Two days of gaming and associated geekery are wrapped up for this year’s edition of the Salt Lake Gaming Convention (SLGC) (website). A convention combining electronic and tabletop games is still in its infancy after only a few years of existence. This year, having lost some of their supplies to theft, presented a major hurdle they successfully overcame.

There were hardships that almost led to the convention not being held this year. I heard a few months before the regular convention date, this year wasn’t going to happen, and there might not be another edition of SLGC at all. Plans changed after the gaming community started enquiring about when and where the convention was going to be this year. The organizers responded to the fans and provided the event.

On a short timeline, a convention was put together. Knowing some of the limitations they were up against, I would call this year’s event a success. And, pulling it all together showed the ability to make a sustainable convention that fans can look forward to.

What did they accomplish?

Electronic Games

The electronic games area was the biggest draw, which is where the focus of the convention has been. Along with Microsoft having a showcase area, there were open areas for conventioneers to set up and play. Game pits for open multiplayer games were consistently full. There were large screen viewing areas for the competitive play, which included intercollegiate esports.

The electronics area hosted a number of tournaments, along with college teams going head-to-head. There were events for both amateur and professional players. The crowds were enthusiastic in support of their favorite players and characters. Conversations abounded through the audience about what was happening on the screen and the strategy they would have used if they were playing.

Pinball

Pinball alley returned from last year and was another place of overflowing use. New games and retro flippers were available for everyone young and old to step up and see if they had what it takes to work the digit counting ball. Standing and watching three generations of one family playing pinball together was a joy. A grandfather was standing with his grandson during his parent’s turns sharing a story of how he used to meet friends to play pinball because there weren’t video arcades.

Tabletop Games

St. George Tabletop Game Convention (website) provided a library of games for those who wanted to challenge their friends across a table instead of through a screen. I hope people extend a thank you to the organizers of the St. George event because it’s at least a four hour drive between there and Salt Lake City. Envoy/Double Exposure (website) ambassadors were on hand helping teach games and give recommendations to those who weren’t sure of what game would fit their style.

The tabletop games had their own tournaments. Both days hosted a couple dozen tables for Warhammer. Other miniature games included Star Wars and War Machine. Collector card games included Magic the Gathering, Star Wars, Pokemon, along with My Little Pony at dedicated tables.

Role playing games (RPG) were present in force due to the strong individual talents of the local Adventurer’s League (website) and Pathfinder Society (website). There were other free tables running games for those looking for something different. The RPG area kept two to three dozen tables regularly filled with players from beginning to end.

Kids Zone

SLGC again provided an area dedicated to the younger players. A pirate ship was available for exploring. A Nerf battle zone and a trike race course was a place for many young gamers to burn off some the excited energy they came with. The Lego building area and tables for creative design work were places that might not have been so energetic, but they were well attended. Some groups looked like the parents took the kids in so they could build with the blocks.

Live Action Area

The arena for battle was once again erected with opposing forces facing off with foam weapons. Epic battles were waged. There was also a smaller area set up for just the younger players learning to get their battle feet under them.

Vendors

In the midst of all of this was the market place, where conventioneers were able to pick up their remembrances of the event and support their fandoms. The area had a wide selection of memorabilia, artists, game designers, and promotional areas for other groups and events.

Guests and Panels

The guests and panelists were well received.

Great voice actors were there to share what they do and who they are. Charles Martinet (website) of Mario fame. The cast of God of War included Christopher Judge (Facebook), Danielle Bisutti (website), Jeremy Davie (imdb), and Robert Craighead (Twitter). The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was represented by Patricia Summersett (website), Elizabeth Maxwell (website), Andi Gibson (website), Bill Rogers (Twitter), Jamie Mortellaro (Twitter), and Joe Hernandez (Twitter). And, Chloe Hollings (Twitter) from Overwatch, Victoria Atkin (Twitter) from Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Jason Charles Miller (website) of Geek and Sundry, and Jason Hayes (composer) (Twitter) were also talked about their experiences.

The panels covered topics about all types of gaming and other areas of interest.

Cosplay

Cosplay wasn’t left out. There was a competition which was highlighted by Zabracus (Twitter) and Missy Mayhem (Twitter). These Two local talents provided insight for those who want to do cosplay.

Overall

These were two days packed with a lot of activities a person could get involved with.

