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Flash Movie Review: Star Trek Into Darkness
When the opportunity presents itself I take a drive through the neighborhood where I grew up. I see ghosts of my youth everywhere I look. Playing hide & seek or selling lemonade on the corner, my memories waken from a long sleep. They are refreshed and vivid allowing me to visit with the younger me, showing events that contributed to who I would become as an adult. It is that history that reminds me how I currently arrived at this point in my life. Director J.J. Abrams (Super 8, Lost-TV) treated the history of Star Trek with the utmost respect for this 2nd movie in the relaunched franchise. The story was brilliant as we found the Enterprise crew back on Earth, unaware they would encounter a dangerous villain close to home. Besides Chris Pine (This Means War, Unstoppable) as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto (Margin Call, Heroes-TV) as Spock, there was the addition of Peter Weller (RoboCop, the Hard Easy) as Marcus and Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse, Atonement) as John Harrison. In this go around; the characters were more complex, filled with deeper feelings. Zachary was so incredible that I forgot about Leonard Nimoy for the moment, the original Spock. Chris earned my respect with what he did in this movie. I could almost hear William Shatner cursing at Chris’ exemplary performance. The nonstop action was exciting and evenly balanced to allow flourishes of drama and honestly, giving the movie goers a chance to catch their breath. I cannot add anything further to this review without giving away hints to the plot. Hopefully when people talk about this movie and they will, they do not say much about the story or cast. The added suspense, at least for me, made the time fly by. Also, I felt emotionally spent. Whether you grew up in the world of Star Trek or not will not make much of a difference in loving this film. History is what makes us who we are today; I tip my hat to the current custodian of the historical vaults of Star Trek, J.J. Abrams. A nice touch in the beginning of the credits. There were brief scenes with blood in it.
3 2/3 stars for Trekkies 3 1/2 stars for non-Trekkies
Flash Movie Review: Mud
There were two extreme examples of love I saw when growing up. One was a married couple who lived in our apartment building. They bickered and argued almost every day; their voices sometimes reaching the decibels of a roaring jet engine. Though they fought constantly they still were affectionate to each other. The other example was Tony and Maria from the movie West Side Story. It was the scene in the gymnasium where all the lights dim except for a spotlight on each of them; as they see the other for the first time, from across a crowded gym floor. I preferred this example, believing it would happen to me when I fall in love. It took a long time before I experienced something close to that scene from the movie and I thought I would live happily ever after. We learn by example and sometimes those examples give mixed messages. This beautifully filmed drama showed different ways people were motivated by love. Part thriller and part coming of age tale; the story revolved around 14 year old friends Ellis, played by Tye Sheridan (The Tree of Life) and Neckbone, played by newcomer Jacob Lofland. Upon discovering a mysterious stranger living in a boat stuck up in a tree, the two boys agreed to help him reunite with the love of his life. Matthew McConaughey (The Paperboy, Magic Mike) played the stranger who called himself Mud and Reese Witherspoon (This Means War, Walk the Line) played his girlfriend Juniper. Matthew and Tye were the big standouts in this richly textured film. I was impressed with Matthew taking this edgy role and making it his own, similar to what he did in Killer Joe. Tye reminded me of a young Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), having that same type of face that easily expresses emotions. The supporting cast enriched this film. Sam Shepard (Safe House, The Right Stuff) was excellent as sharpshooter Tom Blankenship. I only wished the gifted Michael Shannon (Take Shelter, The Runaways) as Neckbone’s Uncle Galen had a bigger role. This Cannes Film Festival nominee told a multilayered story that was filled with diverse characters. The only commonality shared among the individuals was the effects of a shared or fading love.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Last Train Home
There was a time when I fantasized about running for public office. My platform would have been based on every single citizen getting a decent education. For families that were poor and needed their children to drop out of school to find employment, I wanted to create a fund that would pay the parents to keep their children in school. I have witnessed hateful incidents, where if the opposing parties had a stronger educational foundation, they could have avoided their misconstrued conflict. No matter what type of background a person came from, I felt an education would benefit their life. In this startling documentary a family’s sacrifices had a bigger impact on their children then they realized. In the single largest human migration on the planet, China’s factory workers were able to go home once a year during the Chinese New Year. This film focused on the Zhang family. Married couple Changhua and Suqin Chen were poor, uneducated, from a small rural town. Trying to make a better life for their children, the parents could only find factory work far away from home. The children had to be raised by grandparents since Changhua and Suqin Chen could only come back home once a year. The couple’s yearly trip back home was spent encouraging their children to study hard to get good school grades, so they could have a better life. But how could the children believe two people they barely knew? The first thing that produced a powerful impact on me was watching the hell workers went through in their attempts to travel home. Seeing over 100 million factory workers struggling through an antiquated train system, that could easily collapse from the sheer volume of humanity pressing against it, was mind blowing to me. This doesn’t even include the shock of seeing the workers’ living conditions at the factories. Another aspect of this movie had to do with the cultural changes that were taking place across China. The Zhang’s children were a preview of a more modern China. This film festival and Emmy winning film had an incredible story to tell about sacrifice and hope. Mandarin with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Fish Tank
There is a correlation between hopelessness and fantasy. The more I felt my reality was bleak, the more I turned inward. When I was picked on back in school, I turned to martial arts movies to fuel my imagination. In my mind I became a skilled practitioner of the ancient martial arts, able to defend myself with my lightning fast karate chops. Upon reaching the legal age to enter a bar, I would go to nightclubs that had dancing. I could spend hours watching everyone dance while I became more self-conscious of the extra weight I was carrying with me. It was then that I would imagine I was a slender, chiseled go-go dancer who would whip the crowd into a fever pitch; while the disco beats pounded up against the walls. These were the things I did to compensate for feeling hopeless and alone. That sense of bleakness struck me while watching this Cannes Film Festival winning movie. Newcomer Katie Jarvis played Mia, an angry fifteen year old teenager living with her mother Joanne, played by Kierston Wareing (It’s a Free World, Bonded by Blood) and little sister Tyler, played by newcomer Rebecca Griffiths, in the poor area of a British town. With a mother who showed little interest in her and having been kicked out of school; the days blended together for Mia. The only respite she experienced was when she was dancing to music. It was not until her mother brought home the curious stranger named Connor, played by Michael Fassbender (Prometheus, A Dangerous Method), that Mia got her first glimmer of hope. The story was made believable with its excellent directing and dialog. Besides Michael’s well done acting, I was amazed at how good Katie was in her role. It was my understanding the director found Katie by chance at a train station, where Katie was arguing with her boyfriend from across the train tracks. Though I was surprised by certain events, the movie stayed true to its gritty reality. Take if from someone who knows, a single positive remark can store an abundant amount of fuel to propel one’s dream. One brief scene with blood.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Sapphires
Since the euphoric high several weeks ago from the Oscar telecast, the caliber of movies that have been released has continued to sink week after week. My times spent at the movie theaters have dragged out due to boredom. There are moments I have sat staring at the movie mess splashing on the screen and thought if I at least had my checkbook, I could balance it. I am annoyed that movie studios do not spread out their quality films through the entire year instead of stacking them up on holidays. After several long weeks I finally saw a movie that surprised and excited me. Inspired by a true story, four aboriginal girls hoped to form a singing group that would lead them to a better life. Set in an Australian town in the late 1960’s; sisters Gail, Julie and Cynthia, played by Deborah Mailman (Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Book of Revelation), Jessica Mauboy (Bran Nue Dae) and relative newcomer Miranda Tapsell, entered a singing contest despite the all Caucasian audience. MC/talent scout Dave Lovelace, played by Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, This is 40), recognized the girls’ talent and began a business relationship that would take the girls overseas to entertain the U.S. troops in Viet Nam. The sisters with their cousin Kay, played by relative newcomer Shari Sebbens, would have to grow up fast as the world around them could quickly end with a single explosion. This film festival winner touched on heavy topics such as prejudice, war and death; but maintained a light coverage, keeping the focus on the girls. I thought Chris did a wonderful job with his character, carrying the majority of amusing lines. An important aspect of this movie was the awesome soulful soundtrack headed by Jessica Mauboy’s killer vocals. Numerous times I found myself tapping my feet to the musical beats. What a great story that superseded any acting quibbles I may have had or the stretching of the truth. I was able to leave the theater with a smile on my face and Motown tunes in my head. A couple of brief scenes with blood.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Still Walking
