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COMICS - From Indiewire: Writer-producer Simon Kinberg hopes "Gambit" movie (with Channing Tatum playing Gambit) starts filming in 2017.
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MOVIES - From ScreenDaily: "Tomb Raider" has been set for a March 2018 debut.
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MOVIES - From Deadline: Kiefer Sutherland, who was an original cast member of the film, Flatliners (1990), is likely to join the remake.
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STAR TREK - From YahooNews: "Star Trek Beyond" will introduce Sulu's husband.
From YahooMovies: George Takei, the Sulu from the original Star Trek cast, wishes there were a gay Star Trek character, but does not want Sulu to be that gay character.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Justin Timberlake joins Woody Allen's 2017 unnamed film, which begins shooting this fall.
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COMICS - From YahooNews: It is finally revealed. Mads Mikkelsen will play the villain, Kaecilius, formerly a goon in service of Baron Mordo.
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TELEVISION - From THR: Former FOX News blonde bimbo, Gretchen Carlson, sues FOX News boss, Roger Ailes, for sexual harassment.
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COMICS - From YahooMovies: Tony Stark has been replaced as Iron Man by a young Black woman.
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TELEVISION - From Hitfix: The start of "Game of Thrones" Season 7 to be delayed.
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The Killing of #AltonSterling and #PhilandroCastille and #Dallas:
From YahooNews: Cuba Gooding, Jr. once took a photo with one of the Dallas police officers killed on Thursday, July 7, 2016.
From YahooNews: Dallas Police Chief David Brown earns praise for his steady hand.
From HuffingtonPost: Rudy Giuliani is an racist, opportunistic ass; yet people are still surprised.
From NYTimes: Details emerge in the death of Philandro Castille.
From telSUR: Cops kill detained man #AltonSterling in Baton Rouge, LA.
From RSN: More video related to #AltonSterling
From YahooNews: Katie Couric interviews family of #AltonSterling.
From YahooNews: Federal civil rights investigators were called in Wednesday to probe the fatal police shooting of a black father of five in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge was captured on cell phone video.
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HISTORY - From YahooNews: Slave descendant unites with plantation owner for heartwarming dinner 181 years after families lived there. The plantation owner, a descendant of the plantation's original owner is also a cousin to the slave descendant.
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JAMES BOND - From Variety: Nicolas Winding Refn says that he turned down the directing gig on the recent James Bond film, "Spectre."
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COMICS - From Movieweb: Colin Farrell will play a mystery role in "Justice League."
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COMICS - From DarkHorizons: "Thor: Ragnarok" begins filming.
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OBITS - From TheWrap: Acclaimed Iranian film director, Abbas Kiarostami, has died at the age of 76, Monday, July 4, 2016.
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MOVIES - From VillageVoice: Post-"Twilight" Kristen Stewart continues to astound critic Melissa Anderson.
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OBITS - From TheWrap: The actress Noel Neill has died at the age of 95, Sunday, July 3, 2016. Neill's fame primarily comes from the fact that she was the first actress to portray the character, Lois Lane, from the Superman comic books. She played Lois for the first time in the 1948 film, "Superman," and most famously in the classic 1950s TV series, "The Adventures of Superman."
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MOVIES - From YahooMovies: Chris Costello talks about her father, Lou Costello of the legendary comedy duo, "Abbot & Costello," and her book, "Lou's on First."
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MOVIES - From Variety: Has Steven Spielberg lost his platinum touch?
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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the box office for the four-day, July 4th (2016) holiday weekend is "Finding Dory" with an estimated take of $50.19 million.
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OBIT - From TheGuardian: Robin Hardy, the director of "The Wicker Man" (1973), one of the most unsettling films ever made, has died. He died Friday, July 1, 2016 at the age of 86.
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ANIMATION - From YahooStyle: Disney getting heat about a fat character in their upcoming film, "Moana."
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BOX OFFICE - From TheWrap: "Finding Dory" wins the Saturday box office of the 4th of July weekend.
From YahooCelebrity: "The Legend of Tarzan" doing better than expected. "The BFG" is in trouble.
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COMICS REVIEW - From Patreon: "Don't Be Cruel 2-in-1 Edition Volume 1"
From Patreon: "Tales from the Darkside #1" by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
From Patreon: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens #1" - Marvel Comics adaptation
From Patreon: "Han Solo #1"
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COMICS - From BleedingCool: The long-running worldwide hit manga, Bleach, will end this Fall.
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CULTURE - From TheWrap: Patricia Clarkson on Hollywood Sexism: ‘A White Male Actor Should Never Be Allowed to Complain About Anything’
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OBIT - From TheWrap: Director Michael Cimino has died at the age of 77. He is best known for his film, "The Deer Hunter," for which he won a "Best Director" Oscar. He also directed legendary film flop, "Heaven's Gate."
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OBIT - From NYTimes: Elie Wiesel has died at the age of 87, Saturday, July 2, 2016. Wiesel was an Aushwitz survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner. As an author, his most famous work is the short biographical novel, "Night."
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BOX OFFICE - From Variety: Steven Spielberg's "The BFG" looks like the loser of the July 4th weekend's major new releases. "The Purge 3" looks to be a big hit. It may tie the other big new release, "The Legend of Tarzan" as the top new performer at the box office.
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COMICS - From ScreenRant: Jon Watts is directing "Spider-Man: Homecoming." What can his earlier films, "Cop Car" and "Clown" tells us about what to expect from Spider-Man.
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MOVIES - From BleedingCool: "Underworld: Blood Wars" (the fifth film in the franchise) has been pushed from October 2016 to a January 2017.
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ANIMATION - From Deadline: The 2012 animated film, "Wreck-It Ralph" will have a sequel, due in 2018.
TRAILERS:
From Vevo: See Rihanna's video for the song "Sledgehammer" from "Star Trek Beyond."
From Facebook: Dr. McCoy gives Spock advice in latest "Star Trek Beyond" clip.
From YouTube: The debut trailer for "Why Him?" with James Franco and Bryan Cranston.
Showing posts with label Cuba Gooding Jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cuba Gooding Jr.. Show all posts
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Monday, December 7, 2015
Review: Gripping "Selma" is History Unfarnished
[A version of this review originally appeared on Patreon.]
Selma (2014)
Running time: 128 minutes (2 hours, 8 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including violence, a suggestive moment, and brief strong language
DIRECTOR: Ava DuVernay
WRITER: Paul Webb
PRODUCERS: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Oprah Winfrey
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Bradford Young
EDITOR: Spencer Averick
COMPOSER: Jason Moran
Academy Award winner
DRAMA/HISTORY
Starring: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, Giovanni Ribisi, Andre Holland, Stephan James, Wendell Pierce, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Colman Domingo, Omar Dorsey, Tessa Thompson, Common, Lorraine Toussaint, Lakeith Stanfield, Henry G. Sanders, Charity Jordan, Trai Beyers, Dylan Baker, Stephen Root, Niecy Nash, E. Roger Mitchell, Tim Roth, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Michael Shikany, Brandon O'Dell, Nigel Thatch, and Oprah Winfrey
Selma is a 2014 historical drama from director Ava DuVernay. Written by Paul Webb, the film chronicles the 1965 Selma to Montgomery, Alabama voting rights marches and its leaders: Martin Luther King, Jr., James Bevel, Hosea Williams, and John Lewis. Brad Pitt is one of this film's executive producers.
Selma opens in 1964. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David Oyelowo) of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) accepts his Nobel Peace Prize. King believes that after the passage of the “Civil Rights Act of 1964” (which outlawed discrimination), the next big effort for civil rights should be to secure voting rights for Black Americans, especially in the South. He and the SCLC decide that the campaign to secure equal voting rights will be highlighted with an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.
However, several forces gather to stop the march. President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) wants Dr. King to hold off on seeking voting rights until after Johnson can push through his “War of Poverty” program. Alabama Governor George Wallace (Tim Roth) wants to bring an end to Civil Rights activism in his state, and decides to use force, including state police and local law enforcement, against marchers and protesters.
Meanwhile, Coretta Scott King (Carmen Ejogo), Dr. King's wife, is concerned for her husband's safety and for the disruption to their marriage and danger to his family caused by his work. Younger Black activists, such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), are not happy with Dr. King and the SCLC's methods. Worst of all, dark forces are gathering to keep the marchers from crossing Edmund Pettus Bridge, which will keep them from leaving Selma.
Like many Civil Rights films, documentaries, and television movies, Selma is an epic, but not by being grand. Director Ava DuVernay composes the film as an intimate tale that closes in on its subjects. Selma is not about the struggle of the Civil Rights movement at large, but about the struggle of the key players, especially Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at a particular moment in time.
Now, having seen the film, I cannot understand the controversy that surrounded Selma regarding its portrayal of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Some... what can I call them... fans, admirers, protectors of Johnson's legacy, etc. claimed that Selma played the late President as if he were a villain and an obstacle in the Civil Rights movement. First of all, this film is a dramatization of the events surrounding the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march, and, thus, the President Johnson that appears in the film is a fictional depiction of a real person. Secondly, the doubts, reservations, objections that the fictional Johnson expressed here are the same expressed by other characters in Selma, including characters involved in the marches.
Paul Webb's screenplay for Selma depicts nearly all of the major characters and main supporting players as having feet of clay, of being fragile and vulnerable. They are self-interested and self-serving, often to protect what they see as right for the Civil Rights movement, but also to protect themselves and loved ones in a time that was dangerous for many, but especially for people involved in the movement, in particular for Black people, but also for some White people.
Selma is not colorful and whimsical like fellow best picture Oscar nominee, The Grand Budapest Hotel. It is not arty and guileful like the behind-the-scenes Birdman, with its sense of familiarity for actors. Selma is meat-and-potatoes. DuVernay does not compose the Selma to Montgomery march as a grand, historical event, as if it were a history-changing struggle taking place on the kind of wide-open battlefield that is perfect for an epic conflict.
DuVernay closes in on the players in this movement, showing the inner workings of a social movement. This is not the stuff seen on television, like the march itself. This is that unseen stuff, the details that are not glamorous, and sometimes seems petty and trivial, except to those making them and living with the consequences. This intense focus on the interior workings creates a sense of claustrophobia, but also so of dread. Selma often seems like a thriller, because DuVernay brings the audience in so close that they might feel as if they are there. Watching this film, I felt endangered.
The one glitch in this film, I think, is that it sometimes feels disconnected from the larger Civil Rights movement. It is as if nothing came before the marches or would come after it. Sometimes, Selma simply seems out of context.
As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., David Oyelowo gives Selma its best performance. Oyelowo's is both an imaginative and a bold presentation of Dr. King. In the decades since his assassination, many people have made him both a martyr and, sadly, an idol of adoration. This worship of a false idol is dangerous because it allows people who were or would have been against Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement to appropriate him and the movement. It is as if he is a religious figure that can be reshaped for whatever cause or ideology that needs King's moral position. Oyelowo makes Dr. King human, fragile, and self-serving or self-interested, if not quite selfish. Thus, when Oyelowo brings out the best of Dr. King, it seems genuine and honest, rather than expected.
I think that Selma should have been a more popular film and that it should have received more Oscar nominations than it did (two). In the end, box office and industry accolades don't matter because Selma will stand out as one of the truer cinematic expressions of the Civil Rights movement, which was a fight for freedom and for the soul of the United States of America.
9 of 10
A+
Friday, September 25, 2015
NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA: 1 win: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song” (Common as Lonnie Lynn and John Legend as John Stephens for the song “Glory”); 1 nomination: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner)
2015 Golden Globes, USA: 1 win: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (John Legend and Common for the song, “Glory”); 3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Ava DuVernay), and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (David Oyelowo)
2015 Black Reel Awards: 8 wins: “Outstanding Motion Picture” (Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Christian Colson), “Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture” (David Oyelowo), “Outstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture” (Wendell Pierce), “Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture” (Carmen Ejogo), “Outstanding Director, Motion Picture? (Ava DuVernay), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Aisha Coley), “Outstanding Score” (Jason Moran), and “Outstanding Original Song” (John Legend as performer, writer and Common as performer, writer, and Rhymefest as writer for the song, “Glory”); 2 nominations: “Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male” (André Holland) and “Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male” (Stephan James)
2015 Image Awards: 4 wins: “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (David Oyelowo), “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Common), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Carmen Ejogo); 4 nominations: “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (André Holland), “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Wendell Pierce), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Oprah Winfrey), and “Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture” (Ava DuVernay)
The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
---------------------------------
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Oscar-Winning "Selma" is Returning to Theatres
ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING “SELMA” TO BE RE-RELEASED NATIONWIDE BEGINNING MARCH 20TH
TICKETS ARE ON SALE TODAY
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, Paramount Pictures will re-release its Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award-winning film “SELMA” nationwide for a special encore engagement. The film will play in theaters across the U.S. beginning Friday, March 20th, 2015.
Tickets are on sale today online and at theater box offices. For a list of theaters and to purchase tickets, visit www.SelmaMovie.com
Moviegoers who purchase a ticket to see “SELMA” at a participating theater can receive an additional ticket free. This limited time offer is only available at participating theater box offices.
“SELMA” won an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for “Glory” by Common & John Legend. The film was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture and Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.
“SELMA,” from Paramount Pictures, Pathé, and Harpo Films, is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “SELMA” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history. The film also stars Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”
The film is produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey, the film is executive produced by Brad Pitt, Cameron McCracken, Diarmuid McKeown, Nik Bower, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes and Nan Morales. The film is written by Paul Webb. “SELMA” is directed by Ava DuVernay.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
-----------------
TICKETS ARE ON SALE TODAY
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, Paramount Pictures will re-release its Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award-winning film “SELMA” nationwide for a special encore engagement. The film will play in theaters across the U.S. beginning Friday, March 20th, 2015.
Tickets are on sale today online and at theater box offices. For a list of theaters and to purchase tickets, visit www.SelmaMovie.com
Moviegoers who purchase a ticket to see “SELMA” at a participating theater can receive an additional ticket free. This limited time offer is only available at participating theater box offices.
“SELMA” won an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for “Glory” by Common & John Legend. The film was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture and Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.
“SELMA,” from Paramount Pictures, Pathé, and Harpo Films, is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “SELMA” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history. The film also stars Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”
The film is produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey, the film is executive produced by Brad Pitt, Cameron McCracken, Diarmuid McKeown, Nik Bower, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes and Nan Morales. The film is written by Paul Webb. “SELMA” is directed by Ava DuVernay.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
-----------------
Monday, March 16, 2015
"Selma" Arrives on DVD and Blu-ray May 5, 2015
Experience the Power of Director Ava DuVernay’s Critically Acclaimed Epic SELMA on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack May 5, 2015
Buy It Two Weeks Early on Digital HD April 21, 2015
“This is the film of the year.”—Richard Corliss, Time
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hailed as “extraordinary” (David Denby, The New Yorker), “deeply moving” (Claudia Puig, USA Today) and “a triumph” (A.O. Scott, New York Times), director Ava DuVernay’s powerful drama SELMA debuts on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand May 5, 2015 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The film arrives two weeks early on Digital HD April 21, 2015.
“definitive depiction of the 1960s American civil rights movement”
Embraced by critics and audiences alike, SELMA was named one of the best films of the year by New York Times, New York Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Hollywood Reporter and many more. The film was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture and won the Oscar® for Best Original Song for John Legend and Common’s compelling tribute “Glory.”
Director Ava DuVernay delivers the “definitive depiction of the 1960s American civil rights movement” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post) with the incredible story of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the epic march from Selma to Montgomery to secure equal voting rights in an event that forever altered history. 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary march.
David Oyelowo is “mesmerizing” (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) as Dr. King and leads an outstanding ensemble cast including Academy Award nominee Oprah Winfrey1, Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson2, Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding, Jr.3, Academy Award nominee Tim Roth4, Grammy®-winning artist Common5, Giovanni Ribisi, Carmen Ejogo, and Lorraine Toussaint.
SELMA will be available in a Blu-ray Combo Pack with UltraViolet™ that includes an in-depth exploration of the making of the film, historical newsreels, a video for the Academy Award-winning song “Glory,” featuring John Legend and Common, commentary by director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo, a photo gallery and more.
SELMA Blu-ray Combo Pack
The SELMA Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film, as well as the following:
Blu-ray
Feature film in high definition
The Road to Selma
Recreating Selma
“Glory” Music Video featuring John Legend and Common
Historical Newsreels
Photo Gallery
Deleted and Extended Scenes
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute
Selma Student Tickets: Donor Appreciation
Commentary by director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo
Commentary by director Ava DuVernay, director of photography Bradford Young and editor Spencer Averick
DVD
Feature film in standard definition
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute
Selma Student Tickets: Donor Appreciation
The Blu-ray Combo Pack available for purchase includes a Digital Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices.
SELMA Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition plus a look at the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute and Selma Student Tickets: Donor Appreciation.
Website: http://www.SelmaMovie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/selmamovie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SelmaMovie
Instagram: http://instagram.com/selmamovie
iTunes: http://j.mp/BuySelmaMovieNow
Amazon: http://j.mp/BuySelmaMovie
Paramount Pictures, Pathé and Harpo Films present a Plan B/ Cloud Eight Films/Harpo Films Production in Association with Ingenious Media, an Ava DuVernay film “SELMA.” Executive produced by Brad Pitt, Cameron McCracken, Nik Bower, Diarmuid McKeown, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, and Nan Morales. Produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Oprah Winfrey. Written by Paul Webb. Directed by Ava DuVernay.
About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.
SELMA
Street Date:
May 5, 2015 (Blu-ray Combo/DVD/VOD)
April 21, 2015 (Digital HD)
SRP: $39.99 U.S. (Blu-ray Combo Pack); $29.99 U.S. (DVD)
U.S. Rating: PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including violence, a suggestive moment, and brief strong language
Canadian Rating: PG for violence and mature theme
1 Best Picture , Selma, 2014; Best Actress in a Supporting Role, The Color Purple, 1985
2 Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Michael Clayton, 2007; Best Actor in a Leading Role, In the Bedroom, 2001
3 Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Jerry Maguire, 1996
4 Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Rob Roy, 1995
5 Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, Southside, 2007
“ACADEMY AWARD®” and “OSCAR®” are registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
-----------------
Buy It Two Weeks Early on Digital HD April 21, 2015
“This is the film of the year.”—Richard Corliss, Time
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hailed as “extraordinary” (David Denby, The New Yorker), “deeply moving” (Claudia Puig, USA Today) and “a triumph” (A.O. Scott, New York Times), director Ava DuVernay’s powerful drama SELMA debuts on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand May 5, 2015 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The film arrives two weeks early on Digital HD April 21, 2015.
“definitive depiction of the 1960s American civil rights movement”
Embraced by critics and audiences alike, SELMA was named one of the best films of the year by New York Times, New York Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Hollywood Reporter and many more. The film was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture and won the Oscar® for Best Original Song for John Legend and Common’s compelling tribute “Glory.”
Director Ava DuVernay delivers the “definitive depiction of the 1960s American civil rights movement” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post) with the incredible story of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the epic march from Selma to Montgomery to secure equal voting rights in an event that forever altered history. 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary march.
David Oyelowo is “mesmerizing” (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) as Dr. King and leads an outstanding ensemble cast including Academy Award nominee Oprah Winfrey1, Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson2, Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding, Jr.3, Academy Award nominee Tim Roth4, Grammy®-winning artist Common5, Giovanni Ribisi, Carmen Ejogo, and Lorraine Toussaint.
SELMA will be available in a Blu-ray Combo Pack with UltraViolet™ that includes an in-depth exploration of the making of the film, historical newsreels, a video for the Academy Award-winning song “Glory,” featuring John Legend and Common, commentary by director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo, a photo gallery and more.
SELMA Blu-ray Combo Pack
The SELMA Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film, as well as the following:
Blu-ray
Feature film in high definition
The Road to Selma
Recreating Selma
“Glory” Music Video featuring John Legend and Common
Historical Newsreels
Photo Gallery
Deleted and Extended Scenes
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute
Selma Student Tickets: Donor Appreciation
Commentary by director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo
Commentary by director Ava DuVernay, director of photography Bradford Young and editor Spencer Averick
DVD
Feature film in standard definition
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute
Selma Student Tickets: Donor Appreciation
The Blu-ray Combo Pack available for purchase includes a Digital Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices.
SELMA Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition plus a look at the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute and Selma Student Tickets: Donor Appreciation.
Website: http://www.SelmaMovie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/selmamovie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SelmaMovie
Instagram: http://instagram.com/selmamovie
iTunes: http://j.mp/BuySelmaMovieNow
Amazon: http://j.mp/BuySelmaMovie
Paramount Pictures, Pathé and Harpo Films present a Plan B/ Cloud Eight Films/Harpo Films Production in Association with Ingenious Media, an Ava DuVernay film “SELMA.” Executive produced by Brad Pitt, Cameron McCracken, Nik Bower, Diarmuid McKeown, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, and Nan Morales. Produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Oprah Winfrey. Written by Paul Webb. Directed by Ava DuVernay.
About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.
SELMA
Street Date:
May 5, 2015 (Blu-ray Combo/DVD/VOD)
April 21, 2015 (Digital HD)
SRP: $39.99 U.S. (Blu-ray Combo Pack); $29.99 U.S. (DVD)
U.S. Rating: PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including violence, a suggestive moment, and brief strong language
Canadian Rating: PG for violence and mature theme
1 Best Picture , Selma, 2014; Best Actress in a Supporting Role, The Color Purple, 1985
2 Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Michael Clayton, 2007; Best Actor in a Leading Role, In the Bedroom, 2001
3 Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Jerry Maguire, 1996
4 Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Rob Roy, 1995
5 Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, Southside, 2007
“ACADEMY AWARD®” and “OSCAR®” are registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
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Sunday, January 11, 2015
BET Networks to Air "The Book of Negroes" in February 2015
BET Networks Opens an Exciting New Chapter with the Airing of Its First-ever Miniseries “The Book of Negroes” Premiering Monday, February 16, 2015 at 8 PM ET/PT
The Three Day Television Event is Brought to Life by Leading Actress Aunjanue Ellis, Oscar Winner Cuba Gooding Jr., Oscar & Emmy Winner Louis Gossett Jr., and Leading Actor Lyriq Bent
The Six-hour Miniseries, “The Book Of Negroes,” Is Based on the Critically Acclaimed Best-selling Novel by Lawrence Hill
PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This Black History Month, BET launches its first-ever event miniseries “THE BOOK OF NEGROES,” a six-part historical drama in the tradition of Roots, based on Lawrence Hill’s award-winning, Oprah Winfrey-listed novel (known in the United States as Someone Knows My Name). The highly anticipated television event will run over the course of three consecutive nights in two-hour installments starting Monday, February 16, 2015 at 8 PM ET/PT.
“THE BOOK OF NEGROES” depicts the extraordinary life journey of Aminata Diallo (Aunjanue Ellis) – an indomitable African woman who cuts a swath through a world that is pre-disposed to underestimate her. Kidnapped by slave traders in West Africa and subsequently enslaved in South Carolina, Aminata must navigate her way through the American Revolution in New York, the isolated refuge of Nova Scotia and the treacherous jungles of Sierra Leone before ultimately securing her freedom in England at the dawn of the 19th century. Produced by Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Entertainment, Entertainment One (eOne) and Idelwild Films, the star-studded cast features lead actress Aunjanue Ellis (Ray, The Help), Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men), Oscar and Emmy winner Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots, Boardwalk Empire), Lyriq Bent (Rookie Blue), Oscar nominee Jane Alexander (The Cider House Rules), Ben Chaplin (The Thin Red Line) and Allan Hawco (Republic of Doyle). The highly anticipated event miniseries of THE BOOK OF NEGROES from Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Entertainment, Entertainment One (eOne), and Idlewild Films is executive produced by Damon D'Oliveira (What We Have), Clement Virgo ("The Wire") who also served as co-writer & director, Carrie Stein and Margaret O'Brien.
The Book of Negroes is a historical document which records names and descriptions of 3,000 African-American slaves who had to work for the British army during the American Revolution in order to qualify for their freedom and were evacuated by the British by ship to points in Nova Scotia. The book was assembled by Samuel Birch under the direction of Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester. African Americans who escaped to the British during the American Revolutionary War became the first settlement of Black Canadians. Other Black Loyalists were transported to settlements in several islands in the West Indies and some to London. Recorded in 1783, this 150-page document is the only one to have ever recorded Black Americans in a large, detailed scope of work. Learn more about this seminal document from the author Lawrence Hill at http://www.bet.com/video/the-book-of-negroes/2014/exclusives/what-is-the-book-of-negroes.html.
EPISODIC BREAKDOWN OF THE BOOK OF NEGROES MINISERIES:
Hour 1 Premiering Monday, February 16 at 8 PM ET/PT
On her way home from delivering a baby, twelve year-old Aminata Diallo is kidnapped and her parents killed. Forced to march across West Africa to the Atlantic Ocean, she is looked after by Chekura (Lyriq Bent), a young boy sold to help the slavers. They grow close and are put on the same slave ship. Due to her language and midwifery skills, the Ship’s Doctor values Aminata, though she quickly falls in with the other slaves. Aminata relays information and weapons from above deck to the men, leading to a failed uprising. Upon her arrival in Charleston, SC, she is separated from Chekura and sold to Robinson Appleby, an Indigo Plantation owner. Georgia, a caring older woman, nurses her back to health.
Hour 2 Premiering Monday, February 16 at 9 PM ET/PT
Aminata, now grown beautiful, healthy, and literate, is the flower of Robinson Appleby’s Indigo plantation. After several seasons of deflecting Appleby’s advances, Aminata marries Chekura and has his child. Appleby, infuriated, sells her and her child to separate owners. Her new owners, a Jewish Indigo Trader and his wife, Solomon and Rosa Lindo, are more trusting: they treat her as a servant rather than a slave. But after Rosa’s death and the revelation that Solomon brokered the sale of her child, Aminata’s trust is broken. Lindo, desperate for a distraction to ease his grief, sets sail to New York with Aminata, who plots her escape to freedom.
Hour 3 Premiering Tuesday, February 17 at 8 PM ET/PT
Soon after arriving in New York, the American Revolution breaks out, allowing Aminata to escape Solomon Lindo with the help of an influential Black innkeeper named Sam Fraunces (Cuba Gooding Jr.). She soon settles into a Black ghetto called Canvas Town and befriends several locals, teaching them to read and write, while also delivering babies for the British. Chekura arrives in New York, only to leave again after the British Forces offer freedom to any man who fights the Americans. When Aminata finds Chekura has been injured at the Battle of Saratoga she enlists Sam to help smuggle him across enemy lines. Although she succeeds, she returns to find that, with American victory in New England, Slave owners will be returning North to look for escaped slaves.
Hour 4 Premiering Tuesday, February 17 at 9 PM ET/PT
As peace is declared slavers return to New York in search of runaway slaves. Aminata is offered a job by Cpt. John Clarkson of the British Navy to help recruit Black Loyalists to join them in Nova Scotia as free citizens. With renewed vigour, she begins registering thousands into The Book Of Negroes. When it is finally her turn to go, authorities stop her, as a slaver has made a claim upon her. Convinced it is Solomon Lindo returned to New York, she lets Chekura go ahead and is held for trial. In court, it is revealed that Robertson Appleby has made the claim against her, but she is exonerated at the last moment by the testimony of Lindo, who vouches he gave Aminata her freedom. After being freed, she arrives in barren Nova Scotia to find no sign of Chekura.
Hour 5 Premiering Wednesday, February 18 at 8 PM ET/PT
Aminata arrives pregnant in Shelburne, Nova Scotia and is taken in by Daddy Moses (Louis Gossett Jr.). She is surprised to find that work and food are scarce, with the British failing to deliver the land they promised in New York. After losing her baby to a cholera epidemic, she writes an appeal to the British abolitionists on behalf of Daddy Moses and the blacks of Birchtown. Then Aminata manages to find a job as a Printing Assistant. As the open hostility towards black residents comes to a head after the death of a white citizen, Cpt. John Clarkson, a key abolitionist, arrives offering an escape for the black community to a settlement in Sierra Leone. Just as Aminata begins to recruit her community, Chekura arrives and is reluctant to embark on yet another long journey. A violent race riot breaks out in Shelburne, and Chekura is convinced to join his wife on her homeward journey. They set sail with Daddy Moses, bound for Africa.
Hour 6 Premiering Wednesday, February 18 at 9 PM ET/PT
After arriving in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the Loyalists discover that a previous group of settlers had been sacked and raided by the local ruler. As a result Aminata becomes more engrossed in the idea of returning to her village of Bayo. The local tribes, however, are unwilling to support her and Aminata must enlist the help of Dr. Falconbridge, a longtime resident of Freetown, to approach a group of slave traders to guide her and Chekura inland. They are soon double-crossed and Aminata is forced to flee for her life. After a local tribe takes her in and nurses her back to health, she realizes she must let go of her dream of returning to Bayo, and sets out to London to tell her life story to the world.
For more information on THE BOOK OF NEGROES go to bet.com/bookofnegroes. Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #bookofnegroes.
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, the First Network Designed For Black Women; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
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Saturday, January 3, 2015
Free Showings of "Selma" in Selma, Alabama Beginning January 9th, 2015
AVA DUVERNAY’S “SELMA” TO OPEN IN SELMA, ALABAMA ON JANUARY 9th
IN AN UNPRECEDENTED OFFERING, AND IN THANKS TO THE CITY WHERE THE FILM WAS SHOT, “SELMA” IS BEING SHOWN FOR FREE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY
Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), announced today that the Golden Globe nominated film “SELMA” from director Ava DuVernay will be shown for free to the town’s citizens at the Selma Walton Theater in the city of Selma, Alabama beginning January 9th.
“With deep gratitude to the people of Selma, Alabama, we are proud to share this powerful film depicting the historic events that took place there 50 years ago,” said Oprah Winfrey on behalf of the film's producers. “I hope generations will watch the film and share their stories of remembrance and history together.”
“The city and people of Selma welcomed the production with open arms this past summer and in celebration of the film’s national release on January 9th, we are incredibly excited and very humbled to be bringing Ava’s finished film to the community,” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures.
“I’m so happy that the movie ‘Selma’ will be shown in Selma when it’s released to the nation. I’m so grateful of the fact that Selma has been blessed to have a movie named after it. I’m thankful to the producers, director Ava, and executive producer Paul Garnes for their leadership, and all of the cast for selecting Selma to produce this movie. We must keep in mind that the movie is just that, a movie and not a documentary. May God continue to bless Selma,” said Selma Mayor George P. Evans.
Citizens of the city of Selma, AL can get more information and showtimes at http://www.selmawaltontheater.com/
Directed by DuVernay and starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., “SELMA” has been nominated for 4 Golden Globes, including for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Song (“Glory” by Common and John Legend).
The film also stars Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”
Paramount Pictures, Pathé, and Harpo Films present “SELMA.” Produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey, the film is executive produced by Cameron McCracken, Nik Bower, Diarmuid McKeown, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, and Nan Morales. The film is written by Paul Webb. “SELMA” is directed by Ava DuVernay.
“SELMA” is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “SELMA” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.
Currently open in select cities, “SELMA” opens in theaters nationwide on January 9, 2015. To learn more about the film, go to www.selmamovie.com
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Television, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
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IN AN UNPRECEDENTED OFFERING, AND IN THANKS TO THE CITY WHERE THE FILM WAS SHOT, “SELMA” IS BEING SHOWN FOR FREE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY
Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), announced today that the Golden Globe nominated film “SELMA” from director Ava DuVernay will be shown for free to the town’s citizens at the Selma Walton Theater in the city of Selma, Alabama beginning January 9th.
“With deep gratitude to the people of Selma, Alabama, we are proud to share this powerful film depicting the historic events that took place there 50 years ago,” said Oprah Winfrey on behalf of the film's producers. “I hope generations will watch the film and share their stories of remembrance and history together.”
“The city and people of Selma welcomed the production with open arms this past summer and in celebration of the film’s national release on January 9th, we are incredibly excited and very humbled to be bringing Ava’s finished film to the community,” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures.
“I’m so happy that the movie ‘Selma’ will be shown in Selma when it’s released to the nation. I’m so grateful of the fact that Selma has been blessed to have a movie named after it. I’m thankful to the producers, director Ava, and executive producer Paul Garnes for their leadership, and all of the cast for selecting Selma to produce this movie. We must keep in mind that the movie is just that, a movie and not a documentary. May God continue to bless Selma,” said Selma Mayor George P. Evans.
Citizens of the city of Selma, AL can get more information and showtimes at http://www.selmawaltontheater.com/
Directed by DuVernay and starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., “SELMA” has been nominated for 4 Golden Globes, including for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Song (“Glory” by Common and John Legend).
The film also stars Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”
Paramount Pictures, Pathé, and Harpo Films present “SELMA.” Produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey, the film is executive produced by Cameron McCracken, Nik Bower, Diarmuid McKeown, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, and Nan Morales. The film is written by Paul Webb. “SELMA” is directed by Ava DuVernay.
“SELMA” is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “SELMA” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.
Currently open in select cities, “SELMA” opens in theaters nationwide on January 9, 2015. To learn more about the film, go to www.selmamovie.com
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Television, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
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Thursday, December 11, 2014
Willie Horton Ad President Who Appointed Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court Gets Special Screening of "Selma"
PARAMOUNT PICTURES HOSTED A SPECIAL SCREENING OF “SELMA” FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE H. W. BUSH AND BARBARA BUSH
HOLLYWOOD, CA (December 11, 2014) – Paramount Pictures hosted a special advance screening of its critically acclaimed upcoming film “SELMA” in Houston on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 for President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush and their guests.
“’Selma’ magnificently recreates the strong emotions felt across our nation, vividly taking us back to when Martin Luther King, Jr. led the civil rights movement,” said President Bush. “Together, the filmmakers and cast not only captured the pain and conflict of that challenging time, but also how far we have come as a society – and, in so doing, reminded us how the freedom to protest peacefully and the power of human spirit make America so great.”
Guests included the Bushes’ close family and friends, members of the president’s secret service team and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, and local politicians, among others.
SELMA is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s SELMA tells the real story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history. Starring David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”
The film is produced by Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. Written by Paul Webb. Directed by Ava DuVernay.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
Monday, November 10, 2014
First Trailer for Ava DuVernay's "Selma" Debuts
Watch the first trailer for SELMA
Starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Watch now and read an interview with director Ava DuVernay:
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/watch-martin-luther-king-jr-s-struggle-for-101958230737.html
Can you pass a voting literacy test? - www.SelmaMovie.com/SelmaLiteracyTest
Voting is a topic at the forefront of culture. Whether debating the effects of voter ID laws or discussing the importance of voting to push for more police regulation, we find ourselves at a pivotal time in history. As we approach the theatrical release of SELMA and the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we take a reflective look at where America would be without this powerful movement via an infographic that simply asks the question, “Can you vote?”
In Select Theaters December 25, 2014 - In All Theaters January 9, 2015
SELMA is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s SELMA tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.
Starring: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”
Directed by Ava DuVernay
Written by Paul Webb
Produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Executive Producers: Cameron McCracken, Nik Bower, Diarmuid McKeown, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, Nan Morales
Official Site: http://www.selmamovie.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SelmaMovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/selmamovie
Instagram: http://instagram.com/selmamovie
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Review: "Shadowboxer" is Bat-Shit-Crazy (Happy B'day, Helen Mirren)
Shadowboxer (2005)
Opening date: July 21, 2006
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong graphic violence and sexuality, nudity, language, and some drug use
DIRECTOR: Lee Daniels
WRITER: William Lipz
PRODUCERS: Lisa Cortes, Lee Daniels, Damon Dash, Brook Lenfest, and Dave Robinson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: M. David Mullen
EDITOR: William Chang and Brian A. Kates
CRIME/DRAMA/THRILLER
Starring: Cuba Gooding, Jr., Helen Mirren, Stephen Dorff, Vanessa Ferlito, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Macy Gray, Cullen Flynn Clancy, Tomy Dunster, and Mo’Nique
The subject of this movie review is Shadowboxer, a 2005 crime thriller directed by Lee Daniels. After the film’s theatrical release in the summer of 2006, two of its stars would go on to win Academy Awards, Helen Mirren and Mo’Nique, and one had already won an Oscar, Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Clayton (Stephen Dorff), a nasty crime lord, hires the assassin Rose (Helen Mirren) and her stepson/partner/longtime lover, Mikey (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), to kill his wife, Vickie (Vanessa Ferlito), whom he believes is cheating on him. However, during the hit, Rose, suffering from cancer and on her last job, discovers that Vickie is pregnant and hesitates. Vickie immediately goes into labor and delivers a son. Rose takes mother and newborn and flees with Mikey to a new life in a pastoral suburb. Soon, the baby is seven-year old Anthony (Cullen Flynn Clancy), and the past is about to catch up with this unconventional family.
Shadowboxer is an audacious, unconventional thriller. Director Lee Daniels and writer William Lipz create a crime thriller than can masquerade as a family melodrama. This flick, however, has an awkward pace. Sometimes it is slow, and other times it is a meditative tale that shadowboxes with being philosophical – philosophy that it delivers either through imagery or dialogue. (Mikey religiously practices shadow boxing.) Shadowboxer’s overarching plot is a crime thriller tale full of cold, ruthless murderers, thugs, criminals, and assorted lowlifes, but it often comes across as low budget thriller with most of the actors merely posing rather than acting. The bad guys and badasses come across as stock characters, or maybe the direction they received for their performances was too artsy.
Shadowboxer doesn’t have any great or even really good performances, but this strange off-kilter flick spends the second half builds into a story of an unconventional family coming to grips with itself. The fact that the family members can be a workable nuclear family (even though this merger wasn’t meant to be) only makes seeing things work out that much more desirable. Rooting for this desperate, but loving family makes Shadowboxer’s narrative, pacing, and structural problems all less important.
6 of 10
B
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Review: "Red Tails" Has Wings
Red Tails (2012)
Running time: 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some sequences of war violence
DIRECTOR: Anthony Hemingway
WRITERS: John Ridley and Aaron McGruder; from a story by John Ridley
PRODUCERS: Rick McCallum and Charles F. Johnson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John B. Aronson
EDITORS: Ben Burtt and Michael O'Halloran
COMPOSER: Terence Blanchard
WAR/DRAMA/HISTORICAL
Starring: Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Tristan Wilds, Elijah Kelley, Ne-Yo, Kevin Phillips, Bryan Cranston, Lee Tergensen, Gerald McRaney, Daniela Ruah, Marcus T. Paulk, Leslie Odom, Jr., Michael B. Jordan, Andre Royo, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, and Lars van Riesen
The subject of this movie review is Red Tails, a 2012 war film and historical drama produced by Lucasfilm and released by 20th Century Fox. Starring Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr., Red Tails is a fictionalized portrayal of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American servicemen who served in the United States Air Force (USAAF) during World War II. George Lucas financed Red Tails (both production and distributions costs) and also directed re-shoots for the film.
Red Tails is set in Italy, 1944. The 332d Fighter Group of young African-American (called “Negroes”) USAAF pilots have already made it through recruitment and training in the Tuskegee training program. They have endured racism, and, now that they are in Europe, are still facing segregation from their white counterparts. In fact, they have not flown a single combat mission, but instead conduct strafing runs against German targets and also fly coastal patrols. Even their planes are secondhand, worn out Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft.
Back in Washington, Colonel A.J. Bullard (Terrence Howard) is fighting the white bureaucracy to get his black flyers treated as equals. Meanwhile, in Italy, Major Emanuel Stance (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is keeping his bored men in fighting shape. Opportunity comes when Bullard is asked to have his fighter pilots act as bomber escorts for the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. There is an unacceptably high casualty rate among bomber crews mainly because of the actions of their current escorts. Bullard accepts and also manages to get new planes, North American P-51 Mustangs, for the 332d. With the tails of their aircraft painted bright red, these African-American flyers become known as the “Red Tails.” Now, can they prove themselves to the doubters?
Apparently, the critical consensus on Red Tails is that the film has “one-dimensional characters, corny dialogue, and heaps of clichés.” With the exception of Platoon and a few others, war movies are inherently clichéd. As for the corny dialogue, which is another staple of war films (old and new), that is true, but it is so infrequent that it stands out when someone does utter something trite or contrived.
As for the characters, they are anything but one-dimensional. They are fairly complicated, especially in terms of their motivations, external and internal conflicts, hopes, dreams, and fears. The screenplay is a bit light on the characters’ past, but the most important thing that the audience needs to know about the characters’ past is known. What is that? Well, that is the fact that they are black and that bigots and racists have been trying to hold them back and hurt them all their lives. “Nuff said.
Red Tails isn’t as heavy and dramatic as a war movie like Saving Private Ryan; in fact, sometimes, Red Tails’ drama is a little soft, like a sentimental television movie. Red Tails’ most potent drama comes from the aviation sequences, especially the aerial battles. When the Tuskegee airmen are in the air, the film soars. The scenes of aerial combat are exciting and skillfully executed, but what else would we expect from Lucasfilm, the people who gave us the soaring spacecraft in the Star Wars films.
Some viewers may be put off that Red Tails is a dramatic retelling of a real group of men and their exploits during World War II. Red Tails is more historical fiction than history, but it is still a truly exceptional film. I am just happy that someone made a film to acknowledge the contribution black servicemen made during World War II, because African-American are generally absent when Hollywood visits World War II. I bet many of those same people complaining about Red Tails’ historical inaccuracies never previously gave a thought to the absence of Black men in WWII films.
George Lucas’ 93 million dollar investment in this project is not at all wasted. It is a lovely gift to African-American history and film, and it is a damn good film, also. By the time Red Tails’ end credits faded away, I still could have watched another two hours just like it.
8 of 10
A
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
George Lucas' "Red Tails" Now on Blu-ray and DVD
FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER GEORGE LUCAS COMES THE INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF THE MEN WHOSE BRAVERY MADE THEM HEROES AND WHOSE ACTIONS MADE HISTORY
RED TAILS
Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. Lead an All-Star Cast In The High-Octane Action-Adventure Coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download Just in Time for Memorial Day on May 22
Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment present the remarkable story of an inspirational group of men whose legendary bravery was cemented in the sky in RED TAILS, soaring onto Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download May 22. Set for release just prior to Memorial Day, RED TAILS stars Academy Award® Winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire) and Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) leading a powerful ensemble cast in this high-flying epic inspired by the real-life adventures of the first African-American combat unit to serve in World War II.
Italy, 1944. As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky... even as they battle discrimination on the ground. Featuring jaw-dropping aerial action and thrilling special effects, RED TAILS is a breathtaking tribute to the unsung heroes who rose above extraordinary challenges and ultimately soared into history.
Directed by Anthony Hemingway, RED TAILS features an extraordinary cast which includes David Oyelowo (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Nate Parker (The Secret Life of Bees), Elijah Kelly (Hairspray), Tristan Wilds (“90210”), Method Man (“The Wire”), Ne-Yo (Stomp The Yard), Michael B. Jordon (Chronicle), Leslie Odom, Jr. (“Smash”), Marcus T. Paulk (Take the Lead), Kevin Philips (Pride), Andre Royo (“The Wire”), Daniela Ruah (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Gerald McRaney (“Major Dad”), Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”). The film was produced by Rick McCallum and Charles Floyd Johnson and written by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder.
The RED TAILS Blu-ray™ is loaded with special features including the documentary Double Victory along with profiles of the filmmakers and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The Blu-ray™ and DVD will be available for an average retail price of $25.00 and $20.00 respectively. Prebook is April 25.
RED TAILS Blu-ray Combo Pack Special Features
Double Victory: The Tuskegee Airmen at War
George Lucas: Executive Producer
Anthony Hemingway: Director
Terence Blanchard: Composer
The Cast of Red Tails
Movie Magic
THX Media Director
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.
http://www.redtails2012.com/
Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt
RED TAILS Blu-ray
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 3 hours, 52 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
RED TAILS DVD
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
RED TAILS
Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. Lead an All-Star Cast In The High-Octane Action-Adventure Coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download Just in Time for Memorial Day on May 22
Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment present the remarkable story of an inspirational group of men whose legendary bravery was cemented in the sky in RED TAILS, soaring onto Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download May 22. Set for release just prior to Memorial Day, RED TAILS stars Academy Award® Winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire) and Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) leading a powerful ensemble cast in this high-flying epic inspired by the real-life adventures of the first African-American combat unit to serve in World War II.
Italy, 1944. As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky... even as they battle discrimination on the ground. Featuring jaw-dropping aerial action and thrilling special effects, RED TAILS is a breathtaking tribute to the unsung heroes who rose above extraordinary challenges and ultimately soared into history.
Directed by Anthony Hemingway, RED TAILS features an extraordinary cast which includes David Oyelowo (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Nate Parker (The Secret Life of Bees), Elijah Kelly (Hairspray), Tristan Wilds (“90210”), Method Man (“The Wire”), Ne-Yo (Stomp The Yard), Michael B. Jordon (Chronicle), Leslie Odom, Jr. (“Smash”), Marcus T. Paulk (Take the Lead), Kevin Philips (Pride), Andre Royo (“The Wire”), Daniela Ruah (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Gerald McRaney (“Major Dad”), Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”). The film was produced by Rick McCallum and Charles Floyd Johnson and written by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder.
The RED TAILS Blu-ray™ is loaded with special features including the documentary Double Victory along with profiles of the filmmakers and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The Blu-ray™ and DVD will be available for an average retail price of $25.00 and $20.00 respectively. Prebook is April 25.
RED TAILS Blu-ray Combo Pack Special Features
Double Victory: The Tuskegee Airmen at War
George Lucas: Executive Producer
Anthony Hemingway: Director
Terence Blanchard: Composer
The Cast of Red Tails
Movie Magic
THX Media Director
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.
http://www.redtails2012.com/
Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt
RED TAILS Blu-ray
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 3 hours, 52 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
RED TAILS DVD
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
Monday, August 1, 2011
Lucasfilm Announces "Red Tails" for January 12 2012
Lucasfilm’s Red Tails Will Take Flight on January 20, 2012
Twentieth Century Fox to Release Epic Action Story Inspired by the Heroic Tuskegee Airmen
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A high-flying action epic inspired by the heroic exploits of the first all African-American aerial combat unit, the Lucasfilm Ltd. production of Red Tails will launch on January 20, 2012, released by Twentieth Century Fox. Produced by Rick McCallum and Charles Floyd Johnson, the gripping WWII actioner is directed by Anthony Hemingway (“Treme,” “The Wire,” “Battlestar Galactica”).
