Steel Magnolias Remake in the works...

Well check this out...

Looks like there's going to be an all black remake of the 1989 comedy drama Steel Magnolias. And the official cast has been announced, including such women as Queen Latifah, Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and her daughter Condola Rashad (who will be playing the role of Shelby), Adepero Oduye (star of Pariah), and Jill Scott. Now this is a cast worth watching!! There is so much versatility in these women its just oozing with greatness.

Lifetime describes the movie as:

In an updated contemporary version, Steel Magnolias chronicles the lives and friendship of six women in Louisiana. Supporting each other through their triumphs and tragedies, they congregate at Truvy's beauty shop to ponder the mysteries of life and death, husbands and children--and hair and nails-- all the important topics that bring women together. 

According to Huffington Post :

The contemporary remake of the film follows six Louisiana women, M'Lynn (Queen Latifah), Ouiser (Alfre Woodard), Clairee (Phylicia Rashad), Truvy (Jill Scott), Annelle (Adepero Oduye), and Shelby (Condola Rashad), as they support each other through the trials and tribulations of life.


"Smash" executive producers Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Queen Latifah, Shakim Compere and Shelby Stone are behind the project set to begin production in Atlanta in April. Lifetime has not announced an official premiere date, but it's expected to debut later in 2012. True Colors Theater Company co-founder and artistic director Kenny Leon will direct Steel Magnolias from a script Sally Robinson wrote based on Rober Hartling's play.

This sounds good!! Pretty amped!!

Finally A Black Woman Hero!!

Now I know I am deviating a bit from my normal film highlights blog post, but I just had to post this!! 


AMC's "The Walking Dead" closed out its second season in "spectacularly bloody and fiery fashion on Sunday night".  But one of  the highlights that would take place is the introduction of a mysterious, hooded character wielding a katana and leading two zombies around on chains. So you ask who is this  mystery woman...her name is "Michonne". I literally jumped out of my bed with excitement!! 


As you all know sometime ago I got on my soap box and gave my two cents on The Disappearance of the Black Female Heroine . And FINALLY Hollywood is beginning to take this role a little bit more seriously!! For years the Black Female Heroine has kind of just been thrown to the side. However with roles such as Michonne in "The Walking Dead" series and TNT Southland's Lydia (played by Regina King) there is a lot of potential waiting to be snatched up!! I guess I am going to have to rely on AMC and TNT and the sci-fi genre in order to see my black she-ro! 


And the icing on the cake is that the character in the original comic series is a black woman and will be played by a black woman...About time they get it right!! 

Background: Michonne, is a mysterious African American woman armed with a katana. She used to be a lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. And her life is no where near simple (father, mother, brother, sister, an ex-husband, two daughters, a boyfriend, a mortgage, and a host of other things (courtesy of ComicVine ).  She's pretty cool and awesome if you ask me!


For those of you who read and follow the comic book series Michonne  first appears in "The Walking Dead" Issue 19 back in 2005. And her entrance in the comic series mirrors what  TV viewers saw her doing on Sunday night -- leading armless zombies on chains and slicing and dicing other zombies with her Katana blades.

As a comic book fan and reader this is truly exciting to see the pages of these books come to the television screen! Thank you AMC!! And I am looking forward to Season 3 where we will get to see Michonne in a major way!!

Featured Doc Alert: "Still Standing"

Shout Out to my good friend Sojourner Marable Grimmett for this post!!  It's nothing like watching a film that presents the true reality of relationships and marriages! Well just in case you had given up here is a film to revive your spirits....

Lamar & Ronnie Tyler Present, Still Standing a film that showcases a group of diverse couples that provide insight to transparent, insightful conversations about what it takes to have lasting power in current day marriages. Through infidelity, chronic illness, financial crisis, blended families and more these couples explain WHY and more importantly HOW they are STILL STANDING.

DC (Publick Playhouse in Cheverly, MD...March 24th) and ATL (Midtown Art Cinema in Atlanta, GA...May 3rd) be on the lookout for the premiere screenings. To purchase your tickets go to STILL STANDING !!

