Posts Tagged ‘Just Wright’

Trump - This Week’s Winners

Ace -Kanye West.   Not only did Mr. West join Twitter this week but he also stopped by Facebook headquarters (yep, you read that right) and debuted 4 singles from his forthcoming album, tentatively titled Good Ass.  The musical genius appears to finally be over the nasty press from last year and is pressing on with what we’ve come to expect from him: great music.

King - Aretha Franklin & Condoleeza Rice.  The Queen of Soul and former Secretary of State didn’t seem to be on our wishlist for “dream duets” but they stunned everyone when they performed together at a recent charity event for the Philadelphia Orchestra.  We all knew the Queen had skills but Condi held her on the piano.  Is a music career in her future?

Queen- Isaiah Mustafa.  The Old Spice frontman has just landed a plum role opposite Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Aniston in the comedy Horrible Bosses.  That’s not it…he’ll also appear in Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls…adaptation and guest star on NBC’s dramedy Chuck next season as well.  Who knew promoting an aging fragrance line could jumpstart a hot career?

Jack  – Sunday’s Bestwinner Y’Anna Crawley.  The reality show champ will release her debut CD on August 22.  Formerly a back up singer for the likes of Angie Stone and Raheem DeVaughn, she tackles one of the greats on her debut, covering Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love.”  The album is entitled The Promise.  Looks like she’s carving out quite the career for herself.

10 - Common.  After co-starring in this summer’s romantic film Just Wright, the hip hop star will tackle his first television role when he headlines AMC’s new drama Hell on Wheels.  The show follows a biracial freed slave seeking to fit into a brand new world.  The show begins production this August.  At this rate, he’s joined the pantheon of successful music to acting artists, alongside Will Smith, Mos Def and his Wrightco-star, Queen Latifah.

Trick – This Week’s Losers

5 – Chris Tucker.  As if no other celebrities learned from the tax evasion case of Wesley Snipes, Tucker is now involved in his own tax issues with the federal government.  Supposedly he owes Uncle Sam $11 million back taxes for taxes he didn’t pay in 2001-2002 and 2004-2006.  Considering he got a $25 million check for starring in Rush Hour 3 (and $20 million for Rush Hour 2), this is just downright unacceptable.

4- Rick Ross.  His much hyped album failed to end Eminem’s streak of five weeks on top of the Billboard 200 Albums chart.  Eminem beat him by just over 11,000 copies making Teflon Don settle for a runner-up debut this week.

3 – Tiger Woods.  Looks like too much controversy is directly related to loss of money.  The famed golfer who was embroiled in an infamous sex scandal earlier this year has lost $22 million in endorsements since his once golden boy image was tarnished.  Dang!

2 – Titanic II.  Okay we all know that spoofs of blockbuster films are commonplace in Hollywood…but c’mon Titanic came out in 1997!  Who still even cares to watch the original as opposed to some cheesy spoof that stars Brooke Burns?! File this one under major mistake…thank goodness it’s heading straight to DVD. 

Joker- BP’s Tony Hayward.  As if he didn’t have to deal with enough flack, mockery and criticism, Tony Hayward has resigned as CEO of the oil conglomerate and was hastily replaced, which definitely implies that all those rumors concerning his possible firing during the early days of the Gulf Coast oil spill weren’t exactly false.  And how ironic is it that he’s been replaced by an American?

Paula Patton seems to be riding a wave of good buzz.  The actress, who co-starred in this summer’s Just Wright and had a major role in the Academy Award nominated Precious, has just landed a role as the assistant District Attorney on NBC’s mega popular Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

She is slated to appear in at least 5 episodes of the drama, beginning with episode 5 on the upcoming season; she will replace Stephanie March who vacated the show.  The hit drama kicks off its twelfth(!) season on Wednesday, September 22. 

Patton is currently taping the film Jumping The Broom, with Academy Award nominated actress Angela Bassett playing her mother.

I am so happy this beautiful, black woman is getting all of this screen time!  She is totally underrated as an actress and all of this exposure can only lead to bigger and greater roles.  Mrs. Robin Thicke is doing quite nice for herself!

There are very few rappers who manage to successfully master a complete crossover into the popular culture world of motion pictures.  There are even fewer female rappers who have done this; in fact, there is only ONE: none other than the Queen herself, Queen Latifah.

This weekend, the regal former rapper headlines the romantic dramedy, Just Wright, where she stars as a physical therapist whose been assigned to help an injured NBA superstar (played by fellow hip hop star Common) and, in the process of doing so, falls in love with him.  In addition to starring in the film, Latifah serves as one of its producers, a hat she is beginning to wear regularly on the sets of her films.

Born Dana Elaine Owens, Queen Latifah is a rarity in the entertainment world – she has a Golden Globe and Grammy on her shelf and an Academy Award and Emmy nomination underneath her belt. The daughter of a schoolteacher mother and police officer father, Latifah was raised in Newark, New Jersey.  She adopted the name “Latifah” when she was just eight years old, a suggestion by her cousin.  The word “Latifah” means “delicate” and ”gentle” in Arabic.

Growing up in the 1980’s when the rap world was a newborn, Latifah was a part of a rap group called Ladies First.  A natural beatboxer, she was also an original member of the Flavor Unit, a crew of MCs that had been assembled by DJ Mark the 45 King.  DJ Mark heard Latifah’s first demo “Princess of the Posse” and passed it on to his friend, Fab Five Freddy, one of the hosts of MTV’s landmark Yo! MTV Raps show.

At the age of nineteen, Latifah was signed to Tommy Boy Records and released her first album, All Hail the Queen in 1989.  The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard Top Hip-Hop/R&B Albums chart and delivered the hits “Ladies First” and “Wrath of My Madness.”  “Ladies First” would become Latifah’s signature hit and was named one of the top 100 Hip Hop songs of all time by VH1 in 2008.  While sales weren’t exceptional, Latifah received raves for being a “trailblazer” for female MCs, holding her own with her male counterparts.

In 1991, Latifah dropped her sophomore album, Nature of a Sista.  The album didn’t do as well as her debut but it solidified Latifah’s status as a force in the ever-growing hip hop world and made her one of the first female hip hop icons.  She would achieve greater success in 1993 with the release of Black Reign, which went on to be certified gold by Billboard.  Lead by the single “U.N.I.T.Y.,” Latifah began to look into other ways to explore her entertainment interests and the possibility of doing film and television  presented itself.  She has had minor roles in Jungle Fever, House Party 2 and Juice but was ready to headline her own work.

Her good friend Will Smith asked her to do a few episodes of his hit sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Latifah obliged, hoping that these guest stints would open the doors for her to get her own show.  Her wish was granted when she landed the lead role on Fox’s sitcom Living Single in 1993, playing magazine editor/publisher Khadijah James.  The show was an instant hit with fans, garnering huge ratings for the new Fox network and serving as an important component of their Thursday night “urban” lineup, that included Martin and New York Undercover.  The show ran through 1998 and Latifah was awarded critical acclaim for her comedic performance.

Her first lead film role came in 1996’s Set It Off, a change of pace for her.  While everyone was accustomed to seeing her in comedic roles, this proved to be her biggest stretch yet, playing a lesbian bank robber.  Buoyed by a strong cast that included Vivica A. Fox, Blair Underwood, Jada Pinkett Smith and Kimberly Elise, the film was a smash hit and the movie industry took note of this blossoming star.  Supporting roles in Living Out Loud (where she sang instead of rapping) and The Bone Collector (with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie) followed.  In 1999, Latifah was given her own talk show but it fizzled out after just two seasons – critics said the relatively calm show just couldn’t find an audience amidst the hysterics of Ricki Lake, Maury Povich and Jerry Springer.  Amidst all of her other pursuits, she stayed true to her original passion: music.  She released her fourth rap album, Order in the Court in 1998.

