The New Paradigm for Financial Markets: The Credit Crash of 2008 and What It Means

by George Soros
PublicAffairs
Hardcover, $22.95
192 pages, illustrated
ISBN: 978-1-58648-683-9

Book Review by Kam Williams

“We are in the midst of a financial crisis the likes of which has not been seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s… This crisis is not confined to a particular firm or a particular segment of the financial system; it has brought the entire system to the brink of a breakdown, and it is being contained only with the greatest difficulty. This will have far-reaching consequences. It is not business as usual but the end of an era.” -- Excerpted from Chapter 5 “The Super Bubble Hypothesis” (page 81)

Was the bursting of the housing bubble just a momentary correction or the tip of the iceberg of an economic crisis about to envelope the entire country? George Soros believes we’re looking at the latter, and goes to great lengths to explain why, in his words, “This is the first time since the Great Depression that the international financial system has come to close to a genuine meltdown.”
While the left-leaning billionaire might be best known for his criticisms of the Bush administration and for underwriting the efforts of MoveOn.org, many forget that he is also a brilliant businessman who amassed his great fortune speculating in the currency and stock markets. Now, with the publication of The New Paradigm for Financial Markets he shares with anyone who will listen exactly how we got into this mess, and where to invest your cash and dwindling resources to best weather the impending the collapse.
Though a bit dense at times in terms of statistical analysis, being awash in charts and graphs, the text is nonetheless the most fascinating contribution to the field of money management since the equally-absorbing best-seller Freakonomics. Interweaving politics with economics, Soros shows the role that greed and power have played in placing us in the current predicament.
For one, he rejects the classical economic theory which teaches that supply is a function of demand and vice-versa. Instead, he makes the radical argument that the supply and demand curves do not determine market prices at all; otherwise, we would generally witness greater price fluctuations.
Of far more consequence is power, which might explain why the cost of oil has skyrocketed since the election of a president who filled his administration filled with executives from that industry. “The primary purpose of political discourse is to gain power and to stay in power,” Soros states. “Those who fail to recognize this are unlikely to be in power.”
This is why Bush was more than willing to manipulate the truth in any way he saw fit to deceive the public while furthering the interests of big oil and other corporate conglomerates he is beholden to. This arrogant attitude is reflected in the Orwellian comment of a White House aide quoted as asserting, “We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality… We’re history’s actors… and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.”
The 77 year-old Soros survived living under Hitler, and then survived living under Communism, and is presently unafraid to speak out forcefully when he recognizes the signs of the emergence of another such totalitarian regime. A sobering blend of financial and political analysis which incorporates the pivotal role of shady shenanigans and corporate corruption in the rapidly-approaching decline of a supposedly free market.

Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Sorry Sequel Offends at Every Turn

Who decided that every African-American comedy has to revolve either around a black man in drag, or else around a barbershop or beauty salon? This sorry sequel is of the latter variety, and is just the latest in a long line which includes Barbershop 1 and 2, Beauty Shop, Hair Show, Nora's Hair Salon and the upcoming Miss B’s Hair Salon.
These ghetto-based sitcoms share a familiar storyline, a love story unfolding against the backdrop of an ensemble cast of colorful caricatures. The clownish genre has its roots in Amos ‘n’ Andy, a show which debuted on radio in 1928 and eventually made the jump to television as the first series featuring a black cast. The TV series was grounded by the tempestuous romantic relationship of unemployed and gullible Andy and feisty Queen, a Harlem beautician. But the real reason everybody tuned in was to laugh at the program’s motley collection of lazy, loud and crooked black characters.
One of the first things I noticed about the cover of Nora’s Hair Salon 2 is that it’s promoted by an outfit called BlackChristianMovies.com, ostensibly to con folks into believing that the DVD contains clean and wholesome family entertainment. Yet the dialogue is sprinkled with both the b and s-words, and often treats not only blacks but Asians and gays in a decidedly backwards and un-Christian manner.
Given the recent release of the documentary Hollywood Chinese, I had hoped that we’d be past presenting members of this ethnic group speaking pidgin English and mixing their ‘l’s and ‘r’s. Homosexuals fare no better, as we’re treated to the same flamboyant, effeminate stereotype that’s been around for time immemorial.
The plot concerns itself with the tug-of-war between co-owners Lilliana (Tatyan Ali) and Simone (Stacey Dash) over whether to stay in business. The former is a single-mom sorely in need of a nice guy, preferably a doctor (Mekhi Phifer) to fall head over heels for her. Simone is a selfish shrew you just love to hate. Not to worry, it all unfolds as expected.
The question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to watch a bunch of sassy sisters playing the dozens insulting everyone within earshot for an hour and a half.

Poor (½ star)
Rated PG-13 for profanity and sexual humor.
Running time: 81 minutes
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Frank Fountain: The DaimlerChrysler Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: A “Frank” Chat with a Captain of Industry

W. Frank Fountain is the President of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, the automobile company’s philanthropic organization. On January 1, 2004, he was also named Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Public Policy (Auburn Hills) of the Chrysler Group. In that capacity, Mr. Fountain is responsible for maintaining and coordinating DaimlerChrysler’s interface with state and local governments across the country.
His other areas of responsibility include Community Relations and National Education Programs. Since joining Chrysler in 1973 as an Investment Analyst, Fountain has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in Chrysler’s Corporate Controller’s Office, the Treasurer’s Office and Chrysler’s Government Affairs Office in Washington, D.C.
Born in Brewton, Alabama on July 17, 1944, Frank, Jr. was the eldest of Willie Frank and Janie Fountain's seven children. The Fountain family operated a small farm in the town of Tunnel Springs which is where he learned the value of what he refers to as 'working hard and working smart.'
Mr. Fountain holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Hampton University, an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, and an honorary doctorate of public service degree from Central Michigan University. Prior to embarking on his illustrious professional career, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Bengal, India, applying the lessons he had learned on his family's farm to aid in the improvement of agricultural techniques.


KW: Hi Frank. Thanks for the time. I don’t know whether you’re aware that you’re speaking with a fellow Wharton alumnus.
FF: Great!
KW: Given your being such an important pillar of the community in Detroit, first off, I have to ask you about your embattled Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick. Do you think he should step down?
FF: Well, Kam, our focus for quite a long time now has been on the economic revitalization of the city. Mayor Kilpatrick’s administration played a significant role in that, as did [his predecessor] Mayor Archer’s administration, along with the business community. I expect that effort to continue. We have good momentum that has been the result of very hard work by all. And we hope that the issues surrounding Mayor Kilpatrick will be resolved. In the meantime, we are focused on continuing the progress that has been contributing to the revitalization of the city.
KW: What did you think when Senator McCain while campaigning in Michigan said that things were going to get worse there before they get better.
FF: Well, Detroit is a tough town. We’ve been through many difficult economic cycles before. What we’re experiencing now, with the housing slump, the sub-prime mortgage crisis and the escalating price of oil, are all issues beyond our control. But we’ve survived many downturns before, and I think the smart money is guessing that we will survive this one.
KW: Many political pundits are suggesting that if Michigan’s Democratic delegates aren’t seated at the convention, the state will definitely go for McCain in November. Do you agree?
FF: No, I think the people of Michigan knew what we were getting into when we voted to change the primary date. So, it’s only fair if the Democratic National Committee is going to enforce what it made clear at the outset. I think we should take our medicine and live with it.
KW: What role did your service in the Peace Corps play in shaping you?
FF: Kam, it had an immense impact on my life. I grew up a poor farm boy in Southwest Alabama who had some sense that the world was bigger and wider than just my little neck of the woods. Being inspired by Dr. Ralph Bunche, the first black person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, I decided to start a career in the foreign service, and I felt that the Peace Corps was the way to do it. I think my life has been richer because of that volunteer effort. It was not well understood at the time by my family and friends, but I would recommend that kind of service to anyone today. Whether international or domestic, there’s no greater reward that one can receive than contributing their blood, sweat and time to their fellow human beings.
KW: What did you do while over there in India?
FF: I was in West Bengal teaching farmers how to grow high-yielding varieties of rice.
KW: Have you been back since the Subcontinent’s economic boom of the last ten years or so?
FF: I have not, Kam, but I have remained involved with the organization and just last week I was informed that on June 19th I am going to be presented the Director’s Award, the American Peace Corps’s highest honor.
KW: Congratulations! You recently presented Spike Lee with Chrysler’s Sixth Annual Behind the Lens Award for excellence in the entertainment industry. Why Spike?
FF: He is one of today’s most prolific and respected artists. He has helped launched the careers of many, including household names like Halle Berry, Samuel L. Jackson and Denzel Washington. Spike has had a major and very positive impact on the film industry and for over 20 years he’s been willing to address issues and stories others have shied away from. So, he was a natural selection for this year’s award.
KW: He’s not too controversial a character for a Fortune 500 corporation?
FF: Well, Spike has certainly been synonymous with thoughtfulness. He’s been provocative, and an activist. We believe that, sometimes, it’s important to make change in society. So, as a good corporate citizen interested in everyone having an opportunity to display and show their talents, we felt Spike Lee deserved this award.
KW: What sort of reception did you receive as a black man upon entering the corporate world after you graduated from Wharton with an MBA in 1973? That must have been a very tough time to try to integrate the white-collar business world.
FF: There certainly weren’t many blacks in corporate America at the time. But as you know very well, Wharton prepares you to go into the corporate world and lead, not just get a job, but to lead. I understood that very well. I’ve never been just a follower. And even though there weren’t any great African-American mentors to hitch my wagon to, I made my way. Whether or not people are standing at the door with welcoming arms, what’s important is that you get in and demonstrate your abilities and earn your rightful recognition and place. That’s what I’ve done at Chrysler, and it’s been a very long and rewarding career.
KW: What was the last book you read?
FF: I must say that I buy books regularly, I have quite a collection, and I’ve started many books, but I can’t remember the last one I got all the way through.
KW: Is there a question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
FF: [Laughs] That’s a great question, but no.
KW: You were on Detroit’s School Board for a number of years. What do you see as the remedy for the low African-American graduation rate we’re witnessing all over the country nowadays?
FF: Kam, I wish I had the answer for that. The answer isn’t just with the kids. It’s also with teachers, the principals, and the parents. And beyond that, it’s with the culture to a certain extent. Most of our young people are being born to single parents. Those statistics are absolutely startling. If you can’t read by the time you’re six years-old, the chances of being able to complete school successfully is very small, and the likelihood of ending up in prison is very great. So, I don’t think it’s poverty per se. If you put a kid in a very caring environment with caring and concerned teachers, he or she is going to learn and have a great chance of breaking out of the cycle. Unfortunately, most of our educational system is a bureaucracy. And the problem isn’t just limited to Detroit. We find it in Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and elsewhere. In most of these cities, the destinies of black kids are in the hands of black folks. We can no longer point the finger. We may be short of resources in some of our school districts, but we’re not so short as to be unable to teach. There is nothing more important or vital to the black community than making sure that all of our kids get an education. Nothing. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to run, Kam.
KW: Thanks, Frank, for a great chat.
FF: Same here, and I’d be happy to talk to you anytime in the future.
KW: Yeah, we’ll have to do it again.

=============================================================
Named by Detroit Crain’s as one of the most connected business leaders in Detroit, Frank has given back to the community as a member of many business and professional organizations and by serving on numerous boards of directors, including:

Detroit Public Schools Board of Education (4/99 - 2/03)
Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce – Vice Chair
Museum of African American History
Hudson - Webber Foundation
Michigan Manufacturers Association
Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan
WTVS – Channel 56 (Public Television)
Music Hall
The Wharton School Board of Overseers
Hampton University Board of Trustees - Chair
Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau
Citizens Research Council of Michigan - Chair
International Visitors Council of Metro Detroit
The Detroit Investment Fund
New Detroit – Vice Chair
Dennis W. Archer Foundation
Economic Club of Detroit
Corporate Council on Africa – Vice Chair
Detroit Metro Sports Commission
Africare
Focus Hope Advisory Board
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC) – Past Chair
Mackinac Center for Public Policy Advisory Board
Joint Center for Political & Economic Studies – Vice Chair
Business Council of Alabama

Battle for Haditha

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Docudrama Reenacts Marine Massacre of Innocent Iraqi Civilians

On November 19, 2005, a roadside bomb detonated by Iraqi insurgents exploded under a vehicle killing Lance Corporal Miguel Terrazas, while wounding a couple of his comrades. The IED attack outraged about a dozen of the other Marines from Kilo Company riding in the convoy, and later that same day they allegedly went on a rampage in the vicinity, slaughtering 24 innocent civilians living in the City of Haditha.
Though the incident was originally covered-up, it came to light about four months later only because part of the massacre had been captured on videotape by a student with a camera. As a result, several soldiers were relieved of duty, court-martialed, and shipped back to Camp Pendleton where they are currently facing murder charges.
But was their overreaction warranted, given the stress they were under from the day-to-day rigors of patrolling the streets of a village where they were treated as invading enemies rather than like liberators as promised by Vice President Cheney? And wasn’t their predicament compounded further by the military’s use of stop-loss order as a hidden draft to force soldiers to re-enlist and serve longer tours of duty? Aren’t all things now fair in war, anyway, given America’s recent disavowal of the Geneva Conventions?
These are the fundamental human rights questions posed by Battle for Haditha, a super-realistic docudrama which takes a long look at ethnic cleansing from both the perspective of the cleansed and from the point-of-view of the perpetrators of the crimes against humanity. Shot in Jordan, the film stars numerous veterans of the Iraq War, so it has a feel so authentic, I initially believed I was watching actually footage shot on the front lines of the conflict.
A patriotic reminder to support the troops, regardless of the transgression, since it’s Bush fault that they’re sitting ducks in a godforsaken desert where they’re the only available outlet around for every terrorists’ anti-American impulse. What’s next, a picture suggesting that we have to excuse the Abu Ghraib excuses, too, as reasonable interrogation tactics?
Remember when your mother warned that playing all those gruesome video games would desensitize you to violence? Now witness Exhibit A: Battle for Haditha, showcasing Generation Kill’s all volunteer army in all its glory.

