The Big Year (DVD REVIEW)

The Big Year
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Bird Watching Comedy Comes to DVD

Brad Harris (Jack Black) is an unemployed slacker who moved back in with his parents (Brian Dennehy and Dianne Wiest) after getting a divorce and dropping out of graduate school. Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson) is a roofer whose hard-to-impregnate spouse (Rosamund Pike) is impatient to have a baby. And Stu Preissler (Steve Martin) is a recently-retired CEO whose business partners have been begging him to come back to the company.
These strangers’ paths probably would never have crossed had they not shared an obsession with bird watching. But in 1998, all three opted to enter an annual tournament in which participants compete to spot the most species in North America over the course of a calendar year.
Loosely-based on Mark Obmascik’s best-seller of the same name, The Big Year is a buddy comedy which recounts their spirited contest for the coveted crown while simultaneously highlighting the toll the time-consuming endeavor took on each of the protagonist’s personal lives. After all, such an undertaking involves being away from home for long stretches at a time.
Directed by Oscar-winner David Frankel (for Dear Diary), The Big Year is just funny enough to warrant this critic’s stamp of approval, even if the awkward puns, silly sight gags and pithy dialogue seem a tad forced for a cast stocked with so many seasoned comics. The production suffers from the choice of the over-the-top Jack Black as its omniscient narrator, when either Steve Martin or Owen Wilson’s relatively-droll delivery would’ve been far better suited to the story’s subtle brand of humor.
Another slight flaw is the script’s lack of tension surrounding the outcome of the contest which is not only run on the honor system but allows the entrants to keep their mounting bird counts confidential. Consequently, the character-driven adventure has the audience caring less about the winner than whether these peripatetic, decadent divas will exhibit a sense of family responsibility and return from the road when duty calls, whether it’s Brad’s father suffering a heart attack, Stu becoming a grandfather for the first time, or Kenny’s ovulating wife calling from a fertility clinic.
Still, when at its best, The Big Year devotes itself to the visually-captivating treat of displaying dozens of rare, winged creatures, ranging from the Black-footed Albatross to the Great Spotted Woodpecker to the Pink-footed Goose, either in flight or right in their natural habitats. An ornithological diversion designed with the bird fancier in mind!

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated PG for profanity and some sensuality.
Running time: 100 Minutes
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Thunder Soul (DVD REVIEW)

Thunder Soul
DVD Review
by Kam Williams

Headline: Tribute to Legendary H.S. Bandleader Released on DVD

After graduating from Wiley College (of “The Great Debaters” fame) back in the Thirties, Conrad “Prof” Johnson (1915-2008) briefly embarked on a promising career as a jazz musician, joining big band orchestras led by the likes of Count Basie and Erskine Hawkins. However, he decided to come off the road in 1940, right after meeting the love of his life, Birdie.
The couple soon married and decided to settle down in his native Texas, where for the next 37 years, Prof would teach music at Kashmere High in Houston. There, he formed a stage band to compete in tournaments against other schools, and as conductor taught his students how to achieve a professional quality sound on their instruments.
By the late Sixties, Kashmere had developed an enviable reputation as a world-class powerhouse, courtesy of a funky brand of music dubbed Thunder Soul. But perhaps more important than forging youngsters into a competitive, top-flight band capable of winning national championships was the fact that Prof simultaneously served as a father figure to so many who were being raised without a male role model.
Although he retired in 1978, Conrad Johnson had made such a lasting impression on his Kashmere kids that numerous band alumni decided to pay tribute to him 30 years later by reuniting to do a show when they learned their hero was in failing health. That Herculean effort is the subject of Thunder Soul, a reverential bio-pic directed by Mark Landsman.
Produced by fellow Texan Jamie Foxx, the picture features file footage of the group performing in the Seventies when they were mostly sporting big afros and wearing bell bottoms pants and platform shoes. That retro reminder is deftly juxtaposed against the same individuals now middle-aged, yet somehow still summoning up the funkified fire of old as they “practice, practice, practice” just to please their former mentor in one glorious, toe-tapping last hurrah.
Mixed in with those preparations are a host of heartfelt reminiscences about how much Prof meant to each of them. And if you aren’t moved by those teary-eyed testimonials, then the floodgates will certainly open on reunion night when their 92 year-old mentor is wheeled up the aisle from a hospital bed to attend the magnificent concert in his honor.
They don’t make ‘em like Prof anymore!

