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Flash Movie Review: The Conjuring: Last Rites
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO NEVER eats leftover food. It drives me crazy. He says the food rarely tastes as good on the second day, which is why he does not bother taking home any “doggie bags” from restaurants or friends and family meals. I, on the other hand, love leftovers. One of my favorite leftover food is pizza. In fact, I prefer eating it cold on the second day and even third when there is a lot of it leftover after a gathering. Another food I enjoy eating for a couple days after is turkey meatloaf or turkey sloppy joe’s. When I think about the type of foods I have eaten after the day they were made, there are very few I even bother heating up. From chicken chow mein, to lasagna, to chicken fajitas; I relish them just as much when they were first served hot from the stove. Maybe because many of my school lunch meals through elementary and high school were brown-bagged sandwiches, I still find it odd at times when someone I am with orders a hot meal for lunch. In my brain, it was trained that lunchtime would involve a cold sandwich and a bag of chips. The only food I can think of that I would eat warm at lunchtime was a hamburger or grilled cheese sandwich. THIS IDEA OF EXTENDING A MEAL beyond a day can be easily translated to other genres; for example, books and movies. Most book sequels or installments from the original story have been just as moving to me. My first introduction to book series were the Hardy Boys’ books. I remember spending hours reading through these detective mystery books. When I was halfway through the series, I began alternating the Hardy Boys with other books because I wanted to extend my time reading about the boy detectives. It surprises me when I think about it since I was more of an “instant gratification” type of boy. Though, these days, I do find myself wishing I could binge watch some of the shows I watch on streaming platforms instead of doing them weekly or biweekly. With the movies I have seen, the opposite is true. There has been some film franchises that excelled with their sequels; however, in my experience, the majority of film sequels I watched were not as good as the original movie. The other thing about sequels, sometimes the first picture that came out was complete and satisfying to me. I did not need to see those same characters again. However, I have been surprised when it does happen and I find myself enjoying the different plots with each installment. Regarding today’s review of this latest sequel, it was not part of my awareness or desire that I wanted or needed to see these paranormal investigators again. HAVING THE MINDSET THAT THEY WERE retired from their work with evil entities, a pair of investigators are drawn into one last case that could lead to serious consequences for their family. With Patrick Wilson (Midway, Moonfall) as Ed Warren, Vera Farmiga (Origin, The Many Saints of Newark) as Lorraine Warren, Mia Tomlinson (The Beast Must Die-TV, The Lost Pirate Kingdom-TV) as Judy Warren, Ben Hardy (Bohemian Rhapsody, Love at First Sight) as Tony Spera, and Rebecca Calder (Love Me Do, Kandahar) as Janet Smurl; this supernatural horror, mystery thriller surprised me. Granted, I walked into it with low expectations, but found it kept my attention as it built up a steady stream of suspense throughout the story. There was less violence and blood compared to the previous movies as the writers used a dual story line that alternated back and forth between the two. At first, I did not understand what was going on, wondering if I was seeing younger versions of Ed and Lorraine, or members of their extended family. But soon after, it became clear that the plots would intersect. The acting was good as well as the atmosphere of the sets and costumes. All in all, I was entertained and glad I saw what I hope will be the final installment.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Bohemian Rhapsody
THERE ARE PEOPLE WE ENCOUNTER WHOSE footsteps leave an impression on our life’s path. These individuals strike us in various ways; by their energy, intellect, passion, athleticism and heart for example. The memory they leave after they are gone can be stored inside of us for years without ever being detected. Then suddenly that person reappears, possibly in a different capacity, and that memory pops into our consciousness. Our brain gets flooded with the images retained during the years; we completely understand now why they left an impression on us. This is something I have experienced through my life. I mentioned in an earlier review about a classmate of mine who wrote stories about his time in the war. Several years had passed after being in that class and there he was on the cover of a magazine for winning a prestigious literary award. There was a television interview of him and he pretty much looked the same with his large, piercing blue eyes with eyelids that looked heavy to blink. After that interview he showed up in multiple newspaper and magazine articles. I remember smiling to myself as I remembered our time in class, listening to his war stories and the toll they took on him. THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON I SAW who immediately made a big impression on me and his name was Freddie Mercury. I cannot remember the details on how I got to the concert where this relatively new group called Queen was playing. It was after their 1st or 2nd album I think. What I still remember besides the band members was how my ears were ringing due to the loudness of the sound. Right from the opening song, Freddie had everyone’s attention. All he had to do was say either “stand up” or “clap like this…” once and the entire crowd would do as they were told. He had a magnetism that nearly forced you to keep your eyes riveted onto him. His body movements were dramatic and theatrical. Then there was his voice; he could always be heard no matter how loud the band played. John Deacon barely moved from his spot while Brian May’s guitar playing was featured from time to time throughout the performance. I remember the sounds he would make with his guitar were notes I could not recall hearing before. I knew right then that they were a unique band and Freddie was someone I had never seen before or would see again. You can imagine how curious I was to see this biographical, dramatic movie. CREATING A SOUND LIKE NONE OTHER before them, the four guys who made up the band Queen would leave a lasting impression on the musical scene; both for their skills and personal lives. With Rami Malek (Short Term 12, Mr. Robot-TV) as Freddie Mercury, Gwilym Lee (The Tourist, Midsomer Murders-TV) as Brian May, Ben Hardy (Only the Brave, X-Men: Apocalypse) as Roger Taylor and Joseph Mazzello (The Social Network, The Cure) as John Deacon; this musical film focused mostly on the life story of Freddie. If you never had the chance to see Queen perform then you will enjoy this picture more than those of you who were fortunate enough to see them. I thought the script was too sanitized; offering only a taste of what the band members, I believe, went through in their time together. Rami did a decent job, but the fake teeth looked odd on him. The lip synching was okay, but I just felt the script and direction needed more punch because I found myself getting slightly bored. Again, I must state those who never saw Queen perform might enjoy this movie more, though we were only given a brief taste of their songs.
2 1/2 stars
moviejoltz 