With an endless stream of celebrities launching late night shows, if you can’t beat them then we decided to join them with the launch our new late night web show, “Keeping It Reel with FilmGordon” on BlogTalkRadio beginning this Thursday, November 19 at 11pm, EST.

Hosted by FilmGordon publisher and critic, Tim Gordon, the one-hour show will feature weekly reviews, news about upcoming films, “conversations with” actors, filmmakers and critics as well as plenty of information about classic as well as contemporary films. Airing this and every Thursday night, each show being podcast and available for download at the program’s conclusion.

So if you’re ready to talk film and have something, anything to say, we want to hear it . . . as long as you “keep it reel” with us!

Click here for more information on the show and we look forward to speaking with you on the show!

“Keeping It Reel with FilmGordon” airs every Thursday night at 11pm.

In the upcoming Wachowski Brother’s martial-arts production, “Ninja Assassin,” South Korean pop star/actor Rain makes his American motion picture debut as super-assassin, Raizo who assists an Europol agent in taking down his former clan. Language challenges aside, the engaging and likable star sat down with FilmGordon publisher Tim Gordon to talk about his film and his dueling careers in music in film.

One of the most popular pop stars on the planet, Rain is now in search of adulation on this side of the globe and his work in this film will surely help expand his fanbase.

Lee Daniels’ latest film, Precious is a dark, harrowing look at the perilous world of an obese teenager. But amidst all of the hurt and pain is monumentally groundbreaking story that is a peek into a rarely if ever seen world that despite all of it’s tough and unusual circumstances still manages to remain hopeful.

Set in 1987 Harlem, Claireece “Precious” Jones (newcomer Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe) seems like the typical 16-year old teenager, who daydreams about a rosy future of boys, money and fame. In reality, the morbidly obese Precious has already had one child, reads on a second grade level and lives at the whims and demands of her hateful tyrant of a mother, Mary (Mo’Nique), who resents her for her own twisted and selfish reasons.

Living in a virtual home jail, Precious’ only respite is her brief moments of wonderment and fantasy where she imagines a life far different from the ongoing hell she suffers daily. Imagining herself as a model, the desire of multiple men or even as a White girl, there is nothing Precious about her future prospects. But hope springs eternal when by chance a school principal takes an interest in the introverted teen and offers her one last opportunity learn.

Soon Precious gains several powerful allies in her struggle initially in a sympathetic, engaging teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) and a neighborhood social worker, Ms. Weiss (Mariah Carey). Like a ghetto rose trampled on the ground, slowly Precious begins to blossom while learning to trust and come to grips with the terrible physical, emotional and sexual abuse in her life.

What Daniels has created is emotionally engaging film that feels like it reaches inside tugs at your heart while examining your soul; quite an impressive feat indeed! Filmed in a mere five weeks, he has pulled the curtain back to expose a world that is rarely ever been shown on screen. Not since “The Color Purple,” has the harrowing tale of abuse been portrayed so effectively on the big screen. Precious is a modern-day Celie living under the roof of one of the most abusive mothers in motion picture history played brilliantly and passionately by Mo’Nique.

Manipulative, evil and hateful, instead of playing Mary as a cardboard stereotype, Mo’Nique channels an inner rage that drives the character to unspeakable depths of depravity while managing to make her almost a sympathetic figure. It is not only if she will receive Oscar consideration but voters will be hard-pressed to find another performance of equal strength and power an ANY movie released this year. Just think that if not for both Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, this film would have probably gone straight-to-DVD, but with the backing of two Hollywood heavyweights, “Precious” gets the platform that it not only deserves but a chance for us all to reexamine our perspectives on all of the other “overlooked and neglected women” with interesting stories to tell.

Working from Sapphire’s incredibly graphic source material and Geoffrey Fletcher’s script, Daniels tones down some of the more intense moments in the book while never reliquishing any of it’s urgency or effectiveness. He also benefits from a bevy of strong supporting performances including Patton’s tender, caring turn as well as severely understated but effective turn by Carey. Nearly a decade ago, her career was thought to be over after the disastrous “Glitter,” but just as amazing as Mo’Nique’s startling career-changing performance is that Carey may at long last finally be taken seriously as an actor. Another musician/actor Lenny Kravitz is also solid in a limited role as another earth angel for Precious and the only positive male role model in the entire film.

But the engine that makes this impressive film go is newcomer Sidibe who beat out 400 girls to nab the title role in the film. The 24-year old psychology major’s performance in this film will undoubtedly have more effect on young troubled women than a lifetime of sessions of individual therapy sessions. She is marvelous as well as equally engaging as young woman navigating unspeakable horror and despair who despite EVERYTHING still manages to win your heart!

While there will be some that think that Daniels’ film is exploitative and shows racial self-hate, “Precious” soars and is truly a revelation showing that even in life’s more dire circumstances, there is always a place called hope.

Grade: A+

On the heels of one of the year’s most anticipated film releases, director Lee Daniels sat down with FilmGordon publisher Tim Gordon to discuss the impact of “Precious.” Daniels discussed a multitude of relevant topics including the connection between Tyler Perry and his mother, his transition into major studio films and the juxtiposition between his bubbly personality and the dark complex films that he produces.

The first first African-American sole producer of an Academy Award-earning film, Daniels’ fifth film, “Precious” may be the small film that changes the talented director’s life forever. Relaxing in a hotel suite conducting the interview in the lotus position, Daniels was candid, honest and incredibly accessible.

