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Flash Movie Review: The Book of Clarence
I WAS HESITANT TO GO, BUT my friend did not want to go alone and asked if I would go along. My friend had been following an “entrepreneur” online, who claimed to have found a pathway to success. The few videos I was forced to sit through showed a man talking in front of these impressive backdrops like a stately mansion or at the edge of a line of dramatic cliffs. He was pitching a series of courses that would teach an individual how to become a successful entrepreneur like him. I knew this was just a sales pitch and honestly could not believe my friend was buying into it. However, they were convinced they could succeed and make money from it. We had to leave early for the hotel where the entrepreneur was conducting an all-day seminar because my friend wanted to get a seat up close. I was surprised by the amount of people filtering into the ballroom to essentially listen to a sales pitch. Over half the room was filled with people; I could not believe it. When the lights dimmed and he walked out onto the stage, everyone stood up out of their chairs and cheered him. Based on the videos I watched, in the room at that moment, I felt as if I was in the middle of a cult. THE DAY WAS LONG AND BY the time everything was done, I was exhausted. Listening to his sales pitch and instructions on how one could earn money, it was clear to me his business model was like a pyramid scheme. Not to disrespect companies that use such a tactic, but this man was telling everyone they could double their income solely by signing up enough individuals who would then work for them. If I understood correctly, there really was no business plan except to get other people to sign up for the courses. I could see my friend was excited and “revved up” from the seminar but I had to express my concerns. They listened but always had a rebuttal to anything I said, so I eventually dropped it and let them go on talking about their plan of action. They listed the things they would need to buy despite having already spent close to three thousand dollars for a variety of DVD’s and “sales tools.” I honestly hoped I was wrong with my thinking, but I could not see where my friend could make a living out of doing this thing. Of all the people my friend could emulate, I did not think this entrepreneur was the best choice. Maybe they needed to have higher aspirations like the main character in this dramatic, comedy adventure. SEEKING A BETTER LIFE FOR HIMSELF, a struggling man decides to act more like the rising messiah everyone was talking about. With LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother You, Judas and the Black Messiah) as Clarence, Omar Sy (The Strangers’ Case, The Intouchables) as Barabbas, Anna Diop (Us, Something About Her) as Varinia, RJ Cyler (The Harder They Fall, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) as Elijah and David Oyelowo (Selma, Role Play) as John the Baptist; this history film confused me. Yes, there was a mix of comedic and dramatic scenes, and I enjoyed the well-versed cast; however, nothing stood out for me. Most of the scenes lacked punch; it felt like everything was on one level. I did not feel connected to any of the characters which, at times, led to boredom. With the idea for the story being outrageous, I thought the script would have gone all in to either the comedic or dramatic side. The best thing I can say about this movie is that it had some amusing moments.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Deadpool & Wolverine
DESPITE NOT SEEING ANY WHALES, THE trip was still amazing. My absence from publishing movie reviews was due to an extended trip, accomplished by land and sea, through Alaska. I have not seen so much massive untouched land in my life; the scenery was breathtaking. The tour group started in Fairbanks, and we made our way down via rail and bus. I did not realize I was going to be with the same group of people each day, but it was all fine. There was a wide mix of personalities, from a licensed Santa Claus actor to an auto mechanic to a lawyer. Normally, I prefer being anonymous on my trips, where I can come and go as I please. However, since this was part of the cruise package, I fell into the rhythm of greeting and bantering with my fellow passengers every day. Also, something I noticed in my fitness classes was taking place with the land portion of the cruise. Most everyone has a preferred spot where they want to sit; it did not matter if it was a bus or train, everyone tried sitting in the same place each day. This was not unusual for me and truthfully, I tend to act the same way regarding where I like to sit. There was a loud, boisterous family that sat in the back and a more reserved family of four that preferred the middle. AS THE DAYS PASSED, I NOTICED the reserved family started altering their seating arrangement. One day they would be in the back, the next day in front. It may not have been noticeable to many, but I found it curious. As it turned out, I sat with the boisterous family for lunch one day in the train’s dining car. During our conversation, they mentioned the reserved family did not like them. I asked them how they would know such a thing and they told me the reserved family complained to the cruise director that they were too noisy. I did not think they were noisy; they were just laughing and enjoying themselves on our travels. One of the family members told me to watch the facial expressions of the reserved family whenever the two families were near each other; the reserved family members always had a scowl on their faces, and they tried not to interact with them. I could not believe it. We were going to be together every day for over one week; why would someone want to make their true feelings known and create tension? The only time we were in a limited space was for transport that lasted at the most two to three hours on any given day. Gratefully, none of this affected me and I was especially glad the two family groups did not take their issues/dislikes to the level that the main characters did in this action, adventure comedy. WITH HIS UNIVERSE FACING EXTINCTION, ACTION hero Deadpool/Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds (Free Guy, If), believes the one person who can help him is Logan/Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman (Bad Education, X-Men franchise). The problem would be convincing Logan. With Emma Corrin (Lady Chatterly’s Lover, The Crown-TV) as Cassandra Nova, Natthew Macfadyen (Operation Mincemeat, Succession-TV) as Mr. Paradox and Dafne Keen (Logan, His Dark Materials-TV) as Laura; this film is filled with non-stop “R” rated language. It was getting to the point where I was on overload with all the sexual references and such. Granted, the two main characters have these roles down perfectly and Ryan has a certain flair in delivering snarky remarks. What surprised me was the underwhelming special effects and script. I thought the script hardly made any sense and was simply used as a vehicle to feed more fertilizer into the cussing sessions. This is still a Marvel film, with its two extra scenes during the ending credits; but overall, I was disappointed with the whole production.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Thelma
THOSE WHO KNOW ME WELL, KNOW I will not open any links they send me via text or email unless they have specifically called me to say they were sending it to me. Some may think my fear borders on paranoia, but I do not care. I have this inherent mistrust of electronics, specifically computers, which makes me overly cautious whenever I must use an electronic device. Not so much the phone unless I am forced to use it for some type of confirmation or step to complete a business transaction. Though I get made fun of, I do not have an ATM card, nor do I do any type of online banking. If I know I am going to be on an extended vacation during the time I know I am to receive a charge card statement or some other type of bill, I double pay the previous month’s bill so there will be enough of a credit balance on my account to cover the following month’s bill. This minor trouble is worth it to me for the price of not paying things online. When I must make an online purchase, I have one dedicated charge card with a small credit limit that I use. That same card I take traveling with me after calling the issuing bank to let them know where I will be. You may think I am too extreme; I simply feel I am protecting myself. THE CLOSEST I CAME TO MAKING an error of judgment and allowing a fraud to unfold was when I received an email from my bank, questioning me about some unusual activity they discovered on my account. The email instructed me to log in, which I did without thinking. When I set up the account, it was because the bank needed my email address to send me documents to approve. So, I created it but did nothing about tying my account to any banking information. As I typed my email address, I was wondering what kind of activity it would be since there was no trail in place to touch my checking and savings accounts. Suddenly, I became aware that this email had to be a scam; so, instead of continuing to enter my personal information, I called the bank to ask them about the activity on my account. They confirmed everything was normal and they had not sent me any type of alert. I was relieved and grateful I did not cause a fraud to occur. However, I know friends and family of mine were not so lucky; their stories are so sad. One of them had a similar experience to the one depicted here in this action comedy, film festival winner. FINALLY REALIZING SHE WAS THE VICTIM of a scam; an elderly grandmother vows to get revenge and justice. With June Squibb (Nebraska, About Schmidt) as Thelma, Fred Hechinger (New of the World, the Woman in the Window) as Daniel, Richard Roundtree (Shaft, Moving On) as Ben, Parker Posey (Dazed and Confused, Lost in Space-TV) as Gail and Clark Gregg (Moxie, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.-TV) as Alan; this movie inspired by true events was a real treat. The whole cast had so much fun, led by the amazing June and Richard with their performances. I thought the script created a simple fun viewing experience. There were a few predictable scenes but overall, the amount of enjoyment watching this cast was worth the admission price. I laughed aloud a few times and sure the idea may have been far-fetched, but I think because of that it works in this film’s favor. And I must make special mention that June is 94 years old and seeing her in some of the predicaments the writers put her through made this viewing experience even better. I appreciated watching, for a change, a good old-fashioned comedy that was not too filling, but had the right mix of comedy and thrills with a few jabs of pre-conceived notions of what old people do. There was an extra scene during the ending credits.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Lisa Frankenstein
A GOOD PORTION OF THE INDIVIDUALS I dated; I did not like it at first. I cannot explain it. Upon either meeting or getting introduced to them, I got a negative reaction to them. One person I met at a house party. They were slightly tipsy while they tried telling these crazy stories about various members of their family. At the end of the evening, they did not have a ride home and the host asked if I would please get them home safely. I was hesitant because I did not want them to get sick in my car and I also felt we had nothing in common, so the ride home would be uncomfortable with us either sitting in silence or me listening to their family drama. As it turned out, they must have sobered up quick or had been putting on an act for most of the evening because we had a friendly conversation. There was more to them than I imagined; they came from a troubled home, learning to use humor to mask their pain. For a first-time conversation, it was not your usual small talk kind about the weather or sports teams. We each talked about growing up with a colorful extended family, and by the time I pulled up in front of their place, we made plans to see one another again. It turned out to be a fun and caring relationship. ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP I HAD STARTED WITH us meeting at a charity event. We were guests in a large ballroom of a downtown hotel, both looking over the items on display for the silent auction. They were standing next to me and made a satirical comment about one of the items; I chuckled and agreed with them. From there we continued making our way together, commenting and joking about the assorted items and guessing what they would go for during the auction. Throughout the evening, we always managed to be near one another. At the close of the evening, we exchanged phone numbers and wished each other well. The following week I got a call and was invited to a party they were hosting. After having a pleasant evening with them at the charity event, their party was something completely different. I found them to be obnoxious as they relished pushing people’s buttons. Granted some of the things coming out of their mouth were quite funny, but the difference I was seeing was drastically different from our last meeting. I was turned off by it. However, after the party they were persistent in their reaching out to me. I discovered who they were when guests were around was so different from when they were by themselves; I could not get over it. As a few weeks went by, they were able to change my opinion and I found myself becoming attracted to them. My relationship with them was like being on a roller coaster and that is why I could understand the main character in this comedy, horror romance. A TEENAGER STRUGGLING TO FIT INTO a new school, meets someone who might understand her, except for the fact he is dead. With Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Ben is Back) as Lisa, Liza Soberano (Everyday I Love You, Forevermore-TV) as Taffy, Jenna Davis (Stay at Home, Treehouse Detectives-TV) as Lori, Trina LaFargue (Five Feet Apart, My Perfect Wedding) as Tricia and Paola Andino (Sno Babies, Every Witch Way-TV) as Misty; I enjoyed the idea for this story. It had a retro vibe to it, like films from the 1980s. Kathryn did an excellent job with her character, and I enjoyed the rest of the cast as well. The beginning started out slow for me and it took awhile before I felt the story starting to come together. There was a small layer of sharp humor that I felt could have been expanded on and the directing needed to be stronger. I did appreciate the way female empowerment, loss and love were managed; but I felt the script could have been so much stronger, delivering a complete knockout of a story. I took a chance on this film and though I did not love it, I found it okay.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Inside Out 2
SOMETHING WAS GROWING ON MY FACE. A look in the mirror did not help me see it, but I could feel it if I pressed the skin in the middle of my forehead. I did not have to wait long before it made its presence known on my face; I had a pimple. Not wanting to go into details because I was so traumatized at an early age, let me just say it looked like a snow-capped mountain surrounded by a red colored moat. I was horrified, right smack in the middle of my forehead. Every day I had to go to school with this mark on my face, I was anxious throughout the day, worried about what anyone would say about it, let alone the snide comments. It was not like it was the only thing going on at the time. There was the issue about my voice cracking and the fact that I was one of the first boys to suddenly grow facial hair. Though, I thought it would be cool if I could get a five o’clock shadow on my face. What I was not expecting was that growing hair on my body meant I needed to use deodorant. There were so many changes going on with me, I was a walking bundle of nerves. AS THE TIME PASSED AND MY beard developed further, another cruel trick was in store for me. Not only did I have to deal with teenage acne, but the hair growing over the lower half of my face was coming in thick, coarse, and curly that would spiral around and go back into my face, causing these red welts to pop up all over my neck. I tried shaving the hairs as soon as I could see them, but there were so many, coming in so fast, that there was no way I could keep up. It was decided I should go to a skin doctor for help. At my appointment, the doctor determined these reddish welts were flat warts and created a schedule where I would have to come in bi-monthly to have them burnt off. So now I had the joy of going to school with these dark red scabs on my neck where the doctor had used a cauterizing needle to burn off the warts. The only good thing and I mean only good thing was I was excused from PE swimming. This lasted a few months until I was told to switch to a straight razor and was able to get a closer shave. Imagine how I must have felt when in college the doctor I saw told me they were never warts, just in-grown hairs. I must tell you adolescence was tough which is why I could understand what the main character was going through in this animated, adventure comedy. WHEN A YOUNG GIRL BEGINS HER teenage years, she is hit with a whole new set of emotions that interfere with not only her ice hockey dreams, but with her life. With Amy Poehler (Wine Country, The House) voicing Joy, Maya Hawke (Do Revenge, Stranger Things-TV) voicing Anxiety, Kensington Tallman (Summer Camp, Home Sweet Rome!) voicing Riley, Liza Lapira (21, The Equalizer-TV) voicing Disgust and Tony Hale (Quiz Lady, Woman of the Hour) voicing Fear; this sequel lived up to the first movie. I thought the script was well done, doing a beautiful job of conveying the angst teenagers go through in a touching and comical way, as the cast certainly did their part in making that happen. The animation was just like the previous film, very imaginative, and I thought the pacing kept things moving along nicely. This was a fun movie watching experience, in a crowded theater, that brought back memories for me. There was an extra scene during the ending credits.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Hit Man
BEFORE I COMMIT TO A NEW job, I must first see myself in that position. I cannot imagine I am the only person who acts this way. When I decided to become certified to be a fitness instructor, I used to imagine myself teaching classes during my own workouts. I would be a participant in an aerobics class and replace the instructor with myself in my mind. Maybe this helped build my confidence, or maybe it got me comfortable with the idea of being an instructor; I do not know. However, I will say by seeing myself doing something it did make my first day at the job easier. A long time ago, a furniture company hired me to set up store displays of their home accessories. When I went to the interview, I arrived earlier than the agreed time so I could walk around and look at all the items out on the floor. While I waited to hear back from them after my interview, I did different settings in my head of their products. For example, I would group the vases by color then by size; the terra cotta statuary, I would break out into small groups throughout the store. There were various combinations I would see in my mind, so after I was hired, I was able to quickly adapt and create interesting displays of the store’s products. NOT EVERY JOB I HAD WAS great, which may have attributed to me fantasizing about other professions. During my stint as a salesclerk, I started imagining me being a go-go dancer. From all the clothes on display, the dance music playing, and the clientele; I used to picture myself dancing on platforms and tables while placing clothes items in shopping bags for the customers. There was a brief period where I fantasized me doing surveillance for a government agency. I would trail people I conjured up in my brain and follow them around town, hoping to catch them “red-handed” as they say. From surveillance, I saw myself as a Ninja and from there I saw myself as a long-distance cyclist; the opportunities were endless, and the amusement was abundant. In a way, I think I chose exotic jobs as a way to break up the monotony of the workday; it was fun to pretend to be a superhero for the day. Sure, there were some things that were not realistic; however, there were others I wanted to do but for whatever reason, I never pushed or got pushed to try out for it. I cannot be the only one who has daydreamed of such things, and the proof can be found in this comedy, crime romance. A MILD-MANNERED PROFESSOR WORKING A SIDE job helping the New Orleans police department, discovers he enjoys getting into character until he finds himself attracted to one of his victims. With Glen Powell (Anyone But You, Devotion) as Gary Johnson, Adria Arjona (Morbius, Father of the Bride) as Madison Figueroa Masters, Austin Amelio (No Future, The Walking Dead-TV) as Jasper, Retta (The Greatest Hits, Parks and Recreations-TV) as Claudette and Sanjay Rao (Bad Romance, The One You’re With) as Phil, this film directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Before Midnight) was a big surprise for me. First off, I thought Glen easily managed helming this picture. Secondly, the chemistry between him and Adria was right on target; they were totally believable. The script had its fun and exciting moments, though I have to say I had an issue with the moral dilemma presented. Granted these are my feelings on the subject of “actions beget consequences.” But outside of that, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The directing was sharp with a few twists in the story, and it was fun to watch. And after seeing this film, I feel fine continuing to fantasize about various exciting occupations.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Migration
MY DESIRE FOR TRAVEL STARTED AT an incredibly early age. My first road trip took place when I was an infant in diapers. Once I became cognizant, there was something about seeing various places and different topography that I found exciting. That thrill only increased tenfold when I became aware of important landmarks and structures. Seeing the Empire State Building, either in print or on television/film, then seeing it in person was utterly magical to me. Or, having seen the Grand Canyon live for the first time was overwhelming; I wound up walking around it the entire day, unaware that I was burning my unprotected scalp until it was beet red. I still loved the experience of seeing the place in person. When I was a young boy, I used to write to each state’s commerce/tourism department, asking them to send me brochures and pamphlets about their state. I would keep all the literature in a storage box and periodically go through it repeatedly, feeding my desire to go and see the various places for myself. It did not matter how I would get to these various locations because I enjoyed all forms of travel: car, train and airplane. My dream, I may have mentioned, when I was a little kid was to see all fifty states. Though it took me decades to accomplish, I always get a sense of pride whenever I tell someone about my achievement. In my world, travel is in my top five favorite things to do. NOW I DO NOT WANT TO come across as being judgmental and I certainly understand the different circumstances people might have for not traveling, but I have always been perplexed by those who have the means but have no desire to leave their surroundings. To me, this lack of exposure isolates the person and can very easily askew their perceptions about other individuals and places. I know a married couple who rarely leave their neighborhood. We have tried to get them to meet us for a night in the city and they always refused because they have this false perception that no place is safe in the city. Sure, like any big metropolis, there are stories about robberies and shootings, but it is not like the entire city is one big war zone. I try to understand where they are coming from but have a tough time doing it. Without seeing for oneself, I feel a person’s fears have a false ring to them, a hollowness. One could read a book or watch a documentary, but until you see things for yourself, I do not think one can get the complete picture of diverse cultures, places, and societies. To me, this animated adventure comedy is a good example of what I am talking about. IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF pleading and begging to get their overprotective father to take the family on a vacation. As far as he was concerned there was nothing worth leaving, the comforts of their quiet, safe home, even just for a vacation. With Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) voicing Mack, Elizabeth Banks (Call Jane, The Hunger Games franchise) voicing Pam, Isabela Merced (Madame Web, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) voicing Kim, Danny DeVito (Haunted Mansion, The War of the Roses) voicing Uncle Dan and Carol Kane (The Princess Bride, Between the Temples) voicing Erin; I found this a fun, charming picture. The entire cast was well suited to bringing life to their characters. Plus, the script helped because it had some fun slick humor that both kids and adults would enjoy. There was nothing quite new or fresh about the story, yet with the wonderful colorful animation, I still found myself enjoying and watching the story. I also resonated with the story’s message and was left with a comforting feeling after the film was over.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Garfield Movie
WE ALL MET IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, some as far back as kindergarten. All through school we remained friends and continued so into high school, despite drifting off into our different comfort zones. Though I rarely saw them through high school and not at all during my college years, I was always fond of them. One of those friends taught me how to cut crepe paper with scissors. It was because I was the only lefthanded student in my kindergarten class. When the teacher was teaching us, I could not hold the scissors like the rest of the kids sitting at my table. She was sitting next to me and carefully showed me how to use the scissors a separate way where I could then cut the paper. This is how we met and remained friends; she was always one of the sweetest girls in school; I never forgot her act of kindness, even after all these decades. Another friend had an Irish Wolfhound dog that was huge. The dog could nearly look at you at eye level, he was that tall. All of us were excited when our friend told us her dog was going to be in a dog food commercial. Being so big, he was a fast runner, just like his owner, my friend. I always believed my friend was one of the smartest kids in class, so I assumed she figured out how to make her dog a star. YEARS LATER AT A CLASS REUNION, the four of us met up and had a wonderful evening reminiscing about our youth. The biggest shock for me was hearing what everyone wound up doing in life. From our experiences in childhood, I was left with impressions of who these friends were; however, hearing what they did in their adult life surprised me. One friend became a historian on stolen art, collaborating on movies and shows that focused on artwork stolen during World War II. The woman who taught me how to use scissors is a playwright who has a new show debuting at a famous theater festival. The last friend from our small group, who had the big dog, received her doctorate, and became a professor at a university. She had recently retired to take a new position setting up a doctorial program in her field of expertise at another university. I could not believe how these three individuals, became such successful and I might add powerful women in their industry. I am glad I knew them then and now because it makes their lives appear richer to me. I was hoping to get a similar sense with this animated, adventure comedy about one of my favorite cartoon characters. SURPRISED BY HIS UNEXPECTED REUNION WITH his long-lost father, Garfield, voiced by Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War, The Kid), leaves the comfort of his home to help his dad in one last heist. With Samuel L. Jackson (The Kill Room, Damaged) voicing Vic, Hannah Waddingham (The Fall Guy, Ted Lasso-TV) voicing Jinx, Ving Rhames (The Locksmith, Con Man) as Otto and Nicholas Hoult (Renfield, The Current War) voicing Jon; this movie did not offer much insight or newness to Garfield’s story. I did not care for the script because it portrayed a toned-down version of Garfield, we all remember from the comic strip and Bill Murray film. Younger children will enjoy this picture better than the older ones and adults. I did like the style of animation, though. It would have helped if the writers had the older version of Garfield in their minds when they chose to write the script. There were times I was bored, especially when the upcoming action was obvious to the viewer. In a way, I felt I was seeing a different version of the satirical, lazy, smart aleck Garfield I enjoyed seeing these past years.
1 ¾ stars
moviejoltz 