Dig Two Graves

March 27, 2017 Published by Shari K. Green

The Chinese proverb, ‘When you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves,’ is where the title for the film comes from. I had never heard it before and now don’t think I’ll ever forget it. Dig Two Graves is set in the 1970’s and partly told in well-established flashbacks. It’s an award-winning thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat for most of the time. It was written, produced and directed by Hunter Adams, he wrote it with Jeremy Phillips, stars relative newcomer Samantha Isler, from last years Captain Fantastic, and also stars the fantastic Ted Levine from Silence of the Lambs. Adams, relatively new himself, only has five directing credits to his name, two of them shorts, so if this film is an indication of what’s to come, I’d have to say it won’t be long before his resume doubles.

In this creepy mystery, you’ll fear for the life of an innocent young girl who may or may not be so innocent by movies end. Beautifully shot in a location scouted by the director himself, it takes place in a remote town where siblings, Jake (Isler) and Sean (Ben Schneider) are, essentially, one another’s best friends. In the beginning of the film, an assumed accident happens and Sean vanishes after jumping off a cliff into a quarry below. Devastated and feeling somewhat abandoned, Jake, who witnessed the leap, is filled with guilt for having not jumped herself. Unable to truly move on from his disappearance she retreats from life, eventually believing she’d do anything to get her brother back.

If someone has passed away it’s a silly notion to think it’s possible to bring them back to life but she meets a man who convinces her it’s not such a crazy idea. Her anguished young heart comes across the dark and intimidating vagabond, Wyeth (Ruptash), and his two nomadic pals, who have a history with her grandfather, Sheriff Waterhouse. The sheriff is played devilishly well by Levine who won Best Actor at the Beaufort International Film Festival for his role. He’s not channeling Buffalo Bill in this tale but his voice is still penetrating nonetheless. Waterhouse is carrying guilt regarding the former sheriff that’s eating him alive; consuming his spirit. If you only know Levine from Silence, this is the film to see and watch him spread his wings.

As if stalking prey, Wyeth pops out of nowhere and zeros in on exactly what Jake needs and promises to deliver if she does something for him. She must retrieve an item that was taken from him; a medallion. The medallion summons the power that’s needed to bring her brother back. Agreeing to help him if he helps her, she is now contractually obligated to oblige and fulfill her end of the bargain, however, as often happens in a deal made with the devil, the medallion is only one part of her obligation.

I loved the acting in this film and not just by Levine. Ruptash invokes a Jack the Ripper type feel in his character of Wyeth, as he is so solidly played it was hard to tell if he were human or from the spirit world. Also, this was a great film for Isler to launch her career and deciding to cast her was a brilliant decision by Adams. Of choosing her he told me, ‘She had great instincts. She was smart and understood the subtext… had a real intention behind the words which is pretty rare to see in someone of that age and still have that innocence, you know, that wide-eyed look that we needed.’ So, with this substantial combination of weighty script and successful casting, Adams claimed the Best Director award at the 2015 Beaufort International Film Festival and the Director’s Choice Independent Spirit Award at the Sedona International Film Festival in 2015. If you didn’t catch the film during its festival run, you can catch it now at a theatre near you and on iTunes.

Here is the link for you to view it. https://goo.gl/ONiZ6s

‘We played the festival circuit and then the last year or two has just been trying to figure out the wild wild west of independent film distribution. We finally go that sorted out. It’s now releasing in theatres and on VOD. It’s been a long journey. We’re doing an iTunes exclusive for the first four weeks and then it’ll be available on all VOD platforms; Amazon, Playstation, VooDoo… all of those. That’ll be April 21st. All VOD platforms. Just search Dig Two Graves on iTunes and it’ll pop up.’ -Hunter Adams

Enjoy the film and if you’d like, please come back and share your thoughts.

