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Flash Movie Review: Anora
DIVORCED ONE DAY AND WAS MARRIED three months later. I already knew it would never work out. You see, my friend had been in a non-working marriage. The two of them had such polar opposite views that it was hard for them to find common ground. The one thing they had in common was they were both stubborn, which was not helpful in their situation. She was sociable; he was not. I do not necessarily think that would be a big stumbling block, but for them it was because neither one would compromise. Part of being in a relationship is sometimes we do things we do not like to please our partner; in their case, neither one was willing to help the other. Seeing them get a divorce was a good thing, in my opinion. But before the ink was dried on the court papers, she met a man, and they started dating. I would have thought she would have had a period of mourning, or alone time to reflect on her choices and actions that were made before immediately jumping back into the dating pool, but she did not waste a moment. When she introduced me to her, by then, fiancée, I was flabbergasted. I did not get a good feeling about him; he had a negative energy that rubbed me the wrong way. Nonetheless, I kept my thoughts to myself and congratulated them on their engagement. MY SUSPICIONS WERE CONFIRMED SIX MONTHS into their marriage. After they had their honeymoon phase they bought a house. They took me to see it as it was being built. During our time together they were all ‘lovey-dovey” and seemed perfectly happy together. Knowing my friend as well as I do, I sensed something was off, because she was so aggressive in her public displays of affection towards him. Things like having to hold hands all the time and little pet names for each other; I call this the teen school years period. Her actions did not come across as genuine; they were more for show. And sure enough six months into the marriage she started complaining about him. It started off as little complaints but several weeks later they were becoming major ones. She admitted to me she made a mistake by getting married so fast. I finally was able to have a deep conversation with her, mentioning he nor anyone else could fill the void in her heart. She had to love herself first before anyone else could love her. I shared my philosophy which is no one can make a person feel complete or make them happy; the individual must feel they are whole (or work at feeling whole) and accept who they are so they could love themselves before letting someone else love them. It is okay to be broken, but one must take responsibility to put in the work to become whole again. Six months later the two of them got divorced. I think my talk with her helped and if that is the case, I wished I had the opportunity to talk to the main character in this romantic comedic drama. AFTER MEETING AND MARRYING THE SON of a Russian oligarch, a young escort thought she could leave her former life behind. But when her husband’s parents hear about the marriage, they immediately plan to come to New York. With Mikey Madison (Scream, Better Things-TV) as Ani, Paul Weissman (The Final Equation, The Killing of Jacob Marr) as Nick, Yura Borisov (Guest from the Future, Centaur) as Igor, Lindsey Normington (Snuff Queen, Off Book) as Diamond, and Emily Weider (Art of Diversion, First Shift) as Nikki; this multiple Oscar winner surprised me. If I had published my Oscar picks, this film would not have been on my list. I thought the concept and script were good, but I must tell you the movie did not capture me like it evidently did with the Oscar voters. The acting was well done and felt authentic, but I still saw the characters as one dimensional. There also was a Cinderella touch to the story that I found charming, and I did feel Ani’s emotions by the end of the movie. Maybe if there had been less yelling and more depth to the script, I would have enjoyed it more, to the point where I felt it deserved its Oscar wins.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Being Mary Tyler Moore
SATURDAY NIGHT ON CAMPUS WAS THE day we would congregate in the Union Hall to watch the Mary Tyler Moore Show. The Union Hall had several televisions, and they were all tuned into the show. Students would plop down around each one; if there was not a seat available then the floor was just fine. It was a communal thing that I enjoyed immensely. From freshmen to grad students, everyone was there for a good time and Mary never disappointed us. Some students would bring snacks to share with the other students, usually popcorn or pretzels. Except for the munching sounds and laughter, no one said a word during the telecast; conversation was saved for the commercial breaks. After the show, some students would stick around to hold an informal discussion about the episode. I did not always stay for them because I was not the type to look deeply into the reasons why a character acted in a certain way. All I knew was Mary Richards was a different type of television character. She was self-sufficient; a single woman with a good job who represented a different type of female that had been portrayed on television previously. Also, the issues the characters had on the show were realistic ones that many of us could relate to in our own lives. Each character was fully developed and not simply a foil to the main character’s antics. I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF MARY Tyler Moore from the Dick Van Dyke show. With the show in reruns, I would