AVATAR: Fire and Ash

 

Jeri Jacquin

Today on Digital and coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray, 3D Bluray and DVD from director James Cameron and 20^th Century Studios is the continuation of AVATAR: Fire and Ash.  

On Metkayina, Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) are grieving the death of their son Neteyam, but there won’t be much time for grief because Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is back. When Na’vi merchant ships arrive, they decide that the safest place for Spider (Jack Champion) to be is back at the human scientist camp. When their children Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss) refuse, it is decided they will go as a family together.

The Colonel is being ordered by General Ardmore (Edie Falco) to find the one person they believe will get people on their side – Jake. Of course, the Colonel has a score to settle with Jake, and he also wants to find Spider. Once the family is on their way, they are attacked by the Na’vi known as Mangkwan and their vicious leader Varang (Oona Chaplin). Running for their lives, Spider runs out of air, and it is Kiri who saves him. At the same time, it changes Spider!

Varang wants one thing: to take over all the Na’vi and rule them all. Seeing the weaponry, she knows it's her way to reach her goal. The Colonel also realizes that since Sully and the other Na’vi will fiercely fight, he turns to Varang, giving her what she wants. Jake leans on Tonowan (Cliff Curtis) and his wife, Ronal (Kate Winslet), to help bring the people together. Fighting the sky people one more time for not only their continued freedom, but to put those on notice that the Na’vi will not be destroyed – now or ever!

Worthington returns as Jake Sully, fighting once again to keep his family safe while dealing with the grief of losing his son. There is tension between all family members, but once the fight begins, they each bring their own abilities with Jake at the helm. Worthington has a more emotional side to his character this time. His character may be blue, but all the emotions show on Worthington's face. Saldana returns as Neytiri, a mother who is also grieving, and that grief turns to anger that has her saying and doing things that are quite surprising. I was actually quite surprised at the anger-hatred mix, and there is one particular scene that sums it up. That being said, she still is a fighter – not just for her family, but for her people.

Lang is back as the violent Col. Quaritch, a man who doesn’t get the Na’vi and doesn’t seem to want to. He might have a fondness for Spider, but only when it’s convenient for him. Put a gun in his blue hands, and he’s all about the battle and will do anything to get to the one person he holds a grudge about – Jake Sully. Lang gives us a character we love to hate. Weaver, as Kiri provides the story of a girl who wants to know who she truly is and where she comes from. I love that Weaver is her voice because it reminds us that Grace isn’t that far away. Chaplin as Varang is a totally unlikeable character as a leader who doesn’t mind killing her own. All that is in her heart is power, pure power, and will team up with whoever gives it to her. Well done, Chaplin!

Champion as Spider is a young man who is torn between two worlds. The Na’vi are the people he has known almost all of his life; the Colonel seems to be a person of interest, but not enough to turn away from Kiri and the rest of the Sully clan. From the first film until now, I’m pleased that Champion returns because I suspect his role will become even larger in future films. Stay Spider Champion! Dalton, as Lo’ak, is also dealing with the death of his brother, but it is the guilt that is putting a wedge between himself and his parent. Turning to his Tulkun water friend Payakan, Lo’ak sees him as the one thing in their world who believes in him. Dalton is such a sad character, yet a warrior that his father doesn’t quite see yet. Bliss, as Tuk, is as adorable now as she was in the first film. She is all watching, and her story, I have a feeling, is yet to be told.   

Shout out to Winset as Ronal, a strong Metkayina who doesn’t take guff from anyone, and that includes Neytiri, as they seem to still be in a war of women's power. Cliff Curtis as Tonowari, a chief who not only does right by his own people, but sees the Sully clan as one of his own. David Thewlis as Peylak, even blue, I knew immediately who he was as the captain of the Na’vi sky merchants.

Other cast include Joel Moore as Dr. Spellman, CCH Pounder as Mo’at, Jemaine Clement as Dr. Garvin, David Thewlis as Peylak, Jamie Flatters as Neteyam, Bailey Bass as Reya, Filip Geljo as Aonung, Duane Evans Jr. as Rotxo, Dileep Rao as Dr. Patel, and Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge.

Twentieth Century Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. Their amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have, please visit www.20thcenturystudios.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. 

Bonus Features include English Family Audio Track, Igniting the Flame The Making of AVATAR: Fire and Ash, Writing Sequels, Pandoran Design, RDA Design, The Women of Pandora, Varang and the Mangkwan, Capturing Performance, Stunts, Editing and Virtual Camera, WETA FX, ILM, Score, The Art and Impact of 3D, Home in New Zealand, Jon Landau Tribute, RDA Orientation, Na’vi 101: The RDA’s Official Language Orientation, Pandor Intelligence Brief, Marketing Materials & Music Video, “Dream as One” Music Video, and Theatrical Trailers.

AVATAR: Fire and Ash is a three-hour and seventeen-minute battle of not only the Na’vi and the Sky People but the Na’vi against the Na’vi! That means Jake, his family, and the peaceful Na’vi are having to deal with all sides coming at them. The visual are, as in previous films, are colorful, bright, and the action sequences will have eyes moving all over the screen. It lacks nothing for special effects knowing that although the Na’vi are tall and blue, it is the actors who bring them to life.

The film won Best Visual Effects for Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett at this years Academy Awards. It also won Top 10 Films from the American Film Institute Awards, Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital Performance for Oona Chaplin from the Austin Film Critics Association as well as Best Visual Effects, Outstanding Voice Performance for Zoe Saldana from the Black Reel Awards, Best Special Visual Effects from the British Academy Film Awards, Best Visual Effects from the Critics’ Choice Awards, Best Visual Effects from the Florida Film Critics Circle, and so many more.

Director James Cameron says the film “is an immersion…and into a world that brings these characters to life as they feel like real people. These characters pull you into their stories. It’s a very emotional journey. It’s a film about grief, loss, and how people process it and get through it to get to a hopeful place in life. I am so proud of the actors for what they did in the film.”

Worthington, as Sully, describes his character in this film, “We find Jake struggling with his son's passing away, trying to find hope and direction. His relationship with the newest clan is the darkest he’s encountered. What I like about the film is the connectivity and the shared unity.”

AVATAR: Fire and Ash is another installment of Cameron’s story with more to come. In his plans are two more Avatar films set to be released in 2029 and 2031, if you can imagine those dates in the future. Let’s wait and see!

In the end – the fight isn’t over!

 

 

Get Ready to SEND HELP

 

Jeri Jacquin

This week on Digital, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango and coming to 4K Ultra HD and DVD from director Sam Raimi and 20^th Century Studios, comes a look at the need to SEND HELP.

Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a corporate strategist who works hard while everyone else takes the credit. Taking each stab at her, the only reason she stays at her job is that the CEO of the company has promised her a promotion. Unfortunately, with the CEO’s passing, his son, the brat Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien), has taken the reins. Their first meeting doesn’t go so well, and to make it worse, she learns his position has been given to someone else.

Confronting Preston, he is blunt with her, saying she isn’t the right person for the job. Willing to give her a shot, a trip to Bangkok for a company merger is his way to appease her. The next day, Linda arrives at the airport only to discover that Preston has brought a plane load of his guy friends, leaving her in the back of the plane. Once in the air, she gets to work while the others play. That is, until the plane explodes and sends everyone into the sea below.

Surviving, Linda finds Preston hurt and takes care of him. How does she do that? Linda is a fan of the show Survivor and has learned a thing or two. More than a thing or two as she begins to make their lives a little more comfortable. When Preston wakes up, he almost immediately takes on a superior tone with Linda, reminding her that he is the boss. From that moment on, Linda finds ways to remind Preston that they are no longer in the office and she doesn’t need him to survive.

He, on the other hand…

McAdams as Linda is a woman who has been living a life that has allowed others to use her. Waiting for her time to move up into the job she has worked for, it takes an arrogant son to collapse that dream. Once on the island, she shows that everyone underestimated her. I love that McAdams played this role because it is unlike any other that she has had. She had me laughing and dropping my jaw a few times. There is nothing better than a surprise film that made me sad it was over.

O’Brien as Preston is a bratty, entitled man-child who’s only interested in being rude and dismissive to people, most of all Linda. The roller coaster of being on the island with her, he takes countless shots, only to realize he isn’t the smartest person on the island. O’Brien, taking on the character of Preston, is awesome because he easily pulls off the arrogant boy, and I’m here for it. Even though Linda made me laugh, Preston made me laugh harder in his reactions.

Other cast include Edyll Ismail as Zuri, Xavier Samuel as Donovan Murphy, Chris Pang as Chase, and Dennis Haysbert as Franklin.

Twentieth Century Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. Their amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have, please visit www.20thcenturystudios.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.

There is over two hours of bonus content that audiences can view to take a deeper dive behind the scenes of Sam Raimi’s twisted survival thriller.

