Ignited #2 review!

Ignited was the spark that lit the Ignition Humanoids universe.  It followed 17 year old Anouk Lovari trying to adjust after her life was thrown into chaos with a school shooting.  Then, there were strange outbreaks of what Anouk thought might be connected to her classmates of Phoenix Academy High School.  She encountered a strange, multi-colored form.  Part 2 of the Triggered story features the group of students in normal form by Yanick Paquette.  The creative team is Mark Waid and Kwanza Osajyefo with Philippe Briones providing artwork.  The second issue doesn’t start picking up with the discovery in last issue.  Instead, it takes place “Now” with a detective questioning Marisol Flores over a black half-mask.  The detective finds of course that he can’t pressure a minor.  Still, no idea what is her possible powers and her connection to the others.  This was so disjointed from the first issue, I was confused, I can read two issues separated by two or three months, but this storytelling had me going back to the first issue to see what was going on.  It was difficult to identify the charaters in issue one without the help of the Free Comic Book Day issue.  I really feel here with the time shifts in the first issue that I missed six issues.  I hope there is more cohesion with the storyline in the future.  

The narrative shifts to Anouk speaking to Shai Fareda Hadane, this is conversation is of panel, and may be what occured at the end of last issue.  Shai explains his backstory, seen in black and white, where he was working at the school’s radio station.  A mysterious, shadowy figure shows up with a machine gun.  He is shot and then suddenly is swallowed by light.  Shai finds himself at his parent’s house when they hear the news.  He finds himself behind a screen and shatters the electronics.  Shai reforms his body in what he calls a “walking radio wave.”  This is interesting, working at the radio station may have affected his ability, the other hero that can turn into electical signals is the Marvel super heroine, Spectrum, Monica Rambeau.  We find out that Anouk was communicating with Shai through text messages on her phone.  She is about to leave for class when Anouk hears the announcement to return to class.  Also, there on the roof, is Callum Healy and Anouk asks him if he also saw lights before his powers ignited.  He says he saw lights.  At home, Anouk pulls out a data chip from her drawer and then begins to make a mask, a black sheep mask.   

At school, Anouk sees a student on top of a car roof speaking in a bullhorn, he asks about having safety at school.  Really such a disruption after all the events at the school, he would be quickly taken down by school security.  She fears that Callum might have to face fellow students like the student.  Anouk spots Himari Saito talking to an unknown student, this is Luther Ray Henschen.  Principal Romero tells his staff he wants names of the students causing the problems.  School finally lets out, but Anouk is confronted by a foolish student.  Callum helps her escape and then explains his origin story.  He tells Anouk that his mother is a nurse and so panels soaked in red show Callum trying to help a wounded student.  He is shot, but the bullets are taken by light, and Callum uses the light to heal the student.  Powers affecting body functions reminds me of character, Harlan Hackbarth, in the New Universe D.P.7 comic book, but he couldn’t heal people.  Anouk and Callum go to see the student demonstrating again.  She gets a warning from Shai on her phone.  @Viral and @Wave arrive in a DIY armored car.  They fire a cannon that sends out glowing origami birds.  They cut bloody marks that sends the crowd away.  We saw Himari make origami birds in the first issue so she must be teaming up with Luther Ray.  Anouk puts on her lamb mask to join Callum and his motorcross mask.  The heroes must face a new problem, the police have arrived!   There are some interesting moments, somewhat confusing, but I’m intrigued enough to follow where the series is going.       

Three Transparent Backpacks out of Five!  

#Ignited, #AnoukLovari, #CallumHealy, #LutherRayHenschen 

Stuber review!

Stuber features the team of Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjani and is equal parts action and funny!  Bautista is of course known for playing Drax, most recently in Avengers: Endgame, and also Blade Runner 2049 (2017).  Nanjiani is known as a comedian, he was absolutely brilliant in The Big Sick (2017) which he co-wrote and is also in Men in Black: International.  The success of the movie relies on the chemisty of Bautista and Nanjiani and I found them to interesting and funny!  The film is directed by Michael Dowse who also directed the comedy romance film What If (2013) and Take Me Home Tonight (2011).  The screenwriter is Tripper Clancy who co-wrote the action comedy Hot Dog (2018) and Four Against the Bank (2016).  It begins with two officers, Vic Manning (Bautista) and his partner, Sarah Morris (Karen Gillan) entering a Los Angeles hotel to arrest a drug kingpin.  Of course, it is interesting to see the Guardians of the Galaxy co-stars in an ordinary world setting.  They tell the desk clerk not to alert the room of Oka Teijo.  

They go up the elevator and are ambushed.  Vic gets into a brawling match with a henchmen who has marital arts prowess.  Sarah is in a gunfight with Teijo who is played by Iko Uwais who is legendary from The Raid (2011) and was also in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).  As a villain, Uwais is more than a match for Bautista, so is deadly to everyone he meets.  The fight scenes at the beginning and end of the film propel Stuber away from other standard action movies.   Teijo manages to escape from Staples Center with tragic consequences for Vic.  It shifts to six months later and we get Vic missing every shot at the shooting range.  He talks to his captain, Angie McHenry, interestingly played by Mira Sorvino.  She is an acting veteran from many films , but starred in the horror movie, Look Away (2018) and also 6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain (2017).  McHenry explains that the case is being taken away from Vic by the FBI.  The role has some unexpected complexity.  

Vic goes to his Lasik eye surgery to correct his vision, given special glasses, and told his vision will be corrected when he reads the last line of a vision card. This is an interesting flaw for an action hero and provides for some comedy.  Vic meets with his daughter, Nicole (Natalie Morales) at a Chinese restaurant.  Morales was in the real life drama, Battle of the Sexes (2017), and stars as Anne Garcia in the Santa Clarita Diet series.  She is having an art exhibition at Santa Monica and wants her father to attend.  Nicole sets Vic up with an Uber account so he can get a ride to her exhibition.  I really like Vic’s clumsiness with using cell phones though it doesn’t make too much sense being a police detective.  Then, we get our other protagonist, Stu (Nanjiani), who works at a sporting good store, run by his overbearing boss, Richie Sandusky (Jimmy Tatro).  “Stuber” is the name Richie gives to Stu.  The actor is in The Real Bros of Simi Valley and was also in the comedy action movie 22 Jump Street (2014).  

Stu gets a call from his friend, Becca (Betty Gilpin), who of course he is interested in a relationship, but ignored by her.  Gilpin plays Debbie Eagan in GLOW and was also in this year’s romantic comedy, Isn’t It Romantic.  Becca calls about her boyfriend.  She later talks with Stu at the store and gets the papers signed for co-ownership with Stu for her workout gym, Spin-sters.  Stu also works as an Uber driver with his new leased electric car and his first ride is Richie.  Then, he gets more rides searching for his Five Star rating.  I think the movie should be called Five Star or Five Star Rides.  Vic is resting at his apartment and gets a call from a contact, Leon (Amin Joseph) that something major is happening with Teijo.  He races to get to his car, but of course swerves all over the street and ends up in some street construction. Of course, Stu gets called in to drive for Vic, who finds out that he ordered an Uber Pool with hilarious consequences.  Stu, Vic calls him Steve, leisurely drives to the warehouse even though Vic stresses that he is in a hurry on a police matter.  They reach the warehouse and Stu waits outside, worried about checking on Becca who has broken up with her boyfriend.  

Vic stumbles on the body of Leon and has Stu drive him to a strip club.  He doesn’t realize that it is not a strip club like he might think.  Vic brings Stu into the club because he thinks he might drive away.  Stu manages to explain his situation with Becca with one of the strippers, Felix (Steve Howey), who is provides very funny advice.  Howey was in the Netflix comedy, Game Over, Man! (2018) and is in the series Shameless.  Next, they head over to a house, Stu stays in his car, and Vic enters to find Amo Cortez (Rene Moran).  The actor was in the drama Icebox (2018) and the comedy CHIPS (2017).  Vic takes Amo into custody after finding the mistreatment of his dog.  He takes the dog and brings Amo to the car.  He gives Stu a small gun to threaten Amo.  I found myself siding with Stu, he is understanding of feelings and interactions with people, but then becomes shrill and petulant.  Vic is hard edged and finds himself distant from his daughter, but of course both characters learn from each other.  Stuber offers a fun ride for audiences!    

Three Stars out of Five! 

#Stuber, #MichaelDawse, #DaveBautista, #KumailNanjiani

Happy Birthday Sir Patrick Stewart OBE!

Happy Birthday Sir Patrick Stewart OBE!  He began as an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company and started acting on television with a 1967 episode of Coronation Street.  Stewart had the lead in the adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South (1975).  He had a brief part as King Leondegrance, father of Guinevere in John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981).  Then, he was Gurney Halleck, ally to Paul Artredies, in David Lynch’s Dune (1984).  Next, Stewart was Dr. Armstrong in Tobe Hopper’s horror film, Life-force (1985).  Stewart had a long running part as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994).  He had a cameo as King Richard in Mel Brooks’ comedy, Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).  Stewart starred in Star Trek films teaming up with William Shatner’s Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Generations (1994).  He played Prospero in The Tempest on Broadway in 1995.  Stewart also won a Grammy for narrating Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf.  Then, he starred in one of the finest of the Next Gen films, Star Trek: First Contact (1996) clashing with the Borg during Earth’s first contact with Zefram Cochrane.   

Next, was Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). He voiced Seti in the Dreamworks’ animated film, The Prince of Egypt (1998).  In 2000, Stewart took the part of Professor Charles Xavier launching another franchise in X-Men.  He was made Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2001.  The last Next Gen film was Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).  Then, he returned as Professor X in X-Men 2 (2003). He played Henry in the tv adaptation of the brilliant play The Lion in Winter (2003).  Next, he was directed by Russell Mulcahy in the tv movie of Mysterious Island (2005).  Stewart voiced Mr. Woolensworth in Disney’s animated film, Chicken Little (2005).  He was Professor Ian Hood investigating sci fi mysteries in Eleventh Hour (2006).  Stewart starred in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). He shared the stage with Ian McKellan in Waiting for Godot in 2009.  He was knighted in 2010 by Queen Elizabeth II.  Stewart also voiced Bill Shakespeare in the animated Gnomeo & Juliet (2011).  Stewart provided many voices on the Family Guy animated series (2005-2014). He returned as Professor X in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) trying to save the future. Stewart’s final time as Charles Xavier was in Logan (2017). He is of course returning to another fan favorite role with Star Trek: Picard, Happy Birthday Sir Patrick Stewart!

