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Flash Movie Review: The Wild Robot
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE LUCKY to have one mother; I had three of them. There was first my birth mother. Along with her there was her best friend that she grew up with who was a mother to me. The third one was a neighbor who lived in the apartment building where I was born. These three women were my mothers, and I know I was extremely fortunate to have them in my life. My mother’s childhood friend had a son who was several years older than me, but I never gave it any thought growing up. I remember all of us going bowling; the only one who did not know how to bowl was my mother’s friend. She was always the scorekeeper and when I would sit on her lap between turns, she would explain what she was doing and ask me to add up the numbers she had written for each frame. No matter how many pins I was able to knock down, she always gave me words of encouragement. I did not realize at an early age how talented she was, from telling funny stories to always sending birthday cards with a poem she had specifically written for the person celebrating. From time to time, I would be dropped off at her house to watch me while my mother had an errand. We usually would bake cookies which meant I would sit and watch then lick the spoon after she was done mixing the ingredients. I have such fond memories of her. MY THIRD MOTHER WAS OUR DOWNSTAIRS neighbor, who lived on the first floor; we lived on the third floor. I can still remember how I used to get down to her. Because I was still somewhat new with walking, I would walk over to our first step and sit down on it with my feet on the next step below. I would then slide off the step and move to the next one as my feet reached out to the next step and so on. I would make my way down to her floor then stand up and walk over to their front door. I do not know how she was able to hear my light knocking on the door, but she did, and every time she opened the door, she had a huge smile on her face. She would welcome me in and no matter what she was in the middle of she would always find ways to entertain me. It could be putting a record on the record player or helping her cook or listening to her read a book; I enjoyed spending time with her. She had two sons who were much older than me, so it was not often they would be home when I came down. These two women were my introduction into my definition of “family.” Now my definition as expanded with this beautiful animated, adventure science fiction film. AFTER CRASH LANDING, A SELF-SUSTAINING ROBOT tries to bond with the native animals. One of them sees the robot as its mother. With Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther franchise, A Quiet Place: Day One) voicing Roz, Pedro Pascal (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Mandalorian-TV) voicing Fink, Kit Connor (Rocketman, Heartstopper-TV) voicing Brightbill, Bill Nighy (The First Omen, Living) voicing Longneck, and Stephanie Hsu (The Fall Guy, Joy Ride) voicing Vontra; this movie, based on the bestselling book, was one of the best films I have seen all year. The animation, story, directing, and script were all brought together to tell a touching story that both children and adults could appreciate. I was totally connected to this film, from beginning to end. It offered drama, comedy, excitement, tension and much more; I even teared up at a couple of scenes. An interesting side note: at the viewing I attended there were all adults except for one child. This was a well-done picture that portrayed how love creates a family. Also, there was an extra scene at the end of the closing credits.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: His Three Daughters
THE FUNERAL SERVICE STARTED OUT ODD and only got weirder. I was in attendance to support my friend, whose mother had died after a prolonged illness. Her mother was such a character, I almost expected the service to have a jovial element to it. However, once I walked in and saw the receiving line of people paying their respects to my friend and her siblings, I knew something was not right. I could feel the tension in the air. My friend and her brother were standing in the middle of the front row, right in front of their mother’s casket that was flanked at both ends by a huge bouquet of flowers. The other sibling, the sister, was standing alone at the beginning of the row, to be the first stop for guests. What I found unusual about this, besides her not sitting with her siblings, was the fact she was wearing a fur coat. It was not that cold outside, I thought. The coat looked odd on her, it was too big; her hands were not visible due to the long sleeves. I did not know each of the siblings’ financial situation, but I thought it was strange that a woman in this day of age would have a fur coat. Plus, the length of the coat hung close to her ankles. Once the guests and I made our way through to give our condolences and to find a seat, there was a brief service. Never once did the sister and her siblings make eye contact. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I called my friend to see how she was managing. It was the first time we talked since the funeral. I asked how she was doing and she said she was angry. I asked her why and she said dealing with her sister had been awful. It turned out she was still upset that her sister went into their mother’s closet, without telling anyone, and took the fur jacket. Well, that explains it, I thought to myself. My friend spent a good deal of time ranting about her sister. It turned out the sister had gotten into a fight with the brother before the funeral and refused to sit with them. Evidently, this sister went through their parents’ house and took things she wanted, such as old photo albums and jewelry; never discussed it prior with her siblings. I would like to say I was of course only hearing one side of the story but taking that kind of stuff without discussing it did seem wrong to me. My friend said she and her brother were waiting for the lawyer to have the reading of the will. The curious side of me would like to be a fly on the wall to see how that would go for them. I had the same curiosity for the three sisters in this drama. THREE SISTERS CAME TOGETHER TO CARE for their dying father, at his New York City apartment. How were they supposed to do it when they did not know how to take care of each other? With Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age-TV, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) as Katie, Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll-TV, Poker Face-TV) as Rachel, Elizabeth Olsen (Wind River, Ingrid Goes West) as Christina, Rudy Galvan (Megan is Missing, Slice) as Angel, and Jose Febus (Law & Order-TV, East WillyB-TV) as Victor; this film festival winner captured me immediately due to the outstanding performances of the lead actors. I thought the actors took the thoughtful and authentic script and wove it into cinema magic. Without the need of explanation, Carrie, Natasha, and Elizabeth were able to convey so much to the viewer with a simple look or expression, to convey their emotional states and feelings. It felt like everyone was authentic in this movie and the fact that most of the scenes took place in the father’s apartment over a few days, my attention never wavered. I believe even if the viewer cannot relate to the relationship between the three sisters, they would still get something out of this story.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: El Conde
I BELIEVE I AM LIKE MOST people, maybe a little more than average when it comes to having regrets. They used to weigh me down in the past, but I think that is because I worried and had so many of them. Or at least I thought I did. One regret was for all the unnecessary shopping or what I like to call it, therapy shopping, I used to do. Whenever I was down or upset, I would pull out my charge card and go to a store, usually only one because that was sufficient to get me out of my funk, at least for a brief period of time. My favorite places to go shopping were book and record stores. I could get lost in bookstore and before I realized it, I had a dozen books I wanted to purchase. My other favorite shopping haunts were this specific local department store and a nationally known discount store. The discount store was usually saved for deeper regrets because I could spend little money but get a couple of shopping bags worth of stuff. In my book, it was a win-win solution. However, as I got older and began to understand what I was really doing, I started to have regrets for the amount of money I had spent over the years that I could have really used when I was laid off from a previous job. THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT AGING IS that one does not have the intensity or energy to keep mulling over past regrets. Sure, I can still think about them, but more in a passing type of way. Since I cannot change things from the past, then why am I devoting energy to it is my philosophy now. I wish a friend of mine would learn that philosophy. Though they have been out of school for many years, they still regret that they did not study in a different field of work. They had grand (their word) ideas of doing something special, but it never came to fruition. Instead, they focused more on being a part of a large company’s workforce, getting promotions to get them placed in a manager’s position. It worked out beautifully for them, but the monotony of the daily work tasks bored them greatly. They needed a challenge, according to them. I felt if the desire were strong enough then they would have made a change; however, the fact remains they are living a comfortable life, not extravagant but can pay their bills and still have a little leftover. I have told them repeatedly they can attend classes and get the degree they really wanted but would they be ready to start a new career just when they are about to retire. The answer was no. So, you see regrets can have a strong influence on a person; just see what it has done for the main character in this Oscar nominated historical comedic fantasy. HAVING LIVED FOR SUCH A LONG time, a former general who left in disgrace wants to die. It turns out so do his kids so they can get their inheritance. With Jaime Vadell (Spider, Coronacion) as El Conde, Gloria Munchameyer (Chips Libre-TV, Calzones Rotos) as Lucia, Alfredo Castro (The Club, From Afar) as Fyodor, Paula Luchsinger (Ema, La Jauria-TV) as Carmencita and Stella Gonet (Spencer, How I Live Now) as Margaret; this movie took me by surprise. First, the cinematography was exquisite, black and white with wonderful camera angles. The story was part satire, though I did not have a strong knowledge of Chilie’s history, it was a bit lost on me. However, it did not stop my enjoyment of the story, which was dubbed in English. The story was unique in its way of using politics with horror; I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film, with all its side stories. It truly made this picture and story come across like none other. There were several bloody scenes.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Trailer: Wonka
