Tracy Nelson
The daughter of Rick Nelson (son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson) and Chris Harmon (daughter of football legend Tom Harmon and sister of actor Mark Harmon), Tracy Nelson made her film debut at age five as...
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BirthDate BirthPlace |
10/24/1963
Santa Monica, CA |
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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Review
February 02, 2012 6:00am ESTIt’s hard for me to judge a movie like Journey 2: The Mysterious Island too harshly because I am not representative of its intended audience. A pre-teen or fifth-grader may not be dissuaded as I was by the blindingly hurried pace plot discrepancies or absence of any character development while watching Brad Peyton’s (Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore) attempt at reliving the success of Eric Brevig’s original Journey. And you know what? That’s okay because as a family film it adheres to a formula laid out by far superior fantasy adventures and runs its course quickly without ever leaving a moment to reflect on how ridiculous it is. Essentially a series of set pieces tied together by a thinly drawn father-son story Journey 2 picks up a few years after the first film and finds Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) searching for the titular location where he believes his long-absent grandfather has been stranded. Upon retrieving a coded message from a satellite tower just outside of town he enlists the help of his new ex-Navy stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson) to get to the bottom of the mystery. Together they travel to a tropical paradise and hitch a helicopter ride with Gabato (Luis Guzman) and Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) before crash landing on the Mysterious Island where an action-packed escapade awaits them. The above description reads like a standard adventure template and that’s exactly what Journey 2 is. With a bare bones script from the writers of Bring it On Again neither director nor actors had significant material to work with but they run jump duck and dive through sets that resemble the jungle-gym from Legends of the Hidden Temple and various theme-park attractions as if they were cast in Peter Jackson’s King Kong giving every scene everything they’ve got. It’s a good thing that the ensemble was so enthusiastic about the picture; though there isn’t much chemistry between them they collectively draw your attention from the gratuitous gimmicky 3D videogame-inspired digital environments and outdated creature design. Every role has a designated responsibility in this by-the-numbers production: Hutcherson is the brains spitting out expository literary facts to keep the story going throughout while Johnson is clearly the brawn. Guzman with his incessant infantile comedy is the mouth while Hudgens – quite frankly – is the eye candy. Only as a unit can they come close to making Journey 2 entertaining but even when working in relative harmony it’s hard to find much qualitative value in the film. As previously stated Journey 2: The Mysterious Island wasn’t made for all audiences. It will provide a few moments of underage humor and three-dimensional thrills for the kids but everyone else will be wondering why they had to watch The Rock sing “What a Wonderful World” in an adaptation of a Jules Verne novel.
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SXSW 2012: '21 Jump Street,' 'Cabin in the Woods' Lead the Fest's Full Slate
February 01, 2012 9:59am ESTIf Sundance is the studious valedictorian of film festivals, than South by Southwest is the party animal younger broth—who's just as smart (if not more) as his stuffy sibling. Held in Austin, Texas every March, SXSW is a rootin' tootin' celebration of cinema, hosting big Hollywood premieres, the best of the best from Sundance and plenty of off-beat indies primed and ready for discovery. Some of the year's best films premiere at the festival—need I remind you of Kill List—and most make their way to release, making SXSW a festival to keep your eye on. The line-up for this year's fest has been officially release, and sports highly anticipated movies like Jonah Hill's 21 Jump Street and Cabin in the Woods, the long-awaited meta-horror from Lost/Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard and producer Joss Whedon, the premiere of Judd Apatow's new TV show Girls (written and starring Lena Dunham) and new projects from acclaimed directors like William Friedkin (The Exorcist), Kevin McDonald (Last King of Scotland), Will Ferrell, Jay Chandrasekhar of Broken Lizard and the Duplass Brothers (Cyrus). Check out the films below and let us know which ones you want to hear more about! HEADLINERS Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with some major and rising names in cinema. Films screening in Headliners are: 21 Jump Street Directed by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, Screenplay by: Michael Bacall, Story by: Michael Bacall & Jonah Hill Police officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) get sent back to high school as undercover cops in the action-comedy 21 Jump Street. Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, with Ice Cube (World Premiere) BIG EASY EXPRESS Director: Emmett Malloy Emmett Malloy’s latest film invites us aboard a train ride unlike any other with Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. (World Premiere) The Cabin in the Woods Director: Drew Goddard, Screenwriters: Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen. If you think you know this story, think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes The Cabin in the Woods, a mind-blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out. Cast: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Anna Hutchison, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford (World Premiere) Decoding Deepak Director: Gotham Chopra Filmmaker Gotham Chopra spends a year on the road decoding his father and spiritual icon Deepak Chopra. (World Premiere) Girls Director/Screenwriter: Lena Dunham Created by and starring Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), the HBO show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver (World Premiere) The Hunter (Australia) Director: Daniel Nettheim, Screenplay by: Alice Addison, Novel by: Julia Leigh, Original Adaptation by: Wain Fimeri A mercenary is dispatched from Europe to the Tasmanian wilderness by a mysterious biotech company to search for the last surviving Tasmanian tiger. Cast: Willem Dafoe, Frances O'Connor, Sam Neill (U.S. Premiere) Killer Joe Director: William Friedkin, Screenwriter: Tracy Letts A garish, Southwestern tale - a violent black comedy about a desperate Texas debtor (Hirsch) who plots to kill his mother with help of his family (Haden Church, Gershon). They hire a crazy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer (McConaughey) to do the job, but Killer Joe asks for their teenage daughter (Temple) as a retainer. The film is based on Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts' (August: Osage County) award winning play. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Gina Gershon, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church (U.S. Premiere) MARLEY (UK / USA) Director: Kevin Macdonald The definitive life story of Bob Marley - musician, revolutionary, legend - from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. Directed by Academy-Award-Winner Kevin Macdonald. (North American Premiere) NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are: Booster Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted. Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail (World Premiere) Eden Director: Megan Griffiths, Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips, Megan Griffiths, Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong Kim A young Korean-American girl, abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers, joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive. Cast: Jamie Chung, Matt O'Leary, Beau Bridges, Jeanine Monterroza, Scott Mechlowicz (World Premiere) Gayby Director/Screenwriter: Jonathan Lisecki Jenn and Matt, best friends since college who are now in their thirties, decide to have a child together, the old-fashioned way - even though Matt is gay and Jenn is straight. Cast: Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas, Mike Doyle, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Jack Ferver (World Premiere) Gimme the Loot Director/Screenwriter: Adam Leon When Malcolm and Sofia’s latest graffiti masterpiece is buffed by a rival gang, these two determined Bronx teens must hustle, steal, and scheme to get spectacular revenge and become the biggest writers in the City. Cast: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson, Meeko, Zoe Lescaze, Sam Soghor (World Premiere) Los Chidos (Germany / Mexico / USA) Director/Screenwriter: Omar Rodriguez Lopez The Gonzales family tries hard to hold on to their beautiful Latino traditions of misogyny and homophobia when a tall, white, industrialist stranger appears, challenging their place in the exploitative food chain. Cast: Kim Stodel, María De Jesús Canales Ramírez, Manuel Ramos, Cecillia Gutiérrez, (World Premiere) Pilgrim Song Director: Martha Stephens, Screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Karrie Crouse A pink-slipped music teacher ponders his stalled relationship and place in the world during an arduous trek across Kentucky’s Sheltowee Trace Trail. Cast: Timothy Morton, Bryan Marshall, Karrie Crouse, Harrison Cole, Michael Abbott Jr. (World Premiere) Starlet Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch The film explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and 85 year-old Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley. Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian (World Premiere) The Taiwan Oyster Director: Mark Jarrett, Screenwriters: Mark Jarrett, Jordan Heimer, Mitchell Jarrett Two Ex-Pat Kindergarten teachers in Taiwan embark on a quixotic odyssey to bury a fellow countryman. Cast: Billy Harvey, Jeff Palmiotti, Leonora Lim (World Premiere)NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Narrative Spotlight are: The Babymakers Director: Jay Chandrasekhar, Screenwriters: Peter Gaulke, Gerry Swallow Unable to impregnate his wife, Tommy and friends rob a sperm bank - to get Tommy's long-ago donated sperm back. The crazy plan goes hilariously awry and shows how far a couple will go to create a new life. Cast: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn, Kevin Heffernan, Wood Harris, Nat Faxon (World Premiere) Crazy Eyes Director: Adam Sherman, Screenwriters: Adam Sherman, Dave Reeves & Rachel Hardisty Just another story about love. Cast: Lukas Haas, Madeline Zima, Jake Busey, Tania Raymonde, Regine Nehy (World Premiere) Do-Deca-Pentathalon Director/Screenwriter: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass Two brothers compete in their own private 25-event Olympics. Cast: Mark Kelly, Steve Zissis, Elton LeBlanc (World Premiere) Fat Kid Rules The World Director: Matthew Lillard, Screenwriters: Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman Troy, a depressed overweight teenager, gets sucked into the punk rock world by Marcus, a charming street musician. But when Troy discovers Marcus’ drug addiction, he suddenly must figure out the true boundaries of friendship. Cast: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O'Leary, Billy Campbell, Lilli Simmons, Dylan Arnold (World Premiere) frankie go boom Director/Screenwriter: Jordan Roberts a flick by bruce about his little brother frank who's a crybaby fuck who shouldn't do lame-ass embarrassing shit if he dozn't want people 2 see it Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O'Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth (World Premiere) Hunky Dory (UK) Director: Marc Evans, Screenwriter: Laurence Coriat From the producer of Billy Elliot comes this funny, coming of age film featuring songs from artists such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dusty Springfield and Electric Light Orchestra. Cast: Minnie Driver, Aneurin Barnard, Danielle Branch, Robert Pugh, Haydn Gwynne (North American Premiere) In Our Nature Director/Screenwriter: Brian Savelson Taking place over a single weekend, an estranged father and son accidentally end up in the same country house with their two girlfriends. Cast: Zach Gilford, Jena Malone, John Slattery, Gabrielle Union (World Premiere) Keyhole (Canada) Director: Guy Maddin, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, George Toles I'm only a ghost... but a ghost isn't nothing. Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Jason Patric, Udo Kier, Kevin McDonald, Tattiawna Jones (U.S. Premiere) See Girl Run Director/Screenwriter: Nate Meyer What happens when a 30-something woman allows life's "what ifs" to overwhelm her appreciation for what life actually is. Disregarding her current obligations, she digs into her romantic past in hopes of invigorating her present. Cast: Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong, William Sadler, Josh Hamilton (World Premiere) Small Apartments Director: Jonas Åkerlund, Screenwriter: Chris Millis When Franklin Franklin accidentally kills his landlord, he must hide the body; but, the wisdom of his beloved brother and the quirks of his neighbors, force him on a journey where a fortune awaits him. Cast: Matt Lucas, Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple (World Premiere) Somebody Up There Likes Me Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington Time flies for everyone: Thirty-five years in the life of Max, his best friend Sal, and a woman they both adore. A deadpan fable about time sneaking up on and swerving right around us. Cast: Keith Poulson, Nick Offerman, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 845 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are: Bay of All Saints Director: Annie Eastman As the last of the notorious water slums is demolished in Bahia, Brazil, will three single mothers face homelessness or rally for a better life? (World Premiere) Beware of Mr. Baker Director: Jay Bulger Ginger Baker is the original rock ‘n roll madman junkie drummer superstar who everyone thought was dead but somehow survived 50+ years of heroin abuse, disastrous experiments and 5 marriages on 4 continents. (World Premiere) The Central Park Effect Director: Jeffrey Kimball The film reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds who grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green, and the equally colorful, full-of-attitude New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration. (World Premiere) Jeff Director: Chris James Thompson A documentary about the people around Jeffrey Dahmer during the 1991 summer of his arrest for the murder of 17 people in Milwaukee. (World Premiere) Seeking Asian Female Director: Debbie Lum When an American man with "yellow fever" meets a Chinese woman half his age online, documenting their attempt to build a marriage from scratch reveals hilarious and troubling complications for the couple and the filmmaker. (World Premiere) The Sheik and I Director: Caveh Zahedi Commissioned by a Middle Eastern Biennial to make a film on the theme of "art as a subversive act," independent filmmaker Caveh Zahedi (I am a Sex Addict) is threatened with a fatwa. (World Premiere) The Source Directors: Jodi Wille, Maria Demopoulos The Source Family was a radical experiment in '70s utopian living. Their popular restaurant, rock band, and beautiful women made them the darlings of Hollywood; but their outsider ideals led to their dramatic undoing. (World Premiere) Welcome To The Machine Director: Avi Zev Weider Upon fathering triplets, filmmaker Avi Zev Weider explores the nature of technology, seeking answers about what it means to be human. (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Documentary Spotlight are: $ELLEBRITY Director: Kevin Mazur Renowned celebrity photographer, Kevin Mazur, gives us an all access pass to the life behind the velvet rope and in front of the camera. Candid, revealing and bold interviews with Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and more, take us inside the blurred lines of privacy, pliable journalism, celebrity, fame and what it feels like to be consumed. (World Premiere) America's Parking Lot Director: Jonny Mars Pull up a front row seat as two die-hard fans of 'America's Team' spend their last season with the Dallas Cowboys at historic Texas Stadium, and scramble to preserve their place in America’s Parking Lot. (World Premiere) The Announcement Director: Nelson George On Thursday, November 7, 1991, Earvin “Magic” Johnson made the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. The Announcement gets to the core of Magic’s incredible personal journey. (World Premiere) Beauty Is Embarrassing Director: Neil Berkeley A funny, irreverent and inspirational look into the life and times of one of America's most important artists, Wayne White. (World Premiere) Brooklyn Castle Director: Katie Dellamaggiore Amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school’s champion chess team. (World Premiere) Code of the West Director: Rebecca Richman Cohen Frames a high stakes showdown in the halls of the Montana State Legislature. The future of medical marijuana is at stake. (World Premiere) Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes Director: M. Slinger A true document of the art and culture of glass pipe-making. It is the first film to ever bring to light this invisible sub-culture in a comprehensive and well-informed format. (World Premiere) Girl Model Directors: A. Sabin, David Redmon Young Russian girls join a modeling agency to seek work in Japan, but get caught up in an unregulated system that reveals an unseemly side of the fashion industry. (U.S. Premiere) Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters Director: Ben Shapiro Acclaimed photographer Gregory Crewdson’s 10-year quest to create a series of haunting, surreal, and stunningly elaborate portraits of small-town American life — filmed with unprecedented access as he makes perfect renderings of a disturbing, imperfect world. (World Premiere) Just Like Being There Director: Scout Shannon Through the eyes of Daniel Danger, Jay Ryan, and the gig poster community, Just Like Being There focuses on poster artists, the music they commemorate, MONDO film posters, fans, bloggers, galleries, collectors and everything in between. (World Premiere) Scarlet Road (Australia) Director: Catherine Scott The film follows the extraordinary work of Australian sex worker, Rachel Wotton. Impassioned about freedom of sexual expression and the rights of sex workers, she specializes in a long over-looked clientele - people with disability. (North American Premiere) Trash Dance Director: Andrew Garrison A choreographer finds beauty and grace in garbage trucks, and against the odds, rallies reluctant city trash collectors to perform an extraordinary dance spectacle. On an abandoned airport runway, two dozen sanitation workers -- and their trucks -- inspire an audience of thousands. (World Premiere) Waiting For Lightning Director: Jacob Rosenberg From the producers of Step into Liquid, comes the story of visionary skateboarder Danny Way, who jumped China’s Great Wall and created a new movement in sport. (World Premiere) Wikileaks: Secrets & Lies (UK) Director: Patrick Forbes The in-depth story of Wikileaks told by all the key players. Sulphurous, personal and moving, it documents history in the making at the lawless frontier of new technology and mainstream media. (North American Premiere) WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan This documentary examines the fascinating evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman and introduces audiences to a dynamic group of real life superheroes who continue to fight the good fight both on and off the screen. (World Premiere) EMERGING VISIONS Audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape that demonstrate raw innovation and creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking. Films screening in Emerging Visions are: Black Pond (UK) Directors: Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe, Screenwriter: Will Sharpe An ordinary family is accused of murder when a stranger dies at their dinner table. Stars BAFTA-winner Chris Langham and British Comedy Award Winner Simon Amstell. Cast: Chris Langham, Simon Amstell, Amanda Hadingue, Colin Hurley, Will Sharpe (North American Premiere) Dollhouse (Ireland) Director/Screenwriter: Kirsten Sheridan Five street teens break into a house in a rich Dublin suburb for a night of partying. But games are twisted into something more emotional and ultimately out of control through a series of surprising revelations. Cast: Seana Kerslake, Johnny Ward, Kate Stanley Brennan, Shane Curry, Ciaran McCabe (North American Premiere) Eating Alabama Director: Andrew Beck Grace A quest to eat locally becomes a meditation on community, the South and sustainability. Eating Alabama is a story about why food matters. (World Premiere) Electrick Children Director/Screenwriter: Rebecca Thomas Rachel, a 15-year-old fundamentalist Mormon, believes she's had an immaculate conception by listening to rock and roll. She flees to Las Vegas to escape an arranged marriage, seeking answers to her mysterious pregnancy. Cast: Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, Liam Aiken, Billy Zane (North American Premiere) Extracted Director/Screenwriter: Nir Paniry A scientist is trapped in the memories of a criminal and must solve a crime in order to get back home to his family. Cast: Sasha Roiz, Dominic Bogart, Jenny Mollen, Nick Jameson, Brad Culver (World Premiere) Francine (Canada / USA) Director/Screenwriter: Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatzky Academy-Award-winner, Melissa Leo, plays Francine, a woman struggling to find her place in a downtrodden lakeside town after leaving behind a life in prison. Cast: Melissa Leo, Keith Leonard, Victoria Charkut (North American Premiere) Funeral Kings Director/Screenwriter: Kevin Mcmanus, Matthew Mcmanus For three 14-year-old boys at St. Mark's Middle School, it's always a good day for a funeral. Cast: Dylan Hartigan, Alex Maizus, Jordan Puzzo, Charles Odei, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere) Hard Labor (Brazil) Director/Screenwriter: Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra Helena prepares to open her own business: a neighborhood grocery store. She hires a maid. But when her husband Octavio is suddenly fired from his job, Helena is left to support the family alone. Cast: Helena Albergaria, Marat Descartes, Naloana Lima, Marina Flores (U.S. Premiere) La Camioneta - The Journey of One American School Bus Director: Mark Kendall On a 3,000-mile adventure across the borders between the Americas, La Camioneta follows the journey of one out-of-service American school bus as it is repaired, repainted and resurrected into a Guatemalan camioneta. (World Premiere) The Last Fall Director/Screenwriter: Matthew A. Cherry An NFL journeyman struggles to deal with life's complexities after his professional career is over at age 25. Cast: Lance Gross, Nicole Beharie, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Harry Lennix, Keith David (World Premiere) Leave Me Like You Found Me Director/Screenwriter: Adele Romanski Big trees, broken hearts. The story of a lovesick couple’s breakup & makeup while camping in the wilds of California. Cast: Megan Boone, David Nordstrom (World Premiere) PAVILION Director/Screenwriter: Tim Sutton Max, a quietly troubled 15-year-old, leaves his lakeside town to live with his father on the sun-blasted fringe of suburban Arizona. What begins in a calm and lush environment ends in a drastic, frayed confusion. Cast: Max Schaffner, Zach Cali, Cody Hamric, Addie Barlett, Aaron Buyea (World Premiere) Sun Don't Shine Director/Screenwriter: Amy Seimetz Two lovers, on the back roads of Florida, do very bad things. Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Kentucker Audley, AJ Bowen, Kit Gwinn, Mark Reeb (World Premiere) Sunset Stories Directors: Silas Howard, Ernesto Foronda, Screenwriter: Valerie Stadler When May returns to LA and runs smack into JP, the man she left behind, past and present collide sending them on a twenty-four hour journey in search of what they lost. Cast: Monique Curnen, Sung Kang, Joshua Leonard, Mousa Kraish, Michelle Krusiec (World Premiere) Tchoupitoulas Director: Bill Ross, Turner Ross Three young brothers' immersive journey into the sensory wonders of the New Orleans night. (World Premiere) Thale (Norway) Director/Screenwriter: Aleksander L. Nordaas The film revolves around huldra, a mythical, tailed creature, found by two crime scene cleaners in a concealed cellar. Someone’s been keeping her down here for decades, for reasons soon to surface. Cast: Silje Reinåmo, Jon Sigve Skard, Erlend Nervold, Morten Andresen (North American Premiere) Wildness Director/Screenwriter: Wu Tsang A magical-realist portrait of the Silver Platter, a historic bar in Los Angeles that provides a safe space for Latin/LGBT immigrant and queer art communities to come together in love and conflict. WOLF Director/Screenwriter: Ya'ke Smith A family is shaken to the core when they discover their son has been molested. As they struggle to deal with the betrayal, their son heads towards a total mental collapse. Cast: Irma P. Hall, Mikala Gibson, Jordan Cooper, Shelton Jolivette, Eugene Lee (World Premiere) 24 BEATS PER SECOND Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary. Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are: Amor Cronico (Cuba / USA) Director: Jorge Perugorria Weaving footage of singer Cucu Diamantes’ Cuban tour into a fictional love story. The result is an energetic display of her glamorous and infectious performance style and a fascinating portrait of Cuba today. Cast: Cucu Diamantes, Adela Legra, Liosky Clavero, Andres Levin, Jorge Perugorria (World Premiere) Bad Brains: Band in DC Directors: Mandy Stein, Benjamen Logan How four young men from DC changed music forever. (World Premiere) Charles Bradley: Soul of America Director: Poull Brien The incredible late-in-life rise of 62-year-old aspiring soul singer Charles Bradley, whose debut album rocketed him from a hard life in the projects to Rolling Stone magazine’s top 50 albums of 2011. (World Premiere) Daylight Savings Director: Dave Boyle, Screenwriters: Dave Boyle, Michael Lerman, Joel Clark, Goh Nakamura After a devastating breakup, musician Goh Nakamura hits the road with his irresponsible cousin to pursue a promising rebound with fellow musician Yea-Ming Chen. Cast: Goh Nakamura, Michael Aki, Yea-Ming Chen, Lynn Chen, Ayako Fujitani (World Premiere) Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir (Iceland / Denmark) Director: Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir At the tender age of 70 she started making music - and then she couldn't stop! A tribute to the Danish/Icelandic artist and late bloomer Sigrídur Níelsdóttir. Paul Williams Still Alive Director: Stephen Kessler A documentary filmmaker tracks down actor/singer/songwriter Paul Williams in an attempt to find out what happened to his idol. (U.S. Premiere) Rock 'N' Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen (UK) Director: Don Letts Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and others discuss the incredible life and work of the world's foremost rock 'n' roll photographer, Bob Gruen. (North American Premiere) Sunset Strip Director/Screenwriter: Hans Fjellestad The 100-year history of the loudest street on the planet, The Sunset Strip. (World Premiere) Under African Skies Director: Joe Berlinger Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime. Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots Director: Mark Ford 20 years after riots ripped through Los Angeles, Uprising documents how hip hop forecasted – and some say ignited – the worst civil unrest of the 20th century. (World Premiere) SX GLOBAL A diverse panorama of international filmmaking talent, including premieres, interactive documentaries and shorts. Films screening in SX Global are: BIJUKA (India) Director: Ashtar Sayed, Screenwriter: Dr. Mahendra Purohit Inspired by a true event. Scarecrow tells the true story of a young woman who is attempting to escape from an abusive arranged marriage. Cast: Arti Rautela, Amit Purohit (North American Premiere) Crulic - The Path to Beyond (Romania / Poland) Director: Anca Damian The animated documentary feature-length “Crulic – The Path to Beyond” tells the story of the life of Crulic, the 33-year-old Romanian who died in a Polish prison while on hunger strike. Cubaton - El Medico Story (Estonia / Sweden) Director: Daniel Fridell El Medico - a Cuban house doctor who wants to become a cubaton star - is facing a serious choice between serving the state and becoming a popstar. (North American Premiere) Her Master's Voice (UK) Director: Nina Conti Watching someone talk to themselves has never been so interesting. (World Premiere) ITALY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT (Italy / Germany) Directors: Gustav Hofer, Luca Ragazzi Gustav and Luca, two Italians, have to decide: Should they stay in Italy, or leave it? (North American Premiere) Mustafa's Sweet Dreams (Greece / UK) Director: Angelos Abazoglou Mustafa, a 16-year-old pastry shop apprentice dreams of becoming a famous baklava chef in Istanbul. (North American Premiere) Pompeya (Argentina) Director: Tamae Garateguy, Screenwriters: Tamae Garateguy, Diego A. Fleischer When a film director hires two screenwriters to make a gangster movie, a fiction feast starts: femmes fatales, mobs fighting for the same neighborhood and a limitless hero who defies every movie concept. Cast: José Luciano González, Joel Drut, Chang Sung Kim, Vladimir Yuravel, Miguel Forza de Paul (U.S. Premiere) ¡Vivan las Antipodas! (Germany / The Netherlands / Argentina / Chile) Director: Victor Kossakovsky Haven’t we all wondered at some point what was happening just at this moment beneath our very feet at the other side of the planet? FESTIVAL FAVORITES Acclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world. Films screening in Festival Favorites are: Beast (Denmark) Director/Screenwriter: Christoffer Boe How long will you go, to hold on to the person you love? Cast: Nicolas Bro, Marijana Jankovic, Nikolaj Lie Kaas The Comedy Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Robert Donne, Colm O'Leary Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father's estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker), a desensitized, aging Brooklyn hipster, strays into a series of reckless situations that may offer the promise of redemption or the threat of retribution. Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, James Murphy, Kate Lyn-Sheil, Alexia Rassmusen Dreams of a Life (UK / Ireland) Director: Carol Morley An imaginative quest to go beyond the newspaper reports and solve the mystery of who thirty-eight year old Joyce Vincent was and why she lay undiscovered for three years after her death in one of the busiest parts of London. (North American Premiere) God Bless America Director/Screenwriter: Bobcat Goldthwait Loveless, jobless, possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America. With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and offs the stupidest, cruelest, and most repellent members of society. Cast: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr (U.S. Premiere) The Imposter (UK) Director: Bart Layton In 1994 a 13-year-old disappears without trace in Texas. Three years later he resurfaces in Spain with accounts of a horrifying kidnap. His family is overjoyed – but all is not as it seems. Indie Game: The Movie (Canada) Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky With the twenty-first century comes a new breed of artist: the indie game designer. These innovators design and program their distinctly personal games in the hope that they may find connection and success. KID-THING Director/Screenwriter: David Zellner A fever-dream fable about Annie, a rebellious girl devoid of parental guidance or a moral compass. She roams the countryside looking for adventure, and finds it one day in the form of an abandoned well. Cast: Sydney Aguirre, Susan Tyrrell, Nathan Zellner, David Zellner, David Wingo Last Call at the Oasis Director: Jessica Yu A powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century. Lovely Molly Director: Eduardo Sanchez, Screenwriters: Eduardo Sanchez, Jamie Nash Exploring the parallels between psychosis, addiction and demonic possession, Lovely Molly tells the story of what really happens before the exorcist arrives. Cast: Gretchen Lodge, Johnny Lewis, Alexandra Holden (U.S. Premiere) The Raid (Indonesia) Director/Screenwriter: Gareth Huw Evans Rama and his special forces team fight their way through a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord. Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno WE ARE LEGION: The Story of the Hacktivists Director: Brian Knappenberger We Are Legion takes us inside the world of Anonymous, the radical "hacktivist" collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age. SPECIAL EVENTS Live Soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique film event one-offs. Films screening in Special Events are: An Evening With Sacred Bones Records Director: Jacqueline Castel Brooklyn-based record label Sacred Bones presents an evening of original and curated programming of music videos, short films, works in progress, and a rare screening of their first film production, Twelve Dark Noons. (World Premiere) Bernie Director: Richard Linklater, Screenwriters: Richard Linklater, Skip Hollandsworth Based on real-life events, this dark comedy follows Bernie Tiede, his recently deceased friend Marjorie Nugent and District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson who is determined to get to the bottom of the crime. Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman, Richard Robichaux Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me Director: Drew Denicola A feature-length documentary about the massive critical acclaim, dismal commercial failure, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star. (Work in Progress) Casa de mi Padre Director: Matt Piedmont, Screenwriter: Andrew Steele Will Ferrell plays a Mexican rancher who must defend his father's home against the country's most infamous drug lord. Cast: Will Ferrell, Gael García Vernal, Diego Luna, Genesis Rodriguez, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Nick Offerman Girl Walk // All Day Director/Screenwriter: Jacob Krupnick A feature-length dance music film that combines freestyle dance with the daily chaos of New York City, set to Girl Talk's recent mashup album, All Day. Cast: Anne Marsen, John Doyle, Daisuke Omiya Re:Generation Director: Amir Bar Lev 5 DJ's Turn the Table on The History of Music. Renga (UK) Directors: Adam Russell, John Sear A ground breaking feature-length show controlled entirely by the audience using laser pointers. It is the first viable example of a standalone interactive experience capable of running in commercial movie theatres. (North American Premiere) The Oyster Princess (1919) with original live score by Bee vs. Moth (Germany) Director: Ernst Lubitsch, Screenriters: Hanns Kraly & Ernst Lubitsch The Oyster Princess is Ernst Lubitsch’s tart 1919 silent comedy that parodies the rich and the spoiled. Austin jazz/rock band Bee vs. Moth performs their original score live with the film for the first time. (World Premiere)
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'The Help' Sweeps 43rd Annual NAACP Image Award Nominations
January 19, 2012 8:42am ESTNominations for the 43rd Annual NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Image Awards have been released, marking some notable entries for in the realms of film, television, music and literature. One of the biggest films of 2011, The Help, was recognized by the NAACP in several categories: the film itself earned a nod for Outstanding Motion Picture, while its stars Emma Stone and Viola Davis earned Outstanding Actress nominations. Furthermore, Supporting Actress nominations were assigned to cast members Bryce Dallas Howard, Cicely Tyson and Octavia Spencer. This past weekend, Spencer took home a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. The Help's writer/director Tate Taylor earned a nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture. Other notable movies of 2011 to earn nods include Tower Heist and Pariah. Some of the bigger acting names on the list this year include Eddie Murphy (for Tower Heist), Laurence Fishburne (for Contagion), Paula Patton (for Jumping the Broom), Zoë Saldana (for Colombiana), Anthony Mackie (for The Adjustment Bureau), Don Cheadle (for The Guard) and Maya Rudolph (for Bridesmaids). Check below for a complete list of the film, television, music and literature nominations. The 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards will broadcast live on Friday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. on NBC. MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES Outstanding Motion Picture Jumping the Broom (TriStar Pictures) Pariah (Focus Features) The First Grader (National Geographic Entertainment) The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures) Tower Heist (Universal Pictures) Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Eddie Murphy - Tower Heist (Universal Pictures) Laurence Fishburne - Contagion (Warner Bros. Pictures) Laz Alonso - Jumping the Broom (TriStar Pictures) Oliver Litondo - The First Grader (National Geographic Entertainment) Vin Diesel - Fast Five (Universal Pictures) Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Adepero Oduye - Pariah (Focus Features) Emma Stone - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures) Paula Patton - Jumping the Broom (TriStar Pictures) Viola Davis - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures) Zoë Saldana - Colombiana (TriStar Pictures) Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Anthony Mackie - The Adjustment Bureau (Universal Pictures) Charles Parnell - Pariah (Focus Features) Don Cheadle - The Guard (Sony Pictures Classics) Jeffrey Wright - The Ides of March (Columbia Pictures) Mike Epps - Jumping the Broom (TriStar Pictures) Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Bryce Dallas Howard - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures) Cicely Tyson - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures) Kim Wayans - Pariah (Focus Features) Maya Rudolph - Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures) Octavia Spencer - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures) Outstanding Independent Motion Picture I Will Follow (AFFRM) Kinyarwanda (AFFRM) MOOZ-lum (AFFRM) Pariah (Focus Features) The First Grader (National Geographic Entertainment) Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture A Separation (Sony Pictures Classics) Attack the Block (Screen Gems) In the Land of Blood and Honey (FilmDistrict) Le Havre (Janus Films) Life, Above All (Sony Pictures Classics) Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television) Alrick Brown - Kinyarwanda (AFFRM) Angelina Jolie - In the Land of Blood and Honey (FilmDistrict) Dee Rees - Pariah (Focus Features) Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television) Alrick Brown - Kinyarwanda (AFFRM) Ann Peacock - The First Grader (National Geographic Entertainment) Dee Rees - Pariah (Focus Features) Elizabeth Hunter, Arlene Gibbs - Jumping the Broom (TriStar Pictures) Tate Taylor - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures) TELEVISION CATEGORIES Outstanding Comedy Series Love That Girl! (TV One) Modern Family (ABC) Reed Between the Lines (BET) The Game (BET) Tyler Perry's House of Payne (TBS) Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Dulé Hill - Psych (USA Network) Malcolm-Jamal Warner - Reed Between the Lines (BET) Phil Morris - Love That Girl! (TV One) Pooch Hall - The Game (BET) Terry Crews - Are We There Yet? (TBS) Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Tatyana Ali - Love That Girl! (TV One) Tia Mowry-Hardrict - The Game (BET) Tracee Ellis Ross - Reed Between the Lines (BET) Vanessa Williams - Desperate Housewives (ABC) Wendy Raquel Robinson - The Game (BET) Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Craig Robinson - The Office (NBC) Damon Wayans, Jr. - Happy Endings (ABC) J.B. Smoove - Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) Nick Cannon - Up All Night (NBC) Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock (NBC) Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Amber Riley - Glee (FOX) Gabourey Sidibe - The Big C (Showtime) Keshia Knight Pulliam - Tyler Perry's House of Payne (TBS) Maya Rudolph - Up All Night (NBC) Sofia Vergara - Modern Family (ABC) Outstanding Drama Series Boardwalk Empire (HBO) Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) The Good Wife (CBS) Treme (HBO) Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Andre Braugher - Men of A Certain Age (TNT) Hill Harper - CSI: NY (CBS) L.L. Cool J - NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) Taye Diggs - Private Practice (ABC) Wendell Pierce - Treme (HBO) Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Khandi Alexander - Treme (HBO) Regina King - SouthLAnd (TNT) Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Taraji P. Henson - Person of Interest (CBS) Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Corey Reynolds - The Closer (TNT) Ice T - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) James Pickens, Jr. - Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Nelsan Ellis - True Blood (HBO) Omar Epps - House M.D. (FOX) Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Alfre Woodard - Memphis Beat (TNT) Anika Noni Rose - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) Archie Panjabi - The Good Wife (CBS) Diahann Carroll - White Collar (USA Network) Loretta Devine - Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Five (Lifetime Movie Network) Hallmark Hall of Fame, Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith (ABC) Luther (BBC America) The Least Among You (Showtime) Thurgood (HBO) Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Esai Morales - We Have Your Husband (Lifetime) Idris Elba - Luther (BBC America) Laurence Fishburne - Thurgood (HBO) Louis Gossett, Jr. - The Least Among You (Showtime) Samuel L. Jackson - The Sunset Limited (HBO) Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Anika Noni Rose - Hallmark Hall of Fame, Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith (ABC) Jenifer Lewis - Five (Lifetime Movie Network) Rosario Dawson - Five (Lifetime Movie Network) Taraji P. Henson - Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story (Lifetime) Tracee Ellis Ross - Five (Lifetime Movie Network) Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series Aaron D. Spears - The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS) Bryton James - The Young and the Restless (CBS) Emerson Brooks - All My Children (ABC) James Reynolds - Days of Our Lives (NBC) Texas Battle - The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS) Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Christel Khalil - The Young and the Restless (CBS) Julia Pace Mitchell - The Young & the Restless (CBS) Tatyana Ali - The Young and the Restless (CBS) Tonya Lee Williams - The Young and the Restless (CBS) Yvette Freeman - The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS) Outstanding News/Information - (Series or Special) BET News Exclusive: The President Answers Black America (BET) Judge Mathis (Syndicated) Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO) Unsung (TV One) Washington Watch with Roland Martin (TV One) Outstanding Talk Series Anderson (Syndicated) Oprah's Lifeclass (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network) The Doctors (Syndicated) The View (ABC) The Wendy Williams Show (Syndicated) Outstanding Reality Series All-American Muslim (TLC) American Idol (FOX) Dancing with the Stars (ABC) Sunday Best (BET) Tia & Tamera (Style Network) Outstanding Variety Series or Special 2011 BET Awards (BET) Black Girls Rock! (BET) Oprah Presents: Master Class (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network) Prince! Behind the Symbol (The Africa Channel) UNCF An Evening of Stars Tribute to Chaka Khan (BET) Outstanding Children’s Program A.N.T. Farm (Disney Channel) Dora The Explorer (Nickelodeon) Go, Diego! Go! (Nickelodeon) I Can Be President: A Kid’s-Eye View (HBO) My Family Tree (Disney Channel) Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Program - (Series or Special) China Anne McClain - A.N.T. Farm (Disney Channel) Keke Palmer - True Jackson, VP (Nickelodeon) Lance Robertson - Yo Gabba Gabba (Nickelodeon) Leon Thomas III - Victorious (Nickelodeon) Zendaya Coleman - Shake It Up (Disney Channel) Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Jay Chandrasekhar - Happy Endings - The Girl with the David Tattoo (ABC) Kevin Hooks - Drop Dead Diva - Mother's Day (Lifetime) Leonard R. Garner Jr. - Rules of Engagement - The Set Up (CBS) Miguel Arteta - How to Make It in America - Mofongo (HBO) Salim Akil - The Game - Parachutes/Beach Chairs (BET) Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series Ernest Dickerson - Treme - Do Watcha Wanna (HBO) Ken Whittingham - Parenthood - Opening Night (NBC) Kevin Sullivan - NCIS - Tell-All (CBS) Paris Barclay - Sons of Anarchy - Out (FX Network) Seith Mann - Dexter - Get Gellar (Showtime) Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Arthur Harris - Reed Between the Lines - Let's Talk About Ms. Helen's Son Part 1 (BET) Prentice Penny - Happy Endings - The Girl with the David Tattoo (ABC) Salim Akil, Mara Brock Akil - The Game - Parachutes....Beach Chairs (BET) Vali Chandrasekaran - 30 Rock - It's Never Too Late For Now (NBC) Vince Cheung, Ben Montanio - Wizards of Waverly Place - Wizards vs. Angels (Disney Channel) Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series Cheo Hodari Coker - SouthLAnd - Punching Water (TNT) Janine Sherman Barrois - Criminal Minds - The Bittersweet Science (CBS) Lolis Eric Elie - Treme - Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues? (HBO) Pam Veasey - Ringer - Oh Gawd, There's Two of Them? (The CW) Zoanne Clack - Grey's Anatomy - I Will Survive (ABC) DOCUMENTARY Outstanding Documentary - (Theatrical or Television) Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (Sony Pictures Classics) Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (Submarine Deluxe) Sing Your Song (HBO Documentary Films) The Rescuers (Michael King Productions) Thunder Soul (Roadside Attractions) RECORDING CATEGORIES Outstanding New Artist Committed (Epic) Diggy Simmons (Atlantic Records) Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. (Columbia Records) Mindless Behavior (Streamline/Conjunction/Interscope Records) Wynter Gordon (Big Beat/Atlantic Records) Outstanding Male Artist Anthony Hamilton (RCA Records) Bruno Mars (Elektra Records) Cee Lo Green (Elektra Records) Chris Brown (Jive Records) Common (Warner Bros. Records) Outstanding Female Artist Beyoncé (Columbia Records) Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records) Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records) Ledisi (Verve Forecast) Mary J. Blige (Geffen) Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration Boyz II Men (Benchmark Entertainment/MSM Music Group) Cee Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona (Elektra Records) Mary J. Blige feat. Drake (Geffen) Sounds of Blackness (Malaco Music Group) The Roots (Island Def Jam Music Group) Outstanding Jazz Album Chano y Dizzy - Terence Blanchard and Poncho Sanchez (Concord Music Group Inc.) Friends - Stanley Jordan (Mack Avenue Records) Guitar Man - George Benson (Concord Jazz) Legacy - Gerald Wilson (Mack Avenue Records) Road Show Vol. 2 - Sonny Rollins (Emarcy) Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary) Becoming - Yolanda Adams (N House Music Group) Church on the Moon - Deitrick Haddon (Verity Gospel Music Group) Hello Fear - Kirk Franklin (Verity Gospel Music Group) Something Big - Mary Mary (Columbia Records) The Journey - Andraé Crouch (RiverPhlo Entertainment) Outstanding World Music Album Afrodiaspora - Susana Baca (Luaka Bop) Carnival Fever - Brother B (King Chero Records) Live at 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - Boukman Eksperyans (MunckMix, Inc.) Sounds of Blackness - Sounds of Blackness (Malaco Music Group) The First Grader - Alex Heffes (Varese Sarabande) Outstanding Music Video 25/8 - Mary J. Blige (Geffen) Hear My Call - Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records) I Was Here - Beyoncé (Columbia Records) Someone Like You - Adele (Columbia Records) Where You At - Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records) Outstanding Song Best Thing I Never Had - Beyoncé (Columbia Records) Fool for You feat. Melanie Fiona - Cee Lo Green (Elektra Records) I Smile - Kirk Franklin (Verity Gospel Music Group) So In Love feat. Anthony Hamilton - Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records) Someone Like You - Adele (Columbia Records) Outstanding Album 4 - Beyoncé (Columbia Records) F.A.M.E - Chris Brown (Jive Records) I Remember Me - Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records) Lasers - Lupe Fiasco (1st & 15th/Atlantic Records) The Light of the Sun - Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records) LITERATURE CATEGORIES Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction A Silken Thread - Brenda Jackson (Harlequin Kimani Press) Boundaries - Elizabeth Nunez (Akashic Books) Say Amen, Again - Reshonda Tate Billingsley (Gallery Books) Silver Sparrow - Tayari Jones (Algonquin Books) The Plot Against Hip Hop: A Novel - Nelson George (Akashic Books) Outstanding Literary Work - Non-Fiction Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America - Melissa Harris-Perry (Yale University Press) Super Rich - Russell Simmons (Gotham Books) The Cosmopolitan Canopy - Elijah Anderson (W. W. Norton & Company) The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place - Hill Harper (Gotham Books) Who's Afraid of Post- Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now - Toure (Free Press) Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author 2Grieve 2Gether: A Journal from the Heart Helping Survivors & Supporters Navigate the Healing Process - Denise Hall Brown (2Lift 1Up Publishing) A Defining Moment - Patricia Duncan (IJABA Publishing Inc.) The Loom - Shella Gillus (Guideposts Books) The Strawberry Letter - Lyah Le Flore (Ballantine/Random House) We the Animals - Justin Torres (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/Autobiography A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother - Janny Scott (Riverhead Books) Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention - Manning Marable (Penguin Group (USA)-Viking) My Song - Harry Belafonte (Knopf) No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington - Condoleezza Rice (Crown Publishers) The John Carlos Story - John Carlos, Dave Zirin (Haymarket Books) Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional A Year to Wellness and Other Weight Loss Secrets - Bertice Berry (Freeman House Publishing) Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing - Synthia Saint James (Create Space) Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy, & Social Justice in Classroom & Community - Quraysh Ali Lansana (Teachers & Writers Collaborative) The T.D. Jakes Relationship Bible: Life Lessons on Relationships from the Inspired Word of God - T.D. Jakes (Atria Books) Too Important to Fail: Saving America's Boys - Tavis Smiley (Author), Juan Roberts, (Illustrator) (SmileyBooks) Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry Afro Clouds & Nappy Rain: The Curtis Brown Poems - James Golden (iUniverse) Head Off & Split - Nikky Finney (TriQuarterly Books / Northwestern University Press) Honoring Genius: The Narrative of Craft, Art, Kindness and Justice - Haki Madhubuti (Third World Press) Intimate Thoughts - Darrin Henson (Author), Anna Saunders (Illustrator) (Godzchild Publishing) Last Seen - Jacqueline Jones Lamon (University of Wisconsin Press) Outstanding Literary Work - Children Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band - Kwame Alexander (Author), Tim Bowers (Illustrator) (Sleeping Bear Press) Before There Was Mozart - Lesa Cline-Ransome (Author), James Ransome (Illustrator) (Schwartz & Wade Books / Random House Children's Books) Heart and Soul - Kadir Nelson (Author/Illustrator) (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books) White Water - Michael S. Bandy (Author), Shadra Strickland (Illustrator) (Candlewick Press) You Can Be A Friend - Tony Dungy (Author), Ron Mazellan (Illustrator) (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - Little Simon) Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens Camo Girl - Kekla Magoon (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - Aladdin) Eliza's Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary - Jerdine Nolan (Author), Sadra Strickland (Illustrator) (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - Paula Wiseman Books) Jesse Owens: I Always Loved Running - Jeff Burlingame (Enslow Publishers, Inc.) Kick - Walter Dean (HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books) Planet Middle School - Nikki Grimes (Bloomsbury Children's Books) Source:
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A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas Review
November 04, 2011 12:45pm ESTWhen James Cameron changed the landscape of 3D stereoscopic filmmaking with his groundbreaking blockbuster Avatar I'm sure he still had misgivings about the final product. He couldn't include a scene in which eggs are thrown towards camera. There was no moment where Jake smokes marijuana and blows it off screen. Not a single character pleasured themselves and released out into the audience. Maybe in the sequel. Thankfully for those looking for that immersive corporeal experience there is A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas a foul hilarious and surprisingly heartwarming holiday experience that utilizes its eye-popping technology to take gross out humor to a new level. If you're not already on board with the previous stoner antics of Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) from White Castle and Escape from Guantanamo Bay it's safe to say that 3D Christmas won't be roping you back into the series but for fans the movie steps up the franchise's game. Writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg take the three years since the last film into consideration putting the duo on opposite ends of the maturity spectrum only to have them reunite for a zany Christmas adventure. The results are rather touching. We pick up with Harold now a suit-wearing Wall Street type bending over backwards to make Christmas perfect for his ball-busting father-in-law (Danny Trejo). Adding to the stress are his wife Maria who is anxious to have a baby despite the couple's inability to do so and his next door neighbor Todd (Tom Lennon) who would do anything to be Harold's best friend. Kumar is his antithesis—burnt out baked and broken up over the termination of his relationship with Vanessa. When a mysterious package addressed to Harold lands on Kumar's door (he hasn't lived there in years) the medical school dropout takes a ride to his former cohort's white picket fence house. The package is exactly what you'd expect: an enormous joint. Admitting he doesn't smoke any more Harold throws the weed away—only to see it magically return and burn down his father-in-law's Christmas tree. Like its predecessors Harold & Kumar 3D takes off from its wacky catalyst and shoots directly (and without regret) into outer space. Without hesitation Harold and Kumar's quest for a Christmas tree takes them from a terrifying tree yard run by RZA a coked-out Christmas party thrown by the teenage kids of New York's deadliest gangster and a holiday stage show starring—you guessed it—Neil Patrick Harris. The movie piles on gags and inside jokes (the movie winks at the camera with Star Trek and White House cracks) but few fall short thanks to their clever execution and two characters Cho and Penn help us give a damn about. Even in its lamest moments—Todd's baby finding her way into a variety of drugs is one of the movie's running gags—Harold & Kumar 3D still pops. Director Todd Strauss-Schulson squeezes every bit of silliness out the movie's various scenarios adding a dash of nostalgia for fans and making the entry worthy of the original. Even Harris outdoes himself (and the man road a unicorn in movie #2) riffing off his own homosexuality which we learn is really just a play to get more woman to take their clothes off. Obviously. If the traditional holiday classics haven't been quite your style Harold & Kumar 3D is a more-than-worthy addition to the Christmas movie pantheon delivering on warm and fuzzy friendship cliches while filtering it through bathroom humor and bong water. By the time Harold and Kumar trip and turn themselves into claymation you'll either be cackling with laughter or on the way out of the theater. Me? I was high on it.
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Harrelson hits 50
July 23, 2011 5:30am ESTBorn Woodrick Tracy Harrelson, Woody is best known for his breakthrough role as a dim-witted bartender in TV hit Cheers. He's since gone on to tackle a host of quirky roles, playing a serial killer, a country singer, a bounty hunter and even a zombie slayer. Away from Hollywood, Harrelson is a family man and dad to three daughters, as well as a strict vegan and devoted environmental activist. To mark his 50th, WENN takes a look back at his life with 10 fascinating facts about Harrelson himself. Woody, we salute you! - His dad, Charles Harrelson, was a professional hitman, who was sentenced to life behind bars for assassinating a federal judge. Harrelson, Sr. unsuccessfully tried to break out of prison on America's Independence Day (04Jul) in 1995 and died 12 years later (07) of heart disease. - Woody turned vegan at 24 to cure his acne; he now eats only raw food. - Born in Texas, he now calls Hawaii home and counts Kris Kristofferson and Owen Wilson as his neighbours. His house in Maui is completely solar-powered. - During one madcap night in 1982, Harrelson was arrested for dancing in the middle of a street. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after running from cops. - Harrelson met the love of his life, Laura Louie, in 1987 on the set of Cheers and made her his wife in 2008. Alanis Morissette and Willie Nelson performed at their nuptials. - Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney is a close friend - the pair bonded over their shared passion for animals rights. - Despite critical acclaim and two Oscar nods, his performance in Indecent Proposal won him the Worst Supporting Actor trophy at the 1993 Golden Raspberry Awards. - Harrelson has long championed the legalisation of marijuana and joined the advisory board for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in 2003. - In a charity soccer game last year (10), Harrelson scored the winning goal in a sudden death shoot-out alongside teammates Robbie Williams, Mike Myers and Michael Sheen. After smashing the ball into the back of the net, the actor admitted the match in England was "the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced". - He shares his birthday with Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, rocker Slash and infamous White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
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'Kojak' Creator Abby Mann Dies
March 28, 2008 6:16am ESTOscar-winning screenwriter and Kojak creator Abby Mann has died. He was 80. Mann died of heart failure at his home in Beverly Hills, California, on Tuesday. The Philadelphia-born writer started his career working on TV shows, but shot to fame in 1961 when he scooped an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Judgment at Nuremberg--which starred Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Mann went on to score multiple Emmy Awards, including one for The Marcus-Nelson Murders in 1973--the film created the character Theo Kojak, and its TV spinoff became one of the most successful cop shows of the 1970s. He was also one of the main writers on the 2005 Kojak remake, which saw actor Ving Rhames take over the lead role made famous by Telly Savalas. Mann is survived by his wife, Myra, and a son. COPYRIGHT 2008 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All Global Rights Reserved.
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21 Review
March 28, 2008 5:29am ESTOf course 21 isn’t just about blackjack. It’s more about Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) a shy but brilliant M.I.T. student who--needing to pay Harvard medical school tuition--finds the answers in the cards so to speak. After dazzling his unorthodox math professor and stats genius Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) with some mathematical prowess Ben is quickly indoctrinated into Rosa’s group of “gifted” students who head to Las Vegas every weekend with the know-how to count cards and beat the casino at the blackjack tables. And win big they do. Ben is soon seduced by the allure of this luxurious lifestyle including his sexy teammate Jill (Kate Bosworth) but begins rebelling against the well-oiled machine Rosa has built. Apparently you don’t want to cross this particular math professor--nor the old-school casino security consultant (Laurence Fishburne) who has set his sights on Ben as a master card counter. It’s not illegal to do that but the casinos don’t much like it when they catch you doing it. Hey what happens in Vegas…oh you know the rest. The most well-rounded performance comes from the British Sturgess best known for singing Beatles’ songs in Across the Universe. His Ben starts out as a naive math whiz/nerd whose biggest thrill is designing the perfect science project for an M.I.T. contest but then becomes the smooth Vegas dude with the nice clothes and hot girlfriend and finally turns into the guy who eventually loses it all. It’s not hard to see just how much Ben is going to change once he gets involved in the moneymaking scheme but Sturgess handles the transition with aplomb. The stiff Bosworth isn’t nearly as effective as his love interest but she has her moments. Also good for comic relief is Aaron Yoo (Disturbia) as one of the blackjack players who oddly enough is also a kleptomaniac. The performance drawbacks in 21 come from the more veteran players. Spacey and Fishburne seem to be going through the motions utilizing techniques they’ve used many times before. Spacey can whither whoever it is with that look of his while Fishburne postures as he always does. It’s too bad they couldn’t have put in more effort. As with any movie in which the action is inherently stagnant (i.e. sitting at a blackjack table) the question is how to keep things visually stimulating. That’s where director Robert Luketic--who up to this point has only done broad comedies such as Legally Blonde and Win a Date with Tad Hamilton--comes in. Luketic does a fine job maneuvering the camera around the tables creating slo-mo close-ups of the cards and incorporating a cool soundtrack. A good montage or four usually can also work well in a situation like this and Luketic fully utilizes that technique--from the kids winning to them spending their money in gloriously obscene ways. Based on the book Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions 21 has the extra advantage of being a somewhat true story as well. But the script from Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb basically copies from other sources and never really distinguishes itself.
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The Savages Review
December 01, 2007 9:56am ESTMisery loves the Savages--always has. Ever since they were kids Wendy (Laura Linney) and Jon Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman) have been plagued by the blasé blues. Even though they went their separate ways the siblings have remained somewhat close geographically--she lives in Manhattan he in Buffalo--and in their discontentment. But what made them this way in the first place their father (Philip Bosco) is about to reunite them. After losing his mind to dementia and his longtime girlfriend (Rosemary Murphy) to well death the old man officially needs to be looked after and that’s where Jon and Wendy reluctantly come in. Despite having not seen their estranged father in ages they fly out to his Arizona senior-citizen-friendly community immediately upon word of his downfall. What they didn’t plan on however is staying more than a couple days. Ultimately they take him back to Buffalo and place him in a nursing home about which Wendy constantly feels guilty. Now forced to live together and look in the metaphorical mirror the siblings Savage learn about self-discovery mortality each other and how to revive a decades-old rivalry as though it had never gone away. Given the way Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman constantly one-up each other in The Savages you’d think there was a real sibling rivalry at play. Of course it’s merely two of today’s very best actors giving par-for-the-course flawless performances. In so doing they create something beyond chemistry: a relationship so fractured and imperfectly perfect that it could only exist between an aging brother and sister. Whether the scene calls for fireworks or subtlety solo or together Linney and Hoffman are always up to the task. Linney is especially wide-ranging as Wendy still fights her midlife crisis. The veteran actress is often heartbreaking because Wendy is often heartbroken even when she tries to convince herself otherwise but Linney still manages to leave the window of hope cracked open--for us and her character. She truly encompasses everything in this her best performance to date. Hoffman is slightly more of a supporting player here but no less impactful. The Oscar winner is apathetic through much of the film but his terse outbursts of anger and/or sadness are stark reminders of his awe-inspiring range as an actor. Perhaps the most savage Savage is the patriarch played with grace by longtime actor Bosco. But instead of vilifying Lenny or making him worthy of all your pity Bosco makes him a rollercoaster of emotion as per Lenny's dementia. It’s been nine years since writer-director Tamara Jenkins’ last--and only other--feature-length film the twisted coming-of-age tale Slums of Beverly Hills which has given her plenty of time to think grow older and think about growing older. She philosophizes aloud in The Savages a movie that addresses everything you don’t want to but with a sardonic edge to it; in fact maybe this is as much a coping mechanism for her as it is an artistic endeavor. While the movie is primarily about the title siblings it essentially explores the human condition under their guise. But Jenkins does so in a way that is never preachy never obnoxious never sappy and always astutely observed. It’s her naturalistic approach to moviemaking that will turn what is ultimately a sharp dramedy into too much of a downer to please casual moviegoers looking for lighthearted fare in wintertime--this is NOT Little Miss Sunshine--but those who go in looking for a drama will be moved occasionally to laughter. Because The Savages is that rare deep movie: heavy on symbolism and meaning light on pretense and contrivance.
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Fred Claus Review
November 12, 2007 10:44am ESTPlaying second fiddle to a more famous sibling can be rough. Just ask Fred Claus (Vaughn) a regular guy who has had to grow up under the shadow of his little brother Nicholas Claus (Paul Giamatti) aka Santa. That’s a big shadow to say the least both figuratively and literally. As an adult Fred has pretty much steered clear of his family but when he finds himself in dire need of some fast cash he calls his brother. Pleased as punch to hear from him Nicholas nonetheless makes him a deal: If he comes up to the North Pole for a visit and to help out the few days before Christmas then Fred can have the money. Fred reluctantly agrees and soon he’s being whisked off in Santa’s sleigh by head elf Willie (John Michael Higgins). But once Fred gets to the North Pole nothing seems to go right and soon he is the cause of much chaos--which unbeknownst to Fred causes Nicholas even more stress since his North Pole operation is one step away from being shut down by a cold-hearted efficiency expert (Kevin Spacey). Can Fred quit being bitter in time to save his brother’s livelihood? Of course he can. Hmmm Vince Vaughn minus the R-rated Wedding Crashers/Old School irreverence? It’s a stretch. Seeing the comic actor playing it PG is a little weird but you might enjoy how Vaughn infuses his unique energy into Fred Claus. From getting all the elves to boogie down in Santa’s workshop to going on one rant after another (on his brother: “He’s a clown a megalomaniac a fame junkie!”) to pilfering money on the street and then being chased by Salvation Army Santas it’s all good. Giamatti too seems a little out of his comfort zone as the saintly St. Nick. The actor who usually plays such endearing sad sacks has already played against type to great effect this year as the maniacal bad guy in Shoot ‘Em Up but he isn't nearly as successful in doing the flipside of that in Fred Claus. And what the hell is Kevin Spacey doing in this? As the villain of the film he fills the shoes nicely but he is almost too good at it (natch) for such a feel-good family film. Even Higgins--a character actor who is usually so hilarious in films such as The Break Up and all of Christopher Guest’s movies—has to shed the cheekiness and sugar himself up for Fred Claus. There’s also Rachel Weisz as Fred’s beleaguered girlfriend (you heard right) and Kathy Bates as the Claus boys’ mother who always sees Fred as inferior to her other son to fill out a cast of big names doing family fare. Director David Dobkin is a Vince Vaughn favorite having directed him in Wedding Crashers and Clay Pigeons but like his muse Dobkin seems a little out of place guiding this material. Granted Dobkin creates a pretty magical North Pole complete with an entire city of little dwellings a Frosty Tavern and a huge domed Santa’s Workshop. The montage of Fred delivering presents on Christmas Eve—falling down chimneys stuffing cookies in his face zooming around in the sleigh—is also well done. But overall Fred Claus is a Vaughn vehicle—even as sugary sweet and family-friendly as it is--and all Dobkin really does is turn the camera on and let the man do his stuff. Dan Fogelman's script is also so very bland full of any number of holes and only picks up once Vaughn starts to improvise. Bottom line: If you’re looking to take the kids to a sweet Christmas movie and are a Vince Vaughn fan then Fred Claus is for you.
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Review
July 23, 2007 10:07am ESTAs the fifth year at Hogwarts begins most of the wizardry world is having a hard time believing Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned further propagated by the Ministry of Magic who refuses to recognize anything evil is brewing and blames all the hullabaloo on Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). The Ministry even interferes with Hogwarts business by making Ministry employee Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor whose outwardly sweet demeanor hides a sadistic streak a mile wide. She thinks the children should only learn about the Dark Arts “theoretically” and tortures all those who disagree. But the Voldemort threat is a reality and Dumbledore has re-formed the Order of the Phoenix a group of witches and wizards that prepares to battle the Dark Lord. Harry is unfortunately being kept in the dark for his protection of course even as his connection to Voldemort grows stronger and he’s royally peeved at being ignored. Urged on by Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) he forms his own order of Hogwarts students called Dumbledore’s Army to teach them what defenses against the Dark Arts he has already learned. Oh yeah Harry also shares his first kiss but make no bones about it—love is the furthest thing on Harry’s mind when the crap hits the fan. War is imminent. Everyone steps up their game in Order of the Phoenix. Radcliffe Watson and Grint have shed their adolescent whininess and aw-shucks goofiness to give their characters the greatest depth so far. They are forced to grow up pretty quickly in Order with little time for any playfulness and the three actors handle the seriousness with aplomb. Of course both Radcliffe and Grint have already ventured out of the Potter world—Radcliffe shed more than just adolescence on stage in a production of Equus while Grint lost his virginity in the indie Driving Lessons--and their extra experience shows in Order. Also good are Matthew Lewis as the usually clumsy Neville Longbottom who shows his mettle in more ways than one and newcomer Evanna Lynch as the slightly off-kilter Luna Lovegood who proves to be a loyal member of Dumbledore’s Army. But the kids have to keep up with the talented adult cast especially Oscar-nominated Staunton (Vera Drake) as Umbridge. The veteran actress’ interpretation of one of J.K. Rowling’s nastiest characters so far in the Potter lore is spot-on down to the pink wool suits and irritating twitter “ahem” she uses when she wants your undivided attention. Helena Bonham Carter also makes an impression however over the top it is as the evil Voldemort follower Bellatrix Lestrange. Does she ever want to look pretty onscreen? Then there’s the laundry list of Brits whose time onscreen may be short but is nonetheless memorable including Alan Rickman as the sneering Prof. Snape; Gambon as the wise but flawed Dumbledore; Gary Oldman as the kindly Sirius Black Harry’s only real family; and of course Fiennes as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. His late-in-the-game appearance once again throws you for a loop. It stands to reason that at five movies in moviegoers would have a favorite Harry Potter flick by now. Those who love those Triwizard Tournament special effects might feel The Goblet of Fire was the best; or Prisoner of Azkaban for its time-bending action. Yet The Order of the Phoenix may be the one movie that speaks directly to the fans of the books. Without as much wide-eyed wonderment or wizardry flash the story is still chockfull of compelling details that are absolutely pivotal to the continuing Harry Potter saga. Screenwriter Michael Goldenberg (Peter Pan) and director David Yates (HBO’s The Girl in the Café) manage to wade through this volume of information and cut successfully to the chase with great effect. Yates who has signed on to do the sixth movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince even shows an affinity for action in the final dramatic confrontation between good witches and wizards and bad ones. But overall Order of the Phoenix may leave audiences not as well-versed in the novels a little itchy for some good old-fashioned wand-waving and Disney special effects. Thing is it’s just going to keep getting darker and darker for Harry and his crew. The days of happy fun playtime are over.
