A Movie Review: Go

Go. Claire (Katie Holmes) is having a conversation with some individual in a cafe. She's saying how random life is. We then flash back to a grocery store where Claire works. Along with Claire, we meet Ronna (Sarah Polley), Simon (Desmond Askew) and Mannie (Nathan Bexton). (Side note: I swear that Desmond Askew looks exactly like Simon Pegg.) The movie starts at this store with three different story lines. First, we follow Ronna's story line. She's about to get evicted from her apartment. (I do believe she later claims to be seventeen so who knows why she's living on her own). She picks up an additional shift from Desmond. She's approached by two individuals, Adam (Scott Wolf) and Zach (Jay Mohr), who claim that they usually buy drugs off of Desmond. Desperate for money, she tells them she'll get them some. To do so, she goes to Simon's drug dealer, Todd (Timothy Olyphant), and convinces him to sell her some drugs.

The second story line follows Simon. He gives Claire the extra shift because he wants to head off to Las Vegas with his buddies. He gets into a load of trouble there with his main friend Marcus (Taye Diggs). They end up stealing a car and heading off to a strip club. Simon does some inappropriate touching and the bouncer comes in to rough him up. The bouncer didn't notice that Simon had carried in a gun with him (a gun he found in the car). Simon shoots the bouncer. Simon and Marcus get out of there quickly.

The third story line follows Adam and Zach. They're actually actors that we notice on the television in the grocery store's staff room. They've actually been caught with drugs and so the police are forcing them to work a sting. Their target is Simon, but they end up targeting Ronna who is taking Simon's shift. Adam and Zach find out that the cop, Burke (William Fichner) they're working for is one strange dude and that Burke's wife, Irene (Jane Krakowski), is just as strange.

This is one of those six degrees of connection movies that just sort of works.  I know that a teen movie versus a drug crime movie (though drugs are involved in both movies) are not at all similar, but while watching Go I was thinking about a similar six degrees type movie called Traffic that was made around the same time.  Traffic vs Go:  no comparison.  Of course, it might have something to do with the fact that I'm no longer anywhere close to being a teenager and so my taste in movies has changed.

ZiBBZ and Los Angelics at Silverlake Lounge

It was time to do a hit and run at Silverlake Lounge.  I really wanted to see ZiBBZ and I also really wanted to make sure I headed home before the rain started.

Los Angelics.  I walked in and Los Angelics was turning Silverlake Lounge into a dance club.  I was thinking, "Did I just walk into Club Moscow?"  Two girls putting on the synchronized moves.  Two guys playing the synths that rocked on suspension springs.  This band is meant for a New Year's Eve party.

ZiBBZ.  I saw them at Brokechella.  And I was thinking, "This band has the Sunset Strip written all over it."  This was my first time seeing them since that time and I didn't catch them on the Sunset Strip at all.  I caught them at Silverlake Lounge.  A much closer location for me.  Stee on drums had a moment of going all Whiplash for us all.  The crowd loved it.  Coco provides the EuroPop energy.

 

A Movie Review: Escape Plan

Escape Plan. Not the worse movie, not the best movie.  Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) is a security specialist.  His specialty is to escape from prisons around the country.  For some reason, someone has it out for him.  His next job is actually a setup and he ends up in top secret prison.  While in prison, he is befriended by Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger).  Together, they attempt to escape from this prison.  A complication is that they appear to be deep underground and are never allowed to see the sun.  So if they do escape they have no idea if they're in the middle of the desert or Greenland or the ocean.

So this is a top secret prison that seems to imprison at least some individuals based on bribes paid to the prison.  That just seems outrageous.  And then, wouldn't one think that Ray Breslin, a top security specialist, would have at least some clue regarding this prison. Sure it is a secret prison, but someone in that field must have heard rumors.  In order to escape from the prison, Ray and Rottmayer need to know where they are.  They convince another prisoner to join their plot.  This prisoner somehow convinces the jailer to allow him to spend time outside.  Now why would a jailer who runs a secret prison that attempts to hide its location from everyone -- especially the prisoners -- make such an error in judgement?

This honestly just feels like a b-movie version of a potential summer blockbuster (not that I think this idea works as a summer blockbuster movie).



