Phil Villarreal's Blog, page 65

PHIL ON FILM: Shows Leaving Netflix in January 2020

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"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

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Book Report: "It"

It by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"It" is a young Stephen King's sprawling treatise on the connections between youth and middle age, the fragility and power of friendship and sinister monstrosities that lurk in the hearts, minds and imaginations of men.

King shows off his ear for the way the kids of the 1950s spoke, acted, played, hid and fought, as well as the ways yuppies of the 1980s schemed, maneuvered, bonded and bickered. The parallelism he uses to spin the tale is so elegant and rhythmic that it would be just about impossible for a movie to simulate. Maybe a 10-hour miniseries could do it justice, but we'll probably never see a better telling of the tale than in these pages.

The only flaws come in the scattershot nature of the antagonist's methods and origins. Awkward attempts to rationalize and explain the creature's nonsensical modus operandi just cause more confusion. He would have better served the mystery by avoiding the half measures and just leaving It as an unexplained entity.

"It" is a beautiful, dark, challenging and occasionally frustrating novel that lets King strut his stuff as a master yarn-spinner. Thought-provoking and resonant, it sticks with you like lingering memories forged in youth and saved to serve you in adulthood.

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"Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection" Switch Review

With the possible exception of Capcom, no publisher has been as gung-ho about getting its back catalogue onboard the Switch gravy train than Ubisoft. Following the likes of "South Park," "Child of Light," "Valiant Hearts: The Great War" and "Trials HD," the monolithic "Assassin's Creed" series is beginning to trickle onto the console.

The games included in "Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection" are rather obscure choices, and seem geared toward getting the franchise's feet wet on the Switch hardware. Rather than go with low-fi classics such as the original game, its follow-ups, the Ezio Collection, or the most recent blockbusters, "Origins" and "Odyssey," we get nearly-forgotten late last-gen entries.

The compilation includes "Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag" (2013) and "Assassin's Creed Rogue" (2014). As is usually the case with rereleases, both games are loaded with all previously-released DLC, and with games as microtransaction-happy as these, that means tons of extra levels, skins, weapons and items.

The games in the collection represent a turning point for the franchise, in which it branched off into naval combat in "Black Flag" and the saga through the perspective of the villainous Templars in "Rogue."

The games make an apt fit on the Switch because their guts don't do too much to stretch the hardware capabilities. Unlike the likes of "Wolfenstein" and "Diablo," these games are silk-smooth and polished on the device.

Returning to the middle games in the "Assassin's Creed" legend in 2019 is refreshing, and something of a spiritual reboot for the now grandiose games. Like the overarching storyline itself, the games are welcome jumps back in time to re-experience the sights, sounds, passions, struggles and triumph of eras bygone.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "Jumanji: The Next Level"

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Arizona Theatre Company Review: "Cabaret"

A bold and brash rumination on humanity's capacity for freedom, joy, lust and evil, "Cabaret" is a psychosexual explosion of a musical that sets out to disrupt the status quo.

If you'd think it would lose its edge after five decades, you'd be wrong.

Arizona Theatre Company's production reinvigorates playwright Joe Masteroff's artistic voice, joined with Bob Fosse's sense of electric movement. The story set in 1930s Berlin is every bit as relevant and poignant a mirror of 2019 Tucson. Or Moscow. Or Mar-a-Lago.

The tale of a dive sex club's gradual loss of spirit and soul in the backdrop of the Nazi takeover lulls you into a hypnotic flow of garish entertainment, only to sock you in the stomach with twists and revelations brought on by the knocking on the door from the outside world. It's a story of the loss of idealism and humanity's ability to rationalize any indignity as a necessity of day-to-day survival.

As thought-provoking as the show may be, it's never short of an Atomic fireball-flavored fun. Director Sara Bruner keeps every corner of the stage crackling with intoxicating movement and exhilarating sound.

Standouts among the superb cast include Michelle Dawson as the sultry Fraulein Kost, Sean Patrick Doyle as the lithe, naughty emcee, Madison Micucci as falling star Sally Bowles and David Kelly as the dark, subtly domineering Herr Schultz.

An able ensemble, which includes acrobatic performances from Shaun-Avery Williams, Tatumn Zale, Lisa Kuhnen, Spence Ford, Xander Mason and Antonia Raye, share a uniform brilliance and barely-restrained energy that resonates throughout the audience. Jaclyn Miller's seductively vigorous choreography keeps everyone busy.

A phantasmagorical explosion of sultry indulgence, boundary-blurring sexuality and cross-cultural  blending, "Cabaret" is a gasp-inducing rumination of a society's willful descent from freedom to tyranny. It's also a savage indictment against the flaccid defense of ignorance as an excuse not to stand up to the sight of liberty swirling the drain.

"Cabaret" plays in Tucson through Dec. 29, then moves to Phoenix from Jan. 4-Jan. 26. For more information and tickets, click here.

Book Report: "No Better Friend"

No Better Friend: One Man, One Dog, and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage and Survival in WWII by Robert Weintraub
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Robert Weintraub crafts a story tailor-made for movie adaptation. An inspirational and often devastating tale of survival despite onerous odds, "No Better Friend" is a captivating travelogue about a British sailor and his trusty dog.

Avoiding flowery descriptions and overdramatization in favor of economical, understated storytelling, Weintraub goes beyond his considerable research to place you inside the minds of his human and canine protagonists.

Through captivity in prison camps, long, harrowing voyages via sea and marches and cutthroat combat, the heroes endure, overcoming starvation, exhaustion and flagging hope in order to strive to see the next day.

A workmanlike profile in courageous friendship and sacrifice in the face of looming doom, this is a powerful historical document that doubles as a resounding fable, the novel is a triumphant accomplishment.

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PHIL ON FILM: "Playmobil: The Movie"

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Kindle Kids Edition Review

Amazon's Kindle Kids Edition is a superb gateway into the realm of e-books for young readers. Its sturdy design and accompanying case makes it stand up to the rigors of careless youth.

Parental controls help keep a cap on overzealous readers, limiting use to preset parameters. And the most significant addition has nothing to do with traditional reading at all.

Bolstered by a recent update that allows the device to access Audible titles, the device now is a full-fledged audio reader.

The Kindle Kid's Edition, which is actually a standard 10th-gen Kindle, is built to hook kids on books in all their forms, encouraging skill-building via built-in vocabulary builders, pop-up word definitions and achievement badges that celebrate progress.

Adjustable, kid-friendly fonts and text sizes remove the intimidation factor in traditional adult e-reader setups. While battery life and brightness levels may not be ideal, the devices perform well under most conditions.

Built to foster a love of exploring and expanding the horizons of imagination, educational and explorative aspects that reading can grant to developing minds, the Kindle Kids Edition is fuel for bookworms in the making.

Manufacturer provided review sample.

Broadway in Tucson Review: "Jesus Christ Superstar"

You can't go wrong with "Jesus Christ Superstar" during Christmas season. The creative team could be excused for soft-pedaling and hitting the easy marks, well-established by decades of success.

Director Timothy Sheader, however, isn't content with the status quo, and instead adds a fresh take on the classic, injecting it with fresh, vibrant energy that makes it seem as new as it must have during its initial run.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" is peak Andrew Lloyd Webber. Thumping, rhythmic music pulses through the audience, and the performers expend maximum energy, leaving every ounce of their exertion on the floor with beet-faced abandon.

The latest touring production does away with the 70s rock opera aesthetic for a grungier, 1990s mosh pit-style feel. Drew McOnie's raw, charismatic choreography gives the tone a rustic elegance that blends with the aesthetic.

Above all, the refreshed take on the production makes the story Judas's personal story of anguish, divided loyalty and resentful fatalism. James Delisco Beeks commands the show in the role, belting out his songs with the gusto of Aaron Burr in "Hamilton."

Not to be upstaged, topknot-donning Aaron LaVigne thrives in the given lead role, leveling the audience with a rockstar performance that adds a welcome masculinity to the traditionally milquetoast interpretations.

Jenna Rubaii completes the masterful lead trio as Mary, delivering heartbreaking renditions of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and "Everything's Alright."

A passion play in both the traditional and emotional senses, the production revitalizes "Jesus Christ Superstar," somehow making the show even better than you remembered with a vigor that could be described as heaven-sent.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" plays through Sunday at Centennial Hall. Buy tickets here.