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Flash Movie Review: Presence
I WAS CONVINCED THE OUIJA BOARD had all the right answers. My friends and I went through a period when we were using the board every week. I admit I was naïve, but I thought the pointer was moving of its own volition. When we first started using it, I took the pointer and looked for some telltale sign that it used magnets or had some hidden device that moved it across the board but found nothing. Where some friends were asking elaborate questions, I kept my questions to a simple yes or no answer. I wanted to know if I would lose weight during the summer, or whether I would be a writer, or become rich. Out of those three questions I got a YES to all of them except the rich question. It still thrilled me. For several weeks, we enjoyed quizzing the Ouija board. However, it was a Saturday night, where we all got together at one of the friends’ houses for a pizza night, we were in the basement consulting the board when suddenly all the lights went out. It was right when a friend made a snide comment about the board because he did not get an answer he liked. It freaked us all out and we huddled together until our friend’s parents came down the stairs with flashlights. After that episode, we started avoiding the Ouija board. IT WAS NOT UNTIL COLLEGE, WHEN one of my wishes came true. I had lost enough weight to go down a couple of pants sizes. The university allowed first-year students to live off campus in designated apartments and I was lucky enough to have gotten one. The building was more than a few decades old, but I did not mind. I had a studio apartment that shared a communal kitchen with the other apartments on the floor. Saturday nights tended to be quiet since most of the students were out partying. I preferred to stay inside and catch up on my assignments since I was carrying a full load of classes. At first, during those times, I did not pay much attention to the creaks and sounds of the building. But, when a closet or bathroom door in my place slowly creaked with movement, I would get freaked out. There was no logical reason I could produce for the sudden movement of my doors; I would quietly sit still and try to listen to any sound that could help justify the occurrence. It started to feel to me as if there was some type of force that was making the doors move. I do not know if I would call it a presence, but I decided to move at the end of the school year. Having seen this psychological thriller made me wonder if something had happened years ago in my college apartment. HAVING MOVED INTO A NEW HOUSE, a couple of family members began to feel like they were not alone. It would not take long to convince the other family members. With Lucy Liu (Stage Mother, Charlie’s Angels franchise) as Rebekah, Chris Sullivan (Agnes, This is Us-TV) as Chris, Callina Liang (Bad Genius, Tell Me Everything-TV) as Chloe, newcomer Eddy Maday, and West Mulholland (A Great Divide, Dark Harvest) as Ryan; this horror movie directed by Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Let Them All Talk) was not really a horror film in my opinion. However, there was suspense, and I enjoyed the buildup of it. The cast was good, but I did not care for the camera work, where it looked like the camera was following everyone around, with all that comes with it like shakiness and close-ups. It was a shame because I felt those who are sensitive to motion sickness might get uncomfortable watching this picture. The idea of the story was interesting, but the buildup went on too long. I felt there could have been more tension and bigger scares, even though there were a couple of good moments. This was a no-frills movie, no silly or scary creatures or space aliens. I just wished it would have lived up to its hype.
