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Flash Movie Review: Sound of Freedom
IT EVEN PUZZLES ME AT TIMES, but for some reason I tend to walk in the back when there are several individuals in my group. This is especially true when there are children amongst the adults. At first, I was not conscious of doing it but as time went on, and I was at my fittest, I felt like I was protecting the group from harm. Not that I have any unique skills like Liam Neeson, I simply felt I was adding an extra layer of protection around my friends and family. Looking ahead at crosswalks, observing what type of person was walking towards us, assessing traffic patterns and driveways; I tried to make sure every step forward was a safe one for everyone. This thinking came about because I grew up in a large city and traveled by various means to all areas of it; I do not know. I have a memory thinking whenever I was walking with a person who was carrying a purse or bag, I wanted to be walking on the outside, closer to the curb so a purse snatcher would not be able to grab their bag and take off with it. When little kids were involved, I instinctually wanted to walk behind them so I could keep an eye out, scanning for any potential trouble areas that could put them in harm’s way. FOR ALL THE YEARS I HAVE been walking in the back, we never encountered any type of trouble. I honestly, do not think I had something to do with it, but I can say times were safer back then as compared to the present. There are so many distractions I see when walking outside, I cannot imagine herding a small group of people through it. I saw a tween or young teenager looking at their phone while walking down the sidewalk and they bumped into a streetlamp. Just last week, the car ahead of me nearly went through a traffic light that turned red because they were on their phone. The worse news is hearing and reading about little children who got shot by accident because they were in the line of fire between members of two rival street gangs or a robber. I know in some circumstances there would have been nothing I could do to prevent such tragedy. Innocent children should not have to suffer for adults’ choices/mistakes/wayward ways. Growing up, I do not recall hearing stories about the criminal activities that took place in this biographical, crime drama. Even knowing about them as an adult, I cannot even process the horror of it. A GOVERNMENT AGENT RESCUES A LITTLE boy who was abducted away from his family. When the agent discovers his sister was also taken, he decides he must find her as well, no matter where his search might take him. With Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line, Person of Interest-TV) as Tim Ballard, Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers, Butter) as Katherine, Bill Camp (Passing, 12 Years a Slave) as Vampiro, Javier Godino (The Secret in Their Eyes, Operation Mincemeat) as Jorge and Manny Perez (Pride and Glory, A Killer Romance) as Fuego; this film based on a true story was a disturbing watch. I had no idea it was based on a true story, which made the story more gripping for me. As I sat and watched it, I thought some scenes may have been watered down from reality because they seemed a bit farfetched. Also, I think a little more character development would have been in order. But here is the thing; from an entertainment standpoint, this movie was thrilling, creepy, gut wrenching to watch for me. Regardless of its flaws, I still felt it was a powerful picture. I honestly wonder how a parent could watch this film and not want to ever let their children out of the house by themselves.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Passing
I HAD A FAVORITE BOOKSTORE THAT I enjoyed hanging out in. There was something so inviting and comfortable about the place, with oversized upholstered chairs throughout and small nooks among its aisles. One day I saw on their message board they were hosting a book club meeting. The book listed sounded interesting to me, so I searched for it in the store. Luckily there was one copy I found and after reading the writeup of it, I decided to join the book club. There was plenty of time before we were to meet, and the fantasy book was a great read. The day arrived and I headed to the bookstore with my copy of the book nestled in my messenger bag. Once directed by a store employee on where we were meeting, I walked into an alcove in the back of the store; a circle of folding chairs surrounded a low, large coffee table. I counted the chairs as I made my way to an empty seat. A few other people were already seated, some looked like they knew each other. I nodded my head towards the general group and said “Hi” to no one in particular as I sat down. A store employee who was seated across from me offered me coffee or water that was set up on a table in the corner. I thanked her as I slid my bag under my seat. AS THE POSTED START TIME ARRIVED, the employee across from me stood up to introduce herself and thank all of us for coming. She was going to be the facilitator, starting out by asking us how we liked the book. Most attendees enjoyed the book, though there were a couple of people who disagreed. At one point we each were asked to express what we liked or disliked about the story. When it came to me, I expressed how I appreciated the author’s descriptive details of each character’s surroundings; I felt as if I was in the place with the character. The conversation turned at some point to a more in depth look at what the author was trying to say. Here is where I started to get lost because I rarely delve into the topic about what I think the author was trying to say. Who knows what they were saying? I listened to the people around me talk about all these detailed musings of projecting, mirroring, being an allegory and so on to the point where I felt I did not belong. I read for enjoyment, not to figure out hidden meanings in the author’s words. Knowing how I felt, I can not imagine what one of the main characters in