Intro - June 22nd Acapulco Estuvo Fantastico! If you are wondering if the Acapulco Black Film Festival is worth your time -- trust us, it is.  From poolside conversations to enlightening industry discussions, ABFF offers plenty to the budding filmmaker, hard-working thespian or film aficionado.  The festival and the city have it all. Tune in next week and over the next few weeks, as we will deliver stories, photos, and much, much more.... THIS WEEK ON BLACKFILM.COM – Black cinema is moving at the speed of light. So move your chairs into the upright position, buckle your safety belt, and prepare for take off, as we zoom in on the latest hap's.  Read the final excerpt from “Babies & Fools” – The Burning of Superfylville by Michael A. Gonzales.  Wilson Morales interviews Melvin James, the director of the indie film Honeybee.  Halle Berry and Don Cheadle, the stars of "Swordfish", open-up.  Rachel Wilson reviews "A Huey P. Newton Story", which airs on BLACKSTARZ! this month, and Roslyn Bradford spends time with "Dr. Dolittle 2" star, Raven (remember little Olivia from the Cosby Show?). Intro - June 1st IT’S GOTTA HAVE SOUL! From the technological marvel of the soul & hip-hop duet with the late, great Marvin Gaye and the green-eyed bandit, Eric Sermon, to blackfilm.com’s Representin’ Top 20 List of summer films, a great deal has changed in the world and Hollywood.  Yet at the same time, as we all know in black America, nothing has really changed. This week, a report card was issued on TV diversity that once again blasted the nations Television networks for continually ignoring the representation of minorities specifically during prime time programming hours.  It appears that yet again, boycotts might be in order.  And this time, the Native American, Latino and Asian communities will be more involved in fighting this war.  It’s time for the networks and Hollywood to WAKE UP and look at America – it’s not 1951 – it’s 2001. Take the lead from the music industry and have some soul! Intro - May 25th The Representin' Top 20 Memorial Day Weekend marks the official beginning of summer for blockbuster films replete with marquee stars, overwrought special effects, and computer-generated animation. Summer 2001 is no exception; science fiction comedies & dramas, action-adventure heists, sequels and remakes lead the pack of studio “tentpoles” expected to gross at least $100 million per film in domestic ticket sales.  Given the major $$$ at stake for the Super Seven (Warner Bros., Disney, Fox, Universal, DreamWorks, Columbia and MGM), it seems only fitting to take inventory of these lucrative gigs to see just how well black Hollywood is faring in this year’s line-up... more     Intro - May 18th SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE AND WE ARE READY TO ROLL Please visit the blackfilm.com community section and register. REGISTER NOW As the summer approaches, we will offer many opportunities to our subscribers that have registered in the community section. If you do not register, you could miss out on screenings, seminars, prize giveaways and more. It will take less than five minutes. Register, post comments, learn about various topics, make new friends and stay with the blackfilm.com family.   Intro - May 11th NEW YORK - ARE YOU READY? This weekend, Wilson Morales says check out "Time and Tide" from director, Tsui Hark - opens in NYC on May 11, 2001. West Coast scribe Daos Boonma wants you to give "Bubblegum Crisis" a little time in your DVD Player, and on Tuesday, May 15th, blackfilm.com wants you to join us for the final installment of Meet Martell @ The Movies. We have a few spaces remaining, so please send your name and address to rsvp@blackfilm.com. You must request to attend the 6:30pm or 8:30pm Screenings...no exceptions. And stay tuned to THE REPORT @ BLACKFILM.COM as we will offer you an opportunity to see the latest work from master funny man Martin Lawrence and Mr. Danny Devito. What's the Worst That Could Happen? So stay tuned... CHECK IN NEXT WEEK as Scott Southard is "fed up with America" and Writer-at-Large Michael Gonzales returns with Exclusive excerpts from his forthcoming book, "BABIES & FOOLS." Intro - May 4th MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE We would like to thank the talented filmmakers that submitted their work to us for the Meet Martell @ The Movies showcase. We sincerely wish you the best and we look forward to working with you again. Take care, drink responsibly and film with reckless abandon! Till next week, the blackfilm.com crew REMAINING DATES CLEVELAND, Tuesday, May 8th @ The Wish Nightclub DETROIT, May 9th @ Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History NEW YORK CITY, Tuesday, May 15th in Manhattan - Invitation Only Please note that we will begin at 6:30pm sharp. Please be on time! MEET MARTELL AT THE MOVIES is Powered by: Martell Cognac, blackfilm.com, SaVoy, Enyce & Rolling Out For more information, please phone (212) 572-7769 Intro - April 13th MEET MARTELL AT THE MOVIES Come and experience the finest in Black film. We are offering you an opportunity to see short films produced by some of the finest young talents in the United States. Following the films, stay and network with local film industry colleagues, party with one of the area's hottest DJ's and have your pallet tantalized by tasty hors d'oeuvres and one of the hottest cocktails around - The Martell Cosmopolitan. On Tuesday, April 17th @ The Deux Plex in Atlanta, MEET MARTELL AT THE MOVIES will debut beginning at 6:30pm...After Atlanta, we will flow to good ole' St. Louis on April 18th @ The Sheldon. Following that, see us in Philadelphia @ The Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts on April 24th...In May, you can MEET MARTELL AT THE MOVIES in Chicago, Houston, Cleveland, Detroit and finally in The Big Apple. Stay on the lookout for The Report @ Blackfilm.com for more information. If you live in one of the cities listed above, please e-mail your "complete" mailing address to mailto:info@blackfilm.com. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR CITY IN THE "SUBJECT" category. We will send you an invitation. Thanks for your support. MEET MARTELL AT THE MOVIES is Powered by: Martell Cognac, blackfilm.com, SaVoy, Enyce & Rolling Out Intro - April 6th LEGS - IT'S ALL ABOUT LEGS Go and see "THE BROTHERS" this weekend and next weekend and during any of your spare time. See it again and again and then tell all of your homies, colleagues, ex-lovers, new lovers, bosses, ex-wives, friends and family to see this film. Why? Everyone is aware that the opening weekend is important for a film's success. But what about some real legs? If the "THE BROTHERS" can run on strong legs for a few weeks then that is a real achievement. Hollywood is a business just like McDonalds. If the Big-Mac starts slipping in sales, it will be replaced by Lil' Mac or Shorty Mac until they find one with legs. Studio Executives are faced with the same decisions when they are deciding what to green light and what to throw direct-to-video. In all fairness to them, that's why we have seen so many re-makes of "Boyz In The Hood" - the genre simply was profitable. Blackfilm.com is making a push for this film because we have heard your complaints and know that you want more films like "Waiting To Exhale" and "THE BROTHERS." And the only way - trust us on this one - to make Hollywood and the Indie Community listen is with the sweet viewing pleasure of a Weekend-Knockout at the Box-Office. We know March Madness cannot be escaped but after the games and your chilly-cheese fries, run on down to the local theater and see this film. You will not be disappointed. Intro - March 15, 2001 IT'S ALL ABOUT THE STORIES STUPID It appears that writers, agents, producers & studio executives are finally getting the message that African-American movie-goers are not monolithic and we definitely want more films about the positive people of this race we call Black. On March 23rd, Screen Gems (Sony) will deliver to theaters nationwide, THE BROTHERS. The film has been dubbed, "Refusing to Exhale" by the director, Gary Hardwick. Much like THE WOOD and THE BEST MAN, this film follows the flow of four African-American men as they tackle the usual - love, sex, friendship, honesty and the BIG C word - Commitment. These themes are much needed in the African-American film vocab - we have seen far too many remakes of "Boyz In The Hood," one too many "buddy-cop" flops and we are still sick and tired of being killed in Act 1! And a quick note to our own creative community - when is the thug-life player gonna disappear? If any studio executive or producer were to watch our music videos, they just might be forced into thinking that all we care about are big-asses, bling-blinging or what you ridin' on? No offense to the rap game and the pseudo R&B thugs, but its time to be a little more creative with your videos. The images that you are feeding us are getting old and tired. But rest assured, just like The Best Man, THE BROTHERS will bring some new material to the forefront. Don't miss this one. ON TAP for this issue: Wilson Morales talks with Terra Renee the founder of the African-American Women in Cinema Conference & Festival and Blackfilm.com's Hollywood Correspondent, Scott D. Southard, says the Scooby Doo movie should not be made. Tune in NEXT WEEK as Nasser Metcalfe returns with the VIDEO VAULT; Lee Moore takes us to THE SOUNDLAB with "The Caveman's Valentine" soundtrack and you KNOW we have some thoughts on the upcoming OSCARS. Intro - March 9, 2001 MUSIC SEEMS FAIR - CAN WE SAY THE SAME ABOUT FILM? Thanks for visiting us. For African-Americans and other minority film actors, directors, producers, etc, March is always a bittersweet month. Hollywood's most exclusive party lights the night but rarely are we honored for our creativity, hard work and dedication to this business. Nevertheless, the tide is changing. No longer are we sad or bitter about not winning an Oscar. We are taking things into our own hands. Although the NAACP'S Image Awards aren't celebrated on the world scale like the Oscars, they do represent something "real" and dear to our hearts. Blackfilm.com would like to congratulate the NAACP for helping to keep dreams alive. We also want to congratulate all of the young filmmakers that have scraped and starved to accomplish their dream. Never stop dreaming and never, ever give up. Just think -- a white-rapper from Detroit won 3 Grammy's so your day is destined to come. And please note, Eminem earned his awards - no doubt about that - the boy has skillz on the mic. We just hope that when talented actors like Denzel (Hurricane, Malcolm X) scorch the screen or directors like Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing, ) deliver outstanding motion picture products that the Voting Members of the Academy look deeply at a filmmaker's skill or the actor's command of the craft as opposed to any other factors.