The new voice of the news

When it comes to gravitas, there are few entertainers that even can be considered on the list. When it comes to being an icon of entertainment, the list gets smaller.

Just think about it. What are the voices that you can always recognize, even without seeing a face? James Earl Jones, Orson Welles, Walter Cronkite, William Shatner, top the list of course. They are men that without question are immediately recognized. But, as much as I was sure that Darth Vader had to be Black (I was very disappointed when he wasn't), as much as I respect Cronkite for his reporting, I don't imagine those men with the reserved dignity and impact of one other voice.

Morgan Freeman.

Perhaps it is the fact that this one actor has such a voice, a voice that just seems to fit as a stand-in for God or Presidents, that CBS has decided to use it for it's news program. It is perhaps the one voice that can replace the heralded Cronkite as a voice of familiarity and trust when it comes to the news of the day.

It's quite the move for a man that most my age remember initially as Easy Reader (from the original Electric Company on PBS). Freeman has gone from Mississippi to the heights of Hollywood. He is respected and sought after. And his voice compels the audience to just listen.

At 72, Freeman is possibly one of the most momentus actors of several generations. Which is interesting as his movie career didn't start until he was 43, and didn't take off until he was 50. He is more in demand now than most actors are in their 20's, or ever.

Something that CBS news viewers might not know, Morgan Freeman can dance, which he did for the 1964 World's Fair. He can sing, as he did as a memeber of the Opera Ring in San Franscico. And like many men of the past, he served in the military - the Air Force.

Considering that back in 1937 when Freeman was born African Americans were not accepted on radio and only in movies as caricatures of people (there was no television), and now he is the voice and image of trust, sobriety, gravitas, and the sanctified. It's a thought that is both warming to me and inspiring.

Bravo Mr. Freeman, and bravo to CBS for their good taste.

Morgan Freeman is back in the saddle

You know who I haven't heard a lot about in a while? Morgan Freeman. The voice of gravitas in our current age of instant stardom and minor talent.

Part of the reason the 73 year old actor has been a bit quiet is obviously due to the car accident he had in 2008. That left him with a broken elbow, shoulder and other damage. For a man of his age, it was a potentially deadly accident, but he has recovered and looks healthy again.

Another reason is that he has been working on a film, and the rights of another. The most recent film will be Invictus - a film about Nelson Mandela (who Freeman will portray). The film was directed by Clint Easatwood making 3 films the pair has worked together on (as I recall). Expectations are high for the film, and it seems that the typecasting of Freeman as a larger than life figure continues to grow.

And its that image of grave seriousness and immense respect that I think is holding Freeman back a bit. Hollywood just doesn't know how to use him. He is a great actor, but he is equated with quality and power - 2 things that Hollywood tends to avoid using Black actors for.

Freeman broke that image a bit with his role as the main antagonist in WANTED. He even cursed! But Hollywood seems unwilling to take a chance. That is until news of the next project that Freeman is reported to be working on.

Dirty Old Men is about a pair of friends. Both are bachelors. One (potentially Jack Nicholson who worked with Freeman in The Bucket List) finally falls in love and intends to get married. His friend (Freeman) seeks to break the marriage plans at all costs. Don't take this all to seriously, it's a comedy so hijinks will abound.

Will this break the typecast of Morgan Freeman? Do we really want it to? I mean of all the things to be typecast as, being the guy that everyone can accept as God is hardly the worst thing that could happen.

Honestly, for me, if the role diminishes Freeman I won't watch it. He is a role model and a goal to be reached for. He is perfect for roles that require wisdom, intensity, and intellect. And I really prefer him that way. But I can understand if that doesn't pay the bills (which I doubt even with all his chritable donations) or leaves a need to expand his abilities.

But we will see.

The power for young minds is back on

Here is something that probably escaped all mention or notice as the inauguration has approached. An old friend is about to return to the nation.

Yes a favorite of tens of millions will be returning to television. A show seen across the land, and has led to some of the greatest stars in recent decades. Well at least 2 anyway. I’m sure some of my younger readers are thinking, ‘But American Idol already started its season’. Such a thought is nowhere near the answer.

The show in fact is far more intelligent, and universal in appeal. It’s the Electric Company.



Now fans of the early Sesame Street, a program now considered too adult for children, will know this show in a second. The 2 programs were the hallmark of PBS in my youth. Educational, fun, and captivating. Long into our teens, many watch these programs.

