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Interviews
UserpicTerry Crews (INTERVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
19.05.2014

Terry Crews

The “Blended” Interview

with Kam Williams

 

Crews Control!

Since retiring from the NFL, Terry Crews has traded in his helmet and cleats to pursue an acting career while also becoming the ultimate family man and fitness enthusiast. Over the past several years, omnipresent Terry has been seen almost everywhere, whether as the pecs-popping pitchman for Old Spice,  portraying the overworked dad on “Everybody Hates Chris,” a tough guy in “The Expendables” film series, the loveable goofball in “White Chicks,” Will McAvoy’s bodyguard on HBO’s “The Newsroom,” or randy congressman Herbert Love in “Arrested Development.”

2014 has been a busy year for Terry, who has already appeared in Tyler Perry’s “The Single Mom’s Club,” and in “Draft Day” opposite Kevin Costner. And later this year, he will be starring with Sly Stallone in “Reach Me,” and reprising the role of Hale Caesar in the “The Expendables 3.”

Terry is currently a series regular on the Golden Globe Award-winning TV sitcom “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” playing Sgt. Terry Jeffords, whose ripped exterior belies a sensitive and beleaguered interior. Crews also just added author to his resume with the release of his first book, “Manhood.” And it was recently announced that starting this fall he will be serving as host of the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

Here, he talks about playing “Nickens” in his new movie, “Blended,” co-starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.

 

 

Kam Williams: Hi Terry, thanks for the interview.

Terry Crews: Oh, you got it, Kam.

 

KW: Congrats on the Golden Globe for your TV show, Brooklyn Ninety-Nine.

TC:  Thank you! It blew me away when we got that Golden Globe. What an honor! I had no idea.  It’s an awesome show and one of the best things I’ve ever done.

 

KW: And you get to play a complex character in Sergeant Terry Jeffords. 

TC:  That’s the best thing, that [scriptwriters] Mike Schur and Dan Goorhore created real people everybody can recognize. That’s real cool! 

 

KW: I loved Blended, and I’m not a fan of Adam Sandler’s lowbrow brand of humor. But this one is different and kept me laughing non-stop.

TC: That’s great! And it touches your feelings along the way, too. That’s the thing. What’s so good about the Adam-Drew [Barrymore] collaborations is how she tempers him. It’s the real deal. Their 50 First Dates was the first comedy that I ever caught feelings on. I was like, “Whoa! I’m feeling the romance here. I want them to get together. Why do I care so much?” And I got emotional about it. That is what they bring, a magical combination that works every time.

 

KW: I liked the two of them in The Wedding Singer, too.

TC: They’re a great combination. My wife does that for me. By myself, I’m a hard pill. But, wow! My wife makes me look real good, because she smoothes my rough edges. That’s why I say, “Take your wife everywhere. It’s a good thing.” [Laughs]

 

KW: You provide the comic relief throughout this movie. Just when we’re about to forget about Nickens, he pops up again with that Greek chorus.

TC:  You know what’s wild? Adam called me up and before I’d seen a script, he said, “Man, I wanna do this movie with you that we’re shooting in Africa. Are you down, brother?” I had no idea what was going on, but I was like, “Let’s go! This is awesome!” I’m a card-carrying member of the Happy Madison Productions family. Adam put me in The Longest Yard, Click and The Benchwarmers. Every time he calls, it leads to nothing but great things. That’s why I just said, “Let’s do it!” We didn’t really have this character all straightened out. We sort of figured it out as we went along. He came up with a great idea. He said, basically, “Let’s make him the South African Tom Jones.” Once we had that, we were off and running.

 

KW: Had you been to Africa before?

TC:  No, that was my first time, and I loved every minute of it. I traveled all over South Africa. I was in Cape Town, Soweto, Sun City and Johannesburg. I would’ve visited Durban, too, but we just didn’t have the time. We met the most beautiful people and ate the best food! And we went on safari in Madikwe which is near Botswana. It was amazing. Some people say Sante Fe is spiritual, but you haven’t experienced anything until you’ve been to Africa. You know the world is bigger than you are after you see Africa. 

 

KW: I was surprised that they shot the film in Africa at all, since it’s a romantic comedy that could’ve been made in Hollywood, not a drama that called for an exotic location.  

TC:  I think the moviegoers are tired of always seeing L.A. and New York. Come on! I think you can only do but so much here. It’s about time that the rest of the world is represented in entertainment. Africa is a huge continent. The world is gigantic. We get a little insulated. New Yorkers never go anywhere because they think everything’s already in New York. You can to Disney World or watch Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, but you have to travel to Africa to have the real experience. And if you ever do go, it will change your life. I was changed. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

 

KW: What do you think about the 300 schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria? 

TC:  Oh man, what can I say brother? I have four daughters. I consider myself a feminist. My whole life has been about standing up for women, for anybody really, who’s been abused. So, I’m outraged about the way they kidnapped and are mistreating those young ladies. That’s sick! All I can think about is what if someone took my daughters from me. It hurts. My heart is still breaking. You can post or tweet about it, but it’s not going to rest, until we find them and get them back home safe and sound. But nothing will change, until really righteous men stand up and say, “This is wrong! Females cannot be treated this way. Women are not property. Women are not second-class citizens.” Women all over the world deserve pay equal to men, a voice equal to men, education equal to men, and to be respected. We’ve got to realize that we’re all the same.

      

KW: Since you’re a former pro athlete and you live in L.A., I also have to ask you what you think about the L.A. Clippers. Should the owner be forced to sell the franchise for what he said?

TC:  Wow! This is what I think about Donald Sterling. We need to forgive him.

 

KW: Forgive him?

TC:  Let me tell you why. We’re all guilty of what he did. I’ve said things about my wife which would make people think I was a horrible person, if somebody had recorded me. You say things in anger that you’d never normally say. If someone secretly records you in your own home, you’re going to offend somebody. Taking Donald Sterling’s team away from him, because people don’t like what he said doesn’t make any sense to me. I don’t know Donald Sterling. I don’t like him. We’ll never hang out. But let people vote with their dollars. You have to recognize that this is a dangerous precedent. If you don’t forgive, you’re setting yourself up to be judged forever. And as soon as you say something somebody doesn’t like, they can take what you own away from you. I know a lot of people disagree with me, but I just don’t believe in a system that doesn’t allow you to apologize, change and move on.   

 

KW: That’s an interesting take. You surprised me. Food for thought.  

TC:  It’s the new McCarthyism. It’s just not right. What I’m saying is that everybody has done it. You might not have said something about black people, but you might have said something worse than what Donald Sterling said, something horrible about your wife, your kids, your best friend, or someone else. If you can’t turn around, say “My bad. I’m sorry,” and be forgiven, then what do you do now? Are we going to hold everybody to that standard? People like to throw stones, but I say “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” We have to give mercy to get it.

 

KW: Attorney Bernadette asks: What advice would you give your teenage self just coming of age, if you could travel back in time?

TC: I would say, “Terry, behave like a king.” Because, when I was young, I spent a lot of time behaving like a fool. And fools get mad when people try to give them good advice. They actually get angry at ‘em. [Laughs] Because by being a fool, you start messing up everything, and all of a sudden you want to blame everybody else. You’re a victim! It was my mother… It was my father… It was my wife… It was society… It was my being a black man… It’s endless. But when you behave like a king, you make no excuses, because it’s your court, your world, and you’re responsible for everything in your circle. That’s what I would tell my younger self. “Dude, behave like a king, and know it’s up to you.” That’s the deal. And I say it to young men now.

 

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

TC: Wooooo! Kam, that’s a big question. There are so many. I wanna be Radio Raheem, if they ever remade Do the Right Thing. [Chuckles] Yeah, I would love to play Radio Raheem. [Laughs some more]

 

KW: The Anthony Anderson question: If you could have a superpower, which one would you choose?

TC: Wow! What superpower? Flight! It’s gotta be flight, because I love to travel. 

 

KW: Is there any question I haven’t asked you that you wish I had?

TC: No, I’m good.

 

KW: Then thanks again for the time, Terry. Good luck with Blended and your many projects. And I look forward to speaking to you again soon.

