noticed two men plotting to jump Mr. Jackson outside of the club; she interceded, guiding him to safety. From this chance meeting, the two sad individuals formed a working relationship. The countess would be the centerpiece to Mr. Jackson’s new business venture, a nightclub called The White Countess. This beautiful period piece was good because of the acting. It is sad that we do not have Natasha in our lives anymore; for she was wonderful as the melancholy woman of royalty, reduced to degradation and worry, as Japanese forces began exerting their presence in the city. Ralph Fiennes did an outstanding acting job with his role. However, I found it disappointing that Natasha’s mother and aunt, Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave were underutilized. The story dragged in parts, in need of some tightening up. If you are not familiar with Natasha Richardson’s work, you would be well served by seeing her in this movie.
2 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Arbitrage
Just because someone has financial wealth does not mean they are smarter or better; there is not a different set of rules for them, though they may think so. I have a relative who became wealthy and felt they could tell everyone else what they “should” be doing in life. It is quite annoying listening to them. I am certain there is more going on in the business world besides the Bernie Madoff types and Enron style scandals, that we do not hear about in the news. One could add from this movie Robert Miller, played by Richard Gere (Brooklyn’s Finest, Chicago), to the list of immoral, corrupt greedy businessmen. While Robert was in the middle of delicate negotiations to sell his company, he was involved in a terrible accident. If news were to get out about the incident, the ramifications would be monumental to his firm and family. How far would the unscrupulous Robert go to maintain control over his life before his greed ripped him and his empire apart? Richard Gere was excellent in this role, being smooth and sexy with a venomous bite. Susan Sarandon (Robot & Frank, Mr. Woodcock) did a beautiful job playing Robert’s wife Ellen, the charitable good spouse with a steely spine. The story was evenly paced, allowing the suspense to build long enough to keep my interest. A couple of noteworthy performances I want to mention were Brit Marling (Another Earth, Sound of my Voice) as Robert’s daughter Brooke and Nate Parker (The Great Debaters, Red Tails) as Jimmy Grant, the son of a former employee of Robert’s firm; who was trying to make a better life for himself. Except for the choice of ending that was not very satisfying to me, this was a solid adult movie that showed the ugliness of greed we have all seen before.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Doubt
Doubt can be such an insidious feeling, I find. When you start second guessing your decisions, wondering if it was the right one or getting stuck in the “what if…” scenario; it can be maddening. My early upbringing instilled in me a mentality where everything was either black or white, yes or no; I was never taught that there was gray areas in between. That training taught me to make quick decisions and stick with them, whether they were right or wrong, never look back. But can it always be done when it has a direct effect on someone’s life? Why do you think a jury is instructed to find the suspect guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? That is the question posed in this remarkable movie, with its tour de force acting. When young Sister James, played by Amy Adams (The Fighter, The Muppets), voiced her concerns regarding Father Brendan Flynn, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman (Moneyball, Capote), spending more time with one particular student; Sister Aloysius Beauvier, played by Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady, Hope Springs), made it her mission to remove any possible threat from the school and church. It did not matter there was no evidence of inappropriate behavior. Set in the Bronx back in the 1960’s, it was a different time with a set of different rules. This well done movie did justice to the Pulitzer Prize winning play, allowing the story to unfold with its thrilling battle of wits, between Sister Beauvier and Father Flynn. The acting was truly amazing from the lead cast, each one receiving an Oscar nomination for it. By the end of this emotional film, the story allowed interpretation of the outcome, based on one’s own beliefs. As in life, are you sure there is only one answer?
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Visitor
Just from a chance encounter, one’s life could be forever changed. I believe each of us receives a gift from every person we meet. It may not be easily identifiable or reveal itself quickly, but at some point this gift will add to our awarenesses. In this wonderful film there was a tremendous transformation that began with an unusual meeting. College professor Walter Vale, played by Richard Jenkins (The Cabin in the Woods, Friends With Benefits), lived his daily life disengaged from everything around him. Lonely after his wife had died; Walter was stuck, unmotivated enough not to even update the lesson plan he had been using for years, for the one class he taught at the college. Assigned to attend a conference in New York, Walter reluctantly made the trip from Connecticut, staying at the apartment he and his wife had kept in New York. Upon his arrival Walter was shocked to find people living in his place. Tarek and Zainab, played by Haaz Sleiman (American Dreamz, Dorfman) and Danal Gurira (Ghost Town, My Soul to Take), were two illegal immigrants who were duped into believing they were renting an empty apartment. In total shock, Walter’s dormant life would never be the same. It was so good to see Richard finally getting a leading role; he has always been a solid supporting actor. He was superb in this movie and totally deserving of his best actor Oscar nomination. The interactions he had with Haaz and Danal were lovely. With a quiet gentleness, the story hesitantly spread its wings to deliver an emotional love tap for the viewer. If you were not a believer beforehand; after watching this beautiful movie, you will understand the magic of a chance encounter.
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Branded
I am a marketer’s dream, I fully admit it. Trying new products, particularly in the food category, is my thing. Something newly developed with chocolate, I welcome eagerly into my home with open arms. When I saw this movie listed at a nearby theater I had to see it. My middle brother was Executive Vice President Chief Creative Officer of an advertising firm. Yes, you can thank him for all those lovely pieces of mail; offering stamps, contact lenses, among a multitude of other items. His famous line is, “Marketing has destroyed the world.” Set in the future, this movie showed exactly how marketing was affecting the consumer. Misha Galkin, played by Ed Stoppard (The Pianist, Joy Division) was a marketing whiz. When he initiated a life changing experience, Misha was finally able to see the truth behind all those marketing campaigns that have been relentlessly, bombarding the masses. With this new found knowledge that only he could see; his girlfriend Abby Gibbons, played by Leelee Sobieski (The Glass House, Public Enemies), did not know if he was a genius or simply going insane. There was a slight sci-fi edge to the film that was shot mostly in Moscow. The story had no traction for me, particularly in the beginning, as it unfolded in a slow and ponderous way. I could see the satire the writers were trying to convey regarding the buyer’s need for acquiring more stuff. But, once the characters ventured into what I would call an advertiser’s war, I found the plot silly. You would have thought the producers would have done some test marketing of this film; for if they had, they would have discovered this movie about marketing had very little to offer the consumer.
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Children of Invention
The relationship between siblings comes in a multitude of varied forms. Being best friends to hated rivals and everything in between, one never knows what influences the outcome. When a group of bullies beat me up after school; it was my oldest brother who came to the school, not my father. There was a reason for this; my brother had a special way of inducing fear into the bullies that the school teachers could not replicate. Based on birth order, sometimes the eldest child has to take on a parental role. With me being the youngest, I want to be perfectly clear I was not spoiled; despite what the rest of my family may think. In this captivating movie, the relationship between two siblings took on new meaning due to outside factors. Brother Raymond, played by newcomer Michael Chen, had to be a parent to his little sister Tina, played by newcomer Crystal Chiu; when their mother did not return to the apartment they were illegally occupying, just outside of Boston. Their mother Elaine Cheng, played by Cindy Cheung (Lady in the Water, Red Doors), was a hard working, single parent who tried to shield her children from the reality of their plight. However, it was an observant Raymond who did his best to protect his sister. I not only found the story to be believable, but wondered how many families had experienced similar hardships. The two child actors were wonderful in their roles. Raymond as the quiet thinker and Tina the innocent little girl who was unaware of her family’s dire circumstances. What a beautiful movie that displayed the strong bond between a brother and sister.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Words
After the layers are peeled away, the one thing that we have left is our word. I place a high value on a person’s word. One of my biggest pet peeves has been someone telling me they will do something, then not following through with it. When a person does not place importance on their word, it bruises my trust in them. There are always consequences to such actions and writer Rory Jansen, played by Bradley Cooper (Limitless, Hit and Run), would eventually find this out. Discovering an unnamed manuscript inside an old briefcase his wife Dora, played by Zoe Saldana (Star Trek, Columbiana), bought him; Rory chose to take the story and copy it word for word. When Dora found and read the magnificent story she thought her husband had written, that was the little push Rory needed to move forward and see if he could get “his” book published. Not only was the book published, but it became a huge bestseller; with its touching story about a young couple falling in love. This dramatic film almost had all the pieces to be an outstanding movie, but sadly did not achieve it. The issue I had with the movie was the running of 3 story lines simultaneously. If the focus was narrowed to Rory’s story line and the book’s tale, that would have been more than enough. The cast’s acting was good, with Jeremy Irons (Dead Ringers, Margin Call) doing a wonderful bit of acting as the Old Man. It really was a shame more time wasn’t spent on editing the story and allowing the characters more depth and back story. I am not sure why, but the movie attracted an elderly crowd; who came prepared with their own bags of candy. At the end of the film I felt let down. Words are what make us human; actions are what defines us.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Fitzcarraldo
