Captive (DVD REVIEW)

Captive DVD Review by Kam Williams



Docudrama Recounts Ordeal of Mom Held Hostage by Rapist Murderer


On March 11, 2005, Brian Nichols (David Oyelowo) was being escorted from jail to the Fulton County Courthouse where he was set to go on trial for assault, kidnapping and rape. But en route to the courtroom, he overpowered a sheriff's deputy (Diva Tyler) and took her gun before embarking on a bloody killing spree that would claim the lives of the judge, a court reporter, a police sergeant and a federal agent.

Nichols subsequently eluded the authorities, hijacking several vehicles as he made his way from Atlanta to the suburb of Duluth. There, in the middle of the night , he abducted Ashley Smith (Kate Mara) on the street and forced her at gunpoint to take him home with her. 
 
Once in the apartment, the high-strung sociopath smashed her head against the wall, even though she was doing her best to complying with his demands. After all, she was well aware that she was dealing with an armed and extremely dangerous fugitive of justice who was the subject of the biggest manhunt in Georgia history. So, there was no reason for the single-mom to do anything stupid that might jeopardize her chances of ever seeing her daughter (Elle Graham) again, especially since, as a recovering meth addict prone to relapse, she had already been forced to surrender custody of Paige to an Aunt (Mimi Rogers). 
 
Meanwhile, the police were closing in. Since Brian had left his cell phone on, they were able to narrow down his location to within a three-mile radius of the tower sending out his signal. They even spoke to him and suggested he give himself up, all to no avail. 
 
What instead ensued was a seven-hour ordeal during which Ashley and Brian not only eventually bonded but experienced a life-transforming catharsis to boot. Thanks to Ashley's Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, she had in her possession a copy of “The Purpose-Driven Life,” the inspirational best-seller by Pastor Rick Warren.

And in response to her captor's admission “I've got a demon in me,” the frightened victim thought to ask his permission to share some pearls of wisdom from the popular, inspirational, self-help guide: “The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose,” she began, adding, “When life has meaning, you can bear almost anything.”

Well, Warren's inspirational message resonated. as Brian surrendered soon after the impromptu Sunday school class, and Ashley never snorted meth ever again. Thus unfolds Captive a faith-based tale of redemption directed by Jerry Jameson. 
 
A riveting, psychological thriller recounting a nationally-known standoff, but from the fresh perspective of the two troubled souls barricaded in a home surrounded by a SWAT team. 
 

Very Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for mature themes involving violence and substance abuse
Running time: 97 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Faith and the Purpose Driven Life; Journey through Darkness; and Filming Captive.



To see a trailer for Captive, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IKJFYegRJk

To order a copy of Captive on DVD, visit:

Kam's Movie Kapsules for 1-15-16

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam's Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

by Kam Williams

For movies opening January 15, 2016

BIG BUDGET FILMS

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (R for profanity, pervasive violence and bloody images) Docudrama revisiting the events surrounding the September 11, 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya which claimed the lives of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Starring Toby Stephens, John Krasinski and Freddie Stroma.

Norm of the North (PG for action and rude humor) Rob Schneider portrays the title character in this animated adventure about an anthropomorphic polar bear that travels to Manhattan with several lemmings to prevent a real estate developer from ruining their Arctic habitat by erecting luxury condos. Voice cast includes Bill Nighy, Heather Graham, James Corden, Loretta Devine and Dr. Ken Jeong.

Ride Along 2 (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, violence and drug use) Unlikely-buddies comedy revolving around a hard-nosed Atlanta cop (Ice Cube) reluctantly partnered with a flamboyant rookie (Kevin Hart) who's also his sister's (Tika Sumpter) fiance. Action-oriented sequel finds pair attempting to bring a Miami drug kingpin (Benjamin Bratt) to justice. With T.I., Tyrese, Olivia Munn, Dr. Ken Jeong and Sherri Shepherd, with cameos by NBA stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Band of Robbers (Unrated) Present-day reimagining of Mark Twain's classic tales with adult versions of Tom Sawyer (Adam Nee) and Huck Finn (Kyle Gallner) still searching for the buried treasure that eluded them in childhood. Supporting cast includes Melissa Beloist as Becky Thatcher, Stephen Lang as Injun Joe and Beth Grant as Widow Douglas.

The Benefactor (Unrated) Richard Gere plays the title role in this thriller about a devious philanthropist who uses his money to manipulate a couple of naive newlyweds (Dakota Fanning and Theo James). With Cheryl Hines, Brian Anthony Wilson and Maria Breyman.

In the Shadow of Women (Unrated) Romance drama revolving around the complications which ensue after a fledgling filmmaker (Stanislas Merhar) cheats on his wife ((Clotilde Courau) with their new assistant (Lena Paugam). With Vimala Pons, Antoinette Moya and Jean Pommier. (In French with subtitles)

Intruders (Unrated) Haunted house horror flick about three thieves who get more than they bargained for when they break into the home of an agoraphobic young woman (Beth Riesgraf). Featuring Jack Kesy, Leticia Jimenez and Martin Starr.

Moonwalkers (R for profanity, graphic violence, frontal nudity and a profusion of drug use) Conspiracy theory comedy, set in 1969, about the CIA Agent (Ron Perlman) who teamed up with a rock band manger (Rupert Grint) to fake the first Apollo moon landing. With Robert Sheehan, Stephen Campbell Moore and Kevin Bishop.

A Perfect Day (R for profanity and sexual references) Balkans war saga, set in Eastern Europe, about a trio of aid workers (Tim Robbins, Benicio Del Toro and Olga Kurylenko) who try to save a devastated community's water supply. Support cast includes Melanie Thierry, Sergi Lopez and Fedja Stukan. (In English, Serbian, Spanish and french with subtitles)

The 10 Best, No, the 100 Best Films of 2015

                        The 10 Best, No, the 100 Best Films of 2015

by Kam Williams

Kam’s Annual Assessment of the Cream of the Cinematic Crop

10 Best Big Budget Films

1. Kingsman: The Secret Service

2. The Revenant

3. Furious 7

4. Unfriended

5. Creed

6. Jurassic World

7. The Martian

8. Black Mass

9. Trainwreck

10. Inside Out

Big Budgets Honorable Mention

11. It Follows

12. Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens

13. McFarland, USA

14. American Ultra

15. Southpaw

16. Insidious: Chapter 3

17: Run All Night

18. Straight Outta Compton

19. Insurgent

20. Concussion

21. Pitch Perfect 2

22. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

23. Get Hard

24. Mad Max

25. The Gallows

10 Best Independent Films

1. Dope

2. Spotlight

3. Desert Dancer

4. Brooklyn

5. Room

6. Tangerine

7. Mistress America

8. Carol

9. Ex Machina

10. Me & Earl & the Dying Girl

Independent Films Honorable Mention

11. Welcome to Me

12. I'll See You in My Dreams

13. Suffragette

14. The Danish Girl

15. The Gift

16. Love & Mercy

17. Big Muddy

18. Shelter

19. Good Kill

20. Meet the Patels

21. No Escape

22. Old Fashioned

23. Forever

24. The Rewrite

25. Like Sunday, Like Rain

10 Best Foreign Films

1. Mustang (Turkey)

2. The Second Mother (Brazil)

3. Girlhood (France)

4. Frame by Frame (Afghanistan)

5. Cartel Land (Mexico)

6. A Pigeon Sat on a Branch (Sweden)

7. Beasts of No Nation (Ghana)

8. Farewell, Herr Schwarz (Poland)

9. Something Better to Come (Russia)

10. Winter on Fire (Ukraine)

Foreign Films Honorable Mention

11. Goodnight Mommy (Austria)

12. The Boy and the World (Brazil)

13. Man from Reno (Japan)

14. Above and Beyond (Israel)

15. Days of Grace (Mexico)

16. The Look of Silence (Indonesia)

17. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (Japan)

18. My Voice, My Life (Hong Kong)

19. 1001 Grams (Norway)

20. Mateo (Cuba)

21. Sweet Micky for President (Haiti)

22. Voices of Auschwitz (Poland)

23. Assassin (Taiwan)

24. When Marnie Was There (Japan)

25. The Dead Lands (New Zealand)

10 Best Documentaries

1 He Named Me Malala

2. Hitchcock/Truffaut

3. The Wrecking Crew

4. Listen to Me Marlon

5. The Hunting Ground

6. Best of Enemies

7. 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets

8. Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine

9. What Happened, Miss Simone?

10. The Wolfpack

Documentaries Honorable Mention

11. Racing Extinction

12. What Our Fathers Did

13: Holler If You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church

14. Iris

15. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

16: Rosenwald

17. Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon

18. Bass Clef Bliss

19. Peace Officer

20. Where to Invade Next

21. Welcome to Leith

22. 1971

23. (T)error

24. The Human Experiment

25. The Hand That Feeds

Ginger Adams Otis (INTERVIEW)

Ginger Adams Otis

The “Firefight” Interview

with Kam Williams

Otis Gives Notice!

