Evening Poem

And Then At Times

-Poem by Charles Bane Jr.

Photo By Jeffrey F. Barken

Photo By Jeffrey F. Barken

And then at times
the dips of our marriage are
no different than the falling
into love in Richmond Park
before we started home, and I
wrote every day until the motion
of the ship made me certain that
for every berth going out,
new souls put in, spit from
foam. If I could read Greek or
understand the errand of the
cardinal we watch for with coffee
in our hands, I could make poetry
on the tips of fence spears where
he stops and the fire of you would
go urgently from land to land.

***

 

 

 

#FlashTag: Followed

Monologging.org invites you to help create collaborative flash fiction. The following picture-inspired story, featuring photography by Monologging artist, Casper Ulvscov, needs to be completed by Saturday, November 7. Every day, different authors around the world will be selected to contribute the next line. Find out how to submit your twist to the evolving plot by visiting the #FlashTag Submission Guidelines… Submit Free!

Photo by Casper Ulvscov

Photo by Casper Ulvscov

 

 

Followed

 

   Visibility limited, headlights pierced the fog & trailed the fugitive…

   Lee carried an important letter in his pocket along with the key to their hideout.

 @   The rain soaked Lee’s clothes. He was late. His phone was ringing.

The car still trailed him. Lee walked fast. Now he was running, splashing through puddles. He let his umbrella go.

  Seeking refuge, Lee sprinted into the nearest alley. He leaned against the wall, panting for breath.

 

Think you’ve got the next line to the story? Submit your #FlashTag response via Submittable!

Need a little help getting started? Click here to read: #FlashTag Examples

***

PRANDIALLY YOURS: Grazin’

Grazin-Tribeca

Prandially Yours: Grazin’

-A Monthly Column By Joshua Wanger, Featuring NYC Restaurant Reviews-

What is more quintessentially American than a well-crafted burger? Grazin’, which opened March of 2015, in Tribeca, offers hungry visitors the supreme satisfaction of a burger cooked to their preferred temperature, as well as the satisfaction of knowing each burger supports the Grazin’ brand’s ethical, socially responsible, animal and ecological welfare ethos. Grazin’s sister restaurant in Hudson, NY, holds the title as the first Animal Welfare Approved restaurant in the world. The Grazin’ family farm provides the pasture-raised, grass-fed beef that comprises the majority of the fare at the casual downtown restaurant.

Being ethical has not changed the primary focus: burgers—truly amazing burgers. Specialties like “The Suzie Burger” (a 6 oz patty with sautéed onions, ketchup, and pepper in the patty) or “Uncle Dude” (a 6 oz patty with cheddar, bacon, carrot jalapeño relish, and chipotle mayo) indicate the culinary intrigue behind this joint. Patrons less tempted by fancy toppings will relish three sizes of plain burger (4 oz, 6oz, and 10 oz) to which they can add any of the house-made condiments: sweet, lightly spiced ketchup, whole grain mustard, or herbaceous mayo.

Prepared medium rare, the Suzie Burger arrives quite juicy and fragrant with lettuce, tomatoes, and house-made pickles. To experience the best of the rich, grass-fed, beefy flavor, leave the condiments for the crisp and salty French fries. Every detail of the Suzie Burger, from the fresh, springy bun to the mildly spicy patty, is wonderful. Medium-rare burgers arrive browned on the outside and a beautiful rosy pink in the center. Try pairing it with a fruity IPA, such as the Finback Trees & Leaves.

Cocktails are a must, and the knowledgeable bartenders will steer your choice. In the spirit of the restaurant, the bar is stocked with many local spirits like Owney’s rum and Brooklyn Gin. The bartenders skillfully craft drinks highlighting the particular flavors of a spirit. The seasonal cocktail list regularly changes—certainly more often than the season—so you can always enjoy the freshest concoctions.

Pair one of these excellent cocktails with a decadent, fresh, organic dessert. The crustless cheesecake is phenomenal: The chefs use farmer’s cheese, a softer cheese akin to cottage cheese, and top it with a tart fruit puree. Served in a mason jar, the cheesecake coats your mouth with fresh and lingering sweet sensations.

The atmosphere is fun and inviting, the drinks are well-crafted, and the food is both ethically sound and delicious. Grazin’ is a humanitarian’s dream. Burger prices range from $14 (for the basics) to $24 (for the chef’s specialty). Stop in for the daily happy hour drink and a snack if you aren’t in the mood for dinner—but beware! The friendly staff, the relaxed atmosphere, and the smell of burgers may convince you to stay for dinner after all.

