Cadillac Records Archives - The Playlist

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ & ‘Up’ Top The Soundtrack Categories For the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards

Rodrigo Perez — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:48:00 +0000

God, how can music critics (and some of us are former music crits) stand the Grammys? They’re like 5,000 years behind the time and the eligibility period is completely out of wack. Last night of course was the 52 Annual Grammy Awards which we were happy to basically ignore, just looking at the Film and TV categories and who was awarded and it’s clear the Grammy academy is still living in 2009. “Slumdog Millionaire” wins the Best Compilation Soundtrack album?

Continue reading ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ & ‘Up’ Top The Soundtrack Categories For the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards at The Playlist.

This Week In DVD- Drink Your ‘Milk’

Gabe Toro — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:47:00 +0000

Anyone completely behind on last year’s films ought to take a look at this Tuesday’s releases. There’s no shortage of critically-acclaimed and Oscar-nominated films available, starting with Best Actor and Best Original (heh) Screenplay winner “Milk.” “Milk” strikes out on the format with extra features that include deleted scenes, and three making-of docs. Also on the docket is the haunting Swedish horror picture “Let The Right One In,” which is set to be remade by Satanic forces taking the form of Matt Reeves later this spring.

Continue reading This Week In DVD- Drink Your ‘Milk’ at The Playlist.

Contest: ‘Cadillac Records’ Blu-Ray DVD & 1 Soundtrack

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:01:00 +0000

You surely recall the the R&B Chess Records biopic, “Cadillac Records” that came out in December and starred Adrien Brody, Beyoncé Knowles and Jeffrey Wright as R&B magnate Leonard Chess, Etta James and Muddy Waters respectively.

Well the picture comes out on DVD March 10 and we have a little giveaway for you all. We have one Blu-Ray DVD and one soundtrack to give away.

The contest is easy. Our Twitter account followers are pretty pathetic.

Continue reading Contest: ‘Cadillac Records’ Blu-Ray DVD & 1 Soundtrack at The Playlist.

Oscar Show Producers Evidently Fucking Terrible At Keeping Secrets

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:54:00 +0000

Apparently they’ll be more than just Hugh Jackman singing at the 81st Annual Academy Awards ceremony. Much like “Twilight”s Robert Pattinson — who couldn’t get nominated for an Oscar if he was run over by a burning school bus transporting the statuettes, but will present at the show regardless — other nobodies that have no business being in attendance, but provide vacuous star wattage for the clueless tourists who tune into movie culture once a year, like Beyoncé and Zac Efron, will also make appearances.

Continue reading Oscar Show Producers Evidently Fucking Terrible At Keeping Secrets at The Playlist.

‘Cadillac Records’-Gate Already Quashed

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:27:00 +0000

Bale-gate might have lasted an entire week, but the beef between R&B legend Etta James and Beyoncé Knowles, who played the rough-hewn singer in “Cadillac Records,” barely lasted 48 hours.

Can’t you take a joke says James? “I didn’t really mean anything,” she told the New York Daily News. “Even as a little child, I’ve always had that comedian kind of attitude. … That’s probably what went into it.”

She did however, admit to being slightly “miffed,” for not being invited to sing.

Continue reading ‘Cadillac Records’-Gate Already Quashed at The Playlist.

Etta James Wants To Kick Beyonce’s Ass

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:49:00 +0000

In March of last year, when it was announced that Beyoncé Knowles was going the part of Etta James in the R&B film “Cadillac Records” the 70-year-old singer sounded skeptical, but didn’t sound completely opposed to the casting news.

“I don’t think she looks like me, but that’s all right. They can fix that up,” she said.

Well a rant and raving James changed her tune very recently during a show at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre on January 28, pissed that President Barack Obama didn’t ask her to sing “At Last,” at the inauguration ball and instead chose the former Destiny’s Child star.

Continue reading Etta James Wants To Kick Beyonce’s Ass at The Playlist.

Academy Unveils List Of 49 Songs Eligible For Best Original Song; List Includes Bruce Springsteen, Peter Garbriel, Jon Brion, Zooey Deschanel; More…

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:04:00 +0000

The AMPAS have announced the 49 song eligible to be nominated in the Best Original Song category at the Oscars.

Highlights include Bruce Springsteen eponymous cut from “The Wrestler,” Peter Gabriel’s “Down To The Earth for “Wall-E,” Zooey Deschanel and her Von Iva comrades (under the name Munchausen By Proxy) surprisingly having two songs eligible, Norah Jones’ “The Story,” from the otherwise unremarkable, “My Blueberry Nights,” Jon Brion’s “Little Person” for “Synecdoche, New York” and eligibility nods to Regina Spektor, Jenny Lewis, actor Jason Segel and M.I.A.

Continue reading Academy Unveils List Of 49 Songs Eligible For Best Original Song; List Includes Bruce Springsteen, Peter Garbriel, Jon Brion, Zooey Deschanel; More… at The Playlist.

Box-Office Choices For Weekend Of December 5, ‘Frost/Nixon,’ ‘Cadillac Records’ And Not Much Else

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:24:00 +0000

It’s a slow box-office weekend and presumably one of last week’s winners like “Four Christmases” or “Bolt” will reign supreme. Even “Twilght” should probably do better than this week’s two big openers, “Cadillac Records” and “Frost/Nixon,” but maybe we’re underestimating the Beyonce, music-loving crowd? Somehow we doubt it.

To be fair, “Frost/Nixon”s release is a limited one, so there’s no way its toppling anyone. Critics seemed to love this one and it has a 90% Rotten Tomatoes Rating.

Continue reading Box-Office Choices For Weekend Of December 5, ‘Frost/Nixon,’ ‘Cadillac Records’ And Not Much Else at The Playlist.

First Listen: Beyonce, Mos Def, Nas & Jeffrey Wright Sing For ‘Cadillac Records’

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:48:00 +0000

We didn’t care much for “Cadillac Records,” the Chess records biopic seemed to be the 101, greatest hits of the Chicago label’s history and while that works in some cases, especially if you’re not an expert in the story (which we’re not), but it’s like the script’s beat points were lifted from Wikipedia. It also doesn’t help that the film is kind of cornball-ish (the voice over makes you want to strangle yourself), ham-fisted melodrama (the guy who plays Little Walter is just too over-the-top).

Continue reading First Listen: Beyonce, Mos Def, Nas & Jeffrey Wright Sing For ‘Cadillac Records’ at The Playlist.

Embargo Busting? Variety’s ‘Cadillac Records’ Review Hits Early

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:52:00 +0000

Are the rules different for Variety? Is that how it works? Yes, we realize they have about 10 trillion times more juice than us and most of the rest of bloggers out there, but an embargo is an embargo, no? Doesn’t make sense if people don’t play by the rules does it?

“Cadillac Records” reviews aren’t supposed to hit until the week of release (next week), but Variety has already posted theirs, penned by John Anderson.

Continue reading Embargo Busting? Variety’s ‘Cadillac Records’ Review Hits Early at The Playlist.

Trailer: Can ‘Cadillac Records’ Be This Year’s ‘Dreamgirls’?

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:06:00 +0000

“Cadillac Records,” the film that charts the rise and fall of seminal R&B label, Chess Records, starring Beyoncé Knowles, Mos Def and Jeffery Wright, and Adrien Brody (as Etta James, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and R&B magnate Leonard Chess, respectively) has itself a trailer.

The synopsis: “In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950’s Chicago, “Cadillac Records” follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America’s musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry.”

“Cadillac Records” comes out December 5 and is likely hoping to be this years, “Dreamgirls,” but Oscar talk so far is non-existent.

Continue reading Trailer: Can ‘Cadillac Records’ Be This Year’s ‘Dreamgirls’? at The Playlist.