Ginger Adams Otis is a staff writer with the New York Daily News and a longtime reporter in New York City. For more than 10 years, she followed the landmark civil rights discrimination lawsuit brought by a group of black firefighters against the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). “Firefight: The Century-Long Battle to Integrate New York’s Bravest” dips into the behind-the-scenes struggles inside the city firehouses and inside City Hall as the lawsuit unfolded. It also flashed back to tell the stirring tale of survival of the city’s first black firefighters a century ago.

Kam Williams: Hey Ginger, thanks for the interview.
Ginger Adams Otis: It’s my pleasure! Thank you for reaching out.


KW: Did you notice that your book made my annual list of the Top TenBlack Books of the year?
GAO: I did not! But I am thrilled to hear it. Thank you. It’s always a particular honor to be singled out by someone who is a serious reader.


KW: What interested you in writing about the integration of the FDNY?
GAO: It was a story that I covered closely for more than 10 years and I was always very … intrigued, I suppose you could say, by the wide variety of reactions the lawsuit engendered and the tremendous amount of misinformation that surfaced around it. It’s a battle to get the cold hard facts out there, regardless of how you feel about the suit on its merits. I looked at all the wrong information, misleading information about the suit and the claims made by the black firefighters, and I thought that it was really important to set the record straight, in some way at least.


KW: Would you describe this project as a labor of love?
GAO: I am not sure it was a labor of love, exactly…. More like a labor of compulsion! It was really hard to pull together all the elements of the story, very challenging to try to bring the people to life and put their arguments and claims in a real-world context. But I couldn’t let it go once I got started – it was like an obsession to get it all out. However, I’d say I definitely fell in love with Wesley Williams’ history. The chapters about the earliest pioneering black firefighters were a joy to research and write.


KW: What was the most surprising thing you learned while researching the book?
GAO: Wow, that’s a good question. I would say that even though I was a reporter covering this topic for years, and though I knew most of the major elements of this story, I was very surprised to learn how many times the city could have solved this problem long before it came to a lawsuit, and yet did not. It’s something I wish I stressed even more in “Firefight,” because the black firefighters still, to this day, take a lot of heat for bringing the lawsuit. In reality, the city could have and should have solved this problem decades ago, but they let opportunity after opportunity go by – and then when it wound up in court, they blamed everyone else. But the chances were there, right in front of them, for a long, long time.


KW: I noticed that you dedicated the book to Captain John Ruffins. Why was that?
GAO: Captain John Ruffins was a New York City firefighter and a Vulcan member, the association of black firefighters who brought the lawsuit against the FDNY. He joined in the 1940s and he was a dedicated and ardent supporter of civil rights, human rights and improving economic opportunities for all the city’s underprivileged communities. He was also an amateur historian and his writing and early research was invaluable for “Firefight.” The most wonderful discovery I made during my journey was a tape recording of an interview he made with Wesley Williams in the 1980s. It’s fascinating to hear Williams describe his own career and I used a lot of it with Captain Ruffins’ blessing in “Firefight.” Sadly, Capt. Ruffins died just before my book went to print and I wanted to dedicate it to him.


KW: How long do you think it would have taken someone else to break the department's color barrier, if Wesley Williams hadn't come along in 1919? Did he need to have a special combination of character, skills and force of will, in the same way that Jackie Robinson had when he integrated Major League Baseball?
GAO: Wesley Williams wasn’t actually the first black firefighter in the city – but he was the one that got the most attention and caused the biggest ruckus. Blacks were fighting fires in the city in colonial times, of course. Every able-bodied person – man or woman - had to chip in then, and if you didn’t there were stiff punishments. But as the communal service became more of an actual job – with prestige and community standing, and then later money and benefits – it became for men only. By the late 1800s, when there were about 60,000 blacks in the city, a black man from Virginia joined the FDNY in Brooklyn – at that time Brooklyn was its own department. William Nicholson joined in 1898 and was sent to work in the FDNY’s veterinary unit. Not long after, John Woodson joined in 1912, again in Brooklyn, the product of political maneuvering within Tammany Hall. Neither of their appointments got a lot of attention. But when Williams joined in 1919, two things were different: Brooklyn and Manhattan had become one department and African-Americans were starting their long march toward the Civil Rights movement. Unlike Nicholson and Woodson, Williams’ appointment was a big deal – it was reported in all the papers, especially the black papers. It made huge waves and it was a harbinger of change – and it created tremendous fear, resentment and backlash among the immigrant workforce in the FDNY that was worried about the emerging black workforce.


