Blog Archives
Flash Movie Review: The Crow
ACTS OF LOVE CAN BE EXPRESSED in many ways, from diamonds to kidneys. Yes, I said kidneys. A friend’s father had issues with his kidneys and needed a transplant. My friend immediately offered one of his if it would be a match. Gratefully, they were, and the operation was done soon after. My friend never hesitated; he and his dad were always close and now this act made them even closer. It was a selfless, loving act, and I am happy to report that the two of them are perfectly fine and healthy today. Another act of love I witnessed was our friend’s girlfriend nurse him back from the brink of death. He contracted a virus that brought on a cornucopia of issues where his body was shutting down. For weeks he was in intensive care and his girlfriend never left his side. Since she had a medical background, she checked everything the nurses and doctors were doing for him, from tests to administering drugs. One doctor was supposed to perform a vital test on a certain day that would lead the medical staff in the right direction toward treatment. This doctor came to see my friend when the girlfriend was in the hospital cafeteria eating lunch. When she returned and asked her boyfriend if the doctor showed up and performed the procedure, my friend told her he showed up but did not do the test. She immediately hunted him down in the hospital and let me just say, “read him the riot act.” The doctor returned that afternoon and performed the test on my friend. BESIDES WITNESSING ACTS OF LOVE BETWEEN humans, I have seen acts between humans and animals. To me, they are just as valid. I was on vacation, staying at an inn where the owners made a breakfast buffet each morning for the guests. While I was seated at a table sampling the baked goods, an obvious senior dog slowly came into the dining room. The dog had a limp as it walked, which was a good thing because it bumped into the leg of a chair that a recently departed guest had not pushed all the way back into the table. Keeping a watch on the dog, I quickly realized it must be blind by the way it was brushing into things around the buffet table. When the owners appeared and made their round of greetings to each occupied table of guests, when they came up to me, I asked the age of their dog. He was thirteen years old, and they confirmed he was blind and arthritic. We started talking about pets and they shared they had to carry him on stairs and serve him soft food because he was missing some teeth. It was obvious to me how much they loved him; when they were describing the things they did for him, I did not detect any negative feelings from them. They simply loved their pet and would take care of him all the way to the end of his life. What loving dog owners. These acts of love and witnessing them are part of the reason I felt I would bond with the story in this fantasy, action horror romance. AFTER BEING BRUTALLY MURDERED ALONGSIDE HIS girlfriend in a home invasion Eric, played by Bill Skarsgard (It franchise, Nosferatru), finds himself being alive in another world. The love he had for his girlfriend prevented him from completely dying, giving him the chance to get revenge on all those who murdered the two of them. With FKA twigs (Honey Boy, Brighton Beach) as Shelly, Danny Huston (The Dead Don’t Hurt, Ride Above) as Vincent Roeg, Josette Simon (The Witches, Tell that to the Winter Sea) as Sophia, and Laura Birn (Void, A Walk Among the Tombstones) as Marion; this supernatural crime film had potential. The chemistry between Bill and FKA twigs seemed authentic and though it took a while to pick up, their love story was interesting despite being quick in nature. Sadly, the script and directing did not create a solid story. The pacing was odd, going from fast action to soft loving reminiscences to supernatural scenes. I found parts of the movie went slowly and never felt deep emotions except for Bill’s character. Also, maybe it was a false expectation on my part, but I thought there would be more back story to Bill’s character, both the inmate and superhero sides. It made me question how he suddenly became this tough fighter, for example. Ultimately, I was bored through most of the time and wished I could have at least liked it. There were several scenes filled with blood and violence.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Ballerina
I WAS NOT GOING TO LISTEN to him badmouthing my friend any longer. The two of us had been friends for several years and though I knew him to be quick to judge others, I did not let that be a reason for not being friends. However, when his focus landed on another friend of mine, I could see the change in him. Though these two friends were from different circles of my friendships, there were a few occasions where they would find themselves at the same place/event, like a charity ball or concert. I do not think I am alone when I say I have different circles of friends because everyone’s personality does not always blend. There are friends from book club, the health club, the office, and from childhood. My friends from the health club enjoy physical activities like hiking or walking. The book club folks enjoy movies and discuss current events over a meal. It is not like I keep them pigeonholed into one category, but I know them well enough to know what they like and dislike. So, when my friend was making negative comments about my other friend, I told him I did not appreciate it. I explained I would do the same thing if someone was saying “bad” stuff about him. He was welcome to his opinion, but I was not experiencing the things he was saying regarding my other friend. My feelings are, if you do not want to be around someone then do not agree to join in. However, do not come and let your attitude disrupt everyone; we are all adults. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I FOUND MYSELF in a similar situation, where I disliked a friend’s boyfriend. I thought the boyfriend was a user, taking advantage of my friend. I desperately wanted to tell her what I thought, but I was also aware of how happy she was with him. Maybe my impressions were wrong, I was not around them enough to get a better idea; but I was going to be there to support my friend. She was an adult and could take care of herself without me telling her what I thought, or what she should do. Trust me, if I saw something that indicated she was in a tough situation, I would absolutely tell her. I used to work with a woman who would have bruises, though she tried covering them up with makeup. I would talk and listen to her, making suggestions and offering advice on what she could do to seek help and get out of her situation. It took some time, but gratefully she found the strength to leave her boyfriend. She was more than a fellow employee, she was a friend and that is what friends do for each other; they watch out for each other. There is an unbelievable example of what a friend would do for their friend in this action thriller. FINDING A NOTE AFTER HER FRIEND’S premature death, her best friend sets out to fulfill her deceased friend’s request. She will find the person responsible and make them pay. With Jeon Long-seo (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, Nothing Serious) as Okju, Kim Ji-hoon (The Age of Blood, Rich Family’s Son) as Choi Pro, Park Yu-rim (Drive My Car, Miraculous Brothers-TV) as Min-hee, Kim Mu-yeol (Space Sweepers, Forgotten) as Chief Jo, and Jang Yoon-ju (Veteran, Three Sisters) as Mun-yeong; this revenge film’s strength was in the fight scenes. They were well executed and intense. I enjoyed the story line and having a female in the lead role; however, the script did not provide anything new to this genre. There were many scenes with blood and intense violence, in a down and dirty visual way. My interest in seeing strong female leads in this type of movie was the only reason I continued to watch it. Plus, there is the added factor of the big guy vs the little one aspect. But for nothing else, I have to say the lead character would make someone a mighty best friend. Korean spoken with English subtitles.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Officer Black Belt
BESIDES WANTING TO BE A TOUR guide, dancer, and a window washer when I was a little boy, I also wanted to be a ninja. I remember the first time I saw Brue Lee as Kato in the Green Hornet, with his quick moves and high kicks; I was mesmerized. By the time his movie, Fist of Fury, came out, I was convinced if I learned his moves a/k/a martial arts, I would no longer have to be afraid of anyone. A period of time took place where I was constantly seeing martial arts moves in television shows and films. I became obsessed with those metal star weapons that both villains and heroes would throw during fight scenes. The points were razor sharp and would lodge into anything from flesh to walls. One of my comic books had an advertisement in back for a martial arts handbook; I sent away for it. When the book arrived, I would hole up in my bedroom and study the various poses and moves over and over. My problem was I never knew if I was getting good because I did not have someone to practice with. I could kick a pillow across the room, but there were times I would lose my balance and fall on top of my bed. I needed to find an actual class. ONE SUMMER VACATION FROM SCHOOL, OUR community center offered a martial arts class. I was so excited and pleaded to be signed up for it. On the day of the first class there were fourteen of us signed up. I guess I was not the only one with the idea of becoming a ninja. We spent the entire class learning how to tumble and fall; I hated it. Though the mats we practiced on were cushy and thick, I still did not like the feeling of falling. I was always hesitant with my movements. Eventually, I got good enough to the point where I was not being corrected all the time by the instructor. It was after our third lesson that we saw demonstrations of trips and stances. One boy in our class thought he was better than the