Monday, October 31, 2016

Loving


 
Film Review by Kam Williams

Poignant Period Piece Recounts the Forbidden Romance That Led to Landmark Supreme Court Decision



Mildred Jeter (Ruth Negga) and Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) committed a crime just by falling in love when they were in the bloom of youth back in 1958. That's because she was black and he was white, and they were living in Virginia, one of the many Southern states with anti-miscegnation laws still on the books forbidding cohabitation, marriage, procreation or even sexual relations across racial lines. 
 
Nevertheless, Richard was so smitten he proposed and, after Mildred accepted, he purchased a vacant plot of land where he promised to build their dream home. However, when it came to time to wed, they had to travel north to Washington, DC, a city where they could secure a marriage license. 
 
Upon returning to their tiny hometown of Central Point, they were promptly arrested during a nighttime raid staged by policemen tipped off about the recent nuptials. They charged the couple with violating section 20-58 of Virginia's Racial Integrity Act, a felony punishable with up to five years in prison. 
 
The Lovings were ultimately convicted, but fled to the District of Columbia rather than serve their sentences, especially since Mildred was expecting their first child by then. What a tragedy it was for them not only to be fugitives of justice, but to be forced to start their family in a strange big city, when they already had a place to live, if it weren't for state-sanctioned racial intolerance. 
 
Five years later, their plight came to the attention of Bernie Cohen (Nick Kroll) and Phil Hirshkop (Jon Bass) attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The lawyers talked Mildred and Richard into lending their names as plaintiffs in a suit challenging the Constitutionality of Virginia's longstanding statute prohibiting interracial marriage. 
 
The beleaguered couple agreed, and the appellate process worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court which agreed to hear the case. "Tell the judge I love my wife," Richard implored the ACLU legal team preparing the oral argument. 
 
On June 12, 1967, the Court announced that it had arrived at a unanimous decision written by Chief Justice Earl Warren. He declared that Virginia had violated the Lovings' rights to both Equal Protection and Due Process as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. 
 
Directed by Jeff Nichols (Mud), Loving carefully chronicles the life and times of an unassuming couple reluctantly thrust into the national limelight by a landmark legal case. The production features endearing performances by leads Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton who generate a quiet, yet convincing screen chemistry portraying Mildred and Richard as modest working-class heroes. 
 
A poignant period piece about a pair of practically-saintly role models well-deserving of their iconic status in the annals of American jurisprudence.



Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for mature themes and ethnic slurs
Running time: 123 minutes
Studio: Big Beach Films
Distributor: Focus Features

To see a trailer for Loving, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRXuCY7tRgk

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Hacksaw Ridge



Film Review by Kam Williams


World War II Biopic Chronicles Battlefield Exploits of Heroic Army Medic



Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains where he was raised as a Seventh-day Adventist. Devoutly religious, he followed his faith's literal interpretation of the 10 Commandments, including the 5th's dictate that "Thou shalt not kill." So, when he rushed to enlisted in the Army right after the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, he did so as a Conscientious Objector.

But because he was unwilling to touch, let alone carry a weapon, Desmond was teased mercilessly by other members of his platoon. In fact, he was not only beaten to a pulp by a bully (Luke Bracey), but court-martialed for failing to complete the weapons part of basic training.

However, the military tribunal ruled in Desmond's favor after his World War I veteran father (Hugo Weaving) showed up to testify on his behalf. Still, his fellow G.I.s remained reluctant to embrace a comrade they suspected to be a coward, since they had just been taught by hard-nosed Sergeant Howell (Vince Vaughn) that a unit was no stronger than its weakest link.

Nevertheless, Desmond was commissioned as a medic with the 307th Infantry with whom he would more than prove his mettle on the island of Okinawa in the bloodiest battle of World War II. For, he exhibited extraordinary courage over the course of a month spent dodging bullets and bombs to attend to the wounded during the siege of Hacksaw Ridge.

Desmond would save the lives of 75 grateful soldiers, and his selfless exploits would be appreciated by both grateful buddies and the Pentagon. And the heroic medic eventually became the first Conscientious Objector to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

All of the above is recounted in riveting fashion in Hacksaw Ridge, a gripping biopic directed by Mel Gibson. Fair warning: the film features very graphic battlefield tableaux reminiscent of the gory D-Day reenactments found in Saving Private Ryan (1998).

When not devoting its attention to recreating gruesome war scenes, the flashback flick focuses on Desmond's formative years , as well as to his whirlwind romance with Dorothy Schutte (Teresa Palmer), the pretty nurse he fell in love with at first sight and married shortly before shipping out for the Pacific Theater of Operations. The film fittingly brings down the curtain with archival newsreels and stills of the real-life Desmond and Dorothy to ensure there won't be a dry eye in the house following the closing credits.