this dramatic film was feeling while trying to fit in. AFTER GETTING OVER THE SHOCK OF seeing her old dear friend after so many years, a reserved New York City woman now must deal with the fact that her friend is pretending to be a white person. With Tessa Thompson (Creed franchise, Thor: Ragnarok) as Irene, Ruth Negga (Loving, Preacher-TV) as Clare, Andre Holland (Moonlight, A Wrinkle in Time) as Brian, Bill Camp (12 Years a Slave, Joker) as Hugh and Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Savages, The Taking of Pelham 123) as Dave; this sincere, emotional movie filmed in black and white was beautiful to watch. I thought the acting was excellent, the sets, soundtrack and costumes were perfect. Overall, this picture comes across like a “slice of life,” a look at the daily lives of individuals. I appreciated the direction, where enough time was given to each character as the viewer watched their growth. The idea of the story is a fascinating one and the production of it comes through clearly. This is the type of film where I label it as a story for adults to appreciate.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Wildfire
I WAS INTRODUCED TO THEM AT a restaurant, while waiting to be seated. We were meeting for dinner and a friend had invited this couple to join us. They were friendly and I immediately liked the wife’s sense of humor. It wasn’t too long before the host sat us at a table; I was sitting directly across from the couple. Over the course of the evening the wife’s husband was telling us about their plans to move out of state. He said he had to first sell a boat he had in drydock. Once he could get the boat sold, he told us he needed to buy some type of machine to print up T-shirts. I thought he might be talking about screen printing T-shirts; but why was he not saying it, I wondered. Because I am naturally curious, I asked them why they needed to move to make T-shirts and he said it would lower their expenses. From there he started telling me about the other plans he was working on. Throughout our conversation or more accurately, his talking and my listening, I could not get a read on his wife. She looked like she was listening, nodding her head at some of the things he was saying; but she did not look excited or thrilled or even happy about all the plans that were in the works for them. AFTER WE PAID THE BILL AND said our goodbyes, I asked my friend when we were alone if she was sad about her friends moving out of state. She said she was said to see the wife go but was fine with the husband leaving. I asked her why and she told me she was angry at the husband because all his plans/dreams were burning through all their money. This latest plan was taking place with the help of their 401K retirement money. She told me that is why the wife, who was her friend, was still working. It turns out the husband had all these crazy schemes cooked up to make a quick buck, but they always failed. That boat he was trying to sell was bought with the idea of him doing private boat cruises despite the fact he has never sailed in his life. She told me the boat has never been in the water. I was now getting an understanding of the wife’s actions during our dinner. Asking my friend why the wife went along with these crazy plans, she told me the husband would go and do all this stuff without asking her first. If I was in that type of situation, I would have kicked them out of the house which is why I understood what was taking place between the married couple in this film festival winning movie. AFTER BEING LAID OFF OF WORK from the golf course, the jobs available to Jerry Brinson, played by Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain, Nocturnal Animals), were slim. That is until he came up with the idea of battling the encroaching forest fire. With Ed Oxenbould (The Visit, Better Watch Out) as Joe Brinson, Carey Mulligan (An Education, Never Let Me Go) as Jeanette Brinson, Travis W. Bruyer (The Beast, Useless) as Forester and Bill Camp (Joker, 12 Years a Slave) as Warren Miller; this drama showcased a well-blended cast of actors. Ed and Carey must be seen to be believed; that is how good their acting was in this story. I thought the directing was delicate and thoughtful because everything felt intimate to me. It took a while before the script grabbed my attention; but once everything started to fall in place, I was hooked on the story. There was nothing that seemed out of place or phony. I felt I was a witness to a family’s reality instead of their dream.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Skin
THE ONLY WAY I COULD TELL the twins apart was one of them was heavyset. They wore their hair the same way and personally, I think they dressed the same at times just to throw their teachers off. The heavier twin was not a nice (I wanted to use a slang word here) person; essentially, he was a bully. His twin brother was the opposite; he always had a smile on his face, and he was friendly to everyone. I had classes with both. It seemed like every other week the mean twin would cause a disruption in the classroom. To complete the picture for you, the nice twin had more friends than his brother. After a couple of years, the heavy twin started to lose weight. It took almost one year for him to get down to the same weight as his brother; now, it was nearly impossible to tell the two brothers apart—at least on the outside. I had wondered if his losing weight would have made the heavier twin a nicer person but that was not the case. He was still ugly on the inside. Not knowing what the motivation was for him to go on a diet, I did not know if he had any expectations about how different his life would be being skinnier. I so badly wanted to tell him a cosmetic change was not enough to really make a change in his life. WHERE THE HEAVIER TWIN ONLY CHANGED his appearance, there was another boy at school who changed on the inside. He and I had gone to the same elementary school. Periodically we would be on the same team in gym class; plus, I