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Hey all....sentimental last post of the year and all that, blah, blah, blah...
I had great fun last night talking to Afronerd and black film lover Sergio, who directs a Black Film Festival in Chicago called "Black Harvest" every August. If you want to hear us in the interview, click here....there is kind of a long music intro, but it's there.
Sergio revealed to us last night (which is probably old news today) that Tyler Perry is in the upcoming "Star Trek" movie. From AOL:
Talk about a casting coup! When Zoe Saldana was cast to play Uhuru, which was originally played by Nichelle Nichols, in the new Star Trek film, I'm sure some folks wondered if there would be more Blacks in the film. Well, low and behold, of all the marketing moves the producers could have done to insure that the African American market was represented, they have cast one of the hottest movers and shakers in the media world to appear in the film, Tyler Perry.
That's right - Tyler Perry. According to the website UGO, they are reporting that Perry, who has never appeared in a film that he didn't write, direct, or produce, will be featured in the film as the head of Starfleet Academy, and in a human form, instead of looking like some alien. Tyler's character is overseeing some kind of Starfleet courtroom/ assembly event where young Kirk is facing expulsion from Starfleet.
From IW: I feel like this role may be well suited for Perry, as his non-Madea acting is very stiff and unnatural, just like a legal prosecutor.
Here is the poster for "Hancock", a film starring Will Smith as a down and out former superhero. Original subject matter...I'm sure it will do well and add $25 million more dollars to the Smiths already overstuffed bank account.
"The Great Debaters" is being touted as coming in at 11th place in the box office, giving it the illusion of failure, but DO NOT be fooled. This movie was in a very limited number of theaters, less than half of what the holiday blockbusters are normally booked into. So in actuality, this film did very well, just not compared to a film that was released in 3,500 theaters instead of 1,171. Feel me?
And last, but not least, Invisible Woman is going to be a little cliche and give her end of the year thank you to you all....my blog has grown 13,000% since I first started....at the beginning I was so worried that no one would find it/read it that I almost didn't go thru with starting it. I don't want to slight anyone, so know that every single blog that is linked on my sidebar is truly, truly appreciated through and through, as well as my non-blogging readers. May your 2008 blow up like 92 tons of dynamite!
trivia; btw, "auld lang syne" means "a long time ago" in scottish. a bit depressing, no? i think i'll ring in my new year with something a little more uplifting, like kanye, haha
13 comments:
Happy New Year IW!!
IW...Happy New Year and many, many blessings to you and yours in 2008!
I listened to the show and Sergio mentioned the "built-in audience" thing that people keep saying about Tyler Perry. It's been bothering me for a while that people have reserved that term for him and it's really an insult. When we talk about Scorsese or any other director that has a dedicated fan base we don't create a special term for it, so why does Tyler Perry get this special treatment. I believe many people in the industry are jealous and use the term to imply that he is not earning money off of the strength of his work. He wasn't born with that audience, he earned it, and we need to give the man equal treatment.
I'll save the rest of my feelings about that for an article I'm working on, but since Black Harvest was mentioned I'll tell you a little about my experience with it. I spent much money there and you must, I mean MUST, love motion pictures to sit through most of what I saw. I was amazed at how proud some of these people were of the movies they made, they really didn't seem to realize how horrible these things were. There were a couple that I liked, but nothing that blew me away. I'll be back again this August though, I can't help myself.
The last thing I'll address is the black talent issue as it relates to directors. Unless your just extremely lucky, it will take a great deal reading, watching films, and learning how to shoot (composition, editing, lighting, sound, learning the pros and cons of various shooting formats, etc.) and this doesn't even include learning the art and craft of directing itself (ie. working with actors, narrative structure, etc.). In my experience many people, regardless of race, give up when they find out how hard it is. On top of that many black people are not raised to have respect for the arts as an area of study. Most of the older black people that found out what I was going to major in (cinematography) gave me these doom and gloom stories about how going to an art school was not a smart choice for a young black person, I should become an accountant or an engineer, do something that's "useful". This is actually more of a class issue than a race issue, but for obvious reasons it effects blacks more than whites, and then you have all of the other factors in the industry and society in general that discourage black directors before they have a chance to develop.
There's much more to be said on that, but I'm off my soap box for now.
I wish you the best for the new year.
Happy New Year, IW!!
Happy New Year to everyone...
@qadree: Amen!
Let's wait and see the mainstream medias response when Tyler continues to command a large turn out 'without' his name in the title.
happy new year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I pray an awesome year for us all!
Okay, I don't remember seeing that picture of Will Smith when I left my first comment! His lips make me wanna kiss my laptop screen! LOL
Happy New Year IW! Peace, blessings and prosperity to you. :)
I am a serious trekkie, so I was already looking forward to the movie. These latest casting additions makes it even better.
Happy New Year.
I dont know about the Star Trek movie, somethings are best to leave alone because they were done right the first time.
I forgot about the Hancock movie I will be on the look out for it.
Happy New Year to you guys too...love having you hang out at my blog :-)
@Shelia: I agree with clnmike--haven't really been into Star Trek since the original, tho i might check out this one, it seems a little more interesting. As for Hancock, I definitely want to see that one.
@chocl8te: you must really love you some Will...to me he looks like Leroy the Crackhead from the Dave Chapelle show in that picture, lol!
@qadree: please write a post about it...I would love to repost in on my blog....let me know!
i'll watch anything that Will Smith does. even though i didn't like "I Am Legend" he gets at least two more passes. hell i gave Sam L. 6 chances.
darkbrotha--i just don't understand why no likeey the i am legend....i really want to see hancock, but nothing that sam jackson is in.
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