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Flash Movie Review: Bob Marley: One Love
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY EVENTS I have attended that had speakers/leaders I wanted to hear. I have been fortunate to have met state senators, mayors, authors, world champion athletes, musical artists, activists, and a variety of others. I have found each of them gives off a certain intensity unlike the levels of intensity I encounter in my daily life. When I shook the hand of the mayor, they felt like a tightly wound spring that was ready to explode; it was incredibly intense. On a previous trip, I was at an event where political speakers were giving talks. Not all of them were common household names, but one was a senior adviser to a president. Listening to them, I was struck by their compassion and commitment; it just came out of them like a steady breeze. What equally impressed me were some of the less familiar politicians because I could tell they had that same drive of compassion and care for what they were trying to do in government. I believe I became more sensitive to experiencing leaders/figureheads who were, for lack of a better adjective, false prophets. You might know the kind that only tells you what you want to hear, instead of telling you what is the better or right or effective way to do something. SADLY, IN THE FITNESS WORLD, I encountered many individuals who let their ego lead the way. At a fitness convention, the guest speaker at a workshop talked about themselves. They told us how they changed the culture at their fitness club and had the largest classes and how they flew cross-country giving talks and so on and so on. Their talk was all about me, me, me; I was bored out of my mind. The same thing happened, of all places, at a charity event where I was volunteering. The celebrity speaker was there to draw people into the event by purchasing tickets, besides buying tickets for the silent auction. The charity was for a worthy cause, and one would have thought the speaker would have acknowledged this during their speech. But no, they spoke about their new project in the works and how they got into the business; none of which helped sell the charity to get new donors. I found their behavior disgusting. Do not get me wrong; I am not trying to stop people from making a living. However, if a person is willing to be a speaker at an event, they should show the audience why there are people in the world who follow them. Offer advice, offer truth, offer your vision; just do not offer your ego. Not being familiar with the subject in this dramatic, music biography, I was hoping to find out who they were as a person and how did they achieve such a status in the world. GROWING UP IN A COUNTRY FILLED with conflict, a musician finds his way through the world using his revolutionary music. With Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami, Noelle) as Bob Marley, Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die, Captain Marvel) as Rita Marley, James Norton (Little Women, Mr. Jones) as Chris Blackwell, Tosin Cole (House Party, Doctor Who-TV) as Tyrone Downie and relative newcomer Umi Myers; I thought the acting was solid from Kingsley and Lashana, especially her. The musical soundtrack, as you would expect, was the main driver of this picture. Having little knowledge of his catalog of songs, I enjoyed the musical numbers. I thought the script did not do the subject justice because I really did not learn much about Bob Marley. At times, I felt I was watching a series of musical vignettes instead of getting an understanding of why and how Bob achieved his status in the musical world. The other thought I had running through my mind was the possibility I was watching a sanitized version of Bob and his family. Since his family was involved with this film, it certainly seemed feasible. By the end of the movie, I was glad I saw it, but not sure if indeed he was a man who led with his heart instead of his ego.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Priscilla
I LOOKED AROUND AND EVERYONE WAS laughing at everything he was saying. I had to admit, he was funny and knew how to work a crowd; however, I knew what he really was like when he did not have an audience. You see, he was married to a friend of mine. I was not too keen on the idea of her marrying him, mostly because they had only been dating for a short while. There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way, though that is not exactly what I said when my friend asked me what I thought of him. All I said was I did not feel a connection with him, as if he always had his guard up around me. I would never do anything to upset my friend and if she felt that strong about wanting to marry this man, it was not up to me to voice my negative opinion. They had a small wedding since both had been married previously. After the ceremony we had appetizers and desserts at a hall they rented out for the occasion. In the beginning of their marriage, she would mention from time to time a thing or two about how angry he would get over things he had no control of. As the months passed, she would mention he would wake her at 5 am on a Saturday because he decided that was the time they needed to clean their house. When she said she was not ready, he would yell at her, and I knew for certainty something was off with him and she needed to get out of the relationship. Though I came to this conclusion first, she came around to it within a matter of months. HER EXPERIENCE HAPPENED A YEAR AFTER I had a similar revelation in my relationship. We had been dating for one year, having met at a party. I was taken by surprise when we