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Flash Movie Review: Sing Sing
THANKFULLY, I CONTINUE TO SEE EXAMPLES of emotions/feelings under restraint. They are reminders to me. A toddler, lacking verbal skills, so frustrated they throw themselves on the floor, screaming at the top of their lungs. I remember that age, when I would get so frustrated because I could not properly express myself that I would destroy the closest object near me. Usually, it was a toy or game, but sometimes it would be an article of clothing. As I was getting older, I started turning that anger and frustration inward; I started overeating, said in a separate way, I was stuffing my feelings literally down my throat. It came to a point where I never ate out of a sense of hunger; it was due to keeping my feelings bottled inside of me. Another example that presented itself to me was seeing holes that had been made by someone’s fist punching a wall. I felt that type of frustrated anger was different from mine because the things I chose to destroy were easily disposable. Once I broke an item, I would pickup all the pieces and put them in the garbage can. I had something instilled in me that knew not to chose items that would remain visible to others. IN MY ADULT LIFE, AND AFTER a few years of therapy, I am better equipped to express my feelings; in turn, avoid the destructive side of anger. I was in a relationship where my partner was raised to believe if someone was arguing or displaying any anger towards you then they did not love you anymore. This false narrative was something I had to work on with my partner. I had no issues displaying my anger, believing as I still do to this day, that it is healthier to release one’s anger then move on from it. My level of anger can be intense, depending on the circumstances. If someone does not have a reference point, they could easily believe that I appear to hate their guts and want them dead. This is not the case; it is just because I have had situations in my life that kept my anger fed, letting it grow and fester. These days, I acknowledge the reservoir of anger I have inside of me, but I do not let it dictate who I am. Once I unleash my anger, I am done with it and continue living a decent, happy life. For some this appears to be a marvel feat; for me, I consider it a healthy path to get rid of the anger before it starts to eat me from inside. Imagine having an intense argument and once you say your piece, you ask the other person where they would like to go for dinner. This is how I am wired, the quick switching of emotions, and because of it, I was fascinated with this Oscar nominated movie based on a true story. JAILED FOR A CRIME HE DID not commit, an inmate finds comfort with a small band of prisoners that form a theater troupe who put on plays. The message that gets delivered and received usually is bigger than just from the theater piece. With Coleman Domingo (The Color Purple, Rustin) as John Divine G Whitfield, newcomer Clarence Maclin as Clarence Divine Eye Maclin, Sean San Jose (The Other Barrio, Dream for an Insomniac) as Mike Mike, Paul Raci (Sound of Metal, The Secret Art of Human Flight) as Brent Buell, and newcomer Mosi Eagle as himself; this drama was perfectly balanced in tone and texture. Coleman’s acting was outstanding, and I was impressed by the actual former prisoners who portrayed themselves; it added a higher sense of believability for me. The amazing story was told in a straightforward way that had the perfect blend of joy and sadness; there were no earth-shattering reveals or surprise twists, everything was laid out in an easy flow from scene to scene. I absolutely enjoyed watching this movie, especially the added shots during the ending credits.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Joker: Folie A Deux
I BELIEVE I AM A MARKETER’S dream because I like trying out new products. Not every kind of product, mind you, just those that are in my wheelhouse. They say variety is the spice of life, and in certain circumstances that is true; however, when it comes to food items I have my limits. I remember when my favorite candy-coated chocolate candy came out with a caramel flavor; I had to buy a bag the next time I went to the grocery store. It was terrific. Now if you are not a fan of caramel then this item would not do anything for you, I get it. The same thing with my favorite chocolate sandwich cookie. They came out with a thin version, touting less calories. That may have been questionable, but I enjoyed them because I like the chocolate cookie part more than the creamy filling. The cookies recently came out with a cola flavored cookie which just seems wrong to me. Now on the other hand, when I see or read about a new product or flavor that uses weird combinations, at least weird in my mind, I must wonder who would buy such a thing. The candy-coated candies tried a new flavor: jalapeno peanut chocolate. They were a flop. One of the most unusual items I have ever heard about were pumpkin spice scented flushable wipes. I wonder who would use such a thing. BESIDES THE FOOD CATEGORY, THERE ARE certain things/ideas I hear about that do not sound good to me. There was talk at one time about creating a Titanic themed resort in Las Vegas. The hotel would be in the shape of the ship. Personally, I thought it was a poor idea to turn a tragic event into a happening Vegas resort. The movie with Kate Winslet was wonderful; however, when I heard, there was talk to turn it into a Broadway musical, I found it disturbing. Though it could be said of the film, the idea of cashing in a tragedy makes me uncomfortable for some reason. The only example I can come up with is basing a musical on a meat packing plant or something similar. This mixing of two genres or two ideas that share nothing in common does not seem to work in my opinion. Or, let me say it in a different way; it often does not end in success. Here is the perfect example: I do not want to see comic book characters thrust into singing in a musical number. You will understand with my review of this musical drama thriller. WHILE WAITING FOR HIS TRIAL, A prison inmate finds the love of his life, who appears to be in perfect synch with him. With Joaquin Phoenix (Beau’s Dead, The Sisters Brother) as Arthur Fleck, Lady Gaga (House of Gucci, A Star is Born) as Lee Quinzel, Brendan Gleeson (In the Heart of the Sea, The Banshees of Inisherin) as Jackie Sullivan, Catherine Keener (The Adam Project, Get Out) as Maryanne Stewart, and Zazie Beetz (Nine Days, Deadpool 2) as Sophie Dumond; this movie was one of the worst films I have seen this year. There was very little positive about it except for Lady Gaga. As far as I was concerned, she was the star of the movie and with the little portion of the script given to her, she turned it into a solid piece of work. The script was looney with most of the action taking place in prison but being broken up with several musical numbers. Joaquin cannot sing, which only made watching this film more painful. I could not wait for this movie to be over, having sat through it with no movement of story or purpose. It came across as someone’s pipe dream, and whoever greenlighted this production should not be allowed to keep their position. As a side note: I read in the newspaper that ticket sales dropped 81% after its first week at the theaters. That should tell you everything you need to know.
1 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Rebel Ridge
HE WAS A SHORT, SLIGHT MAN with a close-cropped beard and straight brown hair that always looked feathery. This was my first impression of my yoga instructor, who would remain mine through the first year of my training to become an instructor. There was gentleness and kindness about him; he always took the time to work one on one with each of us in class. Whenever he would demonstrate a pose, he moved into it like a cat, slow and determined. Because I was so focused on taking notes and looking at the poses he did, I did not notice him as much if that makes sense. I was looking to see where hands and feet needed to be rather than focusing on the way his body would move into the pose. Around halfway through the year we had a celebratory event where multiple classes would come together. It was part doing yoga and part mingling. I met some of the upper-class students and watched them during our yoga session. They were so smooth as they moved into the various poses. During the break, I went up and talked with them, asking about their experience at the school. At some point, one of them asked me who was my instructor. When I told him, he said I had the best teacher in the school. I was thrilled to hear it. WHAT HE SAID NEXT THREW ME for a loop. He asked if I knew about my instructor’s background. I said no. He told me something that stunned me. My instructor was involved with the military until a tragic event shattered his leg. The story this upper-class student told me was after the event my teacher was sent home for multiple surgeries and a lengthy rehabilitation. This student told me to look at the instructor’s body when he moves into a pose. Since he was ahead of me in school, I thought I would see what he was talking about and look at my instructor’s body when he was doing poses. It turned out I had to look more than once because what I saw was fascinating. The fact his leg was shattered, I would never have known. Each time his body moved into a pose I would see his smooth, pliable limbs turn into sculpted, solid muscle. Not like a heavy weightlifter’s muscles, more like a Michelangelo statue. They would rise from his skin and form this rock-solid landscape across his body. I would have been most curious to hear what he used to do in the military because he was nothing what I pictured a military person to be. I was reminded of him because of the main character in this action, crime thriller. MAKING HIS WAY TO POST BAIL for his cousin, a former Marine finds himself in a town that could make better use of his bail money. With Aaron Pierre (Brother, Old) as Terry Richmond, Don Johnson (Knives Out, Book Club: The Next Chapter) as Chief Sandy Burnne, AnnaSophia Robb (Soul Surfer, Bridge to Terabithia) as Summer McBride, David Denman (The Equalizer 3, The Office-TV) as Officer Evan Marston, and Emory Cohen (Brooklyn, Lords of Chaos) as Officer Steve Lann; this drama was slick and to the point, taking me by surprise. I thought the cast, especially Aaron, was excellent. The story is a no-frills good against evil type of story and I fell right into it. The action was intense, and the fight scenes were well done. In a way, it was refreshing to watch an action film without the special effects or wild camera work or a multitude of dead bodies; I felt I was following a simple, story that could have been based in truth. On some level, this movie reminded me of an old-fashioned western film besides reminding me of my past yoga instructor.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Extraction 2
BLOOD MAY BE THICKER THAN WATER, but it might be the wrong type that could kill you, metaphorically speaking. I have seen and been exposed to such a variety of families, that it would be hard to shock me with what you might think is something crazy about your family. I have spent holidays with a family where one sibling spent the night throwing passive aggressive digs at their other sibling. By the time dessert was served, the tension was thick and ready to break at any moment; I wanted to get out before it did. Sadly, I did not get out in time before a verbal fight broke out between the siblings. On the other hand, I have been with a family that takes so much joy in being together that it is refreshing. Whether it is just to share a meal or to play a card game, they love spending time together. It would be nothing for them to call each other on a whim and plan an impromptu game night. I envy that ability because I would have to sit and analyze it, worrying about what food to have on hand, check to see if I had enough seating and other things before, I could agree to be a host for it. But they always pull it together without ever having an issue. ONE THING THAT I HAVE CONSISTENTLY found among families is their inability to dislike a family member when they are being ignorant. A piece of advice that I still remember is give yourself permission to dislike a person you love. It doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. I have found myself in situations where I did not like being around a relative because of something they were doing or saying. It did not stop me from loving them since we had a good history together with many happy memories. However, they were displaying a behavior that made me uncomfortable. I recall an event where we were seated at a restaurant table and a friend of mine happened to be at the same restaurant with her husband. They came over to say hello and I introduced them to everyone at the table. One relative started a conversation with them that was inappropriate; the relative had unbeknownst to us mixed alcohol with drugs. I was embarrassed and could see my friend looking at me for guidance. Before things got uglier, I stood and walked over to thank them for stopping by and promised I would catch up with them later in the week. My relative was being a jerk; but they paled in comparison to the intensity of the family members in this action thriller. AFTER SURVIVING A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, a mercenary accepts another job because this one was on a personal level. With Chris Hemsworth (Thor franchise, Bad Times at the El Royale) as Tayler Rake, Golshifteh Farahani (Body of Lies, Arab Blues) as Nik Khan, Adam Bessa (The Blessed, Of Sound Mind) as Yaz Khan, Tornike Gogrichiani (Adam & Eve, Artificial Breathing-TV) as Zurab Radiano and Tornike Bziaua (A Fold in My Blanket, Brighton 4th) as Davit Radiani; this sequel amped up the violence and action scenes to such a high level that I was exhausted by the end of the movie. There was something like a non-stop 20-minute fight scene that was unbelievable. As for the drama aspect, it was kept at a more subdued level where the actors appeared stiff at times. I feel if you go into viewing this film knowing its focus is on fights and battles, you might have an easier time digesting it. Ultimately, the picture does what it said it would do; provide a fast violent, bloody, visual experience for the viewer. Though I will say, if one could pick who they would like for a relative, I would certainly pick Chris Hemsworth.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: A Hero
I USUALLY AM NOT THE TYPE to 2nd guess myself; but when it comes to losing a good friend, I do wonder about the circumstances that led up to the break. We had been friends for a few years, who never had a disagreement about anything. He was a teacher who had a more flexible schedule than me. Let me also add, he did not have a car because he lived in a congested part of the city and found it easier to take public transportation to get to his college classes. Our friendship essentially ended due to illness; let me explain. It took place pre-pandemic. We had plans to get together over a weekend; I was going to drive down to the city and park in his building because he bought a weekend parking pass for me. The week leading up to our get together, my friend started to come down with something. At first, we thought it was just a cold; however, his symptoms were more varied and intense. I suggested we postpone our get together, but if he needed something like groceries, I was available to go and pick them up for him. With the weekend nearly upon us, his symptoms had not lessened. He needed someone to get him a few things at the grocery store. I volunteered, explaining I could leave them at his front door. He got offended by my suggestion. I reminded him I was a germaphobe; but he would not acknowledge it. ON SATURDAY, I CALLED TO SEE if he still needed anything. He told me a friend had gotten groceries and brought them over to him. He also added, “And he came into my place to put