Blog Archives
Flash Movie Review: Conclave
THROUGHOUT MY SCHOOL YEARS, I WAS never great with testing. Whether it was scheduled or a pop quiz, I struggled with it. Gratefully, early on, I realized I would have to study harder for tests and just hope for the best when it came to pop quizzes. I always knew the subject; that was not the issue. However, when I was given a multiple-choice question, the imaginative side of my brain could usually justify more than one choice. It took me several years to find a way to quickly throw out the obviously incorrect answers so I could quickly test out the remaining responses, to determine which one was the correct answer. In grade school, I remember there was a boy who sat a couple of seats ahead of me in the next row who would cheat on the teacher’s tests. He had a close friend who sat in the seat next to him who helped by flashing him with different hand signals. Whenever this boy needed an answer, he would tap his pencil on the edge of the desk. His friend would glance over, and the cheater would hold up the number of fingers corresponding to which question he needed the answer. The friend would check then give him a hand signal. For example, if the correct answer was “A” then the boy would point his index and middle fingers down until the fingertips were resting on the desk. For the “C” answer he would form the letter “C” with his hand and so on. It annoyed me that he was cheating but I never tattled on him. I later would discover certain students made a habit of cheating. I ALWAYS FOUND CHEATING AN ODD thing. Mainly because I believed we needed to know the right answers because the class structure was one where teachers were building upon building on top of the information we were learning. We had to know the events that led to a historical event, not just know that World War II happened without understanding how it came to be. Applying this to my current life, I certainly would not go to a doctor who cheated on their tests. But I have seen in the business world, there are individuals who make it a habit of cheating for personal gain. I worked at a company where one salesperson would steal sample books from other salespeople. They wanted to give out books to everyone in their territory even though they were told the smaller volume customers would need to be charged for the books. They did not think so, which was their right; however, it was not fair to steal books from fellow salespeople. Sadly, this is only one example; throughout my career, I have encountered cheaters from every line of work. And if anything, I saw in this movie is based on truth, I am dumbstruck. UPON THE UNEXPECTED DEATH OF THE pope, the cardinals were summoned to the Vatican to begin the process of selecting a new pope. Only one cardinal finds themselves standing in the middle of events uncovered that could rattle the Catholic Church to its core. With Ralph Fiennes (The Forgiven, Harry Potter franchise) as Lawrence, Stanley Tucci (The Witches, The Lovely Bones) as Bellini, John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon, Cabrini) as Tremblay, Lucian Msamati (The Good Liar, Gangs of London-TV) as Adeyemi, and Jacek Koman (Defiance, Tonight You’re Sleeping with Me) as Wozniak; this dramatic thriller started as a slow burn for me. However, as the story unfolded, I became more engaged. It did not hurt that I was excited to see locations that I have visited at the Vatican. The acting was outstanding from the cast, even the short time Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes was on screen was a memorable experience. As for the story, I have not read the book but if any of it is based on truth then I am stunned. The screenwriters did a wonderful job of creating a live chess match for these actors to play in. Also, I could see where parallels could be drawn to current events. Truth be told, even after seeing this film several days ago, I still wonder if any of the story was based on truth. If so, it would give me a different perspective on the church.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Wicked
I WAS BROWSING THROUGH THE BOOKSTORE, despite already having a couple of books in my hand. As I came up to one of the display tables that were scattered throughout the store, a book cover caught my eye. Believe it or not, it was the light-colored paper that attracted my eyes to it first, but then it was the illustration. It looked like one of those old-fashioned pencil drawn cartoons you would see in a magazine or newspaper. I was intrigued by this, so I decided to stop and pick up one of the book copies that were stacked on top of the table. I read the back cover first before opening the front cover to read the brief summary describing what the book was about. It was such a fascinating idea for a story and clicked into my childhood fantasies that had been fueled by movies I had seen when I was a small boy. I decided to purchase the book and began reading it as soon as I got home. The writing was imaginative and creative; I was able to see the characters and scenery perfectly in my mind as if I were right there with them. Going forward, I made sure I put time aside every day to read more of the book until I finished it. AFTER I HAD READ THE BOOK, I told all my friends about what a wonderful story it was to read. Because I do not like giving much away when people ask, “What is it about,” I produced the perfect answer: it is a prequel to the story of “The Wizard of Oz.” Some of the looks I would get from friends were amusing. Most of them said they did not know or hear there was such a thing. I explained the story was about the early life of some of the characters. My fondness