‘Ray’ plays the first note for artistes and entertainers

The weekly movie screening at the American Centre will be dedicated to American artistes and entertainers during the month of October.

Starting from 'Ray', Taylor Hackford's biographical drama about American music legend Ray Charles, who went blind at a young age but nevertheless became one of the most successful and influential musicians of the 20th century, Tuesday evening screenings will highlight the stories of well-known personalities like Truman Capote Jackson Pollock and Andy Kaufman.

In his attempts to worm his way into a country band, a blind black youth tells the white band members what he loves about country music: "the great stories." By this point, we've already seen one of those stories unfold: how a black youth named Ray Charles Robinson played by Jamie Foxx -- soon to drop the "Robinson" -- wormed his way onto a cross-country bus by telling the driver he'd lost his eyesight in Normandy during the war.

And that's one -- just one -- of the wonders of Ray, Taylor Hackford's story of how the son of a black sharecropper rose to become one of the most powerful pop icons of the 20th century by combining jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues and country music, despite the resistance of record company execs, fellow musicians and some audience members -- and the fact that he'd been blind since age 7.

Playing 'Ray' Jamie Foxx, in his brilliant performance captures those joyfully severe movements with uncanny spiritual precision, to the point that you forget you're watching an impersonation.

Others joining him in the star cast are Curtis Armstrong, Sharon Warren, Bokeem Woodbine, Aunjanue Ellis, Harry Lennix, Clifton Powell, Richard Schiff, Regina King, Larenz Tate, Kerry Washington and C.J. Sanders. Released on October 2004, the 152 minute, 'Ray' is that rare movie that allows for repeated viewings -- it begs for them.