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Flash Movie Review: F1: The Movie
Posted by moviejoltz
I WOULD NOT CALL MYSELF A “LEAD FOOT,” but if the opportunity presents itself, I certainly will pick up speed when I am driving. Growing up, one of my favorite rides were any that involved me controlling the speed. Go-carts, racing cars, mock airplanes, you name it, and I would always get behind the controls to make the ride go faster. This satisfied my desire for speed until I could actual get behind the wheel of a real car. That did not take place until I reached sophomore year of high school. In a previous review, I talked about my time in driver’s ed class; I already knew how to drive before taking the class since I was taught at the age of thirteen. For those first few years, I never went over the posted speed limits. Even when other cars would pass me, I still stayed within the legal limits. Things started to change for me once I was in college. Depending on the prices between airline/bus tickets and auto rentals, it sometimes was easier to rent a car and drive back home for the weekend. The drive took between four and five hours usually. Seeing how other drivers were driving on the highway, I felt I had to at least keep up with the traffic around me. This was my first time going above the speed limits and it was exciting. I always made sure there was at least a fast car in front of me because in my mind, I deduced the police’s radar gun would pickup that driver instead of me. I do not know if this was a fact, but it worked since I was never pulled over for speeding. AFTER MY SCHOOLING, HAVING ENTERED THE work force, my average driving speed tended to be five to nine miles over the speed limit, depending on my location. If on a side street, five would be the most I would go over. On a main thoroughfare, it would be a little higher, but nothing outrageous to attract attention. After taking the same route each day, I learned where the police would be hiding, waiting to grab anyone speeding. Whenever I was over the speed limit, when I came to their hiding place, I always slowed down so I was a couple of miles within the legal limit. I can honestly say, there has only been three incidents where I was way over the speed limit. One time, road construction and a train crossing made me late to class. On a side street, where cross streets ended at the road I was on, I was driving forty miles over the speed limit to try and make up time. The second time, I was driving in the Dakotas and realized at one point I was going 104 mph. With vast open land all around, there were no markers to gauge my speed. And thirdly, during the pandemic, nearly every driver on the expressway was on the average, doing thirty miles over the limit. That felt the most like racing to me, but nowhere near what I felt while watching this action, sport drama. YEARS AFTER A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT took him out of Formula One racing, a race car driver gets pulled back in from a former teammate, who is hoping to salvage his company. With Brad Pitt (Bullet Train, Babylon) as Sonny Hayes, Damson Idris (Outside the Wire, Snowfall-TV) as Joshua Pearce, Javier Bardem (Dune franchise, The Little Mermaid) as Ruben Cervantes, Kerry Condon (Night Swim, In the Land of Saints and Sinners) as Kate McKenna, and Tobias Menzies (The Crown-TV, You Hurt My Feelings) as Peter Banning; this film had some of the most intense race car driving scenes I have ever witnessed. The cinematography was amazing which was such a benefit for this picture since the script followed a set formula. It was not difficult to figure out what characters would do, but I have to say it was not such a distraction that stopped me enjoying this movie. The role for Brad was well suited for his type of cool acting with minimum exertion. Overall, the cast did a great job with what they were given. On a personal level, I had no idea so much thought and planning gets put into formula racing. This film definitely should not get stopped for any illegal turns or speeding.
