WHAT COMES AROUND

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from director Amy Redford and IFC Films is the story of past mistakes and present pain because of WHAT COMES AROUND.

Anna (Grace Van Dien) is a young girl who has found long distant love on the internet with Eric (Kyle Gallner). Keeping their relationship quiet has made it all seem too romantic and forbidden. Not even mom Beth (Summer Phoenix) and fiancé Tim (Jesse Garcia) suspect that Anna is in love. On her 17^th birthday, Anna is shocked to know that Eric is at her front door.

Bringing her a gift, Anna makes it clear that she is uncomfortable with what he has done. Yet, she enjoys spending time being with him in person. That’s when she decides to bring it all out in the open and introduces Beth to Eric. The response is that of shock for both mom and Tim but for totally different reasons.

When Beth wants Eric out of the house, Anna comes to his defense and Tim tries to keep calm with the situation. Trying to make her daughter understand, it becomes clear that the more Beth tries to stop it, the more Anna is going to make poor decisions. Even friends Brit (Reina Hardesty) and Ashley (Sierra Nicole Rose) try to tell her that the age difference is going to be a problem.

While showing a house, Eric shows up and confronts Beth about the past and now it becomes clear why she has such an aversion to Anna’s relationship. It is time for the truth to come out totally and, even as it does, each person in this situation cannot avoid the pain.

Van Dien as Anna is a young girl who is at that point in her life where she thinks she knows better than any adult in her life. Keeping her relationship with Eric a secret proves that she knows but is enjoying the feelings that come along with the budding ‘romance’. Van Dien plays the role impeccably because this is everything I would expect from a teenager. Even when the truth comes out, she does what teenagers do – whatever they damn well please. In that sense, Van Dien has captured the role perfectly!

Gallner as Eric proves to be that person mothers are scared of for their daughters. That being said, there is a little more to the story. Gallner portrays Eric as a young man who knows the problem he is causing but, like Anna, seems to know better than the adults around him. Once he arrives at Anna’s door, he can not seem to stay away no matter what. Gallner portrays Eric with a duality that comes from the well written character.

Phoenix as Beth is a woman who has finally found happiness in her life and work. Thrilled to be getting married, those emotions come to a screeching halt when Eric arrives. Trying to keep her daughter safe, it only comes off as being a controlling mother who couldn’t possibly understand how she feels in Anna’s eyes. Phoenix brings her part of the story in a way that is unexpected and intriguing, well done.

Garcia as Tim is a police officer that suspects something is wrong with the situation. Not that he agrees with what Anna is doing in the least but his cop senses tell him that there is more. He has an investment in this family that will become his and he wants to keep both Beth and Anna safe.

Other cast include Indiana Affleck as Denny, Gabriel Eckert as Leo with Paul Tew and Chase Voelker.

IFC Films is a leading distributor of quality talent-driven independent films. Some of the company’s successes include BOYHOOD, FRANCES HA, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, TOUCHING THE VOID, CHE, TINY FURNITURE and CARLOS. For more information on films from IFC please visit www.ifcfilms.com.

Director Redford has obviously learned so much from her famous father Robert Redford. There is a story here that is a mixture of family, friendships, teenage angst and secrets and Redford makes sure that they are all addressed in equal measure.

WHAT COMES AROUND addresses one of the most frightening things as a parent is the relationships happening on the internet. Impressionable young teens looking for love, acceptance, acknowledgement etc. can succumb to the attention of the wrong person. That is what happens to Anna in the sense that she is being placed in a situation where she does not have full knowledge of the facts.

The twists and turns of the story bring the film close to being a thriller but instead, lands in the middle of a warning shot across the parental bow and secrets that can wreak havoc on everyone. The cast does an amazing job at bringing both of those concepts to the film. Keeping the cast to a minimum provides the air of tension and that is the attention grabber. Bonus, the title is perfect!

In the end – look outside!

