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Flash Movie Review: Lilo & Stitch
HAVE YOU EVER FALLEN IN LOVE at first sight? I cannot exactly say I have; but, I can say I have felt an immediate attraction upon meeting someone for the first time. There has been several friends and family members who have experienced falling in love immediately; for some it worked out, for others it did not. I remember questioning them after they told me, while I tried figuring out the how and why in taking such a leap from first meeting to falling in love. The answer remained elusive for me. All of us must have experienced at one time feeling immediate dislike for someone upon meeting them; I certainly have over the years. However, when it comes to experiencing, in my case, immediate attraction, it has very little to do with the physical features of a person. I have mentioned before I never cared about a person’s height, weight, hair or face; it has always been the personality, their mind, their humor and most importantly their hygiene. A complete turnoff for me was bad/dirty teeth and/or fingernails. If they suffered with acne, a physical issue such as a limp or picking something as random as a cleft palette; it did not matter to me. My only concern if I am being perfectly honest was if they did not take the state of their health seriously. AS THEY SAY, “BEAUTY IS IN the eye of the beholder,” and I perfectly understand it. One summer a long time ago, I felt I needed to jumpstart my dating status. So, I posted an online ad to see what would happen. To my shock, I received over 50 responses; I must admit I did write a unique ad that was meant to catch the eye. For each date I went on, I would only agree to meet for a cup of coffee for approximately one hour. There were some first dates that were near painful trying to maintain a conversation; others, did go over an hour by double or more because of the stimulating conversation. It was always dictated by the combination of our personalities. When this happened in a positive way, there was always a good chance by the end of the first date, I felt a strong attraction to them. Granted, there were times where it was not reciprocated and I was okay with it, but did feel a little letdown. I had to keep telling myself it was not meant to be, so just keep on trying. However, those times where the two of us were in synch (humor, personality, mind) it was magical. I would feel this strong connection, though I might not be able to easily explain it. This is the reason why I understood what the young girl was feeling in this fantasy, family, action, adventure movie. A LITTLE GIRL WAS IMMEDIATELY ATTRACTED to the runaway alien she discovered. Her problem would be convincing her older sister to let her keep it. With newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lily, Sydney Agudong (At Her Feet, West Michigan) as Nani, Chris Sanders (The Croods franchise, Lilo & Stitch: The Series-TV) voicing Stitch, Zach Galifianakis (Winner, Due Date) voicing Jumba, and Courtney B. Vance (Ben is Back, Dangerous Minds) as Cobra Bubbles; this dramatic comedy had a pull on my heart. Having never seen the original animated film or series, I thought Maia was excellent in her role. The special effects were fun as was the script, though there were a few sad parts in it. During the viewing of this picture there was a time where I thought the antics were getting too repetitive, but there were definitely a few of the scenes that had an underlying message which the adult viewer would understand. All in all, I thought this picture was well done, and is suitable for the entire family.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Speak No Evil
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I FACED when dating was figuring out the person’s sense of humor. I found it difficult to do on a blind date or on a first date. My humor leans toward the sarcastic, so I felt I had a little leeway, especially because I would quickly chuckle after my comment to let the person know I was kidding. Still, I kept things low key, only testing the water. However, I have been on dates when the person would make comments that I was not sure if they were funny or serious. My motto has been if you must explain the joke then it is not a joke. I was on one date where we were sitting in a coffee shop and the person from the start was cracking jokes and kept it up through most of the conversation. It was so annoying and not very funny. You see, when I am on a first date, I want to learn things about the person, their history, their likes and dislikes, their past relationships; it is information that I feel helps me decide if there is to be a second date. I enjoy making people laugh, but I must get to know the person to see what types of jokes are appropriate. What one person finds funny may not be funny to someone else. The dates that excessively made jokes about everything usually did not get a second date with me. GRATEFULLY, THE DATING YEARS ARE FAR behind me, but I still must work at “reading” a person. In other words, believing or not believing