News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Mariah Carey wants to help you forget "Glitter"

I'm one of those women who try her best to remain female positive. I really do. I root for talented women to seek their bigger and better slices of the corporate and entertainment pie. High-fiving female successes is one of my favorite past times. Come on, now…up high, come on, don't leave me hangin'! You know that old saying: Behind every strong and successful woman…is a long line of other women being snide and catty about her hair and shoes! Well, nah, that's not me. So, it's with a heavy heart that I must confess to actually cringing when I read that Mariah Carey has a new movie set to debut. Tennessee will have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26. Hmmm…

Tennessee, is the journey of two brothers, Ethan Peck and Adam Rothenberg, to find their estranged father after learning that one brother is diagnosed with terminal leukemia. Carey plays, Krystal, an aspiring singer who flees from her controlling and somewhat abusive husband and joins two brothers on their journey. OK, that doesn't sound all that bad, does it? A little? Sort of? So, is Mariah using a southern accent for the role?

I dig Mariah Carey as a singer. Yes, she's a diva, I know, but I will shout from the mountaintop my adoration of Mimi! I was so glad she was emancipated and put it down on her previous album.

The girl can sing. When she poured out "We Belong Together", I believed her! And even back in the day when she said "I Don't Wanna Cry," hell I didn't want to cry either but that was such a good break up song and her voice and lyrics made me verklempt. I'm actually looking forward to Mariah's new album release due out in a couple of weeks and yes, that's a blog for another day, but this acting thing? Well, I'm worried. Why? One word. Glitter.

Glitter was awful. It was so bad that I got up and left about 35 minutes in, and it was playing on the Movie Channel in my own house!

I was channel surfing one night and saw that it was coming on. Of course, I heard it was bad but I thought ‘it can't be that bad' but I walked out of my own living room, ya'll! I had to sneak back up on my remote to turn it off.

Glitter, though not directly autobiographical, did closely mirror Carey's life and her rise to fame and she was very involved with getting the movie made so I imagine that it would be tough not to take it personally when the movie was critically panned and it became obvious that no one wanted to see it. That failure played a part in Mariah having a tough couple years around the time of the movie's premiere and the aftermath. So, based on how it all impacted her I'm hoping she has a greater success with this new film. But my problem with Glitter wasn't just the marginal writing, stilted dialogue, bad costumes, and cliché story, the biggest problem I had was that Mariah really couldn't act.

Of course, a lot can change in seven years including thespian skills, right? So I'm trying to remain hopeful about this acting thing. I keep reminding myself that Mariah must have felt worse about Glitter than I did so if she wants to jump back on screen then I should respect that, right? She did another movie, Wise Girls, (which I have not seen) where she played a smaller part a few years after Glitter and it impressed Tennessee producer Lee Daniels (Monster's Ball) enough that he chose to cast her in his film.

Granted, Glitter was a wide release which of course gave a whole lot of people a whole bunch of chances to not go and see it. This new film is a small budget indie film and there was even a Page Six article last year that discussed how Mariah, a woman known for liking the finer more expensive things in life, dealt with such limited accommodations.

This movie will not be another Glitter and even I know this. Mariah will not feel the pressure to carry this film nor is there a connection between her fictional character in this film and her real life story. In all seriousness, I think it would be great to have her really triumph in this film after such an awful start to this acting business. Mariah will be singing in the film, as well, and it's been reported that she co-wrote at least one song with Willie Nelson. The film debuts April 26 and I'll be looking for reviews. There have been no further announced general release dates.

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  • Sabrina Hilton's picture

    wisegirls

    I don't think people should judge her acting only on Glitter. I liked Wisegirls. I'm not as big of a Mimi fan as I used to be, but I am excited about this new movie.
    roc's picture

    ....

    Yes, it would suck if we were all judged the rest of our lives based on a single failure:) Mariah hasn't given up on the acting bug so hopefully she will have greater success!
    xxaire's picture

    I loved her in WiseGirls

    The only think I didn't like about the movie was the title.

    Mariah was good enough in that movie to make you forget about Glitter. She plays this New York/Queens chick that is sort of trampy but has a 'heart of gold'. Sounds cheesy but she did a great job... I actually forgot who she was after the first few minutes.

     Peace.

    Rabbit317's picture

    You rock, Roc.

    "Glitter was awful. It was so bad that I got up and left about 35 minutes in, and it was playing on the Movie Channel in my own house!"

    Thank you, that was hilarious... made my afternoon! :D

    You must be the change you want to see in the world.

    -- Mahatma Gandhi

    endingstart's picture

    Lots of respect

    I used to be a big fan of Mariah Carey. Now, not so much, but still, nobody can deny that she is extremely talented and an amazing singer. I only hope that this movie is good and she finds success in it! I also hope she finds SANE.

    mossy's picture

    lol classic snark

    "Glitter was a wide release which of course gave a whole lot of people a whole bunch of chances to not go and see it."

    Roc, you have a way with words.

    I agree that I hope Mariah is back on track emotionally. She's a very talented singer. Why can't that be good enough? Most of us would be more than happy to have her singing voice.

    the girl next door's picture

    Oh!! <3

    I am a huge Mariah fan ^^  I really love her songs, and I think she is a good actress too :)  I loved Glitter.. I have the dvd, and I watch it all the time ;)  But what I really love about her, is her songs (and that she co writes them all).. :D  I can't wait until her new album E=MC2, its out on april 15. <3 
    roc's picture

    ....

    Oh yes, that topic is coming!
    heatherrrrr's picture

    Tennesee

    Sounds like it could be the english version of Y Tu Mama Tambien. Three-person roadtrip, one with a terminal illness, will they find what they're looking for??, etc. 

    I just hope there isn't as much sex in this one--well, bad sex that is.

    Lil Drummer Girl's picture

    Great vocalist but not a great actress....

    Mariah bar none is one of the best female vocalists out today with a vocal range which is off the meter!! (I will also give mad props to Christina Aguilera as well for her vocal abilities).....Why do some entertainers try to cross over, do they really need the money that bad? Singers wanting to be actors/actresses and actors/actresses wanting to be singers.....Mariah is a singer, not a friggin actress, and yes Glitter did suck royally (wasn't Da Brat in Glitter too? Yep, another rapper wantin to be an so called actress). Again, Mariah is great but she needs to leave the silver screen alone and stick with music......
    Lil Drummer Girl's picture

    One more thing.....

    Carey plays, Krystal, an aspiring singer

    If the director was so moved by her acting chops, why on earth did he cast her as an aspiring singer? Things that make you go hmmmmmmm...(C&C Music Factory for ya, lol) ;-)

    Maite Díaz's picture

    don't read this if u like her

    honestly... i just don't know what everyone sees in her...
    what is it? i don't have a high tolerance for her high-pitched voice, and she's just too much for me, her status of "diva" is too overrated for me..
    i can't stand her, but it's just an opinion y'know!
    idk..... am i alone here?

    Lemona's picture

    not alone - BUT

    i am so-so on mimi.  i used to not be able to stand her at ALL, much like other singers who do a lot of r&b or even regular pop ballads - they're all torture to me if i'm in even slightly a bad mood.  i think even "we belong together" still raises my blood pressure and that is a really well done, really well-written song.

    however, there is one song of hers i love - "fantasy" (urban remix version), her remake of tom tom club's "genius of love" with ODB.  it's SO GOOD and it's more hip-hop.  of course, it helps that i totally adore the original song.

    jAguar's picture

    Your not alone!

    Um ... why was this even posted? She can sing but she's an incredibly dull spoiled woman who hasn't heard the word "no" for decades. Don't care that she's in a film and I don't care to be told. Isn't this site supposed to be about lesbian/Bi people /media or at least an honorary lesbian I.E some one we admire? She's certainly not someone I am interested in hearing about... maybe this was supposed to be posted on afterelton.com?? :-) Just a thought?

    roc's picture

    ....

    Heh. The daily blog on AfterEllen.com is anything goes for women in entertainment. There are thousands of members on the AfterEllen.com site so it's understandable that not every person will be interested in every topic. Many blog posts appear each week so hopefully there is something of interest for everyone. 
    jAguar's picture

    Hmmm

    I see where your coming from but at the top of the page it clearly says-

    News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

    There are sooo many other web sites for straight people so I dont mind saying " why has this been posted?" I love this site, come nearly every day to see what news or new blogs have been posted and not everything is interesting to me but still relevent to this web site, just a bit dissapointed that space was taken up on "Mariah is in another film" so I had my say. On the other hand, the Dolly Parton blog was lovely so maybe I just dont want to read about a self obsessed drama queen who is famous because she can reach the note of a dog whistle.

     

    That might be it but I can live with that. 

    tight's picture

    Be for real...

    "new blogs have been posted and not everything is interesting to me but still relevent to this web site, just a bit dissapointed that space was taken up on "Mariah is in another film" so I had my say"

    Then take it up with Sarah Warn not with the blogger. Just 'cause you can't see how a post about someone YOU don't like pertains to you doesn't mean that some of us aren't interested in this performer. Surprise! Some of us, you know lesbians and bisexual women, actually LIKE Mariah Carey and a whole bunch of other non-lesbians, non-bisexual and gasp! even straight women! The horror. You don't like Mariah Carey...good for you. Oh and Dolly Parton's music sounds like nails on chalkboard to me but unlike you I wouldn't go into that thread topic and write something obnoxious about why the blogger chose Dolly Parton for a topic. To each her very own... If you don't like the performer then say that but to question why the performer or actress or TV show or movie is being blogged about and taking up space on a website that you don't own is just ridiculous.

    jAguar's picture

    Yeeeesh!

    Is no one allowed to question any of the content here or have an opinion unless your agreeing with everyone else?? and why would I have to take it up with Sarah Warn??? That is ridiculous and a little funny. I’m sure ROC can handle me questioning her choice of blog and I didn’t criticise ROC I questioned her choice and she responded in a normal matter of fact way. I did criticise Mariah however!. You seem quite angry? Maybe you shouldn’t take this stuff so seriously? I have and I will give my opinion on what ever subject interests me here, as you will.

     

    Till the next time ;-)

    mossy's picture

    oh please....

    Seriously, statements like this:

    "Don't care that she's in a film and I don't care to be told." and like this "I.E some one we admire? She's certainly not someone I am interested in hearing about " are just plain rude and tacky. 

    I guess the various bloggers should PM you and get your personal wants and wishes about who you admire before they take the time to write up something? Seriously, if you don't want to read about someone then don't! No one's forcing you to read anything. Besides how can you determine what and whom "we" admire? 

    Reading the blogs about various women and women related topics on this website has been a joy to many and is a big reason the site is as popular as it is.  

     

    lunakiss's picture

    I miss the old Mariah

    I adore Mariah as a singer. So badly missed her old skool r&b. Heck, is it still around? R&B? I can't judge her on acting yet b/c I haven't seen her in any movies that I want to go see. I just wish she would expand her acting roles besides the obvious Oh-I'm -already-a singer-so I'll-play -an -aspiring-singer. One sure way in getting a very bad rap from the press. Only a handful singers/rappers suprise me like Queen Latifah that can act. Janet Jackson doesn't count b/c she comes from both worlds. Can't wait for Mariah's new cd to drop. I heard it's supposed to be hot!
    .lamby.'s picture

    ooook....

    some people need to lay off the haterade! :P

    i for one am really looking forward to seeing Tennessee. even as a ridiculously obsessed MC fan i can admit that Glitter was not stellar (hey even Mariah has said it basically sucked lol) but i thought her performance in Wisegirls was actually good.

    anyway havin spent the last few days stalkin seein Mariah at her various promo appearances in London i feel i must defend her honour & say that she's a total sweetheart - there are not many celebrities out there who know their fans by name & give them gifts lol. ahh i heart her & i need sleep so this is turnin in2 a ramblin lovefest lmao... 

    ps: just for the record (from my experience) her fanbase seems evenly split between straight girls, dykes & gayboys. & i was rather pleasantly surprised 2 see a Mariah related blog entry so thank u roc ;)

    ~i'ma pull ya closer, keep ya nikes on...u know how we do!~


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