Page 2 October 26, 2017 TORRANCE TRIBUNE
Entertainment
Check It Out Film Review
Jack Death an Entertaining Read
Reviewed by Katrena Woodson,
Teen and Young Reader Librarian,
El Segundo Public Library
This week’s review just in time for Halloween
is a fantasy novel by M. L. Windsor
called Jack Death. The book is narrated by
one of Death’s minions and the protagonist
of this story is a 10-year-old boy named
Jack Hallows who just so happens to be
Death’s son. This fantasy is set in a world
populated by humans and magical creatures.
At the beginning of the novel a troll escapes
and eats a boy in the middle school cafeteria,
leaving Jack to try and solve the mystery of
who let the troll out. But that’s not all. The
sinister Fixers show up and start separating
the children into groups based on their
bloodlines--Goldens and Blacks. Jack is a
Black and his friend Nadine is a Golden.
Can Jack use his sleuthing skills to get to
the bottom of this before the Fixers can carry
out their evil plan?
This is an extremely entertaining read.
It is funny, charming and tantalizing all
at the same time. Windsor has infused the
story with wit and humor that make it
a great choice for reluctant readers. This
book is perfect for readers ages eight to
13. The story has similar elements to the
Percy Jackson Series--mainly the half-blood
heroes that are the offspring of magical
beings--but the tone has a quirkiness that
can only be compared to the Series of
Unfortunate Events series. Additionally,
Jack Death would be a great choice to get
readers into the Halloween spirit without
being overly spooky. The book does feature
some violent acts as well as death, but it
is not gratuitous or gory. Finally the story
wraps in in a quick-paced and action-packed
conclusion that lines everything up perfectly
for a sequel.
The El Segundo Public Library offers
access to its collection of titles in a variety
of formats, including traditional hardback,
e-books and books on CD. To check
out Jack Death by M.L. Windsor, or any
other title on your to-read list, please visit
the library to apply for your library card,
or please contact the reference staff for
further assistance. •
Jack Death by M. L. Windsor.
Katrena Woodson.
A Twisted Journey of Revenge
from Visionary Yorgos Lanthimos
By Morgan Rojas for cinemacy.com
Yorgos Lanthimos set the bar high after
the 2015 release of his dystopian romance/
drama The Lobster that landed on multiple
“Best Of” lists and was considered a worldwide
phenomenon for its originality and satirical
tones. The Greek-born director takes the audience
down a darker path in The Killing of a
Sacred Deer. Rejoining forces with Colin Farrell,
Sacred Deer is a destructive psychological
thriller born out of revenge. It shows just how
easily one’s life can turn upside down when
put in a desperate situation.
The film opens on an extreme close-up of an
open heart surgery and a slow zoom out reveals
Dr. Steven Murphy (Farrell) dressed in full-body
scrubs. The renowned cardiovascular surgeon is
meticulous about his work, both professionally
and in his suburban home life. He criticizes his
son Bob (Sunny Suljic) about the length of his
hair and sets social restrictions for his daughter
Kim (Raffey Cassidy) while admiring the perfection
of his ophthalmologist wife, Anna (Nicole
Kidman). All in all, life is good for the Murphys.
It’s no surprise then that with his clout and
status, Steven is happy to mentor and befriend
Martin (Barry Keoghan)--a teenager being raised
by a single mother (Alicia Silverstone) who has
shown interest in becoming a doctor. Martin’s
oddness comes across through awkward social
skills, but his intentions seem pure. Martin
soon begins to infiltrate Dr. Murphy’s life-
-after showing up at his work unannounced,
displaying interest in his daughter, and a string
of questionable acts, Steven begins to have
reservations about his relationship with Martin.
Only by that point, it’s too late.
Lanthimos has an artful way of examining
complicated relationships in his films, and The
Killing of a Sacred Deer pulls no punches
when it comes to unnerving visuals. He
subtly pushes the boundaries of reality until
you realize the absurdity of the situation in
which we find the characters. Adding to the
eerie surrealism are sweeping one-takes and
an observational style of filmmaking that his
longtime collaborator, cinematographer Thimios
Bakatakis, has perfected.
Colin Farrell makes an exciting return to the
big screen in Sacred Deer as Dr. Murphy. His
levelheadedness as the protagonist living the
picturesque American Dream does a complete
180 at the end of the film, and that transformation
is mesmerizing. Acting opposite Farrell is Barry
Keoghan, whose slow-boil performance as the
brooding Martin is one of the most unsettling
and villainous performances of the year. In true
Lanthamos fashion, however, mystery provides
a thick veil and situations are downplayed on
the surface—resulting in a pulsating fear at
the film’s climax.
Winner of the Best Screenplay Award at
this year’s Cannes Film Festival, The Killing
of a Sacred Deer is another twisted journey
through the mind of modern-day visionary
Yorgos Lanthimos. It is fantastical and darkly
absurd--an uncomfortably hilarious and thoughtful
look at relationships and the sacrifice one
makes under impossible circumstances. While
it may be difficult to overshadow the success
of The Lobster, Sacred Deer will have no
trouble solidifying itself as a successful entry
in Lanthimos’ expanding canon.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer is rated R for
disturbing violent and sexual content, some
graphic nudity and language. 116 minutes.
Now playing at the ArcLight Hollywood and
The Landmark. •
Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell in The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Courtesy of A24.
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