3 stars
Posted in Drama
Tags: 3 stars, action, brad pitt, damson idris, drama, formula one, javier bardem, kerry condon, racing, sport, thriller, tobias menzies
Flash Movie Review: Dune: Part Two
Posted by moviejoltz
THE PROFESSOR WAS LECTURING TO US about the significance of a particular battle during World War II. I glanced at the students sitting around me in the lecture hall, to see if anyone looked like they understood what he was talking about; I for one was having a tough time. To tell you the truth, there was much the professor talked about I found challenging, but I did not care. I had the textbook, which he wrote, to look up the subjects he was expounding on from his own firsthand experiences. Out of that year’s classes, he was my favorite teacher when it came to his lectures. He was animated, using his body and face in wild gestures to prove a point he was making to us. Also, he was the first teacher I ever had who freely used profanity in the classroom. Granted, some of it was uttered in his native tongue, but most of the students, including me, could understand what he was trying to say. Because I found him to be somewhat of a “character” or maybe I should say, not your “run of the mill” teacher, he kept my interest all the time during class. At some point, I started to figure out his style of communication and was able to decipher and digest the things he was telling us. Now, maybe not all of it, but enough for me to expand on what he said and learn something I did not know before. FOR THAT COLLEGE CLASS, I RECEIVED a grade of “B,” and I was happy about it. At least I was able to find explanations and figure out things and events based on what the professor had been talking about. I could not say the same thing when one of my classes required us to critique artwork in the local art museum. When it came to the more traditional pieces, I was okay with reviewing them. However, the more modern, contemporary pieces were a challenge for me. Abstract art was never my strong suit, and though some of it I found beautiful, for the life of me I could not tell you what it represented or meant. For pieces that are larger with an abundance of color and shapes, I enjoy looking at the patterns that are created to see if I can visualize non-intentional objects or faces among the strokes; it is like me looking for shapes and faces in clouds. I feel I do not have to have a full understanding of what I am looking at. If the piece causes me to have a reaction, whether it is good or bad, then it has done its job. Funny, that is the feeling I had as I began watching this action, adventure drama. ALL SIGNS POINTED TO PAUL ATREIDES, played by Timothee Chalamet (Beautiful Boy, Lady Bird), being the one talked about in the prophecy. Revenge against those who killed his family was just a bonus. With Zendaya (Malcolm & Marie, Spider-Man franchise) as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson (The Greatest Showman, The Kid Who Would Be King) as Jessica, Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, The Little Mermaid) as Stilgar and Josh Brolin (Only the Brave, Inherent Vice) as Gurney Halleck; this science fiction installment is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen. It was breathtaking at times, scene after scene so artistic and beautiful. The first half of the film was slightly slow for me. I felt the characters were more cartoon-like, with little depth. But as the story started to pick up midway, I finally was fully engaged as more action and drama were taking place. With that being said, I had trouble believing Timothee was the hero. On the screen, Zendaya and Javier Bardem had more depth and strength in their handling of their characters. It also was obvious to me that the ending was created to allow the opportunity to continue the adventures in a third installment. I may not have understood everything going on, but I did not care because I enjoyed the beauty of the scenes.
3 stars
Posted in Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Tags: 3 stars, action, adventure, drama, javier bardem, josh brolin, rebecca ferguson, science fiction, spices, timothee chalamet, zendaya
Flash Movie Review: The Little Mermaid
Posted by moviejoltz
I JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN the room, when I heard the mother talking about her soon to be daughter-in-law. The way she talked about her; you would have thought her son was marrying the scourge of the earth. I could not tell if the mother did not realize there were a few people within earshot of her or she simply did not care. Sadly, her son knew how his mother felt about his future bride. The mother took a dislike to the woman right from the start, all because she came from a different religion. I had heard about the dislike but did not know the extent of the mother’s negativity towards this person until I was standing in this room. Oh, I forgot to mention the room we were standing in was an anteroom to the hotel’s ballroom where the son and his fiancé had just been married. Despite the mother’s disapproval of this woman, the son was determined to marry the woman he loved. The difference in religion did not concern him or her; they were just two people who fell in love and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. If the mother did not want to be part of their lives, the son was willing to give up and maintain very little contact with her. He felt it was her choice. Through the early part of their marriage the mother was a distant bystander; however, it all changed for the mother when her daughter-in-law became pregnant. I ADMIRED THE SON FOR NOT being manipulated by his mother. Matters of the heart are so complex and powerful. He chose to focus on his happiness instead of pleasing his mother, who by the way, I thought was being awful to both her son and his bride. I have seen instances from both sides, where one could not give up something to follow one’s heart and where the sacrifice was large but worth it. A friend of a friend came out from an ugly divorce and to make ends meet had to hold down two jobs, besides raising her children. She missed many school and milestone events in her children’s lives; however, she was earning enough money to pay for her schooling on top of everything else. The outcome was she earned her degree and found a high paying job that provided her with the means to make up for those times she was not around her children. She never missed an event or opportunity to be front and center for her kids. I know this is a cliché, but I believe there are some things that are worth sacrificing for, as the main character shows you in this fantasy film. DESPITE BEING FORBIDDEN TO INTERACT WITH humans, a young mermaid helps a survivor to shore, from his shipwrecked boat. With Halle Bailey (Last Holiday, House of Payne-TV) as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home, Postcards from London) as Eric, Melissa McCarthy (The Starling, The Kitchen) as Ursula, Javier Bardem (Skyfall; Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) as King Triton and Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns, Dirty Pretty Things) as the Queen; this live action family adventure remake of the classic animated film was truly beautiful. I thought the special effects of the underwater scenes were almost mesmerizing. The cast did a terrific job of acting out their characters, especially Halle and Melissa. The movie, I thought, was too long and some of the additional music was not memorable. Of course, there was not as big of a wow factor for me since I had seen the original animated picture; but I still had an enjoyable time feasting on the visuals and antics, such as Awkwafina’s character, for example. Overall, the impact may not have been as great as Disney expected, but at times I did feel like a little kid sitting in the theater in amazement.
3 stars
Posted in Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Tags: 3 stars, adventure, family, fantasy, halle bailey, javier bardem, jonah hauer king, king, melissa mccarthy, mermaid, noma dumezweni, witch
Flash Movie Review: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Posted by moviejoltz
AFTER YOU GET TO KNOW CERTAIN people, you can anticipate how they will react to certain things. At least that is what I have found to be true. I know a person, who I have come to known, who has a narrow view of the world. If something is different than what she thinks it should be, she immediately has a dislike or distrust for it. Maybe you know someone like this, who looks at the way a stranger is dressed or made up and quickly passes judgement on them. Having been around this person for some time, we were at a party where the guest list was made up of a variety of nationalities and races. This person never left her seat, that she purposely picked in a corner of the room. I would glance over to her from time to time, especially if there were any guests milling about in the area surrounding them. To a stranger, they might have thought this person had an itch in their nose, but I knew better. If this person did not “approve” of a hairstyle or outfit or I would hate to think race or nationality, they would ever so slightly crinkle up their nose and lips. I knew them well enough to recognize that “look,” as if they had just tasted something that was sour. Instead of venturing out of their bubble and learning about an individual, they sat there alone the whole night. I WILL ADMIT WHEN IT COMES to food, I might not want to taste it if it doesn’t look “good” to me, whatever good means in my mind. However, with people it is a different story. That is one of the reasons I watch one particular singing reality television show. Normally, I do not watch any of the reality shows, but this one I enjoy because the judges are basing their decisions on the contestant’s voice. The judges do not get to see the performer until after they are done singing. I enjoy watching the talent and seeing how individuals who might not get a break in the industry because they do not “look the part” get to experience everything that goes along with sharing their special talent. This might explain why I frequently use the phrase, “Do not judge a book by its cover.” I have been pleasantly surprised encountering people who others may have been wary about based on some false, preconceived notion. The example I have used before is the man who struck an imposing figure but had the sweetest and most gentle personality. It is a message that rings deeply in me and why I wound up being taken by surprise in this adventure comedy. IT WAS HARD MAKING FRIENDS AT a new school, but things were not all bad after Josh, played by Winslow Fegley (Come Play, Nightbooks) discovered who was living in the attic of his family’s new home. With musical artist Shawn Mendes voicing Lyle, Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos, Loving Pablo) as Hector P. Valenti, Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians, Sound of My Voice) as Mrs. Primm and Scott McNairy (12 Years a Slave, Argo) as Mr. Primm; this musical movie based on the children’s book series had a wonderful message in its story. The cast was fun to watch, despite some of them close to becoming cartoonish. The CGI effects were fine as well as Shawn’s singing. There were some holes in the script, where I thought the story was veering off a bit; however, it was not anything so blatant that disrupted the flow of scenes. The biggest surprise was Javier’s performance; I had no idea he could sing and dance. Children will certainly be entertained by this picture and, as a bonus, everyone could use a refresher course on not judging a book by its cover.
