Logan: A Very Spoilery Recap and Review

Wolverine has always been my favorite mutant, and while my comic knowledge for X-men is surface level, I really love (for the most part) the direction Marvel has been going with their films and original series. I can't get enough of the gritty, dark, and tortured protagonists that live in morally gray areas. Hugh Jackman as Logan has delivered this criteria for 17 years and doesn't disappoint in the newest installment. The 'R' rating was appropriate and refreshing though my 7 year old would adamantly disagree, always hating to miss anything Marvel.

It's set in the near-future and Logan is a chauffeur trying to live under the radar near the Mexican border after the mutant race faced near extinction. This was largely due to Dr. Rice's, head of the Weapon X program, genetic tampering through food and water to ensure no new mutants were born. His plan was to create his own military-styled mutant weapons that could be controlled and sell them to the highest bidder.

The movie opens with Logan napping in his car when some Adamantium-claw-fodder start trying to steal Logan's tires. He gets out of the car and warns them to stop and this leads to generic criminals doing what generic criminals do and Logan makes quick skewers out of them (so much for staying under the radar). Logan goes home where he sullenly hands Caliban (a surviving albino mutant played by Stephen Merchant) a necessary seizure medicine for Charles (Patrick Stewart) that controls his degenerative brain disease, before pouring himself a drink. A few years prior,  Charles (Professor X) had a seizure that, due to the power of his mind, killed mutants and many humans in Westchester, NY and was cause enough for the government to label his brain a weapon of mass destruction. Logan and Caliban have been on the run or in hiding ever since while taking care of a crotchety version of Charles (Professor X), who reminded me of the ornery old man most of us have in our own families. Except when Charles has a bad day and doesn't want to take his medicine, he ends up paralyzing and killing people by accident.

To complicate matters, a young girl Laura (Dafne Keen) born in the Transigen Corporation as a mutant of the X-23 experiment, lands on Logan's doorstep .She had been smuggled out of the program by a compassionate nurse who was appalled to learn the child mutants were going to be killed as a result of a "failed experiment". The nurse died as a result of her interference. Dr. Rice, head of Transigen Corp, sends his Reavers, led by a cyborg named Pierce (Boyd Holbrook), to track and capture Laura so she can be eliminated. They find her in Logan's care.

Things become even more complicated when Logan discovers Laura is a *Girlverine* and shares his DNA, essentially making him her father. While the Adamantium in his own body is poisoning and weakening Logan, the use of it was perfected in Laura and she is every bit as lethal as her *father* used to be without the long term effects. Logan hasn't embraced father-of-the-year status and is gruff and put out by Laura's presence while Charles is much kinder and develops a special bond with her. Logan, while trying (and not trying) to stay sober, bears the weight of keeping Charles and Laura alive and safe while they are being hunted nonstop by Reavers with lots of big guns.

Logan is tasked with getting Laura to *Eden*, a place in North Dakota near the Canadian border that she believes will be a safe stop for her and the escaped children of X-23 to stay before they seek approved asylum in Canada. When Logan finds that Laura discovered the coordinates for this place in an old X-men comic book, he tries to convince her the story was widely exaggerated and her journey is futile, but to no avail. So they continue on their quest.

Comic was designed as a movie prop and doesn't correlate with the actual comics but was an awesome inclusion

The Reavers are always hot on their trail but Logan, Laura, and Charles stay a step ahead because of Caliban (he was taken hostage because of his tracking abilities) providing *faulty* intelligence to the cronies of Transigen Corp. The 3 of them end up having dinner with a family they helped on the road and are invited to stay for the night. Logan doesn't want to but Charles insists it will be good for all of them and this leads to the tragic death of the family and Charles. Pierce and his Reavers bring Dr. Rice's new mutant "Wolverine" who is stronger and devoid of any human emotions to kill anyone who got in the way of capturing Laura (and he does) but Laura and Logan get away and Charles dies from the injuries he sustained. 