TC: Oh, thank you, Kam. You got it, my man. Take care.

To see a trailer for Blended, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w168vuhjRo   

To order a copy of Terry Crews’ book, “Manhood: How to Be a Better Man,” visit:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0804178054/ref=nosim/thslfofire-20

To see several Old Spice ads featuring Terry, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCl5uyn5K7k


Godzilla
Film Review by Kam Williams

Godzilla PosterGodzilla made its debut in 1954 when the mythical, man-eating monster, inadvertently created by an atomic blast, emerged from the Pacific Ocean to carve a path of death and destruction across Japan, much to the chagrin of the country’s overmatched military. A couple of years later, Raymond Burr narrated a documentary-style, English-language remake which was basically a dubbed version of the original with his lines spliced in.

Despite relying for decades on terribly-stilted scripts and a guy in a rubber suit towering over a scale model of a toy-sized Tokyo, the B-movie franchise has remained popular enough to spawn thirty-something sequels and counting. This relatively-upscale reboot of the series, however, abandons the campy dialogue and cheesy trick photography in favor of an emotionally-engaging plot as well as state-of-the-art special f/x.

Furthermore, while the 2014 edition Godzilla still looks like a fire-breathing, mutated iguana, he behaves more like a benign, anthropomorphic ally of humanity than its evil adversary. The villains, here, are a couple of nuclear waste-ingesting MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms) that are not only threatening to level San Francisco but are poised to unleash a litter of their equally-hostile offspring.

In case you’re wondering, there’s plenty of precedent for Godzilla’s squaring-off against fellow behemoths. Consider such classic showdowns as King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) and Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), to name a few.

Although, this one’s finale is well worth the wait, it sure takes its sweet time getting around to that spectacular battle royal. In fact, we don’t even get a peek at Godzilla during the film’s first hour, which is instead devoted to developing characters and filling in the back story.

The picture was directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters) who assembled a surprisingly-sophisticated ensemble for an action-oriented, summer blockbuster. The cast includes Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston, Academy Award-winner Juliette Binoche (for The English Patient), and nominees David Strathairn (for Good Night, and Good Luck), Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) and Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai).

The adventure revolves around the Brody family whose plight provides the audience with the incentive to invest emotionally in the outcome. Widowed patriarch Joe (Cranston) is driven to learn the truth behind the catastrophe at a Japanese nuclear power plant that claimed his late wife’s (Binoche) life 15 years earlier. Their son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a Navy explosives disposal expert, agrees to accompany his dad to the Orient, leaving behind a worried wife (Elizabeth Olsen) and son (Carson Bolde) behind in San Francisco.

Of course, all hell eventually breaks loose back home when anthropomorphic Godzilla selflessly rises to the occasion in defense of the city. Will the MUTOs meet their match? Will the separated Brodys manage to survive the apocalyptic mayhem for a tearful reunion?

A surprisingly haunting and panoramic picture exploring universal themes like loss and yearning, yet with all the fixins for first-rate action entertainment. Hey, why didn’t they make monster movies like this when I was a kid?

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated PG-13 for intense violence and scenes off destruction

Running time: 123 minutes

Distributor: Warner Brothers

To see a trailer for Godzilla, visit


Interviews
UserpicA Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose
Posted by Kam Williams
12.05.2014

Anika Noni Rose
The “Half of a Yellow Sun” Interview
with Kam Williams

Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose currently stars alongside Denzel Washington in the Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun. Her outstanding performance has not only earned her critical acclaim but also a Tony award nomination.

She recently starred as Whoopi Goldberg’s daughter in the made-for-TV movie, A Day Late and a Dollar Short. On the big screen, Anika starred as ‘Lorell Robinson’ in Dreamgirls which went on to receive an AFI ensemble award, as well as SAG award nomination for outstanding cast.

In addition, she voiced ‘Princess Tiana’ in the animated feature The Princess and The Frog, as Disney’s first African-American ‘Princess.’ The film received three Oscar nominations and Anika became the youngest inductee ever to be honored as a Disney Legend. Anika’s many film credits include: Imperial Dreams, For Colored Girls, Just Add Water, As Cool as I Am and Khumba.

No stranger to television, Anika most recently starred in the Hallmark special The Watsons Go to Birmingham and appeared on some of the highest-rated network shows such as CBS’s The Good Wife and ABC’s Private Practice. Furthermore, she guest starred on CBS’s Elementary and FOX’s The Simpsons (voice of Abie’s long lost wife). Other TV credits include: the A&E mini-series Stephen King’s Bag of Bones opposite Pierce Brosnan, HBO’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency for which she was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series." And she received NAACP Image nominations for her work on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and on Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Mitch Albom’s Have A Little Faith, too.

Anika won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Caroline, or Change. She starred in Deborah Allen's Broadway revival of Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, opposite James Earl Jones and Phylicia Rashad.

Born in Bloomfield, Connecticut on September 6, 1972, Anika received her MFA from American Conservatory Theater and holds an honorary Doctorate from Florida A&M University. Here, she discusses her new film, Half of a Yellow Sun, co-starring Thandie Newton and Chiwetel Ejiofor.      

 

Kam Williams: Hi Anika, thanks for the interview. I’m honored to have this opportunity.

Anika Noni Rose: Thanks so much, Kam.

 

KW: What interested you in making this movie?

ANR: I read the book when it came out, and I loved it! That book really excited me and moved me. And I read a lot! I remember thinking back then that it would make an amazing film. So, I was beyond thrilled when the call came asking whether I might be interested. 

 

KW: I have a lot of questions for you from my readers. Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier asks: Is your character Kainene very close to the character in the novel or were a lot of liberties were taken in the script?

ANR: She’s very close to the character in the novel. I tried to keep her as tight to what Chimamanda [author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie] described as possible. The only differences, I think, are the physical differences between our bodies, and there’s nothing I could do about that. [Laughs]

 

KW: Patricia also asks: Did you need a coach to capture the Nigerian accent? How challenging was it to sound authentic?

ANR: The answer is “Yes,” but the coach was British, because they mention in the book that she has an English accent.

 

KW: Was that the first time you visited Africa?

ANR: No, I’ve been to Africa many times. I spent six months in Botswana shooting The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. I’ve also been to Morocco and a bunch of other places. But it was my first time in Nigeria. It was intense and I loved it, but it was a lot of hard work, because we were bringing a style of shooting that country wasn’t familiar with. So it was really a learning set, and a learning environment, because the City of Calabar certainly wasn’t ready for what we were bringing. But everybody was welcoming and stepped up to the plate, and it was a great time.

 

KW: How was your shoot different from the ordinary Nollywood [Nigerian film industry] set?

ANR: I’m not very familiar with Nollywood. What I do know is that they’ll finish a film in two weeks. So, it’s a very different way of shooting a feature film. It’s a bit more labor intensive, and it’s a different film language.

 

KW: Harriet Pakula-Teweles says: The novel Half of a Yellow Sun tells a gripping, but often very gritty, story. How does the film maintain the integrity of the story without potentially turning off the audience with visual details of the atrocities and suffering--especially given the stream of rather remarkable films like 12 Years a Slave, Hotel Rwanda and Django Unchained?

ANR: I think you’ll just have to see it, Harriet, to know how it affects and moves you. Anytime you depict war, it’s difficult to watch humanity debase itself in atrocious ways. But I think a good job was done.    

 

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks: Did you read the N.Y. Times article about the super-rich 1% in Lagos? How do you feel about the kidnappings of hundreds of young girls in Nigeria? Do you feel that the issues addressed in the film from 50 years ago still have had a ongoing effect on Nigeria?

ANR: That’s a lot to answer. I don’t think the issues in the film were dealing with Boko Haram. That’s a completely different situation. In terms of the 1%, and the have’s and have not’s, the film does show some of that.

 

KW: Professor/author/filmmaker Hisani Dubose says: I'd like to know how long your journey has been to get where you are and how hard was the transition for you from Broadway to film?

