The Music of Moonchild: "Little Ghost"

Tracklist

1. Wise Women
2. Too Much to Ask
3. The Other Side
4. Sweet Love
5. Strength
6. Everything I Need
7. Money
8. Nova
9. Get to Know it
10. What You're Doing
11. Come Over
12. Onto Me
13. Whistling
14. Still Wonder

I really gotta hand it to the Youtube algorithm for working extremely well in this specific instance. While scrolling through my Twitter feed, I found out that Anderson .Paak's rendition of "Old Town Road" was generating quite the buzz online. It was quite the wonderful mashup of Lil Nas X's surprise hit with Erykah Badu's "Window Seat" which breathed renewed vigour into a pretty run-of-the-mill song, almost turning it into a classic.

It took me a few days to tear myself away from that song and actually take a look at the adjacent recommendations list which included Moonchild's "What You're Doing". The video's thumbnail only had them silhouetted, so I really didn't know what to make of the group at the time. The song, however, turned out to be very catchy, and they actually turned out to be a Neo-Soul/R&B type group. Another surprise lay in store for me though: during the song, their artful silhouettes occasionally gave way to show the actual singers - 3 of the most soulful CAUCASIANS you could ever run across. This had to be the "Bobby Caldwell" moment for a new generation. In case you might not know it yet, Moonchild consists of 3 multi-instrumentalists: Amber Navran, Andris Mattson and Max Bryk, each being proficient in keyboards, brass (flute, sax, trumpets), and even some strings.

"What You're Doing" is a pretty good taster that highlights the group's R&B credentials, wedged somewhere between late 90s/Early 2000s. Amber's vocals beautifully sail through the song, part whispy, sincere and toned down.(If you ever want to see her echo Erykah Badu, you just might want to check out "Nobody" from Please Rewind).

On this, their 4th studio album, the band's R&B/Neo-Soul roots run through the 14 choice songs laid on track. They made the wonderful choice to have the whole album available on Youtube for everyone to sample. It would be more of an enjoyable experience with the older version of Youtube, but it makes for a jarring experience to be interrupted by ads every so often (how many times can Youtube spam me with the same ads for Safaricom, Grammarly and Colgate toothpaste? Good Lord!)

All the ads notwithstanding,  it feels like there's something for everyone who is R&B inclined. First things first, I've got to get it off my chest that there's some Neo-Soul tracks on here that feel like they're done "For the culture". That's more of a personal gripe for me because I only gravitate towards some Neo-Soul music, but some servings whether they be from Musiq Soulchild, Dwele, Erykah Badu or D'Angelo will just seem a bit overwhelming. For me, those tracks on this album are "Wise Women", "Sweet Love", and "Everything I Need". I'll give the songs a whirl occasionally, but they aren't my go-to tracks.

"Too Much to Ask" is set to a simple sparse beat. Amber's toned vocals make the impassioned plea of the lyrics come alive. This is a lover pining for the better times from her relationship's past, ruing the fact that she's let someone in so close, but still hoping for better times ahead.

"The Other Side" has a sort of bluegrass-y lilt to it, and I'm guessing that's because Andris is playing ukulele on this track. This is another track calling for lovers to rekindle their love, focusing on the foundation already laid down instead of casting glances elsewhere.

"Strength" and "Get to Know it": the lyrics on these two songs currently confuse me. I love listening to Strength, but I can't exactly wrap my mind around what she's talking about. An educated guess would be that she's gathering her strength to pick herself out of the doldrums in a relationship. (Guess I'll be searching for Amber's explanation for the lyrics).

"Money" is a gem of a track that just aims to uplift. Initially, I thought it was Amber's way of showing encouragement to a lover, but on a wider scope it can be applied to everyone from a lover to family to friends. She understands the stresses the person is going through from the weight of expectations and the need to act like they don't need any help; but through it all, she'd bet money on that person and hopes they'd believe in themselves the way she does.

"Nova" is Max Bryk's personal contribution. Clocking in at a paltry 1:05, this can truly be classified as an interlude. However, this is no throw-away cut, but rather a fully realized "New-Jack" head-bobber. I usually give it multiple listens before moving on with the playlist. From the first time I listened to it, I was pretty sure that a nice rap section could be added to it to give it even more juice; and I'm pretty sure that the best person for the job would be none other than "Gift of Gab".

"Come Over" is classic old school R&B. Over a simple catchy beat, Amber plays a seductress/lover-in-waiting who's been afforded the chance to holler at a love interest (who might recently just have become single). She might not be very good at the art of seduction, but at least she's giving it a try, hoping the guy meets her halfway.

"Onto Me" reiterates the same theme from Come Over, but from a different angle; this time it's that of friends who have each other's backs, but want to escalate things to the next level...at least she wants it that way.

I think I'd had a long day at work, such that when I listened to this album the first time I did not get past "Onto Me", which of course turned out to be a big mistake. Just like on their previous Voyager album, Little Ghost's final bookend consists of 2 of the strongest songs on this album. First off, we have "Whistling", which immediately reminded me of Ludwig Göransonn's Grip (from the Creed soundtrack). I believe it's because it's from the same "Trip hop" genre (quite the bit of eclecticism). Clocking in at a mere 2:47, it really is a prime example of short-and-sweet. It focuses on someone who's basically had it; no more time to wait for apologies and is ready to hit the road. Didn't quite think someone could make throwing in the towel sound so nice.

I had that song on repeat for the longest time before I finally moved onto the crowning moment of the whole album: "Still Wonder". There's something magical about the odd time signature of this song that just crept up on me. As soon as I heard it, it felt like an old-school mash up of New Edition*The Gap Band. It has the puppy love nostalgia of Bobby Brown's "Girlfriend", and the subject matter follows a similar vein. Amber croons about all the things she saw in her lover before they even got together, and the love she continues to receive; the chorus then echoes the same sentiment by rhetorically questioning "and you still wonder how I fell for you." To cap off an already great song, they lead us out with a beautiful instrumental section by Max and Andris on the keys; they then  enhance the song with aural perfection by adding a small strings section courtesy of Quartet 405 for the last 2 measures.

The album mostly soars above the rest, and definitely lights up the 2019 R&B scene. Good to see some back-to-basics R&B that is a breath of fresh air. Where the album is exquisite, it soars; and even where it lags, it's still a cut above the rest. I wholeheartedly recommend that you give this album a whirl and sample the beauty of Moonchild's hard work.

