Author Archives: Sonya's Spotlight
← Older posts Newer posts →12 YEARS A SLAVE – In Theaters October 18
October 17, 201312 YEARS A SLAVE is based on an incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender) as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) forever alters his life. 12 YEARS A SLAVE stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (TALK TO ME), Michael Fassbender (SHAME), Benedict Cumberbatch (STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS), Paul Dano (LOOPER), Garret Dillahunt (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN), Paul Giamatti (WIN WIN), Scoot McNairy (ARGO), Lupita Nyong’o, Adepero Oduye (PARIAH), Sarah Paulson (MUD), Brad Pitt (WORLD WAR Z), Michael Kenneth Williams (“Boardwalk Empire”), Alfre Woodard (“Steel Magnolias”), Chris Chalk (“Newsroom”), Taran Killam (THE HEAT), Bill Camp (LINCOLN). The film is directed by Steve McQueen (HUNGER) and written by John Ridley (RED TAILS). Producers are Brad Pitt (MONEYBALL), Dede Gardner (EAT, PRAY, LOVE), Jeremy Kleiner (WORLD WAR Z), Bill Pohlad (TREE OF LIFE), Steve McQueen (SHAME), Arnon Milchan (BROKEN CITY) and Anthony Katagas (KILLING THEM SOFTLY); executive producers are Tessa Ross (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) and John Ridley. The filmmaking team includes Director of Photography Sean Bobbitt, BSC (HUNGER, SHAME); production designer Adam Stockhausen (MOONRISE KINGDOM); editor Joe Walker (HUNGER, SHAME); Academy Award® nominated costume designer Patricia Norris (THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD) and Academy Award® winning composer Hans Zimmer (INCEPTION, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES). PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOX SEARCHLIGHT
Posted in Cinema | Leave a commentBengals Michael Johnson Teams Up with American Dairy Association to Promote Healthy Eating for Kids
October 13, 2013Michael Johnson also known as MJ of the Cincinnati Bengals teamed up with the American Dairy Association (Midwest) to kick off the Fuel Up to Play 60 Program (FUTP60) for fifty schools in Cincinnati by hosting a Program Advisor Training Campaign at the Paul Brown Stadium.The initiative was designed for school Program Advisors to learn how to empower students to make healthy choices about food and physical activity. No stranger to spreading knowledge about healthy habits for kids, the gentle giant taped PSA’s and led participants in a physical activity session. Fuel Up to Play 60 Ambassador MJ is An Advocate of Healthy Eating & Staying Fit Since joining the NFL 3 years ago, MJ’s commitment has gone far beyond the gridiron, he sets examples for kids on the importance of eating healthy and staying active as a representative for the FUTP60 and NFL Play 60 programs as well as his MJ93 Fund non profit organization. In his new role with the American Dairy Association, Johnson filmed a series of new Public Service Announcements for a video campaign that features him making healthy snacks and meals for children. Johnson and his co-star MiCayla Pitts, a Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador from Corryville Catholic School, teamed up to unveil the videos stressing good nutrition, including the importance of eating breakfast and being physically active. Johnson is one of the Bengals top defensive players, and continues to receive praise for his performance on and off the field. In the 2012 season his sack total was the second most by a Bengals player since 1983, and he is fifth in the AFC and tied for ninth in the NFL in sacks. He enjoys talking to kids about how a healthy meal fuels his game time agility. Milk Does a Body …
Posted in TV News | Leave a commentINEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE – Editor’s Review & Atlanta Screening
October 11, 2013THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE Editor’s Review: “Emotionally-charged and thought-provoking. The best acting I’ve seen from younger actors.” Sonya Jenkins THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE, in theaters October 11, is a riveting film about hope, friendship, trials and love. Emotionally charged, with tear-jerking moments throughout the film, 13-year-old Mister (Skylan Brooks) and nine year old Pete (Ethan Dizon) form a friendship that brings forth unbreakable cohesiveness when the two are forced to handle unthinkable tribulations. Mister & Pete are left to fend for themselves after their mothers are arrested and go missing because of prostitution and drugs. The two youngsters, whose acting skills were far beyond their chronological years, give the audience some moments of warmth and laughter as the two go through gut-wrenching hardships. Young actor Skylan Brooks stepped into Oscar-worthy status in his first film as “Mister” and Ethan Dizon, also a newcomer, melted the hearts of the audience as “Pete,” as the pair’s inevitable defeat played out on screen, causing many who attended the Atlanta screening the night before the national release to squirm and groan in their seats. The realistic acts of urban street life give THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE an edge in bringing true, compelling stories to the forefront in film. On the other hand, the final acts of redemption brought relief after pain endured. Grade: A By Sonya Jenkins Director George Tillman, Jr. draws indelible performances from a fantastic cast, which includes Jordin Sparks, Golden Globe® and EMMY®Award winner Jeffrey Wright, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Anthony Mackie, and Golden Globe® and Academy Award® winner Jennifer Hudson, all led by Ethan Dizon and Skylan Brooks in a stunning breakout performance as Mister. The film also features new music by Alicia Keys. Codeblack Films and Lionsgate present an iDeal Partners / …
Posted in Photos | 2 CommentsOprah Winfrey to Receive Hollywood Reporter’s Sherry Lansing Leadership Award
October 3, 2013Joe Pugliese Maria Shriver will present the award at The Hollywood Reporter’s 22nd annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast, to be held Dec. 11 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Oprah Winfrey has been selected as the 2013 recipient of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, which recognizes a woman who is a pioneer and a leader in her industry. Journalist and activist Maria Shriver will present Winfrey with the award at THR’s 22nd annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast, which will be held Dec. 11 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. PHOTOS: Obama, Oprah Stump for Civil Rights in March on Washington [6] “Oprah is an inspiration to us all,” The Hollywood Reporter editorial director Janice Min said. “She has wielded her tremendous influence to empower women both here in Hollywood and around the world, and motivated countless individuals to contribute to causes that better their communities. She is the embodiment of this award.” Adds Sherry Lansing: “When I learned that Oprah had agreed to accept the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, I was both thrilled and humbled. No one exemplifies leadership and professional distinction more than Oprah. Her transformative work as a media entrepreneur and as a philanthropist has set the bar extremely high for generations to come. The Hollywood Reporter could not have chosen to honor a more deserving individual than Oprah.” PHOTOS: Hollywood’s Private Jets, From Oprah Winfrey to Tom Cruise [7] The breakfast, presented by Lifetime and sponsored by Gucci, Samsung Galaxy, Audi, Roberto Coin, City National Bank and Loyola Marymount University, coincides with the publication of The Hollywood Reporter‘s annual Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment list, on which Winfrey has been featured numerous times. Also during the breakfast, the 2013 Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program, which pairs ambitious inner-city girls with leading women executives from media and entertainment, will be presented. The 2013 mentees will spend an afternoon with their mentor every two weeks for …
Posted in Sports & Inspiration | Leave a commentTerry Crews – Cruising to the Top
October 1, 2013Actor Terry Crews, known for his television and big screen roles in “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Are We There Yet?” “White Chicks,” “The Newsroom,” “The Longest Yard,” “Friday After Next,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” and most recently, “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2” as “Officer Earl,” is a man of steel with a compassionate heart. The former NFL player, who played seven years in the league, says he became a sought-after actor by merely starting from the bottom and working his way up. Crews was hired as an on-set security guard in L.A. after his gridiron days, but the agony of defeat quickly crept into his consciousness. “At first I was a little upset,” Terry admits. “I was like, ‘Man, I used to play pro football and now I’m just a security guard.’” It took someone on set encouraging Crews to use his experience as a security guard to learn more about the craft for Crews to start appreciating his job more. Crews said he was advised to watch how films were being made and to become more knowledgeable about the craft. “That insight totally changed my perspective about my job,” Crews said. “You really just have to be willing to start at the bottom. If you have to sweep the floor, then you’ve got to be that guy. But what will happen is you’ll discover how the business works. You’ll discover what to do as you watch and learn, and then you can ride that all the way up.” Crews spoke with Sonya’s Spotlight Web Mag during a tele-conference recently about his role in “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2,” his road to becoming a successful actor, and some personal tips on marriage and parenthood. Check out a few of Terry Crews’ views on various topics below. TERRY CREWS …
Posted in Celebrity Profile, In The Spotlight | Leave a comment“T.D. JAKES PRESENTS: MIND, BODY, AND SOUL” – Series Premieres October 6
September 29, 2013Guests include Steve Harvey, LL Cool J, Luke James, Angie Stone, marvin sapp, devon franklin and more Bestselling author, producer and philanthropist T. D. Jakes teams up with BET Networks to empower, enlighten and uplift viewers in his new talk show – T.D. Jakes Presents: Mind, Body & Soul. The hour long, weekly chat fest combines an entertaining mix of celebrity interviews, impassioned discussion and expert advice while shining a spotlight on ordinary people with extraordinary stories. Premiering with the “Power of Love” featuring pastor and gospel superstar Marvin Sapp and Sony Pictures executive/author DeVon Franklin as featured guests, over the course of 11 episodes, T.D. Jakes Presents: Mind, Body & Soul seeks to equip viewers with life skills and information as told through Jakes’ trademark teaching. Each show takes a topical approach to relevant issues that audiences face including family, fitness, finance, living without limits, body image, relationships, healthy living, violence in our communities and more. As a testament to Jakes’ far reaching appeal, celebrity guests and performers include fellow talk show host and author Steve Harvey (“The Steve Harvey Show”), hip hop legend and actor LL Cool J (“NCIS”), superstar gospel recording artist Marvin Sapp, Film Studio Executive DeVon Franklin (“Jumping The Broom”), Laz Alonso (“Jumping The Broom”), Jennifer Williams (“Basketball Wives”) and Beverly Bond (“Black Girls Rock!”). Rising R&B star Luke James and soul diva Angie Stone are also slated to perform during the season. Photo Credit: Darnell Williams, Courtesy of BET Networks / The FrontPage Firm “‘T. D. Jakes Presents: Mind, Body & Soul’ will serve as a platform for exploring a broad spectrum of topics that will appeal to faith-based as well as general talk show audiences,” said Jakes. “Our goal is to offer a positive alternative for viewers looking for empowering, substantive programming …
Posted in In The Spotlight | Leave a commentCLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2- Featuring Earl Scouts Short
September 24, 2013Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 picks up where Sony Pictures Animation’s mouth-watering comedy left off. Inventor Flint Lockwood thought he saved the world when he destroyed his most infamous invention — a machine that turned water into food causing cheeseburger rain and spaghetti tornadoes. But Flint soon learns that his invention survived and is now creating food-animals – “foodimals!” Flint and his friends embark on a dangerously delicious mission to battle hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees, hippotatomuses, cheespiders and other foodimals to save the world – again! G. Garvin Hosts Atlanta Screening In advance of the release of Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2, celebrity chef G. Garvin from Cooking Channel’s “Road Trip With G. Garvin” hosted a private screening of the film at Cinebistro Theater in Atlanta, September 15, for his friends, family, and members of his staff. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ “FOODIMALS” In the upcoming film CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2, families will meet some curious Food-animals … the deliciously fun food animal hybrids, or “Foodimals,” who can make food more exciting for kids! Take the Fruit Cockatiel (half fruit cocktail/half cockatiel) and Tacodiles (half taco/half crocodile) who make the intersection of food and fun something all families can enjoy. Actress Anna Faris, who voices Sam Sparks in the film, says, “The Foodimals are my favorite part of the movie – the cheespiders, the hippotatomuses, the cantaloupes. It’s really inventive and fun, how they gave these food creatures personalities.” Learning about the Foodimals is an entertaining way to get kids interested in food and for families to get into the kitchen together just in time for the start of school. These cool and crazy creatures aren’t just fun to watch in the movie, but they are a blast to create! Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) has created …
Posted in Streaming | Leave a commentBAGGAGE CLAIM – IN THEATERS SEPTEMBER 27
September 14, 2013Determined to get engaged before her youngest sister’s wedding, flight attendant Montana Moore (Paula Patton) finds herself with only 30 days to find Mr. Right. Using her airline connections to “accidentally” meet up with eligible ex-boyfriends and scour for potential candidates, she racks up more than 30,000 miles and countless comedic encounters, all the while searching for the perfect guy. BAGGAGE CLAIM stars Paula Patton, Derek Luke, Taye Diggs, Jill Scott, Trey Songz, Boris Kodjoe, Adam Brody, Djimon Hounsou, Lauren London, Tia Mowry, La La Anthony, Christina Milian, Affion Crockett and Terrence J. Directed and written by David E. Talbert. Baggage Claim
Posted in Cinema | Leave a commentT.D. JAKES PRESENTS WINNIE MANDELA
September 14, 2013“Winnie Mandela”, directed by Academy Award nominee Darrell J. Roodt, is a sensitive and balanced portrayal that examines the controversies and conquests in the life of the equally beloved and polarizing figure, Winnie Mandela. It also explores in a way that no other film has, the nature of love and relationships in the midst of political turmoil and struggle under the Apartheid system. “I was compelled and moved by the script,” said Jennifer Hudson. “Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I’m honored to be the actress asked to portray her.” Hudson opted to confine herself day and night to the prison set where the crew shot scenes depicting Winnie Mandela’s 500-plus days in solitary confinement. Hudson wanted, she says, “to experience some of the hell that woman went through.” She goes on to say about Winnie: “They snatched her out of her home and she had no idea what happened to her children. This was real. As a woman, I am angry for her, hurting for her.” “‘Winnie Mandela’ is the best work I’ve ever done,” said Terrance Howard. “Their story is one of the most inspirational, true love stories of all time.” The leading cast is superbly supported by Canadian actors Elias Koteas and Wendy Crewson. The film features the title song “Bleed for Love”, performed by Grammy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson accompanied by the Soweto Gospel Choir and penned by six-time Academy Award Nominee Diane Warren. The score is by the highly acclaimed composer, Laurent Eyquem. For Theaters, Showtimes & Tickets, Click Here: http://www.fandango.com/winniemandela_159367/movieoverview
Posted in On the Scene, In The Spotlight | 1 CommentFashion Night Out Atlanta
September 9, 2013Fashion lovers in Atlanta rejoiced to one of the most fashionable events of the year, Fashion Night Out Atlanta, brought to you by My Beauti Network Renee Knorr in Association with Cyndi Willis and Philip Michael PR at The Mason Murer Fine Art Gallery, August 25. Fashion Night Out Atlanta was sponsored by Bombay Sapphire, New York Life Insurance, Jezebel, and Model Call Magazine to kick off New York City’s Fashion Week. Fashion Night Out Atlanta gave designers and boutique owners the opportunity to meet Atlanta’s fashion professionals, see what’s hot in the fashion & style scene and kick off the new season in Fashion & Style. The event sold out in February 2013 with 700 RSVPs in two weeks. This year’s experience featured 100 International models on the Catwalk, in a Haute Couture Designer’s Competition. The WINNER of the 2013 Fashion ICON Award was Teodora B and Alex Holliman- FarrierBell Fashions (www.farrierbell.com). They both will receive an editorial spread – one in Model Call Magazine and Boss News Atlanta publication. Fashion Night Out Atlanta was an exclusive luxury experience to give participants the opportunity to build their brands in front of buyers, investors and fashionistas everywhere. It was a night of art, fashion, beauty, live music entertainment, education, and luxury experience benefiting emerging talents globally. “Fashion encompasses everything that we do from talented designers, photographers, makeup artists, models, wardrobe stylists, educators, journalists, and so many others who love this business and are looking to expand their marketability”, says Renee Knorr, Creator of Fashion Night Out ATL and Editor In Chief My Beauti Network. “Our goal was to connect fashion aficionados with the people and sources they need to elevate their brand globally”, says Cyndi Willis Managing Partner of Fashion Night Out ATL. EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: 10 Fashion Designers 30 Beauty, …
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