Movies

Where has this summer gone?  At the movies, its been quite the roller coaster filled with scream-inducing highs (The Karate Kid, Toy Story 3) and pain-wincing lows (Jonah Hex, Knight & Day) August promises to give us some more superstar power, incredible laughs and a whole lot of action.  Here’s your August movie preview!

Step Up 3-D

Yes, the third version of this dance series has arrived…in 3D!  This installment in the franchise takes the film overseas as the Maryland School of the Arts heads to Europe for a dance competition.  One of the major dancers – Moose - misses his flight back to Baltimore and decides to stick around Paris where he finds Americans abroad and a love interest.  Moose gets involved in the underground Parisian dance scene and is called to battle at the biggest international dance competition where he has to call on his school friends to help.  The cast is headlined by all newcomers.  It hits theaters on August 6.

The Other Guys

Mark Wahlberg?!  In a comedy?!  With Will Ferrell?!  A resounding yes to all of those questions as the Academy Award nominated actors teams with the former SNL star to headline The Other Guys, a screwball comedy set in the forensic/police world.  They both get the chance to step up to the plate on a major case when several things go awry.  Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson co-star in this caper.  It hits theaters on August 6.

Eat Pray Love

Based on the best selling book of the same name, Academy Award winning actress and America’s Sweetheart Julia Roberts plays a married woman who is discontented with the life she is currently living.  So she drops everything and decides to finally live her life…on her own terms.  Viola Davis, James Franco and Javier Bardem round out the cast.  The film hits theaters on August 13.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Michael Cera (Youth in Revolt, Year One) plays yet another affable teen who is confronted with life’s crazy challenges.  This time?  He’s finally found the girl of his dreams…but in order to be with her, he has to fight all SEVEN of her exes.  Did I mention crazy, deranged exes?  Brandon Routh (Superman himself) and Chris Evans (The Fantastic Four) go against type playing some of the exes.  The comedy opens on August 13.

The Expendables

Talk about throwback?!  Listen to this cast: Bruce Willis (Die Hard), Sylvester Stallone (Rambo), Jet Li (Cradle 2 The Grave, Hero), Arnold Schwarzenegger (the original Terminator) - wow, really?  Well also throw in Jason Statham (The Transporter) and Terry Crewes (Everybody Hates Chris, White Chicks) and you have this summer’s most unlikely hit-in-the-making.  It’s an action flick of course about a team of mercenaries who go on a mission to overthrow a South American dictator.  The trailer looked awesome.  Look out for it on August 13.

Lottery Ticket

Yes, the trailer has been playing seemingly forever but this movie is finally here. Bow Wow plays a young man living in the projects who wins a $370 million lottery jackpot.  However, when his neighbors discover he has won such a huge prize, they decide to get the ticket from him.  The film also stars Loretta Devine (Waiting to Exhale, This Christmas), Brandon T. Jackson (Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief), Naturi Naughton (Fame), Ice Cube (the Friday series) and Mike Epps (of Friday fame as well).  The film opens on August 20.

Piranha 3D

Elisabeth Shue (Hollow Man, The Saint), Richard Dreyfuss (W., Poseidon) and Ving Rhames (Undispited, Mission: Impossible III) headline this thriller set in Arizona where a tremor has caused the lake floor to open, unleashing a host of prehistoric piranhas.  Naturally, action and some gruesome scenes ensue.  Imagine When Animals Attack! on the big screen…in 3D!  It opens on August 20.

The Switch

It seems like Jennifer Aniston is popping up in almost every romantic comedy you can think of these days.  After starring in The Bounty Hunterjust a few months ago, here she is in yet another one!  This time, she plays a middle aged woman whose desperate to have a child.  In that pursuit, she steals the sperm of a married friend’s husband (played by Jason Bateman)  Ms. Aniston returns to the big screen on August 20.

Nanny McPhee Returns

After the surprise success of the original Nanny McPhee, Academy Award winning actress Emma Thompson returns to the mystical role of an eccentric Mary Poppins-wannabe.  Not much is known about the plot of this new edition but it’s hoping to garner the attention of kids who are about to go back to school and with no other new kiddie films out, it could make a (small) dent at the late summer box office.  Look for it on August 20.