After Laura and Logan bury Charles, they get back on the road and it is clear that the connection between them is beginning to unnerve him and he wants to get her to safety and then abandon her. Logan has lost everyone he has ever cared about and the feelings he has for his daughter are reminding him of that.  They reach Eden and the X-23 children are there and preparing to run to the Canadian border. Logan is in a  healing sleep and Laura enjoys a moment of childhood with her friends as they shave Logan's beard to resemble the traditional Wolverine mutton chops and it is actually kind of hysterical.

Of course Dr. Rice and his Reavers discover the children and it becomes a new kind of battle as the mutants use their awesome gifts to defend themselves against the heavily armed cyborg men and get to the Canadian border where they cannot be harmed. Logan decides he can't abandon Laura after all, and when he sees drones tracking the kids he drinks a elixir that gives his weakening body temporary strength and resolves to go down in a blaze of glory to save his daughter and the remaining mutant children. We are spared the cliche 'I love yous' as Logan dies in Laura's arms but are given a more tear-jerking 'So this is what it feels like?' as Laura sobs with the knowledge that her father sacrificed himself to save her. While this was a predictable outcome, the effect was not lost on me. Perhaps the most poignant moment of the movie was when Laura eulogized her father with a fitting quote from the 1950's Western "Shane" that she connected with after watching it on a hotel television:

“There’s no living with a killing. There’s no going back from it. Right or wrong, it’s a brand, a brand that sticks. There’s no going back. Now, you run on home to your mother and tell her, tell her everything’s alright, and there aren’t any more guns in the valley.”

With that, Laura tilts the wooden cross that marks Logan's grave to make it an *X* and she and the children of X-23 walk away to continue their journey to Canada. Laura is just fantastic and I absolutely love the idea of a spin-off of the X-23 kids and her rising as the new Wolverine. Closing credits roll and Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails, "Hurt" plays and I'm unhinged and crying my eyes out. Jeremiah and I talked about it for the rest of the night and hands down,  "Logan" is my all-time favorite Wolverine movie ever...perhaps even my favorite X-Men movie ever. It's a must-see, a solid 9/10!

Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience Review-Philadelphia 2/26/17 (Minor Spoilers)

I knew the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience featuring Ramin Djawadi was going to be good but also feared it might be a little gimmicky since die-hard Thrones fans are known to throw their money at anything that provides a fix during the dark days without new Westeros material. After all, we are still months away from the Season 7 premiere and who knows how long until the 6th book, Winds of Winter, is released.  While the live concert did provide a fresh fix, it was not gimmicky at all. The stage set was beautiful and the musicians were so very talented. I read that a few of the instruments played during the concert were invented specifically for the live show. Some other types of instruments played (ones I can name anyway) included: piano, violin, cello, dulcimer, organ, percussion, horns, didgeridoo, etc.  It was an astounding performance and well worth going to see.

The show opens with the white raven of winter's coming flying across the 3 screens followed by a visual of the Doom of Valyria, swords clanking around in the vortex-like storm. This leads us into the Game of Thrones theme song where a large screen with two 3-tiered screens on either side proudly displays the sigils of the great (and feuding) houses of Westeros. Cheers explode as the audience cheers for their favorite houses. Targaryen and Stark gets the loudest support. I wasn't alone when I hooted ascent for the Lannister's but I definitely lacked support in my section. This part of the concert felt like being at a Medieval Times dinner show. In a good way. While the sigils are being displayed, the center screen lifts to reveal an Iron Throne on the main stage. The orchestra is revealed beneath one of the tiered screens and the show officially begins with a bang.

The first House theme played is Goodbye Brother-House Stark. The center screen displays a montage of the Starks in various stages leading to their downfall. A Weirwood tree takes the circular stage using the 3-tiered screen for the tree canopy and a gossamer fabric for the trunk. The violin soloist is at the *heart* of the tree, playing the haunting song from the inside as winter comes, and red leaves and snow begin to fall.

The next House theme played is What is Dead May Never Die-House Greyjoy. A solo cellist plays the Kraken's song on a wet stage as *waves* come up around her. Scenes highlighting the Greyjoy family are played but I'm a bit distracted by a woman who is talking loudly about how different the Greyjoy plotline is in the books. It annoys me, as we paid good money to hear a concert and not her opinion about book to show differences. I get it, Lady...I've read the books too but truthfully, no storyline was more butchered by the show than the poor Martells and I'm not complaining, so let me listen to the beautiful cellist do her thing and save your gripes for a more appropriate setting.

