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NBA star LeBron James was seen enjoying himself as Kendrick Lamar sang Drake diss tracks and other songs at his Pop Out Concert in Los Angeles. James and his wife, Savannah James, were among the high-profile guests of the evening as Lamar brought together an array of talented acts in the concert. Interestingly, Drake recorded the song Forever with Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem to honor James in 2009.

Drake in his music video for Hotline Bling | Nineteen85

Lamar’s concert featured performances from Remble, Tommy The Clown, Mustard, Roddy Ricch, Yg, Tyler, The Creator, Steve Lacy, and Dr. Dre. Besides James, notable figures like DeMar DeRozan, Russell Westbrook, Rick Ross, and James Harden were also in attendance at the concert held at the Kia Forum.

LeBron James Shows Up At Kendrick Lamar’s Concert After Drake’s Song Dedication For Him

LeBron James in a still from Space Jam: A New Legacy...

Practically since his career began, LeBron James has been not merely a great basketball player but a media industry generating a seemingly endless array of products.

The latest example is this new Peacock original film based on his 2009 memoir co-written with Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights), recounting the story of his early years and friendship with his high school teammates known as the “Fab Four,” later expanded to become the “Fab Five.” The story was already told in the 2008 documentary More Than a Game, but that won’t stop the Goat’s fans from wanting to see this lovingly rendered adaptation that covers all the early career highlights, albeit sometimes in sanitized form.

The story begins with James (Marquis “Mookie” Cook, a top-ranked amateur basketball player making an impressive screen debut) playing in a youth league in Akron, Ohio, along with his three best friends: Lil Dru (Caleb McLaughlin, Stranger...

Chicago – On Friday, June 2nd, the new film “Shooting Stars” will begin streaming on the Peacock Network. It is the story of the launch of “King” LeBron James through the “Fab Five” high school crew of the Akron, Ohio, St. Vincent-St. Mary’s team, one of the greatest in Ohio basketball history.

This is the story of LeBron’s team, a group of four lower middle class boys from Akron, Ohio, who came together as a team in Salvation Army league basketball, coached by Dru Joyce (Wood Harris) who grew to also be coached by Keith Dambrot (Dermot Mulroney) at the local Catholic School. The team consisted of the core Little Dru Joyce (Caleb McLaughlin), Willie McGee (Avery S. Wills Jr.), Sian Cotton (Khalil Average) and LeBron James, and became the Fab Five with the addition of Romeo Travis (Sterling Henderson). As a unit, there were one of the greatest...

With its list of new releases for January 2022, Amazon Prime Video is keeping things pretty simple. The streaming giant is rolling out a couple of original films, one big TV effort, and a whole host of library content, then calling it a day. And really, that’s all you need!

The two Amazon original films this month are of the family friendly variety. The Tender Bar, based on a memoir of the same name and directed by George Clooney, premieres on Jan. 7. This is followed on Jan. 14 by Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. This is the fourth installment in the animated Hotel Transylvania series, hammering home the fact that if you bring Adam Sandler and Genndy Tartakovsky aboard you project, things are gonna go pretty smoothly.

The one Amazon original TV series this month is As We See It. This project comes from Friday Night Lights head writer Jason Katims and is...

Exclusive: CAA has signed director, producer and writer Matthew Perniciaro.

Perniciaro’s five-part docuseries directorial debut Moment of Truth, for Amazon Studios/IMDb TV, debuted April 2 and tells the never-before-seen story behind the murder of beloved husband and father of Michael Jordan, James Jordan, as well as the history of social injustice in Robeson County, Nc, where two teenagers, Larry Demery and Daniel Green, were charged and convicted of the crime. He previously directed the shortform documentary series Marvel’s Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet featuring writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Perniciaro co-founded Bow and Arrow Entertainment in 2014 with Michael Sherman to produce artist-driven narrative and documentary feature films.

The company recently produced the critically-acclaimed and award-winning documentaries The Flight for Magnolia/Hulu, The Truffle Hunters for Sony Pictures Classics, and Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen for Netflix. Other previously produced films include: Crystal Moselle’s Skate Kitchen, Josephine Decker’s Madeline’s Madeline,...

A new year means a new start. But in its list of new year releases for January 2021, Hulu is sending a message of…eh, we’ll get the year started in February. Not to be overly rude to the usually sturdy streaming service, but there’s not much going on for Hulu in 2021’s first month.

Perhaps the biggest release of note is something that already enjoyed a successful release for ITV in the U.K. The Sister is the lates thriller from Neil Cross (Luther) and it makes its U.S. debut on Hulu on Jan. 22. 2020 comedies Save Yourselves and Like a Boss both arrive on Jan. 1. Hulu original film The Ultimate Playlist of Noise premieres on Jan. 15 and TV series Everyone is Doing Great arrives on Jan. 13.