#PatrickStewart, #StarTrekTheNextGeneration, #Logan, #StarTrekPicard 

Happy Birthday Harrison Ford!

Happy Birthday Harrison Ford!  He started out in television and one of his early film roles was in A Time for Killing (1967) playing Lt. Shaffer, a Confederate soldier trying to escape to the Mexican border.  Ford, it is well known, decided to become a carpenter, but took the part of Bob Falfa in George Lucas’ American Graffiti (1973).  He had an iconic role of course as Han Solo in Star Wars (1977).  He returned to the role in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978).  Ford had a cameo role in Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) playing a soldier identified as G.Lucas.  Next, he starred alongside Gene Wilder in The Frisco Kid (1979). He returned to Star Wars in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). In 1981, Ford took another iconic role as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark.  He starred in a dystopian sci fi film playing Rick Deckard in Blade Runner (1981).  Then, completed the Star Wars trilogy with Return of the Jedi (1983).  Ford returned with the bullwhip in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).  

Next, he turned to drama with the Peter Weir directed films, Witness (1985), and The Mosquito Coast (1986). Ford also went into comedy with the Mike Nichols’ Working Girl (1988).  He finished the Indiana Jones trilogy with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).  Then, he starred in the Tom Clancy adaptation, Patriot Games (1992), playing Jack Ryan.  Ford played an older Indiana Jones in the episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, “Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues” (1993).  He played Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive (1993).  Next, Ford was in the next Jack Ryan film, Clear and Present Danger (1994).  Ford played President James Marshall in Wolfgang Petersen’s action film, Air Force One (1997).  He ventured back into sci fi with Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens (2011) which adapted a comic book.  Ford played Colonel Graff in the adaptation of the sci fi novel, Ender’s Game (2013).  He made an incredible return as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).  Ford also returned in another sci fi film, as Rick Deckard, in the brilliant Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve.  This year, on May 31st, Ford was at the opening ceremony for Galaxy's Edge and gave a touching tribute to Peter Mayhew for their beloved starship now flown by others!  Ford voices the Rooster in The Secret Life of Pets 2.  Next year, he plays John Thornton in Call of the Wild directed by Chris Sanders and based on the Jack London novel.  Harrison Ford has brought us many iconic roles so Happy Birthday Harrison Ford!   

#HarrisonFord, #StarWarsTheForceAwakens, #BladeRunner2049

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Paramount Studios Tour!

I have been to the Universal Studios Tour with its tram for years, I really like the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and visited the Disney and Sony lot, so the last major studio I have not visited was Paramount Studios.  I have driven past Paramount Studios countless times and didn’t know it had a studio tour.  It is in a small building to the left of the main gate on Melrose Boulevard.  After passing a security check-in, you can check your reservation or buy your ticket, and then get your badge and lanyard.  The room next door is for waiting until your tour.  It has a row of costumes; Uhura’s outfit and Spock’s uniform from Star Trek: Beyond (2016), and the green dress of Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt’s suit from Allied (2016).  There are plaques on the wall showing some of the history of Paramount Pictures.  The next room has a wall sized screen showing the movies from the studio. 

Paramount Pictures, studio gate, photo by the author. 

There are three displays; the headress from The Ten Commandments, three props from Star Trek: Beyond, and a mask from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. On the opposite wall is a shelf of Academy Awards; The Godfather and the Braveheart trophy was being cleaned.  This particular day, there was no filming, so I thought this would be a great time to see the studio without any part being blocked off.  The guide takes you to the next room to talk to your group and show the ceiling panel from the Paramount Studios fire.  There was also props from Transformers and Terminator: Gensiys.  Then, you are taken outside to board a cart.  The guide drives you over to the Paramount Studios gate that was in  Sunset Blvd. (1950) and other films.  This is a photo op and also the guide takes you to the screening theater.  The group was shown on the guide’s ipad the scene from Clear and Present Danger that used the interior of the theater as a hotel lobby.  

Uhura costume from Star Trek: Beyond, photo by the author. 

Then, the tour group was taken to the New York street and shown the inside of a building.  Next, the guide took the group on a tour of the Grace and Frankie sets of the Netflix show.  The group was cautioned not to take pictures and there is a security guard that watched over the sets.  There is the house of the men with the backyard and the beachside women’s house which had a faux beach outside and a blue screen.  Next to the beach was rows of costumes.  One stop was by Stage 30 and 31 where the group could take a pic of the Hollywood sign which the guide said Paramount is the only studio where you could see the sign.  The last stop was a building of large props.  There was a large Bumblebee and the Optimus Prime truck from Transformers.  Next to Bumblebee was a throne from Gladiator.  Then, there was the Transporter Room from Star Trek: Beyond.  Behind the Transporter Room was the stone casket of Merlin from Transformers: The Last Knight.  The Paramount Studios Tour is an interesting look at a famous studio.   

Optimus Prime truck from Transformers, photo by the author. 

#ParamountStudiosTour, #StarTrekBeyond, #GraceandFrankie, #Gladiator

The Outpost, “We Only Kill to Survive”, Review!

