Durante 1994 tuvo lugar el genocidio de Ruanda, uno de los hechos de barbarie más significativos desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial y uno de los más vergonzosos episodios para una comunidad internacional más preocupada por salvaguardar sus propios intereses que por impedir la muerte del millón largo de personas (de etnia tutsi, pero también hutus moderados) que perdió la vida en aquellos trágicos días, o limitar la extensión posterior del conflicto a países vecinos como Burundi o Zaire (hoy de nuevo Congo), que no escatimaron medios en añadir víctimas a la cuenta de resultados a la que occidente contribuyó con su incapacidad o falta de voluntad, según el caso, para atajar una situación que se les fue de las manos, una responsabilidad que es doble en este caso y que se remonta a los días en que Congo, Ruanda y Burundi eran gestionados por la cruel e inhumana administración colonial belga, inventora de unas etnias que no existían con el fin de crear una estructura "burguesa" o "aristocrática" a la que inundar de comodidades y bienes materiales que la ayudara a dominar al resto de la población en un territorio tan extenso. De este modo, y teniendo en cuenta un dato tan objetivo como era el número de vacas que cada familia tenía en propiedad, el gobierno belga, uno de los más criminales de la Historia en su aventura colonial africana, dividió poblaciones que siempre habían convivido, amigos, familias e incluso matrimonios en etnias diferentes repartiendo un denominado "carnet étnico" que decía si uno era hutu o tutsi (así se crean esas naciones en las que muchas personas en occidente dicen creer como en dogmas de fe y que han defendido, y en algunos casos defienden aún hoy, con la guerra y la violencia, un acto arbitrario, una categorización de seres humanos cuyo último criterio a aplicar es precisamente la Humanidad, poniendo por delante cuestiones raciales, étnicas, lingüísticas, religiosas o culturales).

Esta producción sudafricana dirigida por Terry George aborda un hecho real en el marco del genocidio ruandés. El responsable de un hotel (magnífico Don Cheadle en un derroche interpretativo lleno de matices), impulsado por su deseo de proteger a su propia familia de los excesos violentos que recorrían el país de parte a parte, fue acogiendo en las reducidas dimensiones del edificio y sus instalaciones anexas primero a las familias de los empleados, luego a los amigos, y finalmente a todo aquel que, sin que importara lo más mínimo si se trataba de hutus o tutsis, huyera de la guerra y la muerte. La película retrata aquellos hechos de manera convincente, con una muy creíble recomposición de los sucesos tanto estética como narrativa, y sin caer en efectismos permite trasladar al espectador la zozobra, la incertidumbre, la angustia y el clima de violencia incontenible que como una ola arrasó con todo. A partir de ahí, la película, centralizando la narración en las difíciles circunstancias del encierro (constantes amenazas de asalto, suministro de provisiones y víveres, cuestiones de higiene y hacinamiento, la fragilidad de la resistencia emocional, etc.) retrata de forma verosímil el clima imperante en el país, los motivos profundos del estallido violento, el odio racial, las matanzas, la atmósfera opresiva de la caza sistemática del hombre, mujer o niño, y también el papel de la comunidad internacional (sobre todo encarnada en el papel del militar canadiense de los cascos azules interpretado por Nick Nolte, prisionero de la burocracia por un lado y de los intereses de países poderosos que limitaron el papel de la ONU de forma letal para cientos de miles de personas, y en el del fotógrafo que interpreta Joaquin Phoenix, el bienintencionado occidental que vive aterrorizado en un infierno de barbarie y carga contra la miseria moral de un occidente que lo permite e incluso lo alienta). Ése quizá sea el talón de aquiles de la película, los límites políticamente correctos (para occidente) del ejercicio divulgativo que supone el film sobre el genocidio ruandés. Porque la película, no sólo omite el surgimiento arbitrario y absurdo de una división étnica impuesta por los colonizadores europeos, sino que también pasa por encima de los intereses de potencias como Estados Unidos y Francia por su rivalidad económica en la zona de los Grandes Lagos africanos. Lejos de ser una guerra tribal, el conflicto tenía poderosas connotaciones económicas, comerciales y de gestión de influencias geopolíticas en las que Francia y Estados Unidos mantenían posiciones enfrentadas y que provocaron que el conflicto llegara a extremos de insólita crueldad (inolvidables imágenes las de las muertes a machetazos o los incendios de edificios con gente dentro) sin que la comunidad internacional enviara tropas que contuvieran las masacres y sin que la ONU, paralizada por su propia inutilidad cuando de enfrentarse a los poderosos se trata, pudiera hacer algo más que gritar en el desierto.

Brillante, emotiva, verosímil, la película nos acerca una historia que contada de cualquier otro modo supondría una dosis inadmisible de barbarie y crueldad, centrándose en un aspecto humano que contrasta con el ambiente primario de violencia sin freno que primó en el conflicto. Aunque la cinta bordea la estética televisiva, de forma que tenemos muy presentes los reportajes de los informativos (lo cual puede restarle, aunque parezca contraproducente, intensidad en su impacto en el espectador), la recreación de los hechos resulta convincente a pesar de algunos cabos sueltos y la falta de concreción acerca del papel internacional en los acontecimientos. Por otro lado, las interpretaciones son magníficas y en algunos casos, como sucede con la actriz protagonista (Sophie Okonedo), sus expresiones y actitudes resultan tan desarmantes como la actitud irracionalmente violenta de la mayoría de los cazadores de hombres que pululan por la ciudad buscando a quien matar, o como las crueles y venenosas arengas que desde la radio alentaban a continuar con la sangría.

Una película que nos lleva además a reflexionar acerca del concepto de colonialismo, neocolonialismo y democracia, nos hace preguntarnos si realmente la descolonización existió o se mantiene hoy, y sobre la idea que en occidente tenemos de lo que sucede en África. La descolonización política no fue acompañada de una descolonización económica, que las elites de los nuevos países, impuestas por o conniventes con el antiguo poder colonial, siguieron manteniendo en beneficio propio y de las multinacionales occidentales. Las políticas de occidente en África vienen impuestas por los intereses de sus empresas, y de hecho, son las que realmente sustentan los avances económicos y políticos en esos territorios o bien los cortan de raíz. No hay régimen dictatorial en África que no venga impuesto por un determinado interés occidental, de igual modo que no ha habido un movimiento regeneracionista en cualquier país africano que no haya venido seguido de represión, muertes y guerras civiles en las que los causantes no hayan sido dictadores africanos mantenidos en el poder por países occidentales, cuyos intereses salvaguardan. A esta corriente responde la irrupción de China en el mapa geoestratégico africano, un país que a cambio de petróleo ofrece asistencia tecnológica sin hacer preguntas en cuanto al nivel de respeto de los derechos humanos, y que se ha ido introduciendo en muchos casos como socio preferente.

Pero no sólo occidente es culpable y los africanos son unas pobres vícitimas. También éstos tienen su responsabilidad. Las clases dirigentes criadas a la luz del colonialismo o las elites revolucionarias corrompidas tras su llegada al poder hacen que se amasen inimaginables fortunas en manos de políticos corruptos y dictadores criminales: ahí están los negocios inmobiliarios de Obiang en Estados Unidos, las multimillonarias cuentas de Mobutu en Suiza, la extrema riqueza de Robert Mugabe en Zimbabwe, o por ejemplo, los cinco mil millones de dólares que llegó a amasar en tan sólo cinco años en el poder el antiguo dictador de Nigeria, fallecido, curiosamente, por sobredosis de viagra. Criaturas mantenidas y cebadas por occidente, pero consentidas por un poder militar y político que aspira a llevarse las migajas, mientras el destino de los ciudadanos es servir de carnaza o de brazo criminal cuando cambia el juego de intereses de occidente en África, un continente que, en su mayor parte, sigue siendo una colonia y al que nadie interesa ayudar, sólo a los ciudadanos bienintencionados de occidente que desconocen lo que sus gobiernos o las empresas que producen las marcas de los bienes de consumo que compran, hacen en África. Como decía un titular de un diario de Tanzania: "las ayudas al desarrollo de África es dinero que entregan los pobres de los países ricos a los ricos de los países pobres".

It begins:

Don Cheadle received no help from Miles Davis' family while researching his role as the jazz man - because no one had any recollections about the music icon's secret life.

It's a year later, and I have no idea what's going on internally with the project, but I do know that Vince Wilburn Jr., Davis' nephew and part of Miles Davis Properties, is on board as a producer, so there must be 'help' on some level.

It's an interesting angle when you think about what source material the writers and Cheadle are drawing from in crafting the film. There are numerous biographies and the infamous autobiography, plus countless interviews and features, but I'm sure access to family and friends is essential to the overall goal in piecing together Davis' life.

The Hotel Rwanda star felt sure recollections from Davis' family members would help him master the essence of the legend but Cheadle discovered he knew more about his subject than they did. He says, "I asked them about parts of his life and they don't have any idea. They don't know what was going on. "Miles Davis lived in a house on the Upper West Side in New York - in this converted church - for five years and they said, `There were days when we'd come to see him and he wouldn't let us in.'

"I ended up with the soup of the person and who that person was spiritually... What his wife said, what his ex-wife said, what his girlfriend says, the nephew says, the son says, there are all these different perspectives on this one person."

Okay, so based on this story it appears Cheadle wasn't able to discover a similar theme from one persons' recollections to the next, rather a continuum of jumbled memories.

It’s a difficult road in trying to understand the essence of Miles Davis? That sounds about right…

The report closes with this:

And when Cheadle turned to Davis interviews to help his research he didn't find a lot of help there either. He adds, "He'd tell a long story and the guy said, `That's amazing. Did that really happen?' and he'd say, `I don't f**kin' know.'"

There's no byline attached to the story, and I don't know the specifics of where Cheadle made these remarks, but it's interesting nevertheless.

But that was a year ago. Where are we now?

I haven't seen trouble brewing for the production in the press, so one would believe we're still full steam ahead. I can only assume Cheadle has spent sunnier days researching Davis.

Although I have no doubt it has been an arduous task.

I would love to know how Cheadle has been/is preparing for the role; I can only imagine reading everything he could find, studying video and working hard to connect with those who knew him best.

Let’s face it: Miles Davis is just the kind of character any actor would kill to dive into; a role filled with conflict and talent, passion and pain, warmth and toughness…. He has it all!

I’m not here to say the ‘role’ of Miles Davis is going to jump up the Great List next to the likes of Hamlet, or any number of Mamet characters, but I believe portraying the iconic jazz trumpeter is an assignment that demands the very best an actor has to give – and in doing so will add a new chapter to the book of classic film performances.

This might work better if we were discussing a Miles Davis play in the works, but the sentiment remains that playing Miles Davis might become one of those performances that not only movie fans and Davis fans rave about, but also one that's studied in drama classes for years to come.

Silverman presented I'm F***ing Matt Damon to Kimmel as a gift in honor of Jimmy Kimmel Live's 5th anniversary (it was originally meant to be aired in November 2007 during Kimmel's birthday show, which never happened due to the WGA strike), and uploads of the video quickly appeared on YouTube in a Lazy Sunday-esque wave.

The choice of partners is deliberate, as Jimmy Kimmel has a long-standing joke feud with Matt Damon (culminating in a rage-filled appearance in September 2006), but who knew that Matt Damon could not only rap, but bust out some 90s-dance-crew moves?

