New Netflix Western 'The Harder They Fall' was long overdue

In the golden age of Hollywood, Westerns dominated the box office. From the 1930s to the 1960s, some of the biggest films in cinema were from the genre. Jeymes Samuel puts his own stamp on the Western in his directorial debut for Netflix, out in theaters Friday. With intense action sequences, violence and a love story at the center, “The Harder They Fall” has all the components that make the genre so iconic. However, it also offers something that many past Westerns have lacked — the truth. 

According to Smithsonian magazine, 1 in 4 cowboys in the 18th and 19th centuries were Black. But looking at iconic films like “Dances With Wolves,” “High Noon” and “Rio Bravo,” it would seem that Black people don’t even exist. “The Harder They Fall,” however, positions Black people in the center of its narrative. 

Continue reading at NBC Think.

There's No Connection In 'The Sounding'

Speech is just one form of communication; there is also writing, language, signing, touch, and various other ways humans connect. Therefore when you are blocked from these kinds of connections, it can be both frustrating and isolating. In her film, The Sounding, director, writer, and actress Catherine Eaton portray Liv, a woman who lives off Maine's coast on a remote island.

Under her grandfather Lionel (Harris Yulin), Liv has remained in her little bubble — literally. Though she developed normally as a young girl, Liv suddenly stopped speaking and still has not resumed decades later. Though Lionel, a scientist, was desperate to find a cause or cure for Liv's self-imposed silence, he's resigned himself to just making her happy. However, amid a health crisis, he's determined to find a path forward for Liv when he's gone. 

Summoned to the island by Lionel, Michael (Teddy Sears) finds himself mesmerized by Liv and her condition. He is wholly determined to find the root of her silence, despite Lionel's pleading to protect her. Things escalate further when Liv begins to speak through Shakespeare's prose to express herself, forcing Micheal to choose between Lionel's wishes and his desire to "help" as a doctor. 

Any fan of Shakespeare will undoubtedly be moved by Eaton's vast knowledge of the iconic playwright's words. Also, the chemistry between herself and her co-star, Sears, is palpable. However, that's where the interest and intrigue in The Sounding ends. Even enthusiasts of Shakespeare will probably be exasperated as Liv launches the thick prose at Michael and later when she rebels in a psychiatric hospital. 

Her outbursts and acts of violence seem to come out of nowhere since the audience is offered no insight into this side of her personality prior. The outbursts are neither consistent nor revelatory, adding no information or details to the character or the film overall. 

Moreover, there is never any real explanation regarding Liv's condition, leaving the audience increasingly frustrated with the narrative's direction and even less intrigued than when the film opened. Instead of a full-fledged script, The Sounding appears to sit on an idea of lovely acting and striking scenery. 

This is not to say all is lost; rounding out the cast with Eaton, Yulin, and Sears is a veteran actor, Frankie Faison as Roland, Lionel's friend and lawyer. The ensemble alone shows poetic handling of the often dense dialogue and lush silences. Moreover, The Sounding is a stunning film. Along with her cinematographer, David Kruta, Eaton creates a majestic sequence of images rivaling any big-budget project. 

Yet, despite having all of the right pieces, The Sounding doesn't quite come together in the end. Instead, we are left in the same place we began. 

The Sounding is now available on VOD.

Between The World And Me creates a tapestry of history and art from Ta-Nehisi Coates’ words

With his critically acclaimed nonfiction work, Between The World And Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates laid himself bare. Writing the book as a letter to his then 15-year-old son, Coates unearthed memories from his boyhood in West Baltimore, then moved to his son’s birth and into the present day. Between The World And Me was published in 2015, just before Trump gave new life to the United States’ rotten core. In the years since, social media and the ubiquity of cameraphones has amplified Black death in the media. Police brutality, unyielding anti-Blackness, and an exhausting presidential election cycle have dominated our day-to-day lives. With history at his back and the events of his own Black life embedded in his memory, the journalist could not have predicted our current state when he first published his manuscript. Still, the author ended up pretty spot-on. Coates was brutally realistic about Black life, even then. In HBO’s film adaptation of the New York Times best-seller, his words echo across the screen, burrowing into our past and leaving hints about the future of Black America and this country.

Continue reading at The A.V. Club.

