List of 2009 movies - quality and money

Well it's that time of year again. The time when everybody creates a top 10 or best of list for 2009. And of course I will throw in my thoughts to the mix.

In terms of movies there isn't a lot to say. Most of the drivel from Hollywood is what we have been getting for quite some time now. Half thought out revisioned remakes of ideas done far better in the past. That goes for the revisioned comic books, movies, television shows and books that all hit the silver screen this year. But, against all odds there were a few movies that were actaully worth the money.

1. Watchmen - How could you not see this film? It was the rare exception of Hollywood taking a great story (from a comic graphic novel) and not revisioning it. The result was a beautiful and shocking twist on the concept of what is a superhero.

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - the kids are almost all grown up. The film continues the saga of Potter and friends, and it's still an interesting fresh movie several films into the series. The acting continues to improve and the story is modeled well after the books.

3. Angels and Demons - How can you go wrong with Tom Hanks and Ron Howard in a movie based on a Dan Brown book? It wasn't the DaVinci Code, but it sure beat the flood of films this year.

4. Sherlock Holmes - Yes I know it's not out yet. But I'm willing to bet on the acting ability of Robert Downey Jr. In addition his choices of films has been among the best in the industry. movie trailers can lie (and often do) but I'm willing to go with the talent and say this will make the cut.

And those are my top movies of 2009. But if you were wondering, here are the movies that made the most money (which has nothing to do with the quality of the film):

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - a movie only matched in its stupidity by the amount of CGI onscereen at any time. This is proof that hype can overwhelm quality if you throw enough money at a marketing campaign. $402 million

Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince - Number 2 on my list, it brought in $301 million. Proof that quality can make money too.

Up - Parents love to take kids to animated films. This one happened to be worth the time as well. $293 million

The Hangover - the surprise hit of the year. I never saw it, it seemed to sophmopric to me. But it brought in $277 million so there must be something to it. Likely to produce a sequel of some sort next year.

Star Trek - This revisioned make-over of the classic original television series was lauded long before it hit a single screen. But after seeing the film I found it more stilted than Shatner doing poetry. If this is the future of sci-fi I feel really bad for the next generation. $257 million. Revisionist sequel guaranteed.

A couple of other notable film revenues for the year:

Twillight: New Moon - just a question, has anyone over the age of 25 seen this film? No one I know over 25 has. $256 million and another film sure to come.

X-men Origins: Wolverine - Destroyed a great idea and character for big money. The only thing good about this film is the payday it made for Hollywood. But a sequel will happen to continue the pain. $179 million

Fast and Furious - Even Vin Diesel can't save a bad idea. Though it did make enough to guarantee Deisel will continue to star in a few more films. $155 million

GI Joe Rise of Cobra - Hype wins again. An insulting film that makes you want to see Wolverine again. Only exceeded in stupidity and boredom levels by Transformers. Sequel will happen even though anyone above 6 will cringe. $150 million

Angels & Demons - It made a respectable $133 million. Not bad for a sequel, though more was expected.

Terminator Salvation - Not the best continuation of the series. Christian Bale made a good John Connor, but the rest of the film was lazy and as bleak as the future it redises in. But the story ain't over yet. $125 million

Watchmen - Number 1 on my list only made $107 million. Perhaps it was just too much for audiences to take in. Especially compared to the low-brow low-quality films that topped the money list.

Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail - Love or hate Perry 2 things are true. He is the biggest boost to getting Black actors in movies since Sidney Poitier and he makes money. What will Madea do next? $90 million

Michael Jackson's This Is It - The last tribute to the King of Pop. $72 million and it really isn't even a film.

Land of the Lost - People went to see this? $49 million

Notorious - The worst thing about this film is it probably made enough money to spawn equally bad expoitive cash grabs. $36 million and I have to wonder how doing anything (including sleeping) wasn't better than the film.

Pink Panther 2, Old Dogs, Halloween 2 (revisioned remake), SAW VI, Fame (revisioned remake) - I'm just amazed that none of these films, though all bad, did better than Notorious. I really hope that doesn't mean a trend of dead rapper movies.

Well that's my list, what do you think? Did I miss anything?

Tyler Perry donates $1 million

As the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaches, it's always nice to have a bit of positive news. This year Tyler Perry is the one giving some cheer.

