Flash Movie Review: Bros
FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME, THEY know how much I like to try a new product or be the first to experience something new. I cannot tell you how many world premieres I attended because I wanted to see what all the excitement was about. There is something about seeing, let us say, a new theater production that I especially enjoy because if it goes to Broadway and becomes a success, I can say I saw it first. When it comes to food products, if they fit into my daily dietary intake then I will always try them at least once. Recently there was introduced a flavored drink at the grocery store that had a mix of cola and coffee. I am not a coffee drinker; but I must tell you I enjoyed the drink so much, that I later bought more of them to serve at a dinner party. Friends of mine are never surprised when I bring out some new item that I picked up at the store, so we can all do a taste test. My classes were always appreciative when I would update and critique the latest food products. Maybe it is part of my nature, to offer my opinion/view on something, that motivates me to experience something before others spend their time and money on it. WITH TODAY’S MOVIE CHOICE, THERE HAS been plenty of “buzz” about this film. It is the first gay, romantic comedy that was made by a large, mainstream movie studio. I think that is great, but there is a part of me that wishes we, as a society, can get past having to use labels as adjectives. It is like when someone is talking about a friend and says “my gay friend” or “my straight friend;” what difference does it make? The same holds true for those who say my Asian or Black friend; I feel all one needs to say is, “friend.” There was a couple I knew who when they married caused controversy in their families because they were different faiths. My feelings boil down to this simple saying I try to live by: Love is love. If someone can, at some point in their life, express their love for someone, then I feel they have achieved one of the highest honors for being a human being. I do not care if the person you love is gay, straight, trans, Spanish, Muslim, atheist, native American and so on as long as there is love and respect then I am happy for you. With this in mind, I was curious to see what would take place in this film directed by Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbors franchise). IT WAS TOUGH ENOUGH TO MEET people who had commitment issues; but what were the chances if they were out of your league? With Billy Eichner (Noelle, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising) as Bobby, Luke Macfarlane (The Night Shift-TV, Brothers & Sisters-TV) as Aaron, Guy Branum (The Mindy Project-TV, Black Box-TV) as Henry, Miss Lawrence (The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Star-TV) as Wanda and Dot-Marie Jones (Glee-TV, Greener Grass) as Cherry; I appreciated the amount of effort that went into this production. The cultural references, the spot-on predicaments and the cameos were great; however, I thought the script lacked depth. The only character I found with any emotional depth was Aaron. The Billy character was bland and if he was not that then he was annoying. I have heard news that straight people are staying away from this film because the focus is about gay people. Maybe that is true; however, if a film is funny and relatable then I do not think it should make a difference. This picture had its moments, but I did not find it that funny or fresh.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Amsterdam
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD A STORY, that if you had not known the person involved in it, you would have never believed it was true? I do not know about you, but it has happened to me many times. A man was telling me about his childhood, growing up in a country that was dealing with strife and conflict. He said whenever soldiers were spotted coming towards the town, many of the families would take their babies and hide them in the forest; so, they would not be taken and raised to become soldiers when they became grown. Or they could just as easily have been killed if the soldiers did not like something about them. What a horrifying way of life, I thought. He said one time the soldiers surprised the town by showing up at nighttime. Whoever was closest to the infant grabbed them and raced out the back to get them into the forest. The soldiers went through the town then left; everyone waited a long time before going out to retrieve their babies. Because of the mad rush to get the baby into the forest, this family member did not pay close attention to where he was placing them. This family member came back to get another family member to join in the search. After a long time, they did come back with a baby they thought was the right one. I stared at him in disbelief. He said it was not until he got older before family members were sure they had taken the right baby; he turned into the perfect likeness to his older brother. IF YOU ARE ANYTHING LIKE ME, you hear something on the news that is so far-fetched that you cannot believe it is a real news story. Not that I