The Betrayal (LAOTIAN)

(Nerakhoon)

Film Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Post Vietnam Documentary Recounts Laotians’ Attempt to Assimilate in America



Few people knew during the Vietnam War that the CIA was simultaneously financing and backing a puppet government in nearby Laos. In order to eradicate pockets of Viet Cong in the country, the previously-neutral nation proceeded to allow the U.S. to drop more bombs inside Laos than had been used in WWI and WWII combined.

Among the traitors selling out his homeland was the father of Thavisouk Phrasavath, a military man whose job involved directing B-52s on their missions. However, following the fall of Saigon, the GIs high-tailed it out of Southeast Asia, leaving the local collaborators holding the bag.

After Thavisouk’s father was arrested and imprisoned, most of the family emigrated to America including him, his mother and seven of his siblings. When they were brought directly to the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, they actually panicked, fearing that they had somehow been mistakenly relocated to Africa since so many of their new neighbors were black. But they adjusted to life in their new environment, despite having to share a two-bedroom apartment with eight strangers from Cambodia and Vietnam.

Their whole challenging ordeal is recounted in The Betrayal, a documentary that’s difficult to stomach on a lot of levels. For, not only did these lost souls suffer the loss of their beloved patriarch, which led to the crumbling of the family structure, but they had to deal with the cultural shock of the melting pot to deal with, too. And there was no turning back, because they couldn’t return to Laos because of Papa P’s having collaborated with the enemy.

One of those overcoming the odds tales which you could easily see adapted into a touching feelgood saga, if stripped of its sorrowful and sobering elements. No such luck, here, as this warts and all expose’ is designed to leave you outraged about the way America treats naive allies and about the unresolved, ugly fallout of the Vietnam conflict.



Excellent (4 stars)

Unrated

In English and Laotian with subtitles.

Running time: 96 minutes

Studio: The Cinema Guild



To see a trailer for The Betrayal, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFGqNay1lT0

It's Pimpin' Pimpin' DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Latest Katt Williams Concert Flick Released on DVD



They say there’s a thin line between genius and madness, and it’s often very hard to tell which side of the line Katt Williams is standing on. I’ve been so curious about what make’s the diminutive comic tick that I’ve scheduled several interviews with him, each of which he either canceled at the last minute or simply failed to show up for.

Now there are reports that the inspired comic recently underwent psychological testing at the urging of his concerned relatives. I can’t say I’m surprised, given his long being associated with bizarre behavior, such as walking down a red carpet with a noose around his neck at the time that the Jena 6 case was in the news.

Whether he’s insane or simply insensitive, Katt brings an undeniable intensity to everything he does as an entertainer, whether it’s his standup act or playing an over-the-top character in a movie. The dude is funny-looking enough even before he opens his mouth, between his short stature, loud pimp outfits and that flowing mane of relaxed hair. So, by the time he finally starts to speak in that high-pitched squeal of his, the audience is already well-primed to burst into laughter.

This latest concert flick captured Katt’s act onstage in historic Constitution Hall in DC, where his material appropriately covered plenty of politics and current events. He saved some of his most scathing remarks to skewer George Bush and Hilary Clinton, referring to the latter by the b-word for assuming she’d get the black vote because of her husband.

But with Katt, a curse or an ethnic slur can just as easily be a term of endearment, as he repeatedly employs the N-word while promoting Barack Obama’s candidacy. Brash, bright and brutally-honest with a unique perspective to share, here Katt Williams serves up another shocking show which definitely won’t disappoint his legions of loyal fans.



Very Good (3 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 77 minutes

Studio: Salient Media/Vivendi Entertainment

DVD Extras: Behind the scenes footage and a featurette entitled “A Day with Katt Williams in DC.”



To see a trailer for It's Pimpin' Pimpin', visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ratmcknDTc&feature=related

Still Trippin’ DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Steve Harvey Adds Blue Humor Back to His Standup Act

Steve Harvey was one of the Original Kings of Comedy, along with Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley and the late Bernie Mac. In the wake of the success of that brilliant standup concert film, Steve became a Born Again Christian and released Don’t Trip, a spiritually-oriented standup flick which was totally clean.
Since then, the irrepressibly funnyman has shaved his head and added foul language back into his act, the net result being a hilarious, if often profane, DVD called Still Trippin’. For the occasion, Steve brought his special brand of observational humor to Newark, New Jersey, where he filmed an expletive-laced performance in front of a very enthusiastic audience.
The movie marks the colorful comic’s fifth solo special, and the subjects he touches upon here are generally quite topical. He jokes about everything from the female astronaut caught wearing soiled adult diapers after driving 1,000 miles to murder her lover’s other girlfriend, to the homely-looking housewives in that polygamous cult located in Texas, women he compares to Aunt Bee of The Andy Griffith Show and Jane Hathaway of The Beverly Hillbillies.
Steve also delves into politics, discussing the differences between Obama to McCain, and taking potshot at president Bush’s “lying ass.” Besides that, he weighs in on the Michael Vick sentence, on ignorant people, on fat husbands, and on why you ought to get all the recommended inoculations before visiting Africa.
Overall, the blue Steve Harvey rates an A, although this critic would prefer that he leave out the cursing, since he already proved to me that he can be just as funny without four-letter words.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 106 minutes
Studio: CodeBlack Entertainment

To see a trailer for Still Trippin’, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK-VeQ8howI

Bolt

Film Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Movie Magic Aplenty in Animated Action Adventure Available in 3-D



Bolt (John Travolta) is a normal dog who mistakenly thinks that he actually possesses the superpowers he displays as the hero of a TV action series. The white German shepherd is clueless about the truth because, since he was a puppy, he’s been raised on a set specially-rigged to trick him into believing that he really has the ability to perform amazing feats like subduing bad guys with his devastating bark and melting steel with his penetrating heat vision.

These delusions of grandeur have never been a problem for the pampered pooch, given that he’s had no contact with the outside world. Consequently, the only reality he’s ever known is the insulated studio environment in which he’s the pet of Penny (Miley Cyrus), the actress who pretends to be his crime-fighting partner. She resents the show’s director (James Lipton) who goes to such great lengths to keep up the charade that he even denies her request to take her canine co-star home with her over the weekend.

Everything changes the day Bolt slips out of his cage and, after a comedy of errors, accidentally ends up in a box being shipped to New York City where a rude awakening lays in wait. For not only are the streets of Manhattan mean enough to begin with, but they prove to be tougher still for a dog who expects to have an array of extraordinary powers at his paw tips.

Thus unfolds Bolt, an enchanting animated adventure that’s fun for the whole family. Available for screening in either a flat or 3-D format, it is this critic’s suggestion that you opt for the latter, if you don’t want to miss an opportunity to appreciate state-of-the-art techniques offering a visually-stimulating experience that’s substantially-enhanced by the investment in 3-D glasses. Just don’t be surprised to find yourself ducking to avoid vehicles hurtling in your direction or reaching up to grab dangling objects that appear close enough to touch.

Special-effects wizardry aside, this uplifting tale, more importantly, has a bounty of heartwarming messages to share about honesty, loyalty, humility, faith and other virtues. The tykes will learn an early lesson about what matters most in life watching frustrated Bolt adjust to his diminished status as a mere mortal.

He must grudgingly befriend a lowly alley cat (Susie Essman) and clumsy hot-house hamster (Mark Walton), enlisting their help to find his way back to Hollywood. En route, the unlikely trio bond while overcoming the host of ever-escalating calamities placed in the path between the homesick hound and a teary reunion with the equally-inconsolable Penny.

Another instant kiddie classic from Disney!



Excellent (4 stars)

Rated PG for mild action and scenes of peril.

Running time: 96 minutes

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures



To see a trailer for Bolt, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDWPsoKQoOs

Evan Ross: The Gardens of the Night Interview

with Kam Williams



Headline: God Bless the Child: Diana’s Baby Has Got His Own



Evan Olaf Ross was born in Greenwich, Connecticut on August 26, 1988 to pop diva Diana Ross and Norwegian shipping magnate Ame Naess. Following not only in his mom’s footsteps, but in those of three of his sisters (Tracee Ellis Ross, Rhonda Ross Kendrick and Leona Naess), Evan entered showbiz at an early age, making an impressive film debut as T.I.’s troubled younger brother in the critically-acclaimed ATL.

Next, he received rave reviews for his NAACP Image Award-nominated performance as a troubled teen in the made-for-TV movie Life Support. He then returned to the big screen for another memorable outing as a stammering swimmer in Pride. That, in turn, led to his being signed to do eleven more pictures, including his current release, The Gardens of the Night, a harrowing drama about kidnapping, child molestation and homeless kids co-starring Gillian Jacobs, Tom Arnold, John Malkovich and Harold Perrineau.

Here, Evan talks about his new flick, s well as everything from his budding musical career to Barack Obama to his close relationship with his mother.



ER: Hey Kam, how’re you doing?

KW: Very well, thanks.

KW: How do you feel about Barack Obama winning election?

ER: I feel like we’ve been saved. I’m happy that we have a good person as president. I think that’s important.

KW: Your father’s from Norway. Do you speak Norwegian?

ER: Very little. I can understand some. I should have learned more, because I lived there for a long time. I am sure that I will at some point take the time to learn to speak it.

KW: Where did you live over there?

ER: Oslo.

KW: And where else did you live growing up?

ER: Let’s see… Switzerland… Greenwich, Connecticut… New York… Los Angeles… London... And we spent a year in France. My mom lived there longer when she was trying to make the Josephine Baker Story.

KW: So, what prompted you take on another challenging role in Gardens of the Night?

ER: Actually, I loved it from the moment I read the script, because I had just seen a very interesting documentary my mother recommended to me called Streetwise, about how homeless kids survive on the streets. So, when I read Gardens of the Night I thought it was an incredible idea and such a great story.

KW: Your female co-star is white, which had me wondering whether this was a case of colorblind casting?

ER: The role of Donnie wasn’t originally written for an African-American, but I kept meeting with them and auditioning because I really wanted to be a part of the film. I kept fighting for the role, and ended up doing it. More than anything, this was a passion project for everybody associated with the film, especially because it was such a tough subject.

KW: I hope that this approach to casting is a sign of things to come.

ER: Damian [director Damian Harris] was really great about that issue. He saw that skin color isn’t an issue among kids living on the street. Their worry is survival. So, I think that it was really great how he handled it in the movie. Never once was color talked about or made an issue. No one asked, why was this white girl with me. It never came up, and that’s the way I think it should be. It’s a non-issue.

KW: How was it working with Gillian Jacobs? You shared so many haunting scenes together.

ER: Really, really great. It ended up just being me and her and the director, not only on the set, but we also spent a lot of time with children in homeless shelters. I had been blind to the fact that there were that many homeless kids. It was very hard for all of us sitting with them and having them talk about their lives and share all the emotions of what they’re going through. Gillian and I really bonded after that to keep each other’s spirits up because it was such a heavy experience. As a result, we had great chemistry, so working with her was good.

KW: Was this your most emotionally-challenging role to date?

ER: Of the movies released so far, yes, although I have some others that will be coming out, like Black Water Transit, which were equally-challenging, but in a different sort of way... The more I think about it, Gardens of the Night might have been the toughest, since it took so long to shoot, and it was heavy being with the homeless kids and in their environment.

KW: Do you think you’re getting typecast as someone who only plays troubled characters?

ER: No, I’ve been the one kind of choosing to go in that direction. I like showing reality. But I have a more upbeat film coming out that I did with Hilary Duff called Greta. I play a more strong-willed character in that movie. But I like reality, because I think we shy away from showing the truth when we don’t need to cover up the truth. So, the way I choose projects is based on what I think is most real and most interesting, not on what’s paying the most money or what’s most popular.

KW: When did you develop an interest in acting?

ER: I always loved movies, especially watching some of my mom’s films when I was younger, like Out of Darkness, where she played a schizophrenic. I always found it interesting that I was still able to see her in each role, even though she was playing these different characters.

KW: Do you enjoy any other forms of artistic expression besides acting?

ER: I have many creative outlets. I sing, I like music, I like art, I paint, I draw. I like buying art. I read a lot, too. I love books. And I’m working on a clothing line, too.

KW: You already made a movie with your sister Tracee, Life Support. Any plans to do one with your mom?

ER: I would love to at some point. I talk to her about it all the time. I ask her when she’s going to do another movie herself. She says that because it calls for a serious commitment of time, she’ll only do it if it’s something special that makes sense and that she’s a big part of creating it. It’s hard doing these films when you don’t have any creative control, and you want it to look a certain way because you believe in it. So, I feel that if it made sense, she would do it. But I would love to do something with her, whether she’s playing my mom, or another character. I love her work as an actress.

KW: How about doing music with your mom?

ER: We’re doing that now. I’ve been making music for a long time, but I’ve been waiting to do it right, because I don’t want people to think it’s just a stepping stone in my career. A lot of actors go that route as a way of building their careers. I don’t want it to be seen as that. Because, like with my acting, my interest is not commercial, but to create something that I really love.