Definitely gets an A- from me.

God Bless

The Music of James Ingram: Always You

Track List:

1. "Someone Like You"
2. "Let Me Love You This Way"
3. "Always You"
4. "Treat Her Right"
5. "A Baby's Born"
6. "This is the Night"
7. "You Never Know What You Got"
8. "Too Much for this Heart"
9. "Sing for the Children"
10. "Any Kind of Love"

I knew I would eventually get the nerve to review this very formative record. I didn't expect that Mr. Ingram would've passed as abruptly as he did, but thankfully the spirit of his music and the influence he cast over us all remains in our lives.

"Always You" is an album I encountered because my Dad would play it in the car's stereo as he drove us - my twin brother and I - to (primary) school. My introduction to Mr. Ingram's music actually came through my two eldest siblings. I remember my brother playing "Call on Me" a few times in the house from his "It's Real" album (1989 release). I can also recall my sister playing Quincy Jones' "Secret Garden", which also coincidentally came out in 1989. I must admit, when I was a youngster the "Sweet Seduction Suite" didn't mean much to me; however, when I grew up a bit and learned to appreciate grown folks' music, then I finally started to appreciate the massive collaboration that made the Secret Garden such a success.

Anyways, back to circa '93. The only single released off this album was track number 1, "Someone Like You". I recall being surprised to hear it blaring in a big chain supermarket down in Kisii during my internship (2014). I remember thinking to myself that something was right with the world if such a song was getting airplay. The song is classic James in its melody and structure; in it we find him crooning about yearning to possess the object of his affection.

It really is a shame that more of the album isn't more well known because it really is a total package. The songs are mostly ballads (7 out of 10), but then he slipped in 3 songs that are anthemic, odes to specific aspects of humanity ("A Baby's Born", "Sing for the Children", and "Any Kind of Love").

Things slow down a bit on Track 2 - "Let Me Love You This Way"; this fittingly feels like a sequel to "Someone Like You". Here he's a man in love who's trying to figure out how to express his love to his significant other. He dabbles with the idea of promising and achieving impossible or improbable things, but in the end he resolves that the simplistic act of being "by her side always" is what counts the most.

(The series of songs from Track 3 - 6 are what I consider the simply unskippable portion of the album)

"Always You" takes us on a different kind of musical journey - that of heartbreak. He calls back to yesterday, a time filled with shared dreams and nascent love; he contrasts that with the stark reality of today where he clings to the memory of his "love" despite things having come to an end. He still holds out hope that things can work out for the better and that he'd have a chance to reunite with his true love. This is a really melancholic song, and the chimes always makes it feel like he's reminiscing about this during the holiday season. Backed most prominently by an organ, he lays out his heart and longing in perhaps his most emotional song on this album. 


"Treat Her Right" finds him admonishing a 'brother' who is unable to appreciate a wonderful lady in his life. He extols all her virtue in detail, and contrasts it with the little that she needs from her man. Feels like he took it to church with this track.  

"A Baby's Born" is an ode to life. In it, he reflects on time, the changing of the seasons, life drifting forward, getting old and having old friends pass away; at the end of it all, this is contrasted with the gift that yet another baby will be born. This song really only consists of one poignant verse presented against operatic instrumentation. The latter part of the song is a real feast as we have James sound off his falsetto vocalization in turn with the chords of a guitarist's solo. Truly a feast.
*I hadn't known that this was a cover song until just recently. It was originally performed by Johnny Mathis in 1973. The  original instrumentation sounds quite "Bacharach-ian" with a hint of motown (perhaps more Bacharach inspired than Ingram's version). This version puts a new spin on things, but both versions are quite enjoyable.

"This is The Night" has always been my favourite song on the album. I literally didn't know that (the great) Burt Bacharach had a hand in crafting this gem until I checked the album's wiki page, and confirmed it in the liner notes. This ballad describes a man's transition from a forlorn soul to an actualized individual once he finds the love of his life. In my mind I always pictured this as the perfect wedding song (right up there with Patti Labelle's "If Only You Knew", Minnie Ripperton's "Loving You" and Julie Fowlis' "Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird a' Chuan"). The tape version I initially heard, unfortunately, lacked the keyboard and strings intro, instead starting straight off with the harmonized humming, but I'm glad I got it on the CD version. The intro consists of two identical runs of booming organ notes that initially seem to hint at nothing in particular, then the strings join in to lay out the rhythm that characterizes the start of each verse; then that magical humming comes in and is accompanied by an aggressive electrical guitar riff. Set against a deep pulsing bass line, he proceeds to lay down 5:05 of perfection.   

"You Never Know What You Got" turns the spotlight on the lady (in the relationship) for a change. It reflects on the ups-and-downs of a relationship, with him emphasizing that she stay in the relationship lest she be left all alone sitting by the phone. Despite his already self-appreciated limitations, he promises to do the best he can by her; the flipside is for her to abandon the relationship, and risk not having something to return to.

"Too Much for this Heart". After the heartbreak comes the chance for yet another attempt at love. This song, however, addresses the doubt that someone feels at putting themselves out there again for a chance to find love. The trepidation is on full display here.

"Sing for the Children". Of the two Bacharach contributions, this is the more classic Bacharach outing - the orchestration at the start of the song is evidence of that (the horn arrangement). This ode to children calls for the preservation of their innocence, for their need to feel love. In the second verse, he focuses on the memory of his deceased father, a balancing influence that still gives his life purpose; this is the kind of influence he wants for all children, which would be a saving grace for both their dreams and humanity in general.

"Any Kind of Love" is is an ode to good old fashioned humanity, which plays out like a blast from the past. James and his crew are literally jamming for the whole first minute in a 6:55 song. It's not until we get to the 1:28 mark that he finally starts to lay down some vocals. The song is a heartfelt call for us to share some love for the sake of our fellow men. The breakdown at the end is more jamming magic clocking in at another minute.

I remember picking up my own CD copy of this album at a discount store in Capitola, CA, and it really is one that I treasure. Good wholesome music that's beautifully crafted and has aged very well. I've always been impressed by his signature hallmark - "Ingram howl" - that he belts out so effortlessly, and as always it'll appear on a couple of these songs. If you do have a chance to listen to this album (I believe all songs are available on Youtube), by all means do it. It is wonderful. 


Rest in Peace Mr. Ingram.

God Bless.

