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Flash Movie Review: No Place on Earth
I do not need to read a book to know how strong women can be. Televised wildlife programs showing fiercely protective mothers with their offspring are not needed since I was raised among powerful women. My maternal grandmother’s life was devoted exclusively to her children. She had neither the need for friendships nor any outside interests (except for movies); her mission was to take care of her children: my mother and her siblings. There never was a time where my grandmother did not have freshly baked or cooked food in her house. The only traveling she did was from her house to one of her children’s homes. This woman never uttered a bad word; her strongest showing of displeasure was uttering the word “feh.” In turn, each of her daughters was strong in their own way. When my leg was caught in the back door of the local bus; my mother held me up as she ran alongside the bus, screaming and pounding on the door until it stopped. When my aunt’s two youngest children each had a run in with a glass door, my aunt did not wait for an ambulance. She wrapped their bleeding limbs as she put them into her car and sped away to the hospital, where my cousins were stitched up without loss of limb. I was not surprised by these women and I was not surprised with matriarch Ester Stermer’s strength in this incredible documentary. However, I was amazed on what she did for her family. When explorer Chris Nicola was investigating a massive array of caves at the Polish/Russian border, he discovered signs of human habitation. Curious, he began to piece together bits of story and information that led him to the survivors from the cave. Mixing archival footage with reenactments narrated by the surviving family members, this story was unimaginable. During Word War II Esther Stermer led her family to these caves; where they lived underground for nearly two years, avoiding capture by Nazi soldiers. I understood why the director used actors to recreate scenes of the family’s journey; yet, I felt they were tamer than the survivors’ real experiences. Not that I consider this a fault, it just gave me a minor feeling of manipulative, dramatic effect. Seeing and hearing the survivors’ memories had more impact. So many people judge strength by how much weight they can lift or how far they can run and it is certainly a valid method. However, the strength of a protective parent really is a special gift.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Trance
The corridor led to a dead end; I had to retrace my steps. Amid the muffled sounds were large popping sounds followed by squeals of laughter. I would see the image of another human for a second before it disappeared back into a kaleidoscope of twinkling lights. As I turned a corner a blast of cool air hit me in the face, momentarily forcing me to close my eyes. When they opened a silhouette of a person came at me from the side. A beam of light pierced the darkness revealing the person was a clown. I laughed as the colorful costumed character pointed to the glowing exit sign down the hallway. If they are not too crowded I get a kick out of going through amusement park fun houses. Usually covered in a fog of darkness, I enjoy how the houses are set up to manipulate the visitors with creative elements of surprise. It was the same way in this thrilling mystery of a movie. Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) created a taut sense of urgency with the more than capable actors. James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class, Wanted) played art auctioneer Simon. He became embroiled in a tussle with a gang of criminals led by Franck, played by Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, Irreversible), while trying to protect a valuable painting. Due to a blow to the head, Simon needed the assistance of hypnotherapist Elizabeth, played by Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds, Sin City); in trying to retrieve the parts of his memory he had lost. This drama had just as many twists and turns as a fun house maze. I had to work at paying attention to see if there were any clues being revealed in the simmering story. The acting was intense and tight; with the actors totally submerged into their characters. I have no complaints with Danny’s directing; but I did not get totally immersed into this story like I have done with his other films. The issue for me became apparent as the movie moved closer to the ending. There were a few too many surprises that left me confused. Like a carnival fun house, this is the type of movie I need to see again…just not right away. There were a couple of scenes with blood.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Hemingway & Gellhorn
From two places one could easily find themselves in the middle of a raging battle in a foreign land, to relaxing at a beach resort on a faraway island. All it takes is either reading a book or watching a movie. Sitting in a comfortable spot, a book will take me out of my home and let my imagination conjure up the places I am reading about. In my mind I can add the sounds, the colors and the inflection of people’s voices; there are no limits on what I can create. When I watch a film my eyes are the first to be stimulated. There is nothing I have to add; when a movie is good it will go beyond the limits of the screen it is projected on and engulf me into its story. I love both experiences. The visual stimulation in this dramatized biography was awesome. From the comfort of my sofa, I was transported back to the Spanish Civil War. From there