It is a Thriller with a HIDDEN BLADE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Digital from writer/director Cheng Er and Well Go USA is a thriller of espionage and suspicions running rampant with a HIDDEN BLADE.

Japanese Officer Watanabe (Hiroyuki Mori) is a man who keeps his emotions and intentions close to his chest. As director of Shanghai’s Political Security Department, he watches everyone in the counterespionage division, especially Director He (Tony Leung). He has also taken Mr. Ye under his wing seeing potential in him. It is openly clear that everyone is loyal to the Wang Jingwei regime and they want to expand.

On an official visit to the Community Party’s Secretary Mr. Zheng (Huang Lei), Director He takes copious notes on the reasons he has chosen to change sides. He gathers information in such a way that Zheng believes he is doing the right thing. Also, Minister Tang (Da Peng), the very dangerous Captain Wang (Eric Wang) and the very young Mr. Ye (Wang Yibo) round out the division.

There are delicate peace negotiations happening between Japan and the Jingwei regime with the offer of taking Manchuria, the gateway to everything. All of this is happening as Mr. Ye’s love Ms. Fang (Zhang Jingyi) is warned to be careful of her Communist Party activities. Everyone is playing the larger game but have smaller events happening as well.

Thinking it is all going smoothly, the Jingwei regime declares war on the United States and Pearl Harbor is attacked. Now everything begins to unravel and the cracks are huge. The Security Department can hold its secrets no longer and who is on what side comes out. Prison awaits some as others believe they have bigger military careers in Manchuria.

Each have a secret and it will all be revealed!

Leung as Director He is the coolest cookie I have ever seen. He comes across as personable when he needs to but Leung gives an air of cold stares and unemotional responses when most people would be freaking out. I absolutely loved every scene he was in and as the story unfolds, it becomes clear what motivates him. I can’t say more because his character has to be experiences.

Yibo as Mr. Ye is another cool customer who, when needs be, can keep it on lock. The only exception is the relationship issues that cause him to show outburst much to the use of a colleague. I enjoyed watching Yibo work and weave his way into each character and it is done with perfection.

Wang as the Captain is a whole lot of issues wrapped up in a tightly wound package. Man, when he wants to take care of something, it is done and without really breaking a sweat. He makes it clear where his loyalty lies and will do anything for the cause without batting an eye. Well done!

Mori as Watanabe also has a game plan and when things begin to slip, he makes plans upon plans which include Manchuria. He watches what everyone does and listens to what everyone says to make it all work. Taking Mr. Ye under his wing is important because, Watanabe doesn’t think people see the young man as a threat. Mori portrays his character with strength and no non-sense.

Jingyi as Ms. Fang sees the bigger picture and no one is going to get in her way. She has a cruel moment that I could help but raise and eyebrow and thing ‘dang dragon lady!’ I’d say more but it would so ruin it. Shout out to Zhou Xun as Mrs. Chen and Jiang Shyuing as Ms. Jiang. Ladies, the roles you have seem small but they absolutely are not and I applaud you both!

Well Go USA Entertainment is a theatrical and home entertainment company specializing in bringing the best Action, Genre and Independent films from around the world to North American markets. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go USA Entertainment’s titles can be seen across a variety of platforms including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Well Go USA Entertainment currently releases three to five films per month. To see more please visit www.wellgousa.com.

HIDDEN BLADE has six nominations for the Shanghai International Film Festival, a Jury Award nomination from the Beijing Student Film Festival, winners for Quality Film of the Year – Er Cheng and Breakthrough Filmmaker of the Year Weibo Award for Yibo Wang and China Movie Channel Award for Most Promising Actor of the Year for Jingyi Zhang.

Subtitled in English and a running time of 139 minutes, it is impossible to take your eyes off the screen. The pieces of a very strategic chess board move to keep the audience guessing and trust me when I say the surprises are everywhere!

This is an extremely layered story which is shot in shadows of secrets and it is in these shadows of film that the story is exposed little by little. I love the grittiness of the story that is just bathing in period piece costuming and surroundings. That is just another layer and another character that draws everything together.

The cast is absolutely stellar and if you remove one the whole house of espionage would come tumbling down into dust. I was totally invested in what each character was trying to do in the story and found myself totally untrusting of anyone for the longest time. It took the actors convincing to have me choose the character I would ultimately root for – and if you are wondering, ask me later and I’d be happy to tell you.

In the end – the secrets will collide!

 

THE NORTH WATER is Chilling in the Tale

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on AMC+ from writer/director Andrew Haigh from the novel by Ian McGuire is the five-part television series THE NORTH WATER.

It is 1859 and Patrick Sumner (Jack O’Connell) is a surgeon who has joined the whaling vessel Volunteer. He watches the crew and particularly a man named Henry Drax (Colin Farrell). Drax is a ruthless man who has done heinous things so being part of the crew as the harpooner, he manages to avoid the law.

Sumner has his own past that he is trying to get away from and does so with bottles of laudanum. As they go further north to look for whales, Captain Brownlee (Stephen Graham) has made a deal with the company for what is to happen with the ship. Sumner also tries to help the whalers and discovers the dangers of the waters. On board, it is discovered that a cabin boy has been treated horribly and Sumner is not about to let it go.

Looking for the man responsible, Sumner’s eyes turn to Drax and with good reason and Brownlee meets the hostility of a crew member. The ship continues north even though the crew does not understand why. With the help of another ship, the Hastings, a plan is put into motion but, as with all evil plans, everything goes wrong. As the ship is in distress, the crew is abandoned on an ice shelf waiting for a good time to board the Hastings.

Cavendish (Sam Spruell) has taken charge but the next morning the Hastings is no where to be found. What is left of the crew boards the rowboats and try to find a pace to be safe. On a rock surrounded by ice mountains, the crew try to survive. When a pair of Inuit arrive, there is meat for everyone but Drax and Cavendish as always, want more. If things are not already bad, they are about to get worse.

As the others trek across the ice, Sumner follows a bear in hopes of having food. Another storm hits when he is discovered by a priest (Peter Mullan) who takes him in. The Inuit come to hunt with Sumner, and he begins to have a legendary name for himself. But Sumner has other plans and wants to get home.

Once home, he discovers the truth about the journey and decides to take care of it all once and for all.

McConnell as Sumner begins the series as a young man dealing with the injustices of war, greed and those who held his life in his hands. Taking the vessel surgeon job on the Volunteer was the only thing he had left in his life. It is on the journey that Sumner realizes that treachery can be found anywhere in the world, not just on the battlefield. McConnell is absolutely stunning in this role, and I loved every step he took from start to finish. The growth of the character came to be in good hands with this actor.

Farrell as Drax is out and out vicious, diabolical, deliberate and menacing. Keeping his character so hidden like a ragged harpooner added such depth to what this character was consistently doing to those around him. That being said, Farrell has the amazing ability to play an amazing, good person but when he goes bad, he truly goes full force bad. Drax is a full-on bad man who does not see anything wrong with what he does.

Graham as Brownlee is a man who is trying to find his own redemption in the whaling world and the only way to do that means committing a different kind of crime. Spruell as Cavandish, who starts out as friends with Drax, comes to see that there is no future in befriending the devil.

Shout out to Tom Courtenay as Baxter, the man responsible for setting into motion the events that put lives in danger, caused death and the eventual confrontation with Patrick Sumner. I have always been an avid watcher of Courtenay’s work and he continues to shine.

Other cast include Kieran Urquhart as Jones, Philip Hill-Pearson as McKendrick, Nive Nielsen as Anna, Jonathan Aris as Corbyn, Lee Knight as Stevens, Gary Lamont as Webster, Eliza Butterworth as Hester, Mark Rowley as Bain, Roland Moller as Otto and Tom Courtenay as Baxter.

AMC+ is an American subscription video on demand streaming service owned by AMC Networks that was launched in June 2020. The service streams THE WALKING DEAD franchise as well as MAD MEN, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES and currently THE NORTH WATERS. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.amcplus.com.

The five-part episodes include Behold the Man, We Men Are Wretched Things, Homo Homini Lupus, The Devils of the Earth and To Live is to Suffer.

THE NORTH WATER is a series you must binge watch. I could not stop and do not regret a moment of it. This is a series about what men do to one another, the reasons they do it (whether good or bad is indifferent to their reasons), the horror of what memories can push someone to and when you put it all in a mixing bowl, the results are disastrous.

The cast is amazing led by O’Connell as Farrell lies low in the background but never letting you forget he is there. The entire cast put their stories out to lead the story in different directions but never straying from the fact that the boat they are on is leading them to death. Using the barren lands of the Artic, there is nothing distracting the viewer from investing in every moment of Patrick Sumner’s experience.

In the end – the hunt will change!

Bluray Brings the Fright in THE NIGHT HOUSE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and DVD from director David Bruckner and Searchlight Pictures comes the story of grief and mystery in THE NIGHT HOUSE.

Beth (Rebecca Hall) is a young woman dealing with the death of her husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit). Keeping an eye on her is neighbor Mel (Vondie Curtis-Hall) and friend Claire (Sarah Goldberg) as they see she is not doing well.

Drinking a bit heavy, Beth starts to notice bizarre sounds and happenings around the house Owen built for them. On his cell phone she notices a photograph but is not sure if it is a picture of her and begins to question things Owen may be have been doing. As she starts packing up his books and clothes, she finds odd books about the occult.

She also notices something odd on the other side of the lake only to discover that there is more to Owen’s life than she knew. That’s when message begin to appear and a voice that clearly reaches out to her.

Now she must decide what is real and what is due to the pain of losing her love.

Hall as Beth is dealing with her husbands’ death her own way which includes alcohol and an attitude. Not sure what she wants to do from day to day, it is those moments of loneliness that what is in the house reaches out to her. Hall is awesome when she is at her most sarcastic and even better when she tackles what you can not see in front of her.

Curtis-Hall as neighbor Mel just wants to look out for Beth in any way he can. That’s difficult to do at times as Beth is becoming darker as the days go by. It is fantastic to see Curtis-Hall on the screen again. Goldberg as friend Claire tries to get Beth out of the house but as her friend tells her what is going on in the house, Claire seems more willing to believe that its alcohol than anything else.

Other cast include Stacy Martin as Madelyn, David Abeles as Gary, Christina Jackson as Heather, Patrick Klein as Rob, and Samantha Buck as Becky.

Searchlight Pictures is responsible for such films as SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, 12 YEARS A SLAVE, THE SHAPE OF WATER and THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI. They have an extensive film library as well as documentaries, scripted series, and limited series. For more information, please visit www.searchlightpictures.com.

Bonus Feature includes: What Happens at the Lake House – Take a deep dive with director David Bruckner and the cast to unearth the secrets of The Night House. From the design of the mind-bending set, to Rebecca Hall’s haunted performance, witness how this chilling mystery was brought to life.

THE NIGHT HOUSE is a creepy film that will keep you staring at the screen wondering ‘did I see what I think I saw?’. The storyline reminds me a bit of the 1999 film STIR OF ECHOES, the 2002 film WHAT LIES BENEATH and a dash of the 2002 film DRAGONFLY.

There are some pretty awesome effects in the film that keep the creepy factor on high alert. For me, the problem becomes the last ten minutes of the film. It had the potential to take us to a higher height but instead it seemed like director Bruckner took a safe and predictable route.

Now, that being said, I did enjoy the film and Hall takes it all the way home. From start to finish she gives us all the motions someone who loses a love would go through. I suppose my favorite scene is in the classroom (that’s all you get) because I was a cheer leader to Hall’s attitude the whole way.

Shout out to Jonigkeit as Owen because even though his role was ‘small’, it is important in piecing together what Hall’s character is going through. As the story between Beth and Owen starts to click together, it also makes Beth’s life fall apart even more. Well done to both actors!

In the end – the mystery is going deeper than she could ever have imagined!

 

 

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently in theatres and HBO Max from director Alan Taylor and Warner Bros. is the story of life, death and betrayal when surrounded by THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK.

It is the later 1960’s and Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola) is keeping the family business going with numbers running and the help of Harold McBrayer (Leslie Odom Jr.). Taking care of his own family, he also has an affinity for his nephew Anthony Soprano (Michael Gandolfini), especially when his father Johnny Soprano (Jon Bernthal) is sentenced do a stint in prison.

Also arriving home is Dickie’s father Hollywood Dick (Ray Liotta) and his new wife Giuseppina (Michela De Rossi). As the family business moves along with Junior Soprano (Corey Stoll), everything seems to be moving along, that is until the Newark riots happen, and Harold decides it is time to take his own family business in another direction.

Anthony, in the meantime, is already showing signs of falling into bad habits with gambling and getting into trouble. His mother Livia (Vera Farmiga) turns to Dickie to help get the kid straight being the only person the kid will listen to. But as Anthony grows older, he starts to understand more and more what the family business is and how deadly it can be.

Dickie uses the riots to his advantage when an incident happens with his father and also retaliates for Harold trying to muscle into the family business territory. Now a war is brewing, and Dickie is being pulled in every direction. Turning to his Uncle Salvatore (Ray Liotta) for guidance, the one piece of advice he is given is to leave nephew Anthony alone.

All of this is enough to keep anyone occupied because boiling underneath the surface is revenge, plotting and deception, then again, that’s the family business.

Nivola as Dickie carries this film from start to finish. He is basically a crazy man going from home life to business, family issues, betrayal, and trying to be a good uncle at the same time. He is a jack-of-all-trades in his life and can not seem to master any of them. It all may look good on the surface, but it is an underlying hot mess. Nivola’s character runs hot and cold when his button is pushed and trust that that button – does not lead to a nice conclusion.

Gandolfini as a teen Anthony Soprano does his father’s legacy justice. It is clear that there is a connection between Anthony and Uncle Dickie, a closeness even his father does not have. So, when that relationship is strained, it has an impact on the young teen who is trying to discover where it is he truly wants to go in life. Gandolfini has done his father James Gandolfini proud in taking up the mantle of his own family legacy, well done young man.

Liotta as both Hollywood Dickie and twin brother Salvatore has the chance to play both the good and bad of twin brothers. Dickie turns to Sally for advice and a chance to redeem himself for the wrongs he knows he is doing and has done. I saw Sally as a Sage for Dickie, offering him advice and wisdom that Dickie never got from his own father. Liotta is marvelous in both roles, and I loved every moment he was on screen.

Odom Jr. as Harold is a buddy of Dickie’s so working together is fine, until he realizes that there is more money to be made and that Dickie’s business family see him as nothing more than the lowest of the low. Breaking away is a dangerous move but Odom Jr. takes his character and rolls him in the world that is brutal and unforgiving. Stoll as Junior seems to be the gopher of the family always beings shot down and told what to do. He takes it until he can not take it anymore and lets leave it at that.

Michela De Rossi as Guiseppina is a woman who believed that coming to America has so many possibilities. Trying to break the mold of a kept woman is difficult and she fights every step of the way. Farmiga as Livia is a woman on the edge of a nervous breakdown with her kids and a husband who does not appreciate her. Trying to keep her sanity involves Anthony trying to help with medication. She is also a fighter but it seems its always for the right thing in the wrong way.

Other cast include: Joey Diaz as Buddha, Samson Moeakiola as Pussy Bonpensiero, Germar Gardner as Cyril, Alexandra Intrator as Janice Soprano, Lesli Margherita as Iris Balducci, Talia Balsam as Mrs. Jarecki, Kathryn Kates as Angie DeCarlo, William Ludwig as young Tony Soprano, Billy Magnussen as Paulie Walnuts, Nick Vallelonga as Carmine Cotuso, John Magaro as Silvio Dante, Ed Marinaro as Jilly Ruffalo, Lauren DiMario as Carmela De Angelis, Oberon Adjepong as Fran Lucas and Chase Vacnin as Jackie Aprile.

Warner Brothers is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainments with worldwide distribution to DVD and Bluray, animation, comic books, videogames and broadcasting. For more 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.

A little fun factoid is that the film is called 'The Many Saints of Newark' because it revolves around Dickie Moltisanti, Christopher Moltisanti's father. In English, Molti Santi translates as 'many saints'.

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK is a story with so many layers trying to tell a prequel story. The characters are introduced and send about to create havoc but mainly centers around Dickie with a young Tony Soprano on the side. The film has everything you would expect with family issues, prison, revenge, twists and friendships based on nothing more than money and what you can do with it.

I have to again say that I am a huge fan of period pieces and this film dives right in from the costuming to the cars to the look and feel of the city. All of that is important to drawing someone into the world of a family who would go on to bring one of the most talk about shows on television THE SOPRANOS.

That being said, everything moves very fast giving me little time to delve into the stories and understanding each of the characters. I am not sure if that is because I only know a scant bit about the original show having only seen it a few times. So, I am going to have to binge watch the entire series and perhaps my perspective of fast paced and fragmented will change. I will keep you updated!

In the end – it’s a Soprano’s story!

 

 

 

He Must Prove the Story of THE LAST VERMEER

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from director Dan Friedkin and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment comes the story of art and war with THE LAST VERMEER.

The war in Europe has ended but the Allied Forces were not totally in control yet but in the Netherlands, Joseph Piller (Claes Bang) was once part of the Dutch Resistance. Now, he is being asked to investigate the possibility of a German espionage ring.

Instead, he finds the flamboyant van Meegeren (Guy Pearce) living the high life in a beautiful home selling artwork to Hermann Goring while others were living in squalor. Putting him in jail until the truth could be uncovered about what he knew, Piller begins to suspect something even more has been happening. Getting him out of jail and into a hiding space in an attic, van Meegeren convinces Piller that he will tell all but only if he gets to paint.

Staying away from home is not helping his marriage either as the information provided by van Meegeren uncovers something just as shocking by assistant Minna Holmberg (Vicky Krieps). Continuing to feed Piller, Meegeren also makes it clear that he is not part of a Nazi anything and what he has been doing will have everyone in a courtroom shocked and shaken.

This is a film about war, who to trust, art and those who make it!

Bang as Piller is a straightforward man with a job to do. This character does not have a lot to say but when he does you had better listen. Taking in everything he learns from van Meegeren is often difficult for this character and Bang brings that out in subtle ways. I have enjoyed this actor since his stint on the series The Affair as Sasha Mann, as well as playing James Figueras in the very twisted 2019 film THE BURNT ORANGE HERESAY. Bang as Piller gives a spot-on performance that is riveting to watch.

Pearce as van Meegeren is absolutely hedonistic, charming, full of himself and manages to get away with things no one else would think to even try. This is a character that knows exactly what he is doing and intends to prove everything to anyone who would listen – and surprisingly enough it is Piller who is doing all the listening. Who else would believe the story van Meegeren is trying to tell? Pearce is amazing and never ceases to amaze me in his character choices.

Krieps as Holmberg believes in what Piller is doing and does not ask many questions. She is dedicated, loyal and knows that there is something more in the investigation and that Piller is not going to let go until he has all the answers which means neither will she.

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 film is based on true events and the book The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez. Director Friedkin takes the story and adds the cinematography, the amazing costumes and sets to bring this story to life with richness it so deserves.

The 118-minute run of the film is long and tends to sometimes stray from the point of the film but since I love period piece films I did not mind so much. I enjoy the characters, authentic look of the film and truly enjoyed the nuances of the art story mixed into espionage.

It is the exchange of scenes between Bang and Pearce that are something to see. Bouncing off one another as Piller is quiet and reserved and the van Meegeren is flamboyant and throws caution to the wind. They meet in the middle exchanging information and in their time together, a strange friendship begins to happen.

THE LAST VERMEER is the story of two men against the backdrop of war and who is taking from whom.

In the end – the devil is in the details!

 

What the Truth is Behind TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Apple +/iTunes, Amazon, Fandango Now, Google Play/YouTube, Vudu and available town or rent from www.neonrated.com and available on HULU this Tuesday from writer/director Alex Gibney, Suzanne Hillinger, Ophelia Harutyunyan and NEON’s Indee TV comes the answers we have been asking about the US being TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL.

On January 20, 2020, Seattle, Washington became the center of attention as the first patient in the United States is confirmed to have a virus that has also been found in China. Known as Covid-19, China responded quickly to what was happening and the United States – did not. 200,000+ deaths later, the United States (or the world) is not the same. The U.S. has become a place of chaos and the question is put out ‘when did we lose control?’

That is where this documentary begins, bringing in people who were willing to talk about everything Covid-19 related and how deep down the rabbit hole we get to go. Gibney, Hillinger and Harutyunyan set up a ‘covid-camera’ as Scott Becker of Public Health is following the news about virus from the beginning.

Trump is found on television spewing his usual rhetoric with ‘hoax’s’ and ‘shams’, but Michael Shear, White House Correspondent for The New York Times knows a thing or two about outbreaks of viruses. On January 3, 2020 more and more people are taking notice as Dr. Rich Bright, Director of BARDA tracks early signals of the virus. Knowing they have viruses and wet markets in China, what caught his attention was the hospitals being quickly built in record time. He knew then this virus was deadly!

Dr. Eva Lee, Research Director, Georgia Institute of Technology is famous for her models of predictions. She saw the pandemic coming in January. Nancy Messinger was the spokesperson initially for the virus at the CDC. On January 17, 2020 she spoke of travelers coming from the US from Wuhan and coming up with a test.

Did the US have a book on how to deal with what scientists thought was coming? Yes, called the ‘playbook’ it is the Crimson Contagion from ASPR and it was used in October 2019 in test runs conducted in 12 states. Calling into question the results falls into the lap of Dr. Robert Kadlec. Emails show Kadlec thought this virus of 2020 was not a worry. Alex Azar, Secretary of Health and Human Services told Trump that things were under control.

Dr. Alex Groninger, Assistant Director of the University of Washington, Clinical Virology Lab worked on the first case that came to them. By this time, Wuhan had shut down completely. The virus rapidly spread in the US as Dr. Bright told Azar that the US needs a test and money – it did not go well. Yet, in South Korea they saw the need for diagnostic testing since the country had dealt with MERS in 2015. The KCDC knew that tests and medicines needed to be a priority.

Azar in the US kept telling Trump “we got this” and Dr. Redfield from the CDC says there is no need for alarm. Trump does not like science in any form, so scientists decide to start a chain email to fight back. Called ‘Red Dawn’ after the 1984 film, they wrote of this virus going wrong and gave dire warnings.

In 2009, President Obama believes that scientists should be listened to. Zeka, Ebola, MERS and H1N1are all viruses Dr. Tom Frieden, former Director of the CDC was well aware of. When Ebola struck four years later, Obama created a response team with Beth Cameron, National Security Council Senior director who took lessons learned and created a pandemic playbook that was mean for this type of emergency – it was not used.

Mitch McConnell went on cable news saying they were left with no playbook by the previous administration, but we all know now that is a lie. No one in the Trump administration wanted anything to do with anything the previous administration did. John Bolton is responsible for helping to erase the very things that could have helped us all now.

Azar creates a Covid-19 task force at the end of January and here is where the world meets Dr. Anthony Fauci from the National Institute of Health. At this same meeting, entry into the US becomes difficult. In February, cruise ships are struck down with the virus as Dr. James Lawler, Infectious Disease Specialist from the University of Nebraska Medical Center sees how the virus was dealt with and the US passengers trying to get home. He new that tests, tracing and isolate was the call to arms.

In the meantime, the CDC is making a test but must apply to bypass lengthy laws. Kits go out on February 8 and by February 9^th there is an immediate problem. Instead of helping, the FDA leaves the CDC flapping in the wind. Dr. Groninger decides that he is willing to jump through all the hoops to get the test going and Seattle’s numbers of infected is increasing. The White House could have made good things happen – but they chose not to.

South Korea is way ahead of the US as they have a contact tracing program and cell phone alerts ramping up test kits and Personal Protective Equipment, we now call PPE’s. Yet in the US it was business as usual as Trump gives inaccurate numbers (and I am being kind here). Finally, those around Trump tell him that the virus is getting serious. Nancy Messinger takes it a step further by coming forward with the truth in all its frightening forms. 

Trump is outraged and puts VP Pence in charge of the Covid task force taking power out of Azar’s hands. This is where we all meet Dr. Deborah Birx. After a month of no testing, the FDA and CDC go back to the original test with a change, still, not everyone can get tested. Trump calls Covid a Hoax and that no one ‘has died from it’ and on February 29, 2020 – he would be proven wrong. Now outbreaks are happening in factories and nursing homes as the aged and race are rising in vast numbers.

By March, Trump is still touting that anyone can get a test, and everyone knows that is still a lie. The scientists like Dr. Fauci tell it like it really is while Trump and his followers tell lies. New York becomes the next hotspot as the reality of no PPE’s and ventilators become the next horrifying scare. Mike Bowen, VP of Prestige Ameritech tells anyone who will listen that mask makers are out of the country so no exporting of what the US needs.

Hospital workers are reusing their masks and gowns and the public is told they do not need masks. In the meantime, Trump puts his son-in-law Jared Kushner in charge of getting supplies. He in turn uses volunteers to find supplies which turns out to be a massive joke. These 20-year-old volunteers were forced to sign NDA’s. The Governor of California Newsom basically has to play ‘hail to the king’ groveling to get supplies. The Governor of Maryland has a better idea and gets the supplies himself!

Trump gets on national television and pushes hydroxychloroquine as a cure for Covid turning to a YouTube doctor for his information as scientists are shocked. Doctors are frustrated trying to help their patients with accurate information while the White House spews nonsense.  Dr. Bright had enough and went rogue. Testifying to Congress the facts, Trump and Azar have other plans for the doctor.

By April after months of shutdowns, Trump begins to make demands for the US to reopen calling for people to protest. He begins censoring the CDC and tells US citizens a vaccine will be here by the fall (notice we are in October).

What have all these scientists come to grips with? That science is key, smile without eyes and a mask over our faces, care about citizens as much as building missiles and finally – politicians are the problem.

For me – there is one politician who we are supposed to trust with our lives, and he is going to get us all killed.

Writer/Director Gibney has quite a resume that includes a few other documentaries I enjoyed like CLIENT 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, CASINO JACK AND THE UNITES STATES OF MONEY and CITIZEN K. What I love most about his work is that he just tells the truth of a situation and lets the viewer come to their own conclusion – no preaching, just “here it is, the stark truth of it all” and with TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL he doesn’t need to convince most of us of the truth, but I appreciate knowing more than I did.

Speaking out in the documentary are Kathleen Sebelius, Francis Riedo, Scott Becker, Thomas Frieden, Michael Shear, Rick Bright, Taison Bell, Michael Bowen, Beth Cameron, Caroline Chen, Alex Groninger, Max Kennedy, Victoria Kim, James Lawler, Eva Lee, Kim Jon Young and Vladimir Zelendo.

TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL is a frightening look how many people were sounding the alarm to a government that refused to listen. There are so many of us that have lost loved ones (three in my own family alone), friends, spouses, children and we only get their ‘condolences’ when most of us want them on trial for murder.

Trump, Pence, Azar, and the rest are responsible for those death because they choose to believe they are invincible, THEY are invincible. They care nothing for the citizens they are suppose to be helping and have proved it time and time again with their endless press conferences to puff up their own egos while people watching are afraid every time they walk out the door.

These are heartless carbon-based units, they certainly do not qualify as people, who will do whatever they want with no consequences. It is almost as if they hope we die in larger numbers so they can continue without interruption trampling over the graves of the 200,000+ already gone.

This is a documentary that had my jaw dropping! So many people who tried to help and were personally and professionally insulted and sent packing ruining lives and careers in shocking. It should not be because this administration thrives on destruction, but it is.

Please, please take the time to watch this documentary. Gibney gives you the undisputable facts that we should have been told all along.

In the end - totally out of control is more like it!

It is All About THE LIE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from Amazon Prime, Welcome to Blumhouse and director Veena Sud is the story of what we tell ourselves and what we believe about THE LIE.

Rebecca (Mireille Enos) is raising daughter Kayla (Joey King) sharing awkward custody with ex-husband Jay (Peter Sarsgaard). That morning he is taking his daughter to dance camp and along the way Kayla sees her friend at the bus stop. Convincing Jay that they are both going to the same place, Brittany (Devery Jacobs) gets in the car.

Going down the road, Brittany wants to stop and use the restroom but all they have is the great outdoors. Waiting for the girls, Jay gets worried and goes looking for them only to hear a scream. Arriving at a bridge, Jay sees Kayla leaning as she tells her father Brittany is gone. In a panic he jumps to the river’s edge and only finds the girls wallet.

Trying to protect Kayla, Jay goes to Rebecca's work and gets her home. There, Kayla recounts to her mother what happened. Trying to keep their daughter safe, they are shocked with Brittany's father Sam (Cas Anvar) knocks on the door thinking that perhaps Kayla knows where his daughter is.

Rebecca and Jay realize that the only way to keep Kayla away from questions is to create questions of their own. Turning to law enforcement, everything begins to unravel and Kayla's attitude toward it all is a bit curious to say the least.

In a last-ditch effort to help their daughter, it is their worse fear come true!

