Blog Archives
Flash Movie Review: Wicked: For Good
OFFICIALLY IT WAS FORTY DAYS AND forty nights, but there was more involved. We had been planning this “trip of a lifetime” for more than a year. The weeks leading up to our departure were filled with hectic days of us running around to take care of the constant blooming of last minute items. There were doctor appointments and pharmacy runs to make sure we had everything we needed. I knew the flights to get there were going to be a grueling experience for me; I cannot sleep on airplanes, nor eat a meal at an odd time for my body clock. In my mind, for the fact we departed at eight pm, I was not about to eat the dinner that was offered after nine pm. However, this can sometimes present a problem for me when breakfast gets served closer to the time breakfasts would be served at the country of our destination. As the hours slowly slipped by, I was in the beginning stages of exhaustion. The total time we were traveling was over twenty-two hours if you included the times we sat at our gate during our layover stops. At some point, when my body realizes it is not able to go into a restive state, I simply become numb to everything and everyone around me. BY THE TIME WE REACHED OUR final destination, we were a day ahead from everyone we left back home. It was a bizarre feeling for me; however, after crashing onto the bed in our hotel room and sleeping for over eleven hours, we woke up and looked out the window and realized we were in a place we had only seen a glimpse of on television. There were groups of trees alongside the sidewalks, bursting with lavender flowers. The body of water in front of us was a deep blue, and on the edge perched one of the most unusual buildings I had ever seen; it looked like massive bird beaks sticking out of the ground. We showered and ate quickly, then packed our small knapsacks with the “essentials” for an entire day of sightseeing. Never in our lives had we ever seen such unfamiliar vegetation. There were bushes that looked as if all its branches with giant, hairy, green caterpillars. The tall buildings looked as if a toddler had drawn up the blueprints; they had sharp angles with sections that looked as if another section of a building was placed on top. The tours we signed up for took us to these magical places where one would expect supernatural beings to reside. A cave with its ceiling covered in fluorescent blue worms that made it seem as if we were staring up into a star filled sky; animals that were only native to this land and not found at any zoos I had visited back home; we felt as if we were living in a fantasy, just like we felt when watching this musical fantasy film. GROWING INTO THE ROLES LAYED OUT for them, two friends seem as if they are drifting further apart. What would become of them and the secrets they knew? With Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Bad Times at the El Royale) as Elphaba, Ariana Grande (Don’t Look Up, Wicked) as Glinda, Jeff Goldblum (The Fly, Jurassic Park franchise) as the Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh (A Haunting in Venice, Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey (Jurassic World: Rebirth, Bridgerton-TV) as Fiyero; part two of this story was still colorful and fantasy filled. However, just like I felt when I saw the staged version, this picture was somewhat of a letdown. It was darker and more political, I thought. The two additional songs were not memorable which did nothing to boost the smaller amount of musical numbers. Where Cynthia was the main focus in part one, Ariana was the focus in this one, and I have to say I was blown away with her acting. If you are not a fan of musicals, I think you would be bored watching this film. With everything I just said, the last part of this picture was worth the price of admission. I still enjoyed watching this movie and felt for a while I was placed in a different land.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Snow White
THE FIRST TIME I HEARD SOMEONE whistling was in a movie. The sound came from a princess. With family members, we went to the neighborhood movie theater to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I did not know any of the history about the movie. It was the first full length animated feature film when it debuted in 1937, winning at film festivals, was nominated for an Oscar and Walt Disney received an honorary Oscar for it. We were going to a Saturday matinee which always excited me because, not only was I getting to see a movie, but would be eating popcorn and a chocolate candy bar during it. As you might imagine for a small child, I was fascinated to see such a production. The animation, story, and singing had me completely enthralled, where I could barely sit still in my seat. When it came to the part where the song “Whistle While You Work” started to be sung, I stopped in mid-chew. Snow White’s high singing voice was so pretty and then when she whistled, I was utterly fascinated by it. After the movie when we all returned home, I got close up to a