rest of us. He would walk up and surprise the less agile or weak students with a foot trip or headlock. I thought he was just a mean bully. No one wanted to tattle on him for fear he would do something worse to them. He was the opposite of why I wanted to take martial arts class. I did not want to use it to show off or tease anyone. I was thinking more on the lines like the main character in this action, comedy crime film. ALWAYS ONE TO HELP SOMEONE IN need, a young martial artist decides to enlist to become a martial arts officer, to help fight crime. He soon discovers it will take more than his fists to help a victim. With Kim Woo-bin (Master, Our Blues-TV) as Lee Jung-do, Ren Hanami (Goodbye Earth-TV, Queen of Tears-TV) as Yu-Jin in the English version, Kim Seong-gyoon (The Neighbors, Target) as Kim Seon-min, and Lee Hae-young (The Matchmakers-TV, Kill Boksoon) as Lee Sang-woo; I liked the idea of the story but felt the script was poorly written. The fact the story took the viewers to a deep dark side of crime on the streets, I thought the element of humor was not a good fit. Kim Woo-bin had the stance, looks and capabilities for the role, but the script predominantly kept his character on one level. The fight scenes were exciting and well-choregraphed, and several scenes had blood and violence. Overall, the story followed a generic template, not offering anything new for the viewer. Because this was a Korean made film, I wonder if the goal was to try and emulate a Hollywood blockbuster. Sadly, it never hit its mark. Korean was spoken with English subtitles; I saw the English version.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Jackpot!
I DECIDED TO GO FOR TWO reasons. First, friends of mine were going and second, I had dealings with the company that was sponsoring the event. If you asked for a third reason, I would say because I wanted to experience being at an amusement park and not having to wait in long lines. A company in the city was hosting a night out at a local amusement park. Local meaning an hour drive away from me. The park was to close early so that only guests with tickets purchased through the company would be allowed in; plus, there was to be a guest list at the front gates for the employees to check everyone in. The event was a benefit with part of the proceeds going to the amusement park and the company. My friends and I decided to ride together. As we neared the park, we saw the visible rides already had their nighttime lighting turned on. After we found a parking spot, we made our way to the front gates. Gratefully, the lines were shorter than usual, and the checking-in process went smoothly. While waiting in line my friends and I each met other friends. Once inside the park we decided to hit the big rides first before more people arrived. Along with the unlimited riding times, there were supposed to be stages set up for entertainment. WE ARRIVED AT THE MOST FAMOUS roller coaster in the park; I was going to wait for my friends at the ride’s exit since I no longer go on roller coasters. I found a bench to sit down on and waited for them, all the while checking the few glimpses, I had of the speeding coaster when it came by me. It was not too long before I saw them whiz by with their hands in the air like madmen. Soon, I saw them walking out through the exit, laughing with their tousled hair and big smiles. Of course, they had to tell me what I missed but I did not mind at all. One friend asked if we could stop somewhere for a soda, so we went looking for a food stand. The first one we came up to was closed, but I spotted a bigger one just down the way. As we walked up, my friend asked the worker behind the counter for a cola. The woman apologized and said the place was closed; she was just cleaning it for the next day. Onward we walked, but every place we saw was closed. We also noticed not every ride was open. As for the entertainment, they were DJ’s. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but the advertisements made it sound like there would be something more. Each of us was disappointed. I felt the same way about this comedy, action film. LANDING IN LA TO RESTART HER acting career, Katie Kim, played by Awkwafina (Quiz Lady, The Farewell) mistakenly got a winning lottery ticket. Unbeknownst to her, to claim the prize money she would have to stay alive while every citizen was out hunting to kill her. With John Cena (Freelance, Ricky Stanicky) as Noel, Simu Liu (Barbie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Louis Lewis, Seann William Scott (Bloodline, American Pie franchise) as the rugged man and Murray Hill (Frankly a Mess, Somebody Somewhere-TV) as Johnny Grand; this movie was saved by John Cena and Awkwafina. Even though the two were playing similar roles to ones in their past, there was a certain improv feeling to the scenes. Not all the jokes landed but the quick quips and banter were amusing. The script, however, was for the most part a series of action scenes like a video game. I did not care for the pacing and would rather have had more spacing between the scenes to let the story breathe. Also, the story was predictable. Set your expectations low and you will not have to worry about being disappointed. There were outtake scenes during the ending credits.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Back to Black
IF I AM DOING SOMETHING STUPID, I want a friend or family member to tell me. I am not so conceited that I think every action I do is the perfect response to the situation. If you do not believe me, just see how I always pick the checkout line that takes the longest. But seriously, I hope the decisions I make are sound ones that make sense; I hesitate to use the word “right” because I believe many situations can conclude with various answers, except mathematics. I park in a secure parking lot, where we are supposed to stop after entering and wait for the garage door to close, to prevent any unauthorized individual who does not belong in the building from entering in. I cannot tell you how many people continue driving before the door even begins to close. Now if I oversaw the property, I would send a notice to each person who is not following the rules for parking and let them know they may have to forfeit their parking space if they continue leaving before the garage door is closed. Since I am not part of management, I am not going to do such a thing, but I continue stopping to wait for the door to close whether I am coming or going. Plus, friends of mine told me not to confront anyone on my own because it is not my place; just set an example by following the rules. JUST AS I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE to let me know if my decisions are not the best, I have no problem telling someone that what they are planning to do may not be a good idea. A was out with a friend for dinner who spotted a former boss we had when we worked at the same company. He had a rough time in his dealings with the boss, so he wanted to go up and tell him exactly how he felt about him. With the man sitting at a table of six people, I told my friend though it might feel good for a moment, he would look like a crazy person confronting our boss in the middle of a restaurant, better to forget about it. I did not disagree with my friend’s assessment of our boss, but I did not think this would be the place to air one’s grievances or say something nasty that could have gotten my friend kicked out of the restaurant. I am all for expressing feelings/opinions in a constructive way. It is such a shame no one could do that for the musical artist in this biographical drama. FROM ADOLESCENCE TO THE CREATION OF her Grammy winning album, this movie will take you on her journey. With Marisa Abela (Rogue Agent, Industry-TV) as Amy, Eddie Marsan (Fair Play, Happy-Go-Lucky) as Mitch, Jack O’Connell (Unbroken, Tulip Fever) as Blake, Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Let Him Go) as Cynthia and Juliet Cowan (Falling into Place, The Power-TV) as Janis; I was impressed with Marisa’s acting and singing in this film. I had no idea it was her until I saw her listed as the performer in the song credits. The cast was a perfect mix for the story, but the script was so underdeveloped that it whitewashed the drama and intensity out of it. My favorite scenes were the musical ones. And one of the re-creations done in this picture, I remember seeing on television and thought the directing of this scene was well done. Another issue I had with this picture was the fact there was no variation of drama/intensity, which left scenes with a more generic flavor to them. Unfortunately, if one wants to get a better idea of who Amy Winehouse was then I would recommend watching the documentary instead.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Atlas
ON A FINANCIAL STATEMENT, I NOTICED for the first time a deduction was taken for “other tax.” I had never seen this before and had no idea what it could be. I found a customer service phone number on the statement and called to find out. After a couple of rings, an automated message came on the line thanking me for the call. Thanking me?!?! I would have preferred there to have been an explanation on the form so I would not have had to make the phone call. The voice next began listing possible reasons for my call, such as if I needed to check on my account balances, dial extension 1102 or to open a new account dial extension 1150. I sat and listened to nine different options before the voice asked me to say in a few words the reason for my call. When I said, “questioning other tax deduction on statement,” the voice asked if I needed a replacement ATM card. I said no and the voice asked me to repeat my request. After trying again and getting the same response, I said “help” into the phone receiver. The voice tried asking something else, but I talked over it and repeated my request for help. Before connecting me to a customer relations representative, the voice said, it needed to ask me a couple of questions about