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Flash Movie Review: The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
THE RESTAURANT WAS OUR SANCTUARY. IF memory serves me correctly, it was one of the first places, that was not serving fast food, where I went without my parents. The time was my high school years, and my friends and I started going to it because it was in the middle between our elementary school district boundaries. The restaurant was a decent sized place, with parking lots on both sides of the building. The front door and waiting area were in the middle; on one side there were all booths and on the other it was booths along the walls, but the rest of the floor space was filled with tables. I did not realize it then, but I guess the tabled room was used more for lunches, dinners, and larger sized parties. Most of the time my friends and I were taken to a booth. Another reason we liked hanging out at this restaurant, besides the friendly staff and tasty food, was their abundant breadbasket filled with a variety of bread slices, rolls, breadsticks, and crackers. If someone did not have a lot of money to spend on food, they could easily order a soft drink and chow down on the bread items. It was always the first thing the wait staff would put down when people were seated. What I especially liked was the fact the wait staff never tried to talk down to us or try to rush us out after we had eaten. It was in these booths where we could talk about anything and share whatever was on our minds. I AM STILL FRIENDS WITH SOME of the people who sat with me at the restaurant. Not only did we spend time together there through high school, but we also did during our college years. If one of us was attending an out of state university, they were especially eager to meet up at the restaurant anytime they were back home for a visit. I remember how no one would bring their girl or boyfriend around until they were well established in the relationship. It was always overwhelming for the new person to join into our tight knit group, but we did our best to make them comfortable. Some time after college one of the parents of a friend passed away; after the funeral, a group of us met up at the restaurant to have a meal before going back to their house. This restaurant was a vital part of our lives when growing up; it was our therapy, our social life, and our introduction to becoming independent human beings with a strong bond between each of us. Due to these memories, I suddenly felt connected to this comedic drama. THROUGH A LIFETIME, THE BONDS BETWEEN an intimate group of friends gets tested by relationships, prejudices, and love. With Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Ray, Origin) as Odette, Sanaa Lathan (The Perfect Guy, Something New) as Barbara Jean, Uzo Aduba (Really Love, Orange is the New Black-TV) as Clarice, Mekhi Phifer (Lights Out, ER-TV) as James, and Julian McMahon (Fantastic Four franchise, FBI: Most Wanted-TV) as Ray; this movie based on the best selling novel, won me over by the strong acting of the main characters. They came across real and had emotional depth. I will say though, it seemed as if some scenes were cut short or appeared to be because of the switching from present to past. I thought the sets and costumes were perfect and appreciated the way the writers did not shy away from events that were prevalent during those times. I can only imagine the book must be even better than this picture. There was a level of predictability to the story, but it did not distract me from being so entertained by the cast. The connections the friends had to each other reminded me of the ones I had/have with my friends; I was left with a feeling of comfort after this movie was over.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
IT WAS A CHANCE ENCOUNTER THAT released long forgotten memories from forty plus years ago. I was walking through a crowded hotel lobby. Trying to make my way amongst the mass of people, I said “excuse me” to a woman I was trying to get around to reach the staircase. She turned and looked at me; we both became motionless as we intently stared at each other. It immediately clicked in my brain, like a spotlight that found its mark on stage, and I uttered her name after all these years. She in turn did the same thing, saying my name, at the exact time. We both asked what the other was doing here, and it turned out we were attending the same event. I could not believe it. Unfortunately, with assigned seating, we only had small chunks of time to communicate with each other. It felt so good to see her and to feel her warmth again because I had been the one who disappeared. I never wanted to stop being friends with her, but the circle of friends around us was becoming too toxic for me; so, I had to remove myself from the situation. Before the end of the evening, we made plans to meet for lunch a week later. I WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO do as I was walking into the restaurant. Should I hug her or not, should I be animated and wave my hands; I did not know how I would be received. As it turned out as soon as we saw each other we walked up and hugged. Funny, we never did it in school, but I guess being older versions of ourselves made it the thing to do. Once we were seated, we each peppered the other with questions about their current life situation. Memories were flooding my brain; sharing prom together, sitting in her parents’ kitchen while her mother served us cake, using a cuss word to describe someone talking on the television that was playing in the background, hanging out in the park with a group of friends. While talking she used the same phrase as she did back forty years ago. Her no nonsense style of not caring what people thought of her was still as prevalent as it was back then. The only way I could describe my feelings was to say I felt like I had come back home. There was an easy comfort being with her. Whatever differences we had did not require any energy now; I was happy to see her. Some of these things I have been talking about could easily describe what I was feeling while watching this comedic horror fantasy. EMBARRASSED AND DISMISSIVE OF HER GHOST believing mother, a daughter unwittingly causes something to happen that could change her opinion about her family. With Michael Keaton (The Protégé, The Founder) as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder (Destination Wedding, Mermaids) as Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara (A Mighty Wind, Schitt’s Creek-TV) as Delia Deetz, Jenna Ortega (Scream franchise, The Fallout) as Astrid Deetz, and Justin Theroux (The Girl on the Train, False Positive) as Rory; this sequel transported me right back to the time when I saw the original movie. The cast, both new and veterans, were all in to create a madcap, zany fun film. Granted, since having seen the original the level of impact was less and the script for this picture was more convoluted. As with the first one, the music soundtrack was perfect for this story. I think the viewer would still be entertained with this movie even if they had not seen the first one; though I believe it would be of help. Overall, I was entertained throughout and felt no one could do this character justice except Michael Keaton.
