With 'Our Family Wedding' currently out in theaters, Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is switching gears and going from being in a romantic comedy to starring in a futuristic action-thriller with Jude Law in 'Repo Men.'

Humans have extended and improved our lives through highly sophisticated and expensive mechanical organs created by a company called The Union. The dark side of these medical breakthroughs is that if you don't pay your bill, The Union sends its highly skilled repo men to take back its property... with no concern for your comfort or survival.

Law plays Remy, one of the best organ repo men in the business. But when he suffers a cardiac failure on the job, he awakens to find himself fitted with the company's top-of-the-line heart-replacement... as well as a hefty debt. But a side effect of the procedure is that his heart's no longer in the job. When he can't make the payments, The Union sends its toughest enforcer, Remy's former partner Jake (played by Whitaker), to track him down.

Now that the hunter has become the hunted, Remy joins Beth (played by Alice Braga), another debtor who teaches him how to vanish from the system. And as he and Jake embark on a chase across a landscape populated by maniacal friends and foes, one man will become a reluctant champion for thousands on the run.

In speaking with Black Voices, both Whitaker and Law spoke about the films and the roles they play.

Did you know anyone who had to deal with an actual repossession?

Forest Whitaker: Oh, yeah, I've had friends who've had cars repossessed, and I've known people who've had their homes taken.

Jude Law: You said something really interesting earlier, to take it further, to lose your home, you should say it, to lose your home, people can lose belongings, you lose your car, you lose your job, you lose your home, but this idea of taking it further, I am myself, I own myself, the idea that they own you, too, and they're coming to take it.

FW: They have emotional questions too; when you lose everything, when someone takes everything, your house, your home, and then a part of yourself, you feel a loss, the emotional loss is so powerful.

In creating your characters back-stories how much did you two work it out and inform each other in developing your interactions?

FW: Jude worked on the script for awhile with Miguel (Sapochinick, the director) at the beginning of the film. I came on towards the end, and there was just discussions, little discussions about these markers, what scenes we were going to shoot, what scenes we weren't going to shot, and what was necessary to make sure we told the simple backstory of our characters to bond us, to complete the world, and to create this weird universe that we were going to live in.

Once we realized the bonds they had since they were children, and when they went into the army -- how these things would affect them -- in being able to be members of society and in how the Union, and the government (gave them a place in society). That was really important to the movement of our characters, and to the human part of the movie -- about their friendship, and separation, and about people who were growing in different directions. It was all a part of it in some way. We didn't have long, hour-long discussion.

JL: No, it's funny, we really didn't... [but] it's thrilling when people watch your performances and can say what worked and what didn't. It's not something you sit around and create or orchestrate, because that's like dissecting a friendship, which seems unhelpful, or unhealthy. But a lot of it was on paper. We did both have our filmmaker hats on to fight for certain scenes, in flashbacks, but an awful lot did get cut in the end.

Little bits like coming back and little bits that we knew were worth fighting for, rather than talking about, let's see a little of those moments, we particularly thought it was important to see them in combat together.

Did you have to hide your director's hat to work on this?

FW: The whole thing was to create a universe, a world. Every great movie is its own universe, its own world, with its own rules and stuff. I can't say that I would do it that way, but what (Miguel) did was create a universe that allows you to fall into it, and believe and trust in what we're doing, and we were committed to those motives, we would do anything, as far as we needed to, to get inside the truth of what this universe was.

JL: One of the scenes I found the most important was when Beth (played by Braga, she is his fellow fugitive) and Remy repossess each other. To get that far there had to be a sort of embrace of the violence in a way; two people coming together physically like that it could almost be lovemaking, a sharing of something, a sharing of agony rather than sharing pleasure.

FW: It was a bit bleak to do things that broadly, to go so far out, like 'A Clockwork Orange'-y or 'Monty Python'-y, because you have the chance to fall on your face.

JL: 'A Clockwork Orange' was a big influence on Miguel.

Did you do any research on the proper way to do the removal of organs?

JL: I worked with a surgeon in London. I bought a half side of a pig, because pig flesh is very like human flesh, and he taught me how to cut through that with scalpels, and then we worked with a guy in Toronto.

FW: A surgeon. For my characte is not a neat kind of guy; he just is into retrieval, so I watched that and discarded that and went with the knife and fork concept.

Is there more theater or independent films underway for either of you?

JL: Maybe later this year.

FW: I'm going to go very shortly to Shanghai to do this movie, 'Little Treasure,' about adoption, my character, his friend and his wife go to adopt a child, and they start to question her sense of cultural identity, they start to question her sense of being able to raise a child, and issues like that--that's the next film I'll do.

JL: I don't know actually what I'm going to do next. Hit a bump with a hammer? It's quite hard to read scripts after you've done 'Hamlet' So I'm not really sure, I don't know. I may be doing another Sherlock Holmes, but that's not certain.

I'm working with a wonderful writer/director team in London, they're going to do a play in summer or winter of next year, they're writing that now. And 'Contagion' (directed by Steven Soderbergh) is not until the end of the year. I'm one of a large number of people in a big ensemble, so I'll be doing my 10 days in San Francisco.

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Jennifer Aniston stars in the romantic comedy, 'The Bounty Hunter.'

Directed by Andy Tennant ('Hitch'), the film also star Gerard Butler, Jason Sudeikis, Dorian Missick, Joel Marsh Garland, and Christine Baranski.

Milo Boyd (played by Butler), a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter, gets his dream job when he is assigned to track down his bail-jumping ex-wife, reporter Nicole Hurly (played by Aniston). He thinks all that's ahead is an easy payday, but when Nicole gives him the slip so she can chase a lead on a murder cover-up, Milo realizes that nothing ever goes simply with him and Nicole. The exes continually one-up each other - until they find themselves on the run for their lives. They thought their promise to love, honor and obey was tough - staying alive is going to be a whole lot tougher.

