Sausage Party

Film Review by Kam Williams

Groceries Seek Salvation in Raunchy Animated Comedy

Frank (Seth Rogen) finds himself frustrated sitting on a shelf at Shopwells supermarket where he's cooped up in a shrink-wrapped package with seven other sausages. They pass their time speculating about what awaits them in "The Great Beyond," meaning the vast unknown just past the cash register on the other side of the door.

They're all very eager to be bought because of an unfounded belief in a rumor that the store's customers transport their groceries to a heaven-like utopia to enjoy lives of neverending bliss. And Frank has another reason he wants to leave, namely, a crush on Brenda (Kristen Wiig), the curviest of the girly Glamour Buns. 
 
Then, when they're all about to be purchased during the blowout 4th of July sale, Frank learns from a returned jar of Honey Mustard (Danny McBride) that they've been operating under a mistaken assumption all along. Truth be told, food simply gets taken home and devoured eaten by the humans. 
 
So, Frank sounds the alarm, warning, "The Gods are evil and they kill us!" Unfortunately, the news falls mostly on deaf ears, since the majority of his friends are simply way too brainwashed to catch on and resist. 
 
However, he and a few intrepid souls do question their blind faith and make a break for it, including Brenda, Sammy Bagel, Jr. (Edward Norton), Teresa the Taco (Salma Hayek), Lavash the Pita bread (David Krumholtz), Grits (Craig Robinson), Twinkies (Scott Underwood) and fellow sausages Barry (Michael Cera), Carl (Jonah Hill) and Troy (Anders Holm). What ensues is a rollicking, raunchy exploration of religion, sex and political issues from the perspective of these anthropomorphized, foul-mouthed grocery items. 
 
For example, Middle East concerns are reflected in the bitter badinage over aisle space between the bagel and the pita bread, a thinly-veiled reference to Jewish and Palestinian tensions. Race in America is touched upon when Grits complains about "Crackers" in a tirade during which he bellows "They call me Mr. Grits!" 
 
Still, most of this expletive-laced adventure is dedicated to the sort of sexual innuendo designed to titillate testosterone-sodden males. Frank's explicit flirtations with Brenda are actually matched by lesbian Teresa's equally-tawdry appeals ("I have crotch feeling for you!").

Co-directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon, Sausage Party is a hard to pigeonhole, adult-oriented cartoon. It's certainly a coarse and crude teensploitation flick which relentlessly earns its R-rating. Most reminiscent of a couple of other equally-outrageous animated adventures, namely Team America (2004) and South Park (1997), this is a take no prisoners comedy which will undoubtedly resonate with fans of such politically-incorrect shock-fare.


Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for ethnic and off-color humor, graphic sexuality, drug abuse and pervasive profanity
Running time: 89 minutes
Distributor: Sony Pictures

To see a trailer for Sausage Party, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAJrBPUVDJM

Meet the Blacks

DVD Review by Kam Williams


Disappointing Spoof of The Purge Arrives on DVD


After coming into a small fortune under suspicious circumstances, Carl Smith (Mike Epps) decides to move his family from the ghetto in Chicago to Blanco Cielo, an exclusive development in Beverly Hills. Accompanying him on the cross-country trip are his wife Lorena (Zulay Henao), dating-age daughter Allie (Bresha Webb), and adolescent son Carl, Jr. (Alex Henderson).

Upon their arrival, Carl proceeds to offend everyone he encounters, starting with the gated community's security guard whom he calls too dark-skinned to profile another black person. Despite the fact that the African immigrant is merely attempting to do his job, he is also accused of having the Ebola virus. 
 
Next, when Lorena hires an Asian manicurist (Kathrien Ahn), Carl asks her to give him "some Chinese head." Charming. And during a get acquainted stroll around the neighborhood, he manages to antagonize assorted neighbors, too.

More importantly, however, he also learns that "The Purge" is set to start at 7 pm. If you are familiar with the horror flick of the same name, then you know that means that all crimes will be legal during the impending 12-hour period, even murder. 
 
What ensues is a politically-incorrect parody closely patterned on the original. For instance, Allie's boyfriend (Andrew Bachelor) shows up unannounced, and Carl, Jr. proves to be a technical whiz with a robot and a drone at his disposal, just like their counterparts in The Purge.

After sundown, a number of adversaries descend on the estate, one-by-one, each with evil intentions, including a Ku Klux Klansman (Michael Caradonna), a repo man (DeRay Davis), a revenge-minded parolee (Charlie Murphy), Carl's ex-wife Shoranda (Tameka "Tiny" Cottle) and his crazy cousin Cronut (Lil Duval). Unfortunately, co-writer/director Deon Taylor decided to appeal to the lowest common denominator repeatedly during this unfunny, demeaning throwback reminiscent of Amos 'n' Andy. 
 
