The Are Together Because of a MASS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from writer/director Fran Kranz and Bleecker Street comes the story of two couples that are trying to come to terms with the MASS.

Judy (Breeda Wool) and Anthony (Kagen Albright) are preparing a room in the basement of a church. Trying to make it comfortable and stress free, they meet with Kendra (Michelle N. Carter) who looks over everything giving it her seal of approval.

In the parking lot are couple Gail (Martha Plimpton) and Jay (Jason Isaacs), sitting in the car discussing if they are able to go inside. Gail becomes stressed at the mere idea of what they have decided to do on this day. Gathering their wits about them, they go inside to meet with Kendra entering the very quiet room set up for them.

A few minutes later, Linda (Ann Dowd) and Richard (Reed Birney) come into the room as both couples sit around a table. Kendra leaves them to talk but that is where the awkwardness begins. These two couples have come together to discuss their sons, death, reasons, excuses and pain that no one else in the world could know.

It is about to get real honest real fast!

Plimpton as Gail is, as the actress describes it, “is a woman who is kind of frozen. She loves her husband; she’s alienated and stuck there. She desperately wants to see a way out, but she is not able to navigate it. I wanted to find out where the character would take me.” She takes on this character’s pain, frustration and anguish to such a level that is believable and hits deep to the heart.

Isaacs as Jay is a man who wants to help the grief his wife is feeling but it is mixed with anger of his own. Trying to be more analytical than emotion is testing his own limits. “I read it and sobbed…how do people get beyond resentment; how do people get beyond hatred? How do people see their sworn enemies as human beings?” Issacs takes his character through all the gambit of emotions, but it takes saying everything he needs to find that place of living again.

Dowd as Linda is a woman who has wrapped herself with a shroud of grief and guilt never knowing which is going to take over. Just walking into the room, Dowd’s character is a shell and guilt is pouring out of every move she makes. “Hers is a heart injury and a soul injury that she does not believe will be released ever. She’ll move forward, just to be able to stay alive…she retained her kindness, and she did not put up the strong and tall wall to protect herself.”

Birney as Richard is a well dress businessman who sees everything straight forward even though it clearly is not. He speaks as a man who is hesitant to admit to anything wrong but when push comes to shove, it is the way he speaks that brings out the frustration for Gail and Jay. “He [Richard] clearly does not want to be at this meeting. He’ll show up but he’s not going to be – intimidated by the situation in the room.”

Bleecker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

MASS has its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.

“This is a movie about life after loss and the need for reconciliation,” says director Kranz. “I never imagined when I wrote it that it could fee so relevant and urgent, and I am honored to work with Bleecker Street in finding the largest audience possible for this story”.

MASS is a film that is so relevant as once something like this happens, we are shocked and speak about gun control then it stops. What is left behind are families – Moms, Dads, sister, brothers, aunts, uncle, grandparents, and friends who attempt to piece together the biggest question of all – why?

It is not that this film will answer those questions, instead, we are privy to the process of these two families sorting out the niceties, pleasantries and the brutal truth about what is really underneath. This is how they deal with the day-to-day life trapped in a swamp of toxicity. Its time for the truth, a reality check and to just breathe!

MASS is brilliantly done with no distractions on the screen as these four actors take this story head on and do not let up for the entire one hour and fifty minutes. Nothing slips by and excuses are not tolerated, instead, we are the fifth person in the room who is not allowed to speak but asked to feel. That is extremely powerful.

In the end – the only way out is to forgive.

They Are Going Through it TOGETHER

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from director Stephen Daldry and Bleeker Street comes a story of a couple just trying to keep it TOGETHER.

The city of London has just learned that it is about to be lockdown due to Covid-19. Bringing in their own stockpile of toilet paper and other sundries, he (James McAvoy) begins the conversation with her (Sharon Horgan) about it all. Son Arthur (Samuel Logan), or Artie depending on which parent is talking about him, is taking it all in.

Both are thinking of their jobs as she is a refugee coordinator and responsible for helping to take care of an aging mother. He has his own business that can be done from home even though he worries about his employees. Their time together slowly brings out issues that have gone unresolved in their relationship.

As the days wear on, so do the jabs, one-liners, truths, beards, man-buns and stories of when things started to take a turn in the marriage. But also, in the months that have worn on, like with so many others, quarantining is forcing decisions to be made and hardships to be endured.

It is a day-by-day effort to find the truth about themselves.

McAvoy as He is absolutely stunning in this role. He sets up his character with the back-and-forth witty repartee with his wife instead of addressing the real issues. Well, the pandemic had other plans forcing him to come to terms with feelings he long ignored for the sake of their son. McAvoy explains his character as “he can not help but be in love with her. His performance is flawless, his long talks with the audience are filled with everything you need to know about the couple and bring a mixture of sadness and a few chuckles. These two people are inextricably enmeshed. How they feel about each other is so tangible, so intense, funny, surprising, hateful, compassionate, caring and utterly transformative at times.”

