Ava DuVernay

Guest Contributor

Reel Artsy Outdoors

Woodsman Style.

Reel Artsy Wellness

Holistic Living

Interview with Numa Perrier

Writer / Director

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Irma La Douce

A young Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine play a mismatched couple in this cutesy 1963 romantic comedy.
In Paris, an ex-cop falls in love with a prostitute, and tries to get her out of that life by paying for all of her time. Not so easy...
Irma La Douce is definitely worth a rental, it has lots of funny moments and I wouldn't be surprised if they did a modern remake. You can catch it on the Starz channel throughout the month of August.




For fans of... Pretty Woman and The Girlfriend Experience.

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Zoe Kravitz on Nylon TV


Nylon is the coolest fashion magazine and it's fun to watch their fashion profiles. Here's one on Zoe Kravitz, actress/singer and daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet (The Cosby Show).



Plus, Zoe was on Good Morning America where they coined her "on the brink" of stardom. I hope so!

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Murderball


This is a great documentary so if you haven't seen it yet, watch it! Their stories of tragedy and hope are extremely inspiring. And if you're a sports fan you'll especially appreciate the competitive moments.

Murderball is a film about paraplegics who play full-contact rugby in Mad Max-style wheelchairs - overcoming unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece

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White on Rice


White on Rice looks strangely cute. Anyone happen to catch during a film festival screening? It features James Kyson Lee (Heroes) in a supporting role, consider me interested.


Official Site: www.whiteonricethemovie.com

[H/T Black Box Office]

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Pastor Brown


Salli Richardson-Whitfield is one of those under-the-radar actresses I've been wanting to see in starring roles. If you're a sci-fi fan then you're probably familiar with her playing Dr. Allison Blake on Eureka. In Pastor Brown, Richardson takes a role quite opposite of her Eureka character to star and produce in this indie film about church and family politics...

When her father unexpectedly falls terminally ill, exotic dancer Jessica "Jesse" Brown returns home for the first time in more than a decade. Her father's dying wish - that she take over as head of Mount Olive Baptist Church - turns her life and her family's life upside down.


I still haven't found a screencap from the movie but here's a picture of Richardson and her husband, Dondre Whitfield, who is also in the film with her. Don't they make an adorable couple?


[H/T Shadow & Act]

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Simply Dash-ing

Dash in Clueless (far right).
Dash in I Could Never Be Your Woman.

Last night in a desperate attempt for a new rom-com, I rented I Could Never Be Your Woman which stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd. But this post is not devoted to that little bit of chick flick cheese, but rather to Stacey Dash who played a supporting role as an actor playing a teenager in a TV series.

I first had a girl crush on her from a 1996 film Clueless (which funny enough Rudd was also in), but one of her first appearances was on The Cosby Show. Yes, The Cosby Show. It seems that this foxy lady is actually 43 years old. I was so amazed at this because in '95, at the age of 28, she played 16, an here she was at about 40 years old playing the role of a girl in her mid-twenties.

Her great looks are lent to a mixed-heritage background of African American, Aztec and West Indian. Clearly she looks amazing, especially for her age. Yes, I too have heard that 40 is the new twenty, but for this actor, she is truly living up to that adage.


Check out Dash as Dionne in Clueless.

by Lisa Charleyboy from Urban Native Girl Stuff

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When in Rome


Kristen Bell did a great job with Veronica Mars and I'm ready to see her make the transition to full-fledged movie star (unless she's given another show on cable, which seems to be the place creating multi-dimensional characters for women). When in Rome tests her in the Sandra Bullock/Julia Roberts rom-com water...

Beth Harper (Bell) is a young, successful real estate agent but she's completely unlucky in love. However, when the New Yorker travels to Rome to see her newlywed sister, she impulsively steals some coins from a reputed fountain of love, and is then aggressively pursued by a band of wannabe lovers.

I could easily see her doing comedies, thrillers, sci-fi and dramas. Hopefully she gets the opportunity to showcase her talent in all of those genres.


When in Rome will be released in January 2010.

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The Stoning of Soraya M.


Everything about this film looks intense. Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Nativity Story) and James Caviezel (The Count of Monte Cristo) are two underrated actors and when you pair them together I'm sure they'll bring the necessary depth to their characters, especially in weighty piece like this.
The Stoning of Soraya M. is a drama set in 1986 Iran and centered on a man, Sahebjam (Caviezel), whose car breaks down in a remote village and enters into a conversation with Zahra (Aghdashloo), who relays to him the story about her niece, Soraya, whose arranged marriage to an abusive tyrant had a tragic ending.


Official Site: www.thestoning.com

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The Ramen Girl


I blog about films that I've either seen or plan to see. The Ramen Girl is part of the latter. I came across it when I was in the video store the other day and it seemed worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes after I watch it.

An American woman (Brittany Murphy) is stranded in Tokyo after breaking up with her boyfriend. Searching for direction in life, she trains to be a râmen chef under a tyrannical Japanese master.

Viewed it already? Share your thoughts!

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Manic


Manic is the first pairing of Joesph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. They play crazy people, sort of in love but not really. You'll just have to see. Don Cheadle anchors the film as the doctor who tries to ground them in reality. It's a gritty movie done well.

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(500) Days of...Gorgeous Rooftops


This scene from 500 Days of Summer is stunning. Actually, everything about the film is adorable! Seriously. It's that good. And to celebrate my new instant favorite I'll be posting as many random pics from the movie as I can.

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Bi-Racial...Not Black Damn It


Films like this get me excited! Growing up there weren't many resources and stories that documented the biracial experience so it's cool to see this kind of stuff emerge. I'm not a fan of the title (it sounds a little harsh) but the content seems thought-provoking enough so I plan on buying the DVD as soon as I can.


Want more? You can watch a 16 minute excerpt of the film here.

Official Site: www.battlecatt.com

[H/T Sergio]

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My Faraway Bride


My Faraway Bride (a.k.a. My Bollywood Bride) came on TV one night so I gave it a try. It's cheesy but I liked it.

My Faraway Bride tells the story of Alex, a copy-writer dreaming of being an adventure novelist someday, who meets and romances Indian beauty Reena, while she is vacationing in California.

As long as you don't come in with Slumdog Millionaire expectations you'll be okay. It's more along the lines of a Lifetime movie.


Official Site: www.myfarawaybride.com

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Snub City! - The Emmy Nominations


Once again Friday Night Lights and Battlestar Galactica, two brilliantly crafted shows end up without any decent nominations. Not only do they have phenomenal lead actors, they have an all-around superb cast. Plus the story, editing, it's all there! What a shame.

For the full list of the Emmy nominations click here.

Thoughts?

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"My heart keeps beating like a hammer..."


"Help, I'm Alive" by Metric has been stuck in my head for a couple of weeks and every time it comes on the radio I smile. Somebody has to put it on a film soundtrack.

Acoustic Version:



Radio Version:



Official Site: www.myspace.com/metric

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Whip It!


The trailer for Drew Barrymore's roller derby film Whip It! is now online. It stars Ellen Page, Kristen Wiig, Barrymore and several other comedic actors.
In Bodeen, Texas, an indie-rock loving misfit finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin.

The October release can't come quick enough. Anyone else excited to see this film?




[H/T Sergio]

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Event: Rooftop Films


Attention New Yorkers!
"On Friday, July 17th, Rooftop Films will be screening the Indonesian film Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly."

I mentioned the film earlier on my blog and here's a great opportunity to check it out in a cool atmosphere because outdoor films are fun and when they're on rooftops, even better!

For further details visit www.rooftopfilms.com to check out their full summer schedule.

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The Situation


I'm a big of movies that center around journalists so I had to check this out when it came on the Sundance channel.
The Situation is set against the backdrop of the Iraqi war, and a love triangle between a CIA operative, an American journalist, and an Iraqi photographer.

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Zooey Deschanel on The Tonight Show


In case you missed it Zooey Deschanel was on Conan last week chatting 500 Days of Summer, music and stories of her oh-so-charming quirkiness...

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Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel to star in 'Your Highness'


Two of my favorite actresses will finally share the screen in a medieval comedy called Your Highness. Deschanel just signed onto the project alongside Portman and James Franco. For me this pairing is as grand as Pacino and DeNiro, Denzel and Russell Crowe or any of those heavy-hitting combos that people were eager to see. This is so much better! It's Garden State meets 500 Days Summer.


For all the details on this epic duo visit The Hollywood Reporter.

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Arranged


Movies about unexpected friendships are usually entertaining and this one looks like a winner...

Arranged centers on the friendship between an Orthodox Jewish woman and a Muslim woman who meet as first-year teachers at a public school in Brooklyn.

I'm especially interested in seeing more of Zoe Lister-Jones' films and this one is next on my list.


Official Website: www.arrangedthemovie.com

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Awkwardly Cute: Michael Cera + Felicia Day


They need to do a project together. Seriously. It could be a web series, a movie, a TV show, something! Just imagine all the awkward cuteness that would happen on screen...epic.


For more of Felicia's show visit www.watchtheguild.com

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Brothers


A trailer of Natalie Portman's upcoming movie, finally!

A young man comforts his older brother's wife and children after he goes missing in Afghanistan.



It kind of reminds me of a darker version of Things We Lost in the Fire. There's actually a connection there, anyone know what it is??? Kudos if you guess right.

[H/T Issa Rae]

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Lights chats beginnings...


Not movie related, but I'll try to sneak in as many Lights updates as I can. Why? Because her music is intergalactically cool. Duh. Check out this video on how she got started in the music biz:


Official Site: www.iamlights.com

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Big Fan


Big Fan doesn't look like the typical sports movie and I like that...
Paul Aufiero, a hardcore New York Giants football fan, struggles to deal with the consequences when he is beaten up by his favorite player.

With its August release it's quite possible it might some decent awards buzz.


Official Site: www.bigfanmovie.com

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Welcome to the Party! - Emma Stone


She doesn't have a lot of starring roles to her credit but she was hilarious in The House Bunny. A while back Entertainment Weekly named her one of the 25 funniest actresses in Hollywood and I totally agree. Here's to hoping she gets a bunch of dazzling opportunities in the near future.


Next up...you can catch Stone in the horror comedy Zombieland alongside Woody Harrelson, coming to theaters this fall.

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Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham


One of my favorite Bollywood films...

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
is about the bond between brothers, the women they love and family traditions.

Simple but good! If you're familiar with the leads, you'll enjoy it even more.

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Neo Ned


Neo Ned stars Gabrielle Union and Jeremy Renner in an interesting spin on a love story...

Committed to a psychiatric hospital, a neo-Nazi falls for a black woman who channels Adolf Hitler.

Weird, huh? Don't let the outlandish plot turn you away. It's actually an intriguing story, one of the most interesting roles I've seen Gabrielle Union in. And Jeremy Renner is an actor to take notice of especially with all the buzz surrounding The Hurt Locker.


You can watch Neo Ned on the Starz channel in August. Give it a try!

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Caramel (Sukkar banat)


I DVRed this when it came on the Sundance channel but I only saw half of it because I accidentally erased it. What I did catch was good though! It's full of vibrant colors and interesting characters. I have to find out what happens in the end.

Caramel is a romantic comedy centered on the daily lives of five Lebanese women living in Beirut.



Official Site: www.caramelmovie.co.uk

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Career Flashback: Amy Adams


Before she became an Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams had some fun roles. Here are a few of my favs...


1. Purse Lady on The Office - this show already has one of the best ensemble casts and when you add Amy Adams to mix, things only get better. Please tell me you've seen the "Hot Girl" episode. Hilarious.

2. Shy Susan in Talladega Nights
- this movie is full of quotable lines because "you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra." Well said, Amy, well said.

3. The girl with braces in Catch Me If You Can - she made a fun candy striper and you know it.

4. Freak-of-the-week on Smallville - a kryptonite laced diet smoothie made her character turn from geek to chic in a matter of minutes. I didn't realize that was her until I saw her IMDb profile. Umm...wow.

Next up, you can catch Adams in Julie & Julia alongside Meryl Streep.


What's your favorite Amy Adams role so far?

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