Very Good (3 stars)
Unrated
In English and Arabic with subtitles.
Running time: 93 minutes
Studio: HanWay Films

Bloodline

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Blasphemous Expose’ Claims Catholic Church Knows Jesus Was Just a Man

Sorry, but life’s simply too short for me to waste a lot of time on a movie this ridiculous. If you’re a conspiracy buff who believes The Da Vinci Code, and who wants further proof that Jesus was just a man, then have I got a flick for you.
However, at the outset please allow me to remind you that that blasphemous best seller was roundly ridiculed by both Christian theologians and academic scholars for being riddled with inaccuracies. Nonetheless, it has sold over 50 million copies despite author Dan Brown’s having been forced to admit to lifting his central hypothesis and key plot elements from The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, a book long since exposed as a hoax.
The problems with this laughable documentary are plentiful, starting with its reliance on Holy Blood’s assertion that Jesus was still alive in 45 A.D. as evidence that he wasn’t divine. Building from there, Bloodline’s basic premise is that Christ was not God, but a human who married and had children with Mary Magdalene.
It further asserts that he somehow survived the Crucifixion, and that his wife removed his body from the tomb, thereby tricking his disciples into thinking he had been resurrected. The family then moved to Southern France, where it began the “bloodline” of the royal family, hence the film’s title.
With the help of pretentious experts who decipher codes on ancient parchment and unearth never before seen shrouds, relics and corpses suddenly found in tombs and archaeological digs, all of which just happens to be caught on camera, this expose’ purports to prove all of the above. It’s all obviously nonsense to anyone with an I.Q. higher than room temperature.
Bloodline’s sanest moment arrives when the dissenting voice of a Catholic Cardinal is quoted suggesting that you could learn more about history and theology “by watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Ostensibly-inspired by the success of similarly-concocted schemes like The Blair Witch Project, this transparently phony fairy tale is strictly for the very gullible.
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public. Or the intelligence either.

Fair (1 star)
Unrated
In English and French with subtitles.
Running time: 108 minutes
Studio: Cinema Libre Studio

Redbelt

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: David Mamet Directs Disappointing Martial Arts Mystery

Perhaps because his directorial debut, House of Games (1987), was one of the best psychological thrillers ever made, we continue to have high expectations of David Mamet over twenty years later. Consequently, a mediocre offering like Redbelt turns out to be a major disappointment, despite the fact that it might be better received coming from someone with a less-regarded reputation.
The picture represents Mamet’s first foray into the martial arts genre, although his character-driven script still boasts the basic trademarks by which the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright’s work is readily recognized. This means the screen is littered with an ensemble of street-savvy con artists delivering raw dialogue staccato-style, all frequently repeating their lines for the effect of emphasis. And among the actors are some familiar faces from the Mamet repertory company, including his wife Rebecca Pidgeon, Joe Mantegna, Ricky Jay and David Paymer.
As usual, the pretzeled plot embroils the players in a complicated caper calling for considerable gray matter to unravel. It’s just too bad that, in this instance, the elaborate scam has so many layers that the audience is likely to tire of the cinematic charade well before the intricate premise has even been completely established.
The story revolves around Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the cash-strapped sensei of a jiu-jitsu dojo located in downtown Los Angeles. He’s a purist who has thusfar staunchly resisted any temptation to fight on the mixed martial arts circuit, preferring to rely instead on financial help from his Brazilian wife’s (Alice Braga) fabric business to keep his fledgling studio afloat.
A disturbing chain of events is triggered the day that a distraught attorney (Emily Mortimer) shows up at the academy unannounced. For Mike’s most promising student, an off-duty police officer named Joe (Max Martini), inadvertently invades the fidgety female’s personal space, not knowing that she’s a recovering rape victim. The paranoid woman reflexively grabs his gun lying on a counter and shoots out the place’s pricy plate glass window. Already behind in rent, now Mike has this added expense to deal with.
Later, at a local watering hole, he instinctively comes to the assistance of a stranger sucker-punched by a bar patron. The grateful victim happens to be a famous movie star (Tim Allen) who befriends the Good Samaritan, has him over to the mansion for dinner and offers to introduce him to some of the movers and shakers in the world of showbiz.
Meanwhile, Mike’s money woes mysteriously mount, so that by the time he finds himself suddenly indebted to loan sharks the question is no longer if, but merely when, he will break his code and finally enter the ring to raise some much-needed moolah. Like an unnecessarily confusing and convoluted cross of Rocky and The Karate Kid, Redbelt is a flick that’s a tad too smart for its own good, given the simple message it is designed to deliver.
I can’t really in good conscience recommend a headscratcher I had such a hard time following myself.

Fair (1 star)
Rated R for profanity and violence and drug use.
Running time: 99 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

What Happens in Vegas…

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Kutcher and Diaz Match Wits in Battle-of-the-Sexes Comedy

New Yorker Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) has just been unceremoniously dumped by her fiancé at a surprise birthday party she threw for him. Meanwhile, somewhere across town, slacker Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) is being fired from the family business by his bitterly disappointed father (Treat Williams).
Both of these sad sacks venture to Vegas to lick their wounds, Joy accompanied by her best friend, Tipper (Lake Bell), Jack by his buddy, Hater (Rob Coddry). Fate conspires to have the four cross paths when their hotel accidentally assigns them to the same room.
And although misogynistic Hater and man-hating Tipper instantly dislike each other, Joy and Jack hit it off so well that they impulsively decide to get married after a night of imbibing and debauchery. However, by the time their hangovers wear off the next morning, they realize they have nothing in common. So, saner heads prevail and the newlyweds agree to get a quickie divorce.
But as they are about to go their separate ways, Jack deposits one of his bride’s quarters in a slot machine, and wouldn’t you know he hits a $3,000,000 jackpot. Because they can’t agree on how to divvy up the cash amicably, the greedy couple ends up in divorce court where the judge (Dennis Miller) sentences them to live together for six months before he’ll render a decision.
Joy reluctantly moves into Jack’s apartment and the two proceed to drive each other crazy in a standoff with nothing new to offer to anyone already familiar with The Break-Up, The War of the Roses and the rest of the battle-of-the-sexes genre. He gets under her skin with such alpha-male antics as urinating in the sink, leaving the toilet sink up and taking popcorn from a bowl after scratching his genitals.
She’s no angel either, and gets advice on how to torture her hubby from the shrewish Tipper. Hater serves the same function for Jack, with Dr. Twitchell (Queen Latifah) being left to referee intermittently during the troubled couple’s court-appointed marriage counseling sessions.
The colorful second bananas’ bawdy badinage turns out to be a lot funnier than that of the co-stars who have little more to offer than their looks and sexual chemistry going for them. A recycled romantic comedy best left in Vegas.

Fair (1.5 stars)
Rated PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, crude humor and a drug reference
Running time: 99 minutes
Studio: 20th Century Fox

The Pact PBS TV

PBS-TV Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Black Doctors’ Overcome the Odds Story Set to Air on PBS

Rameck Hunt, Sampson Davis and George Jenkins grew up in a Newark ghetto where only about 3% of the kids went on to college. And their own prospects probably weren’t any better, given that they were each raised by a single mom in a broken home in a neighborhood blighted by gang violence, drugs, poverty, unemployment and crime.
Yet, this enterprising trio of best friends had the wherewithal to sense that a ticket out of their bleak surroundings might only be an education away. So, before the streets could gobble up their future, they made a mutual pact, promising to support each other in their shared dream of becoming doctors.
Against the odds, all three succeeded in that quest, Sampson and Rameck, as MDs, and George, as a dentist, and this uplifting bio-pic highlights the considerable hurdles they had to overcome on the road to success. For both of Rameck’s parents were crackheads, and he recounts how he’d pray to God everyday asking that just one of them be able to kick the habit.
Sampson, we learn, did a stint in juvenile prison for armed robbery, and had a sister who was HIV+. And George talks about how the absence of a male role model meant he never learned how to do many things most boys take for granted, such as how to shave or tie a tie.
But ultimately, all three came through with flying colors and, despite their busy medical practices, remain very committed to creating academic opportunities for kids still stuck in the slums. In this regard, the film frequently focuses on the fortunes of Malique, their 12 year-old protégé who also serves as narrator.
Overall, an inspiring affirmation of the power of friendship, courage, determination, hard work and faith to sustain even those seemingly trapped in the most dire of circumstances.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 84 minutes
Studio: Spark Media

The Pact will be airing on PBS stations across the country during May and June. Check the attached Excel chart to determine when it will air in your market.

A Raisin in the Sun DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Diddy Stars in Adaptation of Classic Play Available on DVD

Lorraine Hansberry’s (1930-1965) “A Raisin in the Sun” was the first play written by a black woman ever to open on Broadway. It takes its title from the opening line in a poem by Langston Hughes which poses the question “What happens to a dream deferred?”
The original theatrical production debuted on March 11, 1959 and starred Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee. Its semi-autobiographical storyline was loosely based on real-life events which unfolded in Hansberry’s own family back in the Thirties. At the time her parents had been met with pure hatred after purchasing a home in a lily-white, Chicago enclave.
The play focuses on a fictional family named Younger with dreams of moving out of the ghetto but still living in a dilapidated tenement on Chicago’s South Side. A recent Broadway revival featured Sean “Diddy” Combs surrounded by Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, Sanaa Lathan and Bill Nunn. That talented ensemble has been reassembled for this latest version.
At the point of departure, we meet Walter, Jr. (Combs) a hard-working 35 year-old chauffeur in the process of assuming the role of patriarch following the death of his father. The plot revolves around the question of how Walter. Sr.’s life insurance proceeds ought to be spent.
His widow (Rashad) thinks they should use the money to buy a home in a white neighborhood, since the five of them are currently cramped in a rundown, roach-infested apartment. Her daughter, Beneathea (Lathan), wants some of the money to pay for med school, while ambitious Walter would like to invest in a liquor store with his pal, Bobo (Nunn), and smooth-talking Willy (Ron C. Jones). After Lena hands the check over to her son, it’s just a matter of time before she comes to regret that ill-advised decision.
Helped immeasurably by his talented co-stars, Diddy comes of age as an actor here, delivering a memorable performance in an African-American literary classic which proves to be every bit as relevant today as the day it was first staged.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 131 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Director’s commentary, a “Behind-the-Scenes” featurette, and bonus reviews.

Lost in Beijing (Ping Guo) DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Features Chinese Revenge Drama Worthy of Jerry Springer

Ping Guo (Bingbing Fan) and An Kun (Dawei Tong), a young couple from the sticks, moved to Beijing in search of a higher standard of living. Thusfar, however, life in the big city has been a bit of a bust, since the only work she could find was in a sleazy massage parlor, and he had to settle for a dangerous job as a skyscraper window-washer.
The two made do until the fateful day her rich boss (Tony Leung Ka Fai) decided to force himself on her. Wouldn’t you know it, but An Kun just happened to be squeejeeing the plate glass of the room as Liu pounced on his wife, and he had to watch helplessly while dangling outside on the scaffolding.
Rather than report the assault to the authorities, An Kun comes up with the bright idea of asking the attacker’s wife, Mei (Elaine Jin) for money to keep quiet. But she says her husband would rather save face than pay blackmail. Then, angry that her husband had cheated on her, Mei suggests that the two of them sleep together, like their spouses had, implying that the rape had been consensual.
An Kun agrees and the two embark on a steamy affair. And that might have been the end of it, except that his wife misses her next period. Pregnant, the question becomes “Who’s the daddy?”
This is the intriguing, incestuous scenario which unfolds in Lost in Beijing, as messy a dysfunctional relationship drama as you could hope to witness on screen. And as complicated as what you’ve just read sounds, the plot only thickens as the baby’s birth approaches.
Without giving away any of this riveting romp’s unpredictable developments, suffice to say that our compromised protagonists find themselves in a complicated predicament about as easy to unscramble as egg drop soup. How do you say “Jerry Springer” in Mandarin?

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
In Mandarin with subtitles.
Running time: 113 minutes
Studio: New Yorker Video
DVD Extras: Theatrical trailer and a booklet interview with the director.

