Category Archives: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Flash Movie Review: The Crow
ACTS OF LOVE CAN BE EXPRESSED in many ways, from diamonds to kidneys. Yes, I said kidneys. A friend’s father had issues with his kidneys and needed a transplant. My friend immediately offered one of his if it would be a match. Gratefully, they were, and the operation was done soon after. My friend never hesitated; he and his dad were always close and now this act made them even closer. It was a selfless, loving act, and I am happy to report that the two of them are perfectly fine and healthy today. Another act of love I witnessed was our friend’s girlfriend nurse him back from the brink of death. He contracted a virus that brought on a cornucopia of issues where his body was shutting down. For weeks he was in intensive care and his girlfriend never left his side. Since she had a medical background, she checked everything the nurses and doctors were doing for him, from tests to administering drugs. One doctor was supposed to perform a vital test on a certain day that would lead the medical staff in the right direction toward treatment. This doctor came to see my friend when the girlfriend was in the hospital cafeteria eating lunch. When she returned and asked her boyfriend if the doctor showed up and performed the procedure, my friend told her he showed up but did not do the test. She immediately hunted him down in the hospital and let me just say, “read him the riot act.” The doctor returned that afternoon and performed the test on my friend. BESIDES WITNESSING ACTS OF LOVE BETWEEN humans, I have seen acts between humans and animals. To me, they are just as valid. I was on vacation, staying at an inn where the owners made a breakfast buffet each morning for the guests. While I was seated at a table sampling the baked goods, an obvious senior dog slowly came into the dining room. The dog had a limp as it walked, which was a good thing because it bumped into the leg of a chair that a recently departed guest had not pushed all the way back into the table. Keeping a watch on the dog, I quickly realized it must be blind by the way it was brushing into things around the buffet table. When the owners appeared and made their round of greetings to each occupied table of guests, when they came up to me, I asked the age of their dog. He was thirteen years old, and they confirmed he was blind and arthritic. We started talking about pets and they shared they had to carry him on stairs and serve him soft food because he was missing some teeth. It was obvious to me how much they loved him; when they were describing the things they did for him, I did not detect any negative feelings from them. They simply loved their pet and would take care of him all the way to the end of his life. What loving dog owners. These acts of love and witnessing them are part of the reason I felt I would bond with the story in this fantasy, action horror romance. AFTER BEING BRUTALLY MURDERED ALONGSIDE HIS girlfriend in a home invasion Eric, played by Bill Skarsgard (It franchise, Nosferatru), finds himself being alive in another world. The love he had for his girlfriend prevented him from completely dying, giving him the chance to get revenge on all those who murdered the two of them. With FKA twigs (Honey Boy, Brighton Beach) as Shelly, Danny Huston (The Dead Don’t Hurt, Ride Above) as Vincent Roeg, Josette Simon (The Witches, Tell that to the Winter Sea) as Sophia, and Laura Birn (Void, A Walk Among the Tombstones) as Marion; this supernatural crime film had potential. The chemistry between Bill and FKA twigs seemed authentic and though it took a while to pick up, their love story was interesting despite being quick in nature. Sadly, the script and directing did not create a solid story. The pacing was odd, going from fast action to soft loving reminiscences to supernatural scenes. I found parts of the movie went slowly and never felt deep emotions except for Bill’s character. Also, maybe it was a false expectation on my part, but I thought there would be more back story to Bill’s character, both the inmate and superhero sides. It made me question how he suddenly became this tough fighter, for example. Ultimately, I was bored through most of the time and wished I could have at least liked it. There were several scenes filled with blood and violence.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Paddington in Peru
I HAD HEARD STORIES ABOUT HER ever since I could retain memories; that is how long it had been. Stories about the incredible meals she would cook, the sweet personality, and the kindness she offered everyone; these stories contributed to the images I had of her in my mind. She was my grandmother, but I had never met her through most of my elementary school years. I honestly never knew what the reasons were, except that she lived out of town with a relative that took care of her. Nonetheless, she was part of our family’s conversations from time to time. I would have loved to have eaten some of her meals and especially desserts. Relatives who knew her always mentioned her cooking skills and how she loved being in the kitchen whipping up meals that, as they say, could feed an army. I was told she was never phased or put out by people unexpectedly dropping in to see her. She always had either homemade cookies or cakes in the house, ready to be served to company with a warm cup of coffee or big glass of cold milk. To me, she just sounded amazing and accepting and someone I wanted to sit down and visit with over one of her delicious sounding desserts. Though we were never together physically, she still was part of my life. IT WAS DURING MY LAST YEAR of elementary school when I was told this elusive grandmother was coming for a visit. One of her sons (a great uncle of mine) was going to accompany her. I was excited to finally be able to meet her and see what she was like compared to everything I had heard about her. She was going to stay at a relative’s house in the city, and it was decided all of us were to come there over the weekend to see her. I did not know any other details, like how long she would be staying here, all I was interested in was just seeing her. We drove over on a Sunday afternoon. As we pulled up to my uncle’s house, I could see a small group of people standing out on the front lawn. Once parked and out of the car, we walked up to greet our relatives. As they parted to the sides, I saw standing in the middle of all of them this tiny, white-haired woman. I do not think she was even five feet tall. With oval shaped glasses perched low on the bridge of her nose, I got to her first and introduced myself. She studied me for a moment before putting her arms out for a hug as she told me I looked like my father. I cannot describe the feeling except to say I felt an immediate kinship, a connection to this side of my family that previously had a missing piece, suddenly now becoming whole. Because of these feelings, I understood what Paddington, voiced by Ben Whishaw (Bad Behaviour, No Time to Die) felt when he received the news about a relative in this adventure, comedy mystery. UPON GETTING THE NEWS ABOUT A close relative had gone missing, Paddington and the family decided to go find her in the jungles of Peru. The trail they would take might involve clues about a hidden treasure. With Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey franchise, To Olivia) as Henry Brown, Emily Mortimer (Mary Poppins Returns, Lars and the Real Girl) as Mary Brown, Imelda Staunton (The Crown-TV, Downton Abbey franchise) voicing Aunt Lucy, and Antonio Banderas (The Enforcer, Babygirl) as Hunter Cabot; this latest installment in the franchise had similar elements to the previous films, except I did not find this one as entertaining. There is a certain charm and kind humor in the previous films that were lacking here. I felt the humor was more slapstick and some other scenes were unoriginal because they had a strong similarity to ones in the Indiana Jones movies. The cast did a wonderful job with the script, which did have a touching message in it. I feel this family film will be more amusing to younger kids than older ones. I believe the writers gave it a good try for thinking out of the box with this story, but it might be best if they stick closer to home next time. There were two extra scenes during the ending credits.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Captain America: Brave New World
I WAS SO CONFUSED WHEN THE new Darrin appeared for the first time in the television show, Bewitched. For five years, starting at the debut of the show, Dick York played Darrin Stephens; then suddenly, Dick Sargent was Darrin. My family had to try and explain to me this new person on the show was Darrin. I did not believe them. It made no sense to me; it was not like the first Darrin died on the show or got divorced from Samantha. Simply, a different actor was playing Sam’s mortal husband. With this being my first time witnessing a switch of actors in a cast, by the time I saw the Harry Potter films, I was so used to it that I did not find it startling when a new actor started playing the character, Albus Dumbledore. I guess, in movie world it is easier to replace actors for a well known character. Just think how many James Bonds we have seen played by different actors. I am aware it is easier when the changes take place in a make-believe world as opposed to our daily lives. Let me show you by defining the word, boss. According to the dictionary the definition of the word boss is a person who oversees a group, worker, or company. Think of how many times you had a boss who was different from your other bosses. THE CLICHÉ A BREATH OF FRESH air comes to mind when I think about a company I left years ago, where I had an awful boss, and wound up at a new company where I respected and admired my boss. My former boss was a nasty man; he ruled by intimidation and yelling at the employees. It was nothing for him to give a project to an employee late in the afternoon and demand it be done first thing in the morning. As a result, the