Enos as Rebecca is a doing her best with a career and a teenage daughter that just does not seem to be happy about anything. Trying to have a new relationship plus dealing with an unreliable ex-husband, Enos delivers as we watch her character go from a well-manicured business woman to a falling apart mother.

Sarsgaard as Jay is an ex-husband who is fully aware, he failed, so much so that he allows the things his daughter says and does go without question. Making up for what he considers being a bad father, he is willing to chalk everything up to 'being a teenager' instead of what is really true about his daughter.

King as Kayla is a teen that needs discipline but is to busy playing games. That might be a bit of a personal opinion as I see the character of Kayla as annoying and a kid I would never want to hang around with - but that's just me. King puts in the work to make sure I feel this way for one shocking reason and no, I am not going to tell you what it is. King is growing as an actress and it's one leap after another.

Anvar as Sam is a neighbor who gets caught up in something that he doesn't understand. The constant confrontations with Rebecca, Jay and Kayla is nerve wrecking to watch. Anvar is an actor I enjoy watching because he consistently chooses unexpected roles with very cool results.

Other cast include Devery Jacobs as Brittany, Patti Kim as Detective Kenji Tagata, and Nicholas Lea as Detective Rodney Barnes.

Amazon Prime offers television shows and original content included in its Amazon Prime subscription. Original programs such as CARNIVAL ROW, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, and THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL are hit shows. Coming soon is the next series with GOLIATH starring Billy Bob Thornton and it promises to another successful and intense series.

Blumhouse Productions is known for producing horror films such as PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, INSIDIOUS, SINISTER, THE PURGE, THE GIFT, GET OUT, HAPPY DEATH DAY and SPLIT. The films from Blumhouse have become instant classics and they continue to give us something to scream about! See more at www.blumhouse.com

THE LIE is a story of family dysfunction, a teen with serious issues, refusing to do the right thing over and over and having it all come crumbling right in front of the family's eyes. I have a sneaky suspicion that people will be talking to their screens about as much as I did! Not that we want to be involved in it all but that there is this feeling that someone, anyone has to.

Keeping the story simple there is not a lot of scene changes or cgi, instead, THE LIE slowly unravels dedicated to the story each character is trying to tell about themselves and who they really are. Confronting their mistakes towards one another comes only at the expense of a tragedy. The ending is a jaw dropper!

In the end - it was an accident!

Netflix Brings the Documentary AMERICAN MURDER: The Family Next Door

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Netflix from director Jenny Popplewell is a documentary that tells the whole tragic story of one family with AMERICAN MURDER: The Family Next Door. 

In 2013, the world learned about the disappearance of a mother and her two small daughters living in Colorado. What starts out as a local matter within days becomes international but there is a story before it all happened.

Shanann and Chris Watts are a married couple living in Frederick, Colorado and likes to share her life and family on social media. Telling of meeting husband Chris and her battle with lupus. Nikki is her best friend and Shanann shares everything with her about marriage and good times together.

After a business meeting away for a few days, Shanann arrives home in the early morning hours. Nikki tries to call and txt her the next morning but does not get a response. As time goes on, Nikki decides to go to Shanann's house and finds nothing. Calling the police and Chris, everyone is worried, and they finally get inside the house to find - no one.

No Shanann and no children and no signs of break-in or struggle. The police begin to talk with neighbors and time is passing with still no word or clue as to where Shanann and the children have gone.

The days are filled with making flyers, passing them out and the dogs being brought in to the Watts' home and television interviews. Chris is interviewed as well and that's when questions about the relationship between he and Shanann come into play.

The FBI is called in and Nikki has more to say about the relationship between her friend and Chris. This documentary goes back weeks and unravels the Watts' story and where the home life became difficult. Agreeing to a polygraph, it only brings more problems as secrets are revealed.

After four days, the family is told the worst news, but the truth is still far from being told. Social media isn't far behind with their own opinions which aren't always so nice in regard to Shannan. With a confession in hand, the police and courts begin the process exposing lies, secrets and the story of a man who did the unthinkable.

When the truth is finally revealed, it is nothing short of pure horror and the family and friends left behind are shattered.

Director Jenny Popplewell takes the entire 122 minutes and dedicates it all to what makes this story riveting and horrifying. A married couple that seem perfectly happy on the outside to everyone with their lovely daughters and successful careers, is unmasked day by day to its tragic conclusion.

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with over 158 million paid memberships in over 190 countries. Enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films, Netflix is across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere and on any internet-connected screen. For more information please visit www.netflix.com.

AMERICAN MURDER: The Family Next Door is a tragic look inside the life of a family and the friends who could have never imagined such evil was so close to them. It is a story of a man who kept secrets from his family about how he truly felt about marriage and a family. It is a story about Shanann, a woman who was strong willed, dealing with illness and loving her family.

This is a difficult documentary to watch because no one wants to believe that one human being could be so selfish and destructive. Even when the story is told leading up to the one horrible day, there is no excuse for what happened and no excuse acceptable. What is left are families who live day to day with what the rest of us can walk away from, pain, confusion and never seeing their loved ones again.

As much as we find ourselves hollering for answers and then justice, director Popplewell manages to avoid judgement but instead focuses on the facts and presenting extraordinary details of led up to the tragic event and the continued tragedy after.

In the end - it is an American tragedy of evil!

THE NEST

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from writer/director Sean Durkin, IFC Films and the Official Selection at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival is a look at life that is more want than reality when building THE NEST.

Rory (Jude Law) is a commodities broker living in the US with wife Allison (Carrie Coon) and kids Samantha (Oona Roche) and Benjamin (Charlie Shotwell). Feeling his options for making money have dried up, Rory is excited to tell Allison that he wants to move back to England and return to job he once had.

Allison is not happy about it since she runs an equestrian stable and is settled. She agrees to go leaving everything behind except her beloved horse. When they arrive, Rory is thrilled to take the family to their new home which is practically an old castle. He is also excited to show Allison the space where she can have her own stables built.

