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Flash Movie Review: Meet Cute
I COULD ONLY SIT THERE AND listen to my friend list the reasons why he did not think he wanted to do another date. We had met for lunch so we could catch up with each other. He had been busy going out on several dates with different women. Some of the women he had just met for the first time, the rest were repeat dates. From my past experiences, I knew the first date was just an introductory one, where the two of us would be barely scratching the surface of a meaningful conversation. I always considered it an exploratory time, where one learns about the likes and dislikes, along with a touch of historical information. My friend was describing a recent first date, where they met at a restaurant for lunch. He thought the conversation went easy for both because there was never an awkward lull. Not having a lot in common was not necessarily an issue for him; but what bothered him the most was the fact she would talk with her mouth full of food. He said it was hard to look at her while she was talking with food getting mashed up inside her mouth. Honestly, as I sat there with an image of her full mouth in my mind, I do not know if I could have handled it either. THE NEXT DATE MY FRIEND TALKED about was someone he had gone out with twice. From what he was telling me, it sounded like they had an enjoyable time; however, he mentioned how he disliked her hair. I asked if it looked dirty or unwashed, but he said no. He did not like the fact it was cut super short. I did not know how to reply to him. For me, hair is a non-issue; I do not care whether it is short or long, only if it is dirty and greasy would it ever be an issue for me. I queried my friend about the short hair, so I could get a better understanding because everything else sounded like the two of them were clicking together. What I wanted to say was, “What is wrong with you?!?!” However, I tried in my own way to express how unimportant the length of a person’s hair is when it comes to compatibility. It is funny and I am sure I mentioned it before; a big turn off for me was always if they had dirty fingernails and/or food stuck in their teeth. Outside of that, everything else was easily navigated in the getting to know process. The thing I learned that I felt was important was the fact one cannot go into a relationship with a mindset that you would be able to change the other person. Just see what can happen in this comedic drama when one party thinks they can change the other one. HAVING HAD THE PERFECT FIRST DATE Sheila, played by Kaley Cuoco (The Wedding Ringer, The Big Bang Theory-TV) only wanted to repeat the perfection of their first date over and over. She could only do this because she had a time machine at her disposal. With Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island, Bodies Bodies, Bodies) as Gary, Kevin Corrigan (Unstoppable, The Departed) as Phil the bartender, Deborah S. Craig (A Nice Girl Like You, The Outfield) as June and Rock Kohli (Law & Order-TV, Inside Amy Schumer-TV) as Amit; this action crime movie had a perfect pairing with Kaley and Pete. They were so enjoyable to watch; I felt they were really into their characters. I liked the idea of the story, and it started out on a good note; but as time went by, I felt the script was in a repetitive loop that got boring for me. It truly felt as if the film was in a rut. I would have liked to have seen some changes taking place earlier in the plot. When all is said and done, I am glad I got a first date with this picture; but there would be no reason to have a second.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Good on Paper
AFTER MUCH SEARCHING I FINALLY FOUND what I was looking for at an incredible deal. I had been checking different web sites for these “high-tech” socks I was told would help with my physical activities. After some time, I was thrilled not only to find them and like the color choices, but they were priced way below any other sites that offered versions of these types of socks. I could not believe how lucky I was to get them for such a cheap price. Because I was so stoked by my good fortune, I purchased multiple items so I could get an extra discount that was being offered. The package arrived and I was thrilled on how they looked with their bold colors. After taking them out of their packaging, I tried a pair on. It was a challenge getting them on my feet which I thought was weird but attributed it to their high-tech qualities. The socks were snug on my legs which I just took for granted. My legs felt okay after working out with them; the first week I tried 3 different pairs. After their first time in the wash, I noticed one pair had a snagged thread as if it got caught on something. I did not pay it too much mind; however, after a couple more times in the washing machine the loose thread unraveled into a hole—that matched a hole that had formed in another pair of socks. My deal it turned out was too good to be true. I SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH MY first reaction when I saw the price of the socks; but the idea of getting something for less money overrode my senses. How many times have we heard “if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is not?” And just recently, I said that to a friend who was sending $300.00 to someone he met online. I know what you are thinking and yep, you are correct; how could he send money to someone he just met online, who lives in a different country. I could not believe my ears when I heard what he did; I had considered him an intelligent human being, but this was not proof of it. Now get this, he tells me that he is considering buying an airline ticket for them to come visit him here in the states. I was dumbfounded as my mouth went before my filter kicked in and I told him he was an idiot, followed with the saying about “If it sounds too good…” The main character in this romantic comedy had more sense than this friend. YEARS OF PUTTING HER CAREER FIRST, a chance meeting makes a stand-up comedienne wonder if the man she met was too good to be true. With Iliza Shlesinger (Pieces of a Woman, Instant Family) as Andrea, Margaret Cho (Friendsgiving, Drop Dead Diva-TV) as Margot, Ryan Hansen (Veronica Mars, G.I. Joe: Retaliation) as Dennis, Rebecca Rittenhouse (Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Red Band Society-TV) as Serrena and Mav Viola (normal, Beautiful Mess-TV) as Grace; this film worked to a degree due to Iliza’s performance. I found her to be a natural in the role and enjoyed the segments where she was doing her stand-up. Despite the vein of craziness that turned into an unrealistic scenario, this movie was an easy viewing experience. I liked the idea for the story; however, I do not think it did much with the script that was written for it. It needed more depth infused into the characters. Also, the last portion of the movie took a downward spiral that I felt was an easy out and written to get some cheap laughs. Though there was nothing horrible about this picture; I feel the trailer for it may fall into the category of too good to be true.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: I’m Thinking of Ending Things
I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I WAS told their daughter was going to join us for our lunch date. Normally, I would not be bothered by this type of news; but this was only our 3rddate. I barely knew them and now I was being introduced to their daughter? It seemed weird to me and I was feeling uncomfortable about it. I chose to keep an open mind and try to “go with the flow” as they say. Maybe they felt they were a bad judge of character and wanted their daughter there to see if there were any red flags associated with me, I wondered. After only having two dates, I thought they were nice; but I hadn’t really formed a firm opinion about them. It was a bit ironic because I took the fact, they were so quick to introduce me to their daughter, as a red flag. We had agreed to meet at a Chinese restaurant after I was told their daughter was a vegetarian. When I arrived at the chosen time, they were already there and seated at a table. The daughter looked like she was in high school which for some reason made me a little more nervous. Once the introductions were done and I was seated, the daughter was quick with the questions for me. I felt like I was on an interview. By the time our meal was over, I felt this was our last date; with the line of questions and her dominating the conversations, I knew this was not a good match. FROM MY DATING EXPERIENCES, I HAVE met a variety of my dates’ family members, but most of them were not introduced to me until after we had been dating for a few months. Mothers and grandmothers were especially fond of me for the most part. Luckily, I only had a couple of experiences which involved going to see their family members out of state. In those cases, I would only agree to the visit if we could stay in a hotel. I did not want to get into the position of not only meeting the relatives for the first time but having them put me up for the night. It was important to me to have a place where we could have downtime and relax without having to be on our best behavior or worse, they reverting to being a child in the presence of their parents, in their childhood home. That is why I still cannot understand why the main character agreed to see the parents in this dramatic thriller. BARELY KNOWING HER BOYFRIEND, A YOUNG woman, played by Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose, Judy), agrees to travel with him to visit his parents who live on a remote farm out in the country. Her only requirement was to make sure she got back home in time before she had to get to work. With Jesse Piemons (Judas and the Black Messiah, The Irishman) as Jake, Toni Collette (Hereditary, Knives Out) as Mother, David Thewlis (Harry Potter franchise, Wonder Woman) as Father and Guy Boyd (Body Double, Foxcatcher) as the janitor; this film festival winning movie’s saving grace was the cast. I thought the acting was terrific and that is despite the engorged script. For me, the first part of the film was boring what with all the talking between the two main characters. The story did not pick up for me until the parents’ scenes began. Now I will say I thought the build up of tension in the script was good; however, it dissipated at times when I was sitting and trying to figure out what was going on in the story. Maybe the book this picture is based on is better; but you might want to reconsider spending time with this family.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Broken Hearts Gallery
BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN SUCH A long time, guests became familiar with the picture frame that I had turned around on my sofa table. The photo in the frame was too painful for me to see after our breakup; it showed a happy couple and it happened to be one of the few photographs where I thought I looked good. We had been a couple for several years before our relationship disintegrated in a horrible fashion. Many of my friends and family asked me why I still kept the framed photo on the table, but I was not able to provide them with a sensible answer; I could not get rid of it, but I did not want to look at it either. The funny thing is no one ever asked me about the painting I had hanging on the wall that was just as painful for me to see. The reason being this painting was bought as a prelude to the two of us moving in together. We both fell in love with the artwork and we decided we wanted it to be the first thing we would buy together for our “home.” I could not part with the painting, despite the pain, because what was depicted in the art piece was a vivid memory I had from my childhood. Luckily or gratefully, I had the painting hanging in a room that I did not go into often. As months passed the shock in seeing the painting became less and less difficult to see. THE PHOTOGRAPH AND PAINTING WERE not the only items that remained from a past relationship. My house has a variety of things that came out of the love I had for someone. There was the small, stuffed animal I was given with the memo that it would watch over to keep me safe. I recently found a plaque that was done in needlepoint that I had stuffed in a drawer. When I saw it, I immediately was able to remember the place, the occasion and the meal (yes, the food) we ate when I was given the plaque. Ever since I can remember, I always had or designated something that represented everything I experienced with a significant other. It could be a song, something bought, or something made, and I would deem it the repository for all the memories that were created during the time the two of us were together. Imagine my surprise when I watched this romantic comedy and discovered I am not the only one. DESPITE BEING BLINDSIDED FROM BEING DUMPED by her boyfriend Lucy, played by Geraldine Viswanathan (Blockers, Bad Education), could not get rid of the little mementos she acquired during their time together. The problem was she was running out of room, both physically and emotionally. With Dacre Montgomery (Power Rangers, Stranger Things-TV) as Nick, Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect, Blindspotting) as Max Vora, Molly Gordon (Booksmart, Good Boys) as Amanda and Phillipa Soo (Here and Now, Hamilton) as Nadine; the thing that sets this movie apart from others in the genre was the cast and written dialog. Geraldine and Dacre stood out for me; her because of her delivery of lines and him because of his screen presence. The two of them did a wonderful job of acting that felt real to me. The story followed a generic line but there were a couple of times where I was surprised by a twist thrown into the plot. Overall, this was an easy and amusing film to see at the theater. Though if I would have known, I would have come with a variety of items to donate to the gallery or better yet, offered to open a satellite location.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Incredible Jessica James
UNTIL I STARTED BELIEVING THERE WAS a reason for everything, I found myself getting stuck in place many times over. Imagine being in a relationship, thinking all is good, then suddenly you get blindsided and you are alone. At that point you have a choice; either feel sorry for yourself and wallow in self-pity or reflect on your actions that led up to the moment, to see if you are following some kind of unconscious pattern or fear. There was a time where I had the same experience being repeated in my relationships. At first, I would only focus on my feelings of hurt and anger. Until I started looking at common traits between the relationships and believing there was a reason this was happening to me, did I start to understand what had happened. A change took place and I found myself reacting differently to dates and relationships. With this new awareness, I found myself being able to also see the patterns my friends were getting into in their relationships. There were many times when friends would tell me about something their date said or did where I would tell them not to take it personally; their date was playing out some pattern of their own making that had nothing to do with them. ONE FRIEND IN PARTICULAR KEPT REPEATING the same pattern of behavior that caused her not to succeed in her places of employment. She wanted to do something specific that she felt she was best qualified to do. The issue was with each job, she did not take full ownership of her responsibilities. The result was she never got promoted. She would become resentful, letting it build up until she quit and looked for a new place of employment. This pattern was repeated several times and with each job she became more hardened and inflexible. I understood she wanted to do something different, but it did not make sense to me to be miserable in the meantime. It is like when I walk up to a store’s customer service counter and am met by a surly employee who is not helpful. I just want to say to the employee if they are so unhappy then quit. Being miserable and feeling bad will not get one to the place where they want to be; at least that is my way of thinking. Sure, it is easy to become cynical and disillusioned, but this is why I feel there are no accidents. Be present, be available and believe in purpose because once you do, you will have an easier go in achieving your dreams. I firmly believer this and think the main character in this comedy comes to understand this concept. DESPITE THE CONTINUAL REJECTION NOTICES JESSICA James, played by Jessica Williams (Booksmart, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald), still believed she could be a playwright. She just needed to convince people of it. With Chris O’Dowd (The Sapphires, Love After Love) as Boone, LaKeith Stanfield (Knives Out, The Photograph) as Damon, Noel Wells (Mr. Roosevelt, Master of None-TV) as Tasha and Zabryna Guevara (Marley & Me, X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Mrs. Phillips; this film festival nominee at first glance appeared to be a typical rom-com movie. However, the casting of Jessica and Chris turned this story into something new and fresh; I thoroughly enjoyed these 2 actors’ performances. The interactions between them was fun to watch, which made this viewing easier to sit through for me. The script had its predictable parts at times, but again due to the writing and delivery of the dialog, I did not mind how the story was playing out. The added benefit in seeing this picture was seeing a little of my old self make an appearance; gratefully only a short appearance.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Gloria Bell
THERE IS NO DENYING IT FEELS wonderful when someone is so into you. To receive constant attention and affection simply makes you feel special. I should know because I have experienced just such a relationship, where I was on the receiving end of a steady stream of compliments, affection, little gifts; among other things. It started out by meeting at a café mid-afternoon; I remember I had cinnamon tea because we both were commenting on how good it smelled. We were making small talk when they complimented me on my smile. I said thank you and stopped myself from returning the compliment because I wasn’t ready to go there yet. It was more important to me to find out about what things move and excite them. We stayed at the café for an hour or so, sharing a couple of our past life events. When we were leaving I found out they took public transportation to the café, so I offered to drive them home. You would have thought I was offering them a free car, they were so excited and happy. I was going the same direction and I thought it was the polite thing to do. FROM THAT POINT IN TIME THINGS began to accelerate. We would text back and forth throughout the week. Some of the texts I received came with selfies. None of the photos were inappropriate but I could tell they were set up to be somewhat flirtatious. I admit when it comes to relationships I tend to go at a slow and steady pace instead of quickly jumping in all the way. We had maybe 5 or 6 dates before they commented that they were falling in love with me. Whoa, only after 5-6 dates?!?! That seemed awful fast for me and it sent up a red flag. After several weeks does a person honestly know enough about someone to express their love? I could see saying something like, “…you have the qualities I find myself attracted to” or “I am feeling more comfortable around you,” but to profess their love so soon does not feel right to me. In my younger days I would probably be thrilled and find myself going right into a relationship; but, as I have grown older I have become aware of people who misdirect their love. They are in love with being in love. The object of their affection just needs to somewhat fit into a blueprint they created in their mind and off they go. An example can be found in this comedic, dramatic romance. THE HIGHLIGHT OF GLORIA’S, PLAYED BY Julianne Moore (Still Alice, The Kids are All Right), week was going out to the clubs to dance. When she danced she felt free and that freeness attracted recently divorced Arnold, played by John Turturro (Barton Fink, Fading Gigolo). Her personality was intoxicating to him. This movie also starred Jeanne Tripplehorn (Basic Instinct, Micky Blue Eyes) as Fiona, Alanna Ubach (Legally Blonde, Meet the Fockers) as Veronica and Michael Cera (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Person to Person) as Peter. This remake was fortunate to have Julianne starring in it; she did a wonderful job with the character. I enjoyed watching the way she conveyed Gloria’s feelings without having to hit the viewer over the head with them. If this had been cast with a less experienced actress I do not think my interest would have held up. The reason being is the script was too sanitary for me; everything seemed to fit into a prescribed place which prevented any surprises taking place. I can see where a viewer would quickly fall in love with Julianne; but as for the rest of the story, one may hold off a bit before expressing their feelings.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Perfect Match
I know I should not have chuckled to myself as I passed the car parked at the side of the road. The driver was sitting in it with the window open, nodding his head up at the police officer standing outside. Not knowing exactly why the driver was pulled over, I had my own reasons why I was glad he was stopped by the police. Back around a 1/2 mile or so the driver not only cut me off, forcing me to slam on my brakes when he whipped into my lane of traffic, but he then extended his middle finger at me when I honked at him. So when I finally came up to see he was pulled over by the police I had to chuckle and just think it was karma. I wish I could say it was wisdom on my part but I think it has more to do with growing older and less desire to get even or retribution against someone who I felt wronged me. The concept of karma fits well into my mindset at this age since I already believe each person is responsible for their actions. For example, if a person had been told they need to change some of their habits for better health, it is their choice on what type of quality they want for their life. So yes I believe it was karma that caused that speeding driver to get caught by the police. If you want to see another example of karma just watch the main character in this romantic comedy. CHARLIE, played by Terrence Jenkins (Think Like a Man franchise, Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming), avoided any type of romantic relationships; he preferred no commitments with the women he dated. Believing his friends’ bet would be an easy win, he agreed to find a woman to date for 30 days while avoiding any type of commitments with her. With a cast that also included Paula Patton (Deja Vu, 2 Guns) as Sherry and Cassie Ventura (Step Up 2: The Streets) as Eva, I thought the idea for the story was okay. If the script could have been expanded, avoiding the generic formula it used to create its story, this movie would have had more opportunities to display deeper thought into what was going on. Instead I found the story was predictable with a script that did not favor the actors. It was almost odd that the first part of the movie seemed different to the last half, which I enjoyed more. For me the last half had more heart if that makes any sense. The thing that attracted me to this film was the issue of karma, though I am not sure how many people would even think to focus on it. There was not much in this movie to warrant spending money on a full priced ticket. Brief scenes during and after the credits.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: How to Be Single
The rules for dating as far as I can tell are constantly changing. I use to wish for a handbook to make the process easier. From my experiences I feel the underlying reason for all of the confusion these days is mistrust. It seems as if very few people take another person at face value. There was a time where most dates did not have an issue getting picked up at their home. I do not know if it is partially because of the internet or all the different crime shows on television, but a majority of people prefer meeting at some type of public establishment. Now I actually agree with this logic; I’m all for meeting someone out publicly for the 1st time. Here is the thing though; even after a couple of dates I noticed some individuals balk at the suggestion of being picked up at their home or coming over to mine. There have been times when I’ve offered such an arrangement but sensed their uneasiness at the suggestion. I get the sense they feel I have an ulterior motive in offering such a thing. It is just weird to me; but I never force the issue. Now there is something else that I find perplexing; maybe you have noticed it yourself. Those friends that go from being single to being in a relationship quickly become outdated on the latest dating rules; it is as if their set of rules expired over night. You can query them, asking them how they knew their date was the right one; but to no avail, everyone has a different answer. When you think about it, it is amazing how people wind up being in a loving relationship. If you do not believe me just take a look at the women in this comedic romance. Alice, Robin and Meg; played by Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey, Black Mass), Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect franchise, Bridesmaids) and Leslie Mann (The Other Woman, This is 40); each had different reasons for dating. It only became more confusing when love was introduced into it. Based on the best seller, the cast also included Anders Holm (The Intern, The Interview) as Tom and Jake Lacy (Carol, Obvious Child) as Ken. Though I have not read the book, I did get the idea the story was meant to shine a light on the dating world from a feminine perspective. I thought Leslie and Rebel were better when it came to acting skills. Honestly though, I did not think this movie did anything different; I was constantly getting bored with the story. In fact, the trailer for this film showed the best parts; throughout the movie I never connected to any of the characters. Now here is the funny thing, I could see where the story could have taken a bigger risk and delve deeper into the characters but the script was not geared to do it. After seeing this film I am just as confused about dating and love as I was before.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Sleeping with Other People