Adrienne Warren Is Absolutely Astonishing In 'Tina: The Tina Turner Musical'

Many of us grew up listening to Tina Turner's soulful vocals, and learned about her personal life from her revealing memoir, I, Tina, and the 1993 biopic What's Love Got To Do With It? As much as Angela Bassett embodied the queen of rock n roll, the spirit of Tina Turner also lives within powerhouse talent, Adrienne Warren. Her performance in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical is electrifying. (Nkeki Obi-Melekwe steps into Turner's dancing shoes during matinees.)

Like the film's iconic opening scene, the play begins with a young Anna Mae Bullock singing in a Nutbush, Tennessee church during the 1940s. Matching her elder counterpart's out of this world vocals, actress Skye Dakota Turner blew the top off the theater with a gospel rendition of "Nutbush City Limits." From that moment, it was clear that Tina is something special.

Helmed by director Phyllida Lloyd and written by The Mountaintop playwright Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, Tina follows the traditional beats of a musical biopic. A teenage Turner, at the urging of her ailing Gran Georgeanna (Myra Lucretia Taylor), leaves behind her southern hometown for St. Louis. Turner moves to the city with her stern and emotionally withholding mother, Zelma (A Different World alum Dawnn Lewis), and sister Alline (Mars Rucker). There is, of course, a significant focus on the icon's relationship and marriage with the volatile Ike Turner (Daniel J. Watts), and their work as The Ike and Tina Turner Revue. However, Lloyd and the writers' handling of the Ike and Tina years, as well as Warren's passionate and tireless performance, elevates Tina to one of the most exquisite performances on Broadway.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Why We’re Still Falling For 'Love & Basketball' 19 Years Later

Black movies came thundering through Hollywood in the 1990s. Films like Boyz n the Hoodand Menace II Society gave the world a glimpse into inner city African-American life. Meanwhile, movies like Waiting to Exhale and Soul Food gave audiences a window into the lives of professional black women. Despite this new wave of Black cinema, romance films with African-American casts had not yet made their appearance.

Love Jones and The Best Man broke the mold by showcasing the trials and tribulations of black love. However, when it came to putting the first inklings of love and sensuality on screen outside of dangerous environments, young black people —teens, in particular, had to look toward mainstream films like She’s All That or 10 Things I Hate About You for some sort of connection. Black characters may have been sprinkled throughout these films —but they certainly weren’t the central focus. 

In 2000, Gina Prince-Bythewood shattered the standard for romance, black love, and sensuality in cinema with her acclaimed drama, Love & Basketball. Set in the early ’80s and moving into the ‘90s, Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy’s (Omar Epps) romance begins at age 11 when Monica and her family move next door to Quincy’s. Rambunctious and feisty pre-teens— the pair have an instant rivalry and mutual respect because of their shared love of basketball. 

From the moment the film opens with Al Green’s “Love and Happiness” spinning in the distance, these kids speak the same language. As they step into their teen years, Monica and Quincy’s admiration for one another grows—as does something a bit more sensual that begins to burn under the surface. However, basketball, the politics of gender, and the perils of adulthood start to crack the foundation of their love and friendship. 

The best romance films speak to our souls because our investment and the love we have for the characters tug at our hearts, and awakens some common connection we have in our own lives. Monica and Quincy’s story builds over four quarters (like a basketball game) instead of a meet-cute, confrontation, and resolution told over three acts. Instead, writer/director Prince-Bythewood takes the time to reveal the characters in all of their beauty, humanity, desires, and internal conflicts.

By the Second Quarter at age 18, both Quincy and Monica are formable basketball players with vastly different styles on the court. While Quincy seems to float across the hardwood flooring, Monica is vicious in her defense and offense. As she dribbles down the court, the audience is privy to her inner-dialogue, and her desperate desire to prove herself as one of the best players out there, regardless of gender.

Historically, women have never been allowed the full emotional capacity for sportsmanship.  As a result, Monica’s constantly attitude gets her in trouble during games, and further alienates her from her traditionally-minded mother, Camille (Alfre Woodard).

Quincy also has a lot to live up to. His father Zeke (Dennis Haysbert) is a pro-basketball player whom he idolizes. As Quincy matures — the facade that Zeke has built around himself as a father and a husband begins to unravel, threatening to break Quincy’s spirit and perception of self. Though Quincy is king of their high school and Monica stands on the outskirts—their mutual passion has kept them connected over the years. Through Prince-Bythewood’s lens, they are constantly orbiting around each other. At night, instead of listening to his parents fight, Quincy crawls out of his bedroom window and into Monica’s where she offers him a pillow, blanket, and space on her floor. His secrets remain safe with her. Also, it’s Quincy that Monica trusts when it comes to opening her recruitment letter from the University of Southern California (USC). 

In the age of Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk, it seems stunning that sex and sensuality amongst black people was almost non-existent on screen up until the mid-’90s. Love & Basketball helped usher in a new era of black intimacy and desirability in film. For black women, regardless of socioeconomic background or religion –many of us been grounded in a tradition of silence when it comes to sex as a way to undermine stereotypes of hypersexuality. Black women have often been taught to suppress their sexuality, or we’ve been shamed into silence about physical needs and desires. It’s a mold that has slowly been chipped away in the last thirty years or so in popular culture. 

In Love & Basketball, Prince-Bythewood presents sex as a celebratory act —a moment to be enjoyed. In Quincy’s arms —Monica is not merely desired, she’s also protected, and she never needs to be put on display. Sex scenes —especially when they are meant to capture a first-time encounter aren’t often given the care and consideration that should be expected of the experience. With Maxwell’s “This Woman’s Work” in the background Prince-Bythewood presents the beauty and candor of sex (with the visual use of a condom and verbal consent). Though we see Quincy’s reactions to Monica and her body — his appreciation, and reverence of her is evident —the experience is presented through her perspective. She isn’t an object to be ogled or placed on display. Instead, because the camera stays on her face, the audience  is privy to her emotional state and the romance of the encounter. 

Continue reading at The Spool.

TIFF Review: Stella Meghie’s ‘The Weekend’ Is Witty, Raw & Proves That Three Is Always A Crowd

Everything can change over the course of three days, as is chronicled in Stella Meghie’s biting comedy The Weekend. Struggling stand-up comedian Zadie (Saturday Night Live alum Sasheer Zamata) is 29, and — as she puts it — "extremely single." Regrettably, Zadie's nonexistent love life is mostly for lack of trying on her part. When she isn’t busy trying out new material on stage, she’s still pining over her ex-boyfriend turned reluctant friend Bradford (Tone Bell), even though they haven’t been together romantically in three years. To make up for skipping out on his birthday soirée for loftier plans — like eating an entire pizza and wallowing in self-pity, Zadie gifts Bradford with a first edition, signed copy of W.E.B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk. She also invites him on a weekend getaway at her parents' bed and breakfast in picturesque northern California. Much to Zadie's disdain, Bradford invites his girlfriend, Margo (DeWanda Wise) along as well. Bougie and well-put-together, Margot knows exactly who she is. Meanwhile, Zadie — who is still trying to figure her life out — can’t take it. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Things start off on the wrong foot before the trio even arrives to the bed and breakfast. However, their trip takes an intriguing turn when a single, very sexy guest named Aubrey (Insecure’s Y’lan Noel) arrives, and takes an interest in the plucky, self-deprecating Zadie. Zamata and Noel’s scenes together are some of the best of the film, and stand out because they allow audiences to see Zadie in her own light without Bradford's shadow cast over her.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

'Phantom Cowboys' Beautifully Twists and Bends The Coming-Of-Age Genre (Tribeca Review)

Coming of age documentaries certainly aren't new territory. Recent films like Quest and Raising Bertie are stellar projects that document the transformative years of their subjects as they embark on the journey from their teen years to adulthood. Daniel Patrick Carbone's Phantom Cowboys uses that same model but twists it into something we've never seen before. Following three different young men -- Larry, Nick and Tyler from Pahokee, Florida; Trona, California; and Parkersburg, West Virginia -- Carbone introduces us to these young teens just as they are stepping into themselves. All three are on the cusp of shedding the wistful naivete of childhood, but instead of following them, Carbone breaks away, re-entering their lives seven years later to see where they’ve ended up. Pahokee, Trona and Parkersburg are all very particular places in the United States. Almost frozen in time, except for the glimpses of technology that Carbone hints at throughout the film, there is minimal opportunity for the people in these towns. When we first meet Larry at 13 years old, he spends his days running through sugarcane crops and shooting rabbits with his best friends. At 20, he’s taller, broader and newly released from prison after a 3-year bid for aggravated battery. Despite his circumstances, his spirit is not completely worn down, but his innocence and excitement about the world have long since disappeared.

In Trone, Nick's life plays out very differently. At 17, he lives for football, and his identity is deeply ingrained in his community. In Trone, the chemical plant seems to be the only way of life; Nick's father has worked there for decades. As a teen, Nick seems weary of a certain future at the plant, but at 23 with a 4 a.m. wakeup call, he’s thankful for the steady income and the familiarity the plant provides. In fact, he’s turned down a college football scholarship to remain close to his family, teaching his little brother to fix things and to ride a motorbike.