Getting the kids in school and off to work, Rory starts in immediately getting reacquainted with friend Steve (Adeel Akhtar) and CEO Arthur Davis (Michael Culkin). Throwing his ideas out he is hoping to bring in new clients, make big deals and get money in the bank. The slight problem about Rory is that he tends to want the biggest and the best - at any cost.

Allison is having a difficult time adjusting but finds a little solace in the arrival of her horse. Seeing the stables being built also helps her get into a routine. It does not take long before each member of the family begins to fall apart in their own way. Allison decides its time to be real and not always in the best of ways.

It is time for the façade to end!

Law as Rory was born to play this role. There is something about this actor that you can easily read his face no matter what lines come out of his mouth. He is a man who wants the best of everything and does not care how he gets it. He can spin a lie into the truth with ease and make one think they are crazy which brings us to Allison.

Coon as Allison is a woman who is happy in her marriage knowing that Rory takes care of everything. Once the move happens, she becomes nervous to the point of doing things she normally would not as a way to cope. Her change is brought on by many things to the point where I found myself getting jittery! Well done.

Roche as Samantha is a teen girl who is in a world all her own. She cares very much for Rory but knows that her parents are struggling in a house that is nothing short of depressing for everyone. Shotwell as Benjamin is a young boy who I felt the most for. Caught in the middle of a father who has put them all in their current situation, a mother who is falling apart and a sister who pretty much has checked out of the situation to be a teenager.

Other cast include Tattiawana Jones as Coach, Oona Roche as Samantha, Kaisa Hammarlund as Helena, Tommy Surridge as Paul, Gunnar Cauthery as Jon and Polly Allen as Stella.

IFC Films is a leading distributor of quality talent-driven independent films. Some of the company’s successes include BOYHOOD, FRANCES HA, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, TOUCHING THE VOID, CHE, TINY FURNITURE and CARLOS. For more information on films from IFC please visit www.ifcfilms.com

Writer and director Sean Durkin said of his film, "Growing up between American and England in the 80's and 90's, I experienced a stark difference in atmosphere between the two places that has long stayed with me. I always felt the contrast would provide a haunting tonal shift in a film and this backdrop sparked the conception of THE NEST. Within this setting I wanted to reflect on personal experiences to create an unsettling, naturalistic family drama that explores how a move across the Atlantic uproots the dormant truths that lie beneath this family's dynamic."

THE NEST is a dive into the relationship of this family based on a façade that Rory has created, and Allison has allowed. What happens is that, with all facades, the cracks begin to show, and these two characters do not know how to handle it and the children pay the price. Trust me that there is no way you cannot yell at the screen wanting to help.

The shift between the life they had in the United States and England, although geographically different, is caused by the life the couple created. Starting over does not mean leaving the problems behind, issues do not need a passport! Law and Coon are on it from start to finish until the final shot feels as if they are forced into reality.

In the end - having it all is never enough!

VIKINGS Sets to Return in December

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to The History Channel on December 4th is the long awaited return of one of the channels most stunning and epic series to date is VIKINGS.

The last season ended with a battle between Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hogh Andersen) and brother Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig). Now Ivar has escaped with his life and Bjorn has taken the throne of Kattegat. Immediately the new king lets his people know that he wants to expand the city becoming an important route for trade. This will help all the people of Kattegat prosper.

On the road, Ivar travels on The Silk Road discovering things he didn't know existed. While on the road he is captured and taken to the Russian leader and proclaimed old Viking Kievan Rus Prince Oleg (Danila Kozlovsky). Discovering he has Ivar the Boneless, the Prince makes it clear from the onset that he is more merciless than Ivar ever thought he was. When the Prince asks what it is that Ivar wants, the name Kattegat is uttered and Ivar is assured that his vengeance will come but first, the royal has his own family problems to deal with.

In Kattegat, Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) tells Bjorn that she no longer wants to be a figurehead of his reign. Instead, she is tired and wants nothing more than to go back to where she had a life with Ragnar and farm in peace leaving the life of a shield-maiden in the past. The women of the village come to see the famous Lagertha and tells her that most of the men have been killed in wars and attacks. The attacks aren't over as a new, formidable and the recognizable leader wants nothing more than to hurt everyone in his path and he has Lagertha in his sights.

Ivar in Kiev is beginning to understand what it is that motivates Oleg and his viciousness. Proving with ease that the Prince will destroy anyone who gets in his way, he takes young nephew Igor to raise. Ivar makes slow moves in order to place himself in a position that allows him to outwardly seem afraid but behind those eyes is a game that the Prince might not be prepared to play.

In Kattegat, Bjorn receives a message of help from a prior enemy and feels the need to do the right thing. Before leaving, he asks about Floki and what has happened to him. Not getting the answer he wants, Bjorn makes it clear that he will discover the truth and if anything has happened to Floki, someone will be held accountable. Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith) and Torvi (Georgia Hirst) are sent to the place now called Iceland to find answers.

The message of help turns out to be something totally different as Bjorn, Harald and Olaf come to a meeting of the minds and the suggestion that a vote be taken to find a King of Norway. Olaf believes that the ruler should be Bjorn Ironside but there are others who might have a different opinion.

What happens at that vote might change everything as the leaders know it.

Ludwig as Bjorn Ironside has taken the helm of Kattegat just as his father Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) did in the Vikings series. From the beginning, Ludwig has always been in the shadows as we have watched him grow into a storyline that is harsh but the reality of history in the Dark Ages. The character of Bjorn has grown slow and steady rising further into the storyline and Ludwig has given us every reason to remain curious as to how his story will end. The character of Bjorn tries everything possible to not be like the leaders that have gone before, including his father, mistakes are made but Ludwig's Bjorn leans quickly.

Winnick as Lagertha has been through the wringer and back again. Starting as a farmer with husband Ragnar, becoming Queen, not Queen and then Queen somewhere else and back to Kattegat taking out enemies along the way has just worn this lady out. Winnick has returned season after season giving her character strength, courage and eventually the ability to weed out those who are trying to destroy her. In all of this she has kept her sense of family, even children that are Ragnar's she has tried to embrace. 

