The Tribunal Begins in NUREMBERG

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director James Vanderbilt and Sony Pictures Classics comes the trial that holds those accountable at NUREMBERG.

It is the end of the war in 1945 Europe, and as people begin to find safe places to live, the United States military is keeping watch. Coming down the Austrian road is a car flying the Nazi flag and the soldiers are ready with their weapons. Getting out of the car is the former commander in chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe). He makes his presence known with a statue of a man who hasn’t realized that being second in command in Germany now means absolutely nothing.

Also captured were 20 other men like Rudolf Hess and Albert Speer and Col. Burton Andrus (John Slattery) is getting a military set up together at Nuremberg. The goal is that American Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon) has called upon allied countries to bring an international tribunal against Hitler’s men. Until the trail begins, the government calls in Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) to keep an eye on the mental well-being of the prisoners awaiting trial, and especially Göring. Kelley jumps right in with the help of translator Sgt. Triest (Leo Woodall) to see what kind of man Göring is. Almost immediately the truth is clear, Göring is a man who believes he is above it all but does have a soft spot for wife Emmy (Lotte Verbeek) and daughter Edda (Fleur Bremmer) and daughter.

Preparing for the trial, Jackson is also joined by British attorney Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe (Richard E. Grant) as they continue to put together a case that will hold Göring accountable for the camps. Kelley begins spending a great deal of time with the prisoners, especially Göring, to hear what they have to say and get to know them. Trying to understand him, Kelley keeps copious notes trying to unravel what made the men behave in such a brutal and heinous manner, but also thoughts to write a book. He also begins to get a little to close to the personal aspect of Göring’s life.

As the trail begins, Jackson and Maxwell-Fyfe make their statements as Kelley comes to terms with what is happening. Disappointed in the psychiatrist’s performance, Col. Andrus decides it is time to send Kelley home. It is the young Sgt. Triest who has the opportunity to explain why no one has the right to quit until those responsible for the deaths of millions, must be held accountable. All of this happens to let it be known that it cannot happen again!

Academy Award winner Malek as Kelley rushes right into the role wanting to understand what causes such evil by asking “What enabled them to commit the crimes that they did?” Immediately, going in to speak to Göring let Kelley know who he was dealing with. As he and Göring meet again and again, their conversations change tone to an almost friendship-like quality. Malek is caught between two worlds but marches through them both effortlessly. His performance is filled with so much emotion but he keeps it in check as each unique situation arises. Malek gives a performance that should be recognized and applauded.

Academy Award winner Crowe as Göring portrays a man that is loaded with narcissism and doesn’t feel he needs to explain anything to anyone. Of course, his excuse is that he didn’t know what was happening in regards to the camps and that it was under another part of the military. That doesn’t hold water yet Göring maintains his innocence and begins to find a twisted friendship with Kelley. Feeling the weight of being the next in command under Hitler, even the prisoners turn to him during their confinement. Crowe gets a chance to flex his chops once on the stand trying to charm his way into making the tribunal a joke. Once again, Crowe turns in a performance that is stellar and although his accent slips a little at times (I have an ear for that kind of thing), I’m willing to overlook it for the sheer reason that he is stunning to watch.

Academy Award nominee Shannon as Jackson is an American lawyer who wants to find a way to make sure there was a tribunal so that any sentence the men received are lawful. Knowing it is an uphill climb, the pieces are slow in being put together but the pieces are there. There are moments when Shannon’s character begins to feel the weight of what he is doing and yet cannot stop moving forward. I love when Shannon takes on rules like this one where there is so much at stake yet, the character reaches in deep in order to find a way to do what is right for those that are counting on him – and that’s a large amount of people. He is amazing to watch and his stretch with Crowe is a cat and mouse that had me leaning into the film, literally.

Academy Award nominee Grant as Maxwell-Fyfe is the silent lawyer in the room, he listens, takes it all in and when the time is right, he smashes it totally. I considered him the one character that doesn’t fuel up on emotion but simply sees things as they are believing that the truth will surface, even if coming face to face with Göring. Grant always chooses the most interesting roles to play and they aren’t always big roles, he just makes them big. Slattery as Col. Andrus has a lot in common with Grant’s character in that he doesn’t feed off of much emotion (except when being woke up), he takes it in and makes decisions based on what is necessary to get the job done efficiently. Slattery is just a remarkable character actor who can portray just about any character put in front of him.