started talking because I felt I was so out of their league. They were charming, beautiful, star salesperson in the medical field and had this worldly cosmopolitan air about them; I simply felt I was not their type. Because of this mindset, I felt I did myself an injustice and ignored what I needed in a relationship. We would eat out at fancier restaurants because that is what they wanted to do. If I mentioned I wanted to go to a casual dinner place I was fond of, they would tell me they would not be caught dead at such a place. And I would give in; what the heck was I doing? As time passed, I started to become resentful and felt I was not an equal in the relationship. Funny, before I decided to end it, they beat me to the punch. They had met a surgeon, and I was glad for them. With my friend’s marriage and my relationship, it showed me that one never knows what life is like beneath the surface of a person or behind closed doors. FROM HANGING OUT AT THE COFFEE shop on a U.S. army base in Germany, a young teenage girl found herself as a guest at a party where a well-known, young musical celebrity was holding court. Then suddenly, he started to talk to her. With Cailee Spaeny (On the Basis of Sex, Pacific Rim: Uprising) as Prisciilla, Jacob Elordi (Saltburn, The Kissing Booth) as Elvis, Ari Cohen (It franchise, Spiral) as Captain Beaulieu, Dagmara Dominczyk (The Lost Daughter, Succession-TV) as Ann Beaulieu and Tim Post (Mambo Italiano, My Salinger Year) as Vernon Presley; this film festival winning dramatic biography was directed by Sofia Coppola, who shot the film through the eyes of Priscilla. It was an interesting take on Elvis’ story, besides not making his songs the feature star. This film started out slowly and I was not getting into the acting from the cast. It was later into the story when I began to appreciate Cailee’s and Jacob’s skills. As for the story, even if what was depicted was exactly what happened in real life, I felt I was still missing something. I could not understand what each of them saw in the other except maybe their looks. I am glad I saw this movie, but I had an empty feeling by the time it was over.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Boys in the Boat
IT WAS MY FIRST FITNESS TEACHING job and I had only been working at the health club for a few months. They were going to hold a charity event by doing a four-hour aerobics marathon. It was expected that all the fitness instructors would both teach a portion of the time and remain to support each other’s time segment. I was highly anxious about participating in the marathon because I had no idea if I could hold up moving for such a lengthy period of time. Plus, I had no idea how much it would tax my body’s limits. I had seen marathon runners lose control over their body functions or nearly pass out and I certainly did not want to be that person. At the club, I started out teaching three classes a week which were Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The classes lasted one hour each, but there were my introductory remarks, demonstrating and lastly the last five minutes after the cooldown, were meant for everyone to put any of their equipment away and get out of the aerobic studio before the next class was to start on the hour. After one hour of teaching, I had worked up a good sweat and could feel my muscles tingling. But after four hours, I had no idea what to expect. THE MARATHON WAS STARTING AT EIGHT in the morning and the instructors had to be there an hour earlier for sound checks, set up and go over the order we would be teaching. Being the newest member of the group, I had to wait until everyone else had picked their time slots; we started with the longest employed and worked our way down to me. I was grateful that the time slot left for me was for sixth place; in other words, I would be teaching at the 90-minute mark. Better than the 180- or 195-minute mark, I felt. I did not have to go full out with the moves like I did in my own class, but I had to make sure I still had good form and look like I was exerting myself. At the top of the hour, we began the marathon. The first instructor welcomed everyone and started up the music. Everyone was in a good mood and excited for the event. Though I was nervous about my segment of teaching, I was surprised how good of a time I was having as a participant. All the instructors were close to each other and were feeding off each other’s enthusiasm. By the time it was my turn, I was buzzing inside and simply ran up to the front, cued in my music and off I went leading the group. The time flew by for me as it did for the rest of the morning and by the end exhaustion had settled into me. However, all the instructors came together and congratulated each other on pulling off a major event. From that experience, I felt I knew what the teammates were feeling in this dramatic, sports biography. STUDENTS FROM A SMALL UNIVERSITY HAD limited resources to excel in a sport that was dominated by well endowed universities from across the country. To succeed, these students would need something else if they wanted not only to compete but win. With Joel Edgerton (Thirteen Lives, The Green Knight) as Coach Al Ulbrickson, Callum Turner (Fantastic Beasts franchise, Green Room) as Joe Rantz, Peter Guinness (The Last Boy, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) as George Pocock, Sam Strike (Leatherface, Monster Party) as Roger Morris and Thomas Elms (I Still See You, The Order-TV) as Chuck Day; this George Clooney directed movie based on a true story was a feel good film. Set in the 1930s, this film festival winner had the trappings for a good old-fashioned feel-good picture. The sets and costumes were wonderful, and the cast did a solid job with their acting. The story was predictable and despite the no frills direction, I wished more time were devoted to fleshing out more substance for each character. Despite these misgivings, I still cheered on these students as they made their way on what was to become an historical trip. An historical trip that was never mentioned throughout any of my schooling, I might add.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: American Symphony
CREATIVE PEOPLE GET THEIR CREATIVITY FROM the right side of their brain. I should know because I consider myself to be a creative person. Any decisions I make first utilize the right side of my brain before filtering over to the left side to add logic into the decision. For example, when I walked into the attic of my house and saw a hole in it, which explained the wet spot on my dining room ceiling, I did not immediately think I needed to patch the hole up. I first thought about hiring someone to fill the hole with glass bricks to bring natural light into the attic. Next, I wondered if I could install an attic fan into the hole to draw out the stifling air from summer. Those were my two thoughts before the left side of the brain kicked in and I ran to call the insurance company. Some people have a challenging time using both parts of the brain; hang around a group of actors and you will understand. I am not saying either way is good or bad, I just mean challenges can develop from the situation. For me, when I am baking a dessert, the instructions must be exact. If they are not, I will stop and wonder what the author is trying to say and usually come up with a variety of ways that may not necessarily work for the recipe. My example is, a “pinch.” How much is a pinch? Do you see what I mean? THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS WHERE I have had to force myself to use both sides of my brain at the same time. I was hospitalized with a case of E Coli some time ago. While I was on the road to recovery, I had to work on my new class sessions. Trying to create physically challenging formats for the members to follow while not feeling well was rough for me. My mind wanted to work on the exercise routines, but my body was not in shape to undertake such a thing. I wound up drawing out the movements to match the beats of several different songs, then would do the leg and arm movements while seated in a chair. I had to watch and monitor my fatigue level and many times just imagine the movements in my head. It was hard to stay on the beat, so I had to count them out as well. With my limited experiences, I am in total awe of what the main characters tried to achieve in this heartfelt, Oscar nominated biographical music documentary. AS MUSICIAN JON BATISTE SETS OUT to create a symphony that will be debuted at Carnegie Hall, his life partner, writer Suleika Jaouad, begins her journey with cancer treatments. How will each be there to support the other? Directed by Matthew Heineman (A Private War, City of Ghosts), this film had scenes filled with a variety of celebrities such as James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Questlove, Lenny Kravitz and Jonathan Dinklage. Having had very little exposure to Jon Batiste, I was enthralled with Jon’s creativity. The story is such an intimate one and the director did a beautiful job of never having the camera work come off as an intrusion. The story itself is incredible; to see such opposing forces as cancer and musicmaking vying to be in the forefront added a level of tension as the story unfolded. Creating and presenting a new symphony in the way Jon wanted to do it was already a huge undertaking; then add in Suleika’s medical issues and I cannot see how someone could not be drawn into the story. I also feel one does not have to be a fan of Jon’s style of music to appreciate what transpires in this lovely documentary.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Rustin
THROUGH THE YEARS, I HAVE HAD the good fortune and just plain good old luck to have met activists for various causes I believed in. One man was only a couple of years older than me, but his wisdom and foresight were way beyond his chronological age. I was an intense individual, but I was nothing close to the intensity that streamed out of him. There was something about the way he looked at you while talking that would be unnerving for many people. He would lock eyes with you, and they would stay on you without ever blinking while he was talking. The first time I experienced this, I did not know how to handle it; I thought it would be disrespectful if I broke my gaze with him. His words were measured but they flowed out, sometimes with a slight melonic tone, at other times in a rapid staccato. There was a newsclip I happened to see while watching the evening news, where he debated a politician who was trying to justify his argument with bible passages. This activist did not miss a beat, correcting the politician’s misuse of the passage, quoting the passage back to him and then explaining what it meant. The politician did not know the activist’s previous ‘life” was studying for the priesthood at a seminary. ANOTHER ACTIVIST I MET SEVERAL TIMES over the years, who came out of a seriously dysfunctional environment, took her energy, and focused it on creating safe environments for people to discover how to find healthy ways to express their feelings. Listening to her having a conversation, I was so impressed how she would call a person out for their ”BS.” Not in an antagonistic way, but in a calm way by asking the person to further explain the statement they made. I must tell you it was a revelation to experience that because seeing that event stuck with me and put me on the road to becoming a better communicator. With her and the other activists I have encountered in my life, one of the things that they all had in common was the ability to corral and focus all types of personalities into a unified force. The only way I can describe it would be to say they were like musical conductors. They could immediately tell upon talking to an individual what they were best suited for in helping the cause. Looking at the end goal and being able to navigate a monumental number of roadblocks, these activists never gave up. It was so inspirational to witness it and the feeling I had around them was like the feeling I had watching this biographical, historical drama. BELIEVING IN MARTIN LUTHER KING’S NONVIOLENT resistance philosophy, an activist and friend of his came up with an idea to show the country how it could work. However, to succeed he needed to get everything in place in a short amount of time while being met with resistance. With Colman Domingo (The Color Purple, Selma) as Bayard Rustin, Chris Rock (Amsterdam, Nobody’s Fool) as Roy Wilkins, Glynn Turman (Super 8, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) as A. Philip Randolph, Aml Ameen (The Maze Runner, Til Death) as Martin Luther King Jr and Gus Halper (Cold Pursuit, Holler) as Tom; this Oscar nominated film was a fascinating piece of history that I was never taught in school. Having recently seen Colman in The Color Purple and seeing him now in this picture made his acting ability stand out even more for me because of the huge contrast between the two roles. He was incredible, to the point I felt he was channeling Bayard. The story and script were overall wonderful, but I felt the story being rushed towards the end and some of the scenes seemed like a setup. Because of the historical value, I still loved watching this movie and am amazed at what Bayard, who might be unknown to many viewers, set out to do under tough complications.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: NYAD
I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I NEVER injured myself while teaching one of my fitness classes. My good fortune came about from a discussion I had with one of my earliest directors at the fitness center. When I first arrived there, many of the members thought I was the director’s brother because we were so similar in our coloring and temperament, though she was over a decade older than me. When she hired me, she explained her philosophy on teaching classes, which included how she not only paid attention to the members’ form and movement, but to own as well. Back when I started, high impact aerobics was still a thing and she told me to begin the exercise demonstrating the high impact moves, but to drop down to low impact to protect my body. It was great advice because, through the decades, I was able to maintain teaching 15 to 20 classes a week without any soreness in my joints or muscles. Though that early director retired from her position, she still maintained her training license the entire time I was working at the fitness center. She may have been the oldest trainer on the fitness floor, but she was still getting results out of each of her clients; she was and still is an inspiration to me. WHILE I WAS TEACHING FITNESS CLASSES, I decided to go back to school to become a yoga instructor. Once I completed my courses, I introduced yoga classes into the fitness center. One of the instructors that was hired was an older person. Nothing was said about it, this was just an observation. She and I struck up a friendship since we had similar styles in our yoga practices. Looking at her, I had to say she looked like she was in her 50’s. The yoga program was an enormous success for the center, and we were able to offer several classes throughout the week. At some point, in one of my conversations with this older instructor, she told me her age. I was shocked when she said she was about to turn seventy years old. I was only shocked because she did not look it, and no one could imagine she was that age based on the yoga poses she taught in her classes. During her time at the fitness center, I grew to admire her accomplishments based on the personal stories she shared with me. It is because of her and my earliest fitness director that I felt I could have a lengthy career in fitness/yoga. They taught me age was only a number; it did not need to represent me. THOUGH SHE DID NOT COMPLETE HER swim between Cuba and Florida decades earlier, a marathon swimmer never forgot her dream. She was determined to be the first person to complete the course, even when others said she was too old. With Annette Bening (Jerry and Marge Go Large, Death on the Nile) as Diana Nyad, Jodie Foster (Hotel Artemis, Flightplan) as Bonnie Stoll, newcomer Anne Marie Kemf as Candace, Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man, Anonymous) as John Bartlett and Eric T. Miller (Separation, Redemption in Cherry Springs) as Coach Jack Nelson; this true story was a showcase for the acting skills of Annette and Jodie. They were wonderful in their roles, staying strong and solid throughout the film. The story is incredible; but more than that, I never found myself bored while watching the scenes unfold. I would have appreciated a little more background story to the characters because at times I did not understand why people were putting up with Diana’s behavior. Regardless, this was an entertaining and inspirational movie. Even if one does not find this biographical, sport drama appealing, one cannot fault the message, to never give up on one’s dream.
3 ¼ stars
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: Maestro
I PROBABLY WAS HEARING MUSIC BEFORE I could even understand what sounds I was hearing. Music was always playing in our house and since I was the last one to be born, I had at birth a vast catalog of different sound genres. There were records, yes vinyl records, of classical, jazz, blues, opera, and Broadway shows to name a few. I did not know the difference between, for example, the romantic and baroque periods; I just knew there were these sounds filling up the house that had the ability to make me feel different emotions. Some music made me want to move, where I would stop whatever I was doing, to stand up and bounce up and down to the beat. Other kinds of music would lull me to sleep. I do not remember doing it, but there is a photograph of me standing on a chair, wearing a big hat, which caught me in the middle of bouncing. One of the first things I learned, when I was at the appropriate age, was how to handle a vinyl record. Pulling it out from its record cover, sliding it out of its paper sleeve, making sure to balance the edge of it on the palm of a cupped hand, with the longest finger holding it from the hole in the center, or at least on the paper label, was the correct way to do it. My favorite feature on the phonograph was the repeat button. Once I found something I liked, I would play it over and over. AT SOME POINT GROWING UP, WE started watching a television show called, “New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts. The conductor was Lenard Bernstein. It aired on Saturday afternoons, so I always made sure I was home by the time it came on. Mr. Bernstein was this animated character who sweated and laughed; he was enthusiastic about the things he was talking about. I loved it when he conducted the orchestra and sometimes, I would try to mimic his movements as if I were leading the orchestra. He explained what piece he was going to play, stopping at various times during it to explain what the notes they just played were telling the listener. After he explained the different sections, he would have the entire orchestra run through the piece. I learned about a variety of composers from him and would seek out their albums in our collection, after the shows ended. For decades, these shows have remained a fond memory for me, having contributed to my love for music. There was no way I was going to miss this film about such an extraordinary man, who had a prominent place in my early life. AS A LAST-MINUTE REPLACEMENT, A YOUNG conductor quickly makes a name for himself, catching the eye of many people along his journey to fame. With Carey Mulligan (The Dig, She Said) as Felicia Montealegre, Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born, Silver Linings Playbook) as Leonard Bernstein, Matt Bomer (Magic Mike franchise, In Time) as David Oppenheim, Vincenzo Amato (Unbroken, Golden Door) as Bruno Zirato and Greg Hildeth (Radium Girls, Dr. Death-TV) as Isaac; this biographical, history drama excelled because of Carey and Bradley. They were incredible both together and apart, to the point they were absolutely believable. I found the story fascinating and thought Bradley did an excellent job of directing. The pacing kept steady, with an even mix of music and drama. The one thing I was disappointed in was the stories to each character did not venture far from the surface. Granted, it is almost impossible to translate a lifetime of a person’s life into a 2-hour movie; however, I did not get to the point where I clearly understood each of the main character’s back stories. And on a personal note, I would have enjoyed hearing more music. Nonetheless, this easily could be an Oscar contender for the acting categories.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Dumb Money
I WAS STANDING IN LINE WITH a variety of people that I believed were the perfect representation of woman and mankind. There appeared to be individuals from every race, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds; except for one group, those who would be considered upper class or in other words, rich. Not that one can judge whether a person is wealthy or not by appearances; but let me say, there was no one in line who was wearing a three-piece suit or gave off the appearance of being well off. I know this could come off sounding judgmental and it is not my attention; however, just from appearances all of us in line looked like middle to lower class and a few looked like they were homeless. We were all in line to buy lottery tickets for the game that had a payout of over one billion dollars. For me, I was in line to buy a short-term fantasy. The drawing was going to take place in two days, so during that time I could fantasize about what my life would look like if I had one billion dollars. I would buy a new car and two new residences: one on the east coast and one on the west coast. With ticket in hand, I could imagine what my residence would look like after I had both completely furnished. It was a cheap dream. BUYING A LOTTERY TICKET, I KNOW, is not a good use of my money. I put it in the category of entertainment, like buying a magazine, an ice cream cone or museum admission. What I take more seriously is the money I invested in my retirement. I started buying stock many years ago with the purpose of using the proceeds to buy a house and it worked. Every pay period I would put a little money aside until I had enough to buy shares in a company I had researched. The number of shares I purchased always varied depending on how much money I saved up. Though it was not always easy, I still felt good no matter how much I could set aside that pay period. What bothered me greatly were the individuals who tried cheating the system. There were some people who bought shares in the company they worked for after receiving an inside tip. I always appreciated it when they got caught and had to make restitution. But I was not that naïve to think there were no other people who bought shares based on insider tips. I just wanted an even playing field for all. Maybe this is why I was rooting for the individual investors in this movie, based on a true story. AFTER INVESTING HIS LIFE SAVINGS INTO the shares of a company, then posting about it on his blog, his followers decide he is onto something and begin following his lead. Their buying power suddenly upsets the balance of power in the business world. With Paul Dano (The Fabelmans, The Batman) as Keith Gill, Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island, Bodies Bodies Bodies) as Kevin Gill, Vincent D’Onofrio (The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Cell) as Steve Cohen, America Ferrera (It’s a Disaster, Superstore-TV) as Jenny and Myha’la Herrold (Plan B, Industry-TV) as Riri; this biographical comedic drama kept my interest throughout the story. I thought the cast did a great job and enjoyed the way the scenes were broken up with snippets of each person’s life and circumstances while the shares they purchased take them on a wild ride. Though I follow stocks, I felt the writers did a wonderful job of making things simple enough to let those not familiar with the business aspects still enjoy the story, and what a story. Such an incredible feat that I felt, even though I am sure there is more to the story, the production crew brought it to the big screen in a fascinating and illuminated way. I felt right at home with all of those depicted in the film having a dream.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: A Million Miles Away
AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS getting certified to teach aerobics, there was a guy going through the process. Back then in the aerobic world, men were in the minority. Before the session started, he and I struck up a conversation. He told me he planned on flying through the testing so he could start teaching immediately at one of the most exclusive health clubs in the city. I congratulated him, though I was thinking he could be setting himself up for a big disappointment. The reason I felt this was because in one of our earlier sessions, I saw him struggling with one of the exercises we were practicing. I asked him how long he had been taking aerobic classes and he said he only had participated in a few classes. It took everything I had to keep the expression on my face from turning into a look of shock. I was curious, so asked him what motivated him to become a fitness instructor. He said he saw a movie a few years prior, where some of the scenes were held in a fitness studio, and he decided that was what he wanted to do. He thought about it all the time, he said. When I asked him why he thought he would quickly get through the testing process, he said it was because he was always good in gym. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS nervous about the testing process because I had difficulty coming up with spontaneous moves. I knew myself well enough where I had to plan out every move, I was going to teach the class. After consistently being a participant in aerobic classes for a few years, I decided being a fitness instructor would be something I would enjoy doing. It would not only be a source of income, but it would also keep me on track from putting on any weight. The workbook that I received in the mail prior to the certification date was worn and dogeared in several places where I had to go over the information a few times before I felt comfortable understanding it. The facilitator walked into the conference room; the two of us stopped talking. We were each going to take a turn to teach everyone in the room an aerobic routine for five to six minutes. I struggled when the guy next to me was taking his turn; I was not the only one. He had a hard time staying on the beat of the music, which kept throwing participants off. Also, he was doing his movements so fast that he never fully extended himself; so, his moves came off looking jerky without purpose. I could only assume he would not get high marks for his presentation. Maybe if he had studied and practiced, he could have done better. Too bad this film was not out back then, because it would have shown him what was needed to achieve a dream. AS A FARM WORKER, ALL JOSE, played by Michael Pena (Fantasy Island, End of Watch), could think about was becoming an astronaut one day. No one really took him seriously. With Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner franchise, Chariot) as Adela, Julio Cesar Cedillo (Cowboys & Aliens, The Harder They Fall) as Salvador, Veronica Falcon (Jungle Cruise, Queen of the South-TV) as Julia and Garret Dillahunt (12 Years a Slave, No Country for Old Men) as Sturckow; this dramatic biography was a real feel-good movie. Inspired by a true story, I thought Michael Pena did a wonderful job as Jose. Also, I thought the chemistry between him and Rosa as Adela was so authentic that it felt like reality. The story is incredible and though there could easily be more layers to the story, I was okay in how the director and writers chose to tell it. I thought the pacing was steady throughout and as the story was unfolding, I found myself rooting more and more for Jose. This movie was in a way a dream come true; I was glad I chose to see it and was rewarded with a wonderful story.
3 ¼ stars
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