would see him after school in the neighborhood from time to time. He was not a troublemaker in class; but if some prank or disruption did take place in the classroom, he would be part of the group of kids who were laughing about it. Outside of that, there was nothing else noteworthy about him; he pretty much just blended in with his surroundings. When we graduated into high school, a big transformation took place within him. He started hanging out with a group of students who were on the fringe. At the time I did not know what the bond was between them. However, it first became clearer to me when he changed his style of dress. It was confirmed when I saw him participate in a fight with a group of minority students; he was a white supremist. I was stunned when I saw him and had to wonder if he always had those feelings inside of him. I had the same question when I started watching this dramatic, crime film based on true events. THOUGH HIS CHOSEN FAMILY RAISED AND NURTURED him to be a top leader of their white supremacist group, his love for a woman was making him question his actions. This film festival winning biography starred Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) as Bryon Widner, Danielle Macdonald (Patti Cake$, Dumplin’) as Julie Price, Daniel Henshall (Ghost in the Shell, The Snowtown Murders) as Slayer, Bill Camp (12 Years a Slave, Love & Mercy) as Fred “Hammer” Krager and Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, Captive State) as Shareen. This film started out on a high level of disturbing intensity. It was almost to the point of me being uncomfortable as I felt I was sitting in the middle of the action. Jamie Bell was incredible in this role; the best I had ever seen him. My major complaint was the script; I never understood the character’s motivations, the how and why. Despite this flaw, I was kept engaged in the story by the top acting performances and the incredibleness of the story itself. I did have a question near the end of the film; can a leopard really change its spots?
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Kitchen
NOT TO BE MORBID; BUT IF I should suddenly die, I want someone to be able to step in for me and know exactly what needs to be done. I have this mindset at work and have shared my thoughts with my co-workers. To the employees in my department, I have told them if I should get hit by a bus and don’t make it, they will have no problem taking over the things I handle. As far as I am concerned this is just common sense. It does not make sense to me to keep things hidden from co-workers or loved ones, as a matter of fact. I worked at a company where a long-term employee died, and no one knew how to do this person’s job. He was a supervisor/buyer who had established vendor contacts; however, none of their names were written down anywhere. He just knew their names and how to reach them, without ever looking them up. Well, after he was gone his co-workers had no idea which vendor to call for which product nor what discounts were available for each of them. The company went through a rough patch with its customers because there were times it did not have the right product in stock, or they were completely out of something for a customer. I thought if I ever get into a managerial position, I would never want something like this to happen with me. SADLY, THE BUSINESS WORLD IS NOT the only place where I have seen such a predicament take place. I cannot tell you how many couples I know where one handles all the money matters and the other has no idea or interest in it. Personally, I could never be in such a situation not knowing what bills come in and what needs to be paid. This one couple I know both work; one handles all the bills and the other has their paycheck deposited directly into their mutual checking account. After the billpayer determines how much is needed to pay the weekly bills, they give their spouse the remaining cash not used back from their deposited check. I don’t know about you; but I could not handle such an arrangement and it has nothing to do with trust. With a career in credit, I have always been particular about my bills being paid on time. I would need to know how much money was available and how it was being distributed. It would be scary for me to wake up one day and have everything suddenly fall into my lap without me having any prior knowledge of it; just like what happened to the women in this action, crime drama. WITH THEIR HUSBANDS HAVING BEEN CONVICTED and sent to jail, the gangsters’ wives were left trying to figure out how to pay the household bills. They would have to work together and come up with some type of plan to bring in money; though, it would not be easy considering their husbands’ line of work. Starring Melissa McCarthy (Life of the Party, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) as Kathy Brennan, Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip, Night School) as Ruby O’Carroll, Elizabeth Moss (The One I Love, The Handmaid’s Tale) as Claire Walsh, Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Unbroken) as Gabriel O’Malley and Bill Camp (Midnight Special, 12 Years a Slave) as Alfonso Coretti; each actor could have made this a worthwhile film. Unfortunately, the script and direction were off target here. There was no character development; which in turn, made the lack of acting stand out even more. I only connected to Elizabeth Moss’s acting skills; Melissa and Tiffany paled in comparison. Part of the blame must fall on the directions they were getting; it appeared as if they were going thru the motions without the emotions. Of course, not having any history attached to each of their characters did not help the situation. In turn, I did not believe what was taking place in several scenes. In a way it looked like the writers did not know what the director wanted and visa versa. Better communication between them, I’m thinking, would have turned this film into a powerful statement on female empowerment.
1 ¾ stars
moviejoltz 