watch the same episodes over and over. Because I loved Lucille Ball in, I Love Lucy, I quickly became fond of Mary because of her physical comedy skills. This was another television show where every character was a strong, identifiable one. The humorous situations were so clever and if I think about it, I felt they were more relatable. One of the things that I distinctly remember about the television show was the fact that Rob and Laura Petrie slept in separate beds, just like Lucy and Ricky Riccardo. It is funny what thoughts remain with us from childhood, but that is one that has always stayed with me. It was such an odd thing to me because I had never seen it anywhere before; no relative, nor any of my friends’ parents slept in separate beds. What surprises me the most is the fact that I can think of an episode from either of Mary’s shows and recall it perfectly. As you might imagine, I was excited to see this documentary about the actress for one of television’s enduring characters. THEY ALWAYS SAY THERE ARE TWO sides to every story; so, it was fascinating to hear Mary Tyler Moore talk about her career and life in this wonderful movie. Directed by James Adolphus (Little White Lie, Dating Around-TV) and written by James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News), Allan Burns (Lou Grant-TV, He & She-TV) and newcomer Susan Silver, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this documentary. Because we tend to assume the actors are playing themselves in some way, it was interesting to see what Mary was dealing with in life during her career. Using film clips, interviews and home movies; there was a good balance of information on display here. I will say, the script did feel a bit sanitized to the point where I was sitting and wondering at times if Mary had that much control over her emotions and feelings. On the other hand, I loved hearing the tidbits about how things came into fruition in her life. If nothing else, this movie absolutely shows the drive and determination Mary had to further her career. If one is not a fan of Mary, then I do not believe they would enjoy watching this documentary. But if you are, then you will absolutely fall in love with America’s sweetheart.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: The White Crow
BARELY ABLE TO SEE ABOVE THE heads of the people sitting in front of me, I watched in astonishment the man leaping in the air. The stage had been filled with dancers dressed in costumes that glittered under the stage lights. Most of the costumes were white in color, but some were the exact opposite in black. The male dancer in the lead role reminded me of royalty because of the way he moved across the stage when he was not leaping and spinning. With angular features for his face, his body on the other hand moved consistently with graceful fluidity. I was too young to realize the amount of work it must have taken him to be able to jump so high without a running start or to spin so quickly in the same spot; his moves at times would make the audience quietly gasp in their seats. The music the orchestra was playing was familiar to me because we had a recording of it at home. I would play it from time to time, never realizing that people were hired to dance to the music. Ballet was something foreign to me at the time. I was aware of it having seen clips of dancers on television or in a movie; but I had never seen a live performance of it up until this time. The male lead dancer in this performance was Rudolf Nureyev. WHEN I DELVED INTO THE FITNESS world as a profession, it was there I discovered the amount of work a dancer must do to make their performances seem effortless. One training class I took was based on dance moves and it was intense for me. Holding positions, working my core, and being able to give instructions to a class at the same time was a challenge. Imagine doing a side plank pose where you are on your side on the floor, balancing only on the side of your bottom foot and the hand from your extended arm. Now raise up you other leg and hold it in the air; trust me, you will feel it in your core. The first time I tried to do this I rolled over onto the floor. It took me some time to build up my strength to master the pose. I knew if I wanted to be an effective fitness instructor, I would have to put in the work to make it happen. It is no different for any profession, but I feel there is a slight difference when your profession involves performing in front of an audience. WITH ONLY ONE PURPOSE IN MIND Rudolf Nureyev, played by newcomer Oleg Ivenko, was willing to work hard to become a top ballet dancer. Nothing would stop him, even his own country. This biographical drama also starred Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter franchise, A Bigger Splash) as Pushkin, Louis Hofmann (Sanctuary, Land of Mine) as Teja Kremke, Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Color, Racer and the Jailbird) as Clara Saint and Sergei Polunin (Red Sparrow, Murder on the Orient Express) as Yuri Soloviev. Set during the time of the Cold War, this film festival winner was something I wanted to see since I had seen Rudolf perform. His story was probably more interesting than what the script offered here. I would start to get interested in the story and then the scene would shift to a different time in Rudolf’s life; I found this jumping back and forth more of a distraction then a story telling technique. For someone who commanded the stage with a bigger than life personality; this movie seemed out of step with his story.
2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Desert Dancer
Except for that one teacher in elementary school, I cannot recall someone telling me I could not join or participate in an activity. Now granted I got the message loud and clear during those times where I was picked last to be on a team, so there were certain sports games I shied away from. I remember my summer camp days provided me a variety of activities to explore. There was an archery class where my first arrow hit the metal baseboard below the target, sending sparks up into the air just like in a cartoon. I had a woodworking class where I made a coat rack out of geometric shapes that I painted in primary colors; it hung on my bedroom wall for several years. Based on my past experiences in school PE classes, I would be the last person to be picked to become an aerobics instructor, yet no one stopped me and I became certified to teach classes. When I decided I wanted to learn yoga, no one told me I was not flexible enough so I could not go. I do not have it in my brain to discourage someone from attempting to fulfill one of their passions. If anyone tells me they wish they could do such and such, I usually ask what is stopping them. When the movie Footloose came out I thought it was a fantasy film because I could not believe there would be a law that banned dancing; I later discovered in some circles it really was not allowed. BORN during the wrong time all Afshin Ghaffarian, played by Reece Ritchie (Hercules, The Lovely Bones), wanted to be was a dancer. Unfortunately dancing was banned in his country; but Afshin was determined to somehow express himself via dance. Based on a true story this drama had all the markings to be a tense exciting experience. The story was set during turbulent times in Iran. There was a ban on dancing, the rebellious dancer wannabe, a love interest, conflicts, punishments; everything was here to create a dynamite story. Sadly this movie was incredibly dull. With Freida Pinto (Trishna, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) as Elaheh, Tom Cullen (Weekend, Downton Abbey-TV) as Ardavan and Nazanin Boniadi (The Next Three Days, Homeland-TV) as Parisa Ghaffarian; I thought the cast could easily handle the scenes and they probably would have if the script had been good. The parts that should have been scary with intensity lacked power, while the intimate portions were simply bland. This biographical film contained two things I enjoy seeing: people dancing and exotic settings. The desert scenery was beautiful as was the dancing, but none of it moved me enough to become fully involved in this true story.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Magic Mike
I just experienced my first bachelorette party and I have to say some of you ladies are just nasty! Going to this movie I knew I would be in the minority of men; the audience was approximately 80% female. From the opening scene, the women in the audience were hooting and hollering at the movie screen. It was more fun for me to watch the audience than the movie. The story was about Magic Mike, played by Channing Tatum (The Vow, 21 Jump Street), a male stripper who had aspirations of owning his own business, doing one of a kind furniture pieces. Unfortunately the story splintered into several parallel stories that never grew in depth. Getting real here, most people are not going to see this titillating movie for the character development or life’s lessons. They are going because they want to see bouncing booties and sweaty, chiseled chests. As a fitness instructor I will tell you Channing’s dancing was way beyond anyone else in the cast. I was not surprised since the idea for this story came from him. Before hitting the big time, Channing briefly did a stint as a stripper. He did an admirable job with what he had to work with in this movie. The other stand out in the film was Matthew McConaughey (The Lincoln Lawyer, Bernie) who played Dallas, the owner of the club. It looked like he really enjoyed playing his character. In conclusion, the movie was weak with its narrative; but, on the flipside or should I say backside, you may want to bring dollar bills for the dancers.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: First Position
As a child I did not appreciate what the human body was capable of doing. I flunked my physical education high school class twice. Presently teaching yoga and cycling classes, I marvel at the ability and strength of the body. When I am a witness to an individual going beyond their perceived limits or to a group of cyclists sharing each other’s energy to reach the top of that hill; I find the power within each of us truly amazing. Whether it be in the venue of an individual sport or in the context of dance; it is that athlete’s determination and drive that propels them to be better than they were the previous time. This documentary focused on six dancers as they prepared for the Youth America Grand Prix competition. Years of hard work and dedication and they were given 5 minutes to show the results of their labors, that could change their lives forever. I was mesmerized as I watched how these individuals were able to overcome the challenges in their life and never lose focus on their passion to dance. From a war torn country where she saw her parents murdered, Michaela Deprince was out to prove that a ballet dancer like herself could be both graceful and powerful. Or Joan Sebastian Zamora who came from a poor family in Columbia, who wanted to succeed and be able to provide for his family. Even if you are not a fan of ballet take the opportunity to see this uplifting film. It is more about the power that is inside each of us and how we choose to use it.
3 1/3 stars
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