Simon & the Oaks
(Simon och ekarna)
Film Review by Kam Williams
Jewish Boys Come-of-Age in Sweden in Surrealistic WWII Saga
Set in Sweden in 1939, Simon & the Oaks is a surrealistic, coming-of-age saga which unfolds against the backdrop of World War II. The title character, Simon (played by Jonatan S. Wachter, younger, then by Bill Skarsgard) is a youngster who, at the point of departure, has no idea he's half-Jewish.
He was adopted at an early age by a working-class, Swedish couple (Helen Sjoholm and Stefan Godicke) who have not only hidden his roots, but done their best to shield him from the horrors unfolding across Europe. However, despite their love and support, Karin and Erik can't help but notice their son's growing discontent with his lowly lot in life.
Simon gradually evidences an insatiable curiosity that, as farmers, they simply aren't sophisticated enough to address satisfactorily. In fact, he becomes so lonely that he starts talking to an oak tree in the yard and fantasizing about the rest of his natural surroundings.
Finally, his frustrated folks finally decide to enroll him in an upscale grammar school where he is likely to receive the intellectual stimulation he craves. There, he soon meets Isak (played by Karl Martin Eriksson, younger, then by Karl Linnertorp ), a Jewish classmate bullied about his ethnicity whose relatively well-to-do family has recently escaped Nazi Germany.
The boys become fast friends, and their families also make acquaintances, despite the difference in social status. The plot thickens when Simon learns the truth about his ethnic background and proceeds to make the most of the opportunity to pursue an academic path. Isak, meanwhile, disappoints his dad (Jan Josef Leifers) by showing more of a desire to work with his hands than his head.
Directed by Lisa Ohlin (Seeking Temporary Wife) Simon & the Oaks is an ethereal, introspective escapade inspired by the Marianne Fredriksson novel of the same name. Besides the visual capture of some breathtaking cinematography, what makes the film engaging is the stark contrast in the personas of the blossoming, young protagonists.
A sensitive character study chronicling the considerable challenge of coming-of-age Jewish with the specter of the Third Reich lurking just over the horizon.
Very Good (3 stars)
Unrated
In Swedish, German, Hebrew and English with subtitles
Running time: 122 minutes
Distributor: The Film Arcade
To see a trailer for Simon & the Oaks, visit
Cloud Atlas
Film Review by Kam Williams
Halle & Hanks Co-Star in Adaptation of Sci-Fi Best-Seller
Based on David Mitchell's groundbreaking novel of the same name, Cloud Atlas offers an intriguing and visually-captivating cinematic experience that's well worth the investment for its unorthodox narrative alone. Be forewarned, however, that you would be well advised to arrive at the theater already familiar with the cryptic best seller's inscrutable plot structure, if you hope to have a decent idea about what's going on.
Since I hadn't read the British Book Award-winner, I initially found myself quite baffled by the surrealistic saga's elliptical storyline. Still, I was able to enjoy it immensely after gradually discerning the underlying method to the time-shifting madness.
It essentially consists of a half-dozen insular adventures which ultimately interlock despite unfolding over the course of past, present and future eras. They transpire in locales as far afield as a Pacific atoll in the 1840s, Cambridge, England in the 1930s, San Francisco in the 1970s, current-day London, Korea in the 2140s and a post apocalyptic Hawaii in the 2340s. Meanwhile, their equally-diverse themes range from slavery to gay love to corporate mind control.
It took a collaboration by a trio of noted directors, Tom Twyker (Run Lola Run) and Andy and Lana (formerly Larry) Wachowski (The Matrix), to execute this ambitious, $100 million, big screen adaptation. In addition, the principal cast members, including Oscar-winners Tom Hanks (for Philadelphia and Forest Gump), Halle Berry (for Monster's Ball), Susan Sarandon (for Dead Man Walking) and Jim Broadbent (for Iris), each play multiple versions of reincarnated characters.
Nonetheless, Cloud Atlas is as much a morality play about human fears, frailties and failings as it is a mind-bending sci-fi mystery. For, while you're busy deciphering complicated clues, the picture intermittently indulges in pretentious fortune cookie philosophy prompting reflection upon the deeper meaning of life.
Hence, the dialogue is needlessly diminished by preachy poster speak like "Separation is an illusion," "To know yourself is only possible through the eyes of another," and "From womb to tomb we are bound to others" designed to hit you over the head with a simplistic New Age message. Another minor flaw is the film's almost three-hour running time, which can easily be explained by the directors' desire to remain as faithful to the 544-page source material as possible, rather than conflate characters, condense chapters and make other concessions for the sake of a Hollywood formula.
A cleverly-concealed, centuries-spanning headscratcher constructed with fans of the original sextet of stories in mind.
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for violence, profanity, sexuality, ethnic slurs, nudity and drug use.
