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Flash Movie Review: Wicked: For Good
OFFICIALLY IT WAS FORTY DAYS AND forty nights, but there was more involved. We had been planning this “trip of a lifetime” for more than a year. The weeks leading up to our departure were filled with hectic days of us running around to take care of the constant blooming of last minute items. There were doctor appointments and pharmacy runs to make sure we had everything we needed. I knew the flights to get there were going to be a grueling experience for me; I cannot sleep on airplanes, nor eat a meal at an odd time for my body clock. In my mind, for the fact we departed at eight pm, I was not about to eat the dinner that was offered after nine pm. However, this can sometimes present a problem for me when breakfast gets served closer to the time breakfasts would be served at the country of our destination. As the hours slowly slipped by, I was in the beginning stages of exhaustion. The total time we were traveling was over twenty-two hours if you included the times we sat at our gate during our layover stops. At some point, when my body realizes it is not able to go into a restive state, I simply become numb to everything and everyone around me. BY THE TIME WE REACHED OUR final destination, we were a day ahead from everyone we left back home. It was a bizarre feeling for me; however, after crashing onto the bed in our hotel room and sleeping for over eleven hours, we woke up and looked out the window and realized we were in a place we had only seen a glimpse of on television. There were groups of trees alongside the sidewalks, bursting with lavender flowers. The body of water in front of us was a deep blue, and on the edge perched one of the most unusual buildings I had ever seen; it looked like massive bird beaks sticking out of the ground. We showered and ate quickly, then packed our small knapsacks with the “essentials” for an entire day of sightseeing. Never in our lives had we ever seen such unfamiliar vegetation. There were bushes that looked as if all its branches with giant, hairy, green caterpillars. The tall buildings looked as if a toddler had drawn up the blueprints; they had sharp angles with sections that looked as if another section of a building was placed on top. The tours we signed up for took us to these magical places where one would expect supernatural beings to reside. A cave with its ceiling covered in fluorescent blue worms that made it seem as if we were staring up into a star filled sky; animals that were only native to this land and not found at any zoos I had visited back home; we felt as if we were living in a fantasy, just like we felt when watching this musical fantasy film. GROWING INTO THE ROLES LAYED OUT for them, two friends seem as if they are drifting further apart. What would become of them and the secrets they knew? With Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Bad Times at the El Royale) as Elphaba, Ariana Grande (Don’t Look Up, Wicked) as Glinda, Jeff Goldblum (The Fly, Jurassic Park franchise) as the Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh (A Haunting in Venice, Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey (Jurassic World: Rebirth, Bridgerton-TV) as Fiyero; part two of this story was still colorful and fantasy filled. However, just like I felt when I saw the staged version, this picture was somewhat of a letdown. It was darker and more political, I thought. The two additional songs were not memorable which did nothing to boost the smaller amount of musical numbers. Where Cynthia was the main focus in part one, Ariana was the focus in this one, and I have to say I was blown away with her acting. If you are not a fan of musicals, I think you would be bored watching this film. With everything I just said, the last part of this picture was worth the price of admission. I still enjoyed watching this movie and felt for a while I was placed in a different land.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Superman
A PILE OF HAND-ME-DOWN comic books was my first introduction to Superman. I read and reread them many times over until I started buying comic books at the local five and dime store in our neighborhood. Superman’s strength was what attracted me to him, along with his X-ray vision. Not being much of an athletic kid, I wished I had muscles like Superman. The reason I wanted his X-ray vision was so I could spot someone hiding to ambush me when I was walking home from school. From allowances and getting money for returning soda bottle for the deposit, I bought every issue that came out. Besides Superman, I had enough money to buy Batman comics which was my other obsession. The array of gadgets Batman had always fascinated me. I think my thrill for fast cars was due to the Batmobile. Though, it was a toss-up for which car I liked better: James Bond’s car or Batman’s, both were equipped with amazing inventive tricks like machines guns hidden behind headlights, smokescreens and rocket launchers. Whether it was Superman or Batman, I loved all the special abilities they utilized in fighting “bad guys.” One of my biggest regrets was selling my comic books from my summer lemonade stands; little did I know how much they would be worth today. DESPITE ALL THE READING I DID of Superman, I did not focus on his ability to fly until I saw the live action television show. Seeing an actual person flying, sparked my imagination and desires. As a little kid, I thought the actor was actually flying. Now, whenever I happen to see a clip of the old television show, it looks more like Superman is just lying on a flat surface and either strings or a fan is making his cape move, to look like the wind is blowing it. I had dreams about flying; most of the time I was flying to escape getting picked on or beaten up. Summer days, I would sit out on our back porch and study the height of the trees nearby, wondering what would be a safe height for me to practice flying. Of course, my imagination was fully engaged with ideas about building some type of apparatus to help me fly. I thought about the possibility of attaching fabric to wing shaped wooden frames that I could build, then strapping them on my arms with belts. Or, maybe having someone sew fabric directly to my jeans and shirt so that the wind could get in it and float me up like a kite. Gratefully, I never acted on any of these thoughts that I just realized got nudged in my brain after seeing this action, superhero adventure. CONFLICTED BETWEEN HIS HERITAGE AND HUMAN upbringing was not the only thing that was causing Superman/Clark Kent, played by David Corenswet (Twisters, The Greatest Hits) stress and grief. Encountering a being as strong as himself was something new. With Rachel Brosnahan (Patriots Day, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel-TV) as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult (Nosferatu, The Order) as Lex Luthor, Alan Tidy (The Trouble with Jessica, Resident Alien-TV) as Gary, and Bradley Cooper (Maestro, Nightmare Alley) as Jor-El; this reboot’s script was written for today’s current climate, with dashes of humor thrown in. The CGI dog was strictly there for comic relief. I was conflicted by this mix and wished there had been a stronger sense of doom in the plot. Though the actors did a good job, I felt their characters were a bit cartoonish and not fully fleshed out. At some point it seemed the scenes were jumping from one action fight to another. Maybe the intention was to make Superman more human, which I do not have an issue with, but I like my superhero characters to have a stronger foundation. Overall, I enjoyed watching this picture and felt everyone involved did a good job. Maybe I was hoping for a great job instead.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Last Showgirl
HAVING THE COMBINATION OF BEING CHANGE resistant and finding comfort in having a routine, it is difficult for me whenever I am forced to accept a new situation in my daily routine. For example, at a past job, when our department was moving to a remodeled space, I nearly became catatonic because I was so overwhelmed with the thought of packing up my area and moving my stuff to a different location in the office building. My co-workers noticed the week of our scheduled move, I barely had the drawers of my desk packed up, let alone my files. They had to come in and get everything into cardboard files or boxes, label them and put them in a pile for the people who were in charge of physically moving our stuff. To this day, I am still grateful for all the work they put in to get me to our new office space. I do not know why I am so resistant to change, but even throughout my career I have had numerous phone calls from recruiters, enticing me with job opportunities at various companies that were offering bigger salaries than what I was currently receiving. I turned all of them down because I simply did not want to change the daily routine I had in place. I know, this sounds crazy but it is the truth; that is how uncomfortable I am when it comes to change. THIS FEAR OF CHANGE WAS ONE of the main reasons why I created choreographed routines in my aerobic classes. If I had to come into the exercise studio each time with a different move or step pattern I would have given up teaching classes. On the average, I would have ten to twelve songs on my playlist with each song representing a different choreographed piece. This way, I could walk into class for the next six to ten weeks knowing exactly what i was going to do and monitor the class participants’ progress. If you think that might be a little bit OCD, I am sure I have told you that I ate the exact same lunch every day at work for over thirty years. Knowing that I would be eating the same food, where each item was a favorite of mine, was my daily oasis of bliss during the work day. No matter how hard the day was going, knowing what was waiting for me at lunchtime always made me happy and excited. I know I am not the only person who finds comfort with having a routine, and when I do discover someone else of a like mind it simply validates what I feel about myself. You will quickly know and understand why I enjoyed this film festival winning drama. AFTER WORKING FOR YEARS AT THE same Las Vegas stage show, a seasoned showgirl must come to terms with the fact the show would soon be