“Precious” opens in NY, Los Angeles and Atlanta on November 6; nationwide on November 13.

Part One 

Part Two

2009 is shaping up to be the year of strong emotional stories featuring women of color. In her latest film, “Skin,” Black Reel Award winner Sophie Okonedo portrays the anguish of a young Black woman growing up White in Aparthied South Africa in the 1950s. She sat down with Wilson Morales to talk about this film and her upcoming project as Winnie Mandela.

From her breakout role in “Dirty Pretty Things,” to an Oscar nomination for her performance in “Hotel Rwanda,” followed by an ensemble piece in “The Secret Life of Bees,” one can say that Sophie Okonedo has been getting quality roles lately.

The London native currently has a film called “Skin” where once again, she delivers a phenomenal performance.

“Skin” is one of the most moving stories to emerge from apartheid South Africa. Sandra Laing (Okonedo) is a black child born in the 1950s to white Afrikaners unaware of their black ancestry. Her parents are rural shopkeepers serving the local black community who lovingly bring her up as their white little girl. But at the age of 10, Sandra is driven out of white society. The film follows her 30-year journey from rejection to acceptance, betrayal to reconciliation, as she struggles to define her place in a changing world.

The film is directed by Anthony Fabian, and also stars Sam Neill, Alice Krige, Tony Kgoroge and Ella Ramangwane.

What attracted you to this film?

Sophie Okonedo: I just thought the story was so extraordinary. I had not heard about it or Sandra Laing before. When I got the script, I didn’t realize it was a real-life story and I was hooked from there.

How much research did you do?

SO: I really didn’t do that much research. I actually read most of the story as we got closer to shooting. From reading the scripts lots of times, I tried piecing her journey and be familiar with her. Then I just used my imagination. With this film, there wasn’t time to rehearse. We’re just trying to get the film made. On a big studio film, there’s time for everytime, depending on the budget.

Where did you shoot the film?

SO: We shot the film is South Africa, in a place that’s about an hour away from Johanesburg.

With your father being Nigerian and mother, an Ashkenazi Jew, how do you think you relate with Sandra?

SO: With all the characters I’ve played, I think I can relate to all of them. It’s just a shorter journey than what the characters have gone through. I’m also from a mixed background, but quite different from Sandra’s.

To read the rest of Morales’ interview with Okonedo, click here.

The King of Pop gets a glorious and well-deserved sendoff in the poignant, yet entertaining musical documentary composed solely of the rehearsal footage for the uncompleted concert tour, “This Is It.” Featuring tender behind-the-scene moments and new choreography, Jackson appeared poised to re-introduce his brilliance to a new generation.

Directed and co-created by his creative partner, Kenny Ortega, “This Is It” shows the Jackson at his more comfortable and place of ease, the stage. While many in the media have portrayed the enigmatic singer as aloof, strange or just plain weird, in this film Jackson is the high captain in command of his art and his sound. An utter perfectionist, Jackson is shown to be intimately involved with all stages of the upcoming production even briefly chastising his musical director for not creating the perfect sound. “I want it to sound just like the record,” Jackson remarked. Trust me, he got EXACTLY what he wanted.”

The film also showed Jackson’s legendary playful side as implored Ortega and the crew to lift him higher on a lift as he performed one of his signature songs. These and other touching moments give the doc it’s strong emotional connection in light of the events surrounding Jackson’s last days lending a sometimes eerie pall to the proceedings. But the fans will gravitate to see Jackson perform and in the film with only his dancers and crew as audience, he put on several rehearsals so entertaining they should have paid him to be a part of the festivities.

What was really impressive was the amount of footage that was shot leading up to the show and the skillful way it was put together splicing multiple performances together from different rehearsals creating an amazing artistic synergy.  The amazing thing about the film is that since Jackson died so close to the beginning of the London shows that much of the sets and special features that were going to be a part of “This Is It” were spliced into his rehearsal performances giving the audience the sense of watching the concert was never was.

Complete with new dance moves and startling video montages, “This Is It” would have surely put Jackson back in the black and reintroduced his musical magic for a whole new generation.

While their were moments of introspection and sadness watching some of the film’s more personal moments, halfway through the story it was replaced by dread. In my mind, the end of the film not only singled the end of the film but of Jackson’s performing life as well.  Because once the film was over (besides adding several more songs and performances on DVD), this really will be IT!!!!!

Grade: A+

This week, we have three new DVDs, Katt Williams’ “Pimpadelic,” “American Violet” and “Drag Me To Hell” up for grabs in our “Contest” section.  To win your free DVD, you must be a StarAccess movie club member and click on the links below.

Click here to enter the contest for Katt Williams’ Pimpadelic / here for “American Violet” / here for “Drag Me To Hell”

“Training Day” director Antoine Fuqua is in negotiations to helm Warner Bros. upcoming production, “Prisoners,” according to sources over at Risky Biz Blog.

The script by Aaron Guzikowski has been bouncing around Hollywood and A-listers such as Bryan Singer, Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg have all shown interest at some point. Reportedly, Fuqua has emerged as a candiate to helm the film but no word if any of the other principals are still involved.

After reconfiguring the budge, it now stands at $40 million after initially being much higher. Shooting is slated to begin early next year with the studio looking for a October 22, 2010 release date.