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Tuesday, October 31, 2006
HAPPY HALLOWEEN MOFO'S!! Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday! It's a time when grown folks revisit their inner child and their inner ri-damn-diculousness sometimes too (see above). The thing I love most about Halloween are the children. They are so excited and full of joy, running from door to door hoping to score a good treat. If you have children, enjoy your evening with them and make sure they wear a mask that doesn't obstruct their field of vision and also ensure that the costume can be seen in the dark. If you are an adult going out to celebrate the holiday, please don't drink and drive! Enjoy!Labels: Holidays
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Monday, October 30, 2006
  COOL 70's DUDE: Charlton Heston
OK, OK technically Charlton Heston is not a 70’s dude since his career began back in the 1940’s. We all know he is the fine actor who starred in critically acclaimed and loved by many costume dramas such as Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments (Moses, anyone?). Those aren't my kind of flicks. My favorite Charlton Heston period was when he became the B-movie King of the 70’s. Starting with The Planet Of The Apes (i.e. Planet of the Black Folks), Charlton went on to make several high adventure films. As Robert Neville in the Omega Man (1971) (one of my favorites), he tries to stop a race of mutant vampires from taking over the world and has an interracial affair in the film with actress Rosalyn Cash. Soylent Green (1973) was a film ahead of its time, dealing with euthanasia and global warming. In it he played Det. Robert Thorne, out to discover what the source of the “miracle food” is (Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!). In Airport 1975 he played hero Alan Murdock, helping to save a nose-diving passenger jet. In Earthquake (1974), he plays Stewart Graff, a lovable, cheating louse who rescues people trapped in a crumbling high rise from the aftermath of a natural disaster. Even in the cheesiest of films, Heston approaches each role with gusto like they were the great works of Shakespeare. It’s a shame that a guy who seemed to be having such fun in 70’s became a right-wing Republican and a card-carrying member of the NRA. What a douche!
Labels: Cool Dudes and Chicks
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COOL 90's CHICK: Nia Long
"I'm Nia Muthafu*&#$g Long”! You’re damn right she is! Nia first captured my attention as Kat Speakes, the girlfriend of David Grant on the soap opera Guiding Light. When she made the jump to big screen playing Brandi in the film Boyz in the Hood, I was right there with her. Most people wanted to see the movie for Ice Cube’s film debut, I went for Nia’s film debut. Since then she has played a string of beautiful, smart, classy, and sassy characters. In Love Jones (1997) she played Nina Moseley, the gorgeous photographer who falls in love with sexy poet Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate). In Friday (1995), she plays Debbie, the best friend of Craig’s (Ice Cube) sister and the girl Craig would love to get to know a little better. In Soul Food, she played Bird, a hairdresser and wife of Lem(Mekhi Phifer) who stood by her man in the worst of times. In The Best Man (1999) she plays sassy writer Jordan Armstrong who reunites with old college flame Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs) at a wedding for a mutual friend. Nia still continues to shine in movie and television roles. She’s even tried her hand at directing music videos, Ashanti’s Baby video and Yolanda Adams’ This Too Shall Pass video and appeared in videos for other artists. Her sexy is preserved and she's always a true class act. Do your thang Ms. Long!Labels: Cool Dudes and Chicks
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Sunday, October 29, 2006
  MOVIE REVIEW: The Candy Snatchers 1972
Three hapless criminals, two men and one woman, plan to kidnap a young diamond heiress Candy (Susan Sennett) and hold her for ransom. They take Candy to a cabin in the Southern California hills, bind, gag, and blindfold her. The only witness to Candy's kidnapping is a mute, autistic little boy named Shawn (Christopher Trueblood) that lives nearby. He tries to communicate what he saw to his parents but to no avail. The little boy's story creates another subplot of the film. They contact Candy's father (Ben Piazza) to arrange a meeting for the goods but SURPRISE this man is not Candy's real dad and could care less whether or not she lives or dies. Turns out Candy's stepfather only married her mother for money and stands to get a rather large sum of money if either Candy or her mother dies before him. To up the ante, the criminals