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Flash Movie Review: The Luckiest Man in America
BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF TIMES I picked the right squares, I thought I should be a contestant when I grew up. One of my favorite game shows was one that had a game board made up of 30 squares. Behind each square was a prize; the contestants would pick two squares at a time which would reveal two prize offerings. If the two prizes matched, then the contestant would keep the prize and the two squares would reveal glimpses of a rebus puzzle. This was a puzzle that used illustrations, letters, and numbers to depict words or phrases. The contestant who could guess what the puzzle was saying would be the winner. I felt my memory skills were exceptional, though I really had nothing to base this on. However, when I was very little a relative taught me a card game that had a similar concept as the game show. After shuffling the deck, the cards would be laid out face down in several rows. Each player would get two guesses at a time to turn over two cards. If the cards matched the numbers or pictures, the player would take the two cards. Once all the cards were removed from the rows, the player with the most cards would be the winner. I became quite good at this game, and would even play it by myself. THROUGH MY YOUTH, THERE WERE OTHER television game shows I watched. There was one where audience members were picked to come up and guess the prices of various consumer products, from a bottle of toilet bowl cleaner to refrigerators and stoves. Another show paired contestants together where one would give a one word clue to try and get their partner to say the secret word. I would play along at home by turning the sound off and not looking at the secret word when it was announced and flashed across the bottom of the television screen. Then I would quickly turn the sound back up and guess when the person would say their one word clue. Though I did not keep track of all my answers, I felt i was getting a decent amount of the answers correctly. Since I was an avid reader from a young age, my favorite type of game shows involved words, whether putting them in a crossword puzzle, or trying to make different words out of the letters of a single word; I always made a point to watch the television shows that involved words. My favorite was the show, “Wheel of Fortune” because it was based on a kid’s game I would play called “Hangman.” I thought for sure I would be a fantastic player to have on the show. However, I could never do what the main character did in this dramatic thriller. JUST BY THE STROKE OF LUCK, an unemployed ice cream truck driver was chosen to participate in a television game show. It turned out his playing skills were off the charts. With Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewel, Cobra Kai-TV) as Michael, Walton Goggins (The White Lotus-TV, Django Unchained) as Peter, Shamier Anderson (Bruiser, Invasion-TV) as Chuck, David Strathairn (A Little Prayer, Where the Crawdads Sing) as Bill, and Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker, Chicago P.D.-TV) as Ed; this film based on a true story stuck out due to the wonderful cast. All the actors were perfectly in synch with their characters which was fortunate because the script needed a little more work. The story was amazing; I might have to search for old footage just to see how Paul’s character compares to the real contestant. The story takes place in 1984 and the sets and costumes were spot on. There were moments of tension, excitement, thrills and heartbreak; but I wished the writers would have fleshed out more to the characters’ back stories. But, I still enjoyed watching this picture and stayed engaged for the most part. It should be no surprise that there a was little part of me that wished I could have been a contestant on this game show.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Friend
I LIVE AMONG OBJECTS WHOSE OWNERS I barely know. There is an ivory colored wash basin with matching water pitcher sitting on top of a book case. A mantle clock with intricate carvings on either side of the face that has Roman numerals for the numbers: 1, 2, 3, etc. One of the more unusual items is wrapped in fabric similar to burlap. In the middle of it is a sword. The silver handle has dulled over the years, and hanging down from it is a loop of gold braided cord with a small tassel attached at the bottom. These items I just listed are from relatives who are long deceased, at least as far back as three generations of family members. The only thing I know about the owners is where they came from and their connection to me. For example, I have a reproduction of an ancient photo that is hanging up in the hallway. There are two women pictured in the photo, the older one is seated with the other one standing next to her. I do not know their names but do know what they are to me. The seated woman is my great, great, great grandmother who was too old to emigrate with the family when they came to America. She was alive when Napoleon invaded Russia. The woman standing next to her was my great, great aunt who agreed to stay back and take care of our relative. OUT OF ALL THESE TREASURED OBJECTS, there are two that stand out for me. One is a small silver wine cup that my great, great, great grandfather, from the other side of the family, only used when it was a holiday. The cup is tarnished and I need to polish it so I can make out the etchings that go all the way around the cup. The idea that my great, great, great grandfather had his hand and lips touching it makes the cup more real to me, for some reason. Whenever I look at the wine cup, I imagine my relative sitting at a long dining room table with our family members in attendance, sharing a meal during the holidays. It makes me feel connected to them. The other object that is significant to me is a gold coin that a relative had sealed in a plastic case. This gold coin was my grandfather’s, who died before I was born. He would always carry it in his trouser pants every single day. I have to assume he thought of it as some type of good luck charm. All of these items provide me with a connection to my heritage, my family tree. Imagine the time when these items are handed down to the next generation; it will be their turn to safeguard and respect them. Though all of these objects are man-made, there are other things that may not be, but are still as important, such as the thing the main character receives from her deceased friend/mentor in this drama. A NOVELIST AND CREATIVE WRITING TEACHER has her life thrown into disarray when she becomes the caretaker for her deceased friend’s dog, a Great Dane. In her small New York City apartment, she will have to come to terms with her mentor’s death and its ramifications. With Bill Murray (The Greatest Beer Run Ever, On the Rocks) as Walter, Naomi Watts (Goodnight Mommy, This is the Night) as Iris, Cloe Xhauflaire (The House, The First Purge) as Camille, Josh Pais ( Joker, Spoiler Alert) as Jerry, and Carla Gugino (Snake Eyes, Gunpowder Milkshake) as Elaine; this film stood out simply because of Naomi’s performance as well as the dog’s. Though the script had some misfires in it, the writers never took the easy way out with slapstick humor or unrealistic scenarios. With the acting skills of the cast, the story was told in a straight forward way that allowed the actors to breathe and grow with their characters. This was most apparent with Naomi’s character and it is what kept me engaged with the story. Also, it was a nice change of pace to have a steady paced film that left out the theatrics and marketing tie-ins which made the story’s journey more believable.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Sinners
FROM THE EARLY START OF MY career path, I learned the latest or newest “thing” came with a short shelf life. One of my first full time jobs was at a long established company that sold wholesale goods. Our competition consisted of several companies, half which were local. I quickly realized all of us sold, for the most part, the same items. This made me wonder how a customer chooses which company to buy from when they all were selling the same goods. It became apparent to me that people obviously buy on the cheapest price for the most part; however, there was something more that swayed customers’ decisions. Paying attention to the different departments that were involved with a sale, I realized it was customer service, the relationship between sales and the customer. Making a significant connection to the client was vital in establishing that relationship. Another component was the company’s policies. For us, we never questioned returns and were quick to ship out replacements before receiving the damaged/flawed goods back to our warehouses. Many times we would simply send the replacement item at no charge, and this was at a time before the creation of the huge online companies many of us deal with these days. The last piece to this mind puzzle was creating packaging that caught the client’s eye. This is where my job responsibilities came into play. THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY SIGNED a contract with a new manufacturing company that was just starting out. He loved their product and moved quickly to secure a relationship with them. We were going to be the first to carry their line in the states, but only for a short period of time. My boss came and asked me to create a marketing campaign for the new line. I loved the idea because I would be able to use the creative side of my brain. It became my job to create advertising packages for the several items we were to carry, designing the sample books, and coming up with naming each item. Because at the time I was heavy into science fiction films and literature, I created an “outer space” theme to the campaign. I named each line a word that recently acquired a