The Music of Ed Johnson: Movimento

This takes me back to my days at Messiah College, and the joys of Yahoo! Launchcast which may sadly no longer exist. I think this might particularly have been around those summers when I worked the night shift as a custodial assistant. After work got done, I usually walked over to one of our computer labs and spent a lot of my time listening to Launchcast. My musical list must have been quite eclectic because every so often a non-English track would come up - typically Spanish or Portuguese - and I got to indulge my taste buds in something different. (Must've been some variations on the Jazz preference I had chosen).

Anyway, one day I get this impressive Portuguese track that just resonates with my soul. Pretty guitar playing, wonderful percussion, all set to this fast paced tempo. At first glance of the artist, I'd have thought he was some ordinary Brazilian/Portuguese artist; it was only later that I came to find out that he was American (based out of Palo Alto, California), and that Portuguese is not his native tongue. This shouldn't be so strange, though, considering that bands have a flair for touring through multiple locations and picking influences as they go. I recall that the Pat Metheny Group - Pat himself receives a shout-out in the liner notes for this album - did an extensive tour of Brazil and a lot of that influence is palpable in a lot of his early works, especially Minuano (Six Eight).

Off the strength of the title track, I ended up buying the whole album, and later on 2 more albums from his back catalog. Time and time again, though, I find myself gravitating towards this album in particular. It really has something for every mood: Jazzy samba, ballads, dirges and even purely instrumental tracks. The track "Movimento" typifies something great about a lot of the songs on this album; they all have this "spark" that may occur at some moment in the song, and once you get to it, you just know you love the song.

1. In Movimento, this occurs one minute in, when you hear him belt out "...El Mundo a rodar..." for the first time; it lets you know that Ed Johnson is a professional at what he's doing, and he has the "pipes"to prove it. 
2. In "Exceto Nõs", the intro horn section lets me know I have a winner. 
3. In "Scotch Baião", a track where the soloing is shared between his guitar and a horn player, the horn section at 2:35 is the most beautiful portion of the whole song.
4. "O Bom Alvinho": I had initially tended to avoid this track, but when I gave it a listen, the portion where he engages in "scat-singing" (and especially its finale) keeps me enthralled for the whole tune.
5. "For T": beautiful instrumental track with occasional humming. The harmonized humming that closes out the track is the highlight of the song.
6.  "Silent Heart": haunting melody with a beautiful muted horn used to great effect; the only track sang in English. Here again, the harmonized humming that brings the track to a close caps off a great performance, and bookends a wonderful album. 

Sadly, the only track out of the ten that I've been unable to fall in love with is "Tara". This is by far the most straight ahead Jazz track on the recording. I just can't seem to resonate with the track.

All in all, it's still a solid effort. 4 instrumental tracks (Scotch Baião, Light's Return, For T and Tara), 2 Ballads (Exceto Nõs, Silent Heart), 2 cover songs (O Bom Alvinho, A felicidade), a requiem (Remembrance) and the wonderful title track.

The album is infinitely enjoyable and is something that you'll definitely play a couple of times. (my CD might currently be worse for wear). Grade A performance from a master craftsman. Definitely give it a listen if you have a chance.


God Bless

The Music of Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard: Batman Begins Soundtrack

Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy has earned much praise for the amount of realism that it was able to inject into the iconic character of Batman. Don't get me wrong, I grew up on Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns, and these were both great takes on Batman lore. Batman Forever (sans Jim Carrey's overacting) is also an enjoyably watchable movie. Unfortunately, Joel Shumacher took the comic gimmick to ultimate extremes with Batman & Robin. Batman Begins thus served as a course correction.

In my opinion, Batman Begins is the best installment in the whole trilogy because it shows Nolan's most seamless uncluttered vision for the project. The Dark Knight might have wowed us with an incredible joker, but it also offered us a terrible Rachel Dawes whom I was overjoyed to see killed off in the same installment. The Dark Knight Rises was a travesty and a cash-grab, worst entry in the trilogy hands-down.

As I've mentioned on more than one occasion, the musical score of a movie is in itself a character within the movie. This score was a collaboration by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard with Zimmer taking care of scoring the action scenes and Howard scoring the emotional scenes. Initially Zimmer may have come under fire for not using elements of Danny Elfman's score for prior Batman movies, but I can't argue with the finished product.

There is something somewhat "industrial" about some of the music. The heroic theme "Molossus", which plays when Bruce suits up for action, is one such example of this; set to a rapidly pulsing drumbeat that sounds like the heart of a gigantic mechanical beast (that meshes well with the "Tumbler"), it also consists of quickfire strings that are used to convey a sense of urgency. Some tunes are also rather "airy": the very first track, "Vespertilio" mimics the sound of Batman unfurling his cape. The effect is used on other occasions to make us feel like we're in the depths of a cave, or within the recesses of "the Narrows", the seedy underbelly of Gotham.

"Nycteris" sounds like something from a James Bond-esque movie, and it should really because it matches up with a very "Q" type of moment when Lucius Fox leads Bruce Wayne through R&D, showing him the ins and outs of the armoury. Portions of some songs trail of into the most dissonant weird sections in order to mimic the effects of the Fear Toxin or as a representation of the villainous Scarecrow.

"Lasiurus", which is the last track, is probably what I would classify as Ra's Al Ghul's theme. It is a sombre piece that enlightens the moment in which Ra's teaches Bruce about the nature of criminals, and the League of Shadows. It perfectly signifies the heavy loss that is at the heart of this dark character, which becomes the driving force for his resolution to enforce balance by any means necessary.

The heart and soul of this movie is the elegiac Wayne Theme sprinkled in multiple songs but chiefly found in "Macrotus" and "Corynorhinus". Corynorhinus is remarkable for having the most beautiful intro of this particular theme; Macrotus, on the other hand, is the full examination of the theme. Starting off beautifully with a melodic string portion playing a very striking opening motif, then sinks into the theme proper, and at the midway point it slows down and acquires that "airy" tone I previously spoke off, perhaps harkening back to "the Narrows"; then with a lick very much reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings (Sauron-esque), it segues into the Adversity Theme - a booming brass section that conveys the very insurmountable weight of Gotham's problems, and the arduous task of trying to fix it. A choir boy's shrill voice then pierces the background, and provides a scaffold for the strings section to be built upon. The piano then leads us back into the beautiful Wayne Theme motif, joined in by strings and the brass, and buoyed by that haunting shrill voice. The song then slowly winds down as the brass section crescendos.