mirror, puckered my lips like Snow White did in the film and blew my breath out as hard as I could; the sound was nothing close to what I heard her do. It did not stop me from trying still. A relative saw what I was doing and walked over to teach me how to whistle. I would practice it for the next several days until I could change the pitch and volume with no assistance. YEARS LATER WHEN I GOT A summer job, I worked in a shipping department. The boss was this old, crotchety man who had little or no care about his appearance. I could deal with the stained shirt and dirty pants, but his breath used to make my stomach turn. I was part of a group of six boys who packed orders up for shipping, besides doing other odds and ends based on the owner’s whims. Between the owner and my boss, a day never went by where one of them was not yelling. Luckily, I rarely was on the receiving end of their outbursts, but it still made me uncomfortable. To have them barking and calling us names was getting to me, even when I was not the recipient of their wrath. Out of the blue, one day, the song “Whistle While You Work” popped into my mind. I do not know how or why but I began silently singing it to myself to help drown out the noise around me and it worked. I did not feel as anxious or stressed while I was going through the lyrics. I had the song on repeat many times afterwards. Sadly, I had to replay this song in my brain while watching this updated, live action version of the cartoon classic. HAVING BEEN SAVED BY HER EVIL stepmother’s guard who was tasked with the job of killing her, the young princess found refuge in the cottage of seven dwarfs. While there she hopes one day to return to the castle of her birth. With Rachel Zegler (West Side Story, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) as Snow White, Emilia Faucher (Rosario, A Ring for Christmas-TV) as young Snow White, Gal Godot (Heart of Stone, Red Notice) as Evil Queen, Andrew Burnap (The Chaperone, The Front Room) as Jonathan, and Patrick Page (In the Heights, Spirited-TV) voicing Magic Mirror; this adventure romance fantasy was a series of bad decisions. I can appreciate taking liberties with the original film by updating the characters, but there needed to be a well written script. Rachel tried her hardest, but it was not enough to make this an entertaining experience. Gal was completely miscast in the role of the Evil Queen. I guess young children would still enjoy watching this mess, but anyone older would soon get bored by it. Honestly, there was no reason to even do this live version if it did not stay true to the original concept.
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Black Bag
IN TERMS OF TRUST, I WAS raised with a solid foundation that enabled me to wholeheartedly have a strong bond of trust with my friends and family members. Unfortunately, that strong bond got dented early on. I was in the early grades of elementary school and had a few friends come over after school one day. We played a board game that all of us were into at the time; the playing lasted a little over an hour. Everyone put their game pieces and cards into the game box, and I put the lid on and put it back on the shelf. The next time I played the game, I noticed one of the game pieces was missing. I took out all the containers and cardboard liners from the box, but there was no sign of the piece. The only thing I could think of was one of my friends kept their game piece. I was hurt and upset. What exacerbated my sad feelings was another incident that hammered a blow to my trust, a few weeks after discovering the missing piece. I went bowling with a few of my relatives. For a reason I cannot figure it out, I took off my new and very first wristwatch and placed it on the scoring table. At the end of the game, we turned in our rented bowling shoes and headed out the door. We were four blocks away when I realized I left my watch behind. I explained what happened to my relatives and ran back to the bowling alley, to look for my watch. Absolutely no sign of it and no one had turned it into the lost and found; I was devastated. HAVING THOSE TWO INCIDENTS TAKING PLACE so early in my life, colored my feelings about trusting people. To drive the point home, one of my earliest love relationships shattered my belief system of trust. We had been dating for six months when an opportunity came up for a free trip to Mexico; they were a travel agent, so got these deals from time to time. We flew down to the resort that was being promoted and had planned to stay five days. When we arrived at the resort’s hotel, I felt the assistant manager was paying extra attention to us, but assumed it was because we were listed as travel agents in their records. The assistant manager made another appearance during breakfast, and I started to sense there was an ulterior motive. The two of us finished eating and went back to the room to change to sit by the pool. It was not until lunchtime that we returned to our room. I went to take a shower first and while in the bathroom, I thought I heard a knock at the door. For some reason, I decided to leave the shower water running after I stepped out and dried off. When I came out of the bathroom, there was my partner and the assistant manager making out on top of our bed. I was furious; so angry, that the intruder ran out of the room. I then turned to my partner and yelled some tough words for them before packing up and making my way back to the airport. I never spoke to them again. Because of my issues with trust, I totally understood the dilemma the husband had in this dramatic spy thriller romance. WHEN MASTER SPY GEORGE WOODHOUSE, PLAYED by Michael Fassbender (Next Goal Wins, X-Men franchise), was assigned a list of possible traitors to the agency, he notices one of the names on the list was his wife. How can he protect his country and wife at the same time? With Gustaf Skarsgard (I’ll Be Your Mirror, Vikings-TV) as Phillip Meacham, Cate Blanchett (Borderlands, Don’t Look Up) as Kathryn St. Jean, Tom Burke (The Souvenir, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) as Freddie Smalls, and Marisa Abela (Rogue Agent, Back to Black) as Clarissa Dubose; this film started out slow for me. However, as the scenes unfolded and I had a grasp of the characters, I started to enjoy what was taking place. The acting was tight and efficient with Michael and Cate as standouts for me. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Presence, Logan Lucky), I thought the pacing was equally as taut and fast paced. I appreciated the action was more verbal without the blood and violence, though there was one scene that had it. The script could have offered more depth, but under the circumstances I could see where that would have slowed things down. This movie turned out to be an exciting and fun watch with its twists and turns.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Anora
DIVORCED ONE DAY AND WAS MARRIED three months later. I already knew it would never work out. You see, my friend had been in a non-working marriage. The two of them had such polar opposite views that it was hard for them to find common ground. The one thing they had in common was they were both stubborn, which was not helpful in their situation. She was sociable; he was not. I do not necessarily think that would be a big stumbling block, but for them it was because neither one would compromise. Part of being in a relationship is sometimes we do things we do not like to please our partner; in their case, neither one was willing to help the other. Seeing them get a divorce was a good thing, in my opinion. But before the ink was dried on the court papers, she met a man, and they started dating. I would have thought she would have had a period of mourning, or alone time to reflect on her choices and actions that were made before immediately jumping back into the dating pool, but she did not waste a moment. When she introduced me to her, by then, fiancée, I was flabbergasted. I did not get a good feeling about him; he had a negative energy that rubbed me the wrong way. Nonetheless, I kept my thoughts to myself and congratulated them on their engagement. MY SUSPICIONS WERE CONFIRMED SIX MONTHS into their marriage. After they had their honeymoon phase they bought a house. They took me to see it as it was being built. During our time together they were all ‘lovey-dovey” and seemed perfectly happy together. Knowing my friend as well as I do, I sensed something was off, because she was so aggressive in her public displays of affection towards him. Things like having to hold hands all the time and little pet names for each other; I call this the teen school years period. Her actions did not come across as genuine; they were more for show. And sure enough six months into the marriage she started complaining about him. It started off as little complaints but several weeks later they were becoming major ones. She admitted to me she made a mistake by getting married so fast. I finally was able to have a deep conversation with her, mentioning he nor anyone else could fill the void in her heart. She had to love herself first before anyone else could love her. I shared my philosophy which is no one can make a person feel complete or make them happy; the individual must feel they are whole (or work at feeling whole) and accept who they are so they could love themselves before letting someone else love them. It is okay to be broken, but one must take responsibility to put in the work to become whole again. Six months later the two of them got divorced. I think my talk with her helped and if that is the case, I wished I had the opportunity to talk to the main character in this romantic comedic drama. AFTER MEETING AND MARRYING THE SON of a Russian oligarch, a young escort thought she could leave her former life behind. But when her husband’s parents hear about the marriage, they immediately plan to come to New York. With Mikey Madison (Scream, Better Things-TV) as Ani, Paul Weissman (The Final Equation, The Killing of Jacob Marr) as Nick, Yura Borisov (Guest from the Future, Centaur) as Igor, Lindsey Normington (Snuff Queen, Off Book) as Diamond, and Emily Weider (Art of Diversion, First Shift) as Nikki; this multiple Oscar winner surprised me. If I had published my Oscar picks, this film would not have been on my list. I thought the concept and script were good, but I must tell you the movie did not capture me like it evidently did with the Oscar voters. The acting was well done and felt authentic, but I still saw the characters as one dimensional. There also was a Cinderella touch to the story that I found charming, and I did feel Ani’s emotions by the end of the movie. Maybe if there had been less yelling and more depth to the script, I would have enjoyed it more, to the point where I felt it deserved its Oscar wins.