3 stars
MoviePass, MovieCrash
AS I WALKED INTO THE LUNCHROOM, two fellow employees were sitting and talking at a table. When they saw me, one of them asked me if I had ever heard of MoviePass; they knew I was an avid movie goer. I told him no and both employees immediately uttered, “What!?!?” From the look on their faces, you would have thought I had just revealed my secret identity as a superhero or told them I was a former gold medal winning Olympian. I asked them what was MoviePass and they both started talking in unison, telling me about paying a monthly fee and being able to see any movie, anywhere, at any time. I listened intently, but part of me was waiting for some kind of catch or joke to be played on me. They described what they had to do to see the movie and I was still skeptical. It sounded too good to be true and frankly, it sounded strange. At the time they were telling me about this, I was working two jobs which took up most of my time. I did not know if this thing they were talking about would be worth it to me. I also could not understand how the company was making money off this idea. MY PREFERRED METHOD OF PAYING FOR movie tickets was using gift certificates, I would get for my birthday and holiday, and discount certificates I would purchase at the warehouse club where I belonged. Buying a ten pack of certificates would average out to a little less than $8.00 a movie ticket. During the holidays, when the certificates would go on sale, I would buy up to a dozen packs and use them throughout the year, sometimes into the next year even. After listening to the employees’ pitch about this new movie service, I went home after work and did some investigating online. Granted it sounded like a great idea, but there was something inside of me that said something was not right about the company. I had read a multitude of customer comments; they ran the gamut from glowing reviews to irritating ones. Some people complained the screen would freeze up on their phone when they were trying to pick a film; others commented how much they hated trying to reach the customer service department. Honestly, I was surprised by the amount of people taking the time to write down their grievances and their praises. After spending a couple of weeks researching the company and its offerings, the pessimistic side of me prevailed and I chose not to get involved. Having now seen this documentary movie, I am glad I made that decision. FROM TWO MEN’S REVOLUTIONARY IDEA ABOUT a new way to see a movie at the theater, a phenomenon was born. If only they had stuck with their original plan. Directed by Muta’ali (Cassius X: Becoming Ali, Life’s Essentials with Roby Dee), this comedic crime drama was an easy watch. I was fascinated with how the story was unfolding; despite the obvious inequity that filtered through the company. I appreciated the way the director wove news clips, videos, and an array of personal interviews from employees, media, and investors. It created a well-rounded take on the various events and stages that were happening at the company. The thing I found the most interesting about this movie is the way it allows the viewer to expand their thinking to other public companies. After finishing my viewing, I found it ironic that I wound up signing up for a service like MoviePass’ operation except mine is through a movie chain.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Killer
I SPOTTED SOMETHING DARK, BURIED UNDERNEATH a pile of blankets that were on the top shelf of a closet. I was using a stepstool to reach the blankets and spotted something that was barely peeking out from underneath. Sliding my hand under the blankets, I felt a stiff leathery cover; I thought it might be a book, except it felt bigger. Having to use both hands, one to hold the blankets back and the other to drag the item out from underneath, I pulled it to the edge of the shelf and had to use both hands to lift it up, so I could finally see it. To my surprise, it was a large, leather covered album or binder. There was gold tooling on the cover that had cracks and wrinkles. I carefully stepped down off the stepstool with the album and sat down in a chair so I could place it on my lap to see what was inside. From underneath the cover as I was opening it, fell out fragments of yellowed paper. There was writing on them, but it was so faded I could not make out any full words. Turning over the cover page which was just a sheet of tissue or wax paper, there sealed onto the stiff page was a handwritten recipe. The handwriting was not familiar to me, nor was there any type of date written to give me an idea of how old the album could be. EACH BLACK CARDBOARD PAGE HAD ANYWHERE from one to several recipes. Because I had been teaching myself how to cook and bake, I was fascinated with this find. Maybe it was a book of family recipes; I needed to find out. Page by page I scanned each recipe until suddenly, one recipe stuck out from all the rest. The name written on top spelled out a word I had not heard since I was a little boy. Was it possible this desert bread recipe was for the one we used to have when I was a small child? I was determined to make it and find out; however, the recipe listed only the ingredients, not the amounts, oven temperature or time for baking. From the ingredients, I only needed one item that I ran to the store to buy. Keeping a piece of paper nearby, I listed what amounts I was guessing, while judging how the batter looked. My first attempt was dry with no taste. My second attempt only filled up the loaf pan halfway, but it came out hard with still no taste. In four weekends, my seventh attempt was a success; the dessert loaf was in fact the one I used to eat when I was a kid. I was ecstatic with the results. From this experience, I must wonder if writer and director John Woo felt the same about doing this updated version from the original one, he did thirty-five years ago. ON ASSIGNMENT TO KILL HER TARGET at a nightclub, along with any witnesses, a feared assassin backs off from killing a blinded woman at the scene of the massacre. The assassin’s “good deed” would not go unpunished. With Nathalie Emmanuel (The Invitation, Game of Thrones-TV) as Zee, Omar Sy (The Book of Clarence, Jurassic World franchise) as Sey, Sam Worthington (Avatar franchise, The Exorcism) as Finn, Diana Silvers (Booksmart, Space Force-TV) as Jenn and Said Taghmaoul (Wonder Woman, Three Kings) as Prince Majeb Bin Faheem; this current version still had John Woo’s trademark bloody violence. The action/fight scenes were beautifully choreographed as well as edited. I enjoyed Nathalie’s and Omar’s performances to the point I would not mind if they starred in a sequel. With so much action and chase scenes, I thought the script was shallow; I did not feel connected to the characters. There were times, I felt I was watching a video game instead of a movie. Despite what I have said and because I was in the mood for a steady action film, I still enjoyed watching this remake. Once again, there were multiple scenes with blood and violence.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Migration
MY DESIRE FOR TRAVEL STARTED AT an incredibly early age. My first road trip took place when I was an infant in diapers. Once I became cognizant, there was something about seeing various places and different topography that I found exciting. That thrill only increased tenfold when I became aware of important landmarks and structures. Seeing the Empire State Building, either in print or on television/film, then seeing it in person was utterly magical to me. Or, having seen the Grand Canyon live for the first time was overwhelming; I wound up walking around it the entire day, unaware that I was burning my unprotected scalp until it was beet red. I still loved the experience of seeing the place in person. When I was a young boy, I used to write to each state’s commerce/tourism department, asking them to send me brochures and pamphlets about their state. I would keep all the literature in a storage box and periodically go through it repeatedly, feeding my desire to go and see the various places for myself. It did not matter how I would get to these various locations because I enjoyed all forms of travel: car, train and airplane. My dream, I may have mentioned, when I was a little kid was to see all fifty states. Though it took me decades to accomplish, I always get a sense of pride whenever I tell someone about my achievement. In my world, travel is in my top five favorite things to do. NOW I DO NOT WANT TO come across as being judgmental and I certainly understand the different circumstances people might have for not traveling, but I have always been perplexed by those who have the means but have no desire to leave their surroundings. To me, this lack of exposure isolates the person and can very easily askew their perceptions about other individuals and places. I know a married couple who rarely leave their neighborhood. We have tried to get them to meet us for a night in the city and they always refused because they have this false perception that no place is safe in the city. Sure, like any big metropolis, there are stories about robberies and shootings, but it is not like the entire city is one big war zone. I try to understand where they are coming from but have a tough time doing it. Without seeing for oneself, I feel a person’s fears have a false ring to them, a hollowness. One could read a book or watch a documentary, but until you see things for yourself, I do not think one can get the complete picture of diverse cultures, places, and societies. To me, this animated adventure comedy is a good example of what I am talking about. IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF pleading and begging to get their overprotective father to take the family on a vacation. As far as he was concerned there was nothing worth leaving, the comforts of their quiet, safe home, even just for a vacation. With Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) voicing Mack, Elizabeth Banks (Call Jane, The Hunger Games franchise) voicing Pam, Isabela Merced (Madame Web, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) voicing Kim, Danny DeVito (Haunted Mansion, The War of the Roses) voicing Uncle Dan and Carol Kane (The Princess Bride, Between the Temples) voicing Erin; I found this a fun, charming picture. The entire cast was well suited to bringing life to their characters. Plus, the script helped because it had some fun slick humor that both kids and adults would enjoy. There was nothing quite new or fresh about the story, yet with the wonderful colorful animation, I still found myself enjoying and watching the story. I also resonated with the story’s message and was left with a comforting feeling after the film was over.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
