Tag Archives: Norbert Leo Butz

True Story, “Flag Day” Unsettles Father and Daughter

based on a book, biography, drama, true stories, , , , , , , ,

Directed by Sean Penn, Flag Day follows Jennifer Vogel, played by Dylan Penn, who comes to terms with her larger-than-life father. As a child, Jennifer marveled at his magnetizing energy and ability to make life feel like a grand adventure.

Yes. Dylan is Sean’s real-life daughter, which makes the production intriguing. She is a celebrity model whose international talent is huge.

Sean Penn stars as John Vogel and Dylan Penn as Jennifer Vogel in FLAG DAY A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Credit: Courtesy of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Inc. © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Jennifer’s father taught her much about love and joy, but he also was the most notorious counterfeiter in US history. Based on a true story, Flag Day is an intimate family portrait of a young woman who struggles to rise above the wreckage of her past. At the same time, she reconciles the inescapable bond between a daughter and her father.

At the heart of the movie is a love story between a father and daughter. Sean Penn describes it, “a complicated one.” It is a story of one woman’s pursuit to find truth in her life after growing up in the shadow of her father’s criminality. We see the bonds of family ebb and flow with each truthful revelation and each destructive lie. This father-daughter story serves as a metaphor for a country that often cannot live up to its highest ideals.

A country that doesn’t follow through on its promises. Stoic imagery of flags waving and fireworks give way to darkened windows, disguises and eventually handcuffs and jail cells. Ultimately, it is a story of perseverance, of truth, and learning who you are in the shadow of someone else. It is a story of uncovering memories and examining those memories from a raw and vulnerable place.

The movie includes an impressive cast Josh Brolin, Norbert Leo Butz, Dale Dickey, Eddie Marsan, Bailey Noble, Hopper Jack Penn and Katheryn Winnick.

“Luce” Trailer and Poster

drama, thriller, , , , ,

My interest in this movie started when I first saw the trailer on Facebook. I watched it muted because I didn’t want to be rude, playing the sound in a public place. Watch any trailer muted, and its visuals are stronger than when it has sound. I saw a movie that I wanted to see.

The situation in the story is an interesting one because we have the appearance of a perfect student named Luce, played by Kelvin Harrison, Jr. His teacher, Harriet Wilson, played by Octavia Spencer, suspects him to be violent.

Co-written and directed by Julius Onah, Luce is a smart psychological thriller and adapted from JC Lee’s play of the same name. Lee co-wrote the screenplay with Onah.

Onah talked about collaborating with Lee on the screenplay, “Despite how different we are on some levels, we have a similar sensibility when it comes to storytelling and the way we want to explore ideas and issues. Neither of us want to tell stories that are prescriptive or didactic in how they explore complex social issues. We both want to ask people to consider their blind spots, and to recognize their experience of the world will never be identical with anyone else’s.”

An all-star high school athlete and accomplished debater, Luce is a poster boy for the new American Dream. As are his parents, played by Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, adopted him from a war-torn country a decade earlier.

When Luce’s teacher, Ms. Wilson, makes a shocking discovery in his locker, Luce’s stellar reputation comes into question. But is he really at fault or is Ms. Wilson preying on dangerous stereotypes?

Watching the trailer, Onah creates an intense, multi-layered, and entertaining look at identity in today’s America.

“Wonder Park” Trailers & Super Bowl Ad

adventure, animation, children movies, family movies, fantasy, kid movies, , , , , , , ,

Directed by Dylan Brown, Wonder Park tells the story of June, voiced by Brianna Denski, who discovers a magical amusement park. The animated tale follows June running in the woods. She is coming home when she stumbles across an old roller coaster car.

She sits in one of the roller coaster cars, and magically she finds herself in Wonderland, an amusement park she had created in her mind and put aside.

Her rides and characters are brought to life but are falling into disarray without her. Now, with the help of her fun and lovable park characters, June will have to put the wonder back in Wonderland before it is lost forever.

Brown worked on several Pixar movies as supervising animator. Wonder Park appears to be his first major movie. Three writers write the screenplay. It looks like Josh Appelbaum, and André Nemec gets the most credit.

Other voices in the movie are Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick, John Oliver, Mila Kunis, Kenan Thompson, Ken Jeong,  and Norbert Leo Butz.

The second trailer tells us more about the story. The CGI is dazzling.

The movie trailer shows the wonder of the amusement park.

The third trailer tells us more about the story behind the animated movie. The CGI is excellent with the bright colors and synthesized energy.

The commercial for the Super Bowl tells us the release date. We can see that it is a kid’s movie and a lot of fun with crazy animals.