They are taking on the BEAST

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Bluray, DVD and Digital in a Collector’s Edition from director Baltasar Kormakur and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the chase of the BEAST.

Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) and young daughters Meredith (Iyana Halley) and Norah (Leah Jeffries) are on a vacation at the Mopani Reserve in South Africa. It is also a chance for Nate to visit friend Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley) who is the reserve manager. This is also the place where the girls’ mother grew up and Martin takes them to her village.

The girls are thrilled when Martin takes them all to visit a local pride and witness the wonderful connection there is between the man and male lions. Driving to the Tsonga town, they are shocked to discover what a rogue lion has done to the community. Tracking the lion, Martin is hurt and moments later Nate and the girls are attacked in their jeep.

Trying to stay in contact with each other, Martin makes it clear he is badly injured and Nate knows he needs to get to his friend. Meredith runs to help her father’s friend while Norah gives the lion a little what for with a needle! All they can do is wait with the lion very close by. A poacher’s truck pulls up and tries to rough up the group not believing the story about the lion, they soon do!

Grabbing the truck, the group makes their way to an abandoned building and not far behind is a very angry lion. Time is running out and Nate knows there is nowhere else to go!

Elba as Dr. Samuels is a man who is dealing with the guilt of his marriage and trying to make the bond stronger with his daughters. Seeing his friend again gives him a chance to talk about all the feelings he has been keeping in. Instead of a vacation, he must go into survival mode and keep it together for his friend and young daughters. Elba gives a straight on performance until the very end.

Copley as Martin clear loves what he does and is worried about his friend. Taking them to visit their mother’s village is a gesture to help the girls but what they eventually find there shakes him. Copley takes the lions hard knocks until the lion makes it clear he’s not going down without a fight.

Jeffries as young Nora is about to experience the second worst thing to happen in her young life. Yet she is strong and only wants her family to survive. She makes smart moves in the midst of panic and I think she is a pretty cool kid. Wish I could say the same about sister Meredith.

Halley as Meredith is a daughter who doesn’t listen, thinks she knows everything and when she doesn’t – wants to argue at ever turn. Clearly, I have a low tolerance for mouthy teen-characters like Meredith so my nerves were running raw the entire film. As an actress Halley is lovely and took on a motherly role of sorts toward her young sister.

Other cast include – loads of lions.

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.

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 Creating the Beast, Man Vs. Lion: The Final Battle, Making It Real: The Wounds, Film in the Beast’s Territory, Family Bond: The Cast of Beast, A Lion’s Pride and More!

The special effects of the lion were pretty cool and I thought it looked darn near realistic. Those big paws coming at the face were enough to convince me it was a job well done on the screen. This is a quick action thriller that does not stop from start to finish. There is not much in the way of delving into the characters but then again, the angry lion makes that difficult.

This is a bucket full of popcorn, yelling at the screen and full-on scare-jump ride and being at home on a comfy couch in a dark room with a big screen television is the way to go. Gather up the family and buckle up for a ride and don’t forget to look over your shoulder!

In the end – fight for family!

TED K

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and Digital from writer/director Ted Stone and Neon is the unnerving story of a man who would becoming known as TED K.

Ted Kaczynski (Sharlto Copley) was born and raised in Chicago in the early 40’s becoming clear in his early years that he was gifted in mathematics. Graduating high school at the age of 16, he would attend Harvard University receiving a degree in mathematics and even became aa assistant professor for a brief time.

In 1971, with the help of his older brother David, Ted would build a small cabin in the woods of Montana living without electricity or running water. There he spent his time in the woods but easily became agitated when people, machinery or outsiders in general came to close to him.

When the outside world encroaches and he has had enough, Ted decides it is time to take action. Believing he is right in the actions he has taken; Ted also records his thoughts, explanations and reasons step by step. He begins his path to destruction starting with a mail package bomb and continuing on to more intense explosives.

Reaching out to brother David and his mother to talk only frustrates Ted sending him on an emotional spiral. Adding to that more intrusion from the outside world he begins to write a list of what he sees as problems.

Believing that here is no more peace in his life, Ted begins a grander plan that rocks the world who cannot begin to understand the man that will be known as the Unabomber.

Copley as Ted is disturbing in his portrayal of a man who lived a quiet life until the world came crashing in around him. Having enough of it all and believing the only way to make a difference is to be louder than the noise around him, Copley is remarkable in his performance as a man bent on destruction. Even the process of changing his characters appearance was so interesting until I jumped back in horror at the steps taken.

This is not an easy role because the portrayal is so dark and complex. If he had been left alone, one has to wonder if he would have simply led his life on the land or would his actions still have come to pass. Copley does not attempt to answer this question but instead give the performance of a man who could not be changed. A strong performance from this actor who still has my hope for DISTRICT 10.

Other cast include Drew Powell as Tom, Travis Bruyer as Ranger Jones, Wayne Pyle as Psychiatrist Gary Dryce, Tahmus Rounds as tommy Sauerkraut, Amber Mason as Becky, Sal Rendino as Gilbert, Christian Calloway as Tommy, Megan Folsom as Mrs. Hill, Daniel Knight as Bob, and Keith Barber as F.B.I. Agent White.

Neon is a film production company that is best known for such films as I, TONYA and one of the most incredible Oscar winning film PARASITE. With a total of 12 Academy Award nominations, Neon appeals to audiences that are looking for in-your-face storytelling. For more information, please visit www.neonrated.com.

TED K is the film based on the eccentric dairies and writings to Ted Kaczynski. From 1978 to 1995, bombs were sent all over the country. The FBI could never know where the next bomb would go off and Ted played games leaving false clues making it more difficult to find him. It would be his own brother that would suspect him.

His manifesto Industrial Society and Its Future was printed by The Washington Post saying he believed, “The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race. Arrested in 1996, he was convicted to eight life sentences without the possibility of parole. Ted Kaczynski spent seventeen years terrorizing with every step he took and every fiber of his being.

Director Stone had the difficult job of taking the written words of Ted Kaczynski and putting it on the screen giving it authenticity and believability. This is two hours of a life that did so much damage in 17 years. Yet, Stone has done just that, brought an inside look at a man who believed justified in everything he did.

TED K has been nominated for Directors Debuts Competition for director Tony Stone at Camerimage, Best Feature at Fantasy Filmfest and Best Film for Tony Stone at the Stockholm Film Festival.

In the end – it started with wanting peace.

They are Back with DISTRICT 9

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray and Digital from writer/director Neill Blomkamp and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a return to DISTRICT 9.

In Johannesburgh, South Africa, it is 1982 and aliens are living in a camp they call District 9 unable to get to their ships and go home after 20+ years. Given the nickname “Prawns”, they live in a lawless camp that where survival of the fittest is given a whole new meaning. The government MNU (Multinational United), wants to relocate the aliens to another camp farther away from the city.

Appointed to the task of making that happen is Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), an unassuming man who wants to go a good job to impress his father-in-law and executive Piet Smit (Louis Minnaar). In District 9, an alien Christopher (Jason Cope) and his little boy are looking for a chemical than can make going home happen but not before Wikus comes to their shack.

Finding the tube of chemical, Wikus opens it and the contents cover his face. Going in for treatment, it is clear that he is becoming an alien. Wanting to use his new alien parts, Wikus makes a break for it and the hunt is on. Wikus’ wife Tania (Vanessa Hayward) doesn’t believe what the media is saying about her husband.

The only thing Wikus can do is return to District 9 and get help from the alien Christopher to return to being human. Together they work but the mercenaries are close, and they do not care one way or the other how they get what they want. They are also dealing with Nigerian gang leader Obesandjo (Eugene Khumbanyiwa) that specializes in the unusual and they want Wikus as well!

Now Wikus must choose between becoming human or helping the aliens that he once thought were unwelcome in his world!

Copley as Wikus is the perfect person for this role and I have always thought so. As many times as I watch this film (and trust me I have watched it A LOT), it is Copley’s portrayal of a man caught up in something unique is stellar. As the story unfolds, it is Copley who brings us into this strange and dangerous world only to discover that his own is not so safe either.

Cope as Christopher is an alien, sure, but also the father of a young alien boy. He is raising this boy in a world that would rather eliminate them than learn about them in the best way possible. His only goal – to get them to their own home with their own people. This is such an interesting role considering he speaks another language but there is so much that can be seen on the ‘face’ of the aliens.

Hayward as Tania is a woman who can not believe what everyone is telling her. I give her credit for having the heart and smarts to know that something is going on and that her own family is involved. The way Wikus talks about his wife and family is so touching which lends to the kind of person he is.

Shout out to Khumbanyiwa as Obesandjo because this character scared the bejeezus out of me! Yet, he shows the cruelty of the human race and it is Wikus who experiences the betrayal. So who is the creature really?

Other cast include David James as Col. Venter, Mandla Gaduka as Fundiswa Mhlanga, William Young as Dirk Michaels, Kenneth Nkosi as Thomas, Sylvaine Strike as Katrina McKenzie, Robert Hobbs as Ross Pienaar, Nathalie Boltt as Sara Livingston, and Jed Brophy as James Hope.

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.

The Bonus Materials include 4K Ultra HD Bonus of Comic-Con Extravaganza Featurette, Original Theatrical Trailers, Hours of Archival special Features Including – Deleted Scenes, Director’s Commentary, The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log – Three-Part Documentary, Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus, Innovation: Acting and Improvisation, Conception and Design: Creating the World of DISTRICT 9, Alien Generation: Visual Effects and Joburg from Above: Interactive Map of Satellite and Schematics of the World of DISTRICT 9.

The film was released in 2009 and nominated for four Oscars in 2010 for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Writing Adapted Screenplay, Best Achievement in Film Editing and Best Achievement in Visual Effects. All of these nominations were well deserved! That being said, DISTRICT 9 received over 112 nominations from other festivals and award opportunities with 31 wins.  

DISTRICT 9 is a film that had and still has so much to say about the way we treat one another. Sure, there are aliens but the representation of them here is that they have something to offer the humans but are treated like dirt and kept like caged animals.

Wikus is a man who never saw what was coming being used by the people he trusted. Once he becomes something else, the true colors of those around him are vivid and frightening. Turning to Christopher and his young son for help, they protect each other from what is headed their way. Both sides have something to lose and turning to each other might save them, might.

DISTRICT 9 is still one of the most fascinating alien films but also the most heart wrenching films about two races that had so much to learn from one another.

In the end – you are not welcome here!