the groceries on the kitchen counter.” By the tone of his voice, I knew this was a dig at me, but I did not react to it. I expressed my happiness that he was easily able to get food delivered from another friend. Here is where things got ugly. He emphasized that the friend who brought him food was a “real” friend. I asked what he meant by “real.” He said his friend had no problem walking into his place. I reminded him that I was a germaphobe and I had offered to bring groceries to his front door; I was just not going to stay and visit with him for a while. He refused to acknowledge my concerns and my willingness to work around them. Neither of us knew exactly what he contracted; I was not going to take a chance of catching it. Ever since then he stopped talking to me, which is why I go over in mind if I could do things over, would I do the same thing. I bet the main star in this drama was thinking the same thing. ALLOWED A 2 DAY LEAVE FROM prison, a prisoner decided to find the man who put him in jail, to make an offer. His plans did not go exactly as planned. With Amir Jadidi (Cold Sweat, Zero Day) as Rahim Soltani, Mohsen Tanabandeh (Seven Minutes to Fall, 3 Puffs) as Bahram, newcomer Sahar Goldust as Farkhondeh, Ehsan Goodarzi (A Bigger Game, A Dragon Arrives!) as Nadeali and Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy (Border Café, The Circle) as Mrs. Radmehr; this official Oscar entry for 2022 was beautifully done. I fell in rhythm with the pacing of the story, which was told in a simple way without trying to influence the viewer. Add in the authentic acting skills of the cast and I was totally invested in this movie. It felt as if I was right there with the family as the story unfolded, a fascinating slice of life. This film is the official Oscar entry for 2022 and I am 100% in agreement with it being the choice. Maybe other viewers will have a different opinion and that is perfectly okay. It is funny, it sort of goes along with what the story in this picture was trying to show. Persian was spoken with English subtitles.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Unforgivable
I NEED TO GIVE YOU SOME background first, for today’s review to make sense. There was a student in my class, who you never wanted to get into a fight with her. Yes, I said her. She was tough looking; though, part of the reason may be due to her having to repeat 6th grade. I sat near her in class. Because I was one seat behind her, she was forced to cheat off the boy sitting across from her; he was a “B” student. She was the first peer of mine who smoked cigarettes. Her usual spot to smoke besides the girl’s restroom was outside on the stairs that led up to the service door, at the back of the school. Let me call her Judy, Judy had a red leather cigarette case that had a gold clasp on top, that she would tap her fingernails on while she was smoking. Besides being tall for her age, she was bulky which explained why many of us knew not to mess with her. I saw her in a fight with another girl and I could not believe how vicious she was with her punching, scratching and slapping. Our teacher had to break up the fight, but it was after the other girl was crying with her dress torn in spots. Because Judy was a smart aleck and prone to disrupt the class, the teacher usually looked at Judy first whenever something unexpected happened in our classroom. NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF TROUBLE Judy would get into, I remained friendly and on good terms with her. The reason being she came to my rescue when a fellow classmate was picking on me. She went right up and punched him in the stomach; he never bothered me again. Ever since that time we had a casual friendship. With me not having to worry about ever being on the receiving end of her aggressions, I was able to see a different side to her as the school year progressed. Most of her acting out was directed more towards the popular students. Now I am not saying it was right; however, if a popular student dared to talk down or act snobby around her, it would set her off. From my vantage point in the classroom, I could see some of the popular girls would try to get Judy in trouble and it usually worked because the teacher just assumed it was her fault. If the teacher would only take the time to really see what was going on, she would know what I did about Judy. I thought of this while I watched the main star in this dramatic, crime film. AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON RUTH Slater, played by Sandra Bullock (The Heat, Ocean’s Eight), returns to her hometown with a hope she can just blend in. It will be a challenge since some people cannot forget what she did. With Viola Davis (Suicide Squad franchise, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) as Liz Ingram, Vincent D’Onofrio (The Cell, The Magnificent Seven) as John Ingram, Jon Bernthal (King Richard, The Accountant) as Blake and Richard Thomas (The Waltons-TV, Wonder Boys) as Michael Malcolm; the bright spot for me in this picture was watching Sandra and Viola, though there was not enough Viola in my opinion. The rest of the cast was good, but these two actors were operating at a higher level. I appreciated the idea of the story; however, the script and the directing were uneven. There were slow parts where the script was a letdown, along with being predicable. It wasn’t until the last half of the movie where I felt more engaged. I would have appreciated if the writers would have taken Ruth’s motivation for coming back and expanded on it. I think it would have added extra drama to the story.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Time
