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Flash Movie Review: Bad Words
Laughter is the safety valve to life’s daily pressures. Bubbling up from the pit of the stomach, laughter purges tension and stress, replacing it with a euphoric effervescence. Humor comes in multiple shades since each person has their own unique form of funniness. Some people enjoy practical jokes while others prefer cerebral comedy. The former IT director of my company was an odd fellow. Disheveled with improper fitting clothes, he stuck out from the general population already besides his over 6 foot tall frame. One day at the office while working on an account, I heard him calling out for help from his workplace. When I came to his office door I found him wedged underneath his desk with only his head visible on his desktop, his chin resting on the rim. He tended to sit on the edge of his chair and it had flipped up behind him, causing him to fall down to the floor with his legs underneath the desk. The top of the chair came down and pressed up against his back while the chair bass was stuck into the wall behind him. He could not move since his arms were on his lap below the desk, with no room to maneuver them down to the floor for leverage. Now if your immediate reaction to this story was to laugh, then you will enjoy this comedy. This film was so inappropriate but oh so funny to me and the rest of the audience in the theater. Jason Bateman (Disconnect, Arrested Development-TV) was utterly outrageous playing Guy Trilby, an adult man who exploited a loophole to enter a children’s spelling bee contest. With news reporter Jenny Widgeon, played by Katherine Hahn (We’re the Millers, Wanderlust), in tow; Guy was out to prove a point, stopping at nothing to make sure it came across loud and clear. This being Jason’s directorial debut, he did a wonderful job keeping up a steady pace while fitting in a multitude of wicked moments. Allison Janney (The Way Way Back, Juno) was perfect playing Dr. Bernice Deagan, who was determined to stop Guy from ruining her competition. The script was tight, constantly balancing itself on the edge of funny and inappropriate. I think some people would find a few of the jokes and strong language offensive. I will say the first time Guy threw down off-color verbiage to a child I cringed; however, it was that unexpectedness that made me laugh in shock. If Jason Bateman had not been so skilled to pull off this role, I feel the movie would have not been as enjoyable or funny. From the amount of laughing I did during the film, I should be living stress free for at least a few weeks now.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Muppets Most Wanted
The sting from the punch lingered on my arm. He had done it before but it hurt just as much this time. There was a difference though because I decided to get back at him. I had a knack for quietly cracking pumpkin seeds in my mouth and discreetly keeping the shells in my school desk until I could dispose of them. As the class prepared to go outside for recess I stayed behind, allowing myself just enough time to place some of the empty shells under his school desk. I took the rest of the shells with me, tossing them into a garbage can in the hallway before joining up with my class as it was exiting out the playground door. When we returned to class, it did not take long for the teacher to notice the empty shells below his desk. Sure he denied they were his when the teacher asked him. She questioned each of us who sat around him but their look of confused denial was matched by mine. The boy that hit me was forced to sweep up the entire floor while we continued on with our history lesson. As an adult I can look back and criticize my actions; but back then, I relished the revenge. At least I did not plan the identity switch for criminal reasons like the one that was done to poor Kermit in this comedy caper. While the Muppets were on an international tour the world’s most evil frog Constantine, a dead ringer for Kermit, switched identities with him. While Kermit was imprisoned in a Russian prison headed by Nadya, played by Tina Fey (Admission, 30 Rock-TV), Constantine used the Muppets as a cover for his audacious plot. Seeing the Muppets on the big screen again just brings a smile to one’s face. For the duration they have been around, multiple generations have some type of fond memory about the Muppets. This adventure film had its moments with sight gags, Muppets humor, songs and a cavalcade of celebrity cameo appearances. I enjoyed the performances from Tina Fey and Ty Burrell (The Incredible Hulk, Modern Family-TV) as Jean Pierre Napoleon. As for Ricky Gervais (The Invention of Lying, The Office-TV) as Constantine’s associate, I found him forgettable for the most part. Overall this film was okay but it was lacking the fun, I want to say oomph, I usually feel for the Muppets. The story was, dare I say, somewhat predictable. There was however a creative flair throughout the film and credits, even to the very end. With the Muppets under a new owner I hope this movie is not the start of a string of films based on marketing results instead of fun creativity.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Single Moms Club
Without some type of support system in place one can begin listening to their inner voice with doubtful ears. I am quite familiar with doubt; if left unchecked, it is an invasive weed that chokes the bloom off of my ideas. If I did not have supportive friends and family in place I do not think I would have had the courage to publicly post my movie reviews. Prior to starting my website I would email individual people my thoughts on a film. From my 1st public review to current ones I can see a big difference in the way I write them. I now find the earlier ones to be sterile and impersonal, none of my feelings were blended into the words. The evolution of my writing took place thanks to the positive responses I have received from so many different people. A kind word is one of the best ways to stop the spread of doubt. I thought the concept for this comedic drama was a wonderful idea. Any single parent could use a supportive group of individuals around them and I was curious to see how writer/director Tyler Perry (The Family That Preys, Madea franchise) would handle the situation. The answer would be with a heavy hand and humor at the lowest level on the comedy scale. I was actually surprised on how bad this film was on so many levels. It followed such a formula that I cannot imagine much time was devoted in the making of this picture. Let us start with individuals from multiple ethnic groups so the movie could attract a wide audience, check this off the list. Next make sure you have moms from a low to high economic status so we could see how poor and wealthy people have the same problems. Now throw in male characters as some type of love or former love interest so we could observe the challenges a single mom has when it comes to relationships and there you have it: a boring, lackluster, trite and lazy movie. I felt sad for the cast that included Nia Long (The Best Man Holiday, Boiler Room) as May, Wendi McLendon (Bridesmaids, Rules of Engagement-TV) as Jan and Amy Smart (The Butterfly Effect, Crank franchise) as Hilary. After sitting through this movie, where the best part was the outtakes during the ending credits, if I could have found a support group for traumatized film goers of poor quality films I would have signed up.
1 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel
It was a time where the words “please” and “thank you” were freely given in a sentence. Kind gestures were evident everywhere we went throughout the building. With passports in hand, a group of us went out of the country for a convention being held in a regal old hotel. Wide and majestic with its granite facade and elongated windows, the hotel had several flags waving above the doorway as if they were greeting every hotel guest. Inside the floor was fitted with a combination of huddled polished gold edged tiles that looked like reflective pools surrounded by the plush, deep red carpeting that swallowed up noises from everyone’s shoes. The lobby had an ample crystal chandelier that cast just enough light to make the room glow as if the sun was setting behind the woven tapestry that hung across the far western wall. For the duration of the convention no matter how loud or rowdy the guests became, the hotel staff never once judged or showed a disapproving face. It was when the Grand Budapest Hotel first appeared on the movie screen in this comedic drama that I recalled my memory of that trip. The difference between the two hotels was that mine sat in the heart of a large city and it did not have a murder occur within its walls. From writer and director Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom), this visually stimulating film grabbed me from the very beginning. No need to worry if visuals are not your cup of tea because the story had a creative zaniness that was elevated by the fine acting from the cast. Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter franchise, Skyfall) was outstanding as the famous hotel concierge Gustave H. Adrien Brody (The Pianist, Cadillac Records) as Dmitri, Willem Dafoe (Out of the Furnance, The Walker) as Jopling and relative newcomer Tony Revolori (The Perfect Game) as Zero Moustafa were only part of the wonderful cast that Wes assembled for this fun film. The story was a story within a story that was easy to follow. When a wealthy guest of the hotel was found murdered, the authorities believed Gustave H was to blame. What took place after were a series of screwball chases and plot twists that hearkened back to the madcap comedy movies made in the 1930s and 40s. Each scene had its own unique individualized detailing where I felt I was looking through a series of paintings. If you are not a fan of Wes Anderson, I think the cast could still win you over. As far as I was concerned I was willing to book a room at the hotel in this film festival winner.
3 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Mr. Peabody & Sherman
The first time I rode public transportation without adult supervision was so exhilarating. A friend of mine joined me as we took the train to go downtown. I remember sticking my hand out the window just far enough to let it rise and fall on the rushing current of air like an airplane. Prior to this my mother had accompanied me but this time she agreed to let me go with a friend. You see, I knew the route by heart since we used to explore downtown on the weekends. However, this time with my friend I felt for the first time like an independent adult. When I think back to that time it occurs to me isn’t that one of the best compliments a parent can receive about their child, that they are growing up to be an independent and hopefully responsible adult? With that being the case then the boy in this animated film was in good hands with Mr. Peabody, voiced by Ty Burrell (The Incredible Hulk, Modern Family-TV). The smart, creative genius Mr. Peabody, who was in the process of adopting as his son Sherman, voiced by Max Charles (The Three Stooges, The Neighbors-TV), would use his time machine to take Sherman back to events that shaped history. Unfortunately when Sherman’s friend Penny Peterson, voiced by Ariel Winter (Speed Racer, Modern Family-TV), learned of Mr. Peabody’s invention, it would take no time for the two friends to cause a ripple in time that would change history. Would the smartest canine in the world be able to set history right while trying to raise a son? One of the things I liked about the original Mr. Peabody cartoons was his quick wit, puns and sarcastic remarks. Gratefully the writers kept all of that in this adventure film. The actors did an admirable job voicing the cartoon characters, quickly playing off of each other, at times in rapid fire dialog. I found the humor became stale as time went on. With most of the story being predictable I am not sure if younger children would enjoy this movie. The crowd was more adult at the after dinner time showing I attended. I assumed they were there for nostalgic reasons. An issue I had with this film had to do with the ending; I felt it was rushed as it tried to do too much in a short time frame. It redeemed itself with the message I took away from the story on how love makes a family.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Holiday
To this day I still experience an amusing delight when I receive a positive reinforcement of one of my beliefs. The one I am referring to is my belief that there are no accidents; there is a reason for everything. As I was working on today’s movie review I came across the following quote on one of my social media sites. It comes from the Irish writer Oscar Wilde and it reads: “You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.” This quote resonated deeply with me because in my own words I have always said the same thing. The surface of a person never influenced me unless there was an issue with their hygiene. The important stuff for me lies below, deep inside of them. I have no care about what car they drive or what they wear or what they do; who they are as a human being is what matters most to me. This quote came at the perfect time, for I was only in the beginning of writing my review. I am discarding it because this quote is the ideal way to lead off with today’s post of a classic film. Cary Grant (North by Northwest, His Girl Friday) played Johnny Case, a young man who fell in love with Julia, played by Doris Nolan (Moon Over Burma, Irene), who came from the wealthy Seton family. Looking to the future, Julia and her father could not understand why Johnny wanted to travel the world while he was still young, instead of settling down to work and make money. The only family member who seemed to understand what Johnny wanted to do was Julia’s sister Linda, played by Katherine Hepburn (Bringing Up Baby, On Golden Pond), the black sheep of the family. Directed by George Cukor (My Fair Lady, A Star is Born), this Oscar award nominated romantic comedy may be from a different era but the message it conveys is still relevant today. I do not think I need to tell you about the acting, directing or anything else about this movie. All you have to do is see how many stars I rated it below to know how much I enjoyed watching it. After viewing this film and seeing the quote, I feel everything fell into place to make this an extra enjoyable movie watching experience.
