Queen of Katwe (2016)

Jack and I really liked this inspiring and touching story of a girl from Ugandan slums who becomes a chess master. Based on a true story, it stars Lupita N'yongo (last blogged for The Jungle Book) and David Oyelowo (recently in A Most Violent Year) as the mother and coach, respectively, and newcomer Madina Nalwanga in the title role AKA Phiona Mutesi of Katwe, Uganda, with a host of other newbies. The acting is remarkable, including the gaggle of kids in the chess group.

Indian-born director Mira Nair (last in these pages for New York, I Love You and Amelia) is very good at colorful pictures featuring strong, often brown-skinned characters. In fact, she made a docu-drama about the real coach Robert Katende. You can watch it (13 minutes long) and a six minute doc about Phiona on this page. Screenwriter William Wheeler (adapted Clifford Irving's biography into the movie The Hoax (2007)) adapted this screenplay from Tim Crothers' book about Phiona, which Crothers fleshed out from his own article in ESPN Magazine.

Nair's love of color is aided by cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, who shot Hysteria. Composer Alex Heffes (The First Grader) comes through again with sprightly African tunes, some of which can be streamed from this link and others on the right side of the youtube page.

Rotten Tomatoes' critics are swooning with an average of 91%, with its audiences not far behind at 86. And be sure to stay seated for the credits, even if you don't want to read them. You will see the actors with the real people they have portrayed, as well as a fun music video of a pop song that the children sing during the movie.

I suspect that this movie could possibly cause motion-picture-motion-sickness (MPMS) in afflicted individuals. I was okay because we sat in the last row and I watched the closed caption device which kept me grounded, but I'll put it on the list.