REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES is a Hit for Netflix

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on Netflix from writer/director Olivia Newman and John Whittington comes the story based on the Shelby Van Pelt novel of the same name with REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES.

Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina) is a Giant Pacific octopus living in the quaint aquarium in Washington. Taking care of the facility each night is Tova Sullivan (Sally Field), a woman who finds solace being alone in her work. Marcellus knows from her talks that she still lives with the pain of the past. Her friendship with Marcellus means so much to her even when the eight-legged wonder manages to get in and out of his tank. During the day, Tova occasionally makes time for her knitting group, but would rather be with her aquatic friends.

Arriving in the small town is Cameron (Lewis Pullman) and his van that needs repair. Making friends with personable store owner Ethan Mack (Colm Meaney), he agrees to stay a while. Ethan also has a soft spot for Tova and when she gets hurt on the job, Ethan suggests that young Cameron take the job temporarily to make a few dollars. Training him, Tova and Cameron clash ways in how to handle the job and watching them is Marcellus. With a plan of his own about things, one of them is to try and help both people through their rough spots.

Cameron’s attitude comes from the angry desire to find his father. There are few clues but he is determined to see it through and there is the connection with Tova. Seeing that Cameron is in his feels, she wants to offer all the help she can and that includes hooking him up with the local board shop owner Avery (Sofia Black-D’Elia). When things for both Tova and Cameron become complicated, it is Marcellus that decides it’s time for him to step in, eight steps in, to show them all what they have forgotten. That human connection can be beautiful and full of surprises.

Sally Field as Tova is just as brilliant as I would have expected her to be. Her character is so complex and filled with every spectrum of human condition. Living her life in a house of sadness, the only place to feel outside of that is with Marcellus and the aquarium. Even as others try to reach her, Fields brings us into her part of the world where being older means acceptance and change, and not necessarily liking either. Her performance is brilliant and does exactly what it is intended to do which is squeeze our hearts.

Pullman as Cameron is a young man in the same predicament even though he refuses to see it. He pushes people away for very different reasons, mainly because he in unsure and doesn’t trust himself. Pullman gives a fantastic performance and, when in scenes with Fields, just fits in seamlessly. This character gives Pullman such an opportunity to also bring a complex character onto the screen in a story that grabs ahead and doesn’t let go.

Meany as Ethan is a jolly man who loves being part of the small community. He sees something in Cameron and befriends him at a time when he needs it most. I love that Meany’s character has a little crush on Tova. It takes everyone around to push him in the right direction. Meany is such an awesome actor and his diversity in character choices is always surprising. Here, he is a joy to everyone around him and I love that. Black-D’Elia as Avery is a young woman making her way in the community as a small business owner. As much as she fights it, there is someone that she finds herself drawn to but also has insecurities of her own.

Shout out to the Knitwits of Grant, Baker, Chen and Harris as friends you’d always want on your side. Hilarious and enlightening at the same time.

Other cast include, Beth Grant as Barb, Laura Harris as Andie, Miles Marthaller and Brandon McEwan as Erik, Dan Payne as Adam, Shauna Johannesen as Sandy, Katie Findlay as Liz, Joan Chen as Janice, and Kathy Baker as Mary Ann.

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with over 158 million paid memberships in over 190 countries. Enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films, Netflix is across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere and on any internet-connected screen. For more information, please visit www.netflix.com.

Author Van Pelt started writing at a young age, writing the novel the film is based on, she says, “It struck me that it would be really funny to give a voice to an octopus.” After she watched online videos of the antics of octopus’. “Especially one that was grumpy, coming to the end of his life, who didn’t enjoy being in captivity, and thought he was smarter than the humans who were around him.”

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES is such an amazing film that I wonder why a warning label isn’t put on it so people can have Kleenex at the ready. The story might be from the perspective of the eight legged grumpy sea creature, but that doesn’t mean that his awareness is any less insightful or, more importantly, so very accurate. It always takes an outsider to see what is so painfully clear, as human beings we can be ridiculous.

Ridiculous about our expectations for one another, in the guilt we carry, in the secrets that are buried so deep inside us that we forget to live and, sometimes, the resounding voices in our own heads telling us we don’t deserve love. That is only a brief bit of what this film has to offer so be prepared to learn lessons from Marcellus who truly is a remarkably bright creature. Kleenex required for viewing!

In the end – friendship and love take many shapes!

Coming to Bluray is WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital from director Olivia Newman, Hello Sunshine and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a story of love and betrayal WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING.

Kya Clarke (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is a young woman who has lived a pain filled life. As a young girl, she watched her family fall apart at the hands of her Pa (Garret Dillahunt). After abusing his wife and family, each of them slowly escaped leaving Kya behind.

Seeing what has happened to Kya are local store owners Jumpin (Sterling Macer, Jr.) and wife Mabel (Michael Hyatt). Then Kya is left alone to raise herself in the marsh and bayou outside of town. With no social skills and a fear of everyone but the store owners, Kya lives in her own wonderful creature filled world of sight, sound and art.

Now a young woman, Kya has been discovered by local boy Tate (Taylor John Smith) who brings her feathers. Slowly they get to know one another, and Kya finds love for the first time as does Chase. The town is talking and even Chase’s father offers a small warning knowing that his son has plans for his future.

Chase finally tells Kya about his plans, and she waits for his return on a designated day. When life changes things, Kya meets Chase (Harris Dickinson) who seems infatuated with the infamous ‘marsh girl’. Also, all her drawings and works are finding their way into bestselling books!

But Kya is always waiting for the other shoe to fall and when it does, lives are changed, lies and truths criss-cross and the ‘marsh girl’ fights for her life with the help of Tom Milton (David Strathairn).

Edgar-Jones as Kya brings everything to her character. There is innocence, abandonment, suspicion, desire to be loved, fear, sadness and knowing when to say nothing and observe. I enjoyed that very much about the portrayal of this character. Kya’s journey is one that is symbolically relatable in many ways because we all have, at one time or another, felt everything she feels. Well done!

Smith as Tate is a young man who sees Kya for exactly who she presents herself to be. He has seen only a small dose of her childhood but knows it is enough to cause her uncertainty. Not pushed by how the town’s people see her, it is his own future that causes a rift. Smith gives his character an equally tender heart.

Macer, Jr. as Jumpin is a man who feels a connection to the young Kya and a need to protect her and keep those that are trying to change her at bay. Marcer, Jr. exudes in his character an amazing example of a descent and devoted human being. Hyatt as Mabel is the loving mother-figure in Kya’s life but never let it be said that she does not have an opinion on life nor afraid to express it. I just love Hyatt’s portrayal of her.

Dickinson as Chase is the town boy who seems to have it all and yet knows he has to follow what his parents want. Even with that, there is a darkness that slowly shows itself and Dickinson supplies the creepies I got watching this character unfold his own story.

Strathairn as Milton is a man who sees a young Kya and never forgets how the town not only saw her but continued to see her. There was never any question that he would look out for the young woman and Strathairn’s portrayal is that of a man who can relate to Kya. Dillahunt as Pa has issues brought on by his own pain and instead of dealing with them, he becomes everything those around him fear. It is a powerful portrayal.

Other cast include Jayson Warner Smith as Deputy Joe Purdue, Ahna O’Reilly as Ma Clarke, Eric Ladin as Eric Chastain, Luke David Blumm as Young Tate and Jojo Regina as Young Kya.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

Special Features include Adapting a Phenomenon, Creating the World, Women in Focus, 14 Deleted & Extended Scenes and Lyric Video “Carolina” by Taylor Swift.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a novel written by Delia Owens in 2018 and as of December 2019, over 4.5 million copies of the books were sold. Topping The New York Times Best Sellers list, it also made The New York Times Fiction Best Seller in 2020. By February 2022, the novel spent over one hundred and fifty weeks on the best seller list.

The film is very subtle in its telling and moves at a pace conducive to Kya’s surroundings. Everything is taken in small doses, just as Kya’s awakening to the life around her comes does. Using the marsh and bayou as a backdrop to tell this story makes it a living and breathing part of the film.

What I appreciated most about it all is that it follows Kya’s life from childhood to adulthood. The experiences this young girl has forms a woman who is such a mixed bag of emotions, but they are hers, each and every one with no apologies and no excuses.

The cast holds up the character of Kya but also have their own story to tell and the part they play in the young woman’s life. This is a film that should not only be seen, but experienced.

In the end – secrets are buried just beneath the surface!

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

 

Jeri Jacquin

 Coming to theatres from director Olivia Newman, Hello Sunshine and Sony Pictures is a story of love and betrayal WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING.

Kya Clarke (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is a young woman who has lived a pain filled life. As a young girl, she watched her family fall apart at the hands of her Pa (Garret Dillahunt). After abusing his wife and family, each of them slowly escaped leaving Kya behind.

Seeing what has happened to Kya are local store owners Jumpin (Sterling Macer, Jr.) and wife Mabel (Michael Hyatt). Then Kya is left alone to raise herself in the marsh and bayou outside of town. With no social skills and a fear of everyone but the store owners, Kya lives in her own wonderful creature filled world of sight, sound and art.

Now a young woman, Kya has been discovered by local boy Tate (Taylor John Smith) who brings her feathers. Slowly they get to know one another and Kya finds love for the first time as does Chase. The town is talking and even Chase’s father offers a small warning knowing that his son has plans for his future.

Chase finally tells Kya about his plans and she waits for his return on a designated day. When life changes things, Kya meets Chase (Harris Dickinson) who seems infatuated with the infamous ‘marsh girl’. Also, all her drawings and works are finding their way into bestselling books!

But Kya is always waiting for the other shoe to fall and when it does, lives are changed, lies and truths criss-cross and the ‘marsh girl’ fights for her life with the help of Tom Milton (David Strathairn).

Edgar-Jones as Kya brings everything to her character. There is innocence, abandonment, suspicion, desire to be loved, fear, sadness and knowing when to say nothing and observe. I enjoyed that very much about the portrayal of this character. Kya’s journey is one that is symbolically relatable in many ways because we all have, at one time or another, felt everything she feels. Well done!

Smith as Tate is a young man who sees Kya for exactly who she presents herself to be. He has seen only a small dose of her childhood but knows it is enough to cause her uncertainty. Not pushed by how the town’s people see her, it is his own future that causes a rift. Smith gives his character an equally tender heart.

Macer, Jr. as Jumpin is a man who feels a connection to the young Kya and a need to protect her and keep those that are trying to change her at bay. Marcer, Jr. exudes in his character an amazing example of a descent and devoted human being. Hyatt as Mabel is the loving mother-figure in Kya’s life but never let it be said that she does not have an opinion on life nor afraid to express it. I just love Hyatt’s portrayal of her.

Dickinson as Chase is the town boy who seems to have it all and yet knows he has to follow what his parents want. Even with that, there is a darkness that slowly shows itself and Dickinson supplies the creepies I got watching this character unfold his own story.

Strathairn as Milton is a man who sees a young Kya and never forgets how the town not only saw her but continued to see her. There was never any question that he would look out for the young woman and Strathairn’s portrayal is that of a man who can relate to Kya. Dillahunt as Pa has issues brought on by his own pain and instead of dealing with them, he becomes everything those around him fear. It is a powerful portrayal.

Other cast include Jayson Warner Smith as Deputy Joe Purdue, Ahna O’Reilly as Ma Clarke, Eric Ladin as Eric Chastain, Luke David Blumm as Young Tate and Jojo Regina as Young Kya.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a novel written by Delia Owens in 2018 and as of December 2019, over 4.5 million copies of the books were sold. Topping The New York Times Best Sellers list, it also made The New York Times Fiction Best Seller in 2020. By February 2022, the novel spent over one hundred and fifty weeks on the best seller list.

The film is very subtle in its telling and moves at a pace conducive to Kya’s surroundings. Everything is taken in small doses, just as Kya’s awakening to the life around her comes does. Using the marsh and bayou as a backdrop to tell this story makes it a living and breathing part of the film.

What I appreciated most about it all is that it follows Kya’s life from childhood to adulthood. The experiences this young girl has forms a woman who is such a mixed bag of emotions but they are hers, each and every one with no apologies and no excuses.

The cast holds up the character of Kya but also have their own story to tell and the part they play in the young woman’s life. This is a film that should not only be seen, but experienced.

In the end – secrets are buried just beneath the surface!