And who knew that Kimmel would raise the bar so dramatically with a follow-up featuring Damon BFF Ben Affleck? I'm F***ing Ben Affleck may start off like a cheap rip-off, but soon afterwards ups the ante, both in an artistic and cast sense: the quasi-official YouTube upload lists Robin Williams, Don Cheadle, Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, Rebecca Romijn, Benji Madden, Joel Madden, Dicky Barrett, Christopher Mintz-Plasse a.k.a. Mclovin, Lance Bass, Dominic Monaghan, Meatloaf, Pete Wentz, Joan Jett, Huey Lewis, Perry Farrell, Macy Gray and Josh Groban. Sure, there are no butterflies. But there is a "We Are The World"-esque chorus and Harrison Ford in a convertible. Advantage: Kimmel.

Of course, Silverman and Kimmel didn't work together on these shorts -- both were directed by Wayne McClammy, a Jimmy Kimmel Live segment director who's parlayed his success into exciting directing gigs. But the established nature of their relationship in the public eye is what gives these pieces the additional kick. What makes "I'm F***ing Matt Damon/Ben Affleck" so much fun is that the humor of the pieces reflect that stage in a romance when all the insecurity is gone, when both partners are so comfortable with each other that they can make these sorts of tasteless jokes. Now that they've broken up, it's just a little sad, to think of the people they are now, um, f***ing.

But maybe there's a chance they got together for one last breakup music video. Everyone knows those are always the best.

It’s no big secret that a film version on the life of Miles Davis has been around the Hollywood track many times, with a rotating cast of producers, actors and writers involved, attempting to get the project off the ground.

Back in the late ‘90s it looked as if the project was about to hit full steam as word hit the street that Wesley Snipes was (finally) going to play the Prince of Darkness.

Here’s an excerpt from the November 1997 issue of Ebony Magazine:

Awesome on another level will be Snipes' portrayal of the troubled jazz master Miles Davis. "Nobody else has the gall to even try to make it," he says of his company's commitment, adding that he's been doing research on why many talented artists resort to some type of abuse and "what drives a person who is considered genius off the wall.

I used the word ‘finally’ above regarding the film because I found this snippet from a November 1993 issue of Jet Magazine:

Hot actor Wesley Snipes, who is thrilling audiences as a blond villain in Demolition Man, is set to bring to the big screen the life story of legendary jazz artist Miles Davis. Snipes is co-producing the project as well as starring in it, a spokesman told Jet. It is just getting underway and won't be released until sometime in 1994.

"Demolition Man"! Are you kidding me?!

In November of 2006 Stereogum chimed in on the status of what was then dueling Miles Davis film projects; one based on author Quincy Troupe’s book Miles and Me, and the other with the blessing of the Miles Davis estate. This is when Don Cheadle’s name was beginning to get mentioned with the film.

Stereogum was kind of enough to include photos of Snipes and Davis buffering the jazz icon.

I like Wesley Snipes. The guy has been in a lot of movies – and many are very entertaining.

I thought he was great in the back-to-back Spike Lee movies; as saxophonist Shadow Henderson in “Mo Better Blues” (1990) and as architect Flipper Purify in “Jungle Fever” (’91).

“One Night Stand” was pretty good. “Blade” was cool. He was Willie Mays Hayes in “Major League” for crying out loud. And who can't say they didn't enjoy his Nino Brown in "New Jack City"?

But I just don’t see him as Miles Davis. Maybe I’m so comfortable with Cheadle in the lead role that the thought of another actor feels odd.

Yes, it has taken a long time for the life of Miles Davis to make it to the big screen, but maybe that’s the way it should be – lots of twists and turns. Much like the life of Miles Davis.

Just how close we came to a Miles Davis biopic starring Wesley Snipes I am not privy to knowing, but I can imagine there would be stark differences between that version and what Cheadle and company have in store.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the Snipes project would have been cinema gold. We’ll never know.

But it’s interesting to think about just how close we were to having the guy who played Noxeema Jackson in “To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar” playing the role of jazz legend Miles Davis in the film version of his life.

That’s entertainment!

Love Reign Over Me!

First Showing has the new trailer up today.

The film opens August 29th.

1) The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins, the excellent re-imagining of the Batman series. A lot has been made of this movie because of Heath Ledger's death earlier this year -- Ledger plays the Joker, and from what I understand he nailed the part. Some have even talked about a postumous Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Maybe it's sentimentality that stoked those flames, but from the trailers it sounds legit.

2) Burn After Reading, the next Coen brothers flick, returns the brothers to their usual schtick. No Country for Old Men was great, as was Blood Simple and even Fargo, but I've always been a bigger fan of their comedies: Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski and this one, which is set to be released in September.

3) Traitor. Don Cheadle has always selected interesting movies -- Crash, Hotel Rwanda, Traffic and Talk to Me -- and this one looks to be another great one. A political thriller about an agent who goes undercover to join a terrorist group and is forced to kill people and blow things up. But is he really being forced?

4) Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. I didn't really like the first Hellboy movie, but I enjoyed what few of the Hellboy comics that I read so much and I have grown to like the director (Guilermo del Toro, who has been tapped to direct the upcoming Hobbit movie and previously directed the fantastic and freaky Pan's Labryinth) that I'm willing to give this one a chance. I'm hopeful that del Toro's newfound success in the United States will push this sequel into "excellent" territory.

5) Choke. I love the writings of Chuck Palahniuk, the Portland author who wrote Fight Club among other great (and disturbing) books. Choke is the second of his books to be turned into a movie, and get this: Sam Rockwell plays the lead. Excellent! I would be elated if they can pull this off because this book is one of my favorites.

So what movies are you excited about this summer/early fall? Leave me a comment below.

Prior to Poitier's breakout role in 1950, the history of African-Americans in the motion picture industry has been checkered at best. Reflective of the attitudes of a largely racist nation, Black actors and filmmakers had been relegated to second-class citizenry. 35 years early, D.W. Grifith's racist manifesto, "Birth of a Nation" had become a cultural phenomenon even counting the sitting President, Woodrow Wilson as a fan.

While several moguls moved from east and created Hollywood, lone filmmaker and visionary Oscar Michauex was one of a few filmmakers that had the resources (barely) and imagination to tell our stories. Early Black actors struggled initially making the transition from silent to talking pictures and then dealing with a limited amount of roles which found them as butlers, servants, labor and criminals. Early stars such as Paul Robeson, Lena Horne, Lincoln Perry (Stephit Fetchit), Herb Jeffries, Nina McKinney, Spencer Williams, Mantan Moreland, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson found that because of the racism that existed in the South that their work could easily be cut out of films and then reinserted when their films played in the North.

Against all odds and in a matter that was unprecedented came Poitier. Possessing dashingly handsome looks, steely intensity and a deep-inner fire to succeed. Armed with that it took a leap of faith by studio chief Darryl Zanuck and director Joseph Mankiewicz to cast Poitier in the lead of the 1950 film "No Way Out." Poitier's searing feature film debut told the story of a doctor tending to slum residents whose ethics are put to the test when confronted with blind racism. Possessing a rare sense of "watchability," Poitier would forever shatter the myth that a Black actor couldn't be a leading man in Hollywood by becoming the first "above the title" Black movie star.

By the close of the decade, it was apparent that Poitier was on his way to being a major film star. He received either BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) or Golden Globe Award nominations for three of his films, "Edge of the City," "The Defiants Ones" and "Porgy and Bess." After two more nominations for "A Raisin in the Sun," Poitier made history becoming the first Black man to win Best Actor for his performance as a handyman in "Lillies of the Field."

Sidney Poitier's Best Actor Oscar Acceptance Speech, 1964

With universal respect from his fears, Poitier was fearless breaking one barrier after the next. He released three landmark films in 1967, "To Sir With Love," "In the Heat of the Night" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," and was snubbed for any major awards. His reward was being named the "Top Box Office Star" for that year.

His clean cut image became passé for many younger filmgoers who were turned off his association with the "old guard" of the industry. After several more high-profile studio movies, Poitier turned his attention to directing. He made his debut also starring in the Western, "Buck and Preacher." Teaming with Bill Cosby, Poitier co-starred in three films, "Uptown Saturday Night," "Let's Do It Again" and "A Piece of the Action." In 1980, he directed Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder in the comedy, "Stir Crazy." The film grossed $101 million making Poitier the first black director to ever accomplish that feat.

While this trailblazer's star was on the decline, the torch would be passed to another young actor who possessed many of the same traits that Poitier had in his youth. This actor would build on Poitier's legacy and take it to heights never afforded to him. In a more open society, Denzel Washington has eclipsed Poitier as the most highly decorated Black actor in Hollywood history. A five-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner, Washington should have FOUR Oscars, but that's another story for another day.

Sidney Poitier Salutes Denzel Washington on His Oscar Win

Meanwhile the impact of Poitier's career was not just that he opened the door but that now a need breed of actors including Will Smith, Forest Whitaker, Don Cheadle, Djimon Hounsou, Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Jamie Foxx and Washington have carved significant niches within the fabric of the Hollywood fimmaking community establishing their own legacies.

It was fitting at the 2002 Oscars that not only would Poitier receive an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievment that both Halle Berry and Washington would take home Best Actress and Actor on the same night. Poitier said it best that Washington's remarks were "the culmination of his career."

One of the charter members of the "O-Unit" (The Oscar Unit), Poitier's impact was so great that to measure his career you have to think of B.S (Before Sidney) and A.S. (After Sidney). For many actors of color today, Black, Hispanic and Asian, they enjoy relative success in Hollywood. While we still have a lot of work today, we need to take time to reflect on one of the true cinematic giants, Sidney Poitier, who dreamed a dream of a better tomorrow that not only came true but will continue to benefit all of us through the end of time - and that surely is no B.S.!

Sidney Poitier Accepting His Honorary Oscar, 2002

Once upon a time, Jennifer Lopez was a well-respected actress who actually starred in pretty decent films. Ten years ago, she team with George Clooney, Ving Rhames and Don Cheadle for the Oscar-nominated story, "Out of Sight."

The story revolves around the relationship between a career bank robber, Jack Foley (Clooney), and a U.S. Marshal, Karen Sisco (Lopez). They are forced to share her car trunk during Foley's escape from a Florida prison. After he completes his getaway, Sisco chases Foley while he and his friends - his right-hand man, Buddy (Rhames) and Glenn (Steve Zahn) - work their way north to Bloomfield Hills, a wealthy northern suburb of Detroit. There they plan to pay a visit to shady businessman Ripley (Albert Brooks), who foolishly bragged to them years before about a diamond stash at his mansion. But a vicious criminal (Cheadle) who also spent time in jail with Jack and Ripley, is planning on hitting up Ripley's mansion with his crew as well. The question of whether Sisco is really pursuing Foley to arrest him or for love adds to "the fun" Foley claims they are having.

Featuring a cameo from Samuel L. Jackson, "Out of Sight" actually marked an important turning point for Clooney. Prior to this film, he mostly appeared in films that did little to accentuate his cool, old-style Hollywood persona. After the release of this film, he partnered with the film's director Steven Soderbergh and as they say is history. One decade later and several Oceans' film, Clooney has transformed into an Oscar-winning actor who has all of the clout and privledges that the A-List allows.

Meanwhile, Lopez's acting career started a downward spiral with plenty of suspect film choice, largely because of her ego and money, that have her virtually non-existent in Hollywood. She also starred in one of the worst films of the decade, the pitiful "Gigli," that partly was responsible for her slide - and effectively ended her relationship to Oscar-winner Ben Affleck.

Cheadle also fared well solidifying his place as one of the industry's most consistent talents. As a member of the unofficial updated "Rat Pack," he and Clooney (as well as Brad Pitt and Matt Damon) have appeared in the updated "Oceans'" franchise. Nominated for an Oscar for "Hotel Rwanda," Cheadle along with his famous friends has taken up political and social causes.

For all parties concerned, "Out of Sight" really is a fitting title because it aptly explains the career fortunes of several members of this talented cast.

Earlier this week, Don Cheadle was saluted at the Spirit of Independence Awards. While many wonderful things were said about the Oscar-nominated actor, the best came from his friend, Halle Berry.

The critically acclaimed actor received the award complete with a tribute from Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry.

In addition to heaping praise on her colleague, whom she also calls her friend, Berry shared some personal tidbits about the Ocean's Eleven actor, including jokes about his fabled foot size.

"The ladies might understand why I was curious about this one. I said, 'Bridget (Cheadle's wife), what size shoe does Don wear?' And she said, 'He wears a 9.' And I said, 'Oh, for a little guy that's a big deal that he wears a 9.'"

"Ladies might want to know how Don Che Che keeps his sexy figure – 'cause he's hot, he's kinda got a sexy thing going on. He does Tai Chi every morning, or every other morning."

Berry concluded by saying, "Don, I want you to know that I admire you, I respect you. Your heart is one of the biggest of anybody, not only in this town, but anybody that I know and I'm honored to call you my friend."

Damn, Don only a nine? We guess you got to work with what the good lord gives you!

It's a good interview, and when they get around to discussing the movie Wilburn Jr. seems pretty upbeat – especially about Don Cheadle in the lead role.

Wilburn Jr.: "I specifically wanted Don for the role. I had seen him act in the movie "Rush Hour" and I liked his bone structure and the way he was slim like Miles. I couldn't get him out of my head for the
role of Miles."

But the part I found most enlightening from the Q&A was learning that Cheadle has (had) been attending trumpet school, and according to Wilburn, "…learning the instrument to master his role."

He remarked that, "Don is at the eleventh grade on the trumpet," so I can only assume that by now Cheadle has made it through twelfth grade and graduated with trumpet honors.

This interview is more than a year old, so we're not sure if Cheadle went on to Trumpet College for further study of the craft. Either way, I applaud the dedication in tackling the role of Miles Davis.

He has to become Miles Davis, and playing the trumpet – even they way he holds the damn thing! – is a vital part of the puzzle.

As I've said before, I think the musical performances in the biopic are essential and might be the moments that give the film its 'wow' factor.

When I think of the movie "Ray," a film I admire very much, what springs to mind are the scenes when Jamie Foxx, as Ray Charles, is performing; be it in a smoky club, or in front of thousands, it's the scenes where Ray performs those classic songs I always gravitate to first.

I'd say the same thing holds true, for me, with films like "Walk the Line," "The Buddy Holly Story" and "The Doors," to cite a few.

Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles doing "Hit the Road Jack" is an example of this excitement. I'd like to think there will be numerous musical sequences in the biopic that are going to knock the audience for a loop, really bring to life the magic of Miles Davis, courtesy of the talented Mr. Cheadle.

Some might argue that a jazz song being performed by a group, not just as lovely background music to a scene, even a classic, may not translate well to the big screen - unlike any of the musical performances in "Ray," which felt like a perfect fit.

I say phooey. Nonsense! It will look and feel and sound just fine. It's Miles Davis!

When the audience sees Don Cheadle playing the horn in the role of Miles Davis -- it's going to bring down the house and get everyone...jazzed!

I am confident Cheadle is going to deliver a complete and memorable performance, but I have a good feeling it will be the scenes when he's playing the trumpet - as Miles Davis - where the actor's talent will shine the brightest.

What? It's a legitimate question. It's a classic image of Miles Davis. Everywhere you look there's the unforgettable shot of Miles, leg slung over the folding chair, cigarette in hand – contemplating Lord knows what…

If anyone knows the origins of the photo please chime in as I'd like to know. It must be from some recording session. Kind of Blue?

Regardless, it's a classic shot of the master. Which makes me wonder how Cheadle is preparing to become the 'character' that is Miles Davis.

I'm always fascinated with actors who portray real people, which I imagine is a bit tougher than a fictional character where they are free to add as much depth and style (or lack thereof) to the role as they please.

Some of the finest film roles have been of actors playing a real person – famous, infamous, celebrated, notorious, etc… etc…

I think of George C. Scott in "Patton," Jamie Foxx in "Ray," Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig in "Pride of the Yankees" and Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta in "Raging Bull."

The list goes on and on.

And so it pleases me that Miles Davis will finally get the big screen treatment, and that Don Cheadle will be the actor forever associated with what is no doubt a career-defining role.

It's going to be challenging enough for Don Cheadle to transform into the mind, body and soul of one of the most important figures in jazz music history... let alone direct the movie.

But I have always felt good about Cheadle as not only the star, but also the director. He's producing as well, to complete the talent/stress tri-fecta.

That he wants to star and direct tells me he has a vision, a passion for the subject and all its nuances. He could easily just have shepherded the project as producer and star, but he clearly knows what he wants by placing himself into the directors' chair. I consider this a good sign.

I think we can all be comfortable with Cheadle's skill as an actor and his approach to the role of Miles Davis, but the biopic will mark his directorial debut. Does this cause anyone to worry?

Like I said, I feel good about Cheadle in the big chair, steering the film from start to finish – but it's always makes for good conversation to think about what if…

So I'd like to throw out this query, which I ask under the assumption we're all confident Cheadle will do a superb job:

Which director (besides Don Cheadle) would you most like to see direct the Miles Davis biopic?

This is meant as a fun exercise in conjecture because there are so many wonderful directors on the scene, each of whom would bring their respective 'style' to the endeavor.

It's funny because once I think of a director, let's say, Michael Mann, I automatically visualize some of his work and quickly try to imagine how that would translate to a Miles Davis movie.

It's not as if Cheadle has directed 10 other films, so we have nothing to analyze. So perhaps going into the film with no preconceived notions about the director might work out as anadvantage.

We all have our own hopes for how the movie will look and feel, but it will be Cheadle making the final decisions, choosing what direction to take the audience, creating the visual and emotional foundation for which to build his story of the great Miles Davis.

I close my eyes and think about various scenes that might work in the movie. I think about the costumes and set design. Who is going to be the cinematographer?

Or how about the opening credits sequence? That's an art form right there. Speaking of amazing title sequences, I highly recommend checking out Art of the Title, which spotlights some of the very best examples of opening sequences and end titles in TV and film history. It's a cool site, and trust me when I say you'll be looking at a lot of footage.

So, directors. How about Spike Lee?

Did he ever seem like an obvious choice; having already directed "Mo Better Blues" and the amazing biopic of Malcolm X. I like Lee's work - not everything is great, but he has made some terrific movies. He's shown he can vary his style from cool indie ("She's Gotta Have It") to mainstream Hollywood ("Inside Man"), so I'd be curious to see how he'd handle another biopic such as this.

I'd be most interested to see how he'd shoot the performance scenes, which I think are crucial to the heart of the film. When the movie is about a performer, the scenes when they're 'performing' have to knock you for a loop. Even if it's Miles playing a ballad, the 'wow' factor must be dialed up.

I think about Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson. How might they tell the story of Miles Davis? Would Spike Jonze just go too quirky for the subject matter? Maybe he'd be good for a film about Thelonious Monk.

Is Ridley Scott too "Blade Runner" and "Gladiator" for a subject like Miles Davis?

I arrive back to Michael Mann; that scene from "Collateral" in the jazz club. He'd be at the top of my list, I think. He appears to me as someone who gets it.

I could go on and on about different directors, but I'm still quite confident that Cheadle is bursting with ideas for the biopic, ready to produce something special -- for fans of Miles Davis and just fans of good movies....

From the very start, when Don Cheadle was announced as the actor to portray Miles Davis (as well as its director) in the biopic, I have been on board with my support.

Let's face it: this is a big deal for fans of Miles Davis who have been waiting for a big screen movie bio about the jazz legend. With recent films like "Walk the Line" and "Ray" becoming huge hits, in theaters and with critics, biopics are big business these days, so I'm sure plenty of movie lovers (as well as the critics) will be intrigued by this movie about such a fascinating figure that's part of our entertainment and cultural history.

I'm sure the idea for a film has been discussed for ages, but now it's happening and Don Cheadle is going to be the actor to make Miles come to life.

As a fan of Cheadle, particularly for roles in "Devil in a Blue Dress," "Out of Sight" and "Traffic," I have a feeling he will do the jazz legend justice in portraying his many moods, his many levels of genius. From afar it seems like a tough role to pin down – but that's why some of these actors get paid the big bucks.

Jamie Foxx did a wonderful job as Ray Charles, and I can’t imagine those were easy shoes to slip into for the cameras.

At this moment I cannot think of an actor, not accounting for some multi-talented newcomer who might be perfect for the part but only casting directors know about, who would be a better fit to play the role of Miles Davis.

So I ask: Is Don Cheadle the best actor for the role, or did you have someone else in mind?

I'm anxious to see how Cheadle handles the performance sequences, as a director and actor, wondering how he intends to capture the subtlety and style of Miles Davis performing on stage.

I would love to know how Cheadle plans to 'come after' the story –

Where will he begin the narrative?
What kind of tone?
What are the central themes?
What segments of Davis' career (be-bop, modal, fusion) will get the most attention?
Who is going to play John Coltrane?!

There doesn't seem to be a lot of news out there regarding the production, but I'll keep my eyes open. I have high expectations for what could be a fantastic movie experience.

I think it's a tall order to make a Miles Davis biopic 'work,' but I feel good about Cheadle and this cinematic endeavor he has chosen – it's sure to be something special.

The only thing worse than watching Don Cheadle swap Hotel Rwanda for this, is knowing that Lisa Kudrow seems to know that her career is circling the drain, but she still signs on for crap like this. Somebody has to pay for all that eye makeup, and her Friends are here to help her now.

I finaly got reign over me I'vealready seen it befor but the movie is sooo good I had to watch it again. In my opinion it's the best movie I've seen to date. It's funny in parts where it needs to be, and then really serious in all the other parts. With the way they did things it really evened out pretty good ^_^

Reign over me is about a 911 widower Charlie Fineman (Adam sandler) and his friend, the main character, Alan Johnson (Don cheadle) .

Driving home from work Don spots Adam walking out of a paint store. He gets out of the car and starts to call after him, but with his headphones on Adam doesn't here him. The next day Don sees Adam again, and this time catches up to him. They hang out have some fun, some serious moments when Don asked about Adams life, but thas really the middle. In the end Adam is being more outgoing and he has and can now talk about what happend to his family and it ends pretty well.

