Return to the Wild About Movies homepage.

Movie Showtimes

Discount Movie Tickets

WAM Homepage

Free Movie Screenings
PRINT PASSES

to

The Wrestler

Wrestler Poster

Free Movie Screenings

WAM Newsletter

Movie Box Office




"Idlewild"
First Look
In Theaters August 25, 2006

Read the Andre Benjamin Interview


Idlewild Movie Poster

What could possibly be left for two men who have crafted six critically and listener-praised, genre-blending albums -- two of which were platinum and four multiplatinum -- 30-plus videos; sold-out concerts worldwide with musical performances that meld R&B, pop, hip-hop and urban street sounds; and have found themselves decorated with the majority of music awards on the planet? Simply put, to tackle the film industry.

ANDRÉ BENJAMIN and ANTWAN A. PATTON, better known to their legions of fans as André 3000 and Big Boi of OutKast, were not looking for a vanity project to help them become the latest crop of singers-turned-actors. The groundbreaking group, known for its unconventional stylings and mixed-genre performances, has been long interested in working with their frequent-music video-director, writer/director BRYAN BARBER, on a film that shared intriguing stories of classic Southern characters from the 1930s African-American viewpoint. And if they were going to make a movie...they'd do it the OutKast way.

A tale of the loves and ambitions of two struggling Prohibition-era performers is told through intricate musical numbers and vibrantly choreographed dance sequences in Universal Pictures and HBO Films' Idlewild, an original musical starring the multiplatinum and multi-Grammy winning OutKast members André Benjamin as the shy piano player, Percival, and Antwan A. Patton as Rooster, the showy headliner and manager at a free-for-all speakeasy called "Church."

In his latest project with the genre-fusing group, first-time feature filmmaker (and award-winning OutKast music-video visionary) Bryan Barber writes and directs this musical -- set against the backdrop of a '30s Southern nightclub -- that synthesizes drama, music, cinema and style to bring the tale of the singers to life. Idlewild includes an allstar roster of some of the most notable performers in music, film and theater today and introduces movie lovers to America's top dancers in never-before-seen sequences -- choreographed by three-time Tony winner HINTON BATTLE (Dreamgirls).

True to form, OutKast writes and performs songs in their musical numbers. Most of the music -- including the score -- is a mixture of contemporary hip-hop, classic blues and swing music, with music from legends such as Cab Calloway and Bessie Smith. Classic songs were scratched and mixed to give the Idlewild soundtrack a modern feel. Contemporary performers such as Arturo Sandoval lend their talents to the soundtrack and musical numbers.

In the 1930s American South, there was one spot that served as a haven -- a place of prayer for the weary, joy for the hopeful and music for the masses. All were welcome to come and find the Lord as they walked into church on Sunday mornings. When the good and righteous built these houses of worship, however, they did ask guests to leave a few things at the door, namely: cussing, liquor, fast women, gambling and guns. And that was the part of the sermon to which Rooster just didn't pay attention. In his nightclub called "Church," there was only one story to tell...one in the key of cool.

Welcome to Idlewild, Georgia. Welcome to Church.

In Idlewild, players gather nightly at Church, with childhood friends -- who grew up on opposite sides of the tracks -- Rooster and Percival playing two key roles at the club. Soft-spoken and reserved mortician Percival sees playing piano at the nightclub as welcome respite from the doldrums of working in his overbearing father's (Tony Award winner BEN VEREEN, Roots, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Broadway's Wicked) funeral home. One night in Church, Percival meets the latest celebrity to tour the South, the ethereal Angel (newcomer PAULA PATTON). Percival falls head over heels in love with the ingénue and is faced with a choice: stay or leave his oppressive father behind and pursue his dreams of becoming a song-and-dance man in the big cities of which he's only dreamed.

Church's manager, Rooster, is the son of a moonshine runner, a man who has grown into his flashy clothes and role as a wheeler-dealer -- juggling both his suspicious wife, Zora (MALINDA WILLIAMS, television's Soul Food), and a cast of characters who make their money off the place's illegal dealings. From the club's blustering owner, "Sunshine" Ace (FAIZON LOVE, Elf, Friday), to the swop dancers, showgirls, musicians, fire-eaters and divas who light up the stage -- including hard-drinking, sultry singer Taffy (Grammy-winning singer and actor MACY GRAY, Training Day, Domino) -- Rooster makes sure the show goes on nightly and Church's customers get just the entertainment they came to find.

