Zora Is My Name!

Posted on April 9, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

Yes, it is. And you’ll be on “American Masters” tonight. I can’t wait.

I Can't Believe I Forgot To Post…….

Posted on April 6, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

………..trailers for “The Dark Knight” and “The Incredible Hulk.”

A 4-D(!) Movie, Touch-Screens All Over The Place……

Posted on April 6, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

James Polshek was the architect of the Pennsylvania Avenue project. Ralph Appelbaum was the exhibit designer.

…..you’ll just have to see the Newseum for itself. I just can’t do it justice.

C'mon, Dr. West………….

Posted on April 6, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

…………..you KNOW that Obama’s running for president—and not for the presidency of the NAACP.

So, c’mon. 🙂

P.S. Speaking of The Huffington Post, didja hear that Tina Brown wants her own? But she doesn’t want original content??? WOW! Print is dead, like Egon said in “Ghostbusters.” LOL! 🙂

Seven Books, Eight Movies!

Posted on March 14, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

Good news here, because I thought while reading Book Seven, “How can the filmed version of this be under five hours?”

Blackface Is Back…..Again

Posted on March 8, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

First, some history.

Now, moving on to film:

Remember the 1980s comedy “Soul Man,” where the lead character colors himself Black—as in, actor C. Thomas Howell performing in Blackface?

Well, here’s something fun to do in 2008: find Robert Downey Jr. in this promotional photo for the new comedy film, “Tropic Thunder”:

I don’t even know what to say. 🙂 Here, read an EW article on whatever’s going on there. This one might help as well. (APRIL 4th UPDATE: Here’s another.)

Since Downey has “gone there,” I hope he’s at least as good as Billy Crystal’s Sammy Davis Jr.

In The Spirit of Multiculturalism…….

Posted on February 28, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

………….I have to offer this, tongue firmly in cheek. Happy African Heritage Month! 🙂 LOL!

P.S. I gave up watching “Friends” reruns a couple years back when I realized I had memorized every other line, so…… 🙂

A Belated Congrats To………..

Posted on February 27, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

…………Ruby Dee for winning the SAG.

It’s the LEAST Hollywood could have done for this Queen Mother, since she didn’t win the Oscar.

Asante Sana, Sembene Ousmane

Posted on February 25, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

Didn’t know about this brother until my friend Wendi Dunlap wrote to me about him today.

Here’s the email she sent:

I must admit that I’m not always the first to know things so forgive me if this is “old news.” While watching the Oscars, I discovered that Senegelese filmmaker and writer Sembene Ousmane passed away last year. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, I highly recommend that you check him out. His work is regularly shown at indie film theaters throughout [New York C]ity and you can pick up his novels at any bookstore.

One of his best known novels is “God’s Bits of Wood,” which was part of the African Literature course when I took it at Cornell. Xala is one of his more critically acclaimed films that critiques both polygamy and the corrpution of modern African leadership. A few years ago I saw “Camp de Thiaroye” at the Film Forum, a brilliant and slightly autobiographical story of how Senegelese soldiers who fought bravely for France in World War II were detained in camps and refused pay by the French colonial government when they returned home. Their military training was seen as a threat to colonial rule and the French never intended to award them for their service in defeating fascism anyway.

If you’re not famliar with Ousmane, I highly recommend that you check him out. He has always been one of my favorite filmmakers.

Best,

Wendi