EAR 2 THE STREETS

White People Don’t Watch Black Movies. Who’s to Blame? by Jorge Rivas

2012-01-28T00:39:00.001-06:00

Study Finds White People Don’t Watch Black Movies. Who’s to Blame? - COLORLINES

It’s no secret that it’s close to impossible for aspiring actors of color to make it mainstream in Hollywood. Every year studies find that people of color are underrepresented in almost every aspect of the film industry. And that’s largely due to studio executives’ fears that white audiences will stay away if there are too many people of color in a film. But a recent study shows movie-goers are just as harsh when it comes to “casting” where they spend their money at the box office. In a research paper published in May, Andrew J. Weaver, a telecommunications professor at Indiana University, conducted two studies to test whether the racial makeup of a film’s cast could influence the decisions of white audiences.

The study, called “The Role of Actors’ Race in White Audiences’ Selective Exposure to Movies”, concluded “minority cast members” do in fact lead white audiences to be less interested in seeing certain films. In the study, subjects were presented with twelve fictional movie plots. Web pages advertising the films and the race of the characters was manipulated to create different versions. Though a sample group of 79 white undergraduate college students who participated in the study generally indicated that the race of cast members in a film did not influence whites’ desire to see a film in general, researchers say those results need context. “This is not to say that race does not matter, of course,” Weaver explained in the paper. “Preexisting racial attitudes moderated this relationship, such that whites who were low in color-blind racial attitudes were more interested in films with mostly black casts than they were in films with mostly white casts. “A more complex relationship between actors’ race and selective exposure begins to emerge when other factors are considered,” he added. “For example, those who were frequent movie viewers preferred white casts to black casts in the celebrity condition, but light movie viewers showed no such preference.” The second study looked at romantic comedies.

And race definitely played a role when it came time for on-screen kisses. “The higher the percentage of black actors in the movie, the less interested white participants were in seeing the movie,” Weaver wrote of the second group. “Importantly, this effect occurred regardless of participants’ racial attitudes or actors’ relative celebrity … This finding would also seem to lend credence to producers’ concerns about casting black actors into these kinds of romantic roles.” While Weaver says he was discouraged by the research’s results, he has high hopes for what his findings can provide for studios. “Many films are written with race-neutral roles — they’re just cast with white actors,” Weaver said. “A good first step would be casting minority actors in those roles, but I think the marketing question is a really interesting one.” Another good one is making sure race-specific roles meant for actors of color actually go to actors of color. For example, The Last Airbender, the film that whitewashed its way to the theaters, was adapted from the popular cartoon series with an Asian cast set in an Asian fantasy world. But casting for this film included an all-white hero cast and only one lead role for an Asian actor — whose role was the villain in the plot. Last year, only two of the 30 highest grossing films featured major non-white characters.

And while it’s a complicated issue of who’s to blame, it really comes down to who has the power to change things. And that’s Hollywood studio executives. The way ethnic groups are portrayed in films really contributes to public opinion and because of that the responsibility of studio executives goes far beyond movie houses.

The Black Bag Chronicles Vol. 1: The Take

2012-01-07T19:15:00.000-06:00

RATED R: For graphic violence, language, drug use

When three corrupt narcotics cops descend on a drug house and find a bag of money, loyalties will be tested, secrets revealed and they all wont make it out alive.

Director: Stephen Jones
Writer: Hank Byrd
Producer: Hank Byrd
Music: Edmond Almon
Sound: Stephen Jones and Hank Byrd
Editing: Hank Byrd

STARRING:

Rodney Tisdale: Mike

Adrion Robbins: Gus

Hank Byrd: Fish

Freddie Tate: Capt. Carl

Tiffany Wilson: Alaura

Damon Drew: Agent Womack

Steve Rhoden: Agent Barnes

AWARDS:

OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2011 Bare Bones International Film Festival

WINNER: Audience Choice Award- Best Mini Feature- 2011 Bare Bones International Film Festival

E2STREETS SHORT FILM SHOWCASE: THIS TIME

2011-12-20T20:37:00.000-06:00

At e2streets, we pride ourselves in bringing you the best and brightest in independent music and film. From time to time we will showcase the works of talented artists in order to entertain and inspire.

"This Time" is a short film written by Reagan Gomez-Preston and directed by Matthew A. Cherry. It stars Reagan Gomez, Michael Moss, Terri J. Vaugn, Barry Floyd and Sinorice Moss.

This Time deals with the realities that many people have to face when a loved one returns home from war and everything has changed.

Film Festival Official Selections: Rincon International Film Festival, Boston international Film Festival, GI Film Festival, San Fransico Black Film Festival, Martha Vineyard African American Film Festival, Roxbury Interational Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Miami Short Film Festival.

This film is dedicated to the men and women who have given their lives to protect our country. And their family members with whom their memory lives on.

Director: Matthew Cherry
Written By: Reagan Gomez
Executive Producer: Liberty Madison, Sinorice Moss, Quetaya Scott
Producers: Enitan Bereola, , Portia Jenkins, Shauna Faith-Graham
Director Of Photography: Zubari Duniani
Edited By: Reginald Harrison
Production Company: Cherry Entertainment in association with Liberty Madison Productions and Supremacy Films

Hanks 20 Favorite Films of 2011 by Hank Byrd

2011-12-20T15:49:00.000-06:00

This was actually a very hard list to put together. I had to think hard about all of the films I saw this year and pick 20 that actually stood out to me. While my list ranges from the deeply engaging to the absurd, most, if not all of them should be available for viewing on Netflix or iTunes. I hope you enjoy the list and leave feedback.

NOTE: These films are in no particular order.

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Talk about one of the biggest Rocky Balboa stories in recent cinematic history! A lot of people counted this movies as dead in the water and a very unnecessary reboot to a long forgotten franchise. However with ground-breaking CG work, a great screenplay soaked in social commentary and surprisingly good performances, Rise of the Planet of the Apes rose to the occasion.

2. The Help- I wasnt sold on the predictability of the story, but this drama made up for it in charm and deeply moving performances by Viola Davis and show-stealer, Octavia Spencer

3. Bridesmaids- This all female answer to The Hangover was not only flat-out hilarious, but took the time to ground itself in reality long enough to get the audience invested in the friendship at the center of the film.

4. 13 Assassins- Now THIS is how you make a Samurai film! After the rag-tag group of Samurai is assembled, the fighting starts and doesn't let up until the very last frame!

5. Win Win- Paul Giamatti has always been a great supporting character in great films, but he shines brightest in smaller films like this. I wish this film would have gotten a larger audience, but it’s found a second life on DVD and digital downloads.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2- This wasn't the best film in the franchise, but it wrapped the series up very well and the last 15 minutes of the film was worth the wait.

7. Attack The Block- Gotta hand it to the Europeans, they know how to make a good sci-fi/horror comedy. This film has all the heart of The Goonies and the foul-mouthed charm of a Guy Ritchie film.

8. Drive- In this homage to everything 80’s from it's tone, music and film noir style, Ryan Gosling stars as a Hollywood stunt driver caught up in a heist gone wrong. Don't let the previews fool you, this film is ultra violent and very well made.

9. Rango- Johnny Depp and Director, Gore Verbinski dazzled audiences with the Pirates of The Caribbean films, but with Rango, they manage to make a fun family film for the kiddies and tip their hat to some of the greatest films in history like Chinatown and The Odd Couple.

10. I Will Follow- What do you get when you take an indie film with an all black cast, take away the sitcom-esque writing, the slapstick comedy and actually tell a compelling film about love, loss and starting over? You’ll find out when you watch this film.

11. Viva Riva!- This African import is a gem, if you dont mind the subtitles. This film is fun, sexy as hell, suspenseful and the tropical backdrop makes this African film noir a must see!

12. Warrior- Even if you’re not an MMA fan, you’ll appreciate the skill and the heart that goes into it. It’s rare that a film is able to capture that, but the creators of Warrior actually had their hands on the pulse of mixed martial arts.

13. Fright Night- Fright Night is a vampire film you’ll usually find on every critics top 10 vampire films list. So remaking this film for this generation was going to be a challenge. While I will be the first to admit that I had very low expectations for this film, it managed to keep me entertained.

14. Contagion- This film about an international pandemic has a large and talented cast and it managed to make me want to go home, burn my clothes and soak in a tub of scolding hot bleach.

15. I Saw The Devil- This Korean revenge flick flew under the radar, but everyone who has seen it was mesmerized by this effective film. Hopefully we don't remake it in America and jack it all up!

16. Hanna- If anything, this is an original film. Making a coming-of-age story about a young girl, who happens to be a trained killer is a task. Quirky, thrilling and even absurd in some areas, Hanna grows on you quickly.

17. Limitless- A little bit science fiction, a little bit thriller and a dash of a good John Grisham novel made this Bradley Cooper film a hit. It’s always good to see a film where you actually root for the underdog

18. Source Code- The film is a sci-fi Groundhog Day on steroids! The story was a little contrived at times, but this is a well-written train ride and not a train wreck.

19. Point Blank- I love a film where an ordinary man is forced to do extraordinary things for the ones he loves. This French action import will not let you down! Forget that you don't know any of the stars and just get lost in the story!

20. Take Shelter- Ive been a fan of Michael Shannon since his nominated role in Revolutionary Road. This film is visually stunning a mind trip at the same time. While it hasn't gotten a wider release, it deserves all of the praise it’s gotten this year.

The Help: Perpetuating the Mammy Stereotype & Limiting Roles in Film By Mayra David

2011-12-19T23:08:00.000-06:00

Following the recent release of the film version of the bestselling novel The Help, some critics declared the race to the Oscars was on. Endowed with great actresses delivering fine performances, a bestselling novel as its base, and the conflicted setting of segregated America, it’s no wonder some critics proclaimed open season on the the Academy Awards, citing The Help as the first clear front-runner for an Oscar. With the hugely popular Emma Stone and past-nominee Viola Davis, the film by Dreamworks just may be a shoe-in for a few nominations. But for now, the cast and crew must contend with a different kind of open season, as critics take aim at the film’s portrayal of African-Americans.
The novel by Kathryn Stockett has incited fury like few books in recent years, having been found by many critics in print and especially in the blogosphere—black and white—to be a veritable “white washing” of Jim Crow era Mississippi. As Viola Davis notes in an interview to the LA Times: “There is huge responsibility within the African-American community. I mean huge,” she says. “There are entire blogs committed to saying that I’m a sellout just for playing a maid.”

The actress further admits that the implicit danger of perpetuating the tradition of black actresses in “Mammy” roles is a fact that gave her great trepidation about accepting the part. But the book and film are an attempt to dispel the archetype of the Mammy, aren’t they? Davis and her co-actor Octavia Spencer, who also plays a maid, both assert their belief in the film and are protesting the backlash:
Spencer says, “There are a lot of people who don’t like the idea of us playing maids without knowing anything about the story.” Davis adds, “They don’t care. It’s the fact that we are playing maids. It’s the image and the message more so than the execution.”

The image of an African-American person in a servile role is quite powerful. The representation of people of color in film is immeasurably influential in the way black Americans are perceived and perceive themselves; for this reason, films have always played a vital role in this country’s race relations. Film being one medium for preserving things for posterity—the reel that records and delivers tangible images and ideology from the past into the future—one could argue that, along with the written word, it is the main factor both driving progress and causing stagnation in race relations around the world.

So we better be careful what we put on it.

Hattie McDaniel in her role as Mammy, with Vivienne Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939)

The Mammy: A few short years ago CGI technology and digital manipulation had everybody wondering about the possibilities of film and photography, and whether live actors would be needed anymore. We’ve propelled forward so rapidly, that were it not for film and camera, we may forget how cinema started, and also what it started.
Birth of A Nation was quite the innovation at the time of its release in the early 20th century: the first feature length film at three hours play time on 12 reels of film—racist ideology stamped on every inch of them. The story included every stereotype available to writer/director D.W. Griffith. In his book, Toms, Coon, Mulattoes, Mammy and Bucks, author Donald Bogle writes:
“D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation (1915) was the motion picture to introduce the final mythic type, the brutal black buck. This extraordinary, multidimensional movie was also the first feature film to deal with a black theme and at the same time to articulate fully the entire pantheon of black gods and goddesses. Griffith presented all the types with such force and power that his film touched off a wave of controversy and was denounced as the most slanderous anti-Negro movie ever released.”

Fast forward to 1939 and the release of Gone with the Wind, the film that Skeeter Phelan in The Help rightfully declares “glorified” the Mammy archetype. Gone with the Wind was a box office and critical success, garnering a record 13 Oscar nominations, including one for Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy. She won the award. She also garnered criticism from the NAACP and others for her role in perpetuating the stereotype on film. Her response is infamous: “I’d rather get paid $700 a week for playing a maid than $7 for being one.”

The Mammy archetype originated in the South as a model of not only what a servant is and should be, but also why they should be so: Mammies were the cheerful, loving servants, vastly content in their work and devoted to their masters, especially the children they cared for. They were obese, stupid creatures, with no breath of sexuality about them. And they were shown to be so happy to serve, that they would wither if they were to be taken from their families by nasty northern abolitionists. The Mammy figure was a way to de-sexualize female slaves, who were, after all, to be around white men, particularly the white married masters. One the of the earliest versions of the Mammy can be found in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin or, Life Among the Lowly, which has been hailed as one of the most important anti-slavery works of fiction, but in recent times has been placed under scrutiny for its part in creating such de-humanizing archetypes, which brings up the sharp notion of intent and why it isn’t necessary in order to do damage.

In 1968, the United Artists Studios, which owned the rights to the Loony Tunes and Merry Melodies cartoon franchise, banned from further syndication 11 of their cartoons now known, somewhat enigmatically, as the Censored 11. During the 30s and 40s, smack dab in the middle of Hollywood’s Golden Era, animation was coming into its own as an art form. It as during this time that Bob Clampett, a visionary of the medium, created what many considered to be his best work, though it is one of the banned films.

Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs (1942)

It’s a take on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” called “Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs”, with an evil Mammy-Queen and Snow White being called ‘So White’, in the role of that other black female stereotype: the lascivious temptress. On the accusations that the cartoon is racist, Clampett had this to say after the banning: “In 1942, during the height of anti-Japanese sentiment during World War II, I was approached in Hollywood by the cast of an all-black musical off-broadway production called Jump For Joy while they were doing some special performances in Los Angeles. They asked me why there weren’t any Warner’s cartoons with black characters and I didn’t have any good answer for that question. There was nothing racist or disrespectful toward blacks intended in that film at all, […] Everybody, including blacks had a good time when these cartoons first came out. All the controversy about these two cartoons has developed in later years merely because of changing attitudes toward black civil rights that have happened since then.”
But there was something racist, in fact there was a lot racist in the film. By today’s sensibilities that argument has the ring of “I’m not racist, I have black friends.” There might not have been any intention to be racist, but the film makers’ artistic sensibilities were stunted by the racist ideology and imagery they inherited. There doesn’t need to be intent to do damage—and that is important for people on all sides of the argument to understand. Clampett and the black performers who worked with him all rested on the status quo and capitalized on stereotypes. It was neither parody, satire, or caricature, because the images were not observed from people, but all based on racist archetypes developed to slander, ridicule and de-humanize an entire population.

Hattie McDaniel is obviously best known as Mammy from Gone with the Wind, but in fact she had a prolific career as a performer, acting in several movies during her time. However the roles for African-American actresses always ran along the same lines as the one that earned her the Oscar: Loyal, Sassy, Maid. Today, we joke about that cliché in today’s films: the sassy black best friend or secretary or neighbor or, well, maid. When we say a movie is formulaic, we mean that it is predictable and unoriginal, and that we have seen this before. Because we have, we always have. The always sassy, never-the-bride role is a formula and that formula was forged in the Mammy.
This isn’t to say, however, that every time a black female actress lights up the screen, she is playing an incarnation of the Mammy archetype. That’s not always true even when her role is that of the household help. In the 1994 film Corrina, Corrina, set in 1959, Whoopi Goldberg plays a maid who cooks and cleans houses and takes care of a white girl. But there is not a hint of the Mammy in her character. She is sassy, yes, but the film goes far beyond the white household and into Corrina Washington’s own life. Her education, aspirations, her family life (each member of which is a full character of their own), and her love life, her sexuality. She is the help, and she is the love interest as well. In short, she is a human being.

One film considered a landmark achievement at the time it was released in 1964, portrays the story of a black man and woman falling in love, marrying, and then making their way through life in the South. It was aptly titled Nothing But a Man and quite a lot has been written about the sensitivity in its portrayal of true black American life. Prominent cultural essayist Stanley Crouch explained the film achievement thus:
“‘Nothing but a Man’ suggests what you can do with a subject if the humanity is the first consideration. Then all of the politics and everything else can function, but you don’t think you’re being beaten over the head with a message. The film is about manhood, about assuming adult responsibility, whatever the demands might be. The question of adult responsibility is not a racial question; that’s why the film speaks to people.”

Elegantly expressed, and a simple enough notion. But many would say the legacy of this film has not been fulfilled. Is it so hard to write black characters? Or characters of any race other than white for that matter?
Hosting the 2008 Oscars, Jon Stewart jested, “Normally, when you see a black man or a woman president, an asteroid is about the hit the statue of Liberty…[Otherwise] How will we know it’s the future??”

Following the most recent Academy Awards, Samuel L. Jackson wrote an open letter to the L.A. Times:
“It’s obvious there’s not ONE Black male actor in Hollywood that’s able to read a teleprompter, or that’s ‘hip enuf,’ for the new academy demographic!” Jackson wrote. “In the Hollywood I saw tonite, I don’t exist nor does Denzel, Eddie, Will, Jamie, or even a young comer like Anthony Mackie!”

Perhaps some writers shy away from writing such for fear of the kind of backlash The Help has been experiencing. But the main reason there isn’t more diversity and quality in roles for black actors is that there has been little effort put into cultivating a demand for it. Anthony Mackie himself had this observation: “They say there’s not an audience for black stars, but that’s because you’re not feeding them.”

Of course some of the biggest stars in US film are men and women of color, but the numbers are disproportionate, as evident by this years Oscar Ceremony. History would tell us why that is; the present and future will tell us why this must change.

In her widely-read and discussed article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, activist and author Peggy McIntosh illustrates the concept of seeing “whiteness” as “morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal,…” As sociologist Lisa Wade put it: “life in the U.S. is organized around whiteness.” Her point is further illustrated by the latest trend of wearing “nude” colored clothes, shoes and lipsticks that are not at all what a non-white person’s nude flesh looks like (An earlier incarnation of this would be the now defunct “flesh color” in the crayola box). Is the system, is our very thinking, wired in such a way that there is no reason to have a non-white actor in a film unless their color serves a purpose? Is there white, and then the ‘other’? Writing students are sometimes told, “you can’t have rape in a story without the story becoming about rape.” In the same vein, is any skin color, other than the normative white, a distraction from the story line unless the story line involves skin color? If we believe that, as filmmakers and film-goers, we will never move non-white actors from their current marks. And then this generation will have spawned another “mythic type” in the “Token Non-White Person.”

-By Mayra David

About Mayra David
In addition to writing articles and book reviews, Mayra David writes short stories and novels. Well, so far, just one novel. But she does have several short stories and they are indeed short. She lives in New York City with her husband, books, and laptop.

A Moment With Mrs. Radio: Sonny Mac Interview by Hank Byrd

2011-12-11T20:34:00.001-06:00

At E2streets, we don't pride ourselves on predicting the future, but we recognize when there is a star in the making. So we waste no opportunity getting to know them. This is true of our friend Sonny “Mrs. Radio” Mac.

Sonny Mac, the native New Yorker with the larger than life personality and infectious laugh, is the product of an accomplished DJ, photographer and newspaper owner father and a model, dancer mother. With both of her parents involved so heavily in the arts and entrepreneurship, it’s no mystery where this trailblazing media queen gets her genetic moxie.

Knowing deep in her heart she could do just as well (or better) as the local DJ's, Sonny saw a golden opportunity to make her mark in radio. So with a love of music and no on air experience whatsoever, she asked for her shot, but was turned down every day for two weeks. While many would have given up, Sonny persevered and eventually got her shot in college radio on 88.3.

After a year “cutting her teeth” in college radio, Sonny would go on to find success in other stations and markets such as: 96.3 KISS FM and 96.1 KISS FM in New York, 104.5 KTOY/107FYX in Texas, and her current station, 105.3 KJMM in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Never content and always outspoken, Sonny has worked feverishly to build her brand by hosting large scale events and using her celebrity to bring attention to worthwhile causes and everyday issues. E2streets was lucky to catch up with the busy star for a few words about the past present and future of Mrs. Radio:

E2S: If you'd care to share, where did the name "Sonny Mac" come from?
SM: Sonny Mac came from my dad. It was his name. He passed when I was 2 yrs old, so this is a way for me to keep him alive.

E2S: Could you share a little bit about your journey as a woman, particularly as black woman when you started in media?
SM: It's like any road you take when you're accomplishing your dream. There are ups and downs, but you just have know how keep your eye on the prize.

E2S: Did you face a lot of resistance when you first got into radio? when I first got started I was a newbie.
SM: When I first got started, I was a newbie! I knew NOTHING so I had to learn. I shut my mouth and absorbed everything! Honestly, Im still learning. Any path you take is never easy. You always get resistance, but that's life. That cant make you stop.

E2S: What does having a strong work ethic mean to you? Where did you get yours from?
SM: My work ethic came from my passion for my career, plain and simple. I want it bad enough!

E2S: Whats your morning “ritual”?
SM: I get my cup of coffee and watch all of the programs in the morning like Robin Meade, Today Show etc.. I listen to their delivery and which of their stories I can use. Then I head into work and start planning my show.

E2S: Outside of radio, what other ventures are you involved in?
SM: Radio is my life. I eat, breath it. So when I'm not at work, I'm at work! EVERYTHING I do is show prep for me. At night, I'm on Facebook posting stories that I added to my website. I do a lot of public speaking, but radio/branding is what I'm always doing.

E2S: With the internet providing news, music and talk on demand, do you think it has an impact on traditional radio stations?
SM: I don't think it has. Everyone still uses radio for local information and local representation. Besides, it's cooler to know the person you hear on the radio. You get to see them in your city just kicking it and interacting with everyday people. They represent the city!

E2S: How do you feel about radio as a medium for social change?
SM: Radio is information. During my show, I give info for listeners that need help with staying healthy, quitting smoking, beauty tips. We put it out there, but it's up to the listeners to use it as they see fit. But above all, we are entertainment.

E2S: How important is image when you're working in the media?
SM: Image is everything! You need to expose yourself as much as you possibly can. You just have to decide which route because there's the good kind and bad. To be successful, you have to make your image larger than life

E2S: What are you passionate about?
SM: Right now, I'm passionate about my career.

E2S: You have a widely popular show. How has the show changed your life and what are your plans for it?
SM: Thank you! Radio has change me a lot. Every city that I do radio in, the more listeners I accumulate. The more lives I get to touch. Im a celebrity, but I've learned to accept that. Many may not like the fact that I used that word to describe myself, but I am. This is just the beginning. I've become smarter at dealing with business on a higher level. I've learned to negotiate and truely know my value.

E2S: What advice would you give to women who want to break into radio?
SM: Same as I would give a man: Keep your eyes on the prize and expect to be exploited for little pay. That's part of paying your dues. It took me 9 years to get comfortable and knowledgable enough to negotiate my salary. Radio is a slow reward, so dont expect it to come to you right away. Some of the most successful people in radio are folks with 20+ years in the business. This month makes 12 years for me.

E2S: What books are you reading?
SM: Unfortunately, with my schedule, I dont get to read a lot of books. I read a lot of articles, because they are a quick source of info for me to absorb, talk about on air and post on my website.

E2S: Define Sexy
SM: Sexy is an attitude; a confidence that you're comfortable in your own skin. No faking required. I feel most successful women ooze sexuality, because they know their worth!

E2S: Whats next for Sonny Mac?
SM: I don't know whats next, but I'm just ready for it when it comes!

LINKS:
www.KJMM.com
www.SonnyMacWorld.com
Press Kit and downloadable Air check
Hotline 918.494.9656

Bury My Oscar at Wounded Knee: Sasheen Littlefeather Takes on the Oscars

2011-12-06T18:27:00.001-06:00

On March 27, 1973, a young Indian student and model named Sasheen Littlefeather took the stage during the Academy Awards to decline Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather over his disapproval of the treatment of Native Americans in Hollywood and the government stand-off with The American Indian Movement's occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1973.

Some in the audience applauded, but most booed. While presenting the Best Picture Award, Clint Eastwood wondered if it should be presented "on behalf of all the cowboys shot in John Ford westerns over the years." Michael Caine then critized Brando for "letting some poor little Indian girl take the boos," instead of appearing and taking the boos himself."

After the ceremony, Littlefeather shared the full text of Brando's statement with the press:

For 200 years we have said to the Indian people who are fighting for their land, their life, their families and their right to be free: ''Lay down your arms, my friends, and then we will remain together. Only if you lay down your arms, my friends, can we then talk of peace and come to an agreement which will be good for you.''

When they laid down their arms, we murdered them. We lied to them. We cheated them out of their lands. We starved them into signing fraudulent agreements that we called treaties which we never kept. We turned them into beggars on a continent that gave life for as long as life can remember. And by any interpretation of history, however twisted, we did not do right. We were not lawful nor were we just in what we did. For them, we do not have to restore these people, we do not have to live up to some agreements, because it is given to us by virtue of our power to attack the rights of others, to take their property, to take their lives when they are trying to defend their land and liberty, and to make their virtues a crime and our own vices virtues.

But there is one thing which is beyond the reach of this perversity and that is the tremendous verdict of history. And history will surely judge us. But do we care? What kind of moral schizophrenia is it that allows us to shout at the top of our national voice for all the world to hear that we live up to our commitment when every page of history and when all the thirsty, starving, humiliating days and nights of the last 100 years in the lives of the American Indian contradict that voice?

It would seem that the respect for principle and the love of one's neighbor have become dysfunctional in this country of ours, and that all we have done, all that we have succeeded in accomplishing with our power is simply annihilating the hopes of the newborn countries in this world, as well as friends and enemies alike, that we're not humane, and that we do not live up to our agreements.

Perhaps at this moment you are saying to yourself what the hell has all this got to do with the Academy Awards? Why is this woman standing up here, ruining our evening, invading our lives with things that don't concern us, and that we don't care about? Wasting our time and money and intruding in our homes.

I think the answer to those unspoken questions is that the motion picture community has been as responsible as any for degrading the Indian and making a mockery of his character, describing his as savage, hostile and evil. It's hard enough for children to grow up in this world. When Indian children watch television, and they watch films, and when they see their race depicted as they are in films, their minds become injured in ways we can never know.

Recently there have been a few faltering steps to correct this situation, but too faltering and too few, so I, as a member in this profession, do not feel that I can as a citizen of the United States accept an award here tonight. I think awards in this country at this time are inappropriate to be received or given until the condition of the American Indian is drastically altered. If we are not our brother's keeper, at least let us not be his executioner.

I would have been here tonight to speak to you directly, but I felt that perhaps I could be of better use if I went to Wounded Knee to help forestall in whatever way I can the establishment of a peace which would be dishonorable as long as the rivers shall run and the grass shall grow.

I would hope that those who are listening would not look upon this as a rude intrusion, but as an earnest effort to focus attention on an issue that might very well determine whether or not this country has the right to say from this point forward we believe in the inalienable rights of all people to remain free and independent on lands that have supported their life beyond living memory.

Thank you for your kindness and your courtesy to Miss Littlefeather. Thank you and good night.

FROM nativevillage.org.

Following the Oscar speech, she was subject to blacklisting, death threats and nasty rumors from the press, such as she was not an actual Native American, but a Mexican wearing a rented native garment. Not true.

“Contrary to misinformation which has been published on the internet, Sacheen Littlefeather is indeed of true Native American Indian descent. Sacheen was born Marie Cruz in Salinas, California. Her mother is French-German-Dutch, and her father was from the White Mountain Apache and Yaqui tribes from Arizona. “Cruz” is her father’s recognized tribe name. Sacheen took the name “Sacheen Littlefeather” after high school to reflect her natural heritage. She is not a “Mexican actress” as Roger Ebert incorrectly reported.
Sacheen began her acting career at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California in the early 1970’s. In 1973, Sacheen was chosen by Marlon Brando to accept his Oscar for his the portrayal of Don Corleone in “The Godfather.” Mr. Brando wanted to bring national attention to the treatment of American Indians and the siege at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
Ms. Sacheen Cruz Littlefeather has been very active in the Native American Bay Area community. She was one of the orignal occupiers on Alcatraz Island to protest civil rights violations against the Indian people. She has also been active in numerous cultural events and pow wows. Currently, Sacheen is the co-ordinator of the Kateri Prayer Circle in San Francisco.
Sacheen has also appeared in such movies as: “The Trial of Billy Jack,” “The Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight,” and “Winter Hawk,” and in various television roles.” http://www.sacheenlittlefeather.net

Too Taboo: Discussing Sexuality in the Black Church by Hank Byrd

2011-12-06T15:50:00.001-06:00

Recently, Bishop Eddie Long decided, after much media hype surrounding his sexual misconduct allegations, out of court settlements with the four young men and imminent divorce from his wife of 21 years, that he would take a much need sabbatical from his beloved New Birth Missionary Church in Lithonia, Ga. While many may applaude his decision to step out of the public eye, many will also say that his actions are too late. Whatever the case, it brings up an interesting point: Isn’t about time we stop running from the issue of homosexuality in the black church?

It seems as if our culture is so (pardon the pun) hell-bent on ignoring and demonizing homosexuals, the subject has become taboo in many black institutions of faith, where subjects such as wealth, marriage and politics dwarf the mounting issues facing the African American community. With that fear of ex-communication, ridicule and shame, many lay members and leaders wage a personal war between their public image and their private desires, so much so, they live their lives closeted, in shame.

While Eddie Long’s situation is not unique, it’s about time that black churches, which are rich in history and tradition, recognize that there is a growing population of gay and lesbian worshippers who desire to come to church, but are afraid to. By no means am I saying that African Americans hold the title on homophobia, but black churches transitioning into an atmosphere of acceptance will be a difficult task. Black christians may be open about issues pertaining to race, politics and money, but our views on sexuality, as it pertains to the church, may be a bit conservative.

So if we are to take anything from this almost “soap opera-ish” tale of love, lust and deceit, it’s that there needs to be an open dialogue about sexuality in the black church. Again, this may not be popular. There will be countless debates over what the word says versus the world. Large churches may risk losing several members and fears of sexual misconduct may run rampant. However, Jesus made a lot of unpopular choices, but above all....he commanded that we love one another.

Herman Cain: The Myth of the Sexually Aggressive Black Man by Gail S Meek

2011-12-04T19:25:00.001-06:00

NOTE: This article came from the Tea Party Tribune. The source of this article may be a little bias, but its very interesting.

Herman Cain set his fundraising goal for the Iowa caucus at $999K (of course). He reached that goal with 24 hours to spare, raising over $300K in one day. That feat alone is outstanding. However, Cain accomplished this fundraising miracle under the cloud of suspicion of sexual harassment allegations. Allegations he denies and no one has proven as of this date. Five women have alleged everything from, “he commented on my height” to “he bought expensive wine” to more serious allegations of inappropriate touching.

The accuser who alleged the incident regarding her height, Karen Kraushaar, has filed another sexual harassment claim, after the alleged incident involving Cain. That incident was also “vague” and was later withdrawn without a payout. She currently works for the federal government and has extensive experience dealing with the media through her previous employment as spokesman for Attorney General Janet Reno.

Sharon Bialek, the accuser who took the national stage earlier this week, with her prominent victim’s attorney, Gloria Allred, claims there was inappropriate touching during a trip in which she traveled to speak with Cain about getting a new job. However, a witness, WIND radio co-host, Amy Jacobson, reports that Bialek ran into Cain about a month ago at a TEA Party event, TEACON 2011, and greeted him warmly with a hug that she initiated and chatted with him like old friends. It was not a casual encounter, but one she initiated. Witness says Cain accuser hugged him during Tea Party after she insisted on going backstage and pushed others aside to get to Cain. Is this the behavior of a “victim”?

One month later, she claimed to be a victim of a sexual assault by Cain years ago. Oddly, her current fiancée found about the allegations at almost the same time as the media, approximately two weeks ago. Wouldn’t it seem likely that given the time Cain has been campaigning on television and in the news, this woman might have turned to her fiancée and said, ”Herman Cain sexually assaulted me”?

Finally, we have the most recent allegation of “woman number five” as the media calls her. CNN’s news flash goes like this: “The anonymous friend of an anonymous woman tells of an incident in which she was dining with Cain and he ordered two bottles of very expensive wine.” As underwhelming as this breaking news is, it is on par with the other complaints. By definition, it is not sexual harassment, even if true. According to Equal Rights Advocates, the legal definition of sexual harassment is “unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is severe or pervasive and affects working conditions or creates a hostile work environment.” Sharon Bialek and “woman number five” were not employees of Herman Cain or the Restaurant Association at the time of the alleged incidents.

The allegations, devoid of facts, times, or places have left Cain shadow-boxing for weeks. How will he defend against allegations that are not specifically stated? Even if he were to submit to a polygraph examination, as he has offered to do, what facts would the examiner question him about? Cain has demanded that the accusers put the facts out specifically and clearly, so that he can defend himself. Despite a 30-minute news conference in which Cain denied all allegations and freely answered questions lobbed at him, the accusations continue to dog him and his campaign. Why should Cain have to defend himself against rumor and innuendo? Why not call upon the accusers to prove their allegations? They have the burden of proof. Obviously,the answer is because Herman Cain is running for the most important public office in the nation, the United States Presidency. That fact is profoundly threatening to the left.

When the moderators of the November 9 debate attempted to muddy the water with questions about the allegations, the audience loudly “booed” the questioners…every single time. When they decided to return to the issues, such as the economy, the crowd applauded. People are sick of this kind of attack when the nation is in need of leadership on important problems such as the economy, the underwater housing market, unemployment and foreign policy. Those are the issues impacting voter’s daily lives and the security of the nation. According to Fox News commentator, Sean Hannity, “conservatives, independents and some moderate liberals are saying enough!” Finally, people have found their voices and the gumption to push back.

A particularly offensive tactic of the liberal media, such as NBC and MSNBC, have tied the accusations against Cain to the old progressive myth of the “sexually aggressive black man” who is a predator on white women, especially blonde white women. This “Black-On-Blonde” myth is as old as slavery; as repugnant as segregation and as dangerous as lynching. If believed, it would set race relations in America back more than 50 years.

Alveda King, the niece of slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, has called for an end to this nonsense. She says the left needs to get on board with true civil rights, not “civil wrongs.” She is a strong Cain supporter and says the left is terrified of Herman Cain because he dispels the valuable myth of victim-hood that sustains the welfare state. The late Dr. King urged that a man should be judged not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. How far the left has strayed from Dr. King’s message. Today, one wonders if Dr. King would be vilified as a sellout to the conservatives, the “Uncle Tom” of the TEA Party or the black conservative who “knows his place” as Cain has been described. He’s been described by liberal media as being a token TEA Party candidate and on the “symbolic crack pipe.”

The utter hypocrisy of the left to use the issue of race in some sort of perverted reverse psychology demonstrates how little they truly value equality. The left will turn with a vengeance against their own when it serves their purposes. Stirring up the old “bugaboo” of the sexually aggressive black man chasing blonde white women is as dangerous as any grand wizard in a pointy white hood, although David Gregory says there is no grand wizard in the GOP at this time who can force Cain out of the race. The move of the left joining themselves to the racist stereotypes of white supremacists is a union which was made in hell. As abhorrent as it is…it might just be the alarm that has been needed to wake up black Americans to what the left is really all about.

Big Men, Big Problems: Obesity-Related Deaths Reignite Discussion Of Health Concerns For Black Men by Trymaine Lee

2011-12-04T16:58:00.001-06:00

Over the years, Jamie Dukes, a former NFL offensive lineman, has watched friends, former teammates and colleagues -- most of them black men and all of them overweight -- die from heart attacks, diabetes and other maladies related to their weight.

There have been seven teammates who he can name off the top of his head. All died before the age of 45. The list begins with Reggie White, the Hall of Fame defensive end who died the day after Christmas in 2004 of cardiac arrhythmia and sleep apnea. He was 43 years old and at least 100 pounds overweight.

White's death was a "scared-straight" moment for Dukes, who had ballooned to nearly 400 pounds after his playing career, full of years of burning excess calories on the field and in the weight room, had ended. He had both high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And his doctors offered a grave diagnosis: morbid obesity.

Dukes had good cause for fear. A string of recent deaths of former athletes and entertainers, including the rapper Heavy D, the comedian Patrice O'Neal and former NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Chester McGlockton, highlight what doctors have called a full-blown crisis in the black community and specifically among black men: obesity.

"The biggest health care crisis we are facing as a community is the crisis of obesity," said Dr. Mwata Dyson, a health care consultant based in New York City. "We are behind the eight ball."

Obesity in the black community has reached epidemic levels, health professionals say. Thirty-seven percent of black men over the age of 20 are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control. The number is even higher for black women: More than half of black women in the same age group are obese. The excess weight can exacerbate other health conditions such as stroke, heart and cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

And the economic costs of obesity are startling.

Overall obesity-related medical care costs in 2008 for U.S. adults were estimated to be as high as $147 billion, according to the CDC.

Dyson said the past decade has seen an obesity explosion in the black community, and that the number of obese African Americans -- and all Americans for that matter -- is expected to continue to climb over the next 10 years as well.

He said there are many reasons for the widespread obesity among black Americans, from misinformation about food choices and lack of access to fresh produce to a number of cultural factors, such as collective body image.

"Within the black community we appear to gauge being overweight as being sexy, as in this is just my blackness -- We have hips and have curves [AND] and not trying to be like these European models," Dyson said. "Heavy D was the overweight lover, which is fine for marketing and selling records, but unproductive for sending images that tell black men to live healthier lives."

Heavy D reportedly died of complications related to pneumonia. O'Neal died of complications related to stroke, and he had been public about living with diabetes. The reason behind McGlockton's death has yet to be determined, but since leaving the NFL he had struggled to maintain a healthy weight. In 2007 he underwent Lap-Band surgery, which limits the amount of food that one can consume. Toward the end of his playing career, McGlockton was listed at 335 pounds.

Dukes, who spent the majority of his 10-year career with the Atlanta Falcons, faced a critical moment when his doctor delivered his diagnosis: If he did not change his ways, he could die. The message rang crystal clear. He had friends who were dying off. His wife and children feared the worst. So he decided to take action. He started exercising again, adopted a healthier diet and controlled his portion sizes. In 2008 he underwent a procedure similar to McGlockton's. Since then he has lost well over 100 pounds.

"We're dying at an unprecedented rate," said Dukes, now an analyst with the NFL network. "The problem is we are dying from things we don't have to die from."

These days, through his Put Up Your Dukes Foundation, Dukes is tackling obesity head one, advocating healthy living for families, former athletes and black men in particular, who suffer and die disproportionately from what he calls "the diseases of excess weight."

BIG MEN, BIG PROBLEMS

For former athletes, the struggle to maintain a healthy post-playing weight can be particularly tough.

A number of other former NFL players, all of whom were celebrated during their careers for their super-sizes, have recently died, including Orlando Brown, who passed away two months ago at the age of 40 due to complications with diabetes. Former NFL player-turned-actor Bubba Smith overdosed on diet pills this summer at the age of 66.

According to a recent study conducted by the Associated Press and reported in The New York Times, the NFL had only one player that weighed 300 pounds in 1970. That number grew to three in 1980, 94 in 1990, 301 in 2000, 394 in 2009 and according to reports, 532 at the start of 2010 training camp. The rationale: the bigger the body, the better the blocking.

But once players leave the game and continue to eat the way they had when they were burning thousands of calories a week in practice and during games, their health can suffer.

Studies have shown that retired professional football players are at greater risk of obesity, high blood pressure and sleep apnea than the general public. For retired linemen, some of the largest men on the field, the mortality rates are higher than for the general public.

Former NFL lineman, Nate Newton, who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, went from 325 pounds during his career to about 400 after he retired.

Fearing he might die before his youngest son graduated from high school, Newton underwent a vertical gastrectomy surgery in 2010, a procedure that removed 75 percent of his stomach.

"My baby boy said, 'I'm going to be like dad, I'm going to be built like dad,' " Newton said during an episode of HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbell earlier this year. "I looked in the mirror an said, 'I'm 396 pounds and my kid wants to sit up here and eat himself to death ... that's when I knew it can't be like this.' "

A year later he was more than 175 pounds lighter.

The rapper Fat Joe, known for his massive figure, also dropped a significant amount of weight recently, losing 100 pounds. In 2000, one of Joe's closest friends, the rapper Big Pun, who tipped the scale at 698 pounds, suffered a fatal heart attack and respiratory failure. He was 28.

"I lost like six friends last year to heart attacks," Fat Joe, 41, told Vlad TV recently. "All of them younger than me."

LIFE AFTER THE BIG TIME

Dukes, who played the bulk of his career with the Atlanta Falcons and retired in 1996, splits his time these days between his work with the NFL Network and recruiting star athletes to work with his foundation, teaching youth and families how to eat, live and play in healthy ways.

He said his foundation will kick off an initiative in January with Johnson & Johnson and the Atlanta public school system to raise awareness about obesity among students and their families.

"We want to go right after the diseases masked in all of these inner cities, starting in Atlanta," he said of his efforts in his hometown. "For us, education is the primary issue. We just don't know, we don't get the solutions that our Caucasian counterparts often get."

Solutions, he said, include making better food choices and finding fun ways to exercise. He said people need to understand how their own bodies work -- including the role of genetic predispositions to diabetes and other common ailments -- and how healthier choices can blunt the impact of biological factors.

He has traveled a long road since his days throwing his weight around in the NFL. And he said he knows all too well how tough it can be, especially for former athletes, to tamp down old habits.

"I've probably lifted over 2 million pounds worth of weight, God knows how many miles I've run and walked. Then real life sets in," Dukes said. "Your body is used to consuming 5,000 calories or 10,000 calories a day to maintain your body mass. Shutting that off isn't easy."

The Black Church Is Dead by Eddie Glaude, Jr., Ph.D.

2011-12-04T16:08:00.001-06:00

The Black Church, as we've known it or imagined it, is dead. Of course, many African Americans still go to church. According to the PEW Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life, 87 percent of African Americans identify with a religious group and 79 percent say that religion is very important in their lives. But the idea of this venerable institution as central to black life and as a repository for the social and moral conscience of the nation has all but disappeared. Several reasons immediately come to mind for this state of affairs. First, black churches have always been complicated spaces. Our traditional stories about them -- as necessarily prophetic and progressive institutions -- run up against the reality that all too often black churches and those who pastor them have been and continue to be quite conservative. Black televangelists who preach a prosperity gospel aren't new. We need only remember Prophet Jones and Reverend Ike. Conservative black congregations have always been a part of the African American religious landscape. After all, the very existence of the Progressive Baptist Convention is tied up with a trenchant critique of the conservatism of the National Baptist Convention, USA. But our stories about black churches too often bury this conservative dimension of black Christian life. Second, African American communities are much more differentiated. The idea of a black church standing at the center of all that takes place in a community has long since passed away. Instead, different areas of black life have become more distinct and specialized -- flourishing outside of the bounds and gaze of black churches. I am not suggesting that black communities have become wholly secular; just that black religious institutions and beliefs stand alongside a number of other vibrant non-religious institutions and beliefs. Moreover, we are witnessing an increase in the numbers of African Americans attending churches pastored by the likes of Joel Osteen, Rick Warren or Jentzen Franklin. These non-denominational congregations often "sound" a lot like black churches. Such a development, as Dr. Jonathan Walton reminded me, conjures up E. Franklin Frazier's important line in The Negro Church in America: "In a word, the Negroes have been forced into competition with whites in most areas of social life and their church can no longer serve as a refuge within the American community." And this goes for evangelical worship as well. Thirdly, and this is the most important point, we have witnessed the routinization of black prophetic witness. Too often the prophetic energies of black churches are represented as something inherent to the institution, and we need only point to past deeds for evidence of this fact. Sentences like, "The black church has always stood for..." "The black church was our rock..." "Without the black church, we would have not..." In each instance, a backward glance defines the content of the church's stance in the present -- justifying its continued relevance and authorizing its voice. Its task, because it has become alienated from the moment in which it lives, is to make us venerate and conform to it. But such a church loses it power. Memory becomes its currency. Its soul withers from neglect. The result is all too often church services and liturgies that entertain, but lack a spirit that transforms, and preachers who deign for followers instead of fellow travelers in God. Black America stands at the precipice. African American unemployment is at its highest in 25 years. Thirty-five percent of our children live in poor families. Inadequate healthcare, rampant incarceration, home foreclosures, and a general sense of helplessness overwhelm many of our fellows. Of course, countless local black churches around the country are working diligently to address these problems. The question becomes: what will be the role of prophetic black churches on the national stage under these conditions? Any church as an institution ought to call us to be our best selves -- not to be slaves to doctrine or mere puppets for profit. Within its walls, our faith should be renewed and refreshed. We should be open to experiencing God's revelation anew. But too often we are told that all has been said and done. Revelation is closed to us and we should only approximate the voices of old. Or, we are invited to a Financial Empowerment Conference, Megafest, or some such gathering. Rare are those occasions when black churches mobilize in public and together to call attention to the pressing issues of our day. We see organization and protests against same-sex marriage and abortion; even billboards in Atlanta to make the anti-abortion case. But where are the press conferences and impassioned efforts around black children living in poverty, and commercials and organizing around jobs and healthcare reform? Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr., the presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ, appears to be a lonely voice in the wilderness when he announced COGIC's support of healthcare reform with the public option. Prophetic energies are not an inherent part of black churches, but instances of men and women who grasp the fullness of meaning to be one with God. This can't be passed down, but must be embraced in the moment in which one finds one's feet. This ensures that prophetic energies can be expressed again and again. The death of the black church as we have known it occasions an opportunity to breathe new life into what it means to be black and Christian. Black churches and preachers must find their prophetic voices in this momentous present. And in doing so, black churches will rise again and insist that we all assert ourselves on the national stage not as sycophants to a glorious past, but as witnesses to the ongoing revelation of God's love in the here and now as we work on behalf of those who suffer most. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr. is currently the William S. Tod Professor of Religion and chair of the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University.

Star Wars & The Power of Knowing YOUR Purpose by Hank Byrd

2011-10-30T21:55:00.000-05:00

In order for any business to be successful, you have to establish a few things. First, you have to establish a purpose. Why is this company in business? What need will it meet in the general public? Next, you have to build a procedure. How will you get that good or service out to the general public? How will you operate your business? What are your projected staffing, marketing, promotional and financial goals over the next 5 years? In short, before you start the business, its purpose and procedure had already been established. From the day that we were born, God knew what your purpose was. Your END had already been established at the BEGINNING of your life. From that point, your circumstances and body of experiences become a means to carry you to your purpose. How many of you have seen the Star Wars films? The Star Wars saga was a groundbreaking series of films by George Lucas, which is also one of the best examples of divine purpose I can think of. The main character, Luke Skywalker, is a small town farm boy from the planet of Tatooine. After a hard day at work, he stares aimlessly into the horizon KNOWING that he has a greater purpose. Through circumstance, he meets Obi Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight, who was his fathers best friend and teacher. He discovers that from the day he was born, he was blessed with “The Force”, which is the most powerful energy in the universe. Obi Wan helps him to realize his purpose by uncovering his hidden talents, harnessing that power and stopping his father (Darth Vader) from taking over the universe. Through the first three Star Wars films, Luke moves closer and closer to his purpose and meets people who believe in his purpose enough to help him on his quest. The more he learns about himself and his purpose, he is empowered and driven to succeed. The power of knowing your purpose will: 1. EMPOWER YOU to discover talents and abilities you didn’t know you had 2. DRIVE YOU to reach your goals despite your background and current circumstances 3. The Lord will put PEOPLE & RESOURCES in your path to help you realize your purpose In your personal quest to discover your purpose, know that the cares of this world will work against you. In Psalm 73:1-25 Asaph talks about how he was tempted to envy the wicked who seemed to have no cares and built their fortunes upon the backs of those they took advantage of, but then he considered their ultimate end. A lot of people can miss their purpose worrying about the wrong things. The Devil is smart. Even though some of the evils in this world wont effect you directly, they are also designed to take you off of your consecration. Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. When outside things shake you off of your faith walk, you will NEVER see your purpose. Stay focused, uncover your talents and the Lord will put resources in your path to help you along the way. Stop staring aimlessly into the horizon when you KNOW you are built for something more! Stay in prayer......................and may the force be with you!

SomeTHING's Gotta Give- THE THING Movie Review by Hank Byrd

2011-10-18T17:15:00.000-05:00

The problem with trying to make a film based on a classic film is that you're doomed to pale in comparison or suffer from too much of it. Many of you know that John Carpenter’s 1982 horror classic, The Thing, is my favorite horror film of all time. The cast was top-notch, the creature effects were unforgettable and the claustrophobia of its setting coupled with the paranoia of discovering who “the thing” was, kept me on the edge of my seat, even after several viewings. Director Matthijs Van Heijningen could have captured that feeling with this updated version. He could have played it safe and did a paint-by-the-numbers rip-off of the original. That would have been disastrous. He could have strayed totally away from the source material; Threw out everything we knew about John Carpenters version and made a standalone film. Again, another disaster. From it’s inception, Van Heijningen was damned if he did, damned of he didn't. Die hard fans have already ripped it apart saying that it’s nothing like the original, while others say he left too much of the original in, relegating it to an overblown rip-off. After leaving this film, I find myself in another category: The reluctantly appreciative category. I appreciate what Van Heijningen was trying to do. As uneven and oddly paced as it was at times, he and screenwriter Eric Heisserer (Final Destination 5, A Nightmare on Elm Street) were the only ones with the balls to attempt to add on to the source material in almost 30 years.

The Thing (they should have named it Something), is a prequel to...The Thing, and tells the story of the doomed Norwegian scientific outpost in Antarctica, who first encountered the alien spacecraft and its long frozen occupant. American Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is called in to investigate the frozen life form and the film doesn't let up from there. Clocking in at 109 minutes, like the original, the screenwriter doesn't use the time to let the audience get to know the characters, rather chooses to jump into the action early. It presents the problem of the audience not becoming invested in the characters and it kills the suspense and paranoia I wanted to feel in this setting. Needless to say, the creature gets loose and starts picking off Norwegians in very gruesome ways. Conveniently, we are in a base full of scientists, so it doesn't take long for them to figure out that their unwelcome guest is a mimic, who is able to copy it’s prey down to the cellular level.

After a few noticeable nods to the original, the film picks up the pace again, providing a few cheap jumps and allows the filmmakers to show off some very impressive CG. This can be seen as a weakness of the film, but it’s 2011. John Carpenter had to work with the technology of his time, which was effective, but time consuming. I didn't feel the CG took away from the story at all and it made way for some very cool transformation sequences. The unevenness I mentioned earlier came from the writer not investing enough time in developing the characters and too many damn characters to begin with. I know this is an ‘American film”, but interjecting an American chopper pilot (Joel Edgerton) and his African American best friend (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), was unneeded and a clear resemblance to Kurt Russell and Keith David’s characters of MacReady and Childs. In the end, I actually had a lot of fun. While the characters aren't fully developed, the film finds it’s legs in the last 30 minutes. Van Heijningen manages to ramp up the action, suspense and visual effects to keep you interested. This film could have been a huge mess, but it’s a bold mess. A lot of love went into making this film and it showed on the screen. As a filmmaker, I dont think I would have attempted to touch this material, but Van Heijningen did a decent job. This isn't as good as the original Thing, but it’s....Something. Side Note: Stay for the closing credits! **1/2 out of Four Stars

THE HELP- Film Review by Hank Byrd

2011-09-13T19:55:00.000-05:00

Based on the 2009 novel by American author Kathryn Stockett, The Help chronicles the lives of African American maids working in white homes on the crest of the civil right movement in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960’s. The film centers around Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan (Emma Stone), a young college graduate and a member of one of Mississippi’s prominent families. Though she has many friendships in her hometown, we can tell by her unkept hair, sharp tongue and liberal views that she doesn't quiet fit in. Like many young girls in the South during this time, Skeeter was raised by a black woman. Through flashbacks, she affectionately recollects her time with her families maid, Constantine, played with quiet dignity by screen legend Cicely Tyson. She comes home from college to find Constantine has been dismissed by her family, which prompts her to want to know more about the women who work in the white homes of Jackson.

While Skeeter is attending a weekly bridge game with her long-time friends Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Elizabeth Leefolt (Ahna O’Reilly), she is angered by the way the maids are being treated in their homes and they have even gone so far as to install separate and inadequate bathrooms for them. Having dreams of becoming a famous writer, the journalist in Skeeter wants to know more. She meets Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis), a quiet woman, who has been taking care of Jacksons white children for many years and Minny Jackson(Octavia Spencer), Aibileens best friend and a woman with an attitude just as big as her heart. She convinces the women to chronicle their lives as maids and finds that these women have a lot to say!

While The Help can be a paint-by-the-numbers drama, it is packed with great performances. Bryce Dallas Howard is deliciously nasty in her portrayal of Hilly Holbrook. She plays the character with absolutely no redeeming qualities. While Viola Davis, Allison Janney and a hilarious Sissy Spacek did and excellent job, the breakout performance of this film is Octavia Spencer’s Minny: a proud, loud and strong woman who struggles to feed her family while quietly battling abuse at home. It would be a shame if her name isn't mentioned in the supporting actress category in next years Academy Awards. The Help works because though the 1960’s are over, many African American women are still dealing with issues of race, class, domestic abuse, the untimely deaths of their children and the complexities of womanhood. I don't think there is a character in this film that women wont relate to and this film serves as an eerie reminder that the more things change...the more they sadly stay the same. *** 1/2 Out Of Four Stars

STAKE THY NEIGHBOR- FRIGHT NIGHT film review by Hank Byrd

2011-08-20T01:24:00.003-05:00

What started as an internet rumor in 2009, quickly gained momentum when Hollywood began to give a very serious look at the 1985, much-beloved cult classic, Fright Night. People took the blogsphere and popular geek sites in arms at the very thought. This film, as vampire films go, is usually found in peoples top 5 greatest vampire films of all time. Touching this film was geek blasphemy! I have to admit, I was part of the torch-carrying, angry mob who felt that this film, like so many horror franchises, didn't need the “reboot treatment”. From what we've seen with A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and Amityville Horror, rebooting classic horror films hasn't been very successful.

I have a simple rules for remaking a popular film. (1)Do it with the utmost respect to the original (2)Make it relevant, not a note for note copy (3)Make the audience remember why they loved the original. Hefty order, huh? When I read that the writer/producer of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show (Marti Noxon) had been hired to pen the script, I knew that my rules would go out the window and somehow, the Twilight gods had struck again. All was lost.
After watching the remake, directed by Craig Gillespie(Lars and the Real Girl), I sat in my seat...stunned. Not only did they show a great deal of respect for the original, the outdid the original in every way! Noxon, in her brilliant script, took everything I loved about the original and made it better.

Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) is still a geek in this version, but a geek going through a transition. Instead of making low-budget horror films in his backyard with his friends, he’s spending his time looking after his single, real estate broker mom, Jane (Toni Collette) and his gorgeous, way out of his league girlfriend, Amy (Imogen Poots). His former best friend, "Evil" Ed Lee (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), has been trying to call him, but Charley, who’s desperately trying to fit in his new social circle, cant be caught dead associating with people from his geek past.
All that changes when a mutual friend of Ed and Charley turns up missing and Ed suspects that it was the handiwork of a vampire. Unlike the horror film aficionado Charley in the original, this version of Charley scoffs at the idea, particularly Ed’s accusation that the vampire in question is Charley’s new neighbor, Jerry Dandrige (Colin Farrell). However, an eerie and horrific sequence of events shakes up Charley’s beliefs and causes him to not only fear for his life, but the lives of everyone he loves.

Much of the original film was about the cat and mouse game between a ruthless vampire and a teenager, with his friends along for the ride. While those elements are still in place, I was pleased to see that every character had a little more depth: The deteriorating friendship between Charley and Ed, the self doubt Charley feels around his smoking hot girlfriend and everyone else as he yearns to assert himself as a man.

The biggest treats of this film are Colin Farrell as the vampire, Jerry, and David Tennant (Dr. Who) as Peter Vincent, who I can only describe as a cross between the magician, Criss Angel and Russell Brand.

Even though Jerry exudes sexuality, he is a lethal, cunning killing machine, who looks at Charley with a mix of curiosity and disgust. He’s been in the killing business for over 400 years and isn't about to let some teenager stand between him and his plans. Tennant’s Peter Vincent is just as cowardly and hilarious as Roddy McDowall’s, but with a twist. I wont give that away, but there is an interesting plot twist that gives that character the depth I mentioned earlier. Charley reluctantly enlists Peter's help to defeat Jerry. Charley doesn't want to believe in vampires and neither does Peter even though he knows a lot more than we think.

I enjoyed every minute of this well-written and paced remake. If I had any problem with this film, it would be the music, which, for the lack of a better word, sucked. The surprise cameo in this film not only let me know that the filmmakers were not only paying their respect, but the torch has been passed into capable hands. There was a lot of care put into making this film. It manages to remain a solid horror film while maintaining the campy comedy of the original. I hope they continue the adventures of Charley Brewster and Peter Vincent in, what I could see, as a great trilogy. I could write all night about how great this film is, but I only have 5 hours until dawn......and my neighbors are night owls.

***1/2 out of Four Stars

HAIL CAESAR & PASS THE BANANA: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES REVIEW BY HANK BYRD

2011-08-07T21:40:00.001-05:00

As I was leaving the theater, I found myself behind what seemed to be a pretty well-to-do family. The father, who was discussing his views of the film found it to be fairly decent, the young son thought the ending was stupid and the mother felt the effects were really neat. The father went on to say that the film was good up until the apes started taking over and then it became silly. The son agreed and the mother held on to her statement about the effects being really neat.

I smiled to myself because judging from the reaction of this tiny family, the film ultimately did its job.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the prequel to the 1968 sci-fi classic, in which astronauts return to earth to find that it has been taken over by Apes, who have developed and advanced civilization much like our own. If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to rent it or buy it, if it’s in your budget. The original film was praised for its social commentary and this film is filled with it.

This film stars James Franco as Will Rodman, a young, brilliant scientist developing a drug that allows the brain to create new brain cells and repair damaged ones. He has a stake in the success of this drug since his father, Charles (John Lithgow), suffers from Alzheimers disease. Through a twist of fate, Will becomes an unwilling parent to a baby chimp he names Caesar, who he quickly finds isn't your average chimp. Caesar grows not only in size, but in intelligence, which causes Will to rededicate himself to perfecting the drug, which, if you’ve seen the previews will have disastrous consequences for the human race.

Andy Serkis, through performance capture, plays the adult Caesar. You may not know his face, but Serkis along with Weta Digital, the people behind the effects of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, were the ones responsible for the jaw dropping realism of the character Golum. Unlike many summer blockbusters, Weta is able to bring the apes to life in a way that is simply amazing to watch. You’ll lose yourself in this well written story that not only has a tender side, but a horrific view of the future.

Like it’s predecessor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a very deep film. It’s not a film about race or class. It’s a cautionary tale about science and greed gone awry. This is a film about mans illusion of superiority and his never-ending quest to cheat sickness, death and time. This film begins and ends with the theme of freedom and tells us that one who's mind is free, is truly, truly free.

I have a sneaky suspicion that at next years Academy Awards, the apes will rise again...with a technical Oscar.

***1/2 OUT OF FOUR STARS

DONT MAKE ME LAUGH!!: THE HYPOCRISY OF RACISM by HANK BYRD

2011-08-02T20:01:00.000-05:00

As ugly, confusing and unintelligent as racism is, it’s also funny as hell when you look deeper into it. From as long as any of us can remember, people have always found a way to separate themselves from one another. Even those who’s soci-economic conditions mirror the ones that they hate.

When I look at popular culture and sports, the hypocrisy of racism is laughable. This isn't a conclusion I’ve come to in a short period of time. No, this took several years of gaining knowledge about myself, my culture and going over my mental rolodex of adverse racial issues to uncover the sheer silliness of racial attitudes in this country.

For example, I can remember my first “racial issue” as a young man living in Georgia during the 80’s. Our neighbors across the street were racist. Not because I was so racially sensitive, I just thought they were. This family made no attempt to hide it and would freely use the word nigger every chance they got to ridicule me and my friends as we passed by. I think they were from Texas. They didn't tell me this, but they used to wear a lot of Dallas Cowboys apparel and have Cowboys decals on their cars and windows. I used to look back on my experience with loathing, but I now laugh at the hypocrisy. Here you have a genuinely bigoted family, who virtually worshipped a team who, at the time, comprised of a lineup that included 26 men of color. I wondered: did they only watch when the white players were playing? Did they only cheer for the white players and booed the black ones?

As I got older I also began to notice how much my white classmates would gravitate towards hip hop music. To this day, I’m virtually unfazed when I see a guy with a cowboy hat drive by bumping a Ludacris or Flo-Ridah song. As a delivery driver, I would frequent towns that aren't on any known maps, but where the influence of popular culture is prevalent. These small, all american towns, where the black population is non-existent, has it’s finger on the pulse of urban music, clothing, mannerisms and language. Many of these kids, who have been mostly sheltered from the people they emulated, had grown to develop a very stereotypical view of African American based upon the music, films and media exposure of Hip Hop artists and their various indiscretions. It was interesting to witness, but again, laughable.

Most people that racist today are fans of professional sports teams, where 85% or more of these teams are full of people of color. For the past decade, a large percentage of the top songs on the Billboard charts have been filled by people of color. For a time the top athletes in Tennis and Golf were people of color. Did the racists stop watching Dallas Cowboys football games, college sports, boxing, golf and tennis? NO!! Have these professional athletes and musician somehow transcended race and become some super race of “Neo Negro”? I think not and the hypocrisy of racism is laughable! How can one truly have a hatred of another race and devote their time, fandom and money to popular culture, which is bubbling over with multiculturalism, multisexuality and enough religions to fill the Sears tower?! I hope that many who are reading this can search deep within themselves and laugh at how silly racism truly is. If we can find a way to laugh at are differences, we can also find a way to tolerate them and live together.

DONT DO THAT VOL. 3

2011-07-02T23:39:00.000-05:00

HANK'S 2011 BET AWARDS TOP 20

2011-07-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

I have ben reserving my comments on the BET awards until I had time to take it all in. I can say right away that this was an entirely better effort on the the part of BET and its creative staff, but this was not a show devoid of its usual “hotmess-ness”

With that, I have compiled a few observations and questions about this years BET awards.

1. Kevin Hart should stay on as the host of the awards for the next few years. He took a queue from Ricky Gervais this year without being mean-spirited. He said all of the things that we wanted to say about the stars and made it a hilarious event. The step show with the children at the beginning was a nice touch......even though most of them were just as tall as he was.

2. It was great seeing Mary J. Blige go back and channel the old, still cant dance Mary that we all know and love. Even though she was rocking the “I dream of Jeannie” ponytail and bullet-proof Power Ranger belt.

3. I dont care what you have to do, but BET...Make The Real Husbands of Hollywood a SHOW!!! Hilarious!!

4. It was great to see Jill Scott bring some much needed class to the show with her jazzy, broadway-like performance.

5. The Five Heartbeats moment was DOPE, but I don't think the audience, which was mostly full of young people, got it. That should have been a bigger deal!

6. Despite what the mainstream media has to say, and despite any of his public indiscretions, Chris Brown still enjoys the unwavering support of “Team Breezy” and will never suffer from a shortage of fans

7. Why did Alicia Keys look like she smoked a blunt backstage with Rick and Bruno before she came out? Maybe Rick Ross was hiding it in his beard

8. Alexander O’Neal......WOW!!! How come he looks like he doesn't have any teeth in his mouth and he’s been eating applesauce at Sunny Acres Retirement Community?

9. I dont know about you, but Marsha Ambrosius and Ledisi are my new favorite female singers! O...M...G. Those ladies sung their asses off!

10. Why did Deborah Lee look like a ball of chocolate chip cookie dough? She really needs to fire her senior citizen styling team.

11. I wonder if Reverend Al Sharpton wears a silk head wrap at night?

12. Can someone tell Keri Hilson to eat a cheeseburger? She walked behind the mic stand and went missing for 3 seconds!

13. Can we make the vote now to have Shirley Caesar as Glenda the good witch in the Wiz remake? If not, maybe the Tooth Fairy? Then she could fly by Alexander O’Neals and leave some teeth under his pillow

14. What the hell is a Wiz Khalifa? It sounds like something nasty you do on a magic carpet

15. I'll start with Anita Baker, but did everybody forget to put on their Spanx? I know REAL WOMEN have curves, but they also have a Spanx to cover up the speed bumps!

16. OK, all of DJ Khaled friends need to stage an intervention and get him to retire his sweat suits...They are NOT the best!

17. I loved Steve Harvey’s speech. Like it or love it, he speaks the truth about the changing and redemptive power of God and the need to guide the lives of our young boys.

18. After being overwhelmed by Kelly Rowland's performance, I feel asleep during the Beyonce's...was it any good?

19. I wonder which one of the teleprompter people lost their job over that viewers choice fiasco? I felt so bad for Tiffany Green.

20. Does anyone even remember what happened at the Afterparty show? I think Free’s Booty was the host, star, encore and end credits of the entire show. It became the biggest trending topic on Twitter! Even the women were in awe.

Another Round Of Perry VS Lee?: Don't Believe the Hype!

2011-04-21T14:03:00.000-05:00

First of all, I think we need to set the stage. Like any good drama, we need a backstory:

In 2009, Lee made the following comments about Tyler Perry's work: "Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I know it's making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better ... I see these two ads for these two shows (Perry's 'Meet the Browns' and 'House of Payne'), and I am scratching my head."

In response, Perry(naturally) went on the defensive: "I am sick of him saying, 'this is a coon, this is a buffoon,'" Perry elaborated in his press conference. "I am sick of him talking about black people going to see movies. This is what he said: 'you vote by what you see,' as if black people don't know what they want to see."

With Perry's latest film: Madea's Big Happy Family, scheduled for release on April 22nd, the media (not Spike Lee) couldn't resist getting under Perry's skin about the remarks Spike made about his work. With that, the internet was a buzz with people (mostly African Americans) taking sides in a war of words between two men who have been equally blessed with the means and talents to entertain millions. While many feel that Spike should in fact, shut up and go to hell, many were outraged that Perry, a professed Christian, would react in that fashion. My take?

Tyler doesn't now or ever owe Spike anything in the way of an apology no matter how long he's been in the business. As a "trailblazer" for black filmmakers, he is at the age and experience level to be a mentor and an example to other black filmmakers. If he had an issue with Tyler's substance, he could have easily approached Tyler in a mentors role and helped him guide his career. He didn't do that! He likened his movies and TV shows to the minstrel shows and racists programs of old like Amos N Andy (which was written by and starred white people by the way). That was uncalled for and so what Tyler Perry, Christian or not, is also a human being. Let me also say that I'm not a huge fan of Perry's films either, but I'm not going to put him down for what he's trying to do. He reached his breaking point with not only Spike, but with his OWN PEOPLE who have managed to consistently put him down more than the white community! I love Spike, but Spike has to realize there are not enough black filmmakers out there as it is and tearing one another down is not productive. Spike may not like his films, but millions of people pay to see Tyler's work. I can relate to this because I've faced similar criticism. People feel that because I'm black, I am REQUIRED to be making certain types of films. Because I have faith in God and go to church, the subject matter of my films should be about spiritual things. And I say what Tyler says: THEY CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!!! I'm a FILMMAKER that happens to be black. I write, produce and direct what I want and I wont be boxed in by anyones opinion, ideology or dogma. As artists, we have a responsibility to be true to OURSELVES first. Tyler cant be expected to run out and direct the next sci-fi extravaganza or big sweeping epic. He's not that experienced of a filmmaker. He's slowly coming into his own. Remember, this is man who, unlike Spike Lee, doesn't have a degree in filmmaking from NYU Film School. He doesn't have the technical film experience that Spike has. He transitioned from stage plays into making motion pictures and (with the mentorship of Ruben Canon) basically taught himself along the way. Spike has turned into a crotchy old man instead of the mentor he truly needs to be. It's unfortunate. Young, black actors, writers and directors need to see images of solidarity instead of hearing unfruitful exchanges like this. We can do better.

2011-04-09T17:44:00.000-05:00

My new web shorts called "DONT DO THAT" THIS IS VOL 1.

FOR COLORED GIRLS- DVD Review by Hank Byrd

2011-03-06T17:46:00.002-06:00

I took my time to see this film, not because I’m not a fan of Tyler Perry’s work, rather I didn't want to get caught up in all of the hype surrounding a film based on such a popular stage play. As a man, I didn't want my experience swayed by watching this with other women. I saw it alone, which allowed me to take it all in. It allowed me to fully grasp the message(s) Mr. Perry was trying to convey. I can preface this review by stating: this isn't a perfect film, but without a doubt, this is his best and fully realized work to date.

Based on the Tony-nominated "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf" by Ntozake Shange, this film tries to interweave the complex lives of nine women, each represented by a different color: Crystal (Brown- Kimberly Elise), Tangie (Orange -Thandie Newton), Yasmine (Yellow- Anika Noni Rose), Jo (Red- Janet Jackson), Juanita (Green- Loretta Devine), Kelly (Blue- Kerry Washington), Nyla (Purple- Tessa Thompson), Alice (White- Whoopi Goldberg) and Gilda (Phylicia Rashad).

The first thing that audiences will be surprised with is that, for a Tyler Perry film, this is very adult material, which earns it’s R-rating. This may have kept some of his core followers away, but I could see that he was doing his best to stay true to the source material. This is ultimately the good and bad thing about this film. Audiences that aren't used to stage plays where characters break out into monologues may be put off as Perry mixes in Shange’s poetry with scripted dialogue. For me, it was very effective in conveying the pain and shock of rape, the volatility of domestic abuse, the silent scars of sexual abuse, the complexities of mothers and daughters and the loss of innocence from teen pregnancy.

Perry does his best to paint the the lives of nine beautiful women on a dirty canvas. The images are shocking, difficult to watch. Some of the things that are said are tough to hear, but this film needs to be experienced. Not because of the popular source material, not because you’re seeing nine actresses at the top of their game. No, it’s because I finally got to see Tyler Perry do what I knew he could do: dig deep and make a film of substance, and whether you loved the play or hated it, Ntozake Shange left it all on the stage...Tyler Perry left it all on the screen.

Like most of Perry’s films, it demonizes men with surgical precision. I have grown tired, yet equally accustomed to this in Perry’s films, but with the emotional heaviness of this film, a viewer would be ill advised to look for the “candy-coated center” in it all. You wont find it. A film like this wasn't designed to make you feel good about men or the human condition. It was designed to kick over rocks and expose the nasty underbelly of our society as it relates to women of color. It drags their secrets kicking and screaming out into the light. It rips the bandages off of the deep and painful scars held by women for centuries and I would dare to say that almost all women can find a character they can identify with in this material. This isn't meant for you to feel good. This is therapeutic...this is healing. This aint a pretty film, but then again, neither is every aspect of life...is it?

***1/2 Three and a Half out of Four Stars

I AM NUMBER FOUR Film Review by Hank Byrd

2011-02-20T20:24:00.001-06:00

Hollywood has a knack for picking any and everything "franchise worthy" when selecting films to greenlight. So to any budding novelists out there: if you're going to write a novel, write a trilogy, because chances are if it's good enough, Hollywood will adapt your books. In the seemingly endless trilogies of teen fiction, I Am Number Four is Hollywoods latest incarnation. As groan-inducing as it sounds, this film wasn't half bad. I'd dare to say (barring the first 30 minutes) it was damn good.

Directed by DJ Caruso (Disturbia, Eagle Eye), I Am Number Four is the first book of a proposed six book series called The Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore, the pen name of authors James Frey and Jobie Hughes. It tells the story of John Smith(Alex Pettyfer), a teen traveling from state to state with his "protector" Henri (Timothy Olyphant). By appearance, John is a typical 15-year-old, but he's actually an alien refugee from the planet Loria. He's been slumming it on earth and hiding out from the Mogadorians, a renegade race of aliens with pointy teeth, bald heads, tattoos, gills on their faces and an affinity for black trench coats and Dodge Chargers. But hey, aliens love American cars. John is the fourth of nine Loric children who have sought refuge on Earth. The Mogadorians are killing the surviving kids in numerical order and of course, John is next.

On the surface, this film has all of the teen sci-fi cliches: a hero with special abilities trying hard to fit in, a nerdy sidekick to serve as comic relief, the "to pretty to be living in a small town" girl next door and let's not forget her jealous, jock ex boyfriend. If this all sounds familiar, it's because this film was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the creative team behind the hit TV show Smallville. With the Harry Potter and Twilight sagas coming to an end, Hollywood has been scrambling to fill the billion dollar void these films will leave. While this film doesnt have the production value of a Harry Potter film or the loyal, built-in fanbase of the Twilight films, this film boasts a very interesting backstory and action sequences that are more exciting to watch than a contrived love triangle between a girl, a dead dude and a guy that runs around shirtless with other guys in the woods and turns into a 400 pound dog...but I digress.

Aside from the cliches, the film is slow going for the first 30 minutes. I was about to write this film off, but the second and third act drove this film from 0 to 60 and held my attention until the final credits. I also liked the fact that this film had a darker tone and an edge. Whatsmore, the visual effects by Industrial Light and Magic are top notch. By not focusing too heavily on the love story, this film may not blow too many teenaged girls away, but teenaged boys (and the adults who drive them) will love this. By the end of the film, I found myself interested in what will happen next. I'm hoping Hollywood will give this franchise a chance and ramp up the action and visual effects in the sequels. This may not topple house that Potter built, but as teen films go, it's a great start.

*** Three out of Four Stars

Help us with our new short film: ReXXX

2011-01-22T18:34:00.000-06:00

BLACK SWAN REVIEW by Hank Byrd

2011-01-02T21:25:00.000-06:00

I’m a guy, so going into a film about a dance company putting on a Swan Lake performance didn't sit well with me. However, I am a huge fan of Darren Aronofsky and if you know about his films, he has a knack for exploring the deep, dark underbelly of any subject he puts his lens to. Black Swan is his darkest film to date...and it is a masterpiece.

Natalie Portman plays Nina, a ballerina in a a New York dance company, who is opening their new season with Swan Lake. Nina is a disciplined, competitive and graceful dancer, but she is fragile, insecure and completely obsessed with perfection. When the artistic director, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) makes the decision to replace Beth (Winona Ryder), his prima ballerina, Nina, as well as the audience, knows that she is perfect for the role.

Aronofsky doesn't present dance, or any profession for that matter, the way we are used to seeing it. He is meticulous; a director who loves to show the small details. Whether its a junky preparing for his next fix (Requiem for a Dream) or a wrestler pulling staples out of his torso after a match (The Wrestler), Aronofsky immerses his actors and the audience into the world he’s shooting. In most films about dance, we just see the end result: the performance. He goes a step forward by showing the preparation, stress, physical injuries and emotional turmoil that go into putting on a large scale production. In the opening sequence, Nina gets out of bed, bones cracking and her feet bruised and battered from years of dancing. At times you feel as if you're watching a veteran athlete prepare for a game. Thomas knows that Nina is perfect for the role of the White Swan, however, she is also required to play her evil twin, The Black Swan. He doesn't feel her timid personality can fully grasp the sexuality and darkness of this character. However, the new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis) embodies all of the attributes of the Black Swan on and off stage. Their rivalry will push Nina to her physical and emotional limits.

At home, Nina is under the close eye of her dominating mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey), a former dancer herself, who spends her days obsessed with her rather creepy artwork and her nights unnaturally obsessed with her daughter. I’m not sure if Aronofsky intended this, but the mother/daughter scenes are eerily reminiscent of Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie in Carrie. Needless to say, we can see where her unhealthy drive for perfection comes from.

Natalie Portman’s Nina, is the type of performance film legends are made of. She not only plays Nina pitch perfect, she transforms before our eyes into one of the most dark and twisted individuals this reviewer has seen in years. Aronofsky makes great use of visual and makeup effects to blur the line between reality and the images from Nina’s fracturing psyche. His use of low light and darkness work, as we see a young woman falling deeper and deeper into the mouth of madness. By the end of the film, it was hard to distinguish between sweet, innocent Nina and the dark, primal creature she has become. Sigmund Freud said: “Dreams are often most profound when they seem the most crazy”. He was right, because the darker and absurdly creepier this film became, the better it was.

**** Four out of four stars