Curious case of blah, blah, blah

So I just spent 3 hours watching the Ben Button thingy.

I kept thinking...haven't we heard this story before?

Man loves a fickle woman until she loves him back.

Deathbed confessions of parents.

Instead of the next writers strike....we need a views strike. I love Taraji and she was cute par usuale. Brad was cute, unh huh. But damn.....3 hours?

7 Pounds

***NO SPOILERS***
OK, I saw this on Sunday but just around to writing about it.

I recommend that if you want to see it don't listen to ANYTHING about it so you can really feel the drama.

I think EVERYONE should see this movie AND go with some people who you can talk about it with because you can't talk about it with people who didn't see it because they don't get it.

All I'll say is that it was so well written that I did not fully get what was happening until the end. It was an intense movie, but not sad like the critics portray it.

If you saw it and want to talk about it, hit me up at so_oldskool@yahoo.com I'd love to see what you left the movie with.

Rating: FIVE SLICES OF BEAN PIE

Cadillac Records - 4 stars

Whatever you do, DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE!

I am a fan of this type of film. I loved The Temptations, Why Do Fool's Fall in Love, The Five Heartbeats, Dreamgirls, Ray...basically, if it's even semi-historical, good acting and Black folks are singing...I'm in!

Without spoilers:

I knew a bit of the history of Chess Records what the heck happened to Chuck Berry but this really makes it plain and entertaining. This cast had real actors. They REALLY sang most of their own songs.

Jeffrey Wright should be on the Will Smith/Denzel Washington pay grade. He has been everybody from King, to a psycho drug lord, to Muddy Waters and never drops character. Wright does not disappoint in this. He carried the dramatic aspects and the comedic aspects of this great script.

Gabrielle Union is so underrated as an actress. She totally delivered in this.

Cedric the Entertainer was also good in this film. (Watch out for his 180 degree moment. The script given to his character allowed him to redeem himself from his disparaging Rosa Parks comments made in Barber Shop.)

STOP HERE --THE FOLLOWING HAS SPOILERS

Bey did OK as Etta James. The problem though is her singing. She goes from 0-60 and sometimes would have done a better job at 35 if you get what I'm saying. I also didn't like her big dramatic scene. I'm OK on the overdose, but I don't like "Monster's Ball-ish" type of love scene. I'm not referring to graphic sex, because she barely kissed the dude. But I don't like how sisters are portrayed getting drunk and high and needy acting and falling helplessly yet hopefully into the arms people who they had distrust for.

What was a bit disturbing too was the fact that she was executive producer of this. I "believe" (and this is an independent and unfounded theory) she did that so she could make sure her best scenes stayed in so she wouldn't get beat out by another cast member at Oscar time like in Dreamgirls. I think she and Gabby would both be considered supporting actresses and it'd be a toss up to me.

Can I just say I LOVED the Howlin' Wolf character in this movie. He was a M-A-N when he showed his big black self up and took his guitar player back from Muddy I said hot damn! Then when he threw the money at Muddy for the funeral I thought they did a great job of using that character to show where Muddy had gone as a man.

I want to interview Mos Def about his character. Seeing his "too Black and too strong" self in the back seat of cars with naked white women was funny. That was some acting there. But it was good casting because he was believable just like Jamie in Ray.

Movie recommendations

I'm not a big movie fan. I love a good movie, but I'm often disappointed as good ones are hard to come by.

African Girl recommended The Namesake on her blog. I'm usually a fan of this type of movie. It's like what a good reality show would be like. You're just watching as the characters lives happen to them. It's really a great story that a couple could watch. It's not too mushy for the men and it's romantic and sentimental enough for the women.

"G" rated movies that are not full of talking animals and have real Black characters are almost unheard of. So I had to check out College Road Trip.


What I liked:
1. That it had two caring parents and two exceptional children who weren't terribly mean to each other.
2. It was funny to adults.
3. No Black men dressed as women. (Big ups to Dave C.)

What I didn't like:
1. The make up was bad! Raven looked hot in all that ish.
2. The father was the chief of police and the only friends of the parents we saw were white and all of Raven's friends were non-Black. Is that a statement on "making it"? Do you run out of Black counterparts?

I would recommend this for an older child. Maybe 3-4th grade and older. Younger, it will probably hold their attention but they won't get it.

Two movies and two thumbs up!

Awwwwwwww damn!

I was casually making the rounds on this snowy afternoon and came across a post about this movie.

You know that's Robert Downey Jr. in the middle right? Here's what the intelligent folk are saying. I'm saying, "This is some bullshit!" I know I haven't (and probably won't) seen the movie but I'm just sayin'!

So sorry, so sorry....

So sorry that I recommended this BULLSHIT!!!

Did you watch this long ass trainwreck last night?

How could you OBLITERATE a classic even with top notch actors (minus poutin' ass Puffy)? Well, they did it. I don't care what nobody says. They did WAY TOO MUCH and like a fool I kept watching, thinking it would get better. I had no idea it was THREE HOURS.

I'm done...as you were people...

On a lighter note...

Saw the preview for this when I went to see This Christmas...the trailer cracked me up. Looking forward to laughing out loud at this one!

This Christmas...see "This Christmas"

I had high hopes for this one and I was NOT disappointed. I'm always a little scared when singers get to actin', but Chris Brown was good. TI liked that fact that the characters were very well developed, the movie was two hours long! But what I really liked was that it stayed away from the typical stereotypes. It could have easily done the "children hate Momma's new man", "Successful sister is uptight and won't date blue collar brothers", "somebody's a crack head" thing but it DIDN'T. YES!!!

I did have a coupla questions though:
What's up with the grandchildren? There was a boy and girl but only the boy is on the movie poster. Then there were only two but they had their own dinner table and they kept disappearing.

I kept seeing holes in the women's clothes. One on an arm and one under an arm. Not a good look!

Did Regina King have to be in her Vickies so much??

Idris' character explained why he showed up with no luggage, but why did he leave with luggage but kept the same clothes on through the whole movie?

Was the sharp dressed Latino lady (who never left the kitchen) the cook or housekeeper or a good friend? (I say cook)

Overall: A- (use caution with children of "knowing" age because there is some sexy lingerie and a "hook-up" scenario you may have to explain)