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Interviews
UserpicTaboo (INTERVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
21.01.2014

Taboo

The “Jamesy Boy” Interview

with Kam Williams

The Taboo to Pursue!

Born in L.A. on July 14, 1975, Jimmy “Taboo” Gomez began dreaming about show business at an early age. The versatile fourple threat is a multilingual rapper, singer, dancer and emcee who got his big break in 1995 when approached by will.i.am to form the Black Eyed Peas.

Among the popular hip-hop group’s hits are the Grammy-winning “I Gotta Feeling,” “Let’s Get It Started,” “Boom Boom Pow” and “My Humps,” to name a few. Besides music, Taboo is also the designer of his own line of footwear, Taboo Deltah, and has added acting to his bag of tricks.

Here, he talks about his latest outing as Guillermo in Jamesy Boy, a fact-based tale of redemption co-starring Ving Rhames, James Woods and Spencer Lofranco. Although he wants to make more movies in the future, he is currently focused on his own solo album releasing later in the year, as well as on an upcoming tour with the Black Eyed Peas.

Kam Williams: Hi Taboo, thanks for another interview.

Taboo: Thank you.

KW: Like last time, I’ll be mixing in my questions, with some from my readers. How did you get interested you in acting?

T: Well, I had actually been taking acting classes prior to joining the Black Eyed Peas in ‘96. In fact, I originally thought it was going to be my introduction to the entertainment world, because Black Eyed Peas was more of a local, L.A. underground band. I kept up with the acting classes as a safety net, until we took off a couple of years later, after the release of our first album. Once we started touring, I had to put acting on hold, although I still wanted to act. Fast-forward to 2005, when I made my feature film debut playing a character named Ramirez in Dirty, with Cuba Gooding, Jr., Clifton Collins, Wyclef [Jean] and a couple other people. Then I did a movie called Cosmic Radio and, after that, one called Streetfighter. And now, Jamesy Boy.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier asks: What drew you to the story of James Burns and what is your perception of him?

T: The reason I got the movie is because my acting coach presented the script to me, and I fell in love with the role of Guillermo. I’m a big James Woods fan, so when I found out he was already attached to the film, I was sold.

KW: Patricia also asks: How did you prepare to play Guillermo?

T: I really wanted to challenge myself, so that I wouldn’t just be Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas up on the big screen. I did something that’s a no-no in the music industry. I cut my hair. For years, my hair was my stamp. “Oh, that’s the long-haired guy from the Black Eyed Peas.” But when I did it, it was like a breath of fresh air. So, I immersed myself into the character Guillermo to the fullest, with intense power, since I wanted to show the world that I’d go that extra mile because I believe in this project and in my acting abilities so much, and because I want to continue to do films.

KW: Well, you definitely disappeared into the role. I barely recognized you.

T: Thanks, Kam. That’s what I want to hear. I love when people say that.

KW: Did you base your character on a hardened convict you know?

T: Guillermo was kind of a reflection of my family, on my dad’s side. My father came from a gang lifestyle. My brother, who passed away last year, God rest his soul, had been in prison for many years. He had the bald head, the tattoos, and served as an inspiration for Guillermo, being the closest person to me in prison and living that hard lifestyle. But also, there was an insecurity I saw in him that I brought to Guillermo who was a bully and antagonistic as a defense mechanism.

KW: Sorry to hear about your brother. I do remember how in your autobiography you credited your grandmother for saving you from the streets.

T: Yeah, if it wasn’t for her and my mom taking me away from that lifestyle, my life would’ve gone in a totally different direction. When my mom divorced my dad, she introduced me to a new world. I’m blessed that I had a strong grandmother who gave me a second chance at life. So, I owe her a lot.

KW: Jamesy Boy had a pretty impressive cast, including veterans like James Woods and Ving Rhames.

T: They were all great people. I worked mostly with James Woods, Spencer [Lofranco] and Ben [Rosenfield]. We had a really good time both on and off the set. I enjoyed working with Trevor [director Trevor White], too. I was able to hang out with him as friends, go to the clubs, and hear his stories. It was a great opportunity to work with such a great cast and crew and to make some new friends.

KW: What’s going on with you musically?

T: I’ve been talking about it since 2008, but my first single is finally coming out in April, “Dumbao.” It’s dedicated to the World Cup. I’m Latino-American, and I wanted to do something that best represents my culture. So, I created this song that’s in Spanish, but has the pulse, rhythm and beat of a Black Eyed Peas song.

KW: What interested you in linking the release to the World Cup?

T: I supported the World Cup four years ago with the Black Eyed Peas, and I fell in love with the atmosphere so much that when I learned that the next one was going to be in Brazil, I love Brazil so much that I was like, “I gotta be there! I gotta create an anthem that will go hand-in-hand with the World Cup.” And that’s what I did.

