This N' That....

Didn't watch the BET Awards last night, did you? I know there was a tribute to Michael J, which was nice, but did you know that Spike Lee and John Singleton both directed videos for the Gloved One? I didn't. (I posted the pic above cause I absolutely love these two together, so sue me.)


Speaking of Michael, The Reaper seems to be on a vendetta...Farrah, McMahon, and yesterday Billy Mays. Strangely I felt kinda bad about Billy---my co-workers had this joke that if they wanted someone to get their ass in gear they would imitate Mays and talk REALLY loud, saying that his shouting style seemed to motivate people. Someone was watching "Pitchmen" at my house (Billy's show) ironically the day before he died, and I felt an immense amount of respect for how he treated his family--they were so very loving, I'm very sad for them, he seemed like a very good man.


I watched, or half-watched, "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" on TV One yesterday, starring an array of very attractive and very C-List actors. Was that movie underwritten by Tyler Perry? All the elements were there...the gospel scenes, the child in peril, the woman getting her ass beat, and this seeming surplus of "good men" and all problems are completely solved by going to church. *yawn* But I have to admit that I absolutely adore the original series "Unsung", especially the profiles on Donny Hathaway, Minnie Ripperton, and Shalamar. What is up with Jeffery Daniel's upper crust semi-British accent? Weird.


The trash that is Transformers made a sh*tload of money over the weekend, being number one, of course. My Sergio had this to say:

"[Keep] this in perspective. The film cost $250 million to make and another $150 for advertising and marketing , so Paramount knew from the outset that they had to make the film the biggest opening ever if they had any shot to make their money back. Which is why the film already opened overseas almost two weeks ago and opened here in over 4200 theaters. And also keep in mind that the far and away superior The Dark Knight opened last year with an opening $203 million and it achieved that in three days while this racist piece of shit opened on a Wednesday."

A couple years ago I posted a piece about the first "Transformers" called "Racism And Robots" which you can read HERE. I didn't even write the actual article, yet I got some voracious hate mail and a good amount of traffic from it--still do. And yes, I still believe Michael Bay is a loser.



Speaking of traffic, why do I get tons from folks searching for Countess Vaughn of all people. Who can these people be and why do they want to know about her? The mind boggles.....


And listen to me and the majority of the contributors to Shadow And Act chop it up on a podcast tonight--get your details right HERE, my friend....5pm PST, 8pm EST.

Random Movie News....

Even tho the Oscars annoy the beejesus out of me, I wouldn't be a proper film blog without at least mentioning it, and the two Black actresses nominated, Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis. One, I've never been a fan of and her tired, overacting style, and the other--well let's just say I saw her on a talk show recently and found her to be wonderful; intelligent, humorous---a serious actress worthy of nomination and more high profile roles. I'll let you guess which is which.

Sergio televised his Oscar predictions below. I have none, cause if it has nothing to do with Mickey Rourke or "The Wrestler" I really don't have much to say on it. Even the clothes don't interest me this year. Here is Sergio--check him out:





Did you know John Singleton directed the Oscar promos this year? I guess he might as well be directin' somethin', cause as of late, it sho ain't movies. What's up, John? And yes, that is Taraji with him in the picture above. What she is wearing I can't even venture to guess...


Martin Lawrence will be starring in a kind of reverse "Coming To America". No title yet, but the plot is described as this:

'The film centers on a working-class man from Queens who discovers he is heir to the throne of an African country and travels there to claim his birthright'.

From IW: Martin is obviously not interested in breaking new ground, but I ain't mad, that mortgage is staying paid. And at least it's not what I blogged about a couple years ago--a big screen remake of his TV show "Martin". Someone must have finally woken up and put the brakes on that wonderful (not) idea.


Happy Birthday to Danny Glover's Robey Theatre company, turning 15 this year. Robey "Is a professional theater dedicated to developing and presenting plays that raise the social consciousness of audiences with work that explores the global Black Experience."

All my folkses in the L.A. area, please try to support Danny and his endeavors. He never gets enough props for dedicating himself to our art and community for decades, imho.


