HBO’s MOSAIC Brings Murder and Mystery to Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Now on Bluray and DVD from HBO Home Entertainment and director Steven Soderbergh is a story that could go as many ways as a MOSAIC.

Olivia Lake (Sharon Stone) is a famous author who is living on some of the most beautiful land in the United States. Watching this grand lady is Joel Hurley (Garrett Hedlund) who finds himself in a conversation about his own creativity. Interested in the young man, all too quickly Joel takes up residence on Olivia’s property in exchange for work that needs doing.

Hoping for a connection of some kind, Olivia is surprised to discover that Joel already has Laura (Maya Kazan) and isn’t happy about it at all. Entering her life is Eric Neill (Frederick Weller) and Olivia finds herself hopelessly in love. She even turns to friend JC Schiffer (Paul Reubens) to share her feelings.

Everything is about to shift when after a night of sending Joel on his way and learning that Eric isn’t everything she thought – something horrendous has happened to Olivia. Enter Nate Henry (Devin Ratray), a mild mannered local cop who finds it his mission to discover what has happened to her, why and who is responsible.

Eric now has his feet to the fire when it is discovered that how he met Olivia and what his plans truly were put him on trial for murder and he is sent to prison. Four years go by and  Eric’s sister Petra (Jennifer Ferrin) begins an investigation of her own knowing that her brother, for all his faults, is not responsible for what happened to Olivia.

Seeking out Joel, they return to the scene of the crime literally and begin to piece it all together slowly with the help of Nate Henry. Joel also discovers what it is he has been hiding for years. Petra finds there is so much that was missed and secrets that have been busting at the seams to be known – and even Olivia has something to say about it all.

Murder is very, very patient for secrets to be revealed!

Stone as Lake comes out of the gate kicking in this role. She is strong, vulnerable, opinionated, and would rather hurt others before they have a chance to hurt her. Finding that her fabulous life is lonely, she is always on the look out for someone to keep her from feeling anything but happiness. Stone saunters in as only she can and fights to the very end.

Hedlund as Joel has serious issues! Hoping that Olivia can help him with his creative dreams, he also has a drinking problem that causes him serious blackouts. Leaving for some time to get his life back on track, his return back to the town where everything happened brings him far more than he could have realized. Hedlund has the unique ability to be vulnerable without anyone seeing it and shaking on the inside without any of it showing on the outside. Well done!

Weller as Eric is a man who is on a mission, a paid mission that is. Sent to swindle Olivia, he finds that he actually cares for her. When the man cutting the checks threatens to expose him, Eric knows he has to do what’s right by Olivia and find a way to make things right.

Ferrin as Petra should have been a detective from the start. She has an instinct and follows every lead no matter where it leads. Believing her brother is innocent, Petra wants to make sure no stone is left unturned and knows that every story has a deeper meaning.

Ratray as Nate Henry is absolutely brilliant in this role. He is a very outwardly easy going law enforcement officer who just wants to know what happened to Olivia. When he isn’t dealing with other officials who are on power trips getting in his way, he slowly begins to understand that the original case was a hot mess and he isn’t taking any chances when it case comes up again.

Shout out to Reubens as JC – anytime I see him on the screen I’m thrilled.

Other cast include: Beau Bridges as Alan Paper, James Ransone as Michael O’Connor, Jeremy Bobb as Frank Scott, Zandy Hartig as Melissa Henry, Michael Cerveris as Tom Davis, and Bridey Elliot as Tia.

HBO Home Entertainment has an extensive array of critically-acclaimed and groundbreaking programs found on Bluray, DVD and Digital HD. They have provided viewers with some of the most amazing programs with huge fan bases that include the shows True Blood, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, True Detectives, The Wire, Entourage and Game of Thrones. Launched in 1984, HBO is world wide in viewed entertainment in more than 70 territories around the world! For more of what they have to offer please visit www.hbo.com.

The Bluray includes a Digital Copy to watch anywhere or instantly stream on television, computer, Tablet or Smartphone. The Bonus Feature includes Heart of Homicide: Big Murder in a Small Town.

MOSAIC is an absolutely twisted limited six-part mini-series that isn’t going to let you rest for one moment. The characters are each important to the story and what leads them to the finale is something to see. Stone leads the way, Hedlund keeps us paranoid and officer Nate takes us in to a place we never see coming.

That’s what makes MOSAIC so intense, because in each episode there are so many secrets and deceptions to the point of feeling crazy. The cast is exceptional and without that the story could have easily fallen but what each of them did was make me want to know more until I had to pick up my jaw on the very last frame.

In the end – it’s murder in a small town!

Bluray Races Home with LOGAN LUCKY

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from director Steven Soderbergh, Bleeker Street and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the race to revenge led by LOGAN LUCKY.

Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) feels like his life continues to be plagued by a curse. Losing his job doesn’t help, dealing with ex-wife Bobbie Jo (Katie Holmes) and adorable pageant daughter Sadie (Farrah Mackenzie).

Brother Clyde (Adam Driver) and sister Mellie (Riley Keough) stick together as family trying to do what’s right. When they decide that isn’t happening, Jimmy and Clyde decide they are going to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway and it will only work if they get the help of Joe Bang (Daniel Craig). That means Clyde has to get himself incarcerated.

When the day for the heist approaches, everyone has a job to do and Jimmy is making sure they get it done. What looks like chaos and mayhem is actually a coordinated show of force – just their way.

FBI Agent Sarah Grayson (Hilary Swank) is sent in to investigate after the robbery and the gang puts the world right – in their way. Not about to give up, she is frustrated by what seems to be the perfect crime.

Just know not everything is as it seems when dealing with the Logan’s!

Tatum as Jimmy is a sweet and charming dad, a brother dealing with sibling issues and a man just plain tired of the struggle. It isn’t hard to give the southern charm considering Tatum is just that – minus the revenge issues. Drive as brother Clyde is softer spoken but when he does talk make sure you listen. When Jimmy tells him of the plan, brother Clyde may have a few questions but none of them bring his loyalty into question.

Craig as Bang is absolutely hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing when he uses a certain term for the prison garb he is stuck wearing. This is certainly an interesting role for Craig to take on and the blonde hair is pretty bangin’ too! Keough as Mellie also doesn’t hesitate to work with her brothers on the plan but her relationship with Sadie is sweet.

Mackenzie as Sadie is as adorable as she wants to be and dealing with adults is just not part of her day. Instead, she wants to show her love and her rendition of John Denver’s Country Roads is about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen and heard. Holmes as Mom Bobbie Joe isn’t thrilled with Jimmy and his inconsistent fathering. Swank as FBI Agent Grayson just can’t seem to get a handle on what went down on robbery day!

Other cast include: Jim O’Heir as Cal, Boden Johnston as Dylan, Sutton Johnston as Levi, David Denman as Moddy, Charles Halford as Earl, William McCullough as Bobo, Jack Quaid as Fish Bang, Brian Gleeson as Sam Bang, Dwight Yoakam as Warden Burns and Seth MacFarlane as Max Chilblain. Cameos include Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Gordon and LeAnn Rimes.

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.

LOGAN LUCKY Bluray has the Bonus Features that are Exclusive to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray, DVD and Digital that include Deleted Scenes. The 4K Ultra HD brings the ultimate movie watching experience with color brilliance and High Dynamic Range, the Bluray unleashes the power of your HDTV with the feature of 6X the picture resolution and theater-quality sound. Digital lets viewers watch the film on all your favorite devices.

The story is twisted, funny, smart, different and interconnected with people who know how to make it all come out right. Each character is uniquely different with their own trust issues embedded into the storyline.

Director Soderbergh brings a crispy to this southern-fried heist using auto racing for a little down home fun. Leading the audience down the two lane highway of goofiness, I’m a fan and I don’t mind saying so!

In the end – see how the other half steals!