Grade: A

Since he made his on-screen debut in July of 2000, the Wolverine, the unequivocal face of the X-Men film franchise, has appeared in nine of the ten films (the one appearance he did not make was in “Deadpool”). Over the course of that time, he has had three spin-off films dedicated to him that give context on his own life and his origins. Now in his ninth appearance as the character, the man who has played Wolverine for 17 years, Hugh Jackman, is retracting his claws and calling it quits. But that’s not before he decides to go off on one final grand adventure.

Appropriately titled “Logan,” one of Wolverine’s most common aliases, the movie takes place in the post-apocalyptic future, specifically the year 2029 where mutants, people with out-of-this-world abilities, are on the brink of extinction. Wolverine works as a chauffeur in Texas as his body continues to age and be poisoned by his adamantium skeleton, due to his failing healing abilities. Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), another well-known face of the franchise known for his telepathic abilities, joins him, yet he is struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. Wolverine is given a task to escort an 11-year-old girl named Laura (Dafne Keen), a mutant who is a product of a biotechnology experiment, to a place in North Dakota called “Eden,” although, in true superhero fashion, there is someone trying to stop him.

The X-Men franchise has always had a way of bringing raw acting into the limelight of a superhero film, which is why there is such a cult following for this Marvel series. It has made names for such stars as Nicholas Hoult, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy, who all first appeared in the 2011 installment “X-Men: First Class.” It’s been a birthplace for many actors and actresses, due to the calls for large and fresh casts upon each release. But seasoned men like Jackman and Stewart have stayed true to the series throughout its incredibly lengthy run — and thanks to them and the incredible storyline from “Logan,” the franchise will continue to be successful far into the future.

As with ay superhero film, there are high expectations for action. Battle after battle, viewers are left wanting more and even cleverer ways of stopping the enemy of “Logan.” Better yet, the development of Wolverine’s character shows, as his failing body can no longer sustain the blows like it used to. This was the idea of director James Mangold, who believed that Wolverine deserved to be retired, but only after he had overcome all adversities, including old age.

What “Logan” does that other movies in the series have not is tie in the humanizing characteristics of mutants. As said before, you begin to see Wolverine’s and even Professor X’s vulnerabilities like never before. This adds depth to a story that is constantly trying to better itself in terms of capabilities. Add in the clever direction of Mangold and the strong coordination of cinematographer John Mathieson and you have something truly worth watching. And not to mention, it’s appropriate that Jackman, 48, ended his run at the age that he did because today’s film technology has made it possible for special effects to produce physical attributes, such as scars and wrinkles, like you could never visualize before. In many ways, “Logan” is a cinematic marvel (no pun intended) that serves as an appropriate end for Jackman and paves the way for future generations of X-Men.

This is the end of an era for X-Men fans, but there are big plans for future films for the years ahead (starting with the sequel to “Deadpool” coming out next year). Looking back over the years, though, many fans can agree that the franchise will not be the same without everyone’s beloved mutant. The stakes are high for who will fill the gaping void he will leave in the story, but there are definitely some stars on the horizon just waiting to take their turn.

Grade: A

Since he made his on-screen debut in July of 2000, the Wolverine, the unequivocal face of the X-Men film franchise, has appeared in nine of the ten films (the one appearance he did not make was in “Deadpool”). Over the course of that time, he has had three spin-off films dedicated to him that give context on his own life and his origins. Now in his ninth appearance as the character, the man who has played Wolverine for 17 years, Hugh Jackman, is retracting his claws and calling it quits. But that’s not before he decides to go off on one final grand adventure.

Appropriately titled “Logan,” one of Wolverine’s most common aliases, the movie takes place in the post-apocalyptic future, specifically the year 2029 where mutants, people with out-of-this-world abilities, are on the brink of extinction. Wolverine works as a chauffeur in Texas as his body continues to age and be poisoned by his adamantium skeleton, due to his failing healing abilities. Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), another well-known face of the franchise known for his telepathic abilities, joins him, yet he is struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. Wolverine is given a task to escort an 11-year-old girl named Laura (Dafne Keen), a mutant who is a product of a biotechnology experiment, to a place in North Dakota called “Eden,” although, in true superhero fashion, there is someone trying to stop him.