I’ve had the opportunity of attending this convention every year since its inception. This year was a struggle. Even with the struggles, the organizers had the guts to push forward when others may have folded. That showed their strength and the power of the gaming community in SLC. My hat’s off to their success (and, yes, I wear a hat when I go to conventions).

There will be more articles coming from my experiences at SLGC 2018. I look forward to seeing more of this convention in the future and watching it grow into what it is capable of producing for the gamers supporting it.

This article also submitted for publication to Guild Master Gaming and Big Shiny Robot.

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Rian Johnson

The film picks up almost immediately after predecessor The Force Awakens, with the Rebels being forced to flee yet another base (thankfully, Johnson quickly cuts loose, and fears of another quasi-remake like The Force Awakens are dispatched). At the same time, Rey (Daisy Ridley) gets an unexpected reception from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) at watery Ahch-To. As The Last Jedi has more than its share of twists and surprises, I will say no more, aside from commending the film for a nice build from a meandering first half to a wild second, where danger seems real, and Star Wars tropes take a back seat to real characters.

Of course, a writer/director this daring is bound to make some missteps, and there are some surprisingly bad ones in The Last Jedi, particularly in a first half that struggles to maintain a consistent level of excitement across the typically bouncing-all-over-the-place narrative. One major subplot in particular involving new character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) just does not get there, despite the best efforts of the cast. Another quibble is some laughable space science, even by Star Wars standards, starting in the opening battle and continuing throughout. Most in the theater on opening night probably could not have cared less.

What is exciting about The Last Jedi is how much Johnson gets right. The better second half of the film leans on the cast, and they do not disappoint. Ridley is more polished as Rey, and provides a nice counterpoint to Hamill in the extended sequence on the Jedi island. John Boyega as Finn and particularly Oscar Isaac as Poe are given quite a bit more to do than in The Force Awakens, with Isaac evoking some Han Solo – esque swagger. The star of the film, though, is Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. Ren did not seem to have much depth in the first film, nor did being defeated by a fledgling especially help his villainous menace. This time around, Johnson’s script does the character justice, and we see perhaps our first convincing turn to the infamous Dark Side of the Force. I do not put The Last Jedi in the same class as the original trilogy, but, by the end of this film, Kylo Ren is the most compelling Star Wars character since Darth Vader, and that is saying something.

UGeek Rating: (4.0 / 5).

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It had been a while since I watched anime. Once, Vegeta sat at my workspace, in hard plastic Super Sayan glory. I’d spend hours combing my one and only local comic book store for anything Rumiko Takahashi, gushing over Ninja Scroll or renting anything suggested to me. Just to check it out. Is it really a huge deal that I wished and wished to meet Totoro at a bus stop? We could share an umbrella in silence. Maybe high five or hug. I lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of Hello Kitty and the Sanrio section in a shop at the mall. Erasers. Notebooks. Sandals. Even a toaster that sparked a childhood quest to brand my morning toast with her feline visage.

Life, as it inevitably does, expanded. Other things took center stage and overshadowed my Anime Love. Then I moved to Utah, and heard about Anime Banzai. I had to go. Being that anime runs the gamut from all ages family-friendly adorable to rather grown up and risqué themes, I wanted to see how our community celebrates such a diverse and influential art form.

The 12th Annual Anime Banzai started out humbly in 2005. The “End of the World” Japanese Animation Club at Salt Lake Community College expected about 200 people to show up to it’s inaugural event. They got 600 instead. The signs were evident. Anime fans wanted a place to assemble and celebrate a slice of Japanese pop culture. It’s worth hitting up. Believe it.

The three day event, held this year on October 20-22, took life within the Davis Conference Center in Layton. As I strolled through the parking lot, a diminutive Naruto Uzumaki rolled on by in a wave of cosplayers dressed as various characters. It’s pleasant to see how many families attend Utah cons together and thoroughly immerse themselves in the spirit of cosplay fun.

After checking in, I wandered the halls without a plan. Not a problem. I came upon a couple rooms setup with screens for viewing. In Viewing Room 2, the schedule read Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer. Instantly, I thought of my friend who first pointed me in the direction of author Rumiko Takahashi, and I sat in the back. Pulling out the program in the tote bag received at check-in, the artwork on the the cover struck me. It’s a well put together booklet with eye-catching artistry properly capturing the event. Simply stunning.

My next stop; the game room. Video gaming, that is. Anime Banzai offered its attendees a selection of arcade and console games to try. Free of charge. Interactive dance games like In The Groove 3, stood alongside classic arcade offerings. The past and present shared playtime in console version as well. Seeing that old grey brick of a Nintendo console sent my mind back to when my dad bought us our first one. Of course he had to play it for a solid chunk of time before we did. You know, quality control. Right, Pops?

If tabletop gaming has your heart, they’ve covered you. In the Card & Tabletop Gaming Room, a helpful staff member suggested to play a game first. Try it out. When you find one you think you’d like to dig into, he encouraged you to create a character and play.

Having the events rules sung by faithful Banzai Guest of Honor Steve “Warky” Nunez during the Opening Ceremonies while other Guests of Honor, Sean Chiplock and Michaela Laws popped on stage for a brief backup dance made the audience laugh. The guests selected came across as engaging and approachable. A refreshing quality. They genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves. Anime Baznai felt blanketed by an overall electric joy and excitement.

The staff made a huge an impact on me. Everyone I came across approached Banazai-goers with pleasant demeanors and gracious support. At the Repair Station, I met a mother and daughter team from South Jordan who conveyed that attitude well.

Many cons offer a repair station. Cosplayers spend time and effort delving into their passion for creating the right look. What happens if you pop a seam, lose a button or your makeup runs? Repair Station to the rescue. Here’s one place event organizers flex their generosity muscle. Some cons charge a fee. Anime Banzai does not. Bonus; it’s operated by The Carroll Family. At the time I happened upon it, Liz and Katie were at the helm.

Liz helped create The March of Dime’s Haunted House in the 80’s. She and her husband also enjoy crafting renaissance fair costumes. They’ve passed their love for cosplay onto their children. She’s seen the station grow. Anytime they needed supplies, Anime Banzai provided it. The complementary service is offered to all attendees. Safety pins, hot glue, wig caps and more are available, along with a wealth of costume building knowledge offered up by Carroll tag team.

Artist’s Alley is one of my favorite spots to check out at any Con. I met two mega-sweet comic book creators from Florida. Tiffany Ciper and Selan Spike. One booth drew unexpected excitement from Banzai attendees. Yes, the artwork was tight. But the soap. The soap brought them in. Bizarre & Wonderful Handmade Soap. Wash Your Hans, a delightful peppercorn and vanilla scent, was my favorite. All made in lush goat’s milk. Definitely something I wasn’t expecting to see among the heap of talented artists.

I can’t say which cosplay was my favorite. It’s obvious those who dedicated their energy to coming in character enjoyed embodying their anime of choice, as much as spectators enjoyed seeing them come to life. While I waited outside to catch a glimpse of a possible RWBY cosplay meet up, I looked over my shoulder and saw a little kid dressed as Freddy Fazbear. You know, of the delightful Five Night’s at Freddy’s horror video game? I wanted to ask if I could snap his pic. But when I looked over again, he’d vanished. Not like that. He was leaving with his parents. Still, I wasn’t expecting a tiny Freddy behind me.

The Davis Conference Center lends an intimacy to Anime Banzai. It gives it a feel of accessibility and openness, spreading out and embracing attendees with a inclusive hug. Anime does a wonderful job of Inviting in its fans, who may sometimes be shy or seemingly awkward otherwise, and Anime Banzai provides a meeting place facilitating self-expression, supported by a community of acceptance. My wish is as it grows, its able to retain its heartfelt vibe.

By the end of it, I’d seen enough Pikachus and poke trainers to conclude Pokemon is immortal. A number of specific ninjas to see Naruto Love runs deep. And an array of cosplay telling of the art from’s diversity. My blended genealogy revels in seeing a piece of Japanese culture celebrated with such passion. Anime Banzai is a keeper. A gem in Utah’s treasure pouch of delectable happenings lauding the diversity of all things geek.

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You can absolutely tell that Justice League is a transitional film, that DC was switching gears and that two very different people were at the helm. It isn’t quite the hope and light of Wonder Woman, but it isn’t overly dark like previous offerings. DC has been listening to their fans on this.

Humor is sprinkled throughout the film, but it’s pretty obviously been tacked on after the fact. Some of it is outright forced. Through judicious use of the editing room and re-shoots, they’ve managed to make most of the humor flow. Our entire audience laughed several times. The Flash is pretty slapstick, which is in line with his role in print. Aquaman and Cyborg both get in a few really good jokes as well. Batman’s jokes seemed off and out of character. Wonder Woman was the most serious member of the team.

The story was pretty straight forward and predictable. A team of disagreeing and disparate heroes forced together by an alien invasion. Tell me if you’ve heard this one before.

Everyone (even Batfleck) carried their characters well within the script/s provided. I’m still crushing on Wonder Woman as Gal Gadot continues to own the heck out of that role. I really like Jason Mamoa’s version of Aquaman. It truly makes him the powerhouse that he should be and makes a whole lot more sense than a Nordic fellow in orange and green. Ezra Miller’s Flash was a little forced and awkward, but that appeared to be on purpose. He is supposed to be very young and new to this whole superhero thing, basically this team’s Spiderman. Ray Fisher’s Cyborg was extremely stiff. It kind of worked for the man and machine mix of the character, but it made the emotional interactions unwieldy. Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill kind of phoned it in. If you liked them in the previous movies, you will like them in this one. If you didn’t, you still won’t.

I want to address a controversy that broke over the weekend about the Amazons. Other than a few (mostly in the background) characters, they eliminated Snyder’s bikini costumes. The Amazons are largely in versions of their Wonder Woman costumes. The bikinis that remain are in background roles or in places where re-shooting or editing the scene would have been prohibitively expensive.

Stay through to the end of the credits. It is a Joss Whedom film after all. There are two credit scenes.

Justice League is a formulaic, but fun superhero movie… which is a huge improvement over most of the rest of the Snyderverse. Wonder Woman still is the golden standard for the rest of DC to reach for or exceed. I give it a solid (3.0 / 5).

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It all begins as a simple blackout. Since everyone has dealt with a blackout before they do what I think we would all do, they wait. The situation doesn’t get any better. They eventually find out it’s not just a local problem, but still consider the situation something the proper authorities will resolve.

After the water and gas to their apartment run out, the decision to stay in LA changes. They decide it’s time to leave. They pack their essentials into their car, which is a great play on modern society and what so many people consider essentials for living, and leave to seek shelter with a friend living in a commune. Their first stop is to get supplies at the local market.

As anticipated the market has been picked clean of anything useful. However, they do meet some old friends for a nice chat to catch-up. When leaving the store, they have their car stolen (by police officers). Even though they have a destination, they need to find a way to get there.

The rest of the movie is about their encounters and how they deal with them. I’m not going any further into the story because I keep going back and editing out spoilers of the parts the made me laugh. I will say that even though I saw a number of the jokes being set up, they were delivered in a fashion that made the movie work.

Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse ties comedic elements with real concerns about what could happen when we are faced with a societal calamity. It uses an over-the-top approach to explore the problems a common couple have to deal with. But, even with the serious topic, the humor is not lost and is heightened by the sharp counterpoint of the issues and how they deal with them.

Cast and Acting

I was seeing myself and people I know portrayed on the screen. Along with their own talents, the casting of the rest of the characters is a success. Everyone fits the characters they’re playing. Of course, some of them are being played to an extreme level, which is done with a near perfection. Even when it was a clear setup to a visual gag, it was delivered with timing that increased the fun instead of dreading the outcome. You can tell Devine and Diani are based out of LA with the people they have showing up on screen with them.

Writing

With the extreme aspects of the plot it could be easy to lose the story. The story of Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse pulls it off with great writing (winner at FilmQuest for Best Screenplay) and directing (nominated for best director). This could have gone the other way because Etta Devine and Gabriel Diani wrote and directed their movie, along with starring in it. I am willing to suspect they filled in on other areas. Some works where the creator(s) are this heavily involved can go bad as they become so serious about the “ownership” and outcome of their film. In this case, the outcome is opposite with a presentation that is not only owned by them. Every actor/character feels like they are completely involved.

Overall

I saw Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse at the 2017 FilmQuest Film Festival. It was nominated for award in five categories: Best Director, Best Actor (Gabriel Diani), Best Costumes, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Screenplay (Winner), The Minerva Award – Female Filmmaker Prize. Other noted cast includes Barry Bostwick, Kirsten Vangsness, Johnathon Silverman, and Cole Stratton. The movie runs 90 minutes.

It is currently making the rounds on the film festival circuit.

The combination work Devine and Diani put into their film creates a synergy between the various roles to give us characters (who may be based on their real lives) who are true to the story. The portrayal on the screen is great as they succeeded in directing themselves and the rest of the cast.

I can see this comedic adventure into a near future apocalypse becoming a cult classic. Some movies make this because they are so bad, while others do it because they are good and fun enough to see more than once. Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse as being part of the second category.

There are subtleties shared in the movie that kept me and the people I was sitting by watching. I know a missed some, and would be interested in going back just to read the T-shirts.

I give Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse  (4.0 / 5).

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The story in Muse goes into deeper details of the overarching conflict between the blessing and the curse of finding your talent—finding your muse

Adam (Riley Egan) finds his muse. His work takes on a new emotional level he didn’t have before. Their relationship grows, along with his fame. But, there is a price because an Irish Muse, Leannan Si, is a jealous creature willing to defend their love from anything that would take them away.

As Adam’s fame grows a love interest begins to compete with the Leannan Si, at which point the artist must make a decision.

By going to Irish mythology this story takes unexpected twists. Choices come with greater consequences and Adam’s choices will affect others.

SETTING

Adam’s studio/home, along with the surrounding area, does a great job of portraying the life of a struggling artist in the Los Angeles art scene. It builds what he is facing in his life and career.

The spaces used developed the story without needing the characters to be present. There was as much of the story being told with the location and layout of the rooms and the camera work as by the acting and the dialogue.

STORYLINE

Muse uses intriguing story arcs. I enjoyed the fact that we were being introduced to something outside of Greek mythology. There were a couple of points I felt were weaker and took away from the overall storytelling of the film.

The introductory sequence introduces us to the muse, but we don’t know it until later. What we are given is an introduction to a supernatural creature with the capability of dealing destruction. Although it ties in later, the introduction felt disjointed from the rest of the story and the connection to the artist felt forced.

The other part that bothered me was a period of conversation to explain a Leannan Si. I’m sure this was information many people would need about a different mythology they are not used to hearing about. I felt much of the information had already been presented in earlier scenes and the additional information could have been covered in less of a maid and butler setting.

Acting

The lead actor, Riley Egan (nominated for Best Actor) sold the role of being the struggling artist. I’m sure it didn’t hurt he knew how to paint, and, therefore, able to portray painting in a realistic manner. He presented himself not only struggling financially, but as a person struggling in social settings. He gave a performance reflecting his character’s arc. At first, he showed the lack of confidence. Then, through the help of his muse, he gained the confidence to do incredible actions—many people would never dream of doing.

Elle Evans (nominated for Best Supporting Actress) plays his muse. She also gave a wonderful performance in a role which had its own difficulties: she has no lines. She successfully creates a performance telling her story without words. She also wonderfully represents her story arc of a creature of need.

Together, the two actors carry the audience forward in the story without the need of words.

Overall

I saw Muse at the 2017 FilmQuest Film Festival. It was nominated for five awards: Best Actor (Riley Egan), Best Supporting Actress (Elle Evans), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Score. It was written and directed by John Burr. Additional cast included Kate Mansi and Lou Ferrigno, Jr. Muse comes from the USA and runs 88 minutes.

Muse is a horror movie with an overture of sexuality. There is nudity and sexual situations. There is gore and splatter. There are decisions of embracing the darkness of the circumstance to create fame. This would get an R rating.

All of this comes together to tell a story with a twist. Even with the points mentioned above, this is a horror movie worth seeing.

I give Muse  (3.5 / 5).

Muse is currently on the film festival circuit.

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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 (3.5 / 5).

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First guideline: If you saw the first Blade Runner from 1982 and liked it, you will like this. And, the opposite applies.

I am a longtime fan of the story. Instead of going into the movie which has had thousands of reviews written about by now I am going to go more into the storyline and what I think this does for the entirety of what we have.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is where this story starts. I recommend that if you are a fan of the movies that you get the book and read it. (It has been retitled Blade Runner: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) The introduction of Deckard, and the futuristic world he lives in is presented there and so many of the so much backstory is given that is used as a backdrop to both movies.

The first movie did a great job of taking the story and presenting it in such a way as to enhance the universe the story is set in. There is a lot of thematic elements in the book that are touched on in the movies. So many of the ideas I have heard people discuss about the original movie and now in the second. What I found interesting about so many of the people I have listened in on is how many of them haven’t read the book.

I don’t want to go in and rehash the arguments. Just let me say, the book is worth reading and it doesn’t take away from the movies. It also applies the other way around, the movies don’t take away from the book.

The original Blade Runner takes the basis of the story and gives it a great application to the new media. I know there is never going to be a perfect adaptation between a movie and the written word, no matter which came first. Where the book delves into the thoughts feelings and other aspects that books are good at, the movie dove into the visual media that they are good at.

Now we come to the latest installment of the story. Thirty five years have passed since the first movie. And I give the production kudos for not remaking the original story, or deciding on doing a prequel. Instead they decided to move the story forward.

There is a thirty-five year gap that events have occurred in that are hinted at in the movie (there are some shorts done to tell about that time which fans will want to see, if they haven’t already). The story picks up there. The world has changed (just like ours have changed over the last thirty five years), and the lack of stagnation felt good. I have seen other stories where they present a break in the timeline with updating the storyline and it doesn’t feel right. This passage of time felt right.

Blade Runner 2049 keeps the feel and the look of the original Blade Runner. The times are dark, society is struggling, and we are still in the greater Los Angeles area. There is information given about what is happening out in space and we get a look at Las Vegas. But, the story stays focused in location.

A long with location, they keep the story focused on the same major themes being played out in the original Blade Runner. We are still trying to determine what it means to be alive, and in love. Is it something that we can create and control, or is it something that is greater and beyond us as a race. These themes about life are carried beyond the human race, as was done in the book and the first movie.

I have always felt the book and first movie were full of philosophy. And, the latest installment carries that discussion forward.

There is also the underlying theme of power, and the controlling of another person’s life. The theme is played out, but it is the characterizations in the latest movie that cause me to not give Blade Runner 2049 the full on top score a movie can get. I felt our villain, Niander Wallace, was presented as a two-dimensional character.

Every character needs to have depth and give a why as to them taking the actions they take. Niander tells us he wants power to control a slave race so he, and thus humans, can expand through the stars. Okay. But, I might have missed something, but I was left asking, “why?” He is given to show acts of evil by killing a newborn replicant and a minion, along with having a minion kill police officers because they could. This came across as being a shallow portrayal. Even the K’s boss, Joshi, showed more depth as an antagonist to the story than Niander.

This leads me to question what is in store for future films. There have been statements of interest in doing another movie. It is unclear of which direction the movie would go in, but I would like to think that it will be handled in a similar fashion as the three books that were written by K.W. Jeter after the first movie to work on reconciling the differences between the Dick’s book and the original movie. For those interested the books are titled Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human, Blade Runner 3: Replicant Night, and Blade Runner 3: Eye and Talon.

Overall

Blade Runner 2049 is a three hour epic that continues a story into the future first presented by Philip K. Dick. It is a dark portrayal into a possible future where humans, as a race, have decimated ourselves and trying to deal with the problems we have created. The acting, directing, writing, cinematography, soundtrack, etc. all work to keep the storyline going.

I give Blade Runner 2049 (4.5 / 5)

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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 Ragnarok Waititi 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: Ragnarok  (4.5 / 5)

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In the film, actress Amanda (Paola Bontempi) is headed to a ceremony where she is to receive an award for an illustrious career. As her husband is delayed returning from a trip, she boards the limousine arriving at her house alone. She is unable to make any contact with the driver, then she slowly realizes that the drive is taking too long. It is perhaps not that surprising when a filtered voice comes over a speaker telling her there is no escape from the vehicle, and she must comply with whatever the voice asks.

The Glass Coffin is almost entirely confined to the limousine, and this setup is both strength and weakness, as the single, small location concept is more than a little familiar. The demands over the speaker lead Amanda where one might expect, but Zubillaga does show some admirable restraint in depicting the more unpleasant happenings inside the limo, and they are unpleasant indeed. The antagonist is also fairly easy to unmask, although the bizarre showdown in the third act defies convention. Writer Aitor Eneriz and Zubillaga mostly work around the inherent limitations of their scenario, and the director especially is up to the challenge. The limo feels appropriately small, but Zubillaga finds enough interesting places for his camera to keep things moving.

The real star here is Bontempi, and not just because she plays a dual role in a film with a cast that can be counted with a few fingers. Bontempi keeps the film on the rails, even during the out-of-control ending, and alternates between strength and vulnerability both believably and heartbreakingly. Zubillaga marches her into a real war, and she does not hesitate. Her performance as Amanda is key in sharpening the film’s question of how far we would go for personal gain, or revenge.

UGeek Rating: 7/10

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