Next is Rains of Castamere, the song about how Tywin Lannister extinguished House Reyne of Castamere for testing and disrespecting House Lannister following the death of Tywin's father. It is often played in Westeros in admiration (and fear) of Tywin and the Lannister family's strength and guile. A soloist in a Lannister crimson gown sang the lyrics beautifully. The piano was the perfect accompaniment and as the song built around the chorus, the rest of the symphony joined in while the soloist belted out the climax of the song. The effect was captivating.

Rains of Castamere by George R.R. Martin

The next couple of songs, Reign and Sons of the Harpy, showcase Daenerys' rise to becoming the Mother of Dragons, Queen of Meereen, and hopeful conquerer of the Seven Kingdoms. This is followed by a song titled Needle which highlights Arya's journey from Westeros to Braavos. I couldn't help thinking I wished the show had consolidated Arya's Braavos story arc as efficiently as the song did but I digress.

I forget exactly where it was on the set list, but Jon Snow's theme, Now My Watch Has Ended, played to scenes of his resurrection.  After Sansa makes her way to the Wall to seek help from her *brother* Jon Snow (R+L=J), we are reminded that the Starks are still in the fight. Iconic scenes from the Battle of the Bastards episode play with the music as Sansa and Jon rally the North (and the Vale) to take Winterfell back from Ramsay Bolton. This transitions into Bran Stark scenes where, through his visions, he learns the part his warging (taking temporary possession of Hodor)  had in Hodor's death. The violin during Hold the Door was tear-jerking as we watched Hodor 'hold the door' to the Weirwood entrance (dying as a result of his sacrifice) so crippled Bran and Meera could escape the tree which had been infiltrated by White Walkers (aka The Others) and Wights (the army of the dead raised by the Others). 

The Light of the Seven score was a perfect lead up to the Winds of Winter finale. The execution of Cersei's scheme to blow up the Great Sept of Baelor with wildfire while all of her enemies are inside of it, left me on the edge of my seat despite the fact I knew it was coming.  Ramin Djawadi himself was on piano for this song. I loved how, as the music began to build, Queen Margaery realizes something is gravely wrong. She notes Cersei's (and King Tommen's) absence from her own trial despite the consequences and pleads with the High Septon to evacuate the Sept. The chaos unfolds over an ominous organ and when the Sept goes up in green flames, so does the stage around the piano. Just. Wow.

The show closes with Winds of Winter and reminds us that war and political power are distractions to the real threat unfolding north of the Wall...the war between the living and the dead (White Walkers and their dead army). The music here feels victorious and foreboding at the same time. Like the show, the concert ties in scenes to remind us where all of the characters leave off in Season 6.

Ramin Djawadi comes out to center stage to thank the audience for coming, shows a GOT Season 7 teaser, and concludes the concert with a Memorandum to the characters we lost on the show to the upbeat Westeros tune, The Bear and the Maiden Fair. I was grateful that I had rightly figured the concert experience would be PG since we had already decided it would be suitable for my 7 year old to attend. It was a totally kid-friendly intro to Game of Thrones!  I was excited about his enthusiasm during the show and loved answering his questions about the series (he favors the Starks/Direwolves) that the concert inspired. It was a great time for all of us and I was glad I could experience the story in a whole new way through the music with the people I love most. My one complaint, 2+ hours went by entirely too fast.

Some cool facts about the production of Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience

The Loaded Couch Podcast-Episode 100 2.0-Special Nintendo Switch Episode

So, as anyone who reads my blog may know, my husband Jeremiah hosts a podcast with a couple of his friends and it's great. It is consistent, sounds great, and is released on a weekly basis. Sometimes I'm a special guest on their shows and the Nintendo Switch episode is one of those times.  If you are looking for more insight on how great the Nintendo Switch is and/or how incredible Breath of the Wild is, check it out. The Loaded Couch podcast is on iTunes and Soundcloud but they have recently started uploading their shows to YouTube so I have included it hear for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

In the Presence of Perfection-Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has done it again! The Switch console redeems and improves upon everything that was wrong with the WiiU, while enhancing what gamers loved about the original Wii (motion controllers) and the 3ds (portable handheld). The result, a new versatility to the way we play games at home and on the go. The $299 price point is standard Nintendo and while additional accessories such as Amiibos, additional joy cons, memory card, etc. are fun for Nintendo enthusiasts, they are not required.

