FilmGordon

Culinary Rat Pack | Ratatouille

2007-06-29T17:02:00.000-04:00

Brad Bird who gave the world The Incredibles, returns with the hilarious story of a mouse who can only smell the sweet smell of cooking success in animated film, Ratatouille (*** ½ stars).

The film tells the delightful story of a rat named Remy. While his rat colony searches for food, Remy dreams of culinary delights. He spends his days poring over cookbooks and watching celebrated chef Gusteau cooking show. His fortunes take a turn for the better when he is separated from his family and friends escaping the home of an angry inhabitant.

Remy finds himself in the home of fine dining, Paris, and immediately is drawn to Chef Gusteau’s restaurant, where he hooks up with bistro’s new garbage boy, Linguini. He forms a friendship with the introverted boy using him as a human puppet to fulfill his culinary dreams. Linguini becomes the chef du jour, creating tasty dishes with the help of his four-legged friend. But when the bistro’s nosy and selfish proprietor senses that something is not right, the two outcasts form an unlikely friendship that will test Remy’s tolerance with humans and help Linguini find his true love.

While Ratatouille is delightful and fun-filled, one has to wonder who the target audience for this film is. The film possesses too much story for children but is not the type of movie that older audiences typically attend without them.

While this flick firmly establishes Bird as a rising-star director in animated films, it would be interesting to see him direct a live-action feature.

Discussing themes such as family acceptance and getting in touch with your “inner child,” Remy is probably the first rat since Ben that is sure to be embraced. Ratatouille is rah-rah fun!

The Last Old-School Action Hero

2007-06-27T14:10:00.000-04:00

In what must surely be a record for an action hero, Bruce Willis returns after twelve years giving life to his signature character, Detective John McClane in the fourth installment of the Die Hard franchise, Live Free or Die Hard (**½ stars). While the film features a strong setup, the finale returns to often-familiar territory.

A virtual terrorist, Thomas Gabriel (Tim Olyphant) has hired a group of the world’s best computer hackers to write a program that will assist him in shutting down various branches of the government. This “fire sale” (named because “everything must go;” in his mind, all areas of the government) will create panic, sending the country into chaos. To cover his tracks, Gabriel kills each of the hackers, but one, Matt Farrell (Apple Computer pitchman, Justin Long). Wanted for questioning by the government in DC, McClane has been assigned to bring him in. That’s where the trouble begins.

After a slow start where we see McClain showing his overprotective parental side, the becomes a fuel-driven adrenaline rush as McClane quickly fights the bad guys using everything within his disposal, even taking down a helicopter with a car. While Willis is unable to handle the stunts that were performed in the first three films, he more than compensates by using his razor sharp mind and quick wit. The generation gap between the nerdy Farrell and the grizzled veteran McClane is highlighted by a hilarious scene as they attempt to hi-jack a car. McClane wants to hotwire the stolen vehicle, but Farrell is successful using the OnStar system to get the vehicle moving.

McClane gets beat down by an Asian female adversary, performs a ridiculous stunt which finds him pursued by a military jet while driving a truck over a collapsing freeway and he manages to save the day. Although he is now considered an action-hero dinosaur, the film gives fans of the franchise exactly what they want and expect.

Although, Olyphant is the series’ smartest villain, he is far from the strongest. Die Hard is arguably one of the greatest action films ever made and has become the standard for all films of its genre are judged. The film is high on entertainment and thrills and does not pretend to exist in reality. With Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steven Seagall and Sylvester Stallone retired; Willis truly is the Last Old-School Action Hero.

Audiences have a choice to either Live Free or Die Hard, but they may find the answer by engaging in the latter with no expectations but two hours of sheer action-packed entertainment.

Evil Effin’ Room | 1408

2007-06-25T01:52:00.000-04:00

There’s just something spooky about hotel rooms. For the third time this year, Hollywood has shown us that bad things happen to White folks when they don’t respect the power of temporary lodging. While both Vacancy and Bug were just warm-ups, havoc and mayhem are in full effect in the delightfully evil, 1408 (*** stars).

Horror novelist, Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a best-selling author who writes books disproving paranormal events. When the film opens, Enslin is checking into a supposed “haunted” hotel room for his latest book, Ten Nights in Haunted Hotel Rooms.” He exhibits a familiar been-there-done-that attitude about his work. Smug and arrogant, Enslin exhibits no fear because not only does he not believe in ghosts but has no respect for the subject he writes about. He is a man slowly ascending on life’s rollercoaster unaware that he is just about to take an incredibly steep plunge that will change his fortunes.

While going through his mail, Enslin discovers a cryptic postcard warning him to stay away from Room 1408. After researching the horrific history of the fateful room, Enslin’s interest is successfully piqued; he decides to pay a visit to the Dolphin Hotel. But before he can check in, he is quickly escorted to the office of the hotel’s manager, Mr. Olin (Samuel L. Jackson) who passionately tries to dissuade the author from staying in the room.

Initially, Olin tries to reason with Enslin by offering him a bribe, as well as $800 liquor. Finally, he shares photos of over 50 other people who all mysteriously died within an hour of checking in. After telling Enslin that he doesn’t care about his well-being or cleaning up the inevitable carnage, he shares his true reason – it’s just an evil f***** room! But Enslin is determined to be the one person who will survive and with supreme arrogance, he decides to stay.

All’s working out well for Enslin, until a series of minor occurrences begin to spook him. Suddenly, without warning, The Carpenter’s “We’ve Only Just Begun” begins to blare over the radio speakers and the clock flickers and begins the freaky 60 minute countdown; now he wants out. Remember that rollercoaster we spoke about earlier, well now he’s in the middle of a ride that will feature many strange twists and turns and just when he thought he was out, he is surely pulled back in, again and again.

The one thing that will thrill Black audiences is that they are well represented in this film. In addition to Jackson’s character, which wouldn’t get off the elevator on the 14th floor, there is incredibly insightful hotel maintenance man who refuses to go in the room to service the thermostat. “Any fool can fix one of those,” he barks out while giving Enslin maintenance instructions and quickly making himself scarce. Neither character displays buffoonish Hollywood fear characteristics, but both exercise true common sense – the type that Enslin should have used. The filmmaker’s handlings of these delicate issues as well as the psychological torture inflicted on Enslin are only a couple of the reasons that this film succeeds.

Cusack’s everyman demeanor makes him the perfect candidate for this role and his performance sells the film. Unsettling and uncomfortable, 1408 is high-style terror on a grand scale and one of the year’s scariest films.

Too Few Shades of Black | AFI's Top 100 Films

2007-06-22T00:21:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, my film brethren at the American Film Institute convened to announced their list of the 100 Greatest films of All-Time, AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movies --10th Anniversary Edition. While I didn't watch the show, I was curious to see which films made the cut and which ones were excluded. But more importantly, I wanted to see if the list had any "Shades of Black.”

1,500 filmmakers, critics and historians compiled the list and while I was not among that number, I wondered if notable Black film historian Donald Bogle, writer/filmmaker Nelson George or even Black Filmmaker Foundation head Warrington Hudlin were consulted to contribute their opinions.

After perusing AFI's list, I must admit that there are some fantastic films included on the list. But what really jumps out is the number one, which represents the films on the list that have a Black star in the lead. One, wow! Coming in Number 99 is the 1967 interracial classic, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. To put this in perspective, if the world were to suddenly stop spinning right now and a new civilization sprung up and they went through the history of film in this country for the past century, there would be no record of the rich achievements of thousands of talented black award-winning actors and filmmakers.

I know there will be those who will say simply that by not being a part of this project that I'm just "hatin'. While there may be a shred of proof in not being able to raise my voice for some films that I felt were worthy, the fact of the matter is that in the early 21st century, it's time to acknowledge that for many years the playing field in Hollywood was uneven (and still is to this day). For the first 50 years of the 20th Century, black men were coons, bucks and buffoons on the big screen. It wasn't until legendary actors such as Sidney Poitier, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge emerged in the 1950s to begin creating new possibilities for people of color on film.

While Poitier won an Oscar for Lilies of the Field, he distinguished himself in two earlier films, The Defiant Ones and A Raisin in the Sun, performances that were superior to his Oscar win. For my money, Raisin is not only one of the top Black films of all-time, but one of the top 100 for sure.

Other films that should merit serious consideration are 1964's Nothing But A Man with Ivan Dixon and Abby Lincoln, the historic In the Heat of the Night, 1972's Sounder and Lady Sings the Blues, as well as 1974's Claudine. Films from the 1980's include 11-time Oscar nominee, The Color Purple as well as Spike Lee's riveting look at a sweltering cauldron of racial activity in Do the Right Thing.

What about Glory? Where's Malcolm X? Don't forget Boyz 'N the Hood. What's Love Got To Do With It, The Hurricane, Ray and Ali all are candidates for recognition. Don't get me wrong, I've seen about 85 of AFI's Top 100 and I enjoyed them all. While those films are good, you'd have to admit that having only ONE film with a Black lead from the past 100 is just short-sighted and plain wrong.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Not a Black film on AFI's list, that who. Until organizations such as the American Film Institute can recognize the proud heritage and contribution of Black actors and filmmakers, we should treat their list like they treat Black films, to borrow a phrase from Rhett Butler, "frankly AFI we don't give a damn!" That's "Black"atcha!

A "Mighty" Love | A Mighty Heart

2007-06-21T23:43:00.000-04:00

In 2002, Wall Street journalist Daniel Pearl was abducted and beheaded while on assignment in Pakistan. That horrific ordeal is lovingly recreated in the new film, A Mighty Heart (**** stars). Sure to be remembered later this year during awards season, this film could bring its star Angelina Jolie her second Academy Awards.

Based on the memoirs of Marianne Pearl, the film recreates the final days of Daniel's life as he was preparing to interview a Muslim Sheik when he was abducted. Marianne, six months pregnant at the time, enlists the aide of the Pakistanian as well as U.S. government to try to secure his release. The film takes viewers through the grueling process that ultimately led to Daniel's demise.

It has been such a long time since audiences have seen Jolie flex her dramatic acting muscles that she is known primarily as half of the Hollywood power couple, “Bradgelina,” as opposed to the Oscar winning actress from Girl, Interrupted. But her performance in this film is layered and multi-dimensional and finds her hitting every emotional note -- and scoring big time. She gives a quiet, retrained performance that draws audiences to her and allows them to wrap themselves in her emotional pain and subsequent loss. If eyes are the windows of the soul, Jolie's lets the audience swim in her irises and feel her joy and pain while enduring this terrible ordeal. She is brilliant and even in early in the summer, Jolie feels like a certain Best Actress Oscar nominee.

Dan Futterman stars as doomed journalist Daniel Pearl, who in a limited amount of screen time and several flashbacks conveys his burning love for his wife and unborn child. For people who may not be familiar with the story, screenwriter John Orloff infuses the story with enough suspense and hope to keep audiences riveted to this heartbreaking story.

There has been a campaign for African-Americans to boycott the film because of the casting of Jolie as Marianne. With a mixed heritage that consists of Dutch-Jewish, Afro-Latino-Cuban, French and Chinese-Cuban bloodlines, the casting of Jolie works as well as says, Thandie Newtwon. The simple fact of the matter is that Jolie and her companion Brad Pitt's names and visibility help get the film made and widely distributed.

Historically, the summer movie season is about the big-budget blockbusters with A-list talent living out their super dreams. Well Jolie's film may not have a huge budget or explosions, but it is an emotional blockbuster that is a fitting tribute to journalists worldwide -- and that’s a mighty love.

"Evan" Can Wait | Evan Almighty

2007-06-21T23:37:00.000-04:00

The Lord may work in mysterious ways, but the filmmakers behind Evan Almighty (* ½ stars) show no imagination in this modern-day retelling of Noah’s Ark. Even the mighty Morgan Freeman can’t save this tired sequel to the successful Bruce Almighty.

Former news anchor Evan Baxter (Steve Carrell) has been elected to Congress. With a lofty campaign promise, “to change the world,” Baxter is determined to make a difference. But his success at work has created a rift at home between him and his kids as he continually chooses work over them.

One day he receives a mysterious shipment of tools in the mail. Huge bundles of wood also begin to appear on his property. The Lord (Morgan Freeman) appears to him asking him to build an ark, which of course Baxter dismisses. Only when the Lord sends the entire animal kingdom to his work and home, in pairs of two no less, does he finally agree to follow God’s word.

Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, Baxter is recruited by a corrupt congressman who hopes to use him to pass a piece of faulty legislation. All the while, the once fastidious Baxter is growing a biblical beard and walks around in Old Testament fashion. Funny right? Not exactly.

In Bruce, Jim Carrey was given a much better supporting cast and script. Surrounded by Jennifer Anniston, Carell, Freeman, as well as Carrey’s amazing physical comedy, Bruce was hokey, yet heartwarming and very funny. That film presented a moral dilemma (God giving Bruce his powers for a short time) that is missing from Evan. In addition, Wanda Sykes is wasted in a performance that felt like she had no lines, but was given a green light to insert a joke whenever one was needed. This stripped-down version of the Noah’s Ark tale ultimately falls flat because it relies far too much on Carrell and Freeman – and cheesy special effects.

God is good all the time, too bad the same can’t be said for this disappointing sequel. Bruce truly was almighty, but Evan still needs work.

Silver Surfer's Up | Fantastic Four 2

2007-06-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

It can be argued that The Fantastic Four are the least interesting of all of the Marvel comic book characters brought to the big screen. Their latest adventure, The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, hits theatres this weekend. While this second attempt is miles ahead of the first film, it is saved only by the aerodynamic appearance and special effects wizardry of The Silver Surfer.

When last we saw the foursome, they had vanquished Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon) and saved the world, from total annihilation. Frozen stiff, Dr. Doom was last seen on a crowed merchant ship, cast away for eternity, or so we thought. As this film begins, wedding preparations are underway for Sue Storm (Jessica Alba) and Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd). The paparazzi camp out below their residence, trying to get the scoop of the “social event of the season.” But while the foursome prepares for this festive event, there are ominous signs of impending trouble occurring far, far away.

Flying across the galaxy is a small, fast meteor-type object that is seen, initially, fleeing from a exploding planet as it makes its way to earth. Everywhere the object goes, it changes the temperature and weather pattern of that location; whether freezing water in Japan, snow in the desert or sucking the ocean dry in London. If that’s not bad enough, the object forms craters that within eight days will explode, destroying the planet.

Dr. Richards’ wedding plans are interrupted by a sudden visit from Army General Hager (Andre Braugher), who needs the scientist’s help to stop the object. Secretly, Richards agrees to build a tracking mechanism that would help them identify the mysterious object. Lo and behold, during his wedding ceremony, we finally get an up close look at the mysterious object that is none other than the dynamic Silver Surfer.

At first glance, this gleaming silver visitor with the underwear model’s body and balanced perfectly on a board seems striking, but only when he leads Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) in hot pursuit, do we really marvel at his unique skill (which include the ability to ride above or below his board, while either eluding objects or flying through solid matter, all at supersonic speed). His surfboard doubles not only as a flying device, but also an energy source as well as a weapon that can absorb all forms of solid matter. Blessed with the authoritative voice of Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne, the surfer is doing the bidding of Galactus, who seeks to destroy the planet.

Wow, there’s a whole lot going on and thankfully for the audience, The Silver Surfer diverts the audience’s attention away from one of the most boring groups of superheroes onscreen. Far from Fantastic, this bickering foursome grows more annoying from scene to scene. Sue and Reed want a normal life, Ben and Johnny resent them wanting to break up the group, Dr. Doom returns after an encounter with the Silver Surfer wanting to assist, and blah, blah, blah.

With a runtime of 90 minutes and some “fantastic” special effects, The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is easily digested like a light summer snack. While I still question the wisdom of making a sequel after such a lackluster first film, it is apparent that if there is to be a third film for our foursome, they will definitely need to find another guest star with “wow-ability” like our shiny silver friend. He is worth the price of admission and the only thing that makes this film a “fantastic” viewing experience.

Black Men/Silver Screen | The Distinguished Gentlemen

2007-06-13T23:45:00.000-04:00

From the inception of film, there have been five dominant archetypes that have been prevalent and consistent for African-Americans. Author Donald Bogle wrote a book over 30 years ago called Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies & Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films. In an effort to clearly clarify the archetypes for the 21st Century, we introduce seven new Black Male Movie Archetypes, The Distinguished Gentleman, The Angry Black Man, The Class Clown, The Savior, The Emasculated Man, The Entertainer and The Lover.

The Distinguished Gentleman
Denzel Washington

For over 25 years, Denzel Washington has been the epitome of class on and off screen. In over 50 films, Washington’s career has been legendary, including five Oscar nominations (two wins) and countless memorable performances in films such as Malcolm X, Glory, A Soldier’s Story, Training Day, and many others. Although, critics will argue that Washington’s strong suit is not playing an everyman, there’s no denying his cinematic regal bearing and ability to inject stirring passion into every role he sinks his teeth into.

Up Next: Another potential Oscar turn as drug lord turned informant, Frank Lucas in American Gangster.

Cinematic Forefather
Sidney Poitier

In a career that spanned 50 years, Sidney Poitier blazed historic trails. Coming straight out of Cat Island, Bermuda, Poitier burst on the scene and forever changed the game for Black-leading men. Prior to Poitier’s arrival, black men played servants or second fiddle to array of White counterparts. But Poitier’s passion and determination, along with some outstanding acting, would not let him be denied. After riveting performances in films such as The Defiant Ones, Raisin in the Sun, Poitier became the first Black actor to win an Oscar for a leading role. In 1967, he released three highly successful films, In the Heat of the Night, To Sir, With Love, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, ending the year as the top grossing actor in Hollywood. Poitier received an Honorary Oscar in 2002 and remains the platinum standard of excellence for all Black actors.

Next Generation
Will Smith

The actor formerly known as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith has made the transition from rapper and sitcom star to a bonifide heavyweight in Hollywood. In 15 short years, Smith has garnered A-list status defeating aliens (Independence Day and Men in Black), criminals (Bad Boys 1 & 2) and big bad George Foreman (Ali). His performances have garnered the kid from Philly two Oscar nominations as well as over $2.5 billion in box-office grosses for his films. In addition to his continuing influence in front of the camera, Smith has begun to exert his influence as a producer, relying on good judgment and an eye for picking scripts that accentuate his strengths and talents.

Up next: Last man on earth and vampire fighter in I Am Legend.

Black Men/Silver Screen | The Angry Black Man

2007-06-13T23:42:00.000-04:00

Samuel L. Jackson

Nobody in Hollywood can go from zero to sixty on the anger meter like Samuel L. Jackson. The native of the Nation’s Capitol has made his name, and built his career, with a string of high intensity, loud and sometime profane, yet effective performances. Jackson’s first big break came as a dancing, strung out crack addict in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever. Several years later, his scripture-quoting, gun-toting hitman, Jules, brought Jackson A-List status and a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Subsequently, in over 100 films, Jackson has played an array of both good and bad characters, plus has had his persona spoofed by Dave Chapelle. But one thing has remained constant; he still mad as hell and he definitely will let you know he won’t take it anymore

Up Next: Jackson plays a homeless who was a former boxing legend in Resurrecting the Champ and a knowledgeable hotel manager in the thriller, 1408.

Cinematic Forefather
Jim Brown

During the heights of the civil rights movements, Hollywood was struggling with Black actors’ transitions into unfamiliar roles. Much like the philosophies of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X differed; Jim Brown style was seen as the antithesis of Sidney Poitier. Where Poitier was poised and smooth, Brown’s performances hit audiences with the power of the fist of fury. In The Dirty Dozen, Brown held it down among a cast of some of the biggest actors of his time. He made cinematic history in 1969’s 100 Rifles, when he became the first actor of color to have a love scene with a woman outside of his race (Raquel Welch) on-screen. Known primarily for his starring roles in 1970’s Black action films and numerous TV guest appearances, Brown’s legacy as arguably the greatest running back in football history and the first Black action star is secure.

Next Generation
Tyrese Gibson

After an inauspicious start featuring small guest spots on TV sitcoms and a short career as MTV VJ, Tyrese Gibson’s big break came in the John Singleton film, Baby Boy. Gibson portrayed a young man struggling with his immaturity and irresponsibility, while living at home. In subsequent films, Gibson has honed this quality of a slightly flawed man who when provoked quickly reaches his boiling point. Gibson starred in a string of films where adversaries that got on his bad side were quick to feel his cinematic wrath. While his experience is limited, it will be interesting to watch how Gibson’s career continues to evolve.

Up Next: Gibson stars in the CGI summer blockbuster, Transformers and will star in superhero film, Luke Cage.

Black Men/Silver Screen | The Class Clown

2007-06-13T20:26:00.000-04:00

Eddie Murphy

For over 25 years, Eddie Murphy has consistently made people laugh at his collection of various characters. From his legendary run on Saturday Night Live to becoming the largest box-office star of his generation, Murphy was, is and continues to be a comic trailblazer. His films have grossed over $3 billion and earlier this year, he received his first Oscar nomination for his incredible dramatic work in Dreamgirls. Murphy has reinvented himself into a family friendly movie star with his hilarious portrayal of Donkey in the Shrek trilogy. Although, Murphy’s films don’t always hit their mark, one thing is for certain that he has and will continue to inspire all subsequent comics.

Up Next: Axel Foley returns to familiar ground in the fourth installment of Beverly Hills Cop, due in 2008.

Cinematic Forefather
Richard Pryor

If Murphy is his generation’s biggest comic star, then here’s the man that he needs to pay homage to for the rest of his days, none other than the King, Richard Pryor. Beginning with a sensational dramatic performance in the Oscar-nominated film, Lady Sings the Blues, Pryor appeared in a succession of memorable films during the 1970s which included, The Mack, Uptown Saturday Night, Car Wash, Silver Streak, Greased Lightning, Which Way Is Up, Blue Collar and The Wiz. In 1980, Pryor starred in Stir Crazy, the first film directed by a Black director, Sidney Poitier, to gross over $100 million. Due to illness, Pryor appeared sporadically in films, but his large comic legend continues to live on.

Next Generation
Dave Chappelle

Although he does not currently boast the body of work of either Murphy or Pryor, Dave Chappelle is the heir to their cinematic comedy throne. Born with a comic’s fearlessness, Chappelle has created a series of memorable characters in his sketch comedy and on the big screen. He first gained notoriety as a foul-mouth comedian who mercilessly heckles Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor. Chappelle also starred overly suspicious Conspiracy Brother in the spy comedy spoof, Undercover Brother. Along with his writing partner, Neal Brennan, he created the hilarious weed classic, Half Baked. Chappelle took a break from the big-screen to create “The Dave Chappelle Show,” which ran for two short seasons.

Up Next: Currently, Chappelle has no projects in development

Black Man/Silver Screen | The Savior

2007-06-13T20:25:00.000-04:00

Morgan Freeman

No actor has served as a cinematic problem solver more than respected, veteran actor Morgan Freeman. Whether playing a hardcore pimp (Street Smart), The Commander-in-Chief (Deep Impact) or even the Lord (Bruce Almighty), Freeman has consistently lived by the mantra, “there’s not a problem that he can’t fix.” Writer/director Nelson George once said that Freeman was the one actor that studios relied on to give their films balance and acting credibility. A four-time Oscar nominee and Best Actor winner for Million Dollar Baby, the 70-year Freeman has no plans to slow down with six films in production and seven more in development.

Up Next: Freeman gets his God complex on again in the comic sequel, Evan Almighty.

Cinematic Forefather
Ossie Davis

Actor, writer, director, and civil rights activist – Ossie Davis. His death in 2004 closed a groundbreaking 54-year chapter that found him quietly revolutionize Black film. Davis made his film debut in 1950 alongside Sidney Poitier in the drama, “No Way Out.” After starring in two notable 1960s films, A Man Called Adam and Gone Are the Days, Davis climbed into the director’s chair joining Melvin Van Peebles and Gordon Parks to form the modern Black Directors Trinity. Davis directed several 70s films including, Cotton Comes to Harlem, Black Girl and Gordon’s War. His career was revitalized beginning in the late 1980s, when he starred in a series of films for Spike Lee, School Daze, Do The Right Thing, Jungle Fever, Get on the Bus and She Hate Me. Known for his sage counsel on-screen, Davis contributions and body of work will not be forgotten.

Next Generation
Laurence Fishburne

One of the industry’s most versatile actors is cinematic everyman, Laurence Fishburne. Still in his mid 40s, Fishburne has been acting for over thirty years. He co-starred in the classic Vietnam film, Apocalypse Now, when he was 18. Other notable Fishburne films, include The Cotton Club, The Color Purple, School Daze, King of New York, Boyz ‘N the Hood and Deep Cover. He received an Oscar nomination for a terrifying turn as Ike Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It? He was introduced to a new generation as Morpheus in the sci-fi classic trilogy, The Matrix. Last year, Fishburne produced and starred in the inspirational charged, Akeelah and the Bee.

Up Next: Fishburne lends his voice to comic book villain, The Silver Surfer, in The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Black Men/Silver Screen | The Emasculated Man

2007-06-13T20:24:00.000-04:00

Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Since winning a Best Supporting Actor for Jerry Maguire, Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s career has been stalled in neutral. After giving solid performances in early films, Boyz ‘N the Hood and A Few Good Men, Gooding’s performance as football player Rod Tidwell won him the industry’s highest honor. What happened next to “Mr. Show Me the Money” was one bad decision followed after another. Aside from Men of Honor and Radio, Gooding appeared in a succession of two title bombs including, Chill Factor, Rat Race, Snow Dogs and Boat Trip. With an opportunity to play meatier roles in independent films, Dirty and Shadowboxer, Gooding seeks to reclaim his long-lost acting respect. The jury is still out after a throwaway performance in Norbit.

Up Next: Gooding takes over for Eddie Murphy in the comedy, Daddy Day Camp and plays drug lord Nicky Barnes in the November release, American Gangster.

Cinematic Forefather
Howard Rollins, Jr.

As Sidney Poitier was entering into the twilight of his fabulous career and before Denzel Washington’s rise to prominence, Howard Rollins developed quite a reputation as the “next” Black leading man. This Baltimore, Maryland native’s big break came when he was cast as Coalhouse Walker in the 1981 film, Ragtime. Rollins was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and Golden Globe for his performance. His final important big screen performance was role in A Soldier’s Story. Playing a Black Army Captain investigating a murder mystery, Rollins’ understated passionate performance would be his career apex. Ironically, Rollins was cast as Detective Virgil Tibbs in the TV show, In the Heat of the Night, a role that Poitier had originated twenty years earlier. Rollins died prematurely from complications from lymphoma in 1996.

Next Generation
Nick Cannon

In the past seven years, Nick Cannon has emerged from under the proverbial radar to become one of the industry rising stars. Cannon shot to stardom initially as a writer for Kenan & Kel, but soon had his own show. The success of The Nick Cannon Show had Hollywood seeking out his talent. He starred in several moderately successful films, including Drumline, Love Don’t Cost A Thing, Roll Bounce and Underclassman. In addition to performing and producing music, this 26-year old multi-faceted entertainer, has explored sketch comedy producing the MTV show, "Wild ‘N Out" and "Short Circuitz."

Up Next: Cannon appears in the horror sequel, Day of the Dead.

Black Men/Silver Screen | The Entertainer

2007-06-13T20:23:00.000-04:00

Jamie Foxx

It may have taken him a minute to get started, but once Jamie Foxx figured it out he quickly established himself as one of the industry’s most effective multi-talented performers. From 1992 to 1998, Foxx starred in one forgettable movie after another. His big break came in 1999’s Any Given Sunday. Playing “Steamin” Willie Beamon, Foxx showed a glimpse that with the right material he would be a star. He got that chance playing Drew “Bundini” Brown in the Oscar-nominated film, Ali. Foxx displayed his skill for mimicry, which he would later display to award-winning effect. He received critical acclaim for three films in 2004, “Redemption: The Stan “Tookie” Williams Story,” Collateral and Ray. Foxx won an Oscar and an Emmy for his work that year, cementing himself as one of Hollywood’s hottest actors. Last winter, Foxx was part of an A-List ensemble in the musical, Dreamgirls. In addition to his film work, Foxx continues his stand-up comedy touring and recently won a Grammy award for his top-selling debut, R&B album. As his career continues to ascend, his choices prove that he is indeed clever like a Foxx.

Up Next: Foxx headlines a team of U.S. government agents is sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East in the thriller, The Kingdom.

Cinematic Forefather
Sammy Davis, Jr.

From his appearance in the short film, Rufus Jones for President, in 1933 up until his death in 1990, Sammy Davis, Jr. was an industry giant. We commonly hear the phrase, “he can do it all;” for Davis it was true. He was an accomplished singer, actor, dancer, stand-up comedian, plays instruments and was a founding member of the ultra-cool sixties group, The Rat Pack. Often billed as “the greatest living entertainer in the world,” you would be hard-pressed to find someone to disagree with his audacious claim. His films included Porgy and Bess (1959, with Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge), Salt and Pepper (1968, with Peter Lawford) and Tap (1989). Davis lost his left eye in a 1954 car crash while driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles... Over the course of 57 years, Davis inspired a several generations of performers including Michael Jackson, Gregory Hines and Savion Glover.

Next Generation
Ludacris

It is not the size of dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. The mantra has served rapper/actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges well throughout his career. He made his film debut in the 2001 comedy, The Wash. Although he had roles in other small films, Ludacris hit the jackpot in 2005 when he co-starred in both Hustle and Flow and Crash. Ludacris received a SAG Award for Best Cast in Motion Picture. Both films were nominated for Oscars and he was established as “one to watch.” He also received critical acclaim for his work on TV’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In addition to his burgeoning film career, Ludacris is a Grammy Award winning rap artist who has released five CDs in the past seven years. This double threat will continue to record and tour as well as act on the big and small screen.

Up Next: Ludacris will play the “angry elf” in the holiday comedy, Fred Claus.

Black Man/Silver Screen | The Lover

2007-06-13T20:22:00.000-04:00

Taye Diggs

He helped Stella get her groove back, bonded with Syd over hip-hop and had the skills to keep the Rent paid. Taye Diggs was introduced to audiences as the young lover of Angela Bassett in the romantic comedy, How Stella Got Her Groove Back. The following year, Diggs starred in two films with Sanaa Lathan, The Wood and The Best Man. The two would re-team in 2003 for an ode to hip-hop in Brown Sugar. After a couple of action films, Diggs returned to his roots in the theatre starring in the Oscar nominated film, Chicago and Rent. After a short lived TV show, “Kevin Hill,” Diggs returned with a new show, “Daybreak.” In addition, he has a recurring role on the popular medical drama, “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Up Next: No big screen projects are on Diggs horizon as he continues to concentrate on television work.

Cinematic Forefather
Billy Dee Williams

In a history of sexy leading men, no actor has remained in the public consciousness as long as Billy Dee Williams. Although he has portrayed a variety of different characters in his forty-plus year career, for the ladies it always came down to his smooth, suave mannerisms. Williams had appeared in several films but when he portrayed Louis McKay in 1972’s Lady Sings the Blues opposite Diana Ross, a star truly was born. He and Ross recaptured the magic again in Mahogany. Williams’ appealed to a new audience when he was cast as the roguish Lando Calrissian, in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Williams played with his image in a popular set of ads for Colt 45 with the catch phrase, “don’t let the cool taste fool you.” After several forgettable films, Williams was cast as Mayor Harvey Dent in Batman. Since then, Williams has taken small roles in notable films such as The Visit, Undercover Brother, Constellation and a spoof of his sexy image in The Ladies Man.

Up Next: Williams will star in a “Star Wars” type film, Fanboys.

Next Generation
Michael Ealy

Known for his charming looks and deep personality, Michael Ealy has made quite an impression in a short amount of time. The Silver Spring, Maryland native first was noticed in the ensemble comedy, Barbershop, playing reformed thug Ricky Nash. He also starred in the sequel, Barbershop 2: Back in Business in 2004. Ealy piercing stare was also featured in Never Die Alone. He and Oscar winner Halle Berry heated up the small screen in the film, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” which led to a short off-screen relationship between the two. Ealy has continued to work on television starring in the Showtime series, “Sleeper Cell.” He received a nomination for his work on the series.

Top 25 Black Music Movies

2007-06-07T23:11:00.000-04:00

To commemorate Black Music Month, I compiled a list of the Top 25 Black Music Movies. The films that made the list made you dance and sing - while you watched. After compiling a list of over 100 films, the list was whittled down not by the quality of the films, but by how great the music was in those films.

There are arguments for many films that clearly were outclassed by their soundtracks. Marvin Gaye's only soundtrack was done for the forgettable film, Trouble Man and on and on. In addition to the selection of each film, I also selected the film's signature song. So without any further ado, and in no particular order, are the Top 25 Black Music Movies.

Cooley High (1976)
Why It’s Hot: The story of a friendship between a group of Chicago high-school students in the early 1960s. Featuring a booming Motown soundtrack, “Cooley High” is a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Signature Song: G.C. Cameron’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye” continues to stand the test of time as a classic song.

Dreamgirls (2006)
Why It’s Hot: This adaptation of the smash Tony award-winning play was equally stunning on the big screen. The film was nominated for eight Oscars and showed off the acting talents of Eddie Murphy while introducing the world to Jennifer Hudson.

Signature Song: Hudson as Effie White in the tour-de-force, “And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.”

Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
Why It’s Hot: Diana Ross was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her searing performance of the late jazz icon, Billie “Lady Day” Holliday. The film also featured Hollywood hunk, Billie Dee Williams and arguably his best film role, Piano Man, Richard Pryor.

Signature Song: Ross as Lady Day singing, “My Man.”

Shaft (1971)
Why It’s Hot: He’s a bad muther, shut yo’ mouth, I’m talkin’ ‘bout Shaft. Issac Hayes’ thunderous soundtrack dominated this film about adventures of private detective, John Shaft. Hayes won an Oscar for the film’s title song.

Signature Song: “The Theme from Shaft.”

Superfly (1972)
Why It’s Hot: Ron O’Neal had brother’s perming their hair in hoods all over America listening to Curtis Mayfield’s uban ode about a brother trying to “get out of the game.” Mayfield’s classic soundtrack is arguably is superior to Issac Hayes’ “Shaft.”

Signature Song: Pulsating with urban urgency is Mayfield’s “Pusherman.”

Sparkle (1976)
Why It’s Hot: Thirty years before the Dream captivated the big screen, Sparkle (Irene Cara) and Sister (Lonette McKee) starred in this drama of the rise and fall of a fabled girl group. Curtis Mayfield’s score provides the film with musical electricity.

Signature Song: “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” led by McKee.

Waiting To Exhale (1995)
Why It’s Hot: Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds’ soundtrack provide a musical storybook for this story of four friends in Phoenix who suffer various trials and tribulations all in the name of love.

Signature Song: Among a galaxy of stars, Whitney Houston’s title song, “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” stood out.

The Wiz (1978)
Why It’s Hot: One of the most star-studded films of the 1970s, this musical starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor and Lena Horne. An adaptation of another huge Broadway hit centered on the retelling of the “Wizard of Oz,” from a Black perspective.

Signature Song: A hard choice because of so many solid songs; my choice is the uplifting Luther Vandross song, “Brand New Day.”

Carmen Jones (1954)
Why It's Hot: Dorothy Dandridge broke through stereotypes to create Hollywood’s first Black female sex symbol, Carmen Jones, in her Oscar-nominated performance. Most of the singing in the film was dubbed to match the classic nature of the original production.

Signature Song: Jones’ cautionary tale, “You Go For Me.”

Purple Rain (1984)
Why It’s Hot: Prince rocketed to stardom in this semi-autobiographic tale of a singer who can only hear his own music. Chock full of memorable songs, this soundtrack cemented his Royal Badness’ legacy as a great pop performer.

Signature Song: Prince’s pensive and stirring title song, “Purple Rain.”

Ray (2004)
Why It’s Hot: Jamie Foxx won a Best Actor Oscar while giving a performance for the ages playing musical trailblazer, Ray Charles in “Ray.” Foxx not only shared an uncanny resemblance to the musical giant, but his musical talent enabled him to perform all of Charles’ trademark numbers.

Signature Song: “I Got A Woman” is central to the film’s story line and Foxx nails the song’s raw emotion.

Hustle & Flow (2005)
Why It’s Hot: Terrance Howard received a Best Actor Oscar nomination as a Memphis pimp who finds salvation as a rapper. Several stellar performances, including Taraji P. Henson, Anthony Andersen, Ludacris and Elise Neal. A breakout performance from Howard.

Signature Song:“Whoop that Trick” and “H&F” are funky but “It’s Hard Out There For A Pimp” captures the film’s true essence.

What’s Love Got To Do With (1993)
Why It’s Hot: Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne both shine in this biopic about the live and tumultuous times of superstar Tina Turner. Both leads received Oscar nominations for their strong performances. Bassett was a revelation bulking up to portray the dancing diva.

Signature Song: Bassett belting out the film’s title song, “What’s Love Got to Do With,” provided the film’s punctuation mark.

Beat Street (1984)
Why It’s Hot: This coming of age story of a group of 1980s New York kids who live a true hip-hop lifestyle in the South Bronx. Featuring cameos from many of the early old school hip-hop pioneers.

Signature Song: After the death of one of the main characters, Grandmaster Melle Mel delivers a powerful version of the film’s theme, “Beat Street.”

The Five Heartbeats (1991)
Why It’s Hot: Five childhood friends form a singing group and discover that the recording industry (and human nature) can be a scary thing. The film is loosely based on the story of R&B group, “The Dells.”

Signature Song: The Heartbeats led by Eddie Kane win over an inhospitable crowd by wowing them with “Heart is a House for Love.”

Boomerang (1992)
Why It’s Hot: Lady’s man, Marcus Graham (Eddie Murphy) receives his comeuppance in the form of sexy ad executive, Jacqueline Broyer (Robin Givens). Graham receives a second chance at love, courtesy of shy ad assistant, Angela Lewis (Halle Berry); one of Murphy’s most charming performances.

Signature Song: Toni Braxton triumphant female anthem, “Love Should Have Brought You Home Last Night.”

School Daze (1988)
Why It’s Hot: Spike Lee’s musical about race, love and politics at a fictional HBCU. The film served as a precursor for the NBC drama, “A Different World,” featuring future stars Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Tisha Campbell Martin, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Signature Song: The Jigaboos and Wannabees square off in Madam Re-Re’s Salon, singing “Good & Bad Hair.”

Jungle Fever (1991)
Why It’s Hot: Director Spike Lee examines interracial dating in New York backed by a thoughtful, breezy Stevie Wonder soundtrack. Samuel L. Jackson gives the film’s breakout performance as the crack-addicted, Gator.

Signature Song: Wonder’s title song, “Jungle Fever.”

New Jack City (1991)
Why It’s Hot: To bring down a new jack hustler, you need a new style cop; Wesley Snipes faces off against Ice-T in this strong crime drama. Druglord Nino Brown (Snipes) introduces crack to Harlem runs up against cops who knows its streets.

Signature Song: Ice-T captures the fury of streets with the searing, “New Jack Hustler.”

Love Jones (1997)
Why It’s Hot: Young lovers, Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) and Nina Mosely (Nia Long) star in one of the decade’s smartest romantic comedies. Anchored by a cast that included Isaiah Washington, Bill Bellamy and Lisa Nicole Carson, “Love Jones” sizzles.

Signature Song: Dionne Farris’ song, “Hopeless,” brilliantly.

Love & Basketball (2000)
Why It’s Hot: Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have shared one dream since they were kids, to play in the NBA. As time evolves, that’s not the only thing these two have in common. All's fair in love and basketball!

Signature Song: While Monica plays Quincy in the ultimate one-on-one love game, Meshell Ndegeocello’s hauntingly beautiful “Fool of Me,” served as theme music.

The Bodyguard (1992)
Why It’s Hot: Whitney Houston acting and singing propelled this film to over $400 million worldwide gross. Playing a . . . singer, Houston reached her creative apex in this romantic tale. Although, Kevin Costner co-stars, this film showed that there was no problem with Houston.

Signature Song: Houston’s romantic anthem, “I Will Always Love You.”

Car Wash (1976)
Why It’s Hot: A day in the kooky life of a Los Angeles car wash where the unpredictable is predictably consistent. Norman Whitfield’s soundtrack drives this 97-minute music video. Future director, Bill Duke, made his film debut sharing screen time with Richard Pryor and film veteran Ivan Dixon.

Signature Song: Rose Royce’s loving plea, “I Wanna Get Next To You.”

Cabin in the Sky (1943)
Why It’s Hot: A compulsive gambler, Little Joe (Eddie “Rochester” Anderson) dies during a shooting, but he'll receive a second chance to reform himself and to make up with his worried wife, Petunia (Ethel Waters). But not so fast, Lucifer enlists a secret weapon, the sultry Georgia Brown (Lena Horne), to win Little Joe’s soul.

Signature Song: Little Joe and Petunia’s jubilant duet, “Cabin in the Sky."

Krush Groove (1985)
Why It’s Hot: The semi-autobiographical story of the rise of DefJam, featuring all of the labels stars minus one, Russell Simmons (played by Blair Underwood. Simmons appears in the film in another unnamed role.) In addition, brothers Russell and Run compete for the affections of Sheila E.

Signature Song: We couldn't live without LL Cool J’s “Radio,” in his film debut.

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Smooth Criminals | Ocean’s Thirteen

2007-06-07T22:49:00.000-04:00

Hollywood’s smoothest criminals return to the Vegas strip for one last huge heist in the enjoyable, Ocean’s Thirteen. While this film is much better than its predecessor, Twelve, it also reminds us that this ultra-talented group needs to stop while the going is good.

After a successful European heist in the last film, Danny Ocean’s (George Clooney) crew disbanded and each member is living the high life. Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) is sealing a deal with Willy Bank (Al Pacino) that will make him co-owner of the most glamorous new casino on the Vegas strip. In the blink of an eye, Bank goes “Michael Corleone” on Tishkoff, double-crossing the bewildered Tishkoff. This betrayal gets back to Danny and he reassembles his “eleven” to take revenge against Bank.

The casino, “The Bank,” is a five-diamond spectacular towering over the strip, which serves as the ultimate takedown target in this well-executed adventure. There is no way to explain the many various layers that this large ensemble employs to take down Bank. Let’s just say they involve rigging dice in Mexico, buying two machines that dig huge canals, borrowing money from Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), from whom they stole money in Eleven, the most severe case of hotel abuse caught on screen.

The direction by Steven Soderbergh benefits greatly with the crew’s return to familiar turf in Vegas. The many elements mixed together in this cinematic heist stew all succeed because of the genuine chemistry between the talented cast. But this film and its predecessors all belong to both Clooney and Brad Pitt. They play off each other in ways that only two people who share many interests in common can. Their scenes together crackle with humor, electricity and insight on how all of the film’s elaborate plans are designed, conceived and ultimately executed.

Another joy in exploring Thirteen was watching the re-teaming of several actors from other films. There is the Godfather 3 reunion featuring Corleone family members, Pacino and Garcia; Sea of Love co-stars Ellen Barkin and Pacino; as well as worthy French counterpart, François Toulour (Vincent Cassell) returning from Twelve.

While the film starts off strong, it bears a striking resemblance and tone to Eleven. It is fitting that almost five decades ago, the coolest cats on the Vegas strip were Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., who took the opportunity to have fun making a film while performing their racy club act in wee hours of the night. The multi-millionaire’s Boy’s club and their three films have fittingly honored the legacy of the Rat Pack. Let’s hope that this film marks the end of Ocean’s adventure and that there will not be Fourteen reasons to bring them back.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Voices Inside My Head | Mr. Brooks

2007-06-01T14:20:00.000-04:00

Kevin Costner suffers from the Denzel Washington good-guy syndrome. Throughout his career he’s been cast as the morally upright individual who audience have come to expect and grown to love. Much like Washington in Training Day, Costner takes a creative detour down an evil path in the thriller, Mr. Brooks.

Costner plays Earl Brooks who at the film’s onset is being honored as Portland, Oregon’s “Man of the Year.” Brooks has a beautiful wife, Emma (Marg Helgenberger), a successful daughter away in school and he is the CEO of one Portland’s largest businesses; he is the epitome of success.

But the deceptive Brooks is only showing us a part of who he really is. By night, Brooks and his murderous alter-ego, Marshall (William Hurt) cruise the streets looking for lambs to slaughter. Brooks meticulously demonstrates his thirst to kill slaying two lovers at the beginning of the story. Quietly walking in on the two during a love episode, Brooks stalks his prey before coolly and calmly shooting both and then rearranging their bodies in a provocative position. Their murders send the sick serial killer into a state of orgasmic bliss.

Unfortunately for Mr. Brooks, there is an eyewitness to this latest murder in the form of amateur photographer, Mr. Smith (Dane Cook). But instead of turning him in to the authorities, he attempts to blackmail Brooks under the condition that he be allowed to participate in his next murder.

Investigating the murder is Detective Tracy Atwood (Demi Moore), who is also in the middle of a nasty divorce with a gold-digger. Atwood seeks to settle with her loser ex, but he won’t settle for less than anything less than $1.5 million and is using Atwood’s desperation to stay off desk duty as added motivation to get her to meet his demands.

Atwood is familiar with Brook’s murder’s but he’s much too smart for her to catch. Brooks tries mightily to control his murderous urges, even attending AA classes for moral support. Through it all, his man Marshall stays in his ear telling him that he’s the man and even assisting in planning subsequent murders.

In order for this film to work, the leads had to play their roles over the top and they do. Costner and Hurt are deliciously devilish as killer and accomplice. Where the film goes wrong is the ridiculous subplot with Cook. Why in Hades would someone seek to blackmail a serial killer? If you make a deal with the devil, would you be surprised if he double-crossed you?

Mr. Brooks is a great idea that ultimately is undermined by a bad script. Costner channels his inner rage with mostly positive results only to demonstrate what Washington learned after Training Day – we love our good guys to have an evil edge.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Rediscovered Masterpiece | Killer of Sheep

2007-05-31T22:47:00.000-04:00

Writer/director Charles Burnett vividly captures the essence of inner-city African-American life in 1970s' South Central Los Angeles in the re-release of his independent classic, Killer of Sheep.

Told through the eyes of Stan (Henry Gayle Sanders), he is a proud man who just can't seem to find any semblance of happiness. He performs menial tasks at home during the day and works at a slaughterhouse. He lives with his wife and several small children in what could best be described as abject poverty. It is only in quiet moments, the touch of a coffee cup to his face or observing his daughter, that Stan even manages a small smile.

His unnamed frustrated wife (Kaycee Moore) tries to tries her best to comfort him only to repeatedly be turned away. It's not that Stan doesn't love her, it appears that he has lost the capacity and ability to feel affection.

Proud and content, Stan is secure with his station in life. When a couple associates try to talk him into participating in their criminal enterprise, as bad as Stan could use the money, he turns them down. Later in the film, Stan tells a friend that "he's not poor, he gives things away to the Salvation Army and you can't do that if you're poor."

Burnett's film feels so authentic that in many scenes it doesn't appear that the performers are acting, but are simply participating in a documentary. He does an excellent job of conveying the sense of normalcy and utter hopeless with his black and white photography and stirringly soulful score featuring Paul Robeson, Dinah Washington's passionately moving, "This Bitter Earth" and Earth, Wind and Fire's "Reasons." The music is largely responsible for the film never receiving distribution because the songs were too expensive. Made for $10,000 that Burnett received in grants, what it lacks in production values, it compensates by instilling a fierce sense of soul and pride.

Burnett uses the children in the film to balance out the main characters, showing them gleefully playing almost ignorant to the fact that their surroundings are bleak and full of despair. It is through them that film offers the audience hope.

Much like 1964's Nothing But A Man and Spike Lee's 1986 debut, She's Gotta Have It, Killer of Sheep is raw, gritty, uncompromising and absolutely moving. The saying goes that "cream always rises to the top." It may have taken 30 years, but another generation can now view Burnett's well-deserved "Killer" film.

Knocked Up is a Comedic Knockout!

2007-05-31T22:36:00.000-04:00

For more than 15 years, writer/director Judd Apatow has put his twisted, dark contemporary humor on display. On the heels of the surprise 2005 hit comedy, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Apatow goes from one extreme to the other in his latest film, Knocked Up.

Life is just one big party for Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) and his friends. Getting their drink or smoke on, playing juvenile games or just hanging out, Stone and his crew are just passing time. Unemployed, Stone and his friends are slackers whose career aspirations are creating a porn site that documents nude moments for actors in films.

On the other side of town, TV producer Allison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is working for the E Channel and is on the verge of a promotion. Allison is informed that she will exchange places, going from behind the scenes to network talent, she’s ecstatic. She invites her married sister, Debbie (Lesley Mann) for a celebration at a local club. Allison and Ben meet, and after several hours of dirty dancing and alcohol consumption, bad judgment takes over and the two do the dirty deed.

The morning after, Allison immediately realizes her “hookup” was a horrible idea and that the two have nothing in common. With a career change on her horizon, she thinks she’ll put this little episode behind her and go on with her life. Not so fast, because eight weeks later, she finds out that she’s pregnant and the one-night stand guy, Ben, is the baby’s daddy!

While initially it looks like a mismatch, soon Allison discovers that many of Ben’s childlike ways are a perfect compliment to her personality. Ben charmingly embraces Allison’s pregnancy and soon is winning her over. He gives it his best effort, but forces conspire against their happiness.

Where Ben and Allison are navigating their tenuous relationship, her sister, Debbie, and her sister’s husband, Pete (Paul Rudd), are struggling. Each pines for the glory days, and their interactions are full of comic misadventures.

Much like in Virgin, Knocked Up succeeds because Apatow understands that it’s not that bad things happen but that there is plenty of humor in life’s dark’s moments. He never drives a stern message to the audience that the situation is bad, Apatow simply mines every humorous moment he can throughout the entire nine-month birthing cycle.

Leave it to Apatow to find the comic ray of sunshine in a potentially sour situation. Although Knocked Up runs a little too long, the journey is hilariously fulfilling.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

A Cinematic Washout | Rain

2007-05-29T22:27:00.000-04:00

Cultures collide; secrets are revealed; and bad acting “reigns” supreme in the latest CodeBlack release, Rain. Based on the late author, V.C. Andrews book of the same title, this film is a poor adaptation from her popular book.