“I am humbled and honored to direct the story of the Tuskegee Airmen – heroes who have paved the way so others could have the opportunity to pursue their dreams,” said Hemingway. “To be selected by George Lucas and Rick to direct this film was more than my wildest dreams come true. It’s been a blessing to work with them, along with the amazingly talented artists at Industrial Light & Magic. I’ve grown a lot on many levels from this experience. As director, I had the fortune to work with a highly skilled crew from the Czech Republic, U.K. and the U.S., along with a remarkably talented group of actors. The resonant beauty, strength and dedication of our heroes is reflected in the powerful ensemble cast.”
Red Tails stars Oscar® winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire), Oscar nominee Terrence Howard (Crash), Emmy® winner Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”), Nate Parker (The Secret Life of Bees, The Great Debaters), David Oyelowo (The Last King of Scotland, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Tristan Wilds (“90210”), Grammy® Award winner Cliff Smith aka Method Man (“The Wire”), Kevin Phillips (Pride), Rick Otto (“The Wire”), Lee Tergesen (Monster), Andre Royo (“Heroes”), Grammy-Award winner Ne-Yo (Stomp the Yard), Elijah Kelley (Hairspray), Marcus T. Paulk (Take the Lead), Leslie Odom Jr. (“Grey’s Anatomy”), Michael B. Jordan (“Friday Night Lights,” Chronicle) and Daniela Ruah (“NCIS”).
“I've wanted to do this film for a great many years,” said George Lucas, executive producer of Red Tails. “So it is especially gratifying to see it all come together. It has been a real pleasure to work with Anthony and the extraordinary cast on a project that we all passionately believe in. The Tuskegee Airmen were such superb pilots that it was essential for us to create visual effects that would live up to their heroism and put audiences in the cockpit with them. They were only in their early 20s when they performed these amazing feats,” Lucas added. “They became the best of the best—the top guns. It is an honor to bring to the screen a story inspired by their heroics.”
SYNOPSIS:
1944. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options – including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country – and the fate of the free world.
About Fox Filmed Entertainment
One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Fox International Productions. Twentieth Century Fox International is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a segment of Fox Entertainment Group.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world's leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual effects and audio post-production; LucasArts, a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide; Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties; and Lucasfilm Animation, which produces cutting-edge digital entertainment. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.
Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, Red Tails and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © 2011 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Review: "The Fighting Temptations" Has Good Music and a Good Message (Happy B'day, Beyonce)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 148 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux
The Fighting Temptations (2003)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some sexual references
DIRECTOR: Jonathan Lynn
WRITERS: Elizabeth Hunter and Saladin K. Patterson; from a story by Elizabeth Hunter
PRODUCERS: David Gale, Loretha C. Jones, Benny Medina, and Jeff Pollack
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Affonso Beato
EDITOR: Paul Hirsch
COMEDY/MUSIC
Starring: Cuba Gooding, Jr., Beyoncé Knowles, Mike Epps, Steve Harvey, Angie Stone, Wendell Pierce, Ann Nesby, Faith Evans, Melba Moore, LaTanya Washington, Lou Myers, James E. Gaines, Rev. Shirley Ceasar, Rue McClanahan, Dave Sheridan, Faizon Love, and Eddie Levert, Sr.
Many, many movies are so hackneyed and contrived that you can see the contrivances minutes and if not hours ahead of the actual arrival time. Painfully predictable are the ideas and woefully stereotypical are the characters, but sometimes the movie is so absolutely entertaining and hilarious that it gives a bit of a jolt to the tired term “feel good movie.” Director Jonathan Lynn’s The Fighting Temptations is one that breaks away from the worn mold of which it was created. It is so awe-inspiring and uplifting that it just might have feet tapping for years to come.
Darrin Hill (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is a fast-talking junior level advertising executive who gets canned from his job for lying on his resume. He gets notice that his Aunt Sally (Ann Nesby) has died, so he returns to his hometown of Monte Carlo, Georgia for the funeral, a hometown he and his mother Maryann Hill (Faith Evans) left decades ago when Maryann was kicked from the church choir for singing secular music in a juke joint. Aunt Sally has left Darrin a small fortune ($150,000 in stocks), but to get it he has to direct the local church choir and take them to the annual Gospel Explosion music contest in Atlanta. Darrin, however, faces a stiff challenge for control of the choir from a self-righteous Christian hypocrite (LaTanya Washington). Of course, Darrin also finds a love interest in Lilly (Beyoncé Knowles), a single mother, and she mistrusts Darrin whom she sees as a slick conman.
It would be easy to point out how predictable The Fighting Temptations is, but the truth of the matter is that none of that matters. It’s a wonderful fairy tale full of toe-tapping music that takes the tried-and-true movie formula and uses it con mucho gusto to make TFT like an entirely new song. It’s almost impossible to dislike a movie that so immerses itself in Southern and “down home” stereotypes without demeaning the South. It shows that the eccentricities that are familiar to the South aren’t a bad thing, but are what makes living in the dirty worth it in spite of the bad things.
The music and singing, so big-hearted and full-throated, is what makes this film so special. The humor, however, is tart, tangy, sharp, and occasionally very edgy (especially the running commentary and satire of church people and Christian hypocrites) is also what separates it from being a paint-by-numbers R&B/gospel-flavored film. It’s so much fun, and so damn special.
The acting is pretty good, and Ms. Knowles carries herself quite well despite what previews (with scenes taken out of context) might show, plus the girl can sing down the roof with those awesome pipes. Cuba has seen better days (Jerry Maguire and As Good as it Gets), but he’s purportedly seen worse. Most of the time, he seems a bit stiff and over-compensating, but the truth of the matter is that when he’s allowed to let some of his boundless energy and sharp wit out, he’s absolutely fascinating; he just doesn’t do maudlin drama (and there’s some in this film) well.
It would be nice if a wide audience embraces this film, although early indications are that white folks are staying away. It’s a pity since The Fighting Temptations would probably entertain Southerners of all backgrounds as well as audiences who like My Big Fat Greek Wedding because TFT has a good message about love of family and home. And the music’s so damn (Lawd, forgive me) good.
6 of 10
B
NOTES:
2004 Black Reel Awards: 2 wins: “Best Song” (Beyoncé Knowles and Walter Williams Sr. for "He Still Loves Me") and “Film: Best Soundtrack;” 3 nominations: “Best Actress” (Beyoncé Knowles), “Film: Best Screenplay-Original or Adapted” (Elizabeth Hunter and Saladin K. Patterson), and “Film: Best Theatrical”
2004 Image Awards: 1 win for “Outstanding Motion Picture” and 1 nomination: “Actress in a Motion Picture” (Beyoncé Knowles)
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
"Home on the Range" Thankfully was not the End of Disney Hand Drawn Animation
Home on the Range (2004) – animated film
Running time: 76 minutes (1 hour 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG for brief mild rude humor
DIRECTORS: Will Finn and John Sanford
WRITERS: Will Finn and John Sanford; from a story by Will Finn, John Sanford, Michael LaBash, Sam Levine, Mark Kennedy, and Robert Lence; with additional material from Shirley Pierce, Keith Baxter, Mike Kunkel, Jason Lethcoe, Davy Liu, Donnie Long, Brian Pimental, David Moses Pimentel, Ralph Zondag
PRODUCER: Alice Dewey Goldstone
EDITOR: H. Lee Petersen
COMPOSER: Alan Menken
ANIMATION/COMEDY/FAMILY with some elements of Musical and Western
Starring: (voices) Roseanne Barr, Judi Dench, Jennifer Tilly, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Randy Quaid, Steve Buscemi, Ja’net DuBois, G.W. Bailey, Carole Cook, Charles Dennis, Joe Flaherty, Estelle Harris, Lance LeGault, Charles Haid, Richard Riehle, Mark Walton, Patrick Warburton, Dennis Weaver, and Governor Ann Richards
When Maggie the Cow’s (Roseanne Barr) owner looses his farm after all of his cows (except Maggie) are stolen, Maggie becomes the newest resident of Pearl Gesner’s (Carole Cook) farm, A Patch of Heaven. But Cooke is in debt to the local bank, and the county is foreclosing the farm. It seems, however, Pearl isn’t the only farm in financial dire straights. The bandit, Alameda Slim (Randy Quaid), he of the yodeling voice that hypnotizes cows, is rustling all the cattle in the territory. When the farms and ranches go belly up, in swoops Mr. Y O’Dell to win the auctions on the foreclosed properties.
Maggie joins two other cows, the dour and proper Mrs. Calloway (Judi Dench) and the sweet-natured cow with a poor singing voice Grace (Jennifer Tilly) save the A Patch of Heaven. They resolve to catch Alameda Slim and earn the $750 bounty on his head, just enough to save the farm. But joining in on the bounty hunting fun is Buck (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), a hyperactive horse who wants to be a hero, and Rico (Charles Dennis), a tall and dark bounty hunter with his own nefarious plans.
Home on the Range is reported to be The Walt Disney Company’s Feature Animation unit’s final full-length animated feature done in traditional 2-D or hand drawn animation for the foreseeable future. That ends a 44-year tradition that began with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
, but Disney’s Australian unit will reportedly continued to produce low budget feature length animation for theatrical and straight to video/DVD release. [Since I wrote this review back in 2004, the management of Walt Disney Animation Studios changed, and 2D animation is alive an well at the house of mouse.]If it is, Home on the Range
is the wrong way to go out. It has a few good moments, and some standout voice performances, especially by Cuba Gooding, Jr., Judi Dench, and Jennifer Tilly. There are plenty of interesting or, at least, humorous and likeable characters. I liked Alameda Slim’s three, goofy, identical nephews.But Home on the Range is mainly bad or mostly mediocre. Roseanne’s voiceovers are too up and down – really good or really dull. The art direction is nice but not exceptional, and the color palette is garish and flat. The film story and the pace drag from the beginning, gaining life only in the last quarter hour or so. Alan Menken’s score is also flat and barely alive, unlike his Oscar-winning efforts for such films as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Having Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, and Tim McGraw give voice to the film’s songs don’t help.
Home on the Range is still a decent trip to the movies for (small) kids, but otherwise, this movie is best treated like a direct-to-video release and seen at home.
4 of 10
C
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Review: To Hell with the Razzies, "Norbit" Rocks!
Norbit (2007)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some nudity, and language
DIRECTOR: Brian Robbins
WRITERS: Eddie Murphy & Charles Murphy and Jay Scherick & David Ronn; story by Eddie Murphy & Charles Murphy
PRODUCERS: John Davis and Eddie Murphy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Clark Mathis
EDITOR: Ned Bastille, A.C.E.
Academy Award nominee
COMEDY/ROMANCE
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Eddie Griffin, Terry Crews, and Cuba Gooding, Jr., Clifton Powell, Katt Williams, Lester “Rasta” Speight, and Marlon Wayans
If you were offended by the riotous 2003 Steve Martin/Queen Latifah comedy, Bringing Down the House
, and considered it racially insensitive and filled with racial stereotypes, then the new Eddie Murphy comedy, Norbit, is not for you. Now, onto my glowing review:Abandoned as a baby, Norbit Albert Rice (Eddie Murphy) was an orphan brought up by Mr. Wong (Murphy, again) at the Golden Wonton Restaurant and Orphanage. Lonely and feeling the need for a family, Norbit marries the hefty Rasputia Latimore (Murphy, yet again). A truly dysfunctional family, the monstrous Latimore and her three brothers – Big Jack (Terry Crews), Earl (Clifton Powell), and Blue (Lester “Rasta” Speight) – run Latimore Construction Company, and the Latimore boys use the company as an outpost to run the town of Boiling Springs, Tennessee, as they extort money from the town’s hard-working businesspeople.
Norbit is meek and held in contempt by the enormous Rasputia, and his only friends are two gregarious former pimps, Pope Sweet Jesus (Eddie Griffin) and Lord Have Mercy (Katt Williams). Norbit’s world takes a turn for the better when his childhood betrothed, the lovely Kate (Thandie Newton), returns to Boiling Springs to buy the orphanage from Mr. Wong. Norbit feels love swelling in his heart again, but Kate is engaged to her seemingly adoring fiancé, Deion (Cuba Gooding, Jr.). Deion, however, is a phony, and he’s conspiring with the Latimores to steal the Golden Wonton and turn the orphanage into a revolting strip club.
Meanwhile, Rasputia doesn’t like how chummy Norbit and the Kate have become, nor does she like Norbit’s new found assertiveness. She brings the pain, and now, Norbit must find a way to get through her, her brothers, and anyone else that stands in the way of him getting to his true love, Kate.
Norbit
is Eddie Murphy’s return to the boisterous, ribald comedy that shot him to fame in the 1980’s. When he was a youngster (“The Kid”), he displayed this unruly comedy on “Saturday Night Live
,” in his HBO comedy special Eddie Murphy: Delirious
, and in the film, 48 Hrs
. Rude, crude, and able to do impersonations by putting an uncanny spin on famous figures in American popular culture, Murphy made people laugh. His 1988 film, Coming to America
, revealed his ability to play multiple characters while performing under the work of special effect make-up god emperor, Rick Baker. In the 1996 film, The Nutty Professor
, Murphy took Baker’s make-up and his own ability to create multiple characters to play several characters with surprising grace and felicity. In Norbit, Rick Baker, the winner of six Academy Awards, again does amazing work creating two visually astonishing characters (Rasputia and Mr. Wong) for Murphy to play.As Norbit, Rasputia, and Mr. Wong, Murphy takes everything he’s learned and all the skills he’s sharpened to turn in a bravura performance. This is not to say that the rest of Norbit’s cast doesn’t do great work. They’re funny, but they have very few moments in which they aren’t shining because they’re playing off Murphy. Even Thandie Newton is pitch perfect as the gentle sweetheart, Kate. Still, this is Murphy’s show, and he blazes.
I laughed myself to exhaustion, and cried with laughter the way many people cry with grief. Murphy plays Norbit with such subtlety. Norbit isn’t some nerd stereotype. Murphy has fully realized this character giving him physical habits and ticks (such his penchant for mumbling his frustration and rage). Through the make-up, Murphy humanizes Norbit; in fact, Murphy plays him so well that Norbit comes across as a put-upon man struggling to stand up for himself, rather than as just another movie nerd. This is a performance similar to the one Murphy gave as Professor Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor.
Murphy’s performance as Rasputia is pure, screen brilliance. She’s over the top, but she is also multi-layered. Murphy plays Rasputia for full comic effect that is to comedy what a slew of Oscar-nominated performances are to drama. Some people wondered why Murphy just didn’t let Mo’Nique play Rasputia, but as funny as she is, Mo’Nique could never do what Murphy does with the character.
Norbit is rude and filled with crude, sexual humor, and despite its rating, the film is way too vulgar for a broad family audience. Still, I should not discourage anyone from having a chance to see Murphy. He is a great actor too often thought of as just a great comedian who acts. Basically, Norbit is a laugh-out-loud comedy and there are some talented comics and actors featured in this film. But Murphy’s trio of performances makes Norbit something really special.
8 of 10
A
Sunday, February 11, 2007
NOTES:
2008 Academy Awards: 1 nomination for “Best Achievement in Makeup” (Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji)
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