KW: Why has the FDNY been so much slower to integrate than the city's other municipal unions?
GAO: It’s a combination of problems. The first being that the FDNY is slow to hire, only once every four or more years. The second problem is that it’s tremendously competitive: upwards of 20,000 to 30,000 people apply for roughly 2,000 to 3,000 positions. And the biggest factor is that within the FDNY, it’s a family job, so for centuries those already on the job encouraged their relatives to apply. Blacks, who were never included in its early years, had a serious stumbling block to overcome just to get a few dozen members on the department.


KW: What is your impression of the Vulcan Society's decades-long efforts to increase the number of African-Americans in the FDNY?
GAO: Well, it’s tremendously unpopular in many quarters, but it was a legitimate and organized effort to force the city and the FDNY into compliance with local, state and federal civil rights law. The Vulcans were smart, well-organized and ran a stellar grassroots campaign and a lot of people resent them for it, but to my mind, it’s really unfair to blame them for holding the city to task. And they outsmarted a lot of people who drastically underestimated them.


KW: Do you think most people would be surprised to learn how Mayor Bloomberg ignored court orders to increase the number of minorities in the FDNY?
GAO: Oh yes, most people will be very surprised at the actions of all the Mayors involved, not just Bloomberg, although he certainly could have done much more to avoid a lawsuit. But it goes all the way back to the Koch era.


KW: How has Mayor Bill De Blasio compared in that regard?
GAO: Mayor de Blasio settled the last remaining leg of the lawsuit within three months of taking office. So, in March 2014, he ended the litigation that had been ongoing since 2007, when Bloomberg forced it to the courts. But change is glacial in the FDNY and it’s not easy to change hearts and minds. There’s a lot more work to be done but it’s coming in small incremental steps.


KW: What message do you want people will take away from the book?
GAO: Knowledge is power. To truly make change, you have to know what your goal is, and have a strategy to get there. Also, institutional racism is hard to see, hard to confront and even harder to explain to the white majority that has benefited from it for so many years. Many don’t see it, don’t want to see it and prefer to hide behind accusations of “special treatment” for people of color.


KW: AALBC.com founder Troy Johnson asks: What was the last book you read?
GAO: "An Unlikely Union: The Love-Hate Story of New York's Irish and Italians." 
 


KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What was the last song you listened to?  
GAO: Nina Simone’s “I Got Life." 
 


KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?
GAO: Apple pie


KW: Was there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?
GAO: Yes, we were very connected to Nature and taught to find God in all things in the natural world.


KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?
GAO: Falling off my tricycle and cracking open my forehead. Good times. [Chuckles]


KW: Who loved you unconditionally during your formative years?
GAO: My grandmother.


KW: Sherry Gillam would like to know what is the most important life lesson you've learned so far?
GAO: Don’t try to fight other people’s battles, no matter how much you love them.


KW: What was your very first job?
GAO: Worked at a horse stable cleaning stalls and horses.


KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
GAO: I don’t really look too long – a quick glimpse and I’m gone! Same thing I’ve always seen: someone with disappointing hair.


KW: What's the craziest thing you've ever done?
GAO: Told my parents I was at college during my sophomore year but in reality I took off to Spain with my friend for a quick trip, It was only during the first few weeks of classes.


KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
GAO: For all my family to have continued good health.


KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?
GAO: Making a difference.


KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?
GAO: Good cheese and fine wine


KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
GAO: Not really, I tend to know a lot of reporters and if there’s a question to be asked, they do it!


KW: Judyth Piazza asks: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?
GAO: They follow their own definition of success.


KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
GAO: Don’t do it for the money. Don’t do it for any reason other than you can’t live with yourself if you don’t.


KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?
GAO: That’s a strange one, but if I’m going to be remembered at all by anyone, I guess I’d want it to be for my kindness and generosity.


KW: Finally, what’s in your wallet?
GAO: A lot of receipts for things I can’t remember buying!


KW: Thanks again for the time, Ginger, and best of luck with the book.
GAO: My thanks to you, Kam. I appreciate your time and interest and I’m grateful for all the support I’ve gotten from you and so many others who care about good books and worthy issues.

To order a copy of Firefight, visit:

Trumbo (FILM REVIEW)

Trumbo
Film Review by Kam Williams



Reverential Biopic Restores Reputation of Blacklisted Scriptwriter


Scriptwriter Dalton Trumbo (1905-1976) was at the height of his career when subpoenaed in 1947 to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigating the spread of Communist propaganda by Hollywood. The celebrated, Academy Award-nominee (for Kitty Foyle) had registered a blip on Congress' radar because of his outspoken support of the party and progressive political ideas like the right of workers to unionize. 
 
