Category Archives: Drama
Drama
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
Flash Movie Review: Lawless
With a smoldering Brando vibe and a piercing, steely stare; make no mistake about it, this was Tom Hardy’s (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) picture. If he and his management team continue to make the right career choices like Warrior and avoid the wrong ones such as This Means War; Tom will be one of our top rated actors. He portrayed Forrest Bondurant, who with his brothers Howard, played by Jason Clarke (Death Race, Public Enemies) and Jack, played by Shia LaBeouf (Transformers franchise, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), ran a successful bootlegged liquor operation in Franklin County, Virginia during the depression. When corrupt special agent Charlie Rakes, played by Guy Pierce (The King’s Speech, Factory Girl), came into town; he rounded up the authorities to aid him in getting a cut of the brothers’ growing earnings. Where Tom played his character as a dark, simmering man with a deadly reputation; Guy’s character was an arrogant, mean, sadistic man who was fussy about keeping a pristine appearance. Both actors were amazing. Based on a true story, this was a graphic violent, bloody film; as we saw the brothers fight to maintain a hold on their operations. I, along with everyone else in the theater, sat absolutely still through the entire movie; the story never lagged. Both Tom and Guy were the major players on the screen. The issue I had with this otherwise great film was Shia LaBeouf. This boy could not handle the role given to him. It was so apparent when any of the other cast was in his scenes; he could not elevate himself to their level of acting. Despite Shia, this was one heck of an intense movie to view and I was serious when I said the entire audience sat still in their seats. None of us wanted to miss a single thing.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Blood Diamond
The higher the value placed on objects, the more greed comes out in mankind, it seems to me. And the ones that suffer the most are the poor workers. At a time of escalating unstableness in Sierra Leone, conflict diamonds were being used to fund rebel forces. This startling film depicted the horrors people faced when forced to work in the diamond mines, as the wealthy power brokers sought out ways to gain even more strength for themselves. The story centered on a rare, raw diamond that could change the fortune of whoever had possession of it. Forcibly separated from his family; Solomon Vandy, played by Djimon Hounsou (Gladiator, The Island), was the discoverer of this unusual diamond. Danny Archer, played by Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception, J. Edgar) was the smuggler who saw an opportunity that could alter his life greatly, if he could only gain access to the incredible gem. With a shaky government, bloody warlords and conniving opportunistic businessmen, the level of greed was astounding to me. Leonardo was absolutely amazing in this role, even if I found the accent a bit odd. Matching in intensity, Djimon was such a strong presence, he filled out every scene he was in; it was a breathtaking performance. In a lessor role, I felt Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Hulk) as Maddy Bowen did an excellent job with the dialog she was given. This was not an easy movie to watch with scenes of bloody violence. However, with an incredulous story, along with the brilliant acting, there was no way I could look away. I was amazed how things of such beauty could elicit such ugliness in man.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Gaslight
Back in college, one of my sociology professors had a variety of colorful terms in describing people’s marriages. One of his favorite terms was “holy deadlock,” which described a married couple who should not be married to each other; but stay together for reasons that have nothing to do with love. This teacher was an expert in the field, at least that is what he would tell us. I wonder what he would have to say about the couple in this movie. Ten years after her aunt’s murder; newlywed Paula Alquist, played by Ingrid Bergman (Anastasia, Notorious), returned to her aunt’s house with her new husband Gregory Anton, played by Charles Boyer (Barefoot in the Park, Tales of Manhattan). Returning to the house where her aunt’s body was found, Paula soon started to experience strange oddities; each one driving a wedge between the couple. Ingrid won her 1st Oscar with the wonderful performance she did in this psychological thriller. Charles brought a sophisticated darkness to the role that was creepy to me. The supporting cast filled out the spaces around the leads, giving each scene an added rich texturing to the story. It was something to see the film debut of a young Angela Lansbury (Bedknobs and Broomsticks; Murder, She Wrote-TV) as Nancy, earning her an Oscar nomination for her incredible acting. The Oscar winning art direction made this beautiful black and white movie a visual treasure. This was a breathtaking masterpiece on all levels, proving that some movies are simply ageless.
4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Into the Wild
Ultimately one must lead the life they choose for themselves, not the one someone has chosen for them. I remember years ago when I was between jobs, I received a great piece of advice: Do what you love and the money will follow. My mother always wanted me to be an accountant; yet, I knew I could never be one. The creative side of my mind would have shriveled up. Even when it comes to one’s personal tastes; do not let people impose their tastes on you. It is funny, no matter what length my hair was, my dad would always tell me to wear it differently. If it was long, he would tell me to cut it and if it was short, he would tell me to grow it out. It was maddening at times. Based on a true story; Chris McCandles, played by Emile Hirsch (Killer Joe, Speed Racer), had to live life the way he felt it was meant to be lived. Seeing the life his parents Billie and Walt McCandles, played by Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River, The Mist) and William Hurt (The Incredible Hulk, Vantage Point), were living; Chris did not want any part of it. After graduating from Emory University, Chris decided to get rid of his material possessions and hitchhike to Alaska, to live with nature. His journey would lead him to unexpected adventures. Written and directed by Sean Penn (Milk, 21 Grams), this was a stunning movie. Sean slowly brought out an amazing performance from Emile; both in acting and with the incredible physical transformation that took place. The supporting cast never felt out of place; they added shading to the adventures. Some viewers may think Chris McCandles was crazy to do what he did. I felt it was better to try something, even if it were to fail; than go through life wondering what would have happened, if I had only tried.
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Hotel Rwanda
With many stories that have scenarios filled with horror and terror, one can find individuals that shine with an amazing heartbeat. For me, it was a music teacher who became my savior; when the bullying in school was overwhelming me. She would stand outside her classroom, watching for me as I walked down the hallway towards class, making sure I was safe. There are people in the world who can make all the difference to a victim. One of these remarkable individuals was Paul Rusesabagina. Based on a true story, Paul was the house manager of a luxury hotel in Rwanda, back in the 1990’s. Played by Don Cheadle (Brooklyn’s Finest, Reign Over Me), Paul put his life in jeopardy by housing Tutsi refugees in the hotel; away from the Hutu militia, who were determined to slaughter any and all Tutsi civilians. This was a hard movie to watch due to the brutal and bloody violence on display; it was pure genocide. Besides telling myself this was only a movie, the flawless acting from Don Cheadle kept me riveted to my seat. There was a scene with Paul’s wife Tatiana, played by Sophie Okonedo (The Secret Life of Bees, Martian Child) that brought tears to my eyes. Another great performance was given by Nick Nolte (Warrior, The Thin Red Line) as Colonel Oliver. There are so many times where we come across the tagline: It only takes one person to make a difference. In regards to Paul Rusesabagina, he made 1000 differences. It was an incredible experience watching this moving movie about a special soul, surviving in the middle of man’s ugliness.
3 2/3 stars — DVD
