Gugu Mbatha-Raw joins 'Free State of Jones'; 'Deadpool' adds TJ Miller and Ed Skrein

 2014 was basically the year of Gugu Mbatha-Raw. The British actress, who got her cinematic career started in Larry Crowne, wowed audiences in both the period drama Belle and the music world romance Beyond the Lights. Now she's set to join Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey in the Civil War film, Free State of Jones. Directed by Gary Ross and based on a true story, it follows soldier Newton Knight who rebelled against the Confederacy during WWII and attempted to establish the "Free State of Jones" in Mississippi. McConaughey takes the lead role while Mbatha-Raw will play a slave named Rachel who forms a relationship with Knight. [TheWrap]

20th Century Fox's X-men universe is growing, and while fans are eager for The Wolverine 2 and X-men: Apocalypse, there's also a Gambit film on the way and the forever-developing Deadpool starring Ryan Reynolds. Deadpool already promises to be a wild, mouthy, R-rated bonanza but it promises to be even funnier now that TJ Miller (Big Hero 6, Silicon Valley) is joining the cast. Miller will be joined by Ed Skrein (Game of Thrones) in the anti-hero flick about the infamous "merc with a mouth" who debuted on-screen in X-men Origins: Wolverine. Miller's role is said to be a comedic one, which isn't much of a surprise, and for me I can only hope he takes on the role of Deadpool's beleaguered weapons dude, Weasel. Skrein could be up for the villain, although there's no word on what character that could be. [TheWrap]

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'Selma', 'Dear White People' Lead 15th Annual Black Reel Awards Nominations

The Black Reel Awards, of which I am a voting member and is run by my good friend +Tim Gordon, have announced their nominees honoring the best in African-American cinema and TV for 2014. Leading the way with 10 nominations apiece were Ava DuVernay's stirring Martin Luther King Jr. biopic, Selma; along with Justin Simien's debut feature, the racial satire Dear White People. Both DuVernay and Simien were nominated for Outstanding Director, joined by Chris Rock for Top Five, Gina Prince-Bythewood for Beyond the Lights, and Amma Asante for Belle.

Besides the strong showings by Dear White People and Selma, the greatest individual honors belongs to breakout star Gugu Mbatha-Raw who must compete against herself in the Outstanding Actress category for her performances in Belle and Beyond the Lights. She's joined in the race by Tessa Thompson for Dear White People, Quvenzhane Wallis for Annie, and Top Five's Rosario Dawson. Chadwick Boseman enters the Outstanding Actor field once again, this time for his role as James Brown in Get On Up. Others in the category include Chris Rock for Top Five, Denzel Washington's brutal turn in The Equalizer, Nate Parker for Beyond the Lights, and David Oyelowo for Selma.

The full list of nominations is below. The Black Reel Awards will be announced on February 22nd.

Outstanding Motion Picture

• Belle | Damian Jones (Fox Searchlight)
• Beyond the Lights | Stephanie Allain, Amar’e Stoudamire, Reggie Rock Bythewood & Ryan Kavanaugh (Relativity Media)
• Dear White People | Justin Simien, Angel Lopez, Lena Waithe, Ann Le, Effie Brown & Julia Lebedev (Lionsgate/ Roadside Attractions)
• Selma | Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & Christian Colson (Paramount)
• Top Five | Scott Rudin & Eli Bush (Paramount)

Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture

• Chadwick Boseman | Get on Up (Universal Pictures)
• David Oyelowo | Selma (Paramount)
• Nate Parker | Beyond the Lights (Relativity Media)
• Chris Rock | Top Five (Paramount)
• Denzel Washington | The Equalizer (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Actress, Motion Picture

• Rosario Dawson | Top Five (Paramount)
• Gugu Mbatha-Raw | Belle (Fox Searchlight)
• Gugu Mbatha-Raw | Beyond the Lights (Relativity Media)
• Tessa Thompson | Dear White People (Lionsgate/ Roadside Attractions)
• Quvenzhane Wallis | Annie (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture

• Nelsan Ellis | Get On Up (Universal)
• David Oyelowo | A Most Violent Year (A24)
• Tyler Perry | Gone Girl (20^th Century Fox)
• Wendell Pierce | Selma (Paramount)
• Michael K. Williams | The Gambler (Paramount)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

• Viola Davis | The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (The Weinstein Company)
• Carmen Ejogo | Selma (Paramount)
• Teyonah Parris | Dear White People (Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions)
• Zoe Saldana | Guardians of the Galaxy (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Octavia Spencer | Snowpiercer (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Director, Motion Picture

• Amma Asante | Belle (Fox Searchlight)
• Gina Prince-Bythewood | Beyond the Lights (Relativity Media)
• Ava DuVernay | Selma (Paramount)
• Chris Rock | Top Five (Paramount)
• Justin Simien | Dear White People (Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions)

Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted), Motion Picture

• Gina Prince-Bythewood | Beyond the Lights (Relativity Media)
• John Ridley | Jimi: All is by My Side (XLrator Media/ Open Road Films)
• Chris Rock | Top Five (Paramount)
• Misan Sagay | Belle (Fox Searchlight)
• Justin Simien | Dear White People (Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions)

Outstanding Documentary

• Anita: Speaking Truth to the Power | Freida Lee Mock (Samuel Goldwyn)
• I Am Ali | Clare Lewins (Focus World)
• Keep on Keepin’ On | Alan Hicks (Radius-TWC)
• Time is Illmatic | One9 (Tribeca Film)
• Virunga | Orlando von Einsiedel (Netflix)

Outstanding Ensemble (Awarded to Casting Directors)

• Belle | Toby Whale (Fox Searchlight)
• Dear White People | Kim Coleman (Lionsgate/ Roadside Attractions)
• Get On Up | Kerry Barden & Paul Schnee (Universal)
• Selma | Aisha Coley (Paramount)
• Top Five | Victoria Thomas (Paramount)

Outstanding Foreign Film

• Difret (Ethiopia)| Zeresenay Mehari  (Moving Turtle)
• The Double! (U.K.) | Richard Ayoade (Magnolia Films)
• Fishing Without Nets (Kenya) | Cutter Hodierne  (Drafthouse Films)
• Freedom Road (South Africa) | Shane Vermooten (Media Village Productions)
• Half of a Yellow Sun (Nigeria) | Biyi Bandele (Monterey Media)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male

• Brandon Bell | Dear White People (Lionsgate/ Roadside Attractions)
• David Gyasi | Interstellar (Paramount)
• Andre Holland | Selma (Paramount)
• Stephan James | Selma (Paramount)
• Tyler James Williams | Dear White People (Lionsgate/ Roadside Attractions

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female

• Jillian Estell| Black or White (Relativity Media)
• Patina Miller | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 (Lionsgate)
• Teyonah Parris | Dear White People (Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions)
• Amber Stevens | 22 Jump Street (Columbia/ MGM)
• Kuoth Wiel | The Good Lie (Warner Bros.)

Outstanding Voice Performance

• Vin Diesel | Guardians of the Galaxy (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Morgan Freeman | The LEGO Movie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Maya Rudolph | Big Hero 6 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Zoe Saldana | The Book of Life (20^th Century Fox)
• Damon Wayans Jr. | Big Hero 6 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

MUSIC

Outstanding Score

• Terence Blanchard | Black or White (Relativity Media)
• Kathryn Bostic | Dear White People (Lionsgate/ Roadside Attractions)
• Danny Bramson & Waddy Wachtel | Jimi: All is by My Side (XLrator Media/ Open Road Films)
• Mask Isham | Beyond the Lights (Relativity Media)
• Jason Moran | Selma (Paramount)