Woodall as Sgt. Triest is such an awesome character in the film. He is giving us the character of a young man who sees the world exactly as it is because he has a stake in it. Triest watches, listens, and realizes that there is a possibility that things won’t go the way they should – the way we all would think it should. Woodall’s presence in the film is surprising and emotional, well done.

Other cast include Carl Achleitner as the Prison Doctor, Wrenn Schmidt as Elsie, Andreas Pietschmann as Rudolf Hess, Lydia Peckham as Lila, Steven Pacey as General Marshall, Peter Jordan as Karl Donitz, Wolfgang Cerny as Baldur von Schirach, Ralph Berkin as the Cardinal, Mark O’Brien as Col. Amen, and Colin Hanks as Dr. Gustav Gilbert.

NUREMBURG is based on the 2013 book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai. Douglas Kelley himself wrote a book called 22 Cells in Nuremberg and was published in 1947 that contains evaluations, diagnoses and accounts of interactions with the prisoners at Nuremberg. Kelley’s interaction with the trials followed him his entire life.

This is not the first piece about the Nuremburg trials. The first I was aware of was the 1961 film that focused on the trial of German judges and prosecutors who are charged with crimes against humanity. In 2000, the television series Nuremberg touches on Göring but dives even further with Rudolf Hess. In 2015, the BBC premiers a documentary series that reenacts the Nuremberg trials of Speer, Göring and Hess. Having seen all of these, I was very curious to see what director Vanderbilt would bring to the screen as the subject matter can be quite intense.

The director, writer and cast bring together a film that takes a turn that I could not have imagined. The story takes a deep dive into what happened before the trial even began from the perspective of psychiatrist brought in for the prisoners and the lawyers who see the tribunal as a warning to the world. It is Malek and Crowe who give us a look inside Kelley’s psychiatric process and Göring’s inability to grasp his accountability of the death and destruction during the war. Shannon and Grant are characters that are going to make sure that Göring is the first to be put up on the world stage for all to see for his crimes against humanity.

There is nothing pretty in the film, no flower fields or happy faces – the scenes are the darkness of the prison and the destruction outside the doors of the tribunal courtroom. That is a silent character of the film but just as powerful visually representing what happened in Germany beginning in 1933 with the rise of Hitler to the end and the fall in 1945. Keeping the scenes to a few spaces allows the rest of the story to come front and center with no distractions and I appreciated that.

NUREMBERG will most likely be on the list of potential awards as the season approaches and I wouldn’t be surprised if Malek and Crowe make that list as well. You have two Academy Award winners and two Academy Award nominees in this film and every frame shows that. The performances are intense and riveting to watch but, at the same time, shows moments that are disturbing in the thought that it is happening in our own country today. One man makes himself dictator of a country and has a building full of people who tout his destruction and all but salute him for it. As Kelley screams that it can’t be allowed to happen again after the Nuremberg trials, here we are, 80 years later, fighting someone who chooses to hurt people from other countries as well as his own people. He goes against anyone that disagrees with him and attempts to find ways to destroy them – sound familiar?

I absolutely recommend seeing NUREMBERG for a refresher on what happens when people aren’t held accountable and try to understand how it began in the first place. History can and often does repeat itself.

In the end – it should never happen again!

 

 

He is THE AMATEUR

 

Jeri Jacquin

This week on Digital and coming to Bluray and 4k Ultra HD from director James Hawes and 20^th Century Studios is a man who is THE AMATEUR. 

Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) is sending his wife Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) off to a conference in Europe while he goes to his job at the CIA as a cryptographer. Getting straight to work, his job is secretive but he is good at it. When he is called into the office of boss Director Moore (Holt McCallany) and Director O’Brien (Julianne Nicholson) where he is told that his wife has died and Charlie is horrified. Almost immediately he begins his work discovering what happened, how and who is responsible. Bringing it up to his superiors, he makes it clear that all Charlie wants is to handle the situation himself.

When they don’t approve, he is sent Hendo Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) to give him some help in what he is planning to do. While Training, Henderson makes it clear that some people just aren’t simply capable of killing. While he is away, Moore is attempting to discover what Charlie might know and tear his house and office apart. They want to know what is he doing with the information but they obviously don’t understand what Charlie can do. His intelligence gives him the edge as he manages to slip away from everyone and follow the trail to Europe. There, he finally meets contact Inquiline (Cailtriona Balfe) who does her best to help find those responsible for Sarah’s death.