One piece that they failed to name (nor does it appear in the score) makes a very prominent appearance during the burning down of Wayne Manor at the 2:21 - 3:57 mark. (prior to that, you can definitely notice Lasiurus playing).

 

The same unnamed tune is also part of the final credits suite and is an action-oriented version of the Wayne Theme. It's a pity that they omitted it from the score, but fortunately you can still get it on Youtube.

As far as soundtracks in this trilogy went, this eclipsed all other entries, and is the most emotionally vibrant of them all. The Dark Knight's soundtrack is particularly unpleasant to listen to because the grating strings that are used for the Joker's theme are like nails on a chalkboard; they may be fine for adding suspense within the context of the movie, but the music cannot be enjoyed on its own; and as for the Dark Knight Rises, it's all Zimmer with none of Howard's redeeming qualities.

Take some time to listen to this wonderful soundtrack and bask in its beauty. I recommend starting with Corynorhinus, Macrotus and Lasiurus.

God Bless

The Music of Robert Glasper: Canvas

Robert Glasper, as I've mentioned previously, is an artist I encountered while searching for an instrumental version of a Common + Slum Village collaboration known as "Thelonius". Robert Glasper has a rich tradition of blending Hip Hop sensibilities with his jazz music; on this occasion, he was paying homage to the Jay Dilla beat (which was originally sampled from George Duke's "Vulcan Mind Probe"), and he usually includes this tune (along with other Jay Dee staples like "Doo Doo", "Stakes is High" and "The Light"...and one time even threw in "Yum Yum") on a set he does called "The Dillalude".  This was basically a springboard to discover more of his work, some of which is straight ahead jazz, and occasionally he gets "experimental" with his Robert Glasper Experiment group.

In the course of searching for another rendition of the Dillalude, I came across a live recording of the Robert Glasper Trio from February 11th 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri. On that day his accompanying personnel were Alan Hampton (on Bass) and Mark Colenburg (on Drums). To cut a long story short, this version of the Dillalude (disappointingly) only consisted of "Doo Doo" and "Stakes is High", thus I decided to peruse through the other tracks, and there it was practically at the beginning of the performance: right after introducing his trio members and apologizing for previous no-shows, he presented "Canvas"

Now, Canvas was originally released in October 2005, and at the time he was basically fronting a quartet: Mark Turner (Tenor Sax), Vicinte Archer (Bass) and Damion Reid (Drums). Clocking in at 9:57, it is a beautifully sombre piece. Robert Glasper starts it off with a 3 note phrase (varied), which is answered by a variable length phrase initially from Mr. Glasper himself for a few measures, and then eventually the rest of the quartet joins in, echoing Glasper, and eventually plays the chorus to the piece. They cycle through this for some time, and then after a Glasper solo, followed by a Mark Turner solo, they bring it to a close by going in hard on the chorus.


This live rendition is a slightly different cup of tea; coinciding with the date of Whitney Houston's death, it ended up being dedicated to her memory. I don't know if this may have influenced Glasper to play a lengthy solo before getting into Canvas-proper, but it certainly made the music more memorable. He proceeds to play a ballad clocking in at 6:50 that is profoundly nuanced (possibly fully improvised). When I listen to it, I feel like it consists of 2 distinct portions: the first portion is more subdued, with quiet employed between the run of notes to place a delicate sort of emphasis, a yearning; this changes about the 3:20 mark whereby the mood in the music shifts. The tone picks up, and the stretches of punctuated silences are reduced, and he imbues the notes with more of a warmth; he then segues into that prototypical 3 note phrase of "Canvas".

Truth be told, there's something more intimate and magical about the trio rendition versus the original quartet rendition. I attribute this mostly to the saxophone that was particularly jarring in its solo portion. Don't get me wrong, the sax adds some nice layering in unison with the other instruments, but in this song it just makes the song seem more technical, but less musically enriching. In contrast, the trio's live rendition starts off with a very tasteful Bass solo, followed by a more grounded Piano solo which constitutes the vast majority of the song. Glasper plays it close to the heart. The drums are present as a muted element in the background, adding subtle shades of accompaniment. Come to think of it, this is yet another welcome change from the original version whereby the drums were something of an obtrusive element. Here, the drums flourishes are only really highlighted in the drum solo that precedes the song's ending as all three trio members finally let loose.    

By the end of it all, you'd have listened to a wonderful 21:54 gem that explores a huge range of emotions. Thus far, I've heard 3 versions of this song: the original, the Trio version, and the 2014 North Sea Jazz Festival version (backed by the Metropole Orchestra), and the trio version is my standout favourite. Sometimes the most laid back, grounded, simple version is just the best. In my opinion, this truly is the definitive version of Canvas.

May this song also breathe some light into your life.

 

Trio Version (21:54)

  

Quartet Version (10:00)

2014 North Sea Jazz Festival version (12:29)

God Bless

Ant-Man and the Wasp "Spoiler-Free" Review

Seems that it's no longer a rarity for me to wind up all alone in theaters anymore. In just my last two recent outings - The Incredibles 2 and this time around - I've been the only soul in the theater...and I love it! Thank God (again) for the early morning showings

Time to get back into things Team Marvel after the devastation witnessed in Avengers: Infinity War. This takes place about 2 years after the events of Captain America: Civil War, and just prior to the events of Infinity War. This catches up on the events of one of the wild cards from Civil War (Hawkeye still somewhere in the ether) and the story lets us explore the dynamic of Scott Lang's life after the fallout. He's under house arrest, has a better relationship with his family (even with his Ex's current husband) and he and his crew of delinquents (Luiz, Dave and Kurt) have set up a security firm. The only thing that's not working out for him is that Hank Pym and his daughter Hope have basically abandoned him since his little dalliance with Cap. He's basically going through the motions so he can get done with his house arrest stint and revert to living a normal life. That all changes when he somehow ends up quantum-entangled with Janet Van Dyne, the previous incarnation of the Wasp and also a Pym; so this movie sets out to unlock the secrets of the quantum realm in order to free her. Since Hank and Hope have had to go off-grid, not only do they have the FBI on their backs, but their black market dealings have invited a two-faced seedy character (Sonny Burch) into their lives. As if that wasn't enough, they have the ethereal "Ghost" hot on their trail for the keys to the quantum realm, which might be her only way of finding a solution to her condition.

