MORTAL KOMBAT

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and HBO MAX from director Simon McQuoid and New Line Cinema is the story of two worlds locked in MORTAL KOMBAT.

Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada) is enjoying the life with his wife and family until Bi-Han arrives with assassins with one goal - to destroy the Hasashi bloodline. After the fight, Bi-Han does not realize he did not destroy the bloodline as Lord Raiden (Tadanonu Asano) discovers Hasashi's infant daughter.

Now the Outworld is gearing up to win the tenth tournament of Mortal Kombat and with the final win they take the Earthrealm. Led by Shang Tsung (Chin Han), he sends his own fighters led by Bi-Han who now calls himself Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), to destroy any chance the Earthrealm has of competing.

Cole Young (Lewis Tan) is an MMA fighter who is not doing so well but Is happy with wife Alison (Laura Brent) and daughter Emily (Matilda Kimber). When Major Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks) shows up to compare tattoos with Cole, Sub-Zero makes himself known. Making sure his family is safe, Cole goes to find Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) to understand what is happening to him and who is trying to kill him.

Sonya tries to explain things to Cole, but she has her own problems with a smart mouthed Kano (Josh Lawson). Sonya beieves they will find answers at Raiden's temple and Kano agrees to take them there. Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) and Kung Lao (Max Huang) are glad to see them all because there is really no time left to train and find their Arcana's before Shang Tsung attacks.

Now, the group must face Sub-Zero, Mileena (Sisi Stringer), Reiko (Nathan Jones), Nitara (Mel Jarnson), Goro (Angus Sampson), and Kabal (Damon Herriman) but it is Cole who will learn where his visions are coming from.

Tran as Cole is a man who once had a memorable fighting career but fallen on hard times. Taking fights as he got them, the arrival of Jax is about to change everything. Protecting his family, he goes as far away as possible to find answers. Tran gives us a character who does not believe in himself and cannot focus on anything but his family.

McNamee as Blade is a woman who wants answers and to be a part of Mortal Kombat. Friends with Jax, she knows what it will take to be a part of the elite and chosen group. Brooks as Jax knows that Cole needs to be a part of the fight and throws himself to Sub-Zero to protect him. Lawson as Kano, a loud foul-mouthed mercenary who cares for no one but himself and clearly cannot be trusted.

Lin as Kang greets the new arrivals to the temple but knows time is not on their side to train for Mortal Kombat. Huang as Lao is smooth and dangerously skilled and tries to help the new recruits find their Arcana.

Taslim as Bi-Han is ruthless and cold hearted literally as his nature changed from the time of Hasashi to the present time. Hang as Tsung is a soccerer who has only one thing in mind, duel world domination.

Shout out to Sanada as Hanzo Hasahi who is such an amazing actor to watch. I believe the first time I saw him was in the film THE LAST SAMURI and continue to follow his work. Here he once again shows his skills both verbally and physically.

New Line Cinema brings amazing films such as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE MASK, ELF and the disturbingly epic IT. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.warnerbros.com.

HBO Home Entertainment brings critically acclaimed and groundbreaking programming throughout the world. Releases include the global hit Game of Thrones, True Detective, Girls, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, True Blood, The Wire and Entourage. The company's catalog contains hundreds of titles including Big Little Lies and Band of Brothers. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.hbo.com.

For families: Be aware that the film has intense language and violence.

MORTAL KOMBAT gives all the fans of the genre something to enjoy on a Friday night. For my grown sons, it is reminiscent of their time with friends on a Friday night playing the Mortal Kombat video game into the wee hours of the morning. To this day they still use terms and references from all of it. The only reason I know anything about Mortal Kombat is because of them!

The films story is extremely fast paced and violent to be sure. Anyone who has played the game will not be surprised at what they see but it is important to be aware of it. The costumes and special effects are very cool which adds a level to the telling.

Something tells me there is more to the story waiting to be told as Tsung threatens that he will return with an army!

SKYSCRAPER is Everything Anyone Can Want from the Rock on Bluray!

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray/DVD and Digital from writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the story of a family man, bad guys and a tall building called a SKYSCRAPER.

Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) is a former FBI man who has begun a small security business of his own. Through the help of Ben (Pablo Schreiber), a former member of his FBI team, Will has been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Doing the security check of the highest skyscraper in the world owned by Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han), Will is more than a little nervous.

Living in the family section of the building that is waiting to be open to the public is wife Sarah (Neve Campbell) who is a successful doctor in her own right. Also, their twins Georgia (McKenna Roberts) and Henry (Noah Cottrell) are enjoying the adventure living in Hong Kong.

Meeting with Zhao, Will is given the okay to complete his security work and given a tablet that allows only him access to certain areas of the building. Headed to the off site facility, Will is attacked and his satchel is stolen. Ben is there to help and discovers that Will still has what it takes. It becomes clear that there is something more sinister happening when Kores Botha (Roland Moller) enters the building.

Seen by Sarah in the hallways, it is soon after that a fire alarm goes off! Will figures out that the building is under attack and tries to reach his family when he realizes they are in their apartment. He is surprised when it is put on the big screens around Hong Kong that he is the one responsible for it all.

