Blog Archives
Flash Movie Review: Fast X
WHEN I WAS LITTLE, BIG FAMILY dinners were exciting for me. It was there where I had my first taste of coffee; granted, it was a couple of drops in a coffee cup with milk filling up the rest. However, I felt like such a grownup sitting there sipping on my coffee like the adults around me. The family dinner was also the setting where I tasted wine for the first time and made everyone laugh by the sour look on my face after tasting it. The food was always plentiful because relatives would always contribute a side dish or dessert. I along with my cousins would always sit together. We started out at the “kid’s table” which was a separate folding table, usually covered with some type of water-resistant tablecloth. One adult would oversee us, placing plates of food in front of us and periodically checking to see if we were goofing off. It was not until we reached the middle school years before we would be allowed to sit at the “big” table with the rest of the adults. It was there where the conversations would cover a variety of topics that could cause almost anything from laughter to arguments. It did not matter to me because it was a great learning ground to see how one tells a story, a joke, has a debate or disagreement. AS WE WERE GETTING OLDER, THERE came a time when family members were getting engaged and married. For me, it added a new element into the mix of these family dinners. Suddenly this stranger entered our domain, as the boy or girlfriend of one of my relatives. Having them enter the mix immediately changed the dynamics of the get together. Suddenly individuals were on their best behavior. The language was toned down; in other words, less salty shall we say. Sometimes the person would fit in easily, but other times they would be the only one not laughing at something the rest of us found funny. Of course, some of these boys and girlfriends never lasted; however, if one turned into a fiancée or fiancé then that meant our family dinner would expand to include the future in-laws. There were times where the kid’s table had to be used for adults because there were so many people invited. I found the experience odd. Here were strangers I had never met, sitting and eating with us; it was always a crapshoot. Some could handle our noise level, while others sat there quietly throughout the meal. The more in-laws joining us eventually caused our big family meals to break apart where one sibling and all her offspring would hold their own holiday meal. With all the family connections in this action-packed sequel, I do not know how they could still sit around a dining room table. A SON WHO LOST HIS DRUG LORD father during one of Dominic Toretto’s, played by Vin Diesel (Bloodshot, The Last Witch Hunter), jobs is hellbent on seeking revenge against Dom and his family. With Michelle Rodriguez (The Assignment, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) as Letty, Jason Statham (The Meg, Spy) as Shaw, Jordana Brewster (Hooking Up, Who Invited Charlie?) as Mia and Tyrese Gibson (Dangerous, Black and Blue) as Roman; this crime adventure film was a mixed bag for me. The movie had all the elements that go into this franchise: fast cars, unbelievable stunts, intense fighting, explosions, scantily dressed women, dancing and speeches. It was too much for me. I felt the script was designed to incorporate everything that had been used before in the previous sequels. This does not mean there were not times where it was exciting to watch the action; but I was starting to feel that this franchise had run its course. This picture was only the first half of the story; there will be another film coming out which explains the extra scene in the middle of the ending credits. If you like cars and car chases and are invested in the characters, then you will have an easier time watching this movie. There were many scenes with blood and violence.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
THE TICKETS WERE MORE THAN I like to spend for live theater, but the recommendation I got was glowing for this production. A friend raved about this pre-Broadway production that was stopping here for a trial run before heading to New York; they said I had to see it. I get a kick out of seeing a play or musical before its Broadway run because the tickets are a whole lot cheaper, and I enjoy being first to discover something that becomes a major sensation afterwards. The night of the performance, a small group of us got dressed up and went out to dinner before curtain time. When we finally arrived at the theater, it looked like a mob scene. There were people everywhere, taking selfies in front of the theater posters and marquee. We bypassed all of it to make our way inside the theater lobby. By the time we settled into our seats, the theater lights flashed on and off to signal to all those standing it was time to get seated. And right on time the lights went off and the production began. It was staged beautifully, with elaborate sets and dramatic lighting. There were parts that were amusing, but to be honest, I was bored through parts of it. For everything my friend praised about this play; I had a different reaction. I did not get it at all, and I already was regretting the amount of money I spent to come see it. Just one big disappointment. IT IS BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE that, I am hesitant to recommend anything. I am sure you have experienced going to a restaurant where someone told you to try and discover you did not care for the meal. Or try a new food item from the grocery store and your reaction differs from the person who told you about the product. Taste is such a personal thing; we all have different combinations of taste buds, where some people think an item is too salty and others feel it is too sweet. When I suggest a restaurant place to someone, I always preface it with my food issues, such as not liking spicy, or heat infused food. I also do not like gooey types of food. My pizza must be well done; if it comes to the table looking wet with oil and the cheese ready to slide off the crust, I will not eat it. So, you can see, this is why I tell people my taste preferences, to lessen the chance of disappointment. On a similar note, I found myself in this situation. Having heard so much about the Dungeons & Dragons game, I was all prepared to have a great time watching this action, adventure comedy. DESPARATE TO REVIVE HIS DECEASED WIFE, a thief plots to steal a lost relic to help in his quest. He soon discovers he cannot accomplish it on his own. With Chris Pine (Star Trek franchise, Don’t Worry Darling) as Edgin, Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious franchise, Widows) as Holga, Rege-Jean Page (The Gray Man, Bridgerton-TV) as Xenk, Justice Smith (Paper Towns, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu) as Simon and Sophie Lillie (It franchise, Gretel & Hansel) as Doric; this fantasy film confused me. Keeping in mind I was not familiar with the game this film is based on, I felt lost many a time. For the first half, I was bored multiple times. On the plus side, the movie was visually stimulating as well as creative. I enjoyed the cast, especially the chemistry between Chris and Michelle. There were parts of the story I did not understand; maybe because I never played the game. Not until the last half of the story, did things pick up for me. The fight scenes were fun and well-choreographed. And the special effects were well done. I wished I would not have been as disappointed as I was with this picture. For me, it has potential for creating a better sequel. There was one brief extra scene during the ending credits.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Mother
WAITING TO CHECK OUT MY SCHOOL supplies, I saw something that changed my opinion about motherhood. In the next line stood a mother holding a crying baby. I had no reason to assume she was not the mother. She tried calming the child by gently bouncing her up and down, while making soft cooing sounds. I was wondering why the mother did not give the baby bottle she had in her hand to her child just as she brought it closer to her other hand to unscrew the top. Placing the bottle on the edge of the conveyor belt, she contorted her arm back to grab something out of her large canvas bag that was slinged over her shoulder. I could not believe what she pulled out of that bag; it was a bottle of cola. She quickly took off the cap and poured the soft drink into the baby bottle. I had to look around to see if anyone else was seeing what I was watching; it was the most incredible thing I had ever seen. The mother closed the baby bottle and stuck the nipple into the baby’s mouth. I thought the baby would spit out the carbonated liquid, but I was wrong. The baby calmed down and sucked away on that bottle, like the way I imagined a sugar addict would do it. I wondered if Dr. Spock would have approved. FROM THAT EARLY SINGLE INCIDENT, I realized not every woman is cutout for motherhood. I have encountered many women who were outstanding mothers. There was the mother who surprised her music-loving child with tickets to their very first rock concert, because she wanted to further encourage her child’s interest in music. On the other hand, I heard about the mother, who was attending the parent/teacher conferences at her son’s school, when the teacher mentioned the child’s disappointing testing scores and the mother exclaimed, she was screwed (the actual comment is not printable here). The mother was more concerned about the optics of having a child who is struggling in certain areas instead of focusing on finding the proper resources to help her son succeed. Her actions as told to me simply reinforced my belief that just having a baby doesn’t qualify a woman to be a mother. It takes a special person with a special skill set. It does not even have to be as skilled as the mother in this action thriller, but it certainly could not hurt. HAVING BEEN FORCED TO GIVE UP her child at birth, a single mother had to resign herself to a quiet life of solitude. That life would rapidly change when she found out her daughter was being targeted by someone from her past. With Jennifer Lopez (Shotgun Wedding, Marry Me) as The Mother, Lucy Paez (The Exorcism of Carmen Farias, Silencio) as Zoe, Omari Hardwick (Army of the Dead, Sorry to Bother You) as Cruise, Joseph Fiennes (Risen, The Handmaid’s Tale) as Adrian and Gael Garcia Bernal (Old, The Motorcycle Diaries) as Hector; this drama had a decent premise and a committed lead star with Jennifer. Granted even in a fight scene her makeup and outfits looked fine, but I did appreciate her effort in making the fight scenes look believable. My issue with this picture was the script. It was a good idea but came across as a series of cliches; it was easy figuring out what was going to happen next. I felt there could have been more given to the characters, both emotionally and historically. And of course, there were a few scenes that came across as non-believable. It was not lost on me that this film debuted Mother’s Day weekend because it really showed an intense example of a mother’s love. There were several scenes filled with blood and violence.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
ALL I COULD DO WAS STARE at my dinner plate while everyone around me was yelling at each other. I was a dinner guest at a friend’s house, and I was familiar with the family’s outspokenness. What started out as a pleasant meal turned into a screaming match all because some of the family members started talking about politics. This is something I always avoid in mixed company for these exact reasons. I was enjoying the food and wanted to continue to eat during the arguments, but it felt weird to do so for some reason. The combatants were at the stage of their argument where they were calling each other names. Other family members were taking sides to defend their relative; it was either going to be a short evening or tension filled long night. By the time the arguing died down, with people storming out of the room then coming back in, the food was cold. It did not stop anyone from eating since we were all starving. When dessert finally came out, the conversation had shifted to a lighter mood as members talked about their children and/or trips they were planning. The rest of the evening was filled with jokes, laughter and teasing; you would never have known, only a couple of hours earlier, that family members were close to fisticuffs. I chalked it up to believing this was the way relatives related and expressed themselves to each other in this family. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, I WAS OUT with a group of friends for dinner and a play. Seated around the table, I looked at them with the thought of how many years we had known each other. When one friend had a medical issue that required hospitalization, each friend found time to visit them in the hospital; some even snuck in food treats that were okay for them to eat. All the friends attended the funeral of a friend when their parents had passed away. Over our meal at the restaurant, we touched on a variety of topics, from the personal to absurd. There was laughter, comfort, advice and joy throughout our meal and into the evening. Each of us were so close to one another that it dawned on me, we were a family in many ways. Except for not sharing the same bloodline, we were no different than any other family. We would do anything for each other and knowing that was a comfort. Except for their superpowers, I can totally see similarities between what I have and what the main characters have in this action, adventure comedy. WHEN ONE OF THE GUARDIANS WAS fatally injured, the others would need to come together to find a way to save him while they were trying to save the universe. With Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War, The Kid) as Peter Quill, Chukwudi Iwuji (John Wick: Chapter 2, The Split-TV) as The High Evolutionary, Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born, Nightmare Alley) voicing Rocket, Pom Klementieff (Oldboy, Uncut Gems) as Mantis and Dave Bautista (Knock at the Cabin, Glass Onion) as Drax; this sequel was jam packed with story lines and action. It was a little too much for me. I was touched by the personal story lines, but with so much going on, I felt some intensity and emotional connection was sacrificed. At times, it seemed as if part of the story was a retelling of the Wolverine origin story line. On the plus side, the soundtrack and the splashes of humor were great and added more punch to the fight scenes which were well choregraphed. I appreciated the emphasis on family and thought the writers correctly steered the script through to its conclusion. There were 2 extra scenes during the ending credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Sisu
I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT REVENGE UNTIL I was in elementary school and saw it for myself. At the time, I did not know any details, only saw the results. We had come back from recess and were going to our seats. A boy sat down at his desk and let out a yelp as he sprung back up from the seat. He was one row over and a few seats ahead of me. I looked up as everyone else did to see him move his hands over his backside. He was pulling something away from his pants, but they were too small for me to see. After he brought it up to his face to inspect it, he looked around the room and demanded to know who did this to him. None of us knew what he was talking about, so we sat there in silence, staring at him. That was not good enough for him; he said he would find out who did it and smash them into little pieces. After that statement, if someone in class had done it, there was no way they would admit it now. As he was pulling out the others that were stuck to him, the teacher walked back into the classroom. She asked him what he was doing, and he replied, “Nothing.” For the rest of the day, I could not stop thinking about what happened