I really enjoyed this movie for much the same reason that people are giving it so much grief. First off, the stakes are not as high in this movie, which is fine; this wasn't meant to be another movie in the tune of Infinity War. It is so diametrically different from the first Ant-Man that they can barely be compared: the first movie was a wonderful heist film mixed in with some industrial espionage in the same right as the first Iron Man; the sequel keeps matters close to the chest and seeks to close the Janet Van Dyne arc that it started in the first movie by having us explore more profoundly the concept of the quantum realm (which comic book/cartoon fans would recognize because Hank Pym has used it to house criminals).

Another complaint about this movie is that Marvel has yet again given us a movie with a weak villain. Well, to truly expound on that, this movie has no real villains. (to-may-to, to-mah-to!). In my opinion, the movie doesn't suffer one bit from this turn of events. Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins) is a villain in a portrayal similar to Iron Man's "Justin Hammer"; to him, this is all about business and he's just trying to land the biggest score. Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) is a most unfortunate character who's merely out for her own survival; her problem is that "the end essentially justifies the means" in her mind. Considering how rough her childhood was, you can't exactly blame her for not truly developing a sense of empathy. The collision of all these competing interests still provides enough conflict to elegantly propel the story forward. (I would argue that Captain America: Civil War also played around with the villain in the same way. The only true villain they had was "Crossbones", and after his speedy exit we get "Baron Zemo" whose machinations only revolved around him setting up conflict within the heroes' ranks).

The characters from the last outing are all present here and mostly share the wonderful chemistry set up in the first Ant-Man. Thanks to the fallout from Civil War, Scott Lang's relationship with Hank Pym and Hope gets set back to zero, with even more disdain than he faced last time around. Hope sheds her business suit and has more screen time as her alter ego, and she gets to more intensely utilize the combat skills that she previously took out only on Scott. Thankfully, they also got rid of her horrific haircut from the first movie and allowed her to loosen up a bit more. Among the newcomers, Hannah John-Kamen nicely captures the other-worldliness of the antagonist; Laurence Fishburne's turn as Bill Foster was also a pleasure to behold - part nemesis to Hank Pym and part father figure, his stake in the film was relatable. Randall Park plays a pretty by-the-numbers FBI agent Jimmy Woo; though, I instantly recognized him as the patient from House MD who tried to circumcise himself with a pair of box-cutters, but I digress.

As usual, the visual effects are a feast for the senses. The alternate shrinking-growth melds really well with the fighting and looks just as believable as it did first time around. Ghost's phasing ability is so gloriously rendered that it would be considered a cool superpower, if it wasn't for the fact that it causes her a great level of pain. This movie also did its bit of scientific research and you will be impressed by how well they are able to represent the cuddly yet deadly tardigrades.

This movie is a great addition to the MCU and something lighter for you to get into after Infinity War. It is not mere filler: it is a more down to earth family-oriented movie. Enjoy it for what it is, Grade A in my books.

Thor: Ragnarok "Spoiler-Free" Review

So, Thor: Ragnarok basically showed up in theaters this Wednesday, and I've basically been waiting for a long time to watch this movie. This is the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) second last single outing before we get into the massive team-up event of "Infinity War". Up to this point, the MCU now has 3 complete trilogies, which have yielded varying degrees of success. The hallmark has been the Captain America trilogy which went from strength to strength, first with a World War II period piece, then evolved into a beautiful spy thriller for its second outing, and came full circle with the mash-up that was "Civil War". Next up is the Iron Man trilogy; Iron Man is considered the starting point of the MCU, but his movies have had a strange trajectory with each entry being weaker than the last. With the completion of the Thor trilogy, we can take a look at the course these movies have taken.

Thor's characterization has been difficult to pin down. Asgard and all the realms associated with Thor's universe are what bridges the rest of the MCU with each other. How else could disparate properties like "Guardians of the Galaxy" and pretty much everything terrestrial in the MCU be brought together if not through Thor? The first movie was like a Shakespearean play: big hero who's heir to the throne does something unbecoming and ends up being stripped of his powers and summarily banished to earth; after learning some humility and showing some regard for human life, he gains back his powers and his place as the rightful heir. The second movie took a much darker path, digging further into the lore of Asgard and introducing an infinity stone in the form of the Aether; having Jane Foster play the unwitting host to the Aether was a move to introduce her to the Asgardians (one which probably wasn't appreciated too highly by the fans).  

As I've mentioned before, Thor has been hard to place in this MCU. They've gone with the "Ultimate" version of Thor's universe, therefore, rather than being magical god-like creatures, Asgardians are really just a technologically advanced race; but then again, Thor typifies a Tony Robbins' quote that I ran across a while back,

"It is not necessary to understand everything to be able to use everything"

Technologically advanced the Asgardians may be, but you get the feeling that Thor doesn't really understand how it all works (not the sharpest tool in the shed). At some point in this movie, Thor chides Hulk for being the dumbest avenger, but that might be a toss up between the two of them. In the past 2 movies, Thor barely fits in with the Midgardians (human folk), with the exception of the Avengers. He is a god among men, and out of place even when juxtaposed against the posse (Jane, Darcy and Erik) that is meant to humanize him.

So this movie takes a totally different route. It puts a spanner in the works, putting a stop to the increasingly serious tone between the first two movies; instead, this one serves up the laughs aplenty. Also, the human element is almost lacking from this movie; if Thor is a god, let's get to see what he's like among other gods (lesser or otherwise). Especially when it comes to the laughs, you'll pick the tonal shift very early. He's talking to a heavy-hitter, and the humour was a tad overpowering. This was the only part where it took me out of the moment, much in the same way I couldn't take Tony Stark's PTSD arc in Iron Man III serious.

Fortunately, the action kicked into top gear and the movie pulls you back in. Shortly after, we get to see how things are falling apart since Loki's being hiding under the guise of Odin. It's priceless to see Loki's death scene from Thor: The Dark World played to comedic effect with the most surprising of cameos (I seriously doubted my eyes the whole time I was watching the scene play out). It's a quick trip from there in search of Odin, which brings us to earth and a wonderful encounter between Dr. Strange and the Asgardians. It's hard to tell how much time passes in the MCU and where the movies fit into the timeline, but from the dexterity with which the good doctor handles the magical arts, you can tell that he's finally settled into his role as the sorcerer supreme. Handling the Asgardian presence on earth (particularly Loki's) as something of a nuisance, he reunites them with Odin to ensure the safety of earth.

The reunion is short-lived, but enough for Odin to let us know that something bad is coming; his foreboding is not limited to the event itself, but he lets us in on a dark secret that lets us know that he is in a way responsible for what's coming. The trailers and clips have given us a bit of exposition concerning the encounter between Thor, Loki and Hela, and how exactly they end up on Sakaar, and how they end up meeting the rest of The Revengers team members - Hulk and Valkyrie - but maybe not in the way you're expecting. In an era when poorly constructed trailers threaten to expose entire movie plots willy nilly, there's a surprising amount of randomness in which the story comes together. A traditional buddy cop movie (like happened in Iron Man III), this is not. However, dysfunctional or otherwise, this is the team that needs to get back to Asgard to deal with the big baddie.

I think this movie achieved what it's going for. It's a beautiful movie with vibrant colours and expansive worlds. More than that, it also expands the lore in a welcome direction. Multiple story arcs have been assembled to come up with this version of the story. There's a touch of the Ragnarok, Planet Hulk, and Gorr the Godbutcher storylines; probably more things in there too, but they are tastefully amalgamated. Thor, despite all the comedy, finally comes into his own. Despite feeling hapless for losing Mjolnir, he comes to embrace his role as the god of thunder, and all innate abilities and responsibilities therein. And if there's anything he learns quite well, it's that "Asgard is not a place, but its people".

Loki has also morphed into an entirely new character. When we first met him, he was finding himself in his role as the god of mischief; in The Avengers, he was pretty much an astringent villain; but here he still makes mistakes, but he's beginning to embrace himself as somewhat of an anti-hero.

Bruce Banner/Hulk does not feel like an afterthought either, and that's probably because The Planet Hulk storyline so organically implants his presence in this movie. It is a travesty that we haven't gotten a new Hulk movie to expand the character for this new universe (I refuse to count 2008's Incredible Hulk as having brought anything useful to the MCU). The Banner/Hulk relationship is more tenuous this time around, with Banner totally buried within their fractured psyche since he fled on the Quinjet at the end of Age of Ultron. As per the comic, Banner's presence made no sense on Sakaar because the world was too hostile to accommodate his puny physique; however, since they're shifting thing around for this adaptation, some exposition would be great for exploring this fractured psyche.

Cate Blanchett is a wonderful addition to the cast as the villainous Hela. She has a ravenous appetite for violence, but in her own way she reflects an individual who is looking for recognition in the only way she knows how. Her path partially mirrors that of Loki, someone on the outside looking in, hoping for acceptance and validation. Her exposition gives us a peek into a darker less benevolent Asgardian past, and I feel like she would be a welcome villain in future MCU installments. (Might even prove to be a worthy foe for the likes of Dr. Strange).

Tessa Thompson as wonderfully cast as Valkyrie, a seemingly incorrigible drunk with a traumatic past who is initially the bane of Thor's existence on Sakaar; but her bad habits aside, she steals every scene she's in, and her path towards redemption is worth the watch.

Even Jeff Goldblum is a welcome addition. Even his typical "mannerisms" only add more zest to the ridiculous entity that is the Grandmaster. He is wonderfully egotistical, and he infuriates Thor to no end with his frequent mispronunciation of "Asgard" or Thor's title.

The humour also melded well, despite the serious tone that "Ragnarok" is meant to imply. After a really rough bump at the start, I feel like it was the right tonal choice for this movie. This movie must be preparing us for the kind of loss that we're going to experience during the Infinity War because some people meet rather untimely ends in this movie. It just happens with a finality that'll shock you, and you barely even get a chance for it to sink in. I'm hoping that there's a chance for rebirth, like that shown in the comic, such that we will get a chance to meet some of these fallen heroes again. (One can only wish...)

It's been hard to put words to this review without giving spoilers, so perhaps I might just have to delve into spoiler territory with another review to further contextualize what I was unable to say. Suffice it to say, this was a great movie (A+), and a wonderfully good time. I might just be up for watching this again come next weekend; who knows, might even treat a friend to it (time will tell).

God Bless.

  

The Music of Pat Metheny - Minuano 6/8

Eventually, it had to happen. I had to dig up one track that is quintessentially a Pat Metheny Group number. This is typically the 2nd part of his famous "Metheny Medley" (Phase Dance - Minuano (6/8) - September 15th - First Circle...), and even continues to maintain that position in his newest Sessions rendition.

It certainly was a hard track to come by because this is one of those long form songs, which begins one way, and midway transforms into a whole other creation. I was lucky to run across it as a snippet from a fan's playlist on Pat Metheny Radio on the PMG website. (Un)fortunately, the snippet was from the second portion of the song past the 2:45 mark - similar to what he uses in his medley - thus, it is one that you're likely to miss unless you're patient enough.

Coming from the "Still Life (Talking)" album of 1987, this song reflects some of the group's earlier Brazilian influence from around the period; it also includes the incorporation of wordless vocals in its composition. The song starts off with an eerie portion of humming set against a nondescript instrumental background that steadily increases in complexity; there is an ebb-and-flow of the guitar, piano and other percussion elements as something buoying the humming, but not entirely sounding unified at first; this then builds up around the 2:45 mark, where we swing from the crescendo of the humming into a beautiful samba bass line.

From here, the guitar, piano and whistling spell out the Minuano melody, and in the next line the vocals reiterate the same phrasing. This is the preamble to Metheny's tasteful solo (more restrained in the album version, but a tad more explosive in varied live playings of this song). We then delve back into the minuano melody, which is used as a bridge to a delightful percussion breakdown: the Marimba stands front-and-centre with notable backing from castanets and the piano; for its second spin, the drums are brought in and the bass accent a few notes, and lastly, third time around, they are joined by Metheny's guitar which seems to resonate exactly with Steve Rodby's Bass playing. With the whole band back in play, Lyle Mays builds up the next bridge section to sound like a brass heavy affair, and then we find ourselves back in the Minuano melody proper till the song's conclusion.

Clocking in at a decent 9:28, this song is a masterpiece. It actually seems much shorter when you play it out, but it is immensely enjoyable through and through. Many versions of it abound, especially some live versions (We Live Here & Imaginary Day DVDs) where the intro session is cut out and they just get down to business. Also available is the Pat Metheny + Metropole Orchestra version adapted by Pat for a massive ensemble.

Whichever version you view, I hope it proves as much a feast for your senses as it has for mine over the years.

God Bless

The Music of Pat Metheny: Sueño con México (Orchestrion Edition)

Time to delve into another gem from the masterful Pat Metheny. This is from one of his solo albums (New Chautauqua) released in 1979, and as the story goes, the song was something he wrote up quite hurriedly as he became aware that he was one song short for the record. The original recording is an outstanding piece of work, wrapped around this beautiful weaving of music against a baseline arpeggio that is hypnotizing to say the least.

However, I will not be focusing on the original recording. In 2010, Metheny exposed the world to his idiosyncratic labour of love: Orchestrion. Sure, this was yet another of his solo albums, but one with a twist: he had the backing of a whole slew of musical instruments, specifically designed for the endeavour, that he was able to activate at will. He used this to good effect, and came up with 5 original compositions to showcase this project. However, after going on tour, he would dabble in some improv work using the orchestrion instruments, and he even gave some of his old tunes a fresh spin. This is of course what led to his spin-off album, The Orchestrion Project, which dropped in 2012. This album, inspired by his Orchestrion tour, was an expansion of his original orchestrion work featuring aforementioned new improv material and a few of his old hits.

And this is where we pick up things with his new rendition of Sueño con México. This rendition breathes a whole new life to the original (similar to what happened with The Way Up); the palette has been expanded greatly for this song. We end up going from the whimsy of a piece designed last minute in a Stuttgart hotel, to an even more tightly hemmed piece of music; whereas the original composition is a more nuanced quiet piece, this time around it's more full blown and expressive. The arpeggios underlying the song are more vibrant, and the extra percussion from cymbals, piano, bass, etc., used sparingly in bursts, amplifies the emotiveness of the piece.

Within this soundscape, Metheny still stands front and centre with his guitar and this time around he has a true semblance of a solo (which the original recording never really had). The solo has two distinct parts: at first he plays all his flourishes accompanied chiefly by the underlying arpeggio, and adds splashes of the orchestrion to accent his work; the second part is more subdued with just a bit more yearning conveyed by his guitar. Perhaps his finest moment comes in a roughly 1 minute stretch starting from the 6:40 mark; and within that stretch, 7:19 to 7:44 consists of some of the finest notes I've heard committed to music. So much elation, it just sounds like a stairway to Heaven. 

I enjoyed the original Sueño con México, but I adore the reinvented edition of the song, and I can truly call it one of my favourites. I love that he can still reinvent his classics anew, and use them to inspire a new generation. Thank God for such blessings. 

The Music of Acoustic Alchemy: Red Dust & Spanish Lace

The music of Acoustic Alchemy takes me back to my Messiah College days. I discovered the group sometime in 2003 thanks to Launchcast, a great Yahoo! internet music service that is currently defunct. I run across the service during those late summer nights when I'd get off work and just spend my time online until the sun came up; it basically kept me going till I could eat breakfast, and then get some sleep.

Since my music preferences were mostly set for "Jazz" and "Easy Listening", Acoustic Alchemy eventually popped up one day...and I was hooked. I remember checking out their website, and they had this player which played the full tracks from (as far as I can remember it) two of their last albums: The Beautiful Game and Aart. Aart was my first purchase from them, and, consequently, the album I used to introduce my brothers to the group. It's notable for having one of my favourite Acoustic Alchemy songs - "Passion Play" - and in 2012, during my twin brother's wedding, the groomsmen marched in to the church to the tune of "The Velvet Swing".

Anyway, I continued to follow the group, and later that year they released "Radio Contact", which I also ended up purchasing, in addition to some of their back catalog. As luck would have it, they ended up coming to perform a concert in Pennsylvania (Reading, PA to be exact).  The concert venue was slightly more than an hour away from Messiah, but, luckily, my then-girlfriend (Heather) drove us down and we got to experience Acoustic Alchemy in all their glory. Back then they still had bassist Frank Felix in their lineup; and Eddie M. was the man on sax-duty that night (a role that had been filled by Jeff Kashiwa for the making of Aart). Otherwise, the core was the same: Greg Carmichael (strings), Miles Gilderdale (strings), Fred White (Keys) and Greg Grainger (drums).
Any of their concerts is basically a time for comedy. Anytime you have Miles ad-libbing on the mic, something funny is bound to happen. This concert bookmarks 2004 for me because I remember Miles and Frank poking fun at the whole Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake debacle during the Superbowl Halftime show.

The tracklist consisted of a diverse bunch of tracks, some from Aart, The Beautiful Game, and of course, Radio Contact. However, towards the end, Greg went into an extended flamenco guitar solo that had me hypnotized. The tune felt somewhat familiar, but I wasn't sure I had actually encountered it. He put on a wonderful show in that solo, with so many emotions explored in the fast/slow ebb and flow of his notes, taking you on along for the ride; and just when I thought he was done, he starts playing double-time, and then they ended up segueing from the guitar solo into a more rapid flamenco infused piece by the whole band; I use the word "infused" because it is flamenco-nuanced. Actually, one of the guitars (Greg's Nylon) starts out in flamenco, but eventually he ends up switching to his more traditional playing style, with the band providing some flamenco riffs here and there. This is actually one of those long-form songs (not typical of their style), which starts out one way and then totally morphs into something unexpectedly new.

I remember that at the end of the concert they asked us if we had any requests that they'd want us to play. It was a free-for-all, and people pretty much shouted their favourites. Wish I could have been more emphatic in asking for "Passion Play", but instead they went with a wonderful version of "Flamoco Loco" that included a solo by drummer Greg Grainger which delved into an interpolation of Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" before finally climaxing as Flamoco Loco. (In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have asked for a song that needed a vocalist to hum along; but from a few videos on Youtube, I now see that they've decided to forgo the vocalist and still make an attempt to play it live).

In what must have seemed an injustice to me at that time, by the end of the concert they neglected to announce what the name of the flamenco song that they'd performed was; didn't even leave a hint in terms of which album it was from (and by this point in their careers, they were 13 albums deep). So I was left to track down things the old-fashioned way: listening to the CD track sampler on Amazon.com. Eventually, I found it: the title track from their very first album, Red Dust and Spanish Lace. Listening to the track, even now, brings back that subtle memory of that wintry night in Reading, PA, and the effervescent joy of knowing that beyond the enchanting solo (which is half of the song's length) lies a veritable feast in terms of good music.

The whole album is a masterpiece (and I'll get down to some of the standout tracks in due time), but it is its final track which is a true showstopper.