TIME IS SUCH A CONSTANT PRESENCE in our lives. We will at times have either too much of it or not enough; I do not know if a day goes by without it being thought of at some point, even when on vacation. Speaking for myself, I am always wishing I had more time. It seems to me I never have enough time to do all the things I want to do. So, what I wind up doing is spending a little time on one activity, then moving to something else for a while, followed by another thing and so on. Two things that make me forget time are movies and books. Lost in a good book or swallowed into a great movie, I will have no sense of time. You may notice in my reviews, I reveal very little about the film. This is because I myself do not want to know a thing about it when I see a movie; I prefer patiently biding my time as the story unfolds. It is funny, I have a friend who cannot stand not knowing what will take place in a movie. They will constantly ask me what I think will happen next, which drives me crazy. Sometimes it gets so bad I threaten to move my seat away from them. I HAVE ANOTHER FRIEND WHO READS the last chapter of a book first, before starting it. They say they cannot wait to find out what happens in the story. What these two individuals have in common is a lack of patience. I have a mercurial relationship with patience. Prior to the pandemic, when a new movie would come out, I wanted to see it right away. Yet, I can spend months and months going thru photographs to see which ones I would want to enlarge and hang on a wall. Where certain things trigger impatience in me, I know some people that are always impatient. I am friends with the head of a company who wants an answer by the time they finish asking the question. They get antsy if they must wait for an employee to research the question before giving back an answer. The saying, “patience is a virtue,” comes to mind. And what is that other saying that is similar, “all good things come to those who wait?” Where I thought I knew people from all parts of the spectrum when it came to patience and impatience, none of them compare to the remarkable family in this Oscar nominated documentary. HANDED DOWN A 60 YEAR PRISON sentence, a young wife will not give up on helping her husband, Rob Rich, get out of jail. Directed by Garrett Bradley (Below Dreams, Cover Me), this film festival winning biography’s story was incredible. The wife, Fox Rich, was fascinating to watch as a good portion of this movie had her own handheld footage. Besides the personal journey being depicted, I was also interested in the way the American Justice System was presented in this film. Now I do not want to take away from the family’s journey; but from an entertainment standpoint, I felt something was missing from the story. It seemed as if I was watching scenes replayed, which did not always keep me engaged. I will not go into the ethics of this picture, but I noticed my mind drifting at times. Granted I cannot imagine how the family in this documentary survived the years and maybe that is part of my issue. It seemed as if the family members were acting in ways that came across as unreal, based on the circumstances. If the film had been any longer, I might have gotten impatient waiting until I got to the ending.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Mustang
SHE SPOTTED ME AS I CAME through the door and did not take her eyes off me all the way down the staircase, until I finally took a seat. In that short amount of time she had already figured me out. The trainer came over to introduce herself to me and explain what was expected of me. I was prepared but still had some trepidation. You see, I had never done this before and did not want to embarrass myself right at the start. After going through the instructions, the trainer took me over to meet her. She was taller and much bigger than me, with a long mane of auburn hair. I was told to extend my hand slowly with the palm facing up, so as not to startle her. She started to pull back, but the trainer told her in a quiet, soothing voice that everything was ok and that I was nice. I felt weird standing there with my arm stretched out waiting for her, I guess, to see if she would begin to trust me. It seemed like a long time but evidentially she took a step forward and lowered her head down to sniff my hand. I remained still for a moment before I began scratching her under the chin and softly tell her she was a good girl. That was the extent of our interaction for the day; I was to return tomorrow for our second session. AFTER MY INITIAL INTRODUCTION I THOUGHT I would have been more relaxed but that was not the case. When I returned the next day, she was walking in a large circle until she spotted me and came to a stop; her gaze locked onto me as I walked down the stairs. The trainer was standing near her and motioned me to come over. I took it as a good sign that she did not back away as I joined them. Today’s lesson was to teach me how to clean her feet and if time permitted, I would get a riding lesson. The trainer handed me some type of brush with what looked like a metal claw sticking out of it; I was to use this to clean her feet after the trainer demonstrated it for me. The process was easy, and I got the hang of it rather quickly. Afterwards there was enough time, so the trainer instructed me on how to mount her and get in the saddle. Having never done this before, it took a couple of times before I could do it. I am sure that was enough for my horse to know I was a novice. And sure enough, once I got settled into the saddle, she took off in a trot with me bouncing up and down atop her back. No matter what the trainer told me to do, the horse was not buying it and did what she wanted to do. I was just grateful she did not try to knock me off her. Through my lessons I gained a deeper appreciation for horses, which explains why I enjoyed this dramatic, award winning film. CONVICTED AND IMPRISONED FOR A VIOLENT crime Roman, played by Matthias Schoenaerts (Red Sparrow, Rust and Bone), was enrolled into a prison program that involved the training of wild mustangs. Roman would soon discover he met his match. With Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton, Kong: Skull Island) as Henry, Bruce Dern (Nebraska, The ’Burbs) as Myles, Gideon Adlon (Blockers, American Crime-TV) as Martha and Connie Britton (American Ultra, Nashville-TV) as psychologist; this film based on true events told a straight forward story in a simple and surprisingly beautiful way. The filming was eye catching and Matthias’ acting was incredibly intense to the point one could not take their eyes off him. There was a smoldering intensity that boiled and simmered throughout the story. I thought the script was well written as it carried the story between periods of silence and action. This was a quiet and thoughtful movie filled with majestic animals and touching moments.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Papillon
MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT ME WITH a curious eye when I tell them that I had a female friend in school who was one of my protectors. We were in the same grade, but she was older because she had flunked a grade. She was taller than the other girls in class and was further along in the maturing process. What stood out to me was the fact she was the first student I knew who smoked cigarettes and swore. Several boys in class enjoyed hanging around her because of these 2 facts, though I am sure it also had to do with her being more developed than any of the other girls. I knew for a fact that she was tough after seeing her in a fight on the school’s playground; she pummeled a girl in the face and stomach until the girl ran away crying. Though we did not have much in common, we were friends because I think she was fond of my sense of humor. I could always make her laugh. When we were together the kids who would pick on me would stay away. Not because she could beat all of them up, but because they knew she had an older boyfriend who was tough. More than likely that was the reason why I was safe with her as a friend. THERE WAS ANOTHER STUDENT IN MY grade who had the role of being my protector, but I never knew it. I honestly cannot recall him ever getting into a fistfight. He did not have to because there wasn’t any boy who would challenge him. The reason for it was because he had the body of an elite athlete, having started young with exercising and working out with weights. Where you could see the different muscles on his body, most of the other boys could only put on display a young bicep. When it came to gym class and picking teams, he was one of the first boys to be picked for a team. There was nothing he could not do when it came to a sport or physical test. We were neighbors so we had a friendship outside of school. I did not realize it at the time that he was a protector; the two of us would just hang out together or in a larger group. The added bonus by having him as a friend was knowing his older brother who was just as physically fit; so, I was spared from most teasing or bullying from the older classmates. Since I had these protectors, I could easily identify with the main characters in this biographical, crime drama. WRONGLY ACCUSED AND CONVICTED OF A crime resulted in Henri “Papillon” Charier, played by Charlie Hunnam (Children of Men, Pacific Rim), being sent to Devil’s Island. No one escaped from there, but Henri had an idea. With Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Master) as Louis Dega, Christopher Fairbank (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Fifth Element) as Jean Castili), Eve Hewson (Bridge of Spies, Robin Hood) as Nennete and Damijan Oklopdzic (Lockout, Everly) as Doorman; this adventure drama based on a true story was a remake of the original movie done in 1973. The acting is what provided me with the most interest. I thought Charlie and Rami worked well together. There were several tough scenes to watch but overall, I thought the filming and cinematography were excellent. What brought down this picture was the script; it was repetitive and did not have enough variety of emotional levels. By the end of the movie, I was left with a feeling of wanting as if I was not fully satisfied with the events. The story is incredible, and I cannot imagine what life must have really been like on that island; I had enough to deal with during my school years.
2 ½ stars
moviejoltz 