Horgan as She lets the words fly out as easily as her husband. Filled with wit and, at times, dripping with distain, she gives as good as she gets. That does not mean their history has gone without damage and She is not about to let her voice be silenced. In the mix of that is the pain of loss on so many levels and Horgan lets us feel it along with her. Horgan says of her character, “It was not as hard as I feared to find the anguish. In a way, we were reliving parts of our own lives through those characters, and it was all there for the taking. There were not many moments where I was worried, I was not going to feel the emotion. When Dennis writes, he can break your heart.”

Bleeker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

Dennis Kelly wrote the screenplay for TOGETHER and says, “The heart of the story is their relationship. Many people have had similar experiences during the pandemic, but this particular couple simply cannot stand each other. I doubt they’ve really spoken in about ten years. They can’t even agree on their son’s first name. They are just not the kind of people who should be together, and lockdown is the worst thing that could possibly happen to them.”

Director Daldry says of the reality of it all, “Inevitably you go through the process of questioning yourself, your relationships, your family and the world. As we continue to emerge out of this extraordinary period of history, it seems important to commemorate the eighteen months we’ve all been through. Doing a piece about a couple that struggles to endure was a cathartic experience for me and I hope for people watching it as well.”

The extraordinary thing about the film TOGETHER is that there was ten days of rehearsal and a ten-day shoot. Because the scenes are kept within the house of the couple, we all can relate to what four walls can do. Their home is an outward view of what has been going on prior to the quarantine and it becomes even more disorganized as the couple’s emotions and feelings do.

Speaking of four walls, McAvoy has the opportunity to break that fourth wall when he invites us into the problems. Speaking directly to us, the story has the opportunity to let us see both sides of their pain and even the biting humor that has kept the couple together for so long. Talking it out there are moments where they believe it will all be okay but in reality, they need to dive deeper because that’s where they have shoved it all for years.

TOGETHER is a film that you cannot turn away from, every moment has something to say about staying together, trying to keep a family front, being totally different from one another in what they want and being forced together for an undetermined amount of time in a confined place.

Sound familiar? I love this movie.

 

In the end - no one said pandemics were easy!

 

 

 

The Story of THE LONELIEST WHALE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from director Joshua Zeman and Bleeker Street is the story of the ocean and what creature has come to be known as THE LONELIEST WHALE.

Zeman takes us on a journey to tell a story that is unknown by most, yet we all are fascinated by the sea where it takes place. It is 1989 in the Pacific Ocean when the United States Navy is using under water surveillance called SOSUS to listen for enemy subs during the Cold War era. During a surveillance they discovered a sound that they could not identify registering at 52 hertz which was not a submarine. It was a low 52 hertz sound that repeated itself over and over with no reply.

Enter Dr. William Watkins of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who deduced that it was a whale calling out for others of its kind. He called the whale “52” believing it was a solitary whale with no other of its kind. In 2004, after tracking 52 for over twelve years, the whale was about to become the focus of fascination worldwide.

Hearing about the 52 Hertz Whale is director Zeman, and it was then that the tale of a sad and lonely whale captivated him. Researching the story, he would soon discover that he was not the only won who could not stop thinking about 52. He discovered songs, paintings, and all manner of expression from those who connected with the whale.

After a whale watching trip, Zeman wondered if it were possible to find 52 after all these years. Locating Bruce Mate from the Marine Mammal Institute, he asked if it was possible to look for the lonely whale. With no one ever actually laying eyes on 52, it became an even bigger adventure for Zeman and Mate.

Another challenge would be to raise fund for such a search. They would need cameras, a boat, scientists, and research equipment. Adrian Grenier and Leonardo DiCaprio donated because of their concern for ocean conservation. After trial and error, it would be Dr. John Hildebrand from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UCSD who would help them. But there are so many more people that made the expedition to find 52 possible with their data and ears to the water.

Hildebrand says, “Everybody loves whales. It is hard not to love them. They are very majestic animals, and they are mammals like us. I think the thing is most people think we know a lot more about whales and the ocean and marine mammals than we actually do. You can value and love and appreciate something and not know everything about it, and maybe that’s part of the attraction, the mystery.”

This group of dedicated believers want only one thing, to hear 52 once again and know that perhaps he has found what his call has been looking for through the years. Their excitement and joy in the expedition can bring answers that the world has been asking for, ‘where is 52?’

Bleeker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

Director Zeman says of 52, “No one’s loneliness is cut from the exact same cloth as anyone else’s, but this one story of a whale brought us all together. This creature is more alone than any of us could ever imagine, and yet refuses to give up, continues to call out, hoping to one day be heard. It is a story that I want to share with other – one that inspires us to have hope and reminds us that the bonds of love, friendship, and family we share must remain meaningful as we navigate the vast oceans of our ever-changing world.”

This is truly a lovely documentary because it is based on fascination and a wonderment that has lasted for years. The continual song of one whale changed so much about the way scientists and people see what was in our oceans. A song of longing is the way 52’s life has been seen until this point and Zeman is responsible for taking his fascination and bringing it to life.