ANR: I have been acting professionally since 1997. I didn’t feel that the transition was extraordinarily difficult, style-wise. The first film I did was not a great film, but I had a great time, and I learned a lot about things that were important to me, primarily, “Where is the camera right now?” and “What is the angle?” the big film I did was Dreamgirls, where I was lucky to be able to bring Broadway to the screen. But I did not feel like there was a huge difference between how I do what I do onstage and onscreen

 

KW: Editor Helen Silvis asks: How did you survive in New York without a job? What tip can you share for ambitious, aspiring actors?

ANR: I was sort of lucky because I was only unemployed for three months when I first moved to New York. What actors do, when they’re not working, is file for unemployment, because you’re sort of still working when you’re auditioning all the time. Once a play ends, you file for unemployment which will assist you while you’re pounding the pavement looking for your next gig. Hopefully, that next job will come through, before your unemployment runs out. And that’s the trick used by most actors. [Chuckles]

 

KW: Troy Johnson says: I had the opportunity to see you recently, during a presentation you and several other actors from the new Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun which was hosted by WYNC in New York City.  What was the most interesting experience you’ve had so far doing this show?

ANR: Audiences seem to think of it as a black play, which it is. But it is also universal. What’s been phenomenal is having the lights come up at the end and seeing that the people moved by the play are from all different backgrounds. That proves the relevance of this piece today for everyone.    

 

KW: Environmental activist Grace Sinden asks: You've had an extraordinary career in acting and singing. What has been your favorite performance to date?

ANR: Oh, I don’t know. That’s hard to say. It would be easier for me to say which I didn’t like, because there are so fewer to pick from. I loved Caroline, or Change, and Cat on a Hot tin Roof and doing Dreamgirls, but I haven’t gotten to a place where I can say “This is my all-time favorite!” because I’m not done yet. [LOL]

 

KW: Librarian Larry Williams asks: How did you feel when you won the Tony Award for Caroline, or Change?

ANR: Mind-blown and totally euphoric.

 

KW: Larry would also like to know how you prepared for A Raisin in the Sun. Did you go to Chicago to get a sense of the neighborhood where it is set?

ANR: No, although I’ve been to the Southside of Chicago before. But this is a completely different time, so I don’t know whether a visit would’ve been more helpful than just looking at pictures from the actual period. I just read the script over and over, and watched a lot of interviews with Lorraine [author Lorraine Hansberry]. I listened carefully to what she had to say about her characters, and utilized that as much as possible. And I read her autobiography, too.

 

KW: In a recent interview, you said that you meditate before going onstage. Doing eight shows a week on Broadway, how do you keep up your energy? Is there a special diet or fitness regimen you follow?

ANR: Ugh! I try to work out regularly, but it’s difficult right now because it’s award season, and we have so many extracurricular things scheduled outside of the theater. When I’m on stage, I tend to drop weight, because your metabolism is so high. I eat regularly. I take care of myself. I can’t do a show without eating. I don’t want to end up skin and bones, so I’m sort of careful about that. I make sure I sleep as much as possible. Anybody who follows me on Twitter knows that’s a big challenge. [Laughs] Mondays are sacred to me. That’s the only day I have off. I used to go to the gym on Monday, but I don’t even do that anymore. I just want Monday to be a day when I can roll out of the bed when I feel like moving my foot and just let the day be what it is.

 

KW: What’s it like working opposite two great actors recently, Denzel in Raisin, and Chiwetel in Half of a Yellow Sun.

ANR: I’ve been lucky, because I’m working with a slew of great actors, LaTanya Richardson and Sophie Okonedo are also on the stage and Thandie Newton’s in the film. So, it’s been really wonderful and a great journey, because these are terrific people I enjoy working with. 

 

KW: Does it ever make you nervous to hear that a certain celebrity is in the audience? Were you excited when the Obamas came to see Raisin?

ANR: I don’t like people to tell me who’s in the audience. It doesn’t make me nervous, but it will always affect a show and how you take in whatever’s going on around you. So, I never want to know. However, when the Obamas were there, the energy in that theater was fabulous. The audience was cheering before we even started. It was really invigorating! It had me jumping up and down backstage. We did a phenomenal show, and the Obamas came backstage during intermission, and they were just lovely..

 

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

ANR: Me! [LOL] A girl from Connecticut who’s living life, and trying to do the best she can, and who’s feeling blessed and full and striving!

 

KW: Well, I really enjoyed the film and hope to see you in Raisin soon, too.

ANR: Thanks, Kam. Take care.

To see a trailer for Half of a Yellow Sun, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq2dNtP-2hU&list=UUJT0RwcR7HRLljiEEvF4x9A


Breastmilk

Breastmilk

Film Review by Kam Williams

Precious few mothers in America follow the World Health Organization’s recommendation that newborns be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life. Why the rush to formula, when nursing is not only natural and healthier, but cheaper and fosters the baby-mom bond?

Unfortunately, we live in a culture which discourages women from breastfeeding at every turn, starting soon after birth where infants are often introduced to the bottle right in the hospital. After all, formulas are a billion-dollar business, and it is in a manufacturer’s financial interest to wean a little one off mommy’s nipple, and the sooner the better.

That’s why most mothers are provided a starter kit of bottles and formula upon being discharged. Even those exhibiting an interest in breastfeeding are pressured by their doctors to at least purchase a $300 pump, the subtle suggestion being that they might not be able to produce enough milk on their own.

Truth be told, lactation is an uncomplicated bodily function which rarely needs any assistance. But we live in a culture where corporate interests and Puritanical values have conspired to shame females away from following their instincts. Yes, it’s may be legal to breastfeed in public, yet so many moms feel guilty anyway about exercising their right to do so.

Directed by Dana Ben-Ari, Breastmilk is a most enlightening documentary which extols a variety of nursing’s benefits, ostensibly with the goal of mainstreaming what sadly remains taboo in so many social circles. The film’s primary focus is the daily regimen of about ten breastfeeding families, though it also features interviews with a few of the age-old practice’s more eloquent, academic advocates.

An empowering reminder of a woman’s body’s remarkable ability to provide sustenance in abundance.

Excellent (4 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 91 minutes

Studio: Aleph Pictures

Distributor: Cavu Pictures

To see a trailer for Breastmilk, visit 


Half of a Yellow Sun
Film Review by Kam Williams

Twins Kainene (Anika Noni Rose) and Olanna (Thandie Newton) hail from a well-to-do Nigerian family well-enough connected to send them overseas to college where they majored in business and sociology, respectively. Ironically, while the sisters were acquiring a first-rate Western education in England, the independence movement back home was seeking to sever its ties with Great Britain.

After graduating in the early Sixties, they returned to Lagos to launch their careers, only to land in distracting love affairs. Attractive Olanna became the mistress of Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an outspoken college professor who’d caught the anti-colonial fever, whereas willful Kainene entertained the advances of Richard (Joseph Mawle), a white expatriate writing a book about African art.

Sibling rivalry moves Kainene to tease her twin about the philanderer disdainfully referred to as “The Revolutionary.” Nevertheless, Olanna relocates to the bush to be with Odenigbo and his loyal manservant, Ugwu (John Boyega). However, upon subsequently learning that Odenigbo has been unfaithful, she readily rationalizes seducing her sister’s suitor for a one-night stand.

The resulting strain on the siblings’ relationship leads to their drifting apart, a development dwarfed by the bloody, three-year civil war which erupts all around them when Biafra secedes from the union. All of the above elements add fuel to the fires of Half of a Yellow Sun, the highly-anticipated screen version of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‘s best-selling novel of the same name.

The film marks the impressive directorial debut of Biyi Bandele, who also adapted the 543-page opus into a 113-minute saga that walks a fine line between romance drama and sprawling epic. That being said, the picture’s examination of the country’s explosive Christian-Muslim tribal tensions proves to be both timely and compelling, given how they’ve recently resurfaced during the radical group Boko Haram’s current reign of terror.

A steamy soap opera unfolding against the backdrop of a cautionary history lesson reminding us that in Nigeria, the more things change, the more they stay insane.

Very Good (3 stars)

Rated R for violence and sexuality

Running time: 113 minutes

Distributor: Monterey Media

To see a trailer for Half of a Yellow Sun, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq2dNtP-2hU&list=UUJT0RwcR7HRLljiEEvF4x9A