The trail is brutal and full of secrets that go deeper than Charlie could ever have imagined. When CIA operative O’Brien (Jon Bernthal) attempts to wrangle him in, he once again knows how to slip the boundaries they attempt to place on him. No matter how much the CIA uses its technology, they forgot one thing – Charlie created that technology!

Malek as Charlie is a man devastated by the loss of his wife and disgusted by the CIA’s lack of action. Deciding that if they won’t do anything, he will use all he has learned as an analyst play out in the real world. Malek plays a grieving husband but, when his character goes rogue, he does so in such a calm manner. The Agency thinks they are able to corral him but you can’t capture someone who you’ve always underrated. This is such an awesome character for him to play and adds a layer of thrill with the combination of political, psychological and action in the vein of THE BOURNE IDENTITY (2002) among so many others. Malek has cemented his place in that line up.

McCallany as Moore is a stern character who can not get Charlie to understand that there are things at play that he doesn’t know about. Once Charlie goes rogue, he is not only dealing with that, but feeling the breath of Director O’Brien all over his neck. I have come to so appreciate McCallany’s body of work and I just love his strong characters. Nicholson as Director O’Brien understands that Charlie is devastated and enlists the help of Moore to keep their noses clean. She gets the suspicion that Charlie isn’t going to let the death of his wife go unanswered. Nicholson always plays such a strong character and it is the same here.

Fishburne as Henderson attempts to train Charlie but also realizes that training him to kill someone just isn’t working. He is impressed by that Charlie can do but it doesn’t mean it will help him with his goal. Fishburne is just that – Fishburne. A consummate actor who can do any role you put in front of him. This isn’t a large role but it is a good one. Bernthal as O’Brien sees Charlie as a friend and wants to help but so people you just can’t get to understand and Charlie is one of them. Again, the role isn’t a large one but keep you spidey senses on high alert.

Balfe as Inquiline is someone that Charlie has been in contact with for a while but never in person. When he arrives in Europe, it is Balfe’s character that guides him in the direction he needs to go. I just love seeing Balfe as I am a huge fan of OUTLANDER and here she begins to separate herself from that role and onto something thriller in another genre.

Other cast includes Adrian Martinez as Carlos, Marc Rissman as Mishka Blazhic, Joseph Millson as Ellish, Barbara Probst as Gretchen Frank, Alice Hewkin as Ali Park and Henry Garrett as the Chief of Staff. Look for the cameo of Marthe Keller who starred in the 1981 film as Elizabeth.

Twentieth Century Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.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 include The Team, The World, The Pool, The Score, and Deleted Scenes.

Robert Littrell specialized in espionage novel having been a journalist and novelist writing about the spy world of the CIA. He wrote the screenplay before the novel with the title The Amateur: A Novel of Revenge in 1981.

Malek, having played a Bond Villain in the 2021 film NO TIME TO DIE gets the opportunity to play the other side of a thriller and proves he can do both. In the role of Charlie Heller, he is as smooth as they come, smarter than his superiors could ever have imagined and determined to do what the agency won’t. He has no problem using his intelligence and abilities to keep everyone at arm’s length until he finishes what he started. Just brilliantly done.

The cast brings so much to the political table with secrets, mysteries, lies, no trusting and, best of all, no idea who they are dealing with. I love that part of the film as each thing Charlie pulls off, there is someone in the background shaking his head in disbelief. That makes watching so much more enjoyable because rooting for Charlie is what it is all about. Nothing or no one is going to stop the inevitable.

In the end – do not underestimate him!

It is Bond and NO TIME TO DIE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray, DVD and Digital Code in a 3-Disc Collector’s Edition from director Cary Joki Fukunaga and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is a tale about when it is NO TIME TO DIE.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) has given up being 007 and taken up a life in Norway with the lovely Madeleine (Lea Seydoux). While visiting the tomb of Vesper Lynd, an explosion leads him to believe that the woman he loves has betrayed him in the worst way. Letting her go, Bond goes about his life in Jamiaca without her and back in this stern stance.

Years later, scientist Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik) who was working in the MI6 lab on the Heracles bioweapon project has been kidnapped. Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) with the CIA finds bond and asks Bond as a friend to help them find Obruchev. Believing that Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) is responsible, Bond agrees. Attending a black-tie affair, he sees Obruchev only to be met by a strange mist that takes out all the Spectres that are at the same affair.

Getting Obruchev is the easy part, discovering that Leiter’s partner Ash (Billy Magnussen) is a double agent for Safin (Rami Malek) puts Bond in high gear. The only way to find out what is happening is by Q (Ben Whishaw) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) arranging a meeting with Blofeld. On the way to the meeting, Bond sees Madeline and tries to keep it together. Speaking with Blofeld, Bond learns that what he had thought all these years was wrong.

Finding Madeleine, Bond tries to understand what is happening around him when he learns the story of, she and Safin and the death of his parents. Almost immediately they are on the run again with Safin close behind as M (Ralph Fiennes) stays in contact. Bond and 00 agent Nomi (Lashana Lynch) discover he has been hiding on an abandoned missile base and is mass-producing a weapon that will kill millions of people.

Bond knows that his final decision will save those he loves.

Craig as Bond is leaving the role and in doing so, he has taken the last of James Bond with him. Of course, playing Bond through five films Craig has given us everything that those of us who grew up with Bond expect. This film tries to humanize an agent who has spent his life fighting for kin and country. Do I buy it? I am not so sure of that. I liked my Bond elusive so I will have to chew on that more.

Seydoux as Madeleine is the woman who has stolen Bond’s heart and more than that. Becoming Dr. Swan, I am not sure that even did much for her character except give her access to Blofeld. Her connection to Safin is a bit wonky as well but I suppose needed to play out the story. Malek as Safin gives an unemotional performance of a psycho who just wants to see the world nano itself to death. Trying to use logic to get what he wants; everyone knows you cannot reason with crazy.

Whishaw as Q gets a chance to bring his knowledge of technology to bare but, as with all geniuses, the nano world is something he cannot fix. Fiennes as M has it out with Bond but the scene where that happens feels awkward and uncomfortable, perhaps it was meant that way. Waltz, Wright, Magnussen, Harris, and Lynch all feel like cameos as their roles are short spurts in the mix of the story.

Dencik as Obruchev is the comic relief of mad scientists. Never sure which side he is on, I assumed he was on the side with the biggest weaponry. Fidgety and annoying, he knows what everybody wants and is not above being thrilled by what he is able to do.

Other cast include Ana de Armas as Paloma, Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner, Dali Benssalah as Primo, Brigitte Miller as Dr. Vogel and Lisa-Dorah Sonnet as Mathilde.

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.

The Bonus Features include Anatomy of a Scene: Matera, Keeping it Real: The Actions of NO TIME TO DIE, A Global Journey and Designing Bond.

I am going to be blunt honest here and say that NO TIME TO DIE is not my favorite Bond film. The film feels like it is jumbled with appearances of former bad guys mixed in with trying to turn Bond into a touchy-feely agent without actually calling him 007. The story is all over the place and introducing nano-bots feels like a throwback to when the idea of nano-bots was cool. Even Safin’s exotic island felt like a re-visit to THE INCREDIBLES mystery island.

Realizing Craig was attempting to make a grand statement by his final Bond film, I do not think this was the way to do it. Producer Broccoli said the film would “come to a satisfying ending” which makes me wonder if we were both watching the same film. Then again, having grown up on Bond since seeing my first in 1967 with YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, I like my Bond’s mysterious, action directed and non-attached.

I think Bond provides action and the story has gotten lost. Movie-goers do not share the same history with Bond as many of us “older” film buffs and it is a loss for us in a lot of ways. So, if this is how it has to be then farewell to the Bond of my youth and wish the next generation good luck with it.

In the end – Bond is back!

 

 

 

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Brings Mercury Back on Stunning Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

On Bluray/DVD and Digital from director Brian Singer and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment comes the story of a legend that lives on today through a BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY.

Farrokh Bulsara (Rami Malek) isn’t about to conform to his parents expectations and when he has the opportunity to change his path it is because he meets Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) who have a band and just lost their front man. At first the two men think Freddie is joking about what he has to offer – but proven surprised as Queen is born.

Now Freddie Mercury openly, he meets Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) and is madly in love. She supports his musical dream and is always there to help him through anything life throws at him. The band plays a few gigs adding John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello)  to the group when John Reid (Aidan Gillen) notices them bringing in attorney Jim Beach (Tom Hollander) to protect the gang.

Freddie and the band decide they don’t want to be just like every other music group but instead be daring and bold. This doesn’t go over well with record executive Ray Foster (Mike Meyers) not believing people want to hear six minute songs. Of course Freddie is out to prove him wrong and Bohemian Rhapsody makes its way onto airwaves.

As with all bands, the tension, touring and egos are starting to get in the way of the music. It doesn’t help that Freddie has started a relationship with Paul (Allen Leech) with Brian and John none to pleased, not to mention Mary. The blow up blows Queen apart and they all go their own way.

Freddie meets Jim Hutton (Aaron McCusker) who makes it very clear that he is not the type that will be taken lightly, especially since others are running the singers life. Then, there is the illness he never saw coming and once he did, turns to the people in his life that will always love him – family, friends and fans!

Because Queen is all about rocking us!

Malek as Freddie Mercury does the job that needs doing and carries enough weight behind it with the cast and music. It is obvious that he put all into portraying a man who was larger than life so keeping that in mind I willingly went into suspension of disbelief. The performance scenes are so much fun because the music is stellar and engrained into many of our lives.

Lee as May believes in what Queen is doing and totally understands Freddie’s idiosyncrasies. Writing and putting it all together in the studio is what makes the group the happiest but there are moments that twinge in the ego about who is running the band. Rogers as Taylor wants more of a say in what the group puts out but would rather not butt heads with Freddie on it. It doesn’t mean there isn’t resentment simmering just below the surface. I enjoyed Taylor’s performance, especially doing his high pitch part in the song Bohemian Rhapsody. Mazello as Deacon lets the status quo rule even though he doesn’t always agree with Freddie.

Boynton as Mary is a woman who has a bigger heart than mine that’s for sure. She loves Freddie and consistently looks past what is right in front of her. Calling her his ‘soul mate’ means she can’t walk away not matter how hard she tries. There comes a point when thinking about yourself is not only right, it is necessary for happiness and Freddie has to understand that. Boynton gives an amazing performance that I won’t soon forget.

Gillen as Reid definitely wants to see what the band is capable of and more times than not he lets it all flow as it will – even when it comes to Freddie. I love seeing Gillen on screen outside of the Seven Kingdoms so well done sir! Hollander as Jim, aka Miami, is one of the most laid back lawyers I think I’ve ever seen. He has moments of important input but the rest of the time, he nods and goes along to get along. I love Hollander in everything he has done so you’ll never hear a complaint from me.

Meyers as Foster has no idea what he’s getting into and even more clueless that Freddie is a strong personality and loves to prove the world wrong. Meyers cracked me up to the very end. Leech as Paul totally had me seeing a blood-sucking-groupie in his character and wanted to jump through the screen and wring his little neck myself. Good thing I refrained but just goes to show how powerful his performance is.

McCusker as Jim is probably the only sane one of this bunch! Knowing that Freddie is his own worst enemy but also realizing that people abuse him, he is still not going to fall into it all. It was good to see someone throw life-coffee into Freddie’s place and humbling for him at the same time.

Other cast include Meneka Das as Jer Bulsara, Ace Bhatti as Bomi Bulsara, Priya Blackburn as Kashmira Bulsara, Max Bennett as David, Dermon Murphy as Bob Geldof and Dickie Beau as Kenny Everett.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The Bluray and DVD Special Features include The Complete LIVE AID Movie Performance Not Seen in Theatres, Rami Malek Becoming Freddie, The Look and Sound of Queen and Recreating LIVE AID.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY tells the story of a young man born Farrokh Bulsara and reborn into Freddie Mercury. From a baggage handler at Heathrow to meeting May and Taylor, life had bigger plans for them all – especially Freddie.  When the band goes through harrowing times, sleazy Paul managed to work on Freddie’s insecurities leading to firings and a blow out.

It is once again Mary who sets him straight about remembering who he is and how he got there and, more importantly, who was there with him every step of the way! Learning that Bob Geldof had a concert called Live Aid at Wembley, Freddie knows it is the way back to what made Queen stellar.

But that’s only part of it; Freddie’s parents go through pains with their son even if his siblings are supportive. It is the Zoroastrian belief of ‘good thoughts, good words, and good deeds’ that truly begin to come to light.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY has so far earned two Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Rami Malek. Also for Malek’s mantel is a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Currently, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture of the Year for Graham King, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Rami Malek, Best Achievement in Film Editing, Best Achievement in Sound Editing and Best Achievement in Sound Mixing. It’s going to be a tense evening for the film!

The soundtrack is amazing! If you are a Queen fan then this film will rock you, if you think you are a Queen fan this film will rock you, and if you want to be a Queen fan then go get rocked as BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital from 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

In the end – fearless lives forever!

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Brings Freddie Mercury Back to Us

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from director Brian Singer and 20^th Century Fox comes the story of a legend that lives on today through a BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY.

Farrokh Bulsara (Rami Malek) isn’t about to conform to his parents expectations and when he has the opportunity to change his path it is because he meets Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) who have a band and just lost their front man. At first the two men think Freddie is joking about what he has to offer – but proven surprised as Queen is born.

Now Freddie Mercury openly, he meets Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) and is madly in love. She supports his musical dream and is always there to help him through anything life throws at him. The band plays a few gigs adding John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello)  to the group when John Reid (Aidan Gillen) notices them bringing in attorney Jim Beach (Tom Hollander) to protect the gang.

Freddie and the band decide they don’t want to be just like every other music group but instead be daring and bold. This doesn’t go over well with record executive Ray Foster (Mike Meyers) not believing people want to hear six minute songs. Of course Freddie is out to prove him wrong and Bohemian Rhapsody makes its way onto airwaves.

As with all bands, the tension, touring and egos are starting to get in the way of the music. It doesn’t help that Freddie has started a relationship with Paul (Allen Leech) with Brian and John none to pleased, not to mention Mary. The blow up blows Queen apart and they all go their own way.

Freddie meets Jim Hutton (Aaron McCusker) who makes it very clear that he is not the type that will be taken lightly, especially since others are running the singers life. Then, there is the illness he never saw coming and once he did, turns to the people in his life that will always love him – family, friends and fans!

Because Queen is all about rocking us!

Malek as Freddie Mercury does the job that needs doing. Do I think he made me forget he is Malek? Nope. But the film carries enough weight behind it with the cast and music that I mentally put it aside. It is obvious that he put all into portraying a man who was larger than life so keeping that in mind I willingly went into suspension of disbelief. The performance scenes are so much fun because the music is stellar and engrained into many of our lives.

Lee as May believes in what Queen is doing and totally understands Freddie’s idiosyncrasies. Writing and putting it all together in the studio is what makes the group the happiest but there are moments that twinge in the ego about who is running the band. Rogers as Taylor wants more of a say in what the group puts out but would rather not butt heads with Freddie on it. It doesn’t mean there isn’t resentment simmering just below the surface. I enjoyed Taylor’s performance, especially doing his high pitch part in the song Bohemian Rhapsody. Mazello as Deacon lets the status quo rule even though he doesn’t always agree with Freddie.

Boynton as Mary is a woman who has a bigger heart than mine that’s for sure. She loves Freddie and consistently looks past what is right in front of her. Calling her his ‘soul mate’ means she can’t walk away not matter how hard she tries. There comes a point when thinking about yourself is not only right, it is necessary for happiness. Boynton gives an amazing performance that I won’t soon forget.

Gillen as Reid definitely wants to see what the band is capable of and more times than not he lets it all flow as it will – even when it comes to Freddie. I love seeing Gillen on screen outside of the Seven Kingdoms so well done sir! Hollander as Jim, aka Miami, is one of the most laid back lawyers I think I’ve ever seen. He has moments of important input but the rest of the time, he nods and goes along to get along. I love Hollander in everything he has done so you’ll never hear a complaint from me.

Meyers as Foster has no idea what he’s getting into and even more clueless that Freddie is a strong personality and loves to prove the world wrong. Meyers cracked me up to the very end. Leech as Paul totally had me seeing a blood-sucking-groupie in his character and wanted to jump through the screen and wring his little neck myself. Good thing I refrained but just goes to show how powerful his performance is.

McCusker as Jim is probably the only sane one of this bunch! Knowing that Freddie is his own worst enemy but also realizing that people abuse him, he is still not going to fall into it all. It was good to see someone throw life-coffee into Freddie’s place and humbling for him at the same time.

Other cast include Meneka Das as Jer Bulsara, Ace Bhatti as Bomi Bulsara, Priya Blackburn as Kashmira Bulsara, Max Bennett as David, Dermon Murphy as Bob Geldof and Dickie Beau as Kenny Everett.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY tells the story of a young man born Farrokh Bulsara and reborn into Freddie Mercury. From a baggage handler at Heathrow to meeting May and Taylor, life had bigger plans for them all – especially Freddie.  When the band goes through harrowing times, sleazy Paul managed to work on Freddie’s insecurities leading to firings and a blow out.

It is once again Mary who sets him straight about remembering who he is and how he got there and, more importantly, who was their with him every step of the way! Learning that Bob Geldof had a concert called Live Aid at Wembley, Freddie knows it is the way back to what made Queen stellar.

But that’s only part of it; Freddie’s parents go through pains with their son even if his siblings are supportive. It is the Zoroastrian belief of ‘good thoughts, good words, and good deeds’ that truly begin to come to light.

The soundtrack is amazing! If you are a Queen fan then this film will rock you, if you think you are a Queen fan this film will rock you, and if you want to be a Queen fan then go get rocked as BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY comes to theatres.

In the end – fearless lives forever!

PAPILLON

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres this week from director Michael Noer and Bleeker Street is an epic escape from the man they call PAPILLON.

Henri ‘Papillon’ Charriere (Charlie Hunnam) is living the criminal life in France and seemingly enjoying it all with Nenette (Eve Hewson). His high life comes crashing down when he is accused of murder and sent to a penal colony in French Guiana.

On the way he meets counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek) and offers to be his security from the attack of others. Once at the prison, they are introduced to Warden Barrot (Yorick van Wageningen) who makes it plain that he will tolerate no breaking of the rules. Papillon tries to set up the best jobs with the money Dega has. It all seems to be going well until they duo hear from Deputy Gordon. The officer has a history with Dega and paybacks put the two into hard labor.

Around heavy rock, explosive and other angry prisoners, Papillon is determined to find a way out. As he sees the extreme brutality of their incarceration and it only pushes him harder. Dega also makes it clear that he wants to leave any way possible but when a moment presents itself, Papillon leaves him behind.

Back at the prison, the Warden makes it clear that what Papillion will experience next is not rehabilitation but the insanity of silence. Two years later and Papillon and Dega meet once again and the plan picks up where they left off. This time they enlist the help of Celier (Roland Moller), Maturette (Joel Basman) and a boat.

Free on an island Papillon meets a nun who help the survivors of the boat escape to recuperate but it is short lived. Five years later Papillon and Dega reunite on Devil’s Island with no bars and no real guards. Just learning to survive in the harshest conditions and still burning with the idea of escape.

One more time – one more chance!

Hunnam as Papillon reaches out to every spectrum of human emotion in the over two hour span of story telling. To the crazy years never-a-care years in France, to what he must do to survive the prison, two years of solitary confinement, torture, near starvation and darkness. Every bit of it shows in Hunnam’s portrayal and at times it’s disturbing to witness. He carries the full weight of this film and it shows in every frame.

Malek as Dega is clearly a man who has never been in a situation to need protection but quickly realizes its Papillon that can provide it. The problem is Dega consistently forces others to take up his slack forcing his protector to protect overtime. As each day passes, Dega becomes wiser and a little more taking of a punch. Malek gives his stoic character life when it needs it and acceptance when all else fails.

Wageningen as Barrot is a man determined to run a prison with an iron fist. He is not about to let Papillon change any of that. Finding more and more way to try and break him, it is not an easy feat with the strong willed man.

Moller as Celier is just as crafty as they come knowing Papillon is the guy to make it happen. Riding his coattails out the prison door is exactly what he intends to do. Basman as Maturette is the boyish young man who is just as deadly as the company he is keeping.

Other cast include Nina Senicar as the Leper, Michael Socha as Julot, Christopher Fairbank as Jean Castili, Ian Beattie as Toussaint, Nick Kent as Brioulet, and Brian Vernel as Guittou.

In 1973, Steve McQueen took on the role of Papillon and along with Dustin Hoffman proved he was the perfect leading man to handle the telling of director Franklin J. Schaffner’s vision. For it’s time it was ground breaking as the film garnered an Oscar Nomination for Best Music Original Dramatic Score and a Golden Globe nomination for Steve McQueen.

Forty-five years later we have a darker telling with Hunnam and Malek digging even deeper into the lives of these two men and a place that is equal to hell on earth. The film is grim in the cinematography to match the story and where it takes us. It is harsh, intense, and a momentary reunion between two SOA (FX’s series Sons of Anarchy) brothers that tugged at my heart.

PAPILLON is a book written by Henri Charriere published in France in 1969 about his 14 years in prison. It became a best seller and is still considered today one of the best books published. Charriere would spend the rest of his life in Venezuela as a free man with his story written and seen on the screen.

In the end – this is the greatest escape adventure ever told!