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Flash Movie Review: Safe Haven
More times than not, the body can heal quicker from a physical attack than from an emotional one. The body immediately works at repairing itself where the mind tends to absorb the emotional abuse, letting it settle close enough to always be heard. It takes much effort to overcome that strange voice talking from the inner mind. Running away is usually only a temporary option. Such was the case for the main character Katie, played by Julianne Hough (Footloose, Burlesque), who found herself one day in the small coastal town of Southport, North Carolina. Deciding to settle down and leave her past behind, Katie tried to keep to herself even when widowed shop owner Alex, played by Josh Duhamel (Transformers franchise, When in Rome), tried to help her out. Could Katie really leave her old life behind and find happiness in this peaceful place? Adapted from the Nicholas Sparks (The Lucky One, The Notebook) novel that I did not read; I was surprised by the suspenseful opening scenes. Beautifully filmed, Julianne and Josh were okay in their roles as they made a handsome couple. I thought David Lyons (Eat Pray Love, Storm Warning) as Tierney did a better job of acting; his character was creepy. It was possible the script made his role easier, since the rest of the formulaic story was syrupy and rushed in places. The scenes felt forced to me, as if the goal was to get a reaction out of the audience instead of the actors. I found one of the twists in the story to be utterly unnecessary which made me angry enough to lower my rating of this dramatic film. Before I am asked, this movie worked as a date movie. By the end of the film I was physically tired from sitting and unsatisfied emotionally.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Side Effects
This past summer I was prescribed an anti-inflammatory drug due to an injury I had on an amusement park roller coaster. That turned out to be my last roller coaster ride. The drug wreaked havoc with my digestive system to the point I never finished the prescription. I decided to take matters into my own hands. Just as I tell my fitness classes, when it comes to our bodies, I believe in the use it or lose it philosophy. I see the body as a medicine cabinet stored with antidotes to a a variety of ailments. When I sense something is different, such as a stuffy nose or scratchy throat; I begin a battle plan of tried natural remedies to combat the invading bugs. I prefer taking the least amount of drugs as possible; but that is just me. After seeing this movie, you better believe I will stay with my methods. In this psychological thriller Emily Taylor, played by Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network), was prescribed a new antidepressant with side effects that drastically altered her life and the lives of the people around her. Channing Tatum (Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street) was Emily’s supportive husband Martin Taylor. Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes franchise, Cold Mountain) played Dr. Jonathan Banks, whose methods came into question for prescribing the antidepressant. Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago, Broken City) was Emily’s former doctor, Victoria Siebert. It has been reported that director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven franchise, Traffic) has said this would be his last movie to direct. Based on this film, it would be a shame if audiences were to be deprived of his keen sense of pacing and layering of a story. This movie had a few twists along the way that swelled into a a dramatic turn of events. I thought the cast did an excellent job, especially Rooney and Jude. If anything, I wished Soderbergh had pushed even more intensity out of his actors. This film may not be the ultimate pinnacle of Steven’s career; but he certainly can leave with his head held high for this spiraling mystery of a thriller. Brief scene with blood.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Missing Person
All of my training in tailing a suspect came from The Hardy Boys. Besides having read all of the books in the series when I was young, I read their special handbook on how to become a detective. Early on a Saturday morning I would leave the house to start following my first suspect. There was an elderly woman who every week would walk to the grocery store, wheeling her massive shopping cart behind her. I would tail her to the store and note what items she took off the shelves. With my vivid imagination I pretended I was the store detective looking for shoplifters. At the time, I believed the detective handbook was my most valuable possession. The training I received back then has helped me today find actors that are creating a sound, diverse body of work. This is one of the reasons I wanted to see this DVD. Michael Shannon (Premium Rush, The Runaways) is one such actor. I have been impressed each time I have seen him in a movie or television show. Playing alcoholic private investigator John Rosow in this neo-noir film, Michael delivered a solid performance in this drama. His character was hired to follow a man from Chicago to Los Angeles. Without any information on the individual, John only had the instructions relayed by the mysterious Miss Charley, played beautifully by Amy Ryan (Win Win, Gone Baby Gone). During his assignment, John began to discover perplexing aspects to this strange man, played by Frank Wood (Changeling, Michael Clayton). Little did John know his job would take him to a connection to the 9/11 attack in New York City. The director created a slow paced, artful film that may not appeal to those who need action and excitement in their movies. I found the story took every day trappings and added a slight twist to them. The jazz infused soundtrack was a perfect accompaniment to this freshly mined mystery story.
