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Flash Movie Review: Laggies
You may know some who are being shoved to it, kicking and screaming. I personally continue to look for alternative routes to avoid its constant creep towards me. There are some people who run head-on to that point of time where they will finally be considered a grown-up. What is wrong with them? Yes, I know there are many advantages to being an adult; I am not knocking it. I really wish the knowledge I have now in my adult life had come earlier when I was younger. Now you have to admit all those responsibilities that come with being a grown-up can be daunting at times. At some point a majority of us will have to take on the duty of paying bills, maintaining a livable space and cleaning it; though I do not know what all the buzz is about cleaning, the space just gets dirty again. For those who want to have a family, they then extend themselves into child rearing; it never ends! Oh for those times where one could be free to do whatever they want, whenever they want, not having to be accountable to anyone. Looking at the world around us, I have to tell you it really takes courage these days to be an adult. THOUGH she was highly educated Megan, played by Keira Knightley (Begin Again, Anna Karenina) did not have much motivation. When her boyfriend Anthony, played by Mark Webber (The Memory Thief, Scott Pilgrim vs the World), surprised her at a friend’s wedding by getting down on one knee to propose to her, it was too much for Megan to handle. She found herself shortly thereafter at a convenience store where 16 year old Annika, played by Chloe Grace Moretz (The Equalizer, If I Stay), and her friends were hanging out looking for someone to buy them alcohol. The two women would start a friendship that would change their lives. Directed by Lynn Shelton (Safety Not Guaranteed, Your Sister’s Sister) this comedic romance had good potential. Lynn let the actors tell the story in a straightforward way that seemed real to me. The acting was good and I really enjoyed seeing Sam Rockwell (The Way Way Back, Seven Psychopaths) playing Annika’s dad Craig. One of the issues I had with this film had to do with the story; there were parts that were too far-fetched for me. I was sitting in my seat thinking that could never happen. Though I enjoyed Lynn’s earlier films, this movie was slow moving. Maybe it needed more exploration of the characters but I felt scenes were starting to repeat themselves with nothing new added. How ironic that I found myself looking at the screen and thinking will these people just grow up already.
2 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Big Hero 6
When the day consisted of challenges and stress, some individuals find comfort by getting it soaked out of them with one squeeze. Meeting a friend or family member can begin with one of these, reattaching the shared bond of the two’s history together. At a time of grief, it tries to remove the tiredness and sadness from a person’s body. And then there is the special kind that greets you in the morning after drifting off from a romantic night into a deep slumber. A hug may not always be the cure-all but it certainly can come close. There is nothing like coming home after a hectic day at work and fall into a warm, inviting embrace. For me hugs have important therapeutic value; they can bring unconditional comfort and a sense of total acceptance. I still remain in awe on the sheer power a hug can have on us. Remembering a horrible breakup and how a pair of arms encased me as each breath I took was accompanied by a drenching removal of strength to continue standing. On the other hand there were times where a loving hug stretched out to greet and surprise me while tired, standing in line to exit after a long trip away. In its simplest form, a hug has universal appeal for all. HUGS took on more of a special nature in this exciting animated action film. Hiro Hamada, voiced by Ryan Potter (Supah Ninjas-TV, Senior Project), was content betting on his battling robot until he met at his older brother Tadashi’s, voiced by Daniel Henney (The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), laboratory an unusual looking robot named Baymax, voiced by Scott Adsit (We’re the Millers, The Italian Job). Hiro wanted to be part of this world filled with incredible devices being created by brilliant people such as Wasabi and Honey Lemon, voiced by Damon Wayans Jr. (The Other Guys, Let’s Be Cops) and Genesis Rodriguez (Identity Thief, Man on a Ledge). This movie literally shocked me with its bold new take on action heroes. Written with sensitive and humorous passages, this film provided a whole story for both the adult and kid viewing audience. The characters were average people who just happened to do amazing things in their lives. One of the aspects I appreciated most was the good vs evil aspect of the story without having to shed any blood or perform extreme violence. Now there was an issue about death that made the little 3-4 year old boy next to me cry; I believe he was in the minority. With wonderful visual effects and a strong story line, I left the packed movie theater feeling like I had just received a warm fuzzy hug. There was an extra scene at the end of the credits.
