THE HERO is an Absolute Winner

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres from writer/director Brett Haley and The Orchard is a performance that brings us THE HERO.

Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott) is an out of work actor who is about to discover his mortality. Given medical news that requires almost immediate action, Lee isn't sure what he wants to do.

Sitting with fellow out of work actor Jeremy (Nick Offerman), Lee has an opportunity to share the news with someone. Instead he tells Jeremy that he is getting ready to make another movie. He also meets Charlotte (Laura Prepon), a younger free spirited woman who happens to be a stand up comic. They take a liking to one another but Lee is distracted dealing with life.

Visiting his ex-wife Valarie (Katharine Ross), he tries to tell her as well but ends up asking about their daughter Lucy (Krysten Ritter) who seems to be avoiding him. Lee tries to invite Lucy to be his date to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award but receives a cold response. So he takes Charlotte who introduces Lee to a night of induced fun.

Charlotte invites Lee to see her stand up comedy stylings. He is devastated by what he hears and a tail spin ensues as Lee being to feel every moment of his life on his shoulders. You can run or swim in any kind of bottle through life and Lee learns that the hard way.

To his surprise there is a great potential for forgiveness, friendship, love and a chance to make his life a good one.

It is never too late to see the love!

Elliott as Lee is everything audiences have come to love about this actor and more. His magnificent slow cowboy drawl and full on mustache has always been recognizable. From his debut in the 1969 BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID to THE SACKETTS in 1979 his cowboy persona wins. His side-eye and mischievous grin has become iconic and even more so in the 1989 film ROAD HOUSE. 

Elliott was quoted as saying, “I think I might have been a more interesting actor, had more of a career earlier on, if I had more formal preparation”. Not taking away how you feel there Sam but audiences continue to be thrilled by past performances and are going to be stunned with THE HERO.

Prepon as Charlotte is an interesting woman who sees past Lee’s age. To her there is a mystery too be unraveled about Lee but at the same time embraces her free spirit. That being said, he ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude is also a bit of a façade.

Offerman as Jeremy is the relaxingly baked comic relief yet a gentle spirit for Lee. Enjoying Lee’s company since he was a young actor seems to be enough for him. Their scenes together are both funny and touching.

Ritter as Lucy has a years worth of bones to pick with her father and she gets her chance. The problem is, as in life, wanting to call someone out on their flaws doesn’t always feel as good as you think it will and Lucy learns that. Ross as Valarie is still stunning and I personally was thrilled to see her back on the screen across her husband.

Other cast include Doug Cox as the Doctor, Max Gail as Gary Babcock, Jackie Joyner as Betsy, Patrika Darbo as Diane and Frank Collison as the Man in Dreams.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give THE HERO five tubs of popcorn out of five. Elliott gives a powerful, intense, funny, charming and heartfelt performance without special effects, cgi or sappy music pulling the audience into the story. Instead, we go willingly into Lee’s life because the journey is one we all have faced.

Owning up to past mistakes, Elliott gives the character every bit of the complexities we understand and care about. We also get treated to knowing that no matter what age, we all can still do crazy stuff and be surprised by life.

The one moving piece of THE HERO is that redemption maybe painful but it is a fleeting pain in comparison to the compassion and love that can follow. THE HERO is beautifully filmed, stunningly cast and had the screening audience thrilled to have experienced every moment.

THE HERO was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and nominated Best American Independent Feature Film by the Cleveland International Film Festival for Brett Haley. The film won Honors for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking for actor Sam Elliott at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

Take a moment to experience a film that will bring out every human emotion we share in this journey through life.

In the end – this is where the past and his mortality collide!

47 METERS DOWN Brings Teeth with Little Bite

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres this Friday from writer/director Johannes Roberts and Dimension Films comes blood in the water when you are 47 METERS DOWN.

Lisa (Mandy Moore) is dealing with a broken heart while on a trip to Mexico bring along sister Kate (Claire Holt). Deciding that Lisa needs more excitement in her life, Kate shows her sister the fun side of a night out. Meeting Louis (Yani Gellman) and Benjamin (Santiago Segura), the two men talk the girls into shark diving.

Knowing Captain Taylor (Matthew Modine) and for one hundred bucks the girls have the opportunity to go in a case surrounded by sharks. Lisa isn’t sure about doing any of this but is swayed by Kate to do something exciting in her life.

Taking an outboard to a larger ship, the girls watch as Javier (Chris Johnson) chums the water and Louis and Benjamin get into the cage lowered into the water. Lisa and Kate watch in excited nervousness as 20 foot sharks swim around the boat.

When it’s the girls turn, Lisa still isn’t convinced and once again has to be convinced by Kate. Once in the water however, Lisa loosens up to see the beauty becoming excited by it all. It is all fun and games until a cable comes loose and the girls are sent screaming 47 meters down.

Immediately they realize that they will soon be out of air, Kate knows that the weak signal in their headsets means she has to get out of the cage. Reaching Taylor at the boat, he tells them help is on the way and to stay in the cage.

The sharks have other ideas as the girls deal with air, depth of water, potential bends, and fear of what is swimming in the deep.

Moore as Lisa is a young woman who is dealing with the breakup of a man she thought was her life. Swayed into letting her hear down a bit, she goes one step to far into the waters. Holt as Kate is the fun loving sister and Lisa makes a point of saying so. Both of their performances brought the audience into a blood frenzy of their own (which I will explain later).

Modine as Taylor has a small role as the rusty boat captain and it was because of him that I chose to see the film. Call it supporting a fellow one-time IB’er as my motivation to see his performance. Hey, no matter how big or small, bad or good, there is something to be said for small town supporters! Gellman, Segura and Johnson are the supporting shark-bait potentials.

I’m not going to put a rating on 47 METERS DOWN because there is a duality here that I need to write about. First of all, this is the best-worst-best shark film I’ve seen in a long time. The dialogue is horrible and the story line totally unbelievable. From the moment the cage goes down it’s an epic underwater sh*tshow. Everything is wrong with it and sitting in the theatre I have to say biting my tongue became impossible. Come to find out I wasn’t the only one having that problem.

Here is where it gets good-bad; the audience began to participate in the film verbally! There were hollers from the upper seats, popcorn being thrown at the screen coming from every direction, really loud head smacking, serious belly laughs, loud groans of frustration and the phrase, “oh hell no!” every 2 minutes.

There is one scene where Kate picks up an underwater flashlight and turns it on to which my friend Vince sitting next to me says out loud, ‘Turn the light off! Jeeeez!’ and sent the crowd cheering. During another scene I became so frustrated with the character Lisa I said, not as loudly, ‘you deserve to get eaten!’ and the lady behind me spit her soda laughing.

So, what happened is that 47 METERS DOWN turned into an audience participation film that was absolutely fantastic! We all became film-friends with total strangers and said out loud what each was thinking which brought even more cheers and fun to the event. I couldn’t believe what was happening around me since the last time I experienced something similar was in 1975 with THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW.

Look, 47 METERS DOWN, like all shark films have a difficult goal because of the 1975 film JAWS. That film is epic and although challengers to the throne come and go, it has yet to be de-toothed as the king of shark films. This film doesn’t have a hope in hades of being anything more than an under water court jester.

Now, for the cool news – there is about 10 minutes of the film that are frakken awesome. So much so that people were jumping in their seats, screaming out, hollering and yelling in such a way that you couldn’t even hear the film sound. Nicely done underwater work with sharks that I never want to see again – okay I’m going to see it again. Once again audience participation took over. Nope, that’s all you get from me on that!

Walking out of the theatre it was agreed by mostly everyone leaving that the film was an audience event that made the poor story weirdly forgivable. People were laughing and yet talking about the film in a way that is normally reserved for, dare I say, a good film. That is the duality of this film that will continue to be talked about as I see 47 METERS DOWN becoming a cult classic and fodder for the Mystery Science Theater 3000 guys (and please invite me to be part of that when you do guys!)

Mandy – congratulations on This is Us and I can’t wait for season two! Claire – I’ve always loved you in The Originals and glad to see you back! Matt – what can I say dude, IB’ers in this town are kinda diggin’ you no matter what so kudos!

In the end – no help above and no hope below!

GENIUS: The Last Chapter from National Geographic

Jeri Jacquin

In a special two-hour presentation from National Geographic on June 20^th at 9/8c is the finale of an amazing story developed by Noah Pink and Kenneth Biller with GENIUS: The Last Chapter.

Albert Einstein (Geoffrey Rush) and wife Elsa (Emily Watson) are settling in America but they constantly are thinking of those they left behind in Europe. Unsettling for Einstein is that scientists in Nazi Germany continue to study the splitting of the atom. He himself continues to work through quantum physics.

That all must be put aside when Elsa becomes ill and Einstein’s life becomes even more complicated. Being rushed by all sides to help with the formula needed for the atomic bomb, Einstein continues to avoid them all. He also becomes emotionally close to Marija Ruzic-Maric (Catherine McCormack) and doesn’t realize that there are two sides to her.

J. Edgar Hoover (T.R. Knight) is one man who wants to see Einstein sent back to Germany. Feeling the scientist humiliated him, it becomes Hoover’s goal to ruin the man. In 1947, scientists come together to try and contain the use of atomic bombs. Einstein doesn’t believe their use can be contained but sees it all as a threat to humanity.

With his lifetime of work, Einstein is brought face to face with an outburst from his son Hans that every member of the family knows he sees them as a burden. To make matters worse, Einstein is outraged when one of their scientists is forced before a committee for communism.

Eleanor Roosevelt brings Einstein before a television audience so that he may give his view on what bombs can do and Hoover becomes outraged. Personal secretary Helene (Emily Laing) is worried about Einstein as his heath begins to wane but his voice to reach out against man’s destruction is what he has left.

When a letter to a judge falls into the hands of Congress, the papers begin to denounce Einstein much to Hoover’s delight. All of the bad press sends the scientist into a sort of quiet seclusions. That is until a young girl named Alice knocks on his door to remind him of how exciting mathematics is and it’s like an awakening for him taking on the unified theory.

Learning of his illness, Helen encourages Einstein to reach out to his son and say the things that needs to be said between the two. It isn’t easy for him but it is a moment shared by father and son never to be forgotten. Albert Einstein would pass away in 1955.

To Einstein, every question must have an answer – and he wanted to find them!

Rush as Einstein is absolutely amazing. He might be one of the smartest men on the planet but he is equally flawed and Rush doesn’t hide that in his performance. From his frustration with his work, to the love of his wife, the constant pressure from the government and believing there was no hope for reuniting with his son – this is a performance that can only be called stunning.

Watson as Elsa is a woman who understands the complexities of her husband. That doesn’t mean she agrees with his behaviors but she forgives him in her own way for it all. McCormack as Marija offers Einstein a chance to love again but his heart gets in the way of the realities.

Laing as Helene is the one constant and steady thing in Einstein’s life and Elsa knew that before she died. She is the backbone of his life and I personally can’t imagine Einstein being able to keep his life going without her. Well done Laing in playing a role that isn’t front and center but is one of the most important in the series.

National Geographic has brought a series that is a must-see for everyone. It is a story about the history of one man yes, but it is also the story of those around him. Knowing that it isn’t easy to being partly responsible for creating the road to destruction but Einstein tries to undue what he can.

GENIUS. The Last Chapter is from Academy Award-Winners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard which is thrilling in itself but adding Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush is nothing short of brilliant. Based on the book Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson, there is so much that I never knew about this man. This finale doesn’t leave any stone unturned in telling the life of this complex man.

In the end – he wanted to answer the secrets of the universe!

BONES Brings its Final Season to DVD: All Twelve Season Come in a FLESH & BONES Box Set!

Jeri Jacquin

This week is a big one for 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment with the release of BONES The Final Chapter but that’s not all. The FLESH & BONES COLLECTION is also here with all 12 seasons together for the first time ever!

In 2005, television audiences were introduced to a series that was intense and different. The story created by Hart Hanson brought the writings of Kathy Reichs to life. Reichs was a novelist and forensic anthropologist which provided a treasure trove of stories to be told.

Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) is a forensic anthropologist who is part of the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C. FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) discovers that Brennan, who he nicknames Bones, has the skills he needs to help investigate unidentifiable remains. These two come together to seek out the answers through science and a little humor.

Discovering that actually need one another to solve crimes that doesn’t mean that Brennan doesn’t make her feelings about it all quite clear. When boss Dr. Daniel Goodman assigns her from season one, this leads to 12 seasons of the most fascinating stories on television.

The finale of season one was emotional when Booth looks into the disappearance of Temperance’s parents and a reuniting with her brother Russ but a strange message left by father Max is the cliffhanger. That is only season one as the intensity grows well into the final season.

Immediately the season takes off with a bang when Zack kidnaps Bones but it doesn’t last as Booth has come to understand his ways. Being blamed for a series of murders, Zack becomes a target and knows that Temperance and Booth are the only ones who can help.

Turning 40 for Temperance starts out with helping co-workers, Booth is surprised at what is happening with her but can’t linger on it. Their next case is the death of a man who helps autistic children. Perhaps that is what brings on Cam and Arastoo wanting to adopt but also Booth and Brennan thinking of expanding the family.

That gets put on hold when the priest who married them is discovered murdered, but was he? Booth investigates deeper and discovers there is a darker truth to it all. It becomes clear as he uncovers more that the family may be in danger. Max helps defend the family and the truth surfaces. Aubrey is also faced with a difficult decision regarding her own family member and it isn’t an easy one.

Zack’s case has been waiting for an appeal but Hodgins thinks there may be evidence to help his case. Getting help from Gordon Wyatt and Angela, they take it all step by step and believe they have enough to solve the case but it might not be enough.

Bringing the series to a close I’m sure wasn’t an easy one as each of the characters in BONES is distinctive and, after 12 years, have become part of our weekly viewing. In the next to the last episode, the six main characters are telling us a story from their perspective. I’m actually not going to get into detail because this is definitely an episode that begins to clear the decks but don’t think for a moment it isn’t intense!

David Boreanaz takes the helm in the final episode that is filled with emotion and twists that are everything the television audience has come to expect from the show. I will admit my jaw dropped a few times followed by “I didn’t see that coming”.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The 525 minute 3-disc DVD of BONES The Final Chapter includes the episodes The Hope in the Horror, The Brain in the Bot, The New Tricks in the Old Dogs, The Price for the Past, The Tutor in the Tussle, The Flaw in the Saw, The Scare in the Score, The Grief and the Girl, The Steel in the Wheels, The Radioactive Panthers in the Party, The Day in the Life, and The End in the End. Also, the Special Feature of Back to the Lab: A Bones Retrospective and, of course, A Gag Reel.

THE FLESH & BONES COLLECTION of BONES is amazing with all 12 seasons together for the first time ever which includes over 6 hours of Bonus Features. Those features include Back to the Lab: A BONES Retrospective, BONES at Comic Con, BONES: Inspired by the life of Forensic Anthropologist and Author Kathy Reichs, A Visual Effects and Making of Featurettes, Audio Commentaries on Select Episodes, Gag Reels, Deleted Scenes and so much more!

Deschanel as Temperance took that character to places and emotions that were ever changing.  Boreanaz as Booth was the yin to Temperance’s yang and I couldn’t even begin to imagine this series without these two actors. It’s always emotional when our favorite shows come to an end but, there is good news as well for BONES fans.

All 12 seasons means you can once again journey with your favorite characters and storylines because 20^th Century Fox understands our need to keep our favorites close. Watching BONES from the very beginning gives us all a chance to pick up on nuances we may have missed and remember why BONES became such a hit series!

In the end – they gave us heart and humor and we can only give out heartfelt thank you for an amazing ride!

We Can All Relate to Being in THE WEDDING PARTY on DVD

Jeri Jacquin

On DVD this week from writer/director Thane Economou is a reminder that June is the time of weddings and all that entails when part of THE WEDDING PARTY.

Paul (Joel Johnstone) and Margene (Meg Cionni) are finally married and now it’s on to the party. The wedding party aren’t even back down the aisle before the craziness begins. First, Jim (Blake Lee) is babying a broken heart but finds a little smile when he sees former high school sweetheart Alex (Allison Paige).

Seeing the madness Alex is going through keeping everything on schedule, Jim agrees to be her partner-in-line making it all work. Paul and Margene decide to divide and conqueror dealing with their families but Margene isn’t really happy about it.

But that’s not the only problem as Katie’s Dad Ned (Michael Adler) is speaking in tongues so to speak, Pastor Kyle (Deniz Akdeniz) is praising-the-lord-and-passing-the-judgment, Bethanie (Ziah Colon) can’t stay away from the Xanax, bridesmaid Greta (Kat Palardy) can’t keep her voice from calling stray cats, dealing with the ex-Zeb (Pete Ploszek) and groomsmen Skylar (Moses Storm) dealing with Aunt Sylvia’s (Pamela Dunlap) sexual advances!

Every thing that can happen does happen when you are part of a wedding party.

Johnstone as Paul is a man that clear isn’t sure that he is ready for marriage but it’s harder to turn back once the deed is done. Cionni as Margene is beautiful as all brides are and tries to make everyone happy but doesn’t include herself in all of the festivities.

Lee as Jim is nursing a broken heart but discovers that it might have healed without knowing it when he sees Alex and their night if filled with craziness and laughs. Paige as Alex is moving the wedding along with her binder in hand and finds herself having a good time with Jim – even if the self absorbed ex-Zeb makes an entrance.

Storm as Skylar sort of steals the show with his need to conquest at a wedding and to discover if the rice and birds is a myth. I have to say I loved watching his goofiness, especially when confronted by Aunt Sylvia who calls his b.s. Notice the rubber tracks of his shoes on the ground!

THE WEDDING PARTY received Best Feature Film at the Tulsa American Film Festival, the Technical Brilliance Award at the St. Lois International Film Festival, Official Selection at the Sedona Film Festival, and winner of the Best of Fest at the 2016 Fayetteville Film Festival.

Candy Factory Films is a forward-thinking, filmmaker-friendly company dedicated to producing unique and compelling films. Candy Factory is at the forefront of a new vanguard reaching distinct audiences. With award-winning and acclaimed films across every genre, Candy Factory is committed to creating and fostering communities around independent and progressive cinema. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.candyfactoryfilms.com.

THE WEDDING PARTY is probably the most realistic and hilarious film I’ve seen because everyone has had these issues at a wedding. If anything, this film is a fair warning that family and friends are fair game when it comes to celebrating nuptials that are a green light for disaster.

With every laugh the film provides there is also a sense of ‘oh my gawd’ because it’s nice to know that when planning and going through with my own daughters wedding, that our crazy wasn’t exclusive. I believe THE WEDDING PARTY should be critical seeing for anyone that is planning that special day.

In the end stakes rise and cake falls with this wedding party!

WICHITA Brings an Unexpected Creepy to DVD

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from directors Matthew Ward, Justyn Ah Chong and Candy Factory is a thriller that takes twists to another level with WICHITA.

Jeb (Trevor Peterson) is a writer on a children’s television show. Threatened with the prospect of losing the show by the executives, he takes a team of writers to a cabin in the woods under the auspices of saving the show.

What the writers don’t know is that there are hidden cameras hidden as Jeb has another idea of his own. Raven (Persia White), Natalie (Caitlin Gerard), Clark (Demetri Goritsas), Billy (Christopher Robles) and Joan (Melinda Lee) are in the cross-fire of madness. Watching them he becomes obsessed and even more intense. It all comes to a head when he is fired from the show completely.

Running home to Mama (Sondra Blake) brings out even more darkness and now there is no turning back from it all. As the others in the cabin begin to discover what has been happening with Jeb, it becomes a race to survive. What comes next is a fear that needs to be stopped!

Peterson as Jeb was absolutely terrifying in this role. There is an innocence about him yet when the spit begins to fly I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near him. The amazing ability to mix the Jekyll and Hyde of this character added to the thrill of the storyline.

The ensemble cast works together so well that it is a ride the viewer is willing to go on. I am still weirded out with the final scenes between Raven and Joan being trapped in the room with Jeb. Horror, thriller and twist fans should make this a night of lights out with someone to hang on to.

Candy Factory Films is a forward-thinking, filmmaker-friendly company dedicated to producing unique and compelling films. Candy Factory is at the forefront of a new vanguard reaching distinct audiences. With award-winning and acclaimed films across every genre, Candy Factory is committed to creating and fostering communities around independent and progressive cinema. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.candyfactoryfilms.com.

WICHITA is a mash up of every scary, fear and evil part of us with a dash of a boyish face you can believe in – until you can’t. I loved the addition of Mom’s story and casting Blake absolutely makes it clear that Jeb isn’t singing with a full hymnal.

WICHITA is available June 20th on DVD but also iTunes, Amazon and Google Play with a running time of 85 intense-never-a-sane-moment minutes. With an ending that will leave the entire film up for discussion, the storyline never lets up for a moment and certainly takes its own demented path with ease.

The Official Selection of the 2016 Santa Fe Film Festival, Official Selection of the 2017 Film Invasion Los Angeles, and Official Selection of the 2017 Durango Independent Film Festival WICHITA takes us on a journey that is disturbing yet also fascinating from beginning to end.

In the end – something psycho this way comes!

THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE Comes to Bluray and a Chance to Win!

Coming to Bluray this June from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is Jessica Chastain and Daniel Bruhl in a riveting and powerful true story THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE.

In 1939 Poland, working wife and mother Antonina Żabińska (portrayed by Ms. Chastain) became a hero to hundreds. Antonina and her husband Jan (Mr. Heldenbergh) care for animals at the Warsaw Zoo and have raised a family in an idyllic existence. Their world is overturned when the country is invaded by the Germans and they are forced to report to the Reich’s newly appointed zoologist (Mr. Brühl).  To fight back on their own terms, the Żabińskis risk everything by covertly working with the Resistance and using the Zoo’s hidden passages to safeguard human life.

Based on the true story told in The New York Times best seller by Diane Ackerman, the critically acclaimed and heart-pounding WWII drama The Zookeeper’s Wife debuts on Digital HD on June 20, 2017 and on Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on July 4, 2017 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Directed by Niki Caro (North Country) from a screenplay adaptation by Angela Workman (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), the film stars two-time Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain (The Help), Johan Heldenbergh (The Broken Circle Breakdown), Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones), and Golden Globe Award nominee Daniel Brühl (Rush).

Focus Features’ The Zookeeper’s Wife on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD comes packed with exclusive bonus content including deleted scenes as well as a special behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and captivating interviews with the real-life Żabiński family.

We have an amazing opportunity for five of our readers to win a copy of THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE! Please email hellomoviemaven@aol.com with ‘animal lover’ in the subject line along with your name and address. We will be pulling winners and notifying them through email. We are so excited to be offering this amazing film so get your entries in now!