The story is really just about how a friendship can help anyone out in the end. Even if someone doesn't want it to ^_^

For a better explination go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reign_Over_Me

If you are an Adam sandler fan this will not disapoint

What? It's a legitimate question. It's a classic image of Miles Davis. Everywhere you look there's the unforgettable shot of Miles, leg slung over the folding chair, cigarette in hand – contemplating Lord knows what…

If anyone knows the origins of the photo please chime in as I'd like to know. It must be from some recording session. Kind of Blue?

Regardless, it's a classic shot of the master. Which makes me wonder how Cheadle is preparing to become the 'character' that is Miles Davis.

I'm always fascinated with actors who portray real people, which I imagine is a bit tougher than a fictional character where they are free to add as much depth and style (or lack thereof) to the role as they please.

Some of the finest film roles have been of actors playing a real person – famous, infamous, celebrated, notorious, etc… etc…

I think of George C. Scott in "Patton," Jamie Foxx in "Ray," Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig in "Pride of the Yankees" and Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta in "Raging Bull."

The list goes on and on.

And so it pleases me that Miles Davis will finally get the big screen treatment, and that Don Cheadle will be the actor forever associated with what is no doubt a career-defining role.

At the peak of my television obsession (high school when I would record and keep episodes of various shows on VHS), I remember when I would wake up at 5 in the morning to watch the live feed on E! of the announcement of the Emmy nominations. Sadly, time passed and since premium cable never existed in my life and the popularity of TV shows on DVD was still something of the future, watching nominee after nominee from The Sopranos or Six Feet Under didn't mean anything to me.

However, in most recent years, proven with today's nomination list for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, major network and basic cable television shows are making their marks as places to find good television. HBO-style gratuitous sex, bloody murder, and f-bombs are out, cute piemakers are in. Well, perhaps the sex and murder aren't completely out (re: Cagney of Cagney and Lacey's guest starring role as the obsessed agent/teddy bear maker on Nip/Tuck).

Highlights of This Year's Nominations

Complete List of This Year's Nominations

Since all the nominations for Mad Men and 30 Rock are a given, I'd like to congratulate and highlight some of the surprises:

Lee Pace, Kristen Chenoweth, and Costume Designers Mary Vogt and Stephanie Fox-Kramer for Pushing Daisies - Ms. Vogt and Fox-Kramer, you two deserve that Emmy. I have never wanted a television character's wardrobe more than Anna Friel's.

Amy Poehler for Saturday Night Live - I don't even remember when someone was ever nominated for an emmy for their cast role on the sketch show

Sharon Gless on Nip/Tuck - You scared the beejeezus out of me.

Christina Applegate for Samantha Who? - Yay for first season nominees. You made me actually not hate the guy from 7th Heaven and Jennifer Esposito.

The nominees for lead actress in a miniseries or movie - the lineup looks better than the best actress nominees for the Oscars

And the nominees for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics - Flight of the Conchords' "The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room)" and "Inner City Pressure" plus Jimmy Kimmel Live's "I'm Fucking Matt Damon"

Flight of the Conchords - Inner City Pressure

[audio http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/20/1967807/02-flight_of_the_conchords-inner_city_pressure.mp3]

Flight of the Conchords - The Most Beautiful Girl (in the room)

[audio http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/20/1967807/12-flight_of_the_conchords-the_most_beautiful_girl_%28in_the_room%29.mp3]

Sarah Silverman - I'm Fucking Matt Damon

]]> http://milesdavis.wordpress.com/?p=153 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:18:25 +0000 jhyatt http://milesdavis.wordpress.com/?p=153 While researching the forthcoming Miles Davis biopic last night I found a short, news item on contactmusic.com from June of last year.

It begins:

Don Cheadle received no help from Miles Davis' family while researching his role as the jazz man - because no one had any recollections about the music icon's secret life.

It's a year later, and I have no idea what's going on internally with the project, but I do know that Vince Wilburn Jr., Davis' nephew and part of Miles Davis Properties, is on board as a producer, so there must be 'help' on some level.

It's an interesting angle when you think about what source material the writers and Cheadle are drawing from in crafting the film. There are numerous biographies and the infamous autobiography, plus countless interviews and features, but I'm sure access to family and friends is essential to the overall goal in piecing together Davis' life.

The Hotel Rwanda star felt sure recollections from Davis' family members would help him master the essence of the legend but Cheadle discovered he knew more about his subject than they did. He says, "I asked them about parts of his life and they don't have any idea. They don't know what was going on. "Miles Davis lived in a house on the Upper West Side in New York - in this converted church - for five years and they said, `There were days when we'd come to see him and he wouldn't let us in.'

"I ended up with the soup of the person and who that person was spiritually... What his wife said, what his ex-wife said, what his girlfriend says, the nephew says, the son says, there are all these different perspectives on this one person."

Okay, so based on this story it appears Cheadle wasn't able to discover a similar theme from one persons' recollections to the next, rather a continuum of jumbled memories.

It’s a difficult road in trying to understand the essence of Miles Davis? That sounds about right…

The report closes with this:

And when Cheadle turned to Davis interviews to help his research he didn't find a lot of help there either. He adds, "He'd tell a long story and the guy said, `That's amazing. Did that really happen?' and he'd say, `I don't f**kin' know.'"

There's no byline attached to the story, and I don't know the specifics of where Cheadle made these remarks, but it's interesting nevertheless.

But that was a year ago. Where are we now?

I haven't seen trouble brewing for the production in the press, so one would believe we're still full steam ahead. I can only assume Cheadle has spent sunnier days researching Davis.

Although I have no doubt it has been an arduous task.

I would love to know how Cheadle has been/is preparing for the role; I can only imagine reading everything he could find, studying video and working hard to connect with those who knew him best.

Let’s face it: Miles Davis is just the kind of character any actor would kill to dive into; a role filled with conflict and talent, passion and pain, warmth and toughness…. He has it all!

