X-Men: Days of Future Past
Film Review by Kam Williams
X-Men: Days of Future Past represents the 7th episode in the storied mutant series, and is the third directed by Bryan Singer who also helmed X-Men 1 and 2. This installment is loosely based on the 1981 Marvel Comics (issues #141-142) of the same name, a convoluted tale in which one of the superheroes is sent back in time to prevent an impending disaster threatening the present.
The story unfolds in a dystopian future where we find a race of robots called Sentinels slaying mutants and subjugating humanity. X-Men founder/leader/brain of the operation Dr. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) summons his surviving protégés to a meeting in a monastery in China to hatch a plan to preserve the planet.
With the help of “phasing” Shadowcat’s (Ellen Page) quantum tunneling ability, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) slips through a portal to a parallel universe in 1973. His mission there is to stop fellow mutant Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from murdering Trask (Peter Dinklage), the diabolical genius who invented the Sentinels.
Why would you want a vanquished villain to be reincarnated? Don’t ask. After all, that’s one of the easier leaps of faith this flick’s farfetched plot expects you to make. If you need a plausible plot, then you might be too close-minded for this imaginative sci-fi.
Try on for size the novel notion that President Kennedy was killed “because he was one of us.” OK, let’s see, so JFK was assassinated for being a mutant? Why not? Just a couple of years ago we learned from another movie that Abraham Lincoln was a vampire slayer. Revisionist history? Or little known fact? You be the judge. What’s next, Dwight Eisenhower as an alien?
But I digress. Fortunately, X-Men 7 audience members will be very richly rewarded for taking flights of fancy, provided they succeed in suspending their disbelief. Don’t try to make sense, for instance, about how you go back in time, reverse a long-deceased person’s demise, and not simultaneously unravel myriad aspects of reality which have already subsequently transpired.
Instead, simply sit back and enjoy a sophisticated period piece unfolding against a nostalgic backdrop littered with staples of the Seventies ranging from lava lamps to waterbeds. This adventure even brings out of mothballs a number of favorite characters we haven’t seen in awhile, such as Storm (Halle Berry), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Cyclops (James Marsden), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) and Colossus (Daniel Cudmore).
Don’t forget to sit through all of the credits for a decent-length teaser about X-Men 8: Apocalypse, coming to theaters in May of 2016. X-Men, a fabled franchise that like a fine wine, just keeps improving with age.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for nudity, profanity, suggestive material and intense violence
In English, French and Vietnamese with subtitles
Running time: 131 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
To see a trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past, visit
Inside the Hotel Rwanda: The Surprising True Story ... and Why It Matters Today
by Edouard Kayihura and Kerry Zukus
Book Review by Kam Williams
BenBella Books
Hardcover, $24.95
296 pages
ISBN: 978-193785674-8
“Hotel Rwanda was ‘promoted as a story about ‘the quiet heroism of one man, Paul Rusesabagina, during the Rwandan Genocide.’ I knew Paul Rusesabagina. All the people who survived inside the hotel… knew Paul Rusesabagina.
No one among us has ever thought of him as altruistic, let alone heroic. On the contrary, of all the people who were within the hotel during the genocide, he would quite possibly be considered the furthest from a hero…
Rusesabagina had been a war profiteer, a friend to the architects of the genocide, a man willing to starve those without money while hoarding piles of food, drink and riches for himself.”
Excerpted from the Introduction (page xxx)
In 2004, the film Hotel Rwanda received widespread acclaim for its heartrending account of how one man had singlehandedly shielded over a thousand Tutsi refugees from certain death during the Rwandan Genocide by hiding them in the hotel he managed. Don Cheadle earned an Academy Award nomination for his powerful portrayal of Paul Rusesabagina, an apparent modern-day saint suddenly mentioned in the same breath as Oskar Schindler, the German factory owner who had saved so many Jews from the Holocaust during World War II.
Rusesabagina was subsequently celebrated by Amnesty International and other organizations as he embarked on a world tour during which he collected countless prizes and honorary degrees, including the Wallenberg Medal, the National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to name a few. And, to this day, he’s remained in demand as a revered icon and inspirational speaker sought to recount his uplifting tale of unparalleled bravery in the face of ethnic cleansing.
What a difference a decade makes! Over the intervening years, telltale cracks gradually appeared in the image Rusesabagina had so carefully cultivated with the help of Hollywood and the human rights community. Those swirling rumors came out into the open when Rwandan President Kagame referred to the supposed paragon of virtue as a total fraud.
