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Flash Movie Review: Here Comes the Boom
What a rude awakening I got my first week as a high school freshman. The first time in physical ed class a ceiling tile fell, nearly hitting a student in the head. From that day forward I always kept one eye on the roof waiting for the next tile bomb to drop. Since my elementary school did not have a cafeteria, the first time I walked down the lunch room line I was surprised by how many food items did not look like they were part of nature. I do not recall any teachers who would do what the teachers did in this movie. If Kevin James (Grown Ups, The King of Queens-TV) was graded for playing teacher Scott Voss, he would get an above average for effort. He deserved credit for doing the physical training the role demanded. Scott would try to become a mixed martial arts fighter to raise money for classes being cut, due to a budget shortfall. If he could get a scheduled fight, he would get paid even if he lost. It was a win-win situation. The cast was an enjoyable bunch to watch. Kevin’s character was affable and down to earth. I do have to say it was odd seeing Henry Winkler (Click, Happy Days-TV) playing a submissive, wishy washy character as music teacher Marty Streb. Come on, he was the Fonz. The other surprise was seeing Salma Hayek (Frida, Once Upon a Time in Mexico) playing school nurse Bella Flores in this comedy. For what was required of her, she was fine in this role. The problem with this movie was the story was bloated and predictable. The multitude of sight gags did not always work, being dull and flat. More chuckles than laughs, this boom was more like a pop. A brief scene with blood.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Hotel Transylvania
To be independent and responsible adults is the hope parents have for their children. Though for some it may be hard to let go and allow their kids to make their own decisions. In a recent review I mentioned how my dad taught me how to drive a year before I had driver’s education. What I failed to mention was how he would tell me not to go out driving if it was raining outside. Another thing he would say was not to turn on the radio because it drained the battery. To this day when I call him up to say hello, all he wants to hear is that I am driving straight home. Keep in mind I moved out of the house when I was in my 20’s, but to him that does not matter. That is why this fun movie gave me an extra kick. I found the idea of a classic horror film character being an overprotective parent hilarious. The story was about Dracula, voiced by Adam Sandler (Grown Ups, Reign Over Me), throwing a 118th birthday party for his daughter Mavis, voiced by Selena Gomez (Monte Carlo, Remona and Beezus). Several past scary film characters traveled to Dracula’s exclusive human free resort, Hotel Transylvania; to help in the celebration. But during the festivities Dracula’s fatherly concerns would be tested when teenager Jonathan, voiced by Andy Samberg (Celeste & Jesse Forever, That’s My Boy), accidentally stumbled into the hotel. There were enough gags and jokes for both kids and adults; though some of the jokes were more bathroom type humor. Adam’s voice perfectly matched the Dracula role, along with the fine animation. With a little more substance than the average animated movie, I had a good time at the theater watching this comedy. Who knows, maybe I will finally tell my dad about the time I drove his car with 9 people squished in with me.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Frankenweenie
Each person handles differently the loss of a loved one. Some people withdraw into themselves while others have the need to express their feelings in a creative way. My grandfather’s passing was the first time I experienced the death of a person in my life. Upon hearing the news, I remembered sitting down at the piano and played a favorite song repeatedly for a couple of hours, with tears rolling down my cheeks. The loss of a beloved pet can be just as hard. In this stunning and stylish movie, Sparky the dog was the only friend of Victor Frankenstein, voiced by Charlie Tahan (Charlie St. Cloud, I am Legend). It was heartbreaking for Victor when his cherished pet died in a car accident. With such a heavy loss, every day was lifeless for poor Victor; if only circumstances would have been different. However, everything would change when a substitute teacher performed a science experiment in Victor’s class. Inspired by the electricity experiment, Victor recreated the test at home and successfully brought his beloved Sparky back to life. The problem now would be how to prevent the townsfolk from finding out. That would not be the only problem Victor would encounter, along with the entire town. This film was a wickedly fun take on the Frankenstein story, complete with similar references and scenes. Director Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland, Corpse Bride) brought his own wild twisted sense of humor to the story, making this black and white animated film a visual feast. The use of Catherine O’Hara (For Your Consideration, Home Alone), Martin Short (Primetime Glick-TV, Father of the Bride) and Winona Ryder (Black Swan, Edward Scissorhands) to voice multiple characters was an auditory treat. Be aware this movie may not be appropriate for younger children. I had a great time seeing this film, both as an adult and a kid at heart.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Pitch Perfect
