Mary J. Blige sings ‘I Can Do Bad All By Myself’
Posted on August 18, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Here’s Mary J. Blige singing the title song from Tyler Perry’s upcoming movie, starring Taraji P. Henson and featuring Blige and Gladys Knight.
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NPR’s Five Ways Movie Governments Should Respond to Aliens
Posted on August 16, 2009 at 3:43 pm
NPR has a very funny list of suggestions for movie governments who must respond to an alien invasion with examples from classics like “Independence Day,” “Cocoon,” “E.T.,” and the original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” All of the ideas are good ones from the point of view of preventing catastrophe. But as writer Linda Holmes knows very well, that’s why they’d be a bad idea for the screenplays. If the government did the wise thing, the movies would be a lot shorter.
Chris Rock on ‘Good Hair’
Posted on August 15, 2009 at 3:58 pm
This new documentary from Chris Rock about the way African-American women think about what makes “good hair” looks terrific.
The ‘Friends’/HSM connection
Posted on August 15, 2009 at 8:00 am
This week, there are new releases in both theaters and on DVD pairing “High School Musical” stars with alumnae from “Friends.” It’s a little disconcerting to see our “Friends” playing parents of teenagers, however. Lisa Kudrow is the mother of the main character who likes Vanessa Hudgens in “Bandslam” and Matthew Perry plays the father of two high school students who is magically transformed into his 17-year-old self, played by Zac Efron. It’s great to see both Kudrow and Perry on screen and their impeccable timing and ability to make an instant connection to the audience is evident in both films. And it is nice to see them passing the baton to such worthy young performers.
Molly Ringwald Remembers John Hughes
Posted on August 12, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Molly Ringwald has a touching tribute to John Hughes in today’s New York Times. While she had not spoken to the very private writer-director for 20 years, she and co-star Anthony Michael Hall spoke on the phone about the way he had influenced and inspired them both.
I still believe that the Hughes films of which both and I were a part (specifically “Sixteen Candles” and “The Breakfast Club”) were the most deeply personal expressions of John’s. In retrospect, I feel that we were sort of avatars for him, acting out the different parts of his life — improving upon it, perhaps. In those movies, he always got the last word. He always got the girl.
Ringwald gave one of the best performances of the 1980’s in “Sixteen Candles” as the girl whose family was so caught up in her sister’s wedding that they forgot her birthday. At a time of life when most people are protective, internal, and very concerned about looking cool, Hughes coaxed her to show her vulnerability but also to create a character who knew who she was. Ringwald writes about how he gave her confidence.
John saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself. He had complete confidence in me as an actor, which was an extraordinary and heady sensation for anyone, let alone a 16-year-old girl. I did some of my best work with him. How could I not? He continually told me that I was the best, and because of my undying respect for him and his judgment, how could I have not believed him?
Thanks to Laine Kaplowitz for bringing this to my attention.