Flash Movie Review: Sing 2
I KEPT ENCOURAGING HER TO CONTINUE delving into designing jewelry. She really had an eye for creating unique earrings and necklaces. The problem was she did not have the confidence or the belief that she could actually do it and possibly do it for a living. The only person she designed for was herself, except for the occasional friend or relative celebrating a birthday. I made a point of commenting on the jewelry she was wearing anytime we got together; not because I felt I had to, but because her pieces were striking. She created interesting patterns using tiny colored beads and crystals. There was one pair of earrings where she had a series of hoops from small to large hanging together that had rows of beads on each one. When the beads were perfectly aligned, they would create an image; it could be of an animal, a human’s face or some object. The idea was when the person was moving their head the beads would separate a little, distorting the image; but when the person was still and the beads settled down, an image would appear. They were the coolest things, and I really thought my friend could do something with them. I suggested she could sign up for a couple of art fairs or see if there were any boutiques who would take her creations on consignment, but she was too afraid. BEING AFRAID WAS SOMETHING I WAS familiar with, so I understood where she was coming from with her fear of failure. I get it that no one wants to set themselves up for failure; but I also feel no one wants to look back at their life and wonder “What if…” My journey into the fitness world was not easy for me, since I had flunked PE twice in high school and tried avoiding all physical classes through the rest of my schooling. It wasn’t until I was with a friend at a small local aerobic class years after I graduated, where I got my first taste of how exercise could be fun. The class was held in a temple’s meeting room on a hard linoleum floor. The instructor/owner was this bubbly, friendly woman who encouraged each of us to simply do our best, not what we think our classmate thinks is best. She was a big influence on me because she was the first “teacher” I encountered in a fitness class who genuinely wanted to see me be happy with myself. It was an extraordinary experience for me. I think because of my experience with her, I enjoyed this sequel as much as I did the first one. HAVING ACHIEVED SOME LEVEL OF SUCCESS on the local level, theater owner Buster Moon, voiced by Matthew McConaughey (Killer Joe, The Beach Bum), has his sights set on the big city. But he soon finds out the only way he can put on a show is to get a musical icon who has not been seen in years. Buster may be putting more on the line than he thinks with this new show. With Reese Witherspoon (Wild, Water for Elephants) voicing Rosita, Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story, Black Widow) voicing Ash, Taron Egerton (Rocketman, Eddie the Eagle) voicing Johnny and relative newcomer Tori Kelly voicing Meena; I got swept into this film with all its musical numbers and fun animation. Though the script was not clearly defined in parts, I found the story to be both joyous and touching. Granted if you have seen the first film then there will be no surprises in this one, but it still was a charming, sweet picture. And for no other reason, the musical numbers were spot on. Conveying a wonderful message wrapped inside a colorful exciting palette, there is no need to be fearful in seeing this well-done sequel.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: All the Old Knives
OUT OF THE SEVERAL COUPLES I knew whose jobs were at the same company, they were an anomaly. They were a husband and wife who worked in the same office. If you did not know their last names you probably would not realize they were a couple; they always were professional in their positions. This was not the norm based on the other companies I had worked at where two employees were in a romantic relationship. I was at one workplace where one of the administrators was having an affair with one of the co-owners of the business. My co-workers and I always knew when the two had been together outside of the office. If they had had a good time, then they were always finding reasons to see each other throughout the day, communicating in what I would refer to as a “pseudo lovey-dovey” way, being so effusive with extra sweetness and politeness. If they had a “bad” time together, then they ignored each other the entire day. It got to the point where it was comical to see these two acting out in front of all the staff. The other aspect of this was the fact none of us ever wanted to disagree or cross the administrator, for fear she would say something to the co-owner. So, no matter whether she did something incorrectly or misinformed us, no one would contradict her. FROM MY VARIOUS JOB POSITIONS, I absolutely understood why some of the companies installed a no dating policy among employees. Honestly, I would have had a horrible time if I was dating a co-worker and we then wound up ending our relationship. How can one immediately switch gears from having a love relationship to a different one without having some separation time to heal and adjust to the new relationship? I know I could never do it; yet, I have witnessed couples who were in love one day and the next they suddenly are just friends. I need