Trying to live one’s life up to other people’s expectations is like having a pencil handed to you and being told to go hit a home run with a baseball. It will never happen. I learned to live my life by my own expectations, but it took a long time to get there. When unrealistic expectations are placed within a family, the landscape can only be paved with resentment. I have been to enough family dysfunctions where tension has its own place setting at the table, where I can only sit there quietly and observe how people pretend everything is normal. Trust me, there is no such thing as a normal family. I invite you to be a guest at Toshiko and Doctor Kyohei Yokoyama’s house on the fifteenth anniversary of their 1st born son Junpei’s accidental death. You will be among some uninvited guests named resentment, disappointment and guilt. This multiple film festival winner presented a powerful drama in a very subtle way. Kirin Kiki (Returner, Chronicle of my Mother)and Yosio Harada (Then Summer Came, Dororo) were wonderful as the doctor and his wife. Hiroshi Abe (Chocolate, Memories Corner) played the 2nd son Ryoto and I do mean 2nd son in all its meaning. I especially liked his physical presence in the scenes; his exceptional height added to the idea of his character’s growth despite his parents. It was a marvel to watch how the director used a gentle hand in having the characters convey their true feelings with a gesture, a word or a look. This dramatic film had all the elements of a classic case study about family dynamics. Do not get fooled by the polite appearances kept up by the family members; there were raw feelings just below the surface. The more I thought about this film after viewing it, the more I realized how much I enjoyed it. And the best part was I did not have to be a guest at this celebration. Japanese with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Lore
The first time it happened was when I was in 5th grade. An older boy yelled a derogatory remark at me about my religion. When I told the teacher, she looked at me and asked if I saw any dirt on me. Replying no to her, she said I should not pay attention to something that is not true. That was it; however, it would not be the only time I heard a religious slur. When I hear children say hateful things to other children, I wonder how someone so young can be prejudiced, let alone even know what they are actually saying sometimes. More times than not, one only has to look at their home life. Words could not be truer in this dramatic movie set near the end of World War II. Eldest child Lore, played by relative newcomer Saskia Rosendahl, must take her siblings to their grandmother when her German officer father and mother were summoned away from their home, as Allied forces were sweeping the country. To navigate the dangerous route; Lore would have to depend on Thomas, played by Kai-Peter Malina (The White Ribbon, To Faro), the kind of person she was taught not to trust. This unhurried thriller did a wonderful job in the way it told its compelling story. I also felt the cinematography and soundtrack only enhanced the emotional depth of this film. For the actors who played the siblings, it was surprising how good they were since they were all relatively new to acting. If we are to believe that we come into this world pure and innocent, then it is certainly amazing what can be taught to us as children. You may have heard that saying “out of the mouths of babes.” I just wonder how many times are those children echoing someone else. German with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop
For all I know, I may be seeing the work of the next Andy Warhol or Banksy. When I ride the city’s public transportation inevitably I see a variety of street art and graffiti. Not the kind that a teenager tags on a wall to claim he or she was there, but the detailed creations that give me reason to pause and ponder their message or even their irrelevance. Part of my curiosity is trying to figure out how the person even reached the location to place their work. This documentary gave me an inside look into the whole process and I found it wildly fascinating. The film began with the story of Frenchman Thierry Guetta, a Los Angeles shop owner. With video camera in hand, Thierry fell into recording street artists. His quirkiness and charm somehow worked; artists began trusting him, allowing Thierry to document their work in action. One of the most infamous street artists was the individual who called himself Banksy. His detailed stenciled art had become well known throughout the world. Thierry was determined to track down