Untraceable DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Diane Lane’s Grisly Cat-and-Mouse Thriller Comes to DVD

FBI Agent Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane) is a widow who always finds herself apologizing to her young daughter (Perla Haney-Jardine) for putting career before family. Fortunately, grandma (Mary Beth Hurt) comes in handy when Jen and her partner, Griffin (Colin Hanks), have to work overtime tracking down the creep who executed a cat on a website called KillWithMe.com.
Trouble is the sicko is internet savvy, and knows how to prevent the cops from determining his IP address. In addition, every time the authorities shut down his site, he has it back up and running in a matter of minutes.
Worse, it isn’t long before this sadist escalates to humans. Promising that the more people watch, the faster he will die, the next broadcast airs the slow death of a man tied to a rack with the words “KILL WITH ME” carved right into his chest. This development has the cops wondering whether the murder might have been staged. That question is soon answered when his next victim’s (Tim de Zarn) grieving widow tearfully explains that her husband was no kinky sex freak, but had been lured to the torture chamber by a classified ad.
With each ensuing victim, the website’s ratings soar, as more and more viewers tune-in. So, unfolds Untraceable, a compelling, cat-and-mouse caper directed by Gregory Hoblit. Regrettably, this psychological thriller’s well-earned tension is ultimately undone by a practically comical set of improbable developments during the denouement.
Furthermore, praiseworthy acting performances by a capable ensemble headed by Diane Lane and Colin Hanks are all squandered in service of a hypocritical morality play. Is it really ethical for a film to warn of the irresistible appeal of online snuff films while it simultaneously indulges, practically pornographically, in graphic displays of the same sort of kinky perversion?
Unwatchable.

Fair (1 star)
Rated R for profanity, torture and grisly violence.
Running time: 101 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

The Great Debaters

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Inspirational Bio-Pic Brought to DVD

When a movie bills itself as “Inspired by a True Story,” to what extent should it be allowed to take liberties with the truth? That is the question which begs to be answered in the course of appraising this inspirational bio-pic about a debate team from a tiny black college which allegedly took on Harvard University in a big showdown for the national championship.
The film’s most glaring, factual faux pas is that while Wiley College’s opponent was not Harvard at all, but USC. This fabrication naturally makes one wonder about other aspects of this recreation. Was the original contest really broadcast live on radio? (Unlikely) Was it even the first time, as implied, that a black college competed against a white school in the debate tournament? (No) Etcetera… etcetera…
Furthermore, the picture propagated plenty of other tall tales. For instance, there’s a scene where Professor Tolson (Denzel Washington) attempts instill some self respect in his pupils by quoting from Willie Lynch’s 1712 speech supposedly delivered to fellow slave owners about how to mold and control the minds of their slaves.
Well, the problem is that the infamous lecture never took place, and has long been dismissed by academics and experts, even African-American, as an urban legend created around 1993. Since I’ve criticized references made to Willie Lynch by other flicks, it would be hypocritical for me to give this flick a pass just because it’s such a well-meaning message movie.
All of the fibs aside, there is still much to recommend here. Denzel certainly delivers as the film’s plucky protagonist, as do Forest Whitaker, Denzel Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett, Nate Parker and Jermaine Williams. Well-Intentioned and well-executed, but recommended with reservations only because there’s still something terribly troubling even about a feelgood flick packed with so many misrepresentations.

Good (2 stars)
Rated PG-13 for profanity, ethnic slurs, mature themes, brief sexuality, violence and disturbing images.
Running time: 124 minutes
Studio: Genius Products
2-Disc DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, a couple of music videos, and nine featurettes.

Cover DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Mystery Explores Life on the Down-Low

Valerie Maas’ (Aunjanue Ellis) world comes apart at the seams the day she catches her husband, Dutch (Raz Adoti), in the shower naked with another man. She doesn’t buy his “It’s not what it looks like defense,” and realizes she’s been living a lie with a guy who didn’t even use protection while on the so-called down-low.
But before she can figure out how to break the news that daddy is bisexual to their young daughter, Nicole (Tomorrow Baldwin Montgomery), Valerie finds herself behind bars and facing a murder rap. Fortunately, this churchgoing Christian has a strong enough faith to help her bear the burden of being wrongfully accused.
On the way to clearing her name, we’re treated to such silliness in Philly that one has to wonder exactly what’s going on here. For Cover, directed by veteran director Bill Duke, is an unintentionally funny, flashback flick which is practically impossible to take seriously at face value.
For example, one character calls homosexuality a “white disease.” Another, who has AIDS, boasts about secretly “sharing the gift,” meaning having unprotected sex with people who don’t know he’s HIV+, illogically explaining that he’d rather be a monster than honest.
As confusing as it is improbable, this mess of a movie wastes a talented cast which includes Vivica A. Fox, Lou Gossett, Jr., Leon, Patti LaBelle, Paula Jai Parker, Clifton Davis, Roger Guenveur Smith and Mya. However, the goings-on bear such little resemblance to reality, that I was often unsure what genre of movie I was even watching.
A blaxploit? A sci-fi adventure? An out of the closet drama? A whodunit? A genderbending romance? A slapstick sitcom? Likely, a little of all of the above. A disaster which fails miserably in an attempt to address a pressing social issue.

Fair (1 star)
Rated PG-13 for mature themes, profanity, sexuality, violence and drug use.
Running time: 98 minutes
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening May 16, 2008


BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (PG for violence and epic battle scenes) Based on the second installment of the C.S. Lewis series of kiddie fantasy novels, this sequel sends the four Pevensie siblings (William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley) on another time-traveling adventure to a magical land far, far away, on this occasion to help overthrow an evil king (Sergio Castellitto) so that the exiled, rightful heir (Ben Barnes) might ascend to the throne. Cast includes Liam Neeson, Tilda Swinton and Eddie Izzard.

The Midnight Meat Train (R for sexuality, nudity, profanity, eroticized graphic violence and grisly images) Gruesome horror flick about a struggling photographer (Bradley Cooper) who ends up putting his and his girlfriend’s (Leslie Bibb) lives in danger after being egged on by a prominent art gallery owner (Brooke Shields) to get grittier shots for his show by following the trail of the serial killer (Vinne Jones) who’s been butchering late-night commuters on the NYC subway.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer (R for sexuality and profanity) Intergenerational comedy about a family matriarch (Lucy Gallardo) who, along with her daughter (Elizabeth Pena) and granddaughter (America “Ugly Betty” Ferrara), experience a sexual awakening over the course of a very eventful summer in a sun-bleached, Arizona border town. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)

My Father, My Lord (Unrated) Modern morality tale, ostensibly inspired by the Biblical parable of Abraham, revolves around a respected rabbi (Assi Ayan) in an Orthodox community who is forced by circumstances to balance the competing demands of his faith and his family. (In Hebrew with subtitles)

Paraguayan Hammock (Unrated) Historical drama, set in Paraguay in 1935, revolving around about an anguished elderly couple’s (Ramón del Río and Georgina Genes) interminable wait for their son to return from their country’s bloody war with neighboring Bolivia. (In Guarani with subtitles)

Quantum Hoops (Unrated) David Duchovny narrates this against-the-odds documentary chronicling the effort of California Institute of Technology’s athletically-challenged basketball team of academic eggheads to win its first game in over 20 years.

