Take a Jump with THE FALL GUY Landing on 4K Ultra HD

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray and Digital this week from director David Leitch and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the story of a stuntman who is becoming THE FALL GUY.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is the stunt double for action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Girlfriend Jody (Emily Blunt) is a camera woman on the picture that they are both working on. Ryder wants an action sequence to be bigger and asks Colt to make it happen. What ends up happening is an accident that ruins a lot of things in Colt’s life.

That is until almost two years later, Colt gets a call from film producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham). She tells him that Jody is the director on another Ryder action film, MetalStorm, and he is wanted on the set to do stunts. He is thrilled because he wants to help Jody with anything she needs, it isn’t until he is on the set that he finds out the truth.

He isn’t there a day before having to deal with ex-girlfriend rage and a disappearing action star. Gail asks Colt to go find him and it isn’t everything he signed up for. Arriving at Ryder’s place, he is sent on a wild goose chase leading him to a hallucinating chase and a body on ice in a hotel room. Trying to understand what is happening, he is chased down by thugs who want Ryder’s phone.

All of that is interfering with his reconnection to Jody and that is setting Colt on edge, especially knowing that the cops are on his case. Colt and Jody come up with a plan that will hold those responsible accountable but not without a few stunts thrown in.

Gosling as Colt comes on with a stuntman swag that had me giggling from the very beginning. What is stellar about Gosling is that he can take on a heavy role and become so entangled in the character that its mesmerizing and with comedy, he has facial expressions that just brings out such fun and it’s fantastic. He did justice to the role of Colt.

Blunt as Jody has her own set of issues feeling like the jilted ex-girlfriend who is taking her frustration out on her film. Blunt gives her character indignation that all jilted girls feel but don’t have a chance to make a sci-fi about it. I just love everything Blunt does no matter if it’s a serious character or comedy, like Gosling, she makes magic happen.

Taylor-Johnson as Ryder is an actor that is full of himself and doesn’t think the rules of anything apply to him. He has everyone on the set on the verge of craziness but has Colt on the verge of being the best stuntman. Waddingham as Gail is a woman who basically spends her time trying to plump up everyone’s ego all while babysitting a straw in a drink of who-knows-what. At the top of her game, she isn’t about to let a stuntman and a girlfriend ruin her kingdom.

Other cast include Teresa Palmer as Iggy Starr, Stephanie Hsu as Alma Milan, Winston Duke as Dan Tucker, Matuse as Doone, Adam Dunn as Nigel and Ben Knight as Dressler. There are cameos by Lee Majors, Heather Thomas and Jason Momoa.

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.

Exclusive Bonus Features include Extended Cut, Gag Reel, Alternative Takes, Stunts: Breaking Down the Action, City Truck Jump/Sidewinder, Garbage Bin, Boat Chase, Car Jump, High Fall, Making a Meta Masterpiece, How to Break a World Record, Nightclub Mayhem, The Art of Doubling, Making METALSTORM, Falling for THE FALL GUY with Bob Reese, and Feature Commentary.

If you are into nostalgia mixed with comedy then this is the film for you. The soundtrack is amazing, especially the scene of Colt lamenting with a Taylor Swift song (All Too Well). From the very beginning, the action is exactly what one would expect from a stunt man. As the story goes along, the comedy is just completely hilarious.

Gosling once again brings in a fun performance that made the film, especially for someone who remembers the 1908’s television series fondly, a walk down nostalgia lane delightful. Blunt brings in the calm in the midst of chaos and at the same time is so darn charming in the process. All of that together makes THE FALL GUY a really good family fun film that calls for pizza or popcorn at the very least on a Friday night! Cheer from start to finish!

In the end – what could possibly go right?

Take a Jump with THE FALL GUY Landing on Digital

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Digital this week from director David Leitch and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the story of a stuntman who is becoming THE FALL GUY.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is the stunt double for action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Girlfriend Jody (Emily Blunt) is a camera woman on the picture that they are both working on. Ryder wants an action sequence to be bigger and asks Colt to make it happen. What ends up happening is an accident that ruins a lot of things in Colt’s life.

That is until almost two years later, Colt gets a call from film producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham). She tells him that Jody is the director on another Ryder action film, MetalStorm, and he is wanted on the set to do stunts. He is thrilled because he wants to help Jody with anything she needs, it isn’t until he is on the set that he finds out the truth.

He isn’t there a day before having to deal with ex-girlfriend rage and a disappearing action star. Gail asks Colt to go find him and it isn’t everything he signed up for. Arriving at Ryder’s place, he is sent on a wild goose chase leading him to a hallucinating chase and a body on ice in a hotel room. Trying to understand what is happening, he is chased down by thugs who want Ryder’s phone.

All of that is interfering with his reconnection to Jody and that is setting Colt on edge, especially knowing that the cops are on his case. Colt and Jody come up with a plan that will hold those responsible accountable but not without a few stunts thrown in.

Gosling as Colt comes on with a stuntman swag that had me giggling from the very beginning. What is stellar about Gosling is that he can take on a heavy role and become so entangled in the character that its mesmerizing and with comedy, he has facial expressions that just brings out such fun and it’s fantastic. He did justice to the role of Colt.

Blunt as Jody has her own set of issues feeling like the jilted ex-girlfriend who is taking her frustration out on her film. Blunt gives her character indignation that all jilted girls feel but don’t have a chance to make a sci-fi about it. I just love everything Blunt does no matter if it’s a serious character or comedy, like Gosling, she makes magic happen.

Taylor-Johnson as Ryder is an actor that is full of himself and doesn’t think the rules of anything apply to him. He has everyone on the set on the verge of craziness but has Colt on the verge of being the best stuntman. Waddingham as Gail is a woman who basically spends her time trying to plump up everyone’s ego all while babysitting a straw in a drink of who-knows-what. At the top of her game, she isn’t about to let a stuntman and a girlfriend ruin her kingdom.

Other cast include Teresa Palmer as Iggy Starr, Stephanie Hsu as Alma Milan, Winston Duke as Dan Tucker, Matuse as Doone, Adam Dunn as Nigel and Ben Knight as Dressler. There are cameos by Lee Majors, Heather Thomas and Jason Momoa.

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 FALL GUY comes with an Extended Cut with an additional twenty-minutes of never-before-seen footage featuring more action, more laughs and more stunts when purchased from Apple TV, Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), Comcast Xfinity, Cox and Microsoft Movies & TV. The original film is available wherever you rent or buy movies.

If you are into nostalgia mixed with comedy then this is the film for you. The soundtrack is amazing, especially the scene of Colt lamenting with a Taylor Swift song (All Too Well). From the very beginning, the action is exactly what one would expect from a stunt man. As the story goes along, the comedy is just completely hilarious.

Gosling once again brings in a fun performance that made the film, especially for someone who remembers the 1908’s television series fondly, a walk down nostalgia lane delightful. Blunt brings in the calm in the midst of chaos and at the same time is so darn charming in the process. All of that together makes THE FALL GUY a really good family fun film that calls for pizza or popcorn at the very least on a Friday night! Cheer from start to finish!

In the end – what could possibly go right?

We Are ALL Officially in the BARBIE World

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently in theatres from writer/director Greta Gerwig and Warner Bros. Pictures is a story of the most iconic world with BARBIE.

Barbie (Margot Robbie) is the stereotypical Barbie living in Barbieland. Here, the women are successful and believe in the empowerment of women and, more importantly, they can do anything! Happy with her life, house and friends, she is living her best doll life. Friend Ken (Ryan Gosling) adores Barbie but can’t seem to make a more serious boyfriend-girlfriend connection.

One morning Barbie wakes up and strange things begin to happen. From having a dark thought (oh no, not Barbie and a dark thought!) to flat feet, she begins to panic and looks for answers. Everyone, that’s all the other Barbie’s in Barbieland suggest talking to ‘weird’ Barbie (Katie McKinnon). This particular Barbie has been played with, well, a bit rough but seems to have answers to stereotypical Barbie’s many questions.

‘Weird’ Barbie tells stereotypical Barbie that she must go into the ‘real world’ to find the child playing with her. Off for a big adventure, Barbie shouldn’t be surprised that Ken has grabbed his roller blades and intends to join his friend on her quest. After a bit of surreal travelling, they end up at Venice Beach and people who aren’t really sure what they are seeing.

Barbie hunts for her person and meets Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), her mom Gloria (America Ferrera) and the shock of the truth between the three women. Ken hits the books to discover the idea of a patriarchy coming from a girl power world. Wanting them found immediately is the Mattell CEO (Will Ferrell) and his group of male minions before Barbieland is turned on its axis!

Once they all return to Barbieland, things have changed and Barbie needs the help of Barbie, Barbie, Barbie, Barbie, Barbie and even Midge to set their world right. There is no way these gals are going to let there be a Ken takeover – not on the lawn of their dream houses! When it comes time to decide on her life, the one and only Ruth (Rhea Perlman), creator of Barbie, has something to share with the open-hearted Barbara.

Robbie as Stereotypical Barbie is just that, a lovely Barbie who loves her life, her dreamhouse and all the other Barbie friends she has. Of course, she has style, an outlook that is positive and a desire to encourage all her friends. The one thing she isn’t sure of is Ken and his strange intentions towards her. Going into the real world is an eye opener and even more so a mind opener for her. Robbie gives us everything and more portraying a doll that has been in homes for more generations than we can count. She also brings on the laughs both big and small, high heeled feet or flat, stylish outfit or not, Robbie put it all on the line.

Gosling as Ken didn’t strike me as the person for the role and I’m happy to say I was wrong. Not only did Gosling become Ken, but gave the audience a Ken that we never thought of before. I will admit that the two other ladies sitting with me were cracking up as hard as I was. We spent so many minutes wiping tears away that we are probably going to have to see BARBIE again in case we missed anything. Watching him come out of a library started it all and his twisted understanding of a patriarchy is hilarious. Even when Ken was being, well Ken, we cheered for him to come back to a better and self-improved Ken. Gosling brought a matching exuberance to his role as Robbie does and for that, they literally are Barbie and Ken – okay, okay, Ken and Barbie.

Ferrera as Gloria is a hard-working mom who feels the connection as a parent slowly being eaten away. Feeling like she can’t seem to stop the spiral, she finds herself being creative and that’s what starts the Barbie beach ball rolling. Ferrera portrays her character like many moms feel when their kids get past the Barbie phase and into the madness of the hormone enraged teen years. As Gloria, when the chance to do something amazing presents itself, Ferrera gives us hope that escaping to Barbieland isn’t such a bad thing.

Greenblatt as Sasha is an angry and a bit rebellious teen who has no problem chewing people up. When Barbie tries to talk with Sasha, that very thing happens. Whatever her issues are, she certainly didn’t hesitate to take it out on a woman named Barbie. Not a fan of anything the life size doll stands for, she begrudgingly follows her mom to try and fix what became broken.

Shout out to Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel who is just a little too involved in how to get a doll back in the box.

On the Barbie side is Issa Rae as president Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Barbie, Emma Mackey as Barbie, Hari Nef as Barbie, Sharon Rooney as Barbie, Ana Cruz Kayne as Barbie, Dua Lipa as Barbie, Nicola Coughlan as Barbie and Emerald Finnell as Midge.

On the Ken side is Simu Liu as Ken, Kingsley Ben-Adir as Ken, Ncuti Gatwa as Ken, Scott Evans as Ken, John Cena as Ken and Michael Cera as Allan.

Other cast include, Connor Swindells as Aaron, Ray Fearon as Dan of the FBI, Erica Ford as Skipper, Hannah Khalique-Brown as Browing up Skipper, Marisa Abela as Teen Talk Barbie, Lucy Boynton as Proust Barbie, Rob Brydon as Sugar Daddy Ken, Tom Stourton as Earring Magic Ken, Chris Taylor as Ken Emcee, and David Mumeni as Footrub Ken.

I wish I could list every person in the film because you take away one and the House of Barbie would fall completely.

BARBIE is a film that seems to be thrilling to audiences and a film that moms are taking their daughters to see (in my case granddaughter with both the kid’s grandma’s). Yes, it is colorful, entertaining and has everything one would want from Barbie but it also has something for the adults with its ‘entendre that seems double’.

The story is a smash through the road/sky/sea etc. from Barbieland to the real world. The moment they show up, even the people in Venice can’t wrap their heads around neo clothes and skates. Watching Barbie learn that the world isn’t everything she thought it was can be a tough watch but seeing Ken take on the patriarchy through a cowboy hat and beer is also a tougher watch, especially when he makes his big confession.

Okay, let’s get on with it here, BARBIE isn’t meant to be taken as seriously as it seems some people are taking it. Yes, it’s a film about a doll, about her unreal world, the real world (which didn’t seem all that real either), Barbies versus Kens with song and dance in between is pure fun. I watched an eight-year-old have the time of her life with laughter, awwwww’s, and self-righteous indignation and the smarts to know that adults need to chill out. She even wanted her picture taken with the small set up the local theatre had in place when normally she would walk by such things. Telling her parents how much fun it was showed that perhaps adults could learn a lesson about it all.

So, gather up the gang and don’t let the name of the film fool you because BARBIE has a story to tell and it wouldn’t hurt us to listen!

In the end – she’s everything and he’s just Ken!

 

FIRST MAN Lands on Digital - Coming to 4K and Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Digital and coming to 4K UHD, Bluray and DVD from director Damien Chazelle and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is outer spaces’ FIRST MAN.

It is 1961 and Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is about to bounce off the atmosphere testing the X-15 rocket for NASA in the Mojave Desert. He is not as phased by that as he is the illness of his very young daughter Karen. Devastated, Armstrong turns to the Project Gemini and is accepted in the astronaut group.

Deke Slayton (Kyle Chandler) tells Armstrong and his fellow trainees Elliot See (Patrick Fugit) and Ed White (Jason Clarke) that the United States is behind in the space race. Their goal is to pull in front of the Soviet Union and Armstrong is all in. Wife Janet (Claire Foy) supports and prepares for the move to Houston.

Another tragedy hit Armstrong hard with the death of two friends while at the same time he is slated to command Gemini 8. After an aborted mission for Gemini and determined not at fault, Armstrong is selected along with Gus Grissom (Shea Whigham) and Roger Chaffee (Cory Michael Smith) for the Apollo 1 mission.

Once again tragedy strikes again and again as Armstrong is pushed back down the line. Finally, he is told that Apollo 11 will likely be the first lunar landing and Neil begins to withdraw form his family more and more. Janet has had her fill and tells him that it is his responsibility now to explain to their children what he is doing and why.

The mission isn’t without its rough patches but Neil Armstrong steps on the moon, has a moment of reflect and returns home to his family. Their, President Kennedy reminds us all that ‘we choose to go to the moon’!

Gosling as Armstrong gives a stoic performance of a man who spends years mired in tragedy. It seems he doesn’t see his own close calls with the same amount of deepness than he does with the loss of family and friends. There is so much hiding in this character that it was like waiting for Gosling to just burst out of his skin at any moment. Yet, he doesn’t but instead occasionally lets the steam out of the kettle and keeps everyone at bay.

Foy as Janet is a woman who clearly supports her husband but, at times, can not seem to get past the wall that Armstrong continues to build with every event in their lives. A strong performance that speaks out when she needs to and waits patiently when she must.

Chandler as Slayton sees what has happened to Armstrong yet embraces what he can do for NASA strongly. Chandler is an actor that can take any role and make it his own and in this film he once again proves his steadiness.

Other cast includes: Corey Stoll as Buzz Aldrin, Pablo Schreiber as Jim Lovell, Christopher Abbott as David Scott, Lukas Haas as Michael Collins, Brian d’Arcy as James Walker, Steve Coulter as Gunter Wendt, Ben Owen as John Hodge, Ethan Embry as Pete Conrad, John David Whalen as John Glenn and Ciaran Hinds as Robert Gilruth.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. 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 Bluray includes Deleted Scenes, Shooting for the Moon – Take an intimate look at the production of FIRST MAN and the collaborative relationship between Director Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling, Preparing to Launch – It’s difficult to believe that FIRST MAN is the first major feature film to tell the story of this Apollo 11, and Giant Leap in One Small Step – A heroic character study, FIRST MAN sheds light on all the hard working individuals that got us to the moon and back.

Also, Mission Gone Wrong – Watch as Ryan Gosling reenacts a test piloting sequence gone horribly wrong and see how he trained to nail the landing, Putting You In the Seat – Filmed in IMAX to show the vastness of the moon, find out all that it took to recreate the most famous moment in NASA history, Shooting at NASA – Hear from Ryan Gosling and Director Chazelle on how shooting at NASA brought unparalleled authenticity to FIRST MAN, Astronaut Training – Go behind the scenes of the three day boot camp each of the actors underwent prior to filming FIRST MAN and finally Feature Commentary with Director Damien Chazelle, Screenwriter Josh Singer and Editor Tom Cross.

 MOVIES ANYWHERE is the digital app that simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. For more information please visit http://moviesanywhere.com.

FIRST MAN is filled with a cast that may seem like small roles but in this film, no role is small in telling such a big story. Although the film deals mainly with Neil Armstrong, it doesn’t forget those who also made the journey through the space program and their contributions to the space race.

The film also acknowledges how difficult the struggle was and the personal sacrifices that were made that allowed Armstrong to put his foot on the moon. That is important when telling the story of our space history and I appreciated it.

In the end – it was a pivotal moment in the history of mankind!