Prequels and Laura Croft: A combination worth seeing?

Ah the joy of prequels. Yes there is nothing quite like the ability of Hollywood to go back in time, on a movie set, and to generally screw up the history and persona of any character or storyline that can make an extra buck. As you might notice, I tend to dislike prequels. They tend to be as good as revisioned movies, and you know I hate that word.

I know that everyone, including me, loved The Dark Knight. That had a lot to do with the script, which kept the theme of the Dark Knight series of graphic novels, more than Christian Bale. Though Bale did a great job. And honestly there wasn't that much of the storyline that was changed.

Another prequel that worked out well was the restart of the James Bond series of films. Of course Bond restarts every time there is a new lead. So the public can accept every change without it being a major revision. Still there is something lost in the action first, thought nowhere, Bond that is Daniel Craig.

The Superman restart was pretty much what you would expect. Not a revisioning as much as it was an attempt to draw attention back on the movie franchise. I never was a big fan of Superman to start with - he's too much of a boyscout for me - so I'll leave that alone.

But then there are movies like Wolverine, which was horrible. Yes lot's of action, and Hugh Jackman without a shirt for the ladies. But it was disappointing. The storyline was basically missing. It was just action for the sake of action. Dare I say that the majority of the film was boring. And as for any attempt at logic, well they really stretched it even for a comic book to movie conversion film.

It gets worse when you think of films like Star Trek. Lot's of action (note the recurring theme in these prequels) and angst. Not much logic or plot. Most of the things that made Trek so enduring were thrown out. And I really disliked this new version of Spock.

So to summurize, when Hollywood wants a prequel these days they load up on action, throw out the plot, ignore all logical actions, and rewrite (or revision) everything to ensure that a youthful audience will show up for the flash of skin and lots of explosions.

Thus we are led to what got me thinking about this in the first place. Laura Croft and the Tomb Raider series. Which is set to get revisioned - excuse me, a prequel is planned. A prequel without Angelina Jolie.

To be exact, Jolie is not confirmed to be out of the film yet. But unless there is some Spock-like temporal vortex, she is too old to play herself young enough to satisfy Hollywood executives. Especially with the current emphasis on more action and more explosions vs. plot (which the Tomb Raider movies were short on to start with).

Will the prequel work for Tomb Raider? Well it's hard to imagine it being worse than Cradle of Life. That film sucked. So in regard to that, there is a huge upside potential since expectations at this point are limited to a pretty woman with big boobs (likely fake enhancements as with Jolie) in a tight shirt with explosions going off around her. Sad to say but it is honest.

Of the potential actresses being rumored to take the Croft role, Megan Fox is at the top of the list. This is likely due to her performance (if it can be called that) in Transformers. A film which the director insisted

"It seems that [Michael] Bay feels women should have curves and look like a person as opposed to the near-anorexic looks usually found in actresses these days. In fact he is making Megan Fox GAIN 10 lbs. for her next film Transformers 2."

A similar need for food, and exercise, will be needed if she is to be the new buxom adventuress.

The only 2 actresses I think fit the bill are Malin Akerman, of Silk Spectre II (Watchmen) fame. Though she is too old.



And Summer Glau, of Firerfly (Serendipity)



But we will see, once the director and screenwriter are picked, how this prequel will be geared. Don't expect much.

Oh the pain - Manchester United defeated by Barcelona

Ouch.

Yes, it's true. Barcelona has defeated Manchester United. Which means that Sir Alex Ferguson likely thinks hell has frozen over. For those that are unaware, he stated that no team would ever duplicate the league, cup and Champions win, all at the same time, that Manchester had in '99.

And it just wasn't Ferguson who was in shambles. Just look at the British reports on the game. "Lifeless" and "elementary mistakes" are the kinder descriptions of how Manchester United played. For a team with such a history, you couldn't tell from the 2-0 loss.

Barcelona on the other hand looked great. Here are the 2 winning goals. The first is Samuel Eto'o and the second is a great header by Lionel Messi.



I'm sure many United fans are wondering where Cristano Ronaldo was? He was on the pitch, but the top ranked world star played like he was definitely somewhere else. That's not to say he didn't get close to a goal. But this is futbol (soccer) and a ball in the net is the only thing that matters at the end of referee's time. You expect one of the world's best to get the ball in the net, not next to it.

With the World Cup around the corner, expect this to have repercussions.

Update from Michael Vass - President of M V Consulting, Inc.

Well the first half of the year has been quite a ride so far. With the economy in the faltering status that it is life has become a bit harder for us all - if not massively so. But I continue to strive forward.

So far the VASS political blog has been completely revamped. It has undergone a complete change, now using Wordpress a clean theme and a few add-ons like a rating system for each post (found at the bottom of each post).

While it is not completely finished, each and every post and comment is being hand transfered from the old site to this new one (both are active now). I expect to announce the re-launch shortly. And new posts are already being placed on the site now (the most recent is the latest on the hearing for trial of Johannes Mehserle - who killed Oscar Grant).

In addition to revamping my political blog, there has been the photo shoot at Guys and Dolls in Endicott NY. The shoot highlighted virtually every designer clothing line found at World of Vass. You can see the models and the various lines by clicking on the links at the top of the site, and clicking the images will take you to that clothing line for purchase.

We have also added a new line of designer clothing - Wanna Score. At this moment there is just the women's fashion line, with designs for Black, White, and Hispanic women. We will be adding a complete men's fashion line of this design within days (also for Black, Hispanic, and White men). I invite you to look it over, and buy a few too.

Of course I also direct you to our advertising. We are always looking for the best, most interesting, and highest quality advertisers for our blogs. In this market, its tough. But we have one of the best entertainment blogs in the world - focusing on people of color - not to mention the recognized political blog as well. Our ad rates are superior to many, but we always will be (limited in advertising space and) selective because you our readers are as well. So check out our advertisers from time to time, I believe in their products and services, so you can too.

Another change that will be taking effect shortly is an expansion to the writing staff here and at our other blogs. In the coming months we expect to add another 3 or so writers, covering a miriad of topics. I of course will continue to write, and at the same pace as always. But it's a big world, and there are far too many things we want to bring to you our readers.

For those interested in joining the new staff of writers for Black Entertainment USA or Vass the political blog, contact me at info@vassconsult.com - subject writing staff.

For those that are interested in becoming a model for upcoming calendar, t-shirt, and other photo shoots (with noted photographers like Michael Rolston and Todd Messinger) contact me at info@vassconsult.com - subject model photo shoot.

The economy is difficult, the clients of M V Consulting, Inc. are numerous as always, and I believe in expanding no matter the climate. We will not falter as long as you, our valued readers, continue to give us your time and attention.

Always let us know what you think of the changes and inspiration we have. Feel free to comment on the posts, we value the input. We are here to provide the best service we can. Your feedback and support will ensure we do just that.

Thank you, I look forward to your continued readership.

Michael Vass
President - M V Consulting, Inc.
info@vassconsult.com

ex-officer Mehserle on trial for Oscar Grant murder - justice undone

And so it begins. Almost 6 months ago to the day, the year 2009 rang to life. At almost the same time Oscar Grant’s life came to a close with a sharp bang. That bang was a gunshot through his back and into his lung. Oscar Grant was lying on the ground, possibly handcuffed, with one police officer kneeling on his neck with another standing and having shot him.

This was the cause of riots in Oakland, California. This was the start of yet another cry for justice from the Black community across the nation (a cry the major news media ignored). And it was the target, along with another murder and shooting – all by police, of multiple posts and videos by me. And I’m not done yet.

On the 26th of May, the defense for former officer Mehserle has claimed that the officers at a BART station on January 1st feared for their lives and were receiving resistance from at least Oscar Grant among 4 men detained that night. One officer has stated that Grant was grabbing her arm shortly before being shot in the back. It was stated that Grant had to be forcibly made to sit down by officers, and that he was being restrained when he was shot in the back.

Oh, and the major point that everyone has waited for the defense to say: Ex-officer Mehserle thought he had his stun gun out when he shot Oscar Grant in the back while he lay on the ground, defenseless.

This is bullshit. Not unexpected but crap from start to end.

While I cannot comment on the actions of Grant or the other men that night from before video was available, I can comment on the video before and during the time he was shot. The video that the earliest news reports denied existed. Video that was available to the world, and I featured in my posts of the event.

Here are the facts as I saw on the video. Grant was not resisting officers. Grant was on the ground, restrained and under control of an officer who was on his neck. None of the other men being detained moved. There were some 5 or 6 officers on the scene. Not one officer made a move for their guns or stun guns. None were reaching for or had out their mace/pepper spray. While the situation was loud, not one officer was moved against with aggression from the crowd on the scene. Officers did try to confiscate videos being taken of the event.

Most important is officer Mehserle. After he stands, he is alone from all other groups and officers. He takes out his gun, which is not near his stun gun, just because of this supposed occurrence. He aims for about 2 or 3 seconds, then fires.

So the actual visual record, from at least 3 video recordings of this event, all show the same thing. The officers did not have to fear for their lives. They may have been uncomfortable, but they were in no apparent danger. They were outnumbered, but they also were in force and not mobbed by a crowd. None felt the situation to be so precarious as to arm themselves.

Mehserle is the only officer to become armed. He took his time, and acted with purpose. He was seemingly in full control and was unencumbered nor rushed. He is not a rookie, and was supposedly well trained.

Grant was lying on the ground. His hands are behind his back, likely restrained. Which means this was cold-blooded murder.

The news media will likely not cover this story, just as it did not cover the initial event. There will probably be no mention of this on the national cable networks. The few stations that do cover this trial will likely take the stance that the police offered immediately after the shooting. That it was a tragic accident. The actual videos of what happened will likely not be mentioned. And the likes of Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson will remain absolutely silent.

In fact, other than a quote from the family of Grant, the existence of a video was barely mentioned in the news report by the San Fransisco Chronicle

So the average American, who probably never heard of this murder, and don’t know that video evidence of the actual shooting exists, will think that an officer in fear of his life accidentally shot a kid that was resisting arrest. Which is a lie.

And I’ll even say more on that. It’s a lie because officer Mehserle would not have quit the police force rather than go thru an internal investigation of the shooting if it was an accident. Mehserle would not have left the state prior to charges being placed against him (well over a month after the fact). News organizations would not have omitted the existence of multiple videos of the event, nor would the police have denied all but one source of video (which conveniently had the worst view of the shooting). This is a set-up. It is the means by which a former cop is being protected from the truth of his actions.

Again I tell you that I have covered this story in detail. You can see all my posts at http://blogsearch.google.com/?bl_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackentertainmentblog.com%2F&ui=blg&as_q=grant

True justice demands that Mehserle gets the death penalty. Justice would be his imprisonment for life, and the awarding of all his possessions and funds to the Grant family (in particular to Grant’s daughter that will never see him again). But this is America. Mehserle was a police officer who killed a young Black man. Odds are that Mehserle will walk away from this with barely community service.

And people wonder why African Americans are so angry at the police and the legal system. Just imagine the press coverage, and speed this would be happening at – not to mention the ultimate outcome – if this was a Black cop that killed a young White father while he was lying on the ground defenseless. If you can imagine that, you cannot compare it to this mockery. That’s why we are angry.

But I will continue to follow this, even as the major media avoids it like the televised plague.

Is William Wallace really deadlier than Tshaka Zulu?

For those that have the time, on Tuesdays there is a show on Spike TV that’s quite interesting. The show is called Deadliest Warrior. At its roots it is a rip-off of Mythbusters with a twist. But the twist is what makes the show interesting.

There have been several episodes already this season. Each episode breaks down to the following formula:

2 separate warrior tribes/armies are selected from very different eras (normally) and vastly different regions of the world.

Each fighter is given a breakdown of their historic battles, main arsenal of weapons, and tactics

Then the 2 fighters, with a small selection of key weapons, are compared to each other in the areas of long range, mid-range, short, and special weapons. Each category introduces the weapon, highlights its use, has a demonstration enacted on ballistics gel or a dead pig/cow – then the same for the opponent.

There is an E.R. doctor, and 2 techies that evaluate the damage done, and a winner of that scenario is determined.

Finally, based on all data selected, a program is run simulating an encounter with both fighters each using the tested weapons. The simulation is run 1000 times. The final outcome is then enacted by actors, with the tally of the effectiveness of each weapon shown to the audience.

It’s simple, a tad bit repetitive, and interesting. Shaolin Monk beat Maori, Samurai beat Viking, Pirate beats Knight, and so on.

This week’s episode may be the most debatable and hotly contested. For the first time the show took on individual warriors instead of random groups. They picked Tshaka Zulu vs. William Wallace.

(I like the song choice by the way. My video just has the audio from the show)

Now I understand the concept that steel beats wood. And I will give the fact that a claymore sword can inflict horrific damage. But I still don’t think Wallace wins.

Shaka Zulu is a lifetime trained warrior, with far more experience than Wallace. Shaka is faster, with lighter more flexible weapons. One miss with a claymore and Wallace is exposed for way too much time. That is the nature of his sword. The short spear of Shaka should leave Wallace dead in my opinion.

But before this gets racial (because someone out there will make it so) this is not about the race of the fighters. Not for the show, nor me. Just based on my knowledge of the weapons both men used, the number of battles they fought, and the likely conditioning of each, I put Chaka Zulu above Wallace.

But do you agree with me, or the Deadliest Warrior team? And why?

Movie Preview: Land of the Lost

I was thinking about the upcoming movie Land of the Lost earlier today. I had been flipping channels and saw that Sci-Fi had a marathon of the episodes on. I watched a few, reminding me of my youth some time ago.

Now the thing is that the children’s television show used to appear in the 70’s on Saturday mornings. It’s campy, unrealistic, and done in stop animation – which looks bad compared to the effects of say Jurassic Park. That doesn’t even cover the bad make-up jobs on the Sleestac creatures that abound the show. But it was entertaining, and even moreso today.

Then I saw trailers for the Will Ferrell movie remake. The first thought I had was instantly ‘revisioning’. Those that follow my movie reviews know that this almost always means a crappy movie. When you add in the fact that this is a television show to movie conversion, well the odds of it being a crappy movie go up exponentially. Perhaps the only way you could be more sure this will be horrendous was if 2 or more rappers were in the film.



The trailers really don’t have any of the campy charm of the original show. From what I’ve seen it looks like it will be a running gag of how wrong, and stupid, Will Ferrell’s character can be. Add in a couple of bits of CGI, and there you go. To say I’m underwhelmed at this point is an understatement.

But this film will draw an audience. Not a big one by my bet, but it might just break-even. Which is a shame as that means Will Ferrell will likely continue on the path of mediocre films he has been doing for years now. He was funny in Elf. But by the time I saw Ricky Bobby, the joke was old. Now it’s as ancient as the dinosaurs are supposed to be.

Let me share a known secret about movies, specifically movie trailers. The editors of any film have one huge job when it comes to the movie trailers, which is to make the film look good. Any halfway decent editor can make the worst film look like a $100 million dollar blockbuster. They tend to grab the best 2 minutes of a film and cobble it together, so viewers will rush in expecting a far better film than they get 9 out of 10 times.

Look at some of the worst films you have ever seen, and check out the trailers of that film. In almost every case you will see a great (relative to the final product) movie trailer.

When I watch the trailer for Land of the Lost, I am immediately drawn to the fact that the writers almost definitely never saw the show. Not as kids or adults. I can also see that a huge chunk of the below the line costs of the film were spent on CGI animation. But what I don’t get are really funny jokes. Or any hint of a plotline beyond the one joke that is obvious (as stated above).

The film makes me think of the revisioning of Dukes of Hazzard and Lost in Space. Or perhaps Starsky & Hutch. Films that no sober person ever saw before, or even maybe after, they hit cable. And they hit cable fast, as the DVD sales sucked as well. They were bad films, remakes of far better television shows, and completely revisioned.

Of course Land of the Lost, and other shows of this ilk, are not targeting my dollars. They know that I remember the show. They know that I would see the trailer and think it was crap. Nope, they are targeting an audience of 25 and under. Because it’s all new to you. And since it’s new, the younger audience is not expecting better.

Hollywood has become a land of low expectations, and lower performances. Movie studios won’t spend the money on an original script – especially when they can revamp someone else’s idea. They slop together a half-thought out idea, and bang there is a movie. They will keep doing this too, until audiences stop paying to see this warmed up refuse.

I’m sure Will Ferrell got paid well for this film. Good for him, honestly. He didn’t have to work hard and got his money up front. I don’t blame him. But I will say that based on the trailer, the running joke, and the plot if you see this movie you will be wasting money.

Beginner's luck pays well in Craps

In news that is quite lighter, a new record has been achieved this holiday weekend. In Atlantic City, Patricia Demauro, a true novice craps player having only played the game once before, beat the 20 year old record for the longest craps roll. She was rolling for 4 hours and 18 minutes. Beating the old record by 1 hour and 12 minutes.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with craps (my absolute favorite game to gamble on) what Deauro did is insanely improbable. With 2 die, the highest probability on every single role is a 7. There are 6 separate combinations to reach 7 – the most of any combined 2 die. Odds on rolling a 7 are somewhere around 40+ percent on each roll of the dice (Odds of going 7 out on a point is quoted at some sites as ~60%). Patricia Demauro rolled for 4 hours and 18 minutes – for a total of 154 times. I can’t even figure out the odds on that – but I think you would have better odds on winning the lotto.

The casino, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, bought Demauro a bottle of champagne once she did finish the run. Which I am sure is not the least thing she was comped after such a run. They won’t mention how much she won, but I’ll take a stab at it.

Let’s say IF she only had a $10 bet on the pass line (which pays 1-1), took no odds, and only played the 6 or 8 (paying out 6 – 5). Let’s say that she worked with a strategy where she let her bet ride 3x, and then dropped the bet to 2x what she started with. On 154 roles, the 6 or 8 are the second highest chance to appear on any given roll, that means a hit at least some 38 times. So on an original bet of $6 I get a total of around … $57,000 or so. The chance of this kind of win is around .04% or so.

Even if I am off just a little bit, this is a huge and great win for just 4 hours and a second try at craps. And that’s only if she made a relatively simple bet, and played with the house’s money. And some people don’t believe in beginners luck.

Wishing Tyson's daughter well

I hope that everyone enjoyed the holiday.

But while there was some good news on Monday, there was some sad news as well. It seems that the daughter of Mike Tyson was rushed to a hospital after getting caught by a cable on a treadmill in the family home. She is only 4.

Such news is never good. So far she is in extreme critical condition and on life support. Tyson was away, but upon getting the news rushed to be at his daughter’s side.

These kinds of accidents are terrible to hear about. I can’t even imagine how Tyson and his family are feeling right now. I just wish his daughter a quick and full recovery.

Yahoo goes off the deep end with Jon & Kate Gosselin

Oh this is just not funny. In yet another example of why I hate the way the media exploits situations today I saw one of the worst cases.

On Yahoo, in the front page news headlines at 10:27 am, there is a video clip of Jon and Kate Gosselin. The headline reads

“Jon & KatePlus 8 parents have open marriage contract?”

Such a headline is a surprise. It implies, in conjunction with the recent allegations by tabloids, that both the parents are swingers. Such a subject is taboo among the mainstream of America, and rarely ever mentioned in the news without negative implications.

The video clip then shows you the Good Morning America show, and Robin Roberts introducing a video report of the status of the show. We see that the new season has started, that Jon and Kate appear but separately, and that the children are now 5 years old. In that video report the allegation that the Gosselin’s are contemplating splitting up is covered. And it is stated that Kate requested Jon to sign a contract that he could date as long as he appeared for the shows taping.

So immediately we get one thing clearly set before us. Yahoo is sensationalizing the situation. They are taking a step towards a tabloid in creating a headline that has virtually nothing to do with the actual information. At best, the entire 6 minute video clip – which includes an interview with a black family that has sextuplets and an older son, and has had limited exposure to the pressure of reality television – covers all of 7 seconds on what the Yahoo headline proposes.

Only in Hollywood does the alleged contract equate to an open marriage. Only in the worst of news media is such a connection become the driving force of the story.

In fact, Robin Roberts covers how the media, and reality television itself, are major factors in causing the family to have difficulty. That is it the existence of the cameras non-stop that is harming every person, notably the 5 year olds, for no reason than the fascination of the public.

I understand that the Gosselin’s need the financial help to raise the 8 children, and to have any income left over. I understand the extremes that they undertook to ensure that their kids would be guaranteed absolute needs. But there is so much more damage that the media is causing here.

A friend of mine stated about this Yahoo headline and the show

“What is wrong with them [Yahoo]. That doesn’t help anyone. It just gets more people into their business, running around and jumping to conclusions everytime they do anything. If either of them walk into a store and ask for directions, and walk out with someone to show them where to go – there go the cameras and gossip about being up to no good.

And you know, when was the last time that they [Gosselin’s] had time together? I have never seen a show where the company [producing the show] say ‘Hey, why don’t you too just go off for a dinner or on a little weekend trip on us so you can have time to be together and alone.’ I have never seen that. There is always a camera on them. It’s not healthy.”

And there you have it. The family of sextuplets stated directly to Robin Roberts how they needed to get away from the reality cameras to save their marriage – which is not completely fixed years after the fact. My friend sees it. I think you my readers see it. Robin Roberts sees it I think, and thus the nature of her on-air discussion.

But Yahoo wants to exploit the Gosselin’s. It wants to take a serious question and turn it into tabloid fodder. Did the headline garner my attention? Yes. But it is my job to comment on the media and celebrity news. Beyond that it only furthered my anger. Especially as Yahoo actively sought to warp the situation. And think, if Yahoo will go this far with its reputation how far will a tabloid go?

I say again that the news media needs to get their noses out of this family’s lives. There is no positive in what is being done. There is no need for the virtual yellow journalism here.

If Jon and Kate Gosselin do split, I blame the media as much as the show and the pressure of so many children. In fact I blame the media and reality television more. The Gosselin’s deserve better, but paparazzi and ratings whores just won’t let them get that. It truly is a shame.

Guitar Hero takes over television

I am sure all the gamers out there have heard this news already, but for anyone that missed this here we go. Reality television shows are here to stay, sadly, but over the past several years they have been dwindling in viewers. Shows like American Idol, Survivor and the ilk are all getting a bit old. So in a quest for television programming that requires the least effort, lowest cost, and about as much mental stimulation as sugar has nutrients a potential new craze is about to spring forward.

Guitar Hero.

Yep. The belief is that Activision will soon be announcing that the video gaming industry leading game will be hitting a television station real soon. And if that isn’t enough, expect to be able to buy tickets to watch a Guitar Hero concert in your local stadium/arena too.

Talk about the lowest common denominator. For people too lazy to actually purchase and/or play a Guitar Hero game, and too much of a couch potatoe to change a channel, the ability to watch a person play a game has now come. I can hear the Simon Cowell equivalent for this show berating someone for improperly mashing their fingers to a song that actually required talent and skill to perform in the first place.

I can’t wait until there are crowds of people screaming out ‘yellow, yellow, red, blue!’ Or better yet talk shows and pundits glibly chatting about the ‘skill’ and 'quality' of a Guitar Hero program. Probably will call the show ‘Are you a Hero?’

And I wonder what in the world the winner of this reality snore fest will receive? A trip to Disney? A box of band-aids? A spot in a television commercial for the umpteenth version of the Guitar Hero video game?

Seriously, the only thing I could imagine is that the aforementioned concert is their next option. But would you really want to pay top dollar to watch some kid mash a bunch of buttons to your favorite band? Think about it, you might pay some $40 dollars to watch someone, hopefully play correctly, a song you have on CD or a MP3 that you paid $5 for. And it isn’t even the originals you are watching.

Hell, you can go to a local bar and get more out of watching a cover band.

Do I hate reality television? Oh Yeah! Do I think that this idea is only good for the people least likely to reproduce? Our global genetic DNA pool would seriously be improved if that is the case. Do I think that if this show comes on, it’s only a matter of time before television hits the ultimate lowest common denominator of just flashing random colors on a screen? If they do, I bet the text votes will go to the color blue.

If this becomes a reality, I seriously fear for the human race. Honest.

Pitbull attacks son of Pittsburgh Steeler

It’s sad news on any day when you hear that a child has been injured. That doesn’t change where the child has a parent that is famous or not. Because we all want children, anyone’s child, to be safe at all times.

But there is something in this story that infuriates me. The source of the injury to Pittsburgh Steeler’s linebacker James Harrison’s child was a pitbull dog. And I’ve heard these kinds of stories way to often. The breed should never be around children. In fact, I believe the entire breed should be destroyed.

But before I go on, let’s get this into perspective. The pitbull is NOT part of dogfighting. The dog was not abused, or mistreated. There have been no reports of the dog causing trouble, or getting loose, or anything that would indicate it would harm anyone. This is not a Michael Vick kind of situation. This is all about the breed.

Pitbulls are a breed of dog bred for one thing, fighting. They are known for their aggressiveness, and the injuries they give to adults as well as other dogs and animals. They are prone to sudden vicious attacks, without cause. In my experience, every pitbull will at some point turn and attack without cause at some point in their lives. And the manner of raising the pitbull, and it’s parentage have little to do with that.

Case in point, back in the mid-90’s I was working at a stock brokerage firm in NYC near Wall Street. In the middle of one day a call came in that the daughter of one of the brokers I knew had just been taken to the hospital. The cause of her injuries was the one of the family’s pitbulls.

This pitbull had been raised with the child from birth. It was bred as a family dog, and the broker was a recognized breeder. All of his dogs were raised in a gentle surrounding, with good bloodlines. Up to that point there had never been an incident with the dog. The attack occurred in the kitchen, with the mother and a family friend present.

The little girl was just 6 years old. The dog was 5. For no apparent reason the dog turned on the girl as she entered the kitchen. It bit her face, requiring plastic surgery though she face would always retain marks from the attack. But at least she survived.

Just as James Harrison’s son will survive. He was bit in the leg. He will be in a hospital for at least another day, as the injury is considered severe but not life threatening. Just as with the experience my broker acquaintence learned about, Harrison’s dog attacked without provocation. 2 adults, one being the mother of James, were also injured while trying to rescue the boy.

Why do people continue to have these animals? Especially around children? I just don’t understand it.

They are beasts at the best of times. They are popular because drug dealers in the 80’s used them to protect crack houses from police raids. They serve no purpose, and are without any merit in my opinion.

How many children will need to suffer from attacks by these beasts before they are destroyed? How many people will be attacked? How many more headlines will it take before the status of owning such a vicious and unpredictable creature fades?

Owning a pitbull leaves you with one result. Given time it is bound to attack. I’ve found that to be true in every case of someone owning a pitbull. And sadly, children often are the victim of these attacks.

Canada, Australia, England, Norway, France, Singapore, Iceland and even Serbia get it. They all restrict or forbid the breed. Various cities and counties across the nation including Sioux City, Overland Park, Miami-Dade, Youngstown, and Sparta among many others get it. Even the state of Oklahoma has proposed the ban of these dogs.

I am sorry to hear of the injury to Steeler’s linbacker Harrison’s child. But I hope that if any positive can come out of this horrific attack, it is that it helps to end the existence of this breed so that no other child ever goes through this again.

So Adam Lambert has lost American Idol

Considering all the hype and anticipation, I’m left with the same feeling I have every year after American Idol ends. Relief and a hope that it won’t be back again.

Separate of all that though I will mention 2 things. I caught a glimpse of a woman in a bikini, and some other woman that seemed to be battling her – who then exposed a bikini. There was no sound, and I don’t watch the show so I have no idea what it was all about (I was inbetween matches at my pool league) but if that was a regular event on American Idol, I just might watch it regularly – minus the sound.

The other thing is what I have started to hear about the Lambert loss. It seems that some are saying the loss was because Lambert might be gay. Which I think is stupid.

First, as I stated earlier this month, the question of Lambert’s sexual preferences have nothing to do with his ability. For anyone to juxapose sexuality with singing is wrong. In addition to that I will add what I stated before

“Adam Lambert should not win American Idol if his sole or main qualification is the perception of his sexuality. If his current position is being bolstered or altered due to the hype and mystery of his private life, which some want to use to advance a political agenda, then he must lose. It's just that simple.”

So if the only reason some think that Lambert lost was because he is whatever he is, then that means he is not a good enough singer. Such distractions should not exist about a singer doing their job. If you can daydream about these other questions while listening to him, then he was not good enough to win.

Second, I truly believe that if it was known that Lambert was gay then he likely would have won. Because such is the nature of Hollywood and the entertainment industry these days. The Perez Hilton incident, and the reaction of the media, has made it clear that the media would rather support a bias than dare to be fair. Thus if Lamert was gay, he would have won. And that would have been just as wrong as if he lost because he was gay.

Now I realize that I have no idea how anyone on Idol sounds. So I am speaking objectively about music and not this situation. Given. But I did hear one other theory that might explain the loss of Lambert.

Because of the contracts that the winner gets, and the ability of the runner-up to get a substantial contract as well, it makes pure business sense to have the most popular guy take second. It creates hype for both singers. I creates an environment where the battle will continue at least into the first album of each, reaping tons of money for the record companies.

Because lest you forget, American Idol is about business in every aspect. The goal at every step is to find a way to make more money for record labels. That goal, and the process does not end with a winner being declared. It just goes into another phase, which really brings in the profit. Controversy therefore is beneficial.

So did Lambert lose because he is whatever his sexual preference might be? No. He lost either because he wasn’t good enough, or it makes some executive (Simon Cowell I believe) significantly more money. Some things in life are just simple.

Conclusion of my interview of independent film director Dennis Dorcth

This is part 5 of my in-depth interview with independent film director and writer Dennis Dortch, creator of the Sundance Film Festival Award winning film A Good Day To Be Black & Sexy (which is available on DVD).

The interview has covered the motivations for Dennis Dortch, the inspiration of the film, working in the film industry, the actors, writing, and other insights. If you want to see the other parts of the interview they are in order:

Sundance director Dennis Dortch interviewed by Michael Vass

Director Dennis Dortch interviewed by Michael Vass - pt 2

Part 3 of the Michael Vass interview with Sundance noted director Dennis Dortch

Part 4 of the Michael Vass interview with Sundance noted director Dennis Dortch

Conclusion of interview:

Michael Vass : No I can understand that. By the way how old are you now?

Dennis Dortch : I’m in my mid 30’s

Michael Vass : Oh that’s not that old at all. That is a good age. I’m not that much older but I’m older so that’s a good age. So it's something that, the achievement that you’ve gotten at this point. It's something that’s easily achievable you don’t have to wait till your 50 or 60 to get it done.

Dennis Dortch : You know what it is, I wish I’d done this earlier. Cause I had this idea and I had a short film idea Slam Dance in 99. I had an idea, the name, I had the short script version of Black and Sexy. But it took me literally a decade to really get it going from there and I think it really was just life literally.

I think the filmmakers who are young hot shots make films but they don’t know shit after that. It's kind of hard to follow up. I think it's life experiences that make good filmmakers. Even people like George Lucas; to be a good film maker a writer a visionary. I think the new 20’s are the 30’s and the new 30’s are the 40’s.

I didn’t really find myself until I hit 30. I didn’t find out what I wanted to do but I knew I wanted to be creative. But I didn’t know how I was going to do it or how I was going to express it. I went to film school by accident. I didn’t know any thing about festivals. I just wanted to be creative and someone told me to do my short film at Sundance so I did Slam Dance.

I got into it with Slam Dance and I was like oh cool, but I didn’t know how to do that stuff. It was not in my world. I didn’t grow up with a video camera in my hands or a mommy and a daddy who were pushing me to do something with the camera. I sort of stumbled into it and found that I took to it. So I think it took … you know I got married and I have kids so its a lot of distractions. So it took me a while and in the time that it took me is the time that I needed if that makes any sense to you.

Michael Vass : Yes it get the fullness of what you needed to be to make what you needed to have. To make your vision become real.

Dennis Dortch : Exactly instead of half assed doing it.

Michael Vass : Yeah, I understand that completely. That’s a good thing to mention; a lot of people aren’t thinking about that sometimes. That little bit of extra time to get the experience to get the full vision is more important than just getting it out now.

Dennis Dortch : Exactly, instead of being that hot shot director and all that.

Michael Vass : No, I understand that … We’ve covered a lot and I’m sure that if we had all the time in the world I could probably give you another dozen different things I would want to ask you, but I love the work you’ve done. I’m very interested in the work your doing and I’m going to ask for just a little peek into what is that next project.

I know you mentioned its bigger, it’s a little different than what we’ve seen so far, that’s always a good thing. It’s a mix of art and contemporary or commercial I should say. I’m just wondering, 'gee is there a little teaser I can give to all my readers out there?'

Dennis Dortch : Ah no…no … I have to keep this secret. Its just a little superstition I have that if I talk to much about it I’m going to lose it. You know in order to tell the story you have to really want to tell somebody and I take that desire to want to tell somebody and I fit it into the writing. So I can’t really talk about it; but what I can do is tell you about another project that I’m doing. A web episodic online it’s a spin off of Black and Sexy.

Michael Vass : I understand, absolutely, so what is that?

Dennis Dortch : It’s called Black and Sexy Besides. What I’m doing is taking the movie and myself and some of my friends writer/directors are re-imagining what happened after the movie or some things about the movie like for example what happened after Her Man.

So there is an episode online now that you can take a look at if you wish. That is our first episode, our first attempt to see about extending the world of Black and Sexy. We currently shot this weekend and we will be shooting more in a couple of weeks to see what we are going to do with it. But its for the spin off of the movie.

Michael Vass : Definitely there is something that will tied over all my readers till we get a chance to see the next thing. That’s always a good thing and I thank you for giving me that.

End of the interview

PSA: Fake Part Time Job offer circulating net

Beware the latest trend in fake emails meant to steal your money. As always criminals are taking advantage of economic events and trying to use them to get your money. The latest of these is an email supposedly from Global Shipping Agency Ltd.

The email goes along like the following, with my notations added:

Dear Sir/Madam,


My name is Melisa Cunningham [This is a fake person], I am a Personnel Department manager in Global Shipping Agency Ltd [Fake use of corporate name] and I would like to offer you a job of Customer Service Financial Assistant in our company [Fake Job].

First of all, I would like to make a brief review on our company. Global Shipping Agency Ltd.– is a world famous full service transportation company with the head office based in Hong-Kong. Our company is a leader and one of the most famous freight services providers. We work both with companies and private individuals. We specialize both in transportations by air, sea and road as well as in household removal services. GSA Ltd. has more than 10 affiliated branches around Europe and Asia and constantly develops. For more information, please visit our web-site http://hurec.eu [Fake site].

Today we would like to offer you a position of our Customer Service Financial Assistant with a prospect of a career growtsh [Note the poor spelling and bad grammar in this document - a corporation will not send an email like this. Plus a corporation would never give a job randomly to anyone].

In January, 2009 our Marketing Department started a research in the USA to determine the states with the highest customer activity [Actually the criminals behind this are seeking out areas that respond the most to random unsolicited emails]. By the time research finishes, there will be 5 states chosen, with the highest level of clients’ activity. We will be happy to offer you a position of a full-time manager at one of our newly opened US offices, once you perform well at a part-time position.

As for now, let me tell more about a part-time position of a Customer Service Financial Assistant.
At this position, you would be responsible to deal with the payments form our American customers; these can be companies or private individuals. You will be a middleman between our customers based in the US and the regional branches of the company based in Europe and Asia. Your mission will be to fasten the process of payment delivery, so that to help us get the payments in regional branches efficiently, deal with each of the customer orders in shortest possible dates, attract extra customers and improve company’s total profit [This is illegal. It is money laundering, a violation of 9/11 finance laws, and international law].

Moreover, it is important to notice, that we work on special program under patronage of U.S. Government for reducing cheap-contracts taxes [The U.S. Government is not involved with this at all. Note that no specific Agency of the Government is stated]. The reason we join that program is the European Union economic restrictions that affect us. If the payment is forwarded directly to one of our European accounts, our customers would have to pay another 25%-27% as a fee to the European government [There is no single European Government], which would make their expenses much higher. This 27%-Law was made by European Bank Association to protect the interests of European banks, but it affects us as well.

This is a step-by-step description of your responsibilities on a position during the approbation period:

You will have to deal with the customer payments, arranged by the Company Head Office for you. Our Head office will arrange every new coming payment with you in advance over the phone (so that to make sure you are available) and then send you an e-mail with all the details that you might need, a step-by-step instruction, exact amount transferred, the name of the customer who made the payment and the details of the regional branch the money is supposed to be sent to [This is an attempt to launder money, and gain your banking information].
We try to arrange all the customer payments to be made like wire transfers – we consider this way of sending money to be the safest and the fastest one – transaction is checked by a Federal Wire System and is normally released for the beneficiary in 1 hour after the money has been sent.
So, after the customer makes a payment to your bank account, we will send you an e-mail with all the details of the payment. Once the payment is shown at your available balance, you are supposed to deduct your 10% commission first. Out of the 90% left you are supposed to deduct the related charges for the Western Union fee. The amount left after all the deductions are made is supposed to be transferred by Western Union to one of our regional branches (depending from and to what destination the transportation is required) [No corporation of worth handles its banking with random people, or outside of a bank. Western Union is not a banking service. This is an attempt to circumvent detection by the Government].

We use Western Union service to fasten the process of payment delivery – this I an instant money transfer service, and the money you sent is available for the receiver immediately.

As this is a part-time job position – you will get 2 payments a week to deal with during the approbation period and then up to 3-4 payments a week once we sign up a working agreement with you. Once you get some experience, you will probably need less than 1,5 hours to finish the whole task [By the end of the "approbation" you will likely have frozen accounts and/or the criminals will have stolen your money].

We offer that for the approbation period for the incoming customer payments you either use the existing bank account of yours [Never give this information to anyone! If you would not give the information to a stranger on the street why would you give it to a strange company?] or open a separate bank account for the company needs (the amount of each payment on the trial period will not exceed 10000 usd). Once we sign up a long-term working agreement with you [Will never happen], we will assist you in opening a business account for the company payments as we will expect more payments of larger amounts to be arranged for you to deal with. The business account takes some time and effort to be opened, and so that not to lose time (as we are just going to test each other) we advice to start with some private account first [Again, never give your private information to anyone!].

The approbation period lasts for 2 weeks, which allows both of us make sure we are comfortable to deal with each other [Just long enough to get your information, steal your identity and money, and disappear before the Government gets involved]. We will sign up a pre-contract agreement with you, which will be valid through the approbation period only. Once the approbation period has gone through successfully, we will be happy to sign up a long-term working agreement for part-time employment on a regular basis with you. Some of our lawyers come to the US every 1-2 months, so once a lawyer comes to the USA, we will arrange a meeting for you, for all the papers to be signed up.


This position offers excellent benefits and basic salary of $2000 a month, along with long term career progression opportunity. Apart from a basic salary, we also offer you a 10% commission out of each project you are dealing with, so that to encourage you to deal with more payments and keep your interest in finishing any new coming task in shortest possible dates. [Sounds nice, but all lies sound good. But this is illegal and false from start to finish]

Once you get more experienced and are able to come with your duties easily, you will be offered to take more responsibility on a position. Experienced managers normally do all the arrangements regarding new coming customer orders themselves – communicating with the customers and regional branches, making lists of transportations, authorizing each new customer order with the company Head Office, dealing with the payments and sending them to the final destination. These responsibilities involve more time to be spent, but as well higher earnings. For all the business calls to go through successfully, you will be equipped with an iPhone. As well we will cover your international call expenses.


If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to e-mail us.
We are looking forward to hearing from you ASAP.

The Company this proposes to be is a fake. The website is a fake. The actions it is asking people to be involved with are illegal, and meant to steal your money.

The goal of this is to get you to use your bank account to launder money. In addition the hope of these criminals is to get your bank information and take any funds you have as well. Either way they gain cash, and you receive extreme trouble.

This is the 3rd iteration of this specific scam. The first 2 versions have been identified at http://www.bobbear.co.uk/global-shipping-agency-ltd.html and http://www.bobbear.co.uk/global-shipping-agency.html.

In each case the same website and virtually the same email has been used. Who knows where the next version will appear at.

Facts

No company of worth will randomly select you, via email, for a position.

No company of worth will ask you to evade international laws and taxes

No company will provide you money to move money, something they should easily be able to do themselves.

By definition, this "job" violates several laws enacted in the U.S. after 9/11 to prevent funding of terrorists, and will result in frozen accounts with a chance of being arrested under those laws.

This is not a real corporate website, nor company. The contact information is false. The Website currently in use is the worst cut and paste job I have seen in years.

As presented in the links above, this is an on-going attempt to capitalize on the fears some have of a bad economy. Do not respond to this email, nor ever give anyone presenting similar "jobs" your private information.

I am glad to know that www.bobbear.co.uk and other sites are identifying spam and phishing emails and sites as I am. People that commit these kinds of acts are scum of the earth. Be aware and don't be fooled.

Shakespeare Intensive Workshop on June 9th with Rosemary Tichler and Barry Hortwitz

An old friend just mentioned something to me that I will pass on to all the current and future actors that read my blog.

On June 9 & 10 there will be a Shakespeare Intensive Workshop by the producer of Shakespeare in the park and The Public Theatre, Rosemary Tichler and Barry Hortwitz.

Obviously it is difficult at best to become an actor. Adding to the difficulty level is the competition and the ability to stand out in a crowd. Perhaps there is nothing that quite makes a statement more than the use of Shakespeare in an audition, or to sharpen the acting abilities.

One of the most sought after roles emphasizing Shakespeare is the New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park. Many well known actors got their start from stand-out roles there. And there is now an opportunity to connect with a 10 year Artistic Producer of this program, and noted director and producer Barry Horwitz.

Rosemarie Tichler has worked on productions including: Simpatico by Sam Shepard, Venus by Suzan-Lori Parks, George Wolfe's production of The Tempest at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and Mike Nichols' production of Chekhov's The Seagull with Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Christopher Walken et al.

She has cast over 150 plays which include: Orchard, Richard Foreman's Threepenny Opera, For Colored Girls... by Ntozake Shange, Wilford Leach's Pirates Of Penzance, and more.

Ms. Tichler founded The Shakespeare Lab, now in its 14th year: an intensive program for actors in Shakespeare performance. Ms. Tichler has been teaching at New York University's Graduate Acting Program and The Juilliard School for 20 years.

Barry Horwitz, Professor of English and Drama, Saint Mary’s College of California, has taught Shakespeare, modern theatre, and contemporary literature for over thirty years at Univ. of California, Berkeley; Univ. of Paris (Sorbonne); and Univ. of Montpellier (France). He teaches “Shakespeare Today!” a course that opens Shakespeare’s texts to modern interpretations, and, this summer, is delivering a paper on “Politics & Modern Theater” at the “Conspiracy and Consent” conference in France. He has published papers on Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance and on teaching classical drama for our time.

To find out more about this opportunity you can contact infonyc@bilingualacting.com
and/or go to www.Bilingualacting.com

Porn stars upset over lack of exposure

Some things you just cant make up. In France, at the Cannes, there was a small group of porn actresses that were getting a bit of coverage. The reason they were there was to try to gain attention for the revival of the Hot d’Or Film Festival.

The Hot d’Or Film Festival ran from 1992 until 2001, and occurred at the same time as Cannes Film Festival. Like the U.S. Adult Video News Awards (AVN Awards), the Hot d’Or was a showcase of new porn movies. Awards were given out for Best Director, Best American and European Film, Best Actor/Actress, plus a few industry specific honors like Best Box Cover and New Starlett (American/European).

Now I have no problem with an industry awarding the best of it’s own. I just find it interesting on 2 points. The first is the fact that any event or activity related to porn has ever ended amazes me. The porn industry makes more money than all of Hollywood and Eurpoe combined, from just the U.S. alone. Which always amazes me since no one ever buys porn, of course. So to see any of their events end or fail seems to be shocking considering their success.

The second thought is the fact that porn needs more exposure to succeed. It just seems odd considering that I can’t think of another industry that receives as much exposure for it’s exposure. And in non-prudish France of all places. I mean if this were Britian I could understand the plea. But France?

There is no real point to the post. Just an observation. It caught my attention. I’m sure that no one has ever seen a porn movie anyway, let alone to be at an awards ceremony. Though I think it would be interesting to interview people in the industry or to cover an awards show. Maybe if you my readers express interest I will look into it.

The Bruce Lee Nokia video

I have no doubt that many more people than I think have seen this video before, but for those of you who have not just like me it will be a treat.

I was watching a special called How Bruce Lee Changed The World. It was a really cool program about the impact that Bruce Lee was able to have with only 4 films made before his highly untimely death in the 70's. His reach continues even to this day, in martial arts movies, sports, video games, music and more.

One of the things touched upon is how Lee is so well known that his image is still a symbol for innumerable products across the globe. One such take on Lee, and his abilities (he was so fast that he was slowed down in his films so people could believe the action they were watching) comes in the form of playing ping pong with nunchuku.



What that has to do with a cell phone I do not know. But I just think its a very cool homage to Bruce Lee. And I have no doubt that he could have done this with ease.

Movie Preview: Facing Ali

Here is a movie that I am definitely going to see. It is the movie about the Great One. The greatest that there has been. A movie about a man beloved by the world and whose influence helped shape America.

No this is not about President Obama. Not even close. I’m speaking about Muhammad Ali.



This is an intresting and unique insight into the life and career of the greatest sports entertainer of the last century (or number 2 depending on which list of athletes you look at). It is a homage, a tribute, a reflection at how the men that faced the living legend of Muhammad Ali went into and then lived after their battles.

To this day Muhammad Ali is beloved around the world. His name still is known to even children in the far reaches of the globe. Even in Muslim-phobic America, he is cherished. Considering all that, how can you not watch this documentary?

Is this a film for boxing fans? Of course. Is it a film for African Americans? Not specifically but yes. Is this a film that anyone not in the prior 2 groups can see? I would certainly hope you do.

Because Muhammad Ali is more than just a boxer, or just African American. He is not defined by his religion, profession, or skin tone. Most I think understand that, over the age of 35. But for those that never saw a fight of Muhammad Ali, who never saw the television cartoons, or the live interviews this is a must see. Because I believe this will give insight to what a professional athlete can be, and few rise up to become. This movie I believe will touch upon how this man overcame adversity, and nay-sayers, to become known as The Greatest.

There is just nothing more to say. The movie trailer says it all I think.

ABC fall television lineup is no breath of fresh air

Yes it’s that time of year again. The fall broadcast television lineups are being announced now. And as usual there is a dearth of anything really woryth watching if you have a mental capacity above that of a kindergarten kid.

NBC so far seems to be satisfied with its current lineup. There seems to be little if any change. Bully for them.

But ABC is going all out. They are frantic with hopes of drawing viewers away from cable, which offers a far superior quality and range of shows worth watching. Here are a couple of “new” ideas from ABC.

Shark Tank – not what you think. Yes it’s a reality show. But instead of people having to survive being in a tank with sharks (hopefully with bleeding cuts if they are so stupid) this is a remake of a popular British television show Dragon’s Den. And that was a remake of an old Japanese television show to boot.

Still the program might be interesting and inspire some to start their own business. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is funded by the Obama Stimulus Paclkage. Even odds it will make one season.

Castle – the revisioned remake of Murder She Wrote will continue for another season. Odds are that this is the final season.

The Forgotten – in a twist on the current anti-war, anti-military theme of late this show will emphasize the paranoia and mistrust of the Government. Viet Nam vets are released from North Viet Nam after 17 years. They are then interrogated, and likely pursued, by the Government outside of the U.S. Expect a run at Republicans in this show. Odds are it won’t make the season.

Oh another bright spot is Cougar Town. Single mom trolls for young men while raising teenaged son. That’s a family show. Plus it has Courtney Cox, so all the single guys alone on a Wednesday will have something to do.

Then there is Flash Forward. Well this is like Lost, with a better timeline. Or maybe Quantum Leap with far more people. Though you have to take a leap to get the origin point of the story.

The World blacks out, and sees their future. Everyone. When everyone wakes up (minus the people that died in plane crashes, on operating tables, and so on) they now have to decide if they will continue on that path. Which is stupid. Because the second anyone does change what they saw, it’s ripple effect changes things for everyone.

But since Lost and Quantum Leap have done so well, this will likely go 2 seasons.

I could go on but you get the gist. Watch some DVD’s of old quality television, or find something on cable.

Roots - the lost mini-series

On a separate note, derived from my thoughts about the Dr. Martin Luther King biopic, I wondered about something else.

When was the last time you saw Roots?

I imagine that most people in America under the age of 35 have never seen it. I bet they don’t even now what this amazing television mini-series was. They have never heard of it, nor seen it.

To my knowledge it’s been on television once, in the 1970’s. It hasn’t been on BET to my knowledge. Ever. It hasn’t been replayed on broadcast television though it was one of the most watched programs ever, each night it was on (it was several parts long). It doesn’t even get mentioned in February.

Talk about a failure to move forward. No one complains that it does not appear on television anymore. I have yet to hear of others balk at the difficulty to find the series on DVD or VHS. I have noted how even a station proposing to be Black Entertainment can ignore such a groundbreaking program through it’s entire existence.

Again I am led to a thought I have spoken about before. The entertainment media does not want to move forward. They want to talk about it, but not act. They want to promote gangsta rap, but not political rap. They want to fill airwaves with depictions of African Americans as hustlers, pimps, drug dealers, and hoes but not leaders. Unless you consider bouncing a near naked ass next to a crome and gold covered man holding malt liquor and an illegal drug while speaking to a beat as success and leadership.

Roots, like the true message of Dr. King, speaks against the commercialization of being Black in America. Black culture is more than trendy clothes, silly adornments, and a minstrel show. These are not the things people died for during the Civil Rights Movement. This is not the life that the freed slaves prayed for.

Roots should be back on television. Because I think we all need a jolt to remind us of just those very facts.

41 years and counting for Dr. Martin Luther King

It’s been 41 years so far since the death of Dr. Martin Luther King. In that time, my lifetime as I was born 2 days after his death, many things have changed but some have not. One of the more surprising things is the fact that this celebrated Civil Rights champion has never made it to the silver screen.

Well let me correct that. There was a documentary about Dr. King, shown once on March 24th 1970. That’s it. Every other time he has been shown has been on television. And that is usually just documentaries about his actions and/or death, shown almost exclusively during February (Black History Month).

But it seems that Dreamworks has decided to change that chasm of history. Finally Dr. King will have a film, noting more than just his marches and tragic death. Giving everyone in the nation a bit more than just his speeches. But how much do you want to bet it opens in Febrary?

The thing I hope for in this film, that has no date for production to begin or when it might appear in theaters (bet on it being in either 2010 or more likely 2012), is that it does for Dr. King what Malcolm X did for Malik El Shabazz. That is give the public more than a few quotes, or a static visage of the man.

In allowing us to see Dr. King as the man he was we will get to understand and appreciate what he did and what he sacrificed. Because right now, Dr. King is just “I have a Dream” and not the passion and desperation that fueled that dream. People forget that Dr. King was not some political tool, but a force with goals and issues that were societal in the foremost.

Dr. King these days is seen as a holiday. The aspirations he hoped for African Americans have mostly failed to happen. America is little better off today than in 1960 in many ways. We are improving, but so slowly as to seem as if all forward motion has stopped.

I say this because I don’t know how many people believed that President Obama was the incarnation of Dr, King’s dream. Which is a falicy, promoted by the commercialization of his efforts. Dr. King did not want one man to succeed, he wanted everyone to improve their lives.

Yes, President Obama did a grand thing. But how could Dr. Martin Luther King be happy about that when over 50% of teenage pregnancies are Blacks. How can he be rejoicing the election while over 50% of African Americans are dropping outr of school. Why would he cheer when television still shuns people of color in front of and behind the camera, or when African Americans are highlighted we are stereotyped and objectified?

Dr. King’s dream’s, efforts, and life were dedicated to preventing these very things. While I think he would be impressed with the success of President Obama (which is not the same as approval of his political policies) he would not hold that above the failures that are rampant in the Black community. The success of one is not the success of us all in some cases.

So I hope that seeing Dr. King as the man he was, standing for the things he believed in, advocating changes we still need to see implemented can help to really improve America. Because it’s not happening now. It likely won’t happen even if President Obama is re-elected on the political endeavours he currently proposes. Because that is not what the dream is about.

Hip Hop and Washington DC – going back to the beginning

Rap and Hip Hop today has taken a huge leap backwards, which is actually a great thing to happen. When I say backwards I mean to the beginning of the entire genre of music. Back before there was the current mainstream of gangsta rap there were the diversified and influential styles of rap music.

From Grand Master Flash introducing the first serious rap song in 1982, The Message, there was a growth in the music that spoke to serious issues. This culminated in perhaps the strongest voice for political involvement and criticism from the rap hip-hop industry ever: Public Enemy.

They might not have been the most loved rap group among White America, or even people of color, but they were vocal. They took the entrenched political status quo and shouted for them to be accountable. They looked at African Americans and demanded we do better. That we become involved rather than be directed. And they had an effect.

In fact Public Enemy, along with serveral other rappers and groups, became such a force for change that the music industry stood up and paid attention. Their reaction has been denied for decades, excused and deflected. They found, pushed, and manipulated gangsta rap.

In the over a decade since 1992, gangsta rap has become the standard rather than a sub-genre it started as. It has almost entirely avoided any serious involvement in politics or political action. It has promoted violence, drug use, abuse of women, and crime. It has distracted the masses with illusions of wealth and giggling of female anatomy. The music executives did their job so well that even when leaders in the rap and hip hop industry tried to get serious about politics (2004) no one listened. And they were undercut from within with actions like that of Kanye West during the Hurricane Katrina Fund Raising efforts.

But then came President Obama. And the rap and hip hop industry rallied. Because President Obama is relatively young, a Democrat, full of promises, and most importantly (if we are honest) he is Black. And they jumped in with both feet, in an election more defined by a national breaking of the ultimate glass ceiling than most anything else.

Now I do not fault rappers or hip hop for this. I in fact am happy to see they have finally gone back to their roots and suddenly realized the power that was thrown away (or bought off) 17 years ago. The latest attempt to regain the past impact on politics is the Hip Hop Caucus.

The Hip Hop Caucus is a lobby group made up of rap artists, guided by the Congressional Black Caucus and supported in some issues by members of Congress. As of this moment they are seeking to have a bill introduced, with the support of Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Ed Markey. Their goals – green reform, education, re-entry legislation for prisoners, lessons on the Constitution in schools and funding for voter registration.

These are all good ideas (to varying degrees). The big question though is if Hip Hop is capable of making the transition back to where it started. Especially as the music genre continues on its path of glorification of violence, drugs, and abuse of women. Can it make money for music executives focused squarely on distraction of the masses, while encouraging the youth to become involved in the politics that shapes their lives?

I think not. To me only one master can be served at a time. Which means either Rap cleans up, potentially causing another backlash from the music industry, or the Hip Hop Caucus and other such groups fail.

“The decisions that we make now politically will affect the next generation and the generation after that. So we have to be involved. By speaking out, I end up speaking for poor people and a larger group all over the country.” – David Banner, rapper

The quote is a true statement. But as long as we affect the next generations with thoughts and images of exclusion from the mainstream of America, of living in a manner that is counterproductive to society in this nation, then all of the speaking out will be little more than static in the air.

Woo-ing audiences with Red Cliff

Many fans of Asian cinema may be familiar with the name John Woo. To a lesser extent the mainstream probably is more familiar with his films: Face/Off, Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Mission Impossible 2, and Paycheck. As can be seen by his run of American movies, he is a bit hit am miss.

But that is not really Woo’s fault. He is a Hong Kong director. Which means that he is used to low-budgets, complete control, large amounts of violence and action in the movie, and the time to make it his way (generally). Hard Target failed after the studio stepped in and re-edited his version. Broken Arrow suffered studio intervention as well. And Paycheck – well what can you do with Ben Affleck?

Given the problems he has faced it is no surprise that it’s been 6 years since Woo has had a film hit America. Not that he hasn’t made films. They are just huge hits in Asia. Where he can work his magic, like in The Killers.

The fiulm that’s coming to America? Red Cliffs.



The english sub-title trailer does not do justice to the ability of John Woo to tell a complex story, with thought and action combined.

I see this film as being much like Jet Li’s Hero. A great film that few in America have had the chance to see. A film that has been a mega-hit blockbuster in all of Asia. A film that is worth seeing, yes even with sub-titles.

Perhaps Quentin Tarrantino said it best

“I suppose Woo can direct action scenes. Sure, and I suppose Michelangelo can paint ceilings!”

It’s unknown how many theaters Red Cliffs will be released to in America. So far there will only one part of this 2 part film hitting our shores. But, I have no doubt that this will be a far better film than the tawdry revisioned remake of Land of the Lost (the trailers already make me wish I was seeing the television series instead), or yet another sequel/prequel of a film (though ther Terminator Salvation might just prove to be worth the money and time).

My thought is, take a chance. You may just wind up enjoying yourself – even if you don’t understand a word that is said.

**Oh, and keep an eye out for a few very differnt films from Woo in the near future. They might include: Mighty Mouse (yes even he is into cartoon conversion movies - hopefully better than Underdog), a remake of Papillon (which would be very interesting to see from his point of view), and Rainbow Six (Yes, another video game made into a movie - though this one has the action that fits perfect with Woo).

Part 4 of the Michael Vass interview with Sundance noted director Dennis Dortch

Continued from Part 3 of the Michael Vass interview with Sundance noted director Dennis Dortch

Michael Vass : Well its all yours that’s true. Do you think that in your next film since this is more of an art house film are you going to look to the future to main stream traditional Hollywood or are you going to stay in more of the art house film direction?

Dennis Dortch : My next film that I am setting up right now and writing is going to be a mix of art house and commercial. I don’t think I’m ever going to go straight commercial it would just bore me. So I’d like to make money I’d like to make a living but I think at the same time when you try to do something that’s not you and try doing commercial your going to fail like you're not don’t doing the best you can do any way. My next film is definitely going to be a bigger film and a little more traditional in having more of a plot line maybe in the story, but I think the approach is going to be exactly the same.

I mean its going to say kind of that art house feel. I mean Steven Soderburg has probably the career I’d most likely follow that makes sense. Where he can go back and forth between Shay which is an art film, an epic art film. You know Erin Brochovich and then go do another small independent film and then do something else. All these films and retain their sensibility. Remain art house to a degree, you know what I mean. So I think that’s probably what I would like my career to follow. So I can have my hands in both worlds where I don’t feel boxed in on anything. I have that white script coming too, that’s going to break the mold a little bit.

Michael Vass : I imagine that was something that was going to come down the line at some point.

Dennis Dortch : It didn’t interest me at first until my lawyer brought the idea to me and I just really went with it. And I think probably coming out with Black & Sexy and the next film will be a surprise for me but I will definitely do it my way. But my heart really is in making black films always.

You know these kettle black films, how people say 'oh you only want to make black films'. No, I want to make good black films. I like black people but we’re not doing enough of our own films so there’s plenty of material and there’s plenty of opportunities. I think if you make good black films you’ll definitely be working, its just if you make a bad black film then your not.

Michael Vass : Well here’s something you touched on something that’s very important. Because you’ve gotten the recognition out of Sundance which is well deserved, is that influencing the… has that helped you in getting your next film? Are you looking forward to getting other work? Is that working for you? Or…

Dennis Dortch : Oh yes certainly. Its opened a lot of doors and has got people looking at me. I mean if I had the same film at another smaller festival or black festival per say , I would still have not gotten the attention I’ve got now. Its just something about Sundance and major film festivals that really opens the doors for you with the same damn film.

Michael Vass : Are we possibly going to see some of the bigger black actors and actresses or are you still looking to work with people who are lesser known and build them up? I mean if you can have Denzel in a movie would you go with him or a lesser known actor?

Dennis Dortch : Not at this point in my career, I mean if it happens I’m not going to sneeze at it and go ahh no. It hasn’t even crossed my mind because of the way I approach the film is very realistic. I like the characters to meld, the actors to meld to the characters. You don’t know who they are you just let form.

Denzel is such a good actor you just recognize him so much that my first instinct is not to use him. But you know there is a certain point in my career where you know the box office potential will be a factor. Then I’m going to have to consider the casting. And quite honestly this next film I’m thinking about is probably going to be set up somewhat bigger than my house as far as a studio. And that will probably come up but for now I will keep it out of my mind because I want the characters to be more themselves.

Michael Vass : You don’t want them typedcast, like Morgan Freeman. You look at him and you have this image of gravitas immediately. So your trying to stay a little bit away from that?

Dennis Dortch : Exactly I don’t want to write for an actor per say, I want the actor to act for the roll.

Michael Vass : That makes perfect sense and if Denzel reads this he should keep an eye out for the future. Because I think you both could do some great work together.

Coming towards the end of this I just want to ask you a question which is some what more detracting from what you’ve actually done. But something that I always find interesting to ask.

I find it very important you mentioned presenting a very positive image of African Americans. There’s a lot of things that are being said and to see that more of us are making positive statements is always important to me. But there are also a lot of things that we have not said. Are there issues or humanitarian aid that you’d like to emphasize or are looking to emphasize at some point.

Myself I do a lot of promotion of the work towards Darfur and the Child Soldier Prevention Act which you may or may not be familiar with. And a few other issues; is there anything like that, that your looking at that you either privately or publicly maybe emphasizing in the future?

Dennis Dortch : You know I’ve thought about a documentary form and make something a bit more narrative. This is more of a broad issue its not really a particular specific issue. Black on black crime, that’s something that I care about, because I do work in the child delinquent system and I just don’t like seeing kids sort of glorify gangs or violence or treating people in a certain way. It seems more difficult but seeing real kids believing this stuff and having a warped perception of what a real black man is and what a man is, that really bothers me a lot.

Its really our down fault overall and as people in this particular country we just are not organized and moving forward. Even having our own distribution system for our own stuff is really rooted in distraction by mosaic bull shit.

I know we’re kind of sort of sick and insane from the slave trade and a lot of issues that we have and some other races in this country do have. But I just think it handicaps us more than any one else. I think literally we are the first people on this earth , we’ve got the greatest minds and the greatest athletes and the greatest talent. Everyone wants to be like us, but we have this real sickening disease of being degenerate to ourselves. Those of us who were raised around it either got out of it or aren’t in it is great.

But kids growing up in it may not know what it means to be a man. You know a man is someone who takes care of his people, his family. That’s probably an issue I’d like to hit on probably in a narrative feature, in a documentary at some point. But those are some of the things I care about for me.

All the other issues I do care about, but it goes along with the honesty thing like the politics you can only be so honest. But it’s… a lot of it falls under the umbrella…but if your talking about art the biggest thing is going to be black on black crime. Us killing each other that is a small percentage but in the percentage that we are doing it and not seeing that as our brother or our sister, really its just kind of doing someone else’s work. It seems crazy to me, you know.

Michael Vass : No I understand that completely. I follow a lot in the writing that I do so I can understand the direction that your coming from. I agree that’s one of the big issues out there and I’ve addressed it a lot and I’ve been yelled at about it a lot. But its good to have that out there and speak about it so I understand completely.

Along that same line is something else which is more akin to what your doing. For those who are looking to get into the industry either as an actor, writer or director, and knowing that Hollywood is so two-faced in a sense where they maybe promoting a whole bunch of movies that maybe very liberal but at the same time there is almost ...what? Five percent of people of color in front of or behind the cameras when you look at the entire industry as a whole. For those who are looking to come up into this industry to become actors to become writers to become directors or a camera man or a sound man ...what ever it maybe. What in your experience would you say would be a way for them to do that? Are the opportunities getting bigger what do you think about that? Is there something you can say to them?

Dennis Dortch : Well you know I’m still outside the Hollywood system, I don’t even have an agent you know what I mean. I’m not really in the system, I’ve never worked in the system. So I don’t know much about the system and I don’t really think you have to be.

Michael Vass : So there’s another path ?

Dennis Dortch : There is another path, and its an interesting time for entertainment in general, it’s the era of DIY, the do it yourself film making. I mean literally we all have a cameras to HDV’s and they're affordable. All the equipment you need to do it yourself and the internet is suddenly exploding. I mean NBC, ABC everybody is getting online. Its almost the same playing field but it’s a little bit slanted towards the industry. But there is still a way to get in and do your thing if you have something different. Do it. You don’t have to try and get into the system if you have the talent.

People that get into the system know that they can do it and they have the talent and the gift of gab and they really know how to play the game. But for those of us who don’t, like me, if you have a vision then Hollywood will come to you. You know what I mean because they are always looking for the next new voice, the next new commercial thing. So all you have to do is do your thing.

I could have waited for an investor but I just took the money out of my house and made my film. I don’t have time and I’m not waiting. I have my collection of friends, my philosophy from college, and people that are sort of creatively my match; and they sort of share my sensibilities. We all got together and made the film. So that’s the way to do it is just make the film.

Michael Vass : Ok, that makes a lot of sense.

Concluded in Part 5

Black Entertainment USA presents the Wanna Score designer clothing line for women

In the continuing effort to provide some of the sexiest, fun, flirtatious designer clothing to be found on the internet, M V Consulting, Inc. presents our latest clothing line: Wanna Score.







Similar to our Wanna Ride line of clothing, they share the same inspiration, a woman being as sexy as she wants to be. We think it's a great combination of sports and women, and of course flirtation.

On any day, at any event, this is sure to turn heads and grab attention.

As always we believe in diversity here at M V Consulting, Inc. As such you can see that we have a version for almost every type of woman.

But guys don't fret. We will be releasing a men's version of our stylish fashion statement in a day or 2.

Fake boobs offend Ohio town

I hate hypocrites. Seriously, what is worse? Here is one example.

In Ohio, there is a guy who owns a burger joint. Like everyone these days, he is having trouble with making sales. So in a bit of inspiration, he decided to place a life-sized mannequin outside his store. So far I don't think anyone has a question.

But the mannequin is a woman. And clothed in a bikini. And the hypocrites came out in a storm.

"It's a sensational ploy to attract gawkers," neighbor Chris Broering said.

Are you kidding me?

Let's see if we got this right. In a nation where Levi's advertises spontaneous unprotected sex among 20-somethings, throughout the day in television commercials, in a nation where kids have access 24/7 to music videos objectifying women and glorifying drugs, a mannequin in a bikini is sensational?

I have to wonder if anyone has watched a soap opera in the last 2 decades. Maybe they have failed to watch a PG movie in the past 15 years. Somehow they have avoided television commercials going back to the early 80's. Because every one of these are far more provocative and explicit than a mannequin in a bikini.

Hell, where do you think Kenny Tessel got the idea for his K.T.'s Barbeque from? Going to church or companies that make billions of dollars and have tens of millions of viewers? I bet that if I open a local magazine for clothing, look at local billboards for perfume, cars, music, and/or movies I will see more suggestive and revealing images than the mannequin. But no one is complaining about that.

The local town council has said the mannequin is ok if it has a tshirt on. I'd gladly donate my Wanna Ride t-shirt for the mannequin. But considering that sales for Tessel went up 40% since having the fake model, I suggest he go right back to what was working. If the town doesn't like it, they can buy the store from him.

I wonder how the latest Bond movie, or any number of movies with gratuitous sex or cleavage did in Reading. Because if they made any money at all, I'd not only tell them what to do with their ideas for a business they don't own, I'd sue to hammer my point home.

Tron 2.0 will have good music at the least

In a world where originality is seemingly repugnant, a place where the promise of originality is delivered in the form of revisioning, occasionally the less than displeasing occurs. You might be thinking I'm speaking about the Obama Administration but in fact I mean Hollywood - it is hard to tell the difference sometimes I admit.

Still in Hollywood, the number of remakes, revisionings, conversions from comic books and sequels is full in stride. Virtually the entire 2009 summer season of movies falls into one of the above categories. Roughly half of the announced or planned movies of 2010 fit this bill. And even going out as far as 2011 you can expect to see a film you already know.

Of course Tron is not an ordinary film. Made in 1982 it was somewhat groundbreaking visually. And after 29 years it's going to get a much talked about sequel. Called Tron 2.0

The positives are that the visuals will be massively improved. There was no CGI in 1982. So there is one thing to look forward to. For fans of Jeff Bridges, he will be back as Flynn. And as a recent bonus, Daft Punk will be doing the entire soundtrack for the film.

Fans of the original will recount that it was the music of the film that worked so well with the visual display in giving the movie credibility and ambiance. In fact just speaking about the film brings back the main theme to my mind.



Daft Punk is known for electronica style music that is catchy and rythmic. It is popular across the globe, and heard in as many colleges as nightclubs.So that is a big boost to the potential success of this sci-fi film sequel.

Will this combination of positives be enough? No way to tell so far. Few details about the script are around. There are no trailers yet, and won't be for 9 months most likely. And we can only hope that the writers have actually seen the full movie, rather than the Cliff Notes that most sequels and revisionings seem to be based on these days.

What do Germans fear? The Producers

Of the multitude of things I can think of that Germany is known for - beer, sausage, efficiancy, cars, and armies - only the last has prevented one of the best loved plays and movies of the past 3 decades to appear there. What movie or play could so disturb the people of Germany?

The Producers.

Yep, just that little play/film that fantastically makes fun of Hiltler and the Nazi's. Believe it or not, according to Reuters (Joanna Partridge), this Mel Brooks classic has never been played in Germany. In fact, it failed in Vienna when it was tried there. I know Germans aren't known for their humor, but really.

I realize that Germans are still sensitive about WWII. They tend to shy from anything that recounts the horror that was the Nazi Party. But this is different. It's meant to debase the Nazi's, to place a comedic spin on the travesties that happened while in no way glorifying what happened.

I hardly think that neo-Nazi's or other miscreants would find The Producers beneficial to thier warped mindsets. So I would hope that the play will be successful. Just as it has been everywhere else it has run (except Vienna).

Just something I ran across and wanted to share with everyone.