***

Post Photos Courtesy of Yelp.com

Fading Memory

Monologging.org invites you to help create collaborative flash fiction. The following picture-inspired story, featuring photography by Monologging artist, Ronaldo Aguiar, needs to be completed by Saturday, Oct 31st. Every day, different authors around the world will be selected to contribute the next line. Find out how to submit your twist to the evolving plot by visiting the #FlashTag Submission Guidelines… Submit Free!

Photo by Ronaldo Aguiar

Photo by Ronaldo Aguiar

 

 

Fading Memory

 

 

 

#FlashTag @monologging @ “Pour me something so I won’t remember,” I asked the bartender.

#FlashTag @monologging @ The bartender obliged, blending a cloudy cocktail, wreaking of alcohol. “Sip,” he cautioned. I downed it.

#FlashTag@ The drink caught in my throat. My eyes burned & bulged. I felt my body drop. Then I blacked out.

#FlashTag @monologging @ I came to on the roof-top. The city lights were pulsing through the blur of my vision. I tasted vomit.

A woman was seated primly on an ac unit. “Glad you’re awake. You should be dead.”

  Still alive: Bad luck. How’d she find me? “Where is it?”  “In my pants!” “What pants?” Down below, shit got worse.

***

 

 

 

Think you’ve got the next line to the story? Submit your #FlashTag response via Submittable!

Need a little help getting started? Click here to read: #FlashTag Examples

***

 

Big Screen Streaming: DOUBLE FEATURE!

msdbato-ec002Back to the Future

Parts II & III

-Films reviewed by Roger Market

NOTE: The following review is a double feature and concludes our look back at the classic Back to the Future trilogy. Check out part 1 for a refresher on the movie that started it all. Keep in mind that each review may contain spoilers for the other parts of the series.

 

Marty McFly spends the majority of Back to the Future stuck in the year 1955. After making a daring and entertaining escape in the lightning charged Delorean, he safely returns to a slightly improved present (1985). Marty’s respite is brief, however. Another time-space adventure begins the following morning when Dr. Emmett Brown returns from a trip to the future. It seems that “something’s gotta be done about [Marty and Jennifer’s] kids” in the year 2015. While “Doc” has a rule about not altering the past, apparently it’s OK to alter the future, at least if the situation is dire enough. So Marty, a confused Jennifer, and Doc Brown all jump into the upgraded Delorean, now complete with a built in fusion system that creates the energy necessary to commence time travel. When Marty mentions that they don’t have enough road to reach the critical velocity of 88 mph, Doc utters one of his most famous lines: “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

Doc Brown hits a button and the car hovers above the earth. As he pushes on the gas, the Delorean flies through the air until it finally disappears, leaving behind a set of fiery tire tracks. This entire scene is recreated at the start of Back to the Future Part II.

This re-shoot reminds viewers of how the first movie ended but also introduces two new elements that distinguish the second part of the trilogy.

  1. Jennifer has been recast.
  2. Biff has been added to the scene, coming out of the house just in time to see the Delorean rise up from the ground, zoom forward, and vanish into the sky.

Bonus features on the series’ DVD release reveal that both of these opening sequence changes were made essentially because the popular films were never intended to be a trilogy. Claudia Wells, who portrays Jennifer in Back to the Future, was unavailable to participate in filming the first sequel four years later. Because the writers had already included Jennifer on the trip into the future, not only did they need to find a suitable replacement actress, but they also needed to come up with a way to minimize her presence and keep her from asking questions. The obvious solution: incapacitate Jennifer and leave her somewhere “safe.”

Similarly, Crispin Glover, who played Marty’s dad (George) in the first film, does not appear in the rest of the series, although a replacement actor does play George for a few minutes in the 2015 scenes. Apparently, there was a semi-major controversy surrounding Glover’s omission, something that has stretched on since the original movie was in production in the 1980s. For better or worse, the George McFly void prompts the storyline of the second film to veer into darker territory, beginning with Biff’s insertion into the re-shot opening scene.

So what happens in the second installment? Let’s take a look.

