FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on AppleTV+ from director John Ridley and based on true events is the heartbreaking events of Hurricane Katrina with FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL.

Memorial Hospital and Life Care are attached hospitals in New Orleans. On August 29^th, Hurricane Katrina was making its way on to land. Dr. Horace Baltz (Robert Pine) is making his way through the hospital to keep things calm. Dr. Anna Pou (Vera Farmiga) begins to make her rounds but notices the other staff not taking the storm too seriously.

Susan Mulderick (Cherry Jones) is the Incident Commander reminds the staff that it is a functioning hospital and that they all have a job to do. Connected to Memorial Hospital is Life Care and they are dealing with their own issues. Diane Robichaux (Julie Ann Emergy) is checking in on their patients.

As the storm progresses, evacuation orders are given for New Orleans and people are now wondering what they are to do. At Memorial, the windows are shattering, gangways are swaying and the waters are coming in with no way to stop them. In the emergency room, Dr. Baltz and Dr. Bryant King (Cornelius Smith Jr.) are moving everyone up another floor. Finally, the power goes out.

Day two comes and the hospital is attempting to clean up and find a bit of normal patient care. Outside of the hospital, the looting has begun and people do not want to leave the hospital. The staff is seeing and experiencing the trauma each person experienced trying to keep everyone calm yet, they are only human with emotions of their own.

Then, the levees broke and what came after became even more cataclysmic than Hurricane Katrina. Both hospitals now know the water is coming and with no flood plan, they are reaching out to who ever can hear them for help!  Communications are crossed and no one seems to be in charge but there are those that are trying their best.

As the patients begin to be evacuated, the water inside the hospital is rising and patients are on the roof waiting.  Now comes the even harder choices and those who make them are being questioned in the aftermath. People begin helping people without being told because it is not only what is right, it is what is necessary.

After, as investigators Arthur Schafer (Michael Gaston) and Virginia Rider (Molly Hager) take on the work of discovering what happened at Memorial, everyone becomes tightlipped. The two decide to head over to Memorial and try to find out what it is the people are not talking about.    

Now comes the question of what happened to the forty-five patients found later?

Farmiga as Dr. Pou refuses to leave the hospital and the patients that need her. Doing her best to save who she can, there are choices that are could be easily misunderstood and misinterpreted. Farmiga always gives such strong performances and this is one where I am riveted by what this actress achieves and it is met with anxiety on my part. This is a stellar role and she gives an equally stellar performance.

Jones as Mulderick is so amazing I can not even begin to describe her performance. Her character is called upon to do a job that is not even in the emergency manual. Given information, then having it revoked, then told something else and trying to keep everyone calm is a role that Jones gives strength, courage and character mixed with fear. I would expect nothing less from Jones.

Pine as Dr. Baltz is a steady doctor at Memorial but as chaos begins to ensue, he can only offer solace to those who need it the most. Pine gives the performance of a compassionate that I would hope I’d see at any hospital. Smith Jr. as Dr. King watches what is happening and makes judgements on the situation and those around him. Trying to keep the staff helping the patients is his main goal.

Emergy as Robichaux is compassionate and wants the best for her patience. Pregnant, a hurricane and the aftermath of her concern for everyone around her, especially of Mr. Everett, has her emotions collapsing. What a performance.

Cast includes Adepero Oduye as Karen Wynn, Stephen Bogaert as Rene Goux, Sharron Matthews as Cheri Landry, Damon Standifer as Emmett Everett, Sarah Allen as Lori Budo, W. Earl Brown as Ewing Cook, Jeremiah Oh as Ken Nakamaru, Tammy Isbell as Gina, Katie Boland as Krsity Johnson, Darrin Baker as Dr Martin Bisley and Diane Johnstone as Wilda McManus.

Apple+ is a video on demand web television that debuted in 2019. Viewable through Apple’s TV app, CEO Tim Cook wanted original content calling it “a great opportunity for us from a creation point of view”. From THE MORNING SHOW to TRYING and THE BANKER and Jason Momoa in SEE, there is plenty of choices for everyone. Plenty of genres? That is exactly what they are bringing to viewers and to see more of what they have to offer please visit www.apple.com/tv/.

FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL is one of the most intense series I think I have ever watched. It is shocking, disturbing, full of desperation, fear, anguish and the worst and best of humanity all in seven episodes.

Every cast memory should be extremely proud of their performance given the emotional material they were working with. There is not ONE character or performance that is not believable and filled with compassion, empathy and, well, frakken guts!

As the story unfolds, it does not stop at the storm or the aftermath, but delves deeper into what really happened at Memorial/Life Care and who is responsible. That being said, I think the last two episodes although still shocking, leave the door open for speculation. Focusing on one person when the potential for others being responsible should have been an issue as well.

Be prepared to be shocked and dismayed as each episode will test every human emotion imaginable, and all at once.

In the end - there are decisions that would haunt them all!

 

 

 

 

GODZILLA: King of the Monsters

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres this week from writer/director Michael Dougherty and Warner Bros. Pictures is the return of the titans with GODZILLA: King of the Monsters.

It has been five years since the destruction that led to the death of Mark (Kyle Chandler) and Emma Russell's (Vera Farmiga) son. Daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) has watched her parents go their separate ways not dealing with the loss.

Emma is working with an organization called Monarch and their goal is to find the Titans to learn more about them. In their underground bunker, Emma and Madison watch Mothra come into being. Helping to keep it under control, Emma created a device called the Orca that only these Titans can understand.

Almost immediately there is an attack on the facility and the two are kidnapped by former soldier Jonah Alan (Charles Dance). Arriving at his place of research, Mark is told by Dr. Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr. Graham (Sally Hawkins) about the kidnapping.

He joins them back at the center station where Dr. Ling (Ziyi Zhang) and Dr. Stanton (Bradley Whitford) explain what is happening around the world. The military wants to take over but the scientists believe there is another way.

In the meantime, Emma releases the titan called Ghidorah as more and more monsters like Baphomet, Typhoon, Abaddon, Bunuip and Methuselah wake up. Godzilla is also on his way to Zero and the team must decide if this is the beginning of working together.

The problem is there are people that can't be trusted, titans who have a plan of their own and so many questions as to how to stop the destruction!

Chandler as Mark doesn't want to get involved in what ever it is that Monarch is doing but once Emma and Madison are taken he has no choice. Especially when he realizes that it is technology he helped develop that is devastating. Chandler has the ability to look sorrowful when needed and jumps into action when he can.

Farmiga as Russell takes on the titans when she should be home with her hubby Ed Warren (The Conjuring) keeping an eye on their evil artifacts. Brown as Madison is a kid who believes what she's told and has to choose what is right and wrong - and then get back to the STRANGER THINGS cast.

Dance as Alan proves that you can take the Hand of the King out of Westeros but you can't stop Tywinn from still wanting to rule the world. Whitford as Dr. Stanton is the sharp tongues comic relief especially when he sees his old White House stomping grounds in sad shape.

Watanabe as Dr. Serizawa is the strength of the group who is trying to keep Godzilla alive while trying to find a way to stop the other Titans. I adore Watanabe and this is a perfect character for him as it is strong but equally quiet. Zhang as Dr. Ling is caught up in every minute of the chaos and it's nice to see Sayuri and the Chairman (Memoirs of a Geisha) together again.

Other cast include Thomas Middleditch as Sam Coleman, Aisha Hinds as Colonel Diane Foster, O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Chief Warrant Barnes, Anthony Ramos as Sgt. Martinez, Elizabeth Ludlow as Lt. Griffin, Jonathan Howard as Asher Jonah and David Strathairn as Admiral William Stenz.

Look, I know I am making a little fun of GODZILLA: King of the Monsters but there are moments crying out for me to poke fun. The story is straight forward, the technology is cutting edge, the graphics are on point and Godzilla never looked so good.

That being said, honestly I could have seen myself sitting at home watching this on a bit 75" screen television with a sound bar and having a great time with friends. I am a kid of the black/white Godzilla/Mothra/Rodan era and I spent many a Friday night or Saturday afternoon watching the battles.