I TEND TO BE SKEPTICAL WHENEVER a restaurant or food product gets rebranded or announces they are “new and improved.” More times than not, when a food establishment announces a change, their portions or their menus get smaller. Now I am not saying this happens all the time; it just seems to have happened enough for me to notice it. A restaurant I frequent came up with a new menu. It had the same colorful type of pages, but there were several items missing from it. When our meals came, the French fries that had always accompanied the entrée on the plate were instead stacked into a freestanding metal cone. As a display presentation it looked cool, but I could see there were not as many fries in it as there had been on the plate. It is not something I would complain about, especially since they did not increase the price for them. I have been to some restaurants that came out with a campaign about being better or tastier, and yet it all tasted the same, except the price for it was higher. That type of situation annoys me. I would rather they just raise the prices without trying to disguise it as some new and improved thing. THOUGH, I AM OPEN FOR TRYING new food items, my experience has been more of a negative reaction. There was a particular brand of ice cream I always bought. One day, while shopping, I stopped at the freezer case to pick up a container of it. At first, I missed it entirely because the packaging had been changed; it looked completely different. I looked over the label that was touting a new and improved flavor and did not see anything that stood out as unusual. Later that day, when I was back at home, I helped myself to a serving from it and immediately saw fewer chocolate chips. Not only did that bother me, but the other flavors in the mix were not as pronounced. It was another example of masking the true reasons behind their “new and improved” marketing ploy. I am aware in this line of work; the company must keep their eyes on their competitors’ pricing and not price themselves out of the market. Still, what purpose does it serve to produce something not as good? I would have rather paid more money for it and still enjoy the original flavors in the product. In my opinion, it is not always a clever idea to redo something that already works well. Case in point, today’s film. I know it is supposed to be a prequel, but something was missing from it. EVERYONE IN TOWN SEEMED TO LOVE the stranger’s chocolates, except for the members of the chocolate cartel. They were not about to let a stranger ruin their business plan. With Timothee Chalamet (Dune, Bones and All) as Willy Wonka, Hugh Grent (The Gentleman, Cloud Atlas) as Oompa-Loompa, Olivia Coleman (The Lost Daughter, Empire of Light) as Mrs. Scrubitt, Paterson Joseph (Aeon Flux, The Beach) as Slugworth and Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come, Kiddings-TV) as Noodle; this family, adventure comedy was like an assortment of Halloween candy: some scenes were good, others were not. My first reaction was about Timothee’s character; he was too mild in my opinion. There was not anything magical or special about him that made the character stand out on the big screen; unlike Hugh Grant, who I thought for the few scenes he was in was fun to watch. There was more of a cartoonish flavor to the movie as opposed to an exciting fantasy. Granted it is a prequel, but I was bored through the first half of the movie. The odd assortment of supporting characters added more “oomph” to the story. Also, except for a couple of well-known songs, the others were not memorable. I felt as disappointed as getting an apple instead of a chocolate bar for Halloween. There was an extra scene early in the credits.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Descendant
I AM STARING AT THESE PHOTOGRAPHS and had no idea who the people were in them. The photos were quite old because the edges were frayed, and the black and white images were faded. The people were related to me, at least I thought so. I found the photos stuffed in an envelope as I was going through a “junk” drawer. From the scenery and clothing, I had a feeling these photos might have been taken in my ancestors’ country. I would love to know whether I was looking at a great, great, great uncle or maybe it was a great + grandfather or cousin; there was no way to find out. The oldest relative I asked recognized the child in one of the photos but did not know any of the other people. Encouraged by this found treasure, I searched through more drawers in the house and was successful in finding more photos. The thought occurred to me why someone did not put all of them in a photo album, instead of stuffing them in flimsy envelopes. On one of the photographs there was writing on the back, but it was a different language. This was my proof that some of the photos were taken in a different country. My mind reeled with the notion that in my hand I was holding something that had come from a different country, traveled here and then handed down from generation to generation. It was history, my history. IN THE HALLWAY, THERE IS A photo hanging of my great, great, great grandmother. She is the oldest relative that I have a photo of. I believe, she was alive when Napoleon invaded Russia. Though I have no other knowledge about her life or even her name; there is something about seeing her and knowing I am related to her that forms this ghostly connection. There is nothing about her facial features or surroundings that triggers a sense of familiarity; however, I do feel a sense of belonging and imagine how she would react to the world I grew up in compared to hers. Would she have a sense of belonging herself or a sense of pride, maybe? I imagine what life must have been for her. In the photo, she is sitting on a small wooden stool that is barely visible with the fullness of her long black skirt. There is a kerchief tied around her head, though she is sitting indoors. Behind her is a small 2 drawer, wooden chest; only one of the drawers has a handle. I wish I could fill in the gap between her and the generations of family that grew up with me; to learn more about our history and which relatives are here because of her. I can totally sympathize with the residents who live in their little community depicted in this documentary, in a land that their ancestors were forced to come live in. THE CITIZENS OF AFRICATOWN HAVE HAD their stories handed down through the generations. Many of them involve a boat that might have sunk off their coast. Written by newcomer Kern Jackson and written and directed by Margaret Brown (The Order of Myths, Be Here to Love Me), this story that was set in Alabama was fascinating to me. Being into family, I was intrigued by the variety of residents that were interviewed, listening to their family’s history. I thought the presentation of their story was especially poignant due to what we have been witnessing at present, regarding the banning of books and not teaching portions of history in the classroom. To see the life the people are living, despite the challenges both environmentally and financially, with the hope of finding proof to explain the evolution of their existence was touching and real for me. This movie was the perfect example of one component of our country’s history.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Shazam: Fury of the Gods
HAVING RECENTLY RETURNED FROM MY FIRST cruise in decades, I was impressed with the diversity and camaraderie I saw on the ship. For two weeks, I observed families and chosen families support and help each other, in a display of genuine kindness. There was a group consisting of about a dozen or so people who were the best of friends. They had bonded and became a chosen family amongst themselves; I enjoyed listening to the travel adventures they had taken previously, along with their choice of excursions on this trip. I could see a real connection between many of them; it reminded me of my own gatherings where there was joking and laughing sprinkled among more serious discussions about various topics. One of the things that impressed me was how easygoing most of them were, considering there were so many options of things to do and eat while onboard; I would have assumed there would have been some disagreements, but I was never a witness to such things. Honestly, they were like a big happy family. One night was designated as a formal dinner event and each of them chose instead of wearing dinner jackets or evening attire, to dress up in clothing that was more aligned to a runway during fashion week in Paris; it was a sight to see. THERE WAS ANOTHER SMALL GROUP OF people I saw who might have been related, but I never had the chance to speak with them. One of the members of the group was in a wheelchair, which I must tell you was going to be hard to maneuver if they were taking similar onshore tours to the ones I was signed up to experience. As it turned out, they were on an excursion I was taking that involved walking up ancient stairs to a historical landmark. It was so touching to see members of the group take turns lifting the gentleman in his wheelchair up the steps. They would stop at each landing to swap out those individuals who got tired from the exertion of keeping the wheelchair in the air, while they themselves had to watch where they were stepping. It was a beautiful sight to see and when everyone in their group finally reached the summit, I saw the look on the wheel bound individual and it was priceless. These two examples reaffirmed my feelings that chosen family connections are just if not stronger than blood related families; however, one experiences love and support is all that matters, at least to me. This point stood out for me in this action, adventure comedy. WHEN AN ANCIENT ARTIFACT IS STOLEN from a museum, it becomes the focal point and the test to see how strong the family ties are for two opposite families. With Zachary Levi (Thor: Dark World, Chuck-TV) as Shazam, Asher Angel (Darby and the Dead, Andi Mack-TV) as Billy Batson, Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Elementary-TV) as Kalypso, Helen Mirren (The Duke, Hitchcock) as Hespera and Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) as Anthea; this sequel continued with the same type of humor found in the first installment. There was very little difference with this film compared to the previous and that was the issue I had with it. The characters did not display any growth in their lives, so the fun connection I had with them previously was strained in this one. Helen and Lucy stood out for me; they truly gave it their all despite the poorly conceived and written script. Even the special effects, I found, were underwhelming. If the film studio is planning to continue with this franchise, which is apparent with the two extra scenes during the ending credits, they will need to kick up the intensity, drama, comedy and special effects to better compete with the other superhero films that have been released.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Haunted Mansion
WHEN THE CARNIVAL OPENED IN SPRING, it gave us the opportunity to see a second haunted house in our neighborhood. The first one sat at the end of a block that had lightly colored painted houses. The color of this haunted house was dark brown with patches where it had peeled away from what looked like rotten wood. It was a scary looking place, even the windows looked dark. I do not recall ever seeing them open. There was dense foliage all around the perimeter of the place; so thick that I was sure a child could go missing in it. The front walk that led to several dilapidated steps was barely visible unless you used your arms to move the overhanging branches that were sturdy and gnarled. All the kids in the neighborhood would avoid this house at Halloween. No one, even if they were with a group of other trick-or-treaters, had the courage to make their way to the opposing door that looked like an animal’s mouth about to let out a growl. Even after living in the neighborhood for decades, I never saw anyone coming out or going into that dark, spooky house. MY IMAGINATION ABOUT WHAT COULD TAKE place in that house on the corner was fueled by what I experienced at different amusement parks’ haunted houses. The