Soul Men (2008)

Actors: John Legend (actor), Vanessa del Rio (actress), Donald Meyers (actor), Ritchie Montgomery (actor), Isaac Hayes (actor), Jennifer Coolidge (actress), Bernie Mac (actor), Ken Davitian (actor), Randy Jackson (actor), Sean Hayes (actor), Ted Ferguson (actor), Affion Crockett (actor), Mike Epps (actor), Bob Weinstein (producer), Samuel L. Jackson (actor),

Plot: When R&B; legend Marcus Hooks dies suddenly, VH-1 invites his original back up duo, Floyd Henderson and Louis Hinds, "The Real Deal," to appear at a memorial tribute at the Apollo Theater. Floyd, who's bored in retirement, wants this more than anything; Louis, a philosophical ex-con, does not. Plus, there's bad blood between them (Louis's wife Odetta left him to marry Floyd - then left Floyd). Floyd begs, Louis consents but won't fly, so they leave L.A. in Floyd's flashy Cadillac with five days to get to New York. On the road, they must get back their vocal chops, renew their friendship, and sort out the past. With Floyd's bad hip and Louis's bad kidneys, will they even make it?

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Etta James and the Roots Band: Burnin' Down the House (2002)

Actors: Daniel E. Catullo (director), Brian Lockwood (editor), Daniel E. Catullo (producer), Chuck Haifley (miscellaneous crew), Terry Shand (producer), Shelli Fitzgerald (miscellaneous crew), Steve Sterling (producer), J.W. Griffith (miscellaneous crew), Anthony M. Bongiovi (editor), Etta James (actress), Michael Griffin (miscellaneous crew), Luis Conte (actor), Madelyn Catullo (miscellaneous crew), Glenis S. Gross (producer), Josh Sklair (actor),

Calle 54 (2000)

Actors: Fernando Trueba (director), Fernando Trueba (producer), Graeme Revell (composer), Carmen Frías (editor), Fabienne Servan-Schreiber (producer), Fernando Trueba (writer), Domenico Procacci (producer), Tito Puente (actor), Cristina Huete (producer), Eduardo Lytton (miscellaneous crew), Gato Barbieri (actor), Jessica Berman (producer), Bebo Valdés (actor), Laurence Miller (producer), Chucho Valdés (actor),

Plot: Fernando Trueba presents his love affair with Latin jazz, his camera following 13 giants into the studio. Trueba drapes walls with single colors - red for Jerry González and the Fort Apache band, white for Tito Puente; his camera is close to faces, instruments, hands, and feet; bands' colors contrast with walls or their leader's clothes. Chucho Valdés does a pyrotechnic solo then joins his aged father Bebo for a subdued duet. Puntilla Ríos takes us to Africa, Chano Domínguez to a marriage of jazz and Flamenco, and Eliane Elias, her shoe-less foot on the pedal, to gorgeous and muscular elegance. With Paquito, Cachao, Patato, Chico, Gato, and Michel Camilo, we travel Calle 54.

Kansas City (1996)

Actors: Elizabeth Himelstein (miscellaneous crew), Julie Hansen (miscellaneous crew), Robert Altman (writer), Robert Altman (director), Leigh French (miscellaneous crew), Robert Dawson (miscellaneous crew), Jennifer Jason Leigh (actress), Dermot Mulroney (actor), Miranda Richardson (actress), Robert Altman (producer), Steve Buscemi (actor), Michael Murphy (actor), Harry Belafonte (actor), Carla Meyer (miscellaneous crew), Jeff Maynard (miscellaneous crew),

Plot: Robert Altman's jazz-scored film explores themes of love, crime, race, and politics in 1930's Kansas City. When Blondie O'Hara's husband, a petty thief, is captured by Seldom Seen and held at the Hey Hey Club, she lauches a desperate plan to release him. She kidnaps the wife of a powerful local politician in an attempt to blackmail him into using his connections to free Johnny. Despite this being election time, he risks exposure by putting the political machine into action to free Johnny and thereby save his wife. Mrs. Stilton, meanwhile, has befriended Blondie and is impressed by her love and devotion to Johnny, especially in contrast to her own loveless marriage.

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