THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts

Wednesday Links - Colored Girls, Will Smith Squared, Fingerhakeln, Hollywood Whitewashing, More...

Posted on 12:22 PM comments (2)
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(cue Isaac Hayes Shaft score)
Some items of interest...

- 'Colored' revival set for Sept. 8 - The Broadway revival of Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf," starring India.Arie and produced by Whoopi Goldberg, will begin previews Aug. 19 for a Sept. 8 opening at the Circle in the Square Theater.
- Will Smith is in the Fluke Zone - The Fluke Zone is a place where a movie star can do no wrong. Audiences love you no matter what you do. Many stars fall out of the Fluke Zone when they lose touch with their fans. The trick is to stay in the Zone as long as possible. Many try, but few are chosen... there's only one star in the Zone: Will Smith.
- To Bavarian men, Fingerhakeln, or "finger wrestling" is no joke - To become a champion finger wrestler one obviously needs strength, but also good technique and the grit to put up with a fair amount of pain... However, according to one finger wrestler, the most important attribute is the size of one's finger. "You have to have a fat finger, so that the strap has a good hold."
- His latest effort, Hancock, is his most blatant attempt at courting our antipathy - after all, he is playing an alcoholic superhero who throws Frenchmen into space and, in one jaw-dropping scene, fires an innocent woman across his motor-home through the sheer force of his super-ejaculation. But is it even possible to dislike Will Smith? - One writer jovially tries tries to answer that question, and succeeds, jovially, of course.
- The world now has 10 million millionaires - The combined wealth of the globe's millionaires grew to nearly $41 trillion last year, an increase of 9 percent from a year before... That means their average wealth was more than $4 million, the highest it's ever been. Home values were not included in asset totals. (With numbers like that - $41 trillion - the first question that comes to mind is why are there still so many living in poverty?)
- Is Hollywood Whitewashing Ethnic Roles? - In the realm of Hollywood, where artistic license is the rule and studios need to recoup the millions of dollars they sink into films, it's not uncommon for white actors to be cast in ethnic roles or for real-life stories to be "whitewashed" to make them more mainstream.
- After declining political advertising since its inception in 1981, MTV is reversing course. The Viacom MTV Networks channel... says it will now take political ads - I'm sure the Obama camp is popping champagne bottle corks right about now!
- Some 40 percent of New Yorkers with multiple sex partners did not use a condom the last time they had sex, according to a health department study that polled 10,000 adults - In a city that promotes its own condom, many New Yorkers, especially those with multiple sex partners, are still not using protection. Tut-tut-tut...
- And finally, more memorable words from our thankfully soon-to-be ex-president, Dubya - Bush To Filipino President: "I Am Reminded Of The Great Talent Of The - Of Our Philippine Americans When I Eat Dinner At The White House." As one commenter said, "He sure must be blissful. Because he sure is ignorant."

And that's news to me... some anyway...

A Short History Of Iraqi Cinema

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Yes, despite the ongoing US-led invasion of the country, which has given birth to widespread infrastructural damage, there is (and has always been) filmmaking in Iraq.

FROM: Film In Focus.

Unlike its neighbor Iran, whose recent output has put it on the cinematic map, Iraq has never been known for its films. Yet the development of film and film-going in Iraq reflects the drastic historical shifts that Iraq has experienced in the 20th century.

While the first film projected in Iraq was in 1909, it wasn't until the 20s that film became a cultural activity. The first cinemas, like the famous al-Zawra cinema on Baghdad's bustling thoroughfare al-Rashid, played mostly American silent films for British citizens. When the Ottoman Empire was divided up after World War I, the newly formed League of Nation mandated Britain to oversee the territory of Iraq. And for the citizens who administrated this dictate, and the soldiers who fought the then Iraqi insurgency, a series of entertainments were brought in. While a monarchy was reinstated with King Faisal I, the area remained under British rule until the Mandate was lifted in 1932.

The rest of the story HERE.

Sunday Links - Pele Doc, Film Festival Cash For Filmmakers, Bitching About Bandwidth Hogs, Che Branding...

Posted on 1:45 PM comments (3)
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It's a scorching day here in New York City, with temperatures hovering around 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). It was just as bad yesterday and will be even worse tomorrow! The humidity certainly doesn't help matters. It's just not a day to be outside, even though I've been out for most of the day. However, now I'm in, and I'm staying in for the rest of day, within air conditioned spaces.

Here's to cooler temps in coming days!

In the meantime...

- International soccer star Pele is ready to tell his story and has commissioned a biographical documentary. Pele's life has been documented in written biographies, but the parties said this marks the first time he has granted anyone "such unparalleled access" to produce a TV documentary.

- In whatever form, whether they pay filmmakers or not, I am glad film festivals exist. Because, if nothing else, they do provide publicity to films and filmmakers. However, if revenue is generated by showing a movie, it is fair to give some of that revenue to the makers of the movie, because without their work it would be impossible to have the festival/show a movie - One indie filmmaker seeks to challenge the standard festival structure.

- If the choice is between your being able to download more movies or other video and my getting the best possible speed from my internet connection, I'm thrilled when you get kicked off. It can't happen soon enough. Speed is what I need. Take all your P2P downloads and get the hell off my internet - Billionaire Mark Cuban bitches about "bandwidth hogs" and his push for tiered broadband pricing, echoing the suggested practices of several other industry giants, like Time Warner.

- Video killed the radio star; now the internet killed the video star? - MTV shucks and jives to stay afloat.

- The fact that Guevara was a communist guerrilla and Marxist ideologue is an irony of little interest to his capitalist exploiters. It has, however, become a problem for his children - Che Guevara's children denounce Che branding.

And that's news to me!

Thursday Links - Hughes Brothers Emerge, TWC Flips Net Neutrality, More Brit Laments, Plus...

Posted on 11:41 AM comments (4)
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I've got you baby... I've got you... all the way...

- Cassavetes sisters join the Hughes brothers on Four Sketch project - I almost forgot all about the Hughes Brothers. They've been virtually invisible since 2001's From Hell.

- The plan, which Time Warner Cable will start testing Thursday in Beaumont, Texas, is aimed at charging users more for heavier volumes and faster service. Given the reigning orthodoxy that the Internet should be free, it's little surprise the digital crowd objects - No Mr. Gordon Gekko... you were very wrong. Greed is NOT good! And this is one reason why.

- "The Americans get a warm, fuzzy feeling here," says Colin Brown of what Britain can offer to Hollywood. "There is something about the way that we tell stories and look at life and, believe it or not, even the sense of humour – whether you like it or not, the Americans admire the UK. A lot of the talent loves to work here. This is a great place to make a movie." The big exodus: Is the British film industry in crisis? I've read quite a few articles recently from different publications on this supposed crisis. Maybe they should consider Bollywood's recent Hollywood campaign.

- Check out tccandler.com's 100 Greatest Movie Posters, ranked in order from 1 to 100! Some are questionable... but it is after all just one person's thoughts. I don't have to agree or disagree with any of the choices made!

- Lastly, courtesy of the comedy geniuses at the Onion News Network (ONN)... some humorous commentary on America's favorite pastime: overindulgence! Here's to addictive consumption:
New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

Monday Links - SATC Venom, Girlfriends, Burn Hollywood Burn, Danny Glover For Prez, Sequels Galore, More...

Posted on 8:42 AM comments (6)
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(1966) Catherine Deneuve and Yves Saint-Laurent (who died last night)

A slow Monday morning for news bits... but I'm happy to be awake and alive in New York City... no construction cranes fell on me after all...

- "The single biggest negative for the image of African Americans over the last 15 years was their widely reported elation when O.J. Simpson was found not guilty. People read those stories and saw the video clips and said to themselves, "What...?" The Sex And The City phenomenon, I submit, is on a par with this -- a cultural snapshot showing everyone in the world how utterly shallow and culturally nowhere mainstream American women have become, for the most part. " - How is that for analogous? The Sex And The City phenomenon is to mainstream American women what O.J.'s acquittal was to African Americans? Wow! I feel insulted by this actually. Obviously it's a white man speaking. The arrogance, superior and privileged tone are palpable. Regardless, I'm still amazed at the amount of venom still being fired at the movie! I don't get it. Who would've guessed it would create such a media frenzy! I think I'll have to see it now and judge for myself! But first, I'll need to dig up my sunglasses and hat so I can slip into the theatre incognito ;o) I'm guessing there'll likely be a sequel. Studio execs are probably meeting about that right now. I'm also guessing we'll see a string of similar themed movies over the next 5 years, until the well runs dry. But that could possibly mean big screen adaptations of other TV programs like the once labeled "black SATC" - Girlfriends! You heard it here first folks! Girlfriends, the movie, coming soon!

- An early morning fire broke out on the Universal Studios backlot Sunday, destroying important cityscape but no soundstages - When Public Enemy rapped, "Burn Hollywood Burn," is this what they meant? :o) Maybe someone over at Universal was trying to erase all traces of George Clooney's box office dud, Leatherheads!

- Another fictional Black president is on his way to the white house in yet another disaster movie. Danny Glover is in talks to play the president, with Thandie Newton to play his daughter in a film called 2012 which "centers on a global cataclysm and tells the heroic struggle of the survivors." Roland Emerich, the same cad who brought us other mega-budget disaster films like Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, is writing and directing the film which, by the way, also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor. This is the second disaster movie I can think of in which the president is/was black - the other being Morgan Freeman in 1998's Deep Impact. Might there be a message here that Hollywood is trying to pass onto us? At times of crises in our country, we're best served in the capable hands of a black president :o)

- Inside Man 2? I Am Legend 2? Pink Panther 2? The folks over at Den of Geek clue us in on "30 Upcoming Movie Sequels That You Didn't Know About."

- Thanks to Sergio Mims for the info, George C. Wolfe, the black Broadway theater director, responsible (wholly or in part) for hits like Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk, Top Dog/Underdog and Angels in America, has a new film on the horizon, his first since directing Lackawanna Blues for HBO, titled Nights In Rodanthe, starring Richard Gere, Diane Lane and one of my favorite actresses, Viola Davis, in what looks like the archetypal BBF role ("black best friend," for those who don't know). In the film, based on a novel, a doctor (Gere) who is traveling to see his estranged son, sparks a romance with an unhappily married woman (Lane) at a North Carolina inn. It's set for an October release. Here's the trailer:


- Finally, I need content for ScreeningSights.com, so please send me a note if you're aware of any screenings in whatever city you're in, and I'll post it up! Thanks!

Saturday Links - Idris, LL, Disney, "Sex," China, Africa, Paris...

Posted on 9:25 AM comments (2)
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Not much happening to report on this lovely Saturday morning in New York City... here's a few bites I dug up during my morning virtual stroll:

- "Elba leans forward, and, so close I can feel his breath tickling my cheek, says: "Let's talk about the elephant in the room. There are only so many roles for black actors in England. People get all excited" - puffing out his chest he adopts a hysterical voice - 'That's racist,' they say. It's not racist."" - One reporter snags an intimate moment with Idris Elba - in The Rise of a Hollywood Hunk.

- And speaking of Hollywood hunks... LL Cool J Teams with Sears for Clothing Line - We may just have to start calling him LL Couture J (nyuck, nyuck, nyuck). Watch your back Puffy...

- Disney's CEO Robert Iger Says Hollywood Produces Too Many Movies - No kidding! A moment of clarity for one executive perhaps?

- "So the double standard rears its ugly head and the rules for success get changed again. Why is it so hard to accept that a film for women could be successful?" - Melissa Silverstein over at the Women & Hollywood blog laments on the lack of media respect for the Sex and the City movie despite its $20 million opening day.

- The current issue of Fast Company Magazine contains an extensive 6-part piece on China's "invasion" of Africa. It's worth a read regardless of your stance and how much you know, so check it out - Special Report: China In Africa.

- And finally, in honor of this weekend's MTV Movie Awards... put this one under the "Ouch - Was That Really Necessary" file! The fact that she was present makes it even more difficult to watch. For the first time, I can actually say I felt a modicum of pity for Paris Hilton. From last fall's MTV movie awards... Have a look:



Thursday Links - Eddie, Thandie, Cruise, Murdoch, Ice Cube Trailer, More...

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(Sorry Sex And The City fans... couldn't resist :o))

- Eddie Murphy back in 4th Beverly Hills Cop movie! - SMH... but I guess it was inevitable, especially since Stallone gave us another Rocky AND another Rambo movie.

- 'I was so incredibly self-conscious' - Thandie Newton on playing Condoleezza Rice, being unknown in Africa and how she had to struggle for her sense of entitlement.

- Who woulda thunk it? Rupert Murdoch likes Obama to win it all! The founder and defender of the unabashedly conservative right-wing Fox News said he expected Obama to win in a landslide (and might actually vote for him) citing widespread unhappiness with the current administration and his disenchantment with Republican contender John McCain.

- Despite their competitors' obvious commitment to bringing film content directly to the consumer via in-home digital download services, Blockbuster still wants you to drive to their store to use the movie download kiosk! Way to stay ahead of the curve there Blockbuster!

- On a related note, NetFlix Thinks It Has 5 Years Of DVD-By-Mail Left before converting to mostly digital distribution. Are you listening Blockbuster?

- 'Bourne' movies viewed as art AND science at New York's Museum of Mordern Art - A panel of filmmakers and neuroscientists to talk about memory, identity and the mysterious workings of the brain at the Museum of Modern Art's World Science Festival this Friday, when all 3 Bourne flicks will be screened. I'm definitely curious and just might check it out.

- Will Smith's best pal, Tom Cruise launches a web site devoted to, what else, himself! A little late in the game, but I guess now is as good a time as any, given his supposed slide in recent years.

- The Great Debaters 2-Disc Special Collector's Edition is now available for sale. It's a feature-rich 2-disc set and worth a look, especially if you still haven't seen the film. Check it out HERE.

- And lastly, check out the trailer for Ice Cube's next film, titled, The Longshots, co-starring Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee), and directed by former Limp Bizkit frontman, Fred Durst, retelling the true story of Jasmine Plummer who, at the age of eleven, became the first female to play in a Pop Warner football tournament, in its 56-year history. I gotta say, Ice Cube's facial hair dramatically alters my perception of him in this clip. I suddenly want to take him a little more seriously as an actor. And I'm not being facetious. Overall, it looks like what we would expect - a formulaic inspirational story wrought with cliches and mawkishness. BUT, I'll still check it out when it's released in July. Here's the trailer:




And that's news to me. Happy Thursday!

Tuesday Link City

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Hurray for summers!


- A Few Tremors in Oprah-land - An article on Oprah's supposed dwindling audience.

- Dumb instinct - Sharon Stone says maybe the earthquake in China that's killed 60,000+ people is just "karma" for China's treatment of the Tibetans, which she is "not happy about."

- Former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro sort of endorses Barack Obama, calling him "the most progressive candidate to the U.S. presidency."

- "How Black Actors Are Written Out Of The Script" - One man wonders whether Spike Lee should be so concerned about Clint Eastwood's World War II films not having any black characters in them.

- A few words for independent filmmakers about the rapidly evolving distribution system: don't follow established patterns... don't play by studio rules.

- "If we are going to have a national cinema we have got to make stories which arise from our islands. What we do most of the time is make sub-American nonsense. The American template is very often lousy – why do we want to imitate it?" One UK filmmaker laments... although I'm sure these words could be spoken by mouths from other nations as well... imagine if every country adopted China's stance and limited the number of Hollywood films that landed on their shores, and instead strongly encouraged a local film industry.

- So what’s the truth behind those “Sex and the City” posters banned in Jerusalem? - I suddenly feel like yawning... but while we're on the subject...

- SCAMMED: A mega "Sex and the City" fan paid $19,000 on eBay for passes to the "Sex and the City" premiere and party in New York City tonight - but the tickets apparently never existed. Somehow, I don't feel sorry for her :o)

And that's news to me...

