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Flash Movie Review: Spaceman
I HAD A RELATIONSHIP WHERE THE two of us did not know how to communicate with one another. The weird thing for me was that I thought I was doing it, but it was not being received. For their part, they did not know how to express their feelings. I thought things were going along fine, but then one day, something happened where we disagreed about something, and they blew up with anger. Anger that was not appropriate to the small disagreement we were just talking about. I remember asking them why they were so angry and that evidently opened the gates because they started bringing up events from the past that did not even register as if we had a problem. I was so confused and asked why, if they were upset at the time, they did not tell me. I asked them how I would know otherwise, and they said I should have been able to tell. For me, this line is a copout; I am not a mind reader and if the person especially does not wear their heart on their sleeve, there were no physical changes that I would have questioned. We tried to patch things up and move on with our lives together but there were too many emotions involved that were stuck inside of each of us. EVER SINCE THAT RELATIONSHIP, I MADE a point to always express my feelings to my partner. It would not suit us well if we could not express our feelings at the time we were feeling them. Another reason is because I do not like having a discussion where the person mentions stuff from the past that has no bearing on what we are confronting presently. If the person feels something was not worth discussing when it happened, then why keep it stored and bring it up later; it makes no sense to me. I remember early on after that initial relationship ended, I was a few months into a new relationship and asked them how they felt about something I said. It took them by surprise but kudos to them, they did reply. We wound up having a discussion that dug below the surface we had temporarily settled on, giving us the opportunity to not only be vulnerable with each other but also to form a deeper connection. Because of that, we soon became a couple and spent the next few years enjoying our life together. If I had the opportunity, I would have offered my advice, for what it is worth, about communication to the main character in this science fiction, adventure drama. ON A MISSION TO THE OUTER edges of our solar system, an astronaut discovers several months into his voyage, he is not alone on his ship. With Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems, You Are so Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah) as Jakub Prochazka, Carey Mulligan (Maestro, The Dig) as Lenka, Paul Dano (Dumb Money, The Fabelmans) voicing Hanus, Kunal Nayyar (Think Like a Dog, The Big Bang Theory-TV) as Peter and Isabella Rossellini (Death Becomes Her, Enemy) as Commissioner Tuma; I enjoyed watching Adam in this role because I prefer his dramatic work over comedic ones on film. Pair him up with Carey and what could go wrong? The answer would be the script. I thought the idea was interesting, though I was confused at first by what Adam’s character discovered on his ship. It seemed an odd choice to pick for the character. But as the dialog kept going, I soon understood what was taking place. With good visuals and a curious story, I wished the script would have had some more stimulating portions to it. It felt like the film was dragging on and at times, it also felt repetitive. I was fluctuating between feeling sorry for Adam’s character and irritated that he was not taking care of his matters. The best way I can express myself after watching this movie is to say it was just okay.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Road House
MY COMPASSION AND SUPPORT FOR THE underdog was rooted in me since I realized I was lower down on the pecking order. Having stood by myself many times as the lone student left to be picked for a team, and with the years of being abused and made the butt of jokes, my immediate tendencies are to root for the unappreciated underdog. A story I completely forgot about was retold to me at a recent school reunion by a friend of mine from elementary school. There was going to be a school dance and though he wanted to go, he did not know how to dance. Without hesitation, I said I would teach him and started showing him a couple of dance steps. He soon gained confidence after a brief time and excitedly attended the dance. Something similar took place at my after-school job, where I worked in a warehouse filling and shipping orders. A new employee started a few weeks after me. After the training period was over, he was expected to keep up with the rest of the team. Unfortunately, he was slower than the rest and the manager would signal him out in front of all of us. I felt bad for him; he was a nice guy who was struggling. When the manager would go out for lunch, I started helping by showing him a faster way to pack up orders. It was not too long before the manager no longer picked on him which was a relief for all of us. I THOUGHT THINGS WOULD CHANGE AFTER college when I entered the business world, but it turned out not to be the case. Every job I had always had a scenario where the “bad” person came out on top. By bad, I mean sneaky, selfish, envious, devious, to name a few. There was one salesperson who treated the lower-level employees with disrespect. Always dressed in the finest suits, driving expensive cars, he would shove part of his work onto others to do for him. One got the sense he felt it was beneath him to pack his sample run for shipment to his customers. He was paid on commission and had some large accounts which inflated his paycheck. Every other salesperson did their own sample shipments except for him. And he was one of the highest paid salespeople in the company. I found him annoying, so never helped him. Instead, I would help the other sales staff. I just felt he was taking advantage of less fortunate people and I wanted to do my part to help the others. This mentality I have is what made me root for the main character in this remake of an action thriller. AN EX-UFC FIGHTER, NEEDING FUNDS, RELUNCTANTLY takes a job as a bouncer at a long-standing establishment in the Florida Keys. Figuring it would be a simple gig, the ex-fighter soon realizes something is not right about the area. With Jake Gyllenhaal (Ambulance, The Guilty) as Dalton, Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Club, Fast X) as Ellie, relative newcomer and fighter Conor McGregor as Knox, Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods, Game Night) as Ben Brandt and Jessica Williams (Booksmart, Fantastic Beasts franchise) as Frankie; this updated version had a few changes in it, which were fine by me. I thought the fight scenes were insane and am impressed with Jake’s transformation. The script had some holes in it since the story at times made no sense. But I did not care, realizing this is more of a popcorn movie, where you just sit back, do not think, and watch what unfolds. As mentioned earlier, I loved the underdog aspect and found Jake’s character endearing. There is not much more to say about it; it is a straightforward good vs evil plot, which has fine execution of its story. There were scenes of blood and violence and an extra scene during the ending credits.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The First Omen
ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUESTIONS TO ask someone who I know is in a relationship, is how they met. I have enjoyed all the stories I have heard throughout the years from couples, whether the meeting was random or calculated. In one of my previous reviews, I wrote about the circumstances that led me to a wonderful relationship. We had met while waiting in line for a scary amusement park attraction. There is nothing like experiencing heart palpitations to jump start a relationship, lol. I have a relative who fell in love with a student in her fifth-grade elementary classroom. She had diaries filled with her conversations with the boy, her quest to sit next to him during assemblies and school bus rides, even following him after school. All her efforts paid off because they did become a couple and when they reached adulthood they married. It is funny, I know two other couples who also only dated each other while growing up. One must admire their conviction and determination, knowing that person is the right one and sticking with it. There few are the minority, because most of the stories I have heard involved chance or just being in the right place at the right time. ONE OF THE MORE UNUSUAL STORIES I heard about involved towing a car. A friend of mine parked in a parking lot next to a bar, to run in and simply use the place’s bathroom. When she came out, her car was gone. It took her a minute to comprehend what exactly happened, but then she ran back into the bar to tell the bartender, who was cleaning his station before the evening’s rush of customers. He explained the lot was not theirs and a warning sign was posted on the side of their building, listing a towing company that was dreaded by everyone in the city. She was visibly upset. The bartender asked another bartender to take over and he offered to drive her to the towing company, assuring her that her car would be there. They had to drive only four miles, but it felt like it was hours to her before they reached the towing company. He dropped her off and waited until she walked into the front office. After filling out paperwork and paying a hefty fine she got her car back. She was so grateful and appreciative for what the bartender did, that she drove back to the bar, parking in a legal spot, and told the bartender she wanted to take him out for lunch that weekend to thank him. She had no other motive. However, after they met and ate lunch, they agreed to go out again and as they say, the rest was history. I enjoy hearing about these prologues to couples’ relationships. That is part of the reason I enjoyed this prequel to a story I first heard about over forty years ago. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE CHURCH IN Rome to begin her religious vows, a young American woman notices and experiences unusual behaviors taking place around her. There seems to be a darkness descending onto the church. With Nell Tiger Free (Wonderwell, Servant-TV) as Margaret, Ralph Ineson (The Green Knight, The Creator) as Father Brennan, Sonia Braga (Shotgun Wedding, Kiss of the Spider Woman) as Sister Silva, Tawfeek Barhom (Cairo Conspiracy, Worlds Apart) as Father Gabriel and Maria Caballero (Olvido, The Girl in the Mirror-TV) as Luz; this film surprised me because it was written in a logical pattern that made sense to me. I may not have remembered much about the original movie The Omen, but this story line was written in a straightforward way. I will say the pacing is slow, so some viewers, especially those who are not familiar with the story, may feel bored at times. Decent performances by the cast helped move the story along. There was more suspense in this film than horror, which I for one appreciated; though, there still were a few scenes with blood in it. The last thing I will say about this movie is I did not know I would be glad to find out the story in The Omen got its start.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Upgraded
FROM MY DATING EXPERIENCES, MY FAVORITE way of meeting someone was by chance; though I hesitate to say chance because I believe there are no accidents. I met someone at the grocery store who I dated for 6 months, all because they asked me a question about a food product, we were both looking to buy. There were a few individuals I met while riding the city’s public transportation. In fact, a partner of mine was someone who I met while waiting in line to get on a ride at a Florida amusement park; I was with a group of friends as were they. All I did was ask if they would take my camera and shoot a photo of me and my friends. After that both groups of friends started talking to each other since there was a long wait to get on the ride. What made for an easier time to be able to talk to each other, even while getting on the ride, was that each seating compartment fit eight individuals. They wound up in my car, seated behind me. After the ride was over, and I was able to get my equilibrium back, we chatted at the exit until the rest of our friends joined us. By the time we were going off in our own directions, we exchanged contact information and promised to communicate once we returned home. THE NEXT BEST WAY I ENJOYED meeting potential dates was online. However, I was on a learning curve before I was able to really deal with all the different facets of online dating. Some people’s profiles were too blunt and aggressive for me; I was more of a hopeless romantic, enjoying the art of interaction and conversation. The other part that I had a tough time with were the individuals who did not match up to their stated profile. This would annoy me to no end; why would someone willingly lie about themselves to get a date. I do not mind a little exaggeration to accentuate a person’s better qualities, but some of the things I witnessed were utterly foolish. And here is the thing, when it came to a person’s physical attributes, I did not care about their weight, height, color of hair or occupation. The only thing that concerned me was whether they had good teeth and clean fingernails. One time I met a potential date at a coffee shop. I stood near the front door while looking for them, never realizing they were sitting at a table, which I had already scanned over when I arrived. I did not acknowledge them because they looked nothing like what they conveyed to me. Why would someone want to start out a potential relationship with a lie? I asked myself this same question while watching this romantic comedy. AFTER BEING UPGRADED TO FIRST CLASS, for a business trip, a young employee winds up being seated next to a handsome man. He takes an interest in her when he mistakenly believes she is the head of a firm, due to her not correcting his misunderstanding. She had to find a way to tell him, despite enjoying their time together. With Camila Mendes (Palm Springs, Riverdale-TV) as Ana, Archie Renaux (Catherine Called Birdy, Shadow and Bone-TV) as William, Marisa Tomei (The King of Staten Island, Spider-Man franchise) as Claire, Leno Olin (Adam, The Artist’s Wife) as Catherine and Anthony Head (Imagine Me & You, Buffy the Vampire Slayer-TV) as Julian Marx; this film does not break any new ground. However, having Marisa and Lena in the cast made for a better than average story. I will say, I thought I was watching a “The Devil Wears Prada” wannabe, except for the added love story. There were many enjoyable scenes, despite the script’s predictability and I enjoyed the set up of having powerful women figures. I also liked the fact that there was another story going on besides the bumpy relationship between the two main characters. This was an easy and harmless movie that did not pretend to be something more than what it was meant to be.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Damsel
I KNEW THE DAY WOULD COME, but I was holding off to make sure we were on the same dating path. It had never been easy for me to meet the family members of someone I was dating. I did not grow up saying Mr. and Mrs. to my friends’ parents, nor did I ever use the words, “ma’am” and “sir.” And I always tried to avoid calling a parent by their first name. Granted, I had to always make sure I was looking directly at the person whenever I was asking them a question, and when times came up to refer to the father or mother I was talking to, I would say “your husband” or “your wife.” Maybe I am weird about it or maybe I never felt comfortable around figureheads; it is hard for me to explain. So, it was after we had been dating for several months, when I was asked to join them for a family holiday get together. My anxiety level rose on the idea of going to a party/dinner where there would be multiple relatives; a parent or child I could manage, but a room full of relatives who want to meet the “’date” overwhelms me. But I felt we were on the same path with our feelings for each other, so I agreed to join them for the holiday dinner. Hopefully, it being a holiday occasion, will lessen the focus on me. AN OLD TRADITION IN MY FAMILY is to bring something sweet when you are invited to someone’s home for the first time. It is meant to offer the household sweetness for all the time they reside there. The matriarch of the family greeted us. I only knew because I had seen a recent photograph of her. I was introduced and handed her the cake I baked as I explained my family’s tradition. She appeared to be touched by the sentiment, so I felt I was off to a good start. We hung our coats up and proceeded into the living room where everyone was seated. Introductions were made and I could see a couple of relatives were watching me intently as I went around shaking hands. The evening was off to a good start; or at least I thought so. Not soon after, I noticed one relative was not participating in conversations. They would simply look at whoever was speaking, but never offer a comment or opinion. Soon after another relative commented on this person’s “silent treatment.” Well, that opened a floodgate of words and within a matter of seconds the decibel level increased dramatically as everyone was talking at once, with several saying awful things to others. I just sat there quietly, not sure what was happening around me. The night only kept getting worse; relatives were vicious with their nasty comments. I felt I was possibly being punked, but some relatives were apologizing to me as well as my date. Still, I would rather be with these folks than the family who were trying to marry their son off in this action, adventure fantasy. TO HELP HER KINGDOM SURVIVE, A dutiful princess agrees to marry the prince of a wealthy, royal kingdom. It turns out she was not the first to marry the prince, nor would she be the last. With Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes franchise, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) as Elodie, Ray Winstone (Black Widow, The Departed) as Lord Bayford, Angela Bassett (Black Panther franchise, Akeelah and the Bee) as Lady Bayford, Brooke Carter (The Peripheral-TV), The Alienist-TV) as Flora and Nick Robinson (The Kings of Summer; Love, Simon) as Prince Henry; this film’s saving grace was Millie Bobby Brown. There is something about her that makes the viewer believe in her. She has great screen presence and was able to handle the weight of being in almost every scene. The story was generic, the script was predictable, and the special effects were just okay. Despite these letdowns, I still enjoyed this escapist picture because of Millie. For those days where one does not want to put too much thought into an endeavor and just wants to be entertained, then this movie would be one to watch.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Priscilla
I LOOKED AROUND AND EVERYONE WAS laughing at everything he was saying. I had to admit, he was funny and knew how to work a crowd; however, I knew what he really was like when he did not have an audience. You see, he was married to a friend of mine. I was not too keen on the idea of her marrying him, mostly because they had only been dating for a short while. There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way, though that is not exactly what I said when my friend asked me what I thought of him. All I said was I did not feel a connection with him, as if he always had his guard up around me. I would never do anything to upset my friend and if she felt that strong about wanting to marry this man, it was not up to me to voice my negative opinion. They had a small wedding since both had been married previously. After the ceremony we had appetizers and desserts at a hall they rented out for the occasion. In the beginning of their marriage, she would mention from time to time a thing or two about how angry he would get over things he had no control of. As the months passed, she would mention he would wake her at 5 am on a Saturday because he decided that was the time they needed to clean their house. When she said she was not ready, he would yell at her, and I knew for certainty something was off with him and she needed to get out of the relationship. Though I came to this conclusion first, she came around to it within a matter of months. HER EXPERIENCE HAPPENED A YEAR AFTER I had a similar revelation in my relationship. We had been dating for one year, having met at a party. I was taken by surprise when we started talking because I felt I was so out of their league. They were charming, beautiful, star salesperson in the medical field and had this worldly cosmopolitan air about them; I simply felt I was not their type. Because of this mindset, I felt I did myself an injustice and ignored what I needed in a relationship. We would eat out at fancier restaurants because that is what they wanted to do. If I mentioned I wanted to go to a casual dinner place I was fond of, they would tell me they would not be caught dead at such a place. And I would give in; what the heck was I doing? As time passed, I started to become resentful and felt I was not an equal in the relationship. Funny, before I decided to end it, they beat me to the punch. They had met a surgeon, and I was glad for them. With my friend’s marriage and my relationship, it showed me that one never knows what life is like beneath the surface of a person or behind closed doors. FROM HANGING OUT AT THE COFFEE shop on a U.S. army base in Germany, a young teenage girl found herself as a guest at a party where a well-known, young musical celebrity was holding court. Then suddenly, he started to talk to her. With Cailee Spaeny (On the Basis of Sex, Pacific Rim: Uprising) as Prisciilla, Jacob Elordi (Saltburn, The Kissing Booth) as Elvis, Ari Cohen (It franchise, Spiral) as Captain Beaulieu, Dagmara Dominczyk (The Lost Daughter, Succession-TV) as Ann Beaulieu and Tim Post (Mambo Italiano, My Salinger Year) as Vernon Presley; this film festival winning dramatic biography was directed by Sofia Coppola, who shot the film through the eyes of Priscilla. It was an interesting take on Elvis’ story, besides not making his songs the feature star. This film started out slowly and I was not getting into the acting from the cast. It was later into the story when I began to appreciate Cailee’s and Jacob’s skills. As for the story, even if what was depicted was exactly what happened in real life, I felt I was still missing something. I could not understand what each of them saw in the other except maybe their looks. I am glad I saw this movie, but I had an empty feeling by the time it was over.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Boys in the Boat
