Ending on a High Note

Soul Men
Release: 11.07.08
Rated R
1 hour, 43 minutes

Full-Price ($$$$) <
> Matinee ($$$)


Marcus Hooks and the Real Deal rose to stardom in the sixties. Then Marcus (John Legend) realized his star would rise quicker without his backup duo, Floyd Henderson (Bernie Mac, Guess Who) and Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson, Black Snake Moan). The Real Deal tried to make sweet music without Marcus but eventually parted ways due to some "personal differences."

Floyd ran a successful business and is now living restlessly in a retirement community. Jackson reprised his Coming to America role to portray Hinds's post-musical venture. After all these years, Marcus has died and the Real Deal is asked to reunite for a tribute at the Apollo. With only five days until the show, Floyd and Louis must dust off their polyester suits, vocal chords and retro-choreography while setting aside their issues to pay final respects to their friend.

Soul Men, directed by Malcolm D. Lee (Roll Bounce), is one of the last Bernie Mac films and he steals the spotlight. At the top of his game, Mac acts silly, raunchy and seemingly has a blast with his costars. Seeing Mac shout profanities at Jackson made me momentarily sad at his passing but he was just too damn funny to allow the depression to linger.

Proud, tough and obnoxious, Jackson is true to form. Both Jackson and Mac sing the Real Deal's hits, which helps audiences understand why their music careers never survived without Marcus. Instead of crafting "authentic" Real Deal hits, the songs are a selection from the classic Motown catalog.

Also unoriginal is the formulaic road trip romp to reach the Apollo. In dire straits, the duo must visit Mac's ex-wife Odetta only to find her daughter Cleo (Sharon Leal, Dreamgirls). Cleo is living with wannabe thug rapper Lester (Affion Crockett, The Boondocks) who hams it up as badly as Ray Liotta in Wild Hogs. There's even a White Chocolate ultra fan of the Real Deal and VH1 lackey, Phillip (Adam Herschman, Accepted), in charge of getting the duo to the show. Thankfully, Lee keeps the pace quick, not allowing audiences to ponder the goofy clichés and unrealistic events that hinder Soul Men's greatness.

Dirty Undies
Still, Mac and Jackson let both barrels loose with extremely vulgar insults, sexual shenanigans and some low key violence. Busty and booty-ful women parade around, some giving glimpses of nudity. Seeming as how pornstars are the new motion picture mainstay, Vanessa del Rio pops in, or rather, out briefly.

The Money Shot
Soul Men focuses on entertainers trying to reignite the spark in their lives. It's such a shame that Bernie Mac's light was extinguished so suddenly. As the credits roll, Lee honors Bernie Mac showing clips of Bernie discussing his success with humility and humor. Regardless of acclaim, fans will flock to Soul Men for Bernie Mac. As well they should, it's his show.

Repeat Bidness: V for Vendetta

Remember, remember the fifth of November. In honor of Guy Fawkes Night and the rousing victory speech President-elect Barack Obama gave around midnight this day (EST), I thought it'd be appropriate to revisit this film:

V for Vendetta

Original Release:03.17.06
DVD Release: 08.01.06

Rated R
2 hours, 12 minutes

Full Price ($$$$)

"Who IS that Masked Man?!"

A great dish always starts with a great recipe. Using the Wachowski Brothers’ (The Matrix) adapted screenplay of the Alan Moore and David Lloyd graphic novel, first time director James McTeigue serves up one hell of a film for audiences. V for Vendetta is set in a totalitarian Britain made so by the outbreak of a war in Iraq. The people of Britain live a subdued life thanks to their government’s curfews and strict laws. The appearance of a darkly clad man in a porcelain mask, known only as V, awakens the population with promises of a life without fear. One citizen in particular, Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman, Mars Attacks!), finds herself embroiled in V’s treasonous plot to blow up Parliament. The government hopes to squelch V, his ideals and his dangerous promises by locating the aggressor and his would-be accomplice while countering their message with pro-government propaganda.

By enlisting the aid of the talented and effervescent Portman alongside the haunting demeanor of Hugo Weaving (The Matrix ), McTeigue had the toughest work of story-telling covered. Portman, adept at playing opposite non-existent Star Wars creatures, proved equally extraordinary acting opposite an expressionless face. Weaving spouts extensive, emancipative dialogue flawlessly, imparting eloquence to the purported monster behind the mask. When V is not haranguing the tyranny of the society, he is delivering severe yet stylistic ass-whoopins to anyone attempting to oppress. Portman gets in a few one-two punches herself though it’s her conveyance of Evey’s revelations and subsequent evolution that grips audiences.

If audiences are unsure of the film’s intent; yes, it has political undertones. The story is designed to inspire unease with complacency and to urge freedom of thought as the precedent to all other freedoms. Clever wordplay is found to be sharper and more lethal than any bombs, daggers or karate gimmicks V utilizes. Multi-layered meanings and the repetition of symbols and situations help bond the lives of the main characters as well as the lives of the masses. Surprisingly, the film is not action-packed but sets an exciting and thrilling pace simply through discourse and careful sequencing while the plot unveils. V for Vendetta is a contemporary allegory worthy of attention for more than its stylistic filming.

