Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Film Review by Kam Williams

World War II POW Returns to U.S. With PTSD in Faith-Based Sequel

Unbroken (2014) was a tale of survival chronicling the ordeal of Olympian/Air Force bombardier Louis Zamperini in a Japanese POW camp during World War II. Directed by Angelina Jolie, the hit biopic was adapted to the screen by the Coen brothers, from Laura Hillenbrand's (Seabiscuit) best seller of the same name. 

 

Unbroken: Path to Redemption is also based on Hillenbrand's book, but doesn't have a creative team with as impressive a pedigree. The cast has been totally overhauled, too, with Samuel Hunt now starring as Louie.

Unbroken 2 picks up where the first film left off. The original closed with a liberated Louie's kissing the ground upon landing back in the states, implying a pat, happily ever after ending.

Yes, he does meet and marry the girl of his dreams, Cynthia Applewhite (Merritt Patterson).

The two settle in California and start a family. However, Louie remains haunted by flashbacks to his torture at the hands of Corporal Mutsuhiro “The Bird” Watanabe (David Sakurai), a sadistic guard at Sugamo prison.

Despite being celebrated as a war hero, Louie's suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder prevents him from being a good husband and provider. He becomes an angry, abusive alcoholic before a desperate Cynthia drags him to a Billy Graham (played by his grandson, Reverend Will Graham) Christian revival being staged in a tent.

The charismatic Baptist preacher's plea to “Just reach out and take the hand of Jesus, and every problem will be washed away,” resonates with Louie. When the sinner sinks to his knees, you know salvation can't be far behind. 

 

Need proof of the miracle? Stick around for the closing credits' highlight reel of the two subsequently sharing the stage on the evangelical circuit.

Very Good (2.5 stars)

Rated PG-13 for mature themes and disturbing images

Running time: 98 minutes

Production Studio: Universal 1440 Entertainment / Matt Baer Films

Studio: Pure Flix Entertainment

To see a trailer for Unbroken: Path to Redemption, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBj6-XXbf0E

 

Tag

Film Review by Kam Williams



BFFs Play Cutthroat Version of Kids Game in Fact-Based Cat-and-Mouse Comedy


As kids, five BFFs from Spokane, Washington began playing Tag with no idea that, over the intervening years, an innocuous children's game might gradually morph into a cutthroat version where each would go to extraordinary lengths to pass on or avoid becoming "It." Several decades later, despite bearing all the responsibilities associated with adulthood, the guys remain ever vigilant for another tap on the shoulder. 
 
The competitive quintet came to the attention of Wall St. Journal reporter Mark Steilen who wrote an article about their imaginative antics entitled, "It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It." Soon thereafter, Hollywood came-a-callin' seeking to retain the rights to their story.

The upshot is Tag, the least like likely of sports flicks since Dodge Ball (2004). The movie marks the feature film directorial debut of Jeff Tomsic, who had previously only been at the helm of assorted TV show productions. Tomsic assembled a big-name cast, with Jon Hamm, Ed Helms Jeremy Renner, Hannibal Buress and Jake Johnson portraying the protagonists of the bawdy buddy comedy. 
 
At the point of departure, we find Hoagie (Helms), a veterinarian by profession, taking a job as a janitor at an insurance company just to be able to shock a rival, Callahan (Hamm), the firm's CEO. That gives you an idea of the elaborate ruses involved.
 
While this novel adventure gets an A for creativity, its characters frequent resort to unnecessary cursing proves to be a self-sabotaging distraction. After all, Tag is still a little kids' game, even if it's big kids playing it. So, in this critic's opinion, the film would've worked better with a squeaky clean script. 
 
Nevertheless, the series of screwball stunts held my interest for the duration, despite the profusion of profanities. Best of all, were the priceless clips which ran during the closing credits of the real-life pals pulling off their pranks. 
 
A nostalgic walk down Memory Lane courtesy of the ultimate game of Tag. You're it!



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for pervasive profanity, crude humor, sexuality, drug use and brief nudity
Running time: 100 minutes
Production Studios: Broken Road Productions / New Line Cinema
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures

To see the trailer for Tag, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rQu77pgnpg

Gringo

Film Review by Kam Williams




Naive Nerd Abandoned by Boss in Mexico in Madcap Action Comedy

Nerdy Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) is a loyal employee at Promethium Pharmaceuticals who has been patiently waiting for his chance to share in the success from its lucrative sales of medical marijuana in pill form. Unfortunately, the naive Nigerian immigrant is unaware that the Chicago-based company's CEO, Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton), has no intention of ever giving him a cut in the profits.