KW: I loved that album, “Timeless,” that you recorded down in Brazil with Sergio Mendes.

T: Thank you, that was great.

KW: Since we’re on the subject of music, what was the last song you listened to?

T: You’re gonna laugh at me, dude, because I have a 2 year-old and a 4 year-old who are heavily into movie soundtracks. For some reason, we’ve watched Despicable Me 2 over a thousand times in the last month. They really love the song “Happy” by Pharrell. We’ve been playing that non-stop. It’s like our anthem to get them ready for school. So, that’s the last song I listened to today.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

T: My wife and I sometimes read books together. It’s kind of like bed talk. Right now, we’re sharing “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts.”

KW: The Jamie Foxx question: If you only had 24 hours to live, how would you spend the time?

T: With my wife and kids.

KW: The Kerry Washington question: If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

T: A black panther.

KW: The Anthony Mackie question: Isthere anything that you promised yourself you’d do if you became famous, that you still haven’t done yet?

T: Yeah, release my own music.

KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question:How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?

T: It made me stronger, as far as chasing my dream, and knowing that I was onto something with music, because the first person who broke my heart had no faith in me.

KW: The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who you are at home as opposed to the person we see performing onstage or onscreen?

T: At home, I’m daddy and a husband. There’s no Superman’s cape. I’m changing diapers, giving my kids baths, and coloring Angry Birds and playing games with them. Most of my career, people have the misconception about me as being threatening and scary, and having an intense look, but that’s not the real me. I’m very domesticated when it comes to my family. First and foremost, I’m a father and a husband.

KW: The Anthony Anderson question: If you could have a superpower, which one would you choose?

T: The ability to shape shift into different people.

KW: The Judyth Piazza question: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

T: The drive and the passion to succeed.

KW: The Harriet Pakula-Teweles question: With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you'd like to star in?

T: I don’t think they need to remake it, but I would love to be in Back to the Future. That’s my favorite movie of all time.

KW: If you could go back in time and change one event in history, what would you choose?

T: To prevent the conqueror Cortes from causing the collapse of the Aztec Empire.

KW: The Michael Ealy question: If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be?

T: Bruce Lee.

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks: What is your favorite charity?

T: Little Kids Rock, a charity in East L.A. that gives musical instruments to schools that no longer have music or art classes.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Taboo, and best of luck with all your endeavors.

T: You too, Kam. Have a great day.


Reviews
UserpicFrozen (FILM REVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
20.01.2014

Frozen

Film Review by Kam Williams

 

Princess Saves the Day in Musical Adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen Classic

            Given the toll the polar vortex has been exacting on the continental U.S. lately, I think plenty of people can relate to the frigid predicament of the people living in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle. Disney’s Frozen is an animated adventure loosely based on “The Snow Queen,” a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale first published in 1845.

            This delightful musical stars Kristen Bell as the voice of Anna, the young princess who takes it upon herself to save the day after her sister, recently-crowned Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), inadvertently plunges Arendelle into a permanent winter before disappearing. You see, Elsa was born with a superpower similar to Batman’s adversary Mr. Freeze as well as the character Sub-Zero in Mortal Combat, namely, the ability to freeze things in an instant.

            Complicating matters is the fact that Elsa, empowered in the wake of their parents’ demise, had just put the kaibosh on her sister’s plans to marry handsome Prince Hans (Santino Fontana). So, Anna, accompanied by an anthropomorphic snowman (Josh Gad) and a rugged mountain man (Jonathan Groff) with a trusty reindeer, embarks on an epic journey in hope of finding her sibling with hopes of not only reversing the curse but of reconciling their differences.

            En route, Anna and company are afforded ample opportunities to belt out a tune when not proving their mettle in playful plights of peril. The enchanting picture is as memorable for its pleasant luminescence and catchy soundtrack (including the Best Song Oscar-nominated “Let It Go”), as for its unpredictable resolution.

            To its credit, Frozen puts a novel spin on the hackneyed nursery rhyme plotline which has the prince arriving in the nick of time to save the damsel-in-distress. A touching tale of sisterhood with a priceless message about blood being thicker than an ill-advised crush.

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated PG for action and mild rude humor

Running time: 102 minutes

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

To see a trailer for Frozen, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jw-AeaU5WI     


Oscar Buzz Deferred
by Kam Williams

2013 was widely lauded as the “Year of the Black Film,” but you would never know it, judging by the recently-announced list of Oscar nominations. It looks like the Academy settled on 12 Years a Slave as a sort of token black representative, with Steve McQueen (Director), John Ridley (Adapted Screenplay), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Lead Actor) and Lupita Nyong’o (Supporting Actress) landing nominations. Otherwise, the only other black nominee in a major category was Barkhad “I’m the Captain now!” Abdi, the Somalia-born cab driver who made his acting debut as the pirate who took Tom Hanks hostage in Captain Phillips.

Perhaps the most noteworthy snub was that of Fruitvale Station which had won coveted awards at both the Sundance and Cannes Festivals. Or maybe it was that of The Butler, which was my favorite film of the year. Upon that picture’s release back in August, colleague Roger Friedman was not alone in unabashedly declaring Oprah Winfrey already a lock to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

But, in the end, Oprah wasn’t even nominated, nor was her co-star Forest Whitaker, despite his having delivered a nonpareil performance. The list of overlooked thespians arguably extends to a couple other critically-acclaimed productions featuring black principal cast members, namely, the brilliant biopics 42 and Mandela.

What happens to Oscar buzz deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it dream of an NAACP Image Award?

 

COMPLETE LIST OF OSCAR NOMINATIONS

 

BEST PICTURE

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave

Alexander Payne, Nebraska

David O. Russell, American Hustle

Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

 

BEST ACTOR

Christian Bale, American Hustle

Bruce Dern, Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave

Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

 

BEST ACTRESS

Amy Adams, American Hustle

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Judi Dench, Philomena

Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Bradley Cooper, American Hustle

Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave

Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts, August: Osage County

June Squibb, Nebraska

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer, American Hustle

Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine

Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack, Dallas Buyers Club

Spike Jonze, Her

Bob Nelson, Nebraska

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, Before Midnight

Billy Ray, Captain Philips

Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, Philomena

John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave

Terence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Ernest & Celestine

Frozen

The Wind Rises

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium)

The Great Beauty (Italy)

The Hunt (Denmark)

The Missing Picture (Cambodia)

Omar (Palestine)

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY – FEATURE

The Act of Killing

Cutie and the Boxer

Dirty Wars

The Square

20 Feet From Stardom

 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Alone Not Alone, Alone Yet Not Alone

Happy, Despicable Me 2

Let It Go, Frozen

The Moon Song, Her

Ordinary Love, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Philippe Le Sourd, The Grandmaster

Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity

Bruno Delbonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis

Phedon Papamichael, Nebraska

Roger A. Deakins, Prisoners

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Michael Wilkinson, American Hustle

William Chang Suk Ping, The Grandmaster

Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby

Michael O'Connor, The Invisible Woman

Patricia Norris, 12 Years a Slave

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY – SHORT SUBJECT

CaveDigger

Facing Fear

Karama Has No Walls

The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall

 

BEST FILM EDITING

Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten, American Hustle

Christopher Rouse, Captain Phillips

John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa, Dallas Buyers Club

Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger, Gravity

Joe Walker, 12 Years a Slave

 

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathew, Dallas Buyers Club

Stephen Prouty, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny, The Lone Ranger

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

John Williams, The Book Thief

Steven Price, Gravity

William Butler and Owen Pallett, Her

Alexandre Desplat, Philomena

Thomas Newman, Saving Mr. Banks

 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Judy Becker (Production Design) and Heather Loeffler (Set Decoration), American Hustle

Andy Nicholson (Production Design); Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard (Set Decoration), Gravity

Catherine Martin (Production Design) and Beverley Dunn (Set Decoration), The Great Gatsby

K.K. Barrett (Production Design) and Gene Serdena (Set Decoration), Her

Adam Stockhausen (Production Design) and Alice Baker (Set Decoration), 12 Years a Slave

 

BEST SHORT FILM – ANIMATED

Feral

Get a Horse!

Mr. Hublot

Possessions

Room on the Broom

 

BEST SHORT FILM – LIVE ACTION

Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me), Esteban Crespo

Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything), Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras

Helium, Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson

Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?), Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari

The Voorman Problem, Mark Gill and Baldwin Li

 

BEST SOUND EDITING

Steve Boeddeker and Richard Hymns, All Is Lost

Oliver Tarney, Captain Phillips

Glenn Freemantle, Gravity

Brent Burge, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Wylie Stateman, Lone Survivor

 

BEST SOUND MIXING

Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith and Chris Munro, Captain Phillips

Gravity Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro, Gravity

Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick and Tony Johnson, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland, Inside Llewyn Davis

Andy Koyama, Beau Borders and David Brownlow, Lone Survivor

 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk and Neil Corbould, Gravity

Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and Eric Reynolds, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash and Dan Sudick, Iron Man 3

Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams and John Frazier, The Lone Ranger

Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann and Burt Dalton, Star Trek Into Darkness

 

 

 

 


Reviews
UserpicLife of a King (FILM REVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
18.01.2014

Life of a King

Film Review by Kam Williams

 

Ex-Con Opens Chess Club for At-Risk Kids in Ghetto-Based Biopic

            Eugene Brown (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) was so worried about returning to his neighborhood in inner-city Washington, DC after serving 17 years for bank robbery that he shared his concern with his cellmate Searcy (Dennis Haysbert). The wise, old elder responded by making an analogy between life and the game of chess amounting to the simple suggestion “Take care of the king.”

            He also handed Eugene a chess piece, hoping it might serve as a constant reminder to avoid trouble by employing fundamental game strategy. And that practical piece of advice would come in handy, especially since landing employment would turn out to be quite a challenge, given his criminal record.

            But rather than break the law again for a quick buck, Eugene displayed the patience to wait until he found a legit job as a janitor. Working at the same high school his children had attended, he was afforded an opportunity to redeem himself when asked by the principal (LisaGay Hamilton) to monitor detention, too.

            Instead of just having the students stand at the blackboard and write, “I will not be late for class” or “I will not forget my homework” 50 times, Eugene came up with the inspired idea of teaching them how to play chess each afternoon. Soon, he founded a chess club as a regular afterschool activity and viable alternative to the gangsta ways so many of the troubled youth found attractive.

            Meanwhile, Eugene needed to mend fences with his estranged offspring, college coed Katrina (Rachae Thomas), and black sheep Marcus (Jordan Calloway), a juvenile jailbird following in his father’s footsteps. That proves easier said than done since the absentee-dad wasn’t around for either’s formative years. 

            Written and directed by Jake Goldberger (Don McKay), Life of a King is a warts-and-all biopic based on the downfall and resurrection of the real Eugene Brown. As raw and realistic as it is predictable and cliché-ridden, this modern morality play does at least drive home a pertinent message for adolescents in the targeted demographic.

            A Sunday school-style parable which makes very effective use of chess mastery as a metaphor for negotiating the perilous gauntlet of possible ghetto pitfalls.

Very Good (2.5 stars)

Rated PG-13 for drug use, violent images and mature themes

Running time: 100 minutes

Distributor: Millennium Entertainment

To see a trailer for Life of a King, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24bM9kZp9NQ         


Reviews
UserpicSpeed (BOOK REVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
14.01.2014

Speed

Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster--

and Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down

by Stephanie Brown, Ph.D.

Book Review by Kam Williams

Berkley Publishing Group

Paperback, $16.00

334 pages

ISBN: 978-0-425-26473-7

“This is a book about a new kind of addiction that I believe has taken hold in our culture… I call it the addiction to speed… I’m talking about a culture-wide phenomenon that is snatching people up and carrying them along, convincing them that doing ‘more, better, and faster’ is the path to happiness.

Some people see it as a result of our increasingly wired society… I believe technology is only part of the story, however… what I am seeing in my practice as an addiction specialist is that, especially in urban areas, this speed trap is outstripping people’s ability to manage, to fulfill all their responsibilities, and even to cope…

You do not have the ability to be on 24/7 like a computer, but… you push yourself incessantly, creating an addictive spiral. You can’t stop... I do want to ask if we can slow things down…

I want to identify how so many of us have become addicted to speed, how this is encouraged and reinforced by our culture, and how seeing speed through the lens of addiction can help people reclaim their lives. ”

-- Excerpted from the Prologue (pages 4-16)

There’s a lot more to life than accelerating its pace, but you wouldn’t know it judging by the everyday behavior of most folks lately. People have become so hopelessly dependent on smart phones, computer tablets and the like, that they can’t go for more than a few minutes without texting, checking their messages or looking something up online, however trivial.

I first recognized this phenomenon a few years ago when I was invited to friend’s house for Passover. During the Seder, while his family and friends were taking turns reading from the holy Haggadah, he was secretly texting away under the table. Despite being contrite and embarrassed when I pointed out to everybody that our host was ignoring the sacred ritual, he was right back at it less than five minutes later.

Back then, I had no words for such behavior besides rudeness, but thanks to Dr. Stephanie Brown we now have a diagnosis of addiction to speed. In her groundbreaking book, “Speed: Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster--and Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down,” she bemoans the fact that the culture has morphed into a ramped-up dystopia where machines lead and humans follow.

What’s particularly unhealthy about that state of affairs is that we simply can’t keep pace with demanding electronic stimuli that never need to rest. Hence, we’re fated to fail without the resolve to say “Enough is enough!” and then set reasonable limits.

How do you know if you’re hooked? The author has 20 questions which will help you discern whether you have a problem, including: Do you want to slow down, but cannot? Do you work longer and longer hours, but don’t ever finish? Do you check your email and reach for your phone first thing and last? Do you feel nervous without your tech gear in hand or pocket?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, there is still hope, provided you are willing to redefine success to include “delay, endurance and enough.” The goal is to cultivate a new way of thinking via willpower and reflection to put you on a healthier, less stressful path.

A viable, step-by-step guide to sane cell phone use.