Article: Movies

"From the moment I read this book…I just couldn’t put it down. I was so gripped by the story. I thought it would make a great movie. And I just had a total empathy with this woman; this character. I thought…I’ve got to play her. This is my part."

Inane slapstick dressed up as an historical drama to fool audiences into thinking they’re watching something far more sophisticated. Ingenious.

This big screen adaptation doesn’t bother to attempt to elevate the original material, except for its explanation of the presence of the controversial flag in politically-correct fashion.

He also received another Oscar nomination for the picture in the Original Screenplay category. Since then, he’s directed such urban-oriented fare as Poetic Justice, Higher Learning and Baby Boy. Plus, he’s demonstrated his versatility by venturing across genres to do a remake (Shaft), a historical drama (Rosewood), and a high-octane, action adventure (2 Fast 2 Furious). More recently, he produced the well-received Hustle & Flow, which is currently in theaters. Here, he speaks about his return to the director’s chair for Four Brothers

Those beleaguered POWs who broke ranks in search of sustenance were shot, bayoneted or beheaded on the spot. All told, 15,000 soldiers died on their way to the detention camps and an even greater number perished while being interned there, whether from torture, dysentery, heat stroke or malnutrition. The Great Raid revisits the events surrounding the liberation of Cabanatuan, a camp at which 511 servicemen managed to survive till the time the Allies arrived early in 1945.

You just gotta let it roll of your shoulders. If people weren’t interested in writing about me, then I’d be nervous. In some ways, you just have to look at it as a compliment and just keep going, and hope that your character proves all the false things wrong.

When not trading in sexual asides, Stealth has a space-age storyline that puts the pedal to the medal.

I don’t have a problem paying homage to reality, because I don’t feel stagnated. I’m saying that because the world is so broad. I don’t have to feel afraid to play a part.

I always looked at it as, they’ve given me this big movie and I better kick ass or my career’s over. But to a certain extent, I’ve been made aware that I am holding a torch, at least for now, and that I better come through, because you don’t want that door to close immediately. I must admit that that is something you kind of think about at night, when you’re falling asleep, but there’s such a bigger job to do. I figured that if I focused on doing my job and making a good film, then everything will fall into place, and doors will remain open for other African-American directors, as well as any other aspiring directors and producers