IT WAS MY FIRST FITNESS TEACHING job and I had only been working at the health club for a few months. They were going to hold a charity event by doing a four-hour aerobics marathon. It was expected that all the fitness instructors would both teach a portion of the time and remain to support each other’s time segment. I was highly anxious about participating in the marathon because I had no idea if I could hold up moving for such a lengthy period of time. Plus, I had no idea how much it would tax my body’s limits. I had seen marathon runners lose control over their body functions or nearly pass out and I certainly did not want to be that person. At the club, I started out teaching three classes a week which were Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The classes lasted one hour each, but there were my introductory remarks, demonstrating and lastly the last five minutes after the cooldown, were meant for everyone to put any of their equipment away and get out of the aerobic studio before the next class was to start on the hour. After one hour of teaching, I had worked up a good sweat and could feel my muscles tingling. But after four hours, I had no idea what to expect. THE MARATHON WAS STARTING AT EIGHT in the morning and the instructors had to be there an hour earlier for sound checks, set up and go over the order we would be teaching. Being the newest member of the group, I had to wait until everyone else had picked their time slots; we started with the longest employed and worked our way down to me. I was grateful that the time slot left for me was for sixth place; in other words, I would be teaching at the 90-minute mark. Better than the 180- or 195-minute mark, I felt. I did not have to go full out with the moves like I did in my own class, but I had to make sure I still had good form and look like I was exerting myself. At the top of the hour, we began the marathon. The first instructor welcomed everyone and started up the music. Everyone was in a good mood and excited for the event. Though I was nervous about my segment of teaching, I was surprised how good of a time I was having as a participant. All the instructors were close to each other and were feeding off each other’s enthusiasm. By the time it was my turn, I was buzzing inside and simply ran up to the front, cued in my music and off I went leading the group. The time flew by for me as it did for the rest of the morning and by the end exhaustion had settled into me. However, all the instructors came together and congratulated each other on pulling off a major event. From that experience, I felt I knew what the teammates were feeling in this dramatic, sports biography. STUDENTS FROM A SMALL UNIVERSITY HAD limited resources to excel in a sport that was dominated by well endowed universities from across the country. To succeed, these students would need something else if they wanted not only to compete but win. With Joel Edgerton (Thirteen Lives, The Green Knight) as Coach Al Ulbrickson, Callum Turner (Fantastic Beasts franchise, Green Room) as Joe Rantz, Peter Guinness (The Last Boy, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) as George Pocock, Sam Strike (Leatherface, Monster Party) as Roger Morris and Thomas Elms (I Still See You, The Order-TV) as Chuck Day; this George Clooney directed movie based on a true story was a feel good film. Set in the 1930s, this film festival winner had the trappings for a good old-fashioned feel-good picture. The sets and costumes were wonderful, and the cast did a solid job with their acting. The story was predictable and despite the no frills direction, I wished more time were devoted to fleshing out more substance for each character. Despite these misgivings, I still cheered on these students as they made their way on what was to become an historical trip. An historical trip that was never mentioned throughout any of my schooling, I might add.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Reptile
IT IS HARD ENOUGH FOR ME to make up my mind in a bakery or candy store; but if I had a child like the one, I saw at the candy shop, I think I would have gone out of my mind. But then again, I do not think I was anything like the child’s mother. The mother and child were next to be helped by the only employee present in the store. I was there to buy a box of candy to bring to a friend’s house for dinner. The friend and his wife had invited a couple of us over for dinner, telling us there was no need to bring anything. Normally, I would have brought a dessert if asked, but I felt a box of candy or nuts would be appropriate. While standing in line, I watched this child go from one display case to another and another until they looked at all six of the cases that formed a semi-circle inside the space. The mother’s number was called and as she walked to the front of the case, where the employee was standing behind, near the cash register, she turned and asked her son what candy he wanted to pick. He shouted he was not done looking. All of us in line watched as the boy kept going from case to case and back looking at all the items displayed. It was not long before I shot an irritated look at the employee when I was able to catch her eye. IF I WERE THE CHILD’S PARENT, I would have explained people are waiting and if he cannot pick one item now then we will have to leave. The mother unfortunately did not choose that option to goad her son. Instead, all she said was to pick out something he would really like. Because my jaw was already clenched, I did not let what my mind was saying slip out of