Big George Foreman

There have been just about as many films with a boxing theme, whether they be based on a true story or fiction, as there has been so many other genres in Hollywood. People have such a fascination with these films that Hollywood seems to release at least one a year. The films are aplenty: "Rocky", "Creed", "Raging Bull", "Ali", "Southpaw", "The Fighter" to mention a handful. So, now to add to that quickly growing list is "Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World". I labeled the review with the shorter title to save room. 

This film is based on the remarkable true story of one of the greatest comebacks of all time and the transformational power of second chances. Fueled by an impoverished childhood, George Foreman (Khris Davis) channeled his anger into becoming an Olympic Gold medalist in 1968 Mexico and World Heavyweight Champion trained by his mentor and friend, Doc Broadus (Forest Whitaker). This was all followed by a near death experience after a heart attack that took him from the boxing ring to the pulpit. But when, at 45 years of age, he sees himself and his community struggling spiritually and financially, Foreman, after 10 years out of the ring, returns to the ring and makes history by reclaiming his title, becoming the oldest and most probable World Heavyweight Boxing Champion ever. 

Others to round out the cast are Jasmine Mathews as Mary Joan, Sullivan Jones as Muhammed Ali, John Magaro as Desmond, Sonja Sohn as Nancy Foreman, Shein Mompremier as Paula, Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Archie Moore, Eric Hansen as George Colton, Delon Smith as Roy Foreman, Matthew Glave as Howard Cosell and Sam Trammell as Rev. Virdell Stokes. 

This was powerfully directed by George Tillman Jr. ("Scenes for the Soul" '95, Soul Food" '97, "Men of Honor" 2000, "Notorious" '09, "Faster" '10, "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete" '13, "The Longest Ride" '15, Love is a Four-Letter Word" (TV movie) '15, "The Hate U Give" '18) plus TV and a short. By his very resume, this filmmaker knows his way around directing his actors. the intense transformation Davis had to journey from meager beginnings, to winning gold, to his first boxing title, to finding God, to losing his fortune, and then reestablishing himself to win back his title was sheer incredible acting, but it was undoubtedly talented directing for this actor to be at that place where he could showcase the different aspects of Foreman's life effectively. Considering the limited writing experience by Frank Baldwin ("Cold Pursuit" '19) plus TV and George Tillman Jr. ("Scenes for the Soul" '95, "Soul Food" '97) plus shorts, this was an incredibly well written piece of work. It was based on screen story by Dan Gordon, Baldwin and Tillman Jr There were a couple of places of choppiness within the script, and although this was written well and accurately, these writers clearly took the 'safe' route and the screenplay wasn't one that would cause you to think about this story for very much longer after you leave the multiplex. Don't get me wrong, this shows us a George Foreman that most of us have probably never seen, and I have high praise for that, however, it would've been nice to see this script leap more off the page to its audience. 

Surely, if you're into biopics, this is one that will please; it simply just needed a bit more polish. One thing I can say, I do have an element of more respect for Foreman after seeing this film. This man led an interesting life what with the Olympics, the boxing career, his stint as a preacher and mentor. Both Davis and Whitaker gave riveting performances as boxer and trainer respectively, and might possibly see nods when Oscar time comes along. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                          Rated: PG-13                                         129mins.

Sisu

We've seen many films about those that have been trained to kill, either as soldiers, mercenaries, delta force soldiers, etc. "John Wick Chapter 4" is still in the theaters, and the studio that brought you that film, Lionsgate, has now brought us "Sisu", about yet another mercenary bent on righting incredible wrongs.

Finland, 1944. During the last desperate days of WWII, a solitary prospector, Aatami (Jorma Tommila) crosses paths with Nazis, including Bruno (Aksel Hennie) and Wolf (Jack Doolan), on a scorched-earth retreat in Northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his newfound gold, they quickly discover that they have just tangled with no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word "sisu", this legendary ex-commando will embody what sisu means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And no matter what the Nazis throw at him, the one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back--even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path. 

Others to round out the cast are Mimosa Willamo as Aino, Onni Tommila as Schutze, Tatu Sinisalo as SS Soldier, Wilhelm Enckell as SS Soldier, Vincent Willestrand as SS Soldier, Artu Kapulainen as Rower, Elina Saarela as Saara, Ilkka Kolvula as Fighter Pilot and Max Ovaska as Engineer. 

This was intensely directed in such a brutal way by Jalmari Helander ("Zero deux" (segment- "Rare Exports Inc") '07, "Rare Exports" '10, "Big Game" '14) plus TV, shorts and a video. Actually when I mentioned 'brutal', I meant so in a complimentary way. I'm not a violent person or like seeing it, however this film practically invites it considering how evil and inhumanly brutal these Nazis were, and this filmmaker represents this in spades. The way that Helander was able to show this prospector gradually showing his intense anger was probably scarier than allowing the character just blow up with anger at the drop of a hat. This is a director that knows his craft. It is also creatively well written by Helander ("Rare Exports" '10, "Big Game" '14) plus shorts and a video. Picture, if you will--an older miner is riding his horse and is stopped by Nazis in their trucks and tank. They find his gold and will steal it and just shoot him dead anyway. What is a man to do? This is the basic premise. Simple, riveting, direct, and turns out to be hellish. These Nazis had no idea who was in their midst, and because of their ignorance, they will soon find out. This was incredibly well written in that through all of the violence and direct approach, there was still many nuances of subtlety within the script. This writer doesn't have a plethora of experience, but after this, he will receive more work. The cohesiveness and tightness of script was like a double-edged sword ready to dissect. This prospector is of few words, but his action specks volumes; he makes John Wick look like a chatty Cathy. 

Certainly, if you like the John Wick series, you'll love this. It's an ex-commando whose gone rouge, and anyone who is bent on harming innocent people, he will kill them taking no prisoners. It's a great escape film replete with guns, knives, bombs, and many other creative ways to combat these Nazis that they, many times, don't see coming. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                             Rated: R                                                   91mins.

Guy Ritchie"s The Covenant

The genre of war is about as old for films as Hollywood itself. We can go back to the silent era of films to see this genre all the way to today. Society seems to be fascinated with conflict and strife, two of the many adjectives involving war, so, it should be no surprise that this topic would have longevity throughout the decades. We've seen many Middle East war films, but I can't help but believe that "Guy Ritchie's The Covenant" is one of the best of this genre on record.

March, 2018. This story follows U.S. Army Master Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim). After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley's life going miles through some of Afghanistan's most grueling terrain. After Kinley arrives home and learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down first. After the Taliban's knowledge of Kinley going home, they have put a price on both their heads, so Kinley and Ahmed's contacts in that country is crucial as is fighting the clock to finish this job. 

Others to round out the cast are Antony Starr as Bodie Parker, Jonny Lee Miller as Colonel Vokes, Alexander Ludwig as Sergeant Declan O'Brady, Sean Sager as Charlie "Jizzy" Crow, Bobby Schofield as Steve Kersher, Emily Beecham as Caroline Kinley, Jason Wong as Joshua "J.J." Jung, Rhys Yates as Tom "Tom Cat" Hancock, Christian Ochoa as Eduardo "Chow Chow" Lopez, Reza Diako as Haadee and Damon Zolfaghari as Ali.