*****

'The Princess and the Frog' arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment this week.

A timeless heroine in the tradition of Snow White, Ariel, Jasmine and the rest of the beloved royal sisterhood, Tiana comes to life with classic hand-drawn Disney animation from the revered team of John Musker and Ron Clements and a jazz-infused musical score from Academy Award winning composer Randy Newman.

A royal procession of exclusive bonus features, including games and specially- created featurettes, take viewers on a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the storied French Quarter of New Orleans and into the magic-steeped bayou for hours of can't-miss family entertainment.

'The Princess and the Frog' transports audiences to glorious, glamorous New Orleans as Tiana, the first African American Disney princess meets her frog prince and gives him the fateful kiss that leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical, magical bayous of Louisiana. '

The Princess and the Frog's' colorful cast of one-of-a-kind new characters joyfully raises the roof, with voice performances from stars including Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, Jim Cummings, Michael- Leon Wooley, Bruno Campos , Peter Bartlett,Terrence Howard, Jennifer Cody, Oprah Winfrey and John Goodman.

*****

Neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of night...can keep these hoops junkies off the asphalt courts. 'More than a Game' is a rollicking and oft-times heartbreaking account of Chicago playground basketball. Featuring NBA stars, local legends and everyday players, the documentary makes for a fascinating companion to Hoop Dreams, which was released that same year.

Over the course of three years, filmmakers Joe Angio and Joel Cohen traversed Chicago's playgrounds to find out why so many people - primarily black inner-city dwellers - devoted their lives to basketball. At the time of the film's release, more NBA players came from Chicago than anywhere else; here, we hear from three of the best. Phoenix Suns all-star forward Eddie Johnson, former Utah Jazz all-star guard Rickey Green, and future Atlanta Hawks all-star Glenn "Doc" Rivers - who would go on to coach the Boston Celtics to an NBA title.

Of course, only a select few graduate from the playgrounds to the NBA. The film also reveals the stories of those who didn't make it. And then there are the games themselves, hard-fought and competitive. Witnessing this passion and intensity we begin to understand why the game is so important to countless players, young and old. Why, in fact, it is More than a Game.

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After numerous actors auditioned for the role, 'Precious' director Lee Daniels has gone overseas and cast British actor David Oyelowo to play Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his upcoming film, 'Selma.'

The Hollywood Reporter states that Hugh Jackman is on board as a racist sheriff in the tale revolving around the historic marches staged by King in 1965 in Selma, Alabama. The part of Alabama Governor George Wallace remains up for grabs. It was reported earlier that Robert De Niro was to play the role, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet.

Oyelowo, who was last seen opposite Jill Scott in the premiere of HBO's critically acclaimed series 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency,' was also in the TV version of 'A Raisin in the Sun' with Sean Combs and Sanaa Lathan. His upcoming films include playing Muddy Waters in 'Who Do You Love?' and stars in George Lucas' 'Red Tails' with Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr.

At the current moment, Daniels is still working out the financing for the film.

"It's a moment in time in Martin Luther King and LBJ's [life] around the signing of the civil rights [legislation]," Daniels told Comingsoon.net's Ed Douglas in October. "It's a snapshot of the march. It's really Lyndon Johnson's story. Martin Luther King is a part of it, but it's really the arc of a man that starts out as a racist, who is forced to look at himself in the mirror and then ultimately side with King. It's really a journey of a white cat and how he sneers at tradition."

Daniels recently garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Director for his film, 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire.' He won the Independent Spirit Award for his dPrecious Lee Daniels DVDirection of the gritty drama, which netted Academy Awards for screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher and actress Mo'Nique.

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Recently at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, producer/ writer Robert Rodriguez showed a peek to his latest film, 'Predators.'

Directed by Nimrod Antal, the film stars Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, Walton Goggins, Oleg Taktarov, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, and Louiz Ozawa.

A bold new chapter in the Predator universe, 'Predators' was shot on location under Rodriguez's creative auspices at the filmmaker's Austin-based Troublemaker Studios.

Adrien Brody stars as Royce, a mercenary who reluctantly leads a group of elite warriors who come to realize they've been brought together on an alien planet... as prey. With the exception of a disgraced physician, they are all cold-blooded killers - mercenaries, Yakuza, convicts, death squad members - human "predators" that are now being systemically hunted and eliminated by a new breed of alien Predators.

20th Century Fox will release the film on July 7.

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Directed by Sanaa Hamri ('Something New') and written by Michael Elliot ('Brown Sugar'), 'Just Wright' stars Queen Latifah as Leslie Wright, a straight-shooting physical therapist who gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight (played by Common).

All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig of a lifetime and the tug-of-war inside her heart. Oblivious to her romantic overtures, McKnight is instead drawn to the affections of Leslie's gorgeous childhood friend Morgan (played by Paula Patton), who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife. Is Leslie destined to play the role of "best friend" forever or will Scott finally see that what he always wanted is right in front of him?

Set against the exciting world of championship basketball, the game of love takes on the battle of the sexes in the romantic sports comedy 'Just Wright', starring three of Hollywood's most charismatic personalities as they navigate the full-court-press of love.

The film is Produced by Debra Martin Chase, Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere, the film also stars Phylicia Rashad, Pam Grier, James Pickens, Jr. and features NBA all star cameos.

Fox Searchlight will release the film on May 14.

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While Oscar winner Forest Whitaker attempts to reinvent himself with each different film, comedy doesn't seem to be his his forte.

His latest film, 'Our Family Wedding,' which also stars Regina King, America Ferrera, Lance Gross, and Carlos Mencia, is filled with clichés from familiar films such as 'Guess Who?,' which starred Bernie Mac, Ashton Kutcher and Zoe Saldana, and 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?,' with Sidney Poitier. While 'Dinner' was a groundbreaking film, this film is not as funny as the Mac film, long in the tooth, and very predictable from start to finish.

Directed by Rick Famuyiwa and set in Los Angeles, Lucia Ramirez (played by Ferrera) and Marcus Boyd (played by Gross) are returning home from Columbia University and figuring out ways to not only tell their parents of their relationship, but also mention that they are engaged, and want to get married as quick as possible.

Marcus is a medical school grad looking to work in Laos unpaid, while Lucia is awaiting her Mexican American traditional parents' reaction when she tells them that he's African American and also that she dropped out of law school to become a teacher.

Marcus' father, Brad (played by Whitaker) is a successful radio host and playboy who fancies young starlets, while his most trusted friend and long time lawyer (King) is waiting to see when he will wise up and notice her. One day, he comes across Miguel (played by Mencia), who coming to toll his car for being illegally park. From the start, these two don't get along and it only gets worse once they meet again for dinner arranged by Marcus and Miguel's daughter, Lucia. With the kids eager to get married, both men agree to put aside their differences for the sake of the wedding, although their Lucia's big family wants to have a traditional Mexican wedding filled with the works. Miguel is also not cool with Lucia 'supporting' Marcus once she gets hired by a law firm.

The problem with 'Wedding' is that although the races are different, we've seen this setting before, so the payoff is predictable.

As good as he tries to be funny, Whitaker has no funny bones. The scene with Charlie Murphy and Taye Diggs, in which Murphy sings Babyface's quiet storm classic, 'Soon as I Get Home,' is one of the few highlights.

On the other hand, Mencia is actually a comedian by nature, and while he lifts the film to a certain level of amusement, the longer the film goes, the more his jokes become dry and old. The beautiful Regina King is too good for her role to be so minimal. She had a better and similar role in 'A Thin Line Between Love and Hate.'

With Ferrara of 'Ugly Betty' and Gross of 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne' being the main attractions, they merely seem like props to lure in their TV fans. Their scenes together are so heavily contrived that the film feels like a sitcom stretched into a big screen dramedy.

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For actors like Nicoye Banks, landing parts in big screen films is always a blessing. But to have two different, high profile films out in the same time period -- for different audiences-- is amazing.

The New Orleans native, whose previous films include 'G' with Blair Underwood, and 'Invincible' with Mark Walhberg, is currently in theaters with 'Brooklyn's Finest' opposite Wesley Snipes and Don Cheadle and will be featured opposite Matt Damon in 'The Green Zone.'

Directed by Paul Greengrass, the film centers on a U.S. Army officer (played by Damon), who upon discovering covert and faulty intelligence, goes rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region. Banks is an soldier in Damon's unit.

We caught up to the rising thespian this week...

Are you happy to have two films out in theaters at the same time?

Nicoye Banks: I am very excited that two very good films are coming out within the same month; heck, a week apart. How often does that happen? It has been busy, but worth every minute of the stress, worry, planning and re-planning that has occurred.

Tell us about the role you play in 'The Green Zone.'

NB: I play Sgt. Perry, an E.O.D specialist, in a special unit in Iraq. I'm with Matt Damon's unit looking for weapons of mass destruction. Ranking wise, I was third in command of this unit.

How did you get the part, was it a tough audition?

NB: I auditioned against real veterans who served at one time or another in the war, as well as other actors. It was very tough because there wasn't a set criteria they were looking for. We didn't even know the full name of the film project. There were no sides or a script, so normal preparation could not take place. It was improv! I love improv, but I kept saying to myself, "But this is a Matt Damon movie." Surely, they will be coming with something else, and they didn't. I don't know how or why, but I was selected. Besides Matt, I'm the only non-military person within our unit. "Wow,' is what I kept saying to myself the first three weeks I was in Spain.

How was working with Matt Damon?

NB: I learned valuable lessons watching Matt, speaking with him, as well as being assessible to his small inner circle. He is very smart, witty, open, and very down to earth. He's also personable and responsible.

Did you do any research for your role?

NB: My sister Naja served in the war, so I asked her for her input. I also read the novel, 'The Imperial Life in the Green Zone.' Since there was no script provided until weeks into shooting, I didn't know what to think. I didn't know who my character was.

What did you learn from the film, politically?

NB: That you keep cool about your personal politics. Try to know your stuf and don't take what someone, anyone, gives and says to you.

How much fun did you have working on 'Brooklyn's Finest?'

NB: Shooting 'Brooklyn's Finest' was surreal. I kept saying to my friends, 'I'm working right along with Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes. Antoine (Fuqua) is a general. He's very intense, focused and honed in.

How challenging has it been to land film roles?

NB: There is always a challenge as everyone goes for the same roles, but you must go in like you know your stuff and do your thing and just keep on doing it.

Since you're from New Orleans, were you happy the Saints won the Super Bowl?

NB: I'm thrilled!! This is monumental, and very similar to President Obama winning. All my young years, we just wanted to make it to the playoffs, so this is great indeed.

What's next for you?

NB: I'll be in an episode of 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent.' I'm also in an indie film called 'Changing the Game.'

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In the romantic drama "Remember Me," 'Twilight's Robert Pattinson plays Tyler, a rebellious young man in New York City who has a strained relationship with his father (played by Pierce Brosnan) ever since tragedy separated their family. Tyler didn't think anyone could possibly understand what he was going through until the day he met Ally (played by Emilie de Ravin) through an unusual twist of fate. Love was the last thing on his mind, but as her spirit unexpectedly heals and inspires him, he begins to fall for her. Through their love, he begins to find happiness and meaning in his life. Soon, hidden secrets are revealed, tragedy lingers in the air, as the circumstances that brought them together threaten to tear them apart.

Set in the summer of 2001, 'Remember Me' is an unforgettable story about the power of love, the strength of family, and the importance of living passionately and treasuring every day of one's life.

*****

Out on Blu-ray and DVD is the film that took home the history-making Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Geoffrey Fletcher, and Best Supporting Actress prize for Mo'Nique.

Directed by Lee Daniels,'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire' is set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones (played by Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically.

School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an un-shakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. Precious doesn't know the meaning of "alternative," but her instincts tell her this is the chance she has been waiting for.

In the literacy workshop taught by the patient yet firm Ms. Rain (played by Paula Patton), Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination.

*****

'Occupation: Dreamland' is an unflinchingly candid portrait of a squad of American soldiers deployed in the doomed Iraq city of Falluja during the winter of 2004. A collective study of the soldiers unfolds as they patrol an environment of low-intensity conflict creeping steadily towards catastrophe. Through the squads activities Occupation: Dreamland provides a vital glimpse into the last days of Falluja. The film documents the citys waning stability before a final series of military assaults began in the spring of 2004 that effectively destroyed it. Filmmakers Garrett Scott and Ian Olds were given access to all operations of the Armys 82nd Airborne. They lived with the unit 24/7, giving voice to soldiers held under a strict code of authority as they cope with an ambiguous, often lethal environment. The result is a revealing, sometimes surprising look at Army life, operations and the complexity of American war in the 21st century.

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In a film that stars Don Cheadle, Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, and Wesley Snipes, one of the scene stealers of Antoine Fuqua's 'Brooklyn's Finest' is actress Shannon Kane.

The Kalamazoo, MI native is also seen on the daytime soap, 'All My Children, playing Jesse Hubbard's daughter and police officer Natalia.

In 'Finest,' three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location after enduring vastly different career paths.

Kane plays who a hooker involved with Gere's character.

While speaking to Black Voices, Kane talks about working with Gere, moving back home to LA, and her role on the ABC soap.

What was the attraction to playing this role?

Shannon Kane: Antoine (Fuqua) saw this film similar to 'Crash,' where there are different storylines within the film that all intersect in the end. As for me being in the film, a lot of it had to do with the cast. The cast was amazing and working with Antoine, I knew that he would deliver a certain reality that in my career I haven't been able to come across. That is what lured me to take the role.

Not only are you playing a prostitute, but a Latina from Brooklyn. How did you prepare for it so that it looks authentic on-screen?

SK: That was definitely a journey. I had a good friend who had a cousin from New York. She was a Puerto Rican to the T, speaking really fast and heavy with the accent. The moment I met her, I automatically knew I would have to study her for the role. She reminded me a lot of Rosie Perez, and I followed her, interviewed her, and got to know her and her culture. In terms of getting dark and exploring what you may call the lady of the night, I interviewed a prostitute in New York and she gave me her life story as to how she ended up living this life. I studied Spanish for a year when I was in Mexico City, but I'm not as fluent as I should be. I do speak the language.

Most actresses starting out choose not to do nudity in films, but you chose differently. Why so? Was there any hesitation at all?

SK: Definitely. It was hard to take on at first, but once I got into the role, I realized that I had a lot more to do than just take off my clothes. As long I'm in character, everything else just transforms and comes to me naturally. It was just on with the game.

How was working with Richard Gere?

SK: Working with Richard was an extraordinary experience. He's a Buddhist and believes in peace. The feeling I had around him was very comforting. In order to do these risky scenes that we had to pull off, it took a lot of trust. We both became close and trusting of one another.

These last few years, you've traveled from Kalamazoo, MI to New York City and now Los Angeles. How's it working out?

SK: It's really about taking chances. It's the same outlook I had when I did the film. It's my dream and motivation to keep on going.

How's working on the soap?

SK: It's fantastic. We just recently moved to LA and just like the new studio, the actors have come with brand new energy to make it a joy to be there. It's great to be part of the reformation of the show.

Unlike most of the veterans on the show, who have lived from the most part in New York and have to adjust to the West coast, you came to the city from LA.

SK: Yes, for me, this was an easy transition to come back here. It's actually a relief. When you're in New York, you have to hustle everywhere because it's so crowded and you don't get the time to enjoy the lifestyle of privacy. That's what I got coming back to LA.

Should we expect more on the show from Natalia?

SK: Definitely. I'm doing some work right now where Natalia recently goes under cover and if you stayed tuned you'll see more of me out of the police uniform.

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Now that the Academy Awards are over, Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe will be heading to the small screen as the Brooklyn, New York native is set to star opposite Laura Linney and Oliver Platt in the dark comedy series, 'The Big C' for the Showtime network.

Set in the Connecticut suburbs, the half-hour series stars Linney as Cathy, a repressed suburban wife and mother who reclaims her life after a terminal cancer diagnosis. Platt will play her immature, but well-meaning husband.

Sidibe, who was nominated for her role in Lee Daniels' 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire,' will play a smart-alecky student in Cathy's class.

*MORE: Howard Stern & Robin Quivers Criticize Gabby For Being Obese

'The Big C,' which will begin shooting 13 episodes in May for a late summer premiere, is created and written by Darlene Hunt, who will serve as executive producer, along with Linney, Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. It is produced by Original Film in association with Sony Pictures Television. Acclaimed writer/director/producer Bill Condon ('Dreamgirls') directed the pilot.

Sidibe's next film role is a supporting part in the independent film, 'Yelling to the Sky,' which is directed by Victoria Mahoney, and co-stars Zoe Kravitz, Jason Clarke, Antonique Smith, Yolonda Ross, and Shareeka Epps.

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The day after the Academy Awards ceremony was over, while some folks were talking about 'The Hurt Locker' and its win over 'Avatar' for Best Picture, a lot of attention was being paid over the odd moment when Roger Ross Williams was rudely interrupted on stage by Elinor Burkett as he accepted the Oscar for Best Documentary (Short Subject) for 'Music by Prudence.'

Both sides are blaming each other for the fiasco. In an interview given to Salon.com, Burkett, who produced 'Prudence,' stated: "The director and I had a bad difference over the direction of the film that resulted in a lawsuit that has settled amicably out of court. But there have been all these events around the Oscars, and I wasn't invited to any of them. And he's not speaking to me. So we weren't even able to discuss ahead of the time who would be the one person allowed to speak if we won. And then, as I'm sure you saw, when we won, he raced up there to accept the award. And his mother took her cane and blocked me. So I couldn't get up there very fast. I felt my role in this has been denigrated again and again, and it wasn't going to happen this time."

According to Williams, he was told by the Academy's publicist that only one person would able to go on stage and accept the award.

Because of the differences each has for the film, Burkett had walked away from the project, but yet retained a producer's credit. "I own the film. She has no claim whatsoever. She has nothing to do with the movie. She just ambushed me. I was sort of in shock," stated Williams.

'Prudence' tells the story of Prudence Mabhena, a Zimbabwean singer who suffers from arthrogryposis, a debilitating condition that causes curved and misshapen joints and limbs. The film showcases the musical success of Mabhena and her band Liyana.

The Easton, Pennsylvania native appeared on Larry King's widely watched CNN talk show Monday night and aired the speech he was prepared to say when the mayhem began. (See clip below)

This is the first Academy Award for Williams, a filmmaker who now lives in New York and is a 1983 graduate of Northampton Community College.

The term 'Kanye'd' is in reference to rap superstar Kanye West's much publicized onstage interruption of Taylor Swift's award winning moment at last year's MTV VMA awards.

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Paramount Pictures has just released a full trailer to 'Iron Man 2.'

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances -- and confront powerful enemies.

The film opens on May 7, 2010.

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With 10 films nominated this year for Best Picture, and 'Avatar,' and 'The Hurt Locker' leading the pack, the other nominees haven't been a factor in the race. Could there be a shocker in the making come Sunday night when awards are announced?

The 82nd annual Academy Awards will air on March 7 at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST) and broadcast live from Los Angeles on ABC.

Here's another look at the 10 films nominated for Best Picture

'Avatar' - Directed by James Cameron, and starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Peter Mensah, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi, and Stephen Lang,

'The Blind Side' - Directed by John Lee Hancock, and starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Kathy Bates, Quinton Aaron, Lily Collins, and Jae Head

'District 9' - Directed by Neill Blomkamp, and starring Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope, Nathalie Boltt, and Sylvaine Strike

'An Education' - Directed by Lone Scherfig, and starring Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson, and Sally Hawkins

'The Hurt Locker' - Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes, and Guy Pearce

'Inglourious Basterds' - Directed by Quentin Taratino and starring Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Brühl, Eli Roth, Samm Levine, B.J. Novak, and Til Schweiger

'Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire' - Directed by Lee Daniels, and starring Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, and Lenny Kravitz

'A Serious Man' - Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, and starring Michael Stuhlbarg, Fred Melamed, Richard Kind, Aaron Wolf, Sari Wagner, Jessica McManus, and Adam Arkin

'Up' - Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson and featuring the voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, and Jerome Ranft

'Up in the Air' - Directed by Jason Reitman, and starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Amy Morton, Danny McBride, J.K. Simmons, and Tamala Jones

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Just about every dramatic cop film, from 'Serpico' to 'Magnum Force' to 'Cop Land,' involves corruption within the police force. And there's always a character who believes he's above the law.

All that and more can be found in Antoine Fuqua's latest film, 'Brooklyn's Finest.' There's plenty of clichéd themes, violence and mayhem, but with Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and Wesley Snipes leading the charge, there's enough intensity and well-acted performances to wet your appetite. 'Finest' is 'New Jack City' meets 'The Wire.'

Set in Brooklyn, N.Y., where several drug busts are going down, the film follows the lives of three cops who have lost their sense of right and wrong. Sal (Hawke) is in a big financial bind and uses his badge to help himself to some illegal cash to support a growing family and a sick wife.

Veteran cop Eddie Dugan (Gere), who has a penchant for hookers, decides to turn his back on crime with just days left on the job before retirement. When the top brass elect him to train rookies, he isn't pleased and doesn't hide his attitude to the recruits (Logan Marshall-Green and Jesse Williams).

Finally, undercover cop Clarence, known as Tango (Cheadle) in the streets, is looking for a way out and a promotion for the work and time he's put in, but his commanding officer needs him to build a case on a paroled drug dealer named Caz (Snipes). Tango is reluctant to bring in Caz, whom he befriended while the two were locked up. Needless to say, Caz is unaware of Tango's true identity.

More intense than 'Training Day,' 'Finest' brings out the best of Hawke, who shows that he has impressive range as actor. Seeing Cheadle play gangsta and be credible isn't hard. His character in this film is similar to his role as Mouse in 'Devil in a Blue Dress.' He's just as good now as he was then. Gere masters his role as the resigned and jaded cop biding his time. It's cliche, but the actor makes the best of it. For his big-screen comeback, Snipes channels his inner Nino Brown, but this time, he brings a lot of maturity to the role.

Although the three cops have separate stories, in a world of coincidence, things come to a gritty convergence in one nerve-wracking final sequence that drags on. It doesn't take much to predict the film's outcome. But if you love the genre and are a glutton for more, 'Finest' more than delivers.

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If you are a big fan of rapper Jay-Z, and didn't attend the Madison Square Garden benefit concert on Sept. 11, 2009, a documentary what happened on stage and off will be shown for free on Absolut's facebook page.

Directed by Danny Clinch, 'NY-Z,' will be streaming beginning on March 22.

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From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes the epic 3-D fantasy adventure 'Alice in Wonderland,' a magical and imaginative twist on one of the most beloved stories of all time.

Johnny Depp stars as the Mad Hatter and Mia Wasikowska as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and, of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen's reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Crispin Glover.

Out on DVD and Blu-ray is '2012,' which stars John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton and Woody Harrelson. This riveting tale follows a group of disparate humans struggling to survive a global catastrophe predicted by the ancient Mayans.

Discover the truth behind the Mayan prophecy for '2012' and the smash hit film it inspired with revealing Blu-ray and DVD bonus features suchas feature length commentary with writer-director Roland Emmerich. Additional bonus features on both the Blu-ray and DVD include an alternate ending, deleted scenes and the 'Time for Miracles' music video, featuring Adam Lambert.

'Stick and Pound' is a documentary short in which Melanie DeMore explains the traditional Gullah art of stick pounding.

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As actors like Kerry Washington and Denzel Washington are venturing into the Great White Way, theater is home base for Anthony Mackie.

Although the world is mostly familiar with his film work, which includes '8 Mile' with Eminem, Spike Lee's 'She Hate Me, Clint Eastwood's 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'Notorious' with Angela Bassett, and this year's Oscar nominated film, 'The Hurt Locker,' the New Orleans native is a stage veteran. He's done numerous Broadway and off-Broadway plays, including 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' with Whoopi Goldberg, 'Drowning Crow' with Alfre Woodard, 'McReele,' and 'A Soldier's Play' with Taye Diggs.

The Juilliard grad is set to return to Broadway with the March 4th opening of 'A Behanding of Spokane,' a dark comedy co-starring Christopher Walken, Zoe Kazan and Sam Rockwell.

John Crowley directs Irish writer Martin McDonagh's play about a man searching for his missing hand (Walken), with two hustlers aiming to make a few hundred bucks (Mackie and Kazan), and curious hotel clerk (Rockwell) looking for excitement in his life.

In speaking with Black Voices, Mackie talked about his return to the stage, the Oscar nods for 'The Hurt Locker' and his quest to play Jesse Owen on the big screen.

Congrats on 'The Hurt Locker.' It's a long journey for that film to go from where it started to where it is now.

Anthony Mackie: Thank you, I appreciate it. It's come a long way.

Now you're back on Broadway with 'A Behanding in Spokane.' What was the attraction?

AM: The script. Martin [McDonagh] put together a group of three-dimensional characters. It's a theatergoing experience. A lot of times when you go to Broadway, it's a musical with singing and dancing. I think to have a cast like this, a playwright like this and a director like this is a true theatergoing experience.

I heard that you were angling for this job. Why this one and not another show?

AM: Just because I try to do different stuff in different ways. I feel like there are a lot of things I know I can do, and a lot of things people have seen me do, but Anthony Mackie is not synonymous with the word "comedy." To put those two words together opens things up to a totally new aspect, 'cause I think I'm a funny dude.

It takes a lot to have funny bones and be credible. What made you think you can do it?

AM: Just 'cause I know myself. I put a lot of time and energy toward making it work. The great thing about doing anything in the performing arts is if you rehearse and work your way to it, it will happen. If you build it, they will come. Somebody pulls me out of the aisle and says, "be funny", that's one thing. But if somebody gives me five weeks to be funny that's completely different. You give me five weeks I can fly a space shuttle.

Let's talk about the character you play. This hustler is caught in a situation he's not supposed to be in.

AM: I'm a hustler trying to make a dollar out of two pennies. I meet this guy who needs some help, and I try to facilitate everything he needs. That's the basis of it.

People will always ask if you see anything of yourself in a character. What do you see in this one?

AM: Ambition. I've always put myself ahead of the rest when it comes to making something out of nothing. This character, when it comes to staying alive and making things work, that's always his strong point.

You're working with three excellent actors, from Zoe to Sam to Chris, all different generations. How do you mingle?

AM: Being a brother in entertainment, if you don't know how to fit in, you're not going to be in this business long. You have to put yourself in a position where you can meet everybody halfway. There are no egos, no insecurities and no bullshit walking around on the set of this play. We all play fair and easily. We all walk the same walk and talk the same talk.

Christopher is an icon. What are you learning on a day-to-day basis that will help you hone your craft?

AM: Patience. The great thing about Chris, and the biggest thing I admire, is he wasn't trying to be perfect the first day of rehearsal. He wasn't trying to put up the final performance the first day of rehearsal. He allowed himself to be bad, and he became this great character over a period of five weeks. I feel like as actors we forget that. We don't allow ourselves to be bad. Christopher Walken, his choices are so dynamic and it takes five weeks to build those choices into a smooth, defining line. That's something I feel I've learned watching him.

Martin's done black comedy before, including 'The Lieutenant of Inishmore.' How was it working with him?

AM: The thing about Martin that's so great is we never had a problem with him being closed-minded or not willing to listen to the actor. If something didn't sound right or didn't quite work, he will take it and give it to us in a different way. He would give us many different options as far as making it work. It was never an issue of "how do I do this?" The biggest plus about this project is the director, John Crowley, is such a stickler for timing that that's what makes the actors and the words mesh together in such a good way.

You're one of the few actors, like Alfred Molina , who can go between theater and film.

AM: Well, thank you. And the thing about theater is it's very forgiving. On any given night you can be great or you can be awful. It just depends on where you are at that time. A lot of actors are great on film because they have multiple times to be great. You can cut together those performances and make them great. I think in theater, you have to be working on your feet. You have to be diligent, you have to be focused and put together a rhythm. You have to have endurance. You have to be a trained athlete just to be in theater. Look at Terrence Howard, when he did off-Boadway. I think the biggest lesson you learn in this business is how to be lazy, and the thing you learn in theater is how not to be lazy.

One of the projects I've heard you're in is 'Night Catches Us,' another independent film. How was working on that?

AM: It's always great working with Kerry Washington. I feel like Kerry brings something out of me as an actor. She challenges me, pushes me to the limits of my craft. I don't have that relationship with too many other people in this business. I feel like whenever I work with her something good will come out of it.

You also have 'The Adjustment Bureau' with Matt Damon. Who's your character in that film?

AM: I play a facilitator for Matt Damon. I walk him through things in his day-to-day life. I'm his assistant you can say. There's a lot of things that happen, and I help him get past that and push him through.

What's going on with the Jesse Owens biopic? Is funding coming together for that?

AM: Jesse Owens is the saga that will never end. It's a movie that deserves to be made, that should be made. Trying to find someone who has the excitement I have for the project is very hard. It's something I work on every day and we're getting closer and closer. It's just taking longer than I expected.

Are you going to the Oscars?

AM: That's my day off so I fly out one morning and come back the next morning.

It should be a crowning glory one way or another. With nine nominations, you can't come home a loser.

AM: You can't beat it, man. Being in 'Million Dollar Baby' was a great experience to have Clint Eastwood stand up there and say my name. This one is a substantial role and to have Jeremy [Renner] be nominated, I feel like that's a credit and a testament to the work we put into the film. If Katherine [Bigelow] wins or the film wins, it's a testament to everyone involved. I feel like at the end of the day, most filmmakers really enjoy the art of making films, and to have 'The Hurt Locker' be made for $11 million with no real big stars is a testament to good filmmaking. You don't need $500 million to make a good movie. You don't even need a million dollars. You just need talent and a dream. A lot of young directors need to look at that. You can get a red digital camera and do a movie on your credit card like Robert Townsend did on 'Hollywood Shuffle,' and make a damn good movie. You got to have the balls and the backbone to put yourself out there and do that on your first movie. Don't try to be rich on your first movie. It's like the NBA, you haven't earned your signing bonus.

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With the 'Big Momma's House' franchise bringing in two box office hits, Martin Lawrence is donning a wig and makeup again to do a third film. Joining him in this venture is Brandon T. Jackson.

Variety states that 20th Century Fox will distribute the movie, and John Whitesell, who directed 'Big Momma's House 2,' will helm the threequel.

In the latest adventure, FBI agent Malcolm Turner and his 17-year-old nephew, Trent, go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school after Trent witnesses a murder. Posing as Big Momma and Charmaine, they must find the murderer before he finds them.

Released in 2000, 'Big Momma's House,' which also starred Nia Long, brought in a worldwide gross of $174 million. Its 2006 sequel, 'Big Momma's House 2,' tallied $138.3 million internationally.

Jackson is currently on the big screen, starring in Fox's 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,' opposite Pierce Brosnan.

Lawrence's next film finds him starring alongside Chris Rock in 'Death At a Funeral.' That opens in April.

There's been no official word about whether Long will be joining the guys.

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In what many are hoping is a comeback to the big screen, Wesley Snipes returns to a genre that made him famous.

In Antoine Fuqua's 'Brooklyn's Finest,' the lives of three conflicted New York City police officers (Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, and Ethan Hawke) are dramatically transformed by their involvement in a massive drug operation.

For Snipes, who plays a paroled drug dealer named Caz, the role is similar to Nino Brown, the character he famously played in 1991's 'New Jack City.'

After battling some legal issues, the Orlando, Fla., native, whose most recent films have gone straight to DVD, is ready to get back in the game.

In speaking to Black Voices, Snipes talks about 'Finest,' working with Cheadle and Fuqua, and doing James Brown on the big screen.

We heard a lot about your legal issues. How's that going for you?

Wesley Snipes: We are all good. We are on the right path. We are very healthy. Things are going well.

You've done this type of film before with 'New Jack City.' What was the draw to come back to it?

WS: That was actually one of the reservations. I didn't want to do a Nino Brown part two. Didn't want to perpetuate the stereotype we see in movies of brothers being drug dealers and criminals. I found that over the years, a lot of guys would come to me and say, "Yo Snipes, that Nino character you did. That was cold! That's me. That's my story. That's what I'm living now." It was almost like I'm living a badge of honor. Guys, I'm not a drug dealer. I'm just an actor who played one. He died in the end. Didn't you get the point? I had reservations, but Antoine worked it out for me. He talked to me about how the character was iconic and how the character would be Nino after incarceration and rehabilitated. So I thought that would be a different angle because that's not endorsing the game; it's a reflection of the futility of the game. Then he told me who was going to be in it, I was like, "Well, two for five!"

How was working with Antoine Fuqua and Don Cheadle?

WS: It was great. Antoine and I have talked about doing a project for a number of years, but the schedules didn't sync. I always wanted to work with Don, just like I wanted to work with Denzel [Washington] and Laurence [Fishburne]. It was actually the strongest motivation for taking the role. I also wanted to see where my chops were at with all these guys getting awards.

This is also another rare film where your character doesn't jump, fight, kick or exert himself.

WS: That was also important. People started calling me an action star, as if that's all I ever done. It was cool to play this role. I don't have to punch anyone. I don't use the N-word, and I don't shoot anyone. All of that was important for me in this film.

What was it like shooting around New York?

WS: I love it. I love it. It's magical to consider one time I was a little boy looking up on the screen, like "Wow, where is that world, Hollywood? Who are those people?" Then to be in the game and come back and shoot in your own neighborhood or places you've traversed on the reg, it's magical. And humbling, too. Puts certain things in perspective. Went up to some of the resident's houses, just to remember how closed it is. Five thousand00 people in a four block radius. "Wow, Wes, this is where you come from."

Do you see this as a comeback of sorts to get back in the Hollywood game?

WS: If they want to call it that it's cool with me. I've been steadily working. I've been doing a lot of projects around the world and overseas. Expanding that fan base. A lot of the action people overseas can appreciate projects like 'Brooklyn's Finest.' I don't mind being in the Hollywood game, but I like having the flexibility, being ambidextrous. I can play with them a little bit then I can play over here. I'm a very proactive cat, I'll create it myself if it's necessary. Our next project is a martial arts family comedy titled 'Master Daddy.' That's something we produced ourselves. Then I'm doing something we call 'African Anime,' which is an animated Web series that we created on our own initiative. That's not something someone from the Hollywood studio or Marvel came and said "Wes, come and be down with us." It's something we put together, till the soil, watch it grow.

What was the motivation to doing those films that played overseas and went straight-to-DVD here in the states?

WS: I saw some value in expanding the brand that way. When I traveled with Sylvester Stallone for the 'Demolition Man' and our Planet Hollywood venture, I saw how action movies translated around the world. I'm physical, and I can do this stuff. If this is the kind of reaction and broad base fan and support you can get, it's a good move. What you can do is take those fans and bring them into pieces like 'Brooklyn's Finest' or 'The Waterdance' and 'Disappearing Acts.'

What kind of roles you would like to be called for?

WS: It would be nice to do a love story. That would be fun. Me and Woody [Harrelson] have been trying to find a comedy like 'White Men Can't Jump.' I really would like to work with my man again. Of course, I want to do the James Brown story. That's for me. That's the baby. I've been and lived in Georgia. I'm very familiar with the culture. I had meetings with Bobby Byrd and all these cats. I had met James a number of times, and the daughters have signed off on me playing the role. I'm very interested in the showing the range of what I can do. I can be physical. I can sing and dance.

What about the vocal skills?

WS: We'll fix that. Even if we have to fly T-Pain out here and he puts that box spin and run it through the process.

With some many reboots, remakes and now 3-D would you entertain returning to the 'Blade' franchise?

WS: I would definitely consider it, but to be honest with you, I'm very proactive. While they were deciding if they wanted to have further conversations about 'Blade,' we went and created new urban superheroes. I have one where I call him the Blade killer. We have some new stuff that's contemporary, and that's putting us a 100 years in the future. It's beyond what's created by Marvel. I know how to do this very well, and I think I have a track record of success that has benefited even Marvel and this new trend of vampire movies, from 'Twilight' on down. All of those films have some residue of Blade in them.

Are you into Manga, comic books, graphic novels?

WS: Oh yeah. Omandi Mech 5. That's my favorite right now. If you'd like to see it there's a YouTube trailer for it.

How's it working with the younger cast of this movie? Some are even from HBO's 'The Wire.' All of them remember 'New Jack City' and 'Devil In a Blue Dress.'

WS: Oh yeah! That's good for me, because we travel in the world, and once you get back to California sometimes you don't get back to the hood that often. Seeing these guys still have that kind of swagger and flavor and click, that was excellent for me. I didn't know exactly what my character was going to be. I started picking things from these different guys. "I'm going to use that, I'm going to use that." To keep it authentic. That was my research. I might owe them commission, right?

'Brooklyn's Finest' opens on March 5.

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Black Voices has exclusively learned that Taraji P. Henson, who will be seen this summer with Jaden Smith in 'The Karate Kid,' is in talks to star in playwright/director David E. Talbert's romantic film, 'Baggage Claim.'

Based on his best-selling debut novel, the story is of a flight attendant with thirty days and thirty thousand miles to find a husband.

Published by Simon and Schuster, 'Baggage Claim' gives you a first-class peek into the wacky world of Montana Moore, a thirty-five-year-old flight attendant with enough baggage from her past relationships to fill an entire Samsonite showroom. Montana is an incurable romantic. A dreamer. The kind of woman who has her head in the clouds while her heart splatters swiftly to the ground.

With her mother having just tied the knot for a record-breaking fourth time and her baby sister, Sheree, rushing to jump the broom, five-time maid of honor Montana is dangerously close to becoming not only the oldest, but the only woman in her entire family never to be married.

Having convinced herself that there's no way in heaven or hell she's showing up at her sister's Christmas Eve engagement party without a prospect of her own, Montana concocts her wildest and most romantically ridiculous plan yet: a thirty-day, thirty-thousand-mile trek in search of a husband.

Will it be Damon Diesel, a young hip-hop producer whose motto is "Making the green scream and the dolla holla!"? Or will she win over the Reverend Curtis P. Merewether, pastor and founder of Greater House of Deliverance, Tabernacle of Praise, Worship, and Miracles? Of course Langston Jefferson Battle III, superattorney turned city councilman, needs a wife now that his sights are set on the United States Congress. Or perhaps her lifelong mate is Quinton Jamison, a multimillionaire textile guru twenty years her senior. Only time -- or the lack of it -- will tell.

Fox Searchlight Films will release the film.

Talbert's directorial debut, 'First Sunday,' starred Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan. Much like his fellow playwright Tyler Perry, Talbert will also write and produce the film.

In the meantime, check out the international trailer to 'The Karate Kid,' which hits theaters on June 11. Henson plays the mother to Smith's character.

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