IN THE LOST LANDS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to On Demand from director Paul W.S. Anderson and Vertical Entertainment based on a short story by George R.R. Martin is the tale IN THE LOST LANDS.

Grays Alys (Milla Jovovich) is a witch who is in the clutches of religious fanatic The Enforcer Ash (Arly Jover), who serves The Patriarch Johan (Fraser James). There is chaos in this land of destruction and chaos. Ruling this desolate kingdom is The Overlord and The Queen (Amara Okereke) but there is tension between The Overlord and The Patriarch. Ash is furious when Grays Alys manages to escape and is pushed to recapture her once again.

In her own stronghold, Grays Alys is visited by The Queen who wants to make a wish knowing the witch can not refuse. Wanting a power that lives in the Lost Lands, she pays Grays Alys for her services. Promptly, an unexpected twist occurs when The Queen’s man Jerais (Simon Loof) makes a wish of his own, that she not do as the Queen wishes. Knowing all of this is complicated, Grays Alys finds Boyce (Dave Bautista) in a local watering hole and hires him as a guide to The Lost Lands where the power resides.

There are only six days before the next full moon that is needed to grant The Queen’s wishes as Grays Alys and Boyce begin their journey. The Patriarch wants Ash to get the witch so that he can dethrone The Overlord and The Queen to take the power. Boyce knows of ways to get to The Lost Lands and looks to the help of friends. The problem is getting to them before The Enforcer Ash does because she is on a mission of total destruction.

Now the race is on to see who will reach The Lost Lands first!

Jovovich as Grays Alys is doing what she does best, creating a badass female character in a world that is filled with chaos and destruction. Embracing that part of her career has always worked well for her and in this film, she is proving once again that these characters are obviously fun to portray. She gets to use witchy actions, is good with weaponry and doesn’t take any guff from anyone – even her co-star. Speaking of Baustia, as Boyce he is a wanderer who doesn’t like to stay in one place to long. Hiring himself out to the witch for a trinket puts him back out wandering but this time with a goal – to get to The Lost Lands. He does warn Grays Alys against going but it goes unheeded.

Jover as The Enforcer is just as crazy as she wants to be. Following her religious fanaticism, she sees Grays Alys as an abomination and must be destroyed. To that end, she is going to chase her down no matter where she goes or what magic she attempts. Jover is pretty darn cool herself, even if she is a little off the rails. James as The Patriarch and the head of the twisted church, his only goal is to plant himself in the highest seat in their land, even if it means taking down an Overlord or two. Okereke as The Queen wants her cake and everyone elses’ too stopping at nothing to make sure nothing stands in her way. Okereke makes a grand Queen and she has a little bit of evil in her as well. Loof as Jerais is the Queen’s man to make things happen, and without a word knows exactly what she wants done!

Other cast include Tue Lunding as The Hammer, Jacek Dzisiewicz as The Overlord, Kamila Klamut as Midwife, Eveline Hall as Old Woman, Nicolas Stone as Kane, Sebastian Stankiewicz as Ross, and Deirdre Mullins as Mara.

Vertical Entertainment is a global independent distributor that offers a unique wealth of experience minus the studio costs. They have won a Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Actress for Molly Shannon’s role in OTHER PEOPLE and the film won a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Film Limited Release, Best International Film for Babak Anvari’s UNDER THE SHADOW, a BAFTA and three Independent British Independent Film Awards as well.

IN THE LOST LANDS is a dark story (but then again, I would expect nothing less from George R.R. Martin) that is steeped in magic, power struggles and everyone out for themselves. Grays Alys is a woman with powers that she wishes on no one but yet can’t refuse a wish, even if she wanted to. That is her weight to carry knowing that those who asks things of her are usually greed in nature.

The visuals are exactly what one would expect from a world gone chaotic with those who want to rule and those they abuse by ruling. The religious want the world their way with the hearts and minds in the same chains as the Overlords and the overlords want to get rid of the religious for the same reasons. It seems only Grays Alys and Boyce are the sane ones in their own crazy way. The cast does a really good job of creating characters that I wouldn’t mind seeing again. The film definitely kept my attention with its twists, turns and, honestly, I do love a good yarn!

In the end – it is a world full of secrets!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revisit All Six films of RESIDENT EVIL on 4K Ultra HD

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to an amazing Steelbook Collection set on 4K Ultra HD from writer/directors Paul W.S. Anderson, Alexander Witt, Russell Mulcahy and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the legendary horror action series of RESIDENT EVIL.

