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Jennifer Hudson Hits the Carpet With Baby David!

Allie Merriam — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:50:36 PST

Jennifer Hudson brought along her son, David Otunga Jr., as her date to Essence magazine's annual Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon yesterday in LA. Little David dressed up for the event in his adorable vest and tie, while Jennifer continued showing off the hard-earned results of her new workout regimen in a tight purple dress. David and Jennifer are in California again after a quick trip away last week. The meal, which also brought out Viola Davis, Forrest Whitaker, Jesse Williams, and Gabrielle Union, was Jennifer's latest stop during award season. The Oscar winner also hit the Grammys two weeks ago, taking the stage to sing a tribute to Aretha Franklin after wowing in a chic Versace number on the red carpet.

We'll be LIVE from the red carpet on Sunday, so watch here on PopSugar and follow us on Twitter for breaking news and photos. And don't forget we're also giving away a Samsung TV, so be sure to fill out BuzzSugar's ballot for your chance to win!

Movie Preview: Winged Creatures

BuzzSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:30:53 PDT

I watched the trailer for Winged Creatures before I knew the full cast list. I already knew that it included Forrest Whitaker and Jennifer Hudson and was surprised to find a whole slew of other amazing actors involved, including Jackie Earle Haley, Guy Pearce, Kate Beckinsale, and Big Love's Jeanne Tripplehorn. In addition, there's Dakota Fanning as a real, live teenager - not a precocious little kid.

The plot reminds me a little bit of that ill-fated TV show The Nine (which probably should have just been a movie in the first place): "A group of strangers form a unique relationship with each other after surviving a random shooting at a Los Angeles diner."

The whole look and feel of the film is eerie, moving, and quite sad, not unlike the tone of Mystic River (but slightly less dark). There doesn't appear to be a release date yet for Winged Creatures, but I hope it comes out soon. To check out the trailer,

Street Kings: Police Officers Gone Wild

BuzzSugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:00:51 PDT

Street Kings is primarily focused on examining two types of police officers seen in many a film before: the rogue cop who disregards the law in the name of justice and the cop that appears to follow the rules but is deeply corrupt. You would think that in the hands of a talented guy like director David Ayer, who is well-versed in the handling of this kind of gritty material (having written Training Day and directed Harsh Times) this movie would be not only entertaining but also darkly unnerving.

So, was it entertaining? I think for some people the answer is definitely "yes" - the violence is raw and in your face, the story is intriguing, and the smorgasbord of famous male actors makes for a fun ride. Did it make me feel anything? Nope. And that's actually a shame because there was so much there to work with, but instead I left with the sense that everyone involved decided to sit back, tap into their inner nihilist, and get down to killing.

To see what parts I think are fun and what parts are downright silly,

read more. Reeves plays Detective Tom Ludlow, a man who's having a hard time and numbs whatever pain haunts him with a lot of alcohol. He also has zero regard for the "law" part of "law enforcement," and seems to break all the rules those lawyers on Law & Order are always concerned with, lest their cases get thrown out on a technicality. He doesn't necessarily take pleasure in blowing people's brains out once he's determined they're wrong, but he definitely doesn't show restraint either. In other words, the man's a live wire. And this is the guy who ends up being the moral center of a universe full of some very corrupt people. Those people include, well, just about everyone in the film. Once Ludlow begins to yank at a string he's been repeatedly warned against yanking by his boss, the ambitious Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker), it becomes clear that an entire division of L.A.'s finest are dirty. Thus, Ludlow starts heading down a trail into some of L.A.'s harshest neighborhoods and the dens of some extremely bloodthirsty villains. The movie relentlessly strives for realism with each violent act, and bookends each one with the kind of machismo dialogue you can't help but roll your eyes at. Similarly, anytime a character waxes poetic about the nature of good and evil or the seductive influence of power and greed, it's delivered in such oversimplified prose that you might find yourself screaming "No duh!" at the screen. The best parts about the movie are the unexpected and talented performances that pop up, like Hugh Laurie as a salty captain, Cedric the Entertainer who's totally convincing as a thug, and Common who, with the delivery of no more than three lines, perfectly embodies pure evil. If you don't require a little nuance with your bloodbaths, you might have fun. Otherwise it's a frustratingly dumbed-down experience. To see the trailer and more clips from Street Kings, check out movies.ivillage.com. Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight Films

The Great Debaters: Good Story, Not-So-Great Film

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:28:51 PST

Even in a movie as formulaic as The Great Debaters, Denzel Washington manages to create a character who keeps us guessing. The truth-based tale of a debate team at a small Southern black college in 1935 borrows familiar elements from both underdog sports movies and inspirational teacher movies, but Washington's portrayal of the complicated debate coach is anything but clichéd. His performance, combined with equally subtle character renderings from Forest Whitaker and newcomer Nate Parker, makes this predictable movie worth watching.

read more Though its plot devices are very familiar, The Great Debaters, also directed by Denzel, benefits from an inspiring story and a unique premise. It's set in segregation- and Depression-era Texas, when middle-class blacks attended college even as lynching was still a fact of daily life. It is both a hostile and fitting backdrop for a determined team of college debaters: the graceful Samantha (Jurnee Smollett), who aims to be a lawyer; well-read but angry young man Henry (Parker); and the optimistic and overachieving 14-year-old, James Farmer Jr., played by the improbably named Denzel Whitaker (no relation). We get the requisite scenes of Tolson's tough training techniques, as well as a budding romance, family drama, and plenty of impassioned speeches as the Wiley College debaters handily defeat a string of opponents. After a victory over the much larger Fisk, Prof. Tolson sets out to get a match against Harvard, who eventually extends an invitation. Unfortunately, the script isn't as smart as I would have liked it to be; the supposedly brilliant debaters aren't given very poignant lines to work with. But, particularly because the story is based on fact, you can't help but get caught up in the characters' astounding ambition and victory over seemingly impossible adversity. Of course, the phrase "victory over adversity" should suggest that this isn't the most original movie ever, but it's a fitting feel-good drama for the holidays. To see the trailer and more clips from The Great Debaters check out movies.ivillage.com. Source

Awards Season Marches On: the NAACP Image Awards

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST

The Oscars, the Golden Globes, and the Grammys have been doled out to the most deserving talent, but the awards show season isn't over yet. On Friday night, the stars gathered in Los Angeles for the 38th Annual NAACP Image Awards, which honor artists, particularly those of color, across movies, TV, and music.

Many of this year's honorees are well-awarded already, including Jennifer Hudson, "Ugly Betty," and Mary J. Blige. But there were also some pleasant surprises, like The Pursuit of Happyness winning Best Picture, Prince being named Best Male Artist, and Spike Lee being recognized for his excellent Katrina documentary on HBO. To see the list of winners,

read more FILM Motion Picture: The Pursuit of Happyness Actor in a Motion Picture: Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland Actress in a Motion Picture: Keke Palmer, Akeelah and the Bee (left) Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond
Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls (right) Independent or Foreign Film: An Inconvenient Truth Directing in a Feature Film/TV Movie, Comedy or Drama: Spike Lee, Inside Man Writing in a Feature Film/TV Movie, Comedy or Drama: Doug Atchison, Akeelah and the Bee
TELEVISION Comedy Series: "Ugly Betty" (below) Actor in a Comedy Series: Tyler James Williams, "Everybody Hates Chris" Actress in a Comedy Series: Tracee Ellis Ross, "Girlfriends" Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Reggie Hayes, "Girlfriends" Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Vanessa L. Williams, "Ugly Betty" (left) Directing in a Comedy Series: Kenneth Whittingham, "Michael's Birthday," "The Office" Writing in a Comedy Series: Silvio Horta, "Pilot," "Ugly Betty" Drama Series: "Grey's Anatomy" Actor in a Drama Series: Isaiah Washington, "Grey's Anatomy" Actress in a Drama Series: Kimberly Elise, "Close to Home" Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Omar Epps, "House" Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"
Directing in a Dramatic Series: Karen Gaviola, "The Whole Truth," "Lost" Writing in a Dramatic Series: Shonda Rhimes, "It's the End of the World," "Grey's Anatomy" TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special: "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts" Actor in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special: Kadeem Hardison, "Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story" Actress in a TV Movie, Minseries or Dramatic Special: Sophie Okonedo, "Tsunami: The Aftermath" Reality Series: "American Idol" Variety Series or Special: "An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder" (Syndicated) Children's Program: "That's So Raven" Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special: Raven, "That's So Raven" MUSIC New Artist: Corinne Bailey Rae Male Artist: Prince Female Artist: Mary J. Blige Duo or Group: The Roots Jazz Artist: Gladys Knight Album: Dreamgirls Soundtrack NAACP Chairman's Award: Bono
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