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Flash Movie Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 3
I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING BETWEEN his father and him, but I did not want to pry. We had known each other for some years and all that time I never met his folks. They lived out of state, and he would always be the one to travel to them for the holidays. We met at a coffee shop for a light lunch since we had not seen each other in a while. As soon as he walked in, I could tell something was wrong. He sat done; the first thing out of his mouth was telling me how ticked off he was at his father. I asked him why, and what happened. What he told me would upset me as well. It turns out, his father was always doing something to try and make a quick buck. One year he took funds out of the savings account and put a deposit down on a heat press transfer machine. I had to ask him what kind of machine was it. He said it was used to print things on T-shirts; his dad thought he could start an online presence to sell T-shirts he designed and made, using the machine. When I asked what kind of designs, my friend said his dad thought he was funny and could write jokes on the shirts and do others with different landscapes and artwork from a program that was included in his purchase. The online business never made money and eventually the father sold the machine used back to the company where he purchased it. THE THING MY FRIEND WAS UPSET about this time was his father had depleted most of his parents’ retirement funds to invest it in a company that was about to go public. His father thought it was a “sure thing” that would yield a huge gain. Like every investment he had made, as I soon found out, it failed. The company never went public, and the owners were nowhere to be found. All the investors lost their money and now his parents had no retirement funds to live on. I finally understood why my friend had issues with his dad. I asked what his mom thought of all these losses, and he said she was frustrated, toying with the idea of divorcing him; but she did not know how she would survive on her own. It was a sad situation; I felt bad for the mother. My friend said he was talking to his siblings to see what they could do to help the situation. He added, he grew up thinking his dad was the smartest person in the world, but then found out in his adult life it was not true. I offered dads are human just like everyone else; they can easily make mistakes and do crazy things. The perfect example of this can be found right here in this action, adventure fantasy. WHEN A NEW THREAT APPEARS ON Earth, it would force Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz (Renfield, Parks and Recreation-TV), and his friends to team up with the most unlikely being to try and save the planet. With Jim Carrey (Dark Crimes, Dumb and Dumber franchise) as Ivo Robotnik, Keanu Reeves (John Wick franchise, The Matrix franchise) voicing Shadow, Idris Elba (Beast, Three Thousand Years of Longing) voicing Knuckles, and Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Murder and Cocktails, Tails Tube-TV) voicing Tails; this latest in the franchise was more of the same. The action spreads out through the entire picture, with the same humor and predicaments. I was bored at times. The cast, both live and voices, were fine; though, I thought Jim Carrey was trying too hard to make his character a bit different this time. He appeared to mug and adlib for many of his scenes. I felt the script needed a rewrite with a better plot. I do not know if the investors in this film will break even. There were two extra scenes during the closing credits.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Mufasa: The Lion King
I SIMPLY SAT THERE ENTHRALLED LISTENING to how the two finally came together as boyfriend and girlfriend. The first time they met was in college. For a dance being held, he asked his roommate if his girlfriend had any friends, he could be fixed up with to take to the dance. The girlfriend did and the first time the two met was the day of the dance. Things seemed to be fine that evening, and he even went out on a second date with her. However, that is where the dating status ended. Unbeknownst to him, by the end of the second date the girl who had been fixed up with him did not care for him. Two years later they bumped into each other at a party off campus. They talked on and off throughout the night but left at separate times. It was not until their senior year, when they bumped into each other at a concession stand at the college’s football stadium, that a fuse was lit. He walked her back to her seat and by the time they got there they agreed to meet at an afterparty. It was at that party where the fuse ignited their hearts. They quickly became a couple since they saw each other multiple times throughout the week and weekends. However, a decision was looming over their heads regarding their graduation. AFTER HIS GRADUATION, HE WAS SCHEDULED to enter the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School in a southern state. The question they were mulling over is whether she returns home and the two of them maintain a long-term relationship, or she relocates to where he will be stationed and find a job. Though they knew each other for the first three years of college, it was their senior year where they blossomed and grew into a loving couple. She decided she would move with him, find a job and a small apartment to live in. That decision worked out well because they easily found themselves in a steady routine and continued to grow within their relationship. After a little over a year, they got engaged