T2 Trainspotting Movie Review

March 24, 2017 (updated April 24, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

Director Danny Boyle made the movie “Trainspotting” 20 years ago, and has gone on to make many superb movies. The original cast of the movie has also done well, especially Ewan McGregor. With a script that updated the original main characters after twenty years, Boyle is back with “T2 Trainspotting”. This new sequel has all the characters back for a new visit to the Scottish underclass, with an updated look at their lives.

“Trainspotting” introduced the heroin-addicted characters who made up the 1996 movie. There was Mark (Ewan McGregor) a de-facto leader of companions. “Spud” (Ewen Bremner) was along for a fun time, as was Simon (Jonny Lee Miller). The tough guy in the group was Begbie (Robert Carlyle) who was always in a fight. The last story ended with a bad drug deal where Mark took all the money. Spud knew and never let on, and Simon and Begbie wanted revenge. Begbie was the fall guy and was jailed.

“T2 Trainspotting” brings the group back into the present day, where Mark has been in Amsterdam for 20 years. After a medical scare, he comes back to Edinburgh – but he has other issues. His wife has kicked him out and the job he had is now gone. He has kicked the heroin habit and replaced it with exercise. Spud has never left heroin behind, and is about to end it all, but Mark saves him. Simon now runs a dumpy bar near the docks, but he cannot kick cocaine. Begbie finds a way to escape prison so he can raise more mayhem.

Simon is not pleased to see Mark return. Simon has a girlfriend named Veronika, who is planning to become a high-class Madame when Simon turns the bar into a brothel. The local crime boss has a say in that, so it never gets off the ground. Simon and Veronika instead go about trying to blackmail some locals in compromising positions.

Begbie tries to get back into the breaking and entering game, and he gets his son involved. When that does not work out too well, he goes to see Simon. Simon does not let on that Mark is back in town, but Begbie is still looking for revenge. Getting put back into prison would be enough for Begbie, as long as he can kill Mark.

Simon and Mark have a night out at a local pub, trying to grab some extra wallets. Mark and Begbie have a run-in where Mark is able to narrowly escape. Spud finds a new hobby in his quest to fight off addiction. But they all notice that the world around them has changed in the past 20 years, but they have stayed the same.

Danny Boyle burst onto the scene with “Trainspotting” all those years ago. He found some very talented actors, and he was able to bring them back for another go. Boyle’s style and camera flourishes are always on display, in many clever and noticeable ways. The acting is all-around terrific, because these actors have lived these lives before.

But the nagging feeling is that you cannot bottle lightning twice. Everything that was fresh and new and exciting in the first movie has a less of an edge here. The setup is not exactly the same of course, but the lovable loser group will always end up with the short end of the stick. Mark’s 20 year escape from the poverty and lowlife of Edinburgh might have made a better story just by itself.

“T2 Trainspotting” is a familiar ride for those who know the original film. And the returning cast and crew do their best to make the journey enjoyable. But when this train pulls into the station, you might feel that the return trip was a little rough going down the tracks…

Raw Movie Review

March 24, 2017 (updated June 13, 2017) Published by Shari K. Green

In a word, Raw is… raw. A movie about cannibalism might frighten you away but keep reading before you make your final decision. It’s an unquestionably unique film, from the opening shot to the final moment. Cinematographer, Ruben Impens (The Sky Above Us), approaches the film by seeing it as a blank canvas in which to paint a bold piece of art; one that so intrigues you that you’re unable to look away. He’s able to extract elegance from a world of complete ugliness and if your first instinct is to not see this due to the content; I hope to change your mind.

Raw will be an uncommon guilty pleasure but you’ll have to experience it to know what I mean and watching with others is the best way to go for this particular trip. There will be moments where trying not to think about the cannibalism will be futile but just sit back and watch the story unfold. Masterfully, director Julia Ducournau, keeps your interest in the character development and you don’t focus so much on the disgusting thought of a human wanting to eat another human… cooked, let alone raw! But I assure you, if you like the abnormal and unconventional, Raw is the film for you.

Justine (Marillier), a young student new to veterinarian school, who is also a vegetarian, ends up devouring plenty of meat throughout the film once she gets a taste for it. This happens after she goes through a hazing ritual where she’s commanded to eat raw rabbit kidneys. Wanting to fit in like her big sister, Alexia (Rumpf) who’s very popular at the school, she does as ordered. After that and a Carrie-style blood soaking, something inside her awakens; a thirst and hunger for more. You’d think behavior such as this wouldn’t take part in a vet school but alas, that’s where we find ourselves, however, it isn’t animal flesh she now craves. A situation arises where she can consume human flesh and as much as she tries to fight against the urge, her animalistic lust kicks in and she gives in to it.

If you get sick at the idea of this happening, the film might not be for you. If you’re worried the film is going to be too graphic and that’s your only concern, don’t be. It may be hard to believe but Raw is a magnificent piece of cinema. Ducournau uses makeup, paint, effects, animals and fantastic music to force us to peek into the macrocosm that is Justine’s life. Alexia loves to watch as her innocent baby sister gets her personal boundaries pushed to the breaking point but she goes beyond the point of breaking and snaps completely in two. Once she does, she’s much stronger than she thought she’d ever be and Alexia and the audience catch a glimpse of a devil once believed to be an angel. However, when you think the story is all Justine, give Alexia another look. What once might be thought of as a sibling rivalry might just be one sister following in the others footsteps… and perhaps just a little too closely. The scenes Garance Marillier and Ella Rumpf are in together are outstanding, believable and realistic even though the situation they’re in isn’t quite so much. Their performances alone are worth the ticket price.

Getting you to see his on the big screen is my goal because I think the artistic nature for which the film was made will be appreciated fully at theatre but I can’t say much more without giving too much away. Yes, this is ultimately a gory movie but at its core, it’s the story of a girl becoming a woman and this is one way I can guarantee you’ve not see the subject tackled before. So, for an unimaginable look at a story told a million times before, see Raw this weekend at Harkins Valley Art in Tempe or wherever you can near you. I can assure you of one thing… you’ll never look at your sister the same way again, especially if she eats Steak Tartare.

Car Dogs Movie Review

March 24, 2017 (updated March 24, 2017) Published by Shari K. Green

Most of us have been through buying a car, am I right? What works so well about Car Dogs is the writer, Mark Edward King, used to work in a dealership and used his knowledge of the process and of what salesman do behind the scenes, to make the story more believable and more compelling.

In Car Dogs, Malcolm, the dictatorial business owner of the car dealership which employees his son, Mark, takes advantage of him and his other employees by expecting them to do “Whatever It Takes” to meet a certain number of car sales by end of day, all to make himself look good as he closes a deal behind the scenes. He has promised Mark the next dealership and works him hard with very little reward. There’s a powerful struggle going on between father and son which at times gets very intense. Malcolm often pulls other salesmen into the situation which proves he’s even more ruthless than Mark ever thought. Mark is currently the sales manager at Chamberlain Auto but can Mark meet the demands of his father to get the prize he so deeply covets, the prize of having a dealership of his own? Will his ambitions lead him to delude his team and possibly cheat buyers who walk in, making him become more and more like his father? With his marriage on the rocks, he doesn’t have a lot of time to look for the answers to these questions.

Mark is played beautifully by Patrick Adams and Chris Mulkey is a very frightening Malcolm. Similar to the theme of Glengarry Glen Ross, the film gives us a rare glimpse at what happens behind the salesroom floor and from what I learned by interviewing director, Adam Collis, the sales motto of doing whatever it takes to sell a car makes me question whether or not to buy one at a dealership again. You will feel sorry for Mark to a degree as he tries to balance work life with home life but the film more focuses on the goings on in the store. It’s an exciting and often miserable place to be and looking back on it, it’s surprising we’re only seeing one day of it. Other characters, played by Octavia Spencer, George Lopez, and Nia Vardalos, move in and out during the film (not to mention all the local Arizona talent the filmmaker used), and they top off the story. One Local actor, in particular, Drew Moore, was hysterical as a buyer who wasn’t going to be taken advantage of. Some tricks of the trade are revealed by how the salesmen approach a difficult sale, but he was walking out of that dealership with a good deal and anything else he could get his hands on.

Outside of Moore, many other local Arizona actors provided depth to the narrative as the clock moves closer to closing time. Quick cuts and fast talking keep you in the story but it’s a treat watching Adams and Mulkey. They nail their characters as they spar, however, the real meat of the story is Mark. You’ll appreciate the closing shot when you see the boy become a man. His wife feels he’s choosing the store over their marriage. Is he and if he is, what can he do to change the situation? Watch Car Dogs at your nearest Harkins Theater, today, and let me know what you think he’s willing to do.

See CAR DOGS exclusively in Harkins Theaters around Arizona NOW!

Visit www.HarkinsTheatres.com for show times and to purchase tickets.

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The Ultimate Gift Guide For Gamers

March 14, 2017 (updated March 14, 2017) Published by markdeli

Skincare for the active Gamer? You bet! …

Look your best while conquering worlds, dropping zombies or racking up mad points. With more and more women getting into the world of gaming, Gameperiod.com has just published their user gift guide and featured Quench Beauty’s Reveal Bio Placenta Anti-Aging Serum. It’s important to look radiant while talking all that smack in a head to head match up or keeping your skin hydrated for the next stressful battle against a hoard of angry ogres.

GIFT GUIDE FOR GAMERS BY GAME PERIOD

Get The Guide

The gift guide is also a great time saver for gamers who can’t break away from the controller to head out in search for something for Mom this mother’s day. Looking to get to the next level? How about a birthday present your girlfriend or wife will love.

Check out the The Ultimate Gift Guide by Game Period. And while you’re there, browse the very detailed Top 10 list.

The Last Word Movie Review

March 12, 2017 (updated March 12, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

When a person dies, there is usually a line, a paragraph or an entire page in the obituary section. It depends on how notable that person was, and how connected they were. Or perhaps, if you are the control-freak type, you hound the local newspaper obit writer and you make the final decisions about what should be in “The Last Word”.

The control-freak is Harriett (Shirley MacLaine) who is a former business leader in the small town. She is divorced with one adult child, whom she never sees. She has a snippy attitude towards everyone, because – obviously – they could never do as great a job as she can. She berates the gardener and harasses the cook. And one night she has too many sleeping pills with her bottle of red wine.

When she recovers, he doctor asks if it was actually just an accident. Of course, she replies, “I was very tired and I was very thirsty!”. But Harriett starts thinking that some day an obituary will be written for her. So, by God, while she still has the gumption, she will make sure it is written correctly!

The local paper has an obituary writer named Anne (Amanda Seyfried). Really, how many obituaries will they need in a week? Harriett uses her influence to have Anne ‘assigned’ to her full-time, so that Harriett can properly get “The Last Word” done to her liking. Anne objects to her boss, saying that Harriett puts the “bitch” in obituary…

Anne is stuck with Harriet, so she starts interviewing people from her past. Harriet turns out to be none too popular, even getting the thumbs down from her pastor. Anne wants to find out about Harriett’s family, her ex-husband Edward (Phillip Baker Hall) and her daughter Elizabeth (Anne Heche). But Harriet has more immediate needs.

Anne takes Harriett to a school for at-risk kids, so she can ‘connect with a disadvantaged child’. A young girl named Brenda (AnnJewel Lee Dixon) thinks Harriett is only there for court-ordered reasons. Brenda has foul attitude, and a mouth to match. She is as feisty as Harriett, so they wind up being a good match.

Harriett still has some tricks up her designer sleeves. She takes Brenda and Anne to a local radio station, one that actually uses live DJs. She impresses the station manager with her eclectic tastes that he actually does give Harriett a morning DJ slot. Anne is finding out her first impression of Harriett was incomplete, and she does have many more talents than anyone knew.
Harriett, along with Anne and Brenda, take a trip to visit Elizabeth. But she does not want to reconnect with her mother. Harriett goes to see her ex-husband Edward, and they realize that they could never live with each other, but they do miss each other. Harriett has a few snappy words when she first meets Edward…

Edward: As I live and breathe..
Harriett: Well, from what I see, you have not been too successful at either activity!