time to rewire my heart and mind to the new dynamic between us. In fact, I am proof that one can indeed become friends with their past significant others, because most of the people I have been in long term committed relationships with are still part of my life as a friend. However, with each one we had to separate ourselves for some time before we could come back as friends. Sure, it is not easy if the relationship ended on a sour note, but over time I believe it still can grow into some form of a friendship. If you are interested, see what happens with co-workers in this dramatic thriller. CALLED BACK TO DO AN INVESTIGATION of an operation that went wrong, a CIA agent must interrogate a former co-worker he was in love with when they were working together on the case. How objective would he be as they delved into their past? With Chris Pine (Star Trek franchise, Wonder Woman franchise) as Henry Pelham, Thandiwe Newton (Reminiscence, Westworld-TV) as Celia Harrison, Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix franchise, Mystic River) as Vick Wallinger, Jonathan Pryce (The Wife, The Two Popes) as Bill Compton and Ahd Kamel (Wadjda, Rattle the Cage) as Leila Maloof; this movie was more about the conversations than the actions. I thought Chris and Thandiwe were well suited for their roles and had a certain chemistry that worked between the two of them. I thought the idea behind the story was solid; however, I found this film dragged in parts. This might have been due to the jumping back and forth in time, though I thought several scenes could have been done in a more dramatic way that would have elevated the movie watching experience. Overall, this was a decent picture with a twist.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Everything Everywhere All at Once
I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE it; a father lifting a car. It was a news clip being shown on TV that I had seen decades ago; but it has always stayed with me. I was in elementary school when I saw this man racing over to the car that accidently ran over his son. He got up to the rear bumper on the passenger side, squatted down, grabbed the underside with both hands and strained as he tried to lift the car high enough to free his son’s leg. A woman, maybe the boy’s mother, came into view and grabbed the boy from underneath his arms. I swear I saw it with my own eyes; the car’s wheel barely rose, but it provided enough wiggle room for the woman to pull the young boy away. The whole scene amazed me as I focused on the man, to see if I could figure out his secret power on how he was able to lift an automobile off the ground. What did the man tap into that gave him superstrength, was he a weightlifter, did he have some special power; these were the things I was thinking about, hoping I could learn and gain such a superpower. THAT EPISODE WAS A HUGE CATALYST for my imagination to take off so I could reimagine myself in different roles. I would watch sporting events in a new light. Seeing the ice-skating competitions, I reimagined myself as a premier ice skater who could do a series of jumps, one after another after another without ever falling on the ice. Or I would now watch television game shows and see myself as a contestant who was getting all the right answers or moves. And the most important aspect of my new way of thinking was the ability to cope a little better with the bullying I started experiencing. After an episode of abuse, I would replay the event in my mind but with me being a superhero who could grab the perpetrator, spin him over my head then release him at high speed, so I could watch him sail over the trees, far away from me. Playing out this type of scenario had the ability to calm me down faster than any other method. If an incident took place during gym period, I would imagine different ways to attack the bully with the various sports equipment in the gymnasium or swimming pool. I know this may sound dark, but it was the only defense I had to help me get through these times; being able to tap into a different version of myself, just like some of the characters in this action, adventure comedy. HER LIVELIHOOD TEETERING ON BANKRUPTCY, HER husband unhappy and a demanding father was more than what Evelyn Wang, played by Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), thought she could handle. That was until she began to have visions of a different Evelyn. With Stephanie Hsu (The Path-TV, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel-TV) as Joy Wang, Ke Huy Quan (The Goonies, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) as Waymond Wang, James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China, R.I.P.D.) as Gong Gong and Jamie Lee Curtis (Knives Out, Halloween franchise) as Deirdre Beaubeirdra; for me, the saving grace of this film was Michelle and Jamie. If it wasn’t for them, I would have lost interest in the story that I did not find particularly funny or exciting. Michelle was terrific as she went through a variety of emotional versions of herself. I liked the idea of the story, but after a while it felt like the script was just repeating itself. Jamie was the funny one for me; she used a specific physical comedy I could not recall having seen before. If the script was trying to convey a satire or message, I did not receive it.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Kimi