The difficult expedition could have been daunting to some, but Zeman found the same fascination in scientists and others who wanted to be part of something amazing and wonderful. This documentary lets us share in their journey of discovery and the amazing range of emotions with a search that brings joy to us all.

In the end – it is a call that has kept us fascinated!

 

There is Love in a SUPERNOVA

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this week and soon to Digital from writer/director Harry MacQueen and Bleeker Street comes a story of love when knowing we are all part of a SUPERNOVA.

Pianist Sam (Colin Firth) and writer Tusker (Stanley Tucci) have decided to take a road trip and visit some of the people and places that they have shared. In an RV and driving on narrow roads on left side, they take loving jabs at one another until they reach one of their beautiful destinations.

Going from a beautiful lake to Sam’s sister Lilly’s (Pippa Haywood) home, they spend time with family and friends talking about what Tusker is writing and when Sam will play next. Later in the evening, Sam discovers something about his partner that he did not know before and isn’t sure how to deal with it.

Listening to Tusker and Charlotte (Nina Marlin) together in the evening air, it is clear that he is a loving person who sees the beauty in each and every star. On their way to the next destination, it is clear there is tension between the two. Once arriving, Sam must decide how to handle what he knows understanding that Tusker’s illness may make that difficult.

Firth as Sam is the music half of this relationship and is getting back into that world by preparing to play a small intimate concert. Taking the road trip with Tusker is an amazing way to revisit a few of the memorable places that mean something to them both. Firth is snappy in wit, lovely in affection and gives a beautiful performance mired in a deep sadness. This lovely actor has always had a soft spot in my heart and in SUPERNOVA, he proves why that is.

Tucci as Tusker is the writer half of the relationship and he has a lot to say. The problem is that he is having a difficult time saying it with pen to paper. Tucci matches wits with the character of Sam but then again, he has clearly made a career out of it and excelling consistently. Tucci in this role gives us a man dealing with knowing his life is slipping away and trying to accept that reality for both himself and Sam. Tucci is also an actor that I adore because he makes his roles look effortless whether it be a comedy or a drama.

Other cast include Peter MacQueen as Clive, Ian Drysdale as Paul, Sarah Woodward as Sue, James Dreyfus as Tim, Lori Campbell as Lola, Daneka Etchells as Rachel and Truffles as fur-baby as Ruby.

Bleeker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

SUPERNOVA is a film of love, relationships, secrets, and grief wrapped up in two men who have made a life for themselves. From the first scene it is clear that Firth and Tucci bring their characters in with such believability that it felt like being a third wheel in the RV. I wanted to hear their story and more about the life they have shared together.

That is what makes this film so totally stunning, the beauty of their trip, the reality that even love can not stop what is coming for them and the acceptance of what is to come. Firth and Tucci allows us to share in all of that in such a way that the final scene just brings tears.

Writer/director MacQueen gives us everything in its simplest form allowing us to not be distracted by anything else but the relationship between Sam and Tusker. Even their surroundings from the RV to the countryside is cinematic to be sure and reminds us the world can be so lovely, as lovely as Sam and Tusker.

In the end – in this life never forget who you love and why.

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming soon from director writer/director John Patrick Shanley and Bleeker Street comes the story of life and land in WILD MOUNTAIN THYME.

Tony (Christopher Walken) has lived his life on a beautiful plot of land in Ireland with his son Anthony (Jamie Dornan). In the land next to them is Aoife (Dearbhla Molloy) and daughter Rosemary (Emily Blunt) who keeps her heart out for Anthony.

When Anthony learns that his father might be selling the land to him, he is devastated. He also learns that nephew Adam (Jon Hamm) from America is coming for Tony’s birthday and that is who is considered front runner for the land. There is also a piece of land between Tony and Aoife that belongs to Rosemary!

Tragedy hits Rosemary, Tony wonders if his idea of selling the farm is a very good one and Adam returns to New York. When Anthony’s life changes, he suggests to Rosemary that maybe she should go and see the world and leave the farm. She takes off for New York and meets up with Adam and finally sees a dream on stage.

Anthony lets Rosemary know that he believes Adam is looking for a wife. This is where things get pickled as Anthony cares for Rosemary, Rosemary cares for Anthony and Adam will either make or break them or maybe the secrets they have will explain it all!

Blunt as Rosemary is just so dang cute its ridiculous. Of course, everything Blunt has done is amazing to watch so I did not expect this to be any different. As Rosemary, she is a dreamer and the most patient woman I think I have ever heard of. What I love about this character is that she knows there is something keeping them apart and pulls and pulls again believing that even in her dreams there is something to hold on to.

Dornan as Anthony is a painfully shy man who just does not know his worth to himself and those around him. Dornan is so sweet in this role and even the awkwardness of Anthony only makes him more endearing. Practicing a way to reach the point where he can speak to Rosemary, he constantly is being pulled back by his own fears. Playing opposite Walken is the father-son realities that there is a history in every one’s life, even a father.