Dirty Undies
Well, Portman doesn’t sport a thong a la Closer, but audiences would flock if they knew she dresses in a “Good Ship Lollipop” motif complete with a lacy pink dress, knee high socks and Mary Janes, and let’s not forget pin curl pigtails. Had a few scenes of that image been included in the trailer, the opening box office would’ve increased by another $5 million, easy. Fans of Natalie need not worry about her hairless head; she looks almost sexy enough to bring the Sinead O’Connor cut back into fashion. Those not interested in Portman will be out of luck as Vendetta is devoid of anyone else attractive, unless bloated Brits or gaunt interment-camp prisoners are your thing. The action is good and bloody but occurs infrequently. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially since the scenes shown are very vicious and violent.

The Money Shot
No doubt, Vendetta has a bone to pick with oppression, and more so with any society that allows oppression to persist. The director cloaks the film in a veil of action and style but Vendetta’s memorable dialogue, contributed by both the vigilante and onlookers, will ring in your ears long after viewing. V for Vendetta can best be summed up by Evey: “Artists use lies to tell the truth. Politicians use them to cover it up.” You should pay to listen to what these artists are saying.

I See Skies of Blue...

...and I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

Thank you North Carolina, for becoming a blue state (however slightly) for the first time in thirty-two years. We, the people soon return to the never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.

Congratulations President-Elect Barack Obama!

*Artwork created by Alex Ross

Huh, huh, you said "Poll" (11.04.08)

I sincerely hope you stargazers have gotten out and voted as ObaLincoln demanded. If you did, good for you. If not, you best get on that!

Speaking of voting, many many of you should be ashamed at not putting your two cents into my Ugly Betty Double Sexy Poll. Granted, many of you may not be fans of Ugly Betty, but it was the chance to search online for hottie images for a reason other than personal...satisfaction. Never the less the poll results were as follows:

Ladies-
Third Place:
Betty (America Ferrera), Alexis (Rebecca Romijn) - 0 Votes each
Runner-Ups:
Hilda (Ana Ortiz), Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams) - 1 Vote each

And the winner is:

Amanda (Becki Newton) - 3 Votes

She is so excited she won (though she always knew she was the prettiest). I can forgive Ferrera getting no love, but where were my fellas on the Romijn!?

Fellas-

Runner-Ups:
Daniel (Eric Mabius), Henry (Christopher Gorham), Coach Tony (Eddie Cibrian) and Marc (Michael Urie) - 0 Votes each

And the winner is:

Gio (Freddy Rodriguez) - 3 Votes

He's doing backflips...on the inside.

***

With those two polls dying a cold and ugly death, I must ask my readers to vote on a new rejuvenated poll. In keeping with my mounting excitement over the upcoming Bond film Quantum of Solace, I want to know who is your favorite Bond? I'm not including Barry Nelson or David Niven. This is just the major players, from Connery to Craig. Which of these six do you prefer to have in your sights?


The poll will be up until the release of the new film. Vote quickly!

It's Tuesday...

And ObaLincoln wants to remind you:

Get out and Vote if you haven't already!

*image taken at San Diego Comic Con 2008

Alphabet Meme

I'm cruising my Google Reader when I discover that Fletch over at Blog Cabins has tagged me with the Alphabet Meme! Long and short of it, you pick your favorite film for each letter of the alphabet.

Here goes:

Army of Darkness

Big Lebowski, The

Coming to America

Die Hard

Elf

Forty Year Old Virgin, The

Ghostbusters

History of Violence, A

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
(Trust me Fletch, I'm not breaking Rule #3!)

Jerk, The

Kill Bill, Vol. 1

Long Kiss Goodnight, The

Moulin Rouge!

National Lampoon's Vacation

Old School

Pulp Fiction

Quills

Robocop

Sin City

Transformers: The Movie (1986 animated version)

Unforgiven

V for Vendetta

Where the Truth Lies

X-Men 2

Y tu mamá también

Zi hudie (aka Purple Butterfly)


The letter "S" was my toughest by far. I had to whittle down my selection from a dozen top contenders including Sweet Sweetback's Badassss Song, Superman and Secretary. "Q" was a no brainer for me. Geoffrey Rush, the recently retired Joaquin Phoenix, and the too much for words Kate Winslet made that one a easy pick.

I'm under strict adherence to Rule #6 to tag five other people to play. Drumroll please...

Filmbook at Film-Book dot com
Friend Mouse at Friend Mouse Speaks
The Movie Whore at The Movie Whore
Nathaniel R at The Film Experience
Invisible Woman of Invisible Woman...Black Cinema at Large


One thing that helped me compile this quickly was using my ratings from Netflix where you can sort them by letter.

MMM: Music...Mood Music

Stargazers! With Halloween behind us, we can tun our focus to important things. No, not the election. That'll be over tomorrow (and it's about time). No, it's still a little early for Christmas shopping. The next big event is the upcoming release of the newest installment of the James Bond series, The Quantum of Solace. The name may sound lame, but the trailers look anything but.

Not everyone has an appreciation for the time-tested character of Bond, but no doubt the legacy of the films demand a degree of respect. One element that helps an installment resonate with the audience is the theme music. The original theme is instantly recognizable and an obvious choice for the Monday Mood Music.

However, I chose one of my favorite theme songs, Goldfinger. The blaring trumpets, the smooth bass and the astounding voice of Dame Shirley Bassey grabs you right from the start. Here's Dame Bassey giving a wonderful live performance at the Royal Albert Hall; and looking very fine doing it!

Non-Bond fans may not realize that Dame Shirley Bassey is the only singer to record more than one Bond theme. In addition to 1964's Goldfinger, she also recorded 1971's Diamonds are Forever and 1979's Moonraker.

Suck on that Madonna!