NOMADLAND for the WIN!!!

I was hoping Nomadland would win for Best Picture.  The fact that it was based on a non-fiction title was a nice surprise (yes, another must-read for my collection) and probably accounted for it’s documentary-like feel.  Frances McDormand was wonderful as “Fern.” I’ve been enjoying her on-screen performances since HBO’s “Olive Kitteridge.”  McDormand’s female protagonists typically bring something other than their looks or sex appeal to the story, which is always a plus.

But what I enjoyed most about Nomadland was that it had the audacity to tell a woman’s story without allowing her to be mentally destroyed, physically hurt or killed in the process.  Fern was independent, adventurous, free-spirited and outspoken.  Typically, women like her don’t fare well on the screen.  It’s almost an unspoken or unwritten rule that such a woman will have to be shown having to pay for the crime of operating in the world, like a free woman with agency (you know, like men do most of the time). 

I promise you, I sat through that whole movie waiting for the moment when she’d be made to pay in the form of some sort of assault--whether sexual or physical--for having the gall to be a woman who called the shots in her life without answering to anyone.  At the movie’s end, I was shocked, relieved and to be honest--somewhat overjoyed that she’d survived without being harmed or stripped of her dignity.  I also knew at that moment that a smart, creative and talented woman must have been behind the making of the film.

I’m thrilled for Chole Zhao!  I can’t wait to see her next film and I truly hope she continues to be different and daring in her portrayals of woman.  For me, Nomadland was truly a refreshing and welcome change of pace. 

FOR THE LOVE OF LISTS AND LAUGHS

A few followers of my blog might remember how much I enjoyed coming up with lists for the now defunct Thursday Thirteen meme.  Whenever I could, I tried to inject a bit of humor into my lists.   I miss those days. But not long ago, I found a spot that welcomes my OCD driven brand of humor and list fixation.

If you’re at all interested in checking out my odd and (hopefully) amusing lists,  I encourage you to look me up on the Humoroutcasts website. My latest post covers the 8 Reasons I May Stop Going To The Movie Theater.  Let me know what, if anything, has altered your movie-going experience.

My first post on the Humoroutcasts website covered the 9 Wrestling Smack-downs I'd love to see. The matches included Mitch McConnell vs. The Notorious RBG and Lindsey Graham vs. The Squad. Checkout the full post on the website if you'd like to see some of the other matches on my list.

Must See Movie: I Will Follow

If you get a chance this weekend, it might be worth your while to check out an independent movie that's been getting a lot of buzz of late: I Will Follow.

I'd been hearing positive things about the movie for a while and I knew it featured Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Omari Hardwick and Blair Underwood, but I wasn't sold until I watched the trailer. A death in the family. A woman at a crossroads. A bit of romance. A serious movie with performances that aren't over the top. I can't wait! *lol*

Recently, I Will Follow expanded to 22 theaters in 15 cities. Fortunately for me, Charlotte, NC is one of the cities and I plan to catch a showing this weekend. Check your local listings for details.

A No Show . . . For The Soloist . . .

After watching a news profile of the real characters, I was all set to go see the movie, The Soloist. But then, I read a couple of reviews. The reviewers praised the movie, but both made mention of a peculiar aspect, which unfortunately killed my desire to see the movie at the box office. Both reviewers stated that the schizophrenic street musician (played by Jamie Foxx) came to view the reporter (played by Robert Downey, Jr.) as his "personal God," something which, one perceptive reviewer readily pointed out, didn't appear at all in the book.

I'm not sure why filmmakers feel the need to keep breathing life into this archaic, Tarzan-flavored paradigm. It's either the ole "primitive in need of a Savior" scenario, magic Negroes or the Black wisecracking sidekick or best friend. Why can't we just be equals, sometimes? Why can't we just learn from one another on a playing field where there are no White Saviors or primitives of color in need of rescue from themselves . . .

I'd planned to take my music-loving son to see this movie. But something imbedded deep within my spirit and psyche, won't allow me to shell out good money to sit up in a movie theatre and passively subject him or myself to such debasing, unimaginative and unnecessary mythologies. I'd still very much like to see the movie. But I'll wait until it appears on cable or DVD.

