Kam's Movie Kapsules for 9-6-13

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam's Kapsules:      

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun         

by Kam Williams

For movies opening September 6, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS   

Riddick (R for profanity, nudity, sexuality and graphic violence) Third installment of the otherworldly sci-fi series finds Vin Diesel reprising his role as an alien antihero now left for dead on a desolate planet where he ends up in a struggle for survival after the arrival of bounty hunters searching for him. Cast includes Karl Urban, Bokeem Woodbine and Keri Hilson.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film (R for profanity) Class war documentary chronicles the birth of the Occupy Movement by following a motley assortment of activists camping out in lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park with hopes of creating a utopian alternative to the status quo.  

Adore (R for profanity and sexually) Tale of forbidden love based on “The Grandmothers,” the Doris Lessing novella about a couple of lifelong best friends (Robin Wright and Naomi Watts) who seduce each other’s son (Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville). With Bob Mendelsohn, Jessica Tovey and Sophie Lowe.

Best Kept Secret (Unrated) Special Ed documentary, set at Newark’s JFK High School, and following the efforts of a dedicated teacher to find jobs for autistic students in the Class of 2012 so that they can be come productive members of society rather than end up institutionalized or on the streets.   

Fire in the Blood (Unrated) Revealing expose’ relating the shocking story of how pharmaceutical companies conspired with Western governments to prevent sub-Saharan African nations from acquiring affordable HIV drugs, thereby leading to over ten million unnecessary deaths from AIDS. Includes appearances by Bishop Desmond Tutu and President Bill Clinton.    

Good Ol’ Freda (PG for smoking and mature themes) Beatles documentary featuring the reminiscences about the Fab Four by their longtime secretary, Freda Kelly. 

Hell Baby (R for sexuality, profanity, drug use, graphic nudity and gory violence) Horror comedy revolving around an expectant couple (Rob Corddry and Leslie Bibb) whose lives unravel after moving into a haunted house in New Orleans. Cast includes Alex Berg, Keegan Michael Key and Robert Ben Garant.

Out of the Clear Blue Sky (Unrated) 9/11 documentary examining the fallout of the terrorist attack on Cantor Fitzgerald, a brokerage firm which lost 658 of its 960 employees when one of the hijacked aircraft crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.

Populaire (R for sexuality) French farce, set in 1958, about an applicant (Deborah Francois) for a secretarial position at an insurance company who is informed by her prospective employer (Romain Duris) that she’ll have to win a speed typing competition in order to land the job. With Berenice Bejo, Shaun Benson and Melanie Bernier. (In French with subtitles)

Red Obsession (Unrated) East meets West documentary, narrated by Russell Crowe between Bordeaux and Beijing, documenting how China’s burgeoning demand for the world’s best wines has created a market bubble waiting to burst.    

Salinger (PG-13 for smoking, mature themes and disturbing images) Skeletons out of the closet biopic offering an inside look at the life and times of J.D. Salinger, the notoriously reclusive author of “The Catcher in the Rye.” Featuring commentary by 150 luminaries, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Wolfe, Gore Vidal, John Cusack and Martin Sheen.

A Teacher (Unrated) Jailbait drama, set in Austin, Texas, about a high school teacher (Lindsay Burdge) whose life falls apart after she crosses an ethical line by sleeping with one of her students (Will Brittain). Supporting cast includes Jennifer Prodiger, Julie Dell Phillips and Jonny Mars.  

Things Never Said (R for sexuality and pervasive profanity) Dysfunctional family drama about a miserably-married woman (Shanola Hampton) who uses poetry as an outlet to express her feelings about a miscarriage and about being beaten by her abusive husband (Elimu Nelson). With Omari Hardwick, Tamala Jones and Dorian Missick.  

Touchy Feely (R for language, drug use and brief sexuality) Sibling rivalry drama about a massage therapist (Rosemary DeWitt) who develops a phobia about making any physical contact with human skin at the same time that her dentist brother (Josh Pais) discovers that he has a miraculous healing touch. Supporting cast includes Ellen Page, Ron Livingston and Allison Janney.  

Winnie Mandela (R for violence and profanity) Jennifer Hudson portrays the title character in this biopic chronicling the life and times of Nelson Mandela’s (Terrence Howard) first wife. With Elias Koteas, Wendy Crewson and Angelique Pretorius.