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Flash Movie Review: NYAD
I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I NEVER injured myself while teaching one of my fitness classes. My good fortune came about from a discussion I had with one of my earliest directors at the fitness center. When I first arrived there, many of the members thought I was the director’s brother because we were so similar in our coloring and temperament, though she was over a decade older than me. When she hired me, she explained her philosophy on teaching classes, which included how she not only paid attention to the members’ form and movement, but to own as well. Back when I started, high impact aerobics was still a thing and she told me to begin the exercise demonstrating the high impact moves, but to drop down to low impact to protect my body. It was great advice because, through the decades, I was able to maintain teaching 15 to 20 classes a week without any soreness in my joints or muscles. Though that early director retired from her position, she still maintained her training license the entire time I was working at the fitness center. She may have been the oldest trainer on the fitness floor, but she was still getting results out of each of her clients; she was and still is an inspiration to me. WHILE I WAS TEACHING FITNESS CLASSES, I decided to go back to school to become a yoga instructor. Once I completed my courses, I introduced yoga classes into the fitness center. One of the instructors that was hired was an older person. Nothing was said about it, this was just an observation. She and I struck up a friendship since we had similar styles in our yoga practices. Looking at her, I had to say she looked like she was in her 50’s. The yoga program was an enormous success for the center, and we were able to offer several classes throughout the week. At some point, in one of my conversations with this older instructor, she told me her age. I was shocked when she said she was about to turn seventy years old. I was only shocked because she did not look it, and no one could imagine she was that age based on the yoga poses she taught in her classes. During her time at the fitness center, I grew to admire her accomplishments based on the personal stories she shared with me. It is because of her and my earliest fitness director that I felt I could have a lengthy career in fitness/yoga. They taught me age was only a number; it did not need to represent me. THOUGH SHE DID NOT COMPLETE HER swim between Cuba and Florida decades earlier, a marathon swimmer never forgot her dream. She was determined to be the first person to complete the course, even when others said she was too old. With Annette Bening (Jerry and Marge Go Large, Death on the Nile) as Diana Nyad, Jodie Foster (Hotel Artemis, Flightplan) as Bonnie Stoll, newcomer Anne Marie Kemf as Candace, Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man, Anonymous) as John Bartlett and Eric T. Miller (Separation, Redemption in Cherry Springs) as Coach Jack Nelson; this true story was a showcase for the acting skills of Annette and Jodie. They were wonderful in their roles, staying strong and solid throughout the film. The story is incredible; but more than that, I never found myself bored while watching the scenes unfold. I would have appreciated a little more background story to the characters because at times I did not understand why people were putting up with Diana’s behavior. Regardless, this was an entertaining and inspirational movie. Even if one does not find this biographical, sport drama appealing, one cannot fault the message, to never give up on one’s dream.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Sound of Freedom
IT EVEN PUZZLES ME AT TIMES, but for some reason I tend to walk in the back when there are several individuals in my group. This is especially true when there are children amongst the adults. At first, I was not conscious of doing it but as time went on, and I was at my fittest, I felt like I was protecting the group from harm. Not that I have any unique skills like Liam Neeson, I simply felt I was adding an extra layer of protection around my friends and family. Looking ahead at crosswalks, observing what type of person was walking towards us, assessing traffic patterns and driveways; I tried to make sure every step forward was a safe one for everyone. This thinking came about because I grew up in a large city and traveled by various means to all areas of it; I do not know. I have a memory thinking whenever I was walking with a person who was carrying a purse or bag, I wanted to be walking on the outside, closer to the curb so a purse snatcher would not be able to grab their bag and take off with it. When little kids were involved, I instinctually wanted to walk behind them so I could keep an eye out, scanning for any potential trouble areas that could put them in harm’s way. FOR ALL THE YEARS I HAVE been walking in the back, we never encountered any type of trouble. I honestly, do not think I had something to do with it, but I can say times were safer back then as compared to the present. There are so many distractions I see when walking outside, I cannot imagine herding a small group of people through it. I saw a tween or young teenager looking at their phone while walking down the sidewalk and they bumped into a streetlamp. Just last week, the car ahead of me nearly went through a traffic light that turned red because they were on their phone. The worse news is hearing and reading about little children who got shot by accident because they were in the line of fire between members of two rival street gangs or a robber. I know in some circumstances there would have been nothing I could do to prevent such tragedy. Innocent children should not have to suffer for adults’ choices/mistakes/wayward ways. Growing up, I do not recall hearing stories about the criminal activities that took place in this biographical, crime drama. Even knowing about them as an adult, I cannot even process the horror of it. A GOVERNMENT AGENT RESCUES A LITTLE boy who was abducted away from his family. When the agent discovers his sister was also taken, he decides he must find her as well, no matter where his search might take him. With Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line, Person of Interest-TV) as Tim Ballard, Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers, Butter) as Katherine, Bill Camp (Passing, 12 Years a Slave) as Vampiro, Javier Godino (The Secret in Their Eyes, Operation Mincemeat) as Jorge and Manny Perez (Pride and Glory, A Killer Romance) as Fuego; this film based on a true story was a disturbing watch. I had no idea it was based on a true story, which made the story more gripping for me. As I sat and watched it, I thought some scenes may have been watered down from reality because they seemed a bit farfetched. Also, I think a little more character development would have been in order. But here is the thing; from an entertainment standpoint, this movie was thrilling, creepy, gut wrenching to watch for me. Regardless of its flaws, I still felt it was a powerful picture. I honestly wonder how a parent could watch this film and not want to ever let their children out of the house by themselves.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Maestro
I PROBABLY WAS HEARING MUSIC BEFORE I could even understand what sounds I was hearing. Music was always playing in our house and since I was the last one to be born, I had at birth a vast catalog of different sound genres. There were records, yes vinyl records, of classical, jazz, blues, opera, and Broadway shows to name a few. I did not know the difference between, for example, the romantic and baroque periods; I just knew there were these sounds filling up the house that had the ability to make me feel different emotions. Some music made me want to move, where I would stop whatever I was doing, to stand up and bounce up and down to the beat. Other kinds of music would lull me to sleep. I do not remember doing it, but there is a photograph of me standing on a chair, wearing a big hat, which caught me in the middle of bouncing. One of the first things I learned, when I was at the appropriate age, was how to handle a vinyl record. Pulling it out from its record cover, sliding it out of its paper sleeve, making sure to balance the edge of it on the palm of a cupped hand, with the longest finger holding it from the hole in the center, or at least on the paper label, was the correct way to do it. My favorite feature on the phonograph was the repeat button. Once I found something I liked, I would play it over and over. AT SOME POINT GROWING UP, WE started watching a television show called, “New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts. The conductor was Lenard Bernstein. It aired on Saturday afternoons, so I always made sure I was home by the time it came on. Mr. Bernstein was this animated character who sweated and laughed; he was enthusiastic about the things he was talking about. I loved it when he conducted the orchestra and sometimes, I would try to mimic his movements as if I were leading the orchestra. He explained what piece he was going to play, stopping at various times during it to explain what the notes they just played were telling the listener. After he explained the different sections, he would have the entire orchestra run through the piece. I learned about a variety of composers from him and would seek out their albums in our collection, after the shows ended. For decades, these shows have remained a fond memory for me, having contributed to my love for music. There was no way I was going to miss this film about such an extraordinary man, who had a prominent place in my early life. AS A LAST-MINUTE REPLACEMENT, A YOUNG conductor quickly makes a name for himself, catching the eye of many people along his journey to fame. With Carey Mulligan (The Dig, She Said) as Felicia Montealegre, Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born, Silver Linings Playbook) as Leonard Bernstein, Matt Bomer (Magic Mike franchise, In Time) as David Oppenheim, Vincenzo Amato (Unbroken, Golden Door) as Bruno Zirato and Greg Hildeth (Radium Girls, Dr. Death-TV) as Isaac; this biographical, history drama excelled because of Carey and Bradley. They were incredible both together and apart, to the point they were absolutely believable. I found the story fascinating and thought Bradley did an excellent job of directing. The pacing kept steady, with an even mix of music and drama. The one thing I was disappointed in was the stories to each character did not venture far from the surface. Granted, it is almost impossible to translate a lifetime of a person’s life into a 2-hour movie; however, I did not get to the point where I clearly understood each of the main character’s back stories. And on a personal note, I would have enjoyed hearing more music. Nonetheless, this easily could be an Oscar contender for the acting categories.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Godzilla Minus One
