BuzzSugar

Movie Preview: Chiwetel Ejiofor in David Mamet's Redbelt

BuzzSugar — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:30:40 -0800

When I'm looking for a movie with strong writing and snappy dialogue, I often reach for something by David Mamet. This spring, the writer/director is turning his eye to the boxing ring with Redbelt, the story of a martial arts instructor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who stays far away from the high-pressure competition circuit - until mysterious circumstances force him into the ring to pay off debts and regain his honor.

Honestly, I've watched the trailer a couple of times now, and I still can't say I fully understand what the story is about. But it's Mamet, so I'm willing to believe it will all make sense when the movie is released this spring. Plus, it stars both Ejiofor and Emily Mortimer, two of my favorite actors, which alone makes me want to give it the benefit of the doubt.

The film will be out in limited release April 25, but for now, you can check out the trailer if you read more.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Talk to Me: Another Good Don Cheadle Performance

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:28:20 -0700

As a way of depicting an important slice of history, Talk to Me is successful. As a vehicle for Don Cheadle to amaze us once again with his utter transformation, it's excellent. As a work of storytelling, however, the movie falls short. Director Kasi Lemmons is fantastic at setting up artful shots and creating scenes full of tension. But these great pieces put together somehow don't add up to a satisfying, complete work.

Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene was a prisoner in the 1960s, acting as radio DJ for his fellow cell mates. When he was released from jail he went straight to D.C. radio station WOL-AM to claim what he thought was his rightful job as a radio host. Dewey Hughes (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the only black man holding a high position at the R&B station, initially resisted hiring Petey - he was an ex-con after all - which led Petey to stage demonstrations in front of the radio station, accusing Hughes of not supporting a fellow black man. After much hemming and hawing on the part of the station manager (Martin Sheen), Petey was brought on board and he became the voice of the people. In turn, the radio station became the peoples' radio station. That's just the beginning, though, so read more

From that point on in the movie, there are many scenes about Petey being "real" vs. Hughes being "white," plenty of arguments between Petey and his girlfriend Vernell (the electrifying Taraji P. Henson), and Petey getting drunk and doing silly things. Everything comes to a standstill, however, at the murder of Martin Luther King. For a brief time, Petey Greene became a sort of coarse beacon of peace and hope while the streets of DC were filled with riots and fires. This is one of the most intriguing moments of the film, not least because of Don Cheadle's apparent internalization of this experience.

The rest of the movie is a jumble of your normal rise-to-fame-fall-from-grace stuff, with a lot of crises arising between Hughes and Petey. Cheadle is flawless in this movie, though Ejiofor (who I love infinitely more now) puts forth an astounding performance as the upright, responsible working man making it in a white man's environment while trying not to deny his childhood spent in the projects. Not to mention he's absolutely gorgeous. Looking dapper in his suits, he employs a heavy-lidded sexiness and gentlemanly strength. Though, admittedly, at times it seems that Ejiofor's stage training comes through - his pronunciation so precise, his vocal technique so polished.

Director Lemmons does her very best to deliver a tense, high-stakes atmosphere, all set to the soulful tunes of the 1960s and 1970s. Where the movie fails most is in the script. Sometimes the dialogue is spot-on, at other times it's laughably trite. For every heavy-handed moment, though, there's Don Cheadle undercutting the cliches with his impeccable comedic timing. If there's no Oscar nomination in Cheadle's future on account of this movie, I will be shocked.

Movie Preview: Talk to Me

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:30:00 -0700

Opening this Friday July 13 in select cities, Talk to Me is one of the movies I was most looking forward to this summer. It stars the awe-inspiring Don Cheadle as well as Chiwetel Ejiofor for whom I've professed my love. Cheadle plays the real-life Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who takes over the radio airwaves during a time of social and political unrest, bringing humor and inspiration to the citizens of Washington D.C. in the 1960s. From the looks of the trailer, this is just the sort of thing the Academy eats up with a spoon. Check out my review this Friday, and to watch the trailer, read more

First Look: Denzel, Russell Crowe in American Gangster

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Because I've come to think of Denzel Washington as more like a sexy, sweet guy - someone you'd want as, say, the father of your kids - this trailer for American Gangster provides a bit of a jolt. In this Ridley Scott-directed project, Washington plays Frank Lucas, a loyal family man/leader of a crime ring in 1970s Harlem. It's that scary thing, not unlike Tom Hanks' character in Road to Perdition, where you think you know that kindhearted member of your family until they turn out to be a cold-blooded member of the Mafia. Rusell Crowe costars as the roguish cop on Lucas' trail, looking convincingly dowdy. Special bonus: My man Chiwetel Ejiofor also stars.

The trailer is chilling and fully has that New York-in-the-1970s look, so to watch, read more

Link Time! 5/15

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 15:37:16 -0700

Thanks to Best Week Ever for pointing out how handsome Creed from "The Office" is in the photos from NBC's Upfronts.
Thank you, Movie Blog, for telling me about Ewan McGregor and Chiwetel Ejiofor starring in a stage production of Othello near London, starting in November. So, I have a few months to plan my trip to London.
Merry Swankster has a love lovely live video of Bjork performing at Coachella.
Popwatch asks the crucial "Lost" question I've also wondered frequently this season.
Need more from the network Upfronts? Here you go: Give Me My Remote chilled at the NBC party, the TV Addict does new-show math, and E!'s Kristin gets the scoop from the red carpet.
Stereogum turns me onto the Go! Team ("the '80s party hip hop technicolor cheerleaders") and their new song that has lyrics like "Hey ladies ... Yeah ... 1980s."
Popcandy is super excited for a new hip-hop documentary called Rock the Bells after watching the trailer for it.
Rolling Stone Rock & Roll Daily lists the 15 worst albums by great artists, while TV Squad names 10 bad shows that happened to good people.
Earvolution wonders if Lollapalooza might be going global.

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Why I Love ... Chiwetel Ejiofor

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:10:13 -0700

While on the topic of Children of Men, which comes out on DVD today, I thought I'd pay homage to an actor I love: Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Luke. Though his character is technically a bad guy, Ejiofor's speech toward the end - delivered between rounds of bullets he aimlessly sprays out a window - makes me soften toward Luke, thinking maybe he's just trying to survive like everyone else.

There is something friendly and trustworthy about the British actor, who I first noticed in Love Actually as Peter, the husband of Keira Knightley's character. But it was when I saw Kinky Boots that I really fell in love. In the quirky comedy, Ejiofor plays drag queen Lola, who co-creates a line of supportive yet fabulous drag queen footwear. For more on why I love Ejiofor, read more

In a role that could have easily crossed over into caricature, Ejiofor keeps it real in Kinky, deftly alternating between Chaka Khan-esque diva and warm, smart businessman.

In addition to these films, Ejiofor's credits include Amistad, Inside Man, and Serenity. His sensitive demeanor might stem from a tragedy he experienced as a child: According to IMDB, the actor was in a car accident at age 11 with his father. He survived, but his father did not. Whatever the reason, I find this man mesmerizing. Thankfully, it looks like I'm not the only one with a Ejiofor crush: He has several more projects in the works. Until I can check those out, I'll watch Kinky Boots a few more times, and I suggest you do the same.

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