Harriett learns that sometimes people can be good to her, if she is good to them. Anne becomes like a substitute daughter. Anne finds a new purpose in her writing, and wants to make a substantial impact with her work. Brenda learns to believe in herself and knows that she can make a difference in the future.

The story does follow a typical formula and it has more than a few loose ends. The ending seems unlikely. Harriett is a local pariah one day, and then in the course of a few months, people would flock to her funeral and have nice things to say about her. The way that Brenda gets squeezed into the plot is a bit hokey.

Shirley MacLaine is the star of the show. She has a command of the screen and can look in to be in total control in any situation. Her role is pretty interesting, and she appears to have fun playing a grumpy old lady. Amanda Seyfried has a paper-thin character and can do nothing more that react to the Harriett character. She could use a little more depth in the role, but there is not much to offer.

Anne Heche and Phillip Baker Hall have little more than a cameo in the movie. They are good in the roles, but there is nothing that adds to the movie. AnnJewel Lee Dixon is a cute little hell-raiser, and does a great job. But you just want to wash out her mouth with soap afterwards…

“The Last Word” is a cute little movie that hints how great Shirley MacLaine could have been with a much better written role. This one will give you a few chuckles while you watch, and eventually you can rent it and watch it with your mother. She probably knows a few grumpy old ladies herself…

The Ottoman Lieutenant Movie Review

March 10, 2017 (updated March 10, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

At the onset of World War I, it was a dangerous time to be in Europe. Even more dangerous was to be in Turkey, and greater still was the border between Turkey and Russia. The Ottoman rulers of knew that war was coming. The people in the wrong place at the wrong time were American medical staff at a volunteer hospital in Turkey.

Lillie Rowe (Hera Hilmar) is a young woman training to be a nurse. She comes from a very wealthy family, and since her older bother died, she is listless. She hears a plea from a young idealist doctor named Jude (Josh Hartnett) who needs funds for the far-off hospital. Lillie is strong-willed, and takes her brother’s truck and fills it with medical supplies to be shipped to Istanbul.

Lillie cannot trust anyone else to deliver the supplies, so she takes it there herself. In Turkey, there are wild bandits out on the border. So she gets a Turkish military man, Lieutenant Ismail Vitaly (Michiel Huisman) to escort her to the hospital. They are attacked and lose everything, and they barely escape with their lives. They make it to the hospital in one piece.

The hospital founder is Dr. Woodruff (Ben Kingsley) who is an older disillusioned grumpy man. His advice is to leave and go home. Lillie stays to tend to the sick, and her nurse training finally pays off. But there is too much tension in the air. The Turks are fighting with the Armenians, and the Muslims do not trust the Christians. The Great War will be on their doorstep soon.

Lillie ignores the puppy-dog longing from Dr. Jude, and she instead has an inner longing for the Lieutenant. They are different religions, and they follow different customs and both come from cultures. But the love between them is too great. It is not forbidden, but is not at all encouraged. They sneak away when they can to take a sailboat out on lake. Or they ride their horses through the wild wheat fields. It is so romantic and poetic that nothing could come between them. Nothing except War, of course…

This movie wants to be an ‘Epic’. It does come close, but there are some issues. The storyline is not all that believable. A young woman alone in the hinterlands of Turkey just before the Big War would have a nightmare experience. Instead, you are shown that she is having a grand old time, with love just around every corner. The American flag above a remote hospital in a hostile area would draw bombs and machine gun attacks, not the praise of the local military.

Michiel Huisman does a believable job as the Ottoman, but Hera Hilmar is a weak leading lady. Her occasional voice-over work during the move is flat and monotone. There is not much of a spark between the two of them as ‘star-crossed’ lovers. Josh Hartnett does a reasonable job, but looks like John Denver with round wire-rimmed glasses. Ben Kingsley classes up the movie, but he does not have enough of a part to make it soar like it should.

So if you want a real Ottoman Lieutenant, then take a trusted military officer to a home furniture store to find the right piece. Then you can put your feet up on the ottoman and watch “Lawrence of Arabia’ or ‘Gone with the Wind’. Any true War Epic will do…

Kong: Skull Island Movie Review

March 10, 2017 (updated March 10, 2017) Published by Shari K. Green

It’s invigorating to see that Kong: Skull Island isn’t just a remake of King Kong. It has a few similarities, such as beast still digs beauty, but that’s about all. It stands alone on its own giving director Vogt-Roberts something to be very proud of having a part in. Speaking of beauty, however, I did like the more substantive presence of the ape in the 1970 movie King Kong, where you could see Jessica Lange pull at Kong as she begs him to not let her go. This gives you the chance to feel for him much more. That realism isn’t in this version where Kong is CGI. However, if you have a heart, you’ll still hope the best for the guy. Why he keeps falling, literally, for these woman is beyond me, though! You’d think he’d learn by now! I digress.

Far be it for me to suggest you can learn something from a monster movie but I’m going to. You can learn something from this monster movie. You can learn, if you haven’t already, that sometimes with nature things are better left alone. Though we don’t always pay attention to it, there is a natural order of things and if you interrupt or disturb that order, in the name of helping mankind, you could be doing just the opposite. Such is the case here.

Kong is set in the early 70’s in the time of Watergate. Research scientist Bill Randa (Goodman) is in Washington and looking for some money and a military escort to an uncharted island he’d like to explore for the possible medicinal cures it holds. Insert political statement here as Randa stands outside and proclaims that there’ll never be a more screwed-up time in Washington. The Nixon bobblehead is a nice touch, as well.

Randa gets his grant, a photographer (Larson), a rather large escort and his own tracker (Hiddleston); they set off to explore Skull Island which is shrouded by vicious storms. Going only so far by water, the teams, which are led by Colonel Packard (Jackson), take to the air the rest of the way. However, once they clear the dangerous weather another danger appears; Kong. He immediately senses danger and begins to protect his turf which looks more like swatting at flies, to be honest. This scene was well placed as it’s not too far into the film, wasting no time getting you into some heavy action. Packard takes the attack personally. Losing many of his men in the battle he’s now hell-bent on killing the creature. He must prove to Kong that man is King. Jackson’s look is fiery and savage as his Packard stares Kong down for a moment before being whisked away at the last minute. Getting stomped on like a cockroach might have ruined his already horrible day.

Helicopters are scattered and the teams separated. One group meets an indigenous tribe and Hank Marlow (Reilly), also known as the comic relief, a paratrooper who has been stranded on the island since WWII; twenty-eight years to be exact. Through Marlow, the team hears all they need to know of who Kong really is… he’s King. To the people of the island, he’s God. Without him, the Skullcrawlers would dominate and kill every living thing on the island. Kong keeps the skeletal creatures in low numbers and below ground. If not for him, all would perish and not only would they take over the island but they’d begin to take over the planet.

During their lesson, other teams are meeting and in some cases, wiped out, by other inhabitants of the island. If spiders aren’t your thing… this might not be the movie for you but the thought of taking the mother of all spiders down in a wicked way would be spectacular then remember this is a Kong movie, not a spider movie, and get your butt to the theatre. What’s left of the team meet and make their way to the destination point so they can leave the island and you can leave the theatre but don’t do that too soon! There is an after credit scene so make sure you stay all the way until lights up. What they will be assuring you of here is that the MonsterVerse will continue and who could be coming up next. If you like monster movies, you’ll like Kong: Skull Island. You might not like the way Hiddleston overplays his role as Larson’s love interest but the CGI is great and the motion capture performance really pulls you in. Those reasons alone are worth spending the extra money on seeing this at an IMAX theatre if you can. ENOY!

Logan Movie Review

March 3, 2017 (updated April 3, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

LOGAN MOVIE REVIEW BY JMCNAUGHTON

“Logan” proves out the old adage from the Bible: “Those who live by the adamantium blade will die by the adamantium blade”, or something like that. Logan being the X-Man called Wolverine who has been enhanced with the indestructible metal called adamantium; this movie shows the difficult end times of the former superhero. His strength and powers of regeneration are almost gone, and the years have not been kind.

In 2029, Logan (Hugh Jackman) is visibly aged. We is emotionally and mentally drained. All other ‘mutant’ being are thought to be long dead. But Logan is hiding a frail Prof. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), who is up into his nineties. Xavier’s mind is fading and starting to fail, and at times he seizes up and sends telepathic waves that will cause a state of paralysis. One other mutant exists, called Caliban, who helps tend to the disabled Xavier.

Logan meets a woman who begs him to take a young girl named Laura (Dafne Keen) to North Dakota. Logan is driving a limo in El Paso to make money, but the woman offers a large amount to protect the child. There are evil forces from a government-run research industry. The security team headed by Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) finds and kills the woman, and then comes for Logan and the girl.

Soon there is a wild fight at Logan’s Mexico hideout, but he escapes with Xavier and Laura. The girl is shown to be a super-powered Wolverine Junior, with the retractable blades and such. Her fighting skills are as sharp as her weapons. Logan finds out that the research company was raising many children in Mexico and they were turning them into miniature weaponized mutants. Pierce and his crew of bounty hunters, called Reavers, will stop at nothing to get them all.

Before you can ‘road trip’, the group are heading across country to get to a special ‘safe place’ that Laura read about in the X-Men comic books. Logan is mortified that any of his past exploits were put into a comic book. Prof X has another seizure and it causes a lot of grief for everyone around them. They barely escape, and they are running low on medicine for Prof X. Pierce and the head of the research place named Dr. Rice (Richard E. Grant) are closing in.

After stopping to help a farmer with some wild horses, Logan, Prof X and Laura are invited to take a break. But things do not work out well for anyone, and more death and mayhem occur. Logan and Laura get back out on the road to find the safe zone, where Laura hopes to find the other mutant offspring who escaped with her from the research facility. If she can make it there, they can all cross the border to Canada, eh!

But every time he fights and every bad guy killed by Logan keeps draining him of his powers to heal and rejuvenate. He is looking all the worse for wear, and the days have been rough. As Indiana Jones would say “It’s not the years, it’s the mileage”. Logan is feeling every little ache and pain that was inflicted on him for all those years/miles.

You may have heard that this is Hugh Jackman’s last performance as the Wolverine (or Logan). He has intended to make this final movie the most bad-ass swan song ever. He has made sure that the movie cuts to the core of Wolverine. It is brutal, violent and profane. The movie is rated R, and for very good reason. The language is very rough; the fighting is bloody and sometimes gory. It perfectly suits a character like Wolverine.

Jackman worked with director James Mangold to get everything just right. The theme resembles an old Western in which the heroes are being chased over the frontier hills and valleys. The tone of regret and despair falls over everyone. All the super powers are nearly gone, and days of a quick recovery turn into weeks of pain and agony. Will there be any redemption for Logan?

Hugh Jackman has taken this character over seventeen years of X-Men movies to this one as the final conclusion. His performance is distinct and precise, and evokes a great deal of inner pain and mental anguish. He plays it all to the letter, and does not hit any false notes. Patrick Stewart is also terrific as a mentally diminished Professor X. He is pained by the fact that is losing control of his mind. He lapses into a seizure and the world around him gets a taste of his telepathic skills gone very wrong.

Dafne Keen gives a masterful performance as a little girl who has been raised to be a brutal killing machine. She has a physical presence that can give you chills when you see her become angry. You know that something very, very bad is about to happen. But she can do that with her stance and the glare in her eyes. It is quite an impressive feat for this young actress. All the rest of cast are also well-cast in their roles, but main three are the ones that count.

Is this the end of X-Men, and the end of Wolverine? It is for Hugh Jackman, and he has done well by having a long phase of his career playing the super-hero. If you can stand the harsh language and the bloody violence, then you can see that Jackman has gone out on his own terms. He ends it with a brilliant performance surrounded by a talented cast.

Logan movie review by JMcNaughton

Table 19 Movie Review

March 3, 2017 (updated March 3, 2017) Published by Shari K. Green

If you’ve ever found yourself as the party guest who has been invited to the party but can’t be super involved due to the placement of your table, then you’ll understand why this movie was made. It was made for all the odd men out who have watched all of the festivities from afar. So far away in some cases that you can barely even say you were there! You were practically scuttled off into another room or the hallway, at least this is how you begin to feel. If you have ever sat and scanned the table in which you’re seated and noticed you’re at a table full of strangers rather than with those who invited you, and your tablemates seem not to fit in with the other guests, you need to do one thing… examine why you’re at that table, too. Consider this movie a wake-up call if you’ve ignored this happening to you, especially if it has happened more than once.

Writers Mark and Jay Duplass have either been there or have put people there; waaay back there at Table 19 because they certainly hit the nail on the head as to how a guest would feel when realizing they’ve been relegated to the outskirts of a given gala or celebration. They did a good job writing a script that empowers anyone who has felt shunned in this manner. At a lost, distant table, one can find hope, friendship and maybe love, if they just open their minds to it. I liked how it championed for those who should have checked no on their RSVP, but the movie goes out of its way to make a few characters likable that just aren’t.

It starts off well, revealing Eloise’s’ (Kendrick) reason for being at the bad table. She’s the ex-girlfriend of the bride’s brother, Teddy (Russell), and now ex-maid of honor. One by one, explanations for the other characters at the table are established. They’re even accompanied by flashbacks. We have some witty banter which at times, especially when dispatched by Walter (Stephen Merchant), have you laughing and at other times has you feeling sorry for this group of misfits, which isn’t good when you made your way to the theatre, promised a comedy, and are having a hard time finding a reason to chuckle. It is labeled on IMDB as a comedy, drama but who are we kidding?! Duplass writing for this cast?! I’ll not highlight that too soon. Back to the characters.

Jo (Squibb) is a sweet old woman who all but raised the bride and is being treated horribly by her today. Rezno (Revolori) is an incredibly obnoxious and extremely unfunny virgin who figures, along with his mother, this is where he can land a drunken, foolish young woman to be his first. Drunk and foolish is what she’d have to be because no one in their right mind would be into this awkward nightmare of a character. Rezno was simply too far out to be believable and I thought the film would have been so much better had he not been a part of the story. Kudrow and Robinson are Bina and Jerry, a couple who has been married for years and are falling out of love. Though at a wedding, they don’t find it an issue at all to air their differences in front of everyone.

I liked some of what was going on. I can’t say that if you enjoy a character driven story that you shouldn’t watch this one but there is a lot wrong with Table 19. It, at times, shows real promise. The characters grow and you’re genuinely happy about that. I was having fun watching these flakes get to know each other and also wanting to help one another through the vexing situation they realize they’re all in but at times I actually found myself looking around the theatre to make sure I knew the location of the emergency exit. It was all over the place with what kind of movie it wanted to be.

I think had the writers focused on one genre, director Jeffrey Blitz (The Office and Parks and Recreation) would have had a much better script to work with. Choosing drama over comedy then switching back and… my head is spinning!! It got a little frustrating. Sure there’s comedy in misery but it was anguishing watching how miserable some of these poor things are. For Squibb, Robinson and Merchant, I’d say watch this when it hits cable. It isn’t a terrible waste of your time. But be sure you’re in the mood for a comedy, I mean, be sure you’re in the mood for a drama… well, you get the drift. When you don’t know what you want to see, seat yourself at Table 19. Sometimes that’s where you just find yourself being put but maybe you won’t mind being there.

Category: Reviews