Outstanding Original Song

• “It Ain’t Easy” from Top Five | Written & Performed by: Questlove & Elza Colby (Paramount)
• “It’s On Again” from The Amazing Spider-Man 2| Performed by: Alicia Keys & Kendrick Lamar; Written by: Alicia Keys, Pharrell Williams, Hans Zimmer & Kendrick Lamar (Sony Pictures)
• “Glory” from Selma | Performed by: John Legend & Common; Written by: John Legend, Common & Che Smith (Paramount)
• “Grateful” from Beyond the Lights | Performed by: Rita Ora; Written by: Diane Warren (Relativity Media)
• “What is Love” from Rio 2 | Performed by: Janelle Monae; Written by: Janelle Monae, Nathaniel Irvin III and Roman Irvin (20^th Century Fox)

INDEPENDENT

Outstanding Independent Feature

• 1982 | Tommy Oliver
• Christmas Wedding Baby | Kiara C. Jones
• CRU | Alton Glass
• The Retrieval | Chris Eska (Variance Films)
• Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind | Richie Adams

Outstanding Independent Documentary

• 25 to Life | Mike Brown (AAFRM)
• Evolution of a Criminal | Darius Clark Monroe
• Let the Fire Burn | Jason Osder
• Oscar Micheaux: The Czar of Black Hollywood | Bayer Mack
• Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People | Thomas Allen Harris

Outstanding Independent Short

• #AmeriCan | Nate Parker
• Muted | Rachel Goldberg
• The Voodoo | Steven Alexander

TELEVISION

Outstanding Television Documentary or Special

• Finding the Funk | Nelson George (VH1)
• Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown | Alex Gibney (HBO)
• On the Run Tour: Jay-Z & Beyonce | Jonas Akerlund (HBO)
• The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip-Hop | Billy Corben & Alfred Spellman (VH1)
• Terror at the Mall | Dan Reed (HBO)

Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series

• A Day Late and a Dollar Short | Tom Leonardis, Jeffrey M. Hayes, Bill Haber & Whoopi Goldberg (Lifetime)
• Gun Hill | Daniel Hank (BET)
• Rosemary’s Baby | Zoe Saldana, Cisely Saldana, Mariel Saldana, Tom Patricia & Robert Bernacchi (NBC)
• Seasons of Love | Joshua A. Green, Asger Hussain & Yaron Schwartzman (Lifetime)
• The Trip to Bountiful | Bill Haber, Cicely Tyson, Hallie Foote & Jeff Hayes (Lifetime)

Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series

• Charles S. Dutton | Comeback Dad (UP)
• David Alan Grier | An En Vogue Christmas (Lifetime)
• Ving Rhames | A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
• Keith Robinson | Lyfe’s Journey (UP)
• Larenz Tate | Gun Hill (BET)

Outstanding Actress, TV Movie or Mini-Series

• Whoopi Goldberg | A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
• Imani Hakim | The Gabby Douglas Story (Lifetime)
• Letoya Luckett | Seasons of Love (Lifetime)
• Zoe Saldana | “Rosemary’s Baby” (NBC)
• Cicely Tyson | The Trip to Bountiful (Lifetime)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series

• Richard T. Jones | Lyfe’s Journey (UP)
• Harry Lennix | The Fright Night Files (TVOne)
• Mekhi Phifer | A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
• Blair Underwood | The Trip to Bountiful (Lifetime)
• Bokeem Woodbine | The Fright Night Files (TVOne)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Mini-Series

• Tichina Arnold | A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
• Kimberly Elise | A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
• Aisha Hinds | Gun Hill (BET)
• Anika Noni Rose | A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
• Vanessa L. Williams | The Trip to Bountiful (Lifetime)

Outstanding Director, TV Movie or Mini-Series

• Reggie Rock Bythewood | Gun Hill (BET)
• Stan Foster | My Other Mother (UP)
• Princess Monique | Seasons of Love (Lifetime)
• Russ Parr & R.L. Scott | The Fright Night Files (TVOne)
• Ryan Richmond | Lyfe’s Journey (UP)

Outstanding Writing, TV Movie or Mini-Series

• Reggie Rock Bythewood | Gun Hill (BET)
• Shernold Edwards | A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
• Dayna Lynne North | An En Vogue Christmas (Lifetime)
• Peres Owino & Sharon Brathwaite-Sanders | Seasons of Love (Lifetime)
• Kimberly Walker | Comeback Dad (UP)