THE FIRST MONSTER MODEL I EVER built was the Bride of Frankenstein. We were on a road trip, passing through a small town, where we stopped for lunch. There was a toy store next to the restaurant. I remember this because attached to the inside of the door of the toy store was a little bell. Evey time the door opened and closed; the bell would jingle. I was allowed to buy one model without using any of the allowance money I brought with me on the trip. There was a section, or more like a large bookcase that was filled with toy model sets. I was already good at building and painting them, mostly doing racing cars, planes, and battleships. On one shelf there were several kits of different monsters. Prior, I never had a desire to build a creature but there was something about the assortment on display that intrigued me. There was the Creature from the Black Lagoon, a werewolf, and a mummy amongst the kits. I considered them but decided they were too easy to paint, and I was at a stage where I wanted more details. I continued looking through them and came upon the box showing the Bride of Frankenstein on the front. There was something about the hair that I thought would be fun to paint. I had never seen someone with two stripes in their hair. As soon as we were back from our trip, I built and painted the model of her and placed it in our China cabinet in the dining room. FROM THAT FIRST MONSTER MODEL KIT, I started to collect other monster kits. One of them was Godzilla, who I had seen on television. Every Saturday afternoon, there was a TV program that aired movies. Looking back, I would say most of them were “B” or campy movies geared to a younger audience. When Godzilla blew that fiery stream from its mouth, I thought it was so cool. It did not matter to me that Godzilla looked like a man dressed in a rubber suit, or that the buildings looked like model kits; I enjoyed all the action and explosions. From that Saturday program I think I have seen every Godzilla movie; ones where it would fight other monsters like Mothra, King Ghidorah and the robotic version of itself, Mechagodzilla. Looking back at them now with fondness, I can appreciate the entertainment value, even if the special effects were poor. Through the years, things may come and go but Godzilla always lives on. And with that, how could I not see this latest version? I was not expecting much, but I wound up leaving the theater with a whole lot more. IT WAS THE END OF THE WAR and Japan was starting the process of rebuilding itself. Its plans would quickly get derailed when a monster appeared at its shore. With Minami Hamabe (The Promised Neverland, Shin Kamen Rider) as Noriko Oishi, Ryunosuke Kamiki (Noise, Dr. Coto’s Clinic) as Koichi Shikishima, Sakura Ando (Shoplifters, Love Exposure) as Sumiko Ota, Kuranosuke Sasaki (Aircraft Carrier Ibuki, The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai) as Seiji Akitsu and Munetaka Aoki (Silence, Independence of Japan); this action, adventure drama stunned me. Sure, it had the trappings of a Godzilla film; however, it had a story with a lot of heart in it. I loved the way the writers wove personal stories into the script; it took this movie genre and raised it up to a different level. The way the characters developed in the middle of this disaster film was refreshing. For me, this picture tickled my memories of those Saturday afternoon films; this is one I will not forget. Japanese was spoken with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Leave the World Behind
MORE TIMES THAN NOT, WHENEVER I must go inside the bank to see a teller, I get a brief perplexed look when I tell them I do not have an ATM card. It is automatic for them to ask their customers to swipe their ATM card to begin the transaction. When I say I do not have one, they look up at me with this odd look before asking for a form of ID. I am so used to it now that it does not bother me. There is something about doing online banking that makes me uncomfortable. Who knows, maybe if I start traveling more and cannot always be back home to pay a bill on time, I might have to make arrangements to make payments online; however, for now, I am not interested in doing such a thing. I do not know what it is, but the more things turn to electronic internet-based methods, the more leery I become. Recently I discovered with my new vehicle I can lock, unlock, and start it with my phone. No one at the dealership mentioned it; I just happened to come across it when I was looking for something on the app that was downloaded to my phone when I purchased the vehicle. Though the idea of starting my car before I get inside of it on a cold wintery day sounds appealing, I am unsettled about the prospects that this app might be something that hackers would attack to take my car away from me or get used if I am the victim of a carjacking. These are things I think of. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS OUT there that I could get stuck dwelling on. Such a great idea of the air tags to keep track of one’s luggage when traveling, but then I find out ex-partners/stalkers use them to track their victim. Or I know someone out of state who drives an electric car. There was a power outage that lasted several days. They were not able to drive their car because they did not have sufficient time to charge it. Though I certainly benefit from some of the technical achievements brought into our world, I am concerned that too much will be operated through a sole source that could wind up giving us a negative experience. There are refrigerators, washers, dryers, automobiles, picture frames, televisions, and many more that are “cloud” based. I worry what if the power goes out or there is a computer malfunction or worse, a computer attack that brings everything to a standstill? Watching this dramatic, mystery thriller did nothing to soothe my concerns. WHEN TWO STRANGERS COME TO THE house that a family has rented for vacation, claiming they are the owners, the family members have no way to see if the strangers’ story is true because the internet was down. With Julia Roberts (Ticket to Paradise, Ben is Back) as Amanda Sandford, Mahershala Ali (Green Book, Swan Song) as G.H. Scott, Ethan Hawke (The Black Phone, The Northman) as Clay Sandford, Myha’la (Dumb Money, Bodies Bodies Bodies) as Ruth Scott and Farrah Mackenzie (Logan Lucky, Ascension) as Rose Sandford; this film was disturbing. It started out slowly, but as it moved along the tension kept building. The cast did a wonderful job with their acting, blending well with each other. For me, there were parts of the story that were uncomfortable and scary; but then some scenes seemed odd, not making much sense. I thought the writers were adding things into the story just to scare the viewer, even if they were not relevant to the story. By the time the ending came along, I was disappointed. The idea for this story was excellent; it sure made me react to it. Also, I felt it was a topic that might be on many people’s minds. I just wished the writers dug deeper into the characters and painted a broader picture of the world around us.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Gran Turismo
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A FAST vehicle took place at a local amusement park. In front of the park entrance there was a go kart track. I always assumed it was separate from the park because we had to pay for each ride, unlike paying admission to the park and getting the rides for free. I stood and watched the karts roll by for a minute before I decided to join my relatives in line. Unlike some of the car rides I had been on at other amusement parks, where the vehicle was attached to a groove that went down the middle of the track, this ride let the driver have free rein to safely drive wherever they pleased on the track. When it was our turn to get into the karts, there were attendants who helped buckling in the drivers. I noticed the cars had extra big bumpers, like the bumper cars that were an attraction in the amusement park. The older relatives in front of me took off as soon as they were cleared by their attendants. I wanted to catch up to them, so as soon as I was given the okay, I pressed hard on the gas pedal and went out in pursuit. I loved the way the wind hit my face as I drove down the track, staying close to the left side. By the time we were flagged to stop, I had passed just a few of the younger relatives; but it did not matter, I was hooked on the speed. I CONTINUED TO GO ON THE ride until I was no longer able to fit into the kart. By that time, I had collected an array of race car toys, including a racetrack that I put together in our living room, so I was getting my thrills from racing toy cars. In fact, there was a toy shop I went to weekly that had a huge racetrack; customers could rent a race car or bring one of their own to play on the track against other customers. One of my relatives and I saved up and bought our own toy race cars to use at the store. It took me a while to get used to adjusting the speed when my car was taking a turn; I had a few wipeouts, but I was determined to make it through the whole track without an incident and win the race. I believe, all the times I played at the shop led the adult me to always go for the sportiest car whenever I was car shopping at dealerships. Who knows what would have happened if the racing video game in this film had come out when I was a little boy; I might have had a whole different career. EVER SINCE HE WAS A LITTLE boy, all Jann Mardenborough, played by Archie Madekwe (Saltburn, Midsommar), could think about was racing cars. When an advertisement came out announcing a racing contest, Jann felt with all his video playing he might have a chance at becoming a race car driver for Nissan. With David Harbour (Black Widow, Revolutionary Road) as Jack Salter, Orlando Bloom (The Lord of the Rings franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean franchise) as Danny Moore, Takehiro Hira (Snake Eyes, Killing for the Prosecution) as Kazunori Yamauchi and Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever-TV, Turnt-TV) as Matty Davis; this action adventure film based on a true story had some great racing scenes in it. I was not familiar with the story nor the video game, so for me everything seemed fresh and new. I do feel the script was conventional because it never felt like we were getting the full story on the characters. The drama was kept to a certain level, so that it never dripped over into the action scenes. Nonetheless, this movie was still fun to watch, though if one is not interested at all in races and racing cars then you might want to pass this one on the right.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Trailer: May December
AS I GUEST, I HAD NO idea what to expect as I was greeted into their home. I was the “plus one” who had been invited by the hosts to come and help celebrate the holiday. As the front door opened, the host’s daughter greeted us. I had met her a few times previously, but tonight something was wrong; I could immediately feel it in the air. Her eyes were red, and the eyelashes looked damp as if she had been crying. Since nothing was being mentioned, I was not going to ask if everything was okay; I was not a family member, so I did not feel it was my place. We were directed into the living room where other family members were seated. The matriarch of the family stood up to greet us as we entered the room. Sitting in the chair next to her was another daughter, who remained seated. She looked at us and said hello with a slight nod before turning her gaze back to the fireplace. There was something going on, I just knew it because people were acting odd. It was as if they were going through the motions at a bare minimum, with nothing more to offer. We found two spots on the sofa and sat down. There was dead silence for the moment. I could not stand it; so, I spoke up first, thanking the host for having me for holiday dinner. DINNER WAS READY AND NOT A moment too soon for me. It was so uncomfortable to be sitting in a room with people, where little conversation was going on. Questions were asked to all on how they were feeling, and each person responded with one word, “fine.” I was hoping the meal would provide a couple of avenues