The Terror is Unseen with THE INVISIBLE MAN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital from writer/director Leigh Whannell and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the story of fear and disbelief and it all starts with THE INVISIBLE MAN.

Cecelia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) is in a dangerous marriage to husband Marc (Benedict Hardie) and in one night manages to escape with sister Alice (Harriet Dyer). Making it clear she has to hide; Alice sends her to James (Aldis Hodge) a police officer who lives with young daughter Sydney (Storm Reid).

Days go by and Cecelia cannot manage to walk out the door constantly watching for Marc out the big house window. It is not until Alice arrives to tell her that Marc is no longer a worry, does she start to feel free to go outside and finally have a life that is not controlled by her husband.

Marc’s brother Tom (Michael Dorman) sees Cecelia to let her know that there is an inheritance to be signed for. Believing that Tom finally understands the hell she was living in does Cecelia feel even more free from that life.

She decides it’s time to find a job and yet something wakes her up at night and begins to have her on guard again. There are strange happenings that leads her to believe that Marc is not dead but getting everyone else to believe what she is saying proves difficult. 

Cecelia’s life becomes dangerous as each unexplained event is more and more life threatening. People begin to turn away from her which is a feeling she is all to familiar with. This time, she knows every move she makes – Cecelia is on her own.

How do you prove what no one else sees?

Moss as Cecelia is a woman coming from a seriously dreaded marriage. Finding the strength to leave brings a new set of anxieties and fears. Feeling comfortable only means that the fears she thought were gone, were only lying in wait. I knew Moss could pull this off because I have seen what she can do in the Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale as June/Offred. That role is as intense as one can be so playing Cecelia is a walk in the park.

Hodge as James is a solid guy that wants to help Cecelia get through whatever has been happening to her. As a cop he knows how to be aware but then again that is when you can see the bad guy! Hardie as Marc is one twisted character and with the help of Dorman as brother Tom, the two seem to have their own history together.

Dryer as sister Alice comes to the rescue but there comes a point where the craziness begins to affect even their relationship. Dryer is smart as a whip and does not hold back. Reid as Sydney is a young woman with serious ambitions and who genuinely likes Cecelia, but danger has a way of testing any friendship.

Other cast include Amali golden as Annie and Sam Smith as Detective Reckley.

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 Bonus Features include: Deleted Scenes, Moss Manifested, Director’s Journey with Leigh Whannell, The Players, Timeless Terror, Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Leigh Whannell. THE INVISIBLE MAN will also be available on 4K Ultra HD which is the ultimate movie watching experience. 4K Ultra HD features the combination of 4K, resolution for four times sharper pictures than HD and immersive audio delivering a multidimensional sound experience.

THE INVISIBLE MAN has the plot that is recognizable from other films such as 1991’s SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY with Julia Roberts and 2002’s ENOUGH with Jennifer Lopez. The story of an abusive and life controlling husband is what Roberts ran away from and a husband who will never let his wife go is what Lopez fought back against. 

That being said, Moss gets a chance to mix in a little sci-fi into this story line so there’s that. Look, is this reinventing the wheel? Of course not but, in the films defense, it does have some cool and spooky scenes that force you to never take your eye off the story. There might be one or two scenes where I briefly thought “yea, that’s not believable at all” but was okay with it.

The effects are pretty cool, but I would expect nothing less. The days of crappy effects are long gone so there is no excuse to go “oooooooohhhh no” when you see something out of the corner of your eye.

THE INVISIBLE MAN is just pure fun and a reason to hold tight to your bucket of popcorn or the arm of the person sitting next to you. I still love to see films that does not require anything other than your full attention, your willingness to jump and see the end coming from a mile away but go along for the ride for the pure satisfaction.

In the end – what you cannot see can hurt you!

The Terror is Unseen with THE INVISIBLE MAN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from writer/director Leigh Whannell and Universal Pictures comes the story of fear and disbelief and it all starts with THE INVISIBLE MAN.