decide it would be more effective if they buried her underground with a one-inch pipe for air. Candy's stepdaddy won't budge and now the criminals are stuck with her. Paranoia and mistrust ensue amongst the kidnappers leading to an ending that is both tragic and shocking. No more spoilers from me y'all. Great little hidden gem of a film here. I didn't find this film as brutal as other reviewers made it out to be. The violence is minimal, the greatest shocks comes toward the end of the film. The plot is very smart and the acting is very well done. I am pretty good at plot guessing before the end of a film, but this one had me fooled. There were so many unexpected plot twists and turns. The little boy did a great job of playing a mute. This movie would probably garner a PG-13 rating by today's standards.VERDICT: 3 Soul ClapsLabels: Movie Reviews
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  MOVIE REVIEW: The Gore Gore Girls 1972
A black-gloved sicko has been murdering beautiful young skrippas ("strippers" in plain English haha). Not content with just killing them, the murderer tortures them in comedically evil ways. We're talking eyeball popping, face ironing, head frying and an infamous scene involving a meat tenderizer and salt. A local reporter Nancy Weston (Amy Farrell), hoping to get the story of a lifetime, hires prissy, obnoxious detective Abraham Gentry (Frank Kress) to take on the case. Ditzy Nancy decides to play amateur detective and joins Abraham on his crime-solving spree. There are several suspects: the strip club owner Marzdone Mobilie (Henny Youngman), a bar patron who draws faces on fruit and then smashes them, and Mary, the leader of a Women's Lib organization who pickets the strip joint(her picket sign says "Quit the Tit" I can't make this up y'all). The pair make frequent trips to the strip club where the audience gets to see the legion of the Rhythmless Nation.....i.e, these skrippas can't dance a lick(haha). In order to solve the crime, Abraham must use Nancy as bait to catch the killer. No more spoilers from me y'all.This is a hilarious, gory, ridiculous mess, and it was intended to be that way. The scenes of gore and nudity are plentiful. Some of the killings may be hard to watch but don't close your eyes, it always ends in a comedic manner. The gore is so over the top.....it's almost cartoonish in nature. Det. Gentry is such a putz, you'll be rooting for the killer to off his ass. Henny Youngman, the King of one-liners and famous for the "take my wife please" jokes makes a small cameo in this film. It is said that he denied ever being in the film, but I have the video to prove it (guffaw). After seeing this film, you might want to remove french fries and chocolate milk from your diet! This is definitely in the "so bad it's good" category. So lock up the kiddies, pop in this dvd and prepare to be sick with laughter.VERDICT: 3 Soul ClapsLabels: Movie Reviews
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Friday, October 27, 2006
FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM- California Love-Tupac 1996The Eccentric Diva was no Tupac fan but there is no denying this song rocks. The video was great as well, loved the use of the Mad Max theme. No disrespect to the dead but If this song was played at a funeral, the majority of the crowd would get up and bounce to this. Even though it was released over ten years ago, this song will still get the party jumping.Labels: Friday Flashback
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Wednesday, October 25, 2006
 THE REALITY SHOW MERRY-GO-ROUND
Reality shows have become the ilk of television to me. Every day some D-list celebrity is either rumored or confirmed to have a reality show in the works. For some celebrities, the reality tv show formula has worked for them. It revived an otherwise dead career. For others, reality shows have proved to sink them even further below the radar, even reducing them to court jester status. The new trend is recycled reality tv vets. We are seeing the same damn folks over and over again on different shows and networks. Just the other day I stumbled on some silly show on VH-1 called "Celebrity Paranormal Project". It's basically a show where they stick celebs into an allegedly haunted location, leave them alone and other celebs watch their reactions on a surveillance camera. How many times can we stomach Toccarra and her tittays, Gary Busey and his scary Chicklet teeth, and Hal Sparks with those same stale ass jokes? It hasn't been three years since these folks were on other reality shows. Hell, Hal Sparks' last reality show just ended earlier this month! We don't get enough time to even miss these folks! Shit, I feel like I'm being haunted by their asses! BOOOOOOOOOOOO for real!