Barry Michael Cooper, writer of New Jack City among other things, who I interviewed for this blog, let me know that he has a new film, "Blood On The Wall$", which you can view in the form of 21 webisodes....perfect viewing while the boss is not looking at work! lol

Make sure you scroll down to see all of the webisodes...you can begin watching this gritty drama HERE.


This is old news now, but Halle Berry might finally do something interesting, while maybe proving once and for all that she actually has acting talent:

'Halle Berry has become attached to star in the Eunetta Boone-scripted film, "Who Is Doris Payne," based on real events. Berry will star as the title character, Doris Payne, an international jewel thief whose career spanned five decades.'

From IW: This is the story of a Black woman who stole fine jewels for decades, at a time when just being Black and in a store that sold them was cause for intense suspicion. The plot sounds fabulous--I hope Halle can pull it off. For a great post related to this film, click HERE for Obenson's thoughts.


Did you know that Preston Whitmore has been financing up and coming filmmakers? One of the films has made it to BET:

'BET has acquired broadcast rights to"Dough Boys," the debut film from Preston Whitmore's Give Back Raise Up Program wherein he finances and produces low budget pictures to give newcomers in front and behind the camera an opportunity to showcase their talent. BET will air the film in May. Paramount Home Video will distribute the DVD.'

From IW: Nice. And speaking of newcomers, received this in my email:

"Good afternoon! My name is Princeton Holt, and I decided to contact you humbly and see if you would at least be interested in seeing my first feature, "Cookies & Cream".

Cookies & Cream is a character piece about a racially mixed single mother, who maintains an adult entertainment job in order to take care of her daughter and herself. The film has seemed to make male audiences feel a bit helpless, which I think has a lot to do with a subtle sexism in the sense that love from a man alone is not enough to dictate this female character's destiny, which I think has been unsettling to several male viewers, although the overall reception from men has been favorable. I would be very interested in hearing a female reaction to this subject.

Again, I really appreciate what you are doing; it is necessary for the survival of true art films about our past, present and future generations. Thank you for your work, as well as your time and consideration. "

From IW: Hmmmm.....it was shown at "The Sexy International Film Festival" (whatever that is), so at the very least, it must be sexy, haha. Here is the teaser:




Last but not least, I really will be reviewing Diary Of A Tired Black Man later today. I was going to do it last weekend, but it really wasn't Valentine's Day fodder. I have to admit, I've been watching and rewatching a lot of stuff on TV lately....did anyone catch the mini movie marathon on TV One yesterday? "Double Take "(blech) with Eddie Griffin, "Hollywood Shuffle", and a low budget independent film called "Traci Townsend" which involves a reporter (Jazsmin Lewis) examining her failed relationships. The movie is trite, and as as I've said before Jazsmin Lewis' acting skills seem to be limited to her innumerable hairstyles, but it is a good segue to my review later. **sigh** A lot of Black male/female relationships seem to be on permanent "fail" lately.....more on that later....



Oh sh*t! I almost posted this without putting this in (thanks sergio). There is an on-line petition against Sasha Fierce playing Angela Davis. For those commenters on my last post, and for the lurkers who also feel that even the mere thought is beyond ridiculous, you can click and sign HERE.

This N' That....

Okay folks; please tell me you saw "Blackula" and "Scream Blackula Scream" last weekend on TV One. If not, for shame! :-)

I have a laundry list of things going on in Black Cinema--some of it good, some of it pure f*ckery.

First up this one:

Director John Singleton is no longer attached to direct the feature film adaptation of the 80s TV series “The A-Team,” according to Variety.

The filmmaker reportedly balked at Fox’s attempt to delay the long-gestating project for another year to allow more time for script development. The project had already been delayed multiple times due to script issues.

The Web site ComingSoon.net claims Fox is really pushing back the film to make room for an “Alvin and the Chipmunks” sequel. In either case, “The A-Team” release date has been moved from June 12, 2009 to June 11, 2010.

From IW: An A-Team remake with an underdeveloped script? Say it aint so! You know your movie is beyond tired when they push it back in favor of "Alvin & The Chipmunks 2". This is about the 99th project I've read about John Singleton starting and not finishing. 'What the problem is?' as Madea would say.


In other completely unnecessary remake news is this (thanks sergio!):

Having most recently played a dirty cop in "Lakeview Terrace," Jackson is set to star as a bad guy again in Columbia Pictures' remake of Berry Gordy's 1985 cult classic "The Last Dragon."

Jackson will play Sho'nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, a role played in the original by the late Julius Carry, whose spiel included asking ego-driven questions like "Am I the baddest mofo lowdown around this town?" Each time his gang of thugs answered, "Sho 'nuff!"

From IW: This one is co-produced by my fourth husband The RZA, which upon this news, may become one of my ex-husbands. At the very least, they should get Taimak to play Leroy Green again-he looks just as good as he did in 1985, for reals.



Speaking of Sergio and Samuel Jackson, here is Sergio's take on the upcoming movie "Soul Men" after viewing a preview screener:


'I saw Soul Men this morning at a screening and I'm sorry to say that it's shame that Bernie Mac is not around anymore because he'll never have another opportunity to make make up for the dreadful mess this film is.

It's an abysmal, unfunny, extremely tasteless movie that will stun you speechless when you see how bad it is. It's without question one of the worse films Ive seen this year, somewhere in the top three. There wasn't a single laugh or chuckle from the people in the theater when I saw it. Just stunned silence.

There's NO comic timing or pacing and dialogue, in which literally every other word is the F word, it's clumsy, awkward and just plain painful to hear. (Remember the really awful F word heavy dialogue in Eddie Murphy's Harlem Nights? Well this is just as bad or even worse) Bernie Mac is simply just plain not funny at all throughout the entire the film. I understand that he was ill while making the film and that could explain why he's somehow "off his game" in this film. Samuel L. Jackson literally just screams (as he usually does) his way through this film, yet another crappy film in his long list of crappy films that he's made in his career. And wait till you see the final big supposedly comic highlight towards the end involving Bernie, Jackson and John Legend. You (and the audience) will be astounded by how awful and tasteless it is.

Every cliche you've ever seen before about two old partners who can't stand each other but get back together (like The Sunshine Boys) are used but even more wretchedly than before. And of course there's the obligatory super nerdy white guy who wants to be cool to make black audiences feel superior to a white man because he "ain't got no rhythm".

And there's also this pathetic far-from-comic over stereotyped character of this would-be rapper/drug dealer in the film who appears in a couple of scenes who is SO painful to watch that I wanted to walk out every time he appeared in screen.

(One good thing in the entire film, maybe, for guys of my generation is a brief cameo appearance early in the film by the legendary adult film actress of the 70's and 80's Vanessa Del Rio but of course she wasted too)

What even bothers me more is while watching it is that once again I felt that black cinema is in very sorry state of affairs. Medicine for Melancholy excluded, if this is what we're getting then there just shouldn't be any more black films, period. I would be happy and content just watching comic book superhero movie.

Next time I see a film with the credits: "Directed by Malcolm D. Lee" I'm heading for the hills.'

From IW: Ummm...dang. I'll reserve judgement until I see it (won't be paying tho). I'm seeing it cause of Isaac Hayes and the association with Malcolm Lee, whose career is starting to look a little dicey, at the very least.


Speaking of dicey moves, there is an online petition to get rid of The Cheadle in "Ironman" and bring back Baby Wipes Howard. Yes, really. If you want to see it, or heaven forbid sign it, you can click HERE.


In non-Black Hollywood news, I am really sad to see that Joaquin Phoenix has decided to quit acting for good. I saw "We Own The Night" last night, and really enjoyed it. It was a great cops and criminals action/suspense thriller, in which he co-starred with Robert Duvall and Mark Wahlberg. With so few real actors around, and folks like Robert Duvall and DiNiro getting older, it is sad to see someone like Joaquin leave, while Marky Mark keeps making movie after movie. I've always found that dude so wooden, and he looks and acts exactly the same way in every single film he's in. *sigh*


In other news, Elijah Kelley seems to be venturing from his brand new career in acting to writing/directing already. After getting rave reviews in "Hairspray" and landing a role in one of the supposed 3 biographical films of Sammy Davis, Jr. (what happened to those anyway?) he debuts with a project called "Who Killed Bishop Brown". It is described thusly:

'A scandalous romp filled with church politics, sexual tension and the untimely death of Bishop Brown. Kelley capitalizes on a style of filmmaking that has become very popular in the black community - a combination of drama, comedy, music, and morality.

Okay, here is the deal. Tyler Perry is to aspiring young black filmmakers what Quentin Tarrantino was to young white filmmakers a decade and a half ago. You can see Perry's influence throughout "Who Killed Bishop Brown." The dialogue, filmmaking and even casting choices mimic Perry’s production style.

“Who Killed Bishop Brown” is full of self-righteous dialogue, preachy messages and clumsy blocking. But it also features realistic characters and an ability to connect with the audience in a way put them in, in this film with Christian overtones.'




From IW: I'm sure Sergio will be thrilled to read this. Above is the trailer for it.....by the way, I got the info about the film from a site I discovered called "I Love Black Movies" which is filled Black Cinema movie reviews from folks that pretty much dedicate their lives to Black film and it's offshoots. It is definitely worth taking a gander, imho.

Another interesting blog worth wondering over to is IWBCAL commenter Camille Acey's "Adventures in Wheelville". In it she chronicles her life and times of being a former Brooklyn chick and now currently a one year resident of Radovljica, Slovenija (?!). Loves it.

Please check out my homie schlomie pop culture writer Michael G. Gonzales' co- project, "The Southernist". On it he describes his experiences with such elegant and intricate delicacies as chitlins and grits, haha!



Speaking of Mike G., he wrote this great comment on my post about Fred Williamson making Black Caesar:

[black caesar] is one of my favorite flicks; and the soundtrack is killer. i interviewed fred once and he told me james brown was mad, because he wanted to play the lead.

reminds me of when i read that originally, mgm wanted to cast sammy davis to play shaft...now, picture that.

From IW: James Brown as Black Caesar and Sammy Davis Junior as Shaft? I think God was directly involved in bypassing those two calamities, for sure.


And finally a huge big up to Reelblack's Michael Dennis winning CNN's IReport Film Festival. He says:

'I would like to personally thank everyone who viewed and voted for our film, which follows my grandmother's trek to vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 Pennsylvania Primary. It's been an amazing run. Since debuting at Fancypants Cinema and on Reelblack TV, we've been invited to screen in festivals in New York, LA and Charlotte, NC. The film will also screen the week of October 28 on BET-J's BLACK STORIES (along with Philly filmmaker Bianca White's short). All the comments are appreciated but there's so much more work to do. I chose the title The 13th Amendment to remind folks that there wasn't always a time when all Americans had the right of freedom. One of our greatest privileges is the Right To Vote. Please do it on November 4.'

From IW: Right on. If you'd like to see the short, you can view it HERE.

Random Movie News....

Sorry for the light posting as of late--be patient with me....I've been on an extended stay in the South, and am going back home to Cali and have business to tie up for a minute. Let me put it this way, after experiencing life as a Southerner, I never want to be out of arm's reach of a Chambord martini (or beach) or the possibility of one ever again! No liquor on Sunday? GTFOH!
Some things have been piling up; of course Sergio has been sending me Black Cinema news, being the sweetie pie he is. I'll share a few of the film tips he sent over...first up, hopefully Isaiah Washington can recoup his film career (I felt he was too big for TV anyway). From The H'wood Reporter:

Isaiah Washington has booked his first major feature film role since exiting "Grey's Anatomy" in June.Washington will star opposite Forest Whitaker in "Patriots," the Dimension's sports drama being directed by Tim Story. Also joining the cast are Taraji P. Henson, Robbie Jones, Jackie Long, Eric Hill, Bow Wow, Lil' Wayne, Irma Hall, Jarod Einsohn, J.B. Smoove and Chyna McClain.

"Patriots," based on a true story, is set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when Al Collins, a high school basketball coach in Marrero, La., assembled a team of players who previously attended five different schools and led them on the path to the state championships.

Washington will play an assistant coach at John Ehret High who helps lead the squad.

Robert Eisele ("The Great Debaters") and Greg Allen Howard ("Remember the Titans") wrote the script. Raymond Brothers and Scott Glassgold of IAM Entertainment and Stephanie Allain and Michael Beugg are producing. Shooting begins this week in New Orleans.


From IW: Not really my flavor, but good to see Isaiah working. And me love Jackie Long.

Next up for all of you aspiring filmmakers; here is an interesting way to gain some exposure;--it is also telling about how new media will be working in the millennium. From AOL:

Always the innovative filmmaker, Spike Lee's next project is somewhat unique in its own way.

The Hollywood Reporter states that Spike Lee has linked up with Nokia to direct a movie made with cell phone footage from everyday people in what he calls the democratization of film.

The film by Nokia Productions will consist of three acts. An 'assignment' for each act will be announced online and people will then have four weeks to produce their submission.

'You are seeing first hand the democratization of film," Lee said in a statement on Thursday. "Aspiring filmmakers no longer have to go to film school to make great work. With a simple mobile phone, almost anyone can now become a filmmaker.'

The film's theme will evolve around the way music tells the story of humanity, and people can submit text, music, video or images at certain times between now and August 21.

Nokia will choose 25 submissions, then people can vote online for their favorite for a top 10 from which Spike Lee will then choose the winning submission from each act.

Lee will direct the film through the Web site.

The final film with the three winning submissions and other contributed content will premiere later this year in Los Angeles.


From IW: And finally, a heartfelt thank you to Ms. Marvelous at "Opinionated Black Woman". She graced me with the Red Rose Award and this mini-poem:

A single Red Rose is a wonderful gift

It shows the heart

and gives the spirit a lift

I feel the same about her blog 100%. She puts her pure thoughts and feelings out there, no holds barred, and it is very brave. Kudos to her for making us all know life is universal, whether we care to admit it or hide it. Love ya, MM!

Update: Hey Atlanta fam! There is a free screening tonight of "Neo Ned" with Gabrielle Union that some folks say is very similar to the film that Halle is to star in about a woman with multiple personalities, one a racist. Here is the info:

Event Name: Urban Film Review
DATE: Tonight, Monday, April, 28th
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

MORE: FREE! Arrive early, limited seating.

Click here to RSVP

The Smith Kids and Other Moneymaking Randomness.....

There is a mixed bag of films going into production. A couple I can see happening, and a couple I am just baffled over why anyone would bother. I'll let you guess which ones.

First up are two kids that seem manufactured for franchise purposes only, Willow and Jaden Smith. From Variety:

Brother and sister Willow and Jaden Smith are set to star in Warners' adaptation of Kazu Kibuishi's "Amulet," about a brother and sister who move into their late great-grandfather's home after the death of their father. They must use their father's amulet to save their mother from a beast who lures her into an underground world.


From IW: Forget movies; the Smiths need to write and sell a book on how to stack that paper. They'd never have to work again.





At the other end of the spectrum, we have the foolishness that is DMX in something new. How does someone who stays rocked out get so much work? He must be one charming mofo....but I digress. From Filmwad:

Vinnie Jones, Michael Madsen, Michael Matthias, rapper DMX, and Armand Assante have joined the cast of a horror-action film called The Bleeding. According to Variety, the "story centers on an ex-Army Ranger searching for the killer of his parents who discovers a family of vampires in a former chemical weapons factory-turned-nightclub." A lot of information to process, I know.

Charles Picerni is directing from Lance Lane's script. Michael Tadross Jr. is producing with Charbel Youssef and Frank Capra III (this sounds like a far-cry from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington). Shooting begins next month in North Carolina.


From IW: He might not "know nuttin bout no Obama", but he sure knows how to make crappy movies and keep the rocks funded.





Someone seems to have lit a fire under Robert Townsend's *ss as of late. After years of hearing crickets from his camp, every time I turn around I am reading about a new project of his. He seems to be continuing his crusade of family friendly fare. I ain't mad. From Black Talent News:

Robert Townsend is closing the deal to direct the family adventure film "Lil Homiez," written by Dallas Jackson and Townsend, and based on a short film by Jackson.According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Overture Films project is a hip-hop version of "The Little Rascals meets The Rugrats," and recounts the adventures of five multiethnic kids as they try to save their neighborhood from being taken over by an evil land developer.

He's in post-production on "Phantom Punch," the story of Sonny Liston, starring Ving Rhames, and a documentary called "Why We Laugh: Black Comedians On Black Comedy." As an actor, Townsend next appears in "Of Boys and Men."


From IW: Don't want to take away from my man, but the "hip-hop/Little Rascals/Rugrats" reference is a big red flag letting me know I won't be seeing this, unless there are a bunch of 5 years olds around.





I think I made my feelings clear on this next one before, and they haven't changed one iota. He kinda looks like "Candyman" in this picture:

Twentieth Century Fox has announced that the John Singleton ("Four Brothers," "Shaft") -directed "A-Team" is set for a June 12, 2009 release. The adaptation of the popular 80s TV series will follow Hannibal Smith and his team of special force soldiers, who have been set up for a crime they didn't commit.



From IW: Oy. Next!




And finally, do you ever think Tyler Perry ever sits in his room and thinks "How can I take over the entire world?" Like Dr. Evil in Austin Powers? He probably even has a dead cat to stroke just like him.

First, there are rumors that he is dating Vanessa Williams (I think they would make a very nice business arrangement). Then the plan to try to make as much money as humanly possible by combining elements that will win tons of publicity, and tons of curiosity, both Black and non-black. That translates into tons of dough. To wit:

At a press conference for his upcoming film, "Meet the Browns," Tyler Perry announced that he's working on a film project inspired by the relationship between Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. "For the Love You" is about a man's love for his woman. "It's an amazing story," Perry says.

Perry came up with the idea after having dinner with the Obama's and after watching Barack debate with Hillary. He described it as "a love story with a political twist," Perry says he hopes he can cast Angela Bassett and Denzel Washington.

Perry is determined to get this project made. The actor-writer-director who has partnered with Lionsgate on his five feature films, says "if they won't do it, I'll do it with someone else." Producing partner Reuben Cannon hinted that the project might go into production by the end of the year.


From IW: How the f**k does he keep churning out movies so fast?

Stop The Madness--Part 2

Okay, can somebody bring me some A) News I wanna see about Black Cinema B) Something that doesn't make me want to chuck this blog in a dumpster? Jeesh, a woman can only take so much!

From Filmwad:

Rapper-actor Ice Cube is reportedly in talks to join the cast of the John Singleton-directed adaptation of The A-Team. Though this is not yet a done deal, there are few other bankable actors out there would could semi-convincingly replace Mr. T as Sergeant B.A. Baracus.

Here's what he told Blackfilm on the character:

I wouldn't try to duplicate what Mr. T did, but I will have the same impact on you when you were little watching the TV show. I'm going to bring my own flavor to it and I am going to do the mohawk.

When asked if the role is "definite" for him:

I don't know. They want me to do it if all the business works out right. I was a fan as a kid and that would be, not a dream come true, but it's definitely a good thing to do and I would put it on my resume for sure.

In the famous words of Keenan Thompson:

WHY???!!!!

last picture ganked from A Black Man's View

Just....damn.

**sigh**

(part one)

John Singleton is set to direct a feature adaptation of "The A-Team".

Et tu, John?

**sigh**

(part 2, a.k.a. douche alert)

Jamie Foxx at his "40th" (for the third or fourth time) birthday party.




**sigh**

(part 3)

What is really going on, Jasmine? I need the truth, and I need it now.

**sigh**

(part 4)

"First Sunday" with Ice Cube, Tracy Morgan, and Katt Williams. Forget just damn....just...why?





thanks celebrity blitz and undercover black man for nos. #1 and #4, respectively.

Today In B'Days

Tyra Banks is a suspicious 34. I used to see her around in the days of "Higher Learning", and she wasn't some fresh-faced teenager, that's for sure...but that's all I'll say about that, cause she was always nice.

I tried to find a clip of "Higher Learning" on the net but couldn't....it could be because notorious meanie and human moleman John Singleton shuts any infringement down, or because the movie was so tired no one bothered to upload it. I haven't seen the movie since it was in theaters, and it made such an impression on me (not) that I didn't even remember that Ice Cube, Regina King, and Jennifer Connelly were in it.

Following is a clip some college students made reenacting one of the scenes in the film...lmao that they're acting all "urban" with cockney and African accents--pure comedy!