2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards Announced; Idris Elba Wins Twice

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide.  Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members.  The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

Winners of the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards were revealed during the awards ceremony on Saturday, January 30, 2016 that was simultaneously telecast on TBS and TNT.

The “Ensemble” categories are SAG's equivalent of a “Best Picture” or “Best Television Series” award.

2016/22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards winners:

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
SPOTLIGHT (Open Road Films)
BILLY CRUDUP / Eric MacLeish
BRIAN D’ARCY JAMES / Matty Carroll
MICHAEL KEATON / Walter “Robby” Robinson
RACHEL McADAMS / Sacha Pfeiffer
MARK RUFFALO / Michael Rezendes
LIEV SCHREIBER / Marty Baron
JOHN SLATTERY / Ben Bradlee, Jr.
STANLEY TUCCI / Mitchell Garabedian

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Hugh Glass – “THE REVENANT” (20th Century Fox)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
BRIE LARSON / Ma – “ROOM” (A24)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
IDRIS ELBA / Commandant – “BEASTS OF NO NATION” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ALICIA VIKANDER / Gerda Wegener – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features)


TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
IDRIS ELBA / DCI John Luther – “LUTHER” (BBC America)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
QUEEN LATIFAH / Bessie Smith – “BESSIE” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
VIOLA DAVIS / Annalise Keating – “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
JEFFREY TAMBOR / Maura Pfefferman – “TRANSPARENT” (Amazon)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren – “ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
DOWNTON ABBEY (Masterpiece/PBS)
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
RAQUEL CASSIDY / Baxter
BRENDAN COYLE / Mr. Bates
TOM CULLEN / Anthony Gillingham
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
KEVIN DOYLE / Mr. Molesley
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates
LILY JAMES / Lady Rose
ROBERT JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
JULIAN OVENDEN / Charles Blake
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix)
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren
MIKE BIRBIGLIA / Danny Pearson
MARSHA STEPHANIE BLAKE / Berdie Rogers
DANIELLE BROOKS / Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson
LAVERNE COX / Sophia Burset
JACKIE CRUZ / Marisol “Flaca” Gonzales
CATHERINE CURTIN / Wanda Bell
LEA DELARIA / Carrie “Big Boo” Black
BETH FOWLER / Sister Jane Ingalls
JOEL MARSH GARLAND / Scott O’Neill
KIMIKO GLENN / Brook Soso
ANNIE GOLDEN / Norma Romano
DIANE GUERRERO / Maritza Ramos
MICHAEL J. HARNEY / Sam Healy
VICKY JEUDY / Janae Watson
SELENIS LEYVA / Gloria Mendoza
TARYN MANNING / Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett
ADRIENNE C. MOORE / Black Cindy
KATE MULGREW / Galina “Red” Reznikov
EMMA MYLES / Leanne Taylor
MATT PETERS / Joel Luschek
LORI PETTY / Lolly Whitehill
JESSICA PIMENTEL / Maria Ruiz
DASCHA POLANCO / Dayanara Diaz
LAURA PREPON / Alex Vause
ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ / Aleida Diaz
RUBY ROSE / Stella Carlin
NICK SANDOW / Joe Caputo
ABIGAIL SAVAGE / Gina
TAYLOR SCHILLING / Piper Chapman
CONSTANCE SHULMAN / Yoga Jones
DALE SOULES / Frieda
YAEL STONE / Lorna Morello
SAMIRA WILEY / Poussey Washington

SAG AWARDS HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
“MAD MAX: FURY ROAD” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
“GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)

52nd Annual SAG Life Achievement Award
CAROL BURNETT

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 6th to 12th, 2015 - Update #22

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From BleedingCool:  "The Hateful Eight" was originally conceived as a novel starring Django.

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From Deadline:  Ron Howard updates "Arrested Development" Season 5.

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From BuzzFlash:  J.K. Rowling says Donald Trump is worse than Lord Voldemort.

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From Vulture:  Idris Elba may have the lead in the adaptation of Stephen King's "Dark Tower."

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From YahooTV:  2015 Golden Globe nominations.

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From TheWrap: SAG nominations.

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From IndieWire:  David Oyelowo to play Muhammad Ali for Ang Lee.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  An article about the upcoming debuts and features at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

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From Deadline:  Queen Latifah to star in Lee Daniels project for Fox.

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From Vulture:  Bill Murray will play a dog in a Wes Anderson stop-motion film.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/4 to 12/6/2015 box office is "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part Two," the film's third straight weekend at the top.

From TheHollywoodReporter:  The performance of holiday-themed horror film, "Krampus," surprised with its second place finish at the weekend box office ($16 million).  I was not surprised, and I thought it might actually gross a little more.  "Chi-raq" is reportedly a huge hit in Chicago, the setting of Spike Lee's film.

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From GoldDerby:  Director Sean Baker and star Mya Taylor talk about their buzzed-about film, "Tangerine."

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From Variety:  Ethan Hawke joins Luc Besson's "Valerian."


COMICS - Films and Books:

From Variety:  Cate Blanchett in talks to join Marvel's "Thor: Ragnarok."


MOVIE AWARD SEASON:

From Deadline: African-American Film Critics name "Straight Outta Compton" best picture.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Los Angeles Film Critics Association names "Spotlight" the best film of the year.  However, "Mad Max: Fury Road" wins in three category, including "Best Director" for George Miller.  It was the runner-up in two categories, including the "Best Film" category.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  The Boston Society of Film Critics names "Spotlight" the best picture of 2015.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Alex Garland's "Ex Machina" is named Best British Independent Film at the 2015 British Independent Film Awards, and dominates with 4 wins.


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Have a seat, John Boyega tells William Shatner.

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From YahooTV:  While in Australia promoting "The Force Awakens," Harrison Ford responds to his fan, Donald Trump.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  Official "X-Men Apocalypse" trailer.

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From Vulture:  First trailer for Warner Bros.' "The Legend of Tarzan."

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From Deadline:  The debut trailer for Spielberg's "The BFG."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of July 26th to July 31st, 2015 - Update #9

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Vulture:  The all-male Ghostbusters reboot, to go along with the all-female Ghostbusters movie, might happen.

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From Vulture:  Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige join NBCs upcoming version of "The Wiz."

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From YahooMovie:  New Line is plotting a reboot of iconic 70s film, "Shaft."

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From Variety:  Tommy Lee Jones joins Matt Damon in the next "Jason Bourne" film.

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From ThePlaylist:  Richard Linklater is the frontrunner to direct "The Rosie Project" starring Jennifer Lawrence.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  Because of early estimates, Disney/Marvel is declaring "Ant-Man" as the winner of the 7/24 to 7/26/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $24.675 million.  If this holds, "Ant-Man," which was #1 at the box office last weekend, will repeat as champ.

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From HuffingtonPost:  Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of the late singer, Whitney Houston, and singer Bobby Brown, has died at the age of 22, Sunday, July 26, 2015.


COMICS: Films and Books:

From YahooGames:  Mark Hamill gave voice to "The Joker" in the beloved "Batman: The Animated Series."  Now, Hamill returns to voicing the Joker in direct-to-DVD adaptation the famous Batman comic book, "Batman: The Killing Joke."

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From YahooNews:  Rachel McAdams confirms that she is in talks regarding Marvel's "Doctor Strange" film.


MISC:

From YahooMovies:  A wanted fugitive was starring in a horror movie, while on a probation violation.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of April 5th to 11th, 2015 - Update #18

NEWS:

From Collider:  How to get a Disney animation job.

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From Variety:  Ryan Gosling in talks to star in Guillermo del Toro's "The Haunted Mansion."

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From THR:  Cast set for Baz Luhrmann's Netflix series, "The Get Down."

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From SlashFilm:  Brad Bird writing "The Incredibles 2."

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From TheWrap:  Academy sets Oscar dates for the next three years.

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From YahooMusic:  Frances Bean Cobain on new "Kurt Cobain" documentary.  She's not really a fan of Nirvana's music.

