2018 Golden Globes Recap

by Kam Williams

Three Billboards Wins Four Globes, but Oprah Steals Show

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri emerged the early favorite in this year's Oscar race after taking home a quartet of trophies in the Best Picture, Actress (Frances McDormand), Supporting Actor (Sam Rockwell) and Screenplay categories. Meanwhile, Cecil B. Demille Award-winner Oprah emerged the early favorite in the 2020 Presidential sweepstakes after delivering a rousing, nine-minute speech about female empowerment. 

 

Host Seth Meyers opened the festivities with a monologue taking potshots at Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Woody Allen on a historic night where most women wore black evening gowns to show their solidarity with the #MeToo movement. And again and again, winners for female-centric films and TV shows made heartfelt acceptance speeches touching on the issue of sexual abuse.

Overall, the event amounted to a powerful confirmation of the seismic cultural shift from shaming the victims to blaming the perpetrators.

Complete List of 2018 Golden Globe Winners

FILM

Best motion picture - drama
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best motion picture - comedy or musical
Lady Bird
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture - drama
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture - comedy or musical
James Franco, The Disaster Artist
Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - comedy or musical
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a motion picture
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a motion picture
Alison Janney, I, Tonya
Best director - motion picture
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Best screenplay - motion picture
Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best animated film
Coco
Best foreign language film
In the Fade
Best original score - motion picture
The Shape of Water
Best original song - motion picture
This Is Me - The Greatest Showman

TV

Best television series - drama
The Handmaid's Tale
Best television series - comedy
The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Best actor in a television series - drama
Sterling K Brown, This is Us
Best actress in a television series - drama
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale
Best actor in a television series - musical or comedy
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Best actress in a television series - musical or comedy:
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Best television limited series or motion picture made for television
Big Little Lies
Best actor in a limited series or motion picture made for television
Ewan McGregor, Fargo
Best actress in a limited series or motion picture made for television
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Best supporting actor in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television
Alexander Skarsgard, Big Little Lies
Best supporting actress in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies

Cecil B. DeMille Award

Oprah Winfrey

To see Oprah's acceptance speech, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss6qQM054B0

It

Blu-ray Review by Kam Williams

Stephen King Clown Classic Comes to Home Video

Written by master of suspense Stephen King, It was the best-selling book in the U.S. during 1986. The riveting page-turner was set in deceptively-serene Derry, Maine, where a sadistic clown living underground in the sewers disrupted the peace of the picturesque city by preying primarily on children. 
 
In 1990, King's 1,184-page opus was turned into an Emmy-winning miniseries starring Tim Curry in the title role of It, better known as Pennywise. Now, the novel has been fairly-faithfully adapted to the big screen with Bill Skarsgard playing the demonic harlequin.

As the film unfolds in the fall of 1988, we find 11 year-old Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) busy building a small sailboat for his little brother, George (Jackson Robert Scott). One can't help but notice a pair of observing eyes glowing ominously from a darkened corner of the spacious basement. 
 
Then, during a heavy downpour, a grateful George launches his new toy in the freshet flowing along the gutter in front of his house. The "S.S. George" floats to the corner of the block where it is promptly swallowed by the sewer. 
 
And when the unsuspecting kid peers down the storm drain to retrieve it, he is greeted by an ingratiating stranger who playfully introduces himself as Pennywise, the Dancing Clown. After being promised a balloon, popcorn and the return of his boat, George lets his guard down long enough to be dragged into the sewer, leaving behind only a blood-stained street.

Fast-forward to the last day of the school year. Still-grieving Bill is now the leader of the Losers Club, a motley crew of social outcasts who decide to spend their summer vacation solving George's mysterious disappearance. Of course, they have no idea they're up against a formidable foe in the elusive, shape-shifting Pennywise. 
 
Instead of apprehending the perpetrator, the body count merely continues to rise as other names are added to the Missing Persons list. Eerie atmospherics, a talented ensemble of adolescent actors and the creepiest clown since Heath Ledger's Joker combine to create a macabre masterpiece that will continue to haunt you long after you leave the theater. 
 
I can't pass a sewer anymore without half-expecting Pennywise's frightening face to appear!




Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for violence, profanity and bloody images
Running time: 135 minutes
Production Studio: New Line Cinema
Distributor: Warner Home Entertainment Group
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Extras: Deleted Scenes; The Losers' Club; Author of Fear; and Pennywise Lives!


To see a trailer for It, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKJmEC5ieOk
 

To order a copy of It in Blu-ray/DVD format visit: 

Marshall

Blu-ray Review by Kam Williams

Underwhelming Docudrama Revolves around Early Thurgood Marshall Case

Prior to becoming America's first African-American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) enjoyed a legendary legal career as a civil rights lawyer. While serving as chief counsel for the NAACP, he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court 32 times, most notably, the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case ending segregation in public schools. 

 

This makes one question director Reggie Hudlin's (House Party) thinking in having his biopic about the beloved icon revolve around a criminal trial from 1941, when he was still establishing himself. What's even more curious is that Marshall wasn't allowed to interrogate witnesses or even speak in the courtroom by the racist judge (James Cromwell) presiding over the proceedings, because he wasn't a member of the bar in the State of Connecticut. 

 

So, instead of seeing Marshall work his magic, we have to settle for watching him quietly orchestrate his strategy with help of a Caucasian colleague (Josh Gad) who's rather reluctant to get involved. That would be Sam Friedman, a local yokel afraid of jeopardizing his flourishing insurance practice by defending a black man accused of raping a white woman. 

 

After all, the case was splashed across the tabloids, and the accused had already been convicted in the court of public opinion. The basic facts were as follows. On December 11, 1940, a Greenwich socialite named Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson) was either raped or had consensual sex four times with her chauffeur, Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), while her husband (Jeremy Bobb) was out of town. 

 

Because she was wealthy, white and well-connected, the police and the prosecutors believed her story, and promptly arrested the employee. But because her account of what transpired had some Swiss cheese-size holes in it, the NAACP decided to assign the case to its only attorney, the peripatetic Thurgood Marshall.

Granted, Chadwick Boseman, who played Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get on Up, delivers another impressive impersonation as Marshall, at least when he's not muzzled. But it's hard to get very enthusiastic when the passionate protagonist is rendered mute at critical moments while a wimpy proxy whose heart isn't into it does all the talking.

Thurgood at 32, but once removed, as channeled by a nerdy mercenary.

Good (2 stars)
Rated PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, ethnic slurs, violence and mature themes
Running time: 119 minutes
Production Studio: Starlight Media / Chestnut Ridge Productions
Distributor: Universal Studios Home Entertainment



To see a trailer for Marshall, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_bfOWof0Sg

To order a copy of Marshall in Blu-ray/DVD format, visit:

 

Top Ten DVD List for January 9, 2018

by Kam Williams

This Week’s DVD Releases

It [Stephen King Clown Classic]

The Foreigner [Never Push a Good Man Too Far]

Bad Day for the Cut [Revenge Is in the Blood]

The Teacher [Czech Dark Comedy Directed by Jan Hrebejk]

Conduct! Every Move Counts [The Journey to Greatness Begins Here]

Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In [The Complete 2nd Season]

Mark Felt [The Man Who Brought Down the White House]

Marshall [Thurgood Marshall Courtroom Drama]

November Criminals [Inspired by the Acclaimed Novel]

 

Crazy Famous [How Far Would You Go for Fame?]

https://www.facebook.com/crazyfamousmovie/posts/1639767569376676

What Lies Upstream

Film Review by Kam Williams


Eco-Expose' Warns of Dire Consequences of Unchecked Pollution



On January 9, 2014, a coal industry cleansing agent called MCHM started leaking from an above-ground storage tank into West Virginia's Elk River. The major chemical spill was covered up by Freedom Industries, the company that owned and operated the tank. 
 
The 300,000 residents of Charleston were lucky that the substance emitted a noxious odor, otherwise they might never have known that their tap water was toxic. Still, some 700 folks called the local poison control center to report rashes and a variety of other symptoms.

Six days later, instead of caring about the health and safety of its customers, the water company closed ranks with the prevaricating corporation by declaring the licorice-tasting H20 safe to drink. Unfortunately, most of the other official agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection and the Center for Disease Control, also ran interference for Freedom Industries.

This shocking state of affairs came to the attention of filmmaker/investigative journalist Cullen Hoback who made his way to the scene of the crime, camera in hand. Leaving no stone unturned, he doggedly pursued the truth, until justice was served, albeit belatedly.

The upshot of Hoback's efforts has been chronicled in fascinating fashion in What Lies Upstream, a jaw-dropping documentary which reveals most regulating agencies to be untrustworthy puppets of big business interests. Besides the Charleston disaster, the film covers similar events which transpired elsewhere around the country (most notably in Flint, Michigan), again and again illustrating how politicians and bureaucrats have routinely failed to protect the people who elected them. 
 
A sobering expose' issuing a dire warning about the whole damn nation's being on the brink of ecological collapse!

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 85 minutes
Distributor: Hyrax Films



To see a trailer for What Lies Upstream, visit: https://vimeo.com/230726538

Darkest Hour

Film Review by Kam Williams




Oldman Channels Churchill in Character-Driven Docudrama

Curiously, Darkest Hour and Dunkirk basically cover the same ground, namely, Winston Churchill's (Gary Oldman) first month as Prime Minister of Great Britain. When he was sworn in on May 10, 1940, the country was at war with Germany which had already conquered most of Europe and was just starting to invade Belgium, France and the Netherlands. 
 
Churchill's predecessor, Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup) had unsuccessfully employed a diplomatic policy of appeasement which had only served to embolden Hitler. And soon after entering office, Winston found himself facing a daunting task once the Nazis' blitzkrieg had broken through the Maginot Line. 
 
Suddenly, the Allied forces were in full retreat, including hundreds of thousands of British soldiers. They were being driven to the sea, where they would be sitting ducks for the Luftwaffe.

Now, where Dunkirk focused on the evacuation of the troops by an impromptu flotilla of private citizens, Darkest Hour narrowly focuses on Churchill's leadership and oratory skills. After all, it was no mean feat to convince a woefully-equipped nation that it could successfully ramp up its defenses to take on the ravenous war machine practically on its doorstep. 
 
Directed by Joe Wright (Atonement), Darkest Hour does a magnificent job of plumbing the depths of Churchill's psyche as well as recreating a number of his inspirational speeches, concluding with his historic "We shall never surrender!" address delivered to Parliament on June 4th. 
 
Unfortunately, Darkest Hour pales in comparison to the visually-captivating Dunkirk. Too bad the introspective and action-oriented productions weren't spliced together. Nevertheless, Gary Oldman might finally win the Oscar that has long eluded him for his sterling portrayal of the British Bulldog.



Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for mature themes
Running time: 125 minutes
Production Studio: Working Title Films / Perfect World Pictures
Distributor: Focus Features


To see a trailer for Darkest Hour, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pNOCzV5jG0

Kam's Kapsules for movies opening January 12, 2018

 
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun  
by Kam Williams

OPENING THIS WEEK

BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Commuter (PG-13 for profanity and intense violence) Liam Neeson stars in this suspense thriller as an insurance salesman who finds himself caught up in a criminal conspiracy on his way home from work after being offered $100,000 by a mysterious stranger to uncover the identity of a passenger hiding on the train. With Vera Farmiga, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern, Patrick Wilson and Jonathan Banks.

Condorito: La Pelicula (Unrated) Animated adaptation of the popular, Chilean comic strip revolving around the attempt of an anthropomorphic condor (Omar Chaparro) and his pals to save the planet from an evil alien, one plop at a time. Voice cast includes Jessica Cediel, Cristian de la Fuente and Jey Mammon. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)

Paddington 2 (PG for action and mildly rude humor) Kid-oriented sequel finds the anthropomorphic bear (Ben Whishaw) living with the Brown family until he's wrongfully arrested for stealing a valuable old book from an anitques shop. Ensemble cast includes Sally Hawkins, Hugh Grant, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters and Michael Gambon.

Proud Mary (Unrated) Taraji P. Henson plays the title character in this tale of redemption, set in Boston, as a mob assassin who rethinks her line of work after accidentally orphaning a little boy (Jahi Di'Allo Winston) while performing a hit. With Danny Glover, Margaret Avery and Neal McDonough.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Abe & Phil's Last Poker Game (R for profanity and sexuality) Baby-daddy comedy about a couple of childless retirees' (Martin Landau and Paul Sorvino) competition to convince a nurse (Maria Dizzia) that he's her long-lost father. With Pamela Dubin, Alexander Cook and Kayla Harrity.

Humor Me (Unrated) Father-son comedy about a struggling Manhattan playwright (Jemaine Clement) who reluctantly moves in with his elderly father (Elliott Gould) only to be pressured to put on a production starring residents of the Jersey retirement community. Featuring Annie Potts, Bebe Neuwirth, Ingrid Michaelson and Willie Carpenter.

Ku Qian (Unrated) The impact of modernization on Eastern China is examined in this documentary chronicling a day in the life of a migrant worker in the garment industry. (In Mandarin with subtitles)

Lover for a Day (Unrated) Third wheel drama, set in Paris, about a just-dumped, 23 year-old (Esther Garrel) who shows up at her father's (Eric Caravaca) looking for a place to crash, only to learn that he 's already sharing the tiny apartment with a new girlfriend (Louise Chevillotte) half his age. Support cast includes Paul Toucang, Felix Kysyl and Michel Charrel. (In French with subtitles)

My Art (Unrated) Laurie Simmons wrote, directed and stars in this character-driven drama about a 65 year-old teacher craving recognition as an artist. With Lena Dunham, Parker Posey, Robert Clohessy and Grace Dunham. 

 

The Room (R for sexuality, profanity and brief violence) Re-release of the 2003 flop which inspired The Disaster Artist. The abysmal production revolves around a love triangle which arises when a successful banker's (Tommy Wiseau) best friend (Greg Sestero) starts sleeping with his girlfriend (Juliette Danielle). Featuring Philip Haldman, Carolyn Minnott and Robyn Paris. .

Saturday Church (Unrated) Poignant character study chronicling an effeminate, 14 year-old boy's (Luka Kain) struggle with his sexual identity until finding support at an LGBTQ support group in the transgender community. With Margot Bingham, Regina Taylor and Evander Duck, Jr.

Vazante (Unrated) 19th Century saga, set in Brazil's Diamantina Mountains, about a slave-trading plantation owner (Adriano Carvalho) who decides to marry his 12 year-old niece (Luana Nastas), after his wife dies during childbirth. Supporting cast includes Sandra Corveloni, Roberto Audio and Jai Baptista. (In Portuguese with subtitles)