There is a World Within SUMMERLAND

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to selected theatres, VOD and Digital from writer/director Jessica Swale and IFC Films comes the story of reality and the line between to SUMMERLAND.

Alice (Gemma Arterton) is living in a house away from the town of Kent during World War II. Having the reputation as a grouchy recluse, she is constantly harassed by the local children and avoided by the local adults.

Her days are finger locked onto the keyboard of a typewriter discovering the mysteries and mythology of a place called Summerland. That is, until a knock on the door. The townspeople have all opened their homes to the children of the war and Alice is no different. Standing in front of her is Frank (Lucas Bond), a young boy from London whose father is a pilot and mother works for the government.

Alice is not thrilled by any stretch and makes it clear to Mr. Sullivan (Tom Courtenay) that he must find another place for Frank. Told it will take a week, a relationship slowly begins between Alice and Frank as, through her grumpiness, she shares her research. Much to her surprise, Frank is excited to know more.

This all brings Alice to think about a person from her past, Vera (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) who showed the writer more about life that she could have imagined. Frank has made friends with Edie (Dixie Egerickx) and everyone is finding their happiness.

Unless the sadness of war causes Frank to run towards sadness, Alice to follow and secrets to all be revealed.

Arterton as Alice is absolutely marvelous. She is a character that has sealed herself off from the world, doesn't hold back her opinion on anything and has the town making sure to give Alice a wide birth. Watching her form an attachment to Frank is rough but slowly becomes a realization that her solitude has kept her from a true and fulfilled life. I just adored the pace of Alice and Arterton made that an amazing journey.

Bond as Frank is a young boy who knows he must be away from his parents. Unmoved by Alice's attitude, he finds friendship with classmate Edie and explores his Kent surroundings. He is inquisitive, funny and sees so much good in the world. Bond's performance is charming and opposite Arterton, steals the film.

Mbatha-Raw as Vera has a dream of her own and it becomes a wedge between she and Alice. Their friendship leaves a deep mark in them both and follows Alice until meeting Frank. Mbatha-Raw is lovely from beginning to end. Egerickx as Edie is a mini-Alice and Frank is okay with that part of their friendship as well. This young actress gave her character such depth and is as equally as guarded.

Courtenay as Mr. Sullivan is witty, charming and a man who clearly tries to understand Alice. His character is not judgmental and has such a way with everyone around him. His roles of late have been so endearing and a bit comical with wit and I am just thrilled he is on the screen.

Other cast include Amanda Root as Mrs. Lawrence, Jessica Gunning as Mrs. Bassett, David Horovitch as Albert, and Aoibhine McFlynn as Cass.

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.

SUMMERLAND is a beautiful film about friendship, longing, war, loyalty, curiosity, mythology and the need for something tangible to explain the mysteries of life. I thoroughly enjoyed this film on so many levels that target those things that make us such complex and emotional carbon-based units.

The cast brings performances that bring tears, giggles and the realization that both Alice and Frank may be onto something regarding the quest we all have for Summerland. It is a lovely thought and even when the phenomenon is explained, it does not take away from the dream of such a place because, after all, that's what we are - dreamers.

SUMMERLAND deserves all the recognition it can get for story, direction, cinematography as well as cast and crew for bringing this film to us. In a time of such harshness and grief, SUMMERLAND offers a respite in the midst of its own harshness and grief with charm, grace and, more importantly, love.

In the end - it is all with love, magic and hope!

THE AERONAUTS Fly High

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director Tom Harper and Amazon Studios is a look at two people who are ready to take to the skies with THE AERONAUTS.

It is l862 and James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) is an  obsessed meteorologist and has a theory about weather along with friend John Trew (Himesh Patel). Wanting to go up in a balloon to test out his theories, he needs to find a pilot. Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) is a widow after losing her husband in a balloon. Locking herself away from everyone, it is her sister Antonia (Phoebe Fox) that gets her back into life where she meets Glaisher.

He tells her of his ideas and she is the show-woman who can make the ride news worthy and a spectacle keeping everyone interested. Loading his instruments on the balloon basket, he waits for Amelia to show up and when she does the entertainment begins. Glaisher isn't the loud and shouting type and just wants to get off the ground secretly wanting to prove to his father that it can be done.

Almost immediately the two begin butting heads but it’s a long business ahead. With each mile they go up, they begin to learn something about one another. Glaisher almost immediately begins to make weather observations and sends messages to Trew by carrier pigeon. The caution to this is that the higher they go, the more danger awaits them.

Life and death decisions are being made as both try to hang on to the reason the journey was made in the first place. The struggle begins with not knowing what happens if you go just a bit higher, and then a bit more!

They are about to find out!

Redmayne as Glaisher is a scientist definetly stuck in his ways. He sees things very analytically and with a no nonsense approach. Trying to maintain his standards proves to be a challenge when he asks Wren to be his balloon pilot. Trying to focus on the journey, he is more often sidetracked in not truly understanding what he is undertaking but at least his notes are meticulous. Redmayne continues his streak of worthy roles and plays his part with believability.

Jones as Amelia is a woman who is hiding so much pain. An entertainer with a flair for show-womanship, she makes sure this flight is worthy of all eyes. Daring and, in Glaisher's eyes careless, she knows what the balloon can do and how to navigate the air. Of course all of this is covering up something horrible that has happened in her life and being 36,000 miles plus up in the air, she has no choice but to face it.

Patel as Trew sees what Glaisher is trying to do, he just isn't sure why he needs to jump in a balloon to do it. Happy to keep his feet firmly on the ground, Patel gives his character a little bit of grounded sense (because we all know not many of us would do it!). Fox as Antonia may not understand what it is her sister does, but she certainly supports it and her.

Other cast include: Tim McInnerny as Airy, Rebecca Front as Aunt Frances, Anne Reid as Ethel Glaisher, Lewin Lloyd as Charlie, Vincent Perez as Pierre Rennes, Robert Glenister as Ned Chambers, Thomas Arnold as Charles Green and Tom Courtenay as Arthur Glaisher.

THE AERONAUTS is a delightful and suspenseful ride of a film. This isn't the first time Redmayne and Jones have worked together so well. They starred together in the 2014 film THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING about physicist Stephen Hawking life. Redmayne played Hawking and Jones played wife Jane. Redmayne won an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role and Jones was nominated for Best Actress.

All the more reason to put these two actors together again for this film. There is a distinct chemistry between them that absolutely works. They carry the storyline of two people in a balloon doing what most would consider impossible at the time and Glaisher's fellow scientists said just that.

The cinematography and special effects are stunning and definitely a third character in the film. The colors are vibrant and exceptional to watch as the story and balloon go further and further into detail and into the stratosphere.

Director Harper gives the film such intensity that it's easy to feel like we are all on the balloon as a silent witness to these characters journey. One particular scene where Glaisher and Wren are in a battle for the balloon to go no further had me holding the sides of my seat. As crazy as it might be to say during the film 'oh no don't do that', it is the daring and hating the word impossible that makes people take leaps of faith. These two couldn't have taken a larger leap if they tried.

In the end - in the air might be where you find yourself.