Journey of Two Greats in 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom'

A tender moment between Nelson and Winnie in "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom." Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Company.

THERE is a fraction of figures in the last century – certainly the last 50 or 60 years – who few would argue don’t enjoy near worldwide adoration and/or respect.

Gandhi, Mother Teresa and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama come to mind. And, of course, Nelson Mandela.

The ailing elder statesman, lest one forgets, was not always accorded such reverence. In his younger days, he was a firebrand of the first order – and rightly so. One man's freedom fighter and another man's terrorist. This aspect of the man is chronicled in "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom."

The film, which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September, opens today in a handful of U.S. theaters before opening wide in this country on Christmas Day, after debuting in France and the Netherlands on 18 and 19 Dec., respectively. The rollout continues across the world at least through early February 2014.

Based on Mr. Mandela’s autobiography of the same name, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” also chronicles his childhood and adolescence, university years, meeting of social worker Winnie Madikizela (Naomi Watts), his imprisonment and release after serving nearly 30 years of hard labor and deprivation. (See video below).

Director Justin Chadwick’s film is most engaging in the scenes that show an earnest barrister trying to reason with a recalcitrant white South African government for some basic human rights. The young man wants to live as peaceable as possible but he isn’t a pacifist. Utterly frustrated and incredulous at the bald-faced brutality and savagery of the white power structure, he asserts his intention with absolute clarity and certainty: “… If they want a war, we will give them a war.”

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” is important for numerous reasons. One of the most considerable is because so many know so little about South African aparthied, a system of injustice that is very similar to the shameful Jim Crow madness in the United States. Sure, in the 80s the masses in the United States became aware of the injustices in South Africa that were so reminiscent of what went down here. Little, though, was and is known about apartheid in its earlier stages. Further, even fewer know anything of real substance of Mr. Mandela before he was locked up.

When America connected to the grid, Mr. Mandela had already been imprisoned for nearly 20 years. This film is an opportunity for viewers – particularly those who did not read the book – to begin an exploration into some of the events that shaped the man who is so revered today.

More than a few will find “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” too reverential, familiar and frankly, at moments, lacking excitement. Precious few, mind, will have much with which to quibble in Idris Elba’s performance. The British actor looks nothing like Mr. Mandela, yet so embodies him – seamlessly and effortless. Of course, this is an actor’s job.

IE, however, is an actor with a capital A, of the very finest order. He cut his acting teeth, in part, at UK’s National Youth Music Theatre (http://www.nymt.org.uk/.) So different are the characters he’s played over the years, it’s as if a different actor is portraying each one.

His Detective Chief Inspector John Luther in the BBC series, “Luther” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vk2lp), for instance, is almost a polar opposite of the frightening Russell 'Stringer' Bell in HBO’s “The Wire (http://www.hbo.com/the-wire), though both are seriously involved in the business of serious crime. Of course, the accent sets them apart. At the core, however, these are too very different tortured men. If any actor can become the first African-descent James Bond – as some have suggested should be the case – it is IE.

In “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” IE has strong support, particularly from NH, who through force of acting chops makes WM a memorable and more sympathetic character in William Nicholson’s adaptation. The film, though, belongs to IE.

As Mandela, he is electrifying and the Golden Globe winner won't be forgotten when award nominations and awards are bestowed.

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” is rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and disturbing images, sexual content and brief strong language; visit http://www.mandelamovie.co.za/ to learn more about the film.

A Little Savory Something Something for You, Pumpkin

Turkey and pumpkin can do good stuff together. Photo from Whole Foods Market.

With all of the pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin puree, pumpkin butter and pumpkin whatnot on the table, don't forget Pumpkin Turkey Chili.

Pumpkin is one of four superfoods that has been suggested for the fall. Though fall is half over and winter is due on 21 Dec., it is not too late to heed this counsel, especially now that it is holiday eat anything, anyhow, anywhere time.

"Superfoods are brimming with nutrients and antioxidants,” says Kari Kooi, a registered dietitian at Houston Methodist Hospital. “The benefits of adding them into your everyday meals are numerous."

