This Holiday Prepare for EBENEZER

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday to kick off the upcoming holiday season is a Dickens classic from director Ti West and Paramount Pictures with EBENEZER.

Ebenezer Scrooge (Johnny Depp) and his partner Jacob Marley (Ian McKellan) are hard at work making their coin and being skinflints to everyone else. That is until Marley takes it upon himself to become deceased, making cups of tea. Forward a little, and Ebenezer is still a skinflint, not wanting to help anyone but himself. Sitting in a corner, working diligently, is Bob Cratchit (Rupert Grint), who keeps his quill scribbling to earn a living for his family. Even a visit from his nephew, Fred (Sam Claflin), doesn’t bring Ebenezer any joy during the Christmas season.

Of course, that’s all about to change when he is visited by Marley, who lets him know to expect three ghost visits. The first is the Ghost of Christmas Present (Andrea Riseborough), who shows him the past he seems to have forgotten, including the warm feelings given to him by his sister, Fan (Imogen Turner), and by the woman he once loved, Belle (Ellie Bamber). Ebenezer has moments of fond memories, but he quickly returns to his grouchy self, making clear he has had enough of visiting the past.  

The Ghost of Christmas Present (Tramell Tillman) makes his appearance and has no time for Ebenezer’s side comments. Instead, he takes him to the Cratchit family home, where he sees Tim (Freddie Lee-Grey), and something moves him. Seeing that they don’t have much, it is the family's love for one another that stands out. Then he is taken to Fred’s home where his, with his wife Clara (Daisy Ridley), a dinner is being had. While the other guests poke fun at his uncle, it is Fred who realizes the pain his uncle feels is still over the loss of his loving sister, Fan.

Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Robert Strange) shows Ebenezer that almost no one will miss him once he’s gone, but instead will take advantage of his death. He also sees the outcome for the young Tim and the entire Cratchit family. Slowly, the crack in his heart that began hours earlier finally splits wide open. In the darkness of his life, a light shines through, and Ebenezer finally realizes that it is never too late to change, never.  

Depp as Ebenezer proves once again why he is the master of disguises and outrageous characters. He has the unique ability to make us all forget that it is Depp behind the mask. Bringing us totally into his world, if it weren’t for the recognizable eyes, we are ghosts ourselves, going along for the story ride from start to finish. His portrayal is dark, sad, and conflicted, with anger issues brought about by his own misunderstandings of life. Depp doesn’t hold back, making us immediately dislike Ebenezer, and it is not until the lightbulb goes on in his eyes that we see when the change of heart occurs. The deep and haggard look almost immediately becomes brightened with possibilities, and that is definitely something Depp is good at giving us all. I just loved it.

Grint as Cratchit gives the right amount of humility and love for his family. Of course, keeping his head down around Ebenezer means tolerating a heaping ton of his abuse. Most of us wouldn’t deal with it, but Cratchit sees the bigger picture and is a walking man of hope for the future of his family. McKellan as Marley is perfection; then again, I think anything he does is perfection. He makes a killer ghost! Claflin as Fred is the only member of Ebenezer’s family left, and he refuses to give up on his uncle. Always reaching out and always making sure he knows the old grump is welcome to his home. Claflin shows his heart of gold and doesn’t let anyone tear his uncle down. I loved that about his portrayal. Even with his moment of memory sadness, he still gives Ebenezer the time of day.

Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past is so stunningly beautiful in a dark way. Her voice was eerily soothing, and the costuming done for her is nothing short of divine. Her ghost is what I would expect from a ghost of Christmas past. Tillman as Ghost of Christmas Present was so well done. I just love him in this role. His end was more than I expected, so much so that I had to run home and get my book to see if I had been missing something all these years. Strange as Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come doesn’t need to say a word, right? You show up looking like that, and wherever he wants you to go – you go! Dark without sinister intent, so smartly done.

Shout out to Bramber as Belle, Scott as Clara, and Turner as Fan. All of these female roles are those of women who loved the Ebenezer he once was. Finally, shout out to Galvin as the later Belle; I couldn’t have been happier that we see her.

Other cast include Nicholas Day as the minister, Michael Culkin as Mr. Drood, Arthur Conti as young man Ebenezer, Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Topper, Charlie Murphy as Emily Cratchit, Alfie Buck as boy Ebenezer, Richard McCabe as Mr. Leech, Clare Higgins as Mrs. Dibler, and Sara Galvin as later Belle.

