The Flash

Other than The Dark Knight (2008), I must go back a few decades to the Tim Burton Batman (1989, 1992) films and Christopher Reeves' Superman (1978, 1980) to find a DC movie I fully enjoyed. Yeh, I enjoyed Gal Gadot’s onscreen presence as much as anyone but even the best of the two Wonder Woman (2017, 2020) films built up to a moment where she threw an important thing at an oversized bad guy— the finale of almost all of DC films.

I’m happy to say that The Flash comes t h i s  c l o s e to being that fun summer movie we’ve been waiting for. Its first, bright act has a solid mix of lean-forward action and light comedy. At this point on the first watch, I thought this may be the next Iron Man (2008) or Back to the Future (1985). Credit goes to the bright palette, clever writing — and a standout comedic performance by Ezra Miller (Perks of Being a Wallflower, We Need to Talk About Kevin).

The story revolves around Barry White/The Flash (Ezra Miller) and his wish to save his father from wrongful imprisonment. By speeding into the past and preventing his mother from being harmed, his family could be saved. Of course, changing the past has consequences.

Fast forward to the second act, which darkens a bit, literally, to take us into a hint of the vehicles, Batcave and world of Tim Burton’s Batman — delivering Michael Keaton’s return as Bruce Wayne. While this casting was widely announced in 2020, it’s still a delightful shock to see Keaton again onscreen in this role. Watching him onscreen, you realize he is definitively Batman, and when he literally says just that, you'll feel sorry for all those that followed him.

Unfortunately, the third act is filled with all the traps of superhero films. A bad guy that gets big. A thing you have to throw at it. Multiple universes, again. CGI army action, again. The end of the world at stake, again. Add to all that, an uninspired blurry fan service sequence that goes on too long and doesn't deliver the emotion that was surely intended.

While I was disappointed after all the recent CinemaCon buzz that hinted at a superhero masterpiece, I still got a rush from 2/3 of this film, which was completely enjoyable entertainment. Until someone cracks the code on the future of DC and Marvel, I can recommend this with a side of popcorn.

In a nutshell: Bright and light for most of the film. It's been overhyped, but if you see just one superhero movie a year, this is the one. Run don’t walk to avoid hearing all the spoilers.

Award potential: The CGI in the back third is sloppy. So it's an unlikely (but possible) contender for Best Visual Effects.

Where to see it: In theaters, beginning June 16, 2023.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Flamin' Hot

Flamin’ Hot tells the underdog story of Richard Montañez, a Frito-Lay janitor who rose to vice president of multicultural sales & community promotions for PepsiCo (parent to Frito-Lay). In his memoir, Montanez claims to have invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. This story is the backdrop for an inspirational family drama and comedy that will delight most viewers.

As fiction, this is a great fable and film. As a biopic, there are many questions.

Anyone who has done work for Frito-Lay, like myself, knows that it is unlikely that one single person could take credit for any such innovation. Recently, both Frito-Lay corporate and an investigation by The Los Angeles Times each dispute that Montanez had any such role in the product. The story told in this film also includes a relationship between Montanez and PepsiCo’s Roger Enrico, who was not at Frito-Lay when Flamin' Hot entered test markets in 1990. It’s highly unlikely his call for workers to “act like CMOs” and some pivotal scenes in the film were true.

Knowing all that, it seems best to review the film as fiction — a hyperbolic tale – sprinkled full of inspiration and positivity. Eva Longoria has directed a biopic with a kick that you can enjoy with your family.

Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) and his wife Judy (Annie Gonzalez) pair as the strong, real-life couple, shown from the ‘70s to the ‘90s, and the actors deliver on chemistry. Tony Shalhoub (Monk) has a blast playing Roger Enrico. 

An easy headline would be that this light film is "cheesy." But it's more than a Hallmark film. It's rich with performances, emotion and motivation. I just wish it was true.

In a nutshell: A fable too puffed up to love, but a very enjoyable underdog story.

Award potential: Too light. Too controversial. Not a contender.

Where to watch it: Premieres on both Hulu and Disney+ on June 9.

The Ten Buck Review: As fiction, worth ten bucks.