Hamm as Adam is not happy when Tony keeps him dangling on a string. Returning to New York, he is surprised to see Rosemary again and that is when he wonders if he has what it takes to be an Irish farmer.  

Walken as Anthony is crotchety, pushy and has a goal – to see his son alone no longer. Although his accent gets a little muddled at times, it changes nothing about his performance. There is a scene between father and son that is not only tissue worthy but thumps the heart because it was a moment of pure love between the two.

Other cast includes Jon Tenney as tommy, Danielle Ryan as Maeve, Lydia McGuinness as Eleanor, Abigail Coburn as young Rosemary and Darragh O’Kane as young Anthony.

Bleeker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME is the kind of film that I adore during a stressful time. It is set in the glorious green of Ireland with vast open land, animals and streams. There is something wonderful just seeing that scenery mixed with something we do not see a lot of in Southern California – rainstorms!

This is a story of generational families and stories that are not told until time has its way. Watching Walken play Dornan’s father is full of emotion, bold, brassy and loud emotion. In case anyone is wondering if Irish families are like that, well, my grandmother’s side certainly was and is. Outspoken, vocal, and no nonsense were the order of the day in her household. That in itself made me laugh at the film watching Blunt be everything I saw in my own grandmother.

It is also a story of love and longing by two people who have such different dreams yet have known each other since childhood. Even then, a fence did not stop them from consistently being pulled toward one another because everything they did not say are the things that could have brought them together sooner. Isn’t that how we all are?

Grab your own love, cuddle up with a huge comfy blanket on a fluffy sofa and be whisked away to Ireland and cheer on the couple who wants what you have – minus the fence.

In the end – there is nothing more dangerous than an Irish woman in love!

It is Time to SAVE YOURSELVES

 

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres and coming to Digital from writer/directors Alex H. Fischer, Eleanor Wilson and Bleeker Street is a tale of unplugging in order to SAVE YOURSELVES.

In a world where putting down your phone can be cause for therapy, Su (Sunita Mani) and Jack (John Reynolds) cannot seem to find alone time without their phones. Their friend Ralph (Ben Sinclair) comes to visit and tells them that he finds peace away from technology in a remote cabin.

Thinking it is exactly they need to disconnect from the world and reconnect with one another, off they go. Spending time talking, playing games and enjoying each other's company, Suni makes sure their phones are turned off without telling Jack. After a night of fun, they wake to a, well poofy thing in their cabin. After it quickly escapes Jack and Suni wonder what could be going on.

Turning their phones on they discover that something has happened in the world. The poofy thing that came into their cabin has a bit of an alcohol problem and he is not really keen on people either. Suni and Jack try to make it back to civilization but what is attacking the planet has other plans.

Reynolds as Jack is a man who is attached to his phone and has an issue with lashing out in his sleep. His character is funny, insecure, and addicted to a phone that he believes is everything in his life dragging him away from commitments to Su.

Mani as Su wants more from their relationship but has a problem with letting go of her phone as well. When their friend offers up his cabin, Su sees this as a great opportunity to get reacquainted with Reynolds without the bother of phones ringing, messages or mindless scrolling. When the poof shows up, she springs into action, but it might not be enough.

Shout out to Sinclair as Ralph, convincing Jack and Su to spend time away. With friends like Ralph, who needs…well, you get it.

Bleeker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

SAVE YOURSELVES is a relationship-alien-survival film at its simplest. The film is about Jack and Su but then again what is a relationship without dealing with outer space. I mean every time I go to the desert; I deal with seeing UFO's and aggressive little green, grey ummm…persons so there is that.

These characters begin with the distractions of technology, take a chance on getting away from it all and end up dealing with technology from another world. It is what happens in between that is hilarious., complicated, maternal and hilarious.

SAVE YOURSELVES received nomination nods from both the Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival and a Grand Jury Prize Nominee at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the end - turning off their phones was the dumbest thing they could have done on the planet!

 

There is Trauma in THE SECRETS WE KEEP

 Jeri Jacquin

This week from writer/director Yuval Adler, Ryan Covington and Bleeker Street is the story of pain and memories in THE SECRETS WE KEEP.

World War II is over and life in America for Romanian housewife Maja (Noomi Rapace) is busy one. Helping husband Lewis (Chris Messina) with his medical practice, they are a typical family raising young son Patrick (Jackson Vincent). While at the park, Maja hears something that brings about a unsettling memory.

A man whistling for his dog causes Maja to follow to see his face. Going home without answers, Maja starts to become nervous around Lewis and he notices. She becomes obsessed with discovering if the man is who she thinks he is and once its confirmed, another plan takes place.

Maja kidnaps Carl (Joel Kinnaman) and brings him to her basement. She finally comes clean with Lewis about her past, the war and who she believes is tied up in their basement. Questioning him and getting no answers, they decide to find out more about Carl and his past. Maja takes it as far as getting to know his wife Rachel (Amy Seimetz).

Declaring his innocence, Carl pleads for Lewis to listen and that Maja is mistaken. He tries his best, but Maja doesn't believe him and refuses to stop trying to get to the truth, no matter how painful for them all.