employee would have to work through the night to complete it. I noticed he only did this with salaried employees, so he would not have to pay the employees overtime. I lasted a few years before I sought out other employment. At my new job, my boss was completely opposite to my former boss. She constantly offered encouragement and sought out employees’ opinions on work related matters. If an employee made a mistake, she would sit with them and ask them what they could have done differently to achieve better results. I was impressed by the way she ran the department and started modeling myself after her throughout my career. In this case she was such a welcome change for a boss. In the case of this action, science fiction, superhero adventure, I am trying to keep an open mind about the change that has taken place. ON THE VERGE OF COMPLETING A groundbreaking international trade deal, the president of the United States is being targeted by an evil force that could derail all the work that was put in creating this monumental trade deal. The ensuing chaos would draw in Captain America and his friends. With Anthony Mackie (The Woman in the Window, We Have a Ghost) as Sam Wilson, Harrison Ford (The Call of the Wild, The Age of Adaline) as President Thaddeus Rose, Danny Ramirez (No Exit, Assassination Nation) as Joaquin Torres, Shira Haas (Broken Mirrors, Shtisel-TV) as Ruth Bat-Seraph, and Carl Lumbly (Men of Honor, The Life of Chuck) as Isaiah Bradley; this latest in the franchise starts out with a new actor playing Captain America. Because of this, the writers had to find a way to ease Anthony into this new role. For the most part, I felt they did, but it also took time away from developing a better story. The script had its moments but there was less humor compared to past Marvel films. Honestly, I thought Harrison Ford was the standout from the cast which made Anthony fade into the background. The idea for the story was good but it lacked the drama and finesse of the previous Marvel superhero movies. Even the special effects were somewhat dull. Despite this, I am keeping an open mind, believing this picture was more of an introduction for this new Captain America. I hope the movie studio can rise to the occasion for the next installment. There was one extra scene at the end of the final credits.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Star Trek: Section 31
ONE OF MY EARLIEST SOLO TRIPS was to Las Vegas solely because a new, I do not know what they called it, attraction, exhibit, ride, or business had opened in a large, aged hotel. In the era where a deluge of new properties was being built up, this hotel wanted to remain relevant and competitive against the new establishments. I booked my flights six weeks after they had opened, just in case they needed time to work out any kinks to, what I had seen in advertisements, the elaborate production they had created. I chose to stay at a different hotel because the rooms were cheaper, but I mapped out that I could easily walk to the new exhibit. Once I landed, got to the hotel, and unpacked, I headed out to see the attraction. The first part of it was a bar/nightclub. Walking around were individuals dressed as Klingons, Vulcans, and the Borg; I had to immediately get a photo of them. Luckily, they were all gracious and willing to pose. The bar area had the same look as the one in Star Wars, except this one had characters associated with Star Trek. I wandered around, ordered a soft drink, and just took in all the sights which were plentiful. There were glass cases everywhere with Star Trek paraphernalia inside. I kept snapping picture after picture until I covered all the cases. WHEN I LEFT THE NIGHTCLUB AREA, there was a sign pointing to what I knew to be a virtual shuttle ride. There was a mockup of one of the ship Enterprise’s shuttles. Guests waited in line and were eventually ushered into the ship eight at a time. We each strapped ourselves in before the attendant gave us final instructions. Upon leaving, the doors whooshed close, the cabin’s lights dimmed, and the bay doors opened to reveal the universe. Over the loudspeakers a male voice announced he was captain and explained our mission. It felt like we were rising and moving away from earth. The announcement of full thrusters made the ship tilt back as it appeared we were picking up speed. I could not get over how realistic everything felt; I was pressed to the back of my seat as it felt like we were soaring higher and higher. The ride lasted two to three minutes but in that time, we had to navigate through a meteor shower, fight a Klingon Bird of prey ship, and do evasive maneuvers. By the time we were done, I was feeling a little dizzy. But it was worth it; from the very first episode of Star Trek, when it aired on television, I became a huge fan, and this place was nirvana for me. When I saw this film being advertised, I was equally as excited to see it and experience my beloved Star Trek universe again. Little did I know what was waiting for me. WHEN SEVERAL STARFLEET OFFICERS DRESSED