BEST SELLERS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from director Lina Roessler and Screen Media is the story of two people who turn out to need each other during the worst of times with BEST SELLERS.

Lucy Stanbridge (Aubrey Plaza) is running a publishing company inherited from her father that needs a boost of energy to get it back on track. Turning to assistant Rachel Spence (Ellen Wong), they go through their list of writers they could work with, and the name Harris Shaw (Michael Caine) comes up.

First, they have to get through the door to meet with him! Shaw is not a pleasant individual and he makes sure that everyone knows it. Reminding him of his contractual obligations, Lucy reminds him that the publishing company is owed another book. Realizing he is in financial trouble, he gives up the manuscript for The Future is X-Rated.

Not happy that the book also has to be edited, he goes on a rant with not wanting his words “in incompetent hands”. That’s when Lucy makes him a deal, go on a book tour and the manuscript will not be edited. At his first public reading, he uses the word “bullshite” and takes off like hair on fire.

Shaw does not understand the fuss but if it gets him what he wants, then “bullshite” it is! Yet, the underlying story of both Lucy and Shaw become clearer and their working relationship changes as truth spill out and history gets cleaned up.

That’s the real story!

Caine as Shaw gets the opportunity to jump right in to being a grumpy, cantankerous, outspoken old man who wants to smoke his cigars and drink till he can not remember anything. Washing away his life memories, Caine gives his character no filter and no excuses in the beginning but all of that hides Shaw’s truths that cannot be hidden anymore.

Plaza as Lucy is a young woman who has a clear incentive to keeping her father’s publishing company up and running. Her character is clearly capable of doing the job, but her time with Shaw begins to change her perspective on life and as realities begin to change, Plaza gives us a young woman who begins to see things quite differently.

Also in the film is Scott Speedman as Jack Sinclair, Cary Elwes as Halpren Nolan, and Veronica Ferres as Drew Davis.

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.  In 2017 Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. acquired Screen Media which is in its 23rd year as a leading global independent distribution company. With one of the largest independently owned libraries of filmed entertainment in the world and license agreements across all forms of media, Screen Media’s distribution capability enables direct distribution of all rights in all countries, thus enhancing the profitability of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment productions. The company is continually looking to add films and television series to its content library.

Caine and Plaza are amazing together playing off one another’s fears and life stories. On screen together they give their characters such life in the midst of pain and frustration. The story is a simple one but filled with emotion that just gave me a heart pitty-pats. It is a very cool opportunity to watch these actors explore their lives from different angels.

BEST SELLERS is a heartwarming and heart wrenching film that is worth of a watch and a box of Kleenex. The film was also the Gala Presentation – 2021 Berlinale Film Festival. The relationship between these two characters begins with such anger and hostility but those emotions clearly mask what is really going on with both Shaw and Lucy. Watching these two actors bring out the best and worst is worth every frame.

In the end – the story is not always on the page!

BLACK BEAR

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from director Lawrence Michael Levine and Momentum Pictures is a story of what is on film and what is life with BLACK BEAR.

Allison (Aubrey Plaza) is a young film writer that is visiting the Adirondacks to find some inspiration. She meets the couple Blair (Sarah Gadon) and Gabe (Christopher Abbott) who welcome her into their home. Blair is expecting and Gabe is happy to have someone else to chat with. Over dinner the conversation gets intense as Allison realizes she has upset Blair.

Trying to calm down a hysterical Blair, Gabe is frustrated himself. Allison goes to the pier down the path to give the couple some time. When she returns, she and Gabe take a moment to get personal and it all falls apart.

But there is something else going on here, is it Allison who is the one that is hysterical in all of this? The twists begin to show themselves and, in the meantime, there is the sound of nature right outside their door.

Plaza as Allison is very vocal about what she believes but also uses her dry sense of humor that is mistaken by Blair as something more. Trying to avoid the couple’s problems, she finds herself part of the problem. But as the story changes, we see that Allison is able to become just as unglued as Blaire.

Gadon as Blair is a pregnant woman who doesn’t have the patience for the nonsense she feels is happening around her. All she wants is to feel safe and loved by Gabe but cannot seem to believe what she is told. On the other hand, as her story changes, we learn how far someone will go when insecurities kick in.

Abbott as Gabe is stuck in the middle of these two women. Trying to keep Blair calm, he also has realizations about how he feels about the coming child. Sharing that with Allison is what brings about a twist.

Other cast include Lindsay Burdge as Maude, Paola Lazaro as Cahya, Jennifer Kim as Nora, Shannon O’Neill as Simon, Grantham Coleman as Baako, Lou Gonzalez as Chris and Alexander Koch as Mike.

Momentum Pictures has released several family films such as HOODWINKED!, THE ADVENTURES OF ROCK AND BULLWINKLE, ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES and one of my favorite films, the charming and delightful IGOR.

I am being intentionally vague in my description of the film because I want the viewers jaw to drop as much as mine did. There are twists, turns, realities and subsequent acceptance of everything that has happened. It is slow in the telling but that is important for the changes that follow. I think the cast did an amazing job and Plaza just blew me away with her range.

Having these three actors be the only cast on the screen for a large segment of the film is brilliant as the explosion of truths lead up to the finale. I love films that do not follow the rules and BLACK BEAR certainly does not.

In the end – do not turn away!

 

LEGION Takes us on an Unexpected Trip on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from creator Noah Hawley from the Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment comes an intense series on the search for what is truly real when part of the LEGION.

David Haller (Dan Stevens) has had problems most of his life. Hearing things and feeling out of control has landed him in the psychiatric ward. The problem is, Haller also has psychic abilities yet no one believes him. Haller also has a friend in another patient Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) and tries to help him stay together. Keeping him sane is when he falls for another patient Sydney Barrett (Rachel Keller). The difficulty in their relationship is that Sydney doesn't like to be touched. When it does happen, she has the ability to change places with that person.

