Mish/Mash

OK, I know I said I was gonna post once a day about these old school films (which I still am), but I got caught up having to make a two day trip to San Francisco...I'm sorry, but I DO NOT miss living there....my hometown is falling to pieces on a non-tourist level.

Anyhoo, until I can git ta writin', I'll leave you with my beloved Sergio's opinion of "Just Wright", and a preview of a film that fell into my inbox. If you're looking for a film for the weekend, I highly recommend "Shutter Island", which I viewed online on the plane last night...it's the next best thing to Hitchcock. I have been giving Leonardo DiCaprio the side-eye for over a decade, and though I have liked some of the the films he's been in (Gangs Of New York, for example), I never thought he should be Scorcese's DeNiro replacement muse until this film. I actually think my man can act! lol. Well, here is Sergio's opine on "Just Wright" (and "Mandingo"):

I've seen Just Wright and it's a lame, totally predictable, tepid, boring film. And aside from the fact that you've seen it 1000 times before and can predict everything that's going to happen long before it does, it's TOO nice. King (yes I said KING) Latifah and Common play too of the most blandest, nicest, dullest people on the planet in the film. They're not human, but mannequins. I suspect that Latifah's character in the original script was sassier, tougher and rougher around the edges. You know, a REAL person. But I suspect she's had the script rewritten to eliminate any roughness, least people think that she's too...ahem...manly.

Common is the nicest, safest, NBA player in history. I mean c'mon a NICE considerate NBA player?? Here's an idea...what if the film had made him an arrogant, loud mouth, annoying person (with maybe a baby momma somewhere) to hide the fact that he's an insecure. lonely person afraid his glory years as a player has passed him by. You know a REAL person. And of course keep in mind that he eventually dumps Paula Patton over for the King in the film too. Yeah sure, that's real belivable But I understand this is a fantasy not real life. (Then again didn't he date Serena Williams for a while? Maybe's he's got a thing for mannish chicks)

The film is so lame that it resorts to the old worn out trick of a character (the King in this case) driving an old beat up car that NOBODY in real life would drive just to show that she's "quirky". I still think that film should have been the King and Paula Patton are involved in a relationship and Common comes along, they have a "three way express", he "converts" Patton and they leave off happily ever after. Now THAT would have been a movie.

BUT Mandingo. THAT MY MOVIE! Love it, love it, LOOOOVE IT! One of the still fondest movie going experiences was the first time I saw the film when it came out and there was this brother in the seat behind was doing this HYSTERICAL running commentary during the film and when it got tho the big sex scene with Ken Norton and Susan George (which lasted all of 30 seconds) he had me damn near on the floor rolling. The film is available though Legend Film label in restored widescreen and anamorphic too which you can buy on Amazon or other online video stores. Unfortunately there's no commentary or extras, but the film has never looked this good since it was first released. You know I've got a copy.

From IW: Not surprised about "Just Wright", but I will give my opinion on "Mandingo" over the next couple days.

Here is an independent Black film that came into my inbox; no message, no comment, no synopsis, no nothing--just a link--so I really don't know what to say. Anyway, at least you know there are those out there trying outside of the Hollywood System. Also, you can now sleep at night knowing that the milk carton alert for Joseph C. Phillips is official solved:

In Praise Of Precious....

This is a repost of a guest blog I did on my blogging brother Rippa, aka Rip Dem Up's spot: "The Intersection Of Madness and Reality". Please check him out...he mixes things up over there on a daily basis. Warning--he may piss you off and he loves to do that! PS Thanks to my new followers for doing so, tho I haven't posted in a millennium--love you!



I haven't blogged in a long time--it's not that I haven't wanted to, or had writers block, but somehow I couldn't seem to make the effort. Rippa challenged me to write my thoughts regarding the movie Precious, and the hoopla surrounding it, after reading my heartfelt tweets/anger about the sad folks that started a website to recruit people not to see the film. I mean WTF??

Listen people. I am what you would call the hugest Black Cinema enthusiast. I am completely involved in it every day, whether directly or indirectly via the internet. And for the life of me I cannot understand this backlash on Precious on any level--especially because the bulk of it seems to come from folks who've never even bothered to see it.

I have a blog on Black Cinema, entitled Black Cinema At Large...and on it we have discussed quite often and many times over the problem with Black film today. Most of the common complaints that I have read on my blog are actually addressed and handled beautifully in this film. Want some examples? Here we go:

All we ever get to represent us on screen is either a Tyler Perry film or a Black man in a dress.

This one is easy. Though Tyler Perry executive produced this film, there is absolutely no whiff whatsoever of any Perryism, and only real women play the women, and even 99% of them weren't wearing dresses.


