There is Much to See from THE PENTHOUSE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is a couple who have moved up and decided they want to try life in THE PENTHOUSE.

Peter Wright (David Schifter) and wife Amanda (Vanessa Ore) are both successful business owners who live in Carolina Beach. It is a beautiful town that serves Peter’s boat business and brings Amanda a constant flow of shoppers to her clothing store. The couple decides to look for another beautiful home and the real estate agent takes them to the penthouse of a building overlooking the marina.

Peter loves the view and Amanda loves the apartment and after a few words of whether they should do it – the couple decides its time to live the good life. Moving in and settling down is perfect and Peter even buys a telescope to take in the local sites and happenings. One thing they both notice is a couple on a sailboat in the water.

Charles (Michael Pare) and Tess (Krista Saxon) are an interesting couple with what seems to be a love/argue relationship. One morning Tess actually comes into Amanda’s store and they strike up a conversation. Amanda invites her to come and have a drink but there is something intense about her reply.

Amanda and Pete wonder what is happening, but wonder is not where he stops. Peter finds Charles only to discover that he is a little unpredictable. Surprised to get an invite to Charles’ boat, Peter tries to put the pieces together which turns into a disaster for both he and Amanda in a town that wraps itself in rumors instead of fact.

Now, Charles is about to show them both how neighborly he can be.

Schifter as Peter runs his business during the day and has a great client base. In the evening he takes his glass of wine and enjoys the view from the penthouse. Getting the idea for a telescope is what brings out the pain that he and Amanda will have to deal with. However, let it not be said that he is going to take the invasion without a fight.

Ore as Amanda runs a boutique and is friendly with everyone. Trying to reach out to Tess is another sore point for an already upset neighbor. Trying to get her husband to back off also does not mean that Amanda has stopped wondering about Tess. So, both Peter and Amanda have no idea that their good intentions have turned.

Pare as Charles is a man I do not think anyone ever wants to deal with in this life. He is controlling, manipulative and somehow believes he can make others pay when they get to close. Pare gets an opportunity to be swift with his own brand of justice and feel self-gratification when making others feel inadequate – and making it show with his own brand of steely-eyed looks.

Other cast include Jeff Kidd as Steve, Irene Santiago as Detective Cruz, Jessica Farmer as Kate, Jennifer Andersen as Cathy, Robert Goodwin as Tony, Robert Fortunato as Officer Swinson, Jeannie West as Julie and Nicholas Turturro as Detective Martinez.

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 PENTHOUSE is a film that gives us all pause to getting a telescope! I actually have seen them on many patios of not only high rises but homes on the beach. Writer David Schifter must have seen them as well to come up with the story of what can happen in the scariest way possible.

This is an extremely small cast but that allows us to get totally involved (kind of being a voyeur of a voyeur if you will) in the storyline. Watching Pare get into bad guy mode is engrossing and at the same time is a little uneasy to watch which makes for a very interesting character.

Get the popcorn and make sure you are on the ground floor for this one.

In the end – sometimes its best to mind your own business!

MAYDAY Brings Mystery in Mid-Air

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from director Massimiliano Cerchi and Lionsgate comes a odd happenings on a flight that needs a MAYDAY.

Adam Anderson (Michael Pare) is an air marshal on a flight from Los Angeles to London. They aren’t in the air long before something mysterious begins to happen, passengers go missing. Penny Tillman’s (Elise Muller) husband disappears after the cabin lights flash! Anderson alerts the pilots but also questions the other passengers about what they saw.

Everyone begins to get a little edgy and tensions rise when there doesn’t seem to be any answers. Stewardess’ Lynn (Chanel Ryan) and Aeryn (Sadie Katz) are trying to keep their panic under control. The only passengers that seem to be unaffected by it all are Rochelle (Crystal Santos) who tells Anderson the story about death and Smokey (Scott Engrotti). 

Looking for answers, passenger Nero (Michael Wainwright) is in a world all his own and everyone notices. Anderson gets a hold of a briefcase he has and finds a book on the occult that may tell the story. Aeryn notices that those who disappear aren’t belted into their seat so everyone starts out belted in but when the aircraft begins to shake and flash, total panic and the lights go out.

Once they come back on, the only people left are Anderson, Lynn, Aeryn, Smokey, Rochelle, Dr. Singh (Raj Kala), and co-pilot David Esparza (Carlos Mendez) but that doesn’t last long. Oddly enough it is Smokey who understands the book found in Nero’s briefcase.

Now everyone knows they are dealing with a shape-shifter and no one can be trusted.

Pare as Anderson is such a talent that has hardly been given the roles he so richly deserves. As the air marshal he is trying to keep everyone cool and focused on not losing anyone else. Ryan and Katz as Lynn and Aeryn are as nervous as two cats on a hot tin roof and every time the lights flash it sets their finger nails on edge.

Santos as Rochelle is creepier than I could imagine any passenger being. I mean seriously, how is she not freaking out? Engrotti as Smokey is the guy who seems to understand what is happening and doesn’t mind jumping in to help. Kala as Dr. Singh jumps in to help get what ever is on the ship – off!

Other cast include Larry Fleming as Mr. Chase, Christopher Drummond as Mark Tillman, Jack Waggon as Ace, Wilfred Lopez as Benjamin and Bernadette Perez as Susan.

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 it’s 16,000 motion picture and television titles you can see everything coming soon as well as available now at http://www.lionsgate.com.

MAYDAY mixes mysticism with a flight that could possibly be doomed. There are different twists and turns that kept me wondering what could possibly happen next. Then again, as long as Pare is onboard I know I’m good with it.

It’s a flight filled with terror and things that go bump aboard and although I personally don’t want to be on that flight, I don’t mind seeing it on film.

In the end – terror flies high!