Jeremy Lin
The “Linsanity” Interview
with Kam Williams

Oh, the Linsanity!

Jeremy Lin was born in Los Angeles, California on August 23, 1988 to Taiwanese immigrant parents. Encouraged by his father, he developed a love of basketball at an early age.

Raised in a Christian family, Jeremy’s faith guided and supported him as he chased his hoop dream of playing basketball in the NBA. Known for his relentless work off court and on, the young phenom led his Palo Alto high school team to a state title against nationally-ranked Mater Dei, an overwhelming favorite.

Despite his All-State level play, however, no Division 1 college recruited Jeremy. So, he enrolled at Harvard University, which does not offer athletic scholarships.

Undrafted by the NBA out of college, he nevertheless impressed scouts in the summer league going up against the No. 1 draft pick. He was eventually signed—but later cut—by the Golden State Warriors.

A brief stint in Houston ended unceremoniously on Christmas Day, 2011. Jeremy was subsequently picked up by the New York Knicks. In early 2012, on the verge of being cut again, he rose to prominence as a starter, unlikely team leader and improbable NBA sensation.

“Linsanity” was born! He’s been the Houston Rockets’ starting point guard since landing a three-year, $25 million deal. Whether facing racial taunts as a child, or being underestimated on the court, Jeremy Lin consistently points to his faith as his means of dealing with both disappointment and success.

Here, he talks about Linsanity, the new documentary chronicling both his commitment to Christ and his meteoric rise to superstardom.

Kam Williams: Hi Jeremy, thanks for the interview.

Jeremy Lin: My pleasure, Kam.

KW: Why did you allow a film crew to shoot this documentary, especially since they started following you around while you were still at Harvard, well before you became an overnight NBA sensation? Did you have a hunch about how your story was going to turn out?

JL: I agreed to film after my rookie year in Golden State. I was more used to cameras and felt that my journey to the NBA was a story worth sharing. Little did we know how much bigger the platform and documentary would become after Linsanity. 

KW: I know you were raised by a father who loved basketball and a mother who encouraged you to pursue your dream. But would you nevertheless say that they put even more of an emphasis on faith, family and academics?

JL: Absolutely! Faith, family, academics and then sports was the order of priorities in my family. My parents really stuck to these principles when raising me and my two brothers. As long as we took care of everything, they let us play as much basketball as we wanted.

KW: Harriet Pakula-Teweles says: Thanks for your wonderful stint with the Knicks. We fans miss you. I wish I were with management and could have kept you here. What’s the difference between playing for a New York team and playing for the Rockets, a Texas team?

JL: The biggest difference is the change in culture in terms of the city. New York is fast paced, with enthusiastic fans and lots of media attention. Houston's slower paced and there's more of a southern culture to the city. But both cities have unbelievable food. 

KW: The Mike Pittman question: What was your best career decision?

JL: My best career decision was probably not giving up when I wanted to. God as well as my family and friends were there for me during my toughest times. 

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

JL: First, get to know who Jesus Christ is, or at least explore a relationship with Him. Second, have fun! Third, pursue your passion wholeheartedly. Never let someone else tell you what you aren't capable of.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Jeremy, and best of luck with the film and in the upcoming season.

JL: Thank you, Kam.

To see a trailer for Linsanity, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q14ooGPJZBs   

To find out whether Linsanity is playing in a theater near you, visit:  http://www.linsanitythemovie.com/screening/

Sweet Dreams
Film Review by Kam Williams

The 1994 Civil War left the beleaguered African nation of Rwanda a bloody mess, both literally and figuratively. Not only had the warring tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsis, hacked each other to death with machetes to the tune of about a million bodies scattered across the countryside, but to this day many of the survivors of the ethnic cleansing remain totally traumatized by the slaughter they’d witnessed.

Consequently, much of the populace still walks around in a daze sporting blank, 1,000 yard stares some refer to as battle fatigue or shell shock which shrinks refer to clinically as post-traumatic stress syndrome. For, it is understandable that it might hard to get over a conflict which pitted neighbor against neighbor, and even relative against relative.

One survivor, theater director Kiki Katese, determined to do something to alleviate the suffering, asked, “How do you rebuild a human being?” So, she founded Ingoma Nshya (meaning “new drum, new kingdom”), an all-female drumming troupe comprised of both Tutsis and Hutus, with admission being conditioned on checking ones tribal allegiance at the door. Besides affording the 60-strong membership an opportunity to pound rhythmically on congas, the gathering simultaneously served as a support group offering healing and reconciliation.

In 2010, Kiki came up with another innovative idea, namely, opening Rwanda’s first ice cream parlor. This time, she enlisted the support of Jennie Dundas and Alexis Miesen, proprietors of a place located half a world away in Brooklyn called Blue Marble Ice Cream.

The game New Yorkers answered the call, traveling to Rwanda to help Kiki realize that dream. Together they created Sweet Dreams, a shop owned and operated cooperatively by a number of the women from Ingoma Nshya.

All of the above is affectionately recounted in Sweet Dreams, an uplifting documentary co-directed by Lisa and Rob Fruchtman. Kiki and her companions cut a sharp contrast to the bulk of their fellow countrymen peppering the desolate background, lost souls who seem broken in spirit between mourning murdered kin and facing bleak prospects for a better tomorrow.

A female empowerment flick featuring a blend of ice cream and drumming as a viable path to rehabilitation and reconciliation.

Very Good (3 stars)

Unrated

In English and Kinyarwanda with subtitles

Running time: 84 minutes

Distributor: International Film Circuit / Liro Films

To see a trailer for Sweet Dreams, visit

The Counselor
Film Review by Kam Williams

It’s easy to see why this crime thriller got greenlit by Hollywood. First of all, it was written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Cormac McCarthy whose relatively-riveting “No Country for Old Men” won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Secondly, Oscar-nominated director Ridley Scott (for Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and Thelma & Louise) was brought aboard, as well as an A-list cast topped by Academy Award-winners Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, nominees Brad Pitt and Rosie Perez, and versatile character actors Michael Fassbender and Goran Visnjic.

Furthermore, since the story is set in Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, it made sense to sign several leading Latino thespians in Cameron Diaz, Edgar Ramirez, John Leguizamo and Ruben Blades. Nevertheless, The Counselor turned out to be one of those curious head scratchers that somehow adds up to way less than the sum of its parts.

The film is crippled primarily by a pair of fatal flaws, namely, a glacial pace and a talky script laced with awkward dialogue. For, while it waits for something, anything of consequence to transpire, the audience is force fed lots of inexplicably stilted lines like, “You are a man of impeccable taste” and “I intend to love you ‘til the day I die.”

Worse, these corny quips are generally delivered with so little conviction that you never know whether you’re supposed to laugh or take them seriously. The actors’ inscrutably-flat affect invariably comes off as tongue-in-cheek impersonations of characters right out of a typical Damon Runyon yarn.

The picture’s farfetched plot revolves around a nameless lawyer, referred to only as “The Counselor” (Fassbender), a guy whose greed is getting the better of him. At the point of departure, we find the avaricious attorney head-over-heels in love with Laura (Cruz), an exotic beauty he plans to propose to with an expensive diamond ring he can’t really afford.

For reasons that never quite make sense, this man of few words soon seeks to supplement his income by getting mixed up in a dangerous Mexican drug trade known for its ever-escalating body count. He’s offered a start in the business by Reiner (Bardem), a flamboyant dealer with a flashier girlfriend (Diaz).

Ignoring repeated warnings from a low-key middleman (Pitt) that entering the narcotics underworld is akin to stepping in quicksand, the Counselor decides that the extra cash is worth a one-time risk. The game plan is to deliver a sewage truck with over 20,000 ounces of coke across the border and North to Chicago in return for a big payday.

But the pivotal question remains: will he be able to avoid becoming a statistic in a bloody turf war where ruthless gangs don’t give a second thought about beheading a rival? A highly-stylized borefest featuring blasé individuals overindulging in gratuitous violence and a coarse brand of casual sensuality.

Fair (1.5 stars)

Rated R for profanity, sexuality, graphic violence and grisly images

Running time: 111 minutes

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Keke Palmer
The “Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story” Interview
with Kam Williams

Krazy about Keke!

Born in Harvey, Illinois on August 26, 1993, Lauren Keyana
Parker has been wowing audiences since the tender age of 9. Keke
first received great acclaim when she starred as the title character in
the sleeper hit Akeelah and the Bee, opposite actor Laurence Fishburne
and Angela Bassett.

Keke followed that powerful performance with lead roles in
The Longshots, Shrink and Joyful Noise. She’s also made memorable
appearances in such films as Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Cleaner
and Madea’s Family Reunion, as well as voiceover work in animated
features like Ice Age: Continental Drift, Winx Club: The Secret of the
Lost Kingdom and Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare.

Keke will next be starring in the horror thriller Animal, directed
by Brett Simmons, which is set to release in the spring of 2014. On TV,
Keke played the title character on the hit Nickelodeon series “True
Jackson VP,” and received four NAACP Awards for “Best Actress in
Children's Television.” Her other television credits include “90210,”
“Cold Case,” “Law & Order: SVU,” and “ER,” to name a few.

In 2012, she produced and starred in her first made for TV
movie entitled “Rags,” which aired on Nickelodeon. Earlier this year,
she handled another title role in the Lifetime made-for-TV movie,
“The Carlina White Story.”

Keke is currently starring in the DirectTV miniseries "Full Circle,"
written by Neil LaBute. And musically, she is in the studio recording her
second album with the award-winning producer Bangladesh.

When she isn’t acting or singing, Keke believes in giving back.
She is very involved with the Boys & Girls Club of America, Saving Our
Daughters, the YWCA, the Embrace Girls Foundation, and she is an
ambassador for Robi Reid's AIDS awareness and prevention organization,
the Reid for Hope Foundation.

Here she talks about her latest outing as Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas
in Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story, a VH1 original movie.

Kam Williams: Hi Keke, thanks for another interview.

Keke Palmer: No problem, Kam. Glad to be here!

KW: What interested you in Crazy Sexy Cool? Were you a fan of TLC as a kid?

KP: Being a fan is exactly what made me want to do this film. I wanted to be a part of telling the story of a favorite group of mine.

KW: How did you prepare for the role? Is it hard to play a real-life person than a fictional character?

KP: I just watched a lot of old footage. I also spent a lot of time with Chilli and just observed her.

KW: Was Chilli present on the set making suggestions?

KP: Yes! She definitely let me do my thing, but she was always there for questions.

KW: How would you describe TLC’s legacy in one word?

KP: I don't think there's a word to describe it, really. They really inspired a generation of women to be confident go-getters.

KW: What message do you think people will take away from Crazy Sexy Cool?

KP: You can do anything as long as you don't stop believing. When it is meant to be, it will be. You just have to follow your heart.

KW: Tell me a little about your new TV series, “Full Circle.”

KP: It’s a mini-series written by Neil LaBute about a bunch of different people who connect in some way in the last episode.

KW: What’s your character Chan’Dra like?

KP: She's a strong, young high school student who will stop at nothing to get what she feels is deserved for her brother.

KW: You’ve been shooting a horror film set to be released next spring called Animal. The picture sounds great, but please don’t tell me you die first, like many a black character in scary movies?

KP: [LOL] If I told you that answer, wrong or right, it would spoil the movie! I will say that we break some stereotypes.

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

KP: No, actually. [Laughs]

KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?

KP: Every day since I've been filming my new movie, one of my cast members always has me in stitches.

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

KP: Probably reality-TV.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

KP: Heaven is For Real. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0849946158/ref=nosim/thslfofire-20

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

KP: Pancakes! [LOL]

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

KP: Passionate people.

KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite clothes designer?

KP: Don't have just one.

KW: The Mike Pittman question: What was your best career decision?

KP: To pick projects that affect me.

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

KP: Me.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

KP: For everyone in the world to love each other.

KW: The Jamie Foxx question: If you only had 24 hours to live, how would you spend the time?

KP: With my family.

KW: The Kerry Washington question: If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

KP: Cheetah.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

KP: Running through the beads that used to hang from the doorway, separating the room.

KW: The Anthony Mackie question: Is there anything that you promised yourself you’d do if you became famous, that you still haven’t done yet?

KP: Nope!

KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?

KP: I'm not sure I can articulate that.

KW: The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?

KP: I may be slightly more patient on the carpet.

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

KP: Teleportation.

KW: The Judyth Piazza question: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

KP: No real fear of limitations.

KW: The Gabby Douglas question: If you had to choose another profession, what would that be?

KP: Hairstyling.

KW: The Michael Ealy question: If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be?

KP: Dr. Martin Luther King.

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

KP: The Wiz!

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks: What is your favorite charity?

KP: Embrace Girls.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

KP: Follow your heart’s truth with no need for personal gain other than the feeling produced when doing what you truly love.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Keke, and best of luck with all your endeavors.

KP: Thank you, Kam.

To see a trailer for Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M2Jhlb3E2Q

Airdates for Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story:

 Tuesday, November 05
4:00 PM ET/PT on VH1

 Sunday, October 27
8:00 PM ET/PT on VH1

 Wednesday, October 30
9:00 PM ET/PT on VH1

When I Walk
Film Review by Kam Williams

Jason DaSilva was vacationing on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten in 2006 when he fell down on the beach and couldn’t get up. The 25 year-old filmmaker was diagnosed with primary progressive Multiple Sclerosis, an incurable inflammatory disease eventually leading to blindness, as well as a loss of balance and muscle control.

Nevertheless, his hopeful mother refused to let her son feel sorry for himself, encouraging him to seek help and to employ positive affirmations like, “It’s mind over matter,” and “You’ll find a way.” Unfortunately, by 2008, Jason’s health deteriorated to the point where he had become dependent on a walker to get around.

Feeling the frustration of his body slowing down while his mind raced, he decided to make a video record of his day-to-day life during the inexorable decline. The fruit of that effort is When I Walk, an alternately heartbreaking and uplifting tale highlighting the indomitability of the human spirit.

For, in spite of DaSilva’s desperate attempt to alleviate his affliction through prayer, yoga, ayurvedic medicine and trans-meditation, he continued to be betrayed by a deteriorating immune system. Thanks to his ever-present camera, he is able to afford the audience an intimate look at his brave battle against MS.

Shot mostly in the director’s adopted hometown of New York City, the movie is actually much more than a mere chronicle of the subject’s health concerns, as it also devotes considerable attention to his romantic relationship. Jason is suddenly in a rush to start a family, but the object of his affection, Alice, has reasonable reservations about marriage.

After all, bringing a baby into the world with a husband with such a dire prognosis might ultimately mean raising a child while simultaneously caring for a virtual invalid. So, she consults her dad, who just happens to be dating a woman with MS, for a little fatherly advice.

Will Alice and Jason tie the knot, when his legs fail entirely and his walker has to be replaced by a scooter? Rather than spoil this bittersweet biopic’s surprising resolution, just let me say Hollywood execs would probably dismiss this sentimental tearjerker as farfetched if pitched as a piece of romance fiction.

An unblinking look at a life and love irreversibly altered by the onset of MS.

Excellent (3.5 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 85 minutes

Distributor: Long Shot Factory

To see a trailer for When I Walk, visit