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Flash Movie Review: Anna Karenina
My father’s side of the family traces itself back to Russia. I remember my parents had an old shoebox filled with thick postcard sized photographs of my father’s relatives. All of the pictures were sepia toned, showing somber relatives dressed in heavy clothing. I would periodically go through the photos imaging what those relatives’ lives were like back then. There was one picture in particular that I liked of my uncle. He was bundled in a big fur coat and oversized shearling hat that was pulled down low to his eyebrows, as he was standing up in a reindeer drawn sled. While watching this lush looking film I was reminded of those old photographs. Each scene in this movie was presented in such a way that I felt I was paging through an aristocratic family’s photo album. Adding in the beautiful musical score only made the experience more pleasing. Based on Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel, the story set in 19th century Russia was about the life of Anna Karenina, wife of prominent Aleksei Karenin, played by Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes franchise, Enemy at the Gates). High society was spun into a frenzy when Anna, played by Keira Knightly (A Dangerous Method, The Duchess), was swept up into a torrid affair with the well known Count Vronsky, played by Aaron Taylor (The Illusionist, Nowhere Boy). Keira has a gift for portraying emotionally distraught characters. Jude Law was excellent in his role, showing a restrained maturity. As for Aaron playing Count Vronsky, it was not convincing to me. It might have been because he looked too young or just did not have the acting skills to pull off the character. From the trailers I anticipated a classic story blossoming into a breath taking movie experience. Sadly, the movie was a big disappointment for me. Several times I caught myself beginning to nod off; I was bored for a good portion of the film. The theater within a theater filming made for a pretty picture; however, it made the story choppy. I would have had a better time getting that frail shoebox filled with family photos and going through the pictures again.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Sugar
It only takes one dream to keep yourself motivated. I have always used my dreams to push me forward, no matter what obstacles were put before me. Without my dreams I feel I would no longer learn and grow as a human being. In this touching movie you will see what some people go through to reach their ultimate dream. Newcomer Algenis Perez Soto played Miguel “Sugar” Santos, a 19 year old baseball player from the Dominican Republic. His dream was to be a major league baseball player in the United States. When Sugar was signed by Kansas City, his opportunity would begin with their class A team based in the small community of Bridgetown Iowa. Baseball loving Helen and Earl Higgins, played by Anna Whitney (The Fugitive, While You Were Sleeping) and Richard Bull (Normal, Witless Protection) took Sugar into their home, to help him get acclimated to American life and customs. Despite not being a big fan of baseball, this movie completely had my attention as it showed Sugar’s struggles. Think about it, moving to a different country where you are unfamiliar with the language, being put through grueling practice drills knowing full well there was always someone directly behind ready to replace you; I had no idea how much pressure was being placed on these future major league baseball players. The entire movie played like a documentary, making the story more powerful. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who made the brilliant movie Half Nelson, wrote and directed this fascinating film. I am in awe of individuals who display such determination to reach their dreams. From watching this movie I now feel I have gained strength in making my dreams a reality. Some scenes in Spanish with English subtitles.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2
Heads will roll if you mess with Bella’s child…and they certainly did in this final chapter of the movie series. After yesterday’s review that talked about the bond between mother and child, we have here another example of a parent’s love for their offspring. In this movie there was a new and improved Bella, played by Kristen Stewart (Snow White and the Huntsman, The Runaways). With the birth of her daughter Renesmee, Bella would need to master all of her new found vampire abilities if she was going to keep her child safe. The reason being there was something special about Renesmee that threatened the Volturi and its leader Ado, played by Michael Sheen (Midnight in Paris, Frost/Nixon). Since I did not read any of the Twilight books I do not know how closely this movie followed the novel. The story picked up right where the previous film ended, with Bella having turned into a vampire. I had hoped with this new Bella there would have been a better acting job from Kristen, but that was not the case. She never looked happy, with only a couple of emotional facial expressions, that honestly looked like she was a mouth breather. Robert Pattinson (Water for Elephants, Cosmopolis) as Edward Cullen played the role with a slightly more relaxed feel to it. As for Taylor Lautner (Abduction, Valentine’s Day), he did not bring anything new or special to his Jacob Black character. The first half of the movie was slow for me. I found it to be syrupy and melodramatic, with its heavy musical accompaniment. What I found odd was how some vampires had unique special skills. It was as if the writers forgot they were dealing with vampires and writing instead for X-Men characters. The last half of this action film had a buildup of tension that led to an epic battle, with a couple of interesting twists thrown into the mix. On a whole the writers of this movie sucked the life out of the story, giving me only an ok movie experience. I was disappointed I could not sink my teeth into something good.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: A Late Quartet