I wondered if things would have been different if I had redefined the term “best friend?” Having spent many years moving in and out of the dating pool, I never wondered if any of the people I dated would become my best friend. I was always confused when I heard someone say they married their “best friend” because I never considered such a thing regarding my best friends. There are a couple of individuals that I have been friends with since elementary school and though I dated one in 8th grade, now as adults we are still close but just not in that way. In fact when I think about it, I am not sure I would consider someone I am dating to be a friend. For me that category for friends and dates has different definitions. Where both involve love, compassion and humor; I do not list physical intimacy under the friend’s category. Maybe I am wrong but I consider dates to be a different type of relationship. Sure I want to be able to laugh and be vulnerable with them but in my mind they represent a being who shares heightened awarenesses with me. I have always said a love relationship is one where the two of you are walking down a winding road that goes through hills and valleys. There will be times where one will have to push or pull the other one along, but they always are shoulder to shoulder as they continue on their path without any judgements, only unconditional love and respect for each other. LAINEY, played by Alison Brie (Get Hard, The Five-Year Engagement), could not be faithful to anyone she dated. Jake, played by Jason Sudeikis (We’re the Millers, Saturday Night Live-TV), was an avid womanizer who could not make a commitment. The two, who knew each other back in college, found themselves at the same self-help group and vowed to maintain a strictly platonic relationship with each other. This could easily become a complicated situation. The script for this romantic comedy was uneven for me. Jason and Alison were the best out of the cast in my opinion; I especially liked Jason’s comedic timing along with several funny lines. Some scenes worked well but there were a couple that seemed far-fetched or simply odd for me. For example, there was a scene that involved modeling clothing to get an opinion that I had to question if that would actually have happened in real life. Some of the jokes were “cute” but there really was nothing that warranted out loud laughing. Another reason why I did not feel connected to the characters may have to due with the fact that I could not relate to either of them since cheating is not part of my makeup. I do not think this film warrants making a date for the movie theater.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Perfect Guy
Once upon a time kindness came from the heart. Without fanfare or expectations, it is something that can be random as it arrives unfettered. Simple acts like opening a door for someone or helping a person pickup the spilled papers from their briefcase, these acts need not be elaborate or expensive. I remember a time when drivers were not as aggressive, where the kindness of strangers played a part in everyone driving from point A to point B. Another area that I feel really has changed from years ago is the dating experience. Back then it was less calculated or maybe I should say not as risky. With the internet, people now can investigate a potential date. I remember a co-worker who would go online to checkup on a prospective date. They had to have a high credit score before they would go out with them. From the stories I have heard plus my own experiences, meeting a person can be a challenge. Some of the “rules” out there are to always meet in a public place, let someone know where you will be, never go home with a stranger on the first meeting; there really are many land mines dotting the dating landscape. My story is not unusual; after a few dates I received a phone call that they were in dire need of $300.00 and would I loan it to them. I apologized to them that I did not have the available funds and asked about their friends. They had a ready excuse but in my mind I felt it was odd to ask me after only 4-5 dates. Imagine, I never heard from them again. I chalked it up to me being one of the lucky ones. HURTING from a painful breakup with her boyfriend Dave, played by Morris Chestnut (The Call, The Perfect Holiday); Leah, played by Sanaa Lathan (Out of Time, Something New), appreciated the kindness extended to her from the stranger standing next to her at the cafe. When she bumped into him again Leah wondered if he was to good to be true. This dramatic thriller had a story that was done many times before. I thought the cast, which also included Michael Ealy (Think Like a Man, Seven Pounds) as Carter, did a good job where I enjoyed a couple of suspenseful scenes. However, this was not enough for me to enjoy this film. The redundant silly script was not believable with all of its cliches and predictability. The only thing that I felt saved this picture from crashing down was the whole good vs evil setup. I sensed this from the audience sitting around me at the theater. Just as an online profile may be better than the actual person, the trailer for this movie was head and shoulders above the actual film. There were a couple of brief scenes with blood.
1 3/4 stars
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