'Black Movies' Coming Soon

Daddy's Little Girls


Comment: Gabrielle Union is back!

Directed by Tyler Perry of the Madea titled movies fame, this romantic comedy features Idris Elba, Tracee Ellis Ross (Girlfriends) and Lou Gossett Jr.

Plot Summary: A single father, Monty (Elba) is a garage mechanic who lives in a poor neighbourhood and struggles to make ends meet as he raises his three young daughters on his own. But when the courts award custody of his daughters to his corrupt, drug-dealing ex-wife, Monty desperately tries to win them back, enlisting the help of Julia (Gabrielle Union), a beautiful attorney he meets during his stint as a chauffeur. While Monty and the Ivy-League-educated Julia couldn't be less alike, an unexpected romance blossom and it soon begins to feel like true love. But in order for their relationship to survive, the couple must reconcile their two very different worlds – and overcome the forces that threaten to tear Monty's family apart.



Are We Done Yet?



Comment: Yes its another frigging Ice Cube Comedy!

Plot Summary: Ice Cube reprises his role as Nick Parsons from the movie 'Are we there yet' - yes its a 'sequel' - with his on screen wife Nia Long, and her two kids who leave the city behind for a fixer-upper in the 'burbs -- an investment which quickly turns from a dream into a nightmare for Nick, as the contractor (John McGinley of Scrubs with that dumb season six hair style, Come on dude work it out!).

Pride




Comment: Sounds like a tearjerker...

Plot Summary: It features Terrence Howard (The Best Man), Bernie Mac and Kimberly Elise. Inspired by the true story of Jim Ellis an African-American swim coach who resurrected an inner-city Philadelphia public pool in the 1970s and recruited troubled neighborhood teens to join his swim team.

Dreamgirls

Dreamgirls opens to the American Public next week. Since its the 'black movie' of the year, the question I'm asking is when is it going to be showing in the UK? Dreamgirls features Eddie Murphy (Babyfather for Scary Spice?), Jennifer Hudson (American idol), Beyonce (she needs no introduction right?) and Jamie Foxx. (On a quick aside while typing this my brother looked over my shoulder and asked me what constitutes a 'black movie'? since the guy who directed Dreamgirls is a white guy. Is it a film with a couple of black characters in the leading roles? ie was Bad Boys - Martin Lawrence & Will Smith - a black movie? Even my little brother just said 'hell no' with some venom. Or a film with lots of black characters? Showing black culture - Boys in the hood? Or does it need to be set in Africa? I guess we would know it when we see it right? The Best Man anyone? Anyway I digress...)

Formerly a broadway musical with the same name, Dreamgirls is loosely based on the story of Diana Ross and the Supremes and it is directed by Bill Condon, the dude who the screenplay for Chicago. Its already tipped to feature heavily in the Oscars next year (yes high praise indeed) and is expected to make Jennifer Hudson hot property in Hollywood (she really deserves it after she was robbed of the chance to get to the AI finals a few years back.

Anyway guys if you are looking for a movie to go see after Xmas...

Reality TV Shows...

Reality TV has really exploded since the advent of Big Brother in 1999. "Big Brother" and now "Who wants to be a Millionaire" have shows in almost all parts of the world (did anyone watch Big Brother Nigeria?, see a clip from the Croatian " Who wants to be a Millionaire" show). I've not watched Big Brother since it got trashy, Jade Goody took all her clothes off and subsequently became a Millionaire (I tell a lie, I did watch a bit of the gorgeous Makosi...). Jade is one of the fortunate ones, she has since become quite succesfull even starring in her own reality TV show on LivingTV - Jade's Salon - and also appearing in Celebrity Stars in their eyes, Celebrity Wife Swap, Celebrity Mastermind and 60 Minute makeover. She even attempted the London Marathon for charity and is regularly featured in UK glossy magazines. Others have not been so successful (does anyone remember Sunita Sharma or Sandy Cumming?).

One notable thing about UK reality TV is how the winners are rarely the ones who are most successful. Jade has arguably achieved more success than the winner of BB3, Kate Lawler. And Lemar came third in Fame Academy but has since gone on to win Brit awards and have 6 UK top ten singles while the winner of the show David Sneddon (David who?) has almost disappeared without a trace.

Since the Genre has proven successful, TV producers have just gone crazy and its gone from the immoral (Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?, The Batchelor, Temptation Island) to the ridiculous (Lil Kim: Countdown to Lockdown) and the Controversial (Who's Your Daddy?).

The Clip below is from the UK's X-Factor. It features the immensely talented Leona. Perhaps she will be the first person of colour to win a reality TV show in the UK (oh and Tim Campbell in The Apprentice doesn't count as that show doesn't depend on the public vote).