Next up on the celebrity bandwagon, a new show featuring former Flavor of Love girls and Mo'Nique as the host. Now I don't know about you, but I certainly won't be watching this. I got roped into watching Flavor of Love Season 1 but I could not force myself into watching Season 2. I watched it all the way up until the chick shatted on the floor. I had to call it quits after that episode. That was buffoonery at its finest. I guess reality shows are a way for folks who have no real talent to get noticed by any means necessary. This is why it's important to make sure your children get a proper education so they won't end up on the reality show merry-go-round. Labels: Random Rants
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SAY SOMETHING NICE FILES I dig the wrought iron headboard in the background *shrug*.Labels: All Things Eccentric
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Tuesday, October 24, 2006
  MOVIE REVIEW: Sparkle 1976
In the late 1950's, Effie (Mary Alice) is a Harlem maid with three beautiful daughters. Sista (Lonette McKee) the eldest, Delores (Dwan Smith) the middle sister and Sparkle (Irene Cara) is the youngest. Effie has dreams of her daughters leaving the ghettos of Harlem for a better life. With the help of their friends Stix (Phillip Michael Thomas) and Levi (Dorian Harewood) the sisters form a singing group. The group enters a talent show and surprise, they are a big hit. Stix becomes the manager and decides that it would work better as an all-girl group. The girls become an overnight sensation on the local club circuit. The beautiful, sassy Sista is the main attraction but the real singer of the bunch is Sparkle. Sista draws the attention of big time hustler Satin (Tony King). Against the wishes of family and friends, Sista becomes romantically involved with Satin. Meanwhile a relationship is brewing between Sparkle and the much older Stix. Stix has dreams of taking the girls to the next level…recording their music. Stix has a regular job but doesn’t make enough money to finance their dream. Sista’s relationship with Satin takes a dangerous turn which threatens the group’s dream of recording. Sista’s plight creates a downward spiral for everyone involved and it is up to spunky little Sparkle to continue with the dream of stardom. No more spoilers from me y’all.
This is the quintessential rags-to-riches story. Here you have three gorgeous young ladies who want to make it out of the ghetto. As all rags-to-riches stories go, there is some tragedy that threatens to defer their dreams. This film is a Black cinema classic in my opinion. The music, the costumes, the acting…..just about every aspect of this movie is perfect. I’ve loved this film ever since I was a very young girl with my own dreams of leaving the ghetto behind. Irene Cara has a fantastic voice and sings with such passion. Phillip Michael Thomas is just too fine for words. Beautiful Lonette McKee did such a great job as Sista, even though she’s been in tons of other films, she’ll always be Sista to me. Tony King spent most of the 70’s playing the “baddie” in films but Satin Strothers was the worst “baddie” of them all. Great soundtrack produced by Curtis Mayfield, even though all songs on the soundtrack were sang by Aretha Franklin. In the film, the characters did the actual singing. It’s such a shame that it has taken so long to get this film formatted into a DVD version (due out 1/9/2007). If you have not yet seen this film and still own a VCR, rent it. I guarantee you will be captivated by the music and the story just like I was. VERDICT: 4 Soul ClapsLabels: Movie Reviews
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  MOVIE REVIEW: Battle Royale-2000
In 21st Japan, the country has fallen to pieces. Unemployment is at an all-time high and children have little regard for authority figures. They are unruly and the adults fear them. The government has created a game called Battle Royale. Teens are randomly selected and sent to a deserted island. They are given a map, a random weapon, clothing, food, and water and sent off into the wilderness. The children are also fitted with exploding neck collars to ward off escape attempts. The object of the game is for the teens to kill each other until there is one left, that person will be declared the “winner”. The teens have three days to complete this task. If there is more than one survivor after the three-day time span, all teens still alive will be killed, thus leaving no “winners”. The game is spearheaded by the sadistic Kitano (Takeshi Kitano); he is also a teacher at the school the teens attend. Before the teens can set out to play the game, Kitano shows them just how ruthless he can be by knocking off a few of the teens before they can even venture out. One of the students he kills is Nobu . Nobu’s best friend Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara) vows that he will survive the game, and not kill anyone in the process. Nanahara also vows to protect Noriko(Aki Maeda), whom Nobu had a crush on. Aware that only one person can be declared the winner, Nanahara and Noriko must learn to trust each other and use their wits to survive. No more spoilers from me y’all.
Netflix…I speak your name. This movie is banned in many countries and is not available for purchase in the US. I have wanted to see this movie for five freaking years!!! I even pondered copping a bootleg version of off Ebay but resisted temptation. It was certainly worth the wait. A lot of films are hyped up to larger than life proportions then turn out to be real duds (i.e. Memento) but this one lives up to its reputation. It’s a brutal, no-holds barred film. What makes this movie so effective is the fact that the director used ACTUAL teens instead of 30 year olds posing as teens…a mistake Hollywood makes too often. The question of the movie is “How far is one willing to go to survive”. Would you kill your friends if your life depended on it? Tough question to answer, isn’t it? This is another film that I hope Hollyweird never puts its grimy paws on. They would screw it up by toning down the violence and give it a PG-13 rating to make it safe viewing for the masses. I wasn’t too crazy about the ending, but it does not spoil this cool flick. This movie is extremely violent, and without a doubt, not for the kiddies. In Japanese with English subtitles.
Interesting sidenote: Quentin Tarantino casted Chiaki Kuriyama as Gogo Yubari for Kill Bill V.1 after seeing her in Battle Royale.
VERDICT: 3.5 Soul Claps Labels: Movie Reviews
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Friday, October 20, 2006
TOMORROW IS SWEETEST DAY! I hope you all get to spend some quality time with your significant other this weekend in addition to receiving a lovely gift(s). Come back and tell me all about your escapades mkay? Just kidding. Happy Sweetest Day Y'all!
Labels: Holidays
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CHECK THIS OUT!!!!!YouTube is the absolute truth!!! I came across this clip while searching for videos. This is a clip of the Soul Train dance line from 1974, they are grooving to Live It Up by The Isley Brothers! Why Soul Train has not released a DVD of their old shows is beyond me. Peep the fashions and the dance moves. People sure knew how to dress and move back then.
Labels: Friday Flashback
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FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Ashford & Simpson-Found a Cure 1979
Can someone please explain to me how I ignored Nick Ashford's zestiness until now??? My inner drag queen is slowly becoming obsessed with him. He is certainly giving dramatics in this video! How funny! I LOVED this song. I've had the pleasure of seeing Ashford & Simpson in concert and they give a terrific show. Labels: Friday Flashback
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Thursday, October 19, 2006
 Spike Lee: I Love You Like a Play Cousin
Spike Lee is my man! I have a great admiration of his films. His body of work is impressive, even if Hollywood doesn’t agree. Screw them, I love his work and look forward to seeing his next cinematic gem. I’d like to take this time to do a brief overview of my opinion of some of his films:
She’s Gotta Have It: This was a great film to me. I love that he filmed this entirely in black and white. When this film was released, many people viewed this film as sexist and were turned off by the fact that the main character had sexual relationships with several men. I felt the movie was pro-woman and the main character was a sexually liberated female who had needs and desires similar to many men.
School Daze: School Daze was a look into Black college life. At the time it was released, I didn’t know too many people who went to HBU’s or any colleges for that matter, so it opened my eyes to a whole new world. I also was not aware at the time that colorism and classism among Blacks was such a major issue. Loved this film too!
Do The Right Thing: Again, another eye opening experience. Being from the Midwest, I had no idea that there was such a great racial divide happening in New York. I’d always viewed NY as a liberal place where everyone just simply coexisted. This film led me to do more research on NY and learn more about those issues.
Jungle Fever: This film showed the possible outcome of the interracial dating experience. I had never experienced interracial dating prior to seeing this film, so I didn’t know much about the subject. I appreciated the way the film showed both all sides of the coin by showcasing friends, family, and co-workers reaction to the coupling.
Malcolm X: The Oscar committee owes Spike Lee a big ass apology for totally overlooking this film. I was so angry that this film was snubbed so badly by the Academy. From start to finish, the film is an epic on par with The Godfather as one of the greatest film ever. You can tell Spike was really passionate about this subject and really wanted to convey to the public how significant Malcolm X was.
Crooklyn: A beautiful, moving story of Black family love, pain, and survival. Spike did an excellent job with a very sensitive subject, children dealing with the death of a parent. This film was also a great memory lane trip of the 70’s.
Summer Of Sam: This movie did not do well at all at the box office. I feel this film is highly underrated. I have always been intrigued by the Son Of Sam murders and was pleased with Spike’s interpretation of the events surrounding the case. I think critics and audiences alike for two main reasons panned it: Reason 1- I don’t think critics appreciated a Black man recreating a story that featured a serial killer. Possibly because serial killings are not a big part of the Black experience. Most serial killers and victims are White people so maybe they felt that Spike could not do justice to the subject matter. Reason 2-Black movie patrons were probably so accustomed to one genre of film from Spike. This film was a sharp departure from his previous work.
Bamboozled: Now this is the first Spike film that I can honestly say I did not like. I’ve watched it twice and both times I came away with the feeling that Spike made this film out of anger. The entire film feels “bitter”. Also, it was so much like another great film, Putney Swope…that to me it had a “been there, done that” quality to it.
She Hate Me: This would be the second film of Spike’s that I did not enjoy, not only did I not enjoy it, I found it highly offensive. I could not figure out Spike’s agenda for this film. At first you have this whole whistle blowing, shaking up the system type of vibe, and then you flip it to a man being paid to impregnate lesbians. It perpetuated the “big Black buck” stereotype to the fullest IMO. I was not pleased with this film at all.
