Mish/Mash

OK, I know I said I was gonna post once a day about these old school films (which I still am), but I got caught up having to make a two day trip to San Francisco...I'm sorry, but I DO NOT miss living there....my hometown is falling to pieces on a non-tourist level.

Anyhoo, until I can git ta writin', I'll leave you with my beloved Sergio's opinion of "Just Wright", and a preview of a film that fell into my inbox. If you're looking for a film for the weekend, I highly recommend "Shutter Island", which I viewed online on the plane last night...it's the next best thing to Hitchcock. I have been giving Leonardo DiCaprio the side-eye for over a decade, and though I have liked some of the the films he's been in (Gangs Of New York, for example), I never thought he should be Scorcese's DeNiro replacement muse until this film. I actually think my man can act! lol. Well, here is Sergio's opine on "Just Wright" (and "Mandingo"):

I've seen Just Wright and it's a lame, totally predictable, tepid, boring film. And aside from the fact that you've seen it 1000 times before and can predict everything that's going to happen long before it does, it's TOO nice. King (yes I said KING) Latifah and Common play too of the most blandest, nicest, dullest people on the planet in the film. They're not human, but mannequins. I suspect that Latifah's character in the original script was sassier, tougher and rougher around the edges. You know, a REAL person. But I suspect she's had the script rewritten to eliminate any roughness, least people think that she's too...ahem...manly.

Common is the nicest, safest, NBA player in history. I mean c'mon a NICE considerate NBA player?? Here's an idea...what if the film had made him an arrogant, loud mouth, annoying person (with maybe a baby momma somewhere) to hide the fact that he's an insecure. lonely person afraid his glory years as a player has passed him by. You know a REAL person. And of course keep in mind that he eventually dumps Paula Patton over for the King in the film too. Yeah sure, that's real belivable But I understand this is a fantasy not real life. (Then again didn't he date Serena Williams for a while? Maybe's he's got a thing for mannish chicks)

The film is so lame that it resorts to the old worn out trick of a character (the King in this case) driving an old beat up car that NOBODY in real life would drive just to show that she's "quirky". I still think that film should have been the King and Paula Patton are involved in a relationship and Common comes along, they have a "three way express", he "converts" Patton and they leave off happily ever after. Now THAT would have been a movie.

BUT Mandingo. THAT MY MOVIE! Love it, love it, LOOOOVE IT! One of the still fondest movie going experiences was the first time I saw the film when it came out and there was this brother in the seat behind was doing this HYSTERICAL running commentary during the film and when it got tho the big sex scene with Ken Norton and Susan George (which lasted all of 30 seconds) he had me damn near on the floor rolling. The film is available though Legend Film label in restored widescreen and anamorphic too which you can buy on Amazon or other online video stores. Unfortunately there's no commentary or extras, but the film has never looked this good since it was first released. You know I've got a copy.

From IW: Not surprised about "Just Wright", but I will give my opinion on "Mandingo" over the next couple days.

Here is an independent Black film that came into my inbox; no message, no comment, no synopsis, no nothing--just a link--so I really don't know what to say. Anyway, at least you know there are those out there trying outside of the Hollywood System. Also, you can now sleep at night knowing that the milk carton alert for Joseph C. Phillips is official solved:

Saddle Up For The Weird Western Hero Jonah Hex

Would a no superhero comic adaptation film competes with many of those super armored, outlandish skilled guys in this big cinema domain? Let’s put our hopes on the shoulder of the surly and ruthless old west bounty hunter with massive scarring on his face, “Jonah Hex”. Talk of a live action Hex movie actually has circulated since the late 1970s

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One More Lesson To Share With The Karate Kid

The 1984 coming of age-martial arts film “The Karate Kid” was a commercial success upon first release. It also had favorable critical attention, and earning the late Pat Morita an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Directed by John G. Avildsen (who also did 1976's "Rocky" - another underdog story), the film probably one of the best (and frankly, most realistic) incorporation of

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Flashback Week: "Chameleon Street"

After watching a series of groan inducing "just why?" films like boiling hot mess "Armored" and the wretched "The Losers", it was quite refreshing to have a film like "Chameleon Street" thrown into the mix. Reader Tafari summed my current Black Cinema thoughts pretty well:

As for myself, the last good black movie I've seen since the fall of 2009 was Precious. Since then nothing good has been released. Thought about seeing the Funeral movie but decided to see Kick Ass instead and it was fucking AWESOME. So happy I followed my guts on that one!