And it was quite the surprise the day that Morgan Freeman, known to us best as Easy Reader on Electric Company, became a movie star. But at the same time having him portray characters larger than life, or with enormous gravitas, seemed welcome with his familiar presence.

And Rita Moreno is no minor B-actress. She is a star of stage and films. She was one of a few Latina/Hispanic women to rise to fame during the 70’s and 80’s. Today she is still a star and has no less a commanding presence. And unlike the multitude of actresses today, she is without the scandal and tarnished image that so many young girls are fed by the media as attributes of success and fame.



But Electric Company was taken of the air. And Sesame Street was left alone, helping children learn and grow. PBS became a lonelier place.

Now that will change. As will the Electric Company. A new generation of young adults will takeover. Their goal is the same though. To help kids (and occasionally adults too) learn to read english.

But the means of these lessons, and new words, is quite different. This will be a narrative story. Based almost like a series. With bad guys, and a plot driven story as opposed to situational skits. And I almost forgot about the song-and-dance routines in the New York City streets.

I am sure this is part of the new kid safe programming that condemns the old Sesame Street to adult only ratings. As such I am filled with foreboding about the presentation, and its ability to educate the masses. The goal of this program is not ratings, or future superstardom of its talent pool, but the children expanding their minds. Still the Electric Company has not turned on its lights yet. That comes on January 23rd.

Will this be the joyous program of the past? No. Will it be a boon to children across the nation? Possibly. Will Easy Reader ever make a special appearance on the program? They can only hope and pray he would.

Yet, for all the misgivings I have about the new paradigm in education, and children’s television and programming, I truly hope this will instill a desire to learn and read. Children need whatever motivation we can give them to expand their minds beyond the brain-numbing life-limiting fare of American Idol, gangsta rap videos, reality television, and children-know-best programs that proliferate the various networks these days.

So I hope when the call goes out, “Hey you guys!”, the response will be minds turning on and not just television sets.

Morgan Freeman recovering - respect is due

The news is spreading fast so I am sure that most have heard the news, Morgan Freeman was in a car accident. So far the news has been clear to point out that his injuries were not life threatening. The last I heard he suffered a broken arm and shoulder.

Of course I have also heard a good and bad thing along with that news. The good thing is possibly the bigger issue. Before rumors run around, all indications and statements at this time from the police and other sources state that he was not drunk driving. He was driving very late at night, and it is believe he may have fallen asleep at the wheel. While that is still very bad, it is something any driver on a long trip, or after a long hectic day, can attest to having done at least once. Thankfully there have been no fatalities reported.

The other item that I heard is the potential gossip and venom that the major news and entertainment media loves to put out on any entertainer in the news. It’s the shadow of the negative spin that normally occurs in any news about an entertainer, especially if it’s a Black entertainer. In this case it’s the question of the passenger in the car.

It was a woman, that has been confirmed. Who the woman is has also been confirmed but I will not mention it as that is not relevant to me. The state of her injuries is unreported though. I hope that she is relatively well and not in danger of any complications or critical medical state.

Morgan Freeman is a superb actor. He has worked diligently to gain the recognition and acclaim he has today. His ability to display gravitas on the big screen is nearly unmatched by any actor, and certainly unmatched by any current actor now.

He started in his acting career at 8, in a school play. He won a statewide drama competition at 12. He has served in the Air Force. In 1964 he was a dancer in the 1964 World’s Fair. He has worked with Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway on Broadway. He is famous for his role as Easy Reader on the PBS show Electric Company (which I grew up with) at the age of 34. But he gained prominence after his movie role of Fast Black in Street Smart in 1987 at the age of 50. He has been married for 24 years.

I mention all this because at 71 any injury can potentially be serious. In addition I think he deserves some respect. Morgan Freeman grew up before the Civil Rights Movement in the South, which was no easy task. His achievements in his youth meant that he was not just good but stellar to be recognized at that time in America. His time in the military reveals a dedication to America and a will that exceeded the segregationist policies of the time. And his ability has stood out enough (1 Academy Award and 3 nominations, 1 Golden Globe and 3 nominations, and 2 Screen Actor's Guild Award nominations) that when many other actors end their careers, or have extreme difficulty in getting work, he is now in demand.

Respect means that the tendency of the media to create rumors about the woman in question should not happen. Respect means that whatever her reason to be in the car is private and not fodder for Entertainment Tonight, The Globe, or the gossip blogs.

I do not presume anything about the woman in the car. I don’t know of her, and really don’t want to. But I shudder to think that the Freeman family may be dragged through the mud because some media outlet will hope to increase ratings and circulation. No one deserves that kind of treatment, especially after an accident, especially at 71.

So I hope Mr. Freeman and the lady in the accident are well. I wish them swift recoveries. And I have my fingers crossed that Paris Hilton or Britney Spears will do yet another stupid thing to keep the dogs of journalism away.

WANTED - the movie review

So I went to see WANTED this weekend. I know that everyone was out to see Will Smith in Hancock, and that Wanted is a week old – but I wanted to see it. And regardless of how good Hancock may be I was not disappointed.

By now most have seen the very Matrix-esque scene of a guy jumping out of a window. Some might think that the film is trying to rip off the Matrix like Equilibrium did. Thankfully this is not true. But much like the Matrix this film starts off with a pill for viewer to swallow. In essence there are people with abilities that bend the laws of physics, and they are assassins.

From an opening scene that creates the footprints of a chess match you are caught as off guard as our protagonist Wesley Gibson, James McAvoy, (if the name is a play on Gibson of Mona Lisa Overdrive I don’t know). Gibson is a loser. There is no other way to put it. It’s reflected in his best friend, his “girlfriend”, and his all too normal and common job.

Add to this he has been led to believe that he has anxiety attacks. I for one thought almost immediately that he looked more like he was fighting the urge to choke the crap out of someone that desperately needed it. But for all his failures, he is not hopeless. He does get a glimpse of something coming, and if you pay attention to the little details in the background and in the words on signs and elsewhere you will see it too.

When that something does hit, it’s huge. And of course Angelina Jolie, as Fox, leads the way in this. It’s one of the better car chases I’ve seen in a long time. It’s a game of chess and determination. It’s an expression of absolute willingness to do what needs to be done. You’ll love it.

Literally this is a rush that’s a bit too much for our protagonist, and the movie take a momentary pause to deliver a cute laugh before we move on with quickness.

Once Wesley is back up, he is introduced to the truth. A version of the red pill so to speak. Provided by perhaps the single best image of gravitas our generation of actors has. Morgan Freeman.

Let me side step here. Some may want to see this movie for the action, and there is plenty. Some will definitely want to see Angelina Jolie (though she looks a tad thin in this film, but still sexy). Some might even come to see Lonnie Lynn Jr., otherwise known as rapper Common, which would be silly in this film – though it’s going to be the only reason to see Green Lantern – as he gets about as much time and lines as is deserved by most rappers-turned-movie stars. I did want to see 2 of the 3 points I just mentioned. But I love a film with a brain.

That’s where Morgan Freeman comes in. The former Easy Reader of Electric Company today is the one actor that can add credibility to almost any film no matter the premise. Want to talk about a guy getting the power of God, make God Morgan Freeman and it can work. Want to make a serious commentary about race and the human spirit overcoming idiocy – call Morgan Freeman. Want to get people feeling desperate and cheering the protagonist, well you know.

But how many times can you recall Mr. Freeman being a bad guy? And when I say bad I mean icy cool, completely in control, killing machine? In fact he is so badass that he only holds a gun 3 times in the film, but you never doubt his lethality. And if I had a favorite part in the film it would be the end when he curses, just once, and it makes you stand up and take notice.

Now I won’t give away details, but our little Wesley learns quickly that he has a shot at a life. He grabs at it, a keyboard signaling his fight for independence (it makes sense when you see the film). And he needs all the gusto he can find because once he gets in, his education has nothing to do with books and everything to do with pain.

But he does have an ace up his sleeve. The anxiety attacks I mentioned at the beginning. Plus he is not stupid. So as he learns, grows a pair, and figures out which piece on the chessboard he represents we get more than a few get special effects. By this point you’ve either accepted that some can do things that seem improbable, or you’ve gone to get your money back.

As the movie reaches its crescendo we are privy to secrets, truths, deceptions, double crosses, and revenge. Not bad for a film that’s quite short on dialogue. And a lot of thinking. This is not a Rambo style film. Everything has a reason and plan. Some of it is kind of obvious, like in the wax room. Some is more subtle like the tribute to Mark Millar who created the limited series comic book this is based on. (Yep another comic book film – bet you didn’t know).

Now I have to say that I am no fan of McAvoy. He was ok in the Children of Dune cable movie. Beyond that I have no real impression other than he is an actor I have noticed in other films. But he makes this character believable, and when he does get his gun on it works well – especially with the Repair Man.

Angelina Jolie is of course sexy and aggressive. She may be a bit type cast these days but it’s a good type to play. She plays her dedicated, badass, lethal character with just a touch of compassion and pride. This explains in part her near-end of movie reaction.

I will say this; I am upset with the ending. I see how they will make a sequel to this film. There is room for it without silly plot holes. But they definitely took the Tim Burton Batman movies approach. That is something I thought was unnecessary and disadvantageous. It really detracts from the possibilities.

This film is another in the select few these days that I would see again. I will buy it on DVD and look for a few more of the key signs and details that are all over the film if you take the time to notice them. I can also just watch it and enjoy it.

So if you want to take an hour and 48 minutes and slip into a place where your 9 – 5 becomes a little less tedious, this is a film for you.

Why current Oscar Award choices lack interest

I was watching The O’Reily Factor, which I watch most every day, and Dennis Miller was doing his weekly spot on the show. The discussion encompassed the Oscar Awards, and Dennis Miller mentioned the fact that several nominated and winning films of the past could never be made today. I agree with that.

So I decided to go through a list of all the movies I have seen that have been nominated or won an Oscar Award. To that end I only selected films that I have seen, and range from the start of Oscar nominations up to 1984. Where there are movies that have been remade (some several times) I have gone with the original movie.

To simplify this list a bit, I’m grouping the movies into groups based on the reason it can be made today. I will add that several of the movies, if remade now, would have their theme and emphasis massively re-written. Wining movies are identified with a w.

[By the way, I recommend seeing all these movies, and M – a German film starring Peter Lorie.]

Movies that can’t be made because they promote America – A common theme now is that America is evil and our military is cruel. At least many in Hollywood would like you to think that.

Sergeant York
Yankee Doodle Dandy
The Best Years of Our Lives - w
It's a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street
Mister Roberts
The Alamo
M*A*S*H

Movies that are anti-Feminist

Captain Blood
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Gone with the Wind
The Wizard of Oz
Casablanca
The Best Years of Our Lives - w
It's a Wonderful Life
The Quiet Man
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
12 Angry Men - if only for the title if not the casting
The Alamo
The Guns of Navarone
West Side Story – w
How the West Was Won
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
In the Heat of the Night – w
M*A*S*H
A Clockwork Orange
Sounder

Movies that offend various special interest groups

Sergeant York – Germans
Cleopatra (1934) – Africans/ Blacks/Arabs (none of which are White)
The Gay Divorcee – Title insults Gays
The Thin Man – not sensitive to overweight people
Gone with the Wind – w – African Americans
Of Mice and Men (1939) – Tthe mentally challenged
The Wizard of Oz – Height challenged
The Best Years of Our Lives – w – Disabled Vets
It's a Wonderful Life – lack of minorities
Miracle on 34th Street – insensitive to non-Christian religions
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - Mexicans
The Quiet Man - Irish
Shane – Native American Indians
Mister Roberts - Japanese
The King and I - Asians
The Ten Commandments – Non-Christians
The Bridge on the River Kwai – w - Japanese
12 Angry Men – Puerto Ricans/Hispanics/Latinos
The Defiant Ones - Southerners
The Alamo – Mexicans
West Side Story – w- Puerto Ricans
Lawrence of Arabia – w- Arabs
To Kill a Mockingbird - Southerners
How the West Was Won – Mexicans/Native American Indians
In the Heat of the Night – w
Sounder – African Americans
Gandhi – w – Hindus
A Soldier's Story – African Americans

Movies that have African American leads, not involving them as drug addicts/dealers, not involving a holiday, family gathering or wedding, without a comedic plotline

The Defiant Ones
To Kill a Mockingbird
In the Heat of the Night – w
M*A*S*H (yes it’s comedic, and the only Black guy is called Spear Chucker; But he is a top class surgeon and respected by the leads)
Sounder
A Soldier's Story

Movies that would offend some religious or religious group

The Gay Divorcee
The Wizard of Oz
Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)
The Bells of St. Mary's
It's a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street
The Quiet Man
The King and I
The Ten Commandments
M*A*S*H
Gandhi

Movies about wars that would be rewritten to change historical fact or make the enemy seem nicer

Gone with the Wind - w
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Casablanca - w
The Best Years of Our Lives - w
It's a Wonderful Life
Mister Roberts
The Bridge on the River Kwai – w
The Alamo
The Guns of Navarone
Lawrence of Arabia – w
The Longest Day
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
The Sand Pebbles

I could go on, but you get the point. A host of movies that are classics would never be done any more. Of the ones that would, the entire storyline would be redone to facilitate various groups, and ruin the story.