EBENEZER is based on the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens. He wrote it being influenced by his own Christmas’ as a boy. Dickens was also fond of Washington Irving and Douglas Jerrold and their Christmas tales. Dickens was said to be inspired by a visit to a school for street children. A Christmas Carol actually has five chapters that Dickens called “staves.” West uses that in the film!

Of course, what is Christmas without anything A Christmas Carol-related? What I love about this particular version is that it is kept dark. Not in a frightening way, just the darkness of one man’s life and purely because of choices he made for himself. Considering the era of London the story was written in and the cold of winter, director West didn’t skimp on keeping it spot on. Depp did his part in portraying the character, but West made everything else a character in itself.

I loved every part of this film. Look, this is not reinventing the Christmas wreath folks, but that doesn’t matter. It is everything we’d expect of a Dickens story put to screen with the bonus of so much depth (pun intended). The spirits are fantastic, with the special effects and eeriness I would personally expect if someone told me I was going to be visited by ghosts.

The humor is mixed in so well that it almost takes a fraction of a second to realize it mixed in the dark and strange of it all. Depp takes on Alistair Sim in the 1951 version of the film of the curmudgeonly miser, and they are now both my favorites. What we get from EBENEZER is a fantastic ghost story that doesn’t hesitate to remind us all that yes, we all have pasts, sometimes forget to live in the present, and that there is still time to change for a more joyful future.  

In the end – before he was Scrooge, he was Ebenezer!

Get Ready for THE CAT IN THE HAT

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently in theatres from directors Erica Rivinoja, Alessandro Carloni, and from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation comes the Dr. Seuss character of THE CAT IN THE HAT.

The Cat in the Hat (voiced by Bill Hader) is working for the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, where creatures visit human kids to bring them joy. One character who is not amused by the Cat’s antics is Mr. Hoogeboom (Giancarlo Esposito), who wants nothing more than to fire him. The Cat’s friend Sherrie (Quinta Brunson) from HR manages to get the Cat one more chance. Mr. Hoogeboom decides to give the Cat one of the most challenging kids, thinking that he will mess it up and that firing is almost certain. He believes it even more so when he tells the Cat to “not” go to a certain area for supplies. We all know what happens when you tell someone not to do something.

The kid? Gabby (Xochitl Gomez), an unhappy pre-teen who thinks her mother doesn’t understand her anymore, so she is totally in emo mode. Gabby’s brother Sebastian (Tiago Martinez) and his fish Waffles (Matt Berry) just want his sister to be happy, but that doesn’t seem to be possible. Moving to a new place while their mother, Carmen (America Ferrera), starts a new job, it doesn’t help that the landlord, Patty (Paula Pell), doesn’t seem to want them there either. It’s a rainy day, and Gabby just wants to be sad. It doesn’t last long, as the Cat shows up and exclaims that he is there to show them fun. The only thing that seems to catch Gabby’s attention is the Cat’s Go-Backer. She sees it as a way to get back to her old life.

After a quick wrestling match for it, it falls into one of three boxes, and now they have to explore each one to find it. Taking them on an adventure through each box, the kids learn that they are being chased by something called, well, the Something. At the institute, Sherrie learns what the boss has done: that the Cat has the Go-Backer, the Something is out there, Patty is on the rampage with Waffles the goldfish, and her friend just might need help. When confronted by the Something, Gabby, Sebastian, Mr. Waffles, and the Cat learn just who their friends are and what really matters in friendship, love, and family.

Hader, voicing the Cat, does such a wonderful job inflecting his vocals with every emotion this character can have. There is so much fun as well, which is what made my family and me laugh so much. Even if his voice is clearly recognizable, it certainly didn’t stop anyone in the theatre from having such a good time with it. Esposito as Hoogeboom gives the right amount of diabolical, but then again, he is so darn good at it.

Gomez as Gabby is just a young girl who hasn’t yet understood what it means to sacrifice. In this case, it is her own mother trying to do right by both Gabby and her brother. It’s okay; the journey that the Cat takes her on clears up a lot of that for her. Brunson as Sherrie is such a good friend; we should all have someone like that in our lives. Martinez as Sebastian is a young kid who loves his family, his fish, and his imagination!

Ferrera as Mom Carmen is just doing what moms do best. Even if there is a scary landlord involved. Speaking of her, Pell as Patty is another character that just cracked me up during the conversation with Waffles. Berry as Waffles is the goldfish we all wish we had as kids. Smart, a bit sarcastic, full-on drama-fish, and his scene going through the hoop of death is one that will stay with me for a long time.

Other cast include Bowen Yang as Gary and Titus Burgess as Psychic Narwhal. Shout-out to Taylor Swift for the band performance of “Shake it Off,” which has us laughing.

Tonight the theatre was filled to the brim with families that decided it was family night! Everyone was laughing, awww’ing and cheering- yes, cheering- especially for a certain goldfish and his great accomplishment. I’m not quite sure that THE CAT IN THE HAT was meant for audience participation, but tonight, it certainly was a full house of it. That made watching the film even more enjoyable. The animation was wonderful, colorful and fun, especially with all the Things.

Before that, Warner Bros. brought Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Bugs Bunny and a few others of the gang to the screen for a bit of soccer fun. Memorable lines and fun for all the kids and the kids at heart made for a pretty sweet bit of memory all around. If you are headed out to the theatre this weekend, make THE CAT IN THE HAT your family choice. Oh, and I am now the proud owner of a fishbowl with Waffles that came filled with popcorn. Check that out while you are there as well!

In the end – the cat’s out of the bag!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ancient Story of RAMAYANA: Part One

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently in theatres from writer/director Nitesh Tiwari, Shridhar Raghavan, and Sony Pictures comes the epic story of RAMAYANA: Part One

The tale begins with the fight between Asuras and Devas. The battle is led by Indra, and when the Asuras are defeated, the Devas begin their rule over Lanka. Warrior Kaikashi (Lara Dutta) and the rest of the Asuras are living underground, struggling to survive. Angry, Kaikashi takes her young son Dashanan aside and tells him he must avenge their people. That is when Dashanan travels across the land, finding a place to meditate. Finally, Brahma accepts what he has been doing and asks what he wants. Dashanan decides he wants to be invincible so that no supernatural being can take his life. Brahma agrees.

Dashanan is now a changed man and takes on the Devas in Lanka. Nothing can stop him from taking the throne under the title of King Ravana (Yash). With his new power, his goal is now to battle all the realms of the universe. It is Indra who asks Vishnu to intervene. He chooses Prince Rama of Ayodhya (Ranbir Kapoor) as Vishnu’s seventh incarnation. Rama is the son of King Dasharatha (Arun Govil) and is the favored among the King’s four sons. After helping Vishvamitra defeat demons, he is given the hand of Princess Sita (Sai Pallavi) in marriage. Not wanting to marry without his brothers Lakshmana (Ravi Dubey), Bharata (Adinath Kothare), and Shatrughna (Nitish Sharma), they also find love at the same time as Rama.

As things begin to settle, King Dasharatha decides it is time to crown Rama as the successor. It is a hideous maid who convinces another of the King’s wives that her son should be king. She reminds Kaikeyi of a promise made at the time of their marriage that Bharata should be the successor. Rama wants to follow his father’s wishes like a good son and agrees to stand down, but Kaikeyi adds another command to it – that Rama remain in exile for fourteen years. Leaving their home, Sita and Lakshmana leave with Rama, much to the dismay of the people. Trying to find a safe place to call home, it doesn’t take long before Ravana’s sister Shurpanakha finds them and decides she wants Rama. Trying to let her down easy, he makes it clear that his only wife and love is Sita.

Trying to trick Rama, it sets the stage for revenge by Ravana, who wants to destroy him and doesn’t care that he is Vishnu’s avatar. Love, revenge, greed, and trickery are in play, and it is Rama who makes a vow to take back what is his and destroy Ravana, completely.

Kapoor as Rama is a kind and gentle person who believes in taking care of his people and takes on every danger. It is clear he loves his father and brothers, always wanting to protect them. So much so that he doesn’t hear the murmurings that will change his life. Kapoor’s portrayal is of a man who never once raises his voice, fights strongly, and honors the wishes of his father. All of it leads him down a path that never lets him take a moment's rest. Pallavi as Sita, instantly takes a liking to Rama, but she is not a little wallflower! A fighter in her own right, she jumps in when necessary and takes care of her husband and brother-in-law as they both decide to do right by a man who has been wronged.

Dubey as Kashmana is a brother who will not let Rama stand alone. Leaving his own family behind, he stands with Rama at every turn, believing in his every decision. Now that’s a bro’s bro! Dubey holds his character with strength and conviction. So well done. Kothare as Bharata could have easily taken the crown and run, but could not turn from the brother he loves so much. The scene between Rama and Bharata in the forest is one that really moved me. Sharma as Shatrughna is sort of the brother in the middle. He sees what has happened from all sides and throws his loyalty in with his three brothers.

