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Flash Movie Review: The Amateur
IT WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST pet peeves when I was younger and it still is one of my biggest pet peeves as I get older. I cannot stand when someone says they will do something then not follow through with it. I would always get annoyed when an elementary school friend would tell me they will call me on a certain day then never call. Or, when a relative would say to me they found something in their attic they think I would like, but never show it to me, despite the implications they wanted me to have it. As I grew older, I verbalized my displeasure in a friendly way to a few friends who were always saying they would do something with me, but never followed through with it; even when I would call as a follow up, they would tell me they would have to get back with me, to let me know when we could get together. I learned a long time ago not to put much effort into those friends and relatives who habitually told me one thing but did something entirely different. I had one friend who actually made plans to get together with me but then cancel at the last minute. They would reschedule but as the date neared they would cancel again. This used to upset me because I would keep the date and time open, declining other offers, then wind up with nothing to do because they backed out at the last minute. Talk about adding fuel to my anger and annoyance. IN THE WORKPLACE, I WOULD FIND myself getting annoyed with fellow employees and bosses who did not follow through with what they told me they would do. I had one boss who was always late giving me my annual performance review, which was used partially to justify to upper management the reason for me getting a salary increase. My boss would send me short emails that said they were working on my review, pushing back the date for our one-on-one meeting, then cancel the meeting at the last minute. It drove me crazy. In the workplace, I truly understand things come up and meetings have to be rescheduled; however, for my boss to go through this same scenario each year made me believe he was just a procrastinator. Outside of the workplace, it drives me crazy when a person repeats the same plan over and over. I have a relative who has always ended our get togethers with the same phrase each time. They tell me they will have me over for a BBQ and sit out on their backyard deck. We are going on four years with me hearing them say this each time we are together, but never following up with an actual invite. So you can see why I would act similarly to the main character in this spy, action thriller when he felt his superiors were not following up on the evidence he gathered for them. WHEN A CIA EMPLOYEE’S WIFE IS killed in a terrorist attack, he decides to take matters in his own hands to hunt down his wife’s killers, even if the agency does not follow up on the evidence he has accumulated. With Rami Malek (No Time to Die, The Little Things) as Heller, Rachel Brosnahan (Patriots Day, The Finest Hours) as Sarah, Jon Bernthal (The Accountant 2, The Unforgivable) as The Bear, Evan Milton (Eyewitness: D-Day, The Lost Pirate Kingdom-TV) as Slater, and Nick Mills (Shilo, Succession-TV) as Finn; the script for this film was not always believable. Some of the scenes were far-fetched and unrealistic. Adding in Rami’s performance, I found it to be an odd mixture of awkward nerdiness vs. cold killer. Some of his scenes displayed a creativeness that was fascinating to watch. But what kept throwing me was his unemotional reactions to some of the violent scenes. Still, I was feeling entertained, remaining hopeful that the “good guy” would eventually prevail. I also appreciated that the advertising for this movie pretty much showed you what to expect from the story. There were several scenes filled with blood and violence.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Scoop
I DO NOT THINK I AM different from most people, wanting to stay current or in the know. Ever since I learned how to read, I have had a thing about periodicals and newspapers. Growing up we had the city newspaper delivered to us every single day, besides a few magazines coming weekly and monthly. When I was old enough to move out of the house into my own apartment, the first thing I did was subscribe to a handful of magazines. Part of my enjoyment is being able to share a new bit of information with friends and family, plus when someone asks me if I knew about something, I could say yes and tell them where I heard or read about it. Do not ask me why this brings me pleasure; maybe it is because I hated being called on in classes, having never been confident in having the right answers. Even when I travel to a new city, one of the things I always do is buy a copy of their local newspaper. I feel I learn a little more about the area I am visiting by reading their local news. There have been times when I return from vacation with little news articles or tidbits I had torn out of local newspapers or magazines. AS I HAVE MENTIONED IN THE past, I believe there are no accidents. So, it turned out my enjoyment with staying current helped me in my fitness classes. Sharing some of the news bits I learned became a fun distraction in my classes. Besides my enjoyment in mentioning both important and whimsical news items, I felt it was a good distraction for the members while they were being pushed by me with their fitness routines. Sometimes we would start a dialog of shared thoughts on a topic I mentioned while we worked out. And if there happened to be a newsworthy news event that contained interviews, most of us would share the same opinions. I always wanted to know more than what was spoken in the news. For example, why did one news source get their news out on a specific recent headlining event first before any of their competitors, or what had to take place to snag an interview with a famous or infamous player involved with the breaking story; these are things I am naturally curious about. Since I am inquisitive, it made perfect sense that I would want to see this dramatic biography based on true events. IT WOULD BE THE INTERVIEW OF a lifetime, but could the BBC really sway the thinking over at Buckingham Palace. The stakes were high for both sides; it was only a matter of convincing them it was the right thing to do. With Billie Piper (Catherine Called Birdy, Doctor Who-TV) as Sam McAlister, Gillian Anderson (White Bird, The Last King of Scotland) as Emily Maitlis, Rufus Sewell (Judy, A Knight’s Tale) as Prince Andrew, Connor Swindells (Barbie, Sex Education-TV) as Jae Donnelly and Kate Fleetwood (London Road, Beirut) as Annette Witheridge; I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The acting by Gillian and Rufus was wonderful, to the point I believed their characters. Of course, nothing could replace seeing the actual interview of Prince Andrew discussing his interactions with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; however, whether it was true or not, seeing the behind-the-scenes dealings to get the interview were fascinating to me. At times, scenes played out like a thriller, with tension and excitement. I thought the pacing was spot on, staying steady and focused on capturing the “truth” that viewers wanted to see for themselves. Due to the way the story was packaged, I could easily believe all of this took place to get Prince Andrew to open up about what part he played in Jeffrey’s world.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Magic Mike’s Last Dance
DESPITE BEING FRIENDS FOR A LONG time, there was nothing I could say or do to stop my friend from what she was doing. She had been in a long term relationship for four or five years before it turned sour and ended. I helped her through her sorrow and tried to convince her to stop stalking him on his social media sites. Speaking from experience, I knew there was nothing good to gain from watching the person you had fallen in love with go on with their life without you. Unfortunately, she would not give up on following him. I just knew this did not bode well for the healing process; I knew her so well. As I expected, she started focusing on her appearance. First, she worked towards getting rock solid by exercising and dieting; we are talking hardcore dieting. Her sporadic bouts of exercise became a daily constant in her life, from jogging to fitness classes to weight training. I am all for people exercising but for the right reasons. The advice I would give her about not training the same muscles two days in a row was heard but not always acted upon. If she was going to keep up this pace, she would be a candidate for a pulled muscle or stress fracture sometime in the near future. ONCE SHE STARTED SEEING RESULTS FROM her efforts, she started to alter her fashion style, going for a “younger look,” whatever that means. I liked some of the new clothing, but there were other choices that made me cringe inside. Of course, I did not say it like that to her when she asked my opinion; I just told her I did not think it was very attractive on her. I thought that was a pretty diplomatic answer. The next part of her evolution was the one that really made me cringe to the point I told her it would not be a good idea; he was not worth all of her time and effort. She planned on going with friends to the places he would be hanging out, like bars and restaurants. If she could not pin down the exact locations off of his social media sites, she planned on taking chances at several of his favorites spots. I thought it was such an awful idea that caused my stomach to twist into knots. No one was worth going through all of the work and then the embarrassment of trying to flaunt one’s self in front of their former love. I felt I was going to witness a trainwreck just like the one I watched in this comedy drama. BEING A BARTENDER AT CHARITY EVENTS was not what Mike Lane, played by Channing Tatum (Dog, Logan Lucky), envisioned for himself; that is why he agreed to accept the hostess’ offer despite it sounding crazy. With Salma Hayek (Eternals, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard) as Maxandra Mendoza, Ayub Khan-Din (London Bridge-TV, Coronation Street-TV) as Victor, Vicki Pepperdine (Johnny English Strikes Again, My Cousin Rachel) as Edna Eaglebauer and Alan Cox (Young Sherlock Holmes, The Dictator) as Roger Rattigan; this film directed by Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Eleven franchise) was a shock for me. I rarely ever say this, but it was cringe worthy. The script was looney and most of the time I sat in my seat feeling embarrassed for Salma. If I need to say something was worthwhile seeing then I would say the dance scenes. It did not seem as if age had any affect on Channing, he still had the moves. I also enjoyed the scene with his old buddies. Outside of those things, I thought this film was such a mess. There did not seem to be any connections between anyone and zero back story. Maybe Channing was under contract to participate in this production. I suggest one not pay the cover charge and go to a different establishment instead to dance.
1 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Living
MY NEWEST CATCHPHRASE IS, “IT IS better to meet here (or almost anyplace such as a restaurant, park, theater, ballpark or store) than at the cemetery.” What I mean by this catchphrase is it is better to get together for a happy/good occasion instead of a sad one at a funeral. When talking to a friend or family member, where they are not sure they want to travel to visit their friends or family, I ask them if they would go if the person, they were thinking of visiting was dying. They almost always reply in the affirmative; they would not hesitate for a moment. That is when I then ask wouldn’t they rather visit and do stuff with their friend/family member instead of mourning them. This may sound harsh to some of you, but I am just being honest and unfiltered. Also, I practice what I preach. I was recently talking to a friend about attending a wedding. They were questioning the time they would have to be away from their pets and the cost of traveling out of state to attend the wedding. I asked what they would do if it was their friend’s funeral. There was no pause, they said they would plan to get to the funeral. I told them they now have their answer on what they should do about the wedding. They could not help but agree with me. BACK WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I never thought about people dying or getting gravely ill. Maybe I had that mindset that many people in their youth have: being invincible. My actions back then were not decided with life and death being in the equation. Interestingly, I wished I had a little of that awareness about getting the most one can out of the day; in other words, live life to the fullest. To get enjoyment, satisfaction and pleasure out of each moment. There were times when I felt I was only existing instead of living. Going to work, getting home, making dinner, cleaning up, sleeping, then waking up to an alarm the next morning to start it all over again was my basic pattern of existing. I was too tired to do anything during the weekday; so, the weekend consisted of catching up on stuff and maybe I would meet up with a friend or relative for a dinner. I am not sure what triggered a mental reset, maybe maturity or the death of a close one; but I started to appreciate the things around me and make a point of staying in touch with friends and family. It comes down to this, one never knows what tomorrow will bring; so, it is better to get as much as you can out of today. I loved how this dramatic film presented this idea. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT worker received the diagnosis from his recent tests, that he learned how to live again. With Bill Nighy (About Time, Emma) as Williams, Aimee Lou Wood (The Electrical Life of Louis Wan, Uncle Vanya) as Margaret Harris, Alex Sharp (The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Hustle) as Peter Wakeling, Adrian Rawlins (Harry Potter franchise, Breaking the Waves) as Middleton and Oliver Chris (Miss Marx, Motherland-TV) as Hart; this Oscar nominated film was an absolute joy to watch. Bill Nighy, who is nominated for best actor, was utterly fantastic; it was an honor to watch him display his skills. Set in 1950s London, the film production was perfect. From the way the story was filmed to the sets and costumes; everything fell into place to make this a complete picture. The story took a little time to fully grab me; but once it did, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. And the message I took from the story confirmed one of my beliefs. I am glad I took the time to seek out and view this Oscar worthy movie.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
I AM NOT ADVOCATING TO THROW caution to the wind, but within reason to allow yourself to experience at least one indulgence. Since I was a little boy, I have loved and always wanted a particular European sports car. Now I know chances are I will never be able to afford to buy one, but I still dream about it. Maybe I can splurge at some point and rent it while on vacation. From time to time, an article of clothing or a small electronic device has caught my attention. If it grabs a strong hold on me, I will obsess over it to the point where I feel everything would work out in my life if I just had that item. There was a time, years ago, where I would act on these compulsions and immediately buy it on a charge card, whether I could afford it or not. Just having that thing brought me immense joy and it was something I did not expect anyone else to understand. For example, getting a sweater that I thought was so cool looking gave me such pleasure because, in my mind, I thought I would look great in it. Not having a substantial level of high esteem, this was my way to make myself feel better. I think that is one of the reasons it is hard for me to get rid of clothes; I do not want to throw away the magic that article of clothing provided me. WITH MATURITY, I LEARNED TO CONTROL my habit for finding happiness in material things. Not that it was necessarily a negative thing, it needed to have a coating of reason with it. While I was still living at home, I decided I wanted to have a house I could call my own. One thing you can say about me is I have an incredibly strong sense of determination. If there is something I want, I will laser focus on it and do whatever I need to do to make it a reality. For several years, I took on extra hours, worked overtime and saved every penny I could so that I would be able to put a healthy down payment on whatever house I found. Sure, I did not accept every invite to go out to dinner or a show; but sometimes I would make alternate plans to meet for lunch or just to hang out which would cost less money. My plan worked and it was well worth doing because I was able to fulfill my dream of having my own home. This is one of the reasons why I feel indulging oneself within a reasonable limit can be a positive thing. There is a wonderful example of it you can see in this lovely comedic drama. SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME A Christian Dior dress was all cleaning woman Ada Harris, played by Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, Another Year) needed to fall in love with it. She would find a way someday to own her very own haute couture Dior dress. With Isabelle Huppert (About Joan, Greta) as Claudine Colbert, Lambert Wilson (The Matrix franchise, Timeline) as Marquis de Chassagne, Alba Baptista (Patrick, Warrior Nun-TV) as Natasha and Lucas Bravo (Ticket to Paradise, Emily in Paris-TV) as Andre Fauvel; this movie was a treasure. Set in the city of London during the 1950s, Lesley was magnificent as Ada; she drove the story beyond the predictable. The pacing was perfect throughout every scene; I felt I was transported back in time. And the ultimate compliment belongs to the writers; their story brought me into a situation that I initially thought was impossible. Yet, with their words, I soon was rooting for everyone in the cast. If there were more films out of this caliber, I would indulge my love of movies by going to the theater more often.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: See How They Run
I WAS NEVER VERY GOOD AT playing mystery games like Clue. Of all the times I played it, I only won the game once. The same holds true for those immersive, staged mystery house events. Though they are exciting and fun, I do not focus on seeking out who is the killer; I am having such a fun time with the experience, along with the visuals and acting, that I get lost into it. In other words, I immerse myself, hence an immersive production. LOL There is something about seeing, what I would consider, average/innocuous events that later turn out to be vital clues to the identity of the murderer. This also applies to mystery books and movies; the way they can pull one into their story and take them on this wild trail of events has always impressed me. As I have been working on this review it has occurred to me, I was a guest at a dinner party where all the guests had to assume the identity of a famous individual. Throughout the meal there were six of us seated around the dining room table; some were talking with an accent and others were conversing with a different sounding voice. I was a well-known television star, so I periodically dropped clues about the type of shirt I was wearing and the landscape of the area I lived in on the TV series. It was not until we were eating dessert before someone correctly guessed my character. WITH MY LOVE OF MYSTERIES, THE one and only time I was in London, England I wanted to see the play The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. I remember how excited I was to see it, both because it was a murder mystery, and it was being staged in London’s famous West End district. The production checked off all my expectations. And the “piece de resistance” occurred at the end of the show when a cast member came out on stage to ask everyone in the audience to keep secret who was the killer. I thought this was so cool because I felt like I was suddenly part of the production, and my job was not to reveal the murderer. I want you to know I never did reveal the identity of the killer. I find it fascinating that after all these years I am now reviewing a dramatic comedy murder that incorporates The Mousetrap into its story. PLANS WERE IN PLACE TO BRING the play The Mousetrap to the big screen. However, when a cast member was found dead, things had to be placed on hold as an investigation was to take place. The inspector would soon discover it was not easy dealing with theater people. With Adrien Brody (The French Dispatch, American Heist) as Leo Kopernick, David Oyelowo (The Water Man, A United Kingdom) as Mervyn Cocker-Norris, Saoirse Ronan (Mary Queen of Scots, Little Women) as Constable Stalker, Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, The Best of Enemies) as Inspector Stoppard and Harris Dickinson (The King’s Man, Beach Rats) as Richard Attenborough; this story based in the 1950s London had all the markings of being a classic “whodunit” type of thriller. The cast filled with well rounded, capable actors were well matched with their characters. I thought the sets and costumes were spot on, giving a perfect retro feel to the story. Sadly, it did not take much detective work to discover the script was a big letdown as was the directing. Things seemed to drag for the first half of the film. Where I normally admire Sam Rockwell’s acting skills, here he seemed to have gotten lost. There was no emotional variance to the scenes which I found boring. Weirdly, I thought Wes Anderson was directing because it certainly was his type of style; but it was not the case. I almost feel like I need to do some detective work to discover who allowed this production to go forward because it really is a mystery to me.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Duke
