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Flash Movie Review: The Fluffy Movie
Everybody has one in their family or in their circle of friends. There usually is one person; though there may be more, who is the funny one, the jokester. Depending on the structure of the group this person may be the one who does the most outrageous things or the most daring among the individuals. On the other hand it could be a less dramatic person who has a sly wit or satirical slant to their humor. To me these folks play an important part within the group. If one had a choice to feel happy or sad, the majority would choose happy I would think. From my experiences I have always been exposed to humor in almost every type of situation. Of course not during a tragic event; however, there would be traces that would eventually filter out during a time of sadness. A large portion of the humor I have heard within my family has been done through the telling of stories. There is nothing like listening to a person talk about an experience they had, who can put a funny twist on the events. It is a gift when a person not only can find the humor in a situation but spin it so that another person finds it relatable. GABRIEL Iglesias (A Haunted House 2, Magic Mike) is such a person and I had no idea he was a stand-up comedian; I only knew his face from a role he played in a movie. Directed by Manny Rodriguez (Soul Train Awards-TV, Jimmy Kimmel Live!-TV), this movie was the filmed version of Gabriel’s sold-out concert tour titled “Unity Through Laughter.” The advertisements for this comedy picture state there is “never before seen footage.” The first thing I have to say about this movie is about the title; I loved the use of the word Fluffy instead of the “F” word. Since I never utter that word I will spell it for you: F-A-T; such a disgusting word. Next, because this was my first time experiencing Gabriel doing his act, I found him to be an easy likable guy. His use of accents and the sound effects he made were quick and precise. I enjoyed both watching and listening to him as he spun his humorous tales. Though I did not find anything that made me laugh out loud, I did smile and chuckle numerous times. The part I really liked about his act was the fact he did not resort to strong language to amuse people; that takes talent these days in my opinion. Entertained through the entire movie, I was surprised by the vulnerability he showed from time to time. If your group of friends or family is missing a funny person, Gabriel would be a positive addition to it.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Justin Bieber’s Believe
It was Beauty and the Beast that showed me to look beyond the surface of a person, all the way to their heart. From the film The Wizard of Oz I learned to question what was being presented before me, for some things are just a false reality. I learned there was a fine line between genius and madness from the movie Amadeus. As you can see cinema had a hand in what type of man I was to become as an adult. So when it comes to music documentaries, I cast a somewhat skeptical eye to what is being shown to me. Now I am not a musical fan of Justin Bieber and only know about him when he is being reported on in the news. This film focused on Justin’s Believe tour from inception to the ending concerts. Directed by John M. Chu (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Step Up franchise), I found the movie to be a simple step by step process on how the tour was assembled. Since I am a fan of dance, I enjoyed the audition process that showed the dancers being vetted, picked and trained in the choreography. The use of actual concert footage was appreciated because it was a way to break up the film from becoming too long with all the interviews used of various people. I knew some of the individuals like Usher and Rodney Jerkins, but others such as manager and producer Scooter Braun were unknown to me. I do not feel I have to tell you that there was nothing shown to cast Justin in a negative light, though they did show film clips of his altercations with the paparazzi. As a documentary this movie really did not show anything new. It seemed like a tightly scripted marketing ploy to squeeze more profit out of the tour. Justin’s music does not do anything for me; however, I could certainly acknowledge the creative process to his music writing, besides the team behind the tour. If you are a Belieber (name Justin Bieber fans call themselves) then no matter what I say you probably saw this film already. For those curious, I would suggest you wait to see it on DVD. When I think of musical artists like the Beatles, who are still relevant 50 years later, will Justin have the same longevity? I cannot imagine; wait, now that was a good song.
1 3/4 stars
moviejoltz 