Who says that Black folks don’t do Christmas movies? I’ll have you know there will be 2 Christmas films on the big screen from African American directors and producers this holiday season.

First up is This Christmas.

Release Date: November 30, 2007
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Director: Preston A. Whitmore, II
Producers: Rob Hardy & Will Packer (Rainforest Films)
Screenwriter: Preston A. Whitmore, II
Starring: Delroy Lindo, Loretta Devine, Regina King, Idris Elba, Nia Long, Mekhi Phifer, Columbus Short, Chris Brown, Laz Alonzo, Lauren London, Keith Washington, David Banner, Ricky Harris, Jessica Stroup
Trailer: This Christmas

Synopsis: This year, Christmas with the Whitfield’s promises to be one they will never forget. All the siblings have come home for the first time in years and they’ve brought plenty of baggage with them. As the Christmas tree is trimmed and the lights are hung, secrets are revealed and family bonds are tested. As their lives converge, they join together and help each other discover the true meaning of family.

And the second film is The Perfect Holiday.

Release Date: December 14, 2007
Distributor: Yari Film Group
Director: Lance Rivera
Producers: Shakim Compere, Queen Latifah, Marvin Peart, Leifur B. Dagfinnsson, Mike Elliot, and Joe Genier
Screenwriters: Lance Rivera and Marc Calixte
Cast: Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Queen Latifah, Charlie Murphy, Terrence Howard, Faizon Love, Rachel True, Katt Williams, Jill Marie Jones, Malik Hammond, Khail Bryant, & Jeremy Gumbs

Synopsis: This heart-warming holiday film is the story of Nancy (Gabrielle Union ), a loving single mother of three who falls for Benjamin (Morris Chestnut), a talented but struggling songwriter who is working part-time as a mall Santa. Conflicts arise when her oldest son, 10 year old John-John, convinces his younger brother and sister to join him in mischievous plots and schemes against their mother’s new boyfriend in the hopes that she will reunite with his hero - their rap-mogul father J-Jizzy (Charlie Murphy). Being narrated by Queen Latifah in a magical role of “Mother Christmas” opposite Terrence Howard, who plays a hard-to-dislike Scrooge-ish character named “Bah-Humbug”.

Every year around this time, I’m always faced with the question of what to watch on television and what to record. Well, it’s a safe bet that I’m gonna watch the return of Heroes tonight. I am such a fiend for this show. I used to think that people who attended those Star Trek and Star Wars conventions were geeks to the nth power, but I must say that I now understand why they’re so crazy about those shows and movies, because I feel the exact same way about Heroes.

I already have my Heroes t-shirt to wear and imitation katana sword to be by my side when the show airs tonight during my 8:00pm - 9:00pm hour. I do hate that Anthony Anderson’s new crime drama, K-Ville, comes on opposite Heroes, because I did like it’s season premiere last week, but my dvr will now get a workout as I record that show as well as CSI: Miami tonight. Sorry David Caruso and the gang, but the much talked about, Journeyman, will come on immediately following Heroes, so CSI:Miami, you’ve hit my dvr list this year.

And Tuesday night will be devoted to that fine ass Jimmy Smits who returns to primetime television in Cane, which deals with the external rivalries and internal power struggles of a large Cuban-American family running an immensely successful rum and sugar business in South Florida. I have a feeling that Cane will be to me as Dynasty, Dallas and Falcon Crest was to my mother. Cane comes on opposite Boston Legal, so Boston Legal fans now have to make a dvr decision. That’s one decision I don’t have to worry about, because I don’t watch Boston Legal.

But I will have to make that dvr decision on Wednesday night, because I usually watch Criminal Minds and CSI:NY, but Criminal Minds is coming on opposite the Bionic Woman. Dammit, why? I’ve grown to love the hell outta Criminal Minds, but now that Mandy Patinkin won’t be returning to head up the team on Criminal Minds this season, is this show really worth me continuing to watch?

And you guys all know that I’ve been watching the original CSI since it’s inception. I know these characters lives better than they do. So Thursday night, you know where I’ll be posted up. I’ve gotta see if the Grissom and the gang will be able to save Sarah, whose life hangs in the balance at the hands of the Miniature Killer. Well, that’s pretty much how my week for Must See TV stacks up, because on Friday, Nikki rests. I rarely watch television on Friday nights, unless it’s to catch the wrapup of the week in pop culture on VH1’s Best Week Ever.

Reminder: The forum is now open. Discussions on Heroes will begin on tomorrow. Register to post in the Infiinite Ink Forum. For those of you who registered for last year’s forum, I’ve upgraded the forum, so you have to re-register.

Whose bright idea was it to have the Today Show on for 4 hours? When they went to 3 hours, it was too much, now it’s 4 hours of television time. Why? After 2 hours, the show is a snoozer. Heck, if you really wanna know, it should be cut down to an hour.

I mean I like Matt Lauer, Meredith Vierra, Ann Curry and Al Rocker, but collectively, they are duller than the shine on Flavor Flav’s grill. And if I’m not mistaken, at one time, Good Morning America was spanking them in the ratings. Gotta love the banter between Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts.

I grew up on the Today Show. I can even recall my mother getting me dressed for kindergarten as a kid and the Today Show would be on as I dressed, so I have a warm spot in my heart for that show. But they are working my nerves with this 4 hour time slot.

By the 3rd hour, the show looks like an upscale public access show, just searching for topics. “Is your foot fungus preventing you from finding a decent date? Coming up after the break, on the Today Show.” I don’t want to see them go out like that. Cut back those hours!

You want it, well I got it. Here’s the official album cover, as well as the limited edition cover, for Jill Scott’s upcoming album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds, Vol. 3. Also here’s the tracklisting. And don’t forget, the album release date is September 25, 2007. Pick it up!

Tracklisting
01. Jill Scott - Let It Be
02. Jill Scott - The Real Thing
03. Jill Scott - Hate On Me
04. Jill Scott - Come See Me
05. Jill Scott - Crown Royal
06. Jill Scott - Epiphany
07. Jill Scott - My Love
08. Jill Scott - Insomnia
09. Jill Scott - How It Make You Feel
10. Jill Scott - Only You
11. Jill Scott - Whenever You’re Around
12. Jill Scott - Celibacy Blues
13. Jill Scott - All I
14. Jill Scott - Wanna Be Loved
15. Jill Scott - Breathe
16. Jill Scott - Imagination (Crown Royal Suite) (Bonus Track)
17. Jill Scott - Rightness (Bonus Track)

In case you missed it, here’s the world premiere video for Jill Scott’s new single, Hate On Me.