They are Part of THE MIRACLE CLUB

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from director Thaddeus O’Sullivan and Sony Picture Classics comes the story of faith, friendship and THE MIRACLE CLUB.

Ballyfermot, Ireland in the 1960’s is where Eileen Dunne (Kathy Bates), Lily Fox (Maggie Smith) and Dolly (Agnes O’Casey) prepare to perform trying to win church tickets to go to Lourdes in France. Dolly wants to take her young son to the healing waters in hopes that he will start talking and Eileen discovers she has her own reasons to go.

Also in town is Chrissie (Laura Linney), who is has not been back to Dublin since she was a young woman. Now, she is home to take care of funeral arrangements for her mother. There is a past between Eileen and Lily that keeps them at arm’s length from Chrissie. The husbands Mr. Fox (Naill Buggy), Mr. Dunne (Stephen Rea) and Dolly’s husband (Mark McKenna) aren’t happy that the women are boarding the bus to Lourdes either, but the wives aren’t giving them a choice.

All aboard, Friar Dermot Byrne (Mark O’Halloran) knows there is tension between the women but his hope is that they can find it within themselves to talk it out. There is a lot of snide looks and side eye and no one seems willing to budge.

As they visit the holy site in Lourdes, they begin to try and talk to one another. The past with Lily has to do with her son and Chrissie when they were younger and the events are quite sad for them both. The issue with Eileen and Chrissie also has to do with when they were young and hurt feelings that were never resolved.

The only one that seems to enjoy Chrissie’s company is Dolly and her young son who is waiting to be dipped in the waters of Lourdes. As their stories come to the surface, it is either the sacred waters or the women themselves that learn about true healing.

Bates as Eileen leads off this cheeky band of women who are not shy about saying what they thing or how they feel. Going to Lourdes is a dream for Eileen and she makes no bones that nothing is going to stop her, not even Mr. Dunne. Threats and all, she boards the bus hoping for more than she’s telling her friends. I just adore Bates in everything she does and has done, this is a fantastic role for her.

Smith as Lily has been living with sorrow and illness of her own. The trip to Lourdes has so many possibilities and Lily is open to them all. Smith is just lovely in this role because she has the wonderful skill of drawing us into her world. I’ve watched almost everything she has ever done as she continues to be a part of story telling on the big screen and small.

Linney as Chrissie comes back to the place she ran from so many years ago. Taking care of her mother’s passing, there is no way that her connection to Eileen and Lily can be ignored. Taking the bus to Lourdes, she sort of forces the women to talk out what ever has been on their hearts for so long. Linney is a strong force among strong women and she does have her own story to share.

O’Casey as Dolly just wants to take her son to the waters of Lourdes in hopes he will speak. She strikes up a friendship with Chrissie and doesn’t feel as the other women do. O’Casey gives us the performance of a mother willing to do anything to make her son’s life easier and truly believes that Lourdes is the answer.

Buggy and Rea are husbands who can not grasp why their wives would believe in Lourdes. Mainly they are upset because of the raging question of ‘who is going to take care of me?’ is forefront in their minds. They are about to both learn a valuable lesson. McKenna is about to learn what it is like to take care of a toddler!

Shout out to O’Halloran as Friar Byrne for portraying a man of the cloth who hears more than he ever wanted to and still believes in the power of faith.

Other cast include Lesley Conroy as Sister Alice, Hazel Doupe as Cathy, Shauna Higgins as Ruth, Fionnuala Murphy as Mrs. Connolly, Eric Smith as Daniel Hennessy, Luke Smith as Patrick Dunne.

Sony Pictures Classics brings television, digital content, new entertainment services, independent films and technologies to viewers. Such films as GREED, THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY, THE CLIMB, CHARM CITY KINGS, I CARRY YOU WITH ME and THE FATHER are just a few of the current and upcoming releases. For more information on what Sony Pictures Classics has to offer please visit www.sonyclassics.com. 

I saw the black and white 1943 film SONG OF BERNADETTE which tells the story of a young girl who sees ‘a beautiful lady’ and discovers the waters of Lourdes. It is one of my favorite films directed by Henry King and Jennifer Jones playing the young Bernadette. When I read the premise of this film, I knew I had to see it.

THE MIRACLE CLUB is a charming film dealing with women who are looking for healing on so many levels. The trip to Lourdes is something each one dreams of for their own personal reasons and when they arrive, it is nothing short of jaw dropping for them.

Although the story is centered around Lourdes, it is each of these actresses that brings the story so much more heart and so much more faith. Each character has a sadness that they themselves must come to terms with and it is their history that has never kept them very far apart from one another.

In the end – healing is in the eye of the beholder!

 

 

RICHARD JEWELL is a Lesson in Being a Hero

Jeri Jacquin

Coming soon to theatres from director Clint Eastwood and Warner Bros. is the story of a man who sees the world better than he is treated and his name is RICHARD JEWELL.

Richard (Paul Walter Hauser) is a very polite southerner who meets lawyer Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell) working for a firm delivering mail. Preparing to move on to a security job, Richard makes sure to say goodbye to Watson. As a university security, it doesn't go well and once again he has to move on to another job. The one person standing by him is mom Bobi (Kathy Bates) knowing her son believes in law enforcement.

The opportunity comes for Richard to work security at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia's Centennial Park. Taking his job serious, he is polite to everyone and even makes himself indispensable to on-sight law enforcement. His job also has its perks taking Mom to a concert in the park. Someone who isn't happy about the Olympics assignment is FBI Agent Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm) and partner Dan Bennet (Ian Gomez).

Each day Richard is ready and stays alert to everything around him. One evening he has to stop a group of young kids from throwing bottles against a media tower and notices a backpack. Alerting authorities they at first don't seem worried, but after closer inspection everyone leaps into action to get people away - including Richard.

When the bomb explodes, the contents flies into the crowd and people fall everywhere. A stunned Richard tries to do what he can to help those who are hurt. The mayhem is emotional for everyone and when Richard returns home to a grateful Mom, he can't believe what has happened. Quickly the media hails him a hero and the attention makes Richard a tad uncomfortable but still very polite.

The FBI immediately jump on the case and start investigating everyone who was at Centennial Park and one name that pops up is Richard Jewell. Trying to get a scoop on the story if Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde), a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution who turns to Shaw for information and runs with it. Immediately Richard goes from being hailed as a hero to a villain.

Richard calls Watson Bryant at first to look over a contract but quickly needs much more help. Watson's secretary Nadya (Nina Arianda) informs him that Richard is being looked at as a suspect in the bombing. Both Richard and mom Bobi are being emotionally torn apart with the things being said, the constant attack by the media and the life altering harassing by the FBI.

Yet Richard remains respectful until Watson reminds him that standing up for himself is just as respectful.

Hauser as Jewell is just that - a jewel! His portrayal of Richard is a combination of so many things from a very caring person who notices people to being a little over zealous wanting to be part of the law enforcement community to a son who will not tolerate anyone making his mother cry. From the moment of the bombing all he wants to do is help find the person responsible and in that lies Hauser's stunning performance. Raised to be respectful, he knows that he is not everyone's cup of tea but it doesn't change how he treats them and Hauser portrayal gives Richard a depth that just tore at my heart.

Rockwell as Bryant is the loud to Richard's soft feelings about what is happening around them. Not understanding how Richard can continue to be loyal to law enforcement that are trying to sacrifice him is stunning to Rockwell's character. Keeping his client under control proves to be a challenge as well but one that has moments of smiles and even, dare I say, giggles. Knowing Richard to be an acquired taste, Rockwell's Bryant can't help but see what we as the audience sees. I am confessing here and now that I adore Rockwell and even more so in this film.

Bates as Mom Bobi is a simple woman who keeps her life tidy and believes one hundred percent in her son. So proud of him for saving lives after the bombing, she doesn't understand how and why the vilification of her son can possibly be happening. What I love about Bates in this role is that at no time does her portrayal of Bobi fail to believe in her son and she is everything believable.

Wilde as Scruggs is just a reporter who from the moment she steps on screen is someone I wanted to just shake because of the tactics used to get her story. She is a very outward character in her mannerisms and behavior to the point that the audience in the theatre had, and I quote from the woman next to me, "just about enough of that woman!". I can't remember the last time I heard that from someone in the audience. Hamm as Shaw has issues of his own and the grumblings of being at the Olympics turns bad quickly. Seeing the result of the bombing puts him on an all-out idea that he will capture the bomber. The problem is his tactics along with those he works with at the FBI letting everything get out of hand. Hamm makes an awesome good guy and an equally awesome not so good guy.

Gomez as Bennet is just as guilty for the tactics against Richard as Shaw and what was so irritating is that neither of these men seen to have any guilt for it all. You know you've done a good job in your role when everyone wants to scream at you so well done. Arianda as Nadya is such a good person seeing exactly what Bobi, Bryant and the audience sees about Richard Jewell and she is a no nonsense character as well.

RICHARD JEWELL is absolutely one hundred percent a Clint Eastwood film. This actor/director takes stories of everyday people and put them on screen in such a way that we become a cheering squad by the end of the story. There is certainly nothing wrong with that to my way of thinking. What I truly enjoyed about this film is that Hauser's portrayal of Jewell is so uncanny and so endearing. It would be easy to just play up the stereotypical southern boy instead of a man who was raised to believe in the good of people and the respect of those who know might know more, including law enforcement.

The film also forces us all to realize that, as Rockwell's character says, we are confronted by the two most powerful forces in the world - the U.S. government and the media. That was said in 1996 without even realizing that statement would predict the future in many ways. Ruining a life in 1996 with print is one thing, if the same thing happened to Jewell today it would have been incredible worse and more dangerous than even I want to think about.

The last half hour of the film is one for a box of Kleenex as the story finally confronts all of what happened that evening in 1996 and how two men became even closer friends and a mom never stopped believing in her son.

In the end - the world will know his name and the truth!

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: Roanoke is Back to Chill with Season Six on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Do you have the spine to be chilled once again? Good! Because 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment and co-creator Ryan Murphy has brought to Bluray the frights with AMERICAN HORROR STORY: Roanoke – The Complete Season 6.

Making a documentary about married couple Shelby (Lily Rabe & Sarah Paulson as Lana Tindall) and Matt Miller (Andre Holland & Cuba Gooding Jr. as Dominc Banks) tell their story about My Roanoke Nightmare. Venture from Los Angeles to North Carolina, the couple find a worn down farmhouse believing they can remake it into their dream home. Their dream turns into a freakish nightmare!

Matt asks his sister Lee (Adina Porter & Angela Bassett as Monet Tumusiime) to keep Shelby company but the two women do not like one another. That might not matter considering what is to happen next! Almost immediately a group of people come into the house and leave behind a video of what can only be considered a murder. Matt isn’t sure what is happening when he returns but Shelby isn’t having it and takes off in Matt’s car which leads to another witnessing of horror.

Both Matt and Shelby believe that everything they experienced was stages as a way to force them out of the house. Calling the police, the couple think they now have a handle on it all. Lee brings her daughter Flora to the house on a visit. Down in the cellar the couple find more recordings and realize they were made by the previous owner. Not happy about the new find, the couple knows they can’t just financially walk away.

It becomes clear that Flora is visiting her mother Lee against the child custody agreement with her ex-husband. Lee is willing to do that to spend more time with Flora but the young girl seems to have made friends with a little girl named Priscilla. Lee discovers that Priscilla isn’t exactly human and finds Flora’s hoodie in the highest tree tops but the girl is no where to be found.

To make matters worse, Shelby is beginning to suspect that Lee might have had something to do with her ex’s unexpected death. Lee is more interested in finding Flora and hires Cricket (Leslie Jordan) to use her psychic abilities to local the girl. That’s when they discover that Pricilla is a young girl from the 16^th Century who tells the story of ‘The Butcher’ Thomasin White (Kathy Bates and as Agnes Winstead) of the Roanoke Colony.

Leading her people, Thomasin is left behind as her husband and forces her to look for a way to survive. In doing so she gave herself to a force that relocated everyone to the farmhouse where Shelby and Matt now live. If that doesn’t cause those in the house worry, Matt is caught by Shelby in the forest and the police show up to arrest Lee.

Dr. Cunningham (Denis O’Hare) arrives at the house and actually saves Shelby from the attack the creature with the body of a man and the head of a pig. He explains the horrifying events in the house and the history of the house. He tells them  that all of what is happening is due to Thomasin. Leading them to Flora turns out to be a big mistake as Cricket comes to know who the true Roanoke leaders is and what happened to the colony. Thomasin doesn’t have time for stories and surrounds the house letting them know she has Flora.

But there is more than Thomasin’s story as Doris Kearns Goodwin reveals that the house was once owned by Edward Philippe Mott (Evan Peters). He used the house for affairs and art and also taken by Thomasin and put through her horrors during the Blood Moon. Trying to help him escape only leads to the Polk family kidnapping Lee and Shelby. At the fire in front of the Miller’s, Ambrose (West Bentley) does the one thing that could end the nightmare and Lee arrives to flee with the Shelby and Matt.

The story and documentary of My Roanoke Nightmare turns out to be a bigger success than anyone could have anticipated. So much so that a net idea Return to Roanoke: Three Days in Hell brings the actors back to stay during the Blood Moon. The shows producer really wants to expose Lee for murder and Shelby isn’t thrilled about returning with Matt. The actors and crew prepare for the next part of the filming and it doesn’t take long for things to begin happening.

Rory who played Edward Philippe Mott in the original series starts off the madness but Agnes who played Thomasin is further out of reach than the crew could have imagined. Shelby is shocked to learn that the only reason Matt has returned is for Scathach (Lady Gaga), the woman in the woods. That is the least of her worries as the Polk family has a score to settle and meat is on the menu.

Escaping the bloody nightmare at the farmhouse isn’t going to be easy, it isn’t going to be clean and no one is spared from the madness of horror. Even after everything that has taken place, something draws people back as television specials are created returning to the farmhouse to try and understand what happened.

But on the hilltop there is a face that knows exactly what happened!

Other cast include Cheynne Jackson as Sidney James, Frances Conroy & Robin Weigert as Mama Polk, Finn Wittrock as Jether Polk, Colby French as the Police Officer, Grady Richmond as Ishmael Polk, Orson Chaplin as Cain Polk and Estelle Hermansen as Priscilla.   

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.

AHS: Roanoke Bluray includes the Special Features of The Paley Center for Media: Q & A with Cast and Creative Team from PaleyFest 2017, American Horror Story: Roanoke Promos. The 3-disc set includes all ten episodes! Revisiting AHS Roanoke is fantastic especially with the new season of AMERICAN HORROR STORY having recently begun on FX.

This is an amazing group of talented actors pulling off the crazy impossible! Having two people play two of the same characters in a reality style documentary with the same thing happening again only to come back and live the nightmare for real by both the real people and the actors that portrayed them is absolutely brilliant.

I adore Kathy Bates and this is one of the reasons why (as if there needs to be a reason). The characters of Thomasin and Agnes are full of emotion, rage, frightening calm and a couple of hundreds years of relenting anger to work through. There isn’t anything this actress can’t do and on her seasons of AMERICAN HORROR STORY she continues to prove it time and time again. I have to say, I kind of love her portrayal of Thomasin – does that make me scary?!

Paulson as Audrey, Lana and Shelby – she gets to really rack up the frequent horror miles! Once again her characters are put through the ringer and Paulson takes it all in stride. She has the amazing ability to show so much threw her eyes and when her character goes stone cold – so is Paulson’s ability to make that a shivering thing to watch. Rabe as ‘real’ Shelby is solid and just so lovely to watch – until it gets brutal!

Gooding Jr. gets to run through the crazy that is AHS and he seems to fit right in. He is an actor playing a real character by reenacting the real characters horror. Well, there you go! Simple right? Gooding Jr. takes his role and gives it such a smooth spin. Holland as the real Matt tells his story but comes back to a place for very selfish reasons and, as we all know, being selfish has its draw backs.

Peters as Rory and Mott gets a chance to go completely out there with these characters. Starting out in AHS as a youngster, he has repeatedly brought more and more excellence as an actor. I do love to watch him take his characters and go as far as I think he can and then surprise me going even further. Bentley as Dylan and Ambrose White has the unique ability to freeze me while he is performing. Of course it could be those eyes but his talent is equally frosty!

Bassett as Monet as Lee isn’t holding back either. Playing Lee she brings that disturbed character to a higher level and this is the perfect actress to do it. What is amazing is the switching between Adina Porter’s Lee character and Bassett – they are both just so frakken fantastic.

Lady Gaga gets her chance to be horrifying as Scathach and there isn’t anything wrong with her performance in the slightest. O’Hare as Dr. Cummingham/William van Henderson is always a joy to see and I love how different he is with each season of AHS.

This season is particularly full of twists, turns, stellar performances, shocks, jaw drops, fantastic locations, creative mythology and so much more. Go back to the story that threw audiences for a loops with AMERICAN HORROR STORY: Roanoke – The Complete Season 6.

In the end – life imitates grisly reality television!