Ballast DVD

 

 

DVD Review by Kam Williams

 

Headline: Monosyllabic Meditation on Coming-of-Age in Mississippi

 

                New developments arrive fast and furiously in this contemplative character study before it finally settles down into an examination of the motivations of James (JimMyron Ross), a very troubled, black, poor and criminally-inclined 12 year-old coming-of-age in a rural region of the Mississippi Delta. At the point of departure, we meet Lawrence (Michael J. Smith, Sr.), a middle-aged black man despondent over news of the death of his identical twin by drug overdose. Larry is then caught in the midst of his own suicide attempt by a kindly neighbor (Johnny McPhail) who has no idea he’s distraught enough to shoot himself in the chest.

Also grieving Darius’ demise are his monosyllabic son, James, and his ex-wife, Marlee (Tarra Riggs), a former substance abuser. Larry survives his self-inflicted gunshot wound, and returns form the hospital only to have his nephew darken his doorstep, literally and figuratively. For James’ unique means of mourning involves asking to hear all the gory details about how his daddy died, before robbing his uncle at gunpoint.

The felonious-intentioned kid then hops on his moped and uses his ill-gotten gains to kickstart a career dealing drugs. This doesn’t sit well with his mother, even though she’s been fired from her job as a maid, which means she’s now free to wonder where she went wrong raising a son who doesn’t have a lick of sense or compassion.

As preposterous as this plot probably sounds, Ballast is actually a perverse pleasure to watch because it morphs into this ethereal mood piece with virtually no dialogue. Mostly, we’re treated to the specter of James buzzing about on his motorbike against the stark backdrop of acre after acre of sparse winter farmland. Otherwise, the picture is punctuated by his mom and uncle working out their issues, and bursts of terrifying violence, like when a couple of teenagers run a car off the road to deliver a vicious beatdown in a backwoods version of a bloody turf war.

In sum, Ballast is a compelling slice-of-life adventure with a gritty naivete featuring a talented cast comprised primarily of non-professionals. They manage to imbue the production with a palpable sense of super-realism which allows you to forget you’re watching actors. That amounts to movie magic in my book, even if it is in service of an infuriating display of black-on-black dysfunction.

 

Very Good (3 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 96 minutes

Studio: Kino International

DVD Extras: Ballast Scene Development, a 37-minute “The Making of” featurette charting the evolution of several scenes through the improvisational conflict sessions and two-month rehearsal process that gave form to the final film, the theatrical trailer, and a new essay by film critic Amy Taubin.

My Sister's Keeper DVD

 

 

DVD Review by Kam Williams

 

Headline: Little Miss Stem Cells Sues for Independence in Dysfunctional Family Drama

 

                     When their daughter Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) is diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 2, Sara and Brian Fitzgerald (Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric) decide to do whatever it takes to save her life. And once her doctor explains that her best chance at beating the disease lies in finding a stem cell donor, they opt to harvest an exact genetic match via in vitro fertilization.

                     From birth, the test tube baby’s life becomes intertwined with that of her sickly sibling when tissue is taken from her umbilical cord. As time goes on, Anna (Abigail Breslin) is subjected to a series of increasingly-invasive procedures as she is stuck, poked and prodded for assorted extractions of platelets, blood and bone marrow.

                     By the time she’s 11, Little Miss Stem Cells is asked to donate one of her kidneys because her big sister’s are already failing. However, the surgeon warns that after this operation Anna will never be able to be a cheerleader or play soccer again for the rest of the life.

                     Fed up with being expected to make so many sacrifices, she enlists the assistance of an attorney (Alec Baldwin) to sue for Medical Emancipation. The lawsuit creates a rift between her parents which pushes the couple to the brink of divorce. For her mother, who abandoned her own legal career to care for Kate 24/7, suddenly sees Anna as selfish, while her father, a hard-working fireman, proves far more understanding.

                     Based on Jodi Picoult’s best-seller of the same name, My Sister's Keeper is a character-driven morality play of deceptive emotional depth. This remarkably-rich screen version was directed by Nick Cassavetes who went to great lengths to develop each of the principal player’s perspective of the fundamental, ethical life-or-death question at hand. Faithfully-adapted, except for the ending, this poignant, dysfunctional family drama marks the maturation of Cameron Diaz into a consummate thespian capable of handling the most challenging of material.

