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Flash Movie Review: Rust and Bone
There is a wide chasm between dependency and codependency. As my mother entered the world of Alzheimer’s disease, she had to depend on my father’s instructions for the simplest of tasks. Then there was a couple I knew where the husband continually cheated on his wife. She always took him back; she felt she deserved it due to low self-esteem. This would be an example of codependency. As the story unfolded in this dramatic movie, I could not clearly say if the two main characters were dependent on each other or not. One person was emotionally handicapped while the other was physically. Former kick-boxer Alain van Versch, played by Matthias Schoenaerts (Black Book, Bullhead), with his son Sam, played by newcomer Armand Verdure, moved from Belgium to his sister’s house in Antibes France. Having taken a job as a bouncer at a nightclub, he met Stephanie who was too drunk to drive home. Alain drove her home and left her his phone number. From that one act of kindness, their lives would begin traveling on a parallel course, each one seeking to fulfill a need. Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, Big Fish) was incredible playing whale handler Stephanie. She already has received nominations for her acting in this role. Matthias’ character was the perfect blend of a good heart masked over by brute strength. I would not say the relationship between Alain and Stephanie was a traditional love story. To the credit of the director and writers, I felt they brought out the beauty of the film by not making a standard love story. The screenplay went to a much deeper level as we observed two damaged individuals trying to make their way in life. My only criticism was the ending felt a little too neat and tidy, compared to the rest of the movie. With several brilliantly filmed scenes; this dark, emotionally charged film left me pondering the fine line between codependency and dependency. Brief scenes of blood and violence. French with English subtitles.
3 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Howl
There was a time when women could not wear pants. It was not allowed during the period my brothers were in high school. It used to be one could not marry out of their race. Experiencing any type of freedom today, one must look to the past to see who fought for those rights. As a member of the blogosphere, I have read some posts that made me blush. I may not agree with the author of the post, but I would certainly fight for their right to say it. If I am not comfortable reading or seeing something, I simply stop and move on. Being fortunate to live in a country that allows it citizens the freedom of speech, I was curious to see this film about a trailblazer who reinforced that freedom of speech. Poet Allen Ginsberg along with his friend Jack Kerouac were pioneers of what became known as the Beat Generation. Allen’s poem Howl is considered today one of the great works of American literature. When it was first published in the 1950’s, there were many who felt it was obscene. The obscenity trial that ensued was the focus of this film. James Franco (127 Hours, Spiderman franchise) gave an engaging performance portraying the poet Allen Ginsburg. The lawyers at the trial, Jake Ehrlich and Ralph McIntosh, were played by Jon Hamm (The Town, Friends With Kids) and David Strathairn (Lincoln, L.A. Confidential) respectively. I could appreciate the use of three segments to tell this movie; the events that led up to Ginsberg writing his famous piece, the trial itself and the use of animation to enhance the recitation of the poem. But where each segment was interesting, I felt it took away from giving me a fuller story. For example, I would rather have had extra screen time showing more of Allen’s life and his thoughts about the trial. Even having more interaction between Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who was played by Todd Rotondi (Phileine Says Sorry, The Heartbreaker), would have been interesting. The casting for this film was well done, including the small parts for Mary-Louise Parker (Red, Saved!) as Gail Potter and Jeff Daniels (Looper, Dumb & Dumber) as David Kirk. This movie was a compelling history lesson for me. Strong language and visuals of sexual content.
2 2/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Django Unchained
You are getting something more with your purchase of a ticket for this movie. You are receiving passage to a director who lovingly pays tribute to his elders with this film. Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill franchise) looks at past filmmakers’ achievements and updates them for a current audience. And in this case he also channels a little bit of Mel Brooks into a couple of scenes in this film. I am not a fan of blood and guts violence, so when I view a Tarantino movie I know there will be a heightened intensity to any kind of confrontation. But Quentin adds a stylized touch to such violence; case in point, the viewer sees a red mist of blood sprayed onto a patch of cotton plants instead of the intended victim. Then there is Quentin’s choice of music for the various scenes; it clearly conveys the actors’ feelings on an audible emotional level. The story starts out simple: a bounty hunter becomes a mentor to a recently freed slave, needing his assistance in tracking down the wanted Brittle brothers. As you may know with any story written by Quentin, there are multiple story lines added. The acting was outstanding throughout this wild film. Jamie Foxx (Law Abiding Citizen, Ray) played slave turned bounty hunter Django. His performance was a simmering, restricted anger on the verge of boiling over. His mentor was the precise, German transplant Dr. King Schultz (you have to love the irony of his name) played brilliantly by Christoph Waltz (Carnage, Water for Elephants). One of my favorite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Departed) was cast as the maniacal southern plantation owner Calvin Candie. Adding his own special touch to the cast and story was Samuel L. Jackson (Jackie Brown, Unbreakable) as Calvin’s servant Stephen. The great use of dialog, the captivating photography and the imaginative camera angles all helped to make this movie a wonderful homage to what was referred to as the spaghetti western movies. Clocking in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, this film could have used stronger editing. Be prepared to laugh, wince, cringe, stare with disbelief, have your ears assaulted by vulgar negative words, witness ripped or bullet ridden bloody flesh as you enter the unbelievable world of Quentin Tarantino.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Big Fish