  

The Singles/W.A.R.S./Kissing Cousins at The Satellite

The Singles. I saw them at Brokechella back in April.  I say take The Beatles and add in a touch of The Rolling Stones and you have The Singles.  Or sometimes switch the examples around so that they sound more like The Rolling Stones.  Nicky Veltman, the drummer, had some unexpected problems during their set.  Her microphone just wouldn't stay in place.  To help her out, one guy jumped on stage and tried his best.  The microphone stayed in place for a song or two.  Then the sound guy came up on stage and tried to tape the microphone in place.  It still didn't work out.  And I have to add one other thing about the drummer:  she has one quirky onstage smile.

W.A.R.S.. I fell in love with a band called Great Northern when I saw them at the Eagle Rock Music Festival oh so long ago.  I caught them as often as I could.  And then they disappeared from the music scene.  For awhile, I thought it was because they were recording a new album, but after awhile I just concluded they had decided to call it quits.  Well, they're back as W.A.R.S.  And I'm so happy they're back.

Kissing Cousins. Four gals with a guy on drums.  Their music just drives forward in a fury of madness.  And yet they look rather calm on stage.  In fact, they don't even look like they're in a rock band.  One dresses as if she was at church.  Another like she's having brunch in Echo Park (a written nod to the comedian that introduced the bands at The Satellite).  A third like she was having a fun time at Griffith Park and the final enjoying a Friday house party.  Diversity (okay, all female, but in style) works for this band.

A Movie Review: Foxcatcher

Foxcatcher is based on true events. Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and David Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) are brothers and Olympic champions in wrestling.  Both won gold medals in the 1984 Olympics.  Wrestling isn't a high profile sport so even with gold medals they are still struggling to make ends meet.  The movie opens up with Mark Schultz giving a school speech for just $20.  Considering inflation, that's perhaps $50 in today's money?  Not very much at all.

Luck that really isn't luck hits Mark Schultz.  One of the richest men in America, John du Pont (Steve Carell), has an interest in wrestling.  He wants to put America at the top of the wrestling world.  John du Pont's assistant gives Mark a call and asks him to meet with his boss.  Mark is asked to move to the du Pont compound where he'll be put in charge of developing and training future wrestling champions.  Mark soon ends up being John du Pont's puppet, having to give praise where praise is not due.  You also get the sense that John du Pont really thinks more highly of David (as a better coach, maybe not as a better wrestler) and that hiring Mark was just a way to try and get David into the fold.

Mark is soon introduced to cocaine by John du Pont.  One almost suspects that this cocaine introduction was done on purpose, perhaps John du Pont is thinking that a washed-up Mark will finally convince David to join the compound.  David eventually does sign-up, which leads to a disastrous ending.  

I have to admit that during this Oscar season of movie releases, I haven't been into the based on true event movies.  The Imitation Game.  The Theory of Everything.  And now Foxcatcher.  There is some great acting in all three movies.  You get an interesting history lesson.  But over-all, they're just okay in my opinion.

In regards to Foxcatcher, I love Steve Carell's portrayal of John du Pont.  Here's one of the richest men in the world and his only desire in life is to gain his mother's approval.  Yet, he does have an independent streak.  He knows his mother hates wrestling and that she'd rather see him excel in the equestrian sport.  He prefers to go his own way, but still desires his mother's approval.  This inability to gain her approval perhaps plays a role in his mental illness weakness that eventually wrecks havoc for the Schultz family.    

Mark Ruffalo portrays a loving brother and family man as David Schultz.  He probably has an understanding that his younger brother has more inherent ability than him (though unlikely the better wrestler as David appears to understand strategy better), but never shows any jealousy.  And instead is someone who always encourages.

If you're interesting in the accuracy of the movie, click on this Slate link.

The Sunset Drifters and Austin Herbert at the Silverlake Lounge

Austin Hebert.  Lyric of the night, "I have this guitar full of blues."  Getting inspiration from his American Aquarium Wolves cap, Austin brought some blues to the Silverlake Lounge.

The Sunset Drifters.  This band has 2 members from another band that I used to follow, The Monthlies.  I'd argue their set had two parts to it.  The first part had an Americana sound to it.  Then the back half drifted towards how The Monthlies would sound if a pedal steel was added to the mix.  I have to admit I was partial to the back half of the set.  The band almost decided to cut one song from their set.  I'm happy they didn't as I really loved that last song.

A Movie Review: The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game is based on the true events surrounding World War II where the Allies were attempting to crack the Nazi Enigma machine.  The code breaker and father of the computer was Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) with help from Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley) and Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode).  Though Turing is an obvious brilliant mathematician, he has one major problem in life -- two actually.  His one problem is that he just doesn't get along with people.  Though Turing is the most qualified individual in the UK to crack the Nazi Enigma machine, he still needs a team around him.  Via some prodding from Clarke, Turing begins to develop those relationships with his team.  Advancements that were once slow, start to speed up as everyone buys into his vision.

The Imitation Game jumps nicely between three time frames in Turing's life.  Though it focuses mostly on his work during World War II, it also deals with his early years and those soon after the war.  As mentioned, Turing has two problems.  His second problem is that he is a homosexual.  Now one reading this might say, what are you talking about?  Well, during World War II, if someone was discovered to be a homosexual in the UK, it led to either a prison term or the requirement to take hormone treatment (at least these are the options presented in the movie).  His homosexuality is uncovered via unintended circumstances.  After the war, Turing paid an individual for sex.  This man latter broke into Turing's home.  The police arrive at the scene and Turing is very uncooperative.  This peaks the interest of one of the detectives.  Doing some digging, the detective uncovers that the home invasion was actually done by the man that Turing paid for sex.  In his own way, Turing asks for understanding from the detective and reveals to the detective and to us his involvement in breaking the Nazi machine.

Though I have my problems with the movie, I do love the arrogance (along with perhaps a touch of autism) that Benedict Cumberbatch brings to the role.  My problem with the movie is that while it does deal with an important event in history, is it really a story meant for the big screen?  To me, this is a really a subject matter that should be dealt in the form of a book.  The movie only briefly mentions (in less than 5 seconds) how the Enigma machine was used to plan D-Day.  Wouldn't it be far more interesting to read a chapter about how the Allies planned D-Day directly based on the intelligence they received from Enigma?  And what about additional back stories on Clarke and Alexander?

Finally, here's a major problem I have with the movie.  One reason homosexuality was a crime (other than the fact that it just wasn't socially acceptable) was the fear that one could get blackmailed.  Isn't the fact that Turing is telling the detective about his role in Enigma and his basic plea for understanding a sort of subliminal proof on why this law was needed?  Turing is giving away top secret information to a detective.  Yes, those scenes with the detective indicate how ridiculous this law is, treating a national hero like a criminal just due to his sexual preference.  On the other hand, I think this movie can also be interpreted in those interactions as saying something that it didn't intend to say.      

      

A Movie Review: Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6 is a Disney animated movie.  The lead character is Hiro (voiced by Ryan Potter) who lives in the city of San Fransokyo.  He spends his time creating robots so that he can participate in the  city's underground robot wars.  For some reason, such events are illegal in San Fransokyo.  (Wouldn't one think that the police have more pressing crimes that would take up their time?)  His older brother, Tadashi (voiced by Daniel Henney), wants him to pursue an education in robotics.  Hiro resists.  Tadashi brings Hiro via a sly side trip to his university and gives a tour of all the cool projects that various students are creating.  This includes an introduction to a medical robot that Tadashi is designing, Baymax (voiced by Scott Adsit).  Hiro can't resist any longer and wants to join the program; however, in order to join the program he has to present a project that impresses the leading professor at the university, Robert Callaghan (voiced by James Cromwell).

Hiro invents microbots that can form whatever the mind desires.  Thoughts of images desired are transmitted to the microbots via a device that sits nicely around a person's head.  Hiro is immediately accepted to the program and is off to celebrate with his brother and future fellow classmates.  Unfortunately, a fire explodes (perhaps via a project that didn't go all that well) in the university's laboratory.  It is learned that Callaghan is still in the building.  Tadashi rushes into the burning building to find Callaghan.  The building explodes, killing Tadashi.

Hiro goes into a state of depression.  While hidden away in his room, he has an accident.  Out pops Baymax from the side of his brother's bed.  At the same time, Hiro notices that a single microbot that is in his possession begins to act strangely.  It seems to want to get pulled in a specific direction.  Hiro and Baymax allow the microbot to guide them to a warehouse where they soon learn that someone has decided to mass produce microbots for less than noble reasons.

