Steel Magnolias

Last night, (or October 7, 2012 since this will be posted later on this week), Lifetime showed an array of African-American films to get ready for the remake of the 80s film "Steel Magnolias". The night started with the classic Tyler Perry film The Family That Preys, which stars the new Steel Magnolias star Alfre Woodard and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates. This movie is arguably Perry's best movie and features some issues that rock our world today such as family affairs, scandals, and what it means to be friends. This is outstanding and should have been nominated for an Academy Award. Then, it was followed by Abducted: The Carlina White Story. This movie is about a woman (played beautifully by Aunjunae Ellis), who's upset with her inability to have a baby, steals a child belonging to another 16 year old girl. Then, 23 years later, the girl find out that she's been abducted and a whole police investigation ensues and the woman is arrested. Not only was I fascinated by the fact that this happened in real life, but I was amazed with the acting by Keke Palmer (who played Carlina White and Akeelah in Akeelah and the Bee) and Aunjunae Ellis. This was also a Lifetime film and I recommend it for anyone who loves psychotic drama movies. And then, there was the world premiere of the remake of Steel Magnolias. In the original and remake of the movie, six women are examined and each are put through the motions of death. In the original, Sally Field was the matriarch of the main family and Julia Roberts as her daughter but this time around legend Queen Latifah takes the stage with former co-star Phylicia Rashad's real life daughter Condola Rashad. This movie is sad, but also hilarious and heartfelt. The film also co-stars Alfre Woodard, Adepero Oduye, and Why Did I Get Married? star Jill Scott. Now it's time for some celebrity gossip. Over the weekend, film star Danny Devito announces separation with wife Rhea Perlman after 30 years of happily married life. At this point, there has been no reason for their separation. Then, Lifetime is being sued over their Steel Magnolias remake by the producers of the old one. The old producer claims that Lifetime never asked her permission to do this remake and she wants her cut for the storyline. I'm still researching to find the exact details of the lawsuit but at this moment I have no more news about it. Keep reading to find out more news about it. But before I go, I have your second movie assignment. This week, I have decided to give you Chicago. This 2002 Best Picture winner is the musical story of Roxie Hart ( played beautifully by 2002 Best Actress nominee and newly Academy Award winner Renee Zellwegger) and her murder case which sends her to jail. While in jail, she competes to upstage her Broadway idol Velma Kelly ( played by 2002 Best Supporting Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones) and get off of death row with the help of defense attorney Billy Flynn ( 80s star Richard Gere). This movie is one of the best musicals of all time and shows how much of a dog eat dog world it really is out there. This concludes this week's post and as always, send me your feedback on anything I have or haven't said and I will try and address it in my next post. This is me signing out. Until next time........