Now, Hotel Rwanda survivor Edouard Kayihura has collaborated with journalist Kerry Zukus to set the record straight once and for all. Their book, “Inside the Hotel Rwanda: The Surprising True Story… and Why It Matters Today” painstakingly deconstructs Rusesabagina’s self-serving myth about what transpired.
Truth be told, he was never a hero but rather a Hutu sympathizer and war profiteer who had extorted money from the frightened folks seeking refuge on the grounds of his hotel. According to Kayihura, “He treated… us as his personal cash register… Refugees were refused entrance unless they could pay him.”
Furthermore, “The hotel was protected by UN peacekeepers and any attempt to kill was aborted by them… Paul Rusesabagina had absolutely nothing to do with any of this.“ Kayihura‘s damning assertions are supported by the recollections of many of his fellow countrymen who had sought refuge at the hotel for the duration of the bloody conflict.
Assuming this eye-opening opus is accurate, a debt of gratitude is owed Kayihura and Zukus for belatedly exposing a very slippery character as a shameless charlatan.
Grand Depart
Film Review by Kam Williams
Luc (Jeremie Elkaim) and Romain (Pio Marmai) might be siblings but they’re as different as night and day. The former is a struggling screenwriter who has never amounted to much. His relatively-boring brother, on the other hand, is a straitlaced nerd who’s been doing his best to move up the corporate ladder by sitting behind a desk in a tie and jacket.
The two are also unalike when it comes to romance. Flamboyantly gay Luc has a life mate, Adrian (Willy Cartier), that he’s thinking about marrying, while heterosexual Romain’s lack of a personality has prevented him finding a woman willing to share a relationship.
Unfortunately, they’ve been emotionally estranged since childhood, when domineering Luc used to tease and torture his younger brother. That mistreatment gave rise to a tension that has persisted to the present, which is where we find both vying for the approval of their long-divorced parents.
Abusive Georges (Eddy Mitchell) had apparently abused masochistic Danielle (Chantal Lauby) until his long-suffering wife couldn’t take it any longer. Since separating, they’ve remained cordial only for the sake of their sons. After all, it’s hard to forgive a husband who flagrantly frequented prostitutes.
Lately, the 65 year-old patriarch has been behaving erratically, and was subsequently diagnosed by his doctor as slowly succumbing to dementia. This means he needs more support from flaky, favored son Luc who still lives at home.
However, when that isn’t forthcoming, Romain dutifully takes time from his busy schedule to attend to his dad’s healthcare needs. And when worse comes to worst, he prevails upon a nursing home administrator (Charlotte de Turckheim) he knows to expedite Georges admission to the facility she manages.
The family crisis also puts the siblings in close proximity of one another on a daily basis again, which gives them a chance to address their unresolved rivalry. Will they bury the hatchet for the sake of their ailing father?
That is the raison d’etre of Grand Depart, a character-driven drama marking the impressive directorial debut of scriptwriter Nicolas Mercier (My Worst Nightmare). The film features a compelling end of life theme similar to the Oscar Best Foreign Film-winner Amour, though this picture’s embattled protagonists aren’t nearly as empathetic or embraceable.
Basically, a bittersweet tale about a couple of polar-opposites endeavoring to bury the hatchet for the sake of their rapidly-expiring dad.
Unrated
In French with subtitles
Running time: 80 minutes
Distributor: Rialto Premieres
To see a trailer for Grand Depart, visit
Blended
Film Review by Kam Williams
Jim Friedman (Adam Sandler) is a widower who’s raising three daughters on his own. Since the macho man’s man is clueless about girls, he’s been slowly turning them into tomboys, between the Prince Valiant haircuts and referring to them by the masculine nicknames Larry (Bella Thorne), Lou (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and ESPN (Emma Fuhrmann).
By contrast, Lauren Reynolds’ (Drew Barrymore) plight is practically the polar opposite. The frazzled, very feminine divorcee is being driven crazy by her testosterone-sodden sons, pubescent Brendan (Braxton Beckham) and hyperactive ‘tween Tyler (Kyle Red Silverstein). The former’s hormones are raging, while his little brother’s pyromania has his mother seriously considering starting him on a Ritalin regimen.
Neither Jim nor Lauren had been on a date in ages until they made each other’s acquaintance online. They agreed to meet for drinks, and the prospects looked promising, given how her sons’ need for a father figure conveniently dovetailed with his daughters’ for maternal guidance.
Unfortunately, rendezvousing at Hooters turned out to be a bad idea, due to Jim’s paying more attention to the waitresses and to the basketball game on TV than to Lauren. So, the two chalked the unmitigated disaster up to experience, and went their separate way, never expecting to see each other ever again.
But, through a highly-improbable series of coincidences, both of their families end-up booked on the same flight to South Africa for an all expenses-paid vacation where they’ll have to share a hotel suite at a luxury resort. Will Jim take advantage of his second chance to make a first impression?
That is the quandary established at the outset of Blended, the third romantic romp revolving around an Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore collaboration (along with The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates). But before the audience has an answer, the pair and their progeny must first indulge in the sort of stupid-funny fare that made Sandler famous.
The kitchen sink comedy then proceeds to throw anything up on the screen for a laugh (especially pecs-popping, scene-stealer Terry Crews as the irrepressible local entertainer), regardless of whether or not a skit fits into the plot or furthers the storyline. As dumb as the jokes were (and they are often plenty dumb), I have to admit that I frequently found myself laughing in spite of myself.
Call me bwana, but it’s three times a charm for Sandler and Barrymore on this totally-silly surfin’ safari!
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for profanity, sexuality and crude humor
Running time: 117 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers
To see a trailer for Blended, visit
Patricia Heaton
The “Moms’ Night Out” Interview
with Kam Williams
A Greetin’ from Heaton!
Two-time Emmy Award winner Patricia Heaton is best known for her roles as Debra Barone in the hit series Everybody Loves Raymond and as Frankie Heck in the current ABC comedy The Middle. Patricia, who also starred with Kelsey Grammar in Back to You, was named one of the Funniest Women on TV by TV Guide.
Her movie credits include Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Beethovenand Space Jam while, on stage, she starred off-Broadway in the Theresa Rebeck play The Scene. Inspired by their four sons, Patricia and her husband, David Hunt, co-founded FourBoys Films where she has served as a producer of Amazing Grace, as well as an executive producer of her new film, Moms’ Night Out.
Kam Williams: Hi Patricia. Thanks for the interview. I’m honored to have this opportunity.
Patricia Heaton: My pleasure, Kam.
KW: What interested you in Moms’ Night Out?
PH: I thought it was a fun, family movie that really tried to portray people of faith as real people, not cartoon caricatures. Yet it was funny in the way that good comedy tends to exaggerate real situations. I just appreciated how it offered a nice, refreshingly-different take on people of faith. So many of the faith-based films have been more like sermons than movies. We wanted to bridge that gap a little, and bring it a little more mainstream.
KW: I understand, because a lot of people have low expectations of a film once it’s been pigeonholed as faith-based.
PH: I definitely think that, because of the movies that have come before, there’s a prejudice against Moms’ Night Out. This is a tough business to begin with, and that’s just one more of those things that you have to deal with. I believe we did a really great job. It’s not meant to be a how-to guide on how you’re supposed to live your life or raise your family. It’s really just a fun comedy that’s intended to be a great night out for the family and an inspiration to moms everywhere, and to honor moms and the hard work they do, whatever kind of mom they are.
KW: Why did you decide to executive produce the film?
PH: It’s a little hard to do a PG film these days where both the kids and the grandparents will feel comfortable and have a good time. This was an opportunity to do just that.
KW: How did you prepare to play Sondra, a mother, friend and counselor married to a mega-church pastor?
PH: I did some research, and I found it interesting to learn that the #1 word that pastors’ wives use to describe themselves by is “lonely.” At first, I was a little taken aback by that, but of course it made sense. Everyone comes to pastors’ wives for advice. But you really can’t confide in another member of the congregation in that way when your husband is the pastor of the church because you’re expected to maintain a certain decorum. So, I thought that was a fascinating dilemma my character faced, being a confidant to all, but not having somebody she could turn to herself. Every actor wants to have something that their character’s struggling with, even in a comedy, so that made me want to play Sondra.
KW: Did you worry about audiences recognizing you, and then perhaps expecting Sondra to behave more like Debra Barone or Frankie Heck, two iconic characters you’ve played on TV?
