SAMSAM is a Family Delight

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to delight families this August from director Tanguy de Kermel, Studio Canal and Blue Fox Entertainment comes a space adventure and friendship with SAMSAM.

Samsam (voiced by Isaac Lobe-Lebel) is a young kid who happens to live on an unusual planet and his favorite thing is hanging out with his friends. Many of them have powers but Samsam has not come into his own yet. It causes Samsam even more distress when he hears his parents wondering if he is one of them.

Then there is Mega (Lior Chabbat) and she isn’t happy being trapped in by a safety zone. Learning what it means to be a friend, she discovers also that there are super beings in their universe. Her father is actually King Marchien (Jeremy Prevost) and mother opera singer Madame Chol (Leovanie Raud). They argue between sending Mega to opera school or dictator school and she uses her kid smarts to make them both happy.

Arriving at Cosmic Hero School, Mega introduces herself as Megalactic and Samsam is the first to greet her. The kids are impressed with her spaceship but question what her powers might be. Samsam and Megalactic hit it off immediately and a friend bargain is struck – Samsam will help Megalactic learn the school dance and Megalactic will help Samsam find his superpowers.

At home Mega learns that her father the King has a scientist creating monsters to keep the children as sad as stones. On a field trip the next day, the class learns how to use their powers against space creatures. Samsam tries and, with Mega’s help, he believes he has found his first power.

The problem is, Samsam and the gang quickly discover that Mega is the daughter of King Marchien. Returning home, her father has known all along where she had been going and kidnaps Samsam and Samteddy introducing them to the Gloomyglob monster! His plan is to make them gray and gloomy with one tear.

But nothing beats the power of laughter!

SAMSAM brings an outstanding vocal cast to bring these delightful characters to life. From the young cast of Lobe-Lebel and Chabbat to the nutty royal King himself voiced by Prevost, their vocal talents bring us into the story and take us on a glorious and galactic ride!

Other vocal cast include Sebastien Desjours as Samnounours, Leopold Dorp as Petit Poa, Victore Pauwels as Superjulie, Damien Boisseau as Sampapa, Marie Marechal as Samaman, Philippe Spiteri as Crapouille, Simon Brunner as Sumomo, Francoise Pavy as Mamie Poa, Julien Crampon as Frapulo and Emmylou Homs as Frapula.

Blue Fox Entertainment is a global film distribution and sales company specializing in connecting filmmakers to audiences and buyers in the United States and around the world internationally. For more of what Blue Fox Entertainment has to offer please visit www.bluefoxentertainment.com.

SAMSAM is such a fun film for families to learn so many valuable lessons about friendship and the power of believing in oneself. There is such grace in a family film that helps teach the lessons that some adults seem to forget, like the King. Instead, it is about two friends who find one another not realizing that although they are different, their issues are not so far apart.

I love the color and vibrant storytelling and the children’s antics made my granddaughter giggle a lot. That’s a huge seal of approval for any film when a child watches from beginning to end and even dances when the credits role so who am I to say otherwise.

It is a perfect time for a film such as SAMSAM to come out as families are truly looking for quality entertainment that is fun, has great giggles, fantastic characters and a storyline that is relatable. Our family will be watching this film again and again.

In the end – make space for the next big hero!

NEVER TOO LATE

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to virtual cinemas from director Mark Lamprell and Blue Fox Entertainment comes the story of love that is NEVER TOO LATE.

Caine (Dennis Waterman), Angus (Jack Thompson), Wendell (Roy Billing) and Bronson (James Cromwell), also known as The Chain Breakers were in the military during the Vietnam War and became POWs. After an escape, they each returned home and went their separate ways. The one thing Bronson didn’t forget was the love of his life Norma (Jacki Weaver) and now, fifty years later, he is determined to find her.

Arriving at the Hogan Hills Retirement Home for Returned Veterans, Bronson has himself committed to get close to Norma only to discover she is being temporarily transferred to another facility. Meeting the homes facilitator Lin (Renee Lim), she lets Bronson know that his own doctor believes he should be in Hogan Hills.

Later he meets Elliott (Zachary Wan), a young man who spends his time at the home waiting for his mother to end her shift each day. Elliott recites Bronson’s exploits as part of the Chain Breakers and informs Bronson that his friends are also residents at the home. Bronson is thrilled to seek out his friends and so begins another chance to be part of The Chain Breakers once again – even if they are a tad bit older and slower.