Going The Distance

Drew Barrymore (Charlie’s Angels, Everything’s Fine) and Justin Long (Drag Me To Hell) play a couple involved in a long distance relationship that’s beginning to wane.  What a wonderful topic!  It promises to be a romantic comedy unlike any of the recent disappointments (Killers and Knight & Day come to mind)  The film opens on August 27.

Takers

This film was originally scheduled to be released in early 2010 but was pushed back after co-star Chris Brown was still heavily embroiled in the Rihanna mess.  Then, another co-star T.I. was still in jail so what was director John Leussenhop to do?  Patiently wait.  Well the premiere is finally here and the star studded cast includes Idris Elba (Obsessed), Hayden Christensen (of the Star Warsprequels), Michael Ealy (Seven Pounds), Paul Walker (The Fast & The Furious) and Matt Dillon (Crash). It revolves around a notorious gang of criminals who continue to evade the police with their perfectly executed bank robberies.  Dillon steps in as a police officer whose determined to bring down the empire.  The film hits theaters on August 27.

The Last Exorcism

Yes, yet another film around the eerie topic of exorcism.  This one finds Patrick Fabian playing a priest whose summoned to a Louisiana farm by a father whose convinced his daughter his possessed by a demon.  The priest agrees but decides to document what he’s hoping will be his final act of this kind.  However, once he arrives at the farm, he realizes this is a supernatural force he could not have possibly dreamed of.  Sound scary enough?!  It opens on August 27.

That’s your August wrap-up.  Personally, I’ll be taking in Eat Pray Love and Takers - they look like the safest bets in this very diverse bunch.

Check out the movie trailers for each August Movie on XI TV.

Lee Daniels’ film adaptation of the best-selling novel Pushby Sapphire introduced him to mainstream Hollywood last fall, as he attended almost every single major awards ceremony as a nominee for Best Director.  In March, his popularity reached a new high when he attended the Academy Awards as just the second African American nominee for Best Director (he would lose to Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker)

However, Daniels is not resting on his laurels or taking an extended vacation much like his counterparts do after an exhausting awards season.  Instead, he’s shifted his focus and is using his newfound notoriety to bring an historic and much needed story to the silver screen.  He is set to begin filming Selma, a film devoted to Martin Luther King, Jr., Lyndon B. Johnson and the civil rights marches that changed America.   The film initially hit a major roadblock when it lost its original financing but The Weinstein Company and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Production Company have jumped on board to co-finance this much needed film.  Daniels has also assembled a killer cast for this much anticipated picture, including Academy Award nominee Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List, Taken) to play President Lyndon B. Johnson, Hugh Jackman (X-Men) to play Jim Clark, Cedric the Entertainer (Cadillac Records, Talk to Me) to play Ralph Albernathy, Lenny Kravitz (Precious) to play Andrew Young, and David Oyelowo (The Last King of Scotland, A Raisin in the Sun) to play Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Robert De Niro is also rumored to be joining the cast in the role of Governor George Wallace.  The film is scheduled for release sometime in late 2011 as a potential Academy Award contender.

After wrapping Selma, Daniels is hoping to bring the Broadway smash Les Miserables to the big screen, proving that he’s not just a “black” director but one who is diverse and well rounded.  In addition, on deck for Daniels is a retelling of Madame Butterfly called Miss Saigon (another Broadway smash) and a movie for the HBO network.

I am getting goosebumps just typing this article because this could be a major accomplishment for black cinema if Selma lives up to the hype of its incredibly talented cast.  Look out for more updates here on XI about the status of the film and its release date.

Trump – This Week’s Winners

Ace- Chris Brown’s Michael Jackson tribute at the BET Awards.  Long considered an industry pariah after Rihanna-gate, Brown seemed like yesterday’s news when it came to awards shows and never seemed to be a contender for a spot on the performance schedule.  All of that went soaring out of the window when BET tapped him to do an official tribute to his idol, the late King of Pop.  Introduced by MJ’s big brother Jermaine, Brown glided and hopped around the stage with great ease; but it was his attempt at singing “Man in the Mirror”  that had him emotional and in overwrought state, capturing viewers’ hearts all over again.  Welcome back, Chris!

King - Rap isn’t as dead as the industry predicted.  Eminem scored the #1 debut on the Billboard 200 Albums chart this week with Recovery, selling almost 800,000 copies.  Last week’s top debut, Drake’s Thank Me Later, hung in there at #2.  With Em scoring the biggest first week sales of any artist in almost two years, and new albums on the horizon from Big Boi, Young Jeezy and Nicki Minaj, rap appears to be back at the forefront of the music industry.