AS bar patrons showed up to her nightclub, Philippa Georgiou, played by Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians, Wicked) knew something was up. She did not know it involved something far back in her past. With Omari Hardwick (The Mother, Army of the Dead) as Alok Sahar, Sam Richardson (Velma-TV, Mulligan-TV) as Quasi, Robert Kazinsky (Hot Pursuit, EastEnders_TV) as Zeph, and Kacey Rohl (White Dog, The Magicians-TV) as Rachel Garrett; this science fiction action, adventure drama was shocking to me. It was nowhere near the caliber of any of the previous Star Trek films. It felt like this was hastily put together to fulfill a contract. I thought the script was poor, the story line was weak, and the special effects were dull. I enjoyed watching Michelle because her character seemed so out of character for her; but it was not enough to save this picture. It almost felt like the production company who put this all together had never seen a film or episode of Star Trek. Being so disappointed, all I can say is this film needs to be transported to a far, far galaxy; never to be shown again.
1 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Companion
A RELATIVE OF MINE JUST NEEDED to vent and knows I always have an open ear. She was telling me about her son who desperately wanted to be in a love relationship. The more I heard, the less I thought her son understood what love really meant. She told me all her son wishes for is to be with someone. He uses the dating apps, goes out to bars to meet women, and has no qualms starting up a conversation with a female shopper at the grocery store. However, according to my relative, he does not want to do much of the dating and wooing part to get into a committed relationship. I asked how that was working out for her son, while keeping a perplexed look on my face. She said he scares off a lot of women because he is so quick to tell them he loves them and wants to move in together with them. I knew she knew this, but I had to say his actions were a big red flag to prospective dates and she agreed 100% with me. She said he does not take the time to really learn anything about the women he meets; all he wants is to be part of a couple. In my mind, all he wants is a companion. THE REASON I USE THE WORD companion is because I have already seen couple relationships where the two people seem more like companions or roommates instead of it being a relationship of love. Not that there is any right way, or I am criticizing someone, I am aware that love comes in all shapes and sizes. There was one couple I knew, where the woman was a long-time friend of mine. She started dating a man that I soon learned not to trust. He was a braggard and a liar. After catching him in a couple of lies, I felt compelled to tell my friend. She heard what I had to say but it did not stop her from following her heart. After one year of dating, she discovered he had been stealing tiny amounts of money from her purse. She was devastated and told me she felt foolish. I tried to comfort her, but she stayed upset for some time. Another friend of mine had been dating a woman for six-seven months. I thought everything was fine until we stopped at a store for the girlfriend to get a pair of sunglasses. We all tried on various pairs, but during that time I could overhear my friend directing his girlfriend on what he wanted her to buy. It was odd the way he said it, so I asked if he always tells her what to buy. He said he wanted her to look a certain way that he thought was flattering. It still was odd to me; it looked like he had an idea of how she should look, and he wanted her to become that image. It seemed more like he was dating a doll instead of a live human being. I thought it was strange but not as strange as what I saw in this psychological comedy thriller. A WEEKEND GETAWAY FOR A GROUP of friends turns sinister when one of them is killed by one of the others. With Sophie Thatcher (Heretic, Yellowjackets-TV) as Iris, Jack Quaid (The Hunger Games franchise, Scream) as Josh, Lukas Gage (Road House, Smile 2) as Patrick, Megan Suri (It Lives Inside, Never Have I Ever-TV) as Kat, and Harvey Guillen (The Internship, Werewolves Within) as Eli; this science fiction film was twisted fun. I thought Sophie and Jack were great together and enjoyed all the twists and turns in the script. Part of the success was the tight directing taking place; I felt engaged throughout the movie as I was exposed to scenes of dark humor, satire, tension, and fear. What helped me was not knowing or seeing anything about this picture because it increased my surprise level. I will have to say, when the movie was over, it made me wonder if we could ever get to a similar place in time. There were a few brief scenes with blood and violence. 3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