 When Sydney is discharged from the hospital, Haller kisses her and that's when things get even more out of control. The minds of Haller and Sydney change places and no one believes them. That becomes even more problematic when Syd can't control Haller's reactions and hospital staff are hurt and his only recourse is to escape. The switch between the two is only temporary and Haller wants Sydney back.

Going to his sister Amy (Katie Aselton) for help it actually sets her up to be hurt by those who want Haller for themselves. Quickly enough Ptonomy Wallace (Jeremie Harris) and Kerry Loudermilk (Amber Midthunder) help Haller escape with the help of Melanie Bird (Jean Smart). He is taken to Summerland and discovers there are more people who have abilities. Bird explains that Haller isn't ill at all and that they need to go into his past to understand where he is now. While in an MRI, he sees that the group called Division III has taken Amy and his anger does something that shocks everyone at Summerland. Wanting to save her, Amy tells him that he has to control his power first before he can help anyone.

Working with Ptonomy on memories of a time when he did drugs, Haller is still plagued by the figure called the World's Angriest Boy in the World from a childhood book. Unable to control his powers again, Haller and Sydney end up at Division III where he sees someone called the Eye (Mackenzie Gray). Bird has to explain that his name is Walter who was one of the founders of Summerland. Everything gets so out of control that Haller has to be sedated enough so that Bird, Ptonomy and Sydney can get a better look inside his head but he is too strong for them.

When Haller doesn't wake up, Bird has to find out what happened to him before he ended up in the hospital and the only person that might have a clue is his ex-girlfriend Philly. Ptonomy gets a chance to see inside Philly's memory and learns that Haller attacked his previous therapist named Poole. Haller is on a journey of his own but Lenny comes to him to escape.

As Haller is dealing with problems in the astral plane, Cary believes that Haller's brain has been infected by something he calls the gruesome Devil with Yellow Eyes. The creature isn't at all done with Haller when it attacks Sydney but worst of all; the entire group at Summerland is now at Clockworks with Lenny as their caregiver!

Now under her control, Lenny takes on each of them and their issues but it is Sydney that notices something is different which costs her. Lenny isn't about to let any of them get the upper hand, especially when she knows things about Haller and has no problem demonstrating her control over his mind. Cary Loudermilk (Bill Irwin) thinks they've had it all wrong and that it is actually the powerful mutant Shadow King Amahl Farouk who is messing with Haller.

Haller believes that Farouk and his real father might have had issues that led to an altercation and that was the reason he was put up for adoption. Finding Haller as a kid, Farouk managed to place a device in his mind which is what has caused all the havoc. Trying to get back to Summerland, the group is intercepted by Division III!

In the finale, Haller manages to break free of Division III but it should have been seen as all too easy. Clark (Hamish Linklater), his interrogator, wants to get in on the action and goes with the soldiers to Summerland. Haller believes that Clark is their hostage but what they don't know is that Division III can see and hear everything happening. It’s a chance for some serious body exchanging to happen, Clark changes sides and Haller becomes doesn't see something little coming his way.

Stevens as Haller is truly doing some serious acting! This is a role that keeps the viewer guessing as to where Haller actually is in the grand scheme of things. What is trippy about this whole thing is that I like it! Stevens first caught my attention in the role of Matthew Crawley in the amazing series Downton Abbey followed by Sir Lancelot in NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB and more recently the role of Charles Dickens in THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS. The role of Haller is so complex and original that LEGION is the perfect place for Stevens to just let loose and explore all the avenues.

Keller as Sydney is a girl with her own set of powers that is equally as frightening as Haller's. He learns quickly that touching her can transform and change their situations. This also means that she is detached out of fear and can not allow her emotions to get any deeper for Haller. Smart as Bird is a woman who seemingly wants to help those with powers at Summerland. Jumping into the memories of the group has her unraveling the mysteries and Haller is proving to be her most difficult case.

Plaza as Lenny is just out and out creepy and I love it. You can never tell from one appearance to the next whether she is going to be on Haller's side or just messing with his memories. Aselton as Amy thought Haller was just dealing with serious mental issues, imagine her surprise to discover that those mental issues were nothing like she was raised to believe.

Harris and Midthunder still have their roles to play knowing that there are mysteries about Haller that are going to take digging and it seems it is harder than they have ever explored before. Gray as the Eye is another character that creeped me out because I was never quite sure what he was up to or what is place was in it all. Linklater still has a part to play but will it be for the good of those in Summerland? We shall see, we shall definitely see.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There 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.fox.com.

The Bluray includes the Special Features of Fractured Reality: A Different Kind of Hero, Uncanny Romance, Production Design, Powers, Make-Up (Making The Devil with the Yellow Eyes), Visual Effects, Costume Design, Locations and Deleted Scenes. Also included in the 2-disc Set are Episodes Chapters One Through Eight.

LEGION has definitely been on the radar with nominations for awards and wins like TVLine's Performer of the Week going to Aubrey Plaza, Best Sound Editing given by the Golden Trailer Awards, and tied for Runner Up for Best Action Series by the IGN's Best of 2017 Awards and the People's Choice for Best New Series.

If you want to watch the most interesting and twisted trip you'll every take, then LEGION is exactly the show you want to watch. From twists and turns in the story line to singing and dancing trips, this series isn't about to give you one little hint about the direction it plans to go.

I am going to be thrilled when Season Two begins but let's be clear, I had to watch Season One of LEGION twice because there is so much to take in I wanted to be prepared for what is to come. This is definitely a series that needs to continue to think out of the box and go places no one expects the story to go and don't ever put on the brakes!

In the end - there is no door to this rubber room!