In English and Spanish with subtitles
Running time: 172 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers
To see a trailer for Cloud Atlas, visit
Neal Shapiro
The "WNET/THIRTEEN 50th Anniversary" Interview
with Kam Williams
Big Bird's Boss Shares His Vision for PBS
Neal Shapiro is President and CEO of New York City's WNET, America's flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces such acclaimed PBS series as Great Performances, American Masters, Nature, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online.
Shapiro is an award-winning producer and media executive with a 25-year career spanning print, broadcast, cable and online. At the helm of WNET, Shapiro has revitalized programming, nearly doubled arts and culture programming, placed a new emphasis on local programming and community engagement, set new fundraising records and inaugurated a new, state-of-the-art studio at Lincoln Center.
In addition to WNET's signature national series, Shapiro has overseen the launch of a number of innovative local programs (including American Graduate, MetroFocus, NYC-Arts, Need To Know and Women, War & Peace) which make the most of New York City's rich resources and vibrant community.
Before joining WNET in 2007, Shapiro was President of NBC News, leading its top-rated news programs, including Today, NBC Nightly News and Meet the Press, as well as Dateline NBC. Shapiro was executive producer of Dateline NBC when it was a mainstay of NBC's schedule. And in his 13 years at ABC News, he was a writer and producer for PrimeTime Live and World News Tonight.
Mr. Shapiro has won numerous awards, including 32 Emmys, 31 Edward R. Murrow Awards and 3 Columbia DuPont awards. He serves on the Boards of Tufts University, Gannett Company, the Investigative News Network and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Neal lives in New York City with his wife, ABC News Correspondent Juju Chang, and their three sons.
Kam Williams: Hi Neal, thanks for the interview.
Neal Shapiro: My pleasure, Kam.
KW: I feel like I already know you from watching you introduce movies every Saturday night.
NS: [Chuckles] I have to admit that of all the things I do that's actually the most fun.
KW: What is your favorite genre of film?
NS: Film noir. I'm especially a big fan of Humphrey Bogart.
Sadly, director Koji Wakamatsu has died at the age of 76.
This was a year which had been particularly consecrated to him: "11/25: The Day He Chose His Own Fate", his film on the last days of Mishima, which was presented at the Festival of Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section, "The Millennial Rapture" at the Venice Film Festival, and along with the two premiers, "Petrel Hotel Blue" at the Pusan Festival, where, less than two weeks ago, he received the prize for Best Asian Filmmaker of the Year. In Miyagi, his hometown, this autumn he also received a prestigious award honoring this Japanese artist, above and beyond the world of film.
And yet, until 2007, only a handful of particularly avid critics and cinephiles knew the films of Koji Wakamatsu, this prolific Japanese filmmaker, with his oeuvre of more than 130 films spanning 50 years since the 1960's.
So what explains this "oversight"?
Middle of Nowhere
Film Review by Kam Williams
Wife Weighs Absentee Hubby's Worth in Introspective Tale of Female Empowerment
Middle of Nowhere is a cinematic masterpiece reminiscent of those rare treasures that have managed to capture an authentic slice of African-American life, ala such black classics as Love Jones (1997), The Best Man (1999), The Visit (2000) and Brown Sugar (2002). However, this introspective tale of female empowerment simultaneously touches on a number of universal themes apt to resonate with an audience of any demographic.
The picture was written and directed by rising star Ava DuVernay, this year's winner at the Sundance Film Festival in the Best Director category. The story revolves around Roberta "Ruby" Murray (Emayatzy Corinealdi), a med student who's on the brink of becoming a doctor when her husband, Derek (Omari Hardwick), is sentenced to 8 years behind bars for a drug conviction.
Rather than abandon the love of her life, the loyal wife decides to drop out of med school to give her man the emotional and financial support he'll need while in prison. This means she'll have to endure long bus rides just to see him, and also have to pay his legal bills on a nurse's salary.
However, the shame and separation eventually take a toll on the relationship, especially when Derek has a jailhouse romance and sabotages his chances for an early parole with fresh criminal charges for fighting. Suddenly Ruby finds herself questioning the wisdom of her slavish devotion, and she begins entertaining the advances of a bus driver (David Oyewolo) she'd befriended.
To date or to wait, that is the question? Ruby has a couple of confidants to turn to for advice, but neither proves to be of much help. One is her sister, Ruth (Lorraine Toussaint), a single-mom with a bad track record of her own with men. The other is their embittered mother (Edwina Findley) who can only muster up ineffective, if well-meaning, suggestions like "Hold your head up, please."
So, in the end, it's up to Ruby to decide for herself, but only after lingering interludes of reflection and contemplation. A refreshing alternative to the superficial mainstream fare that tends to stereotype sisters as either sassy mammies or compliant sex objects.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for profanity.
Running time: 101 minutes
Distributor: AFFRM
To see a trailer for Middle of Nowhere, visit