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Flash Movie Review: A Hologram for the King
It seems to me to be a vulnerable position, where what you think does not matter much. One has to be quick on their feet and be able to respond to any query. The bottom line is you have something that you want someone else to buy from you. A career in sales takes a certain personality; I briefly tried and was not successful. I feel one not only has to sell their products but sell themselves to an individual. The thing that bugged me about this scenario was the person you are pitching may be making their decision on the most random of things. They may not like the way you dress or the way you look or even the way you talk; it can be based on such a biased opinion that has nothing to do with your products. I could not handle that type of environment, plus my brutal honesty did not sit well with customers. Isn’t it interesting that what I just wrote could easily be applied to dating? Think about it, aren’t people trying to sell (so to speak) themselves to other people? When two people meet with the intention to date, each one is going to try to accentuate their positive attributes. It is like a sales pitch. I knew someone who literally had a checklist of requirements that potential dates had to meet before they would agree to go out with them. I tried explaining to them that it works both ways; they needed to present themselves in the best light if they hoped their possible date would take an interest in them. Whether it is personal or business I find sales meetings to be stressful; that is why I could relate to the main character in this drama. DESPERATE to land a sale Alan, played by Tom Hanks (Bridge of Spies, Captain Phillips), agreed to fly to Saudi Arabia to pitch his product to the monarchy. Alan would quickly realize selling to a monarchy was different than selling to a company. Based on the novel this movie also starred newcomer Alexander Black as Yousef and Sarita Choudhury (The Hunger Games franchise, Lady in the Water) as Zahra. I thought the acting was good though I felt Tom’s role had a familiar ring to it. He still did a fine performance but it did not seem as fresh to me. The idea behind this story was intriguing; however, the dual story lines hindered the telling of it. Separately I enjoyed each story but I never felt I was getting the whole tale. Now visually the film had a lot to offer just because the territory was foreign to me. I also was fascinated with the culture clash in this picture. As the film neared the end I felt things were rushed to tidy up the story. This film had some good selling points; I only wished it had sold me on its entertainment value.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Bridge of Spies
They bulge out like wide fish eyes skimming the sea’s surface of ceiling tiles. You see them everywhere now, those security cameras encased in smoky dark glass globes. Some places do not even bother making them inconspicuous; they hang up the actual cameras on the walls or have them dangling down from the roof like machine gun turrets. It seems no matter where you turn someone is watching you. Generally it does not bother me; what do I care if someone is watching me pump gasoline into my car or buying kitchenware for a dinner party. However, I just heard on the news this week some financial institution is working on a payment system that only requires the payer to send a selfie of their face. Yuck, the idea turns my stomach. There are already too many people taking selfies or videotaping themselves and everything around them, that I do not need to see more people doing in now. If you do not think security issues are taking a bigger role around you just look at all the crime and detective shows on television; so many of them use high tech surveillance devices that it boggles the mind. If you look at this on an international scale, high tech methods seem to be the norm when it comes to espionage and warfare. Imagine those government officials who worked at a time where being a spy was a more physical job, where one had to secretly tail a suspected individual instead of through the internet. For you Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew readers, you know what I am talking about; for everyone else, see how it was done in this dramatic biographical film. RECRUITED by the CIA to negotiate the release of a captured U2 spy plane pilot by the Soviet Union; insurance lawyer James B. Donovan, played by Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Cast Away), did not want his morals compromised by the clandestine operations and negotiations unfolding around him. Directed by Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln), this film festival winning drama once again showed why Steven is a master storyteller. The way the story started out in an unassuming way then began building on top of itself; the viewer had no choice but to be drawn into the exciting tension. Along with Alan Alda (The Aviator, Tower Heist) as Thomas Watters Jr and Mark Rylance (The Other Boleyn Girl, Angels and Insects) as Rudolf Abel, who could be nominated for best supporting actor as Rudolf Abel, the acting was outstanding. The way the filming was shot allowed small scenes to be just as important as the major dramatic ones. I truly felt as if I was getting a glimpse into a past world where all of this type of spy work was the norm during the cold war. As I walked out of the theater and into the lobby I am sure who ever was behind the security camera above my head saw my wide satisfied smile.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Saving Mr. Banks
