He is WHAT REMAINS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director Ran Huang, writer Megan Everett-Skarsgard, Kaleidoscope Entertainment and VMI Worldwide is the story of a mystery based on true events and WHAT REMAINS.

Scandinavian Mads Lake (Gustaf Skarsgard), a confessed murderer, has been in a psychiatric hospital for years and trying to find a life within the madness he feels. His therapist Anna Rudebeck (Andrea Riseborough) is trying to not only help him find answers, but distinguish between what is true and what is something else. One man who just wants the truth of it all is policeman Soren Rank (Stellan Skarsgard), who does hold much stock in having Lake at a psychiatric hospital.

Pushing Lake further and further into the investigation, Rank is convinced that he knows more than he is telling. Anna tries to tell Rank that he must go slow with Lake and allow him to help the investigation at his pace. With each step forward, Lake becomes more emotional as well as fearful. All three are handling this situation in their own unique ways and all have the same goal – to understand what happened and bring answers to families who have been waiting for years.

Adding to the stress for them is that Lake can not get the story from his own brother, Anna is trying to deal with her own past traumas and Rank struggles to find answers to his own home troubles.

Skarsgard as Lake is pure perfection in this role. Yes, I came to know of him through his equally perfect role of Floki on the hit television series VIKINGS. In WHAT REMAINS, Skarsgard gives us a look at a deeper character that is locked in the cycle of what is real and the torture of it all. For every step forward, Lake is sliding further and further into a place of fear and memories and Skarsgard takes us along stunningly.

Riseborough as Anna is a therapist who believes she can help Lake in discovering his past so that he can at last know where it all came from. Riseborough’s character is full of her own complexities and traumas which, it seems, she masks by helping Lake with his issues. She has always given an intensity to the roles she has played but this one in particular is slow in its telling but when it becomes clear, it is equally as sad. Well done!

Stellen Skarsgard as Rank is an officer having home problems and personal issues of his own. Becoming involved in the Lake case affords him a way to avoid dealing with it all. Going in guns blazing, he is forceful and hard on Lake without understanding how working with Anna instead of doing things on his own might help him get to the answers of missing children as well. What I enjoyed most about Skarsgard’s portrayal is watching his character evolve.

VMI Worldwide was founded in 2010 and since its inception, VMI has represented an extensive variety of cast-driven titles. During its evolution, VMI possesses the ability and desire to board the right project, at any state of development. Some of their films include THE PRICE WE PAY, THE LAST SUN, WANDER and WAKE UP starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Francesca Eastwood. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.vmiworldwide.com.

Other cast include Eva Magyar as Lillemor, Antti Luusuaniemi as Dr. Jepsen, Malka Ahlroth as Elin, Darren McStay as Martin, Charlie Peterson as Helvin Holst, and Henrikki Haavisto as Eric Gunnarson.

Director Huang uses his interest in true crime to work with Stellan Skarsgard and his wife Megan Everett-Skarsgard to work on the story. That is not where the Skarsgard connection ends however, as son Gustaf joins the ranks in the leading role of Mads Lake. This is a family that has placed their talents on the map joined with Bill and Alexander Skarsgard as well. From almost every genre possible in the film industry, the Skarsgard clan has cemented their place beautifully.

WHAT REMAINS is a film about traumas, tragedies and the stories we refuse to allow ourselves to believe or experience. Dealing with a man who has come from childhood trauma, Skarsgard’s portrayal of Lake brings dual emotions for the viewer because is he a killer or is he lost in jumbled up false memories? Riseborough is not that far off the mark herself as Anna is also avoiding her own traumas and inability to accept truths in her life. Skarsgard as Rank is an officer who has anger issues brought on by his own inability to handle life using Lake as a way to avoid it all.

The story is slow in the telling but, for myself, it speaks volumes of how the director wanted to be sure that everyone is on board for the ride. Exploring the main character is rough in the context of Lake’s situation but, exploring that of Anne and Rank is equally as important. Attempting to do their jobs respectively when they are having a difficult time themselves calls into question the moves that each makes. Skarsgard’s Lake is a sad and frightening character and I couldn’t take my eyes off his performance.

In the end – they must discover what is real!

 

THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN

 Jeri Jacquin

Coming from writer/director Will Sharpe, writer Simon Stephenson and Amazon Original Films is the unique story with THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN.

Louis (Benedict Cumberbatch) is an Edwardian artist and illustrator living in London who can in a moment’s notice create art work drawings of animals. Taking care of his sisters, he has to deal with the bossy and emotionally undermining sister Caroline Wain (Andrea Riseborough). When Sir William Ingram (Toby Jones) offers Wain a position of illustrating for his paper.

Accepting the position, he has time for little else. When governess Emily (Claire Foy) becomes part of the very busy household, it is the first time that Louis feels something so strong for someone outside his family. His world changes when he decides to marry the lovely Emily and they move into the country to be together.

Still taking care of his family in the city, Louis is continually working. When he and Emily discover a young kitten in their garden and name it Peter, something wonderful begins to happen. Louis finds inspiration and everything changes as the drawings become an instant sensation.

When Emily becomes ill, his life shifts once again. The emotional turmoil sends Louis through a period where nothing feels right. Even his theory about electricity going from person to person transforming them was not helping him or his sister who is eventually confined to an asylum.

His own personal spiral is filled with pain, anguish and cats.

Cumberbatch as Wain manages to, with ease, give his character the right amount of innocence mixed in the emotional instability. The pressures of being entirely responsible for a family, it is clear that there were issues in the family as seen with his own sister. When Cumberbatch is on the screen with Foy, something amazing happens. There is a spark that is joyous because Wain had the one thing he did not get at home – love and acceptance.

Foy as Emily is delightful, pragmatic and knows exactly what it is that her husband needs in the way of support. There life away from his family is filled with smiles, love and even laughter, especially when a little ball of fuzz makes its way into their lives. Treating Percy like a child, they lavish all the love and affection parents would.

Riseborough as Caroline has emotional issues of her own ranging from anger at her brother’s lack of financials to anger of his marriage to Emily and just general unhappiness with life. Consistently putting pressure on Louis, Riseborough does not pull any punches in her performance to the point of even having me wide eyes and jaw dropped.

Other cast include Jamie Demetriou as Richard Woodville, Indica Watson as young Felcie, Cassia McCarthy as young Claire, Sophia Di Martino as Judith, Taika Waititi as Max Kase, Dorothy Atkinson as Mrs. DuFrayne, Nick Cave as H.G. Wells, Daniel Rigby as Bendigo,  and Oliva Colman as the Narrater.

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.

Wain did not only do drawings of cats, he also did country scenes and drew for Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News to The Illustrated London News. It was in 1886 that the later published a drawing called “A Kittens’ Christmas Party”. Over his lifetime he would illustrate children’s books and did work for magazines, papers and postcards.

Cumberbatch is able to capture the financial problems that Wain had throughout his life. Constantly exploited, he was unaware of the financial losses he would take because of no copyright. Even going to the United States, he was met with an audience who did not understand his way of thinking.

Eventually he would be hospitalized where he would spend his days trying to find the peace that had avoided him in life. H. G. Wells said, “he has made the cat his own. He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world. English cats that do not look and live like Louis Wain cats are ashamed of themselves.”

THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN is beautiful done with costuming and set designs that adds to the story. Cumberbatch gives the performance of a man who had an amazing and stunning talent but hindered by a condition that clearly could not be accurately diagnosed or treated correctly.

Adding Foy into the mix, even if her performance could be considered brief, gives us a look at the life Wain could never have imagined for himself. These two on screen brought a chemistry that is mesmerizing to watch.

For anyone who knows the work of Wain or even loves cats – just remember that this is the man responsible for giving cats a homelife, for becoming more than mice catchers but instead becoming furry and purring members of our families.

In the end – he saw something no one else did.

 

A Time of Change Brought the Biggest BURDEN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from writer/director Andrew Heckler's debut, 101 Studios and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the story of courage, change and belief when under a BURDEN.

Mike Burden (Garrett Hedlund) is a young man who came to be raised by Klu Klux Klan leader Tom Griffin (Tom Wilkinson). In this small South Carolina town there is a divide between the white and African American community with Reverend Kennedy (Forest Whitaker) keeping the peace.

Mike works repossessing electronics from people who are behind in their payments along with friend Clint (Austin Hebert). That is how he meets Judy (Andrea Riseborough) and after hearing her young son will be devastated not to see the Nascar races on the television, Mike makes arrangements for them to see it. Yet, when seeing classmate Clarence (Usher Raymond), he has no problem taking his television.

Tom decides to open a museum celebrating the history of the KKK in an historic movie theatre which sends the Reverend and most of the town into shock. Mike tries not to bring to much attention to his involvement because he truly begins to care for Judy and wants to have a life with her. Tom notices and isn't beyond making his own mark with Judy's son.

As the Reverend and townspeople protest the museum, Tom makes a request of Mike that forces him to make a decision. Turning away from the KKK, the Reverend decides that it is time to replace hate with love and offers to help Mike both physically and emotionally.

But it isn't going to be easy to step away from the only life he's known and there are those who are going to make sure Mike suffers every step.

Hedlund as Mike is a man who has consistently stood by the leaders, he feels gave him a family. There is a part of him that remembers friendship with Clarence and is torn between the heart that knows what is right and turning away from a 'family'. Hedlund is shy when it comes to his feelings and frightening when his rage kicks in. There are scenes of brilliance where he is in pain to speak and the final scene where his face says it all.

Whitaker as Reverend Kennedy is a man who tries to keep the peace in town even if there are small battles in his own home. Once he sees the museum, there is no question that he must do whatever it takes to keep it from becoming a permanent part of their town. Whitaker is strong in this role and the scenes with Hedlund are powerful and healing for both characters.

Riseborough as Judy is a woman who doesn't take any nonsense from Mike or from KKK leader Tom. She doesn't believe as Mike does yet there is something about him that she sees a chance for his life to change. Raymond as Clarence remembers a friendship with Mike and believes that there is something more for him on the other side of the KKK tracks. He believes that given a chance, Mike can be saved from those who want to destroy him.

Other cast include Crystal Fox as Janice Kennedy, Anna Colwell as Molly, Jason Davis as Jameson, Dexter Darden as Kelvin Kennedy, Charles Green as Horace King, Joshua Burge as Ronny, Jeff Pope as Cooper and Jessejames Locorriere as Dale and Tess Harper as Hazel.

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 a Behind the Scenes of BURDEN.

BURDEN is a story written by director Andrew Heckler after meeting the real Reverend Kennedy. Heckler read about the museum in an article and decided to pen the story from Kennedy's account. The script was written in 1998 but has taken Heckler twenty years to make the film and this is his directorial debut.

This is a story of reality, redemption and the belief that the heart can let go of wrong and embrace positive changes. The film also deals with the twisted beliefs of a group of towns people who believe so much that they are right that hurting those who get in their way is of no consequence or guilt.

The cast brings out the story that shows the Reverends side of fight and all the frustrations that come with it. They are angry and afraid but not so much that they would allow what is happening at the museum to continue without a fight. Having lived in a small southern town, I can tell you that the believability of this story is 100%.

This may be 2020 but that doesn't mean the belief that the character of Mike was raised with is gone because it isn’t, and it isn't only found in small southern towns. What BURDEN does bring into focus the ability to talk about these issues openly and make us all aware that 20 years ago a group of people tried to open a museum that horrified a community.

I see BURDEN as a teachable film that has the greatest potential to reach more than just a theatre audience. It is so powerful and far reaching that it is clear why the film received a standing ovation when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the end - only love can drive out hate!

A Time of Change Brought the Biggest BURDEN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director Andrew Heckler's debut and 101 Studios comes the story of courage, change and belief when under a BURDEN.

Mike Burden (Garrett Hedlund) is a young man who came to be raised by Klu Klux Klan leader Tom Griffin (Tom Wilkinson). In the small South Carolina town it puts a divide between the white and African American community with Reverend Kennedy (Forest Whitaker) keeping the peace.

Mike works repossessing electronics from people who are behind in their payments along with friend Clint (Austin Hebert). That is how he meets Judy (Andrea Riseborough) and after hearing her young son will be devastated not to see the Nascar races on the television, Mike makes arrangements for them to keep it. Yet, when seeing classmate Clarence (Usher Raymond), he has no problem taking his television.

Tom decides to open up a museum celebrating the history of the KKK in an historic movie theatre which sends the Reverend and most of the town into shock. Mike tries not to bring to much attention to his involvement because he truly begins to care for Judy and wants to have a life with her. Tom notices and isn't beyond making his own mark with Judy's son.

As the Reverend and townspeople protest the museum, Tom makes a request of Mike that forces him to make a decision. Turning away from the KKK, the Reverend decides that it is time to replace hate with love and offers to help Mike both physically and emotionally.

But it isn't going to be easy to step away from the only life he's known and there are those who are going to make sure Mike suffers every step.

Hedlund as Mike is a man who has consistently stood by the leaders, he feels gave him a family. There is a part of him that remembers friendship with Clarence and is torn between the heart that knows what is right and turning away from a 'family'. Hedlund is shy when it comes to his feelings and frightening when his rage kicks in. There are scenes of brilliance where he is in pain to speak and the final scene where his face says it all.

Whitaker as Reverend Kennedy is a man who tries to keep the peace in town even if there are small battles in his own home. Once he sees the museum, there is no question that he must do whatever it takes to keep it from becoming a permanent part of their town. Whitaker is strong in this role and the scenes with Hedlund are powerful and healing for both characters.

Riseborough as Judy is a woman who doesn't take any nonsense from Mike or from KKK leader Tom. She doesn't believe as Mike does yet there is something about him that she sees a chance for his life to change. Raymond as Clarence remembers a friendship with Mike and believes that there is something more for him on the other side of the KKK tracks. He believes that given a chance, Mike can be saved from those who want to destroy him.

Other cast include Crystal Fox as Janice Kennedy, Anna Colwell as Molly, Jason Davis as Jameson, Dexter Darden as Kelvin Kennedy, Charles Green as Horace King, Joshua Burge as Ronny, Jeff Pope as Cooper and Jessejames Locorriere as Dale and Tess Harper as Hazel.

BURDEN is a story written by director Andrew Heckler after meeting the real Reverend Kennedy. Heckler read about the museum in an article and decided to pen the story from Kennedy's account. The script was written in 1998 but has taken Heckler twenty years to make the film and this is his directorial debut.

This is a story of reality, redemption and the belief that the heart can let go of wrong and embrace positive changes. The film also deals with the twisted beliefs of a group of towns people who believe so much that they are right that hurting those who get in their way is of no consequence or guilt.

The cast brings out the story that shows the Reverends side of fight and all the frustrations that come with it. They are angry and afraid but not so much that they would allow what is happening at the museum to continue without a fight. Having lived in a small southern town, I can tell you that the believability of this story is 100%.

This may be 2020 but that doesn't mean the belief that the character of Mike was raised with is gone because it isn’t, and it isn't only found in small southern towns. What BURDEN does bring into focus the ability to talk about these issues openly and make us all aware that 20 years ago a group of people tried to open a museum that horrified a community.