It is season 2 of The Outpost, Talon is the last of the Blackbloods, she travels to The Outpost to hunt down her people’s killers, and manages to summon a demon called Lu-Qiri.  Then, her ally Gwynn becomes queen, and leads the soldiers against Everit Dred and the Prime Order.  Talon’s friend, Janzo, has discovered the life cycle of the drug colipsum.  The finale had the strange girl companion of Dred, Ilyn, say she is the Dragman!   Riders go through the snow and Captain Garret Spears (Jake Stormoen) checks on tracks.  He sees the corpse of Lord Abdonn and rides on.  They reach a fortress and Garret takes out his sword and a torch.  He is hunting Dred in the dark tunnels.  Dred (Philip Brodie) and his henchmen cut down Garret’s soldiers and they get into a duel.  

Garret is about to finish off Dred, but is cut down by Essa Khan (Sonalii Castillo), the hunter who works for Dred.  Somehow, I think Garret survives, but I’m not certain how.  Day at the Gallwood Outpost, Talon (Jessica Green) checks a necklace and tries to talk to Ilyn (Elizabeth Birkner). She has given her a name to call a Lu-Qiri.  Her temple glows and she opens a portal naming the insectoid demon.  Out of the portal is a woman (Lilly Hollunder).  This is a new complication, not only demons, but there are Blackbloods for some reason.  Talon flashes back to when she was younger (Bella Padden), in the snow hunting.  Her human father and son try to loose arrows at the Rennic, a deer-like beast, he tells Talon, “We only kill to survive.”  Talon’s arrow that finds its mark.  They return with the beast and its meat, Talon goes to fill water buckets, and sees the family dead.  

THE OUTPOST - - “We Only Kill to Survive” - - JESSICA GREEN, ANAND DESAI-BAROCHIA - -  Aleksander Letic/NBCU International © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesty of Electric Entertainment. 

 

There is a Blackblood (Milos Timotijevic) in black leather, he wants the secret that her mother gave to her, young Talon tries to escape and throws a dagger that kills him.  The woman Blackblood has joined the Lu-Qiri.  Talon admits she killed the Blackblood with the same mark on his cheek, her brother, Varlek.  The Blackblood commands the Lu-Qiri to attack and knocks Talon away.  She holds a spear to Talon!  Janzo (Anand Desai-Barochia) is busy telling the story of Talon kissing him to the imprisoned Plagueling.  He sets off an explosion and is helped up by Naya (Amita Suman). A new actress for the character!  She tells him Queen Rosmund, who was Gwynn, wants to see him.  This brings us up to date with some of the many characters.  Rosmund (Imogen Waterhouse) walks with the re-appointed Marshal Whythers (Andrew Howard).  

He wants to give the soldiers some time to rest.  Janzo and Naya appear wanting more Plagueling subjects.  The queen wants Whythers to find the traitor.  In dark hall, a man (Nikola Rakocevic) takes some of the drug, colipsum, before he is knocked out.  The man wakes up next to Plaguelings.  A bearded man, Munt (Adam Johnson), sets him against a cage of Plaguelings, the Mistress (Robyn Malcolm) calls him Brogan.  She tells him that it is a colipsum farm.  Munt has a message for another shipment to Greyskins, troll-like creatures.  Janzo revives Talon.  The glow shifts to heal the cut on her head.  Talon updates Janzo about the situation and needs to find the Dragman taken by the rival Blackblood woman.  In the snow, Talon tracks the prints of the Blackblood and the Dragman, the woman says she has come to free the rest of her people.  

THE OUTPOST -- “We Only Kill to Survive” -- MILOS TIMOTIJEVIC, BELLA PADDEN 

--  Aleksander Letic/NBCU International © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesty of Electric Entertainment. 

The Lu-Qiri drops down to protect the woman.  Talon finds that the Blackblood has ordered the demon not to kill her.  Talon retreats.  This looks like an ongoing threat with the complication of Dred and the Prime Order.  Talon and Janzo appear at the gate and are taken to the queen.  Rosmund tries to smooth things over with Garret.  Talon explains what happened with the portal.  She leaves vowing to return the Dragman.  In the morning, the queen reviews the troops and gives one tired soldier a day off.  The gate opens and a soldier rides in.  He explains that Garret has died.  Whythers strikes the soldier until he is pulled off.  Talon asks who killed Garret and he says it was Dred. The winds howl outside of Gallwood Outpost.  

There is a knock at the door, but Queen Rosmund ignores it, so Marshall Wythers enters.  He wants to go out to bring back his son’s body.  She wants to send soldiers.  Rosmund hugs Whythers in sorrow.  Talon gets her horse saddled to go with Wythers.  He tells Talon that Dred is back at the Capitol.  Wythers wants Talon to stay to help Gwynn and rides alone.  Talon asks Janzo to bring her drinks and Rosmund joins her.  They play cards.  Rosmund is taking a bath attended by Naya.  They discuss strategies.  Naya suggests calling for riders to rise up against the Prime Order.  In the morning forest, the Blackblood talks to the Dragman, and she says there is no time from the Plane of Ashes.  The woman says that Talon will give her the way to open portals or the Dragman will be in danger!  This is an interesting continuation of the fantasy series.          

Four Daggers out of Five! 

#TheOutpost, #WeOnlyKilltoSurvive, #AmitaSuman, #LillyHollunder   

Anna Review!

Anna is a strong action movie that takes its place alongside writer and director, Luc Besson’s work like La Femme Nikita (1990)!  Unfortunately, the controversy around him has hidden the film from audiences.  Besson’s last film was Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) which seems to expand on his earlier sci fi movie, The Fifth Element (1997).   In the same way, it seems that Besson is developing the premise of La Femme Nikita, which spun off to a series (1997-2001), an American remake in 1993, and another series (2010-2013).  Nikita was a woman sentenced to death, but instead taken away to be trained to be an assassin.  She is trained by a woman also in the same circumstances as Nikita and she develops a secret life with her boyfriend so Nikita eventually wants to escape the spy life. 

It begins with 1985 in Paris, an agent is informed by Leonard Miller (Cillian Murphy) of the CIA that her cover is blown, then agents are taken across Paris, one is translating a conference.  The agent reaches the embassy and the guard goes to check her clearance and then her car is rammed by truck.  She is taken to head of the KGB, Vassilev (Eric Godon), the actor played Yuri for In Bruges (2008).  The agent agrees to Vassilev’s terms and Miller gets a package to show him the failure of the agents keeping undercover.  This is a dramatic opening for a spy movie and shows the rivalry between the two agencies.  It is also something to keep in mind since we don’t have to the two heads until later in the film.  

ANNA -- SASHA LUSS -- Shanna Besson/Lionsgate.

This shifts to sometime later, in Moscow, a man goes to a market and discovers a woman reading a book at a stall selling Matryoshka nesting dolls.  This is Anna  Poliatova played by Sasha Luss.  She was in Besson’s last film as Princess Lihö-Minaa, a CG character, and also a `Candy Dress’ character in the Paradise Alley scene.  Luss was the only actor to give interviews about the movie and she offers some complexity to the spy character.  The time shifts back and forth reflect the cross and double-crossing in the spy world.  Also, the symbolism of the dolls is not lost.  There is something pretty about Luss with closeups of her as a working girl or this is one of Anna’s deceptions.  

He offers her a job at a modeling agency and his assistant, Nika (Anna Krippa) introduces her to her apartment which is crowded.  She sees the knife mark on her wrist and Anna says it was a mistake when she was younger.  Models sleep on the floor, Nika explains that they are going on a flight to a shoot, and Anna eyes her roommate, Maud (Lera Abova).  It is Abova’s first movie.  They are off to a shoot with a photographer who snaps photos with Anna of course being a natural.  Assistants put her in various dresses and it is Luss is of course known as a fashion model so I wonder if she brings that knowledge not only to her character, but the story.  

She later goes to a party with Maud and meets with the agency owner, Oleg (Andrew Howard).  He later takes her to his hotel room, they have had a relationship for four months, and he of course wants to take it further.  Anna goes to the restroom and returns to shoot Oleg.  This flashes back to Anna’s time with abusive boyfriend, Petyr (Alexander Petrov).  He says that he took from working the streets and that she should be thankful to him.  Anna attempts to send an application to the Navy since her departed father was an officer.  Petyr drives up to Anna holding groceries and wants her to get into his new Mercedes Benz.  There are two other boys and a girl in the car.  Apparently, she told him about the job or he is cheating with her.  

The boys take out a beaten man from the Mercedes Benz trunk.  Petyr and his boys are trying to force him to give his ATM number.  They have brought guns which of course gets the police to shoot the boys.  Anna slams the head of the girl and throws her out of the car.  Petyr speeds away with Anna, but they get into an accident.  The camera work by Thierry Arbogast is impresssive in the crash.  They manage to return to Petyr’s apartment, he goes to get their things to leave the apartment, and Anna finds that a Russian agent, Alexander “Alex” Tchenkov (Luke Evans). The actor is known for playing Owen Shaw in The Fate of the Furious (2017).  He offers a chance to devote her life working for the KGB.  Alex, who becomes Anna’s mentor, is similar to Bob in Nikita.   

Alex asks Olga to complete Anna’s training.  Olga is like Nikita’s Amande, but in this case it is Olga played by Helen Mirren.  She of course is a well known actress who is also in the upcoming Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw which opens on August 2nd.  Her character very much reminds me of Anjelica Huston’s Director in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.  A leader of a group who is more deadly than all of her assassins with just her words.  Olga has contempt for Anna and tests her knowledge with Anna countering with a passage from the playwright Anton Chekhov.  Anna surprises Olga with her knowledge which she may or may not have gotten from her training.  Alex is impressed.  Anna explains that her father taught her chess.  Olga later explains to Anna that she underwent the same kind of harsh training.  Her trainer sent her to the snow which had a bear trap that clamped on her leg so she walked with it back to her trainer.  It flashes forward to Anna being questioned by CIA agent Miller.  Murphy is known for playing Robert Fischer in Inception (2010).  It is an impressive supporting cast.  

He questions her about her appearance walking into a hotel in video camera footage.  Also what she knows about the death of a Russian man, Oleg (Andrew Howard), the actor is from the fantasy series The Outpost.  Anna says it is coincedence that she was there when he died.  The rest of the hotel camera footage was deleted and Anna is free to go.  One of Olga’s tests for Anna is to assassinate Oleg in the hotel.  We get her walking up to him with the gun, but no bullets!, she has to fight close combat with the bodyguards.  Luss has a Anna turned into a whirlwind, using plates and other objects to block and slice enemies, her fighting style is like a female John Wick.  It is a chess game of trying to find out who is matching whom and what are the motives behind them?  Anna asks Alex if he will be on her side if she leaves the agency and he says he will do his best for her.  It is interesting to see Anna’s tropical vacation with girlfriend Maud because is the time with her what Anna is really trying to achieve?  Anna captures Besson’s female spy film ideals on what disguises we use with other people and how we can keep our true identity with all of the disguises!   

Four Nesting Dolls out of Five!

#AnnaMovie, #LucBesson, #SashaLuss, #LukeEvans, #HelenMirren, #CillianMurphy 

Video Game Review - Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Part 2!

We covered the basics and starting the mobile game, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2019/06/video-game-review-harry-potter-wizards.html.  Now, let’s get into the more advanced play.  The helpful screen opens up several icons; Vault, Profession, Potions, Registry, and Portkeys.  You have to manage your Vault; you have there Potions, Ingredients, used to brew potions, Utility, keys used for Portkeys, Runestones, again to enter Wizarding Challenges, and Seeds and Water, which you need to plant rare ingredients at Greenhouses.  You might have too much of Ingredients and Seeds and Water so you can click Manage on the item and delete a number of the items.  Which brings you to brewing potions, click on the icon and start brewing up potions, this is part of the Daily Assignments which you can find with the checklist on the right with the main screen.  If you have collected enough Ingredients you can start brewing potions in your cauldron.  There are a few available like the Healing Potion, there is also the Extimulo and Strong Extimulo Potions.  They help with your spell casting.  Also note that brewing potions may take a few hours.  Some of the Ingredients for the potions may be found in the greenhouses if you make the right selection of the plotted plants.  

The Registry shows you the different sections of Exploration; Care of Magical Creatures, Dark Arts, Hogwarts School, Legends of Hogwarts, Ministry of Magic, Magiczoolgy (Newt’s Case), Magical Games and Sports, Mysterious Artifacts, Wonders of the Wizarding World, and Oddities.  Note that you may need to scroll down from each one to see the three other screens!  Also note that there is on the lower menu; Exploration, Challenges, books, Mysteries, where you gather clues about Grim Fawley, and Events with the next Brilliant Event: Fantastic Flora and Fauna!  Then, you have Profession, there are three; Auror,  Magizoologist, and Professor.  You start learning lessons, in the case of the Professor, Principles of Professorship, you use Spell Books and Scrolls to go through the various lessons.  This opens up some powerful spells for you, the Professor can use a Deterioration Hex in Wizarding Challenges that damages opponents when they use spells or spells are sent at them!  There is also the Mending Charm that helps heal you or teammates. Portkeys, you find them in random places, you use a Gold or Silver Key (which you get as part of your usual rewards) to start them, and then have to walk a certain distance to activate them; 2K, 7K, and 10K.  Once they activate, you walk in and see a room or other place where you search for glowing "wrackspurts" that are under chimneys and hidden in cages.  You spin your phone 360 degrees to find them.  It is basically finding five wrackspurts, instead of winning Traces.  

There are Inns, they are different colored slope-roofed houses, you enter one and cast a spell to select a dish to give you Spell Energy.  Pumpkin juice and Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans gets 3 Spell Energy.  Once you had a meal, there is smoke in the chimney that is there until the countdown is over, and you go back for more Spell Energy.  You can also place a Dark Detector there to draw out Foundables.  Greenhouses are glass buildings, you enter and choose between three potted plants, you might get Spell Energy and some seeds.  On the bottom right is a Plant button, you tap it, to get to plant some seeds of rare or needed Ingredients.  You are told what potion could be brewed from the Ingredient.  You can then cast Herbivicus to increase the number of Ingredients, also to help out someone who has already planted seeds.  Note that it takes several hours for a magical plant to grow and you have a half hour to collect it.  So, let’s get to Fortresses and the Wizarding Challenges!  The Fortresses are tall, castle-like structures on pointed cones.  You pay the Runestone, there are different types, Care of Magical Creatures and Legends of Hogwarts similiar to Exploration Registry.  Also, levels, I’ve collected 1-5, the higher the level, the higher the difficulty.    

Once you enter the Fortress, you can see your opponents, if you have a team you can drop Mending Charms on them or you, and Deterioration Hexes on opponents (very effective!).  The next part is very tricky since I was unfamiliar with mobile games.  You get an opponent like a Dark Wizard, Pixie, or Werewolf.  You have to slide across the very top of the screen to activate the target, drag it down and then lock it on the opponent’s target circle.  It is not easy with the Pixie which flies around and very easy with the Werewolf who is so busy howling that you can lock on without problem.  I didn’t know this for five times, two days, two Youtube videos, and reading two online articles so I was just defending until I gave up.  The other thing to keep in mind is that this is all timed, you may have three opponents going into a Wizarding Challenge.  You cast your spell and damage your opponent.  Check their health bars at the top and also your health bar!  It is easy to lose track of your health and I got Knocked Out several times.  Then, you have counter attacks with a Protego.  This happens after almost every one of your attacks.  The upside is you get some good loot for finishing a Challenge.  Also, it is one of the Daily Assignments.  Now, there is a special event, Brilliant Event: Fantastic Flora and Fauna, is now running, starting on July 3rd and ending on July 10th.  There are special creatures to find like Buckbeak which are difficult to free from chains with Alohomora spells.  Plus, he had 10 fragments.  A very fun game that has me checking my phone nearly all the time.    

#HarryPotterWizardsUnite, #GrimFawley, #Fortress, #FantasticFloraandFauna

Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!

Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!  Her first film was in the Jerry Lewis French comedy, Par où t'es rentré ? On t'a pas vu sortir (1984) translated as How Did You Get In? We Didn't See You Leave.  Her first US film was The Devil’s Advocate (1997) co-starring with Al Pacino in the horror film.  Then, Nielsen was in the sci fi action film Soldier (1998) stranded on an alien planet.  She followed it up with Brian De Palma’s brilliant sci fi tale, Mission to Mars (2000) alongside Gary Sinise and Don Cheadle.  I find it more fascinating than The Martian (2015).  Next, Nielsen had her break through role as Lucilla in Gladiator (2000).  In 2002, she played Nina Yorkin in the thriller, One Hour Photo.  

Connie Nielsen had a role as Detective Dani Beck in 2006 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.  Then, Nielsen starred as Meredith Kane in the television drama Boss (2011-2012).  She had the role of cult leader, Lily Gray, in The Following (2014).  In The Good Wife she played Ramona Lytton from 2014-2015.  She returned to genre films playing Queen Hippolyta in Wonder Woman (2017) and also Justice League (2017).  Nielsen perfectly embodied the leader of the Amazons.  She is in the biography, The Catcher Was a Spy (2018).  This year, she was in the mini-series, I Am the Night, playing Corinna Hodel, who wraps her niece, Fauna, into the dark world of a tense Los Angeles.  Next year, she returns as Hippolyta in Wonder Woman 1984!  Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!

#ConnieNielsen, #Gladiator, #IAmtheNight, #WonderWoman1984 

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!  The first film of Margot Robbie was the Australian independent film, Vigilante (2008).  She starred as Donna Brown on the well known soap opera Neighbours (2008-2011).  Robbie started in the U.S. with the drama series, Pan Am (2011-2012), playing Laura Cameron.  She played Charlotte in About Time (2013) before breaking out in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).  Ann Burden, the lead wandering the post-apocalyptic world of Z for Zachariah (2015) based on the Robert O’Brien novel set in an apocalyptic world.  

She had a lead role in Focus (2015) with co-star Will Smith.  Next, she was Jane Clayton in The Legend of Tarzan (2016) directed by David Yates.  Another break out role was as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad (2016).  She had award attention with her lead in I, Tonya.  Margot played the mother, Daphne Milne, in the drama, Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017).  This year she was in the Terminal a noir thriller film about different people caught up in a sinister plan.  She plays actress Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood which comes out on July 26th! Next year, Robbie returns as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)! Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!  

#MargotRobbie, #TheWolfofWallStreet, #SuicideSquad, #OnceUponaTimeinHollywood

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!   She started out as a model and was in her father, Steven Tyler’s Aerosmith music videos, next Tyler was Corey Mason in the record store drama, Empire Records (1995).  Then, Tyler was in Bernardo Bertolucci’s drama, Stealing Beauty (1996).  Next, she played Faye Dolan, costumer for the band, the Wonders, in Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do! (1996).  She had a genre role in the sci fi action film Armageddon (1998).  In 2001, Tyler had the part of Arwen in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). Arwen was about to leave Middle Earth with the rest of the Elves in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).  Tyler finished the trilogy with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). 

Liv Tyler was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations in 2003.  Tyler co-starred with Ben Affleck in Jersey Girl (2004) directed by Kevin Smith.  She returned the Marvel Cinematic Universe playing Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk (2008).  Then, Tyler was in the comedy Super (2010).  She was then in the comedy Robot & Frank (2012).  Tyler was in the 70’s style sci fi comedy, Space Station 76 (2014).  She played Meg Abbott in the tv series The Leftovers (2014-2017) dealing with the mysterious disappearance of some of the global population.  Tyler was in the Gunpowder (2017) mini-series about Guy Fawkes.  In 2018, Tyler was in the drama film Wilding which she also produced.  She also plays Lady Isabella Fitwilliam in season 2 of the series Harlots.  This year, she is in the sci fi movie, Ad Astra, out on September 20th.  Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!     

#LivTyler, #TheLordoftheRingsTheFellowshipoftheRing, #TheLeftovers, #AdAstra

Annabelle Comes Home Review!

Annabelle Comes Home is not far from a home of horror, but has enough of a story to sidestep somewhat tense terrors. Annabelle of is a supernatural relic recovered by the Warrens, Ed and Lorraine, in 1968. It was the subject of the first movie in the series, The Conjuring (2013) and spun off to its own movies; Annabelle (2014) and Annabelle: Creation (2017) both written by Gary Dauberman, who takes the director’s chair in this film. He co-wrote the movie with James Wan who directed the first two Conjuring films. Dauberman also co-wrote the screenplay for It (2017) and wrote the upcoming It: Chapter Two, out on September 6th.  

The movie is fictional, but has some real life characters. Conjuring 3 is the next movie in the franchise directed by Michael Chaves who also directed The Curse of La Llorona which was released on April 19th. The film opens with the extreme close-up of Annabelle, this is similar to The Conjuring, which nearly had me walking out of the theater. It continues with Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) explaining the nature of Annabelle to her current owners, Camilla (Sade Katarina) and Debbie (Kenzie Caplan). This is a repeat of the scene from the first movie with new actors. Wilson was last in Aquaman (2018), directed by Wan, playing King Orm and Farmiga is in Godzilla: King of the Monsters released on May 31st. It is welcome to see the return of both actors, but they are cameos here.   

The music by Joseph Bishara, who composed five of the Conjuring movies, is tense and moody. They take the doll and place Annabelle in the back seat of the station wagon. Driving on the night roads, they come across an accident, Lorraine can see the victim of the car crash standing. The couple is directed to take roads around the accident and of course the car stalls. Ed gets out to check on the engine and Lorraine notices that they happen to have stopped next to a cemetary.  

She sees the car accident victim in the backseat who admires the doll. Then, Lorraine sees spirits collecting at the cemetary gate, one pushes Ed into the middle of the road. 

A truck is about to run him over and the driver later says he lost control of the truck.  At their house, their daughter, Judy (McKenna Grace) watches as they bring in Annabelle. Grace played a young Carol Danvers in this year’s Captain Marvel. She plays the young protagonist who understands her parents’ work. Ed and Lorraine take Annabelle down to the basement room with Father Gordon (Steve Coulter) performing the ceremonies. Coulter is returning to the part from The Conjuring 2 (2016). They set her on a rocking chair, but then decide to put her in a case from a church. Lorraine announces, “The evil is contained.”

 It shifts to one year later, Judy is eating cereal watching television, beneath the bowl is a newspaper headline, “Heroes or Hoax?”  Her parents are about to set off to another case?, the events of the first movie, and intend to celebrate Judy’s birthday. Watching over Judy is her teen babysitter, Mary Ellen, played by Madison Iseman. The actress played Sarah in Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) and is returning to play Young Bethany in Jumanji: The Next Level on December 13th. Mary Ellen is concerned over Judy which makes her interesting. On the television is a game show where a young contestant wins a doll, this happens to be the giant Raggedy Ann doll like the real life Annabelle. 

She drives Judy over to the St. Thomas school. During lunch, Judy looks over and see the spectral form of a priest. Mary Ellen goes to get some groceries for the party. She is joined by her friend, Daniela (Katie Sarife), who likes making trouble, but we find there is something more driving her.  Sarife is in the series Youth & Consequences and was in the tv movie Zombies and Cheerleaders (2012). These are basically the three main characters and there are enough story points that made all of the characters likeable for me. Daniela tries to get the grocery clerk, Bob (Michael Cimino) hooked up with Mary Ellen, they have a crush on each other. Bob has a nickname that runs through the movie and lives across the street from the Warrens. His character is kinda fun.  

Then, by the lockers, Judy is taunted by a boy (Lucas Luhan). Mary Ellen sends them away and Judy notices again the priest, whom she also sees as a bust, Father Michael Morrisey (the actor’s name is really Gary-7). At the Warren home, Mary Ellen discusses the bullying with Judy, they are joined by Daniela who notes that the bully is her younger brother, Anthony. She is interested in all of the supernatural trappings in the seemingly normal surburban house. Daniela wanders into the office and Mary Ellen goes in to find her. They see case files, Daniela points out the file of the Ferryman, his first victim looks exactly like Mary Ellen!  

She wonders about the coins placed on the eyes of the departed and Judy answers that they are for the payment of the Ferryman, Charon in the Greek myths. There are a number of paranormal forces introduced in this film, I wonder if one or more will lead to The Conjuring 3. Daniela activates the film projector that shows Ed holding up a cross and screaming to drive away evil. Mary Ellen seeing Judy disturbed by it turns off the projector. Later, in the kitchen, Mary Ellen is preparing a cake when Daniela brings roller skates for Judy.  Mary Ellen takes Judy out to try the new skates and has Daniela promise not to cause trouble.  

Annabelle at The Conjuring Universe maze, Horror Made Here, 2018, author’s photo.  

Of course, she goes to try to open the door to the artifact room, it is locked and she asks the spirits for help to open it. Then, she goes to the office and almost by accident finds the keys. Daniela opens the door and down the steps into the room. There is the black samurai armor, she finds coins on one of them, and she sees a television screen. A wedding dress hangs in the back. She plays two keys of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” on a piano. We find out that Daniela is eager to contact the spirit of her father. 

She folds a picture of herself and her father in a locket called the Mourner’s Bracelet. Daniela’s attention of course leads to the case with Annabelle. It has a warning not to open it, but later Annabelle’s head bumps into the glass, Daniela goes to open it with the keys. She is distracted by the fire alarm going off with the burnt cake. Mary Ellen has returned and mentions that Judy has scrapped her leg. She hears a knock at the door and then sees a little girl (Samara Lee) who asks about Annabelle. Lee was in Annabelle: Creation (2017). 

Daniela goes out to check on Judy feeding the chickens in the chicken coop.  It is interesting to see the teen best friend talking to the young charge. Mary Ellen walks over to them and Daniela sees the image of her father through the office window.  We find out that Annabelle is a “beacon” to other spirits. They have to return her before the evils are unleashed. The terror is just tension, but doesn’t get into full scares. I like the resolution for the characters even if there is not the types of horror in The Conjuring. Annabelle Comes Home is decent as an entry in The Conjuring Universe, the character trio keeps the movie going, but there is not enough scares to earn its R rating!  

Three Coins for the Ferryman out of Five!  

#AnnabelleComesHome, #GaryDauberman, #McKennaGrace, #MadisonIseman, #KatieSarife, #MichaelCimino, #VeraFarmiga, #PatrickWilson