UncomfortableTV: Tea Party Movement Convention 2010

(image from CS Monitor)

So I know Don Cornelius is tugging at your socks since there's a very special walk (or boogie) through time down the Soul Train line via VH1, but I would love it if you'd tune in--even for 15 minutes to watch the uncomfortable but I daresay necessary television that is occurring via CSPAN. Here is as historic a moment as any in present American History.

You can also view live via http://www.pjtv.com/v/3031.

bytwenty8 does not aspire to be a benign instrument or aloof pusher, if you will, of Black and Brown entertainment consumption. Instead, the intention, as stated at New Year's advent is to "get you woke, daily."

Here is one such occasion. Consider it a SPECspesh--that is, inspiration, motivation--to birth the thing we need to move us a little closer to giving all of us "us free."

I don't have any opinions or objections, pros or cons to offer, but I do think it oh-so-important that you make this a part of your Saturday night viewing.

JustForKicks: DIDDY TO OPEN BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR ENTREPRENEURS

DIDDY TO OPEN BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR ENTREPRENEURS

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And to keep it real--hateration aside--I would support Diddy wholeheartedly in that effort. We'll keep mum about the vanishing royalty checks and repeated instances of somebody's hand in SEVERAL performers' pocket. (That's why one commenter says, she'd patronize the school as a student, but SHO'NUFF not as an artist!)

As long as that part of it isn't worked into the syllabus, how-to-be-a-mogul a la Diddy doesn't sound like such a bad idea.

SOMEbody 'siced' off of their BET Honors statuette. :-)

And really, he had me ready to cry when he accepted his award. I respect that he praises his mother for her role in influencing his 'Go'.

Don't expect me to amp him now, but I do indeed salute the brother's hustle. Kim Porter ain't told no lies: he's the best business school you'll never go to.

Maybe soon you can.

TUNE IN NOW: SOS Help Haiti, BET live stream #SonjeAyiti #Haiti

BET's SOS Help For Haiti Telethon is streaming live right now. Catch up and call in: http://www.bet.com/specials/helphaiti/telethon/sos_livestream

FORECAST: Where's Black Cine Headed? Heavyweights Weigh in March 2010 Ebony

Ebony Magazine’s black filmmakers forum – a definite must read

Posted using ShareThis via Shadow & Act.

When Ebony hits the stands in March, Sergio Mims de Shadow & Act (which is like crack to me--no need to sprinkle, Dave) recommends you cop that.

Here's why:

The mag hosted a panel about Black cinema's past, present and future inviting Oscar nominated Lee Daniels ('Precious'), Bill Duke (HU, stand up!), Antoine Fuqua ('Training Day'), Gina Prince-Bythewood ('Secret Life of Bees,' yay!), F. Gary Gray ('Law Abiding Citizen') and Will Packer (prod. 'Obsessed') to weigh in on the conversation.

The beauty of it is less the melanin-ized power in the room, and more what's been said by folks who know their industry--nuggets invaluable to ANY would-be, aspiring or active filmmaker.

But it most certainly is nice to hear it all from these particular heavyweights.

The March issue of Ebony hits newsstands February 9th. (and look who's on the coooooovvvvvveerrrrrrr????!!! sobeautiful)

(4/4) SNOWED IN: 4 Netflix-ing Moods You Might Borrow

By now, you should be ready to break glass.

BUT since that's expensive, dangerous and it'll still be snowing when you finish, I present...Mood 4.

For my Throwbacks/Barely-there-Booskie mood (this with a mild awareness of what month it is--Black, Boo-lovin' and all):
>> Love Jones (1997, Theodore Witcher)
>> Coming to America (1988, John Landis)
>> Set It Off (1997, F. Gary Gray)
>> Poetic Justice (1993, John Singleton...grr...)
>> Fame (1980, Alan Parker)
>> Friday (1995, F. Gary Gray)
>> She Hate Me (2004, Spike Lee)
>> The Wiz (1978, Sidney Lumet)
>> School Daze (1988, Spike Lee)
>> Love & Basketball (2000, Gina Prince-Bythewood)

>> Brown Sugar (2002, Rick Famuyiwa)
>> Malcolm X (1992, Spike Lee)

>> How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998, Kevin Rodney Sullivan)

>> Waiting to Exhale (1995, Forest Whitaker)

(3/4) SNOWED IN: 4 Netflix-ing Moods You Might Borrow

And you STILL AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE...

So here's Mood 3 to stave off cabin fever.

For my Just Because mood:
>> The Informant (2009, Steven Soderbergh)
>> Capitalism: A Love Story (2009, Michael Moore)
>> Skin (2009, Anthony Fabian)
>> Miracle at St. Anna (2008, Spike Lee)
>> The Secret Life of Bees (2008, Gina Prince-Bythewood)
>> Sex and the City: The Movie (2008, Michael Patrick King *don't judge)
>> She Hate Me (2004, Spike Lee)
>> Burn After Reading (2008, Coen Brothers)
>> The Great Debaters (2007, Denzel Washington)
>> Obsessed (2008, Steve Shill)
>> Talk to Me (2007, Kasi Lemmons)

>> Life is Hot in Cracktown (2009, Buddy Giovinazzo)

(2/4) SNOWED IN: 4 Net-Flixing Moods You Might Borrow

Since you STILL AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE...

Here's Mood 2 to stave off cabin fever.

For my Oscar season mood:
>> 2010 Inglourious Basterds (Netflix)
>> 2010 Hurt Locker (Netflix)
>> 2009 Milk (Netflix)
>> 2009 The Dark Knight (Netflix)
>> 2009 Frost/Nixon (Netflix)
>> 2009 Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Netflix)
>> 2008 Charlie Wilson's War (Netflix)
>> 2008 American Gangster (Netflix)
>> 2008 Juno (Netflix)
>> 2008 Bourne Ultimatum (Netflix; They're talking about a prequel minus Matt!)
>> 2008 Persepolis (Netflix)
>> 2007 Dreamgirls (Netflix)

(1/4) SNOWED IN: 4 Netflix-ing Moods You Might Borrow

It's looking like 2 feet and rising all Friday and Saturday.

THAT being said: YOU AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE.

To stave off cabin fever, here are some rentals I'll be getting in once the thrill of snowballing and [my bro's] shoveling have grown wearisome.

I'm a moody televisual-cinematic consumer--so trust this list to be all over the place: 4 Moods For ya...

For my what's-the-hype/(or maybe there wasn't one...)/i-need-some-reruns TV mood:
>> HBO's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (iTunes)
>> NBC's Parks & Recreation (NBC.com/parks-and-recreation)
>> AMC's Mad Men (MadMenEpisodes.com)
>> NBC's 30 Rock (NBC.com/30-rock)
>> HBO's Entourage (Netflix)
>> CW's Girlfriends (*tear* Netflix)
>> FOX's Glee (FOX.com)
>> ABC's Ugly Betty (*tear* abc.go.com/shows/ugly-betty)
>> ABC's Lincoln Heights (iTunes)
>> Showtime's Weeds (Netflix)
>> Bravo's Real Housewives of Atlanta (iTunes--you knew it was coming :-D)

Let Your SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUULLLLLL...

wait--wrong song.

But February 6th, 'Soul Train' the documentary premieres on VH1.

OIJRYWB Month notwithstanding, it's a walk down memory lane with the "longest running show in syndication."

Catch a preview below:

Fashion Forward, Ayiti Styled

By now, you (had BETTER) know what rocked Haiti to its core in the most literal sense on January 12, 2010.

Polo Makes Haiti Relief Shirt - Essence.com

For the bourgi-licious bred'ren...Essence has got you covered in Ayiti--from iPhone cases to scarves, upscale papier to perfume. If you've got the dime, get 'er in.

POST SCRIPT
"In some cases, the best you can hope for is fashionable co-optation."

Justin Mentell of Boston Legal dead at 27

Justin Mentell of Boston Legal dead at 27

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Oscar Noms Are In--Chyeeeeeaaaaaaah Boyeeeeeee!

Anne Hathaway presented the nominees for the 2010 Oscars, set to take place March 7th, 2010 at the Kodak Center in Hollywood. Get Excited.

Best Picture (complete with the new and improved 10 slot noms for 2010)

* “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers (should I shop for my surprise! face?)
* “The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined (how does that work exactly?)
* “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
* “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
* “The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
* “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers (YAY!)
* “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
* “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
* “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Actor in a Leading Role (surprising list...)

* Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
* George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
* Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
* Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
* Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

* Matt Damon in “Invictus”
* Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
* Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
* Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
* Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds” (He was DANG good.)

Actress in a Leading Role

* Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
* Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
* Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
* Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (YAY!)
* Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role

* Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
* Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
* Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
* Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
* Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (YAY!!)

Animated Feature Film

* “Coraline” Henry Selick
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
* “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
* “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
* “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

* “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
* “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
* “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
* “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography

* “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
* “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
* “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
* “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
* “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

* “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
* “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
* “Nine” Colleen Atwood
* “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing

* “Avatar” James Cameron
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
* “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
* “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

Documentary (Feature)

* “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
* “The Cove” Nominees to be determined
* “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
* “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
* “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

Documentary (Short Subject)

* “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
* “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
* “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
* “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
* “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Film Editing

* “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
* “District 9” Julian Clarke
* “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
* “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

Foreign Language Film

* “Ajami” Israel
* “El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
* “The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
* “Un Prophète” France
* “The White Ribbon” Germany

Makeup

* “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
* “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
* “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Music (Original Score)

* “Avatar” James Horner
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
* “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
* “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
* “Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

* “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
* “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
* “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Short Film (Animated)

* “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
* “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
* “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
* “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
* “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)

* “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
* “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
* “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
* “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
* “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
* “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
* “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
* “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
* “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
* “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
* “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

Visual Effects

* “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
* “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
* “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

* “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
* “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
* “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
* “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Writing (Original Screenplay)

* “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
* “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
* “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
* “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
* “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

Nollywood Thursdays ALL Month Long @ the Smithsonian

Nollywood is the feature presentation THIS and EVERY THURSDAY of Chris Matthews' OIJRYWB Month. Check out the Nollywood Film Festival this week!!

Brought to you by Chevron, though?? #ThingsThatMakeYouSay'Empire'...

GRAMMYespecial

Watch online @ www.grammy.com/live.

Reel 'Round Town | First Week of HAPPY-OH-I-JUST-REMEMBERED-YOU-WERE-BLACK-MONTH!

Let's Begin. Get inspired ALL week long.

TODAY, Sunday, January 31st
RIGHT NOW 3:00P @Sankofa Cafe, 2714 Georgia Ave., NW
THIS EVENING 6:00P @Busboys & Poets, 14th & V Sts., NW
Jeffrey Haas signs The Assassination of Fred Hampton. Events are free in either location. This is indeed a must read, entering OIJRYWB Month. Read the decade-end post sobre Chairman Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, who lost their lives at the hands of the State 40 years ago, December 4, 1969 in an attempted snuff of the Black Panther Party. www.sankofa.com , www.busboysandpoets.com

Monday, February 1st
6:30p @Old Arlington Grill (open at 5:00p),

2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA

*Admission is 21 or over unless accompanied by parent/guardian*
As part of Arlington Cinema Drafthouse's Oscar Watch series, $1 Mondays (you read right) kicks off with Oscar contenders 'Where the Wild Things Are' at 4:30p, 'A Serious Man' at 7:30p, and your darling as well as mine 'Precious' at 9:50p.

Tuesday, February 2nd

7:00p @Corcoran Gallery of Art

500 17th St., NW

$20

‘Super Size Me’ director, Morgan Spurlock speaks to the power of the lens to effect change in the social sphere. Spurlock is souped to share his adventures in documenting his personal expedition for truth. And for $20 you can witness just that, plus an award winning director. www.corcoran.org

7:00p @Social

1400 Meridian Place, NW

free screening

If you don't manage to make it to Spurlock, and if you’re that into the hit-series, ‘Lost,’ go socialize with birds of the same feather as Social serves up the vittles and a big screen to view the season finale premiere, gratis.

Wednesday, February 3rd

6:00p @Kennedy Center Millennium Stage

2700 F St., NW

free

ChinahBlac hits the Millennium Stage, and let me tell you. This Sis is the TRUTH.COM!! You don't know what you're about to experience. Truestory. Go prep yourself if you need to. She is best known for her vocal contributions layered on top of the likes of Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and ohhhhh the list could go on for a while. Read her bio via http://www.kennedy-center.org/. She wants to bring the fire back to music, and I promise you, she is.

7:00p @Big Bear Cafe 1700 First St., NW free

Here is a reading series that began out of wanting to provide a venue for 826DC volunteers to share their writing with each other and with all of DC. 826DC is a nonprofit committed to "supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills" (SWEET!) The lowercase Reading Series is going down at 7:00p at the Big Bear Cafe. http://www.826dc.org/

Thursday, February 4th

Cake & Kisses Party

9:00p @Asylum

2471 18th St., NW

$5

*Admission is 21 or over*

If you're in the room, and feeling the vibe go ahead and get on the mic. This is a once-a-month affair, and Phil Ade among others will be in the house, along with the cake and Hershey's Kisses--as promised. This isn't a film, but it is inspiration. Go run right through--21 and over only. Check it out.

Jungle Fever!! And A Very Cinematic Sunday @TVOne

Right now on TVOne, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee are in full effect!! I LOVE THEM! (...And so my unintended Samuel L. Jackson throwback binge continues...smh. Tell him don't EVER let Tarantino or anybody else put him in horse hair again! EVER.)

Cuando the credits roll, I have MUCHO goodies to share. It is going DOWN something proper around the DMV this week as we bring in Chris Matthews' favorite season.

Happy Eve of "Oh!-They-Just-Remembered-We-Were-Black-Month!" Find a lecture or several--Black people on that circuit are extra-employed over the next several weeks.

Milk it bred'ren. MILK it!

(Vintage Spike Lee. Indeed. Catch all his Wesley Snipes' jams today on TV One as 'Mo' Better Blues' airs thereafter. Then see the man himself on Mario Van Peebles Obamatic doc on race, airing at 7:00p. Catch 'Why Do Fools Fall in Love' once 'Mo' Better' credits roll.)