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: The Crow
ACTS OF LOVE CAN BE EXPRESSED in many ways, from diamonds to kidneys. Yes, I said kidneys. A friend’s father had issues with his kidneys and needed a transplant. My friend immediately offered one of his if it would be a match. Gratefully, they were, and the operation was done soon after. My friend never hesitated; he and his dad were always close and now this act made them even closer. It was a selfless, loving act, and I am happy to report that the two of them are perfectly fine and healthy today. Another act of love I witnessed was our friend’s girlfriend nurse him back from the brink of death. He contracted a virus that brought on a cornucopia of issues where his body was shutting down. For weeks he was in intensive care and his girlfriend never left his side. Since she had a medical background, she checked everything the nurses and doctors were doing for him, from tests to administering drugs. One doctor was supposed to perform a vital test on a certain day that would lead the medical staff in the right direction toward treatment. This doctor came to see my friend when the girlfriend was in the hospital cafeteria eating lunch. When she returned and asked her boyfriend if the doctor showed up and performed the procedure, my friend told her he showed up but did not do the test. She immediately hunted him down in the hospital and let me just say, “read him the riot act.” The doctor returned that afternoon and performed the test on my friend. BESIDES WITNESSING ACTS OF LOVE BETWEEN humans, I have seen acts between humans and animals. To me, they are just as valid. I was on vacation, staying at an inn where the owners made a breakfast buffet each morning for the guests. While I was seated at a table sampling the baked goods, an obvious senior dog slowly came into the dining room. The dog had a limp as it walked, which was a good thing because it bumped into the leg of a chair that a recently departed guest had not pushed all the way back into the table. Keeping a watch on the dog, I quickly realized it must be blind by the way it was brushing into things around the buffet table. When the owners appeared and made their round of greetings to each occupied table of guests, when they came up to me, I asked the age of their dog. He was thirteen years old, and they confirmed he was blind and arthritic. We started talking about pets and they shared they had to carry him on stairs and serve him soft food because he was missing some teeth. It was obvious to me how much they loved him; when they were describing the things they did for him, I did not detect any negative feelings from them. They simply loved their pet and would take care of him all the way to the end of his life. What loving dog owners. These acts of love and witnessing them are part of the reason I felt I would bond with the story in this fantasy, action horror romance. AFTER BEING BRUTALLY MURDERED ALONGSIDE HIS girlfriend in a home invasion Eric, played by Bill Skarsgard (It franchise, Nosferatru), finds himself being alive in another world. The love he had for his girlfriend prevented him from completely dying, giving him the chance to get revenge on all those who murdered the two of them. With FKA twigs (Honey Boy, Brighton Beach) as Shelly, Danny Huston (The Dead Don’t Hurt, Ride Above) as Vincent Roeg, Josette Simon (The Witches, Tell that to the Winter Sea) as Sophia, and Laura Birn (Void, A Walk Among the Tombstones) as Marion; this supernatural crime film had potential. The chemistry between Bill and FKA twigs seemed authentic and though it took a while to pick up, their love story was interesting despite being quick in nature. Sadly, the script and directing did not create a solid story. The pacing was odd, going from fast action to soft loving reminiscences to supernatural scenes. I found parts of the movie went slowly and never felt deep emotions except for Bill’s character. Also, maybe it was a false expectation on my part, but I thought there would be more back story to Bill’s character, both the inmate and superhero sides. It made me question how he suddenly became this tough fighter, for example. Ultimately, I was bored through most of the time and wished I could have at least liked it. There were several scenes filled with blood and violence.
1 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Hot Frosty
SHE SAID SHE COULD NEVER LOVE again, but I knew better. My friend had recently come out of a bad breakup, where her boyfriend had been cheating on her. They had been dating for five years, the last two living together. He moved out and she made sure he took not only all his stuff, but other things that she did not want around that would remind her of him. I was her emotional support through her anger and grief periods. Presently, she was working her way out from the bottom of her emotions, coming to terms with moving forward in life alone. She expressed how she could not go through such pain again and wanted to start focusing on things that would not only occupy her mind but if possible, bring her happiness. I understood how she was feeling because I had been in the same situation a couple of times, where I thought everything was going well until it was not. I was in two love relationships where I was cheated on, and let me tell you, it does a real number on one’s ability to trust anyone again. Just like my friend was beginning her period of rebuilding, I have done the same thing. My way was alternating periods of solitude with busy social activities. The hardest thing for me, which I believed would be the same for my friend, was breaking up the old routines I shared with my past partners. It took introducing new activities, new ways of thinking to get to a point where I would feel twinges of peaceful comfort. THE NEXT TIME I MET UP with my friend, she was in a better place. It had been a few months after her horrific breakup. It looked like she had lost some weight which she confirmed when she said she had been working out regularly. We were standing in line to place our order, she was in front of me. Besides those standing in line, there were customers walking in to look at the menu chart before getting in line. A guy who had been standing off to her side, turned and asked if she had ever tried their salads. She politely said yes and offered up her top two favorites. A couple of more words were exchanged before he thanked her and got into line. We soon placed our orders and sat down at a table. Not long after, the man who asked her about the salads chose a table near us. By the time we started on our dessert, after eating our main course, the guy came over to thank her for the suggestions for the salads; he enjoyed it. They chatted about the food as I detected a bit of flirting was taking place. Hopefully, he saw my wedding ring and she eventually introduced me to him as her best friend. Before I knew it, he asked her if she would like to have dinner later in the week. I waited to hear her answer and was happy she said yes. Such a random moment led to a dinner date. I think it is one of the best ways to meet someone, but this romantic comedy fantasy has a different spin on it that I was curious to see. STILL MOURNING THE DEATH OF HER husband, a restaurant owner unknowingly magically brings a snowman to life. Would there be time to get to know each other before he melts, though? With Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls, Lost in Space) as Kathy Barrett, Dustin Milligan (Running on Empty, Schitt’s Creek-TV) as Jack Snowman, Chrishell Stause (Staged Killer, Selling Sunset-TV) as Jan, Joe Lo Truglio (Role Models, Superbad) as Deputy Sheriff Ed Schatz, and Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine franchise, My Spy the Eternal City) as Sheriff Nathaniel Hunter; this film knew what it was and did not make any apologies for it. The story followed a simple template, but the sweetness and magical holiday spirit made for an easy viewing experience. The acting was okay, though I thought Craig’s character was out of place because of the cartoonish take on it. Outside of that, the writers wanted and for the most part created a fantasy that had a warm message wrapped inside of it. There was nothing fancy about this production; all it wanted to do was to touch people’s hearts.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: My Old Ass
THE INDIVIDUALS LOOKING AT ME IN the photos I have in my hand are related to me, but I do not know how. They all have been deceased for a long time and there is no one alive in my family who is old enough to remember them. I wished I had seen the photos years ago and had the foresight to ask about the people in the photos, to learn how they were related to me, what they did in life, and any other bits of information that would provide me with a clearer picture about my family roots. Now, they will be framed and hung on a wall as a mystery for our family. My other thought is maybe these deceased relatives have descendants who might like photocopies of their ancestors. I cannot say I have regrets; it is the first time I have seen these photos and there is nothing I can do about it. Besides, I already have a variety of memories I can dwell on and determine if there would have been a different outcome if I had only done “such and such.” I certainly do not want to go through life having regrets, but if I could have pressed a magic replay button, there may have been a few times I would have liked to alter the outcome. WHEN I THINK BACK TO ALL the people I have dated, I have no regrets about having dated them. There might be one or two that I could have done without, but if I think hard about it, I gained something by knowing each person, even if it did not turn out to be a long-term relationship. When it comes to events, there are a few I wish I could have managed differently. For example, I wish I had not sped my way through a national park that resulted in me being pulled over and given a speeding ticket. In my defense, I thought the park had a closing time. When I mentioned this to the officer, he chuckled and said it is a national park, there is not a closing time. At that point, I knew I was going to get a ticket. Of all the things I have done in my life there are a few that come close to me, having regrets about how I acted. One was a relative’s funeral I did not attend because I had just started a new job and was afraid to immediately ask for a day off. Looking back, I should have talked to my boss and explained the situation; if they said no, at least I would have known I tried instead of making the decision on my own. Imagine if we had a way to get advice about upcoming events in our life; we could avoid having any regrets. It is an interesting proposition and one that is skillfully handled in this dramatic comedy romance. AFTER GETTING HIGH ON MUSHROOMS FOR her birthday, a young girl is introduced to her older self who comes with a warning. The question is, should the younger self really believe her older self. With Maisy Stella (Nashville-TV, Spirit Riding Free-TV) as Elliott, Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West, Safety Not Guaranteed) as Older Elliott, Percy Hynes White (Cast No Shadow, The Gifted-TV) as Chad, Maddie Ziegler (The Fallout, The Book of Henry) as Ruthie, and Kerrice Brooks (Feeling Randy, The Prom) as Ro; this might appear like a typical story about an older and younger self meeting. However, this script put a twist on the genre and created a sweet, thoughtful, touching story about family and coming of age. I thought Aubrey and Maisy were a perfect match; they had good comedic timing and easily expressed their emotions with their face and body. The writers also took the story and created mini stories to work in conjunction with the main one which allowed more space to let the stories evolve. I was entertained by this film and had no regrets having taken the time to sit down and watch it.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Wicked
I WAS BROWSING THROUGH THE BOOKSTORE, despite already having a couple of books in my hand. As I came up to one of the display tables that were scattered throughout the store, a book cover caught my eye. Believe it or not, it was the light-colored paper that attracted my eyes to it first, but then it was the illustration. It looked like one of those old-fashioned pencil drawn cartoons you would see in a magazine or newspaper. I was intrigued by this, so I decided to stop and pick up one of the book copies that were stacked on top of the table. I read the back cover first before opening the front cover to read the brief summary describing what the book was about. It was such a fascinating idea for a story and clicked into my childhood fantasies that had been fueled by movies I had seen when I was a small boy. I decided to purchase the book and began reading it as soon as I got home. The writing was imaginative and creative; I was able to see the characters and scenery perfectly in my mind as if I were right there with them. Going forward, I made sure I put time aside every day to read more of the book until I finished it. AFTER I HAD READ THE BOOK, I told all my friends about what a wonderful story it was to read. Because I do not like giving much away when people ask, “What is it about,” I produced the perfect answer: it is a prequel to the story of “The Wizard of Oz.” Some of the looks I would get from friends were amusing. Most of them said they did not know or hear there was such a thing. I explained the story was about the early life of some of the characters. My fondness for the book made me be on the lookout for any other books written by the same author. Several years later, I was surprised to hear about a new musical that was opening on Broadway, which was based on the book I had read back in 1995. I made a point of looking for theater reviews or news about the production, besides wishing I could go to New York to see it for myself. As it turned out, the musical was a big hit, and it won the Tony Award. I had to wait a couple of years before I was able to see it when a traveling company set up residence in my city; it went on to become one of the longest lasting running plays here. And now, years later, I witnessed another transformation of the novel I read decades ago, by watching this musical romantic dramatic fantasy. COMING FROM COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, two first-year college students are forced to be roommates. These friendly enemies soon learn there was something more to each of them when they were together. With Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Widows) as Elphaba, Ariana Grande (Don’t Look Up, Victorious-TV) as Galinda, Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park franchise, The Grand Budapest Hotel) as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh (Tomorrow Never Dies, A Haunting in Venice) as Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton-TV, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero; this big production blockbuster did not spare a penny in creating a magical feast for the eyes. The scenery was amazing, colorful, and creative. The actors were perfectly cast and crafted for their roles. Jonathan Bailey was the biggest surprise for me with his singing and dancing. However, at the top of screen star power, I have to say it goes to Cynthia. Anyone in a scene with her faded slightly to the background because of Cynthia’s acting ability. She was able to emote such feelings simply through her facial expressions. Now, I will say the film, which is only part one, was too long. The middle section dragged at times for me; however, the last hour was worth the price of admission. For me, that was the exciting part of the film and kept me laser focused on what was taking place on screen. Luckily, no one in the audience felt the need to sing along with the actors. If one is not an enthusiastic fan of musical numbers, they will get bored at times because the musical numbers fill up a generous portion of the scenes. For everyone else, they will love this film. Part two will be released in November of 2025.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: We Live in Time
WHEN YOU ARE BEING ASKED, “DO you take this person to be your lawfully wedded…in sickness and health,” the answer is not, “Maybe, I do.” I have known a small group of couples where one of them became ill and their spouse did not want to deal with it. One individual initiated a divorce, and from a different couple the person did nothing to help their spouse through their illness. It was appalling and sad. My belief in the power and full meaning of the words, “I do” was not as solid when I first started out in the dating world and began forming long-term relationships. I have mentioned before that I refer to myself as a part-time germaphobe, where I avoid touching door handles or shaking hands with strangers, for example. When the person I was with in the relationship got sick with a cold or flu, I would sleep on the couch instead of our bed; I was afraid of catching whatever they had. I do not know how I changed this behavior but can recall clearly who I was with at the time that altered my concern from my health to their wellbeing. We had been dating for over one year before they started getting unexplained symptoms that affected their digestive system. I never waivered in being there for them, helping with whatever they needed and sleeping together in our bed. Because this was a new phenomenon for me, caring more about the person than myself, I realized that the only logical answer was that I was truly in love. I was more worried about them than myself. Gratefully, the right doctors were found, and their issue was cured over the course of a few months. HAVING THAT “AHA MOMENT” PREPARED ME for when I was standing in front of our friends and relatives and was asked the marriage question. My reply was, “I do!” Both of us realize as we get older, things may happen; that is just the way life is and all we can do is try to stay in shape and stay healthy as best we can. I remember walking into the dining room and seeing them staring at their dinner on the dining room table. Just sitting and staring. I asked what was wrong and they said they were not sure what they were supposed to do. I was perplexed and because I am a defensive pessimist I started going through different scenarios in my head, while peppering them with questions. I thought maybe they were having a stroke, and I was about to call 911, when they asked for something that sounded like orange juice. Upon drinking some and quietly sitting in their chair, they started becoming rational again. It was a scary moment, but it also reminded me the power when we said to each other, “I do.” With the way I feel about this commitment, I thoroughly appreciated what the couple had in this romantic drama. HAVING MET IN SUCH UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, a young chef and divorcee begin to form what they think is a perfect union. With Andrew Garfield (The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Hacksaw Ridge) as Tobias, Florence Pugh (Black Widow, Dune: Part Two) as Almut, newcomer Lee Braithwaite as Jade, Aoife Hinds (Scoop, Cottontail) as Skye, and Adam James (The Penitent, Hotel Portofino-TV) as Simon Maxson; the beginning of this film kept confusing me with its out of order snippets of the main stars’ interactions through life. I felt the way scenes were randomly jumping into various stages of their lives was a distraction. However, as time went by, I found myself getting in synch with the rhythm of the pacing and started to focus on the main couple. Andrew’s and Florence’s chemistry towards each other was electrifying. They did a fantastic job with the script and elevated the story to a higher level. I feel this story could have settled into a sticky sweetness if it were not for the two of them. Near the end of the movie, I felt like I had gone through a photo album that showed their life together, and oh what a life it was for them.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Killer Heat
MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO TWIN SIBLINGS was a movie where teenage twin sisters swap places and scheme to reunite their divorced parents. Seeing the two sisters together looking identical fascinated me. I was too young to realize that it was one actress playing both sisters. The next time I encountered twins was watching a television show called Family Affair. The twins were Buffy and Jody, a brother and sister, but they were not identical. Except for these two experiences, I had no contact with any sets of twins until I was in high school. And then, it was like an explosion because there were several sets during my four years in school. A couple of them were identical twins; one in particular was always difficult to figure out who was who, until you talked to them for a little while. One brother was into sports, and I thought was mean; the other one was more into the social clubs like film and debate team which suited his friendlier personality. I remember one time when they swapped their classes for one period. I had the nicer brother in my classroom, and I knew within a matter of minutes that the other brother was sitting next to me instead; he did not say hello, which the nicer one always did when coming in and sitting down at his desk. Surprisingly, the teacher did not know the difference. THERE WAS ANOTHER SET OF TWIN brothers in the school that were both bullies, one was worse, however. They would pick on students all the time; in the classroom, lunchroom and outside on the school grounds. I learned quickly to stay away from them as best as I could. It was not until the end of our sophomore year that some of us found out the two brothers were not twins. The meaner one was held back a year; in other words, he flunked a grade. The two brothers decided to tell everyone they were twins so the older one would not be embarrassed. The thing I found interesting about the sets of twins in school was when there were two girls or a girl and a boy set, they were never competitive with each other. Sure, they may have had some form of sibling rivalry, but I never saw one trying to beat out the other. It was only the sets that had two boys that were competitive at our school. Even if the personalities were different, they still had a strong streak of competitiveness. Granted, none of them could match the competitiveness of the twins in this romantic, crime mystery drama, and I am grateful for it. AFTER A YOUNG ROCK CLIMBER FALLS from a cliff to his death, one of the family members secretly hires a detective to investigate all the clues to see if things match up. As the detective delves deeper into the case, his own issues begin to come out. With Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Trial of the Chicago 7, Flora and Son) as Nick Bali, Shailene Woodley (Dumb Money, To Catch a Killer) as Penelope Vardakis, Richard Madden (Eternals, Game of Thrones-TV) as Elias ‘Leonidas,’ Clare Holman (Let Him Have It, Inspector Lewis-TV) as Audrey, and Babou Ceesay (Eye in the Sky, We Hunt Together-TV) as Georges Mensah; this film was shot in the beautiful island of Crete. The outdoor scenes were stunning. I enjoyed the performances from the cast, but the script did not offer them much to work their craft. The characters were one-dimensional, which turned many scenes into standard fare. I liked the idea of the story, and I thought Joseph and Shailene could have turned into characters with depth and emotion; though no fault of their own, I was disappointed. Well, at least I enjoyed the scenery.
2 stars
moviejoltz 