Tag Archives: morgan freeman

Richard Branson’s ‘Breaking The Taboo’ Aims To Stop The War On Drugs

Aviation and music tycoon Sir Richard Branson and his son Sam Branson are no fans of the War on Drugs and they’re hoping a new film that they launched on YouTube will do for their cause what An Inconvenient Truth did for the issue of global warming. Produced through the younger Branson’s production company, Sundog Pictures, Breaking the Taboo features a host of notables including former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, other former world leaders as well as experts and other household names in a doc hoping to change hearts and minds about the global war on drugs. Clinton is shown in the trailer saying the War on Drugs, which has cost billions and jailed thousands in the U.S. alone, “hasn’t worked.” Morgan Freeman narrates the English version of the pic, the trailer of which opens with Richard Nixon’s proclamation ushering in the U.S. War on Drugs. Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal narrates the Spanish version of the film, which has its trailer available on YouTube. The site indicated the full-length Breaking the Taboo will bow December 7th. “I am hoping in the same way that Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth opened people’s eyes to global warming issues…, Branson told The Guardian . This film will open people’s eyes on the war on drugs and the failed war on drugs and make it easier for people who want to be brave and do something about it.” Sam Branson said the film will head to YouTube because of its “potential to reach millions. Both Branson look to countries such as Portugal and Spain where drug users receive treatment as opposed to jail time as providing an example. Sir Richard calls the legalization of marijuana as “inevitable” and added that most in power secretly agree with him. “I have hardly ever come across a politician that won’t say – off the record – what needs to be done…in the end they just need to be brave.” Washington and Colorado voted to legalize marijuana in the most recent election and the U.N. general assembly voted to hold a special session on drugs in 2016. Obama is also seen in the film before being elected saying that a change is needed, though he has held the line on decriminalization earlier this year. “We would be hopeful that in a second term Obama intends at the very least to start treating drugs as a healthcare problem, not a criminal problem,” said Sir Richard Branson. Check out the trailer below : [ Source: The Guardian ]

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Richard Branson’s ‘Breaking The Taboo’ Aims To Stop The War On Drugs

Congratulations–Tyler Perry’s Posted Up On The Cover Of Essence Magazine’s November Issue

Tyler Perry’s on the cover of Essence…again. Opening up about his new role as Alex Cross, Perry praises black women (his number one fan base according to Essence), and takes a serious moment to talk about the late greats Whitney and MJ. Telling the mag, “When Black women are down with you and in your corner, you have an ally that will move heaven and earth…”, you can’t help but realize that even Tyler knows the huge number of female supporters, particularly those with religious backgrounds, have had a lot to do with his successful career. According to The Grio… Essence estimates that Perry’s film enterprise spawned from the beloved stage character Madea — a fierce-talking mother figure — is worth an impressive $1 billion. After parlaying his Madea plays into movies, the actor-producer aims to extend his entertainment brand even further by playing the complete opposite of the grandmotherly mad woman. Yes, get ready for: Tyler Perry, Action Star. Taking over the role of Alex Cross, which was previously played by Morgan Freeman, Perry beat out Idris Elba among others for the role in the coming eponymous film. “Rising past the haters — and the sheer desolation of losing his beloved mother — Tyler Perry has only just begun to soar,” the magazine states about the iconic producer. “Respected as a writer, director and mogul, the man behind the $1 billion-plus Madea franchise is now moving into unchartered territory: Action hero.” Perry’s Alex Cross, in which he plays the butt-kicking lead, is certainly a departure from his female-oriented melodramas. On the heels of the announcement that Tyler Perry will be uniting with Oprah Winfrey to produce original, scripted series for her OWN network, this is shaping up to be quite an exciting week for the performer who is also a seasoned television producer. We’re glad to see Perry moving into a different genre but we wonder if he can finally shake off all the Madea stigmas he’s boxed himself into. Images via Essence

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Congratulations–Tyler Perry’s Posted Up On The Cover Of Essence Magazine’s November Issue

