NOVEMBER 2016
Living
INSIDE ALOHA TOSCANA POOL PARTY
THANKSGIVING POTLUCK
DAVE & BUSTER’S DINNER AND GAMES!
Toscana Lifestyle A WORD FROM THE LIFESTYLE DIRECTOR
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By Chris Reeder, Lifestyle Director
What a pleasure my first few weeks have been at Toscana! The residents of this beautiful community have been overwhelmingly supportive and welcoming. Thank you so much! It’s been a whirlwind of activity - meeting new people, learning new processes, and figuring out our building numbers. I’m already working on new and exciting programming, so keep an eye on your email for upcoming event promotions for Coyotes games, off-site bus trips and Team Trivia. As our seasonal residents arrive back in town, I do hope you will stop in and say hello. Thanks again for the warm welcome and I look forward to serving the Board and residents of Toscana!
TOSCANA SIGNATURE EVENTS FUN FRIDAY SOCIALS Every Friday In November at 5 p.m. at Palazzo Grande Come together to meet new people and socialize with your neighbors at this non-hosted neighborhood gathering. Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided (while supplies last). The Fun Friday Socials are free. Please RSVP by Thursdays at noon. No Fun Friday Social on November 18 and November 25. ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR- FREE Tuesday, November 1, at 6 p.m. at Palazzo Centro Cost: Free for all to attend RSVP Deadline: November 1 Even if you already have a Will or Trust in place, there may be new information available to help update your existing plan. The Dwornik Law team specializes in affordable and comprehensive estate planning solutions. Complimentary wine will be served. Please RSVP to Chris at creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-5850808. WATER AEROBICS WITH ERIN Tuesdays and Thursdays in November, 9:30-10:15 a.m. Palazzo Grande Cost: $10 per person/per class RSVP Deadline: None, just come as you are! Erin is excited to invite you to the Palazzo Grande pool for water aerobics during the month of November (excluding Thanksgiving Day). Your waistline will thank you for trying it out! GENTLE YOGA Tuesdays and Fridays in November, 11-12 p.m. Building 10 Cost: $5 in advance/$20 for the series, $10 drop in rate RSVP Deadline: One day prior to class Gentle Yoga and Chair Yoga will be offered during the month of November. Please bring your mat and yoga strap!
5450 E. Deer Valley Drive Building 2 Phoenix, AZ 85054 www.toscanaliving.net Phone: 480-585-0808 Fax: 480-585-2859 Night Manager: 480-861-0875 STAFF Dick Rosenhagen, CAMM, CMCA Community Manager drosenhagen@toscanaliving.net Nicole Careaga, CMCA Assistant Community Manager ncareaga@toscanaliving.net Christine Reeder Lifestyle Director creeder@toscanaliving.net Alicja Davis Concierge adavis@toscanaliving.net Kevin Wiegel Administrative Assistant kwiegel@toscanaliving.net NIGHT MANAGERS: Don Meeks dmeeks@toscanaliving.net Jackie Hernandez hhernandez@toscanaliving.net MAINTENANCE: Frank Young Maintenance Supervisor fyoung@toscanaliving.net John Raabe Maintenance Tech Ignacio Santana Porter
ON THE COVER Day of the Dead Party Diane and Linda
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Toscana Lifestyle
PARENTS $ GRANDPARENTS NIGHT OUT Friday, November 11, from 6-8:30 p.m., upstairs in Building 10 Ages: 5-12 (under 5 with adult attendee) Cost: Free for residents RSVP Deadline: November 10 A special Pajama Party for our smallest Toscana residents! There will be games, pizza and Zootopia! Bring your own special blanket for the movie, and wear your favorite PJ’s. There is a maximum of 12 attendees for this program so please register early. RSVP to Chris at creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808. ALOHA TOSCANA LUAU POOL PARTY Saturday, November 12, at 3 p.m. outside at the Palazzo Grande Pool Cost: $3 resident/$5 guests RSVP Deadline: November 11 Ready for a little taste of Hawaii here at Toscana? Come join your neighbors for live steel drum music, Hawaiian food, and plenty of Aloha! Also featuring performance group, Orohene- the well-known Polynesian entertainers in the valley from 3-6pm on November 12th , at the Palazzo Grande Pool. Wear your favorite Hawaiian shirt or grass skirt! Remember to RSVP early as this program may sell out! RSVP to creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808. LADIES NIGHT AT ABODE FINE LIVING Monday, November 14 from 3-5 p.m. at the Abode Store on High Street IMPORTANT Cost: Free and exclusive for Toscana Residents COMMUNITY RSVP Deadline: November 13 CONTACTS Join your friends and neighbors for a special holiday showcase, designed just for Toscana residents! Abode is an eclectic CenturyLink home decor and furnishings boutique store, only steps 602-765-2334 away from Toscana. Kim will feature unique holiday vignettes and will be happy to APS answer any of your home holiday decorating questions as you enjoy a cold beverage 602-371-7171 and a sweet treat. Complimentary champagne will be served. RSVP to Chris at Southwest Gas creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808. 800-528-4277 Moon Valley Plumbing 602-253-2600 Night Manager 480-861-0875 Hours: Until 2 a.m. M-Th Until 3 a.m. F-Su CCMC After-Hours Emergency Line 602-234-9288
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IMPORTANT RSVP INFORMATION PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL RSVPS AND CORRESPONDING PAYMENTS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 5PM ON THE DAY OF THE RSVP DEADLINE. All RSVP’s without payment collected by the deadline will be considered invalid. Unless noted otherwise, all RSVP’s can be made by dropping correct change or a check to Toscana HOA in a clearly marked envelope inside the drop box by the Lifestyle Director’s office in Palazzo Centro. Alternatively, you may email creeder@toscanaliving.net and request the online payment link. We regret to inform you that late RSVP’s cannot be accepted after the deadline, and that refunds cannot be issued except in the case that Toscana cancels an event. Your cooperation with these policies helps ensure that our vendors have the notice they require, that we are able to provide for everyone who RSVP’s in time, that we steward assessment dollars appropriately and avoid needless waste, and that the event experience is as smooth and enjoyable as possible for participants.
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HEALTHCARE CHANGES IMPACTING ALL AGES Tuesday, November 15 from 7-9 p.m. at Palazzo Centro Cost: Free to attend RSVP Deadline: November 14 All you ever wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. Hosted by Ronald Blau, a 20 year Life and Health Insurance Independent Advisor. Ronald will provide facts about Obamacare, Medicare and Open enrollment starting November 1, 2016. Please RSVP to Chris at creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808. THANKSGIVING POTLUCK Friday, November 18 from 6-8 p.m. in Building 10 Cost: Free to attend, please bring a dish RSVP Deadline: November 17 Join us for our annual Thanksgiving dinner! During this special season in our community, we will give thanks for the good things in our lives and share our favorite holiday dishes family-style. Toscana will provide the turkey; please bring a side dish to share with your nieghbors. For the last names beginning A-F please bring a dessert; for the last names G-Z, please bring your favorite holiday side dish for six people. Peter Davis will be our featured performer for this event, providing lively piano music. RSVP to Chris at creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808. TOSCANA TEAM TRIVIA Saturday, November 19 from 6-7:45 p.m. in Building 10 Cost: Free to attend, come by yourself or in a team of 6 RSVP Deadline: November 18 Join your Toscana neighbors for an evening of great conversation and live team trivia! Special prizes and bragging rights to the winning teams! Keep your eye on the prize and you may be featured in next month’s newsletter with the Big Brain Award! RSVP to Chris at creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808. SUNRISE YOGA ON THANKSGIVING DAY Thursday, November 24 at 6:30 a.m. in Building 10 Cost: Free to attend RSVP Deadline: November 23- Space is limited for the special program, register early! Start your Thanksgiving day with fellow residents sharing a sunrise yoga class. Participants will set an intention for their day, practice gentle yoga poses and join in a thankfulness-based meditation. This class is free and open to all Toscana residents who are familiar with basic yoga poses. Class size is limited and reservations must be made in advance. Please bring your mat and yoga strap. Kindly RSVP to Chris at creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808. DAVE AND BUSTER’S NIGHT Tuesday, November 29 from 6-8 p.m. at Dave and Buster’s Cost: $5 resident/$10 guest RSVP Deadline: November 23 (Note- the day prior to Thanksgiving) This isn’t the arcade you remember! A private room for Toscana residents has been reserved to serve you a Southern Style BBQ dinner buffet (includes non-alcoholic beverages) before you hit the games! What a great value- Dinner, Billiards, and a $10 game credit to play until the streetlights come on. There will be a cash bar available and any guest under the age of 18 must be accompanied by someone 25 or older to enter the facility. Please RSVP to Chris at creeder@toscanaliving.net or by calling the office at 480-585-0808.
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Toscana Lifestyle
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CONCIERGE CORNER By Alicja Davis, Concierge
We often find ourselves spending a little too much time looking down at our computer and TV screens forgetting that the world around us is full of natural wonders. With that in mind, I realized it’s been a long time since my last outdoor escapade and decided to join the Stellar Adventures team to experience an off-road tour in Arizona’s beautiful back yard – the Sonoran Desert. The tour’s meeting place was at a parking lot near the historic 4 Peaks Trail off of Highway 87. Once I arrived at the designated location, our tour guides – Chad, Katy, Kenyon, and Colton gave us a quick, but very efficient training on how to safely ‘operate’ our ATV and UTV vehicles. We had an opportunity to practice our newly acquired skills on a ‘training track’ near the parking lot. I chose to try the UTV which seats four people and is amazingly quick and light in action. Its agility and movement combined with flawless balance and speed makes this UTV perfectly suited for off-road excursions. Before we left on our tour, our guides explained the specifics of the trails to the entire group in a fun and competent fashion. They provided important tips on how to handle the vehicles in the different terrain. Their familiarity and knowledge of the trails is simply outstanding! Once my helmet was on, I buckled up and took off with Chad ahead and Katy following behind the group. I couldn’t believe the feeling of instant adrenaline rushing through my veins. The views were spectacular. There was nothing but nature around me and
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the sound of the humming engine letting me fly through the vast openness of the Sonoran Desert. We went through washes and ridges, soft sands and rocky areas, teeter-totters and whoop de whoops. The speed was adjusted to our comfort level and we stopped at intervals to catch our breath and to simply get a ‘preview’ of the trail ahead. Chad was fantastic; he made sure everybody felt safe and comfortable. He knew
how to customize the tour based on his observations and assessment of our skills. His effortless humor and ease makes him a perfect tour guide. Not only is he very approachable and fun, he truly knows this land and he has a deep respect for the surrounding nature and its creatures. Stellar Adventures will take you on an unforgettable and inspiring excursion. I felt like I caught the wind in my wings and returned with a big grin stamped on my face. The freedom, the thrill, and fun are beyond words. The exhilarating feeling and the infinite beauty that opens our mind makes this experience simply stellar!
