Prince Of Persia

Attended a screening of Prince of Persia last night, here's my thoughts.
Here's my scale again for those of you who don't know it.
Wow, really = Don't ever watch this
OK = Watch it only once it reaches a premium cable network
Very Cute = Good, works for it's genre
Riveting = A must see, amazing work

Prince of Persia = OK

Although it was wonderfully mystically and magical some things were missing. One, the story line was a little weak but it more than made up for that with it's heart strings factor. The thing that bothered me the most was the undeniable subtle Hollywood racism that still plagues movies like this. Persia is Iran. It is not populated by slightly bronzed Europeans. Many films set in the east as far back as the Ten Commandments misrepresent the factual appearance of the people and cast white people, put bronzer on them and now wha la you have Persians, Egyptians who whoever they are portraying . This was insulting when they did it for Indians in cowboy movies and it's insulting now.

Baby Love

We lost a potential legend day before yesterday. Christian Robinson is gone. He definitely reached legendary status amongst his friends, family and some industry heavy hitters. When I began my junior year at the Chicago Academy for the Arts I didn't know what to expect. I knew I was different and didn't mesh with the kids at my two previous High School and that this was my final choice. Very early on I began forming a relationship with one Christian Robinson. I relationship was so fluid and natural that I don't remember the first time we met. Not because it was insignificant but because it feels like I just always knew Chris. I don't have any memories of the Academy that don't involve him. His best friend Ryan Russ and I were a match made in hell for the school faculty as we were the originators of Jackass behavior long before the show. Chris was our "coach" if you will. Often encouraging and enhancing the ridiculous stunts, pranks and delinquent behavior of Ryan and I. We all supported each other in our artistic endeavors and finally I had found a group of people who understood me. For the record, I haven't found it since. My best friend is still the same one I found at the Academy Leigh Peeler. After High School I began attending classes at Columbia College Chicago studying Film with a concentration in producing. Instead of living in the dorms I got a studio apartment at 1229 S. Michigan Ave. Chris and Ryan rented the apartment next door and it was more like we lived together with a separate room. The year we lived there was unforgettable. Chris, Ryan and JoJo (Chris's brother) were hitting the charts with their single Hush and I was attending film school. It was a full year of partying. Jackass style pranks, hot box parties, debauchery and just an all around rocking good time. When I moved out I headed to Atlanta, came back to Chicago, went back to Atlanta, left for California and eventually settled back in the ATL. Throughout it all Chris and I (who are both very withdrawn and elusive at times) managed to stay in touch with each other. We would talk to each other like no time had past even if it had been years between our last conversation. Earlier this year we had discussed working together on some projects infusing my love of film and his of music. We never got a chance to do it. Chris never told me he was sick. I'm not surprised. He and I lived in our own little fantasy world together and in our world no one was sick, there was no sadness just us and art. I'm so glad I got to speak to him one last time and didn't know he was ill because it meant I got to just talk art with my baby love, pure and simple.

Just Wright

Attended a screening of Just Wright last night, here's my thoughts.
Here's my scale again for those of you who don't know it.
Wow, really = Don't ever watch this
OK = Watch it only once it reaches a premium cable network
Very Cute = Good, works for it's genre
Riveting = A must see, amazing work
Just Wright = Very Cute
Leslie Wright is a straight-shooting physical therapist who gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight. All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig and the tug-of-war inside her heart. Oblivious to her romantic overtures, McKnight is instead drawn to the affections of Leslie's childhood friend Morgan, who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife. Is Leslie destined to play the role of "best friend" forever or will Scott finally see that what he always wanted is right in front of him?

Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah) is totally lovable despite falling in the friend zone with all males throughout the film and Scott McKnight (Common) is perfect as the successful yet gullible superstar that you wish would just listen to you so he can live an abundantly happy life. Paula Patton (Morgan) does not wow as the money thirsty, fame hunter that you can't decide if you admire or hate. Despite some forgivable bad acting from a few NBA super-athletes the cast is overflowing with gifted actors delivery enchanting performances.

San Francisco Here We Come

You guys have listened to my ups and downs but I haven't given you much of my history. Kimberly Latrice Jones was born in 1976 in Melrose Park, Ill. She began her career in entertainment in 1984 when she became Ms. Pleasant Grove in her small town of Kankakee, Ill. Her mother remarried in 1986 and her family relocated to Chicago, Ill. She attended the famous arts High School, The Chicago Academy for the Arts and graduated in 1994. She attended Columbia College for one year where she studied film with a concentration in producing. After bouncing back and forth between Chicago and Atlanta working as a film/tv extra, improv comic and salesperson she decided to move to Los Angeles. While in LA she worked as a wardrobe assistant and eventually as an intern to a Miramax development executive. After several years in LA she settled back in Atlanta where she promptly took a position as a development assistant on the reality series Being Bobby Brown. Upon completion of her work on the series she worked a short period of time as the Company Manager for the Atlanta Ballet. Her next gigs were as the production secretary on the Tyler Perry films Madea's Family Reunion & I Can Do Bad All By Myself. She was the Co-Producer of independent film "Five Days In The A", which received Official Selection at the San Diego Black Film Festival and the San Francisco Black Film Festival. She is currently in development on a short drama with her production company Powerhouse Productions Entertainment, LLC. She is the proud mother of a son, Drake Edward Williams, who resides with her in Atlanta, GA.

Momma

Mother's Day is coming and it has me thinking about my Mom. I watch Mad Men and my favorite character is Peggy Olsen, because she's a woman in the 60's making it in a male driven industry. That takes me back to my childhood memories. I remember taking the elevator up at the Sears Tower and ending up in my Mom's office, an executive suite. Even in the 80's she was an oddity. Not to mention the fact that she had been at Sears in a minimum of a supervisory position since the late 60's. Now she was an executive and based on the way people treated me I knew she was important. It let me know I could be important. Walter Payton did a promotion with Sears my Mom oversaw, so when she came to career day at my school she came with Walter Payton autographs for my entire class. I will never forget the limo picking us up to take us to see the 1986 championship bears play. My Mom was a winner and she still is. Where did she get this wow factor, my grandmother. My grandmother who owned acres of land and built a church in the basement of her home. My grandmother who walked the streets of the west side of Chicago talking to gang members and getting them out of street life. Two amazing women. My Mom is my Hero and my Grandmother was her's. This Mother's Day I pray I become the woman my son needs to see to know he can do whatever he wants.