WATCH: Pacino, Walken, Arkin Are Gun-Wielding Geezers Who Still Drive Fast In Stand Up Guys Trailer

Lionsgate is doing its damnedest to make “Lethal Geezers” into a film genre. Yahoo! just posted the trailer to Stand Up Guys , which the studio will release on Jan. 11, 2013. The Fisher Stevens-directed film stars Al Pacino as Val, a gangster of a certain age who’s released from prison and reunites with his former partners in crime, Doc ( Christopher Walken ) and Hirsch ( Alan Arkin ). Judging from the trailer, the men reminisce, take their hypertension meds and make up for lost crime while Walken struggles with an order from on high to cap his friend. Hoo-ah! The film should make a complementary double feature with the highly entertaining Red , which Lions Gate-owned Summit Entertainment released in 2010. That film, an adaptation of the DC Comics series of the same name — an acronym that stood for Retired, Extremely Dangerous — starred Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren , John Malkovich and Morgan Freeman as decommissioned spies of a certain age who prove that they can still kick ass. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter. 

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WATCH: Pacino, Walken, Arkin Are Gun-Wielding Geezers Who Still Drive Fast In Stand Up Guys Trailer

Tyler Perry In “Alex Cross” [MOVIE TRAILER]

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Tyler Perry branches out in his next movie Alex Cross, which finds the Atlanta filmmaker playing a detective-turned psychologist. Actor Morgan Freeman previously brought the…

Tyler Perry In “Alex Cross” [MOVIE TRAILER]

Tyler Perry In “Alex Cross” [MOVIE TRAILER]

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Tyler Perry branches out in his next movie Alex Cross, which finds the Atlanta filmmaker playing a detective-turned psychologist. Actor Morgan Freeman previously brought the…

Tyler Perry In “Alex Cross” [MOVIE TRAILER]

Happy 75th Birthday, Morgan Freeman! What’s His Finest Wisdom-Spouting Role?

Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman has been in the business for over four decades, during which time he’s delighted youngsters on The Electric Company , driven Miss Daisy, led the White House vs. an asteroid, hunted serial killers, trained Hilary Swank, helped Batman, played God, fought apartheid, gunslinged his way through the Wild West, sent penguins along the circle of life with the power of his voice, and introduced the CBS Evening News. He’s earned that reputation for doling out movie wisdom with the best of ’em. With so many great performances to choose from, what’s your favorite Freeman role? I’d bet good money most folks would pick Freeman’s turn as Red in The Shawshank Redemption , but you know, I always thought that flick was a tad overrated. I’m sorry! (No I’m not. And seriously, why is it the number one favorite movie of every adult male of a certain generation?) So I’m going to go out on a limb and share one of my favorite Freeman characters: Azeem in the oft-maligned Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves . Freeman’s dedicated Moor warrior was as compelling as Kevin Costner’s accent, or lack thereof, was ridiculous. Look, it was 1991. I was 10. He was my second-favorite thing about that movie after the hit single “Everything I Do (I Do It For You).” And just look at how he does with one speech what Costner’s Robin Hood can’t manage to do with ten times the number of forest pep talks! If you would be freemen and women, so to speak, join me now! Leave your favorite Freeman roles in the comments below.

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Happy 75th Birthday, Morgan Freeman! What’s His Finest Wisdom-Spouting Role?

5 Lessons Newsies Christian Bale Taught Dark Knight Rises Christian Bale

Christopher Nolan‘s Dark Knight movies take their titles very literally, don’t they? We had to adjust our monitors just to see the new TV spots from The Dark Knight Rises. But there was a bit of light in both of them: Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne has a bit of banter with Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : VH1’s Today In Music Discovery Date : 24/05/2012 02:16 Number of articles : 4

http://www.youtube.com/v/kOR7bE5AdTQ

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5 Lessons Newsies Christian Bale Taught Dark Knight Rises Christian Bale

Anchorman 2 Teaser Poster Has Legs

Paramount unveiled the first poster to its imminent Anchorman sequel, which we’ve all been calling Anchorman 2 forever but will apparently have the brassier if more cumbersome title, Anchorman: The Legend Continues . Did we already know this? Sorry if I missed that, seriously, I’m still utterly transfixed by Peter Berg’s geopolitical aplomb . Ron Burgundy couldn’t hold a candle. Anyway, you’ll still call it Anchorman 2 , so whatever, have a look. There seem to be a couple legs missing on the far side; perhaps there were some amputations in the intervening period between the first and second installments? Or maybe it’s just the angle. We’ll see. The teaser trailer emerges this week ahead of The Dictator , so I imagine we’ll be shoveling that your way in the days ahead. Stay tuned! Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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Anchorman 2 Teaser Poster Has Legs

Anyone Seen Nick Stahl?

Yikes , this is not good: “Law enforcement officials confirm … Stahl’s wife filed a missing person’s report with the L.A.P.D. on Monday … saying she last saw the 32-year-old actor on May 9. [… I]t is believed Stahl had been frequenting the Skid Row area of Downtown Los Angeles recently … and there are concerns he may have gotten himself involved in some bad stuff. Back in February, Nick’s wife had filed court papers, expressing serious concerns that Nick may be using drugs … and sources say she fears drugs may have something to do with his disappearance.” [ TMZ ]

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Anyone Seen Nick Stahl?

Aaron Sorkin Gets Jobs Job, Morgan Freeman Rustles Feathers, Grassroots Grows at Goldwyn: Biz Break

Also in this morning’s edition of Biz Break: Sony Classics reunites with an Oscar-winner, Music Box takes a risk with a Hemingway, John Woo gets in on a remake, and more… Samuel Goldwyn Takes Gyllenhaal’s Grassroots The distributor has announced from Cannes its acquisition of Stephen Gyllenhaal’s activist dramedy featuring Joel David Moore as an idealist running for office — against Cedric the Entertainer — in Seattle in 2001. Jason Biggs, Lauren Ambrose, Cobie Smulders and Tom Arnold co-star. Susanne Bier’s Latest Lands at Sony Classics A year after releasing Bier’s Oscar-winning foreign-language feature In a Better World , the venerable art-house distributor has struck a deal to release her follow-up Love is All You Need . Pierce Brosnan leads the romantic comedy, which is set in Sorrento, Italy, and tells the story of “a group of people all seeking love, about passion and happiness, about jealousy and loneliness. First and foremost, it’s a story about having the courage to change your life – even when you think it’s too late.” And around the ‘net… Aaron Sorkin Makes Steve Jobs Deal with Sony It’s official: Sorkin will adapt Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography for the screen. “There is no writer working in Hollywood today who is more capable of capturing such an extraordinary life for the screen than Aaron Sorkin,” said Sony chief Amy Pascal in a statement. “In his hands, we’re confident that the film will be everything that Jobs himself was: captivating, entertaining, and polarizing.” Deadline reports . Morgan Freeman’s Political Comments Irk WB Shareholder The actor’s claims during the Dolphin Tale press tour that the Tea Party movement and Republican politics are “racist and wants to screw the country” drew fire from a shareholder on Tuesday’s Time Warner conference call. TW CEO Jeff Bewkes, meanwhile, declined to intervene in Freeman’s upcoming publicity duties for The Dark Knight Rises , THR reports . Music Box Nabs Starlet Director Sean Baker’s controversial, sexually explicit SXSW sensation Starlet has a buyer in Music Box Films, which announced its acquisition of the Dree Hemingway-starrer today at Cannes. Variety reports . John Woo to Grapple with Beast Also from Cannes comes word of Day of the Beast , John Woo’s planned remake of Seijun Suzuki’s 1963 Yakuza classic Youth of the Beast . “This remake is my salute to the great films and filmmakers produced by Nikkatsu’s 100 years in cinema history,” Woo said in a statement. “It is exciting for me as well as an honor.” Deadline reports .

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Aaron Sorkin Gets Jobs Job, Morgan Freeman Rustles Feathers, Grassroots Grows at Goldwyn: Biz Break