A UNITED KINGDOM Stands for Love and a Country on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

This week on Bluray and DVD from director Amma Asante and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment comes a story of love and country along with A UNITED KINGDOM.

Studying law in 1940’s Britain, Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) is out one night with friends when he sees Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike). They begin seeing one another much to the displeasure of Ruth’s parents and even more so when she tells them she is engaged.

One announcement he does make to Ruth is that he is Prince Seretse Khama of Bechuanaland and he would soon need to return to his country. Thrilled at the prospect of joining him, the couple begins to make plans. What they don’t count on is the reaction of those around them because of the differences in the color of their skin.

Ruth’s father makes it clear that if she goes, he will disown her which upsets her mother and sister. Seretse’s Uncle Tshekedi Khama (Vusi Kunene) who has been regent of their people while the prince has been away at college is furious and claims the tribe will now allow it.

Returning to Seretse’s homeland in South Africa, his Uncle wastes no time in expressing himself as Ruth is berated by Ella Khama (Abena Ayivor) and his sister Naledi Khama (Terry Pheto). Thinking nothing else could possible happen, Seretse’s Uncle tries to stir up the villagers to turn against their future King.

That is when Sir Alistair Canning (Jack Davenport) and Rufus Lancaster (Tom Felton) begin to use the strong arm of politics to try and break the couple apart. But Seretse begins to discover that there is perhaps something even more sinister behind their plan to bring more than a couple under their rule.

Tricking Seretse into returning to Britain to work on the matter, a time of exile begins and the fight to protect their own country as they call upon the international community to help restore what would become the Republic of Botswana.

Oyelowo as Seretse gives a strong performance as a man unwilling to be told by either side who to love or how to rule. He portrays a man who thinks carefully before reacting and believes in the premise that left unchecked; Britain could take what belongs to his people. I enjoyed Oyelowo’s portrayal of this man who was before his time.

Pike as Ruth portrays a woman who is also before her time. Learning that the opposition of being with Seretse was hated on both sides, she still chooses to stand by her husband and the country that adopts her in the end. Pike’s performance gives us only a taste of what it must have been like and that is more than enough to know that the beginning of their life was difficult beyond belief.

Kunene as Tshekedi Khama is set in his traditional ways and is the catalyst for Britain do try and take what is not theirs. Ayivor as Ella Khama has a spiteful tongue having no difficulty in telling Ruth what she thinks but then again family is always the first to have an opinion.

Pheto as the King’s sister Naledi Khama is not happy at first believing their people would never accept a white Queen. Once she becomes aware of how everyone, both black and white, are treating Ruth, it is time someone was on her sister-in-law’s side.

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.

A UNITED KINGDOM includes the Bonus Features of Making of A United Kingdom, Filming in Botswana, The Legacy of Seretse and Ruth and London Film Festival Opening Night Gala Premier.

A UNITED Kingdom is a story of two people who were unwilling to give either side the satisfaction they sought. Whether through the color of their skin, the politics or the under handedness of mining their land – they may have stumbled but did not fall.

This history of King Khama is complex enough yet the film gives us all a look that makes looking further into the story a must. The performances of the film are strong and do not sugar coat in any way the issues of the 1940’s both in Britain and in Botswana.

Yet the strength of these two people brings both the hope and the belief that when facing injustice head on, something has to give!

In the end – it is the story of a love that shook an empire!

AMERICANA Brings Intensity to a Superb Thriller!

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD, Video on Demand, Digital HD as well as iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Vudu is the intense thriller from writer/director Zachary Shedd and Candy Factory Films with AMERICANA.

Avery Wells (David Call) is a young man who experiences a horrific act when his sister Kate (Kelli Garner) is brutally murdered in front of him. Turning to the bottle and filled with anxiety, he is approached by the film’s producer Calib Andrews (Jack Davenport). Andrews wants the film finished and asks Avery to continue the film that his sister was starring in at the time of her death.

Trying to keep it together to do the work, Avery is plagued by phone calls from a stranger who threatens to reveal something terrible. Not sure what to make of it, he searches for answers but it all begins to look like a conspiracy.

He turns to Claire (Jennifer Stuckert) and brother-in-law Josh McAllister (Frank Mosley) to begin piecing together if this has something to do with Kate. Avery even turns to his lawyer Ben (Peter Coyote) but all of this brings more questions than answers!

The frustration leads him to even reach out to the killers Aunt Nora Taylor (Sayra Player) to discover what is motivating everything happening around him. When everything falls into place, Avery must decide how to handle it and what will happen next.

But secrets have a way of revealing all!

Call as Avery is a man possessed by every inch of his life. Dealing with his drinking, a song that doesn’t know his father, a murdered sister and a secret that holds the key to everything – it all can’t help but come crashing down. Call gives this character the grease that glides him along the edge of insanity. His performance is riveting!

Davenport as Calib managed to make me not trust him the moment he was on the screen. Viewing Avery’s reaction to him just gave me the jitters and without giving anything away, his performance keeps the tension high.

Mosley as Josh just wants Avery to get his act together and to not let Kate be used after her death. He wants the truth but it doesn’t rule his life like it does with Avery. Mosley gives a dark performance that it based on pure excellence – well done!

Stuckert as Claire tries to be patient with Avery but there is only so much a person can take and it is becoming clear that he has taken enough. Player as Nora gives a quick performance but its enough to add even more mystery to the story. It was great to see Coyote as Ben and I loved that I was never clear where this character stood with Avery.

A shout out to Lily Luong as Terri because even though her character has a brief appearance, when she says “we are both good people” it was from the heart and got an instant reaction out of me.

Other cast include Vincent Chan, James Zeiss, James Brickhouse, Sayra Player, Josh Schell, and John Elefantis.

Candy Factory Films is a forward-thinking, filmmaker-friendly company dedicated to producing unique and compelling films. Candy Factory is at the forefront of a new vanguard reaching distinct audiences. With award-winning and acclaimed films across every genre, Candy Factory is committed to creating and fostering communities around independent and progressive cinema. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.candyfactoryfilms.com.

AMERICANA definitely leads with twists and turns from the very beginning and doesn’t let up until minutes before the end. It is a story of the mistakes we make, protecting those we love, experiencing the worst of each other and the suspicions that can eat every moment of ones life.

This cast brings an ensemble performance that is riveting from start to finish. To remove even one cast member, the ensemble would crumble. That is what makes this film because every time I thought I had pieced it together, like the windy roads of San Francisco, I was taken on a ride.

AMERICANA was nominated for New American Cinema at the 2016 Seattle International film Festival and won Best Feature Film at the 2016 Lower East Side Film Festival. Kudos and congratulations – a well deserved win.

In the end – there are always consequences.