Friday Links - Happy Weekend!

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- Russian Communist party members condemned the new Indiana Jones' film on Friday as crude anti-Soviet propaganda that distorted history and called for it to be banned from Russian screens. Something to think about when you're sitting in the theatre this weekend, with a tub of lard and sugar in your lap, watching the 4th installment of the Indiana Jones series.

- "The Americans are lazy, they're arrogant and too scared to do any deals. I tell them: get some balls, your companies are all going down the toilet, maybe now's the time to get some films before it all collapses." As the Cannes Film festival winds down, U.S. distributors have been rather passive in the acquisitions department, scaring others.

- A Pac-Man movie is in development! No, this isn't a joke! It sounds almost as ridiculous as a Tetris movie... oh wait, actually, there already is a Tetris movie on schedule.

- Why both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter TOTALLY SUCK! The war between old and new media content creators spills over into the film industry, as a crop of mostly young bloggers like myself, fight for respect!

- Catch up on the great ones at Senses Of Cinema's critical "Great Directors" series, a rather thoughtful online journal with lots of quality articles on many aspects of cinema.

- I will be seeing the film below tomorrow night at the ongoing African Film Festival here in New York. It's played at a number of international film festivals to mostly critical acclaim, and comes highly recommended from trusted sources. I'm looking forward to it, specifically because the filmmaker is Cameroonian, as am I. I'll post a review after I see it!

Thursday Linkage...

Posted on 10:17 AM No Comments
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A few quick links to keep you busy in the meantime...

- MANOHLA DARGIS of the New York Times asks, "Is There A Real Woman In This Multiplex?", lamenting the lack of women in lead roles during Hollywood's summer blockbuster season.

- "I watch Clinton and feel kind of sorry for her and wonder, 'What are all these people telling her to run away for?'"Clint Eastwood Offers Pity For Hilary Clinton.

- IFC Films picks up 'Hunger' at Cannes... One of few films (if not the only one) directed by a black filmmaker, in competition at the festival. (Thanks to Sergio for the info).

- Reviews of Soderbergh's 4 1/2 hour biopic, Che, starring Benicio Del Toro, are coming in, after yesterday's screening at Cannes. VARIETY says it's not very good (Thanks to Sergio for the link); Cinematical says it's brilliant, and Benicio should win the Oscar for best actor next year.


- Indiana Jones 4 on Over 9,500 Screens!, set to break box office records.

- Jake Gyllenhaal crowned 'Prince of Persia' - a bit of casting news that's causing somewhat of a stir over the airwaves since Gyllenhaal isn't from the region (essentially modern day Iran!) nor does he look like he is. I suppose it'll be Gyllenhaal in "brown face," borrowing a page from the Angelina Jolie casting as Mariane Pearl.

More later...

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Wednesday Link City

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- Spike Lee gets critical, ripping Coens for their treatment of death in their films, and Eastwood for his omission of black faces in his two Iwo Jima films - HERE and HERE.
- "It's too early to make a judgment call about Cannes' 61st, but no film is blowing audiences out of the water." - IndieWire claims no one is impressed by Cannes 2008 HERE.
- Be very afraid... comedian Eddie Griffin to get his own reality TV series on VH1 titled, Eddie Griffin Going For Broke. Given VH1's track record with reality tv shows (especially those with black faces), I have absolutely no hopes that this will do anything to turn the tide - more HERE.
- The world's "worst filmmaker" wants to make a film about the Janjaweed of Sudan - HERE.
- Somebody at Columbia Pictures must have been reading this blog because a Flash Gordon remake is in the works - HERE.
- From Cracked.com, 5 Upcoming Comic Book Movies That Must Be Stopped and why (John Singleton's Luke Cage is one of them) - HERE.
- World's richest man endorses Obama for president - HERE.
- Obama to Tennessee GOP: "Lay off my wife" - HERE.
- Why is Hillary still hanging on despite Obama's likely eventual win? She's posturing for the 2012 race - HERE.
- Microsoft CEO, Steve Balmer gets egged in Hungary - Video HERE.
- The worlds new tallest building - HERE.
- British medical professionals champion creation of human-animal embryos for disease research. Dr Moreau would be enthused - HERE.

And that's news to me...

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Thursday Linkage...

Posted on 11:23 AM comments (6)
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- Following Oprah's lead, pop culture icon Madonna plans to start building a multimillion-dollar girls' school in Malawi, the southeastern African republic. MORE HERE.
- Check out Cracked.com's humorous list of the "6 Worst Movies Hollywood Almost Made." Number 6 on the list was the planned 2001 remake of Dolemite, starring L.L. Cool J. READ ON HERE.
- A couple of lukewarm reviews of the Cannes opener, Blindness, starring Julianne Moore, Danny Glover and a laundry list of international stars, directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God). The Weinsteins apparently might have some trouble selling this one to American audiences. Read the first one HERE, and the second review HERE.
- I'm giddy! Werner Herzog and David Lynch are teaming up to produce a film called "My Son, My Son," a horror-tinged murder drama based on a true story. I'm a fan of both auteurs, although a bigger fan of Herzog than Lynch (Inland Empire was tedious), and I'll probably always take notice when either of them creates something individually. How could I not be excited at the possibility of a collaboration. MORE HERE.
- CBS buys CNET in $1.8 billion deal. I use CNET occassionally, but I didn't realize it was worth that much loot! READ ON.
- Lastly, the world is indeed full of kooks. Here's one of them...

Wednesday Link City

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The Cannes Film Festival got underway today. Lots of American films will be making their debut, including the opening night film, Blindness, by Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (responsible for 2002's hit although over-rated City of God) starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Danny Glover. Also premiering at the festival is Steven Sodebergh's 4 1/2 hour Che Guevara bio-pic, titled simply Che, starring Benico Del Toro. Yes, 4 1/2 hours! Although it's a favorite to win the Palmes d'Or. More on the festival HERE.

- Now Catholics everywhere can breathe easier because, after much discussion and analysis, the Vatican has reached the conclusion that it's perfectly OK to believe in aliens, and doing so "does not contradict a faith in God." Well, thank GOD for that! More HERE.

- Did you hear the one about the white valedictorian at a historically black men's college? Well, it's true. Read about "a different kind of 'Morehouse Man'" HERE.

- An interesting piece comparing the size of restaurant food portions, 20 years ago and today. Take the "Portion Distortion" test provided by the Department of Health HERE.

- I'm sure everyone has already seen Bill O'Reilly's rampage on Inside Edition. If you haven't, here it is, preceded by Keith Olbermann's color commentary. HI-LA-RI-OUS!!!! How can anyone work with this dude?? Sheesh!


That's all for now folks!

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Weekend Link City...

Posted on 9:43 AM comments (2)
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"It's over my dear. Just let it go. It's over."

- Is tipping racist? Should tipping be outlawed? That's one suggestion made in a new study, which finds there's extreme racial discrimination in taxicab tipping. The practice of tipping emerged in the early 20th century to provide a "consideration" from then primarily white customers to those serving them in menial jobs, who tended to be Black workers. "For some, the practice of tipping was intimately connected to the perceived inferiority of African Americans." MUCH MORE HERE.

- Obama Wouldn't Be First Black President. Were there other "black" presidents? Some historians have reason to believe people don't really understand the genealogy of past U.S. Presidents. Research shows at least five U.S. presidents had black ancestors and Thomas Jefferson, the nation's third president, was considered the first black president, according to historian Leroy Vaughn, author of Black People and Their Place in World History. CONTINUE HERE.

- Nobel laureate and Princeton University professor Toni Morrison clarifies her calling former President Bill Clinton "the first black president" and offers insight on why she endorsed Sen. Barack Obama. 10 QUESTIONS FOR TONI MORRISON.

- Hillary will drop out of race by June 15th. AT HUFFINGTON POST.

- 5 rap lyrics that don’t quite make the math/science grade. A NERD DROPS SOME SCIENCE (or something like that).


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