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Flash Movie Review: Eleanor the Great
EARLIER IN MY LIFE, I HAD two relatives of my generation pass away. I was close with both. Some of my earliest memories involve each of them; one was my best friend who I got to see most weekends. If I was not sleeping over at his house, then he was over at ours. I cannot tell you how many adventures we went on, from building forts to running through water sprinklers, to playing games, to hanging out at the neighborhood amusement parks. The other relative was into music at an early age, so we would get together and always play records on her portable record player that was always perched on top of the bookcase in her bedroom. I had a carrying case that held 45’s, those small vinyl records that had one song on each side. My love of Motown music started with a couple of records she had in her possession. Once they started to play on her record player, I quickly knew I had to have my own copies. As we grew up, we did not see each other as often due to school with its homework and its extra outside activities. However, any time I would get together with them, it was like time had not passed us one second. Because we knew each other since our births, we could easily communicate without speaking. I am the lone person who carries our shared history. IN MY EXPERIENCES, THE HISTORY ONE shares with a relative usually consists of only a portion of your entire history. The kind I shared with my closest circle of friends for the most part was different; though, I prefer saying it showed a different aspect of my life. My two longest friendships began in elementary school. With these individuals, I have a wealth of knowledge and shared experiences with each one. Being the same age, we had many classes together in school, giving us the added opportunity of being together after school to do our homework. Most times, each of us was experiencing the same emotions without having to be together to witness them. The nervousness of midterm testing, the strenuous physical testing we each had the beginning of the year in our gym classes, even the classroom competitions to sell candy bars or taffy apples for charity; so much history was packed in while we grew up. Through the decades I have remained close to each of them, and cannot imagine my life without them. Of course, when one is a realist they know there will come a time when one has reached the end of their life’s journey. I try not to think about it; I do not know how I would be if one of them were to go before me. The loss would be unbearable, and even knowing that, I do not see myself handling it like the main character did in this war drama. WITH THE LOSS OF HER CLOSEST and dearest friend, an elderly woman decided to pickup and move to New York City to be closer to her family. Trying to navigate her new surroundings, she finds herself in a self help group where her stories have an effect on the participants. With June Squibb (Thelma, The Humans) as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Woken) as Nina, Chiwetel Ejiofer (The Life of Chuck, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy) as Roger, Jessica Hecht (Dan in Real Life, The Atlantic City Story) as Lisa, and Rita Zohar (Final Analysis, Mrs. Moskowitz and the Cats) as Bessie; this film was the directorial debut of Scarlett Johansson. She did an okay job. With the different emotions in play, I felt she could have gotten more depth and story out of the characters. Also, she was extremely lucky to have June Squibb playing the lead because she was outstanding. With her wide range of emotions, she made every scene she was in stand out. If she had not been in this picture, I think my mind would have wandered off more than it did. With such an interesting story, there was a wealth of information that could have been dug out of the characters that would have made a stronger impact on the viewers.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Friend
I LIVE AMONG OBJECTS WHOSE OWNERS I barely know. There is an ivory colored wash basin with matching water pitcher sitting on top of a book case. A mantle clock with intricate carvings on either side of the face that has Roman numerals for the numbers: 1, 2, 3, etc. One of the more unusual items is wrapped in fabric similar to burlap. In the middle of it is a sword. The silver handle has dulled over the years, and hanging down from it is a loop of gold braided cord with a small tassel attached at the bottom. These items I just listed are from relatives who are long deceased, at least as far back as three generations of family members. The only thing I know about the owners is where they came from and their connection to me. For example, I have a reproduction of an ancient photo that is hanging up in the hallway. There are two women pictured in the photo, the older one is seated with the other one standing next to her. I do not know their names but do know what they are to me. The seated woman is my great, great, great grandmother who was too old to emigrate with the family when they came to America. She was alive when Napoleon invaded Russia. The woman standing next to her was my great, great aunt who agreed to stay back and take care of our relative. OUT OF ALL THESE TREASURED OBJECTS, there are two that stand out for me. One is a small silver wine cup that my great, great, great grandfather, from the other side of the family, only used when it was a holiday. The cup is tarnished and I need to polish it so I can make out the etchings that go all the way around the cup. The idea that my great, great, great grandfather had his hand and lips touching it makes the cup more real to me, for some reason. Whenever I look at the wine cup, I imagine my relative sitting at a long dining room table with our family members in attendance, sharing a meal during the holidays. It makes me feel connected to them. The other object that is significant to me is a gold coin that a relative had sealed in a plastic case. This gold coin was my grandfather’s, who died before I was born. He would always carry it in his trouser pants every single day. I have to assume he thought of it as some type of good luck charm. All of these items provide me with a connection to my heritage, my family tree. Imagine the time when these items are handed down to the next generation; it will be their turn to safeguard and respect them. Though all of these objects are man-made, there are other things that may not be, but are still as important, such as the thing the main character receives from her deceased friend/mentor in this drama. A NOVELIST AND CREATIVE WRITING TEACHER has her life thrown into disarray when she becomes the caretaker for her deceased friend’s dog, a Great Dane. In her small New York City apartment, she will have to come to terms with her mentor’s death and its ramifications. With Bill Murray (The Greatest Beer Run Ever, On the Rocks) as Walter, Naomi Watts (Goodnight Mommy, This is the Night) as Iris, Cloe Xhauflaire (The House, The First Purge) as Camille, Josh Pais ( Joker, Spoiler Alert) as Jerry, and Carla Gugino (Snake Eyes, Gunpowder Milkshake) as Elaine; this film stood out simply because of Naomi’s performance as well as the dog’s. Though the script had some misfires in it, the writers never took the easy way out with slapstick humor or unrealistic scenarios. With the acting skills of the cast, the story was told in a straight forward way that allowed the actors to breathe and grow with their characters. This was most apparent with Naomi’s character and it is what kept me engaged with the story. Also, it was a nice change of pace to have a steady paced film that left out the theatrics and marketing tie-ins which made the story’s journey more believable.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: His Three Daughters
THE FUNERAL SERVICE STARTED OUT ODD and only got weirder. I was in attendance to support my friend, whose mother had died after a prolonged illness. Her mother was such a character, I almost expected the service to have a jovial element to it. However, once I walked in and saw the receiving line of people paying their respects to my friend and her siblings, I knew something was not right. I could feel the tension in the air. My friend and her brother were standing in the middle of the front row, right in front of their mother’s casket that was flanked at both ends by a huge bouquet of flowers. The other sibling, the sister, was standing alone at the beginning of the row, to be the first stop for guests. What I found unusual about this, besides her not sitting with her siblings, was the fact she was wearing a fur coat. It was not that cold outside, I thought. The coat looked odd on her, it was too big; her hands were not visible due to the long sleeves. I did not know each of the siblings’ financial situation, but I thought it was strange that a woman in this day of age would have a fur coat. Plus, the length of the coat hung close to her ankles. Once the guests and I made our way through to give our condolences and to find a seat, there was a brief service. Never once did the sister and her siblings make eye contact. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I called my friend to see how she was managing. It was the first time we talked since the funeral. I asked how she was doing and she said she was angry. I asked her why and she said dealing with her sister had been awful. It turned out she was still upset that her sister went into their mother’s closet, without telling anyone, and took the fur jacket. Well, that explains it, I thought to myself. My friend spent a good deal of time ranting about her sister. It turned out the sister had gotten into a fight with the brother before the funeral and refused to sit with them. Evidently, this sister went through their parents’ house and took things she wanted, such as old photo albums and jewelry; never discussed it prior with her siblings. I would like to say I was of course only hearing one side of the story but taking that kind of stuff without discussing it did seem wrong to me. My friend said she and her brother were waiting for the lawyer to have the reading of the will. The curious side of me would like to be a fly on the wall to see how that would go for them. I had the same curiosity for the three sisters in this drama. THREE SISTERS CAME TOGETHER TO CARE for their dying father, at his New York City apartment. How were they supposed to do it when they did not know how to take care of each other? With Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age-TV, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) as Katie, Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll-TV, Poker Face-TV) as Rachel, Elizabeth Olsen (Wind River, Ingrid Goes West) as Christina, Rudy Galvan (Megan is Missing, Slice) as Angel, and Jose Febus (Law & Order-TV, East WillyB-TV) as Victor; this film festival winner captured me immediately due to the outstanding performances of the lead actors. I thought the actors took the thoughtful and authentic script and wove it into cinema magic. Without the need of explanation, Carrie, Natasha, and Elizabeth were able to convey so much to the viewer with a simple look or expression, to convey their emotional states and feelings. It felt like everyone was authentic in this movie and the fact that most of the scenes took place in the father’s apartment over a few days, my attention never wavered. I believe even if the viewer cannot relate to the relationship between the three sisters, they would still get something out of this story.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: A Quiet Place: Day One
NOTHING WAS GOING TO STOP ME from getting to the restaurant, which I had first heard about from a movie. I was on vacation, traveling to a state I had never been to before. Since I was staying close to the border, I looked up to see how far the restaurant was from where I was staying. It was a two-to-two-and-a-half-hour drive. I mapped it out and discovered the trip would be part highway driving and part country roads. All I hoped for was pretty scenery. I had tickets for a couple of tours and events for my stay, so I had to figure out which day I could carve out enough time to drive to and back from the restaurant. The only day that would work was the day I had tickets for a play at night. I was confident I could leave early enough to get there for lunch then drive back and have enough time to freshen up, grab a light dinner, and attend the play. Thursday was going to be the day and I could not wait to try the restaurant’s famous pizza, or at least famous in the movie. Just the idea of being at the place and walking around the area where the movie was filmed gave me a thrill. THURSDAY MORNING, I AWOKE TO DARK cloudy skies. I was not happy about it, but I did not care what the weather was going to be, I was determined to cross state lines and have myself a couple of slices of pizza. With a full tank of gas, my camera, phone charger and a couple of bottles of water, I headed out onto the highway. No sooner had I passed the next entrance ramp to the highway, than there was a sudden flash of lightning followed by a low, rumbling roll of thunder, sounding like it had been drawn out from a subwoofer. The sky ahead was darker than the one I was seeing out of my rearview mirror. It was none to long before I drove right into a wall of beating rain. I could barely see, and my wipers were at the highest speed. Up ahead, I could make out an overpass; so, I made my way to it and pulled over to the side and put on my hazard lights. I could not believe my luck; could not it have waited to rain until I was at least at the restaurant. It was twenty minutes before the rain lightened up slightly, so that I could head back out onto the highway. I had to reduce my speed, but I was determined to make it to the restaurant. A little over an hour later, with the rain reduced to drizzle, I saw up ahead a group of brake lights glowering at me. Now what? As I got closer, I saw an emergency vehicle and realized there was an accident. From a three-lane highway, the emergency personnel had closed all the lanes and were directing cars in single file to drive onto the shoulder around the accident. I stopped looking at the time on the dashboard; though, once I made it through, I started hearing the minutes ticking off in my brain as I tried to surpass the speed limit to make up time. The remainder of the trip was stressful as I knew I would have to rush my plans. But do you know what, it was worth it when I was seated at a booth enjoying my steaming hot pizza. You will understand this feeling if you choose to watch this captivating movie. FINDING HERSELF IN NEW YORK CITY, a terminally ill woman is determined to have pizza from her favorite restaurant. It does not matter if the city is under attack, she wants to get her pizza. With Lupita Nyong’o (The 355, Black Panther franchise) as Samira, Joseph Quinn (Overlord, Make Up) as Eric, Alex Wolff (Pig, The Line) as Reuben, Djimon Hounsou (Grand Turismo, In America) as Henri and Eliane Umuhire (Omen, Trees of Peace) as Zena; this prequel to the science fiction horror franchise has absolutely nothing to apologize for. It was terrific and could easily stand on its own. What I enjoyed about this film was that the focus was on the characters. And having Lupita and Joseph chosen for their roles, they brilliantly brought their characters to life. The other character I must mention is the cat; I could not get over how perfect the cat was in its scenes. I sat on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, during multiple scenes throughout the picture. The script was well done as was the directing. I do not believe one needs to see the previous films to understand what was taking place in this film and for those who have, I suggest not spending the time comparing them to this newest one. This film was more drama driven and for a science fiction horror flick, I appreciated the differences.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Ghostbusters Frozen Empire
THE LAST TIME I WAS IN this city was when I was twelve years old; in other words, it was a long, long time ago. On my recent trip, I found myself staying at a hotel that was right next to the one I stayed in decades ago. It was the same curved building but now it had two other buildings on its property. Funny how we stayed at the hotel next door because this one was considered too fancy back then. I did make a point of walking over to the other property to see if anything looked familiar to me. The lettering on the sign out front was the same except the lighting had been upgraded to LED lights. When I walked into the hotel lobby, I remembered the wide sweeping staircase that was off to the side; it was there that a family friend snapped a photograph of me dressed in white pants, a nehru shirt and around my neck a strand of puka beads. I am really dating myself here. It is funny, back then people tended to dress up more; or at least that was my perception. Now, as I looked around, both inside and outside, pretty much anything was good to wear from thongs to moo moo dresses to dress slacks to speedos. AFTER I WAS SETTLED INTO MY hotel room, I decided to take a walk to see if I would recognize anything else. I remembered the main avenue where the major hotels were situated was a bustling place of commerce and activity. Once I got over the bridge, I was in the heart of all the retail establishments. The street looked foreign to me. Where this famous delicatessen sat in the middle of the block, where I had indulged in some incredible meals, was now an ethnic supermarket. Further ahead on the next block, I remembered a candy shop that had this huge gumball machine out in front, that charged a quarter for its jawbreaker candies. Instead, there was a convenience store now, the gumball machine a thing from the past. As I walked block after block, I was surprised how much I remembered from that trip when I was a kid. Being in a warmer climate, the buildings were all light colored and clean, with a row of palm trees in front that stood like sentinels all the way down as far as one could see. The street before me now had a tiredness to it; or better said, it looked exhausted. Some stores were boarded up while others appeared neglected. I found it sad and depressing, which surprisingly was how I felt about the latest installment in this adventure, comedy fantasy. WHEN AN ANCIENT ARTIFACT IS UNWITTINGLY opened, it releases an evil spirit that was trapped inside for centuries. The Ghostbusters would need all the help they could get to stop the evil spirit from changing the world into an ice kingdom. With Paul Rudd (Ant-Man franchise, Ideal Home) as Gary Grooberson, Carrie Coon (The Post, The Gilded Age) as Callie Spengler, Finn Wolfhard (Hell of a Summer, Stranger Things-TV) as Trevor Spengler, McKenna Grace (Young Sheldon-TV; I, Tonya) as Phoebe Spengler and Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals, The Big Sick) as Nadeem Razmaadi; this latest production was a snoozefest for me. I found myself nodding off even in the theater. The script was packed with so many story lines which cast a somber color over all the activities. There was hardly any humor, and it seemed the writers wanted to make sure the appearances from the previous cast had their fair share and more throughout the picture. I still could not believe there was no excitement, thrills or memorable moments like the original film produced. This will probably come out as a joke, but I am serious, this was an unholy mess.
1 ½ stars
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
I TOOK PIANO LESSONS FOR EIGHT years, but I did not want many people to know about it, particularly my classmates in school. The reason being, I loved classical music from such composers as Beethoven, Chopin and Tchaikovsky. One of the pieces I wanted to play on the piano was Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony; talk about a lofty goal. However, my piano teacher found sheet music for it and told me to work on it during my free time. The reason I did not want too many classmates to know was because everyone I knew was into the Top 40 songs playing on the radio. I enjoyed them as much as they did, but for piano playing I preferred the classics. That was not the only music I played but when it came to my piano lessons, we focused on music from the classical composers. On my own, I would go downtown to the music store that had a whole room filled with sheet music from all different genres. I would get lost as I leafed through bin after bin of sheet music, trying to narrow my choices down to a few instead of a multitude. For me, it was all about how the music moved me; it could be a song from a Broadway musical or one from a folk singer, it did not matter. But what was more important to me was fitting in with the rest of the student body. FITTING IN WAS OF THE UTMOST importance as far as I was concerned. I saw what happened to those who did not fit in and could never find out where was the cutoff from being a little different with no repercussions to doing something that made you a target for being shunned or bullied. I think it is harder when we are younger due to the lack of exposure to different people, cultures and life experiences. When we are young, I believe, we consciously or subconsciously gravitate to like kind. Anyone who doesn’t look the same or act the same tends to set off a warning sign in our heads. I am reminded of my time at a school’s orientation weekend, sharing a dorm room with another prospective student. Accompanying him were a couple of his pet praying mantises. I thought it was an odd thing to do but did not try to avoid him, unlike the other kids on the floor. He had the desire to fit in with the rest of the floor, based on our conversations; but he did not have the will to do anything about it. Some people do not care about fitting in while others do. I only want to do it when I know I can be my authentic self. This is why I give the brothers in this animated, action adventure a lot of credit. BY THE TIME THEY REACHED ADOLESCENCE, the Turtle brothers wanted nothing more than to go above ground and be with the humans. The problem was the humans did not want to be with them; at least most of them. With Micah Abbey (Grey’s Anatomy-TV, Cousins for Life-TV) voicing Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. (The Chi-TV) voicing Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu (The Fabelmans, The Walking Dead: World Beyond) voicing Leonardo, Brady Noon (Marry Me, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers) voicing Raphel and Ayo Edebiri (The Sweet East, Theater Camp) voicing April O’Neil; this installment was one of the best out of the group. The animation was clever and outstanding, accompanied by a great soundtrack. The actors voicing their characters were fun and well-suited to bounce off each other. I did not have any idea this would be as good as it was, thanks to the skilled writing of Seth Rogan, Evan Goldberg and Jeff Rowe. The story works for children and adults thanks to the variety of one lined comments, besides the message; a message that I appreciated. There was no need to be concerned I would be the only adult without children, there were many. I could simply be myself. There was an extra scene in the middle of the ending credits.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
I WAS THE ONLY KID WHO was too afraid to dive off from the high diving board. On a large family trip, several cars of relatives drove to a resort area in a neighboring state. When we arrived at the hotel, all of us were assigned rooms on the same floor. Since it was still early in the afternoon, it was decided we would all meet at the swimming pool. I was a decent swimmer but had only recently ventured into deeper waters. The pool had two diving boards, one low and the other high, but the low one was being repaired. All my cousins were excited to go off the high dive, lining up single file to climb the metal ladder to the top. I tried doing it but when I got to the top and saw how far down it was to the water, I started to cry. Though relatives were encouraging me to jump, some even treading in the water below, I could not do it. I still remember how humiliated I felt as I climbed back down the ladder and walked past the line of cousins who were too excited to focus on my failure. After that I did not want to spend any more time by the swimming pool. ACROSS FROM THE SWIMMING POOL AREA, I had not noticed a small non-descript wooden structure that looked like a miniature house without windows. The relative who was taking me back to the hotel room, stopped at the front of this structure and asked me if I wanted to peek inside. It was such a curious building that I said yes. There was only an entryway, no door, so we walked in. What was inside was something I had never seen before. There was this machine with flashing lights. Its body had a glass top that covered an array of bumpers, buttons and holes. It fascinated me with its colorful graphics that stretched across both inside and out. My relative must have been familiar with the machine because they placed a chair they had taken from a corner, by the side of the machine and told me to stand on it, so I could watch them play. Once I was on it, my relative pulled back a metal rod and let go. I saw a silver ball whip up to the top of the course, bounce back and forth a couple of times, then descend into the array of bumpers and buttons. It was amazing, watching the ball bounce from one side to the other; and whenever the ball got near to the bottom, my relative would press these two red buttons on each side of the machine to smack the ball back up towards the top. This was my first encounter with a pinball machine, but it was not going to be my last. A STRUGGLING WRITER IN NEW YORK CITY finds escape in a pinball machine he found in an unlikely place. When the machine gets confiscated due to the ban on them, he puts his frustration into his writings. With Mike Faist (West Side Story, Wildling) as Roger (young), Crystal Reed (Incident in a Ghostland, Gotham-TV) as Ellen, Dennis Boutsikaris (Batteries not Included, Better Call Saul-TV) as Mr. Shapiro, Christopher Convery (The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Prisoner’s Daughter) as Seth and Connor Ratliff (Search Party-TV, The George Lucas Talk Show-TV) as Jimmy; this comedic drama hooked me in quickly after a short time figuring out if I was watching a documentary or not. I thought the way the writers told the story in this biography made it more interesting. As a lover of pinball machines, I appreciated the history lesson being told in such an entertaining way. Set in the 1970s, the sets and costumes were perfect. Maybe other viewers will feel the same way as I did to find out there was a time when pinball machines, of all things, used to be illegal. For me, it sounded so absurd, and it was another reason I wanted to see this movie. This film is certainly worth keeping in play.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: A Thousand and One
WHEN YOU ARE A SMALL CHILD, all parents seem bigger and more powerful. So, when the mother showed up to confront the bullies who were picking on her son, I could tell those boys were scared. I tried to avoid those kids because I knew they picked on other students; it seemed to me it was whoever was in their sights when they were all together, which usually was before school started, gym class or recess time. If it was only one of them by himself, then they did not always start trouble. I guess they needed an audience of their friends around to make it worthwhile to tease or abuse someone. When the mother walked up to them, the bullies moved closer to each other. She yelled at them as she jabbed her finger close to each one’s face. I did not hear everything being said but did catch the phrase, “How would you like it if I did to you what you are doing to my son?” By this time, the bullies could only look down and stay silent, but she was not having it; she demanded they look at her when she was talking to them. After a few more words, which she ended by saying, “Next time I will bring the police with me,” she made her way to the open school entrance. All of us knew she was going to seek out the principal. I never saw them pick on her son again. ANOTHER MOTHER WHO STOOD OUT TO me was one I met in high school. She was a real character. The first time I saw her she was wearing hot pink colored short shorts, a white tank top and sparkling rings on both hands. The word that best describes her would be, “jolly.” She was always joking with her daughter’s friends, saying things that were on the verge of embarrassing; well, at least to her daughter who would just sit there and shake her head. But her mother volunteered for everything; it could be a field trip, a bake sale, a chaperone, whatever the school needed. I learned to respect and admire her because she was unapologetic. She was overweight and short, never letting it bother her. I was her daughter’s friend, so I probably had more interaction with her than other students. The thing I learned about her was though she had this fun cheerful side, she was very protective of her daughter. No one could even suggest something