Step Up Revolution (2D)

A waiter in Miami and his best friend perform flash mobs. They hope to get 10 million hits and win a youtube contest for $100,000. The waiter meets a girl who happens to be the bosses daughter. She wants to be a modern dancer and her father wants her to help him run the business. Her father decides to buy the land where the waiter and his friends/family live and work to build a bunch of hotels. So, now the flash mob instead of entertaining is doing it in protest. The love scenes are cheesy and boring. The dance scenes are AMAZING!!!!! All in all, I say: if you like dance & flash mobs - SEE IT - the music isn't too bad either.

The Sound of Mumbai: A Musical

Not really a musical, this is a documentary about a group of poor Indian children that are given the opportunity to sing songs from The Sound of Music with the Mumbai orchestra. The will be able to perform in front of hundreds of wealthy Indians and their parents. Problem: everyone that is helping them - the German conductor and the wealthy Indian widow - they don't realize the damage they are doing and have done to the kids. I was disgusted by the end of the film - at no time did any of the adults ever say to the kids, "This opportunity will NOT change your position in life - you will still be poor when you wake up tomorrow." All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Supernaturalists

A new series from the writer of Artemis Fowl. A group of kids think they are fighting the good fight - the are trying to destroy a blue species they think sucks the life out of humans. It turns out they only suck pain out of people. A corporation to trying to use the species to make money, and the supernaturalist find themselves on the side of the blue creatures. There was a lot of unnecessary detail and it seemed to go on forever - I think because he wants it to only be the beginning of a new series. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Loving Story / Mr. & Mrs. Loving

 Released in 1996 this TV docudrama starred Hutton (Leverage) as a white man in Virginia that fell in love and married a long time friend played by Rochon. Here's the catch - segregation and Civil Rights Movement in full swing. In Virginia it was against the law to marry someone of another race. Mrs. Loving was part black part Native American. The movie focuses mainly on their love and their arrest. All in all, I say: SKIP IT not like you have a choice I don't think it's available anywhere to see. Why skip? The documentary below is better.

Released in 2011 after several major players have died. It uses photographs, tv interviews, interviews past & present with the lawyers, relatives, and the Lovings themselves. There is also actual audio from the Supreme Court. Loving v Virginia went to the Supreme Court and thanks to Warren and the other Justices - interracial couples were legally allowed to marry after this case. They had three children. You may think, what's the big deal just leave Virginia. But it was their home - all their friends and family lived there and city life was no place during that time to raise kids. Richard loved his wife more than anything and wanted her happy and being home made her happy. The were arrested twice and two civil rights lawyers new to the profession took their case all the way to the Supreme Court. They are both shy, so sometimes I squirmed when they were being interviewed because I knew they weren't enjoying it too much. All in all, I say: SEE IT it is an important part of the civil rights movement and our history.

Renee Fleming: A YoungArts MasterClass

A documentary short about 4 students that win a class from a master. Fleming is one of the world's best and most famous Opera singers. The four students want to be world class opera singers one day - they get advice from Fleming and she also shows them behind the scenes of her life. It is inspiring to see young artist. All in all, I say: SKIP IT though unless you like opera.

Stranger No More (tissue please)

HBO Documentary about a school in Tel Aviv, Israel. It is made up of mostly immigrant children. They fled violence and death in countries like Sudan. They learn to speak and write Hebrew, and they find love, safety, and education at this school. The teachers do an amazing job. The students are so resilient. You are not a human being if you don't cry when you hear some of the stories the kids have to tell about their experiences. One of the boys had been fleeing his whole life - fled from war in Eritrea and Ethiopia to refugee camps - never seeing a school until he was 12 years old and the school is one in Israel where people speak Hebrew - the Language teacher is just phenomenal. To us in the States fleeing to Israel for peace seems a little strange considering, but these parents and kids see it as peaceful compared to where they came from & if that fact alone doesn't make you cry or make your heart feel heavy then I just don't know.... All in all, I say: SEE IT especially if you are a teacher.

Contagion - I know April, you warned me

This is a horror movie plain and simple. Don't ever touch a doorknob or eat pig in China. I've read Hot Zone and seen the movies before - epidemics and plagues. This was just so horrible - the scenario. I know it can happen, but as a slight germaphobe I would like to live in lala land and pretend it never will. All in all, let's all agree it never happened - what? what never happened?

