Spotlight
Film
Review
by Kam Williams
Journalistic Drama Revisits Protection of Pedophile Priests by Boston
Archdiocese
The
Catholic Church has a very checkered past regarding its handling of
the rampant molestation of children by the clergy. And Pope Francis
recently tarnished that image further by issuing a plenary pardon to
any pedophile priests willing to confess their sins.
This means
the Church is likely to remain a safe haven for its protected
perverts. Meanwhile, their traumatized victims continue to be
frustrated in their quest for compensation or just to expose the
identities of their abusers. That's because the Church hierarchy has
routinely opted to enforce a white collar of silence whereby serial
rapists in its ranks are merely reassigned to a different parish
rather than defrocked and reported to the authorities.
Directed by
Oscar-nominee Tom McCarthy (for Up), Spotlight focuses on one of
those rare occasions where the truth did manage to come to light. In
that instance, Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber), the editor of the Boston
Globe, was willing to look into the widespread rumors of a Catholic
cover-up of molestation stretching back decades. . After all, as a
Jew who was new to town, he wasn't as awed as the locals by the
powerful Boston Archdiocese being run with an iron fist by Cardinal
Bernard Francis Law (Len Cariou).
So, the
intrepid editor gave his approval to a quartet of reporters
interested in launching a deeper investigation. Code-named
"Spotlight," the crack team comprised of Mike Rezendes
(Mark Ruffalo), Robby Robinson (Michael Keaton), Sacha Pfeiffer
(Rachel McAdams) and Matt Carroll (Brian d'Arcy James) researched the
story for several years.
On January
6, 2002, they finally began publishing their findings in a series of
damning articles that exposed Cardinal Law as an enabler offering
protection for cronies he knew to be guilty as sin. For, the inquiry
had unearthed mountains of evidence that the archdiocese was not only
aware of about a hundred kids who'd been assaulted by numerous
different men of the cloth.
But Church
attorneys had repeatedly run interference for the perpetrators by
settling claims out of court while simultaneously swearing the
plaintiffs to secrecy via non-disclosure agreements. Consequently,
the repeat offenders were free to move around from parish-to-parish,
destroying additional youngsters' lives in the process.
Overall,
Spotlight amounts to a scathing indictment of the Catholic Church as
little more than a meat market racket masquerading as a religious
institution. Though not exactly a date night or a feel-good flick,
the film nevertheless comes highly recommended for a few reasons.
First, it
relates an important reminder about the salutary value of
investigative reporting in a Digital Age when Google search engine
optimization would assign a higher page ranking to a picture of a
cute cat than to a story of such social relevance.. Second, the
compelling
screenplay unfolds in gripping fashion and without resort
to rehashing salacious details in a manner bordering on
re-victimization. And third, the A-list cast turns in a plethora of
dynamic performances, most notably Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, John
Slattery and Stanley Tucci.
An
iconoclastic drama that makes a convincing argument in support of the
incendiary axiom, "The closer to Church, the further from God."
Excellent (4
stars)
Rated R for profanity, sexual
references and mature themes
Running time: 128 minutes
Distributor: Open Road Films
To see a trailer for Spotlight,
visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg5zSVxx9JM
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
Top Ten DVD Releases for 11-3-15
This
Week’s DVD Releases
by
Kam Williams
Top
Ten DVD List for November 3, 2015
Best
of Enemies
Inside
Out
Toy
Story That Time Forgot
One
Cut, One Life
The
Gift
Stations
of the Cross
The
Story of Women and Power
Marie's
Story
The
Final Girls
Honorable
Mention
Liz
in September
Uncanny
The
Diabolical
Leon
the Professional
The
10th Kingdom [15th Anniversary Special Edition]
Doc
McStuffins: Pet Vet
The
Golden Cane Warrior
Eastsiders:
Season Two
Vacation
Some
Kind of Hate
In
the Grayscale
Inside Out (DVD REVIEW)
Inside Out
DVD
Review
by Kam Williams
Animated Adventure Revolving Around Child's Emotions Arrives on DVD
Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) was understandably unhappy when she learned from her mother (Diane Lane) and father (Kyle MacLachlan) that the family was relocating from Minnesota to San Francisco. After all, she'd be leaving behind her home, her hockey team and all her BFFs.
