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Flash Movie Trailer: May December
AS I GUEST, I HAD NO idea what to expect as I was greeted into their home. I was the “plus one” who had been invited by the hosts to come and help celebrate the holiday. As the front door opened, the host’s daughter greeted us. I had met her a few times previously, but tonight something was wrong; I could immediately feel it in the air. Her eyes were red, and the eyelashes looked damp as if she had been crying. Since nothing was being mentioned, I was not going to ask if everything was okay; I was not a family member, so I did not feel it was my place. We were directed into the living room where other family members were seated. The matriarch of the family stood up to greet us as we entered the room. Sitting in the chair next to her was another daughter, who remained seated. She looked at us and said hello with a slight nod before turning her gaze back to the fireplace. There was something going on, I just knew it because people were acting odd. It was as if they were going through the motions at a bare minimum, with nothing more to offer. We found two spots on the sofa and sat down. There was dead silence for the moment. I could not stand it; so, I spoke up first, thanking the host for having me for holiday dinner. DINNER WAS READY AND NOT A moment too soon for me. It was so uncomfortable to be sitting in a room with people, where little conversation was going on. Questions were asked to all on how they were feeling, and each person responded with one word, “fine.” I was hoping the meal would provide a couple of avenues to start a conversation. Platters of food were brought out, wine was poured, and the matriarch thanked us all for being there. Everyone acknowledged her comments, reciprocating in kind. Afterwards, there was dead silence again. As soon as I took a bite of something, I would comment on how wonderful it was, asking how it was prepared. I just did not want there to be this constant silence hanging over the dining room table. My comments on the food dishes and questions were politely answered, but none of it sparked the beginning of a conversation. We sat quietly, except for the clinking of silverware on plates and bowls. I could not wait to get out of there. It was three days later when my feelings were confirmed. Before we arrived, the family members got into a big fight because one of the guests refused to test themselves for COVID, after having been with a friend who afterwards tested positive for it. Instead of talking it out and coming to a mutual agreement, the family members yelled and accused each other of ridiculous things. They certainly did not know how to communicate, instead just sat there pretending everything was all right. It was like what the family was doing in this dramatic, well-cast film. AFTER BEING MARRIED FOR MANY YEARS, one would have thought everything would have been dealt with and worked out for the infamous couple. But when an actor comes into their life to study one of them for a movie role, she sees more than what she was expecting. With Natalie Portman (Lucy in the Sky, Black Swan) as Elizbeth, Julianne Moore (After the Wedding, Gloria Bell) as Gracie, Charles Melton (The Sun is Also a Star, Riverdale-TV) as Joe Yoo, Cory Michael Smith (Call Jane, Carol) as Georgie and Andrea Frankle (Crime Story, Walkaway Joe) as Rhonda; I was captured by the incredible acting skills of the cast. Natalie, Julianne, and Charles were so coordinated that I forgot their real selves and took them as the characters they played. The story was deftly told, and the direction and music were brilliant. There were moments of camp and drama, blended into the script that kept the viewer wondering about the intentions of the characters. This was such a strong film that kept me totally engaged with it. I never thought a movie that shows the faults of being non-communicative would be so thrilling to watch.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Sun is Also a Star
THOUGH I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FEELING, I have questioned my friends when they have experienced the same type of feeling. First, let me describe the feeling because you may have felt it yourself. It starts with a tingling sensation as if you were standing close to an electrical device, close to static electricity. The feeling sends a jolt to your heart; not like a shock paddle from an AED defibrillator, more like a squeeze to accelerate the heartbeat. A mixture of joy and excitement usually follows immediately. If that was not enough to send you into a euphoric state, your now heightened sense of sight and sound feed your heart with rich nourishment. I have felt this way when I have met someone for the first time and we immediately connect. The feeling I just described would be the most intense when meeting someone with the intentions of dating them. In a business setting I may be comfortable around someone, but it is not like my heart would get stirred up. I used to love going on first or blind dates because they were the ideal setting to experience that magical feeling. Once situated and comfortable with the feeling, I enjoyed the way the two of us would banter back and forth, barely pausing for a breath sometimes. THE REASON I WOULD QUERY FRIENDSi s to find out what triggers these feelings in us. Did it ignite from what they saw, heard or smelled; or was it the content of the conversation. Because I am more of a cerebral type of person, my catalyst was the content of our conversation. What the person was saying was my focus. For some friends it was the visuals; the way the person looked or walked. I would tease them by asking them how they would feel if the person cut or dyed their hair, if they were taller or shorter; something to see if it would trip them up. This may sound untrue to some of you, but I knew a person who only wanted to date blonde people. I would ask them what they would do if the person decided to dye their blonde hair a different color and they had to think whether it would be a deal breaker or not. There was someone else who only dated within their race and I would push back, asking what they would do if their phone conversations were positive before meeting them; would they stop from dating them? I have heard such a variety of ways people experience first attractions that I was not surprised initially by what I saw in this dramatic romance. FIRST, HE SAW HER THEN HE saved her; Daniel Bae, played by Charles Melton (Riverdale-TV, American Horror Story-TV), was already hooked. He just had to convince her now to feel the same way. With Yara Shahidi (Salt, Alex Cross) as Natasha Kingsley, Keong Sim (The Last Airbender, Olympus Has Fallen) as Dae Hyun Bae, Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Savages, The Taking of Pellham 123) as Samuel Kingsley and Jake Choi (Front Cover, Wolves) as Charlie Bae; this story started out sweet enough. The main leads worked well together, and I was curious to see where the story would go. However, as the movie progressed I felt the writers were not being realistic; there were scenes that were far-fetched to me. Then there were other places in the story that were predictable. It was as if the writers were using a blueprint from some similar, previous movie. By the time we got to the end of the film I had lost my interest in the two main individuals. It was obvious Daniel was experiencing that feeling I described above; I only wished I could have had experienced the same thing for this picture.
2 stars
moviejoltz 