Posts

Showing posts from 2013

Onira Tarés on TV show Slepy Hollow as Grace Dixon

Image
I haven't been watching the new hit show Sleepy Hollow (supernatural shows/movies just aren't my thing). However last night these beautiful gifs* crossed my Tumblr dashboard and I just had to make a post. Knowing that one of the characters in Sleepy Hollow had come from the past I wondered if there would be any Blacks in period settings. Lo and behold a beautiful Black woman in an exquisite gown. I wonder if we will see more of her character. *Gifs Credit: Kiarasnaps of tumblr

Trailer for 'Tula, The Revolt'!

Image
It looks great!  This slave uprising film,  Tula, The Revolt was directed by a  Dutch director named  Jeroen Leinders. The film is based on a true story of a  slave uprising on the island of  Curacao ( a Dutch colony in 1795).  Tula leads  the month long revolt. Obi Abili (a UK actor of Nigerian decent) stars as Tula and Black American film veteran Danny Glover  plays  Shinishi . *If I can get my hands on it I will review it! 

The 12 Years a Slave Trailer is FINALLY here!!

Image
If you need a refresher, here are previous blog posts on the film. I think the film looks great. What you you all think?

Ragtime The Musical ~ Wheels of a Dream + Lyrics

Image
I was fortunate enough to stumble across this video clip of a performance by Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell singing Wheels of a Dream.  Ragtime The Musical takes place in early 20th century America.  On its own the music, costumes, and acting is brilliant. Watching this musical number I shed tears.  I have not seen the play but if I should ever get the chance I will do a complete review.  Lyrics: [COALHOUSE] I see his face. I hear his heartbeat. I look in those eyes. How wise they seem. Well, when he is old enough I will show him America And he will ride on the wheels of a dream. [COALHOUSE] We'll go down South  [SARAH] Go down South, [COALHOUSE] And see your people  [SARAH] See my folks. [COALHOUSE] Won't they take to him [SARAH] They'll take to him [COALHOUSE] Like cats to cream!  [SARAH] Mmm... [COALHOUSE] Then we'll travel on from there. [SARAH] California or who knows where! [BOTH] And we will ride On the wheels of a dream. [COALHOUSE] Ye

Updated Film Directory

Image
I've added over 10 new films to the site Film Directory! Check it out. If you don't see your favorite period film featuring Black actors let me know! I'll leave you with the wonderful Kimberly Elise as Denver in Beloved!

Website Update

I recently visited my own blog and I saw that some of the pictures I posted for your viewing pleasure can not be seen. I have gone through the site and everything should be great now. Enjoy! :)

A House Divided

Image
Jennifer Beals as Amanda Dickson  Doesn't Jennifer look beautiful! I would very much love to review this film for you all but unfortunately I can not find it anywhere! I have looked everywhere for it. I am glad however that there are pictures that I can enjoy! I will speak on the casting of Jennifer Beals and LisaGay Hamilton as mother and daughter. I think the casting is brilliant as both actresses are wonderful.    One of the things I really appreciate is how Jennifer Beals is a bi-racial woman playing a bi-racial woman. Furthermore she is a bi-racial actress that could pass as white during that time. I really dislike films that have white women playing bi-racial women or black/biracial women playing bi-racial women that can't pass as white. That was one of my pet peeves with the film Queen. Halle Berry could not pass as a white woman in any context but Jennifer Beals can.  IMDb describes A House Divided as:  In the aftermath of the terrible Civil W

Emily Bennet of The Vampire Diaries

Image
Emily Bennet (Jasmine Burke) is a witch in the series The Vampire Diaries. She first appears in Lost Girls (Season 1 , Episode 6)  Apparently her occupation is "handmaiden". After being saved by Katherine Emily felt she owed her and became her "handmaiden". She is a descendant of the Salem witches.  Her dress is pretty for what it's worth but nothing like Katherine's dress.  Jasmine Burke is later recast with actress Bianca Lawson. I will give her Emily Bennet a blog post of her own. I'm not sure why there was a recasting.  

Beloved (1998)

Image
Beloved i s a  beautiful cla s sic film ba sed on the 1987 novel of the same name by Toni Morri son ( she authored one of my favorite s , The Blue st Eye). A s with all of her novel s Beloved deal s with situation s and experience s of tho se in the Black American Community. Beloved take s place after the Civil War (after 1865). Thi s novel wa s in spired by Margaret "Peggy" Garner. Margaret i s infamou sly known for killing her daughter so that she would not be taken back into slavery. The ca st i s amazing featuring: Oprah Winfrey, Thandie Newton, Kimberly Eli se, Danny Glover, and Li sa Gay Hamilton. They more than deliver. The co stume s and location s are beautiful. Everyone' s hair looked reali stic and matched the period and culture of the character s. The entire time I watched the film I wa s completely immer sed in that time period. Thi s film wa s al so wonderful in that it stirred up emotion s and conver sation . My si ster, younger brother, a

We're on Tumblr now, too!

I will now be posting on tumblr as well as on here. I have planned to only post pictures and minor film reviews on my tumblr page. I will provide a link for my followers to this blog so that they can read the full review.  I have to first create a few pages of post for my tumblr. Here is a link!  

Felicity: An American Girl Adventure

Image
I watched thi s  film the other day ju st to  see if there were any black people in the film. If they were pre sent in the film I wanted to con sider their treatment. Being that thi s film i s made  specifically for 9 to 11 year old girl s, I did not expect much repre sentation or hi storical in sight. I feel in many way s that thi s film i s more hi storically accurate than many film s aimed toward s adult.  Fir st and foremo st the film take s place in 1774 in William sburg, Virginia;  around the time the American colonie s began talking of revolution. There were two black character s that were given name s: Ro s e and Marcu s. However, throughout the entire film black s could been  seen going about their normal day to day lives.  Marcus works at the family shop Rose cooking             There i s never a mention to whether Ro se and Marcu s were free  servant s or  slave s (in the film). Thi s movie i s ba sed on a  serie s of book s (that I haven't read), perha

New Film ... New Casting!

Image
Je s sica Luca s and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje have been ca sted in a new period film named Pompeii!  Excited becau se the film i s  set in 79 A.D. The film take s place day s before the eruption of Mt. Ve suviu s. It i s about a  slave named Milo (played by Kit Harington) that ha s to  save the woman he love s. Akinnuoye-Agbaje will play Milo' s friend who i s al so a  slave. Milo' s love i s Flavia(Emily Browning). Luca s will be playing Flavia' s friend and i s al so a  slave.  Something intere sting to note i s that the  script wa s revi sed by Julian Fellowe s the creator of Downton Abbey.

Teyonah Parris as Dawn Chambers!

Image
Dawn Chambers is the first black employee at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce advertising agency. Mad Men is set in the 1960's. These pictures are not from the show they are from a BuisnessWeek article on secretaries. Dawn Chambers is Don Draper's secretary. She does not look this fabulous on the show but I really wish she did! Many people were excited about her casting because of the lack of Blacks (and other people of color) on Mad Men. But it seems that Dawn has received minimal characterization. Which is expected but still sucks.

The Journey of August King

Image
August King was an interesting film. There were some things that gave me pause. The main thing being all of the animal killings during the two character's journey. I'm not sure if the writer included these deaths to symbolize the importance of human life over animal life or just that sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Annalees (Thandie Newton) is a runaway slave looking for help. He was the only slave owner in the area.  The main character is a white man named August King. He helps a runaway slave escape to the North. Watching this film it is very clear that the journey this film takes us on is for August King's benefit not Annalees'. Her characterization is low but I will include everything I could pick up about Annalees. She offers August a silver watch for his help.  Other name less Black folks in the film. All belonged to the same master. Her father is her master. she was