Lin is constantly watching them and every time they are caught there are repercussions but there is a reason for her disapproval. That is not going to stop Bronson from finding Norma and finally making the one thing right that he felt he should have done fifty years ago.

It is time!

Cromwell as Bronson is a man who has finally comes to terms with who he is and what he has missed in his life. Of course, it took him fifty years but what the heck, he takes one look at Norma and he is a young man again. Cromwell is an amazing actor who, in this role, gets a chance to show a softer side while also having a bit of fun with crazy plans all based on love.

Waterman as Caine is happy to see his friend again and having the chance to go on a mission is something that is truly appealing to him. Billing as Wendell has been trying for years to make things right with his grown son but with each returned letter he wonders if it can ever be made right.

Thompson as Wilson will do just about anything to help his friend Bronson. It gives him a sense of purpose until Bronson pushes just a little to hard and Wilson puts his foot down. I have always been a fan of Thompson and in this film, he reminds me why with his wit. Wan as Elliott is a young man who is going through a tough time in his own life. He is thrilled to have these friends of a certain age and enjoys their antics.

Weaver as Norma has spent years moving on without Bronson and now is her chance to find the happiness that was once standing before her on a jetty before the war. Weaver is so small standing next to Cromwell’s Bronson but her heart and eyes are big with memories. Lim as Lin is a woman who isn’t exactly the kind of person I’d want watching over me in a retirement home.

Shout out to Shane Jacobson as Bruce Wendell, he comes in later to the film but his character is one that shows the power of forgiveness.

Other cast include Max Cullen as Hank, Simone Annan as Doctor Kevin, Darren Gilshenan as Marshall, Jai Koutrae as Williams, and Edmund Pegge as Howard.

Blue Fox Entertainment is a global film distribution and sales company specializing in connecting filmmakers to audiences and buyers in the United States and around the world internationally. For more of what Blue Fox Entertainment has to offer please visit www.bluefoxentertainment.com.

NEVER TOO LATE is a film that constantly instills to the viewer that it truly is never too late to chase a dream. It may not be the exact dream that Bronson had fifty years before he left Norma, but it is a powerful and loving dream none the less. In the process of it all, he has the opportunity to reunite with friends who made an impact on his life and help them find their dreams once again.

This is a sweet film that does not sugar coat the life of seniors who have seen a lot, been through a lot and still feel like they have one last chance to have it all. I hope we always feel that way no matter what our age.

In the end – love is not always on time!

RELIC

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from IFC Midnight on VOD and writer/director Natalie Erika James is the story of a family history that all begins with looking for a RELIC.

Kay (Emily Mortimer) is having to rush to her mother Edna’s (Robyn Nevin) home when it is discovered that she is missing. Along with daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote), they arrive at Edna’s home to find that there are things falling apart. Looking for clues it becomes clear that dementia might be playing a large part in the struggle to find her.

Just as quick as she disappears, Edna returns but has nothing to say about where she has been. Kay can not seem to reach her on this point, but Edna does enjoy listening Sam. As the days go by, Kay and Sam both experience Edna’s violent outbursts yet Sam has decided that she wants to stay on with Sam once Kay leaves.

Not knowing what else to do, Kay begins to suspect that there is something in the house, something malevolent, something that wants to hurt them all. The women must come together to fight against what ever it is that has taken hold of the house.

Mortimer as Kay is a woman who clearly wants to find her mother and then go home. There is an obvious rift between them with hostility that they both only tap on. There is no way they could possibly know that the underlying issues are feeding into what ever it is that is taking over the family home. Mortimer also gives us the performance of a mother with a daughter who has the same strong will as her own mother.

Heathcote as Sam has issues with Kay and does just about anything she can to irritate her. Now this mother-daughter pair has problems that they also do not tap into. So now the circle of women not talking is complete. When Sam decides to continue to live with Edna, it feeds even more into the darkness of the house.

Nevin as Edna, and I have to say this, creeped me out totally. What a stunning ability to stare in a way that you know there isn’t any good that is going to come from her character. That being said, there is one scene between Nevin and Mortimer that is the most frightening thing but at the same time it is the most moving. Just well done all around.