That also goes for Pomegranates, Kiwis and Pumpkin Seeds. More on those later. For now, salivate over the chili recipe.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili
http://www.bit.ly/T8Xm3L

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground white or dark meat turkey
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Don't let them go to seed, eat bone-strengthening pumpkin seeds. Archive image.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

Nutritional Information:
PER SERVING: 280 calories (110 from fat), 13g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 55mg cholesterol, 580mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 20g protein
Dish is: Dairy Free Gluten Free High Fiber Wheat Free

Not Mameleh’s Flanken in ‘Joy of Kosher’

Two words: Chocolate. Cake. Photos courtesy of Harper Collins.

BY NEIL WOLFSON

HAVING grown up Jewish in New York City, I associate kosher food with heavy heart attack-inducing dishes like Pastrami, Kishke (stuffed derma) and Flanken (a tough cut of beef) marinated in Manischewitz concord grape wine.

Now, I have more food for thought. Just in time for Hanukkah, which begins at sundown next Wednesday (27 Nov.) and one day before Thanksgiving in the United States, is Jamie Geller's new cookbook, Joy of Kosher: Fast, Fresh Family Recipes, to put a lighter gourmet spin on kosher cuisine. (See video above).

Chicken Skewers with Herbed Curry Mustard may not be too easy to pass up.

“Joy of Kosher” features a wealth of family recipes like Blackened Tilapia Wraps with Cumin Avocado Sauce, Apple Cabbage Slaw and Pretzel Crusted Chicken Skewers with Herbed Curry Mustard, and Cannoli Egg Rolls with Chocolate Sauce.

Cilantro Corn Cakes - appetizing and alliterative, no?

Harper Collins recently celebrated the publication of the large tome (384 pages) at a lavish party at New York’s Carlton Hotel. Revelers dined on dishes straight out of “Joy of Kosher.” Indeed, they ate Latkes with Caviar, Cilantro Corn Cakes and more, while also drinking and kvelling over “The Jewish Rachael Ray.”

Why not Nachos, Smashed Red Potato Salsa style?

As for JG, founder of Kosher Media Network (http://www.koshermedianetwork.com/), she basked in the glow of her many well-fed fans.

Visit http://www.bit.ly/1aH6R6l and http://www.koshermedianetwork.com/ to learn more about “Joy of Kosher.”

Out of the Blues and Into Some BFF Time

You're no Li Na, but you can still present yourself at a nearby tennis court to hit a few balls. Photo from Getty Images.

WHAT do Zumba and Zucchini have in common?

Give up? OK, out of your misery with you!

Both can help a body find his/her way out of the blues, according to a body who knows about such things. “The challenge is to move beyond where you’re stuck," says Diane Tucker, a professor of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), who is quoted in the UAB News. "Things that can help include writing in a journal, doing activities that give you satisfaction, exercising and being with friends.”

That means getting together with Jean Jeff Tiffany Taylor and having some serious fun or talking through problems if necessary. Further, you can get yourself back on the tennis court. As for you, film buff, how about taking in "The Best Man Holiday" (http://www.ow.ly/qSpfT)?

While you keep threatening to grow your own basil. Did someone say herb garden?! The important thing, DT emphasizes, is that a body should engage in something other than morbid thoughts.

With the holidays upon us, this is sound advice to take to heart (and head), no?

Says DT: “I think depression is a spectrum, and full-on depression is when you experience things like impaired appetite, disrupted sleep, lack of concentration and ruminative thoughts. Feelings of discouragement or the blues are on that continuum, and I think it is important to be attentive to those feelings.”

To that end, by all means, get moving and get cooking. (See video of beginner zumba class above and recipe for Zucchini Feta Pie below).

But if depression seems chronic, a little more help is in order, DT asserts. “People are different in terms of biology and the way our brains work; some people are prone to depression, and others are prone to high blood pressure. If it becomes a chronic problem, most cases can be helped by medication or psychotherapy.”

Goings-on in "The Best Man Holiday," starring Terrence Howard, Nia Long, Eddie Cibrian and others, will make you laugh and cry. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Got it? (Feel) good.

Zucchini Feta Pie
5 small zucchini (about 1 1/4 pounds), divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 (6 ounce) container 365 Everyday Value® Feta Cheese Crumbles, divided
1 frozen (9-inch) regular or whole wheat pie crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Very thinly slice one zucchini and set aside. Grate remaining zucchini, firmly squeezing it by the handful to remove as much liquid as possible. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and eggs. Reserve 1/2 cup cheese, and then stir grated zucchini and remaining cheese into egg mixture.

A good meal can lift the spirits, and that is Zucchini Feta Pie in the sky. Photo from Whole Foods Market. http://www.bit.ly/13QX3XQ

Transfer to pie crust, top with sliced zucchini (arranging it in circles, if you like) and reserved cheese and bake until firm and golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes. Set aside to let cool, and then serve warm or cold.

Nutritional Information:
PER SERVING:210 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 80mg cholesterol, 380mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 10g protein

HEAD'S UP: You will seek professional help if depressions persists, of course.

‘After Midnight’: Swingin’ Ode to Nightlife Harlem

Daniel J. Watts, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards and Phillip Attmore get right to the point in "After Midnight." Photo by Matthew Murphy.

BY TAMARA BECK

FOR most, it’s the movies that have provided all we know of nightclubs.

Headlined by Cab Calloway or Louis Armstrong or Eleanor Powell, Moe, Larry and Curly (“Swing Parade of 1946”), ZaSu Pitts and Joan Blondell (“That Could Be The Night),” Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (too many to list).

And, and or Eddie Murray and Richard Pryor (“Harlem Nights”), films provided an introduction to the exotic glamour of swing, jazz, long gowns, and ballroom dance.

“After Midnight,” at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in an open run, is a celebration of the glory days of Harlem night life, when the Cotton Club and Savoy were part of the cultural landscape of the Harlem Renaissance.

“After Midnight” was conceived by Jack Viertel and originally played two seasons at City Center’s Encores as “Cotton Club Parade.” (See video above) ... More shortly

Visit http://www.aftermidnightbroadway.com to learn more about “After Midnight.”

'The Best Man Holiday,' or Blacks Are People, Too

IN “The Best Man Holiday,” the long-awaited sequel to “The Best Man” (1999), college friends reunite for the first time since the wedding of two in their group.

The film, which opens today in the United States and Canada, has echoes of “The Big Chill,” “Friends,” and less animated upmarket Tyler Perry fare (See video at top).

To the extent that “The Best Man Holiday” is remarkable is because it stars a mainly all-black cast. Director Malcolm Lee's script is middling at best, yet even at this juncture of the struggle of blacks for equality in every facet of life in the United States, it is still a welcome novelty to see blacks presented as real people rather than caricatures.

As persons a body knows, rather than creatures dreamt up in the muddled minds of the sadly misguided and misinformed. Here is just another slice of black life. Alas, one that is obscenely under-represented in the entertainment industry.

Indeed, something other than the rigid confines of hoods and hoes, mammies and murderers, buffoons and bitches, the loud and lewd. Images with which most inside and outside of this country have become intimately familiar. A sorry sad-sack state of affairs … More shortly

"The Best Man Holiday" is rated R for language, sexual content and brief nudity; visit http://www.best-man.com/social/ to learn more about the film.

National Indian Pudding Day: An Easy, Breezy Dish

LOOKS yucky; tastes yummy. That is Indian Pudding in a nutshell.

Today, is National Indian Pudding day and this little Thanksgiving-time dish deserves a few, sweet words. Like so much in life, it was a happy accident. Keep in mind that Indian Pudding is one thing the British colonists did not take from the natives, though the name may suggest it.

Indian pudding was born when home cooks, lacking wheat flour, substituted corn flour, a New World staple back in that day. Eventually, the corn flour would be gussied up with molasses, ginger, cinnamon and other ingredients. These additions created a dessert, departing from the more savory porridge that it was intended to replicate.

A happy accident! Sweet, no?

Recipes for Indian pudding abound. The challenge set forth, however, was to root around the World Wide Web for one with few (five!) ingredients - the ingredient list for this little sweetie can be rather massive (as large as 15!). Success! The winner is an old James Beard recipe (below) that appears in Epicurious (http://www.epicurious.com/).

See the video at top from The Culinary Institute of America and click on the link in the photo caption below to see more elaborate Indian pudding recipes.

The recipe for Indian Pudding with Bourbon Spiked Cream is only a click away: http://www.bit.ly/17Uu9bs. Photo courtesy of Yummly.

Old-Fashioned Indian Pudding
(by James Beard)

1 qt milk (scalded)
1/3 cup meal (yellow corn)
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup molasses
1 ginger (good teaspoon)
Yield: 6 servings

Put the scalded milk and corn meal in the top of a double boiler over boiling water. Add the salt and cook, stirring frequently for about 20 minutes. Mix with the molasses and ginger and pour into a buttered 2-quart soufflè dish or baking dish. Bake in a 300°F. oven for about 2 hours. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories 214; Carbohydrates 36g (12%); Fat 5g (8%); Protein 6g (12%); Saturated fat 3g (15%); Sodium 106mg (4%); Polyunsaturated Fat0g; Fiber 0g (2%); Monounsaturated Fat 1g; Cholesterol 16 mg (5%)

'The Glass Menagerie' a Worthy Tribute to Its Creator

BY TAMARA BECK

MEMORY is often an unreliable historian.

In Tennessee Williams’ great poem of a play, “The Glass Menagerie,” at the Booth Theatre in an extended run through 23 Feb. 2014, memory leads to melancholies of regret.

Tom Wingfield (Zachary Quinto), narrator and protagonist, feels the responsibility of disappointment. Reminiscence brings him both pain and liberation in “The Glass Menagerie.” (See video above).

Tom’s narration weaves a dream-like remembrance of life in the Wingfield household. His mother, Amanda (Cherry Jones), is living in a fantasy of cotillions and suitors past.

In her desire to provide a future for her daughter, Laura (Celia Keenan-Bolger), Amanda convinces Tom to bring home a “gentleman caller.” Jim (Brian J. Smith), Tom’s friend from work, is an amiable young man. Laura genuinely admired Jim in their high school days when he was a star on the football field and the stage.

Jim has found life after high school less glamorous than he expected, but he is a realist and ambitious. Reality is a breath of fresh air for Laura. She suffers from a crippling shyness as debilitating as her physical impairments. Jim is charmed.

Tom (Zachary Quinto), Amanda (Cherry Jones) and Jim (Brian J. Smith) in "The Glass Menagerie. Photos by Michael J. Lutch.

Bob Crowley’s off-kilter sets and Natasha Katz’s atmospheric lighting echo the dark moods of “The Glass Menagerie.” Nico Muhly provides wistful and broody music as a backdrop to the proceedings.

In a production that is a grand tribute to TW’s esteemed heritage as a playwright, CK-B stands out. Her Laura is not just timid and self-conscious, but radiantly withdrawn. The ensemble benefits greatly from the directness that BJS brings to his portrayal of Jim.

Amanda (Cherry Jones) and Laura (Celia Keenan-Bolger) take a picturebook stroll down memory lane in "The Glass Menagerie."

Unfortunately, the usually astounding CJ swallows her words as if their full outright forthright expression might be too much for us to bear.

All in all, however, John Tiffany’s direction gets the most out of his actors, even if the pacing in the first act seems a bit slow.

Visit http://www.theglassmenageriebroadway.com/ to learn more about "The Glass Menagerie."

4th New York Chinese Film Festival Serves Up Hits

IN “So Young,” the joys and angst of college life are played out mainly in the dorms of a college somewhere in China. Then the story turns to life after college with its angst, striving and innocence lost.

The film opens the 4th New York Chinese Film Festival on Tuesday night (6 Nov.). It is also the directorial debut of popular Chinese actress Vicky Zhao Wei. “So Young is based on the novel, "To Our Youth that is Fading Away" by Xin YiwuIt and the title is taken from a song title on Suede's debut album.

Why New York needs another film festival is anybody’s guess, but NYCFF sponsors the Chinese American Arts Council (CAAC) and Chinese Movie Channel CCTV-6, have again signed on for this cultural experiment that was spawned by a United Nations book club.

Organizers have been very open about the fact that they hope the festival will prompt U.S. audiences to become consumers of Chinese cinema and gain a better understanding of Chinese culture. China, whose film industry was born in 1905, has supplanted Japan as the world's second most lucrative. The United Sates is No. 1

NYCFF is small compared to others based in New York such as the New York African Film Festival, New York Asian Film Festival, New York Film Festival, South Asian International Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival. Only seven films will be shown over three days at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and the newly Chinese-owned AMC Empire 25. A common thread is that they were all blockbusters in China.

Also on the roster is Xue Xiaolu’s “Finding Mr. Wright.” In Chinese, the title translates to “Beijing Meets Seattle.” The pregnant heroine sets out from Beijing to capture her unwilling man and to make their child a U.S. citizen, encountering mishaps in her pursuit.

Kung Fu at NYCFF is represented by IP Man, Wilson Yip’s first tribute to the martial artist. (He directed a sequel, IP Man 2 in 2010). Set in 1930’s China during the Japanese invasion, the film chronicles the Kung Fu master who taught Bruce Lee as he popularizes the marital art, Wing Chun and resists teaching it to Japanese soldiers.

The schedule of the NYCFF:
Tuesday, 5 Nov. Opening Night, Alice Tully Hall
8 p.m. - "So Young"

Wednesday, 6 Nov., AMC Empire 25
11 a.m. - "Sorry, I Love You"
2 p.m. - "Finding Mr. Right"
4:30 p.m. - "Love Undercover"
7:30 p.m. - "Love in the Buff"

Thursday, 7 Nov., AMC Empire 25
11 a.m. - "IP Man"
2 p.m. - "Special ID"
4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Closing Night and Awards at Capitale

Visit http://www.nycff.org/2013/ to learn more about the festival, including tickets and venues.

'Last Vegas': A First Order of Star Power

Diana (Mary Steenburgen) is a ray of sunshine in Paddy's dreary life in "Last Vegas." Photos courtesy of CBS films.

IT’S nearly darn impossible to pass on a film that features a passel of A-list stars or fine acting talent, though they are usually a disappointment.

You simply can’t miss it, just in case you really miss something. Though in the end, you could have passed. But it is better to have been disappointed having had the experience than not having had the experience, thus never knowing or having actually missed something. In other words, a conundrum.

Such is the case with “Last Vegas.” The film, which opens in the United States today, stars Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline as four nearly 70-year-old childhood friends who reunite for a bachelor party for the last of their circle. He plans to tie the knot with a woman less than half his age.

Maladies of aging notwithstanding, such as strokes, overprotective children, loneliness, Florida retirement as well as too many prescription drugs, among other gripes and slights, they still get themselves to Vegas.

“Last Vegas” features practically every Las Vegas cliché in the book. Here are four old cats spending too much time drooling over young kittens. Here are images that some will love and other will loathe. (See video below).

The film is not terribly bad, but it is far from good. There are a few – very few – mildly laughable lines. Dan Fogelman’s script is puerile, pedestrian and fails to engage. It should also be noted that there are a couple of instances where old women are fodder for laughs. Not funny.

This bit of misogyny is partly ameliorated by the delightful presence of Mary Steenburgen as Diana, an empty-nester and tax attorney who came to Vegas to realize her lifelong dream of being a singer. In a film of top-billed testosterone, she holds her own with aplomb.

To the extent that bodies remain in seats has much to do with the prodigious talent of the four gentlemen on the screen – all Academy Award winners – though “Last Vegas” requires little acting muscle. A film about the making of "Last Vegas" would probably be more interesting. How in the world did director Jon Turteltaub or whomever get these titans onboard?!

Essentially, here are four thespians nearing the twilight of their careers who have practically done it all – and what the hell? – they are just along for a little fun with colleagues of their own stature.

It is interesting to observe the four different performers. De Niro, not at all a comedic actor, as Paddy assumes the Brooklynese curmudgeon role he does in the “Meet the Parents” film franchise or anything approaching comedy. Similarly, Douglas’ Billy the bridegroom, is a variation on the slickster roles he’s played since “Wall Street’s” Gordon Gekko.

The wildcard in “Last Vegas” is Freeman. Not a comedic actor either, having cut his teeth on myriad thuggish roles in the 70s. He is now an elder statesman and by God, God. Comedy is not his strong suit, but he comports himself OK as Archie, who has a way with cards and is a gentleman through and through. The window scene is cute and funny.

Vegas, where the boys are: Archie (Morgan Freeman), Billy (Michael Douglas), Paddy (Robert De Niro) and Sam (Kevin Kline).

The strongest of the four performances – and not at all a surprise – is Kline’s. He is a comedic actor and could have played the role of Sam with his eyes closed. He is immediately believable and comfortable – and utterly comfortable to watch – as the nerd in the pack.

To borrow a phrase from “Last Vegas,” p.r., these are legends – working together for the first time. That is the film's raison d'être.

When all is said and done, it probably doesn’t matter that "Last Vegas" is not good. The real treat is watching masters at work, even when they are not being masterly.

“Last Vegas” is rated PG-13 on appeal for sexual content and language.; visit http://www.lastvegasmovie.com/ to learn more about the film.