NAACP Image Awards: The Help Cleans House

The 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards awarded The Help three top honors in what came as no surprise to most observers and fans of the Academy Award-nominated picture.

The film received another boost heading into next Sunday's Oscars, winning Outstanding Motion Picture as well as wins for actresses Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer.

The ceremony Friday at the Shrine Auditorium, which honored diversity in the arts, was punctuated by moving tributes to Whitney Houston and George Lucas.

Davis and Spencer also won at the SAG Awards this winter.

Yolanda Adams performed the spiritual song "I Love the Lord, He Heard My Cry" as part of a tribute to pop superstar Houston, who died last week at the age of 48.

As part of the tribute to Lucas, Jennifer Hudson and Ne-Yo performed "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" while Red Tails director Lucas sang along from his seat.

Hudson also claimed the outstanding album prize for I Remember Me.

Other winners announced during the two-hour telecast included a pair of TV stars, Regina King for her role in SouthLAnd and LL Cool J for NCIS: Los Angeles.

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Diddy Nominated For Academy Award

All he does is win. And recently, Diddy has joined on as the executive producer for Undefeated. The narrative film is also nominated for Best Documentary Feature for the 2012 Academy Awards. Congrats!

Directed by Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin, UNDEFEATED is a coming-of-age verite-styledocumentary centering on several young student-athletes and the volunteer coach who guides them through a rough, yet rewarding, football season in northern Memphis. It opens in limited release on February 17.

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Keke Palmer Stuns At ‘Joyful Noise’ Premiere

Keke Palmer was looking gorgeous on Sunday night as she stepped out for premiere of ‘Joyful Noise’. The film which also features Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton, hits theaters this Friday the 13th. Wearing a grey and cream dress paired with nude pumps the actress posed alongside cast mates on the red carpet at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

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New Film ‘Toddlers’ Depicts Baby-Faced Gangsters With Guns

A new independent film depicting child gangsters as young as 12 is creating a stir in Harlem. The independent straight to DVD film titled ‘Toddlers’ depicts baby-faced gangsters involved in shoot outs, murder, drug dealing and sex.

The film’s director Tremaine “M5″ Brown claims he didn’t set out to promote violence, but he also admits there is no message in the kiddie version of Harlem Nights, which was filmed on location in Harlem using child actors.

“That’s what’s going on, I’m just showing it,” Brown told the Daily News. “You hear about these murders, but people don’t see how it happens. I show how these incidents happen. These are real life situations.

“The parents don’t get to see what these kids are really doing,” said Brown, 29. ‘Toddlers‘ was released last month with limited distribution.

The lead gangster in the film, 14-year-old Pito, is played with graphic realism by Jordan Pena, now 16. Pito is forced to grow up quickly when his drug dealing father is killed.

Pito takes charge of the family business, which involves daily violent confrontations with other kiddie drug dealers in the neighborhood.

Pena tells the NY Daily News that the film doesn’t promote violence — he says his character portrays how real-life can alter a kid’s world in the hood.

Termaine (M5) Brown (with glasses) and some of the actors of his new independent film “Toddlers.’ From left are Jordan Pena “il tune,” Pedro Cruz and Henry Sanchez “Chicky Thing.” (Photo by Viorel Florescu for New York Daily News)

“It promotes how to turn into a man; how to take care of a family,” said Pena, now 16.“It promotes how life is out here. It’s definitely reality.”

Pena said his character wasn’t a stretch for him. “It was basically me acting like myself. It wasn’t hard at all. This was like playing my life,” said Pena.

But anti-violence activists cringe at the concept of a movie based on juvenile gangsters similar to the drug dealing characters in HBO’s Baltimore-based docudrama ‘The Wire‘.

“It was disgusting,” said Jackie Rowe-Adams, founder of anti-violence group Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E., who viewed the film, “This should be banned.”

Rowe-Adams, whose 13-year-old son was a victim of gun violence, said she’d like to meet the filmmaker and perhaps work with him to use his skills to send a different message. “Can’t he channel his talents into something positive?” she asked.

Rowe-Adams is considering boycotting Black Star Music & Video on Lenox Ave. near W. 128th St., the only store selling the $20 movie.-Sandrarose.com

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Video: CÎROC:- Luck Be A Lady (Diddy Mini Movie)

The makers of CÎROC Ultra Premium present the short film : Luck be a Lady featuring Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Eva Pigford, Michael K. Williams, Aaron Paul, Dania Ramirez, and Jesse Williams. Directed by Anthony Mandler in Las Vegas for CÎROC Ultra Premium. Perfectly Smooth. Celebrate Life Responsibly.

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Trailer: Warner Bros’ ‘Rock Of Ages’

Here’s a look at something Deadline and others have been writing about for months, Rock Of Ages, from Warner Bros/New Line. It has a formidable cast — Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Malin Akerman, Mary J. Blige, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand and Julianne Hough. Directed by Adam Shankman.

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Video: Kid Cudi “Maniac” Short Film

Kid Cudi takes a break from recording and hits the big screen for a short film directed by Shia LaBeouf. A brief description of the short film is below. Not suitable for those under the age of 18.

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Trailer: Avengers

“Avengers,” hits theaters May 4th, 2012.

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