3 stars
Posted in Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Tags: 3 stars, adventure, animation, comedy, constance wu, crocodile, fantasy, javier bardem, new york city, scoot mcnairy, shawn mendes, winslow fegley
Flash Movie Review: Being the Ricardos
Posted by moviejoltz
I REMEMBER WATCHING IT BUT DID not actively seek it out. After school I would walk home and usually grab something for a snack before dinner. Since I was sitting and eating, I would turn on the television and channel surf the stations. What caught my eye was the fact there was a TV show filmed in black and white. As I sat there watching it, I was struck by the female lead’s physicality; she had an expressive face and she knew how to use it, besides the physical exertion she would put out in her movements. It fascinated me because I could not recall seeing a female on television who did this same type of comedy. I became enthralled by the show and began to make it a point that I got home in time to catch this show. The funny thing is, I thought I was watching a new show each week. It turned out they were repeats, that the original airing of the show was some years earlier. No matter to me, I got swept up into the lives of this couple with their neighbors and friends. I do not easily laugh out loud, but I found myself more times than not, laughing at the antics the female lead was getting herself in to every day. IT WAS MANY YEARS LATER THAT I discovered this woman who played that lead was a very shrewd businesswoman. I had seen her for many years on her various television shows and movies, besides guest starring on other TV shows. The things I knew about her were more in line with the fodder that gossip magazines put out; however, after doing some research I discovered not only was she a smart individual, but her husband was as well. After all this time I still can see one snippet of a scene from her classic television show and immediately recall the entire episode; it is as if I was there as part of the set, the memories are so crystal clear. What a remarkable life this woman led. At one time, approximately 60 million households tuned in to watch her on television. Can you imagine that? She commanded such an audience that evidently the retail establishment made changes simply to accommodate those shoppers that were fans of the show. These facts are historic and just think, I accidently stumbled on the show when I was a little kid, who wanted to watch something while eating my afternoon snack. Because of these memories, I felt I was transported back in time as I began watching this wonderful biographical drama based on true events. WITH ONLY ONE WEEK TO WRITE, rehearse and put on a weekly television show; there were so many things taking place that the viewing audience had no idea were happening. How the female lead not only survived each challenge but went on to become a legend in the process. With Nicole Kidman (The Goldfinch, Boy Erased) as Lucille Ball, Javier Bardem (Skyfall, The Sea Inside) as Desi Arnaz, J.K. Simmons (The Tomorrow War, Palm Springs) as William Frawley, Nina Arlanda (Richard Jewell, Stan & Ollie) as Vivian Vance and Tony Hale (Clifford the Big Red Dog, Arrested Development-TV) as Jess Oppenheimer; this historical piece of Americana was brilliant in who was cast it turns out. When I heard Nicole was playing Lucy, I thought for sure she would not be able to handle such a larger-than-life character. I was wrong; I actually forgot it was her because she was so deep into character. Javier was a major surprise because he was incredible as Desi. Honestly, everyone was terrific in this film and though the dialog was tight and smart, I wished there had been a deeper delving into Lucy and Desi. At times, I felt as if the story was getting confused in what it was trying to say. Despite this I still am a fan of this film; it may partly be due to my fond memories of the show.
3 ¼ stars
Posted in Drama
Tags: 3 1/4 stars, biography, comedy, desi arnaz, drama, history, j k simmons, javier bardem, lucille ball, nicole kidman, nina arlanda, television, tony hale, true events
Flash Movie Review: Everybody Knows
Posted by moviejoltz
THERE ARE SOME FAMILY GATHERINGS THAT require a program to keep the cast of characters clear in one’s mind. I will avoid talking about my own since it would be easy for the family members to identify themselves in my stories. There have been many occasions where I have been included in another family’s event. From somber to joyful I have discovered each family has their own “baggage” whether they acknowledge it or not. Also, it has reaffirmed in me the belief that there is no such thing as a “normal” family. I was included in a friend’s family dinner where two sisters did not speak to each other because they had an argument months (yes, that is right months) ago. Do you have any idea how challenging it is to carry on a conversation where you have to address each person separately on the same topic? They never made eye contact nor referred to the other in any way; it was uncomfortable for me and yet the parents sat at the dining room table as if nothing in the world was wrong. The wildest part of it was when food was being passed around the table. Neither sister would hand the other any food going around; instead, would put it on the table to make the other sibling stand up and reach for it. Crazy, isn’t it? AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, I have been at family functions where nothing was held back; family members were sharing the most intimate details about their personal lives. In other words, WTMI (way too much information). There would be no need for me to hear what type of physical characteristics a relative is looking for in a mate. Or how about sitting around the living room as 3 relatives get into a heated argument, calling each other names and swearing at the top of their lungs. I remember looking around to get a cue on how to react, but the other relatives were just sitting there sipping their cups of coffee and nibbling on their snacks as if nothing was taking place. At one point I thought I was entering a boxing match as the yelling relatives were getting up into each other’s faces. Now I come from a point of view where everyone has the right to express their feelings; but not during a heated argument. It should be a calm setting with no fear of retaliation. If you are curious to see an example of a family with issues, then feel free to observe what takes place with the family in this dramatic crime mystery. RETURNING TO HER SMALL HOME TOWN for her sister’s wedding was to be a happy occasion for Laura, played by Penelope Cruz (The Counsellor, Broken Embraces). But when a tragic event took place, the cracks beneath the family’s surface spread further apart. This film festival winning movie also starred Javier Bardem (The Sea Inside, No Country for Old Men) as Paco, Ricardo Darin (The Secret in Their Eyes, Wild Tales) as Alejandro, Edward Fernandez (Biutiful, The Man with Thousand Faces) as Fernando and Barbara Lennie (Magical Girl, El Nino) as Bea. The acting in this film was excellent; whether it was joyful or heart wrenching, I was feeling the characters’ emotional states. With the acting so strong, this picture needed a tightly written script to keep the actors aloft. At times I felt some scenes went flat; luckily, there were not many of them. The other criticism I have has to do with the ending. It seemed to tidy as if it wanted to wrap up the story quickly. Otherwise, this picture still kept my interest as I wondered what other things this family had hidden below the surface. Spanish was spoken with English subtitles.
2 ½ stars
Posted in Foreign
Tags: 2 1/2 stars, barbara lennie, crime, drama, edward fernandez, film festival winner, foreign, javier bardem, madrid, mystery, penelope cruz, ricardo darin, spanish
Flash Movie Review: Loving Pablo
Posted by moviejoltz
IS A PERSON JUST BEING GOOD to you enough to have a relationship with them? I have always had a curiosity about the things that are important to a person seeking and being in a love relationship. One of the things that piqued my curiosity was seeing news reporters interviewing the love interest of a person who had recently committed a crime or was in an altercation. Hearing the girlfriend say her boyfriend has always been good to her after he had just been accused of bludgeoning a man to death was the oddest thing to me. Let us say it was true, that he was kind and respectful of her; is that all one needs to fall in love? There seems to be more similar examples currently than I can recall years ago. A husband is stunned when he finds out his wife has been embezzling money from her place of employment for years. Behind the husband and reporter, parked in the driveway of the couple’s house, was a brand new expensive car. I find it all bizarre; how can someone only focus on certain aspects of an individual and base their affection solely on those features? I know I cannot do it. IN MY WORLD ACTIONS HAVE AS much importance as words; in other words, it is not just what a person says that will cement my feelings towards them. I think anyone can say anything and I have been in relationships where the person said things they knew would pull at my heart strings. And the words did; however, there were things they did that did not earn my trust. I had friends who had warned me, but you know how that goes; unless they are in your shoes, you feel your friends are not able to see the whole picture. It is funny because I have been in their place where I expressed my concerns about friends’ love interests. There was one person who was a user, who only cared about himself. Yes, he would do these sweet things for my friend that made her heart swell; but he had no empathy and was a cheapskate. If the opportunity came up where she asked me for my opinion I would tell her exactly what I thought. The one thing I would not do is tell her what she “should” do; I knew she would have to figure out what worked for her. Also, I remained respectful around him. My motto is, “I do not have to accept anything, but need to respect it.” And when it comes to this biographical crime film, no truer words have been spoken. If not, one could find themselves getting killed. DESPITE BEING COLOMBIA’S MOST NOTORIOUS DRUG LORD there was something about Pablo Escobar, played by Javier Bardem (The Sea Inside, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) that made journalist and anchorwoman Virginia Vallejo, played by Penelope Cruz (The Counselor, Vicky Cristina Barcelona), fall in love with him. It wasn’t long before everyone knew. This film festival winning action movie also starred Peter Sarsgaard (Jackie, The Magnificent Seven) as Shepherd, Julieth Restrepo (At the End of the Spectra, Moria) as Maria Victoria Henao and Oscar Jaenada (The Shallows, Cantinflas) as Santoro. It goes without saying that Javier and Penelope were a perfect match since they are married to each other. I enjoyed the two of them in this story and picked up a couple of things I did not know about Escobar. However, the script was too superficial; I would have preferred if the writers went deeper into the characters. Instead there were scenes of blood and violence which were expected, but I felt there had to be more to this story than what was shown.