                     Furthermore, her powerfully-grounding performance is matched in intensity by those of Abigail Breslin as the taken for granted Anna; Sofia Vassilieva as the wasting away Kate; Jason Patric as the stoic family patriarch; Evan Ellingson as the brooding big brother; Alec Baldwin as a vulnerable crusader for the underdog; and Joan Cusack as a judge concerned about the best interest of the plaintiff.

                     A gut-wrenching tearjerker with a decent chance of landing on this critic’s annual 10 Best List.

 

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated PG-13 for profanity, sensuality, mature themes, disturbing images and underage alcohol consumption.

Running time: 109 minutes

Studio: New Line Cinema

DVD Extras: Deleted scenes and trailers.

Skills Like This DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Wacky Sitcom about a Writer-Turned-Bank Robber Comes to DVD

Sick and tired of being a starving writer and having to support himself in a never-ending series of temp jobs, Max (Spencer Berger) decides to mull his options. Then, while being consoled in a diner by his best friends, Tommy (Brian D. Phelan) and Dave (Gabriel Tigerman), he impulsively walks directly across the street to pull off a brazen bank robbery in the middle of the day.
Not only does he disarm the guard like a veteran criminal but he’s even calm enough to flirt with a cute teller (Kerry Knuppe). After successfully making his escape, Max is elated to have found his true calling. Not surprisingly, Tommy and Dave don’t exactly agree and aren’t thrilled about becoming accomplices after the fact.
This is the wacky setup of Skills Like This, as charming a sitcom as one could hope to make on a micro-budget. The movie marks the remarkable directorial debut of Monty Miranda, who collaborated on the project with first-time actor/scriptwriter Spencer Berger.
The further the picture unfolds, the more complicated the plot becomes. First, Max picks up Lucy the bank teller at a nightclub, and brings her home to meet the parents. On his birthday, their lusty liaison blossoms into love, and she’s so smitten with the easily-identifiable outlaw that she’s willing to risk her career to be around the notorious bad boy with the exploding Jew fro.
Meanwhile, as Max continues to rob other establishments, the burning question becomes whether such a self-destructive path could possibly lead to a happy ending? Certainly, when you consider the fact that the clever screenplay was the brainchild of the star himself, a promising wunderkind clearly quite capable of writing himself out of any corner.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 86 minutes
Studio: New Video
DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, cast and crew interviews, theatrical trailer and a biography of the filmmaker.

A Wink and a Smile DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Chronicles Semester at Striptease Academy

On the few occasions I’ve been to strip clubs to attend bachelor’s parties, I’ve always left depressed over how unappetizing the dancers were. Invariably, they’ve struck me as godawful actresses rather than the nymphomaniacs they pretended to be in order to separate me from my money as fast as possible. Furthermore, I could see right through their lame acts to the sad truth that many of these desperate drug addicts needed to sleep with customers to support their habits. Not my fantasy.
Those hardened whores cut a sharp contrast to the relatively-refreshing females to be found in A Wink and a Smile. Directed by Deirdre Timmons, this revealing documentary follows ten students as they learn the art of striptease over the course of a semester at Seattle’s Academy of Burlesque. Who knew there was even a school for this?
What makes this film fascinating is that the class is comprised of ordinary-looking, attractive women if you know what I mean, appealing but not the airbrushed models you would expect to find in Playboy. Most of these girl-next-door types are in their twenties and come from all walks of life, including a housewife, a college student, an opera singer, a physician and a taxidermist.
So, anyone watching A Wink and a Smile would naturally want to know, what makes the stars of the movie interested in exposing themselves. Director Timmons does an outstanding job at allowing each to explain both her motivations and her reservations in this regard, as they get closer to graduation. Surprisingly, their reasons turn out to be as diverse as their professions.
Besides the deep psychological analysis, the film does feature a lot of instruction about stripping, showing the girls learning everything from how to dance dirty (“Make believe you’re trying to draw on the ground with a pen stuck in your crotch.”) to what to do if a pasty falls off (“Never break the illusion.”). These students prove to be quick, if occasionally hesitant, learners of the bump and grind. The film culminates with their final exam which involves performing a carefully choreographed routine at a local burlesque house in front of a very appreciative audience.
Lovely ladies summoning up the courage to deliver some delightfully erotic, if simultaneously wholesome, adult entertainment. I just pray none of them are tempted to quit their day jobs.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 90 minutes
Studio: First Run Features
DVD Extras: Director’s interview, bonus scene, burlesque photo gallery and more.

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

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening November 20, 2009


BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Blind Side (PG-13 for sexual references, drug use and brief violence) Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw co-star in this true, overcoming-the-odds tale about a wealthy white couple who adopt a homeless black teenager (Quinton Aaron) and help him pursue his dream of playing football in college and the pros.

Planet 51 (PG for mild action and suggestive humor) Animated sci-fi comedy about an astronaut (Dwayne Johnson) who lands on a planet inhabited by little green people living in a world eerily reminiscent of suburban America in the 1950s. Featuring voicework by Jessica Biel, John Cleese, Justin Long, Seann William Scott and Gary Oldman.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (PG-13 for violence and action) Second installment in Stephenie Meyer’s fantasy series finds 18 year-old Bella (Kristen Stewart) brokenhearted but in a budding relationship with her mysterious childhood friend, Jacob (Taylor Lautner), after her vampire lover Edward (Robert Pattinson) and the rest of the Cullen clan leave town to protect her from their craven bloodlust. Cast includes Dakota Fanning, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene and Billy Burke.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (Unrated) Nicolas Cage handles the title role in this remake loosely-based on a 1992, NYC crime thriller, now set in post-Katrina New Orleans and chronicling the efforts of an amoral cop to solve the murder of several Senegalese immigrants. Cast includes Val Kilmer, Michael Shannon, Eva Mendes, Xzibit, Jennifer Coolidge, Fairuza Balk, Denzel Whitaker and Brad Dourif. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)

Broken Embraces (R for profanity, sexuality and drug use) Magical drama dealing with themes of love and betrayal, and revolving around a grieving writer (Lluis Homar) left blind by the car accident which claimed the life of his lover (Penelope Cruz). With Blanca Portillo, Jose Luis Gomez and Tamar Novas. (In Spanish and English with subtitles)

Defamation (Unrated) Incendiary documentary directed by Israeli Yoav Shamir investigates the recent reemergence of anti-Semitism around the world to determine whether we’re on the verge of another Holocaust or just dealing with rumors being circulated by right-wing Zionists as a scare tactic. (In English and Hebrew with subtitles)

Fix (Unrated) Fact-based drama about a documentary filmmaker’s (Tao Ruspoli) desperate race to get his brother (Shawn Andrews) into rehab hours before he’s slated to start serving a three-year prison sentence for a drug violation.

Mammoth (Unrated) Cross-cultural drama, about a NYC website developer (Gael Garcia Bernal) with misgivings about cheating on his wife (Michelle Williams) with a struggling single-mom turned prostitute (Run Srinikornchot) he met while in Thailand on business. (In English, Thai and Tagalog with subtitles)

The Missing Person (Unrated) Neo-noir about a private detective (Michael Shannon) hired to track down a married man presumed dead since the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Cast includes Amy Ryan, Margaret Colin and John Ventimiglia.

Red Cliff (R for graphic warfare) John Woo directs this historical drama, set at the dawn of the 3rd Century during the final days of the Han Dynasty, depicting the epic Battle of Red Cliff in which the prime minister (Fengyi Zhang) led a million man army against rebel forces in Southern China. With Tony Leung, Chen Chang, Yong You and Wei zhao. (In Mandarin with subtitles)

Staten Island (R for profanity and violence) Crime saga, set in NYC, about a septic tank cleaner (Ethan Hawke) a MafiA boss (Vincent D’Onofrio) and a deaf deli worker (Seymour Cassel) whose lives become intertwined in the wake of a botched mob hit. (In English, French, Italian and sign language with subtitles)

The Good Soldier

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Pacifist Documentary Asks Tough Questions about the Meaning of War