Yash as King Ravana is clearly a beast. Starting out as a musically inclined young man, quickly turns into a grown man with vengeance on his mind. As we all know, absolute power corrupts absolutely, and it is absolutely so in Ravana’s case. The more he gets, the more he wants. Anyone who gets in his way, it doesn’t end well. A little rejection of his sister sets him on a path against Rama that is vicious in every way. Yash’s portrayal of this bad guy is raw, indifferent and so well done.

Other cast include Raghav Malhotra as young Ravana, Kiara Sadh as young Sita, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Indira Krishnan as Kaushalya, Sonal Jha as Sumitra, Rajiv Kumar as Janaka, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, Rakul Singh as Shurpanakha, Chetan Hansraj as Sumali, Kanchan Chetal as Tataka, Saurabh Sachdeva as Maricha, Parminder Chhada as Subahu, Faisal Malik as Kumbhakarna, Raghav Juyal as Meghanada, Shobana as Kaikashi, Surabhi Das as Shrutakirti, Riya Kapoor as Mandavi, Sonia Balani as Urmila, Mukesh Tiwari as Agastya, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara, Suhail Nayyar as Sugriva, Kunal Kapoor as Indra, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjihva, Harish Uthaman as Vibhishana and Anumpam Kher as the voice of Jatayu.

RAMAYANA is based on the poem by Valmiki. This is part one of the film, based on the first three chapters of that poem. The soundtrack of the film is created by two amazing composers in Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman. Part Two of the film has already been in the works, but no release date has been set yet. I can’t wait to hear when that is going to happen!

The film is not just a film, it is an epic experience coming in at over three hours. The visuals on the screen are brilliant, breathtaking, beautiful, and truly jaw-dropping. It is just grand on every scale, from the storytelling to the cast. My enjoyment comes on so many levels, but mainly because of my years of watching films from India. I truly enjoy them, yes, even the Bollywood films. RAMAYANA is so vibrant in color, so far-reaching in its creatures, using mythology (even if some of it is fairly stretched), to create such a treat for the eyes. 

Knowing there is a Part Two coming, I know the epic path for Rama is going to be filled with more trials, and Ravana is going to do whatever is necessary to bring, which should be, a huge, epic, mind-blowing battle until the end. I’m here for it.

In the end – the journey is not over!

 

 

 

 

She Finds Love in WICKER

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from writer/directors Eleanor Wilson, Alex Huston Fischer, based on an Ursula Wills-Jones short story, and Black Bear Pictures, is a love story and village confusion with WICKER.

Living in a small medieval town, Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) deals with snide comments from those in town about living alone. She prefers living alone and doing the things she likes in a routine all her own. Selling the fish she catches to the townsfolk, they use it as a way to make her feel less than and suggest her fishlike ways might be the reason she isn’t married. The Basket Weaver hears what is being said about her and understands the strength it takes for her to avoid their cruelty decorated with sugar.

At a town wedding reception, a tradition of ‘shaking the egg’ lets the town know who is next to be married. Shock hits when the egg chosen is in the hands of the Fisherwoman. The women decide to tease her as if marriage can’t happen for her. Normally not letting it bother her, one evening she makes a decision. Making her way to the Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage), she asks him to make her a husband, handing in a bag of coins. A month later, Fisherwoman arrives at the local chapel where her new Wicker Husband (Alexander Skarsgard) awaits. Now, the villagers really have something new to gossip about.

Fisherwoman and her Wicker Husband's affection for one another is immediate and causes chaos in the town’s relationships. Someone who is really annoyed by it all is the Tailor’s Wife (Elizabeth Debicki). That isn’t stopping the new husband and wife from taking care of and learning about one another. While the women are a tad jealous of the Fisherwoman’s happiness, the men of the village do not understand it at all. Jealousy is the virus, and it’s starting to run rampant.

Fisherwoman isn’t used to a relationship, so when vipers start whispering jealousy into her ears. She isn’t sure how to deal with it. But when one woman takes it all too far, the happiness the Fisherwoman has found is only a match away from imploding!

Colman as Fisherwoman is everything I want to be when I grow up. As a woman who seems set in her life fate and accepting how people saw her, it took one snark comment for Fisherwoman to decide to change her fate. While waiting for her ‘husband’, there are several times when Colman gives us a chance to see her insecurities, wondering if she had actually made the right decision. Once she experiences life with Wicker Husband, there is a physical change in Colman. Her character goes from a sort of grey to a brightness that just made me smile, and then back again. Colman takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions, and none of them are rare, which is how she manages to grab my heart.