Several running gags from the first movie make it into the second (and third, but more on that later). Arguably, the most prominent of these is Marty’s repeated macho stance against anyone who dares call him “chicken.” Each time this implication rears its ugly head, Marty is compelled to prove he isn’t afraid of anything; this attitude is what gets Marty into some of the biggest predicaments he faces in the trilogy.

Upon arriving in 2015, Marty has one such encounter with Griff, who is Biff’s grandson and is played by the same actor. A wild chase through town commences, reminiscent of the chase from the first movie. In 2015, however, Marty’s vehicle of escape is not a skateboard, with wheels that touch the ground, but a newfangled “hover board,” which is essentially a pink skateboard that hovers over the ground. “There’s something very familiar about all this,” Old Biff says, remembering his encounter with “Calvin Klein” (Marty) in 1955. By now, it’s clear to viewers that Old Biff is becoming a problem and his growing insight into Marty’s time travel adventures will have repercussions later. This problem is exacerbated by Marty’s secret purchase of a sports almanac telling the outcome of every major sporting event from 1950 to 2000; of course, Doc catches Marty scheming and throws the magazine in the garbage. Old Biff, however, has overheard the conversation. He takes the almanac, and later, he steals the Delorean while Marty and Doc trail a dazed and confused Jennifer, desperate to keep her from meeting her future self.

After finding Jennifer, Doc and Marty take her back to the present and then part ways, hoping they have averted any cataclysmic space-time disasters… But everything has changed. Their town, Hill Valley, is a hellish nightmare. Marty’s father is dead, and his mother is married to Biff, now a multi-millionaire casino owner with the police wrapped around his finger. Viewers will know right away that the present has changed so dramatically because of something Old Biff did with the time machine. The adventure continues as Doc and Marty realize that Old Biff stole the Delorean and took the sports almanac back in time to change the course of his life. Marty all but blackmails alter-present Biff into telling him when he got his hands on the sports almanac, and after a dangerous and narrow escape, he and Doc travel back to 1955 to right the past.

While the 2015 sequence of Back to the Future Part II is a fun way to rehash the first movie’s major themes and gags with a fresh spin, the alternative present sequence is dark and very over-the-top—a far cry from the tone of the first movie in the series. In contrast to both the future and the present, the 1955 sequence is an interesting redo of Back to the Future, featuring Marty and Doc in the same scenes but with new angles, extra nuances, and even higher stakes. Marty has to steal the almanac from Biff without interrupting the events of the previous movie. In one memorable scene, Marty has to stop Biff’s goons from attacking his past self on stage during his infamous rendition of “Johnny B. Good.” Marty climbs into the rafters of the stage, watching as his past self shocks the audience with anachronistic rock music and Biff’s goons lie in wait, ready to pounce when the song is over. Marty pulls a rope, unleashing a pack of sandbags, which crash down on the bullies, knocking them out. Viewers are also treated to a new angle on the “Hey you, get your damn hands off her” scene, Marty’s original goodbye to Lorraine and George from the end of the first movie, and countless other classic moments. In essence, the second act of Back to the Future Part II is a love letter to the original film. Ultimately, Marty makes one last attempt to steal the almanac from young Biff, and the result is a scene that combines unforgettable moments from the first two movies, with Marty being chased on a hover board and Biff (and his car) winding up under another pile of manure. By now, “I hate manure!” should be Biff’s slogan in every timeline.

There’s one more running gag throughout the second movie that seems inconsequential at first, but gradually becomes more important. At least three times, the viewer is treated to a depiction of the Old West. One of these scenes takes place in the altered present, when Marty watches a documentary about the millionaire Biff and his ancestors, one of whom is Buford Tannen, an outlaw who lived in the late 1800s. In a later scene, alter-present Biff watches an old John Wayne western in which Wayne’s character outsmarts a gunslinger. This small film clip reveals a secret, ultimately foreshadowing a major turning point toward the end of Back to the Future Part III.

So as not to completely spoil the ending of Back to the Future Part II, let’s just say that the cliffhanger leaves viewers wondering, yet again, how Marty will escape from a time in which he doesn’t belong. The answer comes in the first act of Back to the Future Part III, when a past version of Doc once again helps Marty fix the time machine. This time, Marty discovers that instead of going back to his own epoch, he must to travel to the year 1885 so he can save the present Doc from certain doom. Now all those setups from the second movie are beginning to pay off. Marty steers the Delorean all the way back to 1885—the Old West—and, consequently, his final adventure in time. As always, Marty almost immediately has a close call with Biff’s alter ego upon arrival. In this case, however, the viewer has already met him: it’s Buford Tannen, in the flesh, Biff’s outlaw ancestor who was shown in the altered present storyline of Back to the Future Part II. The wild chase this time is on horseback, but Marty doesn’t have a skateboard or hover board handy….