KW: So, who are you in the studio with?

ER: I’m working with Dallas Austin and some others who are not only really talented but who I love as people. Plus I’m on the phone with my mom, Stevie Wonder, and Michael, and getting their input in finding out how I’d like to do it.

KW: By Michael, do you mean Michael Jackson?

ER: Yeah, I talk to him a lot, advice-wise, musically. But I speak to mom the most. We go down to the studio and just kind of be creative and come up with new ideas. We have a lot of great stuff. But I’ve been singing my whole life, so it’s on its way.

KW: How would you describe your sound?

ER: Vocally, it’s got an R&B soulful sound, but it’s got a lot of guitars, too. Dallas has a great new sound that he’s working with, and we’re kinda just creating something new. People will like it and it will work, but it’s not the same as anything you’re hearing now.

KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?

ER: Yeah.

KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?

ER: Am I ever afraid? That’s a great question. Yes, a lot.

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

ER: I like both Columbus’ and Tasha’s questions. Those are personal questions that don’t get asked. They might not make sense to a lot of your readers, but those are actually a couple of great questions. What else have some people said they’ve never been asked?

KW: In a totally different vein, Taraji Henson said no one ever asked her what color panties she’s wearing. How about bookworm Troy Johnson’s question: What was the last book you read?

ER: Woman, a novel by Charles Bukowski. I love his work, and I find him interesting as a person. He’s quite a character.

KW: Music maven Heather Covington’s question: What’s music are you listening to nowadays?

ER: A lot of old music, Motown… Marvin Gaye... Rock and Roll… The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I still listen to the Donny Hathaways, and I’m just discovering some lesser-known songs of my mom that I never heard of.

KW: I still love that album she did with Marvin Gaye with You Are Everything and a lot of other classics. It’s one of those perfect albums where every song is great.

ER: Yeah, it’s incredible. And so many people have never heard that album. I love those songs.

KW: “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan question: Where in L.A. do you live?

ER: I live in the Hills. Not long ago, I bought my first house, which is a big responsibility, but I enjoy it. [Laughs] It’s nice, but I didn’t realize how big a responsibility it was, especially when I’m moving around so much. But I’m up in the Hills, and close to a lot of friends and people I work with. I enjoy where I’m at, the Sunset Plaza area. I might want to be further away at some point, but I know me, and if I spend too much time by myself, I think way too much. I like being around people.

KW: Does your mom live in Los Angeles, too?

ER: Yes, she does. She lives very close to me. She’s back and forth between L.A. and Greenwich. It’s more peaceful for her out there. It can be hard for here with the paparazzi around. So, she stays inside a lot or goes down to Malibu.

KW: Are you able to go to the mall or the movie theater without getting mobbed?

ER: Of course. I’m not afraid of people, and I do whatever I want. I think that when you start rolling with an entourage, you attract attention and you tend to create this whole big thing. My mom taught me that when you keep a low profile most people tend to totally miss you because they’re not expecting anything. I was just in Atlanta, working with Dallas, and it was interesting to see how many people knew me from ATL.

KW: How close are you to your mom?

ER: Me and my mom are extremely, extremely close. And I’m very close with Tracee and my other siblings. They all look out for me because they think I’m a little crazy. And I do the same for them. I love that we’re all very close. And my brother, Ross, who’s ten months older is great. He’s in college in New York. I go there to spend time with him, and he comes out to visit, too.

KW: How do you want to be remembered?

ER: That’s hard to say. I want to be remembered for the good work that I’ve done, for the positive work, and as somebody who was innovative and who people enjoyed.

KW: Hey, Evan, thanks for the interview, and best of luck with the movies, the music, and all your other endeavors.

ER: Thank you so much. It was a pleasure.



To see a trailer for Gardens of the Night, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM2I6-D2ah8

A Christmas Tale (FRENCH)

(Un Conte de Noel)

Film Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Holiday Flick Finds Dysfunctional Family Convening for Eventful Reunion



Don’t be tricked by director Arnaud Desplechin’s deceptively benign title, this flick doesn’t spin a heartwarming yarn in the manner of such seasonal classics as It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story. No miracles lay in wait for any unfortunate orphans in this relatively sobering saga set in France.

If Jerry Springer ever decided to shoot his TV show in Paris, the protagonists of this picture, the Vuillards, would make excellent guests. For this dysfunctional family has more compelling drama than you can shake a stick of French bread at. And at the point of departure we find the clan convening at the family manse in advance of the Christmas holidays for a reunion guaranteed to stir up trouble.