1) Why can't we have a film starring Black people that is just a story? 2) Why do we always have film that puts our pain on screen?

The themes in Precious are universal. There are far, far too many people in the world that are suffering because of poverty and ignorance, not just us. Incest, poverty, and violence are real, in every culture, and happen every single day. Are they never to be addressed on film? This story could happen to anyone, and director Lee Daniels keeps the scenes involving the incest and violence to a minimum, if only just to show the challenges Precious had to break away from. The very focal point of the story is Precious' journey toward enlightenment from darkness. Would it have been easier to view if Precious was light, or was thin, or had long hair? Be honest when you answer that.


1) We are so tired of rappers and singers instead of Black Hollywood actors getting all of the roles in Black film. 2) We never get to see any up and comers given a chance, we see the same actors over and over.

Okay, so Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey are in it. But guess what? Their parts are small, and they actually added some good performances to the story. Lee Daniels made sure that they earned their place in his film--they were not missteps. The main roles are played by someone who has never sang or rapped, Mo'nique, and by newcomer Gabby Sidibe. As I'm sure you've heard or saw by now, both of these actresses put their FOOT in it. Even Paula Patton, who I've never been particularly impressed with as an actress, did an amazing job as Precious' teacher. The students, all unknowns, were completely natural and believable.



When we get a decent Black film made, it never gets any hype or publicity and fades away. All we are left with is coonery.

Ummm...even if you haven't seen this film, you know that it has gotten publicity in a major way, along with tons of major accolades. It broke box office records in it's limited release, and has slowly been expanded it all major markets. This film causes us to actually think, which Americans are probably not used to when watching a movie, and is a Black film that is completely coon free as well--can most wrap their mind around that?


The music and soundtracks in Black film are so awful--what happened to the soundtracks we wanted to buy in the 70's (and 90's)?

When I worked for The Studio That Will Henceforth Remained Unnamed, I was always saying that the soundtrack is an essential tool in creating and effective and compelling film. Daniels seriously knows the value in it as well, and weaves throughout the story added layers of amazing narrative through music; Labelle, Mary J. Blige (produced by Raphael Saadiq), Mahalia Jackson, Queen Latifah; all strong and talented women that came from humble beginnings. And he didn't take the easy way out by filling it with Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey.


The Black Hollywood elite never use their money or clout to back Black films.

Oprah and Tyler Perry? Nuff said



The fact is, if you are paying attention at all, you would know that Precious isn't all about pain, or being ghetto, or fathers raping their daughters, or Black stereotypes. It is about Precious breaking through a foundation of generations of ignorance. Her mother has no value for anything but the basest human functions--food, sex, and TV. Her mind cannot expand beyond what is happening inside of her house, and can barely expand beyond her own animal instincts and thought. Precious lives in the peripheral vision of her mother's mind, only to be recognized when she is hungry, angry, or horny.

The sheer weight of the legacy Precious has to handle, not alone her real weight, make her life almost unbearable. The only difference between Precious and her mother is that Precious has a small ray of hope (though she has no reason to), that she desperately clings to like a life preserver, hoping that one day someone will pull on it and lift her up. She escapes her real life through daydreams and fantasies, until the real life and daydreams start to meld. Yes, tragedy does bring her to a place of enlightenment, but isn't that the case with everyone on this planet? Isn't that why we're here? Does anyone learn anything from having it easy all the time? If you know someone like that, I would be interested to hear about it.

The ignorance of parents passed on to their children is absolutely real. I have been blessed in this life to have two parents that both have their master's degrees, and I have had some very hard and severe challenges in my life with both of them and in life, even on that foundation. But doing some volunteer work in West Oakland (historically a poverty ridden area for a few decades) years ago brought my awareness to a new level....I had always taken for granted so many things that the youth in the community had no knowledge of---the level of ignorance was absolutely crushing....it made me very sad, and very reflective for quite some time. Most of the sadness came from knowing that most of these kids were good, and had so much potential, but it would never be realized because these kids would never be able to move beyond the tools their parents gave them, which was barely above survival level. Most of them had never even been to San Francisco, across the bridge and only 4 miles away.


Precious was able to break free, and the joy of this film is seeing her journey--how when she hears her teacher and her lover speak, she says that "they sound like a channel I don't watch" and instead of being intimidated, strives to be more like them. We see her in a fantastic scene--where the images and sounds surrounding her from all angles; Malcolm X, Shirley Chisholm, the race and civil rights struggle--are slowly but surely chipping away her blindness. Her sheer determination and inexplicable force of will propel her to a life outside of the one she inherited, and though her life does not end up being challenge free, she is a testament that our lives are what we make them to be, and we are the ones solely responsible. And if that is cause for protest, then I got nothin'.

