Blog Archives
Flash Movie Review: Elysium
Depending on my mood, I can usually find a movie to fulfill my needs. When I want to sit back and check out from reality, a fantasy or science fiction film is the perfect choice. To learn more about a subject, whether it is of historical or current value, I seek out a documentary. I find this to be one of the major attributes about movies; the incredible variety they offer us. There are times, however, when a film can take me by total surprise and this action filled science fiction movie was one of them. Expecting to just see a dramatic fantasy, this movie was relevant to me on a personal level. Having recently spent 2 days with a family member in a hospital emergency room and at doctor visits, I was exposed to the harsh realities of being sick. Witnessing the monumental processing and procedures placed on patients and staff, I sat and wondered how things would be if one did not have insurance or on the other hand, one had an all encompassing insurance policy. I cannot tell you the shock I had as I watched the emergency room nurses handle everything that came through their doors. My family member was fortunate to have a private space where the doctors were able to look him over; unlike the poor woman who was laid out on a gurney in the middle of the hallway. Set in the year 2154, this stunning film was about a society that was split into 2 classes. The poor and disadvantaged citizens lived on a bleak, exhausted earth while the wealthy lived on a space station called Elysium; a place that had eliminated sickness and crime. Matt Damon (Promised Land, The Adjustment Bureau) played factory worker Max. When a fatal accident left Max with only days to live; he agreed to take on a risky mission that could not only save his life, but could change the fate of the entire planet. Matt was a solid workhorse in this role, helped by the wild hardware implanted in his body. The movie’s special effects and sets were so naturally beautiful, I got lost in the realness of them. There was such detail to every shot that it made the story’s weaknesses stand out even more. I did not feel emotionally attached to any of the characters. Sadly Jodie Foster’s (Panic Room, Contact) character Delacourt Rhodes was odd to me. Why she had an accent was beyond me; I did not find her character had any depth. The strongest screen presence came from Sharlto Copley (District 9, The A-Team) as undercover agent Kruger. I could see where writer and director Neill Blomkamp (District 9) was going with this movie about the haves and have-nots; it was a valiant effort. Depending on your mood when you view this film, you will either take a trip to Elysium or sit and wish things were going better for you. A few scenes had blood in them.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Still Mine
Little did I know when I moved into my house there was a future role model living next door, who would alter my journey in life. My neighbor was an elderly woman in her early 80’s, living alone in her house. In summer she would be out in the high heat, mowing her lawn with an old push wheel mower. Autumn would come and she would be up on a ladder by the side of her house, cleaning out the fallen leaves from her gutters. Though I offered to help, she would be out shoveling her sidewalks after every snowstorm in winter. I wanted to be just like her when I grew old. Because of her spry active lifestyle, I altered the way I taught my fitness and yoga classes. The focus changed towards functional movements. I would tell my classes the reason we were doing a certain movement was so we could lift ourselves out of a chair, when we were 80 years old. In his first leading role James Cromwell’s (The Queen, Babe) character Craig Morrison could certainly be considered a role model. Based on a true story, Craig and his wife Irene, played by Genevieve Bujold (Anne of the Thousand Days, Coma), had been happily married for several decades. With Irene beginning to show signs of dementia, Craig decided to build a house that would be more manageable for both of them. Just like his father before him, Craig planned to build the house himself with his own plans; however, there was this little piece of paper called a permit that would challenge him in more ways than he could have ever imagined. James and Genevieve made such a beautiful couple; I was absorbed into their story. The acting was superb as we saw how their daily lives were being affected with her forgetfulness. This was one of those movies that was kept simple because the script was sufficient enough to let the viewer feel the emotional power of its words. I not only enjoyed the beauty of this film festival winner, I appreciated the way this drama reminded me of my dear old neighbor.
3 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Blue Jasmine
A life lived without an honest acknowledgement of one’s history is like living in a 3 walled house; eventually, the weight of reality will come crashing down. I know for I have seen it happen. When a person runs away from their life’s history, taking on a new identity, the facade never lasts long. There was someone I dated a long time ago that never talked about their childhood, parents, or even hobbies. It soon became apparent that my interests were becoming their interests. I saw how they were molding themselves to my way of living and found it unsettling. Essentially they were creating a life for themselves that was dependent on me. The problem they ran into was when there was an issue or crisis, they were ill equipped to handle it; they would implode. The relationship soon ended as I found out later they started a brand new, different life. In a powerful Oscar worthy performance Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings franchise, The Aviator) played wealthy socialite Jasmine, a woman whose life crumbled apart upon the arrest of her crooked businessman husband Hal, played by Alec Baldwin (The Departed, It’s Complicated). With everything lost, Jasmine left New York for San Francisco to stay with her working class sister Ginger, played by Sally Hawkins (Made in Dagenham, Happy-Go-Lucky). Writer and director Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris, Match Point) has a knack for picking an ideal cast and letting them shine with their craft. Everyone in this drama was outstanding. Cate’s over the top brilliant performance was as perfect as it could be; she will be a front runner for the award races this year. I have never seen a poor performance from Sally and she was made to play Ginger. Besides the surprisingly excellent acting by Bobby Cannavale (Win Win, Parker) as Ginger’s boyfriend Chili; do not faint when I tell you comedian Andrew Dice Clay (Pretty in Pink, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane) as Ginger’s ex-husband Augie was living real in his role. I thought the switching of scenes from current to past events would be annoying; but instead, it gave them more intensity. There may not have been a lot of laughs but Woody’s script had a wonderful rhythm to it. This was a fascinating story about the lives people try to create for themselves.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Song of Sparrows
This gentle movie reminded me of a story my yoga instructor told us in class. A group of monkeys were circling several coconut trees. Each of them were gathering fallen coconuts except for one.This particular monkey saw a huge coconut lodged inside the hollow of a tree. Sticking its hand inside, the monkey was able to get a grip on it and tried pulling it out; but the hole was smaller than the coconut. The monkey kept trying, turning the coconut one way then the other; but nothing worked. In the meantime each of the other monkeys was acquiring a small stockpile that would easily last them several days. When all the coconuts were gathered up the one monkey with its hand inside the tree had nothing to show for it. The teacher asked us if we knew the moral of the story; none of us had a reply. He looked at each of us before he said, “Just let go.” All of us sat quietly as we let those words soak in before we attempted our next posture. I am sure each of us in class interpreted the moral differently and I feel the same could be said after viewing this film festival winning movie. Mohammad Amir Naji aka Rela Naji (Children of Heaven, Baran) played Karim, a ranch hand on an ostrich farm. When his oldest daughter Haniyeh’s, played by newcomer Shabnam Aklaghi, hearing aid broke just before an important test in school, Karim had no other option but to make the motorbike trip from his small rural village to Tehran, to get the hearing aid fixed. Upon reaching that bustling metropolis, Karim discovered opportunities that could change his and his family’s way of living; but at what cost? I was fascinated by the simpleness of this film, partly due to the scenes of Karim and his family. There was a charming intimacy created by the story as if I was an undetected observer, seeing a whole different way of life and culture. The pacing was kept slow with minimal dialog, which made the story more real for me. I did not see this so much as a movie but as a fable. For being such a plain and uncomplicated film; it spoke loudly about dreams, fortune and greed. Persian and Azerbaijani with English subtitles.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Blackfish
His sobbing was only disturbed by his deep intakes of air as sadness dripped off of him. I felt helpless as I stood nearby. Quietly entering into my field of vision was his pet dog, slowly walking towards him sprawled across the bed. The dog stopped to look at me, as if to tell me he would take care of it, before jumping up onto the bed. Carefully stepping across the thickly quilted bedspread, the pet came up to my friend and settled alongside him. Then the most startling thing happened next. The dog stretched his front right paw out onto my friend’s shoulder. It looked like the dog was comforting him, staying right by his side; I began to tear up. I was witnessing this dog’s empathy towards his master. One could see how easy it would be to place human emotions on animals. Unfortunately this documentary showed what the consequences could be by doing such a thing. After seeing the film The Cove which was about the