by Sandy | Aug 14, 2009 | Actors, Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, Books, Film, Movies
Whether he is acting in a film of serious social commentary, “Traffic” and “Crash” or fun stuff, the “Ocean’s” films – (11, 12 and 13), Mr. Cheadle always stands out.
Whether crying with him in “Hotel Rwanda” or laughing with him as he “attitudes” his way thru “Talk to Me”, a story about 60’s/70’s activist, and Washington, DC, disk jockey Ralph “Petey” Greene directed by Kasi Lemmons, he just elevates it all to another level.
Also a stage actor, he appeared in Lori Parks Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Top Dog/Under Dog”, on Broadway to much acclaim. But, Don Cheadle also has an activist streak. While filming “Hotel Rwanda”, he learned the plight of people in the Sudan and after visiting Darfur in 2005, he’s made a committed effort to bring the horrors and violence of the region to the attention of the American people. He wrote a book with John Prendergast called, “Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond”. An accompanying documentary was released in 2007.
Don Cheadle is outstanding.
by Bob Martin | Jun 26, 2009 | Actors, Art, Artist Residencies, Culture, Dance, Education, Events, Live Performance, Writing and Speaking
The key to a great career is to be totally in love with what you do. Helen Mirren must have been in more then 50 movies and a equal amount of plays and TV series. She is remarkably in that she continues to work. Her first credits go back to 1967. 
London’s National Theatre Production of Phèdre starring Ms. Mirren, performed in London and screened at Mann Chinese Theatre in LA yesterday. These kinds of screenings make theatre accessible and affordable again. No travel and no enormous Broadway ticket price.
There is a review on the LA Times blog but there are also tweets by the theater goers. Pretty nice.
by Bob Martin | Jun 25, 2009 | Actors, Art, Arts, Entertainment and Music
Two artists, born into fame at a time when we fans demanded more then a performance.
Michael Jackson
We wanted to know everything about our stars, even those things that we would not divulge about ourselves. As fans we were both harsh and judgmental about all of our media hero’s.
In the end, all we ever needed to know and remember were their performances.
“nough said”
by Bob Martin | Jun 16, 2009 | Actors, Art, Film, Movies
Have you ever noticed that people become irritated when other people are happy. For some reason people take it personally, like they are being ridiculed, if other people are happy seemingly for no reason. I had a chance to see the film “Happy Go Lucky
” last week. It’s a funny little film and insightful. It certainly had me rethink my attitude. Having me be more conscious of sometimes raining on others parade.
The movie stars Sally Hawkins as Pauline “Poppy” Cross, a young lady committed to seeing the world in its best possible light. On DVD, good rental 😆
by Bob Martin | Jun 6, 2009 | Actors, Art, Film, Movies
Horror, Vampire and Super Hero films are not my thing, but I was totally taken in by “Let the Right One In”. Everthing about this film was different. In stead of frightening, or over the top special effects there is reason,
committment and love. But more importantly there is survival. If you are intriqued by gore and blood there is plenty of that, but it’s different. It is on DVD, see it with the sub-title. Delightful little film even if you don’t like Vampires.
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by Bob Martin | Jun 5, 2009 | Actors, Art, Directors, Film, Movies
Scarlett Johansson and Woody Allen
This 2008 Woody Allen film has all the charm and wit of his older films. Allen had a remarkable run from the early 1980 up until 1999, after which the films that followed did not seem to have the same magic. In Vicky Cristina, Allen makes fun of Americans, plays with our recklessness and the unreasonableness of being in love. For me the magic is back.