to him. IT WAS A FEW DAYS LATER before I found out what happened to that boy in my class. A friend of mine said he had heard the boy was picking on someone from a different class or grade; the person telling him the story was not sure. That boy decided to get back at the boy in my class; so, when we were all outside for recess, he snuck into our room and placed a few colored thumbtacks on that boy’s seat. I asked what would have happened if the boy had sat down and started to bleed (I was naïve)? After this incident, I never heard anything else about it; but I continued to be curious about the actions that took place. The sneakiness of it intrigued me since I was reading a lot of detective stories. The other thing that interested me the most was the fact that the boy who sat on the thumbtacks was a bully in my opinion; I always tried to stay clear of him. The idea that someone would willingly provoke him was a foreign concept to me. As I went from grade to grade, I soon understood the motivation; but I never had the courage to do something so blatant. And believe me, from what I experienced through my school years, there were times I wished I had courage like the main character in this action war film. TOWARDS THE END OF THE WAR, A band of retreating Nazis come upon a prospector who had just struck gold. Seeing the gold as an opportunity for them to safely get out, they felt it would be simple to take the prospector’s gold. They had no idea what they were about to start. With Jorma Tommila (Priest of Evil, Big Game) as Aatami, Aksel Hennie (The Martian, The Cloverfield Paradox) as Bruno, Jack Doolan (The Hatton Garden Job, Marcella-TV) as Wolf, Mimosa Willamo (Finders of the Lost Yacht, Deadwind-TV) as Aino and Onni Tommila (Big Game, Rare Exports) as Schute; this film festival English speaking winner from Finland was a steely intense experience. There were brutal, bloody violent scenes throughout the movie. As some of you know, I am not one for brutal violence; however, the way the story unfolded kept me glued to the big screen. The script was no-nonsense and direct, letting the action do all the talking. There was a Quentin Tarantino vibe through the whole picture, particularly because there was a splash of humor mixed into the violence. Jorma was a solid force throughout the story, despite him barely speaking a word. This was an over-the-top script that had one objective, to get revenge and it does that multiple times.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Chupa
WE WERE ATTENDEES AT A SEMINAR, where we were paired up for the exercise demonstration portion. I have usually found when one does physical exercise with a stranger, it becomes easier to carry on a friendly conversation with them. So, during the lunch break we sat together after getting our meal. He had an accent which piqued my curiosity. Asking him about his family’s heritage, he expressed his uncomfortableness with his language skills and his background. Not one for being shy about such things, I asked him why. He told me about leaving his home country and friends when he was thirteen years old and how he had a hard time fitting into school here because of his speech. I sympathized with him; thirteen was a tough age to be making a major change. If he had arrived before the age of eleven, he would not have an accent; at least that is what I was told. If one learns a new language before the age of eleven, they will not have an accent; after eleven, then they will have one. I do not know why but I have tested it and so far in the few people I questioned, it has been proved correct. IT TOOK SOME COAXING FOR HIM to open about his life back in his home country. I shared some of my family history, making a point of talking about the culture and the famous people who came from the land of my ancestors. Telling him that previous generations of my family had to flee their homeland due to bigotry and persecution seemed to have an affect on him. He told me he was afraid to use his birth name when he arrived in this country, so he chose an American one instead. His family had left their homeland because his parents realized he and his siblings would have had no future or chance of reaching their dreams. I congratulated his parents for making that decision because I knew it had to be a tough one. For the remainder of our lunch break, he seemed more relaxed and open; feeling comfortable enough to share some memories from his country. I was an avid listener since I am always fascinated learning about different cultures and customs. With the lunch hour ending, we cleaned up and headed back to our place in the conference room. The afternoon portion of the seminar was informative. At the end of the day, he thanked me for reminding him how his past plays a part in his future. A similar situation took place in this family, adventure fantasy. BEING SENT TO HIS GRANDFATHER IN Mexico for the summer was the last thing Alex, played by Evan Whitten (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, The Resident-TV), wanted to do. He was already trying to be less Mexican. With Damian Bichir (The Hateful Eight, Godzilla vs. Kong) as Chava, Christian Slater (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Mr. Robot-TV) as Richard Quinn, newcomer Ashley Ciarra as Luna and newcomer Nickolas Verdugo as Memo; this action drama was a sweet movie. There was nothing new or different compared to other films in this genre; however, the blend of cultures and family intertwined into the story about a mythical being kept my attention throughout the film. I thought Damian did a wonderful job of acting and appreciated the way the writers made the characters real. Now, they could have done more which would have given the story a deeper wealth of things to connect with, but I was okay with the lightness of the script. Compared to other similar films, I do not know how memorable this one will be; but, for an easy family friendly film you cannot go wrong with watching this one.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Lou