The film tells the story of biracial Rain Arnold (Brooklyn Sudano). She lives in a rundown house with a devoted, sickly mother, Latitia (“CSI: Miami’s” Khandi Alexander), an absentee and sometimes abusive father, Ken (Giancarlo Esposito). While Rain is a good student and fledgling musician, who’s trying to do the right thing with her life, her sister, Beni (Jerrika Hinton), loves the allure of the fast life in the streets. Soon enough, she encounters the neighborhood kingpin, Jared (Mario Mims), who drugs her, rapes her and seeks to blackmail her with incriminating photos.

In the midst of all of this madness, Rain finds out that her real parents paid the Arnolds to take her in and raise her as their own. If that admission is not hurtful enough, Beni is killed by neighborhood thugs, setting events in motion that will reunite Rain with her birth family. Fortunately, she escapes Jared’s wrath by moving, but he has unfinished business with Rain and continues to track her down.

Much like the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Rain leaves the inner city and heads to upper-crust society, moving in with Hudson family matriarch Isabel Hudson (Faye Dunaway). She is ridiculed by snobby White relatives, taught “proper” manners and how to ride horses, and sent to the exclusive Coventry school for further “refinement.” While it was humorous in the “Fresh Prince,” it is demeaning and offensive in this film. The only person that Rain opens up to is the chauffeur and retired police officer, Jake (Robert Loggia)

The film takes many liberties with Andrew’s book, inserting characters into the film that were absent from the book. Also the politics of the film leave much to be desired. Sudano, the daughter of singer Donna Summer, is the light-skinned good daughter, while her sister in the film, Hinton, is the dark-skinned “wild” child who lusts after fast money and the street life, only to end up dead. Mims’ portrayal of Jared seemed to be modeled after rapper, 50 Cent, giving him menacingly stupid dialogue and a viciously violent gang persona.

Much like Oscar-winner Helen Mirren’s appearance in the lackluster indie film, Shadowboxer, Dunaway appears to bring limited life to this sad and predictable affair. Along with Loggia and Alexander (who hasn’t looked this bad since she was “cracked-out” in “The Corner”), the threesome are probably the only reasons that this film was made in the first place.

Sudano is fair in her first leading role, but the script ultimately lets her down. It’s amazing that in 2007, a filmmaker thought that a Black person going to an exclusive White school and living with a White family merited special treatment. The shock that she was intelligent, creative and articulate, wow! Sudano acquits herself well and may have a future if she chooses the right material. Despite brief moments of sunshine, the film is a cinematic washout.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

2007-05-25T14:28:00.000-04:00

After an unsatisfactory voyage in Curse of the Black Pearl, the fun and adventure returns in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. This latest film finds the bodacious buccaneers returning to the high seas to save Captain Jack Sparrow and all his pirate brethren.

When we last saw Sparrow (Johnny Depp), he had been captured by a Kracken and pulled into a watery grave. This film finds him being held captive in Davey Jones’ locker. Not exactly dead or alive, Jack is trapped in purgatory aboard his beloved ship, The Black Pearl. He lives out his days hallucinating about a crew that doesn’t exist aboard a ship in the middle of the unknown.

After Elizabeth (Keira Knightly), Will (Orlando Bloom) and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) rescue Jack, they must face their foes, Davey Jones (Bill Nighy) and Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander). Beckett, now with control of Jones' heart, forms a dark alliance with him in order to rule the seas and wipe out the last of the pirates.

Arrr, looks like it’s time for some pirate U-N-I-T-Y. Soon Sparrow, Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth, Tia Delma (Naomie Harris) and crew must call on the pirate lords from the four corners of the globe, including the infamous Sao Feng (Chow-Yun Fat), to a gathering that will make their final stand against the scallywags – Beckett, Jones, Norrington, the Flying Dutchman and the entire East India Trading Company.

At World’s End has all of the ingredients for the perfect summer popcorn film: great battle scenes, loud explosions and intrigue. The film runs a ridiculous 168 minutes (which is waaaaaay too long for any summer film).

But with its explosive beginning and a swashbuckling finale, At World’s End succeeds where The Curse of the Black Pearl failed. Depp is deliciously decadent as Sparrow, modeling his character after rocker Keith Richards (who makes an appearance as his father in the film). Although a supporting player, Harris’ character may hold the key to their survival of all pirates. If you’re a fan of the first two, At World’s End surely won’t be the end of Sparrow’s enjoyable tale.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Buggin' Out | Bug

2007-05-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

Ashley Judd is the ideal supporting actress. When surrounded by a cast of other actors, she shines. Unfortunately as a lead actress, her judgment is terrible. After several unconvincing lead performances in films such as Twisted, High Crimes, Double Jeopardy, The Eye of the Beholder and Kiss the Girls, she’s up to her old tricks in her latest film, Bug.

Judd plays Agnes White a loner who lives in a rundown hotel room, drinking her dinner and feeling sorry for herself. Constantly receiving anonymous phone calls, White is terrified that her ex-husband, Jerry (Harry Connick, Jr.) has escaped from prison and is after her. One day her lesbian friend R.C. (Lynn Collins) brings a strange man (that’s putting it mildly), Peter Evans (Michael Shannon) to her room. The two loners make an instant connection. There’s something about Peter that Agnes can’t put a finger on. In no time, she’s opening up to him and taking him into her bed, (instead of giving him and STD, Agnes gives him a BUG!) that’s when the madness really begins.

Peter shares with Agnes that he has escaped from a military hospital after they injected bugs into his body that now feed on his blood. As Peter slowly descends into paranoia and madness, he takes Agnes gladly along for the ride. Soon the two are holed up in a room covered completely in aluminum and hiding from the outside world. What will become of this twisted dynamic duo?

For the second time in less than a month, we see another film featuring White people in cheap motels. White folks in cheap motels go together like Judd and quality leading performances, NOT! Bug fares no better, devoid of any level of common sense. The longer the film continued the deeper it descended into total stupidity. After engaging in the one of the dumbest games of charades ever filmed, Agnes delivers the cheesiest film line of 2007, “I’m the Queen MotherBug,”

With apologies to Epic Movie, Bug is easily the worst film I’ve seen this year. With so many other choices at area theaters, don’t “bug”-out and see this mind-numbling stupid story.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Gang Green | Shrek the Third

2007-05-18T11:25:00.000-04:00

When we last left Shrek (Michael Myers), he had overcome the objections of his father-in-law, King Harold (John Cleese) to win a place in the heart of his true love, Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). In the process, he also foiled the plans of the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) and her son, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett). In this latest installment, Shrek the Third, the big green guy is dealing with family issues.

Life seems grand in Far, Far Away, but soon a dark shadow falls over the kingdom. The King is dying and wants Shrek to succeed him as king, but the ogre has other ideas. When he discovers there is another heir, Artie (Justin Timberlake), he and his traveling crew, Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) beat a hasty retreat to bring him back as the new king.

Before he departs, Shrek finds out that Fiona is pregnant. Not sure that he will make a good father; he humorously agonizes over his future parental responsibilities. Soon, Shrek will discover that his impending fatherhood is the least of his issues; Charming has organized all of the fairy tale villains and is set to attack Far, Far Away. If successful, he will install himself as king.

Once Shrek locates Artie, he is quite surprised that the future king is a high school loser. Even the nerds harass poor Artie, whose self-esteem is non-existent. Shrek and friends must help him find his inner-strength to rule the kingdom. Along the way, the crew meets “retired” wizard Merlin (Eric Idle), who gives them a “magical assist,” while fighting various villains to save the kingdom. All in a short day’s work!

The first two films in the series featured engaging characters and wonderful sight gags (who can forget the “Rodeo Drive”-type street in Far, Far Away?). While the first two were uproarious sendoffs with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, this film overall feels just amusing. The problem is that many of the things that were humorous in the earlier films are established, and the film has few little surprises.

Word on the street is that Puss in Boots will get his own movie and may not be a part of future Shrek stories. That would be a shame, because Shrek gets by with more than just a little help from his friends; Donkey and Puss in Boots are the comic engine of Gang Green, while Shrek serves as the story’s straight man. This film entertains but falls short on the wit and laughter of the earlier installments. Fortunately, there’s still enough here to make it an enjoyable experience while leaving you green with comic envy.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Running Scared | 28 Weeks Later

2007-05-11T14:13:00.000-04:00

Hope sprang eternal at the conclusion of the 2005 horror film, 28 Days Later. Unfortunately, those happy feelings quickly disappear in the inspirationally challenged sequel, 28 Weeks Later.

Wasting no time, the story picks up in a remote cottage where a small group of survivors are hiding out. Over dinner, the small party is interrupted by a frantic knock on the door. With suspicious glances, they discover a small boy running from “the infected.” Although it was the right thing to do (rescuing the boy), it also alerted our fiendish friends of the whereabouts of everyone, and faster than you can say “run for your lives,” the ghoulish horde swarm the cottage. Not your garden variety slow fiends, these zombies sprint hungrily after their prey. In an outrageous cowardly display, only Don (Robert Carlyle) escapes, leaving his poor wife to be devoured by the zombies.

Twenty-eight weeks after the last of the infected have died, residents return to repopulate London. In this group are Don’s two young children. Living in closely guarded quarters with a small group of returning residents, the reunited family tries to move forward, minus the mother they believe is dead. Forbidden to go back to their home, the two kids sneak away to retrieve some items and find a huge surprise – the supposedly dead mother. Found to have a special immunity to the virus, her blood holds the key to curing the deadly epidemic for good.

Overall, this film is an absolute money-grab, lacking all of the charm, suspense and intelligence of the first film. After an initial horrifying 15 minutes, the film never regains that pace and relies too heavily on the terrifying foundation joyously presented in the first film. The bigger crime is wasting the talents of two prominent actors of former HBO shows, Idris Elba (“The Wire”) and Harold Perrineau (“Oz”), relegating both to several scenes with little or no explanation.

Culturally, there remain major differences regarding logic in horror films. Too many times White characters react in ways that frustrate Black audiences. This continued lack of insight and the inability to use basic common sense make watching 28 Weeks Later a study in frustration. If this represents the best effort that the filmmakers can muster, the audience should say “later,” and run like zombies from this film before you become infected with its stupidity.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Been There, Done That | The Salon

2007-05-10T20:27:00.000-04:00

There are people that think that the art of releasing a film is “sometimes better late than never.” Unfortunately, in the film industry late or delayed releases are usually a sure sign that something is not right. In this case, screenwriter/director Mark Brown goes to the well one too many times in somewhat familiar, The Salon.

Brown who wrote the screenplay for Barbershop, also pens this tale, based on Shelly Garrett’s play, Beauty Shop, where the audience gets to experience what sistahs talk about while getting their hair done. Not only is the story familiar, but every character-type as well.

Based in Baltimore, The Salon stars Vivica A. Fox who assumes the Ice Cube role as shop owner, Jenny trying to save her shop from becoming a parking lot. Instead of Cedric the Entertainer, we get Kym Whitley, who provides the wit and wisdom for everyone at the shop. There is the obligatory gay character, D.D. (De'Angelo Wilson), white character, Tami (Brooke Burns) and woman who’s getting dogged by her man, sad sack Monica Calhoun. Instead of the token woman (Eve) in the barbershop, Dondre Whitfield is the token “straight” man in the salon.

In addition to saving her shop, Fox must deal with a potential suitor (Darrin Dewitt Henson), an insubordinate son and being strong for everyone else. Much like the barbershop, the salon is the center of plenty of activity. When the neighborhood hookers need a place to rest, there’s the salon; bootleg CDs, hey sell them in the salon. There are fights, confrontations and a Soul Train dancing line. Even Oscar nominee, Terrence Howard has a small role.

The film’s major problem is that it was scheduled for release in 2005 and although the commentary in the film is on par with Brown’s work in Barbershop, much of the material feels dated. References to JLo, Puffy and Ben Affleck are distant stories of the past. One character even talks about her “gold-digging idol,” none other than the late Anna Nicole Smith. Another recently deceased entertainer also makes a cameo in the film, hanging out in the shop.

The Salon is the fourth and last film (Beauty Shop, Nora’s Hair Salon, Hair Show and this film) released telling almost the same story. Imploring the audience to “believe,” my belief is that I think I’ve seen enough films about this subject for quite awhile. It’s not as if The Salon is not cool, I was just a little too familiar with the story – before the film began! Viewers who have seen both Barbershop and Beauty Shop, can save their money and their time, there are no new style to be discovered here.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

A Tasty Cinematic Slice of Life | Waitress

2007-05-04T17:38:00.000-04:00

Every summer nestled among the big budget action films and countless sequels are small hidden gems. The summer’s candidate is the feel-good fairytale, Waitress.

Kerri Russell stars as Jenna, a woman who works in a pie diner by day and is married to an ogre of a husband, Jeremy Sisto. A “pie genius,” Jenna escapes the sadness and chaos in her life by constantly concocting different pie recipes in her head that are served in the diner. Featuring a strong cast including, “Curb Your Enthusiasm’s” Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly and Andy Griffith, Jenna has resigned herself to a life filled with unhappiness.

Suddenly Jenna discovers she is pregnant, which doesn’t sit well with her or her controlling husband. While on a routine doctor visit, she meets the town’s new MD, the handsome, quirky Dr. Pomatter and in no time the sparks fly between the two. With a baby on the way that she doesn’t want, forbidden love in the air and pies baking in the oven, will Jenna live happily ever after?

Shelly, who was murdered earlier this year, has created a lush beautiful film that will surely do for pies what Sideways did for Pinot Noir. Russell soars in the lead role giving a wonderful sweet effective performance; we feel her pain; cheer her triumphs and wish that we can taste her delicious looking pies.

If you need a respite from standard summer fare, you can enjoy a wonderful tasty slice of cinematic heaven in Waitress.

This review also appeared on WETA-TV's "Around Town."

Steppin' To The Bad Side | Spider-Man 3

2007-05-04T17:26:00.000-04:00

It’s been often said that the “third time is a charm.” Last spring, the third installment of the X-Men series performed below expectations – and it’s not alone. Spider-Man 3 has good intentions, but it tries to stuff 10 pounds of action into a five-pound bag.

Since we last saw Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), his fortunes have improved considerably. Where he was once misunderstood, he is now openly embraced as a hero. Like Rick James, he’s in love with Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) and planning to propose. Peter’s also feeling something foreign – himself – as he arrogantly walks the streets of Manhattan. Even as he saves the police chief’s daughter, Gwen (Bryce Dallas Howard), from a crumbling skyscraper, the cocky Spider-Man/Peter knows that he’s the man and is comfortable with that fact.

While Peter is living in his world, hate is slowly welling up around him. His former best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), has now become the New Goblin, with designs on avenging his father’s death. Peter also has begun to take Mary Jane for granted, and we all know that if “mama ain’t happy . . ..” After a romantic evening “hangin’ out,” Peter is pursued by a dark, clingy, sticky substance, hmmm.

Meanwhile, criminal Flint Marko has escaped from prison. Authorities think that he may have a connection to the death of Peter’s uncle. While attempting to elude the police, Marko has an accident that transforms him into The Sandman. With an ailing daughter, he vows to steal enough money for her treatment.

Back at The Daily Planet, a new photographer, Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), arrives, posing an immediate threat to Peter. It doesn’t help that his girlfriend, Gwen, is the same woman Spider-Man saved earlier in the film. Their friendship will disappoint Mary Jane and set Eddie on a vengeful course.

One night when Spider-Man is at his most vulnerable moment, the dark substance takes hold of him, transforming him, the mild-mannered nerdy Peter, into an aggressively mean and abusive new “dark” hero/villain. Turning his red and blue suit black, his new look gives him the feeling of additional power and control. You know we can’t have that! Before he sheds his alternate suit, he will give ammunition to another adversary, Venom.

There lies the film’s biggest problem. With a runtime of 140 minutes, there is too much action going on and as a result, the story suffers. The first two films brilliantly gave audiences a perfect balance of story and action, showing how Peter juggled the responsibilities of being a superhero and the demands of being a college student. This film skips the story and throws the audience, dragging and kicking, into one action sequence after another. While the earlier films in the series appealed to fans of the comic book, they also worked for those who didn’t know the story. This installment leaves both groups hanging, by not explaining/rushing through story elements for casual viewers and not making it believable enough for true fans.

Perhaps by subtracting one villain, that could have created more space to delve deeper into more character development. Nevertheless, this latest chapter falls short of the first two films, and if this is the last film together for Maguire, Dunst and director Sam Raimi, that truly would be a shame. Uneasy is the head that wears the crown, and both Peter and Spiderman will suffer headaches as a result of this lackluster, underachieving attempt. With great power, comes great responsibility and, for Spider-Man 3, also great disappointment.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Five to Watch

2007-05-04T17:06:00.000-04:00

The summer movie season is notorious for releasing some of the biggest films of the year. With so much pressure from studios trying to win the opening weekends, the people truly in the hot seat are the film’s stars. We take a look at five actors who may find their temperatures rising or falling with films this summer.

Don Cheadle
Film: Talk to Me and Ocean’s Thirteen

Last Seen In: Reign Over Me
The Upside: Talk to Me could be his Ray. He further enhances his solid credentials with an interesting and eye-opening biopic about D.C. personality, Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene. In addition, he joins his A-list pals in another Ocean picture.
The Downside: If his Ocean film tanks (unlikely) and the biopic is overshadowed by bigger blockbusters (perhaps).
Outlook: With one strong performance under his belt already this year in Reign, Cheadle walks to his own beat and balances work in bigger films with small personal stories (Hotel Rwanda and the upcoming Talk). He’ll be just fine.

Queen Latifah
Film: Hairspray

Last Seen In: The HBO film, Life Support
The Upside: Her role as Motormouth Maybelle is another quirky, offbeat and funny performance by the incredibly smart Latifah. Co-starring with John Travolta and receiving a huge marketing push by New Line Cinema, look for this film to be a summer surprise – and another feature in her highness’ cap.
The Downside: If the film doesn’t get cannibalized by bigger-name fare, and Black audiences don’t warm to a period musical, it could be in trouble.
Outlook: In her 16-year career, Latifah is one of the best in business in finding roles that either fit her perfectly or provide enough room for her to work her magic. The Oscar-nominated actress has a strong shot at an Emmy nomination for her fantastic work in Life Support. If history is any indication, Latifah will continue to cruise along, even if Hairspray isn’t successful.

Chris Tucker
Film: Rush Hour 3

Last Seen In: Rush Hour 2
The Upside: With over $350 million from the first two films in the series, it seems like a no-brainer this project has a good shot at being successful. The creative team behind the previous two teams remains intact; if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
The Downside: Tucker has been in a film in six years. To put that in a better prospective, Samuel L. Jackson has starred in 20 films since the last Rush Hour! Will audiences even remember his earlier films?
Outlook: The jury is out on his career. We don’t doubt that his latest will be successful, but what happens when he’s cast in a film that doesn’t have Rush Hour in the title or doesn’t star Jackie Chan? He runs the risk of being a one-film pony who may suffer an early career flameout. Time will tell.

Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Film: Daddy Day Camp
Last Seen In: Norbit
The Upside: Stepping in for Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe winner Eddie Murphy, Oscar winner Gooding reprises the role of Charlie Hinton in the Daddy Day franchise. With an entirely new creative team behind this project, Gooding has a chance to shine in this film.
The Downside: With a resume featuring far more bombs than hits, Gooding may have finally reached a critical career fork in the road. There is a good reason that Murphy chose to move on from this project. Gooding may be walking into a creative minefield in this film.
Outlook: As a member of a very special fraternity of Black Oscar winners, Gooding, by far, has been the biggest disappointment. He always seems to be around the wrong films at the wrong times. After laying another egg, critically, in Norbit, his career may get an added boost co-starring with fellow Oscar winner Denzel Washington as drug dealer Nicky Barnes in American Gangster, this fall.

Morgan Freeman
Film: Evan Almighty

Last Seen In: 10 Items or Less
The Upside: Freeman returns as God in the runaway Almighty franchise. The entire creative team from the first film returns, but no other return was more important than that of the consummate veteran actor. With comedic actor Steve Carrell, who is on par with the original film’s star, Jim Carrey, the film should not miss a beat and could be a very formidable presence this summer.
The Downside: For Freeman, there’s not a lot. He balances small indies with big Hollywood blockbusters, plus having that small shiny gold trophy doesn’t hurt.
Outlook: In an interview once, Nelson George called Freeman one of the industry’s steadiest actors and the glue that holds together many films that pit an inexpensive actor with the steady vet. In his illustrious 33-year career, Freeman has played big and small. Freeman is as versatile an actor as you’ll find and, no matter what you wonder about Evan Almighty, one thing is certain – if it doesn’t work, it won’t be because of Freeman.

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Evan Almighty

2007-05-04T17:01:00.000-04:00

Film: Evan Almighty
Stars: Steve Carell, Lauren Graham and Morgan Freeman

Where We Left Off: In the original, Jim Carrey complains about how God has only made his life a total waste. He meets God and is given all of his powers. At first he loves it. He can do anything, but when he discovers others are praying, he learns that maybe this job of being God isn't really that easy. He learns humility and ends up with his love, Grace.
The Skinny: The last time we saw Evan Baxter (Steve Carell), he was being tormented onscreen by rival Bruce, live from their Buffalo TV station. But as time passed and Evan made up with Bruce, he's gone onto bigger and better things. Newly elected to Washington D.C. as a congressman, Evan has left Buffalo, N.Y., in pursuit of a greater calling. But that calling isn't to serve in the illustrious ranks of America's politics, but he is being summoned by The Almighty Himself (Morgan Freeman), who has handed Evan the task of building a new ark, much like the one built by Noah in the Bible days. With time passing by and his family belittled by Evan's newfound realization, Evan will have to do the work that God has given him in what promises to be an unusual adventure for a man who just wanted to serve his country.
Total Gross: $242.8 million – $242.8 million (Bruce Almighty)
Black Quotient: High
Prediction: The producers of this film struck gold when a little known comedic actor, Carrell, was cast alongside Carrey in the original. When it came time to make a sequel, Carrell’s profile had risen high enough to potentially equal Carrey’s comedic impact from the original. Plus, having Freeman giving a God-like performance won’t hurt. If Carrell can channel Carrey’s comedic charm, this film should be a runaway hit. My prediction: $200 million. (June 22)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | 28 Weeks Later

2007-05-04T16:57:00.000-04:00

Film: 28 Weeks Later
Stars: Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Catherine McCormack, Mackintosh Muggleton and Idris Elba.
Where We Left Off: Several survivors overcome flesh-eating infected zombies and over-zealous militia members to stay alive in disease-ridden London.
The Skinny: “Just as I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” The infected have returned in the sequel to the cult-classic zombie film. Seven months after the rage virus has annihilated the British Isles, the U.S. Army declares that the war against infection has been won and that the reconstruction of the country can begin. In the first wave of returning refugees, a family is reunited – but one of them unwillingly carries a terrible secret. The virus is not yet dead, and this time, it is more dangerous than ever.
Total Gross: $45 million – $45 million (28 Days Later)
Black Quotient: Low
Prediction: The original caught everyone by surprise with a different kind of swifter, more mobile zombie. The cast is different, but the concept is solid and has been established. In a summer heavy on action-adventures, a horror film like this one could easily find an audience as well as sustain it. This film should easily surpass the gross of original and could be one of the sleepers of the summer. My prediction: $75 million to $100 million. (May 11)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Daddy Day Camp

2007-05-04T16:25:00.000-04:00

Film: Daddy Day Camp
Stars: Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Where We Left Off: Two men, Charlie (Eddie Murphy) and Phil (Jeff Garlin), get laid off from their jobs and become stay-at-home dads, pulling their kids out of the expensive, exclusive Chapman Academy. They open their own daycare center throwing them into competition with Chapman and its tough-as-nails director, played by Anjelica Huston. After being offered their old jobs back, the two decide that money isn’t everything and keep open Daddy Day Care.
The Skinny: Oscar winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. steps in for Oscar nominee Eddie Murphy in the sequel to the hilarious 2003 comedy. After Daddy Day Care, Charlie (Gooding, Jr.) and Phil embark on another kid-harried adventure as they take over running a summer day camp in Daddy Day Camp. But troubles start when Charlie's father, Col. Buck Hinton (Richard Gant), starts to control it.
Total Gross: $104.2 million – $104.2 million (Daddy Day Care)
Black Quotient: High
Prediction: Trouble, pure and simple. After stalling in 2005, the film lost its star, Murphy, and the entire cast from the first film. Only the original writer is back in the one sequel that is “least likely to succeed.” Gooding takes over from Murphy, who has experience making bad movies for kids (Snow Dogs and Home on the Range). Without its creative team and likable cast, including the funny Murphy, from the first film, it will be hard for this film to make half of the original’s gross. Gooding’s fall from award winner to kid movie fodder is almost complete. Next up for the embattled actor is a role as Nicky Barnes in the Denzel Washington film, American Gangster. My prediction for Daddy Day Camp is an overly optimistic $60 million. (August 8)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Ocean's Thirteen

2007-05-04T16:10:00.000-04:00

Film: Ocean’s Thirteen
Stars: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Carl Reiner, Elliott Gould, Ellen Barkin and Al Pacino

Where We Left Off: Danny Ocean’s crew had a deadline to pay back the money from the first film and is also in an elaborate competition with an intelligent, suave French thief to steal a valuable Fabergé egg. The crew secures the egg, pays Terry Benedict back his money, and Pitt and sexy Inspector Catherine Zeta-Jones get together. All in a day’s work for best cat thieves on the planet!
The Skinny: Hollywood’s annual A-list filming “event,” which doubles as Ocean films, brings together industry heavyweights Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Cheadle, Roberts and crew for two to three months of work and a whole lot of hanging out and partying. The latest adventure finds our crew reassembling for a third heist after casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) double-crosses one of the original 11, Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould). Also joining the cast is Ellen Barkin.
Total Gross: $308.9 million – $183.4 million (Ocean's Eleven); $125.5 million (Ocean's Twelve)
Black Quotient: Medium
Prediction: The Ocean films always have been about excess. Excess star power, exotic locations and tremendous guest star appearances. The films are cool as ice, but the question remains in a summer of action adventures, “Will this party, designed as a film, find an audience?” Twelve grossed less than Eleven; My prediction: $150 million. (June 8)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Hostel 2

2007-05-04T16:08:00.000-04:00

Film: Hostel 2
Stars: Jay Hernandez

Where We Left Off: Three backpackers in Amsterdam are lured to an out-of-the-way hostel, where wealthy people torture, maim and kill unsuspecting tourists. Only one survives, Paxton (Jay Hernandez), who inexplicably returns in the sequel.
The Skinny: The WPID Meter (“White People in Distress”) is off the charts in the sequel to this bloody and scary original. Three White kids in, three out and the cycle begins again in Part II, where this time three college students are tricked into entering a hostel where the “hosts” like to torture, rape and murder. Following a geographical tour of Slovakia, three women are lured into a hostel by a handsome young man who sells them to the twisted masters, who tie them up and bring upon an unthinkable world of pain. If you have a stomach for this type of mayhem, this is the perfect movie for you!
Total Gross: $47.3 million – $47.3 million (Hostel)
Black Quotient: Blank
Prediction: Director Eli Roth took some time away from his horror franchise to produce a fake trailer (Thanksgiving) for Grindhouse. The first film made with a modest profit almost grossed $50 million. With heightened expectations, expect a modest gain. My prediction: $75 million (June 8)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Live Free or Die Hard

2007-05-04T16:04:00.000-04:00

Film: Live Free or Die Hard
Stars: Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q, Justin Long and Jeffrey Wright.

