Bryan Caron's Blog, page 21

My Never Ending Journey to Find Success with What I Love – guest post by Bryan Caron — Ana Spoke, author

My blog is supposedly about self-publishing, although that’s just the current flavor of my personal journey in pursuit of happiness. It has also become a platform through which I’ve “met” other writers and creatives actively pursuing their various original dreams and ideas. It has been a pleasant surprise to discover just how supportive these people […]

via My Never Ending Journey to Find Success with What I Love – guest post by Bryan Caron — Ana Spoke, author

Movie Mayhem – Money Monster

Jodie Foster is no stranger to hostage thrillers. Having dealt with a band of thugs breaking into her home in Panic Room and losing her daughter on a plane mid-flight in Flightplan, Foster has dealt with the anguish and adrenaline of a ticking clock; and a ticking bomb. So it’s not a stretch to see her step behind the camera to recreate that sense of dread and fear that comes with fighting for your life. Though she has yet to deal with this type of subject matter as a director, Foster understands the beats and the pace that go along with this type of movie. She knows how to build tension, unravel a mystery, and remain taut while building characters into believable, relatable creatures. With that said, she’s still stepping a little out of her comfort zone with Money Monster. Not only is it the first time she’s directing a major studio thriller, but, her online directorial efforts aside, it’s the first time she’s gone behind the scenes without also being in front of the camera. So how well does she handle the production from a strictly directorial stance?

Money Monster — 2016; Directed by Jodie Foster; Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell and Dominic West

From a writer’s standpoint, Money Monster is as generic as they come. Someone gets angry at being slighted by the system and decides the only way to be heard is to take someone (or many someone’s) hostage to make his or her case. It’s been done in films like Mad City and John Q, so what’s the purpose of continuing to do so? Because this sub-genre speaks to the audience in ways other stories can’t — by allowing writers and filmmakers to dive into political topics head on and discuss what may be wrong with the government, the policies they put in place and the world at large. Sure there are other ways to handle this type of story, but by utilizing this method, it personalizes the film, asking, what if it was you in this situation? Would you go as far as this person to seek justice by putting society, government and/or the world on trial?

Money Monster takes these questions into the world of stocks and trading, and digs into the oily tactics used to make some people rich while letting innocent shareholders holding the bag when the company takes a major hit. George Clooney stars as Lee Gates, an over-the-top stocks reporter that dances and plays and smugs his way through a supposedly popular cable news network style show called, you guessed it, Money Monster. Lee reports on what is on the surface very dry material (and a subject that goes straight over a lot of people’s heads) in an amusing and fanciful way. The casting here is perfect, as Clooney basically does what Clooney does, and that’s have fun in his haughty, lighthearted way. He’s a bit of a loose cannon, exasperating his show’s director, Patty Fenn (Julia Roberts) by throwing curveballs at her and her team in the production booth by going off script, doing whatever it is he feels like in the moment. The two have a nice, love-hate relationship — they love each other for their obvious talent, but hate each other for their inherent perfectionism. They are best friends who can’t stand each other and the dynamic is as fun as it was in the Ocean’s series.

During a live taping of Lee’s newest episode, Kyle Budwell (Jack O’Connell) uses his job as a delivery driver to infiltrate the studio. Now either this particular studio receives a lot of packages on a daily basis or the security is so lax they’ll allow just about anyone with a uniform too pass through, but the kid gets in with nary a protest. He’s a new face and I found it odd that the guards hardly even take notice of him. A studio that produces the type of high-profile show this one claims to be would conceivably have much tighter security — at least I hope it would. Regardless, I had to suspend my disbelief a little to even make the plot of the movie work. Fortunately, because of Clooney and Roberts, I was able to write it off as the studio receiving a lot of packages from the company Kyle works for, and they just assume he’s the new guy (which they do in the film… it still doesn’t sit right). But then what do they say? If you want to get into someplace you’re not supposed to be, just walk with the confidence of someone that is supposed to be there. That’s what Kyle does as he finds himself on set, waiting for the perfect time to interrupt the show.

After Kyle pulls a gun on Lee and forces him to put on a bomb vest, he forces Patty to remain live so that he can find out the truth behind the plummeting stock of a company that lost nearly 800 million dollars over night, $60,000 of which Kyle had invested. This opens the door wide open for a discussion on how companies and shareholders make money and how the system actually works to benefit the traders and the companies, but not necessarily the middle to lower income people who have to scrape by to make ends meet. Though I don’t understand a whole lot about how the stock market works, I don’t think the writers went as far as they could to show or prove how corrupt the system can be, instead dumbing down a lot of the politics and the techno-babble to focus more on personal relationships.

The object of Kyle’s ire is Walt Camby (Dominic West), the CEO of the company in question. Kyle seeks nothing but real, honest answers, not some talking points spin put together to distract the public from what’s truly going on. As you may have guessed, when the story gets picked up by other talking heads on other networks, it becomes a massive story. And as the movie unfolds, and we learn more about how the company lost all of that money, we learn a little more about who Kyle is and why he felt this was the only way to get people to listen to him and try to fix the problem. The last act does get a little loose with its believability, but stays on point with the plot, tying up whatever loose ends it needs to while staying as light and formulaic as it can. Walt Camby doesn’t make for the best of villains, either; nothing against West (who does a fine job as the arrogant, smarmy CEO), but the character is very one-note and doesn’t have the gravitas to pull off the energy needed to wrap the story up in the way the filmmakers intended.