Cecelia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) is in a dangerous marriage to husband Marc (Benedict Hardie) and in one night manages to escape with sister Alice (Harriet Dyer). Making it clear she has to hide; Alice sends her to James (Aldis Hodge) a police officer who lives with young daughter Sydney (Storm Reid).

Days go by and Cecelia can not manage to walk out the door constantly watching for Marc out the big house window. It isn’t until Alice arrives to tell her that Marc is no longer a worry, does she start to feel free to go outside and finally have a life that is not controlled by her husband.

Marc’s brother Tom (Michael Dorman) sees Cecelia to let her know that there is an inheritance to be signed for. Believing that Tom finally understands the hell she was living in does Cecelia feel even more free from that life.

She decides its time to find a job and yet something wakes her up at night and begins to have her on guard again. There are strange happenings that leads her to believe that Marc is not dead but getting everyone else to believe what she is saying proves difficult.  

Cecelia’s life becomes dangerous as each unexplained event is more and more life threatening. People begin to turn away from her which is a feeling she is all to familiar with. This time, she knows every move she makes – Cecelia is on her own.

How do you prove what no one else sees?

Moss as Cecelia is a woman coming from a seriously dreaded marriage. Finding the strength to leave brings a new set of anxieties and fears. Feeling comfortable only means that the fears she thought were gone, were actually only lying in wait. I knew Moss could pull this off because I’ve seen what she can do in the Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale as June/Offred. That role is as intense as one can be so playing Cecelia is a walk in the park.

Hodge as James is a solid guy that wants to help Cecelia get through what ever has been happening to her. As a cop he knows how to be aware but then again that’s when you can see the bad guy! Hardie as Marc is one twisted character and with the help of Dorman as brother Tom, the two seem to have their own history together.

Dryer as sister Alice comes to the rescue but there comes a point where the craziness begins to affect even their relationship. Dryer is smart as a whip and doesn’t hold back. Reid as Sydney is a young woman with serious ambitions and who truly likes Cecelia, but danger has a way of testing any friendship.

Other cast include Amali golden as Annie and Sam Smith as Detective Reckley.

THE INVISIBLE MAN has the plot that is recognizable from other films such as 1991’s SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY with Julia Roberts and 2002’s ENOUGH with Jennifer Lopez. The story of an abusive and life controlling husband is what Roberts ran away from and a husband who will never let his wife go is what Lopez fought back against.  

That being said, Moss gets a chance to mix in a little sci-fi into this story line so there’s that. Look, is this reinventing the wheel? Of course not but, in the films defense, it does have some cool and spooky scenes that force you to never take your eye off the screen. There might be one or two scenes where I briefly thought “yea, that’s not believable at all” but was okay with it.

The effects are pretty cool but I would expect nothing less. The days of crappy effects are long gone so there is no excuse to go “oooooooohhhh no” when you see something out of the corner of your eye.

THE INVISIBLE MAN is just pure fun and a reason to hold tight to your bucket of popcorn or the arm of the person sitting next to you. I still love to go to the movies to see films that don’t require anything other than your full attention, your willingness to jump and see the end coming from a mile away but go along for the ride for the pure satisfaction.

In the end – what you can’t see can hurt you!

US Returns Us to Terror on a California Boardwalk on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital this week from director Jordan Peele and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the tale of what happens when you look into the heart of US.

The Wilson family is heading on a little summer R&R at the beautiful coastal town of Santa Cruz, California. Gabe (Winston Duke) and wife Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o) along with daughter Zora (Shahadi Joseph) and young son Jason (Evan Alex), each sees this time together in a different way.

Gabe's first outing is to go to the beach in front of the Santa Cruz boardwalk but Adelaide isn't as thrilled about the idea. When she was a child, something mysterious happened to her but she hasn't shared it with anyone. Talked into it, she tries her best to make the day good for the family.

Returning home and evening falls, there are mysterious people in the Wilson driveway and when Gabe confronts them - the horror knocks down their front door. A family that looks like them has a mission and it could cost each family member their lives.

Escaping the house the family tries to get help from friends Kitty (Elisabeth Moss) and Josh (Tim Heidecker) but it isn't going to turn out as planned. What only one of the Wilson family knows is who they are and what they truly want - and they will never again be the same.

Nyong'o as Adelaide has a hidden secret in her character and the film takes its time in telling that part of the story. This actress invests not only the character of Adelaide number one but the absolutely terrifying version of Adelaide 2. She is captivating and has a mission that the Wilson family makes sort of easy for her to carry out - why? I'm not going to tell you why.

Duke as Gabe is that Dad who wants to make everyone happy while also having a good time with a beer in his hand and warm sand between his toes. He is also the Dad that has a baseball bat and isn't afraid to swing it - the problem is that Dad 2 has an advantage and that's his refusal to hesitate. Don't let his size fool you as he is a husband who knows that Adelaide is strong willed so happy life, happy wife number one.

Joseph as Zora is a teenager plugged into social media and making it perfectly clear that she is not happy about the beach or talking about college. When she literally runs against Zora number 2, trust me when I say the creepy factor is huge and it’s a look I'll never forget. That being said, don't think Zora 1 doesn't get hip quick.

Alex as Jason is definitely a mama's boy and Jason 2 is as well - with a gruesome exception. This young actor was seriously amazing and once again I don't think it's a face I am likely to forget anytime soon.

Moss as Kitty is that woman who just isn't happy with anything and finds any reason to be a total bitch. Moss has the ability to be very sweet in her character portrayals but this is her chance to just totally let loose and go insane. Heidecker as Tim is like Gabe in some ways in that he just wants to sit back with a beer and relax but Kitty isn't about to let him do that. It takes Tim 2 to at least have a chance to just be as crazy as he wants to be.

Other cast include Yahya Abdul-Matten II as Russel Thomas, Anna Diop as Rayne Thomas, Cali Sheldon as Becca Tyler, Noelle Sheldon as Lindsey Tyler and Madison Curry as young Adelaide Wilson.

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.

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.

Bonus Features include Scene Explorations – The making of three iconic scenes from the film including the Tyler house massacre, Jason’s abduction and Adelaide’s underground flashback, Seven Second Massacre, It’s a Trap, I Just Want My Little Girl Back, The Duality of US, The Monsters Within US, Tethered Together: Making US Twice, Redefining a Genre: Jordan Peele’s Brand of Horror, Becoming Red, Deleted Scenes: I Am Not Even Near You, Rabbit Season, That’s Badass, Driftwood, The P is Silent, I Wanna Go Home, We’re All Dying and As Above, So Below: Grand Pas de Deux.

FINAL WORD: Peele has taken the classic suspense film and given it just enough blood to keep me invested in the film. I am not a huge fan of gore films which I know may be a shock to anyone who knows I love thrillers. There is a difference between a thriller and a slasher film that has no storyline.

US has a storyline and it doesn't take long before you are whipped through the mental roller coaster mind of Peele. He doesn't give away much, still adds a little cheesiness here and there, and picks an unlikely place to make it all work.

The cast makes this story work and work extremely well. There is a togetherness in the way these actors played the Wilson clan that brings you in quickly and keeps you there until the very…last…frame.

I adore Santa Cruz and, of course, never pictured it as a town where something like this story would take place. Recognizing every single location in the film from the boardwalk to the streets, just made it even more fun once I bought into the fact that yes, this could happen in Santa Cruz!

This is a fun thriller romp through my favorite stomping grounds and don't let the story get you all twisted. Go with the flow and let the Wilson family introduce you to the wonderful world of frights, fights and survival at all costs - and oh my what a high cost!

This is what a thriller weekend on Bluray looks and feels like.

In the end - we are our own worst enemy!

