GAL APPROVED! See: The Invisible Man. Burden. Rules Of Desire. Plus: Indulge In Euforia!

By The DivaGals | February 27, 2020 | Gal Approved

SEE. Paying homage to Julia Robert’s Sleeping with the Enemy and Jennifer Lopez’s Enough, The Invisible Man works thanks largely to a riveting and fearless performance by Elisabeth Moss. Her performance is everything: riveting, emotional and believable. Writer-director Leigh Whannell creates a truly haunting, tense tale of psychological terror orchestrated by a maniacal invisible stalker/ex-lover Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). The film starts with loud crashing waves, a dark night and a pristine beachfront house with an abused woman escaping the home she shares with her sleeping lover. Cecilia (Moss) hatches a plan for her escape with the help of her sister and her hot cop friend James, played by Aldis Hodge. We soon discover that her abusive partner has committed suicide. She should feel relief. After all “he gone” says Cecilia’s sister. Making herself at home inside her policeman friend and his college-bound daughter Sydney (Storm Reid) house, it looks safe until an uninvited and unseen guest enters and begins to wreak havoc. Cecilia rightfully wonders if she’s losing her mind as she is terrified of leaving the house, but senses she is not alone in the house. In what appears to be paranormal activity, in one scene an ordinary kitchen turns sinister with a knife that goes missing and a skillet of bacon and eggs suddenly catching fire. Cecilia leads us and we follow her path what everyone thinks is a nervous breakdown. As the story unfolds and Cecilia’s life spirals out of control and body counts become higher, everyone comes to realize that something spooky is indeed going on. This film is a fun ride that will have you screaming, jumping, cheering and sleeping with lights on, just in case. I will say you may have trouble focusing on the plot due to Aldis Hodge‘s pulsating muscles. Seriously, they need their own sequel. The Invisible Man, now playing.

SEE TWO. Burden is inspired by the real-life story of Mike Burden, a white man brought up the KKK who is seeking redemption. In the film, after a tense confrontation between blacks and whites over a KKK museum, Mike decides he’s had enough and leaves the clan. That’s when the whites of the town turn against him. No longer with a home or a job to support his new girlfriend and her son, Mike is taken in by the town’s black preacher, Reverend David Kennedy, played by Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker. Now, what if I tell you that this took place in 1996? This biopic, the first film from writer/director Andrew Heckler, explores how racism can destroy a person from the inside and questions, can he ever be redeemed? More importantly, will he ever be able to escape the violence that is the essence of the KKK? Usher also stars in the movie that was 20 years in the making. Burden, now playing.

EXPERIENCE. Rules of Desire, a new play by William Mastrosimone, is currently playing at Off-Broadway’s The Playroom Theatre. The playwright, who is famous for the 1982 play Extremities, once again explores the sexual power struggles between men and women — and what happens when one party doesn’t expect the other to stand their ground. Much like the classic films Honeymoon in Vegas and Indecent Proposal, half of a couple is forced to make their significant other participate in an unwelcomed sexual act. Yes, I’m being evasive, because to give away any part of this eerily entertaining plot will ruin it. The play only stars three people, and most of the most complex lines are for Alex, a commanding officer (there’s a hint right there!), whose personal desires are much darker than anyone would ever want to share. They are brilliantly delivered by #WBWD Christopher Sutton. Yes, we will say these seem like WWP (white people’s problems), but we can all relate to struggling with our inner demons. Rules of Desire plays through March. Get your tickets.

INDULGE. It’ so important to take some “me time.” And if your me-time includes a little self-pleasuring, why not do it in style! Pureromance.com has released Euforia V39 Luxe, a vibrator that puts your jewelry box on high alert. This peachy, pink silicone-covered apparatus is covered is swimming in shimmering Swarovski crystals at its base, which is on a background of 18-karat rose gold. Now let’s talk about its functions. This vibrator has 12 different speeds, heat up to 104°F and can be submerged in water. Yeah, you can pretty much use it anywhere. Speaking of using it… all I’ll say is yes, yes! Thank you, Pure Romance! Get the limited edition Euforia V39 Luxe ($1,000) at pureromance.com.