When The Levees Broke: A return to the greatness that is Spike Lee! This 4-part series was a mind-blowing and eye-opening look into the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. It supplied me with knowledge about this tragedy that the media conveniently left out. I cried, laughed, and rejoiced while watching this documentary. Spike did a superb job and I hope he finally gets the recognition he so deserves. Labels: Eccentric Diva
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Tuesday, October 17, 2006
 MY OWN PERSONAL KRYPTONITE: CookiesI LOVE cookies! Whether they are fresh-baked or store-bought, I can't live without them. I don't know what it is about cookies that make me shake like a junkie. Maybe it's some childhood memory that I have in the deepest corner of my mind that make me unable to say no to cookies. I don't know what it is, but whatever it is....I can't live without the damn things! I don't care if it's Oreo, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate Macadamia, lemon, wafers..... shit, all the packaging has to say is "Cookie" and I'm sold on it. Don't let it be Girl Scout season, the Scouts in my neighborhood know to hit me up first. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite. The Pillsbury Dough Boy and I are on intimate terms. Hell I even eat the cookie dough unbaked..makes no darn difference to me. Couple warm cookies with ice cold milk....an absolute Utopian experience...no sex needed ( OK I'm exaggerating a bit y'all, but you get the point). What is your Kryptonite?Labels: Eccentric Diva
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  MOVIE REVIEW: Midnight Cowboy-1969
Dim-witted, naive but gorgeous Joe Buck (John Voight) has gotten by on his virility in his hometown of Texas. Always dressed in ridiculous cowboy attire, Joe figures he should try his luck as a hustler in the Big Apple. He figures his good looks, southern charm, and sexual prowess will bring him fame and fortune. Joe buys a one-way bus ticket to his city of dreams. Once settled into the city, reality hits. Joe is not smart enough to hustle natural-born hustlers. While trying to turn tricks with women, he usually gets the short end of the stick. Joe even resorts to turning tricks for men to make money, something that he despises. Down on his luck, Joe tries to drink away his sorrows. He meets Ratso Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) whom Joe thinks is friendly, but in actuality Rizzo is a thief who sees naïve Joe as an easy mark. Rizzo is a weasly, sweaty, NYC native who is very sickly and walks with a prominent limp. When Joe discovers Rizzo has robbed him, he tracks him down and the two become friends. Rizzo offers to share his squalid apartment in a condemned building in exchange for acting as Joe’s “manager”. The apartment has no heat but does have running water and is scheduled for demolition at any moment. Rizzo teaches Joe the fine art of hustling and surviving on the streets of NYC. Winter approaches and Joe realizes that Rizzo’s condition is getting worse. It is now up to him to care for both of them and to gather up enough funds to carry out Rizzo’s wish, relocation to sunny Florida. No more spoilers from me y’all.
This is an A+ film. These are two of the most pathetic characters I’ve ever seen. John Voight was very handsome in his younger days; I could really see the resemblance between himself and his daughter, Angelina Jolie. He did an excellent job of portraying the man-boy character Joe Buck. The “aw-shucks” expression he had on his face throughout the film was priceless. Dustin Hoffman was brilliant as the sneaky gimp with a heart of gold Ratzo Rizzo. The characters are such polar opposites of each other, Joe being handsome, strong and naïve and Rizzo being unattractive, sickly, and streetwise. When this film was released, it was considered HIGHLY controversial, stamped with an “R” rating. Some of the subject matter is still pretty taboo for today’s times but it is not as shocking as it was almost 37 years ago. Plenty of nudity and scenes of drug use here so put the kiddies to bed before watching.VERDICT: 4 Soul ClapsLabels: Movie Reviews
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Friday, October 13, 2006
  MOVIE REVIEW: Nobody Knows- 2004Keiko (You, that's the actress' real name) is a young mother with four children, and has a mental capacity that is not much higher than theirs. Each child has a different father and have never been enrolled into school. Keiko rents a tiny apartment in Tokyo along with her 12 year old son Akira (Yuya Yagira). She then smuggles the remaining children into the apartment in a suitcase because the landlord will only rent to a parent with one child. Keiko frequently abandons the children and leaves Akira in charge while she goes away for trysts with men. She then leaves the children for good with about $500 cash. Young Akira steps up to the plate and must use his wits to care for everyone and keep his family secret. Akira fears that if authorities find out about their mother's departure, they will be separated. Akira finds several allies who help him out with food but ultimately, he is solely responsible for the daily care of his smaller siblings. Although Akira has been thrusted into a very adult situation, he longs to be a regular kid. He watches other children play on the sidelines and he wants to make friends, but they don't stay around long because of the appearance of his messy home. At a playground Akira befriends Saki (Hanae Kan), a teen girl who frequently skips school. Saki becomes a friend to the family and sometimes helps Akira obtain money. Saki proves to be very helpful when tragedy strikes that threatens to tear the family apart. No more spoilers from me ya'll.