This was directed with powerful intensity and amazing grit by seasoned veteran Guy Ritchie ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" '98, "Snatch" 2000, "Swept Away" '02, "Revolver" '05, "Suspect" (TV movie) '07, "RocknRolla" '08, "Sherlock Holmes" '09, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" '11, "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." '15, "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword" '17, "Aladdin" '19, "The Gentlemen" '19, "Wrath of Man" '21, "Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre" '23) plus shorts, videos and music videos. This film truly was an amazing representation of comraderie when it comes to those in the military, and Ritchie certainly showcased this aspect in spades, The grueling situations these two men , in particular, were having to endure was seemingly impossible and heart pounding and this was this filmmaker's brilliance behind the camera. If you respect this filmmaker's brand of directing, his "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" is in production with a 2024 release as well as his "Aladdin 2" which is in pre-production for a 2025 release. It was equally well written by Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies, and considering both Atkinson and Davies also collaborated with Ritchie on the last four Ritchie films together, and those films were executed well, it's certainly no surprise that this script was spot on. Not that Ritchie's films were suspect before Atkinson and Davies came on board, but I believe these guys have an amazing chemistry which should not be tampered with. This was concise, cohesive, all which had a tight and thought out script. At times, the story became like a cat-and-mouse game between these two soldiers and the Taliban which gave it that thrilling aspect even more. Both Gyllenhaal and Salim worked amazingly well together. and showed what it means to be a fellow comrad and friend. 

If you're into war films, this is the quintessential war film that has it all: intensity, grit, fear, revelry, comraderie and determination all rolled up in an action-packed film that will surely please. Ritchie could possibly be nominated come Oscar time. Who knows?

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                            Rated: R                                             123mins.

Chevalier

Instead of Hollywood producing films centered around fictional characters, so much of the time, they offer us films, or biopics, about real people whether they be actors, politicians, singers, musicians, sports figures and the like. As the old adage goes: "truth is stranger than fiction". As with the case of "Chevalier", about a black classical composer/musician in the 1780's France, where this is definitely something the majority of people wouldn't be expecting...even today.

Set as a prelude to the French Revolution in the 1780's, this tale is about the incredible true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint Georges. The illegitimate son of an African slave, Nanon (Ronke Adekoluejo) and a French plantation owner, Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), in a tour de force performance, rises to improbable heights in French Society as a celebrated violinist composer and fencer complete with an ill-fated love affair with Marie-Josephine (Samara Weaving) and a falling out with once friend Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) and her court. 

Others to round out the cast are Marton Csokas as Marquis De Montalembert, Alex Fitzalan as Philippe, Minnie Driver as La Guimard, Alec Newman as Poncet, Sian Clifford as Madame de Genlis, Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Christoph Gluck, Jim High as George Bologne, Joseph's father and Jessica Boone as La Arnould. 

This was directed with such pathos and with subtle nuances by Stephen Williams ("Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework" '97, "Hard Time: The David Milgaard Story" '99, "Harry's Case" 2000, "A Killing Spring" '02, "Verdict in Blood" '02) plus TV and a short. This filmmaker has a tremendous amount of TV experience, and even though he has only directed TV since 2002, he was able to delineate the direction of this with exact precision. His ability to extract the emotions that had to happen from his actors, especially from Harrison was short of phenomenal. He needs to stay with feature films for a while. It was also penned well by a virtual newcomer to feature films, Stefani Robinson (TV). Undoubtedly, her being involved with writing for TV has served her well, and it was more than likely she was able to pull off this screenplay as well as she did. Other than a couple of areas of choppiness, this script was amazing. She will receive more work as she should. This film could be up for several Oscars: costumes, production design, makeup, hair, photography and especially Kelvin Harrison Jr. as best actor. Of course, this is all dependent on what films are released from now to the end of the year--the deadline for Oscar nominations. 

Being an avid fan of classical music, I hope there is a soundtrack to this film since it was amazing. Even if you're not expressly a classical music fan, the acting and directing will be enough to woo you into the multiplex. This has it all: intrigue, drama, deception, fear and talent all rolled up in a film that will entertain. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                         Rated: PG-13                                           108mins.

Mafia Momma

Hollywood is quite known for producing a plethora of mafia themed films, i.e. 'The Godfather", "Casino", "Goodfellas", to mention a few, but they also have produced comedy films about mafia families, including "Family Business" '89, "The Freshman" '90, "The Family" '13 and others. Well, now to add to that ever growing list of comic mafia films, we have "Mafia Momma". 

