9-28 Kam’s Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

For movies opening September 28, 2012

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Hotel Transylvania

Hotel Transylvania is an animated romantic comedy about Dracula’s daughter played by Selena Gomez who, over the objections of her father played by Adam Sandler, who falls in love with a mere mortal played by Andy Samberg. Voice cast includes Kevin James, Ceelo Green, Steve Buscemi and Jon Lovitz.

Hotel Transylvania is rated PG for action, rude humor and scary images.

Only 45% of critics liked it, but audiences gave it a 73% rating – maybe older generations skipped it, because it definitely was meant for a younger audience.

Looper

Looper is a Sci-fi thriller, set in 2042, about a mob hit man played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt who has no qualms about time-travelling to carry out contracts until he is ordered to assassinate his future self played by Bruce Willis. With Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Jeff Daniels and Piper Perabo.

Looper is rated R for profanity, sexuality, nudity, drug use and graphic violence.

Out of 248 critics who rated Looper, 231 rated it “fresh.” Audiences didn’t like it as much, giving it an 83% rating. 177,400 gave it a rating.

Won’t Back Down

Won’t Back Down is a education reform movie and a fact-based, female empowerment saga. It is set in Pittsburgh, about a jaded teacher played by Viola Davis and a frustrated single-mom played by Maggie Gyllenhaal who join forces to turn around an underperforming public school. A-list cast includes Ving Rhames, Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter known for The Piano, and Oscar-nominees Rosie Perez known for Fearless and Marianne Jean-Baptiste known for Secrets & Lies.

Won’t Back Down is rated PG for mature themes and mild epithets.

Critics were not happy with this film. Out of 100 who reviewed it at rottentomatoes, 67 said it was rotten. Audiences were more happy with it, with 61% liking it, giving it an average score of 3.6/5.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

American Autumn

American Autumn is an occupation Wall Street-inspired documentary speculating about what the world would look like if capitalism were replaced by an economic system that put human need above corporate greed. American Autumn is unrated.

Bear City 2: The Proposal

Bear City 2: The Proposal is a homoerotic sequel reunites the hirsute, gay gang from Manhattan in Provincetown, Massachusetts for a wild, week-long bachelor party in anticipation of two pals’ played by Joe Conti and Gerald McCullouch same-sex wedding. With Kevin Smith, Kathy Najimy and Richard Riehle. Bear City 2: The Proposal is unrated.

Bringing Up Bobby

In Bringing Up Bobby, Famke Jansen makes her writing and directorial debut with this dysfunctional family comedy about a European con artist played by Milla Jovovich on the run from the law who settles with her son played by Spencer List in Oklahoma hoping to escape her shady past. Co-starring Bill Pullman, Marcia Cross and Rory Cochrane. Bringing Up Bobby is rated PG-13 for profanity, sexuality and drug use.

Headshot

Headshot is a revenge thriller, set in Thailand, about an honest cop played by Nopachai Chaiyanam who turns vigilante after being framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Plot thickens when he’s shot in the head and emerges from a coma seeing the world upside-down. With Sirin Horwang, Chanokporn Sayoungkul and Apisit Opasaimlikit. It can be heard in Thai with subtitles. Headshot is unrated.

The Hole

The Hole is a haunted house horror flick about a single-mom played by Teri Polo who moves with her kids played by Nathan Gamble and Chris Massoglia from New York City to a new home in the country only to unwittingly open a gateway to hell when they unlock a hatch over a bottomless hole in the basement. With Haley Bennett, Bruce Dern and Quinn Lord. The Hole is rated PG-13 for violence, profanity and frightening images.

My Life as Abraham Lincoln

My Life as Abraham Lincoln is a surreal, dark comedy about a blushing bride played by Caroline Luft whose life spirals out of control after she murders her fiance played by Trevor Nelson on their wedding day. With Gerry Birnbach, Jennifer Lynn Malloy and Wendy Taylor. My Life as Abraham Lincoln is unrated.

The Other Dream Team

The Other Dream Team is a basketball documentary recounting the unlikely triumph of the Lithuanian Men’s Basketball Team at the 1992 Olympics with help from the Grateful Dead. Featuring Bill Walton Chris Mullin and Mickey Hart. The Other Dream Team is unrated.

Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect is a musical comedy about a college freshman played by Anna Kendrick who overhauls the repertoire of her all-girl singing group in preparation for a big showdown on campus with an all-male rival ensemble in an a cappella competition. Featuring Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson and Skylar Astin. Pitch Perfect is rated PG-13 for sexuality, profanity and drug use.

Six Million and One

Six Million and One is a holocaust documentary about four siblings who undertake a journey of discovery to Gunskirchen Concentration Camp after finding a diary among their late father’s personal effects detailing the host of horrors he had witnessed while interned there. Six Million and One is delivered in Hebrew English and German with subtitles. Six Million and One is unrated.

Solomon Kane

Solomon Kane is a 16th Century tale of redemption about a mercenary killing machine for the Royal Family played by James Purefoy who has a change of heart after an encounter with an emissary of the Devil played by Ian Whyte. With Max von Sydow, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Pete Postlethwaite and Mark O’Neal. Solomon Kane is heard in English and Arabic with subtitles and is rated R for pervasive violence.

The Waiting Room

The Waiting Room is a safety net documentary offering an intimate peek at the state of affairs at Oakland, California’s Highland Hospital, a struggling, healthcare facility catering to a community comprised of mostly uninsured patients. The Waiting Room is unrated.

The Yakuza and the Mermaid

The Yakuza and the Mermaid is a romantic fantasy about a novelist with writer’s block played by Peter Hertsgaard who wills his characters to life, including a vicious gangster played by Takumi Mitobe and a fetching femme fatale played by Georgiana Avram he proceeds to woo. With Ikuko Ikari, Jennifer Lynn Malloy and Caroline Luft. The Yakuza and the Mermaid is unrated.

Kam Williams is a popular and top NewsBlaze reviewer, our chief critic. Kam gives his unvarnished opinion on movies, DVDs and books, plus many in-depth and revealing celebrity interviews.

Sadly, Lloyd Kam Williams passed away in 2019, leaving behind a huge body of work focused on America’s black entertainment community. We were as sad to hear of his passing as we were overjoyed to have him as part of our team.