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.

RELIC is a suspenseful and creepy film that has underlying tones of three generations of women who just can’t get past their own issues. The story is slow in its telling but oh what an uphill ride of eeriness and tragedy until it reaches a peak and just when you think it will be a swift ride down the haunted rails – the story continues to be slow until it’s done with the viewer. Leading up to a crescendo that brings a mixture of horror and reconciliation based on that very same horror.

The story being told may start out as a horror film but looking deeper one has to wonder which is the horror – what lives in the house or the three women with their own secrets that are equally as frightening. This is a film that 2020 will be remembered for.

The cinematography is the fourth “person” in the film bringing the home into focus as the gritty old house filled with both good and bad memories. What a beautiful way to bring RELIC all into focus in such a way that it is a cool place that I would never want to live.

RELIC is a great escape and I intend to see it again. This is a sofa-blanket-popcorn-lights-out film that will keep your heart thumping.

In the end – everything decays!

WIDOW OF SILENCE

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to a virtual opening at Laemmle Cinemas from writer/director Praveen Morchhale and Oration comes a film of one woman’s attempt to break away from being a WIDOW OF SILENCE.

Aasia’s (Shilpi Marwaha) husband was abducted seven years ago and she is still holding out hope that he is alive. Living in Kashmir, a conflict that has lasted over thirty years has affect families who are also still waiting for news on loved ones. Considered a half-widow, the term to officials means that women like Aasia have husbands missing but not declared dead.

Taking care of teen daughter Inaya (Noorjaham) and a mother-in-law who has not spoken since her son’s abduction, Aasia works in a hospital as a trainee nurse trying to take care of the family. Inaya is dealing with her own struggle as the children at school make it clear that she is not accepted as the daughter of a half-widow with constant harassment.

Continuing to go daily to the Registar’s office, all she needs is a death certificate in order to claim her husband’s land. The problem is that the Registar is a man who tries to convince Aasia of her only choices and she refuses to put herself in any situation he suggests. Also, Aasia is struggling with a marriage proposal that could make her life easier.

Aasia and Inaya live in a world of isolation and the way out is unclear.

Marwaha as Aasia gives a stellar and stoic performance as a woman who has spent years trying to find an acceptable place in her Kashmir village. Caring for one woman who won’t speak and a child who can only fight back, this performance is one of a woman in constant motion but never gaining traction. Marwaha gives us the story of Aasia with actions but on her face is the constant struggle to remain focused on her mission – her husband’s death certificate.

Noorjaham as Inaya is a young girl who also is in constant motion without gaining traction. There is no way for her to escape the torment of her teenage peers who find great joy in reminding her that the “half-widow” culture applies to children as well and so does their distain.

Other cast include Ajay Chourey as the Registar and Bilal Ahmad as the taxi driver.

Oration’s philosophy is that every project it takes on needs to be considered as a close partnership with filmmakers. Looking at the total picture, we work for the individual film we think will make a difference even in a challenging film environment. For more information please visit www.orationfilms.com.

The film has premiered at the Kolkata International Film Festival,  the Busan International Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Seattle International Film Festival, Jerusalem International Film Festival, Taipei International Film Festival, Hamburg International Film Festival, Goteborg Film Festival, International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, MOOOV Film Festival winner of Best Film and the Indian Festival of Los Angeles receiving the Grand Jury award for Best Feature.

WIDOW OF SILENCE is the seven-year struggle of one woman who tries to hold onto hope for a husband but also moves forward to make a life for what is left of her family. There is such a struggle for survival that rests in the hands of a corrupt government official taking advantage of all the women like Aasia who need that one piece of paper.

This is a film that is experienced as the actors guide you through the story and character lives of struggle, pain, humiliation and ultimate sacrifice. The only brief moments are the poetic taxi rides provided by Bilal that gave me pause. The cinematography offers a grim look as to what conflict does to even the most remote places in Kashmir yet the people see beauty as well.

In the end – one nightmare brings another.

HOPE GAP Brings Reality to a Family on DVD

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from writer/director William Nicholson and Roadside Attractions comes a film that examines long time love and how life can abruptly change at any age living in HOPE GAP.

Grace (Annette Bening) and Edward (Bill Nighy) have been married for almost thirty years and have s son Jamie (Josh O’Connor). Grace is very outspoken and has a quick wit that she doesn’t hide while Edward is more the quiet side of the marriage but equally quick with the wit. Living in the small town of Hope Gap with the sea at their back door, it has been a life together.

That is until Edward decides to confess that he no longer wishes to be in the marriage. Grace is absolutely stunned, especially since Edward told son Jamie before discussing it with her. With his bags already packed, he slides out the door of their home.

Grace tries to keep her life together because there was nothing, in her mind, that pointed to such a thing happening between them. She saw their life as challenging, interesting and never saw their behaviors as anything but what comes with being together for so long. Edward made his feelings clear, but she still cannot believe what is happening.

Son Jamie is trying to be there for his mother and discovers that she is having difficulty reconciling the life she knew with the life that she must begin over again. He also starts to share his feelings about life and Grace realizes that perhaps she is living to much in her own world.

Breaking out of her shell, she takes it day by day realizing that she, as a person, needs to sort out the anger, fear and how her idea of relationships must change – including with her son.

Bening as Grace is absolutely stunning, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her performance. On a personal level her wit is something I can relate to so part of me totally understood her and the way she responded to people. Portraying Grace, Bening gives her a unique style of course but slowly it becomes clear that it is difficult for this character to grasp that after all the years of being married to Edward, being apart is incomprehensible – it just doesn’t happen in her world.

Nighy as Edward is a man that just cannot handle the confrontations with Grace that she sees as normal. When he confesses what has been happening and his feelings, even then there is a fear of everything that means. The scene in the lawyer’s office is an example of his inability to stand up to Grace when he just wants it to all go away. Guess he shouldn’t live in the same town with his ex eh? Nighy is an actor that I continue to see as lovely and only gives beautiful performances and in HOPE GAP, he cements that belief.

O’Connor as Jamie is the son caught in the middle of his parents. Understanding why his father wants to go, he equally understands his mother’s inability to grasp what is happening. Staying near Grace to help her through the adjustment, there also comes the most poignant scene on the shore where Jamie is shocked by the conversation he is having with Grace and it is one a son should never have to have with his mother. O’Connor does a superb job as the anchor in this story, the touchstone and the person who finds good in the midst of parental despair.

Other cast include Aiysha Hart as Jess, Ryan McKen as Dev, Joe Citro as Young Jamie, Nicholas Burns, Steven Pacey as Peter and Sally Rogers as Angela.

Roadside Attractions has, since its found in 2003, grossed over $300M and garnered nineteen Academy Award nominations. They have had critical and commercial hits such as MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, BEN IS BACK, BEATRIZ AT DINNER, HELLO MY NAME IS DORIS, WINTER’S BONE and THE COVER as well as so many others. For more information of what Roadside Attractions has to offer please visit www.roadsideattractions.com.

HOPE GAP is a beautifully told story of what happens when a couple must come to terms with the reality that the love that brought them together is no longer what can keep them together. There are plenty of films about couples who start over again but there are few films that portray the reality of when seniors divorce.

Staring a new life is difficult for anyone, but as a senior there is such a history between the characters Grace and Edward. For Grace it is a moment between being married to not being married and it is not something she can readily grasp not matter how much wit escapes her lips. Wiping away a 29-year marriage crushes her beliefs in family, love and relationships.

What it does is force the character of Grace to do is reexamine her life, including her relationship with son Jamie, and understand that anger just does not help her move on. Bening wraps Grace up in a barricade of sarcasm at times, but the barricade is not going to hold.

HOPE GAP is held up by three actors that do an amazing job of telling a story in such a way that you root for all three to find their peace in the midst of an emotional mess. Writer/director Nicholson based the story on his own parents 33-year marriage that ended.  

In the end – life can change at any age!

A Time of Change Brought the Biggest BURDEN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from writer/director Andrew Heckler's debut, 101 Studios and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the story of courage, change and belief when under a BURDEN.

Mike Burden (Garrett Hedlund) is a young man who came to be raised by Klu Klux Klan leader Tom Griffin (Tom Wilkinson). In this small South Carolina town there is a divide between the white and African American community with Reverend Kennedy (Forest Whitaker) keeping the peace.