Tyler Perry has given $1,000,000 to the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in honor of the 100 year the organization has been working on civil rights and empowerment to African Americans. The donation is no small thing, and is an interesting gift.

Perry is the subject of no small debate within the Black community. Some find his movies and television shows to be a welcome source of information on African Americans in the media. Other find his work to be a caricature that is insulting and "bufoonery". Perhaps the most true statement is that it is both in equal parts.

Either way, there is no question that Peryy has become a force in Hollywood. His efforts have provided some of the most consistent and profitable presentations of African Americans to date. There is no question that via his movies more African Americans are getting work and exposure than at almost any other time in entertainment history (when including the work of all other African Americans).

Perry has also been consistent in giving back to the community. The donation to the NAACP is not his first, nor likely his last. But it is the largest individual donation to the NAACP in it's history.

Earlier this year Perry also helped the 65 kids of Creative Steps Day Camp. The kids had been kicked out of Valley Swim Club in Philadelphia under debatable racial motivation, and Perry took up their cause and sent the kids to Disney.

In September of last year Perry donated 2 weeks of food to 1,000 families via Hosea Feed the Hungry and the Homeless care center. At the time I noted how he was doing more for the public than Congress. Not that the major media cared.

So no matter what you think of the work of Tyler Perry, there is no question of his contributions. This is the essense of what the holiday spirit is I think. Not the shopping slaes sprees, but the giving. Perry may not get much major news media coverage for what he has done, but I have no problem commending his actions.

Tyler Perry Responds to Spike Lee

Recently I provided video from Black Enterprise of Ed Gordon interviewing Spike Lee. In that video Spike Lee was asked about the state of Black culture and coverage in movies and television. The response was very critical.

Specifically, without directly naming him, Spike called the work of Tyler Perry "coonery and buffonery". He found it akin to Amos 'n Andy. I essentially took it that he found Perry's work - no matter the income it draws - little more than the minstrel show. Which for my readers that are not familiar is possible one of the worst things that can be said of any Black entertainer or celebrity.

There was no question that Perry was going to respond. Here is what is available on that response.



I understand the anger that Perry has. At the same time, there are legitimate issues with some of the work Perry has created. The question I suppose is which is the correct stance, or is there some middle ground?

What do you think?

Hollywood movie star reacts to Philadelphia racism

When it comes to a news story about entertainers doing a good thing and kids, I just can't stay away. It's these kinds of things we all need to hear more about.

In this case the news starts off in a negative. In Philadelphia, a city known for its negative overreactions of its police force, there was the added negative news that 65 kids were turned away from a private swim club.

The story goes like this. Valley Swim Club is private, but declares they are open membership. Creative Steps Day Camp paid nearly $2000 to allow 65 kids (that happen to be Black and Hispanic) to be able to use the pool to swim. The day camp made one visit, which seems to have caused a ruckus. Not because the kids were rude or badly behaved, but because of race.

"I heard this lady, she was like, 'Uh, what are all these black kids doing here?' She's like, 'I'm scared they might do something to my child,'" said camper Dymire Baylor."

It seems that not only were comments like this stated, but the parents (who it seems were all White) pulled out all of their kids from the pool once the kids of color got in the pool. Which is insulting in far too many ways.

It got worse though. Valley Swim Club then rejected the day care. The very next day the membership was revoked, with an offer to refund the money paid offered. But this was not about money, but a chance for kids to swim.

Valley Swim Club stated

"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club," John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club

In just that statement I think the case was clear. Valley Swim Club is open to everyone, as long as they have the right skin color. It's a page right out of Jim Crow and segregation. I'm sure Philadelphia was proud.

But the story was not over. Because after this hit the news on July 9th, people around the nation started to hear what happened. One of those people had the ability to do something about it. That was Tyler Perry.

Perry found this to bne an outrage. That no child deserves such treatment, especially over their race. He said

"It broke my heart and I wanted to do something. I want them to know that for every act of evil that a few people will throw at you, there are millions more who will do something kind for them. Show them they are just as good as anyone else that they can do or be anything they want to be no matter what anyone says."

Then he went a step further. Since the kids couldn't go to Valley Swim Club, Tyler Perry is going to send them to Disney. He has paid for all 65 kids to go to Disney and a Disney Water Park for 3 days.

