Top Ten DVD Releases for 11-11-14

This Week’s DVD Releases

by Kam Williams

Top Ten DVD List for November 11, 2014                      

The Twilight Zone: 5^th Dimension [Complete Series Limited Edition Boxed Set]

I Am Ali

Jersey Boys

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Happy Christmas

Art 21: Art in the 21st Century [Season 7]

I Am Yours

Frozen in Time

Ice Warriors 

Coldwater

Honorable Mention

Betrayal

Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story

Dear Secret Santa

Southern Baptist Sissies

Tammy

Iceman

11-14 Kam's Kapsules (FEATURE)

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam's Kapsules:      

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun         

by Kam Williams

For movies opening November 14, 2014

BIG BUDGET FILMS   

Beyond the Lights (PG-13 for profanity, mature themes, sexuality and partial nudity) Romance drama about a suicidal superstar (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) who falls in love when her bodyguard (Nate Parker) stops her from leaping off a ledge. With Minnie Driver, Danny Glover and Machine Gun Kelly.

Dumb and Dumber To (PG-13 for crude humor, profanity, sexuality, partial nudity and drug references) Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reprise their iconic roles as dimwitted BFFs to embark on another eventful road trip rife with lowbrow hijinks. Featuring Kathleen Turner, Rob Riggle and Laurie Holden. 

Foxcatcher (R for brief violence and drug use) Crime blotter biopic recounting the real-life murder of Olympic wrestler Dave Schulz (Mark Ruffalo) by John du Pont (Steve Carell), his paranoid-schizophrenic coach and multimillionaire benefactor. Co-starring Channing Tatum, Vanessa Redgrave and Sienna Miller.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS 

Drug Lord: The Legend of Shorty (Unrated) Ten Most Wanted documentary recounting the international manhunt for the ruthless, Mexican cartel kingpin known as El Chapo.

The Homesman (R for violence, sexuality, nudity and disturbing behavior)

Tommy Lee Jones wrote, directed and stars in this adaptation of the Glendon Swarthout novel of the same name, set in the Wild West, about a convicted claim jumper who teams up with a spinster (Hilary Swank) to escort a trio of insane women (Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto and Sonja Richter) from Nebraska to a mental home in Iowa. With Meryl Streep, Hailee Steinfeld, John Lithgow, James Spader, Tim Blake Nelson and William Fichtner.

Levitated Mass (Unrated) “How did they do that?” documentary detailing the installation of a dangling 340-ton granite boulder wedged over a walkway in the L.A. County Museum by Michael Heizer as a work of art.

A Merry Friggin’ Christmas (PG-13 for profanity and violence) Dark comedy about an estranged father (Robin Williams) and son (Joel McHale) who grudgingly share an eight-hour road trip to retrieve forgotten Christmas presents. Support cast includes Candice Bergen, Wendi McClendon-Covey, Clark Duke, Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham. 

Miss Meadows (Unrated) Katie Holmes stars as the title character in this crime drama as a syrupy sweet schoolmarm who moonlights afterhours as a gun-toting vigilante. Featuring James Badge Dale, Callan Mulvey, Stephen Bishop and Tyler Corbet.  

Occupy the Farm (Unrated) Eco-friendly documentary about a California Bay Area community’s effort to preserve parcels of public land for urban agriculture.

Red Army (PG for mild epithets and mature themes) Cold War documentary highlighting the exploits of the Soviet Army’s hockey team, the most successful sports dynasty in history.

Rosewater (Unrated) The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart makes his directorial debut with this adaptation of journalist Maziar Bahari’s (Gael Garcia Bernal) memoir about being imprisoned and tortured in Iran for months for merely reporting the truth about the country’s rigged presidential election. With Claire Foy, Golshifteh Farahani and Shohreh Aghdashloo.    

Saving Christmas (PG for mature themes) Faith-based film chronicling the efforts of a frustrated family man (Kirk Cameron) determined to put Jesus back at the center of his family’s holiday celebration. Co-starring Bridgette Cameron, Darren Doane, Raphi Henly and Ben Kientz. 

Starry Eyes (Unrated) Hollywood horror flick about an aspiring actress (Alex Essoe) who strikes a deal with the devil in exchange for fame and fortune. With Amanda Fuller, Noah Segan and Fabianne Therese.   

The Toy Soldiers (Unrated) Ensemble drama revolving around a quintet of coming-of-age tales set during an era marked by sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll and unfolding over the course of one evening. Cast includes Najarra Townsend, Constance Brenneman, Chandler Rylko, Jeanette May Steiner and Samuel Nolan.

The Justice Imperative (BOOK REVIEW)

The Justice Imperative:

How Hyper-Incarceration Has Hijacked the American Dream

by Brian E. Moran, Esq.  

Significance Press  

Paperback, $9.99                                                                     

186 pages, Illustrated

ISBN: 978-0-9886509-7-8

Book Review by Kam Williams

           

“Our criminal justice system is in need of reform. [It] costs the taxpayers too much, fails at rehabilitation, exacts a life-long toll on offenders, and does not yield corresponding social benefits.

The purpose of this book is three-fold: (1) to provide information about the causes and extent of the problems overwhelming the process of criminal justice… (2) to explain why reform is long overdue and in our collective best interest… (3) to suggest reforms that are supported by empirical evidence…   

As a society, we have become hardened toward felons… [But] it is in the public interest to have released offenders rehabilitated… By recognizing the human dignity of all offenders and enabling them to realize redemption and restore their relationships within the community, all of society is ennobled.

Excerpted from the Foreword by William J. Fox (pages i-iii)

The U.S. prison population exploded between 1980 and 2000, thanks primarily to the so-called “War on Drugs.” During that interim, the number of people jailed went from about 300,000 to over 2,000,000.

Today, about 2% of our working-age men are behind bars, most for non-violent offenses, giving the country the highest incarceration rate of any nation in the world. Unfortunately, taking this tough stance on crime has come at quite a societal cost.

For, not only is it expensive to house inmates, at over $50,000/year in Connecticut, but there is plenty of evidence that it is failing miserably in its efforts to rehabilitate offenders. Consequently, the State has a high recidivism rate, with over half of its ex-cons returning to the correctional system via a virtual revolving door.

            That is the contention of Brian Moran, lawyer and author of “The Justice Imperative: How Hyper-Incarceration Has Hijacked the American Dream.” Although the book’s focus is on Connecticut, what’s transpired there proves to be par for the course.

This opus points out that the policy of treating juvenile delinquents like adults has been counterproductive, since “it is more likely that an African-American boy who drops out of high school will be arrested than get a job.” It further laments that “one in every three black males born today can expect to serve time in prison.”

Mr. Moran, as a member of the Malta Justice Initiative, suggests a host of reforms to “The New Jim Crow,” as dubbed by Michelle Alexander, starting with making it easier for parolees to find gainful employment. And the group’s other solutions include reserving incarceration for violent offenders.

The goal: to reduce Connecticut’s spending on the prison system, to reduce its prison population, to reduce its recidivism rate, and to close half its number of prisons. An admirable initiative spearheaded by a visionary attorney wise enough to seek out the bipartisan support necessary to implement the urgently-needed changes.

To learn more about the project visit: www.TheJusticeImperative.org

 

Beyond the Lights (FILM REVIEW)

Beyond the Lights

Film Review by Kam Williams

Screen Chemistry Abounds in Superstar-Bodyguard Romantic Romp

             
Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) has it all, or so it seems. After years of trying to make it, the emerging pop singer is finally on the brink of superstardom, thanks to several hit singles she recently released, duets with her famous rapper boyfriend, Kid Culprit (Machine Gun Kelly).

Nevertheless, when we meet Noni in the midst of a whirlwind tour of appearances on award shows, she’s secretly miserable and seriously considering suicide. That’s because every step of her assault on showbiz has been dictated by her abusive mother, Macy (Minnie Driver), the proverbial stage-mom from Hell.

Noni no longer recognizes her real self in the mirror underneath the purple hair extensions, the provocative wardrobe, and the phony smile that masks the hard cold truth about a vulnerable soul at the end of her rope. Then, just as she’s set to launch herself from the balcony of a penthouse suite at the posh Beverly Hills Hotel, fate intervenes in the person of Kaz (Nate Parker), the quick-thinking LAPD officer assigned to protect her from the paparazzi and overzealous fans.

Springing into action, he grabs an arm and pulls Noni back over the rail. Now that she has been afforded a second chance at life, one can’t help but wonder whether she’ll wise up and declare her independence from her miserable misanthrope of a mother? Or, will she notice that the right man for her might be the handsome hunk with bulging biceps who saved the day, even if he’s not a rich celebrity like the unreliable bad-boy she’s currently dating?

            
 These are the foremost questions subsequently explored by Beyond the Lights, a steamy romantic romp written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Secret Life of Bees and Love & Basketball). Don’t be duped into thinking that you’ve seen this same story somewhere before, given how the plot is vaguely reminiscent of Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner’s The Bodyguard (1992). 

Beyond the Lights unfolds in a unique fashion all its own. This amorous tale of female empowerment might be better thought of as an engaging blend of hip-hop performances and soap opera drama that’s at its best when leads Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nate Parker generate beaucoup chemistry while sharing the screen. 

Love in the time of hip-hopera!

Very Good (3 stars)

Rated PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, suggestive gestures, partial nudity and matures themes

Running time: 116 minutes

Distributor: Relativity Media

To see a trailer for Beyond the Lights, visit:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rvgJ2WbDsc

 

Marque Richardson (INTERVIEW)

Marque Richardson

The “Dear White People” Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Marque and Me!

Marque Richardson is a high energy, multi-faceted actor, writer and producer. He can currently be seen in the critically-acclaimed DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, a satirical comedy that examines race and identity in America through the stories of four black, Ivy League college students.
As a young actor, Marque amassed some impressive credits, including recurring roles on HBO’s THE NEWSROOM and TRUE BLOOD. He has also guest-starred on BROOKLYN NINE NINE, ANGER MANAGEMENT and THE MIDDLE. 

Richardson attended the University of Southern California on a full scholarship from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, graduating with degrees in Business, Public Policy, Planning and Management. To build on his knowledge of the film industry, he interned at Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment. There, he gained insight on film and television production while honing his acting skills. 

The elder of two siblings, Marque’s military family moved around frequently before settling in Bellflower, California where he got a head start on his acting career by starring in various commercials at age four. Determined to not be pigeonholed, Marque still trains at Upright Citizens’ Brigade and the Ivana Chubbuck Studio while studying screenwriting at UCLA. 

 He prides himself on being a global citizen with a strong sense of community service, too. In 2005, he traveled to Khao Lak, Thailand to help in the country’s relief efforts after the devastating tsunami of 2004. And he’s worked with Habitat for Humanity to help build homes in Louisiana and Guatemala. 

Marque spends his free time writing, innovating and mentoring students in Los Angeles. Here, he talks about his career as well as his work in DEAR WHITE PEOPLE.

Kam Williams: Hi Marque, thanks for the interview.

Marque Richardson: Hey, Kam, how's it going? [Chuckles]Thank YOU for the interview!

KW: What interested you in Dear White People?

MR: What interested me in Dear White People was that it was smart, funny, modern and it had something to say that people needed to hear.  

KW: Tell me a little about your character, Reggie?

MR: Reggie is a beast! Intelligent, strong and militant, he's a computer science major at Winchester University. He's like a modern-day Malcolm X mixed with the character Buggin' Out from Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. What's most interesting about Reggie is that he defers a lot of his responsibility off onto the other characters of the film. In a way, Reggie represents the population of the world that wants change but doesn't want to take responsibility to act themselves, the population that is waiting for their hero. 

KW: What do you think of the issues raised by the film?

MR: There are tons of issues which the film brings to light, from race to identity to sexuality. The characters are a complex mix that serves as a mirror effect for audiences, which is why so many people of diverse backgrounds relate to the film. At the end of the day, this is a story about identity and the biggest thing I hope people get from the film is that it's okay to be yourself at all times. Own your uniqueness and all that makes you who you are because there’s no better you... than you.  

KW: True. Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

MR: "Would you like to play the first black Capt. America?" I want Marvel to ask me that. 

KW: Have you ever had a near-death experience?

MR: I almost drowned when I was 5 years-old. Had to stay at the hospital and all that jazz. I still love swimming though! 

KW: A scary story with a happy ending. What is your guiltiest pleasure?

MR: I love watching bad horror movies. Like the ones that are so bad they're good. Anything on fear.net. And I am a fatty, I love eating food, if I could eat, sleep and watch bad horror movies all day, I would. 

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

MR: I’m, currently reading the Richard Pryor biography "Furiously Cool." What a gift he was!

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

MR: I love to barbecue. I will barbecue the [bleep] out of anything… and you will like it! [LOL]

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

MR: Food!

KW: The Harriet Pakula-Teweles question: With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you'd like to star in?

MR: I can’t stand remakes. We haven't run out of ideas. Start something new!

KW: What’s in your wallet?

MR: Not a damn thing. [Laughs]

KW: Thanks again for the time, Marque, and best of luck with the film.

MR: Thanks so much, Kam, and best of luck to you, too!