want to get into any political discussion, but there is a candidate who is from a state that verified the past presidential election results multiple times. This candidate does not agree with the results and their reason is because they have never talked to someone who said they voted for the current president. I had to sit there and process what this candidate was saying, “they have never talked to anyone who voted for the president. When told the number of votes that were counted, this candidate said anything is possible in a fantasy world. I could not make such a story up even if I had wanted to; it is so hard to believe. Their argument would be like me saying I have never talked to anyone who had visited the Artic, so it must not exist. I had never heard of the event that inspired this dramatic, comedy mystery story; and based on what I saw, I cannot discern what might have been real or fake. THREE FRIENDS FRAMED FOR A MURDER find something more sinister than the circumstances of the death they witnessed, while trying to clear their names. With Christian Bale (The Big Short, Out of the Furnace) as Burt Berendsen, Margot Robbie (Bombshell, Mary Queen of Scots) as Valerie Voze, John David Washington (Tenet, Malcolm & Marie) as Harold Woodman, Alessandro Nivola (American Hustle, The Many Saints of Newark) as Detective Hiltz and Anya Taylor-Joy (Last Night in Soho, The Northman) as Libby Voze; this film had a stellar cast of characters. Too bad, they were not given the tools to help create an engaging film. I did not find anything funny in the script which only added to the quickness of me becoming bored. There was a cartoonish style to the acting, due to the script, that never allowed the story to reach a healthy level of suspense and drama. I wondered if the writers intended to shine a spotlight on the parallels between the political environment in this story with the current times, we have been living in. When I left the theater, I had the feeling that I had wasted my time going to this viewing. If I had not gone and seen this, would that have meant that it had never been made?
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Thirteen Lives
GRATEFULLY A RELATIVE OF MINE WAS okay after being at a public gathering where there was an active shooter. I never thought I would ever have to write about such a thing, but it has become part of our world. The gathering was a celebration for a national holiday; there were people who came from all areas around where the event was being staged. Horrifically there were fatalities and injuries. This tragic event was televised multiple times; the newspapers covered the story for many days. As one would expect, the news focused on the victims. All of it was so sad to see; the scenes showing the aftermath were especially hard to view. However, there was something out of this tragedy that struck me after hearing about it on a personal level, besides from the news. I was in awe of all the people who came together to help the survivors. Living at a time where there is so much divisiveness and polarization, where everything is turning into an extreme, it was heartwarming to see people from all levels of society coming together to help one another. The word that comes to mind is “hopeful.” Seeing such an act of kindness gives me hope that people can live a judgment free life together. I HAVE BEEN A WITNESS TO other acts of kindness like the fitness presenter I was assigned to drive around during our yearly convention. We were driving to a dinner event when we spotted a car crash. She had me pull over so she could run out and see if anyone needed any help. As it turned out, the driver was dazed and going into shock. She took her jacket off, wrapped it around him while checking his pulse as she had me dial #911 to report it. It was comforting to see how she dealt with the situation, unconcerned about getting her outfit dirty and bloody. Being in the fitness industry, I have seen other acts of kindness. For example, I had a friend who worked at a health center where he personally had saved five members because of his quick actions to start CPR on them. We used to joke about why members were only getting ill when he was on duty. I do not know what it is about my focus on finding/hearing about acts of kindness. Maybe because of all this anger and hatred I see on the news and that includes these political ads that mention nothing about policy, instead showing explosions and crime; it makes me sad. Having said this will help you understand why I found this dramatic, action adventure so inspiring. WHEN AN UNEXPECTED STORM TRAPS A boys soccer team inside of a cave, it would take more than a village to help keep the boys alive. With Viggo Mortensen (Green Book, A Dangerous Method) as Rick Stanton, Colin Farrell (The Batman, The Gentleman) as John Volanthen, Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased, The Gift) as Harry Harris, Tom Bateman (Death on the Nile, Cold Pursuit) as Chris Jewell and Paul Gleeson (The Thin Red Line, Home and Away) as Jason Mallinson; this film based on a true story was directed by Ron Howard, who created the perfect balance between tensions and emotions. I remember when this event happened and yet watching it play out in this movie felt like a new experience for me. The cast did a terrific job conveying the dangers, exhaustion, mental anguishes, and hopefulness from the script. Ron’s direction kept the story on a steady pace that allowed for the touching moments to shine in between the harrowing ones. I do not think it would make a difference whether you remember this event or not, that took place in Thailand; this was an exciting movie watching experience for me and I believe it could be for you as well.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Woman King
