Blog Archives
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
Flash Movie Review: Grey Gardens
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary codependency is “a psychological condition or a relationship in which a person is controlled or manipulated by another who is affected with a pathological condition.” A perfect example would be the mother and daughter of this documentary. Their story was made into a Broadway play and a movie on HBO, but I wanted to see the real Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter, Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale. What made this film fascinating was the fact that these two women were the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; living in squalor, in their East Hampton mansion. The house had fallen into disrepair with cats everywhere and raccoons living in the attic. I honestly do not know where to begin in trying to describe Big Edie and Little Edie, except to say they truly were codependents. With so many reality television shows airing these days, some of you may think you are just watching an episode of Hoarders or Animal Planet. However, here were two high society individuals who had been used to having pretty much everything available to them. Added to that, their relative was one of the most famous women in the world. If it was not for that fact, would these two women even have been subjects to be filmed? I believe they would have, because their story really was a startling revelation on one family’s dysfunctions. I am sad to say this but watching this movie felt like I was a witness to a train wreck–it was terribly sad but I could not take my eyes off of it.
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: My Kid Could Paint That
Though I lack Abstract art knowledge, preferring the Impressionist period, I found this documentary quite interesting to watch. I have looked at some abstract art pieces and found myself puzzled by them. What made these things suddenly become art? The focus of this film was 4 year old Maria Olmstead and the sensation she caused when her art work began selling for thousands of dollars. Imagine the surprise of the gallery patrons who were not aware of the artist’s young age. During the filming of this intriguing documentary by Amir Bar-Lev, the television show 60 Minutes did an investigative piece on Maria and her family. Questioning the authenticity of her artwork, could it really be called art if the artist could not explain the how and why of its creation? I appreciated the way Mr. Bar-Lev tried to stay neutral with his filming, letting the viewers come to their own conclusions. For me, I felt I was watching a mystery as the events were being presented in this DVD. Instead of adding any additional information, I will let you decide for yourself on whether Maria really was a prodigy. Now you will have to excuse me, I have to go look for my Etch A Sketch.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
This documentary hit all the right notes with me. You have to understand, music has always been a part of my family’s lives. From my brothers holding me up to dance to their records when I was two years old, to my niece being put to bed with the sounds of a symphony, to my nephew playing in a band; everyone in the family was a music lover. That is why I was thrilled watching this wonderful film about the Funk Brothers. They were the group of musicians Berry Gordy assembled to play backup to what would become some of the biggest artists from his Hitsville U.S.A./Motown recording studio. Here is an interesting fact for you: These musicians were on more #1 singles than Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys combined. How cool is that? With the aid of archival footage, interviews and celebrity guests such as Chaka Khan, Gerald Levert, Joan Osborne and Meshell Ndegeocello interpreting some of those classic hits with the remaining Funk Brothers; this music film would be the perfect choice for any music lover. After watching this incredible documentary, I was filled with wonderful memories of where I was when I heard some of these great songs.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Chimpanzee
There is something special about chimpanzees, where people can quickly place human characteristics on these fascinating creatures. I have a special spot for the animals because my very first stuffed animal was of a chimpanzee. Zippy was his name and he had been handed down to me from my brothers. This documentary did not disappoint on the visuals, from beautiful landscapes to incredible close ups of the chimps, every scene was a treat. Where the movie did not do itself justice was who they had narrate the story, Tim Allen (Home Improvement-TV, Wild Hogs). Along with his annoying inflections, I also had to place blame on the script he was given to read. I understand the idea of making this film for the entire family by adding a dramatic story line; however, it started to feel as if I was on one of the rides in the Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World. A 2nd clan of chimpanzees were portrayed as the bad guys; lead by Scar the alpha male. Tim’s grunts and excited reading was ridiculous to me. Instead of observing chimpanzees in their natural habitat, we were given a sanitized tale of little Oscar’s plight within the group. At the end of the movie statistics were presented on what the chimpanzee poplulation used to be and what it was currently, with no explanation on the reasons why. This film was made to entertain the whole family and on some levels it accomplished the task. However, I only wished they could have let the chimpanzees be themselves and avoid being turned into drama queens.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Jiro Dreams of Sushi