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The Hottest Leading Ladies of 2014

James Brown told us "It's a man's world", but the ladies own us guys heart and soul. Every year I like to take a look back at some of the leading ladies who really got my engine going over the last twelve months, both with their stunning beauty and incredible performances. While I could easily just chart them based on who was sexy, that wold lead to Kate Upton being on here for The Other Woman, and that simply can not be allowed to happen. Are there some personal favorites on here who probably wouldn't turn up on other lists? Absolutely. You all know my thing for Zoe Bell. But can I also say that every woman on this list did tremendous work this year? Damn right...even if some of the movies they were in weren't so great. Frankly, I like the idea of any list that allows me to put Zoey Deutch alongside Jessica Chastain. Plus it's not completely lost on me that Rosario Dawson has now made the list two years in a row. Rosario Dawson is everything. Nor can I escape the fact that most of the roles these women played were either psychotic or incredibly violent.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the hottest leading ladies of 2014, and be sure to check out our other "End of the Year" lists!

Zoe Bell- Raze

Tessa Thompson- Dear White People

Stacy Martin- Nymphomaniac

Zoey Deutch- Vampire Academy

Eva Green- 300: Rise of an Empire and White Bird in a Blizzard

 

Shailene Woodley- White Bird in a Blizzard

Emily Blunt- Edge of Tomorrow

Emily Browning- God Help the Girl

Rosamund Pike- Gone Girl

Hana Selimović- The Disobedient

Gugu Mbatha-Raw- Beyond the Lights

Katherine Waterston- Inherent Vice

Evangeline Lilly- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Jessica Chastain- A Most Violent Year

Rosario Dawson- Top Five

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AAFCA Names Ava DuVernay's 'Selma' Top Movie of 2014; Tyler Perry wins for 'Gone Girl'

The SAG Awards may have shut out Ava DuVernay's Selma, but that isn't keeping the anticipated drama down one bit. The African American Film Critics Association announced the winners of their 2014 AAFCA Awards, with Selma coming out as the big winner. The film not only earned DuVernay the win for Best Director, but star David Oyelowo earned Best Actor while Selma was listed as the top movie of the year. In a surprising choice, Octavia Spencer won Best Supporting Actress for the child custody drama, Black or White, a film that hasn't been getting such strong buzz. Gugu Mbatha-Raw won Best Actress for the period film, Belle, while another film she starred in, Beyond the Lights, won Best Screenplay for writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood. And don't be shocked, but Tyler Perry won an acting award (!!!) for his slick performance as lawyer Tanner Bolt in Gone Girl.

The full list of winners is below. The AAFCA Awards ceremony will be held on February 4th 2015.

Best Actor  —  David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Best Actress — Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “Belle”
Best Supporting Actress — Octavia Spencer, “Black and White”
Best Supporting Actor  —  Tyler Perry, “Gone Girl”/J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Best World Cinema —  “Timbuktu”
Breakout Performance — Tessa Thompson, “Dear White People”
Best Director  —  Ava Duvernay, “Selma”
Best Screenplay —  Gina Prince-Bythewood, “Beyond the Lights”
Best Music  —  John Legend/Common, “Glory” (from “Selma”)
Best Ensemble  —  “Get On Up”
Best Independent Film —  “Dear White People”
Best Animation — “The Boxtrolls”
Best Documentary — “Life Itself”

AAFCA voters' top 10 movies of 2014:

“Selma”
“The Imitation Game”
“Theory of Everything”
“Birdman”
“Belle”
“Top Five”
“Unbroken”
“Dear White People”
“Get On Up”
“Black and White”

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Review: 'Beyond the Lights' starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nate Parker

Fourteen years ago Gina Prince-Bythewood delivered one of the best modern romances featuring African-American stars in Love & Basketball. The film established her as a filmmaker willing to take a hard line with her characters; to show the complexities in them, both the good and bad, set inside an insular world few of us are familiar with. That she was able to make a film about a black relationship that wasn't just about their blackness was refreshing then and is just as much now with Beyond the Lights, a steamy, passionate romance set in the not-so-glitzy world of showbiz.

What? I know you're shocked that being famous isn't all it's cracked up to be. That story has been trotted out on the silver screen so often it deserves a genre to itself. So at least in one regard Beyond the Lights is a little familiar, but the execution of it, thanks to Prince-Bythewood and her two magnetic stars are what elevate the material. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, so impressive earlier this year in Belle, does a complete 180 as Noni, a biracial pop music superstar raised on the hard-scrabble streets of England by her fame-seeking mom (Minnie Driver). Quick as lightning she's gone from having nothing to having everything; paparazzi following her every move, a super-hot rapper boyfriend, and a debut album on the way expected to sell millions. But being an auto tuned pop starlet isn't who Noni wants to be. There's so much more she has to offer if only someone would "see" her. Fortunately, stoic and handsome LAPD cop Kaz Nicol (Nate Parker) does see Noni throwing herself off a balcony in a drunken fit of depression. Saving her and showing far more concern for her than mommy dearest, Noni decides she wants to keep Kaz around for a little while as her personal bodyguard. Yes, this is basically A Star is Born mixed with The Bodyguard, but you won't have to worry about any lame serial killer subplots getting in the way of passionate embraces.

The nuts and bolts we recognize, but Prince-Bythewood uses the premise to explore issues of race, sexuality, and identity, in particular for women who find themselves in the public spotlight. While her intensely sexual public persona is what sells records and keeps mom happy, in private Noni sees herself as Nina Simone, one of the most fiercely independent African-American singers of her time. At the same time Kaz is dealing with his own identity issues, squabbling with his father (Danny Glover) who thinks kickin' it with a saucy pop star is no way to launch a political career. But is that what Kaz really wants? Both lost in the expectations of others, it's no surprise when Kaz and Noni become lovers, defiantly fighting for a chance to just be themselves. One of the things that made Love & Basketball work so well and is recaptured here is that despite all of the ups and downs these lovers endure, there is a fundamental respect between them. Kaz and Noni push one another to be their best, even without realizing it. It's rare to find a filmmaker who can make both a great date night movie that is also a nuanced critique on anything, but Prince-Bythewood is one of those who do it with ease. She gets plenty of support by Parker and Mbatha-Raw, who smolder in their scenes together. I've been saying for years that Parker is the next Denzel Washington; he's got the kind of presence that is undeniable, powerful and instantly commanding. Mbatha-Raw takes what could have been a "woe is me" role and brings real gravitas to it. Tasked with basically playing two characters: the stage "Noni" and the genuine, unglamorous Noni, Mbatha-Raw excels and both and makes us believe someone like Kaz could love her.

While the use of Nina Simone's "Blackbird" (also the film's original title) is overdone and Prince-Bythewood doesn't dig into the gender politics of fame deeply enough, Beyond the Lights is an impassioned film about being true to oneself, in career and in love. 

 Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Albert Brooks Join Concussion Drama, Idris Elba and Dominic West Voice 'Finding Dory'

 A rising star and a screen veteran are coming aboard Will Smith's drama centered on concussions in the NFL. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who turned heads earlier this year in Belle, and Albert Brooks have joined Smith in the untitled film to be directed by Peter Landesman (Parkland) and produced by Ridley Scott. Based on a GQ article, the films follows  "Dr. Bennet Omalu (Smith), the forensic neuropathologist who single-handedly made the first discovery of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a professional football player and brought awareness to the public." [Variety/Deadline]

The Wire reunion!!!!!! Well, sorta. Idris Elba and Dominic West of the legendary (no b.s. there) HBO series have come on to voice characters in Finding Dory, Pixar's sequel to Finding Nemo. No word on who they'll be voicing but who cares about that when you've got West telling Shortlist that he keeps in regular contact with much of The Wire's cast. Dude. So why aren't you all doing more movies together? Why aren't you beating down HBO's door for The Wire to be a movie? Anyway, Finding Dory opens June 17th 2016 and  stars Ellen Degeneres, Diane Keaton, Albert Brooks (there's that name again), and Willem Dafoe.