The stakes were high, where the difference between winning and losing could easily be decided by a single note. I am especially fond of powerful, strong female voices; so, I was ready to see this musical movie. After a disastrous finish to last year’s singing competition the Barden Bellas, an all girl a cappella group, were determined to regroup and win the trophy this year. Led by the controlling Aubrey and her sidekick Chloe, played by Anna Camp (The Help, Forgetting the Girl) and Brittany Snow (Hairspray, Prom Night), the two needed to replenish and reinvigorate the Bellas. In one of the better scenes, reluctant freshman Beca, played by Anna Kendrick (50/50, Up in the Air), was cornered in the dormitory’s showers when her singing caught the ear of nearby Chloe. The competition heated up when the school’s male a cappella group’s Jesse, played by Skylar Astin (Taking Woodstock, Hamlet 2) took an interest in more than just Beca’s singing. Fitting into the Step Up or Bring it On type of movies, this film was like an older version of the television show Glee. The singing was fun, while the bulk of the comedy was easily handled by the character Fat Amy, played by Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids, Bachelorette). The funniest bits, however, came from the competition announcers Gail and John, played by Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games, People Like Us) and John Michael Higgins (Bad Teacher, Big Miracle). Overall the movie was out of tune for me. I felt there was not enough development to the characters, making them cartoonish. Anna Kendrick was quite good both in acting and singing; I forgot she had been nominated for a Tony Award previously. The story for the most part was predictable; some new twists would have been nice. Even with some sour notes, this harmless comedy had some decent riffs.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Robot & Frank
Things would be easier if memories were filed in some type of arrangement, such as a card catalog or power point presentation. My memories reside in this vast sea where they float about, swirling below and rising to the surface, depending on the current. Gratefully I can simply fish them out when needed. But what will happen if the waters become murky? In this story set in the near future, ex-jewel thief Frank, played by Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon, Unknown), was at a point in life where his children Hunter and Madison, played by James Marsden (Hairspray, X-Men franchise) and Liv Tyler (Armageddon, The Lord of the Rings franchise) were concerned for his well-being. The solution was to provide Frank with a robot assistant. At first, Frank looked at this intrusion with disdain; however, once the robot assisted Frank with a heist, a new partnership was formed. This comedic drama set itself apart with firm acting by the cast. The exchanges between the robot and Frank were fun; I loved the deadpan delivery by Peter Sarsgaard (Jarhead, An Education), who voiced the robot. There were parts of the story that dragged for me; but with the other parts being so good, it was not a major concern. The added story line of librarian Jennifer, played by Susan Sarandon (Enchanted; Jeff, Who Lives at Home), being replaced by a robot was an interesting twist among others. Who knows what the future holds, but this movie provided an interesting answer both in an amusing and poignant way.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Outsourced
Whether due to my parents or in spite of them, I never gave mind to a person’s surface. A person’s skin color, hair or lack of it, tall or short; none of it was important to me. What is inside of a person interests me. If I am to make any distinction, I would have to say it is between human and animal; with that being a fine line sometimes. As a credit manager I have had many dealings with companies that have done outsourcing. Personally I do not care who or where I am calling; I just want to be told the truth. If you are hired to do a job, just do your job. Having grown up in a neighborhood where everyone was similar, I am fascinated with different cultures in the world. This lighthearted comedy did a fun spin with the differences between American and Indian cultures. When Todd Anderson’s, played by Josh Hamilton (J. Edgar, The Bourne Identity), Seattle company outsourced their customer call center to India, he was sent over to train the new employees. I chuckled when Todd was explaining to his crew what the term branding meant in America. With the obvious disconnect between western and eastern ways; employee Asha, played by Ayesha Dharker (Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones, The Terrorist), suggested Todd become familiar with Indian ways. This would lead him onto a path of enlightenment (the yogi in me could not resist) as Todd found more in India besides quick customer service. There was a gentle sweetness to this story, which had a charming way of displaying the country’s culture. Along with a couple of surprise twists, I had a good time viewing this film. As an added bonus I felt I gained a little more insight about the people I call while at work.