But with Foster behind the wheel, she’s able to keep the movie going at a quick pace, drive the characters to a decent conclusion and give the audience what it wants when coming to a movie like this — constant thrills, some decent character developments, a few laughs (mostly from the supporting cast, though nothing funnier than watching Lee beg for the public to help save his life by turning the stock of the company around, only to watch it continue to drop) and a smart way of looking at not only how the system in America ticks, but how the general public deals with news stories in a world of constant movement and twenty-four hour news — where a story can become a hot topic in a split second and be forgotten just as quickly.

My Grade: A-

Take Our Poll

——————————————

Next week, new movies include Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, The Angry Birds Movie and Nice Guys. If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Captain America: Civil War

“We’re still friends, right?”

This sentiment by Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) to her good friend Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) in the middle of the epic airport melee just about sums up the main undertone of Captain America: Civil War (aka, The Avengers light). There’s no denying that before, during and after the major conflicts that drive the film, the superheroes involved are and will always be… family. And as with any family, they are bound to disagree. It’s not as if anyone wants to go straight to fisticuffs; there’s enough attempts at diplomacy to fill a misplaced email server. The question to ask is whether it was inevitable that the bubbling differences in mindset, friendship, miscommunication and manipulation would come to blows?

Captain America: Civil War — 2016; Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo; Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr., Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd and Tom Holland

With Marvel’s continuing expansion of its cinematic universe — each new film adding more to the galactic storyline that all began with Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) suiting up as Iron Man — Captain America (Chris Evans) remains the catalyst within the series, tying all of the other films together (and really messing with the television universe, most notably Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), while pushing the narrative of each new wave of films into the next chapter. And much like Captain America: The Winter Soldier before it,  Civil War doesn’t shy away from upping the ante in everything from character development to action set pieces.

After Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) and his ragtag team of fresh Avenger recruits complete a mission to stop an evil mastermind from getting his hands on a vile of some type of lethal poison, Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) inadvertently causes the death of dozens of innocent citizens, an accident that becomes the final straw for the government. Led by now Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt), an accord has been drafted to keep the Avengers in check. Tony Stark, after being kicked in the teeth with a sense of personal responsibility from a mother (Alfre Woodard) who lost her son in the Sakovia incident, becomes the lead voice for the accord. Of course, Steve is totally against it, and understandably so. The accord would be run by politicians who all have agendas. Whose to say they would allow the Avengers to fight the battles they need to fight, or be told to do something their totally against?

At the same time, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), aka, the Winter Soldier, is targeted for setting off a bomb as the accord is being signed, inadvertently killing the king of Wakanda. Steve doesn’t believe his old friend could do such a thing and goes on the run with him to prove his innocence. And as both sides gear up to fight for what they believe is right, they each recruit new teammates to join them. One of the more prominent additions to Tony’s side is T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), prince of Wakanda who’s chosen Tony’s side mostly because he seeks revenge for his father’s murder, not necessarily because he believes in the accord.

Which leads to a much deeper meaning behind the fight between our heroes, especially Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Their relationship has always been a contentious one, but when Steve chooses Bucky over him, that’s a choice that rips the fabric of their relationship for good, and not just for the reasons that have been previewed in the trailers. There’s a nice twist in the third act that solidifies the division between the two, one that may not be mended anytime soon. The magic of it all is the way in which both Downey, Jr. and Evans represent their characters. The pain and the emotional impact over having to endure the severing of not only their friendship, but of the Avengers as well, is felt in every fiber of their body language and dialogue.

But enough of that. It’s time to discuss the centerpiece everyone will be talking about: the battle royal at the airport, where sides are chosen and allegiances are torn. I was amazed by how well-choreographed the fight was, utilizing everyone to the best of their abilities. Not once did I ever think that anyone was being left out or underutilized as Tony’s side (including Vision (Paul Bettany), James Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Widow and Black Panther) tries to stop Steve (and his gang, including Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch) from hopping a jet with Bucky. Tony is hoping Steve will allow him to bring him back to the Avengers compound to discuss the situation further; Steve hopes Tony will allow him the chance to prove Bucky’s innocence. But each have made a promise they are bound to fulfill, and it shows in how they interact with each other, both verbally and physically. They aren’t out to kill; just distract and acquire. There are some awesome moments and surprises that make this fight a comic book, cinema geek and overall action junky’s dream come true. (This is the battle the chaotic, dour duel between Superman and Batman should have been.) One reason for the outpouring of awesomeness are two new additions to the Avengers family: Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland).

Throughout the series, it’s been well established that both Tony Stark and Steve Rogers have very wry, ironic senses of humor. Their dialogue is full of snark and wit that stays mostly dry and sardonic. Enter Scott Lang and Peter Parker, who are all about fast and furious quips and one-liners, which contrasts perfectly with Tony and Steve. When Ant-Man came out last year, I wasn’t sure how well he’d fit with the rest of the Avengers, but now I’m sold. Choosing Steve’s side is easy for him, as he’s never been against being a fugitive, whether he’s on the right side or not. All he cares about is being part of the team.

It’s almost as good as Holland’s impressive interpretation of Spider-Man, still a young high school student who wants to help the little guy who can’t fight for themselves. He’s on Tony’s side mainly because the rich icon sees potential in the young kid and wants to nurture it, providing him a new suit and a purpose for his powers. Both of them bring a new lightness to the the series that’s sorely missing from their current DC counterparts. As this now fractured team moves forward, not only can I not wait to see how Holland handles his own movie (as well as what they do with Black Panther), but getting to see how this civil war plays out over the course of the next five or six films will be one tremendous journey.

My Grade: A

Take Our Poll

——————————————

Next week, new movies include Money Monster and The Darkness. If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Mother’s Day

Over the last few years, the king of romantic dramedy, Garry Marshall, has spent all of his energy making huge ensemble films revolving around a specific holiday. First up was Valentine’s Day, which, for the time, was a coup of big names and big talent (this was before Marvel hit their Avengers stride). Following that up with New Year’s Eve was almost a given. Marshall doesn’t need the money, experience or clout. He’s been part of the business for a long (long) time, building relationships and earning the ability to do whatever his heart desires, even if that means creating throw-away films with all of his friends in tow. Both holiday-themed films did well enough to give Marshall enough credit for a third go-around with Mother’s Day, completing what has to be one of the oddest trilogies in cinema history.

Mother’s Day — 2016; Directed by Garry Marshall; Starring Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Kate Hudson and Britt Robertson

I like that Marshall stepped out of the norm when crafting these films. He could have easily gone with more recognizable holidays, like Christmas and Halloween (or even Thanksgiving), but let’s be honest — those have been done to death. Focusing his films on holidays that have less presence in film was a very smart move. It mixes things up while still promoting the love, honor and respect (and the magic) that major holiday films yield. However, Marshall may have stepped a little too far out to left field when choosing Mother’s Day, a holiday that I’m not even sure really is a holiday. But it’s a day that helps remind us of where we came from and honor one of the only people in the world that all but loves us unconditionally. The entirety of the holiday consists mostly of going out to dinner, sending flowers and gooey cards, or as Jennifer Aniston’s mother of two sons (Caleb Brown and Brandon Spink) likes most, being surprised with burnt pancakes in bed. So how is it that Marshall can focus an entire two hours around this special day? That’s easy: several interconnected stories that deal with love and relationships that span a different set of generations.

Let us count the ways:

Leading the batch is Sandy, (Aniston), a mother of two sons (yes, repetition of this fact is for a purpose) who finds out a couple of days before the title holiday that her ex-husband (Timothy Olyphant) has eloped with a much younger girl (Shay Mitchell). As she fights to make sure her competition doesn’t encroach on her special day, she uses her energy to compete for their affection and their time. Aniston is very amusing as the harried mother, no better than when she talks to herself in insane little rants about her ex-husband and his new trophy wife.

Next up is Jason Sudeikis as Bradley, a grieving father who lost his wife (Jennifer Garner) and hasn’t found a way to move on just yet, even as his daughters (Jessi Case and Ella Anderson) seemed to have done just that. His eldest, Rachel (Case), in fact, has a crush on a boy (Grayson Russell) and Bradley isn’t quite sure he should allow her to date him. Sudeikes does a terrific job handling both sides of the coin, adding just the right amount of comedy to the underrated dramatic gravitas he conveys. The group of women that continually try and hook him up with PTA mothers during their time at his gym, though, do get a little annoying and just may be the weakest link in the movie. But they’re tolerable enough to find some amusement in their excitement.

Then there’s Jesse (Kate Hudson), a married mother who has yet to tell her parents (Margo Martindale and Robert Pine) she’s married or a mother. There seems to have been a falling out between them as she married a man of Indian decent (Aasif Mandvi), who they oddly believe to be a Muslim. On the other end of the spectrum, Jesse’s sister, Gabi (Sarah Chalke), is a lesbian who has yet to come out to her parents. So when the parents show up for a surprise visit to celebrate Mother’s Day, you can imagine what happens… though it happens too quickly. For someone that ushered in a lot of comedy tropes across television in the seventies and eighties, I expected the ruse to last much longer. The racist bigotry of the parents does get old as well, not because it’s unfunny, or because it’s politically incorrect, or whatever. It’s because the jokes and the references are confusing. Whether that’s part of the joke (that the parents are so ignorant, they can’t differentiate Indians from Afghans) or not, it feels intellectually lazy. But with all of the other stories pulling for your focus, it still works for what it is.

Rounding out the batch of stories is Kristin (Britt Robertson), a new mother who’s afraid of commitment with her baby daddy, Zack (Jack Whitehall), a British comic trying to find his big break. As he mentions in his stand-up routine, he’s asked her many times to marry, but she constantly says no, not because she doesn’t love him, but because, based on her past, she’s afraid he’ll leave her. She has to come to terms with her abandonment issues before she can move forward with her own life. Julia Roberts also makes an appearance as a QVC-type host selling mood-pendant necklaces who may be related to, or have a connection with, one or more of the above stories in some way.