this artist, but when he finally met the person, Thierry’s camera lens would be turned back on himself. I know art is a personal thing for everyone. What one person calls art, another could call it junk. It should not make a difference for enjoying this funny documentary. In my naivete I had no idea Shepard Fairey, the man associated with the famous blue and red Obama campaign poster, was a graffiti artist. Or that Mr. Brainwash did the cover art for Madonna’s Greatest Hits Collection CD. The risks these creative people took was startling. Since Banksy was credited with directing this movie, I honestly did not know how much was believable and I did not care. The build up to Mr. Brainwash’s show felt surreal to me. The creative mind is a wonderful thing and watching it in action throughout this film was exciting.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Restrepo
In a discussion with a member in my yoga class who is a magazine editor, we talked about the current state of reporting on the news. If someone does not have a direct connection to an event, the story becomes abstract. We specifically were talking about war coverage since we had been talking about the movie Zero Dark Thirty. She mentioned the differences in media coverage between the Vietnam and Afghanistan wars. In the 1970’s newspapers and newscasts put battles and casualties right in people’s faces. These days it tends to be mentioned as a statistic with less importance, which angers her. Unfortunately we had to end our conversation since I was about to start class. Believing in synchronicity, I found this movie came at the perfect time; right after I had seen Zero Dark Thirty. Where one was a Hollywood production, this movie was a documentary distributed by National Geographic. Directors Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger spent over 1 year with the men of Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, starting with their deployment to Afghanistan. These men were being sent to Korangal Valley, an area that could easily have been called “Death Valley” due to the never-ending deadly skirmishes with al-Qaeda and the Taliban. What I appreciated most about this Oscar nominated and Sundance Film Festival winner was the matter of fact way it was filmed. There were no political agenda, no slanted interpretations; it was more about the daily lives of these courageous men. Where Zero Dark Thirty had its intense scenes; so did this film in a different way–these men were shooting real bullets. Some people may find parts of this movie slow because there was not a story line to be followed. We were watching real soldiers up close, from deadly battles to burning their own feces. Foul language and a couple of brief scenes with blood.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Django Unchained
You are getting something more with your purchase of a ticket for this movie. You are receiving passage to a director who lovingly pays tribute to his elders with this film. Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill franchise) looks at past filmmakers’ achievements and updates them for a current audience. And in this case he also channels a little bit of Mel Brooks into a couple of scenes in this film. I am not a fan of blood and guts violence, so when I view a Tarantino movie I know there will be a heightened intensity to any kind of confrontation. But Quentin adds a stylized touch to such violence; case in point, the viewer sees a red mist of blood sprayed onto a patch of cotton plants instead of the intended victim. Then there is Quentin’s choice of music for the various scenes; it clearly conveys the actors’ feelings on an audible emotional level. The story starts out simple: a bounty hunter becomes a mentor to a recently freed slave, needing his assistance in tracking down the wanted Brittle brothers. As you may know with any story written by Quentin, there are multiple story lines added. The acting was outstanding throughout this wild film. Jamie Foxx (Law Abiding Citizen, Ray) played slave turned bounty hunter Django. His performance was a simmering, restricted anger on the verge of boiling over. His mentor was the precise, German transplant Dr. King Schultz (you have to love the irony of his name) played brilliantly by Christoph Waltz (Carnage, Water for Elephants). One of my favorite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Departed) was cast as the maniacal southern plantation owner Calvin Candie. Adding his own special touch to the cast and story was Samuel L. Jackson (Jackie Brown, Unbreakable) as Calvin’s servant Stephen. The great use of dialog, the captivating photography and the imaginative camera angles all helped to make this movie a wonderful homage to what was referred to as the spaghetti western movies. Clocking in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, this film could have used stronger editing. Be prepared to laugh, wince, cringe, stare with disbelief, have your ears assaulted by vulgar negative words, witness ripped or bullet ridden bloody flesh as you enter the unbelievable world of Quentin Tarantino.
3 1/2 stars
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