Dark Knight Rises

AMAZING! I love this movie - the BEST Batman movie ever!! There are three surprises at the end that I never saw coming. People cried in this - people shouted out No in this - people clapped at the end of this. The directing, the screenplay, the cinematography, the special effects, and the acting were some of the best ever. I love Bale (as Batman) and he did an excellent job as always. Caine (as Alfred) is still in this and the emotion almost made me cry in one scene - he does something almost unforgivable. Hardy (as Bane) is just as kick ass as he was in This Means War and Warrior - he will make an excellent Mad Max in the remake - can't wait for that. Oldman (as Commissioner) is humble in this - very well done. Gordon-Levitt (as policeman Blake) as a huge secret - I never saw it coming because I'm a tard. Hathaway makes an excellent Cat Woman better than the last one. Cotillard (from Inception same as Gordon-Levitt) must be a favorite of Nolan - the director. Freeman as Fox with his gadgets - good. Modine (Full Metal Jacket), Sunjata (Rescue Me), Gillen (The Wire), Carbonell (Ringer), Cullen (remake of Red Dawn), Lee (Grimm), Estes (Blue Bloods), Wisdom (The Wire), Stewart (Dirt), Devane (Stargate SG1), Neeson (Taken), Murphy (Inception), and a few more added to supporting cast - hell supporting - it's a ton of people that could carry their own movie, so by them supporting they just made this an Oscar contender. All in all, I say: SEE IT at least a couple of times and then buy it when it comes out.  I don't need to cover the plot do I?

Meet My Mom

IMDb summarizes it perfectly, but before I post that I have to warn you it's a Hallmark movie from Levinson - those of you that indulge on occasion like those of you that occasional indulge in Lifetime movies know what that means without me having to describe. Lori Loughlin from Full House plays the mom. Johnny Messner (Tears of the Sun) plays the soldier. "Ten year old Jared Marshall's life crumbled down after his parents' divorce a year ago. Not only does his dad put his job first since, mother uproots him from Iowa by moving in with her ma so she can take a job in California. When Jared's class writes letters to US troops in Bosnia from the nearest base, kindhearted Sergeant First Class Vince Carerra, who grew up fatherless and got divorced because his wife wasn't faithful while he was on tour of duty, takes to the kid and starts a correspondence with 'fatherly' advice. Once his unit returns to Fort Sebastian, Vince calls on Jared's home, warmly welcomed. Vince becomes Jared's personal baseball coach and after some Cupid encouragement, his mother's boyfriend, but on an understanding not to commit because he's likely to be redeployed."  All in all, I say: if you like a Hallmark then SEE IT.

The Devil's Whore (not porn!)

Filmed in South Africa but produced by channel 4 in UK. It was a four part mini-series that had some fictional and some true events and characters. The main character is fictional - some of the men that appear in the film are real. Andrea Riseborough from WE stars along with Dominic West (The Wire) and Michael Fassbender (Shame). Some of it is romantic nonsense and some of it delves into the historical background of the English Civil War. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like UK mini-series drama - SKIP IT if you are thinking movie quality.

Dennis Miller: The Big Speech

Shown live in 2011 by HBO specials. Dennis Miller is back. He is as I remember him from his show Dennis Miller Live. I do not agree with all his political views, and as always I am completely lost at some of his references, but I remember how intelligent he is. I still prefer Colbert and Stewart though. All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you are a big fan.

Citizen USA: A 50 State Road Trip

The filmmaker goes to all 50 states to film and talk to people who are becoming naturalized citizens. This documentary really reminds Americans what it means to be an American. I think we all need to be reminded - many of us take things for granted. There was a less than 1% chance when I was born that I would be born  a white, middle class, female, American and I should never forget the privileges and responsibilities that come with that. I am so grateful to be an American.

The Bengali Detective

An HBO documentary about a group of private detectives in India. The owner deals with the sickness and death of his wife during the filming. He and his detectives also try out fotr a dancing tv show during filming. It gives you another look at India other than Slumdog Millionaire or a Bollywood movie. It does, like Slumdog,  point out the deficiencies of the Indian police department- about 70% of all murders in India are never solved and in this film you get a glimpse as to why that is. IMDb writes, "Chubby, dance-obsessed private-detective Rajesh Ji and his motley band of helpers tackle poisonings, adultery and the occasional murder on the frenzied streets of Kolkata."All in all, I say: SEE IT.

