Drumline (2002)

Starring:

• Nick Cannon
• Zoe Saldana
• Orlando Jones

IMDB.com
A fish-out-of-water comedy about a talented street drummer from Harlem who enrolls in a Southern university, expecting to lead its marching band's drumline to victory. He initially flounders in his new world, before realizing that it takes more than talent to reach the top.

I'm not a musician and know little about marching bands. However, this movie captivated my attention. The athleticism of these musical marchers was something I had never thought about until watching this excellent movie. The music is wonderful and the drumline competition puts the dueling banjos of yesterday to shame. The story line delivers a good message of how raw talent can be molded into disciplined success. The concept of teamwork and individual goals are blended into a believable and inspiring movie. I found the acting to be very good and will look for the cast in future movies. Nick Cannon and Orlando Jones never leave any doubt about the characters they are playing.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Starring:

• Xolani Mali
• Don Cheadle
• Sophie Okonedo

IMDB.com
Ten years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda--and in an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. In the face of these unspeakable actions, inspired by his love for his family, an ordinary man summons extraordinary courage to save the lives of over a thousand helpless refugees, by granting them shelter in the hotel he manages.

Antwone Fisher (2002)

Starring:

• Derek Luke
• Malcolm David Kelley
• Denzel Washington

IMDB.com
The protagonist, Antwone Fisher is played by the up and coming young actor, Derek Luke. Luke is a young sailor, filled with rage, easily provoked, and often unable to control his emotional outbursts. His temper soon earns him several mandatory sessions with a naval psychiatrist; played by Denzel Washington (he also directed the film). Early on, their personalities clash, but eventually Washington unlocks the two sources of Luke's anger-an abusive childhood and a pervading fear of being abandoned.

The film takes us on a journey of Luke's life, one marked by periods of intense loneliness and sadness while being driven by a constant search (an obsession) for family. It is through Luke's life that we learn that perseverance can carry us through the periods of darkness and eventually deliver some form of happiness

By counseling and befriending Luke, Washington enables him to deal with his lifelong sadness and move on. When the film wants to grab at your heart, it succeeds with good writing and convincing performances by Luke and Washington. In a graphic abuse scene from Luke's childhood, Washington artistically and gutterly insures that we not only empathize with Antwone, we personally experience his helplessness. This scene, which showcases Washington's directorial skill, places Luke in a full frontal position, trembling, with the whites of his eyes looking directly at the camera (the viewer). Anyone watching the screen can't help but be mesmerized by the abject fear in Luke's eyes.

As the film progresses, Washington, the director, introduces two minor twists to the plot. The first highlights Luke's reluctance to trust as he begins dating for the first time. This sub-point is purposeful and displays the infinite lingering effects of Luke's childhood on his adulthood. The second involves martial (family) problems within the psychiatrist's life which, while ironic, is never developed.

Much like his performance as a compassionate lawyer in Philadelphia, Denzel Washington's screen presence in Antwone Fisher commands our attention and emotions, leaving few dry eyes in the theater. This film's writing, direction and acting exposes our souls and grabs our hearts.

Othello (1995)

Starring:

• Laurence Fishburne
• Irène Jacob
• Kenneth Branagh

IMDB.com
Director Oliver Parker wanted to make Othello a more "pacy" story, so he omitted quite a lot of the original text when writing this version for the screen. Luckily, the cuts and alterations that he has made do little damage to the old Shakesperean chestnut. I wouldn't say that any of the tweaks are particularly for the better, but the essence of Shakespeare's tale of envy, jealousy and deceit is so powerful that it would take a bungling fool - an Ed Wood wannabe, for instance - to rob it of its power. The weighty themes shine through as strongly as ever in this latest presentation.

Laurence Fishburne plays the titular character, a renowned Moorish soldier. His courage has impressed young Venetian lady Desdemona (Irene Jacob) and the pair of them secretly marry. However, her father is displeased by this secret ceremony and he warns Othello that if she can deceive her own father then she may one day do the same to him. One of Othello's soldiers, Iago (Kenneth Branagh) fails to get a promotion of rank which he feels he deserves, and to gain revenge he engineers a series of lies and incidents designed to convince Othello that his wife is being disloyal to him by fornicating with another man.

Inevitably, viewers may find themselves comparing this version with other productions. How does it rank alongside the 1952 Orson Welles version and the 1965 Laurence Olivier one? To be honest, it depends upon the viewer. Purists would probably opt for the Olivier offering, since it is only very slightly abridged and contains such strong performances that all four lead actors earned Oscar nominations. Film buffs might go for the Welles version, with its moody b&w lighting and a now-classic murder scene, not to mention the fact that the production history itself is as fascinating as the story. This version will undoubtedly find favour with viewers more inclined towards modern tastes. It has high production values, a sweeping score, accessible delivery of the lines, flashy photography, and "cool" stylistic touches (Fishburne's head tattoo, for instance). Personally, I feel the 1952 Othello will always be the benchmark, but this one is reasonably well made and it compares quite favourably with other versions.