Where We Left Off: 1995, that when. Back then, John McClane is separated from his wife and suspended from the NYPD. But he's quickly put back on the force because of a man named Simon (Jeremy Irons), who set bombs all over the city and gives McClane the challenge of finding them before they go off. McClane was aided by a Harlem store owner named Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson).
The Skinny: When a criminal plot is in place to take down the entire computer and technological structure that supports the economy of the United States (and the world), it's up to a decidedly "old-school" hero, police Detective McClane (Willis), to dissolve the conspiracy, aided by a young hacker (Long).
Total Gross: $300.5 million – $83 million (Die Hard); $117.5 million (Die Hard 2: Die Harder); $100 million (Die Hard: With A Vengeance)
Black Quotient: Low
Prediction: It has been 11 LONG years since the last action hero, Willis, played this character. Sly Stallone showed in Rocky Balboa, last year that audiences will embrace a character they love. The question is, “Will they still love McClane?” The jury is still out. I’m betting that the film will be a moderate success but without huge numbers. My prediction: $100 million. (June 27)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | The Bourne Ultimatum

2007-05-04T16:01:00.000-04:00

Film: The Bourne Ultimatum
Stars: Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles and David Strathairn

Where We Left Off: The ticking time bomb that is Jason Bourne is set to detonate again when agent Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) is conducting an operation to find a rogue CIA agent, but something goes wrong, and her investigation leads her to him. Although Bourne has been trying to put his life as a CIA man behind him and remember his past, by film’s end, Bourne has gotten his man and discovered his real name and identity, David Webb.
The Skinny: The government won’t leave Bourne alone as he races to discover the final mysteries of his past in this latest film. While a government agent tries to track him down after a shootout in Moscow, Bourne must travel from Paris, Madrid and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the real Jason Bourne – all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents who have him in their crosshairs.
Total Gross: $297.8 million – $121.6 million (The Bourne Identity); $176.2 million (The Bourne Supremacy)
Black Quotient: Blank
Prediction: Potentially white hot. Damon, who stars in two big franchise summer movies (along with Oceans series), is perfectly cast as the former killing machine that just wants to be left alone. This is the third and final book in the series by Robert Ludlum, although two additional books, “The Bourne Legacy” and “The Bourne Betrayal,” feature the same character written by another author. If this film performs as well as the previous two, look for the other books to also be made into films, and the franchise will continue. My prediction is that Bourne equals sure money, $200 million. (August 3)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

2007-05-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

Film: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley

Where We Left Off: Captain Jack, in a heroic moment, has come back to save his beloved Pearl when he and his ship are destroyed by the Kraken. Davey Jones’ beating heart has been turned over to East Indian Trading Company, and Barbossa returns with a vow to sail to the end of the Earth to save Jack.
The Skinny: After Elizabeth (Keira Knightly), Will (Orlando Bloom) and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) rescue Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from the clutches of the Kraken, they must face their foes, Davey Jones (Bill Nighy) and Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander). Beckett, now with control of Jones' heart, forms a dark alliance with him to rule the seas and wipe out the last of the Pirates. Now, Jack, Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth, Tia Delma and crew must call the Pirate Lords from the four corners of the globe, including the infamous Sao Feng (Chow-Yun Fat), to a gathering that will make their final stand against Beckett, Jones, Norrington, the Flying Dutchman, and the entire East India Trading Company.
Total Gross: $728.7 million – $305.4 million (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl); $423.3 million (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)
Black Quotient: Low
Prediction: With over $700 million in two films, the Pirates franchise is one of the summer’s surest bets. Filmed back-to-back, At World’s End has a built-in audience waiting for Captain Jack Sparrow’s next adventure and, surely, neither he nor the story will disappoint. My prediction: $450 million. (May 25)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2007-05-04T15:51:00.000-04:00

Film: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson

Where We Left Off: Harry's fourth summer and the following year at Hogwarts are marked by the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, in which student representatives from three different wizarding schools compete in a series of increasingly challenging contests. Harry and his new older rival, Cedric Diggery, compete not only in the tournament but also for the affections of Cho Chang. Lurking in the shadows again is Lord Voldermort, who kills Cedric, regains human form and will play a much larger role in subsequent films.
The Skinny: Trouble brews as Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts begins. The authorities are ignoring Harry and Dumbledore's warnings of Voldemort's return, causing his fellow classmates to view him with disdain. Meanwhile, a new witch assumes control at Hogwarts, throwing the entire school into chaos. Will Harry lose everything?
Total Gross: $1.1 billion – $317.5 million (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone); $261.9 million (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets); $249.5 million (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban); $290 million (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).
Black Quotient: Blank
Prediction: With over $1 billion in domestic gross, the Harry Potter franchise continues to roar along. Audiences continue be fascinated by the adventures of Harry and his friends as he wards off trouble from his nemesis, Lord Voldermort. The film won’t be the highest grossing film of the summer, but history shows that the story will cast a spell over an eager audience. My prediction: $250 to $300 million. (July 13)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer

2007-05-04T15:47:00.000-04:00

Film: Fantastic Four 2: The Rise of the Silver Surfer
Stars: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis; Directed by Tim Story

Where We Left Off: Our fearsome foursome gain superpowers after an accident in outer space. Soon they are adjusting to their new found abilities and saving the people of New York, but Dr. Doom had other plans. Our heroes defeat the evil Dr. Doom (we think) and Reed Richards (Gruffundd) proposes to Sue Storm (Alba).
The Skinny: After the death of Dr. Doom, the Fantastic Four feel life is back to normal. Soon Reed Richards and Sue Storm get married, but not before a new enemy, the Silver Surfer, takes charge to destroy the Earth. Once again it's up to the Fantastic Four to stop him. Oh yeah, they also deal with the return of Dr. Doom.
Total Gross: $154.6 million – $154.6 (Fantastic Four).
Black Quotient: Low
Prediction: The first film set the stage and pulled in over $150 million, despite unkind reviews. The trailer for the sequel looks better than the original and, with some familiarity, this film should do well. If it does better than the original, Story will have the distinction of having the highest grossing film by a Black director. That would be “fantastic” for him. My prediction: $150 million to $175 million. (June 15)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Shrek the Third

2007-05-04T15:43:00.000-04:00

Film: Shrek the Third
Stars: Mike Myers (Voice), Eddie Murphy (Voice), Cameron Diaz (Voice) and Antonio Banderas (Voice)
Where We Left Off: The evil fairy godmother tried to trick Fiona into marrying Prince Charming when Shrek and friends storm the castle and save the day. In the process, King Harold is turned into a toad and our three principals revert back to their original form.
The Skinny: The gangs all back as the adventure of Shrek, Princess Fiona and Donkey continues. When his new father-in-law, King Harold, falls ill, Shrek is looked at as the heir to the land of Far, Far Away. Not one to give up his beloved swamp, Shrek recruits his friends Donkey and Puss in Boots (Banderas) to install the rebellious Artie as the new king. Fiona, however, rallies a band of royal girlfriends to fend off an attack by the jilted Prince Charming
Total Gross: $708.8 million – $267.6 million for Shrek and $441.2 million for Shrek 2
Black Quotient: Medium
Prediction: If history is any indication, this film will be HUGE! The previous installment almost doubled the original. With a witty script, familiar characters and the mighty DreamWorks marketing machine, this film will be one of the top five films of the summer, perhaps top three. The fairytale continues . . . My prediction is $350 million to$400 million. (May 18)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer | Rush Hour 3

2007-05-04T15:37:00.000-04:00

Film: Rush Hour 3
Stars: Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker
Where We Left Off: Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) is on vacation in Hong Kong, but Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) is too busy doing police work. After an explosion at the American Embassy, Lee attempts to track down the man who may be responsible, Ricky Tan, a Triad gang leader and the former partner of Lee's father, who was also a cop. Obviously, Carter doesn't appreciate being dragged along like that, but what choice does he have? Lee discovers a power struggle among the Triads between Tan and Hu Li (Zhang Ziyi). They later find out it has something to do with the death of Lee's father and a counterfeiting scheme. Lee and Carter go back to Cali, and later Las Vegas, where they discover that everything that's happened goes way beyond an explosion at the Embassy.
The Skinny: Welcome back Chris Tucker! After a six-year absence, Tucker returns to do . . . another Rush Hour film. Their cinematic world tour continues for the dynamic duo, this time in Paris, where they battle a wing of the Chinese organized-crime family, the Triads.
Total Gross: $367.2 million – $141.1 for Rush Hour and $226.1 for Rush Hour 2.
Black Quotient: High
Prediction: This film has been stuck in neutral for several years. As recent as 2005, Chan himself talked about being dissatisfied with Tucker because of his many demands. The two actors share wonderful on-screen chemistry, and audiences may be ready to get the “rush” on. Hopefully, Tucker will have the desire to make “other” movies that AREN’T Rush Hour! My prediction is $175 million. (August 10)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Sequel Summer 2007 | Spider-Man 3

2007-05-04T15:28:00.000-04:00

Film: Spider-Man 3
Stars: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace and Bryce Dallas Howard
Where We Left Off: Spider-Man kills villain Dr. Ock; Peter Parker once again tells Mary Jane that they can’t be together; Harry Osborn gets a visit from his dead dad demanding that he avenge his death; Mary leaves her fiancé standing at the altar and chooses . . . Peter!
The Skinny: Spider-Man’s back, and this time he’s Black! (Well, at least his suit is.) Peter’s life seems to be coming together; he’s got his girl, a potential new position at The Daily Bugle, and love from the citizens of New York. But it is just the calm before the storm. Soon, he’ll have to face multiple enemies, and he will have to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is ever to conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but himself.
Total Gross: $777.2 million – $403.7 million for Spider-Man and $373.5 million for Spider-Man 2.
Black Quotient: Blank
Prediction: Director Sam Raimi, Maguire and Dunst have all said that this will be the final Spider-Man film for them together. The MOST anticipated film of the summer, Spider-Man 3 easily will be the highest grossing of the series and very well could be the top-grossing film of the summer. My guess is $500 million, domestic, for Spidey. (May 4)

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Say No to "Next"

2007-04-27T12:51:00.000-04:00

After giving arguably two of the worst performances in both Ghost Rider and Wicker Man, excuse me if I was a little skeptical towards Nicolas Cage’s latest film, Next. Although his performance is improved, it is the script that lets him down in this film.

Cage plays small-time Las Vegas magician Frank Cadillac aka Cris Johnson who harbors a special gift – the ability to see the future, but only 2 ½ minutes ahead. The catch is that he can only see his future, not anyone else’s. Without his knowledge, he is being monitored by FBI agent, Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore) who suspects that his “magic act” is a little too real. Her office has been tipped off that a nuclear bomb has been stolen and a group is threatening to detonate it somewhere in Southern California. Agent Ferris believes that by using Johnson’s special skill she can stop the terrorists before they strike.

After a childhood of serving as a scientific experiment and constant questioning, Johnson just wants to live a low-key, normal life. He occasionally gambles and is content to win small amounts to avoid casino suspicions. His ability creates some humorous situations throughout the film as he is able to avoid various pitfalls using his talent. While he’s being pursued by Ferris and the Feds, Johnson has his eyes on a sexy woman he sees in his future. Although he has a small window that allows him to see future events, when it comes to this particular woman the length of time of his vision expands. Johnson finally meets his mystery lady, Liz (Jessica Biel) and the two eventually take a road trip, with both the Feds and the bad guys in hot pursuit.

Cage’s sometimes kooky on screen persona is perfect for this character. He gives a performance that is engaging and highly entertaining drawing the audience into this thriller. The problem is that just like in last fall’s time-travel adventure, Déjà vu, there is a fine line between really and fantasy. By the time you reach the conclusion, you may feel cheated. Sometimes what you see may not always be what you get. Like Cage, we see the future and it has us all looking for the Next film.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Cold Openings

2007-04-26T15:33:00.000-04:00

There’s good news and there’s bad news this week at the movies. The good news is that next week kicks off the summer movies which mean this is the last week that I have to give my report from the freezer, which is the bad news.

This week at theatres is an 80’s breakdancer in a 20-year coma, a death row inmate fighting for his freedom and a young boy who is unseen because of his untimely death.

First up is The Invisible. Nick Powell is the perfect kid, loved by his mom and classmates until one night he is viciously assaulted and left for dead. The next day he shows up for school and discovers that he is invisible. It seems that he’s trapped somewhere between life and death and the only way to make it right is to solve his own murder. The concept sounds interesting, but the lack of faith that the studio is showing lets you know that THEY don’t think this film is any good. If it’s bad enough for them, then it’s bad enough for me.

The Condemned
What’s deal with movies about rich people hunting down poor folks for sport? Stone Cold Steve Austin stars in The Condemned as a prison awaiting the death penalty in a corrupt Central American prison. Bought like a slave by a wealthy TV producer, he is taken to a island in the middle of nowhere where he must fight to the death against nine other condemned killers. Much like Ice-T in Surviving the Game and the poor White People in Distress from Hostel, no matter how rich the hunters, the hunted is always just a little bit smarter and ultimately survives. Do yourself a favor and rent Surviving the Game. It’s not that good, but it’s cheaper than going to see this mess “condemned” to an early DVD date!

Kickin' It Old Skool
Comedian Jamie Kennedy is back after the disastrous Malibu’s Most Wanted, with the equally wretched Kickin’ It Old Skool. In the film Kennedy plays a young break dancer who hits his head during a talent show and slips into a coma for twenty years. Waking up in 2006, he looks to revive his and his team's career with the help of his girlfriend and his parents. The only thing funny about that premise is the smell. Released the week before the summer movie season launched, it’s not an accident that everyone associated with this film wants any record of their involvement “X-ed” out. A week from now the only thing kickin’ about this film will be the speed that theatre owners drop kick this piece of “shiznet” to the curb to make room for the “real movies.”

Dreamgirls "Dazzles" on DVD

2007-04-26T14:18:00.000-04:00

After many months of anticipation, Dreamgirls roared into theaters and immediately began living up to the hype. Along the way, the film secured eight Oscar nominations, winning two, and became the fourth largest grossing movie musical of all time. Now, the anticipation returns as the film comes to DVD, featuring a dazzling array of extras and an amazing behind-the-curtain glimpse at the true Dreamgirls experience.

This two-disc DVD features one disc with the film and a second disc that gives viewers unprecedented access from production to the finished product. “Building the Dream,” explains how the process came together. Director Bill Condon talks about his experience after winning an Oscar for Chicago. He was offered every unfilled music script in Hollywood, but his “dream” was to make Dreamgirls. David Geffen owned the rights and never thought it could be made into a film, but Condon convinced him over lunch, and the rest is history.

What attracted him was the unique story arc. According to Condon, most theater productions have thrilling first acts with sad second acts. But “Dreamgirls” gives you a thrilling first act, with Curtis’ rise and Effie’s dream being crushed, and a second act in which their fates are flip-flopped.

The process of casting the actors for the film was equally impressive. After getting the green light to make the production, Condon focused on securing two actors he thought would be perfect: Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy. Beyoncé Knowles, on the other hand, contacted Condon to lobby for the role. She gave a passionate screen test, featuring period costumes and actors dressed in similar costumes. Anika Noni Rose beat out hundreds of actors, using her strong theater background. The most frustrated of the actors auditioning for the film was Keith Robinson, who endured a process that lasted several months before he got the role. Danny Glover just wanted to be part of the star-studded ensemble.

Condon explained that 90 percent of the energy went into casting Effie. One day the filmmakers auditioned more than 700 potential Effies from throughout the United States. Hudson was called and auditioned several times before she was hired. Upon being eliminated from “American Idol” in 200?, Hudson said, prophetically, “I know there is something in store for me.”

In “Dream Logic: Film Editing,” we learn that the film’s editor went through a million feet of film, including sifting through five hours of film for 2 ½ minutes of footage to create “Steppin’ to the Bad Side.” The filmmakers also concluded that their first cut left too much music in the film. They removed some of it and finally came up with the version that was released in theaters.

In “Dressing the Dreams: Costume Design,” Sharen Davis talks about her design process and how she fashioned Murphy’s look with rock and roll icons Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Elvis Presley and Prince in mind

“Auditions and Screen Tests” give viewers an opportunity to look at footage of Knowles, Rose and Fatima Robinson’s choreography for “Steppin’ to the Bad Side.” Her choreography features several different elements that look good separately and are effective when combined during an energetic and spirited audition.

Viewers also get an opportunity to see the project through the eyes of the filmmakers in “Previsualization Sequences,” in which storyboards were combined with live dancing to see how the scenes translate from drawings to live action. An added treat is also “Storyboards,” which gives the viewer wonderful insights into the visual process that the filmmakers engaged in to create this stunning visual work. If you listen to the soundtrack while going through the storyboards, you can follow along, creating a seamless viewing experience.

The package wouldn’t be complete without spotlighting the exotic period costumes. Davis shows off her work in “Costume Designs,” which displays many of the costumes that made it into the film and some that didn’t. If you were interested in going through the discography of Jimmy Early, The Dreams, Deena Jones and Effie White, check out “Art Department Archive,” where you can see all of the albums from the groups in the film.

If you enjoyed the film in theaters, surely you’ll love the DVD. With so much compressed into one “extras: disc, the filmmakers have given audiences a chance to observe the creative process for this special musical. Great DVDs come from great films, and Dreamgirls offers a great experience for viewers.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

BET Unveils Massive Lineup

2007-04-20T18:11:00.000-04:00

This past Wednesday night, BET Networks President of Entertainment Reginald Hudlin officially announced to the television industry that his channel would be a major player this fall by unveiling a lineup of 16 new series. The announcement marked the most ambitious lineup of original programs in BET’s 26-year history.

Featuring projects from Oscar-nominated actor/producer, Will Smith, action-star Vin Diesel, as well as comedians D.L Hughley and Orlando Jones, the new shows will provide BET and “diverse array of programming about black culture, ranging from reality shows, scripted comedies, game shows, sports roundtables, music specials and primetime animation."

Speaking to a group of media buyers and industry execs at BET’s upfront presentation, Hudlin introduced the lineup of shows, which include:

BET's first original sitcom, "Somebodies," adapted from the indie movie of the same name that preemed at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. Written and directed by Hadjii, the 10 half-hour episodes, which premiere in the fall, will explore a group of University of Georgia graduates who are trying to figure out what to do with their lives. “The Bernie Mac Show” executive producers Pete Aronson and Warren Hutcherson, will executive produce “Somebodies.”

Orlando Jones' series, "Bufu," is an animated sketch-comedy half-hour created and voiced by Jones and Ali LeRoi ("Everybody Hates Chris"). It premieres in the fall.

Hughley's series, "S.O.B.," launching in July, is a reality show that will use hidden cameras to test the value systems of people. One scene shows the reaction of the staff and patrons of a segregated restaurant when a black couple try to get served.

"Hannibal," the previously announced series executive produced by Diesel, is an animated half-hour about the life and times of the ancient African king. It's scheduled for 2008.

From Will Smith's Overlook Entertainment comes "Cipha," an animated sci-fi series "set in a future world where hip-hop is outlawed ... to shut down the voices of youth," according to BET.

The most ambitious reality series on BET's schedule, "Baldwin Hills," focuses on the lives of 11 upper-middle-class black teens in suburban L.A. whose parents are professional athletes, TV personalities, doctors, lawyers and engineers. The first of the 10 weekly hours premiere in July.

Other series include the reality show "College Hill Interns," a spinoff of BET's most popular series, “College Hill.”

"Iron Ring," a mixed-martial-arts competition.

"Hell Date," a five-a-week relationship series.

"Judge Mooney," a sendup of court shows featuring comedian Paul Mooney.

"Exalted," a series of biographical documentaries of practicing ministers.

Fractured Fairytale | Fracture

2007-04-20T17:56:00.000-04:00

Much like a marathon runner who starts strong and limps to a weak finish, Fracture begins with great promise only to lose its focus and ultimately disappoint.

The setup finds Jennifer Crawford (Embeth Davidtz) spending time with her maintenance man, Rob Nunally (Billy Burke). Unbeknownst to her, her husband Ted (Anthony Hopkins) witnesses her unspoken act. He makes a phone call and pulls out a gun and shoots Jennifer in the head. After retrieving the bullet shells, cleaning up and composing himself, Ted waits for the police.

How surprised are we when no one other than Detective Nunally shows up at the house, only to discover that his lover has been shot by her husband! The enraged detective slams Ted to the ground, punching him several times before he is led away. Nunally insists on being in the room when Ted gives his statement.

Meanwhile, hotshot prosecutor Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) has just been offered a job at a high-profile law firm. Cocky, arrogant and positively sure of his abilities, Beachum is a younger version of the Keanu Reeves super attorney from The Devil’s Advocate. After giving his two-week notice, Beachum draws a case that no attorney wants: prosecuting the deceptive Ted. With a 97 percent winning rate, Beachum is the perfect lawyer for an imperfect case.

His first impression with Ted is bemusement. Clearly, in his mind, he’s smarter than the elder Ted and just wants to win the case, punch his ticket and move on to more lucrative cases in private practice. But something happens, and he soon finds that his “easy” case will test his will and his livelihood.

Nobody rocks a prison jumpsuit like Hopkins. It seems that he relishes his return to such a celebrated role. His wordplay with Gosling recalls scenes with Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lamb. Soon Gosling learns, as Foster did, that it is a mistake to underestimate the crafty Hopkins.

One huge plot hole finds Beachum encountering the sexy and mysterious Nikki Gardner (Rosamund Pike), a colleague from his prospective law office. They make eyes at each other, spend quality time together and – poof! – she’s gone. Initially, sizzling with anticipation and intrigue, the film loses its way in the closing before limping to an unsatisfying conclusion.

Not even a clever twist at the end could save this film. Clocking in at 113 minutes, it appeared that the filmmakers only wrote enough dialogue for 90. Instead of a classic thriller, they ended up with a fractured fairytale that has to settle for being mediocre instead of good.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Bad Boys for Life | Hot Fuzz

2007-04-20T17:53:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, Director Edgar Wright and actor Simon Pegg collaborated on the zombie comedy cult classic Shaun of the Dead. The two team up once again for the British police comedy Hot Fuzz.

Pegg stars as super cop Nicholas Angel, an officer so gung ho he would put Robocop to shame. He ascends so quickly through the ranks of London’s Metropolitan Police Service that he is exiled to a new post because his arrest rate, which is 400 percent higher than everyone else’s, is making his superiors look bad.

To teach the overeager cop a lesson, he is sent to a distant outpost in the country, Sandford. To say that Angel encounters a culture shock would be to put it lightly. The town has virtually no crime and hasn’t had a murder in more than 20 years.

Angel is paired with the stocky son of the police chief, Danny Butterman (the funny Nick Frost) who is a huge fan of police movies but has no actual police experience. Suddenly, people start dropping dead, and everyone seems to think they’re all accidents. But Angel is suspicious, and soon he and his mismatched partner have to solve the strange ongoing occurrences in “Stepford Sandford.”

Much like their earlier film, Shaun of the Dead, this film features a British comic sensibility, which many people will either love or despise. Wright’s work successfully blends dark elements while managing to keep the tone light. His trailer for the fake film, Don’t, which appeared in Grindhouse, is another example of Wright’s twisted comedic sensibility.

Pegg and Frost, who also starred together in “Shaun,” reunite once again in similar roles. Pegg is the film’s straight man, allowing the humorous Frost to let go, comedically. “Is there a place in a man’s head that you can shoot to make it explode?” the perplexed Butterman asks while Angel is giving a safety lecture to a group of students.

Paying homage to police buddy films such as Bad Boys and Point Break, our British Boys begin slow, but by the film’s conclusion they bring the noise – in a major way! Though as not uproariously funny as Wild Hogs or Blades of Glory, its humor is much more understated, yet effective. Will Smith said it best for our talented police duo, “They ride together, they die together. Bad boys for life.”

This review also appeared on BET.com.

White People in Distress | Vacancy

2007-04-20T17:50:00.000-04:00

One-hit wonder, Rockwell hit the charts in the mid-1980s with his paranoid little ditty "Somebody's Watching Me." That song could serve as the theme to this latest WPID – White People in Distress – film, Vacancy.

There is no more popular genre in film than suspense thrillers. Audiences get a sometimes-twisted rush from watching people in harm’s way. If that’s your pleasure, you’re sure to enjoy this story.

The Foxes, Amy (Kate Bechinsale) and David (Luke Wilson), are riding cross-country in the middle of nowhere late at night. To avoid busy traffic on the interstate, David takes the proverbial shortcut, which is anything but. He soon encounters car trouble and, with a salty wife in tow, the two check into the real “Heartbreak Hotel,” where you check in but usually don’t check out.

From the moment that this young couple settles into their room, a feeling of uneasiness envelops them and the audience. You know it’s going to get bad, but how much? The answer comes quickly when David discovers some tapes that show people brutally tortured and murdered in a hotel room that looks vaguely familiar. As it becomes evident that they can’t escape, the couple must figure out how to survive the night and fight off their attackers.

The film doesn’t rely on gore but on exceptional high tension. The problem with this film, as in most other films of this genre, is that the characters display poor horror-movie logic. Early on, David hears an ominous knock coming from next door. Instead of calling the front desk to report the problem, he barrels over to the room demanding satisfaction. These actions, and many other bad decisions, plague him and his wife in this story of dumb people doing dumb things.

With at least five stinkers so far this spring, this season has been enough to test anyone’s usual enthusiasm for new releases. The good news is that, despite its various shortcomings, Vacancy does give fans of horror films what they’re looking for: quick thrills, that constant sinking feeling in the stomach and, ultimately, a satisfying resolution.

If horror stories work for you, be my guest. If not, you might want to find a Vacancy in another theater.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Spring Box Office Winners and Losers

2007-04-17T17:18:00.000-04:00

The spring movie season has been a mixed bag. There were some films that were great; others that were OK; and the majority were god-awful. While critics have bashed the majority of Hollywood releases, audiences have pushed several films to record box-office heights. Below is a look at the box-office winners and losers, and all of the surprises in between.

Winners

300 – Filmmakers hit the mother lode when they released this film about a little known battle with warriors who looked like models and slow-motion action shots. The film is the year’s highest grossing film with more than $200 million in box-office receipts since its release. You can believe that every studio that has a battle script is now scheduling it for production. I have a sneaky hunch that 301 will not be far behind.

Wild Hogs – Critics bashed this buddy motorcycle road film when it was released in February. All the film did was open No. 1 and rake in $152 million since its release. Maybe the studio knew that the film would have broad appeal by having a former teen star (John Travolta), the original host of Def Comedy Jam (Martin Lawrence), Tim the Tool Man (Tim Allen) and The Cooler (William H. Macy). Maybe the studio just got lucky.

Ghost Rider – Nicholas Cage is one of the most polarizing actors in Hollywood. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that the man knows how to make films that impact people. Coming off of one of the worst films of 2006, Wicker Man, Cage follows that up with the bad story, strong-special effects motorcycle film, Ghost Rider. Critics hated the film and audiences loved the flaming ride, to the tune of over $115 million.

Norbit – The film that, perhaps, lost Eddie Murphy his Oscar, starred the comedian in multiple roles, as an elderly Asian man, young nerdy man and an a loud, overweight woman. Critics slammed Murphy for his negative, offensive female caricature while audiences laughed and pushed the film over $90 million. Murphy says he doesn’t read reviews, but I bet he cashes checks!

Blades of Glory – Audiences glided this figure-skating comedy past the $90-million mark after just three weeks of release. Hollywood’s sports star, Will Ferrell, has now done a soccer film (“Kicking and Screaming”) and an auto-racing comedy (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), and he has a football film on the way. If Ferrell keeps this up, he’ll be hard-pressed NOT to star in another sports film.

Stomp the Yard – This School Daze meets You Got Served romp was as predictable as the day was long. It featured dance sequences based on Black fraternities’ steps, and the acting was sophomoric but entertaining. Still, audiences stomped into theaters tipping the box-office scales to over $60 million for this story of a young man’s redemption on a fictional Black-college campus.

Losers

Epic Movie - Eighty-six of the most painful, aggravating minutes that I, or anyone else, will spend this year. This unimaginative, crass film ties together four people who all win “Golden Tickets” and are off to an “Epic” adventure. It is almost as if the filmmakers thought of the idea while consuming large quantities of alcohol.

Black Snake Moan – Director Craig Brewer’s follow-up to Hustle and Flow turned audiences off, raking in a disappointing $9 million. Wasting one of Samuel L. Jackson’s best performances, the marketing campaign gave audiences the impression that an elderly Black man was using a young White woman as a sex toy – while chaining her to his radiator. There is a fine line between provocative and lewd, and for viewer’s, BSM crossed that line.

Pride – For years the joke was that Black people don’t swim. That may not be true, but we now know that they don’t go to movies where other Black people are swimming. With only $7 million since its release, this uplifting story – based on a true story of a swim coach who has helped hundreds of kids realize their dreams of higher education – sunk like a stone. Audiences that ignored this story should take no pride in the fact that you send a message to Hollywood not to take future chances on wonderful little stories like these.

I Think I Love My Wife – Despite one of Chris Rock’s best performances and great supporting work by an actress on the rise, Kerry Washington, I Think I Love My Wife bombed. Audiences expecting to see Rock riffing on screen were disappointed by his mature take on modern marriage. The film’s uneven tone, featuring scenes that would play better in his stand-up act, didn’t help audiences make the transition to the “grown-up” Chris. With only $12 million since its release, I guess everyone does HATE Chris!

The Number 23 – Jim Carrey has always walked to his own eccentric beat. From the early days on “In Living Color” and hilarious comedies such as Bruce Almighty and Liar, Liar, to thoughtful dramas such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, his latest film, The Number 23, may be the film that ends the honeymoon. This disjointed story about a man obsessed with Michael Jordan’s jersey number disintegrated from bad to terrible in 23 blinks of an eye.

Horror Films - One thing that has also been constant in 2007 is that Horror films have been Horribly repetitive. Duds like Dead Silence, The Hills Have Eyes 2, Hannibal Rising, The Messengers, The Host and The Abandoned scared audiences away from theaters instead of into theater seats. The lure of small-budget scary stories with potential large returns (Saw and The Blair Witch Project) will ensure that the trend of making these apathetic films will continue.

This feature appeared on BET.com.

"Strange" Behavior | Perfect Stranger

2007-04-13T17:07:00.000-04:00

Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we try to deceive. Never has that saying been more appropriate than in the latest Halle Berry thriller, Perfect Stranger. The film is both an homage to Berry’s incredible beauty and also a reminder of her recent rocky public image.

At the onset, Rowena (Berry) lands an interview with a senator. Shortly after that, deeper-seated intentions are revealed: she is an investigative reporter with damaging information that can bring the official down. But before she and her partner, Miles (Giovanni Ribisi) can celebrate, the senator reaches her source, pays him off and forces a frustrated Berry to quit her job.

She isn’t out of work long, though, because she runs into a childhood friend, Grace (Nicki Aycox) who tells Rowena that she has gone Fatal Attraction on a powerful ad exec, Harrison Hill, played by Bruce Willis. Hill has hit it and quit it and Grace is mad as hell about it. She gives Rowena some incriminating e-mails and suddenly our reporter has a new story to investigate.

A week later, Grace turns up dead and Rowena’s suspects that Hill has something to do with it. She has Hill’s e-mail address but needs proof to connect the powerful business man to the murder. But how? She sets a trap to lure the freaky, horny Hill into her seductive web. Rowena secures a job at Hill’s firm, and along with Miles, looks for information that would tie the powerful ad man to Grace’s death.

The script is tailor-made for Berry’s talents, showcasing her beauty in ways not seen since “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.” Rowena is constantly in sexy, alluring outfits, much to the chagrin of Miles who clearly has eyes for her even as she continually ignores him. Willis is charming as the narcissistic ad man who has a gorgeous wife, Mia (the stunning Paula Miranda) but is trying to get with anyone of the opposite sex with two legs. Earlier in the film when Berry begins temping at the ad agency, she and a colleague are discussing Hill’s cheating ways. When Berry remarks that Hill’s wife is gorgeous, the woman replies “you show me a beautiful woman and I’ll show you a man who’s tired of f****** her!

To answer critics in the Black community that say she has forgotten the brothers, Berry’s lover in the film is "CSI"’s Gary Dourdan, who also had a relationship with her deceased friend, Grace. Later in the film Dourdan goes Eric Benet on Berry’s character, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

Hill has issues of his own, trying to run an agency, steal clients from his friends and step to all of the fine interns in his firm. To keep him honest, he relies on his assistant, Josie (Daniella Van Graas), who runs interference for him. Hill is trying to keep his business practices secret, Rowena is trying to get information that would link him to her friend’s death and Miles is trying to keep secrets of his own.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Trick of Light | Slow Burn

2007-04-13T16:59:00.000-04:00

Timing is everything. In 2001, Mariah Carey released her big screen debut, Glitter, right after the September 11 attacks. The country may not have been in a mood for such light entertainment so soon after a national tragedy; or Carey’s acting and a horrid script may have kept audiences away. History repeats itself once again with the release of Slow Burn.

Originally produced in 2003 and slated for release in 2005, Slow Burn feels dated. The film is a complex tale of race and how it is used for positive results and its negative effects.

The film opens with a young woman, Nora Timmer (Jolene Blalock) in a police station, the survivor of a rape attempt. She’s also murdered a young man, Issac Duperde (Mekhi Phifer) in self-defense. Through a complicated backstory, we learn that she is the assistant D.A. and a rising star. This bi-racial Black woman has climbed the ladder quickly largely on her ability to prosecute gang members because of her access to them and her race.

Her boss, Ford Cole’s (Ray Liotta) star is on also on the ascent, he is running for Mayor. As the film opens he is being interviewed for a magazine story by journalist, Ty Trippin (Chiwetel Ejiofor) as he explains that his chief enemy is an unseen powerful gang lord, who has vowed to bring down. We find out through flashbacks that he too is involved sexually with the attractive Timmer.

But the night is still young when a mysterious stranger, Luther Pinks (LL Cool J) comes in, friends with Duperde, with an entirely different perspective on the sexy assistant D.A. He tells Cole that Timmer is a “trick of light,” someone who when the light hits them at a certain angle can pass for White. In Rashomon-type flashbacks, he paints a picture of an opportunistic, conniving operator selling out her office and the people closest to her. To complicate matters, Duperde has left a cryptic voicemail on Cole’s cell phone alluding to something major happening at 5 a.m., four hours away.

The film which is The Usual Suspects meets Wild Things, features a character that is supposedly “passing” for White that has features that make it hard to identify her as Black. Blalock definitely scorches the screen in the lead role, but the film looks and feels like countless other late-night movies that inhabit cable. Some of the fashions in the film look dated, while the screenwriter in an attempt to be clever gives the audience too much to digest further complicating the procedures.

By the time the film draws to its inevitable conclusion, you will be turned inside out. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this sexy thriller ultimately left me unfulfilled.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

The Fast and the Curious | Redline

2007-04-13T16:31:00.000-04:00

Back in January, I had the misfortune of seeing the absolute worst film of 2007: 90 excruciating minutes of Epic Movie. If it had not been for that cinematic low point, Redline would most certainly claim my “Worst Film” title. This mishmash of fast cars, half-naked women, incredibly bad dialogue and horrible acting should not be wished on anyone’s worst enemy.

The story revolves around a group of high-rolling gamblers who place large stakes on car races in various locations. These “thrill-seekers” bet incredibly large sums of money on simple car races. We initially meet Infamous (the driving-impaired, Eddie Griffin) who is looking for a driver to race his car. We also meet our narrator and notoriously bad actress, Natasha (Nadia Bjorlin). Through several flashbacks, we find out that her racecar driving father was killed on the track. There is also the recently returned from Iraq soldier, Carlo (Nathan Phillips), the carefree uber-rich film producer, Jerry (Tim Matheson) and slightly deranged control freak, Michael (Angus Macfadyen).

This group of financial free-spirits embarks on a series of wild, unpredictable yet repetitive activities, all designed to showcase the beautiful collection of cars owned by the film’s producer, Daniel Sadek. Griffin, who was supposed to provide the comedy relief, dials in his performance while the others try to take the script’s lemons and turn them into lemonade. Good luck! One scene features Infamous, and his crew, 26,000 miles in the air getting into an altercation with a female friend. She commands him to “pull the plane over;” he obliges her by dropping off in the middle of nowhere and is back in the air.

In addition, it would help if the two lead characters who are supposed to be lovers had just a smidgen of chemistry that would make the audience believe they enjoyed being together. The only thing that saves the film from being a total zero is the cars; and even that gets tired and repetitive after awhile.

People throw around phrases like “bad” and the “worst,” but here it is truly applicable. Redline goes to the head of the lowlife class as one of the year’s worst films. Only an event of Epic proportion can keep it out of the top spot, but the year is still young.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Off the Beaten "Path" | Pathfinder

2007-04-13T16:07:00.000-04:00

Hollywood’s re-imagining of history continues with the release of the action-adventure film, Pathfinder. Unfortunately for the filmmakers, this overlong, cliché-ridden story is no 300, But Braveheart-lite.

Karl Urban stars as a young Nordic boy who is left behind during the plundering and pillaging of a Native American village. Found by a young Indian mother and raised as one of their own, Ghost (the filmmakers give no clue what the character’s name is until the credits roll at the end) has the blood of the sadistic Vikings, but the heart and compassion of his adopted people.

Fast forward 15 years and Ghost is full-grown with aspirations of becoming a “brave.” When a visiting tribe arrives in his village, he is denied a seat with fellow Indians and sent away. Ghost must prove himself worthy to his tribe and to himself. While away at a hunting expedition, the Vikings return and destroy his tribe and his village. Teaming with the chief of the neighboring tribe, Pathfinder (Russell Means), and his attractive daughter, Starfire (Moon Bloodgood), Ghost must find a way to avenge his family and destroy the Vikings.

The success (or failure) of Pathfinder hangs on the performance of Urban. Audiences know him primarily from The Lord of the Rings series, The Bourne Identity and The Chronicles of Riddick. He renders an uninspired performance in this forgettable National Geographic-style tale.”

Pathfinder offends on several levels, beginning with its length. The film labors far too long for such a simple story. Ripping off The New World and Apocalypto (as well as the sword-throw in Braveheart, viewers may also feel a sense of déjà vu when watching the story.

Ultimately, the story arrives at its predictable conclusion, proving once again that in a desire to give audiences a new experience, filmmakers continue to tramp the same, tired beaten “path.”

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Roscoe Lee Browne Dies at 81

2007-04-12T16:22:00.000-04:00

The “voice” has been silenced with the news that Roscoe Lee Browne died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 81.

On television, he had several memorable guest roles. He was a snobbish black lawyer trapped in an elevator with bigot Archie Bunker in an episode of the 1970s TV comedy "All in the Family" and the butler Saunders in the comedy "Soap." He won an Emmy in 1986 for a guest role as Professor Foster on "The Cosby Show."

In 1992, Browne returned to Broadway in "Two Trains Running," one of August Wilson's acclaimed series of plays on the black experience. It won the Tony for best play and brought Browne a Tony nomination for best supporting actor.

Starting in the late 1960's, Browne increasingly became a guest star on TV on both comedy and dramatic shows like “Mannix,” “All In The Family,” “Sanford and Son,” “The Cosby Show” and dozens of other shows. He also was a regular on the sitcom “Soap” where he played Saunders, the erudite butler from 1979 to 1981 replacing Robert Guillaume who went on to his own show “Benson.” Incidentally, Browne guest starred on “Benson” with Guillaume. His appearances on “The Cosby Show” also drew acclaim as well winning an Emmy in 1986 for his guest role as Professor Foster.

"Some critics complained that I spoke too well to be believable" in the cook's role in The Cowboys, Browne told the Washington Post in 1972. "When a critic makes that remark, I think, if I had said, 'Yassuh, boss' to John Wayne, then the critic would have taken a shine to me."

Browne also lent his mellifluous baritone to the Oscar-nominated film, Babe and the sequel, Babe: Pig in the City. Four over four decades, Browne’s onscreen persona of class and dignity was his defining hallmark. A contemporary of Sidney Poitier, Ossie Davis and James Earl Jones, Browne was part of a vanguard of leading black actors in the traditionally white New York theater world and later gained acclaim for giving body and soul to over 100 characters in his long, storied acting career.

Browne made his film debut in 1961 and starred in many hit films including Black Like Me, Up Tight, The Liberation of L.B. Jones, Superfly T.N.T. and Uptown Saturday Night. Although he would continue to work on feature films, it was in television that Browne made his true impact.

He showed great versatility in a plethora of guest appearances in shows from “ “The Flip Wilson Show,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” “Good Times,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Maude,” “Soap,” “Magnum P.I.,” “227,” “A Different World,” “New York Undercover,” “Cosby,” “ER,” “The Proud Family,” “The Shield,” “Law and Order” and “Will and Grace.”

Three memorable performances from Roscoe Lee Browne

The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970)
After his wife has an affair with a white policeman, a wealthy black man (Browne) files for divorce in this violent tale of racism in the south.

Up Tight (1968)
A desperate African-American man betrays his friend, a black militant leader, for some money to help feed his girlfriend's children, and then becomes the object of a manhunt by a militant group.

The Cowboys (1972)
Wil Andersen finds himself with a herd of cattle which he has to get to market before the winter sets in, but he has no men to help him. He turns to a group of young school boys as his last hope to get the job done. There is no better training for these boys than hands-on as they don't know what they are in for. They set out as schoolboys but return as Cowboys.

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Hell Up in Haven | The Reaping

2007-04-05T16:06:00.000-04:00

Not since Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty bombed in the disastrous Ishtar has an actress made such a boneheaded choice as two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank in The Reaping. The film’s tagline is “What Has God Wrought.” Maybe that should be replaced with “What in the Hell is She Doing in This Picture.”

As biblical cautionary tales goes, The Reaping is standard fare. A former Christian missionary, Katherine (Swank), who specializes in debunking religious phenomena, investigates a small town which seems to be suffering from the 10 biblical plagues. At the film’s onset she and her assistant, Ben (Idris Elba) are investigating another “supposed” miracle in an unnamed South American country. She wanders into harm’s way to conclude that it was an evil corporation’s toxic spill that deceived the people (much in the same way the studio pollute theatres nationwide with these types of films).

Apparently, through multiple flashbacks, we discover that Katherine’s has lost her faith after the death of her husband and daughter in the Sudan. But her faith is put to the test when she is summoned to a small Louisiana town called Haven. Apparently, the river is overflowing with blood, frogs are falling from the sky and livestock are suddenly dying. The townsfolk seemed to believe that an outcast family, and specifically their 12-year old child Loren (AnnaSophia Robb), are responsible.

A priest, Father Costigan (Steven Rhea), has called to warn Katherine after several pictures of her in his possession inexplicably caught on fire – only burning away her face. He explains that she has to destroy the girl before all 10 plagues strike the town. Anyone who has watched enough biblical thrillers, The Omen, The Prophecy, Stigmata, etc. can see the outcome a mile away.

In Hustle and Flow, DJay (Terrence Howard) tells Nola (Taryn Manning) to put her hands on the wheel and proudly say, “We in control.” Well Swank lost control of this film and her credibility to grab the big paycheck and the end result is a story that spiraled out of control. The bible says “you will reap what you sow,” but audiences who put down money to see this horrible disjointed film will be foolish. Swank has now discovered Hollywood’s little secret that artsy films win you awards, but bad movies get you paid.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Triumphant Grindhouse

2007-04-04T13:38:00.000-04:00

Outside of Spike Lee, in the past 15 years, no two directors have taken more chances on screen than best friends Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino. Each has had both commercial and critical success with earlier work, but it seemed to act as a prelude for the cinematic experience of 2007, the exhilarating Grindhouse.

The much-hyped homage to 1970s cinema, Grindhouse seemed destined to be a midnight fixture, in the vein of Rocky Horror Picture Show. The experience not only includes a double-feature but also four “faux” trailers, which are also uproariously funny and perverse.

In Rodriquez’s “Planet Terror,” a poisonous gas has been unleashed from a military base on a small Texas town, initially infecting them and later turning them into zombies. Led by the vicious Lt. Muldoon (Bruce Willis), the soldiers are seeking payback for a botched military assignment that left an entire platoon infected. But a small group of uninfected survivors, led by El-Ray (the sensational Freddy Rodriquez) and go-go dancer, Cherry (Rose McGowan), tries to defeat the walking dead and escape the town.

Meanwhile, there’s a cheating wife, a suspecting husband, dueling brothers, flesh-eating zombies, a mysterious hero and an amputee’s explosive emergence. By the conclusion of “Planet Terror,” you’ll feel as if you’ve come to the end of a long rollercoaster ride as Cherry morphs from a one-leg killing machine to a post-apocalyptic Harriet Tubman.

Tarantino’s film, “Death Proof,” tells the story of a scarred Stuntman, Mike (Kurt Russell), who stalks innocent women for his perverse pleasure. He drives a car that has been reinforced, which gives him the ability to survive any crash; hence, his vehicle is death-proof. He stumbles upon a local radio personality, Jungle Julia (Sydney Tamilia Poitier), who is hanging out with her girls at a local bar. Arlene (Vanessa Ferlito) is suspicious of Stuntman Mike. “Are you afraid of my scar,” Stuntman Mike asks Arlene. “No, it’s your car, she replies. Unfortunately, her intuition is correct but too late to save her and her friends.

Fast-forward several years later, and another crew of ladies, featuring the feisty and colorful Kim (Tracie Thoms), adventurous Zoë (real-life stuntwoman Zoë Bell) and Abernathy (Rosario Dawson). Zoë is interested in buying a car, when they catch the attention of the lecherous Stuntman Mike. Kim and Zoë are to “Death Proof” as Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) were to Pulp Fiction. What starts off another story of women in peril becomes a thunderous display of sisterhood, in a major way. The film features some of the most amazing stunt work ever captured on film.

Grindhouse is full of over-the-top effects, campy, colorful dialogue and larger-than-life heroes and villains. Rodriquez captures the honor and sheer audacity of Desperado; Tarantino matches him with the ferocity of Reservoir Dogs and the pro-feminist fervor of Kill Bill. The two together give viewers a visceral jolt that has not been witnessed at theaters in a long time.

No matter what other films are released this year, none will match the rush and excitement of Grindhouse. To call it a mere film is a disservice; Rodriquez and Tarantino have reached back into their past to give filmgoers cinematic hope for the future.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Been There, "Done" That | Are We Done Yet?

2007-04-03T15:33:00.000-04:00

Back in the late-1980s and the early-1990s, long before he made his film debut as Doughboy in John Singleton’s searing classic, Boyz ‘N the Hood, Ice Cube was known primarily as an incredible lyricist.

Over the past 16 years, since he exploded on the scene with startling authenticity in BNTH, Cube has settled into family-friendly fare. His latest film is Are We Done Yet? the sequel to the 2005 film, Are We There Yet?

For those who remember the original film, Cube played Nick Person, whose life became a living hell when he volunteered to transport two bad-ass kids, Kevin (Phillip Bolden) and Lindsey (Aleisha Allen), to Vancouver to see their mother, Suzanne (Nia Long). Unfortunately for Cube, both Kevin and Lindsey don’t like any man their mother is interested in and they proceed to ruin his Lincoln Navigator and get him in all sorts of trouble before understanding that he’s not that bad of a guy after all!

The latest film, based on Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), continues the story with Nick and Suzanne now married and with her kids living in Nick’s tiny bachelor pad. With Suzanne expecting a baby and Nick now trying to launch a magazine, Suzanne convinces him to look for their “dream house” in the country. The couple meet realtor, Chuck Mitchell (John C. McGinley), who convinces them to buy a house straight out of Money Pit.

He is recommended to a contractor that just happens to be . . . Chuck! When Nick rebuffs him and finds another lower-priced contractor, he is fined by the inspector who also is . . . Chuck! On and on it goes, for Amerika’s Most Wanted in this slightly superior version of a sequel.

Where both Lindsey and Kevin were absolutely obnoxious in the original, they are toned down a bit in the sequel – but they have still have their moments. Suzanne is featured much more in this film, and the chemistry between Cube and Long is believable, forged over several films including, BNTH, Friday and the first film in this series. McGinley lets loose and injects some of the film’s funniest and strangest moments. Ironically, the film tries too hard to go for easy sight gags and quick laughs.

Much in the same way that Eddie Murphy was able to reinvent himself into a family friendly, PG-rated star, Cube has taken a page from Murphy’s blueprint in this lightly funny sequel. Maybe Cube should write the franchise’s third film, Are We Back Yet? It would probably suck, but it would be gangsta. Really, isn’t that all the studios care about anyway?

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Reign Men | Reign Over Me

2007-03-23T17:01:00.000-04:00

Director Mike Binder has made a decent living telling stories of intimate relationships. Whether it’s two lovers, friends, or husbands and wives, Binder relishes in breaking them apart only to bring them back together once again. His latest film, Reign Over Me, finds him in rare form in arguably his strong work to date.

Dentist Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) has his own set of problems but is coping well when he spots his old college roommate, Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler), on the streets of Manhattan. Awhile back, Johnson read that Fineman lost his entire family on Sept. 11, 2001 and had been trying to contact him offering support. When he finally catches up with Fineman again, Johnson is shocked that he doesn’t recognize him.

Fineman is suffering severe posttraumatic stress and has blocked out any memories of his deceased family and completely isolated himself from anyone from his past that reminds him of that lost connection. He spends his days redecorating his kitchen and his nights jamming on his drums to Bruce Springsteen records or playing video games – subordinate clause]. Apparently, he too was a dentist but gave up his practice. He now survives off of the settlement he received because of the death of his family, which is managed by his accountant and former best friend, Bryan Sugarman (Binder).

While Fineman is dealing with his demons, a dissatisfied Johnson works at his dental practice living a mundane existence. Confusion comes into his life when one of his patients, the unbalanced Donna Remar (Saffron Burrows), offers him oral gratification during a routine examination. A stunned and uncomfortable Johnson orders her out of his office, only to be served several days later with a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment. The embarrassment and potential financial implications create an uncomfortable situation at his office.

If Johnson isn’t dealing with enough, his lovely wife, Janeane (Jada Pinkett Smith) is having trouble communicating with him, and the too are slowly growing apart. It doesn’t help that her husband is spending more and more time with grief-stricken and slightly off-balance Fineman. The two wounded souls and old friends renew their friendship and in the process both men learn to cope with the cold and unfair consequences that life presents.

Johnson decides that Fineman needs help and turns him on to his therapist, Angela Oakhurst (Liv Tyler). Eventually, he opens up and unburdens himself in one of the film’s most tender and emotionally charged scenes.

Critics praised Sandler’s last dramatic performance in 2002’s Punch Drunk Love, but that film’s failure at the box office seemed to sour him from delving into more dramas. In this film as well as PDL, Sandler effectively plays flawed individual suffering loss, while looking for a shred of hope. He and Cheadle acting together are like watching two skilled chess players, not necessarily thinking, but instinctively making all the right moves. The two of them are a delight to watch as they take filmgoers simultaneously from “joy and pain” to “sunshine and rain,” all inside this thought-provoking drama.

9/11 was this generation’s Pearl Harbor, not only for New Yorkers but for the entire nation. Reign On Me is a fitting bookend to Spike Lee’s incredible 25th Hour, capturing how that tragedy continues to affect filmmakers and audiences.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

What in the "Hills" is Going On | THHE2

2007-03-23T16:53:00.001-04:00

There is no one in Hollywood more responsible for scaring the bejeezus out of filmgoers like Director Wes Craven. The man who created Freddy Krueger in The Nightmare on Elm Street, introduced us to The Swamp Thing and taught a new generation of moviegoers to “Scream” 30 years ago, he also created the original The Hills Have Eyes.

Fast forward to 2007 and Craven is back once again with his second sequel to THHE2 (The original “sequel” was produced in 1985). Once again, people will not leave well enough alone and they continue to venture to “Sector 16,” an area so secret that the government will not acknowledge that we have a presence there.

Last time around, a misfortunate family got trapped in the Bermuda triangle of film and only a handful survived. This time around, the filmmakers, looking for a more of a challenge for their cannibalistic mutants, raise the ante by dropping a platoon of National Guardsman in Sector 16.

Craven is a veteran screenwriter and director and he pulls out his “How to Do a Horror Film” box to give moviegoers the standard scare scenarios. There’s the heroic Black character that dies early, the prerequisite scared White girl (and guy) character, the hot-tempered Mexican-American character and several White “I can make it own my own, but die quick” characters.

The characters are wrapped around an all-too familiar story of a group of people who find themselves in the wrong place at absolutely the wrong time. The guardsmen are training for duty in the Middle East and we discover early on that they are just young kids not ready for combat. This same group is sent on a routine patrol to “hills of New Mexico.” Before you can say “ugly creatures,” our naughty deformed neighbors begin to pick off the kids one by one. Some are lucky and killed early; once again, one is brutally raped and so on.

The film, written in four weeks, feels like an idea that time passed like 30 years ago. You would think that some filmmaker would be smart enough to populate his story with characters that may have watched a horror movie or two and would understand how to survive. Late in the film one doomed characters attempts to end her life when another character tells her, “death is never better.” For people such as myself who have to sit through these countless brain-dead scare fests, sometimes I beg to differ.

This article also appeared on BET.com.

Sharp Shooter | Shooter

2007-03-22T12:36:00.000-04:00

Hollywood has been churning out stories of simple men who become extraordinary when thrust into pressure situations. Generally, the government will train them (think Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity, Sylvester Stallone in First Blood or Keenan Ivory Wayans in Most Wanted) and then betray them, setting them off like “weapons of mass destruction.”

The latest film in the genre is Shooter, directed with an increased sense of urgency by Antoine Fuqua. At the film’s outset, Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is on a mission with his partner in the hills of some unnamed foreign country. Swagger establishes his credentials quickly by taking out several targets from very long range. Suddenly, the mission goes wrong, and he and his partner are left behind enemy lines, where his partner is mortally wounded.

Fast forward three years later and Swagger is holed away on his ranch far away from civilization when a delegation of government officials, led by the mysterious Col. Johnson (Danny Glover) come calling. They apparently have uncovered a plot to assassinate the president and need Swagger’s help to stop it. Initially, Swagger is reluctant, only to be swayed by Johnson’s argument “to protect America from all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

While Swagger agrees to help his country, covert meetings show political powerbrokers with other plans. They need a fall guy, and Swagger fits the bill. Soon, he is W.W.A. (Whiteman with Attitude), framed for a murder he didn’t commit. Swagger is intent on clearing his name and teams with disgraced FBI agent, Nick Memphis (Michael Peña) and his late partner’s fiancée, Sara (Kate Mara). One by one, Swagger serves his own brand of justice; one man, one rifle and a whole lot of determination.

While the motivation to produce these stories is understood, one has to question the common sense of the government officials in these stories. The question that begs to be asked is, “If you’ve trained a soldier to kill the enemy, why do you think he wouldn’t turn those special-killing skills on you if you betrayed him?

Fuqua, who has directed high-tension dramas such as Training Day and Tears of the Sun, has produced an “intelligent action movie,” with a believable lead performance from Wahlberg. With so much news about the war in Iraq and many Americans not agreeing with the policies coming out of Washington, the film’s relevancy is current. Such films, which bridge the gap between Hollywood and Washington’s inner-circle, feeds public paranoia about our government.

Fuqua’s film is equally entertaining and thought-provoking. Where many films in this genre are just talking loud and saying nothing, this strong pre-summer entry, Shooter, promises to blow away the opening-week competition.

This review also appeared on BET.com

A Swimmingly Good Time | Pride

2007-03-20T12:04:00.000-04:00

Two years ago, Terrence Howard either starred or co-starred in a Samuel L. Jackson-esque seven films. With an Oscar nomination under his belt and nine more films in various stages of production, Howard now receives access to much better scripts, and it clearly shows in his latest inspirational film, Pride.

Based on a true story, the film, which can best be described as Coach Carter meets Akeelah and the Bee, finds Howard playing Jim Ellis, who started a successful swim program in Philadelphia during the mid-1970s. When racism took away his opportunity to be successful, it opened the door for him to use his gift to touch the lives of countless others.

The story begins in 1964, as we follow a young Ellis (Howard) at a swim meet with his college team, historically Black Cheney State. The only African American on his swim team, Ellis meets resistance from disrespectful jeering Whites who refuse to swim in the pool with him. During a resulting melee, Ellis strikes a police officer and is dismissed from his team.

Fast forward 10 years, and Ellis is in Philadelphia, pursuing a job as a swim teacher at an exclusive private school, Main Line Academy. He is summarily dismissed after a brief “interview” with a racist school administrator, Bink (Tom Arnold), who claims that they need someone who can “communicate with their students.” After a job search, he is given a temporary assignment helping to close down a rundown youth center.

What he finds is an old maintenance man, Elston (Bernie Mac), who initially is suspicious of his motives, and a group of kids who play basketball outside but never step foot inside the dilapidated center. Once their hoop rims are taken down, the kids are faced with a choice: either play at a court across town or come inside where Ellis has opened up the center’s pool.

Once the kids have accepted Ellis invitation, he begins the arduous task of molding them into a swim team. While Ellis has his hands full working with the young adults, Elston enlists the help of council aide Sue Davis (Kimberly Elise) to pull some strings to help keep the center open. In addition, she also rallies the community together to provide additional support for this group of inner-city pioneers.

While this talented trio are doing all they can to provide a safe haven and keep these kids off Philly’s mean streets, they still must contend with the neighborhood drug kingpin, Franklin (Gary Anthony Sturgis). Who will win the power struggle for the kids’ souls? Will his team finally bring home the elusive honor that Ellis never received?

Howard steps into the role of Ellis with mostly positive results. While the film is formulaic and predictable, that doesn’t stop it from being quite enjoyable. His performance in this film does not match the intensity he displayed in Hustle and Flow or in the confused vulnerability of Crash. In Pride, Howard successfully channels his passion and rage to portray the inspirational swim coach.

The end result is a rousing, crowd-pleasing family film that will have audiences’ chests swelling with cinematic Pride.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Dead on Arrival | Dead Silence

2007-03-16T16:46:00.000-04:00

The parade of low-budget horror films continues with the release of Dead Silence. This latest offering putting young White kids in harm’s way will surely not thrill my movie critic colleagues, but will probably have enough jolts for a solid opening weekend.

Jamie (Ryan Kwanten) and his wife Ella (Amber Valletta) are enjoying an evening at home when an unexpected present arrives at their door. They discover that a ventriloquist doll has been sent to them with no return address information. Instead of immediately disposing of the doll, Ella attempts to use it in a practical joke with her husband. Suddenly, there are strange doings in their apartment and instead of leaving immediately, she uses her “horror film logic” (which means having none) and Jamie comes home to find her dead.

Suddenly, Jamie is under suspicion for homicide and being interrogated by a skeptical Detective Lipton (a weary-looking Donnie Wahlberg). Jamie tries to explain to Lipton that it’s more than just a little coincidental that the “doll” showed up prior to his wife’s murder.

He takes his wife to be buried in their hometown only to encounter the town’s secret about murdered ventriloquist Mary Shaw (Judith Roberts). It seems that her demise is the source of a cautionary tale/nursery rhyme that parents told their children before they went to sleep.

“There is the story of Mary Shaw
She had no children, only dolls
If you see her in your dreams
Make sure that she doesn’t hear you scream!”

If you had the misfortune of screaming, there goes your tongue!

Meanwhile back in Raven’s Fair, Jamie is determined to find out what evil force killed his wife and he uses his horror film logic to full effect. He constantly does things that make no sense including going to a graveyard to bury a doll late at night, going solo to the creepiest place imaginable looking for clues and inexplicably sitting in his car and refusing to leave even though he has ample opportunity to get away. The biggest no-no is that if you THINK that the doll may be involved, why take it everywhere with you (sitting in the seat in your car, bringing it back to your room and putting it in a chair, etc.).

The film is from the filmmaker’s that gave you Saw and just like that film, Dead Silence participates in “cinematic three-card monty.” This sort of misdirection is effective when it is employed in films like The Sixth Sense and The Usual Suspects. Unfortunately, this film couldn’t sniff the quality that those films possessed and as a result, I bet you in a month if I asked you about this film your reply would be the film’s title – Dead Silence.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Love and Marriage | I Think I Love My Wife

2007-03-14T09:43:00.000-04:00

Chris Rock literally grew up in front of our very eyes. From his small part in Beverly Hills Cop 2, Rock has shown us his love for hip hop (CB4), crack (New Jack City), his boy, Pootie Tang, and the “minimum-wage brothers” (Boomerang).

Rock is all grown up and mature as the frustrated and undersexed suburban husband Richard Cooper in the adult marriage comedy, I Think I Love My Wife. Initially, Cooper’s life seems rosy. He has a beautiful wife, Brenda (Gina Torres), and two cute children who all live in a big house in New York’s affluent Westchester County. By day, Richard works at a large firm and is well respected, but by night he is bored out of his mind.

We find out that sometime ago his wife simply stopped having sex with him. The longer the love embargo exists, the more distracted Richard becomes. Suddenly he arrives for work and discovers his friend’s ex, Nikki Tru (Kerry Washington), waiting for him. Literally the woman in red, Nikki is stunning, and Richard takes it all in like a thirsty man in the desert.

Before long, Nikki becomes a daily fixture in Richard’s life, showing up at his job, calling him excessively and meeting for lunch and other rendezvous. The two are not sleeping together, but Richard’s co-workers’ intensely watchful eyes burn through him as though he is involved with the sexy temptress.

His behavior not only changes around the office, but Brenda also begins to take notice of Richard’s strange comportment. Richard’s life is divided into to distinct parts: his exciting days with Nikki and his boring life with Brenda. He has become like a “moth to a flame about to be burned by the fire” and can’t seem to do anything about it.

Based on the French film, Chloe in the Afternoon, Rock’s film is a commentary on modern marriage that challenges our ideas and principles of a “working marriage.” The film asks married couples the question, “What is marriage?” Is marriage having all of the visual trappings of happiness, minus physical love? Perhaps, it is a union of two people who learn just to tolerate one another?

Much of the film feels better suited for Rock’s standup than this film. There are more than a few scenes in the movie that are laugh-out-loud funny. He infuses the story with several running gags that include making fun of Michael Jackson and the racial politics of the N-word. Although he is mature with a family of his own, Rock still lacks the presence of a true leading man.

The film’s real standout is Kerry Washington. In her second movie with Rock (they both starred in Bad Company), she oozes sexuality in her most brash role since She Hate Me. Where Robin Givens tried too hard to radiate sexuality in A Rage in Harlem, Washington’s performance is almost effortless, making her look like liquid sex when she’s on screen. By turning Richard’s world inside out and making him question his commitment to his wife and family, I Think I Love My Wife gives couples everywhere a reason to explore the state of their relationships.

This review also appeared on BET.com

Sparta's Bravehearts | 300

2007-03-08T18:10:00.000-05:00

Hollywood has a love affair with warriors. Recently, we've had William Wallace (Mel Gibson in Braveheart), Achilles (Brad Pitt in Troy) and Maximus (Russell Crowe in Gladiator). But in "300," we've finally found one warrior to rule them all.

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City), 300 is the ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his buffed and barely-clad 300 Spartans fought to the death against Persian ruler Xerxes and his massive army. Facing insurmountable odds, the Spartan's valor and sacrifice inspired all of Greece to unite to beat back the Persian threat.

From an early age, Leonidas is taught fierce pride in his homeland, Sparta. Soon, according to Greek custom, he is taken from his mother and forced to survive in the wilderness.

While in training, young Leonidas encounters a large vicious wolf. Frightened, but poised he uses the animal’s size to its disadvantage, killing him. Later in his life, he would duplicate the strategy in his battle with the Persians. Upon completing his mission, he is made King and leader of the most disciplined fighting unit ever assembled.

Fast forward 30 years later and Leonidas' peaceful rule is interrupted when he receives an unexpected guest with and important message. The Persian messenger informs him that Ruler Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) wants the people of Sparta to submit and fall under his rule. After giving it some token thought, Leonidas and his men quickly send their own message to their Persian guests – “you can’t come up in Sparta talkin' that ****," as they drop-kick them down a deep, dark hole.

Leonidas rallies his men need to defend Sparta and the freedom enjoy. Unfortunately, it won't be a fair fight, because Xerxes' armies is close to a million strong. All Leonidas has at his disposal is 300 troops and some additional volunteers. But as Djay (Terrence Howard) told Skinny Black (Ludacris) in Hustle and Flow, “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.”

Boy, is there plenty of fight in the Spartans. Their fighting personalities can best be described as a mix of Army Rangers, Navy Seals and an elite Marine Corp fighting unit. They are truly some bad men. They engage and hold their ground against the arrogant Persians, displaying tremendous courage and incredible heart against overwhelming odds.

With constant cries throughout the film of “This is Sparta,” the only thing missing in this visually arresting completely over-the-top affair was an agitated Samuel L. Jackson screaming obscenities back at the fiery Greeks. With its slow-motion shots and six-pack toting warriors, one could mistake 300 for a music video, but the burningly passionate lead performance of Gerard Butler as Leonidas gives the film much needed depth.

On the other side, there’s the androgynous Xerxes who is portrayed as a effeminate giant with a gold and piercing fetish. You keep waiting for him to say, “I’m so pretty,” and who could argue. He and his strange, dark-skinned overweight group of arrogant, self-obsessed troops are residing in a virtual Sodom and Gomorrah. They provide a stark contrast to the perfectly-sculpted Spartans.

The film is also historically inaccurate because the real battle featured over a thousand men and Persia’s fighting force only number 300,000. But Hollywood will never let truth get in the way of a good story. While failing as a history lesson, 300 takes Troy and Gladiator to the next level. The film is an exhilarating butt-kicking spectacle that looks and feels like a hint of summer in the spring.

This review also appeared on BET.com

A Classy and Dignified Image Awards

2007-03-05T18:09:00.000-05:00

Friday night’s 38th Annual NAACP Image Awards was a benchmark program for several reasons, not the least of which was the fact that the show aired live for the first time in its 38-year history and that it exuded an air of class and dignity not usually associated with the broadcast.

Hosted by LL Cool J, this year’s broadcast was conventional in its approach but succeeded because the producer understood that less is more. In the past, the Image Awards have been highlighted by such moments as multiple nominations for films like Kingdom Come and the infamous Barbershop flap.

Granted, there were still a couple of awkward moments For example, actor Isaiah Washington won for “Grey’s Anatomy” and thanked lesbian activist, Jasmyne Cannick, who has come to his defense despite his recent homophobic remarks. Also, honorary winner Bill Cosby praised his friend, former baseball player Joe Black, in a speech that caught the entire audience by surprise. Cosby’s touching tribute to the former Greyhound executive who passed away in 2002, was moving nonetheless.

Many of the winners mirrored choices made at the Academy Awards. Both Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) took home top acting prizes. Honorary awards were presented to U2 frontman Bono, CNN News Anchor Soledad O’Brien and Cosby.

India.Arie gave a soulful tribute to O’Brien, while The Roots saluted Bono. Bono’s fiery acceptance speech from the Image Awards pulpit was the evening’s highlight. He recently entered into a partnership with the NAACP to help eradicate hunger and poverty in Africa.

NAACP Chairman Julian Bond and President Bruce Gordon closed the show, which would take on a more symbolic meaning with Gordon’s resignation after the show. Congratulations to the nation’s oldest civil rights organization for finally “getting it right” on awards night.

Below is a complete list of winners

MOVIES

Motion picture: The Pursuit of Happyness.
Actor in a motion picture: Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland.
Actress in a motion picture: Keke Palmer, Akeelah and the Bee.
Supporting actor in a motion picture: Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond.
Supporting actress in a motion picture: Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls.
Independent or Foreign Film: "An Inconvenient Truth."
Director of motion picture, television movie: Spike Lee, The Inside Man.
Writing for motion picture, television movie: Doug Atchison, Akeelah and
the Bee.

TELEVISION

Comedy series: "Ugly Betty"
Director of comedy series: "Kenneth Whittingham, "The Office."
Actor in a comedy series: Tyler James Williams, "Everybody Hates Chris."
Actress in a comedy series: Tracee Ellis Ross, "Girlfriends."
Supporting actor in a comedy series: Reggie Hayes, "Girlfriends"
Supporting actress in a comedy series: Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"
Writing in comedy series: Silvio Horta, "Ugly Betty."
Drama Series: "Grey's Anatomy"
Director of drama series: Karen Gaviola, "The Whole Truth."
Actor in a drama series: Isaiah Washington. "Grey's Anatomy"
Actress in drama series: Kimberly Elise, "Close to Home."
Supporting actor in a drama series: Omar Epps, "House."
Supporting actress in a drama series: Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"
Writing in drama series: Shonda Rhimes, "Grey's Anatomy," "It's the End of
the World."
TV movie, miniseries, or dramatic special: "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem
in Four Acts."
Actor in a TV movie, miniseries or dramatic special: Kadeem Hardison, "Life
is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story."
Actress in a TV movie, miniseries or dramatic special: Sophie Okonedo,
"Tsunami, The Aftermath."
Actor in a daytime drama series: Kristoff St. John, "The Young and the
Restless."
Actress in a daytime drama series: Tracy Ross, "Passions."
News, talk or information, series or special: Tavis Smiley, "Katrina--One
Year Later."
Reality: "American Idol."
Variety series or special: "An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder."
Children's Program: "That's So Raven"
Outstanding Performance, Children's Program: Raven Symone. "That's So Raven"
MUSIC
New artist: Corinne Bailey Rae.
Male artist: Prince
Female artist: Mary J. Blige.
Duo or group: The Roots.
Jazz artist: Glady Knight.
Gospel artist, traditional or contemporary: Kirk Franklin.
Music vide Mary J. Blige, "Be Without You."
Song: "I Am Not My Hair," India.Arie.
Album: "Dreamgirls" (Soundtrack)

LITERATURE

Literary work, fiction: "Baby Brother's Blues," Pearl Cleage.
Literary work, nonfiction: "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the
American Dream," Barack Obama.
Debut author: "Letters to a Young Brother," Hill Harper.
Biography, autobiography: "The Pursuit of Happyness," Christ Gardner.
Instructional: "Mama Made The Difference," T.D. Jakes.
Poetry: "Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer," Maya Angelou.
Children: "Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom," Carole
Boston Weatherford.
Youth/teens: "Letters to a Young Brother," Hill Harper.

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

It's Hard Out There for a Nymph! | Black Snake Moan

2007-03-02T15:16:00.001-05:00

Craig Brewer’s debut film, Hustle and Flow, garnered critical praise for its raw, stripped down Southern feel as well as a Best Actor Oscar nomination for Terrence Howard. His latest effort, Black Snake Moan, proves that he’s no fluke.

Black Snake Moan opens with both main characters in varying degrees of distress. Blues guitarist Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) finds out his wife is on the verge of leaving him for his brother and you can believe he’s not happy. “My father told me that a young woman would suck me dry,” retorts the angry Lazarus. Instead of taking out his anger on her, he destroys her prize rose bush.

Meanwhile on the other side town, we meet the constantly sex-starved Rae (Christina Ricci), who sleeps with three men in the film before some moviegoers can get in their seats. Her beloved, Ronnie (Justin Timberlake), is off to the National Guard leaving her unattended, but not for long. After a night of pill-popping and drinking, the inebriated woman is beat down and left in the road where Lazarus discovers her.

But the two lives are on an inevitable collision course that will ultimately change both of their troubled lives.

Rae has been beaten badly and Lazarus comes to her aid. Only after she has had several “fever” dreams and wandered around his property that Lazarus comes to a realization, “keep your friends close, but truly confused closer.” She wakes up to find herself chained to his radiator. The story truly begins here as the two begin to emotionally feel each other out. Lazarus finds out that Rae has a “special condition” that’s another phrase for her being a nymphomaniac. The spiritually-grounded Lazarus takes this as a personal challenge to “fix her.”

His problems are just beginning because it looks pretty suspicious in the deep south for a Black man to have a White woman chained against her will in his home. One hilarious scene underlies the cautionary tale of what happens when one gets “too close” to a person in Rae’s condition.

Jackson easily gives his strongest performance since A Time to Kill. As the broken-hearted blues musician, he displays an amazing amount of tenderness while flashing his trademark Jackson scowl. His passionate performance drives this film and makes it the first important film of 2007.

Where Brewer’s gritty Hustle and Flow featured rap music, Black Snake Moan is gut-bucket Blues companion. Featuring a wonderful script and incredible performances from Jackson, Ricci and Timberlake, this film soars. The film seems to suggest that the way to salvation is to save someone else. One thing for sure, Black Snake Moan has provided box-office salvation to us all.

This review also appeared on BET.com

Black Oscar's Good, Bad and Murphy

2007-02-28T11:14:00.001-05:00

A night that began with a buzz of historic proportions ended in ecstasy for Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker, and agony for three other Black nominees, Will Smith, Djimon Hounsou and Eddie Murphy.

For the first time, it appeared that three Black actors, who were favorites in their categories, would stand together in the winner’s circle at evening’s end. But, for the third time this decade, only two out of three walked away with the coveted prize.