Who do you think said, “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility?” You might be surprised to learn that these weren’t the words of a disgruntled GI gone AWOL but of Dwight Eisenhower, a five-star general who as president would also one day warn of the dangers of the Military-Industrial Complex.
Thus, it is fitting that his quote should appear emblazoned onscreen during the opening of The Good Soldier, a controversial documentary which takes a frank look at war through the eyes of five combat veterans. What is striking about these men who served in WWII, Vietnam and the Middle East conflicts is that none speaks in lofty platitudes when describing the nasty job they had performed more for self-preservation than for freedom or out of a love of country.
The subjects of this shocking expose’ uniformly describe the soldier’s lot as a soul-draining trap which exacts a heavy toll that lasts long after the return to civilian life. Consider Private Edward Wood, who earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart in France in 1944. You can still sense the aftereffects of his having fought in Europe permanently etched on his furrowed brow. “War is about one thing only,” he reflects in quiet contemplation. “It is about killing or being killed yourself, which is why I have come to loathe it.”
Then there’s Staff Sergeant Will Williams, a black man who recounts enlisting in the Army in 1966 because he “needed to get out of Mississippi” to avoid getting lynched over the bitter resentment he felt about racism. So, he married his high school sweetheart just before his deployment, and ended up spending his honeymoon in a foxhole in Vietnam. He admits to being driven by misplaced revenge over there where “the hate I had experienced growing up in the South expanded. I became an animal who could kill with no remorse.”
Captain Michael McPhearson, an African-American from Fayetteville, North Carolina, talks about how he and a buddy dropped out of high school to serve in Iraq after being treated to pizza and taken to see a fireworks display by a local recruiter. McPhearson recalls subsequently seeing “young men turn into psychopathic killers” while in the Middle East. As for himself, however, he held onto his humanity only to be unfairly labeled a conscientious objector for refusing to shoot innocent civilians.
Marine Staff Sergeant Jimmy Massey, a white guy who grew up in a trailer park, has a similar story. He regrets his tour of duty in Iraq, given that he hasn’t had a good night’s sleep since the day he followed orders to kill some unarmed Iraqi women and children. Finally, there’s Warrant Officer Perry Parks, a good ole boy from Rockingham, North Carolina who volunteered for Vietnam where he was “ordered to blow up houses with women and children inside.”
If you know any kid contemplating enlisting in the Armed Forces based on watching commercials with misleading slogans like “Accelerate your life,” or “Be all that you can be,” you might want to suggest that they watch The Good Soldier prior to making any life-altering decisions. For co-directors Lexy Levell and Michael Uys deserve a 21-gun salute for fashioning a sobering antidote to all that patriotic claptrap about serving God, country and apple pie.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 79 minutes
Studio: Artistic License Films

Step Out on Nothing (BOOK REVIEW)

Step Out on Nothing:

How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges

by Byron Pitts

St. Martin’s Press

Hardcover, $24.99

310 pages, illustrated

ISBN: 978-0-312-57766-7

 

 

 

Book Review by Kam Williams

 

“We all have those defining moments in our lives. Moments of great joy. Moments of unspeakable sadness and fear. We usually think we’re alone. But if we look into the corners of our memories, we’ll find them—those people who had faith in us. Those times when a grace beyond earthly understanding touches us.

This is a story of those times. Those people. And the lessons they taught me.”

      -- Excerpted from the Introduction (page 5)

 

Earlier this year, Byron Pitts became the heir apparent to Ed Bradley’s coveted spot on 60 Minutes when he was named a contributing correspondent to the long-running, television newsmagazine. While many might have deemed Mr. Pitts’ ascension to the plum position a natural outgrowth of his Emmy-winning work covering such major stories for CBS as the 9/11 Attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the Afghan War, the truth is that this talented reporter had to overcome a host of seemingly-insurmountable childhood challenges en route to turning himself into a great success story.

Byron and his siblings were raised in Baltimore by a single-mom who had the foresight to make the sacrifice to send him to the local Catholic school on her modest seamstress’ salary, even though they were Baptists who went to Church every Sunday. The teasing was already tough enough for her shy, sensitive, freckle-faced son, between his scrawny build and his thick, Coke bottle eyeglasses, so adding a parochial school uniform to the mix only served to make him more of a mark as he passed through the ‘hood.

For on top of that nerdy image, Byron not only suffered from a bad stutter, but for years hid the fact that he was also functionally illiterate. Fortunately, with the guidance of several critical mentors, he managed to turn all those stumbling blocks into stepping stones. He eventually mastered reading, writing and speaking without stammering, and went on to earn a BA in journalism and speech communications from Ohio Wesleyan University before embarking on his enduring, TV career.

Pitts humbly recounts these admirable achievements in Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges. The moving memoir proves to be as inspiring as it is sincere, with the potential to serve as a source of motivation for any individual who dares to dream big in the face of overwhelming learning disabilities.

He drives home the point that if he could do it, anyone can, via the matter-of-fact conclusion that, “There is nothing remarkable about my abilities or my intellect. I was simply blessed to be born in the greatest country on earth and blessed to have been surrounded by wonderful people who stood in the gap at every vital moment in my life.”

Congrats to Byron Pitts for having the guts to go public with such an intimate testimonial to the power of passion and persistence, especially when one has faith in God and strategic help along the way from some loving role models.