Flash Movie Trailer: The Miracle Club
WE MET THEM THROUGH A MUTUAL friend. They were friendly and had been together for decades. It turned out we had much in common and that is what sparked our budding friendship. We got together for several dinners and lunches since all of us wanted to explore the unfamiliar restaurants between our homes. Our times together always came with a guarantee of laughter and sharing of similar childhood memories. It was uncanny how our lives followed a similar path. I had been overweight and was picked on because of it; the two of them experienced the same thing in their schools. Between the four of us, two were previously married and divorced; so, there never was a lull in conversation. At some point they wanted to have us over for dinner. They told us how much they loved cooking and based on what they told me, I was a bit envious because they rarely used a recipe. They cooked food from a mix of instinct, taste, and experience. There was no way I could achieve such a degree of cooking; I needed a recipe that exactly listed the steps and ingredients. With the dinner date set, they checked in with us to ask about dietary restrictions and any likes or dislikes. It was sweet of them to make such an effort for us; we were getting excited as the date neared. THE MORNING OF THE DINNER DATE, we ate a light breakfast since the menu sounded extensive. Mid-morning, I received a text that they would have to cancel, and they were so sorry about it. One of them came down with a stomach bug where they could not keep food in them. It sounded awful and we felt bad for them. Of course, we were sad we were not getting together and tasting their lavish dinner. That night we wound up ordering a pizza for dinner; a significant difference compared to what was planned for us. The following day I was on one of my social media sites. As I was scrolling through my feed, I saw the couple had posted something an hour earlier. What I saw stunned me. There was a photo of them standing at a bank of slot machines and the caption above it said, “Winners at the gambling boat last night!” They lied to us so they could go gamble?!?! We were done with them; trust had been broken. Since then, they have reached out, pretending nothing happened; but we simply decline. It is as if they have re-written history to suit their interests. I have experienced other people who have this ability to rewrite history to make their lives easier. You can see an example of this for yourself in this comedic drama. LONG TERM FRIENDS ENTER THE CHURCH’S talent show hoping to win a trip to Lourdes, France to experience a miracle. But when their deceased friend’s estranged daughter suddenly appears, the odds of winning suddenly change. With Laura Linney (You Can Count on Me, The Dinner) as Chrissie, Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell, On the Basis of Sex) as Eileen Dunne, Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van, Downton Abbey franchise) as Lily Fox, Agnes O’Casey (Lies We Tell, Ridley Road-TV) as Dolly and Mark O’Halloran (Adam & Paul, The Sparrow) as Fr. Dermot Byrne; this movie was worth the price of admission simply to watch the formidable cast show their acting abilities. They were incredible and took the charming script and elevated it despite the spots of predictability. Maggie, Kathy, and Laura were like a well-oiled machine; they did not even have to speak to convey full emotions. I also enjoyed the outdoor scenes of Ireland and France. This was a touching story about friendship, heartache and how people navigate between the two.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Being Mary Tyler Moore
SATURDAY NIGHT ON CAMPUS WAS THE day we would congregate in the Union Hall to watch the Mary Tyler Moore Show. The Union Hall had several televisions, and they were all tuned into the show. Students would plop down around each one; if there was not a seat available then the floor was just fine. It was a communal thing that I enjoyed immensely. From freshmen to grad students, everyone was there for a good time and Mary never disappointed us. Some students would bring snacks to share with the other students, usually popcorn or pretzels. Except for the munching sounds and laughter, no one said a word during the telecast; conversation was saved for the commercial breaks. After the show, some students would stick around to hold an informal discussion about the episode. I did not always stay for them because I was not the type to look deeply into the reasons why a character acted in a certain way. All I knew was Mary Richards was a different type of television character. She was self-sufficient; a single woman with a good job who represented a different type of female that had been portrayed on television previously. Also, the issues the characters had on the show were realistic ones that many of us could relate to in our own lives. Each character was fully developed and not simply a foil to the main character’s antics. I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF MARY Tyler Moore from the Dick Van Dyke show. With the show in reruns, I would watch the same episodes over and over. Because I loved Lucille Ball in, I Love Lucy, I quickly became fond of Mary because of her physical comedy skills. This was another television show where every character was a strong, identifiable one. The humorous situations were so clever and if I think about it, I felt they were more relatable. One of the things that I distinctly remember about the television show was the fact that Rob and Laura Petrie slept in separate beds, just like Lucy and Ricky Riccardo. It is funny what thoughts remain with us from childhood, but that is one that has always stayed with me. It was such an odd thing to me because I had never seen it anywhere before; no relative, nor any of my friends’ parents slept in separate beds. What surprises me the most is the fact that I can think of an episode from either of Mary’s shows and recall it perfectly. As you might imagine, I was excited to see this documentary about the actress for one of television’s enduring characters. THEY ALWAYS SAY THERE ARE TWO sides to every story; so, it was fascinating to hear Mary Tyler Moore talk about her career and life in this wonderful movie. Directed by James Adolphus (Little White Lie, Dating Around-TV) and written by James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News), Allan Burns (Lou Grant-TV, He & She-TV) and newcomer Susan Silver, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this documentary. Because we tend to assume the actors are playing themselves in some way, it was interesting to see what Mary was dealing with in life during her career. Using film clips, interviews and home movies; there was a good balance of information on display here. I will say, the script did feel a bit sanitized to the point where I was sitting and wondering at times if Mary had that much control over her emotions and feelings. On the other hand, I loved hearing the tidbits about how things came into fruition in her life. If nothing else, this movie absolutely shows the drive and determination Mary had to further her career. If one is not a fan of Mary, then I do not believe they would enjoy watching this documentary. But if you are, then you will absolutely fall in love with America’s sweetheart.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Joy Ride
WE MET AT A SCHOOL EVENT for alumni. I had not seen her for over a decade, but she looked the same as I remembered her. She was a transfer student who arrived in the middle of the school year; so, you can imagine how difficult it was for her for multiple reasons. All the reasons paled in comparison to the one big reason that was the most visible. She was of a different race who came from a different country. To me, that was not the biggest difference; it was her size. As far as I could tell she looked like she was going to be the tallest and widest girl in the whole student body. My immediate thought was that she would get picked on for it. We became friendly during the lunch hour; like me, she would walk home for lunch. The first thing I said when I walked up to her at the alumni event was asking if she was going to eat here or walk home for a meal. She laughed and asked me if I brought any of my mother’s homemade sugar cookies with me. We both got a good chuckle out of that as we asked each other how life was treating us. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD in common was the fact we both felt like outsiders in school. In our own way, we each tried to fit in but never quite made it. I told her how I learned how to be comfortable in my own skin and had a strong supportive group of friends around me. She told me about her journey to self-acceptance that followed a similar path to mine. The exception was she was married, having found someone who loved her unconditionally. I congratulated her and was genuinely happy for her. I remembered some of the challenges she had to endure in our young school years. We discovered we both had some anxiety about attending this alumni event. When one feels different compared to the other students, it holds them back from exploring who they are and takes away so much energy that would have been better used for positive endeavors. Walking into this event, we both had wondered how we would be perceived; as a happy, comfortable adult or as the quiet oddball back from school. It occurred to us that this was nothing to worry about because we finally felt secure in who we were as human beings. The process I went through made me aware of what the main stars were experiencing in this racy, comedy film. A BUSINESS TRIP TO HER BIRTH mother’s homeland would provide an opportunity for self-discovery for an up-and-coming lawyer. The trip would influence everyone who traveled with her. With Debbie Fan (Aftermath, Reasonable Doubt-TV) as Jenny Chen, Annie Mumolo (This is 40, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) as Mary Sullivan, Ashley Park (Emily in Paris-TV, Mr. Malcolm’s List) as Audrey, Sherry Cola (Good Trouble-TV, Claws-TV) as Lolo and Stephanie Hsu (Asking for It, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Kat; the script for this film had some outrageous moments. The humor was raunchy and funny as the cast worked well together. What surprised me was underneath the comedy and general craziness there was a heartfelt story line. Granted some scenes were far-fetched but the dialog never lost its smart and savvy swag. In the past this type of story would have been led by a male cast; it was refreshing to see the story dominated by strong female characters. The strong language and pronounced sexual tension scenes might be a turn-off for some viewers, but it would be worth it to sit and see what was going to happen to this group of friends.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE wedding where I was struck by nostalgic waves of a time from years ago. The wedding was beautiful, and my first sense of nostalgia was when I entered the venue. A man was seated by a baby grand piano, playing a variety of classic songs. Sitting on top were several framed photos of the wedding couple’s deceased parents. Seeing how the parents were dressed reminded me of a celebratory time when my family and I were attending a relative’s wedding and we were all dressed up. I was wearing a new suit and it was the first time I got to wear a tie with it; granted, it was one of those ready-made ties that clip onto the shirt. In attendance at the wedding, were many relatives of mine. Being together was a comforting feeling. For the ones that were close in age to me, there was a long history of us sticking together and sitting at the same table during meals. We talked about when we were kids and had to sit at the “kid’s table” away from the main dining table. Usually, one aunt or uncle would keep tabs on us to make sure we were behaving and eating the food on our plates. AFTER DINNER AT THE WEDDING RECEPTION, there were several events planned by the wedded couple. One of them was a family photo. I cannot describe the feelings I got when the DJ called up all the family members to the dance floor for a group photo. With the photographer and his assistant getting everyone arranged to be visible, showing off their best side, I was teleported back in time at an earlier staging for a family photo. Looking around at the relatives standing next to me, I could see and remember how they looked when we were all much younger. The feeling was incredible. I even remember one of the family photos we all sat in, I was seated on the floor, and I was the only one who was not smiling. In fact, I looked miserable as if I had been crying. Right after the photographer took the picture, I was taken home and a doctor was called to the house. It turned out I had strep throat and to this day, I remember how awful it felt. That photo that was taken hangs on the wall in the hallway of our home. Though I was sick, the memories and nostalgic feelings I had being around a familiar family outweighed any negative feelings about being ill. This same type of nostalgic feeling was strong through me as I was experiencing it multiple times throughout this action-adventure movie. DESPITE BEING OF RETIREMENT AGE, ARCHAEOLOGIST Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford (The Call of the Wild, Ender’s Game), must travel the world to reach a legendary artifact before it falls into the wrong hands and changes the course of history. With Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Goodbye Christopher Robin, Fleabag-TV) as Helena, Antonio Banderas (The Skin I Live in, The Laundromat) as Renaldo, Karen Allen (Year by the Sea, Starman) as Marion and Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round, Doctor Strange) as Dr. Voller; this latest installment of the film franchise did not have the sharp humor and directorial prowess of Steven Spielberg; however, it did provide a ton of thrills and action sequences. The first 20 minutes were exhilarating and after that the story went from one chase scene to another to another to another. It got to be too repetitive for me; gratefully they were well choreographed and several of them had sly references to the earlier films. Ultimately, if you are a fan of this franchise then you will enjoy this one. Besides Harrison and Mads being perfect, the nostalgic factor was too big for me not to like it.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Price We Pay
ONE OF MY EARLIEST MEMORIES FROM when I was a small child was going to the butcher shop and fish market. At such a small age it did not really register with me that the items on display were originally breathing and living things. They looked more like cartoon characters. The fish market had crates filled with crushed ice all around the room, and a huge table in the center with similar crates. I was always amazed with the variety of fish that were lying on top of the ice. So many different colors and shapes, with these open eyes staring out; in my mind they were frozen stiff. There were men working behind the counters filled with ice. Dressed in white aprons, they would lift the fish the customers were pointing at and do something with them that many times involved a whacking sound. After a moment there was the sound of paper ripping in the air and the butcher would turn back around with the fish wrapped up in stiff brown paper, tied with a string. All of them worked in unison like a well-oiled machine as the process went smoothly. I never wanted to touch any of the fish; the smell was enough to make me keep my distance. THE BUTCHER SHOP HAD A MYSTIQUE that aligned more with my imagination. There always were soft downy chicken feathers floating around people’s feet. I used to walk around the shop just to stir up the feathers, making it appear like I was walking in a field of cottonwood seeds and dandelion fluff. It was easier to focus on the chicken feathers than seeing the row of bare chickens hanging from a rack enclosed in a glass case. Except for the chickens, nothing else looked like an animal except for the tray filled with tongues in the deli section. When I found out that pile of meat was from an animal’s tongue and people would willingly eat it for a meal, I got sick to my stomach. It mentally scarred me where I disliked having to go to the shop. Also, it did not help that most meats on display were red colored. As I got older, the store represented more of a torture chamber than a neighborhood retail establishment. Seeing a butcher slicing, deboning and cutting meat products was creepy. Customers would walk out with these odd, shaped packages that were wrapped in waxy paper that came from a large dispenser that looked like a carpet roll. No matter how gross things appeared in the butcher shop back then, I would rather be locked up and forced to watch the butchers all day than see this grotesque, bloody horror movie. WHEN THEIR HEIST DOES NOT GO as planned, the robbers and their hostage find a farmhouse to lie low in until things die down. However, they would find something that was terrorizing to them. With Emile Hirsch (American Night, Into the Wild) as Alex, Stephen Dorf (Don’t Go, World Trade Center) as Cody, Gigi Zumbado (A Night to Regret, Bridge and Tunnel-TV) as Grace, Vernon Wells (The Christmas Tapes, Weird Science) as the Doctor and Tyler Sanders (Just Add Magic-TV, The Rookie-TV) as Danny; this action thriller was more horror than action thriller. I thought Gigi had the best screen presence and did not mind the beginning of the film. However, the turn it soon took was horrible. Besides showing nothing different in this genre, there were non-believable scenes, poorly written scenes and a bare budget look to the movie. I strongly reacted to the gory and bloody, torturous scenes. It felt to me like the writers and director just wanted to see if they could get a reaction out of the viewer. Well, they did; I was sorry I spent the time watching this putrid picture. And the fact Emile was one of the producers made me question his mental capabilities. This was the worst film that I have seen in the past year.
1 star
Flash Movie Review: Elemental
WHEN SHE TOLD ME SHE AND her family were planning to move to the city, I was surprised. Not that there was anything wrong with the city where we both were born; however, it was not the trend anyone in the family was doing. As far as I knew, both families and friends were moving further and further north and west of the city. I did not understand the trend, assumed it was following new construction. Nevertheless, when I asked my relative why they were moving from the suburbs back to the city, she said she did not want her children to grow up in a neighborhood like she had when she was small. Seeing the confusion on my face, she explained to me that there was nothing wrong with her childhood neighborhood, but it was not the real world. Almost everyone she knew growing up was the same religion and race; there was little diversity, and she wanted her kids to be exposed to people from all parts of the world. Thinking about my childhood home, I began to understand what she was trying to do. The neighborhood she planned on moving to was known as a diverse neighborhood; it was a conglomeration of various ethnic and religious groups. Instead of buying a house, she and her husband decided to buy a three flat, so the kids would learn the ways of living with neighbors. I had to admire my relative’s determination in creating a meaningful life lesson for her children. I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS RELATIVE WHEN I was living on my own. One of my first places to live was in a two flat in the city. I lived on the 2nd floor; the landlord and his family on the first. In one of the hotspots of the world our two religions were at war; however, here in the city we were friendly and neighborly with no issues. In fact, we both were curious to learn about the other’s customs and beliefs. I could not help but think about what my relative was trying to achieve with her children, to instill respect and acceptance in people who were not the same as themselves. It really was an admirable goal. My thoughts triggered a memory I had from elementary school, when a new student was introduced to our class. They were the first person of color to be enrolled at my school. Most of the students treated this new student like any other new student; but I can remember a few classmates who used to tease this new student. Those kids could have used my relative’s guidance in how to treat people. HER FAMILY WAS FROM FIRE AND his from water; two unlikely residents of the city who discovered the things they were led to believe all these years about the other were not necessarily true. With the city in danger, could they overcome their differences to help protect the residents in peril. With Leah Lewis (The Half of It, How to Deter a Robber) voicing Ember, Mamoudou Athie (Underwater, Jurassic: World Dominion) voicing Wade Ripple, Ronnie Del Carmen (Inside Out, Soul) voicing Bernie, Shila Ommi (The Illegal, Tehran-TV) voicing Cinder and Wendi McLendon-Lovey (Bridesmaids, Reno 911! -TV) voicing Gale; this latest animated Pixar film had a beautiful message about immigrants and diversity. I appreciated how the writers spun these themes into the story. The visuals were interesting and at times stunning; however, compared to other movies of the same ilk, this one did not overwhelm me. I did not get a strong sense of contrasts in the emotional and dramatic scenes. There was decent humor but nothing memorable. This comedy, adventure movie’s strength was the story line; it was sweet and charming, with a touch of insightfulness to stimulate the viewer’s mindset.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Extraction 2
BLOOD MAY BE THICKER THAN WATER, but it might be the wrong type that could kill you, metaphorically speaking. I have seen and been exposed to such a variety of families, that it would be hard to shock me with what you might think is something crazy about your family. I have spent holidays with a family where one sibling spent the night throwing passive aggressive digs at their other sibling. By the time dessert was served, the tension was thick and ready to break at any moment; I wanted to get out before it did. Sadly, I did not get out in time before a verbal fight broke out between the siblings. On the other hand, I have been with a family that takes so much joy in being together that it is refreshing. Whether it is just to share a meal or to play a card game, they love spending time together. It would be nothing for them to call each other on a whim and plan an impromptu game night. I envy that ability because I would have to sit and analyze it, worrying about what food to have on hand, check to see if I had enough seating and other things before, I could agree to be a host for it. But they always pull it together without ever having an issue. ONE THING THAT I HAVE CONSISTENTLY found among families is their inability to dislike a family member when they are being ignorant. A piece of advice that I still remember is give yourself permission to dislike a person you love. It doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. I have found myself in situations where I did not like being around a relative because of something they were doing or saying. It did not stop me from loving them since we had a good history together with many happy memories. However, they were displaying a behavior that made me uncomfortable. I recall an event where we were seated at a restaurant table and a friend of mine happened to be at the same restaurant with her husband. They came over to say hello and I introduced them to everyone at the table. One relative started a conversation with them that was inappropriate; the relative had unbeknownst to us mixed alcohol with drugs. I was embarrassed and could see my friend looking at me for guidance. Before things got uglier, I stood and walked over to thank them for stopping by and promised I would catch up with them later in the week. My relative was being a jerk; but they paled in comparison to the intensity of the family members in this action thriller. AFTER SURVIVING A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, a mercenary accepts another job because this one was on a personal level. With Chris Hemsworth (Thor franchise, Bad Times at the El Royale) as Tayler Rake, Golshifteh Farahani (Body of Lies, Arab Blues) as Nik Khan, Adam Bessa (The Blessed, Of Sound Mind) as Yaz Khan, Tornike Gogrichiani (Adam & Eve, Artificial Breathing-TV) as Zurab Radiano and Tornike Bziaua (A Fold in My Blanket, Brighton 4th) as Davit Radiani; this sequel amped up the violence and action scenes to such a high level that I was exhausted by the end of the movie. There was something like a non-stop 20-minute fight scene that was unbelievable. As for the drama aspect, it was kept at a more subdued level where the actors appeared stiff at times. I feel if you go into viewing this film knowing its focus is on fights and battles, you might have an easier time digesting it. Ultimately, the picture does what it said it would do; provide a fast violent, bloody, visual experience for the viewer. Though I will say, if one could pick who they would like for a relative, I would certainly pick Chris Hemsworth.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Chevalier
ONE OF THE FITNESS CLASSES I taught had a weird dynamic. Well, at least it was weird to me. It was one of my larger classes where the members filled the entire studio. Things have changed but some time ago, aerobic classes were filled predominantly with women; most men felt self-conscious, based on my own personal survey. I would try to coax them in when I was working out on the fitness floor, but they had this unwarranted fear that they would look “stupid” and be looked down upon by the class. The reason why I said this class had a weird dynamic was because it had several men in it. One man was six feet five inches tall, with a massive build; there was no way he could blend into class. I remember the first time he walked into the classroom. Like I did with any new person, I went up to talk to him. The reason he came in was because his wife was a participant in my class and told him he would be surprised by it. What I noticed most when he found a place to stand in class was how the members around him were looking and making eyes at each other. I knew that look; it was because of his size. I was sure they assumed he would not be able to do any of the exercises or moves. Unbeknownst to any of us, his wife gave him some pointers and he did fantastic. At the end of class, drenched in sweat, he came up and thanked me. FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, I REMAINED ATTUNED to watching how participants reacted to new people in class. There was another man who started coming to the same class. From introducing myself to him, I discovered he purposely chose my class to attend because it incorporated more dance moves than other classes. Being thin and trim already, I soon realized some of the female members were always trying to stand close to him. It was amusing to me. His moves were smooth and always on the beat; I knew he had to have had some dance training, even if it was just going out to clubs at night. Where some of the members avoided the large man, others were striving to get close to this other man because of his looks. The reason I know this to be a fact is because he told me at some point a member was asking if he was single. This is the weird dynamic I was speaking of. Because I always focused on internal qualities like brains, humor, and empathy with dating prospects; I get fascinated when people express their desires for external things like height, hair and weight. Now here is the kicker; several months later this thin man disappeared from class and the fitness center. Then one day all the newspapers came out with a photograph of him on the front pages. He was arrested and charged with killing his roommate. One of my first thoughts was how ironic all of this became. As they say, “Never judge a book by its cover,” nor should one judge this historical drama by its cover. WITH HIS MOTHER TAKEN AWAY AND his father abandoning him, a young boy soon realizes he would need to be the best he can be if he wanted to survive in a world, he was not meant to be in. With Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Monsters and Men, It Comes at Night) as Joseph, Samara Weaving (Ready or Not, Snake Eyes) as Marie-Josephine, Lucy Boynton (Murder on the Orient Express, Bohemian Rhapsody) as Marie Antoinette, Ronke Adekoluejo (Been So Long, Christopher Robin) as Nanon and Marton Csokas (The Last Dual, The Equalizer) as Marquis De Montalembert; this film based on a factual story intrigued me deeply. Having been raised early on with classical music, I was stunned to find out there was truth to this story. The acting was right in synch with the character representation, especially from Kelvin. I will say I enjoyed the first half of the film more than the last half, simply because towards the end the script started becoming a generic version of itself and turning predictable. The script could have used more punch to keep things exciting as they were in the beginning. This was such a fascinating story, and I appreciated the extra knowledge offered before the ending credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Flamin’ Hot
MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS THE GENTLEMAN sitting across from me was given something different to eat than me. The way he carried on with the potato chips, you would have thought they were the best thing the planet had ever seen. I thought he was nuts or had lost all sense of taste, because that was nowhere near my reaction to taste testing the chips. I was chosen for a study group that was doing a blind tasting of various potato chips. Truthfully, I would have rather been picked to taste test desserts, but I was grateful nonetheless because the stipend was a good amount of money, and I was eating a carbohydrate. There were twelve of us sitting around a conference table. Placed in front of each seat were three plastic containers that each contained potato chips. They looked the same to me, but I could tell there was a slight difference in color and texture between them. We were trying the second container and I thought they were horrible, having a medicinal processed taste. They also had a weak crunch which was a big minus for me. When we then had to go around and tell the group our reaction, the man across from me was raving about them. Honestly, they turned out to be the worst ones in my opinion. Many of the participants thought the same thing as I did. I WAS AWARE THAT PEOPLE’S TASTE buds were different. Each of us can taste bitter, sweet and sour; but the number of receptors we have is different. I remember New Coke debuted with big fanfare. I did not like it at all; and as it turned out, there were many other people who disliked it as well. Because of that misstep, I have become more curious about the reasoning behind the introduction of new flavors. The first thing that comes to mind is the explosion of pumpkin spice during the Halloween season. This flavor has been attached to so many different food items, that just sound ghastly to me. There is cereal, cookies, coffee, which I can wrap my head around. However, sauces, cheese or soft drinks sounds disgusting. I just want to know how that idea came out of a marketing group or department. It seems to me some food items are better left untouched. I do not want potato chips tasting like pizza or macaroni and cheese. Regarding the flavor being introduced in this biographical drama, I have a close friend who can live on them; I would have to be hospitalized, way too hot for me. A JANITOR AT A FRITO LAY plant in fear of layoffs, believes he found a way to save jobs and honor his Mexican heritage. However, none of the managers believed him because he was a janitor. With Jesse Garcia (Ambulance, The Starling) as Richard Montanez, Annie Gonzalez (East of the Mountains, The Edge of Her Mind Anthology) as Judy Montanez, Emilio Rivera (The Family Business-TV, Mayans M.C-TV) as Vacho Montanez, Vanessa Martinez (Go for Sisters, Dirty John-TV) as Concha Montanez and Dennis Haysbert (Far From Heaven, Playing with Fire) as Clarence C. Baker; this film based on a true story was simply a feel good movie. I do not know how much of the film was based on actual events; however, the direction was perfectly executed to provide doses of drama, humor and sadness. Because I know people who are addicted to this product, I felt more connected to the story. Easily, the script could have used more intensity and explained the depth of people’s motives more; however, the premise of the story was so charming and fascinating that I stayed fully engaged with it. And honestly, by the end of the movie I wanted to attempt to eat one Flamin’ Hot Cheeto.
2 ½ stars
moviejoltz 