SEND HELP gave me a mixture of WAR OF THE ROSES (1989), MISERY (1990), and CASTAWAY (2000). The best part of that? Those three films are some of my absolute favorites. Writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift went for the brass ring in their writing, from hilarious to shocking to jaw-dropping, and didn’t hide behind guessing. Raimi takes their script and bathes us in every word and every idea that includes shocks and twists.

McAdams and O’Brien hold their own in every single frame of the film once they are on the island together. It is a chance to explore these two characters, and just when it becomes clear who they are, the script is flipped – on us. The clever writing and directing means that SEND HELP is a film that should be enjoyed with a group of friends who are, well, dying to enjoy a good night into the bold, darker side of life.

In the end – she’s from strategy and planning!

A Hit with PROJECT HAIL MARY

 

Jeri Jacquin

Opening in theatres today from directors Christopher Miller, Phil Lord and Amazon MGM Studios is a journey in space to save the universe with PROJECT HAIL MARY.

Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is a middle school science teacher who wakes up on a spacecraft. After a bit of panic, he realizes that he is one of three on the ship that is light years away from Earth, but the only survivor. How did he get there? Before being a teacher, he was a molecular biologist and that is why Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller) has come to see him.

The sun is dimming and it has to do with the Petrova line, a line that goes from the Sun to Venus. What is causing it is something scientist call Astrophage and that gives Earth only thirty years before catastrophe. Getting himself together on the ship, Grace realizes there is one planet not affected by the Astrophage. Heading that way, he comes in contact with another ship with a passenger dealing with the same problem.

Rocky, a five-legged-alien, becomes a partner with Grace in trying to discover what can stop the Astrophage. Learning to communicate and putting their brilliant minds together, they both have the chance to not only save their planet but get home. The partnership between Grace and Rocky cause them both to make sacrifices in the name of universal friendship.

Gosling as Grace is absolutely stunning and total perfection in this film. As a man who doesn’t mind helping the cause of saving the planet, he doesn’t see himself as brave enough to do what’s necessary. What Gosling does with this character is never letting him be anything other than himself. This film is wrapped up in so many emotions and Gosling delivers at every level. From insecurities, to sadness, to pure joy, Gosling never once lets the audience catch their breath. All of it is like a Christmas present in March! The relationship with Rocky melted me completely and, makes me think it’s time to bring pet rocks back…with legs.

Huller as Eva is the one person one earth who believes in Gosling. From the moment they meet, she sees that he is different than most of those working on the project. It is that difference that she needs to make everything work. Huller gives her character a quiet strength that seems to be the one holding the biggest candle of hope without letting anyone around her knowing it.

Two important shout outs here. The first, Lionel Boyce as Carl, the man assigned to Grace in the beginning. I just love how he is this government guard yet, there are moments where his character is less strict and works with Grace in the oddest and best way. James Ortiz is the voice of Rocky and, after laughing through all the voice choices, Ortiz gives the little alien such a personality that I’m in love with (feel free to send any toys of Rocky my way!). When there are characters like this in films, the voice is everything and Ortiz is everything and more.

Other cast include Travis Jay as Tilt-a-Whirl, Bastian Fuentes as Parker, Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilukhina, Ken Leung as Yao, Priya Kansara as Mary, Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne, Annelle Olaleye as Olivia, Maya Eva Hosein as Rekha, Paul Lambert as Dr. Scyther, Orion Lee as Dr. Li, and Aaron Neil as Narender.

PROJECT HAIL MARY is from writer Andy Weir who has also brought about the film THE MARTIAN, another space films that I absolutely adore. ARTEMIS is still in the works. More than novels, Weir has written serial novels, short and long stories, comics and graphic novels. I’m excited to see what he writes next.

First of all, the film comes in at one hundred and fifty-six minutes and I loved every single, solitary moment. To be fair, THE MARTIAN (2015) is a film I have seen to many times I can’t even count and it is because of the mixture of intelligence and humanity. It has been my favorite since then but, the reign has come to an end. Now, PROJECT HAIL MARY has taken the lead and, for the very same reasons. The best part? They were both written by Andy Weird so, it’s a win-win.

Gosling runs away with the film with his love of science, even if it didn’t go in the direction he thought in the early years. Once called upon to help save the world, Grace might have hesitated but, in the blink, he’s in space doing just that. There is so much to say about Gosling’s performance but I have to admit, I don’t know if I can ever see him cry again because, the audience in the theatre with me were crying along with him. He wrecked an entire room and, he wrecked the unwreckable (insert me here).

The space scenes are so beautiful, colorful and could quite easily make anyone want to go to space. Inside the ship looks so complex in the beginning, but, with the help of Rocky, comes to be ever more complex yet, easy to follow along with each characters thought process. Thanks to Neil deGrasse Tyson, I even understood a lot of the space references. Now, about Rocky, I can’t even believe how dang cute he is and, although oddly shaped, I wouldn’t change one bit of him.

