A Perfect Comedy Seeking THE LOST CITY

 

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres from directors Aaron and Adam Nee and Paramount Pictures is an adventure for a writer, a model and gazillionaire looking for THE LOST CITY.

Loretta (Sandra Bullock) is an extremely successful romance novelist who is dealing with the lost of a loved one. Consigned to being over all the conventions and book tours, she just wants to take a break. Unfortunately, very determined publicist Beth (Da’Vine Randolph) is not going to let her get away with anything, including her obligations.

In a purple form fitting sequenced onesie, Loretta is on stage to talk to fans about her latest book and, much to her dismay, so is Alan (Channing Tatum). Alan is the book cover model with striking good looks and long flowing air who dazzles everyone but Loretta. On this occasion, clumsiness and an awkward backbend has Loretta twisting and Alan losing his locks.

Loretta decides she has had enough and storms off to meet her car, instead she is met by two large gentlemen who whisk her away. Waiting for her is Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe), a very energetic and excited gazillionaire who wants Loretta’s help. He believes she has the key to finding a hidden treasure based on her book. Assuring him that she does not know anything, Fairfax does not take no for an answer.

Waking up on a private jet, Fairfax makes it clear that Loretta is going to help and can start by deciphering glyphs. Where is Alan? Oh, well he has discovered that Loretta has been taken and Beth is frantic. He calls the one person Alan knows can track her down and that is Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt).

Meeting up, Alan and Jack discover Loretta’s phone is on a volcanic island and off they go. Loretta in the meantime is at the mercy of Fairfax who makes it clear she is not going anywhere till she helps. Well, shoot ups, sneak ups and bang ups later Loretta and Alan are in the middle of the jungle trying to get away from the bad guys.

Instead of instantly leaving, they sort of decide that they are going to look for the treasure Fairfax wants. Will they discover it? How far is Fairfax being them? Is Beth going to find them first? Is the mystery of the treasure even real? Find out when you see THE LOST CITY.

Bullock as Loretta gives us everything that is stereotypical thinking about romance novelists. Living a sad life, writing down her passions and dreams of romance and adventure while living a secluded existence. Except only some of that is true because Loretta is a smart woman just dealing with things on her own time. Once she is let out of that box, man the adventure follows, and Bullock delivers some of the funniest lines. I was laughing constantly and loved it.

Tatum as Alan, oh dearests Channing you are absolutely hilarious. Playing opposite Bullock, Tatum has found magic. Clearly Alan is in love with Loretta, and he does everything to try to show it but you can not get through someone who is jaded by her own work. Yet, there Alan is, persistent, patient yet also has some of the best mumbling answers but, there does come a moment where he lays out his truths and I applauded it.

Radcliffe as Fairfax is hilarious, wonderful and made his role looks like he was having more fun that he should have been. Clearly dealing with brother problems and trying to make his own mark in the work, Fairfax has a magazine rack full of issues. Radcliffe continues to shed his Potter days (although secretly we wish he’d make a return someday – embrace the Potter dude!) and this role took us clearly on the other side of the universe of that. I loved it and he cracked me up.

Randolph as Beth is clearly a woman who believes in her job, a paycheck and no nonsense. Those three things make her a combination to be dealt with and a force driving her to find Loretta and eventually Alan. Randolph held her own and did it with style and hilarity. Shout out to Oscar (Oscar Nunez) and his role as the airplane pilot trying to make his moves on Beth and yet we still remember his strip tease from Bullocks film THE PROPOSAL.

Now, about Brad Pitt, oh yes, Pitt as Trainer is everything in Loretta’s books and even more than everything that Alan wants to be for Loretta. He is suave, slick, adventurous, disarming (literally) and still as handsome as ever. Thanks, Brad, for that!

Other cast include Patti Harrison as Allison, Bowen Yang as Ray, Joan Pringle as Nana, Hector Anibal as Rafi, Thomas Johnson as Julian, Sli Lewis as Shades, Olga Bucarelli as the woman in the village, Adam Nee as Officer Sawyer and Raymond Lee as Officer Gomez.

Paramount Pictures is the longest operating and remaining major studio in Hollywood that has been on the ground floor of every major development in film. From the advent of motion pictures to the emergence of television, through the digital revolution, Paramount Pictures has been there. During our 100-year history, we have served as the production site for thousands of notable movies and television shows. For more please visit www.paramountstudios.com.

