Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil, Movie Review

Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil is a wonderful movie based on Basque folklore. The general story can be found in other cultures as well, and the representation does justice to the tale. However, The Blacksmith and the Devil pays a greater homage to the version the writer/director, Paul Urkijo Alijo grew up with in the Basque region of Spain.

I saw a screening of Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil at the 2018 FilmQuest Film Festival (website). You can also find additional information about Errementari on Internet Movie Database (IMDb link).

Plot Summary

Before the story begins, the introduction to Errementari gives a very brief overview of the tale. Do you believe in Hell? And, there was a blacksmith who the Devil considered so evil that he tried to close the gates of Hell to keep him out.

In the first half of the 19^th century, at the end of the First Carlist War (Wikipedia page) is when the story begins. Soldiers who are trying to return home are being lined up for execution. One survives; the reason is because of the help from a demon.

Jump forward eight years.

The blacksmith, Patxi, (played by Kandido Uranga (IMDb link)) lives a short distance away from town. The people think he is an evil man who captures children and should be left alone. That’s until a government agent comes to find the blacksmith because it is believed he has a stash of gold that went missing at the end of the war. Those who hear about this are easily persuaded to find the man.

But young Usue (Uma Bracaglia (IMDb link)) has also stumbled across the path of Patxi and his forbidding smithy. She finds a boy in a cage and helps free him. Then she finds out the boy is actually the demon Sartael (Eneko Sagardoy (IMDb link)) who came to collect Patxi’s soul and was caught by the blacksmith.

There are a number of twists and turns in the story.  There are fights that takes place between demons, the blacksmith, and the townsfolk. Eventually, Usue bargains her soul to save the blacksmith, who in turn, goes to Hell to save the girl.

Sartael

FilmQuest Cthulhu Awards

Errementari was honored with 12 nominations and won 5 categories.

The 5 winning categories were

Best Feature Film

Best Director—Paul Urkijo Alijo (IMDb link)

Best Supporting Actor – Eneko Sagardoy (IMDb link)

Best Costumes—Nerea Torrijos (IMDb link)

Best Makeup

Errementari was also nominated for

Best Screenplay – Paul Arkijo Alijo and Asier Guirricaechevarria (IMDb link)

Best Ensemble Cast

Best Cinematography – Gorka Gomez Andreu (IMDb link)

Best Sound

Best Score Pascal Gaigne (composer) (IMDb link)

Best Production Design

Best Visual Effects

Usue at the gate of the smithy

Overall

This was an enjoyable film. This telling is a wonderful modern rendition in the classic folktale tradition. It doesn’t tell the story as it is recorded in times past because it is such an old and broadly told tale (Curiosity.com). If you have heard the story of the Smith and the Devil, this is another variant.

Alijo respects his story by keeping it wrapped around the Basque culture and other folktales from the region. The movie was filmed in Basque country and in the Basque language that was fitting for the timeframe of when the story takes place. Along with using the language, the actions are fitting to the time period.

Some of the liberties taken with the story add humor that made the entire audience laugh. You might not realize how funny chick peas (garbanzo beans) are until you see the film. There are also well placed lines and actions that provide humorous breaks from the building tension.

The actors embody their characters and give the audience people to care about. I found myself rooting for the demon Sartael along with Usue and Paxti by the end. The interaction between the main characters carries through the entire cast. Even though it did not receive the award for best ensemble cast, I think Errementari was in a tight race with the movie that won the category.

Although Errementariis currently only on the festival circuit, I would be surprised if it doesn’t get distribution. It probably won’t make the major theaters because it is recorded in the Basque language and is based on a folktale. But, I highly recommend this as a movie worth seeing wherever you get the chance.

And, with the detail given to this production, I believe we will be seeing more from this director.

I give Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil 4 ½ out of 5.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Patxi

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Rock Steady Row, Movie Review

In the not so distant future in a slightly altered reality the students at Rock Steady University have an issue with the last two remaining fraternities and their monopoly on bikes. The premise might sound a little odd, because it’s supposed to. Rock Steady Row is a parody that adds a sharp edge of outlandish humor to make its point about current social issues.

I saw a screening of Rock Steady Row at the 2018 FilmQuest Film Festival (website). You can also find additional information about Rock Steady Row on Internet Movie Database (IMDb link).

