Recently in Film Category

This film is 44 minutes long and explores the tourist/sex trade down in Jamaica. This is nothing new as foreign women flock to the island for flings, quasi-relationships, and/or to play the role of temporary sugar mamas for Jamaican "escorts" who are essentially gigoloesque contract workers.

I will try to post an interesting documentary once a week on Fridays or the weekend. Just bring your own snacks and beverages and you will be good to go. The intro is long with about 5 minutes of still photos and drawings set to music, but once you get past that the main story gets to be pretty interesting. Language is R rated with expletives used by some of the participants in the film. But overall, it is quite insightful.

Spike Lee is condemning movie director/actor Clint Eastwood for failing to include black soldier portrayals in two of his films, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. Hundreds of black soldiers fought for the Japanese island in 1945.

Lee said: “There were many African-Americans who survived that war and who were upset at Clint for not having one [in the films]. That was his version: the negro soldier did not exist. I have a different version.”

According to the Times Online, Spike said Eastwood had information on blacks who served in the war, but “It’s not like he could say he didn’t know. It was a conscious decision not to have any black people.” READ MORE...

Spike was speaking at a Cannes Film Festival press conference and promoted his new World War II film “Miracle at St. Anna” an epic story about the all-black 92nd Buffalo Division, which fought the Germans in Italy, and four African-American soldiers get trapped in a Tuscan village.

"Miracle at St. Anna" is due out in October 2008 and stars Derek Luke, Kerry Washington, John Leguizamo, Michael Ealy, Joseph Gorden, Derek Luke, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller, Matteo Sciabordi, John Leguizamo, and Joseph Gordon Levitt.

Here is Spike in an interview talking about the Miracle at St. Anna and race.

FINALLY. FINALLY. Someone in the media was brave enough to comment on exactly what is and has been going in film for a long time. I somewhat alluded to this when I wrote a Cuba Gooding Jr. post last year. However, Wesley Morris, a Boston Globe staff writer, wrote a decent article entitled 'A Black Hole,' which appeared in yesterday's Boston Sunday Globe, about black actors, their roles, and black themed films.

He articulated clearly the problem we have with blacks in film. When we get to the heart of the issues, we have one extreme or another in respect to how we are presented in film and the movie industry. To quote him: In film, the choice is either bawdy and preachy or earnest but safe---with a void in between." He made much reference to Tyler Perry, giving him positive acknowledgement for his accomplishments, but on the other hand, appropriately criticizes his style, because as he states "he is black movies right now." In addition, studio executives are looking to emulate the success of Perry's clumsiness.

An important question Morris asks, and I ask myself this every time I see a Grade A actress such as an Angela Bassett landing mediocre roles, is how can a Terrence Howard play a legendary role in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," but be cast as Robert Downey Jr.'s jealous sidekick in "Iron Man?" Morris mentioned Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's next “big” role as Jessica Parker's assistant in the “Sex and the City” movie. What is going on here?

Is straight to DVD the new trend? Seems as if people aren't going to movie theatres anymore. I really enjoy the theatre experience. Vivica's new film will be released on May 13th on DVD and it's about downlow men and raises HIV awareness. She stars with Aunjanue Ellis and the film is directed by Bill Duke (remember him as Abdullah, the black militant activist, in the 1970's movie "Carwash"?). This sounds like an interesting movie, and here is actress and director in an interview about the film, with scenes from the movie.

Madonna adopted an African baby boy, David, from Malawi back in 2006 and the adoption has not been finalized. She says the government is still not used to the concept of adoption. Madonna embarks on a journey exploring the lives of children who have been orphaned by AIDS. This 85 minute film is being shown at the Tribeca Film Festival, and will be available on DVD.

Follow the jump to see the film trailer.

“Framed” Video is presented by Reebok Entertainment, where a celebrity directs an unscripted short film about certain aspects of sports celebrity life, with intent on delivering an inspirational message. There are actually three clips. This is the full episode. The 2nd and 3rd outtakes are entitled “family man” and “spades.” I know Nelly and Iverson fans will love this...I can’t say that I am a fan of either, but I like this unscripted short film concept. I ran across this while checking out a tennis player’s Framed video.

Other celebrities who get “Framed”: Baron Davis (in his short shorts) gets "Framed" by Emmanuelle Chriqui, Regina King “Frames” Vince Young, Thierry Henry gets "Framed" by Paz Vega, Jelena Jankovic gets "Framed" by Brittany Snow.

If you can’t stomach Nelly and Allen, the other films are very good.

Personally I would like to see Boston Red Sox Manny Ramirez "Framed" by Kerry Washington and Tiger Woods "Framed" by LisaRaye. Now, those would be interesting films.

Reference:
Reebok Framed

Mrs. Smith sat down for an interview with BeE Magazine for its Spring 2008 Hollywood Issue. The multiple threat, Pinkett Smith is about to wrap up a 28 day shoot in the film The Human Contract, where she makes her directorial debut. She is quite busy these days being mom, wife, and running her production company, 100% Womon.

She credits Debbie Allen as her role model. Pinkett says, “Debbie was one of the first women who set a benchmark for me. She produced, directed, danced, sang, acted and wore all those hats. She made me realize as a young woman that I could do the same---be a multiple threat.” Jada will continue to work on producing her new television project, MILF & Cookies, and she is developing a film adaptation of the book, The Secret Life of Bees. She has clearly evolved.

Performed last night at the Oscars, and this song sounded so sweet. Jamia Nash's voice continues to mature. I liked all of the live performances. Music and Lyric by Jamal Joseph, Charles Mack and Tevin Thomas. "Raise it Up" was nominated for an Oscar for original song, but was beaten out by "Falling Slowly."