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From TheWrap:  There will be a "Need for Speed" sequel.  It will film mostly in China, where it was a huge hit.  Perhaps the success of Furious 7 got this project rolling...

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From Variety:  New episode of "Arrested Development."

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From THR:  "Tron 3" is a go.

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From YahooTV:  Nina Dobrev to exit "Vampire Diaries."

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From CinemaBlend:  William Shatner wants a 50th anniversary special for "Star Trek."

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From Variety:  The winner of the April 3rd to 5th, 2014 weekend box office is Furious 7 with an estimated take $143.6 million.

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From Variety: Queen Latifah is playing Bessie Smith for HBO (May 16, 2015), and a full trailer is now available.

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From YahooSports:  Wal-Mart won't sell Ronda Rousey's new book, "My Fight/Your Fight," because she is "too violent."  Apparently, customers can pre-order the book, which is due May 12th, on Wal-Mart.com.

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From YahooMovies:  Critics says it is time to end "Fast & Furious" franchise.


COMIC BOOKS: Books and Movies:

From Variety: New Fantastic Four trailer.


STAR WARS:

From ScreenRant: Details about the upcoming "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" trailer #2.


OBITS:

From YahooCelebrity:  One of my favorite actors, Geoffrey Lewis, has died at the age of 79.  The character actor, who died on Tuesday, April 7th, 2015, was the father of Oscar-nominated actress, Juliette Lewis.  He appeared in many Clint Eastwood movies, but I best remember him for the TV series, "Flo," which was a spin-off of "Alice."  Negromancer sends condolences to Lewis' family.

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From YahooTV:  The actor James Best has died at the age of 88.  Best was best known as "Roscoe P. Coltrane" on the CBS TV series, "The Dukes of Hazzard."

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From DreadCentral:  The actor, Tom Towles, has died at the age of 65.  He was known for his work in horror films, such as the 1990 color remake of "Night of the Living Dead."


MISC:

From YahooPolitics:  A great story - bipartisan basketball

Hollywood Films Awards Announce 18 Categories Featured During Inaugural Network Broadcast

18 AWARD CATEGORIES TO BE FEATURED DURING THE INAUGURAL BROADCAST ANNOUNCED

The Hollywood Film Awards, the official launch of the awards season™, announced the 18 award categories to be featured during the inaugural broadcast hosted by the multi-talented Academy and Emmy Award nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning actress, Grammy Award-winning musician and talk show host Queen Latifah. The show will broadcast live from the Hollywood Palladium on Friday, November 14, 2014 (8:00-10:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The Hollywood Film Awards have recognized excellence in the art of cinema and filmmaking for over 17 years, honoring some of the world’s biggest stars.

The categories are:

    Hollywood Career Achievement Award
    Hollywood Film Award
    Hollywood Director Award
    Hollywood Actor Award
    Hollywood Actress Award
    Hollywood Supporting Actor Award
    Hollywood Supporting Actress Award
    Hollywood Ensemble Award
    Hollywood Breakout Performance Actress Award
    Hollywood Breakout Performance Actor Award
    Hollywood Breakthrough Director Award
    New Hollywood Award
    Hollywood Screenwriter Award
    Hollywood Song Award
    Hollywood Animation Award
    Hollywood Blockbuster Award
    Hollywood Documentary Award
    Hollywood Comedy Film Award

Winners will be announced during the broadcast.

The Hollywood Film Awards kick off at 7:30 PM live ET/delayed PT on CBS with a special half-hour red carpet show featuring fashion and interviews with the stars as they arrive. Following the Hollywood Film Awards broadcast, the festivities will continue with a live one-hour show that will feature interviews with honorees and look back at the evening’s highlights. “CBS This Morning’s” Charlie Rose, Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King will host from the Hollywood Palladium, (10:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT).

The Hollywood Film Awards, founded in 1997 by Carlos de Abreu, who also executive produces, is produced by dick clark productions.  Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, Mark Bracco and R. A. Clark are executive producers along with de Abreu.

CBS Extended Primetime Schedule for Friday, November 14, 2014:

7:30-8:00 PM (live ET/delayed PT): COUNTDOWN TO THE HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS

8:00-10:00 PM (live ET/delayed PT): HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS

10:00-11:00 PM (live ET/delayed PT): “CBS This Morning” Post-Awards Show (Working Title)

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Review: "Scary Movie 3" Quite Bad, but Funny

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 158 (of 2003)


Scary Movie 3 (2003)
Running time: 84 minutes (1 hour, 24 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for pervasive crude and sexual humor, language, comic violence and drug references
DIRECTOR: David Zucker
WRITERS: Craig Mazin and Pat Proft (based upon characters created by Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg, and Aaron Seltzer)
PRODUCER: Robert K. Weiss
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mark Irwin (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Malcolm Campbell and Jon Poll
COMPOSER: James L. Venable

COMEDY with elements of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi

Starring: Anna Faris, Simon Rex, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, Marny Eng, Charlie Sheen, Jeremy Piven, Camryn Manheim, Queen Latifah, Eddie Griffin, Leslie Nielsen, D.L. Hughley, Ja Rule, George Carlin, Master P, Macy Gray, Redman, Method Man, Raekwon, RZA, Fat Joe, and Simon Cowell

The subject of this movie review is Scary Movie 3, a 2003 comedy film and parody of science fiction and horror films. It is the first film in the Scary Movie franchise not to feature members of the Wayans family.

Scary Movie 3 has loads and loads of belly laughs, but it is shockingly lame, dull, and an all out boring film, which gets worse as its nearly incomprehensible story lethargically crawls to the end. This installment of the franchise mainly targets The Ring and Signs for a good skewering or is that screwing? The Matrix and 8 Mile also fall in for a manhandling; the former parody is mildly funny while the latter is surprisingly sprightly and hilarious. The film, however, is one long gag reel superimposed over a deplorably bad movie.

The story this time, as it may be, has Cindy (Anna Faris) and her lame heartthrob George (Simon Rex) investigating crop circles and a killer ghost from a haunted videocassette. Somehow, it’s all tied together, and Cindy also has to help President Harris (Leslie Nielsen) stop an alien invasion.

If this doesn’t sound like much, it’s because Scary Movie 3 isn’t very much. The presence of so many stars in small roles and cameos is very nice, and some, like Anthony Anderson, Pamela Anderson, and Jenny McCarthy, actually make the film worth seeing. The cast, like the raunchy humor and endless sight gags, don’t exactly save the movie, but they can make you laugh, and in the end, those laughs might be the only reason to justify seeing this lame duck. David Zucker, part of the team responsible for Airplane and Naked Gun, lavishes Scary Movie 3 with his trademark gag-a-minute style, and it works to an extent.

I must really emphasize that this film can cause some hard and deep laughing, but I was also very shocked at how often tasteless and tactless the film was. Jokes that involve violating a corpse at a wake and pedophilia on the part of Catholic priest cross the line. It’s not so much that this kind of humor seems desperate; it’s that the filmmakers seem so willfully shameless and tasteless. Some things are not funny. They are sacred or taboo for reasons that are important to a society. It’s not that such things cannot be discussed; it’s how they are discussed. To use them as jokes is the sign of a weak, unimaginative mind – a selfish and immature person determined and desperate to get what he wants at any cost.

That said – I laughed a lot, and I cringed behind my arms almost as much. Scary Movie 3 won’t ever be listed among the great comedies. At best, it’s a temporary and exasperating thrill that is forgotten as soon as the film fades to black.

3 of 10
C-

Cast of Oscar-Winning "Chicago" Reunite at 2013 Oscars

Reunion Of "Chicago" Stars – Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger, And Catherine Zeta-Jones – To Present On 10th Anniversary Of The Film's Oscar® Win

Academy Award® winners Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones will join their "Chicago" cast mates Richard Gere and Queen Latifah to present together on-stage at the Oscars®, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.

"We are very excited to reunite the stars of 'Chicago' to present on the Oscars, on the 10th anniversary of the movie's win for Best Picture," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

Zellweger, Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah received nominations for their performances in the film. Jones and Queen Latifah were nominated for their supporting roles, Jones took home the Oscar that year. Zellweger, who was nominated for her lead performance in the film, has been nominated three times, and won in 2003 for her supporting role in "Cold Mountain."

Gere, Queen Latifah, Zellweger and Zeta-Jones join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters including Mark Wahlberg, Ted, and "The Avengers" cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2011 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; special guests Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron; and performers Adele, Dame Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand.

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.


ABOUT CRAIG ZADAN AND NEIL MERON
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producers of critically acclaimed and award-winning feature films, television movies, series, and Broadway productions. Their feature films include The Bucket List, Footloose, Hairspray, and Chicago, which won six Academy Awards including one for “Best Picture.” For television, they’ve produced films of “Steel Magnolias,” "Life with Judy Garland," and "A Raisin in the Sun," among many others and the series “Smash” and “Drop Dead Diva.” They recently returned to their roots in live theater by producing Broadway revivals of the Tony-winning “Promises, Promises” and the Tony-winning 50th Anniversary revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

Review: "Ice Age: Continental Drift" - Same Old, Same Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)
Running time: 88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG for mild rude humor and action/peril
DIRECTORS: Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier
WRITERS: Michael Berg and Jason Fuchs; from a story by Michael Berg and Lori Forte
PRODUCERS: Lori Forte and John C. Donkin
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Renato Falcão
EDITORS: James Palumbo and David Ian Salter with Christopher Campbell
COMPOSER: John Powell

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE and FAMILY/FANTASY

Starring: (voices) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Wanda Sykes, Alan Tudyk, Aubrey “Drake” Graham, Josh Gad, Nick Frost, Aziz Ansari, Nicki Minaj, Heather Morris, Joy Behar, with Queen Latifah and Chris Wedge

The subject of this movie review is Ice Age: Continental Drift, a 2012 computer-animated film from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. This comedy-adventure movie is the fourth film in the Ice Age series. Continental Drift follows the original Ice Age trio of Manny, Diego, and Sid after they are separated from the rest of the herd.

As Ice Age: Continental Drift begins, the herd is living in peace in the vast land they call home. Manfred “Manny” the mammoth (Ray Romano) is at odds with his teenage daughter, Peaches (Keke Palmer), with mother, Ellie (Queen Latifah), caught in the middle. Family strife isn’t the only rumbling in the land. The continents are dividing, and an earthquake separates Manny, Sid the giant sloth (John Leguizamo), and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) from Ellie and the rest of the herd.

Lost at sea, Manny, Sid, and Diego begin an epic journey to reunite with the herd, their family. Standing in their way are a vicious primate, Captain Gutt (Peter Dinklage), and his band of pirates, who sale the seas using a floating iceberg as their ship. Meanwhile, the prehistoric squirrel/rat, Scrat (Chris Wedge), continues to chase that acorn.

I expected Ice Age: Continental Drift to be more of the same when it comes to the Ice Age franchise, but that is not a bad thing, anyway. The Ice Age films have been entertaining, if not great, because the franchise’s shtick is both funny and familiar. Each Ice Age film is basically a prehistoric, domestic situation comedy featuring talking animals, and the situation always involves some adventurous mission.

Still, Continental Drift offers its own inventive high points: icebergs as pirate ships, a group of tricky sirens, and Scrat’s treasure hunt come to mind. Captain Gutt and his pirates are, in my estimation, the series’ scariest villains to date, with Peter Dinklage giving a wonderful, layered voice performance. The film actually has a number of good voice performances. Wanda Sykes delivers her funniest voiceover as Sid’s Granny, and Jennifer Lopez is just shockingly good as Shira, a saber-toothed tiger and one of Gutt’s crew.

Continental Drift underutilizes some characters, such as Louis the mole hog (Josh Gad), Peaches’ love-interest-of-sorts. Sometimes, the film is too laid back, but overall Ice Age: Continental Drift is quite good. I found myself laughing at and with the characters, and ultimately, I cared enough to cheer them on.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, January 25, 2013

Review: Third "Ice Age" is Also a Charm

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 57 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some mild rude humor and peril
DIRECTORS: Carlos Saldanha with Mike Thurmeier
WRITERS: Peter Ackerman, Michael Berg, Yoni Brenner, and Mike Reiss; from a story by Jason Carter Eaton
PRODUCERS: Lori Forte and John C. Donkin
EDITORS: Harry Hitner with James Palumbo
COMPOSER: John Powell

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/FANTASY

Starring: (voices) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Simon Pegg, and Queen Latifah, with Bill Hader, Jane Lynch, Kristen Wiig, Karen Disher, and Chris Wedge

The subject of this movie review is Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, a 2009 computer-animated film from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. This comedy-adventure movie is the third film in the Ice Age series. Dawn of the Dinosaurs follows the “Ice Age herd” to a dinosaur-filled lost world as they try to rescue one of their own.

The original mismatched trio of ice age prehistoric critters: Manfred “Manny” (Ray Romano), a mammoth; Sid (John Leguizamo), a giant sloth; and Diego (Denis Leary) a saber-toothed tiger, are now part of a larger family. Manny has a mate, a mammoth named Ellie (Queen Latifah), and she has two possum brothers, Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), a rambunctious, prank playing duo.

There are big changes coming to this unusual herd. Ellie is pregnant, but this joyous situation does not come without complications. Diego is feeling a little old and wants to leave and go his own way, and Sid wants a family of his own. After he tries to play “mama” to three dinosaur eggs, Sid is taken by a Tyrannosaurus rex, the real mother, to a tropical lost world where dinosaurs still live. Manny and company follow in a bid to rescue Sid, but in order to survive they need the help of Buck (Simon Pegg), a probably insane, one-eyed, dagger-wielding weasel. But Buck’s mind is on Rudy, a monstrous dinosaur with a score to settle. The prehistoric squirrel/rat, Scrat (Chris Wedge), is also back and still fighting to retrieve that one special acorn, but this time, he finds a rival and perhaps, love.

I avoided Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs when it was first released back in 2009. It’s not because I thought that it was a bad movie; it was because I thought that I was finished with Ice Age, although I’d enjoyed the first two films in the series. I decided to see Dawn of the Dinosaurs because the fourth will be released this summer, and I am glad I did.

Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a really good movie. It starts out as a sweet and charming film about mild family dysfunction in a non-traditional family. When the story moves to the lost world of dinosaurs, it becomes a comedy and adventure film that mixes breathtaking, death-defying scenes with moments of tender love involving family and friends. There is a chase between a Pteranodon (acting as a chariot for three of the heroes) and a flock of Quetzalcoatlus that rivals (perhaps, even surpasses) the pod racing scene in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in terms of the pure excitement it gives and the technical wizardry it took the CGI artists to create it.

Although Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs largely moves the film away from its ice age setting (until the end), it keeps the fun of the series going. It makes me ready to see this new fourth film.

7 of 10
B+

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Review: "Ice Age: The Meltdown" is Good, Too

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 240 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)
Running time: 91 minutes (1 hour, 31 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some mild language and innuendo
DIRECTOR: Carlos Saldanha
WRITERS: Gerry Swallow and Peter Gaulke and Jim Hecht; from a story by Gerry Swallow and Peter Gaulke
PRODUCER: Lori Forte

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/FANTASY

Starring: (voices) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, and Queen Latifah, Will Arnett, Jay Leno, and Chris Wedge

The three-member herd from the hit 2002 film, Ice Age: Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary), Manny the mammoth (Ray Romano), and Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo) returns in the hit sequel, Ice Age: The Meltdown, and an impending natural disaster inadvertently adds members to this small family.

The deep freeze of the Ice Age is over, and the ice-covered earth is starting to melt, especially the gigantic glaciers that enclose the cherished valley where Diego, Manny, and Sid live. Reluctantly, the trio accepts the fact that the valley will be flooded, so they’re forced to leave. They begin a journey to the other side of the valley where supposedly awaits a boat that will save them from the flood. Along the way, the trio meets Ellie (Queen Latifah), a mammoth who thinks she is a possum, and her two possum brothers, Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), a rambunctious, prank playing duo. Manny, who thought he was the last mammoth, is anxious, but also reluctant to make a friend (or maybe more) of Ellie, who is standoffish with Manny. The trio turned sextet will have to stick together if they’re going to survive the impending flood and two deadly new enemies that are silently stalking them. The prehistoric squirrel/rat, Scrat (Chris Wedge), is also back and still fighting to retrieve that one special acorn.

Ice Age: The Meltdown is one of those sequels that improves on the original, and the filmmakers did that by adding characters that aren’t just new and novel. The new trio, Ellie and the possum brothers Crash and Eddie, is also actually highly entertaining. Both Ellie and the actress who gives the character her voice, Queen Latifah, have endearing personalities and no-nonsense streaks. Queen Latifah’s Ellie and Ray Romano’s Manny actually make a good couple, as Ellie’s sassiness and Manny’s cutting attitude mesh.

Denis Leary’s Diego is still a good sidekick, and John Leguizamo’s Sid is ever entertaining comic relief. However, Crash and Eddie steal their thunder. The animators and writers created supporting characters that would be great as stars in their own cartoons (think the penguins from Madagascar). It is, however, Seann William Scott and Josh Peck who make them truly winning characters, as they breathe life and personality, turning potential into triumph.

On one hand, Ice Age: The Meltdown could have been a pedestrian sequel, but this movie is a good example of how animators and voice actors can take any kind of material and turn it into a winner just by mining their talents to make the right choices. It’s a heady mixture of storytelling, art, and entertainment, and that means Ice Age: The Meltdown will always be more than just an obligatory sequel to a very popular movie. I really didn’t want this fun and heartwarming tale of a patchwork family to end.

7 of 10
A-

Thursday, November 23, 2006

"Joyful Noise" is Joyful Indeed

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 55 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Joyful Noise (2012)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some language including a sexual reference
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Todd Graff
PRODUCERS: Joseph Farrell, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove, Michael G. Nathanson, and Catherine Paura
CINEMATOGRAPHER: David Boyd
EDITOR: Kathryn Himoff
COMPOSER: Mervyn Warren

DRAMA/MUSIC/SPIRITUAL

Starring: Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan, Dexter Darden, Courtney B. Vance, Jesse L. Martin, Angela Grovey, Andy Karl, Dequina Moore, Paul Woolfolk, Kirk Franklin, and Kris Kristofferson

Joyful Noise is a 2012 music-driven film and Christian-theme drama from Todd Graff, the director of Bandslam. Joyful Noise stars Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton as rivals in a small church choir that is competing in a national singing competition.

The story is set in the small town of Pacashau, Georgia. Pacashau is going through some hard economic times, but the people take pride in Pacashau Sacred Divinity Choir. For quite a few years now, the choir has made it to the regional finals of Joyful Noise, a national amateur singing competition for church choirs.

The choir recently suffered a tragic loss. Now, G.G. Sparrow (Dolly Parton), a patron of Pacashau Sacred Divinity Church, faces off with the choir’s newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill (Queen Latifah), over the choir’s direction as they head to the Joyful Noise regionals. To make matters more complicated, G.G.’s wayward grandson, Randy Garrity (Jeremy Jordan), is back in town, and he becomes immediately attracted to Vi Rose’s daughter, Olivia (Queen Latifah). As internal dissent begins to threaten the choir, can faith and determination combined with young talent keep the choir singing God’s praise? Will the choir win the Joyful Noise nationals in Los Angeles?

Joyful Noise is strange in that writer/director Todd Graff seems to have fashioned not one movie, but several mini-movies put together to form one patchwork film narrative. At its heart, Joyful Noise is two things. The first is a teen romance featuring former childhood friends reunited in the throws of teen angst. Surprisingly, although Olivia is black and Randy is white, this is not an interracial love story. Their race/skin color never comes up as an obstacle in their relationship or as a problem for other characters. Joyful Noise’s second identity is that of a modern dustbowl drama about a rural, small town suffering the deprivations of what is essentially our modern version of the Great Depression, except that we call it the Great Recession.

The problem is that the love story and the town-in-recession story never come together; normally, one would affect the other, but they remain separate, and not quite equal. They’re like two different dramas sharing the same stage.

Meanwhile, there are these other dramas competing for space. There is the Vi Rose/G.G. cat fight that goes on too long, although the script doesn’t really provide enough to convince me that they should be mad at one another. There is the marital discord between Vi Rose and her husband, Marcus Hill (Jesse L. Martin), which is well written and perhaps should have been at the center of this movie. Instead, it seems like a tacked-on subplot. There is some kind of conflict between G.G. and Pastor Dale (Courtney B. Vance), and while Graff drops hints about it, he largely ignores it.

Of course, the movie is supposed to be about Pacashau Sacred Divinity Choir’s quest to get to the Joyful Noise nationals in L.A., but Graff often loses that behind all the other melodramas. Still, it is the music and singing that make this movie soar. At this point in the review, dear reader, you probably think that I didn’t like Joyful Noise. Quite the contrary: this movie is made of parts that don’t always fit, but I love it because the great music brings it all together and turns Joyful Noise into something that tugs at my heart.

Joyful Noise is Tyler Perry + Hallmark Channel holiday special + Glee. I love the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movies, and Joyful Noise seems to put a gospel theatre spin on that. Although this is not a Christmas movie, it felt like Christmas-time to me, as I watched these characters come together to make things good for one another in really bad times. As for the acting, it’s mixed, although Queen Latifah has a screaming-fit scene with Keke Palmer that could pass as a pitch for an Oscar nomination. But Joyful Noise is about the noise and it is joyful. I want get that soundtrack.


6 of 10
B

Friday, July 06, 2012

"Barbershop 2: Back in Business" is a Better Business

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux


Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for language, sexual material and brief drug references
DIRECTOR: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
WRITER: Don D. Scott (based upon characters created by Mark Brown)
PRODUCERS: Robert Teitel and George Tillman Jr.
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tom Priestley (D.o.P)
EDITORS: Patrick Flannery and Paul Seydor
COMPOSER: Richard Gibbs

COMEDY with elements of drama

Starring: Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Sean Patrick Thomas, Eve, Troy Garity, Michael Ealy, Leonard Earl Howze, Queen Latifah, Harry Lennix, Robert Wisdom, Jazsmin Lewis, Kenan Thompson, Javon Jackson, DeRay Davis, Tom Wright, and Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon

Barbershop 2: Back in Business is a hilarious character based comedy that easily surpasses its admittedly funny 2002 predecessor, Barbershop. Like the first one, Barbershop 2 relies on funny characters to carry the movie and a homey setting in Chicago’s Southside to establish the atmosphere.

Shop owner Calvin Palmer (Ice Cube) has settled into being a small business owner, and his shop is thriving. The barbers who rent from Calvin are gregarious people who are fun to be around, so many locals gravitate to Calvin’s shop for a haircut, bawdy jokes, and the generally funny atmosphere.

As in the first film, Calvin is still struggling to save his shop – this time from greedy urban developers who want to buy him and his neighbors out. They want to replace “mom & pop” business with name brand chains – including a rival barbershop called Nappy Cutz. If that wasn’t enough, some of his employees/renters are starting to get on each other’s nerves, so can Calvin save his shop and neighborhood, while dealing with complex and messy interpersonal relationships? However he chooses to deal with problems will certainly involve laugher.

Anyone who liked Barbershop should like the sequel, and I can imagine many people who didn’t like the first will enjoy Barbershop 2, since it is almost twice as funny as the original. Barbershop 2’s script simply has more zest, and the comedy flows naturally. The first time around the laughs became old shtick, and the movie lost steam. The story and plot here is relatively light, and the little guy business versus the corporate devils is a familiar tale. However, the execution of the plot and routines of the characters have a better rhythm and the timing’s impeccable. Every thing seems to happen just when the films needs a boost or needs to move onto the next joke or funny scene. As far as character pieces go, Barbershop is a work of art.

In the end, the filmmakers wrap up Back in Business with a bit too much ease. Even this lightweight story ended up having the potential to say a lot about tradition and community over greed and progress, but maybe they believed that dealing with such weighty subject matters would turn a character comedy into ensemble drama. And we did come for the laughs. What Barbershop 2 misses in dealing with real world issues, it more than makes up for in being a good time, feel good comedy that just may keep audiences laughing for years.

Oh. Barbershop 2 isn’t a BLACK movie. It’s a funny, broad comedy featuring a primarily African-American cast, but it’s laughs and lightweight pass at values should appeal to peoples.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2005 Black Reel Awards: 4 nominations: “Best Actor, Musical or Comedy” (Ice Cube), “Best Film, Musical or Comedy” (Robert Teitel and George Tillman Jr.), “Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted” (Don Scott), and “Best Supporting Actor” (Cedric the Entertainer)

"Bringing Down the House" Brings Laughs

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 31 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Bringing Down the House (2003)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for language, sexual humor and drug material
DIRECTOR: Adam Shankman
WRITER: Peter Filardi
PRODUCERS: Ashok Amritraj and David Hoberman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Julio Macat (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Jerry Greenberg
COMPOSER: Lalo Schifrin

COMEDY

Starring: Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright, Jean Smart, Kimberly J. Brown, Angus T. Jones, Missi Pyle, Michael Rosenbaum, Betty White, and Steve Harris

Critics and naysayers have been lying in wait for Bringing Down the House almost immediately after the first trailers and advertisements were aired. A straight-laced, older white man and a down to earth hip hop queen - racism and stereotypes of course – it couldn’t be anything but that. Well, they were wrong.

Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) is a lonely, divorced, tax attorney who meets Charlene Morton (Queen Latifah) in an online chat room. He assumes she’s a young, curvaceous blond, but she’s actually an African American prison inmate, which he discovers when she shows up on his doorstep one, fine evening. Charlene wants Peter’s help to clear her of a crime she says she didn’t commit, but his life is already complicated by mild turmoil. He misses his ex-wife Kate (Jean Smart) and their two children, Sarah (Kimberly J. Brown) and Gregory (Angus T. Jones). His bosses at his high-pressure job have given him the assignment of bringing a frugal heiress’s (Joan Plowright) billion-dollar account to the company. To make matter worse, the FBI is searching for Charlene, as is her creepy boyfriend (Steve Harris), and Peter’s friend Howie (Eugene Levy) really has a jones for Charlene.

First, I should say that Bringing Down the House is hilarious, laugh out loud, knee-slapping funny. It’s the best comedy I’ve seen a long time, and I haven’t laughed, really laughed, at a movie in a while. I could call Bringing a “feel good” movie because it made me feel good. Looking at the poster and seeing commercials for the film might give people the idea that this is an un-politically correct film in a PC age, but it really is about making new friends, people with different social and economic backgrounds. If that sounds a little high brow, it might be, but it’s the long way around saying that birds of different feathers can flock together.

As for as the it’s politics, you have to watch the film really close to notice something I think becomes obvious half way through the picture. The film parodies the stereotypical portrayal in popular culture of white people’s stereotypical reactions to black people. It’s not making fun of black people; it’s poking fun of the way whites are played as sheltered nerds who only know a skewered version of black culture.

Queen Latifah’s character Charlene is actually well rounded, and Latifah plays her as a brassy, self-reliant, never-say-die woman who takes the initiative to defend herself. What you see is what you get, and Charlene is certainly not one of those women of ill repute who actually has a heart of gold. Latifah takes her character seriously and plays her with a sense of humor. Charlene, though loud and confident, is sensitive and doesn’t look out for her own interests without regards for other people.

Martin could make a career out of playing the odd straight man to black comedians; he worked quite well with Eddie Murphy in Bowfinger. His chemistry with Latifah is as good as or better than the chemistry between him and his white co-stars. He gives Peter a dual edge; you can laugh at him and with him, and you care about him. And if you’ve seen the part of the ad that shows Martin in a black club thuggin’ it out while wearing “street” gear, do know that it’s damned funny and not stereotypical. In fact, he plays the scene as a white guy who likes hip hop and hanging out with black people instead of playing it as a naïve white guy with a stereotypical idea of how to be “black.”

But to heck with all the social politics. This is a funny movie. It lags at the end as it tries to tie everything up for a feel good end, and there were some good characters that would have made this movie even funnier if they had a little more screen time. However, I give Peter Filardi credit for writing a funny movie that gives the finger to its critics. Martin, Queen Latifah, and the rest of the cast put on a good show, not a coon show. To miss this is to miss a rare treat, a film that makes you laugh and feel so good that you probably wouldn’t mind seeing it again.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2004 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Film: Best Actress” (Queen Latifah)

2004 Image Awards: 1 win: “Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture” (Queen Latifah)

"Joyful Noise" Soundtrack Has Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah and More

“Joyful Noise” Soundtrack to Be Released January 10, 2012

Soundtrack Features New Music Performed by Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, Kirk Franklin, Keke Palmer and Others

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music announces the release of the soundtrack to Alcon Entertainment’s and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Joyful Noise,” a funny and inspirational story of music, hope, love and renewal, which opens in theatres January 13, 2012.

This musically driven story brings together the sounds of gospel, pop, country, rock and R & B with multiple performances by Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Oscar® winner Dolly Parton (“Transamerica,” “Steel Magnolias,” “Nine to Five”), Grammy, Oscar®, and Golden Globe Award winner Queen Latifah (“Chicago,” “Hairspray”), and BET and NAACP Award winner Keke Palmer (“True Jackson VP,” “Akeelah and the Bee”). The soundtrack to “Joyful Noise” includes these performances, including renditions of memorable songs originally recorded by a wide range of artists: Chris Brown, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Sly & the Family Stone, Usher, and Stevie Wonder. Additionally, the soundtrack boasts recordings of the three original songs Dolly Parton wrote for the film, “He’s Everything,” “Not Enough” and “From Here to the Moon and Back.”

The collection also includes tracks by some of the finest acts in gospel and R&B. Grammy winner Kirk Franklin wrote and takes the vocal reins on his jubilant new song “In Love,” and award winning gospel vocalist Karen Peck creates harmonic gold on “Mighty High.”

Five-time Grammy winner and 10-time Grammy nominee Mervyn Warren (“Dreamgirls,” “The Preacher’s Wife,” “Sister Act 2”) produced and arranged all songs on the “Joyful Noise” soundtrack. Warren has written arrangements for the likes of Quincy Jones, David Foster and Whitney Houston, and was a member of acclaimed a cappella group Take 6. He is also a recipient of a Soul Train Award and has been recognized by the NAACP Image Awards, Dove Awards, and Stellar Awards.

The “Joyful Noise” soundtrack will see its release at both physical and digital retail on January 10, 2012.

Track List:
1. Not Enough - Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah

2. Man In The Mirror - Keke Palmer

3. Maybe I'm Amazed - Jeremy Jordan and Keke Palmer

4. In Love - Kirk Franklin

5. Fix Me Jesus - Queen Latifah

6. From Here To The Moon And Back - Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson and Jeremy Jordan

7. I'm Yours - Keke Palmer, DeQuina Moore and Angela Grovey

8. Mighty High - Karen Peck

9. That's The Way God Planned It - Ivan Kelley, Jr.

10. Higher Medley - Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan, Andy Karl, Angela Grovey, and DeQuina Moore

11. He's Everything - Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan, Andy Karl and DeQuina Moore

12. Joyful Noise Suite - Mervyn Warren

ABOUT THE FILM
Oscar® nominees Queen Latifah (“Chicago,” “Hairspray”) and Dolly Parton (“Transamerica,” “Steel Magnolias,” “Nine to Five”) star in Alcon Entertainment’s and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Joyful Noise,” a funny and inspirational story of music, hope, love and renewal.