and started to plan a wedding, which was going to take place just before he was to get his first assignment. All their planning fell into place; they had a brief honeymoon vacation before they had to pack and combine their belongings and move to Germany. For the next few years, they would wind up moving three more times, along with their children who were born in different countries. When they told me this tale, their daughter was sitting with us; it was the first time she had heard about how they met. And it was a chance meeting at a concession stand that made everything possible, including her. Their story reaffirmed my belief that there are no accidents; there is a reason for everything, and it is proven again in this family fantasy adventure film. LOST AND ON HIS OWN, A YOUNG cub has a chance encounter with another cub that puts the two of them on a journey that will have a dramatic effect on their destinies. With Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge, Brother) voicing Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr (It Comes at Night, Waves) voicing Taka, Tiffany Boone (The Midnight Sky, The Chi-TV) voicing Sarabi, Kagiso Lediga (The Umbrella Men franchise, Wonder Boy for President) voicing young Rafiki, and Preston Nyman (Crooked House, Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom-TV) voicing Zazu; this sequel like the original was a visual wonder. Everything looked totally real. As for the story, I appreciated the idea behind it; however, with it being told in flashbacks, I felt some of the drama was lost. Plus, adding in the comedic interludes did not provide a continuous buildup of events. Also, it took me longer to get engaged with the characters, leaving me slightly bored in the beginning. Despite not having the same magic feeling as the first one, this movie’s message and my belief with there being no accidents, I am glad I saw this on the big screen.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Moana 2
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I GREW UP in, I did not know the area was being kept under a bubble. Most everyone in the neighborhood had similar physical features or traits. We had one large grocery store, so you were always bumping into people you knew, the same with only two pharmacies. I knew everyone who lived on my entire square block and then some. For the most part we were all the same race, religion and had the same socioeconomical status. I would like to say I lived an idyllic life, but that would not be exactly true. Though I had many friends in the neighborhood, groups of us would get together and play every day during summer vacation; I suddenly felt something was different about me. I began noticing most of the other boys enjoyed things that did not hold the same attraction for me. For example, everyone I knew loved playing some type of team sport; I on the other hand preferred riding my bike or playing my version of tennis by hitting a ball against a wall. Most kids I knew enjoyed going away for summer camp; I hated the idea and refused when I was asked if I wanted to go with my friends. So, it was those types of things that started to make me feel like I was not like everyone else. And what sealed it for me was the fact I grew up enjoying classical music and playing the piano. No one else my age had any interest in it. IT WAS NOT UNTIL COLLEGE, WHEN I moved out of state, that I realized there were so many different versions of the people I grew up with from my neighborhood. Plus, I am not talking about their skin color or religion since I was quite versed in those through my schooling. It was their mindset, their thoughts, their actions, their belief systems, and their appreciation and avoidance of things which were matching up with mine. Through those years away from home, I was forming a new circle of people around me who were becoming my family. Not to replace what I already had, but to increase and expand my awarenesses. I understood one did not need to have shared blood to become family. It was a revelation to me. To meet someone from different circumstances, a different part of the world and yet be able to connect to our shared interests and feelings was a “heady” feeling. And this was despite going to a school where the major I was studying put me in classes where I certainly looked like I was a minority. It is because of these experiences I could easily understand the main character in this animated adventure sequel. ACTING ON HER THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS for connections, Moana, voiced by Auli’I Adam (Mean Girls, The Power-TV), embarks on a sea adventure that would become treacherous and perilous. With Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam, Red One) voicing Maui, relative newcomer Hualalai Chung voicing Moni, Rose Matafeo (Baby Done, Starstruck-TV) voicing Loto, and David Fane (Next Goal Wins, Our Flag Means Death-TV) voicing Kele; this musical sequel was a visible wonder. The creativity and animation were exciting, and the cast was perfect. The issue was that the script did not match any of these positive features. I felt lost at times and lost connection with the characters. The other issue was how long it took to introduce Dwayne’s character into the story. Based on the original film, he certainly is one of the stronger characters and I felt he was needed earlier in this picture. I feel young kids will not care and thoroughly enjoy this movie; the songs are fun but not memorable, great action scenes, and I appreciated the message in the story. If the movie studio plans on another film for this franchise, I hope they work at matching the excitement of the first one.
2 ½ 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 Review: Red One
IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME BEFORE, but I believe everything you want to learn about humanity can be found in a store and its parking lot. Before you decide I must have gone off the deep end, please hear me out. I will start with the parking lot or any large busy parking lot. Humans can be competitive when looking for a parking spot. There have been so many times I have seen people waiting for a spot when suddenly another driver swings around them and grabs the space that was being vacated. Sadly, humans are selfish, and you can see it when an able-bodied person parks in a handicapped parking spot. I have seen people getting out of their cars to physically fight over a parking place. Now one of the two worst things I have experienced in a parking lot happened on New Year’s Eve Day. I pulled into a parking spot, shut my car off and sat there looking at my grocery list. Suddenly, my car took a lurch forward. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw the back end of a car up against me. Getting out of the car, I quickly glanced at the car’s license plate as I walked up to the driver. She offered her insurance information; I took it and got back into my car to call my insurance company. Long story short, I filed a claim and her insurance company, I assumed with her prompting, accused me of backing up into her. After explaining my car was turned off and providing the photo I snapped as I was walking away from her at the time of the accident, they finally agreed to pay for the damage done to my car. THE OTHER WORST EVENT I WITNESSED in a parking lot was at a grocery store’s parking lot. I was walking down the row of parked cars towards the store’s entrance when a driver ahead backed out of their space and hit the back of a parked car across the lane, breaking its rear lights. The driver did not even get out to look at the damage they caused when I saw their car’s reverse lights go off. I got up to their driver’s door as they started to pull away. Rapping on the window, they stopped and looked up at me as their window rolled down. I told them about the damage they caused, and they needed to go inside the store to find the owner of the car. Their response stunned me; they said they should not have to because there have been times it has happened to them. I told them that it does not make them right and they need to park and inform the owner. Reluctantly they pulled back into their spot, got out of the car and walked into the store. As I said before, one can see all aspects of humanity in a crowded parking lot. And none of the events I wrote about except for New Year’s Eve took place during a holiday. So, imagine what people might do when they are under stress during their holiday shopping. It would not surprise me if someone tried to act like the villain in this action fantasy, adventure holiday comedy. WHEN SANTA CLAUS IS KIDNAPPED JUST before the start of Christmas, it is up to the North Pole’s Chief of Security to track him down and save the holiday. The first thing he will have to do is work with an infamous computer hacker. With Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam, Red Notice) as Callum Drift, Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers, The Gray Man) as Jack O’Malley, Lucy Liu (Carlie’s Angels franchise, Kill Bill: Vol. 1) as Zoe, J.K. Simmons (Saturday Night, Whiplash) as Nick, and Bonnie Hunt (Jumanji, The Green Mile) as Mrs. Claus; this film had a story that did not know what it wanted to be. It was part superhero, part drama, part satire, part fantasy, and part comedy. Truthfully because I like superhero movies, I did not mind this as much as others in this genre. For me, it has to do with Dwayne Johson. He is such a bankable screen presence, though this role was one of his typical ones. It was obvious the cast was having fun with the silly script, playing off each other well. As for the special effects, they were a hit and miss; some were good, and others were not. Overall, this film was like watching a beautiful Christmas tree that had several strands of its lights out. If one focuses on the good parts and ignores the others, then this can be an agreeable viewing experience for the holidays.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Transformers One