First Look: Mos Def As Chuck Berry And More ‘Cadillac Records’ Photos

Rodrigo Perez — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:07:00 +0000

As we noted earlier this week, the biopic about estimable R&B label Chess Records, titled “Cadillac Records” is now coming out December 5 via Sony. The soundtrack. which features many of the actors singing R&B classics, including Beyoncé Knowles, Mos Def and Jeffery Wright, plus appearances by rapper Nas, Raphael Saadiq and Beyonce’s younger sister Solange, hits December 2 (apparently Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest is on it too, we musta missed that).

IMDB a bunch of images of the film including the first look at Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Cedric The Entertainer as Willie Dixon and more shots of Knowles portraying Etta James and Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters.

Continue reading First Look: Mos Def As Chuck Berry And More ‘Cadillac Records’ Photos at The Playlist.

‘Cadillac Records’ Coming Out December 5, Soundtrack Featuring Beyonce, Mos Def, Nas, Jeffrey Wright & Solange Hits December 2

Rodrigo Perez — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:22:00 +0000

Something to add to the Oscar season perhaps? Hey, don’t scoff, “Dreamgirls,” did it. Maybe not entirely successfully, but the musical movie sure stuck its foot in the door.

“Cadillac Records,” chronicles the rise and fall of Chicago 1950’s R&B record label (Chess Records) is now set for a December 5 release and could be this year’s “Dreamgirls” if it’s lucky. Either way, they’ll be a ton of classic songs in the film.

Continue reading ‘Cadillac Records’ Coming Out December 5, Soundtrack Featuring Beyonce, Mos Def, Nas, Jeffrey Wright & Solange Hits December 2 at The Playlist.

Mos Def To Play Chuck Berry In ‘Cadillac Records’ R&B Film

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:08:00 +0000

It was only a few weeks ago that we saw pictures of Beyoncé as Etta James in the film, “Cadillac Records,” chronicling the rise and fall of the titular estimable Chicago 1950’s R&B record label.

Now rapper/actor Mos Def has been cast to play o.g. rocker Chuck Berry according to Variety. Actress Gabrielle Union has been tapped to play Geneva Wade, the girlfriend/wife of Muddy Waters to be played by Jeffery Wright. The film centers around R&B magnate Leonard Chess (played by Adrien Brody) and the estimable 1950’s Chicago R&B record label Chess Records (in the film transposed to Cadillac Records).

Continue reading Mos Def To Play Chuck Berry In ‘Cadillac Records’ R&B Film at The Playlist.

Despite The Missing 40-Odd Lbs, Beyoncé Is Finally Starting To Resemble Etta James

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:53:00 +0000

The first photos of Beyoncé as Etta James in the film, “Cadillac Records,” have leaked courtesy of the celeb-obsessed photo site JustJared. And despite not really looking anything like her and being rather underweight for the part, B is finally starting to look the part.

The film centers around R&B magnate Leonard Chess (played by Adrien Brody) and the titular estimable Chicago R&B record label “Cadillac Records.”

Chess Records launched the careers of such R&B greats as Muddy Waters, Etta James and Chuck Berry and the film will also chronicle the lives of American musical legends like Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, and Elvis Presley.

Continue reading Despite The Missing 40-Odd Lbs, Beyoncé Is Finally Starting To Resemble Etta James at The Playlist.

Beyonce To Play Etta James In Upcoming ‘Cadillac Record’ Film

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Slightly old news that we ignored when it first was reported (cause we were lazy).

Cedric The Entertainier spilled the beans back in late January to Blackfilm that Beyonce Knowles would star as Etta James in the Leonard Chess film about the titular Chicago R&B record label “Cadillac Records.”

Back in November of 2007, Matt Dillon was in “final negotiations” to play the record magnate Chess, but the role eventually went to Adrien Brody.

Continue reading Beyonce To Play Etta James In Upcoming ‘Cadillac Record’ Film at The Playlist.