Thankfully Hulu’s library titles are a bit livelier this month. Jan. 1 sees the arrival of Blade Runner: The Final Cut,...

Hulu is kicking off the new year in style next month, with January set to deliver a ton of fresh titles to the Disney-owned streaming service. There’s a bunch of original content landing throughout the first few weeks of 2021, but probably the highlight is the incredible number of classic movies that are going up on the site on New Year’s Day. Whether you’re in the mood for iconic comedies, dramas, animated efforts or sci-fi flicks, there’s something for you on the way.

There are well over 100 films being added to Hulu’s library on January 1st, so let’s just pick out a few notable titles. The full Austin Powers trilogy is among them, and if you can’t get enough of Mike Myers, the first Shrek likewise becomes available. For dramas, there’s Robert Downey Jr. biopic Chaplin, Johnny Depp vehicle Donnie Brasco and Jim Carrey’s The Truman Show.

November can be a slow month for streaming services. Amazon, however, is entering into 2020’s penultimate month with some steam.

Amazon is really beefing up its TV library in November 2020. Both Community (which arrives on Nov. 8) and Scrubs (Nov. 14) will be added to Amazon Prime this month and in the process complete the streaming trifecta: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu. That’s pretty impressive stuff for both shows. And then on the film side of things, November 1 sees the arrival of The X-Files: I Want to Believe, Twilight, and the Underworld franchise. Somebody didn’t tell Amazon Spooky Season was over and bless them for it.

As for the originals, Alex Rider is the most intriguing TV series here. That is based on the British spy novel series and premieres on Nov. 13 on IMDb TV (which is available to all Prime subscribers). That will be followed by Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series on Nov.

Amazon Prime Video has a whole load of new content coming this November, and the best thing about the large haul is that all tastes are accounted for, so whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll have a lot of options. From Christmas flicks to action films to some classic sci-fi and horror, subscribers will find much to enjoy from what’s hitting Prime next month.

Take a look at the full list below and scroll down further for our runthrough of the highlights:

Released November 1

28 Days Later (2003)

A Christmas Movie Christmas (2019)

A Christmas Switch (2018)

(2018) (Hallmark Movies Now)

Arizona Whirlwind (1944)

Article 99 (1992)

As Good As It Gets (1997)

Boyz N’ The Hood (1991)

Breathless (1983)

Country Strong (2011)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Deja Vu (2006)

Did You Hear About The Morgans? (2009)

Firewalker (1986)

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)

Marrying Father Christmas (2018) (Hallmark...

Springhill Entertainment, the production company founded by NBA superstar LeBron James and Maverick Carter, has signed a two-year overall deal for scripted television with ABC Studios, a part of Disney Television Studios.

James and Carter started shopping for a new home earlier this year after being based at Warner Bros. since 2015. They met with multiple TV studios and streamers ultimately signing with ABC Studios.

“SpringHill Entertainment makes the shows LeBron and I want to watch. We look at every project as a way to connect with our community and ask ourselves if it will entertain and empower them. We want our content to be insightful in every way,” said Carter, CEO of The SpringHill Company. “Disney is an incredible home for SpringHill’s future growth in scripted television. Disney’s variety of platforms, extensive reach, depth of talent, and diversity of audience opens up so much opportunity for us to keep creating great stories.

SpringHill Entertainment, the production company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, has signed a two-year scripted TV deal with ABC Studios.

“SpringHill Entertainment makes the shows LeBron and I want to watch,” Carter said. “We look at every project as a way to connect with our community and ask ourselves if it will entertain and empower them. We want our content to be insightful in every way. Disney is an incredible home for SpringHill’s future growth in scripted television. Disney’s variety of platforms, extensive reach, depth of talent, and diversity of audience opens up so much opportunity for us to keep creating great stories.”

News of the deal comes just one day after it was announced that James and Cartner raised $100 million for SpringHill from backers including Guggenheim Partners and Elisabeth Murdoch.

With that funding, SpringHill Entertainment is being folded into The SpringHill Company, a global consumer...

Exclusive: Longtime Endeavor Content Partner Mark Ankner is leaving to become a partner at DreamCrew Entertainment, the production company of Drake and Adel “Future” Nur. In his role Ankner will oversee content development, production and financing opportunities for the company. Ankner’s hire marks the continued growth of DreamCrew whose credits include Top Boy, Spree, and Euphoria.

Ankner joined Endeavor in 2006, and he was a fixture in the indie financing and dealmaking game, playing a key role in building the agency’s film finance, sales and advisory business. He was later named partner at Wme and then Endeavor Content. Over the last 15 years Ankner has created many of the biggest festival sales both financially and culturally and drove financing packages for content creators and financiers.

Ankner championed emerging filmmakers who’ve gone on to commercial acclaim, and he closed some whopping deals during his time. Among those films are the...

With his move to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, many basketball fans have speculated that star player LeBron James's move was due in part to his desire to work more in the entertainment industry. James first got a taste for showbiz as an executive producer on the 2008 documentary More Than a Game, which chronicled James's rise to superstardom from his high school basketball days.

Related: Coronavirus: 10 Sports Documentaries To Stream Until Live Sports Return

Since then, James has created an animated series, co-starred in the 2015 movie Trainwreck and produced many other movies, shows, and video games. James has several upcoming projects, but none more highly-anticipated than Space Jam 2 (2021), the sequel to Michael Jordan's Space Jam (1996). Since he can't play professional basketball forever, here are 10 movies James should try rebooting next.

LeBron James, the hero of Ohio and three-time NBA champion, is no stranger to Hollywood, having launched SpringHill Entertainment with his childhood friend Maverick Carter in 2008. From the company's first project, the documentary More Than a Game, which followed James' rise to stardom as a high

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Other Links From TVGuide.com LeBron JamesThe ShopShut Up and DribbleWarriors of Liberty CitySmallfoot...

Exclusive: There’s a big series coming up for the Los Angeles Lakers, and LeBron won’t crack the starting lineup. The Los Angeles Media Fund and the Lakers are teaming up with Haven Entertainment to produce a five-episode docu-series focusing on the ’80s Showtime era of the storied basketball team. That was the period when Pat Riley coached the run and gun style distinguished by Magic Johnson’s passing and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring and shot blocking, with Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, Byron Scott, and Michael Cooper backing them up. Courtside, celebs like Jack Nicholson turned The Forum into the town’s hottest ticket and the team won five NBA titles and waged an unbelievable rivalry with Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics. The series will be directed by Kristopher Belman (More Than A Game) and financed by Jeffrey Soros and Simon Horsman’s Los Angeles Media Fund.

“The Lakers...

Here’s your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress — at the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.

In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.

Pigeon Kings

Logline: A group of men in South Central Los Angeles find hope through their dedication to the rare sport of somersaulting pigeons.

Elevator Pitch:

Many have heard about pigeon coops and those raising pigeons in the inner cities of America, but many do not know why this subculture has emerged and what its purpose is. That is what “Pigeon Kings” wants to bring to light.

Through the story of these amazing men who have dedicated their lives to the little known sport of competitive rolling pigeons, we show not only this unique subculture but also a story of a...

The documentary More Than a Game has been released online in its entirety for your viewing entertainment. The doc was created by Thomas Hewett and Jack Abbot and it focuses on competitive Street Fighter gamers who train and travel to Las Vegas to compete in the United States Street Fighter Championships. Here's a synopsis that goes a little bit more in depth.

Every year, thousands of players from all over the world will descend upon Las Vegas to find out who is the [globe's] greatest competitor in Street Fighter, Marvel Vs Capcom, Tekken and other fighting games.The documentary covers more than the events of the Evo tournament, discovering the lifestyles of pro-gamers, their aspirations and accomplishments and their love of their past-time turned profession. Following the progress of Us Street Fighter champion Justin Wong and UK champion Ryan Hart as they spend their final month of [preparation] for the games, traveling...

The popularity of Esports (or electronic sports) seems to be growing exponentially by the day – meaning you can finally go back to your mom and tell her all that time spent playing video games is totally going to pay off when you win part of the $10 million purse at this upcoming event. While a lot of professional gamers these days specialize in various first-person shooters and multiplayer Battle Arena titles (like League of Legends), there’s still a vibrant and active community of pro players who make their bank by kicking your ass at fighting games like Street Fighter. The 2011 documentary More Than a Game takes you inside that world – showing you the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and a lot of screaming young men getting really amped up about stuff...

Read More...

More Than A Game is a 2011 documentary by Thomas Hewett and Jack Abbot following competitive Street Fighter video gamers who are training and traveling to Las Vegas to compete in the United States Championships. Every year, thousands of players from all over the world will descend upon Las Vegas to find out who is […]

The post Watch ‘More Than A Game’: A Documentary About ‘Street Fighter’ Gaming Championship appeared first on /Film.