I see BURDEN as a teachable film that has the greatest potential to reach more than just a theatre audience. It is so powerful and far reaching that it is clear why the film received a standing ovation when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the end - only love can drive out hate!

RESISTANCE Takes on Survival after D-Day

Jeri Jacquin

On DVD from acclaimed novel by Owen Sheers, director/writer Amit Gupta, Omnibus Entertainment  Film Movement comes the story of a village finding their way to stand strong and show RESISTANCE.

It is 1944 during Nazi-occupied Britain during a difficult time in the war. D-Day has devastated the country while Panzer and Nazi troops invade the countryside. In a quiet village, this particular morning starts with the women waking up to find all the men have vanished.

Sarah’s (Andrea Riseborough) husband is one of the men but she believes he is gone to join the top secret group called BRO. Speaking with the other women, they agree that it is important to keep the home front safe and continue on.

What they didn’t expect was a Wehrmacht platoon setting up an outpost in one of the homes. Leading the platoon is Albrecht (Tom Wlaschiha), a commanding officer who wants to remain low-key while looking for those in the resistance. Albrecht tries to find a common ground with the women of the village but they are emotionally shut down.

What none of them know is that George (Iwan Rheon) is a young man from the village who wants to do his part. After meeting with Tom Atkins (Michael Sheen), he does what is necessary to make a dent in the activities of the group in his village.

When Albrecht befriends Sarah, it confuses everyone including Albrecht’s own men. It all comes to a head when the war moves closer to the village and each makes their own move to resist.

Riseborough as Sarah is just stunning! Her recent role in the stellar film NOCTURNAL ANIMALS and BIRDMAN show her strength in portraying memorable characters and Sarah is one of them. Stoic and conflicted, every bit of it shows in her behaviors and it is impossible not to feel it through the screen.

Wlaschiha as Albrecht is a commanding officer who shows this dual personality. One moment he is thoughtful, emotional and shows caring and then next he has no problem ordering the death of someone. He reaches out to Sarah’s character understanding the rejection but still wanting something other than what the war makes him feel.

Rheon as George is such a far cry from his role in the hit series GAME OF THRONES. In RESISTANCE he is a young man who believes he has a duty to protect the villagers and, as Tom says, he must be prepared to do the unthinkable.

Sheen as Tom has a small role here but it lays the groundwork and understanding of what the men of this particular village face. Kimberley Nixon plays Bethan, a young woman trying to understand what the war is doing to everyone. Melanie Walters as Helen Roberts is a strong woman but knows that perhaps flexibility might be the answer to surviving but the results are disastrous.

Other cast include Stanislav Ianevski as Bernhardt, Anatole Taubman as Sebald, Simon Armstrong as George’s Father, Mossie Smith as Ruth, George Taylor as Gernot and Sharon Morgan as Maggie.

Film Movement is celebrating its 15th year in 2017, Film Movement has released more than 250 feature films and shorts culled from prestigious film festivals worldwide, and last year it had its first Academy Award-nominated film, THEEB. Film Movement’s theatrical distribution strategy has evolved to include promising American independent films, documentaries, and an even stronger slate of foreign art house titles. Noted directors Film Movement brings are Eric Rohmer, Peter Greenaway, Bille August, Marleen Gorris, Takeshi Kitano and Ettore Scola. For more information, please visit www.filmmovement.com.

RESISTANCE is an extraordinary film about the struggles of war added with the fear of survival through this particularly harsh winter. Trying to take care of their own, there is no way this village is going to accept occupation by anyone which is something Albrecht never understands.

It is totally realistic to think that several of the women in the village try to find a compromise with their ‘captors’, even if they know deep down there is no such thing as compromise. RESISTANCE takes the viewer on a journey through every human emotion with shocks that lead to the very end.

This cast is stunning together as Riseborough and Wlaschiha lead the entire film in so many directions it is impossible to take your eyes off the screen.

In the end – the lines are blurred between collaboration, occupation, duty and survival!