The small town of Pacashau, Georgia, has fallen on hard times, but the people are counting on the Divinity Church Choir to lift their spirits by winning the National Joyful Noise Competition. The choir has always known how to sing in harmony, but the discord between its two leading ladies now threatens to tear them apart. Their newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill (Latifah), stubbornly wants to stick with their tried-and-true traditional style, while the fiery G.G. Sparrow (Parton) thinks tried-and-true translates to tired-and-old. Shaking things up even more is the arrival of G.G.’s rebellious grandson, Randy (Jeremy Jordan). Randy has an ear for music, but he also has an eye for Vi Rose’s beautiful and talented daughter, Olivia (Keke Palmer), and the sparks between the two teenagers are causing even more friction between G.G. and Vi Rose. If these two strong-willed women can put aside their differences for the good of the people in their town, they—and their choir—may make the most joyful noise of all.

Starring with Latifah and Parton are Keke Palmer (“Akeelah and the Bee”), Courtney B. Vance (“Extraordinary Measures”), Jeremy Jordan (Broadway’s “Bonnie and Clyde”), and Kris Kristofferson (“Dolphin Tale”). Rounding out the main cast are Dexter Darden, Angela Grovey, Paul Woolfolk and Jesse L. Martin.

Todd Graff (“Bandslam”) directed “Joyful Noise” from his original screenplay. The film is produced by Oscar® nominee Michael Nathanson (“L.A. Confidential”), Joseph Farrell, Catherine Paura, and Oscar® nominees Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove (“The Blind Side”). The executive producers are Timothy M. Bourne, Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere, with Yolanda T. Cochran and Steven P. Wegner serving as co-producers. Five-time Grammy Award winner Mervyn Warren composed the score.

Alcon Entertainment presents a Farrell Paura Productions/O.N.C. Entertainment Production, “Joyful Noise,” being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film opens nationwide on January 13, 2012. This film has been rated PG-13 for some language including a sexual reference. http://www.joyfulnoisethemovie.com/

Review: "Mad Money" Has Mad Funny Trio

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

Mad Money (2008)
Running time: 103 minutes (1 hour, 43 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual material and language, and brief drug references
DIRECTOR: Callie Khouri
WRITERS: Glenn Gers (based upon an earlier screenplay by John Mister and the screenplay for Hot Money by Neil McKay and Terry Winsor)
PRODUCERS: James Acheson, Jay Cohen, and Frank DeMartini
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Bailey
EDITOR: Wendy Greene Bricmont

CRIME/COMEDY

Starring: Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, Ted Danson, Adam Rothenberg, Roger R. Cross, Meagan Fay, Christopher McDonald, Stephen Root, Sterling Blackmon, Peyton “Alex” Smith, and Matthew Greer

While watching the crime caper Mad Money, anyone who views it with a critical eye will notice that the character writing is thin and that the plot stumbles whenever the narrative jumps back and forth in time, but director Callie Khouri (who won an Oscar for writing Thelma & Louise) keeps things moving – fast and upbeat – so the viewer won’t see the cracks in this lighthearted crime escapade.

The plot is implausible, and even viewers that don’t look hard can see where the criminal conspiracy at the heart of Mad Money would fall apart early in its execution. However, this comic trio of Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes are so lovable, and this recessionary crime tale about the struggling working class and downsized middle class is both timely and rings true.

Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) discovers that she is about to lose both her home and comfortable middle class lifestyle because her husband, Don (Ted Danson), has been unemployed for a year (downsized from his job), and the couple is nearly 300,000 dollars in debt. Bridget, a stay-at-home mom, has been out of the job market for decades, and her decades-old comparative literature degree won’t help her in this tight job market. She accepts the only job she can get – as a janitor. Her custodial job is at the Federal Reserve Bank, where every day, employees destroy millions of dollars in worn out paper currency taken out of the system.

Bridget surprisingly learns that she has more in common with her new co-workers than she thought when she forges an unexpected bond with Nina Brewster (Queen Latifah), a hard-working single mother of two young boys, and Jackie Truman (Katie Holmes), a wacky and exuberant free spirit who acts as if she has nothing to lose. Looking to finally just get ahead, Nina and Jackie find themselves buying into Bridget’s scheme - steal all those 1, 5, 10, 20, etc. dollar bills meant for destruction. As their little crime syndicate amasses piles of cash, the girls think they have pulled off the perfect crime – that is until one misstep has them trying to stay one step ahead of the law.

Playing Bridget Cardigan, who must go from supportive wife to bread winner, Diane Keaton doesn’t simply play the character as merely a supportive housewife. Early in the film, Bridget is mostly boosting her husband’s confidence, but Bridget soon has to roar – to assert herself. That’s when Keaton deftly transforms her character into a bossy spitfire, a snappy malcontent not content to watch the comfortable world for which she worked so hard to attain just vanish because society considers her and Don passé. Keaton makes Bridget both sweet and sour and both fragrant and pungent. She’s a senior citizen with zest, spicy and spunky, and Keaton shows that in many scenes, especially when we get to watch Bridget go to Nina Brewster’s inner city hood, in spite of her fears.

As for the supporting characters, Queen Latifah’s Nina Brewster is by far the best of the lot. Latifah makes Nina the island of sanity in a sea full of screwballs – including Keaton’s Bridget, but Latifah also makes the sometimes dour, so-serious Nina so quite likeable. Holmes is no slouch either. Her winning Jackie Truman, always bouncing and shaking to the music of her mp3 player, is the fun chick everyone wants to know. Holmes lights up the screen with Jackie’s screwy bubbly personality.

This is one time in Hollywood fare that a movie’s plot leaves male characters as background filler material, and the girls become the action heroes. Mad Money is, however, more than just a chick flick. It does the caper film as light, but both entertaining and well-timed material, and in these times with so many worried about their finances and livelihoods, it’s darn good to watch these girls beat the system silly. All hail this queenly trio for making stealing money as sweet as honey.

6 of 10
B

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Review: "Chicago" is Bold and Splash (Happy B'day, Rob Marshall)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 35 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Chicago (2002)
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual content and dialogue, violence and thematic elements
DIRECTOR: Rob Marshall
WRITER: Bill Condon (based upon the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins and the musical by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb)
PRODUCER: Martin Richards
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dion Beebe (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Martin Walsh
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman
2003 Academy Award winner

MUSICAL/CRIME/DRAMA with elements of comedy

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs, Colm Feore, Christine Baranski, Dominic West, and Mya

Adulterous Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) kills her lover after he boldly admits lying to her and stringing her along. Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) kills her song and dance partner sister and her own husband when she catches them knocking boots. Both end up in the same dark and dank prison awaiting trial, clients of William “Billy” Flynn (Richard Gere), a flamboyant lawyer who specializes in representing gals who’ve killed their husbands and lovers. Under the tutelage of Matron “Mama” Morton (Queen Latifah), the girls struggle to escape the gallows for their crimes and strive for fame in scandal laden 1920’s Chicago.

Yes, it’s good, damn good. Director/choreographer Rob Marshall’s Chicago, a film version of the famed musical, is a thoroughly enjoyable and invigorating film spectacle. If this and Moulin Rouge! represent what the return of film musicals will look like, we are in for a treat. Marshall choreographed “Annie” and “Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” for television. In his film, he creates lavish and electrical dance scenes of the musical’s songs and integrates them with the dark and gritty world of 20’s Chicago. The colorful staged renditions of the songs flit back and forth showing us the idealized worlds of the characters, juxtaposed against the brutal frankness of their real world. The dance numbers are stirring and attention grabbing, as visually attractive as anything on MTV.

Screenwriter Bill Condon, who won an Academy Award for writing his film Gods and Monsters, does an excellent job composing a story that can compete with the energy and electricity of the songs. That’s no easy feat. Condon had to structure the story so that we would be as interested in it as we were thrilled by the songs. Chicago’s central story is rife with engaging tension and conflict and with characters we can support along every step of their treacherous journey.

Can Ms. Zellweger, Ms. Zeta-Jones, and Mr. Gere sing and dance? The answer is a resounding “yes!” Seeing them in the staged numbers and in the story scenes is like watching six different performers. I had a hard time believing the actors and singer/dancers were the same people; I know these performers and to see them pull off these performances is a revelation. I didn’t know Gere had it in him. It’s simply stunning and worth every minute of your time to watch.

The supporting performances are quite nice. Queen Latifah’s presence asserts itself strongly on the film; it often seems as if Mama is the puppeteer backstage directing events. Taye Diggs adds a sense of style to the film, and John C. Reilly quietly adds a sense of innocence and moral dignity to a story of people ready to grab fame at any costs.

Chicago, like Moulin Rouge!, is not like your average film. In fact, it’s very different from most quality and “serious” films. Like a good drama, it’s thoughtful; like the best action movies, it’s quite explosive. Chicago is a dream work, a film that is as visually rambunctious as the best music videos, but with the strong story and characters that you can take to heart – a must see movie.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2003 Academy Awards: 6 wins: “Best Picture” (Martin Richards), “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Catherine Zeta-Jones), “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (John Myhre-art director and Gordon Sim-set decorator), “Best Costume Design” (Colleen Atwood), “Best Film Editing” (Martin Walsh), and “Best Sound” (Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella, and David Lee); 6 nominations: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (John C. Reilly), “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Renée Zellweger), “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Queen Latifah), “Best Cinematography” (Dion Beebe), “Best Director” (Rob Marshall), “Best Music, Original Song” (John Kander-music and Fred Ebb-lyrics for the song "I Move On"), and “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Bill Condon)

2003 BAFTA Awards: 2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and “Best Sound” (Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella, David Lee, and Maurice Schell); 10 nominations: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Danny Elfman, John Kander, and Fred Ebb), “Best Cinematography” (Dion Beebe), “Best Costume Design” (Colleen Atwood), “Best Editing” (Martin Walsh), “Best Film” (Martin Richards), “Best Make Up/Hair” (Jordan Samuel and Judi Cooper-Sealy), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Renée Zellweger), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Queen Latifah), “Best Production Design” (John Myhre), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Rob Marshall)

2003 Golden Globes: 3 wins: “Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Martin Richards), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Richard Gere), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Renée Zellweger); 5 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Rob Marshall), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (John C. Reilly), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Catherine Zeta-Jones), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Queen Latifah), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Bill Condon)

2003 Black Reel Awards: 1 win: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Queen Latifah)

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"Ice Age 4" Cast Members Revealed

Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios Announce ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT Casting

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios today announced the voice cast for ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, the fourth entry in Blue Sky’s blockbuster franchise, which has grossed over $4 billion in all media.

RAY ROMANO is back as Manny, the woolly mammoth and the herd’s “Big Daddy”; QUEEN LATIFAH returns as Ellie -- Manny’s significant other; DENIS LEARY rejoins the herd as the saber-toothed tiger Diego; JOHN LEGUIZAMO is at it again as the terminally goofy sloth, Sid; and SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT and JOSH PECK reprise possums Crash & Eddie.

Joining the ever-growing Ice Age family for Continental Drift is a stellar lineup, including JEREMY RENNER, an Academy Award nominee for The Hurt Locker and The Town (and whose upcoming films include Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and The Bourne Legacy), who portrays Gutt, a self-styled master of the high seas who’s determined to make Manny, Sid and Diego part of his crew; WANDA SYKES as Sid’s stowaway Granny, who causes all sorts of problems for our heroes; AZIZ ANSARI as Squint, a prehistoric rabbit who fancies himself a tough guy; actress-pop music star KEKE PALMER as Peaches, Manny and Ellie’s headstrong teenage daughter; hip hop sensation DRAKE as Ethan, a handsome young woolly mammoth who has his eye on Peaches – and JENNIFER LOPEZ as Shira, a sabre-toothed tigress who melts Diego’s heart.

Also taking on starring roles are HEATHER MORRIS, JOY BEHAR, NICKI MINAJ, JOSH GAD, ALAN TUDYK, NICK FROST, KUNAL NAYYAR, ALAIN CHABAT and JB SMOOVE.

Also returning is Scrat (again voiced by CHRIS WEDGE), who in the first Ice Age emerged as a movie icon. In ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, Scrat’s nutty pursuit of the cursed acorn, which he’s been after since the dawn of time, has world-changing consequences -- a continental cataclysm that triggers the greatest adventure of all for Manny, Diego and Sid. In the wake of these earth-shattering upheavals, Sid reunites with his long lost family, and the gang encounters a ragtag menagerie of colorful new characters determined to stop them from returning home.

ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT is directed by Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier, and produced by Lori Forte and John Donkin.

Twentieth Century Fox releases the animated comedy event, in 3D, on July 13, 2012.


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, Fox International, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

Review: "Set It Off" (Happy B'day, Queen Latifah)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 63 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Set It Off (1996)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong graphic violence, pervasive language, some sex and drug use
DIRECTOR: F. Gary Gray
WRITERS: Takashi Buford and Kate Lanier; from a story by Takashi Buford
PRODUCERS: Oren Koules and Dale Pollock
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Marc Reshovsky (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: John Carter
Image Award nominee

DRAMA/ACTION/CRIME

Starring: Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, Kimberly Elise, Blair Underwood, John C. McGinley, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Ella Joyce, Dr. Dre and Anna Marie Horsford

Set If Off, the second film from music video director F. Gary Gray, was almost the best film ever made about the plight of impoverished African-American women at the turn of the century. Instead, the filmmakers settled on making a film that is a decent drama and a cathartic action movie. Part western and part girl movie, Set If Off resonates with the pain of these female characters although the film only scratches the surface of who the characters are.

After some neighborhood acquaintances of Francesca “Frankie” Sutton’s (Vivica A. Fox) rob the bank where she works and kill a few people, her supervisors at the bank fire her because they find the fact that she knew the culprits disturbing. Her diligence and hard work (only a day prior, she’d counted $240,000 by hand to help one of her bosses) don’t matter one bit. Detective Strode (John C. McGinley), the lead detective in the case, also considers her to be in cahoots with the robbers.

Lida “Stony” Newson (Jada Pinkett) has been plans for her brother Stevie (Chaz Lamar Shepard) to attend UCLA. Stevie is a friend of one of the bank robbers. He visits him after the robbery, and a pack of cowardly, punk cops murders Stevie when they mistake him for the bank robber. Thinking Stevie has a gun, they shoot him down like a dog, only to discover that he was trying to show them that all he had in his jacket was a bottle of champagne a friend had given him for his birthday.

Tired of being on the beating end of the stick, Stony and Frankie join two other downtrodden friends, Cleopatra “Cleo” Sims (Queen Latifah) and Tisean “T.T.” Williams (Kimberly Elise, in a sparkling debut), as bank robbers themselves, to make a little money to get ahead in life and to stick it to the evil, white tyrants who go out of their way to oppress a sister.

This movie could have been so much more than it ended up being, maybe an intense urban drama about what these young women go through and the ends they meet when they finally lash out (perhaps blindly and unwisely) at the world for their pain. However, I will review this movie for what it is. The drama is about average. I caught on to what the story was about; I felt the sisters’ pain. Still, other than Stony, the film mostly relegates the characters to being ciphers, and the script only skims the surface of Stony’s character, for that matter. The filmmakers feel compelled to spend much of the film’s time detailing the intricacies and violence of bank robbery, and they do that quite well. As robbers, the four women are clumsy, but they’re raw and eager. Their crimes are swift and abrupt, and Gray presents it all in a bracing fashion in which the camera lovingly follows the ladies’ every move.

I wanted this film to be more, but, honestly, I really enjoyed what I got. The drama, as mishandled as it was, it still touching and visceral, and the action had me cheering my girls every step of the way. As things fall apart for them, I couldn’t help but feel the emotions and bond they shared, both strong enough to make them sacrifice for one another.

The acting is also quite good. This was a breakthrough role for Queen Latifah, who is full of snarling and barely checked rage; the camera loves her. Ms. Pinkett easily revealed the depth of her talent as a strong dramatic actress, but this performance didn’t earn her lots of new roles, being of the jigaboo persuasion. Ms. Fox’s character barely registers, but that’s the fault of the script. This was a good start for Ms. Elise; her large expressive eyes make her a film natural in her ability to convey feelings.

For all its shortcomings, Set It Off is a very good film, and we need more like it, albeit of a higher quality, that detail the hard lives of poor people and their willingness to fight back when they need to. See this film, and then watch it again.

7 of 10
A-

NOTES:
1997 Image Awards: 3 nominations: “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture” (Jada Pinkett Smith), “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture” (Queen Latifah) and “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Blair Underwood)

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As Ever, Queen Latifah is "Just Wright"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 34 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux


Just Wright (2010)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some suggestive material and brief language
DIRECTOR: Sanaa Hamri
WRITER: Michael Elliot
PRODUCERS: Shakim Compere and Queen Latifah
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Terry Stacey
EDITOR: Melissa Kent
COMPOSERS: Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin

ROMANCE/DRAMA/SPORTS

Starring: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patten, James Pickens Jr., Phylicia Rashad, Pam Grier, Laz Alonzo, Mechad Brooks, Michael Landes, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, Jalen Rose, Kenny Smith, Mike Fratello, and Marv Albert

At first glance, the romantic sports drama, Just Wright, is special because it is a screen romance in which both the female and male leads are African-American actors. What makes Just Wright extra special is that it is a Queen Latifah movie. The Queen, with her lovely, open, and joyous film persona, always delivers a good time – even if she has to carry the movie, and she is indeed the leading scorer in this basketball love story.

The film focuses on Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah), a straight-shooting physical therapist; with her, what you see is what you get. Everyone thinks that Leslie is just the bee’s knees, even the men Leslie dates, but none of them will commit to her beyond just being a friend. A diehard fan of the professional basketball team, the New Jersey Nets, Leslie has a chance encounter with the Nets’ NBA All-Star, Scott McKnight (Common). The two surprisingly strike up a friendship, and Scott invites Leslie to his birthday party. At the party, however, Scott is immediately attracted to Leslie’s gorgeous cousin, Morgan Alexander (Paul Patten), who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife.

Then, Scott tears ligaments in his knee, threatening the future of his NBA career, and Scott becomes frustrated and withdrawn. Leslie eventually takes the job of helping Scott rehab his knee, but it is a full time job. Leslie begins to have strong feelings for Scott and he for her, but is Leslie destined to be a “best friend” or Scott’s true love?

Just Wright is a formulaic romantic drama. It is kind of a Cinderella story with Queen Latifah’s Leslie Wright as Cinderella, and Paul Patten’s Morgan as Cinderella’s stepsisters wrapped into one radiantly beautiful body. In this scenario, Cinderella is everybody’s best friend, but no one’s true love. The handsome prince is the rich, basketball star, Scott McKnight, who is dazzled by the beauty of the conniving Morgan.

Of course, Just Wright is selling Leslie Wright as being “just right” for Scott, and the film’s script, written by Michael Elliot (Brown Sugar), does everything to make Leslie look better and better as the narrative unfurls and to make Morgan look like a vacuous gold-digger who seems almost sociopathic. Morgan’s character would be a joke except for the fact that the underrated Paula Patten gives the kind of high-quality performance that will make the audience want to see more of Morgan. On the other hand, the script doesn’t do much with Scott McKnight other than make him a good catch as a husband – rich, loyal, and kind-hearted. Even Common, in an awkward and uneven performance, doesn’t make McKnight seem like much more than something nice for a girl to have.

Maybe it is Queen Latifah’s fault. Compared to many rapper-turned-actors, Common is usually good in the movies in which he appears, but screen presence of Queen Latifah (another rapper-turned-actor) often overwhelms her costars’ presence. Whenever she is on television or the big screen, Latifah seems to have a natural sunniness about her, and in comedies, she radiates cheer and poise. She carries herself with confidence and projects that she is comfortable in her own skin. Latifah is Just Wright; the movie clearly exists for her to entertain us. Even Paula Patten and appearances from two wonderful sisters like Phylicia Rashad and Pam Grier cannot change the fact that this is all Latifah, all the time.

When a formula works, it reminds us of why it is a formula; we can rely on it. Just Wright uses the romantic formula with decent if not always good results. But in the end, the lovable Queen Latifah makes it all right.

6 of 10
B

Monday, May 17, 2010

Movie Review: "Brown Sugar" Was Much Needed

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 62 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Brown Sugar (2002)
Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual content and language
DIRECTOR: Rick Famuyiwa
WRITERS: Michael Elliot and Rick Famuyiwa, from a story by Michael Elliot
PRODUCER: Peter Heller
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Earvin “Magic” Johnson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jeff Barnett and Enrique Chediak (director of photography)
EDITOR: Dirk Westervelt
Black Reel Award winner

ROMANCE with elements of drama

Starring: Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Mos Def, Nicole Ari Parker, Boris Kodjoe, and Queen Latifah

National Basketball Association legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson entered the world of filmmaking as executive producer in what 20th Century Fox billed as a hip-hop romance, Brown Sugar. The truth of the matter is that the hip-hop has very little to do with the romance other than being window dressing. The fact of the matter is that Brown Sugar is actually a nice romance.

Dre (Taye Diggs) and Sidney (Sanaa Lathan, Love & Basketball) have been friends since childhood. Dre is a successful record executive and Sidney wrote articles on hip-hop music for the Los Angeles Times before moving on to run XXL magazine. They’re each other’s best friend, sharing the good times and the bad and sharing gossip and the intimate secrets of their lives. They only once came close to consummating their deep friendship as serious love, but avoided it. However, when Dre rushes into marriage with Reese (Nicole Ari Parker, Remember the Titans), a high society money girl that he hasn’t known very long, Sidney has mixed feelings, and her deeper love for Dre begins to surface.

Director Rick Famuyiwa (The Wood) and co-writer Michael Elliot seemed determined to make a film that’s simply about romance in which hip-hop is as important to the story as the romance is. Both characters are obviously big fans of hip-hop; both their careers are built around it. The writers even have the characters mouth platitudes about how great hip-hop is. But no matter how much they talk about hip-hop, rap music, or whatever you want to call it, the story of the film is about two friends finally succumbing to the love they have for each other that they both denied for so long, a denial that has one in a bad marriage and the other about to enter into one. The hip-hop love jones is strained and forced, and it severely hampers the romantic center of this movie; the love story is natural and flows.

This film may not be as well known as more “mainstream” and “traditional” romantic films like Sleepless in Seattle or When Harry Met Sally, but Brown Sugar is good. It’s not perfect, but when I was growing up, films like this simply didn’t exist. They couldn’t; racist Hollywood didn’t want to make them, and the beast always claimed that there was no audience for such a film. Well, there’s always an audience for good films; it may not be as large as the audience for Titanic, but people will find a good movie.

I must say that the performances outshine the film. Taye Diggs is a good actor, and he has the stature and emotional range to play a leading man. Can’t you just see how much fun he would have been in something like Boomerang? Ms. Lathan is new to me, but I like what she has to offer. She easily skates through her character of this soft script, managing to be a comedian, a heroine, and a lovelorn professional gal just looking for true love. Queen Latifah adds spark to this film, although her part is quite small, but her hip-hop colleague, Mos Def, is another find. He played the sidekick very well, and he manages to be “real” as a hip-hop artist without once calling a bitch a ho or threatening to peal a nigga’s cap back. He’s a natural, quite comfortable on screen, and I hope to see more of him.

If Magic Johnson has more films like Brown Sugar up his sleeves, by all means, he should go to fewer Laker games and more studio briefings.

6 of 10
B