Precious opens in more theaters today and while there has been some criticism from African-American scholars, it looks like Harlem gave it the thumbs up.  The Lee Daniels film is based in Harlem so New York’s online section trekked over to the city within a city and got some raw reactions. One person said, “It’s true to Harlem life.”

Check out the clip below!

Summary: A horrifying urban drama about an obese girl and single mother named Precious.  The Harlem teen is suffering a monstrosity of abuse in her home, neighborhood and school. Attempting to beat the odds, she is inspired by the unexpected, striving for education and fighting not to repeat the same cycle of circumstances.

Review: Believe the hype, Lee Daniels‘ Precious: Based on the Novel By Sapphire is everything you expect it to be, and more. Read the rest of this entry »

Precious is in theaters November 6th and Lionsgate provided BET.com with exclusive images of the award-winning flick.  Precious is based on the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire.  BET.com has been on this film for months and earlier this week we reported the Lee Daniels‘ film won big at the Toronto Film Festival.

Push includes an all-star cast: Mo’Nique, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton, Sherri Shepherd and introducing Gabourey Sidibe.

Check out the exclusive BET.com stills!

Precious (Gabourey Sidibe, left) and Mary (Mo’Nique, right) in PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

Gabourey Sidibe stars as 'Claireece "Precious" Jones' in PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

Go to www.weareallprecious.com for more information on Precious!

Oprah Winfrey has already said that Lee Daniels‘ Precious is a modern day version of The Color Purple. There is an Oscar buzz for Mo’Nique’s performance. Now, Precious won the People’s Choice prize at the 34th Toronto Film Festival.  According to Variety.com:

Lee Daniels’ inner-city drama, “Precious, Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” nabbed the 34th Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice prize on Saturday.

“Precious,” starring Gabourey Sidibe, attracted mob scenes the likes of which the fest has rarely seen, thanks to producer Oprah Winfrey’s red carpet appearance and promotional push.

With Sundance’s grand jury, aud and acting (Mo’Nique) prizes already in the trophy case, the Lionsgate pic is solidly poised for awards season contention, if the eight-Oscar legacy of Toronto’s 2008 aud winner “Slumdog Millionaire” is any indication.

Precious also makes history as the first film to win the audience awards at Sundance and Toronto.

If Precious managed to snatch up similar awards to Slumdog Millionaire — like Oscars for best director or best movie — it would be a first for a film starring a predominately African-American cast.  As we all know, The Color Purple received eleven nominations and lost all of them.

Congrats again to another award for Precious!

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I don’t think I’ve seen this much anticipation for a movie since Dreamgirls in 2006.  However, this is a different type of film – no glamour, no singing, no dancing.  A hardcore script, fearless acting, flawless direction by Lee Daniels and a new star in Gabourey Sidibe, who plays the lead.

Precious is based on the novel Push by Sapphire.  While BET.com has been covering this movie for months, after the trailer debuted on Oprah yesterday, many people are declaring Oscar for Mo’Nique.  Entertainment Weekly raved:

“The trailer for the Sundance favorite Precious has hit the airwaves, and good heavens, it is stunning.“  EW continues, “I’ve caught wind of grumblings for a nomination for Mo’Nique before, and while it’s ludicrously irrational to make such proclamations based on a two-and-a-half minute trailer, I will confirm she does indeed look amazing. (That scene at 1:35? WOW.) Yes: Mo’Nique. Also known as the former host of VH1’s Charm School. And the star of Soul Plane. And Phat Girlz.”

Then, there is Mariah Carey, who plays a Harlem social worker.  Her performance has been praised as “pitch perfect.”  She is stripped down from the glam and “Glitter” – however, if anyone saw WiseGirls, you know that Mariah does have acting chops.  This just might put her over the top.

This is what acting is about — reinventing yourself down to your voice, look and style.

Precious is the story of an overweight teen who is struggling with poverty, identity and pregnancy.  The movie is directed by Lee Daniels and also includes Lenny Kravitz and Paula Patton.

I will go this far:  Unless Meryl Streep or Halle Berry has some tricks up their sleeves — Mo’Nique will get an Oscar nod in 2010 and Mariah Carey will at least get a  Golden Globe nomination.

Precious might just be the most important film about the lives of black women since The Color Purple.  Check out the trailer.

Also, don’t forget Mo’Nique has a new talkshow right here on BET!  Click here for a preview!

As reported, Lee Daniels‘ Push won big at the Sundance Film Festival, but did not have a distribution deal. Recently, Lionsgate snatched up the film that according to Variety.com is the biggest deal to come out of the Sundance Film Festival. The deal was assisted with the help of Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry.

“Lionsgate reportedly paid north of $5 million. Studio intends to release the film, based on the 1996 book about a Harlem teenager, this year.

Winfrey’s and Perry’s support sweetened the deal for Lionsgate and the filmmakers. The pair will throw their marketing muscle behind the release of the pic through their respective companies, Harpo Films and 34th Street Films.

Directed by Lee Daniels from an adapted script by Damien Paul, ‘Push’ also stars newcomer Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz. Project reteams Lionsgate and Daniels, who has signed with the William Morris Agency, for the first time since ‘Monster’s Ball.’

‘Push’ revolves around an overweight, illiterate African-American teen in Harlem who’s about to give birth to her second child when she is accepted into an alternative school.

‘I’ve never seen anything like it. The moment I saw Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to encourage other people to see this movie. The film is so raw and powerful — it split me open,’ Winfrey said.”

Push, starring Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Mo’Nique won big at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The film won Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Dramatic, World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic and Mo’Nique won Special Jury Prize for Acting.  The story is about Precious, an obese young girl who is trying to survive and live in Harlem.

The director, Lee Daniels, said in accepting one of his many awards, “We don’t have no money. We got $2 to make some s— happen. We’re doing this story about this fat black girl who doesn’t have a voice. They’re all in it for the craft.”  Daniels added, “I think [this win] means there’s hope for people of color. Just because Obama’s president doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to translate down to our world of cinema. And I think what it does is reiterate and strengthen this power of, Get yourself a freakin’ video camera. And you go out and tell your truth. That’s what I started doing as a kid, and I think inevitably, it led to this. It’s just so much hope.”

Chris Rock snagged the Special Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary for Good Hair.

This year was a tremendous year for black film at the Sundance Film Festival. Over 30 black films were presented and many found distribution deals such as Tyson (a documentary on boxer Mike Tyson), Black Dynamite (blaxpoitation comedy) and Brooklyn’s Finest (starring Don Cheadle and directed by Antoine Fuqua). However, even though Push racked up all these awards and has the star power of Carey and Kravitz, to date, the film has not gotten a distribution deal.  Hopefully that will change sooner than later.