Instead, Richard just fills his head with promises of a lavish lifestyle like he's seen on rap videos. Furthermore, Harold also has no idea that his backstabbing boss is having an affair with his wife, Bonnie (Thandie Newton). Further complicating matters is the fact that Richard is in a committed relationship with his business partner, Elaine (Charlize Theron). 

The plot thickens when Harold has to fly with them to Mexico to supposedly set up a factory. Truth be told, the real purpose of the trip is to break off relations with a powerful drug cartel run by the ruthless Juan Miguel Villegas (Carlos Corona). 
 
You see, Richard wants to go legit and stop selling pills on the black market. Of course, Villegas is unhappy with this development, so it isn't long before all hell breaks loose. When the dust settles, Richard and Elaine make a break for the States while we find Harold calling company headquarters to say he's been kidnapped and being held for a $5 million ransom.

Thus unfolds Gringo a madcap action comedy directed by Nash Edgerton. Nash assembled an impressive cast which included his brother, Joel, Oscar-winner Charlize Theron (for Monster), David Oyelowo, Thandie Newton, Sharlto Copley, Amanda Seyfried, Alan Ruck (Cameron in Ferris Bueller) and Paris Jackson (Michael's daughter). 
 
Regrettably, the film's intriguing premise gives way to an overplotted adventure with far too many characters and sidebars. Are we supposed to care about the young couple (Seyfried and Harry Treadaway) who cross Harold's path south of the border? How about Richard's brother, Mitch (Copley) a former soldier of fortune coaxed out of retirement to search for Harold? 
 
There's never a dull moment, though never a deep one either, for the duration of this hyperbolic homage to incessant overstimulation.

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, violence and pervasive profanity
In English, Spanish and French with subtitles
Running time: 110 minutes
Production Studios: Picrow / Denver and Delilah Productions/ Blue-Tongue Films
Distributor: Amazon Studios / STX Entertainment


To see a trailer for Gringo, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-bZLM3I-C0

Molly's Game

Film Review by Kam Williams

Jessica Chastain Plays Skier-Turned-Felon in Warts-and-All Biopic

Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) was the third-ranked downhill skier in North America when her dream of representing the U.S. in the 2002 Winter Olympics was dashed by a crippling back injury suffered during a qualifying run. So, the multi-talented University of Colorado grad had a change of plans, and instead set her sights on law school.

Then, in the break before starting, Molly took a job in L.A. as a cocktail waitress. While working in the upscale bar, she was recruited by her abusive boss (Jeremy Strong) to help run his high-stakes, after-hours poker operation.

Molly had such a rare combination of brains and charm that she soon turned the game into a popular destination for not only professional athletes and Hollywood celebrities, but mobsters and titans of industry. Despite raking in millions, her management skills remained unappreciated and unrewarded by her ingrate of an employer. 

 

Consequently, it wasn't long before she copied his Rolodex of high rollers and went into business for herself. Crafty enough to stay one step ahead of the authorities, Molly's floating card game flourished for about eight years. 

 

However, crossing over to the wrong side of the law did eventually catch up with her. And on April 16, 2013, the FBI busted Molly, seized her assets and froze the $9 million in her bank accounts. Desperate, she retained the services of a leading defense attorney (Idris Elba) to help her avoid prison time. 

 

Thus unfolds Molly's Game, a warts-and-all biopic based on Molly Bloom's 2014 memoir of the same name. The book was adapted to the screen by Oscar-winner Adam Sorkin (The Social Network), who also makes his directorial debut here.

I'm not sure how much of an appetite audiences have for crooked, female Winter Olympians, given that I, Tonya is also in theaters, but at least this one doesn't attempt to turn a felon into a saint. Yes, the picture's well-cast and scripted, yet it somehow adds up to less than its parts.

Even for a former, world-class athlete, crime does not pay!

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for profanity, drug use and some violence
Running time: 140 minutes
Production Studios: The Mark Gordon Company / Pascal Pictures/ Huayi Brothers Pictures
Distributor: STX Entertainment


To see a trailer for Molly's Game, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu4UPet8Nyc

Victoria & Abdul

Film Review by Kam Williams




Brit Biopic Chronicles Unlikely Friendship Forged between Queen Mum and Muslim Manservant


In 1887, 24 year-old Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal) moved from India to England where he found work as a waiter at Queen Victoria's (Judi Dench) Golden Jubilee. Soon after starting at Windsor Castle, he caught the eye of the lonely monarch. 

In fact, she was so taken with her Muslim manservant that she made him her constant companion and promoted him to "munshi," Urdu for teacher. Not surprisingly, this development didn't sit well with the royal court, especially her son, Bertie (Eddie Izzard). The heir apparent was not only suspicious of the exotic interloper's intentions but concerned about the optics of his widowed mum always having a strapping young Muslim at her side. 
 
However, Victoria brushed aside any objections as racial prejudice, and kept Abdul as her trusted confidant until she passed away in 1901. Based on Shrabani Basu's best seller of the same, Victoria & Abdul chronicles the unlikely friendship forged between her majesty and a doting, devoted subject. Directed by two-time, Oscar-nominee Stephen Frears (for The Queen and The Grifters), this "mostly true tale" revisits the relationship as a dramedy whose comedic elements work far better than its dramatic ones. 
 
Dame Judi Dench, who won an Academy award for playing Queen Elizabeth, is again at her best, here, as an imperious, if vulnerable, Queen Mum. She basically plays an empathetic visionary adrift in a sea of intolerance swarming with British bigots too blinded by hate to begin to appreciate a mild-mannered foreigner with strange customs. 
 
The picture's transparent message about brotherhood is delivered in too heavy-handed a fashion to take seriously. Nevertheless, the movie's lighter moments generate just enough laughs to make the movie worth the investment. 
 
A syrupy sweet reminiscence of an enduring, platonic fellowship forged across generational, color, class, cultural and religious lines.



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated PG-13 for profanity and mature themes

In English, Hindi and Urdu with subtitles

Running time: 111 minutes
Production Studio: BBC Films / Working Title Films / Perfect World Pictures
Distributor: Focus Features


To see a trailer for Victoria & Abdul, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT2Ph_9bGPs

N.O.L.A. Circus

Film Review by Kam Williams

Kitchen Sink Comedy Chronicles Cutthroat Rivalry between Neighboring New Orleans Barbershops

Will (Martin Bradford) is the proprietor of Kupcakes, a hair salon located in Algiers, the only New Orleans parish on the west side of the Mississippi River. What makes him unique is that he's also a grassroots activist who periodically stands on the proverbial soap box, preaching to anybody who'll listen about Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

 

He only has one employee, Nola (Jessica Morali), a gorgeous shampoo girl. They are secretly lovers, too, only because she has a very overprotective brother, Denzel (Reginal Varice), who is driven beserk just by the thought of her sleeping with anybody. 

 

For example, he went crazy and beat up the entire staff at Napoli's Pizzeria, when he suspected the owner of sleeping with her. Gesuippe Napoli (Ricky Wayne) was so incensed by the pummeling that he's summoned a hit man from Sicily (Gianni Boromei) to knock off the perpetrator. 

 

Meanwhile, right across the street from Kupcakes we find Marvin's, an old-fashioned barbershop frequented by a colorful cast of characters. The place is run by Marvin (Vas Blackwood) and his two brothers, Hathi (Corey Mendell Parker) and Anaconda (Nicoye Banks).

Each of the siblings has a distinctive physical trait. Marvin has a huge Afro, Hathi has big ears, and Anaconda was blessed with gargantuan genitalia, hence the nickname. And he's a sex addict dating Nola's BFF, Karen (Kamille McCuin). Karen is the neighborhood drug dealer, not to be confused with another hustler who lurks around, pressuring passersby to purchase everything from watches to underwear. 

 

Additional players in this theater of the absurd include Woody (Lucius Baston), an aspiring opera singer who only stutters when he speaks, and a a trio of hooded Ku Klux Klansmen threatening to kill Will unless he stops the pontificating in favor of civil rights. 

 

All of the above are afforded their moments to shine in N.O.L.A. Circus, a kitchen sink comedy written and directed by Luc Annest. The foul-mouthed Frenchman is apparently unaware of contemporary social trends, since his irreverent film debut arrives laced with profanity, ethnic slurs, misogyny and assorted other salacious material ostensibly intended to easily offend.

The picture relies on a preposterous plot somewhat redeemed by the fact that the outrageous antics onscreen are often hilarious. So, don't be surprised if you end up laughing in spite of yourself. 

 

Politically-incorrect, crassploitation fare strictly for the unshockable!

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 89 minutes
Distributor: XLrator Media


To see a trailer for N.O.L.A. Circus, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXmhaL7j7go

Live by Night

Blu-ray Review by Kam Williams



Ben Affleck Directs and Stars in Gruesome Gangster Saga


Dennis Lehane has enjoyed phenomenal success not only as a novelist but writing directly for TV (Boardwalk Empire and The Wire). And several of his crime thrillers have been brought to the big screen, including Mystic River, Shutter Island and Gone, Baby, Gone.

In 2007, Ben Affleck directed Gone, Baby, Gone, staying behind the camera while letting his little brother, Casey, play the picture's protagonist. But in the case of Live by Night, the latest adaptation of a Lehane best seller, Ben has opted to do double duty as both star and filmmaker. 
 
He will likely be second-guessed for that decision, since his acting proves to be the weak link in an otherwise first-rate production. The trouble is that his limited range often leaves the audience wondering whether his character is being sincere or sarcastic. 
 
The action unfolds in Boston at the height of Prohibition which is where we are introduced to small-time crook Joe Coughlin (Affleck). Trouble is, he's the black sheep of a prominent Irish family whose patriarch (Brendan Gleeson) is the city's Deputy Chief of Police.

Ignoring his father's pleas to keep his nose clean, Joe instead escalates his reckless behavior which culminates in the deaths of a few cops in the wake of a bank robbery gone bad. After getting off with a slap on the wrist thanks to his daddy's pulling strings, Joe entertains the overtures of a couple of bootlegging mob bosses engaged in a bloody turf war. Although Irish Albert White (Robert Glenister) appeals to Joe on the basis of their shared ethnicity, he ultimately opts to work for the Italian syndicate headed by Maso Pescatore (Remo Girone).

His assignment is to set up a rum-running operation in Tampa, Florida. As he steps off the train, he ominously falls in love at first sight with the Graciela (Zoe Saldana), a gorgeous Cuban expatriate employed by a rival. Before you can whistle the overture to West Side Story, the two marry and Joe suddenly wants out of his grisly line of work.

Of course, that proves easier said than done for the "made man," so the body count must rise before the dust settles. Despite Ben's wooden performance and an overstuffed production which rushes along ostensibly to cover all the ground of the 400+ page novel, Affleck has another hit on his hands with this chilling adaptation of Lehane's gruesome gangster saga.



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, nudity, graphic violence and pervasive profanity and ethnic slurs
Running time: 129 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers Home Entertainment Group

Blu-ray Extras: Angels with Dirty Faces: The Women of Live by Night; The Men of Live by Night; Live by Night's Prolific author; In Close Up: Creating a Classic Car Chase; deleted scenes; deleted scenes commentary; and director's commentary.

To see a trailer for Live by Night, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtFZcAuH-qI

To order a copy of Live by Night on Blu-ray, visit:

The Love Witch

DVD Review by Kam Williams


Campy Horror Comedy Comes to Home Video


Elaine Parker (Samantha Robinson) only became a witch after being abandoned by her late husband. An incurable romantic with fairy princess fantasies, the gorgeous widow still harbors hopes of finding Mr. Right. 
 
With that goal in mind, she relocates to a quiet town in Northern California where she conveniently rents an already Goth-themed apartment in an imposing mansion on a hill. There, she makes fast friends with her laid-back landlady, Trish (Laura Waddell), while setting a trap for a string of unsuspecting suitors via a combination of spells and love potions..

Her first mark is Wayne Peters (Jeffrey Vincent Parise), a very gullible professor she picks up in a park. She seduces the stranger with the help of a drink spiked with hallucinogenic herbs. However, Wayne is not long for the world once the two have consummated the relationship.

After burying the corpse in her backyard, it's on to the next conquest for Elaine, who sets her sights on everyone from Trish's husband, Richard (Robert Seeley), to Griff (Gian Keys), the police Sergeant investigating Wayne's disappearance. Thus unfolds The Love Witch, a campy horror comedy written, produced and directed by Anna Biller (Viva). The movie marks her sophomore offering, and stars Samantha Robinson in the title role. 
 
The visually-captivating adventure is a rarity nowadays in that it was shot on 35 mm film. And it is also a highly-stylized throwback in the sense that it is an unapologetic homage to the trashy sexploitation flicks of the Sixties and Seventies. 
 
So, don't expect to invest emotionally in this cornball adventure at all, particularly given how the heroine delivers virtually every one of her lines in a halfhearted, tongue-in-cheek tone. Ultimately, this period piece harks back less to a cultural era than to a bygone genre of moviemaking. 
 
A light as a feather, feminist fantasy where flawed males meet their match during creative displays of eroticized violence.



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 120 minutes
Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories
DVD Extras: Feature-length audio commentary with director Anna Biller, cinematographer M. David Mullen, actor Samantha Robinson, and producer/actor Jared Sanford; behind-the-scenes video with Anna Biller; interview with cinematographer M. David Mullen; deleted and extended scenes; and theatrical trailers.



To see a trailer for The Love Witch, visit: https://vimeo.com/151970316

To order a copy of The Love Witch on DVD, visit:

 

Live by Night

Film Review by Kam Williams


Ben Affleck Directs and Stars in Latest Adaptation of a Lehane Crime Thriller



Dennis Lehane has enjoyed phenomenal success not only as a novelist but writing directly for TV (Boardwalk Empire and The Wire). And several of his crime thrillers have been brought to the big screen, including Mystic River, Shutter Island and Gone, Baby, Gone.

In 2007, Ben Affleck directed Gone, Baby, Gone, staying behind the camera while letting his little brother, Casey, play the picture's protagonist. But in the case of Live by Night, the latest adaptation of a Lehane best seller, Ben has opted to do double duty as both star and filmmaker. 
 
He will likely be second-guessed for that decision, since his acting proves to be the weak link in an otherwise first-rate production. The trouble is that his limited range often leaves the audience wondering whether his character is being sincere or sarcastic. 
 
The action unfolds in Boston at the height of Prohibition which is where we are introduced to small-time crook Joe Coughlin (Affleck). Trouble is, he's the black sheep of a prominent Irish family whose patriarch (Brendan Gleeson) is the city's Deputy Chief of Police.

Ignoring his father's pleas to keep his nose clean, Joe instead escalates his reckless behavior which culminates in the deaths of a few cops in the wake of a bank robbery gone bad. After getting off with a slap on the wrist thanks to his daddy's pulling strings, Joe entertains the overtures of a couple of bootlegging mob bosses engaged in a bloody turf war. Although Irish 
Albert White (Robert Glenister) appeals to Joe on the basis of their shared ethnicity, he ultimately opts to work for the Italian syndicate headed by Maso Pescatore (Remo Girone).

His assignment is to set up a rum-running operation in Tampa, Florida. As he steps off the train, he ominously falls in love at first sight with the Graciela (Zoe Saldana), a gorgeous Cuban expatriate employed by a rival. Before you can whistle the overture to West Side Story, the two marry and Joe suddenly wants out of his grisly line of work.

Of course, that proves easier said than done for the "made man," so the body count must rise before the dust settles. Despite Ben's wooden performance and an overstuffed production which rushes along ostensibly to cover all the ground of the 400+ page novel, Affleck appears to have another hit on his hands with this chilling adaptation of Lehane's gruesome gangster saga.



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, nudity, graphic violence and pervasive profanity and ethnic slurs
Running time: 128 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures


To see a trailer for Live by Night, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtFZcAuH-qI

The Love Witch

 
Film Review by Kam Williams

Desperate Witch Casts Spells on Unsuspecting Suitors in Campy Horror Comedy

Elaine Parker (Samantha Robinson) only became a witch after being abandoned by her late husband. An incurable romantic with fairy princess fantasies, the gorgeous widow still harbors hopes of finding Mr. Right. 

 

With that goal in mind, she relocates to a quiet town in Northern California where she conveniently rents an already Goth-themed apartment in an imposing mansion on a hill. There, she makes fast friends with her laid-back landlady, Trish (Laura Waddell), while setting a trap for a string of unsuspecting suitors via a combination of spells and love potions.

.

Her first mark is Wayne Peters (Jeffrey Vincent Parise), a very gullible professor she picks up in a park. She seduces the stranger with the help of a drink spiked with hallucinogenic herbs. However, Wayne is not long for the world once the two have consummated the relationship.

After burying the corpse in her backyard, it's on to the next conquest for Elaine, who sets her sights on everyone from Trish's husband, Richard (Robert Seeley), to Griff (Gian Keys), the police Sergeant investigating Wayne's disappearance. Thus unfolds The Love Witch, a campy horror comedy written, produced and directed by Anna Biller (Viva). The movie marks her sophomore offering, and stars Samantha Robinson in the title role. 

 

The visually-captivating adventure is a rarity nowadays in that it was shot on 35 mm film, and it is also a highly-stylized throwback in the sense that it is an unapologetic homage to the trashy sexploitation flicks of the Sixties and Seventies. 

 

So, don't expect to invest emotionally in this cornball adventure at all, particularly given how the heroine delivers virtually every one of her lines in a halfhearted, tongue-in-cheek tone. Ultimately, this period piece harks back less to a cultural era than to a bygone genre of moviemaking. 

 

A light as a feather, feminist fantasy where flawed males meet their match during creative displays of eroticized violence.

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 120 minutes
Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories


To see a trailer for The Love Witch, visit: https://vimeo.com/151970316

Monster Hunt

DVD Review by Kam Williams


Highest-Grossing Chinese Film of All Time Arrives on DVD


Directed by Raman Hui (Shrek the Third), Monster Hunt was released across Asia last summer where it became the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time. The version I watched was dubbed into English, which served to turn the martial arts/comedy mash-up into a decidedly campy affair.

The experience reminded me of the Japanese horror flicks from the Fifties where the corny dialogue invariably failed to fit the movement of the actors' mouths. This one even has its characters often speaking in inappropriately-modern idioms such as "You are such a loser!" Purists might be happy to know that the movie is also being made available with subtitles, though I suspect it's far funnier lip-synched.

Set during an ancient dynasty, the picture features an unapologetically exuberant mix of sentiment and slaps/tick that endeavors to tug at your heartstrings while simultaneously tickling your funny bone. The CGI-driven, costume fantasy unfolds in a mythical kingdom inhabited by both humans and monsters.

The plot thickens when the hamlet's male mayor, Tianyin (Jing Boran), is miraculously impregnated by a malevolent Monster Queen. Next thing you know, just about everybody around, human and monster alike, wants half-breed baby Wooba dead, much to the chagrin of the glowing, expecting daddy. 
 
Lucky for Tianyin, he forges a fast friendship with Hua Xiaolan (Bai Baihe), a female warrior blessed with a winning combination of maternal instincts and mad karate skills. She's determined to save the radish-shaped bundle of joy, so what ensues is an overstimulating kitchen sink adventure throwing everything up on the screen from cartoon physics fight scenes to Bollywood-style song-and-dance numbers.

Kid-friendly fare amusing enough to entertain adults, too, provided their brains are on pause!



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Unrated
Dubbed from Mandarin
Running time: 104 minutes
Distributor: FilmRise

To see a trailer for Monster Hunt, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR6JRIlf1jM

To order a copy of Monster on DVD, visit: 

Dark Horse

Film Review by Kam Williams

Against-the-Odds Documentary Recounts How Working-Class Welshmen Bred a Successful Racehorse.

In 2000, Jan Vokes was working as barmaid in a pub when she got the idea of raising a racehorse from a customer. So, she and her husband bought an injured, ill-tempered mare for a song before breeding it with a bona fide thoroughbred.

A foal was born in 2001, and they invited locals from their Welsh coal mining town to invest in the colt, divvying up ownership among 30 partners asked to contribute 10 pounds per week for training and maintenance. After getting off to a shaky start, Dream Alliance won his fourth race and he went on to enjoy a successful career, peaking in 2009 when he prevailed in the Welsh Grand National, a steeplechase featuring 22 fences over a course of 3 miles.
 
By the time the unlikely champion retired several years later, the investors had realized a profit of 1,430 pounds apiece. That improbable feat is recounted in entertaining fashion in Dark Horse, an inspirational documentary directed by Louise Ormond (Deep Water). 
 
The film chronicles not only Dream Alliance's historic ascent, including a recovery from a near-fatal accident en route to fame, but the sheer delight taken by its working-class owners as they rub elbows with their relatively-wealthy colleagues residing in the realm of Sport of Kings. 
 
An exhilarating tribute to an overachieving underdog that turned a barmaid's fanciful dream into a reality.



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated PG for mature themes and mild epithets
Running time: 85 minutes
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics


To see a trailer for Dark Horse, visit: https://youtu.be/gqh4wb9Q_sQ

Yosemite

DVD Review by Kam Williams




Bildungsroman Inspired by James Franco Short Stories Arrives on DVD


Inspired by a couple of short stories by James Franco, Yosemite is an eerie bildungsroman exploring some decidedly dark and dangerous sides of childhood. The drama features a trio of discrete tales which ultimately merge in fairly effective fashion. 
 
The action unfolds in Palo Alto in 1985, which is where we find a trio of 5th graders facing different emotional issues. 10 year-old Chris (Everett Meckler) and his younger brother, Alex (Troy Tinnirello), are driving to Yosemite National Park with their father (Franco) who's recently separated from their mom. 
 
Their plans for quality time are affected, en route, by their dad's admission that he's a recovering alcoholic. Upon their arrival. the vacation is all but ruined when the three get lost hiking, followed by Chris' finding the charred remains of what looks like a human skeleton. 
 
The second chapter of this coming-of-age adventure revolves around the predicament of Joe (Alec Mansky), a product of divorce in dire need of a father figure. Unfortunately, to fill a void, he naively settles on Henry (Henry Hopper), a creepy-looking loner sharing a love of comic books. Against the boy's better judgment, he even accepts an invitation back to the possible pedophile's humble abode.

The last segment is about Ted (Calum John), a kid whose beloved cat, Charlie, has gone missing. Trouble is, there's been a sighting of a mountain lion roaming around town. And since his father's (Steven Wiig) ostensibly too consumed with Silicon's Valley burgeoning Computer Revolution to care about the predator, Ted enlists the assistance of pals Chris and Joe to embark on a big game hunt in the hills just beyond suburbia. 
 
Yosemite was both directed and adapted to the screen by Gabrielle Demeestere (The Color of Time) who employed an admirably understated approach to Franco's source material. An earnest examination of the loss of innocence this critic could've appreciated more if the subject-matter hadn't be so relentlessly dark and disturbing. 
 

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, nudity and profanity
Running time: 82 minutes
Distributor: Monterey Media



To see a trailer for Yosemite, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mseo8idx75s
 

To order a copy of Yosemite on DVD, visit: 

 

Monster Hunt

Film Review by Kam Williams



Father and Warrior Protect Baby Monster in Medieval Martial Arts Mash-up


Directed by Raman Hui (Shrek the Third), Monster Hunt was released across Asia last summer where it became the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time. The version I watched was dubbed into English, which served to turn the martial arts/comedy mash-up into a decidedly campy affair.

The experience reminded me of the Japanese horror flicks from the Fifties where the corny dialogue invariably failed to fit the movement of the actors' mouths. This one even has its characters often speaking in inappropriately-modern idioms such as "You are such a loser!" Purists might be happy to know that the movie is also being made available with subtitles, though I suspect it's far funnier lip-synched.

Set during an ancient dynasty, the picture features an unapologetically exuberant mix of sentiment and slaps/tick that endeavors to tug at your heartstrings while simultaneously tickling your funny bone. The CGI-driven, costume fantasy unfolds in a mythical kingdom inhabited by both humans and monsters.

The plot thickens when the hamlet's male mayor, Tianyin (Jing Boran), is miraculously impregnated by a malevolent Monster Queen. Next thing you know, just about everybody around, human and monster alike, wants half-breed baby Wooba dead, much to the chagrin of the glowing, expecting daddy. 
 
Lucky for Tianyin, he forges a fast friendship with Hua Xiaolan (Bai Baihe), a female warrior blessed with a winning combination of maternal instincts and mad karate skills. She's determined to save the radish-shaped bundle of joy, so what ensues is an overstimulating kitchen sink adventure throwing everything up on the screen from cartoon physics fight scenes to Bollywood-style song-and-dance numbers.

Kid-friendly fare amusing enough to entertain adults, too, provided their brains are on pause!



Very Good (2.5 stars)
Unrated
Dubbed or in Mandarin with subtitles
Running time: 104 minutes
Distributor: Film Rise


To see a trailer for Monster Hunt, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR6JRIlf1jM

Chi-Raq (DVDREVIEW)

Chi-Raq
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Sisters Withhold Sexual Favors from Gangstas in Adaptation of Aristophanes Classic

Just when we were ready to give up on Spike Lee, wouldn't you know he'd reassert his relevance with a decent inner-city drama decrying the gang violence in Chicago? Ironically, this timely tale is based on Lysistrata, an ancient play staged by Aristophanes way back in 411 BC. 