The ringmaster of the three-ring circus is matriarch Junon (Catherine Deneuve), a cancer patient suffering from the same strain of leukemia which took the life of one of her sons many years ago when the boy was only 7. Today, she and her husband, Abel (Jean-Paul Roussillon), have three adult children, Henri (Mathieu Amalric), Elizabeth (Ann Consigny) and Ivan (Melvil Poupard) who arrive burdened by considerable emotional baggage as well as unresolved sibling rivalry.

For example, playwright Elizabeth has little patience for ne’er-do-well Henri, because she once had to bail him out of a bad investment for which their father had cosigned. The two haven’t spoken to each other since, so this occasion offers an opportunity for long-simmering fireworks to explode. Ivan, on the other hand, has issues with Simon (Laurent Capuletto), an orphaned cousin raised under the same roof.

It seems that Simon has been hiding a secret crush on Ivan’s wife, Sylvia (Chiara Mastroianni) since they were teenagers, so what better time to let the cat out of the bag than Christmas. All of the above is just the tip of the iceberg, as Junon is urgently in need of a bone marrow transplant. Thus, the burning question which permeates the air at the gathering is whether any of her relatives might be a suitable match.

Despite its relentlessly-grim overarching theme, A Christmas Tale’s absorbing array of richly-developed characters invariably embroiled in incestuous folderol easily outweighs the unpleasant tone of this otherwise depressing escapade. All that’s missing is Jerry Springer refereeing the play-by-play.

How do you say, “Don’t even go there, girlfriend!” in French?



Excellent (3.5 stars)

Unrated

In French with subtitles.

Running time: 152 minutes

Studio: IFC Films



To see a trailer for A Christmas Tale, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1yPhab421Q

Tropic Thunder DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Controversial Ben Stiller Action Comedy Comedy Comes to DVD



You know you’re asking for trouble when you make a movie with a white actor in blackface wearing a lower lip extension who’s always talking jive jibberish, and with a mentally-challenged character who is repeatedly teased about his disability. Consequently, it’s no surprise that this comedy, written and directed by Ben Stiller, would stir up so much controversy.

Superficially, the storyline sounds innocuous enough. It revolves around a Vietnam War flick being shot on location. Early on, we learn that each of the film’s stars has his own selfish reason for participating in the project. One (Stiller) is trying to rebound from a poorly-reviewed picture. Heroin-addict Jeff (Jack Black) wants to overhaul his image after a kiddie hit filled with fat and fart jokes.

An Oscar-winner (Robert Downey, Jr.) likes the challenge of playing an African-American, while Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) is a hot hip-hop artist out to parlay his musical success into a screen career. Finally, there’s a virtual unknown (Jay Baruchel) who’s just happy to get his big break.

However, disaster strikes soon after their arrival in Southeast Asia, when the director (Steve Coogan) is blown to bits by a land mine. It turns out that they’ve been mistaken as enemy invaders by bloodthirsty guerillas running a drug-smuggling operation. So suddenly, these clueless, pampered Hollywood actors suddenly have to fend for themselves in the jungle.

This provides plenty of fodder for a surprisingly clever satire of the war movie genre. For Tropic Thunder is an intelligent and frequently funny film with some profound points to make about the shallowness of the movie industry. Unfortunately, those relatively-subtle insights are likely to be lost on those too busy laughing at all the slapstick and cruel humor coming at the expense of minorities to bother to appreciate the movie’s deeper message.



Very Good (3 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 120 minutes

Studio: Dreamworks Home Entertainment

2-Disc DVD Extras: Filmmaker commentary, cast commentary: with Ben Stiller,
Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr., deleted and extended scenes, an alternate ending, video rehearsals, plus much more.


To see a trailer of Tropic Thunder, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pxOzSpUXtg

Bushwick Homecomings DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams



Headline: DVD Revolves around Returns to Roots of Girl from the ‘Hood



When 31 year-old Stefanie Joshua was growing up in Bushwick, Brooklyn, her crime-infested neighborhood was a scary place where gunshots rang out every night. During the day, she had to run a gauntlet of crack and heroin dealers hanging on the corners, and she was even robbed of her gold necklace while riding the subway on her way home from school.

Coming of age in the Nineties during the rise of gangsta rap meant that many members of the Hip-Hop Generation would become victims of street violence. And the death in 2002 of a gentle friend nicknamed Poohbear inspired Stefanie to return to her roots to find out what became of some of the kids she grew up with.

For Ms. Joshua had somehow escaped the ghetto and attended Stony Brook University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics. Next, she earned an MA in Sociology at CCNY, writing her master’s thesis on delinquency and social disorganization theory.

Though she had no formal training in filmmaking, Stefanie started interviewing men from her block, encouraging them to reflect honestly on their challenging childhoods. The result is Bushwick Homecomings, a remarkable documentary which leaves the viewer with the feeling that it’s a miracle that any of them could have survived such a dysfunctional and dangerous concrete jungle.

Ironically, the picture also points out that blacks are currently disappearing from the area which is belatedly benefiting from an aggressive urban renewal program. With gentrification gradually erasing the African-American footprint from the community, Bushwick Homecomings stands as all the more significant as an historical record of tougher times and a tribute to those still around to talk about them.



Very Good (3 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 37 minutes

DVD Extras: Director’s statement plus previously unreleased footage.



To see a trailer of Bushwick Homecomings, visit: http://www.bushwickhomecomings.com/trailer.htm

Mister Lonely DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Michael Jackson Look-a-Like Dominates Drama Due on DVD



A Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) has been eking out a living on the streets of Paris even though, except for the trademark dance moves, felt fedora and a single glove, he doesn’t really look anything like him. As fate would have it, while performing for the elderly at a senior citizen center he meets a hauntingly-beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-a-like (Samantha Morton).

Sensing that “Michael” is a lost and lonely soul, she invites him home to her castle in the Scottish Highlands where she lives with a host of other celebrity wannabes, including her mustachioed husband, Charlie Chaplin (Dennis Lavant), and their mop-topped, six year-old daughter, Shirley Temple (Esme Creed-Miles).

Michael takes her up on the generous offer, as much because he was instantly smitten, as for the company of like-minded oddballs. Upon their arrival at the seaside estate, Marilyn matter-of-factly announces, “I found a Michael,” whereupon the stranger finds himself welcomed into a community of losers pretending to be everyone from Madonna (Melita Morgan) to Sammy Davis, Jr. (Jason Pennycooke) to James Dean (Joseph Morgan) to Abraham Lincoln (Richard Strange) to Buckwheat (Michael-Joel Stuart) to the Pope (James Fox) to Little Red Riding Hood (Rachel Korine) to the Queen of England (Anita Pallenberg) to The Three Stooges, Moe (Daniel Rovai), Larry (Mal Whiteley) and Curly (Nigel Cooper).

The front story of this uneven production revolves around this motley crew’s plans to put on a vaudeville show. Meanwhile, a subplot revolves around the simmering sexual tensions which arise between Michael and Marilyn after she rejects her hubby because he reminds her more of Hitler than Chaplin.

Unfortunately, once the novelty of all the celebrity impersonations wears off, the film never gives you much of a reason to care about the predicaments of any of its cardboard characters.



Fair (1.5 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 112 minutes

Studio: Genius Products

DVD Extras: Deleted scenes and “The Making of” featurette.



To see a trailer of Mister Lonely, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lybo2JQc2zM

The House of Sleeping Beauties (GERMAN)

(Das Haus der Schlafenden Schonen)

Film Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Grieving Widower Turns to Hookers for Relief in Grim Drama from Germany



Edmond (Vadim Glowna) has been down in the dumps since the day his wife and daughter died in a single car accident which he suspects might have been a suicide. Now, the grieving widower is merely going through the motions, for he doesn’t see much meaning in either his job or home life anymore.

The deteriorating state of Edmond’s psyche has not been lost on his best friend, Kogi (Maximilian Schell), who tries to boost his pal’s spirits by recommending a discreet whorehouse he’s heard rumors about. Glum Ed has his chauffeur drop him off at the upscale escape which happens to cater specifically to lonely senior citizens.

The place is run by an officious, imperious madam (Angela Winkler) who explains that johns get to spend the night with a drugged, naked young thing on the condition that they never attempt to arouse the girls from their very deep sleep. Edmond agrees, and soon realizes that a warm attractive body is just the comfort he’s subconsciously been craving. So, he becomes a regular customer, and the visits seem somehow to offer him at least an intermittent escape from his intractable depression.

Unfortunately, all is not on the level, and a big surprise lays in wait in “The House of Sleeping Beauties,” a macabre mystery based on the Japanese language novella by Yasunari Kawabata. For, while economist Milton Friedman might have warned that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, Mr. Kawabata seems to be suggesting that there’s also a bigger price than money to pay for taking pleasure in feeling up semi-comatose coeds.