The first film directed by Ishiro Honda in 1954 introduced everyone to Gojira aka Godzilla and the reaction was huge. Everyone knows who Godzilla is even if the youngsters of today don't know the back story. If they see a statue of Godzilla - they know!

The radioactive lizard looking and extremely HUGE creature slips through the ocean with ease while destroying everything below his very large feet. I sort of have the same problem so I can relate!

From the 1950s until today, Godzilla is part of film history and an icon that we love. Although the films haven't always been successful (sorry Matthew Broderick aka 1998 version), this story works even if it is cheesy, campy and predictable.

Prepare because Godzilla vs. King Kong is going to come large and in charge in 2020.

In the end - long live the king!

THE COMMUTER Rides on Rails!

Jeri Jacquin

Get your tickets ready to board the train as director Jaume Collet-Serra and Lionsgate take us all on a thrill ride following THE COMMUTER.

Michael MacCauley (Liam Neeson) is a man that has fallen into a routine of life. Getting up, spending morning moments with wife Karen (Elizabeth McGovern) and family and jumping on the train to get to work is how he sees his life. Having spent the last ten years working for an insurance company, his life is about to change in ways he never saw coming.

Meeting up with friend Alex Murphy (Patrick Wilson), he has a chance to vent about things. Running into former colleague Hawthorne (Sam Neill), Michael and Alex have nothing nice to say about their working relationship or the good ole days.

After having a few beers, Michael boards the train going home feeling a little defeated. Trying to forget life for a moment in a book, he is interrupted by Joanna (Vera Farmiga) who sits and starts a hypothetical conversation that intrigues Michael. The problem is - it is turning out not to be so hypothetical.

Joanna wants Michael to find someone who is on the train and obtain a little something they are carrying. The problem is - even Joanna doesn't know who it is. He is shocked to
learn that Joanna knows about his problems, wife and son and is stunned when he is offered a large sum of money for his services.

When he discovers that murder is happening on the train, Joanna makes it clear learns his family could be next. Now he must walk back and forth on the moving commuter train to find out who doesn't belong and figure out who Joanna really is and what it is she desperately wants.

Time is clicking away faster than the wheels spinning on the train!

Neeson as Michael is once again proving that not only does he still got it but more over we all want to see it. Before going into the theatre, I heard so many conversations of the audience members (of all ages by the way) that they couldn't wait to see the film because it was Liam Neeson. That is one heck of a following to have and I absolutely count myself as one of them. Neeson has the voice, swag and willingness to take hits as this character comes to terms with where he is in his life. That being said, when enough is enough Neeson does what he does best - flip the tables and the audience lost its mind cheering. Neeson has become an absolute treasure and I love it.

Farmiga as Joanna is a woman who got Michael's attention and kept it all through the film. This character basically has me totally rethinking anytime anyone says "let's just say hypothetically speaking" and Farmiga delivers that line so well. Wilson as Alex is a friend Michael turns to when everything begins to go crazy. It's hard to know who to trust when the wheels are turning and time isn't on your side. It's interesting to see Farmiga and Wilson in the same film together without there being a creepy doll or possessed house in the mix.

The cast of commuters is so well done and I'm not going to give a breakdown because this is a train ride I want everyone to be part of for themselves. It is an intense who-done-it or in this case who-is-it and watching Neeson's character try to remain calm and work it out kept my brain busy. Good luck figuring it out!

Other cast includes Jonathan Bans as Walt, Killian Scott as Dylan, Shazad Latif as Vince, Andy Nyman as Tony, Clara Lago as Eva, Roland Moller as Jackson, Florence Pugh as Gwen, Ella-Rae Smith as Sofia and Jonathan Banks as Walt.

THE COMMUTER is a fun thrill ride for the beginning of the new year. This is the type of film, especially for Neeson fans, to gather up a bunch of friends for a night at the movies. I love it when eating popcorn that there is more time with popcorn in your hand up to an open mouth than actually eaten. That's what a fun thriller like THE COMMUTER is.

Of course it is centered on the inside of a train which one might think would confine the story but you would be wrong. There is so much action and different compartments of the train that the action is constant. I'm throwing up tons of props brining intensity and adventure to a moving train and with a storyline of twists.

In the end - lives are on the line!