Rants & Epiphanies
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“Wisdom that will bless I, who live in the spiral joy born at the utter end of a black prayer.” • — Keiji Haino “The subject of human creativity is not an ethnic-centric, but a composite subject.” • — Anthony Braxton “… It is not my mode of thought that has caused my misfortunes, but the mode of thought of others.” • — The Marquis de Sade
They built an empire like nobody’s business. The Apple Original Film #TheBanker comes to theaters on Dec 6.
Based on a true story, “The Banker” centers on revolutionary businessmen Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), who devise an audacious and risky plan to take on the racially oppressive establishment of the 1960s by helping other African Americans pursue the American dream. Along with Garrett’s wife Eunice (Nia Long), they train a working class white man, Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult), to pose as the rich and privileged face of their burgeoning real estate and banking empire – while Garrett and Morris pose as a janitor and a chauffeur. Their success ultimately draws the attention of the federal government, which threatens everything the four have built.
The drama is directed by George Nolfi (“The Adjustment Bureau”) and produced by Joe Viertel. Brad Feinstein produced under his Romulus Entertainment banner, along with producers Nolfi, Nnamdi Asomugha, Jonathan Baker, David Lewis Smith and Anthony Mackie. The executive producers are Joseph F. Ingrassia, Samuel L. Jackson, Will Greenfield, David Gendron and Ali Jazayeri. “The Banker” is written by Niceole Levy, George Nolfi, David Lewis Smith and Stan Younger from a story by David Lewis Smith, Stan Younger and Brad Caleb Kane.
Based on a true story that gripped the country, When They See Us will chronicle the notorious case of five teenagers of color, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit. The four part limited series will focus on the five teenagers from Harlem -- Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise. Beginning in the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014.
Watch the english version of the official trailer from Besouro, movie about the brazilian capoeira legend Besouro Mangangá. Produced by Mixer and Globo Films, distributed by Miravista, the film is directed by João Daniel Tikhomiroff. Release estimated for November, 2009.
… official trailer for At Eternity’s Gate, a biography movie starring Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaac and Mads Mikkelsen. In theaters November 16, 2018.
Julian Schnabel’s At Eternity’s Gate is a journey inside the world and mind of a person who, despite skepticism, ridicule and illness, created some of the world’s most beloved and stunning works of art. This is not a forensic biography, but rather scenes based on Vincent van Gogh’s (Academy Award® Nominee Willem Dafoe) letters, common agreement about events in his life that present as facts, hearsay, and moments that are just plain invented.
The episodes about Van Gogh’s death are problematic. The film shows him not committing suicide, as is commonly thought, but being shot by two local boys, one of them dressed as Buffalo Bill. And as the film progresses, Schnabel emphasises Van Gogh’s near-mystic visions. The film doesn’t decide whether they were the source of his artistic genius, or symptoms of illness, or both, but leans toward the ‘mad genius’ definition of the artist. When Van Gogh says on his deathbed, “Don’t blame anyone,” he becomes Christ-like, a choice that threatens to reduce a richly defined character to a one-dimensional saint.
There is no need to share Schnabel’s interpretation, though. Agree with him or not, he allows viewers to experience the mystery of creativity in this gloriously artistic film.
LA NEGRADA cuenta la historia de Magdalena y Juanita, dos mujeres unidas en el mundo espiritual por su tona, su animal guardián, y en la vida material por Neri, esposo de Juanita y amante de Magdalena. La muerte de Juanita le dará la claridad a Magdalena para retomar su vida sin Neri. En México, las poblaciones de origen africano representan alrededor del 1% y todavía no han sido reconocidos como pueblo, grupo étnico o referente cultural, lo que los ha orillado a la marginación y discriminación social. LA NEGRADA es la primera película de ficción rodada en una de esas comunidades, con gente de la localidad, actores no profesionales. Es un esfuerzo por darles voz y hacerlos visibles.
Elías, un médico muy exitoso y con una esposa y un hijo que lo dan todo por él, comienza a tener pesadillas que le recuerdan el lugar de donde viene y a dónde no quiere regresar, un pueblo lúgubre y lleno de soledad llamado Saudó. Un lugar en el que debe cumplir una profecía para la cual ha sido destinado.
A partir de este 14 de julio, asista a salas de cine a presenciar la maldición de un lugar en el que no cualquiera es bienvenido.