Poster Girl

An HBO documentary that examines life for vets once they are out of the war. The problems they face with health care, being paid, and getting their mental health back on track. This focuses on one woman in particular who at 18 was given a lot of responsibly - she has a very difficult time readjusting and living with her actions during the war. She turns to art and therapy to help get back on track. The scenes with her mom are difficult to watch if you have kids especially. IMDb writes, "Apple pie cheerleader turned tough-as-nails machine gunner in the Iraq War, Sgt. Robynn Murray comes home to face a new kind of battle she never anticipated ." All in all, I say: SEE IT most of us have no idea what veterans go through. 

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

I watched this again for a second time on tv when my DVR recorded it on its own. Based on a Patrick O'Brian novel this movie was perfect. The screenplay, the cinematography, and the acting all top notch. It is hard to make a movie at sea, but this one is one of the best. IMDb describes the movie as such: " During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America." Russell Crowe (Gladiator) is the commander of the ship and he is at his Gladiator weight and look. Paul Bettany (A Knight's Tale) is his friend, resident doctor, and naturalist. You'll see some Hobbits in this - but not as Hobbits of course. All in all, I say: SEE IT it's not too manly man.

Northward to the Moon

Sequel to My One Hundred Adventures. The main character Jane has been with her sister, two brothers, her mother, and step-father in Canada. When her step dad's job falls through the family packs up and heads into Carrier country. Once there the tribe tells her step dad his brother left him a bag of money - they want nothing to do with the money that is probably from ill gotten gains. They decide to take them money back, and on their jounrey they meet the step dad's mother and three sisters. A lot of family drama. This is not a very exciting book what made it enjoyable was the figurative language Horvath uses - she has a way with words. All in all, I say: READ the series.

Casa de Mi Padre / Anchorman / Step Brothers

 A cheesy movie made to look like a low budget 70s Mexican soap opera. They stop scenes every now & then to sing. They mess up on editing constantly. There are scene inconsistencies on purpose. The love scene is between Ferrell and a mannequin. Also in the film and I'm not sure why they did it - Gael Garcia Bernal (Amorres Perros)and Diego Luna (Y tu Mama Tambien). It was soooooo bad - All in all, I say: SKIP IT

 Makes fun of 70s media personalities and how sexist things were. It goes way over the top and how could it not with a cast like Paul Rudd (I Love You  Man), David Koechner (The Office), and Steve Carell (The Offcie). I like Applegate (Up All Night), but the humor in this was sooooo bad. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Ferrell and Reilly who did another bad comedy together are step brothers. Their parents meet and fall in love - the boys are in the late 30s, but still living at home. They act like they are 12 almost the entire movie except at the very end when they grow up. There are strange and uncomfortable moments throughout. Steenburgen (Four Christmases) is the only good thing about this movie. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Bel Ami

A poor soldier (Pattinson from twilight) returns from war determined to never be poor again. Three married women are his key to prosperity and happiness (Thurman from Kill Bill, Ricci from Sleepy Hollow, and Scott Thomas from Sarah's Key). He seduces them, ends up marrying and divorcing one of them, and ends the movie married to the daughter of one of them. He is constantly paranoid and scheming. The clothing is really cool in this. The women do a great job. Pattinson falls a little short in my opinion - I don't think he was ready to carry a period piece like this. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Triangle: Remembering the Fire

A short documentary from HBO films. 129 women and 17 men died in a clothing factory in 1911. They died for several reasons - the fire escape was too narrow for everyone to fit (not required to be wider), the fire escape doors opened out to the stairs and not in to the room which means they were blocked by people exited (not required to open a certain way), there had been no practice fire drills (not required), there were no sprinklers even though they had been invented and would lower your insurance rates (not required), the operator on the 8th floor where the fire started warned the 10th floor people but not the 9th floor people, doors on one side of building where locked because the owners wanted everyone to exit where security could check their belongs (not unlocked when fire started), and the floors were crowded (not required to spread things out). The elevator made about 16 trips to help women escape the 9th floor, but soon workers were throwing themselves down the elevetor shaft to escape the fire and this causes the elevator to break. When the exits where blocked many stood on the small ledges outside the windows hoping the firemen would get them - the fire ladders stopped at the 6th floor - they were too short. So, women started jumping off the buildings. This documentary had present day relatives of those who died detailing what their family went through - workers, owners, and government. There were a lot of photographs and newspaper articles to add to the storytelling. It was hard to watch, but relevant to what goes on around the world today. Instead of New York City in 1911 think Bangladesh in 2012. All in all, I say: SEE IT - I have studied the labor movements of the Progressive Era, but never knew this had happened. Those who died are still celebrated and mourned to this day.