Plot Summary

The future is a dark place for college students. Tuition rates have continued to rise and the university system has taken advantage of the situation to their benefit. Rock Steady University is one such place.

Rock Steady is rundown and caters to generating money for the college without care for the students. This has led to the campus being controlled by the two remaining Greek houses, fraternities, in a gangland scenario.

Leroy, a freshman, on his first day on campus has his bike stolen. (This is a drastic situation because never in the movie is a car seen, or even hinted at.) The bike is stolen by one of the two remaining fraternities and the college administration is unwilling to do anything to help Leroy.

 

Leroy learns the frat houses both operate a theft ring that steals bikes and then sells them back to the students, with a cut going to the dean. It is up to Leroy to recover his bike. And, in turn, bring down the corrupt system.

This leads to having to deal with the heads of the two houses, Andrew Palmer and Augustus Washington III, and their cronies. But he has the help of Piper, the writer/editor of the campus newspaper—she knows the truth and nobody believes her.

Cast

The characters in Rock Steady Row are over-the-top archetypes from college movies. There are strong performances throughout and the interplay makes this a fun film. At FilmQuest Rock Steady Row was nominated for Best Ensemble Cast.

Singular performances were also nominated, and those who were not acknowledged with a nomination portrayed their characters with such flare they give the scenes humor and vitality. Here are the main characters.

The hero, Leroy, is played by Heston Horwin (IMDb link) and was nominated for Best Actor. The naive freshman who doesn’t understand the rules of the game everyone else is playing by. Therefore, he takes on the system to right the wrongs forced on the students and controlled by the frat leaders.

Andrew Palmer is the leader and original thief of Leroy’s bike. Andrew is played by Logan Huffman (IMDb link) and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. He is the gang leader who carries sharpened number two pencils in a wristband that he can throw with deadly precision. The knife sound effects associated with his pencils made me chuckle during the film.

 

On the other side, Augustus Washington III is played by Isaac Alisma (IMDb link). Instead of pencils Augustus uses a needle hidden in his glasses.

Diamond White (IMDb link) plays Piper and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Here is the reporter who still uses a manual typewriter and a camera loaded with film.

FilmQuest Cthulhu Awards

Rock Steady Rowreceived 10 nominations at FilmQuest. Along with those listed with the cast above the movie had the following areas of noted quality.

Best Director – Trevor Stevens (IMDb link)

Best Screenplay – Bomani Story (IMDb link)

Best Supporting Actress – Diamond White (IMDb link)

Best Cinematography Nico Aguilar (IMDb link)

Best Editing Jordan Kevin Allen (IMDb link)

Best Score Joshua Mosley (IMDb link)

Best Visual Effects Jordan Kevin Allen (IMDb link)

 

Overall

Rock Steady Row is for a select audience that is looking for a unique movie that has social commentary that can demonstrate issues in a humorous way. Don’t take this movie seriously for the story on its own, it goes with the satire.

I enjoyed Rock Steady Row. The mirror it turns back on the events happening in our world provide one of those “What could be the worst thing to happen if...” scenarios.

Like other satirical movies of this ilk, I see Rock Steady Row becoming an underground classic shared in small theaters on campuses across the country.

I give Rock Steady Row3 ½ out of 5.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter(@GuildMstrGmng).

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The Appearance, Movie Review

The Inquisition and the black plague was a period of time that is open to storytelling of many different strains. In The Appearance we are treated to a tale of an inquisitor who believes strongly in the scientific method. He is brought to an out of the way abbey and the small town that supports it to determine if a woman is truly a witch.

The Appearance is a thriller/adventure movie with a touch of horror. There are elements to make you jump, but without gore. There is a scene near the end of the movie that implies a sexual situation. The Appearanceis not rated, but I would say it would be a PG-13.

I saw a screening of The Appearance at the 2018 FilmQuest Film Festival (website). You can also find additional information about The Appearance on Internet Movie Database (IMDb link).

Plot Summary

Early on, after we meet the inquisitor, Mateho, we know the abbey he is going to is someplace he has been before. Someplace long ago. He doesn’t have kind memories of the abbey, yet he is going because it is his duty and his own personal calling. He is a man of science and is determined to prove the women accused of being a witch is not.

There are a series of incidents after the inquisitor’s arrival that the abbot, Scipio, and others quickly explain are due to the witch they have in the dungeon. Mateho uses his knowledge in the sciences to show that each is due to natural events. However, the events continue.