Not to worry—Doc is here to save the day! The viewer isn’t very far into the final movie yet, but already, the tone and themes are proving to be quite different. Watching in singular installments, viewers reflect that the first film is about saving the love between Marty’s parents. The second reveals the dangers inherent in time travel, and the final movie of the series is all about putting Doc in the limelight. In Back to the Future Part III, viewers witness a more confident Doc, a man who is (at least until he finds out he’s going to die) comfortable with the time period he’s living in, a man capable of love. Indeed, Christopher Lloyd (Doc) shared his first on-screen kiss in this movie, with Mary Steenburgen as schoolteacher Clara Clayton.

The in-jokes of the series, both small and large, surface once again in Back to the Future Part III. First, the Hill Valley clock tower, a symbolic fixture in the previous movies, comes back for the conclusion; this time, viewers glimpse the building amid construction. This historical intrigue serves to round out the series, demonstrating the rise and fall of Hill Valley’s cherished icon over the course of connected generations.

Marty’s macho pride is another recurring joke that comes back for the last film. Buford Tannen is the main instigator and appropriately calls Marty “yella” instead of “chicken.” Marty’s response here is classic, though subject to an Old West twist: “Nobody calls me . . . yellow,” he utters. And so the feud that now spans an entire century—between Marty and Biff’s ancestors (past, present, and future)—runs its course. Remember that John Wayne scene from the second movie? The Duke provides sound advice when Marty must first outwit a dangerous outlaw before attempting another daring return the present.

Meanwhile, the love story between Doc and Clara blossoms, and the two storylines are equally important in the buildup to the finale. Viewers fear for Marty’s safety and hope that Marty and Doc can escape back to the present, but are also conflicted over the developing romance between Doc and Clara. Can Doc leave his beloved behind, or will he take her with them back to 1985? The (literally) explosive finale promises answers and one final twist in the saga of Marty McFly and Doctor Emmett Brown.

Viewers exhibit mixed feelings concerning Back to the Future sequels. On the one hand, the existence of the sequels means there’s three times the fun. On the other hand, the sequels introduce so many paradoxes that even the brilliant Doc himself might have a hard time understanding why moviegoers enjoy them. A rather glaring example is the basic premise of the second film, which was recently lampooned to great effect on the How It Should Have Ended channel on YouTube. Critics question the fact that if Marty and Jennifer venture thirty years into the future in the opening scene of Back to the Future Part II, why do they arrive in the same future that Doc had already witnessed? Upon their departure from the present, they should have ceased to exist for the last thirty years. In theory, therefore, the future would be very different simply by virtue of their absence. In other words, the whole second movie is (technically) pointless.

Luckily, while they have moderately different tones and very different settings, and are arguably weaker overall, the Back to the Future sequels manage to retain the two qualities that made the original movie a hit:

  1. Heart
  2. Rousing performances by a (now) all-star cast

The idea of love and friendship transcending the time-space continuum is powerful, and this theme runs throughout the series, most notably in the relationship between Marty’s parents and in the friendship between Marty and Doc. As for the cast, Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd are an incredible duo, and it’s no wonder that this trilogy launched a young Fox into the Hollywood stratosphere. Lloyd’s and Fox’s portrayals of their characters are incomparable, so much so that fans are vehemently against any reboots or remakes of the beloved hit films. In fact, the trilogy’s creators have similar feelings. When asked about a potential Back to the Future remake recently, director Robert Zemeckis shut down the conversation with a pointed, “Oh God, no . . . [a remake] can’t happen until both Bob [Gale, the series’ writer] and I are dead.”

That doesn’t mean the series is dead. Of course, the movies live on in the form of home video and cable syndication, not to mention viewers’ memories, but exciting new avenues are cropping up this year. This week in particular—October 21, 2015, to be exact—is an important time for Back to the Future. Fans may recognize this date as the exact day on which Marty and Doc arrive in the future in Back to the Future Part II. Right now, around the world, theaters and movie festivals are screening the trilogy in marathon or à la cart form to celebrate “Back to the Future Day.” Even without the celebratory screenings, though, it certainly has been the year of Back to the Future. For months, fans have also been recounting the “predictions” that the second film got right or wrong about the future. We don’t have any commercially available flying cars, and although technical progress is obvious, we still don’t have a hover board that meets fan scrutiny. On the flip side, the dates don’t exactly align with the movie’s timeline, but the Chicago Cubs are indeed still in the running to win the World Series of 2015. It could happen. And what else might happen? During an interview on October 14, Christopher Lloyd said he would reprise his role as Doc in a heartbeat if the same actors, writers, and director came back for a fourth movie. If that happens, this reviewer will absolutely be back for another installment. For now, viewers are better of waiting for that elusive hover board and biting their nails over the 2015 World Series. Go Cubs!

***

Post Photo Courtesy of www.nydailynews.com

Last Laugh

Monologging.org invites you to help create collaborative flash fiction. The following picture-inspired story, featuring artwork by Monologging artist, Michael Hassoun, needs to be completed by Saturday, October 24th. Every day, different authors around the world will be selected to contribute the next line. Find out how to submit your twist to the evolving plot by visiting the #FlashTag Submission Guidelines… Submit Free!

Photo by Michael Hassoun

Photo by Michael Hassoun

 

 

Last Laugh

 

#FlashTag @monologging The children were hungry. Mr. Burke pointed to a cafe on the square. “Let’s eat,” he said.

#FlashTag@ Yes! The children. But the table of the deceiving hands shall have their last feast. It is done!

#FlashTag@ A gypsy’s accordion rang riddles on the napkins. The children grabbed greedily for bread, not noticing the clowns.

#FlashTag@ Mr. Burke drank his wine.. A sad melody played. Burke thought his wife, Maria, would have enjoyed such a scene.  

#FlashTag @monologging The jokes came all at once. There was a breeze & then a gust. The umbrella toppled, glasses spilled, & plates crashed

#FlashTag @NairobiCollins The children ran away with the crumbs: The gypsies with the silver. Mr. Burke and the wind carried the music home.

 

 

Think you’ve got the next line to the story? Submit your #FlashTag response via Submittable!

Need a little help getting started? Click here to read: #FlashTag Examples

#FlashTag: Patient Impatience

Monologging.org invites you to help create collaborative flash fiction. The following picture-inspired story, featuring artwork by Monologging artist, Michael Hassoun, needs to be completed by Saturday, October 17th. Every day, different authors around the world will be selected to contribute the next line. Find out how to submit your twist to the evolving plot by visiting the #FlashTag Submission Guidelines… Submit Free!

Photo by Michael Hassoun

Photo by Michael Hassoun

 

 

 

Patient Impatience

 

 

#FlashTag @monologging Tim dialed Connie again. No answer.

#FlashTag@ The bartender filled his glass. “Put the phone down, Tim,” he said. “You gotta give Connie some space now.” 

#FlashTag @monologging Tim gulped his beer, spilling suds down his chin. “It’s my fault,” he admitted.

#FlashTag@ The bartender stared intently at Tim and his beer-soaked suit. “What are you going to do about it?”

#FlashTag@ “Nothing I can do!” Tim raged, slamming his glass on the counter & splashing the dregs. “The cat is dead.”

#FlashTag@NairobiCollins A door slams open and Connie appears wet and bleeding. “I slipped on a cat toy.” “Karma” Tim burped from the bar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think you’ve got the next line to the story? Submit your #FlashTag response via Submittable!

Need a little help getting started? Click here to read: #FlashTag Examples

The Flexible Truth

zIjgtAyJThe Flexible Truth

-Chapbook Reviewed by Kelsey Dean

Kayla Pongrac’s The Flexible Truth from Anchor & Plume Press is an entertaining collection of quirky flash fiction. Composed of twenty-seven tiny stories, believable voices emerge complimented by bright imagery and unexpected metaphors.

One of the most enjoyable pieces in the collection is “Picknicking with Catulle.” In this short, an orphan boy is scooped up onto the back of an elephant for a delightful ride. The picture conjured—“he giggles wildly as we cut more pieces of fruit, arranging the squares and slivers to create animal shapes that get launched into the air and into his open mouth, the juices staining his shirt as he chews”—is full of life and light. The collection contains other such whimsical pieces: “Bee-Begging,” a two-sentence story of a strange decision involving honeybees, and “Sentimental Smudge,” imagining handwriting that “slid off the edge [of the postcard] and landed on the Welcome mat” where the narrator stands.