THE LOST CITY was hilarity from beginning to end. It has been a while since I laughed this much at a movie and repeated some of the lines since then. Reminiscent of ROMANCING THE STONE, this story let each of the cast members show their comedic side in equal measure. I thought all of them had the best parts and just loved what they brought to the film.

If you are looking to just laugh for two hours, THE LOST CITY is the film to make that happen. I had such a good time and along with my daughter and granddaughter, watching a good story, lots of action and adventure and a little surprise at the end of the credits. Laughing is just the medicine we needed and thanks to a stellar cast for giving us such a cool afternoon at the movies.

In the end – adventures is real but heroes are not!

The Boys Are Back in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray and Digital from director Quentin Tarantino and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes one of the most stellar films ever made with the 2009  classic INGLORIOUS BASTERDS.

It is 1941 France and the SS Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) is looking for a Jewish family. Suspecting a farmer is lying to him, what happens as a result shows the absolute heinousness of Landa. A young girl named Shoshanna does manages to escape with her life and nothing else.

Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) has put together a group called the Basterds with Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth), Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz (Til Schweiger), Corporal Wicki (Gedeon Burkhard) and more. Their goal? To bring fear and horror of their own to the Nazis, so much so that it gets back to Hitler and drives him to madness.

Emmanuelle Mimieux (Melanie Laurent) runs a cinema in Paris and keeps to herself but it does not last long. Capturing the attention of Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl), a German who is celebrated for the number of soldiers he has killed and for a film called Stolz der Nation (Nation's Pride).

Trying to impress Emmanuelle, he wants the premier of the film to be held at her film house but first must convince Joseph Goebbels. She must also meet Landa who is head of security and is told that as long as she runs the projection, there should not be a problem having the premiere.

Learning of what is happening, Lt. Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) is brought in to help the Basterds plan a little surprise at the premiere. Meeting undercover agent Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), everything is going smoothly - until it doesn't. Now, Raine must take Donowitz, Ultivich (B.J. Novak) and Ulmer (Omar Doom) along with Stiglitz and Wicki to get the job done.

Landa knows something is wrong and being the steely eyed rat that he is makes a deal so that the plan can move ahead. Both Landa and the Germans in the theatre are not ready for what is to come!

Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine is a man who says exactly what he means and holds nothing back. The calm force behind the Basterds, he leads them forward further and further into occupied France to make sure and take down as many Nazi's as they can. Pitt is nothing short of exceptional in this role and did something fantastic with this character in the look, sound and feel of Lt. Raine. He is charmingly frightening and who would have thought those two words would ever go together.

Waltz as Landa is also charmingly frightening in the look, sound and feel of this totally calm and collected murderer. Seeing the film in 2009 my first thought was, 'man does he love to hear himself talk' and it is in years since that I realized that his talking brought about all the right fear he wanted from his 'victims'. Just wait for that sweat to pour down their foreheads and - he had them! Waltz is an incredible actor and has proven that teaming up with Tarantino again for DJANGO UNCHAINED.

Laurent as Emmanuelle has been trying to live the best life she can under the circumstances. Finding a bit of a harbor in the cinema, everything she had been running from has finally caught up with her. Laurent is exceptional giving her character mannerisms and knowing exactly how she plans to rid herself of past pain. Kruger as von Hammersmark is the femme fatale who can easily work both sides of the fence. Having been a fan of Kruger for a long time, watching her bring everything campy to von Hammersmark, the switch is flipped when one false move sounds the alarms.

Fassbender as Lt. Hicox is fantastic and his scene in the basement bar is everything. There is a standoff like no other and, as with many of the characters in this film, he plays his part until the bitter end. Roth as Donnie "The Bear Jew" is just plain insane from start to finish, His most memorable scene with the clanging of the bat on a bridge wall can never be done again with the same intensity or insanity.

Bruhl as Zoller is a soldier being celebrated for all the wrong reasons in the minds of everyone but the Germans. Giving his character a bit of naiveté and having been shot by Cupids arrow, Bruhl seems to be the only character in the film that doesn't have a plan.

Shout out to Schweiger as Stiglitz because he is a man who does not have to say one stinkin' word because his face tells you everything frightening thing you need to know and, I loved it.