Eventually Mateho has to accept the reality of the situation and deal with what is truly the reason behind the events, and the accusation of witchery. It isn’t until he is willing to face the facts of the abbey, past and present, that he is bring the accusation, and the case, to a close.

Cast

Most of the actors listed in The Appearance also have parts in the recent television program The Outpost. One notable exception is the part of Johnny, who is played by Kristian Nairn (IMDb link). He is more widely known for his role of Hodor in Game of Thrones. Kristian Nairn was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. He does a wonderful job in the role of the sidekick/guard/confidant of the inquisitor.

Mateho and Johnny

The inquisitor, Mateho, is played by Jake Stormoen (IMDb link). He has also been a part of the Mythica movies. Jake Stormoen was nominated for Best Actor. His portrayal of the inquisitor sets up from the beginning that he is haunted by his own demons.

One of the monks, Felix, played by Adam Johnson (IMDb link), summoned an inquisitor because of the events at the abbey. Here again, the role is well portrayed as the reasoning, faithful counterpoint to the abbot.

Michael Flynn (IMDb link) plays the abbot, Scipio. I liked how Flynn brought the abbot to life on the screen with his own internal conflicts and justifications. Here is a character who is struggling with what has happened and working to maintain control and loyalty. He presented a man who believes he is doing the right things and works to justify his actions the best way he knows how.

Isabel is the accused and is played by Baylee Self (IMDb link). Her ability to use facial expression in the film adds a lot to the story telling and who the character is, even though hers is a small part.

Together these actors were nominated for Best Ensemble Cast. The interaction between the characters was great. The story is stronger because of how these actors brought their roles into the fold of the overarching story of the movie.

The cast was directed by Kurt Knight (IMDb link) who also wrote The Appearance.

FilmQuest Cthulhu Awards

The Appearance was nominated for nine awards. Along with the three awards listed with the cast the movie was nominated in the following categories.

Best Cinematography: Benjamin Allred

Isabel

Best Sound (Winner)

Best Score (Winner)

Best Production Design

Best Costumes

Best Makeup

Overall

The Appearance was a fun movie to watch. The horror aspect of the movie were in line to the thriller setting. There were points of surprise (horror) to make you jump, but no gore was shown on screen. There is a scene near the end that has implied sexual content. Although there is some foreshadowing on how the movie will end, the use of reoccurring symbols and a slight twist tied up the story nicely.

The visuals and music throughout the movie brought me into the story. Its great settings and look of the characters provided a touch of fantasy with the expected historical aspects. The score complimented without overtaking the storytelling.

Kurt Knight, director and writer, has mentioned that this might just be the beginning of the adventures that Mateho faces.

I give The Appearance 3 out of 5.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter(@GuildMstrGmng).

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World of Darkness: The Documentary, Movie Review

Roleplaying games have been around for a very long time. Formalized games have been with us for about 50 years. Then, in the early 1990s a game was introduced that caused a change. Not just a change in the roleplaying game industry, or even the game industry, but a change that rippled out and affected many areas of current society. Vampire: The Masquerade introduced us to a dark side, embracing the concepts of being a creature of the dark instead of hunting it.

World of Darkness: The Documentary is an exploration of the phenomenon that came from White Wolf Publishing. It starts back at the roots of White Wolf and brings their story forth to the present day, covering over 30 years.

World of Darkness doesn’t just cover what happened with White Wolf.

It looks at what it meant to be a player in the early days when roleplaying games were just gaining a place on the fringe of society. It brought back memories for me, of being in high school and waiting for the Dungeon and Dragons books to be published. It describes how it influenced the Wieck brothers.

World of Darkness explores how Vampire influenced the roleplaying game industry and influenced other games. The rise of the narrative and movie further away from the heroic fantasy setting that the hobby was known for at the time. How, with the rise of Vampire, more women became a part of the roleplaying community.

It further explores beyond the gaming industry. The influences of Vampire are shown to influence the course of pop culture through the movies that have been influenced or come directly from the World of Darkness created by White Wolf. Modern classic horror films that include the Underworld and Blade franchises. Even popular television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

There is more to the story besides the influences on the media culture. Profiles of the live action events and the players who attend are sprinkled throughout the movie. The game has influenced many lives and continues to be a part of what many do for regular entertainment.

There have been troubles along the way for White Wolf and the documentary covers some of that and even has commentary from the founder of the fan club who ended up in court with the company of the game they love. It explores the attempt to become an online gaming presence and the hardships faced as the company had to change directions as entertainment modes changed.

Overall

When I look at a documentary, the most important part is the presentation of the information. World of Darkness: The Documentary was a fair and informational presentation of widely known facts and additional information. It is a celebration of the game and the movement it embraced and helped grow. But, it’s not a fan flick. It doesn’t show the company as being perfect, but has a more holistic approach.

The production work of the movie is good. There is the balance of information. And, there is the presentation of the people who are the fans: the misunderstood counterculture.

I enjoyed the documentary. It gave me a broader understanding about a hobby I enjoy and the society I live in.

For fans of Vampire and Werewolf, this is a documentary that can be deeply appreciated.

For fans of roleplaying games, this is a movie that will give you a better understanding of what is happening in your hobby and how it has changed, and how it is still changing, from the influences White Wolf introduced.

For fans of the World of Darkness setting, or the pop culture surrounding it, this might not be where it started, but this is where the first major explosion took place.

I give World of Darkness: The Documentary 3 ½ out of 5 for general viewing and 4 out of five for those who are already familiar with the subject matter.

World of Darkness is releasing September 18, 2018 on multiple platforms, including Amazon (link).

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter(@GuildMstrGmng).

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Alive. (2018), Movie Review

Alive. is a mystery in a horror setting, even though it is listed as a horror thriller. I don’t want to go into a lot of detail about the plot; it would be easy enough to give up the mystery. I’ll give you a jump on the mystery and other information about the movie.

I saw a screening of Alive.at the 2018 FilmQuest Film Festival (website).

Plot Summary

A man and a woman wake up in an abandoned building. It looks like it was possibly a medical facility of some sort. They have no memory of who they are and how they got there. They are unable to leave, or even see what is beyond the walls of the building.

They have a caretaker who is helping in their recovery. A man who is making sure that while they are getting better they are unable to leave.

I really want to say more about the plot of Alive., but it would spoil the fun.

(Small spoiler) The only fault I give to the story is how the leads don’t solve their own mystery. They are given the information by others which, however, sets the movie up to be a classic tragedy where the characters get what they want and not what they need.

Thomas Cocquerel and Camille Stopps

Cast

The male patient is played by Thomas Cocquerel (IMDb page). He is known recently for his role in Table 19, which is a very different role than what he has in Alive.. Camille Stopps (IMDb page) plays the female patient opposite of him. She is known for her work in television series including Guilt Free Zone. Their caretaker, listed as “The Man,” is Angus Macfadyen (IMDb page). Macfadyen has a long string of credits which include Robert the Bruce in Braveheart and Jeff in Saw III and Saw IV.

The actors are great in their roles. They took on their characters and brought them to life  throughout the movie. The interaction between them was disturbingly moving as they learned more about each other.

I was rooting for the characters to solve their mystery to see how they would react to the situation.

FilmQuest Cthulhu Awards

Alive. was nominated for six awards.

It was in the running for top honor of Best Feature Film.

Camille Stopps was nominated for Best Actress—Feature.

Angus Macfadyen was nominated for Best Supporting Actor—Feature.

Rob Grant (IMDb page) was nominated for Best Director—Feature.

Alive. was also in the running for Best Makeup—Feature.

The screenplay, written by Chuck McCue (IMDb page) and Jules Vincent (IMDb page) was nominated and recognized as the Best Screenplay—Feature.

Angus Macfadyen

Overall

Alive. is a well written mystery worthy of your time. If you are expecting a thriller, you will probably think that the movie moves slower than it should. However, those are the scenes where McCue and Vincent are subtly setting out the clues (and red herrings) to the mystery they have crafted.

I promised a clue to the mystery earlier and it has probably been annoying some you from the beginning of this article. The title is Alive.. Alive with a period. The additional punctuation and lack of capitalization after the period has been purposeful, just like in the title. So, say the title as “Alive Period” and think about how that sounds.

I give Alive. 4 out of 5.

This movie is worth seeing on any size screen if you get a chance to see it on. I know as others figure out the mystery they are going to want to share it.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter(@GuildMstrGmng).

