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2D ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT/tCle C(atlotU 9o(t Thursday, March 4, 2004 Spike Lee sounds off on moviemaking, Academy Awards and ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Continued from page ID film, “Jungle Fever” was Halle Berry’s first film, Clockers was Mekhi Phifer’s first film... AP: Are these accidents or on purpose? Lee: We always earmark two or three spots to give someone really talented a platform to shine, a jump-off. AP: What was HaUe like playing the crackhead in “Jungle Fever"? Lee: I didn’t want to cast her. She looked too good! I said, “Halle, I can’t believe you as a two-dollar crack ho.” She said, “Spike, believe me.” She came to the set the first day, I ain’t recognize her. AP: “Jungle Fever” was about interracial relation ships. You ever date a white girl? Lee: (Slowly shakes his head.) But it’s no big thing. The thing people miscon strued about “Jungle Fever” is that Spike Lee was saying all interracial marriages are awful. What we were show ing was that the relationship between Wesley’s character and Anhabella Sciorra’s char acter, it wasn’t built on a foundation. It was built on myths. She was with him because she heard about the prowess of the sexual black man. He bought into the myth that the white woman is the epitome of beauty. AP: What’s yoiu- feeling about the Oscars these days? Do you vote? Lee: I vote, but I take it with a grain of salt. Not just for AiHcan Americans, but just in general. You give an organization, some group, the power to validate your work of art - that can be paralyz ing. ... “Malcolm X” was big ger than the Academy Awards. “Do the Right Thing” was bigger than the awards. We got two nominations for “Do the Right Thing.” I got a best original screenplay nom ination. Danny Aiello got best supporting actor, and he lost to Denzel (Washington) in “Glory.” But you know what got best picture that year? AP: Nope. Lee: “Driving Miss Daisy.” “Do the Right Thing,” there are classes on that in univer sities all across the country. That film is still being watched. Every year it’s growing in stature. No one talks about “Driving Miss Daisy.” There’s nothing there. AP: Any favorites for best actor this year? Lee: Lemme ask a question. How many nominations did “Cold Mountain” get? ... When you ever seen a film that takes place during slav ery with no slaves in it? AP: People have been agitating about that. Lee: Lemme ask you a question. When I was in third and fourth grade, there was a re-release of “Gone with the Wind,” and our teacher took us to see it. This was like ‘67, ‘68. Even at that young age, I knew those roles were stereo typical. Hattie McDaniel won the supporting actress Oscar, and another great African- American actress was in it. Butterfly McQueen. They were such great actresses, despite the straitjacket of those stereotypes, they were able to put some of their humanity into it. Now, both “Gone with the Wind” and “Cold Mormtain” romanticize the South. But we’re going backward if ‘Gone with the Wind’ is more progressive than “Cold Mountain.” “Gone with the Wind” was made in 1939. In 2004 we’re not even in it? We’re going backward. I don’t rmderstand it. ‘Passion’ hauls in $117.5 million in five days By David Germain THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES - Mel Gib son’s gamble on “The Passion of the Christ” paid off enor mously, riding a storm of reli gious debate to a $117.5 mil lion haul in its first five days, according to studio estimates Sunday. “The Passion,” which debuted on Ash Wednesday, rocketed to the No. 1 box- office slot for the weekend with $76.2 million from Fri day to Sunday. It was the sev enth-best three-day opening ever, behind “Spider-Man” at $114.8 million and such Hol lywood franchises as “The Matrix Reloaded” and the first two “Harry Potter” movres. “The Passion” put up the second-best five-day figures for a movie opening on Wednesday, behind last year’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” at $124.1 million and ahead of “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace” at $105.6 million. The first movie released in 2004 to cross the $100 million mark, “The Passion” easily passed the weekend’s No. 2 flick, “50 First Dates” at $88.7 million, as the year’s top-grossing film. Once considered a niche film that would appeal main ly to conservative Christians, the bloody chronicle of Christ’s crucifixion swelled to blockbuster proportions as Gibson rallied church groups to support it and accusations of anti-Semitism brought mainstream attention. “It’s an event movie,” said Bruce Davey Gibson’s part ner in his film company Icon Productions. “It all began with the grass-roots cam paign we started, but the controversy has obviously helped in creating aware ness.” Some Jewish and Christian leaders have said they fear “The Passion” will revive the notion that Jews collectively were responsible for Christ’s death. Gibson has denied such accusations, and key cast members - including Jim Caviezel, who plays Christ, and Maia Morgenstem, a Jewish actress who plays Mary - said Gibson approached the film with great respect for Judaic tradi tions. Gibson put up the movie’s $25 million budget and will reap most of the returns. Hol lywood studios passed on the movie, so Gibson put it in the aters through independent distributor Newmarket Films, which will get a cut of Gibson’s profits. “The Passion” provided a box-office jolt for theaters, whose ticket sales were run- Please see PASSION/3D R. Kelly gets a break in child pornography case By Abdon M, Palasch THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Prosecutors in Chicago have dropped seven of the 21 child pornography counts against R & B Superstar R. Kelly on Friday.Advertise- ment While prosecutors downplayed it as routine trial strate gy, Kelly’s publicist proclaimed „ it, “the first Kelly ’ . . , official acknowledgement of the weakness of the case.” Kelly’s attorneys argued that counts 15 through 21 on the child pornography indictment handed down against Kelly in June, 2002, were based on state law enacted after Kelly allegedly videotaped himself engaging in sex acts with an underage girl. The prosecutors said they would drop the counts rather than argue. ‘GigU’ earns Razzies Continued from page 1D romance was off. The movie, which starred Affleck as' a thug smitten by Lopez as a lesbian crime col league, fell short of the record seven Razzies won by “Show girls” and “Battlefield Earth.” “But those are much better bad m§vies, if that makes any sense,” said Razzies founder John Wilson. “If you sit through them with the right people or the right brand of liquor, they can be strangely entertaining. “But I don’t care how med icated you are or what people you’re watching it with, ‘Gigli’is just a pain in the pos terior. It’s one of those things that is, as opposed to enjoy- ably embarrassing, it’s just skin-crawlingly embarrass ing.” “Gigli” cost $54 million to make but earned back just $6 million. “As a matter of trial strate gy, the state always reviews an indictment prior to trial and proceeds to trial on selected counts of the indict ment,” Special Assistant Cook County State’s Attor ney Ellen Mandeltort said. The first 14 counts could still land him up to 15 years in jail Kelly’s attorney Ed Genson said the dropping of the charges showed “the prob lems” the state had with the indictment but declined fur ther comment. Kelly secured permission from a Cook County judge to travel to Los Angeles for the “Soul Train” awards later this month. He must check in every day and avoid con tact with children. MAR. 3 - 7 ■BSEmBEn OPENING NIGHT TICKETS ONLY $11! MAR. 4 MAR. 5 MAR. 6 MAR. 7 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 11:30 AM 11:30 AM 3:30 PM 3:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM For the fastest and easiest way to order tickets, go to www.Ringlmg.com t/c/refmaster Ticket Centers, including FYE and Hecht's Dept. Stores, Arena Box Office or call (704) 522-6500 For information call: (704) 357-4801 • Groups (704) 357-4722 TICKET PRICES; $11 - $15 - $20 Limited number of Front Row and VIP seats available. Call for details. (Service charges and handling fees may appiy; no service charge at Arena Box Office.) Meet the animals up close at the Animal Open Vloute''. Get autographs and clown around at the Three Ring Adventure*. The fun begins 90 minutes before showtime - Ail FREE with your ticket. CI)c Cxcefeior Club 921 Beatties Ford Rd. • 704-334-5709 Tuesday Night “FISH FRY” Only $5."” , Doors (!)pen at 6:00 p.m. Disco at 9 RM. Thursday Night ^VIRTY THIRTY THURSDAY” Friday & Saturday The Best In Charlotte Open 6 Nights A Week Tuesdav-Sundav WEDNESDAY NIGHT Eeaturing “Albetino & Company” 8:30 PM. • Doors Open at 6:00 p.m. WORD OF GOD BROADCASTING NETWORK . o * j.pfrt NC ssuso”" WADE-AM 1340 Wadesbobo, NC ...mtk 'St. 'Zpw/ Evans, /lan\i S«tfett, ^astoi "Roiijn cjc4, ^astoi ^Mtip 'Atn's, Ckartes 'Jacok, 'Jenni^ei 'Joknscin, 'Qi. 'James '^3dson, y-outh 'Raiiio, 'ikvotimat /hitsic, y-ceus on tke yaniili/, ami muck more! '^unc in ami jet Uesseii! 1501 N. 1-85 SERVICE Road • Charlotte, NC 28216 704-393-1540 COCA-COLA “STUDENT” OF THE MONTH D’Ares Jenard Potts Second Grader, Reid Park Elementary School Aspirations: Learning to flay the keyboard, and playing professional football some day. “If I don’t make it as a professional football player, becoming a fireman would be my sec ond aroice, ” D ’Ares. “Jenard" Our “Student of the Month, ” D’Ares J. Potts, or D.J., Dee and Jenard, as he is most affectionately known, is an honor student at Reid Park Elementary School, and is enrolled in the After School Enrichment program. With proven academic excellence, and after demonstrating a love of learning, D’Ares was placed in advanced classes. He has daily dialogue about things he learns in class, and often uses his new knowledge to test the skills of others. ‘I A well-rounded student, D’Ares has received many awards in school including, perfect j attendance, good citizenship, “Caught Doing The Right Thing” award, Student of the Week and library award. Involved in ±e community, D’Ares has participated in Boy Scouts of America, and has taken karate classes. Even though he has been described as being “two boys in one,” and a little mischievous, Dee has a natural passion for helping and giving to others. He has had many experiences of visiting nursing homes and doing good deeds for patients. Additionally, Dee has impressed many with his excellent manners and gentlemanly acts of kindness, such as opening doors. This has been a hit with strangers and even family members. Enjoyable activities for Dee include traveling, visiting amusement parks, bike riding, video! games, and eating, eating, eating. Disney radio and Tvj channels can keep him content for hours. D’Ares is the son of Yolunda D. Potts and Kenneth Shouse. He has an older loving and protective sister, D’Moya and two younger sisters. A dedicated member ol Greater Salem Church, Dee is very active in the youth ministries, loves singing] in the choir, and participating in plays and performances. Recently' he and his 7-year-old cousin entered a talent show with an original spiritual dance] performance. D’Ares has an extensive list of loved ones to include teachers, ministers, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and the list is still growing. “D.J-” Best Wishes 'D’Ares” From Coca Cola Bottling Company Consolidated of Charlotte
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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March 4, 2004, edition 1
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