The X-Men franchise has always had a way of bringing raw acting into the limelight of a superhero film, which is why there is such a cult following for this Marvel series. It has made names for such stars as Nicholas Hoult, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy, who all first appeared in the 2011 installment “X-Men: First Class.” It’s been a birthplace for many actors and actresses, due to the calls for large and fresh casts upon each release. But seasoned men like Jackman and Stewart have stayed true to the series throughout its incredibly lengthy run — and thanks to them and the incredible storyline from “Logan,” the franchise will continue to be successful far into the future.

As with ay superhero film, there are high expectations for action. Battle after battle, viewers are left wanting more and even cleverer ways of stopping the enemy of “Logan.” Better yet, the development of Wolverine’s character shows, as his failing body can no longer sustain the blows like it used to. This was the idea of director James Mangold, who believed that Wolverine deserved to be retired, but only after he had overcome all adversities, including old age.

What “Logan” does that other movies in the series have not is tie in the humanizing characteristics of mutants. As said before, you begin to see Wolverine’s and even Professor X’s vulnerabilities like never before. This adds depth to a story that is constantly trying to better itself in terms of capabilities. Add in the clever direction of Mangold and the strong coordination of cinematographer John Mathieson and you have something truly worth watching. And not to mention, it’s appropriate that Jackman, 48, ended his run at the age that he did because today’s film technology has made it possible for special effects to produce physical attributes, such as scars and wrinkles, like you could never visualize before. In many ways, “Logan” is a cinematic marvel (no pun intended) that serves as an appropriate end for Jackman and paves the way for future generations of X-Men.

This is the end of an era for X-Men fans, but there are big plans for future films for the years ahead (starting with the sequel to “Deadpool” coming out next year). Looking back over the years, though, many fans can agree that the franchise will not be the same without everyone’s beloved mutant. The stakes are high for who will fill the gaping void he will leave in the story, but there are definitely some stars on the horizon just waiting to take their turn.

Just by taking a glance at the students that pass you in the halls every day, or are sitting down eating lunch in the Bear’s Den, its obvious that University of Maine students come from a variety of backgrounds. Some students hail from across town, or across the state, or even across the entire country. They all come to the University of Maine for the same reason: attending Maine’s flagship university and being a proud Black Bear gives them the resources and experiences they need to succeed in life.

For those who come from further abroad, however, they get to participate in all of the dynamic things about UMaine and they get to share their diverse culture in the meantime. This is a part of campus life that has become steadily more important in recent years.

The university boasts a staggering 476 international students, of which 222 are pursuing graduate studies. On top of that, there are ten multicultural organizations, including the International Student Association, African Student Association and Black Student Union. All of them bring people together from all areas of the world to participate in and organize activities right here on campus.

These diverse organizations organize regular coffee hours and celebrations of international holidays and dance festivals — they even participate in Culturefest every October, which is arguably the largest multicultural concentration of students at UMaine every year. All of this speaks incredibly well of the spirited campus life that cannot be matched anywhere else in the state.

To stress just how diverse our university actually is, it’s important to highlight those significant examples which explain just how far people have come from to attend UMaine, proximity or otherwise.

In October of 2015, while attending Culturefest for a story I was working on, I spoke with a girl who was sharing her culture with everyone who came to visit her table. She was from the Republic of Kosovo, which is a partially recognized state in Southeastern Europe that seceded from Serbia in 2008.

The reason why it is a partially recognized state is because not all countries of the world recognize it as a state. Currently, 115 countries have made diplomatic recognitions for Kosovo, according to the Republic of Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The girl talked about some of the cultural aspects of Kosovo and the many languages that people speak there, such as Albanian, Bosnian, Serbian and Turkish. She also alluded to how not many people know where it is, or have ever heard of it before, including myself. These facts explain two things; first, how much the university values international students even from places many people have never heard of — and second, how a region as small as Kosovo, which has an area around 4,200 square miles, can be so ethnically diverse.

We take part in that life every day here on campus. We live, work and learn in such a high concentration of ethnically diverse people, much of which is not seen anywhere else outside college campus’ in the state of Maine. From the perspective of someone who was born and raised in central Maine, this is an incredibly welcome experience because I have gotten to learn about different culture and meet people from all over the world. My only regret is not getting to meet more people who bring their traditions with them every fall.

My advice: do not take these multicultural connections lightly. You never know how valuable they might be to you one day.

