Hard Breakers

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Fed-Up Females Turn the Tables in Date-Rape Comedy

Alexis (Cameron Richardson) and Lindsay (Sophie Monk) are fed-up with men. First, the former’s father (Tom Arnold) left her mom for a 22 year-old bimbo (Mircea Monroe). Then, a sleazy film producer (Chris Kattan) tried to pressure the attractive, aspiring actress into appearing naked in a porno film.
When the frustrated best friends finally found some perfect gentlemen while out on the town, it turned out they were in a gay bar. Otherwise, most of the guys they’ve been dating lose interest in and respect for them once they’ve made love.
The straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back arrives the night that Lindsay is left unsatisfied by a beefy black guy (Sticky Fingaz) who’s impressed with himself at the same time that Alexis sleeps with a flamboyant Asian (Bobby Lee) in a feathered boa offering to augment his modest endowment.
Giving up on love entirely, the girls decide to behave more like the jerks who have been using them, so they start searching for “meat that needs to be played and laid,” meaning handsome hunks they plan to date-rape. This is the point of departure of Hard Breakers, a female empowerment flick marking the writing, producing and directorial debut of Leah Sturgis.
Provided you are gullible enough to swallow the shallow and may I
suggest patently-preposterous premise featuring females turning the tables in such a self-destructive fashion, this campy comedy supplies just enough in the way of eye candy and mirth to amount to a worthwhile diversion. The plot predictably thickens when Alexis meets Mr. Perfect right when she’s finally inclined to stop playing musical beds. But will Lindsay let her partner in crime opt out of the game and settle down?
Besides co-stars Cameron Richardson and Sophie Monk constantly cavorting across the screen in skimpy outfits, the capable supporting cast (including Tom Arnold, Tia Carrere, Alexis Arquette, Stephen Tobolowsky and SNL alum Chris Kattan) allows one to ignore the multiple flaws of the problematic low-budget production. A battle-of-the-sexes farce where vindictive females force their unsuspecting prey to be friends with benefits, whether they want some or not!

Good (2 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 98 Minutes
Distributor: Ocean Front Productions

Forks over Knives

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Diet Documentary Advocates Virtues of Vegetarianism

Why is that most Americans are overweight nowadays? And why are we sicker and spending more on healthcare than ever before? It’s all in the diet, according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, medical pioneers who have staked their careers studying the skyrocketing increase in the so-called “Diseases of Affluence.”
These iconoclastic physicians find themselves at odds with the bulk of their colleagues because they believe that most of the degenerative diseases afflicting humanity are a consequence of our eating animals and processed foods. This is the proposition which they set about proving in Forks over Knives, a documentary indicting agribusiness for the aforementioned sorry state of affairs.
Directed by Lee Fulkerson, this incendiary expose’ shows how corporations have successfully exploited our biological urges for generations, often with the help of government-sponsored propaganda. For example, the film features clips from an old newsreel where it is suggested that cow’s milk is better for a baby than mother’s milk.
Similar approaches have been employed to dupe the populace into believing in everything from having eggs and bacon for breakfast daily to the notion that meat is the only way to get enough protein. Fundamental to such mind control is the ensnaring of consumers in “The Pleasure Trap” whereby advertisers cleverly leverage the natural instinct for food and sex.
Fortunately, reversing the trend simply involves reeducation and opting to step off the self-destructive treadmill which has most of us on a diet dominated by meats, salt, fat, sugar and refined foods of little nutritional value. Judging by the glowing testimonials of Dr. Campell’s and Dr. Esselstyn’s patients here, apparently all it takes is merely adopting a whole foods, plant-based regimen not only to see the pounds come off but to end one’s dependency on pills for blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes and many other medical maladies.
Back to nature and rejuvenation just by refusing to be brainwashed by Madison Avenue any longer!

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG for smoking and mature themes.
Running time: 96 Minutes
Distributor: Monica Beach Media

Under the Boardwalk

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Monopoly Documentary Celebrates Parker Brothers Popular Board Game

In 1935, Charles Darrow, au unemployed salesman from Philadelphia, got a patent on Monopoly, a board game ostensibly inspired by another named The Landlord. The original had been invented over three decades earlier by a Quaker named Lizzie Phillips as a means of illustrating capitalism’s tendency to enrich property owners at the expense of impoverishing renters.
But Darrow’s version of the game was more a celebration than an indictment of an evil economic system. It even featured Rich Uncle Pennybags as is mascot, an exuberant, tuxedoed character sporting a top hat, cane and handlebar mustache reportedly modeled on filthy-rich financier J.P. Morgan.
The rights to Monopoly were acquired by Parker Brothers which started mass producing the game. Soon thereafter, the game caught fire among millions of the discouraged desperate to rekindle the American Dream as they struggled to survive the Great Depression. Its popularity has persisted uninterrupted over the intervening years to the point where it has been translated into dozens of languages and is presently being distributed in over a hundred countries around the world.
Furthermore, Monopoly today is as much a brand as it is a game, with the name being licensed for use by McDonald’s, gambling casinos, lotteries and so forth. Meanwhile, it has also become a part of the nation’s very cultural fabric, as witnessed by the countless references to the game made in movies and on television shows.
All of the above is chronicled in Under the Boardwalk, a delightful documentary directed by Kevin Tostado which is certain to delight any Monopoly fan. For besides disseminating some fascinating historical info, the movie is kept lively by chronicling the goings-on at both the United States and World Monopoly Championships of 2009.
Coming from all walks of life, the only thing the colorful entrants have in common is an obsession with playing the endlessly-entertaining board game that has captured their imaginations since childhood. As for the key to winning, the participants seem to agree that despite the incredible amount of strategy necessary for a serious shot at the title, a lucky roll of the dice might ultimately decide the outcome.
Advance token to Boarwalk!

Very Good (3 stars)
Rated G
Running time: 88 minutes
Distributor: Rhino Films

Louder Than a Bomb

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Documentary Chronicles Windy City Poetry Slam

Right-wing pundits such as Karl Rove and Sarah Palin recently had a field day trashing Common when the Chicago-born rapper was invited to the White House to participate on poetry night. That elitist reaction raises an interesting question: does the hip-hop style of rhyming and its down-to-earth subject-matter about life in the ‘hood deserve the same respect as the classical couplets of Keats and other lofty lyricists whose work benefits from ivory-towered academia’s stamp of approval?
The answer to that question might lie in simply screening Louder Than a Bomb, a documentary chronicling the Slam Poetry competition of the same name staged annually in the Windy City. The 600+ entrants from 60+ schools are an ethnically-diverse array of high students who share a passion for the spoken word format.
Co-directed by Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel (nephew of the legendary film critic Gene Siskel), the film telescopes narrowly on the fortunes of four teams and their talented standouts. Nate Marshall is from Whitney Young Magnet School, Adam Gottlieb’s from North College Prep, Nova Venerable’s from Oak Park High, and “Steinmenauts” Lamar Jorden, Charles Smith and Kevin Harris represent defending champion Steinmetz High.
To the uninitiated, most of their uniformly-strident, high-energy performances highlighted here might be reminiscent of rappers, only sans music. However, the absence of accompaniment makes it easier for the audience to focus on the rich content of the writers’ evocative verses which tend to reflect issues in their personal lives.
Granted, given how deeply teenagers tend to feel about their troubles, their staccato stanzas are apt to sound like emotional dumps to the average adult, whether they’re weighing-in on absentee parents, drug-addicted parents, or even doting Jewish parents. Although I thoroughly enjoyed watching this flick, my only worry upon completion was whether or not these accomplished slam poets will ever bother to learn to speak grammatically. Sorry, but I couldn’t help but be concerned upon hearing some of the same youngsters saying things like “When we was on the stage…” and “I plan to go to college and be like a professor.” in post-performance interviews.
Louder than a bomb blasting the King’s English to smithereens leaving Ebonics as the last language standing!

Very Good (3 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 99 minutes
Distributor: Balcony Releasing

Top Ten DVD List for May 17th

This Week’s DVD Releases
by Kam Williams

Headline: Top Ten DVD List for May 17th

Beverly Hills Cop [Blu-Ray]


Sophia Loren Award Collection


Budrus


Shoeshine


Wartorn 1861-2010


Biebermania


The Other Woman


The Mechanic


The Orgasm Diaries


The Rite


Honorable Mention

Broken Hill

Kam's Kapsules: For movies opening May 27, 2011

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening May 27, 2011

BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Hangover Part II (R for brief violence, full-frontal nudity, pervasive profanity, drug use and graphic sexuality) The members of the Wolf Pack (Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper and Justin Bartha) reunite for a raunchy bachelor party in Bangkok for another gullible groom-to-be (Ed Helms). What happens in Thailand, stays in Thailand! Ensemble includes Dr. Ken Jeong, Sasha Barrese, Jamie Chung, Jeffrey Tambor and Mike Tyson.

Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG for mild violence and martial arts sequences) Animated 3-D sequel finds Master Po (Jack Black) teaming with the Furious Five (Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan and David Cross) kung fu legends to defend the Valley of Peace from a diabolical albino peacock (Gary Oldman) armed with a secret weapon. Voice cast includes Dustin Hoffman, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Haysbert, Michelle Yeoh, and James Hong.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Hello Lonseome (Unrated) Ensemble drama examining the diverging fates of a trio of unlikely couples: a just-dumped voiceover actor (Harry Chase) befriended by a cynical deliveryman (Kamel Boutros); an elderly widow (Lynn Cohen) who finds comfort in the arms of her young, next-door neighbor (James Urbaniak) after becoming stuck in the suburbs when she loses her driver’s license; and a sports fan (Nate Smith) who falls in love with a woman (Sabrina Lloyd) he meets online after what was just supposed to be a one-night stand.

Puzzle (Unrated) Argentinean drama about a bored housewife (Maria Onetto) who unexpectedly develops a new zest for life upon solving the puzzle she receives as a 50th birthday present. With Gabriel Goity, Arturo Goetz and Henny Trayles. (In Spanish with subtitles)

Spork (Unrated) Bit-punk musical comedy starring Savannah Stehlin in the title role as an ostracized junior high student mercilessly teased by mean girls who tries to improve her social standing by entering a school dance competition. With Sydney Park, Rachel G. Fox, Michael William Arnold and Halston Autumn McMurray.

Tied to a Chair (Unrated) Screwball comedy about a miserable housewife (Bonnie Loren) who leaves her husband (Richard Franklin) of 25 years to resume the acting career she gave up to marry him. The plot thickens at her first audition when she’s left bound to a chair in a hotel room by a kinky cult film director (Mario Van Peebles) who subsequently turns up dead. With Robert Gossett, Kim Cristo and Daniel Farag.

The Tree of Life (PG-13 for mature themes) Impressionistic meditation on the meaning of life, set in the Fifties, as contemplated by a sensitive soul (Sean Penn) who hasn’t been the same since losing his innocence at the age of 11. Directed by Terrence Malick and co-starring Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Kari Matchett and Joanna Going.

Tuesday, after Christmas (Unrated) Midlife crisis drama about a jaded banker (Mimi Branescu) forced to pick between his marriage and his mistress by Christmas after confessing to his boring wife of ten years (Mirela Oprisor) that he’s been carrying on a primal affair with their daughter’s (Sasa Paul-Szel) orthodontist (Maria Popistasu) for the past five months. (In Romanian with subtitles)

Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self-Discovery (BOOK REVIEW)

by Michael Sidney Fosberg
Incognito, Inc.
Paperback, $20.00
330 pages, Illustrated
ISBN: 978-0-615-41396-9

Book Review by Kam Williams

“I grabbed the phone and punched in the number… my heart pounding… My dad… Thirty years later. ‘My name is Michael Sidney Fosberg, and I’m your son!’ I blurted out.
‘Son? Well, first of all, I want you to know that no matter what you were told, or what you thought happened, I have always loved you… There’s one other thing I’m sure your mother never told you.’
‘What’s that?’
‘I’m African-American,’ he said.
My body went numb. I felt light-headed and my legs began to give way. I braced myself against the bureau… I sat down slowly on the bed in stunned silence, trying to breathe without trembling. My throat was dry I struggled to respond, but all I could say was, ‘Wow!’”
-The author learning his father was black. (pgs. 71-74)

Michael Sidney Fosberg was raised in a lily-white, Chicago suburb at the height of the Civil Rights Movement by his Caucasian mother and stepdad. Consequently, he grew up blissfully unaware of the fact that the real father he’d been separated practically at birth from was black.
A Jew-fro and a slightly swarthy complexion were all that made Michael stand out in family photos taken with his parents and two younger siblings. His mom explained away the differences in their appearance by saying that he was part Cherokee, an excuse which her emotionally-conflicted son bought until he bottomed out in his Thirties while trying to make it as an actor in L.A.
It was then, after almost dying of a drug overdose, that he resolved to turn his life around, despite having thus far frittered away his adulthood in rudderless fashion, between substance-abusing and serial womanizing. With the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, Michael soon sobered up and came to understand the role that “the loss and absence of my biological father at such an early age” had played in his self-destructive patterns.
So, he pressured his mother for info about his paternal roots, and she provided him with a name, John Woods, and a hometown, Detroit, without divulging anything about her ex’s ethnicity. Therefore, it’s easy to imagine Michael’s utter shock upon learning that his long-lost father was African-American.
He soon shared the big development with his half-sister, Lora, who took the news in stride, matter-of-factly remarking, “Damn! My brother’s a brother.” And that was only the first of numerous jaw-dropping disclosures about to come out of the closet. As it turned out, Michael’s dad had remarried after divorcing his mother but had then another mixed child with a Jewish mistress of many years.
Worse, Woods was unemployed, on the run from the law, and doing his best to avoid a stiff prison sentence for bribery. So much for Michael’s dream of an idyllic father-son reunion and making up for lost time.
With his dad first evading authorities and then behind bars, Michael instead immersed himself in African-American culture, even becoming engaged briefly to a sister who unfortunately turned out to be a gold digger. Alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, Incognito is a riveting and revealing autobiography of self-discovery with a message most reminiscent of that age old maxim, “Be careful what you wish for!”