Common Joins 'Selma'; Julia Stiles Boards 'Gilly Hopkins'; Toby Kebbell Builds 'Sand Castle'

* Rapper Common (Just Wright) is in talks to play civil rights activist James Bevel in Selma, Ava Duvernay's film about Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, AL to secure voting rights for African-Americans. Also coming aboard is Andre Holland (42), who will take on the role of Andrew Young. David Oyelowo has been attached to the role of MLK since back when Lee Daniels was eying the film. [Deadline]

* Where Julia Stiles goes, my attention will follow. That might read kind of creepy but I'll watch her in anything, even an adaptation of The Great Gilly Hopkins. Stiles will join Sophie Nelisse (The Book Thief) in the film based on Katherine Peterson's book about brilliant, angry, brash 11-year-old Gilly Hopkins, who battles with her foster mom and hopes to be reunited with her mysterious mother. Co-starring are Kathy Bates, Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close, and Billy Magnussen. [Deadline]

* Toby Kebbell will join Nicholas Hoult in the Iraq War drama, Sand Castle, which is based on a script by war veteran Chris Roessner. Directed by first-timer Seb Edwards, the story is taken from the real experiences of a platoon repairing an aqueduct in the dangerous and remote region of Baqubah, Iraq. Kebbell will play platoon leader Sgt. Baker who is dealing with mounting casualties, while Hoult is a machine gunner. Kebbell has been keeping busy of late, taking on the role of Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four, plus he'll star in this summer's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  [Screen Daily]

Read More

Talib Kweli, Common, and Kany West in First 5 Minutes from 'Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton'

For me, the label that sent me scurrying away from mainstream hip hop and into the embrace of the underground scene was Stones Throw, founded by DJ and producer Peanut Butter Wolf. Their first studio album, My Vinyl Weighs a Ton, featured indie greats like Rasco, Planet Asia (they would later team up as Cali Agents, and were awesome), Charizma, and the X-Ecutioners. Now the story of Stones Throw's formation is being told in a new documentary, Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton (This Is Stones Throw Records), and it has some powerful names attached.

The first five minutes of the film are now available as the film plays at SXSW, and it looks like something hip hop purists will want to indulge in. Basically the film is a tribute to the label founded in 1996 and continues to push the limits of hip hop music. In this opening segment you see Talib Kweli, Kanye West, A-Trak, Common, Questlove, Talib Kweli, underground emcee Krondon, and that's a small glimpse of the rappers who make appearances.

I use a lot of Stones Throw beats on my show, Cinema Royale, so you bet this is a movie I'm interested in catching whenever it's released.

Read More

Common to 'Run All Night'; Jason Segel Joins Syrup Heist Film; 'Annie' Adds Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

 * Rapper-turned-actor Common (Just Wright) will join Liam Neeson, Joel Kinnaman, and Ed Harris in Run All Night, the action-thriller from director Jaume Collet-Serra. Neeson will put his particular set of skills to the test as a mob hitman who must protect his son while defeating his former boss in a single night. Common will play the trusted killer who must take Neeson down. [THR]

* Jason Segel will team with Horrible Bosses director Seth Gordon for an untitled heist comedy based on the true case of a major syrup theft in Quebec. The script by Family Guy writer Chris Sheridan is taken from the August 2012 story about the theft of 10,000 barrels of syrup from the Quebec International Strategic Reserve, with the crooks smuggling the pancake topper across the U.S. border. Seriously. You can read about it here.

*  Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) is the latest to join Will Gluck's Annie remake, which has just seen its release date bumped up a week to December 18th. He joins Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, Cameron Diaz, and Bobby Cannavale in the big screen version of the hit Broadway musical, playing Nash, the tough but lovable bodyguard and driver for Benjamin Stacks and Annie's close friend. [Deadline]

Read More

Forest Whitaker, Michael Chiklis, Common, and Ray Liotta to star in crime flick, Pawn

Five or six years ago this cast might have sounded really promising. Michael Chiklis would be hip deep in his Emmy worthy role on The Shield; Forest Whitaker would be coming off his Oscar winning turn in The Last King of Scotland; Ray Liotta's name still held some weight; and Common would be the rapper making his big break into the movies pre-Smokin' Aces. Now this collection of talent screams "Netflix streaming".

The foursome will star in Pawn, from newbie director David A. Armstrong, and the rather generic plot centers on a hostage situation that goes terribly wrong. Deadline also describes the script by Jay Anthony White as dealing with an ex-con who gets mixed up in a "manipulative chess game between the Feds, local police and the mob". Ugh. Are they sure this isn't an AMC Channel original movie? Sure sounds like it.

Those thinking Whittaker's Oscar winning name means this film can't be all bad should probably take a hard look at the actor's resume, which is about 50% monkey piss. Don't believe me? I'll happily point you in the direction of Even Money and Our Family Wedding.

Read More

Common & Queen Latifah in a Romantic Comedy? Nooooooo.....

They should rename the film Rapper's Delight. Or something that warns people they're about to watch two rappers make awkward romantic gestures at eachother for two hours. Queen Latifah and "rapper" Common are set to pair up for a romantic comedy, titled Just Wright. How clever.  Latifah stars as a physical therapist who's sick of the dating scene. Common is an aging NBA player. The two hook up or something. Comedy ensues, pies get thrown, fur starts flying, sh*t hits fans.

Yeah....I sorta dig Queen Latifah as an actress. She's had some seriously great turns in Chicago and Hairspray. Plus she made Last Holiday a watchable, if not outright enjoyable experience. I have no doubt she can handle her weight in a romantic comedy. It's her opposite number I'm worried about.

Common is the leading man? Could they not find a mop handle stiff enough to play the part? Or is this some sort of reclamation project, hoping to show that the man does indeed have more than one facial expression. Common's roles have pretty much demanded he be grim 'n gritty hardcases most of the time, but it always just looks like he needs to take a really massive crap and the only toilet in sight is at a Chevron.

Just Wright(I really hate that title) is being directed by Sanaa Hamri, who directed some of Common's music videos, which might explain things. It's tentatively set for a release in May 2010.

Obviously, I ain't excited. But the trailer is below. Check it out for yourself!

Read More