AT A COMPANY I USED TO work for, there was an employee who retired after being there for forty years. He died six months after he left the company. We were all shocked and saddened by the news. The man had worked there his entire life and after all those years, he finally got the opportunity to go out and enjoy life to the fullest and his life was cut short. It just seemed so wrong. I remember asking him what he was going to do in his retirement, and he said he had no idea; he did not have a plan. For some reason, I wondered if not having a plan contributed to his death. There is one school of thought where people say one must have a plan in place before retiring. The other says do not have a plan, to just go and enjoy whatever you do. I have no idea if one way is better than the other. And based on the people I have known who retired, I cannot say if there was any difference in their level of happiness. They all seemed happy to me. And I love this line that several of them have mentioned, “Every day is Saturday.” NOW THERE IS ONE INDIVIDUAL I know, who has maintained a steady schedule after their retirement. They signed up for a class at the local community college, they have a standing weekly sports outing with friends, and they usually have one to two lunch dates a week. In other words, they are keeping themselves busy, but not hectic. I know another individual who is at the opposite end of the spectrum who wakes up every day to possibilities. Nothing is generally planned but they do keep in hand a couple of options of things to do. I don’t know if I could be that spontaneous; I believe I would like to have some structure in my retirement years. However, I might not know until the time comes. What I do know is I could not live a retirement like the main character did in this action, crime drama. HER LIFE OF LIVING IN A quiet retirement radically changed when her neighbor burst into her house to say her daughter was kidnapped. With Allison Janney (Bombshell, Mom-TV) as Lou, Jurnee Smollett (Birds of Prey, The Great Debaters) as Hannah, Logan Marshall-Green (The Invitation, Prometheus) as Philip, Ridley Asha Bateman (Shattered, Shelter in Place) as Vee and Matt Craven (Crimson Tide, Resurrection-TV) as Sheriff Rankin; I was impressed and surprised by Allison’s performance. The idea of her being in an action star role, like let us say Liam Neeson, was a brilliant idea. She was terrific in the role, which was a demanding one. I thought everyone in the cast did a great job as the script kept them moving. This was a necessary qualification since the script was partially predictable. For the most part, the action was kept at a certain level that kept me interested but did not wow me in any way, except for a couple of good fight scenes. I honestly do not know if I would have been as interested in the story if Allison was not part of the cast. There was however a twist in the story that totally took me by surprise. This was one of those movies that I refer to as a “popcorn film.” It is one that the viewer should not take too seriously, but it does provide a decent level of entertainment. There were several scenes of blood and violence.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: John Wick: Chapter 4
THE RESTAURANT WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE OF one dessert. It is not just any kind of dessert; it is one of the best examples of a chocolate flavored dessert in my opinion. I did not tell the others about the dessert, simply offered the restaurant as a suggestion when we were deciding where to meet for dinner and the majority voted for it. At the designated time we all met at the restaurant and were quickly seated. The meal was tasty, and the conversation was fun. When it came to dessert, everyone was undecided except for me on what to order. I shared my opinion about the chocolate dessert. Evidently, I must be a good sales rep because everyone decided to order it. The look on their faces when the waiter brought us our desserts was priceless. I told them it was a large serving, but it must have not prepared them for the reality of what was sitting on their plate. So you have a clearer picture, let me describe this amazing dessert. It is a moist, chocolate layered cake with dark chocolate chips through it. The layers and frosting consists of this smooth chocolate fudge crème that I actually eat, since I normally do not like any type of frostings. On the outer edge of the cake (the widest part) is a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips and sprinkles. As they say, it is heaven on earth. As the others tried their cake, I watched for their reactions. There was silence, no