Cecilia Peck

The “Brave Miss World” Interview

with Kam Williams

Brave Ms. Peck!

Cecilia Peck directed and produced, with Barbara Kopple, the documentary “Shut Up & Sing”, which chronicled the political backlash against and artistic triumph of the Dixie Chicks following their “comment" just prior to the invasion of Iraq. The film, shortlisted for the 2007 Academy Awards, was awarded Best Documentary by the Boston Society of Film Critics and the San Diego Film Critics. It won Best Documentary at the Sydney, Aspen, and Woodstock Film Festivals, and Jury Prize at the Toronto and the Chicago Film Festivals.

It received the Courage in Film Award from the Women Film Critics Circle, the Wyatt Award from the Southeastern Film Critics Circle, and was nominated for a Broadcast Critics Award and a National Film Critics Award. Cecilia  also produced A Conversation with Gregory Peck, an intimate portrait of her iconic father, which was a Special Selection at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, as well as a special presentation for TCM and PBS American Master

As an actress, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance in “The Portrait.” She portrayed a Palestinian school teacher in love with an Israeli soldier in “Torn Apart.” She also studied dance with Martha Graham and performed in “American Document,” the last ballet choreographed by Miss Graham. 

Cecilia has also been a contributing editor at Premiere Magazine, French edition and Moving Pictures Magazine, and has served on the jury at the Aspen Shortsfest. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives with her husband and two children in Los Angeles.

Here, she talks about her latest documentary, Brave Miss World. 

Kam Williams: Hi Cecilia, thanks for the interview.

Cecilia Peck: Thanks, Kam.

KW: Before we start, I'd like to ask, what has been your reaction to the recent passing of Harper Lee?

CP: I’m in grief over the passing of Ms. Lee, who was family to me. I was tiny when "To Kill A Mockingbird" was made into a film, and I have been blessed by staying close to her all my life. She would recommend books to me and later, when I became an English major at Princeton, she was my mentor. She was dear, lifelong friends with both of my parents. When my son was born, we named him Harper, and she visited him frequently in New York, where she would have dinner in our apartment and read to him at night. In subsequent years, when we moved to Los Angeles, Ms. Lee would travel by train to visit our family, and, in the last years, my husband and I visited her in Monroeville every spring with our children. We have all lost a national treasure, who taught us compassion and tolerance though her incomparable book, "To Kill A Mockingbird."

KW: What interested you in Linor's story?

CP: When Linor was crowned Miss World in 1998, just six weeks after being the victim of a terrifying abduction, stabbing and rape in Milan, Italy, she vowed to one day speak out about rape. It took her ten years to get ready. Once she decided to tell her story, she came to Los Angeles to meet with directors. I got interested, when I sat down with Linor and her friend Motty Reif and listened to Linor talk about what she wanted to do. She wanted to meet with survivors around the world and encourage them not to stay silent and not to blame themselves. Our editor and producer, Inbal Lessner, came with me to that first meeting. We were both very interested in how utterly unashamed Linor was to speak about having been raped. “Why should I be ashamed?” she said. “The fault was his, not mine.” As a filmmaker you look for a main character who is so compelling that an audience will want to follow her through a journey. As a director, it made sense as a follow up to "Shut Up & Sing", another story of courageous women standing up for what they believe in. I’m very interested in women who have the courage of their convictions, who speak up even when it would be much easier to stay silent.

KW: What inspired you to turn it into a documentary?

CP: It was Linor’s idea to make a film. She always felt that being raped and winning the Miss World crown happened so close together for a reason. She wanted to do a film that would give real meaning to her crown, and would encourage survivors of rape everywhere to seek help and seek justice. Ever since she became a very public face of rape at age 18, survivors had approached her to say that knowing that it had happened to her had helped them feel less alone. She knew she could reach many more women in a film than she could in person. In the film, you see the footage of her with tears running down her face as the crown is placed on her head. No-one knew that she had just been through a horrific ordeal and nearly lost her life. It’s the moment that changed her destiny.

KW: The film took five years to complete. Devoting that much time to a project must mean it was a labor of love.