negative about the daughter without the mother confronting the person. She had no problem standing up for what she believed was best for her daughter and pity the person who was on the receiving end. Even having known these and many other mothers, I have to say I could not believe the perseverance and determination the mother displayed in this dramatic crime movie. REFUSING TO WATCH HER SON LANGUISH in the foster care system, a mother decides to kidnap him and find themselves a better life. With Teyana Taylor (White Men Can’t Jump, Miracles Across 125th Street) as Inez de la Paz, Aaron Kingsley Adetola (Rise, Superblocked) as Terry 6 years old, Aven Courtney (Strive, Aviva) as Terry 13 years old, Josiah Cross (King Richard) as Terry 17 years old and William Catlett (The Devil You Know, Charm City Kings) as Lucky; this story based in New York City was unbelievable. I was surprised how quickly I was captivated by Inez; the acting was close to perfection. I will say this was not an easy film to watch, simply because of the tough, emotionally intense scenes; but believe me, it is worth it to see such a well-done movie. The acting was superb by everyone because I had to keep reminding myself this was a made-up story not a documentary; that is how real it came across to me. I will say the ending was a bit of a letdown for me; it seemed to have lost some of its intensity. Despite that, I have a new appreciation for a mother’s strength.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Luckiest Girl Alive
WHEN I WAS TOLD GIRLS WERE nasty fighters, I did not understand what it meant. I remember looking around at the girls in my classroom and wondering how any of them could be “nasty.” It was not too long after hearing this “fact” before I saw it with my own eyes. A fight broke out on the playground between two girls when we were all outside for recess. Only seeing a group of boys and girls congregating at a corner of the playground was the only reason I even knew something must have been going on. I thought it might have been a stray dog that wandered onto the playground or some weird looking insect; but it was nothing like that. As I came up behind the crowd of kids, I could hear two girls yelling at each other. Within a matter of seconds, the crowd started shouting out stuff as the two girls’ argument became physical. I only caught glimpses of it as the girls were scratching and slapping each other, besides throwing punches and kicks. One of the girl’s punches missed the face and hit the other girl in the shoulder. When she recoiled back, her blouse ripped from the fist still holding onto some decorative ruffles. Both girls’ faces started bleeding just as a group of teachers broke up the fight. THE GIRL WHO TOOK THE WORSE beating was in my class. When she walked into the room the next day, I could see the other students glancing at her bruises and scratches. She did not make eye contact with anyone, keeping her face down as best as she could while walking to her desk. I felt bad for her. When she reached her desk and sat down at it, a boy who sat kitty-corner to her leaned over and called her a loser. A couple of the kids who heard started to giggle. I could not believe it. The poor girl just sat there staring at her desktop. Whatever caused the fight did not matter, it still was not right to make fun of her. Since the boy who called her a loser was one of the alpha male bullies in the class, a couple of the other boys started to call her names whenever they saw her in the hallway. I did not see her the next year, so I had to assume she either went to a different school or moved out of the neighborhood; I could not blame her if that was indeed the case. This is why I partially understood what the main character in this dramatic, mystery thriller did to herself. ANI FANELLI, PLAYED BY MILA KUNIS (Black Swan, Bad Moms franchise) appeared to have a perfectly charmed life. Yet no one knew she was a survivor from a horrific tragedy. With Chiara Aurelia (Gerald’s Game, Cruel Summer-TV) as young Ani, Finn Wittrock (Unbroken, American Horror Story-TV) as Luke Harrison, Connie Britton (Joe Bell, Nashville-TV) as Dina and Scoot McNairy (Frank, 12 Years a Slave) as Andrew Larson; this movie was lucky to have Mila in the lead role. I thought she was the big standout from the cast; her acting was excellent. Unfortunately, it was not enough to make up for the uneven direction of the choppy script. There were elements of the story that were engaging, but jumping back and forth in time was a distraction for me. I feel if the writers had stuck with one story line, then this film would have had a greater impact on me. The topic was tough to watch as were the other main story lines. By the end of the film, I had to sit there and think about people in general who have survived a brutal tragedy. It must be beyond awful on all levels.
2 ¼ stars
moviejoltz 