Mike works repossessing electronics from people who are behind in their payments along with friend Clint (Austin Hebert). That is how he meets Judy (Andrea Riseborough) and after hearing her young son will be devastated not to see the Nascar races on the television, Mike makes arrangements for them to see it. Yet, when seeing classmate Clarence (Usher Raymond), he has no problem taking his television.

Tom decides to open a museum celebrating the history of the KKK in an historic movie theatre which sends the Reverend and most of the town into shock. Mike tries not to bring to much attention to his involvement because he truly begins to care for Judy and wants to have a life with her. Tom notices and isn't beyond making his own mark with Judy's son.

As the Reverend and townspeople protest the museum, Tom makes a request of Mike that forces him to make a decision. Turning away from the KKK, the Reverend decides that it is time to replace hate with love and offers to help Mike both physically and emotionally.

But it isn't going to be easy to step away from the only life he's known and there are those who are going to make sure Mike suffers every step.

Hedlund as Mike is a man who has consistently stood by the leaders, he feels gave him a family. There is a part of him that remembers friendship with Clarence and is torn between the heart that knows what is right and turning away from a 'family'. Hedlund is shy when it comes to his feelings and frightening when his rage kicks in. There are scenes of brilliance where he is in pain to speak and the final scene where his face says it all.

Whitaker as Reverend Kennedy is a man who tries to keep the peace in town even if there are small battles in his own home. Once he sees the museum, there is no question that he must do whatever it takes to keep it from becoming a permanent part of their town. Whitaker is strong in this role and the scenes with Hedlund are powerful and healing for both characters.

Riseborough as Judy is a woman who doesn't take any nonsense from Mike or from KKK leader Tom. She doesn't believe as Mike does yet there is something about him that she sees a chance for his life to change. Raymond as Clarence remembers a friendship with Mike and believes that there is something more for him on the other side of the KKK tracks. He believes that given a chance, Mike can be saved from those who want to destroy him.

Other cast include Crystal Fox as Janice Kennedy, Anna Colwell as Molly, Jason Davis as Jameson, Dexter Darden as Kelvin Kennedy, Charles Green as Horace King, Joshua Burge as Ronny, Jeff Pope as Cooper and Jessejames Locorriere as Dale and Tess Harper as Hazel.

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 a Behind the Scenes of BURDEN.

BURDEN is a story written by director Andrew Heckler after meeting the real Reverend Kennedy. Heckler read about the museum in an article and decided to pen the story from Kennedy's account. The script was written in 1998 but has taken Heckler twenty years to make the film and this is his directorial debut.

This is a story of reality, redemption and the belief that the heart can let go of wrong and embrace positive changes. The film also deals with the twisted beliefs of a group of towns people who believe so much that they are right that hurting those who get in their way is of no consequence or guilt.

The cast brings out the story that shows the Reverends side of fight and all the frustrations that come with it. They are angry and afraid but not so much that they would allow what is happening at the museum to continue without a fight. Having lived in a small southern town, I can tell you that the believability of this story is 100%.

This may be 2020 but that doesn't mean the belief that the character of Mike was raised with is gone because it isn’t, and it isn't only found in small southern towns. What BURDEN does bring into focus the ability to talk about these issues openly and make us all aware that 20 years ago a group of people tried to open a museum that horrified a community.

I see BURDEN as a teachable film that has the greatest potential to reach more than just a theatre audience. It is so powerful and far reaching that it is clear why the film received a standing ovation when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the end - only love can drive out hate!

Based on a True Story Comes THE OUTPOST

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to limited release in theatres and On Demand from Screen Media is the story by author Jake Tapper and director Rod Lurie and the brave men guarding THE OUTPOST.

Staff Sgt. Clint Romesha (Scott Eastwood) and his men Specialist Ty Carter (Caleb Landry Jones), Staff Sgt. Justin Gallegos (Jacob Scipio), Sgt. Josh Kirk (Jack Kesy) helicopter ride into a deep valley in Afghanistan. Surrounded by mountains, they are attacked daily by the Taliban. First Lt. Benjamin Keating (Orlando Bloom) gives the men a tour of the camp letting them know that they must always be at the ready.