They say music soothes the savage beast. I beg to differ, music can do much more. There is some music that affects me on a physical level, where I get the urge to tap my foot or shake my hips. Then there is certain musical pieces where I feel as if I am being transported along a winding road with sloping curves and gentle hills. I have certain songs associated to special occasions that have occurred throughout my life. For example, I have a pop song that reminds me of my trip to the Badlands every time I hear it. Then there is the song I played repeatedly when I was a child that brings back memories of me playing on our back porch on a warm sunny day. As music has always been important to me, so was it in this dramatic movie. A famous string quartet struggled to stay together when resentments, love and illness came to light. It seems as if this is the year of Christopher Walken (Seven Psychopaths, The Maiden Heist) who played Peter Mitchell, the eldest member of the quartet. He was excellent playing a vulnerable, emotional widower. Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master, Moneyball) can always be counted on giving his characters life, which he fully did as Robert Gelbart in this movie. I have enjoyed Catherine Keener’s (Into the Wild, The Interpreter) past performances; however, I felt she was not fully utilized as Juliette Gelbart. Though the acting was well done, I felt the story veered off into a sub story that was less interesting for me. If the writers would have kept their focus on the group dynamices and go deeper into each character, the movie would have been better. It would have been nice if there was more music being played to get through the boring parts.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: A Royal Affair
For every person you have loved you received a gift from them. No matter if the period of time was short or long term, there was always something you gained from being in that relationship. This process is intertwined with my belief that there are no accidents in life; there is a reason for everything. It was these two trains of thought that came to mind, while watching this visual history lesson on the Danish monarchy in the 1700’s. For me, this film did a beautiful job showing the power of love. Alicia Vikander (The Crown Jewels, Beloved) played young English Princess Caroline Mathilde. By arrangement she was sent to Denmark to marry King Christian VII, played by Mikkel Boe Folsgaard (Those Who Kill-TV, Bryggerch-TV mini series). Within a short time the princess discovered her husband’s madness and lack of interest in her. Not until the king’s physician Johann Friedrich Struensee, played by Mads Mikkelsen (Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, Flame and Citron), paid a call on her did the princess fully understand what she had been missing. Little did the two realize their attraction to each other would start a revolution. I do not know how accurate the story was compared to history, but I fully enjoyed this dramatic film. The way it was filmed with alternating scenes of beauty and drabness perfectly accompanied the story. Add in the wonderful acting and I could see why this movie was Denmark’s official entry into the best foreign language category for the Academy Awards. A testament to the power of love, I considered this film a gift that stayed with me as I left the theater. Danish, German and French with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Lincoln
Like most young children, I wished I had superpowers. I wanted to fly 6 feet off the ground, skimming over the heads of people. As to why that particular height, I believe it was because I knew no one over 6 feet tall. Another power I wanted was to have the ability to time travel. The capacity to travel back to historical events and meet famous people has always fascinated me. After all these years my wish came true with this amazing movie. I was watching Abraham Lincoln not Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood, My Left Foot), the actor that portrayed Lincoln. His performance was more than outstanding; it was real, causing me to tear up every time he spoke. Daniel will be the one to beat in this year’s Oscar race. Sally Field (Forrest Gump, The Amazing Spider-Man) brought a deep understanding to her character as Mary Todd Lincoln. Honesty there was not a bad performance from any of the cast which included Tommy Lee Jones (Hope Springs, In the Valley of Elah) as Thaddeus Stevens and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) as Robert Lincoln. The story focused on the time surrounding the creation of the 13th amendment to the constitution, which would ban slavery. Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Munich) wrote the rich screenplay, allowing a majority of characters in the movie to have their own special moment. I appreciated the work involved in recreating the sets to exact details, having read director Steven Spielberg (War Horse, Saving Private Ryan), Daniel and Tony each visited the Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois for research. For example, Steven recorded the sound from Lincoln’s pocket watch and recreated the exact titles of books for the bookcases in the White House. The only fault I can say about the movie was several scenes seemed implausible to me. I felt they were manipulated to create a more heartwarming experience for the viewer. With that said, this movie was one of Steven Spielberg’s finest creations. When the lights came up in the movie theater, I could finally say I met Abraham Lincoln. I left my seat with a better understanding of our country’s history, feeling uplifted. Brief scenes of blood and violence.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Rose
There is nothing like being at a live concert, feeling the energy and power the performer(s) has over the crowd, it is amazing. Having attended a multitude of concerts, I have seen all kinds of artists in various stages of sobriety and dress. From a heavy metal band member taking swigs out of a bottle of scotch, to a singer so high on drugs he barely could stand up; some could not handle the power of being a star. I never understood how the artist’s closest friends and advisors could tolerate such behavior. If for no other reason job security–these performers are meal tickets. Inspired by the tragic life of Janis Joplin, this movie should be seen just for Bette Midler’s (Beaches, Outrageous Fortune) performance. Having seen Bette in concert, her character Mary Rose Foster was nothing like Bette. The movie was about the life of a self destructive rock star. As her popularity rose, the demands of touring were taking their toll on Mary Rose. Her manager Rudge Campbell, played by Alan Bates (Women in Love, Gosford Park), would push her by any means possible to keep her up on stage. This being Bette’s 1st major movie role, she was worthy of her Oscar nomination for best actress. With a mixture of power and vulnerability, she was the driving force in this musical film. Her concert performances in this movie were outstanding; I felt I really was at the show. There was nothing new about the story; most of us have heard the same with many movie and rock stars. From all the musical acts I have seen there are two performers that are extra special to me. They are Tina Turner and Bette Midler. I have seen them perform 3 hour concerts; singing live, dripping in sweat as they poured their life and emotions into each song. There is a saying that goes something like this, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Watching this film I was reminded of so many great artists we have lost due to their destructive power. When this movie came to an end I wanted to hold up a lighter in the air like I used to at concerts.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Antichrist
Everyone handles death in their own way. My grandfather’s death from a heart attack was a shock to the entire family. His death was the first one I experienced. I found it perplexing; because after the cemetery for the next seven days we all had to meet at my oldest aunt’s house, where it seemed like we were having a party. People kept showing up each day, bringing enough food to share with everyone. For my grandmother’s death it was a different experience. She had dementia and was living in a nursing home for several years. By the time she died, it was more of a relief than sadness for most of us. Death in this intensely graphic movie was overpowering. While making love in the next room the couple’s 2 year old son climbed out his bedroom window and fell to his death. Williem Dafoe (Spider-Man, The Hunter) played the grief-stricken father and Charlotte Gainsbourg (21 Grams, Do Not Disturb) the mother. To deal with their overwhelming loss they traveled to their remote cabin in the woods, to work on their devastated marriage. The loss of their son was the catalyst that brought to the surface the couple’s deep fears, making a bad situation worse. One of the reasons I wanted to see this film was due to Charlotte winning the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. Granted her intense acting was painfully exquisite as was William’s; but, the subject matter was outrageous to me. With graphic scenes of sex and bloody violence, I found this movie obscenely indulgent on the part of writer and director Lars von Trier (Dogville, Melancholia). When I wasn’t wincing from some of the violent scenes, I could appreciate the other scenes that were breathtakingly artistic. The loss of a child has to be one of the most painful things in a parent’s life. As the viewer, it was painful to watch this film and I felt I lost two hours of my time.
1 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Other Son
The dirty words like the “F” and “S” word were okay to say in my family; they were used mostly as adjectives. My parents taught me and my brothers that slang words used to describe a person’s race, religion or nationality were bad words. Growing up I was always confused when I heard someone use these derogatory words. I wondered how that person became prejudiced, since none of us were born to be bigots. Knowing this about me, you will understand why I was so moved by this outstanding film. The story was thought-provoking, inspirational and fascinating to me. Can you tell I loved this movie? Imagine the shock two families faced when they each discovered the child they were raising was not their own. The two babies were accidentally switched at birth. If that was not horrific enough for each family, imagine what was going through the parents’ minds when they found out they were not the same–one family was Israeli and the other was Palestinian. Each family member not only would have to face their fears and beliefs, but would have their love tested like it had never been before. There was not one moment where my mind wandered away from this brilliant story. The actors did a beautiful job of conveying deep emotions with minimal effort. Emmanuelle Devos (Read My Lips, Coco Before Chanel) as Israeli mother Orith Silberg and Areen Omari (Private, Laila’s Birthday) as Palestinian mother Leila Al Bezaaz were incredible in their roles. Portraying a real mixture of innocence and fearfulness, the two switched boys were played by Mehdi Dehbi (Looking For Simon, He is my Girl) as Palestinian Yacine Al Bezaaz and Jules Sitruk (I, Cesar; Monsieur Batignole) as Israeli Joseph Silberg. This film did an exquisite job of being a reflection to people’s beliefs, fears and soul. French, Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles. One brief scene of violence with blood.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Is Anybody There?
As a small child I thought my grandmother was a magician. My cousins and I would squeal with laughter when she would pop her teeth out of her mouth. We did not realize she had false teeth. With my grandfather, I remember how much he enjoyed playing checkers; always ready whenever I would ask him to play with me. These special times are what I prefer remembering than my grandmother’s final years in a nursing home. This touching movie’s story was centered at a home for the elderly, in a small English town. Bill Milner (Son of Rambow, X-Men: First Class) played Edward, the owners’ son who had to give up his bedroom to accommodate a new elderly patient to the home. Surrounded by only old residents, Edward was fascinated with death, especially the minutes immediately following. The demands of the home weighed on his mum and dad, played by Anne-Marie Duff (Nowhere Boy, The Last Station) and David Morrissey (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Reaping), allowing for little family time. Edward’s life would change when retired magician Clarence, played by Michael Caine (Sleuth, The Prestige) arrived at the home. The two would form an unusual bond where one looked only to the future, while the other to the past. Michael Caine showed his acting range with this colorful character. Set in the 1980’s, I enjoyed the look of the movie and appreciated the acting skills from the main characters. The residents of the home and their tales were secondary, used more as a vehicle to move the story forward. There were some scenes that did not ring true for me; they felt out of place. However, with Michael’s and Bill’s wonderful performances the movie was worth watching. If for nothing else than to be reminded that lessons taught can be multigenerational. Brief scene with blood.
2 1/2 stars — DVD
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