WHEN IT CAME TO HEROES IT did not matter to me whether they were male or female. In reality as long as they were decent and kind, it was all that mattered to me. As for the ones I would watch or read about, if they were a good and exciting character, I was all for them. One of my favorite superheroes was Superman; I remember I had a large collection of his comic books, along with Batman. One of the earliest female characters I remember was Catwoman. I loved cats and thought she was quite cunning; she was a perfectly evil nemesis to Batman. From television shows I had crushes on Honey West and Emma Peel. I thought both women were tough and could handle themselves in a fight, though I would have to say Emma was the toughest female character I had ever seen. I would not be lying if I told you I had a crush on her. Watching her in a fight with her martial arts ability, being able to take down a man who was double her size, filled me with dreams that maybe I could become a martial arts fighter. But then, I saw Bruce Lee as Kato and in Fist of Fury and realized I was too overweight to be able to move as quickly as him. DURING MY YOUTH THERE WERE SEVERAL strong females who showed me there was no difference between men and women when it came to toughness. I had a relative who was a sergeant in the military, who had the strongest handshake I had ever felt. She did not back down from expressing herself and would call out anyone who she thought was not acting properly or doing their job. I remember one time we were at a store and the salesperson waiting on us was talking down to her, trying to get her to buy a different item that was more expensive than the one she had in her hand. She firmly expressed her feelings and told him to stop trying to sell her “crap” she had no use for. I may have mentioned this before, but in school there was a girl who was tougher than most boys. Granted she was one of the tallest students in our grade, but she was the first girl I saw throw a punch at a boy that made him cry and run away. I knew immediately to never get on her bad side. Though I have no idea what became of her, I must wonder if the true events that inspired this film had been taught to us in school, what kind of an effect would it have had on her and the other girls. KNOWING THEIR ENEMY HAD HORSES AND guns at their disposal, the general of an all-female unit of warriors was convinced her fighters would prevail. They had to if their kingdom were to survive. With Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Unforgivable) as Nanisca, Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad-TV, Shuga-TV) as Nawi, Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die, Captain Marvel) as Izoogie, Sheila Atim (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Bruised) as Amenza and John Boyega (Star Wars franchise, Attack the Block) as King Ghezo; this historical action drama starred a bulked up Viola Davis who was still able to deliver an amazing character with emotional depth. The movie started out slow for me; however, as it continued playing, I found myself sitting there in awe as the director beautifully laid out strong and memorable scenes, filled with intense fights and emotional depth. Yes, there were a couple of scenes that seemed too far-fetched to have been real; but I still found myself buying into the story. And just from an historical perspective, I am now fascinated about this African kingdom in the 18th/19th century who had this army battalion of women warriors. There were several scenes of blood and violence and an extra scene during the middle of the ending credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: End of the Road
SHE WAS TOUGH ON ALL OF us; there was nothing we could get away with when we were around her. My friend’s mother was a single parent who worked a full-time job and still was able to keep the household and her children in shape. When I say she was tough, believe me. I remember anytime we would go out after dinnertime, she had a curfew set for my friend that was earlier than the city’s stated time. No one was allowed to wear shoes inside the house. She would tell us she did not need any extra work vacuuming up after us. One of my strongest memories was the sound of her voice when she would yell out for my friend to come to her. Because she was short, she would call my friend to come into the kitchen and grab some item from one of the higher cabinet shelves. Despite her tough exterior she had a good sense of humor, accompanied by deep belly laughter. Even at