3 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Dear White People
Labels should be used for products like canned vegetables and stereotyping should be used for elements like the weather. There is no useful purpose using either of these on human beings. Keep in mind I believe in calling things as I see them; in other words, I have no problem referring to someone as ornery (how often do you get to hear this word?), or some other adjective if indeed that is how they are acting. But to label or stereotype someone based on where their ancestors were born, their skin color or their religion is simply wrong. Before my first name was common, when I told someone my name, there were times they would immediately ask me if I practiced a certain religion. I would be perplexed, trying to understand how they made that leap from my name, which by the way is the name of a river, a food item and a sports figure; to a religion. You see they were making an assumption without even knowing me. The same thing could be said whenever we were picking sides for a sports activity in school. Because I used to be larger I was usually one of the last ones picked to be on someone’s team. No one realized including me that I had one of the fastest throwing arms among the players. Literally, it was years before I was even given a ball to throw and then everyone was stunned at my speed and accuracy. All of this due to me not looking what people felt an athletic person should look like, thanks to stereotyping. JUDGEMENTS were multiplying throughout this comedic drama about the students of an Ivy League college. Stereotyping and labeling students based on their skin color was the norm in this satirical story. A film festival winner, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Some of the cast members were Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates Chris-TV, Unaccompanied Minors) as Lionel Higgins, Tessa Thompson (For Colored Girls, When a Stranger Calls) as Sam White, Kyle Gallner (Jennifer’s Body, A Nightmare on Elm Street) as Kurt Fletcher and Teyonah Parris (How Do You Know, Mad Men-TV) as Colandrea “Coco” Conners. Everyone did a fine job, partly because of the smartly written script. I found conversations to be authentic even when it was obvious the scene was lampooning a stereotype. The director kept the story moving forward at a steady pace. While watching this picture I was curious how true some of the scenes were for the writer/director because the satire was spot on. Though this was a fun film to watch and I had no complaints, there was a little bittersweetness for me at the end, realizing there will be some people who will watch this movie and not get the joke.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Eventually over time all bright objects lose some of their glow. As bright as a high noon sun can be, time’s strength with its constant pull draws out the shadows that were tucked away, freeing them to dance across the landscape of one’s life. A smooth taut face will turn and appear like the flapping jowls of a bounding Shar-Pei dog or a centuries old ravaged canyon. Besides youth not staying long in a person’s life, one’s accomplishments can diminish as future generations with their energy and determination restructure the environment. Within some aspects of my life I am familiar with the fading light of a past moment or if you will a past glory. When I was much younger and taught up to 20 aerobic classes a week, I felt I was on top of the world. With each movement choreographed for all the main muscle groups of the body, beside to each beat of selected songs; I felt I was walking onto a Broadway stage for every class. Having upwards of 50 members in a class, working out truly felt like a high energy theatrical production. At this stage of my life I know I could never keep up with my younger self (though I keep trying) and I am okay with it. I do my best not to judge anyone; but in regards to various celebrities, when I see them trying to perform the same way they did in a movie they starred in 15-20 years ago I have to wonder what motivates them. DECLINING fame was a hard fact to swallow for action movie star Riggan Thomson, played by Michael Keaton (Batman franchise, White Noise). Trying to recapture the spotlight once again; Riggan was launching a staged production that he wrote, directed and planned on starring in. He would have to deal with past events as he sorted through his true feelings. A film festival winner, this surreal comedic drama was outstanding on every level. The cast which also included Emma Stone (The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, Magic in the Moonlight) as Sam, Edward Norton (The Illusionist, Fight Club) as Mike and Zach Galifianakis (Due Date, The Hangover franchise) as Jake were all amazing to watch as they handled all the twists and turns the script threw at them. From writer and director Alejandro Gonzalez (Babel, 21 Grams), the story dealt with real feelings and fears even when scenes took on a fantasy nature. Having Michael Keaton star in this movie was brilliant casting since in some circles people have said his best work was during the Batman films. I thought he was incredible in this role. In fact, I expect there will be multiple acting nominations for this film during next year’s Oscar race. Original, thought-provoking, stimulating; this movie was a glorious example for the beauty of filmmaking while showing the downfalls of yearning for one’s past glories.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: St. Vincent
There was a time you could find a commune in the heart of a big metropolitan city. It was called an apartment building; I should know, because I grew up in one of them. Everyone knew everyone else in the building; in fact, it was not uncommon for a neighbor to give a quick knock on the back kitchen door and walk right in since we kept our doors unlocked during the day. Before I was able to walk down the stairs by myself I would scoot down them on my backside to visit a neighbor on a different floor. If someone could not get out to the grocery store, they would easily find a resident who was willing to go for them. Babysitting was simple because there were a multitude of parents who would willingly help each other out day or night. I loved growing up in an apartment building though it did spoil me. When I moved out on my own I just assumed all places were similar to my childhood home. Unfortunately that was not the case. From the time I was born to the time I moved, a change starting to take place. It appeared as if the world was moving faster with less time to socialize. I had some new neighbors who would offer a friendly hello; but I had others who barely acknowledged anyone, wearing an uninviting scowl on their face. RECENTLY divorced mother Maggie, played by Melissa McCarthy (The Heat, Mike & Molly-TV), had no choice but to impose on her next door neighbor Vincent, played by Bill Murray (Lost in Translation, Moonrise Kingdom). At first glance Vincent would be the unlikeliest candidate to babysit anyone’s child. Maggie’s son Oliver, played by newcomer Jaeden Lieberher, would soon find out Vincent was not like any other babysitter he had before. This film festival winning comedy had a lot going for it. Though I have seen Bill in similar roles, he really took charge and owned his character Vincent. He was a fun, wicked character to watch throughout the story. Melissa finally decided to take on a different kind of character; I actually liked the fact she played a straight role here without her usual schtick that she had done in her recent films. Add in Jaeden’s touching performance along with Naomi Watts (The Impossible, King Kong) as Daka and this picture had more to offer than your typical comedy. There were several scenes that were dramatic and moving for me. I may not have had a neighbor living next door to me like Vincent; but I sure would not mind one now after seeing this super film.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Book of Life
As you turn the page of the novel you find an old photograph stuck between the pages. You see a younger you floating across a lake on an inner tube. Immediately memories flood your mind, flushing into your eyes as you can see and remember how the water was so cool and clear on that hot summer day. Absently you scratch your arm in the same spot where you had that reaction to the bug bite you got when you came out of the water. Besides the common things like photographs or hand-me-down objects that trigger one’s memory, I have always been fascinated with how the mind responds to what seems like random items to stimulate a memory. I can hear a couple of musical notes in a certain order and I get catapulted to a wide white concert hall where a full orchestra is in the middle of playing a romantic symphony. When driving through a densely tree lined street, images of a deceased relative well up into my consciousness because they had given me my first ride in a convertible car. The way the sunlight filters through the leaves, creating sparks across my windshield, reminds me of the car ride we had gone on. He had driven us down a long stretch of road so I could feel how the air would whoosh by me, tickling my ears. It seems as if memories of past relatives grow sweeter and softer as I grow older. DEATH was a place filled with celebrations, happiness and good food in this animated adventure film. Diego Luna (Milk, Elysiom) voiced Manolo, a man who was willing to die for Maria, voiced by Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy). He would have to fight his way through the dead and living worlds if he had any hope of seeing her again. The cool thing about this movie was the way the writers took the subject of death and turned it into a less scary place. I believe the story was based on the holiday Day of the Dead, though I am not familiar with it. For that reason I may have been at a disadvantage in the way I interpreted this movie. Granted some could consider this an odd idea for a children’s film and it did cross my mind as well. I understand how much easier death would be if we were taught to look at it as a celebratory passage in time and this picture did its best in that regard. The writers treated the subject with sensitivity which I could appreciate. However, I did not find anything special or unique about this picture. Yes the visuals were fun to watch and some of the dialog was cute, but I certainly wasn’t blown away like I had been with other animated films. After a short time has passed, I doubt I will have any memories left of me having seen this animated comedy.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Luck is such a fickle, fluidic vehicle of fate. You cannot depend on it because it is unreliable, at least for some folks. There are terms you may have heard such as, “Born with a lucky horseshoe up their bum” or “If they didn’t have bad luck, they would have no luck at all,” that describe people who seem to be visited frequently by “Lady Luck.” I have noticed that when luck chooses to visit me in a negative way it usually returns in rapid succession once or twice immediately afterwards. Just this past weekend when I was trying to fly back home I wound up being stuck at the airport due to my flight being delayed. Upon the first delay I remembered thinking just my luck, I will have to find something to eat for dinner at the airport. Now someone could say I was lucky to find something to eat; but in my brain, I was upset because a mixed green salad, fruit cup, snack sized bag of chips and a small bottle of water cost me $21.00. When the flight was delayed for the second time I realized I would miss the opportunity to catch a film on the way home after landing. By the 3rd delay I was getting anxious because I did not know if public transportation would still be running. Finally arriving late at night, I missed the train as it pulled out of the station and had to wait 15 minutes for the next one. Finally exiting at my stop it started raining as I walked 20 minutes to my car, parked at my office. I could certainly relate to the main character of this family comedy regarding having a bad day. ALEXANDER, played by Ed Oxenbould (Puberty Blues-TV), was used to having a bad day. However, when his family members all began to experience one of his typical bad days Alexander was not sure they would be able to handle it. Based on Judith Viorst’s book series, this comedic drama stayed at a steady pace thanks to the director. With Steve Carell (The Way Way Back, The Office-TV) and Jennifer Garner (Dallas Buyers Club, Valentine’s Day) as Alexander’s parents Ben and Kelly Cooper, the cast was well suited to handle both the comedic and dramatic sides of the story. The trailer was a good representation of the film; the unlucky events were consistent. There was nothing major in a negative way in this movie; I just found it a bit too fluffy for my tastes and a bit predictable. As for the rest of my day afterwards, this movie did not contribute either way in making it a good or bad day.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: My Old Lady
It is funny how one person may think a tidbit of information is important to know, while another feels it is insignificant. As the years pass the bond between friends and family solidifies, where shared experiences provide more knowledge about each other. There may even be a point in time where you could anticipate what the other person would do in a situation. Having this type of awareness can help prevent some types of conflict or disagreements. After being part of each other’s life for some years imagine what kind of surprise it would be to discover something you never knew about your friend or family member. I had a relative who remarried later in life. The entire family had heard his new bride was a singer in Europe, but the way we were told made it sound like she sang at weddings and open mic nights at several local establishments. Since I never heard her sing, I did not give much thought to her past life of being an entertainer. Recently I had a member who came up to me after class to ask about a yoga pose. We started talking and she mentioned she had just returned from a European trip. When she brought up she visited the country of her birth, which happened to be the same place where my relative’s wife grew up, I was curious to see if she had ever heard of her. I was stunned when she not only knew about my relative’s wife, but had been to several of her concerts. She continued heaping praise on her to the point I was upset I never got the chance to hear more about my relative’s life story. SURPRISE was in store for Mathais Gold, played by Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, The Last of Robin Hood), when he inherited an apartment in Paris. Upon arriving to inspect the apartment Mathais was shocked to find Mathilde Girard, played by Maggie Smith (Harry Potter franchise, Quartet), living in the place. It would be the first of many surprises. I wished I had enjoyed this comedic drama more because I thought Maggie and Kevin did a wonderful job of acting, along with Kristin Scott Thomas (Gosford Park, The English Patient) as Chloe. They did everything to try and make their characters come to life. However, the script was poorly done; there were gaps where the story dragged and felt uneven. On the plus side I found the idea behind the story interesting and enjoyed watching Maggie’s performance. It came as a surprise to me when I realized at the end of the movie I could only give an average star rating to this dramatic comedy with its exceptional cast.
