Flashes

Another movie about alternate realities and timelines. This one is hit and miss. But it kept my attention. I thought it was pretty funny that Tom Sizemore is listed as a main star, yet he's hardly in the movie at all. However, the movie isn't that bad. There was a couple scenes of women in bathing suits. Almost went PG13 but not quite. I hate that. The rating says 18+ come on and put some 18+ stuff in it. I would have given a 6 or 7 but can only give a 5/10.

Oh the ending, I liked how it ended.

20 August 2016. There have been a number of recent alternate reality films in recent years such as Dimensions (2011) and I'll Follow You Down (2013) each there own take on parallel universes. Instead of the period drama of Dimensions or the romantic drama of I'll Follow You Down, Alternate Realities focuses a lot of its screen time on the stark distinctive alternate realities which at times becomes somewhat too confusing for the audience (though perhaps portrayed in much the same way the protagonist experienced them). The biggest difficulty with this movie is the protagonist's character which is not always very appealing. However, by the end of the movie there can be some audience connection with him. Alternate Realities has some resemblance to the character distinction as portrayed in The Thirteenth Floor (1999) which is suggested for those who haven't seen the movie.

The story is somewhat unusual, but it leaves more questions than it answers and therefore is often confusing. Some of that is the nature of bouncing around to three different realities, but actually the film did pretty well at making it clear which one you were in. I didn't understand the sequence leading up to the climax.

John Rotit was not the most likable character even in his best reality. In the second reality, Johnny was a selfish loser and in the third an almost robotic killer. I never understood why he was killing the people he did- what significance the people on the list were, but maybe I missed it.

John #1 has an unbelievably devoted wife. For one thing, she is drop-dead gorgeous, but in her character she is very forgiving. She confronts him about being gone so much, but then accepts his profession of fidelity. I have to admit, she was part of what kept me going to the end hoping that she would bring him around.

I thought the acting wasn't bad, but it also wasn't great. The psychiatrist didn't come off as authentic to me. I don't know what Christopher Judd was trying to be in reality #2. In reality #1 he seemed more like a middle-school teacher than a professor. Tom Sizemore looked like a lost puppy in #1 and #2 and a robot in #3. Maybe that was the intent.

So, I spent half of the movie jabbing the FF 10 seconds button and the other half in a comfortable mid afternoon nap. It seems like the back of my eye lids had no trouble keeping pace with this "science fiction thriller".

For those looking for a good movie to work out your right thumb or those who just like to sleep, I'd give it a solid rating.

As movies about string theory and the multiverse, this has got to be the laziest. They go with the idea that "every possibility" means anything is possible. The intention appears to be a pilot for a series with almost unlimited plot lines but recurring actors. However, the writing and character development was well enough done that they probably deserved to get picked up. There were even shots of humor that didn't have "humorous note" written all over them.

If you aren't looking for a head trip, this isn't bad. There are times when a person can feel as though their consciousness is just on the edge of sensing possibilities that will not be experienced by the body and this movies plays with this idea adequately. It did make me cry at one point because the character development is well done and they captured the moment you realize how much you have screwed others over and are unlikely to make it any better.