Other cast include August Diehl as Dieter Hellstrom, Denis Menochet as Perrier LaPadite, Hilmar Eichhorn as Emil Jannings, Martin Wutke as Adolf Hiter, Sylvester Groth as Joseph Goebbels, Mike Meyers as General Ed French, Rod Taylor as Winston Churchill, Alexander Fehling as Sgt. Wilhelm, Richard Sammel as Sgt. Rachtman, Sonke Mohring as Butz, Paul Rust as Andy Kagan, Michael Bacall as Michael Zimmerman, Carlos Fidle as Simon Sakowitz and Samuel L. Jackson as the narrator.

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.

The 4K Ultra HD and Bluray Bonus Features include: Over Two Hours of Bonus', Extended and Alternate Scenes, The New York Times Talks, Roundtable Discussion with Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt and Elvin Mitchell, Nation's Pride, Full Feature THE MAKING OF NATION'S PRIDE, The Original INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, A Conversation with Rod Taylor and more!

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS is first and foremost a violent, sometimes shockingly so film. Now that that is out of the way, it is also a brilliant piece of filmmaking. Tarantino as a screenwriter has always given theatre goers something to look forward to, always original and always in-your-face. As a director, he does not shy away from making it clear that the worlds he has written about are vivid, and cinematically eye opening (and even jaw dropping).

The cast is stunning from end to end and irreplaceable if anyone gets a wild hair thinking of remaking this in a few years. Everything about this film screams for us to throw away our notions and give into the story Tarantino is trying to tell. He takes thoughts and turns them into film with and ending that makes many feel uncomfortable but yet - not.

Tarantino's film is a must have for any home theatre library and now with 4K Ultra HD you can be sure everything you see will be sharper than ever.

In the end - once upon a time in Nazi occupied France!

SNATCH Returns to 4k Ultra HD

 

Jeri Jacquin

Returning to 4K Ultra HD and Bluray this week from writer/director Guy Ritchie and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment comes the plan to SNATCH.

Franky "Four-Fingers" (Benicio del Toro) is told by Cousin Avi (Dennis Farina) to go see Doug "the Head" (Mike Reid) about an 86-carat diamond that has been conveniently stolen. Franky goes to see Boris "The Blade" (Rade Serbedzija) to pack some heat but an interesting phone calls brings up another twist and a big favor.

Turkish (Jason Statham) smooth talks Brick Top (Alan Ford) into putting his boxer "Gorgeous George" (Adam Fogerty) up for a fight. Tommy (Stephen Graham) and George take on a favor for Turkish that leads to a knuckle boxing in the streets with Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt) which adds to twist in favors. When that favor goes wrong, Furious and Brick Top decide they are going to take matters into their own hands.

Boris looks for Franky, Brick Top looks for Sol (Lennie James), Vinny (Robbie Gee), Tyrone (Ade) and Yardie "Bad Boy" (Goldie)! Avi hires "Bullet-Tooth" (Vinnie Jones) to find Franky but they take Boris who is being followed by Sol, Vinny, and Tyrone. The only way to fix things is for Mickey to fight again and that twists up things but the next morning brings a dog walk and a discovery of more than anyone can imagine.

Confused yet?

The cast has to be kept together because there is no way I can describe the amazing performances one by one. Del Toro starts the film and as each cast member comes in, they put their stamp on HARD to the film. Of course, I adore Pitt in the film as O'Neil throwing Stratham into the mixer along with James makes a strong Irish drink with shakes of Serbedzija, Fogerty, Graham, Gee, Ade, Goldie and Jones.

The cinematography also makes these gentlemen look amazing in everything that they do giving SNATCH its look and feel. Trust me when I say that all of this makes the story important. Yes, I just love this film in all its form and function.

Other cast include Velibor Topic as The Russian, Sam Douglas as Rosebud, Ewen Bremner as Mullet, Andy Beckwith as Errol, Dave Legeno as John, William Beck as Neil, Sorcha Cusack as Mrs. O'Neill, Jason Flemyng as Darren, Jason Buckham as Gary, Mickey Cantwell as Liam, Teena Collins as Susi, Nicola Collins as Alex, Andy Beckwith as Errol and William Beck as Neil.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.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.

The Bonus Material includes: Newly Remastered in 4K Resolution from the Original Camera Negative, All New Dolby Tracks, Theatrical Trailer, Director and Producer Commentary, Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary, “Making Snatch” Featurette, Storyboard Comparisons, Video Photo Gallery and more!

