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181/2 Philadelphia Film Festival Closing Night
So I’d like to commend The Philadelphia Film Festival on a great “half” festival, but more importantly on the fact that they opened and closed the festival with films from two African American Directors – F. Gary Gray and Lee Daniels. The African American community came out in droves to support these films. In fact, an additional screening was added for Precious at 5pm. I don’t know if their choice of directors was coincidental, but it was refreshing. I’m going to be covering the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival next week (Oct 23-Oct 29) and when I asked them about possible films that would fall into CineFest’s…
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Commentary – Precious & Interview with Lee Daniels
LEE DANIELS IN PHILADELPHIA – PRECIOUS Q&A Lee Daniel’s Film Precious is uncomfortable in the raw injustice of this young girl’s life and all she must endure. The underlying premise of the film does speak to the prejudice in all of us, but the story is her’s and her’s alone- Clareece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe). She is a dark-skinned, hugely overweight, 16 year-old, illiterate girl, who is able to dream of having a “light skinned” boyfriend and being totally fabulous, despite her life of being repeatedly raped by her father, and abused physically and mentally, but her jealous mother (Mo’Nique). Both Gabby and Mo’ Nique have turned in Oscar…
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18 1/2 Philadelphia Film Festival FREE Screening of Youth in Revolt!
Today, 10/17 at Noon, Prince Music Theater I would like to attend this added screening of Youth in Revolt, the brand new Michael Cera film fresh from the Toronto Film Festival. I’d also like to see how many people attend, since it’s a FREE screening. But I just woke up, it almost 11am – I can’t get myself together fast enough to get in town for 12noon. Now when I start getting paid to blog, I’ll throw my clothes on and hurl myself in the car and pay for parking! But for now, I ask that anyone who attends, write in your review, don’t forget to “Toe Rate”. If it’s…
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18 1/2 Philadelphia Film Festival Day 2 and 3
My rainy day two of the festival (10/16) didn’t materialize until the screening of Good Hair at 7:30pm, long story. However, that meant I had to push The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee until day three- still raining. Which meant I missed The Men Who Stare at Goats. Although it does play again on Monday (10/19) at 7:15pm at the Prince, but I don’t think I’ll be able to make that screening. At any rate, the shows I have gotten to have been adequately attended, considering the festival is sorta new, in a way. I did hear some people behind me say they’d…
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Commentary – Good Hair
Although the box office hasn’t been too kind to Chris Rock’s Good Hair, I think he should stick to this light documentary style, rather than those atrocious, bad sitcomish movies he’s made over the years (I Think I Love My Wife, Head of State, Down To Earth). I talked to some women after the film, who felt he didn’t go in depth enough about black women who do wear their hair natural. I also agree with another reviewer who said he didn’t touch on the popular trend of lace wigs. And Rock’s tone was one of, I don’t want to see my young daughters fall pray to the evils of…