Anything for a laugh, regardless of how self-hating or hurtful the joke might be. An expletive and N-word laced descent into modern minstrelsy.




Poor (0 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, violence, ethnic slurs, drug use and pervasive profanity
Running time: 94 minutes
Studio: Hidden Empire Film Group
Distributor: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Blu-Ray Extras: Outtakes; "The Making of Meet the Blacks" featurette; "hit the Gas" music video; Behind the Scenes of "Hit the Gas";.and "Don't Hate Wiring!" parody commercial.



To see a trailer for Meet the Blacks, visit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivqhlpUCnZY

To order a copy of Meet the Blacks on Blu-Ray, visit:

Top Ten DVD List for 8-9-16

by Kam Williams

This Week’s DVD Releases

Perry Mason: The Complete Movie Collection

The Golden Age of Musicals [5 DVD Musical Collector's Set]

Parched

A Hologram for the King

Women He's Undressed

Last Days in the Desert

Line of Duty: Series Three

Meet the Guilbys

Dark Diamond

The Tiger

Honorable Mention

Nova: Bombing Hitler's Supergun

The Tunnel: Season One

Supergirl: Season One

Kam's Kapsules for Movies Opening 8-12-16

by Kam Williams

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun 

OPENING THIS WEEK

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Florence Foster Jenkins (PG-13 for brief suggestive material) Meryl Streep handles the title role in this biopic about a New York City socialite-turned-tone deaf opera star who cultivated a loyal following despite singing off key. Cast includes Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg and Christian McKay. .

Hell or High Water (R for graphic violence, pervasive profanity and brief sexuality) Modern Western about the pursuit of a couple of sibling bank robbers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) by an aging Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) and his half-breed partner (Gil Birmingham). Featuring Kevin Rankin, Katy Mixon and Dale Dickey.

Pete's Dragon (PG for action, peril and brief mild epithets) Oakes Fegley plays the title character in this remake of the 1977 Disney classic fantasy about the adventures of an orphan befriended by a dragon (John Kassir). With Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Karl Urban and Wes Bentley.

Sausage Party (R for ethnic humor, graphic sexuality, drug abuse and pervasive profanity) Raunchy animated comedy, set in a supermarket, revolving around the struggle of a sausage (Seth Rogen) and some fellow groceries to learn the truth about what awaits them after being purchased. Voice cast includes James Franco, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Salma Hayek, Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Paul Rudd and Danny McBride.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Anthropoid (R for violence and disturbing images) Fact-based World War II saga recounting the top secret mission to assassinate Nazi General Reinhard Heydrich (Detlef Bothe), the architect of Hitler's Final Solution. With Jamie Dornan, Cillian Murphy, Brian Caspe and Karel Hermanek, Jr. (In English and German with subtitles)

Blood Father (R for graphic violence, pervasive profanity and brief drug use) Mel Gibson stars in the title role of this action thriller about an ex-con's attempt to protect his estranged, 16 year-old daughter (Erin Moriarty) from the drug cartel that wants her dead. With William H. Macy, Diego Luna and Michael Parks.

Emily & Tim (Unrated) Romance drama, narrated by Kathleen Turner, deconstructing the tumultuous, 50-year marriage of an alternately loving and antagonistic couple. Ensemble cast includes Alexis Bleidel, Phylicia Rashad, Thomas Mann, Andre Braugher, Kal Penn, Dominic Fumusa, Zosia Mamet, Drena De Niro and Olympia Dukakis.

The Fight Within (PG-13 for sports violence and brief menacing) Faith-based drama about a Mixed Martial Arts fighter's (John Major Chandler) who retires after being Born Again with the help of a new love (Lelia Symington) only to find himself forced back into the cage by a revenge-minded foe (Matt Leddo) he once beat. Supporting cast includes Wesley Williams, Mike H. Taylor and Dan Severn.

Ghost Team (PG-13 for profanity, sexual references and drug use) Ensemble comedy about a jaded, copy store clerk (Jon Heder) who lead a rag-tag team of misfits on a search for proof of paranormal activity. With David Krumholtz, Melonie Diaz, Justin Long and Amy Sedaris.

The Lost Arcade (Unrated) Inspirational documentary about Chinatown Fair, the legendary game arcade located in Manhattan's Chinatown which served as a community shelter for a diverse group of kids from all around the city.

ONE LAST DEADLY PLAY

CELEBRITY JOURNALIST PENS NEW MURDER MYSTERY 


     "In her second novel, Flo Anthony perfectly captures the scene from New York to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami, as Valerie and Rome come up against murder, kidnapping plots and enough family intrigue to make the Lyons from "Empire" seem more like pussy cats than kings of the jungle."
Required Reading by Billy Heller
The New York Post

    Almost two years have passed since the discovery of retired baseball player Royale Jones' real identity; Rolondo Jemison. Valerie Rollins, famous Gossip Columnist, never revealed her intimate past with the true Wildcat player. While she and her crime-solving partner Rome Nyland were behind the uncovering of this imposter, one infamous question lingered on: what happened to the real Royale? As if the heavens themselves intervened, a peculiar stranger who has been living in isolation, tucked away in the Bahamas, suddenly awakens from his amnesia.
     Five years of memorylessness evaporates upon seeing a photo of Rolondo and Valerie's name in a newspaper article. Valerie returns to the Big Apple, with intentions of aiding her fiance, Victor Dumas. Upon discovering the murder of her staff, her home invaded and Rome's fiancee missing, the worst has yet to come. Her fiance's son, Vance, discovers his wife has left him, only to secretly join forces against the Dumas family with Rolondo and Victor's worst enemy: Sincere. In a plot to kidnap Vance's daughter in ransom for billions and kill Victor and Valerie, the dastardly trio is also after a trunk stored in an obscure, Underground Railroad location. Follow  these eclectic lives as they navigate the streets of NYC and the glittering Hamptons, all the while making new love connections and rekindling old, dodging bullets and death, but more importantly, Valerie and Rome are once again trying to keep the bad guys from making One Last Deadly Play.
  
     About Flo Anthony

        A veteran celebrity journalist, Flo Anthony currently hosts a daily syndicated radio show "Gossip On The Go With Flo" syndicated by Superadio. In addition, she is the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Blacknoir.nyc, and a contributor to the New York Daily News' Confidential column. Flo also writes a weekly syndicated column "Go With The Flo" which appears in several publications including the New York Amsterdam News and Philadelphia Sunday Sun. Flo has been seen on countless television shows including Geraldo, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, TV One's Life After, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, CNN, HLN and E! Entertainment TV!


For further information contact Flo Anthony at 917-439-3382.


To order a copy of ONE LAST DEADLY PLAY, visit: 

       

ONE LAST DEADLY PLAY

CELEBRITY JOURNALIST PENS NEW MURDER MYSTERY 


     "In her second novel, Flo Anthony perfectly captures the scene from New York to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami, as Valerie and Rome come up against murder, kidnapping plots and enough family intrigue to make the Lyons from "Empire" seem more like pussy cats than kings of the jungle."
Required Reading by Billy Heller
The New York Post

    Almost two years have passed since the discovery of retired baseball player Royale Jones' real identity; Rolondo Jemison. Valerie Rollins, famous Gossip Columnist, never revealed her intimate past with the true Wildcat player. While she and her crime-solving partner Rome Nyland were behind the uncovering of this imposter, one infamous question lingered on: what happened to the real Royale? As if the heavens themselves intervened, a peculiar stranger who has been living in isolation, tucked away in the Bahamas, suddenly awakens from his amnesia.
     Five years of memorylessness evaporates upon seeing a photo of Rolondo and Valerie's name in a newspaper article. Valerie returns to the Big Apple, with intentions of aiding her fiance, Victor Dumas. Upon discovering the murder of her staff, her home invaded and Rome's fiancee missing, the worst has yet to come. Her fiance's son, Vance, discovers his wife has left him, only to secretly join forces against the Dumas family with Rolondo and Victor's worst enemy: Sincere. In a plot to kidnap Vance's daughter in ransom for billions and kill Victor and Valerie, the dastardly trio is also after a trunk stored in an obscure, Underground Railroad location. Follow  these eclectic lives as they navigate the streets of NYC and the glittering Hamptons, all the while making new love connections and rekindling old, dodging bullets and death, but more importantly, Valerie and Rome are once again trying to keep the bad guys from making One Last Deadly Play.
  
     About Flo Anthony

        A veteran celebrity journalist, Flo Anthony currently hosts a daily syndicated radio show "Gossip On The Go With Flo" syndicated by Superadio. In addition, she is the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Blacknoir.nyc, and a contributor to the New York Daily News' Confidential column. Flo also writes a weekly syndicated column "Go With The Flo" which appears in several publications including the New York Amsterdam News and Philadelphia Sunday Sun. Flo has been seen on countless television shows including Geraldo, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, TV One's Life After, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, CNN, HLN and E! Entertainment TV!


For further information contact Flo Anthony at 917-439-3382.


To order a copy of ONE LAST DEADLY PLAY, visit: 

       

Eric Bolling

The “Wake Up America” Interview

with Kam Williams

Rollin' with Bolling!

Chicago native Eric Bolling is a Fox News Channel personality perhaps best known as a co-host of the highly-rated show "The Five." He also has his own weekend program, "Cashin' In," and he frequently appears on other Fox programs, including subbing for Bill O’Reilly on "T'he O’Reilly Factor."

Eric was raised in Chicago where the lessons he learned during childhood led to his eventually being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and to his subsequent success as a trader on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Eric and his wife, Adrienne, live in Demarest, New Jersey where they are raising their son, Eric, Jr. Here, he talks about his best-selling new book, "Wake Up, America."

Kam Williams: Hi Eric, thanks for the time.

Eric Bolling: No problem. How're you doing, man?

KW: I love The Five. I think it's one of the best talking head shows on TV.

EB: That's great. I appreciate it.

KW: I've already interviewed two of your co-hosts on the show, Dana Perino and Juan Williams.

EB: Perfect! Great! Let's do it!.

KW: What inspired you to write the book?

EB: I've been at Fox for 9 years, and at NBC prior to that, and people have always asked me to put my conservative viewpoint on paper. I said, "I'll write a book when the time is right." Well, the time seemed to be right, since we were being dragged kicking and screaming so far left by President Obama. I felt that before it's too late I needed to hurry and create a road map back to center-right where the country was founded and where it has thrived. So, when I finished writing, I dedicated it to President Obama, because if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have written the book, and it wouldn't have been so easy to write.

KW: In "Wake Up, America," you lay out the 9 virtues the country was built upon. Which one would you say is the most important?

EB: I started with "Grit" because I believe that's really one of America's founding virtues, that spirit of falling, getting back up, dusting yourself off, and trying again until you succeed. We've always done that so well, but I felt grit was in danger because of Obama's liberal-progressive ideas like giving out participation trophies or eliminating valedictorian. "Profit" was also important to me because I come from a very poor background in Chicago and I'm blessed to sit in the center sit on The Five because of profit, because I've worked hard, been successful, and as rewarded for my hard work. I end the 9 virtues with the one that's most important to me, and that's "Providence." It's meaningful to me, because I'm a very spiritual person. I go to St. Patrick's Cathedral every day before The Five, and I go on Sunday as well. My path has been lit by the Good Lord, so I wanted to end with that.

KW: To what extent do you think growing up Catholic might have shaped you in terms of these virtues?

EB: Clearly, "Providence" has been a theme throughout my life. But I think growing up American is more of the reason why I succeeded. Neither one of my parents had a college education, yet they instilled all these virtues in me.

KW: What do you think of the pressure exerted on conservatives by political-correctness?

EB: It's sad that we've come to this place where everyone is so easily offended. The left has pushed politically-correct culture on us so aggressively that there is a huge portion of the population that's tired of being told what they can or can't say. My book is touching a nerve because it is a road map back from this liberal-left pushing back to the center-right country that we really are.

KW: How do you feel about Black Lives Matter?

EB: I'm a fan of the First Amendment and of people speaking their minds. I get that. But I'm not a fan of this Black Lives Matter group. It's insane when they call it racist when someone says "All lives matter" and when they say the vast majority of cops are bad cops. They're declaring war on law enforcement. Our police officers are the ones who kiss their wives goodbye everyday and go out into the streets to keep us safe. Not you. Not me. 600 thousand officers are protecting over 300 million of us. Without them, there would be anarchy. I respect them. I think what Black Lives Matter is doing is detrimental and threatening the very fabric of the republic. The vast majority of cops are good, hard-working cops

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

EB: [Laughs heartily] No! Just ask me how to get an autographed copy of the book.

KW: The Dana Perino question: What keeps you up at night?

EB: My son is going off to college soon. Sending him off to a liberal institution keeps me up at night.

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

EB: I love to barbecue. I love a back door barbecue, no matter what it is... turkey burgers... hot dogs... I'm all for it.

KW: Ling-Ju Yen asks: What is your earliest childhood memory?

EB: I talk about it in the book. I was 6 years-old. We didn't have a lot of money. My mother let me but myself a pair of sneakers. I couldn't believe the look on her face when I brought home Pro Keds. She said, "Son, we can't afford those." It was earth-shatteringly shocking to me to realize that there were haves and have-nots, and that we were have nots..

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

EB: Grit and determination. 

 

KW: Finally, what’s in your wallet?

EB: Cash.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Eric and best of luck with the book and the shows.

EB: Thank you, Kam.

To order a copy of “Wake Up America,” visit: