THE OBENSON REPORT

Whatever happened to Wendell B. Harris Jr.? It’s a question that might be asked with greater frequency if only more people had heard of the 1990 winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s dramatic Grand Jury Prize. Indeed, of all the post-Sundance disappearing acts — and there have been many — Harris’ may be the most intriguing, in large part because his debut (and, to date, only) feature film, Chameleon Street, is among the best and least known prize-winners in the festival’s 25-year history.

Arriving just one year after Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape (see related stories) turned the heretofore triple-A Sundance into a major-league ball club, Chameleon Street was one of a crop of 1990 competition titles that heightened the excitement then building around the American independent-film movement. Also in the running that year were Charles Burnett’s To Sleep With Anger, the first films of iconic indie auteurs Whit Stillman (Metropolitan) and Hal Hartley (The Unbelievable Truth), and eventual Audience Award winner Longtime Companion. But the jury, which included Soderbergh, Kathryn Bigelow and film critic Armond White among its members, reserved its highest honor for Harris’ ferociously original, mordantly funny take on the life of African-American con artist William Douglas Street, whose impersonations included a lawyer, a Time magazine reporter and a gynecological surgeon (performing three-dozen successful hysterectomies). Adding to the powerful impression made by the film was the fact that its charismatic, skin-shedding protagonist was played by none other than Harris himself.

For most of the two decades that followed, however, news of Harris was so scarce that one might have assumed the triple-threat writer-director-actor to be but the latest in Douglas Street’s series of chameleonic guises. He appeared only twice more as an actor — in Soderbergh’s Out of Sight (1998) as the FBI agent who smells something fishy in Jennifer Lopez’s story, and as a college professor in the 2000 Tom Green comedy Road Trip. Meanwhile, unlike many of his Sundance contemporaries — some of whom continued to trudge forth in the indie trenches, some of whom graduated to Hollywood features or segued into television — Harris amassed no additional writing or directing credits. As for Chameleon Street, it grossed just over $200,000 during a small 1991 theatrical release by the Maine-based distributor Northern Arts Entertainment (after the film’s sales agent botched a prospective meeting with Harvey Weinstein) and, like its maker, soon faded from the scene. Until its belated DVD release in 2007, the film was available only on an out-of-print VHS edition.

... Unfortunately, it [the film] wasn’t the uncensored expose that I naively believed it might be. I realized this fact during the opening credit sequence when the name Mike Tyson came on screen, preceded by the words “Executive Producer”.

The film is a look at the life of one of the most famous fighters in Boxing History, as told through an interview with Tyson himself. And there lies the film’s main problem. Situations dealing with abuse and rape charges deserve to show the other side of the story (especially when Tyson claims they never happened). But the documentary never strays from the one on one interview with Tyson himself.

I was also surprised at the lack of additional footage from Tyson’s many years in the public spotlight. Most of the film is comprised of a talking head interview with Tyson, and some overused footage of Mike looking out into an ocean sunset. The editor also chose to sometimes split the interview footage into a shattered split screen, probably in an attempt to spice things up. As you might expect, the result is more annoying than anything else.

To his credit, Mike comes off as incredibly honest and forthcoming. And we get stories about how the boxer contracted gonorrhea from a prostitute before a championship fight and how he likes to woo strong women, CEO types, and dominate them in the bed room. We also get commentary on some of his fights, giving us a look into the skill and psychology.

And Tyson comes off like a sensitive tough guy who has seen the errors of his ways, but each and every time he falls into the same traps. And the finale comes off almost like a scripted infomercial which shouts “Look, I’m better now, I’m not a bad guys! See!” The film gives a fascinating look at a man with a serve confidence and trust issues from the point of view from that same man who now thinks he’s cured. It’s not a bad cable documentary but as a theatrical release, I can’t recommend it.

GREENSBORO - A 32-year-old man was shot twice in the abdomen during an argument and an estimated 700 people were evacuated when gunfire broke out at a Greensboro movie theater Friday night.

The sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the lobby of the Grand 18 at Four Seasons Station just after 9 p.m. as moviegoers waited to get into opening night showings of "Notorious" - the life and death story of the rapper Notorious B.I.G.