what they are saying. The funny thing is I can do it when I am simply a bystander. A friend of mine was dating a man and after a couple of months felt comfortable enough to introduce him to her friends. We had gotten together for dinner and after hearing about him, I was finally able to listen and observe him live, in the flesh. During the conversations, I felt the guy was not being completely truthful. There were a couple of follow-up questions I asked about comments he made, and his answers did not match the knowledge I had on the subject. I also noticed he would break eye contact when he was giving false information on topics I knew. The following day after meeting my friend’s boyfriend, she called me and asked what I thought of him. I had to be honest and told her he was hiding something. She was curious plus valued my opinion since we knew each other for many years, so I told her what I thought of him. She took my information and stored it in her memory but continued dating this man until she caught him in a blatant lie. At least there was no drama during the breakup, unlike the poor family in this dramatic, psychological suspense thriller. HAVING ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO COME visit the country home of people they just met on vacation, the couple and their daughter soon realize something is off about their hosts. How could they tactfully back out? With James McAvoy (The Book of Clarence, Together) as Paddy, Mackenzie Davis (Tully, Terminator: Dark Fate) as Louise Dalton, Scoot McNairy (Nightbitch, A Complete Unknown) as Ben Dalton, Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale, The Unforgivable) as Ciara, and Alix West Lefler (The King Tide, Riverdale-TV) as Agnes Dalton; this movie was the type of tense horror film I enjoy because it was more suspenseful than bloody gore. There were a few scenes with blood and violence, but I did not find it overwhelming. James was spectacular in this role and in some ways reminded me of Jack Nicholson in The Shining. I appreciated the outdoor scenes as the script kept pulling me into its grip before loosening up, only to pull me in tighter next time. The whole cast was excellent, especially the children. Now, there were a few scenes that rang false to me, but overall, I appreciated the way the writers kept the viewers engaged with the story. Plus, there was a certain amount of “creep factor” that kept me on the edge of my seat.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Companion
A RELATIVE OF MINE JUST NEEDED to vent and knows I always have an open ear. She was telling me about her son who desperately wanted to be in a love relationship. The more I heard, the less I thought her son understood what love really meant. She told me all her son wishes for is to be with someone. He uses the dating apps, goes out to bars to meet women, and has no qualms starting up a conversation with a female shopper at the grocery store. However, according to my relative, he does not want to do much of the dating and wooing part to get into a committed relationship. I asked how that was working out for her son, while keeping a perplexed look on my face. She said he scares off a lot of women because he is so quick to tell them he loves them and wants to move in together with them. I knew she knew this, but I had to say his actions were a big red flag to prospective dates and she agreed 100% with me. She said he does not take the time to really learn anything about the women he meets; all he wants is to be part of a couple. In my mind, all he wants is a companion. THE REASON I USE THE WORD companion is because I have already seen couple relationships where the two people seem more like companions or roommates instead of it being a relationship of love. Not that there is any right way, or I am criticizing someone, I am aware that love comes in all shapes and sizes. There was one couple I knew, where the woman was a long-time friend of mine. She started dating a man that I soon learned not to trust. He was a braggard and a liar. After catching him in a couple of lies, I felt compelled to tell my friend. She heard what I had to say but it did not stop her from following her heart. After one year of dating, she discovered he had been stealing tiny amounts of money from her purse. She was devastated and told me she felt foolish. I tried to comfort her, but she stayed upset for some time. Another friend of mine had been dating a woman for six-seven months. I thought everything was fine until we stopped at a store for the girlfriend to get a pair of sunglasses. We all tried on various pairs, but during that time I could overhear my friend directing his girlfriend on what he wanted her to buy. It was odd the way he said it, so I asked if he always tells her what to buy. He said he wanted her to look a certain way that he thought was flattering. It still was odd to me; it looked like he had an idea of how she should look, and he wanted her to become that image. It seemed more like he was dating a doll instead of a live human being. I thought it was strange but not as strange