Outside of Kick Ass, the only movie that I've seen since Precious and Avatar that I like/loved was Shutter Island. Everything else has been a total mess making me want my money back still.

What's a movie buff to do?

For reals! Now Chameleon Street isn't as much of a flashback as the others are in this series, since it was released in 1989, but it very much has the feel and tone of a Black film from the 70's. The difference is that instead of the foot to ass, get "the man" through violence films of the 70's, the main character uses his wits and resources to get by and through "the man".

It is the story of William Douglas Street, played by Wendell B. Harris Jr. (yes, he uses his full name at all times, lol) who, motivated by chasing the almighty dollar, finds himself assuming a number of different identities; surgeon, Yale student, a "Time" news reporter--all falsely assumed but accepted by everyone nonetheless. Everyone except his one weak spot and kryptonite, his self-involved wife. Though from humble beginnings, he is intelligent, has a razor sharp wit with a ton of charisma, and absolutely no time to suffer fools easily. This enables him to make the transitions, from jailbird to ultimately a political and social activist and everything in between, with ease.

While the budget limitations are obvious, and the transitions from one identity to the next can be a bit rough, I saw what the star/director was trying to do. It wasn't so much about the plot itself exactly, but was really more like a scathing observation of the hypocrisy and ignorance of America, and YT's ridiculous assumptions about Blacks and appearances. It also deftly handles the microcosms of Black male female relationships, and how difficult it can be to dedicate yourself to just one person. He had a lot to say, and he said it in this film....the narration is killer.

I have mostly seen Black men rave about this film--it seems to really resonate with them on some level for some reason. But this is what you would call a thinking person's movie; you can't just view it as is, you must see between the lines. It moves at a swift pace, and there are no spots in the film where nothing is happening, so you gotta pay attention. I recommend viewing with zero distractions, and zero expectations, and this movie will be thought about days afterward.


Read this in an article: "Instead of distributing the original film, studios wanted to make new versions with various actors. Harris remembers, “Each time it was given to a different person, it was given a different ambiance. For Wesley Snipes, it was changed into a kind of car chase movie. For Sinbad, it was changed into a kind of goof-ball character. For Arsenio, it was a hybrid of the two.” Will Smith also wanted to remake it, and has twice redone a scene from Chameleon Street where Harris solves a rubik’s cube to impress an employer."* Typical!!!

Also read this: "Harris shopped around many ideas in the 90s, including Negropolis, a version of ancient Rome where the emperor and ruling elite are all black and all the slaves are white. Roles were written for Oprah Winfrey as Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile and Cosmetology, Howard Stern as Alexander the Great and Harris as Canigula – Caligula with a ‘N.’"* Now that is a movie I wanna see!

Wendell B. Harris, Jr. is working on a sci-fi project as of late; I know that you readers have expressed multiple times how there is such a huge need for that in Black film. As such, whenever you hear or come into contact with his project, please do whatever you can to support!

Could not find a trailer, so here is a scene from Chameleon Street:



Some comments from Harris, and a scene from the film about "good hair":






*source: filmakermagazine.com

Old School Flicks 101

Hey all. I think I'm finally over my twitter obsession and can get back to blogging. Well, that's not entirely accurate. I know I said I wanted to start blogging regularly as a tribute to David Mills, but the biggest truth is that I've been uninspired. Yes.

There hasn't been a Black film this year that I've been excited about or in anticipation to see. I think I want to see them, then when they actually come out, I'm like "meh", and go about my business. Cases in point, "The Book Of Eli", with its overdone to death premise, "American Violet", "Death At A Funeral" (fine-ass James Marsden nonwithstanding), and don't even get me started on "Why Did I Get Married Too" or "Law Abiding Citizen". The one film that I was really looking forward to--"Brooklyn's Finest" was a major disappointment of epic proportions. I just watched "New Jack City" for about the 20th time yesterday, and it was still more gripping and compelling than Brooklyn's Finest.

And what is to look forward to? "Just Wright" with King Latifah and Common in a "romantic" relationship? Gimme a freaking break! To be fair, YT cinema hasn't been all that fantastic either--just saw a screener of "Chloe" with Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore, which was like an extremely watered down "Fatal Attraction" seen through fogged up glasses.

To be honest, the only Black films that have excited me lately are actually all from the archives. I know that some follow this blog to check on the latest happenings, but around here I kinda just write about what I'm feeling at the time. What I've been feeling are some fantastic films from the 70's, which I think are a must see for everyone, Black or non. And some not so fantastic ones that I think some should just flat out view to see the sheer nerve of some producers and directors in the 70's.

Each day I will talk about one of these films; "The Spook Who Sat By The Door", "Chameleon Street", "Mandingo", "The Legend Of Nigger Charlie" and the amazing and freaking fantastic "Ganja And Hess", a jewel of a film by a country mile.

So tune in once a day, every day, for the rest of the week and I will have some films on here that you can learn about, or if you've already seen them, discuss with me (I love, love, love your comments). A huge thanks to those who have stuck with me, and to my new followers who have come on board though I've been seriously M.I.A. See you tomorrow!

Splice The New DNA In Horror Evolution

Mary Shelley's “Frankenstein” has been called the first account of the infamous mad scientist genre. The story and the famous character of Frankenstein's monster have inspired numerous films, television programs, video games and derivative works. The character of the monster remains one of the most recognized icons in horror fiction. Depictions of The Monster have varied widely, from mindless

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Letters to God

PG | 1 hr 50 mins | Drama Movie
A heartfelt tale of inspiration, hope and redemption, "Letters to God" is the story of what happens when one boy’s walk of faith crosses ways with one man’s search for meaning.
Synopsis:
Tyler Doherty (Tanner Maguire) is an extraordinary eight year old boy. Surrounded by a loving family and community, and armed with the bravery of his faith, he faces his daily struggle against cancer with bravery and grace. To Tyler, God is a friend, a teacher and the ultimate pen pal. Tyler's prayers take the form of letters, which he writes and mails on a daily basis.

The letters find their way into the hands of Brady McDaniels (Jeffrey S.S. Johnson), a beleaguered postman standing at a crossroads in his life. At first, he is confused and infringed over what to do with the letters. But the decision he finally makes becomes a will to the quiet power of one boy's shining spirit and unshakeable faith.

Director: David Nixon, Patrick Doughtie
Starring: Ralph Waite, Bailee Madison, Maree Cheatham, Robyn Lively

Movie Trailer Letters to God

Date Night

PG-13 | 1 hr 28 mins | Comedy Movie
Steve Carell and Tiny Fey star in director Shawn Levy's comedy about a twin whose common date night becomes anything but when dinner and a movie just won't suffice anymore.
Synopsis:
an adventure that turns a run-of-the-mill married couple's date upside down - way upside down.Their union in imminent danger of becoming dispiritedly monotonous, the desperate couple goes to unprecedented distances in order to preserve the spark.

Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Leighton Meester, Common, Taraji Henson, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta, Mila Kunis, Mark Ruffalo, William Fichtner, Olivia Munn

Movie Trailer Date Night

Iron Man 2

PG-13 | 2 hr 5 mins | Action Movie
Marvel Studios continues the further exploits of their man of iron franchise with this second installment of the Iron Man saga.
Synopsis:
In "Iron Man 2," the world is alert that billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the armored Super Hero Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to expose the secrets behind the Iron Man armour because he fears the data will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces.

Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, John Slattery, Kate Mara, Clark Gregg, Olivia Munn

Movie Trailer Iron Man 2

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A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

NR | 1 hr 37 mins | Horror Movie
A contemporary re-imagining of the horror classic : Freddy Krueger (Jackie Earle Haley) returns in "A Nightmare on Elm Street"
Synopsis:
A group of suburban teenagers share one common bond: they are all being stalked by Freddy Krueger, a horribly monstrous killer who hunts them in their dreams. As long as they stay awake, they can protect one another....but when they sleep, there is no escape.

Director: Samuel Bayer
Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Thomas Dekker, Kellan Lutz, Katie Cassidy, Connie Britton

Movie Trailer A Nightmare on Elm Street

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Kick-Ass: A Thoroughly Engaging Wild Ride

There surely lots of buzz and hype also controversy surrounding this latest superhero film based on the comic book by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., “Kick-Ass”. Much of concerns laid on the movie's 11-year-old actress Chloe Moretz’s language. But while Roger Ebert and some family advocacy groups couldn't get over that, most other critics love the film. In fact, it has been met with generally positive reviews with review

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There’s Seriously No Plan B For This New A-Team

Trying to transform the 1980s TV series "The A-Team" into a summer action spectacle, Twentieth Century Fox has struggled to find a way to exploit the branded TV show while avoiding the series' campy tone. Studio has found Joe Carnahan (Smokin' Aces) to direct and Ridley Scott to produce, with Tony Scott exec producing through their Scott Free banner. Carnahan and the Scott brothers say they will use the original premise of the series as the template for an action film. In the original,

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Remember Me

PG-13 | 1 hr 53 mins |Romantic drama movie
Set in the summer of 2001, "Remember Me" is an unforgettable story about the power of love, the strength of family, and the grandness of living passionately and treasuring every day of one's life.
Synopsis:
Tyler, a restless young man in New York City who has a stressed relationship with his father (Pierce Brosnan) ever since tragedy separated their family. Tyler didn't think anyone could possibly realize what he was experiencing until the day he seen Ally (Emilie de Ravin) through an unusual twist of destiny. Love was the last thing on his head, but as her spirit unexpectedly cures and inspires him, he starts to fall for her. Through their love, he starts to find happiness and meaning in his life. Soon, hidden secrets are revealed, tragedy lingers in the air, as the circumstances that brought them together threaten to split them apart.

Director: Allen Coulter
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, Lena Olin, Tate Ellington, Ruby Jerins, Pierce Brosnan

Movie Trailer Remember Me

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Date Night: This Truly Has Genuinely Funny Performers

Steve Carell is the funny man from NBC's comedy, “The Office”, and Tina Fey is the star and head writer of NBC's “30 Rock”. Two were solid comedy series hits and each one of the star is funny in their own way. Each has also found their fame in big screen so it seems like they would be a perfect couple in a movie, doesn't it? Therefore, here it come their debut performance together in a film called “Date Night”. The movie which directed by

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The Bounty Hunter

PG-13 | 1 hr 46 mins | Action Comedy Movie
Columbia Pictures (Sony) present an action comedy movie by Sarah Thorp as Screenwriter.
Synopsis:
Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler), a down on his luck bounty hunter, goes his ambition job when he is delegated to lead down his bail jumping ex wife, newsperson Nicole Hurly (Jennifer Aniston). He thinks all that's ahead is an easy payday, but when Nicole gives him the slip so she can chase a lead on a murder cover up, Milo figures that nothing ever goes simply with him and Nicole. The exes continually one up each other until they find themselves on the run for their lives. They thought their promise to love, honor and obey was hard remaining alive is going to be a whole lot harder.

Director: Andy Tennant
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler, Jason Sudeikis, Dorian Missick, Joel Marsh Garland, Christine Baranski

Movie Trailer The Bounty Hunter

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How to Train Your Dragon

PG | 1 hr 38 mins | Animation movie - Children's Movie - Family Movie
This the action comedy animation based on the popular children's book by Cressida Cowell
Synopsis:
Set in the mythical world of vigorous Vikings and wild dragons, a son of a Viking chief Hiccup must capture a dragon in order to mark his passage into manhood and prove his worthiness to the tribe. Hiccup's world is became upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges he and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.


Director: Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig, T.J. Miller

Movie Trailer How to Train Your Dragon

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