for colored girls is a 2010 american drama film adapted from ntozake shange 's 1975 original choreopoem for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf .

written , directed and produced by tyler perry , the film features an ensemble cast which includes janet jackson , whoopi goldberg , phylicia rashad , thandie newton , loretta devine , anika noni rose , kimberly elise , and kerry washington .

the film depicts the interconnected lives of nine women , exploring their lives and struggles as women of color .

it is the first film to be produced by 34th street films , an imprint of tyler perry studios , and distributed by lionsgate films .

it is also the first and only r-rated film , to date in the series .

with a budget of $ 21 million , for colored girls was released on november 5 , 2010 , grossing $ 20.1 million in its opening weekend .

the film 's lead cast consists of nine african-american women , seven of whom are based on the play 's seven characters , only known by color ( e.g. " lady in red , " " lady in brown , " " lady in yellow , " ) .

like its source material , each character deals with a different personal conflict , such as love , abandonment , rape , infidelity , and abortion .

for colored girls

for colored girls <EOT> the correct shortening of “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf” is ( and only this ) “for colored girls…” not “colored girls” i would like to see this corrected .

“for colored girls…” release date pushed up in time for oscars | old school 105 . 3

music from and inspired by the original motion picture ' for colored girls . '

“for colored girls” is in theaters nov . 5 . visit urltoken for a review of the film .

what is significant about the portrayal of women in for colored girls . . . ?

theater season opens with historic drama ‘for colored girls . . . ’ | temple now

as a colored woman i thought the movie was amazing . many people say that the story line for colored girls is really for all girls . it is a targeted for a black audience .

mariah carey drops out of tyler perry ' s ' for colored girls . . . '

“the colored girls” is expected to be on shelves in time for the 2018 midterm elections .

looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing for colored girls near you .

' for colored girls . . . ' production to raise money for crime victims center - broome county arts council

ham - handed , obvious , overblown and pretentious , for colored girls is a plain disaster .

from left , kerry washington , phylicia rashad and anika noni rose in “for colored girls . ”

' s adaptation of the play " for colored girls who have considered suicide . . . "

here are some differences between shange ' s theater milestone for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf and perry ' s rest stop of a movie , for colored girls .

mariah carey drops out of tyler perry ' s ' for colored girls . . . ' - mtv

what are the specific roles of each color in for colored girls who have considered suicide when . . .

what are the contrasts from the poem " for colored girls who considered suicide when the rainbow . . .

if you want to answer the questions , " who starred in the movie for colored girls ? " and " what is the full cast list of for colored girls ? " then this page has got you covered .

was the term " choreopoem " invented for the play for colored girls who . . . , or did it exist . . .

this cast list of who was in for colored girls includes both lead and minor roles . ( 19 items )

in for colored girls , director tyler perry ( madea goes to jail ) takes a tone - deaf approach in his adaptation of ntozake shange ' s 1974 obie - winning play , for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf .

in this film publicity image released by lionsgate , phylicia rashad is shown in a scene from , " for colored girls . "

in this film publicity image released by lionsgate , janet jackson is shown in a scene from , " for colored girls . "

the release on friday of " for colored girls , " the movie version of ntozake shange ' s landmark play " for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf , " is generating a lot of excitement , particularly among fans of the play .

for colored girls cast list , listed alphabetically with photos when available . this list of for colored girls actors includes any for colored girls actresses and all other actors from the film . you can view additional information about each for colored girls actor on this list , such as when and where they were born . to find out more about a particular actor or actress , click on their name and you ' ll be taken to page with even more details about their acting career . the cast members of for colored girls have been in many other movies , so use this list as a starting point to find actors or actresses that you may not be familiar with .

i was ordering the movie " for colored girls " and was sent the music by mistake . i will have to return it .

" for colored girls " features a lot of heartache and pain , but lacks any sense of purpose . it sacrifices depth for despair and suffers because of it .

the soundtrack to tyler perry’s ‘for colored girls’ will be released on november 2 , but you can preview today by streaming over at atlantic records .

for colored girls . a film written and directed by tyler perry , based on the poems of ntozake shange . for philadelphia - area theaters and show times , click here .

the question and answer section for for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf is a great resource to ask questions , find answers , and discuss the novel .

ever wonder what paul thomas anderson’s magnolia might have looked like if all the characters had been black women ? you probably haven’t , but still , for about an hour that’s what tyler perry seems to be shooting for with for colored girls , his adaptation of the renowned play for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf . by . . . read more

ntozake shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf opens with a poem entitled “dark phrases . ” the first stanza reads :

in this film publicity image released by lionsgate , thandie newton , left , and whoopi goldberg are shown in a scene from , " for colored girls . "

ntozake shange , for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf ( new york : scribner , 2010 ) . [ return to text ]

while she and fellow cast member whoopi goldberg are ( arguably ) the most accomplished for colored girls stars , rashad gushed while praising her younger co - stars .

director tyler perry ' s for colored girls is a bold example of an artist ' s reach exceeding his grasp . and it ' s hard not to applaud his determination and grade for ambition .

for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf essays are academic essays for citation . these papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the choreopoem by ntozake shange .

if tyler perry ' s upcoming film , " for colored girls , " is half as good as the cadre of female vocalists he ' s lined up for the soundtrack , we ' re getting excited .

hovering between theater and cinema , sociology and drama , poetry and narrative , “for color girls , ” tyler perry’s screen adaptation of ntozake shange’s award - winning play " for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf , " is a major artistic disappointment .

osborne , kristen . boghani , a . ed . " for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf summary " . gradesaver , 27 march 2014 web .

directed , written by tyler perry , based on the stage play " for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf " by camera , alexander gruszynski .

the word " choreopoem " was invented by ntozake shange for her 1975 experimental play for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf . because the play was not a typical form . . .

“for colored girls” is rated r ( under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian ) . the film contains scenes of child murder , rape , domestic abuse and an illegal abortion .

it’s gone on to multiple productions worldwide and was the source of tyler perry’s 2010 film for colored girls , featuring a powerhouse cast including janet jackson , whoopi goldberg , and kerry washington .

temple theaters kicks off its 48th season this week with a 40th anniversary production of for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf by poet and activist ntozake shange .

as the 36 - year - old actor gears up for the november 5 , 2010 release of tyler perry’s film for colored girls , hardwick is very aware that even more eyes will be on him . while he pointed out to urltoken in this exclusive interview that he has clocked more screen time in previous films , the subject matter relating to his character carl in for colored girls is so potent , he’ll have people talking about him for years to come .

applaud perry for getting the best from most of his actresses . boo him for not building to a climax as deeply felt as the movie ' s individual components . for colored girls is a textbook case of the whole being considerably less than the sum of its parts .

" for colored girls " brings to the screen ntozake shange ' s obie award - winning play , a poetic exploration of what is to be of color and a female in this world .

united kingdom «for colored girls» in the uk released in movie theaters on december 10 , 2010 . the movie estimated to release on dvd and blu - ray some time in march or april 2011 .

the recent 40th anniversary of ntozake shange’s seminal choreopoem “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf” continues to bring people together to celebrate , create art and / or heal from trauma .

for colored girls … has retained its popularity . college theater departments often stage the play . it also was the basis of a pbs american playhouse telefilm and a movie produced by tyler perry’s production company .

temple theaters kicks off its 48th season this week with a 40th anniversary production of ' for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf . ' five additional mainstage productions will follow .

for once , tyler perry doesn ' t put his name above the title , but perhaps he should with " for colored girls " to distinguish this train wreck of a movie from the stunning theater piece of 36 years ago by ntozake shange .

for universal , the formula is more simple : “girls trip , ” unlike the aforementioned comedies , is resonating with audiences .

ntozake shange : plays 1 : " for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf . . . , spell number 7 " , " the love space demands vol 1 ( contemporary dramatists )

for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf is a " choreopoem " by ntozake shange , developed as an experimental play performed entirely by women in poetry and dance . . . .

the studio announced this morning that perry’s next picture , “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf , ” will premiere on nov . 5 … and not in 2011 as was expected .

united states distributed by lionsgate «for colored girls» in the united states theaters released on november 5 , 2010 and has grossed over $ 38 million worldwide ; dvd and blu - ray release date was set for february 8 , 2011 . available for rent from netflix and redbox from february 8 , 2011 .

tyler perry ' s film adaptation of ntozake shange ' s tony award - nominated play for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf will arrive in theatres nov . 5 , according to variety .

in collaboration with the for colored girls 2017 justice seeking art action , kin folkz has joined efforts with regina evans ( of regina ' s door ) who will unveil a may 24th lake merritt ritual performance piece entitled ceremony to raise awareness of the resistance against the human trafficking of black women and girls .

after originally being set for a january release , tyler perry’s adaptation of ntozake shange’s “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf” will now be released on november 5th . not only do we get to see it sooner , but this later date also makes the film a stronger contender for nominations for academy awards and the golden globe awards .

" music for colored girls " holds three music videos . " main title " ( 3 : 49 ) sets a stylized montage of film clips to the opening poetry and score . " la donna in viola " ( 3 : 30 ) animates colored dust and moving rectangles over footage of the opera scene .

saying that for colored girls is the most disciplined , least clownish film that tyler perry has made - - his best film to date - - is faint praise indeed . and that ' s how it ' s meant .

photo : from left , anika noni rose , tessa thompson , janet jackson , kimberly elise , phylicia rashad , loretta devine , kerry washington , thandie newton in " for colored girls . " credit : patrick harbron / lionsgate

on monday , october 25 , the tyler perry and the cast of his new movie for colored girls gathered at the london hotel in new york to answer questions from the press . as the film version of ntozake shange ‘s 1975 original book for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf hits theaters on november 5 , a new generation of fans will be exposed to the poetry and intense emotion of the tony award - winning play .

“ for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf is more than a poetic drama , more than a dance performance , more than a celebration of the dreams and aspirations , or the profound losses of the women of colour whose stories populate this extraordinary work . at its very core , for colored girls . . . is a powerful enchantment ; an aesthetic exultation ; a love song ; a healing . ” – director djanet sears

this is a very good sign for lionsgate , a vote of confidence for perry , and a shakeup for the still forming oscar picture . source

writer / director tyler perry is probably used to taking heat from the critics for his films , but he can rest knowing that his latest movie for colored girls . . . is his best film yet . even though that might not be attributed to his direction or writing .

so let ' s just say that for colored girls is a barely competent film ( which is a big step up for perry ) , illuminated by luminous performances . in the hands of another filmmaker , those actresses might have approached an award - winning level . too bad .

for colored girls is so shamelessly terrible it would make a great midnight hoot - fest , if you had the stomach to laugh at shange or some of the best ( and most underused ) actresses of their generation . . .

for colored girls premiered at the public theater and moved to broadway in 1976 with playwright shange featured as one of seven women who " reveal themselves , their lives , loves , hardships , and ultimately their discovery of strength and love . "

you worked with queen latifah in beauty shop and you’re now in for colored girls alongside janet jackson . how is it to work with these larger than life pop personas in the movies , and how do you get past who they are ?

perry gets points for persistence , yes , and for ambition . but that ' s not enuf .

" for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf " will be the first project for 34th street films , perry ' s new production company , which is housed at lionsgate . this will also be perry ' s first film to be based on non - original material .

our conversation flowed into discussion of for colored girls , tyler perry’s film adaptation of ntozake shange’s landmark book and stage play , and why the madea star’s work spawns heated debates about race and class . her response was a cautious and indirect one .

but for colored girls springs , at least nominally , from the pen of poet ntozake shange . and some of her poetry has survived , making this movie automatically more literate , thoughtful and subtle than anything perry so far has shown himself capable of .

for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf is a choreopoem by ntozake shange . the study guide contains a biography of ntozake shange , literature essays , quiz questions , major themes , characters , and a full summary and analysis .

ntozake shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf , which premiered on broadway in 1976 , is considered a cultural milestone as one of the first works to be written from an african - american woman’s point of view .

the original broadway production of " for color girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf " by ntozake shange opened at the booth theater in new york on september 15 , 1976 , ran for 742 performances and was nominated for the 1977 tony award ( new york city ) for the best play .

fans who have been looking forward to seeing mariah carey and janet jackson hit the big screen together for tyler perry ' s film adaptation of ntozake shange ' s 1975 play " for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf " will be disappointed to learn that the flick is officially one diva short .

for colored girls … is a series of 20 free - verse monologues performed by seven women . by turns funny and emotionally jarring , the monologues cover topics ranging from discovering a childhood hero in a library book , to date rape , to abuse , to empowerment .

all of the accolades poured on precious : based on the novel ' push ' by sapphire , a movie to which perry lent his name and endorsement but little else , seem to have inspired the filmmaker to get personally involved in something widely deemed valuable . for colored girls

in the meantime , those preferring to experience for colored girls in the comfort and privacy of their homes can now do so , thanks to last week ' s dvd and blu - ray + dvd + digital copy combo from lionsgate . we look at the former here .

the play " for colored girls . . . " is a series of 20 poems telling the stories of seven different women , each of whom is identified with a color of the rainbow . the stories deal with a wide spectrum of topics including love , abandonment , rape and abortion .

originally staged as a series of 20 “choreopoems” centering on the life stories of a group of african - american women , for colored girls opened at the public theater on may 17 , 1976 , and transferred to broadway’s booth theatre on sept . 10 , running until july 16 , 1978 .

the ' for colored girls ' soundtrack is the musical companion for the upcoming tyler perry film which has been adapted from ntozake shange ' s 1975 obie & tony award - winning play , ' for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf . ' the soundtrack features all new and unreleased music from such artists as nina simone , gladys knight , leona lewis , estelle , laura izibor , macy gray , janelle monae and lalah hathaway . the soundtrack sets the many stories of struggle told within the film ' s chore poem to music to reflect women ' s ongoing battle with love , abandonment and the finding of self .

in this essay , i explain how scripted actions create fantasies and attachments that sustain intellectual , political , and social projects . shange’s for colored girls presents and establishes alternative socialities for theater practitioners and audiences as well as students and scholars reading and studying the play in classrooms and intellectual communities . my analysis focuses on the way storytelling through poetics becomes intertwined with the touch in the first and final scenes of the choreopoem . the touching that opens and closes the drama creates links across and between the individual poems , enabling individual innovation and expression within collectivity . the touching in for colored girls imagines a nonsexual but yet still intimate mode of racialized communal formation .

yet even as it transcends the african american experience , " for colored girls " communicates something specific and valuable about being black in america . tammy wynette said , " sometimes it ' s hard to be a woman . " " for colored girls " is saying , " sometimes it ' s even harder to be a black woman . " i ' d prefer to think it ' s more a product of the play ' s original period ( the 1970s ) than an ongoing condition , but the women here convey a sense of being very much on their own , left to fend for themselves , with neither help nor hope of ever really being understood .

standing last in a line of mostly 20 - something journalists at the district’s lincoln theatre nov . 1 , i mulled over rashad’s career - defining huxtable character ; her tony award - winning performance as dignified matriarch lena younger and now , her role as gilda , the tenement sage in for colored girls .

to his credit , perry does not try to turn the truly idiosyncratic play " for colored girls " into a more conventional or typical tyler perry movie . clearly he loves the text , and he deserves credits for taking major risks in trying to transform an original text , which was tough even as stage material , into a more popular and accessible big screen entertainment .

“the colored girls” will be part historic memoir and part political inspiration , tracking each woman’s intertwining journey up the washington ladder . the five authors , said ross , have made a habit of holding the door open for other women and people of color in the political arena . for years , they’ve been urged to write a book together that melds the political and the personal .

ntozake shange , poet , novelist , playwright , and performer , wrote the broadway - produced and obie award - winning for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf . she has also written numerous works of fiction , including sassafras , cypress and indigo , betsy brown , and liliane .

for colored girls is a series of poems about colored women living and surviving . each poem tells a new story and each story paints a picture of another woman living another life . each poem is about hope and finding yourself ; realizing your worth and owning it . i would recommend for colored girls to any woman or fan of women ' s literature . there is some swearing and some adult situations , but i feel it is suitable for mature teens . as i read for color girls , i got pulled into a roller coaster of emotions . one moment , i was laughing and the next i was sad or angry . the poems between the covers really do cover a range of challenges women of all walks face . my heart broke for each girl and i closed my kindle with tears in my eyes for the raw emotions and the sheer amount of heartache each poem portrayed . i loved each and every word and felt a connection with each and every girl . i can ' t wait to take what i read and put it to use when i raise my sons and my daughters and influence my nieces and my nephews .

for colored girls … is significant because it gave voice to the concerns of african - american women who had been marginalized both in the civil rights movement of the 1960s , which focused on black men , and the early feminist movement of the 1970s , which focused on the concerns of white women , wade said .

laurie carlos , an actor who appeared in the original production of ntozake shange’s acclaimed poetic drama “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf” and a playwright whose work expressed the inner lives of black women in the united states , died on dec . 29 in st . paul . she was 67 .

and , not to be missed , is this opportunity to hear ntozake shange and oz scott , director of the original broadway production of for colored girls… , discuss the development of the play . the free event takes place on sunday , sept . 20 , at 4 p . m . , at the temple performing arts center .

being alive and being a woman is all i got , but being colored is a metaphysical dilemma i haven ' t conquered yet .

℗ 2010 this compilation 2010 atlantic recording corporation for the united states and wea international inc . for the world outside of the united states .

juanita : i got a real dead loving here for you now , because i don ' t know anymore how to avoid my own face wet with my tears ! because i had convinced myself that colored girls have no right to sorrow ! frank : i guess this is goodbye . juanita : like you ' ve never seen it before .

from left , regina hall , jada pinkett smith , queen latifah and tiffany haddish in a scene from the comedy “girls trip . ”

senior paul sweet earned a tuition and housing scholarship to the exclusive stagecraft institute of las vegas , where he will spend a week in intensive training using state - of - the - art technology in the performance spaces such as cirque du soleil’s ka . he presented his scenic design for lycoming college’s spring 2015 production of for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf , directed by nigel barnes .

“for color girls” precedes tarantino’s “reservoir dogs” in assigning particular colors to particular characters , such as the " lady in yellow , " " lady in red , " “lady in blue , ” and so on .

for colored girls weaves together the stories of nine women , all coping with varying degrees of torment . casting is not the problem . perry assembled talented actors , some of whom manage to eke out an honest moment or two . but it ' s as if he encouraged them to overdo it . any inclination toward subtlety is replaced by overwrought emotion .

this is , to the best of my knowledge , the first tyler perry movie to be screened in advance for the press , an indication presumably of his excitement over the film , which is certainly a departure from his customary boisterous comedies . ( it ' s a boisterous bummer . ) perry doesn ' t need critical acclaim  he ' s the most successful black filmmaker of all time , with an audience that shows up no matter what  but i would have enjoying giving him some for for colored girls . there is no question that he loves the material as much as anyone . he ' ll introduce shange ' s play to a new generation and there is absolute value in that . but for colored girls feels like the cinematic equivalent to putting a garish reproduction of the sistine chapel on the ceiling of your mcmansion and calling it art .

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from its inception in california in 1974 to its highly acclaimed critical success at joseph papp ' s public theater and on broadway , the obie award - winning for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf has excited , inspired , and transformed audiences all over the country . passionate and fearless , shange ' s words reveal what it is to be of color and female in the twentieth century . first published in 1975 when it was praised by the new yorker for " encompassing . . . every feeling and experience a woman has ever had , " for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf will be read and performed for generations to come . here is the complete text , with stage directions , of a groundbreaking dramatic prose poem written in vivid and powerful language that resonates with unusual beauty in its fierce message to the world .

" for colored girls " is not easy . its poetry is hot and searing , its story an unbroken current of rage and pain and sex and abuse and solidarity and self and empowerment . nine women — in screams , whispers and weeping — demand that you listen , that you don ' t look away , that you deal with the discomfort as they did .

based on his record , tyler perry has been able to bring a large audience to his comedies and romantic dramas . question is , will his loyal viewers see “for colored girls ? ” lionsgate faces a major marketing challenge in putting over an original but problematic film , one that never finds its right pace or rhythm and only seldom registers strongly from an emotional standpoint .

no matter how you see omari hardwick , there is no doubt that he has positioned himself as a viable player in hollywood . read on as he explains the reason he chose acting over music ; thoughts on working with janet jackson and the powerful cast in for colored girls ; and the ways poetry , sports , hip hop and acting resonate and intertwine artistically in his life .

the recurrence of dated language is another drawback to the film . the word " colored " appears a few times in the dialogue when actresses perform poetry . shange wrote the play back in the ' 70s . the film is set in the present and black people don ' t use the word " colored " anymore . watching a character type on a laptop then hearing someone describe themselves as " colored " a few scenes later doesn ' t feel realistic .

for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf , ntozake shange’s first work , tells the stories of seven women who have suffered oppression in a racist and sexist society . the choreopoem is an innovative combination of poetry , drama , music , and dance . for shange , the combination is important . she learned about her identity as a woman through words , songs , and literature ; she learned about her identity as an african through dance .

student in 1977 ) . the 1977 broadway production was nominated for a tony award for best play and won acting accolades for trazana bevreley . the production was then adapted into a book , a tv movie in , and a theatrical feature film .

los angeles — it’s victory for “dunkirk” and “girls trip” at the box office this weekend . both original and well - reviewed films smashed expectations and enticed diverse audiences to the theaters , even though cumulatively summer remains down from last year .

ntozake shange ' s " for colored girls . . . " is a gripping collection of poems about life , love , pain and hope that will tell your story if you can ' t find the words . i have had the honor to read and perform this treasure of poems many times and i still can ' t get enough of it . it will take any reader on a trip into understanding , sisterhood and hope , as well as letting them know that they are not alone . this book is truly for all girls who have " considered suicide " when the world was too much , but decided on life .

cases . the stories of missing black and indigenous women and girls are rarely told by major news networks or even reach the public via amber alerts . ”

according to a source with perry’s production company , the performances from loretta devine and anika noni rose have the potential to recognized and rewarded . janet jackson , thandie newton , kerry washington , kimberly elise , tessa thompson and phylicia rashad are also featured prominently in “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf , ” and there will be cameo appearances from whoopi goldberg and macy gray .

structurally , “for colored girls” consists of two dozen poems , collectively called a " choreopoe . " thematically , the poems deal with the most common problems encountered by black women : physical and sexual abuse , out of the wedlock pregnancy , abortion , desertion by lovers or husbands , abandonment by fathers , poor childhood and lack of means for formal education , dishonesty on the part of men ( some of whom are bi - sexual or gay and thus run the risk of hiv positive )

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ms . carlos joined the cast of “colored girls” in 1975 when it was gestating at bars on the lower east side . she followed it on its journey from the new federal theater to the public theater to the booth theater on broadway , and onward to a television adaptation seen on the pbs series “american playhouse” in 1982 .

for colored girls is not my favorite tyler perry film , but i recommend you see for yourself . make sure to read the play first . it will help you gain a better understanding of the film . although i hoped for something better , it was refreshing to watch an ensemble of talented black actresses in non - demeaning roles . some of the best actresses in the industry are part of the cast . notice i said not the best black actresses , but the best in general . i appreciate perry for his effort because i imagine he wanted black women to feel empowered after watching the film . a few scenes moved me . still , i left the theater feeling a little down because dramas starring black women are rare . a television or movie drama starring a black female cast is about as common as the texas rangers going to the world series . perry will probably do well at the box office because of the buzz surrounding for colored girls and his fan following . hopefully , hollywood execs will take note and this will be the start of more dramas starring black actresses to come . hopefully .

i usually like tyler perry movies , but this one just didn ' t work for me . . found some of the women were way over the top in their acting , and it was too melodramatic for me . . . just not a movie for me , then again most men probably wouldn ' t care for a movie where women randomly break out into poem . . . should have had madea in it for some comic relief .

" we are thrilled to see tyler take the helm on ' for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf , ' " paseornek said in a statement . " from the very beginning of his career , tyler has told compelling stories about women ' s lives , and he has created a memorable gallery of multidimensional female characters . he is an ideal person to bring ntozake shange ' s play to the screen , and this movie will be a major treat for audiences across the board . "

movies and tv shows are certified fresh with a steady tomatometer of 75 % or higher after a set amount of reviews ( 80 for wide - release movies , 40 for limited - release movies , 20 for tv shows ) , including 5 reviews from top critics .

address a variety of social justice issues , such as the institutional and media trivialization in the u . s . towards the crisis of missing black women and girls .

“all women are colored girls , because color doesn’t have anything to do with ethnicity or skin . it has to do with outlook ; it has to do with mood , consciousness , response , energy , with all of these things , you see . and the message is simple . it’s the very end of the film , the last words that are spoken . ” for the second time that night , i stood corrected .

why , then , these familiar refrains in the reception of sapphire ' s work ? in both cases , roughly three decades apart , attention continues to be deflected from the creative works and the experience of black women and girls they depict and is turned over to the experience of white audiences along with the ( white ) media ' s representation of race . robert staples , in a controversial article in the aforementioned 1979 issue of the black scholar , responds to the work of shange by commenting on the audience of the play : " watching a performance [ of for colored girls ] one sees a collective appetite for black male blood . " 2 thirty - five years later , in 2009 , armond white , in the new york press , criticizes " patronizing white audiences " of precious who watch " for the sense of superiority—and relief—it allows them to feel . " 3 the predominant concern for both of these critics is not the individual works , but the reception itself ; they critique the works ' popularity with audiences and critics , popularity that they locate in stereotypes , particularly about black men . the negative critical receptions translate into a concern about white audiences , and , more broadly , white perceptions of african americans , generally defined as black men . ultimately , both for colored girls and precious are being criticized not for what they do represent , or even what they don ' t represent , but for how popular culture as a whole does and doesn . . .

for further information on notice of nondiscrimination , visit urltoken for the address and phone number of the office that serves your area , or call 1 - 800 - 421 - 3481 .

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shange’s for colored girls produces and idealizes black feminist collectivity from the opening stanza to the final “laying on of hands . ” implicitly , if nationalist rhetoric and patriotic action aspire and move toward a more perfect union , that union remains an ideal that is always set at a distance from the lived experience of the citizen . for colored girls presents an aspirational black feminist collectivity as an alternative to the heteronormative domesticity that is the primary organizing social logic of the state . as an ideal , the black feminist collective destabilizes state fantasies including the american dream . drama seeks to imagine a world that may be inspired by the mundane , but is not bound by reality . therefore drama participates in crafting national , communal , personal , and social ideals . ideals are important precisely because they are aspirational—because they provide a vision of worlds we wish to inhabit and possibilities worth fighting to realize .

tyler perry has assembled a fine cast for this adaptation of the 1975 play , and his heart is obviously in the right place , but his fondness for melodrama cheapens a meaningful story .

dressed in a cherry - colored kimono shirt and flowing black plants , the texas - born thespian looked stately and far younger than her 62 years . she’d been grilled by a posse of print , tv and radio personalities for at least 45 minutes and seemed relieved – if only for a passing moment – when a pr rep said i was the night’s final interview .

directed by tyler perry ; written by mr . perry , based on the play “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf” by ntozake shange ; director of photography , alexander gruszynski ; edited by maysie hoy ; music by aaron zigman ; production design by ina mayhew ; costumes by johnetta boone ; produced by mr . perry , paul hall and roger m . bobb ; released by lionsgate . running time : 2 hours .

tyler perry , the cross - dressing comedian - filmmaker best known for his " madea " movies , adapted and directed " for colored girls , " and it ' s a real departure . that perry is funny and skilled has never been a secret . but this new film shows a mastery of tone , a capacity to elicit strong performances and also to bring out different colors within those performances so that , when it all comes together , it ' s not the same note sounding over and over . this is smart , lovely work .

in 2009 perry debuted his second television series , meet the browns , on tbs and released the film adaptation of i can do bad all by myself . that same year he played the role of admiral richard barnett in the feature film star trek and served as an executive producer for the film precious : based on the novel push by sapphire . the critically acclaimed precious marked a new direction for perry , and in 2010 he announced the formation of 34th street films , an art - house division of tyler perry studios . the first project for the new venture was perry ' s film adaptation of playwright ntozake shange ' s for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf , which ran on broadway from 1976 to 1978 .

not exactly what i was hoping for , but i ' m still pleased with my purchase .

the allowance for someone like eminem , who is not necessarily befitting for hip hop at its origins , he says our truths and the world says it won’t go out of style . so it’s impossible for hollywood – who is still starving for truth – to not at times want to marry it to dmx who’s telling the truth when he’s on stage with a microphone in his hand .

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" for colored girls " is a serious achievement . it takes the 1975 play by ntozake shange , which consisted entirely of poetry , and transforms it into a heartfelt narrative feature about a handful of black women , in various walks of life , facing a crisis . the dialogue consists mainly of normal spoken conversation , but then in moments of acute emotion , the dialogue shifts into shange ' s poetry , and the women open up their souls with brutal eloquence .

the movie is based on ntozake shange ' s play " for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf . " unlike the original play which featured only 7 women known by colors performing the collection of 20 poems , the movie has given each of the 20 characters names . each of the poems deal with intense issues that particularly impact women in a thought - provoking commentary on what it means to be a female of color in the world .

while berlant offers a rubric for understanding the precarity of the late - twentieth century and the waning appeal of what she calls “the good life , ” one may suggest that at least since lorraine hansberry’s a raisin in the sun appeared on the great white way in 1959 , the united states has been depicted as a site of deferred dreaming for black folks as a result of the state’s continual deferment of equal rights . the state’s false promise of equality places black folks in a perpetual state of longing that calls attention to the necessity of creating alternative sites of belonging . one may read the alternative ideal of feminist collectivity that for colored girls provides in relationship to the tenuous hold of the twenty - first century of american exceptionalism , which seems to be losing its grip everywhere . at the same time , one may also understand shange’s play as a response to the call for dreaming that a raisin in the sun issued in 1959 . for colored girls sings a black girl’s song in a way that interrupts deferral and prevents the dream from drying up like a raisin . the choreopoem creates collectivity based on the intertwining of bodies in space and words in rhythm in order to counter the displacement and dehumanization of black women’s voice , bodies , and experiences .

viola davis , an actress who starred in madea goes to jail , describes perryas a " controversial , complicated figure " in the black community but notes that he is also one of the few filmmakers making movies about african american characters . still others , including vicangelo bulluck of the national association for the advancement of colored people , applaud perry for depicting " family values " within the black community .

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these shows all began as movies that eventually became broadway musicals that were adapted once again for film .

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whatever stumbles there may be , they are offset by moments when " for colored girls " soars . one of the most powerful comes deep in the film when jo ( jackson ) and her husband carl ( hardwick ) have taken their broken marriage to an opera . as the concert hall fills up with the rich sounds of " la donna in viola , " an aria written by the film ' s composer aaron zigman for the scene and performed by opera singer karen slack and soul singer andrea jones - sojola , the camera cuts between images of the women , individuals , alone .

in " dark phrases , " the lady in brown steps onto stage and describes the importance of " colored girls " singing a song of possibilities to find themselves . the lady in brown calls out that she is from outside a specific city , followed by her six companions each doing the same . they all sing a nursery rhyme together , indicating the transition from childhood to adulthood .

as far as theater goes , i speak from a different place – there are two very different sides to theater . there’s broadway and then there’s what i do . what i love about what i do is it took everything – madea , house of payne and all of that for me to be able to do for colored girls . had none of that happened i wouldn’t have been able to say , “listen , this is what i want to do next , ” so i’m very proud of it all . as far as theater goes , it’s just not necessarily an interest of mine .

it ' s as if they ' re all under some extra measure of pressure . this pressure can manifest in all kinds of ways , including religious fanaticism - whoopi goldberg is excellent ( and entirely not funny ) as a white - robed member of a bizarre cult religion . the beauty of " for colored girls " is that characters who fear never being understood get to speak and express themselves with crystalline grace . and so , somehow , what might have been a sad story feels exalted .

it is a film destined to polarize . many will hate it . hopefully more will love it , or at least allow room for it , for its raw brutality , its extremes , its difficult truths .

new musicals ? we love them . we especially love stories about them by npr ' s man on broadway . in a culturetopia twofer , reporter jeff lunden delivers a sparkling look at women on the verge of a nervous breakdown , a new musical based on the 1988 film that first brought director pedro almodovar to international attention . and an iconic play that went in the opposite direction - - from broadway to the big screen - - has received mixed critical reception . that one would be for colored girls…

admittedly a difficult ( perhaps unfilmable ) text , “for colored girls” is essentially a conceptual - allegorical work . but it really falls beyond the reach of perry , a writer - director who seems to be much more comfortable staging broader , largely comedic and melodramatic material that’s like tv soap or sitcom . moreover , there is no singular style to delivering the poetry , whose recitation takes place in different contexts , and more often than not is flat , lacking the emotional impact that it had on stage .


the wrestler is a 2008 american sports drama film co-produced and directed by darren aronofsky , written by robert d. siegel , and starring mickey rourke , marisa tomei , and evan rachel wood .

production began in january 2008 and fox searchlight pictures acquired rights to distribute the film in the u.s. ; it was released in a limited capacity on december 17 , 2008 , and was released nationwide on january 23 , 2009 .

it was released on dvd and blu-ray disc on april 21 , 2009 , in the united states .

it was released in the united kingdom on june 1 , 2009 .

rourke plays an aging professional wrestler who , despite his failing health and waning fame , continues to wrestle in an attempt to cling to the success of his 1980s heyday .

he also tries to mend his relationship with his estranged daughter and to find romance with a woman who works as a stripper .

the film received universal critical acclaim and won the golden lion award at the 65th venice international film festival , where it premiered .

film critic roger ebert called it one of the year 's best films , while rotten tomatoes reported that 98 % of critics gave the film positive reviews .

the success of the film revitalized the career of mickey rourke , who went on to receive a bafta award , a golden globe award , an independent spirit award and an academy award nomination for best actor .

tomei also received an academy award nomination for best supporting actress .

the wrestler ( 2008 film )

the wrestler ( 2008 film ) <EOT> all you need to know is that the wrestler is the best film of 2008 .

the wrestler is a film about an aging professional wrestler making a living playing small venues in the usa .

" рестлер " ( the wrestler ) 2008 ( music video ) / w . a . s . p . - crazy

the film appeared on many critics ' top ten lists of the best films of 2008 . [ 36 ] [ 37 ]

" рестлер " ( the wrestler ) 2008 ( music video ) / w . a . s . p . - crazy - youtube

the latest on what’s happening at the film society of lincoln center , dispatches from the new york film festival and exclusive content from film comment magazine .

the first film in the watchamania series will be the wrestler ( 2008 ) , darren aronofsky’s award - winning tale of a pro wrestler who abandons his daughter , plays a bunch of nintendo , dates a stripper and wrestles ernest ‘the cat’ miller . basically .

to find out more search ‘adrian film’ on facebook or follow the film on twitter @ filmadrian .

now in his late 70s , mr street ' s achievements range from a record deal and multiple autobiographic book releases , to helping design costumes for feature film the wrestler ( 2008 ) .

( reviewing “the wrestler” in the february issue of cahiers du cinéma , emmanuel burdeau also refers to gibson’s film . )

“the wrestler” closes the new york film festival on october 12th ; it will open in limited release on december 19th .

having just learned that the director of the wrestler is darren aranofsky , my interest in this film has shot up .

the film won the golden lion at the 65th venice international film festival and was nominated for two academy awards .

with all of the critiques from acclaimed film festivals peppered throughout the wrestler trailer , one gets the impression that the film is deep and its story focuses on characters rather than plot .

the wrestler takes place , as the title suggests , within the world of professional wrestling . with the original development of the film , director darren

become our fan on facebook , post your favorite nyff film on the wall , and you could win a pair of tickets to closing night film the wrestler , directed by darren aronofsky .

darren aronofsky on ' the wrestler ' director darren aronofsky talks about making a realistic film about a notoriously fake sport . his oscar - nominated film , starring mickey rourke as a professional wrestler well past his prime , will be released on dvd next week .

mickey rourke ' s sympathetic turn as randy ' the ram ' makes the wrestler much more than a standard sports film . by peter bradshaw

garbage wrestler : czw and roh regular necro butcher makes an appearance in the film , and he puts randy through hell in a hardcore match .

the wrestler was a good film . but for me and a few other people i know have seen it , its not top oscar material .

how do you make a realistic film about a notoriously " fake " sport ? that was the question darren aronofsky faced when he agreed to direct the wrestler , a movie starring mickey rourke as a gnarled professional wrestler whose glory days are gone .

with my previous investigation of film authenticity i examined the techniques used in the film saving private ryan . like most of the films that i will study , the issue of authenticity falls nicely within the boundaries of historical settings . this is simply because a historical film requires a reconstruction of its original settings . however , the term ‘authenticity’ does not just have to be confined to a period piece . issues of authenticity can also be valued within a contemporary setting . it is with the film the wrestler ( 2008 ,

for a down on his luck wrestler , randy the ram sure does win a lot .

the chance to play that poignant confusion is the real prize that rourke and tomei earn in the wrestler .

the documentary captures the wrestler’s real - life battles with drug and alcohol addiction and road to sobriety .

the latest on what ' s happening at the film society of lincoln center , dispatches from the new york film festival and exclusive content from film comment magazine . header : karen weeks ( design ) , susan sermoneta ( photography )

he was blackballed by the major wrestling promotions and hit bottom publicly in 2008 while wrestling for a small company in ohio .

feature film adrian — currently in pre - production — will dramatise the life and legacy of professional wrestler adrian street , who previously worked in beynon’s colliery in blaina .

darren aronofsky ' s filmmaking in the wrestler is the most subtle and nuanced he ' s ever done .

the wrestler is a 2008 american sports drama film directed by darren aronofsky , written by robert d . siegel , and starring mickey rourke , marisa tomei , and evan rachel wood . production began in january 2008 and fox searchlight pictures acquired rights to distribute the film in the u . s . ; [ 3 ] [ 4 ] it was released in a limited capacity on december 17 , 2008 and was released nationwide on january 23 , 2009 . it was released on dvd and blu - ray disc on april 21 , 2009 in the united states . it was released in the united kingdom on june 1 , 2009 . [ 5 ] aronofsky considers [ citation needed ] the wrestler a companion piece to his 2010 film , black swan , as both films feature a character with a demanding art .

stephanie mcmahon biography - facts , childhood , family life & achievements of businesswoman & wrestler .

if you ' ve seen darren aronofsky ' s oscar - nominated , golden globe - winning film the wrestler , you ' re likely aware that it features one of the smartest and most poignant , albeit brief , video game cameos in recent film .

? , part of the new york film festival , this saturday at 1pm .

great review of a brilliant film . rourke was robbed for the oscar here !

savage appeared in his first theatrical film in 2000 making an appearance as his macho man character in the movie ready to rumble where david arquette daydreams a sequence fighting savage at a gas station . savage ' s most famous film role was in the 2002 film spider - man as the wrestler bonesaw mcgraw ( based on the comics character crusher hogan ) .

the wrestler is a movie starring mickey rourke , marisa tomei , and evan rachel wood . a faded professional wrestler must retire , but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle .

, this wrestler had his career completely destroyed and by a piece of wood of all things .

" we are pleased that mickey rourke will be in attendance at wrestlemania to support the wwe superstars who support him and the film in which he stars , the wrestler , " wwe officials explained .

in 2008 , wall - e became the most acclaimed animated film since 1995’s toy story , but it still missed out on a best picture nomination at the oscars . the number two film , the dark knight , also did not get nominated , which allowed slumdog millionaire ( # 3 ) to take the top prize .

looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the wrestler near you .

you almost couldn’t get rourke for the film . how different do you think the film might’ve been with nicolas cage or another actor who doesn’t have the real - life parallels to the ram ?

what effect is the internet having on film criticism ? use the comments to have your say .

new film portal : 1 . hulu 2 . youtube screening room 3 . snagfilms

similarly grateful was infinity ward to have their ultra - popular shooter used in the film .

director darren aronofsky is known for his intense , psychological films — including 1998 ' s pi and 2000 ' s requiem for a dream . his 2008 film the wrestler stars mickey rourke as randy the ram , a wwe - style professional wrestler who is well past his prime . isolated from his family and living in poverty , the ram is forced to wrestle in small matches held at rec centers and veteran ' s halls . the film was nominated for two oscars — best actor , mickey rourke , and best supporting actress , marisa tomei .

there are a lot of movies from 2008 that i haven’t seen yet so i’m only going to make a list of five new releases .

the wrestling promoter character that artie auditioned for doesn’t appear much in the completed film . i remember the role being a little bit more prominent in the screenplay draft i had read before the film went into production .

peter sciretta : there was a very long period of time between requiem [ for a dream ] and trying to get the fountain off the ground . and now the wrestler is being billed almost as a come back film…

neither bird nor plane , mickey rourkes character is a choreographed pro wrestler who offers more entertainment than sport .

if his physical appearance is one sort of shock , the film is another . the wrestler is his first leading man role in almost two decades and it ' s a genuinely affecting story of a once - successful professional wrestler who is now at the end of the road . randy robinson has lost practically everything there is to lose .

a faded professional wrestler must retire , but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle .

the film received universal critical acclaim and won the golden lion award in the 2008 venice film festival in august , where it premiered . film critic roger ebert called it one of the year ' s best films , while rotten tomatoes reported that 98 % of critics gave the film positive reviews . for his role , mickey rourke went on to receive a bafta award , a golden globe award , an independent spirit award and an academy award nomination for best actor . tomei also received an academy award nomination for best supporting actress .

the wrestler follows randy as a heart attack forces him to reassess his reckless life – inside , outside and after the ring .

the film has had its first major outing at the venice film festival only a couple of weeks before i meet him . it won the golden lion for best film and wim wenders , the president of the jury , said : ' this is for a film with a truly heartbreaking performance in every sense of the word . and if i say heartbreaking , you know i mean mickey rourke . '

as the film points out , wrestling may be fixed , but it certainly ain ' t fake . this may be a film , but it certainly ain ' t fake either .

mickey received a golden globe and a best actor oscar nomination for his work in the film .

spielberg - loving , spike lee–attacking critic armond white is the film world’s brother from another planet .

the wrestler is an undoubted triumph for aronofsky . this is no better demonstrated than the rehabilitating effect the film had on rourke . randy ‘the ram’ robinson is a role made for a jaded star who brings his own turbulent history to the character .

savage ' s memorable voice gave him voice acting roles for various television and film projects . he voiced the rogue alien wrestler " rasslor " in the dexter ' s laboratory shorts dial m for monkey . he also provided his voice in many other shows including the voice for " gorilla " in an episode of king of the hill and the voice of space ghost ' s grandfather in an episode of space ghost coast to coast . savage served as the voice of " the thug " , in disney ' s academy award nominated 2008 animated film bolt , which was his last theatrical film appearance . savage reprised the role in super rhino in 2009 for the short film featuring the cast of bolt .

new york magazine’s culture blog , vulture , posted a great piece yesterday by deadspin founder will leitch about darren aronofsky’s the wrestler , which closes the new york film festival on october 12 . among the highlights are meditations on hair metal , the surprising acting ability of some of the professional wrestlers who appear in the film , and the movie’s surprising dedication .

disney / pixar ' s robot love story " wall - e " found a home on many of the year end movie top ten lists for 2008 .

, the co - producer lasted a total of “35 days” . on a tight budget the crew would film the scenes away from the wrestling during the week . that left the weekend for the production team to use the live events to film the wrestling actions scenes .

a powerful , warts n all expose of the life of an aging wrestler in a career best performance from mickey rourke .

had previously toyed with the idea of setting the film as a period piece . the backdrop would be during the rise of the highly successful

director darren aronofsky says he almost made a documentary instead of the wrestler , and that affected his approach to the film . " i just sort of wanted to get back to grounding myself in reality , " he says .

“this film is not only one of the year’s best ; it may well end up as the finest of 2008 . at the very least , it deserves consideration for best picture and best director , along with the expected oscar kudos for ledger . ” — peter howell , toronto star

™ and © twentieth century fox film corporation . all rights reserved . property of fox .

1 . the act of killing ( joshua oppenheimer , 2012 ) 2 . caché ( michael haneke , 2005 ) 3 . synecdoche , new york ( charlie kaufman , 2008 ) 4 . spirited away ( hayao miyazaki , 2001 ) 5 . wall - e ( andrew stanton , 2008 ) 6 . uncle boonmee who can recall his past lives ( apichatpong weerasethakul , 2010 ) 7 . lost in translation ( sofia coppola , 2003 ) 8 . talk to her ( pedro almodóvar , 2002 ) 9 . the wrestler ( darren aronofsky , 2008 ) 10 . boyhood ( richard linklater , 2014 )

i assume after the film ends , cena runs out and aa’s randy and the ayatollah on top of kane .

the most interesting aspect of the film is its depiction of the irreconcilable difference between someone ' s public and private personae .

the new target in iran ' s long - running grievance about its negative portrayal in popular western cinema is , the wrestler , a film directed by darren aronofsky and starring mickey rourke , due for release in the us on december 17 .

“the wrestler” is rated r ( under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian ) . it has fake bloodshed and real nudity .

comedian and new york times bestselling author artie lange admitted on the howard stern show yesterday that he auditioned for darren aronofsky ‘s the wrestler .

2 . the wrestler — who knew the sight of mickey rourke in a hairnet while tossing out deli meats could be such a joy .

top 5 vhs experiences of 2008 1 . “the hand that rocks the cradle” 2 . “the pelican brief” 3 . “breakdown” 4 . “home alone 2 : lost in new york” 5 . “double team”

" i think it ' s something you ' ll see more of , " denerstein added . in the case of the wrestler , the film critic says the references to the nes and call of duty 4 add a sort of poignancy , helping to make narrative leaps .

mickey rourke in " the wrestler " is one of the all - time exalted examples of an actor meeting a character and of each redeeming the other .

to be frank , no one wanted to finance the film with mickey involved . only one company in the entire film financing world agreed to do it , and at a number that was nearly impossible to get the film made . and i think most people didn’t think mickey rourke was sympathetic . there you have it .

remained strong earning an average of $ 10 , 427 in 171 theaters . the overall number one film ,

nominations were announced today . at first glance , no one film jumps out as the big player , but

prominent wrestling figures have commented on the movie . aronofsky remarked during an npr interview on wwe chairman vince mcmahon ' s feelings on the wrestler :

hume , also responsible for the wrestler ' s laboriously accurate title sequence , said that the film ' s producers and directors wanted that " classic video game " look and feel for wrestle jam , an effort that took weeks to create .

for most of the film , aronofsky’s camera trails behind randy , as though the wrestler is constantly performing his ring walk - out . it is part of a losing battle to move away from his wrestling persona and transition him back into the ordinary world .

the occasion is a screening of the film “the resurrection of jake the snake roberts , ” at 7 p . m . at villagio cinemas .

in regards to the wrestler , stern asks hogan if he was offered the lead in and hogan says yes but that he turned it down . the reason ?

andrzej wajda antonio campos ashes of time bamcinemafest benicio del toro brooklyn museum c . j . contino changeling che chopard chris chang clint eastwood contest darren aronofsky david fincher documentary evan davis facebook filmcatcher film comment film comment selects film criticism in crisis ? film society of lincoln center flickr godlis green screens happy go lucky in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni jim jarmusch kelly reichardt kent jones kevin lee ladies and gentlemen the fabulous stains laurent cantet manny farber martin scorsese mavericks and outsiders michael almereyda michel ciment mickey rourke mike leigh moma museum of modern art new directors / new films new york film festival new york jewish film festival olivier assayas oscar micheaux paradise podcast positif rendez - vous with french cinema required reading richard peña ronit waisbrod satyajit ray snapshots spanish cinema now steve mcqueen steven soderbergh susan sermoneta the class the film talk the wrestler tom treanor twitter views from the avant - garde walter reade walter reade theater waltz with bashir we live in public wendy and lucy wong kar wai young friends of film youtube

* all images and quotes taking directly from " the wrestler dvd , 2009 , all rights reserved to optimum releasing " , unless cited .

was the final film in the $ 10 , 000 club with an average of $ 10 , 713 in five theaters .

top 5 new releases of 2008 1 . “paranoid park” 2 . “zidane : a 21st century portrait” 3 . “let the right one in” 4 . “the pleasure of being robbed” 5 . “silent light”

clint mansell , the composer for aronofsky ' s previous films , π , requiem for a dream , and the fountain , reprised his role as composer for the wrestler . slash played the guitars on the score . a new bruce springsteen song , also titled " the wrestler " , plays over the film ' s closing credits . [ 15 ] springsteen wrote the song while on tour in europe after receiving a letter and a copy of the script from rourke .

shekhar kapur is an indian film director , producer and storyteller . he gained global recognition with the film bandit queen ( 1994 ) , which won the national film award for best feature film in hindi and the filmfare critics award for best movie and best direction . he also introduced cate blanchett to the world in his two historical biopics of queen elizabeth , which were nominated for seven academy awards , and won five bafta awards , including best film . he has recently directed and produced a captivating series exploring the life of the young genius , william shakespeare , for an american broadcaster .

a mining museum in torfaen could become immortalised on the big screen as part of the life story of a brynmawr - born ' glam rock ' wrestler .

character as himself : all of the wrestlers in the film are playing themselves and their real gimmicks , aside from rourke and the ayatollah .

he’s more of a ’70s wrestler , but i was a very big fan of ivan putsky , “the polish power , ” being an aronofsky .

he was also mesmerised by the " larger - than - life characters " he saw in american magazines and was determined to become a wrestler .

you can catch the full documentary below , and also on tavernise’s vimeo page , where—in addition to an extra 30 - minute chapter on “the fountain” entitled “ access to excess ”—he’s hosted a 42 - minute bts documentary on “ the wrestler , ” the director’s intimate 2008 film starring mickey rourke . as befitting the stripped - down aesthetic of that film , the doc “ within the ring ” is raw , filmed under noticeably frigid conditions , and , in a fantastic sight , contains aronofsky attempting to jump over the top rope of a wrestling ring to shaky results . sit back and watch it all below .

the application of professional wrestlers would throw up similar results to the live crowd aspect of this film . apart from rourke’s character ,

crazy heart is yet another “performer on the skids” story , but one with a killer soundtrack and masterful acting by jeff bridges . but the film lacks the gut - level truthfulness the less accomplished mickey rourke brought to every frame of the wrestler . crazy heart . a film directed by scott cooper , based on a novel by thomas cobb . at ritz at the bourse , fourth and ludlow sts . ( 215 ) 925 - 7900 or urltoken , also bryn mawr film institute , ambler theater , and local chains .

“slumdog millionaire” “wall - e” “the dark knight” “waltz with bashir” “the wrestler” “synecdoche , new york” “changeling” – yes , i realize i am the only person who liked this movie . “man on wire” “rachel getting married” “the wire” ( season 5 ) – when a large number of film stalwarts disappear from a major film festival to watch a tv show , it deserves to be on this list .

“for your art - house pleasure and discomfort , here’s one of the most talked - about film - festival triumphs of 2008 , a disturbingly avid re - creation of the last six weeks in the life and slow , self - imposed wasting of irish hunger striker bobby sands . ” — lisa schwarzbaum , entertainment weekly

director darren aronofsky says he almost made a documentary instead of the wrestler , and that affected his approach to the film . " i just sort of wanted to get back to grounding myself in reality , " he says . scott gries / getty images hide caption

as the short film columnist for indiewire , i’m always favorably inclined toward feature films made by directors who have a short film credit or two on their imdb page . if you liked these movies , check out the filmmakers’ shorter work .

best film ( as per usual , i broke the rules . i simply couldn’t get it down to 10 . )

the story of the wrestler concerns randy ' the ram ' robinson ; a washed - up professional wrestler who continues to cling on to his career despite his failing health with the hope of reliving the glory of his prime days . but when his condition worsens , he tries to find an alternate career outside the ring only to struggle with it…

maet : why wall - e doesn ' t get my vote for best film of 2008 is because pixar still handles timely themes with the young and not the mature in mind . of course they do it better than anyone else , but the potential of the film is undermined when it ' s still expected to perform within the confines of the genre and cater to the under 12 audience . i would ' ve loved to see an alternate ending on the blu - ray though .

reviewed at venice film festival ( competition ) , september 5 , 2017 . running time : 120 min .

danny boyles first feature , shallow grave , earned him the alexander korda award for outstanding british film at the bafta awards , as well as a host of other accolades including best director at the san sebastian film festival , the empire award for best director and best british film and the london critics circle film award for best british newcomer . boyles second feature , trainspotting , is one of the highest grossing british films of all time . the critically acclaimed film won four empire awards including best director and best film and was nominated for a bafta alexander korda award . in 2002 boyle made the smash hit horror film 28 days later , which earned more than $ 80 million worldwide . the film earned boyle a saturn award for best horror film from the academy of science fiction , fantasy and horror films . boyles other feature films include millions starring james nesbit , alex etel and lewis mcgibbon , the beach , starring leonardo di caprio , a life less ordinary , starring ewan mcgregor and cameron diaz , alien love triangle and sunshine starring cillian murphy . slumdog millionaire is his eighth international theatrically released film and recently won the people ' s choice award at the 2008 toronto international film festival . his work in television includes producing alan clarks controversial elephant , and directing strumpet , vacuuming completely nude in paradise and the series mr . wroes virgins for which he received a bafta nomination . boyles career started in the theatre with howard barkers victory , howard brentons the genius and edward bonds saved , which won the time out award . boyle has also directed five productions for the royal shakespeare company .

the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .

darren aronofsky : the wrestler was my idea . when i graduated film school in ’92 / ’93 , one day i wrote a list of ten ideas for films in my diary . and one of them was called the wrestler . when the fountain shut down the first time i started to think about it . i knew i wanted to do a wrestling picture . i teamed up my producer on this film , scott franklin , who was a wrestling fan , a bigger wrestling fan than me , and he loved the idea . he’s also a writer .

1 . synecdoche , new york ( charlie kaufman , 2008 ) 2 . eternal sunshine of the spotless mind ( michel gondry , 2004 ) 3 . django unchained ( quentin tarantino , 2012 ) 4 . the grand budapest hotel ( wes anderson , 2014 ) 5 . alpha dog ( nick cassavetes , 2006 ) 6 . her ( spike jonze , 2013 ) 7 . young adult ( jason reitman , 2011 ) 8 . the dark knight ( christopher nolan , 2008 ) 9 . tropic thunder ( ben stiller , 2008 ) 10 . children of men ( alfonso cuarón , 2006 )

there ' s nothing fake about the action scenes in the wrestler , though . aronofsky says all the wrestling scenes were shot with real wrestlers in front of live wrestling audiences .

although he called time on his career last year after around 15 , 000 wrestling matches , the former wrestler and his family will be closely involved with the production .

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well , there’s just a lot of sadness . these wrestlers aren’t organized . they have no union , no pension and no insurance . you meet wrestler after wrestler who sold out madison square garden ten years ago , basically running on fumes today . there’s a lot of drama there .

the video game randy and his child neighbor play in both the trailer and the movie was created especially for the film and was fully playable . the game features similar graphics to the original

mickey rourke has received critical acclaim for his comeback role in “the wrestler , ” where he plays a former pro wrestling legend who falls on hard times .

that track , titled " 8 - bit wrestler , " is barely audible in the final cut , but feinberg has made a version available on youtube .

( combat zone wrestling ) respectively . the final match of the film does take place within a major wrestling organisation , which is that of

after mickey rourke’s stunning work as randy “the ram” robinson in “the wrestler , ” it is hard to imagine anyone else playing the tortured sportsman – but the role was first offered to nicolas cage .

missed out on : “my winnipeg , ” “synecdoche new york , “mr . lonely , ” “the wrestler , ” “waltz with bashir” and some others… my bad .

brush up on the issues in this extensive critical symposium on film criticism in the age of the internet from cineaste magazine , featuring our own kent jones .

the wrestler has the intimacy of a fly - on - the - wall documentary . no stunt men were harmed - - or used - - in the fight sequences . but the drama makes for vibrant art .

note : " the wrestler " is one of the year ' s best films . it wasn ' t on my " best films " list for complicated and boring reasons .

well , we played “sweet child o’ mine , ” i don’t know , maybe three or four hundred times during the course of the film . mickey’s very good friends with axl , and axl was instrumental in helping us to secure “sweet child o’ mine” for the climax of the film .

these films may have opened new york and / or los angeles in 2007 but not until 2008 in most of the country . they belong on the above list : “4 months , 3 weeks , 2 days” “the band’s visit” “the counterfeiters” “the diving bell and the butterfly” “jar city”

aronofsky also achieves an authentic atmosphere in the variety of wrestling venues he showcases . his decision to cast working independent wrestlers and to film at real independent wrestling shows was wise and gives the film a gritty documentary feel . the wrestler also does a wonderful job depicting the backstage camaraderie among randy ' s fellow wrestlers , the eclectic blend of muscle heads , dreamers , athletes , and artists who serve as an unlikely support system for rourke ' s character .

the wrestler is a 2008 drama film written by robert d . siegel and directed by darren aronofsky . the story follows randy " the ram " robinson ( mickey rourke ) , a professional wrestler 20 years past his prime , working match to match and part - time at a supermarket to pay his bills . after a violent hardcore match , randy has a heart attack and is forced to retire and tries to find something meaningful in his life beyond wrestling ; his friendship with a stripper named cassidy ( marisa tomei ) and a new reason to attempt reconciliation with his daughter stephanie ( evan rachel wood ) . when his old wrestling nemesis " the ayatollah " ( played by former wcw wrestler ernest " the cat " miller ) proposes a rematch on the anniversary of their biggest match , randy has to decide if his life in the ring is worth the risk of death .

that’s certainly true and it’s not the first time he’s made the claim . ( hogan also says it’s not the first major film he turned down , claiming he was offered the lead in highlander as well as little john in robin hood : men in tights . ) however , the director of the wrestler , darren aronofsky , officially denied hogan’s claim .

in the wrestler , actor scott spiegel plays a steroids dealer . real life would mimic art , as he was arrested a few short months later for steroids possession .

" i told them ( the other miners ) i wanted to be a wrestler , but they laughed and said , ' you ' re too small ' . "

in the new york film festival press conference , rourke called you a “tough” director , but you seemed pretty opposed to that word .

to chart this week ; however , those three new releases all reach the top six . this includes a new number one film ,

as the script enters its final stages , university of wales graduate joann randles is hoping to use the big pit national coal museum as a location to recreate the wrestler ' s early years ‘down the pit’ .

afa anoa ' i , a former professional wrestler , was hired to train rourke for his role . anoa ' i brought his two main trainers , jon trosky and tom farra , to work with rourke for eight weeks . both trainers also have parts in the film . [ 13 ]

todd mccarthy , of variety , said , " rourke creates a galvanizing , humorous , deeply moving portrait that instantly takes its place among the great , iconic screen performances . " [ 25 ] ben mankiewicz , from at the movies , said , " to put it simply , this is the best film i ' ve seen this year . " [ 26 ] le monde praised the film for melding european film style with an american plot , and stated that “mickey rourke’s performance in ‘the wrestler’ is a continuous celebration of the burdens and splendors of the profession of performance . ” [ 27 ] ( one other french film critic , philippe azoury , praised its portrayal of " the american heartland " as what he viewed as a bleak wasteland ) . [ 28 ] ) although the wrestler was not technically in roger ebert ' s " best films " list , he includes a note at the bottom of his review : " ' the wrestler ' is one of the year ' s best films . it wasn ' t on my ' best films ' list for complicated and boring reasons . " [ 29 ]

lange is currently developing a wonder years - like television show concept with frank sebastiano ( beer league ) for comedy central based on his # 1 new york times bestselling memoir too fat to fish . the wrestler hits limited theaters on wednesday , december 17th . click here to see when the wrestler is coming to your town / city .

" i was a champion in every weight division and won four world titles . i don ' t know any other wrestler who has done that . "

i have no idea . for me , if it’s a painting , the actor’s the poet . it would’ve been a completely different movie , so who knows what it would’ve been with another actor . mickey rourke’s in every frame of the film , so the film is mickey rourke , you know ?

a powerful portrait of a battered dreamer , ex - professional wrestler randy " the ram " robinson ( mickey rourke ) , who despite himself and the odds stacked against him , lives to be a hero once again in the only place he considers home — inside the ring . the wrestler is the winner of 2 golden globes® including best actor mickey rourke and best original song by bruce springsteen .

sacrifice 2008 provided a particularly bad example : aj styles attempted a top rope splash on bg james , but missed by a mile and landed on his face even though james didn ' t move out of the way .

the official trailer for darren aronofsky ' s new film the wrestler , starring mickey rourke and marisa tomei . director darren aronofsky presents a powerful portrait of a battered dreamer , who despite himself and the odds stacked against him , lives to be a hero once again in the only place he considers home inside the ring . now playing in theaters everywhere !

mickey rourke is very watchable but i found the whole film a bit depressing . i felt like i ' d seen it all before .

after finding her efforts to be involved in the industry blocked , she decided to find a character on which to base her own film .

curiously , you resurrect mickey rourke’s career . one of the most wildly anticipated films of 2008 , aronofsky’s humanist drama “the wrestler” will close this year’s new york film festival . but even before it officially opens in december , the oscar buzz for rourke as past - his - prime wrestler randy “the ram” robinson is already starting to be deafening ( and rightly so ) . shot with handheld veritã© techniques that put you right up in rourke’s fascinating mug , the film chronicles the dreary decline of a once - famous ’80s ring legend as a heart attack forces him into retirement and existential crisis . with his ridiculous blonde extensions and overuse of both tanning beds and steroids , “the ram” is a tragic anti - hero to root for , especially as he attempts to connect with a fading stripper ( marisa tomei ) and his estranged daughter ( evan rachel wood ) . i spoke with aronofsky about his tremendously entertaining new film , how axl rose helped out , and why he couldn’t hit rourke in the head on - set .

darren aronofsky is the director of pi , requiem for a dream and the fountain . his latest film won the golden lion at the venice film festival , and was bought by fox searchlight the morning after it premiered at the toronto film festival ( you can read my review here ) . earlier this week , i was granted the chance to sit down with aronofsky for a half hour interview . below is the first part of the interview . we will be running the next part tomorrow , and the third part on friday . enjoy .

match some of this year’s university - trained new york film festival know - it - alls — that is , directors — with the school he / she attended . no prize for this one , just the satisfaction of knowing there was potential in all those years of film school .

the wrestler has received universal critical acclaim . rotten tomatoes reported that 98 % of critics gave the film positive write - ups based upon a sample of 215 , and gave it a golden tomato for best drama of 2008 . [ 22 ] at metacritic , which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics , the film has received an average score of 81 , based on 36 reviews , signifying " universal acclaim " . [ 23 ] alonso duralde , of msnbc , said , " rourke ' s work transcends mere stunt - casting ; his performance is a howl of pain that seems to come from a very real place . " [ 24 ]

5 . wrestlers can act . anyone who knows anything about professional wrestling knows that it’s about as “fake” as a razor blade to the head . ( which we see . ) but who knew these guys were so natural on film ? ernest “the cat” miller is a former wwf wrestler who , in this movie , plays “the ayatollah , ” a faux - arab wrestler from the eighties . the character now sells used cars and is fat and happy in retirement . miller has three scenes , two of which involve no wrestling at all , and he’s funny , quiet , and dead - on perfect . we had no idea he was a wrestler in real life until we checked imdb .

this film made me appreciate and kind of get back into pro wrestling , brings it down to a human level . absolutely adore

in addition to " wall - e , " another well - reviewed summer blockbuster , christopher nolan ' s " the dark knight , " proved popular with the nation ' s critics . and the acclaimed stage to screen transfers of doubt and frost / nixon made many of the critics top choice lists as well . below you ' ll find a collected round - up of the various film critics choices for 2008 .

didn ' t the academy change the rules a few years back ? i think a song must be part of the actual film to be nominated - songs over the end credits no longer qualify . or am i mis - remembering ? i thought it just had to be written specifically for the film . anyone got the inside track on that ?

aronofsky ' s black swan explored the world of the ' high arts ' and as such it is a perfect companion piece to the wrestler , a masterful depiction of dedication and self destruction in the realm of the ' low arts ' .

was the only film to reach $ 10 , 000 on the per theater chart with $ 13 , 978 in one theater during its second weekend of release .

is a modern movie miracle . aglow in the wonderment of time , the film captures the poetry and pain of life with such originality that audiences may not want to awake from the dream the film casts upon them . working from a screenplay by eric roth , david fincher clocks in again as one of the most exciting voices in american film , and his extraordinary use of technology , often the enemy of performance , serves only to enhance brad pitt ' s brilliant turn in the title role . pitt ' s chemistry with cate blanchett creates one of film history ' s most powerful screen romances , reminding us all of the preciousness of each passing moment .

the wrestler director : darren aronofsky stars : mickey rourke , marisa tomei , evan rachel wood ( full cast ) studio : fox searchlight pictures the plot : with his battle scars and failing heart , retired professional wrestler randy " the ram " robinson ( rourke ) jumps back into the squared cirle , climbing his way up the independent - circuit ladder , with his eyes on a showdown with his longtime rival .

in the course of his review , le monde ’s thomas sotinel offers a clear take on darren aronofsky’s movie : “mickey rourke’s performance in ‘the wrestler’ is a continuous celebration of the burdens and splendors of the profession of performance . ”

the women film critics circle is an association of 46 women film critics and scholars from around the country , who are involved in print , radio , online and tv broadcast media . they came together five years ago to form the first women critics organization ever in the country , in the belief that women’s perspectives and voices in film criticism need to be recognized fully . wfcc also prides itself on being the most culturally and racially diverse critics group in the country by far , and best reflecting the diversity of movie audiences .

6 . bruuuuuuce . expect to see the boss on oscar night . bruce springsteen’s song “the wrestler , ” written exclusively for the film , plays over the closing credits , and it’s straight from the ghost of tom joad — aching , sad , gorgeous . the song’s so good , you almost expect sean penn to write another movie based off it , like with the indian runner and bruce’s “highway patrolman . ”

stephanie mcmahon is an american businesswoman and a professional wrestler . check out this biography to know about her childhood , family life , achievements and fun facts about her life .

the wrestler , robert d . siegel ' s heart - wrenching tale of randy " the ram " robinson - played by mickey rourke - a former professional wrestler far past his prime , is layered with metaphor . that includes metaphors like the ram ' s foil cassidy , an aging , single mother stripper—played by marisa tomei—as much a physical fantasy as randy . later , through randy robinson ' s doomed stint as part - time butcher - cum - performer , siegel and aronofsky drag the viewer through the titular wrestler ' s struggle with lost fame , estranged family , and the physical suffering that the ram must endure .

there wasn’t really a film that i could definitively go to the mat for this year . but there were more than ten that i really enjoyed .

the credit for his turnaround goes in part to his film co - star , friend and fellow former grappler “diamond” dallas page , who also will attend the screening .

the film won the golden lion ( top prize ) at this year ' s berlin film festival , and by most accounts , it was only a festival bylaw that prevented rourke from taking the acting prize as well . i definitely look forward to it . though if you were to ask who the first castmember of diner to earn an oscar nomination would be , how many would ' ve guessed mickey ? isn ' t the top prize in berlin the golden bear ? i think the gold lion is the venice film festival .

predictable as it is , this sad , strong beast of a film keeps us pinned to the mat with the strength of its compassion and the overpowering force of its central performance .

mad bull ( 1977 ) starring the dad from webster . and the film that inspired the hart / austin mania 13 double turn . this is made - for - tv gold .

former wwe and tna world heavyweight champion mick foley enjoyed the film , saying : " within five [ minutes ] , i had completely forgotten i was looking at mickey rourke . that guy on the screen simply was randy ' the ram ' robinson . " [ 33 ] wwe hall of famer " rowdy " roddy piper was said to have been highly emotional after watching a screening of the film . aronofsky said of piper : " he loved it . he broke down and cried in mickey ' s arms , so he was psyched that this story was finally told . " [ 34 ] insights on the film from roddy piper and other former pro wrestlers can be seen in fox searchlight pictures ' s " wrestler round table " , which was included in the blu - ray version of the film . [ 35 ]

animated features never get a nod for best picture because they are still treated as second rate film ( god knows why though since pixar usually spends about four years making each film ) . i liked wall - e , and if any animated feature does deserve a nod and / or win for best picture , wall - e is certainly it ( considering all animated films ever , not just from this year ) . why wall - e doesn ' t get my vote for best film of 2008 is because pixar still handles timely themes with the young and not the mature in mind . of course they do it better than anyone else , but the potential of the film is undermined when it ' s still expected to perform within the confines of the genre and cater to the under 12 audience . i would ' ve loved to see an alternate ending on the blu - ray though .

had the best per theater average of any film so far this year , pulling in an outstanding $ 220 , 000 in 4 theaters for an average of $ 54 , 798 . any doubts about the film ' s ability to expand wide should be greatly reduced after that . opening in second place was

“this haunting phantasmagoria of a film — comic , singular , surreal — is not only something no one but the canadian director could have made , it’s also a film no one else would have even wanted to make . which is the heart of its appeal . ” — kenneth turan , los angeles times

“ballast strikes me as one of the few american pictures of 2008 to say what it wants to say , visually and narratively , about a specific situation and part of the country , in a way that transcends regional specifics . ” — michael phillips , chicago tribune