THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora

'Indiana Jones' Cannes Reviews - A Winner?

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Over the weekend, critics at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival got a first look at the surefire summer blockbuster, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the 4th installment of the series, directed by Mr Spielberg himself, and co-written by George Lucas, scheduled to hit theatres this Friday; and now early reviews from those critics who attended the Cannes screening are in. Overall, they are mostly positive, as expected. From all I read, the consensus seems to be that despite a few minor "defects," there's more than enough in the film to thrill the average popcorn muncher!

Here’s are some reviews I've read thus far, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal:

Time magazine: “smart, robust, familiar.” Time
USA Today: “Even with the ponderous dialogue, it’s hard not to have fun on this adventure, and it’s good to see that Indy, though slightly weary, still has the goods.” USA Today
Entertainment Weekly says Harrison Ford is “terrific — and re-energized” but adds that the film “threatens at times to crumble under the weight of all the impersonal zigging and zagging loaded on for the sake of special effects.” Entertainment Weekly
Reuters: “Charmless.” Reuters
New York Post: “On a satisfaction scale, it lands squarely between ‘The Temple of Doom,’ and ‘The Last Crusade.’ ” NY Post
Los Angeles Times: “It avoids being an anticlimax and is entertaining in its own right.” LA Times

I plan to be there on Friday night with my $12, and will share my thoughts over the weekend!


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Tyson At Cannes

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I had no idea!

A documentary on former heavyweight boxing champ, Mike Tyson, premiered at the currently ongoing Cannes Film Festival, and the man himself was present for the screening, and press frenzy that followed.

The documentary was made by filmmaker, James Toback, responsible for some lesser known films like 1999's Black & White, and 1997's Two Girls and a Guy. He also wrote the screenplay for Bugsy, likely his most well-known film, for which he was nominated for an Oscar, although he didn't direct it.

Interestingly, Toback financed the Tyson film himself. Obviously he must have really wanted to make it. According to an interview with the L.A. Times, he said that he was compelled to do the film about a man he's known for 23 years because "there is an ongoing sense of drama about him. He is a man of contradictions and complexities, able to surprise you moment by moment... a balance of fragility and rage."

The reviews for the documentary since the screening at Cannes last week, have been all strong, from those I've read. According to the L.A. Times, Toback said he was taken aback by the intense crowd reaction to the film when it was screened at Cannes on Friday night, calling it an overwhelming spectacle.

From The Hollywood Reporter review of the film: Tyson found Islam in prison; and he's been through rehabilitation. Now, he says, his anger is directed only toward himself. "I'm not an animal anymore," he says in his high-pitched lisp staring at the camera through a dramatic Maori facial tattoo.

The film is to be released in later this year, although I couldn't find any info on who its distributor is.

Here's a video clip of Tyson at the Cannes reception on Friday night.



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"Hancock" In Ratings Trouble?

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Apparently, Will Smith's expected Summer blockbuster, Hancock, is facing somewhat of a battle with the MPAA ratings board. In order to make the film accessible to as wide an audience as possible, the filmmakers have struggled to get the film a PG13 rating from the MPAA. As is, it's an R-Rated film, which automatically reduces its reach.

According to an interview with the director of the film, Peter Berg, at the New York Times, Hancock "has remained surprisingly sexual, violent and true in spirit to an original script that was viewed as brilliant but unmakable." Obviously, not tame enough for the MPAA to award it a PG13 rating.

And now, there are reports that some of the cast, including Will Smith, were called back for reshoots of certain scenes in New York City, as recently as last weekend, which is incredible, when one considers that the film is scheduled to open about a month and a half from now. My guess is that the reshoots are to appease the MPAA and get that coveted PG13 rating!

Hancock hits theatres on July 2nd.

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Denzel, Bad... Tom Cruise, Good... In 28th Amendment

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A week ago, I posted an entry on the first onscreen collaboration between Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington, titled The 28th Amendment, about a president who comes to find out that the United States is actually controlled by a super secret organization who will assassinate anyone who gets in its way. The president realizes his newfound information puts him at the top of the Assassination List.

At the time, there was no word on who would be the protagonist (the president) and who would play the antagonist (likely the head of the super secret organization). The good folks at Moviehole.net are reporting that Tom Cruise will play the President and Denzel will play the head of the super secret organization!

Interesting! I initially thought it would be the other way around. Tom Cruise is too short to be president ;o) I was also hoping for a possible foreshadowing of things to come in reality... Denzel as fictional black president... Obama in '08.

Interestingly, McCain is also rather short, at about 5ft 7inches, which is about how tall Tom Cruise is... hmmm... I smell a conspiracy :o)

However, it's worth noting that America's presidents, going all the way back to George Washington, have been overwhelming tall - at least 6ft.

But I digress...