On an added note, anyone who knows anything about producer/director Lee Daniels knows that he consistently and repeatedly steps out of the box. I actually started my blog because of his film "Shadowboxer", because of the unfairness I felt is received from the critics. From that film (with elements of stepmother, son incest), to the very excellent and underrated "The Woodsman" (with pedophilia) to "Monster's Ball" (interracial love and sex) to Precious, Daniels creates images and themes that stir up a myriad of emotions in folks--admiration, reflection, sadness, excitement, anger--everyone has their own interpretation.....and after all, isn't that what art's ultimately supposed to do? If you can't support the content of his films, just be glad that something creative is being done by and for Black people--the studios are watching your every move!

To all of the people who still hate this film, and continue to be vocal about it, I invite you all to marinate on all of the recent studio greenlit Black films coming to a theater near you: Why Did I Get Married 2, Big Mamma's House 3, and Beverly Hills Cop 4---carry on!

More Halloween Shenanigans...

I'd love to report on some new Black film, but nothing has come directly in my radar. I know there is "Good Hair", but for the life of me, I can't seem to be able to force myself to see it. After being told for most of my life that I have "good hair" by stylists (always making me cringe), I find the subject extremely tired, and wish it would be buried. I wear my hair natural and curly, flat ironed, kinky twisted, weaved, braided--and it has nothing to do with my esteem, just fashion and how I feel like wearing it. Can we just let Black women wear their hair the way they want to and leave it at that? I have met plenty of "natural hair" wearing folks that are perfect a-holes, trust. 'Nuff said (not knocking those with natural locks, btw).

Anyhoo, like I said, I have been on a quest to find some Black film to report. After looking forward to attending the Hollywood Film Festival this weekend, I was extremely disappointed to learn that there were no films featuring Brown people on the program list (at least that I could see). I don't mind seeing all types of film, but I am not down with obvious exclusion. Hey, note to the YT film festivals: do you really still have no clue that your events will be 100 times more interesting and well attended if you have even a smidgen of diversity? Just damn!

So I have busied myself with enjoying the October/Halloween offerings, at the movies and on cable. Along with all of the usual Vincent Price standard fanfare, I went to see "Zombieland". There were tons of plot holes abound, but it was the best fun time I've had at a film in a while...I even bought candy, drinks, and popcorn, something I never do at the highway-robbery prices, cause it was the type of film that made you want to have the full movie experience.

I also saw "Paranormal Activity", the kind of real horror film that Ms. I digs very much. There has been a real dearth of horror films over the past decade...I've said this before--I don't consider slasher films real horror film. How many times can you you see some masked dude use a sickle/ax/knife/whatever to kill stupid teenagers and unsuspecting folks minding their own business? And "Saw" and "Hostel" and it's ilk? Just sick in my opinion.


Real horror films are quieter, more involving, and inspire a great sense of dread...usually based in the supernatural. They make you care about the characters, and are based in realism. "The Blair Witch Project" was great, so was "Signs" and "Cloverfield", cause to me it was how real folks would react in real situations in modern times. "Paranormal Activity" was also a complete and total testament that an excellent film could be made on basically no money ($15,000)....this was the real deal to me as far as what defines horror.

Which brings me to this...a subject that comes up here and in my email quite often is why aren't there more Black horror films? I mean, I don't feel "Somebody Help Me" with Omarion and Marques Houston really counted, cause not only was it completely generic, all of the rest of the cast was non-Black. We have "Tales From The Hood", which was a good try, and slightly amusing, but on the horror scale, maybe about a four. What to choose from? "Vampire in Brooklyn" (which I reviewed here)? Da Hip Hop Witch with Ja Rule, Pras, and Vanilla Ice? Crazy As Hell? Frankenhood?

Yes, pickings are slim for a modern Black horror film. "Blacula", as low budget as it was, was at least involving. It seems like we have go back to the '70's once again to see how it's done. One film I would definitely like to give light to ( I talked about it once before here-please click to see beautiful images) is "Ganja and Hess". This is the synopsis on IMDB:

"Dr. Hess Green, an archaeologist overseeing an excavation at the ancient civilization of Myrthia, is stabbed by his research assistant, who then commits suicide. When Hess wakes up, he finds that his wounds have healed, but he now has an insatiable thirst for blood. It turns out that the knife he was stabbed with carried ancient germs that have turned him into a vampire. Soon after, Hess meets his former assistant's wife, Ganja. Though Ganja is initially concerned about her missing husband, she soon falls for Hess. Though they are initially happy together, Ganja will eventually learn the truth about Hess, and about her husband. Will she survive the revelation? Will Hess?"

In the classic real horror movie vein, this film takes it's time, creates atmosphere, draws you into it's visuals and establishes a real story. My beloved Sergio had this to say on a recent comment:

[To] answer Lenox Ave you ought to check out Ganja and Hess, a very weird vampire film (of sorts) made in the early 70's directed by Bill Gunn, who died 20 years ago. I saw it many many years ago with Gunn in attendance (UH OH! Must Love Loves here I go again showing my age) It was recut and butchered in various forms to make it more commercial but it's been restored to its original version and now available on DVD from Image Entertainment. Thanks for reminding me about it. I've been meaning to get a copy myself.

I encourage all of you that are thirsty for Black horror film to see it--buy the video or rent it online and view on your computer for $2.99 HERE at Amazon. And to to read more about Black Horror Films from the '30's to the present, click HERE for Black Horror Films.Com--probably the most comprehensive online.

And all of you aspiring screenwriters--what's up? How about the horror thing? If you really have it as writer, then guess what? You can do it on a shoestring...just do your research and look around even just a little bit. It's time to redefine the genre--we should not have to back 35 years to find something decent, yes?

Speaking of Sergio, we will be on the infamous Afronerd's podcast tonight (10/24) talking about what else? Black Cinema, after Michaela Angela Davis is on. I will be listening, as Michaela got into an online beef with one of my favorite bloggers that I very much stan for. Sergio posted this:

I know that Tyler Perry will be profiled on this coming Sunday’s 60 Minutes, but do you really think anything is going to be revealed about Perry that we don’t know about already? (But then if he was finally to come out on the show that’s a different matter altogether) However I wanted you folks out there to know that Invisible Woman of Invisible Woman Cinema and I be on tomorrow’s podcast of DBurt’s Afronerd Radio from 7:-8:30PM Eastern time – 6-7:30PM Central . The first half of the show her of the wild wild hair (and I love it) cultural and social critic and fashionista Michaela Angela Davis will be the guest for the first half of the show and IW and I will be on the second half to talk about the state Black cinema in 2009. Hope you can take a listen and of course the show will be available for playback anytime after that broadcast on Afronerd’s website, www.afronerd.com

Feel free to call in at: 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronedradio@yahoo.com.

A More Than Guilty Pleasure...

Alrighty...I was tagged (challenged) by my blog sis Issa Rae after I gave her a hard time about revealing her guilty pleasure; Damon Wayans' "Blankman", which surely made me give her the serious telephoto side-eye (to read her post, click HERE).

Forgive me Lord for I have sinned; I actually enjoyed "Norbit". *ducks as tomatoes are thrown*

What can I say? First off, how can you not laugh at a character named "Rasputia"? That is comedy. Every time she got into that tiny MG Midget car and her boobs made the horn blow I laughed. Yes, I realize that's sad, but I still think it's funny.

I kinda like it when Eddie plays a nerd. I happen to think his public persona is one of the most arrogant on earth, and it is very off-putting, but I also think it is to hide the real nerd underneath, that he plays so well in this and "Bowfinger" (another movie of his I happened to really enjoy). I also absolutely adore Thandie Newton.

This film was directed by Brian Robbins, who is responsible for 99% of Eddie Murphy's bombs...I still think Brian has a picture of Eddie and Johnny Gill in a compromising position--why on earth else would Eddie still work with him? But this is the one I don't mind, and would watch again--let the mudslinging on Invisible Woman begin. Issa Rae, I hope you're happy!

Here is a scene of Rasputia and Norbit in the car, and I laughed again while watching it...so sue me...haha!

On The Black/Bi-Racial Thing...

There has been some talk going around the Black Blogosphere on a little ditty called "I'm Bi-Racial, Not Black, Damn It!", a documentary about those of bi-racial heritage not wanting to be placed in the "Black" box. It has opened up an internet debate, of sorts, some saying that there is self-hatred involved, others saying that they empathize.



I have been doing some market research for a film starring Maya Rudolph, and I have found the situation a bit interesting. She is one of the leads, and her husband is white. Her being "Black" or even "bi-racial" never really comes up in the film, as it also is never an issue with Rashida Jones and her white co-leads. Their films are marketed to white audiences in general; think "Away We Go" and the comedy "I Love You, Man". Both films that I found very enjoyable.


For those of you that don't know, Maya Rudolph is the daughter of the late soul singer Minnie Ripperton, and Rashida Jones is the daughter of super-producer Quincy Jones. Unlike Halle, who is bi-racial but darker, their race never really comes up, and they assimilate with no fanfare. Do you think they get work that Black actresses seem to be pining for because of their complexion or because of their talent?

Just out of curiosity, as this has absolutely nothing to do with the film I'm working with, I have this little poll going. Please leave your thoughts on this whole new dust-up on the Black/bi-racial thing in the comments if can--I'd like to hear what you think.