A storyteller takes something ordinary and makes it interesting. With an added twist of words the mundane can be transformed into an extraordinary tale. Before I even began my schooling, I was exposed to a master storyteller–my father. Out of the entire family, my dad was the person who provided tall tales and comic relief for everyone. Anyone who was within ear shot would be drawn into my father’s fabrications. As a salesman, he covered the entire city and always found fodder for his next anecodote. The story of my dad stopping by to surprise my mother and me at the grocery store was completely transformed when he retold it. He would say he went into the store and found me crying at the service desk, separated from my mother. When the service manager asked him who he was, my dad said he was my father. The manager turned and asked me if that was my dad and all I could cry for was my mother, never acknowledging my father. It was these tall tales I grew up with and why this touching movie resonated with me. Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich, Annie) was the colorful character Ed Bloom. After being diagnosed with cancer; his estranged son Will, played by Billy Crudup (Almost Famous, Watchmen), returned home to reconcile with his dad and find out the truth behind the wild stories he had heard growing up. Told in flashbacks the younger Ed Bloom was portrayed by Ewan McGregor (The Impossible, Beginners). Director Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Planet of the Apes) surprised me with this touching, imaginative story. The entire cast blended together so well, that I had no trouble going from fanciful stories to current reality. Jessica Lange was wonderful as she played Ed’s grounded wife Sandra. It was fun to see a younger Steve Buscemi (Fargo, Reservoir Dogs), Danny DeVito (Batman Returns, Twins), Marion Cotillard (Inception, Contagion) and Helena Bonham Carter (Les Miserables, Harry Potter franchise) make up part of the ensemble. This charming movie is being turned into a Broadway play. I believe it will easily transfer to the big stage and do quite well for this simple reason: if you cannot exaggerate the story, then it just isn’t worth telling.
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: This is 40
My introduction to my 40th birthday was having the bagger at the checkout line calling me “sir” and asking if I needed help with my bags. Asking several friends what they noticed when they crossed the threshold into middle age, the responses were quite varied. One person suddenly felt expandable waist bands on blue jeans was a good idea, while another was perplexed why Suri kept suggesting he sit down and take a rest. Then there was the friend who wondered if she was going to be banned from Target or Express, having to spend the remainder of her years shopping at Lane Bryant or some discount store. At a wedding would I never be able to get up to shake my hips on the dance floor unless it was a Cha Cha or that generic version bands always play of Kool & the Gang’s Celebration? For those in a relationship, would they start dressing alike once they reached that magic number? In this comedy, the married couple are on the verge of turning 40 years old. Leslie Mann (17 Again, Knocked Up) played Debbie who wanted nothing to do with turning 40. Paul Rudd (Role Models, Wanderlust) was Debbie’s conflict avoiding husband Pete. Judd Apatow (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Pineapple Express) wrote and directed this updated story about Debbie and Pete from Knocked Up. Settled into married life with daughters Sadie and Charlotte, played by Judd’s real life children Maude and Iris, the neurotic couple tried to cope with life’s daily annoyances. There were laugh out loud scenes through the movie, but be prepared for the vulgar language that everyone spews out, including the kids. I felt Judd used his real life experiences for a baseline, but then elevated them to an unrealistic level. Without going into stronger character development, the film went on longer than it needed. It started feeling as if we were going from one joke line to the next. Though I am still glad I went to see this movie, please do not tell me this is what happens to people who have been married for a long time.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Impossible
I cannot remember the last time I have seen a movie that drained me as much as this remarkable film. The intensity, the human hardships, the physical challenges, all left me spent and exhausted. The trailers should have mentioned that tissues were required for all show times; tears periodically slipped out of my eyes during the movie. I am eternally grateful that I have not experienced a catastrophic event. The only awarenesses I have formed have been through media sources. After witnessing the amazing special effects in recreating the December 26th tsunami of 2004, I have a whole new knowledge on the variety of damages that can be inflicted on the human body. This movie was based on the true story of one family’s ordeal after a tsunami struck the Thailand coastal town where they were on holiday. Naomi Watts (J. Edgar, 21 Grams) was amazing in her role as the mother Maria. She may receive an Oscar nomination for this role; she exuded pain and suffering. Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) played Maria’s husband Henry. The real standouts of the cast were the three boys who played the sons of Maria and Henry. They were relative newcomers Tom Holland as eldest son Lucas, Samuel Joslin as middle child Thomas and Oaklee Pendergast as the youngest son Simon. In my opinion, Tom Holland was so good with his acting; I would not be surprised if he got a nomination for it. Adding a poignant element I felt was the inclusion of several actual survivors as extras. I have mentioned this before, that I try not to compare one person’s challenges to another. After feeling like an observer to this dramatic thriller, I am not only humbled; but I have been reminded that no matter how big I feel my problems are, they are not a life or death situation. May no one ever experience such a disaster again. Scenes of blood and bodily injuries.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Joyeux Noel