SNATCH is ridiculously smart and very funny with a story that keeps the action going and a cast that makes it all look so seamless. I happen to like films with this kind of humor, and it might be considered dark humor, but it still makes me laugh no matter what category it falls under.

This is a cast that puts their all into it with Ritchie at the helm guiding the mayhem. It is like my messy desk, and someone comes along and tries to clean it up and I scream, "don't tough that, I know where everything is" - that's Ritchie. Yes, I'm using a lot of analogies here because, dang it, this is a treasure chest of fights, sparklies, gangsters, getaways and a dog. Seriously, who could ask for more!

SNATCH has become a fan favorite and found cult status among those who enjoy a film that never lets its secrets out which is why this review is kind of vague. Released in 2000, This film has held up and is just as fresh to watch today as the day it found its way into theatres.

In the end - they are stealin' stones and breakin' bones!

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Twists and Turns

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray and DVD from visionary writer/director Quentin Tarantino and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a film that can only be called ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD.

It is 1969 Los Angeles and Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is having an identity crisis. Once the lead in his own television series, he also makes time to do roles in other television shows. Living in the Hollywood hills on the secluded Cielo Drive, he is driven around town by his stunt double and friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt).

Also living on Cielo Drive next door is actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and husband director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha). She is living and loving life taking time to enjoy her career.

While working out life and where his career is going, Dalton has to take each phase like a scene with decisions that constantly plague him. Cliff is a little more free spirited and enjoys stunt work when he gets it and being a friend to Dalton. It is difficult for Cliff with a rumor that surrounds an incident in his life.

On several occasions he sees the young girl Pussycat (Margaret Qualley) hitchhiking through L.A. After dropping Dalton off on the set, he sees Pussycat again and offers her a ride. Strangely enough she is staying at the Spahn Movie Ranch where Cliff once shot scenes and she invites him to meet Charlie. Eager to see owner George Spahn (Bruce Dern), he is met with hostility by Squeaky (Dakota Fanning) and Tex (Austin Butler).

Dalton decides to go to Italy and do spaghetti westerns and returns home after six months with a wife and a need to simplify his life which includes having to let Cliff go as a driver. That doesn't stop these old friends from whooping it up one last time. That same night, Dalton's very pregnant neighbor Sharon and friends Jay (Emile Hirsch), Abigail (Samantha Robinson) and Voytek (Costa Ronin) are out celebrating as well.

What none of them could know was what would happen on Cielo Drive that hot night in 1969!

DiCaprio as Dalton is absolutely stunning in this role. He is a paranoid, dysfunctional, insecure chain smoking alcoholic who believes the worst about himself as an actor. That is what makes his performance brilliant in that he is not only able to pull all of that off, but kept me convinces for two hours and forty-five minutes. DiCaprio's acting within acting scenes is intense at times but so damn well done I forgot it was a scene within a scene of the movie itself. I will be thinking about this performance for a very long time.

Pitt as Cliff is laid back and happy with his life of being in the background of Dalton's career. This character that has a past that gets in his way yet not enough to bother him. His true love is pittie Brandy who is just as adorable as she wants to be and very protective of her human. Pitt gives the audience charm, rooftop abs (oh sorry, should I not have mentioned that?), that insanely memorable grin and a threshold of no-nonsense that is amazing up to the point where it isn't. I am crazy about every aspect of this character until the absolute…very…end and then I just fell head over heels once again for Pitt. There couldn't have been a better pairing than these two actors and honestly I never would have thought of it which is why I'm not a director.

Robbie as Tate gives a performance of a sweet and simple woman who loved music, friends, and sitting in a movie theatre watching herself not out of narcissm, but to experience the audience reaction. Her character portrayal of the actress was beautiful.

Olyphant as Stacey gets a chance to don western gear and I loved watching him dual it out, so to speak, with DiCaprio. Fanning as Squeaky portrayed someone I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley…ever. Butler, Madison and Beatty as the terrifying Manson trio are as frightening as they need to be and I'm leaving it right there.

A shout out to young Julia Butters as Trudi is epic in her two scenes with DiCaprio. My reaction to her was immediate and filled with smiles. Her character is smart, witty, and perceptive all trapped inside the body of an 8 year old. I want to be her when I grow up!