Queen – Jennifer Hudson.  The Academy Award winning actress and Grammy winning songstress finally opened up about the horrific deaths of her mother, brother and nephew on the latest installment of VH1’s Behind the Music.   The newly svelte leading lady says she was “pretty much secluded” and had lost herself.  However, after taking some time for herself, she’s now back on top of her game, playing Mommy to a new son, scoring an endorsement deal with Weight Watchers (hence her new, slim body) and gearing up to play Nelson Mandela’s infamous ex, Winnie Mandela in a biopic due next year. 

Jack- Elena Kagan.  The new Supreme Court Justice nominee came out swinging this week for her confirmation hearings, teetering between hilarious and super serious.  She handled herself with great ease while fielding tough questions centered around her supposed barring of the military from recruiting students during her tenure at Harvard University and her seeming lack of experience as a judge.  Cheers to her for handling it with grace, intelligence and patience.

10 -  Twilight: Eclipse.  Whether you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob, moviegoers turned out in droves for midnight showings of this much anticipated film, shooting it to $30 million from midnight showings alone!  Toy Story 3 may have to watch out – this could be the biggest grossing film of the summer.

Trick – This Week’s Losers

5- Venus Williams.  After leaping back up the rankings to sit comfortably behind her top ranked sister Serena, it looked like Venus was ready to dominate the tennis scene once again, especially at her beloved Wimbledon where she’s won the title 5 times, appearing in 8 of the last 10 finals.  Well, it was not to be.  She crashed out in the quarterfinals to unheralded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.  Now, retirement rumors are dogging the 30 year old elder sister of tennis’ First Family.  Can she pull her act together this summer and make a strong run at the US Open?

4 – Supermodel Naomi Campbell.  Campbell can’t catch a break.  Now after a year of dogging court officials, she’s been called to testify in a major case against former Liberian President Charles Taylor.  Taylor has been accused of possessing and selling conflict diamonds and the prosecution feels that Campbell’s testimony will help their case greatly.  Unfortunately for her, she’s officially been summoned and has no other choice but to take the stand.  Models in the Court Room?  Could be a good idea for a new reality series! 

3 - Miley Cyrus.  The supposed “Teen Queen” couldn’t score her previous album’s top debuts, as Eminem stole that title from her.  To make matters worse, the album barely sold over 100,000 copies, a steep decline from her previous Hannah Montana efforts.  Maybe if she started establishing her own identity and refrained from the “reinvention” of recycled traits of the Britney/Christina era, she may be able to score some more sales.  Just a thought….

2 - John Edwards.  The former presidential hopeful was back in the news again this week, with his estranged wife touting the paperback release of her best selling novel that detailed his tawdry affair with Rielle Hunter and his former ”right hand man” Andrew Young (aka the fall guy for the whole love child plot) explicitly detailing how maniacal and dishonest he could be.  Edwards’ once spotless reputation is now officially ruined and it looks like he’ll be attempting to live down his mega mistakes for the remainder of his life.  

Joker -  BP. With Hurricane Alex gearing up to tear through Texas, the oil spill recovery effort took a major blow landing BP in the joker spot for a second week in a row.

Golden Globe winning actress Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got To Do With It) has signed on to play Paula Patton’s (Precious) mother in the film Jumping The Broom.  Broom centers around a young black couple from opposite ends of the financial spectrum planning their wedding at Martha’s Vineyard.  Bassett will play an heiress and major figure in the Washington, DC scene. 

The film, directed by Salim Akil (his directing credits include the TV shows, The Game and Soul Food), also stars Laz Alonso (This Christmas), Romeo Miller (yes, “Lil” Romeo is all grown up) and Loretta Devine (Lottery Ticket).  Miller will play Patton’s cousin, whose a senior at Yale University while Alonso will play her fiance and Devine will play Alonso’s mother.  The film’s producers include Bishop T.D. Jakes (Not Easily Broken) and Tracy Edmonds (Soul Food).

The film has begun filming in Nova Scotia, Canada.  No official release date has been announced.

Bassett will next be seen in Green Lantern in early 2010, playing Dr. Amanda Waller.  In addition, she’s readying her directorial debut, United States.

Well they say the 3rd time’s a charm, and I was surely charmed today!