2 stars
Flash Movie Trailer: Heretic
ONE DAY AFTER TEACHING CLASS, SEVERAL participants arranged a get together at a local restaurant. I agreed to join them after showering and changing clothes. The restaurant was a couple of miles away in the town’s business district and gratefully it had its own parking lot. As I entered the place, I saw at the back of the room a large table was set up with members from my class seated already. Walking up to the table, a couple of people commented how weird it was to see me in “regular” clothes as opposed to my workout wear. I laughed as I made my way to an empty seat. Though I recognized everyone sitting around the table, I did not know every one of them by name. There were a few who I had had little contact with except for the occasional giving of instructions and encouragement. The waitress came over and took our drink orders along with a few appetizer requests for the table. We then proceeded to cover several topics, such as the music I used in class, our new favorite restaurants, travel plans, and so on. It was not long before the waitress returned with our drinks and appetizers. More times than not at these types of events, someone will comment on how surprised they are that I am eating potato skins or garlic bread, thinking because I teach fitness, I would only eat a pure healthy diet. My usual response is to tell them I am not the type to live off tofu and broccoli. This usually gets a laugh out of people. WHILE I WAS CONVERSING WITH THOSE closer to me, I was aware there were other conversations taking place at the table. One of the groups deep in conversation appeared more animated than the rest of us. I was curious as to what was being discussed but I did not want to be rude and leave my spot so that I could sit closer to them. As it turned out, I was not alone in wondering what was going on with them. Other members started shifting their focus on this group to the point that soon I was drawn in and able to listen to what people were talking about. They were discussing religion which surprised me because everyone in my classes knows I do not allow discussions about religion or politics to take place because I believe both are personal topics and from past history, know they will lead to disagreements or worse, to a fight. It turns out one of the members I was not familiar with had brought up the subject in the context that the member she was talking to would find comfort if she belonged to a church, namely her church. From the comments I was hearing, I was appalled. She was basically trying to convert this member. Before things could escalate, I repeated my rules about not discussing religion and politics and asked the participants to change the subject which was a kinder way compared to what the main character did in this psychological horror thriller. AFTER TWO YOUNG RELIGIOUS WOMEN ARRIVE at the house of the gentleman who showed interest in their belief, they soon find themselves being tested in their own beliefs. With Hugh Grant (Wonka, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) as Mr. Reed, Sophie Thatcher (The Boogeyman, Yellowjackets-TV) as Sister Barnes, Chloe East (The Fabelmans, Popular Theory) as Sister Paxton, Topher Grace (In Good Company, That 70s Show-TV) as Elder Kennedy and Elle Young (A Score to Settle, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina-TV) as Prophet; I was pleasantly surprised that the story was more of a psychological thriller than horror. There were tense moments throughout most of the film, with most of them being led by Hugh Grant’s amazing acting. He did an excellent job with his character. However, the last quarter to third of the story fell out of favor with me as it seemed it wanted to rush to an unknown ending with a weird mix of scenes that were cliched, nonsensical and bloody violent. It was a shame because up until that point I appreciated the interesting, thought-provoking script that was starting to make me a believer.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Smile 2
I WAS ON THE EXERCISE BIKE, oblivious to what I was doing. All I could think about were those cookies I baked last night. I know, I see the irony with those two statements. There was something about the way the cookies looked that triggered my panic mode. In my brain, the cookies did not look right. The fact is I had never made this recipe before so how would I know what they were supposed to look like? It did not matter; I am a visual and texture eater. If something has a texture I do not like, I will not eat it. The same with looks; if it does not look right, whatever “look right” is supposed to be in my mind, I will not touch it, even if it has chocolate in it. So here I am working out on the bike, fretting whether I can serve the cookies to the company we were expecting. My entire ride was consumed by all the possibilities I had to find my happy place and serve the cookies to guests; should I make another dessert as a backup, buy one at the bakery to save myself time; just stick with the pie I had made and serve nothing else. I settled on the most logical response which is always the last thing I think about after driving myself crazy. I would have a couple of cookies for breakfast. If I liked them then I would serve them and if not, I had already decided I would bake something else. Gratefully, the cookies were good. IT IS HARD BEING ME; I WISH I would not work myself up into a frenzy when something triggers me, like in this case the look of the cookies. It is similar to something else that has been bothering me for a few weeks. I do not know if I dreamt about this conversation or if I really had it with someone about snorkeling. We are planning a trip that involves an excursion to a reef where we can snorkel to experience the beauty close up. I am already concerned about the water temperature; will it be too cold for me, and will I have to stay back in the boat. I am also concerned with sharks and jellyfish; what type of precautions will the excursion provide to protect us from an attack. My anxiety is slowly growing. Now I thought I met someone recently who told me not to worry, that we would be given wetsuits, and the temperature would be warm for the time we were going. She also said we would be handed a rope to hold on to, so that we can always be attached in some way to the boat. I found comfort with this information, but for the past week I cannot think of who told me this recent news. Going over the past few weeks of our social calendar and I cannot figure out if it was a real conversation or a dream. There are times like this where I think I am starting to lose my mind; however, nothing like what was happening to the main character in this mystery horror thriller. WITH THE RESTART OF HER TOUR, a musical pop star’s stress is causing her to question some of the things she is seeing. They seem so real, but are they? With Naomi Scott (Charlie’s Angels, Power Rangers) as Skye Riley, Rosemarie DeWitt (Out of My Mind, Rachel Getting Married) as Elizabeth Riley, Lukas Gage (Assassination Nation, Road House) as Lewis Fregoli, Miles Gutierrez-Riley (I Wish You All the Best, On the Come Up) as Joshua, and Peter Jacobson (House-TV, Fear the Walking Dead-TV) as Morris; this sequel was better than the original film. I was not expecting much; however, the story quickly grabbed me and kept me on the edge of my seat a good portion of the time. I thought Naomi and Rosemarie were excellent and enjoyed their chemistry. The script had some holes in it but with the good direction and cast, things kept moving past scenes that seemed stuck on repeat. What I most enjoyed about this movie was the fact it was more of a psychological horror story instead of just dumping gory scenes on the viewers. Now do not get me wrong, there still were some bloody, graphic scenes where I had to divert my eyes to a different part of the movie screen so as not to see the bloody action head on. And though there were no post credit scenes, I have a feeling we have not seen the last from this budding franchise.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Year Between
I NEVER KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT whenever she was in my yoga class. When I first met her, she seemed to hide behind her large, round shaped eyeglasses. The reason I say this is because she appeared to be timid or nervous. I chalked it up to first time jitters, which I have seen in many individuals who were either new to me or new to the class format I was about to teach. She was inquisitive and had a few questions before the class was to start; I was hoping my answers would provide her a little calmness before we began. After answering her, she found an empty space on the floor and unrolled her yoga mat. It looked new to me which confirmed her telling me she had never done yoga before. As I started the class into a series of slow stretches, I noticed that woman’s flexibility. She was either born with it or was doing some other version of exercise that she did not share with me earlier. I was pleased to see she kept up with the other members in class and seemed to be enjoying herself. Occasionally she would look at one of the members close by to help her figure out what she was supposed to do with a limb or foot. Overall, for a first-time participant, she did a good job. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH her participating in class, she showed up one day without her glasses. I saw her talking to a few people who had chosen a spot near her. Usually before class, I would walk around and chat with members; my way of getting the members focused and ready to get into a yoga state of mind. As I passed that woman minus her glasses, she began telling me how much she enjoyed the class. It struck me that her tone and speech pattern were opposite of our initial conversations. She was quite animated and continued talking non-stop in this singsong way that added more levels of tone to her speech. It confused me because it was so unlike her based on the impression, I had built on her. From talking about yoga, she veered off onto other topics; some that had nothing to do with yoga or the class. It was as if I was encountering a completely different person. Some of the things she said were not appropriate for a classroom setting and honestly, not in mixed company. I wasn’t sure how to handle this since it had never happened to me in class before. Looking at my watch and saying it was about time to start class, I asked her to challenge herself with the poses we were about to do. It seemed to work, and she calmed down. After class I spoke to my supervisor and explained the situation that took place. I was informed this person was an employee who had a personality disorder. My exposure to it prepared me to watch this comedic drama. AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL illness, a college student drops out and moves back home, where she encounters the aftermath of what she had left behind. With J. Smith Cameron (Man on a