my young age, I admired her because I knew it could not be easy being single with four children. And none of her kids ever got in trouble at school, which looking back now, was a major accomplishment. FOR MOST OF MY YOUTH, I only had strong female figures around me. Maybe it was due to the times, but both with my friends and family it was always the women who made the daily decisions. They would be the ones to decide what the family would be doing on the weekend; or whose house we would go visit for the holiday. This was not just my perceptions because my friends were experiencing the same thing. Most of the dads in the neighborhood had 9-5 jobs. So, I understand the mother taking responsibility during the week, but it seemed as if it always continued through the weekends. There was this one time where there was a small group of parents visiting at someone’s house. All the women were sitting around the kitchen table discussing current events, politics, upcoming trips and such while the men were sitting in the den watching television. This image has stayed with me all these years due to one of my early sociology classes. In class the discussion was about matriarchy and patriarchy, defining and identifying them. I realized I had grown up in a matriarchy. Sure, the men for the most part were the major breadwinners, but it was the women who sat on the seat of power. If you are curious to see how a strong woman acts, then feel free to see the main character in this action, crime drama. WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN easy road trip to their new home, turned into a ride of terror for this single mom and her two kids. With Queen Latifah (Chicago, Hairspray) as Brenda, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (The Ride, Fast & Furious franchise) as Reggie, Mychala Lee (The Greatest Inheritance, Truth Be Told-TV) as Kelly, Shaun Dixon (Velvet Jesus, Dhar Mann-TV) as Cam and Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Descendants) as Hammers; this was all Queen Latifah’s movie. Channeling her Equalizer character, she was the mother who needed to protect her family. I liked the idea to the story and appreciated the effort the writers put in to make this film an intense thriller; however, so much of what was shown was generic pablum. At times, I felt the scenes were ridiculous because they seemed too far-fetched. It was too bad because the injustice aspect was a decent message to convey, but the script got bogged down into standard fare with no flair. I will say I did appreciate the fast pace and the well-orchestrated fight scenes. If one wants to see an example of a tough woman, that might be enough reason to watch this picture. However, do not expect much in the story.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Meet Cute
I COULD ONLY SIT THERE AND listen to my friend list the reasons why he did not think he wanted to do another date. We had met for lunch so we could catch up with each other. He had been busy going out on several dates with different women. Some of the women he had just met for the first time, the rest were repeat dates. From my past experiences, I knew the first date was just an introductory one, where the two of us would be barely scratching the surface of a meaningful conversation. I always considered it an exploratory time, where one learns about the likes and dislikes, along with a touch of historical information. My friend was describing a recent first date, where they met at a restaurant for lunch. He thought the conversation went easy for both because there was never an awkward lull. Not having a lot in common was not necessarily an issue for him; but what bothered him the most was the fact she would talk with her mouth full of food. He said it was hard to look at her while she was talking with food getting mashed up inside her mouth. Honestly, as I sat there with an image of her full mouth in my mind, I do not know if I could have handled it either. THE NEXT DATE MY FRIEND TALKED about was someone he had gone out with twice. From what he was telling me, it sounded like they had an enjoyable time; however, he mentioned how he disliked her hair. I asked if it looked dirty or unwashed, but he said no. He did not like the fact it was cut super short. I did not know how to reply to him. For me, hair is a non-issue; I do not care whether it is short or long, only if it is dirty and greasy would it ever be an issue for me. I queried my friend about the short hair, so I could get a better understanding because everything else sounded like the two of them were clicking together. What I wanted to say was, “What is wrong with you?!?!” However, I tried in my own way to express how unimportant the length of a person’s hair is when it comes to compatibility. It is funny and I am sure I mentioned it before; a big turn off for me was always if they had dirty fingernails and/or food stuck in their teeth. Outside of that, everything else was easily navigated in the getting to know process. The thing I learned that I felt was important was the fact one cannot go into a relationship with a mindset that you would be able to change the other person. Just see what can happen in this comedic drama when one party thinks they can change the other one. HAVING HAD THE PERFECT FIRST DATE Sheila, played by Kaley Cuoco (The Wedding Ringer, The Big Bang Theory-TV) only wanted to repeat the perfection of their first date over and over. She could only do this because she had a time machine at her disposal. With Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island, Bodies Bodies, Bodies) as Gary, Kevin Corrigan (Unstoppable, The Departed) as Phil the bartender, Deborah S. Craig (A Nice Girl Like You, The Outfield) as June and Rock Kohli (Law & Order-TV, Inside Amy Schumer-TV) as Amit; this action crime movie had a perfect pairing with Kaley and Pete. They were so enjoyable to watch; I felt they were really into their characters. I liked the idea of the story, and it started out on a good note; but as time went by, I felt the script was in a repetitive loop that got boring for me. It truly felt as if the film was in a rut. I would have liked to have seen some changes taking place earlier in the plot. When all is said and done, I am glad I got a first date with this picture; but there would be no reason to have a second.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: See How They Run
I WAS NEVER VERY GOOD AT playing mystery games like Clue. Of all the times I played it, I only won the game once. The same holds true for those immersive, staged mystery house events. Though they are exciting and fun, I do not focus on seeking out who is the killer; I am having such a fun time with the experience, along with the visuals and acting, that I get lost into it. In other words, I immerse myself, hence an immersive production. LOL There is something about seeing, what I would consider, average/innocuous events that later turn out to be vital clues to the identity of the murderer. This also applies to mystery books and movies; the way they can pull one into their story and take them on this wild trail of events has always impressed me. As I have been working on this review it has occurred to me, I was a guest at a dinner party where all the guests had to assume the identity of a famous individual. Throughout the meal there were six of us seated around the dining room table; some were talking with an accent and others were conversing with a different sounding voice. I was a well-known television star, so I periodically dropped clues about the type of shirt I was wearing and the landscape of the area I lived in on the TV series. It was not until we were eating dessert before someone correctly guessed my character. WITH MY LOVE OF MYSTERIES, THE one and only time I was in London, England I wanted to see the play The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. I remember how excited I was to see it, both because it was a murder mystery, and it was being staged in London’s famous West End district. The production checked off all my expectations. And the “piece de resistance” occurred at the end of the show when a cast member came out on stage to ask everyone in the audience to keep secret who was the killer. I thought this was so cool because I felt like I was suddenly part of the production, and my job was not to reveal the murderer. I want you to know I never did reveal the identity of the killer. I find it fascinating that after all these years I am now reviewing a dramatic comedy murder that incorporates The Mousetrap into its story. PLANS WERE IN PLACE TO BRING the play The Mousetrap to the big screen. However, when a cast member was found dead, things had to be placed on hold as an investigation was to take place. The inspector would soon discover it was not easy dealing with theater people. With Adrien Brody (The French Dispatch, American Heist) as Leo Kopernick, David Oyelowo (The Water Man, A United Kingdom) as Mervyn Cocker-Norris, Saoirse Ronan (Mary Queen of Scots, Little Women) as Constable Stalker, Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, The Best of Enemies) as Inspector Stoppard and Harris Dickinson (The King’s Man, Beach Rats) as Richard Attenborough; this story based in the 1950s London had all the markings of being a classic “whodunit” type of thriller. The cast filled with well rounded, capable actors were well matched with their characters. I thought the sets and costumes were spot on, giving a perfect retro feel to the story. Sadly, it did not take much detective work to discover the script was a big letdown as was the directing. Things seemed to drag for the first half of the film. Where I normally admire Sam Rockwell’s acting skills, here he seemed to have gotten lost. There was no emotional variance to the scenes which I found boring. Weirdly, I thought Wes Anderson was directing because it certainly was his type of style; but it was not the case. I almost feel like I need to do some detective work to discover who allowed this production to go forward because it really is a mystery to me.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Inside the Mind of a Cat
IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME SPENDING the night together, but I was not expecting it to include their cat. I had heard many stories about Dancer, the Siamese cat; she sounded like a sweet, affectionate pet. I had packed an overnight bag and in hindsight, I should have brought some type of cat toy. While eating our carry out meal, Dancer perched herself on the kitchen counter so she could have a clear view of us eating at the table. I was expecting her to jump onto our table any minute based on the way she was intently looking at us. Gratefully there were no interruptions during dinner. At the end of the meal, we took our drinks and went into the den to settle on the sofa. Dancer took this to be an invitation because she followed us down the hall then jumped onto my lap once I was seated. The entire time we sat on the couch Dancer kept trying to reach my face, either climbing up my chest or coming from behind via the back of the sofa. No matter what admonitions were sternly warned at her, Dancer was determined to get to my face to either kiss or scratch me. I could not tell which way it would go. THE DETERMINATION DANCER DISPLAYED WAS JUST a prelude to what was in store for me when it was time to go to bed. We were done closing up the house and making our way to the bedroom. Dancer was right at our heels the entire time. When we got into bed, Dancer jumped onto the bed and made her way to my pillow. She was taken and put back down on the floor. We settled ourselves back in bed and sure enough, Dancer jumped back up to try and reach me again. This went on a couple of more times before Dancer was placed outside of the bedroom. I thought our problem was finally solved, but I was wrong. Dancer started crying behind the closed door and kept it up non-stop until we opened the door. This time, however, Dancer was given a catnip toy as a distraction. She was all over the toy and gave us a moment of peace. By the time we fell asleep, I had forgotten about that cat. It did not take me long to fall into a deep sleep; but it took me less time to wake up after Dancer, from the floor, jumped up and landed on my back. I was done with this cat, so I got out of bed and made my way back to the den, where I slept the rest of the night on the couch while Dancer slept in my place in the bedroom. I would have loved to know what she was thinking when she first saw me walking into the house. CATS CAN BE SO MUCH FUN and yet be so mysterious. Wouldn’t it be helpful if someone could explain what cats are doing? This documentary may finally provide you with the answers. Directed by Andy Mitchell (Secrets of the Whales-TV mini-series, American Serengeti-TV movie), I got a kick out of watching this movie. Granted I love cats and dogs equally; however, if you are not a cat person then I do not think you would want to spend the time listening to the “experts” discussing cats and their behaviors. The pacing of this picture was steady and light. In fact, there were times where it was getting to be a bit too cartoonish for me, but I still enjoyed seeing all the cats and their different settings. I do not know if this movie provides absolute proof about cats’ behaviors, but I will say I found it quite interesting. I would have loved to have seen some of these experts try and explain that nutty cat, Dancer.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Orphan: First Kill
FOR SEVERAL YEARS ALL I HEARD her talk about was her “dream” car. She did talk about other topics, but if we were walking down the street and her “dream” car was driving by, she had to stop walking and watch the car as it passed her by. Yea, it was a bit obsessive, but who was I to judge; I had my own fixations. The car, I must admit, was sharp looking. It had sleek lines with a large distinctive grill that had the automaker’s logo smack in the middle of it. I particularly liked the colors I had seen it in; each one appeared to alter slightly, depending on how the light was hitting it. After hearing my friend talk so long about this car, she finally had saved up enough money to put a large down payment down for it. I was thrilled for her. Lucky for her, she found an auto dealer who had the exact car she wanted, both in color and features. She was approved for the loan and with all the paperwork signed, she had a short wait before she could pick up her new vehicle. I looked forward to getting a ride in it and see things for myself. THE CAR WAS EVERYTHING SHE IMAGINED; I could not be happier for her. She picked me up and we went tooling around the neighborhood before heading out on the highway. I must admit, the car was impressive. It was not until after the first time she had to drive in the rain, when I got the call. She was besides herself, sobbing into the phone. When she went to turn the windshield wipers on, the radio came on instead. Without the wipers working, she had pulled off to the side of the road to ride out the showers. I offered to come keep her company, but she declined. Instead, she planned on driving straight to the dealer once the weather lightened up. Later in the day after the storm had passed us, she called to tell me the wiper malfunction was fixed, she was going back home. Over the span of the next few months, she had other issues with the car. There was a recall concerning possible brake failure, the door locks did not always lock, and her sunroof had a leak. She was horribly upset, and I could tell her dream of owning this car was deflating. It was when she received the second recall notice that she had had enough and decided to get rid of the “lemon” car. I was sad for her because I knew how much the car meant to her, but the reality did not match up with her dream. It was a similar situation for some of the main characters in this dramatic, crime horror movie. A MOTHER AND FATHER COULD NOT believe it when they received the phone call that their missing daughter had been found. Upon rushing to meet her, it did not trouble them that their daughter was now talking with a heavy accent. With Isabelle Fuhrman (The Hunger Games, The Novice) as Esther, Julie Stiles (Save the Last Dance, Silver Linings Playbook) as Tricia Albright, Rossie Sutherland (Hyena Road, The Expanse-TV) as Allen Albright, Hiro Kanagawa (The Age of Adaline, The Man in the High Castle-TV) as Detective Donnan and Matthew Finlan (My Fake Boyfriend, Jingle Bell Princess-TV movie) as Gunnar Albright; this prequel surprised me. I could not remember much from the previous film, but it turned out it did not matter. As long as one suspends belief, the story was suspenseful and tense. It was so good to see Julie Stiles and to see her in this role. I felt Julie and Isabelle made this film exciting to watch and that is despite the scenes of violence and blood. From the slight memories I have of the original film, I believe I enjoyed this one more.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Samaritan
WHEN I WAS A SMALL BOY, there were people in my life who I thought were heroes. They just were not superheroes like the ones I read about in the comic books. There was this man in the neighborhood who I thought was the strongest human. He used his backyard as a workshop, so I would see him lifting and carrying these large and heavy planks of wood. The fastest runner in the neighborhood I thought was a boy who had the grace of an animal when he ran. It was not until I was older before I encountered individuals who I would classify as superheroes. I met a retired nurse who had helped in the delivery of every baby born in the town she lived in. That also included the pregnancies that had complications. If that was not enough, she found the time to walk at least two miles a day, despite having two cracked vertebrae in her spine. Coincidently, I encountered an individual who spent a part of each day crocheting baby blankets, which she would donate to various establishments in low-income areas, like day care centers and clinics. These individuals I have described are more of a superhero than those who brag about their accomplishments. AT A COMPANY I USED TO work at, there was a senior executive who made a point of always mentioning his latest donations to charities. I did not fault him for sending funds to a charitable organization; but honestly, based on his personality I was not sure if he was telling the truth. He was a big braggart who liked to dress in a flashy style. The twisted part about all of this is the fact he was fired for stealing. I never knew if he was stealing from the company to make his donations; but based on my impressions of him, I would not have put it past him. Another employee at the company was someone who I highly respected. They were a survivor from both mental and physical abuse. Their journey led them to the job they had so they could save money to go back to school and become a counselor for people who had suffered a comparable situation to what she had experienced. To me, she was a superhero. We became friendly because we had something in common. It is people like her, who on the outside look unassuming, but inside they make or plan to make a difference in other people’s lives. Though, it seems like it is harder to find superheroes amongst us these days, you might see one in this dramatic, action fantasy. THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT HIS NEIGHBOR that made Sam Clearly, played by Javon “Wanna” Walton (Euphoria-TV, Utopia-TV), think this man was a deceased superhero. There was only one way to find out. With Sylvester Stallone (The Expendables franchise, Daylight) as Joe, Pilou Asbaek (Ghost in the Shell, Game of Thrones-TV) as Cyrus, Dascha Polanco (In the Heights, Orange is the New Black-TV) as Tiffany Clearly and Sophia Tatum (F9: The Fast Sage, Riverdale-TV) as Sil; the fundamentals of this film were good, but they did not get freshened up to provide a better entertainment experience. I thought Sly did a particularly respectable job of acting. The script starts out trying to draw in the viewer; what gets me immediately is when a person is being picked on. However, the script rolled out in a predictable, generic way. Except for one plot twist, there was nothing else that was done in a new fresh way that could have surprised me. Despite these flaws, I was still able to pay attention for the most part due to the steady pace. If you have a couple of hours to kill and want something light to watch, then this movie can fit the bill. There were several violent, bloody scenes.
2 ½ stars
moviejoltz 