CP: Documentaries take a long time — they’re all labors of love. You do them because you believe it’s important to tell the stories. Brave Miss World takes you on an epic journey with Linor, from Israel to South Africa, across the United States and, ultimately, back to Italy, where Linor was raped. But as far as the film being hard, the one it was most hard on was Linor. Telling her story, dredging up the most painful parts of her life, and hearing the stories of so many other women was very difficult for her. One time, she had to take a break for six months. It was also very hard to fund this film and we had to stop many times to raise money for the next shoot. These were some of the reasons it took so long to make. But in a way it was in our favor, because Linor went through such a transformation over the course of the film and if we had finished it sooner, we wouldn’t have been able to capture that. One thing that happened was that she graduated from law school and began practicing criminal law and defending other women who were victims. But she changed in an even bigger, more dramatic way which became a storyline of the film. We shot so much great footage over the years, that our first rough cut was four hours long. Although a few brave souls in that first test screening said they would watch even more, we knew we had a long way to go. It took Inbal and me more than a year to shape the story and distill it down to 88 minutes. Now, for the first time, we are releasing some of the scenes that were left on the cutting room floor in the new DVD/Blu-ray which is about to come out. They provide a window into very personal moments between Linor and her friends and family. We also included more testimonials from other survivors who appear in the film, who have entrusted us with their stories. We look forward to having this special DVD with subtitles in 14 languages reach even wider audiences around the world.

KW: What was the most surprising thing you learned while making the movie?

CP: A devastating thing I learned was that in South Africa, girls are more likely to be raped than to be educated.

KW: What message do you want people to take away from Brave Miss World?

CP: Brave Miss World is a guide to anyone who is close to a victim of rape or sexual assault. Linor’s mother, her best friend Motty, and her husband Oron, are all role models for how to give compassion and love to someone who has been raped. That’s one of the takeaways of the film, and a very important one which also pertains to first responders--from police departments, to school authorities, to family members. The first words you use are so important. The wrong questions, such as “What were you doing there?” or “Were you drinking?” will only lead to revictimization, self blame, and silence for someone who has just undergone a severe trauma. The right words are: "I believe you, I trust you, and I’m going to support you." The reason Linor wanted to make Brave Miss World, and the main message she hopes it communicates is the importance of not staying silent about rape. Linor strongly believes that unless you talk about it, starting with someone you trust, whether a family member or close friend, your self esteem and ability to heal will be impaired. I think her message comes across very clearly in the film. And finally, for anyone who has survived a rape crime, the film communicates that you can heal and go on to feel whole, and trust others, and have a healthy life. But it takes work. You have to acknowledge that it happened, realize that it has affected you, seek the help you need to stop blaming yourself, and believe that you’re worthy of a good life, even if the rape made you feel degraded and worthless for a long time. The film’s ultimate message is very empowering—that you can take it into your own hands and fight to heal, and come out stronger on the other side.

KW: What do you think of the recent snafu at the Miss Universe contest where Steve Harvey declared the wrong contestant the winner? 

CP: It was an unfortunate mistake which was handled gracefully by the contestants who were involved. 

KW: What was it like growing up the daughter of such.a revered cultural icon, especially someone so closely associated with an Academy Award-winning role [as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird] revolving around a father-daughter relationship?

CP: My father was very much like Atticus Finch. That was the role closest to him of all the parts he ever played. He was very strict, but also very affectionate. He was very decent and fair. He was working constantly when we were little, but in between films he was very present. I learned from growing up with him that nothing great comes easily. You have to sacrifice a lot to do something that’s meaningful. He may have wanted to spend more time with his kids, but he was striving very hard to do films of great quality. And he was interested in the themes of social justice. I think he was one of the only movie stars of his time who was willing to be in controversial films like “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “Gentleman’s Agreement.” Those films had the power to heal. As far as being the daughter of a cultural icon, you don’t have a sense of that when you’re growing up. He’s just your dad. But maybe I inherited a bit of his character; a kind of compulsion to uphold justice. Maybe it's why I’m drawn to social issue documentaries.

KW: Why did you decide to produce the documentary about your father, A Conversation with Gregory Peck?

CP: My father was doing a stage show when he was in his late seventies and early eighties. He was traveling the country with an evening of storytelling about his life and career, showing film clips and answering questions from the audience. Barbara Kopple and I went to see one of his shows and film it as a gift to him, so he could have a record of it. Once we got there, we saw this incredible rapport he had with the audience, who were of all ages, from young students to grandparents, and he was utterly charming, brilliant, and so witty. Barbara and I looked at each other and said, this should be a film. We got on the phone that night and started to raise the money. We spent the next year and a half with him. It's a very personal film that looks back at his life and career, family and friends, and his relationship with my mom. I remember how nervous we were to show him the rough cut. There were so many personal scenes, and we didn’t know if he would want a lot of changes. He told us he loved the film. He only asked for one change. He said “Would you mind including a short clip of the speech I gave about the importance of stricter gun control legislation.” That was very characteristic of him, not to be concerned with his image or himself personally, but with the greater good. He would have been 100 this year! Several amazing tributes for his centenary are happening throughout the world, and we just launched a beautiful website for him, www.gregorypeck.com. There are generations of lawyers who went to law school because of my Dad’s portrayal of Atticus. I think people saw my dad as a father figure and as someone they could look up to. People trusted him and aspired to what he stood for, and the website gives them a place to go and remember what he meant to their lives.

KW: Congratulations! Besides producing and directing, you're also an actress. Which of the three is your favorite?

CP: Making documentaries.

KW: What did you study at Princeton?

CP: I was an English major with a concentration on playwrights: Ibsen, Shaw, Ionesco, Sartre, Beckett and Pinter.

KW: Do you go back for reunions?

CP: Very occasionally to a major one!

KW: What's your best memory of the Princeton?

CP: The feeling of emerging from the dark, towering Blair Arch into the expansive light of the courtyard below.

KW: AALBC.com founder Troy Johnson asks: What was the last book you read?

CP: "The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace," by Jeff Hobbs.

 KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What was the last song you listened to?

CP: "Ziggy Stardust." 

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

CP: Steamed moules [mussels] with shallots, white wine and spicy seasoning. I love to cook them with my friend Suzanne Zimmer in the summertime and serve them to a big table full of friends.

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

CP: Getting on the raft that my older brothers had built when the bottom of the garden got flooded by the rains.

KW: Who loved you unconditionally during your formative years?

CP: My mother.

KW: Was there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?

CP: I was raised Catholic and attended Marymount school where I was taught by nuns. It catapulted me into evolving my own beliefs.

KW: Sherry Gillam would like to know what is the most important life lesson you've learned so far?

CP: You have to reach as high as you can, and never quit. The mistakes, setbacks and the sorrows make you stronger. You pick yourself up and keep going and don’t stop.

KW:What was your very first job?

CP: I always had babysitting jobs as a young teenager but my first union job was as a tour guide at Universal Studios during the summer after my freshman year in college.

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

CP: I try to avoid the mirror at all costs! That doesn’t mean I don’t self reflect.

KW:What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

CP:I did reckless things as a teenager. I think it was a need to prove myself that manifested in a dangerous swagger. Once, I went up in a small airplane at night with a pilot who wasn’t sober, doing loops and tricks. The kinds of things that would give me a heart attack if my kids ever did them. Being a mother is in itself another kind of stepping onto a ledge, because you really don’t know if you’re going to be good at it, and suddenly your children's lives are in your hands. With parenting, I think you really have to listen, and not just impose your will. Getting married is crazy, too. The assumption that you’re going to be able to get along with another person for your entire life. But the things that are hardest are the most transformative, illuminating, and magical.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

CP: My parents back on this Earth.

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

CP: Getting ahold of a good subject for a documentary and chasing it down.

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

CP: Having my laptop, radio, husband, and dog all in the bed at night.

KW: “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan asks: What’s your dream locale in Los Angeles to live?

CP: My dream is being by the ocean, anything north of El Matador.

KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?

CP: I crawled out from under the wreckage ready to stand up and repeat the same mistakes many times. And eventually got wiser.

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

CP: I would much rather direct new stories.

KW: Judyth Piazza asks: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

CP: Perseverance.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

CP: I was so fortunate to have Barbara Kopple as a mentor. Anyone wanting to learn documentary should do everything they can to get an internship with Barbara!

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?

CP: I need a few more years, I’m still striving, that question feels too premature.

KW: Finally, what’s in your wallet?

CP: My wallet is a chaotic shambles that eventually yields up everything I need.

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

CP: Thanks so much for your interest in Brave Miss World, Kam. I hope your readers will visit our website, www.bravemissworld.com, which now serves over 2,000,000 survivors and their families. It’s a very dynamic site and safe, curated space to share experiences and resources. On the site, you can also find out how to host a screening of Brave Miss World, participate in our #IAmBrave photo challenge, or order our brand new DVD.

To see a trailer for Brave Miss World, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4l2D91KrdQ

To order a copy of Brave Miss World on DVD, visit: http://www.bravemissworld.com/buy

4 classic clips of Cecilia's father, Gregory Peck, in his Oscar-winning performance as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird:

Atticus Finch and the Lynch Mob: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiEzI6n_Zcs

Atticus Confronted by Bob Ewell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guMVb47aD-k

Atticus' All Men Are Created Equal Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x6njs-cGUE

Your Father's Passing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7CX_5D6y6E

To learn more about Gregory Peck, visit the encyclopedic website launched in celebration of the centennial of his birth (April 5, 1916): www.gregorypeck.com.

The Final Project

Film Review by Kam Williams


College Kids Vanish without a Trace inside Abandoned Mansion in Found-Footage Horror Flick 

There is often a fine line between paying homage and plagiarizing. Unfortunately, that isn't the case with The Final Project, a shameless ripoff of The Blair Witch Project, the micro-budgeted horror flick which inaugurated the "found footage" genre back in 1999. 
 
Besides having the word "Project" in the title, this pseudo documentary also revolves around a group of film students who mount an ill-fated expedition in search of an evil spirit. In Blair, they were looking for a witch said to have been terrorizing a rural region of Maryland for several centuries. Over the vociferous objections of wizened local yokels familiar with the legend, the kids pressed on with their mission deep into the woods where they eventually vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the inscrutable video furnishing the footage for the movie.

Because The Blair Witch Project netted nearly a quarter billion dollars at the box office after being shot for a measly $60,000, it spawned a cottage industry of imitators, none of which ever quite measured up to the original. This latest attempt to cash-in on the concept was written, produced and directed by Taylor Ri'chard.

Taylor apparently wore a lot more hats here, including visual and digital effects, which is par for the course for a horror flick of such modest means. It's just too bad that he lifted so many ideas from Blair, otherwise I'd probably be lauding his efforts as a decent outing by a first-time director.

The Final Project is set on Lafitte Plantation in the tiny town of Vacherie, Louisiana. The notorious estate is known for miles around as being haunted by the ghosts of a family matriarch buried on the premises as well as by a quartet of Union soldiers who perished there during the Civil War.

The film unfolds at the University of Southwestern Louisiana where we find a half-dozen film majors in need of extra credits to pass a course. After their professor (Robert McCarley) approves an outing to Vacherie in search of the spooks, the classmates pack their gear and depart for the abandoned mansion.

Their last chance to turn around and avert disaster rests in listening to the sage store clerk (Tiffany Ford) they encounter en route. She issues the proverbial dire warning "Abandon hope all ye who enter here!" But, of course, they ignore the suggestion and make their way to the abandoned mansion.

Gradually, the six, Genevieve (Arin Jones), Misty (Amber Erwin), Anna (Teal Haddock), Charles (Charles Orr), Gavin (Sergio Suave) and Ky (Evan McLean), are picked off one-by-one, and all the clues to solving their mysterious disappearance are contained on their cameras left behind.

A faux student film which looks a lot like, well, a lot like a student film.



Good (2 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 82 minutes
Distributor: Cavu Pictures

To see a trailer for The Final Project, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc70-4N6Vu8

Top Ten DVD Releases for 3-8-16

This Week’s DVD Releases

by Kam Williams

Top Ten DVD List for March 8, 2016

Coming Home

The Peanuts Movie

Grease: Live!