as what I saw in this psychological comedy thriller. A WEEKEND GETAWAY FOR A GROUP of friends turns sinister when one of them is killed by one of the others. With Sophie Thatcher (Heretic, Yellowjackets-TV) as Iris, Jack Quaid (The Hunger Games franchise, Scream) as Josh, Lukas Gage (Road House, Smile 2) as Patrick, Megan Suri (It Lives Inside, Never Have I Ever-TV) as Kat, and Harvey Guillen (The Internship, Werewolves Within) as Eli; this science fiction film was twisted fun. I thought Sophie and Jack were great together and enjoyed all the twists and turns in the script. Part of the success was the tight directing taking place; I felt engaged throughout the movie as I was exposed to scenes of dark humor, satire, tension, and fear. What helped me was not knowing or seeing anything about this picture because it increased my surprise level. I will have to say, when the movie was over, it made me wonder if we could ever get to a similar place in time. There were a few brief scenes with blood and violence. 3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Room Next Door
I CONSIDERED MYSELF LUCKY THAT I did not have to encounter death until I was thirteen years old. A close relative had passed away in what I now consider to be a quick manner. There was no sign or diagnosis of poor health; it was a heart attack and a couple of days later they were gone. The reason I feel I was lucky is because I had friends who had to deal with death at a much younger age than me. One friend’s father died during the fourth grade and another friend’s brother died when we were in the sixth grade. Us being at such an early age, my classmates and I did not have the skills to be as supportive as I learned at an older age. My friend was out of school for one week and upon his return, me along with other classmates rushed up to him when he walked through the doors of our classroom. Some kids asked him how it was to be out of school for the week; other kids felt the need to tell him what things he missed in our social activities as opposed to our educational ones. Of course, many of us expressed our sympathy by quietly saying we were sorry. Our friend took everything in stride, though looking back, I believe they were still in a state of shock. Their brother was only two years younger than us. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I WAS older that I experienced or better said, witnessed a death that was not sudden. The person lingered for months as they slowly wasted away. To this day I vividly see the image of them lying in a hospital bed as the nurse was rubbing an ice chip around their lips before they would accept it into their mouth, allowing it to melt to try and keep them hydrated. It was awful and I stayed as long as I could before departing. Watching them die was the catalyst for me to look at death differently. Keeping a person alive at all cost mentality was no longer a viable option for me. Seeing someone suffering for a long duration with no chance of recovery was inhumane to me. And especially if the person wanted to end their life while they still had some dignity was something in which I could believe. At first, when I broached this topic with family members, they thought I was a monster. Granted they were raised to respect life by helping the ill person maintain their time on the planet, but I knew their minds could change once they experienced what I went through with this person dying in the hospital. This is why I appreciated the story line in this dramatic film festival winning movie by award winning writer and director Pedro Almodovar. AFTER RECONNECTING AFTER A LONG separation, two friends embark on a getaway trip that might allow only one of them to return. With Julianne Moore (May December, Dear Evan Hansen) as Ingrid, Tilda Swinton (The Killer, The End) as Martha, John Turturro (The Batman, Fading Gigolo) as Damian, Alessandro Nivola (Amsterdam, The Brutalist) as the policeman and Juan Diego Botto (The Suicide Squad, On the Fringe) as the photographer; this film had the perfect casting of Julianne and Tilda. They were wonderful in their roles and made it look effortless to the point one thought they had this long-term friendship. There was an even pace in the direction which allowed time for the story to breathe as it was filled with the words from the thoughtful and sensitive script. Though there were a couple of predictable scenes, I enjoyed how the story, augmented with a large colorful palette, made it seem like we were allowed in to witness the intimacies shared by two old friends. For this being Pedro’s first English speaking film, he certainly was able to achieve the nuances and empathy between these two friends. And I certainly respected the decisions that were made in this picture.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Conclave
THROUGHOUT MY SCHOOL YEARS, I WAS never great with testing. Whether it was scheduled or a pop quiz, I struggled with it. Gratefully, early on, I realized I would have to study harder for tests and just hope for the best when it came to pop quizzes. I always knew the subject; that was not the issue. However, when I was given a multiple-choice question, the imaginative side of my brain could usually justify more than one choice. It took me several years to find a way to quickly throw out the obviously incorrect answers so I could quickly test out the remaining responses, to determine which one was the correct answer. In grade school, I remember there was a boy who sat a couple of seats ahead of me in the next row who would cheat on the teacher’s tests. He had a close friend who sat in the seat next to him who helped by flashing him with different hand signals. Whenever this boy needed an answer, he would tap his pencil on the edge of the desk. His friend would glance over, and the cheater would hold up the number of fingers corresponding to which question he needed the answer. The friend would check then give him a hand signal. For example, if the correct answer was “A” then the boy would point his index and middle fingers down until the fingertips were resting on the desk. For the “C” answer he would form the letter “C” with his hand and so on. It annoyed me that he was cheating but I never tattled on him. I later would discover certain students made a habit of cheating. I ALWAYS FOUND CHEATING AN ODD thing. Mainly because I believed we needed to know the right answers because the class structure was one where teachers were building upon building on top of the information we were learning. We had to know the events that led to a historical event, not just know that World War II happened without understanding how it came to be. Applying this to my current life, I certainly would not go to a doctor who cheated on their tests. But I have seen in the business world, there are individuals who make it a habit of cheating for personal gain. I worked at a company where one salesperson would steal sample books from other salespeople. They wanted to give out books to everyone in their territory even though they were told the smaller volume customers would need to be charged for the books. They did not think so, which was their right; however, it was not fair to steal books from fellow salespeople. Sadly, this is only one example; throughout my career, I have encountered cheaters from every line of work. And if anything, I saw in this movie is based on truth, I am dumbstruck. UPON THE UNEXPECTED DEATH OF THE pope, the cardinals were summoned to the Vatican to begin the process of selecting a new pope. Only one cardinal finds themselves standing in the middle of events uncovered that could rattle the Catholic Church to its core. With Ralph Fiennes (The Forgiven, Harry Potter franchise) as Lawrence, Stanley Tucci (The Witches, The Lovely Bones) as Bellini, John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon, Cabrini) as Tremblay, Lucian Msamati (The Good Liar, Gangs of London-TV) as Adeyemi, and Jacek Koman (Defiance, Tonight You’re Sleeping with Me) as Wozniak; this dramatic thriller started as a slow burn for me. However, as the story unfolded, I became more engaged. It did not hurt that I was excited to see locations that I have visited at the Vatican. The acting was outstanding from the cast, even the short time Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes was on screen was a memorable experience. As for the story, I have not read the book but if any of it is based on truth then I am stunned. The screenwriters did a wonderful job of creating a live chess match for these actors to play in. Also, I could see where parallels could be drawn to current events. Truth be told, even after seeing this film several days ago, I still wonder if any of the story was based on truth. If so, it would give me a different perspective on the church.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: We Live in Time
WHEN YOU ARE BEING ASKED, “DO you take this person to be your lawfully wedded…in sickness and health,” the answer is not, “Maybe, I do.” I have known a small group of couples where one of them became ill and their spouse did not want to deal with it. One individual initiated a divorce, and from a different couple the person did nothing to help their spouse through their illness. It was appalling and sad. My belief in the power and full meaning of the words, “I do” was not as solid when I first started out in the dating world and began forming long-term relationships. I have mentioned before that I refer to myself as a part-time germaphobe, where I avoid touching door handles or shaking hands with strangers, for example. When the person I was with in the relationship got sick with a cold or flu, I would sleep on the couch instead of our bed; I was afraid of catching whatever they had. I do not know how I changed this behavior but can recall clearly who I was with at the time that altered my concern from my health to their wellbeing. We had been dating for over one year before they started getting unexplained symptoms that affected their digestive system. I never waivered in being there for them, helping with whatever they needed and sleeping together in our bed. Because this was a new phenomenon for me, caring more about the person than myself, I realized that the only logical answer was that I was truly in love. I was more worried about them than myself. Gratefully, the right doctors were found, and their issue was cured over the course of a few months. HAVING THAT “AHA MOMENT” PREPARED ME for when I was standing in front of our friends and relatives and was asked the marriage question. My reply was, “I do!” Both of us realize as we get older, things may happen; that is just the way life is and all we can do is try to stay in shape and stay healthy as best we can. I remember walking into the dining room and seeing them staring at their dinner on the dining room table. Just sitting and staring. I asked what was wrong and they said they were not sure what they were supposed to do. I was perplexed and because I am a defensive pessimist I started going through different scenarios in my head, while peppering them with questions. I thought maybe they were having a stroke, and I was about to call 911, when they asked for something that sounded like orange juice. Upon drinking some and quietly sitting in their chair, they started becoming rational again. It was a scary moment, but it also reminded me the power when we said to each other, “I do.” With the way I feel about this commitment, I thoroughly appreciated what the couple had in this romantic drama. HAVING MET IN SUCH UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, a young chef and divorcee begin to form what they think is a perfect union. With Andrew Garfield (The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Hacksaw Ridge) as Tobias, Florence Pugh (Black Widow, Dune: Part Two) as Almut, newcomer Lee Braithwaite as Jade, Aoife Hinds (Scoop, Cottontail) as Skye, and Adam James (The Penitent, Hotel Portofino-TV) as Simon Maxson; the beginning of this film kept confusing me with its out of order snippets of the main stars’ interactions through life. I felt the way scenes were randomly jumping into various stages of their lives was a distraction. However, as time went by, I found myself getting in synch with the rhythm of the pacing and started to focus on the main couple. Andrew’s and Florence’s chemistry towards each other was electrifying. They did a fantastic job with the script and elevated the story to a higher level. I feel this story could have settled into a sticky sweetness if it were not for the two of them. Near the end of the movie, I felt like I had gone through a photo album that showed their life together, and oh what a life it was for them.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Transformers One
WHEN I WAS INVITED OVER, I thought there was going to be only a few people visiting. There were a little more than that. My friend’s sister was visiting from out of town; we had all grown up together, so I was treated like a family member. When I arrived at their mother’s house, I quickly realized other relatives must have come over based on the number of cars that were parked in the driveway and on the street. After finding a parking spot, I walked up to the opened front door and let myself in. There were some relatives I recognized from past family functions as I navigated my way through trying to find my friend. I finally found him in the kitchen pouring some drinks for guests. I walked up and we embraced hello. The first thing he mentioned was that his mother had invited a lot of family over to see her new grandbaby. That reminded me to congratulate him again on becoming an uncle. This was the reason I was invited over, to see his sister’s new baby. The two of us made our way back into the living room to find her. Of course, she was planted where most of the guests were congregated, sitting in a chair with the baby cradled in her arms. When she saw me walking towards her, she got up to hug me and introduced me to her daughter. It was a special moment. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE OTHER guests wanted their chance to talk to the new mother; I excused myself and made my way to an open spot on the sofa. There were a couple of bowls of snacks on the coffee table in front of me that I wanted to try. I looked to the end table I was sitting next to, to find a coaster to set my drink upon. The only thing sitting on the table was a small truck. I folded a napkin to set my drink on and picked up the truck. It must have been from one of the kids I spotted playing outside when I first arrived. The truck was brightly colored and heavier than I expected when I picked it up. I turned it around in my hand to admire the detailing on it; I was big into trucks and cars when I was a little kid. As I was turning it over, the cab unfolded; it was hinged. This was unexpected, so I began to gently press on the various edges of the toy. To my amazement everything was hinged and before you knew it, I had the figure of a robot cradled in the palm of my hand. It was amazing to me, besides being very cool. I had never seen such a toy and marveled at its complexity. Of course, it was not long before I started seeing and hearing about these robot toys