But Rooster's problems multiply after he witnesses a shooting that places Trumpy (Academy Award-nominated actor TERRENCE HOWARD, Hustle & Flow, Lackawanna Blues, Crash) -- one of the mob men -- into control of the influx of liquor into his juke joint. While on the run from the mob, the good-hearted scoundrel realizes his life of petty crime is taking him nowhere and must now fight his way back to his family while his best friend Percy tries to escape the hold Idlewild has on him...and start a new life performing in a faraway city.

Set to OutKast's show-stopping musical numbers, Percival and Rooster's parallel journey of discovery takes them deep into the sultry South and across Idlewild as they grow from precocious children to stand-up men. From the back roads of Georgia to the bright lights of Chicago blasting in the Prohibition heat, the friends will learn the truths of deepest love, heartbreaking loss and family ties that bind them forever to a place called Idlewild.


STARRING: André Benjamin, 'Big Boi', Ving Rhames, Terrence Dashon Howard, Faizon Love, Paula Jai Parker, Macy Gray, Ben Vereen, Cicely Tyson
DIRECTOR: Bryan Barber
STUDIO: Universal Pictures
RATING: R for violence, sexuality, nudity and language


WATCH TRAILER

Wild About Movies Grade: B-

See the Complete 2006 Movie Release Schedule

Idlewild Movie Poster


 

end ornament
2008 Movies

 



Netflix, Inc.


In The Spotlight
The Jonas Brothers Concert Movie 3D

Starring The Jonas Brothers
November 20, 2008

Jonas Bros. Poster


Wild About Movies provides you with more movie posters, movie trailers, movie synopses, Behind The Scenes of movies, and celebrity interviews than any other movie website. At WAM you are able to peruse the movie trailers, movie posters and movie synopses of more than 500 movies not yet in theaters (and more than 75,000 movies formerly in movie theaters and currently on DVD). The lastest additions: "Assassination Of A High School President," starring Bruce Willlis. The Clint Eastwood movie "Gran Torino." The sci-fil horror flicks "Pandorum" and "The Unborn." Kevin James as "Mall Cop." "The Burning Plain," starring Charlize Theron. The first "Wonder Woman" movie of the millennium. "The Education Of Charlie Banks" and "Pippa Lee." Clive Owen in "The International." "Lovely Still" - featuring Martin Landau & Ellen Burstyn. Isla Fisher in "Confessions Of A Shopaholic." And Mickey Rourke as "The Wrestler." Jamie Foxx and "Iron Man," Robert Downey Jr., in "The Soloist." Matt Damon in "Green Zone." And "Nothing Like The Holidays," John C. Reilly in "Cirque Du Freak." Patrick Swayze in "Powder Blue." Jake Gyllenhaal as "Prince of Persia: Sands Of Time" and "The Dark Knight" himself, Christian Bale, as John Connor in "Terminator Salvation." Sam Raimi's "Drag Me To Hell." Oscar winner Adrien Brody in "The Brothers Bloom." Rose McGowan as "Red Sonja 2010." Gerard Butler in three movies; "Game" and "Law Abiding Citizen" and opposite Katherine Heigl in "The Ugly Truth." And "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail." Rob Zombie's "Tyrannosaurus Rex." "Street Fighter" and Justin Chatwin in "Dragonball." Also Keanu Reeves in "The Day The Earth Stood Still." And Seth Rogen is "The Green Hornet." "Witchblade 2009," as well as "Fame 2009." And Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor as lovers in "I Love You Phillip Morris." Sequels: Everything from Daniel Radcliffe naked not in "Harry Potter 6," but Daniel Radcliffe naked at WAM and on Broadway in "Equus." The Disney 3D films "Cars 2" and "Toy Story 3." Shia LaBeouf in "Transformers 2" and Jason Statham in "Crank 2" and Michael Douglas in "Wall Street 2." And "Transporter 3." Vin Diesel in "Fast And Furious 4." Kate Beckinsale in "Underworld 3." Steve Martin's "The Pink Panther 2," and the requisites, "Ice Age 3" and "Cloverfield 2" and "Iron Man 2." The very delayed "Star Trek XI." The prequel of "The DaVinci Code," "Angels & Demons." Need more movies? Channing Tatum in "GI Joe The Movie." And Seann William Scott in "Trainwreck: My Life As An Idiot." The big screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" and two Tony winning plays turned movies, "Doubt," starring Meryl Streep, and "Frost Nixon," starring Frank Langella (each who will most likely earn 2009 Oscars). Also "Sunshine Cleaning" and Disney's new fave actor, The Rock, in "Race To Witch Mountain." Also, "Friday the 13th 2009" and Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's next collaboration, "Ashecliffe" aka "Shutter Island." In addition, the big screen incarnations of "Marley & Me" and "The Spirit." Sacha Baron Cohen is "Bruno." Nicolas Cage in "Knowing." Also "Good" and the long delayed "Killshot." Brad Pitt in both "Inglorious Bastards" and "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button." The big screen adaptation of Maurice Sendack's "Where The Wild Things Are" and director Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" and "Taken," starring Liam Neeson. "Local Color." Along with "Watch Out" and "The Escapist." - More? Sure! Peter Jackson's "District 9" and "The Lovely Bones" and "The Hobbit Movies." Leonardo DiCaprio in "Revolutionary Road." And Kenneth Branagh's "Thor." And the 3D "They Came From Upstairs" and "Monsters vs Aliens." "The Smurfs Movie;" and "Splice;" and "Push;" "AstroBoy." The big screen version of "Land of the Lost" and Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" and Ben Stiller's "Chicago 7." And a slew of animated and non animated Walt Disney movies, many in 3D: including "Hannah Montana The Movie" and "Fraggle Rock: The Movie" and "The Jonas Brothers Movie 3D" and "Bolt," "The King of the Elves" and "Rapunzel," "The Bear and the Bow;" "Newt," "The Princess And The Frog," "Up," "Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea" and And Universal's animated movie "The Tale Of Despereaux." Heath Ledger's last movie, "Dr. Parnassus." "Black Devil Doll." The four Jonas Brothers in the big screen adaptation of "Walter The Farting Dog" and Wesley Snipes in "Gallowwalker!" Also: Zac Efron in three big screen movies: "Footloose 2010," "17 Again" and "Me And Orson Welles." Also "Bitch Slap" and Daniel Craig in "Defiance" and as 007 in "Bond 22," which now has the official title "Quantum of Solace;" "Delgo" and "Pope Joan" and "Hotel For Dogs." Benicio Del Toro as "The Wolfman" and "Che." And "Notorious." Also, Hugh Jackman as "Wolverine;" "Valkyrie." The movies "He's Just Not That Into You," James ("Titanic") Cameron's "Avatar;" "Watchmen," (from the director of "300"), "The Bad Lieutenant 2009" and Hilary Swank in "Amelia." And Nicole Kidman in "Australia," and the non Disney animated movie "Coraline." And "Two Lovers" and Anne Hathaway in "Bride Wars." "The Reader," starring Ralph Fiennes. Robert Downey Jr. as "Sherlock Holmes." Will Smith in "Seven Pounds." The Italian worldwide hit "Gomorra," as well as the Chinese blockbuster "Red Cliff." Not to mention the Australian smash "The Tender Hook". And "Fanboys" and Julia Stiles in "Cry Of The Owl" and Diablo Cody in "Jennifer's Body," which she also wrote. "Captain America" and Sean Penn as Harvey "Milk." And don't forget the must 'not' sees "My Bloody Valentine 3D" and Uwe Boll's "Far Cry." "How To Be A Serial Killer." Also, the "2009 Oscars." Our latest entry - "The Jonas Brothers Concert Movie 3D" - in select movie theaters Super Bowl Weekend 2009. For the current and complete 2008 movie box office report... (continue)




Netflix, Inc.
Celebrity Interviews By Tim Nasson More Wild About Movies Interviews
Movie Showtimes, Movie Box Office

Features


2007 Films - 2008 Films

"Films Now Playing In Movie Theaters"


Saw 5


 


2007 Movies - 2008 Movies - 2009 Movies

Movie Trailers and Movie Posters of ALL "2008 Films" and "2009 Films" Coming To Movie Theaters

Seven Pounds Poster

Revolutionary Road Poster

Defiance Poster

The Road Poster

Marley & Me Poster

Twilight Poster

Milk Poster

Angels And Demons Poster

Hotel For Dogs Poster

The Spirit Poster

Valkyrie Poster

Gran Torino Poster

 

 

Tons of DVD Giveaways


Heckler


Go to the WAM Giveaways Page to enter HECKLER DVD Giveaway Promotion


Wild About Movies In The News

All content © 2004-2008, Wild About Movies.
Content available for purchase. Contact us. About us.