science fiction definition to its established one. Words such as photon, ray gun, and interplanetary were on my list of name options. Though I am not an artist by any means, i was able to precisely detail the artwork we needed with my descriptive text. The new line became a huge success for us; I was elated and proud. In the back of my mind, I knew this would be short-lived, and sure enough once we passed the exclusivity expiration date our competitors quickly acquired rights and began selling the same products we had been. This experience continues to remind me that newest and freshest is a fleeting moment; there is always someone who wants part of your success. It certainly was apparent in this dramatic horror thriller. WANTING TO START A NEW LIFE, twin brothers return to their homeland to open a business. Its opening success attracted more than profitability. With newcomer Miles Caton as Sammie Moore, Saul Williams (Blink Twice, Akilla’s Escape) as Jeddiah, Andrene Ward-Hammond (The Lovebirds, Project Power) as Ruthie, Michael B. Jordan (Creed franchise, A Journal for Jordan) as Smoke, and Jack O’Connell (Back to Black, Lady Chatterley’s Lover) as Remmick; I was mesmerized by the original story in this supernatural film. Add in the fine acting, and I found myself totally engaged with the story lines. Every scene offered something interesting, whether it was the acting, action, script lines; I found the whole movie totally cohesive and logical. Lately, it has not been often where I feel I got my money’s worth, but with this picture I felt every penny was well spent. There were multiple scenes filled with blood and violence.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Warfare
I CAN GRATEFULLY SAY MY EXPERIENCE with physical fighting has been limited to two, and they both took place prior to me graduating high school. The first one took place after my afterschool religion class, when I was ten years old. A few students from my class ganged up on me after we left the building, pelting me with snowballs and pushing me into a snow bank. i was hit in the face a couple of times which stung my eyes, causing me blurred vision. As quickly as it started, the battle ended with the students running away, their laughter trailing behind them. The second fight happened during my junior year of high school. This one was different because it could be argued I started it. There was a boy in my PE class who constantly picked on me and my friends with the help of his buddies. It got to the point where I was skipping class, hiding in the lunchroom. One day I was more depressed and angry than usual. During our break between periods, I was standing outside of my chemistry class, knowing full well this bully usually walked by on the way to his class. Sure enough, I saw him walking down the hallway towards me. As he got closer he called me a derogatory name. Something snapped in me and I said with a sneer, “What did you say?” He came closer and repeated it to me. I called him a name and dared him to come right up to my face and say it again. He did and I started punching him with all my might. In my mind, I kept telling myself do not get hit because I would start crying. I CANNOT TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW long i kept hitting him, mostly in the head, because i blacked out from rage during the battle. All I remember was seeing a crowd of students forming around us as I kept hitting him. As quickly as I started the fight, I stopped dead cold, turned around and walked back to my seat in the classroom. He stood at the door and yelled at me that he would see me in the locker room. I noticed his face was a bright shade of red and wondered if I had caused it. My best friend who was my lab partner literally had his mouth open just staring at me. He finally asked me what happened and all I could muster up was telling him I was not sure; but, did not know how to avoid the locker room tomorrow. For the rest of the school day and all through the night I worried over what would happen to me if I walked into the locker room to get ready for PE. The world must work in mysterious ways because as I walked out of my first period class the next day, the bully I had beaten up was walking by. He saw me and repeated his threat; however, this time I got close to him and told him what I would do to him in the locker room when we had PE later that day. I cannot repeat what I said, but let me just say I told him I was going to rip something off his body and shove it down his throat. And guess what, he never showed up in the locker room or for our class. If only fights could be so simply solved, people would not have to suffer like they did in this action, war docudrama. A GROUP OF NAVY SEALS IN Iraq, on a surveillance mission, are holed up in a family’s home. They soon sense something is not right. With D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Hell of a Summer, Reservation Dogs-TV) as Ray, Will Poulter (The Score, We’re the Millers) as Erik, Cosmo Jarvis (Shogun-TV, Calm with Horses) as Elliott, Joseph Quinn (Overlord, Gladiator II) as Sam, and Aaron Mackenzie (Lockdowners, Sunray: Fallen Soldier) as Kelly; this drama was written and directed by two war veterans who used their memories for this script. I have seen war films before, but I have never experienced anything like this picture. There was no time for character development (it did not matter), nor putting a Hollywood spin on the story; this was an intense battle that left me breathless. I honestly cannot say I was entertained per se, however, what I can say is I saw a whole new dimension of war. The intensity bordered on brutal, suffice to say there were many scenes with blood and violence. Seeing this movie has certainly put a whole new perspective on fighting a war, and one would think this film could give one pause before taking any kind of action to be a participant. I am glad i saw this picture, but I have to say it was not an easy watch.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: A Working Man
DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR it, just ask anyone who knows me. When it comes to determination, where I have my mind set, I do not give up. A perfect example just happened last week. I had to call a government agency since I was not getting the answers I needed online. After going through multiple automated prompts on my telephone call, I was given the option to wait for customer service. I agreed to wait by pressing “one” on the keypad and the auto attendant said the wait would be one hundred ten minutes. I was prepared for such an outrageous number since I tried the week before and the message said since the wait time was over one hundred twenty minutes, no more calls were being accepted, to try back later in the week. So, with the clock counting down, I turned on the speakerphone option on my phone and exercised for an hour. Through the hour I heard repeats of various recorded messages that did not require me to do anything except wait. After I finished exercising, I showered while keeping the phone on the floor next to the shower stall in case I heard a human voice; but, I was not expecting to hear it. When I finished showering, drying off, and dressing; I decided to have lunch. And after I finished eating and washing the dishes, I sat and read for a bit. At three hours and five minutes, I finally heard from a live human voice. I ask you, how many of you would have waited that long? I was not going to give up until I spoke to someone. THIS TYPE OF DETERMINATION IS SOMETHING I believe I was born with. I can remember when I was a little kid playing with building blocks; I could sit for hours until I used every block to build a castle or some type of large building or fortress. Depending on what I was doing, my determination would remain strong even if I had to step away from what I was doing for a couple of hours or days; however, my mind remained active in trying to solve whatever I wanted to accomplish, and come back to the task refreshed and just as determined as when I first started. Though aging and maturity showed me not everyone had my level of determination, it did not stop me from pushing the members in my class to keep going and not give up. I would break down my movements into parts, allowing the members to choose the level of intensity that was best for them. Next, I would encourage them to try to go an extra thirty or sixty seconds the closer we got to the end of a song. I felt I was fortunate, because the members who attended my classes always gave 100% of themselves to their exercising. That type of determination, which I greatly appreciated, was similar to the determination I saw from the main character in this dramatic, action thriller. A CONSTRUCTION WORKER’S QUIET LIFE IS shattered when his boss’ daughter goes missing. With the training he received from his previous career, the worker makes a promise to his boss that he will get his daughter back. By making that promise, he knows he can never give up and he will not until the daughter is returned safely home. With Jason Statham (The Meg franchise, The Beekeeper) as Levon Cade, Jason Flemyng (Black Dog, Touchdown) as Wolo Kolisnyk, Merab Ninidze (Conclave, Without Remorse) as Yuri, Michael Pena (Unstoppable, A Million Miles Away) as Joe Garcia, and David Harbour (Black Widow, Violent Night) as Gunny Lefferty; this script with one of the writers being Sylvester Stallone, was a bare bones, no nonsense fight fest. There were no surprises as everything followed a typical Jason Statham movie model. The fight scenes were well orchestrated and I felt the main story line helped greatly to keep audience members engaged as long as they were in the mood to witness such battles. There was no humor, fun, or deep drama within any of the scenes; it was strictly a bloody violent film that was made for Jason’s well known persona—a tough guy who can beat the crap out of anyone.
2 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Black Bag
IN TERMS OF TRUST, I WAS raised with a solid foundation that enabled me to wholeheartedly have a strong bond of trust with my friends and family members. Unfortunately, that strong bond got dented early on. I was in the early grades of elementary school and had a few friends come over after school one day. We played a board game that all of us were into at the time; the playing lasted a little over an hour. Everyone put their game pieces and cards into the game box, and I put the lid on and put it back on the shelf. The next time I played the game, I noticed one of the game pieces was missing. I took out all the containers and cardboard liners from the box, but there was no sign of the piece. The only thing I could think of was one of my friends kept their game piece. I was hurt and upset. What exacerbated my sad feelings was another incident that hammered a blow to my trust, a few weeks after discovering the missing piece. I went bowling with a few of my relatives. For a reason I cannot figure it out, I took off my new and very first wristwatch and placed it on the scoring table. At the end of the game, we turned in our rented bowling shoes and headed out the door. We were four blocks away when I realized I left my watch behind. I explained what happened to my relatives and ran back to the bowling alley, to look for my watch. Absolutely no sign of it and no one had turned it into the lost and found; I was devastated. HAVING THOSE TWO INCIDENTS TAKING PLACE so early in my life, colored my feelings about trusting people. To drive the point home, one of my earliest love relationships shattered my belief system of trust. We had been dating for six months when an opportunity came up for a free trip to Mexico; they were a travel agent, so got these deals from time to time. We flew down to the resort that was being promoted and had planned to stay five days. When we arrived at the resort’s hotel, I felt the assistant manager was paying extra attention to us, but assumed it was because we were listed as travel agents in their records. The assistant manager made another appearance during breakfast, and I started to sense there was an ulterior motive. The two of us finished eating and went back to the room to change to sit by the pool. It was not until lunchtime that we returned to our room. I went to take a shower first and while in the bathroom, I thought I heard a knock at the door. For some reason, I decided to leave the shower water running after I stepped out and dried off. When I came out of the bathroom, there was my partner and the assistant manager making out on top of our bed. I was furious; so angry, that the intruder ran out of the room. I then turned to my partner and yelled some tough words for them before packing up and making my way back to the airport. I never spoke to them again. Because of my issues with trust, I totally understood the dilemma the husband had in this dramatic spy thriller romance. WHEN MASTER SPY GEORGE WOODHOUSE, PLAYED by Michael Fassbender (Next Goal Wins, X-Men franchise), was assigned a list of possible traitors to the agency, he notices one of the names on the list was his wife. How can he protect his country and wife at the same time? With Gustaf Skarsgard (I’ll Be Your Mirror, Vikings-TV) as Phillip Meacham, Cate Blanchett (Borderlands, Don’t Look Up) as Kathryn St. Jean, Tom Burke (The Souvenir, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) as Freddie Smalls, and Marisa Abela (Rogue Agent, Back to Black) as Clarissa Dubose; this film started out slow for me. However, as the scenes unfolded and I had a grasp of the characters, I started to enjoy what was taking place. The acting was tight and efficient with Michael and Cate as standouts for me. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Presence, Logan Lucky), I thought the pacing was equally as taut and fast paced. I appreciated the action was more verbal without the blood and violence, though there was one scene that had it. The script could have offered more depth, but under the circumstances I could see where that would have slowed things down. This movie turned out to be an exciting and fun watch with its twists and turns.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Arthur the King
I BELIEVE IF I DO THE SAME thing every day then I will be able to do it for a long time. I must believe it will work. This is how I am wired; if I exercise every day, I will never not be able to when I am older. Just this week on the local news, they reported an eighty-year-old woman entered a half marathon for the first time in her life and completed it. That is what I am talking about. I never want my age to define me. Having taught in fitness centers for over thirty years, I have seen every variety of people’s exercise regiments. It has been inspirational to see seniors consistently show up on a regular basis to lift weights, cycle, jog, or take some type of fitness class. I have witnessed individuals in wheelchairs or on crutches maneuver themselves into a weight machine to lift weights. In one of my yoga classes, I had a member who was in her eighties and still flexible enough to easily do various poses. What motivates me is fear; the fear of having to depend on someone to help me get out of a chair or lift a grocery bag into my car. The fear of not being able to get up from sitting on the floor or climbing a stepstool to reach something high in a kitchen cabinet. These fears play in the back of my mind like constant companions. WITH MY BRAIN WIRED THIS WAY, I am aware that I must be realistic. There will be things I cannot maintain the same way as I did in my thirties or forties. When I was in my twenties, I could jog outside for over an hour. These days I jog on a treadmill, and I must alternate between jogging and power walking. With my years of teaching, I have always stressed smart exercising. I instinctively knew I could not continue to jump on concrete or hard floors without my legs getting damaged in some way. In class, I would demonstrate a high impact move then change to the low impact version for the duration of the routine. In my mind, I think I can get back to the form I had when I was teaching twenty classes a week, plus doing my own workout routine. I do not question myself because I need that image as fuel to motivate me on those days when I do not feel like going to the health club or cycling for an hour. I have always encouraged my members not to set a weight loss goal or maximum lifting weight; just continue moving and slowly improving your performances. Not knowing at first this film was based on a true story, I quickly fell in line wishing for the team’s success in this dramatic adventure sport film. HAVING NEVER WON AN ADVENTURE RACING COMPETITION, a competitor assembles a team one last time to make a go of it. And along the way they wind up with a fifth member. With Mark Wahlberg (The Family Plan, Joe Bell) as Michael, Simu Liu (Last Breath, Atlas) as Leo, Juliet Rylance (A Dog’s Purpose, Perry Mason-TV) as Helen, Nathalie Emmanuel (The Killer, Game of Thrones-TV) as Olivia, and Ali Suliman (Lone Survivor, The Swimmers) as Chik; the story in this film was written to draw the viewer in. I had never heard of this 425-mile race that takes place over ten days. That alone was enough for me to become attracted to this picture. The script was written to pull at the heartstrings and there was an element of predictability; however, this did not take away from the extraordinary experience the racers endured. The outdoor shots were beautiful, and the dog was something special. Personally, I cannot imagine participating in such a race, and I cannot understand why people would sign up for it. However, I am glad they did so this story could make it out into the general public and allow me to experience it vicariously. It was a wild ride that I still find hard to believe.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Last Breath
THE FIRST TIME I EVER STEPPED on a boat was when I was five or six years old. Well, not actually stepped on but carried on because I was kicking and crying. It was a ferry that went between two populated islands and the ride, though I did not know at the time, was only twenty-five minutes long. I had it in mind if I stepped on the boat, it would cause it to sink; I was a chunky kid at the time. My relatives kept telling me I would love the boat ride, and I kept saying to them I did not want to go. Finally, after I tried getting out of line for the second time, a relative lifted me up and held me until we were seated by a set of large picture windows in the covered area of the ship. Once the ropes were untied from the dock, the ferry’s engines gunned louder, churning the water up behind and we started moving towards open waters. I was still teary eyed and sniffling. When the ferry arrived in open waters, it picked up speed. The shore and skyline grabbed my attention. Seeing tall skyscrapers from a unique perspective sliding away from me grabbed my attention to the point where I stopped thinking about the boat sinking. Soon the shoreline curved away from us and we began to go even faster across the water. I did not realize this whole time a relative had stepped away to buy snacks at the concession stand set up at the back of the boat. With a cookie and carton of milk in hand, I started enjoying the ride. And by the time we arrived at our destination, I started crying again because I did not want to get off the boat. IT WAS NOT UNTIL YEARS LATER that I found myself stepping on board an ocean seafaring ship again. My childhood fears had been left behind many years ago. We were taking a cruise on a ship that held nearly three thousand passengers. Maybe because I was a decent swimmer my fears were negligible. Granted, I was a little agitated during the ship’s safety meeting we were required to attend, but nothing dramatic. Since we had a few hours before we were to set sail, we explored the ship. I quickly acclimated to the surroundings, learning where the fitness center, theater, restaurants, and snack shops were located. By the time we were ready to leave port, we went back to our room to get ready for dinner. I did not pay attention to the view out our balcony window, so I did not realize the water was choppy. As we left the cabin and started walking down the long hallway to the elevators, I realized I was not able to walk in a straight line; I had to place a hand on the walls to steady myself a couple of times. My stomach started to gurgle and moan. I made it to the restaurant but was not feeling good. We were seated and as each of us was looking over the menu, I realized I was getting seasick. Just seeing the printed descriptions of the entrees made my stomach churn. For the next 24 hours, I remained in bed until medication calmed my stomach and I was able to once again navigate around the ship. Even knowing the waters we had traveled were nowhere near as rough as the ones depicted in this dramatic adventure thriller, I still do not know how no one in this film appeared, even queasy for a moment. DESPITE HAVING ONE OF THE HARDEST jobs on the planet, a group of deep-sea divers encountered an even more challenging assignment when they had to dive in the middle of a violent storm to repair an underwater pipeline. With Woody Harrelson (Champions, Fly Me to the Moon) as Duncan Allock, Simu Liu (Arthur the King, Jackpot!) as Dave Yuasa, Finn Cole (Locked In, Animal Kingdom-TV) as Chris Lemons, Cliff Curtis (Risen, The Meg franchise) as Capt. Andre Jenson, and Mark Bonnar (The Kid Who Would be King, Catastrophe-TV) as Craig; this film based on a true story surprised me. Though the script was kept direct and simple, the story was still riveting. Even after a couple of days viewing this picture, I still could not stop thinking about this amazing story. With a steady hand directing, the tension was consistent throughout the picture. I would have appreciated more depth for the characters, and for the script to have taken more risks so as not to have been predictable, but I still was entertained throughout the story. I will say having seen this movie has given me a whole new appreciation of the sea and the people who work in and on it.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Speak No Evil
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I FACED when dating was figuring out the person’s sense of humor. I found it difficult to do on a blind date or on a first date. My humor leans toward the sarcastic, so I felt I had a little leeway, especially because I would quickly chuckle after my comment to let the person know I was kidding. Still, I kept things low key, only testing the water. However, I have been on dates when the person would make comments that I was not sure if they were funny or serious. My motto has been if you must explain the joke then it is not a joke. I was on one date where we were sitting in a coffee shop and the person from the start was cracking jokes and kept it up through most of the conversation. It was so annoying and not very funny. You see, when I am on a first date, I want to learn things about the person, their history, their likes and dislikes, their past relationships; it is information that I feel helps me decide if there is to be a second date. I enjoy making people laugh, but I must get to know the person to see what types of jokes are appropriate. What one person finds funny may not be funny to someone else. The dates that excessively made jokes about everything usually did not get a second date with me. GRATEFULLY, THE DATING YEARS ARE FAR behind me, but I still must work at “reading” a person. In other words, believing or not believing what they are saying. The funny thing is I can do it when I am simply a bystander. A friend of mine was dating a man and after a couple of months felt comfortable enough to introduce him to her friends. We had gotten together for dinner and after hearing about him, I was finally able to listen and observe him live, in the flesh. During the conversations, I felt the guy was not being completely truthful. There were a couple of follow-up questions I asked about comments he made, and his answers did not match the knowledge I had on the subject. I also noticed he would break eye contact when he was giving false information on topics I knew. The following day after meeting my friend’s boyfriend, she called me and asked what I thought of him. I had to be honest and told her he was hiding something. She was curious plus valued my opinion since we knew each other for many years, so I told her what I thought of him. She took my information and stored it in her memory but continued dating this man until she caught him in a blatant lie. At least there was no drama during the breakup, unlike the poor family in this dramatic, psychological suspense thriller. HAVING ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO COME visit the country home of people they just met on vacation, the couple and their daughter soon realize something is off about their hosts. How could they tactfully back out? With James McAvoy (The Book of Clarence, Together) as Paddy, Mackenzie Davis (Tully, Terminator: Dark Fate) as Louise Dalton, Scoot McNairy (Nightbitch, A Complete Unknown) as Ben Dalton, Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale, The Unforgivable) as Ciara, and Alix West Lefler (The King Tide, Riverdale-TV) as Agnes Dalton; this movie was the type of tense horror film I enjoy because it was more suspenseful than bloody gore. There were a few scenes with blood and violence, but I did not find it overwhelming. James was spectacular in this role and in some ways reminded me of Jack Nicholson in The Shining. I appreciated the outdoor scenes as the script kept pulling me into its grip before loosening up, only to pull me in tighter next time. The whole cast was excellent, especially the children. Now, there were a few scenes that rang false to me, but overall, I appreciated the way the writers kept the viewers engaged with the story. Plus, there was a certain amount of “creep factor” that kept me on the edge of my seat.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Number 24
IT WAS NOT THE ORGANIZATION’S FAULT. I was supposed to be one of many volunteers who were assigned to turn an empty warehouse space into a fantasy land. The theme of the event they were hoping to create was titled “Coming Out of the Shadows.” When I was given the assignment, I was told at the time that there would be longer hours involved the closer we got to the gala charity event. When I arrived on the first day of my assignment, I was expecting a large group to be in attendance. It was obvious to me there were not a lot of people. The coordinator addressed it immediately, telling us several individuals called at the last minute to say they would not be able to come and help. He told us he was trying to find others to help, but they had to follow a tight schedule and asked us to be patient and do the best we could. I felt bad for the organization but was willing to do whatever I could to help. After he was done speaking, the coordinator took us to a storage space that was filled with all kinds of props, lights, materials, and mannequins. Each of us was handed a sheet that had a rendering of what the room was supposed to look like. He told us different people will pop in at times to check on the progress and give any suggestions if needed; but he stressed that we should try to have fun creating what he thought was such an imaginative space. ONCE HE LEFT US, EACH OF us took turns introducing ourselves and stating what we thought our strengths were for this task. I mentioned that I have a good eye for spacing and organization. Part of my job was to haul out groups of items that were ready to be used by the volunteers who had a flair for decorating. I offered suggestions to them when I thought something was not working or would be in the way of the guests when the room was full. Later in the day it was obvious we would have to stay late if we were to stay on track to finish everything on time. Gratefully, the organization ordered pizza for us since we were going to be there late into the night. As I was taking things out of the storeroom, I discovered there were props that were too heavy for me to carry. I found someone to help, and we still struggled to get the items out onto the floor. For the entire week we had to keep this pace up, staying up late every night, eating something quick when we could, and always on the move. I was exhausted every night when I got home. By the end of the week all of us were sore and exhausted from all the work, but it was worth it. The organization was thrilled with the results. I felt good about how much we sacrificed to get things done and ready for the event. Not that it is a contest, but after seeing this biographical drama, my sacrifice pales in comparison. ON THE VERGE OF BEING OCCUPIED, a Norwegian citizen decides he cannot sit back and watch his country be taken over by Nazi Germany. What he starts to do will make him the number one target of the German forces. With Sjur Vatne Brean (Out Stealing Horses, Delete Me-TV) as Gunner Sonsteby, Erik Hivju (Max Manus: Man of War, Hvaler-TV) as the older Gunnar Sonsteby, Philip Helgar (Russebussen-TV) as Edward Tallaksen, Magnus Degpale (Cabin Crazy, Total Paranoia) as Andreas Aubert, and Ines Hoysaeter Asserson (Softshell, Heirs of the Night-TV) as Reidun Andersen; this war film told a story I had never heard in any of my history classes, which is a shame. I thought the script was going to bother me as it jumped from present time to past, but it wound up adding an extra layer of connection with the characters. The story in of itself was remarkable and I enjoyed the way the writers stuck to a straightforward story line without taking many dramatic liberties. It also assisted with keeping the moral questions on equal footing. The acting was good; they came across as real people. This was such an incredible story to watch and knowing that it was based on a true person made it even better. Norwegian, German, Danish and English were spoken with subtitles.
3 ½ stars
moviejoltz 