It does not take long before the new crew takes a few hits and sees what they are up against. When they get the call to take a very large vehicle to another camp, Keating takes Romesha on roads that aren’t meant to be traversed. When an accident happens, Sylvanius Broward (Kwame Patterson) is sent in telling the men that the camp is going to be shut down. What should be good news really is not.

Their own Afghan interpreter tells the men that the Taliban are coming and although they listen, they go about their mission. Each attack gets a little bolder until the capture a young man who comes into the camp taking pictures of everything he sees. When caught, Romesha along with Broward go to the town elders to explain why the promise made by Lt. Keating of funds is being held up.

Romesha is frustrated because he does not see that Broward is listening to anything the people who live at the outpost are telling him. That is until the camp is hit again. One more time the men must gather together to protect the outpost even though there are more and more Taliban in the mountains above.

When one massive explosion follows another, every takes their places to battle the men coming towards them with more weapons than the outpost has seen. Now, Romesha and his men will do what they must to protect one another and stay alive until the call for help can bring what they need to stop the invasion.

Now they wait.

Eastwood comes on the scene strong with the attitude of a military man with concerns for his men, especially when he sees the camp by the light of day. He turns in a solid performance that isn’t over the top but instead storytelling with the entire cast. Jones as Carter is a young man who is dealing with the stress and anxiety about everything happening around them. When the men need him the most, he puts himself on the line time and time again. Carter gives us the human side of those feelings.

Bloom as Keating knows they are in a raw deal with where the camp is located but tries to make the best of it for everyone. Never sending a man to do something he wouldn’t do himself, he is respected by the men. Scipio as Gallegos and Kesy as Kirk aren’t thrilled with their situation and even less thrilled with those who claim to be in charge but they follow their leader. Both men are a definite benefit to the film. Shout out to Gibson for his second time in a film dealing with war and soldiers as he was in the 2016 film HACKSAW RIDGE directed by his father Mel Gibson.

Other cast include Petar Petrov as Malak, Ahmad Sakhi as Commander Zahid, George Arvidson as Captain Cordova, Brandon Wengrzynek as Sgt. Breed, Jeremy Jones as PFC Jordan Wong, Scott Coffey as Michael Scusa, Jack DeVos as Sgt. Hardt, Ernest Cavazos as Sgt. Avalos, Jonathan Yunger as SFC Jonathan Hill, Alexandar Aleksiev as Sgt. Janis Lakis, Alfie Stewart as Sgt. Yunger, Marin Rangelov as Nasir, Cory Hardrict as Sgt. Vernon Martin, Taylor Smith as First Lt. Andrew Bundermann, Celina Sinden as Cpt. Katie Kopp, Will Attenborough as Ed Faulkner and Milo Gibson as Capt. Yllescas. 

Screen Media is an international distributor of television series and films, licensing content through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, and subscription and advertising video-on-demand platforms. With one of the largest independently-owned libraries of filmed entertainment in the world and license agreements across all forms of media. The company is continually looking to add films and television series to its content library. For more information please visit www.screenmedia.com.

THE OUTPOST is bases on The New York Times best seller The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. Written by CNN journalist Jake Tapper, he tells the story of soldiers living in the remote mountains of Afghanistan and Combat Outpost Keating. It is a story about the battle to defend against a coordinated Taliban attack that later came to be known as The Battle of Kamdesh.

Bravo Troop 3-62 would become the most decorated unit of the 2009 Afghan War. Staff Sgt. Cliff Romesha and Specialist Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor. Rod Lurie, the director, is a graduate of West Point and former soldier. Adding to the realism of the film, he added veterans to play various military roles including Henry Hughes and Daniel Rodriguez.

“The gates of Heaven and the gates of hell are claimed to be in the same spot. During the firefight, COP Keating was like the gates of hell: violent, bloody and full of sorrow. However, watching men sacrificing themselves to protect each other, I could see the true form of brotherhood and love, making the firefight at COP Keating like the gates of heaven as well.” Ty M. Carter, Medal of Honor Recipient.

The cast brings the story to us all in a way that allows us to care about them because they each have a story. Adding to that the fact that most of us have family members who are active military, the scenes where the soldiers are calling home are moving and intense at the same time. There is also clearly camaraderie between the cast that transitions into the people they are portraying.

In the end – the mission was survival!