Toscana Events and Programs Clubs
November 2016 Monday
Sunday
Tuesday
Events Association
Wednesday 1
ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR 6PM CHAIR YOGA PV 11AM
6
7 MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM
13
14 MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM LADIES NIGHT AT ABODE ABODE 3-5PM
20
CHAIR YOGA PV 11AM HEALTHCARE SEMINAR PC 7-9PM
21 MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM
27
15
28 MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM
COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM RESTAURANT NIGHT
CHAIR YOGA PV 11AM
9 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM
16
23 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM
29 CHAIR YOGA PV 11AM DAVE & BUSTER’S AT DESERT RIDGE 6PM
30 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM SINGLE LADIES NIGHT OUT 5:30PM
Friday
Saturday
3 HAND & FOOT PG 6PM
COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM BOOK CLUB PV 6:30 22
Thursday
2
8 RUMMYCUBE CLUB PG 1PM CHAIR YOGA PV 11AM
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5
COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM FUN FRIDAY SOCIAL PG 5PM GENTLE YOGA PV 11AM
10 HAND & FOOT PG 6PM
11 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM GENTLE YOGA PV 11AM FUN FRIDAY SOCIAL PG 5PM PARENTS NIGHT OUT PV 6-8:30PM
17 HAND & FOOT PG 6PM
18 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM GENTLE YOGA PV 11AM THANKSGIVING POTLUCK PV 6-8PM
24 HAND & FOOT PG 6PM SUNRISE YOGA PV 6:30AM OFFICE CLOSED
12 ALOHA TOSCANA POOL PARTY PG POOL 3-6PM
19 TOSCANA TEAM TRIVIA PV 6-7:45PM
25
26
COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM GENTLE YOGA PV 11AM OFFICE CLOSED
1 DECEMBER BOARD MEETING PV 9AM
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Toscana Lifestyle LESSON TEE By Alex Fisher, PGA Pro Join Golf Digest Magazine’s ‘America’s Best Young Teachers’, Alex Fisher, at the Wildfire Golf Club on Saturday, December 3rd from 11am to 12:30pm. During the clinic with Alex you will learn all the short game shots that were featured in the June 2016 issue of Golf Digest Magazines “5 Minute Clinic” article. This event is limited to the first 6 people to sign up. Email alexanderfisher@pga.com to reserve your spot.
HOW TO CHIP IT GREAT
A good setup is the key to better contact
Golfers who struggle with chipping make the setup too complicated. They’ve been told to take an open stance, set their weight forward, play the ball back, and lean the shaft toward the target. That’s a lot of information, so they end up misapplying it. As I’m showing in the lower left photo, playing the ball back often causes you to lean away from the target. This shifts your weight
back, even though you feel like it’s on your front foot. Now the shaft leans forward excessively. The leading edge is going to stick in the ground and produce a low shot that runs too hard. Instead, set up square with a middle ball position. Now you can feel relaxed with good posture. To confirm that your weight is forward, raise your back heel off the turf. Set the toe of your
back shoe in line with the heel of your front shoe. Your spine should be vertical, even a touch toward the target (below, right). Practice from this heel-up position. You’ll be surprised how pure you strike it.
ALEX FISHER Facilities: Glacier Club, Durango, CO; Wildfire Golf Club, Phoenix, AZ “I’m from Nottingham, England, so I grew up as a raving soccer fan. But when Nick Faldo won the Masters and Open Championship in 1990, my passion switched. I admired his discipline, and I liked that golf was a game you could work on by yourself. Best advice “Play your next round as match play against the golf course. If you’re a bogey golfer, a par is a win; a double bogey or worse is a loss of just one hole. This will shift your focus away from protecting a score. You’ll stay in the moment and usually play better.
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C E L E B R AT E A S E A S O N O F
TRADITIONS There’s no better way to celebrate family and friends this holiday season than with a delicious meal at The Keg. Call ahead or visit us online to reserve your table. Opening early at 11am on Thanksgiving, November 24th Opening early at 2pm on December 24th and 31st
21001 N. Tatum Blvd. | 480.419.7772 | kegsteakhouse.com
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In and Around Toscana MANAGER TIDBITS By Dick Rosenhagen, Community Manager
TOSCANA ANNUAL MEETING The Annual Meeting of the Members has been held in November each of the past years, however this year the Board decided to move the meeting. It has been scheduled for February 6, 2017 and will be exciting as the Board has decided to add three owners in good standing to serve on the Board. Based on the survey results from earlier this year, the Board intends on implementing a fair process allowing the Declarant to appoint homeowner members to the Board of Directors. This will be accomplished by removing one Statesman board member and having the Declarant appointing three owners to the Board of Directors following a preference election which will be held on February 6, 2017 at the Annual Meeting of the Members. Following this preference election
ACCREDITED BUSINESS ÂŽ
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and appointment, the Board of Directors will consist of seven individuals acting as one Board. Tentative timeline follows: ~ The Association will request volunteer homeowner applications for a seat on the Board of Directors in early November 2016. ~ Deadline for volunteer applications will be in early December 2016. ~ Candidate Bio’s and ballots to be mailed out in early January 2017. ~ Meet the Candidates Event to be held in the middle of January 2017. ~ Annual Meeting of the Members and announcement/ appointment of new homeowners to the Board of Directors will be held on February 6, 2017. I look forward to seeing all Owners who are able to attend the Annual Meeting.
In and Around Toscana
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ASSISTANT MANAGER UPDATES By Nicole Careaga, Assistant Manager OH! HOW TIME FLIES! The year was 2006. George W. Bush was the president. The Pittsburgh Steelers took home Super Bowl XL rings. The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series. The first generation of the MacBook Pro was distributed. While all of this was going on in the world, an event bigger event was taking place - owners were beginning to move into their brand new homes here at Toscana. It has been a great and fast paced ten years. Now we enter the next era, the age of renovations. Many of you are ready to update, upgrade and refresh your living spaces. As you begin to go through the remodeling process, we ask that you remember to be courteous to those around you. Many of you hire contractors to complete these projects, and they don’t have the same respect for your buildings and neighbors as each of you do. Here is a list of reminders to present to your contractors during your next remodel: Common area hallways should be cleaned and left in the same condition as they were found. Only front doors should be used to access all units. Noise should be kept at a minimum when possible, and should only occur between 8am and 8pm. Damage to a common area by a contractor is the responsibility of the owner and contractor to repair. We understand that this is your home, and you work as hard on the inside as we do on the outside to keep this community a premier place to live. For questions regarding improvements and alterations, please contact the association office at 480-585-0808.
CLUBS AND CLASSES POOL PLAYERS CLUB: Wednesdays at 1pm, Billiards Room RUMMYCUBE CLUB: 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 1-2:30pm, Palazzo Grande HIKING CLUB: Select Monday mornings to hike different trails. Contact your lifestyle director to join the email list. SINGLE LADIES NIGHT OUT: Last Wednesday of the month at 6pm. Contact Heyam Bonnamy at heyambonnamy@gmail.com BUNCO GROUP: Once a month, Palazzo Grande. Contact Jane Kidder at 480-471-8904 MAHJONG CLUB: Mondays at 6:30pm, Palazzo Grande STUD POKER CLUB: Wednesdays at 6pm, Palazzo Grande. Bring $5 and your poker face. Contact Phil Labue at 480-513-3615 BOOK CLUB: Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Please contact Lynn Jerrett with questions. 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm, Palazzo Vacanza. HAND & FOOT CLUB: Thursdays at 6pm, Palazzo Grande. Contact Marge at 480-585-0494 FANTASY BASEBALL LEAGUE: Contact Gil Berkowitz at 602-881-6272 or 480-998-2135 VIP CLUB CARD: Stop by the concierge office if you have not received your VIP Club Card.
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In and Around Toscana UPDATES FROM YOUR MAINTENANCE TEAM By Frank Young, Maintenance Supervisor
NATURAL GAS As many of you know the gas utility company recently discovered a natural gas leak in the outside yard line for Building 1. As a result the gas was turned off until repairs could be made. Natural gas is a gas that occurs deep beneath the earth’s surface. Natural gas consists mainly of methane, a gas (or compound) with one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Natural gas also contains small amounts of hydrocarbon liquids and nonhydrocarbon gases. It can be used as a fuel or to make materials and chemicals. Natural gas is removed from the well, cleaned of the hydrocarbon liquids and nonhydrocarbon gases and sold as consumer natural gas and piped all over the country. Because natural gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, mercaptan (a chemical that smells like sulfur) is added before distribution, to give natural gas a distinct unpleasant odor (it smells like rotten eggs). This added smell serves as a safety device by allowing it to be detected in the atmosphere in cases where leaks occur. Natural gas is lighter then air so it tends to rise. Utility companies perform annual leak inspections to detect underground leaks. During these inspections all high pressure lines are tested by using gas detecting equipment at ground level and equipment used to probe beneath the surface around meter risers and locations where surface gas is detected. It was one of these routine inspections that discovered the leak at Building 1.
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If the leak is on the customer side of the gas meter, the utility company is required to turn the gas off until repairs are made. If you smell gas inside your unit do not turn on or off any light switches or electrical equipment. Open your windows and back door to let fresh air in, and contact the management office or our night manager. If you smell gas outside of the building or in the hallway, contact the management office as well. We do have gas detection equipment on the property. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the association office at 480-585-0808.
Offering a 25% VIP Discount for Toscana Residents Eco-friendly dry cleaning at fair prices Open Monday-Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday 9am-4pm
Same day service Tailor on premises We do shoe repairs as well! Located at the Desert Ridge Marketplace next door to the UPS Store
(480) 502-5881 www.desertridgecleanersaz.com
Photo Gallery
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In and Around Toscana
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MOVIE REVIEW: THE ACCOUNTANT By Gil Berkowitz QUIET THRILLER ADDS UP TO WINNER When you go to see the "The Accountant" do not think it is about filing your income tax form or debits and credits. Far from it. Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a CPA who caters to a select clientele. He is an autistic savant in math. Simply put, he is a genius in math. Crime organizations and drug cartels use him to cook their books and launder their money. All of their secrets are hidden by him. The success of this film is in its tone and pace. The main role is not a freakish character whose powers are used for card tricks-but more like a superhero. A Jason Bourne or Jack Reacher type. Christian Wolff is a man with a moral code and an affection for Renoir and Jackson Pollock paintings. He is an in depth character study. Beneath the surface he is a ruthless assassin.
He sees her as a kindred spirit. She is in danger for revealing the cooked books. However, she has Wolff protecting her. While this is going on another plot develops. J. K. Simmons (Ray King) is a soon to be retiring Treasury agent who is determined to find out who this underworld accountant truly is. He has personal reasons. Affleck brings a mesmerizing stillness to his portrayal of the autistic hero. He is magnetic as a man bringing order to his chaotic surroundings. He has found a way to make the world work for him. This is one of his better performances.
Do not be fooled by the business like glasses and pocket pen protector. He is quite intense and intimidating. There is a scene of him as a young boy trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle. He cannot find a missing piece and he freaks out. This scene has a dual meaning. It sets off a lifetime pattern of having to complete each task and conveys the complexity of the movie. There are many flashbacks revealing his youth with his brother and father. The most interesting relationship is with his military-like father who teaches him how to deal with the real world. He is coached to understand his individuality. He understands he is "different" and realizes "different" scares people. Wolff is hired to look into the cooked books at a company dealing in prosthetics and military contracts. Founder John Lithgow appears sincere when he asks Wolff to find who has stolen millions from the firm. Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick) the plain looking employee of the firm and whistle-blower is attracted to him. And he to her.
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The film is complicated. Fresh and pleasantly offbeat. There are multiple plots meshed together seamlessly. Many clues are planted throughout the movie that tie everything together. There are no loose ends. The film is playing at Harkins theaters throughout the valley. It runs for two hours and eight minutes and is rated R for violence and language.
TL Advertise with Toscana Living Emailed to Toscana Residents weekly. Contact Alicja Davis at 480-585-0808 or adavis@toscanaliving.net
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