Gail Choice
OW Contributor

Gail Choice is the creator of the upcoming television series "Hollywood by Choice." Choice is an independent film/ television producer and entertainment columnist.

Jan 3 2013

Hollywood by Choice

There is an uproar brewing because of use of the n-word in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,” reportedly 110 times. “Django Unchained” is a movie about slavery in America and a freed slave named Django (Jamie Foxx) going after and saving the love of his life, his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington).

Dec 20 2012

Hollywood by Choice

Award Season is upon us. Between now and through February, Hollywood is in high gear pushing and promoting movies and movie stars. No matter how you slice it, it’s the “big boy” everyone aspires to. We’re talking the Oscar.

Indeed, awards programs such as The Golden Globes give Hollywood movers and shakers and the public an idea of who the Oscar contenders might be.

Dec 13 2012

Hollywood by Choice

Christmas movies are my favorite. They always have a happy ending and leave you with that feel-good feeling, like everything is going to be all right. I especially like it when holiday movies have that touch of “brown sugar,” or when they are Black-themed, so I’ve compiled a list of movies I think you might like. Most of them are on DVD, Netflix or some other form of movie viewing.

Dec 6 2012

Hollywood by Choice

If you loved J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, then you will absolutely love the first of a trilogy of films called “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” I was on the edge of my seat way too many times, I was so caught up in the fast-paced action that I didn’t want to miss one second of it.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson and his team are back with a masterpiece. “The Hobbit” tells a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings.”

Nov 29 2012

Hollywood by Choice

“Lincoln” is an excellent film, superbly acted and thoroughly engrossing, as it depicts the last four month’s of the 16th president’s life. From riveting dialogue to humorous moments “Lincoln” is a must-see film this holiday season.

It seems that this president, more than most others, will forever remain a source of interest and debate.

Nov 22 2012

Hollywood by Choice

Dreamworks’ animation feature “Rise of the Guardians,” a 3D, computer-animated fantasy action film, directed by Peter Ramsey is pure holiday magic. Childhood companions, Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), and Sandman are so much more than the magical creatures that leave us toys, money, Easter eggs and pleasant dreams. They are the guardians of childhood. And when Fear (Jude Law) rears its ugly head, the mysterious Man in the Moon elects Jack Frost (Chris Pine), our reluctant hero, to join the team.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.