I Love Cinema

Man, the weekend was crazy yet productive. After leaving work Friday, I crashed at my boy Bryan's house because we were waiting to see if a shoot would go through. My friend Arnita called me in the middle of Madagascar to see if she could tag along. I said "Okay". Rod called Fred, the owner of the house for said shoot, to see if it was okay. Fred never responds. The girl who was supposed to play the stripper wound up getting arrested and could not play the role. Guess who I had to ask? That's right, Arnita. My voicemail went like, "Arnita, this is Markus. We need a huge, huge favor from you. We need you to play the stripper. But, you know, you don't really strip. You'll be eating bologna and putting on makeup, nothing freak nasty. Call me back. Bye." She eventually called me back thinking this was a ploy to see her in lingerie. I told her it wasn't. Actually, I got a little hysterical. I told her how I was tired of us having days where we didn't shoot. I told her how my friends (Shomari Gant, I see you) mess with me when I show up at wrestling on Sundays when I always say I "plan to be shooting". I still didn't convince her. I had to find Rod, who was on the U of M campus. He convinced her, she came, and we made movie magic in Bryan's kitchen and bathroom. Our last scenes were in front of the Paris "adult theater" on Summer cussing out somebody on her cell phone. Arnita kicked butt. Saturday, after a day of work (which included making ID tags and performing "Celebrate" with a karaoke machine), I got my car fixed on. The shoot for Third Wheel Date was canceled. I have now learned that the whole thing may have to be reshot because we no longer have access to the Bartlett 10. Man, it's crazy. Then, Rod, Bryan, and I worked on Keenon Nikita's project. Okay, we tried to. I got reintroduced to this girl named Meena who used to do student hours for me back at the Ned mcWherter Library. Unfortunately, the lamps would not hold up, and that shoot was a bust. On Sunday, we shot Arnita and Domino outside the library. Then, we went to Domino's house and shot Arnita, Tatiana, and Domino. I had to bow out a little after midnight. Everybody did well. We kicked butt. I'm pleased. I really believe that we will make the deadline now. I can see the light.

Let's Talk about MJ

I haven't gotten political in a long time, but I guess I need to give my spiel on Michael Jackson. When the "Not guilty" verdict came out, I was happy. I even high-fived a coworker. I've even broke out into a few MJ routines in the privacy of my own home. Okay, I 've been doing that for a long time, so I guess that's irrelevent. My MJ impersonation is pretty tight, though. I also love performing MJ songs at karaoke. As happy as I was, though, I was convinced that guy was going to jail. Although I am glad that he is free, I don't know if the right decision was made. I wasn't there, of course, so I have no concrete proof of his innocence or guilt. My feelings are based on the fact that this was the second offense and that MJ's admission to sleeping in the bed with little kids. I was even saying, "That fool's going to jail". However, I didn't really want him to. My reasons for not wanting him to had nothing to do with the facts. I didn't want him to go because I am a fan of his music. He made Thriller...Thriller! (Dave Chappelle is a comic genius) I even got Invincible as a Christmas present. I liked it. I just hope that we aren't letting our love for the man's music blind us to the possibility of him being a possible molester. Also, I don't think it was cool that MJ didn't show up at his victory party. What's up with that? It seemed very inconsiderate. I know he's exhausted, but that was a party for him. MJ needs to make some drastic changes. He should sell Neverland Ranch and turn it into an amusement park or something. MJ also needs to grow up. The tree climbing and being the eternal child crap is played out. The dude's in his 40s. At some point, you have to say, "Hey, I've lost my childhood, but maybe I'll get grown-up toys. Like Tivo. Or Ferraris. Or computer gadgets." Also, Mike has got to be a little more visible. It's time for some serious public relations. MJ should make donations to UNICEF or the United Negro College Fund. That way, he'd be helping himself and others. And, like my friend Latilleon stated in his blog, sing more mature material. The dance moves and stuff are a little hokey. If he has to do that stuff, get the Neptunes, P. Diddy, or Missy Elliott to produce it. Heck, MJ could get QuincyJones to produce some stuff. Off The Wall and Thriller are great examples of the Jackson-Jones chemistry. Maybe it wouldn't work the same way, but it couldn't hurt. Jackson doesn't have to dance to have good music. Does anyone remember Butterfly off his last album? That song was a nice, sweet ballad. It was cool! Mike might also want to change his look a little bit. He could finally get a new haircut or soem normal clothes. I'm not sure about his innocence or guilt, but I do feel that God has given him a new lease on life. I pray that he does not squander it. Well, that's my take on Mijac. I don't know if he did it or not, but I still love the music. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. Be easy.

PS For another take on the MJ situation, check out my blog brother at Latilleon.blogspot.com

Lost My Swagger

Man, I was bugging yesterday. I was supposed to go to an audition to be an extra in Michael Hawkin's upcoming music video. I began doubting myself. Why do I act? What are my motives? Do I want this? I fought and begged and scratched for it, and God blessed me with it, and I was tripping! Also, I wound up going on a crazy oddyssey trying to find a white hat to match my all-white outfit for the white party scene in the video. Even if I am not selected(perish the thought), I figure that I would probably need an outfit for a white party in real life, anyway. So I went to Burlington Coat Factory on my lunch break and bought a fly Pierre Cardin white dress shirt, some killer white slacks, and a hat that I later realized didn't fit. Hence, the oddyssey. With my trusty amigo Rod (soon to be directing giant) Pitts at my side, I began a cross-Poplar/Colonial trek for a pimpish white hat. Target:no white hats. Sears:no hats at all! That's the Sears on popular. You get a -5 for that, man. Then, the Macy's in the Oak Court Mall on Poplar: Only white fisherman hats. Then I. Rosen's:closed. My last hope lay in the S and K Men's store, where I found the white hat with the brim that fit me like it was specifically patterned for my slightly large cranium. Large because of the knowledge inside that is. So, we were off to the audition. Rod photographed me freestyling before I got called. Some dude with braids saw him and assumed that he was part of the production. Rod said he wasn't, and dude made a little sarcastic comment. I said, "That's my videographer, man. He's also my collar popper and shoulder brusher. " I think I wowed them with my personality. They asked if I was camera shy. Me?!!! M.Sea the Great?!!! I should've scoffed, but I just said, "No. I love the camera, and the camera loves me. It's like a match made in heaven". They said that I needed some brown shoes. I said that I would have them by July 2 if I was selected. I hoep they roll with me. I felt so pimp in that outfit. I was Frosty the Snowman, baby! I still felt bad and nervous and I was tripping about a girl I like and acting. By the time I got home, I called Denna Greer, my closest female friend. I am so glad that her boyfriend Paul West lets me use her for counseling. I had a meltdown. I cursed, I yelled, I was frustrated. But she let me get it out. She did say I cursed like a drunken, farting sailor. I say that she couldn't have possibly heard me fart. After we hung up the phone, I felt better, I realized that I really do want to act, I just got scared. And I will face the female that I am digging on when the time is right. Thanks for yet another brilliant pep talk, Denna. You rock like boulders! You da bomb and the fuse! You are righteous!!! Okay, my corny cliche meter just broke. Let's just say that I had a momentary bout of self-doubt (hey, that rhymed, go M.Sea, go M.Sea....okay, I'll stop.), but after a pep talk from Denna last night and Mom this morning, I realized this:

I am a ham. I need an outlet to get goofy and I need to quit being shy around females. In other words:

I got my swagga back! My swagga back, my swagga back
I got my swagga back! My swagga back, my swagga back

Alert the media: The cocky, young, fly and flashy corny do-gooder M.Sea has returned. And you are all better for it. Excuse me while I brush my shoulders off................................................................... There, I'm done. Be easy, dear readers, easy like Sunday mooooorning! Peace to Lionel Richie and the Commodores.

Could it be I Stayed Away Too Long...