capturing of dolphins, my feelings toward animal attractions changed. Seeing animals doing tricks for human entertainment now upsets me. I am not referring to one’s pet but to big corporations that take intelligent creatures and exploit them for profit. February 24, 2010 was when the news broke that senior trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by an orca killer whale at SeaWorld of Orlando, Florida. The whale was named Tilikum and he was the main focus of this upsetting movie. As a reviewer it was hard for me to write this piece. I wanted to do two; one review based on the emotional reactions to the film and the other towards the technical aspects used in making it. The way the director interviewed former trainers while old film clips were used to show their performances in front of thousands of spectators made for some powerful movie moments. It was heartbreaking to have fishermen explain the footage that showed baby whales being captured in the open seas, only to be subjected to cruel training methods. This Sundance Film Festival nominated film had its moments where I felt I was sitting in a classroom lecture; however, the scenes and the emotions came across as real for me. Before you decide to book you vacation to an amusement park with animal attractions, I suggest you watch this movie. It has changed me forever.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Fruitvale Station
The guards go after the one that is not bloody. This was told to a friend of mine, who was doing one on one work with a prison inmate. The prisoner was told if he got into a fight he should not fight back, for the guards assume the non-bloody combatant was the instigator. I was surprised to hear the guards would act on assumptions before facts; but then, I realized so many people make assumptions solely based on a person’s looks. In grade school when teams had to be formed during gym, I was usually one of the last ones to be picked. I was large and uncomfortable with my size. However, during a game of Bombardment my classmates discovered I could throw a fast accurate ball. For all future games I suddenly was picked much earlier to be on someone’s team. Even today I am sensitive about people who make assumptions. In the scheme of things my experiences were trivial compared to the events in this powerful movie, based on a true story. Twenty-two year old Oscar Grant with his girlfriend Sophina, played by Michael B. Jordan (Red Tails, Chronicle) and Melonie Diaz (Be Kind Rewind, Raising Victor Vargas), decided to take the train into the city to celebrate New Year’s Eve with their friends. It was a ride that would shake up the California Bay Area community. Not knowing anything about this story, I do not know how accurate it was with its portrayal of the events that took place. From a movie standpoint, I thought the acting was raw and real. Michael and Octavia Spencer (The Help, Seven Pounds), who played his character’s mother Wanda, were incredible. Kevin Durand (Real Steel, I Am Number Four) as Officer Caruso was so good he scared me. The hand held filming with its shakiness did not work for me except in the scenes on the train. Overall I thought the story was well presented except for a few parts that seemed unnecessary, like the dog scene. This Sundance and Cannes Film Festival winner could be used as a case study on the effects perceptions and assumptions have on society. There were a couple of brief scenes where blood was shown.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Country Strong
Currently there is nothing built strong enough to contain one’s feelings. No matter where they get buried or stuffed, feelings always find a way to get out. Some people use food as a way to keep their feelings at bay; others utilize drugs or alcohol to try and numb the emotions bubbling inside of them. I admit there was a time where I would take my feelings and hide them deep inside of me, where no one could ever find them. They were stored in my heart, where the door was sealed by hatred. To show my true feelings was something I associated with getting hurt. It took a lot of work to realize it was okay to express how I felt; that no one had the right to judge another person’s feelings. When this DVD arrived at my home this week I chuckled since my two previous reviews had to do with the music world and now there was going to be another review of a musical film. In actuality, music played a minor role in this story. Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man franchise, Contagion) played country music star Kelly Canter. Pulled out of rehab early for a concert tour by her manager/husband James, played by Tim McGraw (The Blind Side, The Kingdom); Kelly’s sponsor Beau Hutten, played by Garrett Hedlund (Troy, Four Brothers), locked horns with James. He was concerned the pressure would be too much for Kelly to handle, in her vulnerable condition. I am not a big fan of country music, but I enjoyed the songs in this dramatic film. The surprise came from Garrett and Leightom Meester (Monte Carlo, Gossip Girl-TV) as former beauty queen Chiles Stanton. They were terrific playing two singers trying to break into the music business. Though the acting was solid with everyone, they did not have much help from the cliche ridden script. It was easy to spot each turn of events which did not allow any room for one to be surprised. If you are a fan of country music, you might enjoy seeing this film. For everyone else there is the chance you will become bored. At least that is how I felt about it.
