Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is the latest character to get a ‘reboot’ for today’s generation in an attempt to start a new Hollywood franchise. And in this case…I think they got it right (as a film, the box office will decide if it becomes a franchise of course). Robert Downey Jr. continues to make all of us who are fans of his immense talent look good for hoping he would conquer his demons (personally I’ve been a big fan of his since Chaplin). As the title character, Downey plays into the best parts of his own persona (a possible genius internally who looks like a simpleton on the outside) to headline a fun, ‘could/should this have been a summer release?’ movie. And in my opinion, the action may be a wee bit too slow for the summer, but it’s perfect counterprogamming right now (even though that didn’t stop Downey from getting a Golden Globe nod here). Jude Law is pitch perfect as Watson, used here as the sensible more down to earth member of this Dynamic Duo, and Rachel McAdams still has one of the prettiest smiles in Hollywood and is perfectly charming as the love interest.
Even the story of the film feels right, a ’supernatural’ villain who comes back from the dead to terrorize London. But that’s not possible right? I don’t know how ‘rewatchable’ this film is,but it’s fun for the audience to play along with Holmes and try to figure out how certain things happen in the story.
So a fun film for the holiday season in the middle of the more serious stuff that’s popping up with awards season also in full bloom. Nice if you just want some good old fashioned Hollywood ‘junk food’.
Up in the Air
Written and Directed by Jason Reitman
Starring George Clooney
Jeremy Osbern – Rigging Lighting Techinician
Michael Stoecker – Rigging Grip
(and yes, Jeremy and Michael drove straight to St. Louis to work on this film from the set of my film so I’m shouting them out here)
I’ll try to keep this one short and sweet, since this film is a big front runner for the Globes and most likely the Oscars. The hype is deserved in my opinion. For all the various gripes everyone inside and outside of it has about Hollywood movies, when a Hollywood movie is done right like this one is, it’s well worth the price of admission. The story about a ‘corporate hitman’ literally could not be more timely, and Clooney knows how to pick a role (a big reason why I admire him). I won’t spoil it for you, but things happen along the way that go outside of the audience’s expectations, and the movie is better than average because of it. As someone who has played the ‘my career is all I need’ AND the ‘disconnect from the Midwest and the wife and kids’ cards, this character and this story arc hit a little close to home at certain points (no comments from the Peanut Gallery). Last comment: the casting in this movie was phenomenal. Can never say enough about how much easier it is to get caught up in the story when you believe in the characters.
As promised, kept that one short and sweet, but I imagine it will come up again as awards season kicks into full gear…
My 2009: Part 3 of 3
Not long ago, I went to the movies with a friend I don’t see very often. I told her I was going back to my hometown for the holidays, so she asked me about growing up in Kansas, and what I was like before I was ‘Malik Aziz’ (literally and figuratively). I’m only being slightly sarcastic to say I started to have a flashback like Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp) when Charlie asked him about his childhood…
The most dominant memory for me is of the place I spent most of my time: the basement of my parents’ home. It is an unfinished basement: the floor is cold concrete, as are the cement walls. The lights are old school: a lightbulb attached to a string you pull on. There is a small one foot wide window that provided a little natural light when the sun was shining, but at night it was pitch black. I had a weight bench in one corner that I used every night to take out my frustrations (and thus began my lifelong appreciation for fitness). My other outlet was DeNiece, who I would call once a week, usually on Saturdays, when I had to express my frustrations to another person. I could usually hear what was going on in other parts of the house, but overall it was very quiet. It was the perfect place for me to study the Qu’ran initially. And no, I’m not trying to deliberately make it sound like I was in Shawshank. (Okay, maybe just a little).
Jokes aside, all of us are forever marked by how we view our childhood. In my case, I will always have that memory of being spiritually miserable, geographically/professionally miserable, and socially miserable all at the same time. And I vowed then that I would not live my life like that forever.
The point I was trying to make to my homegirl was to go from that vivid memory of complete frustration, to being where we were; sitting in a private screening room in Beverly Hills, watching a probable Oscar contender before it hits theatres; I feel as I’ve gone from 5 percent of what I wanted to somewhere around 80 (and on nights like that it hits the high 90s). I work to have the life I want and it’s a never ending process.
But getting from point A to point B is not something I’ve ever really done alone, and this year as much as any other I had a quite a bit of help, support, and favors done on my behalf. I’ve spent a good few days thinking of everyone who’s done something for me in the past 12 months, so if I’ve left you out feel free to yell at me, but know it wasn’t on purpose. Like I said, I work very hard to get what I want, but I’m also aware I’m very, very blessed to have folks like these in my life.
So, in no particular order, thank you to Sev, Nate, Kareem, Jamaal and the Ummah around the world, Vahagn for hooking me with the comics, Booker for hooking me up with the games, Rosanna, Ekpo, and Q for the great memories from NYC, Chris, Jeremy, Steve and everybody associated with Through A Glass who helped me bring ‘Lady’ to life, Brad, Tina, and Sophie, Adrian and Aida, Al, Amber, Ava, and Cole, the Kernel, Henry, Barb, Kam and everybody associated with USC First Team, Molyneaux and the guy who sat to the left of us all season for the unsolicited running commentary through the roughest Trojan season so far, Shane for looking at my script, Lisa for the screening invites, the folks at Markee Magazine, the folks at GQ Magazine, Ralph and my friends at Black Entertainment Television, the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center, and the Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival, Randy, Jason, and my Stark Family (I owe you guys lunch dates in 2010 if you call me out on it), Doug, Christine, James, David and the entire Pigskin League for letting me back in (Compton is back and he’s here to stay you suckas!!!!), Aaron, Ama, and De’sha of course (you didn’t think I’d forget?), my Facebook Fam, my Twitter Fam, Monica (saving the best for almost last, how you like that?), Pops, Mom, and Sheena, B and Tracee, and last but definitely not least, everyone who comes here to check out what’s on my mind, whether you stop by daily, weekly, monthly, or whenever, it’s much appreciated, and it keeps me writing.
Happy Holidays to all and stay blessed. 2010 is already looking like it’s going to be something else!
M
My 2009: Part 2 of 3
5. Changing Gears
While I certainly doubt I’ve hung up my director’s hat forever, my time as an ‘indie film director’ has come to an end (on a high note at that – #7). My feel for the craft is on point, but now that putting money away for my future is my number one priority, I can’t take on the same risks I could take earlier (#6). Writing it out makes it seem obvious, but I’m putting all my energy into the talents that don’t cost me money to show off. And truth be told, I miss being the ‘Prince of Gotham.’ Along those lines, my high class move in 2009 was…
4. Cavalleria Rusticana at the Met
As someone who has watched Raging Bull and the Godfather Part III at least a hundred times each, I’ve grown very fond of the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana. So first I heard the Met in NYC was going to put on the show around Easter…and one of my college roommates just happens to be a lawyer in NYC…and my musically inclined ace just happened to be right down the road in Boston…and at the time the economy hadn’t caught up to me just yet…
That four day weekend in NYC was my first ‘adult’ vacation, but man, that didn’t stop us from having a great time. A little opera, a little jazz, a little Junior’s: perfect getaway. Ten years ago, I would have made a little indie movie about that weekend, but then again, ten years ago I would have been too ‘cool’ to go to the opera, so it is what it is.
3. Twitter
and really, the overall growth/importance of social media/networking. The global village is here folks, today, right now. This is a definite ‘did the chicken come before the egg’ argument, but with me simultaneously promoting/pushing ‘Lady’ (#7), and building the blog with content like ‘Limitless’ and the Most Important TV/Film Lists, I’ve managed to build a nice little audience. Either through direct contact or looking out the stats the system generated, I know I have regular readers in Europe, Asia, Africa, and of course my home continent. Even five years ago, how hard would it be to promote yourself without at least one studio film or TV show under your belt? It’s been a great tool professionally, and it’s been just as much fun interacting with friends old and new.
2. Very Smart Brothas
For being the most consistently funny brothas blogging at the moment. I spent many nights winding down, just to get caught up in a ‘wake the neighbors up chuckle’ from whatever silliness Champ and Panama brought to the table. Sometimes it was a long column about relationships, sometimes it was proving that, sometimes, the picture really is worth a thousand words…
And honorable mention in the ‘Things That Routinely Made Me Laugh’ category for 2009 goes to: The Most Interesting Man in the World campaign (Dos Equis), the Kobe/LeBron puppets (Nike), and as usual, the Jack in the Box commercials.
Champ and Panama of course did a column about what I (and a lot of you) will probably remember the most about this year…
Number One
Looking out, across the nighttime
The city winks a sleepless eye…
Hear her voice, shake my window
Sweet seducing sighs…
Get me out, into the nightime
Four walls won’t hold me tonight…
If this town, is just an apple
Then let me take a bite
If they say, why? why? Tell ‘em that it’s human nature
Why? Why? Does he do me that way?
If they say, why? why? Tell ‘em that it’s human nature
Why? Why? Does he me do that way?
Reaching out, to touch a stranger
Electric eyes are everywhere
See that girl? She knows I’m watching…
She likes the way I stare
[Chorus]
Looking out, across the morning
Where the city’s heart begins to beat…
Reaching out, I touch her shoulder
I’m dreaming of the Street…
[Chorus]
My 2009: Part 1 of 3
Looking back on it, the past 12 months have been a benchmark year for me, personally and professionally. We’ll see how this new decade plays out, but at the moment this feels like the year where all the various ‘instruments’ that are playing the soundtrack of my life are starting to all play the same song. Here are 10 examples to explain what I’m talking about…
10. Beatles Rock Band
Yeah I’ve been hip to the Beatles for years as a music lover, but a video game of all things introduces me to another 7 or 8 songs that I somehow missed, including this little ditty that’s instantly moved to the top of my playlist:
Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun, if the sun don’t come
You get a tan from standing in the English rain.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen – I am the walrus, GOO GOO GOO JOOB
Expert texpert choking smokers don’t you think the joker laughs at you? Ha ha ha!
See how they smile, like pigs in a sty, see how they snied. I’m crying…
Semolina pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower.
Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna, man you should have seen them kicking
Edgar Allen Poe.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus GOO GOO GOO JOOB…
And if you don’t understand why I love that, you’ve COMPLETELY missed the boat on the nonconformist aspect to my personality. Other video games I really enjoyed this year were Fight Night Round 4, and of course Batman: Arkham Asylum.
9. Love
So it was a little more than four years ago that I made this proclamation to my Circle (this is the Short Version): I’ve done Vegas/L.A./NYC/Texas/New Orleans/Miami. I’ve done everything I feel I HAD to do as a bachelor, I’m ready to start working toward the big One.” And as you would expect, the mental transition from “I’m just looking to have fun’ to “I’m looking for substance” has not always been a smooth one. And that’s just the internal monologue; then there’s the whole ‘what type of woman really gets me?’ aspect. As I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way), long term relationships are built on ‘clicking’ on several levels, not just one or two.
Four years into dating with serious intentions, this was the year where I finally identified my ‘type’. With little exception, every woman who gets me (platonically, professionally, sexually, romantically) shares certain traits. So that’s made it much easier on who to focus my attention on, and as a result, dating is actually fun again. Not by coincidence I think, I was smitten twice in 2009. As one of my buddies will testify, one young lady had me so smote I think I shattered the record for the number of times someone has listened to “I Saw Her Standing There” (#10) in one day. Before anyone blows up my phone, nothing is imminent. I’m just saying I’m on the right track (finally!)
8. The Ummah
#9 is moving in the right direction in part I imagine because I’ve steadily invested more of my time within my community. One of my friends asked me how it compares. The answer is simple: there are Muslims who drink and smoke, there are extreme fundamentalists (you’ve probably heard about them), and there are blue eyed, blonde white girls who are Muslim. In other words, Muslims come in every shape, size, color, and philosophical background, just like everybody else.
Other than missing a friend’s wedding, my first summer Ramadan wasn’t too bad. I celebrated both Eids this year; I’ve taken the next step in learning Arabic beyond my prayers. As it seems the attacks on Islam are getting more bold and out of pocket, I’m doing what I can to better myself as a Muslim, especially one with a certain level of visibility. That visiblity this year was most related to…
7. Lady In My Life
Last night was definitely the most surreal night I had in 2009. I show up a few minutes late to my own screening. The usher leads me into the darkened theater, where I hear my voice booming out in Dolby Surround Sound. I look up at the screen to see a giant closeup of my own face. The audience laughs at jokes I wrote; the women ‘aww’ during the sweet romantic moment. And the crowd applauds when my name appears on screen.
I walk out and people recognize me and smile at me. And as I leave South Central, Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” comes on the radio. And at that moment I realize, ‘I didn’t have to use my AK today either…”
(Oh come on, that last line was a little funny…)
6. Money, Money, Money, Money…Mo-Nay!
So here are a few of the financial decisions I made this year: I pulled from my 401k to pay off my film. I turned down (hopefully) my first six figure offer because it was overseas and we couldn’t get the paperwork sorted. I had to rob Peter to pay Paul in a few instances. Or as I like to call them collectively, “Things You Absolutely Can’t Do Once You Have Others Dependent on You for Financial Stability.” I’ve lost 20 pounds due to changing my diet (I’m more or less a vegan now), Aziz Manor will be rebuilt ‘just the way it was, brick for brick’ (if you can’t guess where that line is from, you need to leave now), and while I’ve gotten away with taking that risk once again, it was the last time, which leads to #5…
Which is where Part 2 will pick up!
If You’re in the Neighborhood…
Here are the details for the Lady In My Life screening tomorrow night (Saturday): the entire festival is free to the public, so if you have interest, you can hang out all day and meet a lot of interesting people who share a love for black cinema:
S.E. Manly Film Showcase presented by the Black Hollywood & Education Resource Center
4:30 – 6:00 P.M.
4718 W Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016
The Young Victoria
Emily Blunt has been nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama for her turn as Victoria in The Young Victoria. Let me start by saying this, if you have no interest in the ‘English period piece’ genre, this film won’t win you over. If you love things in the Jane Austen vein, you’ll probably like this movie regardless. Me? If you didn’t know by now, I live, breathe and sleep movies, and while this certainly isn’t within my wheelhouse as far as genre films go, the Globe nomination meant I had to check it out to what kind of craftmanship we’re talking about.
The highest compliment I can play a movie like this that I normally wouldn’t see is this: when we reached the 100 minute mark (the end), I said to myself “It’s over?” (in a good way). The ending was a little on the anticlimatic side, but I get pulled into the world and the characters enough to be invested in the story. In a story about a real life queen, the actor playing that role has to completely own the ‘center of attention’ factor, or the movie as a whole doesn’t work. Emily Blunt pulled it off. At turns vulnerable, sexual, childish, and regal, she was the centerpiece of what I thought was an extremely well cast film.
Haven’t seen any of the other nominees in this category yet, but don’t worry; the nominations just came out this morning. I’m using the tag ‘globes 2010′ to cover this year’s nominees. A few of the films I saw when they originally came out; you can check out my initial thoughts on those films/performances by using that tag.
The Hits Keep Coming…
For those of you in the Charlotte, NC area, Lady In My Life will be coming to a screen near you after the New Year. We’ve been invited to the 6th Annual Delta Film Showcase over the King holiday weekend. More details to come as I get them. Just riding the momentum…
L.A. Screening of ‘Lady In My Life’
For those of you in the L.A. area, if you’re interested in seeing my short film “Lady In My Life” with a live audience, it will be screening as part of the S.E. Manly Short Film Showcase put on by the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center. The date is next Saturday, December 19th at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016. Right now we’re scheduled for the afternoon program (2-6 P.M), but as always with these things, the schedule may change. Hope to see you there.
Most Important Black Films & TV Shows – On Second Thought…
First, the TV list…
| Roots |
| The Cosby Show |
| Chappelle’s Show |
| In Living Color |
| Boondocks |
| Oprah |
| Eyes on the Prize |
| Fresh Prince of Bel-Air |
| Def Comedy Jam |
| A Different World |
| Saturday Night Live |
| Soul Train |
| Arsenio Hall Show |
| Living Single |
| The Wire |
| Good Times |
| The Jeffersons |
| Martin |
| Different Strokes |
| Video Soul |
| Roc |
| The News |
| Flip Wilson Show |
| Sanford and Son |
| Benson |
I was still debating Chappelle’s Show being #3 a couple days after I wrote it. Then I realized I wrote that post without mentioning Lil Jon, Prince, ‘When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong,’ ‘Piss On You’, or Tyrone Biggums coming up at all, so I’ll still argue for that one. I might be influenced by her name being in the news so much, but Oprah should be higher. One of my favorite TV shows of all time, The Wire, didn’t crack the top 10. Not enough of a crossover audience, and the Legacy issue is still debatable. Don’t say I didn’t make an honest attempt at being as objective as possible though. A few shows not on the list that people have suggested or made arguments for: New York Undercover, Girlfriends, and Comic View. The great thing about lists like this; there’s no right or wrong answer. I didn’t hear any of the shows mentioned and think “Are you insane?” You can make an argument for all three of those.
The film list:
| Malcolm X |
| Do the Right Thing |
| Birth of a Nation |
| Boyz N Da Hood |
| Glory |
| Coming to America |
| Sweet Sweetback |
| Shaft |
| Gone With the Wind |
| Richard Pryor on the Sunset Strip |
| Waiting to Exhale |
| She’s Gotta Have It |
| Beverly Hills Cop |
| Monster’s Ball |
| New Jack City |
| The Color Purple |
| What’s Love Got to Do With It |
| Madea’s Family Reunion |
| Blazing Saddles |
| In the Heat of the Night |
| Boomerang |
| Purple Rain |
| Hollywood Shuffle |
| I’m Gonna Git U Sucka |
| Car Wash |
As expected, I got called out for putting Birth of a Nation so high, but I stand by my argument. For the various complaints we have about the current state of black cinema, I have to say I could have easily gone 50 deep with films, and they’d all be movies you’ve heard of. In no particular order: School Daze, Bamboozled, Four Little Girls, When the Levees Broke (all Spike films), Menace II Society, Don’t Be A Menace to South Central while drinking your Juice in the Hood, I Am Legend, Eddie Murphy Raw, the Original Kings of Comedy, Superfly, Coffy…that’s more than 10 off the top of my head (I know I’m a film geek but you’ve heard of most if not all of those movies at some point). A lot of people assume Malcolm X is my favorite film ever. It’s in the top ten; in truth the book The Autobiography of Malcolm X is my favorite book. Like most adaptations, the book has a lot of nuance that you won’t get in the film. Neither are perfect films, but on a personal level I like Mo’ Better Blues and Crooklyn as much as I like some of Spike’s more overtly political stuff. If you’re familiar with my own style as an storyteller, you see I gravitate more towards the ‘personal’ stories, and less the ‘political’ stuff. But that’s just me.
Speaking of such, got one more ‘personal’ blog to put up before year’s end. Working on that now. ‘Til next time….