The film stars Kindred the Family Soul, Speech (Arrested Development), Yolanda Thomas, and Dr. Sherry L. Blake.

For more information about the film and its inception go to We Still Stand !

ATL You Ready for ATLFF 2012!!

One of my favorite times of the year here in the ATL is right around the corner...2012 Atlanta Film Festival!!


Everything from Featured Films, Documentaries, Animated & Comedy Shorts, Seminars/Workshops, and so much more will be taking place March 23rd- April 1st!


The Festival: Now in its fourth decade, the Atlanta Film Festival—one of only two-dozen Academy Award® qualifying festivals in the U.S.—is the area’s preeminent celebration of cinema.  The Atlanta Film Festival is one of the largest and longest-running festival in the country, welcoming an audience of over 25,000 to discover 150+ new independent, international, animated, documentary, and short films, selected from 1,800+ submissions from all over the world.  It is also the most distinguished event in its class, recognized as Best Film Festival by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, 10Best and Atlanta Magazine.

General Admission

• Opening Night Screening and Party: 30 (subject to availability)
• General Screenings: $10
• Closing Night Screening and Party: $30 (subject to availability)
• CINformation Seminar Series: depending on seminar topic and structure, pricing will vary from FREE to $10
  

Member & Sponsor Pricing (for tickets purchased over and above existing benefits)

• Opening Night Screening and Party: $24 (subject to availability)
• General Screenings: $8
• Opening Night Screening and Party: $24 (subject to availability)
• CINformation Seminar Series – depending on seminar topic and structure pricing will vary from FREE/$8

Venues:

• Landmark Midtown Art Cinema: 931 Monroe Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30308  (404) 879-0408
• Plaza Theatre: 1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306  (404) 873-1939

Questions? Call the Atlanta Film Festival 365 Office (404) 352-4225 or email info@atlantafilmfestival.com

To get your tickets and see what will be on the docket check out: ATLFF 2012 !! SO EXCITED!!

Passes are on sale NOW:

All Access – $300 - Access to all Events, Parties and Screenings. Priority Seating

Festival Pass – $200 – Access to all Screenings with Seating Availability. Excludes Opening and Closing Night Films & Parties and any other Premium Ticket Screenings.

Weekend Pass – $135 - Access to all Opening or Closing Weekend Events, Parties and Screenings. Priority Seating.

Idris Elba to Star as an Ancient Egyptian Renaissance Man!!

I must say Mr. Idris Elba is definitely doing his thing in the TV and Film arena. I can remember his breakout tv role as Stringer Bell in HBO series "The Wire" to starring in the BBC series "Luther"; and then making his mark on the movie/film screen with roles in Takers, Legacy, Rock-N-Rolla, and Thor just to name a few. 


Recently Elba has been given the opportunity to have a double-starring role in an adventure television miniseries "Ascension" , which focuses on the history and future of astronomy and mankind’s impulse for the stars. The shows creators, British producer Vivek J. Tiwary and writer Warren Ellis, have pretty much got him lined up to star as both the Ancient Egyptian genius Imhotep in 3000 B.C. as well as an extraordinary astronomer in the near future. 


Now this is a role that I can see him playing very well. In essence, this would be a natural fit for him and his career.


Elba, who recently starred in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, will also starring in the upcoming sci-fi film Prometheus.


Go ahead Mr. Elba!!

Official Teaser Trailer Alert for Chinonye Chukwu's "Alaskaland"

Here is a film that I recently got a chance to view called Alaskaland. Black Savant Cinema has an exclusive official trailer from writer/director Chinonye Chukwu's feature film.

Alaskaland tells the story of Chukwuma, an Alaskan-raised Nigerian struggling to balance the expectations of his traditional Nigerian parents and the larger world around him. After his parents are killed in a tragic car crash, Chukwuma is separated from his younger sister, Chidinma, who moves to Nigeria with their Uncle until she becomes of legal age. 

After two years the siblings reconnect to find their estrangement has created new personal and cultural frictions in ways that bring them closer to each other and their roots, as well as help them define what it means to be a Nigerian in Alaska.

There is no official debut date, however I'm sure it will be premiering very soon since this is the season of film festivals.

Check out the trailer here...

Regina King as Shirley Chisholm...Your thoughts??

What a way to jumpstart Women's History Month!! In a recent EurWeb interview A Thousand Words actress Kerry Washington would reveal some interesting information....

"...And I just heard that Regina King is doing Shirley Chisholm, perfect casting, which is another story that has to be told."

Now Regina King has expressed an interest in playing the role (along with Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis) as well as mentioning some developing projects back when she was filming the 2007 movie This Christmas. This is the type of empowering film that is needed to show the true talents and gifts of Black/African-Americans.

Maybe this is the role to open Hollywood's eyes and take Black actors and actresses more seriously. Tell me your thoughts...what do you think?

'Restless City' becomes 4th AFFRM released film!!

And this is why I love the movies!!

Just announced today the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM) has acquired the 2011 Sundance Film Festival selection Restless City.

Directed by Andrew Dosunmu, Restless City tells the story of an African immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City where music is his passion, life is a hustle, and falling in love is his greatest risk.

A screenplay by Eugene Gussenhoven and produced by Katie Mustard and Matthew Parker, with executive producers Audra Alexxi Jones, Munu Elifituri, David Raymond and Tony Okungbowa. The film stars Sy Alassane, Nicole Grey, Danai Gurira, Anthony Okungbowa, Babs Olusanmokum. Cinematography by Bradford Young, with editing by Oriana Soddu and costumes by Mobolaji Dawodu.

Restless City is AFFRM's fourth feature film joining I Will Follow, Kinyarwanda, and Middle of Nowhere.

The newest AFFRM film will be released April 27th in the following selected cities ATL, LA, and NY!

For more information about the film go to Restless City Film !!

Let's make sure to support folks!!

Check out the official press release below...

Theatrical Distribution Collective Dedicated to

Black Independent Cinema Announces Third Release

RESTLESS CITY

Official Sundance Selection To Be Released April 27, 2012

“In this intense twist on the American Dream, director Andrew Dosunmu vividly captures the pulsating dynamic of New York city's pan-African community, a robust aggregation that subsists amid an often hostile foreign environment. “Restless City” is a mesmerizing glimpse into a culture and community that is only superficially seen by indifferent New Yorkers.” – Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporter

Los Angeles, CA (March 1, 2012) – The African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement has acquired U.S. theatrical rights to the 2011 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection, RESTLESS CITY. Directed by Andrew Dosunmu, RESTLESS CITY tells the story of an African immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City where music is his passion, life is a hustle, and falling in love is his greatest risk. The film will be released in theaters April 27, 2012.

RESTLESS CITY will mark the third feature from African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement, the theatrical distribution entity powered by the nation’s top black film organizations. The collective activates quality black independent films with simultaneous theatrical engagements in select cities.

The company’s inaugural feature was the critically-acclaimed drama, “I Will Follow,” released in March 2011, followed by the Sundance Audience Award winner for World Cinema KINYARWANDA on December 2, 2011. Most recently, the collective jointly acquired MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Winner of the Best Director Award, with Participant Media for U.S. theatrical distribution.

"Both in its narrative and visual quality, RESTLESS CITY takes my breath away. Andrew Dosunmu is a brilliant artist who has crafted a stunning, groundbreaking film.” said Ava DuVernay, Founder, African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement. “We’re thrilled to work with Andrew and his passionate team to share this gem with film lovers.”

RESTLESS CITY is directed by Andrew Dosunmu, from a screenplay by Eugene Gussenhoven. Katie Mustard and Matthew Parker produce, with executive producers Audra Alexxi Jones, Munu Elifituri, David Raymond and Tony Okungbowa. The film stars Sy Alassane, Nicole Grey, Danai Gurira, Anthony Okungbowa, Babs Olusanmokun. Cinematography by Bradford Young, with editing by Oriana Soddu and costumes by Mobolaji Dawodu.

The deal was negotiated from African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement by Gordon Bobb of Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein and Lezcano and by Ronna Wallace of Eastgate Pictures for the filmmakers.