When he refused to testify before the Committee, he was held in contempt and summarily shipped off to a federal prison in Ashland, Kentucky. He was finally released after languishing almost a year behind bars, but stilll found himself blacklisted and booted from the Writers Guild of America (WGA). 
 
So, the only way the prolific Trumbo was able to work in the film industry again was by submitting screenplays to studios under a variety of pseudonyms, such as Sally Stubblefield, Millard Kaufman, Guy Endore, Ben Perry and Robert Rich. His scripts for Roman Holiday (1953) and The Brave One (1956) did land Oscars, though he could neither appear to accept the awards nor even publicly acknowledge authorship. 
 
Eventually, the Red Scare ended and Trumbo's membership in the WGA was reinstated, but not before exacting a toll on his personal and professional life. That shameful bullying in the name of patriotism was the subject of Trumbo, a reverential biopic directed by Jay Roach (Austin Powers trilogy). The movie stars Bryan Cranston as the beleaguered title character as well as a talented supporting cast featuring Diane Lane, John Goodman, Louis C.K., Elle Fanning and Dame Helen Mirren.

The aim of the revisionist production is to restore Trumbo's reputation posthumously by poking fun at HUAC and other self-righteous bullies who had taken delight at ruining him, particularly John Wayne (David James Elliott) and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Mirren). While this approach is apt to appeal to audiences with a decidedly leftist agenda, one can't help but think that it's easy with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight to dismiss former Cold War patriots as delusional paranoids. 
 
A timely reminder of our First Amendment rights which which simultaneously settles the score in favor of a disgraced Freedom of Speech proponent.



Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for profanity and sexual references.
Running time: 124 minutes
Distributor: Bleeker Street Media

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

Where to Invade Next (FILM REVIEW)

Where to Invade Next
Film Review by Kam Williams



Michael Moore Mounts Faux Invasion in Tongue-in-Cheek Mockumentary


Oscar-winner Michael Moore (for Bowling for Columbine) has been challenging the power structure ever since releasing Roger & Me way back in 1989. That groundbreaking expose' indicted General Motors for the outsourcing of jobs which devastated his beloved hometown of Flint, Michigan. Over the intervening years, Moore has exhibited a knack for tackling a variety of hot-button topics from a leftist perspective, including the Iraq War (Fahrenheit 9/11), the healthcare industry (Sicko), and the global financial crisis (Capitalism: A Love Story), to name a few.

With Where to Invade Next, the inveterate rabble-rouser sets his sights on the subject of American imperialism. You may remember that the Bush Doctrine, as espoused by President George W. Bush in 2002, asserted the United States' right to wage preemptive war whenever deemed in the national interest. Well, relying on that dubious notion, Moore proceeds to play agent provocateur as he circumnavigates the globe visiting countries with cultural and social constructs supposedly worth emulating.

So, instead of conquest with intent to plunder, the focus here is merely on borrowing ideas which might improve our quality of life. For instance, in France, he asks public school cafeteria chefs how they manage to serve their students such fine cuisine compared to the slop American kids are forced to settle for. And his mission in Finland is to discern why its educational system is far superior to ours, while in Italy he learns about the generous employment benefits not only for maternity leave but for honeymoons as well.

This faux invasion mockumentary features the affable Moore in virtually every tableau, mugging for the camera in his trademark style. Yes, his tongue-in-cheek brand of humor is frequently sublime, and his earnest arguments are often persuasive, even if the format feels a little stale after a quarter-century of the same sort of shenanigans. 
 
Yet another progressive political primer from a proven master at questioning authority



Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for profanity, drug use, violent images and brief graphic nudity.
In English, Italian, French, German, Finnish, Norwegian, Portuguese and Arabic with subtitles.
Running time: 110 minutes
Distributor: Dog Eat Dog Films


To see a trailer for Where to Invade Next, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly4_QiXv8es

Top Ten DVD Releases for 1-5-16

This Week’s DVD Releases

by Kam Williams

Top Ten DVD List for January 5, 2016

Sicario

Infinitely Polar Bear

The Maneater

Agatha Christie's Partner in Crime

The Visit

Flesh and Bone

The Gambler [Losejas]

Susie's Hope

The Walk

The Ballad of the Weeping Spring

Honorable Mention

Robo-Dog

Cruel

True Detective: The Complete Second Season

White Panther

Chasing a Star

Adulterers

Broad City: Season 2

Over Your Dead Body

The Green Inferno

Sinister 2

Condemned 

 

Wrecker