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FilmQuest 2018 Wrap Up

The FilmQuest Film Festival is an indication that genre movies are on the rise. This year was another nine days of great films, features and shorts. I was able to see 114 out 195 of the entries that made the cut. I’m not sure of the numbers, but from past experience this is about 1 in 10 entries made it to through to be shown. From the quality of what I saw, I’m sure many films not making the cut are worthy of watching.

This was FilmQuest’s fifth year and the entries cover a grand array of genre film making. There was plenty of horror, science fiction, fantasy, comedy, adventure, and even a modern day western. For people who enjoy genre films, FilmQuest fits the bill.

Oscar Winner Joel Harlow

Along with film, there were great presentations throughout the week about film, and the industry. There were workshops on crowd funding, bringing together screenwriters and filmmakers, and a film analysis. Panels included the creators of The Outpost (currently on The CW), and discussions on first films and favorite horror movies. Special guest Mick Strawn provided his insights on production design. And there was a live demonstration by Joel Harlow.

I am looking forward to the reviews I will write for the features. I know some of these films either already have distribution or there are rumors of work for distribution, and they deserve it. Entries from around the world made it to the big screen at FilmQuest. Features included films from the United States, Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, and China.

Before

The selection of short films and music videos were amazing. Blocks of films covered common ground in many cases. But, even then, every one of them was an enjoyable, unique selection. It was easy to tell that a number of these films were done as proof of concept to get larger funding for producing a feature. There is clear indication the genre film industry is in good hands and we all have some great movies to look forward to.

Alternative media is not forgotten at Filmquest. Web series were well represented with great shows. Another direction where new and exciting stories are in-store for purveyors of genre film making.

I’m not going to list all the award winners here, they will be on the FilmQuest website. I will also include the awards won by the films in the reviews that are forthcoming. But here are the highlights.

After

Short Films

Best Comedy: Lunch Ladies

Best Fantasy: Ovum

Best Horror: C L A W

Best Science Fiction: Laboratory Conditions

Best Screenplay: Heartless

The Coveted Cthulhu Awards

Features

Best Film: The Blacksmith and the Devil

Best Screenplay: Alive.

The full list of award winners is at FilmQuest (website).

I know it sounds cliché to say that every film that showed at FilmQuest is a winner. It is a true statement. The films screened this year were great. I hated missing any of the films after seeing what the lineup included. As any of these come around to the theaters near me, I will be sure to get friends and family out to see the incredible work these filmmakers achieved.

The festival finished last night and I’ve got the next year’s dates on my calendar and am looking forward to the 2019 event.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter(@GuildMstrGmng).

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Preparing for FilmQuest 2018

I mentioned today I was going to a film festival starting tomorrow and I had someone ask, “What film festival?” The only one they could think of here in Utah is Sundance.

I’ll give Sundance its due that it does well and is internationally recognized, but it is not the only film festival in Utah with those credentials.

FilmQuest (website) is a film festival for science-fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Last year was the first year I attended and I was impressed. In just over a week I watched a lot of movies. They were from short films, presented in blocks, and feature films. Over the year some have made it to theatrical release and awards around the world.

It was an enjoyable time.

Here is a quick list of the reviews I wrote last year with links to the articles.

Dead Shack (link) horror

The Gateway (link) sci-fi/horror

Curvature (link) sci-fi

Dead Leaves (link) sci-fi (post-apocalyptic)

The Secret Garden (link) steampunk

Gnaw (link) horror

Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse (link) comedy sci-fi

Muse (link) horror                                                                   

Flora (link) historical sci-fi/horror

Please, let me know if you enjoy any of these. This year’s reviews will be coming soon.

Thanks,

Dan

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Movie Serials, Where Are the Avengers Taking Us?

Avengers: Infinity Warhit the theaters this past week almost as hard as the characters hit each other in the movie. There are a multitude of reviews and, for most people going to see the movie, none of them matter. The same is true for the previous release, Black Panther. Both movies came out as huge opening weekend successes. And, this happened at a time when there are reports how movies aren’t doing well in general.

If movies aren’t doing well, why are the Marvel movies breaking records?

People have said it is because these movies are great. And, to them, they are great movies because they're part of the movie's fandom. You will get the same reaction from Star Warsand Star Trek fans. You can also watch the sparks fly when you get the super fans of these different universes together to discuss what’s best.

I have the pleasure of knowing big fans of each of these three universes along with Middle Earth. When listening in on what they say, there is a universal truth that emerges. They want more stories from these settings.

There is an argument the movie industry makes too many sequels. Many sequels try recapturing the story of the first movie. Not a continuation of the story, but the same story with the same lead characters doing the same basic things in a new setting, or maybe the same setting. I’m sure everyone has gone to a follow-up movie because of we liked the first one only to leave the theater after the second hating it. We knew what was going to happen and by the time we got to the end and the predictability left us flat.

We go because we already know the characters and have a level of bonding with them. That is a big reason people like trilogies in movies and books. We don’t have as many introductions to go through and by knowing a level of the backstory we get more out of the next installment.

This is nothing new. There were the Saturday serials. Every week you could go to the movies and see the feature and the latest installment of the Lone Ranger. I’ve heard people talk about how they went to see the next chapter of the serial, not caring what the feature film was. They already had investment in the story and characters and wanted to see more of them.

The first James Bond movie hit the screen in 1962 and has 25 movies (not counting spoofs) telling the spy’s stories. The Marvel universe has released 19 movies so far in this storyline. The Harry Potter universe has released 9 movies, as has Star Wars. And Star Trek has 13 released. None of them look like they are going to stop making movies soon.

They are making movies based in a universe, or world, of their own creation where there are more stories to tell. Stories people want to see because they already know something about the characters or the world. Then, as new characters are introduced, they want more of them. And, it could be argued we are watching sequels.

There is a difference. Some of these are rebooting a story because it sat idle, but there are new stories moving in new directions. They have layers of backstory fans already know from earlier movies, books, television, and late night discussions on the theories of who shot first.

I think we are going to see more universal settings develop with the rise of the blockbuster serials. There have already been some other story universes introduced. For movies, these may be newer concepts, but they have been around in books. And, that is one reason these serialized movies are going to keep developing and get better.

The Hobbit showed where a complex setting in a book can be done in a multi-movie presentation. A number of other book series have also come to the big screen. Most of these have been single author series, which is different from what we get when dealing with Marvel, Star Trek, and Star Wars. Each of these have many writers creating original works beyond the movies. They have been creating stories within the confines of the universe setting to great success. This is why there will be more, and better movie universes coming.

Along with the hundreds of books supporting each of the Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel universes, there are other collections of stories to be drawn upon we haven’t seen on the silver screen.

What I want to know is, what universe already being written about in another media would you like to see come to life when the lights go out after the trailers have run?

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

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The Darkest Hour, Movie Review

World War II was a time in our history that is ripe with storytelling material storytelling. The Darkest Hour, directed by Ridley Scott, is a rich and complex story that looks at only a small time segment of the greater story of the period, or the complexity of even the events portrayed. Winston Churchill (played by Gary Oldman) was made Prime Minster of England at the time Nazi Germany had initiated their Blitzkrieg across Europe, giving the movie its title.

The scope of the movie is focused.

The Darkest Hour is the story of Churchill from the day before his appointment to the day operation Dynamo took place to rescue England’s troops at Dunkirk. I will say straight out this movie had more impact on me because I saw the movie Dunkirk (review here) and the timing of the two stories brings the peril of the situation to greater heights. I recommend seeing both of them.

There was more happening than just the war. The political intrigue taking place in parliament is well represented. There are also the relationships outside the political arena. We are given Churchill’s story in a manner that is raw and refined. But, again, we’re focused on what is happening to and around Churchill.

Anthony McCarten wrote a compelling story that draws the audience in quickly. This is a story of intrigue and personalities. Don’t expect to see an action war movie. But, instead, a deeper representation of what the war was doing to the people who were not on the battlefronts, but plotting the battles.

We are also given a glimpse of the people in London, and in France. With the high overview given, which was used to great symbolic effect, there are scenes showing how the struggles of the times were being dealt with by the commoners along with the politicians. And how the decisions interacted.

The cast of the supporting roles was superb. The actors fit the role they were cast in. Each showed their own strengths and weaknesses without portraying them as “bad” people. Instead they were shown as people who had their motives to accomplish what was right according to their understanding.

