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Million Dollar Baby

(Blackfilm.com)

Release Date: December 17, 2004 (limited), January 21, 2005 (wide)

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Producers: Tom Rosenberg, Albert S. Ruddy, Clint Eastwood, and Paul Haggis; based on the book by F.X Toole

Screenwriter: Paul Haggis

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Hilary Swank, Anthony Mackie, Jay Baruchel, Christina Cox, Kimberly Estrada

SYNOPSIS:

In the wake of a painful estrangement from his daughter, boxing trainer Frankie Dunn (CLINT EASTWOOD) has been unwilling to let himself get close to anyone for a very long time – then Maggie Fitzgerald (HILARY SWANK) walks into his gym. In a life of constant struggle, Maggie’s gotten herself this far on raw talent, unshakable focus and a tremendous force of will. But more than anything, she wants someone to believe in her. The last thing Frankie needs is that kind of responsibility – let alone that kind of risk – but won over by Maggie’s sheer determination, he begrudgingly agrees to take her on. In turns exasperating and inspiring each other, the two come to discover that they share a common spirit that transcends the pain and loss of their pasts, and they find in each other a sense of family they lost long ago. Yet, they will both face a battle that will demand more heart and courage than any they’ve ever known.

(click here to view trailer)

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Fat Albert

(Blackfilm.com)

Release Date: December 24, 2004

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Film Genre: Comedy

Country: United States

Director: Joel Zwick

Screenwriter: Bill Cosby, Charles Kipps

Cast: Kenan Thompson, Omarion, Raven Symone, Jermaine Williams, Jeremy Suarez, Aaron Frazier, Kyla Pratt, Keith Robinson, Alphonso McAuley, Marques Houston, Aaron Carter, Dania Ramirez, Nick Zano, Derek Watkins, Alice Greczyn

Synopsis:

“Hey, Hey, Hey.” Bill Cosby’s hugely popular character, “Fat Albert,” comes to the big screen as a live action / animated, big-event feature film. The ‘Fat Albert’ movie will be based on Cosby’s stand-up comedy monologues about his childhood, centered around a group of urban adolescents growing up in a Philadelphia neighborhood.

(click here to view trailer)

Methinks Bill should stick with scolding parents

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February One

In one remarkable day, four college freshmen changed the course of American history. February One tells the inspiring story surrounding the 1960 Greensboro lunch counter sit-ins that revitalized the Civil Rights Movement and set an example of student militancy for the coming decade. This moving film shows how a small group of determined individuals can galvanize a mass movement and focus a nation’s attention on injustice. (more…)

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The Road to Brown

The Road to Brown tells the story of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling as the culmination of a brilliant legal assault on segregation that launched the Civil Rights movement. It is also a moving and long overdue tribute to a visionary but little known black lawyer, Charles Hamilton Houston, “the man who killed Jim Crow.” (more…)

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P. Diddy Goes To the White House

After all his “Vote Or Die,” rhetoric guess who got caught in the Bush’s? Launch.com reports that P. Diddy was given a tour of the White House by President Bush personally. We still haven’t forgotten Diddy’s remarks at the Rock The Vote Awards in February. The Bad Boy mogul told the audience, “We have to get George Bush’s ass out of office… He doesn’t care about black people.” However, according to the site, all he said to Bush was how nice their house was. What a let down, what about the people Diddy? (more hip-hop music headlines here…)

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THE GODFATHER OF SOUL IS AILING: James Brown To Have Surgery for Prostate Cancer.

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L.A. CULLS BLACK CELEBS TO TOUT CITY: Raven, Della, Lionel join tourism campaign.

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NAT KING COLE ESTATE TEAMS WITH VH1: Both try to restore music education in public schools.

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