Persecuted: A film about government scandal, corruption & religious persecution

Written and directed by Daniel Lusko and starring James Remar, Raoul Trujillo, Dean Stockwell, Brad Stine, Bruce Davison, Fred Dalton Thompson and Natalie Grant, along with a very long cast of other talented actors, Persecuted is due to be released in U.S. theaters July 18th, 2014.  The film's story focuses on a popular evangelist (portrayed by Remar) who finds himself on the run after being framed for murder.  The evangelist's plight begins following his refusal to back a senator's proposition which calls for sweeping religious reform that would counter his beliefs. The film looks at the very heart of freedom of speech, and digs into government corruption and religious persecution. 

The official movie trailer is below:

  
Daniel Lusko has been the writer and director on several faith-based documentaries, including Inside the Revolution, Epicenter and Riptide.  He also has a film in post-production called 11 Seconds; it will be released in 2015.  Persecuted, which will be his first live-action thriller, is highly anticipated by many.

Below is a brief trailer about the making of the film and its message, both political and theological:



In a society with many uncertainties, and where we hear every day about government corruption and monitoring worldwide, the timing of this film seems spot-on.  It "goes there,"  dealing with religious persecution and government issues where other films do not.  This film is considered an action/thriller/drama/ mystery, but there is a true faith-based element to this film.  The film is rated PG-13 for thematic elements and violence, which are necessary to convey the particular message in this movie.

For more on this film, check out the film's official website here:   

Persecuted Website

This is a film with a message - one that needs to be heard.  Could religious rights in America be threatened in the future?  Are we seeing other constitutional rights being threatened in the present day?  It is good to see a writer and director taking the action-thriller approach for audiences in order to get this message across.

While the concept in Persecuted may seem a bit futuristic right now, someday it could happen...and soon.  Think about it: What would you do if you were persecuted for your beliefs?  I really recommend that you put this one on your list to see.  No matter what your political or religious affiliation is, this movie is mainly about our rights to Freedom of Speech and what could happen if we were in a similar situation.

Gretchen Carlson of Fox News, who has a small role in the film as a news anchor (ironic, huh?), told the Christian Reporter on February 13th: 

These are issues I have talked a lot about on Fox News and they're central in my life too. I'm a Christian and oftentimes felt the negativity of speaking openly about that...it's really ironic because when people see me on the street, if they happen to recognize me from ...the News, the thing they say to me is, 'thank you for standing up for the values and ideals that I believe in with my family,' ... and yet, that seems to be what I'm mostly criticized for as well. It's interesting, the dichotomy that goes on in society," she said.

What People Are Saying About This Film

"A big thumbs up." ~ American Family Association

"A timely thriller."  ~ Fox News

"I love political thrillers...I think this could do well." ~  Larry King

"Compelling story that shows what one man with faith can accomplish." ~ The Dove Foundation

"Intriguing." ~ National Review

"This movies trailer was recently # 1 on the iTunes most popular list, a feat insiders attribute to a robust Facebook page and the ripped-from-the-headlines themes that the movie explores." ~ The Hollywood Reporter

You can link to the Facebook page for Persecuted and "like" it if you wish, and get up to date information on the movie as the release approaches.  Here is the link:   

Facebook Page for Persecuted

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Film Fashionista 

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Trailers and pictures and quotes courtesy of persecutedmovie.com 
Carlson quote: christianreporter.com
Movie release info and actor/director info - imdb.com
 
 

Four New Show Premieres You MUST Not Miss This Summer

June 22nd - Rising Star, Series Premiere on ABC

Rising Star will be a new type of reality television singing competition, where the viewers will vote LIVE for each contestant and determine if that person moves on or not in real time.  To vote live during a Rising Star show for each contestant, you must first download the Rising Star App and set up an account, either with Facebook or Twitter.  You will then be all set to vote during the shows. Rising Star and its app-based voting and real-time results could be the new norm for reality t.v., so keep an eye on this one. The judges will be Brad Paisley, Kesha and Ludacris, and it looks like Josh Groban will be hosting and starring, as well.  Do you want to see how it will work?  Check it out here:

   

June 29th - The Leftovers, Series Premiere on HBO

Based on the best-selling novel by Tom Perrotta and set three years after 2% of the entire world's population simply vanished off the face of the earth, The Leftovers is about the lives of those living in a community post-rapture and centers around those left to live with the aftermath of what has happened.  Watch a trailer for the show here:

 

July 9th - EXTANT, Series Premiere on CBS 

Academy Award winner Halle Berry will be starring in the new CBS drama EXTANT, a Steven Spielberg production.  Berry will portray an astronaut who has just returned home from a year-long solo mission in space, and is trying to reconnect with her husband and son in their everyday life. The experiences she had in space, coupled with her home life, lead to events that will eventually change the course of human history.  For a quick preview, watch the CBS trailer for the show below:

   

August 9th - Outlander, Series Premiere on Starz

Outlander is based on the international best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon and is set in 18th century Scotland.  Caitriona Balfe (as Claire), Sam Heughan (as Jamie Fraser), and Tobias Menzies (as Black Jack Randall) will star in the series.  Outlander has a sci-fi twist, with time travel as Claire is transported back in time and romance with as she is torn between two men in two very different worlds.  For more on this intriguing series, watch the teaser trailer below:

 

Do you have another show you want to recommend as a "do not miss" show of the summer? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts.  

Follow me if you love film, fashion and T.V. and other Hollywood ramblings.  Go ahead....make my day!

Trailers courtesy of youtube.com
Show information courtesy of abc.com, cbs.com, hbo.com and starz.com
 







 

Grace of Monaco: A Fashionable Film Set in the 1960's

No Official U.S. Release Date - Yet

About the Film

Set in the early 1960's, Grace of Monaco tells the story of Grace Kelly (portrayed by Nicole Kidman) and her life with and marriage to Prince Rainier III (portrayed by Tim Roth).  The film has already been released in France and many other European countries, but no U.S. release date has been set as of the publishing of this post.  The screenplay was written by Arash Amel, who also wrote the screenplay for Rampage, and is currently working on I Am Legend 2.  

Grace of Monaco is directed by French director Olivier Dahan, best known for La Vie en Rose (2007) starring Marion Cotillard, who won many awards for her role in the film, including the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.  Dahan's previous success shows he has the chops to do well in the U.S. with a film; but how will this one do?  Reviews overseas, especially after its release at the Cannes Film Festival, have been anything but positive. 

The Fashion - Oh, Yes!

  
There are perks to the film, however, that cannot be taken away, no matter how critics of the story feel, or how much stir it may be causing.  For instance, Gigi Lepage will be the lead fashion designer for Grace of Monaco. Grace Kelly, who went from Hollywood actress to a real Princess, was a beautiful woman.   

Princess Grace (left), Nicole Kidman (right)

Nicole Kidman as Princess Grace

Nicole Kidman is sure to be wearing some incredible 1960's-style designs and the film will have some fantastic fashion moments.  Lepage has designed for many French films of different genres, and she was the personal costume designer to Catherine Deneuve in The Musketeer (2001).  With Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, as her muse and Kidman as her model, the looks will be many and should be stunning.

Grace Kelly the Actress

Grace Kelly Receives Oscar for "The Country Girl"

Who will not love a story about Grace Kelly? Born in 1929, she went on to become one of the most beautiful and, well, graceful actresses Hollywood has ever known.  Kelly won the Golden Globe for Mogambo (1953), and was nominated for the Oscar for the role, as well.  She then starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder (1954), and was nominated for a BAFTA award, among several other awards.  Kelly won the Oscar and the Golden Globe for The Country Girl (1954), and also won several awards for her role in Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954).  She was Hollywood's "it" girl in the 1950's and rose to fame quickly; she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February of 1960.  Grace Kelly was fascinating, and would have been a catch for any man.

Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1955, and in 1956 they were married.  Together they had three children.  In a tragic turn of events, the Princess was in a car accident in 1982 after her car went off a steep embankment.  It is believed she suffered a stroke, which was the cause of the accident.  She died from her injuries at the young age of 52.  Her youngest child was in the car, but only had minor injuries and recovered. 

The Trailer & What to Expect

The UK trailer for Grace of Monaco indicates that we can expect to see some drama and conflict in the life of the Princess of Monaco, including an internal struggle with desires to return to her former Hollywood life.  While many will never know the whole, true story (what goes on behind closed doors normally stays there), and this is more than likely a spin on the real story, it is still intriguing for many and will be filled with great fashion moments.  Americans, I think, will find this story more interesting to watch than those who have previewed it so far - the American fascination with royals and their lifestyles is unceasing, and when it comes to this film, it should be no different.

Kidman does favor the actress in some ways:  porcelain skin, blonde hair (in the film) and she carries herself with poise and grace.  Perhaps some have been so critical of the story itself that they have not looked deeper into the biopic to see it for a bit more; the portrayal of a glorious life that all girls dream of: fame to royalty.  Yet through all that, nothing is always what it seems, and nothing is ever perfect.  Even those with extreme fame and royal lives can end up with unhappy endings, even tragic ones. 

Watch the official U.K. trailer here:  

Below are a couple of other looks (Kidman as Princess Grace) from the film that are eye-catching and completely reminiscent of the Princess.  The elegance and the 60's vibe and hairstyles are enough for me to see the film and probably love it - even though the almost 46-year old Kidman is much too old to be playing the spectacularly vibrant, 30ish Grace Kelly of the late 50's and early 60's. 

Share your thoughts on the fashion in the trailer and the pictures.  Do you plan to see the film?  I hope you will follow me if you love fashion in film and television.  

The Film Fashionista 

Rated PG-13 or R (TBD) for Thematic Material, Sexual Content, Brief Language, and Some Unsettling Images 

103 Mins.

 

pictures courtesy of vintagerox.me, movieinsider.com, imdb.com

movie, actor and director information courtesy of imdb.com 

Grace Kelly/Princess Grace of Monaco biography information courtesy of bio.com and imdb.com