Reprise (R for sexuality and profanity) Coming-of-age drama, set in Oslo, about the divergent fates of a couple of competitive, 20 year-old best friends (Anders Danielsen Lie and Espen Klouman-Heiner), both aspiring novelists, as they deal with love, depression and career issues with the unbridled passion of youth. (In Norwegian with subtitles)

Sangre de Mi Sangre (Unrated) Undocumented alien saga about a Mexican orphan (Jorge Adrian Espindola) who smuggles himself into the U.S. by tractor-trailer only to have his identity stolen by another illegal immigrant (Armando Hernandez) while en route to NYC to meet the man rumored to be his long-lost father (Jesus Ochoa). (In English and Spanish with subtitles)

Yella (Unrated) Psychological thriller about a battered wife (Nina Hoss) being stalked by her abusive husband (Hinnerk Schoenemann) who flees to West Berlin where she takes a new job with a crafty venture capitalist (Devid Striesow) and gets involved with her boss only to remain haunted by her checkered past. (In German with subtitles)

The Tracey Fragments

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Ellen Page Plays Another Troubled Teen in Dysfunctional Family Drama

When we last saw Ellen Page, she was delivering her Oscar-nominated performance as Juno, a terminally-hip smart aleck who frustrated her parents by making light of her pregnancy after being knocked-up by a boy she barely knew. Now the talented young actress is back in another title role as another troubled teen from another dysfunctional nuclear family, except she’s not cracking any jokes.
As Tracey Berkowitz, she plays a clinically-depressed 15 year-old in crisis who hates herself, wants to be raped and murdered, and suspects that she might be going insane to boot. The source of her despair starts with her emotionally-distant mother (Erin McMurtry), a chain-smoking, substance-abusing couch potato who “it takes a surgical procedure to get away from the television.” Her failure of a father (Ari Cohen) isn’t any better, as he takes his daughter to a drag queen psychiatrist (Julian Richings) only to show impatience when the cross-dressing shrink doesn’t instantly produce improvements in his deeply disturbed daughter.
Life is just as bad for socially-isolated Tracey at school where her cruel classmates are calling her everything from “Geek Girl” to “Moon Face” to “Slutty Pants” to “Shirt Lifter” to “Unnecessary” and worse. Given all of the above, it’s not much of a surprise that at the point of departure we’d find her wrapped naked in a shower curtain and riding around Toronto on the back seat of a bus, claiming to be looking for the little brother (Zie Souwand) she’s hypnotized into believing he’s a dog.
But because The Tracey Fragments is a flashback flick, most of the movie is devoted to showing exactly why the waifish Ms. Berkowitz went this berserk. So, as she meanders about the metropolis mumbling to herself in a rage, she recounts in graphic fashion traumatic incidents like her being teased for having a flat chest, losing her innocence at the hands of a less than sensitive guy interested in only one thing, and being sexually assaulted by a Jamaican drug dealer.
Director Bruce McDonald deserves high praise for the chance he takes, here, departing from convention by experimenting with split screens for the duration of the claustrophobic psychodrama. He divides the picture into two, three or even four boxes at a time in order to convey the feeling that we’re dealing with a head case whose mind is clearly fragmented. The sometimes dizzying cinematic technique works, making for a viewing experience that is as convincing as it is unsettling.
Juno’s crazy twin sister!

Excellent (3.5 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 78 minutes
Studio: THINKfilm Company

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Musical Horror Comedy Funniest Film of Year Thusfar

General Lee Roy (Robin Watkins), a rank and file member of the Ku Klux Klan, also happens to be the CEO of American Chicken Bunker, a leading chain of fast food restaurants. The General has decided to go forward with plans to build his next franchise atop a sacred Native American burial ground, in spite of the presence of a plaque warning that, “Desecrators will be cursed to the full extent of the ancient tribal law.”
Ignoring some very vocal local opposition, he proceeds to bulldoze the graveyard, unaware that disturbing the remains of the Tromahawk Nation will trigger freaky fallout no one could have ever anticipated. For, the spirits of the ancestors magically merge with the fowl being served at the restaurant, turning the birds into a revenge-minded horde of man-eating zombies.
This is the point of departure of Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, the latest offering from Lloyd Kaufman (The Toxic Avenger) of Troma Entertainment. This go-round, the legendary director has fashioned an alternately hilarious and shocking, gender-bending, genre-mixing, musical horror flick which defies description at every turn.
And while thoroughly entertaining you with everything ranging from blood-curling screams to gruesome displays of vivisection to a topless lesbian revue to bodily function humor to politically-incorrect ethnic jokes, the movie saves plenty of time to deliver some deadly serious messages about consumerism, sexism, racism and, above all, about animal rights .
The picture stars Jason Yachanin as Arbie, a recent high school grad who can’t afford to go to college because his mom’s retarded and his father’s blind. Meanwhile, his departing girlfriend, Wendy (Kate Graham), promises to remain loyal while away at school, only to fall in love with a gay, activist classmate, Micki (Allyson Sereboff).
The plot thickens after Arbie discovers that Wendy’s cheating on him when the two show up to picket the new restaurant on opening day. In an impulsive jealous reaction, he applies for a job there, and soon joins a staff with curious names evocative of famous fast food franchises. For instance, there’s store manager Denny (Joshua Olatunde), and co-workers Carl Jr. (Caleb Emerson) and Paco Bell (Khalid Rivera).
What ensues is a jaw dropping combination of silly, sexy and sadistic skits not to be missed. Accolades are in order for director Kaufman (who also plays Arbie’s elderly alter ego) for dreaming up a neverending array of imaginative ways to knock off the cast members in his high attrition rate production.
More importantly, he very powerfully drives home the point that it’s high time humans question the selfish practice of mass-production and harvesting of animal flesh merely for our consumption. I’m sure it sounds oxymoronic, but like a kinky cross of John Waters and John Woo, Poultrygeist is a sophisticated splatter flick as likely to enlighten as to keep an audience in stitches.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 99 minutes
Studio: Troma Entertainment

Mister Lonely

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Michael Jackson Impersonator Takes Refuge in the Company of Other Wannabes

A Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) has been eking out a living in Paris by dancing in parks, on the streets and any place his agent (Leos Carax) can book him. However, other than perfecting a few of the Prince of Pop’s trademark moves and donning a felt fedora and one glove, he doesn’t really look anything like him. Consequently, the best gigs he can get are jobs like his current one, performing for the elderly at a senior citizen center.
As fate would have it, also entertaining there that day was a hauntingly-beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-a-like (Samantha Morton). Sensing that Michael is a lost and lonely soul, she invites him to accompany her home to a castle tucked away in the Scottish Highlands where she lives with a host of other celebrity wannabes, including her mustachioed husband, Charlie Chaplin (Dennis Lavant), and their mop-topped, six year-old daughter, Shirley Temple (Esme Creed-Miles).
Michael takes her up on the generous offer, as much because he was instantly smitten, as for the company of like-minded oddballs. Upon their arrival at the seaside estate, Marilyn matter-of-factly announces, “I found a Michael,” whereupon the stranger finds himself welcomed into a community of losers pretending to be everyone from Madonna (Melita Morgan) to Sammy Davis, Jr. (Jason Pennycooke) to James Dean (Joseph Morgan) to Abraham Lincoln (Richard Strange) to Buckwheat (Michael-Joel Stuart) to the Pope (James Fox) to Little Red Riding Hood (Rachel Korine) to the Queen of England (Anita Pallenberg) to The Three Stooges, Moe (Daniel Rovai), Larry (Mal Whiteley) and Curly (Nigel Cooper).
The grand plan of this motley crew is to attract a big crowd of the curious to the vaudeville show they plan to put on, ala the Little Rascals. Meanwhile, a subplot revolves around the simmering sexual tensions which arise between Michael and Marilyn after she informs her hubby that he reminds her more of Hitler than Chaplin.
Unfortunately, writer/director Harmony Korine runs out of ideas of what else to do with his assemblage of familiar faces. Instead of a sensible storyline, he settles for visually-bracing cinematography, courtesy of a collage of wide-angled mob scenes along with equally- arresting land, air and seascapes. At the 11th hour, Korine pull a rabbit out of his hat via a development so shocking it doesn’t quite fit with the picture’s previously relatively light-hearted tone.
And neither cameos by magician David Blaine and director Werner Herzog nor the haunting strains of Bobby Vinton on the title track prove to be enough to make the meaningless meanderings of these famous-faced misfits worthwhile. For, once the novelty of all the celebrity impersonations wears off, the film never gives you much of a reason to care about the predicaments of its cardboard characters.

Fair (1.5 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 113 minutes
Studio: IFC Films

25 Things That Really Matter in Life

25 Things That Really Matter in Life:
A Comprehensive Guide to Making Your Life Better
by Gary A. Johnson
Courtland Press
Paperback, $9.95
76 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9791113-0-3

Book Review by Kam Williams

“25 Things That Really Matter in Life is designed to get you started living a better life within the next fifteen minutes… If you want a book to help you begin to change your life right now, then keep reading, because this is the book for you… The techniques and steps that I describe in the following pages are ones I’ve been using for over thirty years. If you commit to them, I guarantee you will live a more meaningful and healthier life… Let’s get started!” -- Excerpted from the Introduction (pages 12-16)

Are you stuck in the doldrums? Could you use some help to kickstart your life? Then you might want to consider reading this handy little how-to guide by Gary Johnson, publisher of BlackMeninAmerica.com and founder of the consulting firm which bears his name.
Mr. Johnson is also an inspirational speaker whose services are always in demand. And now, with the publication of 25 Things That Really Matter in Life, you can be motivated by the man without having to attend one of his lectures or workshops.
The book is designed to take less than an hour to read, while promising the potential to transform you instantly. The words contained on the pages are mostly meaningful meditations on what the author has found to be most important to him, as opposed to advice dictating specific behavior to improve your plight.
Still, Gary makes a convincing case that his 3-step path probably works, for he acknowledges having himself gone through tough times marked by debt, depression and withdrawal. When he was bottoming out, he made a list of the things that mattered most to him, a therapeutic process which helped him get his priorities in order while simultaneously freeing him to feel good again.
He realized that foremost among what he values are Faith, Family, Love, Children and Health, and he explains succinctly why each entry deserves to be a priority. After he expounds on all 25 of his personal areas of concern, the focus shifts to Step 2. Here, the text changes into a workbook, allotting space for you the reader to delineate 25 things you most want to achieve in life.
This, in turn, enables you to embark ultimately on Step 3, namely, mastery of your own life. A timely tome for anyone seriously seeking to take the steps to shed self-destructive habits and dysfunctional influences in order to become “the best possible you.”

To purchase a copy of the book, call: (888) 852-5813
Or visit: http://courtlandpress.com/Buy_The_Book.html

Vivica A. Fox: The Cover/Three Can Play That Game Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: A Fox Named Vivica
Born in South Bend, Indiana on July 30, 1964, Vivica Anjanetta Fox is of both Native and African-American heritage. After graduating from Arlington High School in Indianapolis, she moved to California to attend Golden West College just south of Los Angeles. Since earning an associate’s degree in Social Sciences, she’s embarked on an enviable showbiz career which began with bit roles on such daytime soap operas as Days of Our Lives, the Young and the Restless and Generations.
The 5’7” fashion plate parlayed that success into appearances on sitcoms like The Fresh Prince, Family Matters, Who’s the Boss and Martin. Next, she made the jump to the big screen, landing her big break opposite Will Smith in Independence Day in 1996. She subsequently co-starred in Booty Call, Batman & Robin, Soul Food, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Two Can Play That Game, Kill Bill 1, and Kickin’ It Old Skool.
The beguiling vixen has been picked as one of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (1997), one of the 10 Sexiest Women by Black Men Magazine (2001), and one of the 40 Hottest Hotties over 40 by VH1 (2005). Here, she talks about her two latest pictures, The Cover, a drama about brothers on the down-low, coming to DVD on 5/13, and Three Can Play That Game, a sequel to her hit battle-of-the-sexes comedy which was released on DVD earlier this year.

KW: What interested you in making Cover, a movie about brothers on the down-low?
VF: I think it’s something that’s been a little taboo in the African-American community. And also, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to work with [director] Bill Duke.and some of the other actors who got involved with the project.
KW: Do you think you’d be as supportive of your best friend in real-life as your character was of Aunjanue Ellis’ in this picture?
VF: I try to be a supportive and real friend who would look out for her and tell her the truth.
KW: What do you think a young black woman should learn to do from this film to prevent this from happening to her?
VF: I definitely hope that she would always be inquisitive. If your womanly instinct tells you something ain’t right, girl, check it out. Sometimes, we have a tendency to trust, especially if you’ve been with a man a long time. But you might just want to follow your instincts to make sure that everything is alright.
KW: Especially given the high HIV+ rate among married African-American females.
VF: Yeah, Bill gave me that incredible stat. So, I say, practice safe sex, and look out for yourself first at all times.
KW: Well, Mr. Duke deserves some praise for tackling a taboo subject in making a movie that was long overdue.
VF: It was enlightening and eye opening, wasn’t it?
KW: Yep.
VF: And scary, but it made you think. That’s why we’re hoping that the word of mouth will spread on this and that people will want to check it out. It has really good acting as well as being very informative.
KW: Have you become aware of anyone being on the down-low in your personal circles?
VF: I have a lot of friends who are in the fashion and entertainment industries, in general. One of the reasons why I like having what I call my gay boyfriends is because they can warn you and keep you in the loop.
KW: Why did Three Can Play That Game go straight to video?
VF: I was disappointed because it was totally funny and really good, and had a built-in audience. But as one of the film’s producers, I was glad that I got the sequel done, and got to employ some African-American actors that I hadn’t had a chance to work with.
KW: What would say are the elements of success?
VF: Dedication, persistence and professionalism.
KW: The Columbus Short question. Are you happy?
VF: Yeah, I’m in a good space in my life right now.
KW: The “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan question. Where in L.A. do you live?
VF: I live in The Valley.
KW: Thanks for the time, Vivica.
VF: You are so welcome, and spread the word.

Hollywood Chinese

Film Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Asian Stereotypes in Cinema Explored by Enlightening Expose’



Asians have been portrayed just as unfairly as blacks by filmmakers, and also right from the inception of the movie industry. While many might think of D.W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) as the starting point of the dissemination of such racist images, the Chinese had by then already been smeared by an earlier silent picture entitled “Massacre of the Christians by the Chinese” (1900).

Over the intervening years, Asians have been generally presented in a

very limited fashion in accordance with several recognizable stereotypes popularized and perpetuated by Hollywood. The females tend to be very deferential and sexually available for white men, who they adore and place upon pedestals. Meanwhile, their males are shown to be either desexualized and submissive, or as dangerous and demonic, if they’re at all assertive.

The history of systematic cinematic mistreatment of yellow-skinned people is carefully recounted in Hollywood Chinese, an enlightening, encyclopedic expose’ directed by Arthur Dong. Carefully chronicling the screen characterizations of Asians over the past century, decade by decade, Dong shows how harmful and widespread the fallout from these movies has been.

He is assisted in this endeavor by both damning film footage and by the revealing reflections of luminaries like author Amy Tan, directors Ang Lee, Justin Lin and Wayne Wang, actors Nancy Kwan, James Hong and Joan Chen, and academic Stephen Gong. Mr. Going points out the movies are more than entertainment, for the have the potential to damage with the images they create.

Others speak about growing up hating themselves because of the way they were marginalized by the media. It is important to note in this regard, that in the early days many of the most famous Asian roles, such as Fu Manchu, Mr. Moto and Charlie Chan, were played in “yellow-face” by whites. So, you had Caucasian thespians totally misrepresenting a culture by speaking in an insulting, monosyllabic, pidgin English dialect that suggested they were capable of no deeper reasoning than your average fortune cookie.

The problem is that when Hollywood was finally ready to hire Asians to play themselves in lead roles, the industry still demanded that they mimic the previously-established prevailing archetypes. Thus, it is no surprise to hear one actress recount here how she had to depend on an acting coach to learn the unfamiliar mannerisms of the one-dimensional, cinematic version of the Chinese, and how to speak “Chinglish.”

The bulk of the interviewees regret that Asians, until relatively recently, never had the opportunity to tell their own stories. Consequently, they fear that they might never be seen as complex human beings with a full range of fears, feelings and emotions. Sadly, the simplistic message still delivered by Hollywood is that the West is masculine, and the Orient is feminine, almost as if the East wants to be dominated. An eye-opening documentary delineating how motion pictures have negatively impacted the Asian community, and how they are like to continue to effect impressionable young minds for generations to come.



Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 89 minutes
Studio: Deep Focus Productions

Iron Man

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Downey Delivers as Cerebral Superhero in “Marvel”-ous Adaptation of Classic Comic Book Series

Created by Stan Lee in April of 1963, Iron Man was first introduced in Marvel Comics’ “Tales of Suspense” (issue #39). By the legendary animator’s own admission, his crime-fighting superhero’s alter ego, wealthy industrialist/ inventor Tony Stark, was partially inspired by eccentric millionaire playboy Howard Hughes.
The character proved popular enough to warrant spin-offs not only into his own comic book series but into a TV cartoon as well. Now, with Iron Man, the movie, the product line benefits from a further extension into the realm of cinema.
This live-action adventure features Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role, with the oft-troubled star exhibiting an impressive range in an endearing performance guaranteed to resuscitate a career once on life support. For Downey manages to humanize Iron Man to a degree rarely, if at all, previously witnessed in such adaptations of macho superheroes to the big screen. Considerable credit in this regard must go to unheralded director Jon Favreau whose kiddie sci-fi, Zathura, was likewise sophisticated enough to engage the imaginations of children and adults.
Iron Man unfolds very much like the first installment in a pre-planned franchise, taking its own sweet time to acquaint us with the protagonist’s background rather than rush headlong into elaborate fight sequences. Along the way, a few subtle hints are also dropped about what might be in store in IM2 and beyond.
It is established at the outset that Tony Stark, the CEO of Stark Industries, is a filthy rich, womanizing genius. For he is conspicuously absent from the festivities at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas where he was supposed to be receiving an award for his company’s service to the Military-Industrial Complex as the country’s leading weapons manufacturer.
But the AWOL bon vivant was more interested in impressing and seducing an attractive reporter (Leslie Bibb) at his sprawling, oceanfront Malibu estate. Fortunately, his faithful, frustrated womanservant and secret admirer, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), is always around to get her boss’ nose back to the grindstone.
The plot thickens soon after he lands in Afghanistan to demonstrate his latest invention, the Jericho Missile, for the benefit of the U.S. military brass. En route, the Humvee in which he’s riding is hit by a roadside bomb, and he ends up in a cave controlled by terrorists. Tony can’t help but notice that his captors are already somehow wielding weaponry produced by his company. And worse, they now want him to put his brain to work on their behalf to build the next generation missile.
What the insurgents don’t know is that Stark’s more worried about the life-threatening shrapnel permanently imbedded in his chest. So, instead of working for them, he secretly uses the next few months to build himself a suit of armor containing a mammoth electromagnet to prevent any metal fragments from reaching his heart. Eventually, he uses this outfit to morph into Iron Man, escape, and return to the States where he makes the shocking announcement that Stark Industries will be shutting down its munitions manufacturing division.
This decision doesn’t sit with his possibly double-dealing, right hand-man, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), and it also strains his longtime liaison with Lieutenant Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard) from the Department of Defense. But Stark remains resolute and determined to learn exactly how his guns landed in the hands of the enemy, even if that means he must reluctantly don that Iron Man suit one more time to kill in the name of peace.
A ‘Marvel’-ously cerebral superhero with a functioning conscience.

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for intense sci-fi violence and brief suggestive content.
Running time: 126 minutes
Studio: Paramount Pictures