There is a place where all the should do’s, have to do’s and suppose to do’s in life cannot infiltrate; it is in one’s memories. Some of these remembrances may be average such as a friend’s phone number or a bank account number; however, there is a special area where the cherished memories are stored. It is in this place where I keep my fondest memories that get quick access to my heart. I remember my favorite babysitter who had a way of reading a story where the characters would come to life for me. She had a quiet gentleness that I found soothing. The reason she is presently closest in my thoughts is due to this comedic drama about a nanny. This film reveals the true untold story of how Walt Disney gained the rights to create what was to become the iconic film Mary Poppins. In that place where my fondest memories reside is the memory of the first time I saw this film about the unusual nanny, Mary Poppins. Since I can perfectly recall that experience I was concerned this biographic film would taint my memories. I can honestly say it did no such thing, instead it added a new depth of color to my vivid memories. Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Pirate Radio) played the fiercely protective author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers. Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips, The Terminal) played Walt Disney, the creative genius who spent 20 years pursuing the author for the rights so he could keep a promise he made to his daughters. This film received a brilliant performance by Emma, who was as difficult and unyielding as anyone could be against the creator of Mickey Mouse. The scenes where she had to sit with the creative team of Don DaGadi, played by Bradley Whitford (Scent of a Woman, The West Wing-TV), and brothers Robert and Richard Sherman, played by B.J. Novak (Knocked Up, Inglorious Basterds) and Jason Schwartzman (The Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom), provided me a wild history lesson to some of the cherished songs from the Mary Poppins movie. The one complaint I had was the use of dual story lines because I thought each story could be its own film. Though I will say I thought Colin Farrell (Total Recall, Pride and Glory) did a touching, emotional job as P.L. Travers’ father. The insertion of Mary Poppins film clips in this Golden Globe nominated movie added to the heightened amount of joy I experienced during this film. I am happy to say my childhood memory of seeing Mary Poppins now has a new coating of fondness due to this beautiful movie. Please make sure you stay through part of the credits to hear the actual recordings of P.L. Travers.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Captain Phillips
Part of my responsibilities, in my role as a credit manager, has been the preparation of documents to present to the bank for payment from a letter of credit. A letter of credit is a legal document issued by a bank to pay another bank (usually in another country) that guarantees payment for goods we ship under specified conditions. The portion of the paperwork I enjoy reading about is the trail our shipment travels from our docks to the customer. Starting out by truck, our product may switch to rail before reaching a port of departure. Here is where it gets fun for me as the goods are loaded onto a container ship that sets sail, to travel to all parts of the world. I have learned so much about different cities and countries based on where the shipments are destined to land. All of it had seemed exciting and exotic until I saw this riveting drama based on a true story. My fanciful daydreaming about sailing to new and faraway places came to a screeching halt at the reality of what happened to Captain Richard Phillips, portrayed by Tom Hanks (Larry Crowne, The Terminal). Based on Richard Phillips’ memoir, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS and Dangerous Days at Sea,” this movie skillfully brought the story to life. It was one thing to read articles or see newscasts about Somali pirates, but to have it shown right up in my face made this movie a more tense and dramatic film viewing experience. The story was about the 2009 hijacking on the container vessel Alabama by Somali pirates. Director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, Bloody Sunday) did a wonderful job in keeping the story’s pull at a constant tautness. When Tom Hanks is firing on all cylinders, as he was in this role, he shows why he is considered one of the better actors in Hollywood. Newcomers Barkhad Abdi and Markhad Abdirahman as Somali pirates Muse and Bilal were outstanding. The scene where Muse says, “Look at me, look at me; I am the captain now,” was a brilliant piece of ad libbing. For me, the movie was getting so intense I started to cry at a particularly emotional scene. If you are like me and plan on seeing all the major Academy Award nominated films before the Oscar telecast, you might as well get an early start with this outstanding movie. There were a few scenes where blood was shown.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Great Buck Howard
When I see advertisements announcing performance dates for any celebrity in their twilight years, my first thought has always been, “Do they really need the money?” I am not a fan who wants to see former headliners trying to maintain their youth as they perform in small clubs, attempting to recapture the good old times. Why don’t they instead do charity work, I have wondered. In this dramatic comedy, a law school dropout found himself becoming the assistant to an illusionist, when he answered an ad in the classifieds. John Malkovich (Con Air, Dangerous Liaisons) played Buck Howard, a long time performer who was trying to stage a comeback. I have had the good fortune to see John perform live on stage, years before he went on to the big screen. Back then I knew he was going to be an intense actor. He could easily switch from a raving, menacing lunatic character to a sweet, kind gentle man, in a heartbeat. As Buck Howard, John did an excellent job going from the pleasant showman to revealing the turmoil behind the facade. Colin Hanks (Looper, Orange County) was just ok for me in his role as assistant Troy Gable. However, I did enjoy the couple of scenes he had with his real life father Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, The Green Mile), who also played his father in the movie. It was a nice surprise to see Emily Blunt (Looper, The Young Victoria) in the film, playing Valerie Brennan. However, I felt the direction her character took rang false. The actors who had cameo roles were fun. To tell you the truth, after seeing the scenes where Buck was performing in front of his audience, it occurred to me that I have been judgmental. Who am I to say who should perform or not; it does not really matter. If fans want to relive a fond memory they have of their idols and the celebrities are willing to keep the dream alive, then go for it. After I was done watching this DVD I wanted to search the web for The Amazing Kreskin.
2 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Cloud Atlas
Some years ago for my birthday I received a gift of a reading from a psychic. Before going into the session I was told to remember the things that did not make sense to me. One thing said, that had no meaning for me, was her seeing me standing in a room surrounded by people dressed in funny outfits, moving to music. This was said several years prior to me attending, let alone teaching, an aerobic class. She also said I should pay particular attention to any person with red hair, for they have something to offer me. To this day I still think of that whenever I am introduced to a red haired person. Part of my reading delved into what she referred to as my past lives. According to her I was a spy in a previous life, so I would have easy access to two opposing forces. I was an educator and a leader along with being skilled in the use of a crossbow. Though I may not have understood everything told to me, I walked away with the idea that a person keeps returning to this world again and again until they complete their challenge correctly. This same notion could be applied to this expansive movie. With multiple stories set in the past, present and future; the actors took on several roles in this visual extravaganza. Leaving you to figure out which star was playing what role, part of the cast had Tom Hanks (Larry Crowne, Charlie Wilson’s War), Halle Berry (X-Men franchise, Monster’s Ball), Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady, Another Year) and Susan Sarandon (Arbitrage, The Lovely Bones). Adding in the previews, this 3 hour viewing was too much, trying too hard to be a saga for the ages. Some of the stories were more interesting to me; I would have rather seen an entire movie made out of one of them. There was pressure for me to keep up with each story line as the film kept jumping back and forth, seeing no connection between them at first. I felt everyone associated with the making of this film was spread too thin, which made for a meandering stream of babble at times. For me it seemed as if the writers and directors were deliberately obtuse, leaving this pseudo epic film open to multiple interpretations. The message I walked away with was we are all connected, with our actions having a timeless effect throughout the centuries. I got the same message from the psychic in a lot less time without the fear of my bladder exploding.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
I have to say a more apt title would have been, “Extremely Long & Incredibly Annoying.” The main character Oskar Schell, played by Thomas Horn (Jeopardy-TV), was so annoying, it was a distraction for me. I would be curious if the young boy was just as irritating in the book. The story revolved around 9 year old Oskar ‘s search through New York City, for a lock that matched a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. With a lack of drama and decent script, the searching for this lock became boring for me. Interspersed throughout the movie were flashbacks of Oskar interacting with his Dad, played by Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, The Green Mile). For me, the writers tried to do their best to manipulate us into feeling emotions for these lifeless characters. On some level I think the story, in the hands of better writers and director, could have been an interesting tale of perseverance after tragedy.
1 2/3 stars
moviejoltz 