Two strong supporting roles were the two women who were the closest to Churchill during this period of time. Kristen Scott Thomas as Churchill’s wife, Clementine (Clemmie), has some powerful scenes showing the emotional burdens that she was going through with few words. Lily James portraying Churchill’s secretary, Elizabeth Layton, is able to also give us insights into the lead character along with the bridge to the common people caught up in the struggle.

There has been a lot already said about the acting and the makeup in The Darkest Hour. Seeing it on the screen was a real treat. Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill gave one of the best performances I have seen. If he doesn’t receive a nod to a number of different awards I will be surprised and saddened. His requirement of having Kazuhiro Tsuji as his makeup artist was a sign of knowing who should be where at what time. Oldman becomes Churchill in full, not only in acting, but in physical representation. The rest of the movie, cast and settings, all looked like they were right out of the 1940s. I was also struck by the near claustrophobic conditions of the war rooms underneath #10 Downing Street.

Overall

The Darkest Houris a powerful movie about the events near the start of World War II. It is concise on its scope to provide depth without getting lost in the larger story of the time.

The production, from writing, casting, acting, directing, and editing, come together in an event worth watching.

I give The Darkest Hour 4 out of 5.

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Movie Review

I know Star Wars: The Last Jedi is strife with controversy. I have seen the social media posts calling it great and an absolute disaster. I have seen the comments calling for it to be torn from the annals of time and others who claim it is the best Star Wars movie to date. And, yet, here I’m wading into the fray.

The short version is this is a good movie if you allow yourself to get past what people are saying based on events and attitude outside of the movie. I went in trying to remove so many of those notions and found I wasn’t able to do it. I even drafted a review based on my experience. Then, I got involved in a conversation with a dedicated fan of the Star Wars Universe.

For some this might mean an immediate falling out, or an immediate approval—one extreme or the other. But, I felt alright talking this over with them because they are a person who has read every one of the books before the rights were sold to Disney. This is a person who hated the idea of what was presented by the studio about how they were moving forward. Here is a person who after seeing the first, gave a little. Then seeing the second disliked the treatment of the older canon. And came away from this movie with a new appreciation. I had to know why. There statements made me take another look at what I saw and how it fit with the earlier movies.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a bridge in the middle of a trilogy, which is a bridge to the new storyline. Both those means there is usually going to be a lot of forced and seemingly arbitrary conditions used to keep the story moving forward. I felt this way about the movie when it was done. I found plot holes, it to be long, and the ending to be drawn out. Then the conversation.

Going back I found we’re given a movie doing what the first movie started—it’s paying homage to the original series. Like The Force Awakens is a remake of A New Hope, The Last Jedi is a retelling of The Empire Strikes Back. It isn’t as obvious to those of us (me) who are not as immersed in the story, but once a few points were brought to my attention, I can see the respects being paid.

Using that viewpoint as the basis changed the way I perceived the movie. Here is a movie serving multiple purposes.

First, The Last Jediis a bridge from the introduction to the conclusion of a trilogy. Not an enviable spot to begin with because there is still setup being done, new characters need to be introduced, and you also need to create a standalone story.

Next, this trilogy is a bridge from the original story and characters to the new. Here, again, you have to deal with the concepts of what has gone before and connect them to what is going to happen later.

On these first two points, The Last Jedi delivers.

The last major point is paying homage to the original. This is what I was missing because I was so focused on getting across the bridges to see what is on the horizon.

I saw the connection between the character arcs, like between Luke and Rey. I missed the grander vision of how the movie’s storyline was formatted to match with the presentation of the original. This included how the time felt like it was moving at different paces for the different character stories, or how the ending seemed to go on as each of the arcs were being wrapped up individually, instead of in one grand finale. But, it was there in the original and carefully recreated.

Along with the tribute to the older movies there was great new material about the universe and those living in it. Being part of the geek community I hear stories, even if I don’t get to read them all. I found not everything I had heard about from the books has been abandoned. The production is carefully selecting what they are going to use. This happens with every movie based on a book or short story.

A great example is the scene with the sith lord. In that scene they did a great job of portraying the ability of reading and masking thoughts for the progression of an apprentice to a master. They also did a wonderful portrayal of the battle of wills. They created visual effects for things written that would have looked pretty stupid in a movie.