Oh man is this a sad one! Believe it or not, it's based on a true story. The movie version of this story is not quite as vicious as the real-life events but it stings nonetheless. You are left wondering "How could a mother do this?". What's sad is this type of thing happens all the time and no country is immune from it. The child actors are some of the most beautiful children I've ever seen on film, they were also great little actors. The young man who played Akira did an outstanding job. He displayed warmth and sadness at the same time. Beautifully filmed, the director picked up on every little nuance to drive home the point such as the children's dirty feet and nails. This is another tear-jerker so have your hankies handy. No nudity, no violence, and no foul language here. This is in Japanese with English subtitles.
VERDICT: 4 Soul Claps Labels: Friday Flashback
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FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM PART DEUX: Portishead-Sour Times 1994If I made a music video, it would look a lot like this one. This is a very slick and stylish video. This song is so eerie and beautiful at the same time. Originality is key, and Portishead are true innovators. If you've never heard of them, check out their first CD Dummy...it's absolutely fab, I'd put it on my list of the top 50 albums ever recorded.
Labels: Friday Flashback
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FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Whodini-The Freaks Come Out at Night-1984Whodini was the shit! I can't wait until these cats are honored at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors Awards show, I'll be sure to watch then. Look for the appearance of a very young Jermaine Dupri in this video. He's the little kid pop-locking with the jheri curl and white gloves. He was actually adorable back then (hence the words back then).
Labels: Friday Flashback
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Wednesday, October 11, 2006
  MOVIE REVIEW: Once Were Warriors-1994This is the story of the Heke's, a poor family living in modern day New Zealand. The mother, Beth (Rena Owen) is a descent of the Maori tribe and her family is said to be of royalty. Her husband Jake (Temeura Morrison), is a big brute of a man who's charisma is just as large as his body. Beth is a woman of broken spirits, she feels she did not live up to her full potential. She was once thought to be one of the prettiest women in her village and she abandoned her family and her lineage to marry Jake, now she is just a shell of her former self. Her husband Jake appears to be a loving family man on the surface, but is actually a weak, insecure, drunken monster who uses his wife's body as a way to air out his frustrations. The Heke children are directly affected by their parent's behavior. Nig (Julian Arahanga), the eldest son has joined a tough street gang. The youngest son Boogie (Taungaroa Emile) gets into so much trouble, the courts make him a ward of the state, but while away learns some valuable lessons about his Maori culture. The eldest daughter Gracie (Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell) is a bright, withdrawn loner who writes poetry as an outlet to express her pain. The Heke's have a host of drunken friends who visit the house frequently for impromptu rowdy parties. The turning point of the film is when the man whom Jake considers to be his best friend, Uncle Bully (Cliff Curtis), commits an unspeakable act that leads to further tragedy for the Heke family. No more spoilers from me y'all.This is a VERY powerful film. Once you view it, you may even realize that you know some "Hekes" of your own, hell you may even be a "Heke" yourself. While watching I thought about how many families I knew growing up that were just like them. All actors in this film did a SUPERB job. The scenes of violence are very strong and may be hard to watch for some. Larry Fishburne's Ike Turner was Big Bird compared to this cat. I'm not much of a crier, but this film made me weep like a baby. The ending is so tragic and triumphant at the same time. It's not a pretty film to watch, so there is not much to speak on as far as scenery goes. The family is very poor but there are some great shots of New Zealand thrown in the mix. The film is in English but the accents are heavy, but not really hard to understand. VERDICT: 4 Soul ClapsLabels: Movie Reviews
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 ANGIE STONE: Reinvention At It's FinestMs. Angie Stone is my girl! I love her music, that voice is fantastic. I wasn't too crazy about her jumping on the reality show band wagon to appear on Celebrity Fit Club, but I won't hold it against her. This lady has been around for quite some time. Most don't know that Angie was a member of the first female rap group on wax, Sequence. Straight up historical baby! Angie reinvented herself again in 1993 as a member of the group Vertical Hold. Their single "Seems You're Much Too Busy" stays on heavy rotation in my cd player. Proving that you can't keep a good woman down, Angie came back yet again with her solo project Black Diamond and has been a much sought after artist ever since. Do ya thang Ms. Stone! Here is a video clip of Angie performing with her rap group Sequence. Check out Angie's banging figure, she truly had it going on....still does IMO.Labels: Cool Dudes and Chicks