WE WERE THE BEST OF FRIENDS from an early age. Every weekend we would be together, either at my house or his, which was only kitty-corner to mine. My house was on the northwest corner of a city square block and his was on the southeast corner. We would cut through the alley to each one’s place. We had been friends from kindergarten up to sixth grade. It was during the sixth grade, when we started having certain class subjects assigned to other teachers’ rooms, where my friend had the opportunity to spend more time with a couple of boys from a different class. What happened over the next few months was my friend started including these boys into our circle of friends that we had for the past several years. This did not upset me at first; however, suddenly there were a few Saturdays when my friend was not home when I called him. His mother said he had gone out with a couple of friends. A couple of friends? I was part of his friendship. It was not until I saw him in school that he said his friends from the other classroom invited him out. My feelings were hurt, but I did not say anything. As we were nearing the end of the school year, it seemed as if he was spending more weekends with them than me. And through the summer months, we barely got together; so, by the time we were starting the new year, I felt totally rejected. THE FEELINGS OF LOSS I EXPERIENCED made me more conscious about my relationships with my friends as I grew up. I never wanted any of my friends to experience the feelings I had back then. I may have even overcompensated by wanting to include everyone all the time. However, I soon learned not everyone wants to be with everyone all the time. So, I started making plans with friends and family members individually, creating a rotation system so no one would get left out. There was one other factor I had not counted on. Originally, I thought something was wrong with me when getting together with some of my long-term friends seemed to take on a sense of struggling for conversation. Our comfort zone was talking about the past; but nothing else talked about seemed to be interesting to one of us, or were things to which one could not relate. It occurred to me whether one of us or both were growing in different directions. I did not see this as a negative thing, it was just a part of the growing process. And as proof, as time passed more of our face to fact time converted to a series of texts and emails. With this knowledge, I certainly could relate to the feelings Gromit was experiencing in this stop motion animated adventure comedy. WHEN A NEW INVENTION WAS INTRODUCED into his master’s house, Gromit soon begins to feel jealous of everything it could do. However, when a series of strange things begin to happen, Gromit believes there is something more going on with this high-tech invention. With Ben Whitehead (Berry Bees-TV, Wallace & Gromit franchise) voicing Wallace, Peter Kay (Car Share-TV, Roary the Racing Car-TV) voicing Chief Inspector Mackintosh, Lauren Patel (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Lloyd of the Flies-TV) voicing P.C. Mukherjee, Reece Shearsmith (High-Rise, Inside No. 9-TV) voicing Norbot, and Diane Morgan (Mandy-TV, After Life-TV) voicing Onya Doorstep; this film offered exactly what fans have come to expect, a fun, sly story with a fascinating artform of animation. I enjoyed the story line and thought the writers did a wonderful job blending the two story lines. The combination of slapstick humor, thrills, suspense, and tongue-in-cheek commentary kept me engaged the entire time. The level of stop motion animation, I imagine, must have taken at least a couple of years to achieve; it was so precise, even down to the facial expressions. This was a surprise treat for the way it lit up my spirits during this gloomy winter we have been having here.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Hot Frosty
SHE SAID SHE COULD NEVER LOVE again, but I knew better. My friend had recently come out of a bad breakup, where her boyfriend had been cheating on her. They had been dating for five years, the last two living together. He moved out and she made sure he took not only all his stuff, but other things that she did not want around that would remind her of him. I was her emotional support through her anger and grief periods. Presently, she was working her way out from the bottom of her emotions, coming to terms with moving forward in life alone. She expressed how she could not go through such pain again and wanted to start focusing on things that would not only occupy her mind but if possible, bring her happiness. I understood how she was feeling because I had been in the same situation a couple of times, where I thought everything was going well until it was not. I was in two love relationships where I was cheated on, and let me tell you, it does a real number on one’s ability to trust anyone again. Just like my friend was beginning her period of rebuilding, I have done the same thing. My way was alternating periods of solitude with busy social activities. The hardest thing for me, which I believed would be the same for my friend, was breaking up the old routines I shared with my past partners. It took introducing new activities, new ways of thinking to get to a point where I