I DO NOT THINK I AM CRAZY, though some of my friends and family think so because I soak prescription medicine bottles. The reason is to remove the labels before I recycle the bottles. Several of my friends think for the small size of the bottles it is not worth it to recycle; I beg to differ. But here is the thing, I do not force my recycling beliefs on those around me. If a package can be recycled into another item, I feel I am doing my part to protect our world’s natural resources. If by my recycling there is one less plastic product sitting in a garbage dump or floating in the ocean, then I feel quite good about helping protect the planet. I do not berate anyone if they choose not to recycle their products; I can only hope they see by my example a mindset that does not take much effort to do. If I am drinking water from a plastic bottle at someone’s house, I ask them if they recycle. If the answer is no, then I tell them I will take the bottle home with me to recycle it. I do not pass any judgements on the person, nor do I make a big deal out of it to embarrass the host in any way. I am simply doing my thing, as they say. THE WAY I ACT ABOUT RECYCLING, where I do not berate or force people to follow, came about from seeing how a couple of individuals were acting about their beliefs. One person had signed up with an organization to become a sales rep for their exclusive home products. This person constantly talked about how wonderful the company benefits were and how they were able to make more than their agreed upon salary. At meals, get togethers, emails and phone calls; they also made a point of asking me to sign up and work under them. It came to a point where I started avoiding them because what they were describing to me was a pyramid scheme. The only way I could make more money was if I could get individuals to sign up under my name; the more people you convince to join the organization, the more money you make. And of course, with the discount salespeople get for the company’s product line, this person’s house was filled with every product from air fresheners to toilet bowl cleaners. I was forced to watch how well one of the cleaning products worked on their kitchen counter; it was no different than the cleaner I use at home, and I did not have to pay shipping for mine. Can you imagine having to listen to this stuff every day? It would be like living with the main character in this comedic drama. FIGHTING WITH THE GOVERNMENT OVER THEIR charging policy for television broadcasts took on more importance when Kempton Bunton, played by Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady, Another Year), saw how much money the government paid for a painting by Francisco Goya. With Heather Craney (Vera Drake, Child 44) as Debbie, Helen Mirren (The Good Liar, Woman in Gold) as Dorothy Bunton, Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk, The Children Act) as Jackie Bunton and Matthew Goode (Chasing Liberty, Downton Abbey) as Jeremy Hutchinson QC; this film based on a true story was a treat. First the acting prowess of Jim and Helen was mesmerizing. The story was incredible and the whole cast made this film a non-stop piece of entertainment. I enjoyed the curves the script threw, and the way Jim delivered his words with timing perfection. Because the true story was so outrageous, I at times wondered how much liberty the writers took in writing the script; however, it was not enough to take my attention away from the all the scenes. Finally, to show you the sign of a good actor, I was getting annoyed by some of Kempton Bunton’s actions.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: No Time to Die
ONE OF THE THINGS I MISSED most this past holiday season was spending time at the movie theater. In the past, I would spend one of my days off from work at the theater, watching as many films as I could in one day. Due to the current times with COVID and the variants, I have not been comfortable sitting in a crowded theater. In the good old days, I could sometimes catch 5 movies in one day. Maybe some of you might think that is too intense to do, but for me it was like therapy; I loved getting lost in story after story, while taking off enough time just to catch something to eat before I went back into the next showing on my list. What made this work of course was the fact the film studios always release their blockbusters around this time; so, the Academy of Motion Pictures would have the studio’s film fresh in their minds for the beginning of the voting period for an Academy Award nomination. Truth be told, even if the picture was not high on my list, if it fit into my time schedule to make the day’s viewing work, I would go see it. Surprisingly, I have only a couple of friends who could handle watching multiple movies in one day. Usually, a friend might only meet me for one or two films before they had to bow out and take a break. SINCE I CHOSE TO STAY HOME this holiday season, I wanted to experience that blockbuster type of movie experience. Luckily, I was able to rent the film I am reviewing today. It still is playing at the theater and the fact it is two hours and 43 minutes long, I could hit pause at anytime so I would not miss any scene. There is something about a James Bond movie that always has a special mystique when it premieres. In my family, a new 007 picture always meant a family outing to go see it. Even if we were on a vacation out of state, if the movie was coming out, we would find time to go see it no matter where we were at. I always experience a bit of nostalgia whenever a new Bond picture comes out because of all the memories I have of the previous pictures; especially of the ones that starred Sean Connery and Daniel Craig. With their longevity in the role, there is for me something extra special about the film when they starred in it. While I began watching this newest film in the franchise, I was feeling nostalgic and sad as the scenes unfolded. HAVING FOUND A SENSE OF PEACE in retirement, it did not last long when an old friend came calling on James Bond, played by Daniel Craig (Knives Out, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), asking him for one last favor. With Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049, Knives Out) as Paloma, Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody, Need for Speed) as Lyutsifer Safin, Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color, The Lobster) as Madeleine and Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel, Powder Room) as Nomi; this action, adventure thriller came packed with its trademark big action/fight scenes. Craig’s Bond is more of a brawler, grittier 007 compared to the others. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of heart on display in this story. There were some poignant moments I felt. My big complaint was with the script and the villain. Though Rami was decent, I found the character was not menacing at all. His character was a bit bland, and the script did not help as it tried to pack too much into the story, to honor Daniel’s portrayal of Bond, hence the too long running time. Despite my misgivings, I am glad I was able to see this movie and if you are especially a fan of this franchise, you would not want to miss this one. And even if you are not a fan, based on the star rating below, you might want to see it as well.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Cruella
I REMEMBER THERE WAS A STUDENT in class who was more creative than the rest of us. He would get reprimanded for always drawing outside of the lines. Where pretty much all the drawings being done around me used the color yellow for the sun, he would use a different color like tan or pumpkin. I was not very good at drawing and preferred having figures and objects outlined on the paper, so I could just fill them in with color. My favorite thing to do would be to boldly add color to the pre-drawn outlines then lightly shade color inside of them. The teacher at least did not complain about my work like she did with his art pieces. Many a times he would get a lower grade from the teacher than I did. It puzzled me because his stuff, I thought, was much better than mine. At first, I thought his lower grades were due to not following the rules; but what the teacher explained to us never mentioned the things he did were not acceptable. Maybe she just did not like the work he produced, I thought. Either way, I admired his determination in following his creativity. Years later, I still wonder what he might be doing artistically these days. JOINING A FRIEND AT AN ART fair, we stopped at a booth that was selling jewelry. My friend was familiar with the artist’s work and especially fond of the earrings they created. She was showing me one pair she liked and oddly it looked familiar to me. It was as if I had seen something like it years ago. I had to think about it for a while, but then suddenly it occurred to me; it looked as if that student in my art class from years ago had designed it. I mentioned it to my friend, and she said maybe they did. I told her it was not because his name was different than the jewelry artist. She surprised me when she next said the artist at the booth did not design his jewelry; he had a team of artists who created his look and he simply was the face of it to the public. I could not believe it because listening to him talking to a customer, it sounded like he had designed and manufactured the pieces he was selling. So, in other words, he was taking credit for someone else’s creativity? Maybe that student was one of the artists he had working under him. In my mind the jewelry artist was taking credit for someone else’s hard work which was similar to what I found in this comedic crime adventure. HAVING DREAMT ABOUT WORKING FOR THE top design house in London, nothing prepared Estella, played by Emma Stone (Battle of the Sexes, The Favourite) for the nightmare she was about to experience. With Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks, A Walk in the Woods) as The Baroness, Joel Fry (Game of Thrones-TV, 10,000 BC) as Jasper, Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewel; I, Tonya) as Horace and John McCrea (God’s Own Country, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) as Artie; the standouts for me were both Emma’s and the soundtrack. Their acting together was wicked and fun. I enjoyed everyone’s performances; however, I thought the script was odd for the main character. Who was the movie studio marketing this film to because it was too dark for young children, in my opinion? Situations seemed too extreme to me in a very unfun and unfunny way. The costumes were great, and I loved the idea of Emma taking charge of her creations; however, there was a streak of meanness that I found uncomfortable. The question comes up for me, was this film created for a quick money grab? I felt the creative team behind this picture could have worked better together to create a more enjoyable experience for the viewer.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Judy
SOON AFTER WE BECAME FRIENDS IN 1stor 2ndgrade, we became best friends. I lived on the northwest corner of a square, city block and he lived on the southeast one; we would use the alley to go to each other’s house. He had an uncle who was some type of farmer; so, every summer he would always bring over a grocery bag of his uncle’s fruit to our house each weekend. We would go through the bag picking out the ripest fruit to eat right away before putting the bag in the refrigerator. All through elementary school we remained the best of friends. During that time, we were there for each other during a parent’s health scare, the surprise birth of his baby sister and the rise of bullying as we advanced in school. By the time we graduated and started high school we were sure nothing would change between us. With the school population tripling between elementary and high school, besides going from a small school to a block long building, we assumed we would still see each other through the school’s hallways. As it turned out that was not the case and as time went on, we started drifting apart. Our circle of friends was expanding and diversifying on top of it. I WENT OUT OF STATE FOR college and that was the last time I saw my friend; we lost touch with each other. Fast forward now 20 years, where I am living down in the city in my own place. There was a store in my neighborhood that I had read about in the newspaper; they carried “funky” retro stuff. I decided to check it out one Saturday and walked down to it. The newspapers were right because the store was cool looking with a variety of items from different eras. As I was gazing down into one of the glass display cases a staff worker came up to me, to see if I needed any help. When I lifted my head up to reply I was stunned. The man standing across the case from me was my best friend from elementary school. He recognized me immediately as we both started laughing. He asked what I was doing there; I asked him the same thing. It turned out he was the owner. While we were talking, I noticed something odd; he was talking with a British accent. Listening to the scope of his business dealings, he was heavily involved in the entertainment business. He went by one name, deciding his last name sounded suddenly “to ethnic.” I found all of this bizarre, to say the least. AFTER THAT STORE VISIT, WE STAYED in touch sporadically. I felt like I was talking to a different person whenever I would see him. He had turned himself into this persona with the one name to make an impression with the Hollywood people he was dealing with now. His business expanded so much he had to acquire multiple warehouses to store his burgeoning inventory. He became the “go to person” whenever Hollywood studios needed specific styled props and costumes. His lifestyle became fast paced and crazy to match the people he was now hobnobbing with, from coast to coast. I had bumped into him at a play one day and knew immediately he was high on drugs. His speech was slurred, his eyes were halfway shut, and he kept swaying from side to side. That was the last time I saw him until I read his obituary in the paper. DESPITE BEING UNINSURABLE AND BROKE LEGENDARY performer Judy Garland, played by Renee Zellweger (Chicago, My One and Only), flew to London in 1968 for several sold-out concerts. This biographical drama also starred Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose, The Tempest) as Rosalyn Wilder, Finn Wittrock (Unbroken, American Horror Story-TV) as Mickey Deans, Rufus Sewell (The Illusionist, Hercules) as Sidney Luft and Michael Gambon (Harry Potter franchise, Quartet) as Bernard Delft. Whether the story was accurate in this film did not matter to me because ultimately it was all about Renee’s performance. Not once did I think it was Renee acting; she was utterly convincing in the role. Doing her own singing, I had to give her credit because I knew it was not going to be easy; however, she did an incredible job. Her mannerisms, her posture, her gestures; all of them were Judy. As for the story, many viewers already know it; so, let me just say, it is sad. However, don’t let that stop you from seeing this film because I believe you will be hearing Renee’s name this upcoming awards season.
3 stars
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