Think Like A Man: Regina Hall Flirts, Will Packer Adapts, Gary Owen Explains

Regina Hall should you happen to read this, know that you are my shero! This is how you break up the monotony of being asked the same question from a different face every 15 minutes during press interviews! I'd love to know what the interviewer was thinking trying to keep from laughing.

This video is Hi-damn-larious and looks like sooo much fun! Girrrrl you are one brave individual to cut up like this in an press interview! Could there be a start of a romance with any of the cuties from "Think Like A Man"?  Naaaaa....Probably just some sexy fun! But it looks like Kevin was trying to show you from behind that you gon' learn today why you shouldn't mess with him like that!

Folks I'm not even gonna attempt to sell you on going to see this movie. Unless you've been under a rock for the past two months, you've seen the trailers, the posters, the red carpet interviews. Anything I say next would be redundant. You already know what you need or will to do this weekend in regards to supporting this film.

So watch my interview with "Think Like A Man" Producer, Will Packer, at the Pan African Film Festival LA premiere in February, on what it took to adapt the popular how-to book into a romantic comedy.








And listen to Gary explain the challenge of staying in character and not unleashing his brand of comedy during the taping of the film. If you've ever scene Gary do stand up then you know he can put the "F" in "fool." Man he's come a long way since BET Comic View.  Big Ups Gary!

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7 Reasons to Support Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day

In case you haven't heard there's TWO black films audiences can support this weekend--Think Like A Man which opens today and Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day which was released last week.  No need to choose one or the other, SEE BOTH.

But being that Woman Thou Art Loosed is an INDEPENDENT FILM, released only through AMC theaters, it could easily become an out of sight out of mind film. I want to make sure that it stays in your mind. Why? For some 7 important reasons:

1. Though marketed to church folk, this film is not your traditional faith based film. It's a little "earthier" than some may be accustomed to which means it's not preachy. However, nothing is in it that didn't happen between the books of Exodus and Revelations so saints can breath easy and go to the theaters.  And for you not-so saintly, yes of course, there's preaching in it briefly by its Executive Producer, Bishop T.D. Jakes, but "On the 7th Day" is a film about faith, not religion. Don't get those two twisted.

2. The cast: Sharon Leal, Blair Underwood, and Pam Grier. They bring the heat literally and figuratively speaking in this film. Not that New Orleans needed any more heat, but these actors really "bring it"! Leal and Underwood portray, David and Cary, a happily married couple whose child gets abducted. During the investigation sins of the past pit the couple against each other, leaving them both vulnerable to temptations.

Grier portrays a kick-ass detective on the case. Can you say Foxy Brown returns with a southern accent, cowboy hat, and a can of whup-ass for anyone standing in her way of finding the child?

3. It's directed by a woman, an industry veteran, Neema Barnett. Theaters don't generally get a lot of films directed by women, much less women of color. There's no point in placing blame, our energies can be better spent supporting this filmmaking effort by going to the theater to see it with friends.

4. Though Barnett directed it, Underwood has integral roles in front of and behind the camera as a producer and assistant director. That may be odd on a major studio flick, but in the indy world, talents are put in where they fit in; it's a more of a collaborative effort.

5. Overall it's a good film, but not perfect. It has some flaws in the area of camera production and story points in my opinion,  BUT these missteps don't take away from enjoying "On the 7th Day" overall. The strong acting and great story will help you look beyond its faults and feel the need of this couple desperate to find their daughter.

6. Woman Thou Art Loosed : On the 7th Day is only playing in AMC Theaters on a limited number of screens. If it does well at the box office, AMC will release it to more theaters throughout the country. So the actors, producers, director, etc have done their part, now it's time to do ours.

7. And lastly, taken directly from today's news this film also brings to the forefront of our minds the thousands of missing African-American children who never return home, whose cases are still open, and whose families are living with the loss for real. To gain more insight about that visit Blackandmissing.org.

Before you head out to the show, watch actress Sharon Leal discuss her role in the film, shooting in New Orleans, and working with Blair Underwood in this interview conducted by AMC.

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"I Will Follow's" Ava DuVernay Talks Making Sundance History, Tyler Perry

"There's never been a better time to be a black filmmaker..."

Entertainment publicist turned award winning director, Ava DuVernay, is not only a businesswoman, she IS the business when it comes to independent filmmaking. Don't believe me? Let your fingers do the Googling! Behind and in front of the camera, DuVernay has played an major role in getting films, especially black films, to audiences that want to see and support them.

"The biggest challenge as I see it for black filmmakers is developing an audience...."

In this great interview below listen to DuVernay now as a successful director share her insights on being the first African-American woman to earn the prestigious Best Director Award at Sundance, the relevance of film school, her thoughts on the Tyler Perry debate, and much more. If you're thinking of making your first film or working in this business of show, truly listen to what she has to say because it's a REAL example of how we live and work in Hollywood.  Overnight successes really take several years.

Then AFTER YOU WATCH the video, head over to her Twitter and Facebook pages and fan/follower her. But don't stop there; don't just talk about it, be about it! Join AFFRM, the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement, and support DuVernay's upcoming film AT THE THEATER, "Middle of Nowhere" in October, and her last one, "I Will Follow."  Also, take notice of other great films mentioned on the AFFRM website that are being released. That should dispel the myth that their aren't many good indy black films being made much anymore.

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