A police headquarters is set up and led by Inspector Wu (Byron Mann) who is suspicious about everything that has been happening. Putting a call out to find Will, it doesn't take long. On a building next to the skyscraper, Will is finding his own way back into the building that has now been locked down with police hot on his trail.

Zhao is told by his handlers and Mr. Pierce (Noah Taylor) that Will's family is still in the building and they try to retrieve them. As the fire burns out of control and Zhao realizes that his building has been compromised, he knows it's time to go and who is responsible for everything.

None of that matters to Will, he wants his family safe and no billionaire, bad guy or skyscraper is going to stop him!

Johnson as Sawyer is a man with heart, soul and a deep understanding of family. Now, let’s get down to business with this role. Of course this is a 'disaster' film and it looks like a few we've seen over the years yet bit when Dwayne Johnson takes the lead it's all good with me. He always portrays a charmingly humble sort of guy who knows what the right thing is and doesn't hesitate to do it. His characters are always flawed in some way and as Sawyer; he is a man who has a physical disability that doesn't slow him down. He's smart, unwavering and determined to make sure his family comes first and that's what makes him a good dude.

I also must say that if the universe is looking for another Spiderman, they might want to consider Dwayne Johnson (you will understand when you see the film). I was also impressed with little tricks that I kept thinking, “I bet John McClane (DIE HARD) is mad he didn’t think of that”. Just a great homage to a lot of classic disaster and action films I happen to love.

Campell as Sarah is a pretty darn good woman in her own right. She is supportive of her husband, smart with an important career and equally as dedicated to her family. When it all starts to go down, Campell goes into beast mode and makes it clear she is a force to be reckoned with as well. I enjoyed that about her role, she gets her hands dirty and clearly isn't a pushover. That goes for Roberts as daughter Georgia and Cottrell as son Henry as these two are afraid (with every reason to be) yet are motivated by the example set by their parents.

Moller as bad guy Botha is quiet, skilled and doesn't give a hoot who gets in his way. He has a score to settle and settle it he absolutely will. Schreiber as Ben is the man who starts it all using his friendship with Will. Taylor as Mr. Pierce is the guy I'd never trust in a million years which means a performance well done. Mann as Inspector Wu gives Will the chance to plea

Other cast include Kevin Rankin as Ray, Matt O'Leary as Skinny Hacker, Tzi Ma as Fire Chief Sheng, Adrian Holmes as Ajani Okeke, and Elfina Luk as Sgt. Han.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. 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.

The Bluray includes the Bonus Features Deleted & Extended Scenes with Commentary by Director Rawson Marshall Thurber – Go behind the scenes with Dwayne Johnson and the rest of the cast of Skyscraper, Dwayne Johnson: Embodying a Hero – Go behind the scenes to see what it took for Dwayne Johnson to bring the intense character of Will Sawyer to life.

Inspiration – Meet the real life amputee and motivational speaker Jeff Glasbrenner, the inspiration for Dwayne Johnson’s role of Will Sawyer. See how Jeff’s consultations helped inform Dwayne’s character from day one. Opposing Forces – There’s no holding back as the women of SKYSCRAPER get in on the action. Now, see first hand what it took for Neve Campbell and Hannah Quinlivan to be fight ready.

Friends No More – When Dwayne Johnson and Pablo Schreiber met face to face, they immediately knew what they were up against. Witness first hand the making of the intense apartment fight between two former on screen friends.

Kids in Action – In SKYSCRAPER everyone gets in on the action, even the Sawyer children. Go on set with Noah Cottrell and McKenna Roberts to discover the moves behind their stunts.

Finally, Pineapple Pitch – Hear first hand from Dwayne Johnson how writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber pitched him the idea of SKYSCRAPER. It may be a little fruitier than you think, and Feature Commentary by Director Rawson Marshall Thurber.

SKYSCRAPER has pretty much everything you go to see an action film for. Although the storyline might seem familiar in a few ways, it certainly doesn't take away from what happens on screen. Johnson goes in full force and doesn't waste any time taking his character for a full on adventure but then again we have come to expect that from him - happily so.

Look, I've been a fan of disaster films since I was a kid. My earliest experience in disasters on film was watching the 1953 film TITANIC with Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck which captivated me from start to finish much to my mother's dismay. After that I couldn't wait to see what Hollywood would come up with next and I followed fearlessly with each film. It's probably the notion that I get a thrill out of surviving the disasters or perhaps I just enjoy watching what human beings do when survival is on the line.

Now, SKYSCRAPER is one of those films that I will watch again and again. I enjoyed Johnson be a part of a family that fights for their survival and not be a victim of it which I'm sure the bad guys didn't anticipate. Instead, I cheer them all on and boo when the bad guys showed their ugly mugs and will every time I watch the film.

That's what makes films like SKYSCRAPER so enjoyable - the interaction that my family enjoys being a part of and now at home we can holler as loud as we want! There is something to be said for being outspoken when the characters on screen give us something to cheer about. Finally, this film is just one heck of a good time and just like in the theatres, do so with a bucket of popcorn and a comfy seat.

In the end - don't look down!

SKYSCRAPER is Everything Anyone Can Want from the Rock!

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres from writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber and Universal Pictures comes the story of a family man, bad guys and a tall building called a SKYSCRAPER.

Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) is a former FBI man who has begun a small security business of his own. Through the help of Ben (Pablo Schreiber), a former member of his FBI team, Will has been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Doing the security check of the highest skyscraper in the world owned by Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han), Will is more than a little nervous.

Living in the family section of the building that is waiting to be open to the public is wife Sarah (Neve Campbell) who is a successful doctor in her own right. Also, their twins Georgia (McKenna Roberts) and Henry (Noah Cottrell) are enjoying the adventure living in Hong Kong.

Meeting with Zhao, Will is given the okay to complete his security work and given a tablet that allows only him access to certain areas of the building. Headed to the off site facility, Will is attacked and his satchel is stolen. Ben is there to help and discovers that Will still has what it takes. It becomes clear that there is something more sinister happening when Kores Botha (Roland Moller) enters the building.

Seen by Sarah in the hallways, it is soon after that a fire alarm goes off! Will figures out that the building is under attack and tries to reach his family when he realizes they are in their apartment. He is surprised when it is put on the big screens around Hong Kong that he is the one responsible for it all.

A police headquarters is set up and led by Inspector Wu (Byron Mann) who is suspicious about everything that has been happening. Putting a call out to find Will, it doesn't take long. On a building next to the skyscraper, Will is finding his own way back into the building that has now been locked down with police hot on his trail.

Zhao is told by his handlers and Mr. Pierce (Noah Taylor) that Will's family is still in the building and they try to retrieve them. As the fire burns out of control and Zhao realizes that his building has been compromised, he knows it's time to go and who is responsible for everything.

None of that matters to Will, he wants his family safe and no billionaire, bad guy or skyscraper is going to stop him!

Johnson as Sawyer is a man with heart, soul and a deep understanding of family. Now, let’s get down to business with this role. Of course this is a 'disaster' film and it looks like a few we've seen over the years yet bit when Dwayne Johnson takes the lead it's all good with me. He always portrays a charmingly humble sort of guy who knows what the right thing is and doesn't hesitate to do it. His characters are always flawed in some way and as Sawyer; he is a man who has a physical disability that doesn't slow him down. He's smart, unwavering and determined to make sure his family comes first and that's what makes him a good dude.

I also must say that if the universe is looking for another Spiderman, they might want to consider Dwayne Johnson (you will understand when you see the film). I was also impressed with little tricks that I kept thinking, “I bet John McClane (DIE HARD) is mad he didn’t think of that”. Just a great homage to a lot of classic disaster and action films I happen to love.

Campell as Sarah is a pretty darn good woman in her own right. She is supportive of her husband, smart with an important career and equally as dedicated to her family. When it all starts to go down, Campell goes into beast mode and makes it clear she is a force to be reckoned with as well. I enjoyed that about her role, she gets her hands dirty and clearly isn't a pushover. That goes for Roberts as daughter Georgia and Cottrell as son Henry as these two are afraid (with every reason to be) yet are motivated by the example set by their parents.

Moller as bad guy Botha is quiet, skilled and doesn't give a hoot who gets in his way. He has a score to settle and settle it he absolutely will. Schreiber as Ben is the man who starts it all using his friendship with Will. Taylor as Mr. Pierce is the guy I'd never trust in a million years which means a performance well done. Mann as Inspector Wu gives Will the chance to plea

Other cast include Kevin Rankin as Ray, Matt O'Leary as Skinny Hacker, Tzi Ma as Fire Chief Sheng, Adrian Holmes as Ajani Okeke, and Elfina Luk as Sgt. Han.

SKYSCRAPER has pretty much everything you go to see an action film for. Although the storyline might seem familiar in a few ways, it certainly doesn't take away from what happens on screen. Johnson goes in full force and doesn't waste any time taking his character for a full on adventure but then again we have come to expect that from him - happily so.

Look, I've been a fan of disaster films since I was a kid. My earliest experience in disasters on film was watching the 1953 film TITANIC with Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck which captivated me from start to finish much to my mother's dismay. After that I couldn't wait to see what Hollywood would come up with next and I followed fearlessly with each film. It's probably the notion that I get a thrill out of surviving the disasters or perhaps I just enjoy watching what human beings do when survival is on the line.

Now, SKYSCRAPER will be one of those films that I will stop and watch every time it comes my way. I enjoyed watching Johnson be a part of a family that fights for their survival and not be a victim of it which I'm sure the bad guys didn't anticipate. Instead, I cheered them all on and boo'd when the bad guys showed their ugly mugs.

That's what makes films like SKYSCRAPER so enjoyable - the interaction that many in the theatre along with me enjoyed being a part of. There is something to be said for being outspoken when the characters on screen give us something to cheer about. Finally, this film is just one heck of a good time at the theatres with a bucket of popcorn and a comfy seat.

In the end - don't look down!