So, it's no surprise that the uprooted 11 year-old might be very lonely after moving to the Bay Area. And, unfortunately, that solitary condition leads to an inordinate amount of introspection as she attempts to sort out her emotions, literally and figuratively.
For, her feelings aren't merely metaphysical experiences but five actual little figurines living inside her brain. This anthropomorphic quintet, composed of Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling), are constantly contending for control of rattled Riley's moods as she navigates her way around a new house, city and school.
That struggle is the subject of Inside Out, the best animated offering from the talented team at Pixar since the equally-affective balloon adventure Up (2009). Don't allow the the awkward-sounding premise revolving around a melancholy kid who's a bit of a head case turn you off, as the material is handled delicately enough to be appropriate for a child of any age.
A touching tale illustrating how a dramatic life change might, temporarily at least, exact a terrible toll on a frail human psyche.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG for action and mature themes
Running time: 94 minutes
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
To see a trailer for Inside Out, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLOYXKmIkw
Animated Adventure Revolving Around Child's Emotions Arrives on DVD
Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) was understandably unhappy when she learned from her mother (Diane Lane) and father (Kyle MacLachlan) that the family was relocating from Minnesota to San Francisco. After all, she'd be leaving behind her home, her hockey team and all her BFFs.
So, it's no surprise that the uprooted 11 year-old might be very lonely after moving to the Bay Area. And, unfortunately, that solitary condition leads to an inordinate amount of introspection as she attempts to sort out her emotions, literally and figuratively.
For, her feelings aren't merely metaphysical experiences but five actual little figurines living inside her brain. This anthropomorphic quintet, composed of Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling), are constantly contending for control of rattled Riley's moods as she navigates her way around a new house, city and school.
That struggle is the subject of Inside Out, the best animated offering from the talented team at Pixar since the equally-affective balloon adventure Up (2009). Don't allow the the awkward-sounding premise revolving around a melancholy kid who's a bit of a head case turn you off, as the material is handled delicately enough to be appropriate for a child of any age.
A touching tale illustrating how a dramatic life change might, temporarily at least, exact a terrible toll on a frail human psyche.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG for action and mature themes
Running time: 94 minutes
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Blu-ray/DVD
Combo Pack Extras: Lava; Riley's First Date; audio commentary with
the director, co-director and producer; Paths to Pixar: The Women of
Inside Out; Mixed Emotions; Story or the Story; Mapping the Mind; Our
Dads the Filmmakers; Into the Unknown: The Sound of Inside Out; The
Misunderstood Art of Animation Film Editing; deleted scenes with
intros and outros; Mind Candy; Selected Score; Remember trailer,
Japan trailer; and Experience trailer.
To see a trailer for Inside Out, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLOYXKmIkw
To order
the Inside Out Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack, visit:
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Best of Enemies (DVD REVIEW)
Best of Enemies
DVD Review
by Kam Williams
DVD Features Historic Vidal-Buckley Debates
Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. were among the most brilliant and articulate minds of their generation. The pair were also polar opposites, politically, which made the idea of hiring them to appear in a series of televised debates an absolute stroke of genius.
This was the brainchild of ABC-TV back in 1968, at a time when the network's news department lagged far behind both CBS and NBC in the ratings. The plan was to have the liberal Vidal and conservative Buckley square-off during its coverage of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions being staged that summer in Chicago and Miami Beach, respectively.
Arranging the showdown proved to be easier said than done, since the men not only hated each other politically, but personally as well. After all, Buckley saw himself as the defender of old-fashioned values and the status quo in the face of the Sixties' counter-cultural revolution demanding equal rights for blacks, gays, women and other oppressed groups.
As expected, sparks flew during the spirited tete-a-tetes marked as much by effete Buckley's arcane syntax as by firebrand Vidal iconoclastic comments. However, because neither participant wanted to lose, what began as sophisticated intellectual analysis eventually degenerated into an exchange of insults.
When Vidal referred to Buckley as a “crypto-Nazi,” he lost his composure and called his opponent a “queer.” A defamation lawsuit and counter-suit ensued, and the litigation would drag on for years.
Co-directed by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville, Best of Enemies is a fascinating documentary which revisits a seminal moment in the history of TV. For, the explosive Vidal-Buckley arguments over hot-button topics ranging from religion to sexuality served to usher in a new era in terms of discourse over the airwaves.
