E.J. Holowicki Movies
A pedal-to-the-metal race car determined to prove his worth on the tracks discovers that life isn't always about crossing the finish line first in Toy Story director John Lasseter's mechanically minded tale of friendship and loyalty. Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) may be just a rookie, but he's convinced that he can realize his dream of zooming by the checkered flag if he can only make it to California in time to compete in the upcoming Piston Cup Championship. When Lightning takes a detour into the slow-moving, Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, however, it begins to appear as if his shot at the big time has effectively stalled out. Of course, Lightning's exciting cross-country trek wasn't all for naught, and after befriending such quirky Radiator Springs residents as Sally the Porsche (voice of Bonnie Hunt), Doc Hudson (voice of Paul Newman), and Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy), the eager young racer learns that sometimes life is more about the voyage than the outcome of the race. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, (more)
- 2005
Compared frequently to Wim Wenders's Buena Vista Social Club (1998), the thoughtful and heartfelt documentary Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars (2005) combines the musical elements of that earlier work with a distinctly uplifting and optimistic sociopolitical undercurrent. The story begins in the early '90s with the eruption of the civil war that plagued the beleaguered West African nation of Sierra Leone -- displacing thousands in its wake. Among the dispossessed came six young indigenous musicians who decided to form a band and use music to heal the scars of their homeland. Those artists -- Francis "Franco" Lagba, Alhadji "Black Nature" Kamara, Reuben Koroma, Efuah Grace, Abdul Rahim "Arahim" Kamara, and Mohammed Bangura -- form the basis of an extraordinary story told by directors Banker White and Zach Niles in this film. The filmmakers follow the musicians on a heart-rending tour of the Leonean refugee camps, observe the recording session for their debut album, and unflinchingly witness the group's homecoming, several years after a bloody conflict tore the nation in half. Through it all, the group repeatedly demonstrates how music can become a vital instrument for social change. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reuben M. Koroma, Francis John Langba, (more)
