Page 4 October 7, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Entertainment
Check It Out Film Review
Kings of the Wyld
by Nicholas Eames
By Teen Reviewer Maxwell Stahl
While stuck inside because of COVID-19,
I had a lot of time to read. Kings of the
Wyld, by Nicholas Eames, was one of my
favorites. The story follows Clay Cooper, an
aging retired mercenary who was a member
of Saga, the most famous mercenary band
in the empire of Grandual. Over time, since
Saga’s disbandment, Clay and his friends have
“grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or
a combination of the three”. Nineteen years
after they separated, Clay’s ex-bandmate
Gabriel shows up at his door, begging for
help rescuing his daughter from an unimaginably
huge horde of monsters. It’s a suicide
mission through and through, but eventually
Clay accepts, “It’s time to get the band back
together”. Clay and Gabriel slowly recruit all
of their former bandmates, and Saga traverses
the dangerous wilderness of the Heartwyld
once again, fighting off chimeras, cannibals,
and everything in between.
Kings of the Wyld is written with a focus
on comedy, designed to make the readers
laugh. But along with the jokes, the book
holds an interesting plot, with tense, sad, and
mysterious moments mixed in. Another interesting
thing about this book is that the author
(Nicholas Eames) modeled the mercenaries
and their band structure off of famous rock
bands and musicians. Throughout the story,
there are subtle comparisons and references to
famous musicians such as Elvis, Neil Young,
and Eric Clapton. Kings of the Wyld is one
of my favorite books I’ve read this year,
and my only big criticism is that a certain
subplot was resolved in a rather predictable
and anti-climatic fashion, causing me no
surprise when it was revealed. The book is
fairly long, with a page count clocking in at
about 500 pages. I highly recommend that
you read Kings of the Wyld, as it was one of
my favorite books I’ve read so far in 2020.
If you would like to contribute a teen
book review, please visit the El Segundo
Public Library’s Teen page, www.elsegundo.
org/services/teens, or contact Senior Librarian
Kristina Kora-Beckman at kbeckman@
elsegundo.org. •
Six Incredible New Films
You Have to See in October
By Ryan Rojas, cinemacy.com
Whether having their theatrical release
dates pushed back or switched to day-anddate
releases on streamers, nearly all of the
originally-planned openings of this year’s
films have been affected by the ongoing
shake-up to the movie-going experience.
However, we’ve finally arrived in October.
And since it’s my most anticipated month
for seeing new movies this year, I compiled
a list of what to watch in October that I’ll
be seeing, and that you hopefully will too.
Lamb (A24)
What it’s about: A childless couple, María
and Ingvar discover a mysterious newborn
on their farm in Iceland. The unexpected
prospect of family life brings them much joy,
before ultimately destroying them.
Why we’re looking forward to it: Every
new A24 release is an exciting movie-going
event. However, a new horror film from the
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames Max Stahl (Clockwise from top left): The French Dispatch, Dune, The Souvenir Part II, Last Night in Soho
studio behind such mind-bending films as
Midsommar and The Lighthouse makes us
even more excited. If that doesn’t sell you on
checking out Lamb, the devilishly delirious
trailer surely will.
‘Lamb’ is in theaters Friday, October 8.
The Rescue
(National Geographic)
What it’s about: Follows the story of the
Wild Boars youth soccer team who got trapped
and their dramatic 2018 rescue.
Why we’re looking forward to it: The
next high-adrenaline, live-action documentary
from directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth
Chai Vasarhelyi looks just as intense and
heart-pounding as their last Oscar-winning
film, Free Solo.
‘The Rescue’ is in theaters Friday, October 8.
Dune
What it’s about: Feature adaptation of
Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, about
the son of a noble family entrusted with the
protection of the most valuable asset and
most vital element in the galaxy.
Why we’re looking forward to it: Are we
more excited to see the visionary director
Denis Villeneuve’s epic big screen piece, or
Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya (and an
incredible ensemble cast) share the screen?
It’s... a draw.
‘Dune’ is in theaters and on HBO Max on
Friday, October 22.
The French Dispatch
(Searchlight Pictures)
What it’s about: A love letter to journalists
set in an outpost of an American newspaper
in a fictional twentieth century French city
that brings to life a collection of stories published
in “The French Dispatch Magazine.”
Why we’re looking forward to it: Wes
Anderson’s latest feature film. Enough said.
‘The French Dispatch’ is in theaters Friday,
October 22.
Last Night in Soho (Focus Features)
What it’s about: An aspiring fashion designer
is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s
where she encounters a dazzling wannabe
singer. But the glamour is not all it appears
to be and the dreams of the past start to crack
and splinter into something darker.
Why we’re looking forward to it: I would’ve
already been all-in if Edgar Wright’s new film
was simply a stylish throwback to London’s
Mod scene (in the same way Tarantino wrote
his 60s love letter to Los Angeles with Once
Upon a Time... in Hollywood). But Last Night
in Soho also promises some sort of time and
mind-bending horror ghost story to boot. Oh,
and Anya Taylor-Joy.
‘Last Night in Soho’ is in theaters Friday,
October 29.
‘Antlers’ is in theaters Friday, October 29.
The Souvenir Part II (A24)
What it’s about: A young film student in
the early 80s becomes romantically involved
with a complicated and untrustworthy man.
Why we’re looking forward to it: When we
first saw The Souvenir, we were absolutely
floored. Further, we couldn’t believe our
eyes when we saw in the credits that Part II
was planned to release. Well, Joanna Hogg’s
follow-up film, starring Honor Swinton Byrne
(Tilda Swinton’s daughter) is coming out to
complete the devastating story.
‘The Souvenir Part II’ is in theaters Friday,
October 29. •
Ryan Rojas
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