THE COUPLE STANDING IN LINE AHEAD OF me was delaying me from getting to the bathroom. At the theater to see a musical, we were all lined up with our cell phones out that glowed with the images of our virtual tickets. The couple in front were having trouble getting their tickets to open on their phone. I understand the convenience and cost savings of virtual tickets; but I must tell you, I miss holding the physical ticket in my hand. No hassle, no worry of a technical glitch. I have a love/hate relationship with technology. When computers are working like they are supposed to, they are terrific; however, when they are not operating properly, they are a real pain. And do not get me started on how I can have a live face-to-face conversation with someone facing me and immediately ads start appearing on my social media sites based on something we said, it is freaky, eerie and annoying. I remember a friend of mine was using a phone app for driving directions and wound up getting lost due to the incorrect directions their app was telling him. Granted, he did not have a great sense of direction; but still, it was not like he had such a difficult route filled with dead zones his app could not access. THOUGH I DO UNDERSTAND THE REASONS there are passwords and two-factor authentications, I am so overwhelmed with the number of passwords I must remember to login into my accounts. I am at the point where I can no longer come up with creative passwords that I can still remember instead of the long random passwords some sites suggest to me. There are however some tech things I appreciate, for example my smart watch. If my watch detects a fall by me, it will ask me if I am okay or need to have it dial for help. It also keeps track of my heartrate which comes in handy when I am working out. The ultimate example of the negative aspects associated with current technology was seen in that documentary I recently reviewed about online dating. I was shocked with what took place in that movie. Hopefully you can see why I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I hear about all these scams taking place; in fact, just last week the news reported on an elderly person who was swindled out of nearly $200,000.00. It is awful to hear such things. I wonder what life will be like for me later in life; will I still be able to recognize something that looks or feels suspicious? Now, having seen this film, there is something new to think about when it comes to technology. HER JOB WAS TO LISTEN TO recorded conversations to fine tune the vocabulary of her company’s virtual assistant. One day she heard something she could not believe. With Zoe Kravitz (The Batman, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Angela Childs, Byron Bowers (Honey Boy, No Sudden Move) as Terry Hughes, Rita Wilson (Sleepless in Seattle, Runaway Bride) as Natalie Chowdhury, Erika Christensen (Flightplan, Traffic) as Samantha Gerrity and India de Beaufort (The Better Half, Run Fatboy Run) as Sharon; this dramatic, crime thriller was slow to start for me. However, it was due to Zoe’s performance that made me stay interested in this movie; she was so good playing an agoraphobic Seattle tech employee. Though there were a few scenes that did not ring true, being a distraction for me; I enjoyed the film more as the story progressed. Maybe the premise of the story was a bit far-fetched; but the acting and tense scenes made up for it. I also am still processing the whole listening in aspect for virtual assistants. Since you have not seen this picture yet, I will not say if my opinion of modern technology has changed or not.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Passing
I HAD A FAVORITE BOOKSTORE THAT I enjoyed hanging out in. There was something so inviting and comfortable about the place, with oversized upholstered chairs throughout and small nooks among its aisles. One day I saw on their message board they were hosting a book club meeting. The book listed sounded interesting to me, so I searched for it in the store. Luckily there was one copy I found and after reading the writeup of it, I decided to join the book club. There was plenty of time before we were to meet, and the fantasy book was a great read. The day arrived and I headed to the bookstore with my copy of the book nestled in my messenger bag. Once directed by a store employee on where we were meeting, I walked into an alcove in the back of the store; a circle of folding chairs surrounded a low, large coffee table. I counted the chairs as I made my way to an empty seat. A few other people were already seated, some looked like they knew each other. I nodded my head towards the general group and said “Hi” to no one in particular as I sat down. A store employee who was seated across from me offered me coffee or water that was set up on a table in the corner. I thanked her as I slid my bag under my seat. AS THE POSTED START TIME ARRIVED, the employee across from me stood up to introduce herself and thank all of us for coming. She was going to be the facilitator, starting out by asking us how we liked the book. Most attendees enjoyed the book, though there were a couple of people who disagreed. At one point we each were asked to express what we liked or disliked about the story. When it came to me, I expressed how I appreciated the author’s descriptive details of each character’s surroundings; I felt as if I was in the place