The recent remake of Robin Hood with Kevin Costner is a great example. Did they really need Morgan Freeman in the film? Did the fact of the Crusades occurring in that time help the story at all? And there was the re-write of Disney’s version of the attack at Pearl Harbor. I believe the remake of the Alamo was historically wrong too.

Protests from various orthodox (more like fanatical) religious groups assuredly would surround The Wizard of Oz, due to witches that many movies recently have seen. It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, and The Ten Commandments would all be attacked in a similar manner as was The Passion of the Christ.

And not a single movie that shows America being a positive force in the world could get past the extreme left wing groups that have continued to fund and promote the miserable flops like Sicko, Redacted and Lions for Lambs.

Oh, I would support the blocking of a film like The Ten Commandments and Cleopatra on the basis that Egyptians are African, not White. No matter how many times these films are remade or colorized, Blacks are Black even if they are from North Africa. It’s insulting to portray them as otherwise. I mean if there was an all Black version of The Guns of Navarone it wouldn’t make a hell of a lot of sense now would it?

When you think about it, the reasons why movies like all the above, and others like Sergeant Rutledge, don’t get made anymore are stupid. No wonder we are left with endless remakes (The Invasion, The Honeymooners, Who’s Your Caddy, and occasionally a decent but ultimately disappointing plot changed I Am Legend), prequels (Hannibal Rising, AVP:Requiem), and miserable original films based on everything but a good idea (Bratz, Hulk, AVP, I Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Transformers, Sex in the City, Codename: The Cleaner, and the list goes on).

Previews of 2008 films - 11.30.2007.1

Recently I was in the movies watching the Hitman movie and of course before the film there were several trailers. One of the trailers was for the new Will Smith film I Am Legend. I think that will be a good remake, this is the 4th reiteration of the film. I’ve spoken about this film before.

But there were 2 other trailers that also caught my attention. Both have A-list stars in them, and in each one of those stars is also African American. Both are Sci-fi films, and as longtime readers know I love comic books, video games and scifi. (Yes I’m a bit of a geek) But the big differences in the 2 films are the date they will be coming out and the quality of the films. One will bomb almost assuredly, the other should do well as long as it’s not up against Iron Man.

I’ll start with the worst and go to the best.

Jumper is trash. Not only did I get that impression from the trailer, but it is confirmed when the trailer states the movie will be out in mid-February. The worst of films almost always start off the year and appear between the middle of January thru February. It’s a dead time, with only a slight break for romance movies targeting the Valentine’s Day holiday. But romance movies don’t bring in the money.

This film has several fatal flaws. They are so big even Mr. Samuel Jackson can’t save the film with his presence. The big problem? They went for CGI heavy effects and forgot about the plot, and you can’t blame this on the writers strike. As you can see in the clip, the main character is a X-men-esque type with the power to jump from anyplace in the world to any other. Ok. Anything he holds onto goes with him. OK. So when he jumps to some other place in the world how can a rope catch him half a world away and pull him back? The rope was after the fact, and once it went through shouldn’t Mr. Jackson be pulled to the kid? Sci-fi films that rip off good ideas for quick bucks on a gimmick tend to fail. So will this I bet. See for yourself.



On the other end of the spectrum we have a more action based film with sci fi elements. WANTED looks to do quite well. It has Mr. Morgan Freeman (as a headmaster assassin – a bit different if he really is a bad guy), and the lovely Mrs. Angelina Jolie. It a movie about top assassins, so good that the laws of physics fail. [Yes a Matrix rip off, but it looks like they paid for a plot too] Our everyday guy, turned super killer looks plain vanilla enough. The chance for massive gunfights with really hi-tech guns seems excellent. And Mrs. Jolie looks great in those outfits.



Neither film will win an Oscar, granted. But my money says that WANTED is a winner, and Jumper will only look like a strong film when compared to Redacted or Lions for Lambs (the theme of both I hate, and happy to see them burning up in red tape).

Well you know what I think, what do you think of them. Which does better? And I still say Iron Man is the early leader for best blockbuster, and overall best film, of the year 2008.