everywhere. The amazement I felt those years ago filtered back to me as I watched with delight this animated, action, adventure film. FOR THE FIRST TIME, SINCE WE were introduced to the Transformers’ world, we find out how friends could become enemies. With Chris Hemsworth (Extraction, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) voicing Orion Pax, Brian Tyree-Henry (Bullet Train, The Woman in the Window) voicing D-16, Scarlett Johansson (Fly Me to the Moon, Jojo Rabbit) voicing Elita, Keegan-Michael Key (Wonka, The Predator) voicing B-127, and Steve Buscemi (The Death of Stalin, Ghost World) voicing Starscream; this science fiction fantasy story surprised me. Though I was intrigued by the toys when they first came out, I did not have much invested into the films. This prequel had wonderful animation, action, and an easy-to-follow story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The script was solid with a mix of humor and drama. I would not be surprised if the movie studio works to turn this film into a multiple franchise. Also, I saw this picture in 3D but do not feel it is a necessity; it did not add anything new for me. Of course, it would help if the viewer had even a small inkling of the background to the Transformers story, but I do not think it would rob anyone of the enjoyment in seeing this film. There were two extra scenes during the ending credits.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Long Game
UNTIL I SAW THE INSIDE OF another high school, I did not realize how many things my school did not have for its students. I am not complaining because I honestly do not feel I missed out on anything; however, when I visited my relative’s school, I was stunned with the number of things they had available for the student body. Things like moveable chairs, weight equipment, a theater, and a football field. When my school was being built, it was meant to be a junior high school; but because of the baby boom, it was decided by the school district to turn the building into a high school. By the time I attended, we did not have module class schedules or color-coded hallways; we had loose tiles falling from the gymnasium’s ceiling and an asphalt covered piece of land outside that instead of being a parking lot was used for our outdoor activities like baseball and running. I mentioned in my previous review a hierarchy in my school, but I did not realize it would be something that stayed with me all the way until I went to college. My elementary school covered a neighborhood that was not as well off compared to one of our sister schools. Nothing was overtly said, but just using one’s eyes you could see there was more available to the students at the other school. PERSONALLY, I NEVER FELT I WAS being discriminated against except maybe for being too big and having a bad case of acne. It was not until the latter years of high school that I felt I had more normal clothes because I had lost weight. The year I was involved with the school’s yearbook, I discovered our school was looked down upon from other schools in the city. Hearing about how our students were treated at sporting events, because many times we were always playing away games, I heard what comments were being made about us. I think this is why the other schools were so stunned when our football team made the city finals one year, playing on the same field as the city’s football team. The perception as far as I could tell, was being poor or less well off meant you could not be talented. I found it so weird despite feeling hurt by the negativity I discovered. It messed with my brain because whenever I would see the schools my relatives attended, I always felt like the poor relation, and I wondered if they ever felt the same about me as the city schools felt about my school. Having experienced this, I believe, added more to my enjoyment in watching this historical sport drama. NOT BEING ALLOWED TO PLAY AT the golf course where they caddied, a group of Mexican American boys made their own golf course in the Texas desert, to teach themselves how to play the game. All they would need was some guidance to help them understand the game. With Jay Hernandez (Bad Moms franchise, Magnum P.I.-TV) as JB Pena, Dennis Quaid (Blue Miracle, The Hill) as Frank Mitchell, Cheech Marin (Champions, Shotgun Wedding) as Pollo, Julian Works (Mending the Line, The Standoff) as Joe Trevino, and Jaina Lee Ortiz (Misfire, Station 19-TV) as Lucy Pena; this film festival winning movie was not only inspirational but thoroughly entertaining. I enjoyed watching this despite not being a big fan of golf. The script, based on a true story, was simple and predictable. And though it may follow a template used by other films, I thought there was such heart and thought put into this production. The sets and costumes were perfect for the time frame of 1955. There were some scenes that were sad to me because I am sure stuff like that still goes on today. However, this was such a “feel good” film that I was left in a nearly euphoric state.
3 ¼ stars
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