THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Bluray, DVD and Digital from writer/director Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the story when all you have is being THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND.

Scott Carlin (Pete Davison) is a twenty-four-year-old high school dropout, living at home, hanging with friends and watching everyone else work millennial. At home is Mom Margie (Marisa Tomei) and soon to be college bound sister Claire (Maude Apatow). Scott's father, a firefighter, died when he was a younger kid and it’s still something he deals with.

Hanging out with friends Oscar (Ricky Velez), Richie (Lou Wilson) and Igor (Moises Arias) smoking pot and drinking beer, he meets Harold (Luke Blumm) and offers him a tattoo. Of course, this goes haywire and the kids father Ray (Bill Burr) comes banging on the door. After an argument about how it’s all going to get fix, imagine Scott's surprise when he discovers that Margie and Ray are hanging out together - like seriously.

Ray tries to find a middle ground with Scott to motivate him to do something with his life and even gets Margie in on the intervention that pushes him to walk Harold to school as a way of "helping". When it is put to Scott that he needs to get his life started and find a place to live, he goes to sister Claire at college for help. Claire is not having any of Scott's nonsense believing that it's time for their mother to have love in her life after their father has been gone for so many years.

In desperation, Scott turns to Ray's ex-wife Joy (Lynne Loplitz) to get the dirt on him. Well, Joy has no problem letting him know a few things about her ex, especially since she can't see why Margie is with him. Immediately Scott runs home to tell Mama and when confronted by Ray, a brawl breaks out and Margie sends them both away. First Scott turns to his friends and a crazy idea they had turns bad quickly.

Running to the only girl who would have him, Kelsey (Bel Powley) catches on quickly enough that he only wanted to be with her to have a place to stay. Striking out everywhere, he has no choice but go to Ray at the firehouse. Almost immediately Ray would rather throw the kid in the street but knows it would only anger Margie more. Scott meets the other firemen Thompson (Mike Vecchione), Lockwood (Domenick Lombardozzi), Savage (Jimmy Tatro) and Captain Papa (Steve Muscemi).

Scott starts to see a change as he learns more about his father and gives his mother a little bit of a break but it's time for him to choose a direction that will make him happy and give everyone around him a break!

Davidson as Scott is as hyperactive as they come and proves it not stopping for a moment throughout the film. When he isn't being sarcastic to his mother and sister or isn't hanging out with his friends doing nothing with his life or even giving Ray a hard time, he could make a good boyfriend. Davidson is hilarious, mean spirited, quick mouthed and a nice guy all rolled into one. That makes for getting whiplash keeping up with his moods.

Tomei as Margie is a Mom who has put up with a lot from her son, perhaps because she felt a twang of guilt that her husband died. Even though Scott seems to be the one dragging it out emotionally, Margie has also placed her own life on hold waiting for…well…something. Tomei cracked me up every which way dealing with the men in her life. Apatow as Claire has had about enough of her brother and is happy to run away to college thinking that distance will stop the madness - well, Scott knows the road there!

Burr as Ray jumps into Margie and Scott's life with the quickness that knocks Scott completely on his emotional ass. Wanting a life with Margie, he takes a few liberties with telling them both how to live their lives when he should be checking his own children first. Powley as Kelsey can't stop having feelings for Scott, no matter how crazy he makes her, she still cares about him.

Velez, Wilson, and Arias are Scott's friends and they have the very same life he does (except one has a car) and they are looking for a big pay day for a tattoo-restaurant. When it comes time to put a plan into action, nothing goes as planned and Scott's life is a sliver away from prison.

Other cast include Pamela Adion as Gina, Kevin Corrigan as Joe, Derek Gaines as Zoots, Pauline Chalamet as Joanne, Colton Merrill as Scooter and Carly Aquilino as Tara.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Packed with Hilarious Bonus Features: Alternate Ending Which Didn't Work!, Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel, Line-O-Rama, The Kid From Staten Island, Judd Apatow's Production Dares, You're Not My Dad, Marge Knows Best, Friends with Benefits, Sibling Rivalry, Best Friends, Scott Davidson Tribute and More.

THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND is a combination of life, the perils of a millennial dealing with death and his own neurosis, a mom who gives up her life when she shouldn't have, a sister who feels responsible for a brother who won't take responsibility for anything and a constant 'woe is me' coming out of a grownups mouth. If that seems like a lot, it is but that is not all. The film takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride of every range of human emotion on steroids.

Of course, that should not be anything new as Apatow likes to take stories to a whole other level. This film plays along with his consistent was of making us all laugh, think about life and cut each other a little bit of slack in the midst of madness. I do not mind that so much, especially now.

In the end - it is time to grow up even for him!

The Brush Strokes of THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY

 

Jeri Jacquin

On Bluray, DVD and Digital from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and director Giuseppe Capotondi is the story of a man who needs THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY.

James Figueras (Claes Bang) is an art critic who gives classes on what could only be called art appreciation and understanding. During one of his lectures, Berenice Hollis (Elizabeth Debicki) walks in and catches James attention. She sits listening to the story of artist Jerome Debney (Donald Sutherland) and is surprised to discover that James has a way with the crowd.

After the lecture, Berenice speaks with James and they hit it off almost immediately as both have a sharp wit and twisted sense of humor. Start off a hot and heavy relationship comes in handy when James gets a call from Joseph Cassidy in Lake Cuomo, Italy (Mick Jagger) who tells him the artist Jerome Debney lives on his estate and Cassidy wants something specific from him.

Asking Berenice to join him on his jaunt to Cassidy's estate, they get to spend more time together. Meeting Cassidy, both James and Bernice are surprised at his forthright manner and what it is he wants. Specifically, Debney has not shown anyone his work in more years than anyone can count - he wants a peek and James it to help him get it.

Within days, James and Berenice meet Debney and immediately the artist is taken with the young girl. Explaining his philosophy about his art and feeling the freedom in his art, James is hopeful to find something. When Debney finally does take them to his little house in the woods and opens up his art room, James is in shock much to the artists humor.

Later, Debney and Bernice take a walk together and she finds that he is clever, funny and charming. James returns to Debney's home and sets in motion a plan that is far beyond anything anyone could have imagined. Once the chain of events begins, there is no turning back.

Bang as James is a bit of a self-indulgent narcissist who uses his humor to get through life. Believing what he had being told about becoming an artist himself, he turned to talking about other people's work. I loved Bang in the cable series THE AFFAIR so I already knew he could be an absolute cad and do it with a straight face. What I did not see was what the character of James would become and for that - bravo sir!

Debicki as Berenice is a lovely young woman who fell quickly for the fun and excitement that James brought into her life. She does not seem to have a care in the world and just flitters from place to place with no real story to tell. That intrigues James a bit which, I am assuming, why he keeps her around. No story means no mess. Debicki is so lovely in her scenes with Sutherland and that is what stood out for me.

Jagger as Cassidy is just a douchebag with a gleam in his eye. Wanting what he wants when he wants it, he will use anybody to make that happen, ergo James. When he hears that there is artwork by Debney, he is going to make sure it ends up in his hands. The final scene at the museum is going to bring about some questions so let the chatter begin. Jagger has been away from the screen for some time, so this is a wicked comeback.

Can we talk about Sutherland as Debney for a moment? Let’s just get this out of the way, I have been a Donald Sutherland fan for more years than I will admit (when he had a full head of brown curly hair if that tells you anything). Every role he takes on has something special flowing from it, even if he is not a very nice character. As Debney, Sutherland makes it perfectly clear who he is and why he is and if everyone has an issue, he does not care. I dug that completely.

Other cast include: Rosalind Halstead as Evelina Macri, Rasneet Kaur as Lea and Alessandro Fabrizi as Rodolfo.

Sony Pictures Classics brings television, digital content, new entertainment services, independent films and technologies to viewers. Such films as GREED, THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY, THE CLIMB, CHARM CITY KINGS, I CARRY YOU WITH ME and THE FATHER are just a few of the current and upcoming releases. For more information on what Sony Pictures Classics has to offer please visit www.sonyclassics.com. 

Bluray, DVD and Digital Bonus Material includes Commentary with Director Capotondi - Explores the film's production, locations and themes in this in-depth commentary and Behind THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY - Stars Claes Bang Elizabeth Debicki explore their complex, absorbing characters, Mick Jagger's unnerving turn as Cassidy in his first film role in nearly twenty years, and the perfectly cast Donald Sutherland as the reclusive artist at the heart of the film.

THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY is an unpredictable film because we are not given time to truly understand each character which, translated for me means, I have no frakken idea what they will do next. There is something very cool about that especially given that so many films are predictable from start to finish.

Director Capotondi takes us on a spin through the art world and how it is perceived, what art critics (oh my) say about other people’s work and who controls the strings. All of these things are very subtle and slide in because the character of James is taking up so much space in the film. His antics and constant fluttering take us away from the bigger picture until it has been painted in a HUGE way.

The cast is small which is impressive pulling off a story like this and I thoroughly enjoyed what they did and exactly how they did it. Don't you hate when I am vague?

In the end - you cannot paint over the truth!

A Heavenly Blessing Comes to FATIMA

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and at home On-Demand from director Marco Pontecorvo and Picturehouse is the story of three children holding their belief in FATIMA.

Professor Nichols (Harvey Keitel) arrives at the convent to meet Sister Lucia dos Santos (Sonia Braga), a woman with a story to tell. It is an incident that happened, and Nichols is skeptical.

In a small town of Fatima in Portugal, it is 1917 and World War I is having an effect on the parents of soldiers. Mayor Artur (Goran Visnijic) spends some mornings reading off the names in the town square of those who will not be coming home.

The Santos family is also waiting to hear what has happened to their eldest son. Young shepherds Lucia (Stephanie Gil) and cousins Francisco (Jorge Lamelas) and Jacinta (Alejandra Howard) find comfort in the time they spend together in the mountains. One day while together, the three children see a lovely woman who speaks to them. Lucia and Jacinta are captivated but Francisco is unable to hear her but can see her.

Going home, it is not long before Lucia's parents are upset to learn from Francisco what happened on the mountain. Believing that they are making it up, Lucia tells them that the Blessed Virgin wants everyone to pray to bring peace to a suffering world. Mother is not the only one that is upset as the Mayor, secular government and the Catholic Church.

Again, and again the children are put in situations to scare them into recanting their story. Especially when people begin to show up in droves to the town of Fatima wanting to see the children and hope for a miracle. The children are told to return again and again as Lucia sees more and more of what the future holds.

Until the Miracle of the Sun!

Braga as Sister Lucia has a sense of humor but does not seem to suffer fools. She is very straight forward with the story of what happened as a child and Braga gives her character an endearing sense of peace. Keitel as Nichols comes in ready to tear Sister Lucia apart because of his own lack of believing what he cannot see. The thing about Keitel is that he does not back down with any role he plays and trust he isn't going to do it with this one either! Well done to both actors.

Gil as Lucia is a young girl who knows that what she has seen is not going to be believed yet holds fast to what the lady on the mountain tells her. She believes and nothing is going to change that, even the chance to have the chaos stop. Gil brings a young girls’ insecurities and sadness in this bold performance. Howard as Jacinta has a destiny but that doesn't deter her from holding onto the beauty she experiences with cousin Luisa.

Visnjic as Artur is a Mayor who wants to keep his job more than believing the three children of his town. He is not the first leader to care more about his title than the people he represents. Lamelas as Francisco is a young boy who trust cousins Lucia and Jacinta and even if he can't hear, he trusts and opens his heart to what is possible.

Almeida as Father Ferreira takes his time but slowly begins to understand what is actually happening in Fatima and does what he can for the children. Ribeiro as Mary gives the ethereal performance providing the children with knowledge that is powerful and sad at the same time.

Other cast includes Joaquim de Almeida as Father Ferreira, Joao Arrais as Manuel Santos, Lucia Moniz as Maria Rosa, Marco d'Almeida as Antonio and Joana Ribeiro as the Virgin Mary.

PICTUREHOUSE, founded in 2005, has released films including Nimrod Antal's METALLICA Through the Never, Adam Wingard's THE GUEST starring Dan Steven, Robert Altman's A PRAIRE HOME COMPANION and one of my personal favorites Guillermo del Toro's PAN'S LABYRINTH. FATIMA is their latest release and for more of what they have to offer please visit www.picturehouse.com.

Director Pontecorvo has worked on such films as THE HOUSE IN UMBRIA, THE LAST LEGION and LETTERS TO JULIET. Also works on some of my favorite shows including the 2005 series ROME and, of course GAME OF THRONES.

Growing up I was, and still am, a fan of black and white films. My first introduction was the 1943 film SONG OF BERNADETTE which I still watch to this day. Jennifer Jones is Bernadette, a lovely young girl who sees a woman with roses on her feet setting the town Lourdes town in 1858 on edge. She was constantly harassed as many attempted to make her out as a liar or crazy. She would prove them all wrong.

Here we are in 2020 and another such film as SONG OF BERNADETTE brings hope, love and the strength of believe in the 1917 story of FATIMA. Now, three young children are in the middle of war when they also see a beautiful lady who speaks to them and shares with Lucia what the future holds. Once again, they are pit up against those who would rather trod over the children rather than believe in something greater than themselves.

That is a marvelous thing in these times, a story that reminds us all of what brightness can shine out of the darkness. The story isn't a spectacle - yet it absolutely is because of the simplicity of the story Sister Lucia tells Professor Nichols. She does not waiver, she smiles when put to task and has a sense of humor that made me chuckle. That is a Sister I want to be around!

The children are so lovely in their portrayal as Lucia, Fernando and Jacinta because they gave their characters realism, an endearing child innocence and a strength that gave their performance believability. That is what makes FATIMA worth every moment of watching.

In the end - people need hope and they received a miracle!

A Must-See Documentary with #UNFIT: The Psychology of Donald Trump

 

Jeri Jacquin

Open on Limited Virtual Cinema release and coming to all digital TVOD and Cable TVOD Platforms from director Dan Partland is the documentary #UNFIT: The Psychology of Donald Trump.

This week began the Republican National Convention and I felt compelled to watch this documentary before diving down to see how far the rabbit hole goes. Understand that this is just my opinion, but the last few years have been like a bad dream I just cannot wake up from. Now, with the pandemic, it is just a slap in the face of a nightmare feeling like we are never going to wake up.

To be out front, I am not a member of any political party. I support who I want to support based on who they are and their ability to help people for which they were elected to do.  I have known since Trump was running for office that being elected would only bring disaster. I wish I had a dime for every time I said it because I would be richer than Trump was before becoming President.

So, diving into the documentary imagine my surprise that there is not a sweet and lulling introduction but BAM-in-your-face-here-it-is-buckle-up-buttercup ride into madness created by Trump. Asking the question ‘is Donald Trump fit to hold the office of President of the United States?’, #UNFIT takes us into the psyche, condition and stability of Trump.

Director/producer Partland says of the documentary, “There are those who will say that the film is partisan and preaching to the converted. It is not partisan. All of the partisans interviewed have sterling conservative credentials and have set aside their commitment to party and ideology to speak out for the ideals of democracy and the rule of law. But the firm is surely preaching. It’s preaching to anyone who will listen. Sadly, that may be the very few that aren’t already Trump critics, but regardless, the goal of the film is also to provide language and a framework for lay people to benefit from the decades of science and research that studied these behaviors.”

From day one, Trump wanted to make sure the world knew how big and impressive he is no matter that evidence proves otherwise. Beginning with how many people were at his inauguration, Sean Spicer would be the first to spit out lies. Followed by Kelly Ann Conway, former campaign manager for Trump, who called it “alternative facts” and continues until recently.

Her husband George Conway is a Republic and co-founder of the Lincoln Project. Hopeful that Trump would be the president he wanted; it quickly became clear that there was nothing to stop him from misusing his newly elected power. The question quickly comes to Conway that something could be wrong with Donald Trump and, in a sense, it became personal.

Dr. John Gartner, Princeton University, John Hopkins University, author of The Hypomanic Edge and Founder of Duty to Warn. Gartner believes that Donald Trump is unfit to hold office, but he is not the only one. Lance Dodes, M.D., Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, looking at compulsive and addictive behavior. Also, Justin Frank, Harvard University, former Professor at George Washington University and author of Trump on the Couch who also says no believing he is a psychopath among other titles. Of course, in saying so, Fox News had a field day going after what these doctors believe.

Using the Goldwater Rule, in 1964 Barry Goldwater went to court fighting what the psychiatrist said and won. Freudian techniques and a long list were not used well then and was more of speculations than fact. Trying to use it to suppress speech now from those who actually know, it quickly brings these doctors into focus because they have more facts now than they did in 1964.

Bringing all the lies Trump tells in this documentary is rightfully scary bringing the label of malignant narcissist. He personally attacks people when things do not go his way and has no guilt or anxiety about what he does. Dr. Gartner believes that he falls into the same category that George Conway believes and the four categories are narcissism, paranoia, anti-social personality disorder and sadism.

Also, in this conversation are those who have allowed Donald Trump to continue on his path of destruction. I think they should be held just as accountable so its nice to hear through this piece that I am not alone. Trump takes the stage when ever possible to tout his own accomplishments but the problem with that is that there are facts that prove otherwise.

The doctors begin to take apart piece by piece what Trump has been doing all his life and what he continues to do to our nation. Anthony Scaramucci speaks about his time as Communication Director and says Trump is a reflection of the anger of the country and uses that to his advantage. “He is a reflection of our politically correct society”. Meeting him in his younger days, it became clear that Trump was a womanizer in so many ways and never changed.

In his early years on the Charlie Rose show, he openly admitted that he does not mind ‘wiping the floor’ with people and if they are not loyal you pay the price for that. Who would know that that very thing would come into play in the years up to James Comey. There are issues of cheating, lying, stealing and continues to happen but now in a more powerful position (most recently with the Hatch Act being decimated).

Malcolm Nance is retired US Navy and author of Defending ISIS who believes in the core values of honor, courage and commitment and service above self. He knows that these are important in leadership. Trump making attacks on social media does not show signs of a good leader, instead they show a man who throws fits and doesn’t know how the government should work. He does not put the country first but instead worries about himself.

An example was Charlottesville and standing up for “very fine people” who were upset about the removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee. Bring in Steve Bannon who thinks he knows the history of racism and was with Trump’s inner circle. An example the documentary uses is that of Mussolini and his attack of the press which seems oddly familiar. Cheryl Koos is a Professor of History and she shares Hitler’s rise to power and using another race for everyone’s problems. Trump does so with immigrants yet claims he is #1 with the Hispanic community. Twisting it to fit his own narrative and say it enough time to make it his reality.

Trumps ‘friendships’ with Bolsonaro of Brazil, Erdogan of Turkey, El Si-Si in Egypt, Haftar in Libya, Duterte of the Philippines, Putin of Russia, are considered the rise of charismatic leaders who spread false narratives to scare people. These leaders scream loud enough forcing people to listen to the attacks made toward who ever is in their way and they are believed.

The ‘football’ that authenticates nuclear codes is always carried with Trump. Believing the military would have to follow the orders of the President, that is a strong fear. Threatening other countries is something he enjoys doing so the stakes are high that he has that ability and showing it by withdrawing from the INF treaty and three other nuclear disarmament treaties.

Boasting the American Dream is dead, Trump told people during the 2016 elections toting that he would ‘Make America Great Again’ brings in the psychological hook that helped him win the election. If that was not enough, he brought in non-existent problems to add more fear to the heap Americans were already subjected too. Doing so is the ‘us vs. them’ mentality.

Now, the pandemic. COVID-19 shows even more that Trump refuses to rely on experts to tell him what could be done to help Americans. Instead, he hides behind the ‘we have this under control’ and Americans are dying. Telling the press that ‘we are doing great’ is another untruth when you see how many people are dying as he keeps saying ‘we need to go back to work and school’. As a grandmother I am horrified that the man calling himself a president would think sacrificing children is okay because Covid-19 eventually “it will just disappear”.

Conway says, “It’s about him, it’s not about the country. He is detached from reality, he is demented” and there is enough evidence to show that is true. He attacks the press on a daily basis because they call him out about what is really true versus what he wants us to believe. That is where we are now, waiting for November 3, 2020 to see if this will continue down a path of uncertainty and fear or will our country, our democracy and our faith in one another come through so we can heal.

I do not know about the rest of you, but I am tired, so very tired. Tired of making masks, tired of not being able to sleep, tired of watching my 5-year-old granddaughter become socially awkward, tired of not seeing my almost 2 year old grandson, tired of not seeing people face to face who truly need uplifting and tired of wondering what madness our government will inflict upon its citizens next. Yes, actually I’m exhausted.

I am not saying I do nothing because that would be giving into the disaster we are in. No, we must find a way to help as much as possible. I do not care if it is giving a homeless person a happy meal to get through the day, we all are responsible to help those who are affected and are falling fast and trust me when I say I know so many and it breaks my heart. We can not rely on a president who cares more for his speeding golf cart than he does the American people.

Partland brings it full force with “mental health professionals speaking on the record in this film are doing so knowing that their comments are at odds with their professional association, but they are commenting nonetheless out of an equally important ethical rule of the APA of the mental health professional’s ‘duty to warn’ the public when they see imminent danger.

That is what we are in, each of us, imminent danger. That is why we do not sleep at night, that is why we are conflicted and find making the simplest life situations difficult. That is why watching this documentary and really digesting it will help. I feel like I have been supported in my own beliefs from total strangers. I also know that his documentary is going to outrage Trump (and in some ways that makes me smile, sorry) and his followers (not sorry).

The recent Republican National Convention should have convinced the world that malignant narcissism is also contagious with the vile lies that covered the nation for four days. Again, I am of no party but I know filth when I hear it because my mama didn’t raise a fool.

Remember ‘evil thrives while good men do nothing’.

Thanks Mr. Partland for making me feel sane again!

BLOOD MONEY Chases on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Bluray from writer/director John Barr and Screen Media is the story of land, distance, guns and all for BLOOD AND MONEY.

Jim Reed (Tom Berenger) is a man living alone for reasons he has been dealing with for too many years. In his makeshift motor home, Jim is out hunting for a buck in the woods of Northern Maine. It is the one thing he wants to do knowing that he won’t be able to for much longer.

In the small town he stays in touch with the local law Bill (Paul Ben-Victor) about his whereabouts in the vast lands. Letting him know it would only be a couple more days before heading home, Jim tries his luck once again for the elusive buck.

While out, he sees movement and takes his shot. The problem is it is not a buck that he hits. Running back to town he discovers that the local casino has been robbed of over $1 million dollars and waitress Debbie (Kristen Hager) seems to be the one person he has genuine feelings for.Realizing what happened in the woods has something to do with the robbery, the once alcoholic hits up an AA meeting to try and keep it together.  He meets George (Jimmy LeBlanc) who is about to lose his family and again, Jim understands. Unfortunately, he has other problems and runs back to the woods to get what the robbers left behind and hides it.

But, someone wants it back! Ray (Mark Sivertsen), Skip (Brian Duffy), Frank (Ace Gibson), and Jason (Rayn Homchick) are hot on trail figuring out that Jim knows something. That’s when the cat and mouse hunt begins. The problem is the robbers have no idea who they are dealing with.

They do not know that age is only a number because wits are forever!

Berenger as Jim is an aged man with so many bricks on his shoulder. Living a solitary life, he keeps as far from people as possible, except for Debbie who he has a fondness for. Berenger isn’t new to the wilderness as LAST OF THE DOGMEN is still on my top ten list of favorite films and it is because of the character Berenger portrays. In this film he gives me more of that cleverness as if being older means smarts go out the window.

Hager as Debbie is a woman who just wants to know there is more in the world than where she is now. Working hard and keeping the fund to stay alive isn’t exactly what she planned for her life, but then no one ever does. Jim understands her feelings of being trapped.

Duffy and Skip is a man you do not want to meet in a dark alley, unless Jim is standing right next to you. He wants what he wants, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it. Sivertsen as his son Ray is trying to keep up with what hi father wants but there is a frightening rage to deal with.

Other cast include Caroline Portu as Kathy Williams, Erica McDermott as Jane, and Melissa McKeekin as Cas.

Screen Media is an international distributor of television series and films, licensing content through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, and subscription and advertising video-on-demand platforms. The company is continually looking to add films and television series to its content library.

The Bluray Bonus Materials include Surviving Blood and Money – Behind the Scenes Interviews with Filmmakers and Tom Berenger.

BLOOD AND MONEY is a film for those who like twists, turns and a chase that is not with a fast car! This plot is deliberate and give Berenger the time to make sure that he gets exactly what his character wants. A way to redeem himself.

Berenger gives a high five to a man riddled with guilt and yet proves that criminals with high powered rifles know more about the wilderness than he does. For a moment (being indoors so long) it is a thrill to see the vastness of the world he lives in with trees and snow. Jim says, ‘look at all this’ and then bad guys ruin it for us all. Trust me, we all know about bad guys ruining things for us!

So, sit back and let the story unfold.

In the end – he is ready for this!

 

 

RED SHOES and the SEVEN DWARFS is a Delightful Adventure

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD, Digital and On Demand from directors Sung-ho Hong, Moo-Hyun Jang and Lionsgate is the delightful adventure of a classic fairy tale with a twist with RED SHOES and the SEVEN DWARFS.

There is a place called Fairy Tale Island and living there are a group called the Fearless Seven including Merlin (Sam Claflin), Arthur (Simon Kassianides), Jack (Frederik Hamel), Hans (Nolan North) and Pino (Frank Tadaro), Noki and Kio – the triplets. Their job is to jump in when people need it and they did save a princess from a dragon. The problem is she had a green face, so they hollered “witch!”. Not happy with that, the woman changed them into green dwarfs and the only way to change it is, of course, with a kiss.

Thinking that no girl would ever kiss them, they go about their lives. Time passes and in the kingdom of King White, oddly the beautiful Regina (Gina Gershon) shows up and woo’s the king right off his feet. His daughter Snow White (Chloe Grace Moretz) wants to find her father who has disappear and get away from the apple tree create magical red shoes. Regina needs these to remain beautiful so imagine her seeing Snow White wearing the shoes!

