Lash Extensions 101: Faux And Fabulous
Happy Birthday, Mr. T!
Despite a substantial media campaign, the romantic comedy 'Just Wright' failed to meet and exceed box office predictions, landing in fourth place this past weekend with an estimated $8.5 million dollars.
The Sanaa Hamri directed film about love and basketball, which received mixed reviews, stars Common and Queen Latifah, who also co-produced it. Wendy and Lisa, formerly of Prince's the Revolution, did the music. Many box office experts expected the film to gross at least $10 million.
Boxofficeguru.com states that the opening was decent, but not great, and should find a bigger audience on DVD for Fox Searchlight.
Latifah's last romantic film, 'Last Holiday,' which paired her with LL Cool J, had a better opening, with $12.8 million.
Staying put at No. 1 for a second week was 'Iron Man 2,' which dropped 58 percent of its opening take and brought in an estimated $53 million. In two weeks, the comic book film, which stars Robert Downey, Jr. and Don Cheadle has tallied $212 million domestically.,
Coming in second place was the latest version of 'Robin Hood,' starring Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett. The Ridley Scott film brought in $37.1 million.
Landing in third place with $13.7 million was the romantic drama 'Letters to Juliet,' which stars Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave.
Rounding out the top five was the animated film 'How to Train Your Dragon,' with $5.1 million. The 3-D Paramount Pictures film has generated $207 million after eight weeks
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Queen Latifah is one of the few hip-hop artists to become a Hollywood star. At 40, she's amassed success as a businesswoman, actress, singer, rapper and spokeswoman and won countless awards, including a Golden Globe, a Grammy, an NAACP Image Award and a SAG award. Here, Blackvoices.com takes a look at Queen Latifah: Through the Years.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Dana Elaine Owens was born in Newark, N.J. She got her stage name, Queen Latifah, from her cousin at age 8.
The moniker means "delicate" and "gentle" in Arabic.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Basketball remains one of Latifah's favorite sports. In high school, at 5-foot-10, she was a power forward on the girls team.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Way before rapping, Latifah actually sang: According to legend, she performed the song 'Home,' from the musical The Wiz in a high school play.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Latifah released her debut, 'All Hail the Queen, in 1989. At 19, she became a hip-hop success story, thanks in large part to her female anthem, 'Ladies First,' which featured Monie Love, and the album's first single, 'Wrath of My Madness.'
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Latifah has had a longtime association with Essence magazine, which is recognized as the best-selling periodical for black women. In this photo, she is pictured with the magazine's longtime editor Susan Taylor in 1990.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
The commercial and critical success of 'All Hail the Queen' allowed Latifah to perform in Europe and even take the stage at the famed Apollo Theater. The album quickly reached platinum status.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Queen Latifah enjoyed an early taste of mainstream success with her contribution to the soundtrack of the 1991 blaxploitation film 'New Jack City.' Titled 'For the Love of Money/Living for the City,' the track also featured Troop, and Levert and was a medley of Stevie Wonder's 'Living for the City' and The O'Jays' 'For the Love of Money.' The track reached #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
Spike Lee is said to have handpicked Latifah to portray the no-nonsense waitress, Lashawn, in 'Jungle Fever.' The movie, which tackled the subject of interracial relationships, starred a who's who of Hollywood black talent, including Wesley Snipes, Halle Berry, Samuel L. Jackson, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. Stevie Wonder performed the entire movie soundtrack.
Queen Latifah: Through the Years
In 1991, Latifah released her second and last studio album for Tommy Boy Records. 'Nature of a Sista' featured one of her signature tracks, 'Latifah's Had it Up 2 Here.'
Comments: (67)
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By: meanvee on 5/17/2010 1:06PM
It would have done better if it had opened a week or two later, you have the blockbuster Iron man 2 still pretty hot from last week and another big budget picture opening this week also in Robin Hood, so I think it would have done better on a weekend with no big buget film openings.
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By: G. E. N. on 5/20/2010 8:42PM
I agree, it came out too late for Valentines day, or it could've came out 2 weeks before the NBA starts playing.
Besides, romance is dead in the USA. Most folks these days only interested in a 'hook up' or a 'bootie call'
And now with young d/l males wearing their pants below their crotch, the term 'booty call' has a whole new meaning.
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By: rootsyd on 5/17/2010 1:31PM
i think its pretty obvious why this film tanked. First, Latifah is no big convincer that she is even slightly into a man. Common has no appeal at all not even as a basketball player. I know we aren't always revolution spitting, fire down below type of Black folk, but this crap looked absolutely sappy. Like what time warp have they been living in -- basketball??? yawn, is there anything else we can center our love around?
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By: juana on 5/18/2010 8:53AM
First of all ROOTSYD, the movie was great. If you didn't see it, don't blow air out of your butt about something that you know nothing about. We need to support our black actors regarding of their sexual preferences. And for your info, their love was not centered around basketball. It was all about trust, believing and respect. Go see the movie and stop hating you lil raggamuffin
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By: saveIThussy on 5/18/2010 9:01PM
(Latifah is no big convincer that she is even slightly into a man.)
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By: saveIT on 5/19/2010 12:06AM
AMEN 100 times to this statement! Queen Latifah needs to STOP taking on roles where she has to be the other love interest in the relationship in movies. She DOES NOT LIKE MEN and there's no chemistry with her and a man PERIOD because she acts like one her damn self. She needs to give it up and let those kinda roles go and leave it to a more feminine actress, one that loves men naturally and was born to love men and have a natural attraction for men! The Queen is a p**** lover and loves women and it's about time she comes clean with it. Hell, if Wanda Sikes, Jane Velez-Mitchell from "Issues" of CNN, along with other women in the spotlight can come clean and admit they're gay, so can she. We all see it and know, especially proving the point being in her role in 'SetIt Off'
As far as my man Common, he didn't have the right woman/actress to enhance his role and for that instant/natural chemistry to seem obvious and real on the screen to the viewers. Sorry you did do as well as expected Common, besides, look at who had to play your love interest, a closeted d*ke! You would've done better having Alicia Keys playing that role instead of Q.L.
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By: sharkchops on 5/20/2010 9:31AM
I have to agree. Queen is widely known to be a lez so why is she even faking the funk here? On top of that, even as an actress she doesn't carry that much sex appeal for men. Alot the roles she's taken in the past suggest a very butch and testosterone-driven female. Not the type many men are attracted to. They would have been better off letting a real sexy woman like Paula Patton take the lead role. No, I didn't see the movie but the trailers convinced me I didn't want to see because I didn't believe in it.
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By: Aaron on 5/20/2010 10:43AM
I'm with you besides this genre being over done, Latifa (I stoped using Queen when she did that minstril movie with Steve Martin). Seems like she forgot how to act. From the movie trailer (always the best of the film) I would have thought that this was her 2nd movie. If you want to see a romantic sports movie pick up ,Love and Basketball. "What we playen for?" "I'll play you for your heart" Man I love that movie.
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By: chris on 5/20/2010 11:41AM
Lol!!
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By: Mrs. DMS on 5/20/2010 12:02PM
I've got to totally agree. The two main characters just didn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, seeing some different people play the role, is good and mixes things up, but come on! Although I like me some Queen La, I just wasn't convinced that the movie would be able to sell her as THE love interest of a man, and in this case, Common. Everyone's personal life is their business, but Gabriel Union and Idris Elba may have been better pics to sell. Sorry, but I knew this movie wasn't going to shine, as it could have.
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