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John Matshikiza Movies

2003  
R  
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Martin Campbell directs the romantic adventure Beyond Borders. Angelina Jolie stars as Sarah Jordan, a American living with her wealthy British husband, Henry Bauford (Linus Roache), in London during the early '80s. At a charity benefit, she meets passionate relief worker Nick Callahan (Clive Owen), who chastises the rich people for not helping out the needy in war-torn countries. Sarah is quickly compelled to join his humanitarian cause to fight the famine in Ethopia. She then follows him to Cambodia, where they start up a love affair and Nick gets involved in an arms-smuggling operation before they finally end up in Chechnya. Teri Polo appears as Sarah's international journalist sister, Charlotte. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

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Starring:
Angelina JolieClive Owen, (more)
 
2000  
 
One man's dedication to "learning by doing" has dangerous consequences when he tries to land a TV role as a criminal in this drama set in South Africa. Sox Moraka (Tony Kgoroge) is a young actor from a comfortable, middle-class background who thinks he may have gotten his big break when he auditions for a television series, playing the roughneck leader of a township street gang . However, Sox flubs the audition, and the producers inform him he's just not convincing in the role. Eager to prove that he can play "street" if he wants to, Sox connects with Zama (Rapulana Seiphemo), a friend from childhood who is now a hard-core gang banger, and asks Zama to show him the ropes. While it soon becomes obvious to Zama and his partners Joe (Makhaola Ndebele) and Fly (Percy Matsemela) that Sox is out of his element on the streets, Sox is determined to prove himself -- so much so that he crosses the line from observer to active participant, putting himself in grave danger. Hijack Stories was shown at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival, where it opened the "Planet Africa" series. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Rapulana Seiphemo
 
1994  
 
This South African slapstick comedy that contains a strong message against racism. Two former childhood friends, Rhino and Zulu, are reunited after 25 years when Zulu is deported for stealing cars in the U.S. and must return home. Rhino's former girlfriend, Rowena, a white supremacist whom he eventually married then divorced, was one of the reasons Zulu left South Africa. Zulu is to do time for his crimes. He is escorted to prison by Rowena's new boyfriend, an insane Nazi. On route, Zulu escapes and takes with him a winning lottery ticket. As he runs from his pursuers he again reconnects with Rhino and Tienke, his adopted daughter. They get help from a TV make-up man who makes Rhino black and Zulu white, giving each of them a taste of the other's lives. Together the two sneak into one of Rowena's parties and promptly get caught. If they do not return the lotto-money, they will be killed. Tienke saves the day with the help of Prince William of Windsor who has snuck away from a royal tour. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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Starring:
Leon SchusterJohn Matshikiza, (more)
 
1994  
R  
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Living up to its tagline, "Payback can be deadly," this installment in the popular-on-video Kickboxer series follows the travails of a displaced fighter out to avenge his friend's death. Stepping in for former hero Sasha Mitchell -- who in turn stepped in for original Kickboxer Jean-Claude Van Damme -- is Mark Dacascos, playing Matt Reeves, the longtime buddy of David Sloan (formerly Mitchell, here played by an uncredited actor). When he finds out that Sloan was murdered after refusing to join a nefarious boxing organization, Reeves travels to South Africa to get Bollen (Greg Latter), the evil leader of the cult-like federation. Redemption: Kickboxer 5 was given the "Redemption" prefix upon its 2003 video release. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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1993  
PG  
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It's off to Africa for a former B-ball player who'd like to find a top-notch basketball recruit to help him become a successful coach. Kevin Bacon has the lead in this Paul Glaser-directed film. ~ Rovi

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Starring:
Kevin Bacon
 
1993  
R  
In this erotic thriller, a luckless yacht captain is accused of tossing the millionaire boat owner into the briny and then raping the drowned owner's luscious young girl friend. The millionaire's twin brother is the one calling it murder. Fortunately a feisty old lawyer abandons retirement to defend the hapless captain. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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1993  
R  
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In this stylish supernatural horror story, Hitch (Robert Burke), a mysterious loner, wanders the deserts of the African nation of Nambia as he searches for the lost and suicidal. Hitch is wanted by the police in connection with the death a woman whose blood was used in a strange magic ceremony. A shaman consulted by the police and a pathologist investigating the killing believe that Hitch is a "Dust Devil," an evil spirit who can shift shape at will, taking the form of a man when it's convenient. Meanwhile, Hitch encounters Wendy (Chelsea Field), a woman who is despondent after the collapse of her marriage. Wendy gives him a ride along a lonely highway, and later that night, as Wendy contemplates suicide, Hitch waits patiently outside her door. The next day, Wendy runs into Hitch again and casually looks through his bag to discover that it's filled with human fingers. Convinced that Hitch is no harmless eccentric, she tries to escape, but she discovers that he's difficult to get away from; meanwhile, Mark (Rufus Swart), Wendy's ex-husband, is searching for her, convinced that she's fallen victim to foul play. Dust Devil has been released in a number of different forms; the original European cut ran 125 minutes, while the American version, which features redubbed voices and a different narration, ran only 87. The "final cut" prepared by director Richard Stanley, meanwhile, is 103 minutes in length. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Robert John BurkeChelsea Field, (more)
 
1987  
PG  
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Richard Attenborough directed this dramatic story, based on actual events, about the friendship between two men struggling against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) is a white liberal journalist in South Africa who begins to follow the activities of Stephen Biko (Denzel Washington), a courageous and outspoken black anti-apartheid activist. Woods and his wife Wendy (Penelope Wilton) get to know Biko, and they become friends, until Biko is brutally murdered at the hands of government troops in 1977 for his activities against the country's repression of the black majority population. Donald is shocked and appalled by Biko's murder and determined that the truth about Biko will become known to the world; eventually, Donald and Wendy Woods and their children must leave South Africa (and nearly everything they have) as they spread the word about Biko's life and death to ensure that he did not die in vain. Washington received an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Biko. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Kevin KlinePenelope Wilton, (more)
 
1987  
 
Described as a "biographical drama," the made-for-TV Mandela is the story of South African human-rights advocate Nelson Mandela, who at the time this film was made was in the 25th year of a prison sentence. Covering the years 1948 to 1987, the film traces Mandela's (Danny Glover) matriculation from young lawyer to fervent anti-Apartheid political activist. At first a proponent of nonviolence, Mandela is radicalized after the Sharpeville massacre of 1960. Thrown in jail by the white-dominated government in 1962, Mandela passes the cudgel to his wife Winnie (Alfre Woodard), who perseveres despite constant persecution from the powers-that-be. Understandably concentrating on Mandela's private life, the film is somewhat wanting in terms of personal glimpses, but this is a forgivable creative lapse. Likewise excusable is the partisan nature of Ronald Harwood's teleplay. Filmed on location in Zimbabwe, Mandela originally ran 139 minutes when it first aired September 20, 1977 over the HBO Cable service; it was subsequently shortened to 135 minutes when shown on network television. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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1985  
 
This French-Belgian co-production is set in a remote, squalid South African farm. Jane Birkin stars as Magda, the "proper" farmer's daughter who murders her father (Trevor Howard) when she learns of an affair between him and a local woman (Nadine Uwampa). By rights, Magda should leave for parts unknown at this point. Instead, she becomes obsessively involved in the lives of her father's mistress and her native husband (John Matshikiza). An inevitable second tragedy results. A multiple award winner, Dust was adapted by director Marion Hansel from In the Heart of the Country, a novel by J.M. Cotezee. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Jane BirkinTrevor Howard, (more)