Besides archival footage of the debates, the conventions and anti-war demonstrations raging right outside, the film features commentary by luminaries like Frank Rich, John McWhorter and the late Christopher Hitchens. A must-see account of the birth of passionate, television punditry.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, nudity and profanity
Running time: 89 minutes
Distributor: Magnolia Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Interview with directors Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville; over one hour of bonus interviews with commentators; and the theatrical trailer.
To see a trailer for Best of Enemies, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzgfQvB2dvA
DVD Features Historic Vidal-Buckley Debates
Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. were among the most brilliant and articulate minds of their generation. The pair were also polar opposites, politically, which made the idea of hiring them to appear in a series of televised debates an absolute stroke of genius.
This was the brainchild of ABC-TV back in 1968, at a time when the network's news department lagged far behind both CBS and NBC in the ratings. The plan was to have the liberal Vidal and conservative Buckley square-off during its coverage of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions being staged that summer in Chicago and Miami Beach, respectively.
Arranging the showdown proved to be easier said than done, since the men not only hated each other politically, but personally as well. After all, Buckley saw himself as the defender of old-fashioned values and the status quo in the face of the Sixties' counter-cultural revolution demanding equal rights for blacks, gays, women and other oppressed groups.
As expected, sparks flew during the spirited tete-a-tetes marked as much by effete Buckley's arcane syntax as by firebrand Vidal iconoclastic comments. However, because neither participant wanted to lose, what began as sophisticated intellectual analysis eventually degenerated into an exchange of insults.
When Vidal referred to Buckley as a “crypto-Nazi,” he lost his composure and called his opponent a “queer.” A defamation lawsuit and counter-suit ensued, and the litigation would drag on for years.
Co-directed by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville, Best of Enemies is a fascinating documentary which revisits a seminal moment in the history of TV. For, the explosive Vidal-Buckley arguments over hot-button topics ranging from religion to sexuality served to usher in a new era in terms of discourse over the airwaves.
Besides archival footage of the debates, the conventions and anti-war demonstrations raging right outside, the film features commentary by luminaries like Frank Rich, John McWhorter and the late Christopher Hitchens. A must-see account of the birth of passionate, television punditry.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, nudity and profanity
Running time: 89 minutes
Distributor: Magnolia Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Interview with directors Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville; over one hour of bonus interviews with commentators; and the theatrical trailer.
To see a trailer for Best of Enemies, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzgfQvB2dvA
To order
a copy of Best of Enemies on DVD, visit:
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Vacation (DVD REVIEW)
Vacation
DVD Review by Kam Williams
Revival of Irreverent Road Trip Franchise Released on Home Video
National Lampoon's Vacation is an enduring film franchise launched back in 1978 by the late John Hughes, the brains behind such Chicago-centric screen classics as Ferris Bueller's Day Off; Trains, Planes & Automobiles; Home Alone; Uncle Buck; and Baby's Day Out, to name a few. The original Vacation adventure featured the Griswold family's very eventful road trip from the Windy City to L.A.
This nostalgic seventh installment not only resurrects Walley World amusement park as its destination point, but has Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo reprising their iconic roles as Clark and Ellen Griswold, respectively. However, they couple's been reduced to a cameo appearance in favor of a plot revolving around their son Rusty's (Ed Helms) nuclear family.
At the point of departure, we find Rusty sorely in need of a break from the rat race as an overworked pilot for a budget airline carrier. He plans to both spice up his stale marriage and spend some quality time with his sons during the drive across the country. Of course, the highway gods have other ideas in mind, as the perils laying in wait range from robbery to raw sewage.
My biggest problem with this relatively-salacious episode rests in its obsession with sexuality, and often in offensive fashion. For example, when younger son Kevin (Steele Stebbins) asks, “Dad, what's a pedophile?” he is inappropriately informed that “It's when a man and a boy love each other very much.” It doesn't help that the kid subsequently encounters a “glory hole” in a rest stop bathroom ostensibly cruised by gay men.
There is also a homophobic tone cast over the entire picture, coming courtesy of Kevin's relentless bullying of his effeminate big brother, James (Skyler Gisondo). The mean-spirited mistreatment includes teasing his sibling about having a vagina and choking him with a plastic bag. Even the boy's father piles on periodically, like when he suggests that Kevin scratches like a girl when he fights instead of punching. Rusty's wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) isn't much of a role model either, between over-imbibing in a “Chug Run” during a pit stop and 'fessing up about having developed a bad reputation in college for showing her breasts to anybody who asked.
From full-frontal male nudity to an F-word laced theme song, Vacation is a cringe-inducing disappointment that bears little resemblance to the original it so desperately endeavors to pay homage to.
Fair (1 star)
Rated R for brief male frontal nudity, sexuality, crude humor, mature themes and pervasive profanity
Running time: 99 minutes
To see a trailer for Vacation,
visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kleG7XCqOb4
DVD Review by Kam Williams
Revival of Irreverent Road Trip Franchise Released on Home Video
National Lampoon's Vacation is an enduring film franchise launched back in 1978 by the late John Hughes, the brains behind such Chicago-centric screen classics as Ferris Bueller's Day Off; Trains, Planes & Automobiles; Home Alone; Uncle Buck; and Baby's Day Out, to name a few. The original Vacation adventure featured the Griswold family's very eventful road trip from the Windy City to L.A.
This nostalgic seventh installment not only resurrects Walley World amusement park as its destination point, but has Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo reprising their iconic roles as Clark and Ellen Griswold, respectively. However, they couple's been reduced to a cameo appearance in favor of a plot revolving around their son Rusty's (Ed Helms) nuclear family.
At the point of departure, we find Rusty sorely in need of a break from the rat race as an overworked pilot for a budget airline carrier. He plans to both spice up his stale marriage and spend some quality time with his sons during the drive across the country. Of course, the highway gods have other ideas in mind, as the perils laying in wait range from robbery to raw sewage.
My biggest problem with this relatively-salacious episode rests in its obsession with sexuality, and often in offensive fashion. For example, when younger son Kevin (Steele Stebbins) asks, “Dad, what's a pedophile?” he is inappropriately informed that “It's when a man and a boy love each other very much.” It doesn't help that the kid subsequently encounters a “glory hole” in a rest stop bathroom ostensibly cruised by gay men.
There is also a homophobic tone cast over the entire picture, coming courtesy of Kevin's relentless bullying of his effeminate big brother, James (Skyler Gisondo). The mean-spirited mistreatment includes teasing his sibling about having a vagina and choking him with a plastic bag. Even the boy's father piles on periodically, like when he suggests that Kevin scratches like a girl when he fights instead of punching. Rusty's wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) isn't much of a role model either, between over-imbibing in a “Chug Run” during a pit stop and 'fessing up about having developed a bad reputation in college for showing her breasts to anybody who asked.
From full-frontal male nudity to an F-word laced theme song, Vacation is a cringe-inducing disappointment that bears little resemblance to the original it so desperately endeavors to pay homage to.
Fair (1 star)
Rated R for brief male frontal nudity, sexuality, crude humor, mature themes and pervasive profanity
Running time: 99 minutes
Distributor:
Warner Home Entertainment Group
Blu-ray/DVD
Combo Pack Extras: Return to Walley World; The Griswold Odyssey;
Georgia; gag reel; and deleted scenes.
To order
a copy of the Vacation Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack, visit:
Kam's Movie Kapsules for 11-6-15
OPENING
THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a
Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening November 6, 2015
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Brooklyn (PG-13 for a sex scene and
brief profanity) Romance drama, set in the Fifties, revolving around
a homesick immigrant to the U.S. (Saoirse Ronan) who finds herself
torn between a suitor (Emory Cohen) she meets in New York and another
(Domnhall Gleason) she left behind in Ireland. With Julie Walters,
Jim Broadbent and Michael Zegen.
The Outskirts (PG-13 for profanity,
crude humor, suggestive content and teen partying) Revenge comedy
about a couple of ostracized nerds (Victoria Justice and Eden Sher)
who join forces with other geeks to topple the clique of popular
classmates making high school miserable. Supporting cast includes
Peyton List, Ashley Rickards, Katie Chang and Ted McGinley.
The Peanuts Movie (G) Charlie Brown
(Noah Schnapp), Lucy (Hadley Belle Miller), Linus (Alexander Garfin)
and company make their big screen debut in this adaptation of the
Charles Schulz classic comic strip. Adventure finds Charlie pining
for the object of his affection (Francesca Capaldi) while his pet
pooch Snoopy (Bill Melendez) takes to the skies in a biplane for a
dogfight with his nemesis the Red Baron. Voice cast includes Rebecca
Bloom, Mar Mar and Venus Schultheis.
Spectre (PG-13 for violence,
sensuality, profanity, intense action and disturbing images) Daniel
Craig is back as James Bond for another globetrotting adventure which
finds 007 going rogue to infiltrate a sinister organization. With
Monica Bellucci, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris.
Spotlight (R for profanity, sexual
references and mature themes) Screen adaptation of the Boston Globe's
Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of the Catholic Church's
cover-up of child molestation by clergy members. Ensemble cast
includes Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber
and Stanley Tucci.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Barista (Unrated) Coffee documentary
chronicling the competition among entrants in the National Barista
Championship to brew the best cup of java.
In Jackson Heights (Unrated) Melting
pot documentary about an ethnically-diverse neighborhood in Queens,
New York where 167 languages are spoken. (In English, Spanish, Arabic
and Hindi with subtitles)
Miss You Already (PG-13 for
sexuality, profanity and mature themes) Bittersweet dramedy about a
couple of lifelong BFFS whose relationship becomes strained when one
(Drew Barrymore) starts a family around the same time that the other
(Toni Collette) is diagnosed with breast cancer. With Dominic Cooper,
Paddy Considine and Tyson Ritter.
My Nazi Legacy (Unrated) Truth and
reconciliation documentary about a descendant of Holocaust survivors'
visit to concentration camps in the company of two sons of Nazi war
criminals.
Palio (Unrated) Sport of kings
documentary about the oldest horse race in the world which is staged
twice a year in the city of Siena. (In Italian with subtitles)
Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict
(Unrated) Prestige biopic about an iconoclastic socialite with
impeccable taste who amassed one of the most impressive collections
of 20th Century art.
Sembene! (Unrated) Reverential
documentary about Ousmane Sembene (1923-2007), the Senegalese
filmmaker/writer/freedom fighter who used storytelling as his weapon.
Theeb (Unrated) Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat
plays the title character in this coming-of-age saga about a young
Bedouin boy who escorts a mysterious British officer on a secret
mission (Jack Fox) across the Arabian desert during World War I.
Featuring Hussein Salameh Al-Sweilhiyeen and Hassan Mutlag
Al-Maraiyeh. (In Arabic with subtitles)
Trumbo (R for profanity and sexual
references) Historical drama, set in the late Forties, recounting the
blacklisting of Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston)
and some colleagues after being branded as Communists because of
their progressive political views. With Diane Lane, Elle Fanning,
John Goodman and Helen Mirren.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Beverly Johnson (INTERVIEW)
Beverly
Johnson
“The
Face That Changed It All” Interview
with
Kam Williams
From
Career to Cosby, Beverly Bares It All!
Beverly
Johnson rose to fame in August of 1974 when she made history as the
first African-American to grace on the cover of Vogue magazine. The
multi-talented supermodel/actress/businesswoman/author has enjoyed an
enduring career which has included writing a several books and
starring in her own reality-TV series, "Beverly's Full House."
Recently,
she has bravely stepped forward as the highest-profile victim to
accuse Bill Cosby of drugging and assaulting her. Here, she talks
about that incident as well as her new autobiography, “The Face
That Changed It All.”
Kam
Williams: Hi
Beverly, thanks for another interview.
Beverly
Johnson:
Hi,
Kam. Thanks for reviewing the book and for including a picture of me
and my mother. I appreciate that. I really do. You know show she has
Alzheimer's. [Wipes away tears]
KW:
No, I
didn't. I'm sorry to hear that.
What
interested you in writing your autobiography?
BJ:
I'm not
the type of girl who cries a lot, but I'm crying right now because I
don't know whether I'd written it, if my mother hadn't developed
Alzheimer's. There are many things in the book that I know would've
caused her a lot of pain, and I wouldn't want to do that to her. When
you think about trying to reduce a life of 60 years to 250 pages,
it's a little overwhelming.
KW:
How did
you go about deciding what to include?
BJ:
Basically,
what I did was break it up into childhood, Seventies and Eighties. I
kinda bit off half of it. It was also important to me as an
African-American to write this because we've had a very painful
history, and haven't passed our stories down, perhaps out of shame. I
know that in growing I would grab onto any little anecdote my mother
or grandmother might leak out by accident. I believe that we should
tell our stories, because they're important for the future
generations. So, I want to make sure I leave my story, even though it
isn't all pleasant. I don't want anyone to pass away with their song
still inside them. That's really why I decided to write my memoirs.