I don't believe this is one of the better animation movies to come out of Disney.  First off, who really thinks that designing microbots that can be controlled by a person's thoughts is a good idea?  I immediately couldn't help but think about all the bad things individuals could do with such a creation.  My next irritation regarding the movie was that over-the-top product placement of our evil character who looked all too similar to a character from Star Wars.  Finally, this movie just didn't seem to have much heart to it.

  

A Movie Review: Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler. Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhall) is near rock bottom. In order to survive, he steals various metal parts such as manhole covers and fences, selling these items at discount rates to unscrupulous construction managers.  There is also just something off in his personality.  He comes across in a controlled frenzied manner.  This is just someone you know will explode at any moment and you don't want to be around him when he does.  Unfortunately, some people just can't see that.

Louis drives pass a horrible accident and decides to stop.  An independent video crew (nightcrawler crew) arrives on the scene and starts to shoot video of the rescue.  Louis asks what they are doing.  Hoping for a job, he asks for one and is denied.  This doesn't stop him.  He pawns off a bike that he steals at the beach and buys himself a hand-held video camera and a police scanner.  He shoots video of a shooting victim and is able to sell it to a local news producer, Nina Romina (Rene Russo).  He soon makes a name for himself by taking aggressive, unethical and many times criminal actions to capture the gruesome violence that Nina wants to air.

What soon turns into a blackmail-like relationship between Louis and Nina really drives this movie.  Jake Gyllenhall plays his role perfectly as the near psychotic individual.  He also takes actions that you know will eventually land him in front of a judge and jury (be it during the movie or if this was representative of real life and was allowed to play out).  There is no desire to cheer on his character.  One can only have disdain for Louis.  One might think that Rene Russo's character would get some sympathy.  And in may ways she deserves some.  Here is an individual who used to be a newscaster and then as she aged she went into producing; however, she doesn't have the talent to succeed and finds herself drifting down the producer totem pole.  In order to stop her career slide, she swings for gruesome news porn.  This results in allowing Louis to manipulate their relationship.  She is the victim of a sinister individual.  Yet, on the other hand, she also deserves some disdain as we see an individual who purposely debases her journalistic standards for higher television ratings and to save her job.  Wasn't there another way? one has to ask.

Is this a feel good movie?  Not at all.  You may actual leave the movie feeling dirty, but I think that's the point:  you've spent close to 2 hours watching an individual doing wrong.        



 

A Movie Review: The Theory of Everything

The Theory of Everything. This movie is based on the relationship/marriage between physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Remayne) and Jane Hawking (Felicity Jones).  The two meet at a university party.  Jane's friend doesn't think much of Stephen, but Jane is enamored.  Though Jane has at least one other suitor, the two soon become a steady couple.  Then disaster hits.  Stephen is diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).  They decide they will get married, knowing that Stephen likely has only 2 years left to live.  Stephen's father, Frank (Simon McBurney), warns Jane that she is making a decision that will have ramifications that she doesn't fully appreciate.  His warning sets the tone for the movie.

Their marriage starts out wonderfully, but after a second child and Stephen's continued declining health the stresses start to show.  Stephen doesn't want assistance, but Jane insists that it is necessary.  Seeing Jane's growing stress levels, her mother encourages her to head off to church (perhaps even knowing/planning that an individual at the church has the time and desire to assist the family).  At the church, Jane meets Jonathan Hellyer Jones (Charlie Cox) who has been struck with a family tragedy.  He soon joins the family as a friend/assistant.  Stephen soon picks up that there is an emotional bond that is growing between Jane and Jonathan, but he also understands that his wife needs emotional support and that his family needs Jonathan.  This bond between Jane and Jonathan; however, causes tensions between Jane and her in-laws and so Jonathan is asked to step aside.  The stress of marriage grows further as Stephen starts to develop an emotional bond with a nurse the family eventually has to hire, Elaine Mason (Maxine Peake).

The movie does dwell on the various scientific breakthroughs made by Stephen Hawking, but its main focus is on relationships.  Yes, Stephen and Jane had to deal with a rather more difficult circumstance than most relationships, but the movie still gives an over-view of many relationships that fall apart.  ALS is the driving force that damages their relationship, but there is also the underlying threads of religious differences, affairs of the heart and plain old stubbornness.  One can see how their relationship may still be strong today if certain adjustments were made along the way.  Stephen should have understood that even though he has a brilliant mind, he was still causing undo physical burdens on his wife that should have been addressed earlier in the marriage.  Also, (maybe not true in reality) perhaps hiring/using really attractive people as an assistant and nurse wasn't such a good idea.

The two main leads do a wonderful job in the movie.  Eddie Remayne does a brilliant job showing the gradual growing ALS symptoms.  And I just loved seeing Felicity Jones on the screen again.  I know she's being in a number of films, but the last time I saw her on the screen was also the first time I saw her on the screen in the movie Like Crazy.  So it has been awhile.

There are a couple funny jokes regarding America in this film.  The first is when Stephen Hawking tells his friend the bad news about his disease, which he labels as ALS as well as Lou Gehrig's disease.  His friend is totally unaware of who this Lou Gehrig is.  A second joke comes around when Stephen Hawking has to finally depend on a computer to talk for him.  The joke is that the computer sounds American.  The look on everyone's faces is hysterical.      

Now for my final opinion.  Is this a must see movie in the movie theater?  I have to say no.  This is movie that can probably wait until it hits HBO, Redbox, Netflix or whatever other non-theater method one uses to watch movies.  In no way is this an awful movie.  It just doesn't have that must see vibe.

Note:  As with most biographical movies, some liberties are taken.  If you want a breakdown of some of the facts and fictions, click on this Time link.

A Movie Review: Whiplash

Whiplash.  Andrew (Miles Teller) is a drumming protégé on the path to greatness. He’s 19, attending the number one music school in the nation, Shaffer Conservatory of Music. It doesn’t take long for Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), the top educator at Shaffer, to notice Andrew. Fletcher quickly places Andrew into his band.

Fletcher is the drill sergeant of music school educators. He only wants to teach the most talented and determined students in the school. And if a student isn’t living up to Fletcher’s initial assessment, Fletcher won’t hesitate to remedy the situation by kicking the student out of his band. The problem with Fletcher’s teaching style is that not only is he a drill sergeant (which I’m sure many of us have come across teachers/professors who make heavy demands on their students), but he doesn’t hesitate in conducting psychologically warfare on his students. On Andrew’s first day with Fletcher’s band, Fletcher comes over and inquires in an inquisitive way about Andrew’s parents. He learns that Andrew’s mother left when he was just a young child. Well, within moments when Andrew doesn’t keep precise tempo, Fletcher goes on the attack with that information.

Of course, Fletcher might have hand selected a young student who is a mirror image of himself. 
Andrew also isn’t above demeaning people. When at an extended family gathering, the focus goes to his cousins. One of them is playing Division III football (I believe this was high school, I could be wrong). Andrew quickly goes for the throat, making the justifiable argument that he’s on the path to success while his cousin will never get the opportunity to play in the NFL. A brutally honest assessment, but lacking in humility. He also breaks-up with his girlfriend, Nicole (Melissa Benoist), in a harsh way by telling her that she’s consuming his time, time that he needs to dedicate to his drums.

This movie is about the drive for success. You’d think that sure there will be drama associated with reaching for success, but you probably don’t understand the intensity that this movie brings to that subject. At times, you’re on the edge of your seat. Some of the most engaging moments come at the most unexpected scenes: no dialogue, musician practicing alone, seriously? Yes, actually.

This movie is also about psychological abuse. Yes, the movie focuses on Andrew, but I see Fletcher as the focal point. Fletcher’s style of teaching works on a handful, but it also sends most up the wall, diminishing their sense of self-worth. In one scene, Fletcher sets up a competition between 3 drummers: Andrew and two others. It is clear throughout the movie that Andrew is the most talented drummer in the school. It is obviously to the audience that Fletcher is trying to drive Andrew, but I think on a more subtle note there is cruelty towards the other two drummers. The other two drummers are just pawns in this game. It isn’t like Fletcher is bringing in another talented drummer who actually might compete for the position. In a way, it is a cruel passive aggressive way to indicate to the other drummers that they should find new careers.

There have been two really wonderfully movies about music this year: Whiplash and Begin Again. Begin Again is about the joy of creating music. Whiplash is about the potential toll to reach such creative genius. I really hope both receive Oscar considerations in various categories.

Here’s my one problem with the movie and potential spoiler alert: Andrew puts aside the drums for the summer. He later runs into Fletcher who invites him to join a JVC Jazz band. Somehow Andrew is in near top form after taking a few months away from the drums. I don’t care if you’re a top athlete, musician, politician, lawyer, doctor: I really don’t think that one can immediately return to top form and that is my one complaint about this movie. Yes, a nitpicking complaint.

A Movie Review: Birdman

Birdman. Riggan (Michael Keaton) was once one of the top Hollywood actors, starring in three Birdman superhero movies. That success eventually faded and he is left with the real life ruins. His daughter, Sam (Emma Stone), is a recovering drug addict. His marriage to Sylvia (Amy Ryan) ended in divorce due to at least one, if not more, infidelities -- he actually slept with another woman in their house during a party.


He is now attempting to gain back his relevancy.  He has written a Broadway play and is directing and acting in it.  He is trying to rebuild his relationship with his daughter and has hired her as his assistant.  He also appears to be on good terms with his ex-wife.  He even has a much younger girlfriend/actress, Laura (Andrea Risborough) -- 30 years if you just go by the age of the two real life actors.  He also has a great friend/lawyer, Jake (Zach Galifianakis).

But what appears to be a rejuvenation just hides the chaos that is underneath it all.  He has poured his life savings into the play and if it flops he is in financial ruin.  What might be a lucky break, actually turns into a potential negative.  One of the actors in the play, who isn't very good, has an onstage accident.  One of the actresses, Lesley (Naomi Watts), happens to be sleeping with a top Broadway actor, Mike (Edward Norton).  Mike has helped Lesley prepare for her role and has fallen in love with the play and wants to be in it.  What a break for Riggan, except for the fact that Mike attempts to steal the spotlight both in the press and on the stage.  Riggan, himself, may also be having severe mental delusions that could potentially cause him to take actions that would harm him.

This movie focuses on the self-doubt, self loathing and low self-esteem that perhaps pervades many of those who act in Hollywood and Broadway.  Riggan.  Lesley.  Laura.  They all have crises of confidence.  Even Mike has doubts and finds refuge onstage via his method acting.  And honestly, all that emotional chaos slowly just got on my nerves.  Add onto that the delusions that Riggan is suffering and I found myself just waiting out the movie.  The movie has great scenes and I felt within myself the desire to want to love this movie, but as it progressed I knew I wasn't going to emotionally connect with these characters.

Also, in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think, "Is this just Broadway's ripoff of Black Swan?"  Riggan and Nina (Natalie Portman) both had delusions.  You even get a sexy make out scene between Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough.  Of course, the make out scene isn't as explicit as Black Swan, which maybe sums it all up:  this just doesn't grab you like a great movie should.      

Wake Up Lucid/Rainbow Jackson/Dorothy at Bootleg HiFi

Wake Up Lucid. They put that guitar through a workout.  And then on more than a few occasions the drummer explodes into a violent tantrum.  Their music will make you lucid quickly upon waking up from a deep slumber.  Put their music on and you'll be getting ready for the day in record time, speeding along with their sound.

Rainbow Jackson.  I couldn't help but think that this is a band that Daryl Dixon of the Walking Dead probably fronted before the zombies took over the world -- well, okay, maybe not the pre-zombie Daryl, but the S5 Daryl.  A band too cool to define and one willing to bang it up a little on stage.

Dorothy.  This was my third time seeing this Sunset Strip-style goddess.  She stripped down in this set, going acoustic. Going acoustic lets the emotions ring.  I really loved "After Midnight."  The "Nothing Good Comes After Midnight" chorus just dripped with reflection, perhaps even a touch of regret.

Sunset Strip goddess.  There was great collection of liquids up on stage though not all included alcohol.  There was one coffee cup.

There is that gentle soul.  She was careful not to destroy the stage.  Being acoustic, she had a stool that she was sitting on.  She got tired of sitting and decided to move it off stage.  Sure, she flipped it over, but in a rather careful manner.  And at the end, she carefully put down the microphone, instead of just dropping it with a thump.

Comment of the set:  It's starting to look like a kitchen up here.