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lanuary '7, 2007
Page B3
Focus
Beyonce Leads Nominations
For annual
NAACP
Image Awards
The musical "D reamgirls" and
the TV comedy "Everybody Hates
C hris” have each collected a lead­
ing eight NAACP Image Award
nom inations. "Dreamgirls" star
Beyonce Knowles led the indi­
vidual nominees with five nods.
"D ream girls” was nominated
for best picture and soundtrack,
and six members o f its ensemble
cast - Jamie Eoxx, Eddie Murphy,
Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson,
A nikaN oni Rose and Knowles —
earned acting nods.
O ther best-picture nominees
were "A keelah and the Bee,"
"Blood Diamond," "Catch a Fire"
and "The Pursuit o f Happyness."
The stars of "Akeelah and the
Bee" — Keke Palmer, Laurence
Fishburne and Angela Bassett —
also earned acting nom inations,
as did Djimon Honsou o f "Blood
D ia m o n d " and " P u rs u it o f
f
Happyness" stars Thandie New- Jennifer Hudson. Beyonce Knowles and Anika Noni Rose star in Dreamgirls. '
Inspiring Dance Film in Theaters
Story of life at
historically
black college
(AP) — A Him about black youth
that doesn't focus on violence,
gangs and life in the hood? Hard to
believe these days, but it's pos­
sible.
"Stomp the Yard," which opened
nationwide Friday, is no cinematic
epic. It’s a lighthearted dance Him
— and there's a lot of impressive
dancing.
But it's set on the campus of a
historically black university where
students actually study and have
lofty professional goals — and
where black Greek organizations
and their "stepping" competitions
form the center o f students' social
life.
Amid debate these days about
whether black youth should use
the n-word as many casually do,
"Stompthe Yard" includes minimal
profanity. At a time when images of
barely dressed women dominate
hip-hop videos and its surround­
ing culture, the most salacious thing
in this film is passionate kissing
and an actress wearing very short
shorts.
Mostly, it'san all-American com-
ing-of-age story o f a teenager from
a rough background who earns
tuition money by working asacam -
pus gardener. His life is transformed
when he joins a fraternity.
In a pivotal scene, the lead char­
acter, DJ Williams, who is strug­
gling to find his place on campus, is
pact that these organizations have
had."
He added that the elaborate
stomping and clapping of stepping
Columbus Short, a
— or step dancing — must be per­
cast member in the formed in unison, which builds
film 'Stomp the
bonds between fraternity brothers.
Yard.' arrives at
In 1988. Spike Lee delved into
the premiere o f the tensions surrounding economic
film in Los Ange­
class and skin color on historically
les. (AP photo)
black campuses in "School Daze,"
which included stepping. And in
2002 "Drumline" focused on black
college marching band competi­
tions.
But "Stomp the Yard" touches
more on black heritage than either
film, which appealed to the lead
shown learning about how black scene in the movie," said Will actor, Columbus Short.
Greek organizations helped edu­ Packer, the producer, who filmed
Short has a theater background
cate and nurture some of the nation's "S tom p the Y ard" m ostly at and spent years on Broadway - he
heroes, such as civil rights leaders Atlanta's Morris Brown College, toured w ith "Stomp," the tap danc­
Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, founded in 1885 by freed slaves. "I ing smash hit — and was a chore­
Jr.
want people who see this film to ographer for Britney Spears among
"That's probably my favorite know the incredible scope and im­ other pop stars.
4
NEVER PICK UP
STRANGERS.
ton. Will Smith and his son, Jadcn
C hristopher Syre Smith.
O ther big-screen acting nom i­
nees were Forest W hitaker ("The
Last King o f Scotland"), Denzel
W ash in g to n (" In sid e M an"),
Harry Belafonte ("Bobby") and
Kerry W ashington ("The Last
King o f Scotland").
Besides its best-comedy nom i­
nation. "Everybody Hates Chris"
earned tw odirecting and five act­
ing nods. O ther best-com edy
nom inees were "All o f Us." "The
Bernie Mac Show," "Everybody
Hates Chris," "G irlfriends" and
"Ugly Betty." Best-dram a nom i­
nations went to "24," "G rey's
Anatomy," "Heroes," "The Unit"
and "The W ire."
Best-album nominees included
"B'Day" by Knowles, Corinne
Bailey Rae's self-titled debut,
John L egend's "O nce A gain,"
Mary J. Blige's "R eflections: A
R e tro s p e c tiv e "
and
the
"Dreamgirls" soundtrack.
T he 3 8 th N A A C P Im age
Awards cerem ony will be held
March 2 in Los A ngeles and
broadcast live on Fox.
KMHD
presents
Devin
Phillips
Hilton Hotel Pavillion
921 SW 6th Ave/Portland, OR
Sun, February 18, 2007, 6:00 pm
Tickets $25— available at Tickets West
To Place Your
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Contact: Kathy Linder
Phone: 503-288-0033
Fax: 503-288-0015
e-mail: classifieds@portlandobserver.com
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