closing, leaving her to figure out what she needed to do to make a living. With Pamela Anderson (Baywatch-TV, Home Improvement-TV) as Shelly, Brenda Song (Love Accidentally, Dollface-TV) as Mary-Anne, Kiernan Shipka (Red One, Mad Men-TV) as Jodie, Dave Bautista (The Killer’s Game, In the Lost Lands) as Eddie, and Jamie Lee Curtis (Borderlands, Haunted Mansion) as Annette; the performances in this film were excellent. I thought Pamela did her best work in this story and wondered if the writers had her in mind when creating this character. The way she came across with this tiny high pitched voice and love of feathers and sequins, it was a delight to see the maturity of her character bleeding out of her as the story progressed. Also, it is understandable why she was nominated for a Golden Globes Award. I enjoyed seeing a different side of Las Vegas with the story focused more on the workers who created the glitz and glamour. The script was decent but I would have appreciated learning more about the characters. However, watching the acting and my fascination with Las Vegas, made this an enlightening viewing experience.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Novocaine
THOSE IN MY SPHERE OF FRIENDS and relatives would not use the word “risky” to describe me. Yet, though it would not be the first, third, or tenth thing down the list; I would say I am a calculated risk type of individual. This is especially true when it comes to relationships. I remember this person I had only gone out with twice before they invited me to their New Year’s Eve party, no less. I was hesitant with my reply because I had to go over all the information I had acquired from our two dates. To my advantage, they were an afternoon coffee date and dinner date; so, there was a lot of talking done in those two events. When I replied I mentioned I had another party to go to but I would stop by. This was true, though the other party was a yearly get together at a friend’s house for whoever wanted to stop by. The reason I mentioned the other party was in case I was not comfortable being at a party filled with strangers, except for the host who I had only known for a couple of weeks. It was a risk for me and at the party I was quite aware I was the topic of conversation amongst their closer friends. Gratefully, I had a pleasant time despite feeling like I was on display; I did catch the host telling a friend that I was the one who they had been “dating” the past couple of weeks. I AM NOT MAKING ANY JUDGEMENTS regarding that New Year’s Eve party because I have taken the same type of risk myself. When I first meet a potential date, I tend to steer the conversation into deeper waters because I have never been good at small talk. If I find my mind is engaged with theirs, I can quickly find myself being attracted to them; I want to learn and explore more with them. And for some reason, if a situation comes up where it appears they are taking a risk, that can be quite informative. The last time when I was available and dating, I had met someone for coffee one evening after work. The conversation went well and I felt we had a variety of things in common. It was towards the end of our third date when I decided to take a risk and see if they would accept it. I mentioned I was going to an outdoor music festival in a couple of weeks and asked if they cared to join me. A good part of me thought they would decline because I was pretty sure the artists were not the type of musicians they were interested in. Imagine going on a date and spending the entire time not enjoying the venue; it certainly could be a test. To my surprise, they accepted my offer; I was actually stunned but pleased. The reason being is that this showed me the interest was mutual, which allowed my defenses to recede and let my heart expand. We had a wonderful time and from that moment on, the relationship got stronger and stronger. So, I absolutely understood what the main character had to do in this action, crime, comedy, thriller. WHEN ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES IS taken as a hostage, who he believes might be the girl of his dreams, the assistant bank manager sets out to rescue her, using his unique physical trait to assist him. With Jack Quaid (Companion, The Boys-TV) as Nate, Amber Midthunder (Prey, The Ice Road) as Sherry, Ray Nicholson (Smile 2, Borderline) as Simon, Jacob Batalon (Spider-Man franchise, Tarot) as Roscoe, and Betty Gabriel (Get Out, It Lives Inside) as Mincy; this movie had a novel story line that I found attractive. Granted, there were scenes filled with blood and violence; but I enjoyed the acting, especially coming from Jack and Amber. Some of the scenes were creative but at some point they started reaching to the level of far-fetched. A layer of disbelief formed in my head that lasted through the last half of the film. Also, the same type of gag repeating itself made the last half of the story a bit tiresome. However, with the novel approach, good acting, and creativity involved; I still enjoyed watching this picture, though I had to turn my head away a couple of times. There were scenes of blood and violence.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Thunderbolts
ONE OF THE MOST HUMILIATING EXPERIENCES during my elementary and high school years was when we would have to pick teams in physical ed classes. Usually the teacher would pick two of his favorites in the class to be team captains, and let them choose the students they wanted for their teams. This meant I would have to stand in line with the rest of the students and watch each one get picked before me; if I was not the last one picked, I was always close to last. I knew and everyone else knew right then and there the captain really did not want me on their team because I would not be an asset to the team. Heck, I knew I would not be because I did not like playing team sports. The best I could hope for was not to make a mistake that would cost the team not to win. Depending on the game, I would always stay in the back and just run from side to side with the other students around me, hoping the ball never came close to me. The most amazing thing that ever came out of those experiences was finding myself the last member standing for my team and having to try and make the winning play. The game, I can distinctly remember to this day, was bombardment. Each side would throw the ball to the other side and try to hit a member from the opposing team. If hit, they were then out of the game; the last person standing was the winner for the team. It was during this game that I discovered I could throw the ball fast and really hard. It was a revelation to me. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, THIS WAS the only game I ever wanted to play. And trust me, the other students noticed my “talent” quickly. Added to my new ability, I had a high accuracy rate; I could quickly knock off boy after boy on the opposing team. Sadly, once we graduated to high school, where I thought I could start with a clean slate and not have all the other boys think I was a loser except in this one game, none of the PE classes offered bombardment as a sport. So, I found myself back to being part of a small group of boys who were always picked last in any of the sporting events. If you were never in such a situation, it would be hard to tell you how truly awful the feeling was to stand while everyone around you was getting picked before you. It does a real number on one’s confidence and for many of us, the feelings leaked out into our other school activities. Imagine having to get up in front of the class to give an oral report and see your fellow students not paying attention to anything you were saying, or teaming up on a science project and your lab partner telling you he wants to do the experiment alone because he is in your PE class and knows about your poor performances. Due to these life experiences I have endured, my heart always quickly goes out to the underdog, no matter the venue or activity. This is way I found myself early on, rooting on the castoffs in this action, adventure, science fiction drama. FINDING THEMSELVES CALLED TO THE SAME place, only to discover it was a trap, a group of unconventional beings must form a tight knit group if they want to save themselves and save the world. With Florence Pugh (We Live in Time, Dune: Part Two) as Yelena Belva, Sebastian Stan (A Different Man, Dumb Money) as Bucky Barnes, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Tuesday, You Hurt my Feelings) as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Lewis Pullman (Water Rises, Bad Times at the El Royale) as Robert Reynolds, and David Harbour (A Working Man, Violent Night) as Alexei Shostakov; this superhero political drama was a refreshing twist to the superhero genre. The cast was perfectly suited to the script, especially Florence with her character. She has such a strong screen presence that demands one’s attention. Another surprise for me was seeing Julia do such a wonderful job with her character who was so unlike any of her other characters. I appreciated the lack, or at least the soft marketing influences to the script. There were humorous moments throughout the story as well as touching moments that were unexpected but helped balance out the script. Even though the story may not be a total original, I enjoyed watching this film and felt sympathy for this group of characters. I would not mind seeing them come together in a sequel. There were two extra scenes during the ending credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Nonnas
IN RETIREMENT, I DID NOT WANT to make cooking one of my goals. Instead, I left it as a work in progress. Presently, I do not have the confidence to trust my cooking skills, so whenever we have company over for dinner, I make two main courses; this way if one of them turns out bad, there is another one that hopefully is better. I like to increase the odds in my favor. However, in my mind I have visions of family and friends gathering at our house, to use one of my favorite sayings, to “break bread.” I truly enjoy that phrase because it is simple and direct. It has its origins in religious scriptures but I am referring to the modern slang version of it which means to share a meal, a significant event to foster meaningful connections and cooperation. In my thank you speech to our wedding guests, I thanked them for attending to break bread with us because we were all as one. So this idea of creating and sharing a meal is in my head and has been for decades. The example of it came from my now deceased relatives who every weekend took turns hosting the entire family over for a dinner, a lunch, a brunch, or a barbecue. The home would be filled with relatives all gathered around the dining room table that had its extra leaves put into it. We would sometimes be jammed tightly around it depending on how many relatives were present, but it did not make a difference to any of us; we all loved being together to share in the stories that would be told and the home cooked food. WITH THAT AS MY EXAMPLE, I want to be able to carry on that tradition which is why I want to practice and get more comfortable with the cooking aspect of a meal. I do pretty good in the baked desserts category. Along with this mental picture, the idea of using the kitchen items that have been handed down to me, is the icing on the cake, pun intended. I have serving platters and bowls that I remember when I was a toddler. In my possession are only a few of the recipes that my relatives used when they were alive and hosting meals. I would love to be able to recreate some of their dishes and surprise the current generations of our families. However, there is a problem with some of the recipes; there are no exact measurements to the ingredients. Back then, the people who did the cooking and baking had most of their recipes committed to memory. I even remember sitting down with a relative and having them show me how much of each ingredient they used, then taking it and measuring it out. That would be the ultimate achievement if I could do something like that, but I do not think at this stage of my life I will ever achieve such a feat. In the meantime, I sit and study the recipes and tackle them with estimated amounts, doing them over and over, until the reality matches the memory of the item. This dramatic comedy reinforces my belief that sitting together and breaking bread is a powerful force, especially when one has at their disposal those old family recipes. AFTER HIS MOTHER’S PASSING, A SON wants to honor her in a special way; by opening a restaurant though he knows nothing about running such an operation. With Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, Fighting with my Family) as Joe Scaravella, Lorraine Bracco (The Basketball Diaries, The Sopranos-TV) as Roberts, Talia Shire (Rocky franchise, The Godfather franchise) as Teresa, Brenda Vaccaro (Capricorn One, Midnight Cowboy) as Antonella, and Joe Manganiello (The Kill Room, Magic Mike franchise) as Bruno; this film based on a true story was an easy comforting viewing experience. I enjoyed seeing the long well known actors working seamlessly together, doing what they do best. The script, though it was predictable, still provided warm fuzzy moments, helped by scenes of the wonderful looking home cooked meals. This film does not put on airs or thinks it is some kind of masterpiece in cinema; it simply provides a couple of chuckles, solid acting from the cast, and a great idea that became a well known reality. Excuse my choice of words, but this was a delicious little piece of a picture.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Friend
I LIVE AMONG OBJECTS WHOSE OWNERS I barely know. There is an ivory colored wash basin with matching water pitcher sitting on top of a book case. A mantle clock with intricate carvings on either side of the face that has Roman numerals for the numbers: 1, 2, 3, etc. One of the more unusual items is wrapped in fabric similar to burlap. In the middle of it is a sword. The silver handle has dulled over the years, and hanging down from it is a loop of gold braided cord with a small tassel attached at the bottom. These items I just listed are from relatives who are long deceased, at least as far back as three generations of family members. The only thing I know about the owners is where they came from and their connection to me. For example, I have a reproduction of an ancient photo that is hanging up in the hallway. There are two women pictured in the photo, the older one is seated with the other one standing next to her. I do not know their names but do know what they are to me. The seated woman is my great, great, great grandmother who was too old to emigrate with the family when they came to America. She was alive when Napoleon invaded Russia. The woman standing next to her was my great, great aunt who agreed to stay back and take care of our relative. OUT OF ALL THESE TREASURED OBJECTS, there are two that stand out for me. One is a small silver wine cup that my great, great, great grandfather, from the other side of the family, only used when it was a holiday. The cup is tarnished and I need to polish it so I can make out the etchings that go all the way around the cup. The idea that my great, great, great grandfather had his hand and lips touching it makes the cup more real to me, for some reason. Whenever I look at the wine cup, I imagine my relative sitting at a long dining room table with our family members in attendance, sharing a meal during the holidays. It makes me feel connected to them. The other object that is significant to me is a gold coin that a relative had sealed in a plastic case. This gold coin was my grandfather’s, who died before I was born. He would always carry it in his trouser pants every single day. I have to assume he thought of it as some type of good luck charm. All of these items provide me with a connection to my heritage, my family tree. Imagine the time when these items are handed down to the next generation; it will be their turn to safeguard and respect them. Though all of these objects are man-made, there are other things that may not be, but are still as important, such as the thing the main character receives from her deceased friend/mentor in this drama. A NOVELIST AND CREATIVE WRITING TEACHER has her life thrown into disarray when she becomes the caretaker for her deceased friend’s dog, a Great Dane. In her small New York City apartment, she will have to come to terms with her mentor’s death and its ramifications. With Bill Murray (The Greatest Beer Run Ever, On the Rocks) as Walter, Naomi Watts (Goodnight Mommy, This is the Night) as Iris, Cloe Xhauflaire (The House, The First Purge) as Camille, Josh Pais ( Joker, Spoiler Alert) as Jerry, and Carla Gugino (Snake Eyes, Gunpowder Milkshake) as Elaine; this film stood out simply because of Naomi’s performance as well as the dog’s. Though the script had some misfires in it, the writers never took the easy way out with slapstick humor or unrealistic scenarios. With the acting skills of the cast, the story was told in a straight forward way that allowed the actors to breathe and grow with their characters. This was most apparent with Naomi’s character and it is what kept me engaged with the story. Also, it was a nice change of pace to have a steady paced film that left out the theatrics and marketing tie-ins which made the story’s journey more believable.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: I Am Raquel Welch
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE was in a class of mine. I had seen her in the school’s cafeteria on the few occasions I ate lunch at school. By most students’ standards, she was classified as being beautiful. The reason I knew this was because the school’s rumor mill was always busier in the beginning of a new school year. I, myself, thought she was beautiful; however, the main reason she was being talked about was because of her brains. I had heard she was exceptionally smart and students were already predicting she would be the class valedictorian. Personally, it did not matter to me whether she was smart or not, pretty or not; I only hoped she was a nice, friendly person. Our class together was European history; a subject I enjoyed. On my own and before I even knew i was taking the class, I had read books on the different royal families, from England to Russia. Having had relatives who served in the military during World War II, I grew up hearing all kinds of stories about their time overseas, so was interested in getting more facts about their time there. I did not necessarily think I was going to be the smartest in class, but I did feel I could hold my own in any type of group discussions or tests. Within the first several weeks it was apparent to the teacher, as well as the students, that this beautiful girl was smart. Not that she was the type who immediately raised her hand to answer every question the teacher asked, but she displayed extremely thoughtful counterpoints to the teacher’s discussions on various topics. i was quite impressed with her. FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL year and all of my future educational classes, I used that girl as the example of having the looks but not flaunting them and having the knowledge but not showing off. I can recall being in a discussion group with her and how impressed I was when she would challenge a fellow student’s argument about a certain subject. She was never one to yell or accuse someone of being wrong; she would systematically work on breaking down the person’s false narratives, making a point of explaining the reasons, and she never ever made things personal like some of the other students did in class. At one point, when everyone was meeting with a guidance counselor to narrow down what we wanted to be or study in college, I thought her counselor would certainly tell her she should become a lawyer. She had the manner, the temperament, and obviously had the brains. Not to be judgmental or snarky, but her combination of beauty and brains confused students who were higher in the social standings of the student body, for example the players on the school’s major sports teams, the jocks and cheerleaders. They did not know how to approach or handle her. One could say the same thing about the actress in this fascinating documentary. RAQUEL WELCH (THE THREE MUSKETEERS, FANTASTIC VOYAGE), was a trailblazing actress who broke barriers which enabled many actors after her to flourish in their careers. Yet, most people only remember her outfit in the film, One Million Years B.C. I happened to see this film long after it debuted. From what I remember, I thought she looked different than many actresses because she was not the “blond bombshell’ type and she looked to me like she had the figure of a Barbie doll. From this documentary directed by Olivia Cheng (Dinner with Dex, Warrior-TV), i learned so much more about Raquel through her own voice and those who worked with her or were considered her friend like the costume designer Bob Mackie and actor Eugenio Derbez (Instructions Not Included, Overboard). She was a single mother, who worked hard to provide for her family, while redefining the world’s idea of a Hollywood “Sex Symbol.” In addition, she accomplished things that no actress had ever done. I enjoyed watching this movie and loved the way the director went between interviews and archival footage. With the director presenting a well-rounded story about a misunderstood actress, I was thoroughly entertained and at the same time learned why Raquel had an important place in Hollywood history.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Black Bag
IN TERMS OF TRUST, I WAS raised with a solid foundation that enabled me to wholeheartedly have a strong bond of trust with my friends and family members. Unfortunately, that strong bond got dented early on. I was in the early grades of elementary school and had a few friends come over after school one day. We played a board game that all of us were into at the time; the playing lasted a little over an hour. Everyone put their game pieces and cards into the game box, and I put the lid on and put it back on the shelf. The next time I played the game, I noticed one of the game pieces was missing. I took out all the containers and cardboard liners from the box, but there was no sign of the piece. The only thing I could think of was one of my friends kept their game piece. I was hurt and upset. What exacerbated my sad feelings was another incident that hammered a blow to my trust, a few weeks after discovering the missing piece. I went bowling with a few of my relatives. For a reason I cannot figure it out, I took off my new and very first wristwatch and placed it on the scoring table. At the end of the game, we turned in our rented bowling shoes and headed out the door. We were four blocks away when I realized I left my watch behind. I explained what happened to my relatives and ran back to the bowling alley, to look for my watch. Absolutely no sign of it and no one had turned it into the lost and found; I was devastated. HAVING THOSE TWO INCIDENTS TAKING PLACE so early in my life, colored my feelings about trusting people. To drive the point home, one of my earliest love relationships shattered my belief system of trust. We had been dating for six months when an opportunity came up for a free trip to Mexico; they were a travel agent, so got these deals from time to time. We flew down to the resort that was being promoted and had planned to stay five days. When we arrived at the resort’s hotel, I felt the assistant manager was paying extra attention to us, but assumed it was because we were listed as travel agents in their records. The assistant manager made another appearance during breakfast, and I started to sense there was an ulterior motive. The two of us finished eating and went back to the room to change to sit by the pool. It was not until lunchtime that we returned to our room. I went to take a shower first and while in the bathroom, I thought I heard a knock at the door. For some reason, I decided to leave the shower water running after I stepped out and dried off. When I came out of the bathroom, there was my partner and the assistant manager making out on top of our bed. I was furious; so angry, that the intruder ran out of the room. I then turned to my partner and yelled some tough words for them before packing up and making my way back to the airport. I never spoke to them again. Because of my issues with trust, I totally understood the dilemma the husband had in this dramatic spy thriller romance. WHEN MASTER SPY GEORGE WOODHOUSE, PLAYED by Michael Fassbender (Next Goal Wins, X-Men franchise), was assigned a list of possible traitors to the agency, he notices one of the names on the list was his wife. How can he protect his country and wife at the same time? With Gustaf Skarsgard (I’ll Be Your Mirror, Vikings-TV) as Phillip Meacham, Cate Blanchett (Borderlands, Don’t Look Up) as Kathryn St. Jean, Tom Burke (The Souvenir, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) as Freddie Smalls, and Marisa Abela (Rogue Agent, Back to Black) as Clarissa Dubose; this film started out slow for me. However, as the scenes unfolded and I had a grasp of the characters, I started to enjoy what was taking place. The acting was tight and efficient with Michael and Cate as standouts for me. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Presence, Logan Lucky), I thought the pacing was equally as taut and fast paced. I appreciated the action was more verbal without the blood and violence, though there was one scene that had it. The script could have offered more depth, but under the circumstances I could see where that would have slowed things down. This movie turned out to be an exciting and fun watch with its twists and turns.
3 stars
moviejoltz 