Did I leave your mine when I was gone? The song by lil' Michael (Not Guilty) Jackson and his four bros seems very appropriate. I was on vacation last week, and with no PC, I could not keep my readers updated on my wonderful misadventures. Last week, I helped my friend Ennis move on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was only temporary, though. Come August, he's making the big move to Chicago. I'll miss that dude. I will keep in contact. Hopefully, he'll contribute to my long-in-development, you'll see it when it's finished, debut rap CD. Yes, I also bust rhymes. I wanna be a dope rapper. Anyway, Thursday was a little bit better. Rod and I got the lead actor on our long-in-production but still great film to do voiceovers. Also, he interviewed me about the movie. He got very personal, asking questions about the female actresses. So, in advance, if Cretia Carey, Denna Greer, Lisa Miller, or Chris Brown see that tape, I was just being honest. Also, in terms of my upcoming cast, if Arnita Williams, Chrissy Cain, or Jean Henderson see that segment, again, I was just being honest. Friday's attempted shoot fell through, so me, Rod and Bryan saw Batman Begins. It was good, but I was very sleepy so I did not quite grasp the conclusion. So, my View at the Movies (the greatest movie review blog in the world!!!!!) will have to wait. Saturday, there was a mixup and I did not get my stepfather his Father's Day gift(sniff, sniff, sob). But, at midnight, Bryan and I were at the Bartlett 10 movie theater for Day 2 of our Third Wheel Date shoot. Bryan was a great extra. In fact, he was so extra, I don't think we needed him...just kidding, B. You rock like boulders! I play this security guard who thinks he's a ladies man. They gave me another scene, too!! Who is the master?!! Sho Nuff!!! I totally rocked during that scene. I have one more small scene next week. This has been a great environment. I met this funny dude named Aaron that I hope will get the lead role in Rod's next film. I've also hung out with Arnold Edwards II, Arnita Williams, Tiffany, Melissa, Jarrod Edwards, and Tommy, a short, Asian kid with a laptop. He acts like he doesn't like me, but the kid is cool and he's very smart. Forrest Pruett has been hilarious, too. The Memphis indie film community rocks! Cowboy Up Productions, Cowboy Silver Lining Productions, Pittstop Productions, Old School Entertainment, Brandon Hutchison's group, Morgan Fox, Triple Sticks Productions, Brassmask, and whoever else I don't know. We have a thriving artistic community here in Memphis. I am very apreciative and grateful for those of you that have allowed me to be in your projects. Also, for those that I have not worked with, I respect you for striving to make something true and unique, which is obviously easier said than done. I'm proud of all the actors, directors, and staff in the Memphis indie film community. We are doing it for the love, and I pray that we all are one day able to make a living in the world of cinema. I salute all my underground soldiers. Indie Memphis, fools! Who's messing with us? Today, Memphis, tomorrow Hollywood, the world next. Be easy.

Movie Moves

Yesterday, my boy Rod and I worked on our long-in-development film. One of our two female leads was going to grad school at the University of Nottingham in England. She's back in town so, of course, we put her to work. Our male lead Pat showed up, too. They have good chemistry together. Also, I went to a rehearsal for this movie that I am going to start shooting at midnight tonight. I was late coming from Rod's shoot, and I passed the house, but I eventually made it. Of course, the main person I needed to rehearse with left as I was coming, but it was cool. I tripped out. It was someone's birthday, and we had this cool cake with ice cream in the middle. It rocked! I have three lines as Tyrone, a security officer in this movie. I will make those the best three lines in the movie. My friend Bryan is going to roll with me and be an extra. I'm feeling good about this. I'm a little tired, but I asked for this. After so many false starts, bad auditions, and bad shoots, I feel like I am back in the saddle. Rod and I may even shoot a short involving my character in his films on Sunday. I am hype! Hopefully, one of the three movies I was in last year will get edited in time for the Indie Memphis film festival. Rod may get me a part in this guy named Keenon's film about him and his daughter. I am in a good space. I even finished a poem and started writing some rap lyrics this week. Good times, baby!!! WHOOOOOOOO! That's my Ric Flair yell. Man, I'm even smiling as I type this! I just thank God for the opportunity to do what I love, even if it is on a small scale. Everybody should try to find some way to live your dreams, in some capacity. Keep hustling and praying. Be easy.

