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OLD SCHOOL VIDEO PICK OF THE MONTH

Title: SOUNDER
Year Released: 1972
Running Time: 105
Production Company: 20th Century Fox
Director: Martin Ritt
Director of Photography: John A. Alonzo
Screenwriter: Lonne Elder III
Author: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

REVIEW: "SOUNDER"-- A STORY THAT STILL SPEAKS

I remember the first time I saw the movie "Sounder"--back in 1972, when it first came out--at a downtown Los Angeles theater with my older brothers.

I was just a 11-years-old but watching that powerful story unfold on screen left a lasting impression.

I was captivated by the powerful performances of the late, great Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield,...

NEW ON DVD

MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR Title: MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR
Year Released: 2024
Running Time: 85
Production Company: Persimmon
Director: Marcus Bleecker
Review By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

"MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR" TEACHES A VALUABLE LESSON

"Mississippi Scholar" marks the feature directorial debut of Marcus Bleecker, who also co-wrote the film alongside P.J. Leonard, ("GirlGroup") and Obba Babatunde (upcoming "Ali 1978: The Butterfly's Last Dance").

Together, they have created a grounded coming-of-age drama about a gifted Mississippi high school senior named James Wilson (Shannon Brown, TV's "Swagger") who is trying to carve out a future beyond poverty, addiction, and expectation.

The film, also featuring a story influenced by Leonard's real-world encounters, leans into a character-first approach, focusing less on broad statements about struggle and more on the specific, personal cost of trying to escape it. The movie, which won the Jury Award for "Best Feature Film" at the Beverly Hills Film Festival" in 2024, builds its narrative around an urgent question: what does it take for an underprivileged intellectual to claim a future that his environment seems determined to deny him?

Shannon Brown (TV's "Swagger") stars as James Wilson, a sharp, gifted, and deeply driven Mississippi high school student determined not to be defined by his environment or upbringing. His mother, Crystal (Gisla Stringer, "Orpa," TV's "Mayor of Kingstown"), is battling addiction and illness, leaving James to shoulder responsibilities far beyond his years in a small town where opportunity feels increasingly out of reach.

Still, he sets his sights on college and a future that looks nothing like his present circumstances.

His only steady compass comes from his grandfather Reginald (Babatunde), who offers quiet, seasoned guidance about the choices that will define him. Ray Ray (Jeremy Isaiah Earl, "Daredevil: Born Again"), a former local thug trying to rebuild his life after prison, also recognizes James' potential and becomes an unlikely protector, determined not to let him repeat the same cycle.

At school, James finds another source of support in his teacher Brian Keating (Sonny Marinelli, "Judge No More," and "Jersey Bred"), who also sees his promise and continually pushes him toward bigger possibilities. But home life weighs heavily. James loves his mother deeply, even as he struggles with the toll her condition takes on him, and the responsibility of caring for her slowly chips away at his focus and stability.

When tragedy strikes Ray Ray, James' already fragile world is completely upended, forcing him into a life-altering decision that will determine not just where he goes next, but who he becomes.
(Highly Recommended).

Editor's Note: "Mississippi Scholar" is currently available On Demand.

Watch This Trailer For "MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR"

KANGAROO ISLAND Title: KANGAROO ISLAND
Year Released: 2025
Running Time: 109
Production Company: Blue Harbor/Maslow Entertainment
Director: Timothy David
Review By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

LOVE AND LOSS COLLIDE IN "KANGAROO ISLAND"

In addition to providing breathtaking views of South Australia that might just make you start pricing plane tickets by the end credits, "Kangaroo Island" delivers heartfelt drama, emotional honesty, and terrific performances across the board.

Directed by Timothy David (TV's "Odd Man Out") and written by Sally Gifford ("Farmed and Dangerous"), the film begins with an easygoing charm before steadily revealing itself to be something far richer, involving, and far less predictable than expected.

Estranged daughter Lou Wells (Rebecca Breeds, TV's "Legacies") is an aspiring actress whose career has failed to take off in Hollywood. It all seemed full of promise, but reality hit much harder than expected. Unfortunately, the rest of her life is not exactly awards-season material either.

Lou is crashing in her ex-boyfriend's guest room, while his current girlfriend is understandably sick of the arrangement. She is broke, directionless, and surviving largely on the kindness and patience of others.

Even a police officer feels sorry for Lou when she pulls her over for driving without a proper license and registration.

Lou reluctantly returns to her hometown on Kangaroo Island after her father Rory (Erik Thomson, TV's "My Brilliant Career”) offers to pay for her flight.

But the main reason he wants her home is to tell her that he is suffering from ALS and is terminally ill.

Lou and her deeply religious sister Freya (Adelaide Clemens, TV's "RJ Decker") share a strained and complicated relationship, made even worse when Lou discovers Freya has been given ownership of the family's beachfront property.

Without consulting either Rory or Lou, Freya has already arranged an 80-year lease of the property to a Christian organization. As the sisters attempt to mend old wounds for the sake of their father, more emotional landmines emerge.

Complicating matters further is Freya's husband Ben (Joel Jackson, "Runt"), who just happens to be Lou's former love. Their relationship ended when Lou left for Hollywood and Ben chose to stay put. But here's the rub. Ben eventually married Lou's sister, though not before reconnecting briefly with Lou around the time of the wedding. Now, with Lou back home indefinitely, old feelings start to resurface.

Instead of taking the easy emotional route, "Kangaroo Island" allows its relationships to unfold in chaotic but believable ways and doesn't settle for being a standard recycled love triangle movie. The script allows its characters to be flawed, frustrating, funny, and deeply human all at once. Nobody is painted as entirely right or wrong, which gives the conflicts genuine weight.

The film also balances heavier themes involving illness, regret, faith, and forgiveness with moments of warmth and humor that don't feel forced.

The cast is immensely likable too, even when their characters are making questionable choices. Rebecca Breeds gives Lou a relatable mix of vulnerability, sarcasm, and stubbornness, while Adelaide Clemens brings surprising depth and empathy to Freya. Erik Thomson is quietly powerful as the family patriarch trying to hold everyone together while facing his own mortality.

Last year, "Kangaroo Island" received four nominations at the 2026 Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, including "Best Picture." I see why. It is a splendid, family drama that leaves a refreshing and lasting impression.
(Highly Recommended).

Editor's Note: "Kangaroo Island" is currently available on VOD.

Take A Look At This Trailer For "KANGAROO ISLAND"

THE MIDWAY POINT Title: THE MIDWAY POINT
Year Released: 2024
Running Time: 87
Production Company: Hillin Entertainment/Level 33 Ent.
Director: Lucca Vieira
Review By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

"THE MIDWAY POINT" FINDS HOPE THROUGH FRIENDSHIP

I was completely drawn into "The Midway Point" from its opening scene all the way to its heartfelt conclusion.

Director Lucca Vieira, whose award-winning work includes the shorts "Parkland: Stories from the Survivors" and "Silhouette," delivers a deeply affecting coming-of-age drama that is far more layered than the typical teen boy-meets-girl story.

The film explores loneliness, depression, insecurity, and the struggle to feel understood in a world that often overlooks quiet young people who are fighting battles internally. Vieira handles the material with sensitivity and realism.

Sean Ryan Fox (TV's "The Righteous Gemstones") plays Jake, a withdrawn 17-year-old battling depression, social anxiety, and traits that place him somewhere on the autistic spectrum. He has the love and support of his caring mother (Thora Birch, "Thirsty"), but she feels lost at times because she can't often reach or connect with Jake.

Fox captures Jake's awkwardness and vulnerability authentically and makes the character instantly sympathetic.

Jake retreats into himself and his sketch art, unsure how to relate with the people around him. Then one day at school he crosses paths with Alice, played by Catharine Daddario ("Second Chances"). Alice initially appears to be the confident and carefree classmate who pulls Jake out of his shell, but the film wisely reveals that she carries emotional baggage and loneliness of her own. Their growing friendship becomes the emotional backbone of the story as they slowly learn to trust each other and confront the pain they have both been hiding.

Jake and Alice make mistakes, stumble through immature decisions, and occasionally hurt one another the way real teenagers often do, but the film never judges them harshly for it.
Instead, it focuses on growth, compassion, and the importance of having someone who truly sees your worth.

"The Midway Point" also deserves praise for its thoughtful depiction of neurodiversity and mental health, presenting Jake not as a stereotype, but as a likable young man discovering confidence in himself and his artistic talent. This is a touching, inspiring, and exceptional drama.
(Highly Recommended).

Take A Look At This Trailer For "THE MIDWAY POINT"

Editor's Note: "The Midway Point," from Level 33 Entertainment is currently available On-Demand.

AN ENEMY WITHIN Title: AN ENEMY WITHIN
Year Released: 2025
Running Time: 87
Production Company: Saban Films
Director: John Michael Kennedy
Review By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

IN "AN ENEMY WITHIN" TRUST IS THE ULTIMATE WEAPON

"An Enemy Within," from director/screenwriter John Michael Kennedy ("David") is a promising, twisty whodunit that quickly proves there is far more than meets the eye beneath its wedding-night setup.

What begins as a tense race against time steadily unravels into a layered, sometimes cluttered mystery filled with buried family secrets, shifting loyalties, and mounting paranoia that keeps both the characters and the audience off balance.

The film juggles psychological tension with bursts of violence, making the mystery compelling enough to keep audiences invested in nearly every character, particularly William Moseley ("Home Sweet Home: Rebirth"), who stars as groom Caleb Wingate.

On his wedding night, Caleb is ordered to kill his father-in-law before midnight or his bride, Julia (Kim Spearman, "The Last Breath”) will die. It's a chilling ultimatum that turns celebration into survival.

Meanwhile, the shadowy figure known as "The Wolf" (Harrison Daniels, "Mission: Impossible--The Final Reckoning") emerges as the ringleader of the chaos and killings, orchestrating events with a cold, calculated menace. The question of why "The Wolf" is pulling the strings is the big question.

In addition, Alexander Lincoln ("A Night Like This") delivers a memorable turn as a drunken, obnoxious loose cannon whose unpredictability injects both discomfort and dark humor into key scenes.

His presence adds an unpredictable edge, often disrupting moments just when the story seems to regain its footing.

Together, this wild ensemble turns "An Enemy Within" into an entertaining, and occasionally chaotic, puzzle with enough surprises to satisfy even the most persnickety suspense fans.
(Recommended).

Watch This Trailer For "AN ENEMY WITHIN"

Editor's Note: "An Enemy Within," from Saban Films is currently available on Digital and On Demand.