2 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Boxtrolls
Guilt by association can be a decision based on a visual observation. What someone is essentially doing is making a judgement about you without having any knowledge of you. I have always taken offense to this type of discrimimation. It does not matter if it was family members or friends; I could never understand how people just assumed everyone in a group was the same, as if we were all made out of the same mold. The first time I became aware I was being judged was in school. Having been a larger sized boy than the average student, when it came to any athletic activity, I was usually one of the last students still standing before being picked for a team. Though I was too young to really understand the mindset, it did not take long before I became aware of many incidents involving me and various other students. The interesting aspect was witnessing how if a person repeated the same misconception over and over, others started to believe it was true. The outcome sometimes would be upsetting, other times humorous. ARCHIBALD Snatcher, voiced by Ben Kingsley (Hugo, Iron Man 3), was determined to capture every single last Boxtroll if it was the last thing he would do. He had made a promise to Lord Portley-Rind, voiced by Jared Harris (Pompeii, Natural Born Killers). Eggs, voiced by Isaac Hempstead (Closed Circuit, The Awakening), who had been raised by Boxtrolls since he was a baby, needed to seek out townsfolk who would believe him when he said Boxtrolls were decent and good. It was the only chance he had to save his family. This stop action animated comedy was so much fun. The clever animation was done in such a creative way that I sat with my eyes glued to the screen. With the array of different actors’ voices, including Elle Fanning (Maleficent, Super 8) as Winnie, I found myself believing the characters. The script had its twist of British humor that was not only amusing, but made one pay attention to the sly comments that were being scattered about. Also, the distinctive look of each character worked splendidly with the script’s speech. I am not sure young children will understand some of the humor; however, with a bad villain, wild scenes and plenty of physical comedy they will still enjoy watching this adventure movie. As a fan of most film genres and my avoidance of any movie publicity before seeing a film, this picture reaffirmed one of the reasons I love movies; it provided a joyful surprise with its uniqueness. Never assume just because it is an animated movie that it will be a cartoon. There was an extra behind the scenes segment in the middle of the lively credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: This is Where I Leave You
There was a time when family members lived close to each other because they wanted to, not out of necessity. I had an aunt & uncle who lived in the same apartment building where I lived and my grandmother lived a couple of blocks away. It was nothing to come home and have visiting relatives sitting around the house. The world may have been big and the neighborhoods small back then; however, times seem to be different now where the world has become small and the neighborhoods have gotten bigger. Children can live on a different continent than their parents, relatives can be scattered across a country like confetti on a windy day. With distance comes the possibility of less shared experiences. It may not seem like a big deal at first but before you know it there could be long stretches of time where unfamiliarity rises up and devours a niece’s first soccer game or a cousin’s 1st place winning high school science project. When the younger generation begins creating the next generation it can stretch the weeks of absence into months, eventually years. It is sad to say that families wind up getting together only at a happy or sad occasion; what I refer to as a wedding or funeral event. DEATH was what brought the Altman family back together. When Hillary Altman’s, played by Jane Fonda (Coming Home, Monster-in-Law), husband passed away she insisted her children stay in the house and sit shiva with her for 7 days. Judd, Wendy, Paul and Phillip Altman; played by Jason Bateman (Bad Words, Horrible Bosses), Tina Fey (Muppets Most Wanted, Admission), Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris, Non-Stop) and Adam Driver (Frances Ha, Inside Llewyn Davis); would soon discover it was not as easy to live together again like they did when they were kids. The first thing that stood out in this comedic drama was the amount of star power in the cast. Jason Bateman with his impeccable comedic timing and quick change ability to become sincere was in top form for this film. Tina and Jane easily kept up with him. Now what made this film harder to watch was having this talented group of actors try to bring life to such a poorly constructed script. I could not believe how bored I was during parts of this movie; the script was dull and lifeless. In my opinion the script hindered the actors from creating chemistry among themselves. Watching this picture felt like being trapped with a distant relative who would not stop talking about their children.
2 stars