In 2002, she scored her biggest film to date, leaving critics and audiences astounded by her turn in the Academy Award-winning musical Chicago.  She would earn a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination but would lose out to co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones.  With her nomination, she became just the third hip hop artist (and first female) to score to an Oscar nomination, following nods for Will Smith and Mark Wahlberg.  That same year, she appeared in Brown Sugar, alongside Taye Diggs, Mos Def and Sanaa Lathan, garnering even better reviews.  She teamed with comedy legend Steve Martin to co-star in the 2003 box office smash, Bringing Down The House.

At this point, Queen Latifah had developed a reputation for being a go-getter, someone who audiences and executives could rely on to DELIVER whether it be drama or comedy.  She was also one of the most in-demand actresses in the business, partnering with Jimmy Fallon for 2004’s Taxi and headlining the hit Beauty Shop, a spin-off of Ice Cube’s hugely successful Barbershop series.  Unlike many minority actresses, Latifah refused to  be pigeonholed into one type of role and her next three films could not be more different: a psychiatrist in the dark comedy Stranger Than Fiction, starring alongside Oscar winners Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson; voicing the sassy woolly mammoth in the animated smash Ice Age: The Meltdown; and a lady looking for love when she discovers she’s dying in Last Holiday.  All three films won critical acclaim, moving Latifah deeper into the film stratosphere and sealing her fate as a reliable box office draw.  She decided to tackle her toughest role to date when she played an HIV-positive lady in HBO’s Life Support, a role that garnered her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film.  The telepic was also featured prominently during the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, a rarity for a television movie and a testament to Latifah’s clout.  She would earn a NAACP Image Award and Screen Actors Guild award for her performance as well.  Later that year, she played Motormouth Maybelle in the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Hairspray.  She served as a producer and made a cameo appearance in the Gabrielle Union-Morris Chestnut romantic comedy The Perfect Holiday and paired with Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes for the theft comedy Mad Money.  More critical acclaim was showered upon her when the long awaited film adaptation of the beloved novel The Secret Lives of Bees premiered in late 2008 and Latifah lead a cast that included Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Grammy winner Alicia Keys.  She lent her voice once again to Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in 2009.  In early 2010, she was a member of the ensemble comedy Valentine’s Day and is now gearing up to charm audiences once again in Just Wright, where she serves as a film producer for the sixth time in her career.

A savvy businesswoman, Latifah’s success is not limited to just the entertainment industry.  She represents her own line of cosmetics – the Queen Collection – with international makeup conglomerate CoverGirl and also serves as a spokeswoman for Pizza Hut and Jenny Craig.  She recently launched a line of clothing for plus-sized women called Curvation Apparel, a nod to the curvy body type that has personified her career.

Despite her mega-stardom and down-to-earth nature, she has been hit with rumors throughout her career, most notably one that she is a lesbian.  Latifah has denied these claims fervently throughout the course of her career.  The rumor hit fever pitch after her portrayal of a lesbian in Set It Off and after she admitted that she was sexually molested as a child.  To this day, she wears a motorcyle key around her neck as a means of remembering her beloved older brother Lancelot who was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1992; Latifah had just bought her brother the motorcycle when he died.  In her autobiography, Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman, she details her brief bout with depression following his death and her dalliance with drug abuse.

Queen Latifah is a shining example of how a strong, independent, driven woman can succeed in an industry that seems poised to make her feel inferior and unimportant.  She has risen above obstacles and controversy to become one of the most successful African American entertainers of all time.  Her singing career has not just been relegated to the rap world: she has released three jazz albums that have scored sales and applause from critics.  Her reputation for being a classy woman could not have been more evident that when renowned poet Maya Angelou asked her to recite a poem (in Angelou’s absence) at the funeral of pop legend Michael Jackson.

Just Wright opens this weekend in limited release…I’m sure you can find it somewhere.  Check it out and support one of our most humble and under-appreciated giants in black entertainment.

Julia Roberts created a career out of playing plucky, vibrant women who smiled a lot and laughed even more, in movies like Pretty Woman, Notting Hill and Runaway Bride. Meg Ryan followed suit, starring in hits like When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail. Sandra Bullock wasn’t far behind with While You Were Sleeping, Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality. As the lines got longer at the movie theaters, the quality of films improved and the box office numbers seemingly soared, the era of the “romantic comedy” seemed to be pushing along, full speed ahead. However, in the midst of all of that success, there was not one film headlined by an African American sans Will Smith’s blockbuster romanticom Hitch, which grossed over $350 million internationally.

So why no love for black love? There have been rare spots of change: Queen Latifah’s Last Holiday and Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? immediately come to mind but even those films were small (and rare) successes compared to their white counterparts. Reese Witherspoon (Sweet Home Alabama), Anne Hathaway (Bride Wars), Kate Hudson (Fool’s Gold) and even Sarah Jessica Parker (Failure to Launch) have all secured box office success and assisted their burgeoning careers by playing young, rising professionals who happen to fall in love and encounter all the happy instances that follow. When will Gabrielle Union, Taraji P. Henson, Nia Long or even Halle Berry get the opportunity to showcase their Colgate smiles in the same type roles?

There are several theories to infiltrate the industry regarding the lack of blacks in romantic comedies. We’re good enough to play the best friend role or the secretary but never quite ready to be the top billed star. Will Smith has transcended race in every sense of the word, mastering the genres of blockbuster, drama, comedy, romantic comedy, action and thriller without missing a beat. However, even some of our most respected stars – like Angela Bassett, Denzel Washington and Sanaa Lathan – have not gotten the opportunity to increase their repertoire with romantic comedy films. Is the general public just not ready to embrace an all black couple? Are we not sexy enough….or are we too sexy? Are we not funny enough? Is the genre just not built for “our” type of acting?

In doing some research for this article, I encountered some interesting facts. One of my favorite magazines, Entertainment Weekly, suggested that moviegoers will embrace a black man in a romantic comedy but would probably shun a comedy featuring an all black couple, noting the pairings of Will Smith and Charlize Theron in Hancock and Eddie Murphy and Elizabeth Banks in Meet Dave. The magazine even went so far as to suggest that the only lead black actresses who can garner top billing for films are Halle Berry, Queen Latifah and occasionally Beyonce Knowles. Another fact that I found quite intriguing: when black women “headline” films, they’re usually paired with white men and the film centers around the stigma of interracial dating (see Zoe Saldana/Ashton Kutcher in Guess Who and Sanaa Lathan/Simon Baker in Something New).

The answer may be coming up in Queen Latifah’s May film, Just Wright, a romantic film starring the Queen, Paula Patton and rapper-turned-actor Common. The film is slowly generating buzz around the African American film industry (happy that a trailer ran before Date Night and The Bounty Hunter!) but no one is expecting the film to do boffo box office. Latifah plays a put-upon physical therapist whose called in to assist NBA star Common when he’s hurt during a game; his gold digging wife (played by Patton) leaves when he gets injured. However, when he’s all better and back on court, Patton returns – only Latifah is now in love with her ex-husband and Common has a choice to make. THIS is the kind of film that can change the game; the marketing strategy has been perfect so far and I’m hoping the trailer will get some love during the upcoming NBA Finals. I’m pleased that it’s opening during the summer months as a healthy alternative to the blockbusters like Iron Man 2 instead of during the typical doldrums months of January and February when so many films get tossed around.

So what are your thoughts? Is black love uninteresting? Would WE even diss a black romantic comedy? Or is the world just not ready to see a happy black couple on the big screen?

The summer movie season is officially here!  As an avid moviegoer during the warmer months, I’m sure everyone is excited to see exactly what Hollywood has in store for us this time around.  The trends? More action, more sequels, more laughs, more 3D!  Without further adieu, here are the movies you don’t want to miss in May!

