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I AM SOMEBODY - (2010)
"NO CHANCE IN HELL"
(aka title: CHINAMAN'S CHANCE)
Directed
by Aki Aleong
MUSTARD SEED FILMS  
The talented cast includes actors REGGIE LEE, TIMOTHY BOTTOMS, ERNEST BORGNINE, COOLIO, OLIVIA HUSSEY,
GEOFFREY LEWIS, CHRISTOPHER ATKINS, MARTIN KOVE, BO SVENSON, THERESA RUSSELL, TOMMY CHONG, LORENZO LAMAS, DANNY TREJO, MATTHIAS
HUES and more...
“This is a story that needs to be told” says director Aki Aleong.
Aki Aleong’s new movie CHINAMAN’S CHANCE, is a powerful statement about the lives of Chinese immigrants
in the 1800’s. Aki’s vision for the film is a social commentary of racial conciseness in America’s past,
and how in the future love & forgiveness can bring us together. This is an independent film so the cast was drawn to it
not for large salaries, but the fact that this was a project with a message of truth to educate America, and that Aki had
an overwhelming passion for the telling of this story. The actual casting is a very significant part of the message of the
film. The casting is very ethnically diverse using a rich variety of Asian, Hispanic, African, and Caucasian actors, but on
a deeper level the use actors like Tommy Chong (part Asian) playing the part of a white man sends another subliminal message
to the audience.
The lead actor REGGIE LEE (‘Pirates of the Caribbean II, III’ -
‘Prison Break’), said this was a special opportunity for him to play an Asian role and NOT be cast in one of the
traditional Asian roles of films made today that portray Asians as gang members, drug dealers or car racers. Aki Aleong adds,
that stereotypes of Asian people have stifled the casting of films for a long time. Aki has worked with SAG as the National
Chairman of the EEOC to help promote film casting to reflect the social ethnic scene.
The film centers on Chinese
railroad workers and how they were mistreated and considered more like a piece of merchandise that could be disposed of as
necessary. The quote “If you don’t have a chance in Hell, you have a Chinaman’s Chance”
reflects the reality of the time. During the 1880’s the powerful religious backing in America believed the Chinese people
were a bad influence and associated them with drugs (Opium) and Prostitutes, and felt that they should not be part of America.
The Historical fact is that the United States passed the Exclusion Act of 1882, which prohibited any additional Chinese from
entering America. It wasn’t until 1942 that the ACT was overturned, and the Chinese were once again allowed to enter
the United States. Aki sites, “Chinese contributions to America have been numerous and should be recognized, like bringing
cultivation techniques well known in China, to California farming in the 1800’s”.
Aki Aleong started
his career on Broadway in “Tea House of the August Moon” over 50 years ago, and has stared or co-stared in over
250 television shows and 40 movies. In his long line of credits he has worked with some of the greats of Hollywood like Marlon
Brando, Steve McQueen, Betty Davis, Peter Lawford, Roger Moore, Joanne Woodward, Frank Sinatra and many others.
Perhaps this film will help awaken the conciseness of Americans to the contributions that the Chinese people have made to
America, and to help bridge the gap between the US and CHINA relations which is a political necessity today.
HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV - John Reed
Here’s the link to view the I AM SOMEBODY
trailer:
THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
http://www.iamsomebodymovie.com/
___________________________________________
ONLY FOR YOU - (2008)
  
Director: Donna Persico
Producer: Michael D. Jones
"Only for You" is a indie
film drama that deals with the tension of "He loves her, she loves him, but he's marrying someone else." The principal
actors, Shea Curry (Dana) & Michael Buie (Jack), have a chemistry on screen that lives and breathes reality without
question. Director Donna Persico orchestrated the great acting and interesting visual devices that lead you
through the story effortlessly. This is Donna's first feature film, although she has won awards for other works. Look for
this film, and future films from Donna Presico, to break their way into mainstream film audience acceptance.
Official site: http://www.echelonstudios.us/only-for-you.html HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV -
John Reed
___________ Wait up Harriet
Limelight Motion Picture Company
Directors: Angus Benfield & Hanna Eichler
Screenplay by Hanna Eichler
WAIT UP HARRIET is an Indie film about holding on and letting go. It was done in a Digital Video format that
doesn't have the warm fuzzy film look, but It's a fantastic example of what HD/DV Video is supposed to be. The Digital Cameras
readily available now are supposed to empower creative filmmakers with the ability to get their visual message across
without the consent of major financing interests. This film does it very well. WAIT UP HARRIET is a touching, emotionally
engaging film that hits a home run for these independent filmmakers. Many ambitious Indie films tend to have a series
of shots lacking emotional continuity. It's so refreshing to have fallin' into WAIT UP HARRIET and to see how it has been
beautifully achieved. The directors, Angus Benfield & Hanna Eichler, have brilliantly directed the cast consisting of
Jack, played by Angus Benfield himself, his 12 year old son played by Mitch Potts, Marty played by Lynda Milligan
and Harriet played by Ashleigh Southham. The supporting cast was much more than supportive, but more a necessity to bring
the film to the height of it's total sense of reality. The plot is... well actually, I won't tell the plot, only that
the experience of the film is a memorable trip that you should definitely take sometime. The film touches on loss, death,
religion, depression and the power of friends & family. The choice of music & songs complement in the film all
the way to the finish line.
Official Website: http://waitupharriet.com/about/
HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV - John Reed
________________________ PENELOPE
 
Summit
Entertainment
Director: Mark PalanskyPenelope, (Christina
Ricci), is born afflicted by a spell ,"The Nose of a Pig", that can only be broken when she finds love. It
looks like James McAvoy is the perfect prince charming to break the spell in this modern
upbeat Snow White tale. Veteran actress Reese Witherspoon joins the cast as
Pelnelope's best new friend. The film has a great look. It's a feel good film about a person over coming a physical
deterrent and winding up the a great life! I think It's time to have a little fun and watch this well done romantic
comedy! Check it out...
CLICK THE IMAGE
ABOVE FOR THE TRAILER.
myspace site:
http://www.myspace.com/penelopethemovie
HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV - John Reed
 
MAN IN THE CHAIR (2007)
Directed by Michael Schroeder
Man in the Chair stars veteran Christopher Plummer in a seemingly "Hollywood
reality" comedy. The film deals with some retired senior movie greats of Hollywood, who are called
to action by a student filmmaker in need of help on his student film. Christopher Plummer is fantastic as the crotchety
drunk, and his youthful counterpart Michael Angarano. is a fresh new talent. The film also
features notable veterans Emmet Walsh & Robert Wagner. It's a "Let's get the gang together and make
a movie!" concept, along with some flashy editing techniques that give it a very contemporary edgy feel. It's
all done as a comedy, but It touches on the reality of the neglect that is present today in the senior nursing homes,
and makes us stop think about it. "Man in the Chair" is an Official Selection to the 2007 Berlin International
Film Festival and the 2007 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Hollywood2You.TV - John Reed _____________________
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Dear Mr. Walman
 
 
Director:- Hanan Peled
Distributor: Echelon studios
This superb Israeli film (with English subtitles) is set it in Tel-Aviv
in 1962. Dear Mr. Waldman is the story of a family's struggle. The father (Rami Heuberger) and
10 year old son (Ido Port) interact in a moving drama about holocaust sentiment still
alive in the souls of survivors trying to rebuild a new life. Rami Heuberger brilliantly leads
the film through it's journey of frustration, tension, love and compassion. The performances by his wife,
Yavgenia Dodina, support the realism of this family's internal struggles and compliments Heuberger's
performances like hand and glove. This film will captivate your attention in it's dramatic cinematic presentation and
in it's reminder of the Holocaust's enduring effects.
“Dear Mr. Waldman” has
been nominated for the Official Selection 2007 Palm Springs Film Festival, Israel Academy Award Best Actor, and Official selection
2007 Munich Film Festival, and Official Selection 2006 Jerusalem Film Festival. official site: http://www.dearmrwaldman.com/
Echelon Studios: http://echelonstudios.us/index.html
HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV
 
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006)
FOX SEARCHLIGHT
Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
What a wonderful film. It was a fresh departure from the normal stream of releases. It deals with a
tremendously dysfunctional family that sets off on a road trip to California to enter the young daughter, Olive, played by
Abigail Breslin, into the MISS SUNSHINE beauty contest. Each of the characters evolve before you as the trip continues, ultimately
bringing the family together in a fun and wonderful way. All the actors in the film were great, and played off each other
very well i.e.: the brother, Paul Dano and mother played by Toni Collette. Some more failure name actors like Steve Carell
(40 year Old virgin), Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle), contributed great character performances.
Fun surprises & mishaps will make you feel the fun and drama of a family road, maybe the most extreme roadtrip you would
ever want to imagine. Great film! Go see it. for Hollywood2You.TV -- John Reed ___________________________________________
 WHAT THE BLEEP (2004) Directed
by William Arntz, Betsy Chasse & Mark Vicente. Runtime: 109 min "What the Bleep" was a film that couldn't find
a home. Even festivals turned it away, except one in Texas, where the film got the attention of Jonathon Dana, a producer’s
rep. Jonathon agreed to work the film for a distribution deal, a film that had "no audience". He had to get creative,
and eventually took "What the Bleep" to Roadside Attractions Distribution. Roadside wasn’t sure, but
Jonathon arranged to buy some screens to prove they indeed had an audience out there. The rest is history, and WHAT THE BLEEP
has gone on to become a modern day underground cult classic. The extended Director’s Cut of the international hit What
the BLEEP Do We Know!? includes new scientific findings that supplement the original movie, and goes more deeply into the
concepts explored. In What the BLEEP – Down the Rabbit Hole, interviews are lengthened and a full 95% of all interviews
is never before seen footage exploring the links between quantum mechanics, neurobiology, human consciousness and day-to-day
reality. Featuring an hour of new interviews and two new scientists, Dean Radin, Ph.D., and Dr. Masaru Emoto, and author of
The Field, Lynne McTaggart; and introducing Dr. Quantum in 20 minutes of new animation, this is the deeper film exploration
audiences have been asking for. The original storyline, which follows the journey of professional photographer Amanda (played
by Academy Award winning actress, Marlee Matlin) as she comes to understand the sources of her depression and slowly change
her life, is slimmed down to make room for more in-depth interviews with sixteen of the world’s top physicists, engineers,
physicians, biologists, researchers, journalists and mystics, who talk about consciousness, psi research, physics, biology,
emotion and addictions. for Hollywood2You.TV -- John Reed _________________:
  ONE SIX RIGHT – The Romance of Flying (2005)
TERWILLIGER PRODUCTIONSONE SIX RIGHT is a documentary celebrating the history of aviation from as near
as Los Angeles’ backyard, specifically, the Van Nuys Airport. Directed by Brian J. Terwilliger, this film
touches a nerve of the beauty of flight that we can all appreciate. Aviation & airports have had a profound influence
on the growth of cities, and a great importance to civil air defense and our armed forces. Throughout history the love
of flying has made a huge contribution to the spirit of freedom in Americans. ONE SIX RIGHT was filmed beautifully in High Definition (HD) and makes you think … am I in an IMAX theatre? The
film is filled with inspiring in-flight aerial cinematography and lush musical scores that will covey the beauty and passion
of the freedom of flight. The interviews with professional, celebrity & veteran pilots, all show the love of flight and
reveal some great touching memories. The underlying message in
the film is the steady loss of general purpose airports across the country. Growing communities are pushing out airports,
with noise being the usual complaint. Rising property values and the ever increasing, insatiable appetite for homes and
shopping centers fuel the fire. After watching the film you will
see that the destruction of airports, truly is a non-renewable resource that will have long term effects. It’s
a wonderful documentary. Visit the website then watch the movie… but not necessarily in that order! For HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV - John Reed
__________________________________________ MIND THE GAP (2004)
Filmed on a stringent budget and time schedule, "Mind
the Gap" is a brilliant ensemble piece that follows five life stories in a heart-warming, life-affirming web of coincidence.
Director Eric Shaeffer, who also plays the part of Sam, has woven this magical tale into an unforgettable film. It is a love
song to life, and it is also about courage; the courage to do the things that result in a life lived without regrets. The
cast is superb. Alan King plays a cantankerous old man on a mission, and this was sadly to be his last film. Elizabeth Reaser
plays Melissa, a young woman born of a rape, who has a heart full of strength and love. Reaser is luminous, a beauty that
will no doubt be a superstar in the near future. Christopher Kovaleski is Rocky, Sam's gangling, bright and shining son, who
is a delight to watch. Singer Jill Sobule is Jody, a petite dynamo with an extraordinary talent as a songwriter and as an
actress; and the film features many of her songs. Charles Parnell is incredibly moving as John, a man despondent over his
divorce. There are many other great performances too numerous to name individually, all of them memorable characters, played
to perfection, and the thread around them is Julio Diaz, the Times Square salsa dancing man. Watch this film several times,
and you will see its many layered qualities, revealing more with each viewing. It is a quirky, beautiful, warm, and lovable
film, and deserves one's time and attention. Filmed on location in New York City and Vermont by Marc Blandori, the music is
by Veigar Margeisson, with some mystical, lovely selections by Krishna Das. The DVD extra is the commentary for the film,
which is chatty and informative. Total running time is 130 minutes. -- Alejandra Vernon Used by permission of Alejandra Vernon. www.avernon.com/aboutme.html
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BOSTA (2006)
BOSTA, “The Bus”, is a look into Lebanon’s
culture past and present. It addresses Lebanon’s relationship with war and it’s internal conflicts. The Lebanese
filmmaker, Philippe Aractingi, wrote, directed and produced this film, and used a traditional dance called
the DABKEH as an integral mechanism to challenge the traditionalists, and suggest a tolerance for change
in Lebanese thinking. The colorful dancing and singing give us a glimpse inside the life of the Lebanonese people. The journey
across the country educates us to the beauty of the land that many of us picture as a distant war torn area. The film does
reveal the mortar-laden buildings that are the battle scars of 16 years of civil war, but more importantly shows the hope
for a brighter tomorrow for all Lebanese people. The well cast actors exude drama, tension, comedy and the enthusiasm of teamwork
on their mission as a dance troupe. I particularly enjoyed the music, which was full of traditional sounding middle eastern
melodies with modernized lyrical messages. It’s a very colorful film journey that I recommend you take.
This
film is Lebanon’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film for the 79th Academy Awards. The film
is subtitled in English.
The official website for BOSTA:
http://www.bostathemovie.com/
________________________________________ 
The
Last King of Scotland (2006)
FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
Directed by Kevin Macdonald
PRINCIPAL CAST:
Forest Whitaker - Idi Amin
James McAvoy - Nicholas
Garrigan
Kerry Washington - Kay Amin
Gillian Anderson - Sarah Merrit
Simon McBurney - Nigel Stone
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND is based on Idi Amin's regime in the
1970s timeframe. It is not a completely factual documentary of the events, but one that attempts to relay the truth of the
time. The film was based on the Novel by Giles Foden, but the filmmakers compacted the events to make a larger impact in the
film medium. The Doctor character, Nicolas Garrigan played by James McAvoy, is actually a fictitious combination of three
separate characters that interfaced with Idi Amin during that period. Forest Whitaker plays Idi, and as an African American,
traveled to Uganda for the first time in his life for the making of this film. Forest visited the Ugandan family and relatives
of Idi Amin to research and capture the true Idi, in gestures and personality. As the film was shot in Uganda, everyday was
an opportunity to learn the culture and bring to the film the sense of realism and truth. Kerry Washington, also an African
American made this her first trip to Africa as well. It’s something that she wanted to do, but was afraid of the prospect
that what if she didn’t feel aligned with it. She, went to play the part of an African, and did in fact get the chance
to learn, and be part of the culture, and so it was a very rewarding experience to her. The film could have been shot for
less money, and time in South Africa where the production facilities are in place, but the producers decided, luckily for
us, to shoot in Uganda to capture the true spirit of the people & the story.
Director Kevin Macdonald had
been trying to do a film in Africa for some time, but had problems getting them off the ground. When he was offered this opportunity
he jumped on the project. Kevin’s no stranger to the documentary aspects as first feature film ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER,
based on the terrorist incident at the Munich Olympics won the Oscar for best documentary in 2000.
THE LAST KING
OF SCOTLAND delivers the tension and insecurity of the times, not knowing what was truth or what was propaganda. The Duality
of Idi Amin as an emotional, caring man, and that of a terrifying, torturous dictator keeps you on the edge of your emotional
seat.
for Hollywood2You.TV -- John Reed
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THE 11th HOUR
 
THE 11th HOUR
Or is
It really 11:59...
This hard hitting provocative and informative documentary is shaking up America on a grassroots
level. Government officials and powerful corporations are being forced to take note as this film
presents the facts
and makes the public ever more aware. THE 11th HOUR was 3 years in the making right along the production of "An Inconvenient
Truth". In THE 11th HOUR, A myriad of scientists from around the globe give their observations of the rampant climate
and geological changes that are occurring at an unbelievable pace. "Catastrophe is reported on the nightly news as isolated
incidents. But are these incidents isolated, or pieces of a larger global puzzle that could unlock humanity’s future?
" The message is clear and credible experts present the facts. Drought. Famine. Severe flooding. Record rainfall. Hurricanes.
Acid rain. The highest average temperatures in recorded history. As the film swells out to America, several corporations are
attempting to "GREENWASH" themselves in the public's eye. Even if it's PR, and these corporations aren't that GREEN
yet, at least It's a start and we have their attention. No one can deny it any longer or push it away. THE 11th HOUR......
It's actually 11:59.
The film is produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, Written and directed by Leila Conners
Petersen and Nadia Conners, Produced by Leila Conners Petersen, Brian Gerber and Chuck Castleberry, Executive producer: Pierre-André
Sénizergues, distributed by Warner Independent Films. Rated: PG for some mild disturbing images and thematic elements
Official site: http://wip.warnerbros.com/11thhour/
HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV
- John Reed  Interstate
60 (2002) A
trip down Interstate 60 is something everyone should take. This whimsical film written and directed by Bob Gale, who's best
known as writer of "Back to the Future" with Director Robert Zemeckis in 1985, and the sequels as well. Bob tried
to make this script seemingly forever, and eventually did with some notable roles from his “Back to the Future”
buddies, Michael J. Fox & Christopher Lloyd, as well as the beautiful Amy Stewart. This humorous film deals with the old
adage that “Sometimes you better be careful what you wish for!” The first words you hear as the film starts are...“
Given an infinite universe and infinite time, all things will happen. That means that every event is inevitable, including
those that are impossible. And it's as good... “ This is a movie that you can laugh to; and it makes you think as well.
The acting & directing are both superb throughout. A little magic and imagination put this film far above the norm. I
Highly recommend it. for Hollywood2You.TV -- John Reed
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