Greensboro police Lt. James Hinson said the victim, identified early Saturday morning as Clive O’Connor, was rushed to Moses Cone Hospital, where he underwent surgery. His medical condition was not immediately available.

No suspects were in custody late Friday night.

[...]

Rapper and actor Jamal "Gravy" Woolard, who plays B.I.G. in the film, was in the theater at the time of the shooting, police and witnesses said.

[...]

The movie theater and parking lot... were evacuated after dozens of police swarmed to the scene.

"We were just standing there talking and we heard a 'Pow!'" said Jasmine Seapoe, who was with a group of friends waiting to get into a 9:30 p.m. showing of "Notorious."

"The next thing we know there were a bunch of people running in the opposite direction, and the cops came and asked us if we saw anything and started directing everyone to get out," she said.

The Grand 18 will honor tickets today for customers whose movies were interrupted by the shooting Friday, said Lisa Burwell, a spokeswoman for Southern Theaters, the parent company of the Grand 18.

... All showings of "Notorious" will be suspended indefinitely at the Grand 18, Burwell said. Customers with tickets to Friday's showing of "Notorious" should contact the theater for details regarding a refund.

“Toe to Toe” is smart, honest storytelling about Tosha (Sonequa Martin), a driven African American student on full scholarship at a Washington D.C. prep school and her competitive relationship with Jesse (Louisa Krause), a troubled white student from wealth.

... “Toe to Toe” is the most driven of the American movies so far at Sundance; a well told, swift-moving story with standout lead performances, solid commercial elements and high prospects for enthusiastic word-of-mouth.

While much about the relationship between Tosha and Jesse feels honest and believable, Abt does occasionally fall into the trap of dramatic exaggeration in order to heighten the film’s emotional climax (there is a lesbian subplot that feels out of place). It’s a common misstep for someone tackling his or her first feature drama. To Abt’s credit, the film’s poignant moments far outweigh its stumbles. By “Toe to Toe’s” surprising finish, one walks away with new thoughts and feelings about race, diversity as well as questions about how today’s teens will address class and race differently from their parents.

Abt moves us with her storytelling, and as a welcome bonus, makes us think;

[...]

“Toe to Toe” is complex and multi-layered and I expect unanimous praise for Martin and Krause, both beautifully confused as two teen friends battling to overcome the troubles in their lives. I also expect praise for Abt, the storyteller who holds all the angst, successes and setbacks together, making this girl’s tale capable of engaging all audiences.

If that doesn’t earn Abt a shot at directing future feature dramas, nothing does.

“Push” Premieres

A standing ovation greeted Lee Daniels’ “Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire” tonight at the Racquet Club, even as insiders worried that a delayed screening of Antoine Fuqua’s “Brooklyn’s Finest” over at the Eccles held up some buyers. Buoyed by positive reaction after a test screening in Harlem earlier this week, Lee Daniels seemed anxiously optimistic while chatting casually with indieWIRE prior to the screening. After the showing, he was showered by well-wishers, some of whom posed for photos with Mo’Nique and Mariah Carey. Daniels also cast Lenny Kravitz in a key role. “If you are gonna tell a bold story, go all the way, be bold,” Daniels said on Friday night. indieWIRE offers a first take on the film in this latest dispatch from the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW

“Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire” is a movie of many textures, each one illuminating the emotionally gripping narrative at its core. Lee Daniels directs with bold strokes that could go wrong at any moment, but generally serve to illuminate a troubled life and the justified desire to escape it. The story of a troubled Harlem teen named Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) impregnated by her absent father, “Push” progresses with a steadily engaging series of starts and stops in the frayed world of its talented star. While fending off her dysfunctional mother (Monique, in a stunningly psychotic turn), Precious gradually learns to surpass her aimless fantasies and come to grips with the troubles at hand. Using lavishly photographed sequences, Daniels contrasts Precious’s daily woes with the happier existence inside her head, but these moments gradually give way to the protagonist’s fulfillment of her actual goals.

Moved to an alternative school to meet her special needs, Precious learns from more caring adults (including Mariah Carey as a trenchant social worker) about her obvious potential to mature. A spunky character with an increasing ability to editorialize about her new environment (“they talk like TV channels I don’t watch,” she says of her newfound mentors), Precious makes the ideal heroine of modern times. “Push” does not function exclusively as a story of race, but as a universal depiction of real world struggle. The only question is whether distributors can push themselves to get it out there.