Cruise will be the good guy president, and Denzel will be the baddie. I wonder if they'll have a fight scene. I'd like to see Tom take on Denzel. My money will be on Denzel though!

Ok, I'm done!


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See Robert Downey Jr Swearing Like A Black Man

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For those who don't know, a "red band trailer" of a film is a trailer that does not adhere to MPAA guidelines for motion picture advertising for all audiences, meaning it will likely include foul language, violence, sexual, or otherwise "objectionable imagery" (Gotta protect the kids, right?). It's usually preceded by a red band, which reads "The following PREVIEW has been approved for RESTRICTED AUDIENCES ONLY by the Motion Picture Association of America."

Obviously, Tropic of Thunder is an R-rated film. Below is the red band trailer released just yesterday. We get to see Robert Downey Jr in black face and an afro, spitting out curse words like "muthafucka" in his best imitation of how us black men supposedly speak. The early buzz on this one is overwhelmingly positive, as fan-boys are drooling in anticipation of its release, which won't be until August.

Friday Funnies - Hillary's WV Constituency Speak

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If I were Hillary, I wouldn't be so proud to know that these are the kinds of people who supported me to a win in the West Virginia democratic primary a few days ago. Sad, sad, sad... but rather humorous as well, hence the "Friday Funnies" tag! Thanks to Harry Allen for the link.


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Saw I, II, III, IV, V, VI... When Will It End?

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I guess Lions Gate intends to give birth to as many of these freaking Saw movies as it can, and enjoy whatever little profits each sequel produces for them.

What I don't understand is why audiences continue to insist on seeing each preposterous sequel, encouraging Lions Gate to continue producing them.

These are the kinds of films that one would expect to see go straight to home video, but, because of how successful each has apparently been for the mini studio, they continue to enjoy theatrical releases as well.

The 5th installment of the series will be in theaters later this year, in time for Halloween. And I just heard that a 6th film will go into production this year, for a 2009 release. Should we expect a 7th and an 8th? Possibly! They've taken it this far, so, why not go even further.

URGHHH!!

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The Cleveland Show

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We rarely get to see black people animated, and certainly not carrying an entire television series. Fat Albert is the first title that comes to mind when I think of prominent black cartoon characters, but the program existed more than 20 years ago. And of course there's Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks series. If anyone can think of others, specifically from the last 20 years, please share.

For the 2009 TV season, Fox TV will air The Cleveland Show, an animated TV series, and spin-off from the mildly popular Family Guy. The Cleveland Show will focus on the character of Cleveland Brown and his family. The story goes... Cleveland moves to Stoolbend, VA with his son, his high school sweetheart Donna and her daughter. Their wacky neighbors include a loudmouth redneck couple, a British family seemingly stuck in the Victorian era and a family of bears. I don't watch Family Guy, although I've seen pieces of episodes, so I really can't say what to expect from The Cleveland Show. The fact that the it's a comedy and the creators are white could be of some concern (I immediately think of the scene in Bamboozled, in which Delacroix creates the "Mantan Show," with a room full of white writers), but I'll wait until I actually see an episode before passing judgement. See the trailer below for more...

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...

Curious George Obama

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Oh brother... shaking my head... Just watch the clip...

From The "Screw Your Poverty" File...

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How much is too much? Apparently, there is no such thing as too much to 48-year old Indian billionaire, Mukesh Ambani, the 6th richest person in the world (according to Forbes Magazine), with an estimated worth of $43 Billion!

I submit into evidence, Antilla, the Ambani family's future domicile, the worlds most expensive home, currently in construction in Mumbai, with a price tag of $2 Billion! Yes, a $2 Billion home. I didn't think such a thing was actually possible. I've seen sprawling centi-million dollar estates owned by Hollywood elite like the Spellings, and tech tycoons like Bill Gates, but Antilla trumps all of those by at least $1 Billion.

So, what does a $2 Billion home include? It's a 27-story skyscraper standing at 550 feet high with 400,000 square feet of interior space, no two floors are alike in either plans or materials used, a lobby with nine elevators, a large ballroom with 80% of its ceiling covered in crystal chandeliers, an ice room where residents and guests can escape the Mumbai heat to a cooled chamber dusted by man-made snow flurries, and the first 6 stories are just garages for their cars.

What does a $2 Billion home look like? Below is a draft by the premiere architects who designed the structure with the Ambani family.

Here's a video clip India's CNN:


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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I Am Become Death, The Destroyer Of Worlds

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As if the 100,000+ killed by a cyclone in Myanmar wasn't heart-wrenching enough, 2 weeks later, another Asian territory is coping with tragedy and loss also caused by a naturally occuring disaster - this time an earthquake in China, with over 12,000 killed, and more than 18,000 still buried underneath the rubble, which means that the death toll could reach 30,000+ if those buried bodies aren't recovered alive. 26,000 are reported to be severely injured.