Ledge, Succession-TV) as Sherri, Steve Buscemi (The Death of Stalin, Miracle Workers-TV) as Don, David Brown (I Used to Go Here, Assistance-TV) as Mikael, Wyatt Oleff (Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, It franchise) as Neil and Emily Robinson (Eighth Grade, Dark was the Night) as Carlin; this psychological drama based on true events came across as authentic. The dark humor was just enough to keep the story going without getting tripped up into a deeper uncomfortable setting. I will say the main character does not come across as likable; but I think that was intentional from the writer. It is not an easy topic that lends itself to storytelling. There were a few slow parts with a couple of scenarios that seemed to be repetitive. However, the film and story as a hold were not a usual Hollywood production which made this an interesting piece of filmdom to view.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Split
THE only remaining open seat was next to me. I was sitting by the window gazing at the changing landscape as I was traveling downtown on the train. At the next train stop I did not pay attention to the person who sat down next to me. Before getting to the next stop the man commented on a building that came into view from out our window. I replied in agreement about the modern looking building and from that a conversation ensured between us. It appeared this man had some knowledge about architecture as he explained details about a couple of buildings that we noticed during our travels. I was surprised to hear his comments since I grew up in the city and had never heard about the things he was saying about these structures. AS we made our way down into the city he made a couple of comments that did not ring true to me. I cannot exactly explain why but some of the things he stated came out with a slight edge to them; do you know what I mean? A twinge of irritation or anger is the only way I could describe it. I did not react to these comments except for nodding my head since I did not want to appear confrontational. It did not matter however since something obviously set him off; his talking increased in volume. It wasn’t soon after that his comments were not making sense to me. Something about one of the buildings he had just commented on was setting him off on a tirade of expletives. Being stuck by the window with him in the next seat, I was getting extremely uncomfortable. If I excused myself to go stand in the aisle with several of the other passengers he may become offended and who knows what he would do. So instead I told him my stop was next. When we reached it I walked out and ran down the train platform to one of the other train cars before the car doors closed, so I could continue on my way. It was such an odd encounter, but at least I was able to leave which was not the case for the students in this horror thriller. CAPTURED and held against their will Casey, Claire and Marcia; played by Anya Taylor-Joy (Morgan, The Witch), Haley Lu Richardson (The Edge of Seventeen, The Last Survivors) and Jessica Sula (Honeytrap, Skins-TV); needed a plan to find a way out. However there appeared to be more than one kidnapper. This film festival nominated movie written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan (Lady in the Water, The Sixth Sense) was a big surprise to me because I enjoyed it so much; this was not the case for his past several pictures. What sealed the deal regarding this movie was the wonderful performance of James McAvoy (X-Men franchise, Wanted) as Kevin and Betty Buckley (Carrie, The Happening) as Dr. Karen Fletcher. The script was straight forward, but the pacing kept up the creepy intensity of the story. Though there were a couple of scenes that had showed blood, for the most part this was a psychological thriller which I enjoyed immensely. Be prepared for several different points of view in this film.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Gaslight
Back in college, one of my sociology professors had a variety of colorful terms in describing people’s marriages. One of his favorite terms was “holy deadlock,” which described a married couple who should not be married to each other; but stay together for reasons that have nothing to do with love. This teacher was an expert in the field, at least that is what he would tell us. I wonder what he would have to say about the couple in this movie. Ten years after her aunt’s murder; newlywed Paula Alquist, played by Ingrid Bergman (Anastasia, Notorious), returned to her aunt’s house with her new husband Gregory Anton, played by Charles Boyer (Barefoot in the Park, Tales of Manhattan). Returning to the house where her aunt’s body was found, Paula soon started to experience strange oddities; each one driving a wedge between the couple. Ingrid won her 1st Oscar with the wonderful performance she did in this psychological thriller. Charles brought a sophisticated darkness to the role that was creepy to me. The supporting cast filled out the spaces around the leads, giving each scene an added rich texturing to the story. It was something to see the film debut of a young Angela Lansbury (Bedknobs and Broomsticks; Murder, She Wrote-TV) as Nancy, earning her an Oscar nomination for her incredible acting. The Oscar winning art direction made this beautiful black and white movie a visual treasure. This was a breathtaking masterpiece on all levels, proving that some movies are simply ageless.
4 stars — DVD
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