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Flash Movie Review: Sound of Freedom
IT EVEN PUZZLES ME AT TIMES, but for some reason I tend to walk in the back when there are several individuals in my group. This is especially true when there are children amongst the adults. At first, I was not conscious of doing it but as time went on, and I was at my fittest, I felt like I was protecting the group from harm. Not that I have any unique skills like Liam Neeson, I simply felt I was adding an extra layer of protection around my friends and family. Looking ahead at crosswalks, observing what type of person was walking towards us, assessing traffic patterns and driveways; I tried to make sure every step forward was a safe one for everyone. This thinking came about because I grew up in a large city and traveled by various means to all areas of it; I do not know. I have a memory thinking whenever I was walking with a person who was carrying a purse or bag, I wanted to be walking on the outside, closer to the curb so a purse snatcher would not be able to grab their bag and take off with it. When little kids were involved, I instinctually wanted to walk behind them so I could keep an eye out, scanning for any potential trouble areas that could put them in harm’s way. FOR ALL THE YEARS I HAVE been walking in the back, we never encountered any type of trouble. I honestly, do not think I had something to do with it, but I can say times were safer back then as compared to the present. There are so many distractions I see when walking outside, I cannot imagine herding a small group of people through it. I saw a tween or young teenager looking at their phone while walking down the sidewalk and they bumped into a streetlamp. Just last week, the car ahead of me nearly went through a traffic light that turned red because they were on their phone. The worse news is hearing and reading about little children who got shot by accident because they were in the line of fire between members of two rival street gangs or a robber. I know in some circumstances there would have been nothing I could do to prevent such tragedy. Innocent children should not have to suffer for adults’ choices/mistakes/wayward ways. Growing up, I do not recall hearing stories about the criminal activities that took place in this biographical, crime drama. Even knowing about them as an adult, I cannot even process the horror of it. A GOVERNMENT AGENT RESCUES A LITTLE boy who was abducted away from his family. When the agent discovers his sister was also taken, he decides he must find her as well, no matter where his search might take him. With Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line, Person of Interest-TV) as Tim Ballard, Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers, Butter) as Katherine, Bill Camp (Passing, 12 Years a Slave) as Vampiro, Javier Godino (The Secret in Their Eyes, Operation Mincemeat) as Jorge and Manny Perez (Pride and Glory, A Killer Romance) as Fuego; this film based on a true story was a disturbing watch. I had no idea it was based on a true story, which made the story more gripping for me. As I sat and watched it, I thought some scenes may have been watered down from reality because they seemed a bit farfetched. Also, I think a little more character development would have been in order. But here is the thing; from an entertainment standpoint, this movie was thrilling, creepy, gut wrenching to watch for me. Regardless of its flaws, I still felt it was a powerful picture. I honestly wonder how a parent could watch this film and not want to ever let their children out of the house by themselves.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Stuber
I WAS HOPING THE SERVER WAS coming to our table, but he veered to the other side of the aisle to serve the party of three people across from us. At first glance I did not realize one of the plates he was carrying was an unusual size. When he placed it in front of one of the diners I was just as stunned as the three across from me; the plate was enormous. It must have been at least 16 inches in length, I kid you not. Loaded with food that looked wonderful, I only knew what it was when our waiter came by and I asked him for the name of the dish. Surprisingly it was nachos, but it did not look like any plate of nachos I had seen before. Honestly, the size of that plate would normally be found on a buffet table for a multitude of diners. The woman who ordered it laughed when it was put in front of her. When everyone was served at her table, the other 2 people started eating their food; however, the woman grabbed her phone and took several photos of the nachos. I could see taking one photo, but a whole series of them? After she was done doing whatever she was planning to do with the photos, she said the oddest thing, “I hope no one thinks I am a fat slob.” SUCH AN ODD THING TO SAY, I thought. First, if you were concerned someone might think of you in a negative light then why post the photo on social media? Secondly, why do you care what people might think about you? This is something I see more and more these days; people overly concerned what others will think of them. Whether it is the clothes being worn or the food being eaten or the way one’s home is decorated; so many individuals live life cautiously, all in the hopes of being thought of positively. Now I can understand asking a friend/family member how an article of clothing looks on you; but if you choose not to buy a shirt or blouse because you think people will think you are not dressing your age, then I feel you are not living your true self. It seems to me more people act and react based on how they will be perceived by others. I have challenged friends/family members by asking them why it is important to have people’s acceptance of their actions, for all they really need is their respect. Just look at what happens to one of the main characters in this action, crime comedy; all for a 5-star rating. AFRAID OF GETTING A NEGATIVE RATING Stu, played by Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, Central Intelligence), was willing to go above and beyond what was expected of an Uber driver; even if it might kill him and it just might. With Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Hotel Artemis) as Vic Manning, Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion) as Angie McHenry, Natalie Morales (Battle of the Sexes, Parks and Recreation-TV) as Nicole and Iko Uwais (The Raid franchise, Mile 22) as Oka Tedjo; this story’s strength was in its 2 main actors. They had an easy flow between them where I could see them reteaming again. There were several places where I laughed or chuckled, despite the story being a rehash of several past films in this genre. The script was an odd mix with several holes in it and a couple of non-believable parts. If it wasn’t for Kumail’s comedic timing and quick witty line reads with Dave’s over-the-top tough cop actions, this picture might have tanked. Instead, I found myself being amused and not caring what others around me in the theater were thinking of me.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Exposed
“Use it or lose it” is one of my favorite things to say to people. In my fitness classes the members have been listening to me say this for years. If we stop working on ourselves how will we continue to move and grow, both physically and mentally? From my experiences I know some individuals have an easier time training their body instead of their mind and visa versa. I actually find it is easier to train my body, which is why I work extra hard on using my mind. To me the mind is like any other muscle in the body and it needs to be stimulated so it can continue to thrive and expand. Without going into too much detail my mind was tested at a very young age; you could say trial by fire. Growing up and being overweight, I heard the “F” word a lot to describe my size. I do not remember when it actually started to work but there came a point where I stopped listening to the taunts. Yes, I still would hear it but my mind would not register it. This explains why today I am skilled in being able to shut out different noises and sounds. Where a co-worker may get distracted with an annoying repetitive sound coming out from the warehouse, my mind only hears white noise, if even that. This ability is not limited to just sounds; if the mind is strong enough it can shield a person from certain parts of reality. It has served me well. I see I am not the only one now that I have seen this dramatic movie. WHEN his partner was found dead Detective Galban, played by Keanu Reeves (John Wick, The Matrix franchise), was determined to find the killer. With the trail of clues not adding up and no one claiming to have seen anything, Detective Galban was positive there had to be someone out in the city who could provide him with the answers. This film which also had Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers, Mimic) as Janine Cullen and Ana de Armas (Sex, Party and Lies; The Boarding School-TV) as Isabel de la Cruz had a film noir flavor to it at first. I thought Ana was a compelling actress and found her role the most interesting. In a short amount of time the story broke down and became a jumble of sub-stories. From its film noir look it started to become a surreal fantasy type of story before trying to be more like a true detective story. I kept waiting for something to happen as the script randomly offered these little pieces of information that were not tying up the scenes; I started to wonder what was the point the writers were trying to convey to the viewers. Also, I have to say Keanu was more stiff than usual in this role. One could blame it all on the editing, the writing, the direction or all of the above; it does not matter. As I type the last word to my review I will forget about this discombobulated piece of work.
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Do You Believe?
As I walk through the glass doors I am immediately aware my movements throughout the store are being tracked. It is okay, I really do not mind. I have my list and know where I can find each item. Though I am quick to get through the store, I do pause whenever I see a new product on the shelves or displayed at the end caps. You see I am a marketer’s dream consumer; I enjoy trying out new products. Sometimes when I am navigating through the store I feel like I am on a treasure hunt, searching for new discoveries in the food kingdom. I like trying new items if they fit into my food requirements. If I find something that I think is delicious, I immediately want to share it with other people; that is if I do not devour all of it on a weekend. Naw, I will go buy another package to share. However, I understand that things I think taste good someone else may think are horrible. I do not have a problem with that because it is nothing I take personally; we each like and dislike different things. Regarding my movie reviews you may notice I rarely will tell you what you should or should not do. I only let you know what affect the film had on me. There is no ulterior motive on my part and I take offense when a movie is made with an agenda like this one. FROM different backgrounds and places in their lives, a group of strangers each discover the same revelation on their own. Before reviewing this faith based picture I want to reiterate I am not commenting nor want to get into a discussion about religion; I consider that subject to be personal. As a story this dramatic film was completely predictable. It felt as if the writers took snippets from various television shows and pieced them together to make their story. I do not know if it was all the script’s fault or the actors were not on their “A” game but I found nothing good to say about any of them. Part of the cast included Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers, Mimic) as Samantha, Cybil Shepherd (The Last Picture Show, Moonlighting-TV) with no name, Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man-TV, The Big Valley-TV) with no name and Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings franchise, The Goonies) as Dr. Farell. The story was hokey to me and it was obvious this film was made for a select audience. I was offended on some levels, especially due to the stereotyping of thugs being Black and the single pregnant female being ethnic, possibly Hispanic. This was a waste of my time, not for my tastes.
1 1/2 stars
moviejoltz 