PH: No, I think this was far enough away. First of all, being on the big screen gives you a different field to play in that people aren’t expecting. And I worked hard to make her as different as possible. I gave her a slight Southern accent which helped define the character as different from Debra and Frankie.
KW: I know that you like to tweet. How would you describe Moms’ Night Out in 140 characters or less?
PH: I would just say that everyone should visit #MNO because it’s a very entertaining movie full of laughs that’s fun for the whole family. That might be longer than 140 characters.
KW: What message do you want people to take away from the film?
PH: I think that being a mom is the hardest job in the world and often, if you’re not running a business or working outside the home, you feel, as a mother, like you’re forgotten or not appreciated. So, we wanted to make sure we made a Mother’s Day movie that would let women know that the work they’re doing in raising their kids is really important.
KW: The Harriet Pakula-Teweles question: With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you'd like to star in?
PH: Omigosh! The best classics I would never want to touch. On the Waterfront is one of my favorite old movies. When a film is made as well as that, you just don’t want to touch it. So, I’d have to think about that question. I’m not sure.
KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?
PH: I’m the fourth of five kids. My mom used to put my playpen out in the front yard with me in it, so she could get work done in the house. [Laughs] I remember being a little bored, very early on, being cooped up in that playpen.
KW: Documentary filmmaker Kevin Williams says: Thank you for all of your great work over the years and for being an artistic inspiration. As a well-known conservative, do you think that there is an industry "black list" for conservatives and Republicans who “come out of the closet,” so to speak? Would you recommend that a filmmaker or actor who is conservative keep their political views hidden so as to not hurt their chances for success? I didn't do that and am always wondering whether it was a mistake.
PH: I think that what is respected the most in this industry is good work, talent and professionalism. That’s how I’ve always tried to conduct myself. And I’ve worked very hard at my craft. That’s the most important thing. Those standards were established long before I ever uttered a political opinion. Doing so can be polarizing, but it doesn’t seem to have affected me, because I always have a good job. You have to gauge what purpose there would be in expressing any belief. Will it accomplish anything good? What I find right now is that the country in general and Hollywood in particular have become very polarized the last few years. It’s not that you have to hide your true feelings, but it’s best to behave very professionally when you come to the workplace. I think that what people respect more than anything else is when you’re a professional and the best at what you do.
KW: Environmental activist Grace Sinden says: You have managed to balance your career, marriage and having four sons. What is the secret of that successful balance? What has given you the most satisfaction in life?
PH: I’ve been very fortunate that the jobs that I’ve had have basically allowed me to be a full-time mother to my kids. The working hours on Everybody Loves Raymond were such that I could either bring my kids with me to work or be home with them. That’s kind of happened to me all the way along. So, I feel very blessed that I was able to enjoy being a mom while fulfilling my acting goals. In terms of satisfaction, the most important thing to me is my family, for sure. As an actor, you’re very aware that all these jobs come and go and that even a very successful, hit show is going to end after seven or eight seasons. There’s no security. The only security is in your family. That’s why it’s very important to keep your family close and make them the priority.
KW: Harriet also asks: How has your deep Christian faith informed your choices of roles and your approach to the characters you portray?
PH: Well, I’m very fortunate in that I’ve never had to turn something down on television because of content. Most everything I’ve been offered has been very high quality and not anything I would feel uncomfortable being a part of. I’m sensitive about what projects I pick because I feel responsible to my kids and to impressionable young minds for whatever I’m putting out into the world. So, I take a look at things from that perspective. I feel that if you’ve been given the gift of being an actor, that gift is from God and needs to be put to a good use.
KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier asks: What interested you and your husband in producing Amazing Grace, the movie about British abolitionist William Wilberforce? I loved that film, by the way.
PH: My husband is British, and he’s always thought that William Wilberforce would be a great person to do a movie about. Very few Americans know who he is. He’s really wanted to bring that story to the screen for years.
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
PH: No, there are more questions that I wish they wouldn’t ask me. [LOL]
KW: The Pastor Alex Kendrick question: When do you feel the most content?
KB: Oh, my goodness! I feel very much content at home when I have all my family around me, and also when I’m onstage.
KW: Thanks again for the time, Patricia, and best of luck with the film.
PH: I really appreciate your getting the word out about it and taking the time to talk to me, Kam, because it’s a movie that people really enjoy when they go see it.
To see a trailer for Moms’ Night Out, visit: