Leave it to Samuel L. Jackson to keep it real.  In an interview with Ebony Magazine, the actor has no shame in his game that he voted for President Obama because of his race:

“I voted for Barack because he was black,” Jackson revealed. “‘Cuz that’s why other folks vote for other people — because they look like them.”

Jackson then goes on to say:

“That’s American politics, pure and simple.   [Obama’s] message didn’t mean sh*t to me. In the end, he’s a politician. I just hoped he would do some of what he said he was gonna do. I know politicians say sh*t; they lie. ’Cuz they want to get elected.”

You can read the full interview in the March 2012  issue of Ebony Magazine.

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One of the hottest plays to hit Broadway this past season is “The Mountaintop,” which follows civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.s last night on earth.  Samuel L. Jackson plays MLK Jr., and Angela Bassett plays Camae, a maid at the Lorraine Motel, who is much more than meets the eye.  Directed by Kenny Leon, “Mountaintop” brings Bassett and Jackson together on stage for the very first time.  The cast and playwright Katori Hall gathered for a roundtable interview on “Charlie Rose” to discuss the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and what inspired Hall to write such a groundbreaking play.

WATCH INTERVIEW HERE

Highlights  from “The Mountaintop”

Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson the movie takes viewers behind the scenes with  Young Jeezy while he tours the world. The doc includes interviews with Jay-Z, DJ Drama, DJ Khaled, P. Diddy and other artists. But more telling are the conversations with his father, who was a Marine, and his mother a former drug addict who he found high in a crack house on one occasion. Their eventual divorce would have a heavy impact on Jeezy as as child. Watch the video below to get another side of the trap star.

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Samuel L. Jackson has been around since Spike Lee’s breakout films and Laurence Fishburne has been acting since 1975 playing Wilford Robinson in Cornbread, Earl and Me.

We pay homage to the top Hollywood vets, who probably say to younger actors, :You know, back in my day…”

1. Laurence Fishburne
Not only was he the famed kid in Cornbread, Earl and Me, but Laurence is still works regularly on television and movies.

2. Samuel L. Jackson
He always plays the risky roles that other actors may find unbecoming, but he’s one of the highest paid actors–Black or White.

3. Glynn Turman
From Cooley High to A Different World, he’s definitely got his acting stripes!

4. Morgan Freeman
He’s got a lot of flack for his role as Miss Daisy’s docile driver, but he’s been acting since the mid-60s and it’s hard not to distinguish his voice narrating commercials and movies.

5. Denzel Washington
He was the first black actor to win an Oscar for leading male role; need we say more?!

Notorious for playing foul mouthed, gun toting action heroes, Samuel L. Jackson uses his inside voice and zero profanity to call people to action in ending senseless acts of violence with guns.

What do you think of the PSA? Is it hypocritical for him to be in the video when most of his characters usually kill more than one person in a film? Sound off in the comment section.

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Samuel L. Jackson’s 5 Classic Movie Deaths

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Some of his top movies include:

Jurassic Park ($914 million), Pulp Fiction ($212 million) and the Star Wars prequels ($2.4 billion).

GangStarr Girl of Vibe.com compiled a list of Sam’s “5 Classic Movie Deaths” including the famous “Deep Blue Sea” seen:

Russell Franklin decided to give a speech about courage to his terrified group of terrified marine scientists. His goal was to figure out a strategy that didn’t involve running, but figuring out how to defeat the sharks. It was a noble cause but halfway into the speech he became the shark version of Snausages…and fodder for one of the most unintentionally hilarious movie deaths ever.

Click here, for the full list at Vibe.com

13 Scary Movies Where Black People Survived To The End

Marvel’s “The Avengers” Trailer Revealed (VIDEO)

The Mountaintop is a dramatic interpretation of King’s life the night before he was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN on April 4, 1968.  The play has been running for two years in London and will officially open in New York in October 2011. Preview performances will begin on September 22, 2011, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.

Halle Berry was in talks to join the cast of the play in the role of Camae, a mysterious maid at the motel, but was forced to withdraw due to the ongoing child custody case with her ex, Gabriel Autry.

Spotted @ The Huffington Post

RELATED: Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Foxx, Rosario Dawson & Kerry Washington Attend 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards

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‘Here is a highlight from the night: “Though Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson were both sporting sunglasses when they showed up to the LG Cinema 3D HDTV Gift Lounge backstage at the Spirit Awards, neither hesitated to trade them out for a pair of extra-dimensional iced-out shades to experience the next generation of 3D TV. ActressKerry Washington fully supported the new frames saying “life is disappointing after seeing 3D TV!”  Rosario Dawson “blinged” her 3D viewing experience with a pair of Swarovski-encrusted LG glasses before satisfying her sweet tooth with some Pure Dark chocolate.”

Discuss Idris, Oscars and The Late Dwayne McDuffie On “Cinema In Noir”

Samuel L. Jackson stars as Jimmy McMillan In “The Rent is Too Damn High!!”

Ain’t nothing else to talk about, rent is too damn high! Do you hear that? That’s Sam Jackson as Jimmy Mack, the Robin Hood of the Hood. Jimmy Mack is a karate expert minding his business when one day he is bitten by a radioactive eviction notice. All of a sudden he wakes up with the power to hear babies across the New York Tri-State area. Jimmy Mack takes it upon himself to fight the evil landlords and lower the rent. With Mark Wahlberg as Andrew Cuomo.

Tyler Perry is Antoine Dodson In “They Raping Everybody Out Here”

Tyler Perry and Antoine Dodson share a similar taste; being in front of the camera acting like bad stereotypes of Black women. As Antoine Dodson, Tyler Perry is the lead detective in his sister’s attempted rape case. In this Cinderella-type story a young boy uses tragedy to become very successful, exploiting his sister in the process. What happened to the search for the rapist? Oh, he stopped looking after the first check. Expanding his acting chops Tyler Perry plays Dodson, Dodson’s sister, Madea, and twelve other women in this comedy. I think Janet Jackson is somewhere in the background, I wasn’t paying attention.

Dave Chappelle stars as King James in “The Decision”

Dave Chappelle plays Lebron James, a young ball player that find himself between a rock and a hard place. Should he go with the team that is offering $50 million but also f**ked his mom? Or will he play for Miami? Spoiler alert: he runs away to Africa. Now that’s a twist for your ass! In what seems like a no-brainer to most people turns into a long, drawn out made-for-TV film debuting on ESPN. If you thought an hour for the first “Decision” was long, this takes the cake. And eats it too. Donnell Rawlings co-stars as Delonte West.

“Dude, Where’s My Chain? The Yung Berg Story” with Cuba Gooding Jr as Yung Berg

Cuba Gooding Jr plays Yung Berg, a rapper with an iced-out Transformers chain being passed around more than Raz B at Chris Stokes’ house. In what Rolling Stone calls “the Black National Treasure,” Yung Berg goes on a journey of Chuck Norris proportions to find his missing chain. He must go through King Soulja Boy, the Evil DJ Whoo Kid, random citizens, illseed, and the notorious Trick Trick’s brother. The worst part is, while he searches for his missing Transformers chain he loses his Batman one in the process. A desperate cry for a sequel? I think so. The movie is still in production seeing how he hasn’t recovered any chains yet.

“Dogs 4 Life” with Michael Vick and Airbud

In what Moviefone calls “the worst PR move in history” DMX stars as Michael Vick, an injured QB that must rely on his rival and second string QB to maintain their great season. At first, they hate each other, but over time they become best friends. The New York Times calls Dogs 4 Life “this generation’s The Defiant Ones.”

What other movies are waiting to be made? Let us know in the comments!

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“…watch a flick, illin and root for the villain..” – Nas, “One Time For Ya Mind”

As likable as the good guys are in movies  (we see you Will Smith) there is something about a badass that keeps us lined up at the box office quoting them long after the credits roll. Just think about who is more memorable: Tupac’s Bishop from Juice or his Lucky character from Poetic Justice? Thought so.

Not only is it more fun to play the bad guy in a movie, it seems to pay more dividends. Monique has won a Golden Globe for her role in Precious as the abusive mother, Mary, and Denzel won his first Best Actor Oscar playing a villain in Training Day.  The last time a Black actor won an award for being nice on screen was Jennifer Hudson winning Best Supporting Actress for  Dream Girls (2006), Jamie Foxx for Ray and Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby in 2004.  While I’m sure many of you reading this can quote the crooked cop Alonzo line for line, I doubt most folks can remember one thing that “Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris” said in that boxing gym.

So here is our salute to those characters that were so good at being bad.

Bishop, Juice

Played by: Tupac Shakur

Tweet this: “You gotta get the ground beneath your feet, partner, get the wind behind your back and go out in a blaze if you got to!”

Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction

Played by: Samuel L. Jackson

Tweet this: “Say ‘what’ again! Say ‘what’ again! I dare you, I double dare you motherfucker, say what one more Goddamn time!”

O-Dog, Menace II Society

Played by: Larenz Tate

Tweet this: “Anybody wanna hamburger? I just got it from a basehead!”

Sho Nuff, The Last Dragon

Played by: Julius Carry

Tweet this: “Kiss my Converse!”

Evilene, The Wiz

Played by: Mabelle King

Tweet this: “Don’t nobody bring me no bad news!”

Mary, Precious

Played by: Mo’Nique

Tweet this:”You sit there and you judge me, and you write them notes on your notepad, because you think you know who I am!”

Stab, Pee Wee and Zilla, House Party

Played by: Full Force

Tweet this: “We’ll kick yo’ fuckin ass!”

Deebo, Friday

Played by: Tiny Zeus Lester

Tweet this: “Wachu got on my 40, Homey?”/”This is MY bike!”

Alonzo, Training Day

Played by: Denzel Washington

Tweet this: “King Kong ain’t got shit on me!”

Nino Brown, New Jack City

Played by: Wesley Snipes

Tweet this: “Cancel this bitch!”

Honorable mentions:

Vin Diesel as Riddick in Pitch Black

Vanessa Williams as Keisha in New Jack City, “Rock-a-bye baby!”

Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez in Shaft (2000)

Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Green in Kill Bill

VIA EMPIRE:

M. Night Shyamalan, the twisty turny Sixth Sense director, somewhat down on his luck following Lady in the Water and The Happening (although The Last Airbender looks promising), is prepping Unbreakable 2, according to MTV News.

Shyamalan has been saying things like this since 2001. He doesn’t have Bruce Willis or Samuel L. Jackson yet (“I don’t know where [they] are… Sam is, like, Mr Comic Book now…”), and as of last October (MTV again) he hadn’t written it yet and didn’t quite have an idea: “I want a story to pop into my head”. He also seriously fell out with Unbreakable‘s studio Disney after they rejected Lady in the Water.

But if he’s still talking it up, it’s still something of a possibility, and a weirdo take on superheroes might sit quite well in the current Marvel-heavy movie climate. But is there anything left to say after Watchmen?

If you haven’t heard about the Somali pirates story, then you need to stop looking at those Rihanna pictures and start watching the news.

Samuel L. Jackson is set to star as Andrew Mwangura, the freelance journalist and hostage negotiator, who recently played go-between when Somali pirates took several ships hostage.

Mwangura is also an ex-marine engineer who runs the Seafarers’ Assistance Programme, a nonprofit group that offers humanitarian aid to all seafarers. He earned the trust of both sides and brokered a deal to recover the crew and cargo for $3.4 million.

Jackson is set to work with producer Andras Hamori on the film. The pair previously worked together on the ill-fated, yet somewhat funny film The 51st State and Running Wild – a flick about a massacre in a gated community, still in pre-production.

Meanwhile, Jackson is shooting Iron Man 2 appearing as Nick Fury, but he’ll hopefully have time on set to practice for his role.

No word on how he plans to squeeze it in between his nine Marvel movies, but Sam Jackson has signed on for the awesomely titled Rape: A Love Story (which sounds funnier if you read it without the colon).  Settle down, pervs, it’s a Joyce Carol Oates novel.  But who will play the rapee?

“The movie will tell the story of Teena MacGuire (Maria Bello), a young mother who is brutally gang-raped and left for dead, in an attack witnessed by her 12 year-old daughter (Abigail Breslin).  Jackson will play a cop who, appalled by Teena’s plight and a legal miscarriage of justice, takes the law into his own hands in an attempt to punish her attackers.” [Empire]

“They told me it was going to be tasteful,” MacGuire moaned.

SOURCE: Filmdrunk

Samuel L. Jackson has signed on to join Kerry Washington, Naomi Watts, Annette Bening and Jimmy Smits in director Rodrigo Garcia’s Mother and Child, reports Screen Daily.

Garcia also wrote the screenplay, which follows the intersecting story of three women – a 50 year old woman, the daughter she gave up for adoption and a woman looking to adopt a child of her own.

Principal photography has reportedly started under producers Lisa Maria Falcone of Everest Entertainment and Mockingbird Pictures’ Julie Lynn. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel and 21 Grams) is the executive producer.

Everest’s Falcone said, “I am thrilled to be financing Rodrigo Garcia’s new film. The quality of the material has attracted a world-class cast, and I am proud that this will mark the first film of my new company.”

I know, I know, I know… There’s only two black actors nominated for an Academy Award in a year that has seen us achieve to the highest level of government imaginable. Why can’t we get the best of both worlds, right? With black folks continuing to step out and show the wide array of colors portrayed on the big screen is the Academy just making due with the change in White House administration? Or were the movie’s just not Oscar worthy?

You be the judge! Below is the list of black in the movies for 2008:

The Family That Preys – Tyler Perry

Seven Pounds, Hancock – Will Smith

Cadillac Records – Columbus Short, Beyonce Knowles, Mos Def

The Express - Rob Brown

The Dark Knight – Morgan Freeman

Iron Man - Terrence Howard

Max Payne – Ludacris

Be Kind Rewind – Mos Def

Jumper - Samuel L. Jackson

21 – Laurence Fishburne

Wanted - Morgan Freeman, Common

Righteous Kill – 50 Cent

The Love Guru, Saw V, The Unborn – Meagan Good

Get Smart - Dwayne Johnson (The Rock)

Samuel L. Jackson, who made a cameo appearance as Nick Fury in Iron Man, tell the Los Angeles Times that talks about him returning to the role in future Marvel Studios have broken down:

“There was a huge kind of negotiation that broke down. I don’t know. Maybe I won’t be Nick Fury. Maybe somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won’t be in it. There seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world so [they're saying to me], ‘We’re not making that deal.’”

I called Marvel Comics and they gave me a statement that suggested that they still want to see Jackson wearing the eyepatch. “Marvel does not comment on active negotiations,” was the boilerplate repsonse, but there was that emphasis on the word “active” in the voice of the spokesman who phoned me back.

George Lucas ventured down to Hollywood from his empire at Skywalker Ranch to present the American Cinematheque’s 23rd annual award to one of his favorite Jedi’s, Samuel L. Jackson, and ComingSoon.net intercepted the man behind some of pop culture’s most iconic mythologies. Lucas gave up a handful of plans that were not quite as secret as the plans to the Death Star, including his intentions for a fifth Indiana Jones adventure, and 3-D-ifying the classic Star Wars films.

ComingSoon.net: You had huge success this summer with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Are you seriously thinking about another one? Harrison Ford’s said there may be plans afoot.
George Lucas: Yes – we’re looking for a “MacGuffin,” which is an object that he goes after. They’re very hard to come by!

CS: Would you want to keep the whole family together for a film – Indy, Marion and Mutt?
Lucas: It really depends on what it is Indy goes looking for and then how the story falls out of that, and then how convenient or inconvenient to have the group there.

CS: A while back when we spoke you were planning to take the six Star Wars films and put them into a 3D format. Is that still something you’re working towards?
Lucas: Oh yeah. The technology is very difficult. It exists – it’s just extremely expensive, and so what we’re trying to do is figure out a more practical way of pulling it off.

CS: And what about Red Tails, the project with the Tuskegee Airmen that you’ve been wanting to do for some time now – there’s progress there?
Lucas: We’re casting that right now and we’re shooting in the spring.

CS: Do you have a director lined up?
Lucas: Yes, we have Anthony Hamilton directing.

CS: Do you think you’ll be directing a film again any time soon?
Lucas: Not for a while. I’m getting rid of all my development. Everything that I’ve ever developed is going to be finished in about a year, a year and a half or two, and then I’m going to go do my own films.

CS: You’re here in L.A. to pay tribute to Samuel L. Jackson. Of all the actors in Hollywood who would’ve killed to lobby you for a part in the “Star Wars” prequels, why was Sam an actor that you felt fit your plans enough to bring into “Star Wars”?

Lucas: To be honest, he’s the only one who asked, actually. He didn’t really lobby for it. He was on a talk show and someone asked him what movie he would’ve liked to be in or that he would like to be in that he hadn’t been in and he said “Star Wars.” So I called him up and said “Is that true? Do you really want to be in ‘Star Wars’?” He said “Yeah – as long as I’m a Jedi,” and I said “Well, I have a little tiny role, but it grows if you’re willing to do the three movies.” He said “I’m in.” It was just like that. He didn’t look at it like “This is a chance to make a whole bunch of money, a chance to do a big thing.” He just did what was asked of him and tried to make it as good as he possibly could.

SOURCE: ComingSoon.net

Jackson was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award, which puts him in good company with previous recipients Julia Roberts, George Clooney, and Al Pacino. The actor tells “The Insider” his feelings about winning the prestigious honor.

“I guess I’ve done something significant in this business,” he says. “And it’s really very strange to get a lifetime achievement award in what I think is the middle of my career. I’ve got like a hundred more films I want to do.”

George Lucas, who worked with Jackson on ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars,’ shares his experience working with the actor.

“Fantastic, he’s a really professional actor,” Lucas says about Jackson. “Always going 200%, giving you a lot more than you ask for — always there ready to work.”

Still spicy and viral at the ripe-old age of 56, Del Rio retains that fire that made her an X-rated superstar back in the Betamax days. Soul Men co-star, Samuel L. Jackson, remembers Bernie pulling him aside on the set.

“He was like, ‘Man, she ’bout to kill me!” I said, “What?” “She’s jumping up and down and she’s just like buck-wild over there!”

Del Rio bursts out laughing when she’s told that story. But according to EURWeb.com, what she remembers most is not the “valveteen rub,” but what a gentleman  Mac was as he spoke lovingly about his family.

“He was talking about his kids and about his dog and he just came across as such a wonderful and warm person,” Del Rio remembers. “We laughed a lot and I think that laughter is very sexy!”

Del Rio retired from hardcore work in 1986, but her appearance in Soul Men has increased a spark in her sexy merchandise – including her memoir, a racy coffee table book with the deliberately ironic title – 50 Years of Slighty Slutty Behavior.

Sometimes love can be a hard thing. But when you’re the bum-standing-next-to-a-jewel, like Affion Crockett does with Sharon Leal in Soul Men, then love turns into a myriad of things as you’ll see in this The Urban Daily exclusive interview!

Affion Crockett and Sharon Leal co-star in Malcolm D. Lee’s Soul Men. In theaters today, the duo play an unhappy couple who are blessed – and in Affion’s case cursed – with the opportunity of meeting Floyd and Louis. While the stars all had fun time working and laughing together in unison, this interview with another dynamic duo finds them talking about relating to Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson, what’s the craziest things they’ve done when in a relationship and reminiscence about Isaac Hayes.

The Urban Daily: Can you both talk about your role in the movie and the way your relationship plays out?

Affion Crockett: In the movie, we’re in a relationship and it was a horrible one. I play her man. My name is Lester and he’s a deadbeat boyfriend who mooches off of his girl from the money that her moms left her and I built a studio in the garage. Very Hustle & Flow-ish… I’m trying to be this rapper-slash-drug dealer, but deep down, Cleo runs the show. I’m trying to be the man in the relationship, carry a gun and all that stuff to intimidate, but she’s not really moved by any of it.

Sharon Leal: In the movie, she’s definitely the girl who doesn’t know what she’s worth. It’s kind of a heavy premise for a comedy movie, but when you talk about a girl who’s been abused and has no self-esteem and is not optimistic about the future – then when you meet her she is in a place where she figures she’s just been handed a bad deck of cards. So, when Sam and Bernie show up, she is really rescued by them and that’s where they come into play and that’s her in a nutshell.

TUD: Are you kind of intimidating in real life, too?

SL: I don’t think so…

TUD: Affion… What do you think?

AC: She’s laid back and mysterious. It’s not intimidating, well… to some guys it might be. But it’s more intriguing than intimidating.

TUD: In the movie, Affion, you did a lot of running with Bernie and Sam, being that Bernie is coming from the comedic would that you’re also a part of. What were some things that the two of you were able to relate about with respect to this movie?

AC: It meant so much to me because I started out doing Bernie Mac impressions. He was the guy that inspired me to get on stage. The fact that he is an improv guy, and yet, he can still act! I was able to see his whole approach to the process. Most of the movie is just him and I cussin’ each other out, matching withs and talkin’ junk. So, for me, it was that moment where Iverson crossed up Jordan. Not saying that I crossed Bernie up, but it’s at that moment where the younger generation faces the one that he looked up to and you just have to play ball at that moment.

TUD: What was one way that Sam and Bernie brought you into the fold?

SL: They did instantly. We knew that a certain chemistry had to take place and from day one, they hugged me, took me under their wings and were really gracious with their time. Their advice and they are both so good at what they do. Bernie is a natural, organic performer who can do anything and Sam is a professional. You are always in good company. I was lucky to be able to work with such great guys.

TUD: Do you think that Sam would’ve made for a good comedian?

SL: I think that Sam could pretty much do anything that you throw at him. He is very versatile…

AC: Yeah, he would be in the same vein of D.C. Curry or a Robin Harris. Bernie – on the other hand – was that strong forceful guy that knew how to tell stories and make them funny. If you can imagine Sam Jackson on stage, it would probably be something similar.

TUD: The relationship that you and Sharon have in the movie finds you separating and chasing after her by going through all this crazy stuff. So, what’s the craziest thing that the two of you have ever done in a relationship that you may… or may not have… regretted?

AC: Aww, man… When I first moved out to Los Angeles, I was dating this girl and she had a set time that she would get off of work and call me. One night, she didn’t do it and I drove down to Hollywood. She always took the bus hoe from work, so I’m thinkin’ she got kidnapped [laughs]. I am down there at two in the morning, just pacing. Looking back on it now, I’m like, “Man, you should have had your butt at the crib chillin’, she’s out doing her thing or whatever.” I just can’t believe that I was that gone over this girl that I’d been pacing the street for at two, trying to figure out why she ain’t paged me.

SL: When I was younger, I was about a freshman in high school and I was obsessed with this boy who was a senior. I used to go out of my way to look at him. I didn’t want to date him. I didn’t want to talk to him. I just wanted to have that moment. That’s probably the craziest thing when you’re so obsessed with a crush, but too scared to do anything about it. I ended up thinking about him the other day… What ever happened to him?

TUD: Did you get to hang out with Isaac before filming wrapped?

SL: We had the same shuttle to set, but he just had his first stroke, so we were happy that he was well enough to be in the film. We all knew that he was vulnerable in terms of his health and everything that he had been through. I’m always and forever will be a fan. But I tried to cover my enthusiasm about working with all of them.

Most people in the press are saying that Bernie Mac’s last film is a sad last act for the critically-acclaimed and beloved star. But if anyone knows about folks from Chicago, they couldn’t care less about what you say and more about what they feel. The Southside hometown hero made good with Samuel L. Jackson in Soul Men.

Movie director, Malcolm D. Lee, has had a good run of comedies. From The Best Man to Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins, the other star from the Lee family tree has a funny bone unlike his military-minded cousin. After accepting a script by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone, Soul Men offered a promising rundown in how-to comedy with a hilarious tale of two back-up singers – played by Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac. The duo are forced out of retirement when word breaks that their lead singer – in a movie first played by John Legend – passes away.

After decades of inactivity, the duo fall out over a woman and fall on hard times in their own individual ways. Floyd (Mac) is unfulfilled in his retirement after running a successful car wash and Louis (Jackson) has hit upon hard times – serving time and living in a piss-poor manor. The opportunity to reunite and celebrate their musical legacy at the famed Apollo Theater already lays down the groundwork for a pretty good comedy plot, but the road to the promise land was paved with a few holes.

But before they hit the bumps, a series of happenstance from Arizona to Oklahoma find our two pals with plenty of time to argue, bust a few shots, relive some past issues and even meet with the daughter of the guy’s former wife – Cleo. Sharon Leal does an excellent job of showcasing vulnerability under the abusive tone of boyfriend and wannabe rapper – Lester (Affion Crockett). 

A lot of improvisation went into this work and when you have two aggressively funny cats like Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson – the results can be hilariously outrageous or fall flat on its face. A part that audiences will enjoy was Bernie’s romp with a cougar-ish groupie who wants to give him a ‘velveteen rub.’ But on the flip side of the coin, a joke like Sam and Bernie having to share a bed together was kind of unnecessary fodder to help move a lagging film along.

The raunchiness marked a return to prominence for Bernie Mac. After some would say that he was diluted after appearing on his own television show and Ocean’s Thirteen, the Chicago comedian showcased that he never lost a step and the outtakes once the credit roll marked just how great a funny-man Bernie was. With his lost and Isaac Hayes passing the following day, it makes Soul Men a holistic tribute to the Stax era. 

As the duo sing their own songs, dance the routines, the era of the 70s soul groups are celebrated and never overly garish. Jackson and Mac do excellent jobs of complimenting one another and with a colorful array of co-stars, the focus never leaves the headliners and allows the back-ups to get equal billing with a solo or two. After the passing of the entertainment industries giants, Soul Men is fitting tribute to how hard work and staying true to one’s craft will have lasting life after death.

The actor will play Sho’nuff – The Shogun of Harlem – a role originally played by the late Julius Carry. The role will find Jackson asking those familiar ego-driven questions like, “Am I the baddest mofo lowdown around this town?”

Screenwriting and production duties fall to Dallas Jackson. Jackson heads up the urban family label DJ Classicz and will share credit with RZA.

The new version of the film will follow along the lines of the original, with Bruce Leroy on his quest to achieve the highest level of martial arts accomplishment.

The 1985 original will be repackaged and shipped out to theaters next year when Motown celebrates its 50th anniversary.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Kerry Gordy as he continues his father’s legacy, and we’re confident that he along with John and Dallas are the perfect team to develop the project,” Columbia Pictures’ president, Doug Belgrad offered. “They will capture everything that people love about the original while also bringing a fresh edge to the remake.”

The film didn’t do too well during its initial run in theaters, but grossed $26 million.

This Overbrook Entertainment-produced flick finds itself bearing a very notable similarity to a well-publicized case in Los Angeles, where an officer for the LAPD was accused of serially harassment of his neighbors. The kicker was that they were an interracially married couple. Lakeview Terrace delivers on the fact-to-fiction hype and engrosses viewers into a tense and titilatting drama which turns into a thriller in a blink of an eye.

Samuel L. Jackson’s turn as the widowed officer Abel Turner is a villainous delight. His smarter-than-thou attitude carries over well and coupled with his sharp wit and booming voice, you can understand why Jackson has been so successful in Hollywood for over two decades and shows no signs of stopping now. As Turner reels from the lost of his wife, newlyweds Chris and Lisa Mattson (Wilson and Washington, respectively) move into the neighborhood to start their own new life.

Lakeview Terrace starts off slow, allowing the characters to find their footing. Turner’s kids played by Pride’s Regine Nehy and Jaishon Fisher (That’s So Raven) give Jackson’s character enough ammunition to showcase that something is indeed “off,” but that vagueness is not as cleverly masked as other thriller’s packed with suspense like The Usual Suspects. Washington and Wilson’s chemistry is apparent and although you may be staring at Kerry Washington’s sexiness, it is Patrick Wilson who helps drive the plot along.

Points are deducted for the dragging plot line between the three stars. The tension that build between the three principle characters is offset by the sheer point that there is a clear and present result that can be taken, but Wilson and Washington are too stubborn to take that road. With enough chills to freeze a polar bear, these three character driven to maddness through the blurring lines of interracial love, make Lakeview Terrace an interestesting commentary on our current state of affairs with a heavy dosage of sociopathic tendencies that would make Norman Bates grin.

The Urban Daily: Good afternoon, Ms. Washington, you look gorgeous today. Could you describe your character, Lisa, in Lakeview Terrace?
Kerry Washington: Lisa is a very complicated woman. I was really excited about playing her because I’ve never seen this kind of black woman on the screen before.

TUD: What type of woman is that?
KW: You know… a kind of Prius driving, Birkenstock wearing black chick who’s a Berkeley girl. I have a lot of girlfriends like that, so I liked that idea as that being my character. I really loved all of the complexities in the relationship in their marriage and in their neighborhood. I think Lakeview Terrace is a very rich film. There’s a lot going on in it!

TUD: Mr. Jackson, your character, Abel Turner is quite a character himself. Is he comfortable with all the chaos he creates?
Samuel L. Jackson: Yeah, I think that Abel is comfortable with who he is and where he is in his life. He’s trying to figure out how to navigate raising his teenage daughter, because she’s raising questions with him, but like most teenage daughters – the number one thing they say most is, [in a mimicking voice] “That’s so unfair!” His opinion is one that people definitely have to get used to. He’s dealing with bad people, mostly and because of that he pretty much thinks the worst of the majority of people that he encounters. He has a way of thinking and then this young couple moves in and immediately he can see that they’re different. This is an influence that Abel feels like he can’t have around his kids. Not just because they’re married and are interracial and are a couple, but he see this young woman who is at home, working and she’s kind of cute and brassy, so he doesn’t know if he wants his daughter to be influenced by that. So, he definitely has his own opinions.

TUD: What are your respective thoughts on interracial dating?
KW: I think that people should be allowed to love whoever they want to love – regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender and sex. People should just be able to love who they love.

SJ: I’m aware that a lot of people tend to think that, but one can be a racist just because of what one’s attitude is. It’s not just black and white. People look at people and say she’s so tall or he’s so short or make comments about that fat girl in the corner. It’s true with guys especially because ugly guys can get the good looking girls. It’s just one of those things that can’t really be explained, it’s just understood.

TUD: Would you say that there’s a difference between black men and white men?
KW: I think that there’s a difference between people, no matter what color they are. We have lots of ways that we can identify culturally, you know? There’s a difference from people who grew up in Manhattan versus those who grew up in the Bronx. I fit into the Bronx group. There’s a difference between people who were born in the 80’s and those who were born in the 70’s. I point that out not to separate us as human beings, but to point out the uniqueness between people and all the things that contribute to who we are culturally.

TUD: What is that?
KW: It’s a tapestry that’s woven from a lot of different threads. So, yes, I think that racial identity is a part of that, but I also think you could have two kids, like there is in this movie, who come from two different sides of the coin, yet are more similar and can create a happiness from it.

TUD: Do you think this explosive conclusion to Lakeview Terrace was inevitable? Or do you think there were moments where something else could have happened?
SJ: There was a time where the situation could’ve been diffused as easily as it became explosive. There was a light that my character, Abel, has that affects the couple from sleeping. The end result is simple: buy some curtains [laughs]! They’re the affluent couple next door, her husband (played by Patrick Wilson) is some guy who works at Whole Foods or something and they can afford to buy some curtains. When Abel goes to the house warming party, he’s very open with them and their guest, but they talk down to him – leaving Abel to have to defend himself. Once they cross that line, the line’s crossed and he feels threatened in a very real kind of way, by his career, not able to make a living for his kids and all these other factors affect him and he kind of loses it and unravels.

TUD: What was it about this character that made you want to do it?
SJ: He’s very different from who I am. I’m always looking for specific acting challenges or trying to explore some emotions that I don’t have. I love to be in situations that are foreign to what I’m doing right now. Abel was pretty much as far away from me as I could get, right now, so it was fun to play him.

TUD: Did you have any artistic license to change the script?
SJ: In the original script, Abel is a crazed racist, kind of like a mad dog, his wife is still alive and he’s sort of abusive to her and his kids. There’s all this kind of stuff going on and in the end, it’s too easy to hate. So, when we started the rehearsal period, we were able to craft some other stuff. Got rid of the wife, he’s by himself raising two kids and it leaves the people to try and figure out why he’s this angry with people. When you find out what happened to his wife, that’s a big twist to let the audience be informed on his hatred.

TUD: Would you say that there was some sexual tension between you and Sam’s character in the movie?
KW: That is one of the things that I really like about this movie. A lot of the relationship between Lisa and Abel is non-verbal. I think some people label that as a “sexual tension” because whenever there’s that sub-textural communication, that’s kind of the thought that we first go to. That’s just the assumption that we make. I just think that they have a complicated identity. They’re interesting to me because they come from two completely different worlds. Their moral code, their education, their worldliness, their economic upbringing is all so different. But they feel like they should understand each other because of their race. That’s so interesting to me because they have this struggle and tension with each other. It’s like – they should know each other, but they don’t…

SJ: I guess you can say that… Naturally, you got a guy like Abel, who’s next door and he probably thought, “Why are they together?” I hear my wife’s friends say sometimes question why they’re not with a black man and why he’s with a white woman who may or may not be as attractive as them. A lot of us have those questions and I can see why Abel would have those thoughts. There’s a scene and if it ever ends up on DVD, you’ll see where Kerry’s character comes out and she’s got on this little thing and she kind of temps him to come over, he goes over and that scene happens – where he thinks that she’s trying to seduce him. But actually, she’s trying to get something else going.

TUD: Have you ever had a crazy neighbor?
SJ: When my wife bought the house we ended up in, there were five brownstones on the block we were in and like seven apartment buildings. When spring came, all 3000 people who lived in that neighborhood came out and of those five brownstones, we all had 8 or 9 steps that went up to our front doors. All the kids in the neighborhood sat on those steps, playing their boom-boxes and ate chicken. Crazy kids left the bones and when we tried to come home, they looked at us like we were interrupting them to go up our stairs! We became the neighbors from hell, my wife talked everybody into buying gates and blocked the steps off because we didn’t want them to sit on our steps.

TUD: Ms. Washington with all the work that you have going on – talk about the stuff you’re doing with the Obama campaign…
KW: Honestly, I’ve been having the time of my life. I’ve been to about 9 states for Senator Obama. I’m an official surrogate and I’m co-chair of the voter registration drive and Vote For Change movement. I’ve just been as involved as I possibly can be. I was in Denver for the convention, which was amazing. I was just crying like a baby during Michelle’s speech. This is truly an incredible experience.

Be sure to keep an eye on Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington as they prep for their next roles in Soul Men and Eddie Murphy’s A Thousand Words, respectively.Lakeview Terrace is in theaters now!

Old school R&B singers are classic… especially when they are played by Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac. The two stars team up for this November’s appropriately titled Soul Men.

Due Novembner 7th, the comedy drama also stars Sharon Leal (Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?), Affion Crockett, John Legend and the late Isaac Hayes.

Peep the Soul Men trailer below:

Pulp Fiction, VH1, 9:00pm -

MUST WATCH! A late start in the evening for What to Watch, but where would I be if I didn’t advocate healthy study habits for the kiddies and quality time for the grown folks! So, tonight, start off your TV love-fest with the critically acclaimed (and deadpanned),Pulp Fiction. Starring John Travolta (his comeback role… When did he leave?) andSamuel L. Jackson in this highly stylized crime drama about two hit men – from the mind of Quentin Tarantino – airs tonight at 9 o’clock.

Extreme Terror Rides, Travel Channel, 9:00pm -

If arguing about McDonald’s and sticking adrenaline needles into chest cavities aren’t your thing, then flip over to the Travel Channel, as they examine the love/hate affair with extreme rollercoaster rides. Tonight’s episode even includes a coaster that simulates weightlessness and another that is the famed (and feared) corkscrew rides.

Primetime, ABC, 10:00pm -

MUST WATCH! Bob Woodruff explains the economic rise and impact of China and its effects on the rest of the world. A major consequence of this is China’s rise of a middle class and its needs to meet their demands. The part that I’ll be looking to watch out for is an explaination of China’s relationship to its Asian neighbors and their complex relationship with us, here in the States.

Man vs. Wild, Discovery Channel, 10:00pm -

In Mexico, armed with only his wits, water bottle, a flint and a knife, Discovery Channel’s survival expert - Bear Grylls – will have to navigate his way out of the ominous Copper Canyon.

What’s Eating Victoria Beckham, BBC, 11:00pm -

This revealing profile of David Beckham’s wife, Diva Spice (was that her name?), documents her transition from aspiring pop star to the fashionista that she is today. The special also includes an interesting interview with her ex-hubby-to-be, Mark Wood.

The first two months of the summer blockbuster season have already included two Marvel movies, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. In a post-credit scene of Iron Man, an eye-patch-wearing Samuel L. Jackson makes a cameo as Nick Fury, the superspy leader of S.H.I.E.L.D, and informs Tony Stark of his plans for an “Avenger Initiative.” How many of you caught that? Stark also appears at the end of The Incredible Hulk to tell General Thunderbolt Ross that he is putting a “team” together. Clearly, there are crossovers on the horizon.

Coinciding with the release of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, Marvel announced earlier this month their plans for two upcoming Avengers movies. The First Avenger: Captain America is slated for May 2011 and The Avengers will follow in July 2011. The First Avenger will be set during World War II and detail the origin of the iconic Captain America. Plot details have not been given, but it’s safe to bet that Captain America will be busy battling Nazis and other enemies of the free world. The Avengers will follow the formation of the original Avenger team: Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Wasp, and Ant-Man. Zak Penn, who wrote X-Men United and X-Men: Last Stand, is set to write the scripts for both films.

The Avengers is an exciting prospect because it has the potential to break free from the cookie-cutter superhero movie plotlines that have dominated the summer screens over the past few years. This film won’t have to slog through the back stories of each character because they have been solidified in previous films. Instead, The Avengers can focus on the unexplored dynamic between the different superheroes of the expansive Marvel Universe. Also, let’s not forget, watching Thor kick the crap out of bad guys with his war hammer is going to be awesome.