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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2015)
Page 4 The Skanner November 18, 2015 Arts & Entertainment Kam’s Kapsules: Movies Opening Friday, Nov. 20 BIG BUDGET FILMS Carol (R sexuality, nu- dity and brief profanity) Cate Blanchett plays the title character in this ro- mance drama, set in New York City in the Fifties, as a woman in the midst of a bitter divorce who becomes smitten with a department store clerk (Rooney Mara) she meets while buying a Christmas present for her daughter (Kk Heim). With Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler and Jake Lacy. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (PG- 13 for action, intense violence and mature themes) Franchise fina- le finds reluctant rebel Katniss (Jennifer Law- rence) leading a team of trusted close friends (Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Sam Claflin and Natalie Dormer) on a mission to assassinate the President (Donald Sutherland) and to free the citizens of Panem. En- semble cast includes Jef- frey Wright, Woody Har- relson, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Kam Williams Kam’s Kapsules Movie Reviews The Night Before (R for pervasive profani- ty, incessant substance abuse, frontal nudity and graphic sexuality) Raunchy holiday comedy revolving around a trio of lifelong BFFs’ (Seth Ro- gen, Joseph Gordon-Lev- itt and Anthony Mackie) wild night of drugs and debauchery during their annual Christmas Eve reunion. Cast includes James Franco, Miley Cyrus, Tracy Morgan, Mindy Kaling, Anthony Mackie, Lizzy Caplan and Jillian Bell. INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS Censored Voices (Un- rated) Middle East doc- umentary questioning the supposed heroism of Israeli soldiers who fought in ‘67 war won in just six days. Featuring long-suppressed inter- views with veterans re- corded by kibbutzniks. (In Hebrew with subti- tles) Democrats (Unrated) Power corrupts docu- mentary chronicling Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe’s going through the charade of staging a presidential election in a futile at- tempt to fool the world into believing the coun- try’s a legitimate democ- racy. Frame by Frame (Un- rated) Free press docu- mentary chronicling the efforts of four Afghan photojournalists to ply their trade following the fall of the Taliban who had made taking pictures a crime. (In Dari and En- glish with subtitles) Kingdom of Shadows (PG-13 for mature themes and disturbing images) Rio Grande documenta- ry taking an unflinching look at the ever-escalat- ing body count in the drug wars being waged along the U.S.-Mexico border. (In Spanish and English with subtitles) Legend (R for sexu- ality, drug use, graphic violence and pervasive ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2’ profanity) Mob saga re- visiting the exploits of Reggie and Ronnie Kray (Tom Hardy), infamous identical twins who ran a powerful crime syndi- cate in London in the Six- ties. Supporting cast in- cludes Emily Browning, Paul Bettany and Chazz Palminteri. Mediterranea (Un- rated) Fact-based docu- drama recounting the ordeal of a couple of ref- ugees (Koudous Seihon and Alassane Sy) who make the perilous jour- ney from Africa to Italy in search of a better life only to be met with hos- tility and violence. With Paolo Sciarretta, Annal- isa Pagano and Pio Am- ato. (In French, Italian, English and Arabic with subtitles) Mustang (PG-13 for mature themes and sexuality) Tale of fe- male empowerment, set in Turkey, about five, freedom-loving sisters grounded by their par- ents after engaging in innocent horesplay with boys on their way home from school. Co-starring Gunes Sensoy, Elit Iscan, Doga Zeynep Dogus- lu, Tugba Sunguroglu and Ilayda Akdogan. (In Turkish with subtitles) Secret in Their Eyes (PG-13 for profanity, sex- ual references, mature themes and disturbing violence) Whodunit re- volving around a tight- knit FBI unit, investigat- ing a string of murders of teenage girls, that is suddenly torn asunder by the brutal slaying of a team member’s (Julia Roberts) daughter (Zoe Graham). With Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman and Lyndon Smith. The Summer of San- gaile (Unrated) Julija Steponaityte handles the title role in this coming- of-age tale of teen love as a shy and retiring wall- flower who falls head over heels for a dare- devil (Aiste Dirziute) she meets at an airplane stunt show. Featuring Nele Savicenko, Lau- rynas Jurgelis and Jurate Sodyte. (In Lithuanian with subtitles) Very Semi-Serious (Unrated) Jocular doc- umentary highlighting the process by which the New Yorker magazine’s cartoon editor Bob Man- koff settles on which sub- missions to include in each issue. Book Review: ‘A Bold Perspective’ Moving memoir tells story of healing, recovery after the author’s loss of her young son Book by Tina Marie and Rashon D. Fuller Book Review by Kam Williams “A woman, whom I did not know, ignited a spark as she spoke words of as- surance into my life. ‘God said that He has not for- gotten about you. He is going to restore you. But first you must share your story’.” —from the Introduction O rdinarily, a parent isn’t supposed to bury a child, but God might have made an exception in the case of Tina Marie Full- er. She was impregnated at the age of 16 by a boy who wasn’t really ready to be a father. In fact, he already had a new girl- friend. Tina was subjected to the sight of the lovebirds on a daily basis, since they all attended Cleve- land Heights high school. Then, while baby Kevin was still a toddler, he was hit by a car when he wan- dered into traffic while in the custody of friends of his dad, Mylon. Tina rushed to the hos- pital where she was in- formed by the attending physician that her little boy was not only coma- tose, but brain-dead to boot. “You are about to witness a miracle!” she responded, convinced that a combination of prayer and faith would work. But when Kevin passed away anyway, Tina was inconsolable and went into a shock that would last for over a decade and a half. She finally began to heal after meeting Ra- shon Fuller, who gave her a new lease on life. Today, the loving cou- ple embarked on a jour- ney which has led to their sharing a career where they motivate and counsel folks also facing overwhelming adversi- ty. Together, they have co-authored “A Bold Per- spective,” a combination opus which opens with a moving memoir mostly recounting Tina Marie’s ordeal. The second half of the book divides its time between fill-in-the- blanks exercises, spiritu- al devotions and a health regimen, including a 14- day vegetarian cleanse. A worthwhile self-help tome where a child’s untimely death has ul- timately served as the inspiration for his moth- er’s epiphany.