Now Snow White is a kind and loving daughter who also happens to be a little chubby. Finding the shoes, they transform her into a thin, ‘beautiful’ princess. Escaping her wrath, Snow White finds a message from her father and begins her search for the Fearless 7 (we will call them F7 now). When the F7 see her they all fall madly in infatuation with her, but they do not realize they aren’t seeing the real her!

Agreeing to help the now named Red Shoes find her father, they all secretly hope they get the magical kiss that will bring them back to their former selves. Meantime, Regina hires a very selfish and self-absorbed Prince Average (Jim Rash) who agrees to find Snow White and the red shoes if he can have her for arm candy for his birthday party.

Mayhem ensues and the F7 see Snow White and her true self and do not recognize her. That helps her get away from the wanted posters being passed around. Merlin finds himself having feelings for Snow White but cannot get past the others who are trying to charm the girl. After a run in with Prince Average, Snow White comes clean with the truth about who she is, her father and the evil Regina.

Soon after Regina captures Snow White and Merlin must now gather the troops to save her. Trying to force Snow White to eat an apple, Regina uses a ruse to get her to agree. Now, more than ever before, the Fearless Seven must do things they never thought possible to save Snow White but are also in for the surprise of their lives.

Being a hero comes in all forms!

Moretz as Snow White is a different character than the story most of us grew up with. That means this version is a young woman is not how most of us have been brought up seeing her. Still beautiful, this version challenges what we have come to know and realize that she is still the same fierce, kind, loving and loyal Snow White. Moretz gives us that in every moment her character is on screen.

Claflin as Merlin is just so dang adorable. From a tall, lanky young man to a short, green dwarf trying to keep the F7 intact, he sees something in Snow White he thought was not possible. He has the same issues as Snow White, thinking his appearance is everything and that no girl would give him a second notice. Imagine his surprise in being wrong! Claflin gives Merlin charm and daring.

Kassianides as Arthur is quite the charmer although a bit too obvious. I give him points for jumping right in to get that elusive kiss and cracking me up at the same time. Hamel, North and Tadaro are a fantastic addition to the F7 with big personalities, talents of their own, not to mention their own brand of charm and just being delightful.

Gershon as the evil Regina has serious issues of her own which should make her more relatable to Snow White, instead, makes her angry and determined to destroy everyone around her.     Rash as Prince Average – that’s Av-rrrr-aaaaage to you – is hilarious, spoiled, a little evil, self-centered and needing a time out. If you are looking for every character like this Prince, he’s right here embodied in Rash’s portrayal.

Lionsgate is a global leader in motion picture production and distribution for theatres, television, home entertainment and more. Theatre franchises include THE HUNGER GAMES, and DIVERGENT along with JOHN WICK. Now, adding this film to its 16,000-motion picture and television titles you can see everything coming soon as well as available now at http://www.lionsgate.com.

The Bluray/DVD and Digital Special Features include The Making of RED SHOES AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Featurette, From Storyboard to Animation: Creating RED SHOES AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Featurette, Start of Something Right Music Video, and Something So Beautiful Music Video.

RED SHOES AND THE SEVEN DWARFS is just what the family ordered during this period where we all have to spend a lot more time together. It’s fun, colorful, full of adventure, friendship, loyalty and all those crazy images we have about ourselves and how people see us.

What makes this film equally important is that besides the awesome entertainment, this film is a great way to teach the lesson about how we all look says nothing about who we truly are. The fears each of these characters face, and yes, even Arthur has a moment or two of doubt, is an important lesson about the loss of time with those we love when overwhelmed with self-doubt.

Plan a movie night at home and make sure that RED SHOES AND THE SEVEN DWARFS are ready for your big screen!

In the end – your true self is the fairest of them all!

 

TRAIN TO BUSAN Presents: Peninsula

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from writer/director Yeon Sang-Ho and Well Go USA Entertainment is the exciting second chapter of the highly successful zombie movie TRAIN TO BUSAN with PENINSULA.

As the zombie outbreak reaches a fever pitch in South Korea, Captain Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won) is making his way to a ship leaving the country. In the car are his sister, her husband and young nephew as that race to get to the ship on time. In the middle of the road, the Marine Captain sees a family who needs a ride, but he is spooked and ignores the pleas driving away.

Finding their place on the ship, Jung-seok looks for answers and steps away from the family for supplies. That is when the chaos he thought he left behind happens the other side of a bulkhead door. The only family member saved is brother-in-law Chul-min (Kim Do-yoon) as the rest take over the ship.

Four years has passed and Jung-seok is still having a difficult time with what happened on the ship. Now living in Hong Kong, he and Chul-min (and two others) are brought before a nefarious type who wants them to go back to Incheon and find a food truck that has $20 million dollars in it. Their reward is some of the loot.

Thinking this was an easy job and on their way back to the harbor to be picked up, they are attacked by Unit 631, a group of rogue survivors that have grouped into a militia. Jung-seok is knocked out of the truck and Chul-min is still inside as it drives away. Driving up is Joon (Lee Re) and sister Yu-jin (Lee Ye-won) and through some very fancy driving manage to get away from the undead.

They take Jung-seok to safety and he meets Mom Min-jung (Lee Jung-hyun) and grandfather Elder Kim (Kwon Hae-hyo) who share both food, rest and information. Chul-min is immediately found in the truck and taken captive. Captain Seo (Koo Kyo-hwan) also finds the money and wants to use it to get away from leader Hwang (Kim Min-jae) who doesn't seem to lead the people these days.

Jung-seok wants to find his brother-in-law and will do whatever it takes to get him back. Joon wants to get her family out of Incheon and the only people stopping them are zombies and crazies. It becomes a race to see who will get the truck to the port and find freedom from the living and the dead!

Who really is the monster?

Dong-won takes the lead in the next chapter with PENINSULA and does not miss a beat. Starting out as a family man trying to save them from zombies, the aftermath is not only sad for his life but destructive. Returning to Incheon seemed like a way to get himself out of the darkness but instead puts him right back in it. I love watching Dong-won lead this cast on an insane ride through the film as Jung-seok still wants to do what is right and, in some way, make up for past regrets.

Do-yoon as Chul-min keeps his brother-in-law close as they try to remain a family but there is tension between the two. Once kidnapped, Chul-min discovers that perhaps he should have listened to someone who knew better but Jung-seok wasn’t about to leave the one person he still called 'brother' behind. Do-yoon's character survives by the seat of his pants and I cheered him on.