After a friend became grossly ill from eating sushi some years ago, I stopped eating or thinking about the food. How surprised I was after viewing this documentary, I was not only hungry, but I had a new appreciation for this delicacy. It was amazing to see master sushi chef Jiro Ono talk about his life’s work on attempting to make the perfect piece of sushi. Now you may be thinking what the big deal was about this one individual, surely there were many chefs who wanted to create the best piece of sushi. The difference was 85 year old Jiro was the first sushi chef ever to obtain a 3 star rating from the Michelin guide. Mr Ono’s 10 seat restaurant was underground by a Toyko subway station; where reservations had to be made months in advance. I was intrigued by the single focus he had his entire life, to devote himself to creating sushi. With two sons in the business, Jiro tried to instill his strict work ethic into his sons, though he had no plans on retiring. The filming of this movie was simple with an easy flow to it. We were witnesses to every aspect of Jiro’s daily life; from fish market to preparation, all the way to how he serves his guests. I was fascinated by the entire process. Though it is unlikely I will start consuming sushi, I certainly will wonder how much thought went into those pieces the next time my friends order it. Japanese with English subtitles.
3 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Prodigal Sons
Returning to her Helena, Montana high school reunion, transgendered Kimberly Reed had no idea that this would be the easiest part of her trip. Kimberly in high school was Paul McKerrow, star quarterback of the football team. Maybe filmmaker Ms. Reed thought she was going to do a documentary about her class reunion; however, the bigger part of the film revolved around her attempts to reconcile with her adopted older brother, Marc. I was fascinated with the family dynamics as Kimberly and her siblings tried to interact under new definitions of themselves. But with each one coming home to their mother’s house, old rivalries and patterns crept up, making for high drama throughout this movie. I felt Kimberly did an excellent job of directing this movie, while starring in some hard, emotional scenes. One startling scene in particular was Marc discovering the name of his birth mother. Ultimately this well done film showed another example of sibling rivalry, but in a different light. No matter how far one buries issues inside of themselves, they always seem to find a way out.
2 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: God Grew Tired of Us
The reality shows aired on television are certainly not reality to me. This movie was a sobering dose of reality, with such a spirit of life; all I can say is that I was in awe. You may not be familiar with the lost boys of Sudan, who walked thousands of miles in search of a safe haven, due to the civil war raging in their country. Their plight was horrific as they had to avoid the northern aggressors during the day and lions at night. For some of them, the only life they had ever known was living in refugee camps. This documentary showed the journey of a few boys out of a group who were able to migrate to the United States. Imagine for a moment what it must have felt like to leave not only your family and friends, but your country. I’m stressed just when I have had to move to a new house, talk about getting a reality check. How does one explain a light switch to someone who has no knowledge of electricity? I loved the scene where the friends were introduced to a grocery store and offered a frosted, sprinkled doughnut. Looking at it, they were not sure if it was food. The phrase “food for thought” came to mind here. What I really appreciated from watching this illuminating movie was the way the director not only showed their life in America, but also showed a little bit of our lives through these boys’ eyes.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Project Nim
How many people do you know who treat their pets as if they were human, putting human reasons on their pets’ actions? What would happen if an infant animal was raised within a human family? This documentary tells an in depth story of the landmark experiment about Nim, an infant chimpanzee taken away from his mother at birth and raised by a family in the 1970’s. The footage in this film will captivate you as Nim is taught to use a bathroom and to me, the most incredible feat, sign language to communicate with his family. On one level I thought this experiment was so cool; however, as I continued watching, I started thinking what was going to happen when the cute and cuddly Nim grew up. You will not only get an insight into the chimpanzee world, but you will also get a glimpse into the human mind, in this fearless movie.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
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