my mouth. Now before you think of me as a grump, I want you to know I understand, seeing that many choices can be overwhelming. Knowing me, I would have to pick out a couple different items. Though, I learned mixing up multiple flavors diminishes the time and taste of enjoying each one separately. Many people can dole out their choices but in this type of situation I tend to go with the instant gratification trait and finish everything unless the amount is too large. Maybe that is where the phrase “too many cooks spoil the broth” came from. In the case of this crime mystery drama, I can certainly say too many options muddled the story. AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF A DEAD body in a vacant home that was up for sale, a detective seems to be on the verge of cracking the case just when another clue steers him in a new direction. Can the detective figure things out before everything unravels? With Benicio Del Toro (Inherent Vice, The French Dispatch) as Tom Nichols, Justin Timberlake (Palmer, The Social Network) as Will Grady, Eric Bogosian (Uncut Gems, Talk Radio) as Captain Robert Allen, Alicia Silverstone (Bed Therapy, Blast From the Past) as Judy Nichols and Frances Fisher (Titanic, The Roommate) as Camille Grady; this film could or should be the platform to launch Benicio and Alicia into their own franchise as the characters they played in this film. They were so good together that they saved this convoluted script from sinking further down. There were too many plot twists to the point I was getting tired trying to figure out each character. It was a shame because I felt this could have been a good mystery/detective story that could have done a better job of grabbing the viewer’s attention. The other issue was the script needed a few more tension filled thrills; the pacing was too slow which lessened the impact of various scenes. If the writers had focused on fewer story lines and with the acting from Alicia and Benicio, this would have been a particularly good movie.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Leave the World Behind
MORE TIMES THAN NOT, WHENEVER I must go inside the bank to see a teller, I get a brief perplexed look when I tell them I do not have an ATM card. It is automatic for them to ask their customers to swipe their ATM card to begin the transaction. When I say I do not have one, they look up at me with this odd look before asking for a form of ID. I am so used to it now that it does not bother me. There is something about doing online banking that makes me uncomfortable. Who knows, maybe if I start traveling more and cannot always be back home to pay a bill on time, I might have to make arrangements to make payments online; however, for now, I am not interested in doing such a thing. I do not know what it is, but the more things turn to electronic internet-based methods, the more leery I become. Recently I discovered with my new vehicle I can lock, unlock, and start it with my phone. No one at the dealership mentioned it; I just happened to come across it when I was looking for something on the app that was downloaded to my phone when I purchased the vehicle. Though the idea of starting my car before I get inside of it on a cold wintery day sounds appealing, I am unsettled about the prospects that this app might be something that hackers would attack to take my car away from me or get used if I am the victim of a carjacking. These are things I think of. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS OUT there that I could get stuck dwelling on. Such a great idea of the air tags to keep track of one’s luggage when traveling, but then I find out ex-partners/stalkers use them to track their victim. Or I know someone out of state who drives an electric car. There was a power outage that lasted several days. They were not able to drive their car because they did not have sufficient time to charge it. Though I certainly benefit from some of the technical achievements brought into our world, I am concerned that too much will be operated through a sole source that could wind up giving us a negative experience. There are refrigerators, washers, dryers, automobiles, picture frames, televisions, and many more that are “cloud” based. I worry what if the power goes out or there is a computer malfunction or worse, a computer attack that brings everything to a standstill? Watching this dramatic, mystery thriller did nothing to soothe my concerns. WHEN TWO STRANGERS COME TO THE house that a family has rented for vacation, claiming they are the owners, the family members have no way to see if the strangers’ story is true because the internet was down. With Julia Roberts (Ticket to Paradise, Ben is Back) as Amanda Sandford, Mahershala Ali (Green Book, Swan Song) as G.H. Scott, Ethan Hawke (The Black Phone, The Northman) as Clay Sandford, Myha’la (Dumb Money, Bodies Bodies Bodies) as Ruth Scott and Farrah Mackenzie (Logan Lucky, Ascension) as Rose Sandford; this film was disturbing. It started out slowly, but as it moved along the tension kept building. The cast did a wonderful job with their acting, blending well with each other. For me, there were parts of the story that were uncomfortable and scary; but then some scenes seemed odd, not making much sense. I thought the writers were adding things into the story just to scare the viewer, even if they were not relevant to the story. By the time the ending came along, I was disappointed. The idea for this story was excellent; it sure made me react to it. Also, I felt it was a topic that might be on many people’s minds. I just wished the writers dug deeper into the characters and painted a broader picture of the world around us.
2 ½ stars
moviejoltz 