to start a conversation. Platters of food were brought out, wine was poured, and the matriarch thanked us all for being there. Everyone acknowledged her comments, reciprocating in kind. Afterwards, there was dead silence again. As soon as I took a bite of something, I would comment on how wonderful it was, asking how it was prepared. I just did not want there to be this constant silence hanging over the dining room table. My comments on the food dishes and questions were politely answered, but none of it sparked the beginning of a conversation. We sat quietly, except for the clinking of silverware on plates and bowls. I could not wait to get out of there. It was three days later when my feelings were confirmed. Before we arrived, the family members got into a big fight because one of the guests refused to test themselves for COVID, after having been with a friend who afterwards tested positive for it. Instead of talking it out and coming to a mutual agreement, the family members yelled and accused each other of ridiculous things. They certainly did not know how to communicate, instead just sat there pretending everything was all right. It was like what the family was doing in this dramatic, well-cast film. AFTER BEING MARRIED FOR MANY YEARS, one would have thought everything would have been dealt with and worked out for the infamous couple. But when an actor comes into their life to study one of them for a movie role, she sees more than what she was expecting. With Natalie Portman (Lucy in the Sky, Black Swan) as Elizbeth, Julianne Moore (After the Wedding, Gloria Bell) as Gracie, Charles Melton (The Sun is Also a Star, Riverdale-TV) as Joe Yoo, Cory Michael Smith (Call Jane, Carol) as Georgie and Andrea Frankle (Crime Story, Walkaway Joe) as Rhonda; I was captured by the incredible acting skills of the cast. Natalie, Julianne, and Charles were so coordinated that I forgot their real selves and took them as the characters they played. The story was deftly told, and the direction and music were brilliant. There were moments of camp and drama, blended into the script that kept the viewer wondering about the intentions of the characters. This was such a strong film that kept me totally engaged with it. I never thought a movie that shows the faults of being non-communicative would be so thrilling to watch.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Locked In
I KNEW HIM BEFORE AND AFTER. We were acquaintances; he was a friend of a friend of mine. He had few filters, so he shared more information about his life than most people cared to hear. However, because he was fun and engaging, many folks just went along with whatever he was saying. I am not a mind reader or psychic, but after hearing about several of his dating exploits, I had a sense he was not as interested in the person as he was in what they did for a living. The more time I spent with him socially, the more I felt I was correct about my feelings. He was looking for someone with a large bank account who could take care of him. It was not my place to judge him; if there was someone out there who wanted to take care of him, then I had no issues with it. When he talked about a recent date he was on, he did not mention some key words like fun, enjoyed, kind. He would make mention of their fancy watch or expensive car or large residence. For me, these were not important things that I cared about when dating a person. These types of comments were mentioned over and over during his “before” years. THE “AFTER” YEARS WERE THE ONES where he found what he was looking for in a date and they settled down to form a couple. The person he found came from money, something about a family company in business for a few generations. If you care to know; yes, they had an expensive watch, a fancy car and a huge home. They had traveled all over the world and as far as I could tell they loved him. My friend’s friend started coming to our social events dressed in the latest fashions, talked about the places the two of them traveled, flying to New York City for the weekend to see a Broadway show, the expensive restaurants they had visited; you get the idea. This is why I refer to him as “before and after” because there was such a drastic change in him once he found and dated someone who could provide him with all the things he had been searching for. I could not tell you if love was involved on his part; I have only heard him express his love for inanimate objects. Through my life experiences, I have never met anyone else like him except possibly one of the main characters in this dramatic, mystery thriller. LINA, PLAYED BY ROSE WILLIAMS (MRS. Harris Goes to Paris, A Quiet Passion), was grateful for the kindness her mother’s friend showed her by taking her in after her mother’s death. The kindness began to wear thin once Lina found the woman’s son attractive. With Famke Janssen (X-Men franchise, Redeeming Love) as Katherine, Alex Hassell (The Tragedy of Macbeth, Violent Night) as Doctor Lawrence, Finn Cole (F9: The Fast Sage, Peaky Blinders-TV) as Jamie and Anna Friel (Limitless, Land of the Lost) as Nurse Mackenzie; this film had the trappings of a good suspense story, but the script kept getting in the way. The characters were never fully developed, and the dialog lacked authenticity. I was drawn by the scenes with Nurse Mackenzie, but there were not enough of those good scenes to make up for poorly done ones. The twists and turns offered seemed more done to provide a shock value than giving them some added weight to make sense. I enjoyed the look of the movie and the settings, but again, I did not feel a connection to the characters. This film was more like a jigsaw puzzle, where the writers took bits and pieces of other films and recreated them for this one without giving much thought to the fact, they made no sense.
1 ¾ stars
moviejoltz 