KW:
Marcia Evans says: I love
sistah Beverly Johnson! I am wondering if you have been blessed with
another grandchild by your daughter, Anansa?
BJ:
Yes, I
have three grandchildren: 4 year-old Ava; 2 year-old David, and a 1
year-old. And I have the son I always wanted in my son-in-law, David
Patterson. They're
the most remarkable parents I've ever known. I always tell my
daughter that she's such a better mother than I was. It's incredible
how involved they are with their kids on a day-in, day-out basis.
KW:
She says: I still frequently
refer to your amazing first book "True Beauty" about the
natural health regimen you lived by. I would love to see you do
another reality series but with a different format than the one you
had on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Perhaps you could do a beauty talk
show enlightening younger folks about class and beauty.
BJ:
Gee,
that's very kind of you, Marcia, although "True Beauty" was
actually my second book. My first was "Beverly Johnson's Guide
to a Life of Health and Beauty." Each of them was a labor of
love. They were both ahead of their time, and it's so great to hear
that people still turn to them as references. I don't know about a
talk show, but we are working on some other TV ideas.
KW:
Larry Greenberg asks: How much
harder is it to achieve the American Dream now than it was when you
ascended to stardom?
BJ:
What a
great question! I was 18 years-old back then. In the Seventies, there
were many more black models than there are today, and there were a
slew of successful black designers, makeup artists and hairdressers.
There were even black modeling agencies which, by the way, turned me
down. Nevertheless, there were so many more opportunities for
African-Americans in this realm, the fashion world, back then than
there are now. I don't know if that's because we have a closed
society in the fashion bubble, while the rest of the world has laws
mandating diversity and inclusion that are making a difference in
Fortune 500 companies.
KW:
Teresa Emerson says: Hi
Beverly, I'm anxious to read your autobiography! Were you aware of, or
had you heard about, Cosby's reputation at all before all this
happened? If so, had you just dismissed it as rumors, never thinking
he would do anything to you.
BJ:
No,
honey, I'm a very smart girl. If somebody warns me, "Don't go
around that corner because there's a giant sinkhole you could fall
into," then I'm going to go in the other direction." That's
just how I m by nature. I'd be like, "Thanks for pulling my
coattail." That is what is so astounding, the secrecy that was
maintained not only by the people in his circle but by the press and
the police. It speaks volumes about the silence in society when it
comes to violence against women in general. I don't see it as just a
Cosby issue, but as a societal one that he has become the lightning
rod for.
KW:
Marilyn
Marshall asks: Have
you forgiven Bill Cosby for what he did? Why or why not?
BJ:
Oh,
dear! Oh, yes! I'm not angry, I'm not bitter, I don't want anything,
and I forgive him.
KW:
Felicia
Haney asks: Did
you worry whether going public about the Cosby episode might
overshadow your many accomplishments, meaning, leave you remembered
for that instead of as the first black face to grace Vogue magazine?
BJ:
I'll
tell you this much. Whenever I discuss my legacy with my daughter, I
always say, "I just want one school named after me. One school.
I never wanted part of it to be that I was once drugged by Bill
Cosby. I don't think anybody would want that. For me, going public
all came down to my conscience and my principles. I had to go where
they led me.
KW:
David
Roth notes that you were initially
drawn to a career in law due to the huge impact the Civil Rights
movement had on your life. But you instead made your mark as the
first black cover model of American Vogue in 1974. Law and modeling
strike me as aspirations with very little in common. One is rooted in
the tangible, socially revolutionary drive for equal justice for all,
and the other in a personally rewarding accomplishment based on a
narrow, subjective judgment, namely, who does the fashion world
consider beautiful enough for their magazine covers and catwalks, a
standard that is impossible to extrapolate to the larger population
of minority women. So, what turned you from the grand aspiration of
broad-based cultural change to the narrower aspiration of breaking
down a racial barrier in a particular industry?