Rapace as Maja is a nervous chain-smoker who tries to a hide her past as deep inside her as possible. What happened in the war traumatized her so deeply that Lewis can always tell when something is wrong, he just does not know what it is. That is what makes Rapace so perfect for this role. She continues to show her strength in the roles she chooses, and this role is deep, intense and gut wrenching.

Messina as Lewis clearly loves his wife, son and his practice. He enjoys working with his wife and the community feeling he is contributing. He is shocked when Maja shares what is in their basement and why. He finds it all so difficult as his wife shares the secrets, she has been keeping from him for so long. Messina is understanding, suspicious and a husband trying to protect his wife.

Kinnaman as Carl has his own secrets that he is keeping from an unsuspecting wife. He pleads mainly with Lewis to understand that he is not the person Maja fears and that he is willing to walk away and forget the whole thing. Kinnaman is powerful for someone tied in a basement as everything Maja wants to know is in his eyes.

Seimetz as Rachel is a woman who is trying to understand why her husband would leave. Taking care of their two children now becomes her priority and she comes to appreciate Maja's visits. They talk about their husbands and lives, but Rachel does not know Maja is just getting information.

Other cast include Madison Jones as Annabelle, Jeff Pope as Jim White, David Maldonado as Officer Brouwer, Ed Amatrudo as Dr. Sonnderquist and Ritchie Montgomery as Mitchell.

Bleeker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

THE SECRETS THEY KEEP is a story about survival and the trauma that follows years later. It's about remembering those loved and lost but never forgetting who caused the pain. Once Maja sees Carl, all the pain she has hidden from everyone in her life cannot be stuffed back down.

It is clear that Maja doesn't know exactly what she is doing or even what it is she truly wants. Revenge? Answers? She takes it one step at a time, one thought at a time and Lewis fears her as each episode passes. These three people are locked in madness created by the past and it will end - one way or another.

An excellent cast and a suspenseful story have been put together by Adler and Covington. The cast brings an intensity that leaves an ending that even I did not see coming. Fear is a terrible thing and makes people do things that would not ordinarily do and THE SECRETS THEY KEEP is an excellent example of that.

In the end - a quiet neighborhood with a secret past!

Voices Ring Out from MILITARY WIVES

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Hulu, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and other VOD platforms for Memorial Day weekend from director Peter Cattaneo and Bleecker Street comes the story of friendship and song with the MILITARY WIVES.

It is not easy as British military wives watch their husbands from Flitcroft base pack up for their assignment to Afghanistan in 2009. Kate (Kristin Scott Thomas) and Lisa (Sharon Horgan) make it a point to find something constructive for the wives to do in their Social Committee. After many suggestions, a choir seemed to be the ideal choice since knitting doesn’t go over very well.

Kate is a strong presence and very opinionated about how things should go, and Lisa tries to find a way around it. Having some musical ability, Lisa attempts to guide the women into singing songs that they can have fun with as Kate is more serious in her choices.

Both women have their own family issues as Lisa tries to maintain a strained relationship with daughter Frankie (India Amarteifio) and Kate continues to hide the mourning of her son from everyone.

But the women learn to work together and have a few missteps until they learn that they have been invited to sing at The Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Tensions rise and so do tempers as the performance day nears and the women must come together, or it will all fall apart.

Thomas as Kate is a woman trying to keep up an emotional front and not let anyone see her pain. Seeing her husband off almost seems a relief so that she can be alone. Thomas puts up a hard front until it begins to crack brought on by the choir and her constant head butting with Lisa.

Horgan as Lisa is a woman who is also keeping up an emotional front of being unphased by her husband’s recent deployment. Her detachment affects the relationship with daughter Frankie and instead of dealing with that, she throws herself music first into the choir.

Thomas and Horgan carry the film and give the viewer a glimpse inside the lives of this group of women as they sing their way into a better place in their lives. The women of the choir cast gave me many reasons to smile and a few moments of laughter. Seeing their two leaders have a go at one another doesn’t sway them from their purpose of song.

Other cast include: Robert Whitelock as Malc, Stephen Thompson as Stuart, Robbie Gee as Red, Roxy Faridany as Dawn, Greg Wise as Richard, Laura Checkley as Maz, Laura Elphinstone as Helen, Amy Kelly as Sarah, Emma Lowndes as Annie, Lara Rossi as Ruby and Gaby French as Jess.

Bleeker Street is a New York City film company that has brought outstanding films to the public. Their library includes TRUMBO, DENIAL, THE LOST CITY OF Z, BEIRUT, HOTEL MUMBAI, ORDINARY LOVE and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN. For more information on the titles from Bleeker Street please visit www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com.

MILITARY WIVES is the story of more than just one group of women as the Military Wives Choirs have over 75 groups on military bases across the UK. They have performed in such places as the Royal Albert Hall and for Queen Elizabeth. Their performances have brought about donations to the Royal British Legion and the SSAFA Forces charity.