The Switch is playable right out of the box using the tablet style gamepad with removable joy cons, which are smaller but similar to the original Wiimotes that made the Wii console so popular. By removing the joy cons, putting them in each hand (or the provided grip), then inserting the Switch tablet onto the docking station, you can enjoy games on your TV in the traditional fashion. Since my family and I are often on the go we love that the Switch is portable like a 3ds but with all the features and perks of a full console. The Switch is pretty amazing even with the lack of games available on Day One. While lack of games might be a big deal to some, it wasn't for me. Why? Because one of the games that happens to be available is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You may have heard of it. 😉

Everyone knows that my husband and I are generally pretty frugal but we are frivolous when it comes to things like games and books. So the fact that we were picking up the Nintendo Switch on release day is probably no surprise to anyone who knows us. We also picked up two games: Zelda and 1-2 Switch (more on this game in another post). The console only has 32 gigs so I knew digital downloads wouldn't give me much room for games without inserting a memory card so I was glad the games were on cartridges (smaller than a 3ds game cartridge) and not disks which scratch too easily. 

After making our purchase I noticed the store associate taking out a larger box for another customer that I originally mistook as a game promotion poster for Breath of the Wild. It was in fact a Special Edition of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Special Edition with game, Sheikah Slate Switch case, coin, 24 song soundtrack, and Hyrule map

I left the store and began having serious remorse about not picking it up when I had the chance. Yes, it was $99 but as a Zelda fan since 1986 I knew I had to have it for the Sheikah Slate case alone, not to mention the perks of getting a Hyrule map, coin, and Breath of the Wild soundtrack. I waited a couple of days so by the time I talked myself into buying it, the Special Edition was sold out just about everywhere. After some perseverance we were finally able to find one and my awesome husband bought it for me.

I won't get into tech talk like Cel shading, controls, graphics, and all that stuff because I would reveal myself as a phony to all the tech people who actually understand what that means to the design of a game.  While I appreciate the technical aspects of the game, I'll leave writing about it to the ones who know how. I just want to talk about the way Breath of the Wild makes me feel and it makes me feel wonderful. It is gorgeous and nostalgic but totally new and in a league of its own.

It starts out with Link waking up in blue liquid where he has been asleep for 100 years. He does not remember who he is but finds a mysterious tablet called a Sheikah Slate. He hears a voice(Princess Zelda?) telling him the Sheikah Slate will guide him after his long slumber. The Sheikah Slate reminds me of an ancient relic from Egypt (or some other ancient advanced civilization) and we don't know where it comes from, why it is important, or what it actually does...YET. We soon learn it is a key, a map, a source of instant travel, and likely much more. The first quest of the game is to collect the Spirit Orbs from 4 Shrines and bring them to the Old Man (every Zelda game has one) in exchange for a parasail. With the high cliffs and deep valleys of Hyrule, it is obvious this will be a valuable item as the journey and travel gets more intense. That is the beauty of the Zelda series, the game unravels. As Link learns his purpose and how to survive the long quest ahead, we learn along with him, discovering all the dangers and treasures Hyrule has to offer on our own terms and at our own pace. I'm planning on taking my time with the BOTW so my completion review might be months away but I promise it will include the heroic story about how I saved Hyrule and defeated Calamity Ganon. 😉

In conclusion, Breath of the Wild appeals to everything I love about the Zelda series while giving our hero, Link, more abilities than ever. He climbs trees and cliffs, hunts and forages, and cooks up new recipes and elixirs to help him on his way. It is an immersive and beautiful game with all of the joys and frustrations of a tried and true RPG and no two gaming experience is exactly alike. It is hard for me in general to give a 10/10 score but honestly, I don't know what else I could give this game...Breath of the Wild is perfect and it was well worth the wait.