MORTAL KOMBAT

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and HBO MAX from director Simon McQuoid and New Line Cinema is the story of two worlds locked in MORTAL KOMBAT.

Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada) is enjoying the life with his wife and family until Bi-Han arrives with assassins with one goal - to destroy the Hasashi bloodline. After the fight, Bi-Han does not realize he did not destroy the bloodline as Lord Raiden (Tadanonu Asano) discovers Hasashi's infant daughter.

Now the Outworld is gearing up to win the tenth tournament of Mortal Kombat and with the final win they take the Earthrealm. Led by Shang Tsung (Chin Han), he sends his own fighters led by Bi-Han who now calls himself Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), to destroy any chance the Earthrealm has of competing.

Cole Young (Lewis Tan) is an MMA fighter who is not doing so well but Is happy with wife Alison (Laura Brent) and daughter Emily (Matilda Kimber). When Major Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks) shows up to compare tattoos with Cole, Sub-Zero makes himself known. Making sure his family is safe, Cole goes to find Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) to understand what is happening to him and who is trying to kill him.

Sonya tries to explain things to Cole, but she has her own problems with a smart mouthed Kano (Josh Lawson). Sonya beieves they will find answers at Raiden's temple and Kano agrees to take them there. Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) and Kung Lao (Max Huang) are glad to see them all because there is really no time left to train and find their Arcana's before Shang Tsung attacks.

Now, the group must face Sub-Zero, Mileena (Sisi Stringer), Reiko (Nathan Jones), Nitara (Mel Jarnson), Goro (Angus Sampson), and Kabal (Damon Herriman) but it is Cole who will learn where his visions are coming from.

Tran as Cole is a man who once had a memorable fighting career but fallen on hard times. Taking fights as he got them, the arrival of Jax is about to change everything. Protecting his family, he goes as far away as possible to find answers. Tran gives us a character who does not believe in himself and cannot focus on anything but his family.

McNamee as Blade is a woman who wants answers and to be a part of Mortal Kombat. Friends with Jax, she knows what it will take to be a part of the elite and chosen group. Brooks as Jax knows that Cole needs to be a part of the fight and throws himself to Sub-Zero to protect him. Lawson as Kano, a loud foul-mouthed mercenary who cares for no one but himself and clearly cannot be trusted.

Lin as Kang greets the new arrivals to the temple but knows time is not on their side to train for Mortal Kombat. Huang as Lao is smooth and dangerously skilled and tries to help the new recruits find their Arcana.

Taslim as Bi-Han is ruthless and cold hearted literally as his nature changed from the time of Hasashi to the present time. Hang as Tsung is a soccerer who has only one thing in mind, duel world domination.

Shout out to Sanada as Hanzo Hasahi who is such an amazing actor to watch. I believe the first time I saw him was in the film THE LAST SAMURI and continue to follow his work. Here he once again shows his skills both verbally and physically.

New Line Cinema brings amazing films such as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE MASK, ELF and the disturbingly epic IT. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.warnerbros.com.

HBO Home Entertainment brings critically acclaimed and groundbreaking programming throughout the world. Releases include the global hit Game of Thrones, True Detective, Girls, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, True Blood, The Wire and Entourage. The company's catalog contains hundreds of titles including Big Little Lies and Band of Brothers. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.hbo.com.

For families: Be aware that the film has intense language and violence.

MORTAL KOMBAT gives all the fans of the genre something to enjoy on a Friday night. For my grown sons, it is reminiscent of their time with friends on a Friday night playing the Mortal Kombat video game into the wee hours of the morning. To this day they still use terms and references from all of it. The only reason I know anything about Mortal Kombat is because of them!

The films story is extremely fast paced and violent to be sure. Anyone who has played the game will not be surprised at what they see but it is important to be aware of it. The costumes and special effects are very cool which adds a level to the telling.

Something tells me there is more to the story waiting to be told as Tsung threatens that he will return with an army!

IT Chapter Two Brings on the Jumps

This Friday from director Andy Muschietti, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. is the closing saga of kids and clowns with IT Chapter Two.

It has been twenty-seven years since 'The Losers' took out the thing they call 'it'. Still in town is Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa) and he sees a familiar pattern happening in town. People are missing and he sees the all too familiar red balloon.

His only recourse is to call the gang one by one starting with Bill (James McAvoy) who is a writer, Richie (Bill Hader) who has become a stand-up comedian, Ben (Jay Ryan) who is a real estate mogul, Eddie (James Ransone) who is assessment analyst, Beverly (Jessica Chastain) who is repeating her childhood and Stanley (Andy Bean).

With hardly a memory of the incident years ago, they all come because of a promise made. Meeting up they begin to remember the good times hanging out together and the not so good times because of Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard).

When they learn that one of them won't be joining them, it becomes all to real. Mike has a plan and has spent all his time trying to find a way to destroy It. Their first response is to run but as they remember more and reconnect their friendships, it becomes clear that they can't escape.

Each of them journey's back to what happened that summer and what is the one memory they need to defeat Pennywise. Once they all come to terms with that, there is only one thing left to do - head for the gutters and a showdown with the thing that has haunted their lives.

Pennywise has other plans!

McAvoy as Bill knows that he must go to Derry no matter how much his brain says 'run!'. Seeing the friends of his youth is wonderful, until it isn't. He still grieves the death of his brother Georgie and once Mike explains things, Bill knows he must see it through. McAvoy stands out in everything he does but here, as part of an ensemble cast, he melds in beautifully into the second part of the story.

Chastain as Beverly comes to terms with her childhood because she is forced too, especially with the life she has set up for herself since the last time she met Pennywise. Chastain is solid with her "all-guy" club as a kid but even more so as an adult. Ransone as Eddie is a man who is almost frozen by fear in all things, including his marriage. As each discussion with the group happens, he becomes the voice of 'lets get OUT of here!'.

Ryan as Ben is the kid with his own secrets and not all of them have to do with Pennywise. He is a totally different adult and only wants to get away for a second until he also realizes that Bill is right, they'd only be back at 70!

Two outstanding performances here are Hader as Richie because his character, even though holding his own secret, was the comedy of the entire film. Yes, this is a scary movie and Hader's character makes sure that there are moments to break the tension. Of course Skarsgard as Pennywise is just to damn creepy for words. He is frightening, horrific and the very reason some people absolutely don't like clowns! Tim Curry may be my youth Pennywise but Skarsgard has given it a different face in a different way that works.

Other cast includes Jaeden Martel as young Ben, Wyatt Oleff as young Stan, Finn Wolfhard as young Richie, Sophia Lillis as young Beverly, Chosen Jacobs as young Mike and Jeremy Taylor as young Ben.

IT Chapter Two is a long movie because there is so much more here than the story of a scary clown. There are answers to questions I didn't even know I had! The story is intense at times and sad in other frames. In between that is intensity, jumps, yells, frights, a few disgusting characters that I hope to never see again and an audience that joined in every single second of it.

I have to give it two jumps up because I usually don't yell or jump but I'll give the special effects their props because I caught myself. What I loved about the 'horror' of this horror film is that there isn't gore for the sake of gore but part of the story and, in a weird way, placed appropriately. In simpler terms it means I was so all in that the one scene where there was a lot of blood made sense to me (I know, I know…weird right?).

From the moment I heard they were remaking IT I wasn't happy because I'm a fan of originals and believe their day in the sun isn't over. This retelling puts people in theatre seats to see it on the big screen and it works. Especially since we all love to be scared and if it can be done well then kudos.

The pair of the young characters to their adult counter parts will always remain high on my list. It is very easy to see who is who and that's because of careful and meticulous casting. I enjoyed the kid version of course because I can relate to that time period when all fun was with friends on bikes riding through town from dawn to dusk in the summertime.

In the matter of Pennywise, well, we all have one don't we. That's what I always took from the crazy clown in that he forced the gang to face what made them afraid and in their stories, those fears are relatable for some of us.

There are a few things that I wasn't sure were necessary (including the time of two hours and 49 minutes) and one door chain goose egg but I'll save those for a face to face conversation. I truly want everyone to enjoy every scare, jump, sadness and humor that IT Chapter Two has to offer.

So grab a group of friends and spend some time getting closure as well because Pennywise and The Losers Club are going to provide it.

In the end - you'll float again!

TAG Reminds Us You’re Never Too Old to Play

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this week from director Jeff Tomsic and New Line Cinema is a game that takes childhood into adulthood just by a simple TAG.

Hoagie (Ed Helms), Chili (Jake Johnson), Callahan (Jon Hamm), Sable (Hannibal Buress) and Jerry (Jeremy Renner) have been friends since childhood. Following them into adulthood is a game they look forward to for a whole month – tag!

Well, May has rolled around and it’s on beginning with Hoagie recruiting the guys with a new plan aimed at the one man who hasn’t been tagged in thirty years. Jerry is a pro at the game and plays with precision and, well, ingenuity really. This time Hoagie convinces the guys that the best place to finally make it happen is at Jerry’s wedding.

Following the group is Rebecca (Annabelle Wallis), a reporter who started one story but found this to be much more interesting. Also, Hoagie’s wife Anna (Isla Fisher), a very intense and hands on supporter of her husband’s dream of getting Jerry.

Heading home for the wedding, the boys meet Jerry’s bride Susan (Leslie Bibb) who knows about the game and begs them all too please hold off and let her have her dream day. Signing a pact to be off limits to certain events, it doesn’t stop them from trying.

Jerry brings in the big guns when Cheryl (Rashida Jones) manages to keep Chili and Callahan emotionally busy, Sable just goes with the flow and Hoagie continues to plot. Mayhem and friendship go hand in hand with these boys in the longest running game of tag ever.

Helms as Hoagie is dedicated to one goal – getting Jerry. Putting himself in crazy situations to make that happen is something Helms is used to doing because he does it so damn well. Johnson as Chili may have started out with a few goals but finds himself pretty much back to life’s square one. As much as he fights getting into the game, it doesn’t take much to become all in.

Hamm as Callahan wants to go for the gold where Jerry is concerned and looks good in a suit while doing it. Buress as Sable is easy going and the quiet under-comic relief. His sassy comes in smaller waves but it hilarious just the same.

Renner as Jerry is the obvious ninja in the group having perfects his moves and ability to remain untouched after 30 years. Looking sharp and having all the right connections, Renner’s character is sharp and prepared for anything.

Fisher as Anna can be hostile, explosive and charming all in 2.5 seconds and I loved it. Supporting her man she wants in the game so badly but a rule created in the initial tag agreement doesn’t include girls. That’s not going to stop her from trying! Bibb as Susan smiles her way into the group wanting a beautiful wedding without boyish tricks. Jones as Cheryl is a diversion sent in by Jerry with a history that plays to his advantage.

Other cast include Brian Dennehy as Chili’s father, Nora Dunn as Linda, Sebastian Maniscalco as Pastor, and Steve Berg as Lou.

TAG is based on an article written in The Wall Street Journal about a group of men from Spokane, Washington who played the game of tag one month a year for 23 years.

TAG is just that, a romp of a film that proves boys can still be boys in the most epic way possible. Personally I think it’s fantastic that this band of mischief (great name guys if you want to start a rock group!) continue to find the most creative ways of keeping the game alive. The film is also about a rock solid friendship that has just found a way to stay connected.

Isn’t that what we are all trying to do in this world of disillusion and disconnect? These men who really continue to do this are defying the odds in that childhood friendships are just memories for most of us. The game of tag for these tag-artists is based around the one thing we seem to forget as we get older – mashing memories, fun and a genuine effort to stay connected through a simple game.

TAG is fun, funny, charming and doesn’t ask a lot of its audience. It’s more of a ‘sit back – we got this’ kind of movie and I’m more than okay with that. The laughs are there and a bucket of popcorn is icing on the cake. The ending is a tad hokey but then again who said it stops there?

In the end – based on a true story and we’re not kidding!

RAMPAGE Lets Loose!

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres this Friday from director Brad Peyton and New Line Cinema is a story about a man, his friend and saving a city from RAMPAGE.

Up in space, an explosion of an experimental station sends debris falling from the sky including canisters that the Chicago based Energyn company wants back. Claire (Malin Akerman) and Brett Wyden (Jake Lacy) are siblings who want to make sure no one else gets their hands on it.

Primatologist Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson) works with animals at a sanctuary and his best friend is an albino gorilla named George. Speaking to one another through sign language, they have a connection of friendship and humor.

Later that night George finds the canister as it opens shooting a mist into his face. The next morning Davis and his team discover that George is not only acting peculiar but has grown in size. Wanting to know what has happened to his friend, Davis meets Dr. Kate Caldwell (Naomie Harris), a geneticist who tells him what has happened.

Showing up to take George is OGA-man Harvey Russell (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) who knows everything about Davis and Kate. Russell shares with them that George isn’t the only creature on the loose – there is another! The one thing the OGA doesn’t know is that the Wyden siblings have set off a signal calling to both creatures.

Now Davis, Kate and Russell are racing against time to save George before the military makes there move. Plus – there is one other large thing they need to take care of as well.

Johnson as Davis comes on strong and keeps it going from beginning to end. Of course he is charming, funny and has one-liners that absolutely work giving his character a fun edge. That could be considered odd since he is fighting big creatures but hey, you have to enjoy it a little bit or why else save the world with your friend George.

Harris as Kate has her own bone to pick with the Wyden siblings and at the same time wants to help Davis understand what is happening. Knowing things are out of control means jumping right in or perhaps more like jumping right out of things falling all around them.

Morgan as Russell grabs his swagger and quickly learns to believe what he is told by Davis. During the screening, the moment Morgan came on the screen the audience went buck wild. Of course the word ‘oh wow, it’s Negan’ was heard loud and clear but this character is the opposite of the bat-toting psycho. Instead, Russell is in it to help Davis and Kate because missiles aren’t friendly and downtown Chicago doesn’t need anymore renovating than necessary.

Akerman as Claire owns a company that obviously doesn’t care one wit about the human race. She also doesn’t care about ‘liquidating’ anyone that gets in her way. Cold and calculated doesn’t even begin to cover it and brother Brett played by Lacey is just along for the ride leaving sister Claire to do all the dirty work.

Other cast include Joe Manganiello as Burke, Marley Shelton as Dr. Atkins, P.J. Byrne as Nelson, Demetrius Grosse as Col. Blake, Jack Quaid as Connor, Breanne Hill as Amy and Will Yun Lee as Agent Park.

RAMPAGE is pretty much everything you’d think – it’s predictable, a bit hokey, unbelievable with the usual destruction of a major city (this time Chicago) and yet I didn’t care not one little bit. Instead I absolutely had a good time reveling in all those points because hey, it’s Dwayne Johnson and that’s all anyone needs to know.

George is cute and very funny and actually makes a pretty awesome partner for Johnson. I mean if you are going to play opposite The Rock, you better bring some muscle of your own. If you are looking for the bigger picture of the film it’s that George and Davis know the true meaning of friendship and don’t mind kicking a little creature butt to prove it.

This is a big-tub-of-popcorn-share-with-the-family-no-brainer-fun-adventure-action film that the whole family can see. It’s nice to just let a movie be exactly what it is, a movie that gives us all a chance to forget where we are, cheer on the big guy (either one works) and walk away feeling like a good time was had by all.

In the end – big meets bigger!

IT Isn’t Clowning Around

Jeri Jacquin with Vince Munn

Coming to theatres this Friday from director Andy Muschietti from horror novelist Stephen King and New Line Cinema comes a circus of another kind headed by IT.

In the Maine town of Derry, it becomes clear that kids have become the target for disappearances. Know one knows that better than Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) when his little brother Georgie is taken –but by who or what? Supported by friends that include the wisecracking Richie (Finn Wolfhard), Stanley (Wyatt Oleff) and Eddie (Jack Grazer), he makes it day by day.

Adding to their group calling themselves the Losers Club is Ben (Jeremy Taylor) who becomes part of the group when a band of town bullies marks him, Beverly (Sophia Lillis) who is living her own hell at home and Mike (Chosen Jacobs).

School is out in the summer of 1989 and Ben has been spending his summer in the library learning about Derry and the disappearances. Sharing his information with Bill who renews his sense of finding Georgie, they all agree to help even if somewhat reluctantly. It also becomes clear that each of them has seen the clown known as Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) and are terrified.

When Pennywise takes one of their own, the rest know where he can be found and make it their mission stop the demonic clown.

Friendships can make you brave!

Lieberher as Bill is a strong young man in the face of the hardest thing that can happen to a family. Yet he still holds out hope to find his brother and be that family once again. Lieberher’s character has the ability to talk his friends into danger and as much as some may complain, they are with their friend in all things. A strong leader to this very diverse group.

Lillis as Beverly is the young woman who lives this excruciating life at home yet when with the gang doesn’t hesitate to jump into danger. This young lady is someone to keep your eye out for in the future. Taylor as Ben is the historical brains of the operation by finding solace in the library he has the key to finding Pennywise. Taylor gives his character a sweet personality and emotion that include poetry.

Grazer as Eddie is the sick kid that is being suffocated by his helicopter Mom. He wants to be with his buddies but is sometimes swayed by his mother’s neurosis. Oleff as Stanley just wants to be a kid and hates what is happening – clearly. Jacobs as Mike is the last edition to the Losers Club and fits right in to a group that is anything but losers.

Oh my goodness, Wolfhard as Richie had me laughing when I felt like I shouldn’t have been laughing yet still laughed. Follow that? He is the kid with a line for everything and nothing is off limits meaning a filter is not one of his gifts. I love this kid!

Other cast include: Nicholas Hamilton as Henry Bowers, Jake Sim as Belch Huggins, Logan Thompson as Victor Criss, Owen Teague as Patrck Hockstetter, Stephen Bogaert as Mr. Marsh, Stuart Hughes as Officer Bowers, and the adorable Jackson Scott as George Denbrough.

In 1990 I saw the mini-series of IT and was totally taken with the story. Set in the 1960’s, it had the look and feel of a time I could easily relate to. The story then was told by the adults who had returned to Derry to face Pennywise once again. By the way, Pennywise was then played by Tim Curry and he was absolutely fantastic scaring and haunting everyone’s nightmares.

So here we are in 2017 and the film is set in the late 80’s and even if you didn’t realize the year, the movie marquee in the film would remind you. This time the story begins with the kids, how they come together through circumstances and the end result. I’m sure that’s being saved for the next IT film.

There is CGI, scares, moody music, all sorts of era references and humor that mixes in with the creepiness of a clown terrorizing a town. To add more for any possible IT trivia game later, in Stephen King’s book IT, Pennywise comes to town every 27 years. The mini-series aired in 1990 and here we are again in 2017 – 27 years later! Feel the willies?

How do I feel about this new updated version? Well, I asked my friend Vince Munn to join me for the screening of IT and weigh in on the film with me because this IT telling is definitely meant to be a shared experience.

Jeri: I have to admit that it’s been a long time since I read the book IT. Look, I don’t mind the new version because the kids are absolutely fantastic. I don’t mind giving props to a cast and these kids get it definitely. The cinematography of small town living and the touches of the era were also well done.

Vince: As a long time fan of Stephen King, this is one of my favorite books that he has written, as well as the mini-series that nurtured my fear of clowns. This movie gets to delve deeper into parts of the book mostly its graphic description of violence against children, more so than the series ever could.

Jeri: True, but IT was pretty dang graphic for television of that time. I still remember thinking it was horrifying and couldn’t remember anything that scared me as much back then. Of course the graphics then were considered pretty cool and the CGI is definitely heavy in this version.

Vince: The power of the budget is there and you can see every dollar on screen. The film is well paced and shot.

Jeri: What did you think of the cast?

Vince: The cast is superb. There are no big stars in this so it makes relating and believing the characters easy. The kids get along and you believe their relationships and camaraderie.

Jeri: Like we talked about last night, I wasn’t really thrilled with the gaps in the story and that makes me a little nuts. That being said, IT certainly delivers on creepiness and unexpected scares.

Vince: Atmosphere is everything in horror and the film nails that. IT knows the audience that will be there so there is scare music and good jumps.

Jeri: I think Richie steals the show in a lot of places. He is that comic relief when things are getting to tense. Maybe I just like the fact that he’s quick on the mouth even in the face of fear.

Vince: The nice reverse to that is the use of humor and levity after the fear. Perfectly timed and never distracting. This is a good solid horror with a balance of gore and mood.

Jeri: So now we have to wait to see how they take the kids story and meld that with the adult story. That’s going to be important if IT is to sit neatly with its original version.

Vince: That is the hard part for this, the connection of the kids to the adults that we will se down the road. I trust director Andres Muschietti to show me. Go see IT, laugh, scream and enjoy the movie!

Jeri: I had a good time watching IT but have my problems with Pennywise – or maybe I’m just a loyal till I die Pennywise/Curry person. That being said, this is definitely a film to gather a group up to go see together. Take people who love clowns and mix it up with people who hate clowns because when it’s all said and done – everyone is going to have a good time.

In the end – you’ll float too!