PS Support the blog brethren: blacksupervillain.blogspot.com, newnegro.blogspot.com, and latilleon.blogspot.com

A View at the Movies: The Longest Yard

I recently saw The Longest Yard. In this movie, Adam Sandler stars as Paul Crews, a retired football player who is now the "houseguest" of a rich actress (Courtney Cox-Arquette). After a drunken ride in her stolen Bentley, Crews is arrested and thrown in jail. The warden of his jail has a successful prison football team, but they have not won the title in a while. The warden wants him to be a consultant to a football team comprised of his prison guards. Crews resists, but eventually is persuaded to field a team of prison guards to give them a tune-up game. I never saw the original with Burt Reynolds, but this one was pretty good. Burt Reynolds shines as an old prisoner who becomes the coach of the team. Chris Rock is caretaker. As the name implies, he gets the team whatever they want from the outside. Nelly and Michael Irvin also shine as football players. Nelly really surprised me. Former wrestler Bill Goldberg also shines as a member of the prisoners' team. Former wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin and wrestler Kevin Nash also join former football player Brian Bosworth as members of the guards' team. There are some great scenes where Kevin Nash has his steroid pills replaced with estrogen. It's unrealistic, but hilarious. Tracy Morgan also shines as the leader of the transvestite cheerleading squad for the prisoners. Gross, but humorous. I highly recommend The Longest Yard. It is funny, action-packed, and it actually has real athletes in it to lend an element of realness to the football scenes. I give The Longest Yard 4.5 goalposts...for football, get it? Hah! I kill me!

Improvisational Celebration

Okay, I celebrated my birthday with my friends on Saturday, then with my family on Sunday. After work, I went to a rehearsal for the movie that I am doing. I was okay, but I felt that I held back during improv. As I was leaving the church that houses the Media Co-Op(the haven for independent films in Memphis), my "check engine" light came on. I was a little messed up, but I drove home. My brother calmed me down and said to let the car cool off. We checked the fluids, which were fine. I thought it was the thermostat which Kia "claims" to have fixed twice. I felt a little unsafe driving back on the expressway, so I got my boy Nick from Hickory Hill to give me a lift. Shout out to Nick for coming through. Then, I got Denna and Paul to pick up my boy Bryan. My boy Paul had lost his cell phone, so he was MIA. Although I was one of the last people to arrive, I had about 20 people there. I felt so much love, man. Paul and Denna got me Chappelle's Show, Season 2 (Rick James, B*tch!!!) (Sorry, mom, that's what he says), my boy Demarco (Anti-Thug Coalition) got me the Clone Wars DVD. Clone Wars is an animated feature that fits inbetween Episode 2 and Episode 3. My boy Paul had the most unique gift: butter cookies. See, my friends and I have a running joke about butter cookies. We talk about how people used to fight over butter cookies in school. We also have a rap chant about it: "Butter cookies (beat, beat) butter cookies(beat, beat), butter cookies! I then started chanting, "it's my birthday and I got butter cookies!" I also started doing a little crazy dancing when the balloon girl was like, "Go , it's your birthday". The second part of my birthday didn't go as planned. Some people had to go, some people decided to stand around in the Chili's lot talking. By the time we got there, the tickets for the 10:00 showing of The Longest Yard were sold out. Denna was tired, so she and Paul left. My boy Nick didn't want to wait, so my 20-member party shrunk down to Paul Briggs, DeMarco, Bryan, and myself in Paul's van going to the movies downtown at the Peaboddy Place (Muvico is $6.oo with student IDs. Yay!) So, we saw the movie, and Paul drove us all home. Paul finally got to see my brother's house. Sunday, I was still hesitant to drive my car. My parents picked me up, and we went to O'Charley's. My stepdad invited his high school buddy and his wife, which was cool, but I felt like the little kid at Thanksgiving. I couldn't really trip out and be myself. I had my moment when the waitress brought me that little birthday cake. They did that corny birthday song, you know, "Happy, happy birthday, blah, blah, blah". Of course, I wanted to break into the running man, but I just played like I was conducting an orchestra with my fork. It was a pretty cool birthday. And my mom bought me my cousin Shae Norman's gospel CD. It's great!!! The boy got talent!!!! And a very heartwarming card(Sniff, sniff, one tear) AND a check for $40.oo (You rock, Mom!!!) and my brother should get me Jay-Z's "Fade to Black" concert DVD AND my boy Shomari said that he ordered something for me that hasn't come yet. Knowing him, it's some cool, anime or Power Rangerish or comic book thingy. It'll probably be freakin' sweeet!!!! Yeah, man, it wasn't the blowout bash I hoped it would be, but it was still cool. Shout out to everybody who participated,and extra special shout out to my mom, Lillian McGhee, Paul Briggs for the butter cookies (What!) and Wanda for coming with a broken foot. I told her she was a trooper, she shook off the injury like a Rocky comeback or something! She truly had the Eye of the Tiger. I appreciate and love everybody who helped me celebrate my birthday. My 29th year is truly off to a wondrous start.

I May Not Carry a Tune, but I can Karaoke!

The TheraFlu worked wonders on my cold. So, feeling somewhat better, I decided to attend my coworker Serbrina's Karaoke night at her house. The house is beautiful. She live in one of those good neighborhoods, almost as good as Cordova (just kidding...kinda). Continuing my trend of not getting along with dogs, she had what looked like a giant poodle named Shane; he barked at me, I jumped back. My first instinct is to kick, but you can't go kicking other people's pets. Many of my coworkers (including my boss) were there. I sang a Michael Jackson medley: Rock With You, Billy Jean, and Bad. Then, the whole gang sang "Celebrate" by Kool and the Gang. Then, JC (a coworker) sang Always and Forever. They sang some more group songs, and Serbrina and I sang "Don't Look Any Further". We had rehearsed it three times before everybody came. We also sang "Proud Mary", and JC and Stephanie sang "With You I'm Born Again". Twice. JC's wanted to really nail it. I realized that I had to leave early to preserve my strength and voice, but "YMCA" had me giving an encore. My voice is a little worn, and I am not 100% well, but I will press on. After work comes the rehearsal, then back to the house for a midday nap, then my crew (how many I don't know) will storm the Chili's on Perkins Extended, then watch The Longest Yard. It's my pre-birthday celebration with friends. Tomorrow, on the for real, really real, 3-d, honest-to-goodness berfday, My parents plan to take me out near my house. Yeah, go Markus, it's my berfday, go Markus, it's my berfday, I'm gone drink water like it's my berfday, goin' to Chili's and Paradiso like it's my berfday! Twenty-nine is an okay age to be. Lord willing, this should be a memorable day. Be easy.

PS Support my blog bretheren: newnegro.blogspot.com, latilleon.blogspot.com, blacksupervillain.blogspot.com. Peace.

Staying Positive

I started this week in such a great mood...maybe it was the three-day weekend. My spirits are a little dashed this Thursday. I have a cold, my sinuses are going haywire. This is really not good. I have a huge weekend in front of me. I plan to take TheraFlu tonight, work my four hours tomorrow, then nap. My coworker is having karaoke. I really want to rock the house, but since we're both sick, we will probably just do our duet of "Don't Look Any Further". After that, I'm out. Saturday is crucial. I have to work from 9AM-1PM, join a rehearsal for this movie in progress(the rehearsal starts at noon), and be at Chili's for a small birthday celebration at 7:00, followed by a movie, preferably The Longest Yard. Then, on Sunday, it's out to the parents' home in Moscow, Tennessee. In case you don't know. Moscow is kun-treee (country)! However, they plan on buying me dinner and I asked my mom to buy my cousin Shae Norman's gospel CD as a gift. He is on Fred Hammond's label. Fred Hammond is a very popular gospel singer. You should buy this guy's CD. He's talented, and I'm not just saying that because he's my cousin. Oh, well, gotta suck it up and gear myself up for my big, birthday weekend. YAAAAYYYY! Woo hoo! Be easy