Book & Movie Combos . . .

The idea for this post grew out of a visit I paid to the Bumble's Movie Meme, this past Monday. The Bumble's blog post dealt with books they'd read, which, at some point in time, had been turned into movies. The "best movie adaptations" if you will. Well, I named a couple right off the top of my head. But later, after giving it some thought, I realized I'd read a number of books, which at some point were cast on either the big or the little screen.

Below are the book & movie combinations I've come up with, thus far. As many books as I've read in my lifetime, I'm sure there at least a few others. I thought it might be fun to color code them, so if the listing appears in red, I didn't really care for the book or the movie (smile). If the listing appears in purple, I loved them both. If the listing is in black, I thought both the book and the movie were okay. If you see brown, I enjoyed the movie a lot more than I did the book.

As far as that last item is concerned, I know typically it's the other way around-folks generally enjoy the book more than the movie. But for whatever reason, that seldom happens for me. There are several movies I've enjoyed a whole lot more than the actual books upon which the screen versions were based. Hey, go figure, I'm weird like that (smile).

My list begins with the oldest title first.

1) Their Eyes Were Watching God (by Zora Neale Hurston) the book--1937 / the movie--2005. Yeah, I know, it really is the unpolitically correct thing to admit, but I'm not a big fan of the book or the movie version. I do have mad love for some of Ms. Hurston's other work. The same goes for Halle Berry who played Janie in the movie.

2) A Native Son (by Richard Wright) the book--1940 / the movie 1951 & 1986. This is another one that's liable to get my literary Black card snatched and cut up. Sorry, I didn't like the book nor either of the movie versions. The 1951 version is truly painful to watch.

3) A Raisin In The Sun (by Lorraine Hansberry) A book containing the play came out in 1958. Movies based on the book came out in 1961, 1989 & 2008. When I was a kid, I borrowed (stole) the paperback copy I have of this book from my mother's library (smile). The 1961 screen play, featuring Sidney Poiter and Ruby Dee is my favorite of the three movie versions.

4) One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (by Ken Kesey) the book--1962 / the movie-1975

5) The Water is Wide (by Pat Conroy) the book --1972 / the movie based on the book was called Conrack and came out in 1974.

6) The Shining (by Stephen King) the book--1977 / the movie--1980

7) The Color Purple (by Alice Walker) the book--1982 / the movie--1985 Okay, I really dislike reading books written in dialect. So, yes, I did enjoy the movie more than the book. Matter of fact, upon its release I saw it at the theatre (with different friends & relatives) on at least 4 different occasions!

8) The Women Of Brewster's Place (by Gloria Naylor) the book--1982 / the movie--1989. 9) Disappearing Acts (by Terry McMillan) the book--1989 / the movie--2000.

10) Devil In A Blue Dress (by Walter Mosley) the book--1990 / the movie--1995.

11) Waiting To Exhale (by Terry McMillan) the book--1992 / the movie--1995

12) How Stella Got Her Groove Back (by Terry McMillan) the book--1996 / the movie--1998

13) A Lesson Before Dying (by Earnest Gaines) the book--1997 / the movie--1999. I believe a couple of Mr. Gaines other books have been made into movies, but sadly, I haven't seen them. I'd like too though, because I loved both the book and the movie.

14) Always Out Numbered, Always Out Gunned (by Walter Mosley) the book--1997 / the movie--1998. Great book and an excellent movie. I know Mr. Mosley has a series with the main character of this book, Socrates Fortlow, but this is the only one I've read, thus far. The movie stars Lawrence Fishburne who is always a joy to watch on screen.

Okay, are there any book & movie combos you'd care to mention? Or, feel free to comment on any of mine, if you'd like.

Thursday Thirteen #35 . . . 13 Film Favorites Featuring Kids . . .

The recent buzz surrounding Slumdog Millionaire has me thinking about some of the other movies featuring child actors that I've enjoyed over the years. The following are some of my favorites.

1) A Bronx Tale-- I truly adore this movie. One of my favorite scenes is when the little kid, who's been hanging out with the neighborhood gangsters tearfully tells his dad, "Sonny is right, the working man is a sucker. . . " The Dad, a hard-working bus driver, played by Robert De Niro responds, "He's wrong, it don't take much strength to pull a trigger. But try getting up every morning, day after day and work for a living. Let's see him try that. Then we'll see who's the real tough guy."

2) Akeelah and The Bee-- In this movie, KeKe Palmer steals the spotlight from veterans like, Lawrence Fishburne and Angela Bassett.

3) The Bad News Bears--The first two originals films were pretty funny.

4) Claudine--Yes, this is an oldie, but goodie starring Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones. The kids in this movie do an excellent job of just being kids and I'm always moved by the little guy who when asked what he wants to be when he grows up says, "Invisible."

5) Crooklyn--One of Spike's Lee best, in my opinion. I do wonder if any of the kids featured in this movie are still working.

6) The Harry Potter Movies--Even though I typically wait until the movies make it to cable or come out on DVD, I still enjoy them and I kinda hate that the kids who star in them are growing up (smile).

7) J.T.-- This movie came out WAY back in the day (smile), 1969. But it used to air on television around Christmas time in the '70s. The movie starred a young Kevin Hooks, who played a shy kid from Harlem who finds and nurses an old, injured, one-eyed alleycat back to health. I'd love to get this on dvd for my own kid to watch and enjoy.

8) Poltergeist--The first one.

9) The Pursuit of Happyness--No disrespect intended, but Actually, I think Will Smith's son (Jaden) is a much better actor than his dad (LOL).

10) Ray-- I thought the little boy who played Ray Charles as a youth, C.J. Sanders, did an exceptional job.

11) The Sandlot -- I know there are two, but I've only seen the first one. This is one of those movies, I accidentally stumbled upon one lazy afternoon and found myself enjoying. It's one of my own kid's favorites as well.

12) Slumdog Millionaire -- The performances of the children in this movie are what really made it an outstanding film for me.

13) Stand By Me -- I'd been meaning to watch this movie for years, but just recently got around to it. All I can say is, "Wow." These kids really did a great job. Although, it is kind of sad knowing the twists and turns some of their careers and lives went on to take.

Well, do you agree with any of my choices? If there are others on your own list, feel free to mention them in the comments.

If you'd like to visit some of the other Thursday Thirteen participants, the link is HERE.

After The Dance . . . The Movie . . .

Before anyone gets too excited, perhaps I should take a moment to clarify . . . there are no offers on the table . . . no options are currently being discussed . . . and no directors or movie mogul types are currently leaving voice mail messages on my phone. I'm simply dreaming aloud . . . fantasizing, as we creative types are apt to do (smile).

Yes, like a lot of writers, I'd love to see my novel land on the big screen. But in my on-going discussions with folks who've read After The Dance, I've discovered that the actors and actresses I envision playing Carl, Faye, Nora, Scoobie, Cousin Squirrel and the crew, don't always line up with the ones selected by the novel's readers.

For instance, yesterday, during my teleconference with some of the good folks at the Raleigh Branch of the Memphis Public Library, it was suggested that Don Cheadle might make a great Carl. I was like, "Huh! Don Cheadle?! He's way too skinny and too, ahem, mature-looking to play Carl. LOL. My reaction was very similiar, several months ago, when a friend suggested Carl Lumbly for the role of Carl. Nuh-Uh!

Okay y'all, as much as I admire the talents of both Mr. Cheadle and Mr. Lumbly, neither one of them would really fit the role of Faye's charming next door neighbor. I think folks are paying way too much attention to the characters depicted on the cover of the book and not enough on how those same characters are actually described in the book. In After The Dance, Carl is described as a man in his early 40's, tall, dark, bearded and with a former athlete's build.

The guy who fits my mental image of Carl is someone a number of you may have never even heard of . . . G. Garvin, the good-looking Black chef who has written a number of cookbooks and whose show "Turn Up The Heat" airs on TVOne. Yes, I know he's not a trained actor, but Mr. Garvin not only has the right look, he has more than enough of the Southern, down-home charm needed to properly pull off a Carl.

A couple of folks have suggested Jennifer Hudson might make a good Faye. While that's not a bad choice, even though she seems kind of young for the part. Were I given a real say in the casting of After The Dance, my first choice for the role of Faye would be Jill Scott. Yep, I think Jilly from Philly could more than handle the role of Faye and she definitely has the look.

A friend who lives in the Cleveland area suggested Jill Marie Jones (who played Toni on Girlfriends) as Nora and I actually think that's an excellent choice. This same friend ( I think she must have led a past life as a casting director) suggested Mel Jackson (who played in Soul Food, the movie, starred in the last season of Living Single and in one of my favorite movies, Uninvited Guest)as Scoobie aka Chef Venard Payne) and I absolutely adore that selection.

When one of the fellas from the Renaissance Men's Book Club at the North Branch of the Memphis Public Library suggested Flava Flav as Carl's Cousin Squirrel, I nearly croaked! LOL. No, I'm guessing Chris Rock's little brother, Tony Rock (from All of Us) would make the perfect Cousin Squirrel.

Well, those would be my picks, but what about you? If you've read After The Dance and you feel like sharing, tell me which actors and actresses you'd like to see playing some of these characters. Also, if you know how I might get in touch with the agents or managers of any of my selections, hook a sister up with the info so I can send them a book! Okay, a girl can dream, can't she? LOL

QUOTES THAT MAKE YOU GO . . . HMMM . . .

I'm on the road and doing a lot of miscellaneous reading (Jet, Essence and the like). In the July 23rd issue of JET, I ran across several interesting quotes. The following has to do with a movie I've been thinking about seeing-- "Talk To Me." The movie is about an ex-con turned deejay and the program director who gives him a break. Even though the film has a lot going for it--including actors, Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor as well as director Kasi Lemmons, the reviews I've read have been mixed. But the following comment made by the screenwriter Michael Grant really made me stop and think.

"What I found in telling their story was that there is a love shared between Black men that we almost never hear tell of. You won't find it defined in any text books or dictionaries, yet it exists."

I think, for the most part, what Mr. Grant said is true. And I'd love to see more movies deal with this topic. But right off hand, I can think of at least one other movie that did a fairly decent job of dealing with the love that exists been Black men who aren't biologically-related--"Boys In The Hood."

Have there been others? If you've seen the movie, do you agree or disagree with the screenwriter's statement?

CHARLES BURNETT . . . KILLER OF SHEEP

Charles Burnett is an extraordinary filmmaker. I was first introduced to his work via, "To Sleep With Anger" which is one of my all-time favorite flicks. I've also had the pleasure of viewing Burnett's critically acclaimed and award-winning "Killer of Sheep." As a matter of fact, if I might be permitted to brag, I personally helped bring that movie to Memphis in the early 90's . . . but more on that in a moment (smile).

"Killer of Sheep" was Burnett's graduate student thesis film at UCLA. The film, which casts a harsh spotlight on life in Watts during the early 70's, has been deemed a national treasure by the Library of Congress and the National Society of Film Critcs called it one of the 100 essential films of all time.

Unfortunately, due to legal problems with music rights and the film's poor print quality, "Killer of Sheep" was never seen by a wide audience. But all of that is about to change, thanks in part to Milestone Film & Video. Not only is the movie being released in theaters, but it will soon be availabe on DVD.

My personal connection? Back in the early 90's, I was asked to help organize a Black film festival for the Memphis & Shelby County Public Library System as part of the library's programming for Black History month. The festival was free and the movies were screened on a one-night only basis at the Circuit Playhouse. I am proud to say that Charles Burnett's "The Killer of Sheep" (1977) was the feature film I selected for the event and the turn-out exceeded expectations. The other two short films were "Illusions" (1983) by Julie Dash and "Hair Piece: A Film For Nappy-Headed People" (1985) by Ayoka Chenzira.

In case you're wondering, that last film "Hair Piece" is an animated flick and one that a lot of folks, Imus among them, could probably benefit from seeing right about now (LOL). Seriously though, I'm loving forward to seeing Burnett's "Killer of Sheep" again and I can only hope that the DVD will include commentary from the filmmaker.

If you're interested in seeing if "Killer of Sheep" is scheduled to appear at a theatre in your city (or one near you), this site contains a list of dates for screening locations and other information about the movie and its maker.