Whitaker’s Best Actor win puts him in exclusive company as one of only four Black actors ever to hold that distinction. He joins Sidney Poitier (Lillies of the Field, 1963), Denzel Washington (Training Day, 2001) and Jamie Foxx (Ray, 2004). Whitaker, who first gained notoriety in the slacker film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, shares another distinction: He is the second person from that cult classic to win an Oscar; Sean Penn won for Mystic River In 2003.

Hudson became the third Black woman ever to win in the Best Supporting Actress category, joining Hattie McDaniel (Gone With The Wind, 1939) and Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost, 1990).

But perhaps the story of the night was Murphy’s loss to Alan Arkin in the Best Supporting Actor race. Murphy had to feel good about his chances after securing several major critics group’s awards and the Golden Globe. Murphy’s loss is reminiscent of Denzel Washington’s Best Actor loss (for The Hurricane) to Kevin Spacey (for American Beauty) at the 1999 Oscars.

Washington had been the favorite to win for his role as wrongfully convicted boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter in The Hurricane. Almost a decade earlier, Washington lost another close Oscar contest that everyone thought he should have won for his career-turn in Malcolm X. Washington would win the covet Best Actor prize three years later for Training Day, but he is best known for the Oscars he didn’t win, versus the two he did.

Murphy’s role in Dreamgirls was a critical success. For the past two months, he was the toast of Tinseltown as he continued his transition from comedian to bona fide actor. All was proceeding as planned until his latest film, “Norbit,” was released to scathing reviews and complaints from African-American activists for its depiction of Black women. Who knows if “Norbit” played a part in sinking Murphy’s chances? History will show it didn’t help.

From the outset, it appeared that Dreamgirls suffered from inflated expectations. After securing wins for both Hudson and Murphy and a nomination for Beyoncé Knowles, the film received eight Oscar nominations but none for Best Picture or Best Director. The film was also shut out in the Best Song category, despite having three songs nominated.

The reality of Dreamgirls is that Hudson gave the strongest performance of the film and won an Oscar. Unfortunately for the film, the strongest songs in “Dreamgirls” were not eligible for award consideration because they were adapted from the stageplay. Thus, Hudson’s powerhouse performance of “And I Am Telling You,” which would have been a virtual lock to win, was not considered. Ultimately, “Dreamgirls’” two Oscar wins are disappointing, but understandable. Remember, 1985’s Color Purple was nominated for 11 Oscars and didn’t win one!

This article also appeared on BET.com

A 'Dreamgirl' and a 'King' Reign on Oscar Night

2007-02-28T11:13:00.000-05:00

Forest Whitaker became the fourth African American to win the Oscar for Best Actor after taking home the prize for his larger-than-life portrayal of Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.

His win, coupled with Jennifer Hudson's Oscar, marks the third time since 2002 that two Black actors have won major acting Oscars on the same night. In 2002, both Denzel Washington (Training Day) and Halle Berry (Monster's Ball) won; in 2005, Jamie Foxx ("Ray") and Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) took home awards.

Hudson's rags-to-riches story was fulfilled Sunday night after winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Effie in the hit Dreamgirls.

A tearful Hudson praised her grandmother as the inspiration for her performance.

Hudson, 25, who was voted off "American Idol," thanked "everyone for keeping the faith when nobody else would." Hudson is the the third Black supporting actress winner in Oscar history, joining Hattie McDaniel (Gone With the Wind) and Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost).

The story of the night was Dreamgirls, which led all other films with eight nominations but only won in two categories: best supporting actress and best sound achievement.

Murphy lost the Best Supporting Actor Oscar to veteran actor, Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine. Not only was Murphy denied, but also Blood Diamond's Djimon Hounsou suffered his second setback in his attempt to win the coveted award. Housou was previously nominated for In America.

Murphy, who won the Golden Globe for his performance as doomed singer Jimmy Early, was the frontrunner to win in this highly competitive category and appeared to have the momentum after winning the Globe last month. Unfortunately for Murphy, stinging reviews of his latest film Norbit, may have doomed his chances to take home the Oscar.

Earlier in the evening, sound mixer Willie Burton won his second Oscar for Dreamgirls. Burton became the fourth Black person to win multiple Oscars following Sidney Poitier, Washington and sound engineer, Russell Williams III.

Other Winners

Best Art Direction
Pan’s Labyrinth

Best Makeup
Pan’s Labyrinth

Best Animated Short Film
The Danish Poet

Best Live Action Short Film
West Bank Story

Best Sound Editing
Letters From Iwo Jima

Best Sound Achievement
Dreamgirls

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine

Best Animated Film
Happy Feet

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Departed

Best Costume Design
Marie Antoinette

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Best Foreign Language Film
The Lives of Others

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
The Blood of Yingzhou District

Best Documentary, Features
An Inconvenient Truth

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Babel

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Little Miss Sunshine

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
An Inconvenient Truth - Melissa Etheridge("I Need To Wake Up")

Best Achievement in Editing
Thelma Schoonmaker - The Departed

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Helen Mirren - The Queen

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland

Best Achievement in Directing
Martin Scorsese - The Departed

Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Departed

This article also appeared on BET.com

Conversation With Craig Brewer | Black Snake Moan

2007-02-28T11:12:00.000-05:00

I recently had a candid conversation with director Craig Brewer about his latest film, Black Snake Moan. What is apparent is that Brewer, who directed the surprise hit Hustle & Flow, will not be the victim of a sophomore slump. He is in it to win it, and we should expect to see him around for a long time.

Tim Gordon: Thank you, first and foremost, for the time and opportunity. As we were saying I like the film and sort of understood it. Is the film's backdrop the same as your debut film, Hustle and Flow?

Craig Brewer: It's not Memphis, but it's kind of a North Mississippi type of movie. I set it in a small Tennessee town. I'm doing movies that are of musical genres of my region. I'm not just doing movies and throwing music behind them. Hustle and Flow was my rap movie. Right now, I'm exploring the music that's been the passion of my life, which is Blues. I've always been interested in Blues and Blues artists from Charlie Patton to Robert Johnson to R.L. Burnside to T. Miles Ford. These were some hard people; they’re older than old school. They were the first pioneers in really doing what I think rap has been able to do for a couple of decades which is articulate the fears, the anxieties and the injustices on poor people; to give a voice to it, even give a howl to it; by doing that you gain control over it.

I think it’s very important that these Mississippi Delta Bluesmen who had a palpable fear of death, of being killed, of being lynched, of levees breaking and having their whole town underwater and I’m not talking about Katrina. I’m talking about these are in the songs of these Bluesman. In the times where whites didn’t want them to say anything, they chose to go in the juke joints and not only articulate these fears and these injustices but to put song to it and to repeat it over and over again. I think by doing that they gained control over it; they had power over it instead of it having power over them. I think the same thing happened with kids in L.A. that grew up to be Dr. Dre, or Biggie Smalls. It just came a point where I don’t those guys wanted to celebrate like Kool and the Gang, they had something else on their mind.

Like rap, I’m trying to let a lot of people know that blues were the first. That song that Sam Jackson sings is 100 years old, that’s not just something that we wrote; we didn’t put all of those MFs in there; that song is part of African-American and southern culture. I can’t help it because I’m a music nut, I guess it means to some extent, I’m going to have to be an African-American nut.

TG: What is the correlation between Hustle and Flow and Black Snake Moan?

CB: Very much so. I’ve been very excited because the response because it has changed the way the studio is releasing the film. They tested it in Pasadena; you can’t get more lily white than Pasadena. I got to tell y’all, I know that I’m inviting the world to see these movies, but I’m making movies for the south. I’m a regional filmmaker; John Singleton is a South Central filmmaker. He was a person telling stories of his street. Spike Lee is a New York filmmaker; Woody Allen. These are people that we call directors because their passions are on their avenues, on their streets and the people and music that are constantly around them.

I can’t believe that this movie, even though it tested well, that you’re basing everything on a California audience. So they took the movie to Atlanta; a mixed audience and African-American audience. The studio heads were asking each other, “Why are they laughing when Sam’s taking out the hair dressing?; or when Sam puts the bible down because he doesn’t want evil to pass over it. The African-American audience went through the roof. They wouldn’t stop talking about it. They knew people like Lazarus, they didn’t necessarily chain up women, but they knew people who had live hard lives. They choose to love people unconditionally. It’s like that mean old uncle that would whip you, but he loved you. You had no doubt that he would lay his life down and even lay his life down for a stranger in need. I’ll be blunt, in the country where all my people are from there’s a strong African-American community. It’s through the church; I’ve seen it first hand where there are lost children, lost White children. I have an uncle who was adopted because they went to a small church and said, “Their momma left these two kids, who wants him?

I was very encouraged that Blacks saw Black Snake Moan and they were like I know that. I heard people say is Sam the Magical Negro in this movie? I’m waiting for that movie to get made. I don’t really think that’s what’s happening here. The worst things in the South have happen because of the collision of us coming together and the best things in the South happened because of the collision of us coming together and it usually starts with music. We just start playing, especially in Memphis the black artists were incredible but those white engineers knew how to record Howling Wolf just right. They knew how to jam with Booker T and M.G.’s.

I guess I just feel like I’m part of new generation that wants to be respectful of cultural boundaries. But I celebrate cultural boundaries, I tell people that I go to see movies in Memphis with predominantly Black audiences and it is a different experience than seeing it with a full White house; it’s not worse, it’s better situation. It’s like going to church, it’s interactive. We’re a Saturday/Sunday culture, it never stops. We go into Saturday night and we’re sinning, and sweating and drinking and we ride that crazy devil all the way into Sunday morning. Because the music is still happening, everybody’s sweating again, everybody’s up dancing again and we get a whole different experience and we start our work week and do the same damn thing the next weekend. That’s something that we’re all in the same mix with, we all respond to that in the South.

If there’s anything with this outlandish situation of this white woman being chained up by this old, black bluesman. I don’t want to offend anybody, I want everybody to put this in a big old stew and come to the end of it and go, “wait a minute are we supposed to be chained to each other? Could it be as simple as Christian values that the way to salvation is to save someone else? The way to peace is to give peace to someone else? I don’t think this girl has ever had unconditional love in her life. I think that Sam’s character with the blues he’s feeling, he put that devil music behind him and he’s a man who wants to live life right and by the book. Suddenly this girl, that everybody is saying, man that girl is crazy, she’s got to get sex, be careful around her. It deals with all those kind of Southern anxieties. You look at To Kill a Mockingbird; that poor man just went in to move a chifforobe and that white girl attacks him.

It’s all that tension throughout the movie people are thinking what is going to happen between these two or someone is going walk in the door because he didn’t beat her up. At the end, this ending where we all kind of put this stuff behind us and kind of felt a little foolish. I feel that in the South, around my people. I believe in boundaries, but I believe we’re closer than most people think.

TG: Do you see how people would be uncomfortable or turned off from the film by the way it’s being marketed?

CB: If we attacked the humanity and put it on a poster, would people want to see that? I like the fact that old white people have rented that movie (Hustle and Flow) and I hate rap, but I love the rap in your movie. I usually look them and say have you really listened to rap? Have you given rap a chance? Have you read about the artist who writes this rap? Is this movie the first time that you allowed yourself to appreciate it?

You have to understand where White America is coming from with Black culture is that at times, we’re completely obsessed with it because it’s pretty damn good. The best music that has come out of the world has come from African-Americans, predominantly in the South. We don’t feel like we have a right to appreciate it, we don’t feel that it’s our place to appreciate it. Many African-Americans would agree with that. From Elvis to Eminem its like well is that really their music to take? So this isn’t a studio idea, it’s my idea, its John Singleton’s idea. This is an idea where it’s like please don’t come at this movie thinking that this some heavy duty thing. I want you to laugh, I want people to have the experience of going through this crazy ride but at the end there is peace, there’s harmony. I think that the initial response when you hear the logline is that Sam Jackson is just having sex with this woman over and over again? That’s not what this movie is about. I’m not going to lie, I know it’s a flip on the Southern imagery that we’re used to. I’m getting hate from Aryan people out there that are saying, why the hell is our beautiful blond, White woman on the end of a chain of a country Black man?

TG: How do you answer critics or women who have a problem with the way women are portrayed in your films?

CB: I don’t think that you’re talking about all women who have seen my movies. If we’re talking about women who are critical of the way women are treated or saying it’s a misogynist movie, I think to myself man do we have to go retroactive on some films that are already out there. Do we need to pull Raging Bull off the shelf; do we need to pull A Streetcar Named Desire off the shelf. I remember one time when I was in Atlanta and one woman said could you explain your thoughts on how women are treated in your movie? I said that moment when he throws Lexus in the street? I said you’ve seen that kind of brutality in movies before? She’s says “no I haven’t,” in this nice little White Southern voice. I said let me explain this one movie to you, it’s about this guy named Stan Kowalski. He’s with his boys and their house playing dominos and their girls are in the next room and they’re making too much racket. Stan’s wife is pregnant. He goes in there and takes the boom box, drunk as all get out, and throws it out the window. Then he starts beating on his wife and punching her in the face. All his boys are grabbing him, putting him under the shower to somber him up. Her girlfriend takes her upstairs and he punches his boys telling them, we can’t have women around when we’re gambling. Then he calms down and says, where’s my girl, my baby? He goes outside and yells “bring her down here.” Her girlfriends say, you can’t be beating on her like that and he yells ‘bring her down her, Stella, Stella! What does she do? She goes downstairs and she fucks him and she wants to and we kind of want to too. His shirts all ripped, he got put under that shower; it’s Marlon Brando and he looks all good. It’s wrong, it’s really, really wrong!

I think about that a lot. We want to remove A Streetcar Named Desire off the shelves? We want to take “M.A.S.H.” the movie off the shelves because people women are saying we don’t like the way the characters are treating those women. I don’t necessarily like it either.

TG: That’s a wonderful comeback. But two wrongs don’t make a right. Major directors have these misogyny issues in their films. I’m not trying to pick on you, but how do you respond?

CB: That’s not our job. Our job is to bring up these things. I respect critics, but they really can’t do anything until we do something. We judge your position on what you think about our position. Our job is not necessarily to do what is right. I can’t believe that people will come to the end of Black Snake Moan and believe that I have a hatred for women.

TG: Initially, you received a lot of flack for your vivid portrayal of pimping in Hustle and Flow. In your opinion, what was that about?

CB: What people had issue with was that we could not separate Djay him from humor or outlandish behavior. We couldn’t say he’s the caricature pimp. 12 year olds know what a pimp is, that’s what music videos do or movies like Superfly or Truck Turner; there are some colorful pimps out there. That’s not the type of pimp I was talking about, I wanted to take the lowest of the low. Terrence was like I want to do this and that and I said you don’t have money for this and you’re not that smart. You’re not a good pimp! You’re a damn chauffeur and look at Lexus standing over you letting you know that you’re nothing. Everyday you’re thinking you were something back in the day for a little bit of time in high school when you’re doing your beats and your mixtapes and some other cat on the other side of the city is doing the same thing and now he’s on music videos and you’re not. Who doesn’t feel that.

The problem is that people wanted me to judge Djay; they wanted me to have him atone for doing wrong. Well it wasn’t on his mind and the pimps that I know it’s not on theirs. They’ll do something else because they would prefer not to do that. I know some people that say, I wish I had some hoes on the tray, so I can feel like I’m a pimp. That’s bullshit! Nobody wants to live that life and he didn’t want to either. I think that’s what the issue was that people sympathized with him, even possibly, identified with him. Can we identify with a man who is in a job that is tedious and boring and not exploiting his true gifts? Then you start to root for him and then he throws that girl out with her baby.

TG: I thought scene could have had more edge; his character could have been more of a gorilla pimp versus being a sugar pimp?

CB: He just wasn’t that good of a pimp. He just needed to get that woman out of his life. There’s no easy way to throw a woman and her child out in the street. That is scene that when audiences watch it they feel ambushed. They feel like wait a minute I started this movie not wanting to like this guy at all and now they just made a song called “Whoop that Trick,” and I want this team to work and now he does some stupid shit like that. Then they see that tape in the toilet at the end of the movie and they’re like, “Oh, no I don’t know what this guy is going to do.” You watch this with a crowded house and people are shouting at the screen what he should do. People who aren’t worried about their bylines being on a bunch of things, are in theatres they’re saying “kill that motherfucker.” I’m not saying that we need to go into that bloodlust but its there because people get passionate about their creative endeavors. People watched him make, It’s Hard Out There for a Pimp,” they watched all the girls suffer, they watched the struggle and there it is in the toilet. They wanted to kill that guy and I think there is a victory to some extent in us wanting him to be mad, because we watched that outlandish dream. If I can just get a tape in this guy’s hand, then we’re golden; we’re out of here. It’s so unrealistic. The journey got him a little bit further. That’s what I want my movies to be.

I got a feeling that people are going to get some distance from BSM, they’re going to see my country music movie. My next film, I’m going to tell the story of the sanitation strike that leads to King’s assassination. That will be my soul movie. Isaac Hayes was in those marches, he was kicking German Sheppard off of nuns. No one has told that story and I’m going to tell it. It’s not because it’s an African-American story, but it’s a Memphis story. It’s about garbage men who are wondering if they can exist on their own and a black and white-owned record label wondering can they be on their own out from under Atlantic with Otis (Redding) just have died with all the Bar-Kays. All they have is this young man named Isaac Hayes and he wants to songs that are nine minutes long. That will be my film after my country western film.

TG: You have a level of comfort telling stories about African-Americans, would that be accurate?

CB: I am comfortable because I feel that I’m doing the research and I have a true passion and desire to tell these stories. I come at from a place that these are my neighbors, my citizens; I don’t mean Blacks but Memphians. I’ve got two Black mayors in my city. We are not in a segregated society in Memphis; we’re in the mix working side by side. I think some of the greatest stories and heroes of my region are African-Americans. I like blues music and I must say African-Americans abandoned blues music and I think that needs to be addressed. There’s a legitimate reason why it was abandoned, it was historically needed to be abandoned. The civil rights movement couldn’t really adopt blues, they needed gospel; they needed we shall overcome, they needed those battle cries. Soul music changed after the shot rang out at the Lorraine. I look out my office everyday and I see that wreath. It’s hard for me but I do want to earn the respect. I do not go into these projects, disrespectfully; I think about what I am doing. I know that I’m pushing the boundaries, but why do you think Sam was leaping to do this project. He knew that this would be a lasting movie. I just want people who look at me and scratching their head and saying, “what’s this guy doing?” should give me the benefit of a doubt because my heart is in the right place.

TG: Are you comfortable with how Black Snake Moan is being marketed?

CB: I very comfortable with it because the nod to this is those sex-ploitation movies. Let’s be honest, it’s a big old stew of all southern obsessions and fears. I like the fact that audiences sit in the dark watching my movie and are somewhat uncomfortable, but oddly aroused at the same time. I like that the audience would say that “I can’t believe that she just attacked that boy like a damn pit bull!” I go to movies in the South where people talk at the screen; I come from the theatre so there’s pageantry to our work. You know Tyler Perry didn’t just come up in the last couple of years, he’s been around for a long time in Memphis because those shows sell out. I’ve seen some crazy church plays where the devil comes out and grab people take them to hell! It’s absolutely outlandish, but I can’t help but love it. My message is that we’re all okay, I know this like a big old thunderstorm but it passes!

This interview also appeared on BET.com

23 Reasons to Stay Away | The Number 23

2007-02-22T17:07:00.000-05:00

Ever wake up excited about the prospect of a wonderful day but by mid-afternoon you realize that your whole day’s a bust?

That’s sorta like Jim Carrey’s latest film, The Number 23. After beginning with so much promise, it eventually falls apart right before your eyes.

The story begins on Walter Sparrow’s (Jim Carrey) birthday, Feb. 3 (2/3). He is late meeting his wife to celebrate because of a mishap at work. His wife, Agatha (Virgina Madsen), wanders into a bookstore, and a hardcover, titled The Number 23, catches her eye; she decides to buy it for Walter. It is the story of one man’s, initial obsession with the number and how that obsession drove him to dark and depressive depths.

Walter begins reading the book, and suddenly he’s seeing the number everywhere. Whether looking at his name, people on the street or coincidences in history, he becomes convinced that there is a hidden message in the number. Before long, Walter begins to view life through the eyes of the main character of the book, Fingerling. Where Walter is introverted and unsure, Fingerling is confident, cocky and dangerous.

Fingerling also begins a torrid affair with the sexy and sultry, Fabrizia (Madsen), and she is stimulated by how far she can take him sexually. To Fingerling, their relationship equates to “death and sex.” Meanwhile, Walter has become thoroughly engrossed in the tale, suffering frighteningly darker visions, including thinking Agatha is having an affair with a family friend, Issac (Danny Hutson). On and on it goes, Fingerling exploring his dark world of the number and Walter falling deeper into its powerful grip.

The story reaches its zenith, when Walter discovers a connection to the strange dog that got away earlier on his birthday, a mysterious dead girl and the search for the author of the hypnotic tale. To say that the “twist” is disappointing is being WAAAAAAYYYYY too kind. The film quickly loses its way with illogical actions from characters and the film’s conclusion, which felt like it took 23 minutes to explain.

Earlier in the film, Walter said he wanted two words on his tombstone – “what if.” I wonder what if Carrey and director Joel Schumacher got 23 kicks in the ass from every person who had pay to sit through this disaster? One could only wish!

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Grace is Sufficient | Amazing Grace

2007-02-22T11:37:00.000-05:00

In the midst of the annual celebration of Black History Month comes the latest film documenting another dark chapter of the history of Africans and the slave trade. Amazing Grace tells the story of noted abolitionist William Wilberforce and his battle to abolish the slave trade in England in the 18th century.

The story unfolds establishing Wilberforce’s (Fantastic Four’s Ioan Gruffudd) anti-slavery sentiments, including a strong scene in which he is playing cards with other members of Britain’s Parliament and is asked to accept a “ni**er” as an IOU marker. This incident, along with many similar ones, helped fuel his desire to work to “change the world.”

He undergoes a religious conversion and, initially, is torn whether to pursue his new-found faith or politics. His boyhood friend and later prime minister, William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch), arranges a dinner party that includes several other anti-slavery supporters and a freed African slave, Oloudaqh Equiano (Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour). Searching for further clarity, he seeks out clergyman John Newton (Albert Finney) for counsel. Newton, a former slave ship master who wrote the hymn, Amazing Grace, is living in seclusion and shares with Wilberforce that he is haunted by the “spirits of 20,000 Africans.” Their meeting emboldens Wilberforce to champion the anti-slavery movement.

Several scenes very effectively display the horrors of slavery. A large shipload of British aristocrats are shown sailing along – eating, drinking and making merry – when they encounter an anonymous vessel. Wilberforce emerges from the mysterious ship to explain to the partygoers that he’s aboard a recently arrived slave ship that delivered a cargo of over 200 live occupants – minus the other 400 who perished during the Middle Passage. He implores them to “smell the stench and remember” those that were lost.

The film indicates that his journey was a five-year odyssey when in reality Wilberforce fought for anti-slavery legislation for over four decades. Joining forces with Lord Charles Fox (Michael Gambon) and Newton, Wilberforce and his supporters overcome much of the house’s opposition, including surly Lord Tarleton (Ciarán Hinds), to finally gain enough support to pass his anti-slavery bill.

The story is well told, but doesn’t appear to be a film that will draw a large African-American audience. Although the filmmaker’s heart is in certainly in the right place, many African-Americans may take issue with the film’s overall storytelling perspective.

One recurring issue that proved troublesome was the absence of Africans in telling the story. A second problem was that there are only three instances in the entire film that African characters are even onscreen.

It was only after a near-death experience by Newton that he wrote the song, “Amazing Grace.” While it’s difficult to question the Wilberforce’s grace and passion of his convictions, the film is just slightly above average.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Meet the Nominees -- 2007 Academy Awards

2007-02-21T17:05:00.000-05:00

For the first time in Academy Awards history, five Black actors are nominated for major acting awards. As we countdown to the industry's star-studded night, here's one more look at this history-making group of nominees.

Djimon Hounsou, 42
Blood Diamond
Role: Hounsou stars as a fisherman who is snagged by rebels and finds a rare pink diamond in Sierra Leone.
Why We Like Him: Hounsou’s exotic look and passionate performances make him one of the industry’s most sought-after actors.
First Exposure: His raw and powerful cry of “Give Us Free,” electrified audiences in Amistad.
Little Known Fact: He came to Paris from Benin at the age of 13, couldn't find a job and ended up as a vagrant, sleeping under bridges and rummaging in trash cans for food. His life changed when fashion designer Thierry Mugler discovered him and made him a fashion model.
Next Project: He will star as a talented pianist trying to free himself from his friends in the ’hood in Trunk.

Jennifer Hudson, 25
Dreamgirls
Role: Hudson stars as the odd singer out in the girl group The Dreams in Dreamgirls.
Why We Like Her: She is living a true Cinderella story after being voted off of “American Idol.”
First Exposure: As the soulful and animated singer that Simon Cowell and company dismissed on “American Idol.”
Little Known Fact: She beat out “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino for her role in Dreamgirls; One of a very few actors to receive an Oscar-nomination for a debut performance.
Next Project: She is currently guest-starring on BET’s “One Night Only.”

Eddie Murphy, 45
Dreamgirls
Role: Murphy plays a doomed, womanizing soul singer, Jimmy Early, who is a hybrid of several artists, including James Brown and Jackie Wilson.
Why We Like Him: He has been making audiences laugh for a quarter-century in films such as Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, Boomerang and The Nutty Professor.
First Exposure: On TV, Murphy made his name on “Saturday Night Live” and later in the movies, in “48 Hrs.” and Beverley Hills Cop.
Little Known Fact: Has starred in more sequels than any other actor: Beverly Hills Cop II, Another 48 Hrs., Dr. Dolittle 2, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Shrek 2 and the upcoming Shrek 3. In addition, he is arguably the biggest movie star ever to come out of "SNL," yet he has never attended a cast reunion and is not known to even talk about having been on the show.
Next Project: He will reprise his role as “Donkey” in the upcoming Shrek 3.

Will Smith, 38
The Pursuit of Happyness
Role: Smith plays a struggling single father, raising his son on the streets of San Francisco; based on a true story.
Why We Like Him: Smith’s affable personality, coupled with his star power, makes him one of the industry’s true good guys
First Exposure: On TV, as the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and as a gay con artist in Six Degrees of Separation.
Little Known Fact: His wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, went to high school with the late Tupac Shakur. The two once made a homemade video, singing “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” by her future husband, Smith.
Next Project: After fighting Sonny Liston and Aliens, Smith will battle vampires in I Am Legend.

Forest Whitaker, 45
The Last King of Scotland
Role: Whitaker played former Uganda dictator Idi Amin.
Why We Like Him: Whitaker’s range is extensive. Recently, he has shown a flair for the big screen as well as television with an intense guest performance on “ER.”
First Exposure: He was part of the ensemble of the cult comedy classic, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Later, Whitaker gained additional attention in Platoon.
Little Known Fact: He was born with an eye condition called amblyopia, commonly known as "lazy eye."
Next Project: Later this year, Whitaker will play the role of “Happiness” in the film, The Air I Breathe.

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Who Can You Trust? | Breach

2007-02-17T11:22:00.001-05:00

Five years ago, former FBI agent Robert Hanssen was arrested and charged with selling secrets to the Soviets. This story has been turned into a fine film, Breach. Powered by a strong lead performance by Academy Award winning actor, Chris Cooper, this film is miscast as a winter/spring release and deserved a prominent fall spot for serious awards consideration.

At the beginning of the film, former U.S. Attorney General is talking about the capture of former FBI Agent Robert Hanssen. The film unspools through the viewpoint of young aide, Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe), who helped bring down Hanssen, who was arrested on February 18, 2001, at Foxstone Park near his home in Vienna, Virginia, charged with selling American secrets to Moscow for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds over a 15-year period. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison. His treason has been described as "possibly the worst intelligence disaster in US history".

Young O'Neill is an agent on the rise, but understand that he can't be promoted unless he placed on a high-profile detail. Before he blinks, he is called into a meeting with Agent Kate Burroughs (Laura Linney) and told he will be placed on a new detail to observe and work with Agent Hanssen (Cooper). Initially, O'Neill's supervisors keep him in dark and not totally understanding the larger picture of his involvement.

O'Neill's ambitions are not lost on his young wife, Juliana (Caroline Dhavernas), who is supportive of his career that only provides her "surface knowledge" of his work. Before long, O'Neill encounters his "assignment," Hanssen. In Hanssen's world everything is about trust. From their first meeting, he begins to test his new aide to see if he can gain his confidence or expose him as a fraud.

O'Neill observes early that Hanssen is a very religious man, attending daily mass and suggesting that a man with strong moral beliefs is also godly. Hanssen's is married to the perfect wife, Bonnie (Kathleen Quinlan) with his family and before long he and wife are inviting Agent O'Neill and his wife and trying to inject them with "solid Christian values."

But Hanssen is hiding several secrets. Shortly thereafter, his superiors inform O’Neill that Hanssen has been spying for the Russians for years, even exposing allies loyal to bureau to mortal danger. O'Neill's assignment is to continue gaining Hanssen's trust and provide information that can help bring him down. In addition, he has been secretly making videotapes of lovemaking sessions with his wife and selling them to unidentified parties. Wow, a perverted spy; Hollywood can't make this type of stuff up!

The film then becomes an edge-of-your-seat thriller that races to an exhilarating conclusion that you already know the outcome, but the beauty of the film is how director Billy Ray gets you there.

Ray, who directed the equally thrilling film, Shattered Glass with Hayden Christensen, finds an actor that embodies many of the same physical features and talent in Phillippe. He gives a solid supporting performance as a man who initially is suspicious of his new assignment only to begin to respect him. Once O'Neill realizes what destruction that Hanssen is responsible for, he feels betrayed and duped by him.

One of Hollywood's best-kept secrets remains the Oscar winning actor, Cooper. His performance is already the best performance of this young year and if this film had been released last year, he would easily be in this year's Oscar conversation. He captures the claustrophic paranoia, initially before seeing O'Neill as someone who can continue his traitorous work. Once he is caught, he appears more relieved that a huge burden has been lifted from his shoulders.

Even though many of the 2007 releases have been major disappointments to this point, Breach is rare February treat - an intelligent, well made film for adults. Much like Titanic, knowing the outcome won't spoil one of the best performances of the young year by Cooper.

Ride or Die | The Ghost Rider

2007-02-16T00:22:00.000-05:00

Last time we saw Nicolas Cage, he was starring in the absolutely dreadful film, The Wicker Man. So excuse me if while watching the trailer for his latest film, The Ghost Rider, I wasn’t filled with anticipation. The film is not on par with comic classics such as Spider-Man and X-Men, but it is light years better than disasters including Elektra, Daredevil and The Punisher.

In this film, Cage stars as motorcycle stunt rider, Johnny Blaze. Years earlier, he discovers that his father has inoperable cancer and faces certain death. He makes a deal with Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) that in exchange for his father’s health, he forfeits his soul (I guess Blaze hadn’t seen this coming in countless films with the same theme). Blaze discovers quickly the hard way the consequences of his deal losing his family, friends and his true love, Roxanne Simpson (Eva Mendes).

Fast forward to the present and Blaze has become a major motorcycle stunt star. By chance, he is reunited with his sweetheart Roxanne, who now is a newscaster and secretly still loves him. She decides to give our hero another chance, but Mephistopheles has other plans for him.

Attempting and completing outrageous stunts, Blaze displays an Evel Knievel-esque flair of surviving horrific crashes and surviving. While all around him think that he has guardian angel protecting him, he understands that is partly true. He is allowed to cheat death because Mephistopheles has other plans in store for him.

Mephistopheles has problems of his own. One of his chief adversaries, Blackheart (Wes Bentley), has escaped from Hell. Rounding up his own legion of doom, the elements (earth, wind, sand and water; The Ghost Rider already had fire on lock down!) he is searching for the contract that was originally stolen from the devil and hidden. Legend has it that whomever possesses the contract can gain access to the lost souls and reign as all-powerful.

For Mephistopheles, that’s where Blaze comes in. According to his curse, night time is the right time for the “rider” and before Blaze knows it, he has gone all “Fire Marshal Bill” and soon he and his motorcycle are transformed into a fiery mechanisms of destruction. His assignment is simply to hunt down Blackheart and his cohorts and gain possession of the contract before they do. Along the way, he meets a cemetery caretaker (Sam Elliott) who helps him understand not only his power, but also how he can use it for good.

The special effects in the film are absolutely amazing. Blaze transformation to the “rider,” with a literal “hot wheels” is well done and very effective. His hot seat is equipped to ride on any surface, up and down walls as well as ride on water!

Apparently the film’s budget went into the special effects and not into hiring screenwriters that could write believable dialogue. The film features many one-word Terminator-esque lines that are funny, but for all the wrong reasons.

Cage’s Blaze is played as a distant goof, who more interested in jellybeans, chimps and music by The Carpenters. He isn’t all there (maybe it’s the pressure of trying to deliver some of the film’s lines without laughing out loud!). Cage doesn’t hit a home run as The Ghost Rider, but the film entertains enough to give him a pass. I expect to see a sequel to this film, but for my money Cage will have to ride his bike a long time to make the public forget The Wicker Man, but this film is a small start.

The review also appeared on BET.com

Our Queen of Soul | Aretha Franklin

2007-02-14T18:18:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure to watch the United Negro College Fund's Tribute to Aretha Franklin. The tribute celebrated one of the signature voices of 20th Century music and a true female pioneer. Franklin continues a legacy that begain with Bessie Smith through Mahalia Jackson and Billie "Lady Day" Holliday to Whitney Houston and Mary J. Blige.

Her father was the legendary Reverand C.L. Franklin. Franklin's houseguest included a plethora of civil rights leaders, including the Reverand Martin Luther King, Jr. Aretha who counted MLK as a mentor and a friend, understood early that she was a black woman, but would not let race confine her to just singing R&B. Franklin successfully tackled soul, gospel, blues, rock and several years ago, opera on her musical journey.

She inspired an entire generation of woman to demand "Respect," showing us that no mater what she was always a "Natural Woman." To understand how prolific Franklin was at the onset of her career, she had 10 top 10 songs the first 18 months of her career! Along with James Brown, Franklin had number one hits each year from the late 1960s through the early 1970s. As a child, I remember my father playing her landmark gospel album "Amazing Grace" until we almost destroyed the grooves in the wax.

Franklin has continued to evolve and remain relevant today. One of my fondest memories was a decade ago while hosting an entertainment show, I interviewed her at DAR Constitution Hall during a soundcheck. I told her that "Angel" was my favorite song and she had me take a seat and serenaded me with the song. It would be years later that I realized that the song, written by her sister Carolyn, would elicit such tearful emotion from Franklin during the UNCF tribute.

To stay in the proper frame of mind to write about "The Queen of Soul," I watched various performances of her on YouTube (as many that were left after the "corporate purge" of videos) and discovered that the UNCF tribute was one of several honoring this icon. This latest tribute featured young singers, Rueben Studdard, Fantasia Barrio and Jennifer Hudson as well as veterans Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan and Natalie Cole.

There were some wonderful renditions of Franklin's songs but the best performance belonged to Fantasia brought the house down with a passionate, energetic version of "Baby, I Love You," which featured her coming down from the stage and singing directly to Franklin.

With the passing recently of "The Godfather of Soul," James Brown, I'm delighted that Franklin is honored and saluted while she still remains with us. I'm not sure if I said it then, but thank you Ms. Franklin for being an "angel" for one adoring fan!

Perry's Father Figure | Daddy's Little Girls

2007-02-14T15:46:00.000-05:00

Tyler Perry has made a small fortune and garnered quite a large and devoted following, initially with his stage plays and now with his films that tell stories of redemption and spirituality starring various flawed southern African-Americans. His latest film, Daddy’s Little Girls, returns to Perry’s favorite formula, but with mixed results.

Monty (Idris Elba) is a mechanic struggling to raise money to buy the garage that he works in with proprietor Willie (Oscar winner, Louis Gossett, Jr.). In addition to his job, his main passion is for his three daughters China, Lauryn and Sierra (real-life McClain sisters). Living with their grandmother, Monty is advised to take care of the girls “because she won’t be around much longer.”

Once she dies, custody of the children is awarded to the children’s trifling mother, Jennifer (Tasha Smith) who lives with the neighborhood drug kingpin, Joe (Gary Anthony Sturgis). In an effort to raise more money to fight a custody battle, Monty takes a job as a driver for corporate attorney Julia Rossmore (Gabrielle Union). After an initial period of trepidation, Julia and Monty begin to bond as she admires his dedication for his daughters.

Unfortunately for Monty, Julia’s two closest friends, Cynthia (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Brenda (Terri J. Vaughn), disapprove of her relationship with the mechanic. They see Monty as a poor reflection of Black manhood and not as a human being. Instead of standing up to her friends and telling them that this blue-collar man treats her with respect and love, she hides her feelings for him and keeps him at arm’s length. Ultimately, Monty is not just fighting a battle for his daughters but Julia’s heart as well.

As good as an actress as Union is, how many times can she play the icy, career-driven, white-collar woman who just can’t find a “good Black man” and happens to keep falling in love with blue-collar men? Much like her character in Deliver Us From Eva, Union’s Julia is a driven and determined workaholic who only becomes comfortable after several drinks..

Elba’s Monty is a cross between his cool, smooth demeanor in “The Wire” and his cold, calculating performance in The Gospel. Although Elba and Union look nice together, you get the feeling that they are never totally comfortable with one another on-screen like Union was with LL Cool J in Eva.

Much like Spike Lee used Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee in some of his earlier films to give them additional “weight” and credibility, Perry has adopted the same practice with his films. In Madea’s Family Reunion, he cast Oscar-nominee Cicely Tyson; Gossett serves the same purpose in this film.

One of the things that Perry should be applauded for is once again documenting the love that Black men have for their children. Just as Will Smith fiercely guarded Jaden Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness, Monty is equally protective of his girls in this film. It has taken a long time and several generations for this cinematic stereotype to take hold, and bravo to the filmmakers who are attempting to reverse the trend of the absent, disinterested Black dad.

Still, between the depictions of the childrens’ mother, Jennifer, and the conversations between Julia’s girlfriends, it would seem that Perry has pigeon-holed most Black men as clueless, disrespectful and classless. I was amazed that Monty did not get high-blood pressure as a result of his experience catching hell from his high-strung, babies’ mamma and the relentless characterizations from Julia.

Perry’s screenplay opens the door for several subplots that either are never revisited or totally ignored, creating an effect that will leave viewers feeling like the story is incomplete. The story, and ultimately the film, has merit, but quite frankly you’ll feel as if you’ve seen it before – and you probably have.

This review also appeared on BET.com.

Jones-en' | Q&A with Orlando Jones

2007-02-12T17:03:00.000-05:00

Orlando Jones is a busy man these days. This multi-talented performer, writer, sketch comedian and film star also is making lots of noise on the small screen. He has a recurring role on ABC’s “Men in Trees,” and on Monday he will play the substitute teacher from hell (at least for Chris) on “Everybody Hates Chris.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with him. While his reputation as a funnyman is well deserved, he is levelheaded and incisively candid about his career choices and the nuances of the film industry.

Tim Gordon: Orlando, describe the character that you play on “Everybody Hates Chris.”

Orlando Jones: His school is kind of grey or lily white. Because I’m a Black substitute teacher, he thinks he’s going to have it easy, but in reality I’m twice as hard. I become his living nightmare.

T.G.: Did you use any of your teacher/student experiences to prepare for this role?

O.J.: Once, I was pulled to the side by one my teachers who explained to me that I was starting with two strikes against me. He told me, “You Black, they already think you stupid. You from the South, they already know you’re stupid.

T.G.: Are you more comfortable as a television or film actor?

O.J.: They’re kind of the same. I had a good time doing both. I was on “Mad TV” for two years. In film you get to spend more time with your character, while on TV, you’re three minutes and then gone. I wasn’t big on the recurring thing. The fun on TV is that you had to keep updating your character.

T.G.: Recently, you’ve received some very bad reviews for your latest film, Primeval. Were you happy with the finished product and what drew you to that project?

O.J.: I’ve never taken a role about some cash, that’s not me. What you do is not about your performance, but how it’s marketed or edited. When they approached me about Primeval, they said that these recent horror movies were about nothing and they wanted to do a true-to-life film about a real story in Rwanda. There is a documentary about a crocodile [that’s] 23 feet long and weighs a ton (National Geographic’s “Gustave: Have You Seen This Crocodile?”). They pitched the story to me as Hotel Rwanda meets Jaws, and its true!

T.G.: In your opinion, why hasn’t this story received more attention?

O.J.: Who gives a s*** if it’s just killing Black people?

T.G.: Does this situation of a film being mis-marketed occur often or is this just one of those things?

O.J.: It’s a crapshoot if that situation occurs often. No matter who you are, they’re going do what they want to do with these films. It happened to Jamie Foxx in Stealth after Ray. I’m sure Eddie Murphy had the same amount of dedication and passion in The Adventures of Pluto Nash that he had in Dreamgirls.

T.G.: Is there a double standard for Black actors versus their White counterparts?

O.J.: There is absolutely a double standard, which is most upheld by members of the media who don’t hold White actors to the same standard that exists for African Americans. They don’t hold Robert De Niro, Jim Carrey or Owen Wilson accountable when they make films that aren’t successful. It’s unfortunate that the people that should be most concerned are Black people.

T.G.: It sounds like you think that the business has become more about marketing than quality filmmaking.

O.J.: They are more accurate marketing White actors than Black actors. Eminem and 50 Cent’s stories were presented differently. Justin Timberlake’s film, “Alpha Dog,” was presented better than 50 Cent’s film, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Each had an equally impressive director, but both were not marketed the same. The media needs to hold filmmakers accountable as well.

T.G.: One of your more successful films was Drumline. How did that film come about for you?

O.J.: I didn’t want to be in the magic tennis shoe movie (Like Mike). I choose Drumline instead. Nobody thought the film could cross over. I saw the film about a Black college band at an HBCU as a part of American history that nobody talks about nor knows about. Drumline made $70 million and they’re no talk about a sequel!

T.G.: Do you ever get discouraged with your career and think that you should be further along?

O.J.: It took Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Jim Carrey 20 years to get where they are today. My mentor, Laurence Fishburne, told me to just relax and do the work. “You’re only in your sixth or seventh year in front of the camera,” he said.

T.G.: How do you cope with peaks and valleys that come with your profession?

O.J.: All of this is the realities of the business. It’s just the way that it is. I love what I do. It’s a blessing to do it. Occasionally the stars are aligned and it comes out right.”

This feature also appeared on BET.com.

Fat Twisted Fable | Norbit

2007-02-08T13:27:00.001-05:00

Eddie Murphy sure is lucky. Currently the toast of Hollywood, he is fortunate that his latest film, Norbit, wasn’t released a little earlier. If it had been, all of the good will that he generated as Jimmy Early in Dreamgirls would be gone in 60 seconds. This latest reach to the past should signal to Murphy that’s he’s been there and done that – a whole lot better than in this film.

For those who fondly remember such comedic gems as Coming To America and The Nutty Professor, you’ll recall how Murphy played multiple characters in those films and inserted small slices of humanity into each. In Norbit, he revisits this formula, but with disastrous results. The story revolves around Norbit, who was abandoned as a child (thrown from a moving car, no less) and raised by the bigoted and racist Mr. Wong (Murphy).

Mr. Wong ran an orphanage, and one of Norbit’s closest friends was young Kate. The two form such a close-knit relationship that even trips to the bathroom can’t separate them. When she is adopted and leaves the orphanage, Norbit’s world is turned upside down, but soon there will be a new lady in his life. Several years later, two bullies are thrashing our shy and defenseless hero in a schoolyard, when he is saved by the large and imposing Rasputia (again Murphy). Instantly, and inexplicably, they begin a relationship, which leads to marriage. It’s perplexing because there’s not one happy moment EVER shared between the two; nevertheless, the film overlooks that crucial point in the name of comedy.

As if his relationship with Rasputia isn’t bad enough, he also has to contend with her three large brothers, Big Jack (Terry Crews of “Everybody Hates Chris”), Earl (Clifton Powell) and Blue (Lester “Rasta” Speight). The equally imposing threesome run a construction business that serves as a front for their financial shakedown of local merchants. Norbit’s life revolves around serving as a lapdog for his loud and boisterous mate, and trying to stay away from being pummeled when he fails to please her or her crazy brothers.

Just as his situation appears hopeless, his childhood sweetheart Kate (Thandie Newton) returns to town. After selling her business, she now has plans to buy their old orphanage and take over for Mr. Wong. Norbit’s dreams of reuniting with Kate are put on hold when he discovers she is engaged to the hustling con man, Deion (Cuba Gooding, Jr.). While Kate is looking forward to spending the rest of her life with him, Deion is only in it for her money. He teams up with Rasputia’s brothers to scam Kate out of buying Mr. Wong’s orphanage so they can build a strip club in its place. Can Norbit find a way to alert Kate before it’s too late?

Murphy, in his quest to create a United Nation of characters, infuses Norbit with a shred of credibility but never explains what would keep him in such a demeaning and defenseless position, throughout the film. His Norbit is a walking disappointment, a sad more despondent version of Bowfinger’s Jefferson “Jiff” Ramsey, even featuring the same voice.

Rasputia is another story entirely, a breathing stereotype that reinforces the myth of the loud, aggressive, overweight Black woman. Under amazing makeup by Rick Baker, Murphy plays her as an incredibly vile woman, who is as offensive as Vera (Della Reese) in Harlem Nights, without any ounce of sweetness.

The biggest disappointment is that the crowd reaction to this unimaginative work, based on an idea by both Charlie and Eddie Murphy, was consistent and enjoyable. Featuring jokes about pimping women, threats to pets and small children and domestic violence, Norbit is an equal-opportunity offender. It is films like these that make me feel completely out of step with the tastes of the casual filmgoer. For a man of Murphy’s immense talents, Norbit is not only a huge disappointment, but also bona fide headscratcher. Murphy may indeed win the Oscar, but this time next year he could also have a Razzie as it's companion.

This review is also appeared on BET.com

Chew on This! | Hannibal Rising

2007-02-07T22:42:00.000-05:00

One of Hollywood’s most fearsome killers returns in the fourth installment of the Hannibal Lecter franchise, Hannibal Rising. Penned by author and series creator, Thomas Harris, this latest film examines the origins of the renowned cannibal and killer.

The story opens at the end of World War II, where young Lecter (Gaspard Ulliel) and his family are living in war-torn, eastern Europe. He witnesses the death of his parents – and then it gets really bad. While protecting his baby sister, Mischa, rogue Russian soldiers break into his family home and – let’s just say invite themselves to dinner – and the children are the main course! This revelation fuels Lecter’s revenge and helps him evolve into the man that he becomes (at least in the latter three films).

Placed in an orphanage, Lecter escapes to France to find his uncle. He arrives to discover that his uncle is dead, but his aunt, the lovely Lady Murasaki Shikibu (Gong Li from Memoirs of a Geisha and Miami Vice), now occupies the castle. She teaches young Lecter samurai-swordplay, immersing him in ancient Japanese culture. One day while shopping at the market with her, Lecter observes as she is disrespected by a lecherous butcher. Before long, Lecter hunts down the butcher, and with fine “Ginsu” precision, slices him down. The killing brings him the unwanted attention of Inspector Pascal Popil (Dominic West of “The Wire”) who is in charge of the case. The two of them share the unfortunate experience of losing parents in the war, and Popil hopes that connection will help Lecter trust him. While Popil wants to use the law to go after the “alleged” war criminals, Lecter has other ideas.

Lecter has identified the men who “disposed” of his sister and begins to hunt them down. Lady Murasaki knows his plan and tries to bring the impending carnage to a halt. Inspector Popil is also on to Lecter, but he needs more proof to stop him. Will the two them of them succeed in stopping his thirst for blood?

After Red Dragon, there did not appear to be an overwhelming amount of interest in continuing this series. The filmmakers, seem to miss the larger point about Lecter – that he becomes less, not more, interesting when further explored.

On a side note, Ulliel is groomed to be Anthony Hopkins later in this story, but “Prison Break’s” Wentworth Miller played a young Hopkins in The Human Stain. I have to research to see if any other actor has that “type” of versatility.

If history is any indicator, the film should do solid opening-week business. In horror franchises, nothing succeeds like gore, and no upcoming film has as much to “chew on” as Hannibal Rising. Hopefully, Lecter has had his fill so that he can push back from the table and let us all move on with our lives.

This review is also appeared on BET.com

Sienna Sizzles | Factory Girl

2007-02-07T21:52:00.000-05:00

Factory Girl stars Sienna Miller, Guy Pierce and Hayden Christensen. Miller moves centerstage in her first starring role as debutante Edie Sedgwick. It’s 1965 New York and Sedgwick meets celebrated artist Andy Warhol (Pierce). Instantly smitten with Sedgwick, Warhol bonds with the beautiful woman and thrust her into his bizarre, pornographic inner circle. Sedgwick’s family comes from old money and initially she is the darling of the Gotham fashion world, wining and dining her newfound friends while reveling in plenty of free love, sex, drugs and lots of groovy, psychedelic sounds at Warhol’s factory. Sedgwick is having the time of her life until she meets a Bob Dylan-esque “folk singer” (Christensen, who looks an AWFUL LOT like Bob Dylan; I’m just saying!). The two men who are polar opposites in every way, both vie for Sedgwick’s affection.

He warns her that Warhol treats her as a prop and that she should be furious with him. When Sedgwick loudly proclaims, “I can’t be mad with him,” the Dylan-esque character tells her sadly, “You’re afraid to lose everything that doesn’t mean anything.” Under pressure to make a choice, she makes the wrong one and unfortunately lives to regret it. When her parents’ object to her friends and life style, she is cut off only to find that her “friends” (including Warhol) used her and when she suddenly was out of style, simply discarded her.

In no time flat Sedgwick, who has developed a speed and heroin addiction, is degrading herself and out on the street. The celebrated 1960’s personality tragically predicted that she would not see her 30th birthday and she was correct, dying of a drug overdose when she was 28. The film does not cast Warhol in a positive light and Pierce’s quirky performance helps cement that point.

Miller radiates on screen as Sedgwick, with a virtuoso performance that surely would have merited Oscar buzz if the film had been released last year. Both Hayden and former SNL alum, Jimmy Fallon, who acquits himself in a rare dramatic turn, also registered positive supporting performances.