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Tuesday, October 10, 2006
COOL 80's DUDE: Mr. T
I pity the fool" was one of the most popular catch phrases of the 80's. Mr. T had the 80's on lock as the idol of children and grown folks alike. People made sure they were home in time to catch the latest episode of "The A-Team" where Mr. T played B.A. Baracus, the bad-ass soldier of fortune on the run from the US government. His signature look was tons of gold chains and a Mohawk, he was the only Black dude I knew of that was bold enough to rock that haircut. To my knowledge, Mr.T was one of the first Black persons to have their image mass-marketed. His likeness was on EVERYTHING including t-shirts, lunch boxes, cereal, he even had his own doll and cartoon! In the 90's Mr. T's popularity resurged again after he was hired to do several commercial spots for MCI's 1-800-COLLECT service. He proved to be a real fighter after battling cancer and kicking it in the ass. Mr .T has a new reality series premiering October 11th on the TV Land network entitled what else..."I Pity The Fool". Labels: Cool Dudes and Chicks
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Monday, October 09, 2006
  MOVIE REVIEW: Andy Warhol's Flesh For Frankenstein 1973This movie is a dark, slightly comedic take on the classic Mary Shelley Frankenstein story. Baron Frankenstein (my man Udo Kier) is a mad scientist on a quest to create the perfect Serbian man and woman "zombies" for procreation purposes. With his female counterpart all up and ready to go, he seeks out the perfect "parts" for the male counterpart. He is aided by his sidekick Otto (Arno Juerging), we all know every good Dr. Frankenstein needs a sidekick hahaha. The Baron is emotionally detached from his lusty sister/wife Baroness Katrin Frankenstein (Monique Van Vooren) , and is married to her in name only. They share two freakish children who are developing their own taste for the macabre. The movie picks up when The Baron and Otto find the perfect male specimen, farm hand (Srdjan Zelenovic) Sacha who is seriously considering joining a monastery because he basically has no interest in the opposite sex. Sacha is persuaded by his friend Nicholas (Joe Dallasandro) to visit a whorehouse before he makes a rash decision. Upon leaving the whorehouse, the men are ambushed by Dr. Frankenstein and Otto. Sacha's head is removed and Nicholas is left unconscious. When Nicholas awakes, he finds the remainder of his buddy's body and plans to leave the country. He goes to notify his employers, THE FRANKENSTEINS, of his impending departure and he is persuaded to stay by the Baroness herself. Nicholas of course discovers that the strange family may hold the key to finding out exactly what happened to his friend Sacha. No more spoilers from me y'all.
Again I say Netflix is the truth. I searched high and low for this movie for years before finding it on Netflix. In true cult classic fashion, this movie features blood, gore, and the requisite nudity. I would consider this film a beautiful mess, scenery is absolutely breath-taking but the acting sucks. Udo is great as usual and so are the two children but everyone else seems to be sleep-walking in this film. The funniest thing would be the fact that this movie is supposed to take place in Serbia but the Nicholas character has a stronger Brooklyn accent than Rosie Perez...every time he spoke I cracked up! The film starts off kind of slow, I almost turned it off..I'm glad I didn't! It got funnier and more bizarre towards the end. As far as gore goes, it's so unrealistic that I doubt anyone would become sick watching this movie. It does feature a slew of nudity...male and female full frontal. If you want to see a fun, campy, gore-filled mess, then this is your movie.
VERDICT: 2.5 Soul Claps Labels: Movie Reviews
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Friday, October 06, 2006
WHO'S YOUR DADDY (OR MAMA)???
Such a beautiful girl with a lovely smile. Can you guess who's daughter she is? Click here to find out.Labels: Who's Your Daddy?
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FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM PART DEUX: Lisa Stansfield- All Around The World 1990
Man can this chick sing!! Lisa still records but her music is now played in the adult contemporary market. Labels: Friday Flashback
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FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Sir Mix-A-Lot- Posse On Broadway 1988
Awww, this was my jam! Peep the old-school coonskin cap game. People actually wore that shit! I'm certainly hoping those don't come back into style anytime soon (you hear me Kanye).
Labels: Friday Flashback
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Thursday, October 05, 2006
RIP THE "Original" ECCENTRIC DIVA: Tamara Dobson
I was very sad to learn last night that one of the most beautiful Black women in movie history IMO, Tamara Dobson had passed away. I featured her as my first Cool 70's Chick. Even though Tamara did not make many films, she's still a legend in my eyes. Tamara died due to complications from pneumonia and multiple sclerosis. Here is my original post on Tamara. Rest in peace sista.