To have disasters as destructive as these two happen within close proximity in terms of physical space and time, is truly sublime!

What does it all mean, if anything at all? Surely those of us still standing are meant to learn something from this.

There really are no words sufficient... except maybe, always remember... It all ends eventually.

Peace.

Weekend Recap - An FYI And 2 Film Reviews...

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THE FYI

Blog postings will be erratic for the next 3 weeks! I've got a writing deadline to meet at the end of this month, and need to focus intently.

So, hang in there with me. I'll post as I can, when I can.

In the meantime...

THE 2 FILM REVIEWS

I saw Mister Lonely on Saturday night, and Redbelt on Sunday afternoon.

In brief...

Mister Lonely - Genuinely interesting idea for a film, visually rich, mostly well-acted, BUT weak story-telling, unnecessarily pretentious, and longer than it really should have been. Harmony Korine hasn't made a film in 9 years or so, after being labeled (or possibly mislabeled) by many as some kind of wunderkind filmmaker, with then arthouse acclaimed works, Gummo and Julien Donkey-Boy, and screenwriting work for controversial filmmaker/photographer Larry Clark - but this is a rather disappointing return to center-stage. While I found a few select moments to enjoy, mostly those with co-star Samantha Morton, the person I saw the film with almost walked out about half-way through. Worthy of a big screen viewing, if only to take in some of the more appealing visual compositions, and Samantha Morton's performance as an unstable Marilyn Monroe impersonator. Otherwise I'd wait for the DVD. However, if you're not a fan of Korine's, I'd avoid it altogether, unless you're interested in something a little out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the trailer looks much more promising than the film turned out to be. See it below...

Redbelt - Chiwetel Ejiofor meets David Mamet and mixed martial arts with unflattering results for all 3. This should have gone straight to DVD! It's not bad, but worse than you'd expect given the talent involved. It's missing Mamet's trademark stylized dialogue, and doesn't quite earn the weight of the message that its ending wants us to walk away with. A little too methodical and predictable for me. Not what I'd call a "leading-man" creating role for Ejiofor; it's the kind of project I would expect to see Wesley Snipes in, not Ejiofor. But I'd say he did his best with what he was given to work with; however, certain peripheral performances were rather wooden, and in some cases laughable. Unless you're an Ejiofor disciple, or just want to support the man and his efforts, I'd say wait for the DVD, or even possibly, cable TV. You're not missing much here. If you must see a Mamet film, rent Glengarry Glen Ross or Wag the Dog instead. See trailer below as well.




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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Tom And Denzel Together For The First Time?

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According to Entertainment Weekly...

Warner Bros. production president Jeff Robinov is intent on luring Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington together for a film called The 28th Amendment, a political thriller being developed with director Phillip Noyce - responsible for previous similar successes like Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger.

The story is about a president who comes to find out that the United States is actually controlled by a super secret organization who will assassinate anyone who gets in its way. Mr. President realizes his newfound information puts him at the top of the Assassination List.

No word on who will play what roles in the film. I'm guessing one will be the president (the good guy), and the other will be the head of the illuminati (the bad guy).

If this happens, it will be the first collaboration between Tom and Denzel. I'm sure the budget will be astronomical, as will the class of egos on the set :o)


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Sigh... Sigh... Sigh...

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Like most of us, I've been following the devastion caused by the deadly cyclone that ravaged Yangon, Myanmar, the southeast Asian country, last weekend.

What a tragedy! Words simply cannot adequately describe how affecting it all is. According to UN estimates, some 62,000 people are dead, although it's believed that the number will climb as high as 100,000 once all the missing are found! 100,000 human beings - gone... just like that! Chilling!

And now there's news that the UN has halted aid to Myanmar after the military junta started seizing supplies, preventing those still alive, who really need the help from getting it.

As I sit here, in my apartment, opting to work from home today, casually eating my breakfast, catching up on my morning world news, I'm thankful to be able to live the life that I'm currently living, enjoying what seem like simplicities to me, but could be luxuries to others. Moments like these make me realize just how very little I have to be unhappy about, as my life could be far worse than it is now. Suddenly whatever personal "problems" that consumed my mind previously, all seem rather insignificant.

I'm sure eventually it'll all wash away, and I'll be back to my usual worrying self; so I guess the challenge is to find a way to maintain a certain level of constant awareness - one that keeps you focused on what's really important, instead of wasting precious time "sweating the small stuff" - and maybe it mostly is just "small stuff."

We are born; we live; we die. The only part that we have some control over is the part in the middle - the "living" part; so LIVE!

It's News To Me...

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I guess I'm one of the few people who just discovered that Amazon.com now sells grocery items!

I saw an ad on TV late last night, announcing that they've started delivery to the New York area. I visited the link provided in the advert, and noticed the word "beta" right next to the grocery logo towards the top of the page, meaning it's still a relatively new addition to their ever-growing offering of products.

