Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson, Wade Major and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases. We also talk about the challenges and woes of mastering biopics, and want to hear from listeners about your favorite biopics of all time.
FilmWeek: ‘Leap!,’ ‘Birth of the Dragon,’ ‘Bushwick’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson, Wade Major and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases including:
- " Leap! " in wide release
- " Birth of the Dragon " in wide release
- " Bushwick " at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
- " Crown Heights " at ArcLight Hollywood and on Amazon Prime
- " England is Mine " at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
- " Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World " at Nuart Theatre
- " Beach Rats " at ArcLight Hollywood
- " The Villainess " at AMC Dine-In Sunset
- " Death Note " at iPic Westwood and on Netflix
- " Terminator 2: Judgment Day 3D " (1991 re-release) in select theaters including many of the AMC theaters
Critics' Hits
- Wade: "Crown Heights"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgrFRyMsWiY
- Amy: "Terminator 2: Judgment Day 3D" (1991 re-release)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcDe5xWejas
- Charles: "Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni7fAqjA0BE
Mixed Feelings
- Amy: "Bushwick"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv_z5nyggJs
- Wade: "England is Mine"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DHJa10Sa8A
Misses!
- Charles: "Leap!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXiDCWxF30U
- Wade: "Bushwick"
Guests:
Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and host of The Canon ; she tweets
Wade Major , film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com
Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine
The challenges of mastering the art of the biopic
One of the more highly-anticipated film releases this week is the Bruce Lee biopic “Birth of the Dragon.”
Set in 1960s San Francisco, it’s inspired by true events from Lee’s life: opening a martial arts school in the Bay Area, his struggle between his Chinese heritage and his passion as he faces pressure from the Chinese community to stop teaching kung fu to non-Chinese, and the fulcrum of the entire film - the legendary fight between Lee and Wong Jack Man, master of the Shaolin Temple - the details of which are shrouded in mystery to this day.
On the surface, it might seem like a biopic would be one of the easier genres to pull off on the big screen. Being based on a real person means the characters and story are already written. But for as many films like “Ray,” “Gandhi,” “Lincoln” and “The Social Network” that have been lauded and even awarded, there are others like “The Fifth Estate,” in which Benedict Cumberbatch plays Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, or the Tupac Shakur biopic “All Eyez on Me,” which produced less-than-impressive results at the box office. Filmmakers have said it’s a challenge of both casting and storytelling. Directors must find the exact right person for the leading role, someone who doesn’t just embody the spirit of the protagonist, but can capture the person’s idiosyncrasies and quirks and transform him or herself into that person. Others say the struggle is finding the right angle which captures the essence of the person being depicted without trying to cover every single detail of his or her life.
What differentiates the worthy biopics from the bad bunch? Which biopics stand out to you as the best of all time? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and host of The Canon ; she tweets
Wade Major , film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com
Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine