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THE FILM STRIP: Foxx brings ‘Miami Vice’ to the screen; Farrell responds to rumors; Gregory Hines and Mabel King live again on DVD; Year’s biggest hip hop party
By Marie Moore

*Having done the films “Ali” and “Collateral” with director Michael Mann, actor winner Jamie Foxx moseyed up to the director at Muhammad Ali’s birthday bash and suggested he think about turning the “Miami Vice” TV series into a feature film. Mann’s initial response: take a hike.

A couple of years down the pike and with an Oscar under his arm, Mann reconsidered Foxx’s reasoning for the film adaptation.

“I wanted to do it because I thought it was a hot idea,” Foxx said
at a press conference with Colin Farrell and Mann. “When I talked to Michael
Mann I said, ‘Why don't you do “Miami Vice,” you did it as a television
show? I can just see [he imitates the theme music], and then we do Jay-Z. We
do this, we do that.’ And he's like, ‘Get out of here.’ But after enough of
going up to him and saying, ‘Look, I really think that this is a great
opportunity for you, to take a commercial hit, a franchise, and bring it to
the screen’, [he relented].”

Mann wants everyone to know if things don’t turn out as expected,
Foxx is the culprit.

“First of all, it’s all Jamie’s fault because he talked me into this
starting in 2002 at Ali’s birthday party,” Mann chuckles. “But the
proposition that really became really exciting for myself and then for all
of us was the idea of really getting into undercover work - what it does to
you, what you do to it, and the whole idea of living a fabricated identity
that's actually just an extension of yourself, and doing it in 2006, doing
it for real, and doing it right now.

“Which, if you think about it, then defines a whole bunch of stuff.
You're not gonna have crocodiles or alligators, you're not going to have
sailboats. You're not gonna have nostalgia. You're going to do it for real
as a big picture. It's going to be R-rated because you do dangerous work in
difficult places, where bad things happen. You have relations with women.
There's sexuality, there's language, and that became an exciting
proposition. But it started with the real function, for actors and
directors, myself as well, of what is undercover work for real, what is that
stuff.”

Farrell chimes in, “Here, here. Yeah, you know, as we two boys have
said, it was Jamie's idea, and then I talked to Michael. I'd been talking to
Michael for a couple of years about finding something to do together, and
then this came along. It was just the perfect opportunity.

“I didn't really think much about good ol' Don Johnson,” the actor
who suited up as his character Sonny Crockett in the television series. “If
I was to think about the early Crockett, would've been in f**king trouble,
because I would've been arguing with them over the suits that I wanted to
wear…where’s my crocodile, and all that kind of stuff. But, yeah, Jamie
said he met Don in a restaurant in Los Angeles.”

And what did Johnson say to Foxx you ask?

“You can tell Colin Farrell when he’s through with my jock strap to
give it back,” Foxx recalled. Farrell also mentioned he left a message for
him before filming, but Johnson never returned his call.

Rumors of bad blood on the set were also addressed at the press
conference.

“They wrote that me and Jamie were killing each other and I hadn’t
even met him yet,” Farrell retorted.

“The article was nonsense,” Mann interjected. “That was one story.
And then while finishing filming in Peru, there was the story of a shooting.
Now that absolutely happened, you know. We prepared flawlessly for our
security precautions. A policeman was stopped by uniformed Dominican
military, which was our outer perimeter of security.”

“And Michael shot that,” Foxx enthused. “It will be on the DVD
version.”

IN THE CRATES:

Out this week on DVD are the epic tales of the supernatural,
“Amazing Stories,” produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. The
two-dozen classic episodes of “Amazing Stories: The Complete First Season,”
spotlights some of Hollywood’s best-known talent (Gregory Hines, Mabel King,
Tim Robbins, Kevin Costner, John Lithgow, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen)
and directors (Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Timothy Hutton).
Seeing Gregory Hnes in “The Amazing Falsworth” reminds us of the great void
left when he lost his battle with cancer. And bad behavior is not a problem
for Mabel King in “The Sitter.” These are just two stories among the
remaining 22 exciting tales.

Digging in the crates, I also came across two DVDs that are worthy
of viewing. “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party” not only harbors one of comedy’s
funniest stand-ups, but a host of hip hop performers. Among the party
performers are Kanye West, Mos Def, the Fugees, Common, Pras, Dead Prez,
Freeway, Lil’ Cease, the Roots, Bilal, Big Daddy Kane, Erykah Badu, Talib
Kweli, John Legendm Kool G. Rap, Tariq Trotter, Jill Scott and Ahmir-Khalib
Thompson, to name a few.

Also in the crate is the hilarious, romantic comedy “Something New.”
The film bombed at the box office because of bad marketing. Instead of
bringing people into the theatres, the trailers turned people away. The lead
character’s relationship with her father is just as important, if not more
so, than her relationship with her boyfriend. Much is made about the fact
Black fathers are missing from the househould. Not only is Kenya McQueen’s
(Sanaa Lathan) father present, but very much a part of her life. There are
also other Black male professionals such as Blair Underwood, Donald Faison
and Mike Epps.

LL COOL J INKS SEVEN-FIGURE DEAL WITH CBS: Rapper signs ‘one of the richest talent deals in recent years.’

*CBS has joined the legions of young fans that have a crush on LL
Cool J.

In a rare and surprising move, the network has signed the rapper to a
development deal worth just over seven figures and has structured the
agreement in such a way that he’ll be allowed to work under any production
studio.

Usually, talent deals limit actors to working under the network’s
own in-house studios, but not in this case. Also, the pact guarantees that
LL, along with Alchemy Entertainment's Jason Barrett, will serve as producer
on any project the rapper-actor signs onto. LL, whose birth name is Todd
Smith, is expected to focus his production slate on the development of
dramas.

CBS, the home of America’s top-rated drama “CSI,” landed the rapper
amidst a fierce bidding war that involved at least two other networks,
reports Variety.

His critically-acclaimed guest-starring role last season on “House”
reportedly peaked the interest of network execs that began flooding the
rapper with pilot offers last spring. LL’s attention, however, was devoted
to the promotion of his new album “Todd Smith” at the time.

LL’s last dance with television occurred in the 1990s with his NBC
(and later UPN) sitcom “In the House.”

MO’NIQUE NOT TRYING TO HEAR AIRLINE APOLOGY: United wants to make amends after throwing her off the plane.

*Only time will tell whether or not Mo’Nique’s call for a black
boycott of United Airlines will actually come to fruition. In the meantime,
United representatives have been trying to contact the comedian and discuss
the unfortunate events that led to her forced removal from a flight last
Sunday.

      "We want to talk to her about what happened and express our regret,"
a United Airlines spokeswoman told the New York Daily News. The apology,
however, comes several days too late for Mo’Nique, who is reportedly
refusing to take their phone calls. She claims racism was at the bottom of
the incident that sparked the whole debacle.

     As previously reported, a hair stylist for the actress moved from her
coach seat to place Mo’Nique’s hair dryer into an overhead bin in first
class, where the comedian was ticketed. Two United flight attendants
objected to the stowing of a coach item in first class and refused to
believe that the hair dryer belonged to Mo’Nique. The actress became
offended. An ensuing altercation led to Mo’Nique and her crew being kicked
off the aircraft.

     The experience has left her extremely upset at the airline and
unwilling to give them the time of day, even for an apology.

     "Mo'Nique has no intention of speaking to anyone at United,” her
publicist Marcell Pariseau told the Daily News. “She was humiliated by what
some United employees did to her. She'll leave it up to her lawyers."

MR. AND MRS. SMITH IN SEPARATE HEADLINES: Museum of Moving Image honors Will; Jada claims to have seen TomKitten.

*On the same day that news of Will Smith’s upcoming honor by the
Museum of the Moving Image hit the streets, his wife Jada’s announcement of
a Suri Cruise sighting threatened to take away his thunder.

Smith, whose hip hop run in the 80s gave way to a successful and
lucrative Hollywood career, will be saluted by the Museum of the Moving
Image on Dec. 3 during its annual black-tie event at the Waldorf Astoria in
New York.

The entertainer will be honored for his film work via presentations
given by his friends and colleagues. The evening will be videotaped to air
later on Bravo.

In announcing the honor, Herbert Schlosser, chairman of the Museum's
board of trustees, said: “Will Smith emerged on the entertainment scene in
the late 1980s when he recorded his first album as a high school senior and
then followed this up with a successful career in the music business. …He's
become one of the film industry's most sought-after stars. His motion
pictures have grossed over $4 billion since 1996. He has received countless
awards and honors for his work."

Proceeds from the evening will benefit the museum's education
programs that serve more than 25,000 intermediate and high school students
each year, museum director Rochelle Slovin said.

      Meanwhile, Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith claims she and her husband
have twice seen Suri Cruise, the newborn daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie
Holmes who has not yet been seen in public and is rumored to be
non-existent.

      "She's one of the sweetest babies I've ever met in my life," Pinkett
Smith tells People magazine. "She's an absolute beauty and she's Daddy's
little girl."

      Jada said she and Will visited Suri at her parents’ Beverly Hills
mansion. She joins actress Leah Remini of CBS’ “King of Queens” as the only
two folks in the outside world who claim to have seen the child. However,
Jada is the only non-Scientologist to inform the media that Suri does indeed
exist.

      "She's beautiful and they're very happy and they need to be left
alone," Pinkett Smith told People while attending last weekend's
Philadelphia anti-violence event, Party 4 Peace, run by friend Charles
"Charlie Mack" Alston. "She's the cutest little baby. She's got a head full
of black, beautiful hair."

      As for TomKat, Pinkett Smith adds Cruise is "excellent" and Holmes is
"a great mom and she's loving every single second of it."

WHAT HAPPENED TO DEM BOYZ? DFB is MIA in South Carolina; ticket holders given a pool party instead of a refund.

      *Dem Franchize Boyz left fans hanging at a show scheduled for 10:30
p.m. last Friday (7/21) at the Greenwood Civic Center in South Carolina.

      The Atlanta quartet failed to show up for their headlining gig, which
caused the crowd of about 1,100 to become “real rowdy,” according to the
show’s promoter, Reggie Johnson.

      Extra security was called in when it was clear that the group would
be a no-show. According to the Index-Journal, Johnson said the crowd “left
because officers were there. They calmed down pretty quick."

      No refunds were issued because all ticket revenues are with Dem
Franchize Boyz' management, Johnson said.

      As alternative compensation, Johnson's company, RRJ Productions, is
throwing a free pool party and cookout this Saturday (7/29) for all ticket
holders at 2 p.m. at the R.L. Stevens Recreation Center on Seaboard Avenue

GNARLS BARKLEY MASHES UP BIGGIE: Internet sensation Gnotorious B.I.G. mixes Biggie vocals with Gnarles tracks.

*A group calling itself Sound Advice has come forward with a new
mash-up album that blends the tracks of Gnarls Barkley with the vocals of
late rapper Notorious B.I.G. The result? An 11-track album entitled “The
Gnotorious Gnarls Barkley.”

With such songs as “The Last Nasty Boy,” “Smiley Faces Hypnotize”
and “Who’s Dead Wrong,” the collection – already an Internet hit – has been
repeatedly taken down from MySpace.com for the past several weeks due to
copyright violations. However, Sound Advice – K. Ross and Elsewhere – have
made the tracks available on their Web site www.gnotorious.com.

      “It all kind of started off as a joke,” Elsewhere tells Vibe.com. “We
did a couple tracks and they sounded kind of hot, so we ran with it.”

      Gnarls Barkley member Danger Mouse is certainly no stranger to the
mash-up phenomenon, as his infamous 2004 “Grey Album” mashed lyrics from
Jay-Z’s “Black Album” and tracks from the Beatles’ “White Album.” The CD ran
into several cease and desist orders from the Fab Four camp because Danger
Mouse never sought their permission to use the music.

“The cat that obviously made his name off of it, we’re kind of
getting him back in a funny way,” Elsewhere tells Vibe.com of Danger Mouse,
who formed Gnarls Barkley with former Goodie Mob member Cee-Lo. “Hopefully,
if by some chance he did hear it, I think he would get a kick out of it.”

Sample some of the tracks yourself, courtesy of the Gnotorious Web
site:

CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST DJ STAR DROPPED: Former Power 105.1 jock let off the hook for racist and threatening comments.

*The District Attorney’s office in New York announced Thursday that
it has dropped criminal charges against radio jock DJ Star, who launched a
racist and sexually-threatening on-air assault against a rival DJ and his
family

Born Troi Torain, DJ Star will have his case dropped in six months
if he does three days community service and stays away from the
four-year-old daughter of his nemesis DJ Envy of rival station Hot 97.

      In May, Star was fired by Power’s parent company Clear Channel Radio
after his on-air rant, which included remarks that Clear Channel called
“wholly unacceptable” – including comments about Envy’s wife, Gia Casey, and
sexually abusive threats against their daughter. Star was arrested by
detectives from the Hate Crimes Unit two days later.

      At the time Benjamin Brafman, Star’s lawyer, said his client had
apologized for the comments, but added they were the culmination of a
long-running verbal battle that had "spiraled out of control."

BRITS LITERALLY HEAD OVER HEELS FOR OUTKAST: Rap group launches ‘Idlewild’ in the London Eye.

*Folks riding the famous London Eye ferris wheel in England on
Tuesday got an extra special treat from Atlanta rap duo, OutKast.

Tracks from their new album “Idlewild” were piped into 28 pods of
the landmark structure as part of the disc’s extravagant UK launch event,
which was followed by an after party on the Silver Sturgeon cruise liner
attended by both group members Andre 3000 and Big Boi.

Explaining the album’s blending of the movie’s Depression-era time
period with contemporary hip hop, Andre 3000 told BBC6 Music: "We understood
it was a 1930s period piece, but also understood that it was an Outkast
album. It doesn't sound like a retro 1930s thing, it sounds fresh and new.
Kind of mixing up the two."

The “Idlewild” soundtrack will be released in the UK on Aug. 21 and
in the U.S. on Aug. 22. The film is due in UK cinemas on Sept. 8 and in U.S.
theaters on Aug. 25.

Here’s the tracklisting for the soundtrack:

“Intro”
“Mighty O”
“Peaches” featuring Sleepy Brown & Scar
“Idlewild Blues (Don”tchu Worry “Bout Me)”
“Infatuation” (interlude)
“N2U” featuring Khujo Goodie
“Morris Brown” featuring Scar & Sleepy Brown
“Chronomentrphobia”
“The Train” featuring Scar & Sleepy Brown
“Life Is Like A Musical”
“No Bootleg DVDs” (interlude)
“Hollywood Divorce” featuring Lil” Wayne & Snoop Dogg
“Zora” (interlude)
“Call The Law” featuring Janelle Monae
“Bamboo & Cross” (interlude)
“BuggFace”
“Makes No Sense At All”
“In Your Dreams” featuring Killer Mike & Janelle Monae
“PJ & Rooster”
“Mutron Angel” featuring Whild Peach
“Greatest Show On Earth” featuring Macy Gray
“You”re Beautiful” (interlude)
“When I Look In Your Eyes”
“Dyin” To Live”
“A Bad Note”

CHRIS BROWN SLOWS FROM ‘RUN’ TO ‘STEPPIN’’: Singer talks about role in upcoming film.

*R&B teen sensation Chris Brown, who stomped onto the music scene
with his No. 1 single “Run It” last year, is hoping to have the same
successful impact in Hollywood with his first feature film, “Steppin’,” due
for release in early 2007.

"It's sort of a dance movie," Brown told reporters during a
teleconference. "… But I'll have to say there's a lot more acting and a lot
more story line based around the dancing. So that's what the intriguing part
about it is. It's actually a banging, incredible-like film.”

Brown, 17, appears opposite fellow R&B crooner Ne-Yo, who stars as a
19-year-old street dancer recruited by two black fraternities to compete in
a step show.

"I started [rehearsing] for it, like, months before I jumped on the
project. I was so anxious to do the movie. It's so fresh and original,"
Brown said.

Meanwhile, Brown and his co-star Ne-Yo will hit the road next month
with Dem Franchize Boyz, Lil' Wayne and Juelz Santana for a tour that begins
in Cincinnati on Aug. 17 and crosses the U.S. before wrapping in Marysville,
CA on Oct. 8. Here’s the itinerary:

August 2006
17 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
18 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Centre
19 - Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion
24 - Cleveland, OH - Tower City Amphitheatre
25 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
26 - New York, NY - Jones Beach
27 - Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center

September 2006
1 - Virginia Beach, VA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
3 - Raleigh, NC - Alltel Pavilion
7 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
8 - Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre
9 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park
10 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
14 - Memphis, TN - Fed Ex Forum
15 - Maryland Heights, MO - UMB Pavilion Amphitheater
16 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
17 - Chicago, IL - Charter Pavilion
21 - Selma, TX - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
22 - The Woodlands, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
23 - Dallas, TX - Smirnoff Music Centre
24 - Bonner Springs, KS - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
28 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre
29 - Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
30 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket Pavilion

October 2006
1 - Albuquerque, NM - Journal Pavilion
6 - Concord, CA - Chronicle Pavilion
8 - Marysville, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre

TRIBE CALLED QUEST REUINTES FOR TOUR: Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed together again after eight-year break.

*We have the video game NBA 2K7 to thank for reuniting Q-Tip, Phife
Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad to perform together for the first time in
eight years.

The three members of historic rap group A Tribe Called Quest are
back together again to headline the upcoming 2K Sports Bounce Tour, which
will make 14 stops across the country in promotion of "NBA 2K7." (See
itinerary below.)

      According to MTV.com, Phife’s obsession with video games helped to
seal the deal. He’ll also appear as a playable character in NBA 2K7, along
with Flavor Flav, Common, the Roots' ?uestlove and other hip hop artists.

      Tribe will also appear on the game’s soundtrack. Hip-hop producer
Dan the Automator remixed the group’s "Lyrics to Go" from their 1993 album,
“Midnight Marauders” for the CD, due in mid-September.

     "NBA 2K7" will also be released this fall for Xbox 360, Xbox and
PlayStation 2. A PS3 version is also in development.

Here is the 2K Sports Bounce Tour itinerary:

9/8 - Las Vegas, NV @ Red Rock
9/9 - Berkeley, CA @ Berkeley Community Theatre
9/10 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern LG
9/13 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
9/15 - Chicago, IL @ Congress Theatre
9/16 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave/ Eagles Club
9/17 - Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
9/20 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
9/22 - Washington, DC @ Love the Club
9/23 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
9/24 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
9/28 - Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
9/29 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
10/1 - Sayreville, NJ @ The Starland Ballroom

DRAMA THWARTS LAILA ALI FIGHT IN SOUTH AFRICA: Controversial promoter reportedly failed to deliver boxer’s fee.

*Officials in Johannesburg, South Africa are attempting to woo boxer
Laila Ali back to the country for her scheduled fight against a Guyanese
contender after a promoter’s failure to secure funding caused her to pull
out of the event and fly home.

Hoping to fulfill the one-time wish of her father Muhammad Ali to
fight in South Africa, Laila had flown in last week to prepare for her bout
against 36-year-old mother-of-five, Gwendolyn O'Neill in Cape Town. But days
later, she was back on a plane to the United States amidst reported mud
slinging between her camp and the fight’s controversial promoter, Joe
Manyathi of Sta-Trade.

      According to Reuters, Manyathi has a reputation for offering empty
promises of historic bouts to be staged in South Africa, including a
scrapped match between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, and an abandoned fight
for Evander Holyfield.

      Ali’s camp claims that Manyathi came up short on her fee of R3.5m
(approximately $500,000) to fight in the country. Also, evidence surfaced
that the sport minister's signature had been forged on documents seeking the
support of sport authorities in Cape Town.

A warm and enthusiastic welcome had greeted Ali, 28, when she touched
down in the country last week. The hype surrounding the match-up was
pervasive throughout the region, which made its ultimate cancellation all
the more embarrassing for both parties involved. Meanwhile, Boxing South
Africa has helped to negotiate a date and conditions for a new match and
hopes Ali will return.

"The main thing in this whole issue was that there was a lot of
mistrust...the main sponsor withdrew financial support so the Laila Ali camp
became nervous," Boxing SA spokesman Loyisa Mtya told Reuters. "As of now
everything is looking positive."

Myta said a new sponsor had come forward and officials were now
waiting for the 28-year-old light middleweight champ to agree to the
conditions.

CHARLES BARKLEY RECONSIDERS RUN FOR GOV.: Former NBA star turns Democrat and ponders possible 2010 campaign.

*Gnarls Barkley has a hit single called “Crazy.” However, some
political pundits are using the title to describe the political aspirations
recently announced by Charles Barkley. According to the Associated Press,
the former athlete wants to run for the Governor of Alabama in 2010.

"Alabama, that's my home. I'm thinking about running for governor;
they need the help," Barkley said, according to The Associated Press.

The NBA veteran has also announced that he is switching political
parties – from Republican to Democrat: "I was a Republican until they lost
their minds," he explained earlier this month. News of his lofty political
aspirations and embrace of all things blue were met with approval by
Alabama's Democratic Party chairman Joe Turnham.

"I say welcome Charles Barkley. Charles Barkley has been a Horatio
Alger story for many people, not only in sports but in business and
broadcasting," Turnham said Wednesday, adding that he plans to invite
Barkley to some political events for the party in the coming months.

Sir Charles’ plan also has its share of critics. Jim Seroka, a
political science professor at Auburn University, said the former Auburn
basketball star needs to slow his roll and make sure all of his ducks are in
a row before considering a run.

"He doesn't have any of the bases necessary to run a statewide
campaign," Seroka said Wednesday.

      Barkley, a Leeds, Alabama native, has toyed with a possible run for
governor since his days of snatching rebounds for the Phoenix Suns. His last
serious announcement came in 1995, when a plan to run for the 1998 seat as a
Republican never materialized.

      Between now and 2010, Barkley says he’ll be focused on another goal –
getting his 17-year-old daughter through high school and into college. After
she’s tucked away into a school, he will make the decision whether to run
for governor.

      "I really believe I was put on Earth to do more than play basketball
and stockpile money," Barkley said. "I really want to help people improve
their lives, and what's left is for me to decide how best to do that."

OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules -- Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening July 28, 2006

BIG BUDGET FILMS

*The Ant Bully (PG for crude humor and action sequences) Animated morality
play about a 10 year-old boy (Zach Tyler) who learns some important lessons
about friendship and tolerance when he finds himself magically shrunk to the
size of an insect after he deliberately flooded an ant hill with his water
gun. Voice cast includes Nicolas Cage, Paul Giamatti, Julia Roberts, Meryl
Streep, Regina King and Ricardo Montalban.

John Tucker Must Die (PG-13 for sex and expletives) Revenge comedy about a
womanizing playboy (Jesse Metcalfe) who gets what's coming to him when three
of his ex-girlfriends (Ashanti, Sophia bush and Brittany snow) team up to
turn the tables on him by talking the new girl in town into breaking his
heart.

Miami Vice (R for sex, expletives and graphic violence) Colin Farrell and
Jamie Foxx co-star in the screen adaptation of the citrus-colored TV-series
about a couple of cool, crime-fighting detectives who walk a fine ethical
line wooing women while working undercover to crack a drug cartel
responsible for several murders in South Florida.

Scoop (PG-13 for sexual content) Woody Allen wrote, directed and appears in
this romantic comedy about an American journalism student (Scarlett
Johansson) vacationing in London, who falls in love with a British
aristocrat (Hugh Jackman) while attempting to crack the case of the Tarot
Card Killer with help of an aging magician known as Sid "Splendini" Waterman
(Allen).

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

13 Tzameti (Unrated) Set at a chateau in rural France, this psychological
thriller revolves around a struggling, 20 year-old immigrant (Georges
Babluani) seeking a solution for his money woes who ends up an unwilling
participant in a high-stakes game of Russian roulette. (In French with
subtitles)

America: Freedom to Fascism (Unrated) Conspiracy theory documentary makes
the case that the U.S. is well on its way to becoming a totalitarian state,
due to an erosion of civil liberties courtesy of a combination of the IRS,
rigged elections, the national ID card, radio frequency identification
technology and the Federal Reserve Bank.

Another Gay Movie (Unrated) Homosexual-sounding version of American Pie
follows the adventures of four, gay high school grads (Andy Carbonaro, Mitch
Morris, Jonah Blechman and Mitch Morris) who make a pact to lose their
virginity before they head off to college.

I Like Killing Flies (R for pervasive profanity) Dining documentary about
the loyal clientele and eccentric owners of Shopsin's, an offbeat,
closet-sized Greenwich Village eatery with over 900 items on the menu.

Little Miss Sunshine (R for sex, expletives and drug use) Road comedy about
a dysfunctional family's ordeal driving by VW bus from Albuquerque, NM to
Redondo Beach, CA in order to enter their chubby, bespectacled seven
year-old (Abigail Breslin) in a beauty pageant. Cast includes Greg Kinnear
and Toni Collette as her doting parents, Alan Arkin as her heroin-snorting
grandpa, Steve Carrell as her suicidal uncle, and Paul Dano as her mute
brother.

LEEZY TO TICKLE THE IVORIES AT ASIAN GALA?: Secretary of State rumored to perform a piano recital during annual security meeting.

*Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice was trying to keep it a secret,
but word eventually got out that she may perform a piano recital during the
annual gala of Asia's top security meeting, The ASEAN Regional Forum.

This is the same gathering where two years ago former Secretary of
State Colin Powell famously sang “YMCA.”

The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Forum – during
which foreign ministers from the 26-nations in the group meet to discuss
security – includes a traditional dinner where the world’s top diplomats are
allowed to loosen up a bit and poke fun at themselves via skits and musical
routines.

      Rice, a classically trained pianist, is expected to perform a work
from one of her favorite composers, who include Brahms and Shostakovich, the
New Straits Times reported.

      Kuala Lumpur-based diplomats tell AFP they were expecting a Rice
recital, but that the delegations were attempting to keep details of their
acts under wraps after months of planning and rehearsals.

      "I'm sworn to secrecy on this one," one diplomat told AFP. "We're all
keeping each other in suspense about this. It's all under wraps for
everyone, people don't like to reveal their performance and it's all a
sensitive issue."

DALLAS COPS A ‘LIL’ CONFUSED OVER CLUB SHOOTING: Brawl that led to fatal gunfire occurred during song by Lil Wayne, not Lil Jon.

*A Dallas DJ who was said to have sparked a nightclub gang brawl and
shooting by the mere playing of a Lil Jon tune has come forward to set the
record straight.

      Authorities initially reported that DJ Drop played Lil Jon's "Put Yo
Hood Up,” which sparked a fight between rival gangs from East Dallas and
South Dallas at the El Angel nightclub last weekend that left two people
dead and four others injured.

      "That song wasn't even in my record crate or my CD case," DJ Drop
told The Dallas Morning News, stating that it was actually Lil’ Wayne’s
"Money on My Mind" that was playing when the fight broke out.

      "Any time that song plays, people start throwing money," said
Karisten Brunfield, a friend of DJ Drop who witnessed the incident. "There
is a customary mad scramble for the loose bills. That happens every week
when I'm there. If you throw it, you don't expect to get it back."

      According to SOHH.com, Drop says he did play a Lil Jon song earlier
in the evening, but it was the crunk king’s current single, “Snap Yo
Fingers.” In the midst of “Money on My Mind,” when folks began to get rowdy,
Drop says he turned on the lights and urged everyone to relax. After
noticing that things had calmed down and the troublemakers were escorted
out, Drop says he fired up the music and played for another 30 minutes –
until shots were fired.

      Meanwhile, Dallas cops are sticking to their story that Lil Jon’s
“Put Yo Hood Up” started the ruckus that led to the shooting deaths of
22-year-old Lendl Carey and 20-year-old Kenneth Haggerty.

      "Multiple witnesses told our detectives that that song was what
started the fight," explained Deputy Chief Alfredo Saldana. "How would we
have gotten that song title if people hadn't told it to us? And the people
at that club ought to know what they're hearing."

Authorities are still looking for shooters and no arrests have been
made.

VIDEO GAME BITS: Miami Vice in stores, Scarface: The World Is Yours taps
stars; NBA 2K7 keeps it real.

*Today’s theatrical release of “Miami Vice” may have gotten mixed
reviews, but folks have the power to perfect the experience of its new video
game version, which hit stores this week via Vivendi Games. Available
exclusively for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Miami Vice: The Game
allows players to go deep undercover in South Beach as narcotic officers
Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs in a storyline set just before the events
of the film, which stars Colin Farrell as Crockett and Jamie Foxx as Tubbs.
Gamers must build up the nefarious reputation necessary to infiltrate the
seedy underbelly of South Beach, and ultimately bring down the organization
of an "untouchable" South American drug lord. The game has a suggested
retail price of $39.99 and is rated "M" for Mature. For more info, visit
www.miamivicepsp.com.

      *Vivendi Games’ Sierra Entertainment has unveiled part of the A-list
talent that will help bring drug-lord Tony Montana’s criminal empire to life
in the upcoming video game “Scarface: The World Is Yours.” An array of
Hollywood film and TV stars join returning cast members from the 1983
classic film for the game set in the seedy underbelly of 1980s Miami as they
rebuild Tony Montana’s empire and seek vengeance on his enemies. The voice
cast includes Ice T, Anthony Anderson, Cypress Hill’s B. Real and Sen Dog,
Richard Roundtree, Tiny Lister, Cree Summer and rapper N.O.R.E., among
others. “The World Is Yours” is expected to ship this fall for the
PlayStation2, Xbox 360 and Windows PC. For more information, visit
www.scarfacegame.com.

      *The main goal of the upcoming basketball video game “NBA 2K7,” due
in the fall, is to make the idiosyncrasies of the players as real as
possible. For example, Steve Nash will constantly move his hair behind his
ears. The topography of Shaq’s head and arm sweat are even true-to-life in
this version. An all-new streetball mode is offered as well. Rappers offered
as playable characters include Flavor Flav, Common, Phife Dawg and the
Roots' ?uestlove. See today’s EUR story TRIBE CALLED QUEST REUINTES FOR TOUR
for more info about the soundtrack and cross-country tour to promote NBA
2K7.

MUSIC BITS: JB sues banker; no wedding for Diddy; Hi-Tek gathers talent;
Cole’s covers; Valentine’s ‘Education’; Baker ticket giveaway.

*James Brown has filed a lawsuit against finance banker David
Pullman on allegations that he failed to secure a loan necessary for bonds.
"[Pullman] was my friend and I'm surprised and shocked he'd do this," Brown
told the New York Post. "No matter what happens, I'll still be the
hardest-working man in show business." Sources tell the paper that Pullman
made headlines a while back after advising David Bowie to release bonds
using his future royalties as security.

      *Sean “Diddy” Combs is denying recent reports that he is about to
marry Kim Porter, his longtime girlfriend and mother of his eight-year-old
son Christian Casey. One rumor had the couple planning to exchange vows on
Aug. 1 during Diddy’s annual White Party, which is being held this year in
St. Tropez, France. A rep for the Bad Boy Entertainment mogul says, “It’s
not true.”

      *Producer/rapper Hi-Tek has recruited a parade of hip hop’s finest
to bless his sophomore album, "Hi-Teknology 2," due Oct. 10 via Babygrande.
The Game, Ghostface Killah, Common, Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli, Raekwon, Slim
Thug, Q-Tip and Bun B are among the artists appearing on the disc, which
follows up Tek’s Rawkus solo debut, "Hi-Teknology.”

*Natalie Cole covers songs from Aretha Franklin, the Isley Bros.
Fiona Apple and others for her 20th studio album, “Leavin’,” which hits
stores on Sept. 26. The 12-track set from Verve includes Cole’s twists on
Aretha’s 1972 hit “Day Dreaming,” the Isley Bros.’ “Don't Say Goodnight” and
other tracks from Sting, Neil Young, Kate Bush and Etta James. “Leavin’”
also includes a new song, "5 Minutes Away," written by Cole, Dallas Austin
and keyboardist Chanz Parkman. The chanteuse will launch a theater tour
behind the album this fall.

      *Brooke “Girlfight” Valentine is preparing for the October release of
her sophomore album, “Physical Education.” "It's very urban, sultry," she
tells MTV. "Mannie Fresh is on there, Tyrese, Jermaine [Dupri],
[producer/manager] Déjô the Great — so many amazing people. I can't wait for
the world to hear this album." The first single, “Dope Girl,” samples NWA’s
classic “Dopeman” and features fellow Houston native Pimp C. "'Dope Girl' is
about being fly, putting on the big gold chains and the gold ropes and doing
your thing like that," Valentine said. "It's that girl that you crave."

      *The Urban Music Association of Canada (UMAC) is offering an
exclusive opportunity to celebrate the Toronto Caribbean Carnival - Caribana
this weekend by offering two free tickets to an Anita Baker concert with any
new one-year membership purchase of $53.50. The concert will be held Sunday
(7/30) on the water at the Molson Amphitheatre, downtown Toronto, Ontario.
To register for your opportunity to obtain two free tickets, please visit:
www.umacmembership.com.

FILM/TV BITS: Blige on ‘OLTL’; Vin & Menounos?; WWE beats BET; ‘Chop Up’
reruns ‘Ice’; Warner’s urban DVDs; Snoop in ‘L.A. Riot.’

*Mary J. Blige will make a stop in Llanview for today’s episode of
ABC’s “One Life to Live.” The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul will appear as herself
and perform at Antonio Vega's club, Capricorn. The soap’s executive producer
Frank Valentini said in a statement: "The cast and I, being huge fans of
Mary J. Blige's tremendous talent, are thrilled that she will be appearing
on ‘One Life to Live.’ Music has always been a pivotal part of ‘One Life to
Live’ and Mary J. Blige helps us continue the tradition."

      *Vin Diesel is rumored to be dating “Access Hollywood” reporter Maria
Menounos. According to IMDB, the 28-year-old TV personality and the burly
actor attended a performance of “Chicago” on Broadway last week starring her
friend Rita Wilson in the lead role. "They've been friendly for about a
year," a source is quoted as saying of the couple. “There's always been an
attraction there. (Now) they're taking it to the next level.”

      *BET’s cable ratings dominance in black households for the past
three weeks has come to an end courtesy of USA Network’s World
Wrestling Entertainment. According to Target Market News, only 70,000
households stood between BET and WWE’s No. 1 spot on the top 25 cable shows
for the fourth consecutive week. BET’s special, “Top 25 Hottest Bodies,”
placed second in black households, followed by BET’s new reality series
“Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is” at No. 3; MTV’s “Run’s House” at No. 4; and
BET’s “DMX: Soul of a Man” at No. 5.

      *Meanwhile, BET’s weekly news show "The Chop Up" will conclude its
first season this Sunday (7/30) with the re-airing of an investigative
report entitled "Blood Ice." The feature probes the transformation of
Liberia's diamond trade, which used to fund the country's civil war and now
fuels the country's post-war redevelopment. Fans of "The Chop Up" voted
"Blood Ice" the series' best enterprise story in a poll conducted on
BET.com. The report is the centerpiece of the show airing Sunday at 11:30
a.m.

*Warner Home Video (WHV) has teamed with Film Life Inc., a leader in
independent black and urban-inspired cinema, to brand and distribute urban
films on DVD under the label “American Black Film Festival.” “These movies
will allow African American filmmakers to display their skills, talent and
vision as well as to enjoy the potential of being extremely successful in
the DVD marketplace by providing retailers with a slate of appealing and
relevant films that meet the needs of their diverse consumer base," said Eva
Davis, Vice President of Targeted Acquisitions and Marketing for WHV. Jeff
Friday, Film Life's Founder and CEO, adds: "Film Life's mission has always
been to make and market movies that go beyond the stereotypical portrayals
of the Black experience -- films that enlighten and inspire but also
entertain. Eva and Warner Home Video share our vision, and we're delighted
that they want to develop this DVD label.”

*Rapper Snoop Dogg narrates a new film that satirizes the 1992 Los
Angeles riots. Opening Aug. 11 in Los Angeles at Laemmle Sunset 5, “The L.A.
Riot Spectacular,” according to a press release, spoofs “the participants
and psychology that fueled the epochal 1992 events.” Stars include Charles
S. Dutton (“Roc”) as Mayor Bradley, Emilio Estevez (“Breakfast Club”) as
Officer Powell, Ronny Cox (“RoboCop”) as Darryl Gates, William Forsythe
(“Scary Movie 3”) as George Holliday, T.K. Carter (“Domino”) as Rodney King,
George Hamilton as the King of Beverly Hills and Jonathan Lipnicki (“Jerry
Maguire”) as an Aryan youth. Film also features Charles Durning (“Tootsie”),
Christopher McDonald (“Thelma & Louise”), Anne Marie Johnson (“That’s So
Raven”) and others. Directed by music video director Marc Klasfeld, the film
“is so politically incorrect and offensive… but with real actors at the
helm…is sure to ignite some real heat.” For more info, visit
http://www.lariotmovie.com/ or http://myspace.com/lapdbeatdown.

EVENT CALENDAR: Tiki’s SCD fight; Trick’s ‘Kids’ event; MV Film Fest;
Stedman at Spaulding reunion; Soul Music Summit in ATL.

*New York Giants running back Tiki Barber kicked off a new national
education campaign to promote awareness of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), a
serious, life-long blood disorder that can increase a child's risk for
stroke and affects an estimated one in 500 African Americans. Under the
campaign Be Sickle Smart: Ask Tiki about Iron, the athlete is partnering
with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation to educate patients and their
families about SCD and iron overload, a consequence of repeated blood
transfusions that are a standard treatment to help reduce the complications
of SCD in some patients. For more information, visit Go to www.AskTiki.com
or call 1-877-SCD-TIKI (723-8454) to request free information.

*Trick Daddy’s non-profit Trick Luvs Da Kids Foundation is teaming
with the Florida Marlins and radio station 103.5 The Beat for the 3rd Annual
Trick Luvs Da Kids Back to School Family Fun Fest, to be held tomorrow
(7/29) at Virrick Park in Miami (3255 Plaza Street in Coconut Grove). “We
want to encourage students to do their best in school," Trick Daddy said in
a statement. "South Florida schools are among the lowest schools in the
state with low FCAT [Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores.] We want
students to be excited about learning.” For more info, visit
www.trickdaddydollars.com.

*The Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival, hosted by Run
& Shoot Filmworks, will be held Aug. 10-13, in Vineyard Haven, MA. Thirteen
finalists of the group’s film competition will be showcased during a
ceremony on Aug. 12 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs.
HBO, the official award sponsor, will present cash prizes to the top winners
in three categories: Best Short ($1,000), Best Documentary ($500) and Best
Feature ($500). “As a first-time sponsor of the MVAAFF, we’re very pleased
to be a part of the festival’s events honoring independent and established
filmmakers,” said Lucinda Martinez-Desir, vice president of market
development at HBO. “We applaud the festival’s efforts and look forward to
seeing the ‘best of the best’.”

*Oprah Winfrey’s boyfriend Stedman Graham is scheduled to attend a
four-day health symposium at Duke University Medical Center for the
Spaulding Family Reunion. Over 500 family members from around the country
attend this bi-annual event, which is currently being held through Sunday
(July 30) at Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes. The highlight of
the reunion will be a Scholarship Award Gala at which six students will
receive $2,000 scholarships from the Spaulding Scholarship Foundation. The
Spaulding Family, with deep roots in North Carolina, has a rich history in
business through the North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, established in
1898, and the Mechanics and Farmers bank founded in 1907.

*Satellite Radio's Terry Bello is behind International Soul Music
Summit (SOS: Save our Soul), to be held Aug. 11-12 in Atlanta at The
Marriott Atlanta (Downtown). The event’s goal is to “address the state of
today's music and how to keep positive music alive” via panel discussions,
performances and networking sessions. Panels will feature representatives
from Sirius Radio, BET, Interscope/Geffen and Creative Loafing. Confirmed
artists include Jaguar Wright, Peven Everett, Algebra, Gordon Chambers, Eric
Roberson and more. For more information, including hotel accommodations and
complete summit schedule, visit www.soulsummitonline.com.

NATE DAVIS NAMED PRESIDENT/CEO OF XM SATELLITE: Brother takes over newly-created position as subscribers reach 7 million.

*XM Satellite Radio has announced the appointment of Nate Davis to
the newly created position of President and Chief Operating Officer.

      The seasoned telecommunications executive, having served in senior
management roles at XO Communications, Nextel and MCI, takes over a company
that has just seen its subscriber base reach seven million.

      "I am passionate about XM and the wonderful content it delivers to
its subscribers. I look forward to working even more closely with Hugh and
the dynamic management team that created this industry," Davis said in a
statement. "While there are near term operational challenges to work
through, the growth opportunities in front of us are tremendous."

      At Nextel Communications, Davis was the Executive Vice President of
all technical operations which included engineering, operations,
procurement, and IT. Davis also served as CFO of MCI Telecommunications,
President and COO of MCImetro, and in a host of roles at MCI and AT&T
earlier in his career. He most recently served as Executive In Residence at
the venture capital firm Columbia Capital.

      The announcement of XM’s seven million subscribers keeps the company
as America’s number one satellite radio service. Broadcasting live daily
from studios in Washington, D.C., New York City, the Country Music Hall of
Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2006 lineup includes more than
170 digital channels of music, sports, talk, comedy, children's and
entertainment programming; as well as local traffic and weather information.

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