Prepare for the Holidays with ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE

 Jeri Jacquin

Currently on DVD from director John McPhail and Cinedigm comes a biting end to the beginning of the holidays as we know it with ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE.

In the town of Little Haven, Anna (Ella Hunt) is a young girl with big dreams out of high school. Unable to talk about it with Dad (Mark Benton), her big plans include traveling with a ticket hidden from view. The only other person who knows is best friend John (Malcom Cummings) who supports her but has a secret of his own.

Singing their way through teen angst, they are more involved in their mundane teenage-hood lives of unrequited love and parental misunderstandings to notice something different going on. That is until they see a snowman who seems a little friendlier than it should be but Anna takes care of it.

Walking through town they notice the destruction and everyone heads for the school. Anna and John meet up with Steph (Sarah Swire) and Chris (Christopher Leveaux) at the local bowling alley. The Headmaster (Paul Kaye) has a group locked down at school telling everyone it will be fine.

Trying to pass the time, Chris and John wonder who has been turned from the upsetting thought that Robert Downey, Jr. and Taylor Swift might be among the undead! Anna and Sarah are just trying to keep the bowling dead off of them.

Even in the midst of destruction and no internet access (selfie withdrawn imminent), the group still has the one thing the shuffling dead can't take from them - breaking out into lamenting song!

Hunt as Anna first of all has an amazing singing voice but even more than that she has a presence that I just love. Portraying Anna as a strong young woman who questions everything but still knows that she wants to experience more than the town of Little Haven, Hunt nails it.

Cumming as John as the look of a young man in love and not knowing the rules of how to make that known. Joining in with Anna, he tries to put his mind in a different place because zombies aren't exactly in his life lane. I love his portrayal of John because in the midst of chaos there is a little bit of a sweet naivetés.

Swire as Steph is dealing with her own issues feeling as if her parents dumped her in this little town and no one understands her. This actress also has an amazing voice as well and her snide comments and standoffish attitude is one that servers her will during this unusual holiday film.

Leveaux as Chris is the zombie resident expert on how to avoid getting bit and seems to be enjoying it all a little too much. Another great surprise here is Ben Wiggins as Nick, notably the school jock, he certainly knows how to swing a bat and is having a good time with his boys fighting the zombie war and singing about it too.

Other cast include: Marli Siu as Lisa, Sean Connor as Graham, John Winchester as Tibbsy, Euan Bennet as Jake, Ella Jarvis as Katie, Janet Lawson as Mrs. Hinzmann, Ruth McGhie as Bea, Kirsty Strain as Ms. Wright, Therese Bradley as Julie, Jake Richardson as Chas and Paul Kaye as Arthur Savage.

CINEDIGM has strategic relationships with over 60,000 physical retail storefronts and digital platforms with Wal-Mark, Target, iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon as well as national cable and satellite Video On Demand with an impressive distribution footprint that reaches ninety-three percent of all connected devices in the United States. The company's vast content library boasts over 52,000 feature films and television episodes. To learn more please visit www.cinedigm.com.

The DVD includes the Bonus Feature of ANNA & THE APOCALYPSE: Behind the Scenes.

ANNA & THE APOCALYPSE might just become a holiday classic in my home. We love all things zombie but this, THIS has everything else. From teen singing and dancing to surviving the holidays in a unique way, the film doesn't mind adding a little camp like sprinkles on holiday sugar cookies.

Trying to reach their families for holiday dinner is kind of like fighting traffic through L.A. on Christmas Eve - except they are on the menu! The film had me laughing, toe tapping, rooting for the teenagers (I know, I mean what???) and feeling like this is the Undead Breakfast Club meets High School Musical.

The film is also about friendships, truth, the craziness of being a teen, family, loss and discovering that each of them isn't so different than the other. One thing we can all be sure is that a zombie apocalypse can certainly bring out the good and bad in them all.

One thing is for certain, they are all in this together and they don't care about the naughty or nice part of the holidays.

In the end - zombies are coming to town!