BJ:
That's
another great question. The answer is money. My father was making $75
a week as a steel laborer. I was floored to learn that a model made
$75 an hour for standing there with her hand on her hips. For me, it
was a no-brainer, since it afforded me an opportunity to help my
family. I had always envisioned finishing school. But I ended up the
only one in my family who didn't finish college. Fate just has a way
of intervening and showing you a viable alternative. And as far as
being that person who appeared on that Vogue cover at that particular
moment, I had nothing to do with it. When I'm reflecting and really
connected to my higher power, I think it would have been a crime to
turn my nose up at something that I really felt was a gift. I believe
God gives each of us certain gifts, and you should take advantage of
those gifts.
KW:
Children's book author Irene Smalls asks: Out
of your many achievements, which are you most proud of?
BJ:
Well, of course, motherhood. That was a defining moment in my
life. You can't get any closer to God than by giving birth to another
human being. After that, the Vogue cover in 1974 because of what that
meant to so many people around the world. That made me who I am
today.
KW:
Irene also says: You did not let the Bill
Cosby incident cripple you? How did you heal from it?
BJ:
I've always done a lot of work on myself whether in the way of
therapy, a 12-Step program or self-help books. We have so many
options to better ourselves and our mental health. I'm the type of
person who wants to take advantage of those services, and I think I
did. I also healed with the help of my spiritual connection to a
higher power.
KW:
Irene's last question is: What are your
thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement?
BJ:
I'm all for it. I feel that it's very important because it's a
conversation that's taken 400 years to come to the forefront. So, we
can't ignore the powerful message that black lives do matter.
KW:
AALBC.com
founder Troy Johnson asks: What was the last book you read?
BJ:
I just
read "Model Woman," Eileen Ford's biography. She was an
agent of mine.
and
"The Self-Made Billionaire Effect" which was a powerful
read.
I
like to read a lot, about four books at a time. Usually, it's a
biography, a history book, a self-help book, and something a friend
suggests.
KW:
Troy also asks: Where are your “Johnson”
people from? Mine are from Arkansas originally.
BJ:
That's an interesting question. My father and grandfather came
from the north, from Canada. .
KW:
Was
there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?
BJ:
Yes, very much so. My mother
dressed us up to go to Sunday school, although my father was a little
skeptical and would make us think. He'd say things like, "Now,
don't put all your money in the collection box."
KW:
The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who
you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?
BJ:
I'm an introvert.
KW:
What
was your very first job?
BJ:
I
worked at the YMCA has a swim instructor.
KW:
Who
loved you unconditionally during your formative years?
BJ:
I My
whole family. My parents and my siblings.
KW:
The
Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?
BJ:
A great
golf score.
KW:
The
“Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan’s question: What’s
your dream locale in Los Angeles to live?
BJ:
I'm already living in my dream location in the desert.
KW:
The Anthony Mackie question: Is
there
anything that you promised yourself you’d do if you became famous,
that you still haven’t done yet?
BJ:
Yes,
found a scholarship to help kids go to college. My whole thing is
education.
KW:
Lastly,
what’s in your wallet?
BJ:
A JP
Morgan Chase card.
KW:
Thanks
again for the time, Beverly, and best of luck with the book.
BJ:
Thanks
so much, Kam.
To
order a copy of The Face That Changed It All, visit:
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Our Brand Is Crisis (FILM REVIEW)
Our Brand Is Crisis
Film Review by Kam Williams
American Media Consultants Manipulate Bolivian Political Campaign in Dirty Tricks Dramedy
In 2002, Gonzalo "Goni" Sanchez de Lozada, a candidate for the presidency of Bolivia, found himself floundering in the polls with just a few months to go to election day. Since the desperate multimillionaire had been raised in the United States, he was well aware of how a political consulting firm was capable of influencing the outcome of an election.
So, he retained the services of James Carville, who had successfully orchestrated Bill Clinton's presidential bid in 1992. And soon, the flamboyant spin doctor descended upon Bolivia with a team of seasoned, media-savvy strategists.
Still, repositioning Goni would be no mean feat, given the fact that he was an unpopular ex-president who'd already been exposed as a pro-American, pro-globalization puppet controlled by powerful corporate interests. Carville and company's only hope rested in employing smear tactics against the two favorites in the race, one, a socialist, the other, a centrist.
Ultimately, the carpetbaggers did prevail, and that incredible feat was chronicled by Our Brand Is Crisis (2005), a dispiriting documentary illustrating just how easy it is for money to corrupt the democratic process with the help of operatives parachuted in from Madison Avenue. The picture also questioned the wisdom of fixing foreign elections in this fashion, since very bloody, civil unrest subsequently arose in Bolivia, anyway, which forced Goni to flee the country for asylum in the U.S. a year into his administration.
Directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express), Our Brand Is Crisis 2.0 serves up a relatively-sanitized version of the aforementioned events. Names have been changed and characters have been conflated and added to make the Yankee intervention appear almost benign.
Here, courtesy of revisionist history, the socialist (Louis Arcella) and capitalist (Joaquim de Almeida) candidates both rely on assistance from American PR firms led by Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jane Bodine (Sandra Bullock), respectively. The entertaining adventure pits a flirtatious and crafty mercenary versus an idealistic, ex-alcoholic in search of redemption in an escalating battle of wits marked by deception and dirty tricks.
Instead of making a pure political thriller, director Green has opted to undercut the tension with moments of levity and sexual innuendo. The upshot is that the movie works very well as formulaic Hollywood fare, so long as you don't enter the theater anticipating an experience as sophisticated as the thought-provoking documentary which inspired it.
A light-hearted primer in how to mount a smear campaign and thereby manipulate a banana republic to vote against its own self-interest.
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for profanity and sexual references
In English and Spanish with subtitles
Running time: 108 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures
Film Review by Kam Williams
American Media Consultants Manipulate Bolivian Political Campaign in Dirty Tricks Dramedy
In 2002, Gonzalo "Goni" Sanchez de Lozada, a candidate for the presidency of Bolivia, found himself floundering in the polls with just a few months to go to election day. Since the desperate multimillionaire had been raised in the United States, he was well aware of how a political consulting firm was capable of influencing the outcome of an election.
So, he retained the services of James Carville, who had successfully orchestrated Bill Clinton's presidential bid in 1992. And soon, the flamboyant spin doctor descended upon Bolivia with a team of seasoned, media-savvy strategists.
Still, repositioning Goni would be no mean feat, given the fact that he was an unpopular ex-president who'd already been exposed as a pro-American, pro-globalization puppet controlled by powerful corporate interests. Carville and company's only hope rested in employing smear tactics against the two favorites in the race, one, a socialist, the other, a centrist.
Ultimately, the carpetbaggers did prevail, and that incredible feat was chronicled by Our Brand Is Crisis (2005), a dispiriting documentary illustrating just how easy it is for money to corrupt the democratic process with the help of operatives parachuted in from Madison Avenue. The picture also questioned the wisdom of fixing foreign elections in this fashion, since very bloody, civil unrest subsequently arose in Bolivia, anyway, which forced Goni to flee the country for asylum in the U.S. a year into his administration.
Directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express), Our Brand Is Crisis 2.0 serves up a relatively-sanitized version of the aforementioned events. Names have been changed and characters have been conflated and added to make the Yankee intervention appear almost benign.
Here, courtesy of revisionist history, the socialist (Louis Arcella) and capitalist (Joaquim de Almeida) candidates both rely on assistance from American PR firms led by Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jane Bodine (Sandra Bullock), respectively. The entertaining adventure pits a flirtatious and crafty mercenary versus an idealistic, ex-alcoholic in search of redemption in an escalating battle of wits marked by deception and dirty tricks.
Instead of making a pure political thriller, director Green has opted to undercut the tension with moments of levity and sexual innuendo. The upshot is that the movie works very well as formulaic Hollywood fare, so long as you don't enter the theater anticipating an experience as sophisticated as the thought-provoking documentary which inspired it.
A light-hearted primer in how to mount a smear campaign and thereby manipulate a banana republic to vote against its own self-interest.
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for profanity and sexual references
In English and Spanish with subtitles
Running time: 108 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Top Ten DVD Releases for 10-27-15
This
Week’s DVD Releases
by
Kam Williams
Top
Ten DVD List for October 27, 2015
Southpaw
Back
to the Future: 30th Anniversary Trilogy
Rebels
of the Neon God
A
Borrowed Identity
The
Great American Dream Machine
Miss
Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Series Three
The
Horror Network
Army
of Darkness
Barbie
& Her Sisters in The Great Puppy Adventure
A
Little Christmas Business
Honorable
Mention
The
Fifth Element Cinema Series
Paper
Towns
The
Regular Show: The Movie
Max
Bloody
Knuckles
Pixels