What is truly enjoyable about the film is that for a moment in time, these women come together to find a way to deal with their struggles. Of course, it is about their husbands going so far from home and in a dangerous situation but, it is also about their feelings, at home raising kids, and finding something greater than themselves.

There are intense emotions to be sure, but there is also a bit of fun and lots of music. The film has a cast that effortlessly portray people we all could know, are related to and love. That is important when reaching an audience who already live in a world full of uncertainty.

In the end – united they sing!

This is not a Simple ORDINARY LOVE

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from directors Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn and Bleeker Street is the story of the unexpected bumps in a couple’s life of ORDINARY LOVE.

Joan (Lesley Manville) and Tom (Liam Neeson) have settled into a life that is comfortable for them both. Their routine includes a brisk walk, shopping, television time and humor that is easy for this couple. The comfortable life is interrupted when Joan discovers a lump in her breast.

Keeping everything easy in conversation until they know something more, Joan and Tom continue with their life. When the results are not what they were hoping, the life they had been sharing becomes a test on everything they had been holding on to.

Early into her treatment, Joan meets Peter (David Wilmot) who is a teacher. Now Joan feels a kinship to someone who understands what having cancer brings out in emotions. Spending time in the cafeteria during Joan’s treatments, Tom meets Peter’s partner Steve (Amit Shah) and finds the same kinship of having someone you love living in fear.

As the treatment progresses so does the tension between two people who truly love one another because spending years together with a history.

Manville as Joan is a woman who will forever have a place in my heart. This film brings a very realistic look at the fear, anxiety and frustration that comes with the word ‘cancer’. Even more so for a woman when it is breast cancer. Every thought that came across her face I understood as will most women who have ever had to deal with this disease. From the moment Joan finds the lump to the very end of the film, I remembered that feeling of having no control of anything. Manville is stunning – period.

Neeson as Tom is a man who takes life one day at a time. He wit with Joan is something I couldn’t help but laugh at. Come on, who doesn’t want a partner who can match wits and bring out the best sarcasm. Coming to terms with Joan’s prognosis, he deals with the same feelings of fear, anxiety and frustration except his tact is to keep it inside to be the strong part of the partnership. Even superman can’t keep that up before emotions come to a head. The conversation with his daughter is nothing short of heartbreaking. Well, just when I couldn’t adore Neeson more he gives me reason too.

Wilmot as Peter shares his feelings with Joan, and it is only natural that the two strike up a friendship. Being brutally honest about their feelings is something each can’t do with their partner. Shah as Steve is lost, and Tom sees it from across the room which makes their friendship a bit of a life raft.

ORDINARY LOVE is almost an indescribably film because it is based in a subject matter that most people find uncomfortable. Yes, there are films that deal with cancer, but this is a raw and in-your-face look at what it looks like skin to skin. Cancer takes, and takes, and takes and takes until the lid of safety we all create in our lives is weakened to the point of explosion.

Tom and Joan have a comfortable life but that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues in the life history they share that have never been truly resolved or spoken of. This is also a time where Joan realizes things about herself that are eye opening (if cancer isn’t enough) and Tom also stretches his emotions to what seems like a dangerous place for this character.

Manville and Neeson carry this film from start to finish and they don’t slack at any point. What they give is a fantastic performance that I easily forgot was a performance. Perhaps it is because I have been in Joan’s shoes myself or perhaps, I felt she had a love with Tom that many of us didn’t have going through a difficult time.

So, what ORDINARY LOVE does for those who have experienced cancer, a reminder of what it means to survive and for those that have not experienced it, this is a film to experience how close this film truly is.

I adored Joan and Tom’s relationship in its simplicity and humor and as more of their story is revealed, you feel for this couple even more and become the outside cheerleader to push them toward healing.

In the end – love doesn’t give up.

THE ASSISTANT Opens the Door of an Intern

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres from writer/director Kitty Green and Bleeker Street comes a story of the grind and secrets of being nothing more than THE ASSISTANT.

Jane (Julia Garner) is a young graduate who finds a position as an assistant in a film company. Daily her life is a series of motions from the darkness of morning until the darkness of night. Doing everything that is asked of her, Jane continually finds herself on the edge as the other assistants try to throw her a lifeline.

Her biggest problem is noticing the little things that go on in the office including the behaviors of the executives regarding women. Keeping her head down and taking on some of the more disgusting tasks, Jane takes the initiative to speak to Wilcock (Matthew Macfadyen) in HR about what is happening. Almost immediately she is belittled and all but told to do her job and mind her place.

When another young woman is brought into the office, Jane doesn’t need anyone to tell her that she isn’t there for the same reasons Jane is. That’s when she must decide if this is the life she wants for a career producing or is it time to walk away.

This is not the Hollywood she thought.

Garner as Jane is a mild young woman who sees her future in the torment of her job. Coming in early mornings and going home late with the madness in between is the only way she sees moving forward. This actress gives it all she has and yet her face manages to present itself in such a way as to not show any emotion to her credit. I couldn’t have done the role because I’d be screaming to much!

Macfadyen as Wilcock (aptly named if you ask me) is nothing short of every woman’s nightmare in that he patiently listens to Jane, repeats back to her what she says and then managed to shred every concern she has without ever raising his voice. The whole time this character has a look of someone you’d trust while sharpening his claws under the desk where you can’t see it coming.

The other roles are small to be sure but powerful nonetheless as it points to everyone knowing a thing but pretending it doesn’t matter in the everyone-for-themselves mentality.

Other cast include Makenzie Leigh as Ruby, Kristine Froseth as Sienna, Juliana Canfield as Sasha, Alexander Chaplin as Max, Dagmara Dominczyk as Elle, Lou Martini Jr. as John and Liz Wisan as Edwina.

THE ASSISTANT reminds me of the film SWIMMING WITH SHARKS but a woman. The cut-throat, turning away of the business brings out the shady attitude of everyone concerned. Even Jane’s co-workers are all about the apology emails and letting the boss know ‘it will never happen again’.

I have to admit that I was disgusted that she had to even write the e-mails, but I think the scene in the office with her scrubbing the furniture was my breaking point. We all, whether we admit it or not, have done things in our jobs that no one would believe but in Jane’s case it is all much to much which is the purpose of the film. Bringing out such a reaction from me is saying something as I found myself talking to the screen and Jane a lot during the film.

The film doesn’t hide behind the glitz and glamor of Hollywood but instead portrays the raw underbelly of secrets and deceptions and those who pay. I watched this character follow her dreams only to discover that it’s a nightmare to get there.

THE ASSISTANT won the Truly Moving Picture Award from Heartland Film this year for writer/director Green and Bleecker Street Media. It was also nominated for Best Film by the Panorama Audience Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

In the end – its what is not said that says everything!

An Emotional and Startling Film from Beginning to End with HOTEL MUMBAI

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director Anthony Maras and Bleeker Street comes the terrifying attack on the crown jewel of India with HOTEL MUMBAI.

It is 2008 and Arjun (Dev Patel) is a husband and father who works at the Taj Hotel. His boss Chef Hemant Oberoi (Anupam Kher) and hotel butler Jamon (Alex Pinder) strives to each employee that the hotel has a reputation so the staff must constantly strive for perfection. Stressing that whatever a guest needs is what a guest gets.

Arriving for their stay are couple Zahra (Nazanin Boniadi) and husband David (Armie Hammer) along with their baby and nanny Sally (Tilda Cobham-Hervey). Also Vasili (Jason Isaacs), a Russian who owns a company and knows how to enjoy himself arrives with many more guests checking in.

What no one in Mumbai knows is that a group of men led on the phone by the Bull has a plan for the city. Imran (Amandeep Singh), Abdullah (Suhail Nayyar), Houssam (Manoj Mehra), Rashid (Dinesh Kumar), Ismail (Amriptal Singh) and Ajmal (Kapil Netra) are about to wreak havoc.

Beginning with a restaurant the shooting starts and no one is spared, and as the gunman run, again they shoot and this time at police. The crowd starts running and come to the doors of the Taj Hotel. Begging to be let in, what they don't know is that the gunman are among them.

Within minutes the hotel is under siege as Oberoi tries to get as many guests as possible into a room where Arjun helps all he can. From the reception desk and going room to room, the gunman are indiscriminate and unstoppable. Eating at the hotel restaurant, David, Zahra and Vasili hit the floor and remain quiet but Zahra is frantic that the nanny Sally and her baby don't know what's coming.

The gunman are guided by their constant telephone calls from the Bull who keep the frenzy going. Police can only sit by and watch helplessly as most of their force has been killed and the Special Forces are coming from Delhi.

The survivors must work together under the most unimaginable horror to survive and save as many as they can.

Patel as Arjun portrays such a humble man who wants to do a good job. It doesn't help that on this particular day he has footwear issues. He immediately goes into his job and is pleasant, knowledgeable and very endearing. That is what Patel does, he takes a character like Arjun and gives him such relatability and heart and in a second has a role in THE WEDDING GUEST and turns into something completely different. In HOTEL MUMBAI he puts himself second, third and fourth sometimes and always ahead of everyone else. The final scene with Patel just tore me up. THAT is how good Patel is on the screen.

Kher as Oberoi is the father figure of the hotel and his staff listens to him. Doing his best to keep everyone calm and, more importantly, quiet, he never forgets to treat them with dignity (even if some fly off the hinges). Pinder as Jamon has a small role but he constantly reminds everyone that the Taj Hotel is home to the staff and they will defend it.

Boniadi as Zahra is a mother who is going to do anything for her child and husband. Her plans are daring, dangerous and actually made me catch my breath a time or two. Hammer as David wants to bring the family back together which means finding a way to get back up to their room without the gunman discovering him.

Isaac as Vasili is a Russian who isn't afraid of the gunman but knows not to tangle with them either. He takes a protective role for Zahra when she needs it most. He usually is a good guy or a bad guy but in this role he has the opportunity to be both but has his reasons.

Singh, Nayyar, Mehra, Kumar and Amriptal Singh have the most difficult of all roles in this film. As the gunman they are wrapped up tightly in this story with their weapons and their belief that the voice of Bull is guiding them correctly. When I say this isn't an easy role I absolutely mean it. From the moment the first shots are fired, these characters are going to be absolutely disgusted by anyone viewing the film. Of course that is the point but man it takes some acting guts to put yourselves in a role that even though absolutely necessary to the story.

Other cast include Adithi Kalkunte as Simple, Vipin Sharma as Dilip, Gaurav Paswala as Sanjay, Natasha Bordizzo as Bree, Angus McLaren as Eddie, Chantal Contouri as Mrs. Karvelas, Carmen Duncas as Lady Wynn and Sachin Joab as Vijay.

FINAL WORD: To the actors may I say a heartfelt thank you. This is not an easy story to tell, nor could it have been easy to put on film, yet you all took a leap of belief that it is a story that needed to be told. To the writers John Collee and Anthony Masas, it is important that HOTEL MUMBAI not be sugar coated and you both wrote that extraordinarily well.

This is based on true events and no event could have been more terrifying than this one. We all know a little of the story that comes out from the news but until the details are put in front of you it is quite easy to forget. I do not think I will ever now forget what happened at the Taj Hotel. There have only been a handful of true event films that have hit me hard and the hardest was the 2012 film THE IMPOSSIBLE.

I can honestly say that now, said film will have to share the top spot with HOTEL MUMBAI. This film brings the brutality, the humanity, the intensity and the utter heartbreak with each frame of the film. In the midst of the constant barrage of gunfire is the bravery and courage of those who would not let a moment go by without helping - even if it cost them dearly.

There wasn't a moment where I couldn't catch my breath, found myself whispering at the screen, put my hand over my mouth and yes, even felt my eyes well up with tears. This is an extraordinary film from the beginning until the end scene that reminds us of what is truly important - and it isn't shoes.

In the end - in November of 2008 terror struck the heart of the India.

ARCTIC Brings Life and Death into a Cold Reality

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres from writer/director Joe Penna and Bleeker Street comes the harsh reality and decisions that pit him against the ARCTIC.

Overgard (Mads Mikkelsen) is stranded after an airplane crash in the desolate part of the Arctic. Living day to day he rises, fishes, makes sure a message can be seen from the air and sits on a hill to send out a signal to anyone who may be listening. Living inside the wreckage of his plane is the only thing between himself and the elements.

While sending out his usual signal, he suddenly sees a helicopter and couldn't be more surprised. Glee turns to horror when the crafts swings out of control and crashes to the ground. Racing towards the wreckage, Overgard discovers one pilot dead and another, a young woman (Maria Smaradottir), still alive.

Gathering what medical supplies are on board, he loads the young woman onto a sled and takes her back to the plane. Returning to the wreckage, he gathers up anything that can be used to help continue their survival. One such item is a map!

As the days pass, Overgard continues to study the map and use the limited medical supplies but it is clear that his patient needs more than he can provide. That's when he makes the decision to load up and pull her to the nearest station to find help for them both.

The trip is long, arduous and Overgard is faced with decisions that bring him to the breaking point!

Mikkelsen as Overgard is a man who seems to have fallen into a day to day routine of survival. He always keeps his safe haven of a wrecked plane within visual distance, especially when there is a chance to encounter animals who live in the Arctic. There is a back-story to how he came to survive the crash but there are only glimpses of it which leaves the rest to the viewer. Mikkelsen is a tremendous actor and I will watch absolutely everything he is in. There is something mysterious about the way he portrays characters and with one look he can stop the world from spinning - well, at least in my world.

Smaradottir as the young woman tries her best to not only communicate with Overgard but hang on, especially when seeing all he has done to keep them both alive. Her role is limited to be sure but each time he checks on her, it becomes clear that there isn't much time as he pleads with her to just hold on a little longer. That is pretty much what I was saying to myself through the entire film!

There isn't much dialogue in the film but then again there doesn't need to be. There are a few moments when Overgard talks to himself that made me chuckle and there are times when he attempts to communicate with the wounded pilot. Again that is what makes Mikkelsen engaging to watch, everything you want to know you need only watch his expressions, the way he carries himself and the anger that comes with wanting to survive.

The cinematography is absolutely breathtaking with the vastness of wilderness, the peaks and valleys and the unforgiving moments where nature has its own way of doing things. Each time they stopped, Overgard would MacGyver a way to bring them shelter with the minimal supplies he dragged across the snow.

There are many survival films but there is something extremely breathtaking about a storyline that strips away all the trappings and forces choices that none of us would ever want to make. Throughout the film, this character makes those choices with every step he takes because now survival isn't just about him - he now has a reason to continue that is about more than one person.

ARCTIC is truly a visual and emotional ride that is beautiful, challenging, heartbreaking and will bring about a breath holding ending that you will long remember after the film has ended.

In the end - survival is its own journey.