DOLITTLE Brings Charm to the Big Screen

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from writer/director Stephen Gaghan and Universal Pictures is the story of animals who live with none other than DOLITTLE.

Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey, Jr.) began as a doctor who has the unique ability to speak with animals. Known far and wide, even the Queen called upon him to help with her animals. In gratitude Dolittle is given an estate to continue his work with animals and given them shelter.

When tragedy strikes the good doctor, he closes the gates to everyone and becomes secluded from the world. That is until meeting the young Tommy (Harry Collett) who discovers a squirrel that needs a doctor! It is the flying parrot Polly (voiced by Emma Thompson) who leads the lad to Dolittle's door.

At the same time, the young Lady Rose (Carmel Laniado) is sent to Dolittle on behest of Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) to come to the palace and help the monarch. Quickly is snapped back to his self by all the animals who know that he needs to do what's right. Visiting the Queen he is met by Lord Thomas Badgley (Jim Broadbent) and the nefarious Dr. Blair Mudfly.

It seems a plot is in the works against the Queen and only Dolittle knows how to stop it. The mysterious illness that has taken the Queen has a cure and Dolittle knows where it can be found.

Taking along Tommy, their journey begins with a ship full of animals and a mission - to save the Queen.

Downey, Jr. as Dolittle is perfect casting with his unique ability to be quirky and humorous in his own way. It could also be that I'm happy to see him on the big screen again taking on a role that is lighthearted and warm in character. Downey, Jr. has a flair to entertain an audience, so much so that I can easy overlook the mushiness of his accent.

Collett as Tommy is a young man unlike the rest of his hunting family. He sees the grace in loving animals and once meeting Dolittle, knows his path in life. The adventure is just a bonus! Collett is charming and fun to watch alongside Downey, Jr. and that makes for wonderful storytelling.

Sheen as Mudfly has become good at being bad. This time he is able to add a little slap stick comedy to his role but never go against Downey, Jr.! Broadbent as Badgley is supposed to be taking care of the Queen but is he?

Laniado as Lady Rose is sweet, elegant and wants to protect her Queen. A strong young woman who isn't afraid of much and that serves her well against both man and animal. The spark between herself and Tommy is very sweet as well.

The animal cast include: Rami Malek as Chee-Chee, John Cena as Yoshi, Kumail Nanjiani as Plimpton, Octavia Spencer as Dab-Dab, Tom Holland as Jip, Craig Robinson as Kevin, Ralph Fiennes as Barry, Selena Gomez as Betsy, Marion Cotillard as Tutu, Frances de la Tour as the Dragon and Jason Mantzoukas as James the Dragonfly.

Other cast include Kasia Smutniak as Lily Dolittle, Oliver Chris as Sir Gareth, Clive Francis, and Antonio Banderas as King Rassouli.

DOLITTLE is a charming fun adventure for the entire family. This is an introduction to Dolittle like we have not seen before and it does leave the door open in case Downey, Jr. wants to return. The audience was taken with the bounty of talking animals and all their own personalities and it did bring lots of laughs with side jokes.

The human cast is fun and ready to take on the journey which is unexpected and full of twists and turns. DOLITTLE is the reason families come to the movies together on a Saturday and escape into a magical world for a time and still talk about it after.

So, gather the entire family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins - everybody!) and enjoy time together with the animals.

In the end - he's not just a people person!

ESCAPE PLAN: The Extractors Attempts a Dangerous Rescue on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray/DVD and Digital from director John Herzefeld, writer Miles Chapman and Lionsgate comes an action packed thriller with an ESCAPE PLAN: The Extractors.

Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) is up against it when a Hong Kong Tech’s daughter Daya (Malese Jow) is kidnapped and the man responsible is his ex-partners angry son. Breslin assembles a team when Daya’s lead security man Bao (Harry Shu, Jr.) brings him information and demands to help.

On the team are Trent DeRosa (Dave Bautista) and Hush (Curtis Jackson) and they have to make sure the plan is together with no mistakes. Kidnapping Daya is on the first step in a plan that has many moving parts. Then Breslin’s girlfriend Abagail (Jamie King) is also taken, the stakes get even higher.

Hold up in the Lativan prison called the Devil’s Station, Breslin now realizes that his ex-partner son is sadistic and completely out of his mind making things even more difficult. It doesn’t mean they aren’t going to go down easy!

Stallone as Breslin is a man that takes jobs with a cost but this isn’t about cost, it becomes personal. Wanting to stop the madness, he isn’t about to walk away from anything a crazy madman wants to dish out.

Jow as Daya is a young woman who works for her father’s company. When she is kidnapped, she realizes that it is not just her own life that is in jeopardy. Harry Shu, Jr. as Bao is head of Daya’s security and once she is taken believes that one moment longer will not go by without trying to find her.

Bautista as DeRosa is a big man carrying a big gun and doing it all with a quiet smirky nature. His humor might be slightly lacking but then again he doesn’t look like he cares one little bit. Jackson as Hush has a small role but it doesn’t take him long to find his place on the crew.

Other cast include Devon Sawa as Lester Clark Jr., Max Zhang as Shen, Sergio Rizzuto as Narco, Shea Buckner as Larry, Lydia Hull as Jules, and Tyler Jon Olson as Moe.

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.

The Bluray SPECIAL FEATURES include Making ESCAPE PLAN: The Extractors, Commentary with Director John Herzfeld and Actors Sylvester Stallone, Never-Before-Seen Cast and Crew Interviews, Devon Sawa and Daniel Bernhardt as well as the Trailer Gallery.

ESCAPE PLAN: The Extractors is a thrill ride in the style of Stallone! He isn’t about to let the bad guy win no matter how much it hurts in the process of finding him. There are very dark moments yet he still moves forward.

The film itself is very dark in the story telling but yet nothing stops the film once the first scene takes off. It is action, secrets, deception, revenge and redemption all in one film. Stallone leads a fast action cast that goes full force from bang to bullets with even an ending that is full of accountability.

In the end – these stakes are personal!