Movies

Mary J. Blige will play legendary singer Nina Simone in Cynthia Mort’s upcoming biopic Nina, according to reports.

The soul vocalist and civil rights activist was well-known as “The High-Priestess of Soul” between 1950s – 1970s, and best known for her jazz-infused hits, like “My Baby Just Cares for Me”, “I Put a Spell on You,” and “Four Women.”

MJB — who last appeared on the big screen in Tyler Perry’s 2009 film I Can Do Bad All By Myself — will begin filming on Nina next fall.

Jennifer Hudson, the former American Idol contestant who won the oscar in her first screen role in “Dreamgirls,” is ready for her next challenge. Hudson will star in “Winnie,” a drama that casts her as the former wife of South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela.

Hudson will play Winnie Mandela in a film that begins production May 30 in the South African locations of Johannesburg, Capt Town, and the Transkei and Robben Island where the future president spent 18 of his 27 years in prison.

“Winnie” will be directed by Darrell J. Roodt, the veteran South African filmmaker whose 2006 film “Yesterday” was Africa’s Best Foreign Film nominee, and who also directed “Cry, The Beloved Country,” and “Sarafina!”

Andre Pieterse, Roodt and Paul L. Johnson wrote a script based on the Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob biography “Winnie Mandela:A Life.”

Picture is being made with South African and Canadian money, with Pieterse producing with Michael Mosca of Canada’s Equinoxe Films.

While Nelson Mandela—who’ll be played by Morgan Freeman in the Clint Eastwood-directed “Invictus”– is a universally sympathetic figure for his struggle against apartheid, his former wife is a far more complicated figure. She has been depicted as the mother and wife who was a steadfast supporter of her activist husband and who was jailed herself for campaigning for his release and fighting against apartheid. Her image was subsequently tarnished by association with a bodyguard who murdered a 14-year old alleged informer, and she was later convicted of fraud.

The filmmakers will tell the whole story, good and bad.

“I was compelled and moved when I read the script,” Hudson said. “Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I’m honored to be the actress asked to portray her. This is a powerful part of history that should be told.”

Precious: Based On The Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire was a hit at the box office this weekend.

The inner-city drama — about a sexually-abused, obese girl battling teen pregnancy and physical abuse in 1987 Harlem — earned $1.8 million at 18 US theaters in its first weekend of limited release, according to Variety.

The film has been getting a lot of Oscars Buzz , executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, scored an average of $100,000 per theater — a record for films in limited release.

Can’t wait to see it when it opens in South Africa!!!

Here’s the trailer of Precious

Rihanna is coming up on the big screen soon !!!

The battered pop star descended on the Big Apple over the weekend, where she met with several New York City film agents about several impending projects on the silver screen. We hear the “Umbrella” hitmaker is up for the lead role in a proposed remake of Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner 1992 box office smash, The Bodyguard.

According to the NY Daily News, Rihanna would be taking on the role made famous by the singbird diva in an updated version, which a tattle describes as a “young and sexy take” on the original.

Rihanna is also considering working on a third Charlie’s Angels sequel.

“Before the situation with Chris, Ri was getting a lot of scripts. She’s been wanting to do movies for a while now,” says a Daily News source.

Director Rachid Bouchareb, is setting up a movie on the early life of legendary civil rights activist Angela Davis (read about her life) and in a recent interview with THR, he said he wants Beyonce to play the leading role:

“I want Beyonce Knowles to play Angela Davis,” he said. “It’s a great dramatic role for her.”

Bouchareb, who will produce the movie through his French production company, plans to shoot in summer 2010 with a budget in the region of $20 – $30 million.

The South African film industry is disappointed after this year’s Oscars’ committee snubbed the highly rated local film, Jerusalema.

Jerusalema, punted as one of the potential Foreign Language Film of the Year category candidates for the Oscars, was pushed aside in favour of films from Israel, Germany, France, Japan and Austria.

Instead of Jerusalema, the selectors chose The Baader Meinhof Complex ( Germany), The Class ( France), Departures (Japan), Revanche (Austria) and Waltz with Bashir (Israel).

The snubbing has not impressed the local film industry. Featuring some of the leading lights in local acting – notably Rapulana Seiphemo and Kenneth Nkosi – the movie was a huge hit on the local circuit.

The nominees for the 81st Oscars were announced on Saturday by Academy president Sid Ganis and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. The awards ceremony takes place next month.

Seven Pounds is an upcoming drama film directed by Gabriele Muccino. Will Smith stars as a man who will change the lives of seven strangers. The film is scheduled to be released on December 19, 2008 in the US ( no Release date yet for SA)

Check the trailer above,

Can’t wait!!!

The Los Angeles premiere of the highly anticipated movie, ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ was held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles on Monday night. A lot of celebrities came out in support of the film, including: Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Will & Jada, Daktoa Fanning, Eva Pigford, Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan and more.

The movie will be in theaters on October 17th in the US (not sure on the release date in SA)..

But we can’t miss this movie!!!

Check out the cover for the upcoming film, Cadillac Records, starring Beyonce, Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright.

There will be a two-disc deluxe version, as well as a regular version, and the soundtrack drops on December 2nd, via Sony Columbia. You can pre-order via Amazon.com.

We can’t wait for that movie and the soundtrack

R&B songstress Alicia Keys is paying no mind to the homewrecking rumors circulating the internet, while she continues to make big moves in Hollywood.

The Grammy Award winner has landed a spot in movie history, as she will be laying down a new theme song on the forthcoming soundtrack to the new James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace”.

The track, titled “Another Way To Die,” will feature Keys singing alongside White Stripes frontman Jack White, in what will be the first duet in Bond soundtrack history, according to AllHipHop.com.

“We are delighted and pleased to have two such exciting artists as Jack and Alicia, who were inspired by our film to join together their extraordinary talents in creating a unique sound for “Quantum of Solace,” the producers of the movie said in a statement.

With the duet, Keys joins Tina Turner, Duran Duran, Sheena Easton and Madonna as artists who have been recruited over the years to provide the theme to Bond films.

The singer, who successfully made the transition to film with roles in “Smokin’ Aces” and “The Nanny Diaries,” is set to appear in front of the camera for her upcoming film, “The Secret Life of Bees.”

The feature, which also stars Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning and Jennifer Hudson, is scheduled to be released on Oct. 17.

The Marc Foster-directed MGM feature stars Daniel Craig as James Bond.

“Quantum of Solace,” the 22nd film in the James Bond series, will arive in theaters in November.