indication of whether they liked or disliked it. After a second or third bite most of them said it tasted great but was too much. TOO MUCH?! I WAS NOT SURE what they meant, so asked for clarification. The consensus was the cake was too rich and too chocolatey. I was taken aback because that certainly was not my perception. Asking them to elaborate, I listened to them tell me the portion was massive and the chocolate was over the top. They felt the extra chocolate chips on the edge was overkill and the fudge crème frosting was so rich that they felt they needed a shot of insulin to compensate for the spike in what they believed their sugar level was doing. It was a joke about the insulin but still, I could not believe it. Ultimately, I had to respect their feelings and opinions. For me, the cake was the perfect chocolate dessert; for them, it was too over-indulgent and decadent. To each their own, as they say; it was not my place to sway or woo them over to liking the dessert. When I thought about it, it was no different than people’s feelings about Las Vegas. One either loved the city or did not; again all one can do is respect their opinion. This type of dilemma is what I am experiencing with this latest installment of the action, crime thriller film franchise. WITH THE BOUNTY CONTINUING TO GO up on his head, there was only one thing left for John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves (Destination Wedding, Speed), to do. He would have to kill every one of the Elders of the crime organization that turned its back on him, to get his life back. With Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix franchise, Mystic River) as Bowery King, Ian McShane (Bolden, American Gods-TV) as Winston, Bill Skarsgard (It franchise, Barbarian) as Marquis and Donnie Yen (IP Man franchise, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as Caine; I was looking forward to seeing this movie. However, that did not mean I wanted to sit in my seat for two hours and forty-nine minutes. The script was excessive and bloated. Having said that, I thought the fight sequences were outrageous and supremely choreographed. The only thing was, I did not have to see the fight scenes go on for so long, besides having so many going through the story. At one point, I felt I was watching a video game due to the intensity of the fight scenes. Now there were some cool fight scenes and I would love to know how many minutes in those scenes were actually Keanu doing the fighting. It truly was crazy and that is what these films are known for, not the acting or the believability of the story. I am torn on how many stars to rate this picture. Part of me felt there were too many repetitive scenes of violence and blood fighting; but on the other hand, they were so well done, and some were even humorous, that I was enjoying myself. If one is a fan of John Wick already, they may enjoy watching this more than someone who is unfamiliar with the story line. There was an extra scene after the ending credits.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
LIKE MANY, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS I wish I had more of. I would like more closet space, more hair on my head, more freezer space, more money and more time, just to name a few. None of these seem outrageous to me. Being a bargain shopper, I would love to have a larger sized freezer to store extra frozen food items when they go on sale. I miss my full head of thick curly hair, but I do not miss the work it took to keep it neat and tidy. As for money, I am not looking to become a millionaire per se; I just want to get to a comfortable place where I no longer need to worry whether I can afford to spend the money to buy a certain item. Out of the things I listed above, the most important one to me is time. You can take that to mean anything you want, from more time in a day to get things done to more time on this earth to discover and experience new things. There just does not seem to be enough time for me to get all the things I want to get done. So, you see there are some advantages to getting more of something. ON THE FLIPSIDE OF THAT, THERE are some things I would not want to have more of. More body weight, more debt, more bad teeth; I can go on. It is funny, I have been thinking about how it appears to me society is striving to acquire more stuff. One of my newspaper subscriptions has a weekly supplement section that shows several private listings of super mansions. I am talking about places that have 5-6 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, several bedrooms. I just look at all the photos and ask myself why a person would need so many rooms?!?! Or recently, I was at a restaurant and at the table next to us, a man had ordered one of the restaurant’s known specialty burgers. It came to the table on a platter; I could not help staring at it because it had two hamburger patties, grilled onions, a fried egg, a layer of macaroni and cheese, lettuce, tomato and a layer of some kind of funky spicy sauce. It looked obscene! How I wanted to ask the guy, why would he want to eat that much food; besides asking him how he was planning to eat it. What is this fascination or desire to have more stuff? Even a beloved chocolate sandwich cookie, I see being advertised, now comes in a most stuffed version where the white crème center