Skarsgḁrd as Wicker Husband is tall, wickerly handsome, caring, loving, and deeply monogamous. What I love about this character is his inability to see what everyone else does. He doesn’t see her age or her imperfections, and he doesn’t demean her insecurities. Instead, he wants to always offer her comfort through care, affection that flows easily, and a quiet life that is comfortable. If there is a ‘flaw’, it is only that he doesn’t comprehend the behavior of the villagers and the repercussions of jealous people who aren’t happy with what they have. Skarsgard has gone from a wicked, cold vampire of TRUE BLOOD that drove women nuts, to a lovely wicker husband who will once again having women melting and probably never looking at a big basket the same way again. Trust me, those are compliments. Taking on this character, it is the look on his face and the sound of his voice that carry this role by him so damn beautifully.

Dinklage as the Basket Weaver understands Fisherwoman as he sees how the village talks about her. He gets it because the only thing that keeps the villagers from doing the same to him is the way he charms everyone that comes near him. Challenged by Fisherwoman to create a husband, Dinklage has the moment where he contemplates whether he should or shouldn’t do it. I love the scenes where he talks things out to himself. Dinklage’s character is unusually charming, funny in a way that the villagers don’t get, which made me laugh harder, and clever. None of this is a surprise to anyone who has followed his career (not just his iconic character of Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones). His role choices are always so versatile, and I’m here for it.

Debicki as the Tailor’s Wife is the woman at the center of the trouble. In a role that reminded me of people I know, she is an unhappy woman who finds ways to destroy Fisherwoman’s happiness and do it with poison-sugar on her lips. The women in the village look up to her, which makes it easier for her to find minions that go along to get along. The twists and turns of Debicki’s character made me wish I still had the foam-looking bricks to throw at the screen. Of course, this means she did such a great job with her character.

Other cast include Marli Siu as Tailor’s Wife’s sister, Nabhaan Rizwan as the Tailor, Ella Bruccoleri as the Baker’s Wife, Ben Ashenden as The Baker, Kiell Smith-Brnoe as the Innkeeper, and Richard E. Grant as the village doctor.

WICKER is being pushed across all media as a naughty story being told, but it is so much more than that, so much more. It is a story of how people who are different are treated, the story of how jealousy is an absolute poison and how a whisper in the ear can destroy. Before the whispers about Fisherwoman became a roar, she was happy with her life and didn’t have the fear of being alone. She didn’t know what she was missing. Once it was put into her head in a cruel way, Colman’s character took over and chose something new. When Skarsgard’s Wicker Husband arrived and treated her like a queen, well, that’s when even more of the villagers' true colors came out.

Colman and Skarsgard together are beautiful, adorable, charming – until it crumbles. But, it must be said, even then, through the many tissues I went through, there is that part that wanted to jump through the screen and rid the couple of madness. Dinklage adds a stunning touch of not just charm, but cleverness that reminds me of how foolish and gullible people are. The film is a lesson that love is love (wicker or not), trusting oneself, and heartfelt commitment keeping the ill-intentioned far away.

In the end – a perfect man does exist!

 

Netflix Lets Us Know What’s BELOW

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on Netflix in a six-episode series is the story of an ocean town and what lives BELOW.

While resettling their entire home across the water to Snooks Arm, something in the water changes those plans. Everything is sinking around them and a young boy is forced to make the most horribly painful and traumatic decision. Forty years later the boy has now become a man. Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) makes his living fishing for ice since the actual fish have all but gone. Out on the water, he hears a transmission that a boat and crew have gone missing. Losing interest when he sees a nice chunk of ice, he hauls it in for cash but is told the ice is no good. After testing it seems there is something smelly about it. His next stop, a town meeting where resettlement has once again become the issue.

At Seal Cove Ocean Science Centre, scientist Dr. Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis) receives a visit from Calvin, he asks that she find out what is wrong with this particular block of ice. Studying it, she discovers that there is indeed something wrong with it, but can’t really say what. Keeping busy, Calvin and son Wade (Charlie Heaton) has arrived at the dock to pick up daughter Mary  (Ruby Stokes), and boyfriend Noah (Kaleb Horn) and is worried when son Jay (Rohan Campbell) doesn’t seem to be with them. Calvin’s sister Ruth (Willow Kean) is excited to see everyone together. After a night of partying, Calvin is shocked to see the largest iceberg floating in the bay, and the town is shocked as well.

Calvin is steering clear of any ice until he has answers, but the Crocker company that pays out for it has its eye on the berg and so many more secrets that the town is unaware of. What lies beneath the water brings the Penney family, once again, in the middle of a oceanic nightmare that is a reminder of the past with horrors unknown in the present. Calvin isn’t waiting for the town, the scientists, or his family to stop what happened before from repeating itself.