2 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Bad Seed
Every single person born has the capacity to do good or evil inside of them. I came to this conclusion from personal experience, not from a religious belief. There was a family I knew that had two daughters. The oldest girl was the perfect child; a combination of Miss America and a Barbie doll. Her younger sister was the exact opposite; she was unruly and mean. I remember seeing the girls playing with their cousins when the younger sister grabbed an umbrella and purposely poked a cousin in the eye. The girls’ father jumped up to discipline his youngest child. She simply laughed at him. From that moment I always kept a wary eye on that girl, whenever I was around her. How does one explain two girls who grew up in the same environment, but were so completely different? From the bullying I received to the neighbor boy who tried setting his pet on fire, I have seen many evil beings. One of the most lethal types of bad seeds was the little girl in this movie. Rhoda Penmark, played by Patty McCormack (The Master, Frost/Nixon), could be the most perfect child when she wanted to be. After the son of Hortense Daigle, played by Eileen Heckart (Bus Stop, Heartbreak Ridge), was found drowned; suspicions began to surface. Did Rhonda’s parents Christine and Colonel Kenneth Penmark, played by Nancy Kelly (One Night in the Tropics, Jesse James) and William Hopper (Rebel Without a Cause, 20 Million MIles to Earth), harbor a secret about their young daughter? The original cast from the Broadway play reprised their roles for this suspenseful film. Needless to say the acting was outstanding. It was scary the way Patty McCormack would alter her demeanor with a simple look. Some of you may find this black and white film a bit campy; however, it will not take away from the dramatic story. Ironically, when I worked at the same company as my father did many years ago, he used to introduce me as his bad seed son. I now understand why some customers were hesitant to shake hands with me.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Texas Chainsaw 3D
If Mr. Oscar Mayer and Miss Blackendecker got married and had a child it would be the chainsaw yielding Leatherface, in this bloody movie. After he was done carving up his prey there was enough human flesh that could serve up several courses of steak tartare to a tribe of cannibals. If I did not know better I would have thought this fright flick was a satire of horror movies. There were several scenes where I was chuckling to myself. The movie was so cliched that I could have worn an eye mask and still be able to tell you what each character was about to do. Let us go over our checklist of characters: one buxom female, check; one wild girlfriend, check; one African American, check; one hard chiseled body male, check; and one helpful person who may not be so helpful. The actors must have failed their auditions for the movie The Collection and wound up here. Alexandra Daddario (Hall Pass, Bereavement) played Heather Miller, the sole heir to her late grandmother’s estate in Texas. Joined by her close friends, Heather traveled to her grandmother’s home town; where she would get surprised by what was left for her. That did not even include the extra unlisted asset in the house’s basement. For horror film aficionados, I do not think there was enough scariness in the movie. However, the film was an easy watch; nothing you had to think about or decipher. I do have a question: How did Scott Eastwood (Gran Torino, Trouble with the Curve) get the role of police officer Carl, since it was not his father Clint’s film? Now before you wonder if there was anything positive about the film; I am here to tell you there was not just one thing, there were three. First, the characters I found annoying had spectacular deaths. Secondly, the movie was filmed in Louisiana which helped that state’s economy. And thirdly, there was a surprise satisfying scene at the end of the credits. This movie does not require the use of safety goggles and ear plugs, unless you really want to wear them.
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Bon Voyage
If you only look through the viewfinder of your camera, you may miss out on experiencing a beautiful sunrise. What I am trying to say and remind myself of, is to look at the big picture. When I am visiting a new place, I get so wrapped up in making sure I shoot the perfect pictures, I sometimes forget to look around and see everything around me. It is like being self-absorbed to the point, shall we say, where one is so focused on what color to paint the walls of their house, that they are not focusing on the cracked foundation which is about to make the building fall down. It was this type of mentality of centering on one’s self that added the humor to this war story. Crazy as it may sound, this movie was able to take Nazis, heavy water for nuclear reactions, a dead body, infatuation and turn out a crazy, fun film. Isabelle Adjani (Queen Margot, Subway) was wonderful playing actress Viviane Denvers; who indignantly slapped a man in the face for being fresh with her. He immediately died. From that moment a chain of events was put into place where government official Jean-Etienn Beaufort, played by Gerard Depardieu (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Man in the Iron Mask), followed Miss Denvers as she made her way to Bordeaux, France. With the country on the verge of becoming Nazi occupied, it was imperative that Camille, played by Virginie Ledoyen (The Beach; Farewell, My Queen), kept the only containers of heavy water out of enemy hands. Into this great cast add Peter Coyote (A Walk to Remember, Bitter Moon) as mysterious Alex Winckler and try to keep up with the thrills and zaniness in this Cesar Award winning movie. I especially enjoyed Isabelle in her role, looking perfect as a movie star from the 1940’s. What a great antidote to unwind and watch a group of self-absorbed characters missing the big picture taking place around them. French, German, Italian with English subtitles.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Stolen
The heart is a resilient muscle. It has the ability to heal from an emotional wound. No matter how many scars it may have, the heart will always let you know how it feels. The one exception would be when the individual does not have closure. Without that closure the heart remains in a wounded state, always reminding the person of its pain. Though I have experienced a broken heart, I never had to deal with the tragic horror the couple in this dramatic mystery were living. It had been several years with police detective Tom Adkins Sr., played by Jon Hamm (The Town, Friends with Kids) and his wife Barbara, played by Rhona Mitra (Shooter, The Number 23), no closer in finding out the circumstances behind the disappearance of their son Tom Jr. With the strain weighing particularly heavy on Officer Adkins, he could not let go and move on. When the remains of a little boy were found from a 50 year old grave, little did Tom know his detective work on the remains would result in a clue to his son’s case. This movie surprised me for a couple of reasons. First, it had a strong cast with the addition of Jessica Chastain (The Help, Lawless) as Sally Ann, Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama, A Beautiful Mind) as Matthew Wakefield and James Van Der Beak (The Rules of Attraction, Dawson’s Creek-TV) as Diploma/Roggiani. Second, the way the director blended the current events into the story behind the 50 year old remains kept my attention. With the older story, the sepia toned scenes made for seamless transitions between past and current time. In spite of several scenes that did not work for me, this film was a moving tale that touched my heart.
2 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Unknown Woman
Do not let glimpses of the past stop you from going forward. These words could easily pertain to one’s self improvement. I know my past flashes momentarily in my mind before I undertake a new challenge. For the main character in this thrilling movie, her past was something she did not want to ever revisit. At first I was thrown off by the quick cut away scenes that flashed on my television screen. Be prepared for the majority of them were disturbing. As the movie continued, I soon realized the quick scenes were jigsaw puzzle pieces to the unfolding story. Ksenia Rappoport (The Double Hour, Two Days) played Irena, a Ukrainian woman who was trying to escape the life she led. Settling into an Italian town she found employment as a cleaning woman for an apartment building. It was soon after Irena started working her way into helping resident Valeria Adacher with her daughter Tea. Claudia Gerini (Don’t Move, Ex) played Claudia, a jeweler who worked out of her home office. This is all I can tell you; I have already given you enough jigsaw pieces to this riveting tale. Ksenia did an excellent job with her role; at times, I did not know whether to be sympathetic or distrustful towards her character. I was repulsed by the character Moffa, played by Michele Placido (The Caiman, The Ages of Love). There were times I felt the story was predictable and manipulative; however, the suspense and mystery were precisely done that I was not concerned. It has been a while since I have seen a good mystery movie that kept me on my toes, as I tried to put together the puzzle pieces of Irena’s life. Scenes with violence and blood. Italian, Russian with English subtitles.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Cloud Atlas
Some years ago for my birthday I received a gift of a reading from a psychic. Before going into the session I was told to remember the things that did not make sense to me. One thing said, that had no meaning for me, was her seeing me standing in a room surrounded by people dressed in funny outfits, moving to music. This was said several years prior to me attending, let alone teaching, an aerobic class. She also said I should pay particular attention to any person with red hair, for they have something to offer me. To this day I still think of that whenever I am introduced to a red haired person. Part of my reading delved into what she referred to as my past lives. According to her I was a spy in a previous life, so I would have easy access to two opposing forces. I was an educator and a leader along with being skilled in the use of a crossbow. Though I may not have understood everything told to me, I walked away with the idea that a person keeps returning to this world again and again until they complete their challenge correctly. This same notion could be applied to this expansive movie. With multiple stories set in the past, present and future; the actors took on several roles in this visual extravaganza. Leaving you to figure out which star was playing what role, part of the cast had Tom Hanks (Larry Crowne, Charlie Wilson’s War), Halle Berry (X-Men franchise, Monster’s Ball), Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady, Another Year) and Susan Sarandon (Arbitrage, The Lovely Bones). Adding in the previews, this 3 hour viewing was too much, trying too hard to be a saga for the ages. Some of the stories were more interesting to me; I would have rather seen an entire movie made out of one of them. There was pressure for me to keep up with each story line as the film kept jumping back and forth, seeing no connection between them at first. I felt everyone associated with the making of this film was spread too thin, which made for a meandering stream of babble at times. For me it seemed as if the writers and directors were deliberately obtuse, leaving this pseudo epic film open to multiple interpretations. The message I walked away with was we are all connected, with our actions having a timeless effect throughout the centuries. I got the same message from the psychic in a lot less time without the fear of my bladder exploding.
2 2/3 stars
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