Late Marriage

I’ve been watching films that star Pam Grier and Halle Berry lately. I’ve quite the collection of the two actresses. I recently watched, The Rich Man’s Wife and Executive Decision.

Before that I watched a foreign film called Late Marriage.

It is the story of a man that is 31 years old and has yet to be married. His family pimps him out to all of the eligible single ladies that his family can find. One of the reasons he is still single is that he’s having a sexual relationship with a woman he believes he loves. The woman has been married before and has a young daughter. The man’s parents and family members are totally against there relationship.
Their traditions blacklist the woman and after the entire family confronts the woman, she is forbidden to see the man again.

The film has some funny moments that life brings in some of the most difficult times.
The confrontations on all accounts are interesting. There is a scene between the father and son in the bathroom that is funny and yet disturbing at the same time.

It’s interesting how cultures do things, but people who like to keep tradition think along the same lines. A woman with kids who isn’t married is frowned upon unless she has money and doesn’t need a man to take care of her. She still gets talked about, but there is some admiration for how she keeps things together.

If you love movies this is an interesting film to see. Most foreign films lose something in the translation, but they are still worth a look. If you don’t like reading subtitles then you may want to stay away from this one. The film is in Georgian and Hebrew. It was written and directed by Dover Kosashvili.

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Inside Man/The Perfect Stranger

Last night I did a double feature. I decided I would watch Inside Man one of Spike Lee’s main stream films and The Perfect Stranger which starred Halle Berry.

Inside Man is about a bank robbery of a different kind. It’s not about money and it also challenges the system. The film captures how politics and money can change any situation.

Spike Lee has pulled together a great group of top named actors to bring this film to life.
Denzel Washington who had worked with Spike on two previous films, Mo Better Blues and Malcolm X. Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, and Chiwetel Ejifor. Terrence Blanchard’s music is haunting and interesting as it helps set the pace.

If you haven’t seen this film I highly recommend it. If you like Spike Lee or if you just like thrillers, this is a good film. This is my third or maybe fourth time watching it.

The Perfect Stranger is an interesting film that stars Halle Berry as a woman with a secret. There are actually several secrets going on with many of the characters as they unfold with each scene.

The Perfect Stranger is a sexy film, but what film isn’t if it stars Halle Berry? The film is a thriller with stories unfolding at every turn.

I love films that deal with the human psyche. Just how far will a person go to succeed or to hide a secret?
The Perfect Stranger also stars Bruce Willis, Giovanni Ribisi, and Gary Dourdan. The film is directed by James Foley.

I think I became a fan of Halle Berry’s when she appeared in the film Boomerang with Eddie Murphy. Then I started collecting some of the films. I think I’ll go back and forth watching films by Pam Grier and Halle Berry. They are at the top of my list of actresses. No matter how many times I see their films I’m always entertained and I see the focus and determination to bring a character to life.

My favorite Halle Berry film is Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. That will be next on my list to watch. I’ll be doing a Pam Grier and Halle Berry film fest soon.

If you like any of the stars mentioned above then you will enjoy The Perfect Stranger.
I’m waiting on Halle Berry’s next film, Dark Tide. I’m just not sure if this is the film in which she plays a woman with multiple personalities or if its something different. She was promoting the other film, but there is always controversy when it comes to Halle Berry. I’ll have to do some research on my own. It’s routine for a film to get shelved because of the politics of Hollywood.

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Blaxploitation Films

In the 70’s a new genre was invented, and like all things there are some good and some bad memories. I applaud anyone that gets a film made doesn’t matter if it is bad. I have sat through my share of films that critics would say are bad. Movies are entertaining and provide a place for us to get lost for a while. For someone like me who loves movies, I can always find something interesting and it also inspires me to do better.

I remember as a kid some of the scripts I wrote. I hadn’t really grasp the language yet. I hadn’t learned to listen to people and watch how they react when they are in conversation. When I began recording my cousins and I doing different skits I began to see the flow of language.
I then began recording television shows and movies. I remember writing the original King Kong film so that I could see how the dialogue looked on paper.

This past weekend I watched four movies that were part of a set billed as Bad Mothers and Mean Brothers. The films starred Fred Williamson, Roddy McDowell, Lola Falana, Billy Dee Williams, Elliot Gould, Gene Washington, Martin D’Urville and “Mean” Joe Greene.

A film entitled Velvet Smooth was the funniest of the quartet. It starred a bunch of unknowns who never went on to do anything better. It was a lot of bad acting and even worse karate moves.

Lady Cocoa was a film vehicle for Lola Falana, the first lady of Vegas. It was okay, but when you’re used to someone singing on stage they don’t always make a great cross over into film. It made for an entertaining night.

Final Comedown starred Billy Dee Williams and dealt with the racial struggles of the 70’s. Sort of a take on the Black Panthers. This was very low budget.

Then there was Mean Johnny Barrows which starred Fred Williams as a Vietnam Veteran trying to get back into society, but having nothing available to him. He gets an offer from a mob boss to use his military skills and soon he’s raking in the money.

There was a large abundance of films which as young kids we were eager to see and imitate what we saw on the screen when we got home. Some of the films I had seen I shouldn’t have even been allowed into the theater. As long as no one was doing an inspection the theater just wanted to make money. There were some films we didn’t dare attempt to get in to see alone. Usually we got someone older to get us into the theater. I remember going to the movies with one of my uncles and my aunt.
At least once a week I was going to the movies with friends after we got our allowance.

I remember films like Shaft, The Mack, Superfly, The Doberman Gang (which I’m still trying to find on DVD.) Cotton Comes to Harlem, Come Back Charleston Blue, Shaft in Africa, Watermelon Man, Cleopatra Jones, Blacula, Scream Blacula Scream, Foxy Brown, Slaughter and Bucktown to name a few.
The one film that had a big impact on me was Coffy. I’m sure it had more to do with the voluptuous Pam Grier than the film itself, but I still feel the film holds up. Pam Grier was beautiful. I had never seen anyone on the screen like her before. Pam Grier for me is like my black version of Marilyn Monroe. (I’m also a big fan of Marilyn’s but she had already passed before I knew who she was.) Pam Grier though was more like an obsession. I felt something whenever she was on the screen. (I still do.) I read everything there was to read about her. Once I started collecting movies I knew her films had to be included, but they weren’t that easy to find. It wasn’t until the late 80’s early 90’s that her films became available. There are still some films that I don’t have either because they were just really bad or I have yet to find them on DVD.

I was talking to a friend about actresses who wait until they are older to show off their bodies and it bothers me sometimes. With Pam Grier she started out showing off her body. In later years she had stopped showing her body in love scenes and I respect that. Pam Grier has had an interesting life. One day I would hope to meet her and I know if it is meant to be it will happen.

I remember when I was a senior in High School, Pam Grier was in New Orleans to film Drum. It was a slave picture which starred Ken Norton. Pam Grier was his love interest as she later became in several movies. She had become the wife or the girlfriend.
I was tempted to skip school so that I might get a glimpse of her, but I didn’t want to make my mother angry at me and I decided against it.

I tried many times to write letters and meet her, but it never worked out.

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My take on the 84th Academy Awards

The Oscars

This is one of my favorite Oscar posters. This is from the 69th Academy Awards, 1997.

My take on the Oscars. I’ve said this many times and anyone that knows me knows that I like movies. They are a very important part of my life. I’ve always dreamed of one day winning an Oscar and haven’t really given up on that dream. Perhaps it’ll come from writing a script or maybe I’ll get to be a cinematographer on my own film. If it’s meant to be it’ll happen.

Most people are only concerned with the six major awards. Best Picture, Best Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress. All of the other stuff only means something to people that are really crazy about films.
When I first started going to the movies I would always want to see the credits. My friends would be ready to go and I was interested in who the people behind the scenes were.
I was around 11 years old when I got my first 8mm movie camera. I had my cousins bringing my words and direction to life.

The Oscars pay tribute to the movies and gives out the gold statues to the best of what makes a movie great. Some of it seems wrong because if a movie wins for best sound effects, it would seem as if it should win for best sound editing. If a person gets best director then shouldn’t that film be the best film?
Being acknowledged by your piers is probably a great feeling. So even without the statue you do have a certificate showing you were nominated for your work.
The little statue doesn’t really guarantee anything these days. It’s all about the numbers and how much money you can make for a studio.

Billy Crystal was hosting for the 9th time after years of being away from the awards. He brought back some of the stuff that we loved about him, but there were some slow moments where his delivery and jokes could have been better.
Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz made fun of their rear ends and Robert Downey, Jr. did a skit with Gwenneth Paltrow when they presented the award for a Documentary Feature.

Foreign Language film went to A Separation from Iran. Supporting actress went to Octavia Spencer for The Help. After watching the film a second time she deserved to win.

Film Editing: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Sound editing: Hugo, Sound Mixing: Hugo, Documentary Feature: Undefeated, Animated Feature: Rango which this was a great film ***

Cirque Du Soleil put on an interesting performance, there were a few mishaps but because the stage was dark not everyone would have seen it. You had really look closely.

Visual Effects: Hugo, Supporting Actor went to Christopher Plummer for his role in The Beginner. A big deal was made on his age. He is the oldest recipient of an Oscar. I knew he was going to win because he was playing a gay character. If you know my formula for films it’s a shoe in.
That’s why I was surprised that Glen Close didn’t win for her role.

Musical Score: The Artist, Original Song: Man and Muppet, Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants, Original Screenplay: Midnight in Paris, Live Action short: The Shore, Documentary short subject: Saving Face, Animated Short: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Best Director: Michelle Hinzanavicus for The Artist, Best Actor: Jean DuJardin for The Artist, Best Actress: Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady, this was her 17th nomination and her 3rd Oscar win.

Best Picture went to the French film The Artist. This is the first time that a foreign film has won best picture.

Oprah Winfrey won an honorary Oscar for all of her humanitarian work.
Oprah appeared on Jimmy Kimmel later and was hilarious. I’m not a big fan of Jimmy Kimmel, but lasts nights show was great. He is really liked by a lot of celebs in Hollywood. They have to like him to let down their guard and do the things he has asked of them. He got Oprah to do a tub scene and to make fun of herself.
Now I’ll see if I can see some of the films that were nominated that I feel would be of interest. Perhaps I’ll see something that will inspire me.

Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind.


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The Help revisted

With all of the talk about The Help and the Oscar nominations, I decided to watch the film again. Sometimes I’ll watch a movie and I just won’t be all that into it. Perhaps it had to do with all the hype. Maybe it was my mind set about it being a film about maids. I don’t see where it is a classic film, but it was good. The cast is remarkable. Sissy Spacek is great. I definitely feel Octavia Spencer’s nomination is warranted. I feel the Oscars may go to Viola Davis for best actress and Octavia Spencer for best supporting actress, but since I’ve not seen the other actresses that they are up against I can’t be sure.
Seeing the movie a second time made me see it differently. It was a very interesting film. I really enjoyed it and I do recommend it. There are two actresses from New Orleans that also appear in the film.

I’ll be watching the Oscars to see what wins and what doesn’t. I was disappointed that Leonardo DiCaprio was not nominated for J. Edgar. I’m happy that Billy Crystal is back so it should be an interesting show.

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New Orleans Mardi Gras & Film

Many films have been made and set in New Orleans. Some of them weren’t the best of films, but we remember them anyway. Well, I do.

Many of the films try to incorporate what New Orleans has come to be known for. There’s the French Quarter, Mardi Gras, The Superdome, Voodoo and the Cemeteries.

The French Quarter and Mardi Gras seem to go hand in hand even though no large parade has gone through the French Quarter since 1972 when the Krewe of Bacchus turned off of N. Rampart onto St. Ann. Their theme that year was The Bacchus Book of Horrors. I’ve never forget it as King Kong strolled down the street. It was a different Kong than the one that has become a staple of the Krewe. A young blonde sat in the palm of Kong’s hand above the crowd screaming her lungs out just as Faye Ray had done. As Kong moved further into the Quarter he got tangled up in some of the electrical wiring and the lights went out.

So when movies show something that hasn’t happened in a long time it just rubs me the wrong way. LOL.

Harry Connick, Jr. in his Krewe Orpheus.

There was a film called Murder at the Mardi Gras. I know, I don’t remember it either. Then there was The Killer Bees. All I remember about this film was that the Superdome was newly built and hadn’t even been used for any event. There was a scene in which they figured to get rid of the bees they would drive them inside of the superdome and freeze them. Sharon Glass was the star of this film as she sat in the yellow Volkswagon. The bees were lured onto her vehicle and she drove slowly down the street inside the superdome. Once the bees were frozen she was able to get out of the car. The End.

Then there was Candy Man, Farewell to the Flesh. I happened to be on the set of this film and I knew quite a few people involved in the project. Once again Mardi Gras made an appearance as did a Cemetery and of course the French Quarter.

The Clydesdale horses are a significant part of Mardi Gras and are featured in several parades throughout the season.

Then there was Double Jeopardy which starred Ashley Judd. I’m not sure if there was a Mardi Gras scene, but there was a cemetery scene and lots of scene’s in the French Quarter. What got me in this film was that it was raining and everyone in the French Quarter had these pastel looking umbrellas. First of all there are enough balconies in the Quarter that people rarely carry an umbrella they just walk under the balconies and if its raining too hard they duck into a bar or a restaurant until the rain stops.

The Help

      Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were both on Tavis Smiley and it was quite the conversation. I enjoy when actors have really strong convictions and can be honest. So many interviews are planned ahead and there are certain questions you can and cannot ask.

I enjoyed the film and I’ll have to watch it again because I don’t see all the hype. It was a fun entertaining film. Yes, I’m happy that two black actors are nominated, but were their performances really that great?
What was different about these performances that I hadn't seen in the past?

Tavis brought up a good point that I’ve long made people aware of. If you are going to be nominated for an Oscar, the best roles to play are killers, prostitutes, someone with a mental disorder, someone going through a serious change, devious or someone dying. The best actor and actress category has always gone to the actor portraying one of these attributes. A lot of people have issues with this, but you can't have it both ways. One of my big issues with Hollywood is that the films always have to be sugar coated. There is always that happen ending. Life doesn't always have a happy ending. I think it's one of the reasons I enjoy foreign films so much. They seem more realistic.

In the supporting role it’s always been some what of a comedic role. Whoopi Goldberg won her Oscar for Ghost playing a bad medium.

The point Tavis was trying to make was the fact of the role they are receiving their nomination for playing. I don’t see anything wrong with playing certain roles as long as there is meat to the character. If the character really has something to say and isn’t just there as dressing.

I have had moments where I didn’t like that an actor was nominated for playing a certain role, but its an award voted on by the Academy and some of those members are now black actors. It’s a great honor just to be nominated, but it’s a bigger honor to win. Of course winning doesn’t guarantee any better roles. It just means you might get more bad scripts to go through.

There always seems to be this thing where whenever a black actor is nominated it becomes a race issue. If they don’t win its because they are black. If they don’t win, couldn’t it just be that the other actors were better?
We have to stop basing everything on race because that isn’t always the case even if it helps the psyche of some people. It just fuels anger and there are enough angry people in the world.

Tavis also brought up the point of George Lucas’ Red Tails. I can’t afford to go to the movies like I used too, but I do buy a lot of films. Even if I could have afforded a ticket I’m not sure I would have gone to see Red Tails. It has nothing to do with it being a story about a historical event, but the story has been told. I have a film called, The Tuskegee Airmen that stars Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Allen Payne, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Courtney B. Vance and Andre Braugher.
I’ve never been a big fan of remakes unless the right star is connected with it or if I never saw the original.

That would be the case with The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio, but I’ll save that for another entry.

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