Since we just had our first measurable snowfall, I recall how much fun I had building forts out of snow. The best kind of snow to use was one heavy with moisture; it would make a funny scrunching sound as it was being squeezed tight. Once the fort was completed, my friends and I would separate into two sides and start a snowball fight. Usually the winning team would get to destroy the opponent’s fort. There was never any hatred involved or wishing someone harm. If anything each of us would use our imaginations to come up with exotic or fanciful ways of winning. I claimed my snowballs were stun balls, causing anyone hit by one to be temporarily paralyzed until the end of the game. Coming across this Oscar nominated movie based on a true story, it really sent a clear message to me for this holiday season. It was December 24, 1914 and the most horrific war to date was raging in Europe. Converging together on the battlefield were fully armed German, French and Scottish troops. Every soldier was cold and weary while their respective commanders were looking for some weakness to exploit in defeating the enemy. However something happened when a stray cat wandered into the fray. I found this story to be a hopeful example of what can be achieved when people put aside their differences and become human again. Not only did I find the acting well done, I thought the casting of actors was exceptional. For example, Diane Kruger (National Treasure, Troy) lovely as Danish soprano Anna Sorensen; Benno Furmann (North Face, Curse of the Ring) as German officer Nicolaus Sprink and Ian Richardson (Dark City, Becoming Jane) as religious figure L’eveque. In the middle of a grotesque war to find an oasis of humanity, this film was a surprise treat. The bottom line for me has nothing to do with a person’s race, religion, sexuality or country; it simply is a matter of being a decent human being. This was an astonishing, inspiring story; I was grateful it had been turned into a movie. French, German, English, Latin with subtitles.
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Away from Her
As if all the memories of the mind were black and white photographs, that were fading away to only blank snowy white, is how I look at Alzheimer’s disease. Besides a few relatives, my mother dealt with it for several years until her death. Gratefully, the sweetness in her intensified as the disease slowly polished away everything that was inside of her. Taking her to a restaurant, my mother would blow kisses to each table of patrons she passed. I remember there was an elderly couple who often frequented the same restaurant. The wife was nearly catatonic from Alzheimer’s disease. When my mother would come into this woman’s line of vision, the woman would come to life, insistently holding onto my mother’s hands. The two would smile at each other as if they were sharing a secret that no one else could possibly know. Julie Christie (Finding Neverland, McCabe & Mrs. Miller) was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Fiona Anderson, a woman who was aware her memory was starting to slip away. Gordon Pinsent (The Shipping News, The Old Man and the Sea) played her husband Grant Anderson. After some rockiness in the beginning, the couple settled into an easy, comfortable life together. Their closeness made it only harder when the time came for Fiona to move into a long term care facility. Making the change difficult for Grant was watching the woman he loved receding from him as she slowly began a different life at her new residence. The acting was outstanding from the whole cast. Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck, Look Who’s Talking) did a beautiful job as Marian, a woman traveling on a similar path as Grant. Though this was hard for me to watch due to personal reasons; this film told a thoughtful, tender story. It reminded me of the quote, “If you love someone, let them go…” The mother I knew left me long before she died; however, I have kept my memories of her safe, hanging them on the walls of my heart.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Bon Voyage
If you only look through the viewfinder of your camera, you may miss out on experiencing a beautiful sunrise. What I am trying to say and remind myself of, is to look at the big picture. When I am visiting a new place, I get so wrapped up in making sure I shoot the perfect pictures, I sometimes forget to look around and see everything around me. It is like being self-absorbed to the point, shall we say, where one is so focused on what color to paint the walls of their house, that they are not focusing on the cracked foundation which is about to make the building fall down. It was this type of mentality of centering on one’s self that added the humor to this war story. Crazy as it may sound, this movie was able to take Nazis, heavy water for nuclear reactions, a dead body, infatuation and turn out a crazy, fun film. Isabelle Adjani (Queen Margot, Subway) was wonderful playing actress Viviane Denvers; who indignantly slapped a man in the face for being fresh with her. He immediately died. From that moment a chain of events was put into place where government official Jean-Etienn Beaufort, played by Gerard Depardieu (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Man in the Iron Mask), followed Miss Denvers as she made her way to Bordeaux, France. With the country on the verge of becoming Nazi occupied, it was imperative that Camille, played by Virginie Ledoyen (The Beach; Farewell, My Queen), kept the only containers of heavy water out of enemy hands. Into this great cast add Peter Coyote (A Walk to Remember, Bitter Moon) as mysterious Alex Winckler and try to keep up with the thrills and zaniness in this Cesar Award winning movie. I especially enjoyed Isabelle in her role, looking perfect as a movie star from the 1940’s. What a great antidote to unwind and watch a group of self-absorbed characters missing the big picture taking place around them. French, German, Italian with English subtitles.
3 stars — DVD
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