THE HARBINGER

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on DVD from writer/director Will Klipstine and Screen Media is the secrets of a family surrounding THE HARBINGER.

Rosalie (Madeleine McGraw) is a young happy girl living with parents Daniel (Will Klipstine) and Theresa (Amanda MacDonald). Then a change happened to her and she is now withdrawn and treats her parents as if they are a nuisance. The couple decides to move to a small Midwest town to try and start over again hoping it will help their daughter.

But their fears have followed them as Daniel decides to seek help from a woman named Floating Hawk (Irene Bedard). Immediately she lets him know that there is something dangerous about what is happening to Rosalie. Also, there is a history that is just as deep and dark at what is driving their family into danger.

As townspeople begin to have accidents, Det. Hennings (Vince Duvall) decides that Daniel is responsible for it all. Who they need to be looking for is the darkness named Luc (Charles Hubbell) who is proud of everything he has done.

But when it comes time to make sacrifices, Daniel is driven by a man (Bruce Bohne) who seems to have some answers as well. The answers all begin to make sense when Floating Hawk tells him about the history between the Native Americans and Luc. More importantly, she explains about the artifacts and the meaning behind them.

McGraw as Rosalie is so amazing at being evil without giving anything away. She is stoic, straight faced and isn’t afraid to take a few people off the ground when she thinks they need it. Its an intense role for such a young girl but McGraw makes it look all way to easy. Great choice to play this role!

Klipstine as Daniel is trying to keep his family together at all costs. As their story begins to unravel, so do the memories of why everything is happening. One thing is clear, he has not been totally honest with his wife but he does miss the daughter that was once so happy go lucky. Thinking he has a handle on it all, it changes from moment to moment when being told there is only one way to help his little girl.

MacDonald as Theresa is living in a world of confusion and fear. Yes, the fear of the unknown is real but the fear of her own child is even greater. Watching husband Daniel run here and there to get answers, she tries to be supportive but the constant deaths and harassments are unraveling Mom mentally.

Bedard as Floating Hawk has the answers that Daniel is seeking, it is just a matter of will he listen. Duvall as Det. Hennings is clearly convinced that Daniel is responsible for what is happening to the townspeople, but is he really?

Bohne as the man watching the Snyder family is very expressive and is doing whatever he can to get their attention. He does this with such intense facial features and that is everything when I’m shouting at the screen ‘listen to the guy!’. Hubbell as Luc is evil with every single answer and a few shocks that Daniel and Theresa didn’t see coming.

Other cast include Teal Redmann as Dr. Emily Warren, Kate Luyben as Claire, Jeremy Gauana as a Native Warrior, Jamie Bozian as Harlan Lester, Alex Galick as Gary Woronicz, Emily Fradenburgh as Officer Daniels, Sally-Anne Hunt as Annie and Steve Monroe as John Driscoll.

Screen Media is an international distributor of television series and films, licensing content through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, and subscription and advertising video-on-demand platforms.  In 2017 Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. acquired Screen Media which is in its 23rd year as a leading global independent distribution company. With one of the largest independently owned libraries of filmed entertainment in the world Screen Media’s distribution capability enables direct distribution of all rights in all countries. The company is continually looking to add films and television series to its content library.

THE HARBINGER is a tale of choices, time and when it is time to pay the piper, so to speak. The cast manages to take all the twists and turns and make them even more twisty and turn-y. The film is pretty creepy from start to finish with a mix of stories from the Native Americans, mythology, relics, promises made and broken (consider the source right?).

The film comes to DVD just in time for the spooky season and THE HARBINGER needs to be put in the pile of Halloween night binging!

In the end – only death can save her!

 

THE BLACK PHONE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Bluray from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and on the streaming service Peacock from writer/director Scott Derrickson based on a short story by writer Joe Hill is the thriller THE BLACK PHONE.

It is 1978 on the streets of Denver, Colorado and a time of innocence. Finney (Mason Thames) and sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) are not living in that innocence. Being raised by an abusive father Terrence (Jeremy Davies), Finney is also being bullied at school. Saving him from one beating is Robin (Miguel Mora), who all the boys are afraid of. But there is someone lurking on the streets even more frightening than the school bullies.

Given the name “The Grabber” (Ethan Hawke), someone is grabbing boys off the street. One of the boys is Bruce (Tristan Pravong), then followed by Robin as Finney tries to keep it together. Yet, it is Gwen who is trying to avoid her dreams because they seem to be telling her what is happening. She tries to talk to her father about it but is met with an alcoholic’s response of derision.

Detective Wright (E. Roger Mitchell) and Detective Miller (Troy Rudeseal) want to speak with Gwen who tells them of her dreams of a man with a black van and black balloons. Met with skepticism, Gwen does not take any guff from anyone. On their way home from school, Gwen and Finney go their separate ways and the boy meets up with The Grabber.

Waking up in a basement, Finney realizes he is now another of the victims. The man wears a mask and speaks very little but lets the boy know that the telephone on the wall does not work. After he leaves, the phone rings and Finney answers it and hears a familiar voice telling him how to escape.

Each phone call brings Finney closer to knowing the truth about The Grabber and if he will ever get back to his family alive!

Thames as Finney carries the bulk of the film with courage, bravery and a belief in those who know more than he could ever imagine. This young actor gives up nothing as his character already knows fear and is clever which I loved. McGraw as Gwen is a spitfire, and she is not going to take anything from anyone (except maybe her father). Knowing her dreams are real, when Finney is taken – the gloves are off! I so adore McGraw’s performance!

Davies as Terrence is a tortured soul, and he makes sure that he is not alone in his misery. Constantly putting his pain onto his children, he refuses to listen to Gwen when she tries to express her dreams. Pravong as Bruce has a small role, but it sets the stage for what is to come for Finney. Mora as Robin is a boy who thought he could stop anyone, till he meets The Grabber. Mitchel and Rudeseal are cops who do not want anything to do with the paranormal but are running out of options!

Hawke as The Grabber is a man who thinks he is in control of every aspect of the kidnappings. There are twists and turns, moments of quiet madness and a boy who is not going to go down without a fight. Hawke’s character could never have anticipated such a boy would go up against him. The creepiness of Hawke’s performance is what makes the story nail biting.

Other cast include Rebecca Clarke as Donna, J. Gaven Wilde as Moose, Jordan White as Matty, Spencer Fitzgerald as Buzz, Brady Ryan as Matt, Jacob Moran as Billy, Brady Hepner as Vance and Banks Repeta as Griffin.

Peacock is a streaming service from NBCUniversal with thousands of hours of current hits and timeless classics, plus megahit movies and more. Iconic shows, hit movies & exclusive Originals, plus sports, news & always-on channels can be found. For more please visit www.peacocktv.com

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Bonus Features of the Bluray include Deleted Scenes, Answering the Call: Behind the Scenes of THE BLACK PHONE, Ethan Hawke’s Evil Turn, Feature Commentary and more. Plus, SHADOWPROWLER – a Short Film by Scott Derrickson.

THE BLACK PHONE is not about gore or slash, which I so appreciate, it is about the mental anguish and then mental strength of a boy and his sister. Yes, Finney is the object of The Grabber’s game, but Gwen has an important role to play as well. The cat and mice are going at it full force and the film keeps us holding our breath.

I love that it is all done in the 70’s era because that is a time when kids roamed freely and did not consider consequences. Those of us who came up in that time remember the music, the freedom of riding a bike from dusk till dawn, school crushes, bell bottoms and bullies. It is not that child abductions did not happen then; it just wasn’t headline news except in the town where it was happening.

It was easy then for someone like The Grabber to get away with what he was doing. The film gives the feel of the era, the fright of the happenings and the proper mind bend from start to finish. The only issue I might raise is the vagueness of The Grabber’s story but then again, that is part of the mystery.

In the end – never talk to strangers!

THE MANDELA EFFECT

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to select theatres and VOD from writer/director David Guy Levy and Gravitas Ventures is a look at life of grief and another world with THE MANDELA EFFECT.

Brendan (Charlie Hofheimer) and wife Claire (Aleksa Palladino) are dealing with grief with the accidental death of their daughter Sam (Madeleine McGraw). Claire is trying to find ways to deal with all the emotions just getting by day to day and tries to get back to her business to keep from thinking about anything at all.

But Brendan notices that something is happening around him. Trying to talk to brother-in-law Matt (Robin Lord Taylor) about it, no one seems to notice what he does. From the names of things changing to feeling as if he is having visions, Brendan begins to look for the answers.

Discovering the Mandela Effect, he begins to see how that is possible with what he is experiencing. He learns that the Mandela Effect is basically false memories that are shared by a group of people. Part of this theory is the speculation about alternate realities as a cause for all the false memories. In Brendan's case, it could be caused by the trauma he is feeling about what has happened to his daughter in a split second.

Seeking even more answers, he turns to Dr. Fucks (Clarke Peters) to explain what he knows. Reluctant at first, it becomes clear that Brendan believes there is truth to the theory. When science can't completely answer his questions, he even turns to Pastor Isaac (Tim Ransom) to find some clarity.

The emotional torture is even worse because the world he is in is full of pain and sadness, but the effects of the other one is filled with fear of the unknown. Finally experiencing the "other" side and time with daughter Sam, the pull begins of how to find balance when no one else sees the unbalance!

Hofheimer as Brendan is clearly a man devastated by the loss of his daughter. As time goes by, he cannot let go of feeling that something is off. When he starts to notice the world seems to be glitching and instead of letting it bring more shadow into his life, Brendan goes after answers. What I enjoy most about Hofheimer's performance is that his character seeks answers from both faith and science and not many people would do both. There are moments where I know that personally I would have freaked out (the Berestain Bears moment truly gave my brain a "what the….").

Palladino as Claire buries herself in her work and doesn't really see what Brendan does. Not knowing how to talk to her about it, it becomes even a bigger wedge between them. I think the moment in the yard would have sent me the message that my husband was onto something.

Taylor as Matt is probably the sane person in the middle of insanity. He truly listens to Brendan and what his theories are and why. It would have been simple to stamp 'crazy' on his brother-in-law but instead he really does believe that something indescribable is happening to his family. Peters as Dr. Fuchs at first really doesn't want to talk about it all with anyone but Brendan is the guy who isn't about to let go without answers (I like those kind of characters!).

Other cast include Ptolemy Slocum as Manning, Vernee Watson as Nadine, Elena Campbell-Martinez as Ms. Garcia, Steven Brun as Daniel and Salme Geransar as Nasim Terhani.

THE MANDELA EFFECT is a thrill film that had me scratching my head because I wasn't sure where the story was going to go and man, once it got there I was all in. I also have to admit it had me looking into what others who study this phenomenon have to say about it and it was worth the time.

There are moments where the story just freezes as if to let us absorb everything going on and then jumps into light speed again, but this time somewhere else with the same characters. I wondered throughout the film how it was going to end and pleased that in this universe, it is possible to take a step back to see the bigger picture before moving forward - again.

The special effects are very cool and without giving to much away, there is one scene that took my breath away because in truth, it is so effective in being part of the story and bringing it all together. Trust me when I say you'll know it when you see it. So let THE MANDELA EFFECT take you on a ride into what is possible to some and reality to others.

In the end - take a trip down memory lane.