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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

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

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Incredibles 2, Movie Review

Incredibles 2 has received a broad range of reviews, which isn't surprising. There is a broad range of people seeing the movie and reviewers are part of the audience. I saw Incredibles 2 knowing this was a movie, like so many lately, with a strong base of love and hate. Both sides are correct with their analysis of the movie. It all comes down to what you are looking to get out of it.

I am sure there are going to be parts from here on out that some will see as spoilers.

The Downside

Incredibles 2 was close to a remake of the first movie, just with a role reversal. Supers are still outlawed. This time Elastagirl is recruited instead of Mr. Incredible. Things fall apart when Elastagirl is taken by the villain, Screenslaver. Mr. Incredible runs to her rescue, to then be rescued by the family. Sound familiar?

Along with the plot being predictable there are holes. If this was a book, I don't think it would have made it past the editor. There is a certain level of suspension of disbelief required in all fiction. Incredibles 2 seemed to break from its own level of suspension requiring a second level to make the story more exciting. Not so much as to make it work, but a feeling of, "It would look neat to do...."

The down side culminates in a weak story. With the time between the two movies, I would have hoped for a story that built from the last. Instead, I felt like I was getting a retelling.

The Upside

Incredibles 2 is fun movie to get lost in. Picking up with where the first movie ended brings you right back into the story with the memories of what had happened. It keeps with the same look of a "futuristic 60s" that was so prevalent in the movies created in the 50s and 60s. And, there also homage paid to the cartoons of the time.

The gender role reversal and the issues faced by the characters were reminiscent of the older movies and the time. I heard a complaint that new math wasn't around then, but it was because I remember going through it.

I think they hit their real target audience. Some of the rants against the movie I heard were from people who saw The Incredibles when it came out 14 years ago when they were younger kids. Now they are adults, not young adults, but adults. Here is a movie with a Super with the power to "throw up" burning bile. The children may not have caught onto his name when he presents himself and makes a joke about it, but they liked it when they saw him in action. That younger crowd is the audience this movie was truly aimed at, with enough woven in to satisfy many of the returning fans. This is very much in the style of the parent studio and the movies they have done for generations.

The audience I sat with enjoyed the movie. This was a mixed crowd of older and younger. Throughout the movie I heard younger members around me cheering and calling out. They were excited and were having fun. That fun spread, it’s hard not to have a good time when you hear children enjoying themselves.

Overall

Incredibles 2 is a summer family, fun movie that children are going to love. Just like the first one. The main level of humor is set for the younger ones, but there are also lines and setting that are just for the adults. Not because they are adult humor, but because they are more complex in the setting and delivery.

The main theme continues from the first Incredibles of the strength of the family. Family members go through problems. They pull together when needed and help each other individually and as a group. It also builds the concept that there is strength in the family.

I give Incredibles 3 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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Andy Warhol Presents, a Twofer Retro-Movie Review

I had the unique opportunity of watching two cult classics originally released in the early 1970s. Both of these films were produced by Andy Warhol and created in the studios he had at that time for film projects pushing creativity. They were Flesh for Frankenstein(1973) and Blood for Dracula (1974). I wouldn’t be surprised if you said you haven’t heard of either of these flicks.

They are billed as horror because genre identification is usually required for marketing and placement. However, these two films are dark comedies in a horror setting attempting to be light pornography. The mashup works if you are looking for a movie to share with a group of friends who are already into the campy and are not easily offended.

Both Movies

More blood comes out of single wounds than a body should hold. This is one of the over-the-top aspects used in these films. It is clear they were made to push boundaries from the use of full frontal nudity, shocking statements, and use of sexual premise for the basis of the stories. Of course, this fits with the other films from the studio and the writer/director.

Written and Directed by Paul Morrissey, these were his last two films made in conjunction with Warhol Studios before he left in 1975. Frankenstein and Dracula were his more main stream releases and by some standards considered his best successes during the entirety of that period of work. He no longer makes films due to not being able to maintain an independent stance free of outside influences.

Three actors star in both movies in similar roles: Udo Kier plays The Baron and The Count, Arno Jurging is his assistant, and Joe Dallesandro is the sexual interest.

Udo Kier didn’t start his career with these movies, and has been productive ever since. Kier is an actor many people have seen and don’t recognize with nearly 250 acting credits for both the big and little screen. This includes 12 movies scheduled for release during 2018 and more after that.

Arno Jurging played Otto and Anton, the assistant to the title character in each movie. His ability to play off the lines and acting of Udo Kier was something to watch. I believe a major reason for getting these roles was the use of his eyes. He continued acting for another 10 years in Europe.

Joe Dallesandro was part of the Warhol movie factory experiment with a number of movies. In both of these movies he was given lead billing. His participation was most likely due to his popularity at the time. He has maintained a presence in front of the camera since that time, even if his star power wasn’t brought forward. At the time of this writing he has a movie in post-production due in 2019.

Both movies are testaments to the time period in which they were made. There are scenes that probably wouldn’t be allowed today, and if they were would create a backlash. Our standards have progressed to which some of the scenes which were clearly made to be shocking aren’t and others that make people feel uneasy about what they are seeing.

Flesh for Frankenstein

Baron Frankenstein is out to create his own race of humans/zombies. The man and woman are his first step, with his eventual goal being their children. Those will be his perfect children. He is assisted by Otto, a man who wants to emulate the baron.

The Baron is married to his sister and they have two children. Early in the movie, while at dinner, the adults talk to set the facts of their parentage. The Baroness complains about how bad their parents were and their peculiarities including how bad their mother was due to her sexual appetite. Which you find out is very much the same for the Baroness. The children sit and watch (between them only one word is spoken in the entire film).

Because the Baron and Otto are working to create a new race of humans, the Dr. must find the perfect head for his male. He explains to Otto how they need a man with an unmatched sexual appetite, which is located in the head, so they go stake out the nearby brothel. Unfortunately they mistake the movies sexual interest with his friend, who at the best is nonsexual and ready to go join a monastery, or is homosexual and interested in his friend and ready to join a monastery.

During his working in the lab, the good doctor has a close brush to necrophilia. After a scene where he is on top of the female cadaver with his hand inserted through an incision into her abdomen he delivers one of the strangest lines I’ve heard, “To know death, Otto, you have to fuck life... in the gall bladder!” Of course Otto ends up killing the maid and the female zombie as he attempts to do just that in his attempt to be like the great doctor.

There is a pile of bodies and a lengthy death scene at the end. Our sexual hero is left hanging from a chain with the two children in the laboratory. And, if you want to know what happens next, then you will have to decide how to watch it.

The look of the laboratory seems to have influenced the laboratory in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which came out a couple of years later.

Blood for Dracula

As with its predecessor, this movie focuses more on challenging the societal norms of the times. The sexual theme is pretty much the same. Some are disturbing based on a different approach.

The opening sequence is Dracula applying makeup and hair dye. An interesting touch showing he is old. Soon we learn he is dying because vampires need virgin blood. We learn this when Anton explains his plan to save the count, the last remaining vampire because they go and place Dracula’s sister in her coffin. As you can tell by now both of these movies use a lot of maid and butler dialogue to convey the story.

The locals have become wise of the Dracula family and there are no virgins in the area. Anton has developed a plan to save the Count by traveling to Italy where there must be virgins because of the Vatican and influence of the Catholic Church. His cover story is the Count is looking for a new wife who, according to family tradition, must be a virgin.

They end up at an estate that is going bankrupt with four daughter, and the hired woodsman. The oldest daughter is considered off the market because she is considered tainted and ugly. The next two are of marrying age. And, the youngest, at fourteen, is too young. The parents believing they have the opportunity of regaining some of their wealth gladly invite the two men into their home.

Of course the two of marrying age are having at it with the hired hand. This is shown as a controlling/abusive relationship with him having, literally, the upper hand. The oldest daughter is more directed than her next two younger sisters and is working at maintaining the household as best as possible from going into ruin. While the youngest is naive.

Dracula attempts to feed on the two middle daughters which makes him violently ill. Using his control over the two bitten women, he has them go to fetch their youngest sister. The planned kidnapping goes badly and the woodsman figures out the visiting noble is a vampire. To protect the youngest sister he rapes her against a wall, which she decides she likes.

The woodsman goes after Dracula and cuts of his arms and legs one at a time during the chase. While lying on the ground the eldest sister comes running to Dracula’s rescue. When the axe handle is forced through his chest she throws herself upon it to be with him.

Dracula is a wimp. The movie actually does a pretty good job of getting you to start feeling sympathetic for a vampire because he is so physically sick. The only power he is seen to have is a little bit of control of the two daughters after they are bitten.

Final Note

Again, both of these movies are for those who are into campy “B” flicks. They are offensive to some modern ideals. And, they are not family movies.

On the other side they are dark comedies that won’t really make you laugh, except at the absurdity of what you’re watching, but at how they were using horror to mock the prevailing/ruling culture of the time.

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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

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.

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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

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.

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

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Murder on the Orient Express, Movie Review

Murder on the Orient Express was written in 1934 by Agatha Christie. In 1974 there was a movie, and a radio show in 1992. Later were television adaptations and even a computer game in 2006. Although this story may not have the richer film history of others it is an iconic tale of a puzzle mystery and is widely known for its unique plot. When dealing with such a well-known story, it's not the story we become so much involved with, but how the story is told. Even if you have not been directly involved with any of these earlier pieces, the iconic nature of this tale and characters has influenced many other works. So, excuse me if there seems to be some points that may be considered spoilers.

The movie Murder on the Orient Express’s screenplay was written by Michael Green and directed by Kenneth Branagh (who also plays Hercule Poirot) present a movie worth seeing. They both, along with the rest of the cast have experience in presenting their crafts.

This star-studded cast takes their characters and brings each of them to life on the screen. Each character has a lot of backstory needing to be brought out to make the mystery work, something difficult to do in a two-hour film.

Each character needs to be developed. They are developed. We are given how each person is connected to the victim and how they are connected to each other. If you don’t already know the story this can lead to a suspenseful setup. Mystery readers are used to being given the clues, sifting through them to determine which are the pertinent ones and those that are the misleading red herrings.

Our puzzle box mystery is confined to events and people on one railcar. All of the suspects are present and we just need our grand detective to sort through the clues to solve the case. As with any mystery of this type, we as the audience want to be able to solve the murder with Poirot. I give a lot of credit to those involved in the production for what is presented, but the movie falls short of being spectacular because of the requirements put onto a mystery of this type.

By allowing the development of the characters, the pacing of the movie is slower. This was still enjoyable, but felt longer because of the suspense is not there as we build to the climax of revealing who committed the murder.

There are other elements worth watching for. I enjoyed the imagery used in the Murder on the Orient Express. The use of glass throughout the movie provides a wonderful sense of continuity to the theme of the story. The different states of the glass and how it is used provide levels of depth, separation, fracturing, multiplicity, that build on the depth of the story.

Kenneth Branagh and Michael Green are already working on Death on the Nile as a follow-up for Murder on the Orient Express(which was hinted at the end of the movie).

Overall

Murder on the Orient Express is a good movie adaptation of the book. The style of story is where I feel it ends up lacking, very much in the same manner as other adaptations that require this level of complexity in the characters. There just isn’t enough time to present this much information in one sitting. If you want to get the full feeling of this tale, you need to read the book.

The movie is of average appeal with additional credit given for the how the characters are photographed and the imagery of glass.

I give Murder on the Orient Express 3 out of 5.

Also published with Utah Geek Magazine.

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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Thor: Ragnarok, Movie Review

Thor: Ragnarok is the latest in the series of movies released from Marvel. In this movie the God of Thunder is front and center again as the storyline of the infinity stones is carried forward across the vast Marvel universe.

Over the past movies people have been giving up on the Marvel story being told because it was becoming weak in the telling. Thor: Ragnarok shifts back to a stronger storyline and tells the story in a fun, compelling manner.

Credit should be given on many levels to those involved in the production.

Directing

The feel of the movie has changed from some of the recent installments and part of that goes to bringing on Taiki Waititi as director. Waititi is probably best known for his mocumentary What We Do in the Shadows. He brings his comedic ability timing to the new Thor installment. This was an element that worked in the earlier movies which was lost.

From the open sequence of Thor: Ragnarok you know this movie is set differently with its comic element. Of course there was humor in the other Marvel movies, but in Ragnarok the comedy feels like it’s happening from a natural place without the forced setup that has become so popular in so many movies. I was grateful that there wasn’t the whole “we are going to tell you a joke,” then “here’s the joke,” followed by “did you get the joke?”

Comedy

Instead, the humor is allowed to play out from the characters. This adds to the flow of the scenes, instead of taking away from them. There are different levels of humor throughout, but none is ever particularly called out to the audience allowing everyone to enjoy it at their level.

Interactions between the actors were relaxed. It really looked like everyone was into the characters and having fun doing what they do so well. In some of the recent Marvel releases this feeling was missing. Yes, I know the topics were more involved with serious issues taking place, but they are still in the Marvel comic universe. And, when there is a tension between the actors it comes across as a more rigid performance. This movie was fluid.

The comic relief of the movie allows the storyline to continue without overpowering it. There are even times when you are expecting the joke because of earlier setup and it isn’t given. Which gave a greater effect because it didn’t break the tension, which we have seen in recent installments. For me some of the best lines came from the sideline characters just being allowed to be themselves.

Acting

Here we have Helmsworth, Hiddleston, and Goldblum playing off scenes that were improvisation. Their interaction is perfect. Unless I had saw the interview with Goldblum telling that they were playing off-the-cuff I wouldn’t have known it. From other work we have had a glimpse at Helmsworth’s and Hiddleston’s comic ability, In RagnarokWaititi sets up his actors (and not just this trio) with the ability to play in a universe where we all want to play around a bit.

Story

Thor: Ragnarok is still a super-hero action movie. It gets back in touch with so many of the elements earlier comic hero movies were for me, fun. There are still the fights and special effects. In Ragnarok it felt like the fight scenes were trimmed down. I didn’t time them, so I am not sure. But, I didn’t get to the point of saying, “Got it, can we move on now?”

The overarching story taking place through the series of movies is here. We learn in the very beginning Thor has made an effort to find the infinity stones. Thor meets Dr Strange, and we are introduced to just how much he has grown since our last meeting. We are given the timeline of events in subtle ways to let us know everything is still moving.

All of this is done with superb writing. There are a few points where we dip into backstory. And, when we do, it is not poured out on top of us, but given in tasty bites to build what is happening.

When new events are introduced we are given the depth of the characters without being pounded. Many of the points are introduced with an element of humor that is fitting to the character. Again, a situation that allows for the humor to flow unforced and without being slapped about.

Characters

I mentioned earlier how the actors seemed to have the fun interplay. This also applies to how the actors were portraying their parts. There was more depth to the characters. Our leads are back from earlier movies and they keep true to who they were. We also get more depth from them know, a greater understanding of their motivations.

It takes a great villain to make these movies work and we get one in Hela played by Cate Blanchett. The writing of the character gives us a backstory to why Hela is who she is and why she is doing what she is doing. Blanchett takes Hela to a level of villainy that shows how bad she is with intelligence. There is reason to have empathy and sympathy for this character. you might not want to be there with her at that level, but at the very least you have an understanding that she is doing what she considers to be the right thing to be doing.

Even the new characters have stronger feeling about them. We are given a lot more depth to the characters that aren’t even going to be carried forward in the story. Background action taking place in the scenes and the short lines delivered provide fuller characters who propel the story at a better pace. Even in the moments of narrative, the characterizations kept the action, suspense, plot, and intrigue moving.

Theme

I’ve been told you have to set the theme of a movie early on and carry it through to the end. Success. Where all of the other things keep the Thor: Ragnarok working on the level of entertainment. The themes in the movie are going to keep people talking about this one more than what I have heard in conversation about the recent movies of this storyline.

The writers (Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost based on the comics created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby) make a promise at the beginning of the movie and they deliver the goods throughout—right to the end. (Speaking of which, there are two end scenes, one mid credits, and one at the end of the credits—after all this time I was shocked to see people leaving the theater when the credits started rolling).

Waititi took the writing and prepared, with the efforts of the rest involved, an enjoyable visual sensation.

Overall

This is one of the best, if not the best, Marvel movies. The settings bring a greater feel of the original works. The cinematography was grand. The directing worked with the talent of the actors to allow the individual influences to show through. Timing was superb.

It would help to have seen the earlier movies, but they are not required. This is a self-contained chapter.

I give Thor: Ragnarok4 ½ out of 5.

Also submitted to Utah Geek Magazine.

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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Kingsman: The Golden Circle, movie Review

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is the expected follow-up to the original Kingsman: The Secret Service movie. Eggsy saved the world from Valentine in the original and he is back to save us all from the next mastermind criminal organization, The Golden Circle.

The story picks up back in England where Eggsy encounters an old nemesis from his training days in the first movie. And, the chase is on. We see the Kingsman organization is moving forward from the past events, but, as the trailers show, it doesn't last. Most of the organization is destroyed, leaving just Galahad and Merlin. With the executing their doomsday protocol they're led to meeting a sister organization in the United States, The Statesmen.

At the Statesman's facility they find Harry, Eggsy's mentor and the former Galahad, who had been rescued from the events at the church where, in the first movie, we were left to believe Harry was killed.

All that is easy enough to ascertain from the trailers of the new movie.

The action of the The Golden Circle follows in the same path as the first Kingsman and the comic (written by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons and colored by Angus McKie) they are both based from. It is over the top with gadgets and character capabilities. That is part of the reason it is so much fun to watch. In fact, a person sitting near me, after the movie exclaimed, "I should be repelled, but it's just fun."

The action fits the plot with being over the top. The Golden Circle is written to take the ideas of the spy genre to the extreme. It really doesn't matter how strongly in the real world it is based, because you are given from the first movie that this is going for the action that is beyond reality. But, not quite to the level of super heroes. Instead, we have super spies.

People are going to read messages into The Golden Circle, just like in the first movie. Removing the spy agencies into independent organizations that are not accountable to a government is part of what makes the concept work. You can always find themes in entertainment, it is what we do as consumers of books, movies, music, etc. I entered into this thinking it would be a bloody good time.

If you were turned off by the controversial scene in the first Kingsman, you are probably going to be offended by this movie also. Just like so many other parts of the movie the director, Matthew Vaughn, uses the platform to have some fun, even if some consider it crude. The humor fits with the setting and the characters. Of course, these scenes also provide moral messages that can be taken away, if one is willing to look at it from that direction.

Throughout the movie it comes across that everyone is having a lot of fun in making this movie. Part of this shows in the number of people who are participating in the cast, even for small roles. There is interaction between the actors/characters that leaves me wondering how much of what is happening is being done by improvisation.

The role I heard most people talking about on leaving the theater was Elton John. Not seen in the trailers, Sir Elton John plays himself as he has been portrayed in his public stage life. The comic relief he presents is a wonderful addition to the rest of the film. His introduction into the film is a second way the story was tied into the original movie (the villain makes the statement that with how Valentine was kidnapping so many celebrities they couldn't pass up the opportunity).

Looking ahead it has already been mentioned that a third Kingman movie is going to happen. Just like with the Bond and Flint franchises, I am sure there are a number of super villainous individuals who are going to try to destroy humanity and the structure of society as we know it. There is also early work taking place of a spinoff to see what is happening with the Statesmen.

Overall

If you liked the first movie, Kingsman: The Secret Service, you are going to like Kingsman: The Golden Circle. They are similar in style and theme and adult based humor. This is roughly 2 ½ hour movie is a release from reality to allow the audience to participate in over-the-top spy thriller.

I give Kingman: The Secret Service 3 ½ out of 5.

Also submitted to Utah Geek Magazine.

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).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad