October 5, 2016 The Skanner Page 9
‘The Birth of a Nation’
dollars in damages to
thousands of aggrieved
parties.
Directed by Peter Berg
(Battleship), “Deepwa-
ter Horizon” revisits
the infamous incident
primarily from the
perspective of the rig’s
Chief Electronics Tech-
nician, Mike Williams.
The picture reunites
Berg with Mark Wahl-
berg with whom he pre-
viously collaborated on
Lone Survivor.
Wahlberg plays Wil-
liams, a working-class
hero of unquestioned
integrity. As the ilm un-
folds, we ind him bid-
ding adieu to his family
before departing for a
21-day tour on the Hori-
zon. If only Mike had
heeded warning signs
like his wife’s (Kate Hud-
son) premonitions and
his daughter Sydney’s
(Stella Allen) science
project with a Coke can
geyser gone kabluey, he
might have had the good
sense to call in sick.
The same could be
said of his colleague
Andrea Fleytas (Gina
Rodriguez), a mechanic
who couldn’t get her car
started that same morn-
ing. Even the helicopter
ferrying them to work
experienced an ominous
bird strike en route to
the platform. And upon
landing, they’re greeted
by a pal with a macabre
skull and crossbones
emblazoned on his hard
hat.
Of far more signii-
cance are Don Vidrine
(John Malkovich) and
Bob Kaluza (Brad Le-
land), the bigwig BP
bureaucrats who begin
bullying their employ-
ees from the minute the
chopper lands on the
deck. This clueless pair
of villains prove willing
to put proits before any
safety concerns, so it’s
no surprise when the
platform’s unstable drill
pipe pops its cork.
The spectacular, pyro-
technic calamity which
follows afords Mike an
opportunity not only
to play hero in a sea of
ire but to later shame
the cowardly culprits
responsible in court. A
harrowing tale of sur-
vival topped of by jus-
tice duly being served.
What more could you
ask for from an ac-
tion-oriented morality
play?
Excellent HHHH
Rated PG-13 for intense
action sequences,
disturbing images and
brief profanity
Running time: 107 min.
Distributor: Lionsgate
Films
Movies cont’d from pg 8
for gun reform legisla-
tion in the wake of the
mass murder of 6 teach-
ers and 20 students at an
elementary school.
across the street from the
church where he works.
With Paul Rodriguez,
James Russo and Victoria
Gates.
Theo Who Lived (Un-
rated) Radical Islam doc-
umentary chronicling
the harrowing ordeal of
Theo Padnos, an Amer-
ican journalist who was
kidnapped by terrorists
in Syria and held for 22
months, but lived to tell
the tale.
Voyage of Time: Life’s
Journey (PG-13 for nu-
dity and disturbing im-
Torchbearer (Unrat-
ed) Faith-based docu-
mentary delineating the
philosophy of Phil Rob-
ertson, patriarch of the
family featured on the
reality-TV series Duck
Dynasty.
Voiceless (PG-13 for
violence and mature
themes) Pro-life drama
about a Born Again war
veteran (Rusty Joiner)
who relocates with his
wife (Jocelyn Cruz) to
Philly where he puts
his marriage and new
job in jeopardy by tak-
ing a stand against an
abortion clinic opening
View movie trailers at
TheSkanner.com
ages) Terrence Malick
directed this ethereal
eco-documentary, nar-
rated by Cate Blanchett,
exploring the Earth’s
past as well as humani-
ty’s future prospects on
the planet
Documentary series looks at housing, education,
health care, education and voting rights
NEW YORK (AP) —
Norman Lear, a show
business legend and
full-throated humanist,
set out last spring to rent
a modest apartment in
the Bronx.
The landlord welcomed
this incognito white man
with a couple of ofers.
Not so lucky was an
African American man
who had come to him
the day before. The land-
lord, insisting nothing
This image released by Epix shows Rob Robinson, left, with producer
was available, brusquely
Norman Lear in a scene from the documentary, “America Divided.” The
turned that man away.
ive-week docuseries, which premieres Friday at 9 p.m. EDT on Epix.
This undercover mis-
sion, as well as Lear’s
to shoot his report, “but I started as a
subsequent blowing the whistle on kid in the Depression whose father was
the landlord, was ilmed for “America serving (prison) time. But what was
Divided,” a star-driven, eye-opening wonderful about America was it of-
probe into systemic inequality in the fered me opportunity. And it promised
U.S. today not only in housing but also that opportunity to everybody else, re-
education, health care, labor, criminal gardless of the color of their skin. Ater
justice and voting rights.
all these years, that promise has yet to
The ive-week docuseries, which pre- be delivered on. I care about that.”
mieres Friday at 9 p.m. EDT on Epix,
Others who care include:
employs the 94-year-old Lear (armed • Hip-hop artist and actor Common,
with a hidden camera) as one of its cor-
who explores disparities in the crimi-
respondents as well as an executive
nal justice system in his hometown of
producer.
Chicago in the atermath of the 2014
“I’m happy to have reached the 1
police killing of teenager Laquan Mc-
percent,” said Lear, back in New York,
where he spent part of his childhood,
See DIVIDED on page 15
NICOLE RIVELLI/EPIX VIA AP
Deepwater cont’d from pg 8
Arts & Entertainment
Stars Expose Problems, Seek
Solutions on ‘America Divided’