Just by taking a glance at the students that pass you in the halls every day, or are sitting down eating lunch in the Bear’s Den, its obvious that University of Maine students come from a variety of backgrounds. Some students hail from across town, or across the state, or even across the entire country. They all come to the University of Maine for the same reason: attending Maine’s flagship university and being a proud Black Bear gives them the resources and experiences they need to succeed in life.

For those who come from further abroad, however, they get to participate in all of the dynamic things about UMaine and they get to share their diverse culture in the meantime. This is a part of campus life that has become steadily more important in recent years.

The university boasts a staggering 476 international students, of which 222 are pursuing graduate studies. On top of that, there are ten multicultural organizations, including the International Student Association, African Student Association and Black Student Union. All of them bring people together from all areas of the world to participate in and organize activities right here on campus.

These diverse organizations organize regular coffee hours and celebrations of international holidays and dance festivals — they even participate in Culturefest every October, which is arguably the largest multicultural concentration of students at UMaine every year. All of this speaks incredibly well of the spirited campus life that cannot be matched anywhere else in the state.

To stress just how diverse our university actually is, it’s important to highlight those significant examples which explain just how far people have come from to attend UMaine, proximity or otherwise.

In October of 2015, while attending Culturefest for a story I was working on, I spoke with a girl who was sharing her culture with everyone who came to visit her table. She was from the Republic of Kosovo, which is a partially recognized state in Southeastern Europe that seceded from Serbia in 2008.

The reason why it is a partially recognized state is because not all countries of the world recognize it as a state. Currently, 115 countries have made diplomatic recognitions for Kosovo, according to the Republic of Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The girl talked about some of the cultural aspects of Kosovo and the many languages that people speak there, such as Albanian, Bosnian, Serbian and Turkish. She also alluded to how not many people know where it is, or have ever heard of it before, including myself. These facts explain two things; first, how much the university values international students even from places many people have never heard of — and second, how a region as small as Kosovo, which has an area around 4,200 square miles, can be so ethnically diverse.

We take part in that life every day here on campus. We live, work and learn in such a high concentration of ethnically diverse people, much of which is not seen anywhere else outside college campus’ in the state of Maine. From the perspective of someone who was born and raised in central Maine, this is an incredibly welcome experience because I have gotten to learn about different culture and meet people from all over the world. My only regret is not getting to meet more people who bring their traditions with them every fall.

My advice: do not take these multicultural connections lightly. You never know how valuable they might be to you one day.

Grade: B-

A remake of the 1979 heist film, “Going in Style” is a modernized but equally whimsical retelling of three elderly men who decide to rob their bank. The film, which stars the man who’s more known for his voice than his persona, Morgan Freeman, as Willie, as well as notable actors Michael Caine and Alan Arkin as Joe and Albert, respectively, creatively characterizes their struggles of retirement after the men lose their pensions during the restructuring process of their former employer. The combination of these three old actors, along with the story to fit them, makes this film stand out. But, of course, who would not want to go see a flick with the voice of “God” in it?

It’s important to take this movie for what it is worth. It did not debut during the dog days of summer with all of the popular blockbusters, nor did it debut during the holidays. That means Warner Bros. Pictures was not necessarily planning on this film to be a huge commercial success—and it was surely not marketed to be. This is a tale chock full of laughs and mishaps, not to mention back pain. The plot is difficult to follow, but if you strip away all of the negative aspects of it and just focus on the laughs and subtle drama, it’s not so bad.

The characters run into financial woes after their former employer is bought out and stops dispersing their pensions. That would obviously make anybody very angry, but in order to resolve these issues and prevent Joe from foreclosing on his home, the trio hatches a plan to rob their own snobby bank. All of these issues are not fully addressed until about halfway through the movie’s runtime, which is incredibly annoying. Up until that point of realization, the movie seems utterly pointless, like you are literally watching an old man go about his daily life. However, when to story does start to grab you and pull you in, you start to understand its true objective.

Zach Braff was put in charge to direct “Going in Style.” You may remember him as J.D. on the comedy-drama television series “Scrubs.” His effort is evident—and so is his witty, pun-filled humor. Despite this, the direction takes many confusing twists and turns before eventually lurching right into the heat of the action near the end. This keeps you interested, but the pacing is so questionable that it makes you want to remain numb to the story.

What “Going in Style” gives us is a sense of encouragement; that no matter what age you may be, you can still find ways to make a better life for yourself. Sometimes all it takes is a little guts, or in this particular case, a nothing-to-lose type of attitude. Advice on robbing banks might not be the kind of wisdom that parents want their parents passing down to their grandchildren, but at least it can be useful knowledge should they come across hard times. After all, you know what they say, “Like grandfather, like grandchild.”

Grade: C

It’s not often that you see a movie that was based off the premise of a children’s book, but when it does happen, it’s surely something to pay attention to. DreamWorks Animation debuted Tom McGrath’s film “The Boss Baby” in theaters recently across the United States. With a dazzling and popular cast and a clever plot objective, this one will seem promising all the time while you are watching it, however it is not until after the movie that you might finally realize that it’s just no good at all.

The film brings in a lot of notable celebrities to star in the main roles, including Alec Baldwin as the titular character, The Boss Baby, Tobey Maguire as Timothy Templeton, the narrator and Steve Buschemi as Francis E. Frances, the CEO of Puppy Co. Jimmy Kimmel, the notable host of the ABC late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the 89th Academy Awards, voices Ted Templeton and Lisa Kudrow, who was well known for her role as Phoebe Buffay on Friends, voices his wife.

The story is centered around the storytelling by an adult Timothy Templeton, elaborating on the time when he was seven years old and living a happy life with his two parents, envisioning that the three of them would live joyously forever together. This dream of his is interrupted by The Boss Baby, who shows up at his house in a taxi and is announced to be Timothy’s little brother. From then on, it is learned that The Boss Baby is a secret agent who is fighting in the secret war between babies and puppies, which, for some, it can be hard to take sides on.

“The Boss Baby” shows plenty of promise and draws people in with the clever slogan “Born Leader” heading it’s theatrical release posters. It definitely provides the laughs that a good animated film would do, too; it just fails to execute on multiple fronts, unlike other Dreamworks animated films, like everyone’s favorite “Shrek.” This is because of the nature of the beast. Weighing too much into making it funny can draw away from the development of a unique story and this one seems utterly predictable. The star-studded cast definitely makes this one worthy of going to see in theaters, but it’s inexplicably dry for such a creative work.

The film faced a massive premiere rescheduling affair when it was pushed back several times until it finally opened on March 31, taking the place of the premiere of “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.” It’s hard to tell how that one would have fared against “The Boss Baby,” but if you are looking for a rebound movie after going to see this current one, perhaps go see “Captain Underpants” which debuts on June 2.

There is some consideration for a possible sequel to the film that would potentially be written by the same screenwriter, Michael McCullers and include the tentative title “The Bossier Baby.” Until then, feel free to check this one out in theaters and see what you make of it.

Grade: C

Humans are still looking for the first signs of extraterrestrial life. Well, if we ever do encounter other living organisms, let’s hope that they survive on a strict lifestyle of Benadryl and cuddles. Daniel Espinosa’s newest science fiction horror “Life” shows us how we should be very afraid of things we do not understand, contrary to the maxim that many scientists and researchers abide by. And let’s just say that in “Life” sometimes people, or in this case creatures, do not play nice.

“Life” stars a group of six astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station (ISS), a low orbit habitable satellite used to study biology, physics, astronomy and other fields in a microgravity environment. The crew successfully captures a space probe returning from Mars with soil samples that could prove the existence of life there. Things go horribly wrong when the creature, nicknamed—“Calvin”—becomes active in its new oxygen-rich environment and grows limbs, which he uses to escape and attack ISS pilot Rory “Roy” Adams (Ryan Reynolds). Like an intelligent but rabid dog, Calvin escapes the lab and evades and kills more crewmembers. It is not until senior medical officer Dr. David Jordan (Jake Gyllenhaal) lures Calvin into an escape pod, in an attempt to kill him in the vacuum of space, that there is any hope for the remaining crew member, quarantine officer Dr. Miranda North (Rebecca Ferguson), who enters a pod to return to Earth.

Ultimately, “Life” is a film that will have no effect on the in-space genre. The story gets caught up in the need to be a disaster movie, which takes away from character development and consideration of real scientific elements in low planetary orbit. Serious acting can be seen throughout, but real dramatic scenes are left out only until the end amidst the character’s impending doom. Even so, the greatest part of the whole story is left to the ending scene where there is a surprise twist of events and what happens henceforth is left up to the viewer’s imagination.

Although it fails to live up to expectations, which is contrary to its warm and inviting title, it makes a name for itself as a serious horror flick. It’s intelligent and rooted deep in the troubling nature of encountering new life. To this effect it is likely a recreation of one’s worst nightmare because it contains many of people’s favorite fears, such as drowning, suffocating, getting crushed to death or getting sent on an uncontrollable course into the vast emptiness of space. It plays up the cinematography, too, drawing on the interesting perspective of what it must feel like to be floating around inside space modules where nothing is right side up.

“Life” cleverly avoids the cliches; the scare-factor never occurs and not once will you question why the characters never listen to you yelling at the screen. Annoyingly, though — and you do not realize it until the credits roll — it bathes audiences in a sudsy bath of depression. Essentially after Calvin is first discovered in Mars soil samples, much to the delight of the crew, nothing good happens again; it steamrolls uncontrollably into many unfortunate encounters and eventual ruination.

There are far worse space movies than “Life,” such as the found footage science fiction horror “Apollo 18,” but unlike those, it still manages to keep a grip on its audience through pure astonishment. Besides that, it has failed to excite any new popularity with the horror genre.

Grade: A-

When French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve published her original fairytale “Beauty and the Beast” in 1740, she had no knowledge of the cultural icon it would remain to be for years to come. Even though the most well-known version of the story comes from an abridged work written in 1756 by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, another French author, Villeneuve’s initial narrative about a beast who falls in love to break his tragic curse is still one of the most quintessential love stories we know today.

First produced on television and in various movies dating back to the 1930s — and then most notably reproduced in Walt Disney Pictures’ 1991 animated classic, “Beauty and the Beast” — the tale has seen its fair share of cultural adaptations. Most recently, as a part of Disney’s movement to produce live-action films, the studio came out with another version starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in the titular roles. Set on a wondrous adventure that we know all too well, this 2017 edition does not fail to elicit a great response from viewers as well as a hint of possible jealousy.

Director Bill Condon reeled in an all-star cast to fulfill many of the roles of the movies’ ensemble cast, where nearly all of the major roles have equal importance and receive a similar amount of screen time. Among them are Ian McKellen and Luke Evans, whom many know from the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” series, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci and Emma Thompson. Some bring out the greatness of the objects they animate within the castle of the Beast, while others fantastically let their singing chops do most of the talking. Condon looked to have a few important musical numbers incorporated into the story, but steered away from making the film an entire musical.

It’s hard to compare this remake to the 1991 animated film, considering the vast technological improvements that have been made in the motion picture industry since then. Both should be acclaimed for their own achievements, but this Disney production deserves especially high praise. More often than not, films can get lost in what audiences like to see, but sometimes it’s the job of the filmmaker to show them something they should like, such as a strong musical number. Those are few and far between — and it’s a shame because, frankly, those are what make these types of fairy tales so great. If you do go see “Beauty and the Beast,” do not worry, the songs you know so well sound just as lovely as they did many years ago.

Disney’s previous live-action film “The Jungle Book” received rave reviews from The Maine Campus last year — and their streak continues into 2017. “Beauty and the Beast” brings great childhood tales into the modern era with it’s unmatched realism and elicited beauty. Behind an established cast, Watson and Stevens have been propelled forward for larger roles in the future and the live action genre is looking promising for years to come.

Grade: A

In honor of Sunday’s Academy Awards, it is important to highlight one key nominee for Best Picture that could beat out highly acclaimed movies like “La La Land” and “Fences” for the coveted award. Films nominated for this category are considered to be the best of the best because it takes into account all of the efforts that go into making a movie (directing, acting, editing, music composition, production and so forth). Since 1973, it has been the final award presented at the Academy Awards and last year’s winner was Tom McCarthy’s biographical crime drama “Spotlight”— a movie that highlighted the true story behind the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team, the nation’s oldest investigative journalism unit — and their endeavor to investigate the systemic child sex abuse plaguing the Boston area. Coincidentally, “Manchester by the Sea,” another film taking place in modern Massachusetts, has a chance to be the successor in the category — an opportunity buoyed by its actors, like Casey Affleck and solid screenwriting.

“Manchester by the Sea” follows the story of quiet and morose handyman Lee Chandler (Affleck) who returns to his hometown of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass. upon the death of his terminally ill brother Joe (Kyle Chandler). Joe designates Lee to be the legal guardian of his 16-year-old son Patrick (Lucas Hedges) and leaves behind his house, money to cover future expenses and his fishing boat, the Claudia Marie. Along the way, the story jumps from present time back to the important events in Lee’s life, which ultimately have made him the man he is portrayed as in the movie.

“Manchester by the Sea” attempts to convey the strict realism and hardship Lee faces on a daily basis, which is why Affleck, Hedges and Michelle Williams, who plays Lee’s former wife Randi, are all nominees for Oscars themselves (Affleck for Best Actor, Hedges and Williams for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively). The movie is laden with awkward moments, which help to develop Lee’s character and reflect back on important events in his past.

Perhaps the most important aspect of “Manchester by the Sea” is that it is a movie without frills — and for the most part, it is the ‘purest’ film that debuted in 2016. There were no special effects, no extravagant fight scenes or complex sequences of events; it is filmmaking in its most naked form, which is why the movie had a microscopic budget of $8.5 million. There is nothing to cover up blemishes in the writing or distract you from poor casting choices. “Manchester by the Sea” accommodates for all of the important characteristics of a Best Picture contender without making unnecessary decisions. Affleck takes charge of his role, which surely would have failed if an actor of a lesser caliber had been given the part.

Along with being nominated for Best Picture and three out of the four acting categories, the film was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Kenneth Lonergan was nominated for Best Director. But all people who contributed to the making of this film deserve rightful congratulations for its success. It should be praised for everything it puts forth, from some of the best acting on-screen in 2016 to the tasteful music composition by Lesley Barber that adds to the mood of the story. “Manchester by the Sea” is quietly dazzling and reaffirms that movies aimed at adults are not going out of style. This demonstration of pristine filmmaking makes us ask, “Why are there not more movies likes this?” and the answer to that question should be, “Because then they would not be so special.”

Grade: A-

Although Trevor Noah, the star of Comedy Central’s hit satirical news and late-night talk program “The Daily Show” has had a few comedy specials in the past, this is the first that you can stream online as a Netflix Original. His newest hour-long special “Afraid of the Dark” tackles political issues ranging from England voting to withdraw from the European Union during Brexit to Barack Obama, whom he dubs “the coolest president ever,” noting his especially unique way of exiting an Air Force One jet. Noah’s special was recorded live at the Beacon Theater in New York City earlier this year.

There are some points when Noah’s comedy does not seem to be any different than what you hear on the “Daily Show,” but for the most part he alters his brand to accommodate for the live stage instead of a studio audience — and it is absolutely brilliant. He characterizes the significance of certain political events effectively without droning on about differences of opinion. His comedy is fast-paced yet careful and analytical, like when he talks about Idris Elba as a would-be James Bond, which is not political but cements Noah’s versatility. He even makes jokes about men’s susceptibility to the uncontrollable power of female genitalia, of which may have been a creative allusion to such historical popular culture works such as Aristophanes’ “Lysistrata.”

So while many viewers might expect that Noah’s routine would be very political, if you do care to watch it, you will be surprised to know that it is remarkably apolitical. He draws on life experiences growing up in South Africa under apartheid and the remarkable privilege he had of living in a country with a black president twice (Obama and the late Nelson Mandela).

Noah also harnesses the power of using accents in his comedy. He does this so that he can play out conversations between two or three different people. This significantly adds to his comedy and sets him apart from other satirists. Some of the most common accents that he uses are British and Russian, which he regards as far less scary than the Russian language itself.

In light of recent news coverage, it is very surprising and relieving that Noah did not really invoke Donald Trump at all in his routine. It might have been a mistake since his audience might be heavily divided, but it also proved that there are a lot of other relevant areas that prove worthy of his satire.

Noah appears calm, collected and in command when he’s up on stage, which might not be too different than his usual studio presence, but is nevertheless nice to see. This is a man who had a hard childhood and did not really make a name for himself until he moved to Los Angeles from Johannesburg, South Africa in an effort to begin a new life. Many comedians today have their own struggles, but most seem incomparable to that of Noah’s. Thankfully, he does not let that prevent him from trying to bring joy to people’s lives through comedy.

You can catch more of Noah and his antics on the “Daily Show” every weekday night at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central.