Other cast include Sydney Sweeney as Snake, Timothy Olyphant as James Stacy, Harley Quinn Smith as Froggie, Damian Lewis as Steve McQueen, Mike Moh as Bruce Lee, Lorenza Izzo as Francesca Capucci, Rumer Willis as Joanna Pettet, Scoot McNairy as Bob Gilbert, Clifton Collins Jr. as Ernesto, Michael Madsen, and Kurt Russell as Randy.

Also, Rebecca Gayheart as Billie, Lena Dunham as Gypsy, Nicholas Hammond as Sam Wanamaker, Mikey Madison as Sadie, Madisen Beaty as Katie, Julia Butters as Trudi, Luke Perry as Wayne Maunder, and Al Pacino as Marvin Schwarzs.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

The 9th film from Quentin Tarantino also includes over twenty minutes of additional scenes and an exclusive behind-the-scenes. The Bonus Material includes Quentin Tarantino's Love Letter to Hollywood, Bob Richardson - For the Love of Film, Shop Talk - The Cars of 1969, Restoring Hollywood - The Production Design of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, and The Fashion of 1969.

Also available in a limited 4K Ultra HD Collector's Edition with 7" vinyl record, collectible vintage poster and an exclusive new mini edition of Mad Magazine inspired by the film.

This is as brief of a review as I could possible do for this film because I really don't want to spoil any of it for anyone. I can say that I think I've seen a strong contender for an Academy Award nomination and many actors that could easily fill all the slots for Best Actor and Best Supporting nods.

What I love best about this film, and perhaps it shows my age, is that I remember all of it. The clothing, magazines, music, cars, the scenery, the places and the events of the era turned a light back on inside my head. All of it provided an emotional rollercoaster of staying in the story and trying not to let the eye candy distract.

The story, and oh what a story it is, came from the mind of Tarantino absolutely. Every scene was a wonder of where it was going and what would happen when we (meaning everyone in the theatre with me) got there. Dalton and Booth took us on the ride and I didn't fight on second of it. We wanted to know more about their personal issues and the six degrees of separation between every character we were introduced to. Trust me when I say this was definitely an experience.

Were there a few giggles? Of course! Tarantino has a twisted sense of that and he lets us in on it. Of course I caught myself giggling a few times to myself but that's my own personal twisted sense of humor.

Yes the film is 161 minutes long yet it is one of the best times I've had at the movies in a long time. Being in the desert of wanting-thirst for something amazing on screen, Tarantino has just given me a huge whiskey sour and I certainly wouldn't mind another.

In the end – it is a story of Hollywood Tarantino style!

AD ASTRA Takes Us To The Stars

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from directors James Gray, Dan Bradley and 20th Century Fox comes a story of a man who needs to save the planet with AD ASTRA.

Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) is an astronaut who has the uncanny knack for keeping his emotions under control. Constantly being monitored for flight readiness, it has come at the expense of his relationship with Eve (Liv Tyler). During an accident at work, his superiors notice that he kept a level head. What Roy learns is that the accident is caused by the Lima Project that was run by his father Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones).

The senior McBride left years earlier in search of other life in the universe. Hailed as a hero for his work in space, that is what Roy remembers or more so what he has been told.

He is given the mission to go to Mars and send a transmission to his father. Mars is the only planet that hasn't been affected by the violent pulses sent through the galaxy. Going along with McBride is Col. Pruitt (Donald Sutherland), a one-time friend to Clifford and someone to keep an eye on Roy. Stopping on the moon, Roy learns more about what is expected of him once he reaches Mars.

Once landed, Roy is met by Helen Lantos (Ruth Negga) who seems mysterious but actually has information that he has never been privy to. Reaching out to his father through transmissions, all of a sudden things change and those in charge want him back on earth. He is not about to turn back now and with the help of Helen he once again gets aboard a ship that will take him on the most solitary and long voyage he could have imagined.

He has time to make the decision about how to stop the effects of the Lima Project and come face to face with a father he thought he knew.

Pitt as Roy is a man who tries to keep focus on his emotions by keeping himself apart from everyone else. Believing that his father was dead, he is still calm when told it is a possibility that the elder McBride might still be alive. Every step he takes is calculated and once realizing his purpose is served isn't about to stop until he has all the answers. There is something so very cool when Pitt takes a role that isn't full of talk but instead straight forward action. Although there is a full cast here, it is Pitt's character that commands the film.

Sutherland as Col. Pruitt is sent by the higher ups to keep an eye on Roy but there is also a history. Pruitt knew the elder McBride and seems to be hoping to see him once again but his reasons are a bit different that Roy's. I have always enjoyed Sutherland on any screen because he is an actor that may be large in stature but never pulls on the screen. Even when he yells it's brief, important and then back to center with such roles in M*A*S*H, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, ORDINARY PEOPLE and even his role in THE HUNGER GAMES, I am always all in to watch him.

Tyler as Eve has a smaller role but one that is important in understanding the repercussions of Roy's inability to let loose once in a while. She wanted more and he couldn't provide it. Negga as Helen has her own story to tell and she is absolutely ready to tell Roy, whether he is ready to hear it or not.

Jones as Clifford McBride is a hero to everyone who knows about the Lima Project. Roy has lived in the shadow of Clifford even though he didn't truly understand why he chose space over his family. When Jones is on screen there is a sincere insanity that exists in that he believes in what he says to the point of not being able to tell right from wrong.

On an interesting side note - Sutherland and Jones appeared in another movie together in 2000 called SPACE COWBOYS so it seems fitting they would come full circle in suits once again. In that film they were both space geniuses as well so kudos for bringing it back 19 years later!

Other cast include Anne McDaniels as Shunga Hologram, John Ortiz as General Rivas, Kimberly Elise as Lorraine Deavers, Greg Bryk as Chip Garnes, Loren Dean as Donald Stanford, John Finn as Stroud, Kimmy Shields as Sgt. Romano, and LisaGay Hamilton as Adjutent General Amelia Vogel. 

AD ASTRA is a film about many different things - from a man who is about to discover that his emotional world is larger than the universe he is about to fly into, to learning that history doesn't always paint a real picture. Clearly the visual are stunning but then again most space films are. In recent years there have been several and since I am a fan of space films, AD ASTRA works.

That being said I also want to say that it seems that this is a man-version of GRAVITY. Don't get me wrong, that isn't a bad thing, it's just how I see it. Throw in 2014's INTERSTELLAR and Matthew McConaughey's character Cooper along with Sandra Bullock's character Ryan Stone from GRAVITY and Roy McBride of AD ASTRA - all have emotional issues that they hide with their space work. When life and death kick in they all trust in what they know intellectually but also experience a sense of acceptance and letting go.

Now that I have that out of my system I truly did enjoy Pitt's performance because of in depth. A role doesn't have to have tons of talking in order for me to totally understand the plight of a character. Pitt seems to be the calm in the middle of a galactic storm as others swirl around the outer vortex of this character.

There is absolutely no doubt that the cinematography is also a character in the film. From the stunning landing on the moon to shooting off to Mars and then Jupiter and beyond, the colors are stunning, the space is cold yet inviting and it is eye candy for anyone who just adores the idea of space and space travel.

In the end - the answers we seek are just outside our reach!

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres this week from visionary writer/director Quentin Tarantino and Columbia Pictures is a film that can only be called ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD.

It is 1969 Los Angeles and Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is having an identity crisis. Once the lead in his own television series, he also makes time to do roles in other television shows. Living in the Hollywood hills on the secluded Cielo Drive, he is driven around town by his stunt double and friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt).

Also living on Cielo Drive next door is actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and husband director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha). She is living and loving life taking time to enjoy her career.

While working out life and where his career is going, Dalton has to take each phase like a scene with decisions that constantly plague him. Cliff is a little more free spirited and enjoys stunt work when he gets it and being a friend to Dalton. It is difficult for Cliff with a rumor that surrounds an incident in his life.

On several occasions he sees the young girl Pussycat (Margaret Qualley) hitchhiking through L.A. After dropping Dalton off on the set, he sees Pussycat again and offers her a ride. Strangely enough she is staying at the Spahn Movie Ranch where Cliff once shot scenes and she invites him to meet Charlie. Eager to see owner George Spahn (Bruce Dern), he is met with hostility by Squeaky (Dakota Fanning) and Tex (Austin Butler).

Dalton decides to go to Italy and do spaghetti westerns and returns home after six months with a wife and a need to simplify his life which includes having to let Cliff go as a driver. That doesn’t stop these old friends from whooping it up one last time. That same night, Dalton’s very pregnant neighbor Sharon and friends Jay (Emile Hirsch), Abigail (Samantha Robinson) and Voytek (Costa Ronin) are out celebrating as well.