2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Sommersby
Memories are the bridle that tether us to a place of hope, where we dream of the way things used to be. You may know such a place; I know I do. It is here where one hangs on to the relationship they are in, even though it may no longer be healthy. We desperately hold on to those old memories; hoping for change while not strong enough to leave. I can remember wishing that person I knew to be inside of them would come back out and replace the stranger standing before me. I wanted to believe my sheer determination could make everything all right again. Alas, it was a sad and painful lesson for me. I saw a similar pain move across the face of Laurel Sommersby in this dramatic movie. Played by Jodie Foster (Panic Room, Inside Man), I had forgotten how good of an actress Jodie can be. The story was an Americanized version of the award winning film, “The Return of Martin Guerre.” For this movie, the story was set in the south right after the civil war had ended. Laurel with the help of Orin Meecham, played by Bill Pullman (Independence Day, While You Were Sleeping), was settling into a life without her husband who was presumed dead, getting a handle on the family farm. A couple of years had passed when unbelievably her husband John Robert aka Jack was spotted making his way home to her. But this man who went off to fight in the war was not that same man who returned home. Richard Gere (Arbitrage, Amelia) perfectly blended his character John Robert with Jodie as his wife Laurel. Though there were dull moments in the movie, Jodie and Richard were able to draw me into their romance. The addition of James Earl Jones (Finder’s Fee, A Family Thing) playing Judge Barry Conrad Issacs was great; even though I thought his character was not realistic for the times. I enjoyed the acting more than I liked the story. This movie made me realize how easy it is to understand how the sheer will of hopeful dreams and memories can motivate a person to hold on.
2 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Unfinished Song
There are times when it is better to be the patient than the doctor. When you see the one you love in discomfort or pain from an illness, it can break one’s heart. I was in a long term relationship where at one point they were sick for 2 consecutive months. The doctors could not find the cause of the sickness; my heart would crack a little further each time I looked into their eyes. Gratefully, things turned out fine; but I know how hard it could have been if it was something that turned fatal. Everyone handles sickness and death differently. The beauty of this touching film festival winner was watching Vanessa Redgrave (Letters to Juliet, Coriolanus) and Terrence Stamp (Wanted, Yes Man) play long time married couple Marion and Arthur Harris. In a previous review I talked about the attraction of opposites. This couple perfectly showed how two strikingly different individuals built a loving and supportive life together. Marian was the bubbly, outgoing joyful one; while Arthur was the dark, brooding sourpuss. The story showed how two people handled the intrusion of illness into their lives. Though there were no surprises with the story; the acting from Vanessa and Terrence was something to behold. More drama than comedy, I was surprised with the turn of events in this musical movie. Regarding Gemma Arterton (Hansel & Gretal: Witch Hunters, Quantum of Solace), this was a different type of role for her as she played choir director Elizabeth. I actually found her character to be undeveloped; there was not enough information to understand what motivated her. A puzzling side note has to do with the audience sitting around me. I was the youngest person in the theater; the majority of patrons were senior citizens, several being assisted by walkers. I have no explanation for it. The story may not have been special, but watching Marion and Arthur brought tears to my eyes. To have someone special in your life is truly a gift; I just wish it could last forever.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Way, Way Back
My tongue instinctively brushed the surface of my teeth looking for my braces that were made from the shiniest metal on the planet. I had to check my face to see if any angry pimples were about to burst out from under my skin. Then there was the vision of me seeing the first wave of facial hair spreading across my face like a brewing storm, warning me of the impending turmoil of adolescence that was coming over me. All of those awkward and confused moments swirled up from my pooled memories while I sat and watched this wonderful, coming of age film. Liam James (Fred Claus, 2012) was perfect playing the 14 year old character Duncan. A simple look from him easily conveyed those embarrassing emotions we all felt at one time or another during our adolescent years. Duncan was stuck going with his mother Pam, played by Toni Collette (Little Miss Sunshine, United States of Tara-TV) and her overbearing boyfriend Trent, played by Steve Carell (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Get Smart) to Trent’s summer home during summer vacation. Uncomfortable with his surroundings, Duncan found refuge at a run down water park managed by the kid like Owen, played by Sam Rockwell (Moon, Seven Psychopaths) and his wife Caitlin, played by Maya Rudolph (Grown Ups, Bridesmaids). This was one of the best performances I have seen from Sam; his character was crazy and memorable. I loved the unexpectedness of this poignant film. Everyone’s acting was so strong and realistic; Allison Janney (Juno, Liberal Arts) was hilarious as Trent’s alcoholic neighbor Betty. The script offered up such ideal lines, I actually felt a bond forming between me and several of the characters. After experiencing many memories from my youth during this film, a shadow of my adolescence remained behind as I walked out of the theater.
3 1 /3 stars
moviejoltz 