Courtesy of FoxSearchlight.com/Tolkien
Courtesy of FoxSearchlight.com/Tolkien

Fox Searchlight Picturesโ€™ Walt Disney Motion Picture Studios presentation of Tolkien arrives in theatres May 10, 2019. Tolkien is a bio-drama about scholar J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the epic novels โ€œThe Lord of the Ringsโ€ and โ€œThe Hobbit.โ€ Tolkien stars Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Tolkien and Golden Globe nominated Lily Collins (Mirror Mirror) as his love interest Edith Bratt.

The audience will experience the magic of what love can do in โ€˜Tolkien.โ€™ Tolkien (Hoult) lived through World War I, where all his friends (Rob Gilson, Geoffrey Bache Smith and Christopher Wiseman) die, to marry the love of his life Edith Bratt (Collins). A lover of language, mystery and magic Tolkien is inspired by Edith, an accomplished pianist, to see the world on a deeper level. That vision beyond the surface helped him create the worlds of his ground breaking novels โ€œThe Hobbitโ€ and โ€œThe Lord of the Rings.โ€

Both Tolkien and Bratt were orphans that lived in the same foster home. It was love at first sight, but his guardian Father Frances Morgan played by Colm Meaney (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) forbid the relationship and sends him off to college at Oxford (Exeter College). Edith believes Tolkien will move on because she is so use to being abandoned that she gets engaged to another guy. Seeing Tolkien leaving to board a ship for war awakens her love for him and as they embrace goodbye she makes him promise to return to her. How Tolkien accomplishes this with bodies dropping all around him is the climax of the film.

Tolkienโ€™s creation of the โ€œmiddle earthโ€ was ground breaking at the time in 1937 when he published โ€œThe Hobbit.โ€ Immediately after he releases a sequel to โ€œThe Hobbit,โ€ titled โ€œThe Lord of the Rings.โ€ This novel became the best-selling novel of all times with over 150 million copies sold so far. It has been reprinted three times and translated in 38 languages. Tolkien sold the film rights to โ€œThe Lord of the Ringsโ€ to United Artists in 1969 and thus garnering multiple Academy Award wins.

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V.I.P. (Virgin Island Professa) preps for his May 22, 2019 released of his new album โ€œEmergencyโ€ (Dust Dem AFF Music), with the release of the first single and music video โ€œWant It.โ€ When I tell you the talent level of this Virginia Island singer, songwriter, producer is up there with Bob Marley, take my word for it. Itโ€™s not because he won my 20-year-old โ€œUplifting Minds IIโ€ (ULMII) Baltimore talent competition six-times or that he has been a sponsor of that event since 2008, but witnessing him take an audience of people from their seats to their feet.

VIP (IslandPride Prints.com)
VIP (IslandPride
Prints.com)

โ€œAround the world we have a lot of issues with violenceโ€ฆI want to let everyone know itโ€™s an emergency, we need to change, get better, do better,โ€ said V.I.P., born in the U.S. Virgin Islands as Marvin Shamal Davis, Jr. โ€œI hope to bring awareness to crime and violence and the need for change. Itโ€™s good to be happy.โ€

V.I.P. debuted in 2008 with โ€œAmbassadorโ€ (Ivory Penn Entertainment) produced by Steve Ivory (Disney). That was the year V.I.P. started sponsoring the ULMII community event. His hit singles in the states and in the Virgin Islands include โ€œHands Upโ€ and โ€œSoakinโ€™ Wet.โ€ โ€“ two of my favorite V.I.P. singles. The Virgin Islands radio stations have always played his music as if he was Bob Marley. He is a local Virgin Island celebrity that is always representing his Virgin Islands home. The V. I. is included on his branded products which can be found at IslandPridePrints.com.

โ€œEveryone needs to focus on the root problem. Rich or poor we all have the same problems,โ€ he pointed out. โ€œHave feelings, but donโ€™t take it to the extreme.โ€

V.I.P. has a sweet and humble personality that people gravitate to. He said he was musically inspired by Calypso music, Bob Marley and Jay-Z.

โ€œMy inspirationโ€ฆCalypso music, Bob Marley of courseโ€ฆhe is a global figure not just in the Caribbean and Jay-Z and I am inspired by yourself with your positive energy,โ€ V.I.P. said. โ€œMy parents too, their strengthโ€ฆgave me the strength to be who I am.โ€

The Virgin Islands, where he was born and raised until he relocated to the states with his father Marvin Sr., has a West Indian culture mixed with African heritage. So, his music is a mixture of that West Indian culture and music from the African-American Hip-Hop culture in the states. That gives his music a very fresh and different sound that can be heard in the music video for the โ€œWant Itโ€ single.

V.I.P., who has been the opening act for the Baltimore ULMII event almost every year since 2011, calls his style music Vulcha.

He hopes his body of music helps to create โ€œworld peace.โ€

โ€œI wish for people to have the ability to know the path they may be taking,โ€ he said. โ€œThat could help make world peaceโ€ฆsomething that creates international greatness. Weโ€™ve lost great brothers like Nipsyโ€ฆtoo soon. Weโ€™ve lost some powerful brothers and sisters to violence.โ€ @VirginIslandsProFessA (Facebook)

Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over ยผ million with The Pulse of Entertainment.

This correspondent is a guest contributor to The Washington Informer.

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