is huge. It is too much for me and I am sad to say this action, superhero movie suffers from the same syndrome. WHEN AN EXPERIMENT GOES AWRY, THE Lang and Van Dyne families get pulled into the Quantum Realm, where they discover a new reality, and it is a dangerous one. With Paul Rudd (Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Ideal Home) as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly (The Hobbit franchise, South of Heaven) as Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp, Michael Douglas (Animal World, The Kominsky Method-TV) as Dr. Hank Van Dyne, Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express, The First Lady-TV) as Janet Van Dyne and Jonathan Majors (Devotion, The Harder They Fall) as Kang the Conqueror; this science fiction, adventure comedy was a good example of overindulgence. It was all too much for me; the CGI, the different issues facing the characters and the overabundance of different characters. With a poorly thought out script with a weak story, I was periodically bored. This film lacked the smart humor and tight action drama that many of the previous Marvel Studio movies incorporated into their scripts. Gratefully, Paul Rudd and Michelle Pfeiffer took the brunt of the action/drama in the scenes, and they did a wonderful job. As for Jonathan Majors, who I think is a stellar actor, he was cheated out of showing his full potential until the end. This sequel was a letdown for me. There were two extra scenes in the middle and end of the final credits.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Shotgun Wedding
I DO NOT ACTUALLY KNOW WHY it should make a difference, but it does. Waking up together in a hotel room, out of state, is so different from doing it at one’s home. I have always said one really gets to know someone when you take a vacation with them. Whether it is a friend, a relative or someone you are dating; there is something about being in a new, neutral location. Some years ago, I was in a new relationship. We met on a transportation bus at a convention we were both attending. So right away, we had at least one thing in common. After going through the normal dating process (at least normal for me) of meals, movies, attractions and such, we decided to take a vacation together after we had been dating for several months. Keep in mind, up until this time everything was going well; no arguments or disagreements, we had many things in common and enjoyed each other’s company. Looking at several vacation spots, we settled on a long weekend in Las Vegas. Both of us felt there would be a variety of things we could do or not do there. The first day was fun as we walked around looking at the different hotels. On the second day, I wanted to see some outdoor attractions, like the national park nearby and an outdoor museum. It was starting here where we each wanted to do something different. From that point on, I noticed a different side emerging from them and by the end of the trip we lost interest in each other. FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, I HAVE BEEN grateful that I have never had to attend a destination wedding. As a single guest, I would have no idea how to pack dress clothes in a suitcase without getting them wrinkled. Traveling with a date, would be even more stressful for me. Personally, if an engaged couple want to travel and get married at some significant location, I am thrilled for them. But doing it with 50 or 100 guests seems an impossibility to me. Having knowledge of what it takes to have a wedding service and reception, I know it takes a lot of work just to pull it off locally. To do it in another state or country seems crazy, in my opinion. All the discussions and meetings, besides the tastings and fittings, I cannot imagine not being available to see what you are ordering/planning for the special occasion. Traveling to the destination with someone you have not traveled with before, seems like a recipe for trouble. Now having seen this action, comedy romance; I have more reason not to be a guest at a destination wedding. GETTING ALL THE DETAILS IN PLACE for their destination wedding was already a challenge for the engaged couple. Experiencing a bit of cold feet nerves was nothing compared to the group of uninvited guests who showed up. With Jennifer Lopez (Second Act, Out of Sight) as Darcy Rivera, Josh Duhamel (Transformers franchise, Think Like a Dog) as Tom Fowler, Lenny Kravitz (The Hunger Games franchise, The Butler) as Sean Hawkins, Jennifer Coolidge (A Mighty Wind, The White Lotus-TV) as Carol Fowler and Sonia Braga (The Wine of Summer, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands) as Renata Ortiz; there was no denying Jennifer continues to have great screen presence in her movies. However, it irked me that in some of the fight scenes she comes out still looking like she was just made up with makeup and styling. The script bordered close to being ridiculous and far-fetched. I hardly found anything worthy of a chuckle. As for Jennifer Coolidge, many of us enjoy her performances; but I must tell you, this role had a very familiar veneer to it. I hope she doesn’t wind up being typecast for these type of roles, there seems to be a pattern forming. All in all, I believe one should not have any regrets if they do not plan on attending this destination wedding.
2 stars
moviejoltz 