with the character. The conversation turned at some point to a more in depth look at what the author was trying to say. Here is where I started to get lost because I rarely delve into the topic about what I think the author was trying to say. Who knows what they were saying? I listened to the people around me talk about all these detailed musings of projecting, mirroring, being an allegory and so on to the point where I felt I did not belong. I read for enjoyment, not to figure out hidden meanings in the author’s words. Knowing how I felt, I can not imagine what one of the main characters in this dramatic film was feeling while trying to fit in. AFTER GETTING OVER THE SHOCK OF seeing her old dear friend after so many years, a reserved New York City woman now must deal with the fact that her friend is pretending to be a white person. With Tessa Thompson (Creed franchise, Thor: Ragnarok) as Irene, Ruth Negga (Loving, Preacher-TV) as Clare, Andre Holland (Moonlight, A Wrinkle in Time) as Brian, Bill Camp (12 Years a Slave, Joker) as Hugh and Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Savages, The Taking of Pelham 123) as Dave; this sincere, emotional movie filmed in black and white was beautiful to watch. I thought the acting was excellent, the sets, soundtrack and costumes were perfect. Overall, this picture comes across like a “slice of life,” a look at the daily lives of individuals. I appreciated the direction, where enough time was given to each character as the viewer watched their growth. The idea of the story is a fascinating one and the production of it comes through clearly. This is the type of film where I label it as a story for adults to appreciate.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Morbius
I HAVE BEEN TOLD I HAVE a suspicious nature and to tell you the truth, I do not totally disagree with it. When I meet someone for the first time, I am polite and cordial as we exchange questions and comments; however, there is a part of me that is assessing the person, both in what they say and their mannerisms. I remember a company I worked for where on my first day, this employee came up and introduced himself to me. He asked me some benign questions at first, but then there seemed to be a couple of questions thrown in that were a little more personal. I answered them despite being wary of his purpose for such questions. As the weeks went by, we wound up having a decent work relationship. However, I still had my radar out trying to figure him out. I was always careful to maintain a professional attitude while settling into my place within the company. It was not too long before I started seeing some of this employee’s actions in an unfavorable light. He would leave early some days, others come in late; it seemed as if he was creating his own schedule. There were even some days where he just did not show up. For the fact he was in upper management, I did not question his actions; I just was getting a bad feeling about his motives. As it turned out, he was transitioning to a competitor and taking trade secrets with him. I was right to keep my distance because those employees who were closer to him had to be interviewed by upper management which led to this employee being terminated. MY RADAR HAS SERVED ME WELL in life. A friend of mine was dating a man I did not trust. There was something about him that set off my radar. Maybe it was the way he bragged about his personal possessions or his inflated ego; I just knew something was off about him. All of us would get together for dinner or a movie and each time around him my guard was up. Because I had such a close relationship with my friend, I shared my concerns with her; not in a confrontational way but expressing how I felt around him. She appreciated it but I do not know if it made a difference in how she felt about this guy. As it turned out several months later, he asked to borrow some money from her. Once she was satisfied with the answers she got to her questions, she lent him the funds. I was surprised but could not say anything, nor did I have to because she never heard from him again. There are some people you get a vibe from that you cannot trust them. This is how I felt about the main character in this action horror movie. AFTER EXPERIMENTING ON HIMSELF with a new treatment for his disease, a biochemist develops a side effect that could be lethal, but to who? With Jared Leto (House of Gucci, Suicide Squad) as Dr. Michael Morbius, Matt Smith (Last Night in Soho, The Forgiven) as Milo, Adria Arjona (Life of the Party, Pacific Rim: Uprising) as Martine Bancroft, Jared Harris (Poltergeist, The Crown-TV) as Dr. Emil Nicholas and Tyrese Gibson (Fast & Furious franchise, Black and Blue) as Agent Simon Stroud; this adventure movie was a confusing mess to me. I could not tell if the character Morbius was a good or bad character, which led me to a level of boredom. The special effects were poorly done, and the fight scenes were hyper fast with intermittent slow-motion movement, in other words not appealing or exciting. Any attempts at humor fell flat in the poorly constructed script. Throughout the picture, I never made a connection to any of the characters. Maybe it was due to the acting which was only adequate; but I was bored through most of the film. Sadly, the movie studio must be hoping for a sequel because there were 2 extra scenes during the credits.
1 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Oslo
HOW I WISHED I COULD HAVE been a fly on the wall during their conversation. We had plans in place a few months ago, for all of us to get together at a relative’s house. The matriarch had agreed that we should test for COVID before coming over. I was a guest, so I was going with the flow believing it was a good idea. All was set; we tested and were on our way when we got a call from a relative. It turns out the person’s house we were going to refused to test and started a fight with the guests who arrived first. Even if I had not been forewarned, I would have known something was up because the tension in the room was as thick as foam insulation. Plus, several guests had red eyes which told me there had been tears flowing. Not to bore you with all the details, the most startling aspect of this entire event was how the matriarch sided with the person who refused to test. The thing that annoyed me was how the matriarch, when asked, said she never said she thought testing was a good idea. In fact, she was simply parroting whatever the non-tester was saying to us. There is one thing that I feel is extremely precious for each human being and that is their word. How this elderly woman could go back on what she said was something I found appalling. As I said earlier, I wished I could have been a fly on the wall to see how this relative convinced the matriarch to change her mind about testing. ON A SCALE OF THINGS, I wish I could have been privy to, this incident is far down the list. There are so many places I wish I could have seen or heard that I do not even know where to begin. For example, I would have been fascinated to have heard what was said at the meeting between Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill at their 1943 meeting in Tehran. I think it would have been beyond fascinating to see these three world leaders talking amongst themselves. Another place that I wish I could have seen and heard is the courtrooms where the woman’s right to vote was argued. Imagine what it must have been like to listen to the individuals who argued against the passing of the law; currently they would be ripped apart in the media. Or just recently the Olympic Games where the Russian female skater tested positive for a banned substance; I would have been so interested to hear the arguments on whether to let her skate or not. Hearing the backstory to famous events always piques my curiosity and this film based on a true story hit a bullseye with me. BELIEVING THEY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE, a Norwegian couple go outside government boundaries to get two adversaries to talk to each other. Their idea could create a big change for the world. With Ruth Wilson (Saving Mr. Banks, Dark River) as Mona Juul, Andrew Scott (Pride, Victor Frankenstein) as Terje Rod-Larsen, Karel Dobry (A Knight’s Tale, Child 44) as Johan Jorgen Hoist, Tobias Zilliacus (The Hypnotist, Hospital-Daughter’s Mother) as Jan Egeland and Itzik Cohen (A Matter of Size, Fauda-TV) as Yossi Beilin; this movie based on a true story was a combination of being dramatic, thrilling and historical. I was fortunate to see the play this film was based on and loved it. This movie does a good job of sticking to the same storyline, but I felt there were a few scenes less engaging. However, the sets and dialog kept me zoned into the story. It is an incredible story that very few knew about back in the 1990s regarding the Palestinians and Israelis. There is little action in the traditional sense; so, if one is not a fan of history, they may not get as much enjoyment as I did watching this picture about an incredible event, made more incredible with the added layers of the story that have come to light.
3 stars
Flash Movie Trailer: Antlers
GROWING UP, I HAD A FRIEND who was embarrassed of her father. Without knowing his age, all of us felt he was the oldest out of any of our dads. Not that it was a big deal to any of us, but to her she felt uncomfortable by it. He did not participate in any of the school functions that involved any physical activity. I do not think that was an issue for my friend because I knew what bothered her the most about her dad; he spoke with a heavy accent. Being the oldest of his siblings, he tried taking care of them in their war-torn country after their parents were killed. Some of the siblings did not make it out when he was planning for all of them to immigrate to the United States. Out of all the fathers I knew, he was the only one with an accent. It did not bother me at all; I thought he was a sweet, quiet man who despite the circumstances dealt to him and his family, he did a wonderful job of providing for his children. They owned the apartment building they lived in, and the dad had other real estate holdings, so there was some sense of security for all of them. I can say as we all grew older my friend learned more about her family history, which instilled in her a strong sense of pride for her father. SHE WAS NOT THE ONLY FRIEND I had who was embarrassed of their parents. There was the friend whose mother enjoyed participating in school functions. However, she would always come dressed inappropriately. Added to that was her over the top, loud personality. Many of the other parents tried to avoid her. Either she was oblivious or just did not care, because she never wavered in her choices of clothes and level of outrageous loud bantering. My friend would try to steer us in a different direction to avoid her mother anytime she showed up at our school. I remember one time at a school carnival, I spotted her manning the ball toss booth. From my spot away from her, I could see what she was wearing had to be upsetting some school officials. And sure enough, as I was walking towards her to say hello, our principal walked up to her and said she would have to cover herself up. I do not know if she expected it or not, but she bent over and took a sweater out of her bag. The principal told her to keep it buttoned up or she would have to leave the school. I never mentioned this to my friend. I am sure many of us at one time or another found something our parents were doing that was embarrassing; however, I do not think it was on the scope of what the young boy was experiencing in this dramatic, horror mystery. WHEN MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER JULIA MEADOWS, played by Keri Russell (Dark Skies, Free State of Jones), notices one of her students withdrawing more and more from the classroom lessons, she takes it upon herself to find out what is going on. However, she does not understand there is a reason why her student doesn’t want her to get involved. With Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog, The Irishman) as Paul Meadows, relative newcomer Jeremy T. Thomas as Lucas Weaver, Graham Greene (Wind River, Dances with Wolves) as Warren Stokes and Scott Haze (Venom, Child of God) as Frank Weaver; I found this film played out more like a suspense story than horror. However, there were a few gory scenes with blood. There is something about Keri that I always find believable, and in this story, she was quite good. Add in Jesse and I did not mind the slower pace because the 2 actors were excellent together. The buildup of tense suspense was well done, and I feel it helped as two story lines were vying back and forth. Compared to other movies in this genre, this one is not the greatest; but it still entertained me. There was nothing here that the writers and director would find embarrassing.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Lost City
I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE AND I will say it again, you really get to know a person when you travel with them. Not the daily routines of eating and bathing per se; I am referring more to the person’s emotions and reactions to different events. I remember visiting a friend who had recently moved out of state. He took me on a drive around the city before parking the car to begin a walking tour. We walked around, had lunch and explored a couple of bookstores before it was time to head back to his place. Because he was driving, I did not pay close attention to where we parked. It turned out, he did not have the best sense of direction and could not remember where he had parked the car. I followed him as we walked down one street after another in search of his vehicle. For the most part, I was okay and not too stressed by this unexpected event. However, after walking the streets multiply times, I lost it and burst out with a fit of anger. I knew it was not the best option, but I was tired and hungry. We sat a moment and I asked him what the first place was we went to after he had parked the car. It was a monument of George Washington, so I asked him to retrace our steps from the monument. Standing up, he took the lead as I hoped we were heading finally in the right direction to retrieve the car. When one of the streets we turned on looked familiar to me, both of us were able to follow our previous path back to the car. WHAT MY FRIEND DISCOVERED ABOUT ME, is the fact that I can go for a certain period of time feeling annoyed before I break and unleash a volley of anger. I am not saying this is the right thing to do; it is what I used to do to help release the built-up negativity inside of me. Let me show you a different experience on a trip. A friend and I took a trip together out of state. We had a gameplan of things we wanted to see and do. One of our excursions was to visit a palace. Compared to other palaces, this one was not elaborate or regal by any means; in fact, it was somewhat small for a palace. As we walked through with our tour group, we were informed that this palace was the first royal palace in the world to get electricity. We looked at each with a look of elated shock on our faces, like two little kids discovering a secret. I very much enjoy learning obscure or not well-known facts/tidbits about different things. Hearing the electricity story fit right into my interest in architecture. The two of us felt like explorers. I had no idea my friend would find interest in this area; but it became something that further cemented the bond between us. If you are interested to see another type of example, feel free to watch what happens to the main characters in this action, adventure comedy. UPON DISCOVERING THE AUTHOR TO THE books that he is the dashing adventurer cover model for, there was only one thing Alan, played by Channing Tatum (Logan Lucky, Magic Mike franchise), knew he had to do. He had to rescue her; if for nothing else, to keep his modeling career going. With Sandra Bullock (Our Brand is Crisis, The Heat) as Loretta, Daniel Radcliffe (Escape from Pretoria, Swiss Army Man) as Abigail Fairfax, Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Office Christmas Party, The Last Shift) as Beth Hatten and Brad Pitt (The Big Short, 12 Monkeys) as Jack Trainer; this film’s story harkened back to the times of the Romancing the Stone film era. The chemistry between Sandra and Channing took some time to gel, but eventually it did. I will say Brad Pitt was a viewing highlight playing such a fun character. Plus, it was the one surprise I found in the script that was predictable. However, I still enjoyed watching the movie because the cast was focused and committed to their sometimes outlandish characters. This was an easy and fun movie to sit back and enjoy.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Tinder Swindler
THE STORY HAD MAGICIAL ASPECTS THE more I listened to it. A friend of mine had met someone on one of her social media sites. They started a conversation that went back and forth in an easy, rhythmic way for a short time, before they advanced to video chats. When both were comfortable, they agreed to meet at a popular park in the city. They wound up from walking around the park to sitting on a park bench for a total of 4 hours; never was there a lull in their conversation. The way she described it was saying he showed her the part of his heart that had been healing from a past hurt. She added that he was a sensitive man who teared up when they were talking about their pets, and he spoke about the pain he suffered when he had to put down one of his cats. Evidently, the four hours flew by, and they agreed to go out on a longer date for a meal. A week later they met for dinner then afterwards, walked down to a coffee shop where they sat and talked for two hours more. As I was listening to her tell it, it did cross my mind that all of it was too good to be true. I felt I needed to play the devil’s advocate to make sure she was not missing something about him. It turned out things just got better and better for the two of them, to the point where they decided to get married. I WAS SO HAPPY FOR MY friend and that everything fell into place for her with this man she met online. This was in such sharp contrast to another friend of mine who has had no success meeting people online. Every time we get together, she always has a new story about one of her online dates. There was the one guy who was too eager to date, texting her everyday with little “inspirational” messages and quotes. Then there was this fellow who never mentioned having any friends, along with having no outside interests from his day job as some type of buyer for a company. She always carries pepper spray on her and once, she almost had to use it on a guy she had met who got aggressive with her on their 2nd date. I know how difficult it can be trying to meet someone online; one needs to go through a lot of choices before finding one that clicks and moves in synch with you. If you want to see what I am talking about then feel free to watch what happens to the women in this unbelievable documentary, when they thought they had found the perfect man. WITH ONE SWIPE A PERSON’S LIFE can change drastically when on a dating app. Directed by 1st time director Felicity Morris, I could not look away from this film that at times played out like a crime thriller. The story was so outrageous that there were moments I thought this could not be real, yet it kept on going. I was not sure how authentic all the re-enactments were, but it did not matter to me. However, the way the scenes tightly unfolded added believability to what was taking place. Also, I enjoyed the way the director built up the story; it took me from one emotional extreme to another. I felt the story would be relatable to anyone who watched it. Maybe not on the same level, but everyone has their level of trust. It is funny; when I asked people who had seen this film what they thought, they were divided into two camps. One group sided with one side and the other group felt it was the other side. I will leave it up to you. This movie can be watched by anyone, but especially those who have used dating sites.
3 ½ stars
moviejoltz 