Despite the fact that its premise sounds like it was dreamed up by a pervert who depends on that date rape drug for a social life, the picture’s surprising twist leads to a resolution which makes the molestation easier to swallow. Viva Viagra!



Very Good (3 stars)

Unrated

In German with subtitles.

Running time: 99 minutes

Studio: First Run Features



To see a trailer for The House of Sleeping Beauties, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqlTKCgSXJ8

Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening November 21, 2008


BIG BUDGET FILMS

Bolt (PG for mild action and scenes of peril) Disney animated adventure about a German Shepherd TV star (John Travolta) who discovers he doesn’t really have any superpowers after being accidentally shipped from Hollywood to NYC when he has to embark on a humbling cross-country trek home with the help of a cat (Susie Essman) and a hamster (Mark Walton). Voice cast includes Miley Cyrus, James Lipton, Malcolm McDowell and wrestler Randy Savage.

Twilight (PG-13 for violence and sensuality) Horror flick revolving around the unlikely romance which arises between a beautiful young woman (Kristen Stewart) and a mysterious, immortal vampire (Robert Pattinson) irresistibly lured by her primal scent.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Antarctica (Unrated) Romance drama, set in Tel Aviv, about the love triangle which evolves when a couple of best friends (Tomer Ilan and Yuval Raz) fall in love with the same journalist (Guy Zoaretz). (In Hebrew with subtitles)

The Betrayal (Unrated) Vietnam War Era documentary, narrated and co-directed by Thavisouk Phrasavath, chronicles the impact of U.S. foreign policy on his family which was forced to emigrate from Laos to America due to his father’s involvement with the conflict. (In English and Laotian with subtitles)

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 (Unrated) Harvard alum Tommy Lee Jones narrates this anticlimactic football documentary which revisits the 1968 Ivy League gridiron title game via a combination of archival footage and contemporary reflections. Picture simultaneously takes a nostalgic look back at the prevailing social issues of the day, including the Vietnam War, feminism, Civil Rights and student unrest.

I Can’t Think Straight (PG-13 for sexuality) Forbidden love is the theme of this homoerotic drama about a couple of London-based brides-to-be, one, a free-spirited Palestinian Christian (Lisa Ray), the other, a repressed Indian Muslim (Sheetal Sheth), who fall in love and have second thoughts about marriage on the brink of their respective wedding days.

Lake City (R for profanity and violence) Sissy Spacek and Troy Garity co-star in this Southern drama about the return home under trying circumstances of a Prodigal Son to the family farm where he confronts his estranged mother about a deep family secret. Ensemble includes Rebecca Romijn, Dave Matthews, Drea de Matteo and Keith Carradine.

Special (R for profanity, violence and drug use) Delusions of grandeur drama about a parking meter cop (Michael Rapaport) who suffers a psychotic break after volunteering to test an experimental anti-depressant which leaves him believing he’s been transformed into a superhero.

Were the World Mine (Unrated) Sexual preference fantasy about a lonely, homosexual high school student (Tanner Cohen) who makes the most of a windfall find when he turns everybody in his hometown gay after stumbling on a magic love potion.

An Unexpected World

Poems

by Joyce Greenberg Lott

Finishing Line Press

Paperback, $12.

34 pages, illustrated

ISBN: 978-1-59924-325-2



Book Review by Kam Williams



“The youngest asks four questions.

We answer with the same old story:

A babe floats in bullrushes,

Lambs are slaughtered for blood,

The Angel of Death passes over,

A sea splits, and slaves

Walk dryshod to freedom.”



Excerpted from a poem entitled, “The Fifth Question”



The above verse, inspired by the Jewish tradition of Seder shared at Passover, appropriately opens An Unexpected World, a most evocative, revealing and moving collection of poems by Joyce Greenberg Lott. Relying on a minimalist style, the author establishes what transpires during a Seder ceremony in the first stanza before then drawing parallels between the Jews’ Biblical struggle to survive as a people and her own individual’s endeavor to deal with health issues over the course of a winter.

An Unexpected World is the third book published by Ms. Lott, a retired high school English teacher, widow, mother, grandmother, and award-winning poet and essayist. Most of the subjects addressed here tend to be of an intimate nature, for Joyce is given to brutal honesty, whether whimsically imagining herself in a “Conversation with My Lover’s Wife” or offering advice about “What to Do When You Find Out Your Husband Has Cancer.”

Several of the selections ooze a salacious sensuality, such as “Just a Woman,” “A Country You’ve Never Visited” and “Myth,” naughty poems which prove that there’s no reason at any age to repress the raw reality of one’s carnal nature. For as she so matter-of-factly puts it in as “Just a Woman”



“Sometimes I am just a woman

Too opened

and then too gently closed

to lie about my life.”



An alternately titillating and sobering tome which even features lyrical lines in Tanka for devotees of that ancient relative of the Japanese haiku.







To order a copy of An Unexpected World, email flpbookstore@aol.com,

or call (859) 514-8966.

To purchase an autographed copy, contact the author at: lottofjoy@aol.com

Love Songs DVD (FRENCH)

(Les Chansons d’Amour)
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Parisian DVD Drama Features Daring Game of Musical Beds

Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) and Ismael (Louis Garrel) are a young Parisian couple stuck in a relationship which has seemingly lost its spark. So, to spice things up, they invite Alice (Clotilde Hesme), an attractive bisexual, to share their bed. However, this arrangement works out more for the frisky females who focus on each other sexually while teasing Ismael about being the world’s worst lover and a mini-Jew who isn’t circumcised.
He deals with the situation by breaking into song, something most of the characters in this amusing musical are prone to do periodically in lieu of dealing with their emotional issues in a meaningful manner. In fact, there’s a marked contrast between the storyline’s sobering themes, and the relatively lighthearted show tunes, a baker’s dozen in all, being belted out by various performers.
The plot thickens when tragedy strikes leaving Alice and Ismael unexpectedly alone. After she dumps him for another guy (Yannick Renier), he entertains the idea of going gay for the dude’s seductive brother (Gergoire Leprince Ringuet). Will he or won’t me? That’s the pressing question expected to keep you on the edge of your seat for the duration of Love Songs, the latest offering from Christian Honore.
While this flick fails to measure up to either of Honores’ last two pictures, Dans Paris or Ma Mere, the overambitious project still earns an A for effort, if only a D for execution. The film’s glaring flaw rests with the tameness of the goings-on with precious little in the way of titillation ever making its way to the screen, given all the shameless coupling and uncoupling.
Why make a movie about bohemian swingers, if all you’re going to serve up is the French equivalent of a Broadway musical?

Good (2 stars)
Unrated
In French with subtitles.
Running time: 91 minutes
Studio: Genius Products
DVD Extras: Interview with the director, theatrical trailer, and filmographies.

To see a trailer for Love Songs, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s54vpKAFmS0

Mister Foe DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams



Headline: Dysfunctional Family Drama on DVD Features Teen Peeping Tom



17 year-old Hallam Foe (Jamie Bell) hasn’t been the same since his mother was found floating in a loch on the family’s sprawling estate. While her official cause of death was deemed suicide by sleeping pills, Hallam has good reason to suspect otherwise. After all, only a few months later, his father, Julius (Ciaran Hinds), a famous architect, married his young secretary, Verity (Claire Forlani).

Strangely, Hallam is as much physically attracted to his step-mom as he is repulsed by her because he’s convinced that she’s a murderer. These unresolved competing tensions gradually take a toll on his tortured soul, and result in his indulging a variety of perversions.

For instance, while alone in his room, he puts on his mother’s favorite dress and smears her lipstick on his face and around his nipples. But he is also something of a voyeur whose M.O. involves secretly watching women undress with binoculars.

Anyhow, Hallam realizes it’s time to leave town after a verbal confrontation with Verity turns carnal. Next thing you know, he’s trying to survive on the streets of Glasgow until he lands in the good graces of Kate (Sophia Myles), a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to his dearly-departed mum. The head of human resources for a big a hotel, she hires Hallam as a busboy who develops an Oedipal crush he feels conflicted about consummating.

This ambivalence gives the boy a good excuse to break out his binoculars, and he starts stalking his fresh prey in a slight variation on the theme he’d just escaped from back home. A kinky character study in a difficult to diagnose personality disorder which works because of the convincing performance of a brooding Jamie Bell in his most memorable outing since Billy Elliot.



Excellent (3.5 stars)

Rated R for nudity and sexuality.

Running time: 96 minutes

Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment

DVD Extras: Deleted scenes and a “Behind-the-Scenes” featurette.



To see a trailer of Mister Foe, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcSImv8itV0