From the little reading up I did, it appears the grocery section of the site was created in 2006, but has been slowly expanding its delivery presence since then. So, it still may not be available in all cities.

This is a site that started out selling just books... now you can get just about anything on Amazon. I won't be surprised if we soon hear of an Amazon dating service!

I suppose my excitment at this little piece of news is due to the fact that I shop at Amazon quite frequently for other items - mostly DVDs, and some smaller electronics. So, I'm really curious to see what they have to offer and how competitive their prices are. I just might utilize the service if I like what I see :o)

Click on the image link below to pick up some peanut butter and jelly to make your samiches, as well as some scrimps for grilling and frying. They've even got organic and gluten-free products for you "cleaner" consumers.


Let The White Man Speak!

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Preach Father... preach! He isn't saying anything that others haven't said before - specifically other black men and women. But it's still wonderful to listen to... and even more thrilling that it's on Fox News...

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It's Hard Out There For An Indie Filmmaker...

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Reading articles like this can be really disheartening for artists working in the film industry. This is an aspect of the process that I loathe - the creation and distribution of profit.

Yes, it's a business like any other, so money has to be made, and shareholders have to be kept happy. It's still rather unfortunate that the art of film has long been overshadowed by the business of film. Every project is essentially commercial product, and seemingly not much more.

Can we sell it? If the answer is yes, regardless of the content and its influence on its target audience, and thus on society as a whole, it will be produced and mass-distributed!

With the unexpected news by Time Warner Inc earlier on today that it's shutting down its foreign and independent subsidiaries (Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures) for economic reasons, coupled with the article below, the prognosis for indie filmmakers looks rather bleak, unfortunately.

It's always been difficult for indies. But whatever surges in interest we've enjoyed over the past 20 years, are officially dimming.

Industry consolidation continues, as the studios gobble up every smaller promising media company (and soon, each other), creating massive conglomerates with arms in every facet of media - TV, print, film, music, Internet, etc - forcing an unhealthy kind of dependence on them by all, making it increasingly difficult for any independent thinker to enjoy even the thinnest trimmings of success! And as we all know, when things gets tough for whitey, you can guarantee that they'll be even tougher for the rest of us!

But yet, somehow, for some reason(s), many of us continue on, despite the challenges we face, and will continue to face... sigh...

From The Hollywood Reporter - a roundtable discussion on indie deal-making:

How vibrant is the independent film scene? How much does it depend on the major film festivals? How useful are the markets that accompany them? On the eve of the Festival de Cannes and its attendant market, The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Galloway discussed those matters with five experts: (clockwise from top left) Newsweek film critic David Ansen; Kirk D'Amico, president and CEO of Myriad Pictures, a production and sales company; Cassian Elwes, co-head of William Morris Independent; Mark Gill, CEO of finance and production company the Film Department; and Avi Lerner, co-chairman and CEO of Nu Image/Millennium Films.

Read it all HERE.

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Introducing W. And The Mrs - By Oliver Stone

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I posted a blog entry about this previously over HERE. Now we get a glimpse of what the stars of the film, Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) and Elizabeth Banks (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), look like after director Oliver Stone's makeup crew had their way with them. I present to you George W and Laura Bush, the president and first lady of these United States (on film anyway). No ETA on when the film (appropriately titled W.) will reach theatres, but you can guarantee it will happen before this fall's election.

Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, where you can read a revealing article about the production of the film, like the fact that no studio would touch the production, and thus Stone had to finance the film independently from foreign investors. Although it's rumored that Lions Gate Entertainment might be the film's eventual distributor. They certainly haven't shied away from controversial material, having distributed Michael Moore's last two documentaries, notably the incendiary Fahrenheit 9/11.




I can see a resemblance... the make-up crew did a decent job given what they had to work with.


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Morgan Freeman Reaches An Epiphany... Finally!!

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From Yahoo Movies:

Morgan Freeman has returned to Broadway with one goal in mind: to try to kill the Morgan Freeman you know and love.

He's sick of playing the all-knowing cop, the principal with a heart of gold, the voice-of-reason sidekick and the ultra-cool president. He's tired of playing God; he's done that twice.

Freeman has a nickname for that kind of role: Mr. Gravitas. And he wants him gone.

"There's a finite number of characters who are like that before you start repeating yourself ad nauseam. I think that's the bigger danger than being Mr. Gravitas," he says.

I am so glad that Mr Freeman finally recognized something about his career path that some of us have long been aware of and hoping that he'll decisively alter! Congratulations Mr Freeman on your seemingly newfound courage :o)

Read the rest HERE.

Now The World Knows My Name. Well, Sort Of... Not Really... Something Like That...

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I've been in South Hadley, Massachusetts since yesterday (Tuesday) morning, visiting Mount Holyoke College, where I was invited by Dr Zetta Elliott, an Assistant Professor at the school, to come and talk to her class about my feature-film, Beautiful Things.

I got a rather surprising, yet encouraging email from Dr Elliott about 3 weeks ago, telling me that my film was on her class curriculum this semester - a class titled, "Sex, Love, & Gender in Contemporary African American Cinema" - and within the email, she had a few questions for me about some of the choices I made in the film, in terms of style, content and meaning.

Her students would later watch and discuss my film as it relates to the class's core subject matter, and after a few more email exchanges with Dr Elliott, me making a trip up to Massachusetts, from New York, seemed like quite a good idea to both of us - a good opportunity to meet and talk to these students of hers who apparently had a lot to say about the film, as well as questions to ask.

I met with the class yesterday afternoon for about 2 1/2 hours, and was rather quite impressed with the investment each of them seemed to have made in the class itself, as well as the depth of their questions with regards to my film, and my thoughts on black cinema in general.

It was a genuinely rich, complex exchange between myself, the class, and Dr Elliott, and I'm elated to have had the opportunity to have been a part in it. The dialogue actually left me a bit flustered, but in a good way, because of the depth and breadth of the questions from the students and Dr Elliott, some of which I had never been asked before, and so had never really given much thought to... and some that were rather personal, that demanded a lot more out of me than I thought I'd have to give in their presence. Any opportunity that challenges you to think even deeper about the person that you are, and the work that you create and present for public consumption, is certainly worthwhile and should be relished!

Overall, it was quite an honor to learn that my film had become "required viewing" in a college classroom, especially one as learned as Mount Holyoke College. Dr Elliott plans on teaching this class again in upcoming semesters, and my film will be a part of the curriculum, and I think that's pretty fucking cool!!!! :o)

I'll likely write a more detailed recap of the time I've spent up here at a later date. I'll be returning to New York this afternoon. I'll return to my usual posting habits tomorrow, as well as repond to those who left comments.

Cheers!

Monday Funnies - What's Wrong With This Picture?

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Courtesy of SFGATE.COM - In Houston, a Texan protesting amnesty for illegal immigrants argues that anyone who can't master English doesn't deserve to live in America. Excellent point lady!! I couldn't agree with her more ;o)

Get Out Your Swiss Army Knife and Duct Tape

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Remember this below? Guess what - it's getting the big screen treatment. How exciting, right? Well, no, not really... but I guess it was only a matter of time. Look out for movie adaptations of other 80s TV classics like Miami Vice - oh wait, they already did that... or how about The A-Team - oops, one is already in the works... well, there's always CHIPs - nope, one is scheduled for release next year... Oh well... why not Benson? Yeah, I'd like to see a Benson movie, wouldn't you? Anyway, here's what's coming next:

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Super Hero Deluge

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With the success of Iron Man this weekend at the box office, it's safe to say that Super Hero flicks are here to stay... at least for the next 3 years, when we can expect to see even more franchises adapted for film theatre screens. I did see Iron Man this past weekend, and it was entertaining. It's a summer extravaganza, so I didn't go in with particularly high expectations, so I was neither disappointed, nor completely fulfilled. Will I see it again? Probably not! Do I recommend it? Sure - why not! Just leave the analytical part of your brain at the entrance doors to the theatre.

So, anyway... I found the following list of upcoming Super Hero films in the pipeline for Marvel Studios (partly or fully responsible for much of the Super Hero fanfare we've seen over the years). I'm sure Super Hero comic book fans are foaming at the mouth in anticipation. Keep in mind that this is just a partial list, meaning there's a lot more that's not listed here!

Marvel Studios Entertainment Pipeline
(Development and release dates for licensed properties are controlled by studio partners)
The Incredible Hulk - Scheduled for June 13, 2008 release
The Punisher: War Zone - Scheduled for December 5, 2008 release
X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Scheduled for May 1, 2009 release
Iron Man 2 - Scheduled for April 30, 2010 release
Thor - Scheduled for June 4, 2010 release
The First Avenger: Captain America (working title) - Scheduled for May 6, 2011 release
The Avengers - Scheduled for July 2011 release
Ant-Man - Writer/Director working on project... no release date yet (Ant-Man?? Are you serious? There really is a Super Hero known as Ant-Man? Geez! How the hell does he fight crime?)

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Diddy Gets His Star, And Hopes For Another...!

Posted on 12:17 PM comments (3)
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Guess they're just giving these things away now aren't they... maybe I can get one too :o) I could be wrong, but I don't recall this much fanfare accompanying any other celebrity's honoring on the Walk of Fame (check the video below). Word is he also threw a $4 million party to celebrate. Ok...!

Diddy makes rap history on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Sean 'Diddy' Combs became the first rapper to be honoured on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday when he unveiled the 2,362nd star outside Hollywood landmark Mann's Chinese Theater.

Fellow rap mogul Russell Simmons and Jamie Foxx were among the celebrities who paid tribute to Diddy at the event.

The ambitious rap star and fashion king now has his sights set on a second star on the Walk of Fame.

He says: "They gave me my thing for music and now I'm trying to find out if, once I become an actor, you'll put another one on there (sic).

"I'm going to get another one, I'm coming back, baby."



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Lots Of "Beautiful Things" To See!

Posted on 11:23 AM comments (4)
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I just received this yesterday via email.

It's actually quite refreshing when I get flyers like this, announcing some random screening(s) of my film, at some venue, in whatever city. It surprises me each time, in a good way of course, to know that there are people out there actually interested in screening it! It's encouraging! This is why people like me do what we do - we create art to share with the world. And it's always especially wonderful when your efforts are appreciated!

So, anyway... those of you in New York City, or who plan to be on any of the 3 days listed below (May 3rd, 9th and 10th), hop on over to Embora Studios and see a worthwhile flick... mine :o)

Details on the flyer:

Speaking Of Vin Diesel...

Posted on 10:42 AM comments (2)
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No need for the "milk carton" alert Invincible Woman! I found where the Diesel has been hiding for the past year or so... in Babylon, A.D.!

Yup, that's the title of his next film which is said to have wrapped production, and is scheduled for release later this year. It's labeled as a futuristic/sci-fi/action movie. The Diesel stars as a mercenary hired to deliver a package from the ravages of post-apocalyptic Eastern Europe to a destination in the megalopolis known as New York City. The "package" is a mysterious young woman with a secret.

It co-stars Michelle Yeoh and will hit theatres in late August. I haven't seen any real trailer for it... just a few teasers that don't give away much. I'm surprised about how quietly the project came to fruition. I knew absolutely nothing about it, until now anyway.

Here's the poster that's been promoted in parts of Europe. The director is Frenchman Mathieu Kassovitz best known for his critically acclaimed 1995 success, La Haine (a film I strongly recommend). You can check out the teaser trailer at the film's website - http://www.babylonad-lefilm.com/teaser/:



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Possibly Vin Diesel's Most Powerful Performance...

Posted on 4:27 PM comments (7)
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I just laid my eyes on the Diesel's very first acting performance - a 20-minute short film he wrote, directed and starred in titled Multi-Facial; a film produced in 1994 that played at the Sundance Film Festival, and won the attention of Steven Spielberg, who would later cast the Diesel in the award winning Saving Private Ryan a few short years later, based almost solely on his performance in Multi-Facial.

I'd heard a lot about this short, but couldn't find it anywhere online, until now anyway... thanks to YouTube! And I must say, it's a decent effort on Mr Diesel's part. It may actually be superior to much of what he's done since then - Saving Private Ryan aside.

In short, through a series of auditions, a young, bi-racial actor in New York City navigates the uncertain world of acting, in which his mixed racial make-up often determines the opportunities that he is presented with, regardless of his skills as an actor and obvious dedication to his craft. The film is based on real events plucked from Diesel's own life. It's an impressive debut, especially when compared to his other efforts, with a rather poignant overall message!

Watch it and share your thoughts below:


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In Anticipation Of Summer Ennui...

Posted on 2:29 PM No Comments
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Intro scenes from David Gordon Green's 2000 arthouse hit, George Washington, a film I recommend...


Wesley Snipes - From Day Walker To Gallow Walker

Posted on 1:10 PM No Comments
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Apparently, while he was busy evading the tax man, Wesley Snipes found time to make this, his next film, entitled, Gallowwalker, a film labeled as a horror/western. The plot: When a nun broke her covenant with God to save the life of Aman, her unborn son, he was cursed for life. As an adult, Aman (Snipes) has killed those who have crossed him. But his curse brings his victims back to life, and as the undead, they pursue him endlessly for revenge. Forever suffering this curse, Aman enlists a young gunman, to fight by his side against his undead victims.

Sounds somewhat like The Blade Trilogy doesn't it?

The film was originally a vehicle for Chinese star, Chow Yun-Fat of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Pirates of the Caribbean fame, amongst many other notable titles. But apparently, nothing came of his involvement. I wonder why...

Anywho... looks like the film may get a theatrical release after all. According to the film's financial backer, Snipes's recent public tax woes have given the star and the film some much needed, unexpected, free press! No idea when it'll be released, and by whom. Although Lions Gate (home to Tyler Perry's library of work) does own USA home video (DVD) rights. You can check out the film's official website HERE and read all about it and more.

Here's the just released trailer:

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iTunes To Sell New Films Day-And-Date

Posted on 12:14 AM No Comments
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Following Time Warner's day-and-date announcement yesterday...

iTunes to sell new films day-and-date.
Apple expected to announce deal with major studios
May 1, 2008

Apple is expected to announce Thursday that it has struck a deal with a wide array of major and mini studios to offer many new releases for purchase at its iTunes Store.

The move would allow a broad slate of top-shelf films to be offered day-and-date with home video releases, which risks cannibalizing DVD sales.

The new arrangement with the studios is expected to involve Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate and New Line. The deal does not include new titles from MGM but does extend to boutique firms such as Magnolia and Image Entertainment.

The deal comes on the heels of Apple's announcement in January that it had signed all of the studios to movie rentals, with each title costing just $3-$4 for consumers to access for a 30-day period. Movie purchases, however, could cost as much as $15.Apple hasn't moved as aggressively to date on film as it has in TV, with most download-to-own devoted to older titles in studio libraries. But Apple's success with those deals, which included MGM, Disney and Paramount, likely encouraged studios to take the next step.In March, Disney CEO Bob Iger publicly estimated that the conglomerate had sold 4 million movies via iTunes since it became the first studio to try download-to-own in 2006. A few major new releases already have been made available day-and-date in recent weeks on iTunes, including Fox's Juno. The announcement is expected to contain new data on the success of Apple's movie revenue to date.

The news follows Wednesday's disclosure by Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes that Warner Bros. will experiment with VOD releases day-and-date with DVD.

The announcement originally was expected to be released earlier in the week, perhaps timed to the fifth anniversary of iTunes, which was Monday. But the announcement was pushed to early Thursday.

Such a move would put significant pressure on iTunes competitors ranging from Amazon's Unbox to Microsoft XBox Live Marketplace.Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

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Time Warner Going Day-And-Date For VOD

Posted on 3:41 PM comments (8)
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It's a start, I suppose... I expect the other studios to eventually follow TW's lead.

I think it's only a matter of time before the theatrical experience loses even more of its luster and every film will see a simultaneous multi-platform release - in theatres, on DVD, and VOD, both over cable TV as well as the Internet, for download onto portable handheld devices, all at the same time, instead of the current staggered method, giving audiences an immediate selection of film-watching options.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

NEW YORK -- Time Warner will this year make available all its DVD film titles on VOD on a day-and-date basis, CEO Jeff Bewkes said Wednesday.

With the first mover advantage among studios, TW expects to "capture a disproportionate VOD share," he said on the conglomerate's first-quarter earnings call. The day-and-date VOD decision comes after extensive trials with Comcast and TW Cable last year, which Bewkes -- who has been the industry's biggest champion of the day-and-date model -- said proved the high margins and positive business effects of this release strategy. For one, DVD sell-through was up a bit in the trials. Also, margins from day-and-date VOD run at 60%-70%, compared with 20%-30% for physical DVD rentals, Bewkes said. "It's very good for the film companies," the TW CEO said.

It is now up to TW and cable operators to work out specific day-and-date deal arrangements before consumers will get to enjoy the benefits. The timing of the first full launches is unclear for now.

Handango Inc.

Groan... Sigh... Bleh...

Posted on 10:25 AM comments (1)
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I don't know about everybody else, but I've just about had enough of the race for the democratic party nomination. I'm quickly becoming indifferent to it all, with all the trivial b.s. being tossed around... from all sides. I groan every time I hear words like primary, or pledged delegate, or superdelegate. I don't recall any recent party contests being this strenuous and prolonged. It all helps the other guy (McCain), unfortunately.

The entire nomination campaign process seems unnecessarily lengthy and complicated.

Enough already!

I think those voting between the two (HC and BO) know very well who their man (or woman) is by now. If you don't know, then you haven't been paying attention.

August can't come quickly enough...

GROAN... SIGH... BLEH...

Akon Calls T-Pain - Wednesday Funnies!

Posted on 10:18 AM No Comments
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Akon Calls T-Pain

I'm not a fan of either, but it's almost impossible to avoid them completely... so I know just enough about each one to think this was funny...

What happens when the two most vocoded voices in music come together… with some butternut reduction?

Hancock Trailer

Posted on 1:19 PM No Comments
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For those who haven't seen the full trailer for Hancock yet, here it is. There've been a couple of TV spots that have popped up on the net as well. But this trailer includes just about every clip I've seen thus far. I must say, it looks a lot better than the earlier teaser trailer which was released late last year. I remember feeling quite underwhelmed when I watched it, and even a little concerned. But this looks more promising than that teaser. I'm sure Hancock will be yet another Will Smith summer box office hit! It reaches theaters over the 4th of July holiday weekend.



Angela Bassett Reports To The 'ER'

Posted on 11:40 AM comments (2)
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I never caught the ERbug, even during its peak period. It's certainly nowhere near as popular as it once was, especially when George Clooney was a cast member. But at least she'll be working on a decent show, I guess...

From Hollywood Reporter:

Angela Bassett to take on a regular role for 'ER' final season
By Nellie Andreeva

"ER" is adding star power for its final season.

Angela Bassett will join the cast of the Emmy-winning medical drama as a regular next season.In her first full-time series gig, Bassett will play a tough attending with a troubled past who's coming back to Chicago after a few years in Indonesia doing tsunami relief. Her arrival in the second episode next season promises to shake County General's ER to the core.

"Angela is a wonderfully talented actress whom I've long hoped to work with," said "ER" exec producer John Wells.

In addition to Bassett, original cast member Noah Wyle will join "ER" for its 15th and final season. Wyle will guest star in at least four of the show's planned 19 episodes.Bassett, who starred in Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns," recently wrapped the B.I.G. biopic "Notorious." She is repped by CAA and Untitled.

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How About A Quickie...

Posted on 3:00 PM No Comments
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"One of us is gonna get that Negro... me and you... what do you say Johnny?"
"You're on your own sistah. "


A few interesting items (at least, to me) worth sharing on a busy Sunday afternoon...

- A foreshadowing of things to come? I certainly hope not. In the 2002 Eddie Murphy futuristic box office dud, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, there is a scene in which Pluto (Murphy) holds up a stack of American dollar bills that have Hillary Clinton's face on them. I just happened to catch this, earlier today, as I was getting my hair cut, flipping through TV channels, and pausing for a few minutes to see Eddie embarrass himself. Interestingly, I've never seen the film, although, like just about everybody else, I've heard and read all the negative reviews of it. The few minutes I did see today certainly justified the reviews it received. Flipping to the channel on which it was screening, right at the exact moment that Pluto flashes the Hillary-adorned dollar bills, was rather chilling, especially since those of us in the room happened to be talking about the race for the democratic party nomination. I hope Pluto doesn't know something that we don't :o) Scary...

- Speaking of Election '08, did anyone catch the story last week about the Jonesville, SC church that put up an exterior sign that read, "Obama, Osama, hmm, are they brothers?" According to Pastor Roger Byrd, he just wanted to get people thinking, claiming that the message wasn't meant to be racial or political. "It's simply to cause people to realize and to see what possibly could happen if we were to get someone in there that does not believe in Jesus Christ," he said. Obama has said repeatedly during his campaign that he is a Christian, not Muslim. Despite some initial criticism, Byrd and his congregation refused to take down the sign. However, after the story got some national attention and accompanying controversy, the sign has come down. I can't remember what the exact number is, but I remember reading somewhere that something like 17% or more of Americans still think Obama is indeed a Muslim. Ignorant actions like those taken by the Jonesville church congregation only help feed those "fears." How Christianlike of Pastor Byrd and his congregation... I'm sure Jesus Christ would approve of your obvious attempts at deception and intent to discredit and demean another human being. May God bless you sir!

- Speaking of God (the absence of God anyway)... what would philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand say about the above pastor and congregation? What would she say about the race for the democratic nomination, if she were still alive? Who is John Galt? The answers to those questions and more could probably be found in her novels, despite the fact that they were published decades ago - notably the literary gigantor for which she is most known, Atlas Shrugged. If you haven't read the tremendous, suspenseful,1100 page novel about "a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world, and does," no problem, because, LionsGate Studios, one of the mini-majors, responsible for all of Tyler Perry's films, is adapting the story for the big screen, with Angelina Jolie starring as protagonist Dagny Taggart - although the actor who will play John Galt, Ayn Rand's vision of the perfect man, is still a mystery. I've read 3 of Ayn Rand's novels (The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged and Anthem), and, to borrow Mr T's word, I pity the fool who attempts to make a film out of any of her works, especially something as dense as Atlas Shrugged. The Fountainhead was adapted in 1949, and starred Gary Cooper, as Howard Roark. I've seen that film, but it doesn't quite do the book justice; maybe it doesn't have to... after all, both are different mediums altogether. Trying to capture an 1100 page novel into a 2-hour movie is impossible. Sure, you could probably summarize the major themes within the novel, but that wouldn't quite be the same as an adaptation. You can read a recent interview with LionsGate chief, Michael Burns, talking about the project, as well as a few words on Akeelah and the Bee, a film that LionsGate also released HERE.

- I was supposed to catch Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha this evening, but I had to give away my ticket, because something else is in demand of my attention tonight. I wish I could say that the "something else" was a booty call but, alas, it's not :o) However, the person I gave my ticket to promised me a review after she sees it tonight. I still plan on checking it out before it leaves the Tribeca Film Festival, but that's not a guarantee. At worst, I'll post my friend's review when I get it...

- If you didn't catch Reverend Jeremiah Wright's interview with Bill Moyers on PBS last week, you should. Thanks to Wigger Lover for the heads up. Here's a piece of it courtesy of the PBS channel on YouTube, where you can find the rest of it (I think there are about 5 parts to it). I believe this is the first interview he's given since the "scandal" with Obama - at least on a major network.

Ok, back to work... later kidz :o)


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