4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: About Last Night
The challenge does not take place until after the honeymoon phase of the relationship. When the two of you started dating, each of you was always excited to see the other. Every time you got together you experienced the air rippling around you as if it were humming across your skin in waves of affectionate chills. On your best behavior; the two of you avoided uttering any negatives to questions, wore only the most flattering of clothes, would not eat any food like corn on the cob or fried chicken that could leave something between your teeth or hanging off your lips. However, once past this phase you two enter the reality period. This is the place where each of you sees how supportive the other can be in an anxious situation. You are not afraid to get your hands dirty, so to speak, plus you take more risks in revealing your fears and dreams. The key to making this all work is maintaining good communication between the two of you. Think of communication as the mortar that keeps the bricks of your relationship together. In this romantic comedy you will see two couples as they try to navigate their way from the dating phase to the real world, with some unexpected results. Kevin Hart (Ride Along, Grudge Match) and Michael Ealy (Seven Pounds, Taken) played best friends Bernie and Danny. One night out at a nightclub Bernie’s acquaintance Joan, played by Regina Hall (Law Abiding Citizen, Think Like a Man) introduced her roommate Debbie, played by Joy Bryant (Antwone Fisher, The Skeleton Key), to Danny. What followed was a bumpy ride in figuring out what each person wanted in a relationship. This film was an updated version of the 1984 movie that was based on the David Mamet (Hannibal, Glengarry Glen Ross) play, Sexual Perversity in Chicago. I found this version of the story to be crass and raunchy, with less of the sophisticated nuances that were part of the previous one. Once again here was a movie with Kevin Hart where I felt he was just doing his stand-up comedy act. His rapid fire style of talking or more precisely yelling got old for me pretty quickly. I felt the Danny and Debbie characters were more real, enjoying their story line better. There were parts of the movie that were fun and humorous but for the most part I never felt fully invested in the story. I want to say there was some merit in seeing this movie, if for no other reason just to witness the consequences of poor communication within a relationship; however, there was too much vulgarity and arguing for my tastes.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Gloria
I have an innate mistrust of people who are perpetually happy. Not the ones that would be classified as optimists; I am talking about the everything is wonderful, turn that frown upside down, perky type of individuals. I am a defensive pessimist so I understand the glass is half empty or half full thing; but people who display only one emotion appear extreme to me and I am not comfortable with anyone who is extreme. It is similar to the people who always reply “fine” when you ask them how everything is going. Within my circle of friends we tell it like it is; if someone is having a bad day they just say it. Maybe it is due to my philosophy that no one has the right to tell another person how they should feel, but I never sugarcoat how I am feeling. I do admire those who are optimistic and sometimes wish I could be like that, but it is not in my nature. One of the things I enjoyed about this dramatic comedy was the honest portrayal of the main character, Gloria. Paulina Garcia (Cachimba, Casa de Remolienda) played middle-aged divorcee Gloria. With her children grown, she had made a life for herself where she could find joy in the simplest of things. Frequenting one of Santiago’s dance clubs, Gloria met recently divorced gentleman Rodolfo, played by Sergio Hernandez (No, A Sure Deal), who found her spirit attractive; but can two people with different outlooks on life have a serious relationship? The main draw to this film festival winning movie was Paulina Garcia. She was outstanding in her role, showing a real and believable character. What helped of course was the direction and screenplay. Though there were a few slow parts, I enjoyed watching Gloria’s reactions being easily conveyed by her expressive face. To give you an example, I mentioned in my review of the film “At Middleton” how ridiculous was the marijuana scene. In this movie Gloria played it where it came across as natural and plausible. Once again I have to say I admired Gloria’s spunk and fortitude; she was a very relatable character. I may not have her outlook on life but I certainly can appreciate the positive attitude; I wish I had more of that in me. Spanish dialog with English subtitles.
3 stars
moviejoltz 