the pursuit of happyness preview

tuesday, december 12th, 2006
The pursuit of happyness will surprise a lot of people. This movie will make you thankful for the little bit of whaterver you've have managed to hang on to in this economy, and for the family and friends you have.

Will Smith has starred in many a heavily special effects laden blockbuster. All good movies, but ya wonder if he could have carried the films minus all those bells and whistles. Well wonder no longer, this man brings the pain and then-some. You feel all the anguish, disappointment, frustration and hopelessness that can go along with being an adult, a husband, a father and businessman.

The movie chronicles one family's decent into abject poverty, seperation and homelssness, which is the result of slow sales in the father's business and just plain bad luck. The father is selling medical appliances to doctors who are legendary for their lofty salaries and being tightwads. The mother has been working 16 hours a day, for four months, and has gone beyond her breaking point.

What is also extremely obvious through out the movie is the importance of family and close friends. Not having family or friends is no big deal as long as everything is fine. But if things go very, very wrong, ya better have some family to help you out of that jam. Luckily the character Will Smith plays is smart and resourceful. And while it seems to take forever (six months in this case) things get better.

Paris Cullins with our host for the evening, Smoke the wrestler.

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Michael Dennis, aka Michael D., Filmmaker & Promoter chats with Paris Cullins about the responsibilities of the black film audience.
We spoke with Michael D. for a moment who thought the movie was great but was concerned about the problem of blacks not doing their part to support film projects created specifically for them. His main point was, if the ticket sales are not there, fewer projects will be made in the future because movies like these will be held up as examples of profitless ventures. The man has a point. We agree.