2 stars
Posted in Drama
Tags: 2 stars, action, biography, colombia, crime, drama, drug lord, film festival winner, javier bardem, julieth restrepo, Oscar Jaenada, penelope cruz, peter sarsgaard
Flash Movie Review: Mother!
Posted by moviejoltz
A TINY POOL of liquid was growing larger in the bowl of guacamole the longer the night went on. The offer of food and drink had ended a long time ago as one host sat and watched the secondhand tick around the clock dial. The other host was keeping busy by tidying up around the room, washing glasses and plates from time to time when hopefully her absence would not be detected. After dinner and dessert the small group of people played a couple of games before settling into their spots to chill out and talk among themselves. As the evening wound down the guests started to leave until there were only 2-3 guests left. These remaining guests had a reputation for always being the last ones to leave a party. Somehow they did not or chose not to pick up the telltale signs hosts would enact to signal they were tired and wanted the party to end. MAYBE I MENTIONED this in an earlier post but all the clocks in my house show different times. How it started was when I pushed the time on my alarm clock ahead in the hope of never being late for work. From there it expanded to the rest of the clocks because I discovered many people do not pay attention to the actual time. From the parties I have thrown there were times where I was dead tired by the end of the evening. By having the clocks set ahead I could make a comment about how late the evening had gone; guests would look at the clock and be surprised by how fast time had passed by. Now before you say anything I do want to tell you that after I found my voice I no longer needed to depend on my false clock times to get late night guests out of the house; now I just tell them it is late and I am tired. It is a shame I could not have invited the homeowners in this dramatic, mystery horror film to one of my parties so they could take a lesson. WHEN THE UNEXPECTED man, played by Ed Harris (A Beautiful Mind, The Rock) was invited in by the homeowners, played by Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games franchise, American Hustle) and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, The Sea Inside), they had no idea how their lives would change. This film festival nominated movie written and directed by Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Fountain), also starred Michelle Pfeiffer (Batman Begins, Dark Shadows) as the wife to Ed Harris’ character. The first part of the story was suspenseful and I immediately enjoyed everyone’s acting. However as the script continued this film got weirder and weirder. I became irritated with all the close up shots Darren was doing of Jennifer. The thing about this movie was I appreciated what I felt was the allegories the writer was trying to show. However as the story descended into a pseudo horror film I could not wait for the picture to be over. Because of the stark shift from suspense to horror I experienced a stronger negative reaction. Despite the acting from a cast I admired, I could not find justification for the amount of time I wasted watching this movie.