2 2/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Hit & Run
In traditional wedding vows there is a part that goes something like, “Do you promise to love and cherish each other, until death do you part?” I still remind a married friend of mine about the time I was walking with him and his wife during a rain storm. A car came barreling down the street, hit a huge puddle of water and my friend quickly ducked behind his wife to avoid the splash. Instead, she got smacked with a wall of water that totally drenched her. I still tease him that their vows must have overlooked the part about protecting one another. In this comedy we find a man so in love with his girlfriend, he was willing to put his life in jeopardy for her. Yul Perkins aka Charlie Bronson, played by Dax Shepard (When in Rome, Baby Mama), was in the witness protection program after testifying against his old friend Alex, played by Bradley Cooper (The Words, The A-Team). When Charlie’s girlfriend Annie Bean, played by Kristen Bell (Big Miracle, Veronica Mars-TV), needed to be in Los Angeles for a job interview, Charlie insisted on driving her. Their road trip turned into a madcap racing adventure as former convict Alex, an ex-boyfriend of Annie’s and U.S. Marshal Randy Anderson, played by Tom Arnold (True Lies, Roseanne-TV), pursued the young couple. Real life couple Kristen and Dax were good together in their roles, quite believable. Tom Arnold easily handled most of the screwball comedy scenes. I gave Dax credit for writing the script besides doing director duty. Several scenes were funny and I liked some of the dialog. My issue with the movie was its similarity to other comedy chase movies. The Bradley Cooper character seemed false to me. While the movie played I cannot say I was totally bored; however, I was not all that invested in the story either. What people do for love and what movie critics do for reviews, is not always a marriage made in heaven.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: ParaNorman
Imagine the possibility that there was something more to those people who had an imaginary friend as a child, or possibly as an adult. What if our imaginary friends were actual people from the past? I, for one, wish I could talk to deceased relatives or historic famous people; what an incredible opportunity it would be. Norman Babcock, voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In, The Road), talks to dead people. His deceased grandmother, voiced by Elaine Stritch (Monster-in-Law, Autumn in New York), could be found seated on the family sofa knitting away, but only Norman could see her. It was this ability that made Norman stand out, but not in a good way. His schoolmates made fun of him, he had no friends; even his sister Courtney, voiced by Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air, 50/50), considered him a nerd. Norman pretty much was a loner except to the dead people around him. I was immediately drawn to the story due to Norman being different and a loner, a kindred spirit. The tale was about whether Norman could prevent the destruction of his town by zombies, ghosts and a witch’s curse. I do not know if it had to do with the wonderful stop motion filming used for this exciting movie, but I enjoyed everything about it. From the quick humorous one-liners, to the great visuals; seeing this film was absolute fun. I believe an entire family would enjoy this creative movie, with the exception of very young children below the age of five. And for those of you, who still have imaginary friends, feel free to bring them along for a a wildly good time.
3 1 4/ stars
Flash Movie Review: Hope Springs
Everything I tried did not eradicate the image searing in my brain of Meryl Streep in a compromising position. I am not a prude; but, I do not want to see the woman who portrayed Margaret Thatcher and Julia Child doing such a thing–it was just wrong! In this comedic drama, Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady, It’s Complicated) played Kay, a wife of 31 years to her husband Arnold, played by Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, No Country for Old Men). Empty nesters who lost their intimacy, Kay and Arnold were drifting apart, acting more like roommates than a married couple. Burdened with sadness, a lonely Kay was determined to try and save the marriage by enrolling in Dr. Feld’s, played by Steve Carell (Dinner for Schmucks, Get Smart), intensive couples counseling program; with or without Arnold. This was a different type of role for Meryl, playing a more muted character than her recent characters. I thought Tommy Lee was quite good as a cantankerous curmudgeon, quite surprised to see him bring such vulnerability to the role. What sold this film was the stars’ acting, they were quite believable. Even though Steve Carell played totally straight in his role, I was continually waiting for him to do something humorous. The weaknesses in the movie came from the script and directing. Everything seemed to be stuck in a middle range of feelings, no dramatic highs or lows to make me care more about the characters. A stronger ending was needed; not the sudden way things ended without explanation. Based on the audience seated at the theater, it appears the film attracts an older crowd. I just wonder how they felt about some of the ways Meryl tried to improve her marriage.
2 1/2 stars
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