THE OBENSON REPORT

Will Smith will be working with Steven Spielberg for the first time in either of their careers, for a period piece on the trial of the infamous Chicago Seven. Mr Smith will play Black Panther leader, Bobby Seale, who was one of the original eight defendants, indicted by a grand jury, in 1969, for their involvement in violent protests that took place in Chicago, Illinois, during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Early in the trial, Bobby Seale hurled attacks at the Judge, in court, for refusing his requests to postpone the trial, so that his own attorney could represent him. When Seale refused to be silenced, the judge ordered Seale bound and gagged in the courtroom, ultimately severing Seale from the case. He was later sentenced to four years in prison for contempt.

The Chicago Eight then became the Chicago Seven.

If you’ve seen/heard Bobby Seale give one of his many inspiring speeches, you have to wonder if this is something Mr Smith can pull off convincingly. The last time he played a real-life, boisterous, vociferous, A-Type, his performance left me wishing someone else had played the role... but I'm hopeful. With Spielberg at the helm, I expect mostly good things, as he'll be surrounded by a fairly strong cast that includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, and Jeff Daniels.

And along with that bit of good news, I'll share some not-so good news. Will Smith will be flexing his behind-the-camera skills as producer (along with his wife) of an upcoming 2008 television show on the CW network called M.I.L.F. And Cookies! Yes, that's right, M.I.L.F. And Cookies - a 30-minute sitcom about young, sexy single moms living in a luxury apartment community, who "realize that they need each other in order to raise their kids and have social lives." I'm sure we all know what the acronym stands for by now :o)

Also, check out the ongoing discussion on Mr Smith in THIS previous posting below.

Thanks to CINE21 who nabbed some early shots of Will Smith in his super-hero suit for his upcoming 2008 release, Hancock, about a "hard-living superhero (Smith) who has fallen out of favor with the public and enters into a questionable relationship with the wife (Charlize Theron) of the public relations professional (Jason Bateman) who's trying to repair his image."

You can see the rest of the images HERE. Nothing terribly special, but I thought some of you movie geeks might appreciate the early showcase.

Can't say that I'm looking forward to seeing this film. I was rather underwhelmed with what I saw in the only teaser trailer that's been circulating online thus far. It's scheduled to be released on the July 4th holiday weekend, a usually important weekend for studios and their summer blockbusters, so, obviously, Sony, the distributor of the film, has extremely high hopes for it. Will I see it? Probably. It's what I do... I see movies... it's in my job description.

Will Smith has certainly taken his whacks over the years, especially from black critics (myself included, although I've certainly taken my foot of the gas pedal, and recognized Mr Smith for the Hollywood star that he is. In doing so, he's become an easier pill for me to swallow, and I pretty much know what to expect from him, and will stop hoping for more. Although, I'm still waiting for that glorious day when he'll surprise me). But he's held up quite well, and has managed to silence much of the critical noise.

That said, I've already begun to hear chants from voices within the black community (specifically black women) chiding Mr Smith for his apparent lack of interest in playing opposite black actresses in leading roles - most recently citing Hancock as an example, in which Charlize Theron plays his love interest. So, it'll be interesting to see how the film is received when it's released later this year. I'm sure it will make tons of money, which is what really counts to those behind the film... but, given what I've already heard (most recently a brief discussion on NPR's News & Notes program), what could the ramifications be for Mr. Smith and his fan base, if there are any at all?

And also, in connection to my ongoing poll on the right, should we expect more from black stars like Will Smith? Should they be held to some higher standard and looked upon as potential leaders in this ongoing fight for equality and diversity in cinema?

Episode 28 - The Obenson Report on Black Film / Cinema
Sponsored in part by ActNow Foundation

Recorded Monday, December 10, 2007, 9PM
TRT 60 Minutes

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

- A brief preview of shows scheduled for early 2008 - actor/actress showcase, black filmmaker showcase, special guests/co-hosts, and more.
- Wrapping up the year, 3 more episodes to go in 2007. Planning a "year in review" show.
- Tambay's 34th birthday is in 3 weeks, the 28th of December, and announces his next feature film production.
- My review of Spike Lee's 2000 satire, BAMBOOZLED.
- An extensive breakdown of the "Capable Tenth Black Film Collective" Studio idea - non-profit VS for-profit; how exactly will it work? ACT NOW and CONTRIBUTE. Go to www.capabletenth.com to learn more, or contact me with questions/comments/suggestions!

Got something to say? Call the show's voicemail hotline at 1-800-765-7249 and leave a message there, and I might play your message on the show. OR, email me you comments at talk@obensonreport.com; or go to http://www.obensonreport.com/ and leave your comments.

Tambay A Obenson
tao@tambayobenson.com
www.capabletenth.com
www.obensonresport.com