if she could talk to the animals

• Last week, “Red Tails” opened nationwide. The George Lucas-produced action movie follows the story of Alabama’s Tuskegee Airmen in their aerial battles against German pilots and their ground war against discrimination. The stars include Terrence Howard and Method Man. “Red Tails” reached No. 2 last weekend in box office take.

• Black history also plays a role in Tuesday’s Oscar nominations, which included two state connections. Montgomery native and Auburn grad Octavia Spencer earned a spot in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role as Minny Jackson in “The Help.” Earlier this month, she won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

The movie, based on Kathryn Stockett’s novel of the same name, follows the relationship of a young white woman and two black maids in Jackson, Miss., in the 1960s. “The Help” earned four nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Viola Davis and another Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Chastain.

In the Best Documentary Short category, “The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement” scored a nomination. The 25-minute movie tells the story of James Armstrong, who marched carrying the American flag at Selma on Bloody Sunday in 1965. He was the first to file suit to desegregate Birmingham’s schools. Armstrong died at 86 in 2011 of heart failure.

Director Robin Fryday of San Francisco teamed up with director Gail Dolgin, who received a previous Oscar nomination for “Daughter from Danang” and died from breast cancer in 2010. “The Barber of Birmingham” had its Birmingham premiere in March at the Alabama Theatre.

The Academy Awards airs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 on ABC 33/40.

• “A Smile as Big as the Moon” tells the true story of Mike Kersjes, a high school football coach and special education teacher who leads his special needs students to Space Camp in 1988. Kersjes and Joe Layden co-wrote the original book of the same name. The movie, filmed at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville and also in Wilmington, N.C., stars John Corbett, Moira Kelly and Cynthia Watros. It has its Huntsville premiere at 7 tonight and airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC 33/40.

Video: Minny (Octavia Spencer) gets a taste of revenge
in a scene from “The Help.”

Video: George Lucas discusses the struggle to find funding
for “Red Tails.”

Video: interview with director Robin Fryday and
James Armstrong’s grandson Darren on
“The Barber of Birmingham.”

Video: a look at “A Smile as Big as the Moon”

Posted in B'ham, Bama, Culture | Permalink | Add a Yip »

Tornadoes rip through Alabama for second time in 9 months

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Video: a look at the storm damage in a Center Point neighborhood

Storms and tornadoes made an unwelcome encore following their devastating march through Alabama on April 27. A series of tornadoes and severe storms passed through the central portion of the state in the early Monday morning hours.

Two were killed, and hundreds were injured. Hardest hit areas in Jefferson County included Center Point, Clay, Oak Grove and Trussville. Center Point received so much damage that Center Point Parkway wasn’t cleared to reopen for 2 days.

Hundreds of houses were destroyed or damaged along the path, which mirrored the same path of the deadly April tornadoes. Center Point Elementary, built in 2003, was damaged beyond repair and will have to be bulldozed and rebuilt.

Gov. Bentley declared a state of emergency for all counties.

[audio:http://wbhm.org/songs/jantornado.mp3|width=100%|titles=January 2012 tornado|artists=WBHM 90.3 FM]

Audio: storm survivor stories

Center Point, Jan. 23 tornado

ABC 33/40 viewer-submitted photo

An EF-3 tornado tore through Center Point Monday.

Relief efforts are under way:

Texting REDCROSS to 90999 will donate $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
Those affected by the storms can call the Red Cross on a special line at (205) 439-7800, option 6.
Donations can be made online to Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief fund and the Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services fund (specify for “January 2012 Tornado Relief”).
The Junior League of Birmingham is collecting nonperishable foods, cleaning supplies and batteries at its office, 2212 20th Ave. S. [map] during office hours.
Three Trussville churches are collecting water, food, toiletries, diapers, cleaning supplies and more.

Find more up-to-the-minute news items, videos and more — including updated storm stories and relief efforts — on the new Birmingham Pinterest board.

Gallery: Jan. 23 storm aftermath