Frozen

Film Review by Kam Williams

Princess Saves the Day in Musical Adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen Classic

            Given the toll the polar vortex has been exacting on the continental U.S. lately, I think plenty of people can relate to the frigid predicament of the people living in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle. Disney’s Frozen is an animated adventure loosely based on “The Snow Queen,” a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale first published in 1845.

            This delightful musical stars Kristen Bell as the voice of Anna, the young princess who takes it upon herself to save the day after her sister, recently-crowned Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), inadvertently plunges Arendelle into a permanent winter before disappearing. You see, Elsa was born with a superpower similar to Batman’s adversary Mr. Freeze as well as the character Sub-Zero in Mortal Combat, namely, the ability to freeze things in an instant.

            Complicating matters is the fact that Elsa, empowered in the wake of their parents’ demise, had just put the kaibosh on her sister’s plans to marry handsome Prince Hans (Santino Fontana). So, Anna, accompanied by an anthropomorphic snowman (Josh Gad) and a rugged mountain man (Jonathan Groff) with a trusty reindeer, embarks on an epic journey in hope of finding her sibling with hopes of not only reversing the curse but of reconciling their differences.

            En route, Anna and company are afforded ample opportunities to belt out a tune when not proving their mettle in playful plights of peril. The enchanting picture is as memorable for its pleasant luminescence and catchy soundtrack (including the Best Song Oscar-nominated “Let It Go”), as for its unpredictable resolution.

            To its credit, Frozen puts a novel spin on the hackneyed nursery rhyme plotline which has the prince arriving in the nick of time to save the damsel-in-distress. A touching tale of sisterhood with a priceless message about blood being thicker than an ill-advised crush.

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated PG for action and mild rude humor

Running time: 102 minutes

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

To see a trailer for Frozen, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jw-AeaU5WI     

Oscar Buzz Deferred
by Kam Williams

2013 was widely lauded as the “Year of the Black Film,” but you would never know it, judging by the recently-announced list of Oscar nominations. It looks like the Academy settled on 12 Years a Slave as a sort of token black representative, with Steve McQueen (Director), John Ridley (Adapted Screenplay), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Lead Actor) and Lupita Nyong’o (Supporting Actress) landing nominations. Otherwise, the only other black nominee in a major category was Barkhad “I’m the Captain now!” Abdi, the Somalia-born cab driver who made his acting debut as the pirate who took Tom Hanks hostage in Captain Phillips.

Perhaps the most noteworthy snub was that of Fruitvale Station which had won coveted awards at both the Sundance and Cannes Festivals. Or maybe it was that of The Butler, which was my favorite film of the year. Upon that picture’s release back in August, colleague Roger Friedman was not alone in unabashedly declaring Oprah Winfrey already a lock to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

But, in the end, Oprah wasn’t even nominated, nor was her co-star Forest Whitaker, despite his having delivered a nonpareil performance. The list of overlooked thespians arguably extends to a couple other critically-acclaimed productions featuring black principal cast members, namely, the brilliant biopics 42 and Mandela.

What happens to Oscar buzz deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it dream of an NAACP Image Award? Read the rest of this story »

Life of a King

Film Review by Kam Williams

Ex-Con Opens Chess Club for At-Risk Kids in Ghetto-Based Biopic

            Eugene Brown (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) was so worried about returning to his neighborhood in inner-city Washington, DC after serving 17 years for bank robbery that he shared his concern with his cellmate Searcy (Dennis Haysbert). The wise, old elder responded by making an analogy between life and the game of chess amounting to the simple suggestion “Take care of the king.”

            He also handed Eugene a chess piece, hoping it might serve as a constant reminder to avoid trouble by employing fundamental game strategy. And that practical piece of advice would come in handy, especially since landing employment would turn out to be quite a challenge, given his criminal record.

            But rather than break the law again for a quick buck, Eugene displayed the patience to wait until he found a legit job as a janitor. Working at the same high school his children had attended, he was afforded an opportunity to redeem himself when asked by the principal (LisaGay Hamilton) to monitor detention, too.

            Instead of just having the students stand at the blackboard and write, “I will not be late for class” or “I will not forget my homework” 50 times, Eugene came up with the inspired idea of teaching them how to play chess each afternoon. Soon, he founded a chess club as a regular afterschool activity and viable alternative to the gangsta ways so many of the troubled youth found attractive.

            Meanwhile, Eugene needed to mend fences with his estranged offspring, college coed Katrina (Rachae Thomas), and black sheep Marcus (Jordan Calloway), a juvenile jailbird following in his father’s footsteps. That proves easier said than done since the absentee-dad wasn’t around for either’s formative years. 

            Written and directed by Jake Goldberger (Don McKay), Life of a King is a warts-and-all biopic based on the downfall and resurrection of the real Eugene Brown. As raw and realistic as it is predictable and cliché-ridden, this modern morality play does at least drive home a pertinent message for adolescents in the targeted demographic.

            A Sunday school-style parable which makes very effective use of chess mastery as a metaphor for negotiating the perilous gauntlet of possible ghetto pitfalls.

Very Good (2.5 stars)

Rated PG-13 for drug use, violent images and mature themes

Running time: 100 minutes

Distributor: Millennium Entertainment

To see a trailer for Life of a King, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24bM9kZp9NQ         

Speed

Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster--

and Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down

by Stephanie Brown, Ph.D.

Book Review by Kam Williams

Berkley Publishing Group

Paperback, $16.00

334 pages

ISBN: 978-0-425-26473-7

“This is a book about a new kind of addiction that I believe has taken hold in our culture… I call it the addiction to speed… I’m talking about a culture-wide phenomenon that is snatching people up and carrying them along, convincing them that doing ‘more, better, and faster’ is the path to happiness.

Some people see it as a result of our increasingly wired society… I believe technology is only part of the story, however… what I am seeing in my practice as an addiction specialist is that, especially in urban areas, this speed trap is outstripping people’s ability to manage, to fulfill all their responsibilities, and even to cope…

You do not have the ability to be on 24/7 like a computer, but… you push yourself incessantly, creating an addictive spiral. You can’t stop... I do want to ask if we can slow things down…

I want to identify how so many of us have become addicted to speed, how this is encouraged and reinforced by our culture, and how seeing speed through the lens of addiction can help people reclaim their lives. ”

-- Excerpted from the Prologue (pages 4-16)

There’s a lot more to life than accelerating its pace, but you wouldn’t know it judging by the everyday behavior of most folks lately. People have become so hopelessly dependent on smart phones, computer tablets and the like, that they can’t go for more than a few minutes without texting, checking their messages or looking something up online, however trivial.

I first recognized this phenomenon a few years ago when I was invited to friend’s house for Passover. During the Seder, while his family and friends were taking turns reading from the holy Haggadah, he was secretly texting away under the table. Despite being contrite and embarrassed when I pointed out to everybody that our host was ignoring the sacred ritual, he was right back at it less than five minutes later.

Back then, I had no words for such behavior besides rudeness, but thanks to Dr. Stephanie Brown we now have a diagnosis of addiction to speed. In her groundbreaking book, “Speed: Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster--and Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down,” she bemoans the fact that the culture has morphed into a ramped-up dystopia where machines lead and humans follow.

What’s particularly unhealthy about that state of affairs is that we simply can’t keep pace with demanding electronic stimuli that never need to rest. Hence, we’re fated to fail without the resolve to say “Enough is enough!” and then set reasonable limits.

How do you know if you’re hooked? The author has 20 questions which will help you discern whether you have a problem, including: Do you want to slow down, but cannot? Do you work longer and longer hours, but don’t ever finish? Do you check your email and reach for your phone first thing and last? Do you feel nervous without your tech gear in hand or pocket?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, there is still hope, provided you are willing to redefine success to include “delay, endurance and enough.” The goal is to cultivate a new way of thinking via willpower and reflection to put you on a healthier, less stressful path.

A viable, step-by-step guide to sane cell phone use.

2014 Golden Globes Recap

by Kam Williams

American Hustle Lands a Trio of Trophies

Abscam Comedy Emerges as Early Oscar Favorite  

            The Hollywood Foreign Press Association staged its 71st Annual Golden Globes in Beverly Hills on Sunday evening, with SNL alumna Tina Fey and Amy Poehler again sharing the hosting duties. The night’s big winner was American Hustle for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy) as well as Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence for Best Lead and Supporting Actress, respectively.

            Going into the event, Hustle and 12 Years a Slave shared all the Oscar buzz by virtue of their having landed the most Golden Globe nominations (7 each). But 12 Years has definitely now lost momentum, despite prevailing in the coveted Best Picture (Drama) category only.

            As for the show, emcees Fey and Poehler again proved to be more celebrity-friendly than their relatively-irreverent predecessor, Ricky Gervais. The pair’s tongue-in-cheek brand of humor ranged from Fey’s praise of August: Osage County as proof that “there are still great parts in Hollywood for Meryl Streeps over 60” to Poehler’s crediting “12 Years a Slave” for changing the way she feels about slavery.

            They teased conspicuously-absent Woody Allen for winning the award “for the tiniest man with the biggest glasses,” since the similarly-diminutive and power-framed Martin Scorcese had previously accepted the lifetime achievement accolade. Meanwhile, during the telecast, Woody’s son Ronan was busy tweeting a reminder that his sister Dylan had recently gone public for the first time about her having been molested by their father at the age of 7.

            As far as profanity, a few foul-mouthed winners had to be bleeped, although in the case of Jacqueline Bisset the very busy NBC censors were too slow on the button and let the S-word slip out over the airwaves. They also belatedly edited Fey’s raunchy suggestion “Like a supermodel’s vagina, let’s all give a warm welcome to Leonardo DiCaprio,” although they apparently had no problem with her running joke about prosthetic penises.

            But enough about this self-indulgent, alcohol-fueled preamble to the Academy Awards, it’s on to The Oscars!  

Complete List of 2014 Golden Globe Winners

Film

Best Picture, Drama: "12 Years a Slave"

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy "American Hustle"

Best Actor, Drama: Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Best Actress, Drama: Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"

Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Amy Adams, "American Hustle"

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"

Best Foreign Language Film: "The Great Beauty" (Italy)

Best Animated Film: "Frozen"

Best Screenplay: Spike Jonze, "Her"

Best Original Score: "All Is Lost"

Best Original Song: "Ordinary Love" "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"

TELEVISION

Best Series, Drama: "Breaking Bad"

Best Actor, Drama: Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"

Best Actress, Drama: Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

Best Series, Musical or Comedy: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Andy Samberg, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

Best Miniseries or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"

Best Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake"

Best Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"

Best Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jacqueline Bisset, "Dancing on the Edge"

Best Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jon Voight, "Ray Donovan"

CECIL B. DeMILLE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Woody Allen