 Set in Athens during the Peloponnesian War, that farcical adventure revolved around a headstrong female who brought an end to the hostilities by persuading the women of Greece to withhold sexual favors from their mates until peace was declared. 

 

Spike's version unfolds in present-day Chicago where we find a gun moll named Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris) growing frustrated by the escalating body count in the Windy City war between a couple of rival street gangs. Her boyfriend, Chi-Raq (Nick Cannon), is the leader of the purple-sporting Spartans, the sworn adversaries of the orange-clad Trojans. 

 

She gets fed up when a neighbor's (Jennifer Hudson) young daughter is caught in the crossfire during a drive-by shooting and none of the gangbangers is willing to finger the culprit for the cops. After the funeral, she enlists the assistance of sisters all over the hood in implementing a "No peace, no p*ssy," policy. 

 

Besides borrowing Aristophanes basic plotline, I must point out that Chi-Raq's dialogue is almost entirely in verse. When was the last time you saw a movie that rhymed? The novel screenplay was co-authored by Spike with film professor Kevin Willmott, the brains behind Confederate States of America, a brilliant social satire speculating about what the U.S. would be like today, if the South had prevailed in the Civil War. 

 

Watching Chi-Raq, the pair's experiment in iambic pentameter gets tiring after about 15 minutes or so. You feel like yelling, "Okay, you made your point. Now just let the thespians act without the burden of having to sound poetic, too. 

 

Credit Spike for assembling an A-list cast featuring Teyonah Parris as Lysistrata and Nick Cannon in the title role. The dramatis personae also includes Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson (for Dreamgirls), Oscar-nominees Angela Bassett (for What's Love Got to Do with It?) and Samuel L. Jackson (for Pulp Fiction), as well as Dave Chappelle, John Cusack, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson and real-life, grassroots activist Father Michael Pfleger. 

 

Chi-Raq may never be confused with She's Gotta Have It (1986) or Do the Right Thing (1989), but it nevertheless represents the best adaptation of a classic into ghetto fabulous fare since the inspired reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet as Romeo Must Die (2000). 

 

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for nudity, profanity, sexuality, violence and drug use
Running time: 127 minutes
Distributor: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Deleted scenes; extended scenes; "We Gotta Do Better" music video; and The Making of Chi-Raq featurette.



To see a trailer for Chi-Raq, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Bs1df0kPI

To order a copy of Chi-Raq on DVD, visit:  

 

Yosemite (FILM REVIEW)

by Kam Williams


Creepy Coming-of-Age Flick Explores the Dark Side of Childhood


Inspired by a couple of short stories by James Franco, Yosemite is an eerie bildungsroman exploring some decidedly dark and dangerous sides of childhood. The drama features a trio of discrete tales which ultimately merge in fairly effective fashion. 
 
The action unfolds in Palo Alto in 1985, which is where we find a trio of 5th graders facing different emotional issues. 10 year-old Chris (Everett Meckler) and his younger brother, Alex (Troy Tinnirello), are driving to Yosemite National Park with their father (Franco) who's recently separated from their mom. 
 
Their plans for quality time are affected, en route, by their dad's admission that he's a recovering alcoholic. Upon their arrival. the vacation is all but ruined when the three get lost hiking, followed by Chris' finding the charred remains of what looks like a human skeleton. 
 
The second chapter of this coming-of-age adventure revolves around the predicament of Joe (Alec Mansky), a product of divorce in dire need of a father figure. Unfortunately, to fill a void, he naively settles on Henry (Henry Hopper), a creepy-looking loner sharing a love of comic books. Against the boy's better judgment, he even accepts an invitation back to the possible pedophile's humble abode.

The last segment is about Ted (Calum John), a kid whose beloved cat, Charlie, has gone missing. Trouble is, there's been a sighting of a mountain lion roaming around town. And since his father's (Steven Wiig) ostensibly too consumed with Silicon's Valley burgeoning Computer Revolution to care about the predator, Ted enlists the assistance of pals Chris and Joe to embark on a big game hunt in the hills just beyond suburbia. 
 
Yosemite was both directed and adapted to the screen by Gabrielle Demeestere (The Color of Time) who employed an admirably understated approach to Franco's source material. An earnest examination of the loss of innocence, this critic could've appreciated more if the subject-matter hadn't be so relentlessly dark and disturbing. 
 

Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, nudity and profanity
Running time: 82 minutes
Distributor: Monterey Media


To see a trailer for Yosemite, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mseo8idx75s