Tag: Rosie Perez

Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING Available on 4k Ultra HD for the First Time on February 2nd

It’s the hottest day of the summer. You can do nothing, you can do something, or you can…DO THE RIGHT THING. In 1989, Academy Award® winner and visionary filmmaker Spike Lee mesmerized audiences with one of the most insightful and provocative films of its time, DO THE RIGHT THING. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment continues to celebrate diversity and Black stories by bringing one of the most thought-provoking and groundbreaking films of its time, DO THE RIGHT THING, to 4K Ultra HD for the first time on February 2, 2021. The controversial story centers around one scorching inner-city day, when racial tensions reach the boiling point in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood. Culturally significant and featuring over four hours of bonus features including a brand-new introduction by Director Spike Lee, a retrospective documentary with the original cast and crew, a feature commentary from Lee, deleted and extended scenes, DO THE RIGHT THING captures a vital look at American life. The film will also be available in 4K Ultra HD format on Digital.


DO THE RIGHT THING’s honesty, courage and original perspective on American race relations earned two Academy Award® nominations, including Best Original Screenplay. A powerhouse ensemble cast creates a gallery of unforgettable characters, with standout performances by Danny Aiello (Oscar® nominated for Best-Supporting Actor for his role in the film), Ossie Davis (Get On The Bus), Ruby Dee (American Gangster), Rosie Perez (Fearless), John Turturro (Barton Fink) and Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction).


DO THE RIGHT THINGwill be available on 4K Ultra HD combo pack, which includes 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™, & Digital Code as well as on Digital
4K Ultra HD is the ultimate movie watching experience. 4K Ultra HD features the combination of 4K resolution for four times sharper picture than HD.

  • Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
  • Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
  • The Movies Anywhere Digital App simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-rayTM and DVD disc packages from participating studios and stream or download them through Movies Anywhere.  Movies Anywhere is available only in the United States.

BONUS FEATURES ON 4K ULTRA HD & BLU-RAY™:

  • Brand New Introduction by Director Spike Lee
  • DO THE RIGHT THING: 20 Years Later – Retrospective documentary with the cast and crew
  • Deleted and Extended Scenes – Eleven scenes cut from the final version of the film
  • Behind the Scenes – Spike Lee’s personal video footage from the set of the film
  • Making DO THE RIGHT THING – In-depth documentary on the making of the film
  • Editor Barry Brown – Interview with the editor of DO THE RIGHT THING
  • The Riot Sequence – Storyboard gallery of the climatic riot sequence
  • CANNES, 1989 – Follow the film’s triumphant screening at the prestigious Cannes Film as DO THE RIGHT THING energizes and astonishes audiences with its bold message.
  • Trailers – Original theatrical trailer and TV spots
  • 20th Anniversary edition feature commentary with Director Spike Lee
  • Feature Commentary with Director Spike Lee, Director of Photography Ernest Dickerson, Production Designer Wynn Thomas, and Actor Joie Lee

BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) – Review

Copyright: © 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit: Claudette Barius/ & © DC Comics
Caption: (L-r) MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD as Huntress, MARGOT ROBBIE as Harley Quinn, ROSIE PEREZ as Renee Montoya, ELLA JAY BASCO as Cassandra Cain and JURNEE SMOLLETT-BELL as Black Canary in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN),” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

By Marc Butterfield

BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) tells the tale of Harley Quinn’s break up with The Joker, and how she comes to work alongside four other female characters to take down a common enemy, The Black Mask.

As a long-time fan of DC Comics, I’d say that director Cathy Yan kept the characters pretty close to their comic roots; Harley has gone from villain to anti-hero, Huntress’ origin is spot on, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead has her portrayal nailed, while Rosie Perez delivered us a Renee Montoya that is exactly as many comic book fans always thought she would be (and I am not normally a Rosie Perez fan). Black Canary is a little bit of a departure in both look and origin, and that is probably good, since a white chick in fishnets calling herself “Black” anything is not only not PC, but also maybe a little dated and silly, but they kept her powers the same, and used them conservatively enough that it didn’t feel like the metahuman was running the show. Jurnee Smollett-Bell has such a great voice, and may come off more natural than the others at times, thanks to her not over acting the role. The biggest change to the characters is Cassandra Cain, and that’s only because she seems too young and doesn’t have the backstory at all.

There are a bunch of other characters, but Ewan McGregor absolutely slays it as Roman Sionis, doing a scarily great job at being psychotic, I mean just flat-out nuts, in a way that’s both amusing and scary at the same time. Casual audiences probably haven’t heard of Black Mask, a Batman villain introduced in 1985, but they won’t likely forget him by the end of this movie.

It’s hard to tell you more than that, without inserting spoilers, but lets attempt it. Harley is still funny, and crazy, yet shows glimpses of exactly how smart she really is, and in a very “Deadpool” kinda way, breaks the 4th wall multiple times (there are more than a few similarities to Deadpool and Harley that are noticeable). The director does a pretty good job of knitting the four sub-stories together eventually, although all of the jumping from present to past could probably have been reduced a little. The only character that wasn’t fleshed out enough was Cassandra Cain, but Elly Jay Basco made her both streetwise and vulnerable, though it’s very hard to see her as Batgirl or Orphan, two of her comic hero names in the future. Who knows.

Birds of Prey would be a great franchise with Perez, Winstead and Smollett-Bell, since these 3 had great chemistry and were so different from one another that it has a real girl power vibe, without it feeling forced, and was multi cultural enough to make everyone feel included, and the characters build each other up nicely.

All in all it is a good movie, and certainly an action franchise-ready offering. Spend your money here, you won’t regret it. It’s a wild ride and a lot of fun, enough that you won’t feel cheated by spending the money now rather than waiting to NetFlix or Redbox it.

2 out of 4 stars

THE DEAD DON’T DIE – Review

Jim Jarmusch lets us know right off the bat that THE DEAD DON’T DIE, his take on the zombie genre is not to be taken seriously. It plays the film’s irreverent title song (by Sturgill Simpson) over the opening credits. Minutes later the song is playing in the squad car of Police Chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray), prompting him to wonder why it sounds so familiar. “It’s the film’s theme song,” his deputy Ronnie Peterson (Adam Driver) matter-of-factly replies, in the first of several meta moments (mostly delivered by Driver) that include references to the script and “Jim”, the director. There have been zombie comedies before, but Jarmusch puts the ‘dead’ in ‘deadpan’ with THE DEAD DON’T DIE, a quirky zombie parody featuring what’s justifiably been billed as ‘the greatest cast ever assembled for a zombie film’: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Sara Driver, RZA, Selena Gomez, Carol Kane, Austin Butler, Luka Sabbat and Tom Waits.

In an environmental twist to the zombie legend, it seems the Earth has spun off its axis by something called “polar fracking” causing the dead to spring to life in the one-stoplight town of Centerville, PA and go on the hunt for blood, brains, coffee, wi-fi, chardonnay, and cable TV, things they desired during their living days. THE DEAD DON’T DIE should be enjoyed by everyone who loves Jarmush’s particular low-key style of comedy, but it probably won’t win many converts. Jarmush’s self-conscious, often silly script and absurdist tone makes it hard to fully indulge in its horrific elements, but as director he shows a surprising eye for foggy graveyard atmosphere. Even if the laughs are muted, the cast makes it worthwhile. Highlights include Tom Waits as a woods-dwelling recluse, Steve Buscemi as a racist blowhard who sports a “Make America White Again” hat, and Chloë Sevigny as the only cop on the small force who seems concerned that the citizenry are dining on each other. Tilda Swinton spoofs the sword-wielding philosophical oracle shtick she’s been doing in films lately. She’s terrific, but the heart of THE DEAD DON’T DIE is the dialog between Murray and Driver. “This isn’t going to end well”  the deputy repeats, in a running joke with a big pay-off. THE DEAD DON’T DIE meanders in its second half, and eventually runs out of steam but its still recommended.

3 1/2 of 5 Stars

DO THE RIGHT THING Screens at The St. Louis Library April 6th – ‘The Films of Spike Lee’


“Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand. It’s a tale of good and evil. Hate: it was with this hand that Cane iced his brother. Love: these five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: static. One hand is always fighting the other hand, and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love, is finished. But hold on, stop the presses, the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that’s right. Ooh, it’s a devastating right and Hate is hurt, he’s down. Left-Hand Hate KOed by Love!”

Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) screens at The St. Louis Public Library Central Branch (1301 Olive Street St. Louis). The film begins at 1pm Saturday, April 6th. This is a FREE event.

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I remember seeing DO THE RIGHT THING at the now-shuttered Northwest Square Cinema in North St. Louis County the weekend it opened. I recall being the only Caucasian in the audience. I also remember when Samuel L. Jackson, as local DJ Mr. Senor Love Daddy remarked it was so hot there was a “Jheri curl alert. If you have a Jheri curl, stay in the house or you’ll end up with a permanent black helmet on your head fuh-eva!” The audience roared with laughter but I sat there not getting the joke….…and that’s the truth, Ruth!

Do-the-Right-Thing
“Always do the right thing?” says Da Mayor, played by Ossie Davis in DO THE RIGHT THING. “That’s it?” retorts Mookie (played by Lee), “That’s it!” Da Mayor, is the local old-timer spending the day drinking, meditating, giving advice and occasionally flirting with Mother-Sister, a woman of the same generation played by Ruby Dee, Davis’ real-life wife, observing the neighborhood’s life through the window. But the most emblematic scene of DO THE RIGHT THING consists of characters of different races facing a camera and delivering a series of racist rants until Mister Senor Love Daddy tells them to chill out. Some remarkable writing there by Mr. Lee.

GoneMovie.com
30 years later Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING has endured as one of the very best movies of the ‘90s. (okay, technically it is a 1989 film, but that’s ‘90s enough for me). It was fittingly voted #96 in AFI’s Top 100 Greatest Movies and features a sprawling cast including Danny Aiello (Oscar-nominated for his terrific work here), Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Robin Harris, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nunn, Rosie Perez, and John Turturro. Lee’s film is a harrowing 24-hour journey into Brooklyn’s multi-ethnic Bedford/Stuy neighborhood and takes place during the summer’s hottest day. It’s not a coincidence that the suffocating atmosphere fits the overall mood of the film as it foreshadows the tragic inevitability of a coming storm. Apparently some in St. Louis thinks it foreshadows, or at least is pertinent in regards to, Ferguson and the recent race riots here.

do-the-right-thing1
Don’t miss DO THE RIGHT THING April 6th at the  St. Louis Public Library Central Branch. Lee’s THE BLACKKKLANSMAN will screen there April 13th at 1pm

Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING Screens at The Missouri History Museum October 4th

dotheight-headerm

“Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand. It’s a tale of good and evil. Hate: it was with this hand that Cane iced his brother. Love: these five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: static. One hand is always fighting the other hand, and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love, is finished. But hold on, stop the presses, the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that’s right. Ooh, it’s a devastating right and Hate is hurt, he’s down. Left-Hand Hate KOed by Love!”

dothe_slide3

The next two Sundays, two of my favorite movies about the black experience will be showing at The Missouri History Museum (5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112). Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING screens this Sunday, October 4th at 6pm and Jack Hill’s FOXY BROWN, featuring my favorite actress Pam Grier at her foxy best, screens Sunday October 11th at 5pm.

Do-the-Right-Thing

I remember seeing DO THE RIGHT THING at the now-shuttered Northwest Square Cinema in North St. Louis County the weekend it opened. I recall being the only Caucasian in the audience. I also remember when Samuel L. Jackson, as local DJ Mr. Senor Love Daddy remarked it was so hot there was a “Jheri curl alert. If you have a Jheri curl, stay in the house or you’ll end up with a permanent black helmet on your head fuh-eva!” The audience roared with laughter but I sat there not getting the joke….…and that’s the truth, Ruth!

“Always do the right thing?” says Da Mayor, played by Ossie Davis in DO THE RIGHT THING. “That’s it?” retorts Mookie (played by Lee), “That’s it!” Da Mayor, is the local old-timer spending the day drinking, meditating, giving advice and occasionally flirting with Mother-Sister, a woman of the same generation played by Ruby Dee, Davis’ real-life wife, observing the neighborhood’s life through the window. But the most emblematic scene of DO THE RIGHT THING consists of characters of different races facing a camera and delivering a series of racist rants until Mister Senor Love Daddy tells them to chill out. Some remarkable writing there by Mr. Lee (who is in St. Louis Monday night for a sold-out presentation at Webster University)

GoneMovie.com

25 years later Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING has endured as one of the very best movies of the ‘90s. (okay, technically it is a 1989 film, but that’s ‘90s enough for me). It was fittingly voted #96 in AFI’s Top 100 Greatest Movies and features a sprawling cast including Danny Aiello (Oscar-nominated for his terrific work here), Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Robin Harris, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nunn, Rosie Perez, and John Turturro. Lee’s film is a harrowing 24-hour journey into Brooklyn’s multi-ethnic Bedford/Stuy neighborhood and takes place during the summer’s hottest day. It’s not a coincidence that the suffocating atmosphere fits the overall mood of the film as it foreshadows the tragic inevitability of a coming storm. Apparently some in St. Louis thinks it foreshadows, or at least is pertinent in regards to, Ferguson and the recent race riots here.

do-the-right-thing1

Cinema St. Louis presents a free screening of DO THE RIGHT THING as part of the Greater St. Louis Humanities Festival, whose theme in 2015 is “Community Vitality and Viability.” at The Missouri History Museum (5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112). The event begins at 6pm.

A post-screening panel discusses DO THE RIGHT THING status as a film and explores its continuing relevance in light of recent events, both in Ferguson and throughout the country. Kenya Vaughn from the St. Louis American moderates; participants include Sowande’ Mustakeem, Washington University assistant professor in the Department of History and in African and African American Studies; St. Louis native Tiffany Shawn, an educator, social-justice activist, and writer for several publications, including the St. Louis American; and Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch critic, who writes on film, jazz, and dance.

Check back here at We Are Movie Geeks for details about the FOXY BROWN screening!

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A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/events/858156260971173/

Cinema St. Louis’ site can be found HERE

http://www.cinemastlouis.org/

The Greater St. Louis Humanities Festival site can be found HERE

http://www.stlhumanities.org/

25th Anniversary of Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING To Be Celebrated By The Academy

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the seminal film DO THE RIGHT THING with writer-director Spike Lee and members of the film’s cast and crew at two special screening events:

June 27 in Los Angeles at the Bing Theater

June 29 in Brooklyn at the BAM Harvey Theater.

Lee’s groundbreaking third feature, set on a single block in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood on summer’s hottest day, features a large ensemble cast including Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, and then-newcomers John Turturro, Samuel L. Jackson and Rosie Perez. It earned Oscar nominations for Original Screenplay (Lee) and Best Supporting Actor (Aiello).

LOS ANGELES (FRIDAY, JUNE 27) 
“Do the Right Thing” 25th Anniversary Screening and Conversation
8:30 p.m. at the Bing Theater on LACMA campus

Moderated by John Singleton

Panel discussion includes Spike Lee, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, casting director Robi Reed, production supervisor Preston Holmes and former Universal executive Tom Pollock.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

NEW YORK (SUNDAY, JUNE 29)
“Do the Right Thing” 25th Anniversary Screening and Conversation for Closing Night of BAMcinemaFest
Co-presentation with BAMcinématek
5 p.m. on the Steinberg Screen at the BAM Harvey Theater

Moderated by Khalil Gibran Muhammad, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Panel discussion includes Spike Lee; actors Danny Aiello, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn and Rick Aiello; film editor Barry Brown; and production designer Wynn Thomas.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Academy will also host the screening series “By Any Means Necessary: A Spike Lee Joints Retrospective,” beginning with a screening of “25th Hour” (2002) on Thursday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.  The evening also marks the opening of the photography exhibit “WAKE UP! David C. Lee Photographs the Films of Spike Lee,” in the theater foyer through September.

“By Any Means Necessary: A Spike Lee Joints Retrospective” continues July 11–27 at the Linwood Dunn Theater and the Bing Theater in Los Angeles, and June 29–July 10 at BAMcinématek in New York. Visit oscars.org and BAM.org for more information.

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PETE SMALLS IS DEAD – The Review

K.C. (Peter Dinklage) has hit rock bottom. His dog has been kidnapped by a loan shark, and now his friend Pete Smalls (Tim Roth) is dead. With no other options, he meets up with his friend Jack (Mark Boone Junior) in LA to get the money to save his dog and say goodbye to his friend Pete.

PETE SMALLS IS DEAD is a roller coaster ride through the seedy side of Hollywood. Although it has some rather funny parts, and a stellar cast, it feels like something is missing. Peter Dinklage is fantastic to watch. His acting is always spot on, and I really admire his subtle delivery. His character was once a film writer with big dreams, but hurt and heartache led him to flee LA, leaving his dreams behind. I admired his character for caring about his dog so much. His dog was old, and had cataracts, but that didn’t stop him from fighting to get him back. It was a smart way to tug at the heartstrings of animal lovers.

The cast was wonderful, with some amazing  actors that include Mark Boone Jr., Richie Coaster, Rosie Perez, Michael Lerner, Steve Buschemi, Tim Roth and Seymour Cassell. They each added a colorful augmentation to the building story. The script concept, a man down on his luck, desperately trying to get the money to get his dog back while weaving through the City of Angels, is great! That, however, is not enough…

My problem lies in the script, and the pacing of this film. Parts of amusement and wit were followed by dragging, lackluster lulls. I found myself either rather interested or completely bored while watching this film. With smarmy Hollywood Producers, the Armenian mob, and a lovely French love interest, it’s hard to believe that parts could be dull. Still, every time a moment would pick me up and pull me back in, that moment would pass and I was sucked back into my uninterested state. I honestly felt disappointed at the end. The cast and story were there… They had some great shots… but they just lost control and let the film fizzle.

OVERALL RATING: 2.5 out of 5 stars