I loved the Easter eggs in the film, as I’m sure Steven Spielberg does as well. The humor totally had me laughing, the story is just so smart that I now need to read the book to see if I missed anything and tissues should be handed out before entering the theatre. This is a film that is such a must-see and my space favorite of 2026 and beyond. The ending, so you know, is amazing!

Go spent time this weekend weightless in space and cheer on the saving of the universe!

In the end – believe in the Hail Mary!

It is the Journey of HAMNET

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and Digital from director Chloe Zhao. Focus Features and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the story of HAMNET.

In 16th century England, Agnes (Jessie Buckley) is a young woman spending her time in the forest with her falcon. Her time is spent gathering herbs and napping under a mysterious tree. William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) is a tutor who is working to pay off his fathers’ debt. Looking out the window, William is captivated when he sees Agnes. Following her, they find themselves connected.

Later at home, William’s mother Mary (Emily Watson) is not happy to hear that he is drawn toward Agnes. She tells him that she is the daughter of a forest witch. Unmoved by what she thinks, William and Agnes find themselves spending time together and she urges him to tell her stories. In exchange, Agnes reads his palm speaking about not only his future but theirs together.

Getting married, they start a family together and William cuts contact with his own family. Agnes talks to her brother Bartholomew (Joe Alwyn) about sending William to London to pursue his writing and theatre. Agnes is at home raising their children. The years go by as the children grow and William continues going back and forth between family and his career.

Then, there world falls apart and the love between William and Agnes is tested. It is when the Globe Theatre’s production of Hamlet comes to the stage that the couple realize that the tragedy has affected them both but in different ways. The couple, in one moment, begin to heal together.

Buckley as Agnes is a woman who has her own beliefs in what her mother taught her about the forest and herbs. Meeting William, she sees their future and the happiness they could share together. Buckley is truly amazing in this role giving a woman who didn’t follow the societal rules of the time. Although she wants her husband to succeed, this film centers on Agnes life of sacrifices and the last ten minutes of the film is absolutely hers. I couldn’t move watching her performance and although there aren’t many words, everything is on her face and it killed me.

Mescal as William is a man who also fights against what is expected of him as a man. Living with an abusive father and a mother who follows all the societal rules, William tries to find his own way. It is with Agnes that he has someone who believes in him, even when there are times he doesn’t believe in himself. Mescal plays beautifully with Buckley and, along with her, makes the last ten minutes of the film gut wrenching.

Watson as Mary is a woman who believes what she does about Agnes yet, when William isn’t there, she steps in. Watson has her moments of importance in the film and, no matter what her role, she is an iconic actress. Alwyn as Bartholomew is also a supporting character for Agnes. When she needs him, he is there, even up to the very end.

Other cast include Faith Delaney as young Agnes, Smylie Bradwell as young Bartholomew, Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet Shakespeare, Olivia Lynes as Judith Shakespeare, Justine Mitchell as Joan Hathaway, David Wilmot as John Shakespeare, Bodhi Rae Breathnach as Susamma Shakespeare, Freya Hannan-Mills as Eliza Shakespeare, James Skinner as Gilbert Shakespeare, Elliot Baxter as Richard Shakespeare, and Louisa Haraland as Rowan Hathaway.

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.

Bonus Features include Family is Forever, Cultivating Creativity, Recreating the Tudor Period, and Feature Commentary with Director Chloe Zhao. 

HAMET is a film filled with themes that can be found in many of Shakespeare’s works. Buckley’s Agnes feels like such a strong yet ethereal creature, especially when she is in the woods living that life. Mescal’s William is a man that is obsessed with stories, words and the feeling of being lost in them both. Director Zhao takes that story and gives it the stunning feel not only of the time, but of the feel of both Agnes and William.

Zhao describes her experience of making HAMNET as deeply personal, ritual-based and an emotional production process. To capture that, she used small, handheld cameras allowing the process of capturing moments instead of camera setups. It is also not surprising that Buckley has already won a Critics Choice Award, Golden Globe, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild award. Onward to the Oscars, definitely.

What the film brings together is the struggle of life, unexpected love, untimely death, the way of grief and acceptance of pain all wrapped together. All of it leads to the ability to forgive one another in the swirl of it all. The cinematography is harsh yet beautiful, emotional yet brutal and when put together with the cast and, is nothing short of spectacular with music to bring the tears.

In the end – keep your heart open!