would feel twinges of peaceful comfort. THE NEXT TIME I MET UP with my friend, she was in a better place. It had been a few months after her horrific breakup. It looked like she had lost some weight which she confirmed when she said she had been working out regularly. We were standing in line to place our order, she was in front of me. Besides those standing in line, there were customers walking in to look at the menu chart before getting in line. A guy who had been standing off to her side, turned and asked if she had ever tried their salads. She politely said yes and offered up her top two favorites. A couple of more words were exchanged before he thanked her and got into line. We soon placed our orders and sat down at a table. Not long after, the man who asked her about the salads chose a table near us. By the time we started on our dessert, after eating our main course, the guy came over to thank her for the suggestions for the salads; he enjoyed it. They chatted about the food as I detected a bit of flirting was taking place. Hopefully, he saw my wedding ring and she eventually introduced me to him as her best friend. Before I knew it, he asked her if she would like to have dinner later in the week. I waited to hear her answer and was happy she said yes. Such a random moment led to a dinner date. I think it is one of the best ways to meet someone, but this romantic comedy fantasy has a different spin on it that I was curious to see. STILL MOURNING THE DEATH OF HER husband, a restaurant owner unknowingly magically brings a snowman to life. Would there be time to get to know each other before he melts, though? With Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls, Lost in Space) as Kathy Barrett, Dustin Milligan (Running on Empty, Schitt’s Creek-TV) as Jack Snowman, Chrishell Stause (Staged Killer, Selling Sunset-TV) as Jan, Joe Lo Truglio (Role Models, Superbad) as Deputy Sheriff Ed Schatz, and Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine franchise, My Spy the Eternal City) as Sheriff Nathaniel Hunter; this film knew what it was and did not make any apologies for it. The story followed a simple template, but the sweetness and magical holiday spirit made for an easy viewing experience. The acting was okay, though I thought Craig’s character was out of place because of the cartoonish take on it. Outside of that, the writers wanted and for the most part created a fantasy that had a warm message wrapped inside of it. There was nothing fancy about this production; all it wanted to do was to touch people’s hearts.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 3
I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING BETWEEN his father and him, but I did not want to pry. We had known each other for some years and all that time I never met his folks. They lived out of state, and he would always be the one to travel to them for the holidays. We met at a coffee shop for a light lunch since we had not seen each other in a while. As soon as he walked in, I could tell something was wrong. He sat done; the first thing out of his mouth was telling me how ticked off he was at his father. I asked him why, and what happened. What he told me would upset me as well. It turns out, his father was always doing something to try and make a quick buck. One year he took funds out of the savings account and put a deposit down on a heat press transfer machine. I had to ask him what kind of machine was it. He said it was used to print things on T-shirts; his dad thought he could start an online presence to sell T-shirts he designed and made, using the machine. When I asked what kind of designs, my friend said his dad thought he was funny and could write jokes on the shirts and do others with different landscapes and artwork from a program that was included in his purchase. The online business never made money and eventually the father sold the machine used back to the company where he purchased it. THE THING MY FRIEND WAS UPSET about this time was his father had depleted most of his parents’ retirement funds to invest it in a company that was about to go public. His father thought it was a “sure thing” that would yield a huge gain. Like every investment he had made, as I soon found out, it failed. The company never went public, and the owners were nowhere to be found. All the investors lost their money and now his parents had no retirement funds to live on. I finally understood why my friend had issues with his dad. I asked what his mom thought of all these losses, and he said she was frustrated, toying with the idea of divorcing him; but she did not know how she would survive on her own. It was a sad situation; I felt bad for the mother. My friend said he was talking to his siblings to see what they could do to help the situation. He added, he grew up thinking his dad was the smartest person in the world, but then found out in his adult life it was not true. I offered dads are human just like everyone else; they can easily make mistakes and do crazy things. The perfect example of this can be found