To see a trailer for Dear White People, visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMgWMzbM2Pk

Sex Ed (FILM REVIEW)

Sex Ed

Film Review by Kam Williams

Haley Joel Osment Sees Horny People in Titillating Teensploit

            Eddie Cole (Haley Joel Osment) is one, long-suffering virgin. The terminally-awkward nerd never got lucky in high school, despite performing in the jazz band, since he picked probably the least cool instrument to play, namely, the oboe. And the aspiring educator fared no better with females in college, ultimately graduating still desperate for deflowering.

Today, he lives in the Tampa area where he frequently finds himself forced to watch couples cavort amorously, like the kinky customers begging him to let them copulate in the bagel store where he works as a clerk. There’s no relief for the loser at lust at home either, where he catches his roommate (Jake Powell) in a compromising position with a cute conquest (Castille Landon).  

At least Eddie’s job prospects improve when he’s offered a position at an inner-city junior high school. The only trouble is he’ll be teaching Sex Education, a subject he obviously knows nothing about. Worse, half the kids in his class prove to be pretty precocious in terms of the birds and bees, especially class clown Leon (Isaac White), a trash-talking troublemaker whose minister father (Chris Williams) has to be summoned to wash his son’s mouth out with soap.  

The situation’s only saving grace rests in the fact that Eddie develops a crush from afar on Pilar (Lorenza Izzo), the elder sister of one of his students (Kevin Hernandez). The complication there, however, is that the pretty Latina already has a mucho macho buff beau in the very jealous Hector (Ray Santiago).  

That is the pat premise of Sex Ed, a romantic comedy designed to keep you guessing whether Eddie will ever be able to summon up the gumption to tell Pilar his true feelings for her. Written by Bill Kennedy and directed by Isaac Feder, the film is basically a vehicle for all-grown Haley Joel Osment, the former child star famous for making “I see dead people” a cultural catchphrase.

In The Sixth Sense, he also played a character called Cole, albeit it’s his surname this go-round. Brace yourself to hear him use some surprisingly salty language in service of a production which would’ve warranted an R, had it been rated by the MPAA.           

             A pedestrian, raunchy romp just amusing enough to recommend, though nothing groundbreaking. The only thing this titillating teensploit is missing is Haley Joel Osment periodically whispering, “I see horny people!”

Very Good (2.5 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 92 minutes

Distributor: MarVista Entertainment

To see a trailer for Sex Ed, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-lauONf9F4

Nightcrawler (FILM REVIEW)

Nightcrawler

Film Review by Kam Williams

Gyllenhaal Great as Cameraman in Cutthroat Competition for Grisly News Footage

           

            Petty thief Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) was eking out a living selling stolen scrap metal to junkyards until the day he stumbled upon a legitimate line of work when he pulled over to assist a driver trapped in a fiery car crash. There, he was surprised to find ghoulish freelance journalists flocking to the scene with the hope of shooting graphic video footage to sell to network television stations.

He quietly observed them in action before asking a forthcoming reporter probing questions about what the job entailed. A quick learner, after listening intently, Lou visited a pawn shop to purchase a camcorder and police scanner, the only tools essential to enter the business, besides the car he already had.

The next thing you know, he’s roaming around the streets of Los Angeles, joining the cutthroat competition to be the first to arrive in the aftermath of the next gruesome murder or highway pileup. Understanding the TV news credo, “If it bleeds, it leads,” he starts picking which emergency calls to pursue based on their potential for providing the sort of visually-captivating pictures popular with viewers.

Upon meeting with a little early success, he soon hires a homeless dude (Rick Garcia) as his navigator. More importantly, he develops a mutually-beneficial relationship with Nina Romina (Rene Russo), veteran news director at Channel 6, the local station with the lowest ratings. Lou’s uncanny ability to get grisly shots conveniently coincides with Nina and KWLA’s desperate need to attract a wider audience.

Thus unfolds Nightcrawler, a combination character portrait/riveting thriller marking the noteworthy directorial debut of Dan Gilroy. Jake Gyllenhaal is better than ever here in the title role, eclipsing both his brilliant outing just last year in Prisoners as well as his Oscar-nominated performance in Brokeback Mountain.

As this film further unfolds, the plot thickens considerably when Lou opts to make news rather than merely cover it. For, the potential financial rewards become so tempting that he begins to orchestrate events for the sake of the almighty dollar. Worse, his benefactor Nina proves willing to look the other way in the face of mounting evidence that her star stringer might be crossing an ethical line.

            A sobering cautionary tale suggesting that you reflect upon all the motivations of a news source before swallowing the veracity of a story, hook, line and sinker.   

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated R for violence, profanity and graphic images

Running time: 117 minutes

Distributor: Open Road Films

To see a trailer for Nightcrawler, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1uP_8VJkDQ