On Bluray Comes the Amazingly Successful Series THE HANDMAID'S TALE

Jeri Jacquin

This week on Bluray from creator Bruce Miller based on the 1985 novel by author Margaret Atwood and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the stunning THE HANDMAID'S TALE.

The Unite States is coming out of a civil war and a new government called the Gilead is ruling with an iron fist in a twisted mixture of totalitarianism and Bible verses of their own choosing. The first to be put under subjugation are women who are lower than second class citizens. Actually, the only thing lower would be Handmaids, women who still have the ability to bear children in a world of infertility.

June (Elisabeth Moss) is one such woman. After she, husband Luke (OT Fagbenle) and daughter Hannah try to escape the clutches of the Gilead, she is now under the thumb of Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) who takes her job of instructing the Handmaid's extremely seriously. Hannah is taken away and she has no idea where to find her or how. Once a woman named June, the red robes and white hat have transformed her into Offred and assigned to bear a child for Commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) and wife Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski).

While acclimating to this new life, Offred remembers how it all began when her life was normal and she spent time with friend Moira (Samira Wiley). She recalls everything in her old life with such detail that it begins to take its toll on how she handles it all. She also learns that there could be someone in the house that can't be trusted.

Offred becomes nervous when she learns from the Commander's driver Nick (Max Minghella) that the Commander wants to see her in private, something that is strictly forbidden. Explaining it to Ofglen, she learns that there is a resistance group and is told to be very careful. When one of the other Handmaid's gives birth, Offred remembers her life with Luke and the birth of their own daughter.

When Serena Joy wrongly believes there will be a child, Offred is punished and it brings back the memory of how she and Moira tried to get away from what was to happen to them. It is a Latin phrase that Offred discovers in her room that gives her the strength to find another way to survive. Especially when it is suspected that the Commander might not be able to get Offred pregnant and there is a chance that she could be reassigned elsewhere. They both agree to seek out another way.

The Commander is dealing with a Mexican trade delegation that comes to their home for dinner and one of the women of the delegation asks to speak with Offred. Wanting to know about her life and happiness, Offred lies in order to keep the peace in the Waterford home. The story takes a turn when the history of Serena Joy and the Commander comes to light and how a book written before the civil war has come back around. Offred learns that what she thought to be true about Luke has more to the story.

Putting Offred in more danger, the Commander decides to dress her up and take her out for the night. Nick drives them to an unscrupulous part of town where an old friend appears and Offred sees hope for escape but its going to take every ounce of will. Trying to convince the Commander that she has true feelings for him is part of her plan. It all comes under suspicion when another Handmaid named Ofwarren turns the tables on her Commander and puts the fate of a child in danger.

In the finale, what happened to June once she was captured and taken to the Red Center comes to light. It is what happens when Serena Joy discovers what Fred has been doing and in anger tells him something that could threaten everything. Moira finds her way to freedom and Offred finally catches a glimpse of Hannah and in a verbal showdown with Serena Joy – all gloves are off!

The chaos becomes intense when the man responsible for Ofwarren's actions is given his sentence, Aunt Lydia hands down the sentence for Ofwarren and when the Handmaid's refuse to do what they are told - it is Aunt Lydia that saves them from death but at what price?

When the black van pulls up, Offred leaves quietly but June walks out on her own terms!

Moss as June/Offred has the unique ability to give this character such an intense range of emotions. Her anger is barely below the surface and sometimes when she smiles I am quite literally scared of what she may do. That's what brings this character to another level and very deep into that level. When she does have the rare moment to say how she feels, it is a volcanic eruption that should scare everyone around her. Moss has given her own stamp to June/Offred and it is uniquely and underlying brutal.

Fiennes as Waterford is a man who once knew what having a normal life is like. Becoming a Commander has put his life in a place I don't think even he saw coming. When he is kind to Offred, she sees it as a chance to have something normal in her life but he is a man who uses what he needs to in this Gilead world and that includes Offred. His kindness comes at a price and the humiliations he heaps on his wife is a clear message that he has embraced the new ways. Fiennes is handsomely clever in his delivery of every word he speaks.

Strahovski as Serena Joy is a woman who has watched her life turn into something she never expected. The further and further the Gilead take over, the colder and more distance she becomes. She too remembers a life before this new world and who she was in it. Supporting her husband at all times, they begin to become farther and farther apart as she tolerates more and more. Turning to Offred is a chance to have something of her own - a feeling Offred understands. Don’t think Strahovski’s portrayal of Serena Joy is anything less than spectacular but stay away from those retractable claws and venomous actions.

Minghella as Nick has a plan of his own and that is to lay low and watch everything that is happening around him. What he didn't expect is having feelings for Offred. The situation he is put in by Serena Joy makes it even more difficult for him to keep perspective. The dark and brooding look helps keep this character at arms length. He keeps his emotional distance and in doing do gives him the opportunity to observe everything.

Wiley as Moira is that outspoken friend we all have who isn't afraid to make sure the world hears her yell. Her story becomes twisted in a world underneath Gilead. I love Wiley's portrayal of Moira because it’s full of fire and an anger that comes from knowing she isn't going down without a fight. Fagbenle as Luke is a man who believes his family is gone. He believed running was the only possibility for them and when his story is finally told it adds another dimension to a complex story and oh goodness what a twist it is.

Dowd as Aunt Lydia is a woman that is shrouded in mystery. I love Dowd and she can do no wrong in my eyes. I never would have pictured her in this role because, of course, when you read a character you sort of have a picture in mind. Now that I have seen Dowd - she is the true Aunt Lydia. When she played Patti Levin in another series called THE LEFTOVERS along side Justin Theroux, I have come to appreciate her thrilling ability to make you love and hate the character she is wrapped up in all at the same time. Well done Ms. Dowd, extremely well done.

Other cast include Alexis Bledel as Ofglen, Madeline Brewer as Janine, Amanda Brugel as Rita, Nina Kiri as Alma, Ever Carradine as Naomi, Stephen Kunken as Commander Putnam, Sydney Sweeney as Eden, Jenessa Grand as Ofsamuel, Robert Brown as Pryce, Birgitte Solem as Putnam Martha, Angela Vint as Leah, Kristen Gutoskie as Beth and Jordana Blake as Hannah.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The Bluray and DVD includes three discs with the episodes Offred, Birth Date, Late, Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum, Faithfully, A Woman's Place, The Other Side, Jezebels, The Bridge and Night. The Special Features include Script to Screen and Hope in Gilead.

The soundtrack for this series is absolutely amazing and I wouldn't mind having it for myself. The music just adds so much to the story as it unfolds, especially considering that I don't think music would have been accepted in the Gilead world.

I read the book when it came out in 1985 and to be perfectly honest I still have that very same copy in my bookshelf. Having read it countless times, I was surprised when I heard it was becoming a series. Of course the first season is very familiar to me yet I was still riveted. The storyline is even more drawn out and has the opportunity to put in the details that the film didn't have time to.

The look of the series is gripping, twisted, and plays out every emotion whether it is directly in front of you or deep within a characters eyes. This is a cast that has taken a story and made absolutely sure that not one moment is wasted in its telling. This series should definitely be filed under 'binge watching' because there is no way to watch one episode and walk away (she says at 12:30 a.m. after a day of binging).

The flash backs are perfectly placed and enrich the story rather than cause confusion as the characters each have a story that needs telling. In this grey and dingy world that leads to a civil war, there is so much to know and after the rise of Gilead, it is extremely cool to be let in on how it all came to be.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE has won eight of its 13 nominations from the Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama Series. The Golden Globes gave the series two awards that included Best Actress for Elisabeth Moss and Best Television Series. Be prepared as THE HANDMAID'S TALE returns to Hulu this April!

In the end - we will bear no more!