HenrySimmons Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Move Over 'Rudy'! It's Time for 'Phenom'
Filed under: Drama », Sports », Deals »
Is there anyone out there who doesn't, in some way, love Rudy? The 1993 football film was a feel-good tale of a kid with the pressure of life on his shoulders, whose dream of playing football trumped his athletic skills, struggling grades, and the fact that he was much smaller than the other players. It was also Sean Astin during his early-90s film collection -- a Sgt in Memphis Belle, fiesty Billy Tepper in Toy Soldiers, and harborer of an Encino Man. Le sigh... Anyway, Rudy director David Anspaugh is dipping into the sports once again, with the sport that brought him lots of cred when he helmed Hoosiers. Variety reports that Screen Gems has tapped him to direct the Charles Murray and Chris Parker-penned Phenom, the basketball movie I briefly mentioned in March when Stomp the Yard actor Chris Brown sign on to star. (The young actor had been trying to get Antoine Fuqua to direct the film, but who can argue with this choice?!) The film focuses on Brown, "a standout high school basketball player who goes pro after the media discovers he's the illegitimate son of the NBA's best player. Father and son are on a collision course as their teams meet on the road to the playoffs." It sounds like it could be a comedy, but this, like Rudy, is a listed as a drama. The production also stars Henry Simmons (Dad?)and Vanessa Williams (Mom?), and will cook up next year after Brown finishes his current concert tour. Are you ready to see Anspaugh's world of sports again?
Dreyfuss and Simmons Sip on 'Sweetwater'
Filed under: Drama », Sports », Casting »
Just in time for Christmas last year, Jessica Barnes alerted us to the Nat Clifton biopic in the works -- Sweetwater. Director Martin Guigui has had the project in development for almost a decade, and I can only hope that his talents were sapped with that project. Why? Because the man's short list of films consist of features like the The basketball legend will be played by the 6' 4" acting giant Simmons, who co-starred with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon in the questionable Taxi, and in the similarly-received Madea's Family Reunion last year. However, this won't be his first drama. He's also got The Insurgents, with Mary Stuart Masterson, coming out this year. Now the lovely Mr. Dreyfuss will be playing Abe Saperstein, the man who created the Harlem Globetrotters in 1927. Sweetwater Clifton had spent three years on the Globetrotters, and then Saperstein sold his contract to the New York Knicks in 1950 -- making him the first African-American to be signed to an NBA team. It appears that the film will also delve into Clifton's earlier life. Son of rapper Master P, Lil' Romeo, will play the legend as a kid.
Jeremy Renner Wants To Be An Avenger
Directors We Love: Jim Jarmusch
Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'
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Watch: Famous 'Matrix' Scene Re-Created with LEGOs
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