Valentine's Day Date Movies

This Valentine's Day, there shouldn't be too much fuss over what you and your date will see at the movies because there just so happens to be a pretty nice variety of films hitting theaters next month that offer something for everyone. Check it out:

THE CHICK FLICKS:

Dear John: Yesterday I took a mini poll on Twitter and asked how many folks would see this movie inspired by the famous Nicholas Sparks novel about John, an army enlistee (played by Channing Tatum) who writes letters to the love of his life (played by Amanda Seyfried) who waits for him at home, and surprisingly lots of people said they were going to check it out. Some people were fans of Sparks, and others were fans of Amanda Seyfried (Jennifer's Body, Mamma Mia!). My thoughts? It looks way too sappy and melodramatic for my taste. Dear John hits theaters February 5.



Valentine's Day: No doubt most women will be dragging their men to this quintessential romantic comedy spotlighting the lives and mishaps of several people (played by just about everyone in Hollywood) on Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is out on February 12. Check out an exclusive clip from the movie below:

THE ACTION FLICK:

From Paris With Love: A few weeks ago I previewed this action flick starring John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers here. If you're looking for a wild ride on date night, this may be a good choice. From Paris With Love is in theaters February 5.



THE HORROR FLICKS:

Frozen: If you're looking to thrill your date on Valentine's Day, you may want to check out Frozen, the indie horror film following a couple of skiers who get trapped midair on a chairlift and are forced to make a life and death decision, no matter what price they have to pay in the end. Frozen hits theaters February 5.



The Crazies: Remember DayBreakers a few weeks ago? Well, The Crazies is the same thing--a town is infected by a harmful virus turning them insane and causing many to die. In theaters February 26.




Wolfman: If you're looking for a howling good time, this is the movie for you. Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada, The Young Victoria), Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro recapture the famous tale of the curious case of one man who experiences a grizzly transformation after a trip back to his native Britain.

Shutter Island: Martin Scorsese reteams with Leonardo DiCaprio in this highly-anticipated thriller about a detective on the trail of a murderer who's escaped from a mental institution on a castaway island. While there, the detective (DiCaprio) finds more than what he bargained for and learns he may be in over his head. Shutter Island hits theaters February 19.

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THE HIGH SCHOOL ACTION FLICK:

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: If you're a teen with a soft spot for that special someone, check out Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. About a twelve-year-old boy who finds out he's part Greek God and struggles to adjust to his newfound powers, Percy Jackson is light, action-packed, funny at times and directed by the same guy who directed the first two Harry Potter films. The film hits theaters February 12.




THE COMEDY:


Cop Out: If you're looking for laughs this Valentine's Day, give this cop comedy a try (though I must warn you, this looks quite dumb). Starring, Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, Cop Out is about two cops in search of a rare mint-condition baseball card only. Trouble is, neither of them is as much concerned about finding the card as they are about paying for their daughter's wedding (Willis) and keeping their eye on the wandering eye of his wife (Morgan). Cop Out is in theaters February 26.



What will you and you date see this Valentine's Day?

First Look: Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too?

Sigh..though I thought the first one was decent (at best), there really wasn't any need for a second one. But, hey, everyone else is doing sequels so why not megaproducer/director/writer/actor Tyler Perry? The cast, featuring Janet Jackson, Tasha Smith, Tyler Perry, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba and Lamann Rucker, reprise their roles as couples on the verge of relationship meltdowns. As in the first movie, they go on their annual couples retreat, which is only to be crashed by Sheila's (Jill Scott) ex-husband Gavin (Richard T. Jones), who begs her for a second chance even though she's remarried. Based on the trailer, it looks like lots of other skeletons come out of the closet and Jackson's character Patricia freaks out for some reason. I guess you have to check out the movie to see what that's about. Why Did I Get Married Too? hits theaters April 2.

First Look: The Losers

That Zoe Saldana sure is on a roll. First it was Star Trek, then it was Avatar, and on June 4, she will star in the comic book-turned-action flick The Losers, as a member of a CIA operative who, after being wrongfully accused and left for dead, are now on a mission to seek out those who betrayed them. Looks like the typical popcorn flick to me. The film also stars Idris Elba, Chris Evans and Jason Patric (where has he been?). Check out the trailer below. What do you think?


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First Look: Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps

When I first heard Oliver Stone was coming back with a sequel to his 1987 classic, I cringed. Not another sequel! But after seeing the new trailer for Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, I may have to reconsider that notion. Michael Douglas reprises his role as Wall street shark Gordon Gekko, who is fresh out of jail, and teams up with rookie financial trader Jacob Moore (played by Shia Lebeouf) to prevent the financial industry from its impending demise. Ever since Eagle Eye, I don't really think Labeouf is believable in these type of films, but maybe he'll shock me. Wall Street 2 also stars Susan Sarandon, Charlie Sheen (reprising his role of Bud Fox), Josh Brolin, and Carey Mulligan (An Education). The film hits theaters September 24. Check out the trailer below. What do you think?

Broken Embraces

"I've just been with the man I love. I'm happier than I've ever been. Because he loves me too."

Three years after Pedro Almodóvar's critically claimed, and one of my favorite films of 2009, Volver hit theaters and garnered Penélope Cruz an Oscar nomination comes Broken Embraces, Almodovar's latest film that follows a venomous love affair between two heartbroken lovers.
All Mateo Blanco (played by Lluís Homar) ever wanted to do was write and direct the perfect film. While hard at work on his newest script, a comedy, he meets and falls in love with Magdelena (played by Penélope Cruz), a beautiful wannabe actress trapped in a heartless relationship with the rich (and horribly flawed) Ernesto Martel (played by José Luis Gómez), who becomes the star of his upcoming cinematic masterpiece. Word of their steamy romance gets out to Martel, and needless to say he doesn't take it well. Their undercover affair goes on a wild tailspin across the border with horrible consequences. As a result, everyone's life changes and, in true Almodovar form, secrets are revealed and each character's life is turned upside down in a ripple effect of heartache.
Though it has many of Almodovar's impressive array of signature actors, especially Homar and Blanca Portillo, and whimsical flair, Broken Embraces, is quite different from Volver. But Broken Embraces is a well-written story of a love so precious it hurt.

Broken Embraces is in theaters now.

Reel Talk rating: B+

2010 BAFTA Nominations

Keep the awards momentum going, right? In the wee hours of this morning U.S. time, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced this years nominees for their annual BAFTA awards, with Avatar leading the pack with a whopping eight nominations. Check out the full list below:

BEST FILM

AVATAR - James Cameron, Jon Landau
AN EDUCATION - Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey
THE HURT LOCKER - Nominees TBC
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE - Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness
UP IN THE AIR - Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

AN EDUCATION - Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby
FISH TANK - Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold
IN THE LOOP - Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche
MOON - Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker
NOWHERE BOY - Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Kevin Loader, Sam Taylor-Wood, Matt Greenhalgh

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

LUCY BAILEY, ANDREW THOMPSON, ELIZABETH MORGAN HEMLOCK, DAVID PEARSON - Directors, Producers – Mugabe and the White African
ERAN CREEVY - Writer/Director – Shifty
STUART HAZELDINE - Writer/Director – Exam
DUNCAN JONES - Director – Moon
SAM TAYLOR-WOOD - Director – Nowhere Boy

DIRECTOR

AVATAR - James Cameron
DISTRICT 9 - Neill Blomkamp
AN EDUCATION - Lone Scherfig
THE HURT LOCKER - Kathryn Bigelow
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS - Quentin Tarantino

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE HANGOVER - Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
THE HURT LOCKER - Mark Boal
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS - Quentin Tarantino
A SERIOUS MAN - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
UP - Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

DISTRICT 9 - Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
AN EDUCATION - Nick Hornby
IN THE LOOP - Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE - Geoffrey Fletcher
UP IN THE AIR - Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

BROKEN EMBRACES - Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro Almodóvar
COCO BEFORE CHANEL - Carole Scotta, Caroline Benjo, Philippe Carcassonne, Anne Fontaine
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN - Carl Molinder, John Nordling, Tomas Alfredson
A PROPHET - Pascale Caucheteux, Marco Chergui, Alix Raynaud, Jacques Audiard
THE WHITE RIBBON - Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka, Margaret Menegoz, Michael Haneke

ANIMATED FILM

CORALINE - Henry Selick
FANTASTIC MR FOX - Wes Anderson
UP - Pete Docter

LEADING ACTOR

JEFF BRIDGES - Crazy Heart
GEORGE CLOONEY - Up in the Air
COLIN FIRTH - A Single Man
JEREMY RENNER - The Hurt Locker
ANDY SERKIS - Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

LEADING ACTRESS

CAREY MULLIGAN - An Education
SAOIRSE RONAN - The Lovely Bones
GABOUREY SIDIBE - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
MERYL STREEP - Julie & Julia
AUDREY TAUTOU - Coco Before Chanel

SUPPORTING ACTOR

ALEC BALDWIN - It’s Complicated
CHRISTIAN McKAY - Me and Orson Welles
ALFRED MOLINA - An Education
STANLEY TUCCI - The Lovely Bones
CHRISTOPH WALTZ - Inglourious Basterds

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

ANNE-MARIE DUFF - Nowhere Boy
VERA FARMIGA - Up in the Air
ANNA KENDRICK - Up in the Air
MO'NIQUE - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS - Nowhere Boy

MUSIC

AVATAR - James Horner
CRAZY HEART - T-Bone Burnett, Stephen Bruton
FANTASTIC MR FOX - Alexandre Desplat
SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL - Chaz Jankel
UP - Michael Giacchino

CINEMATOGRAPHY

AVATAR - Mauro Fiore
DISTRICT 9 - Trent Opaloch
THE HURT LOCKER - Barry Ackroyd
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS - Robert Richardson
THE ROAD - Javier Aguirresarobe

EDITING

AVATAR - Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron
DISTRICT 9 - Julian Clarke
THE HURT LOCKER - Bob Murawski, Chris Innis
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS - Sally Menke
UP IN THE AIR - Dana E. Glauberman

PRODUCTION DESIGN

AVATAR - Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair
DISTRICT 9 - Philip Ivey, Guy Poltgieter
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan
THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS - Nominees TBC
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS - David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco

COSTUME DESIGN

BRIGHT STAR - Janet Patterson
COCO BEFORE CHANEL - Catherine Leterrier
AN EDUCATION - Odile Dicks-Mireaux
A SINGLE MAN - Arianne Phillips
THE YOUNG VICTORIA - Sandy Powell

SOUND

AVATAR - Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Tony Johnson, Addison Teague
DISTRICT 9 - Brent Burge, Chris Ward, Dave Whitehead, Michael Hedges, Ken Saville
THE HURT LOCKER - Ray Beckett, Paul N. J. Ottosson, Craig Stauffer
STAR TREK - Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Mark Stoeckinger, Ben Burtt
UP - Tom Myers, Michael Silvers, Michael Semanick

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

AVATAR - Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones
DISTRICT 9 - Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - John Richardson, Tim Burke, Tim Alexander, Nicolas Aithadi
THE HURT LOCKER - Richard Stutsman
STAR TREK - Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton

MAKE UP & HAIR

COCO BEFORE CHANEL - Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen, Jane Milon
AN EDUCATION - Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS - Sarah Monzani
NINE - Peter ‘Swords’ King
THE YOUNG VICTORIA - Jenny Shircore

SHORT ANIMATION

THE HAPPY DUCKLING - Gili Dolev
MOTHER OF MANY - Sally Arthur, Emma Lazenby
THE GRUFFALO - Michael Rose, Martin Pope, Jakob Schuh, Max Lang

SHORT FILM

14 - Asitha Ameresekere
I DO AIR - James Bolton, Martina Amati
JADE - Samm Haillay, Daniel Elliott
MIXTAPE - Luti Fagbenle, Luke Snellin
OFF SEASON - Jacob Jaffke, Jonathan van Tulleken

ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD

JESSE EISENBERG
NICHOLAS HOULT
CAREY MULLIGAN
TAHAR RAHIM
KRISTEN STEWART

Thoughts? It's a pretty non-shocking list given the previous award nominations. After having seen Up In The Air, I don't get why Anna Kendrick is here--her performance is overrated. But Up In The Air is a wonderful script and I'm glad to see it recognized. I'm also of course happy that one of my favorite films of 2009, Precious continues to reign supreme this award season, with a powerhouse performance by Mo'Nique.
I'm not sure why Alec Baldwin is here. I didn't think any one performance in It's Complicated was a standout. Same goes for Meryl Streep's performance in Julie & Julia. The movie fell flat for me and, though I'm a fan of Streep, so did Meryl's performance. I don't get why that has so much awards attention this year. Luckily her apparent archnemesis this award season, Sandra Bullock, is notably absent in this rundown for her lackluster performance in my opinion in The Blind Side. Apparently, the movie is ineligible because it has not been released in the U.K. yet. I have a soft spot for Coraline--loved that movie! But where's Princess and The Frog?? District 9 is so overrated. I don't get the appeal. Oh, and The Hangover! How about that original screenplay nomination, blowing Avatar out of the category might I add? Fresh off their Golden Globes win, this nomination proves the BAFTAS also have a frat boy sense of humor. Fancy that. But enough about my thoughts, what do you think?

The BAFTAS will be announced on February 21.

It's Complicated

"Here comes your ex-husband. Not the best time to be feeling groovy."

It's true what they say: you never know what you've got until it's gone. And by then, it's often a day late and a dollar short.
In It's Complicated, Hollywood grand dame Meryl Streep plays Jane, a divorced mother of three who's youngest child moves out of the house leaving her alone, bored, and restless. Unhinged by her new wave of freedom, she does what the rest of us gals tend to do--hang out with the other girls, gab, and comfort one another over good food, conversation (mostly about men) and, of course, drinks. Her ex-husband Jake (played by Alec Baldwin) has of course moved on to a much younger woman who he's married to, to Jane's dismay. Throwing herself into her work, Jane almost didn't notice the kind soul of a promising new member of her team, an architect played by Steve Martin. Just when the two begin to spend a little time together, Jake re-enters her life and, before Jane can blink, they begin a steamy love affair. Oh, the scandal! It appears Jake has fallen for his ex-wife...again. And Jane...she's just fallen.
Complicated writer Nancy Meyers (who also wrote Something's Gotta Give) has a way of juicing up the average romantic comedy and finding just right the cast for the job. However, her movies tend to all have the same formula and undoubtedly all blur together. It's Complicated was no exception. It's her typical, though smart, romantic comedy for a more mature audience. But, unlike Something's Gotta Give, there are no Oprah-like a-ha moments, which made it really quite unspecial and fall sorta flat. The main stars were all charming and delightful in their own way and the story is probably something more divorced couples can relate to than those who'd admit it.
Except for Steve Martin's performance, whose straight-laced teddy bear portrayal was an impressive departure from his usual jokester role, I wasn't blown away by any one performance and the movie as a whole didn't captivate me.
On a final note, I think the trailer unjustly showed all the funniest moments in the movie which makes watching it really anticlimactic to watch. Too bad.

Reel Talk rating: B

The Hurt Locker

"The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug."

I committed the cardinal sin of movie reviewing--I bought into the hype of a movie before I even saw it. Award accolades, overzealous twitter praise, and critical acclaim has surrounded The Hurt Locker for months since its theater release last spring. Going into the movie this evening on its DVD premiere day, I was expecting magic on screen. But I didn't get that.
However, I didn't mind the film. But I think had the hype not been swirling around me (and had I not admittedly immersed myself too much in it), I would have watched this movie for what it was--a well made war film documenting life in Iraq through the eyes of an elite American bomb squad. Amidst a country devastated by war, young soldiers James, Sanborn, and Eldridge (played by Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty, respectively) slither through streets riddled with gunpowder, bullets, broken glass and debris, in efforts to deactivate some of the most intricate bombs they'd ever encoutered. Day in and day out the men struggle to survive the last few weeks of their deployment in a somewhat alternate universe which has too comfortably become their home. Just like so many soldiers before them, they've become desensitized to the status quo until the reality of what they're doing opens their eyes, but for just a moment--a moment they'll never forget.
I thought Anthony Mackie was impressive in this role as the tough semi-veteran of the trio, and Renner was unforgettable as the adrenaline junkie always looking for his next hit. But I think the biggest star of the movie was director Kathryn Bigelow whose intense direction stole the show and truly depicted a country that had essentially become one large ticking bomb. I probably should have seen this movie when I had the chance in theaters, but as a DVD it didn't live up to the hype, though it was well done.

Reel Talk rating: B+

Up In The Air

"Make no mistake your relationships are the heaviest components in your life.... The slower we move the faster we die. Make no mistake, moving is living."

As I write this it is January 2010, and the U.S. continues to face one of the most heart-aching economic deficits it's ever seen. Thousands are out of work, morale is abysmal and people are losing hope. As the box office indicated last year, many people are looking to see "escapism" movies, ones that make them forget their problems. Then comes Up In The Air, the timely movie that offers a first-hand look at a man who's been the enemy to many laid off employees over the past two years--the man who does the dirty work your boss didn't want to-- by handing you your walking papers in a professional, succinct way.
Now before you write this movie off, picture this: Ryan Bingham (played by George Clooney) travels 275 days in the year across the country to give thousands of people some of the worst news of their lives--that they've been let go. He has no real home, unless you call the friendly skies his home, he's completely alienated from relationships (friendly or otherwise), and he's perfectly fine with that. No arguments about who's going to pick up the kids from school, no complaints about spending too much time away from home, no hassle about forgetting someone's birthday. No strings attached. And as long as folks are getting laid off by the thousands, Bingham will always be employed and continue to keep his coveted lifestyle...until the day the game as he knows it changes and his life presents a whole new meaning to him. The rules of his professional and personal life are turned around and he's left feeling lost, alone, and--worst of all--vulnerable.
Up In The Air isn't necessarily designed to make you feel sympathetic toward the bad guy, but rather presents the other side of the recession, a side you may be more familiar with than you think. At the end of the day, Up In The Air makes us think about the importance of having someone to come home to and how we define ourselves on the job.

Reel Talk rating: A

First Look: The A-Team

Rumblings online have cited this movie as one of the most anticipated movies this year (not for me, but for other folks I guess) and we can finally see the trailer! The remake of the widely popular 80s sitcom teams Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Sharlto Copley as the fab four, reprising the roles made famous by Dirk Benedict (Templeton 'Faceman' Peck), George Peppard (John 'Hannibal' Smith), Mr. T (B.A. Baracus) and Dwight Schultz ('Howling Mad' Murdock), respectively. True to the original series plot, the team is a foursome of war veterans (Iraq, not Vietnam like in the series) who are fighting to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn't commit. The trailer isn't really that thrilling to me, but take a look at it below and decide for yourself whether you'll watch. The A-Team is in theaters June 11.

And check out an exclusive new clip below:

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The NAACP Image Awards

Continuing the award season mania is this morning's announcement of the 41st annual NAACP Image Award nominations, with Precious leading the pack with eight nominations. Here's the full list of movie nominees:

Outstanding Motion Picture
"The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
"Invictus" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
"Michael Jackson's: This Is It" (Columbia Pictures)
"Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
"The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – "The Taking of Pelham 123" (Columbia Pictures)
Idris Elba – "Obsessed" (Screen Gems)
Jamie Foxx – "Law Abiding Citizen" (Overture Films)
Morgan Freeman – "Invictus" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Quinton Aaron – "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Anika Noni Rose – "The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Gabourey Sidibe – "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Sandra Bullock – "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Sophie Okonedo – "Skin" (Jour De Fete Films)
Taraji P. Henson – "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself" (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Adam Rodriguez – "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself" (Lionsgate)
Anthony Mackie – "The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)
Chiwetel Ejiofor – "2012" (Columbia Pictures)
Danny Glover – "2012" (Columbia Pictures)
Lenny Kravitz – "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Alfre Woodard – "American Violet" (Universal Pictures)
Mariah Carey – "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Mo'Nique – "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Paula Patton – "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Zoe Saldana – "Avatar" (Paramount Pictures)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
"American Violet" (Samuel Goldwyn Company)
"Amreeka" (National Geographic Entertainment)
"Endgame" (Montery Entertainment)
"Medicine for Melancholy" (IFC Films)
"Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture
"The Maid" (Elephant Eye Films)
"Rudo y Cursi" (Sony Pictures Classics)
"Sin Nombre" (Focus Features)
"Skin" (Jour De Fete Films)
"The Stoning of Soraya M." (Mpower Pictures)

Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television)
"Capitalism: A Love Story" (Overture Films)
"Crips and Bloods: Made in America" (Gravitas Ventures)
"Crude" (First Run Features)
"Good Hair" (Roadside Attractions)
"More than a Game" (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television)
Anthony Peckham – "Invictus" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Geoffrey Fletcher – "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
John Lee Hancock – "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker – "Notorious" (Fox Searchlight)
Tyler Perry – "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself" (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television)
F. Gary Gray – "Law Abiding Citizen" (Overture Films)
George Tillman, Jr. – "Notorious" (Fox Searchlight)
Lee Daniels – "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Scott Sanders – "Black Dynamite" (Apparition)
Spike Lee – "Passing Strange: The Movie" (IFC Films/Sundance Selects)

The 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards will air on February 26 at 8pm EST on FOX.

Congrats to all the nominees...except Idris Elba...Why is he nominated for Obsessed? Same goes for Black Dynamite. That movie was hideous! You've got to be kidding me. Super excited about Paula Patton's nomination (finally!) and Sophie Okenedo's, as well as American Violet's nod (but its star Nicole Beharie was snubbed?!). Oh, and Lenny Kravitz, you shouldn't be here you're not an actor (though you look good trying). Same goes for Mariah Carey (I've been begging for her not to be in any more movies and here she goes again--and being nominated at that!). Her performance was not a standout (maybe for her it was), and will NEVER win next to Mo'Nique. Lastly, who doesn't belong--Sandra Bullock? Kinda sticks out like a sore thumb here... It's hard enough to believe they're billing her as an Oscar frontrunner (whodathunk the woman from Speed and All About Steve?). Share your thoughts!

First Look: "Our Family Wedding"

Those of you who follow me on Twitter may already know how much I am a fan of Southland star Regina King, so I am thrilled to learn she is returning to the big screen in this upcoming romantic comedy Our Family Wedding. I'm not a huge fan of rom coms, but this one doesn't look half bad. Co-starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Lance Gross and Taye Diggs, the movie surrounds a couple whose interracial relationship (he's African-American and she's Latina) and impending parenthood send their family into a tailspin planning nuptials that cater to both heritages. This isn't anything we haven't seen before, but it may just be some good old-fashioned fun at the movie theaters (here's hoping!). Take a look at the trailer below. Our Family Wedding hits theaters March 19.



Our Family Wedding - Trailer - The best free videos are right here

First Look: "Tangled"

Hollywood is yet again remaking a Disney tale. This time it's the classic story of the attic-bound damsel in distress, Rapunzel. Check out the newly released teaser trailer below for the movie Tangled. Mandy Moore is voicing the famous heroine in the movie which is rumored to follow the original story with a modern twist. Other stars who lend their voices include Kristin Chenoweth and Reese Witherspoon. Tangled is scheduled to hit theaters in 3-D on November 24.

First Look: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I"

Harry and the gang's back in this first of a two-part finale of the book as the mischievous teens leave Hogwarts in search of the missing Horcuxes who apparently hold the clue to defeating Lord Voldemort. Check out the new trailer below. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I hits theaters November 19.

First Look: "From Paris With Love"

Don't be fooled by its near-Valentine's Day release date. From Paris With Love is not a romantic comedy of any kind. The mega-action flick (directed by the folks behind District 9 and Taken) teams John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers in a wild ride through the City of Light between a young worker from the office of the U.S. ambassador (Rhys Meyers) and an American spy (Travolta) looking to stop an impending terrorist attack in the city. Check out the newest trailer below. From Paris With Love hits theaters February 5.