I applaud Perry and what he has done. I hope that the people of Philadelphia abandon the Valley Swim Club, and write to John Duesler about this. People like him need to be reminded that this is not the 1950's, that even then such actions were never acceptable, and that all of America is better because of the various people that make up this great nation.

Tyler Perry has helped the 65 kids of the Creative Steps Day Camp, and all of us that hear this story, realize that the small minds of a few cannot prevent them from attaining great things in their life. It's a message that I am more than happy to spread.

**You can reach John Duesler and Valley Swim Club at:

22 Tomlinson Rd
Huntingdon Vly, PA 19006
(215) 947-0700

40th Annual NAACP Image Awards

For those that are needing another Awards show fix until the Oscar Awards, there is hope. The 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards show is just over 24 hours away. Rejoice.

Actually this awards show should be interesting for more than the fact that it highlights the achievements of people of color, something rarely done by the Academy Awards. This year is also the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. Thus I expect the television broadcast to be quite special.

There will be stars a plenty as well. Halle Berry and Tyler Perry will be presenting. Which says nothing of those celebrities in attendance. All of whom I expect to note the significance of what the NAACP has done over the years.

A special honoree will be Muhammad Ali. He is a man well deserving of recognition and I am happy to know he will be singled out for praise. He is one of the major catalysts in some of the changes that have occurred in sports, television, and international perceptions of African Americans. More should credit what he has done and achieved.

Another honoree will be Russell Simmons. He has been highly influential beyond just music. He has been a great role model of how successful any African American businessperson can be. His empire of clothing, music, finance, televison and film ventures is the match of most any business. Such is the power of a mind dedicated in its purpose.

But on the pure awards front here are a few of the categories and my thoughts.

Outstanding Picture:
"Cadillac Records"
"Miracle at St. Anna"
"The Secret Life of Bees"
"Seven Pounds" – I expect this to win
"Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys"

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Derek Luke – "Miracle at St. Anna"
Don Cheadle – "Traitor" - This is my pick
Jeffrey Wright – "Cadillac Records"
Rob Brown – "The Express"
Will Smith – "Seven Pounds" - The main competition

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Alfre Woodard – "Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys"
Angela Bassett – "Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns" - Probable winner
Dakota Fanning – "The Secret Life of Bees" - main competition
Queen Latifah – "The Secret Life of Bees"
Rosario Dawson – "Seven Pounds"

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Cedric the Entertainer – "Cadillac Records"
Columbus Short – "Cadillac Records"
Dev Patel – "Slumdog Millionaire" - Great choice for popularity with the Oscars
Mos Def – "Cadillac Records"
Nate Parker – "The Secret Life of Bees"

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Alicia Keys – "The Secret Life of Bees"
Beyoncé Knowles – "Cadillac Records"
Jennifer Hudson – "The Secret Life of Bees" - The winner
Sophie Okonedo – "The Secret Life of Bees"
Taraji P. Henson – "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
"Ballast"
"Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom"
"Rachel Getting Married"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"The Visitor"

I am amazed that this category did not include A Good Day To Be Black & Sexy or Diary of a Tired Black Man. I would really have loved to see Diary win too. But such controversy is beyond the NAACP I suppose.

Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture
"Captain Abu Raed"
"The Class"
"Mongol" - Possible winner (but I have not seen it)
"Song of Sparrows"
"Under the Same Moon"

Outstanding Documentary
"The Black List"
"Black Magic"
"CNN Presents: Black in America"
"Dare Not Walk Alone"
"Trouble the Water"

I have no idea in this list, but I would guess it will be CNN. Mostly because of the very positive coverage of President Obama throughout the election.

I am not covering the television choices because I feel that there really is no choice available. There are virtually no lead actors, and too little diversity in television to really have a selection to choose from. That is not the fault of the NAACP, but Hollywood and its double standards. [Though I will say that Sean Combs should never win.]

So with that said, there is your next Awards fix.

Tyler Perry helping more families than Congress right now

I have often said that the major news media gives short shrift to celebrities and entertainers that are doing the right thing. With all the media swirling around the mortgage bailout plans, you might think that all other news has been thrown to the wayside but that would be untrue.