GENUINELY, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A curious person. I always felt one gets to really know someone from the journey they took to get to their present time. Their past, at least to me, reveals so much more than hearing them talk about their thoughts on current affairs or their favorite pastimes. Because of my interest, there have been times I wondered if I was annoying the person by asking them so many questions. I never wanted it to feel like an interrogation; I simply want to know who they really are behind the surface. I met a man who was his state’s spelling bee champion for several years in a row. He was accepted at some of the top schools in the country like MIT and Princeton. At his job, he oversaw a staff of 1,100 employees and was ranked in the top ten positions of his company. Listening to him, I assumed that he had to come from a stable family, who had the means to get him a good education that gave him all the opportunities he mentioned to me. I could not have been more wrong. It turned out he was from a broken home; his mother having been married and divorced a few times. At one point, things were so bad that he and his mom had to live in their car for several months because they had nowhere else to go. I was stunned. I HEARD SUCH A VARIETY OF back stories from individuals; some of them worthy of being immortalized in a movie. There was the owner of a popular restaurant in the city, who very few people knew he, as a young boy, was in a concentration camp. He chose the restaurant business because he never wanted anyone to experience the starvation he had during the war. There was the woman who was a single mother, raising two daughters, who never wanted her children to not have a roof over their heads, so she devoted most of her extra savings for the purchasing of apartment buildings. By the time her oldest daughter was out of college, she had nearly a dozen different properties that were all generating income. I do not want to come across like a braggart, but there have been people who found my journey to teaching fitness an interesting tale. Being overweight for most of my young life and flunking gym class twice in high school, I came up with an exercise and diet program I could follow without feeling I was missing something. During my weight loss, I ventured out to an aerobics class with a friend and fell in love with it. From there I started subbing classes, while working on getting certified. Afterwards, I wound up teaching at several locations and had a long career in the fitness industry. There is something about hearing a person’s back story that makes their life shine brighter in my mind. I never thought I needed to know the back story to the movie character Furiosa, but I was fascinated with it in this prequel to the film franchise. HAVING BEEN ABDUCTED FROM HER HOMELAND by a powerful warlord, a young girl learns how to take care of herself so that one day she can keep her promise of returning home. Her journey would be a perilous one. With Anya Taylor-Joy (The New Mutants, The Menu) as Furiosa, Chris Hemsworth (Extraction franchise, Men in Black: International) as Dementus, Tom Burke (The Souvenir, The Wonder) as Praetorian Jack, Alyla Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing, The Secret Kingdom) as Young Furiosa and Lachy Hulme (Killer Elite, The Matrix Revolutions) as Immortan Joe; this action, science fiction adventure was all about the fight and chase scenes, and I will have to say they were spectacular. The intensity, the movements and the creativity blended to create some amazing scenes. On top of that, Anya was riveting in her role. Without much dialog, it was easy to understand what she felt and her reactions. I, however, thought the script was too long and did not have the fire that the previous movie had on display. For the most part, this picture was one action scene after another with a small amount of groundwork to set up the scenes. If a viewer does not care about the life of Furiosa, they might not have a strong interest in this movie, especially if not interested in seeing violence and blood.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Suncoast
SOME INDIVIDUALS MAY THINK I HAVE an unusual take on death, but from where I have stood it makes sense to me. When someone suddenly dies, their death hits their loved ones harder. For example, when someone dies from a massive heart attack. When an individual suffers a prolonged process towards death, such as untreatable cancer or Alzheimer’s disease, by the time the person perishes the loved ones around them are relieved the suffering is over. I have experienced both methods of dying and despite the sudden death being such a shock, I felt it was an easier way to leave this world for the deceased. To see someone wilt or be eaten away towards their death is a painful process for all concerned. When I was younger, I remember visiting a relative who had to reside in a nursing home. Their mind was deteriorating, where they did not recognize family members or keep up with hygiene. It was sad and painful to watch how a little more of their life was being snuffed out each time I went to visit. It was during that time that I formulated my belief that there are times where it would be better if the person were dead than having to lose their quality of life and brain capacity. A relative of mine thought I was horrible for thinking such things, but after an extended period watching this individual lose everything that represented who they were, this other relative came up to me and said I was right about the option of dying. IN SCHOOL, WE WERE TAUGHT THE natural order of things meant grandparents would die before parents, who would die before children. I cannot remember what grade I was in when this was a topic for discussion. It made sense to me that the oldest individuals would die before the younger ones. I can see it for myself; when someone dies at the age of ninety-five or older, many people are sad but not heartbroken because that person lived a long, full life. When things go out of order and a parent loses a child, they are stricken with such a deep pain that can nearly incapacitate them. I have seen this for myself on more than one occasion. At a cemetery, I saw a couple whose 2-year-old child had died. The parents came to the cemetery every weekend to swap out the old flowers for new ones and sit down and have a picnic lunch with their deceased child. It was hard for me to see them suffer so. I also understand death is a topic that some people find hard to talk about. The same goes for seeing it on film; though I have to say, I thought the writers did an admirable job in this drama that was inspired by a true story. THE TIME HAD COME TO PLACE her brother in a specific healthcare facility. It happened to be the same place where a protest was taking place regarding one of the patients. With Nico Parker (Dumbo, Reminiscence) as Doris, Laura Linney (The Savages, The Miracle Club) as Kristine, Woody Harrelson (Champions, Triangle of Sadness) as Paul Warden, Daniela Taylor (Grown-ish-TV, Knight Squad-TV) as Laci and Ella Anderson (The Boss, The Glass Castle) as Brittany; I found this film to be a touching and moving experience. The performances from Nico, Laura and Woody were outstanding, with their emotions on full display. Overall, I appreciated what the script was doing, but I did feel a sense of disconnect with the characters because there was not much back story to them. The scenes with Doris and her new friends had a lesser impact on me, despite Nico’s performance standing out in them. The subject matter is a tough one to capture, but I felt the writers came close to what it feels like to experience such a situation. Because no one can escape death, it is up to us to enjoy every day of living.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Monkey Man
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG ABOUT PRETENDING to be someone else to help you overcome a situation you have found yourself in. I have done this in my past, more during my school years. My results were mixed; I succeeded sometimes but then others, it did not do me any good. Also, some of my pretending was based more on a fantasy level, which rarely offered any help. I remember one of my earliest memories of being in a situation where I felt threatened and pretending to be Superman. It was not about his strength I wanted the most, it was the ability to fly away. In the end neither one helped me, and I wound up running away as fast as possible. After I knew I was safe, I still wanted to have the ability to fly, so I could fly over the bully and drop a rock on his head. There were other times during those formative years where I pretended, I was a renowned artist, designing the best dioramas for my school projects. Because I had a relative who was a sales representative for an art supply company, I had the latest assortment of wild colors to use to highlight my art assignments; so, pretending to be an artist was easy. PAST THE SCHOOL YEARS, THERE HAVE been times where I pretended or saw myself being something I was not. After going with a friend to an aerobics class, I fell in love with the idea of working out to music. I used to pretend I was both a choreographer and dancer; playing over and over in my mind the moves I would incorporate in my future classes. I would stay in my room, working and producing different combinations of moves to see how my body felt from doing them, all the time listening to the music to make sure it was perfect to inspire participants to want to move in class. Once I had my music and moves picked out, the next thing I envisioned myself to be was one of those instructors that could be seen on television or at fitness conventions. When I first started teaching, I always had a case of nerves and kept thinking in my mind that I was a failure and a phony. I always walked into the class with this fear that someone would call me out as a fraud. By pretending I was a popular fitness spokesperson, I was able to walk to the front of the class and take the members on a musical journey of exercising their body and heart. This is one of the reasons I understood what the main character was trying to do in this action thriller. AFTER YEARS OF CARRYING RAGE OVER his mother’s death, a young man turns himself into someone who can seek vengeance on those that deserve it. With Dev Patel (The Green Knight, The Wedding Guest) as Kid, Sharlto Copley (District 9, Hardcore Henry) as Tiger, Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm, yesterday’s Past) as Alphonso, Sikandar Kher (Milan Talkies; Monica, O My Darling) as Rana and Sobhita Dhulipala (Major, Made in Heaven-TV) as Sita; this film is filled with blood and violence. Overall, it falls into the middle of the seeking revenge genre; however, with Dev who is also credited with the writing and directing of this film’s story, I was impressed with his debut. I thought the connection to his country’s lore made for an interesting interpretation. The action and fight scenes were nearly as good as other over the top sequences one would see in films like the John Wick franchise. I did, however, think the story started out slow and for most of the movie, I did not feel totally connected to any of the characters except for Dev’s role. Also, the flashback sequences that were used to tell the story felt disruptive to me, at times. Despite these things, this picture is entertaining and hope Dev thinks about making this character wish for something more.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
WHAT HE WAS TELLING US WAS something I had lived through as well. A friend was working at a place that treated everyone like one big family. The company was private, not affiliated with a large corporation. They were profitable, successful, and gave back to the community. He told us how the owners were hands on, meaning they were always stopping by to check on the store and employees. They wanted to make sure employees were comfortable with what they were doing and encouraged them to learn more about the business. There was a reason for this; they preferred to hire and promote from within. The friend had worked there for two years, and besides learning about the retail side of the business, he also was trained for the wholesale side. This meant he already had more opportunities available to him and he said he was not done. He already was established with several customers, who only wanted to deal with him whenever they came into the store. It is funny to me; when you hear someone praising their job, you remember it along with the details. I was happy for him and glad he found a niche in the employment world that suited him. IT WAS AROUND SIX OR EIGHT months later we happened to all get together again. This friend had a completely different story to tell this time about his job. The owners of the company had sold the business to a competitor. This new company’s focus was on profitability, so it was not long before changes started to take place. Our friend was unhappy with the changes. For example, they initiated a no absent work policy. If an employee had PTO, they could take a day off. However, if they did not and an employee, let us say, was out sick, they could only be out a total of three days a year, otherwise they would be terminated. He only had one day available to be out of the office for the next six months, which meant he sometimes would be sick at work. There were other changes, none that benefited any of the employees. I expressed my sympathy because I could relate to his situation. I worked at a place where things were going great and then someone new took over and made life at work unbearable. I have no issue with a company focusing on making profits; but in my experience, each time it happens there is always someone involved who becomes greedy and only thinks of themselves. I have seen this in companies, in politics, organizations and now I can see it in this action, science fiction adventure. THE APE WORLD EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING different from its past. A young ape, in search of his family, discovers what he was told may not have been entirely true. With Owen Teague (It franchise, You Hurt my Feelings) as Noa, Freya Allan (Gunpowder Milkshake, Baghead) as Mae, Kevin Durand (Abigail, I Am Number Four) as Proximus Caesar, Peter Macon (Shelter in Solitude, The Orville-TV) as Raka and Eka Darville (The Sapphires, Jessica Jones-TV) as Sylva; this latest installment in the long running franchise had wonderful cinematography and special effects. I enjoyed the actors’ work to become apes, but I did not care for Freya’s performance. It felt hollow to me; granted, it did not help that the first half of the film dragged to the point where I was hoping things would move along. Gratefully, they did in the last half. The action scenes were intense and there were a few standout moments that made up for the slow pace in the beginning of the movie. I believe this story will lay the groundwork for more films to come. My only hope is that it is a collaborative effort instead of one person controlling every aspect of the production.
3 stars
moviejoltz 