Helena Spring Movies
- 2010
- PG13
An educator must stand up for the rights of an unusual student in this drama from director Justin Chadwick, which is based on a true story. In 2002, the government of Kenya announces that free education will be available to the nation's children for the first time, and as principal Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris) enrolls hundreds of new first grade students in her ramshackle school, she's greeted by one prospective student who stands out -- N'gan'ga Maruge (Oliver Litondo), who is 84 years old. Maruge is illiterate and wants the chance to improve himself before it's too late; Obinchu initially turns him away, but Maruge isn't easily dissuaded, and after he keeps returning to the school Obinchu agrees to let him enroll. When word gets out that an octogenarian farmer is attending Obinchu's school as a first grader, many in the community are puzzled and outraged, and the news media picks up on the story, turning it into a nationwide controversy. But Maruge stands firm, and as others learn his remarkable story -- he was a rebel soldier who fought for Kenya's freedom during the colonial era -- his need to educate himself no longer seems like the eccentric whim of an old man. The First Grader was an official selection at the 2010 Telluride Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Oliver Litondo, Naomie Harris, (more)
- 2010
A man who makes his living being funny isn't so happy when life turns the joke on him in this comedy from writer and director Craig Freimond. James (Carl Beukes) is a comedy writer who works on one of South Africa's top sitcoms. James has developed a dangerous addiction to cocaine, and though the drugs are bad for his health and emptying his bank account, for James the biggest problem is that they've robbed him of his sense of humor. Between cocaine, his parents' recent move to Australia, his girlfriend's decision to leave him for someone less interesting and the crime, instability and duster salesmen that seem to be inescapable parts life in Johannesburg, James is falling apart, and his friends decide he needs to check into rehab. James is shipped off to a facility in Daspoort where most of the patients seem significantly crazier than he is, and therapy consists of prayer and pop songs of the 1960s. Eventually, James escapes and makes his way back to Johannesburg, where he has to put his life back together on his own. Jozi was an official selection at the 2010 Palm Beach International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 2009
Nelson Mandela is one of the most important political activists of his generation. As the leader of the African National Congress, Mandela was one of the most eloquent and powerful spokesmen against the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and even through he was sentenced to life behind bars in 1964 for his efforts to create a military wing for the ANC, he remained a powerful symbol in the battle against racial inequality in South Africa. After his release in 1990, Mandela continued to campaign for an end to minority rule, an era that came to an close in 1994 when he was elected president of South Africa in the nation's first election which allowed all citizens to freely participate. Mandela left office in 1999, but has continued to work tirelessly as a voice for human rights around the world. Filmmaker Catherine Meyburgh offers a moving portrait of the life and work of Nelson Mandela in the documentary Viva Mandiba: A Hero For All Seasons (aka Viva Nelson Mandela), which includes interviews with such friends and colleagues as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pik Botha, Oliver Tambo and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 2009
- Add Barack Obama: People's President - The Campaign That Changed History to Queue Add Barack Obama: People's President - The Campaign That Changed History to top of Queue
This political documentary uses social commentary and media analysis to determine how President Barack Obama's landmark 2007 campaign leveraged issues, perceptions, culture and news in order to find such immense success against seemingly impossible odds. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
- 2009
This inspirational documentary celebrates the life and career of anti-apartheid activist, lawyer, and former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela. Journeying behind the public image to understand the man, the film examines the personal struggles and victories that Mandela underwent as he led his people to freedom. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
An American family on vacation in Africa are stalked by lions after becoming lost in a game reserve in director Darrell James Roodt's fierce, wilderness-based thriller. Bridget Moynahan and Peter Weller star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bridget Moynahan, Peter Weller, (more)
- 2006
Controversial South African helmer Darrell James Roodt (Sarafina!, Yesterday), writes and directs the experimental melodrama Faith's Corner. The effort (which recalls and suggests influence by Ousmane Sembene's 1966 Borom Sarret) weaves the tale of an impoverished mother named Faith (Leleti Khumalo) who travels to a Johannesburg street corner each morning with her two sons, Siyabonga (Sibonelo Xulu) and Lucky (Thobani Khybeka), and begs for change - only to run head first into jeers and catcalls from the passersby. In time, Faith discovers the existence of a day care center that will take the boys in, but brings them back after learning that it lowers her alms. She is subsequently crushed by the escalating burden of grief and sorrow. Roodt filmed the picture with an ancient, hand-cranked camera and dated film stock to give it a yellowed aesthetic; he also avoids the use of all sync sound and works in title cards. Philip Glass scored the picture, and interlaces the music with sound effects to coincide with many of the images. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leleti Khumalo, Thobani Khybeka, (more)
A impoverished young mother with few creature comforts but an unbreakable spirit determines to see that her growing daughter receives an education after suffering a crippling setback in this affecting drama from director Darrell James Roodt. Yesterday's family is poor, and despite the daily toil suffered by her husband in the mines of Johannesburg she still manages to maintain a bright outlook on life thanks to her energetic seven-year-old daughter, Beauty. Upon falling ill, Yesterday is diagnosed with AIDS and her already harsh life appears to take a turn for the worse. Though Yesterday herself never received an education, the revelation of her declining condition inspires the young mother to cling to life so that she may see her growing daughter attend her first day of classes and die knowing that there is hope for a better life. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leleti Khumalo, Lihle Mvelase, (more)
A dedicated human rights lawyer and a political activist who suffered at the hands of South African police officer with no regard for human life finds that the only thing more dangerous than standing up for your beliefs is the discovery of the truth in director Tom Hooper's adaptation of Gillian Slovo's captivating novel. Tortured at the hands of police officer Dirk Hendricks (Jamie Bartlett) for his efforts in seeking equality under the brutal apartheid regime, social activist Alex Mpondo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is shocked upon learning that Officer Hendricks is now seeking amnesty for his violent deeds. When human rights lawyer Sarah Barcant (Hilary Swank) returns to her South African home to represent Alex, she quickly discovers that the deeper she delves into the past, the more she has to fear in the present. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Chiwetel Ejiofor, (more)
An elderly man tries to achieve one of his greatest ambitions by turning a rank amateur into a champion in this drama. German-born Bertold Bohmer (Armin Mueller-Stahl) was a competitive distance runner in his youth who had one great dream -- to win the Comrades Marathon, a punishing 54-mile race that stretches between two cities through an arid desert in South Africa. Now in his mid-sixties and living in South Africa, Bohmer never achieved this goal, but as a trainer he's helped a number of other athletes achieve theirs, and he's coaching four African runners as they prepare for the Comrades. But Bohmer is abruptly fired from his training assignment, only to be replaced by a much younger man, Gasa (Paterson Joseph), who refocuses his runners in middle-distance competition. Bohmer is despondent until he discovers Christine (Nthati Moshesh), a young woman he sees jogging one day. Bohmer's trained eye tells him that she has the natural gifts and talent to win the Comrades, but he learns that she's never trained for a competitive athletic event in her life -- and she's an illegal alien from Namibia to boot. After a police raid on her home, Christine has little recourse but to accept Bohmer's invitation to stay with him, and while he spares no expense in coaching her for the Comrades, she begins to chafe under his rigorous training program; furthermore, when Gasa hears about the remarkable new runner Bohmer has discovered, he tries to convince her to join his team. Renowned South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo contributed several songs to The Long Run's soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Armin Mueller-Stahl, Nthati Moshesh, (more)
- 2001
What would happen if a white child with a couple of odd talents -- one prophetic and one malodorous -- was found and raised by an appreciative, yet hapless African tribe? South African director Gray Hofmeyr attempts to find out in his 2002 family-oriented comedy entitled Mr. Bones. Shortly after surviving a plane accident, a mysterious youngster is discovered by the Kuvuki tribe just as the babe is fending off a hungry lion with explosive flatulence. This deed duly noted, the tribesmen adopt the child as one of their own and sometime later discover the boy also has great skill in divining the future from reading bones -- something the tribe considers a greatly respected skill. Henceforth, the boy is dubbed Bones (as an adult, played by Leon Schuster) and some years later is ordered by the tribal king Tsonga to seek a previously unknown heir Bones predicted to exist. Bones sets out to locate the heir, and decides that touring golf pro Vince Lee (David Ramsey) is the man, much to the consternation and protestations of Lee's agent, as well as a gambler with a lot of money at stake in Vince's victorious appearance at a local tournament. Mr. Bones was selected for inclusion into the African Horizons program at the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leon Schuster, David Ramsey, (more)
The BBC1 military miniseries Bravo Two Zero was based on the actual experiences of Sergeant Andy McNab, who adapted the teleplay from his own novel. Set during the 1991 Gulf War, the series' two 60-minute episodes follow an SAS Patrol as they burrow deep into Iraqui-held territory. Their mission: to destroy the scud missiles in the arsenal of Saddam Hussein. Getting into enemy territory was the "easy" part; getting out was another matter entirely. Without giving away the ending, it should be noted that the SAS team in question was the most highly decorated British patrol since the days of the Boer War -- and that only five of the eight operatives lived to receive their decorations. Sean Bean starred as protagonist Andy McNab. Bravo Zero Two made its first television appearance in 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sean Bean, Steve Nicolson, (more)
This gay coming-of-age drama from Britain was screened at many film festivals including Toronto, Edinburgh, and the 1999 Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema section). It tells the story of 16-year-old Steven (Ben Silverstone), a boy who can't tell anyone of his sexual preference except an overweight girl named Linda, who is also unlucky in love. Steven (and most of his school's female student body) have a crush on John, the school hunk, who dates a model. Before long, John and Steven finally meet and start a private romantic tryst. The lies, secrets, and deceit build to a head at the school's commencement ceremony, where John is to be presented a prize for athletics, while Steven reads his award-winning essay on growing up. All is finally revealed. ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Silverstone, Brad Gorton, (more)
- 1998
- R
Continuing cinema's fascination with bringing the stories of handicaps and the mentally challenged to the big screen (Rain Man, My Left Foot, Shine, etc.), here comes a low-budget film about the unlikely love story of people brought together by fate, as well as 120 hours of community service. As a frustrated artist who can't build himself a flying machine, Richard (Kenneth Branagh) eventually finds himself in trouble with the law. As punishment for his eccentric behavior, he accepts community service in the company of Jane (Helena Bonham Carter), a strong-willed woman suffering from the neuromuscular disorder called ALS (otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease). As the two learn from each other, Jane turns to Richard with the biggest favor of all, helping her lose her virginity. What ensues is a romance/friendship that changes their lives forever. ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helena Bonham Carter, Kenneth Branagh, (more)
In this drama, a South African exile returns to his homeland to find that justice hasn't brought peace. Vusi Madlazi (Ice Cube) is a student and political activist living in San Francisco; he was born in South Africa, but his connection to anti-apartheid rebels made his family fear for his life, so he was sent to the United States, where he's been ever since. When he attends his father's funeral, Vusi visits South Africa for the first time since the fall of apartheid and Nelson Mandela's rise to power. However, he discovers that not all the changes in his country have been for the better; drugs and gang violence have begun to overtake Soweto, and his older brother, once a dedicated anti-apartheid activist, isn't sure what to do with his life now that the changes he fought for have come. Vusi's mother asks a favor before he returns to America; his younger brother Steven (Eric Miyeni) has run away, and she wants Vusi to look for him. While searching for Steven, Vusi meets his brother's girlfriend Karin (Elizabeth Hurley), who works as an exotic dancer. It turns out that both Karin and Steven have become addicted to crack, and Steven's disappearance is probably linked to a $15,000 debt he owes to crime kingpin Muki (Ving Rhames). Director Darrell J. Roodt's previous film was Cry the Beloved Country (1995), the first major film produced in South Africa after the collapse of apartheid. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ice Cube, Elizabeth Hurley, (more)
Five criminals with varying degrees of experience are brought together and torn apart by a major robbery in this hard-edged British drama. Ray (Robert Carlyle) was once a leftist political activist whose ideals were dashed by England's increasing political conservatism, while his close friend Dave (Ray Winstone) is an East End hard man with a long history in crime. Ray and Dave plan a heist that they expect will leave them set for life: the robbery of a major London security firm. Ray and Dave's new associates are Ray's one-time cellmate Stevie (Steven Waddington); Jason (Damon Albarn), whose uncle is veteran mobster Sonny (Peter Vaughn); and Julian (Philip Davis), an unstable young criminal with more ambition than experience. After the break-in, the gang discovers that their haul was far less than expected, which leads to infighting among the thieves over who should get how much, with violence and betrayal as the inevitable result. Face marked the screen debut for Damon Albarn, already well-known in England as the lead singer for the successful rock band Blur. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Carlyle, Ray Winstone, (more)
A hellish piece of professional laundry equipment wreaks havoc in a tiny New England town in this horror film. It all begins in The Blue Ribbon Laundry, a place run by the ruthless, crippled old Bill Gartley. With no feelings at all for his employees, he demands absolute obedience and unrelenting hard work. One day an old speed iron goes crazy, sucks in and permanently presses a hapless worker. The rest of the crew is frightened and in shock, but this does not stop old Gartley from cruelly ordering them back to work. A police officer investigates the case and begins suspecting that the sinister owner is concealing something. When a boy suffocates in an abandoned refrigerator that had somehow come in contact with the speed iron, the cop calls in his friend the theoretical parapsychologist who deduces that there is a "transference of evil" going on. Meanwhile, Gartley is putting the moves on comely Lin Sue; he also is interested in messing with his own niece. Both girls have been harmed by the evil iron and have contributed some of their precious blood to it. It is the cop who discovers that in order for Gartley to remain successful, he must see that the demonic machine periodically receives such sacrificial donations. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Alan Paton's classic novel about two fathers coming to terms with personal loss and the emotional scars inflicted on South Africa during the era of apartheid was brought to the screen for a second time with this adaptation, the first major film produced in South Africa after Nelson Mandela's election ended mandatory white rule in that nation. Rev. Stephen Kumalo (James Earl Jones) is a minister from a poverty-stricken farming community who travels to Johannesburg for the first time in search of his son Absalom (Eric Miyeni), who moved to the city some time back and has gone missing. Kumalo regards the big city as a den of iniquity, and his low expectations are not betrayed; he is robbed and beaten shortly after he arrives, and when he visits his brother John (Charles S. Dutton), he discovers that Absalom has become a petty thief with a pregnant girlfriend, his sister Gertrude (Dambisa Kente) is a prostitute, and John has renounced his faith in God and advocates the violent overthrow of South Africa's white leadership. James Jarvis (Richard Harris) -- a wealthy white landowner from the same part of the country as Kumalo -- has also arrived in Johannesburg, also with sad personal business to attend to; his son, a well-liked activist for the rights of the city's black majority population, was killed during a robbery. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Earl Jones, Richard Harris, (more)
Whoopi Goldberg stars in this musical take on the South African struggles against Apartheid in the mid-1970s, during the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. An adaptation of Mbongeni Ngema's popular musical, which ran on Broadway from 1988 to 1989, Sarafina! recounts the political coming of age of the title character, a high school girl involved in the Soweto student protests of 1976. At first just a petulant bundle of energy, more interested in boys than civil rights, Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo) learns of the Afrikaaner oppression through the underground lectures of her teacher, Mary Masembuko (Goldberg). Sarafina's mother, who works as a servant in a white household and never sees her children, urges Sarafina to toe the line. But she can no longer turn a blind eye when the government imprisons her teacher and slaughters her would-be boyfriend during an arson protest. Incited to rebellion, the students kill a crooked black constable, leaving Sarafina to wrestle with their decision to use violence against the government's strictures. Ever tightening its grip, the ruling regime would kill 575 blacks over eight months in an attempt to quell the civil unrest. The sober subject matter is leavened by Ngema's jubilant songs and Michael Peters' electric choreography. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leleti Khumalo, Whoopi Goldberg, (more)
After spending his time in jail for manslaughter, a formal world-champion kick boxer B.J. Quinn (John Barrett) is released after doing time and sets out to regain his former stature as a top-notch fighter. Unfortunately he begins his comeback at a drunken party (he's drunk) and he tangles with the current top-dog of kick boxing, Jacques Denard. Denard beats him to a pulp, which sends our hero Quinn into hiding where he teams up with another kick boxer, and together they begin to train for a real-time head-on with the champion Denard. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- John Barrett, Keith Vitali, (more)
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