WHEN I WAS INVITED OVER, I thought there was going to be only a few people visiting. There were a little more than that. My friend’s sister was visiting from out of town; we had all grown up together, so I was treated like a family member. When I arrived at their mother’s house, I quickly realized other relatives must have come over based on the number of cars that were parked in the driveway and on the street. After finding a parking spot, I walked up to the opened front door and let myself in. There were some relatives I recognized from past family functions as I navigated my way through trying to find my friend. I finally found him in the kitchen pouring some drinks for guests. I walked up and we embraced hello. The first thing he mentioned was that his mother had invited a lot of family over to see her new grandbaby. That reminded me to congratulate him again on becoming an uncle. This was the reason I was invited over, to see his sister’s new baby. The two of us made our way back into the living room to find her. Of course, she was planted where most of the guests were congregated, sitting in a chair with the baby cradled in her arms. When she saw me walking towards her, she got up to hug me and introduced me to her daughter. It was a special moment. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE OTHER guests wanted their chance to talk to the new mother; I excused myself and made my way to an open spot on the sofa. There were a couple of bowls of snacks on the coffee table in front of me that I wanted to try. I looked to the end table I was sitting next to, to find a coaster to set my drink upon. The only thing sitting on the table was a small truck. I folded a napkin to set my drink on and picked up the truck. It must have been from one of the kids I spotted playing outside when I first arrived. The truck was brightly colored and heavier than I expected when I picked it up. I turned it around in my hand to admire the detailing on it; I was big into trucks and cars when I was a little kid. As I was turning it over, the cab unfolded; it was hinged. This was unexpected, so I began to gently press on the various edges of the toy. To my amazement everything was hinged and before you knew it, I had the figure of a robot cradled in the palm of my hand. It was amazing to me, besides being very cool. I had never seen such a toy and marveled at its complexity. Of course, it was not long before I started seeing and hearing about these robot toys everywhere. The amazement I felt those years ago filtered back to me as I watched with delight this animated, action, adventure film. FOR THE FIRST TIME, SINCE WE were introduced to the Transformers’ world, we find out how friends could become enemies. With Chris Hemsworth (Extraction, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) voicing Orion Pax, Brian Tyree-Henry (Bullet Train, The Woman in the Window) voicing D-16, Scarlett Johansson (Fly Me to the Moon, Jojo Rabbit) voicing Elita, Keegan-Michael Key (Wonka, The Predator) voicing B-127, and Steve Buscemi (The Death of Stalin, Ghost World) voicing Starscream; this science fiction fantasy story surprised me. Though I was intrigued by the toys when they first came out, I did not have much invested into the films. This prequel had wonderful animation, action, and an easy-to-follow story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The script was solid with a mix of humor and drama. I would not be surprised if the movie studio works to turn this film into a multiple franchise. Also, I saw this picture in 3D but do not feel it is a necessity; it did not add anything new for me. Of course, it would help if the viewer had even a small inkling of the background to the Transformers story, but I do not think it would rob anyone of the enjoyment in seeing this film. There were two extra scenes during the ending credits.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Uglies
GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE, I was not expecting it to be such a disturbing experience. I can remember it like it just happened, in aisle three; I bumped into a woman I had not seen for several years. She recognized me first; she had to because I did not recognize her at all. As we began conversing with each other, I tried studying her face without being too obvious. I was positive her face was the result of having plastic surgery. Trying to recall what she used to look like, I could not see anything that was wrong with her original face. She had wrinkles down her neck, an outburst of tiny ones that spread beyond her eyes and a few wrinkles across her forehead, just like so many other people of her age. I do remember how much she worshipped the sun to the point where her skin looked like tanned leather. Now, I was looking at a face that was utterly void of lines and creases. Her eyeballs looked like they had sunken further into her skull and more distressing than that, they were not symmetrical. I was so self-conscious about looking at her too intently. The lips on her face were nothing I remembered; these were overripe and stiff. Honestly, her face looked like all the emotions and expressions from it had been sucked off. I HOPE YOU DO NOT THINK I am judgmental; I feel a person can do whatever they want if it makes them feel good. I just do not understand the point of cosmetic surgery. If someone is born with a birthmark that they feel is distractive, then they have the right to eliminate it. My philosophy with my dermatologist is “if I was not born with it, then get rid of it.” As I am getting older, I have noticed moles popping up on my skin. I will have them checked out by the doctor then we will both decide whether they need to be removed or not, since skin cancer runs in my family. The part I do not understand are the individuals who want to take their features and accentuate them. Lips, for example, which are so out of proportion to the face look like two massive larvae resting below the nose. When the skin is pulled so tight across the face to the point it is barely flexible, I do not understand how that is considered pretty or better. Ultimately, I know it is the person’s decision to make and again, if it makes them feel better that is all that matters. Then again, I am the type of person that focuses more on what is inside the person, unlike what was happening to the inhabitants in this action, adventure fantasy. HAVING GROWN UP IN A WORLD where everyone is considered ugly until they get their mandatory extreme cosmetic surgery, a young girl is totally perplexed when her friend decides to escape the confines of the city. The girl chooses to find her friend before it is too late. With Joey King (A Family Affair, The In Between) as Tally, Brianne Tju (Gone in the Night, Three Months) as Shay, Keith Powers (The Tomorrow War, Before I Fall) as David, Chase Stokes (Between Waves, Outer Banks-TV) as Peris, and Laverne Cox (Promising Young Woman, Orange is the New Black-TV) as Dr. Cable; this drama followed a standard path for this genre of story. I enjoyed watching Joey’s character and liked the idea of the story. However, I felt the writers could have done so much more with the story instead of just keeping the drama level close to one level. Parts of the movie felt like they were trying to imitate The Hunger Games franchise, except not as well. At least there were a few exciting moments; but I was ticked off by the ending. It is obvious the movie studio is hoping to turn this into a long running franchise by leaving the viewer hanging. This picture was not a pretty sight.
1 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
IT WAS A CHANCE ENCOUNTER THAT released long forgotten memories from forty plus years ago. I was walking through a crowded hotel lobby. Trying to make my way amongst the mass of people, I said “excuse me” to a woman I was trying to get around to reach the staircase. She turned and looked at me; we both became motionless as we intently stared at each other. It immediately clicked in my brain, like a spotlight that found its mark on stage, and I uttered her name after all these years. She in turn did the same thing, saying my name, at the exact time. We both asked what the other was doing here, and it turned out we were attending the same event. I could not believe it. Unfortunately, with assigned seating, we only had small chunks of time to communicate with each other. It felt so good to see her and to feel her warmth again because I had been the one who disappeared. I never wanted to stop being friends with her, but the circle of friends around us was becoming too toxic for me; so, I had to remove myself from the situation. Before the end of the evening, we made plans to meet for lunch a week later. I WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO do as I was walking into the restaurant. Should I hug her or not, should I be animated and wave my hands; I did not know how I would be received. As it turned out as soon as we saw each other we walked up and hugged. Funny, we never did it in school, but I guess being older versions of ourselves made it the thing to do. Once we were seated, we each peppered the other with questions about their current life situation. Memories were flooding my brain; sharing prom together, sitting in her parents’ kitchen while her mother served us cake, using a cuss word to describe someone talking on the television that was playing in the background, hanging out in the park with a group of friends. While talking she used the same phrase as she did back forty years ago. Her no nonsense style of not caring what people thought of her was still as prevalent as it was back then. The only way I could describe my feelings was to say I felt like I had come back home. There was an easy comfort being with her. Whatever differences we had did not require any energy now; I was happy to see her. Some of these things I have been talking about could easily describe what I was feeling while watching this comedic horror fantasy. EMBARRASSED AND DISMISSIVE OF HER GHOST believing mother, a daughter unwittingly causes something to happen that could change her opinion about her family. With Michael Keaton (The Protégé, The Founder) as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder (Destination Wedding, Mermaids) as Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara (A Mighty Wind, Schitt’s Creek-TV) as Delia Deetz, Jenna Ortega (Scream franchise, The Fallout) as Astrid Deetz, and Justin Theroux (The Girl on the Train, False Positive) as Rory; this sequel transported me right back to the time when I saw the original movie. The cast, both new and veterans, were all in to create a madcap, zany fun film. Granted, since having seen the original the level of impact was less and the script for this picture was more convoluted. As with the first one, the music soundtrack was perfect for this story. I think the viewer would still be entertained with this movie even if they had not seen the first one; though I believe it would be of help. Overall, I was entertained throughout and felt no one could do this character justice except Michael Keaton.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Lisa Frankenstein
A GOOD PORTION OF THE INDIVIDUALS I dated; I did not like it at first. I cannot explain it. Upon either meeting or getting introduced to them, I got a negative reaction to them. One person I met at a house party. They were slightly tipsy while they tried telling these crazy stories about various members of their family. At the end of the evening, they did not have a ride home and the host asked if I would please get them home safely. I was hesitant because I did not want them to get sick in my car and I also felt we had nothing in common, so the ride home would be uncomfortable with us either sitting in silence or me listening to their family drama. As it turned out, they must have sobered up quick or had been putting on an act for most of the evening because we had a friendly conversation. There was more to them than I imagined; they came from a troubled home, learning to use humor to mask their pain. For a first-time conversation, it was not your usual small talk kind about the weather or sports teams. We each talked about growing up with a colorful extended family, and by the time I pulled up in front of their place, we made plans to see one another again. It turned out to be a fun and caring relationship. ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP I HAD STARTED WITH us meeting at a charity event. We were guests in a large ballroom of a downtown hotel, both looking over the items on display for the silent auction. They were standing next to me and made a satirical comment about one of the items; I chuckled and agreed with them. From there we continued making our way together, commenting and joking about the assorted items and guessing what they would go for during the auction. Throughout the evening, we always managed to be near one another. At the close of the evening, we exchanged phone numbers and wished each other well. The following week I got a call and was invited to a party they were hosting. After having a pleasant evening with them at the charity event, their party was something completely different. I found them to be obnoxious as they relished pushing people’s buttons. Granted some of the things coming out of their mouth were quite funny, but the difference I was seeing was drastically different from our last meeting. I was turned off by it. However, after the party they were persistent in their reaching out to me. I discovered who they were when guests were around was so different from when they were by themselves; I could not get over it. As a few weeks went by, they were able to change my opinion and I found myself becoming attracted to them. My relationship with them was like being on a roller coaster and that is why I could understand the main character in this comedy, horror romance. A TEENAGER STRUGGLING TO FIT INTO a new school, meets someone who might understand her, except for the fact he is dead. With Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Ben is Back) as Lisa, Liza Soberano (Everyday I Love You, Forevermore-TV) as Taffy, Jenna Davis (Stay at Home, Treehouse Detectives-TV) as Lori, Trina LaFargue (Five Feet Apart, My Perfect Wedding) as Tricia and Paola Andino (Sno Babies, Every Witch Way-TV) as Misty; I enjoyed the idea for this story. It had a retro vibe to it, like films from the 1980s. Kathryn did an excellent job with her character, and I enjoyed the rest of the cast as well. The beginning started out slow for me and it took awhile before I felt the story starting to come together. There was a small layer of sharp humor that I felt could have been expanded on and the directing needed to be stronger. I did appreciate the way female empowerment, loss and love were managed; but I felt the script could have been so much stronger, delivering a complete knockout of a story. I took a chance on this film and though I did not love it, I found it okay.
2 ¼ stars
moviejoltz 