Netflix Offers Up the World with SPACEMAN

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on Netflix from director Johan Renck based on Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar is the story of the loneliest SPACEMAN.

Commander Jakub Prochazka (Adam Sandler) is a Czech astronaut on a space mission to learn more about the intergalactic dust around Venus. At home is his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan) who he waits to hear from daily. Commissioner Tuma (Isabella Rossellini) monitors all of the incoming and outgoing messages of the couple and when a serious one is received, Tuma decides that Jakub should not know about it. Sending their astronaut out to do what other countries would not, Tuma is not going to jeopardize it all.

Everyone notices that Jakub is having a hard time but he tries to continue with a daily routine maintaining the ship. Then something strange happens inside the capsule. Jakub discovers there is another passenger on the ship and is stunned that mission control does not see it on the cameras. Coming to terms with his all-out fear, Jakub now becomes curious as the creature lets him know that it is curious about the spaceman’s humanity, loneliness and Lenka.

Getting to understand one another, Jakub names the creature Hanus (Paul Dano) and another journey begins, one of emotions and understanding. A strange friendship is happening on the way to Chopra cloud. Jakub begins to understand his life and the wonders of it all through the eyes of an unusual friend.

We should all be so lucky.

Sandler as Jakub is a man wanting to fulfill his mission to Venus but in the process, he breaks a promise to wife Lenka. That is something that not only causes his marriage to be in jeopardy but is a sore subject when Hanus brings it up time and again. This is a Sandler we haven’t seen before but it’s a perfect time for him to arrive at this point in space. He gives us a performance where he carries not only the film but the emotion that won’t let us rest until the very end – and probably farther if I’m being honest.

Mulligan as Lenka is not happy about Jakub’s decision to take the mission because of a promise he made to her. Upset, the message she sends is something Hanus is curious about what she is feeling and going through. Mulligan gives us a woman going through her own emotional process of wanting the life she loved and the life Jakub is confined her to by his space journey.

I am giving such a serious shout out to Paul Dano as Hanus. His voice is soothing and non-threatening even when his character is calling out Jakub’s flaws. Wrapped up in this creature’s body, there is one scene where listening to him talk about the beginning and ending of everything is soulful, tearful and so beautiful I don’t believe I will ever forget it.

Other cast include Kunal Nayyar as Peter and Lena Olin as Zdena.

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If you are looking for the wise-cracking comedic Adam Sandler then you are looking at the wrong film. This film is a deep, intense story of a man who had to go in the deepest darkest place in space to find beauty and the answers of his life. Sandler is absolutely stunning in this role as a man who befriends a creature as they teach and learn from one another.

I must tell you that tissue is a must because the story of a man in space and a wife on earth that every scene will complete gut you. There are scenes where Sandler just completely emotionally eviscerates to the point of physical pain in the chest – at least for me. There is also intensity with the relationship between Jakub and Hanus until the very last frame and I am here for every second.

The space cinematography is, pardon the pun, stellar, so colorful and moving. There is an such emotion attached to seeing the beauty in space and Sandler brings it up close and personal to us with his reaction. I got to give it to the character of Hanus and Dano’s voice when he speaks once they get to the dust near Venus.

This is a complete journey and nothing one would expect but everything a film lover would want from this unexpected space story. When a film can move, delight, surprise and keep us talking after – now that’s a film that should have been in theatres but I’m thrilled I experienced it in the comfort of my own home (so no one could see me teary eyed!).

In the end – they are on the doorstep of the universe!

 

HBO Brings a Riveting Series with CHERNOBYL

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on HBO is a five-part series created by Craig Mazin and director Johan Renck to tell the story of the 1986 disaster we all know as CHERNOBYL.

In April of 1986, an explosion rocks the Soviet Union in more ways than one. A nuclear power plant known as Chernobyl has exploded and from the moment it happened, no one realized exactly how devastating it would all become.

With a cast that stars Jared Harris as scientist Valery Legasov, it is his knowledge of what he saw once called in for his expertise by Boris Shcherbina played by Stellan Skarsgard that is riveting. Adding Emily Watson as Ulana Khomyuk, another scientist who fills in even more terrifying news that has so far rounded out those in the know about what to do next.

Director Renck doesn’t leave a single thing out in the way of devastation both to the building and the human beings left inside trying to discover how bad it is. Once Legasov and Shcherbina comes together, they are the brain and the mouthpiece that need to convince Mikhail Gorbachev (David Dencik) that action, although late, needs to be swift.

From the moment of the explosion, reality may be in front of the eyes of the crew and firefighters with an almost instant effect, but it is those in charge who fail to accept what is truly happening.

That is another riveting aspect of CHERNOBYL, watching the average citizen slowly become aware that something is seriously wrong and knowing at the same time it is unlikely their government would tell them the truth. One woman who isn’t about to wait around for answers is Lyudmilla Ignatenko (Jessie Buckley), wife of firefighter Vasily (Adam Nagaitis).

There is no doubt that CHERNOBYL does not have happy moments in the first few episodes because there can’t be. In fact what the first few episodes show us is nothing short of a hellish nightmare filled with not only the instant horror but the horror to come for the people living around the plant and other countries in the path of a nuclear cloud.

Harris as Legasov knows immediately what they are up against but also knows that he has a partial gag in being allowed to speak. There is a presence in Harris’ performance that is just short of him wanting to scream out the truth yet has the good sense to tread lightly. That is until its time to not treat lightly. His performance continues to astound me and I can not wait to see the final three episodes.

Skarsgard is one of my favorite actors and in this role he gets a chance to play both sides against the middle. Almost immediately believing Legasov (especially when he sees with his own eyes what has happened at the power plant), Skarsgard takes his character to a dangerous place and that is in making decisions without the direct approval of Gorbachev.

Watson as Ulana comes in before an even larger disaster takes place. She becomes the second scientific voice of reason and both Legasov and Shcherbina trust her immediately. Watson continues to choose roles that are challenging and I enjoy everything she does and CHERNOBYL is brilliant.

The cast is filled with outstanding performances that also include Paul Ritter as Anatoly Dyatlov, Sam Troughton as Aleksandr Akimov, Robert Emms as Leonid Toptunov, Adam Lundgren as Vyacheslav Brazhnik, Karl Davies as Viktor Proskuryakov, Jay Simpson as Valery Perevozchenko, Billy Postlethwaite as Boris Stolyarchuk, and Adrian Rawlins as Nikolai Formin.

Also starring Con O’Neill as Viktor Bryukhanov, Donald Sumpter as Zharkov, Barry Keoghan as Pavel, Ralph Ineson as Nikolai Tarakanov, Mark Jones as Vladimir Pikalov, Alex Ferns as Blukhov, Michael Colgan as Mikhail Shchadov, Alan Williams as Chairman Charkov and David Dencik as Mikhail Gorbachev.

The show is jaw dropping and even heart breaking in the story it tells. When looking for a show that is absolutely worthy of your time, might I suggest you tune in and see for yourself as CHERNOBYL can be seen on HBO.