4. Kimberly Rivers Roberts as herself in Trouble the Water - Top 10 Movie Performances - TIME

4. Kimberly Rivers Roberts as herself in Trouble the Water - Top 10 Movie Performances - TIME

'Trouble the Water' star, rapper Kimberly Rivers Roberts, readies her CD

'Trouble the Water' star, rapper Kimberly Rivers Roberts, readies her CD

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More on the Katrina Disaster

For more information on the Katrina disaster check out the November 2005 Frontline episode called 'The Storm' - you can watch it below. Just like 'Trouble the Water' it is eye opening and very troubling, but says a lot about our country's priorities. The entire situation was a disgrace - from emergency planning and evacuation, rescue operations, lack of national guard and army help, food/water/shelter, and especially the lack of coordination and communication between local, state and FEMA made a huge disaster worse. As usual in America the government helps the rich and corporations, or if a country needs to be invaded and then rebuilt from scratch we can spend billions (see link below for the actual costs of our present wars). But if you are poor, a minority, or both - you get blamed and you get no help.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/storm/view/?utm_campaign=viewpage&utm_medium=grid&utm_source=grid

http://costofwar.com/

so hey uh

Twilight still sucks



aaaaand that's all i got

A Response to Blackface

Please read this article by Mark Sawyer, a UCLA professor. The article adds more information about the blackface issue, but unlike the NPR commentators - Mark Sawyer describes blackface as being an enduring and pernicious legacy, and not only in America, but still endures around the world! Is blackface ever okay? There are a lot of justifications flying around - the main one being that with comedy everything is okay. But even with comedy blackface is wrong - it mocks a group of people who had to endure a horrible and genocidal legacy - slavery. Sawyer makes a convincing case, which I agree with completely, that blackface is always wrong, presents distorted stereotypes and is always racist.

Harry Connick Jr. recently encountered this in Australia with white actors in blackface mocking Michael Jackson, and called them out on it. Should he have done so? You decide. By the way the picture on the right is a blackface Mickey Rooney with Judy Garland!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh90w-hbqhI

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/14/sawyer.blackface/index.html

Some more articles for you

Journal 14 asks that you read one of the three cinema-related articles I have posted lately. A subsequent posts deal with a new HBO special about Atlantic City. Another from Forbes, explores the most over-paid, and subsequently over-rated actors in Hollywood (list may surprise you). Or, read about the realities of Twilight-mania, the AP article on the records ALREADY broken by New Moon.

History meets fiction in HBO’s version of 1920s in Atlantic City - pressofAtlanticCity.com : Today's Top Headlines

History meets fiction in HBO’s version of 1920s in Atlantic City - pressofAtlanticCity.com : Today's Top Headlines

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More Entertainment and Race

In light of discussions we shared when we screened, Birth of a Nation, an interesting article surfaced from NPR this week.

To further the discussion, a "most respected Gent," was caught up in this shockingly common entertainment style.

Jeff and Don

Please read and annotate Chapter One of Don Quixote. Begin thinking about the character himself and come into class ready to discuss what the chapter reveals about him. Consider why Saunders calls Jeff Smith "Don Quixote" in the beginning of Mr...Washington.

Here's more fun from La Mancha...Peter O'Toole in the windmill scene, and a viral video than has been dubbed a modern retelling of Quixote.

The Lost Chaplin

What would you do if you found never-before seen footage containing a world famous cinema legend? Apparently a British man purchased a can of nitrate film for five dollars on eBay. After showing it to a filmmaker friend, the man was informed that he'd found lost footage of film-legend Charlie Chaplin. The discovery includes extra footage from several well known films, and a never before seen work. Some of the out-takes and extended scenes are from The Tramp, His New Profession, and A Jitney Elopement. Capitalizing on his good fortune, the man has since teamed up with his filmmaker friend and a documentary, titled The Lost Film Project, is in production. I attached the article below...

check out the article

New on the Blog!

A comprehensive list of journal topics is now available in the side bar in case you miss one (or five)!

The Messenger

Keeping with the military theme - this film reminds me of the Kevin Bacon made-for-tv movie called 'Taking Chance' about a military escort officer who takes a dead soldier's body home.

In this film by first time director and IDF vet Oren Moverman - Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma) star as soldiers who have the worse job in the army - they go to homes and tell families that a relative has died in war. You don't want to see these guys coming to your door. Check out the trailer - it looks pretty good!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MEApxjYncI

Reality Bites: Social Implication and symbolism in "Night"

They're coming to teach you, Barbara. Read this film journal entry of NLD and try your hand at writing a one page critique for Monday.