my account so it could connect me to the correct party. I provided the information and was put on hold. A COUPLE OF MINUTES PASSED BEFORE a different voice came on the line and asked how they could help me. At first, I was not sure if it was a human or an AI generated voice asking me; however, after a couple of interactions I realized it was not human. It also did not comprehend my request. We went back and forth with a few exchanges where they would reply with an incorrect response until, I became so frustrated I blurted out, “customer service.” Of course, the artificial voice had to confirm that I wanted to speak to customer service, which I sternly replied, “Yes.” So once again, I was put back on hold but instead of hearing a list of options I had non-descript music playing in my ear. By now, I had been on this call for nearly 15 minutes and my frustration level mixed with anger was rising. Finally, the music stopped, and an actual person was on the line. Hallelujah! Though she had to go through her list of security questions to confirm my identity, she was able to answer my question about the other tax deduction on my financial statement. I thanked her and quickly ended the call. Why couldn’t I have just started out with her instead of all the automated messages and the artificial intelligence exchanges. You can now understand why I felt the same way about AI as the main character in this dramatic, action adventure, science fiction film. A BRILLIANT DATA ANALYST WHO HAS a deep mistrust for AI joins a mission to neutralize a rogue robot who is threatening humankind. The only way she can help is to embrace AI. With Jennifer Lopez (Shotgun Wedding, Marry Me) as Atlas Shepherd, Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, One True Loves) as Harlan Shepherd, Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction, This is Us-TV) as Colonel Elias Banks, Mark Strong (The Critic, Shazam! Franchise) as Gen. Jake Boothe and Abraham Popoola (Cruella, The Marvels) as Casca Decius; this was all about Jennifer struggling and screaming through most of the film. The script was generic and did not offer much character development, besides the direction being poorly done. I also thought the special effects were rudimentary, nothing spectacular. Through most of this picture, I thought I was seeing bits and pieces of previous other films from this genre; the whole production was not very original. It was a shame because, as I have said before, Jennifer has a strong believable screen presence which with the right combination of script and direction would have made this movie a better viewing experience. Instead, I found myself being almost as frustrated as I was with my recent experience with AI.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Watchers
SHE WAS TRYING TO CONVINCE ME that I would not even taste the vegetable, but I was not convinced. In the past, I have mentioned I am a texture and visual eater. Certain food textures, like aspic, can make me gag. Something like sauerkraut is a double whammy; I do not like the texture or how it looks, let alone the taste. I was seated at my friend’s dinner party when she came out with this casserole dish and proceeded to tell me about the ingredients, I would not notice in the side dish. I did not want to come across as being rude, since they made a point of announcing this in front of all the seated guests around the dining room table. When the serving plate was passed to me, I took the tiniest of helpings; no reason to let food go to waste when I was sure there were others who might enjoy it. Once all the food was placed on the table and the hosts were seated, we began to eat. When I finally took a bite of the vegetable casserole on my plate, I immediately did not like the taste of it. I could taste the disliked ingredient, but that was secondary to the all-around bad taste I was experiencing. There was such an odd blend of tastes; I could not figure out if it was due to the spices or the ingredients, because there were so many textures going on. The bottom line: it was nasty. I LOVED MY FRIEND, AND DO not get me wrong; I was appreciative of her dinner invitation. Having known her and her family for years, I understood her cooking was not something I cared for. It made sense to me because I thought her mother was an awful cook and baker. It was not a surprise for the mother to serve a cake for dessert that was rubbery with no flavor. One holiday, she came out with a turkey that was undercooked; it got to the point where I had to be extra cautious on what foods I would eat at their house. So, my friend not being a good cook was not a shock to me. It was never a big deal; I am aware that some people think some foods taste good, while others do not. With this in mind, I always know what to expect and from time to time I will eat something of hers that will surprise me because it was not too bad. It may not have been great, but it was easily edible. I had a similar mindset when I decided to see this film because I