The Black List, Vol 2
 DVD review
The Black List, Volume 2
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating: Excellent 
DVD Sequel Features Profiles of Prominent African-Americans
Film critic Elvis Mitchell and director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders collaborated on another series of fascinating interviews with a mix of African-American artists, activists, academics and athletes. Many are instantly-recognizable icons who need no introduction, such as Tyler Perry, Laurence Fishburne, Melvin Van Peebles, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Angela Davis.
Others are a little less known, like Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, comedienne Maya Rudolph, country singer Charlie Pride, gangsta’ rapper RZA, painter Kara Walker, clothes designer Patrick Robinson and Oscar-nominated scriptwriter Suzanne De Passe. And then there are those who have met with success away from the limelight, including Episcopal Bishop Barbara C. Harris, community organizer Majora Carter and Dean of Meharry School of Medicine Dr. Valerie Montgomery-Rice.
What all 15 share, nonetheless, is the toll exacted on their psyches and souls by being black in America, something they weigh-in on honestly, each from a unique point of view. Walker talks about how weird it felt to be criticized by a college professor for painting a still life instead of a subject reflecting the black experience.
Bishop Jakes observes that “Our faith has been both a blessing and a curse, because we were taught to hope for heaven while we live in Hell on Earth.” Van Peebles speaks about cultivating his cornucopia of talents in the absence of any formal training, likening himself to the bumblebee which defies aeronautical explanation and “flies anyway.”
Maya Rudolph admits to having struggled with her identity, being a mixture of white, black and Jewish, yet looking like none of the above. “I always felt like an impostor,” she says of the pressure of her formative years, since it “cuts very deeply when you’re trying to figure out what about you is great.” Majora Carter reflects on being raised in the slums of the South Bronx, where she grew up depressed about her brother’s murdered yet curiously unafraid of her dangerous surroundings.
Although unseen and unheard, celeb interviewer Elvis Mitchell must again be commended for eliciting such an array of frank and novel insights from this impressive assemblage of prominent African-American luminaries.
Info: http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/blacklistv2/portraits.html
To order a copy of The Black List on DVD, visit:
To see an excerpt from The Black List, Volume 2, visit:
Green Zone
 DVD review: Green Zone
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating:
DVD Features Damon in Iraq War Drama
So, who, besides perhaps Vice President Cheney, might find a movie recounting a unit’s frantic search for WMDs compelling, given that everybody already knows that it was a mere exercise in futility? That rather obvious fact didn’t discourage Paul Greengrass from shooting Green Zone, a patently-predictable affair posing as a political potboiler presuming to take its audience on a roller coaster ride
Since there’s no mystery about how the film is going to end, the director is desperate for ways to generate any sort of tension. So, he repeatedly resorts to the same infuriating cinematic device involving the use of a handheld camera as a means of manufacturing a false sense of urgency. Unfortunately, all he really manages to achieve is to make the viewer feel dizzy.
The film stars Matt Damon as Roy Miller, an Army Warrant Officer assigned to lead a team of soldiers dowsing the desert in quest of the fabled WMDs. Like a modern Captain Ahab, Miller gradually morphs into a madman so maniacally fixated on the mission he’s even willing to go rogue after it is readily apparent that the tips he’s been getting from a Pentagon Intelligence Officer (Greg Kinnear) by way of a gullible Wall Street Journal reporter (Amy Ryan) are bogus.
The only thing striking about Green Zone is how tame a backdrop it unfolds against. For Greengrass paints postwar Iraq as a relatively-calm environ virtually absent of improvised explosive devices, a resistance movement or suicide bombers. A fairy tale strictly for anyone still naïve enough to believe in Saddam’s mythical Weapons of Mass Destruction.
To see a trailer for Green Zone
Why We Laugh
 Why We Laugh
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating:
Reverential Documentary Pays Homage to Black Pioneers of Comedy
This alternately hilarious and enlightening documentary is designed to pay homage to the trailblazing pioneers of black comedians while simultaneously recounting the evolution of the art form in light of the prevailing African-American political and cultural experience.
The film was directed by Robert Townsend who compiled a most impressive cast to contribute to the project via a combination of present-day interviews and archival footage, including the posthumous performances and reflections of such late great entertainers as Red Foxx, Mom’s Mabley, Richard Pryor, Flip Wilson, Mantan Moreland, Stepin’ Fetchit, Bernie Mac and Robin Harris.
The film winds its way to the present in chronological fashion, so it opens with a discussion of minstrel performers like Bert Williams, a black man who darkened his face with cork to work in blackface. Former Congressman Walter Fauntroy says that during the ugly days of Jim Crow segregation, humor was relied upon as “tools of the spirit through which we cut a path through the wilderness of our despair.”
Plenty of other academics and politicians weigh-in here with insights of equal gravity, including Professors Michael Eric Dyson, Cornel West and Todd Boyd, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and former NAACP Chairman Julian Bond. But the project is mostly a vehicle for the thoughts of the comics themselves, with Bill Cosby, Paul Mooney, Dave Chappelle, Franklin Ajaye and Chris Rock proving particularly valuable.
A worthwhile walk down Memory Lane as likely to keep you in stitches as appreciating the long line of African-American geniuses who have made it their business to challenge the status quo, but always eliciting lots of laughter in the process.
To purchase a copy of Why We Laugh on DVD, visit here
To see a trailer for Why We Laugh, visit here
Preacher's Kid
 Preacher's Kid
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating: .5 stars
Prodigal Daughter Drama Starring LeToya Luckett Out on DVD
As the only child of an overprotective, widowed father, Angie King (Letoya Luckett) almost couldn’t help but feel smothered. But when you factor in her dad’s being both a preacher and a pillar of the community in their tight-knit Augusta, Georgia neighborhood, you’ve got a serious recipe for rebellion. Thus far, the 23-year-old virgin has devoted herself to the needs of her asthmatic father, between singing in the choir and ministering to the needy.
However, everything changes the day Angie decides to run away not to join the circus but a Tyler Perry type travelling troupe passing through town, a supposedly spiritually-oriented outfit putting on a faith-based fable featuring Aunt Bebe, a trash-talking character played by a big dude (Carlos Davis) in a dress. For she develops an instant crush on the show’s suave star, Devlin (Durrell Tank Babbs), a Romeo well versed in the art of seduction.
When informed of this, Bishop King (Gregalan Williams) disowns his daughter on the spot. Yet, she still leaves town with dreams of not only winning Devlin’s heart but of landing a role in the theater group’s next musical production.
Needless to say, a very rocky road lies ahead of Angie, starting with her failing her audition with an impatient director who calls her deaf, dumb and stupid. This makes her more dependent on devilish Devlin, who soon proves to be a two-timing, physically-abusive creep.
So, unfolds Preacher's Kid, a cautionary tale written and directed by Stan Foster. It’s not very hard to anticipate the arc of this Christian-oriented message movie which tends to telegraph most of its punches. Nonetheless, it’s well-enough executed, especially for a flick on a modest budget, to forgive the low production values and a tendency towards melodrama.
The payoff arrives after Prodigal Daughter Angie has learned some tough lessons and returns to ask her father for forgiveness, allowing for a moving moment of mutual redemption.
To order a copy of Preacher’s Kid, visit here
To see a trailer for Preacher's Kid, visit:
Official Preachers Kid Movie website
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating:
Damning DVD Recalls Rise and Fall of Legendary GOP Hatchet Man
Harvey Leroy ‘Lee’ Atwater (1951-1991) was barely out of his teens when he burst onto the political scene in South Carolina in the early Seventies. Back then, the guitar-playing wunderkind loved the blues almost as much as he did serving as a consultant to conservatives during election campaigns.
A protégé of Strom Thurmond, he learned the tricks of the trade at the feet of an inveterate racist who once swore that blood would run in the streets of his state before he would allow integration. Thurmond, in fact, was such a hypocrite that he remained a bigot even after fathering a child with a 15 year-old black servant.
As for Atwater, he devoted most of his days to denying African-Americans equal rights. And while he might have repented shortly before succumbing to brain cancer, that 11th-hour confession did little to undo the damage he had inflicted on minorities as the architect of the Reagan revolution.
For Atwater was a scoundrel who believed that anything goes in politics, so he felt it was okay to lie, cheat, make up fake opinion polls and generally tell the people what they wanted to hear and in order to prevail. He is probably best known for having masterminded the infamous Willie Horton ad which turned the tide in the 1988 presidential race in favor of Bush over Michael Dukakis.
Atwater’s reward for having erased a 17-point deficit en route to the White House was his being named Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Understanding the power of the visual image, Lee fervently believed that “perception is reality,” so he was not above manipulating folks to vote against their own interests by serving them a pack of lies. Rationalizing that all that mattered was power, he single-handedly transformed U.S. politics into a series of tabloid moments.
His reign came to an abrupt end upon his dire diagnosis in 1990, but by then Atwater protégé Karl Rove was already well versed in all of his Machiavellian tactics. On his death bed, Atwater found religion and repented, going out of his way to apologize to every individual whose reputation he’d smeared, including Willie Horton.
Before he passed away, he released a statement which proved he had undergone a spiritual catharsis: “My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood.” Too bad that message was totally lost on Rove.
A fascinating, warts-and-all documentary about one of the most notorious and influential figures in 20th Century politics.
To order a copy of Boogie Man, visit here
To see a trailer of Boogie Man, visit here
Harlem Aria
 Harlem Aria
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating: (0 stars)
Damon Wayans Flop Finds Its Way to DVD in Record Time
It’s not a good sign when a film is released on DVD only a month after opening in theaters, especially when the picture was made over a decade ago and took forever to find a distributor.
But this is exactly what we have in the case of Harlem Aria, an abomination marking the ignominious directorial debut of William Jennings.
At the point of departure we’re introduced to Anton (Gabriel Casseus), a mildly-retarded 28 year-old reminiscent of that title character Cuba Gooding played in Radio. The difference here is that this idiot savant is blessed with a love of opera and a great singing voice.
Unfortunately, the prospects aren’t exactly brilliant for Anton, given that he’s stuck working in a dead-end job at a laundromat. Plus, he lives with his overprotective aunt (Eyde Byrde) because his gullibility and generosity make him easy prey for the unsavory vultures prowling around his Harlem neighborhood.
Everything changes the day he decides to run away from home to pursue his passion and ends up in Greenwich Village where he forges an unlikely friendship with homeless Wes (Damon Wayans), one of those bad things that happens to good people. The fast-talking street hustler introduces his mark to Matthew (Christian Camargo), a classical pianist playing requests for passersby in Washington Square Park. Soon, Anton and Matthew are performing together, with conniving Wes serving as their manager and collecting tips for the suddenly popular panhandling duo.
Don’t be fooled by Harlem Aria’s promising premise or syrupy sweet resolution, since the problems with the production betwixt and between are plentiful, starting with Wayans’ portrayal of Wes as a jive and relentlessly-crass creep. From his use of the n-word (like “Niggerati” in lieu of the black Pavarotti) to his homophobic asides (ala “You look like a gay Ninja Turtle”) his lines are more apt to offend than to induce laughter.
And I wasn’t sure what to make of half of his ostensibly improvised non-sequiturs, such as “My d*ck is bigger than your d*ck, and I’m going to hit you with it if you don’t shut the f*ck up.” Co-star Gabriel Casseus‘ interpretation of Anton was equally troubling, given that here’s a half-wit who seemingly can’t even boil water yet he somehow magically morphs into a talented tenor capable of crooning all the classic operas in their native languages perfectly, simply by donning a tuxedo replete with tails.
A crude coon show that relies on lines delivered in African-American cadence for comic relief. 100 minutes of Hell that had me reaching for my meds. Fantastic Mr. Fox
 Fantastic Mr. Fox
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating:
Animated Version of Roald Dahl Classic Arrives on DVD
Fantastic Mr. Fox represents a substantial departure for director Wes Anderson from his ordinarily wry fare into an animated adventure ostensibly aimed at kids. Based on Roald Dahl’s children’s novel of the same name, the film stars George Clooney in the title role with a supporting voice cast featuring Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe and Jason Schwartzman.
Superficially, the movie looks a lot like Chicken Run (2000), another stop-motion cartoon set on a farm. But that’s where any similarities end because Fantastic Mr. Fox proves to be not nearly as charming, coherent or comedic as that delightful crowd-pleaser.
The plot is only loosely based on the book, and revolves around a chicken thief (Clooney) who tries to go straight after being caught in a trap while burglarizing a hen house. However, missing both the taste of chicken and the excitement of staging daring raids, Fantastic Mr. Fox decides to pull off one last big job before finally retiring for good.
So, with the help of Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), an opossum, he hatches an elaborate plan to steal poultry and cider from a trio of neighboring agribusinesses owned by a trio of mean, gun-toting fox-haters: Franklin Bean (Michael Gambon), Walter Boggis (Robin Hurlstone) and Nathan Bunce (Hugo Guinness).
In the wake of the heist, during which Mr. Fox suffers the indignity of having his tail shot off, the irate farmers resort to desperate measures to catch him. Unfortunately, neither side looks particularly sympathetic in the ensuing, escalating battle of wits. The owners destabilize the local eco-system, excavating fields and flooding foxholes, to flush out the wily predator, while the four-legged perp selfishly endeavors to devour rather than rescue the livestock caged by the corporate conglomerates.
The movie’s glaring absence of a moral compass might be forgivable if it at least elicited a few side-busting belly laughs along the way. Instead, what we have here is a creepy cartoon filled with inappropriate inside jokes that are mostly over the head of the desired tyke demographic, exactly what one would you expect of a claymation vehicle crafted by the cerebral Wes Anderson.
Good Hair
 Good Hair
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating:
Chris Rock’s Lighthearted Look at Sisters’ ‘Dos Arrives on DVD
If you were raised in an African-American community, then you’re probably very familiar with the notion of “good hair,” a term that’s generally applied to folks born with wavy locks which are less trouble to take care of than the more tightly-curled or nappy variety.
Back in the Sixties, at the dawn of the black pride movement, the afro was embraced as an alternative to adhering to the white standard of beauty associated with straight hair. But the peasy natural proved to be a short-lived fad which unfortunately has pretty much gone the way of the dashiki and the dinosaur.
Consequently, black hair care has blossomed over the years into a multibillion-dollar industry promising sisters silky tresses via a variety of avenues ranging from hot combs and relaxers to wigs and weaves. Regardless of the combination picked, straight hair comes at a considerable cost, given the toll this high-maintenance habit tends to exact not merely financially, but also in terms of one’s time and mental and physical health.
It was this litany of concerns which caused Chris Rock to react when his 5 year-old daughter, Lola, asked, “Daddy, why don’t I have good hair?” Dismayed to think that she might already be struggling with a sensitive self-esteem issue at such a tender age, he decided to do some serious research in order to figure out exactly how to answer her sensibly.
So, accompanied by a camera crew, he embarked on an exhaustive inquiry into the black hair care business from every angle, conducting probing, if periodically comical interviews at beauty salons, barber shops, conventions, factories and scientific labs all across the U.S. and overseas. The product of that peripatetic prying is Good Hair, an alternately jaw-dropping, informative and thought-provoking documentary featuring Rock in a Michael Moore-like role as a witty, but never really mean-spirited master of ceremonies.
The most alarming aspect of this entire expose’ revolves around the widespread use of a substance known as sodium hydroxide, aka lye, aka “creamy crack.” Because sodium hydroxide can cause burning, scarring or blindness if it comes in contract with human tissue in solutions greater than 2%, it is no surprise that so many users suffer from scarring, scabs and bald spots on their scalps. Thus, the sobering message Rock ultimately delivers to his impressionable daughters is no surprise, namely, “that the stuff on top of their heads is nowhere near as important as the stuff inside their heads.”
A “hair”-larious flick you have to laugh at to keep from crying.
A Serious Man
 bfm DVD review: A Serious Man
Words: Kam Williams
bfm rating:
Coen Brothers’ Modern Morality Play Arrives on Blu-Ray
Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man is a modern morality play revolving around a latter-day Job burdened by a host of woes of Biblical proportions. After a pre-opening credits tableau in a 19th C. Europe, the setting shifts to Minnesota in 1967 where we are introduced to the protagonist, Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg).
The mild-mannered economics professor resides in a modest, middle-class home on a nondescript, suburban tract typical of the era, a defoliated landscape dotted with rows of identical houses devoid of personality. The members of his dysfunctional family, however, bear little resemblance to their sterile environment, as each is a colorfully-comical character with a skeleton in his or her respective closet.
There’s Larry’s wife, Judith (Sari Lennick), who wants a divorce so she can remarry unctuous, recently-widowed Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed). Meanwhile, their spoiled teenage daughter, Sarah (Jessica McManus), has been stealing money to pay for a nose job, and their son, Danny (Aaron Wolff), is hooked on Marijuana at the age of 12. Finally, we have unemployed Uncle Arthur (Richard Kind), a slacker who keeps landing on the wrong side of the law.
Things aren’t any better for Larry at work where someone’s been anonymously sending letters to his department suggesting that he be denied tenure on the grounds of moral turpitude. Plus, a desperate Korean student (David Kang) who failed an exam has been trying to bribe him for a passing grade.
All of the above trials and tribulations leave Larry overwhelmed, both financially and emotionally. So, he requests an audience with sage Rabbi Marshak (Alan Mandell), only to be told he has to work his way up the spiritual ladder by meeting first with assistant Rabbi Scott (Simon Helberg), and then with Rabbi Nachtner (George Wyner). Neither, of course, is able to resolve the dilemma, thus leaving it up to Larry, like Job, to be buoyed by faith alone.
Its religious pretensions notwithstanding, A Serious Man isn’t as heavy in tone as it might sound. In fact, the film is first and foremost a sublime comedy given to poking fun at mid-western Jewish mores at the time the Coen Brothers themselves were raised in Minnesota. Perhaps because of their intimate familiarity with the subject-matter, this picture proves to be their most mature, coherent and satisfying offering yet.
A sumptuous cinematic feast, and kosher to boot! This Is It
 bfm DVD reviews: This Is It
Reviewed by Kam Williams
Michael Jackson Mesmerizing Swan Song Due on DVD
Taped during rehearsals for the late Michael Jackson’s London comeback tour which was not to be, This Is It is captures the essence of a Prince of Pop concert, only sans audience. In this regard, the movie actually allows for a much more intimate experience than one taped in front of throngs of loud, distracting and adoring fans. For here, in the empty Staples Center in Los Angeles, you’re able to focus strictly on Michael, and to listen to him interact with his crew and collaborators in between numbers instead of hearing deafening applause.
For there’s Michael plus an elaborate menagerie comprised of musicians, backup singers, crotch-grapping dancers, strippers on poles, daredevil tightrope aerialists, costumed actors in masks, pyrotechnics, a blue screen showing a variety of images, human toasters (you’ll see), smoke and wind machines, everything but Mad Dogs and Englishmen. And they all combine to put on quite a show, even if perfectionist Michael periodically interrupts to adjust the lighting, the sound level or the play of one of his accompanists.
The film features plenty of inspired musical performances, including Billie Jean, Thriller, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel, I Want You Back, The Love You Save, I’ll Be There and the title track. What we repeatedly see here is a multi-talented genius at work, a man perhaps most comfortable in this milieu, namely, on stage, whether he’s complaining about an earpiece (“It feels like someone’s fist is shoved into my ear.”), orchestrating complicated choreography, or doing a soulful duet with Judith Hill, the beautiful African-Asian-American soprano who would later sing Heal the World shortly thereafter at his funeral.
Again and again, Michael takes charge, for he knows exactly how he wants each tune to sound and look in order to satisfy his fans. And because he was so unguarded and totally oblivious of the rolling cameras, this flick captures him more authentically than any previous footage this critic has witnessed (including that Martin Brashear BBC documentary), and reveals the very likable persona of an icon who was obviously born to entertain.
Not a ghoulish take-the-money-and-run rip-off, but a surprisingly sweet, sensitive, tenderhearted swan song you will never forget that will have you shedding a tear while tapping your feet.
Tyson the Movie
 Tyson the Movie
Reviewed by Cassam Looch
bfm rating:
Boxing is going through something of a revival at the moment. The likes of David Haye and Manny Pacquiao are bringing back some of the glamour to the sport which has been lacking for a while. It maybe unfair to lay the blame solely at the door of Tyson, but there is no denying that his sad decline also mirrored the darkest days in the history of professional pugilism.
The documentary itself is explosive and uncompromising. Tyson is given enough room to expose himself… and yet you feel he is fully aware of what he is saying. It never feels like a ‘hatchet’ job, with Tyson not craving the celebrity that often underlies factual reviews like this. He knows that his best days (and worst) days are behind him and as such appears to be fully open to analyse his career in the spotlight.
The footage of the early days gives a stunning insight into the formative experiences that forged the man. His relationships with his trainers clearly become the father-figure type influence that was missing, and it is also there that we can see the seeds of his personal derailment. The lean and powerful teenage Tyson is an absolute beast in the ring. He manages to channel the anger he has inside him into his matches and they a blistering. For those who have only seen him in his later years and think that he was overhyped in the first place, this is the part of the film that will be most surprisingly. He really is in the top 3 of all time, yet will never get the reverence of Ali or Marciano. Of course most of his problems are self inflicted and one cannot overlook the prison sentences and serious allegations against the man, but we really shouldn’t forget the boxer either.
At his most candid Tyson still burns with rage when talking about former associate Don King. It’s another moment when he lets his guard drop and yet again you feel like he wants to let the camera and viewer in on it. Whether he is a reformed man content with his lot or still a raging bull with a short fuse is unknown, but you will be able to come to your own informed decision about his life and career so far by the end of the film.
Tyson: The Movie 2 Disc Platinum Knockout Edition is the definitive insight into one of the greatest heavy weight boxers ever to have lived – offering never-before-seen glimpses into his boxing and training world as well as rare and exclusive fight footage that, for most, has never have been accessible before. In other words, Tyson explores...Tyson, for the first time in his own words.
Director James Toback’s film portrait ranges from Tyson’s earliest memories of growing up on the meanest streets of Brooklyn through his entry into the world of boxing under the stewardship of his beloved trainer Cus D’Amato, as well as his rollercoaster ride through the funhouse of worldwide fame, his fortunes won and lost.
The DVD offers much more than a documentary about a former heavyweight champ; through a deft mixture of original interviews and archival footage and photographs, a complex, fully-rounded human being emerges as a legendary and uniquely controversial international athletic icon.
The boxset contains the full length movie, as well as over 4 hours of exclusive extras including Tyson’s best ever fights, classic interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from a spectacular twenty-year career.
Tyson: The Movie is the ultimate boxing DVD and the ideal gift this Christmas for boxing and sports fans alike.
TYSON: The Movie
2 Disc Platinum Knockout Edition
THIS ULTIMATE KNOCKOUT EDITION BRINGS TOGETHER THE EPIC MOVIE WITH AN ADDITIONAL DVD PACKED WITH OVER 4 HOURS OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR FIGHTS OF TYSON’S CAREER.
DVD released: 16th November 2009 Distributer: Revolver Entertainment
DVD review: Michael Jackson: Devotion - An Unauthorised Story
 bfm DVD review
Michael Jackson: Devotion – An Unauthorized Story
Reviewed by Kam Williams
Fair (1 star)
DVD Dishes Dirt on Deceased King of Pop
Winning the race to produce the first posthumous Michael Jackson DVD is this unauthorized biography which spends as much time trashing the recently-departed King of Pop as it does praising him. I heartily recommend the film only to two groups of people: those who believe Michael was a self-hating, child-molesting freak and those who might simply enjoy laughing non-stop at a hastily-edited, low budget flick featuring none of his music and almost no recent interviews with any of his relatives, colleagues or friends other than Motown Records founder Berry Gordy who must have had no idea about the tenor of the documentary he was being filmed for.
The movie does, however, include footage of Jackson’s estranged sister LaToya making her since-recanted statement that “I cannot and I will not be a silent collaborator in his crimes against small innocent children.” In addition we see a clip of his longtime spokesperson Bob Jones, a disgruntled former employee who wrote a damning tell-all book claiming that for years he had to cover up evidence of his boss’ sleeping with little boys.
Particularly hilarious is the backhanded compliment served up by Walter Williams who says “Sammy Davis, Jr. was the greatest entertainer of all time,” before grudgingly adding “I put Michael up there with him.” Others quoted here include: music editor Nekesa Moody, publicist Susan Blond, and photographer Harrison Funk who praises himself by only talking about how much Michael loved his work. It takes a lot of nerve to put out a DVD, when those are the best celebs you could get on tape.
There are also plenty of testimonials by grieving fans mixed in with info explaining why Michael was referred to as Wacko Jacko, rehashed tabloid stories about his baby dangling incident, plastic surgeries, sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber and pet chimp Bubbles. Meanwhile, the movie omits the man in the mirror’s songs, since they obviously never got permission to include any.
Who wants to watch a Michael Jackson bio-pic where the most memorable tune is Amazing Grace?
To order a copy of Michael Jackson: Devotion, click here
DVD review (Rockers)
 bfm DVD review: Rockers
Reviewed: Mae-Louise Robinson
Director: Ted Bafaloukos
Starring: Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace
Release Date: Out now
June 2009, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1970s movie, Rockers, and to mark the occasion the film is being released on Blu Ray and DVD.
The film makes good use of the wealth of musical talent with star turns from reggae giants; Gregory Isaacs, Winston “Burning Spear” Rodney and the late Jacob Miller, and also benefits from a superb soundtrack featuring songs from, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Third World and The Abyssinians.
The story follows the journey of young musician Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace using his wits to hustle through to the big time. When his cherished motorbike gets stolen at the local dance the story becomes more engaging as he and his friends hatch a plan to get even with the Jamaican ‘mafia’.
Written and directed by Greek photographer-turned-filmmaker, Theodorus Bafaloukos Rockers contains a wealth of bonus features and interviews that will sit well in any home DVD library.
Rockers is a gentle film that a quarter of a century later takes a nostalgic look back at a more wholesome time in Jamaican history.
With a vibrant soundtrack and some lively performances Rockers can claim its place as a Caribbean classic. And while the film doesn’t quite reach the dizzying heights of Trevor Rhone’s spectacular trailblazer, The Harder They Come, or the equally splendid, Smile Orange, Rockers will continue to be enjoyed by ‘artikal’ reggae music lovers for many years to come.
DVD review (Notorious)
 Notorious tells the remarkable, true story of the rise and fall of the legendary ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ who rose from the streets of Brooklyn to become the most influential hip hop artist of all time. Notorious features performances from newcomer Jamal Woolard in his role as Biggie, Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett as Biggie’s mother Voletta, and Derek Luke as Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs.
Biggie started life as a Catholic school boy who turned to selling drugs on street corners to earn both money and respect. Despite warnings from his mother (Bassett) Biggie soon earned himself a prison record, but everything changed when a ‘freestyle’ rap tape that he created ended up in the hands of music producer Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs (Derek Luke).
When his career took off into superstar territory, Biggie found himself facing all kinds of new problems. While his managers tried to keep his feet on the ground and his mind in the studio, he juggled the demands of recording, marriage to fellow artist Faith Evans, and being a young father. Things were further complicated by his affair with Junior M.A.F.I.A. member ‘Lil Kim’ (Naturi Naughton), and the increasingly heated rivalry with the infamous West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur (Anthony Mackie). Just as Biggie started to come into true manhood and solidify his musical legacy as one of hip hop’s greatest icons’, fate took an unexpected and tragic turn.
The rise and fall of Biggie is played out by two great actors with Christopher Jordan Wallace playing the younger version and a startling debut by Jamal Woolard in the lead. Woolard seems to fully understand the reasons and motivations behind some of the more inexplicable actions taken by Biggie from his womanizing ways to burgeoning rivalry with one time friend Tupac. Even with a passing hip-hop knowledge, their feud should already be implanted in people’s psyche and so the film does well not to muddy the waters too much by rewriting this to the extent that it becomes unbelievable.
As previously stated, some moments between Combs and Biggie don’t come across as realistic. Although there does appear to be a real friendship at the heart of it. The real source of inspiration is the relationship between Voletta and her wayward son which does hit the right notes thanks partly to Bassett’s excellent performance as well as some great writing. The film (and its superb extras) all amount to a great package which will certainly entertain greatly if not entirely educate and inform on the subject matter.
DVD Review: The London Box
 THE LONDON BOX-SET
Featuring:
Pool of London
The Small World of Sammy Lee
The Yellow Balloon
London Nobody Knows / Les Bicyclettes de Belsize
Sparrows Can’t Sing
OUT TO OWN ON DVD 15th June 2009
POOL OF LONDON (1951) – UK DVD PREMIERE
Into the Pool of London, the heart of the city’s Docklands, sails the Dunbar, fresh out of Rotterdam. Stepping ashore at Tower Bridge are two merchant seamen, one, Dan MacDonald (Bonar Colleano), a cocky and assertive ladies’ man who has a neat side-line in smuggling minor items ashore.
The other: Johnny Lambert (Earl Cameron), a painfully shy, restrained Jamaican, is content to follow in Dan’s shadow. Before the ship’s departure, much water has passed down the river and a lot has happened to change these two men. Dan becomes fatefully involved with a gang of diamond smugglers who leave him in the frame as a murder suspect while Johnny meets a white girl (Susan Shaw) whose kindness so touches him he falls in love despite himself.
Directed by Basil Dearden, the film marked a departure for Ealing from their usual fare and was notable in being the first British film to try and depict an interracial relationship in the post-Windrush years.
 Cert: PG
Region 2
Feature Running Time: 82 mins approx
B&W PAL
Feature Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Mono
English Language
Also featuring:
THE SMALL WORLD OF SAMMY LEE (1963) – UK DVD PREMIERE THE YELLOW BALLOON (1953) – UK DVD PREMIERE LONDON NOBODY KNOWS / LES BICYCLETTES DE BELSIZE (1965)SPARROWS CAN’T SING (1963)
DVD Review: Seven Pounds
 Seven Pounds
Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Barry Pepper and Woody Harrelson
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Release Date: May 25th
Will Smith can be a divisive figure when it comes to the movies. There is no doubting his box-office appeal, and he is arguably the most bankable star in Hollywood right now. But he rarely seems to challenge himself, and he certainly never takes what you would call a ‘risky’ role these days (nothing has even approached those levels since his early appearance in Six degree of separation).
He has received praise and critical success for Ali and Pursuit of Happyness, but in reality those films were safe options to take. The former requiring nothing more than caricature scene-stealing from the great man himself and the latter banking on Smith’s charm to bring together a predictable ‘triumph over adversity’ story which was already familiar to most viewers. It’s surprising then that Seven Pounds is not only a brave and challenging film, but also boasts a career best performance from the lead.
Smith plays IRS agent Ben Thomas who is disconnected and isolated from the world around him. He sets about meticulously researching seven individuals so that he can help them in unexpected ways. Along the way he meets Emily Posa, a young woman whom he feels he can help as part of his ongoing mission.
The outline might sound vague, and it is. There’s a good reason for that however as Seven Pounds is one of those rare films which has reached the screens with very little being given away about what it is. There are several small twists and turns along the way, but moreover the secrecy is there to help the enjoyment of the film. With a stunning soundtrack and superb direction from Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness) the film is a joy to watch as it cleverly unfolds infront of our very eyes.
The director in particular has done a tremendous job in bringing to life scenes and locations that could otherwise have felt cold and empty. Dawson also performs wonders with a well-written character and plays off against Smith to great effect.
This is however Will Smith’s film, and for once it’s not down to unnecessary show-boating or over the top catchphrases (not even a hint of an ‘oh hell no!’ in this one) but to careful and calculated delivery. Helped by a great story and a well-maintained shroud of secrecy (which everyone should try and adhere to) Seven Pounds is a powerful and emotional story which will stay with you for a long time.
Cassam Looch DVD Review: Clubbed
 bfm DVD Review: Clubbed
Starring: Colin Salmon, Shaun Parkes, Ellen Thomas, Mel Raido, Maxine Peake and Scot Williams
Director: Neil Thompson
Release Date: 4th May
.5
Set in 1980s Coventry, Clubbed centres around Danny, a factory worker trying to toughen up after being beaten in front of his kids. This takes us on a journey through Danny’s world from here as he rebuilds his life and self-esteem.
Danny falls into a group of club bouncers run by Louis (Salmon) who runs the doors of a local nightclub with Rob (Parkes) and Sparky (Williams) and builds up Danny’s confidence and gives him the chance to face and overcome his fears and the local bullies. With this new found confidence he goes from factory worker to club doorman as he is recruited to join forces on the door with Louis, Rob and Sparky.
However Sparky has his own ideas by letting dodgy dealers into the club behind Louis’ back and soon brings the heat back to his friend Rob who has a direct conflict with the local drug baron in a brutal and bloody exchange.
The movie is written by BAFTA winner and martial arts expert, Geoff Thompson and makes for some decent performances by the cast plus some great 80’s soundtracks played in the movie.
Unfortunately the direction of the film soon seems a bit tiring and comes with a disappointing twist at the end.
Although gritty in parts, and a good exploration of the drugs and nightclub underworld, the film cannot hold its own against other British movies such as Cass as one of the top British classic movies.
Related links
Clubbed official websiteDVD Review: Lakeview Terrace
 Lakeview Terrace
Released on DVD March 30, 2009
Reviewed by: Cassam Looch
When a young couple moves into their dream home in California, the dream soon turns into a nightmare when they become a target of their next-door neighbour who disapproves of their inter-racial relationship. LAPD officer and self-appointed neighbourhood watchmen Abel Turner (JACKSON) increasingly harasses the newlyweds until his persistent intrusions into their lives cause the couple to fight back with devastating consequences.
Directed by acclaimed writer / director NEIL LABUTE (The Wicker Man, In the Company of Men) Lakeview Terrace boasts knockout performances from the cast, which includes SAMUEL L. JACKSON (Freedomland, Pulp Fiction), PATRICK WILSON (Watchmen), JAY HERNANDEZ (Quarantine, Hostel) and KERRY WASHINGTON (The Last King of Scotland).
Clearly one of the hooks of the film is the race-reversal angle which is surprisingly honest when it comes to modern relationships. Jackson’s character actually starts off as an entirely likable if slightly intense neighbour, and throughout he is a caring father. So his slow descent is fascinating to watch, and even if we get a very Hollywood ending, we get a quite wonderful build-up to the finale. Street Kings
 Release Date:DVD and Blu-ray on September 15th
Starring:Jay Mohr, Forest Whitaker, Terry Crews, Keanu Reeves, Naomie Harris, The Game, Cedric The Entertainer, Chris Evans, Common, John Corbett, Hugh Laurie
Director: David Ayer
DVD Extras: Commentary by director David Ayer , Deleted scenes , Alternate takes , Vignettes , Behind the scenes feature, Theatrical trailer, Making of…
Plot: Keanu Reeves (Speed, Matrix trilogy) stars in this action-packed film with a stellar supporting cast. Detective Ludlow (Reeves) is on the hunt to discover who is behind the death of his former partner. Chris Evans (Fantastic Four, Sunshine) co-stars as Ludlow's new partner, along with Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and Emmy winner Hugh Laurie also playing major roles. TRAINING DAY scribe David Ayer directs this cop thriller with a script co-written by novelist James Ellroy.
Review: The film launches at break-neck speed and hardly lets up during it’s enjoyable descent into LA underworld and corrupt cops. Reeves puts in arguably his best performance to date as the morally ambiguous officer with a history of playing both good cop and bad cop. The relationship between his former partner hints at the darker aspects of his character and we soon see these played out in full as he is forced to confront the ghosts from his pasts. If some of the supporting cast are underused (Brits Laurie and Harris don’t do to well in the editing suite) then Whittaker makes up for it with a scenery chewing performance just the right side of pantomime. A dark and sophisticated slice of modern L.A… well worth renting or buying.
Cassam Looch
Which Way is Up?
If you would like to know what inspired the great African American comics today such as Chris Rock and Tucker, David Chapelle and the popular use of playing multiple characters (now done to death with Big Mamma's House I & II by Martin Laurence, Nutty Professor I & II, Norbit, Comming to America...by Eddie Murphy) then look no further that to the King of Comedy - Richard Pryor and his comedy classic - Which Way is Up?. It is the story of Leroy Jones, played very capably by Richard Pryor, a migrant fruit picker, his grouchy old father and a shady minister. The film does a very good job of showing just how one can be seduced by the appearance of power. Leroy loses everything that means anything to him in his rise to management at the "company". The segments where Leroy interacts with his "father" are too funny for words. Pryor doesn't have a great range of acting ability but what he does, he does the best.
Available from all good
DVD
retailers from
25th February 2008
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Ikonnaya Jones
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