For Tyler, Parkersburg represents one thing, dirt racing. At 18, he spends his days with his father at a garage, making money to support his daughter. But at night, it's all about racing. When we meet Tyler again at 25, his obsession has begun to pay off. With four little girls and a wife to support, he’s starting to win races while making a name for himself in the racing community. When Tyler's not working or behind the wheel, he’s taking his daughters to and from school and tucking them in at night. He's completely cloaked in adulthood.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Review: 'The Bounce Back' Is A Charming Solid Effort From First Time Producer Shemar Moore

I’ll deny it if you ever bring it up in conversation, but the truth is, I have a pretty large obsession with romance novels. My Kindle is nearly bursting with them. It’s something about those inevitable plot points full of grand gestures and just a bit of conflict that put a smile on my face, even when the world is literally crumbling around me. Marking his first venture into producing, Shemar Moore’s newest film “The Bounce Back” felt exactly like returning to a favorite romance book.

In the film, which is loosely based on the novel “The Bounce Back Book” by Karen Salmansohn, Moore stars as relationship and self-help expert Matthew Taylor, whose newest best seller, “The Bounce Back “ boasts that getting over heartbreak is a simple as willing yourself to get over it. A divorced dad turned sexy playboy; Matthew seems to float through life on his charms and dazzling smiles as if his past and the destruction of his marriage have no bearing on whom he is today. With his best friend and manager Terry Twist (Bill Bellamy) in tow, Matthew’s life appears to be going along perfectly until a run in with clinical physiologist, Kristin Peralta (Nadine Velazquez), has him rethinking everything he thought he knew about love, intimacy, and heartache.

A career driven woman with little time for nonsense (or love), I admittedly held my breath at first, hopeful that Kristin’s character wouldn’t be reduced to a sassy Latina stereotype. Luckily, Velazquez did not disappoint. Still reeling from a devastating breakup six years prior, Kristin does not sit in her pain, but she certainly didn’t run from it either. Determined not to be made a fool of again, she‘s successful, smart and focused on her own well-being despite being jaded about love and relationships. After being pushed by her girlfriends to attend one of Matthew’s seminars on healing after a devastating breakup, sparks fly between the pair; and not in a good way. With solid counter arguments to all of his points, Kristin is unafraid to call out Matthew on his “bounce back” method. She’s also quick to point out his “lowly” life-coach status as opposed to her license and years of practicing counseling. Their sparring was full of witty comebacks and got more than one chuckle out of me. The duos public bickering swiftly captures the attention of the media, and they soon find themselves on a cross-country book tour, showcasing their opposing views.

“The Bounce Back” doesn’t break any new ground, when it comes to it’s narrative. It’s fairly predictable, hitting all of the nuts and bolts that we are all accustomed to in any romantic comedy; right down to the corny jokes delivered mostly by Bellamy’s character Terry, and Moore’s sensational six-pack abs. (You can’t have a rom-com without a decent set of abs.) However, as a romance lover, there was certainly some charm in this film. Matthew and Kristin are both people I know (and perhaps people I’ve been at one point or another in my life). Most filmgoers will also certainly relate to what it feels like to be stuck in a rut when it comes to their romantic lives. Moreover, many of us can understand the desire to move past heartbreak and pain through sheer willpower; determined to grasp on to the hope that we can no longer see.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Image: The Bounce Back/ Viva Films

Review: Denzel Washington & Viola Davis Honor August Wilson In A Stunning Adaptation Of August Wilson's 'Fences'

As a child, like most children I presume, I did not think of my parents as real people. They acted instead as my comforters and my providers, the people I stretched out my hands towards when I needed something. I was nearly out of the house before I considered what they might have given up; what dreams they may have sacrificed or brushed aside in the 60’s, the ’70s and ‘80s to provide my sister and myself with the best life that they could. For us, they moved through life often joyful but at times enraged; continually propping up a marriage that was long past its expiration date. Though I lived in their story with them, for the first part of my life, I observed as an outsider, labeling them as who they presented themselves to be instead of who they actually were. I, their eldest child, was guilty of not really seeing them in the full scope of their humanity.

With his ten plays in The Pittsburg Cycle, playwright August Wilson mastered, narrated and documented the African-American experience throughout the twentieth century in the United States. From “Gem of the Ocean” to “Radio Golf,” each play set in a different decade revealed new challenges, joys, and nuances of the Black experience. August Wilson forced you to see; to bear witness to Black lives, by presenting full and complete human beings in his narratives. Something I was unable to do with my own parents until my early adulthood.

It has been a long road for the film adaptation of August Wilson’s sixth play in his Pittsburg Cycle, and it seems now that the timing has never been so ideal. Set in the 1950’s, Wilson’s critically acclaimed “Fences” comes sparkling to life on the film screen with Denzel Washington in the director’s chair and starring as patriarch Troy Maxson; a middle-aged garbage collector who, despite living a respectable life, struggles deeply with internal dissatisfaction, defeat, and bitterness. Not to be outdone by Washington’s commanding performance, Viola Davis holds her own, exploding onto the screen as his wife, Rose, a long-suffering but hopeful woman, desperate to keep her family together amid racial turmoil, financial issues and dreams deferred.

Incredibly faithful to the original play which first debuted on Broadway in March of 1987, through Washington’s lens, Troy and Rose’s story gets expanded and stretched out spectacularly as if August himself were walking the audience through the narrative. Both Washington and Davis have mastered (having acted in the play in the 2010 Broadway revival) these characters – the dichotomy of what it means to be Black in America during this particular moment. To be at once joyful and deeply tormented.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act. 

Image: Fences/ Paramount 

‘Almost Christmas’ Review: This Warm Family Film Is Just What the Holiday Season Ordered

Holiday season movies are a time-honored tradition, but African American holiday season films exist in a genre of their own. From Malcolm Lee’s “The Best Man Holiday” to Preston A. Whitmore II’s “This Christmas,” the nuances of black life at the proverbial “most wonderful time of the year” have enraptured audiences for years. David E. Talbert’s latest entry “Almost Christmas” just might be the most satisfying entry in this genre to date.

Led by the ever-reliable Danny Glover as heartbroken family patriarch Walter Meyers, “Almost Christmas” benefits from a robust cast in tune with the material. Mo’Nique stars as Walter’s hilarious and outspoken sister-in-law May. Strong supporting work comes from Gabrielle Union, Kimberly Elise, Romany Malco, Nicole Ari Parker, J.B. Smoove, Omar Epps and Jessie T. Usher.

“Almost Christmas” follows the eclectic Meyers clan as they embark on their first Christmas since burying their beloved mother, Grace. The film opens in 1971, with nostalgic thoughts about a slice of sweet potato pie — and then glides forward in time, highlighting births and other significant moments, until we land in the present day. The dysfunctional family heads to their childhood home in Birmingham, Alabama to stay with their father, Walter, just five days before Christmas. Still grieving the loss of his wife, Walter is still determined to have a positive holiday experience. He even sets out to make his wife’s traditional sweet potato pie (which results in disaster) before his sons and daughters descend on him.

Continue reading at Indiewire.

Image: Universal

Review: Powerful Character Arcs & Sensational New Avengers Prove That ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Is Marvel at Its Best

I’m a lightweight superhero fan, which means I’ve got no allegiance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe over DC Comics. Like any film lover, I simply enjoy a great story-line packed with even better action. However, screening “Captain America: Civil War” changed everything for me. By the time the film actually started —ten minutes behind schedule — the theater was so rife with anticipation that people were nearly fidgeting out of their seats. It was as if everyone but me knew just what we were about to experience.

So often as viewers, we are relegated to the sidelines when watching superhero films. We sit in our seats, eagerly taking in the spectacle that is laid out before us. However, Joe and Anthony Russo’s latest entry into the Marvel Universe proved that the audience can be active participants in the action. Since “Iron Man” dropped in 2008, all Marvel roads have been leading up to “Captain America: Civil War”; and somehow, the film lives up to every bit of the hype. The Russo brothers invite their audience into the story alongside the Avengers, while eloquently dealing with all of the characters and storylines that are intertwined throughout the film.

The divide between Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), and Tony Stark, aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), starts slowly, with an initial disagreement. Cap’s comrade Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is in grave danger, but The First Avenger’s interest in helping his friend goes directly against Stark’s newly established status quo. As the film continues, the divide between the duo begins to crackle and spread. This split slowly infects every other member of the Avengers team, forcing them to choose sides. By now, the audience knows these characters, their motivations and their ideals. However, the Russo brothers’ story brilliantly requires their viewers to exercise patience. Nothing is rushed in this film, which makes the climatic sequences all the more exquisite. Where “Civil War” succeeds, while DC Comics recent “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” failed, is it’s willingness to allow its characters time to develop. The film digs well below the surface and into the history of the Marvel Universe. Just as we are invested as fans, these characters are steadfast in their beliefs and their particular experiences.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Image: Marvel

Tribeca Review: ‘Kicks’ Is a Gripping 21st century Tale About Inner City Masculinity, Violence & the Lust for Shiny Things

When you're fifteen years old, the desire to fit in can be overwhelming. For some of us, if we're lucky, that carnal need to seek out the opinions of others fades slowly as we move further and further into adulthood. However, in adolescence, that thirst for approval is often tied to brand name material objects. For 15-year-old Brandon in Justin Tipping’s debut film "Kicks" that material object is a pair of black and red Jordan sneakers; the originals.

Told with sweeping and surrealist cinematography that paints the picture of a practically glittering Bay Area, “Kicks” follows the idealistic but scrawny Brandon, who believes that acquiring these retro J’s will enable him to fit in with his friends and peers. Instead, he rocks some shredded (once white) Air Force Ones from his middle school days. (When I was growing up, we called shoes likes these biscuits.) Painfully shy, Brandon exists almost on the outskirts of his friend group. He’s content to sit on the sidelines while his homeboys flirt with girls and run up and down the sun draped basketball court. Fed up with being the underdog and with his lack of shoe game, Brandon scrapes together some money for the once unattainable J's, which he purchases from the back of Crazy Daryl's van. The new kicks are life changing. Brandon suddenly becomes wrapped in a feeling of euphoria, where nothing feels out of reach for him. Unfortunately, his joy is short-lived as he’s soon jumped by a gangster named Flocko and his crew; the fresh sneaks ripped cruelly from his feet.

The duration of the film follows Brandon's desperate quest to recapture not only his sneakers, but also his perceived masculinity. Dragging along his best friends - ladies man Rico and self-proclaimed R&B singer Albert - Brandon travels from the Bay to Oakland dragging his cousins and his fresh-out-of-prison Uncle Marlon (Mahershala Ali) along on his dangerous adventure. As Brandon barrels forward blindly on his journey to be reunited with his Js, he’s confronted with the fact that all actions have consequences; a concept that often seems like an afterthought during our teenage years. Furthermore, the audience learns that Flocko has his own complex motivations for his volatile behavior.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Image: Kicks

Sundance Review: 'How to Tell You’re a Douchebag' Is a Black Rom-Com for the 21st Century

It was films like “Nothing But A Man,”  “Love Jones” and “Love & Basketball” that made me fall in love with cinema. As a millennial, in the ‘90s there was “Love Jones”, a narrative of passion set against Chicago’s urban backdrop. Hopeless romantics and cynics alike watched as Nina Mosely and Darius Lovehall, desperately tried to figure out that thing called love. In the past decade (except for Gina Prince-Bythewood‘s “Beyond the Lights”) Black romance in film has fallen by the wayside in favor of buddy comedies or ensemble features. First time feature director Tahir Jetter’s “How to Tell You’re A Douchebag” has the potential to help reinvigorate the genre for the 21st century.

What does it mean to be a heterosexual Black 20-something looking for love while living in a major city? The media would like us to believe that our options are sparse. As Black women continue to outpace Black men in terms of education and job advancement, we’re told that our only options are "fuckboys" or "dopeboys." However, that hasn’t been my experience; nor has it been the experience of my girlfriends. “How to Tell You’re a Douchebag” follows Ray Livingston (played by relative newcomer Charles Brice), a 20-something Brooklynite anxious to find his footing as a writer while advancing his blog, “Occasionally Dating Black Women." Getting over a rough breakup, Ray finds himself unable to cope with his emotions, which leads him down a rather rocky path. At rock bottom, Ray makes the grave mistake of insulting up-and-coming journalist, Rochelle Marseille (played by DeWanda Wise). At the top of her game professionally, Rochelle is a stunning beauty who doesn’t take shit from anyone; especially not self-proclaimed “nice guys” like Ray.

A quintessential 21st century Black romantic comedy, Jetter’s film explores topics that Darius and Nina would have found unfathomable when “Love Jones” debuted in ’97. After all, millennials are meeting people and dating in ways that are wildly different than any generation that has come before us. Along with the usual trials and tribulations, including rampant misogyny, we are also dealing with social media and its various influences on the process.

Continue reading a Shadow and Act.

Image: How To Tell You're A Douchebag

Review: VH1 Original Movie 'The Breaks’ Is a Hilarious Tribute to Hip-Hop and Dreams

Whether you were born and raised in New York, or you arrived with nothing but a dollar and some dreams, the city will humble you with a quickness. It’s a town that demands wits, ingenuity and fearlessness; no matter what industry you’re tying to break into. In order to make it here, you have to be a doer and a hustler, or else, opportunities will simply pass you by. I’ve lived in NYC for seven years now, and the hustle mentality is something I’m still learning every day.

VH1’s latest original film, “The Breaks,” is a movie that suggests that the grind in this town is nothing new. It’s a story about passion and the things that can break you before you even get started.

Set in the summer of 1990, Seith Mann’s “The Breaks” follows three 20-somethings - Nikki Jones, David Aaron and DeeVee - who are all scrambling after their dreams, desperate to reach them by any means necessary. The city can be a lot to handle today, but back then, the crime-riddled streets were even grittier. Mann brilliantly captures the grey caste, graffiti, chunky gold, and most importantly, the music of the era.

Inspired by journalist Dan Charnas’ novel on hip-hop business, entitled “The Big Payback,” we meet Nikki Jones (played by Afton Williamson), a recent grad, who turns down a scholarship to Harvard Law School in order to hustle her way into a internship at Fouray Entertainment, a big shot entertainment company. Williamson’s performance as Nikki is brilliant, and, quite frankly, she carried much of the film on her shoulders. Despite the naysayers and the sexism that continually permeates the hip-hop music business, Nikki’s quick thinking and sharp tongue keep the men—and women—around her in check.  Some of the best lines in the film spill out of her mouth, instantly inciting laughter from the audience. And yet, the most brilliant thing about her character is the fact that you never quite know who she is, or if you even like her by the end of the film.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Image: VH1

Aruba Film Festival Review: ‘Deal With It’ Is a Compelling Documentary About Cycles, Addiction & the Power of Love

Living in New York City, I've learned to avoid the drug users as they bellow loudly down the streets of Harlem. I avoid making eye contact with them, seemingly more absorbed in whatever's on my phone screen or streaming through my ear buds than the human beings right in front of me. They're forgotten to me by the time I make it to the next block. If criminals and addicts aren’t directly involved in your life, you rarely actually see them. Instead, we use them for our entertainment (and maybe education) on shows like HBO's “The Wire” and Starz's “Power”. Or, we might turn on the television some dreary afternoon to a show like “Intervention”.

We sit and observe, maybe even sympathetically, from the comfort of our own lives, watching their lives quickly spiral out of control. But, what if we didn’t have that luxury? There are many people who deal with addiction and criminalization on a daily basis that they can't escape because love and family is wholly inescapable. What if you have no choice but to deal?

Aruban-Dutch filmmaker, Shamiera Raphaëla, explores this topic in her mesmerizing and compelling freshman documentary "Deal With It”. The film follows her 60-year old drug dealing and heroin addicted father Pempy, as well as her brother Andy, who are both constantly in and out of prison. The film opens with Pempy's release from jail. As soon as he steps beyond the prison gates, he starts talking smack. His lifestyle has obviously taken a toll on him, but his spirit is still vibrant. He's hilarious and upbeat; one of his most prized possessions is a massive Tupac poster hanging on his apartment wall. If you thought 60-year-old drug dealers didn't exist, then you've never met Pempy.

Raphaëla‘s brother Andy’s story is much harder to swallow. As a Caribbean man (who is much darker skinned than his sister or father) living in Holland, the cycle and repercussions of Pempy’s choices on Andy’s life are staggering. Though, Andy isn't an addict in the way that Pempy is, he sells drugs and makes a living by robbing others. In one particular scene, he rolls crack rocks as his infant son looks on from his stroller.

Shamira Raphaëla is nearly 33 years old, so these are images she has been seeing all of her life. Still, it's truly shocking to watch what we can only assume are typical interactions with her father. Pempy cooks heroin on a spoon, while Raphaëla tries to discuss his use of crack, heroin, and meth on the same day. Yet, Pempy isn’t fazed. He flips the script on Raphaëla suggesting that she be more concerned with her biological clock and lack of boyfriend. This moment, like many others in the film, is hilariously heartbreaking.

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Image: Deal With It

Review - Spike TV's Sword-and-Sandals Miniseries Entry 'Tut' Is 'Game of Thrones' Lite

I find it confounding and disheartening that Hollywood continues to refuse to use actors of African descent to portray citizens of Ancient Egypt. Spike TV’s new miniseries “Tut”, which follows the saga of King Tutankhamun (played by Canadian actor of British-Indian descent, Avan Jogia) during his rise to power, does not break the mold as I would have hoped. Though the casting was nowhere as abysmal as was the case in Ridley Scott’s “Exodus: Gods and Kings”, the use of actors of English, Indian and Mexican descent in prominent roles, did not sit well with me. As Spike TV’s first return to scripted programming, this three-night six-hour miniseries is a coming-of-age story about a boy who is remembered in history as one of the greatest Pharaohs the world has ever seen. King Tut came to power in 1332 BC at nine years old, and was forced to marry his sister in order to ensure a pure bloodline. As history tells us, boy-kings rarely have any true power, as is the case with Tut. For a decade, he is shielded from real politics and decision-making by his advisor Ay (Ben Kingsley), military leader General Horemheb (Nonso Anozie), and the High Priest Amun (Alexander Sidding).

Desperate to become a leader who refuses to hide in the shadows, King Tut comes into his own just as Egypt is on the verge of collapse. While his closest advisors have been plotting against him, a rival tribe - the Mitanni (who are portrayed by dark-skinned Black actors) - has conspired against Egypt, and a deadly plague is quickly approaching Thebes. Tut realizes that he must take control of his kingdom, even if that means turning against his advisors.

While I felt that the series' creators did themselves a disservice by neglecting to use more actors of African descent, especially in key roles, I wouldn't entirely dismiss the work.

If you’re a fan of HBO’s “Game of Thrones”, you’ll appreciate the power struggle between King Tut and the men (and women) who surrounded him, it’s very much in the same vein as the high council at King’s Landing. Like “GoT”, Spike TV’s “Tut” has epic battle scenes, sultry romances, and even an incestuous story line between Tut and his Sister/Queen Ankhe. As Tut begins to open his eyes (and ears) to the world around him, he becomes aware of the conspiracies against him, as well as his own inadequacies as a leader.

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Image: Tut/SpikeTV

Review: 'Ant-Man' Pleasantly Surprised This Marvel Non-Enthusiast

Marvel’s "Ant-Man" is a superhero film for the underdog. The film follows ex-con man Scott Lang, who finds himself down on his luck after being released from San Quentin prison. Comedian Paul Rudd plays Scott flawlessly, who after being fired from Baskin-Robbins gets himself roped into one last big score in an effort to get back into his young daughter’s life. Instead of finding money or jewels, Scott and his rag tag group of friends; Luis (Michael Peña), Dave (TI) and Kurt (David Dastmalchian) come across a peculiar looking leather suit. Things quickly spiral out of control when the gang inadvertently finds themselves involved in a power struggle and corporate espionage between major conglomerates, PYM Industries and Cross Technologies.Admittedly I’m not a huge Marvel enthusiast, so when I first heard about Ant-Man, I thought it sounded like a retelling of "A Bug's Life" for adults. Nonetheless, the film really surprised me. First and foremost, Rudd and Peña are comedic gold. Peña's genius is consistently overlooked and underrated, so it was a ton of fun to watch him in his element.  Throughout the film, Rudd and Peña ebbed and flowed with the same witty, dark, humor that director Peyton Reed has captured perfectly in some of his prior films. Coming from the same team that produced last year's "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Ant-Man" had a familiar feeling to it because there was no Asgard, nor any other mythical place to serve as a distraction.

"Ant-Man’s" special effects are jaw dropping. I'm certainly not a gal who loves insects, but even in the film’s most absurd moments, the ants feel real and look extremely life-like. The most visually arresting component of the film is the way it captures Scott's point of view when he’s shrunken in size. There is one bathroom scene in particular that was simply, visually delicious.

Michael Douglas is fine as Dr. Hank Pym (the man who Scott steals from) but the real talent on camera is Corey Stoll as Dr. Darren Cross. Stoll is able to really embody the crazed, maniacal, instability of his villainous character. As I watched him, I found myself wishing that DC Comics had chosen him to play Lex Luther in "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice."

The one thing that disappointed me a great deal about "Ant-Man" was the thin romance between Scott and Dr. Pym's daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). Their relationship felt forced and jumbled.  I was annoyed that Marvel reduced Lily’s character to simply Scott’s love interest. It was wholly unnecessary, trite and frankly quite dull. Speaking of women, why does Judy Greer (who plays Scott’s ex-wife) play the same role in every film? I just saw her in "Jurassic World" and frankly her character was a bit one-dimensional for my taste.

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Image: Marvel/Ant-Man