While rumors swirled that a Space Jam sequel with LeBron James was in development, they turned out to be greatly exaggerated. The NBA player will be heading to the big screen in a comedy called Ballers with Kevin Hart, but it turns out the story of his high school days before becoming a championship player consistently and controversially compared to Michael Jordan is in the works. THR has word that an untitled project is developing at Universal that James would produce along with Dallas Buyers Club producer Rachel Winter and and her husband Terence Winter, creator of "Boardwalk Empire." Isn't it too soon? Frank E. Flowers (Metro Manilla, Haven) is behind the pitch which has garnered some interest. The story takes some cues from the 2008 documentary More Than a Game, which followed James and four of his teammates in high school, navigating the competitive world of basketball at such a young age,...

Universal is close to a deal on a movie pitch dramatizing the 2009 documentary More Than A Game – the story of the early days of NBA superstar, LeBron James – with the player and his manager, Maverick Carter, on board as producers.

The documentary was written and directed by Kristopher Belman, with Brad Hogan as co-writer, and was well-received at the time of its release. It centres on LeBron James and four of his teammates – Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton and Willie McGee – progressing though Ohio High School basketball, under Coach Dru Joyce II. Tracking those early careers, the film then depicts the eventual rise of James to international stardom.

Hollywood loves a good ‘work-hard-and-succeed’ inspirational tale, and they don’t come more inspirational than LeBron James. Born to a hard-working, teenage, single mother, but supported by leading figures in the local sports scene, he bonded with his teammates and...

NBA star LeBron James has been trying to break into Hollywood. He's made appearances on "Entourage" and was rumored to star in a sequel to "Space Jam." But now it seems that James may get his wish, in a form of a biopic. Universal Pictures is negotiating to develop the film that will be produced by Rachel Winter (Dallas Buyers Club) and Terence Winter ("Boardwalk Empire"). The studio is also developing "Ballers" comedy that has James and Kevin Hart attached to star. The biopic will obviously be based on James' life, but will take its cues from the 2008 documentary "More Than a Game," in which James navigates high school basketball and high school life from his humble beginnings to becoming one of the best athletes in the world.

Update: Universal Pictures has likely acquired the rights via Variety. Original story follows. The inspiring story of Lebron James‘ high school basketball career was covered quite well in the 2008 documentary More Than A Game. Now, that story is getting a narrative treatment from a couple of Oscar nominees. Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street, […]

The post Lebron James’ High School Years Could Get Narrative Feature Treatment At Universal appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: A feature based on the high school years of Miami Heat star LeBron James is in play, and I’m hearing there are two offers on the table, with at least two more expected by tomorrow. The project is based on a pitch by Frank E. Flowers, with Terence Winter and Rachel Winter attached to produce with James and his manager Maverick Carter. The deal is expected to be sealed before the weekend. Winter is the creator of Boardwalk Empire, and he was Oscar nominated for his The Wolf Of Wall Street script. Rachel Winter is his wife, and she was Oscar nominated for Dallas Buyers Club. Related: Kevin Hart To Play LeBron James’ Brother In ‘Ballers’ James has led the Heat to two straight NBA championships, and the team is waiting to see who it will play in the second round of the playoffs. Since he went right...

New York — A giant hourglass structure being built on the rooftop of an abandoned Manhattan car dealership may look like Godzilla's futuristic toy but instead represents NBC's hope for the television event of the season.

It's the set for "The Million Second Quiz," a prime-time competition with Ryan Seacrest as host that will play out over two weeks starting Sept. 9. Someone adept at trivia will win a $2 million prize on the Sept. 19 finale.

More than a game, the event is a peek into the future of broadcast television.

With the sources for quality content expanding along with the ability of viewers to watch when and how they want, showing big live events like football games and awards shows is becoming the most reliable way broadcast networks can draw a big crowd and distinguish themselves from rivals.

"The rewards of doing the same thing every day are relatively small in TV land these days,...

Here Comes the Boom

Directed by: Frank Coraci

Cast: Kevin James, Henry Winkler, Bas Rutten, Selma Hayek

Running Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: October 12, 2012

Plot: A lazy science teacher (James) decides he can earn money to save his school’s music program by participating in Mixed Martial Arts fights.

Who’S It For? If you enjoyed spending ten dollars to see Kevin James ride a Segway, or run into a wall in the past, then here’s an upgrade: in Here Comes the Boom, he gets punched in the face more than a couple times. Aside from that, this Adam Sandler-produced comedy is for those who want something to watch while they eat their popcorn.

Expectations: There’s always a chance for an underdog surprise, or a hint of emotion to be felt. What if this movie made me feel something? Wouldn’t that be a nice surprise?...

Detention

Directed by: Joseph Kahn

Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Shanley Caswell, Dane Cook

Running Time: 1 hr 29 mins

Rating: R

Release Date: April 13, 2012 (Chicago)

Plot: After a horror movie-inspired serial killer slashes someone on their campus, a group of suspect high school seniors (Hutcherson, Caswell) are put into detention during prom night.