right here in this action, adventure fantasy. WHEN A NEW THREAT APPEARS ON Earth, it would force Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz (Renfield, Parks and Recreation-TV), and his friends to team up with the most unlikely being to try and save the planet. With Jim Carrey (Dark Crimes, Dumb and Dumber franchise) as Ivo Robotnik, Keanu Reeves (John Wick franchise, The Matrix franchise) voicing Shadow, Idris Elba (Beast, Three Thousand Years of Longing) voicing Knuckles, and Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Murder and Cocktails, Tails Tube-TV) voicing Tails; this latest in the franchise was more of the same. The action spreads out through the entire picture, with the same humor and predicaments. I was bored at times. The cast, both live and voices, were fine; though, I thought Jim Carrey was trying too hard to make his character a bit different this time. He appeared to mug and adlib for many of his scenes. I felt the script needed a rewrite with a better plot. I do not know if the investors in this film will break even. There were two extra scenes during the closing credits.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Mufasa: The Lion King
I SIMPLY SAT THERE ENTHRALLED LISTENING to how the two finally came together as boyfriend and girlfriend. The first time they met was in college. For a dance being held, he asked his roommate if his girlfriend had any friends, he could be fixed up with to take to the dance. The girlfriend did and the first time the two met was the day of the dance. Things seemed to be fine that evening, and he even went out on a second date with her. However, that is where the dating status ended. Unbeknownst to him, by the end of the second date the girl who had been fixed up with him did not care for him. Two years later they bumped into each other at a party off campus. They talked on and off throughout the night but left at separate times. It was not until their senior year, when they bumped into each other at a concession stand at the college’s football stadium, that a fuse was lit. He walked her back to her seat and by the time they got there they agreed to meet at an afterparty. It was at that party where the fuse ignited their hearts. They quickly became a couple since they saw each other multiple times throughout the week and weekends. However, a decision was looming over their heads regarding their graduation. AFTER HIS GRADUATION, HE WAS SCHEDULED to enter the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School in a southern state. The question they were mulling over is whether she returns home and the two of them maintain a long-term relationship, or she relocates to where he will be stationed and find a job. Though they knew each other for the first three years of college, it was their senior year where they blossomed and grew into a loving couple. She decided she would move with him, find a job and a small apartment to live in. That decision worked out well because they easily found themselves in a steady routine and continued to grow within their relationship. After a little over a year, they got engaged and started to plan a wedding, which was going to take place just before he was to get his first assignment. All their planning fell into place; they had a brief honeymoon vacation before they had to pack and combine their belongings and move to Germany. For the next few years, they would wind up moving three more times, along with their children who were born in different countries. When they told me this tale, their daughter was sitting with us; it was the first time she had heard about how they met. And it was a chance meeting at a concession stand that made everything possible, including her. Their story reaffirmed my belief that there are no accidents; there is a reason for everything, and it is proven again in this family fantasy adventure film. LOST AND ON HIS OWN, A YOUNG cub has a chance encounter with another cub that puts the two of them on a journey that will have a dramatic effect on their destinies. With Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge, Brother) voicing Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr (It Comes at Night, Waves) voicing Taka, Tiffany Boone (The Midnight Sky, The Chi-TV) voicing Sarabi, Kagiso Lediga (The Umbrella Men franchise, Wonder Boy for President) voicing young Rafiki, and Preston Nyman (Crooked House, Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom-TV) voicing Zazu; this sequel like the original was a visual wonder. Everything looked totally real. As for the story, I appreciated the idea behind it; however, with it being told in flashbacks, I felt some of the drama was lost. Plus, adding in the comedic interludes did not provide a continuous buildup of events. Also, it took me longer to get engaged with the characters, leaving me slightly bored in the beginning. Despite not having the same magic feeling as the first one, this movie’s message and my belief with there being no accidents, I am glad I saw this on the big screen.
2 ½ stars
moviejoltz 