Some stories offer pleasant surprises by placing everyday objects and occupations in a new light. For example, the sassy coffee mugs of “Impatient Chorus” and the gravedigger who is the star of “The Gardener.” Other stories offer a sense of nostalgia and satisfying details found in ordinary settings, or reflect on unknown characters. For example, “Holiday of Note” presents a somewhat neurotic narrator with a desperate mission:

I want nothing more than to see your birthday printed in size 10 font, center-aligned, and carefully placed at the bottom of February 18, where it will be in close proximity to that month’s phases of the moon.”

Who is this extra-special “you”? Who is worth such meticulousness? The rhetorical questions that arise from such teasing snippets of text are inherent to flash fiction and a significant part of the appeal of the genre. Storytellers have the freedom (and challenge) to leave readers to speculate outside of the confines of a page or even a paragraph.

Some of Pongrac’s pieces are set in slightly alternate universes where the extraordinary is completely natural, and each piece is told with care, a touch of humor, and often a hint of sadness or unease. Although loneliness, along with a sense of the inevitability of death and decay is a part of many of the stories, readers are not left feeling melancholy. Rather, there is a persistent sense that life goes on. Readers observe a character pondering “a seed I’ve yet to sow” or “trying to figure out how to put the wind back in her hair.” As one narrator puts it, “what a relief that today his stretcher isn’t for me.”

An advice column called “Dear Murph” resurfaces throughout the collection. While the variety of complaints and the fact that Murph never actually answers anyone’s questions are amusing, readers may find the column slightly disorienting and overly ambiguous compared to the more vibrant bites of fiction that make up the meat of the chapbook. The column is a feature that some may love, and others may not appreciate. Likewise, while most of the stories are told in a very conversational tone, some occasionally stiff or formal phrasing—”It is I,” or “upon which I stood”—render the voices somewhat theatrical. Overall, however, the narrators are very enjoyable to read, and they all have strong and introspective voices.

The Flexible Truth is a collection that beautifully exemplifies the genre of flash fiction. The title perfectly fits these tales—stories that bend reality into pleasant new shapes and bring earnest characters with something to share to life.

***

Post Photo Courtesy of: https://twitter.com/kp_the_promisee/status/571314834073120768

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#FlashTag: Patriot

Monologging.org invites you to help create collaborative flash fiction. The following picture-inspired story, needs to be completed by Saturday, October 10th. Every day, different authors around the world will be selected to contribute the next line. Find out how to submit your twist to the evolving plot by visiting the #FlashTag Submission Guidelines… Submit Free!

IMG_0621

Photo by Jeffrey F. Barken

 

 

Patriot

 

#FlashTag @monologging Chris worked long days at the shop and drank away his nights.

#FlashTag @onthesidetreas1 Sad! Their dreams only as high as the flag fly. Chris stop dreaming. CLIMB! “We are the next level.”

#FlashTag@ Tired of propaganda slogans targeting his emotions, Chris sped down Main Street, cursing at the poster of Uncle Sam.

#FlashTag@JeffreyFBarken Was he delirious? Certainly he shouldn’t be driving. A red, white & blue striped figure was chasing him!

#FlashTag@ “Let him try,” Chris thought, “I’m ready this time.”

#FlashTag @monologging Foot on the pedal. Chris was blinded, begging for forgiveness. Flash back & a telephone pole, pitiful escape…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think you’ve got the next line to the story? Submit your #FlashTag response via Submittable!

Need a little help getting started? Click here to read: #FlashTag Examples

Big Screen Streaming: Scorch Trials

Big Screen Streaming: Scorch Trials

-Film Reviewed by Roger Market-

 

NOTE: The following review contains spoilers about the world of The Maze Runner. Read on only if you have seen/read the first entry in the trilogy or you don’t mind being spoiled.

The first movie in the Maze Runner trilogy opened at number one in the box office last September, grossing over $32 million opening weekend. The film received a positive review on Monologging, highlighting The Maze Runner’s capable young actors and spectacular effects, performed on a relatively low budget. One year later, the movie’s follow-up, The Scorch Trials, picks up where viewers left off, commanding double the budget. The second movie, too, opened at number one, with only marginally lower box office numbers. So how does the sequel compare?

First, some background about the world of The Maze Runner. In the first movie (and book), a group of young men are held captive in “The Glade,” a forested area that’s walled off and surrounded by a dangerous “living” maze. Each month, for several years now, a new captive has arrived with only a name and no other memories. The movie begins with the arrival of Thomas, the main character of the series, and the subsequent arrival of Teresa, the first female Glader. Similarly deprived of memory, Thomas and Teresa befriend the rest of the Gladers and lead them out of the maze. After escaping into a secret laboratory, the Gladers discover that a disease has infected the outside world. The maze was the first in a series of tests by the World in Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department, or WICKED (but WCKD in the movies), to find a cure. While some of the Gladers are control subjects, others, including Thomas, are immune to the disease and therefore represent the antidote to the epidemic.

The Scorch Trials follows Thomas and his friends as they leave the laboratory and take shelter with newfound adult allies, who appear to be fighting against WCKD and its unethical experiments. But things are not as they seem, and Thomas quickly discovers that their so-called allies are, in fact, part of WCKD. With this realization, Thomas, and his group must either stay in the clutches of WCKD and allow further invasive tests or go out into the harsh, desertlike world called The Scorch. As viewers might expect, the group opts to leave, and so begins a new adventure.

Their escape mirrors several close calls from the original movie, in which Thomas must run, jump, and slide through a tight space in the nick of time. This stunt is familiar by now, and viewers will likely see it again when the last part of the trilogy arrives in theaters in 2017. Another commonality is that The Scorch Trials focuses heavily on trust and friendship, as strangers must become allies in their fight to escape an oppressor. So far, the storyline of the series interplays with the notion of human trafficking, but what’s interesting is that in this case, the oppressors truly believe they are not the villains. In fact, a common refrain in both movies so far has been, “WCKD is good,” an obvious nod to the idea that WCKD is attempting to do the right thing. Or rather, the organization is acting for the right reasons (to save the world) even though its methods border on slavery and torture.

While the story of The Maze Runner can be described by a simple and exciting hook (young adults with no memories must work together to escape from a mysterious maze), a satisfactory description of The Scorch Trials takes decidedly more effort. Yes, it’s another tale of escape, but now that both viewers, as well as the main characters, are in the know about the portrayed environment, the tale is far more complex. In The Scorch Trials, viewers learn that there were other mazes, other groups of Gladers who escaped. They learn that the infection that ravaged the world’s population is called The Flare and that the afflicted have become zombie-like creatures called Cranks. They learn that much of the outside world has become an inhospitable desert called The Scorch and that its frequent electrical storms are deadly. The movie features a good deal of exposition, but the fact that the main characters are learning everything right along with the viewer at least makes this exposition more palatable. Now add secret WCKD operatives into the mix—and the introduction of a whole host of other human enemies and allies, all of whom have different motives for capturing or befriending Thomas and his friends—and The Scorch Trials suddenly takes on the tropes of action, conspiracy, dystopia, and the classic zombie flick all at once.

Occasionally the film appears to lack direction, but viewers should hang in there. Much like its predecessor, The Scorch Trials features a talented cast led by 24-year-old Dylan O’Brien as Thomas. The young actors in this ensemble portray a de facto family with great sincerity—suspicious of letting newcomers into the fold, devastated when one of their own betrays them. Their chemistry is especially palpable after the loss of a new friend when they fondly remember those who died trying to get out of the maze. As well, Breaking Bad fans will be delighted to learn that Giancarlo Esposito goes along for the ride in a fantastic role that seems small at first, but then the character keeps coming back for more.

The Maze Runner consists almost exclusively of young adults and teenagers, but the setting of The Scorch Trials (outside the maze) necessitates a much larger adult presence from beginning to end. This, along with the mere fact that the main characters are not walled in the entire time, makes the second movie feel quite different, almost as if the series has lost its original magic. On the other hand, it’s clear that the scope of the saga is broadening, and characters are maturing.

With minimal box office losses compared to The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials is holding its own monetarily, and the studio has announced that it’s happy with the numbers. Moreover, the quality of the second film is about on par with the original, and with double the budget, it serves up an even larger collection of spectacular effects on top of its expanded cast. The finale, titled The Maze Runner: The Death Cure, is already set for 2017. For now, go see The Scorch Trials in theaters, at least as a matinee—because you definitely don’t want to have to see this on a measly forty-seven inch screen later.

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Post Photo Courtesy of: en.wikipedia.org