1 1/2 stars
Posted in Drama
Tags: 1 1/2 stars, celebrity, darren aronofsky, drama, ed harris, horror, javier bardem, jennifer lawrence, marriage, michelle pfeiffer, mystery, suspense
Flash Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Posted by moviejoltz
ONCE again I was dressed up as a clown. I actually had no complaints about the costume; it was custom made using satin fabric. The buttons down the front were these big colored pom-pom looking things. Though the outfit was not made for me, it had been handed down; only a few adjustments were needed for me to safely walk in it. There was a cone shaped hat with another of those pom-poms attached on top that completed the outfit. I could only wear the hat for a short time before the strap holding it down on my head started to irritate under my chin. The first time the costume was worn by the original owner, they won a costume contest at a local theater. By the time I got the outfit, it was still in good shape. Why wouldn’t it be? It was handmade with strong stitching and detailing. You could not compare it to one of those store bought costumes for the fabric was thicker and it must have had better elastic because the cuffs of the legs still were able to hug my ankles, helping the balloon effect of the pants. AFTER wearing the clown costume every Halloween for a few years I finally was able to pick out my very own outfit. The reason was due to me outgrowing the pants, both in length and width. I remember spending the longest time at the toy store deciding what I wanted to be. I looked at the popular outfits like a soldier and pirate, but it seemed like all my friends were picking those outfits to wear. Finally I decided to become an astronaut; I thought the white spacesuit was cool with its fake badges and big pockets. And of course the big feature was the helmet though I had wished the visor would have been real. You would have thought I would have been thrilled to walk the neighborhood in my new outfit but I did not experience that feeling. After wearing the same costume for a few years I was just getting to the age where I really did not care to go trick or treating anymore. It is a similar feeling to what I experienced watching this action adventure fantasy. WITH the rumors possibly being true about Poseidon’s trident, opposing forces were in a mad dash to gain the powerful device. Starring Johnny Depp (Black Mass, The Lone Ranger) as Captain Jack Sparrow, Javier Bardem (The Gunman, No Country for Old Men) as Captain Salazar and Geoffrey Rush (The Book Thief, The Best Offer) as Captain Hector Barbossa; the best acting came from Javier and Geoffrey. In fact I could watch Javier if there was a spinoff to this film franchise. The reason being the story here was a hodgepodge. It did not help that I thought Johnny brought nothing new to the role; besides the script felt a bit tired with the same type of things seen in the previous films. Having said that, I will say I enjoyed the special effects in this picture and there were a lot of them. The majority of the scenes were action based, almost to the point of one after another after another. One other issue I had was the length of this movie; I felt it needed another round of editing. If you want light familiar fare to make the time go by then this newest installment might satisfy you; however, don’t be surprised if it leaves you wanting more. There was an extra scene at the end of the credits.
2 stars
Posted in Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Tags: 2 stars, action, adventure, brenton thwaites, fantasy, geoffrey rush, javier bardem, johnny depp, kaya scodelario, pirates, poseidon
Flash Movie Review: The Gunman
Posted by moviejoltz
Everyone has their own way of offering penance to right a wrong. There are some people who will say they are sorry so many times that it begins to sound like a standard salutation. When I have to I will usually use the word “apologize” instead of “sorry” because for some reason I have it in my brain that the word sorry should be saved for important occasions. I want the word to have deeper meaning when I use it. Instead of verbalizing one’s regrets there are some individuals who will perform an act of kindness to represent the regret of their actions. After the disintegration of an important relationship, where I kept starting my heated sentences with the word “you” instead of sharing my feelings, I spent months volunteering at a few non-profit organizations that represented us. A goal I have for this lifetime is not to leave with any regrets. Sure there are times I feel guilty about something that happened; but before I act upon it I look back to see how I could have handled the situation differently. When someone tells me they wished they did not feel guilty I point out that feeling guilt is a good thing; it shows that we are aware and in touch with our feelings. On the other hand there are people who know how to manipulate others by placing a guilt trip on them. FORMALLY part of a Congo based assassination team Terrier, played by Sean Penn (All the King’s Men, Milk), did not realize when he returned after several years that he would become the target. This action drama film assembled a capable cast. Besides Sean there was Javier Bardem (The Counselor, Eat Pray Love) as Felix, Jasmine Trinca (The Son’s Room, The Big Dream) as Annie and Ray Winstone (Hugo, The Departed) as Stanley. It was obvious Sean put a great deal of time into this role since he bulked up for the character, removing his shirt several times to show it off. This may sound odd but the story was easy to follow; it just did not make much sense. Sadly the script was poorly done where I found myself being bored several times. The truth is once I understood the story I realized the writers had a perfect opportunity to create a compelling, tight script. They failed miserably because there was no tension, suspense or connections between most of the characters. If they thought the violence and bloodshed would suffice, I have to say they were completely wrong. I tried finding good things to say about this crime movie but I could not come up with anything else. There is nothing I have to apologize for with this review. There was blood and violence throughout the movie.
1 1/2 stars
Posted in Drama
Tags: 1 1/2 stars, action, assassination, congo, crime, drama, idris elba, jasmine trinca, javier bardem, ray winstone, sean penn
moviejoltz 