Movie Review- The Last Keeper

Being a witch, I am often disappointed when I watch movies on the topic, as we are often depicted as crazy, vengeful and evil. Hollywood loves to enhance the misconception that one, we can all wield magic and two, that doing so will turn us into bad people. Of course there are a few movies and TV shows that have depicted us in a better light, albeit usually a comical or sappy one.

Tonight, I stumbled upon an old DVD I had purchased last year with a dozen others, when a video store was going out of business. I love the cast which is why I purchased it, but I had completely forgotten about. So since there really wasn't much to watch on the tube, mom and I settled in with a nice plate of spaghetti and a glass of wine.

Now for those of you that like hard core witchy movies, filled with flashy special effects, where good and evil battle it out, this may not be a good pick for you. This is more of a family movie. It's simple and has a nice story that presents witches as Goddess worshipers who are in-tune with the earth.

Here is the write up from the back of the DVD:

"Rhea (Zosia Mamet) is the last in a long line of female mystics who have practiced their magical traditions in secret for centuries. She lives a quiet life in the company of her parents Abigail and John (Virginia Madsen, Aiden Quinn) and her grandmother Rosemarie (Olympia Dukakis). Abigail and Rosemarie each have their own individual powers, but legend has it that a chosen one will inherit all the powers of the mystics and use them to fight evil. As Rhea becomes aware of her destiny and develops her considerable gifts, she is faced with the biggest decision of her young life."



I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It was light-hearted and mostly realistic. You could empathize with each of the characters. In fact, several of them reminded me of people I know. While Virginia Madsen's Abigail did get on my nerves as the over-protective mother, she didn't over play it. The mother annoyed me, but I knew where she was coming from. Of course, her behavior gave the story it's element of predictability. The more she tried to shield her daughter from her destiny, the more Rhea rebelled. As for Olympia Dukakis' portrayal of Rosemarie, I instantly loved her and she never disappointed me the entire film. And then there is Aiden Quinn as John, the father. Okay, I admit, I have always had the biggest crush on Aiden and this movie is no exception. He plays the husband, father, son-in-law we all want in our lives.

Now of course, every teenage coming of age movie has to have some romance and school bullies. Sam Underwood (who I know best as the serial killing twins in "The Following") does an amazing job as the boy, Oliver, who falls in love with Rhea. He is so convincing in the role, I didn't have to remind myself once that Ryan Harding wasn't going to show up and shoot him (The Following fans will get that). Jee Young Han (Nika) and Nat Wolff (Simon) add humor as the best friends of Rhea and Oliver. And in the vein of  with any good John Hughes (Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles) teenage film romance, there is the hot guy Rhea dreams of but he won't have anything to do with her. He is played by Joshua Bowman and he is basically the teenage version of the evil Daniel on Revenge (his current acting gig).

The screenwriter and the director have done a good job of balancing the teen angst, school drama and family in this film. It's a simple and likable story. My only complaint is that it ends with Rhea decided what she wants to do with her gifts but leaves you wanting to see the outcome of that decision play out and how the community deals with witches in the neighborhood. I definitely recommend seeing this film.

Here is the YouTube trailer:



On a side note: the little girl is distracting in the bad wig. Not sure what they hair stylist were thinking.

Wicca in the Kitchen

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen by Scott Cunningham is an excellent resource for those new to the pagan path, as well as, those who have been on their journey for decades. One of the things I love most about Cunningham’s books is that he leaves no stones unturned or in this case, no herbs un-ground. You do not even have to be pagan to enjoy the insights and knowledge he imparts. 

What do we all have to do? Eat. For some eating is just a mindless necessity to be engaged in at set times. For those of us in tune with nature and the energies of the world, and those that understand all action produces an effect or consequence, Cunningham has put together a tome that teaches the properties of various herbs, vegetables, fruits, meats, and other staples and so much more. He says on page 12, “Magic doesn’t produce miracles; it produces needed changes.” These are wise words we should all learn to go through our everyday activities remembering, because magic is all around us and constantly changing our lives.

Virtually any item in your pantry can be used for personal transformation. Food contains magical energies you can harness for positive results. Whether you want to boost psychic awareness, bring love in your life, improve health, bring more money into your life, Wicca in the Kitchen, provides you with the steps and the wisdom to achieve these goals and many more.  This encyclopedia offers magical menus and many of Cunningham’s favorite recipes.

Another thing I love about Cunningham’s writing is that he gives examples of everyday people and how they would enhance their lives with simply understanding what energies they are bringing forth when preparing meals.  As he says on page 20, “Food is a manifestation of divine energies that’s vital to our survival. Approaching food from this frame of mind makes it easier to utilize it as a tool of self-transformation.”

One thing is certain you will never look at food the same way after reading this book. You will probably also have the urge, to  write down all the things you wish to change in your life and then go forage for all the items needed to stock your pantry,  in case the moment to affect those changes arises. Be always mindful; however, that food magic should never be used to affect others without their permission.

Finally, do not feel like you have to be a gourmet chef to benefit from this book, like so many other cooking aides seem to be written for. Like those of us following the path, this book is very down to earth. It is also open-minded in that Cunningham understands not everyone has the same access to fresh ingredients all the time. He even covers the magical uses of junk and processed foods. Yes, even they have their place. And for those who can’t resist the occasional trip to Micky D’s you’ll be happy to know that  ordering that fish sandwich can enhance your psychic awareness (maybe not the best thing in a fast food chain), that those French fries  can offer grounding and protection, and that strawberry shake may just bring some love into your life.

A must read and a great addition to any library!!

(I originally wrote this post for the Fellowship of the Crow.)