The visual effects are one of the things setting this franchise apart from the beginning. In The Last Jedi we are not disappointed. There are new races, gadgets, equipment introduced. Throughout the movie there are added features (Easter eggs?) in the background people are going to go and watch the movie again to see what they missed behind the action.

Overall

The Last Jedi is a fun filled story of a fantastic adventure taking place in space. Sit back, relax, enjoy the ride, and take in the scenery.

The characters are developing more depth.

There are differences between the first movies and these to leave with some anticipation of not only how they are going to pay tribute to the past, but what are they going to do with the future.

I give Star Wars: The Last Jedi 4 out of 5.

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Flora, Movie Review

Florais an enticing film out of Canada pitting a group of college students against the wilds of western Canada in the spring of 1929. What makes this movie so enticing is the twist we are given in the theme of man versus nature. This is not your slasher thriller of the students running away from an enraged animal—they must make their way out of a forest that developed a mutation that kills all animal life.

Florawas presented at the 2017 FilmQuest Film Festival. I wasn’t able to see the film at the screening, but was able to view it a few months later.

Setting

Being set at the end of the golden age of exploration allows this movie to develop in ways a modern, or futuristic setting would not allow. An isolated camp in the deep woods away from anything that would be considered civilized. The maps are not even complete, one section is marked unexplored territory. There is no emergency number they can call. The five people are on their own.

The look provided for the time setting is well done and ties in the score (more on that later) with the use of a Victrola wind up record player. There are some minor points I found could have been left out to remind us the when the movie is set without hurting the story. But, the minor distractions don’t take enough away from Florato seriously hurt the enjoyment of the look we are given to meet the setting

Plot

As mentioned, we are themed with man versus nature. This isn’t the brutality of death. Even the characters recognize this is a place of life not death, the life just happens to be only plants.

The writer /director, Sasha Louis Vukovic also gives are heroes a time bomb they have to deal with, they are short on food and they are not expecting any contact for weeks. Everything around them has the mutation and they are left to their knowledge to figure out how to get out of the “death zone” they are in.

Writing

Vukovik debuts with Flora, giving us a wonderful presentation. I look forward to seeing how he develops with later stories.

This is where I felt one of the shortcoming of the film held it back from knocking it out of the park. I felt there was more backstory that could have been shared. I’m not talking about having characters get up and monologue, I was looking for more tidbits of what each of the characters had gone through to get them where they are. There are a couple of points about the limitations of what the two women were going through. And, there were hints that they have varied backgrounds. However, the characters could have had much more depth with a few well-placed comments.

There is some great foreshadowing throughout the movie. I don’t want to tell you what it is because I enjoy seeing how those mechanics unfold in a story, not being told to look for specifics. Just be aware that the writing is complex and enjoyable. I will say that even the opening scene with Morse code being used sets for future events.

Acting

Characters fit the period. Along with looking the parts each character fit the time with their language and the performances by the actors pulled in many of the historical and stereotypical beliefs of the time. We are presented with a group of young adults at the end of the roaring 20s. We are given the culture clash of what they know and what they believe. There are the great adventures they know about and they see themselves embarking on the same grand plan.

Music and Sound

The music hits a home run in Flora. From the use of the Victrola early on to present the time to the end of the movie, music moves the story forward. Nathan Prillaman does a great job.

The placement of changes in musical style and instrument selection provide a backdrop of sound that is craftily used in Flora. Early in the movie the music is light and shows the feeling of grand adventure, the golden age has been delivered to the waiting hands of those who are ready to grab ahold of the world and shake it. As the movie progresses the music carries the theme. Slipping into more “darker” and rudimentary rhythms to drag along the audience as the world shakes back.

There is another part of the soundtrack that impressed me. The forest is alive without animals and the editing of sound and visual is done to ensure those background sounds and sights are eerily absent.

Overall

Florais a thoughtful thriller twisting an old theme. The horror is in the mind of dealing with a situation that cannot be defeated. We are placed in the forest where it is not about overcoming or conquering, but escaping to survive. To only survive. Some scenes are a little long and some are not needed. The story is solid and leaves you wondering if you might have the stamina to make it.

Florahas been on the festival circuit.

I give Flora3 ½ out of 5.

Additional Information

2017 Canada

Writer and Director: Sasha Louis Vukovic

Stars: Teresa Marie Doran, Sari Mercer, Miles G. Jackson, Dan Lin, Caleb Noel,

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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