Music Monday 86 :: Marni Nixon Hollywood's Voice Ghost - NPR

Music Monday 86 :: Marni Nixon Hollywood's Voice Ghost from NPR

I originally heard this story on NPR's Culturetopia podcast. I was fascinated by the process of dubbing. It's a great story too.

7 Things People Don't Know About Me

7 Things People Don't Know About Me

I know that this is an old list that's been going around, but I'm feeling like revealing a little bit about myself. Going for a bit of transparency here.

Saw Princess Lasertron's Things I Don't Want People to Know list and her cutie pie webbie and I thought 'why not give it a go?'.

1. I've never seen the movie "Superfly" or "Foxy Brown" or "Dolemite" or most of the blaxploitation films. I'd like to blame my parents, which is good for them that they wouldn't allow me to watch those films as a kid, but it's been, what, too many years to count, when I could have seen them on my one and I haven't. Oh, well, there goes my black card.

2. While I'm on the subject of films, can I just put it all out there? I've never seen all of "The Godfather" and I haven't seen "Scarface" at all. I think that this is as bad as it gets as it relates to movies ... and so I'll move on because, well, because I'd like for you to forget those first two and fast.

3. When I was young, like 2 years old, I used to have braces on my legs. Seems my feet just wouldn't do what they were supposed to do on their own which is point straight. I thought I saw a picture once, but I can't seem to find it lately.

4. Less than a year after I'd finished my undergrad degree, I'd lost two very close friends: one while still in college in a motorcycle accident and one soon after (murdered). They were like my brothers always looking out for me. Miss them both - a lot.

Sometimes I'll have a smoothie with my breakfast.

5. I eat breakfast almost daily. I love a big breakfast, though I don't eat a whole lot and I usually only get a big breakfast on days when I'm not working (time constraints). I'm a fan of pancakes, french toast, omelette's, turkey sausage or turkey bacon, grits, oatmeal and cereal. Not so big on bagels or muffins, but I might take some banana bread. Oh, and some juice. I like a nice breakfast to line my belly and get me off to a good start.

6. I've met some of my best and closest friends while working at WBLK in Buffalo. I thought I'd be there for a year or so and ended up staying for four years. Some of the worst winter storms of my life, seeing the Bills lose four Superbowls, breakfast at Mattie's, being a Girl Scout leader, frequent trips to Toronto and just some plain ole, ridiculous, knock down, drag out high end drama! My grandfather was right when he told me that Buffalo was just a "raggedy ass city", but the people are priceless. Not a day goes by when I'm not in touch w/someone from my Buffalo posse.

7. I fell in love once ... and with someone who was also madly in love w/me. You know how people are always saying 'live in the moment?' and 'enjoy the moment?' ... well, that's what I did then! Incredible. So glad that I had a chance to experience that. I used to regret that I let that guy go; that the relationship didn't go where it could have gone, which was down the aisle. But now ... today, I'm so glad I am where I am in my life and I would have never gotten here had I stayed there.

Short Films Galore

I discovered a Web site called Short Bay the other day. It's a Web site dedicated to film shorts. With my attention span, this is a good find.

I think the longest shorts that they host are ten minutes long.

Don't know how I came to check out "Surprise!", but I am recommending that you watch it as well. And let me know what you think of Short Bay.

BOOK REVIEW: "Life Beyond Measure" by Sidney Poitier

BOOK REVIEW: "Life Beyond Measure" by Sidney Poitier (2008)

I was browsing through The American University in Cairo (AUC) Faculty Lounge Library and came across this book. I thought, 'why not read this'? I like Sidney Poitier from what I know about him. He's made some incredible movies and it seems he's had an extraordinary life.

I only sort of liked the book. The subtitle is "Letters to My Great-Granddaughter". He sort of talks about his life in a peripheral way. He talks the most about this childhood and his parents, but he gives lots of advice. He also talks about his position on God and religion as well as the environment. I was a bit disinterested in some of that information.

I was prepared to read about how he landed his first acting role (which he mentions, but does not really elaborate on). He also just briefly talks about other actors like James Baldwin and Paul Robeson. But his remarks only hint at what life was like for them in their hey day. I was really hoping for details; details of what it was like to work with Bill Cosby in "Uptown Saturday Night", "Let's Do It Again" and "A Piece of the Action" ... because we all love a good blaxploitation film, right?

The tales of his growing up on Cat Island in the Bahamas were filled w/the details that I did not get about his adult life. He talks intimately about his siblings as well as when he began to get into some mischief as a teenager. But he left me asking many questions. For example, he moved from the Bahamas to Miami as a teen. He was not in Miami very long, but he does not go into detail as to why he left Miami rather quickly and headed for New York.

Poitier does go into some detail about his transition to New York, probably because New York was such a drastically different landscape than what he was used to. He talks about the cold winters as well and the numerous dishwashing jobs that he had. He eventually enlisted in the Army. Then made great haste to get out. Again, he does not talk much about what his life was like for that one year in the service.

There are several pages of pictures of Poitier at various milestones in his life. He's beyond 80 years old now. Amazing. It seems as if he's had such a fulfilling life. I'm sure that he has. I just did not get a glimpse into his life as I thought I would by reading "Life Beyond Measure".

MOVIE REVIEW: "The Wrestler"

MOVIE REVIEW: "The Wrestler"

Got a chance to see this one one the day of the Oscars. I was really interested in Mickey Rourke. I had never seen a film w/Rourke in it. I know. Crazy. Some say I should see "9 1/2 Weeks". We'll just have to see about that.

But I think I have been drawn to Rourke's "fall-from-grace-and-now-I'm-back-but-more-humble" turn of events. I saw a profile piece on him on CBS Sunday Morning. There were all these clips of him as a young actor; a young and very handsome actor.

He is definitely a different looking guy. But life experiences sometimes have a way of showing up in a physical way, right?

So the movie "The Wrestler"... yeah, well, I was somewhat underwhelmed. Maybe there'd been too much pre-hype before I saw it. But I did like the trailer, so ... there's that.

I thought Rourke was Randy. He was that convincing in that role. I was a bit miffed at Marisa Tomei's character, Cassidy/Pam. Or was it what I thought was excessive nudity that miffed me? You know, I get like that w/nudity and sex. If it's central to the plot, I'm all for it, but the minute you take advantage of that, you lose me. I was not impressed w/the 'stripper, woe is me' role. And why was it in one of the strip club scenes, the other girls in the scene were somewhat covered, but Tomei's character is romping around w/nipples ablaze and exposed crotch? Whatever.

And oh, the crazy scene where is daughter blew up on him ... just a bit over the top, unnecessary.

There were some good moments. Randy was so charming when he was trying to woe Cassidy/Pam and his daughter.

The movie is worth seeing. It does have a good plot. So see it and let me know what you think.

MOVIE REVIEW: "Seven Pounds" (SPOILER ALERT)

MOVIE REVIEW: "Seven Pounds"

Well, I figure that this movie has been out for a couple of weeks and now I can express how I really feel about it.

I went to see "Seven Pounds" the day that it opened in theaters. I'd seen Will Smith, the star of the movie, on the talk show circuit - Oprah, David Letterman, Jay Leno - and I was smitten w/him. However, no one really talked about the movie and I became intrigued w/the mystery of not knowing what the movie was about. I did not even try to think about what they were not telling me.

Well, how about I did not like the ending (i.e. the mystery)! No way. This movie made it clear to me how I feel about suicide. Which is what Smith's character, Ben, decided to do w/his life at the end of the film all in the name of redemption. It was pretty obvious to me that he was doing a pretty good job of helping people while he was alive. I can understand some depression and the need to assist the woman who he began to fall in love with, but all the pre-mediated parts just made me ill. And w/a jellyfish ... !? Come on.

The movie was at least 30 minutes too long and it was sooooo slow that I did something that I rarely do, I checked my cell phone to see what time it was and to see if I had any text messages.

I did enjoy Rosario Dawson's character, Emily. She comes off as strong and personable. Though the plot that focuses on Woody Harrelson's character, Ezra, just came up short. Seems like it was mostly edited away.

I know that many, many people really enjoyed this movie and cried and came away w/a sense of purpose and so did I. I do have an appreciation for living and I don't take that for granted. I just think that the movie sends a negative message attached to the message of redemption. And I definitely don't think that teenagers should see the film because sometimes they feel guilt over the slightest things and they could wipe themselves out all in the name of "Seven Pounds".

Wow ... I'm glad I got that weight off my shoulders.

MOVIE REVIEW: "First Sunday"

MOVIE REVIEW: "First Sunday"

This review was originally written in May 2008. Forgive me for the tardiness, but here it is in all of its glory.

If you saw the trailers for this movie, then you probably turned the channel or avoided it like the plague.

Well, it is one of those movies that is good for dvd viewing. Which is exactly what I did. I selected it as one of my Netflix selections. I don't feel bad about it, especially now that I've seen it.

It was a really good movie. It was not buffoon-ish - as I predicted. It was not even bellying-aching funny. It was just a good, wholesome movie.

I enjoyed some of the touching moments - and there were several. Like one of the main characters, Durell (Ice Cube) and his relationship w/his son. Kat Williams is Kat Williams. Tracy Morgan's character provided some soft sides too.

This is a good movie to just sit back and enjoy it for what it is worth. It will take your mind off of your own person woes, if only for an hour or so.

So Long 2008 :: Happy New Year

A few weeks ago, I posted a list of the Best of 2008 which included links to various websites and blogs. The topics ranged from music, movies and books.

So I received a request from Lori Johnson over at Lori's Old School Mix asking me to list my personal best of 2008. Wow, what a challenge. I ingest such a wide range of media that I can barely recall what I consumed this past Monday. But I am certainly up for a challenge, right?

Needless to say, my list is short, but here goes:

Best book that I read:

• "Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (surprisingly I did not review this one ... and I did not see the movie ... duh). The book was vividly written w/lots of mystery and excitement on nearly every page.
  

Best movie that I saw:

• "Waitress" (thanks to a recommendation from my sister; Andrienne Shelly is genius ... oh, and I did not write a review on this one either ... another duh). This one is funny, romantic and Andy Griffith is quite endearing. Love this movie.
  

Best Television Comedy - and remember that I don't have cable:

• "30 Rock" Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, the ensemble cast and the guests are hilarious on so many levels.
  

Best artists and cds - you are not surprised that it is all hip hop ... :

• Illa J :: "Yancey Boys"
• Roots Manuva :: "Slime & Reason"
• The Knux :: "Remind Me in 3 Days"
• The Roots :: "Rising Down"
• Black Milk :: "Tronic"
• The Mighty Underdogs :: "Droppin Science Fiction"

Best website:

• Alltop.com: I love this aggregator site w/lots of topics to choose from,
  

Best Social Media platform:

• Twitter ... I love twittering - using 140 characters to communicate and all of the Twitter tools.
  
• Utterli ... I like being able to post pics, video, text and audio all from my cell phone. This should come in handy when I attend the Inauguration in a few weeks.
  

So long to 2008 and a great big hug for 2009 (and a smooch too)! Happy New Year!

MOVIE REVIEW: "Slumdog Millionaire"

MOVIE REVIEW: "Slumdog Millionaire"

I've seen some good movies over the past few weeks, but I am just now getting around to writing about them.

First up is "Slumdog Millionaire". I've been hearing about this movie since at least October. Unfortunately, I don't live in or near a 'major' market. so I had to wait my turn to see it. I did catch it on its opening weekend in Cleveland. Saw it on the first showing on Bargain Monday @ the Cedar Lee. I think it was $5 and included a complimentary small popcorn. Nice.

I was anxious to see the movie because there was some acclaim swirling about ... the love story, the setting, the mystery. It was all of that. And a story that I have not quite seen on the big screen.

I mostly enjoyed this movie. The child actors were awesome. The dialogue and the plot were well written and executed. I would recommend that you see this one. I kinda figured out how it would end, but it was still intriguing to see how they'd get to the fore drawn conclusion.

Oh, and the one thing that really stood out for me was the music. I immediately noticed music from M.I.A. and I thought that I would jump out of my seat. The music was so rich in beats and drums and added energy to the action on the screen. The soundtrack was a wonderful treat for me.

MOVIE REVIEW: "Soul Men"

MOVIE REVIEW: "Soul Men"

Do you ever go to a movie and then wonder "what made me go see that movie?" Well, that is not the case for me and "Soul Men". I know that I went to see Bernie Mac. I'm a big fan of his. However, I don't know if I would have gone to the theater to see this movie if he were alive. You've seen the movie trailers, you know what I mean. It just seems like one that might be best for viewing at home and at a lesser expense.

And it is what is seems - a shuck and jive flick. Unfortunately for me, I was a bit late and missed about 10 minutes of the beginning of the movie. I hate when that happens. However, this movie is predictable in so many ways, one being that they use the 'buddy movie' formula. Not a bad thing, but again predictable.

There were however a sizable amount of laughs. There are also some times when they are trying too hard and when there are just lulls in the movie. But back to the laughs. Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson work well together. Made me think why haven't they been in a movie together before this? They're a good fit. But Bernie could fit in in most places, in my opinion.

The storyline was okay. And despite it's predictability, the ending did have a WTH - what the heck? - moment. Kinda funny too. Of course I won't be a spoiler and tell you all of the details because I know that you will get a chance to see the movie in, what, six weeks or so, if that. Yes, the turnaround from theater to DVD has decreased substantially.

Oh, but one of the best parts of the movie is the credits. While the main credits are rolling, they play footage of Bernie Mac and some footage of Issac Hayes too. It's heart warming and not meant to be sad ... Just good memories. Thanks Malcolm Lee.

MOVIE REVIEW: "Burn After Reading" - WTF

MOVIE REVIEW: "Burn After Reading"

So I was coaxed into seeing The Coen Brothers "Burn After Reading" because so many of the critics said that it was incredibly awesome. Well, they did not use that language, but they made it seem as if I was really missing out on a really good flick amongst a sea of really bad ones.

I'm a sucker for laughter. I would spend lots of quarters on nothing but laughs. Well, in this case I spent 24 quarters and ... and well, I spent 24 quarters.

Overall, I did like the film. It was a bit complex at times though it's not really complex at all. How can I put this: It's a smart dumb movie. Their writing is really crafty and witty. And yeah, I fork over quarters for that too.

I was really anticipating seeing Brad Pitt in a comedic role. I must admit that I have not seen many Brad Pitt movies and I think the last one that I saw was the last one in the "Ocean's" series, what was that 13...? Anyway, again, more quarters for seeing a bumbling Pitt on screen. Not hilariously funny, but funny. Oh and George Clooney is good, but John Malkovich is my fav in this one.

This movies gets points for not being shy about dropping the 'f-bomb'. It became a crutch, a funny one at that.

The cast was cool. So much fun to watch and try to predict who would do what next. I would see this one again, only on video, more like 16 quarters.

MOVIE REVIEW: "The Family That Preys"

MOVIE REVIEW: "The Family That Prey's"

I saw a preview for Tyler Perry's "The Family That Prey's". It seemed, well, interesting. Interesting because I saw that Kathy Bates seemed to have a lead role. Whaaddd? And Alfre Woodard too? Nice get there Tyler.

My girlfriend, Josee, recommended that I see the movie on opening day. Good idea. So, yes, it was a week ago that I saw the movie and I am just now blogging about it. What are you gonna do about it? ;-)

Well, I liked the movie. I actually that I'd be more on the it was so-so kind of vibe. But it was bonafide likeable. For real. And let me tell you why:

• the scenes w/Kathy and Alfre are priceless; such a genuine friendship
• some real deal eye candy for the ladies.
  
• it was a believable storyline; not too contrived or dramatic
• Robin Givens character was refreshing; she usually plays a different type of gal
• Props for the cast (and you know that Tyler is in the movie...?)
  

What I did not like:

• Sanaa Lathan's depthless acting

I'm going to keep this short so that I don't give the story away, heck, I guess I have not given you much anyway, huh?

REVIEW: "Sex and the City - The Movie"

I must admit, when "Sex and the City" was a hot commodity, I hardly watched it. You can mostly blame that on me not having HBO. Sure, I'd watch a few episodes if the opportunity presented itself, but I did not get Carrie Bradshaw's fashion sense (still don't get it) and the show only appealed to me in terms of the relationships - which is huge for that show.

So the fact that I attend the first daytime showing on Friday - 11:30 a.m., says a lot.

I enjoyed the two and a half hour movie. There was enough twists and turns - enough to get me to cry twice. Though there did seem to be a lull in the movie and I guess you get that when you unnecessarily go beyond the two hour mark.

Was there gratuitous sex? Yes, but isn't that a part of the "Sex and the City" legacy? Speaking of legacy, all of the characters were true to their previous TV counterparts - both male and female. And for the record, I don't think that it is just a chick flick. Again, relationships is the focus throughout - friends and lovers.

You'll definitely want to know what happens to Carrie and Big? And how vampy Samantha gets ...

The Cleveland International Film Festival is Coming ...

There are some pretty good flicks nominated for Oscars this year. I can't say that I've seen any of them, but here are the ones that are on my list; I need to see these at some point:

"There Will Be Blood"
"No Cry for Old Men"
"Michael Clayton"

Meanwhile, the Cleveland International Film Festival is sneaking up on me. Two and a half weeks of big screen bliss. The schedule is already posted on their webbie. Though it does not seem as if tix are on sale just yet. I've been trying to comb through the sked and cross reference my daily sked to see how much I can fit in this year. Last year I did nothing - that was a first. Just could not sync up the skeds.

MOVIE REVIEW: "The Great Debaters" podcast

MOVIE REVIEW: "The Great Debaters"

My friend Darryl Atwell and I are at it again. This time our target topic is "The Great Debaters".

Check out the podcast.

MOVIE REVIEW: "American Gangster" - Podcast

Click on the heading at the top to activate this podcast.

MOVIE REVIEW: "American Gangster"

Working on adding a weekly podcast ... here is one. I'd like to have your thoughts on this one.



Topic: Review of the movie "American Gangster"
The podcast hosts are Kim Fox and Darryl Atwell.

Additional links:

"American Gangster" website

Wiki on Frank Lucas

New York - The Magazine article on Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes

American Gangster - The Movie

Well, this is so commercial and mainstream, but I am getting so hyped about the nationwide release of the movie "American Gangster."


I am sort of drawn to the music, which was produced by Jay-Z.

Getting Your Little Paws on a FREE Movie ...

"Brevity is... wit.": Advanced screenings guide: specific offers

So, you want to see a movie before mainstream America gets ahold of it - or so you don't have to wait in a lengthy line to get tix, then get to sit in a crowded theatre where people talk back to the screen ... ? Well, can't promise that you will have an experience devoid of any on that, but the theory of "you get what you pay" for does come to mind and I am talking FREE movie passes here ...

I like this compliation of movies and where to possibly get some complimentary passes. If you live in a less desirable location or just not in a major city ... oh, well ... there is always the DVD, right?

Movie Review: "I Think I Love My Wife"

When I saw this title, I thought "What the hell is this?" and there are black people involved ...? AND Chris Rock is spearheading this ...? Is he playing Pookie for real? Even after I saw the trailer for the movie, I was more convinced that it was not something that I wanted to consume.

So, give me a stressful work week and the ability to procrastinate and I end up filling one of 70+ seats in a near vacant, but new movie theater. Somewhere along the way someone told me that they'd seen a decent movie review on this flick. I must say that I was not persuaded by seeing Rock promote the movie on the various talk shows.

So I'll tell you what I can without giving the movie away. I do not like Kerry Washington's role; it seems to rely too strongly on her looks. She also has a way of smiling that is forced and annoying and how much effort does it take to play a homewrecker ...? But I guess someone has to do it, eh?

The woman who plays Rock's wife, Gina Torres, in the film is really

Laurence Fishburn's wife. She was okay. But I think that was intentional; she was not supposed to be this standout character.

What I did not like was the gratuitous profanity! And I am not being prudish. It just seemed as if it was thrown in to make it a 'grown up' movie. I mean the movie does not deserve an 'R' rating.

So what did I like about it ...? It did not end quite the way that I thought it would ... it's a different movie at least in terms of seeing black actors on the big screen (though it is a remake and there was some typical black folks kind of violence) ... hhhhuuuuumm, there had to be something else, I mean that's 90 minutes of my life that I can't get back! But that's also 90 minutes of my life that I wanted to get away from ... so if your having the kind of day that I was having and you have a couple of bucks for an inexpensive matinee, ney, $5, then check it out. Otherwise, wait until a friend gets it on Netflix and when they're done, ask if you can borrow it ... it's not bad, it's just forgettable!

**image borrowed for promotional purposes only!

Jennifer and Forrest and Oscar

How about those Oscars? It was a long and daunting program - I believe it was nearly four hours! I had my step-dad record it, but the program was only scheduled for three hours. So I did not get a chance to see a replay of the Forrest Whitaker acceptance speech, at least not on the digital video recorder (DVR). I did end up seeing it replayed on Oprah the day after the Oscars.

It was exciting to see both Jennifer Hudson and Whitaker win. They both delivered heartfelt acceptance speeches. How about Hudson nabbing an Oscar on her first movie out the gate? Whitaker's films have had such depth and it was wonderful to see him receive such a high achievement. Though I have still not seen "The Last King of Scotland." It is scheduled to be released on DVD in April.

Ellen Degeneres was okay as a host, the Dreamgirls performance was nice; I want to see "The Queen"; awesome to see Martin Scorese win - finally! And to be given the award by the three legendary directors: Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

It was not the best Oscars program that I've seen ... it moved along too slowly w/too many miscellaneous awards being handed out back-to-back.

**photo borrowed form vibe.com