Macbeth

40 Love

Chet Zar: I Like to Paint Monsters

In the Heart of the Sea

Nelson Algren: The End Is Nothing, the Road Is All

10,000 km

Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales

Honorable Mention

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season One

Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots with Limited Edition 7" Peppa Pig Plush

You're Killing Me

Species III and Species: The Awakening [Double Feature]

The Benefactor

Species II

The Benefactor

DVD Review by Kam Williams


Moralizing Melodrama Stars Richard Gere as Rich Control Freak


Filthy-rich Francis Watts (Richard Gere) is every bit as flamboyant as he is altruistic. But the Philadelphia philanthropist also has an annoying personality flaw: a need to interfere in the affairs of the recipients of his charity.

For instance, the meddling bachelor has purchased a home for Olivia (aka "Poodles") (Dakota Fanning) and Luke (Theo James), newlyweds expecting their first child. Furthermore, he has not only paid off the husband's medical school loans, but secured the physician a position at a children's hospital where he serves on the board. 
 
In this case, there's a logical reason for Franny's Iargesse, namely, his overwhelming regret about having caused the car accident that claimed the lives of Olivia's parents. Still, that doesn't explain why the creepy control freak feels entitled to crawl into bed with the couple or to pressure the young doctor to write him illegal prescriptions for the painkiller he's become addicted to. 
 
That is the intriguing point of departure of The Benefactor, a moralizing melodrama marking the writing and directorial debut of Andrew Renzi (unless you count Fishtail, a documentary he made about life on a Montana cattle ranch). Here, unfortunately, Renzi squanders the talents of A-listers Richard Gere and Dakota Fanning in service of a disappointing script that even their considerable talents couldn't help salvage.

Gere's Franny is an ostentatious dandy sporting a flowing silver mane who alternates between making bizarre and generous gestures. However, there is obviously a big hole in his soul but the picture doesn't deign to divulge the source of his angst . No, that's saved for the silly soap opera's big reveal which, quite frankly, wasn't worth the wait. 
 
Meanwhile, Fanning isn't given much to do beyond a variety of vapid reaction shots to Franny's over-the-top antics. Oh, and her belly keeps expanding as her pregnancy progresses, too, if wearing different rubber suits counts as method acting. 
 
An unconvincing melodrama indicting money's power to manipulate as the root of all evil.



Fair (1 star)
Unrated
Running time: 92 minutes
Distributor: Entertainment One


To see a trailer for The Benefactor, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1990TMAF9I

To order a copy of The Benefactor on DVD, visit:

Kam's Movie Kapsules for 3-11-16

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam's Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

by Kam Williams

For movies opening March 11, 2016

BIG BUDGET FILMS

10 Cloverfield Lane (PG-13 for frightening sequences, mature themes, violence and brief profanity) Suspense thriller revolving around an accident victim (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who comes out of a coma to find herself imprisoned in a subterranean bunker by a survivalist (John Goodman) claiming that the Earth's surface has been rendered uninhabitable by a chemical catastrophe. With John Gallagher, Jr., Mat Vairo, Cindy Hogan and Jamie Clay.

The Brothers Grimsby (R for violence, profanity, coarse sexuality, drug use, crude humor and graphic nudity) Action comedy about a British spy (Mark Strong) forced to rely on his feeble-minded, long-lost brother (Sacha Baron Cohen) to foil a global terror attack. Featuring Rebel Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Gabby Sidibe and Isla Fisher.

The Perfect Match (R for nudity, sexuality and pervasive profanity) Romantic comedy revolving around a confirmed bachelor (Terrence J) who finally meets his match when he takes a dare to date the same woman (Cassie Ventura) for an entire month. Supporting cast includes Paula Patton, Kali Hawk, Brandy Norwood and Lauren London.

The Young Messiah (PG-13 for violence and mature themes) Adaptation of Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, Anne Rice's best seller chronicling the year in the life of 7 year-old Jesus (Adam Greaves-Neal) when the Christ child was informed of His divine destiny by Mary (Sara Lazzaro) and Joseph (Vincent Walsh). With Sean Bean, Christian McKay and Jonathan Bailey as King Herod.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

About Scout (Unrated) Unlikely-buddies drama about a 15 year-old Goth girl (India Enninga) who embarks with a suicidal stranger (James Frecheville) on a road trip across Texas in search of her missing little sister (Onata Aprile). Featuring Danny Glover, Ellen Burstyn, Jane Seymour and Nikki Reed.

The Automatic Hate (Unrated) Tale of forbidden love about long-lost cousins (Joseph Cross and Adelaide Clemens) who become attracted to each other while digging up the deep secret that tore apart their families ages ago. With Ricky Jay, Deborah Ann Woll and Richard Schiff.

Backgammon (Unrated) Adaptation of the R.B. Russell novella "Bloody Baudelaire," a whodunit about two couples invited by a mysterious host (Christian Alexander) to spend the weekend in an isolated mansion. Co-starring Noah Silver, Alex Beh, Brittany Allen and Olivia Crocicchia.

Barney Thomson (Unrated) Robert Carlyle plays the title character in this dark comedy, set Glascow, about a barber-turned-serial killer's attempt to elude apprehension by the detective (Ray Winstone) heading the murder investigation. Support cast includes Emma Thompson, James Cosmo and Ashley Jensen.

Boom Bust Boom (Unrated) Cautionary documentary examining the stock market collapse of 2008 while issuing a clarion call to reform an economic system marked by alternating cycles of record highs and devastating crashes. Featuring commentary by Terry Jones, John Cusack and Professor Paul Krugman.

Creative Control (R for profanity, drug use, nudity and graphic sexuality) Sci-fi romance drama, set in Brooklyn, about a jaded tech exec (Benjamin Dickinson) who uses a state-of-the-art invention to sleep with his BFF's (Dan Gill) unsuspecting girlfriend (Alexia Rasmussen). With Nora Zehetner, Reggie Watts and Gavin McInnes.

The Dog Wedding (PG-13 for drug use and suggestive content) Romantic comedy about a German businesswoman (Rosalie Thomass) who falls in love with a pro wrestler (Matt Bloom) she meets at a dog park in Arizona. Featuring Bernhard Schutz, Dee Booher and David Casillas.

Eye in the Sky (R for profanity and violent images) Drone warfare drama about a military commander (Helen Mirren) based in Great Britain who finds herself facing an ethical question when she is informed by a pilot (Aaron Paul) that a 9 year-old girl (Aisha Takow) has just entered the kill zone of a targeted terrorist cell. Cast includes Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi and Phoebe Fox.

Hello, My Name Is Doris (R for profanity) Sally Field stars in this romantic dramedy as a shy spinster inspired by a self-help guru (Peter Gallagher) to pursue the young co-worker (Max Greenfield) she has a crush on. With Wendi McLendon-Covey, Stephen Root and Beth Behrs.

LOLO (Unrated) Romantic romp revolving around a 40 year-old fashionista (Julie Delpy) who falls head-over-heals for a computer nerd (Danny Boon) she meets while vacationing at a trendy spa with a girlfriend (Karen Viard). Supporting cast includes Vincent Lacoste, Antoine Lounguine and Christophe Vandevelde. (In French and English with subtitles)

Me Him Her (Unrated) Out-of-the-closet comedy about a young slacker (Dustin milligan) who ventures to L.A. to help his TV star friend (Luke Bracey) find the courage to let the world know he's gay. With Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Alia Shawkat and Casey Wilson.

Remember (R for violence and profanity) Cat-and-mouse thriller revolving around an addlepated Auschwitz survivor's (Christopher Plummer) attempt to track down the Nazi fugitive (Jurgen Prochnow) who'd slaughtered his entire family during the Holocaust. Featuring Martin Landau, Dean Norris and Bruno Ganz. (In English and German with subtitles)

Yalom's Cure (Unrated) Prestige biopic about Dr. Irvin Yalom, a best-selling author considered by many to be the most influential, American psychotherapist of the 20th Century.

Legend

DVD Review by Kam Williams


Sixties Brit Saga Stars Tom Hardy in Two Roles as Notorious Twin Mobsters
Hollywood has enjoyed a long love affair with vicious mobsters, each seemingly more ruthless than the last. From Scarface (1932) to Dillinger (1945) to Baby Face Nelson (1957) to Bonnie and Clyde (1967) to The Godfather (1972) to Capone (1975) to The Untouchables (1987) to Goodfellas (1990) to Bugsy (1993) to The Departed (2006) to Black Mass (2015), fans of the genre apparently can never get enough of malevolent monsters to satiate their bloodlust. 
 
Maybe the industry might have run out of American gangsters to place on pedestals posthumously, since the latest offering is a biopic about a couple of late, British bad boys . Ronnie and Reggie Kray gained notoriety in East London in the Sixties which is when they operated a trendy nightclub while dabbling in extortion, assault, arson, robbery and murder.

Despite being identical twins, the siblings were nevertheless different enough to enable the talented Tom Hardy to play them both on the big screen. Ronnie was an openly-gay sociopath so berserk he was temporarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. By contrast, his relatively-stable, straight sibling had a wife, Frances (Emily Browning), and paid his debt to society not in a straitjacket but by sitting behind bars.

Hardy, with the help of trick photography, delivers a decent performance here, often even opposite himself. Unfortunately, the film proves to be far more concerned with serving up brutality than with bothering to convey a coherent plotline.

Consequently, the movie does paint a picture of these creeps as unapologetic sadists, but has little to offer in terms of introspection, motivation or what made its protagonists tick. Plus, it suffers from a lack of subtitles for some of the characters' inscrutable Cockney accents.
In sum, a gruesome, gorefest for folks who take a perverse delight in gratuitous torture.


Good (2 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, drug use, graphic violence and pervasive profanity
Running time: 132 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Feature commentary with writer/director Brian Helgeland.

To see a trailer for Legend, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI3v6KfR9Mw


To order a copy of Legend on DVD, visit: 

Aunjanue Ellis

The “Of Mind and Music” Interview

with Kam Williams

Tried and True Aunjanue!

Aunjanue Ellis currently stars as Miranda Shaw, the director of an FBI base who oversees the training of a new group of recruits, on the ABC-TV drama “Quantico.” And she recently appeared on BET’s epic series “The Book of Negroes” for which she received a Television Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series.


Aunjanue has also starred in numerous movies, including The Help, where she played Yule Mae Davis, the maid arrested for allegedly stealing a ring. In the James Brown biopic Get On Up, she portrayed Vicki Anderson, acknowledged by Brown in his autobiography as probably the best singer he ever witnessed.


Earlier in her career, she starred opposite Denzel Washington in The Taking of Pelham 123, and opposite Samuel L. Jackson in The Caveman’s Valentine. She shared a SAG Award nomination for her role as Mary Ann Fisher in Ray and received an NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance as a medical student in Men of Honor.


Aunjanue's additional film credits include Romeo and Juliet in Harlem, Ed’s Next Move, The Express, Freedomland, Lovely & Amazing, A Map of the World, Notorious and The Volunteer. She made her motion picture debut in Jim McKay’s Sundance Film Festival hit Girls Town, opposite Lili Taylor.


On television, she starred in “Abducted: The Carlina White Story” and garnered a second NAACP Image Award nomination for her portrayal of Candy Carson in the made for television film “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.” Aunjanue has appeared as a series regular on “The Mentalist,” “High Incident,” “E-Ring” and “Justice.”


Though born in San Francisco, she claims the small Mississippi town of McComb as her home. There, Aunjanue's grandmother raised her on a farm that has been in the family for generations. “My mother gifted me with my particular kind of radical imagination," she reflects, "and my grandmother gave me the tools to execute it.” 
 
But it was not until she was a student at Tougaloo College that Aunjanue would discover the stage. That led her to transfer to Brown University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in African-American Studies, while also training as an actor. She went onto receive a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.


Here, she talks about her latest outing as a New Orleans street singer suffering from Alzheimer's in Of Mind and Music

Kam Williams: Hi Aunjanue, thanks for another opportunity to speak with you.

Aunjanue Ellis: Thanks, Kam.

KW: What interested you in Of Mind and Music? Do you know anyone suffering from Alzheimer's?

AE: It was a New Orleans story, first and foremost, and my romance with that place is deep and enduring. And yes, my Aunt Mae had Alzheimer's. My mother has Parkinson's disease. So, neurodegenerative diseases have defined our family life. It was free therapy for me to be able to explore the living pain of it as an actor. 


KW: How did you prepare to play Queenie?
AE: One of the symptoms of Parkinson's is intermittent dementia. So my mother's experience informed a great deal of my choices. I studied her and took what  I learned to work. 

KW: What was the most challenging aspect of the role?

AE: I had never played anyone like her before. What was most challenging was playing the age which meant a long time in makeup, and being consistent with her manner. I hope that people will watch the movie and start a needed conversation about the woes and rewards of caregiving for someone who has the disease. And also I hope it spurs an urgency to cure it. 

KW: Congratulations on the success of The Birth of a Nation, where you play Nat Turner's mom, Nancy. Were you surprised when the movie won both the audience's and the jury's Best Picture awards at the Sundance Film Festival last month?

AE: Thank you. I loved working with Nate on the film. He is such a generous director, producer and acting partner. I am so proud to be a part of it. The night of the screening was magic. And while I had no expectations, I had an inkling that something remarkable would happen.

KW: AALBC.com founder Troy Johnson asks: What was the last book you read?

AE: I am reading several books at the same time now, but you can find most of my DNA on "A Brief History of Seven Killings" by Marlon James. 


 

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What was the last song you listened to?

AE: "Turn Your Love" by Half Moon Run. Then, I listened to myself eviscerate Al Green's version of "One Day at a Time."Thank God for walls! 

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

AE: My Cherry Cobbler. I can eat the whole thing by myself. 

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

AE: My heartbreak when my crush, Tommy Vick, shared his headband with another girl. I was 3. 

KW: Who loved you unconditionally during your formative years?

AE: My grandmother loved me crazily

KW: Was there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?

AE: Spiritual component: Well, I was raised by the wife of a pastor of 4 churches. So, I was in church in some capacity almost every day from the time I was 3 until I went to college. There was no choice. But I have no resentments. None. In fact, I am so grateful for it. The experience of that rooted me in the notion of worship. And that is what art is--worship. Giving of yourself completely to the creation and acknowledgement of something bigger than you, higher than you. Whatever that may be. 

KW: What was your very first job?

AE: My first job was working in concessions at the local movie theater. Best job ever. Free movies. Free popcorn. Still one of the joys of my life. Free movie and lots of free popcorn. 

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

AE: More and more, I see my Aunt Mae. That makes me happy. I liked that woman. A lot! 

KW: What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

AE: One of the craziest was a knock-down, drag-out fight I had on the Great Wall of China with my boyfriend at the time. The tourists were so confused. 

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

AE: Oh gosh, me and wishes. The first is I would cure my mom's Parkinson's.

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

AE: What excites me is when I doubt myself and then prove me wrong. 

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

AE: I have no guilty pleasures. I proudly own ALL of my bad taste! 

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would? And please answer the question.

AE: May I give you a million or more dollars to film the project you have written? [Laughs]

KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite clothes designer?

AE: I have several, but I'm loving Delpozo right now. My dream is to rock a dress at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. 

KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?

AE: When the first real boyfriend I had broke up with me, I spent years grieving and trying to get him back. Such a waste of time! I am still paying to this day for professional choices I made because of that folly. Heartbreak now fuels me. I use it. I will never again be bowed by it. I won't deny hurt. I won't deny pain. But I will get up out of the deathbed and go to the audition anyway. 

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

AE:  The Heiress.

KW: Larry Greenberg asks: Do you have a favorite movie monster?

AE:  I love that question, because I love monsters! I always crush hard on them. When the recent Godzilla came out--I clapped like a baby when he came on screen and then I don't remember what happened after that. Oh, and the Predator! Oh my! Those locks in his hair... His infrared vision... Lemme stop. It's too much. 

KW: Judyth Piazza asks: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

AE: They never stop being children. They have a constant sense of discovery, they don't understand the word "no," and they know how to create new worlds and systems with little or nothing.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

AE: I'm not good with advice. I would say, if you are someone who shared my particular background--being a country girl with no one around me pursuing what I wanted--I highly encourage naïveté. And singular focus. 

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?

AE: For working to the bone to rid my home state of Mississippi of its racist fetishes. And for my cobbler, of course. [Laughs]

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

AE: Thank you, Kam.

To see a trailer for Of Mind and Music, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F-eQkLQM6k