I wound up in Cuba, the United States and on a fishing boat. It was the incredible filming of this story that immersed me in the tumultuous relationship between Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. Nicole Kidman (Stoker, The Paperboy) as Martha was wonderful. I want to know how her eyes always had my attention in every one of her scenes. Clive Owen (Children of Men, The Boys are Back) was over the top as Ernest, to the point it was buffoonish for me. However, I cut him some slack since Hemingway was a larger than life character. Adding to the capable cast was David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Whistleblower) as John Dos Passos and Tony Shalhoub (Feed the Fish, Monk-TV) as Mikhail Koltsov. Similar to the filming style of Forrest Gump, I thoroughly enjoyed the intermingling of historic footage with current characters. The gentle shifting from black and white to sepia to color in the film was beautifully done. I am sure this movie took major liberties in regards to historical accuracy, facts about Martha and Ernest, along with the other characters in general; but I did not care. This Emmy award winning film was great to watch and I was able to visit different places around the world from my cozy couch. A few scenes with violence, blood and war casualties.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: No
The amount of money spent on marketing political candidates these days is obscene to me. There are countries that do not come close to having such amounts in their treasury. It seems to me that the only people who can run for office are wealthy individuals. This concerns me because in my experience some wealthy people have a hard time relating to the average person. For example, the man who bought Princess Diana’s dress that she wore when she was dancing at the White House with John Travolta. At a winning bid of $360,000.00, a gentleman bought it to surprise and cheer up his wife. How many of us can do such a thing? Where I find this excessive, I have the same feeling about the money needed to fund a campaign. It seems the issues are not enough to determine whether a person will vote for a candidate; it also depends on who does a better job of marketing the politician. One of the reasons I grew to enjoy this historical drama was seeing what a grassroots advertising campaign can accomplish. Nominated for best foreign language film with the Academy Awards, this film took place in Chile, 1988. Military dictator Augusta Pinochet had been in power for fifteen years and needed to show the world that his government was legitimate. A referendum was scheduled, but would anybody opposing Pinochet survive the election? Gael Garcia Bernal (Bad Education, Y Tu Mama Tamben) played young advertising executive Rene Saavedra, who had the task of creating a campaign that would not get censored. He created the “No” campaign. Starring Alfredo Castro (It was the Son, Tony Manero) as Lucho Guzman and Antonia Zegers (Post Mortem, The Life of Fish) as Veronica Carvajal; the story used humor, actual footage and a faux 1980’s style of filming to draw the viewer into a fascinating time in Chile’s history. I had a hard time getting into the story at first; it felt slow to me. Once the campaign started to come together I was enthralled with the genius of it. With excellent acting, the movie became inspirational for me. The question was could creativity, strong beliefs and dedication triumph over money. Spanish with English subtitles.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Croods
Change within a person, if they so choose, usually happens over time. There are some people who make it look almost effortless; I am not one of those folks. The pace it takes me to set myself on a course for change barely can be measured with a pedometer. Keep in mind I have eaten the same thing for lunch at work every day, five days a week, for 20 years. In some unexplainable way I take pride in it because it was the same thing my mother did when she worked, as did her father my grandfather. Little did I know I would get a lesson about change from the prehistoric family in this animated comedy. By following the same exact rules every day Crug Crood, voiced by Nicolas Cage (Adaptation, Season of the Witch), had kept his family alive. Everyone knew when it started to get dark outside they had to retreat to the safety of their cave. Well, almost everyone knew except for his adventurous daughter Esp, voiced by Emma Stone (The Help, Zombieland). The family would have no choice however when disaster struck and the rules had to be changed, if they were going to survive. Catherine Keener (A Late Quartet, Into the Wild) voiced Ugla, Crug’s wife who was the peace maker of the family. Cloris Leachman (Young Frankenstein, The Beverly Hillbillies) voiced Gran, the thorn in Crug’s side. I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would and part of the reason was the cast. Having been in some dreadful films lately, I thought Nicolas did a fine job as the father. The humor was predominantly slapstick, but not in an overpowering way. Ryan Reynolds (Buried, The Proposal) was perfect as the inventive Guy, letting his pet handle the majority of comedy between the two. It did not bother me that the story was formulaic, it was easily figured out. However, due to the pacing and excellent animation; I found myself going along for the exciting ride. This film was appropriate for the entire family; there was a little for everyone. I think the film had a positive effect on me because I was able to tune out the noisy children sitting near me. Is it possible that I am changing?