This lusciously photographed period piece, set in a lower class southern community in 1986 and 1998, showcases writer-director Tina Mabry’s ability to handle the complexities of an ensemble drama with her very first feature. An impoverished black family (including David Malcolm Kelley, who plays Walt on ABC’s “Lost”) cope with dreams of greater ambitions. Whether confronting sexual tensions (in one case, a latent homosexual relationship) or monetary woes, the characters in “Mississippi Damned” represent the voice of a discontented people, which comes through loud and clear.

Many organizers believe the healthy economy of the past decade created a bubble of film festivals, and that a retrenchment was inevitable... Right now times are tough for a lot of people, and some companies and festivals will go under... But those that survive are going to be the ones able to get really lean, focus on basics, identify what really matters and get stronger.

On Tuesday's episode of her daytime talk show, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she had asked to audition for a role in the film "Doubt," but was turned down by the director. Winfrey told the movie's star Meryl Streep -- who appeared on the show -- that she asked to audition to play "Mrs. Miller" because she felt a connection to it and wanted to work with Streep. But she couldn't convince director John Patrick Shanley to give her a shot. The role ended up going to Viola Davis. She received a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for her emotional scene in which Mrs. Miller breaks down after hearing her son may have been molested by a priest.

Oscar-nominated actor-producer Don Cheadle and his Crescendo Prods. are making a big push in television with a two-year, first-look deal at Universal Media Studios.

Under the pact, expected to be announced today during NBC's portion of the winter Television Critics Assn. press tour, Crescendo will develop series projects for the studio.

"Don Cheadle is such a smart and dynamic presence both on the screen and behind the scenes," said Angela Bromstad, president of primetime entertainment for NBC and UMS. "We are already at work discussing ideas that will bring Don's strong and creative voice to our primetime schedule."

I last read a Jules Verne novel in grade school, probably 20 years ago... and that book told the story of Phileas Fogg and his assistant Passepartout, who attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a £20,000 wager!

Believe or not, that Captain Nemo fellow is mostly alien to me... other than what I've gathered from the ether.

From SlashFilm:

The other day, we reported on McG’s new directing gig helming 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo. We expressed hope that Hollywood would man up and cast an ethnically correct (i.e. Indian) version of Captain Nemo, undoubtedly one of the most psychologically fascinating characters in literature. As usual, it seems our hopes were misplaced, for the most part.

Over at Latino Review, our colleague Kellvin is reporting that at the recent Terminator Salvation event, McG revealed who he really wants in the role of Nemo:

Man I’m trying to get Will Smith to do it, been trying to get a hold of him. I’ve been wanting to work with him for a long time already. That guy’s great.

While this might be better than M. Night Shymalan’s atrocious and much-maligned decision to cast four white leads for Avatar: The Last Airbender, it is nonetheless disheartening to see that a role originating from a South Asian character might go to someone who just happens to have the same shade of skin color. Putting aside arguments about ethnicity, the last time Smith played someone who was as tortured as Nemo was probably Seven Pounds, and we all know how that turned out (other instances might include The Pursuit of Happyness or Ali, but let’s not mention I, Robot or Hancock please). At the same event, McG explained that “The character Nemo in this film is more about obsession, he is obsessed and people tend to forget that when you become so obsessed you end up being the villain.” Would this really be the best type of role for Smith anyway?

MTV's movie blog has a similar post on this.

Alright, I'm off to go pick up a copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Those of you who have read it, care to comment?

via SLASHFILM // MTV

At age seven, Oakdale's Mystery Team was a band of kid detectives dedicated to solving child-sized mysteries (like who put their finger in the pie, and who stole the tricycle), and the town loved them for it. Now they're eighteen years old, about to graduate from high school, yet they're still storming the playground to bust little kids, and the town of Oakdale is sick to death of it. When a little girl sees their sign advertising "Mysteries Solved, Ten Cents," she asks the gang to find out who killed her parents. The Team embarks on a mystery that takes them deep into a violent conspiracy that sees their lives threatened, their friendship strained and tests their claim that they're "real detectives."