Labels: Celebrity Deaths
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COOL 80's CHICK: Jodi Whatley 
Huge hoop earrings and hair down to "there" were her signatures. Jodi was the definition of 80's chic. Successfully merging music and fashion, Jodi was a force to be reckoned with. But don't dismiss Miss Watley as just another vapid 80's pop tart, Jodi wrote and arranged a lot of her own music. Her style was her own, she wore it and she wore it well. Many girls idolized and imitated Madonna's style at the time, my idol was Jodi. Did I forget to mention that the lady was fashion model fine as well? She had a great figure and killer bone structure! A former Soul Train dancer and singer with the R&B group Shalamar, Jodi stepped out on her own and took the world by storm and winning a Grammy in the process. Jodi left her mark on stage as well in 1996 playing Rizzo in the hit Broadway play Grease...the first time the role was ever played by an African American. Jodi has since created her own record label Avitone Records (you go girl!) and released a new CD in August 2006 titled "The Makeover". Her new release features some of my current musical heros such as King Britt, 4Hero, and DJ Spinna. Labels: Cool Dudes and Chicks, Eccentric Diva
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Wednesday, October 04, 2006
COOL 70's DUDE: Billy Dee Williams 
Sexy, suave, and sophisticated all begin with the letter "S'".....and they all describe Billy Dee to a "T". Billy Dee was the man you contacted when a movie role called for a sexy, suave, and sophisticated leading man. Along with his movie star looks he also had a voice that was smooth as silk. His signature moustache and wavy hair were his calling cards as well. I know many ladies swooned at the mere sight of this man. As a young girl, I was instantly thrown into a trance any time he appeared onscreen. Billy Dee played in many great films in the 1970's but his career began as far back as 1959! His most famous role to date is Lando Calrissian in Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back. The script writers even blessed him with one of the coolest names in Star Wars history IMO for that film role, I'm sure there were a lot of little boys named "Lando" around that time period haha. In the 80's Billy Dee did several commercials and printwork for Colt 45 Malt Liquor, making him one of the coolest cult figures due to the cheesiness of the spots. Billy Dee continues to work steadily in film and TV to this very day. Noteworthy Films:Brian's Song-1971Lady Sings The Blues-1972Mahogany-1975The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings-1976Scott Joplin-1977Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back-1980Nighthawks-1981Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi-1983Fear City-1984The Jacksons: An American Dream-1992Undercover Brother-2002Film info courtesy of IMDBLabels: Cool Dudes and Chicks, Eccentric Diva
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Tuesday, October 03, 2006
  MOVIE REVIEW: To The Devil A Daughter 1976Catherine (Natassja Kinski) is an 18 year old nun who has been groomed from birth to take on an important role in her "church" headed by Father Michael Rayner (Christopher Lee) , an ex-communicated clergyman who heads a flock of devil worshippers. The father of Catherine (Denholm Elliot) changes his mind about handing his daughter over to the church and seeks the assistance of John Verney (Richard Widmark) to rescue her. John is a scholar of the occult and may have knowledge of how to save his daughter's life. The church's goal is to use Catherine's body as a portal for the devil, so basically she will give birth to the spawn of the devil and then become the devil herself (makes a lot of sense huh?). John Verney takes on the duty of housing the young nun hoping the experience will make great material for his latest book. He gets more than he bargained for when strange events happen, his agent is killed and then Catherine disappears. Now John interests are more personal than professional and he sets out to find the missing Catherine and to put an end to the cult. No more spoilers from me y'all.
This was a really cool creepy flick until it got kind of silly towards the end. Some of the scenes were thrown in for shock value. The most effective scene was a freaky orgy/ritual scene, a common theme in 70's occult horror. The additional sex/nude scenes were not needed, someone felt they needed to "up the ante" a bit. Christopher Lee is a horror icon.....he is and always will be the best Dracula ever and he played dozens of other great roles as well. This film is visually interesting and the transfer to DVD is exceptional. I can't tell you how many older movies I've seen that have been transferred to DVD that look crappy and grainy as hell. Some people may object to the subject matter of this film and it features brief nudity.
VERDICT: 2 Soul Claps
Labels: Movie Reviews
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WHO'S YOUR DADDY (OR MAMA)? 
Can you guess who this cutie belongs to? Click here for the answer!Labels: Who's Your Daddy?
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Monday, October 02, 2006
SAY SOMETHING NICE FILES 
Who knew Wolverine's mom was so hot?Labels: All Things Eccentric
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