What none of them could know was what would happen on Cielo Drive that hot night in 1969!

DiCaprio as Dalton is absolutely stunning in this role. He is a paranoid, dysfunctional, insecure chain smoking alcoholic who believes the worst about himself as an actor. That is what makes his performance brilliant in that he is not only able to pull all of that off, but kept me convinces for two hours and forty-five minutes. DiCaprio’s acting within acting scenes is intense at times but so damn well done I forgot it was a scene within a scene of the movie itself. I will be thinking about this performance for a very long time.

Pitt as Cliff is laid back and happy with his life of being in the background of Dalton’s career. This character that has a past that gets in his way yet not enough to bother him. His true love is pittie Brandy who is just as adorable as she wants to be and very protective of her human. Pitt gives the audience charm, rooftop abs (oh sorry, should I not have mentioned that?), that insanely memorable grin and a threshold of no-nonsense that is amazing up to the point where it isn’t. I am crazy about every aspect of this character until the absolute…very…end and then I just fell head over heels once again for Pitt. There couldn’t have been a better pairing than these two actors and honestly I never would have thought of it which is why I’m not a director.

Robbie as Tate gives a performance of a sweet and simple woman who loved music, friends, and sitting in a movie theatre watching herself not out of narcissm, but to experience the audience reaction. Her character portrayal of the actress was beautiful.

Olyphant as Stacey gets a chance to don western gear and I loved watching him dual it out, so to speak, with DiCaprio. Fanning as Squeaky portrayed someone I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley…ever. Butler, Madison and Beatty as the terrifying Manson trio are as frightening as they need to be and I’m leaving it right there.

A shout out to young Julia Butters as Trudi is epic in her two scenes with DiCaprio. My reaction to her was immediate and filled with smiles. Her character is smart, witty, and perceptive all trapped inside the body of an 8 year old. I want to be her when I grow up!

Other cast include Sydney Sweeney as Snake, Timothy Olyphant as James Stacy, Harley Quinn Smith as Froggie, Damian Lewis as Steve McQueen, Mike Moh as Bruce Lee, Lorenza Izzo as Francesca Capucci, Rumer Willis as Joanna Pettet, Scoot McNairy as Bob Gilbert, Clifton Collins Jr. as Ernesto, Michael Madsen, and Kurt Russell as Randy.

Also, Rebecca Gayheart as Billie, Lena Dunham as Gypsy, Nicholas Hammond as Sam Wanamaker, Mikey Madison as Sadie, Madisen Beaty as Katie, Julia Butters as Trudi, Luke Perry as Wayne Maunder, and Al Pacino as Marvin Schwarzs.

This is as brief of a review as I could possible do for this film because I really don’t want to spoil any of it for anyone. I can say that I think I’ve seen a strong contender for an Academy Award nomination and many actors that could easily fill all the slots for Best Actor and Best Supporting nods.

What I love best about this film, and perhaps it shows my age, is that I remember all of it. The clothing, magazines, music, cars, the scenery, the places and the events of the era turned a light back on inside my head. All of it provided an emotional rollercoaster of staying in the story and trying not to let the eye candy distract.

The story, and oh what a story it is, came from the mind of Tarantino absolutely. Every scene was a wonder of where it was going and what would happen when we (meaning everyone in the theatre with me) got there. Dalton and Booth took us on the ride and I didn’t fight on second of it. We wanted to know more about their personal issues and the six degrees of separation between every character we were introduced to. Trust me when I say this was definitely a theatrical experience.

Were there a few giggles? Of course! Tarantino has a twisted sense of that and he lets us in on it. Of course I caught myself giggling a few times to myself but that’s my own personal twisted sense of humor.

The audience walked out on a high of immediately talking about what they had seen and wondering if the people they were with shared in their thought process. No one left right away but instead mingled outside of theatre 5 to continue sharing the experience. Here I sit and I’m still thinking about it all.

Yes the film is 161 minutes long yet it is one of the best times I’ve had at the movies in a long time. Being in the desert of wanting-thirst for something amazing on screen, Tarantino has just given me a huge whiskey sour and I certainly wouldn’t mind another.

In the end – it is a story of Hollywood Tarantino style!