An American mom, Kristen (Toni Collette) inherits her grandfather's, Don Giuseppe Balbano (Alessandro Bressanello) mafia empire in Italy. Guided by the firm's consigliere, Bianca (Monica Bellucci), she hilariously defies everyone's expectations, including her second cousin Fabrizio Balbano (Eduardo Scarpetta), as the new head of the family business. As bullets are flying, it is simply amazing how a typical American mom (who's never seen "The Godfather") can quickly learn the ropes of how to be a boss, whether by stumbling or by chance, when your very life depends on it.

Others to round out the cast are Giulio Corso as Lorenzo, Alphonso Perugini as Dante, Francesco Mastroianni as Aldo, Sofia Nomvete as Jenny, Tim Dalsh as Paul, Tommy Rodger as Domenick, Jay Natelle as Hank, Yonv Joseph as Randy and Mitch Salm as Wayne. 

This was effectively directed by Catherine Hardwicke ("Thirteen" '03, "Lords of Dogtown" '05, "The Nativity Story" '06, "Twilight" '08, "Red Riding Hood" '11, "Plush" '13, "Miss You Already" '15, "Miss Bala" '19, "The Lost Boys" (TV movie) '19, "Don't Look Deeper" '20, "Prisoner's Daughter" '22, "Tell It Like a Woman" '22) plus TV, shorts and a music video. By her very resume, this filmmaker is a seasoned director and this film showcases this. The emotions she was able to extract from her actors was over-the-top, but certainly subtle when the scene called for it, and this is the mark of a honed comedy. It was written by virtual newcomers to feature films, J. Michael Feldman (TV and a short) and Debbie Jhoon (TV and a short), based on an original story by Amanda Sthers. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Hollywood simply needs to pay extra for more seasoned writers, because then they will get back more on their investment. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a terrible film--not at all, but it isn't a great film either. First of all, it's written with a predictable plot; secondly, it has some issues with cohesiveness and continuity, but, at the end of the day, I left the theater realizing that it was better than I thought. It could've been a bit more funny, although it definitely was comedic, but a few good belly laughs would've been more effective. These writers certainly have a future in the feature film screenwriting biz--they just need more work thrown their way.

Certainly if you like mafia themed films and/or comedies that have that same topic, this film will please. I personally like Toni Collette--she gives such depth and feeling to every role she does and she's played some very interesting characters. This film just needed a bit more polish and it would've come off funnier and more entertaining.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                           Rated: R                                          101mins.

Nefarious

The genre of horror, or more to the point, demonic possession is a theme Hollywood has dabbled in for quite sometime. Mainstream films of this nature became commercialized in 1973 when "The Exorcist" first appeared. From there, the topic has spawned many films since. Even now, "The Pope's Exorcist" will be released very soon. But this weekend, "Nefarious" is the offing with a death row murderer being possessed.

On the day of his scheduled execution a convicted serial killer, Edward Wayne Brady (Sean Patrick Flanery) gets a psychiatric evaluation during which he claims he is a demon named Nefarious, and further claims that before their time is over, the psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin (Jason Belfi) will commit three murders of his own. Is this demon accurate, or is he simply manipulating the evaluation to serve his evil depravity? They both are racing against the clock since Warden Moss (Tom Ohmer) has to have the doctor's final decision by 4pm so as to have the time to prep for the execution by 11pm. 

Others to round out the cast are James Healy Jr. as Gate Guard, Glen Beck as Himself, Cameron Arnett as Trustee Styles, Jarret LeMaster as Officer Wilson, Robert Peters as Dr. Stewart, Sarah Hernandez as Corporal Mendez and Jeremy Miller as Officer Campbell. 

This was delineated with amazing grit and intensity by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon ("The Insatiable" '06, "Unplanned" '19) plus a short. The way these filmmakers were able to extract the incredible emotions it took to pull off the believability of this actor representing the presence of a demon and this desperate killer, and back again, was stunning! These directors never fail in conveying to their audience the very essence of the development of their characters. If you like their brand of directing and writing, for that matter, their "Hoops" is in pre-production. It was also equally penned by writers Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon ("The Survivor" '98, "Race Against Time" (TV movie) 2000, "Earth vs. the Spider" (TV movie) '01, "The Insatiable" '06, "What If..." '10, "Finding Normal" (TV movie) '13, "The Book of Daniel" '13, "God's Not Dead" '14, "Do You Believe?" '15, "God's Not Dead 2" '16, "Unplanned" '19, "God's Not Dead: We the People" '21) plus TV and a short. This wasn't as much a horror film as much as a psychological thriller--an actual cat-and-mouse game between this demon and the psychiatrist. As the clock is ticking, Nefarious throws so many inferences the doctor's way of information that no one else would've ever known, but Nefarious did, and this drove the doctor to distraction This was virtually a script between the two foils and a battle to see how they were going to outwit each other with several stunning revelations. Both the acting by Flanery and Belfi were captivating and kept you on the edge of your seat. Of course, these filmmaker's experience predominantly falls with the writing, however their ability to effectively direct is amazing. This script was cohesive, tight and definitely cut to the chase.

If you're into the demonic type films, you'll like this, but considering how much evil permeates this society, both Christian and non believers should be intrigued with this. On one hand it's a shot in the arm for believers or Christians to see how evil and manipulative the enemy is, and for the non-believer, it will give them an interesting insight on the demonic realm. This is written in a C.S. Lewis type of style when he wrote "The Screwtape Letters", whereas the enemy is God, the devil is the Master and Jesus Christ is 'the carpenter'. For any Christian or anyone that is open to see a world which is manipulating our society, this is a must see!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                                 Rated: R                                               97mins.

Renfield

When it comes to horror films, the ganddaddy of them all has to be Universal Pictures' "Dracula" 1931. Although there has been a bevy of incarnations since that time, it being the original simply makes it worthy of being the best. One perspective that has been overlooked in that film is that of Renfield, his assistant, which this film, "Renfield" is about, which makes this an interesting slant into the character of Dracula.

In this modern monster tale of Count Dracula's loyal servant, R.M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), the tortured aide to history's most narcissistic boss, Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage), Renfield is forced to procure his master's prey and do his every bidding no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there's life outside the shadow of the Prince of Darkness, if only he can figure out how to end his codependency. Renfield finds a new lease on life in modern day New Orleans when he falls in love with a feisty but perennially aggressive traffic cop named Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina). 

Others to round out the cast are Ben Schwartz as Teddy Lobo, Shohreh Ashdashloo as Bella Francesca Lobo, Teddy's mother, Brandon Scott Jones as Mark, Adrian Martinez as Chris, Camille Chen as Kate, Bess Rous as Caitlyn and Jenna Kanell as Carol.

This was directed with wit, adrenaline and humor by Chris McKay ("2wks, 1yr.) '02, "Robot Chicken: Star Wars III" (TV movie) '10, "The Lego Batman Movie" '17, "The Tomorrow War" '21) plus TV, a short and a video. The film being a mere 93 minute running time, McKay's pacing and timing was not only strategic, but effective as well. This film moved right along which made for an intriguing expose of the Dracula phenomenon. This filmmaker doesn't have a ton of feature film experience, but after this, he will receive more work. He has a great deal of TV experience which can and did serve him, but having him behind the camera more will only make him that much of an even better director. It was also brilliantly written by Ryan Ridley ("Our Footloose Remake" '11, "Dog World" (TV movie) '12, "Our RoboCop Remake" '14) plus TV and shorts and Robert Kirkman (TV, videos and a short). Considering the lack of experience of these writers, especially in the feature film writing part of the biz,these two produced a concise, tight, slickly written version of the very old franchise with a totally different spin--a look at the situation seen through the assistant's, Renfield's eyes. Really, besides a couple of very small areas of continuity issues, this script was spot on. And, mind you, it is rated 'R' for a reason--there is so much blood in this of people being killed, dismembered, etc, that I did have to turn my head at least once, but this about Dracula and involves a mafia mob family. Shall I go on? The special makeup effects by Tinsley Studios were effective as they were realistic. Cage as Dracula and Hoult as Renfield were perfectly cast, and others were effective in their supporting roles as well. 