Beginning in 2002 with RESIDENT EVIL, the Umbrella Corporation in Raccoon City has a facility called the Hive. Alice (Milla Jovovich) finds herself on the floor of a mansion not knowing what is happening and quickly attacked by Matt Addison (Eric Mabius) who says he is a Raccoon cop. Going down into the Hive, they are told that they all work for the Umbrella Corporation.

She is also told that the Red Queen (Michaela Dicker) kill a partner Alice doesn’t remember and that someone named Kaplan (Martin Crewes) shut down the system unleashing undead staff and creatures called Lickers. Through the madness surrounding her, Alice slowly starts to regain some memories.

Taking on the Red Queen, Alice and Matt are now being hunted and everyone is in terrible danger in Raccoon City.

Other cast include Robert Tannion as Dr. Brown, Heike Makatsch as Dr. Lisa Addison, Stephen Billington as Mr. White, Michelle Rodriguez as Rain, Oscar Pearce as Mr. Green, Indra Ove as Ms. Black, James Purefoy as Spence, Colin Salmon as One, Fiona Glascott as Ms. Gold, Pasquale Aleardi as J.D. Salinas, Ryan McClusky as Mr. Grey, Anna Bolt as Dr. Green, Joseph May as Dr. Blue, Robert Tannon as Dr. Brown and Jason Isaacs as the narrator.

Features of the Bluray include Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision and Theatrical Trailer.

In the 2004 RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE, Alice has been parted from Matt and the zombies are everywhere in Raccoon City. The Umbrella is trying to contain it by closing down the city but not before knowing that Dr. Ashford’s (Jared Harris) daughter Angela (Sophie Vavasseur) is missing. The Raccoon City Police officer Jill Valentine (Dienna Guillory) is trying to get people to leave before it’s too late. Even Umbrella soldiers Carolos Olivera (Oded Fehr) and Nicholai Ginovaef (Zack Ward) are trying to get away.

Dr. Ashford wants Alice’s help finding her daughter and claims that they would be given safe passage if they recue Angela. Agreeing, they run into Nemesis (Matthew G. Taylor) and things become entrenched in zombies and anti-virus serum and people turning on one another because that’s what Umbrella does and Alice is in the middle.

Other cast include Thomas Kretschmann as Major Timothy Cain, Razaaq Adoti as Sgt. Peyton Wells, Mike Epps as Lloyd Jefferson Wade, Sandrine Holt as Terri Morales and Iain Glen as Dr. Alexander Isaacs.

Special Features include Feature Presentation in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision, Theatrical and Extended Cuts of the Film and Theatrical Trailers, Filmmaker Commentary, Cast Commentary, Writer/Producer Commentary, Deleted Scenes, “Game Over: Resident Evil Reanimated” Documentary, “Corporate Malfeasance” Featurette, “Game Babes’ Featurette and “Symphony of Evil” Featurette.

RESIDENT EVIL: Extinction in 2007 brings Alice to a dump where she finds other “Alice’s”. She knows it is the Umbrella Corporation continuing to fail with their Alice Project. Now the T-virus has spread worldwide and it’s hitting the planet hard as well. Alice is wandering but finds that there might be an uninfected place in Alaska.

She also reunites with Carlos and Wade in a survivors group led by Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) and tells them about the place in Alaska. Isaacs is up to no good trying with a new zombie kind using them to track Alice and destroy the convoy. Alice isn’t about to stand for it and after a battle for control, she gets her hands on a computer that shows her where Umbrella is hiding in an underground place.

Arriving at Umbrella, Alice comes across the White Queen (Madeline Carroll) who tells her something that might help everyone. When Wesker (Jason O’Mara) realizes he has lost North America, Alice makes it clear that they are not finished, not by a longshot.

Other cast also includes Matthew Marsden as Alex Slater, Linden Ashby as Chase, Ashanti as Nurse Betty, Spencer Locke as K-Mart, Christopher Egan as Mikey, and Joe Hursley as Otto.Fe

Special Features include Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision, Resdient Road Map: Reflections on the Future of the Series, Theatrical Trailers, “Under the Umbrella” Picture-in-Picture, Filmmaker Commentary, Deleted Scenes and 4-Featurettes.

In 2010, the film RESIDENT EVIL: Afterlife has Alice and the clones hitting the Umbrella headquarters in Tokyo. Their goal is Wesker who manages to escape but not before Alice has him in hand. He turns on her quickly to take away her abilities. Yet, months later, Alice is in Alaska following a place called Arcadia. Disappointed to find it in bad condition, she also finds Claire.

They both leave for Los Angeles where a prison holds survivors who are surrounded by zombies. Leader Luther (Boris Kodjoe) wants to get out and Alice learns that Arcadia is not a set place but a floating one but no one has heard from them in a while. When the group is attacked, Alice learns that Chris (Wentworth Miller) is Claire’s brother and more chaos among the group takes shape.

Aboard the plane, Alice heads for Arcadia and on the way remembers that Umbrella may have something to do with all this. As usual, its clean up time for Alice and the group if they are to survive.

Other cast include Shawn Roberts as Albert Wesker, Kim Coates as Bennett, Sergio Peris-Mencheta as Angel Ortiz, Kacey Barnfield as Crystal Waters, Norman Yeung as Kim Yong, Spencer Locke as K-Mart, Mika Nakashima as J-Pop Girl, and Ray Olubowale as the Axeman.

Special Feature include Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision, Alice Activated, Theatrical Trailers, “Undead Vision” Picture-in-Picture, Filmmaker Commentary, Deleted and Extended Scenes, Outtakes and 7 Featurettes.

Alice has returned with the 2012 RESIDENT EVIL: Retribution and the Arcadia has come under fire by Umbrella and is led by Jill and Alice is captured. When she wakes up, she is living a suburban life with husband Todd and her child Becky (Aryana Engineer). When the zombies hit, suburbia becomes Raccoon City and Rain is helping them escape.

The Arcadia Alice is being questioned by Jill but it doesn’t stop Alice from finding a way out but not before knowing she is in a sim of Shibuya Square in Tokyo coming face to face with Ada Wong (Li Biongbing). Wesker appears, somewhat, to let her know the Red Queen has started the Hive again. Where Alice actually is, she discovers, is Kamchatka, Russia.

A crew with Luther along with Leon and Barry, help to get Alice out and agree to all meet up again in Raccoon City. Suburbia Alice’s daughter Becky meets up with Arcadia Alice and attaches herself to “mom”. Once on the surface, Alice brings Jill back to herself and the battle is on landing them all at the White House where Alice has a showdown with Wexler.

Other cast include Robin Kasyanov as Sergei, Kevin Durand as Barry, Ofilio Portillo as Tony, and Colin Salmon as One. 

Special Features include Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision, Evil Goes Global, Undead Retribution, Theatrical Trailers, Director and Cast Commentary, Filmmaker Commentary, Deleted and Extended Scenes, Outtakes, Project Alice: The Interactive Database and 8 Featurettes.

Finally, 2016 is the year of RESIDENT EVIL: The Final Chapter as Dr. Marcus (Mark Simpson) who founded Umbrella has a daughter who is dying and uses the T-virus only to discover the horrors of it. Telling Dr. Ashford it is never to be used again and all research must be destroyed, Ashford wants to save his own daughter Angela who ends up with Wesker.

Alice wakes up in the White House and once again Wesker has lied and the Red Queen says her clock is ticking to get to the Hive. The Umbrella’s intention is to kill all infected and Alice is no exception. Back in Raccoon City she meets up with Claire who survived the Arcadia attack. Isaacs has his own plan however and there is a horde of zombies coming their way.

The Red Queen shows up again to show Alice what Isaacs true plan has been all along and who in her group can’t be trusted. Alice and Claire get their chance to make Isaacs pay for what he has done but he has other plans. Setting it all in place, he is ready for his plan to be complete and throws the switch but, is that the end?

Other cast include Eoin Macken as Doc, Lee Joon-gi as Commander Chu, Rola as Cobalt, Fraser James as Razor, Ruby Rose as Abigail, William Levy as Christian and Ever Anderson as the Red Queen.

Special Features include Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision, Newly Added: Directing THE FINAL CHAPTER, Rola as Cobalt, From Saints to Sinners, From Script to Screen: The Making of RESIDENT EVIL: The Final Chapter, Maximum Carnage: Best Kills, Creature Chronology, Theatrical Trailers, Retaliation Mode with Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich and 3 Featurettes.

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.

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.

This is an amazing collection of films and if, like me, you love a good zombie action film then all six of the RESIDENT EVIL films in one package is a repeater binge-worthy addition to the home entertainment library. The Steelbook is very cool with the images that are perfection to the series and keeps everything in one nice place.

The film each hold their own and Jovovich bring her character of Alice to an iconic level that will never be repeated. The cast is consistent which is very cool because as they pop in and out of each storyline, I am always thrilled to see them again and again. My entire family gathered around to watch each of these films because we share in the thrills and chills and a good binge night is always special.

Anderson created these roles and took the story lines to places we never could have expected, even added directors Witt and Mulcahy stayed true to the character we loved watching. Jovovich’s Alice is strong, no nonsense, and focused knowing that every step she takes leads her to people who only have one goal – destruction. What an awesome character as they absolutely all are!

In the end – she is legendary!

MONSTER HUNTER Faces Creatures From Another Time

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on 4K HD, Bluray and Digital from writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson, based on a video game and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the challenge of dimensions being a MONSTER HUNTER.

Army Captain Natalie Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and the security team she is in charge of are looking for a team that has gone missing in the desert. Out of no where comes a lightening storm that pulls the team into it and on the other side is a world unlike our own. They discover what is left of the team they were searching for and it does not take long before a creature destroys everything.

Trying to hide in a cave, a new pack of monster’s attacks as Artemis is stabbed by one of the creatures. Believing their Captain to be dead, the others run for their lives. When Artemis wakes up, she discovers that she is the only one left alive. She runs into Hunter (Tony Jaa), and another fight for survival takes place but ends with the realization that they need each other to live – even if they do not understand one another.

Traveling across the desert after a major attack, Artemis meets The Admiral (Ron Perlman) who actually speaks English! He tells Artemis a little of what he knows about the history of where she is but also explains that the door between their worlds must be closed at the Sky Tower if both sides are to avoid being wiped out. However, they must get past the monster known as Gore Magala and it is not going to be easy.

Now, Artemis must work with people who she does not quite understand if she is to get to the place she calls home.

Jovovich as Artemis gives us the performance that she has become known for. An action heroine filled with the ability to use weaponry, pick up on new moves and become stronger instead of afraid (which I would have been trust THAT!). From Leeloo in THE FIFTH ELEMENT, to Joan of Arc in THE MESSENGER, to Alice in RESIDENT EVIL, Jovovich makes it clear that she knows her way around evil of the two legged and many legged kind.

Jaa as Hunter is fantastic on every level. He can hold his own against and Army Captain and once he realizes they can learn from each other, he allows his humanity and sense of humor to come out. Jaa has a great way of showing his abilities through fighting skills and handling weapons that are not, well, from this world. I truly enjoyed watching him on the screen!

Perlman as The Admiral floats a ship along the sand and has a goal, taking his crew to the Sky Tower and find a way to close it before its too late. He knows the history of where Artemis is and knows there is only one way to stop the tower but getting there means taking on a very large creature. Of course Perlman gets to wield an extraordinary weapon on his own and is not afraid of swinging it full force.

Other cast include: T.I. as Lincoln, Diego Boneta as Marshall, Meagan Good as Dash, Josh Helman as Steeler, Jin Au-Yeung as Axe, Jannik Shumann as Aiden, Nanda Costa as Lea, and Nic Rasenti as Captain Roark.

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.

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 Material of MONSTER HUNTER includes Deleted Scenes, THE MONSTER HUNTERS: Cast and Characters, Monstrous Arsenal: Weaponry in the Film and For the Players: From Game to Scream.

Jovovich and Jaa carry this film for a major part of the action and I have to say I was pretty swept away with what they did. From the fight scenes with each other and fight scenes with absolutely creepy creatures, the action is continuous. I did not know that this film was based on a 2004 PlayStation 2 video game and Capcom Production Studio so well done on their part.  

MONSTER HUNTER is a turn out the lights, huge tub of popcorn, Saturday night on the couch with the family film. Its got tons of action, tons of adventure and its centered around basically only a few characters which lets you invest in Artemis, Hunter and The Admiral and the goal they oddly are working together towards.

The door seems to be open for more of the story to be told and it will be interesting to see if that comes to pass. In the meantime, prepare for a trip into another world!

In the end – they come together for the ultimate showdown!