Multiple Discs in One Day

I spent all of Sunday (and the last of my money) at a hair salon. Secret about me, if you didn't know it, is that I'm black (though the website http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/ will try its damnedest to make you think otherwise). And black hair takes longer than white hair to get "did." Quite a bit longer. Eons longer.

So in between hours spent in agony beneath the pressure of a woman's chubby fingers gnawing a path across my scalp, I watched discs one, two and three of Jamie Foxx Presents America's Funniest Comics. I didn't pick the fare to be viewed, I just watched it to take my mind of the fact that I paid money to be tortured. They were funny enough (I'm choosing not the rate them). But the highlight of the afternoon surely came from the two features I saw before this Afro-American laugh factory took flight.

First was SOUL FOOD. Dude, I guess it's because I'm not Black American--or simply that I'm culturally insensitive--but I've yet to see BARBERSHOP or WAITING TO EXHALE or FRIDAY or FRIDAY AFTER NEXT (Or was it "LAST FRIDAY"???) or any other of these hosts of movies that feature all the black talent that Hollywood seems to have to offer. SOUL FOOD is one of them. It stars Vivica A. Fox...and some chicken dumplings...and some mac and cheese...and some collard greens.
plot: Family rekindles love through feasting.
thought: So THAT'S soul food? Noted.
in five: 3/5 for the unrealistic amounts of realistic family drama. And for the fact that I know a few more things about black American culture now. See, films TEACH you things. Education.
NOTE: I've seen HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK. Watched that when I was too young to see that on TBS or something. Plus one point to me.

After SOUL FOOD wrapped, we moved onto another movie again featuring, though much more briefly, the actress Gina Ravera--who, might I haltingly suggest, at times *almost* resembles a black Angelina Jolie. In fact, I'll be honest, when she first hopped on the scene in SOUL FOOD, I thought they'd spray-painted Billy Bob's ex. I'm sure no one else will agree with me. But at any rate, this film, KISS THE GIRLS, also briefly co-stars my favorite buddy/best friend/Hollywood power agent co-star, Jeremy Piven. Who knew?
plot: Must solve female abduction mystery.
thought: Morgan Freeman is your best bet.
in five: 2/5 (Not because of Morgan. I love Morgan. But it was just...violent and hard to watch)

After the Black-American-Culture-themed afternoon (what, between seven hours of hair tugging and some Hell-to-the-Nah's from Jamie Foxx, preceded by a splash of Vivica A. and Morgan Freeman's soothing voice, yes, it was a cultural experience from which I emerged enlightened) I rushed home to, naturally, see another film. Why not? Settled down for dinner and a movie, eating some left-over thai from the cute, Zagat-rated joint I recently discovered right in my neighborhood: Tuk Tuk Thai Cafe ($8.95 lunch special on shrimp-only pad thai--way good!). I also baked some No Pudge brownies (8oz. of yogurt instead of the 6 the box's receipe calls for make them fudgier and hence more perfect in their tastiness). They disappeared from the plate thanks to me, the Flatmates and two Great Friends who came over to enjoy dinner and a movie with us. The flick of the evening? My "overlooked greatness" pick of 2007: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
plot in long: The country's going to hell in a hand basket, and all I can do is sing about it.
thought in short: The Beatles are still relevant.
in five: 4.5/5
Beautiful!

THE FILMS:
Jamie Foxx - http://imdb.com/title/tt0465335/
Soul Food - http://imdb.com/title/tt0120169/
Kiss the Girls - http://imdb.com/title/tt0119468/
Across the Universe - http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/acrosstheuniverse/