A moving portrait of an unorthodox war hero who contributed considerably to the effort without ever wielding a weapon against the enemy.


Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for graphic violence, gruesome images and ethnic slurs
Running time: 131 minutes
Distributor: Summit Entertainment


To see a trailer for Hacksaw Ridge, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2-1hz1juBI

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Top Ten DVD List for November 1, 2016

by Kam Williams


This Week’s DVD Releases

Star Trek Beyond

Gleason

Imperium

Hiroshima: The Complete Mini-Series Event

Hell on Wheels: The Complete Series

Pearl Harbor: 75th Anniversary [Commemorative Documentary Series]


Bad Moms

Bob Hope: Hope for the Holidays
 

Outlander: Season Two

The Kind Words


Honorable Mention

The Indian Wars: A Change of Worlds [7-Part Documentary Series]

Anthropoid

NASA: A Journey through Space [Documentary Series]

Care Bear & Cousins: Take Heart

Shaun the Sheep: We Wish Ewe a Merry Christmas

Paw Patrol: Pups Save Christmas

Judge Archer

My Little Pony: Legend of Everfree


Power Rangers: Dino Charge Hero

Shopkins Chef Club

Hanky Panky / Another You [Double Feature]

Papa: Hemingway in Cuba

The Sea of Trees

Masterpiece: The Durrells in Corfu

Forces of Nature

America by the Numbers with Maria Hinojosa

Building Star Trek

Craft in America: Teachers



Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Kam's Kapsules for Movies Opening 11-4-16

 
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams

OPENING THIS WEEK


BIG BUDGET FILMS

Doctor Strange (PG-13 for action, crashes and pervasive violence) Benedict Cumberbatch plays the Marvel Comics character in this origins tale revolving around a neurosurgeon who morphs into a superhero in the wake of a tragic car accident. Ensemble cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams and Benjamin Bratt.

Loving (PG-13 for mature themes) Reverential biopic recounting the legal and real-life struggles of the Virginia couple (Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton) who mounted the historic court battle leading to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision on interracial marriage. With Will Dalton, Dean Mumford and Terri Abney.

Hacksaw Ridge (R for graphic violence, gruesome images and ethnic slurs) World War II docudrama recounting the battlefield heroics of Army Medic Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) who saved 75 fellow G.I.'s lives during the fight for Okinawa. With Vince Vaughn, Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer, Sam Worthington and Rachel Griffiths.

Trolls (PG for mild rude humor) Animated musical adventure about the alliance reluctantly forged by an optimist (Anna Kendrick) and a pessimist (Justin Timberlake) to defend their village from a race of ravenous creatures who like to feast on tiny trolls. Voice cast includes Zooey Deschanel, Jeffrey Tambor, Russell Brand and Gwen Stefani.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

All Governments Lie (Unrated) Prestige biopic recounting intrepid investigative journalist I.F. Stone's (1907-1989) career dedicated to uncovering political corruption and coverups.

Dog Eat Dog (Unrated) Adaptation of the Edward Bunker best seller of the same name about a trio of ex-cons (Willem Dafoe, Nicolas Cage and Christopher Matthew Cook) hired by a mob boss (Paul Schrader) to kidnap his rival's baby. With Omar J. Dorsey, Louisa Krause and Melissa Bolona.

The Eagle Huntress (G) Coming-of-age biopic chronicling the epic quest of 13 year-old Aisholpan, hailing from a tribe of Mongolian nomads, to become the first female in her family in a dozen generations to earn the esteemed status of Eagle Hunter. (In Kazakh with subtitles)

Ivory: A Crime Story (Unrated) Endangered species expose' examining the cause and consequences of the worldwide demand for ivory which has left the elephant on the brink of extermination.

My Dead Boyfriend (R for profanity and sexuality) Macabre comedy about a struggling writer (Heather Graham) who only uncovers the truth about her couch potato beau (Rich Graf) after he passes away while sitting in front of the TV. With Griffin Dunne, John Corbett and Gina Gershon.

Peter and the Farm (Unrated) Warts-and-all biopic about Peter Dunning who manages to maintain his 187-acre Vermont farm on his own despite depression, alcoholism and having been abandoned by three wives and four children.

The Prison in Twelve Landscapes (Unrated) Criminal justice system documentary showcasing a dozen correctional facilities doing great work rehabilitating inmates.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Inferno

 
Film Review by Kam Williams


Hanks and Howard Collaborate on Another Adaptation of a Dan Brown Best Seller
Dan Brown is the author of a quartet of best-selling mysteries featuring Harvard Professor Robert Langdon as the protagonist. The phenomenally-popular novels have sold over 100 million copies and counting, with the fifth in the series slated to be released in the fall of 2017.