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Welcome to the Rileys
When a loved one that was part of your life is no longer there, the unconscious breath becomes a daily chore. The echo of your heartbeat has stopped reverberating in the soft walls of your mind. Each following day, the weight of your body remains rooted in your legs, forcing them to struggle whenever you are in an upright position. Your pristine eyes that were clear and bright, only record blurred moist images now. I have been there and I am sure many of you have been too. That is why I could understand the couple’s pain regarding their loss in this dramatic movie. Married couple Lois and Douglas “Doug” Riley, played by Melissa Leo (The Fighter, Frozen River) and James Gandolfini (Killing Them Softly, The Sopranos-TV), were only going through the motions each and every day after the death of their daughter. The two were not really living anymore. On a business trip to New Orleans, Doug decided he was going to stay after meeting young stripper Allison alias Mallory, played by Kristen Stewart (Twilight franchise, The Runaways). By discovering what he was missing, could Doug begin to live again? Creating such broken characters and then letting James and Melissa delve into them, made for a powerful performance. I could feel how their pain was keeping them stagnant. Though I am not a fan of Kristen’s acting, I will say her style of performing lent itself to making her character believable for me. At times I had to wonder if some of the trio’s acting was being ad libbed because it came across as natural conversation. This Sundance Film Festival nominee was a surprise find for me. I did not have to understand how Doug and Lois dealt with their loss; I just wanted to be there for them. Strong language.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts
In my yoga classes I mention how the right side of the body is our masculine, our sun side. The left side is our feminine, our lunar side. For some individuals one side may be more dominant than the other, it is just the way we are. I mention it simply as an awareness so when we do our poses, members can notice if one side is less challenged than the other. Part of yoga is finding balance within ourselves. My yoga teacher kept reminding us before we went into a pose to always start with the side that is more challenging. I, in turn, share this idea with my classes. In the scientific world there is the theory that the left side of the brain is skilled with numbers, logic and reasoning; the right side is proficient with colors, creativity and music. Through my life I have done some things that focused more on the right side of my brain like going to college originally to become a veterinarian. Then there were things I did that nourished the left side of my brain such as taking up the piano for 8 years. I have always been fascinated on how the mind works in highly creative people. In this documentary by Academy Award nominated director Scott Hicks (Shine, The Lucky One), the subject was composer Philip Glass. Scott spent over a year following Philip, taking the footage and breaking it down into twelve segments for this movie. Besides filming Philip collaborating with such artists as Martin Scorsese, Ravi Shankur and Woody Allen; we were privy to his home life with wife and kids. The segments I enjoyed the most were the ones that showed Philip working on his compositions, his creative process. Scenes showing life at home were okay for me, though a couple of them were quite poignant. Philip’s minimalistic style may not be pleasing for some individuals, but this biography focused more towards the creation of such music. I wished there had been more scenes devoted to Philip letting the right side of his brain flourish. As documentaries go, this one kept an even balance showing the daily life of a multifaceted music master.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Bliss
Under no circumstances do I wish to offend anyone’s beliefs or customs. For myself there are several traditions I continue today from my upbringing. I do them more out of respect for my ancestors than for me. It has always fascinated me how traditions have evolved with the times. What may have served a purpose in olden times may not be relevant to the way we live now. Also, I always had an issue with being told to do something based on ancient doctrine. Being a storyteller I know my choice of verbiage can slant a story to a particular opinion. Regarding written documentation, I always digest it with a grain of salt. If someone had to tell the story and someone had to write it down; what were the chances the story could be embellished? In this film festival winner, I was mortified by such old customs being practiced. Ozgu Namal (Beynelmilel, Not Worth a Fig) played the daughter Meryem who was found raped and unconscious. Because her family believed it was her fault, the only way they could expel the shame brought onto the family was to have the girl killed. The job fell to Cemal, played by Murat Han (Kardelen, Sobaka), upon his return from active military duty. Cemal was to take Meryem and travel from their small village to Istanbul, where he was to execute her. This beautifully filmed drama with its hypnotic musical score laid out equal sides between old customs and modern thinking. The acting was wrought with vivid emotions, adding to the sense of doom. As a complete story I found it too melodramatic with a quick and tidy ending. However, that did not bother me since the movie’s story drew me in. Personally I have a hard time when people are treated less than equal and where people are quick to judge. That is what I believe. Turkish with English subtitles.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Hachi: A Dog’s Tail
There is a special love between a pet and its owner. Crossing the threshold of one’s home with a bundle of unconditional love anxiously waiting to greet you, easily makes all of the previous hours melt at your feet. What has always fascinated me was the innate ability pets have in reading human emotions. Sadness would quickly leave me as I would look down to see these two unflinching eyes looking up at me. When feeling excited, I can remember gleefully dancing around the room holding this bundle of fur, my extended hand holding up their little paw. If you are not a pet person, particularly a dog lover, you may not be interested in seeing this movie. But I am afraid you would be missing out on the telling of a remarkable true story. Richard Gere (Arbitrage, Brooklyn’s Finest) played Professor Parker Wilson, who some say was found by an abandoned dog at the train station. When station agent Carl, played by Jason Alexander (Seinfeld-TV, Ira & Abby), refused to hold the puppy at the station overnight; Parker agreed to take the dog home for one night. Despite his wife Cate’s, played by Joan Allen (The Contender, The Notebook), resistance to keep the Akita more than one night, the bond between the professor and the dog was already forming to last beyond a lifetime. This movie went at a slow, even pace. There was a pure simpleness to the way the story was told. I thought Joan and Richard made a perfect couple and I liked the way the director made their differences apparent but not distracting. As for the dog named Hachi, I fell in love from the very beginning. I might as well tell you now, make sure you have some facial tissues handy because I cannot imagine anyone sitting through this dramatic film and not shedding a pail of tears.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Warm Bodies
Love is coming home where a warm hug is waiting to brush the trying day off of you. Waking up to a gentle protective breath on your neck that kept dark dreams away through the night is love. Comfort in knowing that if you make a mistake it will not diminish one’s love for you. Even the unexpected card filled with caring thoughts is a form of love. Taylor Dayne’s song “Love will Lead you Back” would be apropos to describe this romantic comedy. From the director of 50/50, Jonathan Levine created a funny horror movie that was a relative to the story of Romeo and Juliette. Nicholas Hoult was the unusual zombie named R. On a night of feasting on humans; R became enthralled with Julie, played by Teresa Palmer (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Bedtime Stories), after making a meal of her boyfriend. Determined to protect her, R formed an unexpected relationship with Julie that would change the world. But R did not know Julie’s father Grigio, played by John Malkovich (Burn After Reading, Con Air), was the leader of the human zombie killers. I was totally taken by surprise with the smart and witty dialog. Nicholas and Teresa were perfectly matched, adding authenticity to their characters. Playing R’s friend M, Rob Cordday (Cedar Rapids, W.) was wonderful in his role, coming up with some great lines. My only regret was the small amount of screen time Analeigh Tipton (Damsels in Distress, The Green Hornet) had playing Julie’s friend Nora. A very entertaining film that was rated PG-13 had brief scenes of blood and gore. I was completely surprised by this fun movie. Who knew this zombie film came with a big heart.
3 stars
moviejoltz 