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG for smoking and mild epithets
Running time: 88 minutes
Distributor: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Audio commentary with the director and editor; never before seen footage from “Prof & the Band” documentary; and “The Making of” featurette.

Drive (DVD REVIEW)

Drive
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: This Critic’s Favorite Low-Budget Adventure of 2011 Comes to DVD

This riveting cat-and-mouse thriller was the #1 artsy adventure on my annual Top 100 List for 2011. The film represents another solid outing by Ryan Gosling in which the underappreciated actor further establishes himself as among the best actors yet to win an Academy Award.
Here, he plays a Hollywood stuntman whose secret dream is to save enough money to become a professional race car driver on the NASCAR circuit one day. When not executing dangerous rollovers on movie sets, he supplements his meager income by moonlighting as a getaway driver.
That modus operandi works well for the unnamed loner we’ll call Driver so long as he religiously protects his anonymity. But complications ensue soon after his Achilles heel, an attractive woman, rears its pretty head in the person of Irene (Carey Mulligan), a flirtatious neighbor living right down the hall.
Driver naturally assumes her to be a single-mom, since she shares the apartment only with her young son, Benicio (Kaden Leos). Sparks fly, and they start spending quality time together, almost like a family.
But before their budding friendship has a chance to blossom any further, Irene admits not only that she’s married, but that her husband, Standard (Oscar Isaac), is about to be paroled from prison.
Turns out that the ex-con wants to go straight but is being pressured to pull one last heist by a loan shark (James Biberi) he’s deeply indebted to. Against his better judgment, Driver decides to help by driving a getaway car for Standard.
Unfortunately, the robbery goes horribly wrong, and Driver ends up in sole possession of the million dollar take. He subsequently finds himself being hunted by an army of vengeful mobsters threatening to harm him, Irene and the boy unless the cash is delivered.
The chase is on and, again and again, Driver makes the most of opportunities to demonstrate his elusive skills behind the wheel. The slippery fugitive is forced to fight on occasion, too, and he’s not one to shy away from a good rumble either.
Based on the James Sallis best-seller of the same name, Drive is an alternately atmospheric and grisly crime saga which devotes as much attention to character development as to gruesome action sequences. The film was directed by Denmark’s Nicolas Winding Refn who boldly blends elements of the seemingly-incompatible blood sport and romance genres.
The picture features a profusion of spellbinding performances besides Gosling’s, most notably Carey Mulligan as the femme fatale, as well as Ron Perlman and Albert Brooks as a couple of the scariest villains to grace the screen this year. Provided you have a strong stomach for gore, don’t miss this novel cinematic treat offering both an adrenaline fix and a compelling love story.

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for profanity, ethnic slurs, nudity and graphic violence.
Running time: 100 minutes
Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: An interview with director Nicolas Winding Refn, plus 4 featurettes: “I Drive,” “Under the Hood,” “Driver and Irene,” and “Cut to the Chase.”

Kam's Movie Kapsules for 2-3-12

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening February 3, 2012


BIG BUDGET FILMS

Big Miracle (PG for mild epithets) Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski co-star in this romance drama about the resurrected relationship of a reporter and his environmentalist ex-girlfriend in the wake of their joining forces to save a family of gray whales trapped under the ice near the Arctic Circle. Supporting cast includes Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Vinessa Shaw and Tim Blake Nelson.

Chronicle (PG-13 for profanity, mature themes, sexuality, teen drinking and intense violence) Sci-fi thriller about three well-meaning, high school buddies (Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan and Alex Russell) who find themselves drawn to the dark side after developing such superpowers as invulnerability, mental telepathy and the ability to fly. With Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw and Anna Wood.

The Woman in Black (PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and mature themes) Eerie ghost tale about a London lawyer (Daniel Radcliffe) who travels out of town to settle an estate only to find his recently-deceased client’s (Alisa Khazanova) house haunted by a disembodied spirit (Liz White) bent on revenge. With Janet McTeer, Ciaran Hinds and Sophie Stuckey.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Bad Fever (Unrated) Thought-provoking meditation on the compulsion for companionship revolving around a mean-spirited hussy (Eleonoro Hendricks) with a video camera who cruelly exploits an awkward loner (Kentucker Audley) by filming his desperate efforts to win her heart. With Allison Baar, Hayward Buchanan and Scott Parisi.

The Innkeepers (R for profanity and bloody images) Harrowing horror flick about a closing country inn’s only two employees’ (Sarah Paxton and Pat Healy) ill-advised attempt to prove a persistent rumor that the desolate place is haunted. With Kelly McGillis, Lena Dunham and George Riddle.

Kill List (Unrated) Grisly crime caper about a hit man (Neil Maskell) who unwittingly agrees to perform assassinations for a cult which he has no idea worships him as the anti-Christ. With MyAnna Buring, Harry Simpson and Struan Rodger.

W.E. (Unrated) Madonna wrote and directed this flashback flick revisiting the forbidden romance of divorcee Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough) and King Edward VIII (James D’Arcy) as reflected upon six decades later through the eyes of an American Southerner (Abbie Cornish) stuck in an abusive marriage. With Katie McGrath, Oscar Isaac and Richard Coyle.

Windfall (Unrated) Eco-expose’ uncovering the ugly underbelly of the green movement as discovered by the naïve natives of a town in upstate New York scammed by a shady, wind-energy developer.

Round & Round Together (BOOK REVIEW)

Round & Round Together
by Amy Nathan
Paul Dry Books
Paperback, $12.95
260 pages, Illustrated
ISBN: 978-1-58988-071-9

Book Review by Kam Williams

“About four months before the March on Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King was arrested during demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama. While in jail, he wrote a letter in which he explained why he protested…
‘When you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year-old daughter why she can’t go to the amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her mental sky… then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.’
This book tells the tale of the nearly decade-long struggle to liberate [Gwynn Oak’s] once whites-only merry-go-round, weaving its story into that of the civil rights movement as a whole.”
-- Excerpted from Chapter One (pgs. 9 & 12)

One of my earliest childhood memories from back in the Fifties was asking my mother if the family could go to Palisades Amusement Park right after watching a TV commercial featuring kids enjoying its rides and swimming pool. My hopes were dashed when she patiently explained that we couldn’t because colored people weren’t allowed in.
Who knows whether a kid ever fully recovers from having it ingrained in your brain at such a tender age that you’re a second-class citizen? And yet, just such a scenario ostensibly played out in millions of other African-American homes back then, even that of Dr. Martin Luther King, who specifically referred to his frustration with precisely the same predicament in his historic Letter from a Birmingham Jail.
For this reason, America owes a debt of gratitude to Amy Nathan for writing Round & Round Together, a welcome reminder of the ten-year struggle to integrate Baltimore’s Gwynn Oak Amusement Park. It was whites-only from its opening in 1894 right up until Sharon Langley became the first black child allowed on a ride there on August 28, 1963, the very same day that Dr. King delivered his prophetic “I Have a Dream” speech.
The title of Round & Round Together was inspired by the fact that it was the park’s merry-go-round that little Sharon rode that fateful afternoon. In the book, the author seamlessly interweaves eyewitness accounts of the long effort to desegregate Gwynn Oak with descriptions of what was simultaneously transpiring elsewhere around the country in the Civil Rights Movement.
The text arrives amply augmented by dozens of archival photos taken at Gwynn Oak, many of which show demonstrators being carted away by cops for trying to cross its strictly-enforced color line. It also includes a number of iconic images already emblazoned on the nation’s consciousness: of the March on Washington, of dogs being set loose on picketers in Birmingham, Alabama, of a firebombed Freedom Riders’ bus, and of Rosa Parks being arrested for refusing to sit on the back of the bus.
A profoundly moving tribute to the intrepid unsung heroes who risked their lives to help bring an end to Baltimore’s Jim Crow Era.

2012 Oscar Nominations (FEATURE)

2012 Oscar Nominations
by Kam Williams

“Hugo” Leads Pack with 11 Nominations;
“The Artist” Is Next Netting 10

Don’t be deceived by Hugo’s landing the most Oscar nominations, The Artist still remains the heavy favorite to win for Best Picture. The list of nominees doesn’t include much in the way of major surprises other than perhaps the conspicuous absence of Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March and Drive) and Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) in the lead acting categories, Albert Brooks (Drive) in the supporting, David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) for Best Director, and The Adventures of Tintin for Best Animated Feature.
Brad Pitt enjoys a slight early edge over George Clooney for Best Actor, and the same goes for perennial-nominee Meryl Streep over Viola Davis for Best Actress. But the odds can change, so watch for every studio to employ some subtle marketing strategies over the next few weeks to position their nominees as the most deserving.
As for the support roles, Golden Globe-winner Octavia Spencer might have a tough time repeating that feat against Janet McTeer, given the Academy’s history of preferring British actresses in that category. By comparison, Supporting Actor is totally up for grabs, since four of the entrants, Nick Nolte, Christopher Plummer, Max von Sydow and Kenneth Branagh, have all been nominated multiple times before, but never won. Thus all qualify for the proverbial “body of work” vote.
The 84th Academy Awards will air live on ABC on Sunday, February 26th at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, and will be hosted by Billy Crystal.


COMPLETE LIST OF ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEES

Actor in a Leading Role
• Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
• George Clooney in "The Descendants"
• Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
• Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
• Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Actor in a Supporting Role
• Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
• Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
• Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
• Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
• Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Actress in a Leading Role
• Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
• Viola Davis in "The Help"
• Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
• Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
• Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Actress in a Supporting Role
• Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
• Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
• Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
• Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
• Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

Animated Feature Film
• "A Cat in Paris "Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
• "Chico & Rita "Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
• "Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
• "Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
• "Rango" Gore Verbinski

Art Direction
• "The Artist" Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
• "Hugo" Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
• "Midnight in Paris" Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
• "War Horse" Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography
• "The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
• "Hugo" Robert Richardson
• "The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
• "War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design
• "Anonymous" Lisy Christl
• "The Artist" Mark Bridges
• "Hugo" Sandy Powell
• "Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
• "W.E." Arianne Phillips

Directing
• "The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
• "The Descendants" Alexander Payne
• "Hugo" Martin Scorsese
• "Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
• "The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

Documentary (Feature)
• "Hell and Back Again" Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
• "If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
• "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
• "Pina" Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
• "Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Documentary (Short Subject)
• "The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
• "God Is the Bigger Elvis" Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
• "Incident in New Baghdad" James Spione
• "Saving Face" Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
• "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing
• "The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
• "The Descendants" Kevin Tent
• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
• "Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
• "Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen

Foreign Language Film
• "Bullhead" (Belgium)
• "Footnote" (Israel)
• "In Darkness" (Poland)
• "Monsieur Lazhar" (Canada)
• "A Separation" (Iran)

Makeup
• "Albert Nobbs" Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
• "The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score)
• "The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
• "The Artist" Ludovic Bource
• "Hugo" Howard Shore
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
• "War Horse" John Williams

Music (Original Song)
• "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
• "Real in Rio"from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Best Picture
• "The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
• "The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
• "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
• "The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
• "Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
• "Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
• "Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
• "The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
• "War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Short Film (Animated)
• "Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
• "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
• "La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
• "A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
• "Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)
• "Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
• "Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
• "The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
• "Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
• "Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing
• "Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
• "Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
• "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
• "War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing
• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
• "Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
• "Moneyball" Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
• "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
• "War Horse" Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
• "Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
• "Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
• "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
• "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
• "The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
• "Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
• "The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
• "Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay)
• "The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
• "Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
• "Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
• "Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
• "A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi

Crazy Horse (FRENCH FILM REVIEW)

Crazy Horse
Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Revealing Documentary Offers Eye-Opening Peek inside Parisian Strip Club

Opened in 1951 by owner Alain Bernardin, Crazy Horse is a popular Paris destination for open-minded tourists, ranking right up there with the Louvre and The Eiffel Tower as a must-see attraction. Known for its tasteful nude revues in which elegant females strip in synchronized fashion, the classy burlesque theater might best be thought of as France’s blue version of Radio City Music Hall’s Rockettes.
The curvy, acrobatic dancers slowly shed their costumes doing a daring bump and grind to pulsating music during flawlessly-choreographed routines designed to intensify sensuality. The skits often rely on innuendos courtesy of strategically-placed props reminiscent of the running joke repeatedly employed for laughs in the Austin Powers trilogy.
Producing such a successful, long-running stage show is no mean feat, which is probably why director Frederick Wiseman decided to make a documentary about the legendary landmark. Afforded unusual access to the erotic cabaret, Wiseman’s camera paints a behind-the-scenes picture which is less about sex than about dedicated, young ecdysiasts being put through the work grinder.
This is no surprise, given their grueling daily schedules and the proprietor’s emphasis on practice and perfection. So, while yes there is a fair amount of skin revealed onscreen, this eye-opening deconstruction of the burlesque biz is apt to disappoint anyone approaching it with titillation in mind.
Girls Gone Wild Paris style!

Very Good (3 stars)
Unrated
In French and English with subtitles.
Running time: 134 minutes
Distributor: Zipporah Films