Screen versions of the first two Robert Langdon books, The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels & Demons (2009), netted over a billion dollars at the box office. So, it's no surprise that another adaptation might be in order.

Inferno reunites director Ron Howard with Tom Hanks who reprises his lead role as a genius with an uncanny knack for deciphering ancient symbols and religious iconography. And Howard enlisted the assistance of a stellar support cast which includes Ben Foster, Felicity Jones, Irrfan Khan and Omar Sy.

Inferno is easily the most successful of the offerings, as it reins in Langdon's earlier tendency to overindulgence in inscrutable jargon. This go round, the intellectual badinage has been minimized to make way for a flurry of visually-captivating action sequences.

Another plus is the easy to follow plotline. The point of departure is a hospital in Florence, Italy which is where we find Langdon suffering from amnesia yet lucky to be alive given how a bullet to the head only grazed his scalp. 
 
Before we even have a chance to blink, a gun-toting assassin (Ana Ularu) arrives to finish the job. Fortunately, Langdon's gorgeous doctor, Sienna Brooks (Jones), not only helps him escape on the spot, but is prepared to abandon her practice to go on the run with her traumatized patient. 
 
As it turns out, the hit woman was part of a much larger conspiracy. For, she was merely doing the bidding of Bertrand Zobrist (Foster), an evil billionaire on the verge of hatching a disturbing solution for the world's overpopulation problem. Essentially, the madman's plan is to unleash a lethal virus designed to kill half the people on the planet in less than a week. 
 
That sets the stage for Langdon and Sienna's dizzying race against time to unearth a cornucopia of clues enabling them to track down and disarm the diabolical Zobrist. That in a nutshell is the sum and substance of Inferno, except for a humdinger of a twist it would be unfair to spoil. 
 
Easily, the most accessible, engaging, entertaining and cinematic adaptation of a Dan Brown thriller yet!



Very Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for action, violence, profanity, disturbing images, mature themes and brief sensuality
In English, French and Italian with subtitles
Running time: 126 minutes
Distributor: Sony Pictures


To see a trailer for Inferno, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH2BD49sEZI 

Sunday, October 23, 2016

New Life


 
Film Review by Kam Williams


Childhood Sweethearts Face Adversity in Bittersweet Tale of Undying Love



When he was only seven years-old, Ben (Jonathan Patrick Moore) moved with his family to the U.S. from Great Britain. What the young immigrant liked best about his new home was his cute next-door neighbor, Ava (Erin Bethea), an adorable, little girl exactly his age. 
 
The two kids immediately forged a friendship that not only endured through childhood but blossomed into romance once they hit puberty. It even survived the separation which resulted when Ava went away to college while her beau stuck around town, dividing his time between driving a limo and interning at his father's architectural firm. 
 
Eventually, Ben proposed and the lovebirds married, just like everybody who knew them expected. They were eager to start a family, and became elated to learn that Ava was expecting. Unfortunately, she would subsequently suffer a miscarriage caused by a suspected tumor. 
 
Medical tests ordered by her doctor (Terry O'Quinn) confirm the presence of a malignancy. Consequently, the newlyweds suddenly find themselves dealing with a dire diagnosis on the Cancer Ward instead of playing with a bouncing bundle of joy on the Maternity Ward. 
 
That is the sobering premise of New Life, a bittersweet tale of undying love marking the directorial debut of actor Drew Waters (Parkland). Ostensibly designed with Evangelicals in mind, the faith-based parable probably has more of an appeal for the Christian crowd than for general audiences. 
 
To its credit, the PG-rated production isn't all that heavy-handed in terms of sermonizing. Still, its thinly-veiled moralizing is ultimately undermined by that bummer of a development which, quite frankly, proves to be irreversibly morose. Who goes to the movies to get depressed?



Good (2 stars)
Rated PG for mature themes
Running time: 88 minutes
Studio: Red Sky Studios
Distributor: Argentum Entertainment

To see a trailer for New Life, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roza_FjwEWE

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Top Ten DVD List for 10-25-16

This Week’s DVD Releases
by Kam Williams


Suddenly! [The Film Detective Restored Version]

Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict
 

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You


Captain Fantastic

Agatha Raisin: Series One

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby [10th Anniversary Edition]
 

Lights Out


Nighthawks [Collector's Edition]

The Last Film Festival

Janet King: Series Two - The Invisible Wound


Honorable Mention

Nerve

Teen Wolf: Season 5, Part 2

Doc McStuffins: Toy Hospital

Barbie & Her Sisters in a Puppy Chase

The Id

Mr. Church

Killbillies
 

Be Somebody

Skiptrace

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Independence Day: Resurgence

Preacher: Season One

Ancient Aliens: Season 9

India: Nature's Wonderland

Simple Gifts: The Chamber Music Society at Shaker Village