Political Animals

Sigourney Weaver (Avatar) is a former 1st lady of the White House - her husband is played by Ciaran Hinds (Persuasion 1995). They get divorced after she loses the nomination to run for President against Adrian Pasdar (Heroes) who asks her to be his Secretary of State - starting to sound a little like Bill & Hillary Clinton? Hinds character had some sex scandal when he was in office too. She has 2 sons - one works for her and is getting married - the other is a drug addict and is gay. Carla Gugino (Karen Sisco tv series) plays a reporter that was harsh on the 1st Lady, but is now her biggest ally in Weavers next attempt to run for office. In between all the drama there is real politics taking place - in the 1st episode there are innocent journalists about to be executed in Iran. It was well mixed and did not have a soap opera feel to it. It is limited which means there will be an ending and no climax at the end left to be resolved - I hope. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Hesher

Gordon-Levitt (Inception) is an amazing actor. He does a great job playing a drugged out metal head in this film. His character comes across a young boy that has recently lost his mother and is being bullied. In his own criminal way Hesher manages to help the kid find his path. He also manages to help the boy's dad (Rainn Wilson from The Office) wake up from his grief. His character tells these crude and messed up metaphors to explain himself and his behavior. He gets under the skin of the other characters as well as the audience. Natalie Portman (The Professional) also stars. All in all, I say: RENT IT - it gets on your nerves, but somehow Gordon-Levitt makes it work.

The Big Year

Wilson, Black, and Martin are all birders - they take an entire year to see and log all the birds they see - traveling all over the place to see as many as they can. The person that sees the most birds in a year is listed in a birding magazine and declared the best birder in the world. That's the back story - while all this is going on the 3 men each face different conflicts in their life. Black (Kung-fu Panda) wants to connect to his father (Brian Dennehy from Silverado) and fall in love (Rashida Jones from The Office). Wilson (Cars) wants to beat his own record set a couple of years ago and make sure no one else does, but he loses his third wife. Martin (Parenthood) wants to retire and spend his days with his wife (JoBeth Williams from Poltergeist) and grandson. Joel McHale (Community) and Kevin Pollack (A Few Good Men) also have some scenes. It was subtle and well done. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Your Highness

Let me explain - I couldn't sleep. It makes fun of medieval time period pieces with their quests and saving the innocent. I admit I did chuckle a couple of times, only a couple of times. Most of the humor was crude or slapstick. All in all, I say: SKIP IT.

Cedar Rapids

Ed Helms ( The Office) plays Tim an insurance salesman from a quiet mid-western town where all he knows is knesty and truthfulness. He parents are gone and he wants nothing more than a family of his own - he is just going about it int he wrong way. The top salesman at his job dies, so he is picked to go to the annual convention where he must win for his boss (Stephen Root from Office Space) a prestigious award that his predecessor has won three years in a row. He meets up with 3 other salesmen/women (Anne Heche, John C. Reilly, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr from The Wire) and learns a lot of life lessons in a short time. All in all, I say: SEE IT it surprised me. Also, Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) is in it.

Cracker Barrel

The best place to eat when you are on a road trip. Yes, there is an app for that - it will tell you where the restaurants are located. Many of the stores have audio books that can be checked out & returned at other locations. There is tons of candy & other road food - cheap toys for kids. I like all the breakfast foods especially bacon, the BLT, the chicken & rice, and the hash-brown casserole is amazing. Sweet tea no matter where in the country you are!!!! And that is hard to find. All in all, I say: EAT THERE while you wait there are games to be played and plenty of rocking chairs.

Highland Bakery

Known for their breads, cupcakes, and yummies - also make a curry chicken salad sandwich to die for. There are 3 locations - I have been to Midtown and Old Fourth Ward - I recommend the one in the highlands aside from obvious reasons it has more space. The one in midtown is more of a carry out type of place. All in all, I say: EAT THERE

Oranges and Sunshine

Based on a book which is based on the true story of a social worker in 1980s England who discovered her own country had until the 1970s illegally deported 300,000 children that were in the care of the state to Australia. Once there, they worked as child slaves for several different organizations. The social worker uncovered the stories of the children and is to this day still helping the children find their families in England. Many of the children were taken from their parents and when the parents came to get them back they were told the kids had been adopted - the children were told their parents had died. What makes this movie rated R are the stories that some of the boys tell - what happened to them when they arrived at a boys camp run by the Catholic Church, so you can imagine what the stories were about. The actors in this film are a who's who of Australian Film - Hugo Weaving (Matrix - FYI he was actually born in Nigeria), David Wenham (300), Tara Morice (Strictly Ballroom), and British actress Emily Watson that won an award for Breaking Waves. I cried several times. All in all, I say: SEE IT especially if you want to feel a little better about how the American Empire has used people - see how the British Empire has used people.

Rampart

Kind of a character study more than a traditional cop movie with a plot complete with climax and resolution. Woody plays a cop that has killed a lot of bad guys - he gets caught on tape beating someone that was obviously out to get him. He thinks he is being set up by his own department to deflect the media from another larger scandal. He lives behind both his ex-wife's houses - he has a kid with each. What makes this film interesting is the supporting cast: Sigourney Weaver, Ice Cube, Ben Foster, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Steve Buscemi, Robin Wright, and Ned Betty. The screenplay by James Ellroy and the cinematography really make this film - Harrelson is as always amazing. All in all, I say: STREAM IT or RENT IT but you really have to be in a gritty mood - the outcome is not going to be what you expect or hope for.

Watermelon - seedless

Seedless watermelons are NOT genetically modified - they are a hybrid. Seedless requires bees to pollinate, so as our bee population diminishes so too will our seedless watermelon. Watermelon is believed to have been first grown in the wild in southern Africa. Since then, it has been mentioned in the Bible, found in tombs in ancient Egypt, and the largest producer is now China. It is 6% sugar and 92% water, and has vitamin C, beta caroten, and lycopene. I love watermelon. I remember spitting seeds off of Nana and Papa's porch which caused watermelons to grow in Nana's flower bed. I pick it out of fruit salads. What makes me sad? This year the taste and quantity have not been the same. All in all, I say: EAT IT with or without seeds - even as a juice.

Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story

Broken down into categories like history and collectors, this documentary not only explains how monopoly came into being, but how people around the world have become obsessed with it. Every four oor five years there are monopoly championships all over the world like US, Norway, Japan, and Mexico. The winner from each country send someone to the world championship - the last winner was from Norway. All in all, I say: STREAM IT if you like documentaries - if not SKIP IT - FYI the  movie says the best way to win is not to have the blue, but the orange & trade, trade, trade!

Ice Age: Continental Drift

4th film in the series - all the same characters plus 2. Manny's daughter is grown and plays a role. Also, Diego meets someone special. Sid gets to take care of his grandmother. Our 3 main characters are separated from the herd and end up fighting it out with pirates. They manage to get back to the herd in time to be lead to safety. All in all, I say: SEE IT only if you have seen the other 3 and are seeing it with kids otherwise forgetaboutit.

XIII - tv series

See older post for movie info. Stuart Townsend (from Queen of the Damned born in Ireland and once with Charlize Theron) takes over where Dorff left off in the movie. He has changed his face and is looking for anyone that can fill him in on who he is & what lead to him losing his memory. He has help from the same people and has to worry about the same people from the movie. In the 3rd episode the girlfriend is killed and so I say sayanara or goodbye. The action is good, but not good enough without the girlfriend. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Touching Evil

Robson Green before he played in Wire in the Blood - I bet he didn't need to audition for Wire in the Blood after the producers saw him in this. It went for 3 seasons. It's an evening UK show. Which means there were 2 - 2 hour shows a year for 3 years. We don't really call them series shows in the US. He works for a special squad that is a lot like the FBI - they handle serial killer type cases or high profile cases. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like UK crime shows. There is just something about Green - I think he's handsome.

Final Witness

I hate reality tv - so where am I going with this? Final Witness is based on reality. The producers use actors, real footage, and real people to show you a crime that really happened. Not bad, cheesy actors though. The entire one hour show is narrated by the victim. That part is fictional and based on the events that were pieced together during the investigation, but it really makes it more human. The show puts the humanity into the crime, so you are forced to really recognize what happened - happened to a real person and deserves to be remember. Kind of hard to explain, but it is quite powerful. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like crime tv shows otherwise SKIP IT because (especially the first show) it can really be emotional. You get the title now, right? The final witness to every crime is the victim.

Perception

Long time watchers of Will & Grace you really have to block out all memories of that character in order to give this new show a shot. It is clever - kind of based on a show from the UK. A professor with a mental illness helps the FBI catch killers. It is funny and well filmed. The actors work well together. The cool part is trying to figure out who is real and who is a figment of his imagination. Also, his lecture at the beginning of the first show is pretty heavy. All in all, I say: TRY IT - only one show in, but I was intrigued.

McLeod's Daughters - Australian

I write Australian because the show appears in several different countries. There were 8 seasons total of this show - it may look familiar if you watch the Hallmark channel. Hallmark US has had some of the episodes as well as the tv movie the series was based on. The series is much better than the tv movie. The fist 5 seasons are the best. Season 6 is ok, 7 is desperate, and 8 is a complete waste of time. Keep in mind it is a prime time drama - so a night time soap basically. Why would I like it? It takes place out in the country of Southern Australia - in real life, to make the show more real, it was filmed on a working ranch. All the actors do their own riding and almost all their own stunts. The biggest problem with the show over the years - the main characters keep leaving and so the writers of the show have them die or move to Argentina - by the sixth season it feels a little like a joke with the show's writers. It was cancelled in season 8 with good reason, but when you have been with a show for so long it is still sad to see it go. All in all, I say: STREAM IT. Netflix has released the shows. See the guy from Glades (season 7 & 8) in his first tv show appearance - see the blond from Against the Wall in her first show appearance (Season 1-6). You will recognize some of the guest stars as many now work in the US.

Longhorn Steakhouse

Based on my email most everybody knows I love steak, but I do love me some swine. Longhorn has Cowboy Chops - that is 2 pork chops on the bone cooked with spices. That has been my favorite dish there for quite some time. They have added green beans to the menu, but as always they have good fries and good potatoes. I like their house salad and the specials are pretty good. My mom's vegan and she enjoys a nice lunch there too sometimes. All in all, I say: EAT IT, eat it you stupid cow.

Local Republic

A restaurant in Lawrenceville - some seats at bar, inside, and outside under umbrellas. Beer and wine tastings often. The food is amazing - I had a Caesar salad called E Tu Brute and a burger called Republic. The meat was local obviously and totally amazing. The best part of the entire meal, however was the bacon. Oh my Buddha but it was amazing. All in all, I say: EAT IT, eat it you stupid cow :)

Mercenaries

Netflix describes this movie as follows: "Andy Marlow, formerly of British special forces, joins with three other mercenaries on a dangerous mission to hunt down the Croatian military leader who engineered the assassination of the Serbian president and the kidnapping of a U.S. ambassador." The only person I recognized was the head of the US military played by Billy Zane. All in all, I say: SKIP IT. Boring.

Machine Gun Preacher

Why wasn't this movie a wide release? I have studied the conflict in Sudan - past and present - I know what is going on with Kony and his child soldiers, but it was good to this from a different point of view. Netflix writes, "Gerard Butler stars in this true-life story of Sam Childers, a drug dealer who turns his life around to become a spiritual warrior. His mission? Rescuing child soldiers in the Sudan from lives ruined by their forced participation in bloody conflict." Butler (from 300) does an amazing job – the emotion he can portray with just his facial expressions, his eyes is amazing. Michelle Monaghan (from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) does a good supporting job. Souleymane Sy Savane (from Goodbye Solo) proves he is an amazing actor yet again. There are some scenes that are very hard to watch – you will cry – but it necessary for people to see this and really get a picture of what it is like in Sudan. Whether or not you believe what the news and politicians tell you the war is far from over. All in all, I say: RENT IT & then tell your friends to do the same. The second picture is that of the real Sam Childers who still operates in Africa to this day.