one from the carnival was a cheap version of what was in my mind, but I still thought of the various scare tactics and transposed them into a deadlier version. There was a man dressed up as an evil ogre who would jump out from a dark corner and scare all that entered his realm. He really was not that scary to me because I saw one of his costume’s big floppy ears had fallen off, revealing his human ear; it took the scare out of the costume. Through the house there were various mechanical objects dropping down from the ceiling or popping out of the walls. There was a mist like fog that slowly swirled about but the air circulation and venting were almost stagnant, so depending on where you were, it was hard to see stuff at times. I remember one room had paintings hanging on the walls. One of them was a portrait of a man with the eyes cut out so someone, who was standing behind it, could press their face against the canvas and have their eyes fill out the holes. However, it must have been irritating them because periodically you could see a finger pushing across to rub the eye. It was not a very scary haunted house, just like the one that was in this comedy, horror film. WHEN A MOTHER AND HER SON discover their new home is filled with ghouls and ghosts, she turns to some local folk to help her in the removal of them. However, they are not ready to leave. With LaKeith Stanfield (The Harder They Fall, Sorry to Bother You) as Ben Matthias, Rosario Dawson (Unstoppable, The Water Man) as Gabbie, Owen Wilson (Marry Me, Father Figures) as Father Kent, Tiffany Haddish (Like a Boss, Night School) as Harriet and Danny DeVito (Batman Returns, The War of the Roses) as Bruce David; this dramatic family movie, based on the amusement park ride, Haunted Mansion, needed help. The story was never scary enough to draw a gasp or yelp from the audience; at least not what one hears when doing the actual park ride. I did not find much to laugh about either. I did appreciate the cast’s efforts to levitate the story and make it exciting, but it never materialized. For those of you who have ridden the amusement park’s ride, you will sense a familiarity with the sets and characters. However, there was not enough here to make this a memorable experience. Better to save up your money for the actual ride; you will have a better time.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Somewhere in Queens
I WAS SITTING AROUND A TABLE with eighteen other people, just the way I like it. My friend invited me to her family’s holiday dinner. The table butted up to a metal banquet table that extended from the dining room into the living room. Ornate tablecloths covered both, but it was hard to see the pattern with all the plates and bottles sitting on top. I prefer going to dinners like this, where there are multiple people included instead of sitting at a table with only the parents and/or grandparents of a friend. When I am the only guest invited, I feel there is too much attention devoted towards me and that makes me a bit uncomfortable. When there are multiple relatives/friends in attendance, I feel more relaxed simply blending in with the group. Also, as they say, “The more the merrier.” There is a fun factor when I am sitting in the middle of a group of family members because I get to see a different slice of life. Or, maybe it is more of a confirmation that my family isn’t the only one that is crazy, lol. But I will tell you this, one certainly can learn a lot about your friends or relatives when you get together for a meal. I WAS INVITED TO A FRIEND’S house for dinner; a friend who is soft spoken, I might add. After everyone showed up at my friend’s parents’ house, I quickly understood why my friend was quiet most of the time. His relatives were loud, many talking with their mouths full of food; it was a wonder if he ever got a word in edgewise. After acknowledging me, most of the family members ignored my presence except for the ones seated close to me. Through the meal relatives caused such a ruckus; one person would swear at another, someone else would tell a relative they were stupid and so on. There was such a commotion that I almost felt a headache coming on. When I was at another friend’s holiday dinner, her relatives were curious about me but not to the point where I felt as if they were intruding. Observing and being around them showed me they were a loving family who enjoyed each other’s company. I felt my friend was fortunate to be raised in such an environment. Now, I know family can be challenging at times; there are some you enjoy being around and there are others who annoy you. My own memories of big family meals are some of my fondest memories which is why I felt connected to this comedic drama film. WANTING MORE FOR HIS SON than he had, a father goes to extreme lengths to give his son a shot at an incredible opportunity. With Ray Romano (The Big Sick, Everybody Loves Raymond-TV) as Leo, Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird, The Conners-TV) as Angela, Sadie Stanley (Let Us In, The Goldbergs-TV) as Dani Brooks, Sebastian Maniscalco (Green Book, The Irishman) as Frank Russo and newcomer Jacob Ward as Matthew ‘Sticks’ Russo; this movie written and directed by Ray showed a wonderful slice of life’s cherished and heartbreaking moments. I thought the dialog matched the characters perfectly and the humor from Ray’s writing was both funny and heartwarming. The chemistry between Ray and Laurie was literally a match made in heaven; they were 100% believable. Their and the other actors’ acting skills made the multiple story lines weave together seamlessly. I think it might be due to the era this film portrays; but there was a nostalgic feeling about it, that I could relate to easily. The only way I could compliment this picture is to say it was a good old-fashioned story that was seeped in family life.
3 ½ stars
moviejoltz 