God Bless

Review: Suave Kenya BP-214

I've been really craving a bag from the company Suave Kenya ever since I learned about its history from a youtube video in a friend's Facebook post. It's a nice little upstart which up-cycles kitenges (a traditional fabric native to East and Central Africa) and denim to create really stylish looking bags. Currently, they offer 2 styles of bags: bag packs and messenger bags.

They put an interesting twist on things, adding little flourishes even when using the same kitenge to make different bags; sadly, though, this has meant that the styles they offer sometimes fly off the shelves real quick while I procrastinate about buying a specific bag. 

Anyway, last month I finally committed to getting one of their bags; the BP-214 to be exact (which according to their page is no longer available). I gravitated towards its dark purple colour scheme with the quaint kitenge highlights for its pockets.

This bag also contains its fair share of denim. The denim forms the inner lining of the bag, and it just makes it a beautiful ensemble of seemingly contrasting elements that fit surprisingly well together.

What struck me from the get-go is that this seems like a very small bag. They don't list its dimensions on the website, but I've measured it at 30 cm by 40 cm by 15 cm. Combine that with the rather small straps, and I initially felt like this bag would serve more as a stylish embellishment rather a good workhorse of a bag.

At least that's how I felt until I actually placed a good sized book in the bag. I usually tote around Creative Home Landscaping, and as the pictures show, it fit in quite snugly with lots of room to spare. The book measures 22 cm by 29 cm by 2 cm, which is probably representative of your typical book.

A spacious stylish interior

Side-by-side comparison

I really love this product. I'd say that my only gripe right now is the straps. My recommendation would be that perhaps when they upscale the company, they could look into making a more rugged version with fuller more padded straps and a little more height. I feel like the current dimensions are more suited to a lady than a gentleman per se; but perhaps that is just a bias from the vast majority of bag packs I've had before that had to be big enough to survive a medical student's books and things.

I will certainly be making a repeat purchase from Suave Kenya (possibly for a friend)...but first, I should probably start by sampling one of their messenger bags for myself. I think I could eventually end up using it as my "doctor's bag". They retail at the same price as the bag packs - sh. 3500 - with free delivery in some parts of Nairobi (best contact them first at 0726352001 to find out if you're eligible for this offer). I'll be making my choice between models ML-71, ML-74 and ML-75.

Note: The messenger bag on offer is the 13'' version. I hear there's a 15'' version that retails at sh. 4500, but I guess I can look into that later.

God Bless

Logan Review (spoiler free)

This was an unusual entry into the X-men universe. This finally makes this series a trilogy, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. People give the first entry in the series more grief than it deserves. As I remember it, it had the dubious honour of having a critic review an unfinished leaked copy of the movie, and then it was all downhill from there. Anyway, that's a tangent for another day.

This trilogy has been quite unique; in some ways as unique as the Captain America trilogy. It basically employed the same format, starting with one director, then shifting to a second director(s) who helmed the second and third movies. Despite this being the same director, the 2nd and 3rd movie are stylistically very different. In Captain America, it was because the Russo brothers had morphed "Civil War" into Avengers 2.5; in this case, James Mangold was aiming for a movie straddling multiple genres (Dystopian future/Western/Road Movie).

As you know from all the media hype about this movie, mutantkind has for the most part disappeared. What remains are a few vestiges; what we see of those vestiges are  Wolverine, Caliban and a 90-something Professor X. Logan's invulnerability isn't what it used to be, and the Professor is more liability than saviour at this point in his life, with major repercussions for any humans in his vicinity. Things can only get worse when Laura aka X-23 is introduced into their lives.

It was hard to watch these 2 X-men brought down to this level. Wolverine has always been the Lone Wolf who is sometimes called upon to be the ever reluctant hero. Despite all the bad that humankind has forced upon him, at least he always had invulnerability to rely on, and the choice to hit the road when he so desired. The pillar that was Prof. X is now also a distant memory; in a change of roles, Logan is now tasked with eking out a living to cater for the Prof. and his many special needs. The antagonism between the two of them gives the movie a lot of heart, sometimes intensely engrossing, and at other times hilarious when the Prof. exhibits petulant outbursts.

However, ever the heroes that they are, Laura's needs are a call to action, and even a chance to earn some redemption.

All things considered, this was a great movie, beautifully shot and well paced. I remember the joy of seeing Wolverine break out into a berserker rage in "X-men: Apocalypse", and this movie managed to one-up even that bit of gruesomeness! The R-rating on this movie is definitely used to good effect, whether it's Wolverine or X-23 doing the eviscerating. Though it's set in the near future, the movie is mostly grounded in the present, with the reavers and minor elements reflecting anything of futuristic proportions.

I have to come out and state that this movie is really its own story. Coming into it, there had been talk about them adopting the "Old Man Logan" storyline (definitely a great read if you come across it), but apart from the "Open Road" element of that comic, there isn't much of similarity worth noting.

This is (somewhat) a Marvel movie, so the complaint may arise that the bad guys are not really captivating. I don't think this will be the movie to change your mind about the dearth of characterization for villains in the Marvel stable. On the plus side, though, reflecting on Logan's tribulations will make you understand that the baddies are just an unfortunate hurdle. It could've been anything really. Anything that pushes against him so hard when he's at his most vulnerable seems downright insurmountable.

Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Dafne Keen are the heart and soul of this movie. What surprised me most was how many times Prof. X dropped the F-Bomb in this outing; all his typical decorum is thrown out the window, and he must've picked up some Wolverine-isms after being cooped up with him. For the most part, Hugh Jackman is reduced to brooding, but his emotions cover the whole range of the spectrum...with the rare smile chipped in. Even though Logan is even more reluctant to be a hero in this outing (Prof. X seems to be the one more concerned with looking out for X-23), Jackman imbues even the neglect with a true humanity. And Dafne Keen will not be afflicted with the "bad child actor who ruins a good movie" title. She has little dialogue for most of the movie, but her facial expressions and physicality convince you that she's more than a little bundle of joy. I look forward to seeing her take her rightful place in the X-men franchise.

I feel like this movie has emotionally drained me; it will take the love you have for these characters and beat you down with it. But, if ever there was a way for the roles of Prof. X and Wolverine to be retired (by their respective actors), this was it. Five star performance that's definitely worth watching. I still feel like there's more left of this story to tell, but maybe the X-men can give us that in a future installment that involves X-23 and Nathaniel Essex (aka Mr. Sinister), who was teased at the end of X-men: Apocalypse, but sadly didn't make it into this movie. Maybe some other day.

God Bless