Re as Joon is a strong and no-nonsense young woman who has the driving skills that had me jealous by the end of the film. She shares one thing with Jung-seok, the love of family and always puts them first. Re is a thrill to watch and gives the film the feminine toughness that does not outshine everyone else but instead melds with the other characters - but with a lead foot! Ye-won is a younger version of Joon and has a way with electronics that has kept the family alive for the last four years. She made me laugh more than once yet Ye-won gives her character a sweet gentleness in the midst of madness.

Min-jae as Hwang is a leader of a rag tag bunch of weapons carrying lunatics - and that's being nice about it. It takes a lot to be a maniac leader and Min-jae gives it a creepiness as if the film needed anymore - excellent! Kyo-hwan as Captain Seo knows the leadership is waning and is more than happy to take over but when he sees the money, he also sees a chance to get away. Kyo-hwan wants to be the big man on top but life has other plans.

Other cast include Jang So-yeon as Sister, Kim Kyu-baek as Private Kim, Moon woo-jin as Dong-hwan, Daniel Albright as McClain and Bella Rahim as Major Jane.

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.

PENINSULA is everything that I was hoping for and so very much more. A hug fan of TRAIN TO BUSAN, I was thrilled the day it was announced that there would be another chapter to the zombie saga. Six months before the film date was announced, I went into a giggle fit with anticipation.

This film takes action to another level from its predecessor on a train and gives zombies a little bit of a run around. That does not mean they do not get a meal now and then which is why we watch them in film in the first place right? The story is grave and heartbreaking, but we aren't allowed to be melancholy long because bad guys are still alive and causing trouble.

Writer/director Yeon Sang-Ho, along with Joo-Suk Park, did not try to reinvent the dead wheel but instead grabbed it and lets it spin out of control and let us all go for the ride. Speeding around and coming in at 116 minutes, PENINSULA is everything I wanted and more so buckle up because it is going to be wild!

In the end - its four years later!

Amazon Brings CHEMICAL HEARTS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from Amazon Studios and writer/director Richard Tanne based on the novel by Krystal Sutherland is the young romance induced by CHEMICAL HEARTS.

Henry (Austin Abrams) is a high schooler with a knack for the written word but not much for finding romance in the final years of high school. A hopeless romantic who has never been in love does not mean that he isn't holding out hope.

Called into the office of the journalism teacher, Henry is introduced to transfer student Grace (Lili Reinhart), and told that they will be co-editors of the school newspaper. Grace makes it clear to Henry that she really is not interested in writing but will play along taking care of other things for the paper.

Henry is intrigued by Grace and tries to learn more about her, but Grace has secrets and wants to keep them to herself. But something odd begins to happen between the two, Grace lets Henry drive himself home in her car and then walks away with her cane never telling Henry where she is going or why?

As the two become closer, Grace slowly shares with Henry why she is a transfer student and how one event in life can make every day an effort to find forgiveness, acceptance and where they each belong in the world waiting for them.

Then, as quickly as they find each other, it all comes crashing down and Henry learns that the love he has been waiting for brings its own share of pain.

Abrams as Henry is absolutely charming, delightful, funny, sincere and a bit naïve as all young men in their senior year can be. Yet, in all that, is a character that has the beauty of the written word to find solace in while traversing senior year. Abrams is so wonderful in this role that I kept hoping he would find what he was looking for - even if that took another shape.

Reinhart as Grace is not the easiest to get close to from the moment she steps onto the screen. With cane and secrets in hand, she is not about to let anyone inside her intense bubble. Hoping she can fly under the radar; she finds something in Henry that gives her mind peace and a person to explain things too. The problem with secrets is that there is always someone else who knows the truth and Grace knows that as well. Reinhart meshes strong and weak into a young woman who needs to separate the two if she is going to be able to move on.

The supporting cast include Sarah Jones as Suds, Kara Young as La, Coral Pena as Cora CJ Hoff as Muz, Shannon Walsh as Miranda, Bruce Altman as Toby, Meg gibson as gloria, Adhir Kalyan as Kem, Robert Clohessy as Martin, Catherine Curtin as Sarah, Anzi DeBenedetto as Elks and Jon Lemmon as Dominic.

Amazon Prime offers television shows and original content included in its Amazon Prime subscription. Original programs such as CARNIVAL ROW, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, and THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL are hit shows. Coming soon is the next series with GOLIATH starring Billy Bob Thornton and it promises to another successful and intense series.

Krystal Sutherland is the author of the book Our Chemical Hearts which was released by Penguin in 2016 and Hot Key in Europe. She says of her book, "It involves the terribly tragic and awful experience of falling in love for the first time."

CHEMICAL HEARTS is absolutely the struggle of teen angst with those who are painfully shy, to those that are outwardly insecure and the reality that the love of your life might not be the love of this life. The latter being the most difficult the film gives us from start to finish.

Both of these actors, Abrams and Reinhart, tackle roles that are difficult because we all have been through them ourselves which makes the story so engrossing to watch. As teens I think we can all remember the secrets we held, the things we told ourselves to get by, first loves and the struggle to even understand the word 'love', friendships, parents worry - all of it.

They say love is the answer but never promised that the path toward it would be an easy one for any of us, young and young at heart.

In the end - fall in love and fall apart.

DESERT ONE Gives a Sharp Look at History

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from two-time Academy Award winning director Barbara Kopple and Greenwich Entertainment comes a moment in history that we all can learn from with DESERT ONE.

It has been forty years since fifty-two American citizens were taken hostage in Iran during their revolution in Tehran. Then President Jimmy Carter wanted to find a way to get the Americans home without creating more hardships on the hostages.

The events happened because of the leader Ayatollah Khomeini gathered followers to have the Shah removed and a new government came into power in 1979. The Iranian people seemed joyful that he was gone. The crowds celebrating brought about verbal hostility towards America and then effigy's hostility. People at the embassy had the clear feeling that something bad was going to happen.

It did not take long before thousands of people were at the gates of the embassy as the gates were locked. That did not stop the protestors as they began tearing away doors and the building was put on shutdown. That did not stop them either as everyone inside was told to back away and stay cool. Everyone in the embassy was taken hostage not knowing what would happen to them. Split up between the embassy and Foreign Ministry building, every square inch was occupied.

As the days progressed, it became clear that President Carter needed plans draw up to rescue the hostages. Wanting diplomacy, it became clear that the military would have to find a way to extract the hostages. A plan is drawn up and the Pentagon begins to bring the best soldiers they have for the mission. Even the wives knew that the phone calls were a sign that something was happening.

Citizens were in an uproar feeling that the government was not doing enough to get the hostages back, but President Carter was making sure the hostages did not get hurt. That was his primary focus. In December 1979, President Carter makes it clear that he will do nothing that will cause any harm to the hostages, but many believed that ‘doing nothing’ made Americans look weak.

In Tehran, the hostage takers were treating the hostages in a certain way and the Ayatollah came to meet with the hostages. The meeting is covered, and both sides have their say in the situation. At the Pentagon, the rescue plans were being presented to President Carter. Using C130s and helicopters, they would land at a spot called Desert One and go to Tehran, get the hostages and fly out.

The Delta Force Commander Col. Charles Beckwith said, "it was a very difficult plan but not an impossible plan".  With their operatives also inside the embassy, the information they needed came from the most unlikely of places. The Delta Force was watching every bit of footage they could get to get intel for their mission.

Another year came and in March of 1980, the hostages were handcuffed and blindfolded going through the unimaginable. All of this brought a hopelessness to the hostages not knowing yellow ribbons were on trees. A presidential election was underway, and Ronald Regan had a lot to say and the Ayatollah refused to deal with Carter and nothing was working. Finally, the President agreed to the mission.

The White House is in constant communication with the Delta Force, on April 24, 1980, as helicopters and men make their way off the USS Nimitz. Almost immediately one transport was out and there was total radio silence. Getting ready the one thing they did not expect is a bus load of people. The helicopters head towards their goal when a dust storm makes it impossible to fly.

A minimal use of force was ordered but a series of events make that hard to accomplish. Now the risks are getting harsh but still a go order to save the hostages but there are more problems with the choppers. The Operations Schedule had the orders of what to do in certain situations and they are getting close to aborting leaving the decision to President Carter.

Planes began to leave, and soldiers were disappointed that the mission was not going forward. The weather wasn't optimal, and it was getting light as one of the helicopters took off but the pilot made a grave error. Soldiers were trying to get away as the hopeful mission had turned. Informing President Carter, the soldiers had to get out before the sun came up and more trouble came.

Sadly, those missing could not be recovered were left behind, as those that could fly out, did. News spread quickly in Iran about the failed mission. At Desert One, people arrived at the site to the destruction. President Carter gave the grave news to the people of the United States about the operation. Public criticism came about, and candidate Regan had an opinion of his own.

Days later the hostage learns what has happened and the remains of those who passed were made public by the people of Iran. With the death of the Shah, it made things more tenuous and the American elections kept moving forward as Iraq and Iran start their own war. Once Carter lost to Regan, he still wanted to bring the hostages home.

In January of 1981, Carter finally secured the release of the hostages with money. Loading up to go home, and on inaugural day, the hostages were on their way home after 444 days in captivity. President Carter went to meet and speak with them and the parades began as they are welcomed home.

They were free, they were home, and this is that story.

DESERT ONE is a serious history lesson for anyone who thinks they know something about the Iranian hostage crisis. I remember (and I am in my 60s), the craziness of that time as each evening on the news was story after story of the hostages. Until that fateful night in 1980 and the news went full force with the accident and what it could possibly mean for the hostages.

I remember the election; I remember the yellow ribbons and I remember the sadness military families felt for the losses. What I did not know was the story behind the military action and what actually caused the mission to fail.

That is what makes this documentary so interesting. Director Koppel takes us through everything step by step and allows us to hear from the hostages, the hostage takers, those in government and the one man who held himself accountable - President Jimmy Carter.

Greenwich Entertainment specializes in distinctive, theatrical-quality narrative and documentary features. Greenwich had a record setting theatrical release with the Academy Award winning documentary FREE SOLO, ECHO IN THE CANYON, LINDA RONSTADT; The Sound of my Voice and THE BOOKSHOP. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.greenwichentertainment.com

Interviews include President Jimmy Carter, Vice President Walter Mondale, Ted Koppel, former hostages, journalists and even Iranian students who took part in capturing the American Embassy. There are interviews from those who were just passing by in a bus and telephone recordings of President Carter.

"This was a roller coaster ride of a story well worth telling," said filmmaker Barbara Kopple. "It is a film about U.S. leadership and gumption, our leaders taking responsibility - even when things go wrong - and courage in the face of adversity. And, of course to address our relations with Iran - and hearing their side of the story can make us reflect. This is a story that few remember or even know, and it might inspire us now."

DESERT ONE is an intense look at a time in our nation's history where the tensions with Iran came to a boiling point. The anger and hostility pointed in the U.S.'s direction brought about a chain of events that still reverberate today. American's do not forget easily when something this significant has been done to our own and DESERT ONE is a reminder of why that is.

This is a well-done piece of filmmaking and should be required viewing and a teaching tool of our history.

In the end – an intense moment in our history!

Based on a True Story Comes THE OUTPOST

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from Screen Media is the story by author Jake Tapper and director Rod Lurie and the brave men guarding THE OUTPOST.

Staff Sgt. Clint Romesha (Scott Eastwood) and his men Specialist Ty Carter (Caleb Landry Jones), Staff Sgt. Justin Gallegos (Jacob Scipio), Sgt. Josh Kirk (Jack Kesy) helicopter ride into a deep valley in Afghanistan. Surrounded by mountains, they are attacked daily by the Taliban. First Lt. Benjamin Keating (Orlando Bloom) gives the men a tour of the camp letting them know that they must always be at the ready.

It does not take long before the new crew takes a few hits and sees what they are up against. When they get the call to take a very large vehicle to another camp, Keating takes Romesha on roads that aren’t meant to be traversed. When an accident happens, Sylvanius Broward (Kwame Patterson) is sent in telling the men that the camp is going to be shut down. What should be good news really is not.

Their own Afghan interpreter tells the men that the Taliban are coming and although they listen, they go about their mission. Each attack gets a little bolder until the capture a young man who comes into the camp taking pictures of everything he sees. When caught, Romesha along with Broward go to the town elders to explain why the promise made by Lt. Keating of funds is being held up.

Romesha is frustrated because he does not see that Broward is listening to anything the people who live at the outpost are telling him. That is until the camp is hit again. One more time the men must gather together to protect the outpost even though there are more and more Taliban in the mountains above.

When one massive explosion follows another, every takes their places to battle the men coming towards them with more weapons than the outpost has seen. Now, Romesha and his men will do what they must to protect one another and stay alive until the call for help can bring what they need to stop the invasion.

Now they wait.

Eastwood comes on the scene strong with the attitude of a military man with concerns for his men, especially when he sees the camp by the light of day. He turns in a solid performance that isn’t over the top but instead storytelling with the entire cast. Jones as Carter is a young man who is dealing with the stress and anxiety about everything happening around them. When the men need him the most, he puts himself on the line time and time again. Carter gives us the human side of those feelings.

Bloom as Keating knows they are in a raw deal with where the camp is located but tries to make the best of it for everyone. Never sending a man to do something he wouldn’t do himself, he is respected by the men. Scipio as Gallegos and Kesy as Kirk aren’t thrilled with their situation and even less thrilled with those who claim to be in charge but they follow their leader. Both men are a definite benefit to the film. Shout out to Gibson for his second time in a film dealing with war and soldiers as he was in the 2016 film HACKSAW RIDGE directed by his father Mel Gibson.

Other cast include Petar Petrov as Malak, Ahmad Sakhi as Commander Zahid, George Arvidson as Captain Cordova, Brandon Wengrzynek as Sgt. Breed, Jeremy Jones as PFC Jordan Wong, Scott Coffey as Michael Scusa, Jack DeVos as Sgt. Hardt, Ernest Cavazos as Sgt. Avalos, Jonathan Yunger as SFC Jonathan Hill, Alexandar Aleksiev as Sgt. Janis Lakis, Alfie Stewart as Sgt. Yunger, Marin Rangelov as Nasir, Cory Hardrict as Sgt. Vernon Martin, Taylor Smith as First Lt. Andrew Bundermann, Celina Sinden as Cpt. Katie Kopp, Will Attenborough as Ed Faulkner and Milo Gibson as Capt. Yllescas. 

Screen Media is an international distributor of television series and films, licensing content through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, and subscription and advertising video-on-demand platforms. With one of the largest independently-owned libraries of filmed entertainment in the world and license agreements across all forms of media. The company is continually looking to add films and television series to its content library. For more information please visit www.screenmedia.com.

The Bonus Content includes Inside COP Keating: Behind the Scenes, Behind the Lines, Audio Commentary with Director Rod Lurie and Scene Rehearsals.

THE OUTPOST is bases on The New York Times best seller The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. Written by CNN journalist Jake Tapper, he tells the story of soldiers living in the remote mountains of Afghanistan and Combat Outpost Keating. It is a story about the battle to defend against a coordinated Taliban attack that later came to be known as The Battle of Kamdesh.

Bravo Troop 3-62 would become the most decorated unit of the 2009 Afghan War. Staff Sgt. Cliff Romesha and Specialist Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor. Rod Lurie, the director, is a graduate of West Point and former soldier. Adding to the realism of the film, he added veterans to play various military roles including Henry Hughes and Daniel Rodriguez.

“The gates of Heaven and the gates of hell are claimed to be in the same spot. During the firefight, COP Keating was like the gates of hell: violent, bloody and full of sorrow. However, watching men sacrificing themselves to protect each other, I could see the true form of brotherhood and love, making the firefight at COP Keating like the gates of heaven as well.” Ty M. Carter, Medal of Honor Recipient.

The cast brings the story to us all in a way that allows us to care about them because they each have a story. Adding to that the fact that most of us have family members who are active military, the scenes where the soldiers are calling home are moving and intense at the same time. There is also clearly camaraderie between the cast that transitions into the people they are portraying.

In the end – the mission was survival!

The Chaos of A WHITE, WHITE DAY

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from writer/director Hlynur Palmason and Film Movement comes a story of sadness that turns on A WHITE, WHITE DAY.

Ingimundur (Ingvar Sigurdsson) is a policeman struggling with the years. After his wife dies in a car accident, he has become reclusive and has shut down his emotions. Seeing the psychiatrist Georg (Por Tulinius) feels like an effort in futility.

The one person he seems to connect with his granddaughter Salka (Ida Mekkin Hlysdottir) who seems to accept her grandfather as he is. She visits while Ingimundur works on his house doing repairs and rennovations. Having a bit of a housewarming, a box of his wife's belongings is left behind from a friend.

In a moment alone, Ingimundur opens the box and his life takes another turn. Finding a video of his wife, he also sees a man named Olgeir (Hilmir Snaer Guonason). His emotions already tangled, Ingimundur take a dangerous road to solving a mystery. He becomes so obsessed that he puts his job and loved ones in jeopardy, all to seek answers he thinks will tame whatever lives inside him.

His decisions will either give his life meaning or tear everyone apart!

Sigurdsson as Ingimundur is powerful as a man who keeps his emotions strongly out of reach of others. There is an intense barrier between himself and everybody else and although he has a relationship with Salka and it is close - there is still a small wall between them. The pain he carries has become another layer of skin and the video is a sharp knife slashing open any protection Ingimundur thought he had. That's what Sigurdsson has done with this character and it is remarkable.

Hlynsdottir as Salka is not only adorable but what an actress! She is clearly had a grasp of the character and the scene where grandpa kind of loses it is stunning, the look on that young girls face was not only believable but crushed me as a grandmother. She knows there is something her grandfather is hiding but isn't ready for the reality of the adults

Hilmir Snaer Guonason as Olgeir has a part to play in Ingimundur's life whether he likes it or not. You can not intrude on a person's life and not expect consequences. Alma Stefania Agustsdottir as Elin is the daughter who is trying to keep her own family together. Haraldur Stefansson as Stefan is the son-in-law who also sees the ravages of what is happening to him.

Sigurour Sifurjonsson as Bjossi, friend and officer who treads carefully around Ingimundur's and sees that his emotions are putting his job and life in jeopardy. Shout out to Arnmundur Ernst Bjornsson as Hrafn, a fellow officer who is like a sharp pebble in Ingimundur's shoe.

Film Movement, founded in 2002, is an award-winning independent and foreign film company that has released more than 250 feature films and shorts. Theatrical releases include American independent films, documentaries, and foreign arthouse titles catalog such directors as Hirokazu Kore-eda, Maren Ade, Jessica Hausner and Ciro Guerra and Melanie Laurent. Bluray and DVD films bring such directors as Eric Rohmer, Bolle August, King Hu, Sergio Corbucci and Luchino Visconti and many more. To discover what Film Movement is all about and find out more about what they have to offer please visit www.filmmovementplus.com.

The DVD includes the Bonus Short Film SEVEN BOATS directed by Hlynur Palmason is the story while in a desperate fight for his life, a man stranded alone on the sea surrounded by seven boats.

A WHITE, WHITE DAY is a powerful story of grief and how it can turn to something else when everything you believed about the one you love could be wrong? This amazing cast held together by Sigurdsson and Hlynsdottir allows writer/director Palmason to pain on a large canvass of emotion and beauty.

The film is 109 minutes and subtitled from Swedish and that bit of information is information only. What I mean is that it does not affect the emotion the film brings out nor does 'reading' the film stop from embracing the story.

In the gray dismal winter and fog of this Swedish town begs for happiness and it can only come for Ingimundur when he accepts, let’s go and embraces those who truly love him.

In the end - how far will grief take a person?