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Flash Movie Review: A Simple Life
The eyes once white bright look like aged paper from a well worn novel. They can still flash with the sparks of life but just not as many as before. Their hands now curled and knotted look like arthritic sampling branches used to create meals that filled the house with intoxicating aromas like seductive sirens. Through the years memories have formed and periodically emerge into one’s consciousness from time to time. Their buoyancy can be attributed to emotions filed with kindness, love, joy and compassion. Throughout one’s journey of life they were present, maybe not in a starring role; yet their contributions were always part of special events. There is a sense of safety when people grow old together. They may take turns in leading the way down life’s road, but always with intentions of ease and comfort. The bonds that formed early on may lose some of their flexibility but they still are apparent to anyone who comes near. I try very hard not to look like I am staring, but watching elderly people interacting fascinates me. It is as if they have their own secret language that is mostly silent to anyone around them. It appears to be more prominent when I see them having a meal. The way items get divvied up, some whole while others are reduced to bite-sized morsels; it is similar to a choreographed dance. To this day when I either hear the names or see certain foods I get a flashback to where I used to get that particular food item when I was younger. HAVING been part of the Leung household for decades, when she suffered a stroke Ah Tao, played by Deanie Yip (The Legend of Shaolin, Dragons Forever), decided to quit and move to a rehabilitation/senior citizens facility. She did not want to be a burden to Roger, played by Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers, Internal Affairs), who she helped in raising from birth. This film festival winning drama was exquisite in its execution. A beautiful, touching story that truly gave a real sense of the bonds formed in a family’s life. There was nothing extraordinary taking place, no special effects, only a dramatic story that the actors handled skillfully. This is not a fast paced film, so a few scenes seemed stagnant to me. I have to say part of my connection to the film was due to the character Ah Tao because I still feel a little uncomfortable when someone does something for me, I related to this character. Also the fact that all of us are heading in the same direction through the aging process; the story carried more weight for me. Either way this movie will in the future become a fond memory for me. Cantonese and Mandarin was spoken with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Coming Home
There goes by a young couple walking hand in hand. As they stroll through the park they carry on a conversation that causes them to chuckle, sigh, exclaim and smile from time to time. Periodically one rests their head on the shoulder of the other and when the pathway narrows they wrap their arms around each other to get closer. In a completely different locale there is a couple sitting in an airport gate’s waiting area. While one leans into the other as they begin to doze off, the other is reading a book. When finally coming back to consciousness, the other brushes the hair off their sleepy face, looking into their sputtering eyes. With the book closed and placed to the side the two simply lean into each other, one affectionately massaging the neck of the other one. Anywhere you look you can always find people in love. A candlelight dinner, shopping at the grocery store or sitting together at a sporting event; they do not need to declare their love to the world, the way they interact with each other is proof enough. But I ask you, how often do you see couples in their twilight years out and about participating in public displays of affection? How about in the media or forms of entertainment like movies and television? I can only bring to mind a few from recent movies compared to the amount of films I have seen about youthful love. And the reason why I believe that is the case is because growing old isn’t for the weak. Let us face it when one hears the words, “in sickness and health,” how often do they imagine what their life might be like in their later years? AFTER spending years in a labor camp during the cultural revolution in China Lu Yanshi, played by Chen Daoming (Hero, Aftershock), was finally released to return to his waiting wife Feng Wanyu, played by Gong Li (Raise the Red Lantern, Memoirs of a Geisha). But after so many years Feng did not recognize the man who showed up at her door. This film festival winning drama’s story was beautiful in its simplicity. With newcomer Zhang Huiwen as the couple’s daughter Dan Dan, the acting was painfully real. It was wonderful watching Gong Li as she would turn an emotion upside down with a look or subtle movement. On one level the story focused on the effects the cultural revolution had families. The stronger part of the story in my opinion had to do with the strength love had between two people. I did find a few places where the movie dragged for me, in a repetitive type of way. However, the way the story unfolded as it progressed kept me engaged. After the movie was over I walked away with the feeling I had just witnessed a full and unconditional love. Mandarin was spoken with English subtitles.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Phoenix