If you're a fan of the Dracula 'genre', you will like this, because being a fan, those fans certainly have gotten to know the Renfield character and probably believe, as I do, that we should be able to get to know Renfield as well as the Dracula character, and this film clearly gives us that opportunity and then some. This is a great popcorn, escapism film!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                         Rated: R                                               93mins.

Paint

Through the past several decades, we've seen many biopics grace the movie screen to receive certain insights of the lives of actors, politicians, business tycoons, presidents, heads of state, sports figures, musicians--the list is endless. So now we have a film based on an inspiration of the artist, Bob Ross in "Paint".

In this story, Owen Wilson portrays Carl Nargle, Vermont's #1 public television painter who is convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke...until a younger, better artist, Ambrosia Long (Ciara Renee) steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves. Carl's station manager/friend, Tony Krut (Stephen Root) attempts to placate the two artists while the producer, Katherine (Michaela Watkins) is busy trying to get a promotion from another of the public station's offices elsewhere, that all hell breaks loose with Carl and others. 

Others to round out the cast are Wendi McLendon-Covey as Wendy, Lusia Strus as Beverly, Lucy Freyer as Jenna, Denny Dillon as PBS host, Rob Figueroa as Donald Moore, Elizabeth Henry as Bridget and Paul Kosopod as Bridget's best friend. 

This was directed with an amazing underlying intensity that slowly the audience can see when it comes to Carl's upside down world by Brit McAdams ("Triviatown" '06) plus TV and a short. This filmmaker truly had the ability to extract emotions of Carl from his actor, Wilson in order to see, slowly and gradually, but how intense Carl could become when his world doesn't go as he planned. This takes a lot of restraint when it comes to directing. It was also written as well by Brit McAdams (TV, a short and a video). Although this is a fictionalized inspired script about the famed painter, Bob Ross, I can't help but wonder why this writer did not choose to pen an actual biopic on Ross. Certainly Ross had enough fodder in his life to write an intriguing screenplay on his life. I'm not sure why--maybe McAdams couldn't get the rights from the Ross estate in order to actually write about the actual artist. Everything that embodied Ross's look (the huge perm, the pipe, the fashion), demeanor (his distinct soft-spoken voice), Owen Wilson had it down cold. This character of Carl was actually a depressing person--basically a womanizer, and definitely touted himself as not very humble. So as I'm watching this, because Carl looks and embodies that soft-spoken character, it almost forces me to think that Ross was like this Carl, even though I know he's not. It's an interesting slant on otherwise would be considered a biopic, I'm not sure if this was successful in driving home that aspect.  

One might like this, or maybe not if they liked Bob Ross, since this looks and sounds like Ross. But Carl's demeanor is most likely a far cry from that of Ross, so if you plan on seeing this, beware, this is definitely not a biopic. Carl may look and sound the part, he may work in a public TV station teaching art, but this doesn't a biopic make. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                         Rated: PG-13                                       96mins.

Air

Since Hollywood has been in existence, sports films have been a common staple genre. There are so many: "The Natural", "42", "Any Given Sunday", "Tin Cup", "A League of Their Own", "Leatherheads", "Knute Rockne All American", even "A Field of Dreams", to name a handful. Now, to add to that ever growing list is "Air" which is destined to be one of the best films this year.

This story reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then rookie Michael Jordan and Nike's fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career defining gamble of an unconventional team including Sonny Vacarro (Matt Damon), Phil Knight (Ben Affleck), Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), Howard White (Chris Tucker) and designer of the shoe Peter Moore (Matthew Maher), with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis) who knows the worth of her son's immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.

Others to round out the cast are Chris Messina as David Falk, Julius Tennon as James Jordan, Michael's father, Damian Young as Michael Jordan, Gustaf Skarsgard as Horst Dassler and Barbara Sukowa as Kathe Dassler. 

This was directed with grit, amazing timing and incredible sequencing by Ben Affleck ("Gone Baby Gone" '07, "The Town" '10, "Argo" '12, "Live by Night" '16) plus a short and a video. While Affleck has only directed four films in the last sixteen years, those films are incredibly executed in such detail and quality that I can certainly understand. These films weren't slapped together to make a quick profit, and the finished product showed. This film falls into that same category whereas the pacing, staging and timing were spot on. Affleck, like other actors that have delved into, has become a director as well as acted in many films. And like some other directors, although he is a talented actor if given the right role, he has definitely found his niche as an extremely talented director. In my opinion, he's gotten to a place where if I see his name as director of a film, I will go see it just knowing that fact. His characters simply came alive in this, and even though the actors are very talented, it takes fine directing to encourage these actors to really get into their respective roles. If you like Affleck's brand of directing, both his "Witness for the Prosecution" and "The Lost Cities" are in development. It was brilliantly written by Alex Convery, a virtual newcomer to screenwriting. This guy has never written a feature film, TV show, short, video, etc, yet this was concise, cohesive, methodical and entertaining, all the while being informative about what actually happened with Nike and its team to bring them from the financial gutter. If this is the first screenplay Convery has created, I can't wait to see what he'll be writing next. 

If your a basketball fan, or Jordan fan, you'll love this, but even if the topic of basketball doesn't move you, the acting, directing and writing are amazing and makes the telling of this story that much more effective along with being entertaining for all.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                        Rated: R                                            111mins.

His Only Son

Every year at approximately this time, an Easter oriented film is released, and with next week being Easter week, "His Only Son" was released as the offing. There are aplenty of stories in the bible that would be amazing subjects in which to write and convey to an audience, and this story, however is known by many, it is no less profound.

This story is the first feature length film chronicling one of the most controversial moments in all of scripture--when the Lord God (voice of Daniel da Silva) gave Abraham (Nicolas Mouawad) the ultimate test by commanding him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Edaan Moskowitz) on the mountain of Moriah. Answering age-old questions as to why the Lord would require such a sacrifice, "His Only Son" profoundly explores mankind's relationship to God and encourages viewers to turn inward and ask: Can your faith still stand when you are asked to give everything?

Others to round out the cast are Sara Seyed as Sarah, wife of Abraham, Ottavio Taddei as Kelzar, Nicolai Perez as Eshcolam, Luis Fernandez-Gil as Eliezer, Scot Cooper as the Centurion, Arianna White as Harlot and Alexandria Lior as Stolen Daughter. 

This was directed with such pathos and conviction by David Helling (shorts). This filmmaker has directed a number of shorts which I'm sure enabled him to direct with an amazing sense of feeling, and therefore was able to extract the incredible emotions out of his actors. Even though this is only his first outing as a feature film director, this filmmaker will certainly go far in this biz. This film was also incredibly well chronicled by writer David Helling (shorts). This story is told as an alternate flashback and present situation so as to understand why Abraham was on this trek to Moriah in order to perform this sacrifice. There's a certain amount of backstory involved in order to prep the audience. Since this is a well known biblical story, suffice it to say, the Lord ends up not having Abraham sacrifice his son. This certainly does not spoil the plot since, as stated, this is well known. This isn't because God changed His mind. This sacrifice was to test Abraham's faith, so he had no other way to think, but to realize that, for some reason, God wanted him to take his son's life. This story was chronicled according to scripture and you could see the agony Abraham was going through up until they reached Moriah. This was written in a concise, cohesive, tight and thought out way where it really teaches us all of what would we do.

To go back to the preface, will our faith still stand if asked to give up everything? In today's world, that could mean giving up things or people in one's life that cause you to consistently stumble or sin. This is what makes this film convicting, but in a good way. We all have fallen short of the glory of God, which means we all have sins, issues, problems, you get the point. This is a film that needs to be seen by all--old, young, male female. I beseech all to see this with an open mind so you can make a more meaningful decision in your life. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                            Rated: PG-13                                          106mins.