A casual look in the search engines finds that there is plenty of news on celebrities. There is news on Meg Ryan and her divorce. There is news about whether Miley Cyrus will stay or leave Hanna Montana. There is even a focus on Isis King, the first transgendered model in the ridiculous and brain-cell depleting America’s Next Top Model.

Not a single one of those ‘news’ items are worth the time to read more than the headline.

But what you haven’t heard, what isn’t rushing across the internet or the cable news networks is a simple bit of good. Yes, a celebrity is actually helping regular people. Just because it felt like the right thing to do.

The celebrity in this case is the renown Tyler Perry. In case you are unfamiliar with this acclaimed director, actor, movie writer, producer and playwright I’ll give you a bit of help. He created Diary of a Mad Black Woman which he may be best known for. He is also responsible for Tyler Perry's House of Payne. If you are unfamiliar with either of these it may be because all of Perry’s work focuses and stars predominately Black actors and actresses.

Tyler Perry grew up with abuse as a child, he has been homeless, he dropped out of school at 16 but went back for his GED. His book Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life was number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller List. He has released 5 films (his 6th just hit theaters) that have made $187 million dollars just in the U.S.

Tyler Perry is a success by virtually any standard you chose to mark him by.

And he went out and donated 2 weeks worth of food for 1,000 families today. He is actively helping families in Atlanta that are struggling and hungry. And the major news media seem to not care.

The people at Hosea Feed the Hungry and the Homeless care center certainly are happy to have received this huge gift. I cannot fathom how families in need in Atlanta are not happy as well. But it seems that the major news media aren’t happy reporting a successful Black man directly helping people in a way that virtually every politician refuses or is incapable of doing.

Keep an eye out though. I guarantee that the second a Black entertainer is arrested, or does something stupid, regardless of the financial woe of the day you will see it on the national news. Miley Cyrus on a drunken binge will get a side note, but say a rapper getting arrested will upfront news. Yet improving the lives of 1,000 families is a minor footnote.

It makes me sick. Especially when polls show that some 48% of White Americans think Blacks are violent, or that 38% think Blacks are lazy. Tyler Perry, and many other African American celebrities, proves that the stereotypes that survive and plague this nation right now are wrong. But you wouldn’t know it from the major media.

39th annual Image Awards nominations announced - 1.8.2008.1

Amid all the conversations of Senator Barack Obama leading or slightly trailing Senator Clinton in the New Hampshire primary other things are going on. I must admit my own failing here because I have been dedicating a huge amount of time on the ongoing Presidential race. I’ve been following it all since December of 2006, and you can hear my comments on all of that at my Vass site.

[By the way, a Google search today shows that I rank higher than answers.yahoo.com and the heraldtribune.com for Republican pros and cons and wiki.answer.com on Democratic pros and cons. I also am 3rd, 4th, and 5th under pros and cons of Presidential candidates, 2nd – 5th for pros and cons of Republican Presidential candidates, 2nd – 4th on pros and cons of Democratic Presidential candidates. I suggest you take a look at why.]

So what else has been happening? Well the 39th annual Image Awards nominations are out. And while there are no clear surprises, there are no serious letdowns either. The choices on television whittled down a bit, and there were fewer choices among movies, but several items stood out.

There will be a special tribute to Stevie Wonder who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Great Debaters, about the history making group of Black youth that beat the Ivy Leagues in debates in the 1930’s and were denied their place in history, received 8 nominations. This film also stars Forest Whitaker, and Denzel Whitaker (no relation) who is garnering a lot of acclaim.

Best Picture nominations included Talk To Me, with the inspiring and very talented Don Cheadle, I Am Legend, starring the equally talented Will Smith, American Gangster, another good film starring Denzel Washington again, and Why Did I Get Married?, by the ever popular Tyler Perry.

Everybody Hates Chris and Girlfriends again gathered multiple nominations as they did last year. Joining them are 30 Rock, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Ugly Betty - again.

Dramas included Grey’s Anatomy (again),House (again), K-Ville, Lincoln Heights and The Unit.

The list for best actor/actress and several other nominations follow below:

Actor in a Motion Picture

Columbus Short - Stomp The Yard
Denzel Washington - The Great Debaters
Don Cheadle - Talk To Me **My choice
Terrence Howard - Pride
Will Smith - I Am Legend

Actress in a Motion Picture

Angelina Jolie - A Mighty Heart
Halle Berry - Things We Lost In the Fire
Jill Scott - Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?
Jurnee Smollett - The Great Debaters
Taraji P. Henson - Talk To Me **My choice

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Chiwetel Ejiofor - Talk To Me
Denzel Whitaker - The Great Debaters ** My choice
Forest Whitaker - The Great Debaters
Nate Parker - The Great Debaters
Tyler Perry - Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?

Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Janet Jackson - Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? **My Choice
Loretta Devine - This Christmas
Meagan Good - Stomp The Yard
Queen Latifah - Hairspray
Ruby Dee - American Gangster

Documentary

Bastards of the Party
Darfur Now **My personal pick
Desert Bayou
Price of Sugar
Sicko

Directing in a Dramatic Series

Darnell Martin - Law & Order: CI: Bombshell
Kevin Hooks - Lincoln Heights: Pilot
Paris Barclay - CSI: Meet Market **My choice
Roxanne Dawson - Heroes: Run
Seith Mann - Friday Night Lights: Are You Ready For Friday Night?

Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television)

Denzel Washington - The Great Debaters
Kasi Lemmons - Talk To Me **My choice
Preston Whitmore - This Christmas
Sunu Gonera - Pride
Sylvain White - Stomp the Yard

Song

Beautiful Flower - India Arie
Just Fine - Mary J. Blige
Like You’ll Never See Me Again - Alicia Keys **My choice
Stronger - Kanye West
Umbrella - Rihanna feat. Jay-Z

Album

Alicia Keys - As I Am
Chris Brown - Exclusive
Kanye West - Graduation
Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains
Seal - System (Warner Bros. Records)

Literary Work - Fiction

Blonde Faith - Walter Mosley
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
Cion: A Novel - Zakes Mda
Knots - Nuruddin Farah
New England White: A Novel - Stephen L. Carter

The list goes on, but that gives you a cross section of who has been recognized. The Awards will be given out on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. Good luck and congratulations for everyone nominated.

You can see the full list here.

Why bust on Tyler Perry? - 6.13.2007.1

Have you heard about the apparent controversy with Mr. Tyler Perry? I had not heard of it previously, but it seems the Houston Press is right on top of it. Honestly I just don’t get it.

It would seem that Mr. Perry has caused a bit of outrage with his new cable television show Tyler Perry’s House of Payne on TBS. Not that Mr. Perry has never been attacked for his material before.

"[It] generates contempt for and ridicule of and erasure of black women as complex and substantive”

All of this drama and yet Mr. Perry made $110 million dollars in his latest films, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion, and garnered a television show contract. I have to believe that some are watching the program. Thus I can’t understand why anyone would be upset with the man. He makes play, movies and now television programs that target an audience, what’s wrong with that?

I realize that Mr. Perry is not making films the quality of say Mr. Spike Lee, or Kasi Lemmons, Mr. Stanley Nelson, or Mr. John Singleton but why does he have too? Every movie, television show, or anything for that matter does not need to be critically acclaimed and award winning in quality. It simply needs to entertain. That’s it. If people like what you make you get to make more. How much money have actors like Mr. Sylvester Stallone, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mr. Wesley Snipes, made on films that were weak on plot, long on action and had guns that NEVER needed reloading.


If Mr. Perry can make money with his gospel-heavy, southern-styled, and perhaps stereotypical projects, good for him. I say that for 2 reasons. The first is that few other groups besides African Americans have any interest in the material he covers. It’s just too specific to experiences we either live or know about. Obviously many African Americans have no objection to the material. The other reason is that without Mr. Perry how many qualified Black actors and actresses would not be working today? I would never take food and opportunities out of the mouths of anyone on the basis of something as trivial as ‘I don’t like the work you do’.

For those that don’t like the work of Mr. Perry, do as Ms. Vivica Fox and I have done. Don’t see his work. It’s like when I was young, I recall ads on television in the Bronx for You’re Arms Are Too Short To Box With God [why are the Black theatre play’s titles so long?]. I had zero interest in seeing it, but I was glad that it was out there. To treat Mr. Tyler any different is wrong.

I’ll even go one better. For those that dislike his work enough to complain, go out and make your own film/play/movie/television show. It won’t be easy, you may not make money, but at least you will be doing something. And I’ll be happy to know you did it, whether or not I see it.

This is what I think, what do you think?