January 8, 2007 by jameslucas.

James Brown: Say It Loud
James Brown was a gutsy performer who wasn’t afraid to challenge social taboos. In an era when African Americans were referred to as colored, it took the meteoric James to seize the microphone and electrify America with Say It Loud - I’m Black and I’m Proud. His sheer raw power commanded attention, and the tight rhythms his back-up musicians perfected, added to a primal power that was impossible to ignore.

A Vibrant Homage to Mr. Dynamite A.K.A James Brown: The Godfather of Soul Music
James Brown died on Christmas day, 2006. His music tremendously influenced my life. This is a tribute to the brilliant artist he actually was.

James Brown: I Feel Good
Ebony magazine asked the question was James Brown the most influential black man in America? He toured Vietnam he met with Nixon not that he thought Dick Nixon was a great guy but because he thought it was better to talk then not talk and how many conflicts could be averted with that mature attitude today? He toured Vietnam not because he supported the war but because he saw thousands of black troops and no black entertainment acts on the USO tours.

Do You Wish You Knew How to Sing Better?
Do you want to learn how to sing or just how to sing better? You may not be aware of it but it’s likely a case of learning how to sing better for most of us. It’s not that absolutely everyone can sing, but most of us can if we take a sensible approach to trying.

James Brown: Early Stuff
Watch video clips of James Brown early music. James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006), commonly referred to as The Godfather of Soul, and The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, was an American entertainer recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century popular music.

James Brown: Olympia 1966
It’s easy to see Brown in his prime in this classic video of James Brown’s 1966 theater performance.

James Brown: Sex Machine
After the legendary Live at the Apollo and the even better Love Power Peace: Live at the Olympia, James Brown could be forgiven if this 1970 live set disappoints. But this is Brother James, so skip the forgiveness. Sex Machine is the bomb, capturing a thrilling moment in Brown’s funky revolution. The disc features 12 hot and sweaty, and sometimes slinky, live cuts recorded with the James Brown Band in 1969, plus three more studio jams (including a 10-minute title track) with his next band, the great JB’s. Can I get into it? James shouts at the top. Oh man–does he even have to ask?

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January 8, 2007 by jameslucas.

Rocky Worth Look for Long-time Fans
Rocky Balboa is a worthy addition to the series of Rocky movies.

Rocky (1976)
Shot with gritty realism on the mean streets of Philadelphia, ROCKY introduced a new American cinematic hero, spurred on by rollicking action sequences and a rousing soundtrack. A triumph for star and screenwriter Stallone, who himself came from nowhere to reach the top, ROCKY is crowd-pleasing entertainment at its finest.

The Return of Rocky Balboa
Rocky is back! I was going to begin this sentence by saying, As a former Philadelphian, but anyone who was born in Philly and lived there never really gives up their Philadelphian status.

Stallone Filming New Boxing Movie
The next biggest boxing film, a new Rocky sequel, is to be released in December 2006. Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky VI, also called Rocky Balboa, has primarily been filmed throughout Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What I Learned from Rocky Balboa
I saw Rocky Balboa yesterday with my son Chris. It is a typical Rocky movie and worth the time and money for all you underdog fans, especially you older folks who need a bit of inspiration to get out of that easy chair. (Sylvester Stallone is 60!) By the way, he is working on Rambo IV to be released in 2008! I won’t tell you about the movie but there was three lines that I heard that we can all learn something from.

A Night at The Museum (2006) Review
I am very glad to mention that A Night at the Museum is a great family movie. The visual effects are superb, and the movie features the likes of Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, and Dick Van Dyke. As you would expect, the acting is great, and I really enjoyed the storyline as well. Ladies and Gentlemen, if this movie is a sign of the future family movies in the industry, then it’s time to witness a brand new era of movies that the whole family can enjoy.

Blood Diamond: Leonardo DiCaprio Interview
Chuck the Movieguy interviews Leonardo DiCaprio for the movie Blood Diamond. Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990’s Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond is the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) - a South African mercenary - and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) - a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon - who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields - has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist whose idealism is tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory, a journey that could save Solomon’s family and give Archer the second chance he thought he would never have.

Alpha Dog: Justin Timberlake Interview
Chuck the Movieguy interviews Justin Timberlake for the movie Alpha Dog. A drama based on the life of Jesse James Hollywood, a drug dealer who became one of the youngest men ever to be on the FBI’s most wanted list.

Flags of our Fathers: Jamie Bell and Barry Pepper
Jamie Bell and Barry Pepper are interviewed by Chuck the Movieguy for the movie Flags of our Fathers. In February, 1945, one of the fiercest battles of the Pacific theater of World War II occurs on the tiny island of Iwo Jima. Thousands of Marines attack the stronghold maintained by thousands of Japanese, and the slaughter on both sides is horrific. Early in the battle, an American flag is raised atop the high point, Mount Suribachi, and a photograph of the raising becomes an American cause celebre. As a powerful inspiration to war-sick Americans, the photo becomes a symbol of the Allied cause. The three surviving flag raisers, Rene Gagnon, John Bradley, and Ira Hayes, are whisked back to civilization to help raise funds for the war effort. But the accolades for heroism heaped upon the three men are at odds with their own personal realizations that thousands of real heroes lie dead on Iwo Jima, and that their own contributions to the fight are only symbolic and not deserving of the singling out they are experiencing. Each of the three must come to terms with the honors, exploitation, and grief that they face simply for being in a photograph.

Flags of our Fathers: Ryan Phillippe
Ryan Phillippe is interviewed by Chuck the Movieguy for the movie Flags of our Fathers. In February, 1945, one of the fiercest battles of the Pacific theater of World War II occurs on the tiny island of Iwo Jima. Thousands of Marines attack the stronghold maintained by thousands of Japanese, and the slaughter on both sides is horrific. Early in the battle, an American flag is raised atop the high point, Mount Suribachi, and a photograph of the raising becomes an American cause celebre. As a powerful inspiration to war-sick Americans, the photo becomes a symbol of the Allied cause. The three surviving flag raisers, Rene Gagnon, John Bradley, and Ira Hayes, are whisked back to civilization to help raise funds for the war effort. But the accolades for heroism heaped upon the three men are at odds with their own personal realizations that thousands of real heroes lie dead on Iwo Jima, and that their own contributions to the fight are only symbolic and not deserving of the singling out they are experiencing. Each of the three must come to terms with the honors, exploitation, and grief that they face simply for being in a photograph.

Matt Damon Does Matthew McConaughey
Watch Matt’s dead-on impression of a shirtless Matthew McConaughey.

The L Word: Meet the Ladies
A new season of the L Word starts Sunday at 10PM ET/PT. For more go to www.sho.com/lword. The L Word is billed as the intimate story about the lives and loves of a group of lesbian friends living in Los Angeles. Mostly centering on Jenny (Mia Kirshner), a recent graduate of the University of Chicago, who moves to Los Angeles to live with her boyfriend Tim (Eric Mabius) and begin a professional writing career. Jenny’s life is turned upside down when she attends a party hosted by Tim’s next-door neighbors, Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina (Laurel Hollomon), a lesbian couple who are looking to take the step into parenthood after seven years of dating. A brief encounter at the party with Marina (Karina Lombard), the owner of The Planet, the local coffeehouse that the ladies gather on a daily basis, suddenly has Jenny thrust into the local lesbian community and a whole new world she never understood until she questions her own sexual orientation. Other friends of Bette and Tina include Dana (Erin Daniels), a rising tennis player looking for love despites having no dating experience; Alice (Leisha Hailey), a magazine writer whom just wants to find the woman of her dreams; Shane (Katherine Moenning) is a sexually aggressive slacker/hairstylist whom seeks out her own girl just for her own pleasures.

The L Word: The Most Awesome Make-Out Montage
A new season of the L Word starts Sunday, January 7, at 10PM ET/PT. For more go to www.sho.com/lword. The L Word is billed as the intimate story about the lives and loves of a group of lesbian friends living in Los Angeles. Mostly centering on Jenny (Mia Kirshner), a recent graduate of the University of Chicago, who moves to Los Angeles to live with her boyfriend Tim (Eric Mabius) and begin a professional writing career. Jenny’s life is turned upside down when she attends a party hosted by Tim’s next-door neighbors, Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina (Laurel Hollomon), a lesbian couple who are looking to take the step into parenthood after seven years of dating. A brief encounter at the party with Marina (Karina Lombard), the owner of The Planet, the local coffeehouse that the ladies gather on a daily basis, suddenly has Jenny thrust into the local lesbian community and a whole new world she never understood until she questions her own sexual orientation. Other friends of Bette and Tina include Dana (Erin Daniels), a rising tennis player looking for love despites having no dating experience; Alice (Leisha Hailey), a magazine writer whom just wants to find the woman of her dreams; Shane (Katherine Moenning) is a sexually aggressive slacker/hairstylist whom seeks out her own girl just for her own pleasures.

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