RADIUM GIRLS Have a Story That Needed Telling

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from directors Lydia Dean Pilcher, Ginny Mohler and Juno Films is a story that has finally had an opportunity to be told about the RADIUM GIRLS.

Living in New Jersey in the 20's, Josephine (Abby Quinn) and Bessie (Joey King) are sisters who work at the American Radium factory painting faces on clocks. Bessie was hired when their older sister passed as the family needed the money to survive. Using radium on the clock faces, the technique used had the brushes going into the mouths of all the women working.

Day after day the girls would come in and do their job, but Bessie wants more in her life - like a little fun and excitement. Josephine, being the responsible one, did her best to keep the younger sister from trouble. Yet, slowly, Josephine has begun to feel tired and Bessie has noticed. Convincing her to see Dr. Flint (Neal Huff), Josephine is told that she is fine and then told she has syphilis.

Bessie decides she is going to try and find out for herself what is wrong with Josephine and to her horror is told that the radium used at the clock factory is the culprit. Not getting any help from the company, she starts to look elsewhere when Josephine is in dire condition. Finding Wiley (Cara Seymour), a lawsuit is filed giving those affected the chance to prove that the clock manufacturer is responsible for sickness and death.

It will take time and courage for the truth to be revealed!

Quinn as Josephine is a diligent sister who wants the family to stay together at all costs. With the death of their older sister, she feels even more responsible to keep the money coming in by getting Bessie a job at the same factory. Slowly feeling that something is wrong, she tries to cover it up until it cannot be covered any longer.

King as sister Bessie is a 'wild child' for her time wanting more than just spending time painting faces on a clock. Pushing the limits of what is acceptable for a young lady of the day, all of that comes to a halt when her anger turns toward the doctor who is not helping her sister. King has the ability to show anger in a unique and sometimes scary way. In this film she gets the chance to use that anger for something greater than herself.

Seymour as Wiley immediately knows what is wrong with Josephine and is dedicated to helping Bessie. It takes some thought and courage because women of the time did not question men, Seymour offers up a strong shoulder to make what needs to happen, actually happen.

Other cast include: Scott Shepherd as Mr. Leech, Susan Heyward as Etta, Neal Huff as Dr. Flint, Collin Sordelet as Walt, John Lloyd as Arthur Roeder, Joe Grifasi as Nonno, Brandon Gill as Thomas, Olivia Macklin as Paula, Colby Minifie as Doris, Greg Hildreth as Henry Berry and Veanne Cox as Dr. Katherine Drinker.

Juno Films is a boutique film distributor as founder Elizabeth Sheldon brings over 20 years of experience in documentary and feature films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.junofilms.com

RADIUM GIRLS is the story of hundreds of women who worked in factories during World War I. Using radium in the painted dials, this case would be one that change laws. The hideousness of girls lives, and reputations being ruined by company doctors using the excuse that the girls has syphilis to cover up their crime is maddening.

Marie Curie knew a thing or two about radium and what it can do to the body. It is unfortunate the women did not know about her but I am going to bet dollars to ducats that the men did. Even more frightening is realizing that people were told that radium was good for them finding it in water, cosmetics and toothpaste.

I was particularly moved by the film so much so that I started researching the subject myself and was horrified by what I found. That is what a film like RADIUM GIRLS does for the general public, make themselves aware of the history to make sure it never, ever happens again.

RADIUM GIRLS is a lesson and a story that deserves its place on the screen.

In the end - the fight was for them all!

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!

THE BOXCAR CHILDREN: Surprise Island Brings Animated Family Adventure to Bluray and DVD

Jeri Jacquin

On Bluray & DVD this week from directors Dan Chuba and Mark Dippe along with Legacy Classics and SHOUT! Kids Factory comes a story of family and a summer like no other for THE BOXCAR CHILDREN: Surprise Island.

Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny are spending the summer on a private island that belongs to their grandfather. Every day they do something special together like make cabinets for their cabin and making lunches together. They also meet young Joe who is a mystery to many people on the island.

Out wandering they take to the beach and soon run the beach looking for clams and exploring. Chasing sandpipers they soon discover a platform in the water. Violet and Benny meet Joe who shows them amazing things about the ocean. Wanting to know more, Henry decides to create a museum from their exploration.

Joe volunteers to help them learn by getting books from the library. They begin to create an amazing collection of items from the island and continue to explore even more about the island finding an unusual cave. They tell Joe who is as excited about what is inside.

When Grandfather returns, he sees that the children not only have made the cabin a home but turned the upstairs into a wonderful museum. A man named Mr. Browning arrives looking for a friend when the kids offer him something to eat.

And quickly the kids discover that their friend Joe has a surprise for everyone but what a joyous surprise it is!

The cast is voiced by Joey King as Jessie, Talitha Bateman as Violet, Griffin Gluck as Henry, Carter Sand as Benny, Gil Birmingham as Mr. Browning, Stephen Stanton as Captain Daniel, Dane DeHaan as Joe, J.K. Simmons as Dr. Moore, and Martin Sheen as James Alden.

SHOUT! Factory brings the best to fans offering up feature films, classic television series, animation and specials. For more of what they have to offer go to www.shoutfactory.com. 

Legacy Classics is dedicated to family entertainment and educational tools based on classic and award-winning children’s literature. The Boxcar Children, written by Gertrude Chandler Warner, has sold over 70 million books world-wide. Most do not know that there are over 150 books in the series that reaches over 1 million kids!

The DVD of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN: Surprise Island includes the Special Features of Interviews with Cast & Crew, Interview with the Composer, and Behind-The-Scenes Interview with the Sound Editing and Mixing Team. Also included is a Watch-Anywhere code that allows you to experience the film on your PC, Mac, iPhone, and iPod and a fantastic book mark showing the wonderful cover of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN: Surprise Island.

THE BOXCAR CHILDREN: Surprise Island is a beautiful film with a deep connection to a simpler life and a hunger for learning. These are kids who are very close and take care of each other. The story sweeps the viewer in quickly because the relationship between the siblings is one of mutual respect and love.

The characters in the story gave me plenty of reason to giggle, smile and remember what it was like to spend summers on the beach with my own siblings. The animation is vivid and extraordinary to tell this touching story.

This film is absolutely a must have for the home film library and a story I want my own grandchildren to watch again and again. These are important stories to be told and they are made sweeter by a studio that takes such amazing care in the way a story is presented to those of us who love the books.

THE BOXCAR CHILDREN: Surprise Island has so much to teach us all about beauty, family, love and support along with believing in a few life surprises.

In the end – on a small island they find big adventure!