Hartnett as Calvin is a man living with boyhood trauma. Staying on the island with his sister Ruth, he tried to raise a family and live life the best way possible. Always struggling because of the past trauma, his mind is on high alert when he realizes that something from the past is forcing him to deal with it in order to save not only his family, but the entire town. Hartnett gives his character a second chance to make things right for himself. Nothing worse than trauma that affects every day life and Hartnett embraces that for his character to the point where his anxiety gave me anxiety.

Davis as Dr. Howander is the one person the town should listen to but, of course, they don’t. It doesn’t stop her from supporting Calvin and trying to discover what is in the ice that the Cephalopod wants so badly. When the town is affected by something from the water, she is the only one that can find a reason for it all. Davis gives her character a bit of a nerdy look and feel, but once Howander kicks into gear, there is nothing nerdy about her. Kean as Ruth is Calvin’s sister who is a very strong character always watching over the family as well as being the harbor master. Not wanting to believe what’s happening and protecting her brother, a time comes where she has no choice but to believe.

Heaton as son Wade has issues that he drowns in alcohol and trouble. Once he comes face to face with the thing of mystery, his waking hours are filled with even more confusion for Calvin to deal with. Campbell as Jay is a son that comes back making everyone believe he is living the good life. Of course, not everything is exactly as it seems, especially with Calvin’s kids. Stokes as Mary returns home to visit but has no plans on staying. Believing she would be spending family time, she hadn’t planned on it all being interrupted by the ocean or someone trying to take the island. Horn as Noah returns to Mary’s home to see where she came from, but also has a plan of his own. All of these I can say, kids are kids, sure, but being grown up and still blaming Dad has become so annoying and boring in television and film. What happened to personal accountability?

Shout out to Wenham and Henstridge for their roles. It was fantastic to see them on screen once again

Other cast include Matthew Worko as Mo Abdullahi, Frank Moore as Jim Cricker, Jeff Yung as Jojo, Josh Cruddas as Connor Kopecko, Marthe Bernard as Maggie, Cathy Jones as Irene Tulk, Andy Jones as Clurrance Budgell, Mary Walsh as Mayor Linda, Darrin Baker as Keith Pratt, Joshua Close as Jaxon, Shawn Doyle as Walton, Tantoo Cardinal as Anik, Joel Hynes as Jerry Biles, Natasha Henstridge as Jan Hicks, and David Wenham as Dr. Steve Bruner.

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with over 158 million paid memberships in over 190 countries. Enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films, Netflix is across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere and on any internet-connected screen. For more information, please visit www.netflix.com.

The six episodes include Come Home Year, Crown and Anchor, Sir John Franklin, The Ocean Will Have Us All, Little Pot Rock and The Unfathering Deep.

BELOW is pretty much a disaster film that is giving sharks a break. That doesn’t mean I didn’t see some moments that reminded me clearly of JAWS. Calvin and Fonda reminded me of a certain sherriff that no one wanted to listen to until it was too late. Wenham brings a boat filled with expensive toys and at one point I thought Calvin was going to say, “We are going to need a bigger boat.” That being said, to me it is fun to find easter eggs in other films. Happy to give Bruce a break, the ocean now turns to a large angry squid that isn’t a picky eater but still a bit rude.

There are pros and cons to the series. I enjoyed the tension in each episode with no room for much humor, not sure it needed six episodes to tell the story though. The cast does an amazing job portraying this small town that is under attack from the ocean and from greedy human beings. The hard part is that everyone is so torn about what is happening, its hard to get them to agree on anything. They clearly don’t trust one another which is part of their downfall in many ways.

I did love that the series didn’t have a lot of squid special effects, instead, relying on the characters to keep us on edge. I don’t need to see monsters to know monsters are there. The story does try to move around substories that I didn’t think necessary but, that’s just me. I’m more of a ‘focus on the point’ kind of gal.

BELOW will have Netflix lovers tuning in for several reasons to my way of thinking. The fact that it is something to binge is always a good thing. I say this because I’m a habitual binger. A crazed squid is always a nice break away from sharks as well. The underwater special effects with the squid are pretty cool too. Well done in fact. So, with cooler weather expected and a little rain coming, this might be an awesome time to cuddle up and see how what lives in the sea can make everyone on the land fear it!

In the end – something is definetly in the water!

There is a GHOST IN THE CELL

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD and Bluray Combo pack from writer/director Joko Anwar and Well Go USA is a confining horror when there is a GHOST IN THE CELL.

At a local struggling paper in Asia, writer Dimas (Endy Arfian) is thrilled to turn in a piece he wrote about illegal mining operations in Borneo. What interested him most was that workers mysteriously died there. Polishing it off in time, he takes it to his boss, who, within minutes, is outraged that he added suspicions about the Nehea Forest and orders him to redo it. While doing that, something will happen that sends Dimas to prison.  

That prison is Labuhan Angsana, where the inmates have broken off into gangs, the official is corrupt, and one particular guard, Jefri (Bront Palarae), in charge, thinks brutalizing the inmates is required. Anggoro (Abimana Aryasatya) seems to be the leader of one group but doesn’t want to be. It consists of Six (Yoga Pratama), Wildan (Mike Lucock), Pendi (Lukman Sardi) and Irfan (Danang Suryonegoro). They see Dimas coming in on a bus and know he will be the next victim of the psychopath Tokek (Aming Sugarndhi).

The first night has the whole cell block on edge. By morning, they are caught off guard when Dimas is still alive, but what sent him to prison has followed. Instead, the prison is turned upside down as gruesome attacks happen first against the inmates, but it begins to make its way to the prison guards as well. Trying to cover it all up are the corrupt prison warden and his sadistic assistant. They cause the inmates to turn on one another. Yet, one by one, incidents keep happening. All eyes turn to Dimas.

Quickly, with the help of Six, they learn how to fight against the ghost that has taken them hostage behind bars!

Arfian as Dimas is the patsy in all of this. How could he have foreseen that writing an article about suspicious deaths would have him behind bars? Arfian’s character is a bit weak, so it’s easy to see why he needs the help of others if he’s going to survive. Aryastya as Anggoro is a man who tries to keep his temper in check, and with two small children waiting for him, it is still difficult at best. That being said, I loved this character. Calm until he doesn’t have to be, and protects people who can’t protect themselves. Aryastya’s character can also take as good as he gets in the fight scenes, which are well done.

Pratama as Six is an essential character in the film. Coming from a father who has mystic powers, most of the time Six doesn’t take it seriously, until he is forced to. It takes a while, but he finally begins to understand what it is he can see and how it can help. Lucock, Sardi, and Suryonegoro are so cool in the group. Their characters are opinionated, sometimes to their detriment, but loyal as well. They also have their humorous moments that I absolutely loved. Nothing better than being totally grossed out only to have this group of guys crack you up. 

Shout out to the two crazies of the film, Sugarndhi as Tokek who gave me Hannibal Lecter vibes the moment he came on screen. It is hard to get me to make the icky face, but Sugarndhi’s version of his character did just that. Well done! Palarae as Jefri, well, if you wanted me to reach through the screen and punch a character right in the face, it would be Jefri. This character is power-hungry in the worst way, but, as they say, karma can be patient.

Other cast include Magistus Miftah as Novilham, Faiz Vishal as Vijay, Jaisal Tanjung as Bambang, Ho Yuhang as Rendra, Marissa Anita as/Rio Dewanto as Engy, Radja Nasution as Bibin, Dewa Dayana as Prakasa, Almonzo Konoralma as Buki, Morgan Oey as Bimo, Tora Sudiro as Anton, and Kiki Narendra as Sapto.

Bonus Feature of Behind the Cell: The Cast, The Making of GHOST IN THE CELL.

Well Go USA Entertainment is a theatrical and home entertainment company specializing in bringing the best Action, Genre and Independent films from around the world to North American markets. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go USA Entertainment’s titles can be seen across a variety of platforms including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Well Go USA Entertainment currently releases three to five films per month. To see more, please visit www.wellgousa.com.

GHOST IN THE CELL is such a unique horror film, which is also touted as a bit of a comedy, yet loaded with a serious gore factor. The kind of gore that’s like a cop chase or a bar fight; you just can’t look away. What happens to these people inside the prison is nothing short of someone with an imagination that should scare the crap out of us. That being said, wow, absolutely a big wow for the special effects. I can’t remember the last time someone got THAT creative with the human form.

The cast really is amazing. In the confines of a prison, this is all taking place, and there is nowhere to run. That’s the feeling the cast gives; the hopelessness and need to survive go hand in hand with comedy. Watching it you have to second-guess yourself about whether to laugh (and should you feel bad for laughing?) or jaw dropping shock (which turns into nervous laughter – see the problem?). Still, the dance scene of the inmates almost had me on the floor rolling with laughter. Then, of course, it was instantly back to jaw-dropping shock.

Way to play with our emotions, Director Anwar, way to play!

In the end – even a cell can’t keep them safe!