have not been a fan of the director’s father for a long time. GETTING STUCK IN A FOREST, A young artist finds herself trapped alongside three mysterious strangers in a structure that looks like a glass enclosed cage. There was a reason for it. With Dakota Fanning (The Secret Life of Bees, Man on Fire) as Mina, Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, Suspicion-TV) as Ciara, Olwen Fouere (The Northman, The Survivalist) as Madeline, relative newcomer Oliver Finnegan as Daniel and Alistair Brammer (Les Miserables, A Call to Spy) as John; this fantasy, horror mystery written and directed by Ishana Shyamalan had a wonderful look and soundtrack to the film’s story. The cast was good, and things started out interestingly enough, but after a while I felt the script fell into a rut, leaving me bored. It seemed as if this picture could have been her father’s film, where interesting vignettes were shown and then they either did not go anywhere relevant to the story or made no sense. As the story was closing in on the end, I felt nothing was working in this picture which left me disappointed and confused. There may be promise for this director/writer, but based on this first outing, things are not looking up. I may wind up with the same mindset going to see her future films; not expecting much but knowing I will somehow make it through to the end of the movie.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Garfield Movie
WE ALL MET IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, some as far back as kindergarten. All through school we remained friends and continued so into high school, despite drifting off into our different comfort zones. Though I rarely saw them through high school and not at all during my college years, I was always fond of them. One of those friends taught me how to cut crepe paper with scissors. It was because I was the only lefthanded student in my kindergarten class. When the teacher was teaching us, I could not hold the scissors like the rest of the kids sitting at my table. She was sitting next to me and carefully showed me how to use the scissors a separate way where I could then cut the paper. This is how we met and remained friends; she was always one of the sweetest girls in school; I never forgot her act of kindness, even after all these decades. Another friend had an Irish Wolfhound dog that was huge. The dog could nearly look at you at eye level, he was that tall. All of us were excited when our friend told us her dog was going to be in a dog food commercial. Being so big, he was a fast runner, just like his owner, my friend. I always believed my friend was one of the smartest kids in class, so I assumed she figured out how to make her dog a star. YEARS LATER AT A CLASS REUNION, the four of us met up and had a wonderful evening reminiscing about our youth. The biggest shock for me was hearing what everyone wound up doing in life. From our experiences in childhood, I was left with impressions of who these friends were; however, hearing what they did in their adult life surprised me. One friend became a historian on stolen art, collaborating on movies and shows that focused on artwork stolen during World War II. The woman who taught me how to use scissors is a playwright who has a new show debuting at a famous theater festival. The last friend from our small group, who had the big dog, received her doctorate, and became a professor at a university. She had recently retired to take a new position setting up a doctorial program in her field of expertise at another university. I could not believe how these three individuals, became such successful and I might add powerful women in their industry. I am glad I knew them then and now because it makes their lives appear richer to me. I was hoping to get a similar sense with this animated, adventure comedy about one of my favorite cartoon characters. SURPRISED BY HIS UNEXPECTED REUNION WITH his long-lost father, Garfield, voiced by Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War, The Kid), leaves the comfort of his home to help his dad in one last heist. With Samuel L. Jackson (The Kill Room, Damaged) voicing Vic, Hannah Waddingham (The Fall Guy, Ted Lasso-TV) voicing Jinx, Ving Rhames (The Locksmith, Con Man) as Otto and Nicholas Hoult (Renfield, The Current War) voicing Jon; this movie did not offer much insight or newness to Garfield’s story. I did not care for the script because it portrayed a toned-down version of Garfield, we all remember from the comic strip and Bill Murray film. Younger children will enjoy this picture better than the older ones and adults. I did like the style of animation, though. It would have helped if the writers had the older version of Garfield in their minds when they chose to write the script. There were times I was bored, especially when the upcoming action was obvious to the viewer. In a way, I felt I was seeing a different version of the satirical, lazy, smart aleck Garfield I enjoyed seeing these past years.
1 ¾ stars
moviejoltz 