Andersen as Ivar continues to intrigue audiences with the duality of his insane brutality and moments where we all think he might have a chance to be human after all. He believes himself to be a god but certainly discovers that shouting it from the rooftops brings about unsavory characters who don't care about his divinity. Andersen continues to surprise with his performance and with this final season I am truly interested where this character will be taken.

Franzen as Harald is another Viking who has ideas of his own about how things should be done and who should do them. Always with the slight of hand in his planning I am keeping an eye on him. Smith and Hirst are the couple who are trying to help find answers in Floki's Iceland. That is a part of the storyline that I am so interested in and partly because I think Floki has been through just as much as the Lothbrok line.

Shout out to Marco llso as Hvitserk for what he is about to put everyone through!

This historical drama created by Michael Hirst began with the story of Norse hero Ragnar Lothbrok. We have seen almost everything possible with love, family, deception, intrigue and battles that hold nothing back. This is the final season and Viking fans, like myself, know that all good things come to an end but we aren't happy about it at all.

In just the first few episodes, the stage is set for changes that all of this has been leading up to. The cast is doing a wonderful job of taking us on this final leg of the journey.

Hirst created another of my favorite shows from Showtime with The Tudors followed with Camelot for Starz. Back to Showtime for the series The Borgias and MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS with Saoirse Ronan, ELIZABETH and ELIZABETH: The Golden Age. Hirst has such an amazing ability to bring a richness to the stories he tells but some outstanding actors to bring it all to the screen.

The History Channel brings Vikings back on December 4th so get through turkey day safely because once you are back at Kattegat, the ride will have begun and there is no turning back. Everything that we have come to embrace about each character is going to keep us coming back until the very last scene.

As salve to our open wound, it has been announced that Hirst is creating a series called Vikings: Vahalla that will be seen on Netflix. Said to be set one hundred years later there will be a new group of famous Vikings and their fight for survival in an ever-changing world.

Even with that, we all can agree that our excitement about Vikings came from Ragnar Lothbrok and all the intrigue that followed. Prepare to see how it all plays out with the return of Vikings on the History Channel December 4th!

STRANGE BUT TRUE Will Shock and Jaw Drop

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and Digital from director Rowan Athale, CBS Films and Lionsgate is a family in mourning until a shock knocks on their door with a story that is STRANGE BUT TRUE.

It has been five years and Philip (Nick Robinson) is a young man deal with the death of his brother Ronnie (Connor Jessup) and how it has effect mom Charlene (Amy Ryan) and estranged dad Richard (Greg Kinnear). Making things more interesting is the knock on the door by Melissa (Margaret Qualley), Ronnie's girlfriend at the time of his death.

The shock is that Melissa is very pregnant and tells Charlene and Philip that the father is Ronnie. Unable to explain why she believes it, Charlene immediately goes into freak out mode. Trying to understand why she would make up such a story, Charlene begins to research her thought process.

In the meantime, Melissa is living in a small house on the property of friends Gail (Blythe Danner) and husband Bill (Brian Cox). The couple see her as the daughter they never had and are mystified about her reason for keeping the identity of the baby's father from them.

Philip begins to friend Melissa and wants to help, especially because she could be telling the truth about the baby's paternity. Charlene reaches out to Richard trying to find answers since he is a doctor. They can't help but snap at one another because of the hurt feelings and animosity that has grown over the years between the two.

That doesn't stop Charlene from slowly ruling out scenarios but the secrets are starting to slowly unravel on their own. In the cross of it are Philip, Melissa and the truth about her baby!

Robinson as Philip is a young man dealing with the death of his brother but getting his own life twisted in the meantime. That's why he reaches out to Melissa as a connection to Ronnie by someone who cared for him just as much as he did. Robinson has a scene where he finally speaks out about his feelings and it is full of all the emotions his character has been keeping hidden, this young actor nails it.

Ryan as Charlene is full of anger for both the death of her son and the death of her marriage. Ronnie's girlfriend is the last person she wants to see let alone see her pregnant with a story about paternity. Ryan gives this character righteous anger and emotions of a mother who can't find a place for her grief. Kinnear as Richard looks for solace from his grief far from home and with someone else. He has secrets of his own and the question is how much longer can he kept them hidden?

Qualley as Melissa believes what she believes and doesn't concern herself with whether anyone trusts her word. She knows that her friendship with Gayle and Bill will give her time to have her baby and go from there. Danner as Gayle is a loving friend who never had children of her own. Friending Melissa makes her feel as if she has a chance to be motherly. Danner is always a force on the screen no matter if it's big or small. Cox as Bill loves his wife dearly and lets her know it. His concern for Melissa is ever present and sees her child as something joyful for Gayle and that's important for him. Cox is not front and center in the film but his presence is palpable.

Other cast include Janaya Stephens as Pilla, Mena Massoud as Chaz, Sarah Allen as Holly, Darryl Flatman as Vaughn and Allegra Fulton as Chantrel.

Lionsgate is a global leader in motion picture production and distribution for theatres, television, home entertainment and more. Theatre franchises include THE HUNGER GAMES, and DIVERGENT along with JOHN WICK. Now, adding this film to its 16,000 motion picture and television titles you can see everything coming soon as well as available now at http://www.lionsgate.com.

STRANGE BUT TRUE is a film that has so many twists and turns one could easily get whiplash. In the mixture of grief and anger are two stories that will merge together but not with an ending anyone would expect. This is an interesting cast that has been put together to tell the story because as each secret comes out, the reaction and next secret just muddies the waters again so well done.

So don't blink or the connections will fly by and don't make too much noise eating popcorn or you won't hear what is shocking or you'll forget you have a mouth full of popcorn because your jaw will be dropping. STRANGE BUT TRUE is reinforces what happens when a family has secrets, tells themselves lies and let anger control every move.

In the end - some things are impossible to conceive!