for the book made me be on the lookout for any other books written by the same author. Several years later, I was surprised to hear about a new musical that was opening on Broadway, which was based on the book I had read back in 1995. I made a point of looking for theater reviews or news about the production, besides wishing I could go to New York to see it for myself. As it turned out, the musical was a big hit, and it won the Tony Award. I had to wait a couple of years before I was able to see it when a traveling company set up residence in my city; it went on to become one of the longest lasting running plays here. And now, years later, I witnessed another transformation of the novel I read decades ago, by watching this musical romantic dramatic fantasy. COMING FROM COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, two first-year college students are forced to be roommates. These friendly enemies soon learn there was something more to each of them when they were together. With Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Widows) as Elphaba, Ariana Grande (Don’t Look Up, Victorious-TV) as Galinda, Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park franchise, The Grand Budapest Hotel) as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh (Tomorrow Never Dies, A Haunting in Venice) as Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton-TV, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero; this big production blockbuster did not spare a penny in creating a magical feast for the eyes. The scenery was amazing, colorful, and creative. The actors were perfectly cast and crafted for their roles. Jonathan Bailey was the biggest surprise for me with his singing and dancing. However, at the top of screen star power, I have to say it goes to Cynthia. Anyone in a scene with her faded slightly to the background because of Cynthia’s acting ability. She was able to emote such feelings simply through her facial expressions. Now, I will say the film, which is only part one, was too long. The middle section dragged at times for me; however, the last hour was worth the price of admission. For me, that was the exciting part of the film and kept me laser focused on what was taking place on screen. Luckily, no one in the audience felt the need to sing along with the actors. If one is not an enthusiastic fan of musical numbers, they will get bored at times because the musical numbers fill up a generous portion of the scenes. For everyone else, they will love this film. Part two will be released in November of 2025.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Trailer: Emilia Perez
ONCE I FEEL SOMEONE IS NOT a good person, I rarely change my mind. What I mean by good is someone who displays kindness, thoughtfulness, empathy, compassion, and other similar types of qualities. In a previous movie review, I mentioned the time I spotted a classmate setting fire to a cat’s tail. Unless he found the answer in curing cancer later in life, I cannot ever consider him a decent human being. Some years ago, I bumped into a former classmate who was mean to me. I was cordial but had no desire to continue a conversation with him until unexpectedly he asked me if I remembered us when we were back in school. When I said yes, he offered me an apology which, I have to say, seemed heartfelt. He explained his home life back then and how angry he was at everyone, but pointing out it still was not an excuse for the things he did to me. I was touched by his words and accepted his apology. We continued talking for a bit and I asked him what he did for a living. When he said he was a teacher, I chuckled. He asked what was so funny and I said from him being a teacher’s nightmare to becoming a teacher was funny. He thought for a moment, smiled, and said he would have to agree with me. AS I HAVE STATED IN THE past, I believe everyone is born with both good and evil inside of them. It is up to the individual to decide and choose which one they will manifest. I used to know this person when I was a kid who had a fun sense of humor and was very personable. However, they had such a quick temper that they would periodically get into fistfights. Being strong and former military, they usually won those fights. Unfortunately, as time went on, the people he fought were getting seriously injured, to the point they needed to be hospitalized. As a result, there were a couple of times this person had to be jailed. Would you say they were a good or bad person? I felt they had a mix of both. Though I remember the times I was around them, I would always try not to upset them. There were a couple of people I used to work with at previous companies who were running scams. One woman was living with a man who was the father of her three children; but they were not married. The reason being she could file for state aid on each child. With the money they would get they used it to help fund the lavish trips they took and designer clothes they bought. I could not say she was a good person which ironically was my dilemma with the main character in this crime, musical thriller, drama. AN UNSATISFIED LAWYER RECEIVES AN OFFER that could drastically change her life. She had no idea how much change and risk it would entail. With Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, The Adam Project) as Rita Moro Castro, Karla Sofia Gascon (We Are the Nobles, Wild Heart-TV) as Manitas Del Monte, Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building-TV, Spring Breakers) as Jessi, Adriana Paz (The Empty Hours, Spectre) as Epifania, and Edgar Ramirez (Jungle Cruise, Point Break( as Gustavo Brun; this film festival winning movie grabbed me right from the start. What a mix of ideas that on paper looked like they would not work together, but instead created this imaginative piece of entertainment that had a couple of messages thrown in without preaching. Zoe and Karla were outstanding, and I felt this could be Zoe’s best performance. The basic idea of the story was not that unusual; but the execution of it was imaginative and creative. At times bordering close to being humorous to becoming a powerful statement, I enjoyed this picture from beginning to end. It is a good movie. There were a few scenes with violence and blood.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Didi
I DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT actually changed, but I quickly realized some of the games and toys I liked, no one else did. It was like one day my friends and I were playing a game of tag, and the next day it became a game for little kids. My world was quickly changing; certain things and activities once “cool” were no longer “cool” anymore. There was the year everyone I knew in school was wearing puka bead necklaces. There were a few students who would make and sell them to the other students. I had three different ones that I would wear, depending on what shirt I wore that day. All of us thought we were trendsetters. However, the following school year if you were caught wearing those necklaces, it was more than likely someone would make a snide comment about it. Just like that it had fallen out of favor. What replaced the necklaces with being the hot item for the year was a particular new brand of blue jeans. Many students could be seen throughout the school hallways wearing these jeans; all except me because they did not come in my size. I was devastated; I desperately wanted to up my “cool factor” and my weight was holding me back. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME WHEN I noticed my body was starting to change, as were most of the kids around me. My skin started breaking out with acne and I started growing facial hair. I had no idea that being one of the first boys to have this growth would be considered “cool.” It did not last long as many of my friends started appearing with shadow stubbles around their jawline. I worked extra hard to lose weight to make up for the feelings of dread whenever I saw my acne covered face in the mirror. It was such an awkward time and all of us were about to move on to high school, where there would be a much larger student body. My freshman year had a rough start. With my beard growing heavier and thicker, I was prone to getting multiple ingrown hairs that would get infected. I had to start going to a dermatologist that had to use a device that would leave me with scabs around my neck. Add in the acne, and heavy weight; my self-worth was down in the dumpster. Friends were expanding their circle or friends, boys and girls were dating, and a pecking order was developing within the first-year class. One had to be careful about the way they dressed, talked, and moved throughout the school. It was such an awkward period which should explain why I appreciated this movie so much. IT IS THE SUMMER BEFORE THE new school year starts and a 13-year-old Asian boy is trying to find a way to fit in with the kids in the neighborhood. With Izaac Wang (Good Boys, Clifford the Big Red Dog) as Chris Wang, Joan Chen (Sleep Without a Shepherd, Marco Polo-TV) as Chungsing Wang, Shirley Chen (Beast Beast, Wake Up) as Vivian Wang, newcomer Zhang Li Hua as Nai Nai, and newcomer Raul Dial as Fahad; this film took a well-covered genre and made it something special. First off, I thought the acting was superb from the main cast, especially Joan and Izaac. I felt the actors were completely lost in their characters; they were so believable. There was no need to over explain situations or turn them into a form of basement humor. The script and directing blended in a clean and uncomplicated way, allowing the actions to tell the story. I feel a good portion of the viewers will be able to relate to this story, minus the insecurities or fears they might have had when they were at that age. Multiple scenes had Chinese spoken with English subtitles.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Woman of the Hour
IT IS NOT LIKE I STUDIED FOR it or practiced it over and over again; it is just some feeling that directs my interactions with the world. Let me give you an example. I had an indoor gym set that essentially consisted of one weight stack, one bench, and various attachments to work the different muscle groups. One of my exercises on it was a lat pulldown, pulling a bar suspended above my head down until my arms formed a 90-degree angle. One day, I started to close my eyes and turn my face away from the weight stack in front of me as I pulled down the bar. I cannot tell you why, though it was odd, but it was something I started doing every time I did this exercise. After one week of doing this, the next time I went to start the routine by standing to reach the bar and bringing it down, the cable snapped. I was stunned. Because t had just grabbed the bar, there was little force, and the frayed cable end flopped down onto the bench that was between my legs. It suddenly occurred to me that if I had been sitting down exerting force by pulling down on the bar, that cable would have snapped right into my face. The crazy part was after I replaced the broken cable and sat to do the pulldowns, I was not aware at first that I did not close my eyes or turn my face away. I have no explanation. THIS SAME, LET ME CALL IT, phenomenon of feeling or sense happens with people. A friend of mine introduced her boyfriend to me after they had been dating for a few months. When I shook his hand in greeting them, I got a bad feeling. It was not something physical per se, more like a sense of dread, ache or ickiness. Every time we got together, I always had this bad feeling around him. I did not want to upset my friend while she was dating this man. However, as they started to settle into being a couple, some things started coming out. It turned out he was controlling and preferred having things his way. Whenever he did not get his way, he would pout and stew about it. Gratefully, my friend did not put up with such behavior for too long, though she went longer than I would have gone. So, you see, there is just something inside of me that protects me and helps me make decisions so I can avoid getting into a bad/uncomfortable situation. I know other people have this ability and you can see for yourself how it helps the main character in this crime mystery drama. TRYING TO BREAK INTO SHOW BUSINESS, an aspiring actress agrees to go on a televised dating show. She does not realize that her instincts just might save her life. With Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect franchise, Up in the Air) as Sheryl, Daniel Zovatto (Don’t Breathe, The Pope’s Exorcist) as Rodney, Tony Hale (Quiz Lady, Arrested Developments-TV) as Ed, Nicolette Robinson (One Night in Miami, Day of the Fight) as Laura, and Pete Holmes (Home Sweet Home Alone, Crashing-TV) as Terry; this film based on a true story was Anna’s directorial debut. She did an excellent job for her first time, building up tension while not showing graphic violence. Because of the script, I did not get a strong connection to the characters, and maybe that was done on purpose to focus more on the women, for the period of time the story was set in. The fact this was based on a true story made me sit and wonder what things must have been like back then; it was such a sad and crazy story. By the time the movie ended, I had the feeling that Anna could easily make a career out of being a film director.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Killer Heat
MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO TWIN SIBLINGS was a movie where teenage twin sisters swap places and scheme to reunite their divorced parents. Seeing the two sisters together looking identical fascinated me. I was too young to realize that it was one actress playing both sisters. The next time I encountered twins was watching a television show called Family Affair. The twins were Buffy and Jody, a brother and sister, but they were not identical. Except for these two experiences, I had no contact with any sets of twins until I was in high school. And then, it was like an explosion because there were several sets during my four years in school. A couple of them were identical twins; one in particular was always difficult to figure out who was who, until you talked to them for a little while. One brother was into sports, and I thought was mean; the other one was more into the social clubs like film and debate team which suited his friendlier personality. I remember one time when they swapped their classes for one period. I had the nicer brother in my classroom, and I knew within a matter of minutes that the other brother was sitting next to me instead; he did not say hello, which the nicer one always did when coming in and sitting down at his desk. Surprisingly, the teacher did not know the difference. THERE WAS ANOTHER SET OF TWIN brothers in the school that were both bullies, one was worse, however. They would pick on students all the time; in the classroom, lunchroom and outside on the school grounds. I learned quickly to stay away from them as best as I could. It was not until the end of our sophomore year that some of us found out the two brothers were not twins. The meaner one was held back a year; in other words, he flunked a grade. The two brothers decided to tell everyone they were twins so the older one would not be embarrassed. The thing I found interesting about the sets of twins in school was when there were two girls or a girl and a boy set, they were never competitive with each other. Sure, they may have had some form of sibling rivalry, but I never saw one trying to beat out the other. It was only the sets that had two boys that were competitive at our school. Even if the personalities were different, they still had a strong streak of competitiveness. Granted, none of them could match the competitiveness of the twins in this romantic, crime mystery drama, and I am grateful for it. AFTER A YOUNG ROCK CLIMBER FALLS from a cliff to his death, one of the family members secretly hires a detective to investigate all the clues to see if things match up. As the detective delves deeper into the case, his own issues begin to come out. With Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Trial of the Chicago 7, Flora and Son) as Nick Bali, Shailene Woodley (Dumb Money, To Catch a Killer) as Penelope Vardakis, Richard Madden (Eternals, Game of Thrones-TV) as Elias ‘Leonidas,’ Clare Holman (Let Him Have It, Inspector Lewis-TV) as Audrey, and Babou Ceesay (Eye in the Sky, We Hunt Together-TV) as Georges Mensah; this film was shot in the beautiful island of Crete. The outdoor scenes were stunning. I enjoyed the performances from the cast, but the script did not offer them much to work their craft. The characters were one-dimensional, which turned many scenes into standard fare. I liked the idea of the story, and I thought Joseph and Shailene could have turned into characters with depth and emotion; though no fault of their own, I was disappointed. Well, at least I enjoyed the scenery.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Saturday Night
I CANNOT REMEMBER HOW, BUT I kept hearing about a new television show that was going to air on a Saturday night. The first thing that struck me was the fact it was airing on a Saturday night; the night most everyone could do something that was not work or school related. The other thing that struck me was the fact I kept hearing about it no matter where I was on campus. In discussion halls, the student union, laboratories; I would hear bits and pieces of students’ conversations about this strange new show. Only one friend out of our group had a television in their room, but they were going back home that weekend; so, the rest of us decided to meet at our student union building because they had a large TV room for the students. The week before the telecast, I was hearing more chatter about the show. It seemed as if every student was curious enough that they wanted to see what the show was about. I told my friends there may be a lot of students showing up at the student union, so maybe we should come up with an alternative plan in case we cannot get into the TV room. We pleaded with our friend to let us borrow his television and we would bring it back on Sunday when he returned to campus. He was not too thrilled, but we promised we would make sure nothing happened to it, that we would wrap the TV in a blanket before moving it. He finally agreed. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TELEVISION would come to my room because I did not have a roommate, so I had a little more space for us to spread out. On Friday, four of us met up and moved the television to my place. Once I plugged it in, we turned it on to make sure we had good reception; all was in order and all we had to do was wait until the next day. Saturday came and we met for dinner at a pizza place near campus before coming back to watch the show. Once everyone had settled into my place and the television was turned on, we sat and waited. It did not take long before we were laughing and hooting at the television screen. The show was such a mix of oddball scenarios mixed with humor nuttiness; all of us could not stop talking about it after the show had ended. On Monday, back in class, everyone was talking about the show, some feeling the humor was directed at our age group, others loving the satirical bent used during the fake newscast. For the rest of the school year, my friends and I would squeeze into a packed television room at the student union to watch the show. All these feelings flooded back to me when I watched this biographical, dramatic comedy film. ON OCTOBER 11, 1975, A GROUP of young comedians and writers were hoping to do something different on television. They would not know if they would be ready to go until the very last minute before airing. With Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans, The Predator) as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott (Bottoms, I Use to be Funny) as Rosie Shuster, Cory Michael Smith (Carol, May December) as Chevy Chase, Ella Hunt (Anna and the Apocalypse, Lady Chatterley’s Lover) as Gilda Radner, and Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner franchise, Love and Monsters) as Dan Aykroyd; this movie started out at a frenzied, frenetic pace that was almost overwhelming for me. However, once I got used to it, I fell into a satisfying rhythm. The actors had varying degrees of likeness to the characters they were playing, but it was their acting abilities that made them believable. Since I was a fan of the television show, I got a huge kick out of watching this picture. I did not mind the holes in the script that could have been filled with more story about each character. Also, I am guessing not everything depicted was true and I was okay with it. Putting the pieces together, I had a fun time sitting and watching this film while reliving my memories of being there when the first episode was broadcast.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Hold Your Breath
IF I AM NOT READING A BOOK or listening to music, I always have the television turned on, even if I have no plans to watch it. I use a TV as background noise because I am uncomfortable being in silence. There is a reason for it. There was a television show that debuted when I was a small child of six or seven years of age. I probably was too young to watch it, because I always dreamt of a horrible nightmare when I went to sleep after having watched the show. Every episode started out with the television screen going black and a single white dot would appear in the center. A voice would come on and tell us not to adjust our television sets, there was nothing wrong with them. I believe the next thing the announcer said was they were taking control of our sets and that is when that white dot turned into a wavy line, getting smaller and bigger at times. I can remember snippets of the different episodes, but each week there was always a “monster” or alien being since the show leaned more towards science fiction as opposed to something like The Twilight Zone. I would be terrified of the monsters; some with extra powers or wanting to do experiments on humans. Even if I closed my eyes during a scene, I still would wake up in the middle of the night from a bad dream. THAT SHOW WAS THE START OF me not liking silence. As I grew older and no longer needed a babysitter, I could not handle being in a quiet space. Any little sounds coming from the house or outside would cause me to jump. One time there was some noise I heard coming from the back porch. I quickly turned off all the lights and hid in the kitchen pantry. Not because I was hungry, but because from there I could sneak peeks at the back door, to see if a human shadow loomed up. I would stand in there for 15-20 minutes before I thought it was safe to come out. Through the years, past my college graduation and moving out into my own apartment, I was the same when it came to hearing noises. Imagine living in a big courtyard apartment building; there were always various noises sounding off; my television and music player were my constant companions. It is as if my mind is always ready to take a pessimistic view when it comes to hearing an uncommon sound that I cannot explain. I do not know if it is a good or dreadful thing, that I understood what the main character was going through in this dramatic, horror thriller. WITH HER HUSBAND AWAY FOR WORK, a wife had to take care of the house and their children during the Oklahoma dust storms that ravaged the state. The fact that there might be something else bad outside made raising their kids all the harder. With Sarah Paulson (Run, American Horror Story-TV) as Margaret Bellum, Amiah Miller (The Water Man, War for the Planet of the Apes) as Rose Bellum, relative newcomer (Alona Jane Robbins as Ollie Bellum, Annaleigh Ashford (American Reject, B Positive-TV) as Esther Smith, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear-TV, No Hard Feelings) as Wallace Grady; this movie was beautifully filmed. I enjoyed the atmospheric scenes mixed in with the starkness; they helped with creating the bleakness of the environment. Sarah and Amiah were especially strong with their characters; Sarah was especially riveting. However, my interest periodically faded at times because the script created this series of repetitive scenarios that did not build up the tension or move the story forward. There needed to be more tension that would have led to a stronger ending. Even if I did not like hearing unfamiliar sounds when I am alone, after seeing this picture, I am amazed at the people who survived these storms back in the 1930s in Oklahoma.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Joker: Folie A Deux
I BELIEVE I AM A MARKETER’S dream because I like trying out new products. Not every kind of product, mind you, just those that are in my wheelhouse. They say variety is the spice of life, and in certain circumstances that is true; however, when it comes to food items I have my limits. I remember when my favorite candy-coated chocolate candy came out with a caramel flavor; I had to buy a bag the next time I went to the grocery store. It was terrific. Now if you are not a fan of caramel then this item would not do anything for you, I get it. The same thing with my favorite chocolate sandwich cookie. They came out with a thin version, touting less calories. That may have been questionable, but I enjoyed them because I like the chocolate cookie part more than the creamy filling. The cookies recently came out with a cola flavored cookie which just seems wrong to me. Now on the other hand, when I see or read about a new product or flavor that uses weird combinations, at least weird in my mind, I must wonder who would buy such a thing. The candy-coated candies tried a new flavor: jalapeno peanut chocolate. They were a flop. One of the most unusual items I have ever heard about were pumpkin spice scented flushable wipes. I wonder who would use such a thing. BESIDES THE FOOD CATEGORY, THERE ARE certain things/ideas I hear about that do not sound good to me. There was talk at one time about creating a Titanic themed resort in Las Vegas. The hotel would be in the shape of the ship. Personally, I thought it was a poor idea to turn a tragic event into a happening Vegas resort. The movie with Kate Winslet was wonderful; however, when I heard, there was talk to turn it into a Broadway musical, I found it disturbing. Though it could be said of the film, the idea of cashing in a tragedy makes me uncomfortable for some reason. The only example I can come up with is basing a musical on a meat packing plant or something similar. This mixing of two genres or two ideas that share nothing in common does not seem to work in my opinion. Or, let me say it in a different way; it often does not end in success. Here is the perfect example: I do not want to see comic book characters thrust into singing in a musical number. You will understand with my review of this musical drama thriller. WHILE WAITING FOR HIS TRIAL, A prison inmate finds the love of his life, who appears to be in perfect synch with him. With Joaquin Phoenix (Beau’s Dead, The Sisters Brother) as Arthur Fleck, Lady Gaga (House of Gucci, A Star is Born) as Lee Quinzel, Brendan Gleeson (In the Heart of the Sea, The Banshees of Inisherin) as Jackie Sullivan, Catherine Keener (The Adam Project, Get Out) as Maryanne Stewart, and Zazie Beetz (Nine Days, Deadpool 2) as Sophie Dumond; this movie was one of the worst films I have seen this year. There was very little positive about it except for Lady Gaga. As far as I was concerned, she was the star of the movie and with the little portion of the script given to her, she turned it into a solid piece of work. The script was looney with most of the action taking place in prison but being broken up with several musical numbers. Joaquin cannot sing, which only made watching this film more painful. I could not wait for this movie to be over, having sat through it with no movement of story or purpose. It came across as someone’s pipe dream, and whoever greenlighted this production should not be allowed to keep their position. As a side note: I read in the newspaper that ticket sales dropped 81% after its first week at the theaters. That should tell you everything you need to know.
1 ½ stars
moviejoltz 