I’m not here to say the ‘role’ of Miles Davis is going to jump up the Great List next to the likes of Hamlet, or any number of Mamet characters, but I believe portraying the iconic jazz trumpeter is an assignment that demands the very best an actor has to give – and in doing so will add a new chapter to the book of classic film performances.

This might work better if we were discussing a Miles Davis play in the works, but the sentiment remains that playing Miles Davis might become one of those performances that not only movie fans and Davis fans rave about, but also one that's studied in drama classes for years to come.

I just came to a realization.

After I see "The Dark Knight" at 12:01 on Friday morning ... and then again at 3 a.m. ... and then probably again at 6 a.m. on IMAX ... after that I won't have anything to look forward to for a very long time.

The best of the big summer movies are through after "The Dark Knight." We're left with only a potentially not-awful "X-Files" movie and the probably really funny "Pineapple Express." But, as far as I'm concerned, summer's almost over.

It's time for moviegoers' brains to shift gears again, to get back into more serious, Oscar-ey fare.

But in the meantime, I'm going to be trying to see all of these little movies-that-could at the local arthouse.

Not the indie flicks that are going to be getting awards attention come late fall, the ones that only you and your movie-obsessed friends will have even heard of.

Goodbye, Batman. Hello, yellow subtitles.

"The Edge of Heaven" (Now in theaters)
From writer/director Faith Akin, who made the charming road comedy "In July" and the searing drama "Head-On," comes another critically acclaimed character study that examines the tenuous relationship between Turkey and Germany. Like "Head-On," this one supposedly puts human misery up-front-and-center for the first two acts, and then shifts into a sad and revealing aftermath.

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"In Search of a Midnight Kiss" (RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1) Black and white comedy about finding love late at night.

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"Young People Fucking" (Now in theaters)
Examines the relationships of five couples through one sexual encounter. Sure, it's probably immature, crass, etc. But it also looks really, REALLY funny.

"Traitor" (RELEASE DATE: Aug. 27)
This one looks like a low-rent version of "The Fugitive" but with international intrigue. Don Cheadle plays a U.S. Special Ops badass who may or may not have betrayed the U.S., and Guy Pearce is the FBI agent on his tail.

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"Encounters at the End of the World" (Now in theaters)
After his successful feature-lenghth drama "Rescue Dawn," Werner "Crazier than a Shithouse Rat" Herzog returns to the documentary. Zee director travels to the far reaches of Antarctica to see why some people want to live there. Looks like surreally beautiful cinematography and a Herzogian examination of human nature. I'm there.

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"Bottle Shock" (Aug. 6)
It's a dramedy that tells the little-known-about historical event that put California wine on the map. In 1976, nobody thought American wine was worth a damn. But after a blind Paris wine-tasting contest, that all changed. The film follows a few of the real-life goofballs who helped give California wine its punch.

Plot: When strait arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce) heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn (Don Cheadle). A mysterous figure with a web of connections to terrorist organizations, Horn has a knack for emerging on the scene just as a major operation goes down. The task force links Horn to a prison break in Yemen, a bombing in Nice and a raid in London, but a tangle of contradictoy evidence emerges, forcing Clayton to question whether his quarry is a disaffected former military operative - or something far more complicated. Obsessed with discovering the truth, Clayton tracks Horn across the globe as the elusive ex-soldier burrows deeper and deeper into a world of shadows and intrigue.
Release Date: 27th August 2008 (USA)
Find Out More at IMDB

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First Showing has the new trailer up today.

The film opens August 29th.

It's a good interview, and when they get around to discussing the movie Wilburn Jr. seems pretty upbeat – especially about Don Cheadle in the lead role.

Wilburn Jr.: "I specifically wanted Don for the role. I had seen him act in the movie "Rush Hour" and I liked his bone structure and the way he was slim like Miles. I couldn't get him out of my head for the
role of Miles."

But the part I found most enlightening from the Q&A was learning that Cheadle has (had) been attending trumpet school, and according to Wilburn, "…learning the instrument to master his role."

He remarked that, "Don is at the eleventh grade on the trumpet," so I can only assume that by now Cheadle has made it through twelfth grade and graduated with trumpet honors.

This interview is more than a year old, so we're not sure if Cheadle went on to Trumpet College for further study of the craft. Either way, I applaud the dedication in tackling the role of Miles Davis.

He has to become Miles Davis, and playing the trumpet – even they way he holds the damn thing! – is a vital part of the puzzle.

As I've said before, I think the musical performances in the biopic are essential and might be the moments that give the film its 'wow' factor.

When I think of the movie "Ray," a film I admire very much, what springs to mind are the scenes when Jamie Foxx, as Ray Charles, is performing; be it in a smoky club, or in front of thousands, it's the scenes where Ray performs those classic songs I always gravitate to first.

I'd say the same thing holds true, for me, with films like "Walk the Line," "The Buddy Holly Story" and "The Doors," to cite a few.

Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles doing "Hit the Road Jack" is an example of this excitement. I'd like to think there will be numerous musical sequences in the biopic that are going to knock the audience for a loop, really bring to life the magic of Miles Davis, courtesy of the talented Mr. Cheadle.

Some might argue that a jazz song being performed by a group, not just as lovely background music to a scene, even a classic, may not translate well to the big screen - unlike any of the musical performances in "Ray," which felt like a perfect fit.

I say phooey. Nonsense! It will look and feel and sound just fine. It's Miles Davis!

When the audience sees Don Cheadle playing the horn in the role of Miles Davis -- it's going to bring down the house and get everyone...jazzed!

I am confident Cheadle is going to deliver a complete and memorable performance, but I have a good feeling it will be the scenes when he's playing the trumpet - as Miles Davis - where the actor's talent will shine the brightest.