I got up early to work on my write-ups (which are forthcoming), and then got myself ready for the day. The first assignment of the day was to do a sit-down, one-on-one interview with festival founder and CEO, Jeff Friday. We spoke about the early days of ABFF and how they have grown into the large and powerful tool they are now for the indie film community. We also spoke about the future of ABFF and how this event continues to be about those individuals that are not ‘there’ yet but have the dreams and aspirations to get there. Jeff was great, so pleasant, and genuine about his passion for burgeoning talent. *video to come soon!

After that was the screening of The Inheritance. This horror film starred Golden Brooks, Darrin Henson, Keith David and others and was AMAZING! The opening alone had me sold, then once the film began I was entranced! The movie follows the five children of the Elders. They are all ambitious and want to solicit their well-to-do families for money to help them go further. All except Golden Brooks’ character, who is a successful doctor. The story chronicles how their family became this successful conglomerate and what they won’t stop at to keep the family ties on that path. It delves into the family tree all the way back to slavery and surrounds the Elder’s messiah of sorts, Shakkabaz. It defies most stereotypes of black people’s roles in this genre and it is also historic as its the first of it’s kind…an African-American thriller starring an all-Black cast (save 2 members). The film will be released in the fall of 2010 and I encourage everyone to see it!

The next film I screened was The Confidante starring David Banner, Kenya Moore, and Boris Kodjoe. The film was about an ex-con (Banner) who returns home after 11 years in jail to confront his former best friend (Kodjoe) whom he took the fall for. Moore plays the wife of Kodjoe. The couple has experienced many emotional setbacks and Kodjoe’s character also deals with being an ex-football star who due to a heavy gambling problem is trying to rebuild and afford his former lifestyle. Banner carries this film with his amazing portrayal of the bitter and demented Jackson. Richard Roundtree and Bai Ling are in the film as well, however it is Banner that commands your attention. I was not floored by the film but I was certainly impressed with Banner.

After the screening it was a mad dash to the red carpet for Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming. Over 1,500 people attempted to see this film, which is a record for ABFF attendance to a screening. The press box was pandemonium and with good reason! The stars of the film included Pooch Hall, Collins Pennie, Tika Sumpter, and David Banner. There were also appearances by Golden Brooks, Melyssa Ford, Elise Neal, Lance Gross, Lamman Rucker, the film’s director, Will Packer and many others.

Following the red carpet was the screening and I have to honestly say that I was not expecting a great movie, as sequels can tend to be ehhhhh. But I was amazingly surprised! The main stars, Pennie and Sumpter, did a fantastic job with their roles as love interests. Their performances were sincere, believable and fun to watch. Veteran Keith David gave a very loving performance as well, playing the emotionally scarred father of Pennie. Pooch Hall did well also and the story was just well written. Teyana Taylor was a supporting character and though it was not an extensive role, she played well opposite Sumpter. I would definitely co-sign either ordering it On-Demand or purchasing the DVD.

The parties were all over this evening following the 8:30 screening, and there was a second screening added at 10:30pm for the rest of the patrons that were excited to see Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming.

Day three for me was awesome and the love XI has gotten during this festival is both humbling and encouraging. Keep it locked for more coverage of the 14th Annual ABFF 2010!

So its day 2 of the ABFF and it was quite interesting. The day started with bad news and over-priced pancakes.  After I cried in my breakfast, I pulled it together enough to head to the beach and get some sun and a little piece of mind.

I got sandy, I got darker, then I got myself together to head out. Once I was showered and refreshed, I made my way to the Ritz Carlton which is the host hotel for the event.

The 1st stop of the day for me was ‘A Conversation With Idris Elba.’  Hosted by the infamous Bevy Smith, it was an amazing experience. Though he’s become a mega star, Elba has this cool demeanor and the most down to earth and grounded disposition.  Speaking of his days as a broke East London boy, he explained how he had no formal training in acting or the arts, and his rise to the top. Check back with us for the full post on that event.

Following the Idris ‘coversation,’ I went over to the MTV Networks Recruitment suite.  They were personally speaking with and giving advice to individuals that were interested in production work and other behind the scenes positions with the company.  It was very cool to see these recruiters be so available and accessible to all of the interested parties and give such great tips. They were also extremely candid with the crowd in terms of what realistically could happen for some, based on the verbal resumes and backgrounds provided and what was a stretch. I appreciated the candor!

Next on the agenda was lunch with friends, then off to see the indie film Legacy, starring Elba yet again. The writer/director/producer Thomas Ikimi - a virtually unknown filmmaker 11 months ago – found his way to Elba via a passionate letter and what Elba described as a ‘phenomenal script.’  The end result was Idris doing the film and actually Executive Producing it! Dark and deep, Legacy chronicles a troubled soldier (Elba) who seems to suffer heavily from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  His brother is running for President while he is locked away in his one room studio in Brooklyn. We see him go through many phases and stages of sanity and beyond.  It is a character I’ve never seen Elba play, but he nailed it!

The main event of the nite was the HBO Short-film Competition. Of course XI and De-Up TV were on the scene.  Michael Baisden, Terrell Suggs (who’s short film Sisters is in the festival as a non-competing entry), Ike Ndumwe, the cast of competing entry The Cycle and founder Jeff Friday along with his lovely wife Nicole were some of our red carpet Interviews. 

The competition included 5 short films all varied in subject, aesthetics, and tone.  From the beautifully simple but visually stimulating look of If I Leap by Jackie Stone telling of the battle between personal desire and religious obligation for one sister in the Divine Order of the Sisters of Piety, to the Hitchcock 2.0 cinematic thriller Moth (Hilton Carter).  One of my favorites was Say Grace Before Drowning which was so fabulously executed by Nikyatu Jusu. The Cycle (Roy Clovis) and Stag & Doe (Daniel Patterson & John Staley) were the other two entries, both  GREAT films!  For more on all of the entries click here.

I had to dip out of the Short-film venue a bit early to make it over to the red carpet at Liv at Le Fountain Bleu.  If you’ve never been there, please go!  Its an expansive hotel and the club is gorgeous as well. On the carpet I caught up with Reggie Ponder, Bob Sumner, Bevy Smith and Darrin Henson again, but this time he was with his co-star in The Inheritance, Golden Brooks.

The party itself was crazy! Level to level, corner to corner, A-Listers were drinking and partying. DJ D-Nice and Idris Elba rocked the turntables and kept people shaking.

Day 2 was great and I had fun. The running around is a bit exhausting; however its all worth it to get our citiXIns the scoop!  I’m signing off for now, more interviews and events to cover.  I’ll get back with you all shortly!

XI Magazine is one of the many media outlets in Miami for the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). We are here and working with De-Up TV and will have video for you at the end of the weekend!

However, I wanted to let my beloved citiXIns know what was shaking, just in case you weren’t following me on Twitter (@O_da_SupaStarr).

After a great flight into Miami, I settled into my hotel, freshened up, changed into my chouchounette Couture and was on my way. When I got to the location, the Colony Theater I met up with our camera person for the weekend, Stefan LaToure (on hand-held and B-roll) and Marcellious of De-Up TV. The opening night film was Takers and I was assigned the task of conducting red carpet interviews, which will be on XI TV shortly!

On the carpet, I interviewed Pooch Hall (The Game, Stomp the Yard Two: Homecoming), David Banner (Actor, Rap Artist), Isaac Keys (Ex NFL Player, Omorosa’s Ultimate Merger), Will Packer (Director/ Rain Forest Films) and several others.

After the red carpet, I attended the 9pm screening of Takers (Idris Elba, Chris Brown, T.I., Michael Ealy, Zoe Saldana). The film comes out August 27th and let me tell you, you all are in for one hell of a flick! Chris Brown’s performance as an actor to me was not solid, nor was it believable, but he looked good and his stunt work was incredible. T.I. did an amazing job and I loved the swagger he brought to his character Ghost. Paul Walker did an excellent job, and so did Elba (the festival’s Ambassador) but Ealy stole the show, with Saldana providing the necessary eye candy and estrogen to balance it all out, as well as a solid performance.

The film follows a crew of high-stakes thieves with high-tech methods and a set of not-so-legit cops that try to catch them.  I think it was a great film and I’m sure it will do very well in theaters, especially given the all-star cast.

After the screening was BET’s opening party at Klutch, open to pass holders and $75.00 for non pass-holders! The expansive venue was the hub for the festival’s stars, celebs and attendees alike. The DJ pumped 4 seperate sets of music in seperate rooms and the guests popped it, dipped it low, and partied hard. One of the festival’s many sponsors, Grey Goose provided great drinks (for FREE) as guests entered and the bars flowed. Patrons had a ball!

All in all, I feel as though XI’s first day at the ABFF was successful! The events were great, celebs showed us plenty of love on the red carpet and we got to see a great film.

Stay locked for more ABFF updates, pics and posts! All video will be posted upon my return! And if you are on Twitter, follow me and I’ll keep you updated!

XI is In Focus for sure, as we are gearing up to cover the American Black Film Festival 2010 (ABFF) in Miami, Fl.  The ABFF has been a staple in the African American independant film community since the late 90’s.  Lead by it’s CEO, Jeff Friday, the ABFF has garnered large corporate sponsors as it’s grown over the years, with HBO being its first and largest.  It has screened more than 500 films and attracts close to 14,000 attendees each year.

This year’s Festival Ambassador is the scrumptious Idris Elba and there will be stars galore in attendance.  The film Takers is the opening night showing, starring Idris, Michael Ealy and Zoe Saldana.  Lee Daniels (Precious) will be honored with the Career Achievement Award and there will be a showing of Stop the Yard: Homecoming.   There will be a Master Class lead by Spike Lee and  the PHI (Pro Hollywood Workshop) will launch this year, giving professional athletes a deeper look into the creative and business sides of the film industry.  Soledad O’Brien will host a symposium for CNN and there will be mixers and parties sponsored by HBO, BET and many others.

XI will be on location and in the spot, providing blog posts, video of all of the fabulosity.  We will have an interview with the ABFF Monologue Champion, actor Steven Hill and many others.  Stay tuned and stay “In Focus.”

Check out the film’s in this year’s ABFF (below) and for more info on the festival, go to their site.

2010 ABFF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS GALA SCREENINGS TAKERS - Opening Night Film, directed by John Luessenhop Courtesy of Screen Gems Enter the world of a notorious group of criminals who continue to baffle police by pulling off perfectly executed bank robberies.

STOMP THE YARD: HOMECOMING – Centerpiece Screening, directed by Rob Hardy Courtesy of Stage 6 Films, RCR Partners & Rainforest Films Chance Harris struggles with the dynamics of balancing life…the biggest event of the year at Truth University – Girlfriend woes, a full-time job, preparing his fraternity for a nationally televised step competition. Making matters worse, Chance is sidetracked by the fact he has an outstanding debt with a street thug who’s out for blood.

HBO® SHORT FILM COMPETITION Five films compete for $20,000 grand prize sponsored by HBO.   THE CYCLE, directed by Roy Clovis (World Premiere) Will the search for a child’s bicycle unite a gentrifying community or ignite a conflict that will tear it apart?

IF I LEAP, directed by Jackie J. Stone (World Premiere) Zipporah, temporarily professed into the religious order ‘Sisters of Piety,’ engages in an intimate relationship and is forced to decide whether to remain in the religious life or return to the secular world.

MOTH, directed by Hilton Carter (World Premiere) Based on the painting ‘The Young Martyr’ by Paul Delaroche, Moth tells the story of a beautiful starlet caught up in drugs and stardom.

SAY GRACE BEFORE DROWNING, directed by Nikyatu Jusu (World Premiere) After meeting her African refugee mother for the first time in six years, 8 year old Hawa is forced to coexist with a woman teetering on the brink of insanity.

STAG & DOE, directed by Daniel Patterson & John Staley (World Premiere) On the eve before their wedding night, a young engaged couple decides to put their relationship to the test at a joint bachelor/bachelorette party.

NARRATIVE FEATURES (In Competition) Four films compete for the Grand Jury Prize for Best Film, sponsored by Gold Peak Tea

EVERYDAY BLACKMAN, directed by Carmen Madden A small time grocer has to become the man he used to be when his store is taken over by a drug dealer.

THE INHERITANCE, directed by Robert O’Hara  Friends and Family gather for a “Secret Family” reunion. The reunion turns deadly.

LEGACY, directed by Thomas Ikimi Idris Elba stars as a black ops soldier who returns home after a set of mysterious circumstances botch his mission.

NIGHT CATCHES, directed by Tanya Hamilton In 1976 forces are set in motion when a young man returns to the race torn Philadelphia.

NARRATIVE FEATURES (Out of Competition)

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO, directed by Tabari Sturdivant When what looks like the end of the road could be the beginning of a whole new journey.

CONSINSUAL, directed by Paul D. Hannah (World Premiere) Walk into this seemingly normal marriage where romance quickly turns to lust and morality across the line of corruption.

JOY ROAD, directed by Harry A. Davis (World Premiere) Public defender Tony Smalls is called to defend his sisters’ boyfriend, a dangerous gang leader.

SUICIDE DOLLS, directed by Keith Shaw (World Premiere) Two lonely girls plan to commit suicide and decide to film their last 24 hours.

DOCUMENTARIES

ONE NIGHT IN VEGAS, directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood Tells the story of that infamous fight night – (Sept. 7, 1996) when Mike Tyson, the WBC heavyweight champion, attempted to take Bruce Seldon’s WBA title at the MGM, and the remarkable friendship between Tyson and Tupac, and the tragedy that ensued.

SWEET SCIENCE, directed by Chris Howell Documents the progress and price paid by 11 boxers as members of the United States Olympic Boxing Team.

THE AVON BARKSDALE STORY, directed by Bruce Brown (World Premiere) True story of the life of the character played by actor Wood Harris in the HBO series, The Wire.   NEW VISIONS

LEFT UNSAID, directed by Nelson George (World Premiere) 15 women meet via Facebook for Sunday brunch in a Brooklyn brownstone.

B.U.R.N.S, directed by Phil Reid (Festival Premiere) The story of Kenny Burns’ grind. Showing you don’t have to be somebody’s slave to make it in the entertainment business.

GANGS OF LA 1991, Lamonte Moore (World Premiere) Follows gang activity during the heightened gang warfare in Los Angeles in 1991.

SPONSORED SCREENING

THE CONFIDANT, directed by Alton Glass (World Premiere) Courtesy of Codeblack Entertainment When your closest friend becomes your worst enemy.

Funny thing happened this summer: a 12-year-old resurrected the sagging box office.  That 12-year-old?  None other than Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, star of the remake of The Karate Kid and child of Hollywood royalty Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith.  Expectations were middling for Smith’s first solo headlining film – he was an unproven child star who was assisted by megastars in two previous roles: The Pursuit of Happyness (with his dad) and The Day The Earth Stood Still (with Keanu Reeves).  Both of those films had grossed well over $100 million but how would Jaden fare on his way?

After almost 3 weeks of mediocre box office sales (including poor receptions for Sex and The City 2 and Shrek Forever After), Smith singlehandedly reminded us that summertime is the best time for boffo numbers – The Karate Kid conjured up almost $60 million in its debut…did I mention it made $19 million on Friday night alone?!  The film has been met with glowing reviews, particularly for Smith’s honest performance.  Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly remarks that Smith, “has something that’s rare to see in a child actor.  He has presence.”  USA Today’s Claudia Puig remarks that Smith “believably conveys youthful angst” and “conveys a youthful version of his father’s cheeky affability.”

This is just his third film, following his TV appearances on the shows All of Us (which was created and executive produced by his parents) and The Suite Life of Zach & Cody.   His role in The Pursuit of Happyness leapt him onto the film industry radar as he was showered with universal praise and several accolades, including the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough and the coveted Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Actor.  This year, he was named Breakthrough Male Star of the Year by ShoWest, joining an illustrious list that includes superstars like Zac Efron (High School Musical), Shia LeBeouf (Transformers, Disturbia) and his famous dad.

Jaden has already presented at the Academy Awards, presenting the awards for Best Animated Short Film and Best Live Short Film.  He has dabbled in the music industry as well, rapping on Justin Beiber’s “Never Say Never.”

Don’t expect this REDHOT career to stall anytime soon.  Kid is looking to possibly reach a cumulative gross of $200 million during its summer run and could earn a huge chunk of change through sponsorship deals and DVD sales.  In addition, Jaden and his sister Willow will headline Amulet, based on the popular children books in 2012.  His parents are attached to the project as executive producers.

We’re two months into the summer movie season and already some major events have occurred: Iron Man 2 rose to the top but didn’t beat expectations, Robin Hood’s long run time didn’t equate to Titanic’s level success, and Shrek: Forever After stumbled out of the gate falling below expectations as well.  With June attempting to fix some of May’s wrongs, the July movies are hoping to jump to the head of the class.  Here are the major releases hoping to score some love (and cash!) from you:

The Last Airbender

M. Night Shymalan, the mastermind behind hits like The Sixth Sense and Signs (as well as major flops like Lady in the Water and The Village) directs the first film he hasn’t written with The Last Airbender, an adaptation of the cult favorite cartoon series.  The film centers around a war of the elements – Air, Water, Fire & Earth – Fire decides to launch an attack on its peers.  Noah Ringer plays Aang, the airbender who realizes he’s the only one left who can still manipulate all four of the elements.  The film was converted to 3D once the craze reached fever pitch and looks to be THE must see film of the July 4th weekend.  It opens on July 2.

Predators

Adrien Brody headlines this reboot of the Predator franchise as the leader of a group that appears to have been assembled for the sole purpose of being eaten by the said predators.  The ironic thing?  The assembled group is filled with mercenaries, Nazis and convicts…all people who kill but are now being hunted to BE killed.  The film opens on July 7 (Wednesday opening)

Despicable Me

An animated tale featuring the voices of Steve Carrell (The Office, Date Night), Jason Segal (Knocked Up) and Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live, MacGruber) about an evil man named Gru (voiced by Carrell) whose out to steal the moon.  Gru is accustomed to taking advantage of – and vanquishing – any and every thing that gets in his path…until he encounters a female trio who attempt to soften his heart.  The film has been generating a lot of shrugged shoulders based on its trailer but it’s in 3D and may thrive on that fact alone.  It opens on July 9.

The Kids Are All Right

One of the year’s first possible Oscar contenders stars Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as a lesbian couple raising two children.  As the children get older, they decide to seek out their sperm donor father (played by Mark Ruffalo) Naturally, drama ensues when the father is brought into the fold.  The film opens in limited release on July 9.

Inception

Leonardo DiCaprio ventures into summer territory with this thriller that involves a group of skilled individuals who invade people’s minds.  DiCaprio plays a thief whose gifted in the art of dream extraction, delving into the minds of strangers to get their deepest, darkest secrets.  The film also stars Ellen Page (Juno) and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard (Nine, Public Enemies).  This looks to be the first, wide released adult film of the summer and should get some love from those who are tired of the brainless action flicks.  The film opens on July 16.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Nicolas Cage plays against type as a kooky wizard who recruits an apprentice to help him bring down a powerful evildoer.  The film centers around Cage training his reluctant recruit in the art of magic.  Alfred Molina (Dr. Ock from the Spiderman franchise) plays the villain in this one and Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder, She’s Out of my League) co-stars as the apprentice.  The film opens on July 16.

Dinner for Schmucks

Steve Carrell is one busy guy!  He plays an oddball in this comedy that also stars Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man) and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover).  Rudd plays an executive who scores his first invite to his company’s “dinner for idiots,” an event where the person who brings the biggest idiot is awarded with bragging rights.  Naturally, Carrell plays the idiot that Rudd finds and comedy ensues.  The film opens on July 23.

Ramona and Beezus

Beverly Cleary’s beloved children’s book comes to the big screen with Selena Gomez (of The Wizards of Waverly Place fame) playing Beezus.  Joey King (Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs) portrays her younger sister, the imaginative and creative Ramona.  Directed by Elizabeth Allen, the film promises to stay faithful to its origin story and could be the summer’s sleeper kiddie hit.  It opens on July 23.

Salt

Angelina Jolie steps into a role that was originally meant for Tom Cruise in this thriller.  She plays CIA agent Evelyn Salt whose falsely accused of being a Russian spy, causing her to go on the run and use a whole lot of machinery and warfare to stay alive.  However, as she continues to evade her pursuers, the question continues to linger as to whether she is who she says she is.  It promises to be an on the edge of your seat nailbiter.  Liev Schreiber (The Omen, The Manchurian Candidate) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, American Gangster) round out the cast.   It opens on July 23 (yes it is a VERY packed weekend!)

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

This live action caper features rogue feline Kitty Galore who decides to not only team up against her canine counterparts but also against her feline peers.  This puts the dogs and cats in a crazy and rare situation where they have to band together to successfully conquer crazy “Kitty.”  Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile) and Christina Applegate (Married…with Children, Samantha Who?) are a part of the ensemble cast.  It opens (in 3D!) on July 30.

SO there’s your July preview.  Personally, I CANNOT wait for Inception and Salt, which look to be the frontrunners for star-driven, action flicks this summer.

Check out all of the movie trailers for these movies and other summer box office hits only on XI TV!