Iron-Man 2

The sequel to the surprise smash of summer 2008 returns to the crazy world of Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey, Jr.  He is joined once again by Gwyneth Paltrow as his assistant/love interest Pepper Potts and, in a controversial yet catchy cast change, Don Cheadle as Jim Rhodes/Rhodey (who replaces Terrance Howard).  In this film, Stark is being pressured by the US government to turn in his powerful Iron-Man suit.  The villain this time around? Ivan Vanko, played by Mickey Rourke.  Vanko has created his own alternate machine that could prove to be the end of Stark’s empire.  If you’re a fan of the comic books or a fan of the blockbuster genre, this is the first major film you DO NOT want to miss.  The trailer is exhilarating, intense and most of all, funny.  Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson round out the terrific cast.  Due out on May 7, 2010.

Babies

A documentary following the lives of four infants across the globe.  The trailer is absolutely adorable and promises to provide us with an in-depth, realistic look into the lives, customs and practices of different cultures, ranging from Namibia and Mongolia, to Tokyo and San Francisco.  A nice alternative to the typical “blow-em up” films that will saturate our summer months.  Due out on May 7th.

Robin Hood

Russell Crowe (who scored a Best Actor Oscar for his role in Gladiator) reunites with his favorite director, Ridley Scott, for this adaptation of this classic tale.  While many grumble that this story has been done to death, Scott promises eye-opening action sequences and a great romantic tease between Crowe and fellow Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (who plays Maid Marian).  I’m sure the conversation about whether Robin Hood was a hero or thief will be reignited.  Due on May 14th.

Letters to Juliet

What’s summer without a romantic drama?  Amanda Seyfried (who headlined the relationship drama Dear John earlier this spring) plays a young woman in Italy who discovers letters written to Juliet (of Shakespearean fame).  In doing so, she manages to help an octogenarian find her long lost true love.  Seyfried is joined by veteran Vanessa Redgrave (as the elder stateswoman) and rising star Gael Garcia Bernal (Babel, Blindness).  Due on May 14th.

Just Wright

Finally an African American romantic comedy to help us during the summer months!  It’s about time Hollywood took notice that other African American actors can cash in during this pivotal period (besides Will Smith, of course).  Queen Latifah headlines this film as a physical therapist helping an injured NBA superstar (played by rapper Common) rehab from a potentially career threatening injury. Quite naturally, romance ensues between the pair. Paula Patton and Pam Grier play supporting roles.  Due out on May 14th in limited release.

Shrek Forever After

The fourth installment in the highly popular Shrek series promises to be its last and the franchise ends with a bigger than usual film in 3D.  Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Eddie Murphy lend their voices once again to this surefire hit.  Discontent with his suddenly “normal” life, Shrek strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin that leaves him forgotten in the minds of his wife and friends.  Comedy ensues!  Due out on May 21, 2010.

MacGruber

The skit on Saturday Night Live gets the film treatment as SNL regulars Will Forte and Kristen Wiig bring MacGruber to the big screen.  Apparently, MacGruber has sworn off using his military skills following the death of his wife; however, he is called back into action when he is recruited by the US government to fight a potential nuclear war.  Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe co-star.  Due out on May 21st.

Sex and the City 2

Carrie and Co. are back in this sequel to the mega-hit SATC.  This time around, the girls juggle motherhood, marriage, and of course Samantha finds new ways to please her men sexually.  Savor this one because the cast has promised that this will be the last one.  Due out on May 27th.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Jake Gyllenhaal tries his hand as a superhero based on the popular video game of the same name.  The much anticipated epic centers around Gyllenhaal’s titular character who teams up with a princess to prevent the world from being destroyed by a massive sandstorm.  If you like CG effects and action, you may want to check this one out.  It’s out on May 28th.

This is just the beginning.  Check back soon for the June movie releases!

Also, view all of the trailers for each of these May movie releases only on XI TV.

Queen Latifah stars as Leslie Wright, a straight shooting physical therapist who gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight (Common). All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig of a lifetime and the tug-of-war inside her heart.