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Nate Parker and Gugu Mbatha-Raw go 'Beyond the Lights' in New Trailer

Hard to believe it has been fourteen years since Gina Prince-Blythewood directed Love & Basketball, a film many (like myself) look at as part of a particularly strong wave of African-American cinema. She's been pretty quiet since then, at least on the big screen, with her last movie the 2008 adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees which was about as enjoyable as a bee sting. But now she's back and boasting another gorgeous cast with Beyond the Lights, a film that finds romance within the music industry.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, coming off an acclaimed performance in Belle, stars as Noni Jean, an award-winning singer succumbing to the pressures of fame. But just as she's on the verge of a breakdown she's rescued by the relationship she forges with Kaz (Nate Parker), a police officer who "sees her" for who she really is. It basically looks like somebody wanted to remake The Bodyguard without being obvious about it, but the cast, which includes Minnie Driver and Danny Glover, is strong enough to warrant this a little bit of attention.

Beyond the Lights opens November 14th.


Beyond The Lights Official Trailer #2 (2014) - Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Minnie Driver Movie HD by MovieTampan

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Review: 'Belle' Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Tom Wilkinson

The painting of Dido Elizabeth Belle and her cousin Elizabeth currently hanging in Scotland's Scone Palace is fascinating for a number of reasons. The first is the striking beauty of the two women, and the obvious closeness of the two women. Both are clearly aristocratic to some degree, judging by their clothing and the very regal nature of the portrait itself. And it's that last aspect which makes the image all the more interesting, because Dido is black, a fact which would normally have her removed from the ways and means of aristocrats in 18th century England, where slavery was still very much a part of life.

There are faint echoes of 12 Years a Slave in Belle, Amma Asante's first directorial effort since 2004's accomplished debut, A Way of Life. What's missing is the emotional backbone to support Dido's uncommon story that saw her stuck between a world of privilege and one of subservience. Breaking free of the formulaic, saggy screenplay is the title performance by Gugu Mbatha Raw, who shows Dido to be a woman of exceptional inner strength. The illegitimate daughter of Admiral John Lindsay (Matthew Goode) and a slave, Dido was sent to live on the palatial estate of his uncle, William Murray (Tom Wilkinson), the 1st Earl of Mansfield. There she was treated as one of the family, becoming good friends with her cousin Lady Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon), and enduring the initial discontent of Murray's wife (Emily Watson).

"I am too high to eat with the servants, too low to join you at dinner", Dido says at one point, and it's true that being a part of high society has as many restraints as privileges. While loved and cared for by her family when alone, Belle is spirited off to other corners of the home when guests arrive, lest her presence offend their delicate sensibilities. The convergence of race and gender issues are skillfully dealt with when Dido suddenly becomes wealthy, granted an annual inheritance by her father. Now Dido finds she is suddenly very desirable to men who would otherwise turn up their nose at her, while her less financially secure cousin struggles to find a man who will accept her unconditionally. For women, upward mobility is all about money and power, nothing more. Mention love and you're likely to get scoffed at. But Dido is fortunate as she is granted the wealth to make decisions for herself, something most women do not have the luxury of.

"I have been blessed with freedom twice over."

Less effectively portrayed is growing debate over slavery taking place in England at the time, with Murray presiding over the real-life case of the Zong massacre, in which over 140 slaves were dumped off a ship in order to collect the insurance money on them. Dido is seen as forceful voice of reason in William's ear, and she finds support in the fiery rhetoric of upstart lawyer, John Davinier (Sam Reid), a suitor unlike any she has met before. Fitting with the film's generally shallow approach, little is seen of the harsh realities of slavery, preferring to tackle it through mechanical speeches on justice and equality. The lack of passion detracts from a handsomely photographed film and Mbatha-Raw's stirring attempt to do Dido's story proper justice.

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Review: 'Odd Thomas' Starring Anton Yelchin and Addison Timlin

It didn't take long for Dean Koontz's Odd Thomasnovels to hook me. Literally within a couple of pages he had established this wonderfully weird concoction, an offbeat paranormal mystery and hard-boiled gumshoe story with a protagonist as odd as his name.  Through a series of mostly compelling adventures Koontz has walked a very fine balance, one where inherent quirk of the premise must often give way to darkness of a brutal nature. See, Odd Thomas can see the lingering spirits of the dead, and uses that ability to avenge their deaths. It's not the sort of tone one would expect an unabashed tentpole director like Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) to be able to pull off, and while it's far from perfect, fans of Koontz's titular hero will be more than happy.

To Sommers' credit he sticks with what he knows, picking up the face and sprucing up Koontz's story, so that the film resembles an episode of dearly-departed series, Dead Like Me. It's a change that works better than one would think, mainly due to a confident star in Anton Yelchin and the peculiarity of the lead character. Odd, his parents meant to name him Todd but forgot the 'T', is a seemingly normal fry cook living in Pico Mundo, Nevada where there are all sorts of weird occurrences he's more than equipped to handle. More than just "seeing dead people", Odd can see the nastiest secrets murderers try to hide, and he can even glimpse future horrors before they happen in an effort to stop them.

At a brisk 90 minutes, Sommers wastes no time introducing us to Odd's world, with extensive narration cutting down on the massive amounts of exposition that occasionally bog down Koontz's books. More casual viewers will appreciate the steady presence of Willem Dafoe as town sheriff Wyatt Porter, who shares in Odd's secret. His greatest source of back-up is his feisty and loyal girlfriend, Stormy Llewellyn (Addison Timlin), and together they have a little Nick & Norah Charles thing goin' on as they try to decipher the latest weirdness around town. A carnival fortune predicted they were "destined to be together forever", and it's a fate constantly put to the test by crazy cultists, ethereal death demons known as bodachs, and gun-toting madmen.

Koontz's original story doesn't call for a lot of huge set pieces, but what few there are Sommers brings his big studio muscle to at least give them a nice polish. The bodachs are appropriately sinewy and slithery, but you can tell that there's been some significant trimming during the explosive finale. Mostly the budgetary constraints are a minor bump that can be easily overlooked thanks to Yelchin, who makes for a more dashing hero than Odd Thomas was ever designed to be. It works in this context, though, and he's even better when bantering back-and-forth with Timlin. It's safe to say that everything about their relationship in the novels is faithfully recreated here, including the stuff that isn't so much fun. Sommers, who adapted the screenplay himself, clearly has a passion for the material and Koontz's bizarre short order cook.

It's a shame there's been such a negative stigma attached to this film due to the months of legal wrangling that has kept it out of theaters indefinitely. Some will see that, Sommers' name and the fact that it's only available On Demand and take that as a reason to stay away. But fans of the book will be extremely happy, and those less familiar will find Odd Thomas to be a funny and endearing curiosity.

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First Trailer for Historical Drama 'Belle' Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Steve McQueen's unrelenting 12 Years A Slave (review here) is in theaters now, and while the film has been greatly buzzed about and is all but a lock for the Oscars, it's going to be too tough for many to sit through. But for those who, for whatever reason, are looking for a film that follows similar thematic territory, there has been a great deal of positive talk surrounding Belle, a period drama directed by Amma Asante. The film premiered at Toronto last month and while it's still a ways off from hitting theaters, Fox Searchlight is riding 12 Years A Slave's coattails to start getting the word out.

Starring the extremely talented Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Larry Crowne) in her first feature film lead, the true story centers on Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate biracial daughter of Royal Navy Admiral Sir John Lindsay, who is raised as an aristocrat by her great uncle (Tom Wilkinson) and aunt (Emily Watson). Despite her priviledged status, Belle's mixed race heritage continues to be an issue in an England where slavery is still a way of life.

Co-starring Tom Felton, Sarah Gadon, Miranda Richardson, and Matthew Goode, Belle opens on May 2nd 2014.


BELLE Movie Trailer by GaMeFORGaMeRz

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