They are the BLADES OF THE GUARDIANS: Wind Rises in the Desert

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on 4K Ultra HD, Bluray Combo Pack & DVD from director Yuen Woo-ping, Well Go USA comes an epic adventure of unlikely heroes with BLADES OF THE GUARDIANS: Wind Rises in the Desert.

Dao Ma (Wu Jing) and the young Xiao Qi (Ju Qianlang) are bounty hunters looking for a payday. After they extort money from a wanted man, everyone takes notice. That’s when Dao Ma is summoned by Lord Chang (Jet Li), who wants him to train his people. Dao Ma turns him down flat. Walking away isn’t going to be so easy. After resting for the night, Dao Ma and Xiao Qi witness the Lord’s men expose another well-known fighter: the Two-Headed Snake.

Making their escape, Dao Ma heads for the Mojia Village where Ayuya (Chen Lijun) waits to have a little fun of her own with the soldiers chasing. Once safely in the village, the Chieftain calls in a favor from Dao Ma. He wants two things: one, to take the leader of the Flower Rebellion, Zhishilang (Sun Yizhou), to safety, and two, take Ayuya because she wants to see Chang’an along with her friend Ani (Xiong Jinyi).

Not everything is as it seems. The Flower Rebellion still has many who are loyal. With Di Ting (Nicholas Tse) and Shu (Yu Shi) hot on the group's trail, it doesn’t take long before the Imperial Marksman finds them. The Western Five clans meet to discuss the plans by the emperor, but they are in it to capture Zhishilang. Now, the race is on, and Dao Ma isn’t about to let anyone or anything stop him from keeping his promise.

Jing as Dao Ma is a man who just wants to go about his business, making money and moving on. His nature is one that doesn’t want to get involved in anyone’s problems. That means he’s going to be involved in everyone's problems anyway! Jing has his moments of spectacular fight scenes, and once he isn’t fighting, his two main goals are his nephew and staying away from other people's beefs. I loved his role. It isn’t flashy’ it isn’t trying to take up the whole story, yet, from the beginning, it is easy to see who the leader is. Young Qianlang as Xiao Qi is going along to get along. It’s clear he has learned when to step in and when to hide behind a post. He may be small, but his presence is definitely felt.

Lijun as Ayuya is an amazingly strong character. A young woman who knows what she wants, and if you get in her way, well, be prepared for pain to come your way. Lijun gives her character confidence, ability, and the character to defend anyone she cares about. I’d definitely want her on my side in a fight. Jinyi as Ani is Ayuya’s silent backup partner. A little rough around the edges, a little angry, but if you are going to have a sidekick who knows how to use that anger well, then Ani is your girl.

Yizhou as Zhishilang is the masked leader of the Flower Rebellion. His presence is almost like a Buddhist monk. Not wanting to fight, but also won’t be taken advantage of. He may not say a lot, but it’s clear he is a good man worth saving. Yizhou is tall! Yizhou gives his character compassion and understanding in the midst of the chaos surrounding him.

Shout out to Jet Li! His role makes its mark on the film, and honestly, it was amazing to see him back in action.

Other cast include Zhang Jin as Two-headed Snake, Song Sicheng as Da Lai, He Yixuan as Ci Sha, Tony Leung Ka-fai as Lao Mo, Zhang Yi as Pei Shiju, Li Yunxiao as Yan Ziniang, Wen Junhui as Yuji Niuluo, Liu Yaowen as Pei Zingyan, and Kara Wai as Madam Yuchi.

Well Go USA Entertainment is a theatrical and home entertainment company specializing in bringing the best Action, Genre and Independent films from around the world to North American markets. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go USA Entertainment’s titles can be seen across a variety of platforms including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Well Go USA Entertainment currently releases three to five films per month. To see more, please visit www.wellgousa.com.

This Chinese film has a full 126-minute running time is just that: time enough to become invested in the characters and time to see how they get out of the mess they find themselves in. With the wide scope of storytelling in the film, it needs every minute to follow the pieces on this desert chessboard. Each character is so well defined and has a place in the story that is set up to challenge us. We learn slowly who to trust, what their motives are, and what our anti-heroes will do to stop the trouble.

The action sequences are brilliant, with moments of jaw-dropping as well. What impresses me the most is the actors making the fight scenes look so easy and fluid. The film basically takes place outside in the desert, which means the outdoors also becomes a character in the film. There is also humor in just the right places, offering a moment to take a breath from the action. This is an action, adventure, and martial arts film worth spending time with.

In the end – heroes can be found in the most unlikely places!