Though most of the stories are rather predictable and seem to wrap up either too cleanly or too quickly, I have to admit; I have a soft spot for Marshall’s brand of sentimentality, and Mother’s Day fits nicely in Marshall’s repertoire of sentimentality and loving passion toward the female persuasion. He has a knack for creating terrific chemistry between his actors, no matter how cheesy, off-the-wall or saccharin the script may become, mostly because he doesn’t just direct; he creates a family. A lot of the actors (most notably Hector Elizondo, which as the “and as always” credit at the end of the film makes clear, has been in every Marshall directed film) have worked with Marshall on multiple projects, and I have to believe that a lot of the crew are also returning players. That bond bleeds through in everything he does, whether it be a classic like Pretty Woman, or a fun little getaway, an it’s because of this that no matter what Marshall chooses to do with his career, he will always have a place as one of the most prolific romantic/comedy/drama auteurs of our time.

My Grade: A-

Take Our Poll

——————————————

Next week, new movies include Captain America: Civil War. If you would like to see a review of this, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

The Spirit Of… Scavenger Hunt

Win an iPad mini!

That’s right. In preparation for the release of my newest novel, The Spirit Of…, I have put together an online scavenger hunt for all of my current and future fans, the winner of which will win a brand new iPad mini. All you have to do is find, answer or complete as many of the tasks as you can, earning points along the way. Some of the tasks are simple, while others will demand that you do a little more digging.

Three prizes are up for grabs:

The Grand prize – iPad mini.

2nd place – $75 gift Amazon gift card

3rd place – a signed collection of all of my books (If you already purchased the print editions, the winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card per book they already have).

Now there wouldn’t be a contest without some rules:

No purchase required to play and win.
There must be at least 50 participants to qualify for the distribution of prizes. If there are less than 50 participants, I have the right to cancel the contest in full if I so choose.
You do not have to answer or complete every task to participate.
Points for each task are on a scale from 1 to 10, and have been tabulated based on the importance and difficulty of the task.
The highest point total wins. Final decisions on total point counts are mine, based on the validity of the answer and the completion of each task.
If there is a tie, the winner will be decided by a Bonus Task, which will be sent to the participates who have tied. Those participants will then have three days to complete the bonus task. The winner will be chosen at my discretion, based on the answers provided.
To be eligible for prizes, entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on May 31, 2016. Entries can be sent via email, a personal message on Facebook or a direct message on Twitter.
When sending your entries, place the number of the task followed by the answer (or required task URL/info, as listed in parenthesis next to the task). If sending via email, please put “The Spirit Of… Scavenger Hunt” in the Subject Line. Any and all attachments will be discarded and the participant will be disqualified from the contest.
I’m sorry to say, but my family is ineligible for prizes. That shouldn’t keep you from playing, just know that your entries will be treated as non-contest entries.
Contest is open to anyone with an Internet connection.

With that out of the way, please post any questions in the comments section, have fun and good luck!

The Spirit Of… Scavenger Hunt

Follow me on Twitter (Put Your Twitter handle) (5)
Like my page on Facebook (Put Your Facebook Name) (5)
Follow this blog (Put Your Name or Blog) (5)
Follow my Instagram (Put Your Instagram Name) (5)
Tweet or Retweet this contest (Put your Twitter handle) (7)
Share this contest on Facebook (Put your name/Facebook page) (7)
Repost this contest on your blog (Put your Blog) (7)
Write a comment on this post to let me know you’re playing (Put the name listed on the comment) (2)
Comment on one of my blog posts (Put the name listed on the comment and the name of the post) (6)
Review one of my novels on Amazon and/or Goodreads (Put the name listed on the review and the site the review was posted) (10)
Retweet the teaser trailer for The Spirit Of… (Put your Twitter handle) (8)
Share the teaser trailer for The Spirit Of… on your social media accounts (4 points per account) (put your name/handles for each account)
Purchase one or more of my novels and post a pic with your book(s) on social media (Put a link to your social media post) (10 points for each print edition; 5 points for each kindle edition)
Pre-order The Spirit Of… (on Kindle, Nook or iBooks) (10)
Where did I graduate college? (4)
What was my degree? (3)
What is the name of my Design and Publishing Company? (8)
What does my company represent to me? (9)
Name one of the services I offer on my website. (2)
What are the names of my films currently for sale on Amazon? (3 points for each title)
What California Senator did I illustrate into a cartoon? (6)
Who did I name the Masters of Horror on my Instagram? (3)
What screenplay did I try to raise money for on Kickstarter? (4)
What awards have I won? (4 points for each correct award named)
Who is my favorite author? (6)
How many novels have I published? (2)
Which of my novels is a second edition? (5)
What are the names of Ken Brody’s daughters? (6)
What happens to Stacey in the prologue of Jaxxa Rakala: The Search? (3)
Who was my original dream cast for Jaxxa Rakala: The Search? (8)
What are the names of the two main characters in In the Light of the Eclipse? (2)
What fairy tale character is represented in In the Light of the Eclipse? (5)
Where did Matthew Stevens attend college? (6)
Who are the members of Matthew Stevens’s archaeology team? (8)
What car does the narrator reference in The Spirit Of… prologue? (3)
What character does Lauren Steines not like? (4)
How many pages is Year of the Songbird? (3)
What disability does Madeline have? (6)
What is the name of the man who enters Madeline’s land in Year of the Songbird? (2)
What planet are the crew of the Equinox heading to at the beginning of Memoirs of Keladrayia: Jaxxa Rakala? (8)
Name one of my short stories. (4)
Which of my published short stories was written for Year of the Songbird? (6)
What are the 3 tests given to the traveler? (8)
What was the first book I reviewed on my blog? (6)
What grade did I give Cemetery Tours? (2)
Where does author Ana Spoke live? (3)
Whose book did I Beta read in April, 2016? (4)
What movie did I name the best of 2015? (3)
What is the meaning of life? (1)
Send answers via Facebook or Twitter (10); Email your answers (8)

Amen Dello Keli.

The Spirit Of… A Novel; Written by Bryan Caron

Movie Mayhem – A Hologram for the King

In his long and storied career, Tom Hanks has been a part of a variety of films, most of which come in the form of either mainstream comedy or drama. With his Playtone production house, his producing credits also deal in a variety of genres that play well to both large and niche audiences. But when you look at his resume, there are very few independent or unknown credits. And why would there be? His name alone is enough to draw even the non-movie goer to theaters, and his charm and personality hearken back to when actors were stars, not just box-office fodder or a brand name to stick on a film as an attempt to make some extra cash. But with A Hologram for the King, Hanks steps out of his comfort zone to try his hand at selling a film that will likely play well over seas, but where most people in the U.S. will likely never know existed.

A Hologram for the King — 2016; Directed by Tom Tykwer; Starring Tom Hanks, Alexander Black and Sarita Choudhury

Hanks stars as Alan, a down-on-his-luck salesman for a communications company that’s assigned to set-up a brand new holographic telecommunications system as part of the development of a brand new city in Saudi Arabia, mostly because he became fast friends with the Saudi king’s nephew. But no matter how much charm Alan spews to those he comes into contact with, things don’t go as smoothly as he initially planned. The progress on the city is far from where he expected it to be, his team is stuck working out of a hot, black tent with a weak wifi connection (the horror!; actually, there’s a good reason for why this is bad), and the meeting he’s supposed to have with his main contact (Khalid Laith) continually gets postponed. Each one of these dilemmas gives Hanks ample opportunity to showcase what he does best, delivering a terrific performance by mixing lightweight comedic elements with strong dramatic undertones.

Having only heard of the film (based on a novel by Dave Eggers) when I jumped on Fandango to see what else was playing alongside the powerhouse movie of the week, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The movie starts with a very odd pseudo music video, setting a rather light tone for Alan’s journey, even as it attempts to deal with elements such as depression and a mid-life crisis. It’s not a new concept (Tina Fey explored similar territory earlier this year with Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), but with Hanks driving the narrative, even the most mundane, routine aspects of his “new life” feel more serene and thoughtful. As he goes about each day — greeted robotically by the concierge, shower, sleep-in, shower, brush teeth, work, greeting, shower, bed — he grows comfortable but feels totally out of place at the same time. He feels trapped by an angry ex-wife and has no clue what to say to his daughter (Tracey Fairaway), who isn’t quite sure about her own future. He’s so used to getting his way, selling himself and developing a strong rapport with with those he meets, that when he loses control, it all culminates into a drop in energy and panic attacks.

It turns out, the overall reason for Alan trekking out to Saudi Arabia isn’t about the job at all. It’s very much about his personal goals and acceptance that things have to change. On the surface, the hologram of the title is the telecommunications network Alan is selling, but as the movie progresses, it becomes so much more than that. The hologram becomes a metaphor for Alan himself — over the last few years, Alan has become nothing more than a hollow image of his former self. The trip to a foreign country helps him understand this alteration, giving him reason to seek out the change he needs to find himself once again.

It’s too bad the script lacks the power that Hanks deserves, tiptoeing past the sensibilities and political correctness associated with culture shock and religion. One of the more delightful characters that Alan meets on his trip is Yousef (Alexander Black), a sort of Saudi Uber driver Alan hires when he accidentally misses his shuttle out to the job site. Yousef is quite funny and adds a special comedic maturity that matches Hanks, helping the duo become like brothers — so much so that when Yousef brings Alan along on a quick weekend vacation to his family’s home, he accidentally takes the Muslim-only road through the holy land of Mecca instead of the safer, non-Muslim road. This idea is ripe for exploration, but with the exception of Hanks’s beautiful work hiding his insecurities, anxieties and fear surrounding the mistake, the whole idea is wasted, failing to grip you in any substantial way.

Writer-director Tom Tykwer also fails to capture any magic in the relationships Alan forms with two possible love interests. The first is Hanne (Sidse Babett Knudsen), a Dutch ambassador that pushes Alan to illegally drink, party and have sex in a coat closet. She’s aggressive and pushy, exploiting Alan’s weaknesses for her own needs. On the other end is Zahra (Sarita Choudhury), a female doctor he meets when he goes to have a lump on his back checked.  The relationship they build is more respectful and kind, each one seeing something special in the other, a kindness toward the others culture and feelings that neither, it seems, has seen in a while. The problem is, except in the way it helps support the overall theme of the film, neither relationship truly connects the way it should. It just goes to heighten the rest of the weaknesses the film has, including a third-act that rushes to the finish line, keeping us from connecting to the end of Alan’s journey. Had Tykwer dug a little deeper in his explorations and found a couple of actresses that had more electric checmistry with Hanks, the film may have been a little known gem in a sea of mega blockbusters. As it stands, the film is a light, comfortable jaunt that’s neither here nor there, and will most likely be remembered as one of Hanks’s more forgettable affairs.

My Grade: B+

Take Our Poll

——————————————

Next week, new movies include Mother’s Day, Ratchet & Clank and Keanu. If you would like to see a review of one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Meet Kara Reisen & Thomas Demeut – The Spirit Of…

The final two members on Matthew Stevens’s team are similar in many ways: they both joined about the same time, they both have a history in hunting ancient artifacts that may have some connection to the Bible, and their pasts are haunted with pain and regret. They also became real fast friends. In fact, when I first met them, I could swear they were a couple. Hey, they’re both pushing forty and have no significant others to speak of. It was an honest mistake. But they’re good sports. They could laugh at it.

Let’s break it down for you.

Thomas Demeut is a freelance archeologist who, prior to teaming up with Matthew, worked for one of the curator’s of Topkapi Palace in Turkey, where he was assigned to seek out holy relics. When he heard about Matthew’s search for Atlantis, he talked the curator into funding his research for three years, money that dried up rather quickly.  Luckily, a new find in Florida helped earn additional funding, but it still wasn’t enough. And although Thomas loved working for Matthew and his team, he didn’t think the curator would finance any more without strong, hard evidence that the Lost City actually existed.

Kara Reisen was brought on board after her own reputation caught Matthew’s eye. Kara is an accomplished professor of anthropological linguistics at Brown University who also owns and operates a museum that showcases technology advancement throughout time. She is fluent in Aramaic and Latin, and has published several works, the most prominent being “The Lives of Human Technology”, a paper she first published in Scientific American, but which has since been translated into over a dozen languages across the globe. Before that, she spent her time at Brown as a sociolinguistics professor, where she earned a grant to uncover tablets in Babylon. It was in her study of translating ancient Egyptian tablets that caught Matthew’s attention. The two spent months translating text on tablets Kara found on one of her own expeditions.

But it’s not all rainbows and pixies with these two. Much like Lauren Mead, both have demons in their closets. Before getting his life together, Thomas was, or lack of a better word, a drunken asshole. Because of this, he not only lost the one girl he thought he loved, but lost custody of his daughter, Chelsea. That’s on top of growing up with an overprotective mother and a history of being bullied in school, which led to an incident during a camping trip that left him both physically and emotionally scarred. Kara’s past isn’t quite as dark, but is still quite heartbreaking. When she was finishing up college, Kara lost her sister when her plane went missing somewhere over the Atlantic. Her body was never recovered, and though Kara’s excited about the trip that will no doubt change everything, she’s also a little nervous about heading out to the water’s where her sister may still be buried. The memory of her may be too hard to bear, but with God at her side, she believes He will help her through it.

Learn more about Matthew Stevens

Learn more about Lauren Mead

Learn more about Henry Green

Pre-Order the digital copy of The Spirit Of… today. Available in all ebook formats, including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. (Unfortunately, the print edition is not currently available for pre-order.) The Spirit Of… is set for release on June 3, 2016.

Amen Dello Keli.

The Spirit Of… A Novel; Written by Bryan Caron

Meet Henry Green – The Spirit Of…

Talking to Henry Green, one of Matthew Stevens’s archaeology students, is… how do I say this? Interesting? He seems like a decent guy when you first meet him, but once you get to know him a little, things aren’t so cut and dry. It doesn’t help that his life before joining Matthew’s team is unknown. Whenever I brought up his past — that is any time before his first meeting with Matthew during a freshman arrival banquet at Yale — he’d remain allusive, changing the subject or feigning ignorance. I’m not saying he’s trying to hide anything, but I know the same question hides in the back of Matthew’s mind.

Even that first meeting seemed to be an enigma. Henry spent a lot of time studying Matthew’s work and using his thoughts on pharaohs and their powers as a spring board into his own ideas of how history is connected to the Bible, and how the beginning of Genesis wasn’t the true beginning of the world, or civilization. I may be stereotyping a little, but based on the way Matthew describes his appearance at the banquet, it’s hard to believe such a person would become obsessed with this type of thing as a high school student. Then again, this could have been some way to rebel against “the man” or a society conspiring against him. Who really knows.

The thing his, his conclusion that the Adam and Eve written about in the Bible were actually a couple of thieves who stole a crop of sacred fruit from the pharaohs and were then banished to the desert is an intriguing one, especially when he can back it up with actual evidence. Is it authentic? The consensus is yes, but a small part of me continues to believe that Matthew may have ignored some results in order to make himself believe it was true. I can’t be sure of that, though. It’s just a feeling I’ve always had.

The point is, regardless of how Henry was brought on the team (having been taken under Matthew’s wing as he helped Henry hone a paper he wrote as part of a community college course and got it published in a now defunct magazine), it’s clear Matthew’s influence has done well to turn Henry into a respectable adult — even though I can’t get away from the idea that one of Matthew’s motivations for keeping him around is to keep him close; to make sure he doesn’t steal his thunder, so to speak. I know from being around this team that Henry respects the hell out of Matthew, and wants to see him succeed, but I can’t help believe that the real reason he joined the team was Lauren Mead. The way he acts around her is different than how he acts around others, and whether that’s simply because of his unhealthy attraction to her, or because of a deeper, more hidden agenda, I’m not sure. But it frightens me a little. And Lauren knows it, too. Just thinking about the possibility of them sleeping together… it gives me chills. Not like it would ever happen, but if it did, my gut tells me there would be a major shake-up that would break this very tight-knit group apart.

Then again, I may be reading the situation all wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time, especially where it concerns Henry. Such an enigma.

Learn more about Matthew Stevens

Learn more about Lauren Mead

Pre-Order the digital copy of The Spirit Of… today. Available in all ebook formats, including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. (Unfortunately, the print edition is not currently available for pre-order.) The Spirit Of… is set for release on June 3, 2016.

Amen Dello Keli.

The Spirit Of… A Novel; Written by Bryan Caron

Movie Mayhem – The Jungle Book (2016)

Disney has adapted Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book to the big screen a few times now, the most prominent of which is the 1967 original animated classic. And though I can’t comment on how accurate that adaptation is to the book of the same the name (as I’ve never read Kipling’s stories), Disney has taken its cue from its recent hit, Cinderella, and updated the nearly 50 year-old film into a live-action doppelgänger. But can a movie, which I vaguely remember except for the earworm that is “The Bear Necessities”, find an audience by simply rehashing a story Disney created rather than returning to the story’s roots and discovering something new? As evidenced by the massive hundred-million debut weekend, the answer is a resounding, yes, not just because the majority of special effects look amazing, but because the story does, in fact, get a slight upgrade, giving more meaning to the jungle.

The Jungle Book — 2016; Directed by Jon Favreau; Starring Neel Sethi and the voice talents of Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Christopher Walken and Scarlett Johansson

By now, we should all know the basics: after being abandoned in the Indian jungle as an infant, Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi) is rescued by Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley), a black panther that entrusts the man-cub’s protection to a pack of wolves, led by Akela (Giancarlo Esposito). The only animal to see danger in the man-cub’s presence in the jungle is Shere Khan (Idris Elba), a menacing tiger that wants Mowgli dead. So now, Bagheera must attempt to return Mowgli to his rightful place in the world before Shere Khan can get his claws into him. Misadventures ensue.

But this version of The Jungle Book is much more than that. As a writer himself, Jon Favreau knows how to craft a story as well as make a film (he is, after all, the man who started the Marvel cinema juggernaut with Iron Man). He takes the source material and gives it purpose, mostly behind the motivations of Shere Khan. Rather than simply being some ominous force that we only hear about, Favreau’s Shere Khan becomes a force to be reckoned with — a face of fear. We are given ample opportunity to see why he is so dangerous. In one key scene that helps set the movie in motion, all of the animals of the jungle have united under a truce to share in the last remnants of water during a drought. Hunter and prey, under the law of the jungle, have agreed to end all conflicts for the betterment of all life. It’s here we first meet Shere Khan and his low, threatening growl, letting all of the animals know that when the rains return and the truce officially ends, he will kill everyone that stands in his way of ending Mowgli’s life once and for all.

From what I remember of the original, Shere Khan was never given much of a reason to hate the young man cub except for him being a man. That hatred still bleeds over into this new version, but Favreau adds depth to that malice by connecting Shere Khan with the death of Mowgli’s father and his fear over the humans ability to control fire, known to the animals as the “red flower”. The red flower also gives more purpose to the orangutan, King Louie (Christopher Walken), who wants Mowgli to show him how to possess its power so that he may rule the jungle on a much grander scale. Unfortunately, this part of the story isn’t explored near enough. Not only would having King Louie in a more prominent role give more meaning to his part in the film, it would have enhanced Shere Khan’s fear of Mowgli in an organic way. After all, if King Louie got his hands on the man-cub (and thus, the red flower), all of the animals would be in much bigger trouble.

One major highlight of the film once again comes in the form of the big gentle bear, Baloo. As voiced by Bill Murray, Baloo brings much needed levity to the film. The moment he enters the picture (and convinces Mowgli to knock some honeycomb off the top of a large cliff), the movie blossoms into so much more than a simple reboot. It almost helps make up for the lack of expertise and skill that Sethi brings to the role of Mowgli. Yes, the actor looks like the character from the cartoon, however, there were more times than not that I cringed at the actor’s performance. That’s not to say he didn’t have his moments. When he faces Shere Khan in the last stand, the gravitas of all Mowgli’s experiences and trials is captured in his stoic stature, but up until that point, a lot of his line readings were left wanting. As is Kaa (Scarlett Johansson), the giant boa constrictor that hypnotizes Mowgli into submission. I mean with Favreau’s favorite go-to actress, Johansson, behind the voice, Kaa is given a slick, sexy appeal, but as in the original, there just isn’t any purpose to the character, other than showing how dangerous the jungle can be. But we already know that with Shere Khan and King Louie. So tell me again… what is Kaa’s purpose in all of this?

Luckily, the voice cast is so on point, all of those minor squabbles can be forgiven. Add in some stellar special effects (some of which, I must admit, may have been able to simmer in the VFX cooker just a little longer), and Disney’s newest classic upgrade does everything it needs to do to introduce this story to a new generation of fans; a feel-good getaway that’s better than its predecessor, giving parents a fun escape for the entire family. And isn’t that what Disney is all about?

My Grade: A-

Take Our Poll

——————————————

Next week, new movies include The Huntsman: Winter’s War and Elvis & Nixon. If you would like to see a review of one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – God’s Not Dead 2

Back in the day (around the fifties), Biblical and faith-based films were box-office behemoths. That popularity waned, though, through the seventies, eventually relegating these types of films to the niche and straight-to-video markets. But over the past decade or so, faith-based films have made a comeback, attaching themselves to a hungry, dedicated audience. This year alone has already seen several Biblical or faith-based films. In Risen, an atheist (before atheism was really a thing, I think) has his faith tested when he witnesses a man he knows was executed rise from His grave; a mother has her faith tested when her young daughter is stricken with a terminal disease in Miracles From Heaven; and in God’s Not Dead 2, a high school teacher’s faith is tested when she’s put on trial for having the audacity to answer a question about Jesus in class. (For the record, I didn’t see The Young Messiah, so I can’t comment on the specifics of that film — but I do believe a character’s faith will be tested at some point. If anyone saw it, tell me if I’m wrong.)

God’s Not Dead 2 — 2016; Directed by Harold Cronk; Starring Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalf, Hayley Orrantia, Ernie Hudson, David A.R. White, and Ray Wise

I know what you’re all thinking — boy, these movies are all the same. On the surface, yes, but there are very clear differences between all of these films that deliver on the execution of their distinct plots. Of the three, Risen is the weakest, but still delivers an interesting debate about the resurrection of Jesus as seen through a non-believer’s relationship with Him. The best of the bunch is Miracles From Heaven, which, even though the studios ruined the whole movie in the trailers, is a heartbreaking — and heartwarming — true story that deals with how hard it is to believe in a compassionate God when someone you love is threatened and there’s nothing you can do but watch them deteriorate. Neither of these take the approach of God’s Not Dead 2, which like its predecessor, tackles the politics of God and drive home a very serious and divisive idea of not only God’s place in the world, but what freedoms have been given us as part of the Constitution and how current politics have distorted His life and the importance of His message.

Where the original film pit God against science, and looked at the possibility of how God could exist as an aspect of science (as in, the two don’t necessarily have to be separate; they can in fact be one and the same), the sequel pits God against man’s perception of Him, and the unmitigated fear some people have over hearing His name — as if the only thing Christians think about is indoctrinating or converting others to their “silly”, or fictional religion. But as they clearly note in the movie, despite whether or not one believes Jesus was the son of God, there’s been enough evidence unearthed over the years to prove a Nazarene named Jesus did exist and was crucified by the Romans some two-thousand years ago. So when Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart) answers a question from a grieving student (Hayley Orrantia) in history class regarding Martin Luther King, Jr.’s civil rights speech and whether his promotion of non-violence was similar to Jesus’s teachings, how is that not okay to discuss, from a historical stand-point, in a history class? In fact, not only was King a reverend himself, but Gandhi, a Buddhist, was being referenced in the same context, but no one seemed to have a problem with that.

The argument stems from the old proclamation of separation of church and state, a bogus argument since, as Grace’s lawyer (Jesse Metcalf) clearly states, that phrase is nowhere to be found in the Constitution. It was originally used by Thomas Jefferson to assure people that the government would not create its own church or religion, and that anyone was free to practice their own religion as they saw fit. The main actors do a very good job in balancing both sides of this matter building a nice foundation for the film. Arguing for the side of secularization is the ACLU, headed by Peter Kane, played magnificently by Ray Wise, a genius bit of casting since I still remember Wise’s awesome portrayal of the Devil from CW’s very underrated Reaper. He combines just the right amount of slime with a gentle ounce of humanity hidden under his menacing exterior. He may go a little overboard at times, making his glint of evil far too blatant (marking him and the ACLU as pure evil), but the audience for the film will still find him a perfectly entertaining foil for Grace.

In other news (and as a way to connect the sequel to its predecessor), David A.R. White returns as Reverend Dave, who helps Paul Kwo’s Martin Yip to explore his confusion of Christianity. Reverend Dave ends up having to become a part of the jury in Grace’s case, a plot point that, even though it ends in a minor plot twist that could have happened without Dave’s existence, doesn’t seem to go anywhere. In fact, the majority of scenes that don’t deal directly with the core story seem pointless and tacked on simply to help elongate the film. There’s nothing within them that help compound the main issues, making it feel as if those sequences jumped over from a completely different film.

God’s Not Dead 2 is far from a perfect film. It’s not as well-developed as the first movie, there are several performances that seem extremely lazy, and most of the courtroom scenes are rushed and don’t seem to go quite as far as they could. But regardless of these very noticeable flaws, God’s Not Dead 2 hits all the right notes where it needs to. It stays true to its convictions and gives us all, believer or not, enough to discuss and debate.

My Grade: A-

Take Our Poll

——————————————

Next week, new movies include The Jungle Book, Criminal and Barbershop: The Next Cut. If you would like to see a review of one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.