Who’S It For?: Detention is the new Sermon on the Mount/Gettysburg Address/Kanye West twitter feed for the high schooler frustrated by everyone’s desire to label or be labeled, or to wear the coolest clothes without any sense of honest expression. To say this is for the “outsider” is too general; this is for the social outsider who doesn’t care about fitting in. As for those who made it out of high school, there is still much to enjoy with Detention as well. If you like highly involving unique film experiences that push their cinematic bounds,...

Young Adult

Directed by: Jason Reitman

Cast: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson

Running Time: 1 hr 34 mins

Rating: R

Release Date: December 9, 2011

Plot: Former prom queen turned ghostwriter Mavis (Theron) returns to her quaint homeland of Mercury, Minnesota to win back the high school sweetheart who got away and then got married, Buddy Slade (Wilson).

Who’S It For?: Teenagers of the ’90s, and fans of either Reitman or writer Diablo Cody. Seniors in high school now should especially see this in order to get a sense of what their social status really adds up to after graduation. How wonderful it would be if Young Adult could cure a few Mavis Gary’s before this becomes a variation on their inevitable autobiography.

Expectations: Considering this is the reuniting of the duo that made Juno, I was curious as to what kind of attitude Young Adult would have. Was it going to be snarky?...

Tabloid

Directed by: Errol Morris

Cast: Joyce McKinney

Running Time: 1 hr 28 mins

Rating: R

Release Date: July 15, 2011 (Chicago)

Plot: A documentary about Joyce McKinney, a “regular” American girl who was made into a British tabloid sensation when she “abducted” her Mormon boyfriend in England and chained him to a bed for three days.

Who’S It For? Morris has created a following with his acclaimed documentaries, but fans might find this to be one of his more disappointing documentaries (especially if they’re looking for something more cinematic like The Thin Blue Line).

Overall

Diving into this project, Morris had limited resources. The man tied up and romanced by McKinney, Kirk, declined an interview. ”Kj,” The other potential co-star to Morris’ stranger than fiction freak show, died in the mid 2000’s of kidney failure. On top of this, a lot of photos collected by tabloid men and the clips collected...

Prom

Directed by: Joe Nussbaum

Cast: Aimee Teagarden, Thomas McDonell, DeVaughn Nixon, Danielle Campbell, Nicholas Braun, Yin Chang

Running Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Rating: PG

Release Date: April 29, 2011

Plot: A group of high schoolers experience different emotional ups and downs as they prepare for their school’s prom.

Who’S It For?: Having never been to prom before would help in appreciating the “magic” of this movie. Even college freshmen would be able to see through Prom, and witness the amount of fairy dust sprinkled around the real elements of this one night event.

Expectations: It’s hard to look past the word “Disney” when reading up about a movie called Prom, and equally difficult to restrain uncertainty about the film’s authenticity. How delusional would its visions of prom be? How terrible would the soundtrack be?

Scorecard (0-10)

Actors:

Aimee Teagarden as Nova: The Disney princess at the center of this story,...

Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to the worthwhile titles currently available on Netflix Instant Watch.

This Friday an ingénue assassin battles a besotted billionaire, a one-armed surfer, some mislead settlers and a flock of baby animals for your movie-going dollars. Thanks to Instant Watch, you can continue your viewing experience at home, pairing one of the above with a panoply of pictures that offer pulse-pounding action, sidesplitting slapstick, or heart-soaring tales of hope.

—-

Hanna

Joe Wright busts out of the period piece genre with this action-packed espionage thriller that stars Saoirse Ronan as a 16-year-old assassin trained by her father (Eric Bana) to infiltrate a brutal intelligence agency to murder his former handler (Cate Blanchett).

La Femme Nikita (1990) If you like she-spies, check out the iconic French thriller that put Luc Besson on the map! Anne Parillaud stars as a junkie-turned-spy,...

Win Win

Directed by: Tom McCarthy

Cast: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Alex Shaffer, Jeffrey Tambor

Running Time: 1 hr 46 mins

Rating: R

Release Date: March 25, 2011 (Chicago)

Plot: A lawyer and part-time high school wrestling coach (Giamatti) suffers from stress as he struggles to make financial ends meet. Things become even more complicated when his client’s grandson, Kyle (Shaffer), shows up at his door.

Who’S It For?: If you liked The Blind Side, you’ll like Win Win even more. And if that comparison doesn’t mean anything to you, knowing that this was co-written and directed by a co-writer of Up should be enough to peak your interest. Get ready to have your soul warmed.

Expectations: McCarthy has been 2 for 2 for winning films, with his most recent The Visitor gaining him some attention from those outside of the usual indie film audience. With Giamatti on board this round,...

After much anticipation and speculation as to who would replace departing judges Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi and most tragically Simon Cowell, Fox has finally announced what everyone online already seemed to know. Actress/pop star Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler have signed on as the new judges for the 10th season of the outrageously popular reality competition series American Idol. Meanwhile, record producer Randy Jackson is the only original judge and holdover from last season who has opted to return. Hit the jump for some quotes from the new judges:

Lopez was probably the hardest to snag for the competition (though she had previously been a mentor on the show), but Fox was able to reel her in with a first-look deal at Fox Films so she can keep making poor romantic comedies like The Back-Up Plan and Monster-in-Law. The singer/actress says, “For nine years I’ve...

With less than 24 hours to go until LeBron James makes The Decision, I dug into the Lyons Den vault and found a Daily 10 interview I did with James and his high school teammates at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival for the documentary More Than a Game. As you'll see in the clip, I had to represent for the NY Knicks nation. Looking back on it now, is it just me, or does it seem like LeBron likes the idea of coming to New York? Do you think he was serious when he mentioned some countries in Europe as a possibilty? Or will he succumb to Betty White's plea to stay hot in Cleveland? Where do you think he will end up? Let me know @iambenlyons. Go Knicks!

Just Wright

Directed by: Sanaa Hamri

Cast: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton

Running Time: 1 hr 41 mins

Rating: PG

Release Date: May 14, 2010

Plot: A physical therapist named Leslie (Latifah) just can’t find the right man. When Leslie’s god-sister’s boyfriend (Common) gets injured, she tries to nurse him back onto the court and ends up falling for him.

Who’S It For? Women who have felt like they are on the sidelines while every other girl gets picked to dance. As for fans of Common’s music, they might not want to see this side of him.

Expectations: I love basketball, so while a Queen Latifah romance didn’t get me excited, I was curious to see how they would portray an NBA superstar who gets injured and needs a comeback.

Scorecard (0-10)

Actors:

Queen Latifah as Leslie Wright: Leslie just can’t find a man. She’s looking,...

  Disney/PIxar's "Up" has earned 19 nominations, the most of any film, for The Hollywood Reporter's 39th annual Key Art Awards. Winners will be announced during an awards show set for June 11 at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles.

Sony's "District 9" was next with 14 noms, followed by Warner Bros.' "The Hangover" with 12.

Ignition leads all agencies with 59 nominations, and Lionsgate collected the most studio noms, followed closely by Paramount and Warners.

Sylvester Stallone will receive the Visionary Award. An actor, writer and director, Stallone has branded his movies with vitality and a belief that a man can succeed against all odds. Former Visionary Award recipients include Sam Raimi and Judd Apatow.

THR received a record number of submissions for this year's awards, which will be given out in 74 categories; for the first time, nods will be handed out for 3D and best integrated marketing campaign. Thirteen Best in Show awards...

After directly jumping from high school to the NBA, LeBron James never got to experience the college basketball ritual of March Madness, but if it were a condition rather than an event, I'd say his decision to star in the Universal comedy "Fantasy Basketball Camp" might just count for some sort of insanity. James is set to play the lead in the film, directed by "Soul Men" helmer Malcolm D. Lee, about a group of friends who head to Vegas and learn life lessons in addition to tips on how to set picks at the Cleveland Cavalier's fantasy camp.

Of course, James already has some big screen experience under his belt with last year's Spirit Award-nominated doc "More Than a Game" about his Ohio high school squad, as well as some small-screen experience on "Saturday Night Live" and multi-character Nike commercials. Still, the track record for basketball stars crossing over...

They all say this show changed a little bit, but we guess it was expected for the 25th annual ceremony from Stapless Center, or if you prefer – the Spirit Awards.

Last week we were all occupied with Oscar, but it’s always the right time to take a look at (maybe) less popular ceremony, but still – the good one! We’re going to remind you of this ceremony highlights.

The Spirits, run by the nonprofit Film Independent, threw in some of its typically enjoyable ironic touches.

One of them was definitely David Spade who presented the best foreign award, starting with:

“You may not know this, but my movies play in other countries. They’re huge in Poland. I can’t set foot in Bulgaria.” Thanks for letting us know Spade!

On the other hand, we had a chance to see Ben Stiller, known for studio comedies more than any boutique film,...

'We'll be waiting for him when he gets back,' James says.

By Shaheem Reid

LeBron James

Photo: MTV News

Now that Lil Wayne has been sentenced to one year in prison, hip-hop's biggest rock star has left a huge void for his fans, friends and family to fill. Weezy has lined up a bunch of music and videos to tide everyone over in his absence, but it won't be the same as having the man himself out and about to create something fresh on the drop of a dime during a live performance or appearance.

"I think we gonna miss a certain energy that Wayne has," Diddy said recently. "The beauty about it is, he'll be back and hopefully he'll come back a better person. Whenever we get in trouble, we're in the public spotlight. So hopefully there's a lot of kids out there who could learn from any...

While clearly not as closely followed as the Guild Awards, let alone the Golden Globes, the Independent Spirit Awards casts a much wider net in terms of nominees by accepting any film that is screened at various festivals, even if it's not released in theatres. It does, however, limit the film's budget to $20 million.

Precious won Best Feature and Lee Daniels nabbed the Best Director award. Precious ladies, Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique also won the female acting awards while Jeff Bridges and Woody Harrelson got the male acting gongs.

Here's the full list of the nominess and winners...

Best Feature

Precious

Amreeka

500 Days of Summer

Sin Nombre

The Last Station

Best First Feature

Crazy Heart

A Single Man

Easier with Practice

Paranormal Activity

The Messenger

Best Director

Lee Daniels - Precious

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - A Serious Man

Cary Fukunaga - Sin Nombre

James Gray - Two Lovers

Michael Hoffman...

Last night the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards at La Live's panoramic event deck in downtown Los Angeles and talk about predictable as I nailed 12 of the 13 winners in the categories I predicted, with Precious being the night's biggest winner taking home Best Feature, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress and First Screenplay. The only category I missed was Best First Feature, which I predicted Oren Moverman's The Messenger would take home the award, but instead it went to Scott Cooper's Crazy Heart, which also won for Best Actor, awarding Jeff Bridges on his way to an Oscar win this Sunday.

I have listed all the winners below, see you Sunday for the Oscars.

Best Feature Amreeka (500) Days of Summer The Last Station Precious Sin Nombre Best Director Michael Hoffman, The Last Station Lee Daniels, Precious Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man Cary Fukunaga, Sin Nombre James Gray, Two Lovers Best Actor Jeff Bridges,...

"Precious" took home five major honors at the 2010 Independent Spirit Awards including Gabourey Sidibe's first Best Actress win.

"Precious" won awards for Best Feature, Lee Daniels for Best Director, Geoffrey Fletcher for Best First Screenplay and Sidibe and Mo'Nique took home Best Actress and Best Supporting, respectively.

Best Feature

500 Days of Summer, Producers Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Mason Novick, Steven J. Wolfe

Amreeka, Producers Christina Piovesan, Paul Barkin

Precious, Producers Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Sin Nombre, Producer Amy Kaufman

The Last Station, Producers Chris Curling, Jens Meurer, Boonie Arnold

Best Director

The Coen Brothers for A Serious Man

Lee Daniels for Precious

Cary Fukunaga for Sin Nombre

James Grey for Two Lovers

Michael Hoffman for The Last Station

Best First Feature

A Single Man

Crazy Heart

Easier With Practice

The Messenger

Paranormal Activity

John Cassavetes Award

Big Fan

Humpday

The New Year Parade

Treeless Mountain

Zero Bridge

Best Screenplay

Alessandro Camon,...

Film Independent's Spirit Awards marked their 25th anniversary this year and shook things up by trading their afternoon beachside luncheon for a nighttime party downtown. The show was hosted by comedian Eddie Izzard and a handful of the actors who attended and presented were Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker"), Maggie Gyllenhaal ("Crazy Heart"), Carey Mulligan ("An Education") and Vera Farmiga ("Up in the Air"). Best Actor winner Jeff Bridges performed a song from his film "Crazy Heart" with Oscar-nominated songwriters T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham. The rock band Anvil whose career was chronicled in the independent film "Anvil: The Story of Anvil" also performed live and took home Best Documentary.

The Spirit Awards have supported and rewarded independent films throughout the years and MakingOf is proud to have interviewed many of this year's nominees and winners. I've included the full list of nominated films and talent below along with links to our exclusive interviews.

I haven't talked about them since announcing the nominees back in December 2009, but tomorrow night, March 5, Film Independent will hold the 25th Annual Spirit Awards at La Live's panoramic event deck in downtown Los Angeles. The show will air live and uncut at 8:00 p.m. Pst/11:00 p.m. Est on IFC (Independent Film Channel).

I am going to be taking in a showing of the Broadway musical "Chicago" tomorrow night so I won't be reporting on the winners until late or possibly even Saturday morning, but for now here are my predictions for who will take home the Spirit Awards. Any of you disagree with my choices?

My winner predictions are bold and in red.

Best Feature Amreeka (500) Days of Summer The Last Station Precious Sin Nombre Best Director Michael Hoffman, The Last Station Lee Daniels, Precious Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man Cary Fukunaga, Sin Nombre James Gray,...

The International Documentary Association held a special awards week mixer last night at The Standard Hotel, Hollywood. Independent Spirit Award and Oscar nominated filmmakers, Ida members and staff mixed and mingled in the swanky setting.

Enjoying the night were the filmmakers behind More Than a Game, Which Way Home, The Cove, Rabbit a la Berlin, Music by Prudence, Burma VJ (most docs which can be seen at DocuDays™ 2010) and Ida Board Members, Marjan Safinia, Senain Keshgi, Bob Niemack, Eddie Schmidt, Adam Chapnick, Steve Reich, Gilda Brasch and more! ...

'Drake is bringing a lot to the table,' Johnson tells Mixtape Daily.

By Shaheem Reid

Drake and LeBron James

Photo: canvascleveland.com

Celebrity Favorites

Drake coached a basketball team in his "Best I Ever Had" music video, and he recently had a chance to call plays with NBA legend Magic Johnson during the NBA All-Star Game festivities in Dallas.

Drake and Magic's team beat the squad coached by Alonzo Mourning and assistant coach Mario Lopez. Common, Chris Tucker and Pitbull were among the celebs who played with athletes such as Rick Fox, Chris Mullin and Terrell Owens.

Magic, an NBA Hall of Famer, said working with Drake earned him cool points at home.

"Drake is bringing a lot to the table, man, with a young audience," Magic said in Dallas. "He's from Toronto. I think he's bringing it hard and heavy, you know? My daughter said I was cool...

'Drake is bringing a lot to the table,' Johnson tells Mixtape Daily.

By Shaheem Reid

Drake and LeBron James

Photo: canvascleveland.com

Celebrity Favorites

Drake coached a basketball team in his "Best I Ever Had" music video, and he recently had a chance to call plays with NBA legend Magic Johnson during the NBA All-Star Game festivities in Dallas.

Drake and Magic's team beat the squad coached by Alonzo Mourning and assistant coach Mario Lopez. Common, Chris Tucker and Pitbull were among the celebs who played with athletes such as Rick Fox, Chris Mullin and Terrell Owens.

Magic, an NBA Hall of Famer, said working with Drake earned him cool points at home.

"Drake is bringing a lot to the table, man, with a young audience," Magic said in Dallas. "He's from Toronto. I think he's bringing it hard and heavy, you know? My daughter said I was cool...

Quickcard Review

The Wild Hunt

Directed by: Alexandre Franchi

Cast: Mark A. Krupa, Tilo Horn, Ricky Mabe

Running Time: 1 hr 35 min

Rating: unrated

Complete Coverage – 33rd Portland International Film Festival

Plot: A live action role-playing event goes out of whack after being infiltrated by Erik, a guy looking for his girlfriend. His entrance leads to a series of events that send the game spiraling down an unexpected and dangerous track.

Who’S It For? You don’t have to know anything about role playing to enjoy this film. I don’t and I still found it fascinating.

Overall

It’s not often that I see something new in a movie, plot wise. Though the idea of adults medieval role playing isn’t new to film, Role Models dealt with it in a comedic way, Franchi explores the emotional side. Like a movie about actors acting, the characters in The Wild Hunt...

Everyone has heard of Hoop Dreams, the film that more or less set the standard for sports documentaries. Like that film and countless other documentaries have proven, the key to a good doc is a healthy dose of realism and theatricality, making the mundane take on greater stakes, even for a brief moment. Thus, the director with a cinematic eye has become a valuable tool in the documentary world, capable of making handsome products that only sometimes err on the side of fiction.

More Than A Game must have truly been a passion project for Kristopher Belman, who pulls quadruple duty as director, producer, co-writer, and cinematographer. He certainly does set out to tell a true story but charts it as a series of recurring motifs, flashbacks if you will, intercut with talking head interviews. Despite covering a tired subject, Belman attempts and sometimes succeeds in uncovering new insight and...

"More Than a Game" is currently available on DVD.

The basketball documentary was released on February 2 through Lions Gate Entertainment. The story of one of the most phenomenal hoops sensations to recently hit the court comes complete with special features in its home format for additional audience enjoyment.

The film focuses on Cleveland Cavaliers prodigy LeBron James and his early journey toward fame with the rest of his high school b-ball team, nicknamed in their entirety as the Akron Fab Five. During his childhood, James grew up on the court, teamed with friends Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III and Willie McGee. The foursome were joined by Romeo Travis in high school, and with coaching duties performed by Dru Joyce II, the team grew to be one of the most noteworthy in the history of Ohio sports.

The film was a critical success, garnering praise from sources such as Vibe.com,...