Look at the thousands of objects around us that sprung out of someone’s imaginative dream. I have been accused of being a big dreamer, except my dreams do not always have a basis in reality. Like that time I walked up into my attic and discovered a raccoon had eaten a large hole through the roof of my house. I stood staring at it and began imagining I could put glass blocks in the hole to create a skylight. Or a spiral staircase that would lead to a roof top deck. My daydreaming prevented me from seeing the raindrops that started to come through the opening. In this movie Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald aka Fitzcarraldo, played by Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre, The Little Drummer Girl), had a big dream. He wanted to build an opera house in the middle of the Amazon jungle. To do that, he had to amass a fortune and move a river boat over a small mountain. Fitzcarraldo was a bigger than life character, with an oversized determination. To start making his dream a reality; his girlfriend Molly, played by Claudia Cardinale (8 1/2, The Leopard), provided the funds to move Fitzcarraldo’s vision towards the real world. Besides the strange story, the other reason I wanted to see this movie was to see the great work of famed director Werner Herzog (Into the Abyss, Rescue Dawn), who was also the writer. His directing was fascinating to watch, from the over the top performance by Klaus Kinski to the way the scenes were set up and filmed; I found the movie captivating. The pacing was drawn out which at first bothered me; but as the story moved into the jungle, I found it brought an extra heaviness to the monumental tasks that laid before the crew and ship. If for nothing else, I appreciated the message that one should never give up on their dreams. For Fitzcarraldo, he wanted to bring Caruso to the jungle; for me, I wanted to have a skylight. German and Spanish with English subtitles.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Compliance
A movie has to stir something in me, take me into its story. That does not mean I am only expecting happy, pleasant feelings. I have friends who only go to movies that make them happy; and if there is singing and dancing, all the better. There are very few limitations on what I am willing to watch on the big screen. When I went to see this unusual movie I did not know it was inspired by true events. It was quite uncomfortable for me to sit and watch what was taking place on the screen. Now before you decide that is all you have to hear and move on to a different review, let me explain. This movie did what it was supposed to do–it moved me. Knowing the story was based on a kernel or maybe a bushel of truth only creeped me out more. Fast food restaurant manager Sandra, played by Ann Dowd (Garden State, Marley & Me), took a phone call at work from a man who identified himself as a police officer. She was told her employee Becky, played by Dreama Walker (Gran Torino, The Invention of Lying), had stolen money out of a customer’s purse and the victim was at the police station to file a complaint. A woman who did things by the book, Sandra was instructed to secure her employee until the police could arrive at the restaurant. However, until the officer was able to get there, he wanted her to do more than just secure Becky. I just have to tell you I was dumbfounded by the unfolding scenes. But I want to point out that I was okay; the movie was doing what I wanted it to do, stir something inside of me. The story negotiated a fine line between reality and absurdness. How could anyone think what they were doing was okay? Since the movie was based on documented occurrences, I guess there are people out there who believe anything they are told. Ann Dowd’s acting was outstanding. One could see by her expressions how her mind was trying to comprehend the variety of requests. What a movie experience; you will either walk out in the middle of it or stay and be mesmerized by the incredible things taking place.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Blue Valentine
Is there such a thing as love at first sight or is it something else? Though I have never experienced it; I have come close, referring to it as love at first infatuation. That time where you see a person and immediately feel comfortable around them, quickly finding a common rhythm. When the two of you start a relationship, the key in maintaining it is communication. I would also add the ability not to let expectations trip you up, while continuing to learn and grow with your partner. This is why I found this dramatic movie to be the real deal when it came to charting the course of a couple’s relationship through the years. Dean and Cindy, played by Ryan Gosling (Drive, Half Nelson) and Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn, Take This Waltz) met and fell in love. The story was told with the assistance of flashbacks, going between the current state of their relationship to the start of their courtship. As we watched scenes from different parts of their lives, we became privy to their expectations and emotional baggage. Ryan, who I find to be a gifted actor, gave another fine performance as the emotionally damaged Dean. Pairing him with Michelle was a brilliant move, for she handled her role with a rich texturing as we witnessed the bloom of their love wilting. I am not sure I would have given the movie the NC-17 rating it received; because to me, the director only captured the real rawness of a couple’s lovemaking while being out of synch. This well done film showed how easy it was to fall in love. The challenge came in how well that love could be maintained.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
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