The more time spent with a person the less one notices any changes taking place. I have noticed this especially when it comes to the physical aspect of a person. In regards to the emotional and intelligence areas, you would think the longer you know a person the better you understand them; I certainly have believed this to be true. But I have to tell you the more I see and hear about people’s infidelity, transgressions and even crimes; the more I am at a loss for words because I cannot process it. What happens that causes a person in a long term relationship to suddenly start cheating on their significant other? Or these news shows that profile a married couple where one of them murders the other one? Stuff like this shakes my belief that 2 people can live happily ever after. I am the first to admit I have trust issues based on what has happened to me in my life; you think you know someone and it turns out you really do not, at least in my case. Though my philosophy may cause more hurt feelings for me, I choose to believe what people are telling me is true until they prove it otherwise. I cannot tell you how many times where I started dating someone who agreed with my definition of an exclusive relationship, yet I find out they had cheated on their previous partners. And do not get me started on some of the other things I have seen people do in a relationship; it can be frightening. LEFT for dead with a disfigured face Nelly Lenz, played by Nina Hoss (A Most Wanted Man, Barbara), with the help of Lene Winter, played by Nina Kunzendorf (Woman in Gold, Unspoken), not only survived the German concentration camps but also facial reconstruction surgery. Her goal was to find her husband Johnny Lenz, played by Ronald Zehrfeld (Inbetween Worlds, Barbara), who was no where to be found when the Germans took her away. This film festival winning drama was utterly captivating to me. With no prior knowledge about this mystery movie, I not only thought the filming of it was beautiful but that the script had elements of tenderness, longing and surprise. The story was set in Berlin after the war which I found made it more interesting to see how people were picking up the pieces of their lives while recalling past events. I thought the director did a wonderful job of letting the actors talk using nonverbal cues; luckily the actors were quite skilled in achieving this method of communication. I found this film fascinating and was surprised to find out my initial thoughts about the characters were not totally accurate. Maybe it is harder than you think to really know someone. German was spoken with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Housemaid
I only began paying attention when the customer in front of me started to raise their voice at the sales clerk behind the counter. Trying not to appear nosy I pulled out my phone to check my emails as the customer’s tone of voice turned condescendingly darker. The poor employee was trying to maintain their non-confrontational demeanor; I am sure all of the company’s customer service training was being strained at the seams by this irate consumer. The thing that bothered me was the customer’s attitude. Let us be real here, the sales clerk did not manufacture the defective product, nor said anything accusatory towards the customer; so there was no reason to yell at her using derogatory remarks. Based on what the customer was wearing, it appeared as if they were wealthy. I know I should not judge a book by its cover but by the jewelry they were wearing and the way their clothing was cut, it looked like they did not shop at a dollar store. But this is the thing, I have known some people who were financially wealthy but no one would know it; they carried themselves without any airs and did not flash their money around. On the other hand I have seen some rich individuals who because they had a lot of money, they considered everyone who did not have as much money to be inferior. I find that type of thinking grotesque and do not want to have anything to do with such a person. I would be curious to hear how you feel about the family in this dramatic thriller. WEALTHY businessman Hoon Goh and his wife Hae-ra, played by Jung-Jae Lee ( New World, City of the Rising Sun) and Woo Seo (Paju, Glass Mask-TV), were expecting twin babies. This was why their maid Byunk-sik, played by Yeo-Jeong Yoon (In Another Country, A Good Lawyer’s Wife), was instructed to hire more help. She found Eun-yi Li, played by Do-yeon Jeon (Secret Sunshine, The Contact), to take care of the couple’s young daughter. This film festival winner had a beautiful style to it. I loved the angle shots and the look of this film. Despite being unfamiliar with the spoken language, I thought all the actors did quite well with their characters. Finding out this was a remake I would like to see how the two compare because this script had more good moments than not. However, there were some parts that were odd to me. This film was listed as a thriller but I would not go that far; it was more suspenseful to me. If I were to compare this picture to a conceited wealthy person I would say it had a rich look covering up a not so nice interior. Korean spoken with English subtitles.
2 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Felix and Meira
Silence is something I yearn for in a movie theater, not in a relationship. I have always felt silence aka non-communication was a hurtful act. If someone needs to gather their thoughts or calm down before speaking, I totally understand it. However, if a person does not want to talk about an issue, what do you do and where do you go with that? I remember working with an employee a long time ago who by herself was bubbly with an outgoing personality. When she was accompanied by her husband to any of the company events, her eyes looked dead and she was always low key; it was like being with a completely different person. It turned out her husband was always going out with his friends, leaving her home alone. He also was heavily involved with some hobby that kept him out in their garage for hours. It was apparent to me that if the two of them continued the way they were going something was bound to happen to end their marriage. I have seen and been in enough relationships to know people sometimes evolve out of them or worse, go into a relationship thinking they can change the other person. It is tough once a person starts thinking they do not belong or feel they are missing something. I have stated in past reviews that love is a powerful force and even with this film I still stand by my statement. MEIRA, played by Hadas Yaron (Fill the Void, Out of Sight), was a Hasidic Jewish wife and mother who felt lost within their tight knit community. Her husband Shulem, played by Luzer Twersky (Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish, Where is Joel Baum?), did not understand what could possibly be wrong. After bumping into the stranger Felix, played by Martin Dubrevil (7 Days, L’Affaire Dumont), at the bakery one day; Meira started thinking more about her life. This film festival winning dramatic movie was one made up of subtleties. With a quiet slow pace the story took its time to let the scenes soak in. I thought the acting was excellent as the characters evolved with the aid of gentle nuances and gestures. Some viewers may find this romantic film slow going and I have to say it came close to feeling like that for me. However, what kept me involved in the characters was the interesting way their emotions would come out; I think the appropriate term here would be: the way the characters wore their hearts on their sleeves. An interesting thing to note here; I do not suffer from claustrophobia but throughout this movie I felt a heaviness closing in on me at times. I think that says something about the film. There was French, Yiddish, Hebrew and Italian spoken with English subtitles.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Micmacs
Whether I am a witness or a recipient to any type of injustice, I still get angry either way. A friend of mine bought living room furniture from a well known retailer. When it was delivered, a marble table had a crack in it. She called the company, they sent someone out to evaluate and replaced it. The 2nd table came with a defective leg that was shorter than the others. Back on the telephone with customer service, she spent one month trying to get another replacement or her money back; neither thing took place since the company basically started to ignore her. I was just as mad as her and told everyone I could about her story. When I was dealing with a national bank to refinance my home, I was battling with them all the time. Their worksheet had the wrong figures on it, they misspelled words on legal documents; it went on for months until I finally showed up at one of their bank branches and let everyone know my frustrations. Every time I see a social injustice I sit and wish I had gone into politics to try and right these wrongs. I used to let my dark side take over and become a spiteful person who wanted revenge. When I suffered from a bad relationship breakup, a friend reminded me about the way they dealt with their anger. It was taking their ex’s toothbrush and using it to clean the bathroom. I admit, at the time, it provided me a small amount of satisfaction. That was nothing compared to what was happening in this film. BAZIL’S, played by Dany Boon (Welcome to the Sticks, A Perfect Plan), life was forever changed when a bullet became lodged in his brain and his dad stepped on a land mine. This film festival winning action comedy reminded me of that kid’s game where the players have to create a Rube Goldberg style trap to catch a mouse. Some of the players in this movie were Andre Dussollier (A Very Long Engagement, Tell No One) as Nicolas Thibault de Fenovillet, Omar Sy (Intouchables, X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Remington and Yolande Moreau (Ameile, Seraphine) as Tambouille. All the characters played a part in drawing me into this movie due to their physical comedic capabilities. This really was a fun film to watch since it was more action than dialog. Though there was a flavor of slapstick humor to it, I would not classify it as such. I felt the story was laid out like a well planned idea that just happened to appear zany. Watching this DVD was and would be the perfect respite before one takes on their next battle in life. French dialog with English subtitles.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: King of Devil’s Island
They were different times back then; an age prior to the sheen of political correctness and the term, “time out.” Back then punishments were doled out with non-negotiable terms. Not only could one’s own parents differ in their style of implementation, each set of parents in the neighborhood varied tremendously on what they considered to be a just punishment. I remember one mother down the street would stand on the porch and threaten her son that she was going to send him away to a bad boy’s school. Another parent would impose a curfew on any of her children if they acted up; usually this meant they could only go outside to go to school, but then come straight home and stay in the house. I can still remember a couple of friends who would get smacked in the head if they got in trouble. No one ever questioned these actions nor did anyone call the Department of Children and Family Services. I am a firm believer in doling out a proper punishment for the “crime.” Granted it is steeped in a foundation of reasoning and I know there are some times one cannot reason with a screaming child. However, I like the idea of explaining if these actions continue then this will be the consequences…and follow through with it. Some of you may recall a few of the stories I have mentioned previously about the things that took place in my high school. This dramatic action film could give my school a run for its money. BASTOY was an island where juvenile delinquent boys would be sent to do time. Harsh punishment was the norm for any infraction, but that did not seem to stop the newest boy named Erling/C-19, played by Benjamin Helstad (Body Troopers, Permafrost). The rumor going around was Erling had been sent because he had murdered someone. This film festival winning dramatic movie was based on a true story and what a story it was. Set in the early 20th century in Norway, the entire look of the film was a continuous grim harshness. It worked perfectly for the well done script. Speaking of the script, I enjoyed the way it drew the viewer into the story. With actors such as Stellan Skarsgard (The Avengers, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as Bestyreren, Trond Nilssen (All That Matters is Past, Sons of Norway) as Olav/C-1 and Kristoffer Joner (The Monitor, Next Door) as Brathen; I thought the entire cast did a wonderful job with their characters. As I sat and watched this film I wondered how different the story would have been if it had taken place today. A frightening thought either way. Norwegian and Swedish was spoken with English subtitles.
3 1/2 star — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Postmen in the Mountains
The young boy was straining under the weight of the dumbbells. I was exercising on the weight bench behind, yet I could hear the father correcting his son’s posture. With a wide leather weight belt cinched around his waist, the man had the body definition of a serious weightlifter. Hearing and seeing his encouraging words to his son reminded me of the time I learned how to throw a football when I was a small boy. As I continued with my workout I had memories of past mentors and individuals who had a big influence on me. There was the building superintendent of the apartment building where I was born. I recalled how he would magically appear at the front of our place when I would be running towards it on my way home from school. It never occurred to me that he was aware I was being chased; he would just be there with a large grin on his jolly face, his bloodshot eyes barely blinking. In my adult life I was fortunate enough to have a yoga instructor who really showed me the wonders of yoga. This man was amazing to watch as he would bend his body in various positions to show us the difference between poor and ideal forms. He looked like one of those dolls where all the joints were unrestricted, the limbs able to fold from front to back. I have always been grateful that I was able to spend time with him in class and one-on-one sessions. HAVING spent his whole life as the postman for a rural mountainous region of Hunan province, China; being away from home for long stretches of time, it was time for him to retire and turn the responsibility over to the son, played by Ye Liu (Curse of the Golden Flower, Dark Matters), he barely knew. The father, played by Rujun Ten (A Love of Blueness, Xian’s Finest), instructed his boy on all the details of the job as the two took to the route that would deliver them something more than just the mail. This film festival winning drama had such a tender gentleness about it that it quickly drew me into the story. From the lush landscapes to the sweetness exuding out of scenes, I thought the story did a wonderful job in creating a believable and authentic dynamic between the father and son. From a technical standpoint, due to the time this film was made, the subtitles were primitive. There were a few improper words used and sometimes the subtitles flashed by too quickly. I think one of the added beauties of this film will be its ability to stir up warm memories in many viewers. Chinese language was spoken with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: A la mala
From time to time I enjoy reading the advice columns in the newspapers. I am not really sure why; maybe to get a reality or non-reality check on my life. The questions that fascinate me the most are the relationship ones where I think the answers are obvious. For example, a woman wrote that her husband sends text messages to a neighbor who has repeatedly said she wished she had a husband like that. When she asks her husband what he is texting he always says, “Nothing, why should you care?” The wife says it makes her uncomfortable and somewhat insecure. I know when it come to relationships I can be naive in some aspects of it because once I give my trust to the person they have 100% of it. I never question or imagine their actions have ulterior motives. Since I could never cheat on or lie to them, I cannot imagine they would ever do it to me. I certainly do not consider this a character flaw, but from experience when it happened it shocked me beyond belief. Friends have told me I need to get my head out of the clouds and pay better attention. Though I do not think I could do it, I have seen where some of them have set up a plan to try and catch their significant other cheating on them. Because I have seen it with my own eyes, this comedy seemed perfectly plausible. STRUGGLING actress Maria Laura “Mala” Medina, played by Aislinn Derbez (The Vineyard, Los Heroes del Norte-TV), accidentally fell into a second career when friends started hiring her to hit on their boyfriends to see if they were cheaters. Everything appeared to be going smoothly until Mala showed up at an audition for a TV show, where the producer knew about Mala’s side business and had an unusual request of her. The premise to this story seemed absolutely plausible to me since I have seen this type of thing being done within my circle of friends. The cast seemed well suited to the story; besides Aislinn there was Mauricio Ochmann (Message in a Bottle, El Senor de los Cielos-TV) as Santiago and Papile Aurora (The Air I Breathe, Pulling Strings) as Kika. I really do not have any major negatives to say about this film; it was pretty straight forward and easy to figure out. If anything I would consider this movie light fare. Some of the scenes were predictable but with an engaging cast I did not mind sitting through the picture. I suggest you consider this film simple fluff. You do not have to commit to it for the long term; you can visit it at a later date. The movie was spoken in Spanish with English subtitles.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Wild Tales
Anger is not something that leaves by its own free will. It does not get swept out of us like grains of sand with the evening tide. One needs to acknowledge it and devise a plan where it can safely leave the body. There are some people who are able to devote only a small amount of energy to their anger. They are able to sidestep the land mines that anger places before them. Then there are other individuals who store their anger in what they believe to be a reinforced tough vault deep inside of them, thinking they will come back to deal with the brooding anger at a later date. However, what tends to happen here is at some point a new flare-up of anger will spark the vault of stored anger into such a fireball that it will burst out of the individual like a volcano blasting through its cap, covering anyone close by. I am more familiar with this type of anger having experienced it in both my work and personal life. As a passenger in the backseat of a car I witnessed the driver exploding into anger when another car coming from the opposite direction knocked off their side mirror. In the middle of traffic our driver did a U-turn that forced the back end of the car to clip the retaining wall as oncoming traffic tried to veer out of the way. If you cannot relate to the anger I just described then there may be a possibility you will not get as much out of this hilarious comedy. EMOTIONS that got out of control fueled the characters to do irrational acts in the separate short stories of this Oscar nominated and film festival winning film from Argentina. With part of the cast including Dario Grandinetti (The Dark Side of the Heart, Talk to Her) as Salgado, Maria Marull (The Bottom of the Sea, Antes del estreno) as Isabel and Monica Villa (The Holy Girl, I Don’t Want to Talk About it) as Profesora Leguizamon; I was enthralled by each character in the multiple stories. There were so many scenes that were charged with outrageous behaviors that it would be hard to say if I enjoyed one story more than another. Each of them took an everyday occurrence and because of circumstances blew it out of proportion. I was thoroughly entertained by this Oscar nominated film for best foreign language with its wicked sense of humor. If by chance you are dealing with any anger issues presently, then this picture may be the perfect antidote for you. And if you are not, you still will get a kick out of this crazy movie. Spanish was spoken with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars
moviejoltz 